MLDC: Firestorm Crisis

by Michael_Ravencroft

Entry 43: The Light of Nova!

Sunset and Twilight awakened to a familiar space, yet completely different. Their bodies had retained their original light forms from the neck down, but the surface they stood upon was like a starry universe, and the sky above them white, filled with an aurora of colors that swirled and drifted in every which way.

“Sunset…this is different, isn’t it?” Twilight asked.

“Totally…not just the space, but the feeling,” said Sunset.

“I am glad to have finally been brought back to you both.”

Both girls looked up, hearing the voice of the new Firestorm Fusion.

“You’re not Hel, or were you Hel?” Sunset asked.

“At a time, I was. I had appeared before you once, telling you not to fuse into me. I was undergoing a transformation – a metamorphosis if you will. One that was still unstable, it was not until Nu sacrificed his being was I able to finally finish my change.”

Twilight arched an eyebrow at that. “Why was Nu sacrificing himself necessary for that?!”

“The Matrix that he possessed, and the one that you two possess, are two parts of a whole. With the other half returned, you were complete, and so was I. When you first summoned me, it was out of hatred and vengeance, I latched onto that raw emotion and was set free. Now, I draw upon your true power, that of your love, of your magic, and your wanting to protect the lives of those dear to you. I am Nova.”

Sunset and Twilight looked to each other, this being, was the true manifestation of their power, their love for each other and others. Gone were the fears of becoming a monster, now they could focus on what truly mattered, and what laid before them.

“Well Nova, hope you’re ready ‘cause it looks like Dusk Shine doesn’t like what just happened,” said Sunset.

Twilight had pensive look on her face. “I don’t want to kill him, Dusk Shine never asked to be made, same as me. Yet, he didn’t know any of the things I learned amongst others.”

Sunset placed her hand on her lover’s shoulder. “Sparky, I understand what you mean, but it might come down to…”

“I know, I won’t risk the lives of every person on this Earth. Given no other choice, we’ll finish this, better by my hands then someone from the Organization,” said Twilight with conviction.

Deathstorm looked upon Nova, her angelic appearance contrasting against his demonic, undead form. He could feel the opposite powers of light and harmony coming off from her, radiating in all directions. Sparks of electricity went off in the air around them, no doubt caused by his own aura of destruction and darkness clashing in an unseen battle between them.

“I see, you’ve decided to go all in, haven’t you big sister?” Deathstorm asked.

“Deathstorm – no – Dusk Shine – this has to stop! If you wish to continue to endanger all life, then I will be forced to stop you, here and now!” Nova proclaimed.

“Try as you may…” Deathstorm’s hands began to glow with dark atomic energy. “You can never stop DEATH!!!”

Deathstorm charged for Nova and fired a beam of dark energy towards her. Nova narrowed her eyes and thrust her right hand forward, hitting the beam with the flat of her palm head on. The beam stopped, trying in vain to overtake her.

Nova curled her fingers in until she clenched them into a fist, sending a shockwave of light energy that shattered the beam entirely. Undeterred, Deathstorm kept up the charge, balling up his right fist and striking with a haymaker.

The angelic Firestorm raised her left arm, just in time to intercept the attack, a thunderous BOOM erupted in all directions as the kinetic energy was dispersed. Nova retaliated by jumping back, and performing a spinning roundhouse kick with her right leg. The blow caught Deathstorm in the ribs and sent him sailing across the ring.

Nova unfurled her light wings and teleported into the distance. In the blink of an eye she reappeared right in the path that Deathstorm was going and reached out with her left hand, catching the Bringer of Death by the face. She then tossed him upwards, and teleported again.

Deathstorm was then assailed by multiple punches and kicks that came from, seemingly, everywhere. Nova was performing rapid teleportation, appearing and reappearing after each hit, making it almost impossible for Deathstorm to counterattack. The Embodiment of Death grew angered and frustrated, resulting in Deathstorm unleashing a sphere of pure dark flames that spread out for at least five hundred yards in all directions, granting him some breathing room from Nova’s attacks.

Once he was able to collect his thoughts, Deathstorm zeroed in on Nova’s location and charged for her, teleporting just before landing the blow, and reappearing behind her to land a kick square in the middle of her back.

Nova grunted from the blow, but managed to teleport away, reappearing in front of Deathstorm and delivering an uppercut to the skeleton’s jaw. Black ichor was spat out from Deathstorm before teleporting and hitting the Firestorm Fusion in the gut, sending her flying.

Deathstorm teleported again, gathering his energy into both hands, her fired a beam of black fire at Nova. The angelic Firestorm prepared to counter, but at the last second the flames disappeared before her. Without warning, those same flames washed over her from down below, bellowing flames in a huge column.

Nova gritted her teeth and concentrated, white and golden flames gathered to her hands as she fired an atomic ray down to the flames below, causing an explosion that allowed Nova to escape the attack. The Firestorm Fusion glared at Deathstorm and charged for him yet again, however, her body began to glow with aurora light, and within a matter of seconds, four other Novas split from her.

Deathstorm watched as the center Nova, lashed out with the left straight punch. Dusk Shine blocked the attack by bringing both his forearms in front of him to form an X. Unfortunately while blocking this attack, the next Nova came in and kicked Deathstorm in the head, sending him flying again. A third Nova waited to intercept and once he was in range, and punt kicked Deathstorm into the air where the fourth Nova readied a surprise for him.

Dozens of glowing orbs of light surrounded him, and with a snap of the fingers, the orbs detonated with resounding power and force, making Deathstorm bounce about from the explosions like a super bouncy ball.

Deathstorm released a burst wave of dark power, allowing him to escape the aerial trap and zoom off. He watched as the fifth Nova pursued him, but Deathstorm wasn’t about to let her get the best of him. Deathstorm placed his right index and finger against his right eye, which flashed for a moment. He then turned around and stopped, atomic rings formed around his body as a layer of sparkling dark energy overlapped his body, obscuring his form for a moment before disappearing and revealing him again.

The Embodiment of Death charged for the fifth Nova, who unleashed a barrage of light spears at the flaming undead creature. But, when the spears touched Deathstorm, they merely rippled against his body and vanished without a trace.

Before this Nova could figure out the reason, Deathstorm descended upon her, coming down with a spear-hand thrust right through Nova, slicing her in half as she was made of wet tissue paper. Deathstorm turned around and kicked the fifth Nova in the head, a blow which practically erased her head entirely.

‘What the hell was that?!’ Sunset asked.

‘It’s as if he…erased her form, destroyed her matter, but not just matter, even energy,’ said Twilight.

Deathstorm chuckled and proceeded to the next Nova. The fourth Nova’s horn sparked with electricity, creating a static energy field with lightning that would lash out and strike against Deathstorm. However, just like before, the energy was absorbed, or rather erased by his body. Deathstorm spun out, turning his entire body into a drill as he headed straight for the fourth Nova and went right through her, erasing her whole body from the moment of impact.

‘Energy is erased, matter is erased! It doesn’t make sense unless –!’

‘A barrier, that’s what that stuff was that he coated his body in before he attacked! It absorbs and draws in matter, even light!’ Sunset pointed out.

‘A barrier like that must be absolute, if nothing gets in then that means nothing gets out, so how is he able to see?’ Twilight pondered.

The second and third Novas’ went to intercept, both had atomic rings upon their hands as they transmuted the area within a one kilometer radius to freeze, creating an entropy field that made all molecular motion impossible and literally freeze on an atomic level. However, despite the ultimate freeze zone, it did not seem to hinder Deathstorm too much, the original Nova did notice a delay in his movements.

“He can see, but whatever he is using for sight is being hindered by that blizzard.” Nova stated.

‘Of course, he must’ve set something up to act as a remote camera for himself, but where out here could he do such a thing?’ Twilight asked.

‘Let’s find out. Nova, you thinking what I’m thinking?’

“Naturally.”

The original Nova slammed her palms together as she floated in place, closing her eyes. In the unseen world of their mind’s eye, ripples of magical energy were sent out in all directions. Objects were becoming defined, the Ring of Death, the ocean, the creatures in the ocean, the empty sky –

“There!”

The waves of magical energy bounced off something in the sky, something round that was looking down on the battlefield.

‘Is…Is that his eye?! Eww!’ Twilight said in disgust.

‘Gives a new meaning to the term ‘bird’s eye view’,’ said Sunset.

“Well then, let’s blind him, shall we?”

Nova pointed her right index finger in the direction the eye was hovering, mimicking a gun. Rainbow light and golden flames wrapped around the finger and condensed into a sphere of power. The sphere broke out, firing a beam of pinpoint light that soared into the sky. The beam then struck a floating blue fireball in the sky, exploding upon being pierced by the beam.

Deathstorm grunted in pain as he clutched at his right eye and realized he couldn’t see anymore. Taking a risk, Deathstorm created a gap in the barrier around his eyes, but was soon to regret it as Nova appeared before him and used a light sword to slash at his eyes. The Embodiment of Death howled in pain as he stumbled backwards with black ichor dripping from the wounded area.

The eraser barrier fell, having lost concentration due to the pain in his eyes. Atomic rings formed around his head, already working to repair the damage.

But Nova wasn’t going to allow him time to recover. Nova’s eyes shined as she brought her hands together, a sword of light appeared before her, taking it into both hands, Nova raised the saber overhead. With a mighty cry, the sword blade tripled in size and length, piercing the sky. Nova brought it down with both hands in one swing, bringing the giant blade down upon Deathstorm. The blade struck him, taking Deathstorm all the way down into the ocean below.

For several seconds, there was nothing as the blade continued to cut down on the dark Firestorm. But soon, the ocean waters began to bubble. A low rumbling could be heard as the sword shattered in Nova’s hands. Before she could ponder what Deathstorm had done, the answer came to her.

The ocean erupted as a giant skeleton burst from the ocean, the “muscle” of the skeleton was made of black plasma, while the bones were blue. The black sun insignia burned bright in the center of Deathstorm’s chest, on top of that, his face became even more demonic. The skull had grown fangs for teeth, and bony horns, the eyes were two orbs of white light narrowed in anger at the small angelic Firestorm below.

“Like I said, you can’t stop death! I embraced it, and now I have been granted power beyond anything this world can imagine! I have transcended my own death sentence, and become part of its ominous power! What do you hope to accomplish, against me?! You’re just like me big sister, and that girl is no better! Filled with pride and hate, a terror in her own right!”

Deathstorm raised his skyscraper sized fist and brought it down on Nova’s position, but at that moment, a beam of rainbow light shot up from her position, growing bigger and bigger until a hand reached out and grabbed Deathstorm’s wrist.

The light shattered apart, revealing a giant Nova. She was garbed in a crimson robe, her body made of white light plasma, with the golden sun cutie mark on her chest, surrounded by six, six-pointed stars. Golden flames formed forearm guards, and her golden crown had morphed into a battle helmet. The crystal horn had grown as well, her hair was comprised of dual red and purple flames, while her wings, which had tripled to six, were made of aurora light.

“You are wrong Deathstorm!” Nova declared.

Nova released Deathstorm’s wrist, throwing it one direction and coming with a left hook to the skeleton behemoth. The blow was powerful enough that it sent shockwaves that made the ocean around them push away, revealing the ocean floor below where they’re feet touched. The energy from their blow was refocused, creating an arena that pushed the water away for several miles.

Despite their huge size, weight had no bearing on them, evidenced by Deathstorm’s quick counterattack by giving a front kick to Nova’s gut, making her skid backwards on her heels as she dug in and tried to slow herself. Nova unfurled her wings and stopped herself before she got any farther.

Nova dashed forwards, throwing a kick which Deathstorm blocked, using that same momentum, Nova, spun around and delivered another kick with her left leg. The blow was thunderous as it pushed Deathstorm back a little, but the dark Firestorm was able to recover, bringing both hands together into a double hammer fist down on the goddess Firestorm. A thick dust cloud formed from the impact of Nova hitting the ground below, but Deathstorm wasn’t done.

Deathstorm jumped into the air and came careening down on Nova, feet first, onto her stomach. A mini-earthquake went off, no doubt alerting several seismographs, if they weren’t already.

Light ichor flew from Nova’s mouth from blow, but again, Deathstorm didn’t stop. The titan of darkness transmuted a collar and chain, making it wrap around Nova’s neck. Deathstorm took off into the sky, dragging Nova with him.

Deathstorm spun Nova around and then slammed back down to the ocean floor, he then reeled her back in and punched her across the face. With another tug of the chain punched her again, sending her flying high up.

Nova had had enough, her eyes shined with light as her hands gripped the chain and broke it apart. Deathstorm glared up at Nova, and transmuted an enormous, dual edged scythe and launched himself up towards his opponent.

The goddess Firestorm transmuted her own weapon, a staff sword made of gold, with a blade forged of pure light. In the stratosphere the duel continued, the ringing clash of blade against blade resounded throughout the world. People turned towards the sky as they watched two lights streak all through the night and daytime skies, hearing the continuous sounds of battle with each strike.

Nova and Deathstorm came to a standoff on the outer atmosphere of the planet, panting, yet not really tired from the battle.

“As much as I dislike the notion, it seems we are somehow evenly matched, I could do this for all eternity!” Deathstorm proclaimed.

“Agreed.”

‘We can’t let this be a draw, even prolonged fighting will damage the world,’ said Sunset.

‘The only way to end this is by removing the Matrix inside him, and destroying it,’ said Twilight.

Inside the Matrix Zone, Sunset placed her hand on Twilight’s shoulder. ‘You know that the Corrupted Matrix is more than likely keeping him alive, so to speak. If…’

‘I understand…but we cannot ignore the threat that he poses to the world, to all worlds…Nova, do you understand?’

“I hear you, Twilight, Sunset. We grant him a mercy.”

Nova released her sword staff, and powered up for one last attack. Deathstorm chuckled at this, knowing that eventually, he would get the upper hand in this battle, he was unending, and soon, that end would come for the both of them. Deathstorm released his scythe and powered up as well.

“It’ll all be over, here and now!!!”

Both titans’ right fists flared with their death and harmony powers respectively, and charged for the other. The moment they punched, both fists connected, sending a massive explosion that erupted in the outer atmosphere, but that wasn’t all.

From the sun symbol at the center of Nova’s chest, burst forth a rather large version of Firestorm Gaia, sporting all six of her fighting arms. Deathstorm recognized this Firestorm, and was surprised to see her again, but the Bringer of Death merely sneered and fired a black spike right for her.

The spike imbedded itself in her gut, but not before her own sun symbol glowed and released yet another past form, Firestorm Iris. She moved with even greater speed, soaring through space as she got even closer than Gaia.

Deathstorm began to panic as he fired off multiple dark energy blasts, showering the path that Iris was taking. The nimble Firestorm dodged all of them, leaving a rainbow trail behind as she did so. Deathstorm transmuted the black chains again, and sent them through makeshift pocket dimensions. The portals opened around Iris, and latched onto her arms and legs, even bounding her light wings.

However, Iris smiled as her symbol glowed too. From her came an old form, Firestorm Hel. The demon Firestorm channeled her power and fired a beam straight at the titanic form of Deathstorm, striking him at the chest and making him recoil from the blow. But Deathstorm would not take this, opening his mouth and unleashing a torrent of black atomic flames that washed over Hel, despite the damage, she continued on, her center sun symbol glowing.

“Don’t mess this up…!”

Finally, Nu burst forth, much to the surprise of Deathstorm, brandishing his crimson katana. With one powerful slash, a wave of crimson fire blazed across space and struck the black sun symbol on Deathstorm, causing him to roar out in pain as the energy tore up a large gash, with a glowing, dark Firestorm Matrix behind it.

“Sunset, Twilight – GOOOOOOOO!!!”

From Nu, Sunset and Twilight burst forth as streaks of gold and pink fire. Twilight reached out with her right hand, and Sunset with her left. Both streaks entered the gash and slammed their hands against the Dark Matrix. Deathstorm roared out in pain as their harmonious magic and light was burning at him from the inside out, purifying his Matrix.

Deathstorm tried to rip at his own construct chest in attempt to tear out both girls. But the process was already underway, halos of rainbow light appeared behind Sunset and Twilight as the glowing circuit lines on their suits shined with the same aurora light. Beams of light shot out from the titan’s body as a white energy began to overtake the darkness that made it up.

The light crept upwards, until his arms and legs were taken, and then moved to his chest where a swirling mass of aurora, rainbow light formed, and finally, it moved up his neck and encompassed his head, with eyes shooting out beams of aurora light into space.

Finally, with one last motion, Twilight and Sunset clenched their hands into fists, shattering the Dark Matrix and in the process, creating a massive explosion that was brighter than the sun. Down below, the Ring of Death deconstructed itself, the pieces falling apart and disintegrating into nothingness.

In the outer atmosphere, once the light faded, all that was left standing was Nova, but her hands were cradled as Dusk Shine’s body laid in her giant hands. The goddess Firestorm teleported from space and reappeared down below on Earth. Nova had reappeared in a grassy meadow, with the clear blue sky above them. Gently, she laid the body of Dusk Shine on the ground and released her gigantic form to her previous form, but soon that faded and Sunset and Twilight were once again separate beings.

Twilight carefully walked over to her, well little brother, and knelt at his side. She could see it, his body was severely weak, like they had predicted, the degeneration process was accelerated now that the Dark Matrix was gone, and with no Firestorm Protocol to slow it, Dusk Shine was dying.

The genius girl looked to her lover asking an unspoken question. Sunset looked to Dusk Shine, a pensive look appeared as she furrowed her brow in contemplation. She then sighed and nodded to Twilight.

“Don’t…bother…”

Both girls looked to Dusk Shine.

“I’m tired, sister…so tired…”

Twilight’s eyes welled up with tears as she moved Dusk Shine’s head to lay in her lap, slowly stroking his short hair gently. “There can still be a way…Dusk.”

Dusk Shine slowly shook his head. “No…I am what I am, I chose the path of death. I was so transfixed with preventing my fate, and in the end, I only hastened the process, becoming a monster beyond even what I could imagine.”

Twilight took Dusk’s lift hand into her own, gently squeezing as reassurance that she was here.

“It’s not fair…you deserved a life just as much I did…to have a family, friends, to find love…! Dusk Shine, please let us help you, with the power we have now surely –!”

Dusk Shine chuckled. “And that’s why we’ll always be different. You had the chance to live that life, everything has been my choice. Professor Neigh wanted to try and do right by me, and try to instill the same values he did in you, big sister. When I found out the truth, I rejected it all. This was the outcome of that choice, of that path.”

Sunset walked around and sat at Dusk’s right side, her own eyes were a little watery, but she still maintained a stoic expression through it all.

“Sunset…Shimmer. The girl who rose like a phoenix, you did something I was not able to. You were steeped in darkness, and rose to find the light.”

“Not without help,” said Sunset as she looked to Twilight. “We can help you if you’re willing?”

“Heh, still trying to save me. No, I’ve done too much, the sins I bear can never be atoned for.”

Suddenly, Dusk Shine’s feet began to disintegrate into particles of violet embers that slowly ran up his legs. Twilight squeezed her little brother’s hand harder, despite all he had done, she was still his sister, his family.

“Dusk…?” Twilight whispered.

“Sunset Shimmer, allow me this one request, not as your enemy, but as a brother to Twilight?” Dusk asked as the flames reached his waist.

Sunset nodded.

“Keep my sister safe, no matter what. There are things out there…other dangers that are…possibly…far worse than me…” Dusk Shine warned.

Sunset and Twilight glanced to each other, knowing what it was he spoke of.

“The other Deathstorm, right?” Sunset asked.

Dusk Shine nodded. “Be wary, both of you.”

“Dusk…please…”

The flames continued until they overtook him arms and with one last conscious act, Dusk Shine turned to his big sister and smiled, a genuine smile, no hint of the maniacal, sociopathic bringer of death, only that of the boy who was at one time still innocent, breaking through for the first time in years. With that, the flames enveloped his head, and the violet embers rose into the air, breaking down into particles of violet light before finally disappearing into the ether.

Twilight looked at her hands, the hands that not just a moment ago were holding her little brother, she began to sob loudly, crying for the unfairness that was dealt to Dusk Shine, crying for the happiness he was denied, and crying because she had lost a true blood brother, clone or not, he was still her family.

Sunset moved closer and brought Twilight into a hug as she continued to cry into Sunset’s chest. The former Equestrian cried too, feeling the sadness of whole situation.

In the end, they were able to conquer their fear, became something beautiful and stopped the end of the world. Yet, as happy as the rest of the world would be for the victory, there would still be some who would see this as bittersweet.

Comments

[Windsor]

I could hear Sorairo Days playing on the background during Nova's final attack against Deathstorm.

An awesome bittersweet chapter.

A few questions still remain however. The three most important, at least in opinion, are:

Does the presence of the Alternate Deathstorm means that there will be a sequel?

Will Sunset take her girlfriend to Equestria someday? You know, just for visit... And other stuff...

And lastly, how Princess Celestia would react to the "New" Sunset and the fact she is dating Sci-Twi?

[ShadowLDrago]

Dozens of glowing orbs of light surrounded him, and with a snap of the fingers, the orbs detonated with resounding power and force, making Deathstorm bounce about from the explosions like a super bouncy ball.

HELLZONE GRENADE!

‘Gives a new meaning to the term ‘bird’s eye view’,’ said Sunset.

Really? A pun?

Finally, with one last motion, Twilight and Sunset clenched their hands into fists, shattering the Dark Matrix and in the process, creating a massive explosion that was brighter than the sun. Down below, the Ring of Death deconstructed itself, the pieces falling apart and disintegrating into nothingness.

Phew.

“The other Deathstorm, right?” Sunset asked.

Yup. This one was only the Disc One Final Boss.

[Ze1a7in]

Both titans’ right fists flared with their death and harmony powers respectively, and charged for the other. The moment they punched, both fists connected, sending a massive explosion that erupted in the outer atmosphere, but that wasn’t all.

From the sun symbol at the center of Nova’s chest, burst forth a rather large version of Firestorm Gaia, sporting all six of her fighting arms. Deathstorm recognized this Firestorm, and was surprised to see her again, but the Bringer of Death merely sneered and fired a black spike right for her.

The spike imbedded itself in her gut, but not before her own sun symbol glowed and released yet another past form, Firestorm Iris. She moved with even greater speed, soaring through space as she got even closer than Gaia.

Deathstorm began to panic as he fired off multiple dark energy blasts, showering the path that Iris was taking. The nimble Firestorm dodged all of them, leaving a rainbow trail behind as she did so. Deathstorm transmuted the black chains again, and sent them through makeshift pocket dimensions. The portals opened around Iris, and latched onto her arms and legs, even bounding her light wings.

However, Iris smiled as her symbol glowed too. From her came an old form, Firestorm Hel. The demon Firestorm channeled her power and fired a beam straight at the titanic form of Deathstorm, striking him at the chest and making him recoil from the blow. But Deathstorm would not take this, opening his mouth and unleashing a torrent of black atomic flames that washed over Hel, despite the damage, she continued on, her center sun symbol glowing.

“Don’t mess this up…!”

Finally, Nu burst forth, much to the surprise of Deathstorm, brandishing his crimson katana. With one powerful slash, a wave of crimson fire blazed across space and struck the black sun symbol on Deathstorm, causing him to roar out in pain as the energy tore up a large gash, with a glowing, dark Firestorm Matrix behind it.

“Sunset, Twilight – GOOOOOOOO!!!”

From Nu, Sunset and Twilight burst forth as streaks of gold and pink fire. Twilight reached out with her right hand, and Sunset with her left. Both streaks entered the gash and slammed their hands against the Dark Matrix. Deathstorm roared out in pain as their harmonious magic and light was burning at him from the inside out, purifying his Matrix.

You can NOT tell me this was not inspired by the finale battle of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. It is a near perfect mirror.