My Little Pony: The Claymore Legacy

by MidnightRain

Report #3: A Glitch In The System

I nodded, having been presented with a new outfit; obsidian in color, and almost an exact match to my initial outfit. I had kept the cloak from the original, and polished my sword, but what I needed was a crossbow, or a bow. I had been ticking off the seconds, and counted forty-five minutes. Forty-five minutes for Rarity to mend my outfit, and forty-five minutes I ended up wearing a blanket.

"Is everything to your liking, dear?" Rarity asked, her work glasses rimming her eyes.

I looked blankly at her, confused. "You do know what a nod of approval is, right?" I asked, checking that the bracers were still in good shape.

Rarity had a shine of offense in her eyes, but instead of speaking out on it, she said, "Of course. I just want to make sure everything turned out well."

I smiled, and did a few stretches, before answering. "Yeah, it's fine. I have a feeling the fabric will need reinforcing, but I can do that myself, once I figure out how." I snapped the cloak on, and slid the giant sword into the sheathe, swinging my arms back and forth. "Is there a blacksmith that you can refer me to?" I asked, resting a hand on my hip.

"If you need a smith, we can have the smith for the Royal Guard forge what you need, but we need you to investigate something, first." Luna said from behind me.

I jumped, and when my feet hit the floor, I spun on my heel to face her. "What the hell? Do you sneak up on people often?" I scowled, and sat down, the blade of my sword driving into the ground.

"My apologies. I did not intend to frighten you," Luna said. "But there has been a rash of foalnappings in a small village to the south. It is peculiar, yet no pony has requested help. My sister and I have reason to believe it is the actions of a criminal, but we do not have the ponies to spare for an investigation." Her ethereal mane flowed gently, and I raised a brow.

"South? Well, that's intriguing." I looked towards the southern end of town, and focused, but I couldn't sense anything. "If it's a Yoma, they're out of my range. I can go take a look, but I won't be upholding the vow most half-breeds take upon joining the organization."

Rarity looked confused, and her boutique seemed to darken, while Luna narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that?" Asked the Night Princess.

"If it is a pony, I'll kill them. The vow is to only take the lives of Yoma, but I don't really care what I kill." I replied coldly, standing up. The sword slid out of the ground as I rose, and my armor clinked gently with my movement.

"Dear, I must admit, that seems a bit extreme. Why would you be so unbothered by the prospect of murder?" Rarity asked, looking worried.

I said nothing, and started walking south, when Luna said, stifling a giggle, "The southern border is the other way."

I turned around and continued walking, not caring what Luna thought.

---

When I arrived, the town was in ruins. "This looks like Pieta, minus the snow..." I mumbled, looking around for a signpost. With no post in sight, I wandered around, shaking my head at the destruction. "How many ponies lived here?" I asked myself, before hearing the 'clip-clop' of hooves behind me.

"Excuse me?" A small voice asked, sounding frightened.

I stood still, and stretched out my Youki, trying to sense if the one behind me was a Yoma or not. After hesitantly deciding not, I turned around, one hand resting on the hilt of the sword, just in case. "Yes, little one?" I inquired, kneeling slightly. I thought to myself, The Youki aura here is overwhelming. I'll have to wing it. Not something I want to do, but right now, I don't have a choice. I can't pick out an individual aura!

"Can I eat you?" The filly asked, before revealing her sharp teeth. She started to grow in size, until she was two meters tall, and her hooves erupted into clawed hands and feet, while her body contorted into a more humanoid shape. "I'm so hungry!" With a swipe, the Yoma attacked me, and I decided to strike.

"Sorry, but I'm not on the menu!" I declared, jumping backwards. Her claws hooked the fabric of my uniform, but the material didn't tear. My sword was drawn from the sheathe, and swinging at the Yoma. I focused, my Youki rising to eleven percent.

"I don't care, half-breed! I'll enjoy feasting on your guts!" yelled the Yoma, vanishing and appearing behind me. She dug her claws into my back, piercing the cloth, my flesh, and my muscle. Blood sprayed from the wound, and I collapsed, wheezing.

"You...bitch," I spat, between gasping breaths. Slowly, I rose to my feet, but the monster knocked me back down to my feet. I rolled over, and as soon as I was on my back, I kicked the Yoma, sending her into a face-plant a meter away. I staggered to my feet again, and raised the sword, when something gray and pointed shot through my chest, just barely missing my lungs.

"Having trouble?" Asked my new assailant, as he lifted me up, and hurled me against the nearest building. He was far more muscular than the first Yoma, as his finger retracted and assumed it's natural form. His feet weren't clawed, like the other, but his back was covered in spikes.

"I just wanted some dinner, but she won't let me eat her!" wailed the first Yoma. She approached me, when the sign of the store landed on top of me. I groaned, and tried to push the sign off, but I wasn't strong enough.

I need more power...But I barely pulled back last time. I may not be near my limit now, but these two will definitely push me hard, I thought. The hell with it. I don't have a choice right now! I closed my eyes, feeling my Youki jump from eleven percent, to seventy-nine percent. Barely under the average limitation for a Claymore.

I shoved hard on the sign, sending it flying towards the male Yoma. A purple whirlwind of energy was surrounding me, as I stood up, wielding a piece of timber. "Playtime's over, asshole." I snarled, feeling my sharp teeth with my tongue. I had a feeling my veins were bulging, and when I looked at my hand, I saw it was an ashen gray. "I must look hideous..." I muttered, before bolting over to the female, who was standing over my sword. I slammed the timber against her head, knocking her sideways, before skidding to a stop, blocking the attack from the male. The female stood up, and in an instant, fell back down, her mutilated head rolling on the ground.

"You stupid bitch," snarled the remaining Yoma. "You can't kill us all, not without-" he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence, as his head fell from his neck. I blinked, and looked around, sensing a mixed aura nearby. I didn't see anybody, but I knew I hadn't killed him.

Fountains of purple Yoma blood erupted from inside the buildings, and I spun around, confused. "Who's there!?" I shouted. Nobody answered, so I started to walk around the ruined town, looking to see if there was anything I could salvage. I found several hundred bits in the market, and a few spare parts in the forge. When I returned to the center of the town, I found a special surprise lying in wait.

"It seems you have yet to master your Youki, girl." A tall man stood in front of me, his long hair unkempt, a broadsword at his side. I didn't think it was possible, but I asked anyway.

"Isley? Why would an Abyssal help a half-breed like myself?" I wasn't feeling certain about him being the Isley, yet I could feel my Youki gradually lowering.

"Because here, in this world, I am nowhere near as powerful as I would like to be. I would prefer not to fight, but you have something I have not seen in a long time. Tell me, what is your name, girl?"

I hesitated, debating in my head. This is Isley, an Abyssal Being. He's one of the most powerful Awakened Beings in the Claymore Manga, which means right now, he's the most powerful creature here. Why should I trust him? But, on the other hand, he could help me improve my abilities as a Claymore. But... fuck it. I barely pulled back the first time, and I almost pushed my limit this time. I took a deep breath, and said, "My name is Tamora."

Isley raised his sword slowly, and drove it into the ground. "Tamora. Very well, then." He calmly nodded at me, and offered a handshake. "A truce, Tamora? Or will you foolishly attack me?"

I had started to step forward, but froze. After composing myself, I continued walking to Isley, and accepted his handshake, thinking I was going to regret it later. "Truce. Just until the allegiance is no longer required."

Isley smiled, and pulled his sword from the ground. "Than let us begin your training."

---

Twilight paced around her home worriedly. "What could be taking so long? She didn't run into any trouble, did she? Somepony should have gone with her, to make sure nothing bad happened, and helped her. Somepony should have-"

Princess Celestia interrupted Twilight gently, resting her wing around her student. "I am certain Tamora is doing fine. The likelihood of her encountering something more powerful than she...I have faith that such an instance is unlikely," The regal mare wished she could believe the words she uttered, but Celestia honestly had no idea what happened to the southern town when it was removed from the map. Tamora...I pray by the Creator you are safe. Faust only knows how much we, Equestria, need your aid. The sun deity looked out the window of the Treebrary, continuing her thoughts. Equestria is on the brink of war once again, but our greatest strength is our greatest weakness now. How can we trust each other, when we have no idea who will kill whom next?

---

I grunted, and slid backwards to a stop. "I don't see how this will let me develop my own ability, Isley!" I snarled. I darted forward, ducking down, and rolling over my shoulder, when Isley went on the offensive. I parried, and countered with a vertical slice, but Isley parried perfectly.

"Your power does not simply come from your Youki, Tamora. A warrior is only as sharp as his or her blade." Isley sent me flying with a swung of his blade, hitting me with the flat side of his sword.

"I can't win only by using my sword, dumbs. You and your kind fight to win, and a sword alone doesn't always work. I'm not Teresa, for God's sake!" I stood up, not bothering to dust myself off. I was pissed, and lunged forward, driving my blade into the ground where Isley stood. I had yet again underestimated him, as he jumped up, easily dodging my attack.

"I know you are not Teresa. I do not care. You will develop your unique ability when you find yourself." Isley slammed down from the sky, narrowly avoiding a kill shot, as he sheared my outfit. "Prove you are ready, Tamora, and show that you are truly powerful. Show yourself how strong you are!" He kept backwards, and stood in a defensive stance.

I snarled, and ran forward, intending to run Isley through. When I reared back my arm to swing my claymore, an arc of energy bolted from the blade, spearing Isley's chest. I instantly stopped running, and tripped, rolling over myself to a stop. The energy was Youki. My Youki. How was I projecting it in that manner? Shaking my head, I forgot about being pissed, and swung the sword around experimentally, not caring what Isley was saying. Sure enough, with each swing, my Youki arced outwards, impaling the ground where the sword pointed. I felt something tap on my head, and I turned around. "What?"

"How are you doing that, Tamora?" Isley asked. He sounded, and looked, bewildered.

I smiled, and shrugged. "Not a clue! But I like how it works. This definitely is title-worthy, right?"

Isley looked unsure, and stepped back as an arc of Youki speared the ground in front of him. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, and pointed at my sword arm. "Perhaps that is why?" He looked worried, which I understood, when I looked at my arm and actually paid attention.

My entire arm had Awoken, with blade-like joints sticking out at the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. The blade-like things jutting from my wrist were curved back, and reminded me of a two-prong grappling hook. The joints at my elbow and shoulder were shorter, but more plentiful, as there was four at my shoulder, and three at my elbow. The skin had hardened and taken the color of solid carbon, yet it retained complete flexibility.

Directing my gaze to my hand, I saw that the hilt of the sword seemed to have melted into my hand, with tendrils of carbon flesh wrapping around the base of the blade like veins. What little I could see of my fingers were demon-like, and reminded me of Tōta Konoe's Magia Erebea(A character from UQ Holder, a manga I once enjoyed reading). They looked like they were encased in a gauntlet, with razor sharp tips.

"Whoa," was all I could come up with. I continued to gaze at my arm, before finally saying, "How come I didn't notice?"

"You may have been pushing your limits in just your sword arm, because that was what needed so much power to overcome me," Isley noted, sheathing his own sword. "But the question now, is whether or not you can pull your arm back from its Awoken status."

I nodded, and focused, feeling exactly how much Youki was being directed into my arm. Just barely over ninety-percent, I understood why my arm had Awoken, but I needed to pull back that Youki. I focused on channeling my Youki throughout my entire body, and felt my Youki slowly begin to spread from my arm, throughout my entirety. Soon, my Youki was back to normal, and my arm returned to a human shape. Sadly, the arm of my outfit had born torn to shreds. "Rarity's gonna kill me." I said in a monotone. I waved at Isley, and turned around, ready to start my journey back to Ponyville.

"I wish you luck, and when we cross paths again, Tamora, we shall cross swords in a true battle." Isley's Youki flared up, and vanished.

Show off, I thought, trudging back into the barren desert of Equestria.

---

Assessment: Your work with the Claymore was impressive, if unsuccessful. Forcing her to completely Awaken would have been preferable, as she would have become one of our own.

"I know. You needn't criticize me. Besides, I wish to see how she utilizes that new power." Isley smiled calmly, and added, "Number One, Tamora the Impaler. This will be interesting." Isley shrugged, before adding, "I might as well call her by the rank of Number One, since there seem to be no other half-breeds on this world."