Chapter 16- My Demons
Chapter 16- My Demons
Seattle, Washington
Celestia bolted up from her bed. After what she had seen, the situation involving the snow conduit that she swore to keep safe could not be ignored. It was too early in the morning to be disturbing anyone, but she couldn’t just simply leave. All these thoughts were going in her head just as she noticed a teal light begin to flicker from the corner of her eye. Turning to see it being illuminated from another hallway, she slowly walked over. To her surprise, it was Eugene who was still up.
The youngster seemed to have been working so hard at trying to crack some security codes the DUP incorporated that he didn’t even notice the Solar Conduit by the door until she opened it and caught him by surprise.
Before the Video Conduit could explain, Celestia cut him off with a simple wave of her hand. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Uh no, not really. I was just trying to see what security files I can snatch from the DUP… Try some new codes… Some programming using Javascript… Normal geek stuff.” Around now though was when the Video Conduit noticed the expression on her face. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”
“I think Shawn’s in trouble. I briefly used my powers to try and see him for a moment, but what I found was almost like a nightmare,” She shuddered, recalling what she briefly saw. “Delsin said that you tracked his cell phone once right?”
“Yes, why do you ask?” Eugene asked. “Tracking phones can be tricky depending on the location of where he is.It works by triangulating the position of his cell phone by two other points, like other phone signals, or even some cell towers. Do you know where he could possibly be?”
“No… but I do have one guess.” Celestia told him. “His home is in San Diego. Can you check within the general vicinity of that location?”
“That I can do.” Eugene confidently told Celestia. Setting to work, the Video Conduit’s fingers flew across the keyboard and sooner than expected, was able to pick up on the signal of Shawn’s cell phone and get a set of coordinates. “Okay, it says his location is at… San Diego International Airport? Why would he be there?”
“I think, I may know the reason why. We need to hurry though. I fear that he might get himself killed.”
San Diego
Shawn’s senses were lost to the rage. All he could think of is making Roman pay and smashing his smug-face into the concrete runway that the two of them were standing on. The DUP leader had just murdered his parents. Two people that he cared for and would do anything to protect, killed in cold blood right in front of him. This could be seen through his powers as a small, yet furious blizzard began to take form across where the two were standing. Normally, emotions of hatred and anger for humans were expressed through their actions. For Conduits though, it was different.
Their emotions are expressed through their powers. And for the Snow Conduit, his was beginning to take form. As the icy winds gained force, Shawn dashed into the mix towards Roman with fury. The Wire conduit tried to strike the teen, using his wires like spears as they tried to shank and stab him. Shawn though, disappeared every time Roman thought he got a clean hit. The snow conduit used his Ice to create a bed of spikes to try and tear his hamstring, but the Head of the DUP was one step ahead and used his powers to slingshot himself out of the way.
Roman still saw that dealing with this teen was going to be a massive problem. Especially if this was going to be dragged out for an extended period of time. The authorities would be on their way, asking questions and not everything had the luxury of being covered up. Right now, Roman could only see two outcomes; He’d either defeat the Snow Angel and lock him up in Curdan Cay… or kill him. He chose the latter of the two. Too much trouble trying to catch one conduit. After all, to him, facing another conduit depended on having the right tools for the job. Or in this case, powers. Wires can flow through anywhere and fit through anything. A great use of subtly if he thought so himself.
The battle raged on; Snow versus Wire. Though the fight had to settle soon, and for Shawn, it was more apparent. One moment where Shawn was trying to catch his breath, his foot was soon snared by a hidden trap that Roman had left behind. As the wires tried to hang him up like a fish out to dry, Shawn conjured a knife and cut the wires that had hooked him by the feet. HE roared in pain after having to pull the spear like wire out of his foot.
Once more, Shawn gritted his teeth as he released an Arctic Missile towards Roman. “YOU MURDERER!!!” The missile went off with a loud ‘BOOM’ as it broke apart on contact. However, Roman had instead weaved a makeshift barrier from the strands of numerous wires that were under his control. With a twist of his wrist, the shield soon became strands again as they lunged towards Shawn like snakes.
It was fitting for someone like Roman to be seen as a snake. Especially with how deceitful he is. And just like snakes, the wires that were coming at Shawn also had fangs. Long black fangs that were stretched out and trying to get a hold of the young snow conduit first. As they tried to close in around him, Shawn conjured a small ball of snow and pushed his hands outward. He let the ball expand and freeze, trapping himself inside a snow globe like dome that held it’s own against the rampaging wires. But he knew that it won’t hold for long.
He needed to blindside Roman. In someplace where he could be exposed. He heard a small metallic clang from underneath him and saw a manhole cover that lead to the sewers underneath. Getting an idea, he dashed into it, just as if he was going into an air conditioning unit. He heard the globe gave way above him just as he found the cover that was behind the head of the DUP. He listened to Roman's curse at having lost his target and prepared his next attack. Rising up, he formed another blade in his hands using his snow as he lunged forward. Roman, shocked at the tactic of deception and tried to react, only for him to get slashed near the upper chest and along the shoulder. A weak point that Shawn saw as a possible place to hurt him. But, to his surprise, it was the opposite.
When he was in the light again, he was shocked to see no blood was on the temporary weapon he forged. “I was sure that I got him! Why the hell did it not work!?”
“Surprised, aren’t you?” Roman asked him, smirking. “You almost had me… But again, I’m always prepared.” He soon lifted up one of his hands, taking off one of the gloves he had on and pulled back the sleeve. The entire arm and hand were covered in wire. They pulsed and moved around his arm like they were living veins.
“You see, these wires are made of ray field kevlar, the same type of material found in a set of DUP body armor. Allowing the user to be protected from powerful attacks. However, mine goes a step further.”
Roman soon lashed out at Shawn, his wires forming fists that tried to strike and hurt him. “I can use my wires to create any tool I can think of. I have an entire arsenal at my disposal! And you, my friend… are going to soon drop dead!!”
Each of Roman's sneers were punctuated by another attack. The Snow Conduit gritted his teeth. This was going to be even more difficult. He now had less opportunities and chances to hit him than before. To Roman though, this was no surprise. No one has ever landed a blow against him in a fight because of how thick and durable his defenses were. Not only that, but his offensive power was just as strong as well. Many types of wires proved to have different effects for his abilities. And what he had for Shawn was only the tip of the iceberg.
Lifting up his right arm, Roman began to focus as he aimed his hand at the powerlines above his head. Sparks began to fly as the wires broke apart and flew down to where he was as electricity was now being charged throughout his hands. shocking him a little but, but resisting the pain so he could focus on storing the electrical currents.
Kevlar wires are primarily used by electricians when they work with power lines or power boxes because they store the electricity that they are channeling. Now, that electricity was being used to harm the Snow Conduit that Roman was fighting. Having the wires he was using form claws that tried to grab hold of him and shock him to a crisp and at the same time forming electrified whips that lashed out in all directions. Shawn was now running, doing his best to stay on his feet as he began to attack ferociously. Whips of wire were deflecting bolts of snow in all directions. He felt like he was fighting not just a snake, but a Hydra at this rate.
Because if you cut off one head, two more grow back. The same case could be made for Roman’s snakeheads. Shawn himself learned the hard way when he cut off one of the heads that tried to snare his leg, only to have two more miss his feet by bare inches. The Snow Conduit then retraced his steps, heading towards Roman instead of away from him. He thought that if these snake would be chasing him everywhere, he could redirect them to where they hit Roman instead. Other then that, he would be able to strike the DUP official right in his face. The Wire Conduit had other ideas, as the snakes ensnared Shawn by his legs and hoisted him into the air.
“Shit!” He cursed, cutting himself free as he fell towards Roman. Of course though, this was, in a way… What he wanted. Shawn dove towards him, deflecting incoming wires as he fell down. Roman expected for him to try and attack him with a weapon in his frozen arsenal. But instead, he was greeted with the conduit’s foot in his face with a furious downward kick. Roman backpedaled for the first time in the fight, having unexpectedly been caught off-guard.
“That’s only a taste of what you deserve!!” He roared, landing back on the ground again. However, when he landed, a sharp pain raced through his body as he looked down at his feet. There was a set of wires that had sewn him to the ground. Preventing him from moving. It caused his heart to race. But not as much as when another strong surge of pain went through him. This time, through his upper chest. Very close to his heart and inches away from his lungs.
“You have been a very bothersome pest…” Roman spat, releasing the electricity from the wires he had pulled earlier and letting the electricity shock and torment Shawn. The Snow Conduit screamed, his emotions being mixed between the pain he was feeling and the rage he had towards Roman. “But you are an interesting one. You have dealt with all the attacks that I’ve lashed out at you and was the only conduit I’ve ever encountered who actually was able to harm me.” Around then, he held him in the air using the tendril like wires as he lit a cigarette. Looking at the helpless conduit, he blew the smoke he inhaled into Shawn’s face. Moments before hurling him into a concrete wall at full force.
“It’ll be a shame for me to have to kill you. But then again… you deserve to die. Just like the two you came to save-.”
SMACK!!!
Roman was interrupted by a blow to his face with the force of a shotgun blast. Shawn staggered to his feet, with more snow all around him. The flakes of soft ice were tending to his wounds, healing him. However, not the same could be said for his stamina. The Snow Conduit was running low on energy and there wasn’t any source at all for him to refuel on his element. He could’ve made a dash for the ocean harbor, but he had found out personally that Salt Water affects him to where he needed to absorb more and reduce the amount of energy he had because he was expelling more energy than restoring it.
“Don’t you DARE talk about my parents like that! I CARED FOR THEM!! THEY DID NOTHING WRONG!! AND YOU TREATED THEM LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WHO YOU CAPTURE!! THEY... WEREN’T... CRIMINALS!! I… WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!”
Pain raced through every muscle in his body as Shawn tried to usher out one last attack. He felt himself tire out and on the verge of blacking out, but nevertheless, he tried to persevere as he placed both of his hands together and ushered forth all of his power into one last blast. Though fate had seemed to conspire against him. A pole that had fallen earlier in the battle tripped up the Snow Conduit. Falling forward, his hands touched the ground, trying to balance himself. Roman thought that the kid had just simply given up… That was… until huge ice crystals began to violently take form faster than he can move out of the way.
As Celestia teleported herself on the San Diego Harbor, a loud thunderous boom caused her to turn toward the harrowing noise. The first thing that she saw was the rupturing of titanic glacier like crystals roaring from the ground. Seeing this, her instincts began to work in overdrive as she began to move closer to what was going on. Civilians scattered from the epicenter, not wanting to get caught up in whatever was taking place. Once atop a nearby building that was used as a recruitment center for the U.S. Marines, a loud explosion went off. Smoke plumed into the air and the faint sounds of police sirens could be heard from across town. Crystals of ice were standing tall and sharp like spear heads. But the first thing that the Sun Conduit saw was not Shawn.
Instead, she saw the head of the DUP. But now, numerous vicious serpent heads made from wire emerged from his back with an intent to kill. Roman had enough with playing games. This kid needed to be dealt with… Now!!
“This game ends HERE!!” Roman roared, his wire serpents lunging forth with a thrust of his hand. As they went towards the cloud of smoke though, sharp projectiles emerged from them, hitting between the eyes of Roman’s snakes. The Wire Conduit looked back, wondering who would dare try to harm him. But both he and Celestia were surprised to see the unexpected help had come from an unlikely culprit.
The projectiles that attacked Roman's wire serpents, now floated and glinted in the street lamps below. Shards of a mirror.
As the smoke cleared, the figure that the Sun Conduit knew as “Janus” was revealed. She was holding the conduit over her right shoulder and using her left hand to forge a mirror gateway behind her. Her hood was still down as she began to walk towards the door.
“Where the HELL do you think you're going?! You aren’t getting away!!” The Wire Conduit roared, launching forth a snake like whip to try and pull the unconscious Snow Conduit away from Janus. Instead though, the fangs of the whip caught and tore off Janus’ hood. Seconds before she stepped into the doorway and disappeared.
Celestia’s eyes widened immensely. In shock over not just what she saw, but also the identity of the Mirror Conduit. It had to be a mistake, or even a trick of the light. There was no way that it could have been her. Thinking quickly, she got out her phone and called Eugene. It didn’t take him long to pick up as he had been tracking her cell phone for a while now.
“Eugene, I'm afraid we have another problem.”
“You’re telling me. I lost track of Shawn. He’s off the grid.”
“I am aware, and I believe I know the reason why,” She stated, starting to walk away on the harbor sidewalk from the area to not attract attention to herself. “Put Twilight on the phone, now. She needs to hear about this.”
Unknown Location
A substantial amount of time had passed since when the Snow Conduit named Shawn Kingston had passed out. When he woke up though, the teen arose to the realization of the events that had just happened. His parents are dead. He himself was going to die… Wait… if he was here… then was he dead? As he tried to get up, he realized some things.
First, there was his location. He was on a boat nearby a set of docks, but not like the ones he had seen along the San Diego Shoreline and by Seaport Village. These docks looked a lot different. Almost like the docks of a fishing district. Nevertheless, there were some other things that caught his attention.
Second, he still had most of his things, but his phone was gone. He had a new cell phone in his pocket. A Windows Phone this time around. After tinkering with it and getting it to unlock, he found that all of his contacts from his old phone were gone, but everything from Apps to music was still there. That and it had one message on it. It was simple, yet… odd, so to speak.
Meet me in Ascension Parish in the Community Center. We have a lot to talk about.
The message was simple, yet confusing at the same time. 'Ascension Parish'? What kind of a place could that be? Nevertheless, Shawn decided that standing around wasn’t exactly going to help him and got up and onto the docks. His progress began slow, memories of the recent past still fresh in his mind. He steeled himself though, he had to figure out what exactly happened after he passed out. Upon walking up to the sidewalk nearby, he found a tourist booth and handouts. Walking up to it, Shawn rung the small bell on the desk and watched as a woman in her forties walked up to the counter of the small shack like booth. “Hello there, how can I help you?”
“Yeah, I’m kind of a bit lost. Do you know where I am?” He asked.
“Where you are?” The old woman chortled, “What are you, new around here?”
“You can say that…” Shawn sighed. “I need to meet someone at ‘Ascension Parish’. Do you know how to get there?”
“It’s not that far away. A quick ride on the trolley can get you over there. Unless you’re one of those Conduits that can fly.”
Shawn raised an eyebrow. “Hold on… ‘Conduits’? I thought all Conduits were being chased by the DUP.”
“They ain’t a problem down here, young’un. New Marais is a sanctuary city for Conduits. They’re welcomed here with open arms and both human and conduit get along just fine.” Shawn’s ears twitched and a cold shiver ran down his spine. He turned around, looking at the city right behind him. Remembering something that popped into his head. Remembering the conversation with his mother about his Aunt Lucy.
He was in New Marais. The city where she died.
“O…… kay… Thank you Ma’am.”
“Your wel-.” Before the woman got to say anything, Shawn ran in a dash through an alleyway, turning into Snow. The Conduit got up topside, having a look at the entire city below him. Looking further back, he noticed a location that stood out in the distance and assumed that it was the community center.
“Alright. Now then… Let’s find out who’s been watching me.” With that, Shawn continued to dash forth in a cloud of snow through the alleyways and rooftops of New Marais. It took him about twenty minutes to get to the designated location and talking to the locals in order to find the right place. But when he did, the Snow Conduit was greeted by something inside.
On a table was an odd rock. Pulsing with energy. It almost resembled a blast shard, but it felt… stronger. For one thing, Shawn first thought that it was a trap. Until he realized that the object was reacting to him. Holding onto it, the sapphire energy burst forth from the stone and into Shawn’s body, making him flinch and almost fall to the ground.
He began to see images. Images of a woman. But the strange thing was… she had powers like his. In the brief moment, he saw her blast what looked like a soldier for a Militia of some sort use some kind of Ice Beam. Like a Freeze Ray. When he snapped back to reality, he felt… stronger than before. Almost like he could control something new. But what it did to him was not his highest priority.
Especially when he could hear someone else walking in.
“Well, looks like you came.”
Shawn turned around to see the silhouette of a girl in the corner of the small room. A shadow hanging over her face. She wore a shirt that almost looked dancing fire light and had a torn black coat on to match her jeans and sneakers.
“I know you are going to have a lot of questions.”
“I do. But maybe you should introduce yourself first.” The Snow conduit suggested. “I want to see the face of the Conduit who saved my life.”
There was thin veil of tension in the air as the two conduits sized each other up. However, she calmly sighed. Stepping out into the light of the sunset that was behind her as Shawn saw her face clearly. His eyes widened as she told him her name.
“My name is Sunset Shimmer.”
End Chapter 16
And now, we find out who Janus really is. How is she involved? Find out next time!
Also, HUGE thanks to Wind Scribe for helping me edit and tweak it. You're awesome!
Stats
Page generated in 0.023 seconds
Total duration
804 users online
1,108,690 hits today, 2,244,100 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.®
I saw that something had updated just as I started to read something else and thought, "God damn it I just took something off that list."
Then I saw it was this. I am pleasantly surprised.
oh
okay then
6393779 More will be explained next chapter. Oh and take a guess at what Shawn found.
Hmmm........ Now I'm wondering how Sunset got here, because unless the mirror portal in this universe goes to this Earth and not the EQG Earth then I wonder how Sunset got here and how long has she been living here.
Shes the mirror conduit?
Fitting whit the portal to the "human world"
The plot... It thickens...
So we now know who Janus is, Shawn found a Blast Core, and New Marais is a Conduit capital city. Wait... If that's the case, then whose the Mayor?
Okay, you're leaving the ISS area.
DON'T LEAVE ME—
*clears throat*
XD 10/10
6396929 thx
HELL NO!!!
No way, Sunset is here too!?
That is so sick!
6411178 More will be explained next chapter. But trust me, sh*t will go down in New Marais
6422688 Some of them were able to resist the effects of the blast and survived from it's outcome. It's like being immune to a virus that would kill everyone else
Recognizable to Celestia? MIRROR conduit? I think I know who this is.
*Finishes reading*
Eeyup.