Episode 29: One Step Further
Episode 29: One Step Further
At first, things weren’t that bad. Sure, fighting within the tower’s spiritual energy suppression field felt like trying to run a kilometer dash while wearing a suit made out of anvils, but the skeletal horde on the first level hadn’t been that tough. The silent, disturbing undead warriors had attacked in bulk, forming a wall of spears and blades that had been a challenge to avoid,but Sunset had faced just as bad if not worse when dealing with the Hollows. Between her and Clover’s combined efforts they’d been able to watch each other’s backs and gradually take down the skeletons, who didn’t seem to have any tricks up their bony sleeves besides trying to gang up on the two Soul Reapers.
Sunset had almost started to feel disappointed, going up the stairs to level two.
It occurred to her now, with a bone club the size of a Volkswagon clipping her in the shoulder and sending her flying through a column of bone and stone like a crochet ball, that level one had just been the warm up.
The moment her and Clover had entered the second level she felt the difference in the spirit energy drain on her body. It had become a whole plateau of worse, leaving her feeling sluggish before she could even take stock of her surroundings. This floor had lines of columns that looked to be built from stone engraved with large leg or arm bones, providing cover for the dozen significantly larger skeletal warriors that emerged from the shadows. With crested helmets that scraped the ceilings, these brutes were twice the height and width than the ones below, with bones that were thicker than some professional bodybuilder's biceps. They carried an assortment of brutal looking weapons, from huge, notched axes to the massive knotted clubs of bone the likes of which Sunset had just experienced getting hit by when the closest of the skeletal warriors that had emerged took advantage of her surprise and slowed down reflexes to strike her a hefty blow.
A kaleidoscope of pain exploded through Sunset’s senses, leaving her numbed and stunned for several long, agonizingly dizzy moments. Rolling onto her back, feeling the world spinning around her, Sunset blinked to see the looming shadow of a giant skeletal warrior levering an axe at her prone form. Swearing more sharply than a spurned sailor Sunset concentrated her spirit energy, as much as she could under the dampening effects of the tower, and forced herself into an awkward Flash Step to avoid the deadly axe’s edge as it smashed the ground where she’d just been. She backpedaled, clutching at her shoulder, which had taken the brunt of the previous blow. It didn’t feel dislocated, but it hurt like ten kinds of hell.
She spotted Clover out of the corner of her eye, rapidly ducking and jumping away from the powerful blows of several of the huge skeletons that had rushed her. Clover’s palm shot up the second she got a bit of distance between herself and her hulking pursuers.
“Hado Number Thirty Three: Sokatsui!”
The brilliant blast of cerulean light crashed outwards and smashed into the lead skeleton, blasting apart thick bone shards and bits of hefty armored plating. As that one skeleton fell, however, four of its companions surrounded Clover on all sides. Sunset, ignoring the skeletons coming her way, rushed towards Clover, pushing herself into another Flash Step, feeling the exhaustion pressing on her hard but ignoring it. Appearing right behind one of the skeletons about to crush Clover, Sunset drove her Zanpaktou into the things’s spine as hard as she could. The blade bit through the bone hard, and Sunset twisted, hearing the pop of vertebrae as she tore her sword out of the skeleton’s side.
The desiccated undead construct fell in half, giving Clover just the opening she needed to dive away from the crashing fall of the other skeletons’ weapons as they smashed into the ground with enough force to produce a small shockwave. Clover passed by Sunset at a dead run, shouting, “Follow me!”
Sunset didn’t question it, turning and sprinting after Clover as the hulking skeletons turned to start lumbering after them. Sunset was already breathing harder than could remember in any of the fights she’d been in up until that point. The tower’s suppression of her spirit energy was unbelievably constricting, like having a heavy mass of cold, wet blankets draped over her. It kind of pissed her off. Actually it, really pissed her off, and created a heated burn in her gut that kept pushing her on.
“We can’t run from these guys forever, Clover,” Sunset pointed out as they neared the far size of the chamber, the skeletons stomping behind them like a pack of rattling rhinoceros.
“Wasn't intending to,” Clover breathed back, sounding just as tired as Sunset was, if not quite as frustrated. In fact Clover had an intense look in her eyes, Sunset seeing the wheels spinning in her friend's mind. “We can’t afford to expend too much energy on these mindless constructs. Efficiency. Yes, we need to deal with them efficiently. One fell swoop. Save as much strength as we can for the other levels.”
Sunset couldn’t argue the point. This was just the second level of the tower. They had to conserve as much energy as possible, because it was clear things would get harder the higher they got. Her aching shoulder was a keen reminder that she couldn’t afford to get too battered up either, otherwise she’d just be a walking bruise by the time they reached the top. And as Discord had made clear; this training could be lethal. The constructs weren’t pulling their blows. One mistake could end her, or Clover.
We have to step up our game. That’s the whole point of this training.
“What’s the plan?” Sunset asked as they reached the far wall, both girls turning to face the oncoming force of undead warriors.
“Keep them busy,” Clover said, holding her Zanpaktou aloft, “Just buy me a few minutes. Seek, Chishiki!”
Emerald light poured from her blade, the weapon lengthening and morphing into the long staff of its Shikai form, the ring blade on one end and a metal point at the other.
“A few minutes. I can handle that. Ignite, Hokori!”
Sunset could feel the upwelling burst of spirit energy as her Zanpaktou was engulfed in flame and split into two parts, the shield flowing into her left hand and the broadsword appearing from the flames in her right. The tower’s suppression field affected Hokori, Sunset could feel that much. The flames burned, but felt lessened, and the frustration and anger inside her Zanpaktou mirrored her own. Hokori didn’t like being shackled any more than Sunset did.
Still, she felt better with the shield and broadsword in hand, and with greater confidence she rushed the skeletons coming at her and Clover. She could see that Clover stepped to the side, and was aiming Chishiki’s ring blade at the skeletons, a green glow starting to encircle the ring. Sunset was a bit familiar with Clover’s Zanpaktou, and suspected she was analyzing the constructs. She had no time to think on why, however, as she was fully occupied with not getting killed for the next few minutes.
Her speed and her shield were her saving graces. The huge, ogrish skeletal warriors were powerful, monstrously strong, but not that fast. Sunset could sidestep most of their blows as long as she could see them coming, and for what strikes she couldn’t evade due to the enemy’s numbers her shield accounted for. The hammer blows rattled her to her bones, but each blow created a burst of power that transferred from her shield to pool into her blade. Several times a brutish skelton would try to break away from her to go after Clover as the other Soul Reaper slowly circled the fight, but each time Sunset used Flash Step to cut off the offending undead construct and push it back with a few well timed slashes. Still, she was tiring, and each minute crawled by with painful slowness.
However, soon enough the green glow around Chishiki’s ring blade was full, and Clover’s face lit up with a satisfied smile. “Got it! Analysis complete. Let’s see if this works.”
Pointing the ring blade at the nearest skeleton, she intoned, “Hitei!”
The skeleton stopped in mid-swing at Sunset, its entire body going rigid. Then the glow of purple, flame-like light in its eyes snuffed out and the construct full apart like an exploding crash-test dummy. Sunset leaped back, putting some distance between herself and the skeletons as Clover invoked the same ability again and again, “Hitei! Hitei!”
Each time a skeleton froze, then collapsed into a pile of inert bones and armor. Within a few more heartbeats Clover had put down the last of the hulking skeletons, the crashing noise echoing through the chamber a moment longer before a staircase appeared from the ceiling, lowering down to give them access to the next floor. Sunset whistled appreciatively, giving Clover a nod.
“Nice work. That just saved us a serious brawl.”
Clover smiled wide, eyes closed in pleasure as she brushed some bone dust off her arm, “I wasn’t sure if that would work or not. However all of this place is built from a Kido, and my Hitei ability is capable of countering other Kido spells, so it stood to reason I might be able to do the same here.”
“Could you do that to the whole tower?”
“Heheh, eh...no. No, not the whole tower. In fact I’m not sure it’d even work on the next floor, if the constructs keep getting stronger. Hitei can only counter powers within the limits of my own reiatsu. The constructs here are strong, but technically my reiatsu is still stronger. But that won’t last,” Clover sighed, wiping some sweat from her face, “We’re already getting tired out. This is only going to get tougher.”
She glanced at Sunset’s sword, nodding at the blade’s fierce glow, and the flames flickering around the red ribbon attached to its hilt, “At least we got your Zanpaktou charged up for the next floor.”
Sunset gave Hokori a bit of a twirl, smiling, “Good point. Guess we’d best go see what’s in store for us in round three.”
As the both walked towards the stairs leading up, Sunset wondered how the rest of the girls were doing with their training.
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When Rarity coughed, and saw blood spattering the ground, she decided that perhaps she was pushing herself a bit too hard. The brace on her shoulder was holding up, at least, but the rest of her was getting quite battered. She wasn’t sure what she was more distressed about, the injuries, or the way her outfit was getting torn and tattered! Before long she’d have difficulty even remaining decent. Then again, given she was laying on the ground with all of her friends, none of them in any better shape than she was, she ought to focus on other priorities than the condition of her wardrobe.
Each of her friends were busy trying to pick themselves up, not a one of them lacking bruises or nasty bleeding cuts. The area was pockmarked by blast marks and the residual glittering spears of red crystals that Rarity had already summoned, with chunks of the coliseum blasted out by earlier attacks either narrowly dodged or missed entirely.
Lounging against a chunk of blown out masonry, Ditzy Doo yawned and examined her nails. There wasn’t so much as a scratch on her, and the Hollow-like mask she wore wasn’t even dirtied.
“So, what... you girls need a five minute break or something? Should I order out for pizza?”
“That would be amazing!” said Pinkie Pie, clutching her stomach as she stumbled to her feet beside Pinkamena, the doppelganger girl holding her head, which bled profusely from a cut scalp.
“She’s being sarcastic, Pinks,” grunted Rainbow Dash, wincing as she hobbled up, using her wings as leverage to stand up. She was among the least banged up of the girls, largely thanks to her superior mobility over the rest of them. Rarity felt a twinge of regret seeing how torn up Rainbow Dash’s sporty winter jacket was. She’d made that one for her. Well, not like she’d expected their clothing to survive this training, and she had a surprise in the works for her friends that would make up for the damage being done now.
Off to the side Fluttershy clutched at her stomach, still recovering her breath and gasping from the gut shot that had put her on the ground in the first place. Applejack, wiping blood from a cut on her cheek, went up to help Fluttershy to her feet, glaring at Ditzy the entire time with fierce green eyes.
“Ya gettin’ yer kicks smacking us ‘round, that it?” Applejack asked with a growl in her voice, a pulse of red light emanating from swirling patterns that had formed around her armored legs.
Rarity looked at the glowing swirls of energy uneasily, also glancing at her own crystals, littered about the arena. All of them had that more jagged quality to them that had occurred in Hueco Mundo. Knowing now that it was the increased Hollow energy they were being subjected to while in the arena only made Rarity more tense about the matter. She’d never fully considered the implications of what it might mean that her and her friend’s powers stemmed from a Hollow source. Just one look at the creepy, unsettling mask covering Ditzy’ Doo’s face and the way it turned the sclera of her eyes pitch black was enough to send chills down Rarity’s spine.
Ditzy Doo’s distorted voice let out a chuckle as she eyed Applejack, “I’m still taking it easy on you girls. If I wanted to really hurt you, none of you would be standing back up. This is going to be dangerous enough without me getting serious. Besides...”
Rarity grit her teeth as she felt Ditzy’s spiritual energy spike upwards and then press down on all of them like the weight of an ocean, wisps of crimson power flowing around the woman’s body like tendrils as her voice deeply resonated, “You haven’t come close to earning me fighting seriously yet.”
Rarity considered it a point of pride that she was becoming skilled enough to sense Ditzy’s incoming attack before it happened, if only for a bare instant beforehand. The woman was ludicrously fast, and when she moved it cratered the ground where she’d been standing. Already sensing that Applejack was the target, Rarity had been turning and stabbing her rapier towards the ground in the same instant. Her blade pierced the ground and Rarity sent her power, her very blood, flowing into the ground to transmit instantly towards Applejack and Fluttershy.
As Ditzy appeared behind them in a blurring flash, Rarity’s crystals were already erupting upwards in a sharp, jagged half-dome that acted as shield against Ditzy’s fist. The woman’s bare fist impacted with the uneven shield of crystal and shattered through it, but it bought Applejack just enough time to grab Fluttershy and bound away on a blast of golden power from the bottom of her boots.
Applejack’s own reflexes were swift, and even as she flew away, she kicked backwards, unleashing a concentrated blast of golden energy towards where Ditzy had been standing. Unfortunately Ditzy had already moved, the golden lance of power scorching a path through empty space. Rarity looked around wildly, eyes scanning for where Ditzy had gone, only to find the woman appearing directly in front of her, nearly close enough to kiss.
“Boo.” Ditzy said, slamming a palm into Rarity’s chest.
Rarity struggled to remain standing as she was blasted backwards, feet skidding along the ground. The air had been knocked clear from her lungs but despite that and the pain of the blow Rarity maintained her balance and concentrated on her rapier. Crystals morphed around the blade, becoming a long bladed whip, and she lashed at Ditzy in retaliation. With the sinuous motions of a snake, body moving with bending grace, Ditzy wove between the flailing blade whip and then with disturbing ease gripped the whip with one hand. Terrifying physical strength hauled on the whip, and rather than lose her weapon Rarity allowed herself to be thrown bodily through the air, trusting in her allies.
The trust was well placed as Rainbow Dash flew up in a blaze of speed and caught her, quickly lowering Rarity to the ground before fixing a glare on Ditzy and charging in, wings trailing blue and red tinged electricity.
Rainbow Dash attacked in a blue blur, striking with punches, kicks, and spinning slashes with her wings. Lightning arced between each attack, living serpents of electricity that lashed alongside Rainbow Dash’s limbs. With deft hands Ditzy Doo turned aside many of the blows, and the rest she evaded with swift yet minimal movements, dodging just enough for the attacks to whiff past her harmlessly. She commented casually as she did so, like someone talking about a film they were watching rather than a battle they were a part of, “Your power is good but your motion is wasteful. You don’t have to cock your arm so far back when you swing.”
“Oh yeah!? How’s this for wasteful!?” Rainbow Dash shouted, jumping back then slamming both her hands together, palms out. Rivers of raw electricity, flickering between brilliant azure blue and hellish crimson, pooled into her hands. Then with a roar of thunder a bolt of lightning lanced between Rainbow and Ditzy Doo, the light almost blinding.
When Rarity could blink away the spots and see clearly again Rainbow Dash was standing there, breathing heavily, a few sparking traces of electricity dancing in the air around her. Ditzy Doo was bent backwards like an expert gymnast, and Rarity could see the blackened spot in the arena wall behind her where the bolt of lightning had struck, while Ditzy Doo had simply limbooed backwards to avoid. While not into that kind of thing, even Rarity had to briefly admire just how... flexible Ditzy was as she bent back up, stretching her arms above her head briefly. The woman had quite the figure, and Rarity could imagine more than one ensemble that would look more striking on her than that rather unimaginative black and orange outfit she currently had on.
Ditzy, as she stretched, regarded Rainbow Dash flatly, “You need more self control. An attack like that is impressive, but only if you can hit what you’re aiming at. You should have waited until I was immobilized by one of your friends, or distracted-”
Pinkamena came in behind her, mouth opening wide like a shark’s, teeth extended as she tried to clamp down on Ditzy’s head. Ditzy flowed aside from the attack like grey mist, spinning and hammering Pinkamena with a backhand that sent the doppelganger skipping across the ground like a stone tossed across a lake.
“Like that! Nice move Pinkie, sending her in while I was lecturing.”
Pinkie Pie gulped, “Wasn’t me. Pinkamena just does what she does.”
Ditzy Doo shook her head, “Then maybe you two need to work on that. Pinkamena is your power. Shouldn’t you wield her then, instead of letting her act on her own?”
The way Pinkie Pie tilted her head at near a ninety degree angle to the side made Rarity wince and she could almost hear the gears trying to grind inside her friend’s head. Pinkie Pie’s large, baby blue eyes just looked puzzled and distressed as she said, “I dunno. She’s better at the fighting stuff than me. I only try to keep her from going too far when she gets too chompy.”
Pinkamena, still in the process of lifting herself off the ground like a large pink, pancake managed to shout, “I don’t want any more strings on me! I just want to find out what your flesh feels like sliding down to my belly!”
Ditzy laughed lightly, “And as long as you two are acting like two separate beings, you’ll remain a liability to your friends. Fullbringers are one with their powers, no matter what shape they take. You gain strength by growing closer, not more separated.”
“Yeah, that sounds cool and all, but that doesn’t really help us right here and now does it?” Rainbow Dash said, arms flung out in exasperation, “What does getting the crap kicked out of us have to do with making us closer to our powers?”
Ditzy’s turned to her, eyes narrowed to glowing slits, “Desperation. It’s as simple as that. People have a hard time growing without either a lot of innate discipline and motivation, or they get pushed to the breaking point of absolute desperation. Since I don’t have time to teach you the discipline you’d need to grow stronger, that leaves desperation as our go-to, dirty quick-fix.”
Rarity wasn’t entirely keen on the tone of that particular wording, but she also couldn’t deny there was a certain cold, harsh logic to it that sounded accurate. She remembered the moment her power awoke, in that terrible instant behind her home when she felt certain that the Hollow attacking her family was going to take her dear sister from her. Rarity had perhaps never been so desperate in her life, and that had certainly brought her the power she’d needed in that moment to save Sweetie Belle.
What Ditzy Doo was saying, in that context, made perfect sense. It didn’t make the woman any less terrifying as dense spiritual energy cloaked her like a second skin, causing small waves of air to flow from her in pulsing circles of loose dust.
“I need to push you girls to that limit of desperation, so you can go just one step further and hopefully find the power you need. If not, well, it's kind of hard to hold back this kind of power. But if you die, you die. I can’t do this with kids gloves on forever.”
“Then let’s git this done!” Applejack shouted, fists clenched in tight balls, and her body seeming to become rimmed in an aura of gold energy. Beside her Fluttershy had focused her eyes upon Applejack, and Rarity could feel the spiritual power flowing from Fluttershy into Applejack, empowering the other girl. Fluttershy had already tried using her power to weaken Ditzy Doo, during the opening moves of the training, and Ditzy had shrugged off those attempts without much effort. Since then Fluttershy had been alternating between empowering each of her friends.
With Fluttershy’s power adding to her own, Applejack made a massive leap into the air, her right leg shooting up above her head and a massive burst of golden energy thrusting her downward so fast that Rarity barely followed the movement. Rainbow Dash didn’t miss a beat either, wings flaring in a burst of lightning as she took to the air and then dove at Ditzy Doo from the side. Rarity, her reflexes kicking in, lashed her crystal whip into the ground and created a low aimed circle of stabbing red crystalline blades to try and take out Ditzy’s Doo’s legs.
Ditzy responded instantly to the multi-directional assault, first leaping up to avoid Rarity’s crystal spikes, then spinning her body, she kicked out with one leg to catch Rainbow Dash across the face before the girl could finish throwing a punch, while one of hands snapped up and grabbed the descending heel of Applejack’s kick and redirected the force so that Applejack went sailing right towards Rarity.
Rarity let out a somewhat unladylike curse as she quickly poured her power into the ground and created a bowl shaped construct of crystal to catch the out of the control Applejack. The jagged shape was beyond her control, but caught Applejack and prevented her from smashing into Rarity, though the impact still made Rarity wince.
“S-sorry, are you alright?”
Grunting, Applejack peeled herself from the crystal that caught her, and growled, “I’m fine!” before leaping back into the fray. Rainbow Dash had also recovered from being kicked in the face, still managing to stay airborne, and flipped around to make another pass at Ditzy. Meanwhile Pinkie Pie had joined Pinkamena and the two were whispering to each other. Rarity couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Pinkamena suddenly burst into rather disturbing giggles at something Pinkie Pie said, and with a wide, macabre grin, started to skip merrily towards Ditzy.
Ditzy turned to face the new threat, only to actually blink in surprise when the doppelganger produced a set of large teeth along her arms, then began to spin those arms like drills as she proceed to dive, not towards Ditzy, but into the ground, burrowing into it like a dolphin diving into the water.
“Huh. That’s new.”
Ditzy didn’t have time to ponder what Pinkamena was up to, as Applejack and Rainbow Dash were both circling her now. Rarity, seeing that her attempts at catching Ditzy at range were coming up fruitless, morphed her weapon from the bladed whip into the curved form of a saber and moved to join them. She felt a sudden rush in her blood as she did so, an a lightening of her steps, as if she’d just downed a full cup of coffee. One glance at Fluttershy confirmed that she had started empowering Rarity, and not to the detriment of Applejack either, as Rarity could see the farm girl was still being empowered as well. From the sweat now beading on Fluttershy’s face, and the way she was breathing heavily, it was obvious she was straining herself to lend strength to two of her friends at once, and her face went pale as a sheet as Rainbow Dash started glowing as well.
Rarity gulped, realizing Fluttershy was pushing herself well beyond anything she’d tried to do before, so it was only proper to reciprocate with her full efforts too.
Ditzy Doo was silent as Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash all made their move. They came in from both sides and above, blocking any sensible avenue of evasion. At the same instant Pinkamena also attacked, her drill-like limbs bursting from belowground like deadly tentacle blenders. Escaping such a situation should have been next to impossible. Which was why Rarity couldn’t fathom exactly how Ditzy Doo simply wasn’t there anymore, in the span of a simple eyeblink. The impact Rarity felt on her chest couldn’t even be properly described as physical force. It was more like a blow struck her down to her soul, shaking the core of her spiritual energy like an earthquake shakes a unstable building.
She knew she’d been hit, on some instinctual level, but the rest of her senses didn’t catch up until several seconds later as she was impacting with, then falling down from, a portion of the coliseum bleachers like a rag doll.
Rarity wasn’t certainly how long she lay prone, staring up at the cold, blue sky. She could hear faint groans in the distance, and knew her friends weren’t in any better condition. After a time she managed to turn her head slightly. Rainbow Dash was enjoying a rather awkward spot lodged halfway through a set of stone benches, spitting up blood from a busted lip as she rolled into a sitting position.
Further up, Applejack pushed aside a piece of rubble from the crater her body had made in the coliseum seating, her hat laying a good twenty feet away.
Blinking, Rarity turned, grimacing at the pain shooting down her back, and looked down to see that Pinkamena was planted face first into the arena wall like a pink turnip. A hole in the ground suggested where Ditzy had likely dug her out. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were both standing, but were backing up from Ditzy Doo, who was casually and steadily walking towards them while holding up a single finger.
That finger was glowing with deadly, blood red power, the thick energy pooling into a growing sphere of destructive light.
Rarity recognized it as the same prelude to the unleashing of a Hollow’s Cero beam. Neither Pinkie Pie or Fluttershy could hope to evade or survive such an attack. There was no way Ditzy could be serious about unleashing something like that upon them! Yet the look in Ditzy’s eyes was cold and merciless as a winter sea, and deadly intent wafted off of her like a sickening odor.
She’s serious. She’s going to kill us.
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“Grr, is Discord trying to kill us!?” Suset muttered past clenched teeth and hard breaths as she leapt through the cutting reach of three or four buzzing blades forged from bones. The blades slashed out from the rotating body of something that looked like someone had smashed together a score of mis-matched bones and skulls into the shape of a compact sphere, wreathed in a halo of purple flames.
This was the only construct on the third floor of the tower, but so far she and Clover had been battling it for over ten minutes without being able to find any opening in the bizarre thing’s defenses. It spun like a top, dozens of whirling blade arms slashing at the two Soul Reapers, cutting sparking furrows in the floor and ceiling as both Sunset and Clover continued to desperately evade its flailing attacks.
Sunset’s blade glowed with stored power, but she had so far not had a single opening moment with which to unleash it. If she slowed down her constant dodging for even an instant she’d be either skewered or cut to ribbons. Clover, likewise, was stuck without a clear opening to use either Kido or attempt to use Chishiki’s power to analyze this construct in order to attempt shutting it down with Hitei. It was all either girl could do to keep on the defensive... and even then...
Sunset heard Clover’s cry of pain as a near strike grazed her, cutting a bloody line in her arm. It caused a slight stumble in Clover’s footing, and four bladed appendages snaked in towards her in an instant. Sunset, seeing no other choice, risked slowing down her own evasions for a moment to aim her blade towards those appendages striking at Clover, and unleashed the flames stored in her sword. A concentrated blast of fire in the shape of a two foot wide beam blasted out and smashed through the limbs going for Clover. However Sunset, having had to slow her pace for the instant she needed to aim, found another three bladed limbs slashing for her. She got her shield in the way of two of them, but the third got through. A burst of white hot pain lanced through her side as she Flash Stepped away, and she glanced down to see a nasty gouge in her hip, perhaps an inch deep, seeping blood.
Crap. We need to take this thing down fast, otherwise it’s just going to bleed us out with a bunch of smaller wounds, until we can’t move fast enough to keep our heads on our shoulders.
What was worse, the four limbs she’d burned with her fire started to regenerate, growing back from the blackened stumps her fire had made of them. Another problem was that despite the size of the chamber they were in, this construct’s blades could reach any corner of it. There was simply no space to back off and catch their breaths in.
Continuing to dodge the whirling tornado of death around her, ignoring the burning pain form her wound, Sunset rushed towards Clover, who had managed to regain her own tempo and was also leaping about to avoid their foe’s unending strikes.
“Clover! I need an opening to get close to it!” Sunset shouted between flashing dodges, using her shield as much as her footwork to keep the seeking blades from touching her again. Her body screamed in protest, both in pain and in the mounting exhaustion this constant dodging was creating on top of the ever present sensation of her spirit energy being crushed down by the tower’s field.
“I don’t have time to try any Kido, otherwise I’d already be doing that!” Clover shouted back, spinning Chishiki in a deflecting arc, batting away bladed limbs that snapped at her.
“I’ll take care of that. Just get into the corner, quick!”
As she’d been hoping, Clover trusted her word, and didn’t ask any questions about what Sunset was planning. The Soul Reaper merely gave her a quick nod, and Flash Stepped back towards one of the corners of the room. Sunset followed her, and about a dozen flashing blade arms came right behind her. Once Clover was in the corner, Sunset appeared in front of her and turned, thrusting her shield out.
While the corner limited their movement, that also was true for the blade arms of this strange construct. The sharp appendages could only came at them from so many angles in the smaller space of the corner, and it gave just enough room for Sunset’s shield to maneuver as much as it needed to. It wasn’t easy, taking all of Sunset’s focus, but between her shield and the furious parrying with her broadsword she was able to keep the slashing blade arms at bay.
Meanwhile Clover prepared a Kido, chanting under her breath.
“Bakudo Number Thirty Seven: Tsuriboshi!”
Blue light in several dozen strands erupted from her upraised palm. Moving like living ropes the strands of light adhered to the walls and ceiling in a web-like pattern between them and the construct, solidifying into a thick, sticky barrier. The bladed limbs of the construct got caught in those thick strands of web-like energy and got stuck. It wouldn’t last, Sunset could see, for the blades started to cut through the strands, but they were stuck just long enough for her to act.
By now, after taking so many strikes on her shield, Hokori was back to full charge. It wasn’t as intense a flame as she might have been able to unleash outside the tower’s field, but it would be enough. She had to make it be enough. But that meant getting close. So while the constructs limbs were being caught up in Clover’s Kido, Sunset rushed forward, slipping beneath the web and then rushing the main body of the construct. Its spheroid shape still had a few limbs free to strike at her, but after spending all that time dealing with dozens of them at once, the few remaining ones were a cakewalk to dodge through.
Then, right up next to the construct, she shoved Hokori into its body, spherical body and triggered her stored flames.
For a second nothing seemed to happen, then in thick, glowing rivers of brilliant orange and red, tongues of fire erupted from all over the construct’s body. It then burst apart in a shower of flaming, bony bits, littering the chamber with its blackened remains. Its limbs went limp, and silence reigned in the chamber for only a few seconds before the next set of stairs emerged.
Sunset sat down, hard. Sweat dripped from her chin. Blood soaked her side from the wound she’d taken on her hip, which hurt like a constant wasp sting. Her very soul felt drained, and just the idea of standing back up was exhausting.
With heavy, slow steps, leaning a bit on Chishiki like a crutch, Clover came up beside her, and also sat down. The girl’s gray features were pale and her green hair was frazzled. The graze on her arm still bled, darkening the already dark robes she wore. Sunset looked at her and gave a small, sardonic grin.
“Three down...”
Clover let out a tired laugh, “Seven to go.”
Sunset took a deep breath, letting it out in a ragged gasp, “I’m starting to suspect this training is going to be hard.”
“Well,” Clover said, reaching into the folds of her Soul Reaper robes, pulling out a pair of cylindrical wooden flasks, “Discord never said anything about a time limit on completing this tower, did he?’
Sunset raised an eyebrow, glancing at the flasks, “I suppose he didn’t. What’re those?”
Clover smiled, uncorking the top of one flask and taking a long, deep sip from it, “Spirit energy enriched water. Here.” She handed the other one to Sunset, who took it gratefully, not even hesitating to uncork and upend the contents into her mouth.
It was like tasting a draught straight from the freshest mountain spring she could imagine, like imbibing life itself. That might’ve just been the exhaustion and dehydrating talking, however. Either way, it did wonders to help her feel refreshed, if even just a little.
“Clover, you’re a goddess,” Sunset said, laying back on the floor with a content sight.
“I just think ahead,” Clover said with an embarrassed scratch at her nose, looking away, “I considered the distinct possibility that we would need ways to recover our strength in the middle of this training, and made appropriate preparations. I also have some food, for when we get hungry. Since Discord never stated we needed to complete this tower in a single day I can surmise we can afford to take an hour or two to rest before trying the next floor.”
“Makes sense. I don’t think I could sleep in here, but taking an hour to catch my breath and finish drinking this ambrosia sounds just fine to me,” Sunset said, wincing a little and looking at her hip, “I also need to take care of this.”
“Let me,” Clover said, leaning over and placing a hand over Sunset’s wound, the hand already glowing blue with the light of healing Kido. Sunset saw the way Clover’s eyes were tight with their own pain and she frowned.
“You should take care of yourself first.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. You’re wound is worse than my little scratch,” Clover said in a tone that refused any further argument on the matter and Sunset shut her mouth and let herself be healed. It wasn’t nearly as quick or effective as she’d seen Clover’s healing Kido perform in the past, but she knew she had the tower’s suppression field to blame for that. It couldn't fully close Sunset’s wound, but it stopped the bleeding and eased the pain.
As Clover then got to tending her arm, Sunset sat up and glanced at the wall, her eyes narrowing. Despite the way the tower interfered with her spiritual senses she could still get a sense of the energies outside the tower, and she’d just noticed something strange. A sort of faint yet sharply intense burst of spiritual power that sort of felt like hearing an echo of thunder.
“Clover, do you feel that?” she asked, and the other Soul Reaper nodded, eyes blinking curiously.
“Yes. What do you think it is?”
“I don’t know,” Sunset admitted, but she suddenly felt very worried for her friends.
----------
Like a bulging, crimson blossom that promised to deliver death when it bloomed, the ball of energy gathering at the point of Ditzy Doo’s finger was aimed straight at Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Gulping, mind racing, Pinkie Pie couldn’t think of a single worthwhile joke to tell. She knew laughing in the face of danger was an important way to chase away the fear in her stomach, but she’d been having trouble finding that spark of laughter lately.
Things were just so serious and grim with everything that’d happened. She really did just want to make her friend’s happy and fill their lives with plenty of reasons to smile, but how was she supposed to do that when things kept getting more and more dangerous? There just came point when all the giggles in the world couldn’t chase away the ghosties. That was why she had Pinkamena, right? She was strange, grumpy, and kind of scary herself, but wasn’t that the point? That Pinkamena didn’t have to laugh away the scary things, because she was scarier than the creepiest nasty that could crawl out of the woodwork.
Only that wasn’t true, was it? Grogar and Platinum were meanies on an entirely different level, and even Ditzy Doo right in this moment embodied all the overwhelming power and fear that seemed to make Pinkie Pie’s laughter seem like just spit in the storm. Yet even Pinkamena wasn’t mean enough to match this kind of scary. Pinkie Pie stared into that glowing ball of red death and just knew it was going to smash her and her friends to tiny little bits.
Fluttershy clung to her, shaking like a frozen leaf. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack were still lying bruised and battered amid the coliseum stands. It didn’t look like anyone could do anything!
Then Pinkamena extracted her head from the arena wall with an loud popping noise, and seemed to bounce up and down like an accordion, eyes swirling. It was just amusing enough to get Pinkie Pie to let out a small laugh, if only because hey, even when you’re about to get flash fried, some things are still funny.
When she laughed, she felt a pulse in the pit of her chest. The bright, bubbling pulse of energy crossed right over to Pinkamena, and for an instant both girls froze, staring at each other. Pinkie Pie could see herself reflected in Pinkamena’s eyes, and the pulse came again as she found herself laughing once more.
“Ooooh! I get it! Hahahah! That really is funny! Why didn’t I see it before?” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing to her feet and patting Fluttershy on the head, turning away from Ditzy Doo, who paused in her approach.
Pinkamena, frowning, head twitching to the side, said, “You lose another set of marbles or what? We’re getting tossed around like hacky sacks and you want to laugh?”
“Hah, of course silly! That’s what I’m good at! It’s what we’re both good at!” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing over to Pinkamena, who still looked at Pinkie Pie like she was the crazy one between them. Pinkie Pie grabbed Pinkamena’s hands and shook them up and down, giggling.
“Can’t you feel it? It's like the mirrors in a funhouse! Ditzy might’ve said it all grumpy pants style, but she’s right, we’re not separate! We’re both each other’s power! Now c’mon Pinks, laugh with me!”
“You’re nuts,” Pinkamena said, but did let out a chuckle, grinning widely, “But I like nuts.”
As both girls laughed, a nimbus of intense neon pink light flowed from both of them, forming into a swirling storm of cotton-candy colored mist that engulfed them. Pinkie Pie could feel herself blending into that storm like flavors of ice cream being mixed together. She felt Pinkamena, not as something separate from herself, but as a part of who she was, just like she was a part of who Pinkamena was. Fear, and its polar opposite, laughter, all bonded together with a questionably healthy dose of crazy and... and something else. Something intensely bright that connected her to her the girls around her. It was the warm, shining light of friendship that acted as the last bit of glue that fused with the power of her Fullbring, of all of their Fullbrings, making them something altogether different than they would’ve been without that magic inside them.
When the pink mist cleared, Pinkamena was still there, straight hair and all, but Pinkie Pie was nowhere to be seen. Instead, resting in Pinkamena’s hands, was a absolutely massive hammer.
In fact the term “hammer” barely categorized the weapon appropriately. It was as if someone had taken the concept of a maul, forged it from the same solid chunk of shining, rosy pink metal, and then made it about twice as large as was logically sound for any person to wield; let alone a five and a half foot tall young lady. The hammer itself was carved with ornate swirling patterns, and was encrusted along either side of its gigantic head with studs of chiseled, multi-colored gems that made it almost look like someone had put sprinkles on it. Either end of the hammer’s head tapered to a pyramid-like point, the kind of spike that’d punch holes in a tank if need be. The handle of the hammer was of the same metal as the rest of it, curved into a slim S shape that made gripping it easier. At the very end of the shaft it widened out and was stamped with a symbol, that of a trio of balloons.
Pinkamena stared at the weapon. So did everyone else.
“Pinkie...Pie?” Pinkamena sounded, perhaps for the first time, truly and utterly baffled and uneasy. This look only magnified when the hammer spoke in Pinkie Pie’s unmistakable voice.
“Whoa, freaky deaky! I feel all kinds of weird. Heheh, and it kind of tickles too!”
Ditzy Doo, smiling beneath her Hollow mask, said, “I’d say you just took a big step in the right direction. Let’s see just how big a step it really is. Batter’s up, Pinkie!”
Fluttershy gulped and scrambled backwards behind Pinkamena, focusing her third eye upon the straight haired girl to empower her as Ditzy unleashed her concentrated Cero blast in a thick red line of blazing destruction towards them. Pinkamena, feeling the power coursing through her, and the hammer that was Pinkie Pie, set her legs wide, pulled the hammer back, much to Pinkie’s laughing delight, and slammed the weapon forward in a baseball batter’s swing.
The hammer impacted with the crimson Cero beam with a hurricane of force. Yet something very odd happened at the point of impact. Pinkie Pie started to giggle, and a sound filled the air like the reverberating and loud deflating of a whoopie cushion. The energy of the Cero wavered like water encountering a funnel, swirling and spinning, then gradually vanishing until it was fully sucked into the hammer. A moment later the hammer shuddered, emitted a cloud of pink gas, and burped.
“Whew, excuse me,” said the hammer, in Pinkie Pie’s voice, “That was a spicy meatball there.”
Silence reigned for several long moments before Rainbow Dash blurted out, “What the hell just happened?”
Pinkie Pie, not entirely sure at all what she’d just done, tried to turn her head. But she didn’t have a head anymore. It was exceedingly strange, but in a way that felt kind of good. She had no eyes, or mouth, or ears, yet she could see everything around her. She could feel the shape of her hammer form, and the strong, pulsing connection between her and Pinkamena, not as two separate entities but as one being who just happened to be split into two at the moment. She could hear and speak, even without a mouth to open. It just seemed to come naturally.
“I have no idea! But it's neat. Heheh, hey, hey guys, Ditzy Doo really hammered this lesson in, huh? But I’d say I really hit the nail on the head with this training. Heehee!”
A chorus of groans ensued from everyone present, save for Pinkamena, who was still looking at Pinkie Pie’s hammer form with incredulousness shock. She whispered in a low tone, “I don’t get it.”
Pinkie Pie just laughed again, “I figured we’re both me. That’s what I Fullbring. Parts of myself. So if I Fullbring you, that means whatever I am, leftover, is also a piece of the whole. A piece that’s also totally Fullbringable. Fullbringed? I don’t know, I just knew that if you’re the scary me, and I’m the joking me, then we both can go bamf and when I bamf I guess it makes me into a super snazzy hammer!”
“A split personality,” Ditzy Doo said, crossing her arms under her breasts and looking at the two of them curiously, but not without satisfaction, “You Fullbring your split personality, and only now just figured out how to do it both halves. Interesting, because Cloudy Quartz’s Fullbring also had a dual nature like that, although not nearly as overt. Can you revert back?”
“Uuuuuuhhh....” Pinkie Pie tried to focus for a second on her normal human shape, but nothing happened. She giggled nervously, “I’ll get back to you on that.”
Ditzy Doo nodded, almost as if she expected as much. With a smooth swipe of her hand she removed her Hollow mask, which dissipated in a wafting aura of black and red energy. She looked around at the other girls with a sympathetic expression. “I think that’s enough for now. We’ll take a break here, get you girls patched up and fed.”
“Seriously?” Rainbow Dash said, sitting up and rubbing at her head, “Just like that?”
“Don’t get too comfortable. We’re far from done, but I think it’s time to let you all take a breather and reflect on what just happened. Besides,” Ditzy said with a smirk, “I think we need to give Pinkie Pie a bit of time to figure out how to un-hammer herself. On top of that, I’ve gotten a good feel for what your limits are, so round two will be even more intense. I want you all prepared for that, so I’m going to take our break time to go over some Fullbring basics with all of you.”
For the next five minutes or so the girls slowly convened together, catching their breaths and taking stock of their wounds. Applejack gave Pinkamena a clap on the back, smiling as she brushed disheveled hair from her face.
“Welp, looks like ya got their ‘fore any o’ us did, Pinkie. Er, Pinkamena.”
Pinkamena licked her lips, hefting the Pinkie Hammer over her shoulder with a musing look, “I still don’t get it. Which if us is supposed to be the Fullbring and which of us is the copy?”
Pinkie Pie’s voice chuckled from the hammer, “Duh, neither of us are copies! We’re both Pinkie! That’s what clicked in my brain like a oven timer going ding! You’re the batter and I’m the frosting, but only together do we make a delicious, fully baked cake!”
“If you keep talking about food I’m going to get even more hungry than I already am,” said Pinkamena, licking her lips with a tongue that extended entirely too far, drool dripping off her sharp teeth, “I don’t care about all this weird existential stuff. Still, I guess you’re a bit more useful in this shape. Why don’t you stay this way?”
“No way! If Ditzy is going to order pizza I’m shifting back to girl-form so I can eat. Uh, as soon as I figure out how. Hmm, maybe if I wiggle like this?” the hammer actually wiggled a bit, like a big metal caterpillar. Pinkamena grimaced while the other girls exchanged looks with each other.
“W-well on the bright side, it seems like the training is working,” said Fluttershy, rubbing her arms, “And if Pinkie Pie can figure out how to reach the next stage of her Fullbring, we can do, right?”
“Yeah, totally!” said Rainbow Dash, making an punching gesture, then grunting in pain and gingerly shifting her balance to favor one of her legs. “Ya know, once we’re not half dead.”
“This was rather intense for day one. Or has it just been the first few hours?” Rarity said, breathing heavily, “Then again, I suppose we all did accept the risks, knowing full well this would be difficult. We really don’t have much choice but to press onwards.”
“Yeah,” said Applejack, frowning slightly, “Let’s just hope there’s somethin’ of us left by the time all's said n’ done.”
----------
Amid the countless chambers and halls of the Gotei 13’s expansive headquarters Meadowbrook reflected that there were enough meeting rooms for ten times the number of Soul Reapers in all Soul Society to have one each to themselves and still have a few to spare. Or maybe that was just his own irritation showing through as he navigated the myriad of corridors and extensive walkways to find the meeting chamber that he and some of his fellow Lieutenants had set aside for gathering when they wanted to speak without the prying eyes of lower seated officers, or the imposing oversight of their Captains.
He didn’t doubt he already knew what the meeting was about, especially considering who had called it. His steps picked up pace along the well polished floorboards of the hallway as he heard raised voices coming from the sliding doors to the meeting chamber ahead.
“We have to do something about this! Moon Dancer I thought you of all people would jump on this!” shouted the familiar voice of the Fifth Division’s Lieutenant, Radiant Hope, and Meadowbrook opened to doors to the meeting chamber.
Radiant Hope had a light violet skin tone, and long, silk smooth cornflower blue hair. Her dark blue eyes all but blazed with righteous fury as she stared at a impassive looking woman who was looking at Radiant Hope with the hunched shoulders and irritated expression of someone set upon by a particularly loud and annoying rodent. Moon Dancer, the Lieutenant of the Ninth Division, had something of a frazzled look about her, with a few out of place strands of red and purple toned hair that hung past her shoulders. Her glasses were a bit crooked on her face and she adjusted them, smokey purple eyes narrowed at Radiant Hope.
“And do what, Lieutenant Hope? Captain Celestia and Captain Luna are lawfully incarcerated and according to the official report turned in by both Captain Platinum and Lieutenants Fancy Pants and Meadowbrook they both submitted to be bound by law willfully. What you’re suggesting is dangerously close to conspiracy.”
Radiant Hope looked ready to explode, but upon seeing Meadowbrook arrive, she let out a visible sigh of relief. “Meadow! Good! I was hoping you’d come.”
Meadowbrook coughed politely, closing the door behind him and glancing around the room. Aside from Radiant Hope and Moon Dancer the only other Lieutenant that had come was sitting up against the far wall, arms crossed, watching the proceedings with a pensive unease. Her skin was alabaster white, with a pink head of hair kept in a neat bun, and she sported the armband of the Fourth Division's Lieutenant.
“Redheart, good to see you,” Meadowbrook said by means of greeting.
“You too, Meadowbrook,” said Redheart carefully, “I hope you can reign in these two before they tear each other’s heads off.”
Moon Dancer rolled her eyes, “Oh please, I’m nowhere near that irrational. Lieutenant Hope is being paranoid and irrational, however, and I’m not sure why I’m still listening to her chatter on about how there’s some conspiracy undermining Soul Society.”
Radiant Hope put a hand through her hair, teeth grinding, “I didn’t say that Moon Dancer, I just said that it’s extremely strange how two Captains who have had nothing short of exemplary records of service are suddenly under suspicion of treason! And only on the word of Captain Platinum!”
Meadowbrook felt a cold chill run through him, “Wait, I wasn’t aware treason charges were already being tossed around. Last I heard Captains Luna and Celestia were only being put under house arrest pending a hearing about the scuffle with Platinum?”
Radiant Hope wheeled on him, distress pouring off of her in wavering eyes, “The official word just went out this morning. That’s why I called this meeting. As of now they’re both being charged with treason against Soul Society. But the missive didn’t tell us lower ranked any more than that! The other Captains are all being quiet about this, I think under orders from the Captain Commander.”
“As well he should order,” said Moon Dancer, “Because a matter this dire is for the Captains and Central 46 to work out. Not overly emotional Lieutenants. We’ll know more when we need to know more.”
“That’s not good enough!” shouted Radiant Hope, hands clenched into fists, “I know Captain Celestia! She saved my life more than once! Her sister is also one of the most understanding and helpful members of our organization. Wasn’t she your instructor back in the Academy, Moon Dancer!? How can you even suspect either of them of treason!?”
“I don’t,” said Moon Dancer with a groan, “But I have to follow the laws of Soul Society, as do you. Due process dictates this matter belongs in the halls of Central 46. I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for all of this and that Captain Platinum is mistaken, and that the truth will come out via proper investigation and evidence during the hearing. Having clandestine meetings like this to throw around crazy conspiracy theories just wastes time and makes us look suspicious.”
She cast a glance at Meadowbrook, “Tell me you don’t buy into Lieutenant Hope’s ravings?”
Meadowbrook looked between them. The truth was he’d been thinking matters over ever since returning from the living world, and his own suspicions were rising. He’d spoken with Captain Starswirl on the matter, but as always the old man was dodgy as a barrel of hell butterflies, and it was hard to tell how much of the Captain was absorbed in his research and how much was actually aware of the world around him. Starswirl had a habit of saying three different things with one cryptic sentence, and Meadowbrook had gotten the impression from their conversation that the old man wanted Meadowbrook to be careful... but to keep his eye out as well.
“I’m not saying I believe that Soul Society is being undermined by any hidden forces,” he said carefully, “However I also have to say that there are things about recent events that don’t add up. Captain Platinum was as much out of line on that mission as Captains Celestia and Luna, and charges of treason are well and beyond what fits with what should be considered, at most, an act of insubordination. Doesn’t it strike you at all as odd that in just a few days things have escalated this much? Central 46 almost never moves their bureaucracy this quickly.”
Moon Dancer pursed her lips, looking thoughtful as she said, “No, not usually. But if Captain Platinum had some manner of convincing evidence that might have expedited the process.”
“Yet you can’t deny that it's still highly out of the ordinary? You don’t really like it when things get out of the ordinary, do you?” Meadowbrook said, and Moon Dancer heaved out a sigh.
“I don’t. I also don’t like overreacting, or going outside proper channels. What are you suggesting we do, Meadowbrook?”
“Only that we keep our ears to the ground and our eyes proverbially peeled. Conspiracy or not, something about this whole matter smells fishy to me.” He glanced at Radiant Hope, “I don’t suppose Captain Amore has said anything to you? She’s usually pretty open to you, right?”
Radiant Hope got a lost look on her face, eyes looking towards the ground, “That was my first flag that something was wrong. Captain Amore is usually the first to tell me anything when something is wrong. But she’s been very tight lipped ever since the Captains were called to meeting by the Captain Commander yesterday. It’s not like her. It really has me worried.”
“And Captain Starswirl is being cagey as usual, but he hinted to me that I keep my eye out,” Meadowbrook said, “So that’s what I intend to do. Nothing overt, but I’m going to be watchful for anything out of the ordinary.”
“What do you want us to do? Follow fellow officers? Stakeout the Captain's quarters? For souls sake Meadowbrook, we’ll be painting ourselves as the conspirators in that case,” said Moon Dancer, then Redheart suddenly spoke up.
“I don’t know if this means anything, but now that we’re talking about strange things, a week or so ago Captain Zecora went out in the middle of the night to visit the Sixth Division barracks, and when she got back she looked... bothered by something.”
Redheart shook her head, “I didn’t think much of it at the time. The Captain is always going out to do house calls, and I know Captain Platinum still has chronic pain from some old injuries suffered awhile ago, so sometimes Captain Zecora goes to provide her medicine for it. But she seemed rather disturbed upon returning that night. I was too polite to ask about why, however. Patient confidentiality and all that.”
“Can you check any medical records for that time and see if Captain Zecora wrote down what the visit was about?” asked Radiant Hope, and Redheart gave her a nervous look.
“Yes, but I don’t want to go behind my Captain’s back. If I ask, I’d rather do it directly.”
“There’s no reason not to keep this on the level,” said Meadowbrook, “I’m not suggesting we go slinking around or breaking into places we shouldn’t. All I’m saying is that we keep an eye out. Agreed?”
Radiant Hope nodded enthusiastically, and after a few moments hesitation Moon Dancer and Redheart also nodded their agreement. Meadowbrook breathed a little easier. At least he was no longer the only one who’d be searching for the truth. He just hoped they’d find something in time to do some good.
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So Pinkie's Fullbring is more than just Pinkamena. Interesting. And the fact that Cloudy Quartz had something similar isn't entirely unexpected. Goes to show, some things are hereditary.
It looks like Pinkie might give Maka a run for her money.
Wait, Hope? Radiant Hope? As in the comic-canon love interest of Sombra?
...Are we really going there? Please tell me we're going there. It would be so frickin' awesome.
A real training from hell chapter this one. Pinkie's new level is awesome and OP.
Pinkie pie and Pinkamena is like the combination of the mask and soul eater
Another enjoyable chapter. Great job.
I think that trope you mentioned only really works in a visual medium. Maybe show some but not all of each girls new abilities and during their next big fight they can explain their powers to their opponents in true anime/manga style.
7663045
(tries to picture it)
...
Oh boy, new Captains and lieutenants revealed and i almost got Redheart and Zecora right i knew those two were gonna be in squad 4 and Pinkies new power is...weird and confusing, shes basicaly like a character from Soul Eater who turns into a weapon...ok i guess, we'll see where this goes. Also, this Captain Amore who is this character never heard of her before. Great chapter as always cant wait for the next one.
7663152 a meister and weapon with over the top looney tooney antics
7663329 7663152 Pinkie's become a weapon that manifested her own meister... actually, it's more like she's a weapon that uses black blood to make a meister. Either way, it's awesome and terrifying. She basically turns herself into a toon.
a challenge to avoid,but Sunset
You’re wound is worse than my little scratch
with a questionably healthy dose of crazy
Ditzy Doo really hammered this lesson in, huh
Welp, looks like ya got their ‘fore any o’ us did
Which if us is supposed to be
Moon Dancer I thought you of all ponies would jump on this
Wait, i wasn’t aware treason charges were
so sometimes Captain Zecor goes
1. Forgot your spacing.
2. Your.
3. Extra spacing here.
4. Extra spacing here.
5. There.
6. Of.
7. Err, wait. Ponies or humans?
8. Forgot to capitalise.
9. Zecora.
I like those puns, shows how blunt Pinkie can be at times but in a funny way. I'm just surprised that she didn't say she nailed it.
Wait... She can't be... Oh my god. does Cadance know? Is this her vendetta against the Soul Society? This is gonna spell trouble like Fancy and Fleur again, I just know it.
At least Pinkie didn't have to be driven to arousal before she turned into a weapon... interesting as that might've been to see. Great chapter!
7663328 As far as canon goes, the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire before Sombra took over. Possibly Cadance's mother or great grandmother if we're looking at time displacement or something to explain how she's in the present when Celestia discovered her, or ancestor at the very least cause 1000 years went by since that fateful day. Princess Amore was an unicorn princess who held the Crystal Fair every year even when Sombra first appeared as an innocent foal unaware of his own true nature.
Amore appears to have known since his first visit to her castle and finding out his destiny to be a tyrant from the Crystal Heart, that he was an Umbrum, a Shadow Pony and by extension a direct enemy of the Crystal Empire since the Heart was created to banish the Umbrum to another dimension to protect the Empire. Sombra was played by his own mother to be a pawn in a 1000 year plot to free them which he succeeds in 1000 years later but afterwards undoes when he realizes he's been tricked the entire time.
Before he was banished to shadow and ice originally, he turned Amore to crystal and shattered her, her shards scattering everywhere, which prompted Radiant Hope to ask Celestia and Luna for help to stop and and help Sombra since he was clearly not in his right mind and full of hate when he did all this. Constant pain has that effect on people when you're near the source of your pain every year when the fair comes around.
So Pinkie is basically a weapon/meister team from Soul Eater?
niiiiiiice~
Leave it to Pinkie to turn the concept of Fullbring upside-down,
I was hoping you'd be going for the whole 'training-timeskip' idea at some point. Not only does keeping some of the girls' new talents and powers hidden until they're needed help heighten the tension and the drama, but it allows you to keep the relatively low-suspense training sequences short and keep the story itself moving,
7666119 Thanks for the info that cleared up a lot of things now.
I hope Twilight can build something like reishi converters that allow her to shoot arrows with the same wavelength as a zanpakuto so it doesn't destroy the soul but rather release it from its pain. I mean she has the data of what happens to a hollow when killed by a soul reaper and for when killed by a Quincy so it shouldn't be too hard for her to bridge the gap
Interesting. Is it just me, or does Pinkie Pie's Fullbring resemble that of Soul Eater???
7671748 Well, I suppose she sort of IS, isn't she? Souls are nourishing for Pinkamena.
Also:
"You’re the batter and I’m the frosting, but only together do we make a delicious, fully baked cake!”
Silly Pinkie, you're not a cake, you're a PIE!
7676143 True dat!!!
Loved Ditzy's lesson on how they surpass their limits. Reminded me of how Ichigo does it. Congrats on Pinkie reaching the next level.
A slight error: you referred to Moon Dancer as a pony in one scene.
7663612 Was that a Valkyrie Drive Mermaid reference?
7700024
yea it was.
Is Meadowbrook a guy in this cause she was a mare in mlp? I ask because I keep thinking I misread it.
11317813
Ah, in this instance this Meadowbrook is male because this part was written before we got the full reveal of Meadowbrook in the show. Think of this Meadowbrook as the human equivalent of a descendant of Equestria's Meadowbrook counterpart, sharing the same name.