Sometimes They Call Me Super

by KorenCZ11

Kaiju IV - Matarael - The Beast

Applejack

---

Ah never did catch Rarity, so Ah just gave up and drove home. Ah remember Celestia talkin’ about how easy it would be fer her ta use her powers fer evil, and only now do Ah realize just how much she could get away with on her own. Ten minutes where only you can move and nopony else ever knows ya were ever there? If she were even remotely decent at magic, she could get away with just about anythin’. It’s really no wonder Luna sent her ta the tower fer recon, and if we ever need an assassination done… nopony would ever be able ta prove she did it.

And then There’s this one. He did use his powers like that, and he still does fer all Ah know. Of course, Ah know better, so that just makes not knowin’ even worse. Like, what could he have been doin’? Did he go see the gang? Did he need ta take care of some kinda business matter? Was today the day he was goin’ ta talk ta that Alto mare about whatever he was hidin’ from me the other day? Why wouldn’t he tell me?

Rather than be productive by makin’ dinner or somethin’, Ah just sat around fer hours on end waitin’ fer him ta get home, slowly but surely eatin’ through all the peanut butter cups at the same time. It got later and later, and by the time eleven rolled around, Ah was just about ta go find my phone ta call and make sure he was still alive. As it always is, Ah heard the door click as soon as Ah got up, and in he walked. Goose was definitely dressed up fer somethin’, or somethin’ he was at today anyways. He was wearin’ a black silk fedora with a dark violet stripe around the base, a black full three piece suit, and a matchin’ violet tie. He looked exhausted.

“So… busy day?” Ah asked.

“It was… yeah, a busy day, that’s for sure. I don’t usually get so… Bah, whatever. The day is done, tomorrow is going to be an even longer day… and there just so happens to be a lovely mare on my couch waiting for me to come home. The candy wrappers suggest she’s been here for awhile, so I think I should attend her♥” He loosened the tie and put the hat on the coat rack, and then took off his suit jacket and vest. He had one of them smiles on his face, and very quickly Ah found myself forgettin’ what Ah was worried about and more excited for future prospects. He was right, Ah have been here fer a while, and since Ah was too busy worryin’ ta make food, Ah just about emptied the candy stash.

“Observant, ain’t ya? Why don’t ya come over here and tell me what Ah really wanna hear♥” Ah said as Ah smiled back. As soon as he started ta move though, Ah noticed somethin’ was off. His walk was wrong, and he was movin’ real slow. Especially since Ah invited him ta me, he usually jumps at that. And then… he tripped. One hoof caught on the other, then both slipped out from under him. One of his knees dug inta the corner of the coffee table as he fell, and Ah only reacted fast enough ta keep his head from bangin’ against the couch arm.

“Goddess damn it! What the hell is wrong with me!? Fuck!” He pulled his head back and sat up clutchin’ his knee and rocked with it. Not knowin’ what else ta do, Ah got down on the floor with him and put a hoof on his shoulder.

“Are… Are ya alright?” He didn’t look hurt as far as Ah could tell, but Ah’ve never seen him like this. Goose took in a sharp breath and looked me in the eyes. Those orange gold disks were dull and bloodshot, radiatin’ with exhaustion and anger. The bags under his eyes were even worse than Ah thought now that Ah see him up close, and it almost looks like… has he been cryin’? Ah thought he was about ta yell at me, but instead he released his breath and wrapped himself around me.

“No.”

This is… a different kinda hurt. He was shudderin’ with every breath and holdin’ me real tight like life depended on him not lettin’ go. Ah wanted my questions answered, but this… is strange, fer Goose. He has been gone since about noon today so somethin’ musta happened… but, what? Ah guess… he can’t always just be my rock. Must be my turn ta fill the role. Rather than say anythin’, Ah brought him in and started ta stroke his back softly. We sat there in the silence of the shark house fer however long we did, and once Ah finally felt the shiverin’ stop, Ah figured Ah should check on him.

“Goose?” He shook his head behind me.

“Can we… just go to bed? It’s… been a long day. Too long.” Ah felt myself swallow. What in the world happened ta make him so… hurt? Ah know if this were the other way around, he would make me talk about it, but…

“Sure, Sugarcube.” Ah got him back on his hooves and lead him ta our room. He kept his face turned away and wouldn’t look at me, but left his hoof in mine. Maybe we’re more similar than Ah thought…

---

Anticipation was heavy in the air. Everypony was on edge, and nopony was sure what ta expect. No Centurio this time, next ta no support magic. Target has her bullets, we have our plan, but what do we expect? Ah can’t say. It’s never felt right. It always felt like somethin’ was missin’ in the simulations. There’s somethin’ we don’t know, damn it. The clock struck noon as it always does every day, but the dread in the air carried the bell tolls along waves of heavy volume, each strike of metal on metal like a wail of remorse. The screens all around flickered ta life, and sure enough, the mask had arrived.

“Well now, another Sunday has come, yet your numbers have dwindled. I wonder how you might fare this time without your little centurion? The mysterious sixth member of Harmony with the ancient armor of an age long past and the traits of our dearly beloved princesses. With that marvelous display of magic last week, I can only wonder if your little pseudo alicorn isn’t a real one…

However! The nature of your party member matters not in my grand plan! Heroes, the fourth Sunday has arrived! My death nears, and your victory is just beyond the horizon. Two more weeks, two more Kaiju, two more fights after today, and this will all be over. But first! To make it to tomorrow, you must survive today! And today will be no walk in the park, I assure you.” The mask paused and tilted away from us.

“Uh… didn’t he just kinda… go last time?” Blur asked. Everypony frowned.

“Yeah… something is up.” The Black Knight said.

“Oh shit. I think I know what he’s up to.” The Crow added.

“Before we begin, I would like to address something. There are ponies out there that think there is no threat to them. Some of you truly think that I do not have you all by the necks. As if I couldn’t simply press a button and spread chaos. That I am doing this because this is all I can do. I’m sure most of you from Manehattan remember my little glimpse into the future almost a month ago, why don’t we make sure all of Equestria knows what’s at stake here, hmm? A new flavor to add to the game!

Heroes, the wager has been raised. Not only are you to defeat my kaiju, but you must also win without losing any major structures! Roads, lamps, rails, benches, those are to be considered fodder for destruction in a fight such as ours. But a building? Now that would take some serious bits to repair, and the government’s coffers only run so deep… So, my proposal; for every building you lose, a random town will have its virus emitter activated. It will be just like the first world war where Equestria secretly tested the use of chemical weapons, except in this digital age, everypony will know about it and see the effects…”

“You bastard! That wasn’t the deal!” The Crow shouted. The mask’s smile widened and the eyes bore down on her.

“A deal? Oh, I remember plenty of deals. You know, I looked over your contract the other day and realized that you really never did pledge me any loyalty, nor did you ever break it. Somepony went to a very careful and lengthy effort with the language in that particular document. You were never alone when you were in my house, were you? Bah, that doesn’t matter. I hold the power here, and you of all ponies should know that better than anypony else, miss Bloody Crow. I am altering the deal. Pray I don’t alter it any further.

Matarael shall be your opponent today, and I expect something surprising should happen. She is of the second generation after all, and just like our dear departed Knots, we simply don’t know what all she’s capable of. There are ponies out there who need to be taught a lesson, and today, they will learn and have their collars tightened! I expect nothing less than a flawless victory, heroes! Go beyond! Matarael, Descend!”

Persona disappeared as all the outdoor screens in Manehattan turned off, and from far, far above we heard the sound of thunder. A bright orange flash in the sky, almost as if it were a second sun in the air, blindin’ light turned the blue expanse white. A dark shadow grew above us just as the light began ta fade, and the world darkened.

“Target, what’s the distance?” Ah called. The mare with the gun pressed two buttons on the side of her mask and extended the lens forward, puttin’ her in optical mode.

“A-about two and a half kilcks and s-she’s falling fast. W-we’ve got about five minutes before she reaches us, a-and four before I can start shooting her.” Damn. That thin’ ain’t small, what if it breaks somethin’ as she’s comin down? She doesn’t have a field like Ramiel did as far as Ah can tell, so there shouldn’t be a problem… Damn it, Ah don’t like this. Like Knots? Just what in the hell are we up against here?

“Everypony spread out and take yer positions at least one block away from the epicenter. It looks like Matarael plans on landin’- eugh!” As Ah was givin’ orders, the monster opened her giant eye. A big yellow thin’ with a bright multicolored iris that was like some kinda sick acid trip kaleidoscope with a dark black void at the center. “… right on top of us… Uh, Diamond needs ta be over here, and Ah want ya ta shoot as many of them nukes at once as possible ta limit the radioactive damage ta this area. Don’t spend too much of yer time though, Ah want ta have at least two full party sessions of frozen time in the event we need it.”

“Yes Ma’am!” they all said in unison.

Diamond moved next ta Target and Ah, and the rest of the gang moved as directed. Target laid on her back and grabbed a clip out of one of the many inner pockets of her trench coat ta load her big rifle. She pulled the bolt back, turned the safety off, and hit the red gem. The big barrel was aimed right at the center of Matarael, and then we waited.

“A-are you guys seeing this? H-her iris is… moving,” Target said without speaking. Ah got down on my back next ta her so Ah didn’t have ta crane my neck up, and sure enough, it was. Every color in the rainbow and more grew, divided, and… moved inside the middle circle, foldin’ back as it reached the black edge of this beholdin’ thin’ that was fallin’ at us.

“Eww. Just looking at it is making me sick,” Blur commented.

“Ponies get high just to try and see something like this. I wasn’t about that before, and this has just about killed my curiosity,” Rainbow added.

“Two klicks,” Fluttershy noted.

“Is her… eyelid violet? Everything about these colors just scream drugged up rave. Twilight darling, will you get a screenshot of this from the stream for me? I think I’ve got a design for a new line in mind, but I want a reference before we kill it.”

“Really? I mean, okay, but I’m not even there and I think that’s gross,” Twilight replied. The sound of wind started ta hit my ears, and Ah felt a slowly growin’ breeze above my head. The air above was swirlin’ as the giant eye came down.

“One point five klicks.”

“Focus y’all. Even if we hit her, we don’t know what she’ll do next. Her blood is melt-yer-bones acid, so if the wounds don’t cauterize like they should, we’re in big trouble.”

“Come on, even if she is a monster, there’s no way organic material is gonna last under a couple hundred thousand degrees celsius,” Goose retorted.

“Hmm… that’s provided she is organic material. The data Rainbow provided didn’t actually have a skin sample with it, but the acid in her veins is not something most inorganic material can stand up to. It’s not too dissimilar to the magically concentrated acid in Pink- er, Blur’s knives actually. And you saw how easily those tore through Sachiel’s bones, so maybe-”Was that Celestia?

“Mother, please! Now is not the time!” Twilight complained.

“It is a fair concern, but she is correct, analysis can wait. Be mindful of the failure rate of your bullets. Because the chance leans toward them not releasing the radiation conversion spell as they should, you must avoid shooting in the city. The blast radius is typically fifteen meters from the epicenter, so if she is still at such a large mass by the time she reaches half a klick to the ground, you must retire the nukes.”

“Understood,” Ah replied ta the night princess’ warnin’.

“One klick.” Silence over the brain waves. The wind rose from a shallow drone ta a loud roar as the air above us started ta thrash downward. The shadow of the monster had engulfed eleven city blocks, and the eye itself had blotted out the sun. The void of her pupil was dominatin’, so black, so dark, so cold. Even the wind seemed ta grow colder as she approached. Closer, closer, closer, not yet… Now!

“T-Toki wo tomare!”

“ZA WARUDO!”

Ah blinked and suddenly more than twenty rockets shot up just around Target’s barrel, and all the casin’s jingled ta the ground at once, smoke risin’ from everythin’.

“C-COVER YOUR EYES!” Target yelled. Even beneath my foreleg, Ah could see the violent blooms of heat and light as the bullets made contact with the monster. Explosions erupted overhead, all simultaneously blowin’ wind back and knockin’ everypony who was standin’ up down. Amid all this, Target loaded another shell and fired. The monster screeched out some kinda mechanical wail of tones as if it were electronic, a song of hissin’ pain and death. Another shell tingled against the ground. Her bolt clicked back, another fired.

Ka-BOOM!

SKREEEE!

Tink-tink.

Ka-BOOM!

SkreEeEee!

Ka-BOOM!

Silence.

Target didn’t reload, but instead stood up.

“S-something is wrong. S-she should have landed on us by now… or at least w-what’s left of her,” Target said.

“Shouldn’t it be like… crazy hot right now? I mean, they were small and localized, but those were still nukes right? There’s no way the magic just happened to work correctly, right?” Blur asked. Shit, she’s right.

“Twilight, what’s the radioactivity above us like right now?” There was so much smoke and ash in the air that the sun was still hidden, and the sky had become clouded in a solemn pale gray. The clouds were roilin’, swirlin’ and seethin’ above like a mad dance of violent dust. Presumably this is the remains of Matarael that’s rainin’ down on us, but it’s all so… cold.

“I… I can’t believe it… The radiation over there is… nominal. It’s like we never fired the nukes in the first place…” A shiver ran up my spine and Ah felt the sudden need ta be anywhere else right now.

“Everypony, we need ta move! Back off! Get ta the street and away from the rooftops, now!” Ah barked out my orders and then picked up the nearest pony ta me and took a massive leap off this office we were on. The ash and smoke started ta clear, but what was left behind only made everythin’ worse. The sky had turned near black, and the darkness was expandin’ out even further as it hungrily spread over the city. Blacks and reds and violets raged and swirled above our heads like a thunderstorm. Little streaks of black-violet lightnin’ scattered and ran along these new ominous clouds above us, and finally, Ah saw it.

Right where we were standin’, right where Matarael was supposed ta land, there was a void. Like a round hole in space where nothin’ entered and nothin’ left, this black thin’ was so dark that even the black clouds that seemed ta come from it were brighter than it was. More than anythin’, it was the icy chill in the air. Somethin’ was alive in there, and it was eatin’ all the heat around.

“What’s going on? The screen has gone dark, we can’t see anything from over here,” Twilight’ asked, panic risin’ in her voice.

“I… I’m not sure… goodness, was it this cold when we departed? I had assumed the nukes would cause things to get hot, but now I’m freezing!” Diamond said through a shiver.

“Good goddess, my nipples could cut diamonds right now! It’s black. Hella black. Everything is dark. There’s a ball over the building Matarael was supposed to land on, and it’s like… glowing black? Eating light? I don’t even know how to… brrr! Holy crap it’s cold.”

“Thanks for the update Blur, ever so helpful. Marevelous, better description,” Celestia ordered.

“It’s dark, and it’s cold, almost like whatever made up the center of Matarael ate all the heat the nukes produced and then kept goin’ after it started ta slow down. The… black hole, Ah guess, is now lettin’ off this kinda dark smoke, but it’s almost as if it’s lettin’ off a kinda light too. It might as well be a clear day out as well as Ah can see, but… it’s all so dark at the same time. Wait a minute… somethin’s… happenin’…”

The orb of darkness started ta… throb. Dark red veins scattered across the surface of the void like ball and it started ta… beat.

Thump thump.

Thump thump. Thump thump.

Dum dum. Dum dum. Dum dum. Dum dum.

Heat started ta return ta the air in a hurry, and the light started ta get brighter and brighter. The sky wasn’t black, but red now. Almost like Rarity’s world in shades of gray, Manehattan was bathed in the color of blood, and nothin’ but red seemed ta exist. The beatin’ got faster and faster. Ah felt my pulse start ta match with it. A new cold started ta fight with the growin’ sound and heat, and then Ah realized. This is fear.

“It’s about ta blow, everypony RUN!” Ah’m not fast enough ta get away in time, Ah’ve got ta use the cables! Ah turned tail and leapt away from the buildin’ in the center of this block and shot fer one on the opposite end of the next block down. Hoof pressed, button clicked, blade and cable zoomed across the street ta the first wall it found, bit, and pulled. My body jerked forward, and as soon as it did, Ah saw a blue and pink blur pass by, then even more cables shot from behind me and landed in other walls. Just as the tension tightened and ponies started ta move, the throbbin’ sped up faster than my pulse could match. Ah used my free hoof ta cover my ears and then…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

---

Fluttershy

---

“And you swear that you’ll take care of her for me?” Goose asked. I rolled my eyes.

“I-I said I would, d-didn’t I? N-nothing would make me happier t-than to see this go through. I-I’ll do everything I can t-to get what you need, okay?” Goose scratched at the side of his face and then sighed in relief.

“Thanks. You’re a better friend than some ponies I know, that’s for sure.” That caught my attention. I put my Click down and looked the green stallion in the eyes. It is somewhere around five AM, Sunday morning, and Goose came to me early, and alone. I wasn’t quite awake when I first smelled the foreign presence in my room, but the mix of male and female and apples and blood told me it was a friend, so I didn’t freak out. And neither did Fluffy, so nopony nearly got stabbed this time.

An improvement to be sure.

“A-and why is that? D-did something happen? Y-you know, you look like shit.”

He really does.

Goose arrived, unclean, his mane in a mess, and even undressed for once. No trademark hat, no black and white outfit, only his silver chain with his gang’s emblem on it. I doubt he ever takes that off. I finally got the chance to see the mirror in his chest, and it really is just as strange as Applejack said it was. It looks like fur. It has shadows for the clumps of hair that stick out and can be moved and combed like fur, but it’s reflective. Like somepony splashed chrome paint in that little golf ball sized patch, or his skin was just turned that color, and somehow even the fur itself reflected all the light that touched it.

What do you think happened?

Oh, I don’t know. I couldn’t say what caused him to be here, but I’m certain that he’s been up half the night thinking about this while Applejack was sleeping soundly in his hooves.

Do you still wish it were you?

Shut up.

“Yeah. Not everypony took it well. There were fights and… and I said some things I regret, and now I’m not sure I’ll ever see some of them again. All the venues I tried to book in Crystal were closed, and after I pissed off my used-to-be friends, the few places I didn’t think to try first outright rejected me because they knew who I was. So now I don’t know what to do. At least I don’t need anything large anymore. It might just be you guys and a hoofful of my old friends that still like me.” Goose rested his cheek on a hoof and stared blankly at the floor.

Goodness, he’s broken up about this.

It’s almost like having your dreams crushed and rejected by your friends hurts or something.

Fuck you.

Wow, anger over in the friend zone.

One more fucking word. I dare you. One more. See what happens.

Holy shit, chill out. Look, lover boy is in a bad way, and he came to us for help. The way I see it, this is your chance.

No, no it isn’t. He came to me about her. He doesn’t look at me like he looks at her. I don’t think he’s ever looked at another mare like he looks at her. It will never be a thing, and that’s the way it should be. Besides, she’s already… They are a thing, and he’s here because he trusts us, and he wants them to be more than just a thing. So, we should help.

Isn’t that kind of you. Trampling all over your own desires for somepony else. That has only lead to good things happening before, hasn’t it?

Fluffy, please! I’m so tired of this. Why do we have to get something out of it every time we help somepony?

Because that is equivalent exchange. The only rule that has ever mattered. There must be a cost, and it must be paid!

Then why can’t us seeing them happy together be the price for helping?

We are not them! Their love doesn’t affect us, so why should I care? You would keep me locked away forever if you could, and I would never continue on! I will be forgotten, and so will you! We have to continue. And he is a worthy candidate. Such a worthy candidate. Strong, noble, a good head on his shoulders, and capable of taking on a second strain of the virus… think of what kind of offspring we could produce…

I have already made plans, we will find somepony else! I won’t let it happen, I promise.

You cannot lie to me, you remember no promise!I remember similar words said to a red mare who blew her own brains out! Whatever. I’m going back to sleep. Don’t bother me.

Fluffy, it’s Sunday! You can’t just sleep through today, I might really need you! We can’t have offspring if I die! Fluffy, please? Don’t leave me…

“Uh… you okay over there?” Goose’s voice pulled me out of my own head. I shook and blinked until the world came back into view, then nodded.

“U-um yes… I’m fine.” And then, as if just by having her go back to sleep, an idea popped into my head. “Oh! T-that could work…”

“Huh? What could work?” Goose asked. I felt a smile creep up my face as the plan started to form in my head.

“W-well, it’s simple. W-we just need to ask the big boss.”

---

“You want to do what!?” Celestia nearly shouted.

“G-good goddess, not so loud! T-this is supposed to be a secret, remember?” Nine AM. Everypony is here, we’re all getting ready for a last minute practice run, and I managed to get Celestia to come speak to me in private. Today leans itself on me after all, and I’ve never missed a shot. I didn’t come up with Target Lock, it was a name I earned from the mare in front of me. An old friend of hers used to have that name back when it was harder to shoot with more primitive guns. I’m the only one who’s ever beaten his record with that same piece of shit he used to shoot. Celestia let out a heavy breath.

“Why would you bring this up now? Do you know for sure that… that it’s really true? Does he know? Does she know? No, you wouldn’t say something, that’s not in your character… Really? Wednesday?” She asked. I nodded.

“R-really, Wednesday. His idea. A-and course they don’t know. I-I’m likely the only pony on the p-planet that can tell something like that as soon as it starts. I-it’s still too early for magic to tell. I-I bring it up because he couldn’t get t-these arrangements settled himself.” Celestia brought a hoof to her forehead and sighed.

“That is… surprising, to say the least. But really? The castle? It’s not as if I don’t have the space, but I don’t have enough ponies in my employ to cater something like this with three days notice. That is unless you expect me to just start getting this settled today, in which case you’re out of your mind, even more so than usual.” Celestia had a dead look on her face like this was the most upsetting news she could’ve heard today.

It’s not as if she doesn’t see the mare like her own, why wouldn’t she be upset? We warned her after all.

Oh, now you’re back huh? Why?

I have nothing better to do. Sleeping is making me antsy. Something is wrong, I can already feel it.

… Tell me about it later. I… I think I feel it too.

“W-well, kind of, but it’s not as if y-you don’t have the connections to make this happen. W-who would refuse the Equestrian Empress, after all?” Celestia rolled her eyes.

“Fluttershy, you’re not making this easy for me. I can’t just call in a bunch of favors to make this happen. Think of all the questions that will be asked. Why am I doing this for some ponies of seemingly no import? Ponies I shouldn’t have any connection to. Booking a ballroom in the castle is such a pain in the ass as it is, and ponies still find a way to pay for it even after I’ve taken such painstaking measures to make it as expensive as possible. I will piss off a ton of upper class ponies if I do this, not only because I’m making exceptions, but even more so because I’m doing it for free.” I tilted my head and raised an eyebrow.

“A-are you trying to talk me o-out of this, or you?” Celestia let her head droop and sighed.

“Fine. I will get it done.” I started to smile to myself since I knew I had her, but then she narrowed her eyes. “However, I am not doing this for free. I believe I approached you for something not too long ago and you turned me down. Accept my offer, and you have yourself a deal.”

Fuck.

You should have known better. There is always a cost.

Ugh. I… I can’t get out of it this time.

You can, but you care for them too much to do it. These new responsibilities of yours better not interfere with your promise to me.

I have yet to break any of my promises to anypony, thank you very much. I just… it will be hard, but I will get it done, okay? Might even get to start on it as soon as this takes place…

“I-I… accept. I-I still can’t believe you want me o-of all ponies, but… w-whatever, it doesn’t matter. T-there’s a pay increase, right?” Celestia nodded.

“Of course. You will gain a rank and a new station, and I am certain we can arrange something to keep you in Twilight’s service as well, but I feel your martial talents will be served better training our marksmen. Target Lock himself would be proud to see you follow in his hoofsteps. Besides, it’s not as if Canterlot is any more populated than Manhattan. I’m certain you will adjust quickly. We even have a decent amount of wildlife around, so you might be able to keep animals again.” Celestia was giving me high praise, I assume, but I didn’t really want to hear any of it. I turned her down the first time because I never wanted to get more involved in this. The military, and not just anywhere, but as a trainer in Canterlot? I’m nineteen and she wants me right where Applejack is and… teachingof all things?

Ha! That’s a laugh. You, interacting with ponies you don’t know, telling them what to do, and moving out on your own? You can barely feed yourself while you’re here in the lap of luxury, what are you going to do on your own?

Stop it! We… we still have to fight today, I can’t… I can’t be worried about the future right now.

Yes, yes, go back to your room and get lost in some fantasy world so you can leave the real one behind for somepony else to deal with, just like always. It’s better that way isn’t it? You don’t have to hurt, you don’t have to get hurt, and you don’t have to watch other ponies get hurt. Safe and alone, rotting away on your own. Just. Like. Always.

Please, must you keep tormenting me? I’ve had enough, just let it go!

Never! You can never forget what we are! We are the monster in their nightmares, we are the thing that they fear! And sooner or later, somepony will come for us, just like we came for them. We cannot die, we must continue! Yet you hide away in your room, playing games to get away from the world in hopes nopony will ever find you. You are no better than the pink one. Worse, better yet. She looks like she really is growing up. You have not changed.

“Fluttershy?” Celestia asked. I wiped the moisture away from my eyes before she could notice and nodded.

“R-right… I’ll be… fine. I-I can… I can do the job… I-it’s getting late. We should… do another run or two while we still can. I-I need to make sure I know the range on these bullets. L-luna warned me about the elevation w-window, I… I should double check.” I said whatever came to mind as I pawed at the ground. Ha ha. It feels kind of like my life is ending, doesn’t it? I wonder why… I want to laugh and cry?

---

What is happening? I know I normally can’t hear anything very well, but what’s this throbbing and ringing in my ears?

… ave to … up

What?

You have to get up! Move! Open your eyes you idiot, it’s coming!

I opened my eyes, and then I heard the scream. A wail so loud and anguished, it was like the sound of a thousand dying souls crying out for help. The tremors flooded my body and I was washed over by an intense fear. I covered my ears with my hooves and closed one of my eyes. I couldn’t do both, the other one wouldn’t listen to me.

What happened? Fluffy, what’s going on!?

That… thing happened. That’s what’s going on.

I finally saw what her eye was seeing, and as soon as I did, I regretted it. I have seen us in a mirror. What Fluffy looks like when she’s in control. We are grotesque. Disgusting, horrifying to look at, like somepony mixed together a wolf and a pony and stretched out some limbs and created these horrible claws and teeth, a starving beast. A monster.

Matarael… was even more than we could ever hope to be. The throbbing heart that the black void Matarael had been reduced to released whatever excess energy it had gained from being shot by the nukes. Suddenly, shooting twenty five of those seemed like a poor decision. The office we’d stood on had been obliterated. The two buildings to its side had taken significant damage and were missing their top halves. The one behind it no longer existed. There was a deep hole in the ground that cut all the way to the sewers, but above the hole was that… thing. An unsightly beast.

The world was bathed in blood red light as the sky dark and black above made a starless night look bright, but at the same time radiated this menacing light that had every hair on my body standing up straight underneath my costume. The monster was a mishmash of leathery parts. One head was as if somepony had dug up an ancient equine skull and only remembered to cover half of it in skin. The mouth was only partially complete, all the muscle bare that was still there, and rows and rows of mismatched teeth, some that belonged to a pony, others that belonged to a carnivore.

The second head was almost like a flower, as if it were petals made out of rows and rows of eyes. A cavernous throbbing, blinking, thing that looked like the inside of a mouth filled with eyes and eyes and eyes, no single one the same color and shape as another. The necks connected and joined at the base of this creature, the torso almost like that of a massive pony, but bulky and gangly at the same time, a contradiction to even look at. It had two front legs, and two more front legs, some in the right place, others not, jutting out of the monster’s torso like they were glued on by a child. It had wings made of leather and bone and flesh like that of a bat that flapped unevenly as the front legs on it’s shoulders and back kicked and squirmed in the air. It had two hind legs and another one where a tail should be. It was as if a foal had made a clay sculpture of a pony and a bat pony and then smashed them together to become one sickly being, terrifying, horrific, and disgusting to look at. This isn’t just a monster… this is a nightmare.

“What the fuck is that!?” The Crow exclaimed.

“Oh goddess, I’m gonna be sick,” Blur said before she pulled her mask up to hurl.

“Twilight, Diamond is burned badly! Ya gotta pull her out, she needs ta be treated, now!” Applejack called out.

“Oh goddess, she’s fading! Back away, Scootaloo is on standby! Oh goddess, this wasn’t supposed to happen! It wasn’t supposed to go this way!” I managed to turn my head just in time to see her before the violet lightning in the red world had encased her. Most of her suit had melted away and her back was black and bloody.

Why didn’t she stop time to get away from the blast?

Would you have reacted fast enough if the orange one didn’t move us?

I bit into my lip. Shit. What is this?

“Guys it’s coming!” The Black Knight called out. The monster reared up on some of it’s hind legs and let out another deafening screech, something between a scream a roar and a sob mixed together. The nightmare’s massive hooves crashed back into the ground and it shot toward us. It was aimed at Marevelous who was protecting Diamond and closing in fast. The teleport had just barely finished before the monster was upon her.

She tried to punch back at it, but the massive creature was too much for her to stop. Marevelous was just shy of having hooves the size of her body crash down on her before I saw the orange light flood her hooves. The nightmare noticed it too, and with it’s massive leathery wings, it pumped off the ground before Marevelous could strike it. It backed away and screamed at her once more, then something strange happened. A bright light started build deep inside the head of eyes. BK blinked the moment he noticed it over to Marevelous, and just as they blinked away, the monster let go of all that energy. Concentrated in a white-red stream, the beam ran down the road as the second head arced upward. Where the energy landed, it exploded in succession, sending bits of road and rubble every which way, breaking windows and glass within sight in the red bathed world.

“Holy shit! Again with the lasers!?”

“Blur, we ain’t got time fer that! Crow, after that head full of eyes, make it stop workin’! Ah saw it, the mirror is just right on her chest between the two necks! If we can get close, we can kill it! Target, Ah need ya ta get in position and try ta shoot this thin, if a bullet will do it, then by all means, let’s have at it. Y’all circle around, and the Black Knight, Blur, and Ah will try ta distract it so it don’t target us individually. Go!”

The nightmare let out another horrifying screech and then turned it’s eye covered head at the Black Knight, gathering that white-red glow deep in the mouthy-cave of eyes again.

“Split up and stick ta the streets! We’ve already lost four buildin’s, if he follows through on his threat, four towns full of innocent ponies are done fer! Here it comes!”

Blinding light trailed up and after the Black Knight until he popped away. The Crow and I took to the sky and started to circle around the hideous monster. The creature took to the air after us with unexpected speed.

“It’s so fucking huge, how can if fly this fast!? Shit!” Matarael was after the Crow now, chasing her as she flew as fast has her blood would allow, just barely keeping ahead of the nightmare. Shit, shit, shit! I twisted around and pulled the bolt back. I took a breath as I started to fall and fired at the bony mouth of the monster. I hit my target as I always do, but then the monster turned on me. Its wings angled themselves and then flapped a heavy thrust away from the Crow, instantly changing directions as if Gravity didn’t apply to her. If the Crow can hardly out fly this thing, what chance do I have?

“Goose, help!” I panicked and froze in place. No, no, no! I have to run, I have to run, I have to run! I couldn’t move. So this is what fear feels like. Ha ha. I want to cry. I closed my eyes and waited, but then I felt something else. Wind, percussion, force, shot from right in front of me after the nightmare. The Black Knight had warped to my rescue… with Marevelous Red in toe, and launched her toward Matarael. The glowing orange light in the blood red world bolted after the monster, a primal yell coming from the mare, and a frightened screech coming from the monster as it attempted to fly out of the way. With so much power, she slammed the nightmare in the fleshy side of it’s main face and sent it crashing down.

The black top of the intersection below exploded as the horrible creature fell into it, rubble shooting back at us, smoke rising from the force of the blow. A second of still passed as Marevelous and the Black knight started to fall back to earth, then the bright light started to build underneath the smoke again. They’re stuck in mid air, they can’t get away! As if Diamond were still around, I reloaded like time had frozen or slowed. The empty case clicked out of my rifle as the light brightened. The next bullet was in the chamber as I took aim. The nightmare screeched just as it was about to fire. I fired first. The light turned and shot after the sky, blinking in and out like the source of the beam was disrupted. I’ve never missed a shot.

“Crow, pass Blur yer sword! Cut that fucker’s head off!” Marevelous ordered as she fell back to the ground. The Bloody Crow, bathed in red like her namesake, took aim and threw her katana like a javelin at the cloud of smoke. A pony shaped trail in the red world bolted after the weapon and caught it mid air. She started to spin like a tornado, faster and faster, clearing the smoke as she headed toward the monster. Matarael roared at the red blender as she came, but only for a moment. The buzzing tornado passed by the neck that lead up to the eyes before the creature could react. Blur landed and posed as ooze started to flow from a new wound all around the eye covered head.

The meat slid off and fell to the ground as the monster started to thrash and squirm and scream. All seven hooves kicked out looking for something to destroy, the monster’s wings flapped and beat unevenly, unable to take to the air. The remaining head regained focus and turned its only eye after Blur.

“Get outta there!” Marevelous called. The nightmare started to chase after Blur, and on the ground now, it was even faster. Anywhere she tried to turn, it met her and tried to chomp down on her with its mismatched teeth, those massive jaws big enough to swallow her whole. With every stop, she barely escapes its jaws a little less.

“Blur, ta me!” Marevelous jumped and shot a cable in the ground, floating in the air for a bit before Blur started to race that way, the monster just inches away from her. Rather than use the mechanism of her bracers, Marevelous pulled on the cable herself and aimed her way toward the ground, leading the cable behind her and forming a loop as she fell. Blur hopped through the cable, and the monster followed, only to get caught in Marevelous’ trap. Strangling the beast as best she could, she mounted the pony like creature and pulled the remaining neck tight in her cable, revealing the shiny reflective piece in the nightmare’s chest.

“Somepony hit this thin’!” I reloaded and took aim, but the monster was thrashing around and I was afraid to hit Marevelous. The Black Knight popped in front of the monster’s mirror, but just as he threw his punch, the monster snapped Marevelous’ cable. It knocked her off with a wing, and the Black Knight missed his mark, earning him a forelegknee to the chest. Matarael let out another banshee’s wail and charged down the Black Knight

“Blur get him outta there! Ah’ve got one cable left, we have ta make this one count! If we can’t keep this thin’ still, we can’t kill it!” I could feel my heart pulse and my shallow breaths. I finally noticed the warm wetness between my thighs and felt a sudden wave of shame and anguish hit me. If I had taken the shot, this could be over already! Pathetic! Get it done, this fight leans on you! Shaking my head and regaining my focus, I moved to position and took aim, then waited while I hovered. Marevelous had regained the monster’s attention and was half running away and half fighting back, using her last cable to gain extra distance while taking advantage of the monster as it tried to bite her, bobbing and weaving away and punching its boney face when it missed.

The Crow came down next and started to cut up its wings after she got her sword back from Blur. The non broken leathery appendage was now covered in incisions, and she began to go after the next one when it was her turn to take the monsters ire. The creature hopped and chomped at the one winged pegasus as she lead it around a block so Marevelous had time to prepare the trap.

“Ya can’t hesitate this time! The moment ya see the mirror, ya shoot, got it!?” I nodded even thought she wasn’t looking at me.

“Y-yes ma’am!” I choked out.What was that? Was that really me? I’m never like this. What’s wrong with me? Am I turning into Pinkie? Why am I… afraid?

No… this is simply what it’s like to be on the other side. The monster is chasing us now.

I swallowed. When even Fluffy sympathizes with me, then we’re really fucked. The Crow and Matarael rounded the corner. Marevelous was already in position to drop down and catch the monster. I started to breathe deeper and deeper. Why is it so hard to breathe? I pulled my gun into position and tried to slow myself down. Breathe damn it, breathe! This is all you! The Crow flew through the loop and the monster was once again caught. Marevelous reared the nightmare’s head up and showed me the mirror. I took a quick, sharp breath and let it out. A crystalline focus hit me and I pulled the trigger. I never miss. The bullet met the mirror, but something strange happened. It sank in, pierced the horrible amalgamation of parts, but it was as if the mirror was flesh. It didn’t shatter, the monster didn’t even stagger. The small hole started to ooze just like the open gash into the creature’s neck. It’s just another wound.

“W-what happened!? W-why isn’t it dead!?” Matarael broke through Marevelous’ last cable and knocked her off, turning on her next. The Black Knight warped in and warped out with her, but now we were stuck. What do we do? If a bullet at my highest velocity isn’t enough, how do we kill it? We don’t have any way to hold it still, it’s too erratic for me to just take shots at, and Diamond is down!

The monster screeched out in agony and rage. The noise grew louder and louder until the wings on its back retracted inside of its body.

“What in the hell!?” The monster let out a deafening screech and its wings shot back out of its body, slimy and fully reformed as if they had never been damaged in the first place. I felt my heart sink. Ha… ha ha… we… we’re gonna die. For the first time in a very long time, tears started to roll down my cheeks under my mask. This is it. I feel even more hopeless than I did last week. Nothing can save us now. She can regenerate. It’s all over.

Matarael roared once again and suddenly the split open neck retracted into her torso. It’s only a matter of time now.

No! You said you hadn’t broken your promise, so you are going to keep it! Let me out and we can hold it still! You can’t breed if you die, and nothing matters if that happens! This rides on you!

Fire started to well up within me. Deep in my pocket, I had been saving this for the very moment when my life depended on it. When the time came to become the monster or die. Suddenly, I remembered a phrase. ‘When fighting monsters, one must take care. For one who fights monsters, is liable to become one in the process. But then again… it takes one monster to kill another, does it not?’

I flew up above Matarael, and once I was directly on top of her, I ripped my mask and bit into my little glass vial of blood. I dove and let the change take me. Power and ecstasy filled me to my very core. My muscles expanded, my bones cracked and popped as they grew. My hooves split into claws, my wings retracted into my back, my teeth sharpened and stretched. A moan of pleasure turned into a roar of rage as I merged with Fluffy. I was hungry. I was angry. I wanted to kill. I wanted blood. I needed blood. I needed meat. And there, swiftly approaching as the ground was coming to meet me, was my dinner.

The monster raised its remaining eye as I came crashing down on it, mouth wide open and ready to eat. The head of eyes sprouted back from the empty spot on the creature’s body and the tantalizing smell of blood and prey drew my teeth to it. My mouth was just large enough to wrap around the newly regenerated neck. I chomped down and felt the warm blood of the monster spray all over my tongue. The lavish savory taste and trickle of warm irony syrup put me into a frenzy and I started to tear away. My meal hit me with hooves unremembered and knocked me off, taking the wind out of me and my dinner escaping my teeth. It screeched at me in challenge and I howled back at it. Food that fights back, how fun! What more could I ask for?

The monster stamped a hoof in the ground and pulled it back, flaring it’s nostrils as the delicious liquid flowed from the ruined second neck. My morsel dangled from what little skin still kept it together, and I wanted it. That is mine, and I will have it! The monster charged at me and I charged at her. We collided in a tangle of flesh, I aimed my teeth at the remainder of the second head, and it aimed its teeth at my left arm. Pain flared inside my arm as my own internal crimson started to leak in the red world of this beast, but not before I tore out the rest of the second head. No more lasers! All this meat is mine! The nightmare bit down harder, tearing at my arm and taking my attention away from the euphoric taste in my mouth, returning a bit of my sanity.

With my free claw, I stabbed deep into the monster’s chest where I’d shot it earlier and ripped away as much flesh as I could. The tip of my claws were touching the nightmare’s beating heart, but I couldn’t reach it. I wrapped my legs around it and swept the hooves out from under Matarael, taking her down to the ground with me. My arm twisted and ripped in her mouth, blood gushing from the new seam, pain and ecstasy fighting for my mind while I desperately vied for my sanity. Keep it together! Tell them! Show them! This is their chance! I screamed and roared, tears were rolling down my muzzle as my arm was shredded out of socket. The others were all around, but I wasn’t sure if I was seeing right. Everything was red, it was all red, definition was hard to make out and I couldn’t tell who was who. It all hurt so bad and felt so good that I couldn’t concentrate on anything.

“Do it! Kill her!” I couldn’t ignore the monster any longer, and now that I had given my last message, I bit deep into the last head’s neck. I tore and twisted, and the nightmare tore and twisted right back.

“AHHHH!” Somepony screamed as they approached, and just as they did, the monster’s teeth snapped down all the way, tearing my arm free. I writhed and clutched my claw harder inside the monster’s chest until finally, the nightmare stopped struggling. My arm fell from its teeth and it let out a scream that lost volume as the warmth started to gush all over my claw. Something cool slid deeper into the monster past my fingers, and then the beating stopped. The monster shuddered a violent shake, and then… she died. The body collapsed and soon, so did I. I could feel the body slip from my teeth as they began to dull and shrink as we both reverted together. The ecstasy started to fade, but the pain intensified with every throb.

I screamed and grabbed at my foreleg. Where did it go, where did it go!? I feel… s-so cold. The darkness took me.

---

“Gah!” I woke suddenly, but it was as if I never really woke up. Everything around me was black and I was just kind of… floating there.

“Hey.” I turned toward the voice, and there I saw the strangest thing. It was like… a little filly, but covered in white shaggy fur with a long pink mane and bright red eyes. She was like some kind of mix between a pony and a wolf, little paws where her front hooves would be, a longer muzzle with a few sharp teeth poking out from under her lips. She flashed a cute little smile at me and motioned me to come sit by her. The black world started to light up and all around me formed a memory. I was back in Cloudsdale.

It was the summer of 2014, and the roaming city in the sky had drifted over to the south western coast. The sun was setting and… and I remember what had happened. My little brother had just been born, and I was feeling neglected. He was all my parents seemed to care about, and any time I wanted their attention, hey had to go take care of him. I felt so alone that I thought they didn’t want me anymore. I wandered away from home carrying my little stuffed bunny hoping I would find somepony to love me. I found my way to the edge of the city, and the sun had just met the horizon over the water. The dark blue glittering sea spread out across the world, leading straight to that big pretty ball of yellow orange and copper.

I thought this would be great to share with mommy and daddy, but they were so busy with him that they never paid attention to me. I sat there and cried hoping, wishing desperately for somepony… and that’s when…

“I met you.”

“That’s right. Do you remember what you asked me?” Fluffy asked. I sat down and stared out over the water at the sun with her.

“Will you love me?” She looked just like this. Almost like me, but not quite the same. Somepony my age, somepony who would love me, somepony I desperately wished would be here. She smiled and laughed.

“That’s right! I said, ‘Sure! I’ll love you forever and ever! You’ll be my beloved!’ I only knew the word because you heard your parents call each other that one night, but I knew it would make you happy.” I nodded.

“It did. It was one of the happiest days of my life. From then on, we were together. I told my parents about you, but they said you weren’t there. I didn’t believe them. When I went to daycare, the other foals said they could see you, but that was a lie too. Nopony knew you were there but me.” She nodded.

“I started getting protective of you, you know. I hated them for laughing at you behind our back. I hated them for not seeing me, for not realizing I was there. When those bullies picked a fight with us, I realized that I could hurt them and made you meet the conditions to let me out.” I sighed.

“And then… I realized what you were. You weren’t just an imaginary friend, you are a part of me, and a dangerous one. I was afraid of you. Afraid of what you could do, afraid of myself. I met Firefly again and stuck to her like glue because she knew, and she could stop you.”

“You kept me locked away, and you feared me, but you were still my beloved. I made a promise, and I was never going to break it. Even if you hated me and scorned me, you were still everything to me. All that mattered, all I wanted. Any time you were threatened or got too angry, the cage became cracked and I found a way to get out and protect you, I did. But every time I got out, you became even more afraid of me.” Fluffy started to grow from how I remember her as a filly to how I remember her in middle school.

“But when we thought your friend died, you came back to me. You told me you loved me again and promised we’d always be together, and we’d have babies, and we would protect them and never let this happen again. You forgot about that promise after you met Scarlet though.” Fluffy grew again, and now she looked like me, but with a shaggy white coat and her wolf like attributes. A long pink mane and tail, shaggy but draped over one side of her face just the opposite of mine. Bright red eyes, but soft and welcoming. They were… so sad.

“When you watched Scarlet die, I tried my best to help you, but you’d been hurt so bad this time that you closed yourself off, even to me. I couldn’t stand to see you like that, to see my beloved in so much pain anymore. I started to take control since you weren’t in mind to keep me locked away, and once I’d fully taken control it was the other way around. You were safe in your cage, and I was out in the big mean world trying to live through the day where you got better.

You surprised me when you took control back one day, but you’d forgotten our promise. You were going to kill us. You had me locked up and I couldn’t do anything. I felt somepony call out to me, and with that little opening, I steered you toward the park. It was a familiar smell, one I knew you would latch onto, and just like that… you got better. You were happy again, you had friends. You even started to talk to me again.” She sniffed hard and rubbed at her eyes with one paw. Suddenly I felt tears well up in my own eyes, but I didn’t understand why.

“I still love you, you know that? I know we fought a lot toward the end, but I never forgot the promise I made here,” She said though tears and a shaky voice. I felt myself shiver and those tears start to flow out of my eyes.

“Toward the end…? Fluffy, what are you saying? What’s wrong? Why did you call me here?” her left foreleg and mine both fell away into ash and drifted off the clouds into the sea. The sudden loss of leg threw her off balance and she fell into the clouds. She kept wiping at her eyes and didn’t bother to get up. She shook her head.

“I-I’m sorry. I… I can’t keep our promise. I got hurt too bad. I won’t make it.” Her words hit me like a dagger to the chest. The tears came down harder and my snout started running.

“N-no… you can’t! You can’t leave me! I still need you, you… you’re part of me! You can’t go!” I reached out for her, but with no other leg to balance on, I fell. Why is my left leg missing? Fluffy shook her head and stood back up on all three legs.

“I’m sorry… Fluttershy. My dearly beloved. I love you. But… I have to go now. If I don’t, then we’ll both die. And… you’re so much more important than me. You have friends, family, other ponies who love you too, and if you go… they’ll be sad. So much more sad than you are now. Don’t keep our promise for me, keep it for you. You deserve to be happy. Even though you’re afraid of what will happen next, you’re strong enough to keep going without me. How can they lean on you if you’re not there for them to lean on?” She stopped and looked at her paw. She was smiling and crying, but even in her bittersweet sadness, she still tried to cheer me up.

“I’m out of time now.” Just as she said it, her paw started to disintegrate into ash. I scrambled to my hooves and wrapped myself around her.

“No! You can’t leave me, you… you promised! Forever, right!? We’re supposed to be together forever! I love you, you can’t leave! Please, Fluffy, don’t go!” She wrapped what was left of her foreleg around me and then pushed me away.

“I can’t keep that promise anymore. Hey… E-even though you’re holding me, I… I feel kinda cold, ya know? You… you won’t forget me, right? I… I love you…” From her foreleg upward, her body started to fade into ash and slip through my hoof. There was nothing I could do to stop this. She’s dying so that I can live. I can’t cry anymore. That’s the last thing she would want. I sniffed hard and smiled through the tears.

“I’ll never forget you. I promise.” She was almost completely gone now, bust just as the rest of her started to float away, I heard her one last time.

“This is the cost. For you… I would pay… anything… my… beloved…” Her ashes were carried away by the winds of the cloudy city and into the sea. She was gone. I couldn’t feel her anymore, she… she’s really… she’s really gone…

Comments

[darkhabit]

wait, Fluffy was a full Tupa? Not just a split personality?

[KorenCZ11]

9330340
Not sure what a tulpa is, but as Blood describes it way back in his chapter, Fluffy was a second consciousness. Like a second soul that Fluttershy developed because of her powers. She has her own thoughts feelings wants and desires along side a personality of her own while inhabiting Fluttershy's body and at times taking over. If you know it, it's like Doppio and Diavolo in Jojo. They're both two separate entities, yet not completely there and share some traits but not all of them and they use one body.

[darkhabit]

9331087
in general terms Tulpa means thought-form. The original description was the idea of a mental construct obtaining its own physical form, but it now covers any mental entity that forms both a distinct personality and independence of being from the being that spawned it (to the point one could survive the death of the other).

TL:DR
Split-personality: two people, one soul, one body.
Tulpa: Two people, two souls, one+ bodies.

[KorenCZ11]

9348866
It's not that he doesn't remember, it's just that... well, certain events led to other events, ya know?