Keys of Harmony

by BioQuillFiction

But Family is Forever

Twilight was still furious by the time training started the next day. Spike tried to ask what was wrong and she dodged the question, but had no such luck with the other girls. The worst part for her is that they agreed with him, even Applejack!.

“Are you ready Twilight?” Justin asked. His Keyblade ready, and the orders from Zeke were going to be followed.

“Yeah, yeah. What’s on today's agenda?” Twilight said, summoning her own Keyblade.

“Simply put, fear.” Before she could even question what he meant, she was struck from under her chin, and sent flying into the atmosphere only to be slammed back down to the ground, two legs broken, and a large gash on her side.

Twilight felt her lung launched as her lower body felt like it was dust. “H-how….”

“You really think I wasn’t holding back on you all? Even now I’m only using about forty percent of what I can do.”

“C-Curaga.” Twilight mutters out as her bones snap back into place, and the gash repairs into a scar.

“Todays lesson, is fear. To know what it will bring you to.” Justin sideswiped Twilight, and she was sent flying. Everything was a blur for her, until she slammed side first into the Cake’s shop.

“H-how?! Only forty percent….” Twilight says as she slowly gets up from the rubble, her keyblade having taken the brunt of the force.

She saw Justin standing in front of her. “I didn’t earn fifth highest ranked fighter in Daybreak for nothing, and I plan on placing my new rank as Keyblade master to the test with you.”

“M-master!” Twilight said as she quickly cast spell after spell to shield herself for what is to come.

Justin merely walked up to her magic shield, and flicked a finger at it as it shattered. “Needs work.” He said, grabbing her by the horn and throwing her all the way back to the training ground at Sweet Apple Acres.

With a crash, another crater appeared from Twilight’s landing. She coughed as she instinctively looked for Eclipse before remembering, her stubbornness thinking damn him! I can take this...I hope.

She saw justin somehow JUMP back to the training area in what looked like one leap. “You ever wonder why my Keyblade is made from bones and broken katanas?” He asked her.

Twilight shook her head. “I haven't. I don’t even know why mine looks the way it does.”

“Keyblades, they are alive. They search for wielders that are compatible with them, their form is the result of their power, special traits, and some individuality. Mine, Fallen Brethren, has a rather unique ability among Keyblades.” He struck his Keyblade into the ground. “Reanimation.” A shockwave flowed into the ground, soon, armored skeletons, pony and human began to rise from the ground, a total of thirty-six were risen, all looking at Twilight. “Any warrior, that is too stubborn to pass on, I can bring to my aid.”

“Thats...Thats necromancy!”

“Not when the warriors are willing. They are asked by my Keyblade to fight with me, and they accept. As warriors, to fight after death is an honor.”

Twilight shakes, but it is unknown if it is fear, or adrenaline fueled. “Trained warriors at your disposal….and only forty percent…” she mutters, her scholarly mind trying to mathematically judge Justin’s full power. The numbers it came up with were frightening. “Your...no….nopony could be that powerful.” She says, charging a AOE spell.

The risin soldiers charged at Twilight, rusten, and chipped weapons in their grasp as they charged at her, while Justin just stood and watched.

As the Spell was released, the entire area around her was impaled with ice spikes, screwing the undead warriors. She followed up with a fire way for good measure, slight overkill in her mind but she did it anyways.

“You say no one can be so powerful, yet you forget, we are against Core… and he. Is. a. Demon.” Justin said.

“I don’t even KNOW that much about Core! That was Eclipse who said what we were up against! He seemed to know, but like always, he said nothing!” She responded, smashing another Warrior with her blade, his skull going flying.

“Let me put it this way then, can you imagine the power he can have, is one swing of his weapon can destroy an entire planet of warriors? Entire reflections, gone by his hand?”

“That...That’s god power! Even the princesses don't have that power!” Twilight responded, startled.

“What did you expect?” Justin said, raising his Keyblade to her. “Core is the brother of Zeke’s god.” He rushed in, sideswiping Twilight and sending her flying. When she crash landed, she was in the old castle in the Everfree.

“It was here…” She said as the room where Eclipse and Nightmare fought for the entire night until her and her friends showed up. She stood up, using her keyblade as a crutch to keep upright.

“You know,” Justin said, somehow standing at the doorway across from her. “I had a brother too…”

“Had?”

“We were soldiers, fighting Heartless off our world. He never stopped and thought about his own health, just his need to protect our world, his family, and nation.”

“That’s...noble of him.” she said, not liking where this is going.

“It was selfish. He nearly dies so many times, until that luck ran out… he was swallowed into darkness with our world. Then again, at that point he didn’t have anything to lose. His wife, children, killed by Heartless. I somehow woke up in Traverse Town, a Wayward world for those that lost their own.”

“Why tell me this?” Twilight said, her stubbornness making her hard headed.

“Because my brother and Eclipse are the same. My brother kept how bad things were so we wouldn’t be scared, and just like him, didn’t care if he dies so long as the ones he cared about stay alive.”

She looked at him starting to get it. “But, He lied about who he was for eighteen years. He lied.”

“So did my brother. Each day the Heartless took over more and more of our world and he said we were winning. He wanted to keep them from finding out because he feared their reaction, that he may end up with nothing left to lose, and he did, because by then it was too late. The words you said to Eclipse, you gave him nothing left to lose.”

It clicked in Twilight’s head. Although they are different reasons, they walk the same path. The path that lead to the death of one family already. “I bucked up big time….” She said, looking at the floor of the ruins.

“Yeah, you did. Good news is though, you can still make it up. Council member Zeke took Eclipse back to Daybreak with him. I’m sure they’ll pop back up soon.”

“If he even wants to come back after what I did…”

“He does care about you, that I know. You are his reason for staying alive after the fighting is done. WHen he comes back, just say I ‘knocked’ the sense into you.”

“Heh...not far from the truth.” She said, chuckling.

“Orders from Zeke himself.”

“Welp, should we head back, or continue?”

“Only if you want an express ticket to the moon… and through it to the next planet?”

“......Let’s head back.”

“Good call, space combat should be after you all have Keyblade armor anyway.”

---

Eclipse awoke in a strange room. He sat up and yawned, Still sore. “Morning Twi...oh right.” He said before remembering the events of yesterday. He opened the door to the hallway outside, wondering where the hell the kitchen was.

He wondered around for a time, before finally finding someone… It was an anthro Twilight. “Oh, you must be that guest Zeke and Unum brought yesterday.” She said.

“Y-yeah.” He said, despite this Twilight being anthro, he had to keep himself from saying ‘hey sis’ out of habit.

“Well, as you can tell, you’re in a gummi ship that was refurbished to be a hose for us. It’s still largely empty, but we try and keep exploring it. Anything you needed?”

“I uh...was trying to find the kitchen. Besides being hungry, I’m normally the one cooking at home.”

“I’m headed to the dining room now actually… I kinda spent all night in the lab… again.” She said with a cheeky smile, scratching the back of her head.

“Twilights of all reflection have that problem I bet.” He says chuckling.

“Most likely. Well come on, just follow me and we’ll be there in no time.”

Despite the uncomfortable feeling Eclipse was getting from being with this reflection Twilight, he kept close, thinking over how he could somehow make it right with her. After ten or so minutes, they arrived in a large dining room, where fifteen other women, several children, seven babies, and Zeke were sitting and eating what looked like a breakfast buffet. “Oh, Hey Eclipse.” Zeke said, feeding one of the babies.

“Wow.” Eclipse says, finding a strange liking of this picture, this huge family, all loving each other.

“PONY!” One of the blond haired, grey fur kids yelled, running up to Eclipse and petting him all over. “He’s so pretty!”

“Dinky!” Who he guessed her mother, who he recognized as Derpy, yelled. “That’s our guest Eclipse!”

“Haha, it’s okay. Besides, how did you expect a little girl to react?” He said, laughing at Dinky’s antics.

Dinky pat Eclipse once more before running back to her seat. Eclipse took a seat next to a pink filly, he soon realised it was Diamond Tiara. “Hey.” She said.

“Hey. So, you live with Zeke?” He said, minding his manners.

“Yeah, we all got sorta got adopted into this family. I was one of the few survivors from… before.”

“Ah….well, if you ever need another helping hand to beat somepony senseless, ask Zeke to call me kay?” Eclipse said, knowing the loss of parents.

“Unless we’re fighting Core I’ll be fine. Besides, as far as I care… I only lost a friend back then.”

“Don’t worry, friends have a habit of showing up again, even when you don’t want them to. You’ll see them again.”

“Heh, I suppose. Dad did manage to bring back Sweetie, Applebloom, and the others. Only a matter of time before Silver returns.”

Eclipse smiles at the hope he feels from Diamond, glad this one isn’t a bitch like his. He looks around the table and closed his eyes, a smile plastered on his face. “Heh...Never thought I’d ever see something so happy in my old life.”

“Go on, grab some food.” The kid next to him, Scootaloo, said, placing a stack of waffles on his plate.

Eclipse opens his eyes and nods to Scootaloo. “Thanks kid.” Before also grabbing some bacon. “I’d never thought I’d try this again….hopefully being a herbivore now doesn’t ruin the flavor.”

As Eclipse ate, he kept looking at Zeke, how he fed the infants along with their mothers. He noticed that the Cake twins were among them, but their parents weren't. He nearly dropped his jaw when he saw one of the babies, glow, and change into a Keychain. “Come on Freddy…” Zeke said.

“He just...Did I just….you know, I need to stop being surprised at this point.” Eclipse said, sinking in his chair before looking down, thankful that his fur mostly covers the branding.

“Heh, sorry, turns out being a Human Keyblade makes any kids you have the same… though I am not sure if I can change like they do?” Zeke said. The baby in question changing back into a baby.

“Da-dang Zeke, and I thought dealing with a problem every saturday was big, you got me beat by a mile trying to figure yourself out!”

“All I know is that Keyblades can talk through me, I can talk to them, and store the rusted ones from the Graveyards in my heart so they can heal and be safe.”

“Hm….” Eclipse says, his brain working on overdrive. “From what I gathered, Keyblades all have their own hearts, and your body naturally stores them. Your body is acting like a Kingdom Hearts for Keyblades in a sense...but if that was the case and you are a living Keyblade...then there is a chance Kingdom Hearts is similar in a way, only for all hearts instead of specific like yours. If this is correct, Kingdom Hearts is the Keyblade of Creation itself.”

“Actually, that title goes to the Grandfather Light. Kingdom Hearts only made the Keyblades.”

“Ah, well, there goes that theory. I may have taken after too much of the Twilight in my reflection.” He says, rubbing the back of his head

“Seems so. Anyway, after breakfast we should check on your vest and see how much has improved.”

“Yeah, but for now, enough talks of business. Lets just enjoy ourselves!” Eclipse says before purposely digging into the food is a Pinkie Pie style for entertainment reasons.

---

After breakfast, Zeke, Eclipse, and Unum went back to the Workshop to check on the vest. All the mana in the pot was gone, leaving the vest sitting at the bottom. It’s colors changed, looking much like how Sora’s Final Form colors looked. The most notable change was on the sides. On the right side, was the image of a white Oblivion Keyblade, and on the left, was a black Oathkeeper.

“Well, a ten for style. That’s a start right?”

“Put it on, the area isn’t far from here, we can see just how strong you got.”

With a nod, Eclipse reaches in and puts it on, smiling at the comforting feeling on the vest on him. “Well, per usual I don’t feel different, but that doesn’t mean anything until it’s tested.”

“Yeah, that’s about right.” Zeke said. The trio made their way to the arena. At first it looked like a large building, plain and simple. On the inside, there were many doors and a large screen next to each door, showing battles on them. “You remember the Mirage arena?”

“Yeah, barely. Do remember it’s been eighteen years for me, so I don’t remember everything.”

“Well, we built this from what we found that was left over. Not sure what, but a scouter a while ago found it, and it looked like something bit it in half. We managed to make this from what we recovered. The rooms sorta… digitalize you and you fight in a computer simulation. Twi and Cid made this and I get most of it. Still cool… even though the coding and programing is a pain.”

“I’ll take your word on it. So, what’s first on the list?”

The trio walked up to one of the doors, Zeke tapped on the door and a hologram appeared. “Let’s see, you wanna fight someone who’s logged in, or a simulation?”

“As much as I’m most likely going to get my ass handed to me, let’s go pvp”

“Alright then. Let’s see… Ah, Rebecca is on.”

Eclipse summons Oathkeeper and Oblivion into his hooves “So, how will this work? Will we both digitalize or….”

“Unum and I can watch from the screen here, you just walk in when the doors open, the doors close, you see a bright light, when it fades Rebecca will be across from you in a randomly selected arena floor.”

“Makes sense. Let’s get this show on the road then.”

Zeke pressed a few more buttons before the door opened. Eclipse walked in, and was blinded by a bright light. When it fades, he was in the belly of Monstro, where a woman with red hair, blue eyes, wearing rather tight clothing and the Pixie Petals Keyblade stood across the room from him. “So, you’re Eclipse? Justin must have his work cut out for him.” She says.

“Yeah well, We did impress him once on the first day. So that’s something I guess.” Eclipse responded, getting casually into a ready stance.

There was a floating countdown, from ten. “So, I take it you're here for training?”

Nine.

“More like testing. This outfit can’t wear itself you know.”

Eight.

“Fair enough. Got a reason other than testing to fight?”

Seven.

“Many reasons. Getting the strength to protect, Vengeance, the whole deal.”

Six.

“Typical manly nonsense.”

Five.

“But most of all...protect. And that is not manly, thats family.”

Four.

“Fair enough. I fight to keep my kids safe, after we lost our world.”

Three.

“Heh, they must be proud to have a warrior for a mother.”

Two.

“Yeah, I didn’t earn the rank of second strongest fighter in Daybreak for nothing.”

One.

Eclipse thought to himself. Well shit.

The match began, and Rebecca was faster than he expected. He managed to block. “Nice, not many can handle my attacks and block it.”

“Well, you know what they say, Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.” Eclipse replies, flash-stepping behind her and using Oblivion to try and attack her back.

He hit, side swiping her against the wall. Scan show’s a small chip in her HP. Her only response to his attack was poping her neck and smiling. She got back up and used Ars Arcanum, dealing a lot of damage to Eclipse, who somehow managed to block her last strike.

I need to stop holding back. Eclipse thought as he cast a strange Blizzard spell out of Oathkeeper, Sliding on the ice that followed it.

Eclipse felt his vest tingle, and before he could react it glowed as power rushed through him. When the feeling stopped, he looked like he was half frozen, but he felt fine. “Wow, that’s new.” Rebecca said.

Eclipse didn’t respond and instead decided to test it out. He tried to flash step closer to Rebecca and fire off two Blizardagas at her.

His flash-stepping had a new effect, they sent out shards of ice all around him as he did them, striking Rebecca and he cast the two Blizardagas at her, freezing her solid before she broke free forcefully. “Damn, not bad.” She said. She dashed forward, surrounded by fire. As she made contact steam filled the arena, and Eclipse had a few burns from the impact.

Eclipse decided to experiment and, while their blades were crossed, made a Thundaga arc between his Keyblades and shoot across to Rebecca. “I’m honestly shocked by all this>” he said, having fun with this fight.

To his surprise, Rebecca grabbed both his Keyblades by their tips, the arc right above her hands. “No puns please.” She managed to take both out of his magic grasp, and held both and side swiped Eclipse with his own Keyblades. “These look amazing! Are they twins?”

“As far as I know.” Eclipse says standing up a ways away, not wanting to use his trump card just yet.

“Impressive. Twin Keyblades with the same wielder. My son and daughter are twins too, they always stick together, guess Keyblades are the same.”

“Yea...always stick together.” Eclipse says, thinking about his Twilight. “Oblivion, Oathkeeper, Do your thing.” He says as the blades struggle to out of Rebecca’s grip. They catch her off guard and float without any magical help before attacking without Eclipse even near them. Meanwhile, Eclipse is charging a spell….one that he always wanted to try before.

“Damn, you got skills guy!” She said, taking the hits without much resistance.

“Naw, that’s just those two getting to stretch their legs. I have nothing to do with that.” Eclipse says with a smirk before adding another layer to the spell, the mana in front of him practically visible.

“Well in any case.” She said, somehow grabbing both Oathkeeper and Oblivion, and holding them still. “I gotta end this quick, my kids parent career day is today. Now, you get to see just why I am ranked second.” Eclipse’s eyes widened as a white and dark aura flowed around her simultaneously. The energies flowed into his Keyblades, and they shined with power. Rebecca rushed forward, landing perfectly with each of Eclipse’s own Keyblades, a hit on him. Eclipse fell over, and the arena faded as he found himself being dragged out of the simulation room.

“Damn, that vest did get an upgrade.” Zeke said.

“Heh, I just wish Oblivion and Oathkeeper could have kept her busy enough to let me let off my spell. That would have been cool.”

“Sorry kid, but I do need to get going soon.” He looked up, seeing Rebecca standing across from him. “As you can see, guess how I pulled that off?”

Eclipse closed his eyes before opening them. “You were able to feel the darkness and light in each and used your own to power them to the point where it added to your attack?” He guessed.

“Not even close. It’s an ability I learned way back when… as Council member Zeke knows, and it only works if I’m holding my opponents Keyblade. I reach into their heart, replicate their full potential with my own, and attack them with their own strength. That attack kid, was technically all you.”

“That’s a mix of Impressive, scary, and awe inspiring all rolled into one sushi roll. But you have kids to get to now, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I’ll likely see you again.” She said as she left.

Zeke helped Eclipse up. “Can you guess where she learned that?” He asked.

“I could guess, but then I’d be wrong. My guess a mark of mastery exam.”

“Sorta… she learned it from her master… before the Keyblade War.”

“Wait…..what?”

“She fought in the Keyblade War, and survived. She’s a good one, she left the battle ground before things got real nasty. When a Scouter found her, she was just a ‘housewife’, but when she moved to Daybreak, X could feel what she really was. We talked, now she teaches some amazing moves, her family is safe, and she can hold her Keyblade in pride again.”

“Now that is one badass momma bear. I pity the sod who breaks up with her daughter later in life.”

“You and me both. So, feel better? Your vest kept you in the battle longer than just her first hit.”

“Kinda. I mean, don’t get me wrong. If I would even do a single blip on HER HP, I’m one happy stallion. But emotionally….the moment we started talking about twins I lost focus. I just..I just was afraid to say anything to anyone. The only pony I think who knew was Luna, and that is because for the first time in all my years on Equestria, I stopped having nightmares about telling Twilight the day we got together.”

“Why do you think I set up you and her in a fight? Even if you aren’t biological, you were reborn as her twin, you are part of her family, your family. Blood doesn’t make family, the people do.”

“Family isn’t who you're born with….it’s who you’d die for….That quote always drew me as a kid...I guess I know why now. Hehe.”

“Exactly, by blood, we are relatives of ‘demons’, but we chose to live as humans. What do ya say cousin? Let’s go see if your sister will forgive you.” Zeke said, holding out a hand.

“Heh, you know, for the only family I really have from earth, I’m glad you're my cousin. Even if you do need to just relax at times.” Eclipse says, taking Zeke’s hand

Zeke opened a DTL, and he, Eclipse, and Unum walked through it.

---

Twilight sat under an apple tree, Justin next to her as the two relaxed. “Seriously? You had nightmares about F’s before you were even in school?” Justin asks.

As a DTL opened behind the two, Eclipse’s voice called out. “Yea...Annoyed me at times when she would climb into my bed because of it.”

Twilight turned around and spotted Eclipse, Zeke and Unum walk through the DTL. She barely control herself from running over and apologising like a mad mare…..for about three seconds. She tackled him to the ground. “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry! I should never had said that, please don't do something stupid I’m sorry brother!”

Zeke walked over to Justin. “I see you did your part.”

“Yes sir.” Justin replied.

“We will find your brother Justin… it will take time though.”

“I know… I just hope Sephiroth hasn’t gone too mad by now.”

Eclipse stood up, holding Twilight close. “It's okay sis….I’m here and for what it’s worth….I’m sorry to. I should have told you years ago and I let my fear hold me back. No more secrets between us from now on okay?” Twilight nodded into his chest as Eclipse held her close. X noticed his darkness was active….but it was acting more like a guardian than anything.

Huh… it’s accepting this? Looks like brother and sister might live up to what they were forged for after all.

Comments

[Shifter489]

“That’s a mix of Impressive, scary, and awe inspiring all rolled into one sushi roll. But you have kids to get to now, don’t you?”

That first sentence, I going to start saying now.