The Gloating Vanity (RB and BS)
The uproar of the citizens filled the castle walls, as all of Canterlot gathered to witness a duel like no pony had ever seen in over a thousand years. That morning, the princesses were in complete bliss over the news that their nephew had returned home. Him arriving with a solution to the current crisis to boot was just icing on the cake. It was only natural that they wanted to see him as soon as possible. Yet, their jubilations came to a sudden halt. Before either of the two royals had a chance to go even speak with their nephew, a guard entered the throne room with news that left them in complete shock.
"He did what?!" Both princesses bellowed with enough force that it pushed the guard back several inches before he had the chance to elaborate.
In an unthinkable turn of events, Blueblood had gone ahead and confronted Jet Set. Though, instead of demanding a fight right there and then, he offered him the chance to determine the conditions and outcomes of said fight, something understandable and very mature to do. The primary point of contention appeared to be in where their nephew would acknowledge his past sins as well as the slight issue of him returning home without atoning for all the crimes attributed to him. Instead of spending hours quibbling over details and minutiae, the prince offered a simple, if somewhat preposterous deal. One in which, with the two small stipulations of the fight taking place at sundown and total freedom on their magic. Jet Set was allowed to bring not only his wife to fight alongside him, but they could also use any magical artifacts they wish to bring without any restrictions whatsoever.
Needless to say, everyone was more than a little confused. Both princesses were more than eager to protest and change such absurd conditions, but the terms had been reached, and the damage was already done. The conditions were accepted by both parties, so there was nothing they could do or say about it.
After that, there was just a matter of waiting for the arena to be prepared in the middle of the city as the combats were compelled to wait and prepare. Both parties were given assigned tents, where they would be kept under surveillance and guarded until the fight started. The royal sisters tried to approached Blueblood at this time, but controlling their citizens while everything was put into place took all of their attention. As sunset finally cast its evening glow and the fight was only minutes from starting the princesses were finally able to see the one they had sought all day.
As the hour of truth and battle grew near, the ex-prince kept looking at the entrance of his tent occasionally while the founders kept him company.
"Nervous?" Pudding asked, breaking the silence as the prince looked to her before nodding once.
"It's always the hardest part, you know? The wait. That's part of why I asked the duel to happen at sundown. It's a small dose of psychological warfare for Jet Set. Unfortunately, it’s a bit of a double-edged sword." He explained to them with a sigh before looking at the tent's entrance once more with worry painting his features. "I just hope I didn't upset my aunts with this stunt too much. I feel awful keeping them in the dark like this"
"Harsh, yet necessary Rookie," Hurricane commented, "We needed to keep them guessing for this plan to work, and the princesses were more than necessary." She explains. "Now we got into the heads of those sons of…"
"Hurricane!" Platinum scowled at her before the military pegasus was able to finish her thought.
"…ponies, and we've made sure that we are prepared for anything they might try." She resumed with anticipation.
The prince nodded and mentally prepared himself for the incoming battle. It was in that moment that the tent flaps were drawn back and allowed both of the princesses to enter shortly after they stopped at the sight of their royal nephew.
The room went silent for a second as Blueblood took several steps closer towards Celestia, unsure of what to do or say after what he had done. After a moment of deliberation, he decided to bend the knee, but before he could start...
"Your…"
"Don't!" Celestia commanded, halting his actions as he looks back up to her, as she looked down at him with a stern gaze and teary eye. "Title or not, I will be damned before I let any member of my family bow to me ever again!" She exclaimed before smiling and closing the distance between them, bringing him in close for a group hug with Luna. "The only thing that we care about right now is knowing that you have finally returned home, dear nephew." Luna whispered with a smile.
"I'm happy to be back too." Blueblood replied, returning the gesture in equal measure and enjoying the affections of his aunts.
"I just wish this would have been under better circumstances." Luna commented, ending the hug "Nephew, why did you agree to such ridiculous conditions during this duel?" She asked worryingly. "If you wanted to atone for your misdeeds, I would understand, but there were certainly better alternatives. What you offered them was simply ridiculous with how big of a disadvantage it leaves you!"
The prince sighed and looked down. "I'm sorry. It was the only way that I could think of that would make them take the bait."
"Bait?" The sisters' question in unison, confused by that statement.
"Those two clearly have no shame or honor when it comes to combat and are willing to cheat and use dirty tactics in order to win." Blueblood stated factually. "but if you give them a scenario where it looks like they simply can't lose, you ensure that they will not try anything." He explains to them.
"By making the fight two against one, and allow them to bring any magical artifacts that they wish?" Celestia questions in surprise, still trying to understand the logic behind her nephew's words.
"It really looks like I'm at a disadvantage, does it not?" He smirks at them.
"And you aren't?" Luna asked with a raised eyebrow as her nephew shook his head. "Why did you think I requested the duel to be at sundown and for no limits on the use of magic?" He informed them with confidence as a uniformed guard entered the tent.
"Everything is ready, your majesties."
"And that is my cue." Blueblood sighed before smiling and looking to Celestia. "Have faith in me aunties, I promised not to let you down."
"Just please be careful and don't underestimate your opponents, please." She pleaded, still worried as she watched him depart.
"Relax Celly." Hurricane called out, catching the royal sisters attention for the first time as the founders left the tent as well. "We trained your boy up real good, he is going to mop the floor with the faces of those plot-holes." She exclaimed confidently. The royal siblings blinked a couple of times at that crude comment as they process the voice of that mare, finding it oddly familiar.
The guard cleared his throat, bringing them back to reality. "You highnesses? Are you coming?"
"Oh, y-yes, we are going," Celestia answered for them both. Both leave to lower and raise their respective celestial bodies, and then to take their own seats as the duel was about to start.
As the last rays of the sun illuminated the arena, the prince took a moment to admire the place. Unlike his previous improvised duel in the royal garden, this one had all the preparations and trappings of a formal duel. The foremost of which was a domed cage placed in the middle of the plaza on top of a waist-high wall, (most likely enchanted with all of the different spells needed for this event). Three giant statues of none other than the founders stood guard around the dome, erected in a triangular pattern. Their stony, eternal gazes set to watch over the center of the arena. Lastly, set into alcoves in each statues base and recesses running along the base wall, locked behind a multitude of enchantments and protective spells, sat a plethora of crowns. Each one unique and a stunning work of art, they were all fashioned in the style of the tribe represented by the founder they were closest to. They rested there likely as some sort of reminder of previous rulers that went through the same. Overall the place looked epic. With the addition of a euphoric audience and the rulers as spectators, Blueblood couldn't help but feel like he just stepped into the Coliseum at the height of the Roman Empire.
I bet the statues were Princess Platinum’s idea The Ronin allowed himself a moment to chuckle at the idea of her commissioning the figures and forcing her friends to not move for hours for the sculptors. His train of thought was soon interrupted when he heard the familiar voice of Jet Set, who alongside his wife just entered the dome.
"Well, if it isn't the infamous prince, gracing us with his presence." Jet spoke with venom in his voice, both he and his wife clad in gold and silver plated armor that positively hummed with magic. Both were carrying rapiers as their chosen weapons. "I'll be honest, part of me thought that you would have turned tail and run away as fast as your hooves could carry you. Still trying to prove that your something other than a coward and a criminal, eh?" He mocked before drawing his sword in order to point at Blueblood. "Now I see that I was overestimating your intelligence! Is that really what you are going to wear for our fight?" He asked, referring to the tailored three-piece white suit and cape that the ex-prince was currently wearing, forgoing the mail he had worn in Manehatten for this fight. "And here I was thinking that you put on those conditions on yourself out of shame and guilt when in reality you were just acting like your usual narcissistic, egomaniacal, moronic self!" Jet Set then started to laugh.
"Now, now dear, let's be nice" Upper Crust stopped him before addressing Blueblood. "It not his fault for not knowing anything of the art nor the intricacies that a true duel entails." She simpers with a smug smile as she waits for a response but other than a casual glance, the ex-prince remained silent.
"What, no response? No sarcastic quip? No perfectly timed one-liner? Not even an attempt at a comeback? What is the matter, Ronin? This morning you couldn't stop talking about honor and taking responsibility for your actions. Did you finally realize the huge mess that sense of honor got you in after all?" Jet Set needled once more, but once again, the ex-prince didn't give him any reply. In fact, he wasn't even looking at them, as his attention was solely focused on the thrones where his family was going to sit. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy sitting next to them, one clearly worried and the other avoiding eye contact with him.
"Blueblood! face me!" Jet Set demanded, starting to get annoyed by the ex-princes flat dismissal, and still, the prince didn't budge.
"I said face…!"
"…Enough!" Blueblood commanded, finally facing the couple with a glare before sighing as his fearsome expression melted into a look of pity. Shaking his head, the prince began. "Just stop it you two, you are just wasting your breath trying to provoke me and to be honest, it’s just sad now."
"What?" Jet asked, confused and angry by the way that the ex-prince was looking at them now.
"Just look at yourself, look where you are right now, what have you provoked?" He listed out, pointing at the cage around them "If your problem and form or redress had been with only me, that would have been fine. I would have listened, heck maybe I would have agreed to your demands. To a degree, You were right, I was an egotistical brat who only thought of himself and got what he deserved." He confessed, looking down in shame, before looking back at him with seriousness. "But dragging down everyone else? Throwing subtlety out the window, just so everyone could see your grand act of 'heroism'!?" He continued making air quotes at the title. "Do you have ANY idea of what that stunt of yours almost caused to happen to Equestria?!" He was now getting agitated. "How much damage you did, just because you envy me and wanted attention?"
"Do not lecture me about seeking attention, Ronin!" Jet retorted angrily. "You are the last pony in Equestria that has any right to say anything about hogging the spotlight. Just because you grew a conscience doesn't mean you have the moral high ground." He finished, anger boiling deep within him.
"Yes, we might have tampered with your weapon during our first duel. But how is that any different from what you have been doing for years without any sort of punishment?" Upper Crust questioned before starting to list. "Drug trafficking, embezzlement, fraud, destruction of public and private property, perjury, gross abuse of power, mental, social, and physical harm of royal subjects, the list goes on. You compare all of that to us, and we come up as saints. You are not a prince or a noble! You don't even qualify as a decent pony, Blueblood." She tells with a glare. "The only thing you are, and will always be, is a spoiled brat that thinks the world revolves around you. One who has never faced any sort of punishment for his actions and that simply is not fair."
"Even now, when all we did was rightfully demand and ensure justice. We are the ones seen as the villains?! It’s ridiculous! It's a joke! It's a sham that even though I'm a better stallion than you, one who EARNED his position when you simply inherited yours. That you can stand there and think that you can preach to me. I'm much better suited to be a prince, you had your time in the spotlight, but you squandered it, and now it was supposed to my turn. MINE!"
"Upper Crust, Jet Set, two wrongs, don't make a right. You are right, I was scum back then, but I'm trying to change! I really am, the only thing I ask is a chance to prove it."
"You had enough chances! And as far as we are concerned, the only one responsible for this mess is you!" He accused him while pointing at the ex-prince with his hoof. "And since apparently everyone else is too cowardly to say what we all are thinking…" Jet glared at the audience. "…I will come up and say it, no matter what you do, you will never be worthy of the crown you flaunt about wearing. You who always had to stand out. Well, you certainly stand out like a sore horn when portrayed next to your family!" He says with a smirk. "Princess Celestia is the Princess of the day, Princess Luna, of the night, their niece is the Princess of Love. Hay, one of Princess Celestia's freaking students is the Princess of Friendship!" He continued on his tirade. "And then there is you... how exactly are you related to our rulers, to begin with? You're just a pathetic excuse of a unicorn. A snob without any titles, and no real magical power or even wings, Twilight is more a part of the Royal Family that you would ever be, in fact, why don't you come clean and admit it, you are ad…"
Before he could end that sentence, Jet Set's words died in his throat. A new feeling sprang up in Jet Sets soul as the air became still and silent as the temperature plummeted. The Prince's expression was one of carefully disciplined neutrality, but the aura that surrounded Blueblood was absolutely apocalyptic. Jet Set blinked, and in that instant, the noble stallion felt himself being turned inside out and ripped to pieces. His skin was flayed from his flesh, and his hooves were cut from his body. He was left screaming in the puddle of his own blood as the crowd around jeered and the prince keep his stern glare. Gasping for a breath, Jet Set opened his eyes wide as a cold bead of sweat ran down his spine. He shivered as endorphins thundered through his body and mind. Leaving him oddly giddy from the complete and utter lack of pain. Had he just imagined it that terrible, sickening feeling? It took all of a moment and a glance at Blueblood to understand, but the moment it did the message was seared into Jet Set's soul. To speak on that subject in Bluebloods presence was a grisly death sentence. It was a line that no pony who wished to live should never cross.
Recovering Jet Set remained quiet as his wife spoke again. "Honestly, blaming all your faults on us Blueblood? NOW that is just sad, and immature, is that really the type of prince you wish to be?" Upper Crust taunted him once more.
The prince sighed and shook his head in sadness. "As I said, just a waste of breath, I would feel pity for you if you weren't so pathetic." He started to chuckle " now that I think about it. It's kind of funny actually. Here you are accusing me of being a coward, yet you both decide to confront me, a weak duelist and 'pathetic excuse for a unicorn', hiding behind two full harness's of armor that each has more protective magic woven into it then the Royal Vault and Princess Celestia's Warplate combined, and yet there you quiver; behind your wife’s tail. All the while, spouting empty words about privilege and fairness and the art of a duel? I take it back, it is hilarious!" He tells them as he bursts into laughter. "It really is!"
"What?! Why you…!" Jet was about to attack him when Upper Crust stopped him. "I'm glad you find it amusing Ronin. We will see if you can keep laughing after we prove to Equestria once again how pathetic you really are, and how we are better suited for the title of royalty." She concludes while shooting Jet Set a small glare as if to tell him to calm down.
"My apologies," He tells once the laughter died down and cleaned one of his eyes, "Did that offend you?"
Upper Crust breathed through her nose in response, clearly agitated, as the three of them remained quiet and waited patiently for the arrival of the princesses, something to their relief, didn't take too long. As both princesses soon arrived and took their respective seats, Celestia took a glance a Blueblood, while still worried, she nodded to herself and, alongside Luna, began to addressing everyone using the booming echo of the Royal Canterlot Voice.
"Citizens of Canterlot!" Their voices alone are enough to shake everything nearby.
Wow, now that is one impressive set of lungs Blueblood thought, clearly impressed by the force of their voices.
"Today we gather to put an end to the feud between the noble couple of Jet Set and Upper Crust and the former Prince of Equestria, Blueblood, using trial by duel. With the additional conditions agreed upon by both parties" Luna explained before looking at the combatants, and after sighing, she continued "As such, the final outcome of this duel will not be determined by us, but by the founders themselves."
Wait, what? Blueblood looked to his aunts in surprise before calming down when he understood that Luna was referring to the statues and not the mares in question.
"Created by Commander Hurricane herself, and maintained as a reminder that no pony is above the law, this duel serves as proof that in the eyes of the founders we are all equals, and our true strength lies in our determination. Not our upbringing, or financial status" Celestia continued "Combatants, as your mock battle did, this dome will prevent any fatal wounds, and its healing properties are even stronger, to the point were not even scars will remain " She paused for a moment as a troubled expression flashed across her eyes before disappearing. She then continued. "Any wounds will heal immediately, including the cutting of one’s horn, but don't let that fool you, any pain you suffer will be doubled, and all mental scaring will be permanent, so keep that in mind before letting yourself been stabbed." She warned them with a severe expression.
When they nod, Luna takes over once more.
"As agreed, the duel will officially start when the sun completely sets and will end, once one of the content…when either, our nephew or his opponent's surrenders, is…or are rendered unable to continue, or fall unconscious. Any opportunities to surrender the fight will be granted, and any form of cheating will not be tolerated." She glared at the couple threateningly. "Combatants, do you understand?"
"Yes," They all answer while keeping their eyes on their opponents.
"Good, then prepare yourself!”
The noble couple took up their stances and Jet smirks when he notices Blueblood quickly shifted his weight back on to his two hind hooves while his horn ignited, causing two swords to fly out from their scabbards. Landing quickly in Bluebloods now free forehooves. The prince twirled the blades quickly in his hooves, his lips moving but no words came from them. "Do you even know how to use those?"
Blueblood ignores him as he prepares, the flourishing blades stop, and so does the princes' silent conversation. Turning to face his opponents Blueblood bowed to them both before adopting a guard.
Better don't take any chances dear, let's hit him without pulling any punches Upper Crust opened up the mental communication with her husband.
Usually, I would argue, but I'm sick and tired of the kiddy moves, let’s beat him to a bloody pulp. He answered in agreement with his wife as they too prepared and enchanted their hoofs for an extra boost.
The tension was palpable as everything went quiet, the audience paying attention to the ground as the last rays of sun started to fade away until they vanish entirely.
"Begin!" Luna commanded as both parties launched themselves at each other with everything they had. To their shock, it seemed like they had the same idea of coating their weapons with magic, as sparks started to fly everywhere from the contact before they lept back.
So that is what happens when magic coated object clash? Cool
The prince mused over what happened when Llamrai and Hengroen clashed with the nobles rapiers. Before adopting a more defensive posture as the Jet Set and Upper Crust launched a series of coordinated attacks. All the while separating to draw away his attention to provide an opening that the other could capitalize on. Llamrai and Hengroen hissed through the air in a frenzied dance of steel parrying and reposting, twisting and winding. Always seeking but not yet finding gaps in his opponents' defenses. Shifting around and weaving his way through a series of thrusts, Blueblood extracted himself from the increasingly dangerous location between the married duelists before trapping Jet Sets blade between Llamrai's guard and edge applying pressure and the surprise generated by the move Blueblood turned and placed Jet Set firmly in between himself and Upper Crust. For the moment the fight was one on one, and there Blueblood had the advantage, levering Jet Sets rapier out of the way, he brought Hengroen down hard, point first on Jet Sets mailed neck. Though the armor's enchantments held firm and the tip of the blade skittered off like a hoof on polished ice. Not even touching the mail and sending up a shower of magical sparks in the process.
From the balcony of a nearby building, Scarlet watched on as everything unraveled with rapt interest. My, my somebody has been a busy bee. She sighed dreamily while watching the fight. My sweet beefcake just got spicier.
What in the hay? Since when does Blueblood know how to parry? Never mind countering like that! Upper Crust exclaimed as she ran up her husbands back and lept off, lashing out with a rapid series of powerful thrusts to drive the prince back away from her Jet Set. She could feel her husbands shock with how Blueblood had managed to keep up with them both.
As if it will matter, the only thing that changes is that now I will enjoy this Jet smirks and slashes out with the wicked point of his rapier towards the ex-princes legs, capitalizing on his wife's ariel assault. The prince moves to avoid the blow but is caught off guard when Jet Sets blade rapidly shifts off-line and launches straight up towards his torso. A feint! Llamrai was occupied with Upper Crust's attack...and Hengroen was just a fraction of a second too slow. Pushing the deceptive thrust away but not completely. Jet Set's blade found its target high and left, stopping Blueblood in his tracks. Jet’s grinned with this victory. However, it was short-lived as Blueblood only met Jet Sets smile with a knowing smirk, before smashing him in the ribs with the pommel and guard of Llamrai.
The air left Jet sets lungs in a rush as the assault continued. To say that Jet Set was surprised would be an understatement as he failed to react as more and more blows came. Enchantments failed and armored plate buckled from the rapid series of devastating impacts. It was only when the prince brought his other blade down across Jet sets now vulnerable hindleg parting mail padding and flesh with ease. Ever the opportunist, Upper Crust closed in to attack the Princes unguarded back which forced the prince to redirect his focus to push her back. Retreating as quickly as his injured leg and battered ribs would allow him, Jet grit his teeth to keep from howling in pain as he felt the damage start to repair itself. Finding himself still unable to breathe, the stallion came to a realization and his growled out a curse and began using his magic to extract the ruined pieces of plate from his person. After loosening buckles and removing several pins, the damaged breastplate fell free before clanging off the ground. The noise of which must have attracted the princes' attention because Bluebloods head snapped around to focus on Jet Set alone. The pair's eyes met for only a moment before the prince ducked underneath a thrust and scooped Upper Crust off of her hooves before dumping her down hard onto the ground with a thunderous crash. The Noble Stallions eyes widened, and he only managed to bring his rapier up into a defensive posture as the prince closed and began to go on the offensive. Blueblood unleashed a rapid barrage of slashes, cuts, and thrusts, always moving to attack from off of Jet Sets Centerline. The prince would punctuate his bladework every so often with a strong kick the first of which clipped the cheek guard of Jet Sets helm, ringing it like a bell.
Horseshoes... some small part of Jet Set's stunned mind noted. Shaking his head to clear that stupid thought and the ringing in his ears, Jet Set desperately held out, striking out only when there was no chance of another blow of the princes landing. Even then though they seemed to not even phase Blueblood.
What is happening? I'm sure my strikes are landing, then why, why isn't he even flinching?! Jet thought as he began to panic. Leaning sharply to the side Jet Set watched as his the tip of his wife's rapier appeared from Blueblood’s stomach, almost impaling him in the eye, the surprise though allowed for him to retreat and compose himself. Jet looked up as he heard screams of horror coming from Celestia in the royal booth. Looking back to Blueblood and his wife he saw Upper Crust landed yet another piercing thrust into the princes back. This time the blade exited right through Bluebloods heart. It was ghoulishly fascinating how the ex-prince still remained completely calm while impaled as he was. Blueblood regarded the blade for a moment before wrapping both hooves around it and jerked it forward, pulling Upper Crust off balance. The impaled stallion then swiftly jerked left before spinning around to his right lashing out with a kick that connected with Upper Crust's head and helmet. The blow dislodged Upper Crusts Grip on her blade and spun the mare around. By the time she had found her opponent once again, she ducked beneath a scissoring Llamrai and Hengroen. Only to meet a rising knee with her snout. Staggering back and spitting a gob of blood out of her mouth Upper Crust surprised blueblood by stepping into one of his slashes, wrapping her hooves around his leg and torquing the joint in an attempt to break the limb. Her armor was not nearly as damaged as her husbands, and Blueblood could not waste time battering down her defenses when she could snap his leg like a twig. So, he took the third option. Channeling magic to his lungs and mouth, Blueblood unleashed a piercing, magically amplified whistle directly into Upper Crust's ear. The sound was such that it doubled as a concussive force and impacted with the power of the sonic cannon. Upper Crust was flung back into the cage wall where she slumped bonelessly to the ground. She lay there, staring at the prince with a confused look on her face for a moment. Though as blood began to pool out of her ear, a hoof shot up to her helmet as the pain and ringing of the healing process set in.
Jet remained silent as the prince slowly removed the sword on his body, still unaffected, adding more to his surprise until he noticed a small glow on his clothing and saw a glimpse of some kind of letter on the area where the prince was stabbed.
Wait? Are those… His eyes wide and linked his mind with Upper Crust He's using arcane runes!
What? Upper asked, after flinching from his yell, while at the same time still waiting for the ringing and pain in her ears to go fade.
Those clothes, they're more than just a costume! He enchanted them with arcane runes, that's why none of our hits are having any effect. That outfit is deflecting physical attacks! He explains before smirking Which means… He charges again with his sword, but before their weapons clash, Jet disengages and blasts Blueblood with a magic pulse wave. The prince blinked as the spell hit his chest and sent him flying. The runes on his clothes flaring with magical energy as they attempted to dissipate the force that they were put under as Blueblood bounced off the ground before rolling to a stop. That magic attacks can land!
"I knew it!" Jet Set announced to the crowd triumphantly, "So that is how you did it, don't you?" Charging his weapon with magic, Jet went back on the offensive. Finally, his rapier managed to land telling blows against Blueblood.
"Each time a crook tried to hit you, your outfit saved your sorry flank, didn't it?" Their weapons clash and more sparks fly everywhere before Jet used his magic again to turn the ground underneath Blueblood into grasping claws of stone and try to grab him. Blueblood responded in kind by breaking them all with a magically charged hoof-stomp on the ground.
"That is how you managed to win against those criminals. Not because of sheer skill or mind games! You won because you were using cheap tricks!" Jet accused Blueblood as he charged his horn to teleport repeatedly around Blueblood, landing even more blows.
"I should have known, that what you always do. You're so lazy and cowardly that you could not even fathom the idea of getting injured! So tell me Ronin, what poor soul did you use to get those clothes? Or perhaps, did you just decide to steal them, eh? Confess!"
Finally getting angry, Blueblood lashed out, and sucker punched Jet Set in the teeth the moment he appeared. Throwing him off balance and leaving him on a daze. "You are wrong!" The Ronin launched an electric clone from his form that tackled Jet Set, taking him by surprise. Pinning and paralyzing him long enough for Blueblood to charge and ram Jet into the bars of the dome. Applying ever-increasing pressure to ensure that Jet Set could not use his sword. "This outfit is more than a nice suit Jet Set. For me, it represents the faith, will, and support that all the citizens of Manehattan gave me when I begged them for a chance to redeem myself. It's their way to help ME send a message to any criminal who tries to hurt my family's kingdom ever again. And that is something that no blade will ever be able to pierce." Blueblood snarled out in Jet Sets face. who smirked.
"What a sweet thought, let us test it then," Jet Set quipped which confused Blueblood before the light of realization sparked in the princes' mind. The ex-prince just began to turn to face the approaching threat only for Upper Crust impale him with her charged horn. The magically charged keratin glanced off his ribs before she unleashed the stored concussive blast directly into the prince. The prince was sent spiraling away, screaming in pain. Landing with a sickening squelch, Blueblood rolled and howled as he bled from the wound.
"Well what do you know, it CAN be pierced after all." Upper Crust commented while panting. Her husband chuckled and walks toward his wife.
"So much for the faith and support of commoners." Jet called out with a smirk as he regarded the Ronin who was now glaring at the pair before slowly standing up while holding his closing wound. "You know what? I take it back, that outfit does suit you. After all, it's just like you; weak, dubious, and filled with holes!" He mocked before charging his horn and shooting a blast that Blueblood barely managed to dodge before been intercepted by five exact copies of Jet Set all charging at once, they were quickly dealt with by Llamrai and Hengroen, but one of them managed to land a small cut on his right hoof.
The blades of the copies can pierce me? Damn it, it probably because they are made of solid magic. The prince observes as he is forced to retreat further back to avoid getting hit with another spell. Unfortunately, the final clone let itself be run through so it could grapple Blueblood, stopping him in his tracks and preventing him from using his weapons.
"Don't forget about me!" Upper Crust demanded, charging once more with her rapier as a mist swirled up around her entire body. Blueblood tried to stop her attack while summoning a magic shield to block her, but she pierces through with ease.
That mist cancels magic? The Ronin exclaimed mentally but was too late. Upper Crust managed to hit him with a magic blast that finished the clone and left the Ronin exposed for a series of deep lacerations on his chest that sent him flying once again only to be received by Jet Set. Who electrifies his weapon and dragged the edge of his sword over and through Blueblood’s eyes before kicking him in the back. The prince screamed as he collapsed. Blinded, however temporarily, the prince squirmed and tossed on the ground in pain while weeping blood.
Upon seeing this malicious treatment of their nephew. The princesses were about to throw the rules and traditions of the duel to the wind and intervene when Discord stopped them. Unpopping into existence between the two and grabbing their shoulders. "No! My boy is not out yet!" He shouts out, looking suspiciously like Don King as he did so.
"Discord, what are you saying?! He is blind, an in extreme pain, not to mention that any minute now he will fall unconscious from the pain once the dome starts to heal his eyes!" Celestia protested. Shaking off Discords paw.
"We need to stop this before that happens!" Luna added in, agreeing wholeheartedly with her equally worried sister
"Do it, and you would lose him forever!" Discord argued back.
"What?" Both sisters look at Discord, concern apparent.
"Isn't that the objective of this fight? For him to come back home?" He asked, rhetorically. "Trust me, he can handle it, I trained him rather well this last month."
That caught the diarchs attention as they concern slowly shifted to anger as they glared at the draconequus. "You mean to tell us that all this time you had our nephew and didn't tell us?!" Celestia asks as her rage increased.
"Ah, Ah! Eyes on the duel" Discord tells placing a finger on her cheek and moving it back towards the dome. "Trust me, you don't want to miss this part.” He tells them as Blueblood, despite the pain he was currently going through, manages to stand using Llamrai as a crutch while shaky hooves and lift Hengroen to guard.
"This isn't it over Discord." Celestia warned him as she and Luna sat back on their thrones again.
"I have to applaud his tenacity, wouldn't you agree, honey? No matter how pointless it is at this point, he just keeps standing up." Upper Crust crowed before shaking her head.
"Don't bother honey." Jet approaches the ex-prince. "This idiot was always too stubborn to admit defeat." He sent another magical blast, which Blueblood manages to block most of before his shield spell failed, shattering and allowing for some of the spell to connect, throwing the princes shoulder back and forcing him to take a step back. "You really don't know when to quit, do you Ronin?" Jet laughed and shook his head.
"In fact, it's not just me experiencing a small sense of deja-vu here? If I remember correctly, this is exactly what happened last time we fought." Jet Set teased as he combined magic with his wife. Together, they kept creating copies of themselves that started to take up positions around the Ronin. Ready to strike upon the mental command "You, broken and crying for mercy, I then granting you plenty of opportunities to surrender, and all of Canterlot looking on and seeing you for what you really are." He continued his taunting as Blueblood tried to recover some breath and holding his weapons tight. "I suppose now is just as good a time as any to grant you a chance to admit defeat."
He proclaims, secure in the knowledge of his own impending victory and yet the prince remained silent.
"Don't feel bad, dear. You fought bravely, and we recognize that, but it’s time to be realistic. You never had a chance to begin with. We are the prime example of nobility, the top magicians on our classes, and experts in swordsmanship, even with all of your tricks and some new spells. This conclusion was inevitable."
Ok I'll admit it, those two are really good, I would dare to say, even Twilight and Starlight would have to be on their A game in a fair magic duel against them Blueblood internally monologues, but he still remained silent.
"What? Nothing else to say? Or perhaps the pain is keeping you from speaking?" Jet takes a couple of steps forward. "Or perhaps, it's not pain, no maybe it is fear that is keeping you immobile, tell me, Prince, do you fear me?" Jet Set taunted him getting closer to his face.
"No, but soon, you will FeAr mE!" Blueblood whispers before a flicker of darkened silver glinted through the air. Jet Set fell backward with a shriek and a gurgle his hooves scrabbling against his helmet disintegrated around his head. If one looked closely, they could see that the noble Stallions lower jaw and tongue hung by a thread of severed muscle. The stallion continued to gurgle as he rolled on the ground, trying to stem the tide of red.
Luna’s hackles rose, and her wings stood and ruffled for a second.
"What is wrong, Luna?" Celestia asked in concern.
"I don't know, but for a second there, I swear I saw the silhouette of Nightmare Moon covering our nephew’s body." She whispered worry and fear etched upon her every feature.
"JET!" Upper cried out as she rushed to her husbands' side. Glaring at Blueblood, She commanded the clones to attack only for the Ronin to backflip out of the way. Cocking his head to the side briefly before lashing out with both swords Blueblood pierced two clones through their heads before turning to stare off into the distance with his ruined eyes, listening. "By the stars, I thought he would never shut up! Moon above what a windbag!" He complained with a frustrated sigh before smirking tilting his head and smiling in Upper Crust's general direction. "You will have to forgive me. I still haven't recovered my vision, so I need to ask you, Upper Crust, what did I lop off? Throat, jaw, or head? I'm guessing it wasn't the head because I can hear him moving."
The couple glare at him in rage as Jet stand up with the aid of Upper Crust while holding his injuries as they began the regeneration process.
"Get him!" Upper Crust yells in fury as the clones go into the attack.
"How…how is he able to fight while blind?" Luna whispered. Clearly shocked by what she was seeing. Despite his injuries and how the copies were landing an occasional glancing blow on Blueblood. The exiled Prince was holding his ground. Like the loss of his sight was merely an inconvenience that barely phased him.
"Because he prepared for any surprise!" Pudding Head answered with a proud smile, which the only confused Luna even more as she looked to the mare in question.
Celestia kept watching the fight with her worry growing as more and more copies kept managing to find their marks, stabs and slashes ripped through Bluebloods outfit more and more until all that remained were some bloody rags hanging from his body, remnants of what was once a beautiful white suit. Once Jet Set Finally recovered the use of his jaw, he and Upper Crust joined in the fight and skewering the Ronin through his chest before twisting their weapons savagely. Causing Blueblood to flinch and stop from the pain.
"Do you feel it brat?! That is called pain, and this is just a sample of what is to come!" Jet snarled, before they jump backward, making the Ronin gasp as their swords were removed. Blueblood collapsed to a knee while holding his chest, a pool of blood forming underneath him.
"Let that be a lesson Ronin" Upper Crust announced. "This is what happens when you challenge the purest of noble blood!" She proclaims with pride as they, alongside the clones, charged their horns for a massive magic blast. Her smirk is soon replaced by a frown when she noticed one small detail that did not quite fit with this situation. Blueblood was... "Why are you smiling?" she questioned
"You are about to see," Blueblood answered with a grin as his eyesight finally started to return. Upper Crust understood immediately and gasped before canceling her spell and turning to Jet. "Jet wait!" She warned, but it was too late as he and his copies fired. Falling right into Blueblood’s trap. The remains of Bluebloods suit that adorned him and lay strewn about the arena glowed an angry red and swallowed all magic in their proximity. The copies collapsed in upon themselves as their magic was ripped out and repurposed by the ex-prince. The massive spell that they had enchanted squib fired and dispersed into the air and was promptly absorbed as well. Lastly, all the magic that held and sustained the noble couple shattered like so much glass rebounding on them and causing them to collapse to the ground a full pulse of magic soon radiated out from the remaining bits of fabric that washed over Jet Set and Upper Crust. Leaving them both too weak to even speak at the moment.
What remained of Blueblood’s suit smoldered and then caught fire. Burning to ashes, he panted and tried to recover his breath.
What is happening! My body! it so heavy! I can't move! Jet Set panicked as he tries to regain control of his limbs, he only managed to move one of his hooves an inch, and it felt like such a herculean task.
Blueblood started to chuckle and regarded his two opponents once he finally got his second wind. "How does it feel having a skeleton with the same mass and density of fabric? Scary right? Having bones so weak that they can't provide any structural support to your muscles or organs? All you can do right now is lie there immobilized by your own body weight and watch." He takes a deep breath and walks briefly to Llamrai and Hengroen. Recovering them with ease. "It only lasts a couple of minutes, and it’s a one time only trick, but for what is going to happen next, one time is all I need." He confides to them with a smile before looking up at the cloudy night sky.
"And what an appropriate time this is too. For you see..." The prince smiled widen ever so slightly when he notices some pegasus moving the clouds away starting to reveal a stunningly bright full moon "Tonight is a blue moon*"
"Discord what are you doing?" Luna inquired when she noticed Discord placing a camera in front of her and Celestia.
"Oh, I just want to make sure to capture your reactions, for when you see Blood Moon**!"
"Blood what?!" Celestia echoed, raising an eyebrow.
"Pay attention." That is the only warning Discord gave them before preparing to take the picture. Meanwhile, the noble couple slowly started to regain some use of their limbs as they watched at the prince, confused by his actions. Blueblood kept staring at the moon until he got a full view of it shifting his gaze from the moon to Jet Set and Upper Crust the two were able to see that the reflection of the moon remained in his eyes even when he was not looking at it. "Earlier you asked me how I am related to my aunts? WeLl LeT mE sHoW YoU!" Blueblood voice suddenly took on a demonic echo and timbre as his eyes now glowed white and an aura of magic enveloped his body.
Everyone was rendered speechless when they saw what was happening in front of them. Magic began to rise off of Blueblood and curve away into the sky in a manner the likes of which only a select few in all of Equestria had ever seen as the night sky turned red. When looking up, Celestia gasps the moment she finds out why. The moon itself was waxing into a bright but foreboding red.
Immediately this discovery, she turned to her sister, "Luna what are you doing?!"
"It's...not my doing sister, I…I don't know what is happening, it feels like…" Luna’s eyes widened with the realization as she looked back to Blueblood, "…some pony else is tampering with my moon." She whispered but then is rendered speechless as her jaw dropped followed almost immediately by Celestia's from what was happening in the arena. Not even the flash from Discord camera managed to snap them out of the surprise.
"Oh, this one is going into the album." Discord chuckled as he admires the photo before putting it away and returned to watching the arena with great interest. "And now the real show starts," He whispered in anticipation.
Inside the dome, Blueblood started to levitate the very dust and shake the ground, his form rippling with power before his body and horn tripled in size while his teeth turned into fangs. His fur muted to a dusky shade of gray, while his mane and tail grew into an exaggerated length, burnished gold faded to silver for only a moment before they both began to flow much like liquid Mercury as an unseen arcane breeze caught hold of the hairs. Blueblood’s eyes turned red and reptilian, darting left and right before focusing on Jet Set and Upper Crust. Stepping forwards, the newly transformed Blueblood casually passed through a ray of tainted moonlight. As he did so, interlocking plates of silver shimmered into existence covering the prince's torso and neck and hooves flowing backward until the prince exited the light looking every inch like a warrior-prince of old. Lastly, Llamrai and Hengroen began to change and flow to better suit the princes need, running together and reshaping themselves into something different. Removing his gaze from his foes, Blueblood focused on this separate transformation and channeled his magic into his two friends to provide his own input on their new form. Jet Set and Upper Crust, who had finally recovered enough use of their limbs and magic each cast a spell to teleport away before staggering back several more steps eyes wide with shock. The ex-prince paid them no attention as they did; he was still focused on his weapons. From the mass of flowing metal and magic, a new form began to emerge.
Llamrai... Hengroen... I thank you both for all that you have done. Though, this is no longer your fight. You are tools of honor and justice. Now is the time for a sword that revels in misfortune and bathes in the blood of our foes. Now is the time for the Slayer of Kings, Kingdoms and Legends alike. Now is the time for...
"ClArEnT***" the demonic voice from before whispered out from between the prince's lips like oiled silk. The new sword was a departure from the exile princes two previous blades. Its blade was long, undulating and wickedly sharp, stopping just short of five feet in length. An additional ten inches of hilt extended from the base of the blade that ended in a simple pommel. The grip was wrapped in corded black leather, which curiously extended up past the enlarged and ringed guard to cover the swords ricasso terminating at a pair of Parierhaken that extended outwards beneath the wicked edge, which gleamed crimson in the moonlight. The prince wrapped his hooves around the war-sword and slowly inspected the weapon. A genuine smile graced his visage as he gave the weapon a flourish, listening to it scythe through the air for a moment while reacquainting himself with the blades additional weight. Finally satisfied and ready, Blueblood brought the massive sword to rest gently across his armored shoulder. It was only now that he regarded his opponents once more. The princes' smile faded, and his draconic eyes hardened. "GrEeTiNgS... AlLoW mEtO...ReInTrOdUce MySeLf. I aM...BlOoD MoOn"
https://www.deviantart.com/estefanoida/art/BloodMoon-Commission-806742016
Luna his mane! Celestia inform her sister in total surprise It flowing, his body is overflowing with magic mana now!
No, it's not his magic Tia Luna inform hardening her gaze as she recovers He is channeling my moon into him like some kind of magnet. She explain as her expression turns to worry and fear
Dear nephew, are you really you right now?
"Oh…~Oh my" Scarlet panted and had trouble to remain standing. Her tongue hung out of her mouth in shameless want. Such power, such authority, oh stars! Oh please, please don't look at me with such powerful eyes. She took a minute to catch her breath before appraising at Blueblood once more. So much raw power, I feel like a deer that has been caught by a hungry wolf, I just ah…ah! Her legs finally refused to listen to her commands anymore as she is collapsed into a sitting position as her eyes rolled back It turns me on so much! Once her afterglow ended, she staggered back to her hooves once more. "Feathers! I need Quills! And ink and parchment! I need to write this down!" She cried out in excitement as she goes back to her room. Meanwhile, with the duel, things also continued to heat up even more.
"WhY, JeT SeT, uPpEr CrUsT, WhAtEvEr SeEmS To Be WrOnG? DoN't TeLl Me YoU’r..." Blood Moon asked only to step out from behind the two nobles. "ScArEd?"
Both of them yelped in surprise and lept into the air before turning around and start to back away from the stallion. Blood Moon chuckled lightly at the pairs display of self-preservation instincts. Directing gaze Between the two as if sizing them up, the Prince continued. "I wOuLd LiKe To ExTeNd ThE SaMe CuRtIsY yOu GaVe Me To YoU bOtH. SuRrEnDer NoW oR fInD oUt WhAt HaPpEnS wHeN i GeT...aNgRy..." Blood Moon warned, His eyes still twinkling with mirth.
The comment managed to snap the noble couple back to reality, and it stoked the fires of rage within them. "You little…insufferable brat!" Jet exploded and channeled all of his rage towards the transformed prince, Upper Crust having the same idea soon followed suit and combined her magical might with her husbands. Jet Set summoned copies of the two, while Upper Crust activated the runes on what remained of both of their armor which functioned as a superconductor for her magical might. Allowing for her to dump even more power into the spells, she cast before feeding that extra power over into her husband. Overcharged as he was by his wife's actions, Jet Set Was able to create not only unicorns but aspected clones of themselves as earth ponies and pegasi alongside griffons, minotaurs, yak and even a few dragon versions of themselves all joined together in one great phalanx of magic. Bristling and ready to be unleashed on their single target. At the sending of an unseen signal, the small army charged at Blood Moon in a full assault. No reserves were kept, and not even a thought of surrender was given as they closed in. "Don't get cocky! Just because you grew taller, and put on a nightmare night costume, doesn't mean you can beat us!"
"I bEg YoUr PaRdOn?" Blood Moon asks in genuine confusion.
"We’ve had it with your theatricalities Ronin! You shouldn't even be here, this was supposed to be our time to shine! WE are the heroes of this story! Not you! Us! It was OUR time to shine! You were only supposed to lose! So just lose!" Upper Crust screeched out as the pair both lost themselves to their jealousy and pride and join in on the attack without any form of rhyme or reason.
"YoU WeRn'T jOkInG tHeN...vErY wElL." Blood Moon sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "NeVeR lEt It Be SaId ThAt I dId NoT gIvE yOu A cHaNcE." He stated before enveloping himself in a silver and black haze before charging into the small army arrayed against him.
Four copies of Jet Set tried to strike Blood Moon down, the Heavy blade of Clarent swept their strikes aside, it was then that the haze took action as well latching on to the four clones it dragged all for of them into the air as the prince propelled himself high into the air before twirling like an acrobat. Clarent sang a death knell as its wavy blade sundered magical armor and summoned flesh and bone with equal ease. The eight pieces of four clones disappeared before they had a chance to fall back to the ground below.
The dragons and griffins tried their luck next. Some closing to engage while others hung back to cut off any chance of escape. The first to reach Blood Moon was a powerful example of the dragon species for a clone. Thick with muscle and armored with diamond-hard scales. It died just the same. Blood Moon impaled its head on Clarent and proceeded to use its dissipating bulk as a shield blocking a jet of flame from another dragon clone and the rending claws and beak of a pair of Griffon Clones. Shifting his Grip Clarent was forcibly removed from the clones disappearing remains and used to dispatch these new clones in short order. The Dragon died when it was pierced through the stomach and hewn open. The Griffons died when the first was impaled and used as an improvised springboard to reach the final griffon, who died after its wings were cut from its body. It screeched out as it plummeted uncontrolled out of the air and dashed its head ground, Blood Moon landed lightly and spun Clarent around his head maintaining the weapon's momentum while simultaneously parrying a strike from a minotaur copy that sought to stab the prince in the back. The minotaur attempted to get clear as the Scything edge came around once again but incorrectly judged the swords timing and placement and lost its legs as the blade swept low. Though fatally wounded the minotaur did not immediately die like its cloned brethren. It used what limited time it had with its magical matrix damaged as it was to make one last effort. It hurled itself at the prince with its horns bared. It never saw the silver and black mist that ate it. With the minotaurs demise, the fog began to expand.
The couple used a magical barrier to protect themselves from the grasping fog as they scanned their surroundings for their opponent as the fog stopped swirling and finally seemed to settle. However, it didn’t seem to be dissipating, but it was instead getting thicker taking on a reddish glow as it did. Jet Set and Upper Crust soon found themselves unable to see anything but a half sphere of swirling red outside the sound of battle grew muted and then faded away entirely. For a moment there was silence, and then there was the sound of hoof falls making contact with the stone outside. Which grew louder and louder with each step. It was then that they noticed something glowing outside of their barrier just off to the side.
Gasping in surprise, the pair barely had time to turn intangible as the glow detonated and sound of battle returned full force. The explosion was powerful and wiped out a good portion of their tightly packed formation of clones. It also had the added bonus of leaving them shaken by the sudden burst of light and sound. This was long enough for Blood Moon to materialize like a wrath in front of them. Blood Moon lashed with a vicious punch and smashed the supposedly intangible Jet Set in the chest with enough force to send him flying through the air to impact on the barrier cage denting the metal with his body. Upper Crust barely had a chance to perform a sloppy desperation block with her rapier as Clarent came around to smash down pommel and guard first on her blade. The force of Blood Moons blow sent the noble mare to her knees teleporting away from her opponent, she appeared next to her husband who she helped stand up while he coughed up blood and gulped in great lungfuls of air. Getting desperate, they put their horns together and launched a magic blast the size of a chariot straight into Blood Moon, who raised a hoof and caught the attack before opening his mouth and inhale deeply, gobbled it up all the magic in the process.
Now utterly terrified, the couple desperately and mass cast copies of themselves by the dozen, who immediately launch themselves at Blood moon upon stabilizing their physical form. But the Princes form entirely disintegrate into the mist, which wormed its way through the crowd makes its way through their replenished but now magically diminished army like a breeze through a field of hay. Not only did the numbers of copies seem to be ineffective in fighting the prince, but some were actively hindering there fight. The mist would surround a clone and actively infecting the clones with his own magic. Instead of disappearing when disrupted in this manner, the copy instead began to glow red like the moon above. They would then fight there way out of formation and gathered together in a group. Then began to haze together and take on three new forms. Where once stood thirty clones now stood three knight ponies in utterly bizarre suits of armor that none the less appeared unassailable. The first was a Giant earth pony with an enormous maul, each step of his hoof and swing of his bludgeon would shake the earth beneath him and his opponents. A lightning fast pegasus with a lance that seems to produce lighting itself dodged and weaved through the Earth ponies attack and punctuated the hammer blows with peals of piercing lightning. The last and, oddly enough injured, knight was a unicorn who’s face was shrouded by a scarf and despite having a broken hoof, seemed more than capable of handling the army of clones by himself with his claymore.
"There they are!" Hurricane exclaim in excitement jumping on her seat. "I was wondering when he was going to use those guys."
"What, in the name of all my stars, are those ponies?" Luna demanded, surprised by such remorseless display of force and power
"According to Blueblood, their names are Ornstein, Smough, and Artorias, and if what he told us is true, those three are the most terrifying knights any ruler could ask for," Hurricane explained. "He was probably saving them for last, and for what I'm seeing, the wait was more than worth it." She commented with a smirk, "Those two are done for."
By Celestia what are those things made off?! Jet cried out in terror through the link he and Upper Crust were pushed into a corner, while Blood Moon and his demonic knights kept decimating their forces without taking any lasting damage.
Just keep shooting! Upper Crust answered, equally terrified at this point. They both cast spell after spell as fast as they could, praying to turn the tables somehow. Getting desperate, and both have the same idea. The two charge head-on into the knight known as Smough, impaling his chest with their horns and channel what remains of their magic, to turn him into a bomb. Which explodes and levels everything in sight.
Once the commotion finally died down, all that remained was a beaten, battered, worn and thoroughly terrified pair of ponies. Jet Set and Upper Crust found themselves on their knees panting and smoking before looking around before beginning to giggle hysterically with relief.
"We did it…we finally did it! It's over!" Upper Crust cried out in victory before the sensation of an intense glare upon them froze the pair in place.
"No." With a single slash of Clarent, Blood Moon cut their horns off as he appears in front of them with a emotionless stare. "ThE wOrSt Is YeT tO cOmE."
The nobles, now powerless and on the verge of crying, took one look at Blood Moon before turning around and try to run away. Their attempts were all for naught though as Blood Moon charged his horn and ripped the entire arena out of the earth and hurled it up into the air at breakneck speed, pinning Jet Set and Upper Crust into the ground with the acceleration. The couple could not do anything other than scream until things finally, mercifully seemed to slow down. When they finally had the wits to stand up and look up, the nobles are rendered speechless once they notice how they were now in outer space.
"Blueblood, what…what did you just do?" Upper Crust asked in a voice barely above a whisper. Looking back to the prince with a questioning expression only to find him dissolving once again into mist.
"I took us into outer space, which means that we will not need this anymore."
Before either of them could react, the entire dome crumbled to pieces and the two were launched upwards once more, on their exodus, the pair saw spectral forms of monsters and creatures that would try to eat them only for them to pass through while they continued to scream.
Suddenly the spectral head of Blood Moon appeared in front of them with a smirk.
"There is no telling where are you going, and now the danger is really growing, you made me mad, and now there is no turning back, and why everything is getting brighter? Is because of a kind aunt, or perhaps a fair ruler? No! Its the sun! AND it's fast approaching! I Hope you have your sunscreen on, because things are about to heat up, and will just keep getting hotter!" Blood Moon started to laugh while his face melted into a skeleton that burst into flame while continuing to laugh, making the couple scream ever louder as they watched the sun approached. They can feel the heat all over their bodies as they start to smolder and burn. They were also able to see in those final moments, their armor begin to melt from the searing heat.
"Ok! Ok! You win! You WIN!" Upper Crust yelled with tears on their eyes.
"We surrender! You can be the prince again! Just please, stop this, please!" Jet begged with his eyes closed. "I'm begging you, please spare our lives, please stop! Stoo…p!"
The moment they both admitted defeat, their bodies fell down abruptly, and everything went black before they woke up screaming. Only to find themselves lying back in the arena with Blood Moon still in front of them.
"What…what just happened?" Upper Crust asks clutching her chest, trying to calm her hammering heart.
"A DrEaM sPeLl, the oldest trick in the book." Blood Moon answered her, his voice shifting to something slightly less demonic but no less Blood Moon.
"What?!" Jet Set look at him in indignation. "You mean that none of what happens was real?!"
"I never said that." Blood Moon tells them with a shake of his head before pointing at them, more specifically at their armor, or what was left of it. Despite being cool to the touch, all of the plates and a mail that remained had melted together into a solid mass. "I said it was a dream, I never said that it wasn't real."
"What?! But…but how?" Upper Crust, asked trying to understand what was going on, while Jet checked his forehead and sigh in relief as his and her wife horns were still there.
"I call it "Nightmare Opera."" Blood Moon elaborated, "Think of it as a normal sleeping spell. Only this one blurs the lines of reality and fantasy. So anything that happens to you in the dream happens in real life." He continued while taking a meaningful glance at the melted and hardened ruin of steel that used to be the pairs rapiers. "With the caster as the conductor, deciding what does or doesn't become real. The moment you were trapped in my spell, you were done for."
"And at which point did you trap us there?" Upper probed trying to piece together what just happened. Only for the prince to stand, turn, and walk away. "As if it mattered, Dame Crust, the fight is over. I won, and you lost. That is the only thing that matters now."
"What?! You can't possibly be serious, we were under a spell, that shouldn't count at all!" Jet Set tried to protest. "I have my rights, and I demand that we keep fi…"
"Would you like to take a close look at the sun again, Jet Set?" Blood Moon asked him, looking at Jet Set with one draconic eye over his shoulder.
"No! No! We are cool, we are cool, n-no need for that again." He answers, backing down quickly in fear.
"I am glad to hear it, and with the fight over allow me to take this for you."
He shine his horn and soon small red spears made out of fog appear and float out their bodies and toward Blood Moon who quickly consume both of them as if they were apples, surprising the two nobles.
"What...did you just ate?" Jet ask gulping at what they saw and more surprise on how he felt oddly calmed for some reason
"Your future nightmares, even if you don't deserve it, I don't want to be responsible for the next restless nights ahead of you. As for a previous point you do have a point regarding ending the fight. Only two ponies can announce the final end of this duel," Blood Moon announced, looking back to his aunts who remain quiet, too quiet in fact, to the point where Blood Moon started to worry as he takes notices of the fear in their eyes "A-Aunties?" He asks, clearly distressed as he didn't expect that reaction from them.
Managing to snap back to reality, Luna stood up and addressed the audience. "Jet Set and Upper Crust, have admitted defeat, the winner of this duel and the reclaimer of his title: Blueblood, Prince of Equestria!" She announces, putting an official end to the fight. Yet no cheer was heard afterward, as the prince soon started to take notices on how every pony in the audience was looking at him. He could see the naked fear and worry on their faces, making him suddenly rather self-conscious as the deafening silence grew.
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9671661
Yeah, kind of like when you see a movie, but with the screen being a giant bubble.
became a badass monster pony cooler than NM.
fake murdurize two a**hole ponies.
annnnnnd, became a prince once more.
Well... that escalated quickly.
9671679
Seriously dude! thsi was the plan?! to make him fear and hate now more than nightmare moon CONGRATULATIONS, Blue Blood now has nothing to show for all he done and trained to do.
Instead of playing Hail to King, you could of played this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuFFsJB9UAc
Either way, wonderful chapter. I can't wait to see what happens next.
9671725
Sounds oddly fitting, thanks
Well that was some high quality edge you got there Blueblood, maybe too much considering you had an audience though...
Top 10 best anime fights of all time!!
Then one pony looks down at his cutie mark a pair of clopping hooves with a drama style happy face and realizes this is it.. this is my destiny to start the applause to usher in a new era.
Blood Moon eats Corrupt Cowards for breakfast.
On the other hand, maybe Blueblood should consider finding dedicated toymakers to make physical action figures of Blood Moon as a royal merchandising opportunity, it would be a best seller hit for little foals on Nightmare Night.
Heck, maybe all the purchased proceeds can be used to help repair the damage the corrupt mafia members caused.
Badass music, I‘m getting that for my IPad and thinking of using that for a future chapter of the Game Players. Also love Blood Moon.
There had better not be any ‘he’s dangerous’ shenanigans from the audience of Blueblood’s screw up opponents. News flash, ponies! Celestia is dangerous! Luna is dangerous! Twilight is dangerous! Even Cadance, the princess from whom we have by far the least impressive canonical showing, is dangerous!
I say this only because the reaction of the crowd seems to imply that shenanigans of a different sort are about to go down.
9671806
Don't worry that is not what is going to happen. Their fear is mostly from the story of 'the mare of the moon, and thinking that Blood Moon is like Nightmare Moon'. Something that took possession of Blueblood. Once they have proved that he is still in control, then the party can start.
Neat.
I look forward to what happens next.
I love it though there is a nifty little power I invented if you want to use it for the next appearance of blood moon. I call it Nightmare Ball. It is designed to take a beings greatest fears and force it to relive them over and over again. That and their worst memories.
Wow nice just finish the last chapter and didn't need to wait for this was intense and epic dual. Keep up the great work.
epic shit
RISE FROM THE BLOOD OF YOUR HEROS
YOU ARE THE ONES WHO REFUSED TO SURRENDER
Thiiiis backfired I think.
Finally he have his title back as prince of equestria and more please i want to see these two mother fucker punisment hoppully death.
Loved the fight! I knew his summons were from Dark Souls the moment I heard the descriptions.
It will be interesting to see the fallout from this. From current appearances, Blood Moon may have backfired.
9671912
That kind of sounds like King sombras dark magic door thingy you know the one that was introduced when twilight was looking for the crystal heart
Oh, man I was waiting so loooong for this chapter, I wasn't disappointed, keep up the good work!!!
-Veeeery nice karmatic beatdown.
I was wondering how he figured he would spin the nightmare power. Didn’t think it hadn’t even occurred to him.
Scarlet, you need help...
An epic battle! Now, de-transform and smile all sexy like so everyone can stop dreading...
Keep going! ;)
Good News: You got your title back.
Bad News: Ponies now fear you as much as, if not more than, Nightmare Moon.
You may have solved one problem and created a bigger one.
As I did not use the music was what he said to them in the final stage of the fight a swist on the song from Wille Wonka during that boat ride?
9672158
True but I invented Nightmare Ball about 8 years ago.
The regular show reference so wholesome
I'm rather surprised that Blueblood didn't mention the good he did in Manehatten.
"I've been in Manehatten for the past month personally helping dozens of ponies improve their businesses and decimating organized crime... What have you been doing for the past month Jet? Sitting in Canterlot being a perfect example of nobility? How has that helped the common pony?"
Disappointing that these three knights show up and are defeated in five seconds, what was the point?
9672858
sneak peek and show that Jet and Upper Crust aren't pushovers either, they will appear again later on. And give them credit, they manage to pull a hail mary and defeat 3 bosses all at once. That is not something easy to accomplish.
Yay! The three Dark Souls knight bois!
Im not sure if it was intentional, but that reference to Regular Show gave me a chuckle.
Legit loved the overlord soundtrack. I really hope someone makes a drawing of blood moon blue blood cause all that comes to mind is fluffle puffs sister marmelade(yes that's her name and she's terrifying) when I try and think of it.
I hear people in the comments talking about a regular show refrence I think I missed. Anyone explain
9674078
They mean this scene, I choose it from being both, funny and intimidating when you have the powers of freddy kruger
9674558
The sad part of all…I ask, and got scared when a lot of people told me that they have, know parents that are that evilly cartoonish. Crazy right?
9674568
Yeah, I still haven't got those final 2 chapters, that need editing, those are the final ones that need editing, luckily so after that it goes back to normal.
Did anyone else read/sing this to the tune of the tunnel/boat ride song from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory? Or am I the only crazy one who thought it fit well with that? :p
9672468 Yeah, this is another example of the sort of plot hole that keeps on dumping me out of this story due to snapping the cables on my suspension of disbelief. He's clearly planned all this, but for some reason he hasn't considered the reactions of the people watching? Remind me what Princess Platinum was supposed to be teaching him?
Also, I call bull on Jet Set and Upper Crusts' insane duelling abilities. They are a pair of spoilt, entitled noble brats, not some ridiculously powerful war ponies.
9679628
Their combat ability came from the trope of 'high education, and tutoring' you know? Because they have the money, they bought their way into the most prestigious of schools (aka Celestia school) , had the more advanced of tutorings so their grades never drop, and were raised to maintain a high social class status, sometimes that even includes, friendly spars of battle with rapiers, and maybe bragging rights from the mastering of the most complex of spells. Plus they have pride and envy in them.
It toxic in excess but more often than none, that way of thinking makes someone 'prove' that they are better than others, no matter the cost, including cheating but you still need some, sort of training too, otherwise you will just be making a fool of yourself, from just bragging you can do something but can't prove it.
Yeah, they are spoil and bratty, but you can't say that the only thing they do is sit on their flanks doing nothing while their servants do all their work. That is what I was going on, a slight situation, in which they had so much potential to be great, but because they were blind by their pride and envy, they can't truly achieve their real potential and became depended in dirty tactics.
Hope that can clear the air somehow
As for the teaching of Platinum, you are right that was a plan, but he chokes when he notices his aunts. He was educated to address his people and earn their respect, but got tunnel vision and didn't think of his aunt's reaction, something I have established before.
It a flaw of his, he thinks of details and views the big picture of the situation, but very often, he forgets the little obvious details that are also very important. Like how he didn't think of making himself a golem when trying to make that potion. Or when he didn't consider that he was on his right to reject the challenge. Or how he only focused on Scarlet, and see what she is trying, and didn't even think that there might be other mares interest in him until it was too late.
That is his biggest flaws, he can easily get tunnel vision, just like AJ can get stubborn, or Rarity dramatic antics. Blueblood isn't perfect and makes mistakes just like anyone else. And trust me, as someone that over thinks a lot, I can assure it. That happens more often than you think.
9681372
After Secret Agenda, it get better, don't worry
What joke should I go with here? I think I'll choose.... all of 'em!
I'm spoiled for choice!
9679685 Tunnel vision I can understand, if it were a spur of the moment thing. However, all the set up and timing of the duel suggests going Nightmare was a pre-planned tactic, gamed out ahead of time. Which should have opened it up to criticism from Platinum.
This ought'a be good!
Nice choice! Personally, I'd go with Kilgorin.
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