Chronicles of the Spectrum

by Blue_Thunder

Boss Time

Twilight watched him leave the track before walking to help Rainbow to her feet. "I'm sorry you couldn't beat him..."

"It's not your fault, Twi," she replied, accepting her hand and getting upright. "I just wasn't fast enough. I don't know how... He's just a person."

Aj crutched over and patted Dash on the shoulder. "We'll get 'im. We have to."

Fluttershy watched Shade leave as well, and stayed quiet. Rainbow looked between Aj and Twi. "So, Twilight. You have the geode I gave you. What are you gonna do to keep it safe?"

"I can't tell you," she responded. The others looked shocked at her affirmation. "If I tell you, Shade has a way of knowing. We've been sharing all the information with each other, and he somehow knows what we're planning. By keeping this to myself, I keep him in the dark, even if you're there too. It's not fair to you, I know. And I'm sorry."

"Will that work?" Rarity asked.

"It will."

~~~~~~~~~

Rainbow took Aj to the nurse for a check up. She's doing well, and recovering on schedule. Rainbow uploaded the new video to social media. Fluttershy went with Rarity to the crafting room the latter usually goes to for reflection. Twilight and Sunset went back to the former's lab with the geode and talked about what they saw. Pinkie went off on her own to do... something secretive.

Sunset was twiddling with a metal rod no larger than a pen in Twilight's lab. Twilight was sitting in her chair and looking at a computer screen. Spike was eating his dinner. "So what's your plan for keeping Shade out?"

"I told you, I can't tell you. If I told you, I'd be saying it out loud. And he could be in the room right now. We'd never know. The only way to keep him surprised is to be unpredictable." Twilight typed up a sequence of letters, almost at random.

"That's a good idea. Unpredictable... You know, I almost want to try my hand at taking him on..." Sunset set down the metal rod and tilted her head. "If he's picking the challenges based on the strengths we have... What would be his challenge for me?"

"Is that a serious question?" Twilight asked, looking over for a moment. "Because I'm afraid I don't know... You're a psychic. How do psychics compete?"

Sunset shrugged. "I don't know? Like-" She was interrupted by a definitive jab at Twilight's keyboard. "Uhh... Like... testing the accuracy of the mind-reading?"

Twilight closed her laptop and looked at her. "Is that right?" She picked up a piece of metal and held it firm. "So what would be his challenge for me, you think?" Carefully, she turned around and leaned against her desk, glancing down at the metal in her grasp.

"That all depends on whether or not you use your geode. If you do, it'll probably be something that tests your magical limits. If not, then probably a math exam or some other smart person stuff." She twiddled her thumbs. "You have at least gave some thought into thwarting Shade, right? He's gonna come for you soon. We both know it."

"And I broke the rules by letting you in my lab in the first place." She looked from side to side and sighed. "You really wanna know?" Sunset nodded. "Alright. But not a word of this to anyone." Twilight opened a drawer and pulled out Rainbow's geode. "See this? It looks like an everyday geode." She pulled out a duplicate. "So does this. If he decides to come by, I'll be sure to let him take the fake-" Twilight shakes the right handed one, "and hide the real one-" then the left, "out of sight. If only I know where it is, then not even he can get it, right?"

"How accurate is it?" Twilight handed both geodes to Sunset, one at a time and made sure to say which one was the real deal. "Wow, they're so alike." Sunset looked up at Twilight. "And just like that, you'd have lost it." She handed both geodes back to Twilight. "What would you have done if I was Shade?"

"Worried, but I know you're not him." Twilight pushed up her glasses. "There's a certain ... feel about your friends that just can't be copied, you know? I'd know if someone's impersonating one of you."

"If you say so..." Sunset walked to the door and opened it. "Stay on your toes, Twilight." She walked out and closed it behind her.

Twilight placed the real one high on a shelf away and out of sight. The fake one was placed in a safe under the desk. Safely locked, a laugh echoed throughout the room. Shade stepped through the wall of the room and through all of her equipment. He came to a stop in front of Twilight, who looked surprised. "Come now... You knew I was coming."

"I did. And you're not getting it. I won't open the safe for you or anyone!"

"I'm not here for that one. I'm here for that one!" He reached his hand out and watched as the geode necklace from the shelf zipped into his hand. "That makes two. And just a few days to go." He stowed it and started walking. Twilight swung at him and watched in horror as her hand went through his head. "Good effort. I hope you show some promise in the coming match." Shade left the room.

"She warned me... Dash told me to not let anyone in... And that's exactly what I did..." She hit the wall in frustration, just as Dash had done yesterday. "In comes Sunset... Then Shade... I wonder if this Sunset was even real... And I lost Dash's geode, like I said I wouldn't..." She pulled out her phone and sent a text to the group.

~~~~~~~~~

Wednesday came sooner than she hoped. The group arrived at the field where they were to meet Shade once more, only they all moved at Aj's pace and made sure she was well taken care of. They all got to the field around 4:30 in the afternoon. Twilight made sure to formally apologize to her friends about how she failed to keep the geode safe. Sunset had her arms crossed in slight disappointment. Aj was walking with her crutches as usual for her recent self.

Rarity was sitting with Fluttershy braiding her hair while Rainbow was tapping her foot waiting for Shade to finally show up. "C'mon! Where is he?"

"Calm down, Rainbow. He'll be here. Hasn't failed to show yet..." Twilight said.

"You hopin' he starts?" Aj asked, to which Twilight nodded. "Me too."

Fluttershy opened her eyes and looked up at Twilight. "Do you plan on using your geode to fight him?" Her attention snapped to the empty spot in the field in front of them.

A black portal appeared and out stepped Shade, wearing some sort of black hooded cloak. The only discerning color were his deep blue eyes. "Back for more?"

Twilight stepped forward and shifted her glasses. "You are my opponent today." The others looked at Twilight in surprise. "What?"

"I always expected you to be an active duty non-combatant. All the tech, no reason to use it yourself." Shade stepped away from the portal and closed it behind him. He adjusted his gloves. "But, far be it from me to turn down a challenge." He looked up a little. "Let's see here... We're about mid-game... So how about this? You win when you deplete this health bar." He pointed above his head and there appeared a green bar, overlapped with a dark yellow, then again with orange. "Three bars should be enough, right? I am a boss after all."

Rainbow looked at Shade with a bit of anger. "Three health bars? Even for one opponent, three's outrageous!"

"You have a point... Do two of you want to help her out here? Or is she entering this one solo?"

"We need at least 5 minutes discussing this," Rarity said.

"Granted." Shade turned his back.

"What do we do?" Twilight asked. "Aj's still unfit for battle, and Dash doesn't have her speed anymore... Sunset's not the fighting type..."

"Excuse me? I'm a martial artist. Black belt in at least one style," Dash bragged. She looked at Fluttershy. "Are you gonna join us?"

"Not this time... Maybe another day?"

Dash and the others sighed. "Pinkie?"

"I guess... I was hoping to go tomorrow..." she replied. "I didn't bring any extra today."

Alone, Dash sighed. "Okay, so that's Twilight, myself... and... Cmon... Just one more of you and it's a closer to fair fight."

The others looked between themselves for a few seconds. "I can't fight up close... It's just not my strong suit..." Rarity admitted.

Shade turned around. "Time's up, ladies. Who's it going to be?"

Twilight stepped forward. "What's your weapon?"

"I plan to use the arsenal I've been gifted. Weaponry from all across time and space."

"Then shouldn't we also have access to the same arsenal?" Twilight asked. "In the spirit of fairness."

Shade tapped his chin. "I suppose you're right." He summoned a wooden weapon rack. Empty. "I will need a few minutes myself. Continue your discussion." He set about his task.

Twilight turned back to the group. "Alright. It sound like we bought some time. He's I guess going to make some weaponry for us."

Dash grinned. "Did you know he'd do that?" Twilight nodded with a smile of her own. "Clever. Think he'll play fair?"

"He has so far, hate t' admit it..." Aj said. "Whether he's the real deal or just an illusion himself, he's got talent. Think Ah'm startin' t' root for this guy."

Rarity finished Fluttershy's hair, stood and fixed the wrinkles in the blanket she was sitting on. "Depending on the weapons he gives... I may end up electing to participate."

"Same here, actually. It might not play to my strengths, but I've seen enough guards train with their weapons to know how to handle one," Sunset added. "I'd take my chance with something like an arcane book."

"I'd take wearable gauntlets and shins. Punches and kicks would be way more damaging," Dash admitted.

"I wouldn't need a weapon; my candy's enough for me."

"Heck, Ah'd take just the gauntlets, but Ah'm out o' commission over here."

"None of you would take up sword and shield?" A lot of nopes came from the others. "No love for the traditional..." Twilight admitted.

"What about you then?" Fluttershy asked, also standing. "What would you choose?"

"Well, my ability is telekinesis, so I guess something that enhances that power."

"Weapons are ready," Shade said, stepping around the back of the weapon rack. "I took the liberty of choosing the very best over a wide spectrum of those available to me."

"It's empty..." Pinkie said. "You do know it's empty, right..."

"I do, just give me some time. You may want to tell me who your team is."

"Twilight is fightin', so is Dash here." Aj looked and pointed at the two. "Sunny's a maybe. Ya got any books in there?" Shade nodded. "Well alright then. Sunny's in the party."

Shade clapped his hands. "Alright. Party, step forth. The rest of you... Go away." He brought up portals behind the others and force-pushed them through. They disappeared and came out in the stands, front row. "Oh right. I'm sorry Aj! I know you're still in pain," he shouted. "I keep forgetting how frail you girls are." Shade turned his attention to the three before him. "Okay, so these three are the party members, yes?" Twilight nodded. "Alright then. Step forward." The three did so. Shade looked down at the rack. One by one, the weapons appeared as he described them. He walked along the back as they appeared.

"Sword and shield wielded by a knight in service to the throne of a lost kingdom, a massive single-edged blade used by a man with anger issues, a labrys taken as a trophy from a minotaur on a moon incredibly far away, a blade with a gun built in used by a student at a fighting school, a pair of armwraps and leg wraps used in the training of taijutsu, a polearm belonging to the Allfather himself, a pair of kunai used by elite assassins from a foreign land," he had to pause to take a breath. "A single-edged katana taken from a wandering swordsman from an ancient time, a very powerful bow with a dual quiver that holds at least thirty arrows each taken from a guy with dozens just like it, a pistol that fires magic blasts used by a mercenary who also used a sword in tandem, chakrams ripped from the cold dead hands of a soulless nobody, a staff of unimaginable magical power, the arcane tome used as a medium for all sorts of debilitating effects..." Another breath, "You're really making me work for this one, eh? A rapier-crystal combo used to cast both white and black magic, a cane from an island summoner, another book used to apply barriers and regeneration effects on top of healing, and finally, a deck of 6 cards and two thrones with which to apply buffs to your allies. Shall I make a second list, or will these suffice?"

"These are impressive..." Twilight admitted.

"Whichever one you choose will imbue your mind with the full knowledge on how to use it effectively. So you're not limited by what you already know. Which brings me to my next question: geodes or not?"

"With," Twilight said. The other two looked at her. "We'd stand a better chance with."

"Then you'll also be needing these." He pointed above each of their heads. There appeared a health bar in the form of a circle. "It'll become more of a slice the more damage you take. The weapon you choose will also affect how much damage you can get out, and how much you can take. Choose wisely. Oh, and see this clock right here?" He pointed to the side. "That's a timer set for 6 pm. You have until then."

"What if it reaches 6 and we still aren't done fighting?"

"Hard enrage," Shade decided. "I end the battle with your losses and take the geodes from your necks. Except for you, Dash. I already have yours."

Rainbow shot Twilight a glare. "And who's fault is that?"

Shade answered in Twilight's place. "It's no one but yours for losing in the first place." Dash hung her head.

Twilight was the first to step forward. "If I don't like the one I take, can I grab a different one?"

"Take as many times as you like. The timer will still go down."

She sighed and approached the katana. Taking it up, she assumed a stance she then knew from "years of training". A flood of memories entered her mind. Skills and techniques and stances and finesse all rolled into one. "This is amazing! Girls, come try one!"

Rainbow approached the armwraps and grabbed them. They wrapped themselves around her forearms and hands and the shin covers put themselves on over a pair of leg weights. Attacks of incredible strength were shown to her along with the right weight distributions to pull them off. "Oh wow! That is impressive! I'll take these!" She stood in a passive pose, but one of such composure and confidence one could almost swear she's been doing it for years on end.

Sunset approached and eyed all of the different weapons. "I did say I wanted a arcane book... What does this one do?" She pointed at the book meant to debilitate.

"Poisons, infects, festers... Oh, and it comes complete with some minion helps," Shade replied.

"How about this one?" She gestured to the lance.

"The Allfather's lance, Gungnir possesses unparalleled power and aim, allowing the user to throw with such velocity and stopping power, that none can hope to sur-"

"This one?" Again, to the daggers.

"... A wayward student of the arts of ninjutsu traveled from his homel-"

"These?" Sunset pointed at the chakrams.

"Pulled from a dead-"

"This one?" Then at the cane.

"Are you going to choose a weapon or WHAT?!" Shade shouted.

Sunset recoiled a little and looked over her options. "Sorry, I like history. Okay okay, last one. Promise." She wandered down the rack and looked closely at the greatsword. "Tell me about this one..."

"You want me to tell you about that one? Really? Last one, are you sure?" Sunset nodded. "Okay. Are you going to let me finish this time?" Another nod. "Good." He took a short breath. "That sword was given to a first class SOLDIER from another first class SOLDIER. Both possessed incredible strength, so swinging it was never an issue. The recipient however, was much more prone to aggravation, and used his anger to fuel his attacks, making them hit harder, come out sooner and made him faster."

Sunset reached out and took the greatsword. it was a heavy weapon to look at, but in her hands it felt light as a claw hammer. The wealth of knowledge almost made her smile. It only didn't, because she also adopted the original user's calm demeanor. She gave the blade a twirl and affixed it to her back through unseen methods. "Guess working with others can't hurt."

Twilight added, "What happens if we win?"

"You get your geodes back."

"What will happen to the one you have with you? Though it may not be a geode, you cannot tell us you are without a power of your own," Rainbow enunciated.

"I will keep it, and I never denied having a power of my own. You lot never though to ask it. That is the purpose of this week, remember? To beat answers out of me?" He swiped right his hand and sent the weapons rack away into darkness. "If that's all the banter, you have a video to make." With a second swipe, he summoned two swords, one black, one white. "I should tell you that your weapons have names."

"Zanmato," Twilight said calmly.

"Buster Sword," Sunset added.

"I do not need weapons for my fists are deadly enough!" Rainbow barked at him. She spent no time with idle chatter.

Rainbow was the first to strike, dashing forward with incredible speed she'd only shown with her geode. She punched at him with a solid right, connecting with his two swords crossed in front of him making a ringing sound. Rainbow evaded a counter swing and ducked, sweeping his leg from under him. Shade got hit and went off balance. Twilight and Sunset went in from the sides to keep the pressure on. Shade blocked both swings with his swords, though Sunset had more power behind her, forcing Shade to divert the flow of power. Rainbow got to her feet and unleashed a flurry of attacks on him, straight twice, then an upper followed by a hard kick to his chest, sending him backward. Twilight advanced, clanging swords with him with such precision and grace. Though she managed to cut him, neither his clothes nor skin showed any signs of it.

Sunset came up behind him and swung down, causing Shade to roll sideways. Twilight brought up her sword to block, and was forced to a knee because of it. "We're on the same side!"

"Don't get in my way then." Sunset looked over at Shade and started her own 1v1. Most of her swings were deflected or dodged. What few got through dealt a fair bit of damage to him. Dash worked around Sunset, staying out of her way and making contact where she could. Twilight waited for a solid opening.

Shade fought back, cutting Sunset on her shoulder and dropping her health bar a little. Rainbow was still untouched and all up in his face with punches and kicks. Twilight sheathed her katana and quick-drew it, sending a wave of compressed air at him, between the two. It hit him and forced him back. Sunset dashed forward and quick slashed three times, creating what looked like a kanji in midair. Shade took the full damage of that attack and fell to a knee with one sword in the ground.

"Fighting the three of you is harder than I thought. Truly a testament to the souls you carry. If one of me is not enough... Then one for the each of you should suffice." He stood and divided himself into three, each with the health bar he had, which was depleted by about 75% of the first color. "How about this?"

Each version wielded the two swords the original did, and pursued one opponent each.

Twilight fared extremely well against hers and took down the last of the orange bar in just a couple minute's time taking just a few cuts to her body. Sunset overwhelmed her opponent through brute force rather than skill, taking hers out faster, though taking more damage. Dash was too quick to be hit solidly, but she also took more time to take hers down.

Shade rejoined the three into just one of himself. "Okay, so three on three won't do... How about I try this..." He waved his hand and whisked each of them down the field with the fastest one closest. Rainbow was dropped about ten feet away, Twilight was put forty feet down the field, and Sunset was placed in the endzone. "One at a time."

Dash burst forth and engaged in martial combat with Shade doing his best to keep up. Over time, he had created delay swings that do the actual damage after he made the swing, confusing Rainbow and dropping her health by a quarter before Twilight showed up to assist. Together, they got his health down 20% of the yellow before Sunset showed up with a ranged attack. It was a crescent wave of blue energy that broke apart on contact which dealt another 10%.

Shade shook his head and fought through it, hitting them each enough times that Twilight rolled along the ground with 25% of her health remaining. Sunset was next to fall, though with 50% left, getting blown back. Rainbow was the only one fast enough to keep up with him. But Sunset wasn't done yet. She aimed her sword at him and launched herself forward, blade edge aimed up. It got through his guard and was surprised to see that she could use these special attacks as fast as she could. Sunset jumped high into the air, opening his guard for Rainbow to get a few hits in before she had to back off. The return stroke of Sunset's attack cratered the ground beneath Shade's feet. The attack still did damage, pushing the health bar further down showing more of the green.

Occupied by both Sunset and Rainbow, Shade almost forgot about Twilight. When she started her final attack, Shade booted Sunset away and tossed Dash to the side. He made a clone of himself dash forward and cleave Twilight in half, depleting the last of her health bar and forcing her to drop to her knees. The katana in front of her disappeared and her health circle vanished. She was done.

Enraged, Dash backflipped away, and sat by Twilight. "Hang in there..."

"We were doing so well... Please... Finish this fight for me..." Twilight said, holding where she felt injured. She fell to the ground in laying position.

Dash looked and saw no wounds, then turned and glared. "The condition has been met..." She pulled down the leg warmers and removed a set of leg weights, letting them hit the ground. "Just you watch me..." Rainbow stood and disappeared. She reappeared just under Shade and kicked up at him, connecting with his chin. Sunset did well to not follow them into the air. Rainbow launched herself up at him, kicking at him in quick succession in the chest. Shade, with no footing to make a counter, took it all at face value. Dash was already in pain from getting thrown about and winced from it. Sunset watched closely at a blur she noticed leave Shade's body. When Dash opened her eyes, she wrapped Shade in her armwrap bandage and grabbed on, turning them both to the ground. "Here we go!"

The two plummeted to the ground in a spiral of blue and black, impacting the ground so hard it made a huge dent in the field. Rainbow hopped out of the impact center and skidded to a stop by Sunset. "It is over..."

"Not yet. He still has a health bar left..." Sunset replied, readying her sword. "And you only did half the damage."

The Shade that was attacked disappeared into mist and was absorbed into the real Shade. He looked up at his health bar and saw it was almost fully green. "I didn't think to be pressed this far." Shade looked over at the clock. "Just a bit longer, huh?"

"How you feeling?" Sunset asked.

"I have been better. Hold him off a little while I recover." Dash managed to have a seat and regulate her breathing while Sunset charged full steam at Shade.

They went at it for a while before Dash could get up. Though at that point, Sunset's sword had shown cracks in it and one of Shade's had been broken completely. Rainbow pushed herself up and tried to help, but she was more in the way. Shade was able to grab her and throw her into Sunset a good number of times before she stopped trying. So, she spent the next few seconds making a decision.

A few seconds was all Shade needed to deplete the rest of Sunset's health bar. As before, the weapon she used disappeared and Sunset dropped to her knees unable to move before falling forward the rest of the way.

Rainbow stood up with courage and readied herself. She looked up at his health bar and saw it only had 75% green to go. "It's just you and me left, Rainbow. This match is already over."

"You are right. It is over. One way or another..." She crossed her arms in an "X" in front of her. "I am not going to be the only one to lose here..." The air around Rainbow condensed and shifted. Her body emitted what almost could be described as steam. Even the ground started to shake from the effort she was exerting. "Holy Mother... Please let this work... It is now, or never!" She broke the "X" and expelled the energy into the air around her, lighting her body up in an array of color. "Third release!"

Shade covered his face and braced himself. Then Rainbow bent forward and shouted again. "The fourth release!!" A bigger surge of power emanated from her. The pupils in her eyes disappeared into the whites. Dash's muscles began to strain from the sheer power they had to withstand. Barely, she tilted her head up to look at him.

Then, she dashed forward with all her strength, kicking him so hard into the air, they were about 50 feet up. She jumped up after him and did not relent in her assault, punching him with her unrestrained strength, batting him all around the airspace over the field. Nearing the end of her assault, she had a bandage wrapped around him after she struck downward at him.

In one move, she pulled up on the bandage and both punched and kicked downward onto his chest, plummeting him alone into the ground. A massive shockwave went through the ground and shook the stands the others were in. Rainbow tumbled to a stop several feet away, all that power gone from her body. With no strength to stand, she looked up at her health circle and saw it had the smallest sliver remaining.

However... There was a sharp ringing through the air coming from the timer. Shade stood up and dusted himself off, glancing up at the health bar, which still had about 20% left. "And you were so close too. There's a reason it's called a desperation move..." He resummoned a sword and threw it at Rainbow, cutting her barely, but just enough to get that last slice to disappear. "Hard enrage." Dash's armwraps and leg warmers and leg weights all disappeared as well. Twilight, Sunset and Dash all stood up. "And that's time. I won't lie, you all pushed me so hard, I think another 5 minutes I'd have actually lost." He took a knee. "I really need to breathe here..."

Rainbow walked over to him and kicked at his face. The kick went clean through him, not even making any sort of contact. "Is anything about you real?"

"Yes. I am real. But the rule in play was 6 pm time limit. I'm intangible after that." He stood up and waved his hand at the three fighters, then walked over to Sunset. Shade reached into her shirt and removed the geode by force. "Sorry for the invasion. Not that you can move anyway." After that, he approached Twilight. "Honestly, I think I'd rather come by your lab again and get it from you personally. But, there's a chance you'll try to hide it, and I can't have that." Shade reached into her shirt and removed her geode as well. "Really would have preferred a more personal setting... Maybe after all this is over?"

"Not on your life!" Twilight replied. Shade disappeared with a smile.

"We'll see about that..."

The others finally got to them. The ground was fixed, the injuries were gone, the weapons vanished and the enemy retreated.

Dash hit her palm. "That was a fair fight, sure, but we still lost. That's 4 of our geodes gone. Only Pinkie, Rarity and Fluttershy remain. I hate to say it girls, but I don't like our chances..."

Sunset looked to the side. "I'll have to see if the princess has come up with anything..." She looked down. "I don't know what'll happen if we lose it all..."

Twilight looked at Sunset. "If he has a limit, we must have gotten closer to reaching it."

Aj hobbled over and grinned. "Jus' wait 'til Ah'm better. Ah'll-"

"Do what? You tried and failed. We all might as well face it: he's too strong for us... As we are now." Dash said. "But I'm working on that."

Sunset walked over to her and asked, "Is that what you've been working on behind our backs?"

"Actually yeah... Meet up at Aj's house tonight. I'll go over it all with you."

Author's Note:

Sorry it took a while. Other projects are a priority.

Also longer one than normal. Sorry again.

Comments

[ShadowLDrago]

This, is getting boring honestly. Shade is kind of a Villain (?) Sue. He's displaying powers completely unlike anything in the show, he's never lost, he keeps having access to knowledge he should have no way of knowing, we still know next to nothing about who he is, what he wants or what his shtick is, and it's honestly more frustrating than anything else. To be perfectly honest, I think I preferred this when it was the girls showing off their powers.

[Venerable Ro]

This had better have a really good payoff, because so far it's played like "wish fulfillment" the superpower. I'll lay even odds that this is Discord faffing around for some dumb reason.

Decent fight tho.

[Blue_Thunder]

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I admit, it’s hard to keep it a secret and I’m sorry for doing it this way. Be glad: next chapter reveals exactly how he has this power, thanks to Princess Twilight and her power of reading scrolls.