20: The Thrill of the Fight
As self-centered as it sounded, Twilight never ceased to surprise herself during her fairly short life, something that she found equal parts interesting and terrifying. She had always thought that she knew what she was and wasn’t capable of, and most other ponies would've likely agreed with that assessment. Of course, most other ponies likely never found themselves in life-threatening situations, nor did most other ponies have their loved ones and closest friends placed in imminent danger. Nopony, no matter who they were, could prepare themselves for such a situation. Nopony would know what they would do if they were suddenly thrust into such a situation. Twilight was no exception.
She got what she wanted out of the stallion, but it wasn’t an easy task. Despite her very clear warning that she would resort to ‘drastic measures’ if the stallion refused to cooperate, he still refused to cooperate. However, it was odd. Terrifyingly so. Twilight could’ve sworn that she was merely bluffing when she told him that she’d resort to torture. She knew that she was, yet when he remained silent, when he refused to tell her where her friends were, something inside of her decided that she wasn’t bluffing anymore.
It was nothing too severe; just a simple mental spell that gave him immediate visions of eldritch abominations from the depths of Tartarus itself. Evidently, that was more than enough, as he practically cried out the exact location of her friends, clutching his head in a futile attempt to dispel the terrible visions. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t a spell that Twilight could cancel herself. It simply had to run its course, which would only last for about sixty seconds. Considering how the stallion broke down after ten, Twilight figured that he’d be fine.
As Twilight stood there, looking down at the writhing stallion, she could scarcely believe what she had done. She didn’t hesitate, didn’t consider the stallion’s feelings. No, she just did it. It must’ve been the dungeon getting to her, smothering her emotions. Never would she do such a thing under normal circumstances. Never would she be so cold. It almost seemed as though she was acting just like…
Tears threatened to trickle down Twilight’s cheeks as she thought back to the scene at the museum, back to all of the destruction that Celestia caused without hesitation. She wanted to push those memories out of her mind, to pretend that such a thing never happened, but what of the victims? Would they be able to forget how the princess—the one who was supposed to protect them—nearly killed them without a second thought? Was that why Twilight didn’t want to go see Celestia earlier, because she still wasn’t ready to come to terms with the truth? She didn’t want to accept it, yet here she was, acting just as coldly as she did.
Whatever affected Celestia must’ve started to affect her as well. She never acted like this before, nor had she ever had such seething hatred for another being. What if it was something that she couldn’t stop? What if it only grew worse? She didn’t want to think about such a thing, but she couldn’t just ignore it, either.
She was so caught up in her own emotions, she barely heard more hoofsteps approaching from behind her. When Twilight finally heard them, she immediately came crashing back down to reality, a sharp gasp passing through her lips. She spun around, only to feel her heart plummet.
As she was standing there, oblivious to the world around her, another member of the Eclipse, no doubt attracted by all of the noise from Twilight's previous battle, stood down the corridor, gazing at Twilight from behind the shadows of her hood.
The unicorn’s heart tried to burst clear from her chest. She was still exhausted from her last fight. Her body still ached from the blows she received. She was in no condition for another battle like that, and from the looks of it, the hooded mare before her seemed to be on the same level as the stallion at her hooves, if not more so. Her posture gleamed with confidence, showing no fear, no hesitation.
Meanwhile, Twilight’s trembling legs threatened to buckle underneath her weight. She couldn’t win that fight, but that mare was standing between her and the others. She could try running, but not only did that carry the risk of getting lost again, but it likely wouldn’t even work. The mare had to be faster by a wide margin. Fighting wouldn’t work. Running wouldn’t work. Twilight’s options seemed nonexistent, but she had to do something. She couldn't fail here.
With newfound determination in her eyes, Twilight firmly planted her hooves into the ground. She focused as much magic into her horn as her tired mind would allow. If it had worked on the stallion, then it had to work on the mare as well. It wasn’t the greatest battle plan ever, but it was better than nothing.
In a single, magnificent flash of lavender light, Twilight fired the magical bolt towards her assailant. It was just as fast as her last one, quickly crossing the distance between the two mares. Yet the blast still missed.
Twilight’s eyes went wide, simply incapable of comprehending what they had just seen. There couldn’t have possibly been any way for a pony to dodge that attack at the speed it travelled, yet the hooded mare ducked underneath it at the very last possible moment. It all had to have happened in just a split-second, but that was impossible. No pony should’ve been able to move that quickly! The purple unicorn didn’t even have time to fathom such an example of speed before her attacker charged towards her at full speed.
Twilight scarcely had time to cry out in shock before the mare was right in front of her. The unicorn’s legs locked up, pure shock and debilitating fear leaving her virtually paralyzed. The mare’s movements… Twilight had only seen it for all of a second, but something about it just felt off. Something about them just felt wrong. So wrong. They were so fast, far too fast to be natural. Just what kind of unnatural monster was she dealing with?
She immediately created a protective barrier between her and the mare as soon as the latter wound back for a punch. She completed the barrier not a second too soon, flinching back as her attacker’s hoof collided with the firm, purple aura. Even with the shield up, Twilight felt herself pushed back from the sheer force behind the blow, her head throbbing from the effort. She didn’t even want to think about what would’ve happened if that had been a direct hit.
The hooded mare’s assault was far from over, however. Instead of simply backing off from the seemingly impenetrable barrier, the mare simply punched it again, just as forcefully as last time. The impact reverberated inside of Twilight’s skull as she struggled to keep it up. It was inconceivable. The mare wasn’t just incredibly fast; she was incredibly strong as well. Twilight may as well have been trying to block a speeding train. The unicorn’s legs were already trembling, threatening to give underneath her. She knew what the mare’s plan was, and she couldn’t resist for much longer. Unfortunately, that was exactly what the mare wanted.
The hooded assailant punched the barrier again, sending another sharp wave of pain through Twilight’s skull. Twilight gritted her teeth, straining herself as tears built up in her eyes. She fought through the splitting headache as she struggled to keep the barrier up. It was the only thing keeping her protected from her attacker, and it was beginning to fail. The mare punched it once again, the impact sending Twilight down to a hind knee. She couldn’t take one more blow like that. She needed to do something and soon. She couldn’t fail, not there!
Gathering as much magic as she could muster through the pain, she concentrated it all into her horn as it surged with energy. With a feral cry, she released it all into one potent, powerful shockwave. Even with her unnatural speed, the hooded mare was unable to get away in time, and took the full brunt of the attack. She was sent flying a good ways down the corridor, landing flat on her back, unmoving.
As for Twilight, she only stood there, trying to regain her breath. That attack had drained her of all that she could muster at that moment. She couldn’t keep it up anymore. It was insane. Just one battle with one of those monsters left her exhausted. Fighting another practically left her with one hoof in the grave. Things weren’t looking good, not at all, but at least she finally had time to breathe again.
If only she didn’t have to learn time and time again that the cruelties of life possessed a sick sense of humor.
----
“No. No. No, not in there. No. No! No! Gah, where are they?” After her close call with an avalanche of rubble, Rainbow had finally found the prison blocks where her friends should’ve been, but instead of relieving her of her frustrations, her search only added to them. Each empty, barren cell only served as another blow to her already agitated nerves. She didn’t care if she had to check each and every one; if it meant finding the others, she’d do it without question.
She was close. Oh, was she close. She thought that she was close before, but as she stood amongst that endless line of cells, she could practically smell Rarity’s fancy, expensive perfume...
Actually, she could smell it.
Rainbow came to a dead halt as a jolt of hope shot into her heart. She took a nice, strong whiff of the air. Immediately, that jolt turned into a surge throughout her body. Through the dank smell that Rainbow grew so used to, there was something sweet in the air. Something so pompous and saccharine in scent that it couldn’t have been anything but Rarity’s perfume. How close did they have to be for Rainbow to pick up such a scent? A few corners away? Right down the hall? Maybe even closer? She didn’t care; all she knew was that she was finally about to find them. Breaking into a gallop, she sped down the corridor, following that sweet, sweet aroma.
Rainbow had been traversing that dark, dank dungeon for how long? An hour? Two hours? The sight of grey, moss-covered stone had long since been burned into her psyche. The sound of hooves beating against concrete was going to keep her up at night for the next few days. Everything that she’d been through, everything that her friends must've been through, it was no doubt going to haunt them for quite some time. If she could just see them again, she could at least feel an inkling of hope that things would be okay. But as long as they were out of sight, Rainbow could only fear the worst.
No! No, they’re fine. We’re gonna get outta here. Everything’s gonna be okay. It has to be.
Rainbow’s sprint brought her further into the prison block as she sped by cell after cell. She skidded to a halt as she came across one in particular that was left wide open. Not only that, but there was a guard lying—no, not dead. Unconscious. A sense of worry seeped into Rainbow’s face as she crept towards the door, the sweet aroma growing more potent. She poked her head into the cell.
Just like the others, it was completely empty, save for a few pillows, oddly enough. Unlike the others, however, Rainbow only felt worry rather than frustration. This was the cell that held her friends; Rarity’s perfume practically burned in her nostrils. Somehow, they were able to get out. Judging by the unconscious guard, it wasn’t a planned release, either. Something had happened, and recently at that. Rainbow wanted to believe that they were able to bust themselves out somehow, but she wouldn’t know for sure until she found them.
As the worry finally left her system, it was promptly replaced by a bit of annoyance. It only figured that after all of the time she spent searching for them, Rainbow found their holding cell after what must’ve been a mere few minutes since their escape. She always did have a bad habit of showing up late.
Before she got back on their trail, however, she turned her attention towards the unconscious guard. Even when they were already knocked out cold, she felt a seething anger boiling in her gut. Just the sight of them was enough to send her over the edge. She wanted to cave his head in, but she had other things in mind.
She walked up to the stallion and studied his body. Specifically, the tools attached to his body. Though his robes did a good job of concealing them, Rainbow could make out some of the leather harness wrapped around his torso that no doubt held his weapons and other supplies. It didn’t look like relieving him of such items would prove to be difficult, especially from her position.
“Not taking any chances with these guys,” she muttered.
Slowly, she brought her hoof down on the leather harness, sliding along the smooth surface as she searched for the buckle holding it together. A small smile cracked onto her face as she felt cold metal. It was a simple matter of undoing a few of the buckles before the entire harness slid nicely off of the stallion’s body. Even if he did wake up, without his gear, dealing with him would’ve been foal’s play.
“Heh, you guys don’t pack much, do you?” Rainbow asked as she held the harness in front of her. Just as she expected, numerous items hung from the leather straps. A few small, burlap sacks dangled near the front. Judging from the clanking sound it made when she shook it, they likely contained some kind of small bomb. However, Rainbow’s attention was brought down to the black, leather sheath hanging before her.
She felt a pang of worry in her gut as she thought about how much battle the dagger in front of her had seen. How many lives it cut down. How many times it was drenched in the blood of its enemies, possibly even innocents.
The closest that she ever came to holding a dagger was whenever she’d play-fight with her father using the fake, wooden ones. She never even thought that she’d see the day when she actually held a real one, let alone use it.
Slowly, she brought a wary hoof up towards the black sheath. It almost felt like she was about to touch a wild animal, worried that it was going to snap back. The moment that her hoof made contact with the worn leather, she gritted her teeth, hissing in pain as another wave of pain rushed through her head.
“Dagger up. Head low. Ensure that the handle is clenched tightly in your teeth. Keep your knees bent and your body loose. Always be prepared to strike, deflect, or evade. Above all, do not hesitate. In a true battle, it is either life or death. You or them. Do whatever you must to ensure that it is always them.”
The moment she returned to her senses, she shook the lingering pain out of her skull. Those… whatever they were supposed to be—she wanted to call them visions—were growing in frequency and severity, as though she wasn’t already sick of them enough. Something about that dungeon was making her lose her mind. She just wanted to find her friends and get out of that place as quickly as possible.
Rainbow quickly slid the harness onto her body, securing it with the buckles. It didn’t feel right using the equipment of one of those monsters, but she wasn’t about to complain if it meant ensuring the safety of the others. Properly armed, she set her focus back on the perfume still lingering in the air. Before she could continue following it, however, something else caught her attention.
A scream. A cry. One of exertion, and it wasn't far away. Unless Rainbow was hearing things, she knew exactly who that cry belonged to.
“Twilight?” she muttered, jerking her head towards the source of the noise. “Twilight!”
Rainbow felt her stomach churn as that cry echoed down the corridor. Whatever she heard, it didn’t sound good. It sounded like the unicorn needed help, and immediately. Of course, that meant leaving the others to fend for themselves for a while longer. It was a tough decision, one that Rainbow was hesitant in making. Still, she couldn’t deny that she had little choice in the matter. While the others would no doubt need her help eventually, Twilight needed her help at that exact moment. It made her decision no easier, but it did make it clearer.
With a somber sigh, Rainbow glanced over her shoulder. “Don’t worry guys. I’ll come back for you in no time.” Without another word, she galloped towards Twilight. She could only hope that she’d get there in time.
----
This is bad. This is very bad. Not good at all.
Twilight could barely even think straight with the amount of energy she had left. Her body felt heavy, her mind frazzled. She couldn’t even budge from her spot if she wanted to, not until she had time to regain her strength. How long that would take, she had no idea, though she found it safe to assume that she wasn’t going to get anywhere near enough time to do so. That dungeon had to be crawling with more members of the Eclipse, and if they were anything like that mare, then she stood little chance in her state.
Unfortunately, other members were the least of her worries. When Twilight looked back down at the prone mare, she felt the undeniable surge of fear rush through her entire body. The hooded mare, the one that Twilight expended nearly all of her energy repelling, was moving. Getting back up. Not only that, but it seemed like Twilight's attack, with all of its strength, only left her in a slight daze, one that she was quick to recover from.
Twilight’s heart threatened to burst from her chest at the rate it was beating. She couldn’t fight her, not again. She wanted to run, to get as far away from her as she could. She didn’t care about getting lost anymore, she just wanted to live. She wanted to run, but her body simply refused to move. Sheer, unadulterated terror left her paralyzed. All Twilight could do was stand there and watch as the mare casually stretched out any sore muscles. It was at that moment that the unicorn came to the terrifying realization. She was going to die. Nothing short of a miracle would save her.
Finally, the moment of truth arrived. The hooded mare looked back up at Twilight, ready for another round. Twilight couldn’t even think about what to do next before her attacker darted forward again, appearing in front of the unicorn in virtually no time at all. Twilight had next to no time to react before she felt a sharp pain shoot across her face.
The blow sent her straight to the ground. It left her ears ringing. The world spun all around her in her daze. She tried to move her legs, but they may as well have been made out of lead. And somehow, she knew that that was essentially a love tap compared to what the mare was truly capable of.
The most that Twilight managed was rolling onto her back, a feat that drained her of what little energy she had left. She saw the mare enter her vision, the dark, shadowy figure staring right down at her. Whatever air Twilight had left in her lungs was knocked out when her assailant planted a firm hoof on her chest. She couldn’t move her legs. The daze combined with the pain made it impossible for her to focus on spells. She was, in every sense of the word, completely helpless. She only shut her eyes, awaiting the finishing blow that was sure to come.
“Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine…”
Twilight’s eyes snapped back open as she heard… something off in the distance. A voice, it sounded like. It was faint, so faint that she didn’t know if it was another pony or her frazzled brain making her hear things again.
“Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine…”
No, she wasn’t making it up, that much was certain. In fact, it sounded like the voice was getting closer, but who could it have been?
“Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine!”
The unicorn’s eyes went wide with shock as she recognized the voice. One that she had been dying to hear ever since she went down into that dungeon. Wait! That’s… Th-that’s—
A blue blur was all Twilight saw as her would-be attacker was promptly tackled off of her. Even though she could barely feel her legs, even though she was nearly spent of her energy, Twilight mustered up the will to roll back over on her stomach just to see the mare that she’d been looking for all of this time. As she laid eyes on her, a wide, wide smile broke out onto her face.
Rainbow Dash stood tall and proud between Twilight and her attacker, that trademark smirk of hers gracing the pegasus’ face. “Mine.”
The sense of relief that rushed through the unicorn’s body was nothing short of euphoric. No matter how hard she tried, that smile plastered on her face refused to budge. Finally, after spending so much time down in that place, the fear in Twilight's heart was replaced with hope. “R-Rainbow Dash! I’ve been looking everywhere for you! I-I’m not seeing things, am I?”
The pegasus glanced back at her dumbstruck friend before trotting up to her. Offering her shoulder, she helped the unicorn back onto her hooves. “I hope not. It looks like you could use a hoof.”
Even with Rainbow’s help, Twilight still found standing difficult. She had to lean against the nearby wall for further support. A few heavy blows and she was essentially down for the count. She hated feeling so useless. Still, she couldn’t but feel a sense of happiness that just refused to leave. After going on for so long without her friends, just seeing one of them made her feel warmth inside. “It’s so good to see you again.” As she actually took the time to look at the pegasus, a confused frown appeared on her face. “Um, where did you get that from?” she asked, pointing at Rainbow.
Rainbow arched an eyebrow until she realized what Twilight was talking about. She looked down at herself, observing the leather harness wrapped around her body. It certainly wasn’t a hard thing to notice. “Oh, uh, I... found it. Yeah, found it.”
Even amidst the current danger, Rainbow still felt the urge to tell little lies, and she was still terrible at it, something that brought a much-needed smile to Twilight’s face. “Well, it’s still good to see you."
A warm smile graced Rainbow’s own face. She wrapped her forelegs around Twilight to pull her in for a hug, only to jump back when the unicorn hissed in pain. “Whoa, whoa! What’s wrong?”
Twilight managed to put on a sheepish grin through the pain. “Sorry. My ribs still hurt.”
Rainbow could only scrunch up her face in confusion. “What? Your ribs?” She didn't think on it for long before her face suddenly flared with anger as she turned her attention back towards the one who must’ve been responsible. Twilight’s assailant, that hooded mare, hadn’t moved from her spot ever since Rainbow arrived. She just stood there, staring at the two, her face hidden behind shadows.
Rainbow’s anger only grew further. Emotionless, heartless monsters, all of them. Before, just the mere thought of the things that they could’ve done to her friends made her want to see them suffer. But now, after seeing Twilight in her current state, watching as the unicorn struggled to get out pained breaths, she couldn’t even begin to imagine the things that she'd do to them.
She looked back at Twilight. “Twi, you stay back. Looks like you could use the rest.” Without hesitation, Rainbow approached the target of her aggression, not slowing for an instant.
As she watched the pegasus walk away, Twilight felt panic rush into her heart. She knew that the pegasus was tough, if a bit bull-headed, but she simply had no idea what she was getting herself into. “Rainbow, wait! This mare isn’t normal! I… I think she has some sort of speed-enhancing enchantment. She can move faster than you can blink! You can’t take her on your own!”
Rainbow stopped in her tracks, still a considerable distance away from her opponent. Twilight’s ears twitched as she heard something that she couldn’t believe. A gentle, amused chuckle left the pegasus’ muzzle.
“You really need to calm down, Twi. I’ll handle this. Trust me, this punk’ll be face-first in the dirt in ten seconds flat.”
Twilight wanted to refute Rainbow’s confident claim, something that the unicorn was no stranger to doing, but the words became caught in her throat. Something about her just didn’t seem right. Well, perhaps ‘right’ wasn’t the most appropriate term. She just seemed so different. It had been a long stretch of time since the two have seen each other, and any number of things could’ve happened to Rainbow. The dungeon’s oppressive atmosphere was certainly having an effect on Twilight; what if the same could’ve been said for Rainbow?
As she stood there, looking potential death in the eye, Rainbow just seemed to radiate with confidence. However, unlike most other times where her confidence was just a façade to hide the worry or fear that she actually felt, what she displayed now seemed—no, was—real. There was no fear hiding behind Rainbow’s eyes. She was ready for whatever was coming next, and she actually seemed excited about it.
"What happened to you?" Twilight muttered.
“Well? What’re you waiting for?” Rainbow asked the hooded mare. “You were so quick to attack Twilight, why not pick on a pony your own size?”
The mare didn’t back down, but she didn’t advance, either. Considering how little time she wasted before attacking Twilight, the unicorn only saw it as a plausible conclusion to say that she was intimidated, or at least acting much more carefully with Rainbow. She was sizing the pegasus up, and if Twilight had to guess, the hooded mare didn't like what she saw.
A few short seconds of inactivity passed before Rainbow let out an amused snort. She liked where this was going. “So, that’s how it’s gonna be, huh? Alright, then.” She got down low, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. “If you’re not gonna bring the fight to me, then I’ll just bring it to you!”
With a mighty push from her hind legs, Rainbow launched herself forward, charging towards the hooded mare at a frightening speed. Twilight could only stand by in wide-eyed awe as the distance between the two mares closed in what couldn’t have been two seconds. “H-how can she… She's so fast!”
Despite the pegasus’ impressive speed, however, her opponent still didn’t move a single muscle. When only mere inches were between them, Rainbow drew her hoof back, ready to deliver a devastating blow, putting all of her momentum behind the attack. Still, the mare before her didn’t move, not even to dodge the attack. That hardly bothered the pegasus. As far as she was concerned, that just made her an easier target. Rainbow threw her hoof forward, only to find herself swinging at thin air.
The surprise on Rainbow’s face was clear as day as she staggered forward. “What the hay? Where’d she go?” She knew that Twilight told her that the opponent was fast, but she couldn’t have had anything more than a split-second to react. There were inches between them, she shouldn’t have missed. But more importantly, where did the mare even go?
“Rainbow, behind you!” Twilight shouted.
The pegasus whipped around just in time to find the hooded assailant preparing her own blow, a full-force buck aimed right for the chest. Rainbow barely had enough time to place her legs up to block as the mare kicked out her hind legs. Even then, she may as well have been blocking a sledgehammer. The impact sent a shock down her bones so severe, she was lucky that they didn’t snap in two. As she stumbled back from the blow, shaking the pain out of her legs, she knew that she was facing a pony much tougher than the scrubs she dealt with before. That fact, instead of instilling fear, only brought an eager smile to Rainbow’s face. It looked like she was finally going to get a challenge. Finally, she was going to get another taste of that thrill she craved.
She planted her hooves firmly on the ground, ready for round two. “Okay, so you pack some punch, I’ll give you that, but don’t get cocky. I’m just getting warmed up.”
Her opponent, finally getting into the swing of things herself, made the first move. In the blink of an eye, she sped towards Rainbow, a hoof flying right towards the pegasus’ face. Rainbow jerked her head off to the side, feeling the breeze against her cheek as the mare’s hoof flew past her. Seeing an opening, Rainbow countered with a swift uppercut. She felt her hoof brush against the mare’s chin as the hooded assailant leapt back, barely avoiding it. Despite not landing a direct blow, a small smile cracked onto Rainbow’s face. It may not have been the satisfying crack that she was hoping for, but it was still a sign that she had a chance.
Not letting up on her assault, Rainbow lunged forward, gearing for another punch. Though the distance between them was virtually nonexistent, just like with her first attempt, as soon as her hoof flew forward, her opponent seemingly vanished into thin air, leaving her swinging at nothing.
Alright, that's starting to get annoying.
Rainbow snapped back to attention when felt wind blow against her as the mare sped by at a speed undetectable by the naked eye. She was getting behind her again.
Rainbow spun around, but was a split-second late. All she felt next was the sharp sting shooting through her head as her attacker landed a punch right to her cheek. The blow wasn’t nearly as powerful as the mare’s buck, but it was still enough to send Rainbow staggering back, dazed. Twilight was right. That mare was fast. Rainbow could barely keep up with her movements.
“Rainbow, you can’t just swing and hope to hit her!” Twilight shouted. “She’s too fast!”
The pegasus shot an annoyed glare at her friend. “Yeah, I see that!” Even in the middle of a fight, Twilight had to steer things from the backseat. But she was right. As things were, the odds weren’t in Rainbow’s favor, and it was going to stay that way unless she did something about it.
Alright, so I’ve gotta change strategies. But how am I supposed to lay a hoof on her when she’s moving so fast?
As though to answer her question, another wave of pain rushed through her head as that voice returned.
“Come now, it is not that complex. Any enemy can be defeated if you approach the fight correctly. If your enemy is strong, avoid their attacks until they tire themselves out. If they are quick, aim at where they will be rather than where they are. Is that such a hard thing to forget? Now try again!”
“Aim at where they’ll be,” Rainbow muttered, almost absentmindedly. She was finally starting to notice something about those voices. She was so annoyed by them at first that she didn't even bother paying attention to them. She couldn’t exactly put her hoof on it, but they didn’t just feel like random bits of memory. No, it felt like they were talking to her. It was a stretch, but it even seemed like the voices, in a way, were trying to help her. But how was that even possible?
“Rainbow, watch out!”
The pegasus was quick to snap out of her trance. Evidently, standing completely still in the middle of a battle wasn’t the best action to take. In the blink of an eye, the hooded mare was on the pegasus like the Apples on apples. It took all she could to avoid the mare’s onslaught of punches aimed at the meatier parts of her face. The two were little more than a blur of motions as Rainbow continued dodging. Each punch sent a breeze past her face that only served to remind her just how close each one was.
Left. Right. Down. Back. As Rainbow avoided the attacks, it felt as though her body was moving on its own, dodging of its own accord. It felt strange, like she had done the motions a thousand times before. It all felt so fluid, so natural, her body not wasting a single movement. And above all, it just felt good. Were those the same things that Shadow felt whenever she did battle? If so, then even Rainbow had to admit that she could see how the mare got her kicks.
Finally, after ducking under a particularly vicious haymaker, Rainbow darted forward, throwing out a punch of her own. As expected, the hooded mare sped clear out of range in an instant. Rainbow wasn’t even trying to hit her that time; she just wanted to make some room. She needed time to focus.
Aim at where they’ll be. Aim at where they’ll be. It wasn’t guaranteed to work, but it was the closest thing to a strategy that Rainbow had. Taking a deep breath, Rainbow glared at the mare before her with determination burning in her eyes. She wasn’t going to allow her to land a third blow. “Alright, I’m ready. Gimme your best shot!”
The hooded mare seemed more than willing to comply with that request. She sped towards Rainbow at an unnatural speed, but the pegasus was ready this time. She wasn’t going to allow her focus to be broken. Though she still couldn’t physically see her, Rainbow’s keen ears still managed to pick up the distinct sound of hoofbeats against concrete. They may have been brief—very brief, in fact—but they were there, and that was all that Rainbow needed in order to predict her movement.
From the sound of it, the mare wasn't approaching her head-on, but in a zigzag pattern, obviously trying to throw Rainbow off. She was having none of it; she merely waited as the mare grew closer, ready to lash out when the time came.
Okay. From the sound of it, she should be right…
Rainbow’s ears twitched as she heard hoofbeats mere inches away from her.
…here!
Rainbow spun around, throwing out a hoof at her chosen target. She wouldn’t have been able to notice in the heat of battle, but a smile broke out onto her face as her hoof made satisfyingly forceful contact with her attacker’s face. The sudden blow disrupted the mare’s flow, sending her staggering down the hall.
Gotcha!
Unfortunately for the mare, Rainbow was far from done. The pegasus finally found an opening, and she wasn’t going to let it slip away.
With newfound gusto, Rainbow darted towards the dazed mare, cracking her in the head with another vicious hook. She followed up with another, and another, and another. With the mare right where she wanted her, Rainbow refused to stop until she was certain that the mare wouldn’t get back up. Each blow sent a shock up her legs, one that only brought more smiles to Rainbow’s face.
And one more for good measure!
The pegasus pivoted on her front legs and kicked out her hind legs. She felt the satisfying impact of her back hooves striking the mare square in the chest with tremendous force. The blow sent the hooded assailant crumbling to the ground, battered, bloodied, and unconscious. Taking in heavy breaths, Rainbow stood over her fallen foe, victorious, not that it surprised her.
"Yeah, you're fast, sure, but you're still dealing with Equestria's fastest here."
With that obstacle conquered, Rainbow turned her attention back towards Twilight. The unicorn could only stare back, jaw threatening to hit the floor. For the longest time, the two just stared at each other in utter silence until Twilight, against her pained body’s complaints, darted forward, wrapping Rainbow in a tight hug, one that the pegasus returned.
As she stood there, wrapping Twilight in a warm embrace, all of Rainbow's anger and frustrations just seemed to disappear. It was at that moment when she knew that everything was going to be okay. For everypony.
“What’d I say?” Rainbow asked, petting Twilight’s mane. “Ten seconds flat.”
“That was technically a minute and a half,” Twilight quickly replied.
Rainbow just shrugged. “Eh, details, details. I still won, right?” The two enjoyed a quick laugh, savoring the first light-hearted moment they’ve had in a while.
“It’s so good to see you again,” Twilight said, tears rolling down her face. “I was worried that something had happened to you.”
“C’mon, you know me. It’s gonna take way more than these punks to bring me down. I mean, sure I had a close call with the dungeon collapsing, but then again, that was all me.”
Twilight’s eyes snapped wide open as she looked Rainbow dead in the eye. “So that was you?”
A small chuckle left Rainbow’s muzzle. “Well, duh. What, that’s a surprise?” She received a light punch to the shoulder before the two shared another embrace. Unfortunately, although they both wanted that moment to last for as long as possible, they both knew that they weren’t finished yet. Far from it.
“We still need to find the others,” Twilight said, still holding on to Rainbow.
“Yeah. Don’t worry too much, though. I think I found a trail right before I came to grab you. It’ll lead us right to ‘em.” She finally let go of Twilight, looking over the unicorn’s battered figure. It really was a good thing that Rainbow showed up when she did. Twilight looked like she’d just been through Tartarus and back. She didn’t even want to imagine what would’ve happened if she was too late. “Can you walk?”
Though Twilight’s breathing was still heavy, it seemed like she regained enough energy to move again. “Yes, I’ll be fine.” Granted, she still wasn’t ready for another fight with an Eclipse member, but if all went well, she wouldn’t get into another one.
Rainbow nodded, another soft smile on her face. “Let’s get outta here before more of these guys show up. I’m starting to get sick of this place.”
“I’m with you on that one.”
With some much-needed room to breathe again, Twilight followed Rainbow down the corridor and, hopefully, towards her friends. She could hardly believe it, but she could finally see a light at the end of that long, dark tunnel. It was only a matter of time before this nightmare came to end, and with her Rainbow at her side and the others practically in sight, that nightmare was going to end very, very soon.
She could only hope that they weren’t too late.
----
Shockingly enough, it seemed like things were actually starting to go according to the thing that Star Light haphazardly threw together as a ‘plan’. With Celestia finally thinking with a calm, clear head, a massive weight was taken off of her shoulders. Of course, though, it was immediately replaced with the task of protecting the Elements of Harmony. Not one pony, not two ponies, but six. Six! It didn’t help that she only knew two of them, and considering how difficult it was to get Twilight to trust her, she couldn’t help but feel that things were going to be unnecessarily complicated for all parties involved. However, what she thought was going to happen didn’t matter at the moment. What mattered was actually finding them first, and praying that she’d find them alive.
She had heard the tell-tale sounds of battle not too long ago, and that was serving as her only beacon of direction. She could’ve sworn that she heard Twilight cry out during the scuffle; hopefully it didn’t mean what Star thought it meant.
“‘Let me go on my own,’ she said. ‘I can handle myself,’ she said. Goodness, why did I do something so stupid?” Star didn’t want to think about what could’ve happened to the unicorn during her absence. She would figure out what to do next once she saw things for herself. Until then, she just focused on galloping towards the source of the noise. The sooner that she could get out of that accursed dungeon, the better.
Thankfully, it didn’t take her very long before she came across an interesting sight. In following the noise, she came across two members of the Eclipse, both unconscious.
“What in the world?” Star Light muttered as she observed the scene.
One of the fallen members, a stallion grunt, was merely locked to the ground with magical restraints. Purple restraints. Star didn’t even need to think twice about who was responsible for that. So, Twilight had been through there, but that still didn’t explain the other one.
The other member, a mare, unlike the stallion, was merely knocked unconscious. Or beaten into unconsciousness, from the looks of it. Her face was beaten and bloodied. It didn’t make sense, though. Judging by the symbols adorning her robes, she was a member of high rank and skill. That wasn’t all that drew Star’s attention, either. The unicorn also felt an odd source of magic emanating from the mare, a cause for interest seeing as how she was an earth pony. Star Light had her theories, though.
The pink mare rummaged through the fallen pony’s robes until she found what she was looking for. She could tell exactly what it was just from its warm, jagged texture. Taking it out, she found that her suspicions were confirmed.
Star Light held before her a sapphire of the deepest blue whose core shone a faint orange. It contained a strong, potent source of energy, an enchantment of some kind. Just having it on one’s person would allow them to benefit from its effects. Judging by its appearance, it seemed to be one that increased a pony’s speed by a frightening degree.
No point in letting this get in the wrong hooves, I suppose.
Star Light dropped the fragile gem on the floor and brought a mighty hoof down upon it, shattering it to bits. The magic contained inside burst into the air, only to quickly dissipate into nothing. Star Light felt that she had no use for such tools; if she was going to defeat her enemy, then she would do so without the aid of such sorceries.
However, that still begged the question. If the mare lying unconscious at Star’s hooves was of a high rank, with an enchantment, no less, then how could she have possibly fallen in battle?
“Was it Twilight?” Star asked aloud. She had seen a glimpse of the unicorn’s magical power first-hoof. It certainly wasn't anything that she wanted to be on the business end of. Even then, however, it seemed like a stretch. “No, no. That can’t be right. She's strong, but these guys are on a different level entirely.” Who else did that leave? One of her comrades? No, the consequences of interfering with another’s mission without permission were too severe for them to be that stupid. But if not, then who else could’ve defeated such a formidable foe?
Star Light gasped as the realization slammed into her. “Oh, that’s bad. That’s really, really bad.” If Rainbow Dash was already at such a level of skill that she could essentially mop the floor with one of the Eclipse’s higher ranked warriors, then she was only going to attract more to match her. If Twilight and the others were caught in that kind of crossfire, it could very well be one that they wouldn’t walk away from.
She needed to hurry. She did not come this far to fail now. She’d see to it that they all left that dungeon alive and well. She’d stake her life on it.
Stats
Page generated in 0.051 seconds
Total duration
1,068 users online
2,235,867 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
3452327
This reminds me of a tale from my high school years. I went to a small school less than 3000 students between grades k-12 [i'm from the rural Midwest] I had an English teacher who was fond of the Harry Potter series. Being a teacher or in most any profession you rarely have time to get to such things immediately with work to be done. Quite soon after the release of the sixth book, possibly the next school day but it could have been a few weeks. A student walked in to his first class that morning with a shirt the read "Snape kills Dumbledore on page XXX." I cant recall which page it was but basically the worst thing you can do. He was irritated that day and we didn't do much in class.
images.wikia.com/mlp/images/0/0a/FANMADE_RarityMINE.gif
1. Shorter chapters can help send out your fic more quickly, and the frequent updates will keep people wanting to stay for more. But it also tends to lead into that 'obligation' of sending things out quickly enough to satisfy the readers long enough so they don't form a riot
)
(I'm kidding... um... actually I remember it sort of happening to a friend writer
Shorter chapters can also alleviate (from some readers), the large bulks of text though that's just purely situational. What is cool actually, is that eventually when you reach this fic's climax the shorter chapters add up to be a really long fic.
As for longer chapters, you can get more actual story into them, and so that makes things like speeding up the plot arc, and getting to that next part you really want to write a much easier thing to accomplish.
In my opinion, I would try to keep a healthy balance of the two when they're needed. You're going to need more comments than just this one though to make a desision
2. I'd see her as Ezio. From an observational point of view, her robes match the style that Ezio can get in AC2 (technically Altair's, but he really dyed the crap out of it, wow!). She's got enough of his cocky younger-version self of Ezio's persona. Like being rash, trying to pick fights, cunning in certain cases when she's patient long enough to assess the situation, and of course the hoof-to-hoof street-style brawler fighting style. She is also compassionate for her friends and allies, and like Ezio, will get angry and go after ponies if they threaten them. If she does resemble more like Ezio, I'm hoping that with age, she will learn to be more wise yet still having that fun outlook of being a free-running carefree individual.
She would be Altair if she were more colder in terms of getting her jobs done. Conner isn't really a good fit, since he's portrayed as a humble naturalistic warrior only needing to fight when he needs to. What can I say, RD likes a fight
Edward Kenway is sort of like her in the sense that they both have that arrogance, wanting the fame and staying loyal to themselves and their crew/friends. However, I don't really see Rainbow Dash becoming a pirate anytime soon, and she's not completely lost within her own desires and wants.
And Haytham... HE'S A TEMPLAR DAMMIT, I keep forgetting that!
Desmond is the exact polar opposite of Rainbow Dash. He literally spent approximately 4.5/5 games lying on his back or reclining in a chair
3. I still didn't see it yet. I was too busy trying to get my 98% to 100% synchronyzation for that game. What can I say yet again? I like taking that nice detour when I notice four Man O' Wars in the distance
HOLY SHIT WHY ARE THESE REPLIES ALWAYS SO DAMN LONG!?!?
Things are moving along smoothly.
fc02.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/349/d/2/12don___robotnik_by_zet-d4j7502.png
Yeeeeeeees.
MINE MINE MINE!
(opens eyes)
And the prodigal asshole returns!
Dash is clearly Desmond....though if you're asking which PAST LIFE she's like, I'd say a toss up between Ezio and Conner.
As for Question 1, if it's so short one can read it in under 5 minutes, it's too short, regardless of how often the updates come.
3455705
No offense intended, but I can't tell if that's a hint that you found this chapter too short, or if it's just something for me to keep in mind in the future.
Id say intersperse the short and long ones,
I'm willing to wait for longer chapters, but there are people who aren't. So, maybe you should go with sorta medium length chapters to keep everyone happy.
I'd say she's most like ezio at the start of AC2.
See 3455632 for reasons.
Best assassin
For the first question, I actually really like this length, when chapters are too long I start to put them off, around this lenght I always read them pretty much right on sight. Shorter would feel a bit underwhelming.
I'd say Rainbow's the most like Ezio. But more because she's basically nothing like other Assassin's than her being too much like Ezio. (By the way, I'm excluding Edward 'cause I haven't played AC4 yet, waiting for the PC version and stuff.)
Also, I have never watched DBZ abridged and didn't notice anything weird or out of place.
Which means the reference was subtle and not too forced.
Which means it's not bad.
Exio
3455723 Lengthwise, the chapter was okay. In terms of plot devlopement...it's tough for me to explain what's up with this chapter but it feels either rushed or like it's only seperate from the preceeding one because it wasn't written yet, if that makes sense.
I dunno, I read really fast and having 30+ fics updating sporadically gets annoying sometimes :p
1. I'd go for longer chapters. It gives a better development through the story instead of a lot of small rushed chapters.
2. Ezio from AC2. Him being young, arrogant, wild and him often ending in brawls.
3. Well of nopony else will then I will.
Ahem.
Stargate, Sparkle, UBISOFT
Nod at the boat and ponies die
Everywhere ponies die
(That's a call back)
1st: this is kind of give and take. In short chapters, you give up the details for better viewers, however, most of it could miss the quality you earned in the previous chapters. In long chapters you lose your quantity, however, you can the describe more and get a better quality. In short: anything between 5000 and 10000 words are perfect as chapter wise.
3455792 I almost forgot to mention that they're both such colourful characters
i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu32/Chupanesko/Assassins-Creed-Brotherhood---Blending.jpg
Shorter chapters. I don't want to spend 15 minutes reading the same chapter.
Well... okay, I can't really contribute to the first question, because I am easily capable of taking on 20k words chapters... so yeah...
Second question, nope, only played first AC and I don't remember that much.
Third one... well... as you might imagine, I'm not really interested in the games and their trailers, so have this instead:
I honestly see Rainbow as the most recent assassin we've seen, Edward Kenway. Reason being, they're both brash, over confident, and both have a need for fame and fortune (or at least the fame part). Then there's the fact that they both remain loyal to their crews (Edward's literal crew, and Rainbow's crew of friends).
3455922
This is the longest he's ever gone without killin' anyone.
He wonders if his future son will carry on the tradition of killing everyone he see's
It's his lunch break luckily
Toast of equality!
1. I like shorter, more frequent chapters honestly, if my comment in chapter 18 wasn't already an indication of that.
2. ERROR. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REQUIRED... *REBOOTING*
Ahem, eheh, did I say-- I mean, I haven't played any but the first two (and only part of each of them at that), so I can't really say yet. Between the two I'd say she's more like Altair at the moment, but we'll see!
3.
So that's what that nonsense was!
RE: P.S.: Oooh, a DBZ Abridged reference? How'd I miss that D: Now I must re-read the chapter.
Nice chapter.
Now to answer the questions:
1. I think longer chapters are better because Its easier to get pulled in everytime, and you have more time to get completly immersed into the story.
2. I think its best if she is not compared to any of them, like 3455813 said Rainbow is best assasin and shouldn't be tailored to lesser ones.
3. Wait for the PC release.
Whatever you decide, just keep it awesome.
3457594
Here's a hint: Re-watch episode 36. The reference should be clear as day after that.
Stargate, ubisoft, sparkle,
Nod at the boat and people die,
Everywhere people die...
1. Shorter Chapters - Keeps me entertained instead of waiting a whole week.
2. Probably Ezio in start of AC2 Mostly because of her rashness and cocky attitude and her robe styles.
3. Stargate, Ubisoft, SPARKLE!
Not at the boat and people die
Everywhere people die
(That's a callback)
3458736
(That's a call back)
This is the longest he's gone without killing anyone
He wonders if his future son will carry out the tradition of killing everyone he sees.
I too see RD as Ezio at the beginning of AC2, but also see some Altaïr in there, as in she knows whats right, but overconfident in her own skill and abilities
I have the perfect name for the sequel.
It's taken me a week but I've read through it all now. I have but one question... Do you have a reference for Shadow and her robes?
3461540 I too am interested in this. You can find Shadow herself as FoughtDragon01's avatar, though I was always curious to see an artist rendering of Shadow's robes.
Just a question out there, do they look similar to the OC's robes in my avatar or is it the white version? I based mine off from Ezio's Revelations outfit with a mix of some others.
)
(And i still haven't mentioned his name yet. It is quite embarrasing for the hilarity of this anecdote of irony
3461540
A reference? Not necessarily. I don't have pictures that show exactly what they look like. Technically, my profile picture is a rough depiction of what Shadow looks like, but as you've probably already noticed, it's just a recoloring of Rainbow Dash. As for her robes, well, she wears two different sets. Up until chapter 10, Shadow's robes resemble Altair's from AC1. The new ones that Resona gave her more closely resemble Ezio's robes from AC: Brotherhood. So far, that's the best way for me to describe them. I hope that's sufficient, and I apologize if it isn't.
3461644
Fanarts.
i.imgur.com/VE9BtWv.png
Icon for FD01 if you want it. (Contact me if it's too small or large ect.)
i.imgur.com/waGnrU2.png
3465455
........Wow.......
i.imgur.com/HXFO2.gif
Hot damn! These are not bad. No, sir, not bad at all. I can't even begin to describe the dumb smile I've got on my face right now. Thank you. Seriously. You've got no idea how happy this makes me. And I assume that you wouldn't mind if I use that as a new cover art, right?
And by the way, the profile pic works perfectly. Again, thank you.
3465612
Not a problem :) I really like your story and ideas so I wanted to show my appreciation and you can of course use it as cover art if you want :)
W.ow,....... Just..... Amazing
That was a great chapter
As for your first question chapters between 3k and 10 are about the right size for my reading. 
for your second question I would have to say Ezio but still you really can't compare Rainbow with any of the other assassins because she is her own pony 
As for your third I haven't played many assassin games so can't do much with that one 
Now for the meat of the story I love how you kept Twilight innocent to a point I was getting worried that she would change too much 
But that also says something about Twilight's will as well 
Also that was a great fight scene if I think you did well enough in describing such a active scene without out slowing down too much 
I WANT MOAR SOON 
If that is alright with you 
3465612
Oh and I forgot to ask... Does the robe design look okay? I tried to follow your description as much as I could :P
3465972
Believe me, they look absolutely fine. You've got nothing to worry about.
Best chapter ever!!! Love the DBZ Abridged reference. Also ezio, the first assassin I played. (Revelation version)
1. I enjoy the long chapters, you are able to have not just more story, but also detail (room for fights
)
2. Ezio for sure. She has the arrogance that he has when he is younger and just starting out as an assassin. After all, Rainbow is finally getting action in only a few hours.
This was also necessary because I need to practice night scenes... And because I need practice drawing in general :P
i.imgur.com/srEVChj.png
new cover art!!!!!! it's awesome BTW. Artemis, you have my complements. this one is more of a literal look at things, how Rainbow is walking the path of Shadow. the last one was more symbolic, how Rainbow was in Shadow's robes. i like them both and think they're both skilled artists.
PS. nice job with the tree, some would completely forget that trees take forever to grow and when they do it's in the same spot and stuff. i almost thought that the tree in the bottom half was just further back, then i remembered that trees grow.
but yeah, good job!!
3468388
good job on all artwork you've done with this story, but i thought that Luna was a mere filly when the mentor was alive. just a thought about the mare in the moon in the top left.
3469321
Ohhhh yeah... Fixed now
3469420
good job!
thanks. other than that it's technically acurate with the storyline! i'm one to fuss over the tiny details and other than the moon i didnt see anything wrong!
3460835
It's his lunch break luckily.
Toast of Equality!
Hurry with the toast,
There's a drunken hot mare walking to the right!
Bet she'd love to see a fight...
... Magical gem that seemingly indefinitely enhances speed and strength just by possessing it? Smash it into a million pieces, because being practical and/or genre-savvy is reserved for survivors and badasses!
Idiots who think bullshit like "if she was going to defeat her enemy, then she would do so without the aid of such sorceries" have this wonderful tendency of dying horribly. And any character who thinks like that pretty much deserves it. Who throws away presumably free ace-in-the-hole advantage like that? Hopefully-soon-to-be-dead morons, that's who.
Why did you chainged cover art?
Why did you chainge cover art?
3477002
Because the artist went through the trouble of making it, so I only saw it appropriate to use that as new cover art, if only for a time.
This story has kept me staring into my monitor so much that i have a headache. The writing is extremely well done and you can really feel the emotions the characters feel you have created a masterpiece and i am REALLY looking forward to new chapters!
3479309
I like the new cover art. It helps me get an idea of what Shadow looks like!