Chapter 70- Keep Calm and Flutter On
Me: You all can probably guess what's going to happen in this chapter, so I won't hold you from it. I don't own the rights to Naruto Shippuden or My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
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The sun was shining brightly on Inoichi's house as the three ponies and single dragon sat around the table.
"Alright, I've been thinking, and I've come up with a plan of action." Twilight said to the others. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash listened intently to what Twilight had to say.
"Tomorrow, we'll all go to face Rarity together." She said solemly.
"Together? Wouldn't that mean she'd be able to detect us?" Fluttershy asked.
"At this point, detection isn't a concern. It's obvious Rarity knows where we all are anyway, so we might as well use our remaining power to try and stop her. Dividing our forces even more is suicide." Twilight replied.
"Why tomorrow? Why not today?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I can answer that one." Inoichi said.
They all shifted their attention to Inoichi, whom was standing next to Twilight. He cleared his throat before speaking.
"Now, regarding the matter of leaving tomorrow instead of today, Twilight and I have come to this decision after discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each of us."
"Weaknesses? I don't have any." Rainbow Dash said as presumptuously as she could.
"Yes, you do." Inoichi said.
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak but Inoichi shushed her by raising his finger at her. She sat back in her chair with a grunt and crossed her arms.
"Furthermore," Inoichi continued as if nothing had happened. "We are unsure of what is happening to the Path powers that both Applejack and Pinkie Pie possessed."
"What does that mean?" Fluttershy asked nervously.
Twilight looked at her. Twilight could see fear in the Pegasus' eyes. It had been a while since Twilight had seen fear in her eyes. Tid had taught her to be brave, to be less afraid. There were still times when Fluttershy would've gotten scared, but that's only because fear was a natural part of her. Now, that fearful look in her eyes had returned, and, if Twilight could tell, it had gotten worse. Inoichi shrugged.
"Usually the Path powers return to whomever had the powers originally, which in this case would be Tid. However, seeing as Tid's dead, we can't really be sure what's happening to them."
"They're probably with Rarity then!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.
Everyone looked at her in surprise.
"How did you arrive at that conclusion?" Inoichi asked.
"Well think about it: if Tid gave us the Path powers in the first place, and his Chakra or whatever is now inside of Rarity, wouldn't that mean that Rarity gets their powers after she kills them?" She explained.
Twilight and Inoichi looked at each other in mutual astonishment.
"We hadn't considered that as an option before." Inoichi said.
"Is it possible, though?" Twilight asked him. Inoichi placed his hand to his chin in contemplation.
"Perhaps. Since Tid's Chakra is within Rarity, she might be able to use their Path powers when they are defeated." Inoichi replied.
"Then it's a question of whether or not she knows she can use them then." Twilight said. Inoichi nodded.
"If she doesn't, we still have a good chance at victory. However, if she is aware..." He said.
"If she is aware... then?" Fluttershy asked.
"Then we have very little chance of success." Inoichi finished.
Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Spike's eyes widened when they heard this. The words had come like a crack of thunder, electrifying the air around them. Each of them was paralyzed by fear. The room was silent. None of them moved, or even blinked. What were they to do?
Rarity stood on top of a cliff that overlooked Equestria. As she stood there the wind blew about her, causing her dress to billow in the wind. Her mane blew elegantly in the wind, blowing across her face as she looked down at the country she had once fought to protect.
"Equestria..." She said, letting her words flow with the wind. She looked on at the land that stretched before her, the land delicately touched by the sun's shining rays.
"This peace you enjoy is only an illusion," She said. She glanced to her left and saw the sun preparing to set in the far west. She grinned.
"Don't worry, I'll release you from your genjutsu." Letting those words flow from her mouth brought a thought to her mind.
She thought of Tid, her now deceased fiancé. The fact that he was dead seemed to keep refreshing itself in her mind. She could clearly hear his final words to her, as if he were saying them now.
I love you, Rarity.These four words echoed through her mind, and brought tears to her eyes.
The wind stung her eyes as they carried the tears that streamed down her face into the air. She stared at Equestria.
"You shall all know pain," She choked out bitterly.
She activated her Mangekyou Rinnegan. She would avenge Tid's death. It was the only thing she could do now. As the sun touched the horizon it sent a wave of crimson light out across the world, blanketing the world in its red glow. She turned and looked directly at the sun. The sun had changed in color, turning from a golden yellow to a blood red. It seemed to foretell an unpleasant fate for the land that stood to her right. She smirked.
"If that's the way it must be, then I'd be more than happy to oblige." She said as if she had received orders from the sun itself.
These "orders" would fit perfectly in the plan she had set forth. She watched with anticipation as the sun slowly set.
"When the night comes, I will set my plan into action."
Fluttershy stood outside in front of Applejack's grave. No matter how many times Fluttershy visited Applejack, tears always found their way to her eyes. She wiped her eyes and reread the inscription on Applejack's grave. She ran her eyes over the words, but she couldn't draw any meaning from them. She couldn't seem to register those words in her mind. No matter how many times she read it, she couldn't bring herself to take in the words. She turned away from the grave and sat down in the shade of the tree. The sun had set a while ago, the moon now shining brightly on the land. Fluttershy looked up at the stars and began to cry, her heart filled with too much sadness to do anything else. No body had been found, but they all knew their dear friend Pinkie Pie had found the same fate as Applejack. Fluttershy didn't know whether she should be angry with Rarity, or with herself. She had been too afraid to offer to fight Rarity. Had she the courage, she probably could've taken Rarity out without her friends having to die. She gritted her teeth and wiped her eyes with her hoof. She slammed the other hoof on the ground with as much fury as she could.
She stared at the ground, the cool night air encompassing her with a cold embrace. She stood up and began to take a walk. She didn't have a destination in mind, but she didn't plan to go far. She walked down the path and came up at a lake not too far from Inoichi's house. The lake was surrounded on almost all sides by forest, which Fluttershy liked. She had discovered this lake a few days after arriving at Inoichi's house. She walked to the edge of the water and stepped in, feeling the cold water flow around her hooves. The moon's rays shone on the black lake, illuminating it to make the surface a smooth mirror. Fluttershy stared down at this mirror, staring at her own reflection for a time. After a short while, Fluttershy felt the wind pick up dramatically, distorting the image that was reflected back to her as the wind forced the lake to form tiny waves. She glanced behind her and jumped, losing her balance and falling into the icy water.
"What's the matter, Fluttershy? You look as if you've seen a ghost." The black figure said.
Fluttershy sat in terror at what stood before her. The figure was shrouded in shadows from the torso up.
"No, let me rephrase that," It said. Fluttershy knew exactly who this was. The mare walked forward, her brilliant blue eyes shining with malicious intent.
"You look as if you've seen a nightmare."
Rarity laughed maliciously as Fluttershy stared at her in fear. Fluttershy seemed petrified by Rarity's mere presence.
"Well go on, stand up and defend yourself." Rarity said. Fluttershy swallowed and slowly stood to her hooves.
"Good. Now, I'll let you have the first strike." Rarity said for a challenge. Fluttershy didn't move, seemingly stuck in the water as if it were concrete. Rarity stood there in amusement.
"Rarity, will you answer something for me?" Fluttershy asked nervously.
"Answer something for you? I suppose." Rarity replied somewhat surprised.
"I-is Pinkie Pie... Dead?" She asked. Rarity's eyes widened at these words.
They stung her heart like a dagger opening a closed wound. Rarity almost couldn't bring herself to answer.
"Yes." She answered finally.
Fluttershy's eyes widened with horror, tears flowing in a constant stream from them. Fluttershy continued to stand motionless in the water, her body not moving save for the jerking of her shoulders as she sobbed.
"If you're upset then do something about it!" Rarity shouted. Fluttershy opened her eyes and stared at Rarity, tears still flowing down her face.
"Is this how you're going to repay their sacrifices?! Through inaction?! Do you even care that they died at all?!" Rarity shouted.
Fluttershy gritted her teeth, Rarity's words seeming to spark a fire within the mare. In an instant Fluttershy was in front of Rarity and she punched Rarity in the face with enough force to send her flying. Rarity flew through the air and slammed into the trunk of a tree with enough force to send some of the weaker branches falling to the ground. Rarity winced with pain. She didn't have time to react as Fluttershy grabbed her by the dress and threw her into the air, following her and delivering a devastating series of blows to her mid-section and upper torso. Rarity could feel a few of her ribs break and she spewed blood as Fluttershy continued to punch her over and over with rapid succession. Finally Fluttershy finished off the onslaught with a powerful kick to Rarity's stomach that sent her crashing to the ground, a cloud of dust springing from the impact site.
Rarity winced with pain as Fluttershy hovered in the air above her, staring at her with blazing eyes. The pain that came from her mid-section was nearly unbearable. Rarity could taste the familiar metallic taste of blood in her mouth. She used as much energy as she could to stand up, her limbs feeling as if they were made of lead. Rarity stood, panting from the effort of standing.
"It seems I underestimated... Just how much power you possess, Fluttershy." Rarity said, pausing as she winced with pain.
She spit to clear her mouth of the blood and opened the Second Gate.
"There, that feels a little better." She said as she felt her breathing stabilize and the pain die down. Rarity activated the Mangekyou Rinnegan.
"Well, I gave you the first strike, so now it's my turn." She said.
Rarity jumped into the air and stared Fluttershy in the face before going into hoof-to-hoof combat with the mare. Fluttershy's power was surprisingly immense, able to nearly overpower Rarity even with two Gates open. If Tid had taught her how to use the Eight Gates, Rarity wouldn't stand a chance in physical combat. Rarity managed to get a punch to land on Fluttershy's stomach that slowed her down enough for Rarity to grab her and use gravity to pull them down and slam her into the ground. Another cloud of dust sprang into the air around them. Fluttershy winced in pain and Rarity stood above her.
"This is going to be more fun than I had originally thought." Rarity said.
Rarity lifted Fluttershy by her dress using her teeth and threw her into the air. Fluttershy managed to turn her body to face Rarity and began to fly with amazing speed toward her, moving so fast visible wisps of wind could be seen surrounding her. Rarity watched with amazement as Fluttershy flew toward her, a fierce look on Fluttershy's face. Rarity had never seen her so angry. Fluttershy plowed into Rarity with incredible force, winding Rarity and forcing her to cough up blood. Fluttershy drove them both back and Rarity dug her hooves into the ground to try and slow their momentum, grabbing Fluttershy and attempting to resist her. Finally they slowed down enough for Rarity to pry Fluttershy off of her stomach and drive her into the ground. Rarity took that time to get her breath back. Using the Mangekyou Rinnegan Rarity was able to see Fluttershy's surprise attack and dodge it before jumping away. Fluttershy rose to her hooves, hardly even damaged from that last bout.
"You seem to be incredibly strong, Fluttershy. However, can you handle three Gates?" Rarity asked.
The air around her rose rapidly into the air, seeming to form a wall of wind around her. Her skin color didn't change but she took on a glowing green aura as she opened the Third Gate.
"Third, The Wound Gate, open!" She said. She felt her strength increase as she stood there. Fluttershy got into a fighting stance.
"Bring it on, Rarity."
Rarity launched herself at Fluttershy, crossing the distance between the two of them in the blink of an eye and shattering the ground underneath her hooves with the pressure of the Third Gate. Fluttershy blocked Rarity's strike but stumbled a little, allowing Rarity to sweep her hooves out from under her. Fluttershy fell to the ground and Rarity grabbed her once more by her dress and threw her into the air, this time releasing Tid's chains and wrapping Fluttershy in them. She grabbed Fluttershy's arms and bound them, spinning rapidly as they plummeted toward the ground and drove Fluttershy into the ground, performing the Frontal Lotus. The ground cracked from the pressure of the attack and clouds of dust were sent flying into the air. Rarity released Fluttershy and stood over her, panting. Fluttershy's head was bleeding from a seemingly fatal injury. Rarity smirked, still catching her breath.
"It seems you weren't up to the task after all," She said.
She turned around and began to walk away when she felt her hooves swept from under her. Rarity's eyes widened in surprise as she fell to the ground, wincing as she hit the side of her head on the ground. She sat up and was astonished to see Fluttershy standing, her head bleeding heavily and panting. She had a fierce look in her eyes and a scowl on her face. Rarity stood giving a grin.
"Well, well, I'm impressed Fluttershy. Once again you've surpassed my expectations," She said.
"Why did you kill them, Rarity?" She asked; her scowl and glare not wavering for a second. Rarity chuckled.
"Fluttershy dear, you already know the answer to that, don't you?" She said.
Fluttershy just stood there, glaring at Rarity.
"Well, if I must refresh your memory, I will. You see, I killed Applejack and Pinkie Pie because I wanted to have my revenge on them for sending Tid to die."
"That's a lie! They didn't send Tid to die!" Fluttershy shouted in anger. Rarity tilted her head in amusement.
"Oh? Are you saying I'm wrong?" Rarity asked.
"They would never send Tid to die and you know that!"
"Silence! You know damn well they did! I know for a fact they did!"
"How?!"
"I heard you say it!" Rarity shouted in fury.
"That's a lie! We never said that!" Fluttershy shouted.
"Lies!" Rarity shouted as she ignited her body. She was furious at this point. Fluttershy had the audacity to lie straight to her face? She opened the Fifth Gate.
"I've had enough of this! It's time to die!" Rarity said.
Fluttershy stood there, staring at Rarity with anger in her eyes. Rarity moved and was behind Fluttershy faster than she could blink. She kicked Fluttershy in the flank and sent her flying a short distance from the ground. Before she could land, Rarity was underneath her, and kicked her into the air. Fluttershy could feel her ribs break, and the air leave her lungs. Rarity launched herself at Fluttershy, shattering the ground beneath her. Rarity was going for the Hidden Lotus. Fluttershy managed to get off a kick that landed on Rarity's face, sending her crashing to the ground. Fluttershy used her strength to flap her wings to fly. She managed to hover higher than she though Rarity could possibly jump. She was panting, trying to reclaim her lost breath.
"Now... It's my turn." Fluttershy said. She raised her hooves above her head and thrust them downward, summoning Ryujin.
Rarity watched as Ryujin appeared in a cloud of smoke, falling rapidly toward her. If he landed, he would crush her with his massive body.
"Almighty Push!" Rarity shouted as she put a massive amount of energy into suspending Ryujin in the air.
Ryujin collided with the Almighty Push and the Almighty Push held him in the air. Rarity's face was beading with sweat as she struggled to maintain the jutsu. She used her strength to stand and tried to push Ryujin away from her. Ryujin slowly began to move toward the lake. When he was a safe distance away, she let him drop into the water, causing a massive wave to race toward land. She began to pant from the massive amount of effort she had put into the jutsu. She looked up at Fluttershy, who was also panting. Now was Rarity's chance. She bent her legs and crouched in a position that prepared her to leap into the air, even despite not having her breath back yet, and opened the Sixth Gate. She jumped with all of her force, once again shattering the ground in a wide radius around her. It didn't take long to reach Fluttershy's position; much to the latter's surprise. She raised her hoof and brought it down on Fluttershy's head, sending her flying toward the ground. Rarity then produced some of Tid's chains and wrapped Fluttershy in them. She pulled back with as much force as she could on the chains that bound Fluttershy and she rose rapidly into the air. As she approached, Rarity delivered a kick to her mid-section and a punch to her face at the same time and she flew into the ground, cracking the ground from her impact and sending clouds of dust into the air.
Rarity landed on her hooves, panting from the effort of performing the Hidden Lotus. She watched as the dust began to settle, revealing a motionless Fluttershy that lay in the middle of the rubble. With her Mangekyou Rinnegan, Rarity could see that Fluttershy's Chakra had not yet left the mare. She could see two forms of Chakra within her body, one that resembled normal Chakra, then another Chakra that she was not familiar with. Rarity walked forward and placed her hooves on Fluttershy, who still didn't move. She then began absorbing Fluttershy's Chakra; absorbing the one she was familiar with first. As she was absorbing Fluttershy's Chakra, Fluttershy began to shift. She opened her eyes and lifted her head weakly to look at Rarity.
"Rarity, please, kill me." She whispered.
"Oh I will, don't worry. Your end shall come soon." Rarity said.
"I'm... Sorry I voted to kill you... Rarity." She said, her breathing getting weaker.
Blood was pouring out of the corners of her mouth and her vibrant green eyes were losing their luster.
"You're sorry?" Rarity asked in confusion. Fluttershy tried to nod, but winced from the pain.
"You were... My best... Friend..." She said. Rarity stopped absorbing her Chakra for a moment.
"I know..." She said staring at the mare. Fluttershy gave a weak smile.
"If I was... To die... I'd rather... It be... By your hoof... Rarity..." She said. At that moment she lifted her arm.
"Come here... Rarity... I want... To give you... My power..." She said. Rarity walked forward and let Fluttershy place her hoof on Rarity's arm.
The blood marking that Tid had written on Fluttershy's forehead reappeared, gradually fading away as Fluttershy gave Rarity her Path power. When it was completely faded, Fluttershy let her arm fall back to her side.
"Fluttershy, why are you helping me?" Rarity asked in confusion.
"I told you... You are my... Best friend... Besides... I feel... Somehow... Everything... Will be alright... Eventually... Then we can... Go back to... The way... It was..." She replied through her heavy breaths.
Her breathing was getting even weaker and her eyes were beginning to turn gray. Rarity resumed taking her Chakra, assisting the mare in her death.
"Rarity..." Fluttershy said. Rarity looked down at Fluttershy's face.
"Tell the others... I'm sorry..." Fluttershy finished.
"I will..." Rarity promised. Rarity could feel Fluttershy's Chakra beginning to run out.
"One... Last... Thing..." Fluttershy said. Rarity looked once more upon Fluttershy's pale face.
"Please... Don't... Hate me..." She said. At that moment Fluttershy's Chakra ran out and the life left her eyes. She raised her hoof and shut Fluttershy's eyes.
"It's alright, Fluttershy. Everything will be alright."
At that moment Rarity heard a twig snap somewhere in the forest. She scanned the area with her Mangekyou Rinnegan and found the source of the noise. She used the Universal Pull to bring the zebra forward. She let Zecora drop a few feet from her.
"Hello again Zecora, it's been a while." Rarity said. Zecora said nothing as she stood up and looked at Rarity with fear.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Rarity asked in amusement.
"While in the woods I almost ran, but now I want to know your plan." Zecora said in the same rhythmic way she always spoke.
"You want to know my plan? Hmm, I suppose. Since you can't do anything to stop me, I'll tell you." Rarity said. She turned her back to Zecora and began explaining her plan.
"You see, Zecora, this world has many emotions, as I'm sure you're aware." She began.
Zecora stared cautiously at Rarity, putting weight on her hind hooves so as to flee at a moment's notice.
"I'm sure you're also aware that I have killed three of my closest friends. Do you know why?" Rarity asked as she glanced over her shoulder.
"No, I do not," Zecora replied. Rarity turned back around to face her.
"I have had to kill three of my closest friends because they do not understand the loss I feel for my dear Tid. I have a plan to fix that. Through their sacrifices, I won't have to kill anyone else." Rarity said.
"This problem you plan to fix, by adding more blood to the mix?" Zecora asked. Rarity chuckled.
"Yes, I suppose that's one way to look at it. You see, I needed Fluttershy's Path power for a very special task that Ryujin must take care of for me. Using him, I'll be able to infiltrate the castle in Canterlot and kill Princess Celestia herself." Zecora's eyes widened.
"What?" She asked in astonishment. Rarity nodded.
"That is only the first phase of my plan. Once she is dead, no one will be able to stop me from taking over the Crystal Heart in the Crystal Empire." She said.
"You appear to be very smart, so what do you want with the Crystal Heart?" Zecora asked.
"The Crystal Heart is the most crucial aspect of this entire plan. Using it, I'll convey my feelings all over the world, causing everyone on the planet to feel the same pain that I have felt. That way, everyone will understand, and no one will challenge me." Rarity said with a wicked smile.
"That will bring darkness to all days, you must stop your wicked ways!" Zecora said pointing her hoof at Rarity. Rarity turned once more away from Zecora.
"Now that you know my plan, I'll give you ten seconds." Rarity said.
"Ten seconds?" Zecora asked.
"To run," Rarity replied with a grin. Zecora's eyes widened as Rarity began counting down from ten.
She turned and began running as fast as she possibly could. She was already a fair distance away before Rarity reached zero. Rarity grinned.
"Time for more fun,"
Zecora was running as fast as she could through the woods, her breathing rapid and her heart racing. She kept glancing over her shoulder to see if Rarity was following her. She pushed her way through the shrubbery, thorns from the bushes scraping and cutting her skin. She weaved through the trees, hoping she would be able to get away. The light that shone through the cracks in the trees cast shadows that Zecora had more than once mistaken for the dark mare. She had to make it to Inoichi's house, where she knew the ones that could stop Rarity were located. They had to know her plan. She glanced over her shoulder once more as she heard something behind her and slammed into the nightmare incarnate whom was blocking her path.
"Hello Zecora, I finally caught up to you." She said; her voice filled with malicious intent. Zecora fell to the ground, backing away from Rarity as much as she could.
"Don't worry," Rarity said approaching her slowly.
"I'm not going to kill you." She said.
"Y-you're not?" Zecora asked. Rarity shook her head.
"I'm just going to make sure you can't give them any other assistance." She said.
Zecora stared into Rarity's glowing golden eyes. The ground around Rarity cracked as she opened the Seventh Gate.
"Time for pain,"
Rarity could feel the other type of Chakra flowing through her, ever since she had absorbed it from Fluttershy. She had the familiar sense of more power that she had felt when she had absorbed Applejack's Chakra. With the Seventh Gate open, and this power coursing through her, she felt like she could do anything. She stood there, staring down at Zecora with power practically oozing out of her. Rarity released a bit of Tid's chains and used them to bind Zecora to the ground. Rarity then walked over to her and delivered a powerful punch to Zecora's stomach, winding her. Rarity tightened the chains around Zecora's body and ripped the chains out of the ground, forcing Zecora to lift a short distance into the air. Rarity then kicked her and sent her through two trees before grabbing the chains and jerking them in a different direction. Rarity swung the chains about freely, enjoying herself as she sent Zecora crashing through several tree trunks before sending her high into the air and slamming her down into the ground. The impact had enough force to send cracks running through the ground that reached all the way to Rarity's hooves. Rarity withdrew Tid's chains and walked over to Zecora, who was severely injured by this point. She had a black eye and blood was running from her nose and mouth. Several of her ribs were broken, Rarity could tell. Her hind left leg was also broken, as well as her right arm.
"I think you've had enough." Rarity said with a menacing smile.
"Now, go on and tell the others my plan. Let's just see if they can try and stop me." She laughed maliciously and used her magic to teleport Zecora to Inoichi's front doorstep. After that she turned and began walking toward a place to sleep for the night. She had to regain her strength if she were to defeat Princess Celestia.
"Now, no one can stop me." She said grinning.
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Me: Well, now you all know Rarity's plan.
Rarity: Yes, and they are all powerless to stop me!
Me: Hmm, I'd wait a little while before saying that.
Rarity: What do you mean?
Me: Well, they still have Twilight, Spike, and Rainbow Dash.
Rarity: And?
Me: Nevermind. Anyway, this Arc is just heating up, so I wouldn't miss the rest! See ya next time!