SiE Chapter 12: Twisted ｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣ Part 2

>You watch, helpless, as Spitfire’s stand suckerpunches Rarity while she’s down, before slinking back to its master and wrapping the length of its elongated body around her neck.
>You try to take a step forward, to cross the gap and sock her right in the face but you hit a wall.
>Not a physical wall, but the intangible perimeter that defines the couple of meters you can travel from Rainbow Dash at any given moment.
>Not that it’s usually this restricting, but you suspect that whatever force links the two of you is being draw tight by her reluctance, nay, refusal to fight one of her idols.
>You spin on your heel, and crouch down to grab Dash’s head and look her in the eyes.
“Come on Dash snap out of it.”
>”I can’t… she’s the captain of the Wonderbolts. I’ve had posters of her on my wall since I was a filly!”
“And is preserving that memory worth dying for?!”
>The sound of approaching hooves pulls you away from Dash, and you throw your arms up to defend yourself and her.
>Heated fists beat against your arms, and you blindly hit out in retaliation only to swing against empty air.
>You swing again and again, only for Spitfire to dodge them as if they’re coming in slow motion.
>Her stand’s eyes light up like spotlights, and you feel the temperature lurch an uncomfortable number of degrees upwards.
>In desperation you grab one of the curtains and pull, ripping a portion of the fabric free before throwing it straight at Spitfire.
>Twin pinpricks of fire erupt on the material, dancing across its surface and cutting it to shreds.
>｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣ launches itself through the wall of flaming fabric, and its fists meet your own, the two of you trading blows until it whips its lower body around at you.
>Pain blossoms in your side and you’re launched against a pile of boxes, knocking them to the ground with a crash.
>”Pathetic. You’re no match for my  ｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣.”
>You grab Rainbow Dash to stop her from shaking, and it takes every ounce of your willpower not to try and slap her out of her shock.
“Come on Dash, you need to do this! You’re not the only one in danger here!”
>To prove your point you swing your arm towards where Spitfire hit Rarity, only to discover that she’s gone.
>You don’t have any time to ponder her absences however, as you find ｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣’s fist baring down on you.
>You try to bring your guard up, only to realize you’re way to block the fist as it closes the gap…
>Only to fall backwards into nothing, along with Dash, and emerge a couple of meters away just in time to see Spitfire recall her stand in alarm.
>”It’s quite alright darling. As I said I’ll step up to the plate.”
>A split appears in the curtain beside you, and Rarity steps out, placing herself between Dash and Spitfire.
>”So you do have a stand then? Maybe this will be a fair fight then. ｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣!”
>Spitfire launches herself forward, and Rarity stands her ground as the air around her writhes and consolidates into an elegantly shaped figure with a single blade running the length each arm, all the way from its elbows to its hands, and a tail that ends with a glinting point connected to its torso with a reel.
>”｢Ｉ＇Ｍ  ＤＥＳＩＧＮＥＲ｣!”

https://youtu.be/aaojFmFnNKE

Chapter 12: Twisted ｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣ Part 2

>With one powerful flap of her wings, Spitfire launches herself at you as her stand manifests itself around her neck like some garish living scarf.
>Pre-emptively you stand slices the ground in front of you, using its arms like a pair of scissors to cut the floorboards open.
>You watch the determined expression turn to one of confusion as you elegantly throw yourself into the hole, which you stand sews up with a few swipes of its tail.
>The void you find yourself in is bereft of all features, but due to your immaculate sense of measurement and distance all it takes is a few quick strides before your stand slashes again, opening up another gap in the floor through which you pull yourself up, behind a confused looking Spitfire.
“Looking for something darling?”
>Spitfire whirls around, and with a yell she her stand grabs a storage box sitting against the wall and hurls it towards you.
>You position your stand in front of you and intercept the makeshift projectile, your stand slicing it in two, causing each half to sail right past you as they dislodge their contents over the ground.
>Spitfire’s stand unravels itself from its master and its eyes grow to the size of dinner plates before they start pulsating with light.
>Each pulse sends forth a wave of heat, and you uncomfortably feel yourself uncomfortably start to sweat as the temperature rises with each consecutive pulse.
>You dive back into the floor to escape the heat, and retrace your steps to emerge once again behind Spitfire...
>Only to yelp as your feet meet the heat of the charred and blackened floorboards.
>Spitfire scoffs as your leap atop one of the storage boxes knocked over earlier.
>”You really thought that trick would work twice?”
“Well I had my hopes.”
>”You thought wrong, and now that you’ve revealed the limits of your stand.”
>”RARITY ABOVE YOU!”
>Anon’s voice spurs you into action.
>You leap from your perch as a wooden beam, both ends charred and blackened by heat, crashes down where you were standing a moment ago.
>As you travel through the air you stand grabs a water cooler bottle and punches a hole in the side, spreading the water over the smoldering floor and kicking up a great wave of steam.
>A chill washes over your body as you drop to the floorboards, the steam settling around your hooves and condensing into larger droplets, then into puddles of water that rapidly ice over, trapping your front hooves.
>You cry out in alarm and instinctively try to jerk your hoof away, only to succeed in causing the ice to painfully dig into your skin.
“So you can create and take away heat then. Looks like I’ve got your stand all figured out as well.”
>”It’s too late for it to be of any use to you though. ｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣!”
>The stand’s eyes shrink to the point of all but disappearing before filling with light.
>You almost see the air itself burn away in front of its eyes, then you view is obscured as your own stand throws a curtain into the space between you and Spitfire.
>”I told you, the same trick won’t work on me twice!”
>｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣’s eyes sweep over the fabric, only for it to erupt with a thunderclap and a cloud of steam that leaves the faint smell of burning plastic in the air.
“That’s why I used a different one darling.”
>Your stand slices through your front legs, just above the ice, it’s unique ability severing them with without any actual injury.
>With all your strength you launch yourself through the cloud of steam, twisting your body around to drive your rear hoof into Spitfire’s cheek.
>You fall on the flank with a jarring thud and point one of your shortened front legs at Spitfire.
”｢Ｉ＇Ｍ  ＤＥＳＩＧＮＥＲ｣.”
>Your stands rush to meet each other and trade blows, only for ｢ＦＩＲＥＳＴＡＲＴＥＲ｣ to unleash a blast of blistering cold from its eyes, freezing your stand in its tracks for long enough to drive a fist into its stomach.
>You feel a phantom blow indent your own midsection, driving all the air from your lungs.
>”Did you really think you could beat me?”
>”No. But I can.”
>Spitfire turns, and barely has time to process the sight before her before Anon’s fist and Rainbow Dash’s hoof drive themselves into her jaw with enough force to flip the Wonderbolt end over end.
>They don’t let up for a moment, and they yell in unison as they fly upwards and deliver a barrage of blows to the still suspended Spitfire until Anon winds up and punches her straight into the wall.
>The entire structure seems to shake with the impact, and Rainbow Dash barely casts a glance towards her before rushing to your side, tears in her eyes.
>”Rarity I’m so-”
>You cut her off with a wave of your hoof (or rather, a wave of your stump).
“It’s ok darling, I scarcely imagine that was easy for you.
>”You can say that twice… are you going to be ok?”
“I will be, though if you’d be so kind as to help me to my hooves…”
>With Rainbow Dash’s help you hobble over to your ice encrusted hooves and, lining up each side of stump, have your stand sew them back to you with its needle like tail.
>A few more swipes free them completely, and you gingerly rub your tender limbs only jump as Spitfire’s unconscious body lets out a hacking cough.
>A thin stream of shadow escapes from her mouth, and Anon stiffens as he recognises its source.
>”｢ＮＩＧＨＴＭＡＲＥ｣. He must be controlling Shores as well.”
>The shadow instantly slips between the cracks in the floorboards, disappearing from sight before Anon can even attempt to grab it.
>Spitfire groans, and this time it’s Rainbow Dash’s turn to go stiff as the Wonderbolt Captain picks herself up and rubs her already developing bruises.
>”Rainbow Dash? What…”
>Spitfire looks around, first to Rainbow Dash, then to Anon, then to you and your own stand.
>Her stand appears around her neck, and Rainbow Dash instantly throws up her hooves.
>”Waitwaitwait. It’s cool we don’t want to hurt you. You were just possessed and forced to attack us but we beat you and fixed it.”
>Judging by the expression on her face, she almost instantly realizes how poor that explanation sounds, but despite that Spitfire relaxes just a little.
>”Well, I guess if you’re a half as decent stand user as you are flyer, I probably wouldn’t be standing if you did want me dead.”
>Spitfire recalls her stand, and you do the same, now that your legs are whole again.
>”You’re going to have to fill me in though. Who exactly possessed me?”
“That’s…”
>”A long story.”

>”Hey. Good to see you. Thanks for coming out.”
>Brave Shores smiles, accepting the mare’s embrace and resisting the urge as the nearby camera’s flash goes off, capturing the moment.
>The two break apart, and another pony rushes to fill the gap, just as another camera goes off somewhere to his side.
>If not for the swath of onlookers, Shores would have pouted. Not because of the attention, oh no, but because it had been nearly half an hour since he had left Spitfire to take care of the two elements of harmony.
>And now he was here wondering just how effective his companion had actually been.
>The camera’s go off once again, and as he blinks away the after images, Shores casts his gaze over the crowd and gets his answer.

>Shores spots you almost as quickly as you spot him, and with little care for the ponies who can’t sense your presence, you push through the crowd towards him.
>To his credit, his expression doesn't flinch, and instead he excuses himself, only to be stopped by an enthusiastic hoofshake given by a burly looking business pony.
>You can’t help but grin as he finds himself stuck, and only falter when he practically turns towards you and looks you in the eyes.
>The air twists around him, and despite the lack of any walls you brace yourself for an attack, only none ever comes.
>Instead the air manifests into a shape; Brave Shores’ Stand.
>It’s oddly humanoid, with a rather squared chest and standing on two thick legs, rising over the assembled crowd of ponies just like you.
>However it has a vaguely ponylike head, at odds with the rest of its body.
>Emblazoned across the a strange armor it seems to wear on its chest are the words;  ｢ＴＨＥ ＷＡＬＬ｣ and below that running vertically to its crotch;  ｢ＡＣＴ 3｣.
>You close the distance between yourself and his stand in an instant, and your fists fly forward to meet his stands.
>Your blows crack like gunshots, though only audible to you and Shores.
>To the ponies mingling around you all they can hear is the general hustle and bustle of the party, even as ｢ＴＨＥ ＷＡＬＬ｣ swings low, eliciting a curse as you take a step backwards to recover.
>A gap opens up in the crowd as Dash, who was following a couple of steps behind you, also cries out, eliciting confused looks from the ponies around her.
>Shores tries to push the advantage, and ｢ＴＨＥ ＷＡＬＬ｣ advances towards you.
>You swing high, and predictable it moves to block, leaving it open as you drive your foot right between the stand’s legs.
>Though ｢ＴＨＥ ＷＡＬＬ｣ has nothing to note down there, the force of the impact transfers to its master and his composure finally cracks as he cries out in pain.
>You follow it up with a crack across his stand’s snout, and several ponies cry out in alarm as blood gurgles from Shores’ mouth.
>Pushing aside the ponies surrounding him, Shores retreats along with his stand, and you follow him through the crowd with Dash at your side.
>The two of you stalk after him as he heads deeper into Canterlot Gardens, the noise of the party becoming quieter and quieter as he goes further and further in.
>”S-stop! Do you know who I am!”
>”Do YOU know who I am?”
>Rainbow Dash shoots into the sky, before diving down and landing in front of Shores.
>He barely has time to lash out with your fist, knocking him back a step.
>”Well, now that we’re away from prying eyes be ready to face the wrath of  ｢ＴＨＥ ＷＡＬＬ ＡＣＴ 3｣!”
>His stand swings, but instead of punching he grabs your arm and you feel it all but dislocated as you find it pulled towards the ground.
> ｢ＴＨＥ ＷＡＬＬ｣’s foot drives itself into your stomach as you and Dash hit the dirt, and Brave Shores laughs.
>”Pathetic, you think that’ll-”
>”Oooh, Mr Shores!”
>Shores spins around as a mare in an elegant party dress rounds the corner, waving as she approaches.
>”There you are! Oh goodness look at your muzzle you’re bleeding!”
>Shores smiles as moves to meet the mare, leaving you pinned by his stand and obscured by the garden.
>”It’s nothing my dear, I’m built of sterner stuff.”
>”Well I’m glad to hear it darling.”
>｢Ｉ＇Ｍ  ＤＥＳＩＧＮＥＲ｣ manifests infront of Shores, and before he can react it brings its arms together and seperates his head from his body.
>Before he can even scream the stand catches his head in its arms, only to throw it back up in the air again as it slices the mare in half.
>The mare’s body splits down the back, and a pair of white hooves emerge, pulling the mare’s body off like a piece of clothing.
>From within the mare Rarity emerges, staring daggers at Brave Shores’ head as it tumbles through the air.
>”This is for Sweetie Belle.”
>｢Ｉ＇Ｍ  ＤＥＳＩＧＮＥＲ｣’s fists fly out, the blades on either arm scrapping against each other and filling the air with the sound of metal scraping on metal;
>SICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSICSIC
>｢Ｉ＇Ｍ  ＤＥＳＩＧＮＥＲ｣’s tail whips out, embedding itself in Shores’ cheek, and wheaves itself across his lips, sewing the stallion’s mouth shut before, with a harsh flick, whipping the head back into his body.
“Yikes, remind me never to piss you off.”
>”Well if nothing else darling you’re dressed sensibly, so if nothing else that is a point in your favor.”
>You cock your eyebrow and look at yourself, only just realizing the (admittedly, slightly crumpled) suit that you’ve had on this entire time.
“Huh, was I always wearing this?”
>Rainbow Dash just responds with a confused look of her own, and an affirmative ‘yep’.
>You shrug, and turn your attention back to the task at hand.
>Shores is still screaming away, despite his inability to vocalize anything, and you take a step towards him only for his head to snap to the side as whips of shadow begin to pour from his ears and nose.
“Shit! Rares get his mouth open!”
>If Rarity has any misgivings about her nickname, she doesn't say it as she expertly cuts the threads keeping Shores mouth shut, allowing him to unleash a pained scream as the last wisps of shadow evacuate his body.
“Hey! Stay with me Shores. You may be an asshole but you’re not allowed to die yet!”
>”I was...going...to meet the princess….”
>Shores’ head gives a shuddering breath and his features go slack.
>And uncomfortable silence settles over the three of you, and it’s Rainbow Dash that finally breaks it.
>”We need to warn Princess Luna.”
>”Yes but how, we unfortunately don’t have Spike here to send a letter, and I hardly imagine you can barge into the castle at this hour.”
“She’s the princess of dreams isn’t she? So lets just do that.”
>Both ponies look at you, then nod their heads.
“Alright, it’s a plan.”
>Rainbow Dash rolls her shoulders and moves to take off, only to be stopped by Rarity.
>”Where are you going?”
>”To go get a cloud to sleep on.”
>”Of a night?! Over my dead body. No, I have a small room at the boutique with a bed, you’ll use that.”
>Dash looks at you and you just shrug.
“I’d take a bed over a cloud.”
>Dash rolls her eyes and sighs.
>”Fine, let’s go.”


<=To=Be=Continued==

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTSX120A2MM