SiE Chapter 13: A ｢SLAVE｣ To The Power

>Compared to her extravagant lodgings in Ponyville the room that Rarity shows you and Rainbow Dash to is practically a closet, with a small, meticulously made bed, a single window overlooking the Canterlot streets and a small dresser along side vanity to fill out the room.
>”I know it’s not much but try to make yourselves at home.”
>After all that’s happened tonight Rainbow crashes out on the bed almost immediately and you take a seat in front of the vanity, standing (or rather, sitting) guard, waiting to be drawn into her dreams.
>Only it never happens.
>Though there’s no way of keeping time, watching the slow progress of the moon across the night sky tells you that you should have long since fallen into the dream realm.
>A knock echos through the room, snapping you out of your thoughts and causing Rainbow Dash to jolt awake.
>The two of you share a confused look, and tentatively, you rise and open the door revealing Princess Luna.
“Huh. That was easy.”
>”I am the warden of the night Anonymous, I know when I am needed in the dream world.”
“Hey. I wasn’t complaining.”
>”Princess, it’s worse than we thought. ｢NIGHTMARE｣ is taking control of ponies not just to attack us, but to get to you as well.”
>Rainbow Dash relays the events of the party to the princess, and you try to gage her reaction but you come up all but empty handed, with only a slight furrowing of her brow being the indicator her emotions.
>”So, what can we do?”
>Luna thinks for a moment before replying.
>”The mare you fought in Ponyville. The organisation she works for, S.M.I.L.E, is my sister’s creation, but it may be wise to court their knowledge if ｢NIGHTMARE｣ is to be rooted out.”
>”I will talk to my sister, and arrange a meeting. In the meantime you are free to return to Ponyville.”
“Return to Ponyville? If ｢NIGHTMARE｣ is here in Canterlot shouldn’t we stay?”
>Luna takes a moment, and you follow her gaze to the window and the false facade of the night sky beyond.
>”Despite my doubts you two have been indispensable allies, but I can’t ask you to place yourselves in danger any more than you already have.”
>”Princess I’m an Element of Harmony for ponies sake. Danger is in the job description.”
>”Not this type of danger, ｢NIGHTMARE｣ is bey-”
“If not us, then who else?”
>”Yea, we’ve already faced off against his lackeys twice. We’re the two most qualified to face him.”
>Luna pauses, considering some way of convincing you otherwise only to falter at the sight of your sheer determination.
>”Thank you. I will be in touch.”
>Like a light switch being flipped Luna disappears, and you and Dash jolt awake to find yourselves blinking away the midday sun as it filters in through the window.
>The door opens a crack, and you jump to your feet only for Rarity to poke her head in.
>”Oh good, you’re awake. You have a visitor.”
>”A visitor?”
>Rarity pushes the door open the rest of the way, revealing…
>”Bon-”
“-Bon?”
>The mare seems taken aback for a moment at your simultaneous vocalization of her name with Dash, but recovers and gives the two of you a smile.
>”What are you doing here?”
>”I’m here to take you to S.M.I.L.E.”

https://youtu.be/aaojFmFnNKE

Chapter 13: A ｢SLAVE｣ To The Power

>Despite your late awakening, you and Dash make good time to your destination, time that Bon Bon uses to fill you in to what she’s been up to since you last saw each other.
>”S.M.I.L.E. has been in an uproar ever since ｢NIGHTMARE｣ took control of me and two other agents-”
>”Two?”
>”Yes, Giovi and my former handler; Ivory Spark.”
“Your former handler?”
>”Well I was retired, but seeing as I posses a stand of my own S.M.I.L.E. saw fit to bring me back into the fold. Plus, the bastard made it personal when took over my mind and used me like a puppet.”
>The sun continues its lazy journey across the sky, and you soon find yourself staring down the entrance of an absolutely massive hedge maze.
“The entrance to your secret monster capturing organization is inside a maze?”
>”No, we’re just using this as a meeting point. It’s secluded, and now that it’s been sweeped and closed to the public for the day it means it's secure.”
”Makes sense.”
>”That’s what we aim to do.”
>A quizzical look you give her prompts Bon Bon to explain further;
>”To make sense of things. S.M.I.L.E.’s goal is defending Equestria against monsters, and to do that we make it our business to know what is going on; to make sense of the world.”
>Bon Bon casts a look towards the maze and sighs.
>”I just hope that this meeting gets us one step closer to putting an end to this. ｢NIGHTMARE｣ may be one of the worst monsters Equestria has ever known, and the sooner he’s dealt with; the better.”
“Agreed.”
>”Looks like Luna’s already here.”
>You and Bon Bon turn your attention forward just in time to spot the pony Dash saw dart inside the hedge maze.
>”That’s odd, Luna didn’t say anything about bringing Celestia’s royal guards.”
>You all reach the same conclusion in an instant, and take off after the guard.
>You only catch glimpses of them as they weave through the maze, staying just ahead of you at an almost distance teasingly, and only allowing you to catch a glimpse of them as they round every corner just ahead of you.
>”That’s it.”
>Dash takes to the air and shoots forward, the two of you leaving Bon Bon in the dust as you gain on the royal guard.
>The sound of approaching wingbeats seems to tip him off to your plan, and you watch as he pivots on his heel and throw himself back with a beat of his own wings.
>”｢THE TROOPER｣!”
>Much like it’s user the stand is clad in armour, though instead of a crested helmet it wears an ornate head dress, leaving the rest of its face free to display it’s empty eyes and angry scowl, along with its gaunt features.
>Features that are unmistakably human, like your own, even if they are a sickly shade of green.
>”ORRA!”
>It’s appearance throws you for a moment, but the stand’s punch seems almost lazy in its speed and with a beat of her wings Dash kills her forward momentum, leaving it to come up short.
>You hear a cry of pain, and see a smile flirt across the guard’s features before you turn to see Bon Bon recoiling in pain.
>”What? How did Bon Bon get hit?”
“His attack was so slow… he must have some power he hasn’t revealed yet.”
>A harsh laugh turns your attention back to the guard as he stands there surveying the three of you.
>”Your fate is sealed now. You’re headed straight for Tartarus and it’ll be me, Eddy, that will send you there!”
>”Then you’ll have to try harder than that to stop us! ｢THIS AIN'T A SCENE｣!”
>If Bon Bon sustained any injury she certainly doesn't show it as she leaps over Dash and charges straight at Eddy.
>His stand appears to stop Bon Bon’s attack, only to disappear a moment later as he takes off in a gallop, hooking a left at the intersection ahead and disappearing.
>”Get back here!”
>Bon Bon charges after him, and you and Dash follow hot on her heels, surprised at the sheer speed she manages to achieve with what seems to be the help of her stand.
>”Man, why can’t you speed me up like that?”
“Like you need to go any faster.”
>What’s more surprising is that Eddy is able to say ahead of you all as he uses the maze to his advantage, turning you around only to pop up behind you and start off another wild goose chase.
>As your pursuit drags on even Dash starts to tire (almost in direct proportion to her growing annoyance).
>For whatever reason though the exertion seems to hit Bon Bon harder, and by the time you corner Eddy in an open cul de-sac she’s panting heavily, and thought it’s hard to tell you swear she looks paler than she did before.
>”Looking a little tired there, sure you don’t need to have a rest?”
>”I can easily kick your flank, featherbrain.”
>Bon Bon takes a shaky step forward, and you and Dash move to her side.
>”Bon Bon, you can’t fight like this.”
>”I need to. After all defeating him will stop this, right?”
>You and Dash share a look, knowing that she’s right.
>”Alright, but we’re going-”
“-to help you beat this asshole.”
>”I was hoping you’d say that.”
>The three of you advance on Eddy, who despite being outnumbered just gives a cocksure grin.
>”Come on then, show me what you’ve got.”
>You and Dash launch yourself at his front while Bon Bon dukes to his side.
>His stand manifests just in time to catch your fist in its own, and in one surprisingly fluid movement it twists your arm and staggers you as it whirls around and meets Bon Bon’s attack.
>Her stand assisted blows beat fruitlessly against ｢THE TROOPER｣’s forearms, sparking against its gilded armor.
>You rush in to take advantage of the opening, only for Eddy’s stand to push Bon Bon away and swing at you, putting you on the defencive.
>Thanks to the speed of his swing you have plenty of time to cross your arms to block it, only to yell in surprise as the blow breaks through your attempt to block it, knocking you and Dash backwards with a square blow to the chest.
>Bon Bon, ignoring the stand, attempts to strike directly at Eddy only for the nimble pegasus to knock her hooves away.
>Again and again she attacks, relentless in her assault, and again and again Eddy matches her blows, the clop of clashing hooves filling the area.
>For a moment Bon Bon seems to gain the upper hand (or rather, hoof) as she slips past Eddy’s guard intent to punch him straight in the gut.
>Only for his stand to wrap its fingers around Bon Bon’s foreleg, pulling it above her head and grabbing her other hoof as she attempts a desperate attack.
>Posed as they are, them appear like a perverse pair of dancing partners as Bon Bon stares daggers towards the stand binding her.
>A bloodthirsty smile stretches itself across Eddy’s features, growing alongside the angry grimace gracing his stand’s face and with a deft flick of its arms, it spins Bon Bon away.
>She cries out in pain, and you watch in horror as she simply decays before your eyes.
>Her skin grows gaunt as her fur fades and falls out in patches. Her mane loses its luster as liver spots break out across her body, and as her scream fades she collapses.
>Shallow breathing is the only indication that there’s any life left in her as you and Rainbow Dash rush to her side.
>”Bon Bon!”
>The golden sheen of her stand fades away with a haggard breath and you reach out a tentative hand only to stop, afraid that the mere act of touching her will somehow hurt her more.
>A ragged cough tears through Bon Bon’s throat as she turns her head to look at the two of you.
>”Kick his flank.”
>Bon Bon lays back, barely breathing, and you stand, staring down Eddy.
>”Why are you doing this?”
>”Why? I gave the best years of my life to the Royal Guard before they declared me ‘unfit for duty’. Well once I take down an element of harmony I’ll show them who’s unfit!”
>You press forward and strike low at his stand’s legs, and Eddy takes off, flying straight over you.
>Right into Rainbow Dash.
>Her hoof catches him in the jaw, and he lashes out with his stand, catching her in the side with a kick.
>Dash goes with the momentum of the kick, and you rush in, delivering a barrage of punches to his stand’s back.
>Eddy seems unperturbed by your attack, but as he turns his stand’s attention to you, you see that the gilded armour on its back is starting to show some wear and tear.
>His stand swings with another sluggish punch, and knowing better than to block it you weave under it and drive an elbow into its stomach.
>It soon becomes obvious that just as he can’t hit you with his attacks, you can’t seem to damage him with yours.
”You can’t be that fit. Your stand’s so slow you need to rely on its power to weaken people just to beat them.”
>”You’re wrong on both counts.”
>Eddy draws his stand back, and you see the seams on its armour shine with brilliant light before it cracks and shoots off.
>”My stand can be pretty quick I want it to be.”
>It lunges forwards, faster than you thought was possible, and drives a fist into your gut before withdrawing.
>”And second of all weakening my opponents isn’t my stands ability!”
>You feel a lance of pain strike you between the shoulders, and swing your fist around to strike your attacker only to see it’s not you being attacked; it’s Rainbow Dash.
>Straddling her shoulders is a thin, wiry looking stand stabbing a needle right into the small of her back.
>It locks eyes on you, then withdraws the needle it holds in its spindly hand and launches itself into the walls of the hedge maze.
>”Too scared to fight fair, Eddy?”
>”There’s no such thing as fighting fair. To win you need to use every advantage and leave nothing to chance!”
“It just goes to show my point though. You really must be unfit to be a royal guard if you need another stand’s help.”
>Eddy gives you a scowl every bit as angry as his stand’s, and you see him tense.
>”｢THE TROOPER｣!”
>Eddy’s stand launches forward, moving to your left to attack your side, and you spin to meet its blow.
>Only it never comes as his stand passes your side, and you turn to see it circle around Dash as well before looping back.
>The realization of what he’s doing dawns alongside the growing ache in your chest, and you try to swing at his stand as it passes you again.
>Your punch catches his stands shoulder, and to your satisfaction you hear Eddy gasp in pain from the transferred blow.
”It’s the rotation. Every time we rotate that stand sucks away some of our life, that’s how it works!”
>”An acute observation, but even with that knowledge you’re a sitting duck for ｢THE TROOPER｣.”
>”Anon. put your back to mine.”
>You turn, and feel Dash’s wings press against your back, and between them you feel something, a lump that writhes underneath her skin.
“Is that…?”
>”The enemy stand? Most likely.”
“I might be able to take it out…”
>”And leave us wide open for attack.”
“So what do we do?”
>Before Dash can respond, Eddy cuts in, launching towards the two of you as he does.
>”You die!”
>｢THE TROOPER｣ bears down on you, once again moving to your left.
>You try in vain to attack it with just your left arm, but Eddy’s stand ducks out of the way of your ineffective punch and jabs you right in the side of your stomach.
>And then his stand moves completely behind you, and you wait until Dash yells ‘NOW!’ before throwing a completely blind punch backwards.
>You feel a hand close around your fist, and with a quick tug is all it takes to spin you left.
>You go with the movement, feeling the insidious stand assisting Eddy draw out a deep ache in your muscles with each degree you turn, but instead focus on your right fist as you use the momentum to drive it into ｢THE TROOPER｣’s jaw.
>His stand crumples backward, and you spin again to face Dash, your hand immediately going to the small of her back and to the small mark that is the only evidence she was attacked by the other stand.
>Your fingers barely brush against her fur before an arm wraps itself around your neck and pulls you backward.
>You throw your head back, feeling it connect with the leathery flesh of his stand’s chin and causing it to release you.
>With no other choice you turn around and push the advantage, attacking Eddy’s stand just as Rainbow Dash launches herself forward, using the opening made by you attacking his stand to catch Eddy himself off guard and drive a hoof into his side.
>He retaliates in kind, striking her across the face with enough force to turn her away, and the feedback of the stand drawing away her life causes you to falter, allowing Eddy’s stand take the advantage and pummel you.
>”Anon! Have to fight through the pain and go all out.”
“Agreed!”
>You push forward, ignoring everything but one thought; taking out Eddy and his stand.
>You get some good hits in, but so does he, and with every opening you afford him he moves leftward, allowing the other enemy stand to continues sapping away your strength as you rotate to meet him.
>One such rotation, a miscalculated half step onto less than steady ground, leaves you open, and Eddy’s stand drives a fist into your right arm.
>You feel the weakened limb snap like firewood, and Dash cries out as her own foreleg snaps.
>The both of you fall to the ground, drawing the mystery stand out of its hiding place in the hendges as it darts over to Rainbow Dash.
>”NO! Wait. They’re practically defeated. There’s no need to withdraw 「LIKE A RECORD」’s ability yet.”
>The spindly stand pauses as it looks at Eddy, then scurries back toward hedges.
“Oh, so now you want do do your own dirty work huh?”
>You shakely rise to your feet at you stare down Eddy and his stand, right arm dangling at your side.
>”Face it, you’ve lost against the might of ｢THE TROOPER｣.”
>”We haven’t lost yet. We’ll keep fighting until there’s nothing left, right, ｢ANONYMOUS｣?”
“Right.”
>Eddy’s stand launches towards you, fist raised, and you return the favor, tensing your left arm as you draw it back.
>It’s not until his stand can see the white of your eyes, and you can see the inky pits of his that you both strike.
>”ORRA!”
>Your fists launch forward and colliding between the two of you with a sickening crunch.
>You feel the bones of your knuckles cry out as they shatter, blood erupting from your hand and Dash’s hoof as you continue to drive the entire weight of your body into your punch.
>Your fists grind against each other, and with a jarring crack they slip past each other, your momentum drawing you into another spin.
>You steel yourself, and cry out as you feel a sharp jolt in your fist.
>It isn’t a cry of pain however, but one of surprise as you feel the bones in your fist knit themselves back together, and as you finish the spin, a full 180 degrees that leaves you looking at Dash, you see that her hoof is fine too.
>”The rotation…”
“It has the opposite effect-”
>”When you turn the opposite way!”
>You keep turning to your right until you face Eddy who is standing there in shock.
>”Impossi-”
>He’s cut off as you smash his stand with a left hook before doing a full 360 and striking him with a kick.
>Again and again you spin like a top, feeling your body swell with energy with each rotation and letting each strike land harder than its former.
“You’re discharged Eddy.”
>This time it's his bones that crack as you strike him in the chest, the force of the blow sending him soaring backwards through a hedge and out of sight.
>Flying on your energy high you turn to Dash, not even caring at the paltry amount that slips away as you go left to do so.
>Your hand goes to her back, and you utilize your modicum of intangibility to reach through her body, grasping the wriggling parasite planted by the remaining stand and pulling it free.
>It resembles a length of glittering, writhing wire in your hand, and you tense you fist, intent to crush it, before Dash stops you.
>”Wait, it must only be able to affect one pony at a time, that’s why it attacked us individually.”
>You look over to Bon Bon and nod in understanding.
>It only takes a few brief strides to reach her side, and carefully you feed the stand into the hole on Bon Bon’s neck.
>With all the care you can muster, you rotate her right and watch as the years return with each turn until she’s looking as healthy as she did this morning.
>You lay the still unconscious Bon Bon down, and extract the stand before crushing it for good.
>A pained gasp echos through the yard, and you head to its source, thrusting your hands into the hedges and pull a white mare with a garish two tone blue mane from the shrubbery.
>Her glasses slip off as you do, and you see the vacant look in her eyes that, followed by the coughing your retrieval of her elicits, tells you all you need to know.
”｢NIGHTMARE｣”
>”No points for guessing that, ｢ANONYMOUS｣.”
>The mare speaks with two voices; her own, and beneath it the sinister vocalization of the rouge stand that’s been attacking you.
>”Why is it always that those who posses the most powerful stands are also the ones unwilling or unable to use them…”
“Let the mare go!”
>The mare jerks out of your grasp and collapses to the ground, hacking up rolling banks of shadowy darkness that defy the light of the midday sun perched overhead.
>The inky clouds twist and consolidate into a figure, low on the ground.
>At first you think it’s forming into the shape of a pony but then it rises, standing taller and taller until it stands eye to eye with you.
>The shadow flows downwards, carving shape from the indistinct mass of darkness.
>First is the head; neat, flat faced and with angular features that are unmistakably human behind their predatory smile.
>Your suspicions are confirmed as the shadow forms the rest of ｢NIGHTMARE｣’s body, etching out a willowy figure clad in chains and wreathed in darkness.
“You’re…”
>”Human. As was the fool you just fought, even if he was two stupid to realize it.”
>”You’re barely human.”
>｢NIGHTMARE｣’s gaze wanders to Rainbow Dash, but his expression doesn't change.
>”The price I pay for realizing my potential, my dear.”
“What do you mean your potential?”
>Your question elicits a sigh from the shadow clad stand.
>”Just because you’re been made a stand in this world, ｢ANONYMOUS｣, doesn’t mean that you can’t utilize the powers you once had.”
“What?”
>”Oh come now, how many stands can you remember fighting? Did you really think that all you could do was punch things?”
>You clench your fist and search his expression for any indicator that he’s lying, only to find nothing.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
>”Would you believe me if I said it was out of the kindness of my own heart?”
>Your disbelieving look is all the response you give him and his wolfish grin.
>”I’m curious, ｢ANONYMOUS｣. Who can we gestohlen confide in, if not each other.”
>”Gest-o-what?”
>”We pitiful souls torn from their place and bound to another, the only true companion we’ll ever know in a world that is not our own.”
>｢NIGHTMARE｣’s act is topped off with a wistful look into the distance, before the facade breaks and his predatory look returns.
>”And speaking of which….”
>You’re not sure if he needs to breath, but he certainly makes a show of sucking a deep breath in through his sharp nose.
>”Luna is close. Don’t think that you can keep me from her, ｢ANONYMOUS｣.”
>You swing at him, but he moves, no, flows backwards through the air, shrinking smaller and smaller until all that remains is a singular point of shadow.
>And then, like a bomb going off it explodes outwards, a wave of darkness shooting off in all directions, staggering you as it blows past and rustles the hedges that make up the maze.
>”Princess Luna!”
>”There is no need to yell Rainbow Dash, I am right here.”
>The two of you turn around and see the princess landing, flanked by two of her bat like night guards.
>”What happened? You never arri-”
>”There’s no time Princess! ｢NIGHTMARE｣ is here. We need-”
>”-to leave….”
>Between one word and the next, your vision flashes white and you stagger as you find yourself standing in a vaulted, carpeted hallway lined with stained glass windows.
>”He was there? In the gardens?”
>”Yes.”
>Luna takes a deep breath and exhales, you imagine in at attempt to calm herself.
>”Then we haven’t much time. I will need your help in the coming hours if we are to put an end to ｢NIGHTMARE｣.”
>”Count us in, Princess.”
>You turn your head to see Bon Bon rise, shakily to her hooves.
“Good to have you back.”
>You turn your attention back to the Princess and, despite the fact she can’t see you outside of the dream world you stand a little taller.
“We’re here-”
>”-for you, Princess.”
>”Thank you. All of yo-”
>A cough echoes through the room, cutting Princess Luna off, and you turn to look at Bon Bon as she hits her chest with her hoof.
>”Sorry, body must still be a little sore from the encounter with that stand.”
>Bon Bon winces as she coughs again, and you take a concerned step towards her as you see specks of red mar her fur.
“Bon Bon, are you alright?”
>”Yea. Just give me a momen-”
>A spear of darkness erupts from Bon Bon’s mouth, and the last sound you hear her make is a muted gurgle before her body drops to the ground with a thud.
“BON-”
>”-BON!”
>The darkness consolidates in the center of the room, and bares his teeth in some terrible parody of a smile as he spots his prize.
>”Ah, Luna. Mein liebling. How I’ve waited for this moment.”


<=To=Be=Continued==

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