Pov: Sōsuke Aizen
Everything so far is going according to plan. The girls are running around like chickens with their heads cut off trying to find any type of solution to defeating Sombra. I did drop a hint before I left the Crystal Empire. “Look inside the heart.” It’s as vague as I don’t know what. This is because not even I know what it means. Before my entrapment I didn’t get the full details of what Sombra was fighting over, only that some type of heart that was detrimental to his attempt of wrestling control. Yet the feeling of their eventual victory looms over.
I had more important things to do, when I said “I left” I meant it. Currently I’m residing inside the Everfree inside my lab. I had to leave my tome here for obvious reasons. And the better half of an hour I’ve been tinkering with my anti-reishi wristband. It didn’t see any action when I fought that Sternritter but I’ve got something good for it. Those Caja Negación that had been siphoning the passive energy from the elements of harmony are really, really, really good batteries. By connecting one to this device I can work the radius to over twenty times its normal radius and effectiveness. Which is around thirty five miles. I had to modify this entire device so it not only worked on Reishi but on all types of magical energy. On top of this it will no longer short circuit by trying to supply its own supplies of anti-energy.
Now this even affects me, the user. Yet there is a workaround I’ve developed. As long as my Reiatsu works on my insides then it doesn’t get negated. Of course this only stops concentrated, intaken, or any type of external magic that someone else gathers up. If I went up against a professional street brawler who hasn’t used magic once in their life and no techniques could be used, I won’t be screwed. My trump card for this is Enhancement.
This in itself is self-explanatory. Such refinement of my body will breeze past my usual limit. “Hopefully by adding these two together I can act out my full plan. For the other hour and thirty minutes I’ve been working with Kyōka Suigetsu and Nightmare Moon to cook up a little concoction from my memories. And with a few tweaks thanks to Nightmare’s professional opinion on possession I think I can get the real Sombra out here and none of that King Sombra crap. Now it’s up to Cadance and Shining Armor to pull through.” Holding a syringe filled to the brim with liquid, the utmost amount of confidence washes over me. Everything will go my way this time. I will make my story.
Pov: Shining Armor
“My wife really wasn’t kidding, that guy really is a nutjob. I gotta give it to him though, he’s definitely got the skills to back up his craziness, healing Cady like that without a problem, long distance teleportation, barrier work this complex? Almost makes you wonder how things like Discord and Aizen ever get captured.” I realize that I’m trailing off again and slap both my hooves against my face.
“Gotta pull it together, about to face some evil tyrant with my wife. All of our subjects are depending on us until Twily finds the Crystal Heart. Unless Aizen pulls through with his own idea.” The love of my wife looks at me as we both travel through the crystal road in front of us. Her weak smile still hurts my heart. Which is exactly why I’ve got to be strong for her and this kingdom.
“Maybe I’m corny for thinking this but this clear road ahead is only because everypony cleared it for us. Maybe that’s the goddess up above saying that we can’t do this without our pony’s help. Oh Celestia, that really was corny.”
“Shiny, are you sure we should do this? There’s always the choice to keep holding out.” Cadance stares out on the opposite side. Watching the hopeful ponies who are silently routing for us.
I stay silent for the better half of our slow march. Finding the right words for this is probably what being a husband is all about. Coming so close to the outer edge of the barrier I finally stop the two of us. Lifting my hoof to Cadance’s chin I pull her gaze to me. “Cady… Flying in the air always feels exhilarating for you, right? Where even if you were trapped in the dark you still wouldn’t give in to fear so you’d still fly. Because you’re free, and we will be too. All that’s needed is some faith in what’s to come.”
“Then we’ll have to make sure this is reflected in our kingdom’s motto. You’re such a loveable dork, like your sister.” Cadence’s fur touches my own as we nuzzle each other with our embrace.
“Are you two done by chance? I’m on schedule for pleasing the future king of this world and pleasing myself by getting revenge on the heirs of this kingdom so I can own it as my own. And I shall then rule over my siblings.” A cold voice says, like the snake that he is, King Sombra’s trying to put doubt in our minds. And he has the nerve to say such a thing right in front of us too.
Cadance’s eyes widened, staring at me as we nearly let go of the hug. Knowing that she needs reassurance I wrap my hoof around her neck and whisper. “It’s going to be okay Cady, remember what we talked about.” I let go of her and face one of the worst criminals I’ve probably ever faced.
“King Sombra, we are ready to make an offer to you.” Cadence steps closer to the barrier until she’s practically touching it. “My husband and I are ready to surrender the Crystal Empire to you.” Ponies behind us who’ve gathered around at a safe distance begin to gasp. “However we won’t release this barrier until we know you won’t hurt these ponies.”
The tyrant laughs at my wife’s offer, causing me to furrow my brows. “Hey what’s so funny?: You don’t laugh at Cadance like that.” My hooves move on their own until my snout is practically touching the barrier.
“Apologies if I ended either of you, I never thought that one of the heirs would be willing to bargain in the first place. My presence just seems to rub them the wrong way.” Sarcasm is practically radiating off this pony. The same type I’d get from ponies who’d get in trouble with the law but have really good lawyers.
I’m not going to beat around the bush if this guy is going to be disrespectful. “Sure, so then do we have a deal?” A direct question. So is he going to say yes or no.
“I wasn’t planning on harming them in the first place. To really seal this deal however I will need a hoofshake from both of you, so come out here. But I could come in there if you do not like the freezing cold.” He gave us both an ultimatum already?
Cadance slightly tilts her head before her face lights up… But I can’t see anything over there when I do. “Fine, but first I think you should check your pockets.” Wait wasn’t that the key phrase for Aizen and carrying out his ambush. I can’t find him anywhere.
“Pockets? Royal of the Crystal Empire, or rather you won’t be for much longer, there is nothing in my pockets. So why don’t you stop stalling for time and-”
A large ringing sounds in the air as if metal wind whistles were dancing all around us. King Sombra looks up, noticing the large metal cylinders raining down at him at the same time I do. What came next wrapped in our favor, King Sombra just started dodging all of them, he barely even looked like he was exerting himself. “Ah I was hoping to get a non-lethal edge on you.” Aizen’s voice says aloud.
Pov: Sōsuke Aizen
“Things can never be simple.” I draw Kyōka Suigetsu from its sheath and silently walk towards Sombra. Who forms a basic blue bow made entirely of Reishi. “I’ve got to try and incapacitate him. Nightmare, prepare yourself because I might have to take a piece of my soul to activate Resurrección.”
“If possible then allow me to receive a notification beforehoof. I’d like to know before a piece of my soul gets torn from me.” Nightmare Moon psychically requests.
“Xavier, make sure that you do. Having Nightmare Moon complain about this non-stop isn’t something that I greatly desire.” Kyōka Suigetsu adds. When these two want something the they’ll let you know. That’s how I remembered it going a thousand years ago.
King Sombra stares at the failed trapping attempt and comes back to me. “You really came back? Sōsuke Aizen, you truly are the embodiment of self-centeredness, greed, and envy. Now for your actions here? This entire civilization here will be punished. Half of them will die today and I will torture you day in and day out by allowing you to watch Yhwach torture everything you hold dear-“
Wow I guess we really are taking turns telling jokes today. He made me start laughing like a madman, for a brief moment even my eyes started twitching uncontrollably. “Ah, ah, ah! I know I’ve cut you off before but lemme stop you right there. I don’t give a shit about anything on this wretched planet. Hell, everyone besides me could drop dead and I wouldn’t care. So let’s cut all of this out and skip to the main event.”
(Playing this is merely recommended)
The blue bow summoned of Reishi in the grasp of his hooves, Sombra yanks the drawstring back and generates three arrows of pure ambient energy. “Fine, suffering will come later. There will be plenty of times during our battle.” Sombra begins to grin, an idea enters his mind. Making me roll my eyes and start whispering as I hold my Zanpakutō. “You’re still immortal, aren’t you? So then I’ll rip your head off and carry you around as an accessory.” I don’t answer and continue whispering the incantation.
“What are you saying? Speak up so I can taste that despair.” King Sombra takes a step forward before releasing his bow.
“On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens! Optimized, Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui” My hand spreads between the ring finger and middle finger. Swiping at the blue energy with two electrical currents with matching color lash out like a claw at the three bolts of Reishi. Wrapping around the entire projectile, they strike out and combust with blue conflicting energetic sources. The Kidō acts as if it were a snake crossing to hit Sombra.
“A spell? You truthfully thought that would be able to even damage me?” The puppet known as Sombra whips around, holding his bow in his hooves to block it. The clashing energy as it shakes the ground but he’s suddenly impacted. A roaring thunder hits him from his blind spot. While I was whispering the incantation to optimize the raw power of that Kidō technique I also activated Kyōka Suigetsu. I fired the spell in a pincer formation. Masking it as a focused fire attack.
“Judging by the way you’re smoking, yeah.” I dash up towards Sombra who shakes off the smog covering him, his magic flares up and conjures crystal pikes from the ground to impede my path. Which I start to cut down, every leap, every jump, every muscular exertion is properly calculated for every possibility. Finally a fourth and fifth spikes arises from the ground and tries to pierce me, both in diagonal manners.
“Hachisei catta. (Eight-star cutter)” Mimicking the motion of cutting eight times all at once the spikes break before me, showering my surroundings in a beautiful dance of refraction. Sombra narrows his eyes at me before drawing his bow and raining a multitude of arrows made of Reishi and coated inside dark magic at me while simultaneously firing diamond shaped constructs of magic at me.
“He really is trying to get me to falter my offensive. I can’t allow these to connect to me. Guess I have to use a continuous technique then.” Grunting as I narrowly Flash Step in between his onslaught I strengthen my muscles.
“Byūtifuru Chanbara (Beautiful Swordfight)” Although there’s no other blade to clash with, using my imaginative mind it’s quite easy to imagine all the other magical attacks coming at me are flying blades. And now this is going to be easier than cutting through butter.
My Zanpakutō starts swinging wildly, as if it had its own desires. The blade begins to move in a blur, piercing, cutting, and parrying all of Sombra’s attempts in his attack. When I finally reach him I move to cut him but feint at the last second. I yank the syringe out of my pocket and inject Sombra with it... At least I thought I did yet he jabbed his hoof directly into it at such an angle where it shattered and knocked me flying upwards.
“Blut Arterie, I keep forgetting that Quincys can still use hand to hand combat, such a thorn in my side! That was most likely one of my only chances to increase his willpower enough to take back control!” An arrow pierces through my chest while I’m in thought, and while I can’t feel it, it still annoyed me. “...Maybe I don’t need him in one piece for the Umbrum to submit.” Ripping the arrow from my chest I look down and find Sombra had already fired two other arrows which I manage to deflect by swiping at them, my tough heirro thankfully makes it so that no injuries are left when I do this.
“I’ll rip you to shreds you damn Umbrum!” Taking ahold of Kyōka Suigetsu I prepare to use it. “Resurrección!” I stay free falling in the air but nothing happens.
“... Kyōka what the fuck is happening? Why can’t I use our Resurrección?” I angrily question him.
“Xavier you don't have a true name for it yet. You cannot simply call out to nothingness and expect it to function properly. You’re going to have to count Resurrección out in terms of options.”
Dammit, of course. Well then I guess I’ll just have to do this the normal way. “Cero!” Pointing my finger at Sombra I fire a less focused beam at him, meant to at least stun him but he instead grabs a strange emblem from his uniform and shouts in the air.
“Between light and dark, The Duality!” He slams it to the ground before his bow changes. It turns pitch black with only three white orbs hanging on the front of it, the beginning, middle, and end. But the bowstring turned pure white. “Holding back seems to be out of the question, no matter. Taking the biggest part of your corpse should suffice.”
Fuck he wasn’t even using his Schrift? And now he’s shooting black ink from his bow, everywhere on the ground. Which is exactly where I land. But weirdly enough it doesn’t harm me.
“Prepare to face a true Sternritter’s power! Empyreal Assault.” Wielding his newest bow, Sombra fires out a ball of pure light matter at me. What I assume is an attack absorbs the black ink around it, quickly spitting it back at the ground. Producing more orbs of light, yet they’re covered in this dark aura now.
“Hadō #54. Haien!” I swing my hand in an arch, producing a purple oblong ball of pure destructive combustion which incinerates the big moving ball of light covered in darkness on impact… But the little white orbs around me explode in a black inky mess. Sending a disorienting multi-impact all around my body.
“Now you’re finished, bullseye, White Singularity.” The Umbrum turned Sternritter draws his bow back and fires pure light in the air, its trajectory heading directly towards me. “Did he really just say bullseye? Maybe some of him really is breaking through.” Throwing up both of my hands I manage to conjure a barrier. “El Escudo.” A light green barrier forms in front of me.
Both energies meet, the pure light impacts my shield. Sparks fly from both sides. Kidō spell or not this barrier would still hold up well thanks to my monstrous Reiatsu. Though there was still something wrong. Sombra’s spell began to absorb the rest black ink on the ground, spinning into a mass of light and dark before erupting from the ground and bludgeoning me with erasive force. Small impacts are made all around my body, even damaging my organs.
It continues, continuously erupting until it no longer has the Reishi to go on. Leaving my entire body charred. Everything about me is charred as if I had turned to coal. My mouth burnt off, only teeth are shown on my smile.
“I-I feel like this shouldn’t be happening. Why isn’t my regeneration keeping up with me? Am I being too lenient?” It feels as though the world itself is revolving around me.
Unconsciously my body tries and mends the hole inside my abdomen from earlier but struggles to do so.
That ringing inside my ear calls out to me again. I drop down to my knees. Staring up at my adversary. A small glint is in his eye as he rushes forward. His hoof reels back and hits… The air, he keeps up his assault on what seems to be nothing.
“Thank you Suigetsu, for the automatic response.” Taking a moment to rest and lay back, a voice plays out inside my brain.
“Stop holding yourself back, he is gone, you imbecile. You need to treat this as if King Sombra is a sick animal that needs to be put down. Follow through with absolute destruction because if you choose not to then you will lose.”
“Stop telling me things I already know-”
“Then at the very least act as if thou does! Every slip up that we have noticed thine has made, infuriates us beyond recognition. Thy will carry this out or suffer under King Sombra’s reign.”
I slap a hand up to my charred face. Covering it with an unimaginable expression, glee. It’s a real shame to throw this facade away in front of a companion. Sacrifices must be made. “Oh please I could’ve ended this fight some time ago by using the energy inhibitor or simply trapping him within our Bankai should I really want to though? But you don’t understand how much bloodlust I’ve been holding inside me inside this peaceful place. I needed an outlet. So sit back and watch me clear this out.”
No longer limiting my desires, my Hōgyoku hums in excitement. The natural regeneration of simply wanting to be alive comes to me, flesh kneads over the burnt flesh and begins repairing me. Yet the hole in my abdomen still stays, not ready to be healed yet.
I snap my fingers and dispel the illusion in front of Sombra.
“As I thought, it was an illusion.” Sombra quietly acknowledges. But I won’t respond, I’ll only respond with battle. But first I’d like some music to go with it.
Opening a small Senkaimon on my side I throw Kyōka Suigetsu in, leaving me vulnerable to placing illusions on myself. Which I begin to do immediately.
(Again, it's only recommended.)
“Throwing away your blade, do you forfeit then?” Sombra jokingly questions. And when I do not answer he becomes aggravated. Instead I put both of my hands together and smiled.
Two entirely new copies of Kyōka Suigetsu appear in my hands, projection magic that I made up during my travels. It was after I created enhancement. Speaking of which.
“Kyōka Suigetsu: Overedge…” purple magical pathways travel throughout my sword instead of my body, warping them until they become what appear to be new swords.
The two copies transform, they serrate themselves, widening the flat side of the blade until it nearly resembles a great sword. Their edges become sharper, cutting the air just by passing through it.
“I have to keep my sanity from crumbling, just a little further.” While I’m still rusty from duel wielding, muscle memory is the key to keeping me going.
Moving forward I pull open my Senkaimon and memorize where I left it, the anti-energy device. I take it from my workbench and equip it on my ankle.
“There is one thing stopping me though. I can’t have these swords if this activates. No matter, I shall simply fix that.” My artifact inside my chest sings to me as the blades sink into my flesh, replacing my arms and hands until they resemble the blades themselves. Much like my counterpart’s final hollowified transformation.
“What sort of sorcery… What am I saying? I should just finish this now.” Sombra fires off more ink everywhere on the ground as I shamble towards him.
Shadowy tendrils come from the ink in the ground to wrap around my legs, holding me in place. So with the smallest amount of pressure from my Reiatsu I press a button on my creation, instantly breaking apart his magic and bow while suppressing my Reiatsu. Yet my bladed appendages stay the same.
A look of pure shock etches itself into Sombra’s face, the smoke from his eyes dissipates. “I-I can’t feel any ambient magic, what did you do?! How could you deplete all of the energy around the area, even the barriers have expired without warning!”
Twisting my bladed arms in the air, getting into a lower stance to Flash Step past Sombra. Cutting him across the shoulder in passing. My left weaponized appendage is coated in his ichor.
“Clear the mind, mind, body, and soul, never leave it to fate to decide when you take an opportunity.” That mantra clouds my mind. Sombra’s mouth keeps moving, his voice can no longer reach me. All I can see are patterns from his footwork while everything slows.
“One hoof forward, rotate approximately seventeen degrees, opposite hind hoof, strengthening tendons. Estimation? Rising roundhouse kick, clockwise.” My mind floods with this information, normal perception resumes once more. Sombra’s about to carry out the attack, his hoof finally twists in real time. The puppet otherwise known as Sombra drops his entire body weight on that singular hoof, raising his hind hoof to try and land a hit on my chin. Appropriately, I take a singular step back, watching Sombra’s hoof breeze by, too easily I cut his hind leg as it travels through the air. Only a shallow cut forms.
An almost staticy jolt goes inside my head, forcing another thought into my head. “Shallow cut… Most probable answer? Still unconsciously applying Blut Vene.” Right, don’t think, just do.
Sombra leaves his mouth open for a moment, those sounds still aren’t able to reach me. Sounds taken from Sombra couldn’t possibly be important, I need to fight.
“Shapes begin to become unrecognizable, color starts fading in front of me so why am I fighting again, Sombra or…? What is this crumbling soul in my view? Don’t think, just do…” This old friend obstacle is blocking my path still. Nursing its injuries, it tries to activate Hirenkyaku judging by how both its hind hooves lagged for a second. That habit will be its downfall. The thing manages to move at high speeds, snow and cool breezes dance between us. I run Enhancement through my leg and stop on the ground, creating a shockwave, promptly making the object tumble in its hastened movement.
Only a single dew drops worth is pure left in this soul. Even if it’s a hypocrisy to think any soul is pure. I must extinguish its current color, reshape, reconstruct, and force it under me. “One foot after the other, I make this a slow walk, one I must indulge in… Or do I not think? W-what is wrong with my mind, d-do I go and leave? Am I supposed to save them, wait who’s them?” Everything inside my ideals started to reshape themselves, is this my breaking point? That constant ringing is back, forcing me to my knees. I attempt to start scratching at my hair to calm myself, the popping in my hair. All I get in results is cut scalp, fallen hair, and a bloodied face. These weaponized arms continue harming me. Until I’m kicked in the face, dislocating my jaw, my head snaps in the direction the attack went in, but then I feel a crushing pressure on my ankle.
Bloodlust, more bloodlust, and a volcanic amount of Reiatsu forms before me. Looking up all that’s there is him, my vision returns to me. I feel calmer yet enraged.
“There’s no more bloodlust inside me although I still want to strike him down. My mind really did fall apart for a second, that little voice in my head telling me that I still could’ve saved him, guess I should listen then.”
Four words, I finally hear him utter. “The Duality of God.” Here we are then, that is his Vollständig. He sprouted two wings, one was pitch black, appeared demonic, and the other was purely white, like an angel, complete with a half broken halo above his head. He re-materializes his bow only to break it back apart, quaking the ground beneath. He stands up on his back hooves, making a large ball of white in his right hoof while gathering every single drop of black ink in his left. Forming a second ball of pure dark matter.
“Hold on, isn’t that just Hollow Purple?” I decide to quip, elevating my mood again as a smooth feeling surrounds me. Even though Sombra frowns I know he would at least smile if that was the old him, despite never showing him Jujutsu Kaisen. “Fine fine, but next time we see each other, this life or the next? Let me buy you a drink.”
I dissipate the two swords ingrained into my body, seeing that he broke the anti-energy device, I remove it from my ankle, completely eradicating it, there’s no point in keeping these blades inside my arms. Not that I’ll need a sword for this since we’re both going all out.
Time to start the incantation. "Limit of the thousands hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Light bullets, ten bodies, eleven items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, gray fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired."
And just as I finished, he finally managed to crush the two conflicting energies together.
All the snow melts as I use my pointer finger and direct it at Sombra, just as he releases the attack.
“DARK SUN!” My former friend shouted out. Pure light enveloped within an ever changing aegis of darkness voids the ground below where it travels. Destroying everything in its path as I do the same.
I smile, it feels as though I can see his spirit silently smiling at me too. “Maximum output, Hadō #91: Jūgeki Senju Kōten Taihō” Twelve destructive points of red energy immediately fire out from behind me, focusing into one blast which clashes inside the dark vortex that trapped light. The Kidō slightly breaks, but I still keep calm. Sombra crazily laughs instead. The feeling of victory surrounding him.
“You nearly had me worried for a second, but it’s your time to face oblivion Sōsuke!” And I neither confirm or deny him of this. Instead I sit down and smile as the world around us crumbles apart thanks to Kyōka Suigetsu. I had long broken through his attack, Sombra finally saw the twelve points of energy shot at him yet he could do nothing but brace for impact. The dark one felt his entire body explode, becoming mangled and nearly unrecognizable. Sombra was now in a large creator, right next to the Crystal Empire. I could only walk down and lay next to the beaten pony.
“I… I’m sorry I couldn’t do more than give you peace, Sombra. And I know I won’t be ready to let you go.” I quietly said.
Those lifeless eyes he had are gone now, instead those familiar eyes I had once knew come back. The Umbrum really did leave its host when it noticed that they were close to being expired. “M-my h-h-horn, t-take it.” The gravelly voice pleads… His horn is actually still intact, there’s no reason why he’d want me to have it. He told me he’d want to be buried with it when he died.
I can’t deny a dying friend's request though. “Sure, I’ll take it. For your sake.” I reached over and snapped his horn off, he did not flinch nor did he groan. I used my sword’s ability to take away his sense of feeling. My one last illusion against a companion of old.
“I-I’m sorry I pushed you s-so hard to your breaking point… But you w-were always a plothole about superiority.” He weakly chuckles, sputtering up blood in the process.
“Sh… Lets just watch the sky move for now man.” Holding his horn close to me we both do just that, watch the sky up above, snow trickles down on us, not even able to witness the clouds. And suddenly a strange warmth travels through the both of us, and a blue dome stops the snow from coming in. I turn to face Sombra, yet I don’t see him, instead there’s only ashes.
I pick them up traveling up the creator and into this outdated land, holding back whatever is trying to flood through my eyes. Walking through these streets with what feels like millions of eyes watching me. As I see a heart made of crystal floating above Cadance along with Shining Armor and the girls, they all watch me as I continue to carry these ashes until I reach the middle of the kingdom. Levitating upwards I conjure a small wind, blowing the remains of my friend away whilst holding his horn, tears and adrenanline coursing through my veins, I can feel both him and myself fading away.
“Thank you friend, you… You’ve done me wonders and I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”