Equestria Girls: Friendship Souls

by thatguyvex

Episode 53: Phoenix Rising

A swift, sharp wind crossed the flat plain atop Sokyoku Hill, kicking up a trail of dust that passed between the line of battle ready girls with Sunset Shimmer at their head as they faced down Captain Platinum, whose expression was as flat and hard as a glacier. A small twitch at the corner of Platinum’s mouth preceded her cold edged words.

“Give her back? No. I don’t believe I will.”

The warmth started to get sapped from the air, Sunset suddenly seeing her own breath turn to white mist as Platinum raised her released blade, Fuyukogo’s gleaming blue form glistening with dozens of icy reflections in the morning light as it was raised high above Platinum’s head. Freezing air visibly coiled around the sword as Platinum flashed an utterly mirthless smile.

“If you want her, you’ll have to take her.”

Platinum slashed down with her blade in a white and blue torrent of exploding ice, jagged pieces of spearing cobalt cold erupting along the ground in an avalanche that spread towards Sunset and the girls. Rather than try to evade, the girls remained steady in their positions while Sunset took a step forward, matching Platinum’s cold smile with a heated one of her own as she took hold of her Zanpaktou with both hands.

“Fine by me.” she said, and fire flashed in a bleeding red and orange flare from her sword.

She struck out, Hokori no Hikari transmuting into its split Shikai form in an instant as a blast of unmitigated fire washed out in a wave that collided headlong with Platinum’s oncoming ice. Incredible heat clashed with unforgiving cold in a hissing blast of force and steam as flame melted ice and ice snuffed out fire in equal measure. When the steam cleared Platinum was left blinking in astonishment, as Fuyukogo’s attack had been stopped in its tracks, leaving Sunset and the girls beside her unscathed.

“What?” the Captain breathed.

In response Sunset’s smile merely deepened, and her form blinked out of view. The Flash Step took her direclty next to Platinum’s side, her flaming sword sweeping in at the Captain. Despite her momentary shock Platinum still managed to intercept the strike, if only by a hair’s breadth. Fuyukogo’s ice covered edge sparked off of the flaming broadsword of Hokori, the two blades seeming to almost leap against each other in their owner’s hands in eagerness to clash.

”What!?” Platinum repeated, this time with fuming anger as columns of ice exploded from where her feet touched the ground and lanced towards Sunset.

Sunset jumped back, and interposed the shield of Hikari as the jagged spears of ice stabbed towards her. The shield flashed brightly with luminous white light, an barrier of energy extending around the shield to block the oncoming ice attack. The ice shattered against the shield in a shower of shards, the force pushing Sunset back, but not penetrating Hikari’s defense.

Platinum stood there, staring. “If this were any other set of circumstances I’d be inquiring as to how you improved so dramatically over such a short span of time, but since I have a schedule to keep...”

She grabbed Celestia with her free arm and then forcefully jumped, dragging Celestia along with her, to soar over the group of girls standing in her way.

“Oh no you don’t!” Rainbow Dash shouted, zipping into the air, with Applejack not far behind.

Platinum snorted as she swung Fuyukogo, sending a deadly cascade of ice in an expanding dome, its inner surface laced with spikes, torrenting down at the girls. Rainbow Dash and Applejack both fired upon the avalanche at the same time, a lance of lightning and a beam of golden energy both colliding with the ice in mid-air. Their combined effort was enough to break some of the ice up, but plenty of shards still rained down on the girls. Rarity conjured crystalline red parasols over herself and the other girls still on the ground, and what few ice shards got past that were either easily evaded, or simply crushed by a giant pink hammer as Pinkie Pie transformed and brought out Pinkamena in a swirl of pink mist.

“I’m so going to make snowcones outta this chick’s blood!” Pinkamena grinned, then coughed slightly, spitting up some blood herself.

“A-are you okay, Mena!?” asked a startled Pinkie Pie, her hammer form turning almost as if looking at the doppleganger.

“Tch, fine. Still got a few guts out of place from being diced earlier by that cheesy bastard, but that’s fine, the pain helps me focus.”

“Let us chat after we deal with the Captain.” said Clover, already leaping up on top of one of the larger chunks of fallen ice and giving chase as Platinum rushed for the execution stand. The other girls also gave chase, although Ditzy Doo and Sunset were the fastest of the group, both flickering with remarkably instant Flash Steps that put them on either side of the fleeing Captain.

“What’s the rush, Platinum?” Ditzy Doo cooed as she swept a powerful kick towards Platinum’s mid-section, while Sunset chopped down from the other side, blade burning.

Platinum snarled and threw Celestia ahead while spining in a circle, Fuyukogo leaving a glittering trail of cold blue light. Ice, deep and dark blue, shot up in a thick pillar around her, absorbing both Ditzy and Sunset’s attacks. The pillar broke into pieces under the explosive power of both hits, but it kept Platinum unharmed as she then plunged her Zanpaktou into the ground and with a burst of reiatsu expanded a field of ice around her that started to errupt with spears of frost. Ditzy Doo turned into a blur of fists and feet, smashing ice spears as they came at her, while Sunset put both Hokori and Hikari to equal work, flames metling ice to steam while the glowing shield absorbed blows that would have otherwise skewered Sunset.

At the same time a moving wave of ice actually picked up Celestia and moved her ever closer to the execution stand, nearly getting her to the foot of the stone platform at the stand’s base before Clover arrived with a Flash Step, and with Chishiki already released to Shikai she swung with the ring blade end of the staff at the ice. It didn’t break the ice, but it did halt it for a moment, long enough for Rainbow Dash to soar in and grab Celestia, yanking the woman out of the ice’s grasp.

“Got her!”

“Good!” Sunset yelled, “Get her out of here! We’ll finish off-”

Before her sentence was done there was a sound like a sonic crack, and a flashing purple and pink form thundered over the field, intercepting Rainbow Dash. The girl barley had time to blink before a thickly armored boot planted itself in her chest and sent Dash catapulting into the ground in a shower of rock and dirt as she skidded dozens of yards. Meanwhile Celestia was snatched from mid-air by the woman who’d just arrived. Clad fully in her power-armor like Fullbring, Firefly sported a cocky smile and shook her head as Rainbow Dash struggled to get to her feet, shaking.

“Too slow, kid. You should’ve seen that attack coming miles off. I thought Ditzy was training you? Ditzy, you slacking off training my kid? She shoud’ve dodged that, easy.”

Ditzy Doo’s expression was one of deep disappointment and apprehension as she turned a hard look towards Firefly’s hovering form. Sunset had only heard Fluttershy briefly describe Firefly’s Fullbring, and wasn’t sure what to make of it. It looked like someone had taken a sleek, violet colored mecha from one of Rainbow Dash’s cartoons and turned it into a suit of armor, complete with a set of wings that looked like a wide mechanical blade fins. Purple light flowed in a shimmering haze from vents on these wings, clearly the Fullbring's main means of propulsion. The rest of the armor had a sleek, high tech look to it, covering much of Firefly's legs, arms, and torso, save for a bare mid-riff and a few exposed joints. She had no helmet, but a pair of circular nodes on either side of her head extended a visor across her eyes.

“I don’t know what your play here is, Firefly.” said Ditzy, “Whose side are you actually on? You were supposed to be keeping me and Discy in the loop, but it looks like you switched loops without telling us.”

Firefly looked entirley unabashed and unashamed, merely shrugging in the way a friend might casually do when asked if the drank the last soda in the fridge. It was striking to Sunset how similar the expression was to one’s she seen Rainbow Dash wear time and again. Colors aside, the mother and daughter had almost eerily similar looks, builds, and even the way Firefly carried herself just looked like an even more cocky and confident mirror to Dash’s own usual manner.

“Ditzy, you know you and Discord are my peps, but this is way bigger than you think. This goes beyond being on anyone’s ‘side’.”

“Quit talking and get Celestia on that stand!” shouted Platinum, her spiritual pressure increasing by volume’s as her body all but glowed with arctic blue light, “We don’t have much time!”

“Jeez, calm your freakin’ tits. This is why I hate working with Soul Reapers. So damned uptight.” Firefly childed as she floated down towards the execution stand. Ditzy Doo moved to stop her, while Platinum appeared behind Ditzy with Fuyukogo already slashing towards the other woman’s neck.

However Ditzy didn’t need to dodge, as Sunset smashed into Platinum’s side with her shield, Hikari pulsing with white light as she shoved the Captain away from Ditzy with enough force to actually cause Platinum to grunt in shocked pain and nearly get knocked off her feet. She regained her balance in an instant, just in time to parry a swift series of blows form Sunset that left the two blade locked for a moment while Sunset shouted to Ditzy, “I’ve got her. Go!”

Ditzy needed no urging, but as she turned back to Firefly she found herself staring down the barrel of the massive, hexagonal shaped cannon Firefly had summoned. Ditzy was more than fast enough to evade the huge beam of crackling violet, electrical energy that fired out of that cannon, but Firefly had bought herself the extra second needed to land on the execution stand with Celestia.

“I’m surprised to see you here.” Celestia said, sounding a lot more calm than a woman in her circumstances ought to. “I thought you’d never willingly set foot in Soul Society after what happened to you and your friends.”

“Hey, my current boss has a real way with words, you know?” Firefly said with a cheeky wink, setting Celestia down in the middle of the stand.

As she did so, however, Clover jumped up onto the stand, brandishing Chishiki, while the other girls arrived and Rainbow Dash got fully standing. Ditzy Doo apeared beside the girl as she set eyes on her mother, Rainbow Dash’s face a look of stormclouds personified. As Firefly met her daughter’s gaze behind the visor of her Fullbring there was a second or two of weighty silence, the only noise being the clamour of steel on steel and the hiss of melting ice as Sunset and Platinum continued to exchange blows nearby.

“Lack of battlefield awareness and dodging skills aside, you’re looking alright, kid.” said Firefly, seemingly entirely relaxed despite the situation.

Rainbow Dash’s lips quivered for a moment before her whole body turned harsly tense, her voice even more low and raspy than usual, “No. You... you don’t get to say anything to me like that! Not all ‘heya kiddo’ and that kind of crap, like you haven’t been gone for years!”

Firefly actually winced at that, “Yeeeeah, guess I can see how you’d be sore over that. I had my reasons, Dashie-”

“Don’t you dare call me that!” Rainbow Dash’s wings spread wide, arcs of writhing lightning flowing up from them in a storm. “I don’t want to hear your reasons or excuses! Right now all you are to me is another one of the bad guys whose face I need to pound in! You can shovel me your BS excuses after I’ve kicked your butt!”

“Yeash, and I thought your dad was the drama queen of the family. Alright, kid, you want to do it like this, I’m game.” Firefly said, the bulky metal wings of her own Fullbring spreading like an array of sleek swords. Then segments of each fin of those wings slid upwards and then detached, flying out and moving on streams of violet light. These flying segments, twelve in total, moved about in a series of rapid right-angle maneuvers that suddenly put them surrounding the girls. Purple energy pulsed at the tips of the 'drones' and they fired off thin, violet lasers in a dizzying storm of shots.

“Whoa nelly, I think ya tick yer ma off a mite!” said Applejack as she dodged one beam, and deflected another with a gauntlet, the purple beam scoring a painful mark across the gauntlet’s metal.

“Really, whatever gave you that idea, Applejack?” Rarity asked with sarcasm drying her voice as she narrowly but still gracefully evaded several beams, while directing the whirlpool of blood flowing up from her bracelet to conjure a cloud of daggers that flew at Firefly.

Firefly flew straight up in a violet streak, Rarity’s dagger’s chasing her, but the woman directed her long barreled cannon at the cloud of crystal daggers and discharged a potent blast of energy that shattered them in a glittering cloud of red dust.

Fluttershy and Clover tried to use the opening to get to Celestia’s side, but a quartet of the blade-like drones rushed them, firing more thin beams of energy that forced the pair to leap away from the attack. Fluttershy, all three of her eyes focused and filled with concentration, sent out her power to her friends and willed them all to become faster. The effect was immediately apparent as Clover started to Flash Step faster than she had before, Chikishi becoming a blur as it smashed aside several of Firefly’s drones while she threw an arm out to discharge a Kido at some of the one’s assaulting Rarity.

“Hado Number Thirty Three: Sokatsui!”

Blue, radiant power blasted one of them and sent it spinning away, only for the sharp piece of flying metal to quickly correct itself, split open like a steel flower, and return fire at Clover and an empowered beam of energy three times as thick as before. Clover used Chishiki’s shaft to block the beam, but the force still knocked her flat on her back on the other side of the execution platform.

Pinkamena, seeing the trouble the drones were causing, started to swing the Pinkie hammer above her head and then extended her arms like taffy, smacking several of the flitting drones out of the air and then smashing them like she was playing a game of whack-a-mole. When another of the bladed drones came in behind Pinkamena, opening up into a metal blossom to charge up a more powerful beam attack, Pinkie Pie shouted. “Twitchy nose, Mena! Watch out for the back-stab!”

Pinkamena responded instantly, turning to face the new threat and snapping her elongated arms back like a rubber band, bringing Pinkie Pie’s hammer form back around to baseball bat swing at the purple beam that was discharged at her. The hammer hit the beam with a sound like a golf club striking a metal ball bearing, knocking the beam right back at the drone, exploding it in a burst of violet flame.

As Fluttershy helped Clover back to her feet she saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack had taken to the sky and were engaged fully with Firefly in an aerial duel. She could see the invisible streams of her own power flowing through her third eye to empower her friends, and especially Dash and Applejack were both moving with far greater agility and speed than normal, yet Firefly was keeping pace with both of them despite that.

The older woman used her canon to fire off a trio of blasts that forced Applejack to awkwardly dodge and roll through the air to avoid the potent beams, while with her other hand Firefly reached towards her hip. From the armor at her hip a small hatch opened and a round, dark metal sword hilt popped out. Firefly grabbed it and drew out the hilt, which had no blade until its cross-guard extended like crab-claws and a thick, semi-solid beam of purple energy extended in a thick leaf shape. Firefly used this crackling energy blade to block Rainbow Dash as the girl soared in at her mother, lightning fists charged and tearing through the air with a powerful punch. Firefly seemed to have little trouble maneuvering to deflect her daughter’s attacks with her energy blade while still firing off blasts from her cannon to keep Applejack on the defensive, while also mentally directing her drones to keep up a relentless assault on the other girls.

“Oh my, I don’t know if this is going well or not.” Flutterhy said, glancing towards wehre Platinum and Sunset had gone.

That pair weren’t easy to spot. Their battlefield was easy enough to locate just by the amount of ice coating the ground or the way much of it sizzled and steamed away under roaring flames, but Sunset and Platinum themselves were little more than streaks of blurring motion as they zipped about, clashing again and again with Flash Steps and strikes so fast that Fluttershy couldn’t really see what was happening clearly.

“Where did Miss Doo go?” asked Clover, and Fluttershy realized that Ditzy Doo had seemed to vanish just as the fighting had really kicked off. However both girls, and indeed all the combatants present, felt the sudden massive burst of reiatsu from above them. Everyone turned to see Ditzy Doo on top of the execution stand, a swirl of potent spirit energy coiling around her right fist.

“You know it occurred to me that if I really wanted to put an end to this all I have to do is break this execution stand.” Ditzy Doo said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Platinum, breaking off from trading blows with Sunset, snarled and said, “Even you can’t break that with one blow!”

“Wanna bet?” called out Ditzy with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Firefly was blocking one of Rainbow Dash's lightning charged punches, indigo electricity crackling around the thick energy blade Firefly was using to hold the attack off, but she still was able to quickly spin about with a snap kick that caught Dash in the gut and sent her flying back, and then aimed her cannon at Ditzy Doo. “Go head Ditzy, but I’ll blast you at the same time.”

“That won’t be necessary, Firefly.”

The voice that spoke this time was a new one, female and overflowing with self-assured confidence as it seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once. Ditzy Doo gave a small start, as if sensing something nearby, and immediately dodged as the air rippled near her and a blade slashed out of nowhere. The Zanpaktou cut a shallow but bloody wound across Ditzy’s chest, even as she jumped back from the woman emerging from what seemed to be a literal shimmering veil in the air.

The woman, mostly clad in a black cloak, her hood up. Her Zanpaktou dripped blood from its edge, and its hilt was wrapped entirely in thick white cloth. A hint of pinkish purple skin could be seen within the hood as the woman smiled. “Nearly had you with that one, Ditzy. You’re slower than I remember.”

Ditzy Doo managed a cocky grin, shrugging as if to say the wound she’d just received was little more than cosmetic. “What can I say? I really like human junk food and I’m a bit out of practice. Lucky me all the fat goes straight to my boobs. How about you, still flat chested and bitter, Starlight?”

“Oh, I forgot how much I didn’t miss the ‘witty banter’ portion of our conversations.” the woman said with no small lack of sardonic drawl as she reached a hand up to her hood, “And since you already know me, no more point in playing Miss Dark and Mysterious.”

With one smooth motion she pulled back her hood, revealing a strong featured woman with a full, long head of light purple hair streaked with a band of teal. Her appearance was immaculate but somehow surprisingly plain, like a well groomed librarian. Her features were simple and edged more towards girl-next-door cute than traditionally beautiful. She could have been anywhere from a overly mature mid-twenties to a youthful mid-thirties, a kind of unidentifiable age that couldn’t be placed easily. Her eyes were a deep and vibrant shade of blue that held a tinge of violet to it, close to indigo. She gave a small toss of her head to clear some long bangs from her face as she cast a glance from Ditzy towards the rest of the plateau. Her eyes slid slowly over the girls from Canterlot City, briefly resting longer on Sunset Shimmer, who remained in a ready battle stance that kept one close eye on Platinum.

“Getting introductions out of the way, my name is Starlight Glimmer. First off let me say I’m glad none of you died trying to tackle the whole Soul Reaper military head on like a bunch of out of control torpedoes. Seriously I couldn’t have asked for a better distraction, and you girls really put the entire Gotei 13 into a tizzy so severe this all went waaaaaay smoother than I ever imagined it would. So for that you have my most sincere thanks.”

Platinum’s eyes narrowed at Sunset Shimmer, then with a flourish of her blade she sent a fan of icy shards flying at the girl. Sunset swore under her breath as she blocked the shards with Hikari, but Platinum took the moment to Flash Step away, disengaging and appearing at the base of the execution stand, shouting up at the woman.

“My son! Is he safe!?”

“Yes.” Starlight said with assurance, “I’ve seen to his comfort and ensured he’s prepared for the transfer. He’s sleeping like a baby presently, and won’t wake up until we’re through here. Good work, by the way, keeping everything together while the rest of us did what we had to.”

“I don’t need your praise! Just keep your end of the bargain and let us be on with this!” Platinum growled, “These children keep interfering and we don’t have time to waste.”

“Fine, fine. I suppose we are short on time.” Starlight responded, turning her full attention to Ditzy Doo like a laser pointer, raising her left hand, palm out, “Better deal with the most troublesome opponent first. Bakudo Number Ninety Five: Kokonotsu no Haka.” (Nine Graves)

A sharp breath of a curse flew out of Ditzy’s mouth as she immediately raised her fist and smashed it down towards the execution stand, trying to finish what she’d started before Starlight appeared. However with sickening swiftness a field of thick green energy appeared from thin air around her in four right angled planes, snapping shut around her. Then another, larger field encased the first, then another, and another, until nine glowing rectangles of force surrounded Ditzy Doo with crushing, binding force of such spiritual strength that Sunset and the rest of the girls could feel it even at a distance, like a deep buzz in the air.

Nodding in satisfaction Starlight simply vanished an reappeared with a blindingly fast Flash Step next to Platinum and Celestia, not even missing a beat as she ran a hand under Celestia’s chin playfully.

“I hope you don’t take this too personally. It really isn’t personal, you know. You and Luna were just the best tools for this particular task.”

By now Sunset Shimmer had Flash Stepped up to the execution stand, joined by Clover, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkamena in surrounding Captain Platinum and Starlight. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were still in the air confronting Firefly, while Ditzy Doo remained trapped inside the binding Kido atop the execution stand. Sunset could see Ditzy struggling against the encasing fields of force around her like a shark caught in a net. The woman’s body was exuding red Hollow energy in a torrent, her mask partially forming around her face as she thrashed against the Kido holding her. Sunset wasn’t sure how long it would take Ditzy to break free, but for the moment she and the girls were on their own.

“Just what has this been all about, Starlight Glimmer!?” she demanded, brandishing Hokori’s flaming edge and Hikari’s glowing shield, “Why do you want Celestia dead!?”

“Uh, does it matter?” said Pinkamena, “Once we paint the ground with her inner squishy bits the motivations aren’t exactly going to be important.”

“I rather think its important.” said Rarity, “After all our lives have been turned upside down because of this woman. I’d say we deserve to know why.”

“You’ve destroyed the balance of my home, my people, and my friends.” said Clover, aiming Chishiki’s pointed end at both Starlight and Platinum, “One of you has betrayed everything she was supposed to stand for. An explanation is in order!”

“Um, if you don’t mind, that is?” put in Fluttershy.

Platinum’s eyes flashed and she opened her mouth to speak, but Starlight held up a hand to silence her and smiled thinly at the girls. “Sorry, but this isn’t show and tell. Besides, if you want answers, you can see for yourself what I want. Firefly, be a dear and stop holding back? Go laser crazy.”

Firefly chuckled, “My pleasure, Glims.”

Suddenly it became very clear that Firefly had been playing around with them up until that point. With shocking speed her drones flew out in a spiral pattern around her. The one’s that had been smashed or destroyed were replaced by more that replicated themselves out of her blade shaped wings, until the full dozen spun around her in a incredibly fast pattern that burned a purple circle of energy in the sky. Firefly just raised one armor clad hand and snapped her fingers.

“Dragoon Purge, Full Spread!”

Purple bolts of energy and lightning exploded all over the field, firing out of the spiral circle in a dizzying pattern. Sunset and Rarity together raised barriers of defense, Sunset’s shield chiming with white energy that formed a defensive dome around her and Clover while Rarity’s blood churned into a wave-like crystal shield to cover herself, Fluttershy, and Pinkamena. The rain of purple lightning crashed into their barriers, straining both girls, but the barrier’s at least held, albeit Sunset could feel Hikari’s strength straining against the blasts. Hikari’s energy barrier’s needed Hokori’s strikes to power them, and her clash with Platinum, while brief, had stored up plenty of energy in Hikari. Still she felt the power behind Firefly’s attack and feared for Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who were still in the air with no protection.

Both of those girls flew like crazy to try to evade the storm, but Applejack took a hit to they shoulder that burned her armor and sent her spiraling out of control. Dash darted to catch her falling friend, snatching Applejack out of the air and moving like a jagged bolt of lightning herself to avoid her mother’s tempest of bolts.

By the time the rain of destruction ended the area of the Sokyuku Hill around the execution stand looked as if it had gone through an artillery barrage, with dozens of craters pockmarking the ground. As the dust settled Sunset saw that Platinum was no longer beside Starlight and Celestia, but instead had moved over to the Sokyoku itself, placing her hand on the giant shaft of the massive spear.

Blue spiritual energy in a flickering flame pattern erupted up the spear’s shaft, flowing upward to its bladed tip. Meanwhile Starlight hooked a finger around Celestia’s collar and with a flick of her wrist popped it off. However rather than free Celestia, this seemed to activate a function within the execution stand itself, as three perfectly shaped cubes of stone rose and floated up from the stand and hovered around Celestia. Two took up positions by her arms, stretching them out like she was on a cross, while the third cube floated around her legs, seeming to bind them in place.

In the span of a second Celestia started to rise up, apparently being dragged by the cubes to the top of the execution stand.

“Oh dear, that doesn’t look good. Sunset, buy me a moment. I can try to fashion something to hold her in place!” Rarity said, but even as she spoke there was a flicker of movement and Starlight Glimmer was simply standing behind Rarity.

“I’d really rather you didn’t.” Starlight said, simply touching a palm to Rarity’s back. The strike was like Rarity got hit by a wreacking ball, sent flying. Fluttershy caught Rarity and gently set her down, Rarity shaking her head in a daze. Sunset sneered fierecly and rushed to strike at Starlight, but Clover was suddenly there, pulling Sunset back.

“Wait, don’t attack her!”

“What? Why!?”

Clover shot a fearful look at Starlight Glimmer’s Zanpaktou, “Don’t you remember what Mister Discord told us about her Zanpaktou’s power?”

Starlight Glimmer smiled thinly, laughing lightly as she raised her blade, “Aw, are you sure you don’t want to attack me with those shiny Zanpaktou’s of yours? I could always stand to add a couple more to my collection. Guess you’re too clever for that... Clover, was it? And Sunset Shimmer, kind of disappointed you’d charge straight at me without even realizing the danger. You strike me as smarter than that.”

Sunset’s teeth grinded as she glared at Starlight, “You want smart? How about this? Rarity, sword!”

Rarity, shaking her daze off, blinked at Sunset, then her eyes lit up with understanding. “Oh! By all means, darling!” With a deft wave of her hand her whirlpool of blood flowed to her side and then disgorged a red crystaline replica of Hokori’s broadsword. Sunset resealed and sheathed Hokori no Hikari and in the same motion fluidly caught the replica blade Rarity provided and Flash Stepped right in front of Starlight, slashing hard for the woman’s sword arm.

Starlight smiled deeply as she smoothly turned her body away form the slash and brought her Zanpaktou up to block the crystal copy of Hokori. “Oh, I like you. I wish our first meeting could’ve been under smoother circumstances. I doubt we can have much of a conversation right now, but for what its worth I appreciate how pissed off you must be.”

“You haven’t even begun to see me pissed off.” Sunset promised, taking one hand off her copy sword and shoving a palm towards Starlight’s gut, “Hado Number Thirty One: Shakkaho!”

She let as much of her spirit energy as she could hotly pool in her palm and form the sphere of potent crimson power. It fired point blank, striking Starlight square in the chest. It pushed the woman back a half dozen yards before exploding in a ball of crimson flame. However a second later Starlight stepped from the wash of red fire, brushing herself off irritably with next to no visible damage.  “I see that you’ve got a bit of a temper problem. Not a bad Shakkaho for a beginner, through. I give it an eight out of ten. If we kept this up I might eventually break a sweat. Too bad for you we’re both out of time.”

At that moment there was an explosive amount of spiritual energy that washed out of the Sokyoku and dunked Sunset in the feeling of being awash in a steaming hot ocean current. Intense flames billowed up from the base of the spear, consuming it as it reached up towards the tip, expanding and pulsing outward like a living thing. Once the flames reached the tip of the spear the spear itself looked like little more than a shaft of black ash inside a cloud of living fire. Then that fire shuddered and writhed, contracting in on itself and then suddenly expanding its form to take a new shape, spreading wings the size of a football field, gaining a powerful avian body, with a sharp pointed head and beak sporting shining white eyes of fire amid its already flaming form.

With a painfully keen cry that split the air the Sokyoku finished its transformation into a building sized phoenix.

Almost everyone present couldn’t help but stare with some level of awe at the sight, even Captain Platinum, who had rarely seen the Sokyoku’s true form. Celestia herself, floated up to face level with the fire bird, stared into the consuming flames with a kind of tender resignation. If this really was where she died, she at least had a certain comfort in knowing that through the efforts of Sunset and her friends the treachery within Soul Society itself was uprooted and whatever damage was done today could in time be healed. Still, this wasn’t on her top ten list of ways she wanted to go out; number one being cake eating contest.

As the Sokyoku gave a mighty flap of its wings that created a hot windstorm that blasted the hill, Sunset shielded her face but shouted to her friends. “We have to break the stand!”

They all started to act in their own ways. Sunset and Clover started to use their reiatsu to jump off the air, rushing up the stand with blades cocked back to try to chop into the stand itself. Rarity tried conjuring axes of crystal to swing into the base of the stand, but the wood was hardly normal and barely chipped under the blows. Fluttershy pushed her own power into strengthening Pinkamena, who seemed to bulk up with fresh muscles under the influence of Fluttershy’s power as she opened her mouth to impossible proportions to try to gnaw into the execution stand.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack both rushed in together, Applejack staggering somewhat from a still somewhat smoking chest wound. They added their blows to the mix, both punching and kicking to try to smash the stand in time.

Yet the Sokyoku flew in with deceptive swiftness for something its size, and Sunset knew they’d never break the execution stand in time to keep the colossal bird of fire from impaling Celestia.

”Equalize: Sekai Chitsujo.” (World Order)

With the same mind numbingly quick Flash Step she’d demonstrated already Starlight Glimmer was simply there, standing between Celestia and the onrushing Sokyoku. The white wrappings of cloth around her Zanpaktou tore away as a potent teal glow engulfed the katana. The blade transformed, a long silver shaft growing to fill Starlight’s outstretched hand, twisting at the top to turn into twin bladed prongs, like a pitchfork with just two tines.

The two tips of the staff struck the beak of the Sokyoku and to Sunset’s surprise, the gargantuan phoenix was halted mid-flight. Before anyone could react there was a flash of teal light from within the two prongs of Starlight’s staff, and a sudden, massive suction-like whirlwind. Almost as if a black hole had been born at the tip of the staff the Sokyoku’s form began to flicker and pillow in a twisting river of flames being sucked straight into Starlight Glimmer’s Zanpaktou. It didn’t even take seconds. As the last flickering ember was absorbed into the staff, Starlight smiled in deep satisfaction and ran a loving hand over the two prongs at the end, like she was petting a cat.

“That’s my girl.”

She threw her head back and laughed, turning lustrously mad eyes towards Sunset and the other girls. “You wanted your principal back, right? Well, you can have her now. I don’t need her anymore.”

Starlight made a swift slashing motion with Sekai Chitsujo, the bladed prongs moving with silver streaks of motion. The cubes that had been holding Celestia in place each were severed neatly in half, falling away as inert stone blocks now, and Celestia, thus freed, fell a few feet before her spiritual pressure came surging back, no longer suppressed. Celestia all but exploded with reiatsu, locking eyes with Starlight as she halted her fall and Flash Stepped up to face the woman with balled fists.

“What did you just do!?” demanded Celestia.

“Wasn’t it obvious?” Starlight chided, twirling her Zanpaktou staff casually with one hand, “I just absorbed the Sokyoku into my Zanpaktou.”

“Hold on a sec.” Sunset appeared next to Celestia, still holding the copy blade Rarity had provided for her while keeping Hokori no Hikari sealed in her left hand, “That’s what you were after the whole time? I don’t understand. Why not just absorb that thing on your own? Why did you need Celestia and Luna to be set up for execution?”

“Because I can’t absorb a Zanpaktou that isn’t being directed at me, even if its being directed by accident.” said Starlight with an easy shrug, “The Sokyoku is only activated during an execution, so I couldn’t absorb it unless someone was up for the chopping block. Celestia and Luna just happened to be the easiest to set up for that.”

“Right... so why? What do you need the Sokyoku for?” Sunset pressed.

“Sorry, Q&A session is over Sunset. You’ve done a great job being my distraction, and hey if you want to keep being the Soul Society’s personal lap dog after this along with your magical girl team, by all means don’t let me stop you.” Starlight said, eyes narrowing, “But I’ve got big girl things to do, so if you’ll excuse me-”

Sunset appeared in front of Starlight with a Flash Step so fast that the air distorted around her. She swung Rarity’s copy blade with enough force that even with Starlight blocked it the blow caused a shock-wave that cracked the top of the execution stand and sent Starlight blasting through the wooden beam. Starlight caught herself and skidded across the air on her heels, sighing with clear annoyance as she brushed wood chips off her shoulder.

“We’ve got to do something about your anger issues.”

Sunset, now holding little more than a hilt as the crystal blade had shattered under the force of her own strike, growled at Starlight. “You’re not going anywhere without telling me what you're planning, Starlight Glimmer! My friends and I didn’t come all this way just to let you get away free!”

Starlight’s face turned sarcastically punchable as she gave a slow, sardonic clab of her hands, “And you’ve been doing such a good job of that, too. Oh, wait, on second thought.”

Starlight vanished once more, appearing back on the ground where the Sokyoku had once been, joining Platinum there just as Firefly as rocketed down and landed beside the pair.

“We’re still down one amigo, boss.” said Firefly.

“Yes, yes, I know. She’s running late, but she should be here any moment.” said Starlight with visible annoyance, “Assuming she’s not stupid enough to turn on me. Always a possibility with that one.”

Sunset blinked between where Starlight had been and where she was now, and let out a withering sigh. “I’m getting really tired of her doing that. How’d she learn to Flash Step so fast anyway? I’m calling shenanigans.”

She dropped down, Celestia following her, until she and all her friends had gathered up at the base of the execution stand, now facing the three women who were the cause of all their recent greif. A burst of thick Hollow reiatsu from above followed by the sound like shattering glass preceding Ditzy Doo finally breaking free of the binding Kdo on her, scattering the shells of energy like clay shards. Her Hollow mask was now fully formed on her face as she appeared next to the girls, her yellow on black eyes flickering towards Celestia.

“Hey. Glad you’re not dead.”

“Glad to not be dead.” Celestia said without much mirth, “However it seems my death was never part of the enemy’s plan.”

“Yeah, I gathered. How much damage could Starlight do with the Sokyoku, do you think?”

“I haven’t the faintest clue, but given it's a weapon forged to execute Soul Reapers, I could hazard some unpleasant guesses.”

Ditzy nodded, “So we smash their faces in. You good to fight?”

“I may not have my Zanapaktou but I can still muster Kido now that my reiatsu is no longer being curtailed.” Celestia confirmed, then looked to all the girls. “Thank you for coming for me, by the way.”

“Thanks later, once we deal with my jerkface mom and her idiot friend.” Rainbow Dash said.

“Hate ta bring up the obvious but we ain’t been doin’ so hot on that front, sugarcube. Yer ma’s kinda a’ powerhouse.”

“That’s just because you guys aren’t going for her jugular hard enough.” scoffed Pinkamena, “Even I could tell you were holding back.”

“I was NOT!” shouted Dash, but Sunset held up a hand.

“Guys, we don’t have time to argue. We need to take these guys down.” Sunset said firmly, though her voice was tinged with frustration, “Just wish I could go all out with my Zanpaktou, but...” she trailed off, not really needed to finish her sentence. They’d all just seen how effective Starlight’s own Zanpaktou was in stealing power, and Clover gave Sunset an understanding look of worry, no doubt equally fearful of losing Chishiki as Sunset was of losing Hokori no Hikari.

Ditzy put a subtle hand on Sunset’s arm, sawing in a low tone, “Best to let me and your Fullbringer friends tackle Starlight for now, but just so you know, as long as you don’t release your Zanpaktou to Shikai you can still use them. She can only steal them if they’re released.”

“Great, but that still puts us at a large disadvantage.” said Clover, eyeing her already released Zanpaktou, “I think it's best I help Sunset shut down Capta... well, she’s no longer a Captain, so just Platinum.”

“I don’t care how we do this, as long as you guys leave me to deal with my mom.” Dash said with hard finality.

Celestia’s head perked up as she looked beyond where Starlight, Platinum, and Firefly were standing with her eyes narrowing. “Wait, someone else is here.”

“Huh?” Sunset blinked, then felt two new reiatsu just as two more figures arrived on the hill not far from their position. Sunset didn’t recognize either woman, but the taller woman with the incredibly regal bearing and deep pink hair bleeding to dark purple was wearing a Captain’s coat, and the purple skinned girl with light blue hair next to her was wearing a Lieutenant’s armband.

“It’s Captain Amore and Lieutenant Radiant Hope.” Celestia said, seeming relieved, “She’s among the more sensible of the Captains.”

“So she’s on our side?” asked Fluttershy.

“Well she certainly seems to have an elegant bearing, and I think we can use all the help we can get.” said Rarity.

In the meantime Amore surveyed the scene with wide eyes. She could see Celestia was free, and saw the damaged execution stand. She’d felt the presence of the Sokyoku mere moments ago before her and Radiant Hope’s arrival, but that spirit energy had suddenly vanished and she wasn’t certain why. She could tell that the collection of young women at the far end of the hill had to be the Ryoka that had come to Seireitei, and was disturbed to see that one among them was wearing a Hollow mask. She’d heard the rumors about the Doo family’s exiled scion, but this was Amore’s first time seeing the strange Hollow powers that had caused the exile in the first place.

However all that aside Amore’s attention was rooted to the sight of Captain Platinum standing with a strange pair of women she didn’t recognize.

“Captain Platinum, I am here to place you under arrest for suspicion of treason against Soul Society!” Amore shouted, her voice more steady than she expected to to be as she drew her Zanpaktou.

Platinum regarded her with uncaring, cold eyes. “You may cross ‘suspicion’ from that statement, Amore.” she spat the name like a curse. “I confess my crimes. Soul Society no longer holds any meaning to me, now that my son is safe.”

Amore’s eyes flickered with confusion, “Your son... Lord Pipsqueak? What has happened to him?”

“Nothing, now, and no thanks to the worthless bastards in Central 46, or you my so-called ‘colleagues’. Condemn me as a traitor, I don’t care. Let’s see if you even have the spine or strength to take me on.”

“Yes, lets antagonize more Captain-level opponents.” quipped Starlight Glimmer with a roll of her eyes, “Firefly, prepare the portal. We have everything we need, so fighting here would be a waste of time.”

“We’re still missing one, boss.” Firefly pointed out, and Starlight smirked.

“Are we...?” she asked, and gestured behind Amore and Radiant Hope.

Amore perceived that gesture and turned to look behind her, blinking at who she saw.

Captain Zecora staggered along, covered in blood, her clothes tattered. She looked disheveled and it was hard to tell if the blood coating her was her own or that of others as she hobbled towards Amore and Radiant Hope, eyes looking desperate.

“My comrades take heed... for I am in dire need... do not trust... do not trust...”

“Zecora!” Amore cried, immediately rushing to Zecora’s side, concern brimming in her eyes. “We feared the worst! What happened to you!? Where have you been!?”

Sunset immediately sensed something was wrong. She wasn’t sure what or how, exactly. She’d never seen this dusky white skinned woman with the black and white striped mohawk either, but something about the way she moved struck her as wrong. Not like someone wounded, but like someone playing possum.

She drew Hokori no Hikari and started rushing forward, “Wait, don’t go near her!”

Radiant Hope heard Sunset’s warning, and turned to her Captain, who was now standing over a hunched over Zecora, “Captain Amore, back away from-”

The blade exploded out of Amore’s back in a shower of blood that coated the ground like red snowflakes and a wet splattering sound that echoed over the silent plateau. Amore shuddered, looking down at Zecora’s Zapaktou, which had impaled her straight through the chest, blood spreading in a crimson bloom from the viscous wound. She looked down into Zecora’s eyes, which stared up at her now with fierce glee.

“Ze...cora...?”

Zecora’s eyes flashed a deep emerald green and her voice... changed, deepening to a rich feminine and sultry tone that was filled with mocking scorn. “What, Amore? Did you have a question for me? Perhaps why there’s a blade rammed through you? Well, I was trying to warn you not to trust me.”

Zecora yanked her blade free in a spurting red tide, Amore staggering backwards and falling on her back like a discarded doll.

Radiant Hope’s eyes turned bleakly dilated at the sight, her voice shrieking, “Captain!”

The Lieutenant rushed to Amore’s side, her hands already glowing with the power of a healing Kido. Zecora glanced contemptuously at Radiant Hope and raised her bloody blade, “Oh look, an idiot girl who's dropped her guard in front of a murderous enemy. What fun.”

Radiant Hope looked up fearfully as the blade descended towards her, but there was a blinding streak of black robes and fire colored skin as Sunset arrived in a blazing Flash Step, Hokori no Hikari exploding into Shikai form as her shield intercepted the blow meant for Radiant Hope. Sunset’s eyes were all but flames as she roared, “No! You’re not hurting anyone else!”

Hokori’s broadsword sprung to flaming life, fire pouring out like a faucet as she slammed its heated edge at Zecora, blasting the Captain backwards in a hot trail that scorched a black, melted path of char a good twenty yards back. Sunset looked back at her friends, “Fluttershy, get over here and help keep Amore alive!”

“Right!” Fluttershy spread her wings and soared over, while the rest of the girls, plus Ditzy Doo and Celestia, rushed to surrounded Starlight, Platinum, and Firefly, who all looked generally unconcerned with the turn of events.

Platinum turned angry eyes at Starlight, “You told me only Central 46 were targets to be killed!”

Starlight sighed, “Yes, those were my orders. However our final comrade is something of a... independent individual. I’ll have to have a chat with her about the nature of our relationship when this is over.”

“Who is she? She cannot be Captain Zecora. You told me I was the only Captain who would have to betray Soul Society.” Platinum said, jaw tight.

“See for yourself...” Starlight said, tilting a head towards the burning pillar of fire Sunset had created that had blasted Zecora. In a few seconds the flames were dissipated, and Zecora was standing there, her robes scorched and charring away, and the woman herself bearing a few burn marks that she examined with a idle gaze.

“Hmm, that actually somewhat hurt. No wonder Tirek is so interested in you children. He always seems to know how to call who will become a major player in the game. Its one of the few reasons I allow him to play King of Hueco Mundo while I handle affairs from behind the throne...”

Sunset glared at her, but couldn’t quite hide her curiosity. “Tirek? He’s the one in charge of the Hollows?”

Zecora, or rather the one who was masquerading as Zecora, licked her lips and tapped a finger to her chin playfully, “Is he? I suppose he is, in a sense. He sits upon the throne and gives commands... hmmhmmhmm, but it is my voice that whispers those commands into his ears. Allow me to introduce myself, child.”

A pillar of incandescent emerald fire leapt to spiraling life around Zecora’s form, rising into the sky, and with it Sunset could feel the Soul Reaper reiatsu of Zecora be washed off like dirt under a hot shower. Like pulling off a spiritual suit the Soul Reaper spirit energy was cast aside, and underneath it a potent power that had the unmistakable heavy and chilling feel of a Hollow’s power came out like a thick miasma. It was so thick and cloying that Sunset had a hard time breathing for a moment before her own burning reiatsu rose up to push back against the pressure, allowing her to stand firm as the woman finished her hideous transformation.

The shape of Zecora melted away under burning green flames, bubbling and sizzling out like grease on a hot pan. White skin turned to shining charcoal. The mohawk burned away to reveal a long, dull turquoise length of well groomed hair. A sheer white dress of elegant design covered her statuesque and voluptuous frame, and her jade eyes glinted with confidence and power. A single, jagged horn of bone white pierced upwards from her skull, and a similarly colored number “2” was tattooed upon the base of her throat. She still held Zecora’s Zanpaktou in one hand, but a new Zanpaktou was sheathed at her hip, which she slowly drew, its steely curved blade gleaming.

“Espada Dos, Chrysalis. Do remember the name, would you? I do so hate having to repeat myself.”

Ditzy Doo let out a sharp hiss, “Shit... I’d really hoped it wouldn’t be her.”

Celestia blinked, “But how is she here? All of our scouts still have her placed at Las Noches... and even if she did slip out, to be able to disguise herself so thoroughly that Soul Society’s wards couldn't detect her?”

“It's not as hard as you imagine, dear sweet Celestia.” Chrysalis said, smiling deeply, “My precious Thorax is acting as an acceptable stand in for me while I take care of business here. As for fooling your oh so ‘reliable’ wards, you do realize to whom you speak? Infiltrating your ranks was not precisely my greatest challenge.”

Starlight rolled her eyes again, “Pat yourself on the back later. You still needed my help to ambush and replace Zecora. Without me you couldn’t have gotten this far, and without you my plan would’ve been that much harder, so instead of trading words, could you kindly get your shiny onyx butt over here so we can go?”

Chrysalis burst out an exasperated snort, “Oh fine. You’re entirely no fun, Glimmer.”

With a high pitched buzzing noise radiating through the air Chrysalis blinked out of view and appeared next to Starlight and the others, bypassing Sunset entirely. By now Fluttershy had arrived next to Radiant Hope, who had tears spilling down her face as she shoved glowing, bloody hands over Amore’s wound.

“I...I can’t feel her heart beating anymore...” Radiant Hope gulped, looking terrified.

Fluttershy gave her a kind smile as she knelt down, “Let me help. I can still feel her spirit. I’ll keep her going.”

“I’m relying on you Fluttershy.” said Sunset, nodding her head as she Flash Stepped back to the rest of her friends, surrounding Starlight’s group.

By now Firefly had already started to take action, reaching to the hip of her armored frame where a small hatch opened to extend several of her teleportation rods. She snatched them up between her fingers and tossed out four in  a fan to her right, the rods impacting with the ground in a neat line where they immediately activated with arcs of purple lightning, connecting together to form a wide oval shaped portal. The hole in the air showed a forest beyond, and a hint of some kind of large, dark structure.

Starlight, seeing the portal open, gave a brief bow. “If you want answers, feel free to try and follow us, but you won’t be getting any more help from Soul Society.”

“Stop them!” Sunset shouted, hesitant to use Hokori’s flames with Starlight so close, but willing to try and bum rush Platinum.

She and the rest of her companions rushed in, but their opponents were all incredibly fast themselves, with Platinum and Starlight both using Flash Step to vanish through the portal while Chrysalis used the Hollow equivalent to do the same. Firefly was the only one who was remotely visible as she went through the portal, and even she blasted through at breakneck speed, the fin wings of her armored boots and the blade wings on her back both exuding massive purple thrusters of energy that sent her rocketing through before Sunset or any of the others got close.

Still they didn’t stop, and Sunset rushed through the portal, landing in a forest clearing in a place she didn’t recognize. From the feel of the world around her she thought they were still in the Spirit Realm somewhere, but no longer in Seireitei. All she saw around her with thick, tall trees, and somewhere through the thick branches ahead loomed some huge, shadowy building.

“Where’d they go?” Rainbow Dash asked, looking around.

“Take a’ guess, sugarcube.” said Applejack, pointing at the looming building.

“Are we leaving Fluttershy behind?” asked Rarity.

“Hey, somebody’s got to keep that Captain lady’s sticky, delicious blood inside her.” said Pinkamena, while the Pinkie hammer twitched.

“I got real major league hebbie jebbies going on gals. I think the baddies are doing something big here to get away.”

Sunset glanced back at the portal, seeing that the lines of purple energy around the rim of the portal were getting less stable. “Firefly must have set this thing up to collapse on it’s own...”

She hesitated. She wanted Fluttershy with them, but she wasn’t about to remove the only chance that Amore woman might have of surviving, either. However as she thought that, she saw Fluttershy appear at the portal edge, alongside someone else she immediately recognized.

“L-Luna!” she said, and the Captain of the Second Division stepped through the portal alongside Fluttershy, carrying a twin set of Zanpaktou sheathed in her hands while her own katana and tanto blade were sheathed at her hips.

“Sister, you’re a bit later than I would’ve liked.” said Celestia, but she still managed a small smile, “But I’m glad you made it. Is Amore...?”

“Breathing, barely. Starswirl is here too. He’s keeping her alive, and rushing her as fast as he can back to the Twelfth Division.”

“Twelfth, not the Fourth?”

“She’s beyond normal healing.” Luna said sourly, “Starswirl says he has machines at his Division headquarters that he can hook her to too keep her from fading away, even with her heart damaged as it is. Captain Commander Scorpan is trying to restore order, but the other Captains were still fighting even as I rushed here.”

Luna handed Celestia her Zanpaktou, the other woman taking the twin blades with a visible shudder of relief. “Then we’re alone in dealing with our enemies.”

“I sensed Hollow reiatsu.” Luna said, glancing at Ditzy Doo, “Was it you?”

“Me, but we’ve also got the Second Espada here, along with Starlight Glimmer, Captain Platinum who’s turned traitor, and Xcution’s Firefly.”

Luna sucked in a breath, “A formidable roster of rogues. Even with all of us together they shall be difficult foes to face.” Luna’s eyes turned towards the building through the trees, her eyes narrowing. “Sister, correct me if I’m wrong but is that not...?”

“Hitsuyo Aku.” Celestia said grimly.

Sunset glanced at her, “That research group that made Xcution? This is their base?”

“Their laboratories, yes. We’re many miles outside the Seireitei. I don’t know how, but it seems Starlight Glimmer and her compatriots have taken over the facility. Whatever they’re doing here must be part of her grander plan. I know its much to ask of your girls, but I don’t know if my sister and I will be enough to stop them, so-”

“Stop. You don’t even have to ask. We’re here to stop them, and we’re not about to back out now. Right girls?” Sunset said, looking at her friends, who all nodded affirmations, except for Rainbow Dash who was so focused on the building ahead she didn’t seem to hear much of anything.

“The portal is closing.” came a voice from the other side of the portal, Radiant Hope standing there looking scared and uncertain, her hands covered in her Captain’s blood. “W-what do I do?”

The portal was indeed shrinking, shimmering and becoming less stable as it went. Celestia looked at Radiant Hope with an assuring nod. “Stay there, Lieutenant. Soon enough the Captain Commander will quell the fighting, and when he does you must tell him what happened on Sokyoku Hill and where we’ve gone. Don’t worry, Amore is in good hands with Starswirl.”

Radiant Hope gulped and saluted, “Yes. I will. Good luck, and please... keep an eye out for Meadowbrook and Moon Dancer. If they’re there, please help them.”

“We will, don’t worry.” Sunset said, just as the portal flickered closed, leaving her, her friends, and two Captains of the Soul Society alone to face the looming dark ahead and the foes that have turned all of Soul Society upside down.

----------

“So do we have a plan of action, ladies, or are we continuing to wing this?” asked Rarity as they ran through the forest towards the dark building ahead.

“Punch them until they all stop being assholes.” said Rainbow Dash.

“I like her plan.” said Pinkamena with a hungry, tooth filled grin. “Does anyone object if I carve off a few pieces of the cute Hollow lady once we’re done with her?”

“Cute!? She stabbed a woman, quite ruthlessly.” Rarity said, aghast.

“I know. She smelled delicous too. Almost a shame she’s an enemy.”

“Ooooh, does Mena have a cruuuush?” sang Pinkie, her hammer form almost seeming to bend one of its ends in a grin.

“Can we not crush on our violent, psychotic foes?” asked Sunset.

“I concur, we really ought to be more focused on deafeating them, not on wondering what they taste like.” said Clover, then turned a look towards Celestia. “That disturbing conversation aside, what could this Starlight Glimmer want with Hitsuyo Aku?”

Celestia gave a helpless and equally mirthless smile, “What makes you think I would know, Third Seat Clover? I was never involved with Hitsuyo Aku’s research. Starswirl would be better equipped to answer that.”

“It doesn’t matter what she’s after.” Sunset said with a heavy tone, “All that matters is that we stop her.”

She certainly got no argument from those gathered, and as a group they started towards the building that could be barely seen through the trees. Sunset felt her nerves steady as they  moved. As strong as their opponents had demonstrated themselves to be, they were still outnumbered, and even then she felt like she’d gotten a good gauge on Platinum’s strength, at least. Starlight Glimmer was far more of a wildcard that Sunset couldn’t pin down. She’d hit Ditzy Doo with a binding Kido with ease that had held the powerful quasi-Hollow for a good few minutes with ease, and had shrugged off a point blank Shakkaho without a scratch. But just how powerful was her Zanpaktou? It could steal other Zanpaktou, and if the fact that Chrysalis was using Zecora’s Zanpaktou was any indication then Starlight’s could also give others master of the blades she’d stolen. That was a unsettling thought.

As for Platinum, Sunset felt like she could match the ex-Captain of the Sixth Division with Shikai, but the real test was going to be when it came to use the final release, Bankai. She’d held off using it back on Sokyoku Hill because Ditzy Doo had given her some advice, just after she’d finished her battle with Hokori.

”Make Platinum use Bankai first, and survive against it as long as you can before using yours.”

“Why? Seems more sensible to go all out from the get go and try to take her down fast. I mean, what was the point of nearly killing myself to get this power just to hold back with it?”

“Listen Sunset, Bankai is a Soul Reaper’s most potent tool, but its also our most fragile one. Break a Shikai, and the Zanpaktou will recover. Break a Bankai, and that’s not something easily fixed. More importantly, you’re new to Bankai. You won’t be able to use it to its fullest potential yet, and it’ll drain your stamina faster than it will someone like Platinum who's had centuries to master her Bankai.”

“So what do I do? Take her out before she can use her Bankai?”

“Doubt you could pull that one off, Sunset. You’re good, but Platinum still has the edge on you. Not enough that she’ll be able to take you down with Shikai, however, which if I know her will really cheese her off. She’ll use Bankai, out of sheer frustration if nothing else. Don’t use your own until she uses hers, and you’ve taken its measure. Then hit her with everything you’ve got before she can recover.”

That was still the plan. Starlight and the others showing up hadn’t been unexpected, but as much as it galled her Sunset knew she couldn’t easily take on Starlight, and of the foes that had shown themselves Platinum was the one she was bested suited to fight. But what were they after inside the Hitsuyo Aku research facility?

The group exited the trees into a wide clearing that was unnaturally rounded, with a good fifty yards of open, short cut grass between the trees and the building that housed Hitsuyo Aku’s laboratories. The building itself was shaped like a triangular wedge of solid dark granite rising upward like a tower about a hundred feet tall and half that wide, with a roof that sported a dome-like structure atop it. There were no windows, but there were visible balconies on the top floor, situated on each side of the triangle. The main doors were on the flattened front end of the triangle, thick wooden affairs with a line of red shrine arches leading towards it like a walkway, extended out into the grassy field. It was at the first of these shrine arches that Firefly, Chrysalis, and Platinum were waiting.

Chrysalis leaned idily against one of the arch pillars, while Firefly sat atop the arch, legs dangling. Platinum stood in the center of the arch, Fuyukogo planted in the ground with her hands atop its hilt.

“Starlight Glimmer is inside?” Dity Doo said, barley a question and more of a statement.

Platinum nodded, “She is finishing our business here. We’re to keep you occupied until then.”

Celestia eyes Platinum with regret in them. “If you were willing to do all of this for Pipsqueak why didn’t you tell someone, Platinum? If not me surely Scorpan would have listened.”

“I’m doing this because I went to the Captain Com-” Platinum began, then sneered and shook her head, “No, just Scorpan to me, now. I went to him, and pleaded for him to convince Central 46 to allow the treatment. They refused. He refused. Because it required Hollow reiatsu. That’s it. My son was condemned to suffer a fate worse than death because his treatment required Hollow spirit energy, Celestia, and Central 46 didn’t even deliberate on the matter for an hour before making that decision. So yes I’m doing this. I’m doing the only thing I can to ensure my son-”

“Blah blah blah,” Chrysalis scoffed, leaning off the pillar and yawning, “No one cares to hear your sob story, Platinum. Or rather I don’t need to hear it. Your little spawn can live, hooray for you. All it took was betraying everything you ever fought for. If I knew you Soul Reapers were so easy to corrupt I’d have started offering bargains of my own centuries ago.”

“Silence, creature. I only suffer your presence because Starlight Glimmer made the questionable choice of enlisting your help. Once your use to us is done you’ll just be another Hollow to me.”

Chrysalis smirked, “Oh, who’s using who here, I wonder? So, Celestia, Luna, it's so good to see you both again. What has it been, five hundred years since our last skirmish? Where was that, somewhere in Africa?”

“South America.” Luna clarified, “You were feeding off the human sacrifices of the indigenous people.”

“Oh, yes, good times. Humans were so much more fun back when they believed in cutting each other's hearts out to please their ‘gods’. Well, I suppose some of them still do, but it's just not the same these days. They've lost some of their spark in this modern age. They could stand to have a good apocalypse to living things up, don't you think?” the Espada’s face brightened in a entirely too friendly grin that reminded Sunset of the way a spider greeted a fresh fly in its web.

Celestia, without taking eyes off Chrysalis, said to Sunset, “Let me and my sister handle her. I think we’re the only ones that can.”

“Hey.” Ditzy Doo said, arms crossing under her breasts, “I could take her. I think.”

“I’m certain you could, Ditzy, but someone has to break through and face Starlight Glimmer, and given her Zanpaktou’s ability you’re the best one suited to that task.”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You and Luna get to play with the fun one, and leave the hard work for me to do.”

“Hey, divvy us up however you like.” said Firefly, “Not like we’re in a rush. You’re the ones with a timer, now.”

“Mom...” Rainbow Dash said with a voice thick with a heady cocktail of emotions as she stepped forward and jabbed a thumb off to the side, “You. Me. Over there. One on one.”

“Sugarcube-” Applejack began but Rainbow Dash shook her head.

“Nope. This is between me and her. You had your spat with your mom. Now I have it out with mine. You and the rest of the gals go help Ditzy with the nut job inside the tower of doom.” Dash bit out, already spreading her wings to take to the air on sparks of electric current.

Firefly smiled deeply, and with a certain hint of pride, and her own sharp, mechanical wings flowed with purple light as she too took to the air. “That’s the spirit, kiddo. Let’s go do some bonding.”

“Shut it. The only bonding about to go down is between my boot and your face.” Dash said, and as a pair the two streaked off, one blue, one purple, flying out over the forest to begin their fight elsewhere.

Chrysalis chuckled dryly, “Ah the pains of parenthood. I’d say I could relate, but all of my children are so well behaved I can hardly imagine having an unruly one like her. Oh well, if they’re heading off, shall we do the same, Celestia, Luna? We can hardly fight properly here without hurting these weaker chaff, and I’m sure you’d like to maybe use your Zanpaktou for a change, Celestia?”

Celestia sucked in a deep breath and then let it out in a resigned sigh, “Yes, let’s move somewhere less crowded. I cherish my students and I’d hate for them to see what I must do to you.”

Chrysalis laughed in pure pleasure, “Hahahah! I’d forgotten how much I enjoy you when you’re serious, Celestia. Oh, and I suppose your sister might prove amusing too. Are you done fuming and giving me dirty looks over there, little Luna?”

Luna’s eyes, which hadn’t stopped staring daggers at Chrysalis, merely smiled thinly and said, “Quite done. Rather believe I’m ready to slit your throat. Shall we?”

Chrysalis’ smile turned positively devilish as she narrowed her jade eyes. “See if you can keep up.”

All three of them disappeared at the same time, leaving little more than a gust of wind in their wake as they left to some other part of the forest to begin their own battle. Platinum remained where she was, eyeing Sunset and the rest of the girls coldly.

“And so we’re back where we began. Me, and the lot of you.”

Sunset stepped forward, “No. Just me.”

“Um, are you quite certain that’s a good idea, Sunset?” asked Rarity, “I think it may be better to take her as a group, as uncouth as such tactics may be. Practicality and all that.”

“I know, and believe me this has nothing to do with pride or honor or anything like that.” said Sunset, “If we didn’t still have Starlight to worry about I’d say let’s go for it and gang up on Platinum. But we don’t know what Starlight is doing in there.” She looked to Ditzy Doo, “No offense, I know you’re stronger than all of us, but I’d feel better knowing you had all the backup you can taking her on. You go ahead with the others and leave Platinum to me.”

Clover spoke up, sounding worried, “The other girls surely, because Starlight can’t steal their powers, but I can support you against Platinum.”

“No.” said Ditzy, “Sunset’s right. Let her handle Platinum. You might not be able to use your Zanpaktou against Starlight directly, but you’re the only trained researcher here, Clover. Might need your help to figure out what Starlight is up to.”

Clover frowned, but didn’t argue the point, just looking to Sunset with concern. “Be careful, please. You’re kind of one of my only friends.”

“You too, Clover. Keep everyone safe.”

Platinum’s brows drew down in a hard grimace, “Unlike the others I have no reason to play this as a matter of honor. I’m not allowing any of you past!”

Suddenly Sunset was in front of her, Hokori’s blade burning with a solid fan of thick orange flames. Once more Fuyukogo and Hokori slammed into one another, Platinum glaring with fury as Sunset pushed against her blade and held firm.

“Sorry Platinum, but you’re stuck with me.”

Platinum growled in response, her frustration clear as she broke off from Sunset and then tried to Flash Step to the side to give her a clear shot at Sunset’s friends, but Sunset also Flash Stepped to match Platinum’s move, keeping pace and once more intercepting Fuyukogo’s ice with a blast of flame.

“Time to go girls!” said Ditzy, and she along with Fluttershy, Pinkamena, Applejack, Rarity, and Clover all darted down the walkway of shrine arches towards the doors leading into Hitsuyo Aku. As Ditzy opened the doors within and she and Sunset’s friends went inside, she gave them a small smile, wishing them luck. Then it was all she could do to focus on Platinum, who came at her with fierce frustration and anger.

“Damned fool girl! You don’t know what you’re interfering with!”

Four spears of ice formed in the air around Sunset in a spinning circle, then thrusted in at her murderously. Sunset moved with fluidity born of all of her condensed battle experience and her freshly strengthened connection to her Zanapaktou. Her ignited blade shattered one spear, then cleaved through another, the strikes serving to transfer power to her shield which flashed with a shell of light that absorbed the shattering blows of the other two spears.

She finished her spin and used the momentum to send a blazing thrust at Platinum’s chest, but the former Captain snapped her fingers and raised a thick sheet of ice in front of her that Hokori penetrated through, then with a burst of flames exploded. Icy steam filled the area, and Platinum leaped up through the cloud, eyes filled with a frustrated light.

“You come here, blindly charging into a situation you know nothing about, and act as if you can judge me! Ignorant, arrogant child!” Platinum drew back Fuyukogo, an intense blue glow rolling up the large, curved tulwar. Icy crystals spiked up from the blade in harsh torrents, appearing like a large growth of sub-zero crystals along its curved length, then Platinum slashed hard down at the ground where Sunset stood and unleashed a blizzard of deadly shards.

The very ground started to freeze over before the shards even impacted, spreading around Sunset, but she herself remained untouched by that frost as she held Hokori’s broadsword high and transferred energy from Hikari’s shield to the blade. She then slipped her hand to the red cloth attached to Hokori’s hilt and began to spin the blade over her head in a buzzing arc. Then fire erupted upwards from the spinning blade in an ever solidifying disc of pure heat.

Hokori had used this technique against her in their fight earlier, and now Sunset knew the technique herself, and its proper name. As the ice storm fell towards her, she smiled and swung hard on the cloth, taking her spinning blade and the disc of flame it had created to hurl it upwards in a burning spiral.

”Akai Shobo-shi!” (Red Fire Destroyer)

The disc of deep orange and red flames tore a path through the storm, flying through the torrent of ice and cutting cleanly through it. Ice shards rained down around Sunset with heavy impacts, coating the ground in ice and shattering several of the red shrine arches, but the space above her was cleared by the fire disc. The disc itself buzzed up with heated destruction towards Platinum, who sneered and took Fuyukogo up in both hands and just as the disc was about to strike her she flashed down with full force with her blade.

The air screamed as extreme cold and ice bursting from Fuyukogo impacted with the incredible heat of Sunset’s attack. Platinum grunted in effort, shocked at how much force was behind that spinning disc of fire. Fuyukogo’s ice melted around it, even as the blade bit into the disc. Then with narrowed eyes Platinum focused her might and spirit energy into her blade and with a forceful shout cut the disc in half. The two half spun out of control and flew off to descend to the forest beyond, exploding in blasts of flame that ignited the trees. Platinum, breathing hard, looked to see where Sunset was, but the girl was no longer on the ground.

She felt Sunset’s spirit energy spike behind her and Platinum spun to find Sunset rushing her from behind. Platinum made a sharp ‘tch’ sound and swung to meet the assault. Blade and shield clashed, and for a few seconds the two women were little more than a blurred flicker of fast movements, their strikes and counter-strikes sparking off of each other so fast that it looked like it was raining embers.

Why? Platinum thought in pure frustration. Why can’t I strike a telling blow on her!? How did she improve this much since we met in the human world?

More than just Sunset’s speed, strength, and skill, Platinum could feel how much sharper and more potent Sunset’s reiatsu had become. The spiritual pressure was easily a match for Platinum’s own, the two reiatsu pushing back upon each other as they clashed again and again in the air, their Flash Steps keeping equal pace with each other.

Furthermore, Platinum had not missed the significance of the fact that Sunset had released her Zanpaktou to Shikai earlier without using the release phrase. Only Soul Reapers who had achieved Bankai were capable of that... but Platinum refused to believe this child could have attained such a power. It was inconceivable for someone who hadn’t been born a Soul Reaper.

Fuyukogo and Hokori sparked off each other in a particularly harsh clash, pushing both Sunset and Platinum back, their feet skidding across the air. They were now about halfway up the tower, their rapid clash of strikes having taken them higher into the air as they’d leaped about trying to find an opening in each other’s guard. Platinum felt some small satisfaction in seeing that at least Sunset was sweat soaked and breathing hard. The girl was skilled, and far more powerful than Platinum would have guessed, but she clearly was pushing herself.

“Whatever your foolishness, you must at least recognize that I have the advantage in a battle of attrition. No matter how much Ditzy Doo has trained you, you can’t compete with the stamina of someone who has spent lifetimes longer than you fighting battles such as this. If you surrender, I will spare you. Your death was never a goal of mine.”

“Not happening.” Sunset said, pointing her blade at Platinum, “For one, I don’t trust you. For two, after all you’ve done you deserve a beat down. I’m all for second chances, and believe me I know what it’s like to lose yourself to a course of action you’re convinced is right without realizing the mistake you’re making, but there’s no way I’m letting you walk at this point.”

Undiluted anger coated Platinum’s eyes like a killing frost. “What do you know of the path I walk? You couldn’t possibly understand what it’s like to love someone as deeply as I love my son, and to know that the only path to his safety was denied by the very people I’ve spent centuries serving faithfully. Can you even begin to grasp my despair, or my resolve? Nothing will stop me from saving my son. Nothing.”

Sunset’s expression softened, if only a little as she sighed, “I know I can’t relate to that. I’ve never had a child. I don’t know what that kind of love feels like, or to have it threatened.” Her eyes hardened, “But I do know that throwing so many other people into harm’s way, no matter the reason, is at best a stupid thing to do. Celestia’s right, you could have trusted her to help you. When you’re that trapped by despair that’s what friends are for! To help you do what you can’t do by yourself. To find solutions that don’t involve-”

“Silence!” Platinum’s voice cut like a knife, “I won’t be talked down to by an infant spouting nonsense about friendship. That sort of idealism only works in the minds of those who’ve never faced harsh reality. So allow me to teach you that difference. The difference between a child’s ideals, and an adult’s resolve.”

Suddenly the temperature in the air dropped considerable, and an aura of white blue energy flowed up from Platinum like a smoky haze, glittering with tiny ice crystals. She turned Fuyukogo over into an inverted grip, its curved blade pointed downward as her eyes turned to a pure, shining blue color. She then let go of her grip on her Zanpaktou, and as it fell she spoke with frozen determination.

“Bankai.”

The moment Platinum said the word it was as if Fuyukogo struck something solid in mid-air with an earth shattering clang. In an instant ice, thick and blue, spread out from where the curved blade stood in a swift wave. Sunset leaped back to gain distance, but the ice continued to expand at a ludicrous rate, and furthermore she saw more ice pooling in the air all over the area, spreading like someone was painting in the ice from thin air. Further and further the deep blue ice expanded until it surrounded the tower and started to encompass a space that all but entirely covered the field below until a nearly perfect circular island of ice a hundred meters in radius spread out in all directions around Sunset and Platinum. Fuyukogo then geysered up a pillar of ice, then even more ice burst upwards from the surface of the island and Sunset felt the entire thing float upwards.

Sunset tried to Flash Step away, but as she reached the edge of the island she felt a barrier their, a shimmering blue field of power that spherically surrounding the island. Four curving pillars of ice sprouted upwards at each cardinal direction, like huge looming claws, and seemed to reinforce the barrier as the island continued to float up until it was soaring above the tower. Sunset landed on the cold ice floor of the island, and turned her look back towards Platinum, blinking in surprise and a bit of worry at what she saw.

A castle was rising from the center of the island, a giant eastern styled pagoda fortress with multi-tiered walls and giant front steps leading up to an open throne that overlooked the rest of the island. Platinum stood there, standing beside the throne where Fuyukogo was seen sheathed within a mount in the right side of the throne. The woman’s body was enfolded by a dark blue and white trimmed battle dress of ice, topped by an elaborate headdress of white frost. Platinum turned from the throne and raised her hand, and drew her Zanpaktou from the throne. The blade itself was unchanged, but it now glowed with a deep pulse of blue light that seemed to shimmer through the fortress and the island itself.

”Fuyukogo Sodaina Kyuden.” (Grand Palace of the Winter Empress)

Platinum’s eyes locked on Sunset, and Sunset felt a freezing cold touch her feet. She looked down to see ice growing up from the ground at her feet, entrapping her.

“Crap-!” Sunset started to yank her feet free, but in the same instant Platinum rocketed down the steps from her throne and seemed to fly across the icy field, and in her wake ice roiled upward like a living ocean wave. Sunset had only a moment to prepare herself before Platinum swung back her blade and then struck forward, and from that strike a gigantic burst of spiked ice rose up like an avalanche and crashing in at Sunset.

She thrust Hikari forward, the shield glowing to life with a huge barrier of light, but the ice smashed into it with titanic force and the barrier shattered. Sunset was hit with incredible force, sent flying and bouncing across the ice island until she nearly reached the edge of it. Her head was spinning and her vision nearly blackened out. She shook her head, bleeding now from a cut on her brow, and she staggered to her feet. She barely remembered the frost of the ground in time to leap up before the ice could catch her feet again. However even in mid-air Platinum appeared above her, much faster than she’d been moving before. A torrent of ice flowed up from the ground and followed Platinum’s wake, and formed into a storm of smashing pillars that shot out at Sunset.

She threw herself into dodging, barely avoiding the first few pillars that smashed into the ground with echoing impacts. She had to interpose her shield between herself and the next one, however, not fast enough to dodge, and the force of the blow sent her reeling towards the ground where she landed feet first and was pushed back in a ice shattering path until she was smashed into the wall of the fortress. The impact knocked the breath from her, but she regained her focus, and seeing Platinum land nearby she charged up Hokori’s blade with all of the power the impacts on her shield had given her. The sword lit up with bright azure fire and Sunset slammed her blade forward.

”Aoihi Senko!”

She focused the blue flames into a thick beam of roaring heat. As it burned a path towards Platinum the woman swung up with her own blade and nearly identical blade of ice, only colossally sized, burst up from the ground and impacted with the beam of fire. The heat washed over the giant ice blade, melting some of its edge but ultimately being dissipated until only a few blue embers fell and burnt out on the island’s icy floor.

“Damn it...” Sunset swore, breathing hard, and Platinum chuckled humorlessly.

“Are you that surprised? You’ve faced Hurricane’s Bankai as well. You should know that the power of a Bankai surpasses that of the Shikai in every way. Even your flames, which could melt my ice before, are now outclasses by the strength of my Bankai’s ice. This entire island, and my palace, are potent extensions of my power. I can create any weapon from them. Direct any manner of attack I wish from it. Every inch of this place is a deathtrap of unforgiving cold my foes cannot escape from.”

Platinum’s eyes turned harsh, “I offered you surrender before, but now all that awaits you is a frozen tomb, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset took a deep breath and managed a small smirk, “I’m not dead yet, Platinum. Quite frankly Hurricane’s Bankai hit harder.”

“Hmph, false bravado will not save you. This ends here.” Platinum stated and gestured with her sword. Sunset sensed the ice of the floor and wall behind her shudder, and she Flash Stepped away just in time to avoid blades of ice shooting up at her feet and at her back from behind. She rose into the air, and then heard more clinking ice behind her, turning to see that upon the palace walls a veritable army of warriors had appeared shaped out of ice. They wore ancient feudal armor of a Japanese style, and all carried large bows that they raised towards Sunset. Arrows of ice formed in the bows, and as one the ice warriors fired off a volley of hundreds of arrows at her.

Sunset turned in mid-air and worked both sword and shield together in swift swings to deflect and cut down the ice arrows that enshrouded her in a cloud of cold death. A few got past her guard, cutting grazing blows on her arms and side, making her wince, but she kept from taking any serious injury as her leap took her over Platinum’s head and landed on the other side of the woman. Platinum swept her sword around and the ground near Sunset was upturned by spearing lances of ice that forced Sunset to dodge like crazy, turning and twisting about to avoid the sharp points of ice that rose up around her like the fangs of a dragon’s maw.

Sunset saw the shards of ice close up around her like she was being swallowed up, and with a grunt she braced Hikari’s shield above her and then jumped up forcefully, smashing through the ‘teeth’ of that closing mouth. She landed back near the island’s edge, feeling herself tiring out as she sucked in cold breath,s her breath misting in front of her as she turned to face Platinum once more.

“You’re out of endurance, child. The next few blows will see this done.” Platinum said with confidence.

Sweat all but freezing on her brow, Sunset offered a tired smile and said, “Yeah, I didn’t expect to be able to beat your Bankai with just my Shikai. Still, needed to get a feel for what you could do with it, before I went all out.”

A deep grimace split Platinum's features, “Go all out? Please, you’ve got nothing left.”

“You think so? Pegged you as more observant than that, Platinum. You ought to know I wouldn’t have been willing to challenge you by myself if I didn’t have something to match your Bankai with...” Sunset said, and she stood straighter. She held Hikari in front of her, and Hokori out to her side. The shield started to gleam with white light, small motes of the light rising up from it like will-o-wisps. The broadsword began to glow with a deep orange light, as if it was being heated up in the belly of a forge. Sunset’s own body became outlined in a fiery glow that then started to grow into a flaming corona of spirit energy.

Platinum’s frown only deepened as she gestured and tried to send ice up from the ground at Sunset’s feet, but there was so much heat around the girl that the ice couldn’t get close without melting away. Platinum’s teeth clenched as she said, “This is ridiculous. You cannot have Bankai. I refuse to believe that!”

Sunset smiled, the flames rising higher around her, mixing with the light from her shield. “You don’t have to believe me. You can trust your own eyes...”

The aura of flames around Sunset suddenly burst outward in a wide circle of fire that swept out in a pulsing wave. Platinum shielded herself with one hand, staring into the fire in disbelief as Sunset spoke with a voice of resonate power.

”Ban...KAI!”

Her shield became of pool of brilliant shining light and her blade flowed into a river of fire that intermixed with the light. Sunset was engulfed in a swirling spiral pillar of equal parts light and flame that shot upwards hundreds of feet into the air. The pillar smashed right through the barrier around the island of ice and pierced through the clouds beyond in evaporating circles. The flame and light also pierced the ground, boring through the island until it erupted downwards to impact in the frozen field below, shaking the ground like an earthquake. The unrelenting pillar expanded, forcing Platinum to jump back towards the foot of her fortress steps, still shielding her face from the incredible heat pouring from the pillar. Ice melted around it, forming a sizzling, bubbling pool of rapidly evaporating water.

Platinum could feel the raw surge of reiatsu coming from Sunset, and as much as she hated to admit it, the proof was in the proverbial pudding. There was no doubt that what she was feeling was the spiritual pressure of a freshly released Bankai, and from the sheer weight of the pressure she was feeling she imagined that even those back in the Seireitei might feel this.

It’s not just reiatsu. There’s something more at play. An energy I can’t identify. Is this the magic from her homeworld...?

Platinum’s musing trailed off as the pillar of light and fire exploded outward and left a massive wave of wind force to sweep away the cloud of steam that had formed around the girl. Platinum’s ice started to freeze the pool of water back over again, but it couldn’t entirely reach Sunset herself, whose form slowly emerged from the cloud of steam.

She was clad in shining red armor of an ornate but functional design. Slim gold shoulder guards led to glittering dress sleeves and underneath the segmented armor plating was also a split dress of similar glittering material. Thick boots and leg guards of red metal and gold trim covered her legs and feet, with small wings of glowing flame sprouting from the heels. Twin wings of phoenix flame spread from her back, flowing with heat and power. Sunset’s hair moved and danced like living fire as well, and upon her brow was a red and gold circlet with a hole in the center, as if for a horn. Her eyes were marked by a band of red across her face, like war paint, and she sported a confident grin as she stood facing Platinum holding her new weapons.

Hokori had transformed into a massive flamberge, the large blade given a wave shape, with a wide hilt and wing-like guards flowing from the blade itself. A long red clad handle extended to a pommel shaped like a mote of flame. Fire engulfed every inch of the blade, gripped by Sunset’s gauntlet clad hand. Hikari had become like a living shard of light, it's bright glowing form made of glowing goldish white metal shaped like the wings and body of a swooping phoenix.

Both blade, armor, and shield bore Sunset’s sigil, the sun of twin red and white; fire and light combined.

Breathing a slow sigh, Sunset gave name to her Bankai.

”Mugen-Hokori no Eien-Hikari.” (Unlimited Pride of Eternal Light)

Stepping forward, the heat dripping from her causing her steps to melt and steam the ice at her feet, Sunset eyed Platinum with a grin.

“So, ready for round two?”