The Shadow of Equestria
Chapter 28: Pinkie’s Rage & Blueblood’s Punishment
Previous Chapter Next ChapterEric entered the medical ward and found Rarity along with Aloe as they comforted the Spa Ponies sister. Eric carefully set the women on the spare beds while at the same time binding those affected by Lust in his shadow.
“Why are you binding them?” one of the doctors asked, seeing the state of most of the women. “And... why do they look like...?”
“They have been affected by a powerful drug,” Eric said as Rarity approached. “Keep any males away from them.”
Rarity gazed at Marble with worry. “Is Marble going to be okay?”
“Hard to say,” Eric said, glancing the heavy breathing earth pony. “She has been exposed to the drug for who knows how long.”
“What about these,” Rarity showed the bottle of pills he gave her. “Could they help her?
“No. They barely had an effect on you,” Eric said, sitting down. “The best we can do is keep her cold, and make sure she doesn’t keel over.”
“Wait... They can die from this?!”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Eric said remembering the mares he had rescued from Carapax hive. “When I freed several mares from Carapax Hive, they lasted five days before suffering a heart attack. However, we found that if we lower their body temperature they had a thirty percent higher chance of survival.”
“We need to tell Pinkie about this,” Rarity said. She moved to leave, but Eric blocked her path.
"You tell Pinkie," he warned. "And you know there will be no pony who can quell her rage."
“Tell me what?” A bright and cheerful voice asked behind the pair.
Eric and Rarity winced, turning to find Pinkie grinning at them.
“P-Pinkie!” Rarity screamed in shock, before she and Eric blocked her view of Marble. “Um, tell you...”
However before Rarity could finish, Marble let out a moan. “More… Please…”
“Marble?” Pinkie asked, craning her neck to peer over the pair.
“Pinkie, maybe it would be wise if..." But Eric's voice petered out, as Pinkie shot past the two, racing to Marble's side.
“Sis?" Pinkie asked, her voice thankfully retaining its cheer. "What brings you here?"
Marble's arms had freed themselves from their constraints, and she seized Pinkie, pulling her into a sloppy kiss. Pinkie managed to pull away, and spotted the pink hearts in her sister's eyes.
“More. I need more… More!” Marble moaned out in her Lust filled trance.
“What's... wrong with her?" Pinkie asked, the horror growing in her voice as Eric strapped Marble back down.
“We….” Rarity began, glancing worriedly at Eric. “We found her in the Black Market. She was given a type of Drug that enhanced one's... Love making.”
As Rarity tried to explain everything to Pinkie, a guard came in and walked up to Eric. “Sir we got something”
“And that would be?”
“The pony who ran the auction gave us this record of his sales and who sold them,” the Guard said, handing Eric the record. “It looks like Blueblood has been doing this for years. And not just with ponies.”
Without warning, Pinkie's arm seized the record.
"Pinkie, please!" Rarity begged.
But Pinkie's eyes were already darting across the pages, her knuckles whitening as she clenched the book in mounting rage. Her eyes locked on one line in particular: Marble was sold by a pony named the Golden King.
“Who’s the Golden King?” Pinkie growled, her teeth clenched.
Eric and Rarity glanced at each other, mutually agreeing to stay silent. Unfortunately, the Guard didn't know better.
“The Princesses' Nephew, Prince Blueblood” the Guard replied. Too late, he saw Pinkie's hair and fur darken. "B-But don't worry! He's in the dungeons awaiting his trial!"
Eric glared at the Guard. "You're a fucking idiot..." Eric started to say, but Pinkie was way ahead of him.
With the smoke of Second Gear flowing around her, she raced out of the medical wing. Rarity yelped as her clothes were torn by Pinkie's speed, and tried to cover herself, while Eric rolled with the fall. Throwing his jacket to Rarity and giving the terrified Guard one more brutal stare, Eric raced into the shadows. But even then, it wasn't enough.
‘Shit..’ Eric said, as he felt Pinkie's presence shifting into a blur. ‘She’s faster than me in that state! I need a different strategy!’
Pinkie had already made it to the castle dungeons where her sister's defiler was. Turning the corners of the cells the Pink mare ran right into a black web. The web held her firmly in place despite her struggling. Above her a number of small black spiders and a large spider with a red hourglass descended from the ceiling.
“'Welcome to my Parlor,' said the spider to the fly.” The spiders said in unison. Pinkamena merely glared up at them. “Don’t do this Pinkie.”
“Let me go, Eric,” Pinkamena growled. She snapped some of the black webbing, but the spiders quickly caught her with fresh ones.
“If you kill him, you will take his place in that cell.”
"And what if it was Amber instead of Marble?" Pinkamena replied.
The spider's twitched, their largest glaring at the pony. The spiders crawled to the ground before converging on a single spot. The cluster of spiders grew to the size of a man until the large spider rested on top of them. With a ripple of shadow, Eric stood before Pinkamena.
“I guess I would do the same,” Eric admitted, releasing the earth pony. “But still, why let Blueblood escape punishment? Death is an escape from crime.”
“Then what do you suggest we do? Let him go so he can do this again?”
Eric thought for a moment, but then his eyes lit up. With a cruel smile, Eric leaned over and whispered his idea to the mare. As she listened, Pinkamena's face lit up with grim delight.
"Wouldn't you think that would be a fate worse than death?" Eric concluded.
Pinkamena hummed in thought, before nodding and turning to leave. “It’s a perfect fate for somepony like him.”
Eric followed the mare out of the dungeon, ready to inform Celestia and Luna of his plan.
Three Days Later
Blueblood was dragged from his cell by a pegasus guard and a unicorn guard, both pushing the prince whenever he slowed.
“How could somepony of your stature do something so vile?” the unicorn growled in disgust.
“They were nothing but lowly peasants," Blueblood replied. "They should be honored be be sold by somepony as glorious as myself."
“Just because you’re a prince doesn’t mean you can do whatever you wish,” the pegasus refuted, shoving the prisoner forward.
“Enough chit chat,” A voice called out from the dungeon entrance. The three looked up to find Eric. “Your trial awaits, Blueblood” the Shadow Man said with a glare.
Eric escorted the guards to Celestia’s and Luna’s throne room. Inside, the Princesses sat on their respective thrones with expressionless looks. The mane Six stood below the thrones as Eric joined them.
“Blueblood,” Celestia greeted as she crossed her arms.
“Auntie” Blueblood replied blankly.
“You stand before us to be punished for your crimes,” Luna said, venom lacing her voice.
“Read the charges, Von Shadow,” Celestia ordered.
“As you wish, Princess” Eric said with a slight bow as he pulled out a number of parchments. “Taking part in supplying money and other goods to the illegal activities of the black market, kidnapping a number of different females from the various races,” Eric read moving to the next page. “We also searched his house and found a hidden room below the floor, made entirely out of gold. Numerous unicorn mares sharing similarities with the Element of Generosity were found bound to the walls inside by gold.”
Eric turned to Celestia and Luna as he continued. “All were with child. And all had gold over their mouths and nose,” Eric then glared at Blueblood. “So we can add murder of women and children to the list.”
Blueblood merely huffed and his grin widened.
“...And lastly, an attempt to attack and kill the Princess of the Sun.”
“Blueblood, how do you plead?” Celestia asked her nephew
“Not guilty,” Blueblood said with a grin. “Honestly, Auntie. I did nothing wrong.”
“Nothing Wrong!” Luna shouted.
“Sister” Celestia soothed, her calm voice causing Luna to simmer down. She turned back to the Prince. “Blueblood, As of now you will be stripped of everything and sent into the deepest pits of Tartarus...” Celestia began before Blueblood spoke over her.
“I would like to invoke Trial by Combat!” Blueblood said.
Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Quite bold of you to request,” Celestia mused, closing her eyes.
“What’s Trial by Combat?” Rainbow asked looking towards the princess.
“It’s a means of clearing one’s charges in a battle of the sword” Celestia said to the pegasus. “Should Blueblood win, he will be free to return home with no crime to hold him down.”
“And you’ll allow him to do that?” Luna asked in a raised voice.
“It was one of our father's laws,” Celestia replied.
Luna shrunk back at the mention of their father; the father she never met.
“I... I’m sorry, sister,” Luna apologized.
Celestia stood and approached her foolish nephew. “You want a Trial by Combat? Very well." She turned to her guards. "Take him to the training grounds.”
As Blueblood was moved out of the room, Celestia turned to the Elements and the Shadow Man. A smile worked her way across her face.
“I was thinking, maybe I should let the guards watch this,” Celestia said as a grin formed on Eric’s face. “What do you think?”
“I think your men should have a little entertainment,” Eric said leaving the throne room. “It’s rare for men like them to have fun.”
Blueblood was pushed into the grounds as a sword was tossed next to him. Grabbing the blade the unicorn lifted himself to his feet. Looking around Blueblood saw the guards piling in, followed by the princesses and the Elements.
“So which guard will I be facing?” Blueblood asked smugly
“You will not be facing my guard today, Blueblood,” Celestia responded coldly
“Then who?” Blueblood asked, before a chill ran up his spine.
A chill that was like the touch of death. Turning around Blueblood looked ahead with fear gripping his very soul.
“And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him.” Eric said as he rode into the ground atop a horse of his shadow with a black sword and sheath attached to his waist. “And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth.”
“He can’t fight me, he isn’t of the Royal Guard,” Blueblood argued, turning to the princess. “The law…”
“My fathers law states that the Trial by Combat is between the guilty and the strongest creature in the castle grounds,” Celestia barked back at the unicorn.
“And last time I checked,” Eric said, dismounting his shadow horse. “I can beat any one of the ponies in this area.”
“You have an Elemental Power Fruit!” Blueblood shouted before turning to Celestia. “How is that a fair fight?”
"You have a Power Fruit as well," Luna protested.
"Then take this sea prism off me!" Blueblood cried. "It's not fair!"
"I will not allow you access to your powers," Celestia refuted, before turning to Eric. “Eric, I’d ask that you seal away your powers”
Eric pulled out a bracer made of Sea Prism Stone which had a gold key still in the keyhole. Placing the bracer on his wrist, Eric gave the key a turn before throwing it to Celestia.
“Better?” Eric asked sarcastically.
Blueblood didn’t respond, raising his sword and charging. Eric just smiled as he drew his sword and blocked the prince's feeble attack.
“I’m going to Win,” Blueblood said, jumping back. “This is a fight to the Death!”
“You’re wrong,” Eric said with a grin. “This is a fight to the Pain!”
Blueblood lowered his sword and looked at Eric with confusion plastered on his face. “I don’t think I’m familiar with that.”
“I’ll explain. And I’ll be sure to use small words so that you can understand me, you warthog faced buffoon” Eric said, causing several Guards to snicker while the others laughed.
“That may be the first time a man has Dared insult me” Blueblood growled, tightening his grip on the sword.
“And it won’t be the last, 'Pig,'” Eric said.
Blueblood roared in outrage, rushing the Shadow Man. “You will cease speaking to me like that” Blueblood shouted clashing his sword against Eric’s.
The Shadow Man smiled as he saw Sombra walk onto the grounds. As the Shadow Man toyed with the unicorn, Sombra stopped beside the princesses.
“He’s using that sword?” Sombra noted, earning Celestia’s attention. “He’s truly going to show no mercy.”
“You are right on that. I'm sensing a dark magic from that sword,” Celestia commented.
“It’s not surprising,” Sombra said, turning to Eric. “That sword use to belong to Captain Blossom during Umbra’s rule”
“Blossom?” Luna asked. “As in…”
“Yes, Amber’s ancestor, who took up arms against Umbra,” Sombra said, turning his gaze back to the princess. “He died but not before leaving a cut right under his right eye”
“That doesn’t explain how I sense his power from that blade”
“That sword is special," Sombra explained. "It’s made by fusing obsidian, steel, and magic.” Sombra watched Eric kick Blueblood to the ground. “A method that has been lost to the ages. Weapons like that are given special properties, this weapon takes the blood of it’s owner and opponent and becomes stronger.” Sombra nodded as Eric backed up from another swipe from Blueblood. “That sword has taken the blood of a thousand men. It has been given a name because of that ability.”
Blueblood almost stopped as Sombra's utterance of the name sent a chill into the air.
“Obsidian Blood.”
“I think it’s time we finish this” Eric said, slashing Blueblood’s sword from his hand. “It’s time you learned what ‘To the Pain’ means.”
Without hesitation Eric brings his sword down on Blueblood’s wrist, The unicorn howled in agony as his now bloodied hand fell to the ground. Blueblood backed away in fear as Eric shrouded himself in a murderous aura.
“‘To the Pain’ means that the first thing you’ll lose will be your hands at the wrists,” Eric said using the Shave Technique to rush the unicorn and relieve him of his other hand. “Then your feet below the ankles.”
Blueblood tried to run, but Eric was faster. Blueblood hit the ground with a wail of agony, his feet cut off right where Erich had said. Eric stood over Blueblood with his now crimson blade in his hand, and seized the unicorn by his hair. Lifting him off the ground, he glared into Blueblood's tear-flooded eyes.
“Auntie, please… Make him...Make him stop...” Blueblood cried. “I’m guilty, I'll admit it! Just make it stop!”
“You get no sympathy from me, 'nephew,'” Celestia said, shifting her gaze from Blueblood to Eric. “Finish it, Eric.”
“Now you’ll lose your nose,” Eric said, cutting off the prince's nose, earning another pain filled scream. “Next you’ll lose your left eye, followed by your right”
Eric placed his blade in front of the prince's eyes before slicing his left and right eye. Blueblood screamed, before petering out to a crying whimper. The unicorns body slumped in defeat as his eyes cried bloodied tears
“Just end it!” Blueblood cried. “What's next? Your going to take my tongue and hearing next?”
“I’m afraid you’re wrong Blueblood” Eric whispered into the unicorn's ears. “Your ears you keep and I tell you why. So that every shriek of every child that sees your hideousness will be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach; every woman who cries out, 'Dear Faust! What is that thing?' will echo in your perfect ears.”
Eric drops Blueblood to the ground. “That is what 'to the pain' means; it means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery, forever." Eric seized the prince's tongue and pulled it from his mouth. “You will never harm another creature again.” in a swift motion, Eric severed Blueblood,s tongue, leaving him blind, crippled and now mute.
“Take Blueblood to the medical ward.” Celestia ordered a number of guards. “Tell them to treat him, but not to heal him.” She approached Eric as he sheathed his sword. “Was this really the only punishment that could have been passed on him?”
“Your original punishment was to strip him of everything and to lock him up in your prison, correct?” Eric asked
“With his crimes?” Celestia replied with regret in her voice. “I’d have no choice but to send him to the lower levels of Tartarus.”
“And tell me, since he was a noble, would he survive in a place like that?” Eric asked the princess
“We, as well as the other nations, have put pirates and other criminals in that prison. Many hold anger and rage towards the nobility of any race,” Celestia said, turning away from the Shadow Man. “No. he would have been mercilessly beaten until the light left his eyes.”
“Exactly.” Eric said leaving the grounds. “Rather than death, he will live with the consequences,” Eric stopped at the entrance before giving a side glance to the princess. “In time he will learn what he had done was wrong. And on that day, you should find somepony who commands the abilities of the Heal-Heal Fruit.”
Eric left the castle grounds before Sombra appeared before him in a flash of magic.
“Need something Sombra?"
“You used Obsidian Blood” Sombra stated as he walked towards Eric. “Why would you use such a blade on a foe as pathetic as Blueblood?”
“He wielded a Logia Type,” Eric said, drawing his blade as it shifted from black to gold and back to black in an instant. “I took some of his power.”
“You know you only have a limited number of uses,” Sombra said, moving past the Shadow Man. “Don’t waste them.”
“I never do,” Eric replied, walking into the city.
For a time, Eric simply wandered.
"Hello there," said an unknown voice with a heavy Japanese accent.
Turning Eric was met with a pegasus male with dark blue fur and wings that have a white fade at the end of the tips of each feather. His hair and tail was a light blue color, he wore samurai armor. On his armor was a image of a star filled night with a full moon on top of a cloud.
“Judging from your voice - as well as the style of your attire - I’m going to assume your Nieghpanese,” Eric stated keeping his guard up.
"Japanese actually," the figure corrected in a neutral tone while keeping his own guard up.
Eric’s eyes grow wide hearing this. “You were displaced here as well?"
"Displaced?" the Samurai asked, confused
“You used to live on Earth, did you not?” Eric asked the samurai.
"I did."
Looking around Eric went to move through the city. “Follow me,” Eric said motioning the pegasus to tail him.
The two traveled through the city until they walked into the poor district, where there were fewer ponies to risk listening in on their conversation.
“From what I’ve been told," Eric said. "Being displaced is when you are removed from your world and into this one or another version of Equestria.”
"Can you tell me more about Equestria?" asked the samurai
“I can tell you what I know of This Equestria,” Eric responded, watching the surrounding ponies. “As you’ve already figured out, this world is covered mostly by sea water, so travel between islands are either by boat, the Sea Train or using a unicorn's magic to teleport.”
"I've also heard about these fruits which grant powers," the samurai noted.
“Devil Fruits,” Eric said with a nod. “They are odd shaped fruits which grant the users one of three types of powers: Zoan, Paramecia, and Logia types”
"Devil Fruits," the samurai tasted the name. "A good name for them."
“Yeah, considering they take away your ability to swim,” Eric added, noticing the pinkish pads on the pony’s hand.
"Wait, what?!" the Samurai almost yelled in surprise.
“Power always comes at a price,” Eric responded with a slight frown.
"I suppose it always does," the samurai bemoaned.
“Now for the types: Paramecia types like the Paw-Paw fruit you ate,” Eric said pointing to the pony’s hands. “Change the body or give various abilities.”
"So that's what it's called?" said the samurai as he looked at his hands
“Yes. The Paw-Paw Fruit is a Paramecia Type that gives the user paws on their hand, and these paws can repel any physical force among other things,” Eric explained as they began to head towards the south-east end of the island
"About these Logia and Zoan types... what about them?" asked the samurai.
“Zoan Types are animal based: in your human form you can either get a strength or speed boost. It also allows you to turn either half or full animal,” Eric said as his gaze shifted to a familiar bar. “And Logia types are the rarest of them all, They allow the user to take the shape of the elements.” Eric said, turning his body into shadow surprising the Samurai. “Like my Shade-Shade Fruit. Logia types are also the most dangerous of them all.”
"Why?"
“Draw your weapon,” Eric ordered the Samurai.
The samurai gazed at him with confusion, but drew his weapon all the same.
Eric turned and held his arms out. “Now cut me down,” Eric ordered.
The samurai blinked in shock. "Why?" he demanded.
“Humor me,” Eric said, not moving. “Be a warrior and cut. Me. Down.”
The samurai grumbled. "Not my fault if you die," he mused, before swinging his sword.
However much to the samurai’s shock, his sword went right through the Shadow Man’s body without a single drop of blood hitting the ground. The Samurai backed up in disbelief as Eric’s body reformed.
“That is why Logia types are dangerous,” Eric said with a grin. “Physical attacks are almost useless unless you know what their weaknesses are.”
"Would my power have any effect on you?" the Samurai asked.
“Not really. Unless you know how to stop every shadow in the area,” Eric said.
The Samurai glanced at the shadows moving in the streets and from the walls.
"So is that the reason why we came here," the Samurai realized, getting into a fighting stance. "So that you'd have the advantage!"
“No,” Eric said, turning to the bar. “I have some business to take care of.” The Shadow Man began to chuckle. “Besides, it doesn’t matter where we are in this city. I’ll always have the advantage.”
With that Eric entered the bar and saw Dusk behind the counter with bloodied clothing and a few missing teeth.
“Bad customer?” Eric asked as Dusk wiped the blood from his mouth.
“You have no idea,” Dusk growled, before looking towards the Samurai. “Who’s the Nip?”
"Nip?" the Samurai glowered.
“Both of you simmer down,” Eric said before putting a book on the counter. “I need to know where these women are.”
Dusk took the book and opened it up. He quirked an eye at the names before closing it. “It’ll cost you a shit-ton and it’ll take a couple of months to get everything from this book."
“You should know I have the money” Eric replied.
Dusk sighed, but just before Eric could leave...
“Von Shadow...” Dusk said, drawing the Shadow Man’s attention. “Be careful. Somepony came in here asking about you. I told him everything I know.”
“Thanks for the warning.” With that Eric and the Samurai left the bar.
"What's on the book?" the Samurai asked.
“It was a record of women sold at a Black Market," Eric answered
"What?!" Anger fueled the Samurai's voice.
“I’m going to give the unicorn’s findings to the Princess so we can attempt to set them free and return them home," Eric said before pausing. “I never introduced myself, did I?” The Shadow Man extended his hand to the Samurai. “Erikku fon shadō, kurisutaru teikoku no karitori."
The Samurai stepped back. "You know Japanese too?" He smiled. "Impressive." He took Eric's hand. "Hoshizora or Starry Sky if you wish to use the translation."
“I usually prefer English, but after years of education I can never forget the other languages,” Eric said, letting go of Hoshizora's hand. “So what is somepony like you doing in Canterlot?”
"I'm here for you actually," said the Samurai.
Eric grinned, showing his wedding band. “Sorry, I’m taken."
The Samurai laughed, showing his own ring. "As am I."
“Well let’s hope yours is still above the ground” Eric said closing his fist. “What do you need from me?”
"My condolences, but I doubt mine is still alive. As for what I need I was wondering if you've found a way back?" Starry said with a hint of hope in his voice.
“I’ve been on this world for one thousand and ten years. Most of that time I was trapped in the shadows. I’m afraid I don’t know if it’s possible to return” Eric said as the two continued to walk through the city. "And even if there ways I'm not leaving"
"Let me help," Starry said abruptly.
“Beg Pardon?” Eric lifted an eyebrow.
"Those girls in the book are still missing, are they not?"
“Yes they are” Eric nodded to the Pegasus. “You are more than welcome to join me in this endeavor.”
"I thank you," Starry said with a bow. "Is there anything else you wish to know or shall we head back?"
“Actually I’m curious about two things. First How did you get displaced and when?” Eric asked the Samurai. “Cause that armor makes you look like a feudal Era samurai or shogun.”
"To the first question, I had just escaped with my life when several Samurai had shown up to my house saying that since I had refused their lord's offer I had to be made an example of. After escaping a few days later, I encountered a strange looking man who was selling all kinds of things from armor, weapons, weird books, and fruits. I was hungry so I bought one of the fruits and took a bite and it tasted terrible. Next thing I know the strange man was standing over me saying ‘enjoy your trip,’" said Starry "As for the second question I did come from 'feudal Japan' as you put it."
“Well that answers…” Eric paused, spotting a pony wearing a brown coat vanish in a flash of light.
‘A brown furred earth pony with a brown coat that disappeared in a flash of light. But Cold Scale saw him nine hundred years ago’ Eric thought before his eyes grew wide. ‘He must have the Time-Time Fruit!’