Breathe.

"Shining!" Cadance called out to her beloved as she dashed over to his side.

Shining landed somewhat hard on the marble floor, his armour clanking unceremoniously from the impact. Even his helmet got knocked off. Regardless of the pain, he rose with a groan as he turned to his wife, not wanting her to worry. Relief flickered across Cadance's face as she took in his form, searching for any sign of serious injury.

"I'm alright dear, just a little banged up from the rough landing, is all." Shining reassured with a smile.

Across the vast chamber, Yuta found himself clashing blade on hand with Usowamoto, the force sending both flying backwards as he skidded to a halt just before the royal couple, his hand instinctively flying to the hilt of his katana. The boundless aura of cursed energy that Yuta had wielded with such control moments ago pulsed erratically, sending waves to envelop his body. This marked the third time he had been suddenly transported elsewhere using Usowamoto's cursed technique. Although he's still shaken up, he's starting to understand and adjust to the sudden environmental changes.

"Breathe, Cadance." The princess thought, fear itching at her throat. The aura surrounding Yuta matched the one Rika was emanating from her body. Across from them was Usowamoto standing next to Sombra, and theirs was no laughing matter either. Swallowing the phlegm in her throat, she glanced at the sorcerer beside her. "Twilight wrote to me about you, Mr Okkotsu. Can I safely say we're on the same side?"

Yuta met her gaze with a resolute nod. "Of course, Your Highness," he replied, his voice gruff but sincere. He drew his katana, the moonlight filtering through the shattered window and catching the gleam of the polished blade. Raising his free hand, he channelled a surge of cursed energy into the sharpened metal, causing the weapon to hum with a faint, ominous glow. "Rika and I will deal with the cursed spirit," he declared, his voice cutting through the tension-filled silence. "Can I let you handle the pony beside them?"

"Leave it to us." Shining replied, taking his sword from the ground.

Yuta dashed forward, Rika circling them for a two-on-one pincer attack. They weren't the only ones to go on the offensive. As Shining clashed his sword with a black crystal structure, Sombra sprouted from the ground to protect him from the prince's attack. Shining glared at the King, not believing the sight he was seeing.

"You really are alive, King Sombra." Shining scowled,

"In the flesh." Sombra returned, "You looked tired, prince. Saving a failing empire too much to handle?" A pink blur zipped past the corner of his eye. Glancing over, Cadance had taken to the sky, her horn charging up a spell. "Oh?"

Before Shining could retort, a blur of pink streaked past the corner of his eye. Cadance had rocketed into the air; her horn glowed with an intense pink light, crackling with pent-up magic that she focused into a concentrated beam. With a bow, she unleashed the spell from her horn tip, a blinding bolt of pure energy aimed squarely at where Sombra stood.

Reacting with lightning speed, he dissolved his form into a swirling black mist just as Cadance's beam ripped through the spot where he had stood a moment before, allowing it to pass through him harmlessly. The energy bolt dissipated, leaving behind a trail of scorched air and the acrid tang of burnt magic.

"Where did he go?... Don't panic, just find where he is..." she thought desperately, scanning the room with wide, terrified eyes.

Suddenly, a shout from Shining Armor pierced through the suffocating silence. "Cadance, behind you!"

His warning triggered a primal survival instinct. Without fully registering the meaning of his words, Cadance threw herself to the side just as a searing pain erupted in her back. A strangled cry escaped her lips as she arched her spine, twisting in mid-air to face her attacker.

Sombra materialised behind her, a cruel smirk playing on his obsidian lips. He held a shard of purple crystal in his hand, fashioned into a wickedly sharp dagger now gleaming with the crimson of her blood.

Breathe.

Cadance kicked off Sombra, blasting another shot at him with a grunt. Sombra tilts his head sideways, letting her magic wisp past his cheek with a smirk. The alicorn tried to keep herself afloat, but the cut was deep. Each time she flapped her wings, a new surge of pain shot up her back. Relenting with a resigned sigh, Cadance lowered herself, a tremor running through her legs as she touched down beside a worried Shining Armor. He rushed to her side, his face etched with a mixture of concern and rage as he scanned the extent of her injury.

"Candace!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with a raw fear she rarely heard. His eyes widened in horror as they reached the wound, his nostrils flaring in a silent snarl. "Cadance... your back..."

Fear, cold and suffocating, replaced the adrenaline that had fueled her earlier actions. Following Shining's gaze, Cadance forced herself to look down at the mangled flesh. Her breath hitched in her throat.

"W-what's wrong?" Cadance asked,

From the deep gash that cut the base of her wings down to her lower back, black, jagged crystals erupted from the wound, their obsidian points pushing outwards like a flower blooming in her flesh. The surrounding flesh turned an ominous black, the corruption spreading like a plague with each passing second.

"Undo your magic, Sombra!!" Shining demanded, "NOW!!"

"Are you seriously asking your enemy for a favour in the heat of battle?" Sombra scoffs, diving headfirst into the two. "Hilarious!!"

Shining pulled Cadance into a hug and pushed his legs back, narrowly dodging Sombra as he landed on the marble floor with a crack. The impact caused the ground to shudder, and jagged black crystals erupted from the point of contact, spreading like a spiderweb across the polished surface. Waving his horn in a small, circular manner, Sombra commanded the crystals to converge above him into an obsidian drill. The drill already spinning fast enough to generate small gusts of wind above the King, his cape fluttering because of that.

Flicking his head forward, the drill launched itself at the Shining. Giving up his grip on his wife, he jumped in front of them and pushed his magic to the maximum, conjuring a shield to bear the brunt of the drill. The two magics connected with an ear-piercing screech that echoed throughout the castle. Sweat beat down the prince, trying with all his might to focus on the magical construct so it doesn't break from the continuous drilling.

Shining was fighting a losing battle as with each passing moment, and the drill drilled deeper into his shield, the blue magic only delaying the inevitable. Through the pain in her face, Cadance attempted to rise, her entire body trembling from overexertion and wincing as a fresh wave of agony ripped through her wounded back. The constant upkeep of the barrier, along with the concentrated magic beams used to exorcise giant curses rampaging the empire, caught up with her. However, that doesn't mean she will simply give in to the exhaustion.

Breathe.

Taking a second to collect herself, she draws upon more of her magic to aid Shining in bolstering his shield against the crystal weapon. The blue translucent shield gets enveloped in a pink light, sealing back the cracks in its defence. The duo forced the shield forward with a united yell, shattering the crystal drill into bits and pieces.

However, this didn't disturb Sombra. As he reappeared beside Cadance, his horn was already glowing purple. Cadance responded with a cast of her own, but another flare of pain from her back caused her focus to falter, the black crystals glowing in tandem with Sombra's magic, interrupting the magical flow within her horn. Using this opening, he socked the princess in the face, sending her to the ground.

"Cadance!" Shining yelled, running to her. But he could not entirely do so as the King was already on him. He pivoted on the spot, teeth clenching the blade as it collided with Sombra's horn, sending sparks flying as a screech filled their ears.

"Focus, prince..." Sombra taunted, levitating the sword by the blade into the air, pulling Shining along with it upwards. Sombra cracked a smile and delivered two cross-body hooks to either side of Shining's torso, the immense pain in his abdomen weakening his grip on the weapon as he doubled over and cradled his sides.

Taking Shining's face into his hooves, Sombra bulleted his forehead into Shining's with a disgusting crack of a headbutt, cutting up his forehead in the process as Shining reeled back from the hit. Upon contact, however, Sombra drowned Shining's horn in his magic, black shards sprouting on the prince's horn and sapping away his magic before Sombra tossed him aside.

A contemptuous sneer contorted Sombra's muzzle. "Pathetic," he spat, his voice dripping with cruel amusement. "Utterly disgusting. To think you see yourselves fit to rule the Crystal Empire instead of me, the rightful ruler!"Sombra laughed. Shining forced his head up, trying to gather magic to his horn, but the crystals stuck on it rendered it a fruitless effort. "Usowamoto, are you done?"

On the opposite side of the room, Usowamoto kept Yuta and Rika as far away from them as possible with portals that shot saltwater, fire, winds, and anything to buy more time for themselves. Swatting away Yuta's katana with a hand, they opened another portal that blast cold winds strong enough to send Yuta tumbling backwards."A little help here!? I still haven't recovered--ARGK-!" His plea for help was interrupted as Rika sent the curse crashing into a wall with the nastiest slap Sombra's seen in a hot minute.

"Alright, alright," he muttered, waving his dismissive hoof. "I'll deal with them after I'm done here. Get the portals ready, Usowamoto. Once I finish up with these pathetic fools, I'll prepare the spell."

Shining got back up with his sword in his mouth. The blood trickling down his forehead seeped into his right eye and blossomed through the organ, clouding his vision in a sea of red. "We're not done, Sombra." Shining spat through his gritted teeth, huffing as stray strands from his mane drooped between his eyes.

The sudden explosive push of magic stunned Shining, crashing into the wall behind him with such force he could feel the wind being knocked out of him as his chest collapsed inward. His primaries were spayed out, and he was sure his back was bruised, the armour shielding his behind only making it worse as rounded metal corners dug deeper into his tissues.

Stars exploded behind his clouded vision, and the world spun in a nauseating dance. His sword clattered to the floor, rattling uselessly below him. As his vision flickered back into a blurry focus, he saw it. Black crystals, jagged and menacing, sprouted from the wall, wrapping tightly around his hooves, pinning him like a grotesque insect, making the situation all the worse.

"What should I do with you?" Sombra asked rhetorically as Shining strained against the bindings. As he faked contemplating the question with a hoof to his chin, Cadance rose from the ground, charging up magic behind the scenes. With a flash, she sent a beam directed at Sombra. "Predictable." Before the attack could connect, his form dissolved into a swirling black mist, allowing the magic to fly through him and into Shining's chest plate, forming a dent while he bellowed in pain.

Cadance's desperate attack had backfired spectacularly. Through the dissipating smoke, she saw Shining writhe in agony, the betrayal in his eyes a fresh wound on her already battered spirit. A guttural cry tore from her throat as a wave of Sombra's magic slammed into her. The force sent her flying across the room, her body crashing into a fallen pillar with a sickening thud.

Pain erupted in a symphony across her body, each breath a struggle. But even as darkness threatened to claim her, Cadance refused to give up. She forced her eyes open, spotting Sombra standing over a groaning Shining.

"I'm...sorry!" she rasped, her voice barely a whisper choked with smoke and pain.

"Ah! I just know what to do with you!" Sombra smirked, walking over to the prince and raising a hoof to his chin, pushing it up ever so slightly such that their eyes met. "I'll have you slaughter your own wife!" Leaning closer, he pressed the tip of his horn against Shining's forehead. A metallic liquid, shimmering with an unholy light, pulsed within Sombra's horn and then flowed, injecting itself into the corners of Shining's eyes.

A jolt of searing pain ripped through Shining, tearing him from the hazy edges of unconsciousness. The metallic liquid seeping into his eyes burned with an otherworldly fire, a chilling sensation that spread like venom through his very being. Shining let out a yell that shook Cadance awake from her stupor; even Yuta, from across the room, had snapped his attention over for a brief moment.

"Where do you think you're looking!?" Yelled Usowamoto, backhanding Yuta into a geyser of water pulled from a portal.

Behind the cracked doors leading to the hallway, Flurry watched with prying eyes, her heart beating out of her chest as she spectated the duels going on. The continual tremours made her uncertain of the situations in the outside world. Flurry had never been one for following all the rules. But blatantly forgoing her mother's wishes? That was a whole new level of rule-breaking. Still, the tremors, the screams, and the sheer urgency of the situation had all gnawed at her curiosity, propelling her toward the forbidden doors that her mother had explicitly told her not to open. Eventually, her escapades lead her outside the room where the six are facing off. Biting her non-existent nails, Flurry scanned the room.

The weird-looking monkey alien dressed in white was busy fighting another weird-looking monkey alien dressed in black, except that one had a big white ghost fighting alongside him. And he had a sword. They seemed to be in a stalemate, not good. But, she could only hope they keep it that way. Turning back to her parents, Flurry came just in time to see Shining clash blades with Sombra, where the rest of the events played out before her.

"C'mon, Daddy." Flurry prayed with bated breath, eyes glued on the two. However, whatever hope left in her heart fizzled out when blood started pooling out of Shining's orifices, which were soon followed by a gut-wrenching scream.

"Shining!!" Cadance called,

"AHHHHH!!" He cried.

Sombra cackled, "That's right! Succumb to my will and serve-- Oof!"

In the spur of the moment, Flurry teleported beside the King, launching herself in a magic bubble and connecting at Sombra's side, ramming him off Shining and onto the ground. Sombra scoffs, his eyes boring holes into the young alicorn.

"Get off my Daddy!" Flurry yelled,

Cadance leveraged the distraction to push herself up with a pained groan and sputtered a reprimand. "Flurry Heart! Cough" Blood trickled down her throat, staining her coat. "What are you doing here!? I told you to stay in the Throne Room, didn't I?!"

Flurry looks over at her mother with an apologetic look, "I'm sorry, Mommy. Daddy's hurt bad, and I--"A sudden purple ring circling Flurry's neck strangled her last words right out of her.

"Flurry!" Cadance called before turning her sights on Sombra. "RELEASE HER SOMBRA!!"

Sombra got up, dusting away at his coat, "Again with the 'asking your enemies to do your requests'? Do you ponies not learn from your battles at all?" Glancing over to the young, suffocating alicorn, a new lightbulb went off atop his crown. "I've got an even better idea..." Flurry, the poor thing, was shedding tears at this point, her wings desperately flapping against the wind and kicking at the air in ways to give her some leverage. Saliva drooled down her chin, and her face was already flushed red, teetering on the edge of blue.

Sombra tightened his hold on Flurry and bowed his head, his sharp horn aimed at her stomach. Shining fought tooth and nail to keep his consciousness while trying to gather magic to break free of his hold, struggling to the point veins threatened to pop through his skin and fur.

"Watch," Sombra pulled back, his hindlegs kicking at the ground. "As I kill your child in front of you." With a strong gallop, Sombra bulldozed his way into Flurry. Missing her by a hair, Sombra glanced at Flurry as she got sent flying toward Cadance, her horn glowing its signature blue. The mother pressed herself against her child in a tight hug, tumbling back a few steps.

Sombra blinked, turning over to the pair. He had had enough of this as he stomped the ground, cracking it under pressure with a flare of his nostrils. "You two want to die together!?" he puffed, horn charging copious amounts of magic. "Fine! Have it your way!" He released it all in one go, so much so that the beam tore away at the marble floor as it barrelled to the two alicorns.

Cadance braced herself as she approached Flurry, manifesting a shimmering bubble of magic surrounding them. The initial blow was intense. The beam carried immense heat that radiated past the shield and boiled the air within. The force propelled the two so far back that their backs were against the wall as it cracked from the pressure.

Cadance's ears were ringing, the torrential, monumental force that bore down on her, requiring her to strain herself to maintain this deadlock. Her entire body trembled under the weight as she braced her body; her regalia felt like it was steaming with heat, even her wings unfurrowed in response to the sharp rise in temperature.

Breathe.

Blood ran down her nose as she continued to hold the frontline, fighting desperately not just for her life but Flurry as well. Ignoring that spiking pain from her back that fed off her magic, she poured all she had into maintaining the bubble. Soon, steam sizzled into the air, and thick white vapours clouded her peripheral vision. Still, Cadance didn't see it, nor the rising levels of seawater filling the room around her as she focused a hundred and ten percent of her being into her magic, veins popping through the side of her temples.

"Enough of this." A cursed voice came from beside her. Cadance turned her gaze over, and her eyes met Usowamoto's through a portal, a hand outstretched to her. That's strange. Usowamoto should've been busy with Yuta-- Her question was soon answered as she peered past the curse. Their other hand stretched out, and their fingers splayed. A giant-sized portal swirled open at her palm, releasing mass amounts of water with such high pressures that it practically travelled in a horizontal line, pinning a recognisable human and their cursed spirit to the wall, the pressure sending fissures across the entire section of the crystal wall.

Usowamoto's hand gripped firmly on Cadance's burning horn, her magic swirling with the cursed energy emanating from their hand. A sickening crack echoed through the chamber, followed by Cadance's guttural scream. With a brutal twist, Usowamoto severed the horn from her head, leaving a raw, bloody wound where it once stood.

With her magic severed, Usowamoto pulled their hand back and closed the portal. Time was running out for her as the bubble protecting them dropped, no longer fueled by her magic. Cadance jumped to Flurry Heart, wrapping her wings, hooves, and entire body to cover her child.

Breathe.

Sombra's blast, no longer impeded by the weakened bubble, slammed into Cadance with a deafening roar. The raw magic seared her flesh, burning through her coat and igniting her feathers in a halo of fire. A sickeningly sweet smell of burnt flesh filled the air as the unrelenting energy boiled her blood from within.

Breathe.

Through the searing agony, Cadance clung to Flurry, her body a desperate barricade against the onslaught. A whimper escaped Flurry's lips, muffled by the protective embrace of her mother's wing. Despite the excruciating pain, Cadance held on, her love for her daughter fueling a primal determination to shield her from the magic. Cadance looked down at her whimpering daughter, tears flowing down her cheeks. She smiled, blood trickling down her lips as the cracked base of her horn lit up, trying to conjure healing spells onto Flurry.

"Breathe." Cadance told herself, "Just breathe, keep your body strong, don't let Sombra's attack touch Flurry." Glancing down at the trembling Flurry, Cadance wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "Don't cry," Cadance whispered, "It's okay, Mommy's here..."

The beam sputtered to a halt, leaving an oppressive silence in its wake. The cool night air, heavy with the metallic tang of blood and burnt magic, sent a fresh wave of pain lancing through Cadance's ravaged body. With a ragged gasp, she slumped forward, her remaining wing failing to hold her weight.

Breathe.

She managed to brush her cheek against Flurry's trembling form, a silent apology escaping her lips in a strangled whisper. Then, darkness threatened to claim her. Her vision blurred, the edges of the world dissolving into swirling colours.

Breathe.

A tremor racked Cadance's body, a final, involuntary spasm before she went limp. Tears streamed down Flurry's face, hot against her mother's already cooling cheek.

Breathe.

"Mommy! J- Just hang on! I'll get help! Please, Mommy!"

Breathe...

"I'm sorry, Mommy! I should've listened to you! I-I-"

Breathe...

Cadance's eyes flickered to her daughter. It's good that she's well.

...

"Mommy...?"

A long, chilling shadow stretched across Cadance's mangled form. Sombra stood above them, his laughter echoing through the ruined room, a cruel music that sent shivers down Flurry's spine.

"Now," he declared, his voice dripping with sinister satisfaction, "this world is ours." Lowering his head down slightly, he turns to face Usowamoto. "You got that?"

"Yeah, all of it," Usowamoto replied with a wave of their hand. A portal that acted like a mirror hovered beside Sombra, the shimmering light capturing the whole ordeal from start to finish.

"Then, our vow is complete. Now leave me to rule my empire." Sombra snarled.

"Stop." A command rang, and the rushing water binding Yuta lurched to a halt as if caught in an invisible net. A gasp escaped him as the pressure eased, allowing him to breathe again. On his finger, he bore the promise ring once more, and his cursed energy surged, filling the entire room with its terrifying presence. "Don't move." came another command from him; his cheek and mouth tattooed the seal markings of the Snake Eyes and Fangs of the Inumaki Clan. His cursed energy rippled through the air, taking away Usowamoto's and Sombra's ability to move.

With a powerful kick that sent debris flying, Yuta propelled himself towards Sombra. The unicorn villain slammed against the nearby wall with a sickening thud, the force of the blow knocking the wind out of him. Rika moved atop Usowamoto, interlacing her fingers into one giant fist and slammed down onto the portal curse.

Yuta landed beside the fallen Cadance as Rika continued to hammer down, his sodden clothes clinging uncomfortably to his skin. He knelt, his gaze flickering between the unconscious princess and Flurry's tear-streaked face. With hands hovering over the princess, he kicked his Reverse Cursed Technique output to its maximum and pooled positive energy into the princess.

The gruesome sight of her sizzling wounds began to recede. The exposed bone and muscle started to knit themselves back together, the raw flesh sealing shut at an accelerated rate. Even the base of her broken horn began to show signs of regeneration. A bony tip emerged from the raw flesh, growing at an astonishing pace. The pain in Cadance's face didn't vanish entirely, but it dulled to a throbbing ache under Yuta's ministrations.

Amidst the intense commotion and overflowing seawater, the throne room doors exploded inwards, ripped from their hinges by an unseen force. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity charged in. Their arrival brought a gasp of relief from Flurry as their eyes scanned the scene.

Sombra coughed and spat out a glob of blood, leaning off the crater from the wall. "Seems like you finally decided to join us, Princess Twilight."

Twilight's gaze swept across the room, taking in the devastation. Her eyes narrowed as they landed on Cadance's prone form. While the worst of the burns seemed to be healing under Yuta's care, the princess was far from well. Blood stained her coat, a gruesome aftermath of the attack. A trail led from her head wound, painting a horrifying picture on the already cracked marble floor. Flurry, huddled beside her mother, her red-rimmed and tear-streaked eyes only confirmed Twilight's worst fears.

She turned over to the other side of the room where Shining had been bound by the black crystals that pinned him to the wall. He hung limply, his coat dull and his breathing shallow and laboured.

Fury welled up inside the Princess of Friendship, a tide threatening to drown the carefully cultivated calm she usually maintained. Twilight's horn pulsed with a soft yet vibrant glow before erupting in an explosion outward, encompassing everyone in the room.

Yuta huddled beside Cadance and Flurry, using his body to shield the oncoming magic as it came to a crawl in front of the sorcerer, never reaching him. The same can't be said for Sombra or Usowamoto. The magic chained their limbs and fixed them to the floor with a boom. Twilight was instantly on Sombra, her eyes illuminating a magenta light. The King tried to dissolve his form into smoke. However, Twilight forcefully held the clouds of smoke and condensed tightly, which physically kept his form together in her telekinetic grip as she snarled at him from above.

"You will pay for this..." Twilight huffed, lighting her horn. Her heartbeat and breathing were irregular, and coupled with the things she had seen today and the suffering of the crystal ponies, she pushed past her breaking point. The corners of her eyes bulged with veins as she channelled all her might into a spell. That said, the stark contrast of negative energy to her usual magic brimmed and swirled around her horn didn't escape Yuta's senses. "SOMBRA!!"

Releasing all she had, Twilight burned her magic into Sombra's face, the overpowering light tearing away at his fur as the corners of her eyes glowed an evil purple.

"Cursed energy!?" Yuta exclaimed as Rarity and Rainbow turned to him. "Princess Twilight! Stop!"

Rarity, sensing Yuta's worry, also yelled through the hum of Twilight's magic. "Twilight, dear! You have to stop whatever you're doing!"

Twilight didn't listen, deciding Sombra's punishment wasn't finished while she continued to blast a hole in his face. The beam tore relentlessly into Sombra, burning away his fur and muscle with horrifying ease. The stench of singed flesh filled the air as bone became exposed.

"Stop." Yuta commanded,

Twilight's attack halted as her body froze, held down by cursed energy. This allowed her to glance down at the King's skull, decorated with black soot on the floor behind him, before embers ate away at his form, disintegrating Sombra into ashes. She heaved and coughed, the cursed energy running rampant throughout her body, receding to normal levels.

Twilight brought her hooves up to her face, pressing at every corner to ensure she was still in one piece.

"W-what was that?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "What did I...?"

"Twilight!" Rarity and Dash galloped over to her, eyes scanning for any injuries on her body. "You alright!?" Dash asked worriedly.

"I-I think so...?"

A slow clap echoed through the ruined throne room, drawing everyone's attention. Usowamoto, no longer pinned to the ground, sauntered forward, a cruel smirk twisting their face.

"It's very impressive, Twilight," they drawled, their voice dripping with amusement. "You can use cursed energy. That's cool."

Twilight and Yuta glanced at the curse, one drawing his katana while the other blazed her horn.

"You're surrounded, curse," Twilight declared, her voice regaining strength. "Surrender and come peacefully, and you won't suffer a fate similar to Sombra."

Usowamoto chuckled a humourless sound that sent shivers down Twilight's spine. "Oh, I don't think so," they replied, their eyes gleaming with a dangerous glint. "Things are just getting interesting." walking over to the still-opened portal nearby, the curse gestured towards it with a hand. "Do you know where this portal leads to?"

Twilight and Yuta stayed silent, giving Usowamoto the green light to continue.

"It leads to many places," they explained, their voice taking on an almost educational tone. "Manehatten, The Dragonlands, Canterlot, Yakyakistan, The Changeling Kingdom, Hippogriffia...even Ponyville. You name it, a portal's on the otherside." They paused, letting their words sink in.

"Portals are a very interesting phenomenon," they continued, gesturing towards the swirling vortex. "Not only can one use it to transport something through space and time, but one can also peer into the portal and see things happening through it in real-time." Usowamoto turns over to the four, "Furthermore, Sombra's magic has been infused into the portal. So whoever watches on the other side has their perception of the pony they are looking at altered."

"What does this whole portal spiel have to do with anything!?" Dash challenged. "We're still gonna kick your flank regardless!"

Usowamoto, unfazed by her outburst, turned towards the pegasus with a raised eyebrow. "You seriously don't get it?" they drawled. "I knew you were dense, but not this dense. Here, let me ask you a question. How long has this portal been open for?"

Rainbow opened her mouth to answer but faltered, unsure. Yuta, sensing her hesitation, stepped forward. "Since King Sombra fired that magic attack at Princess Cadance," he answered, his voice steady.

Usowamoto snapped their fingers at the young sorcerer. "Correct! Now, here's another question. How are curses born?"

"How are any of these events correlated?" Rarity perks,

Once again, Yuta provided the answer. "They are incarnated from the cursed energy that primarily leaks out of humans over time due to their negative emotions. Eventually culminating into cursed spirits or curses."

"That's right!"

Twilight, however, remained unconvinced. "I still don't get what you're trying to say, curse," she interjected, echoing Rarity's earlier concern. "Like Rarity said, how are any of these events related?"

Usowamoto's smugness dimmed a touch. Maybe they'd overestimated these ponies' deduction skills. "Do you think my attack on Cloudsdale was a randomly chosen location?" they questioned a hint of condescension in their voice. "Hadn't you felt the tremendous amounts of lingering cursed energy from the explosion?"

Twilight hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "We have," she admitted.

"Then the sorcerer should've known by now how susceptible ponies, or in fact, any creatures, are to curse energy." Usowamoto points to the lavender alicorn across from them, eyes focused. "That's because living beings in Equestria have magic infused into their bodies. Magic in this world acts similarly to positive energy, elevating the body's constitution closer to that of a being made of positive energy. Think of it like the inverse of a cursed spirit, where our bodies are made entirely of cursed energy, and only a small portion of your body's structure is made of positive energy."

"If it helps you visualise better," Their hand emerged, grasping a small vial filled with a shimmering liquid. Holding it aloft, they shook it gently, swirling the contents. "Think of the pH levels of water. The common neutrality of pH 7 being the state the human body is comprised of, while acidic water is where cursed energy lays, and the opposite, the higher levels of alkali water being what your equestrian body stays." The liquid, initially a separation of vibrant blues and red, began to morph and change, blending into the azure hue.

"And when an alkali and acid mix, what happens?" They rattled the vial again, the once distinct colours merging into a sickly purple concoction.

Twilight shudders, realising where they're getting at. "They neutralise."

"Bingo! And when that happens, whichever is more concentrated will dominate the vial. Overpowering the other until none is left. What I've done in Cloudsdale was spread the influence of cursed energy into the clouds supply and spread them across Equestria using that giant explosion, covering the entire land in a negative blanket. Increasing discordance and disharmony amongst the people here."

They leaned back slightly, gesturing towards the portal with a flourish. "Since the body of a pony exists on a higher state of neutrality than humans, the cursed energy they produce must compensate and be much more concentrated than normal to make up for the unusually high amounts of positive energy in your bodies for it to be able to leak out. Mix some friction and hostility and sprinkle some destruction here and there over Equestria, and boom! Overflowing amounts of cursed energy from all over to use at your disposal!"

"So, all this was to give birth to a new cursed spirit?" Yuta furrowed his brows in dawning comprehension and cut in. "All this cursed energy still needs to be concentrated into an idea for that to be possible,"

Usowamoto's smirk widened. "Don't you see?" they purred, "That's where this portal and Sombra's magic comes in..."

Twilight's eyes snapped open wide with realisation. The pieces clicked into place, forming a horrifying picture. Her voice trembled as she gasped out the question, "Who did you have projected on the mirror!?"

The news spread through Canterlot like wildfire. Tired ponies surged towards the central square from their homes, a tide of fear and confusion washing over the once-peaceful city. Towering portals, and shimmering gateways ripped from the fabric of reality, all hung ominously above various districts. Each one broadcasted the same horrific scene: In the room of the Crystal Empire lay an unconscious Cadance, ravaged and stained with blood, her back bloodied and her bones exposed in a sizzling mess.

"T-that can't be..."

"This has to be some kind of joke!"

"What in Equestria is this?! Why would they betray Princess Cadance like this!?"

A nameless stallion stumbled backwards, his legs weak from seeing the live broadcast in The Crystal Empire and bumped into something, or rather, somepony, behind him.

Turning around for a quick apology, his gaze only met an Alabaster fur adorned with the recognisable regalia worn by royalty. Craning his head up, his eyes met a pair of light magenta pupils, her regal mane flowing in the absence of wind. Beside the alicorn princess was a darker, smaller sapphire blue mare with a horn and pair of wings, her flank plastered with the symbol of the moon.

"Princess Celestia, Princess Luna!" This drew the attention of the nearby crowd as, in perfect unison, they all turned to face the two ex-princesses.

"What's wrong, my little ponies?" Celestia asked, leaning closer to the panicking stallion.

"D-d-d-did did did..." The stallion swallowed the massive lump in his throat, his anxiousness eating him alive. "Did you two kill Princess Cadance...?"

Celestia and Luna looked at one another before bursting out in a fit of laughter.

"Of course not, my little ponies..." Celestia said, wiping a tear from her eye. This seemed to calm the remaining populace as they sighed in relief. "But it would've been a delight to do so!"

The last part caught them off. Surely their ears were messing with them.

"C-come again, princess?"

With a flick of her head, Celestia unleashed a beam of concentrated magic. It lanced out from her horn, a violet spear aimed directly at the stallion who had dared to question her. The magic struck, passing through the stallion's skull with horrifying ease. One moment he was stammering in confusion. The next, he was a lifeless husk, a gaping hole replacing his head.

The crowd erupted in screams. Ponies stampede in terror, desperately trying to escape the sudden madness. Celestia and Luna broke out in maniacal laughter, their sets of teeth sharpening into fangs as their horn lit up.

"I KNEW IT SISTER!" Celestia bellowed, "EXISTENCE IN CURSED FLESH IS SO INVIGORATING!!"

Luna replied with a laugh of her own, "THE SMELL OF FEAR IS HIGH, SISTER!! LET'S SET THIS WORLD ASUNDER!!"

The two alicorns combust into a whirlwind of magic, laying waste to the square with their combined might. The swirling magic settled, and Celestia's once-flowing mane erupted in flames, its white coat morphing into a fiery orange. Luna's mane grew longer, her blue coat darkening to a menacing midnight black. Their bodies grew taller and more muscular, their snouts lengthening into predatory maws lined with razor-sharp teeth, revealing images of:

Special Grade Curse Spirit: Daybreaker.

And;

Special Grade Cursed Spirit: Nightmare Moon.

With a pulse of magic, Daybreaker dragged the unawakened sun towards the moon, causing the shadow of the celestial bodies to cover the entirety of Canterlot and, subsequently, Equestria.

Usowamoto watched from the portal as Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon's chaotic rampage through Canterlot filled the air with the sounds of destruction and screams. A twisted sense of satisfaction flickered across Usowamoto's face as they patted themself on the back – their plan, it seemed, was working perfectly.

"Well, Twilight," Usowamoto chuckled, "Looks like you gotta go save Canterlot with your friends, don't you?"

"Don't move." The command rang, stopping Usowamoto in their place. "Princess!" Yuta called, turning over to Twilight. "I'll exorcise those two at Canterlot, can I leave them in your hands?"

Twilight's hooves dug into the stone floor as she surveyed the scene. Despair threatened to engulf her. Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon tore through Canterlot like a whirlwind, radiating raw power. Every instinct screamed at her to join the fight, but a single, horrifying realisation held her back.

Usowamoto.

Leaving Usowamoto unchecked meant giving them free rein to manipulate the situation further. A cold dread filled her.

Twilight glanced at Yuta, "Go!" she commanded, her voice laced with urgency. "I'll make sure this curse doesn't go anywhere!" She knew it was a gamble, a desperate attempt to buy time and contain the true threat. Facing Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon alone and without her friends was a fool's errand, but Twilight had no other choice. It was a much more favourable scenario than had she been the one to go over to Canterlot while Yuta stayed to keep Usowamoto busy. She had to trust Yuta to handle Canterlot, and she had to find a way to neutralise Usowamoto before it was too late.

With a determined nod, Yuta rushed over to Rika.

"Rika!!"

Reaching into her shadowy form, he pulled out a giant piece of fabric, large enough to cover the two of them. As Yuta swirled the fabric around their forms, it seemed to shrink in on itself, folding and compressing until they were both enveloped in a swirling vortex of darkness. A moment later, they vanished into thin air.

Twilight squared her shoulders, her horn flaring to life. Rainbow Dash and Rarity, who had been watching the exchange with apprehension, stood beside her, their expressions resolute.

"This isn't how it's supposed to play out..." Usowamoto muttered, curling their fingers into fists, a hint of unease creeping into their voice.

Daybreaker cackled as another building ignited with a touch of her burning horn. All the while, Nightmare Moon revelled in the screams of ponies trapped in terrifying nightmares brought to life in the waking world. Stray beams from their horn sliced through buildings, streets, and everything in between like hot knives passing through butter. Right as their fun reached an all-time high, high above the Canterlot Castle drops a newcomer, a whirling cloak revealed a human with black hair holding a katana and their deceased lover. The sight of crying ponies and fearmongering curses running rampant crushed his heart. He knew what he must do. With the blade in his hand, he steeled his eyes towards the two curses.

He is called by many things, by many people. Miguel calls him a cursed brat, Maki, Panda, and Inumaki all call him a dear friend, and Gojo calls him crazy strong. All of those are true. He is an exorcist, an exterminator, but most importantly of all, he is a:

A Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer.

And he would be damned if he let the two curses continue their rampage on his watch. Still falling down the side of the royal castle, the air beat around him as it began to crackle with a tension that dwarfed even the inferno raging below them as he raised the hand that wore the ring to his face.

"Rika..." Yuta called out, his voice a low growl.

"Yes, Yuta?" Rika's spectral voice whispered beside him,

"Give me everything," Yuta commanded, his grip tightening on the katana.

Down below, Daybreaker scoffed, turning to her monstrous sister with an excited tone in her voice. "Sister~!" she boomed, "Looks like we've got company~!!"

Hello! I want to thank all of you guys for passing 50 likes!! I've never thought people would be so interested in my yappings of a JJK and Mlp crossover. Side note: With the number of ponies I've been killing, I think it's safe to say I will change this story to an M-rated one. LOL. I still hope everyone enjoys the read of the story.
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