Chapter Three: A New Form

Dante awoke, feeling refreshed, letting his eyes stay closed. ‘Well, that was likely the best sleep I’ve ever had. Even before that damned mass teleport spell… What’s holding me?’ he thought, looking down to see Fluttershy, fast asleep, hugging him tightly.

‘Aww, she’s adorable,’ he thought as he slowly looked around, pausing at the window to look outside. Judging by the sun’s position, Dante figured it was about six. ‘0600, too early to wake her.’

Just as he finished his thought, Fluttershy nuzzled into his chest, before slowly opening her eyes. “Morning,” Dante said with a grin, “sleep well?”

“Eep!” Fluttershy jumped out of bed, blushing lightly. “I’m s-so sor-sorry! I didn’t mean t-to cuddle you! I-I was j-j-just joking last night!” she stammered.

“Hey, it’s all good. Anyway, what’s the plan for today? I know I have to answer Sparkles’ interrogation, but other than that, my day is clear.”

“W-well, I need to p-pick up some food for my animal friends, and my dress for the Summer Sun celebration. I was also hoping to pick up some cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner. You could help me out, if you don’t mind, that is.”

“Sure. Better than sitting around doing nothing. Ah, almost forgot, still need to get you more firewood.” Dante said, face-pawing.

“Oh, um, don’t worry about it. I can get it myself.” Fluttershy said, opening the door to head downstairs. “What would you like for breakfast, Dante? I could cook some of that hollow, if you would like.”

“No, I’m alright. Keep that for your animals. If I get hungry, I’ll just go hunting for Hollows in the forest.”

“Well, alright. Just let me know if you change your mind. You know, if you want to…”

“Okay. Thank you, again, for yesterday. I quite literally owe you my life, you and Miss Sparkle.”

“Oh, you don’t owe me anything, Dante.”

A half hour later :::: 06:45 ::::

After Breakfast, Dante and Fluttershy were heading out to town. The sun was bright, and although there were few clouds, a new development was about to be discovered.

‘Why do I feel hollow? Besides the obvious reason, but something feels… missing inside.’ Dante thought as he walked with Fluttershy.

“What’s wrong, Dante? Are you feeling okay?” Fluttershy asked him, sensing the look on his face, despite the mask.

“Okay, you are so going to have to explain how you can see my expression through this thing. In any case, I don’t know what it is… Wait… Don’t tell me…” Dante closed his eyes. “It’s gone!”

“Eep, what’s g-gone?” Fluttershy said, hiding behind her mane.

“M-my Behir form… It’s gone…” Dante said, dropping onto his haunches.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t do it. Ah well. I’ll get other forms, I can feel it. There are two more permanent forms, deep down. They’ll trigger when the time comes. Who knows, maybe I’ll get my Behir form back. Eventually. Man, gonna have to eat one really powerful Hollow to make it permanent.”

“Oh, okay… Do you just want to stay here while I get the food?” Fluttershy was coming out from behind her mane, at least.

“No, you saved my life, just as much as Miss Sparkle, and you let me stay here for the night. I have to repay that somehow.”

“Well, if you’re sure.”

As they walked towards town, Dante couldn’t help but wonder. ‘When and where will the next Hollow attack? Well, the where is easy. Highest reishi concentration. Probably Twilight, unless the rest of the town gathers together. Six high reishi individuals in town, Twilight and Fluttershy are two… One is to the East… Another just a bit to the South of there. And two more in a line to the South-East. Twilight’s to the north east. Huh, we’re going straight to one.’

After a few minutes, Dante couldn’t resist the joke anymore. “East, always to the East, a Demon marches with his companion. Oh, the irony of it.”

“What? What Irony? What demon?” Fluttershy said, trying to look everywhere at once.

“Well, I would be the Demon, you the companion. The irony is that I used to play a game where you followed the Demon and tried to slay him. The Demon marched always to the East.” Dante said, chuckling.

“You’re a… d-d-demon?” Fluttershy stuttered, backing away.

“Oh boy. Technically, yes. Hollows form from souls allowed to fester in the world of the living for too long. They become corrupted by their regrets. When they form, they become pure instinct, or evil, most of the time, but there are exceptions, like myself.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

As they were walking, Dante had a thought; “Huh, forgot about those two.” He said, stopping for a moment.

“What two? I-if you don’t mind me asking…”

“I remember two other names, and a fact about each. I remembered Applejack, who is a terrible liar, and Rarity, who wants everything to be beautiful.” Dante started walking again.

“Those are two of my friends! Were they in that show you mentioned?”

“Don’t remember… I think so.”

Dante suddenly stopped walking.

“Dante, are you…” Fluttershy trailed off, staring at his eyes… which she could no longer see under his mask.

“It comes. Madness gathers his army. The Elements shall fall, and the Phoenix shall rise anew. The Empire shall return. Love shall rule, as is her right. Darkness shall be overcome. Day into Night, and Night into Day. The Tyrant shall plot, the Empress shall take another. The Tree shall weaken, as one of the Six shall become the Fourth. Beware the Forest of Freedom Eternal, for within it, all the Seven held. The Four approach this land. War rides upon a Red tide, Death beholds a Pale Horse, Famine knows the Orange mare, and Pestilence shall ride upon Blue and Silver.”

As he shook his head, Dante remembered everything. “Alone. Alone, for so long. My Trial to earn peace is still incomplete. But I remember my world… And Heuco Mundo.”

“Dante, are you okay? Please tell me you’re okay!” Fluttershy was flitting around, checking him over. “Did you hit your head on something? Did you eat something bad for you?”

“Nah, I’m fine. But Twilight is going to love our interrogation now. I remember it all. Including My Little Pony. And moreover, I remember what happened after I died.”

“Are you sure? I can get what I need on my own, so you can go rest if you want.”

“No, I’m fine. But I know what is going to happen today. When we get to Applejack’s stall, convince her to move it three feet to the left.”

“Why? What are you going to do?”

“Why, save the town, of course. We have twenty minutes to get there, giving you girls ten minutes to move the stall.”

“But-“

“No questions, please. I’ve told you all I can.” Dante began trotting to town, Fluttershy still dazed by his words, and worried about the way his voice… Changed. She followed him without a word.

:::.0650.:::

As they arrived in the Market square, ponies parted nervously as Dante headed straight for Applejacks stall. Just as they were about to panic, they noticed Fluttershy wasn’t scared of him at all, and calmed down, thinking him harmless.

“Howdy Fluttershy, here fer… What in tarnation is that critter next to ya?” AJ said, shooting Dante a curious, if slightly fearful, look.

“Name’s Dante, would you mind moving three feet to the left? Trust me, it would be wise, given what is heading this way” he said, before scratching behind his ear with his back paw.

“Gah, what in Equestria?!?” AJ jumped up onto the roof of her stand, faster than the eye could see.

Dante looked up at her, cocking his head. “Mind if I move it, then? Don’t want it getting crushed in… Nine minutes.”

“Uh, s-sure, knock yourself out…” AJ sat, getting over her surprise, looked at him curiously once more. ‘How is somethin’ that scrawny gonna move this thing? Took me two hours ta get it here.’

Dante walked over to the right side of the cart, and placed his left forepaw on it. “Hold on tight, pretty mare.” With a twitch, the cart skidded exactly three feet.

“Whoa Nelly!” AJ nearly toppled off the cart. “How’d ya do that?”

“I’m stronger than I look. Need any help getting down? I just remembered how to use this body, so I really want to stretch before the fight.”

“What fight? And I wouldn’t say I need any help, but it’d be nice.”

A slight static sounding boom resounded as Dante was suddenly beside Applejack, laying on his belly. “I normally only let children ride me, but you don’t look too heavy.”

“Are you sayin’ I look skinny” AJ glowered at him, after overcoming her shock at his speed.

“No, I’m saying you don’t look overfed. Pure muscle, too.” Dante said, facepawing.

“Well, alright then.” AJ climbed up onto his back. They were a good seven feet in the air, so she was glad to have help down.

As Dante walked to the edge of the roof, AJ suddenly asked “So how’re we gonna get down without hurtin’ ourselves?”

“Like this” Dante said as he jumped off the roof… and landed on the air.

“How in the blazes?!?” AJ just gaped.

“Come to the Library around eighteen hundred hours. All will be explained there.”

“Eighteen… What?”

“Six P.M. dear.” Dante said in an amused tone, beginning to climb down the air, as though he were walking down stairs.

Dante’s POV, first person

“Alright, I’ll be there.”

“Thanks. Now, you know the fountain in Town Square?”

“Yeah, I know it. Why?”

“I need you to get all the ponies there, quick as you can.”

“This got anythin’ to do with ya?” I landed, and she jumped off. The ponies were noticeably more frightened, but oh well. I had a script of sorts to stick to.

“Eeyup.” I simply said.

“… Please don’ say that again. Ya sounded like my brother.”

“Heh, we’ll see.”

AJ trotted off, yelling for everyone to move to the fountain. As I was shown beforehand, the CMC stayed behind, along with a few adult ponies. A great flapping was heard, and everyone froze. The Hollow I was told to expect landed, right where AJs stand had been, was where its left claw now rested. It was only about twice my height, so about a head above a pony. It was a wyvern, a dragon with no front legs, just wings, like those in Skyrim. Its silver-black scales shone like polished jet, and the four curving horns on its mask were quite impressive. Two curled back, like a Red dragon, while the other two, at the sides of its head curved forward, like a Black dragon, both from D & D. As it roared, the ground shook.

Oddly, the ponies were still too stunned to move, or even scream. Its twenty or so foot tail came up, then lashed at Applebloom like a scorpion’s. Unfortunately for the Hollow, I knew that was coming. As my fangs dug in, it tried to recoil, so I gave it its tail back.

After biting clean through it.

“I will not allow you to hurt these ponies, wretch! They have shown me kindness, even after learning what I am, that I have not seen in ten thousand years! Flee, if you wish not to die here and now!” I roared out, not just shaking the very earth below me, but cracking it in sheer volume, directed solely at the Hollow.

“Huh… Very well, your life is forfeit, demon!” I leapt towards it, firing a volley of spines off my tail into its eyes, blinding it. As it writhed, attempting to pull them out, I landed between it and Applebloom, charging a Cero. It pulled a spine out and regenerated its right eye, just as I fired, dodging left. It charged a Bala and fired at me.

‘Shit. Script changed. Can’t dodge, or it’ll hit the filly. This is gonna hurt…’

I was right. The Bala had enough power to hurt like hell, and it just kept firing. As dust and smoke filled the air, the ponies all screamed for Applebloom, all but her herself.

“…Ow…” I coughed up some blood. “You okay, little one” I asked, looking back to the terrified filly.

She was hiding under her hooves, too terrified to answer. ‘She’s more adorable when she’s happy’ I thought, before hearing a sound I knew all too well.

That damn hollow was charging a Cero this whole time!

‘Fuck me sideways with a cactus. That would hurt less.’

When it hit, just a second after, I knew I wasn’t going to last much longer. My mask felt cracked, like a broken bone, I was scorched to hell, but my tails managed to protect Applebloom at the last second.

I was ready to collapse, but I charged anyway, tearing at its left wing, focusing on the side that was still blind. It began charging another Cero. But then, something unexpected happened. Between its horns a second Cero began to charge, lined up with the one in its mouth. It aimed at Applebloom again.

“No way in Hell, you bastard!” I roared, jumping between them.

The Cero hit, just as I flared my tails to protect her, and the ponies behind her. When the dust cleared, I felt like I had just been drug through the River of Flames in Hell.

“Are… Are ya okay, mister?” Applebloom asked, still terrified. “What is that thing? Is it gonna eat me?”

“Not on my soul it won’t. I would give my life to protect you. To protect this town. And if it comes down to it, I shall make good on that.” I said, my gaze never leaving the hollow. I fired a Bala barrage of my own at it, then started charging my Hollowfire Cero.

As the dust cleared, I fired, a screeching roar telling me I hit.

But it wasn’t done yet. A Cero erupted out, heading for me, with AB still behind me. When it struck, more of my mask shattered. “Damn it… I need more power… I must protect them… I will protect them… I will protect them!” As I roared the last four words, I felt something. I started to shift. I had unlocked a new form, one of the permanent ones. Only a second later, I stood on two clawed legs, in a form I recognized, wearing a red scaled loincloth. I had become a purple-black Pit Fiend.

The Wyvern Hollow came charging out of the dust, firing a Cero, which I blocked with my wings, barely even feeling it. Even while protecting the little filly with my wings, I was charging a Cero. “Time to end this fight.”

I turned and flew straight at the Hollow, my Cero in hand, and fired it point blank. What I didn’t expect, was for it to be Hollowfire… Or to disintegrate the Hollows head into ash.

As the hollow fell back, AJs stand was revealed to be untouched. I turned and walked back to the filly, offering my hand to help her up. The other ponies were still too shocked to move, even more so when they heard me ask “Are you okay, little one? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

“I’m okay, mister, thank ya fer asking, and thank ya fer protecting me like that.” She replied, with the most adorable smile I had ever seen.

“Well, let’s get you back to your sister.” As I scooped her up, Applejack recovered from her shock, walking up to me and Applebloom.

“Here you go, safe and sound,” I said, “were any ponies hurt?”

“N-no, nopony was hurt, thanks ta you.” Applejack hugged her sister.

“Good to… hear....” And with that, my world turned black, as I vaguely heard ponies calling my name as I fell backwards.

Author's Note

Damn, this took forever! Fucking writer's block. Ah, well. Anyway, hope y'all like the fight scene well enough.