Equestria's Greatest... NIGHTMARE!!!

The sword went quiet after it gave me its warning. Don't let them touch Soul Edge. I suppose that meant it wouldn't make me hurt them, but would not guarantee their safety if they tried to wield it. Fair enough. This was MY weapon, this was MY form in this world.

Lost in my musings as I was, I failed to notice that the ponies ahead of me had stopped until I almost stepped on one. Deftly stepping to the side and depositing the foal I carried on her mother's back, I made my way through the crowd to see the cause of their pausing.

I eventually managed to make my way out of the cave, next to Seafoam, and saw what had her stopping the other ponies from moving. Standing at the entrance of the cave was a large group of Diamond Dogs. When they saw me, they quickly parted and let a large dog come through.

He stood twice as tall as I did, but he was far more muscled. His every movement sent a rippling through his flesh. I noticed to my surprise that he had a small, thin blade strapped to his hip. After surveying me as I surveyed him, he opened his mouth and began to speak in a deep and gravelly voice.

"So, you are the creature that defeated the dragon leader here? And now you seek to free these ponies?"

"Yes," I said casually. "These ponies will be returned home. Any more questions?"

"Just one," he said, his mouth curling into a smile. "What if I want to make them my slaves instead?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to kill me first."

"Then I shall do so."

Without another word, he drew his weapon and sprinted to me in a flash. I had barely brought Soul Edge up to block his attack, but he feinted quickly and snaked his weapon for my throat. With a quick twist to the side, I narrowly managed to evade having my neck sliced neatly through. I twisted away from the dog and brought Soul Edge up in a sweeping attack, tearing apart the ground in the process. But I missed. The dog swiftly spun to the side and came back for me in a flash, stabbing his weapon forward in a series of extremely fast thrusts and feints. I managed to hold him off by sheer luck and the fact that my weapon was large enough to block his weapon a bit easier. But a few of his attacks still scored. I came away from him with a nick in my left shoulder, a long scratch down the right side, and three punctures in my claw.

"Is this the best you can do, freak?" he laughed aloud. "You'll never beat me with such slow attacks. I am the fastest dog around."

I knew his words rang with some truth. He was indeed extremely fast, so much so that I could barely follow his movements at all. I might need to find or borrow another weapon for the time being...

"Are you seriously considering abandoning me over this arrogant fool's claims?"

Unless you have a better idea, I'm going to be drowning under the flood of attacks he puts out.

"Then it's decided. You will gain a new weapon, but you will never think about abandoning me again after this..."

Before I could question its intentions, Soul Edge began to grow hot in my hands. The heat intensified quickly, almost causing me to drop it. It began to be enveloped in a dark purple glow which emanated from the eye, and I could feel it draining some of its reserved souls. Finally, when I was starting to feel unable to hold it, the glow brightened to a soft lilac hue, and the blade began to change before my very eyes. It slimmed down, becoming extraordinarily light. When the blade finished, the glow moved up my arm and covered me. Instantly, I was flooded with a new knowledge of fighting, a more elegant and refined style than what the sword transmitted to me when I fought the dragon. I recognized it, too. Raphael Sorel, master of the Rapier.

I looked up after my mind finished processing the new information flooding it, and noticed something rather surprising. While it had felt like a few minutes, the transformation seemed to really only take a few seconds. The dog I was fighting still had the ghost of his jeering laugh fading as he regarded my new weapon and stance.

I looked back at Soul Edge in my hand and let out a harsh, barking laugh. The eye of the sword had moved into the pommel, which completely encased my left hand. My right arm was still malformed, but in a new way. The claw had been replaced with a single, viciously long and sharp spike. It felt strange as well, and upon moving it I deduced that it was now boneless, since it seemed to move with fluid, tendril-like motions. I looked back at the dog, and just in time.

The dog had tried to take advantage of my study of my new form by launching an attack at my heart. Whipping my right 'arm' up, I snaked it around his left arm and drove the spike into his shoulder. His right arm still swung his sword at me, but I quickly brought my new weapon up and blocked it with ease. I then let loose a laugh at the newfound speed I possessed.

"Why do you fight, when you know you will lose?" I asked him, and tightened the hold on his left arm, drilling the spike further into him.

He let out a ragged whimper at the pain, but bared his teeth and attempted to bring his sword low and slash at my legs. Without any effort, I easily parried the weak attack and brought my sword to his throat. Without showing fear, he spat in my face. Grimacing at the wet sensation dripping down my face, I drew my sword along his throat and watched in satisfaction as blood spurted from his neck. I noticed Soul Edge greedily drinking his soul, which flashed red in my mind. Recognizing it, I searched my memory and found it matched the dragon's soul from earlier. He was that powerful? Intriguing. Most intriguing. Looking up at the pack of dogs that followed him, I laughed.

"So, who's next?"