Salt, Anger, And Booze

Salt, Anger, And Booze
Part 21: Engage Protocol 8 Unrelenting Force

By: Major Frostwing

I opened my eyes to see darkness quickly creeping up in the sky above me. I let out a smile as I kicked myself up stretching out my arms. "Come on Nightmare. I am waiting." I said stomping my foot down on Solaris's blade as it launched into the air. I reached up snatching the blade out of the air.

I saw Twilight and her friends running up to where I was but they stopped when they saw me and the decapitated body of Teric. I looked over to them before smiling. "Hey girls long time no see." I said giving them a two finger salute. They all ran forward to me wrapping me in a large group hug as I returned the hug with a gentle squeeze. "Come on you guys I wasn't gonna stay gone long just needed to be patient." I said as a presence made it's self known.

I looked over the see a large mass of shadows gathering. I untangled myself from them walking past them drawing Umbra. "Twilight I need you to do me a favor." I said as I waited for the mass to solidify.

"What is it Jon?" Twilight asked watching the darkness with uneasiness.

"Drop some magic into me. I only need enough for about 5 minutes worth of combat." I said as I slammed Umbra into the ground.

"Jon My magic is unstable. It could destroy you." I gave her a cocky smile.

"Sounds like a fun time. Do it." I held my hand out to her as she looked at the hand wearily before finally grabbing my hand. I felt a warm light fill my chest before it began to burn. I let out a grunt of pain as I accepted the magic into my body. I tightened my hand into a fist as light pink lightning arced up my arms. The burning finally subsided as a mark appeared on my forearms. It was Twilight's cutie mark.

I shook out my arms as I tightened my grip on Solaris as I looked down at my right hand as a lavender haze formed in my hand before solidifying. "Back in my world we developed something." I began as the girls looked at me with confusion. "Something that could take a life with the simple squeeze of a finger. This weapon had so many different forms... but they all had the same name." The mass of darkness solidified to reveal Nightmare Moon looking at me calmly.

Nightmare Moon raised her hand as Umbra flew to her hand. We both nodded to each other as Nightmare raised Umbra ready to fight. I raised the lavender object taking aim. "We called it a gun." I squeezed the trigger as a very small flash launched out of the end of the barrel with a loud bang. Nightmare felt something hit right above her head. She looked behind her to see her crown laying on the ground behind her with a hole through the top of it.

I charged at Nightmare raising Solaris onto my shoulder as I fired two more rounds at her. The rounds hit Umbra with flashes of purple and two loud concussive blasts. Umbra was knocked to the side as I jumped swinging down at Nightmare. She used the force of me shooting Umbra to spin it around knocking Solaris off course. I smiled as I tilted my gun shooting once hitting Nightmare in the chest as her chest plate cracked under the force.

Nightmare took a few steps back holding a hand over her broken chest plate. She looked at me but not with a glare but with respect. "I never knew you were hiding such things from me Jon." Nightmare said as I straightened myself out.

"I told you how I fight with a sword. I gave you all of those strategies. But I never told you how I fought with a gun or my fists." I smiled as I slammed Solaris into the ground. I pulsed my magic feeling the bracelet on my wrist morph forming only two gauntlets. I flicked my right hand as a second gun formed in it. "Now let's fight." I said as I raised both of my pistols taking aim at Nightmare only for her to disappear in a flash of light. I smiled as I moved my pistol over my shoulder pulling the trigger as another round slammed into Nightmare's chest plate breaking it more.

Nightmare took a step back as she let out a sigh. "I know my own tactics. Teleport as much as you want I will be waiting with a shot with your name on it." I turned around raising both pistols firing upon Nightmare Moon. She used Umbra as a shield but was struggling with the force of each round that hit her guard. I took steps forward as I stopped firing with one gun I used my magic to cock the gun as I continued to fire. It was just for ascetic but it made me feel better.

I looked over to see Twilight and the others charging towards Nightmare as I pointed one of my pistols at them firing a single round as it ripped past Twilight's head. "DO NOT INTERFERE!" I bellowed as I turned my attention to see Nightmare get to her feet and charge at me. I dismissed my pistols lowering my left fist before unleashing an uppercut into the flat of Umbra knocking away the blade which missed my head by centimeters. I reared back my right fist hitting Nightmare in the face knocking her back before I charged her taking. I took hold of Umbra's blade pulling her forward before putting my full weight into my next punch putting Nightmare flat on her ass. I took one last step rearing my foot back before launching it forward with all my strength into her chin. Her head snapped back. Using my momentum I jumped off my left foot putting me in the air I came back down slamming my fist with everything I had right into Nightmare's head. Her head flew down into the ground.

Slowly I got to my feet pulling my fist back to see I had broken Nightmare's muzzle something fierce. I took hold of Umbra throwing the blade away from us as I kept my eyes on Nightmare. She let out a weak cough as blood splattered her face. I kept a calm face as she gave me a pathetic smile.

"Protocol 8... Unrelenting Force." I said with a sigh. "Complete." Nightmare coughed again as she weakly raised her arm as I took hold of it. "Heal her. You know the deal."

Nightmare gave a weak nod as her face began to repair it's self of the broken bones. I smiled to her as I felt Twilight's magic wear out as her cutie mark disappeared from my forearms. "You are one mean son of a bitch Jon." Nightmare muttered as the bruising from the fight would still remain. Nightmare poured her magic into me as I felt the cold magic meld with my body. I rolled my neck as the process was finished. Nightmare Moon was gone and Luna layed on the ground eyes wide open as she let out a weak groan of pain.

"Suck it up Buttercup." I said as I pulled her to her feet. "Sorry you had to be used for Protocol 8 but there was no other way to do it. So sorry for trashing you in a fight." I said as Luna moved her jaw around a bit cracking it loudly.

"I heard everything from her... and I had agreed but did not appreciate it." Luna reared back her fist punching me square in the face throwing me back a few feet from the force.

"Yea... I deserved that." I groaned out as I got to my feet. I flexed my magic as my skin turned black as pitch before returning to normal. "It was necessary to the plan though." I said as i motioned with my hands making both of Umbra and Solaris to return to my hands. I sheathed them both with a smile.

"What in Tartarus was Protocol 8" Twilight asked running up to me. "AND WHY DID YOU SHOOT AT US?!" I rolled my eyes sighing.

"Protocol 7 is if there is ever a creature that could absorb magic Nightmare was to allow herself to be taken from me. Then I put down whatever took her. Protocol 8 is if Nightmare doesn't return to me and instead returns to Luna." I said motioning to her. "Then Me and Nightmare would fight it out to see if I am a good enough vessel for her magic. She would willingly give me full control over her magic instead of just a fraction of it. Now I can choose when to go Nightmare or stay me instead of it slowly corrupting me over time." I gave a shrug. "Long shot in the dark blindfolded but worth it."

Each of the girls stared at me with slacked jaws.

"That has to be the dumbest plan ever made." Luna said as she joined us.

"Yea. That's why it was perfect." I said with a cocky smile.