Chapter 0 : Prologue
Atsuma was asleep in class, in his usual red and black attire, as one would come to expect. A rather handsome boy in blue had been poking his left shoulder with a pencil, trying to wake him up, expecting Professor Kou to notice and call Atsuma up to make an example. A student behind Atsuma, wearing a yellow, black, and blue belly-button shirt, leaned over towards the student dressed in blue.
"Toya, sweetie, you know he isn't going to wake up just from that. You'd need an air-horn to wake that idiot up. Just let him have his punishment from Professor Kou." Toya looked at Makoto and frowned. "Nobody deserves that kind of a punishment, Makoto. I know you don't like the guy, but even you should know that's a little harsh for our little Atsuma."
Atsuma stirred in his sleep just in time for Professor Kou to catch him. "Ahem, Atsuma? Could you please come down to the front of the class? You can help me display the emergency self-defence systems a Golem is fitted with." Atsuma awoke, and realized where he was. "Uh, er, yes! I can do that." He paused, realizing he agreed to do something he wasn't actually sure what his part in would consist of. "So, uh, what do you want me to do?" The professor face-palmed.
"I just need you to fight the golems, Atsuma." the Professor sighed. Atsuma beamed. "Oh! I can do that!" he exclaimed, Toya chuckled, while the rest of the class scowled at him. A student piped up from the back of the class "Class is for learning, Atsuma! Take it seriously!" Toya stood.
"Professor, if it's quite alright with you, I'd like to assist Atsuma with a commentary, describing each Golem's self-defence systems." The student that had patronized Atsuma scowled and sat down, his comment not bothering Atsuma, as Toya had immediately lightened his mood. Professor Kou smiled. "Oh, yes, Toya. I was going to ask you to do this anyway."
Professor Kou had moved towards his desk, raising his hand to push a button, that after doing so would lower a floor panel supporting a Plant Golem. This was a low level Golem not expected to be difficult for Atsuma to dispatch, but expected to last long enough before being made inoperable to display it's combat abilities.
"You may begin, Atsuma." The Professor said dryly, as if surprised Atsuma didn't immediately charge in after the Golem at the mere sight of it. Atsuma nodded, and looked to Toya, who began commentating on the Golem's stance, strengths, and weaknesses.
After Atsuma had finished his 'punishment', he'd received a stern lecture about how it's harder for one to learn while sleeping. "...and that's why you need to stay awake in class, Atsuma. Alright, look. You've been in my hair long enough. Go off and eat your lunch." Atsuma nodded, and ran off to catch up with Toya and Makoto. "See ya, Kou!"
Leaving Atsuma alone to walk the halls was always a concern for Toya. Most students in the University despised Atsuma for his arm. It was dangerous. One touch and you could lose your ability to enchant forever, a terrible fate, feared by anyone. Toya, however, liked Atsuma, they were close. They got along, despite being polar opposites. Toya being the cold, calculating type and Atsuma being the brash, fierce type.
"Toya," Makoto called, endearingly, "Aren't you going to eat my lunch? I made it just for you." Toya looked at the pink, love themed food uncomfortably. "I, uh, I think we should wait for Atsuma, before we eat. It's the polite thing to do." Makoto pouted at this. "Oh, you. You're always being so nice to that idiot. He's done nothing for you but cause trouble. I don't know why you put up with him." Toya frowned.
"Atsuma's my friend, Makoto." He chuckled. "He might be a bit of an idiot, and quick to act, but he's fun to be around, and he's a good guy. If you gave him a chance I bet you'd get to like him too." Makoto smirked. "Ha, as if I'd ever like anyone but you, my dear.. sweet.. Toya..." Makoto began to lean in, to try and kiss Toya before Atsuma came bounding in with his tray.
"Ugh, Cafeteria food is so nasty..." Atsuma whined. He went to sit down, but he noticed the position Makoto was in overshadowing Toya. "Er, did I interrupt something?" He joked. Toya squirmed out of Makoto's death grip and onto the ground. "No!" He yelled, losing his composure, a rare occurrence. This shocked everyone in the cafeteria.
Makoto looked hurt, but quickly shrugged it off, saying "Oh, you, Toya. Always joking." He smiled, uncomfortably. Toya got off of the ground and dusted himself off. Looking to where Makoto's food was, he noticed an empty spot on the table. "Mmphf! It'ph pho gud!" Atsuma bellowed through a stuffed mouth. Makoto's mouth widened, as did Toya's.
"You idiot! I made that for Toya! Not you! Get your hands off of it!" Makoto scolded Atsuma, standing and taking a step towards Atsuma. "Yeah! That's my food!" Toya chimed in, realizing he'd soon have to eat cafeteria food. Atsuma swallowed, nearly choking, and coughed out "Well, you're the one that said--"
Atsuma paused, as if thinking, but then collapsed onto the ground, making sure not to spill any food and bellowed throughout the entire cafeteria "--No!" Again, the entire cafeteria gawked at the three, but then continued eating their lunch, as Atsuma getting out of control was a common sight. He then downed the rest of the lunch in one mouthful, so as to not allow Toya or Makoto to remove it from his grasp.
Makoto scowled, but Toya just stood, as if frozen in time, for a moment. Atsuma was slowly growing a worried expression, as it wasn't ordinary for Toya to do what Atsuma knew was about to happen. He laughed. Toya exploded like a chortle-bomb. The entire cafeteria gawked, and many of the girls, some who were members of Toya's fan club scowled at Atsuma, jealous of his special treatment.
Toya's laugh slowly faded, and most of the cafeteria went back to their individual conversations. The few who continued watching were those who had been scowling at Atsuma. It's a popular past-time, at the University, almost as popular as Golem-Battles.
Toya looked Atsuma in the eye. I don't think I need to remind you, Atsuma, but you still haven't fed your dog." Makoto sighed. "No pets allowed, Atsuma. When are you going to send that dog off somewhere else? Somewhere it belongs?" Atsuma sighed, disappointed with Makoto. "Makoto, Makoto, Makoto... don't you know? Cota's just another student at the University." He looked Makoto in the eyes, seriously. "You got that?"
Makoto sighed, and Toya shoved Atsuma's tray into his hands. "Go feed your dog. I think he went in that cave back there." Atsuma nodded and began to make his way into the cave, his friends behind him. It was a fairly linear path, and they'd been walking for nearly twenty minutes. Atsuma was getting worried.
"Guys, what if Cota's hurt or something? He should have smelled the food by now!" Atsuma's face paled. "What if he's..." Toya had put a hand on his shoulder, making Atsuma pause. "I'm sure your dog's alright. Let's just keep moving. Toya led the way.
After some time the cave had began to get colder. Atsuma was even more worried, and on top of that uncomfortable. He didn't like the cold. It was terribly uncomfortable for him to be in. "Toya.. I don't like this." Makoto had finally said something. For the past forty minutes that they had been in the cave, Makoto was silent, so Atsuma was surprised to hear him say something.
"Makoto, please don't make me tell Atsuma we're abandoning Cota." Toya whispered, to Makoto, assuming Makoto's complaint was concerning the dog. "Oh, no. I didn't mean the dog. I meant the cold. Hold me!" Makoto wrapped both of his arms against Toya, rubbing his cold abdomen on Toya's warm hand. "Ack! Makoto! Not now!" Toya argued, uncomfortably.
"This sight was amusing to Atsuma, and managed to lighten his mood. At least, it did until they came to the biggest room in the cave. "This is huge. And it's all covered in ice. Makoto! Try not to pull Toya down when you slip!" Atsuma joked. Makoto took this seriously and retorted angrily "I'm not you, Atsuma! I'd never do anything to cause Toya trouble. Not my dear, sweet Toya..." He blushed, and began to mumble words of passion to himself.
"Okay, okay, guys. Calm down. Look there, in the center. You see that giant icecube? There's something in there. Atsuma, don't touch it. It could be dangerous." Toya put on a serious look. Atsuma nodded, solemnly. He knew to always trust Toya's instinct. "You got it, Toya."
Right at that moment, the glacier began to glow, and a feminine and elegant voice emanated throughout Atsuma's ears. "Boy..." it said. "Did you guys hear that?!" Atsuma's face had gone pale, he seemed scared. "Toya!? Answer me! Did you hear that!?" He repeated himself. Makoto and Toya quirked their brows, simultaneously.
The voice began to speak again. "Boy... I am your queen. Your friend's.. future." Atsuma looked at Toya instinctually. Realizing what she meant, Atsuma's face went whiter. A deeper voice echoed within Atsuma's head. His right arm began to burn, and a different, distorted voice bellowed within his head. You are but a tool to my completion. If you wish for your pain to cease, place your arm on the glacier.
Toya put on a worried look, and Makoto began to worry for the idiot as well. "Atsuma! What's wrong?! Do you hear something?!" Toya's face paled when he saw the grimace of pain on Atsuma's face. He realized Atsuma had been holding his right arm for a few moments, now, and began to make conjectures as to what was happening.
"Atsuma!" Makoto yelled, coming to the same conclusion Toya had. "Don't touch the glacier! Don't!" Atsume looked up at Makoto, and his face shocked both Makoto and Toya. They'd seen the grimace, but the tears streaming down his eyes... Atsuma let out a blood curdling scream that could only barely be translated into a "I'm trying!"
His arm raised itself, and Atsuma screamed again, at the sudden movement. It had begun pulling itself towards the glacier. Stop fighting, you are but a tool to my completion. That voice returned. Atsuma could hardly think to ask the voice what it was and why it was so desperate to touch the ice, and why it made his arm sore.
Atsuma's heels were being slid across the ice, now, his arm pulling him towards the glacier. Toya and Makoto furrowed their brows, knowing they hadn't had enough strength to hold Atsuma back between the two of them, and on top of that not knowing if it'd be safe to even try. "Atsuma! You have to fight it!" Toya called, as he readied his spear. Makoto began preparing a shield for Toya to get behind, not knowing what could happen when Atsuma touches the ice sculpture.
That feminine voice began to laugh maniacally as Atsuma was moved towards the glacier. "Yes... yes! That's right, boy! Come to me and FREE ME!" she bellowed. "Atsuma kept screaming as his right hand got within centimeters of the glacier. He fought back with all his might, but he only wasted his energy.
He touched the glacier.
Author's Note :
If you're seeing this, thanks for reading! Sorry there weren't any ponies in this chapter! I just wanted to establish the characters and the world Atsuma comes from.
As always, any constructive criticism is going to be taken with open arms. I'm very excited for this story.
Chapter 1 : Unconcious
Immediately when Atsuma's fingertips touched the glacier, the feminine voice resumed her cackling. She bellowed at Toya, Makoto, and Atsuma. "Ahahaha! Finally! Freedom!" She paused, taking a deep breath, composing herself, before looking at Toya. "Ah... you're a handsome one.."
Makoto scowled. "Don't you touch him, you bitch!" He bellowed, pulling Toya behind his shield. Toya was speechless. He was silently making conjectures as to who this Golem was. Only a few Golems can speak, and this one could control ice. It must be one of the three Devil Golems.
Toya braced himself, and screamed at Atsuma, "Get away from her you idiot! It's the Ice Queen!" The Ice Queen smirked. "Ah-ah-ahh.. No running." She said, stifling a laugh watching Atsuma trying to run on the ice without slipping. Before Atsuma reached Makoto's shield the Ice Queen launched a volley of ice chunks at him, one of which knocked him in the back of the head, knocking him out.
Toya sighed, prepared his spear, and began running full speed at the golem. "Makoto! Get ready! We have to fight it!"
Black. That was all Atsuma could see. He could faintly hear Toya and Makoto's grunts of pain, and stood in the black void he'd been in. "No! I have to help them!" He called, scrambling around for a way out of the void. Yet another distorted voice began speaking to him, this time sounding feminine. Boy, do you wish for the power to save your friends? Atsuma scowled. "Not if you're the one who made me touch the glacier!" The voice sighed, sounding uncertain. I am no Golem..
This confused Atsuma. "Then how are you talking to me and why is your voice distorted?!" He called. For a moment, there was silence, but the voice returned, sounding impatient. I give you only one more chance. Make your final decision. Do you desire the power to protect your friends from the Ice Queen?! Atsuma didn't trust the voice, but he nodded. The voice acknowledged this. Very well, then. I will awaken your arm. At a price.
The voice faded, and Atsuma's corporeal eyes opened. "Toya! I'm up!" Atsuma called. Toya looked over his shoulder, trying to parry the Ice Queen's attacks. "Good! Now help me sto--" Toya paused, a moment, noticing Atsuma's right arm had adopted a new form. "Atsuma.. what's going on?" The Ice Queen also noticed this, and paused, to give the two a moment to collect themselves, favouring a fair fight.
Atsuma frowned, and looked at his arm. "I.. I think this can help us defeat her." He said, uncertainly. Toya smirked, knowing not to question Atsuma's instinct, possibly his best attribute. "Right. I bet you need time to figure it out." He paused, looking back to Makoto. "Get behind the shield. I'll stall her." Toya grunted, coughing up a little blood. Atsuma frowned, worried for Toya. "I won't take long!"
While Atsuma Was Preparing :
Toya had been defending against the Ice Queen's ice chunks for some time now, and was beginning to get worn down. "I grow tired of this. How long until your friend is prepared?" The Ice Queen halted her attacks, and glared at Makoto and Atsuma. "You don't need to worry about that." Toya coughed out some blood, saying this. "I'm your opponent right now."
Toya charged in a serpentine pattern, hoping to dodge the bulk of the ice chunks. "...Impressive" the Ice Queen mused. He kept on, but before he could reach her he was encased in a cage of ice bars. "Damn!" Toya said, struggling not to run into a wall of the cage. "Fight me!" He angrily called. The Ice Queen laughed.
"Come now, Toya... you don't really want to fight with these weaklings, do you?" The Ice Queen asked, with a confident expression on her face. "You'll be able to live if you only become.. my pet." Toya scoffed. "As though I'd be willing to do that!" Looking back at Makoto and Atsuma, he saw Atsuma holding his arm, screaming in pain something along the lines of "Makoto, get away!!!"
While Toya Was Buying Time :
"You idiot! What possessed you to go and touch the damn glacier there?!" Makoto yelled, scolding Atsuma as Atsuma tried to figure out his arm. "It wasn't me! There was a voice, and it was pulling me by my arm! I don't understand!" Atsuma was straining himself, now. Forcing all of his strength to enter his arm. It was exhausting.
Makoto sighed, and looked at Atsuma with a trustful expression. "Well, just make sure you don't let Toya get too hurt. I'm leaving him in your hands, this is all I can do." Makoto went back to watching Toya receiving his beating from the Ice Queen with a sad expression. Atsuma smiled, not used to Makoto being so nice.
"...thanks, Makoto. You're a good pal." Atsuma said, still straining himself. The top of his face was going black, and his arm completely matched the colors of his attire. Spikes were protruding from his back, and he was howling in pain from the tearing in his skin. "Graaaaah! Ma...ko...to... get... away...." Atsuma managed to scream, unsure if he could control himself. The spikes were still growing, and his face was getting darker by the second.
Makoto had to comply. He didn't intend to die, especially not to Atsuma's current state. "Good luck!" He managed to call in his feminine voice as he ran to a rock to hide behind. Atsuma howled again. "Let.. Toya... Go!!!" He made a beeline for the Ice Queen, who, along with everyone else in the cave, was taken aback by Atsuma's raw power.
A flaming power growing within Atsuma's fist, he kept running to the Ice Queen, and as his fist connected with her abdomen, which was approximately 5 feet in the air, the cave began to rumble. Makoto screamed at his friends "Earthquake!!" and the room they were in began collapsing on itself. Atsuma had no control over himself at this point, and kept pummelling the Ice Queen. "DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!!" Atsuma screamed, his voice becoming distorted.
The Ice Queen was helpless. Lucky for her, this power was new to Atsuma, and he still didn't know how to control it. "Graaaaaaaaaah!!" He kept screaming, pummelling her, even with the ceiling collapsing all around him. He was losing consciousness. "DIE!!!!" He screamed, trying to finish her off before he went out.
He went out. Again, he was in the black void. Boy... you have failed me. Atsuma scowled. "Sorry, it's not easy to control a power that was only just awakened. Who are all of you distorted voices in my head, anyway? Am I crazy?" He blurted, not taking a breath whatsoever between sentences. So many questions. All of us? There is only one. No matter, it is too late. Your friends will fall. As will I. the voice said with disdain. You are worthless. The voice faded away, leaving Atsuma alone in the void, not knowing if he'll ever escape it.
"Uh, hello? Can you at least let me out?" Atsuma called, to no avail. He decided to take a nap. He never stopped to consider the fact that he was already unconscious. He dreamed. He dreamed of being exactly where he was. In the void. "Dammit. I guess I should've expected that." "Anyone there?" A voice, feminine, called out to him. "Hello?" Atsuma beamed. Lucky for him, if he was going to spend the rest of his life in a black void, he wouldn't have to spend it alone.
"Is someone there?" He called, glad he wouldn't be alone. "Yes.." the voice replied, sounding close. Atsuma searched the darkness, his hands feeling for anything that wasn't part of the nothingness, they fell on something.. furry. Actually, furry isn't how Atsuma would have put it. It felt like an animal.. a cat.. or maybe a dog...
"Wait a minute.." Atsuma paused, thinking.. "He wrapped his arms around the furry being he'd been touching, and realized one thing. "Cota!!!" He yelled, happily. "How'd you get in here boy?!" He paused, thinking. "And how'd you learn to talk?!"
The dog remained in Atsuma's arms, silently, but panting. Atsuma furrowed his brow. "Okay, maybe you can't talk. Then who was it?" Atsuma looked behind him to see a horse.. no, a tall, dark, winged, and horned horse watching him, with malice in her eyes. "Hello, boy. It was I that have been calling to you." Atsuma sighed. He had had enough of being called 'boy'.
"The name's Atsuma. Can you call me that? Now, uh, I guess I have to ask. What are you and what is your name?" The Mare looked at him, quirked a brow, and sighed. "My name is Nightmare Moon. I am princess of a world very dissimilar to your own, but I have been dethroned by my own sister. The Alicorn, Celestia."
"I gave you the power to protect your friends, you still can, but for now, you will have to pay the price I have set. Return me to my throne, and I will send you home, to this moment, where your friends are alive, and the cave is not yet fallen." A look of realization came upon Atsuma's face.
"You're one of the voices..." He said, realizing who Nightmare Moon was. "You're the one that gave me this power?" He asked, curiously. The mare shook her head. "I merely awakened it, mortal. Now, I send you and your.. familiar.. to the land of Equestria. I have yet to create a plan for you, just stay alive and I will contact you."
Atsuma nodded, not thinking he had a choice in the matter. "Right." Again, he lost consciousness within his own subconscious.
Author's Note :
Yep. Finally done the first chapter, this much in two days, I think I'm doing alright. Now that these two chapters are finished, it's time to submit. Yay ponies.
As a reward for reading the entire introduction, I give you the game's introduction. The first 30 seconds are the only scenes that really take place within my introduction, I just want to show you the queen, his arm, and the spike things that protrude from his back.
Youtube Video
