Kanji Tatsumi: Equestrian Bad Ass

There it was. Right in the center of town square. And for what it's worth, it appeared as nothing more than an abandoned factory...over a swirling pool of abyssal darkness. And hovering on nothing above the factory was none other than shadow Rainbow Dash.

“Ooooh, wow! Such a large turnout for such a piece of shit like myself. Very well. You're more than welcome to come join me. Come on up then, I'm...waiting.” The shadow moaned throatily at the group. The image slowly faded as the shadow...licked the screen leaving a trail of slobber all of it.

“How unrefined!?!” Rarity gasped aloud as she pulled her signature couch out and promptly fainted into it.

“Yeah, it was gross...we get it. But that's not what's important! Rainbro is in there! We gotta help her!”

“Rainbro? Sugar cube what're you talkin' 'bout?” Applejack perked up from somewhere behind him.

Kanji opened his mouth to respond but closed it when a voice growled, “It doesn't bucking matter what Kanji meant Applejack. Those mother buckers are messing with one of my best friends. Now. They. Die.” Fluttershy trotted up to the bridge that spanned the infinite blackness below the abandoned factory.

Kanji and everypony watched in shock as the butter pegasus clamored over the drawbridge without so much as a glance downwards.

“Well? Are you guys just gonna let those monsters buck up Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy called over her shoulder without breaking stride.

That one little comment...it sounded like....was Fluttershy questioning his manhood?

“GEEEEEEEEEEEET BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!” The teenager roared at the top of his lungs. With a surge of inhuman speed, the battle hungry human charged across the draw bridge towards the run down factory.

“K-kanji!!?!?! Wait up!!!!” Twilight called out after the raging human before quickly rushing after him.

…

“Why...why do you all reckon this is place Rainbow Dash thought up? I'd figured it'd be somethin' like Cloudsdale or something.” Applejack drawled as the group drank in the sight of the run down hall way before them.

Graffiti of peni and other genatalia graced the worn out, lime green walls. The paint of the walls was cracking and the metal grates that made up the floor were rusted and ancient looking.

“Oh dear, who ever placed such awful graffiti all over the walls is simply horrid and immature.” Rarity scoffed from somewhere behind Kanji yet again.

“Man up Rarity. We've got work to do.”

“Pony up Rarity. We've got work to do.” Both Fluttershy and Kanji said in unison. The pair smiled at one another briefly before leading the group further into the odd building.

“Hey Rise...do you think you can guide us to Rainbow?” Kanji called over his shoulder without even bothering to look over his shoulder.

“Right now shes on the third floor. I can't tell much more than that.”

“Holy shit. You serious? Normally you and Teddie have a hell of a lot more trouble than that.”

“Shut up Kanji.” A rather annoyed Rise grunted back at him.

The over zealous teenager simply smirked in response.

“What in tarnation is that?” Applejack called out. No body needed to look at where she was pointing to see what. At the far end of rusted hallway a clawed hand grasped around the corner. Where the leathery hand grasped, it left behind a trail of blood. Slowly a massive rusted looking, pyramid like helmet rounded the corner and stared down the hall directly at the group.

The creature pulled itself fully around the corner revealing a very human like body, albeit with perfectly chiseled muscles that flexed with unseen power. And in its other grasping hand...it held a massive blood stained cleaver.

“Do you like him?” The unmistakable voice of shadow Rainbow called out, seemingly from every where, yet no where. “I call him Pyramid Head. Have fun kiddies!”

As if on a cue the thing called 'Pyramid Head' slammed its blade into the ground and a literal swarm of shadows surged around the corner and made a beeline straight for the party of friends. The creatures literally crawled over one another in a desperate attempt the assault the group.

“COME ON ROKUTEN MOH!!!” The metal behemoth flashed brilliantly into existence, and held aloft a single metal fist. Brilliant flashes of lighting poured into the seething mass of pony shadows yet the ocean of enemies didn't even slow down.

“GOD DAMNIT!” The teenager roared as the writhing mass quickly closed the distance.

“Meigdola.” Naoto calmly whispered from beside the youth. The familiar white light fell upon the seething mass from above obliterating every shadow caught within the blast and yet still more of the creatures surged forwards, quickly closing the gap between the two parties.

“OOOH PARTIES!!!!” Pinkie Pie jumped out through my computer screen. Startled, I nearly fall backwards in my computer chair, “NOT THAT KIND OF PARTY PINKI!  NOW! GET! BACK! TO! THE! STORY!!!” With a grunt and a lot of elbow grease I finally manage to get the pink mare back in the story...now...where the hell was I?

Pyramid head... Maziodyne....Megidoloan... ahh yes. There we were.

The first pony shadows snout was mere inches from Kanjis nose when a familiar voice to the boy shouted out, “Disuku Jixyokki! Grand Rave!”

A sudden base drop and a blast of wubs literally tore through the first dozen pony shadows in the horde, ripping them to pieces. Before anyone could even blink another voice rang out from behind them, “Gurando Ooestura! Ballad of Eternity!” A soothing melody of classical music lazily drifted through the ranks of pony and human alike before reaching the seething mass of shadows. As soon as the calming melody reached the enemy, the shadows slowed their charge to an absolute crawl as if time had slowed down for them.

Kanji couldn't even register what the hell was going on when a third voice rang out, “Seinaru Rira. Caress of the nymph.”

An absolute gorgeous human looking woman drifted down slowly from the ceiling. She had brilliant mint green hair and little wisps of smoke that covered just enough enough of her body to keep this up with a teen rating and not bump it  to mature. The woman smiled down at the group before leaning in close to Kanji.

The teenager couldn't help but stare into the golden pools that were her eyes before she slowly drug a finger teasingly down his face. The woman reared back, hand high in the air and it was then that Kanji finally noticed the golden lyre that the woman carried. Her hand slammed down upon the cords creating, surprisingly, another soothing melody. Only this time... nothing happened. The woman smiled down at Kanji before winking at him and fading out of existence.

The moment the strange woman persona disappeared the shadows snapped back into the regular flow of time and leaped into the air. Kanji stared up at the descending horde of shadows, the boy raised his fold up chair and prepared himself to beat the crap out of some stupid ass shadows...when said shadows slammed muzzle first into some sort of invisible wall. The mass of enemies slowly slid down the invisible wall in front of the human, making a constant squeaking sound as they did so.

Kanji was about to bust out laughing when yet a fourth voice rang out, “Mafuxin Ou!” In a brilliant flash of light a... Kanji blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't seeing things as the odd persona butt slammed down into the remnants of the shadow horde.

When Kanji rubbed his eyes and opened them again, sure enough, it was there again. The human definitely wasn't seeing things. The persona he was staring down, was literally, a giant paper bag with two more paper bags for hands. The persona had a jack-o-lantern like smile and some weird ass eyes...with a massive muffin crown sitting atop its head.

Kanji couldn't take it anymore. The human roared with laughter as the paper bag/muffin persona simply shrugged its shoulders before vanishing from sight.

“Well, Kanji bro. I gotta say you're lucky we came along when we did. I'm surprised the princess' didn't authorize our intervention sooner.”

That...voice.

Could it be?

The teenager slowly turned around to find that every one else had already turned around to face the newcomers. And sure enough... “SCRATCHY BRO!!!” The Djs smirk grew larger before she too shouted, “KANJI BRO! TIME FOR A LONG DISTANCR RUN AND JUMP FIST AND HOOF BUMP!!!”

“AW HELL YEAH BRING IT ON!” The teenager shouted happily. With that the human started to close the distance between the two of them. The Dj reared back on her hind legs before copying the human.

When the two were just a few meters apart, the two leapt and slammed his fist into her hoof, creating the most awesome fist/hoof bump of bro hood ever to be witnessed by bros every where.

“Vinyl! Can't these foalish antics wait until after we've rescued the captive!” Kanji recognized Tavi bro from the party as she berated Vinyl. The teenager could feel the Dj roll her eyes from underneath her shades, “What evs Tavi. There's always time for a brofist/bro hoof with a bro.”

“Tavi's right on this one Scratchy. We got work to do.” A mint green unicorn stepped forth to join in on the berating of Vinyl.

“Oh come on you guys Vinyl is just playing with her friend! Hi friend!” A gray pegasus with a golden mane hovered over to Kanji, raising a fore hoof. But what struck the human as oddest of all was how her eyes seemed to be staring off into two different directions.

The teenager blinked at the utterly adorable pegasus eagerly waving at him. “C...C-can I hug you?” The boy timidly aired the question.

Said pegasus gave a literal 'squee' sound before tackling the human in an airtight embrace. The only thing Kanji could think was, 'Huh. Her fur is really soft.'

“Aww Kanji-kun! You're so in touch with your feminine side. Are you sure you're not gay?” Rise giggled out.

Said teenager was instantly on his feet, his face enlarged to inhuman proportions in his rage. “WHATYA MEAN FEMININE SIDE!?!?!?!”

“SHINSETSUNI UXOCHAA!!!” Fluttershy roared at the top of her lungs. Kanji blinked. Directly in front of him was Fluttershys beautiful persona. The woman in the half toga had a single finger help up to-

Kanjis eyes flung open in shock. Directly above his head a massive blood stained butchers knife of some sort. The boy wearily turned his head around slowly to find the weird 'Pyramid Head' shadow was standing directly behind him.

Kanji hopped back a step, the grey pegasus wrapped in his embrace. The teen could literally feel the mare shivering with fear.

Pyramid Head cocked its head to the side, seemingly staring into Shinsetsunis very being. Kanji opened his mouth to say somet-

“FUS RO DAH!!!” Shinsetsuni Uxochaa roared at the top of her lungs. A blast of force sent Pyramid Head hurtling down the rusted hallway. When the strange shadow finally landed with a sickening crunch, the persona that had sent him flying was already halfway to him, a massive two-handed sword held aloft in her hands.

But...what the...?

Kanji had to close and re-open his eyes multiple times to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Fluttershys persona had literally changed herself entirely in the mere span of a few seconds. When she had sent Pyramid Head flying she looked exactly the same as she had when Fluttershy had first summoned her.  A gorgeous looking goddess in a half toga with the most motherly smile upon her face.

Now, she looked like nothing less than a warrior queen from movies and video games back home. The woman had a jagged crown of bone resting atop her brow and wore padded fur armor that seemed to come from mountain cats and bears. And it wasn't any of the skimpy shit that a lot of movies used for sex appeal, not it was a set of full blown, fur armor. Her face was that of a fierce snarl, ready to kill anyone who got too close.

“NOBODY TRIES TO HURT MY LITTLEBROTHER! NOBODY!!!” Fluttershy screamed in feral rage at the shadow down the hall. Said shadow, Pyramid Head, slowly stood up as Shinsetsuni Uxochaa closed the gap.

Before he was even fully erect, Shinsetsuni's massive, human sized blade lopped his head clean off. Before Pyramid Heads head even began to fall, the enraged persona heaved the blade straight up through his groin cutting him directly in half vertically.

In an instant, the shadow dispersed in a black cloud of smoke. “Oh wow Fluttershy. You're a bad ass with your persona.” Vinyl shouted out with glee as she reared back onto her hind hooves.

“Yeah, Fluttershy that was amazing! How did you do it? I've never seen a persona transform back and forth on command before!” Rise grappled Fluttershy in a bear hug and rubbed her cheek up and down Fluttershys own.

Fluttershy merely blushed and tried to stammer out some form of response when literally everyone save Naoto crowded around her and began showering her with praise. Kanji looked over at the girl and couldn't stop the stupid smile from gracing his features. Naoto in turn smiled slightly back at him.

“By the way, when have you had a persona Scratchy bro?” The teenager voiced his question. “It's a loooooong story dude.” Was the only reply he got. Kanji simply grunted in response.

And that's when Kanji noticed it. More specifically him.

“LOOK OUT!” Kanji roared as he tackled Naoto out of the way just as the blood stained cleaver slammed into the spot she stood not a moment ago. A single arm wielding the blade was literally sticking out of the wall of the hallway, and slowly Pyramid Head himself emerged from the wall.

“What the hell??!?!? We took you down!” Kanji shouted in frustration.

“By the way. Pyramid Head can never truly die. Good luck, and have fun. Kisses!” The voice of shadow Rainbow Dash rebounded throughout the corridor as Pyramid Head turned to face the group.

“Come on Pyramid guy! I'll teach you to mess with my friends! Wera-” Pinkie began her shout only for a roar from Kanji to cut her off. “No. This bastard is mine. Fluttershy showed me up. And now...to prove that I'm a man...I'm taking this bastard down!”

“Kanji you can't possibly be thinking of taking that thing on yo-” Rise began to shout at Kanji only for a hoof prod from none other than Fluttershy. “It's okay Rise. If you really think you gotta do this little bro...good luck.”

Kanji smirked at the butter pegasus, “Thanks...One-san.”

“God speed to you, you magnificent bastard. KANJI TATSUMI...otherwise know as Broseidon, lord of the brocean!” Vinyl literally hopped into the air.

“Come on every pony, Rainbow Dash is this way, and she needs us!” Fluttershy raced ahead, startling everyone but Kanji.

“F-Fluttershy! You can't just race off on your own like that!” Twilight shouted after her friend who was quickly racing down the decrepit corridor. The purple mare shifted nervously on her hooves as her gaze quickly shuffled between one of her best friends and Kanji who simply stared down the unmoving Pyramid Head.

Kanji felt a single hand place itself on his shoulder, the boy turned and blushed deeply to find it was Naoto with a firm grip of his shoulder. “Good luck...Kanji-kun. And as Miss Scratch said, god speed you magnificent bastard.”

Kanji could only blink rapidly as the group ran off, constantly glancing over their shoulders with looks of concern. When the last of the group of friends turned round the corner, Kanji finally gave his full attention to the figure he'd been keeping a wary eye on.

“First you send some dumb ass horde of shadows after us, where I get shown up by Scratchy bro.” The teenager began as he cracked his knuckles. “Second, you get gibbed by Fluttershy, making me look even less of a man.”

Kanji began to circle his neck around back and forth, loosening the neck muscles. “And lastly...you go straight for the woman I love. Boy...you best be prepared for the shit storm you just started.”

Pyramid head simply stared down at the teenager standing before him, before raising the massive heft of a blade in his hand up high. “GET BENT YOU BASTARD!” Kanji leapt into action just as the blood stained blade began crashing down.

…

“Fluttershy! How could you just leave Kanji behind to fight that thing?” Twilight panted hysterically as the group of friends raced down yet another decrepit, graffiti covered corridor.

“Twilight, you're the smart one. I can't believe you don't see the obvious strategy here.” Fluttershy said in a voice barely above a whisper.

“What are y-”

“Fluttershys right Twilight, with Kanji keeping Pyramid Head busy, we have free reign searching for Rainbow Dash. After all, we haven't come across a single shadow for five whole floors. This is unprecedented for us. Further, there are only two people I would trust to handle something like Pyramid Head on their own, and Kanji is one of them.” Naoto said said calmly as she ran right beside the lavender unicorn.

“It's Kanji dudes, the guy is a total bad ass. We ain't got nothing to worry about, so stop getting your thong in a bunch Sparkle.” Vinyl laughed at her own vulgar sense of human just as a groan wormed its way out of Octavias throat.

“Then whose the other guy you would trust?” Lyra asked from beside the detective.

“Narakumi-senpai.” The teenager said simply.

“Besides, didn't ya'll hear what he said to Flutters? He felt he needed to prove he 'was a man' to her. Whatever that means.” Applejack called out.

“Switch out stallion for man and it's pretty much the same thing.” Pinkie Pie giggled out.

“Pinkie, how do you...you know what never mind.” Rise began but quickly changed her mind.

“Never mind that. Do you feel it Rise?” Fluttershy asked from the head of the group.

“Yeah. It's her, it's Rainbow Dash.”

“What? Where??!?!” Half the group chorused at once.

“Right on the otherside of this door.” Fluttershy said simply as she skidded to a stop. The rest of the ponies unfortunately didn't stop themselves in time and instead slammed into it, creating a ball of flailing pony limbs.

The door in question was excessively tall, easily thrice the height of Kanji and yet was abnormally slim, slim enough that Naoto was convinced that she would have a hard time worming her way through.

The door itself, like the hallways they had scurried through, was completely covered in rust and yet more graffiti of questionable content. “Come on Ya'll! Lets git this door open!” Applejack shouted as she burst out of the ball of pony limbs.

After a minute or two of untangling, with some help from the human girls, the ponies were untangled and staring down the door. All together the girls rushed the door and pressed against it. “Why...is...it...so heaaaaaaaavy!” Rise whined as they barely managed to open the door an inch.

“It feels as if it's made of lead.” Naoto joined up.

“SUCK IT THE BUCK UP! RAINBOW DASH IS IN TROUBLE!” The unmistakable roar of Fluttershy silenced any other whining and caused everyone present to double their efforts. After a veritable century of groaning, blood, sweat and tears the door began to creak open.

In their haste to open the door the group, ponies and humans alike, collapsed into another pile on the other side of the door.

“Uh guys...think I know where all the shadows went.”

…

Wind whistled over Kanjis head as he ducked under another horizontal swipe from Pyramid Head. As the youth dodged he slammed upwards the fold up chair in his hands with all his might. The blow connected with Pyramid Heads chest creating a sickening crunch, yet the shadow didn't even flinch before slamming the blade down at Kanji.

The teenager deftly rolled out of the way narrowly dodging the blood stained blade. “Lets do this! Rokuten Maoh!” The massive persona materialized into existence and hefted its massive blade before stabbing into Pyramid Heads chest.

Rokuten Maoh followed completely through slamming Pyramid Head into the wall, pinning the shadow to it with the blade lodged in his chest. “Now! Ziodyne!” Before Pyramid Head could even react Rokuten Maoh slammed the shadows head back before releasing a brilliant flash of white lightning at literal point blank range.

The shadow faded into nothingness again.

“That makes three kills for me you bastard. Now...where the hell are you?” Kanji muttered to himself. The teen constantly searched around the hall way, looking for the surprise strike he knew the shadow would try to use on him.

And that's when he felt the hand firmly wrap around his ankle. The teenager looked down just as Pyramid Head hefted him straight into the air. The shadow stuck out of the floor from the waist up and pulled his butchers knife out of the floor, leaving a ripple in the ground as if it were water as he pulled it out.

The shadow held Kanji aloft by the ankle with one hand and had its blade held behind him, preparing for a powerful blow that Kanji knew would cut him straight in half.

Gottathinkfastgottathinkfastgottathinkfast!

Kanjis eyes shot open as he was struck by brilliance. The teen hefted the chair in his hands with all his might before slamming it down onto Pyramid Heads wrist. A sickening crack rang through the hall that the shadow simply ignored. Yet Kanji felt the death grip loosed just enough. The youth roared as he ripped free of the shadows grasp and tumbled out of the way just as the blade whistled through the air.

Kanji rolled as he fell, crouching up onto one knee just as Pyramid turned to face him. The shadow was still waist deep in the floor, and it simply sat there staring at him.

“Come on shit head. Lets fini-” Kanji began when Pyramid Head suddenly snapped his head to the right and directly up. The shadow stared at the corner of the hall for a second before sparing a glance back at Kanji.

And then the shadow began to re-submerge himself in the floor. “OH HELL NO!” Kanji roared as he raced at the shadow. With another yell the human tackled the shadow. But the shadow didn't pull out of the floor like Kanji had originally thought, instead it simply shoved Pyramid Head back a few paces while still sinking into the floor.

And that's when the teenager realized he was slowly sinking into the floor with the shadow.

…

“Mamudoon!” Naoto grunted. Her persona materialized and the familiar massive circle of dark magic encompassed a massive group of the shadows. And in an instant every one of the shadows vanished as they were killed.

“What the hell is going on! There's never been so many shadows together in one spot! Never without combining themselves together that is.” Rise shouted out to the group as the literal army of shadows began closing in.

“I am unsure what to think as well. Except...that we might not make it this time. There are simply too many.” Naoto grunted as she called out for her persona to use Mahamaon.

“Come on girls! This isn't the way to act! We still gotta save Dashie!” Pinkie literally popped out up from under Naotos hat as she summoned her own persona. Pinkies persona quickly began spitting explosive water melon seeds into the seething masses of shadows.

Derpys persona was constantly materializing up in the air before crashing down into the horde of shadows below.

Fluttershys was a veritable whirlwind of death. Where she went, her massive blade felled dozens of shadows before any one could so much as blink. And no one dared say so much as a word to the mad mare screaming hysterically at the shadows.

“Pinkies right girls. We've got an ace in the hole and we're in a bind. We've gotta use it now!” Vinyl said as he own persona cut swathes through the shadows ranks with massive records.

“If we must, then we must.”  Octavia said from her friends said. And next to her Lyra emerged without so much as a word.

The trio called their personas out simultaneously, and everyone, shadows included began to feel  the power swell as the trio of friends began to do....something.

In a mad rush to stop whatever it was the three were up to, the shadows charged headlong towards them, falling over themselves to get at them. That is, until four very angry looking personas got in their way.

“Hold them off for us, kay?”

…

Blackness. An inky blackness is all that surrounded Kanji as he floated weightlessly in... where ever the hell this place was. And worse yet, the youth couldn't even see his own hands, or any part of him for that matter. It was just too damn dark.

Before Kanji could even so much as blink, a powerful arm wrapped itself around his neck and lifted him up. The boy struggled to breathe as Pyramid Head slowly began to crush his wind pipe. The youths head began to feel dizzy and sluggish as he struggled for air against the monster strangling him from behind.

Not here. Not like this. It seriously can't end like this. What the hell...

Fluttershy...

Twilight...

Sempai...

Naoto...

Naoto...

NAOTO!!!!

With a surge of effort, Kanji grabbed the arm choking him with both his hands and pulled with every ounce of might he had. After an eternity of struggling, the teenager managed to pry the powerful arm just enough so he could breathe easy again.

“Come on you shit head pyramid headed bastard. It'll take a hell of a lot more than that to kill me.” Kanji managed to gasp out between his breaths as he gulped down delicious air.

“Rokuten. Maoh.”

A massive armored gauntlet shot over Kanjis head and grabbed the shadow strangling Kanji, and the youth flopped down to the...floor?

Kanji heard a sickening crunch as his persona slammed Pyramid boy into the ground. The teenager shakily got back up onto his feet and turned to face where he thought was his opponent in the inky blackness of the strange world.

And that's when he saw. Or more specifically, them. His persona was towering over Pyramid Head, whom he still held clutched in his massive armored fist. And below them, where Pyramid Head had been slammed, a spider web of cracks had appeared in the 'floor' allowing light to pour into the inky blackness.

“DO IT AGAIN ROKUTEN MAOH!” Kanji roared, clearly seeing what should be done.

The massive persona hefted his prize into the air and slammed him back into the ground, and this time the ground shattered like glass, sending pieces of blackness scattering every where and revealing...

Holy shit!

“Come on Rokuten Maoh! They need us down there! And bring Shit Head Mcgee with us.”

…

“How much longer until you're done? I don't Naoto-kun and the gang can keep this up for much longer. There's just so many!” Rise called out worriedly.

“Don't worry about it, we're almost done.” Scratch huffed in annoyance.

“Uhh guys?” Applejack called out to the group of friends.

“Don't bug them Applejack. They need to concentrate. We just to need to stay out of there way!” Twilight shooed back the cow pony.

“Werai Mesuma! Party Time!” The familiar sound of Pinkies shout rang out over the group.

“Mamudoon!”

“Muffin Cannon!”

“Just rip their guts out already Shinsetsuni Uxochaa!”

“Oh dear, Fluttershy has gotten really violent as of late.” Rarity put a hoof to her muzzle in astonishment.

“Oh yeah, I see what you mean. She would have never said anything like that before she got her persona.”  Twilight nodded her head in agreement, completely ignoring the chaos of battle that was happening directly in front of her.

“Uhh guys?” Applejack practically begged for the attention.

“Jeez Lois Applejack, stop pestering them! They need to concentrate!” Twilight scolded her friend.

“CONSARNIT YA'LL IJITS! I'VE BEEN TRYIN' TA' SAY LOOK! UP!” Applejack shouted so loudly that even the shadows paused in tracks. And as one, all heads swiveled up.

Absolutely no one was prepared to see Kanji, his persona and Pyramid Head falling from the dizzying height of the ceiling many stories up.

From down below, they watched as Rokuten Maoh grabbed Pyramid Head in mid air and launch him down towards the ground.

Eyes everywhere followed as the trio neared the ground and not a being in the massive hall couldn't hear Kanji scream, “GEEEEEEEEEEEET BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENT!”

Pyramid Head slammed into the ground with a sickening crunch, creating a miniature crater not far from the trio of ponysona users were preparing. And not three seconds after Pyramid Head landed did Kanji began to near the same landing spot.

In mid fall Kanji hefted the fold up chair he had in hand and the teenager launched it straight at Pyramid Heads face. With an actual 'Boom' as if someone had fired a cannon, the chair hit its mark dead center. And Pyramid Heads helmet shattered into pieces.

The shadow instantly was alight in a black flame that lapped away at the shadow, hungrily and greedily devouring it.

And right before Kanji landed a lavender aura grabbed him just before he was about to splat into the ground. The weary teenager gave Twilight a thumbs up as he floated with his face a scant few feet from the ground.

“K-kanji! What in the hay happened?” Twilight cried out as she pulled the human over to her.

“Nothing much really, just kicking some ass. Taking some names. You know, the usual.” Kanji replied with a slight smirk plastered upon his lips.

Twilight opened her mouth to speak when three feminine voices shouted in unison, “Orchestra of Infinity!”

…

Kanji rubbed his eyes with his hands. Then he did it again, just to make sure they weren't playing a trick on him. There was...an army of shadows... and then those three...and now shadows....how the hell did they do that?!!?!?!?

“That...was...an amazing entrance Kanji bro.” Vinyl Scratch managed to pant out between her labored breaths.

“What the hell are you talking about? I may have made an entrance but you beat the shit out of an army of shadows!” Kanji smirked down at his Dj pony friend who had opted to fall flat on her back.

“Aww geesh bro, it wasn't anything special. We've had our personas for a while now, there just hasn't been any shadows to fight so the most we do is get together once a month and practice. No what is important, you killed that Pyramid Head dude, the guy was supposed to be, like, immortal right?” Vinyl chuckled out at the human.

“That is correct, I must admit I'm surprised on both accounts.” The eerie voice of none other than shadow Rainbow Dash drifted over the group.

Everyone whirled around to face the new comer. “It's you god damn it!” Kanji roared as he stared down the shadow, who simply shot him a cocky smile. That's when the teenager noticed the whimpering form of the real Rainbow Dash at her shadows hooves.

“You let my best friend go. Right. Now.” Fluttershy practically growled out each and every word in the simple sentence.

“Let me think abou- no.” The shadow laughed.

“You....leave my friends alone!” Rainbow Dash snarled as she shot up and pressed her snout straight against her counter parts muzzle.

“Why? What are you going to do about it? Oh that's right. You'll do nothing because you are nothing. You are less than nothing, you are worthless.” The shadow replied coolly, those beady golden eyes never once leaving Rainbows magenta ones.

“What are you talking about!? I'm the fastest flier in-”

“Equestria? No. You can't be. If you really were, the Wonder Bolts would have already invited you to their little club. Face it, you are a loser. Applejack grows the best apples that every pony in all of Equestria enjoys. Rarity makes the finest garments that the nobles of Canterlot would kill for. Pinkie Pies treats and parties are so fantastic ponies travel from all corners of Equestria for a taste. Twilight Sparkle is the personal protege to the princess herself! Even Fluttershy, the towns animal care taker and whom everyone dotes over is far better than you will ever be, and you know it. You are nothing, less than nothing. You feel it  and know it with every fiber of your being yet deny it. You are as worthless as this old, run down and abandoned factory.It's why you put on such a big show and puff your own ego, because you can't accept how worthless and useless you are.”

“No...stop...that's....THAT'S NOT TRUE!” Rainbow Dash roared between her tears.

“Dashie...” Pinkies murmur was the only word to leave the stunned ponies lips.

The shadow laughed...and laughed and laughed as darkness swirled around it, “YES! SAY IT! I'M NOT YOU ANYMORE...FINALLY...I AM MEEEEEEEEEE!”

After what felt like an eternity of seconds the newly formed shadow emerged from the inky blackness. The shadow was the top half of a massive building sized pony sticking out of a pool blackness at the base. Massive chains rattled around all over the shadow pony, some of it even wrapping around her left eye. Blood constantly dripped from the shadows lips as if it had chewed shards of glass and her grin stretched from ear to ear.

And most intimidating of all... was the massive jagged scythe she held aloft in one of her hooves. “Come along kiddies...it's time to die now.” Cackled the manic looking shadow.

“Kanji...its up to you and the rest. The girls and I are to spent from our little finale.” Vinyl managed to groan out before letting her face plop back down onto the floor.

Kanji shot a thumbs up behind him without even looking. “Onee-san...you want to duo this with me?”

“K-Kanji!?!!? What are yo-”

“I mean, Fluttershy...do you want to whoop this shadows ass. Just the two of us. This bitch nearly killed one of my best friends with a rinky dink, ghetto ass shadow. It's pay back time.” Kanji growled.

“Yeah. Yeah little brother...lets do this, just you and me.” Fluttershy said in a voice barely above a whisper. “Rainbow Dash...you saved me...so many times back in flight school, now...now it's my turn to protect you.”

“Hell yeah Fluttershy! Let's man mode this shit!” Kanji yelled out enthusiastically while pumping a fist in the air.

“Kanji! You can't be serious! You and Fluttershy can't fight that shadow alone! You both could be killed! Let us help!” Rise shouted out in frantic panic at her friend.

“Let them be Rise. It has more to it than what it appears to be.” Naoto calmly told the ditzy idol.

“Kanji...I'm an ace detective. It was perfectly obvious from the start, but I didn't want to embarrass you. I am more than aware of your...infatuation with me. Even from back when you thought I was male. The clues were all there and my suspicions were confirmed when you were desperate for me to enter the beauty pageant. So I propose this....” The detective sighed, tipping her hat over her eyes face to hide the glowing blush.

“I propose that if you can defeat this shadow with only Fluttershy as your partner, I am willing to got out to lunch with you...on a date.”

Stunned silence.

That's exactly what was going on. Even the shadow smirked down at the group with a bemused smile.

Well until, “Woo hoo Kanji baby! You kick that shadows patooty for a chance at Naotos booty!” Pinkie Pie shouted joyously as she whirled around so her rear end was pointing towards him before she began to flaunt it.

“Wooooooooo Kanji baby! Woooooooooooo! You go broseidon, lord of the brocean and get yoself some sweet detective pussay tonight!” Vinyl Scratch found the energy to stand up on her hind legs to shout out.

“WHAT!?!? It's not like that at all! I just promised him a date if he-”

A resounding BOOM! Rebounded throughout the chamber and all heads turned to find that Rokuten Maoh had punched the shadow so hard that some of the chains on her face shattered.

“GET! BENT!” Kanji roared as he leapt up at the shadow his chair held aloft his head with both hands.

The shadow swiped with her scythe, far faster than anything of that size should be able to and while completely ignoring the armored fist in her face. Kanji eyed the massive, bloodstained scythe headed straight for him...and he smiled.

A resounding 'Clang!” reverberated as Fluttershys persona materialized, blade in hands to block the incoming strike. The shadows cheshire grin dropped in an instant as Kanji continued upon his crash course unhindered.

“You ready for a beatdown?!??!” Kanji roared.

As Kanji closed the distance the shadows massive grin reappeared, “Yes actually. I would very much love a good thrashing my master.” The husky breath in which she replied shook Kanji down to his very core.

When the youth was starting to swing his chair down, one of the many chains rattling on the shadow reared back like a snake and lashed out. Kanji barely managed to blink when the chain struck him in the chest and yet...he felt nothing.

The blow struck home, dead center in the shadows face and.... voices in the distance cried out in alarm.

Kanji roared in agony as he fell to the floor. After the rather rough landing the human held a hand to his now bleeding face. “Wh...what the hell happened?” Kanji managed to stutter out.

The shadow grinned down at Kanji, who now had Fluttershy doting over him. She raised her free hoof and gestured to her chest. Kanji blinked before slowly looking down and...what the hell?!?!? The chain from before...it was literally...the teenager took a peek down his jacket and sure enough...

“What the hell did you do to me?” Kanji asked through clenched teeth.

“It's a little something I call the 'Chains of Fate'. Basically, whatever damage you do to me...is shared between the two of us. Perfectly even. Even if Fluttershy is the one to do the damage, you'll still eat the hit with me Kanji baby! So come...hurt me!!! Hurt me real good my masters. Make me-”

“Woah woah woah there sister! This fic is rated T for teen not M for mature because sexual content you big meanie!” Pinkie Pie literally clamps down one the shadows mouth cutting off the mare mid perverted speech.

“I was going to say 'Cry out in ecstasy' but what ever you say Pinkie.” The shadow muttered before looking back down on the pair.

Kanji looked up at his opponent. How the hell can he, or anyone fight her. Those chains...if someone killed her...would the person they're attached to die too. What the hell... what the hell...

And that's when Kanji noticed it...a strange white glow coming from behind her chained right eye. “Fluttershy...do you see it?” The human asked the mare who was still looking at the massive gash on his cheek.

“Yeah it looks pretty bad.” Fluttershy murmured in his ear as she prodded his wound.

“No! Not that damnit! Woman! Look!” Kanji seethed. The butter pegasus frowned before following her gaze.

The shadow raised an eyebrow at them, “Don't tell me you're just gonna give up handsome. Because if you are... then it'll be no fun just killing you. I really wanted to have some good fun, and it's so boring to outright kill someone. You've gotta make it fun!”

“You know what to do?” Kanji asked the mare whose eyes widened knowingly. Fluttershy merely nodded without averting her gaze. The youth could hear yelling from his friends but he paid them no mind, he knew what he had to do.

Together, he and Fluttershy began to dash at their opponent. “Oh? Charging me head on? I like it!” The shadow laughed manically as she surged forwards herself. The shadow raised her blood stained scythe and brought it crashing down towards Fluttershy.

Rokuten Maoh flashed into being and swung his blade, catching the shadows blow before it could land. With an unbidden command, Rokuten held his hand open down towards the floor. And without a word, Kanji hopped onto his personas palm.

Shadow Rainbow Dash cocked an eye brow in confusion, and then Rokuten Maoh  launched Kanji...straight at the chained eye of the shadow. Immediate realization dawned upon her and the shadow began to wheel back as fast as she could but it wasn't quick enough. Kanji latched himself onto the chains and pulled them back with all his might.

“FLUTTERS! NOW!” The teen roared at his friend. Fluttershy flew as fast her wings could carry her, straight for the now exposed glowing orb that was in Shadow Rainbows eye socket. “Oh hell no you bitch!” The shadow barked. A storm of chains rattled and shot out, straight towards her.

Right before they slammed into her sides, Fluttershys persona slammed her blade down into the chains shattering them before they could reach her charge. When Fluttershy finally reached the eye unhindered, she spun around and bucked the glowing orb with all her might.

Both Kanji and the shadow roared in agony, “Keep going Flutters! It's the only way to save Rainbow!”

“B-but Kanji! If I keep hitting it...you might go blind in that eye.” Fluttershy whimpered.

Kanji frowned down at the pegasus and was about to utter a retort when the shadow heaved mightily flinging the human off of her.

“Damn you...damn you, you little shit headed punks!” The shadow seethed, and with a roar a pool of blackness appeared by her free hoof and she stuck it inside. After a second she pulled out a second, more jagged and wicked looking scythe.

“I'm going to fucking kill you, you little shits!” The shadow screamed before racing head long towards the two. In a mere few seconds the shadow was upon them. In a blur of motion both scythes came crashing down upon the pair.

Human and pony nimbly dodged out of the way of the first blow and both struggled to keep evading the flurry of attacks that followed shortly after. “Kanji! Let me try something!” Fluttershy called over to the human before narrowly ducking under another scythe swipe.

“Shinsetsuni Oxuchaa!” Flutteshy called out. Kanji expected the warrior woman to materialize, but instead the gorgeous woman in a half toga flashed right next to him. The persona leaned in and...kissed the human on the cheek like a mother would a child.

And that's when Kanji heard it...the sound of shattering glass. The human spared a brief glance and sure enough, the chain of fate was gone. The shadow glanced at Kanji in horror, before realizing how exposed Fluttershy now was.

“Rokuten Maoh!”

“Chain of fate!” A single chain lashed out and began racing towards Fluttershy, who could only watch.

Kanjis persona hefted his massive blade and stabbed straight through the shadows exposed orb. The shadow roared out in agony as the chain stopped a scant few inches in front of Fluttershy. And in a brilliant explosion of blackness, the shadow dispersed leaving nothing but the original shadow Rainbow Dash.

“Come on Dashie. There's no need to hide. You've got to face yourself, or else she'll just go berserk again, and don't worry...everyone here who has a persona...went through the same thing.” The human called out over his shoulder to the rag tag group who he could hear sprinting towards them.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the rest of the group caught up and yet not one said a word.

The human felt bad when he finally heard a quiet whimper and the soft clamor of hoofsteps as none other than the now awake Rainbow Dash entered his peripheral vision.

The depressed pegasus slowly looked up to face her shadow...and sighed heavily. “You...you...really are me. I feel...worthless around my friends. They all do such great things...and I'm just a weather captain. I mean sure, I'm the element of loyalty....but that's all I got.”

The shadow nodded in affirmation and shatter like glass. In the shadows place, now stood a tower warrior woman with long flowing rainbow hair. The woman was dress in a knights suit of armor, with a long sword in one hand and a shield bearing the symbol of Rainbows very own element.

Rainbow Dash stared up in wonder at her new found persona before quietly murmuring, “Chuujistsuna Kishi.”

“The Loyal Knightess.” Naoto quietly spoke up to translate for the ponies.

Before Rainbow could even blink every single pony excluding Vinyl and Octavia, for even the grey pegasus and the mint green unicorn whose names Kanji still hadn't learned, had joined in tackle hugging Rainbow and showering her with words of comfort.

“This looks and smells BEARY suspicious Yosukue!” A familiar voice shouted a pun that has been beaten to death.

“My god Teddie just shut up with the bear puns okay?” Another voice grunted in annoyance.

“Oh no. Not them.” Kanji muttered,

To be continued...