Zodiac

In a burst of fiery code, a dual-bladed naginata with a gold-and-black shaft and gleaming, wickedly curved blood-red blades appears in Sunset Shimmer's hand; she spins it in front of her like an expert.

"Who's going to help you?"

"This is our chance!" Rainbow Dash says. "We take her down now, we can put a stop to this once and for all!"

I tighten my grip on my axe. "You're finished, Sunset Shimmer," I snarl. "I'll make you pay for everything you've done to me, to my friends...everyone!"

Sunset smirks. "If you're lucky, I'll keep you alive," she says. "I'll keep you chained up in my basement. I'll use and abuse you every night. I wonder how long it'll take before you beg to be tortured?"

"You sick BITCH!" Twilight yells.

Sunset laughs haughtily. "Oh, Twilight..." She tosses her hair. "You've had this coming for far too long." She narrows her eyes. "I wonder how that whore you call your sister-in-law is going to explain your death to the rest of your pathetic family."

Twilight lets out an enraged, ragged scream and charges Sunset Shimmer. Sunset smiles evilly and readies her weapon.

"TWILIGHT!" I yell. I turn to Rainbow. "Rainbow Dash, do something!"

"On it!" Rainbow says. "PERSONA!"

Nike appears and swoops in quickly, seizing Twilight under the armpits and pulling her up and back just before Sunset can disembowel her. She flies her back over to us and deposits her on the ground next to me; Pinkie grabs hold of her arm.

"She's just trying to get under your skin," Pinkie says.

"Well it's working!" Twilight shouts.

Sunset laughs. "I've waited a long time for this, Twilight Sparkle!" She throws her left hand into the air. Prepare to meet your end!"

Nemesis Prime roars into the yard, its trailer missing. It transforms into a robot and towers over us, its eyes burning a menacing red as it unlimbers its rifle.

Primal Force

A solid black bolt leaps out at us; we're thrown into the pool as the ground explodes.

Pinkie is the first one out. "PERSONA!"

Slam Dance

Euphoria appears and slams ineffectually into Nemesis Prime.

Twilight drags herself out of the pool. "ATHENA LOGIA!"

Ziodyne

Athena appears and looses a powerful thunderbolt at Nemesis Prime; small explosions rip across its body as it topples over, crashing thunderously into the ground. Emboldened, Twilight attacks again.

Ziodyne

Sparks ripple and pop as Nemesis Prime twitches on the ground. Sunset Shimmer grunts and braces herself against her lance.

"Attacking that thing is hurting Sunset Shimmer," I say. "It must be her Persona!"

"THIS is what Fluttershy is so scared of?" Rainbow snorts. "Puh-LEASE."

Garudyne

Nike appears and whips up a windstorm which buffets Nemesis Prime.

Now it's my turn. "OPTIMUS PRIME!"

Primal Force

Optimus Prime appears, brandishing his own ion rifle. With one mighty blast, he blows a hole in Nemesis Prime's chest. Sunset staggers.

//That thing isn't a Persona!// Cadance says. //I'm getting completely different readings from it than I get from your Personas, or even from Eris!//

Nemesis Prime explodes into a swarm of black butterflies, which spiral around Sunset Shimmer. She glares at us. "Alright, let's see how you like..." She closes her eyes for a second, then opens them again. "THIS!"

The butterflies spin away from her and come back together, taking on a new shape...

It looks like my Persona Gokuu, except with slate skin, a jet-black gi, blood-red hair, and glowing red eyes.

"What the hell?" Rainbow cries.

Ankoku Genkidama

Dark Gokuu raises one hand above his head. A sparking black energy ball forms. I feel a pressure on my mind; beside me, I can see the others reeling and clutching their heads.

//LOOK OUT!//

The ball of darkness grows to an enormous size. Dark Gokuu hurls it at us; there's no escape...

Twilight screams as she falls to the ground dead. Rainbow has a surprised, resigned look on her face as she collapses beside her.

Pinkie gasps. "NO!"

Samarecarm

She summons Euphoria and revives Twilight.

Sunset laughs long and loud. "Go ahead! Bring her back! I'm going to enjoy killing her over and over again!"

"You BITCH!" I scream.

"FLASH!" Pinkie snaps. "Take care of Rainbow first, THEN we can—"

"You're right." I slide Lovers onto my phone. "PERSONA!"

Samarecarm

Serenity appears, resurrecting Rainbow, who sits up with a groan, rubbing her head. "Man, I'm sick of dyin'..."

Power Charge

Dark Gokuu plants his feet in a wide stance and holds his arms at his sides, fists clenched, emitting a wordless scream. A blazing hellfire aura surrounds him.

"Oh no you don't!" Rainbow cries. "PERSONA!"

Garudyne

Nike appears and whips up a glowing tornado which engulfs Dark Goku...and does absolutely nothing.

"Wind won't work," I say. "Twilight, can you break down its resistance to electricity?"

"Like with that one Shadow?" Twilight nods. "On it. PERSONA!"

Elec Break

Athena appears; a swirling yellow-white column of light surrounds Dark Gokuu.

"I see where you're going with this!" Pinkie says. "Let me help! PERSONA!"

Matarukaja

Euphoria appears; I feel a wave of new strength flood through me.

Dark Gokuu is almost done powering up...

//Everybody brace yourselves!//

I can't risk an attack right now. I need to go on the defensive...

I slide the Hermit Arcana onto my phone. "ARAHABAKI!"

Tetrakarn

Arahabaki drops from the sky with an earth-shaking thud. A sparkling reflective wall forms between us and Sunset Shimmer just as Dark Gokuu charges forward, fists and feet flying. The barrier shines brightly; the full force of Dark Gokuu's assault rebounds on him, sending him flying back.

"Twilight, NOW!"

"Right! ATHENA LOGIA!"

Ziodyne

Athena appears again and calls down an exceptionally powerful thunderbolt, striking Dark Gokuu. He collapses to his hands and knees, then explodes into black butterflies again.

Sunset Shimmer snarls. "Dammit! Let's try something else then!"

The butterflies reform into a dark copy of Magus.

"Really, Sunset?" I ask. "Is copying my Personas all you're capable of?"

"HOW is she copying your Personas?" Twilight wonders.

"We'll figure that out later," I say. "Pinkie, you're up! Use light!"

"Got it!" Pinkie taps her phone. "EUPHORIA!"

Hamaon

The column of light that surrounds Dark Magus instantly reverts it to the swarm of black butterflies. Sunset Shimmer cries out in pain and drops to one knee.

"Give it up, Sunset Shimmer!" I yell. "You can't fight us with copies of my Personas! I know all their weaknesses!"

Sunset bows her head...and starts laughing. Her voice takes on an echoing quality. "Oh really?" she says. "Knowing your own weaknesses is one thing..."

She looks up at us. Her eyes are no longer teal; they're glowing yellow.

"...FACING THEM IS ANOTHER!"

Dark Gokuu reappears, as does Dark Magus and Nemesis Prime. And they're not alone.

One by one, more dark copies of my Personas appear: Black Serenity. Dark Merlin. Light Tantabus. Dark Gamera. Yami Amaterasu. Magatsu Arahabaki. Shadow Kuma. And more and more and more...their names all rage through my mind as they appear, one after another, all staring us down with burning red eyes.

"Ooooooh shit," Rainbow says, eyes wide as she backs away from the horde of dark Personas.

"What...what do we do...?" Pinkie moans.

"How...how is she doing this?!" Twilight asks.

"WHY SHOULD I LIFT A FINGER AGAINST YOU WHEN YOUR OWN INNER DEMONS HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH POWER TO DESTROY YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS?"

Every Persona I've ever used...even Chiron...

"How...how can we fight something like this?" Twilight asks plaintively.

"If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die fighting!" Rainbow declares. "PERSONA!"

Magarudyne

Nike Invicta appears, unleashing a massive windstorm that tears through the Persona swarm, shredding several of them.

Mabufudyne

Dark Magus raises a hand, and a deadly hail rains down on us. Twilight and I are driven to our knees.

"Don't give up!" Pinkie says. "EUPHORIA!"

Orgy of Death

Euphoria appears and blurs between all the dark Personas, slamming into them with hips, fists, and feet. A few more disappear.

Agidyne

Dark Merlin hurls a firebolt at Pinkie; she screams and rolls on the ground.

"FOOLS! I'VE STUDIED YOU! I KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES! I HAVE EVERY POWER FLASH SENTRY HAS! YOU! ARE! FINISHED!"

I stand up. I'm aching all over. I'm exhausted. Between busting down the barrier, fighting Gemini, and now this mess, I'm not sure how much I have left to give.

I have to put an end to this...

As I stare out at the mass of Personas getting ready to tear into us, I realize something.

"You're wrong, Sunset Shimmer," I say. "You do NOT have every power I have."

I slide the Tower Arcana onto my phone.

"GOJIRA!"

A massive, scaly foot slams to the ground in front of me.

Gojira towers over us, the single most massive thing I've ever seen. Sunset Shimmer stares up at it, her glowing yellow eyes wide in surprise and fear. Gojira draws back his head, then leans forward, spreading his clawed, spiny arms wide.

He roars.

Gojira's Roar

Everything shakes. Twilight, Pinkie, and Rainbow cover their ears and crouch low to the ground. All across the ground and sky, the false Personas arrayed around Sunset Shimmer shudder and vibrate, buffeted by the sheer force of Gojira's mighty roar.

I glare at Sunset Shimmer with all the hate and rage and pain I feel.

"Burn."

Atomic Breath

A bright, hot, strobing blue light flashes in the sky, along with a high-pitched thrum, which increases in pitch and frequency. The spines on Gojira's tail glow blue, one by one, from the tip up to his back. The massive, jagged dorsal plates on his spine light up. He draws back his head...

A column of blue-white flame issues from Gojira's mouth, sweeping across the horde of false Personas. Over the roaring heat of the flames, I can hear Sunset Shimmer's tortured screams as she burns along with her foul creations.

For ten long, satisfying seconds, everything burns.

With a final roar, Gojira fades away. The scattered motes of the false Personas bleed away into the ether. Twilight and Pinkie catch me as I stagger, gasping for air.

In the deafening silence, the only thing left is the four of us and Sunset Shimmer. Her weapon has melted to slag, and her eyes have returned to normal. She's on her knees, pale and shaking. "HOW?!" she screeches.

"It's over, Sunset Shimmer!" Twilight says as she steadies me. "This ends today! You've lost!"

Sunset takes a deep breath, then stands and flips her hair. "Over? Oh, Twilight, you silly, stupid little girl..." She narrows her eyes. "It hasn't even begun." She tilts her head back, regarding us with an imperious, haughty glare. "Look at yourselves. You're exhausted. Your boyfriend is out of steam. You just barely survived my warm-up."

She pulls out her phone.

"Now, it's time to show you what true power looks like."

She taps the screen.

The ground trembles beneath our feet. The sky splits open, a swirling vortex forming above Sunset Shimmer. She throws back her head and laughs as the vortex spits black lightning.

"Oh my God," Pinkie moans.

"Holy shit," Rainbow says, wide-eyed.

"PERSONA!"

And a shell of golden light wraps around us. The shaking and the vortex and the black lightning are replaced by the suddenly cramped interior of a silent parody of a karaoke box. Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Sonata are all standing around us, looking worried.

Pinkie blinks. "Huh? How did we get back here?"

"I teleported you," Fluttershy says with a shaky sigh. "Sorry it took so long. I had to hurry to finish working on something I was programming a while back while we were fighting Gemini." She gives us all a worried look. "I...I knew if you tried to fight Sunset Shimmer, you...you wouldn't make it back alive..."

Above us, Eros fades from existence. Cadance emerges from the crystals, looking pale and shaken. "Oh my God," she whispers hoarsely. She stares at Fluttershy. "No wonder you're so terrified of her..."

Fluttershy's mouth sets into a thin, flat frown. "We need to leave now."