//------------------------------//
// The Final Countdown (AN UPDATED ENDING) 
// Story: Ranger Takes on Equestria 
// by I aint no damn brownie 
//------------------------------//

This is an edited version of ‘Storm the Castle’. If you have already read it, skip to the Chrysalis fight. That’s when the changes start.

“Let’s go, Bluey.” I said, and ran towards the large structure.

Time to...

Storm the castle.

I dashed through the streets of Canterlot, dodging screaming ponies. Some stopped to look, but most continued with their yelling. My head was starting to hurt.

“H-Huh? T-Trent?” I heard someone ask. I looked behind me.

Blueblood was awake.

“Ah, you’re up. Okay. We’re going to kill Chrysalis and save Equestria.” I said. Blueblood’s eyes widened.

“K-Kill?” He gulped. I nodded.

“Yep, kill. It may be hard to believe, but sometimes-“

“I’ve killed hundreds of changelings, as have you. I just didn’t think w-we were going to attempt something so... dire. She’s a QUEEN!” He explained, voice raising.

“I punched her in the face, dude. We got this.” 

“YOU PUNCHED HER?!” He yelled in surprise.

“Yes..? Is this so hard to believe? Have a little faith!” I said in mock hurt.

“Oh.. we’re so boned.” He put a hoof to his head.

Whatever.

I continued running until I reached the castle. Two guards stood outside who instantly went to attack, but I pulled out a knife and slit one’s throat. The other attempted to flank me and fire a spell, but I rolled out of the way and stabbed him in the back. I kicked him over and pulled the knife out.

I ran up to the gate and jumped on. I scaled said gate with relative ease, and fell onto the other side. I jumped up...

...And I pushed Blueblood off me. He landed gracefully, and nodded at me. I nodded back and we both started running.

I ran up to the doors and pushed them open. Two more guards hissed at us, and charged. 

I punched the one on the right. In his shock, I quickly pulled out a blade and swiped it along his jugular. He grasped at his neck as he fell to the floor, slowly bleeding out.

I looked over at Blueblood and saw a changeling with a broken neck. Nice.

I ran off, Blue following. I opened the nearest set of doors.

“Where’s the throne room!?” I asked. 

“Follow me!” He yelled, running off.

I nodded, and chased after his sprinting form. He opened one door, and then another. Two more guards. These ones decided to use magic. I jumped behind a pillar, Blueblood doing the same. 

I looked around. What to do..

Ah.

I grabbed a shield off the wall and ran out from my hiding place. They fired spells and I reflected them back with the shield. The first spell ricocheted, hitting the changeling. The second one melted the shield, so I ditched it.

I swiped at the throat of the melt guy, but he jumped back. He fired a spell and I took it head on.

I collapsed to the floor, paralyzed.

The guy was about to fire another spell, but he was blasted into a nearby wall. His back shattered on impact, rendering him completely crippled.

Blue lent down a hoof, and I grabbed it. I stood up and we continued running.





“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE’S STILL ALIVE!?!?” Chrysalis yelled, standing up. The changeling guard quivered in fear.

“H-he, he’s fine.. and he’s t-taking out our men!” The guard replied.

“Find. Him. AND KILL HIM!” Chrysalis demanded. The guard nodded.

“I won’t let you down!”

“You better not..”

The guard dashed off, only to be hit by an opening door. He fell to the floor, unconscious.

Two bruised and beaten men stood at the door. One human, the other a pony. 

The human was in worse condition. His helmet had several dents, and his armor had suffered severe chemical burns. Any skin showing was covered in several scratches and 3rd-degree burns.

The pony wasn’t in very good condition either. He walked with a noticeable limp, and he was squinting one bleeding eye. His fur was ruffled, and once again, burns and scratches littered his body. Not as many as the human, and the burns weren’t as bad, but he wasn’t considered ‘Healthy’ in the slightest.

The human and the pony..

Were Me and Blueblood.

“I-I’m.. fucking done with your SHIT!” I yelled. “I’m gonna kick your ass!”

“I’d like to see you try.” The Queen said calmly.

I charged her. She easily blasted me back with magic.

Blueblood charged and fired a spell. She blocked it and fired a return spell. He fell to the floor next to me.

I got back up and charged again, this time dodging a magic attack. When I got close, I swiped with a dagger. She put up a shield and fired another spell.

Once again, I flew backwards.

I got up again.

Landed on the floor once more.

Blueblood did the same as me, but this time he put up a shield. It was destroyed quickly, and he was once again blasted back.

I could hardly move. Pain was all I could feel. I had tunnel vision, and I was partially deaf. But I knew I had to keep going.

I crawled over to a nearby pillar, hiding behind it. Blueblood followed.

“We.. n-need.. a plan!” I said, wheezing.

“Okay.. h-how about this?” Blueblood said, leaning to whisper in my ear.

...

“Come out.. come out.. wherever you are!” Chrysalis said, blasting the pillar with magic. It took damage, but stayed up.

Blueblood finished telling me his plan, and I nodded.

“Alright.. it’s... a good.. plan.. but how.. about.. we change.. it up?” I said, breathing heavily. I whispered my part into his ear.

“Are you.. sure?” He asked.

I nodded.

“Come on!” Chrysalis yelled, blasting the pillar again. It’s now or never.

I took off my helmet and chest plate. I counted to three and tossed them out.

They were incinerated quickly. While Chrysalis was confused, I ran out of the cover and over to a different pillar, dodging shots along the way. I grabbed the shield off the wall.

I nodded to Blueblood. He nodded back.

I ran out from the cover at the same time as Blue. He fired a shot into my shield.

“What-“ Chrysalis started, before noticing that the spell was coming for her. She didn’t have enough time to put up a shield, so she took the full brunt of the attack.

She was paralyzed. I ran at her, pulling out my sword. As I got closer, she attempted to put up a shield. Magic still worked during the paralysis spell.

Just as planned.

I tossed the sword behind me, Blueblood catching it in his mouth. He ran up to her.

Since she was distracted with me, she didn’t expect Blueblood, so she turned her shield the wrong way on accident.

Blueblood hit it away, and raised the sword. He jumped up and lodged it in her skull.

He jumped off, landing on his back. He scrambled to stand up.

Chrysalis looked up at the sword. “No, NO! IT CANNOT END THIS WAY! I AM GO-eughhh..”

She fell to the floor, dead. I looked over at Blueblood. 

He smiled, and started to laugh. 

I joined in on his laughter. It was over. We fucking did it.

WE FUCKING DID IT!

I ran over to him and he ran to me. We both had the same idea, it seems. He ran up to me and I grabbed him in a strong hug. He quickly returned the gesture. 

“We.. fucking did it, man. We saved horse world.” I said. My eyes started to glaze over.

No, don’t fucking cry.

..

Maybe it’s alright to cry. 

A tear fell down my face. I was so happy. No more fighting, no more death, no more almost dying. 

“Wait!” I yelled out loud.

“What?” Blueblood asked. I looked down at him.

“We have to go get the others! They’re still in the cave!” I said. He nodded.

Blueblood’s expression hardened as he concentrated on something.

“G..grab my mane.” He said. I quickly did so.

A flash of blue, and we were inside the cave. Blueblood collapsed to the floor, unconscious. I guess that took a lot out of him. 

We were in front of the collapsed wall, right before the civilization. I walked slowly inside. As I took in the sights before me, I looked up at the ceiling.

The pods were slowly cracking. 

The first one burst open, and a royal guard member fell out. He landed on a roof somewhere.

Everyone else slowly followed. The Pegasi could correct themselves. The unicorns and earth ponies? Well, not so much. But the Alicorns?

Well, one of them has tackled me to the floor and is now hugging me tightly. All I could see was blue as the sound of crying filled my ears.

“Th... thou are okay! Thou did it! Thou saved Us!” She said, switching back to her ‘Ye olde’ dialect. 

“Well, I had help.” I muttered, rubbing her back. She purred slightly. Heh.

“From whom?”

“Prince Blueblood.” 

She looked me in the eyes.

“Did he really help you?”

I nodded.

“Guess he really has changed.” She chuckled. 

I scratched behind her ear, and she collapsed on me, purring loudly. Wow. Didn’t know horses shared things in common with cats.

Although, FUCK this is adorable.

“T-Trent..?” Luna spoke slowly, yet seriously.

“Yeah?”

“...Thank you.”

I nodded.

“Anytime.”

She nuzzled her head into my chest, and quickly fell asleep, judging by the light snoring.

“Trent McClane.” I heard a regal voice ask. I looked to where it came from.

Princess Celestia stood there, looking a little miffed.

“I cannot thank you enough for what you and Prince Blueblood have done today. You have saved my kingdom, and subsequently, every Equestrian resident. You saved my little ponies. If there is anything, ANYTHING AT ALL, that you need.. tell me. But.. what do you think you’re doing with my little sister?”

Oh, shit. 

“Uh, nothing. She did this.” I said. 

Celestia squinted. She judged me silently. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of my head.

“Alright, I believe you. But just so you know..”

She walked up to me and whispered in my ear. 

“If you ever hurt her.. I will break every bone in your body. VERY slowly. Got it?”

I nodded quickly. 

She stepped back up. “Wonderful!”

That’s creepy as hell. How she can just switch like that.

“Anyway, I must be off. Everypony else must be quite scared, and they need to see that their Princess is okay.” She said, stretching out her wings and taking flight.

She flew to the cave entrance, and out of sight.

I rested my head against the floor. I rubbed Luna’s back, and I closed my eyes.

It was over.

We had won.


I noticed a lot of you were unhappy with the original ending.

I was too.

It was rushed. And I felt that you guys didn’t deserve that. I put some time and care into this one. I hope it meets your expectations



The End