Clear. The sky today was completely devoid of clouds, and the sun seemed as radiant as ever. My nostrils entertained the smell of petunias and white lotuses, with the occasional hint of tiger lily and chrysanthemums. I adjusted my position upon the blanket underneath me, folding my legs further to support myself.
The Royal Gardens were always nice to read a book in.
Looking back down at the book I had brought along, my mind began reading the pages expertly, like I had trained it to do all the years of my life.
“‘I have to go, Flare Heart! I can’t stand being some errand colt to you anymore, especially if that means my feelings will never be returned! This relationship is tearing me apart, and my heart can’t survive like this!’ Tungsten Backdraft stepped away from the cottage on the hill, the ivory mare with a sapphire hairclip on one of her deep-blue bangs reaching a hoof out tentatively.
‘Don’t do this, Tungsten! I’ve never given much to the idea of love, and therefore, I can’t say if what I have in my heart is affection for you! But, if you stay by my side, I’m sure an answer will become apparent! Please, don’t leave me like this,” Flare Heart called out in desperation, keeping her ivory hoof outstretched in the evening drizzle of spring rain.
Tungsten shook his head and glared. ‘Twenty years! I’ve helped you and your way of life for TWENTY YEARS! That should have been more than enough time to decide if those feelings were of love or not! I’m done with this merry-go-round of affection! This is farewell, Flare!’ Tungsten, the stallion who was never known to cry, turned on his hooves and ran down the hill and into the fading light of evening, leaving behind his heart in the same ivory hoof of Flare Heart.
Allowing the action to catch up to her mind, Flare Heart collapsed and sobbed under the awning of her front door, clutching the outstretched hoof to her heart. ‘Oh, Tungsten...I’m so sorry.’”
I grew irritated as the words, “End of Book One”, appeared below the last sentence. I don’t know why irritation was the first thing I felt. Sighing in discontent, I closed the book with my purple aura and stood up, folding the blanket up the same way.
Once the blanket was under my right wing while the book was tucked under the left, I trotted forth, heading for the brown oak doors that would lead into the Eastern Section of Canterlot Castle. I had a lunch date with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, who had informed me that some foreign kings of beings called ‘Draconians’ were on their way to discuss something of great importance!
“I’m so excited! A species never before seen by Princess Celestia & Princess Luna will be revealing themselves today in the Throne Room over lunch!” I pranced in place right in front of the door, squealing to myself in joy. “And to think that Princess Celestia invited me to be a part of this meeting! Oh, I could just explode from the excitement!”
The energy gathering in my body was too much, and I soon found myself practically galloping towards the Throne Room on the other side of the Castle.
“Sorry I took so long everyone! My attention to time was stolen away by my mother’s newest book, and-” I had closed my eyes in fear of meeting the upset faces of everyone in my late fashion. I had also opened the doors and walked in with my eyes closed.
When I had opened them, they nearly popped out in fear.
Some ways in front of me, sitting down on the throne belonging to the Princess Celestia, was a dragon. Not just any dragon, mind you, but one that had been missing for five years. A dragon that I had raised and nurtured into quite the gentledrake; whose gentry mannerisms turned the head of every mare in Ponyville back in the day.
My mind swam with memories of that burning city, and the dead that littered every nook and cranny. I saw the blood-red sky and scab-like clouds, which enveloped the entirety of the city as it was attacked by Equestrian Forces.
Bodies...Oh sweet heaven, the bodies!
I saw the face of that awful dragon the girls and I had to combat, and how his manipulation of ice took a leg from Applejack and an ear from Rainbow Dash. There was also the face of that horrid mare, who was too good with trap spells or hexes of ensnarement. I heard the screams of my friends as we were borderline electrocuted, and then dropped like pebbles into a stream.
Once again, the face of the ice-blue dragon smiled down at me before raising his scythe to take my life. I had to protect myself...so...so I...
“Yo, Twily! How have you been since I left?” His voice carried no ill will, and that alone made my shaking head rise to meet his emerald eyes. I had to hold back a gasp as the reality of the situation made itself apparent. Underneath both his boots were the heads of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and their horns were missing.
His head slowly lowered, and a smile shot across his face when he pieced together what I was looking at. “Oh, these two? Yeah, they took to attacking me when I showed up. I mean, did they not get my letter?”
I shook myself out of my stupor before stomping my hoof down. “Spike! What is the meaning of this!? And what’s with those flags you’re using to hold them down,” I yelled commandingly, watching Spike tilt his head back before laughing loudly.
“Oh~ shit! That was a good one! Do it again! Please,” His head snapped back down, his face the very definition of pleading. But, there was also a condescending mirth plastered there as well, and I knew then that the Spike I had raised was long gone. “I’m waitin’!”
“No. Now, get your feet off of them.”
He fell back out in laughter, nearly dropping the silver poles in his hands that waved a black flag at the top. Amidst all the waving the flags were doing, I could make out a picture of Spike’s head and neck, with his eyes completely white with magic. A purple, smog-like aura seeped all around the head and neck, and it made him look completely evil.
I stepped back and read the words in another language on the four corners of the flags. “W-wer sulta....di...keari? W-what?”
Spike grinned and rolled his long neck, getting a couple cracks out of it. “It means, ‘The End of Days.’ Also, you can’t keep calling me Spike. I have enemies now, and they’ll use my name to their advantage should they hear it.” I raised an eyebrow, asking him to elaborate.
He sighed. “I’m involved with a dangerous event that’s exclusive to Draconians, or dragons that have unnatural amounts of magic in them, even for dragon standards. Turns out, there was once a whole race of these Draconians. They developed their own language and everything else, but they died off due to starvation and a failure to preserve their planet. There’s a small handful of natural Draconians, but most of them are dragons with obscene amounts of magic stored within them, even for a dragon,” He paused and turned his head to face the heavily robed figure sitting on Luna’s midnight-blue throne. “Sound right so far, Vutha?”
The hooded figure shrugged its shoulders. “It matters not. Don’t we have business we should be wrapping up,” The figure chided, making Spike roll his eyes at the emotionless tone.
“Yeah, yeah.” Spike waved him off, and I noticed the robed figure tighten his grip on the midnight-blue throne’s forehoof rests. But, Spike took his colleagues advice, and bent over at the hip so that his face was mere centimeters away from Princess Celestia’s head. I watched in horror as Spike slid his boot back, applying a pressure great enough to hold a millennia-old alicorn in place to her neck. Her magenta eye fluttered open, and for the first time since entering the throne room, I noticed how her hair was just a shade of bubblegum-pink. “Wakey wakey, Tia. I’ve got some terms that need to be agreed on.”
Princess Celestia narrowed her eye. “If you’re asking for my sister and I to surrender, know that you’re wasting precious time.”
“Precious time? You make it sound like there’s someone with enough power to challenge me,” Spike laughed as he twisted his boot upon Celestia’s neck, making her gag in pain as he did so. “Newsflash, Sunbutt: no one can stop me. Now, will you willingly surrender this country to me, or am I gonna have to get a little rough,” Spike asked with hidden mirth, making Celestia laugh hoarsely.
“It seems you forgot...rgh...the meanings in simple words like ‘no’...during the time you’ve been away,” Celestia quipped.
Spike narrowed his eyes...and then stood up.
Princess Celestia began scraping at his boot with her hooves, turning her body this way and that as her head remained locked in place by the new amount of force. I then pieced together that she was choking to death.
“Spike, stop!” I ran up the steps as quick as I could, trying to move him with my magic and body, but couldn’t even get him to budge. “You’re killing her! YOU’RE KILLING HER!”
I was sent flying as an otherworldly amount of force slammed into my cheek. I felt my back thud against the unforgiving cobblestone wall, and then heard the cracking of a wing. I screamed bloody murder and fell the five feet to the unforgiving ground, slapping my chin upon the marble flooring, stopping said scream abruptly as I bit the inside of my mouth something awful. I moaned in absolute agony and cracked an eye open.
The robed figure from before was placing a sheathed sword back in the sash around his waist. I saw the briefest flash of a golden feathered-headdress. The jingle of golden trinkets confirmed what I saw through my hazy eyes.
“Know your place, wench. Unimportant background wastes-of-fur like yourself should simply remain oblivious to the happenings of Draconians. We do not need you harrying our work any further. If you value those wings, I’d advise staying away from us until proper control of this country is obtained.” The robed figure sat back down and rested a blue-grey scaled hand upon its hooded face.
I could feel the glare through the dark confines of the hood.
“As much fun as I’m having choking you, Tia, I must admit that I’m growing bored. An unconditional surrender would suffice in alleviating my boredom greatly, wouldn’t you agree?” Spike’s question was laced with mirth again as he sat down, leaving Princess Celestia inhaling the greater amount of oxygen like a ravenous wolf.
I cried as she her breathing finally regulated, and she peered up at Spike with sadness in her eyes. That made Spike raise an eyebrow. “What’s with the long face? You know, chucking the fact that you’re a horse and all.”
“...Why? You wanted for nothing...I tried to give you everything...why?” Tears cascaded down her face, making Spike sink back and rest a claw over his face as he sighed.
“Because obviously, your precious student and friends didn’t feel the same way. Ignoring useless things like what you want to converse on, I say we handle the matter of giving Equestria over to me,” Spike finished, taking the same hand that was on his face and moving it down to his chest with a proud smile.
“Not a chance.” Celestia didn’t see the scaled hand coming for her neck behind her closed eyes, and when Spike gripped her, I could hear the straining in her bones to keep her neck from breaking. She instantly started to gag, and her legs hung limp at her sides, completely devoid of energy.
“My patience was over when I walked in, bitch. Don’t test me any longer.” Celestia was brought close to Spike’s face by him, and she cracked an eye open amongst her gagging to look him in the eye stoically.
“Do...Do you...”
Spike leaned in, a small grin beginning to work its way across his face.
“...Do you like bananas? Because I love them.”
His right eye twitched, and then he sighed. Spike stood up, turned around, and slammed Celestia’s head onto the cushion of her throne. I heard a muffled groan of pain, and I really started crying at whatever horrible thing he was about to do.
Spike used his foot to scoot the unconscious Luna over to his colleague, who simply nodded and lifted the princess without another word. He walked up to me afterwards.
“We’re leaving. You don’t want to stay for Spike’s special way of torture.” I was lifted up, my mind to clouded with pain to fight back.
I was shivering, crying, and balled up in the fetal position on the floor. The screams of pain from within the throne room were doing nothing for my fragile mind.
Screams.
Princess Celestia’s screams.
And then, when her screams quieted down, I heard a hollow conversation.
“...Submit....Equestria.” That was Spike.
“Why...Loved you...Don’t understand,” Celestia’s voice was never laced with so much pain. I felt my heart shatter, and I gave a loud wail into the Castle halls.
This gartered the attention of the robed figure. “Cease your incessant wailing, wench. I’ll not suffer two crying mares today.”
I didn’t listen, and started hoping a guard would hear and come running.
“Do not make me come over there. I am a man of my word, and as I’ve promised to take your wings, I shall do so.”
His voice, even though it had no emotion to it, carried the weight of a thousand boulders. Against my will, the wails were cut off. My body was no longer my own, for it had given in to the fear against the robed figure. He was terrifying, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I saw his claws earlier, I would’ve thought him to be nothing more than living shadows underneath some dark robes.
“Why,” I found myself asking in despair, to which the robed figure crossed his arms and leaned back on the wall behind him. One leg folded in so that the bottom of his foot laid flat against the wall’s surface, giving him a laid-back aura. “Why come back and destroy five years of peace? I don’t remember you, but I definitely know you were there at that town. What happened to Spike...What happened to the guards?”
“The guards were dispatched by me, and that was only after Celestia and Luna decided to attack us. The guards poured in, I made sure their entrails poured out. It was bloody, for the ones that didn’t get vaporized, and I had moved them out into the courtyard.” He left that sentence hanging. Although I was in a despair-ridden state, I couldn’t help asking the obvious question.
“But why didn’t you bury th-”
“Because fuck graves, that’s why. Oh, and the name’s Dameion.” His scaled hand came up and pushed back his hood enough to reveal a dragon-like face with feathers coming out of his head, plus that golden headdress I saw earlier. As a matter of fact, he was the one standing next to Spike back in that country! I must admit, he did look quite fetching.
I jerked my head up, and then proceeded to shake the manure out of my head. “Why did I just think that!? He just admitted to killing all the Royal Guards that were on duty today!”
“Dameion! Celestia needs a little more motivation! Bring the lavender one in, please!”
“Twilight, run,” Celestia exclaimed through the large doors in a panicked voice, making me panic slightly. Before I could even get up, Dameion was at my side, completely surprising me with how fast he moved while I was distracted. Something his size shouldn’t be able to move that fast!
My horn was grabbed: hard. I let out a screech of pain as I was dragged by my appendage, his strength proving too much for me to offer resistance. My stomach slid along the red velvet insole that lined the hallway, and then through the massive doors separating the hallway from the throne room.
“Spike, please; stop this madness! Please don’t harm Twilight! Harm me all you want, but leave her alone!” Celestia’s panic was gone, and in its stead was anger. Spike laughed it off, of course, and yanked her tail from her head-down position, causing Princess Celestia to fall onto her back. Before she had time to register the fact that she was free, Spike stomped down on her chest, winding her as she gave a pained exhale. He then added more weight on that leg, leaning forward at the waist and resting an arm across his bent knee as he looked at me.
His flags were slammed into the marble flooring around the throne, waving in an unseen breeze, symbolizing that his hostile takeover was making an absurd amount of progress.
Spike smiled toothily at me, his eyes radiating an evil mirth before he looked down at Princess Celestia. “So here’s the deal. Your next words are going to be what either saves Twilight...or kills her. Vutha, if you’d please...”
The sound of a sword slice rung out above my head, making my eyes go wide at the falling lavender horn in front of them.
“That’s...that’s my horn...”
And then, I was robbed of my ability to stand up.
Canterlot does not get tremors, or earthquakes. The only rumbling would come from storms pegasi would schedule in order to keep the Royal Gardens and whatever else kind of greenery there was in the city, alive.
Therefore, this is a headache. Not just any headache, either. If placeable on the Richter scale, this headache would easily clock in as a 7.8!
I cried and rolled around on the ground, not understanding why this was so painful!
“You see, this is something instructors never tell young unicorns, for it might hinder their thirst for learning higher spells with more risk.” I could barely hear Spike’s prideful voice and Princess Celestia’s roars of outrage towards him. There was only the surefire pain, like someone was holding my head into a herd of wildebeests.
“The horn acts as an expulsion point for all magic inside a unicorn-slash-alicorn’s body. Through this expulsion point, spells are channeled and then put into place by the unicorn’s ability to memorize the arcane formula. But what happens when the only expulsion point on a unicorn-slash-alicorn’s body is sliced off completely? The answer is simple! Your head explodes, unless something else is used as an absorbant to such up the excess arcane energy.”
----S----
“Heh. She can’t even hear me through that magical feedback. Doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop explaining this shit to her.”
I took the arm that was folded across my knee, straightened it, and used my hand to grasp Celestia’s jaw. I turned her head sharply so that her anger-filled gaze met mine. “I don’t I need to tell you this, cupcake, but if you don’t surrender Equestria over to me, then you’re gonna be rudely introduced to Twilight Popple.” I squeezed her cheeks together playfully, making them out like a chipmunk’s twice before detaching my hand and laughing.
“You are not the Spike I helped raised! I am severely disappointed with you!”
“Eh, you raise some you lose some. After all, you’re about to lose precious key to Equestria’s defense in a minute or so.”
“You will pay for this...” Celestia growled, baring her teeth at me. I grinned.
“Would you like that in bits or brains?”
Her eyes closed at my disrespectful joke, and she continued grunting in anger. I think she was avoiding any chance of looking at me to withhold her anger, which I find plain rude.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! IT HUUUUUURTS! HELP! HEEEELP MEEEE!”
That was the straw that broke her back, making Celestia snap her eyes open in fear. Right about now, the room had gotten considerably darker, and Twilight’s eyes had become completely white as a globular aura of sparkling lavender magic encompassed her like a protective cocoon. It pulsed as her hooves left the ground, and she curled up into a ball while resting her hooves on her head in a vain attempt at disbanding the surging magic.
“TWILIGHT! NO!” Celestia reached out a hoof to her student, but then remembered that my boot was preventing her from helping Twilight. She looked back at me with eyes full of...
“Does...does the Princess Celestia hate me!? Oh, this is just too much!”
“THIS FARCE ENDS NOW! RELEASE ME!” Celestia’s version of the Royal Canterlot Voice was just a decibel higher than Luna’s, which means it did little to intimidate me. But, it did make me look like a badass, for my black collared-shirt was unbuttoned, so it flapped in the air behind me like the black flags next to me.
“No...” I looked down at my non-existent watch, “...and you now have ten seconds to decide.” Her rage vanished when a bolt of pure lavender magic incinerated the entire roof of Canterlot Castle, allowing Celestia’s sun to pour into the throne room. Her eyes widened at that, and she closed her eyes while picking up her breathing. The temples on the sides of her head pulsed, letting me know she was in deep thought about all this.
She was, however, taking her sweet-ass time in deciding this shit. It was made apparent to me right then and there, that she would ultimately squander this time in thinking of a better ultimatum. One that would result in her losing a precious friend, might I add.
“ALRIGHT! EQUESTRIA’S YOURS! JUST DON’T KILL HER,” Celestia roared, making me smile and nod at Dameion.
“Obsidian Lightning,” Dameion reached out a hand and grabbed Twilight’s head. Celestia’s eyes widened, and in them I could see the gears turning from Dameion’s sudden words. She turned her head and reached out a hoof in objection to Dameion’s intentions.
“UNHAND HER, BEAST! YOU SHALL NOT HARM HER AS LONG AS I DRAW BREATH!”
“Unholy Syphon,” Dameion finished, narrowing his eyes as Twilight’s magical surge storm was appropriately sucked into my colleagues hand by way of a bridge made of arcing black lightning. Her eyes returned to normal as the clap of thunder filled the entirety of the throne room. It ended as quickly as it began, the lightning and thunder, along with Twilight’s magic, disappeared from the visual realm with an audible pop.
I grinned and applauded the close save. Had Dameion procrastinated for another millisecond, Twilight’s head would’ve been a pain in the ass to clean up from all the walls.
Speaking of Twilight, I watched as her eyes rolled up into her head. Her mouth dropped open, and a groan of pain and weariness echoed forth.
“She’s unconscious, yet still standing. This is amazing. I’ve been gone for five years, exploring the wonders and thrills of the multiverse itself , and I’ve never seen the act of standing after losing consciousness done before. Even her eyes are unresponsive.” Dameion flipped back his hood, allowing us all to see his face.
I chuckled. “The weight of those words is absent with that voice of yours, I’m afraid.”
“Fuck off,” Dameion flipped me off, and I knew I was treading on thin ice there.
“Fine, I’ll stop teasing you. Now, we’ve got to reset the board.” I placed my hand on Celestia’s horn stump, and channeled a wayward soul into my hand. It was then transformed into healing and regenerative magic, which grew the length of Celestia’s horn back instantly. I waved the same hand in a rainbow pattern towards Twilight as well, watching as her dull eyes revitalized themselves into the deep-purple I was familiar with.
I lifted my foot off of Celestia, and was rewarded by having my face blasted with a yellow ray of magic.
I did not budge, but rather caught the ray in its entirety with my unhinged jaw, which I had snapped open purely on reflex. I crunched down on the swirling mass of alicorn magic, and smiled down at Celestia’s panting form. Her mane did not return to its previous luster, letting me know that her magic was severely crippled for the time being.
“Thanks for that, I was feeling a little famished. Now, I just want to say...I’m sorry.”
Celestia, who had begun picking herself up from the ground shakily, affixed me with a confused look when the words hit her aural cavities. “I...I beg your pardon?”
I placed a hand on my chest and bowed at the waist, holding my other hand out and pointing northwest in the air. “Seriously. I’m sorry. I never wanted to kill any of you; it was a ploy, a ruse.” I looked up from my bowed position just to see Celestia looking at me with a blank stare.
“Annnd I broke her. Fantastic, Spike; you’re pretty good at that.”
“I had to acquire your country somehow, and I know you wouldn’t have just given it to me. That being said, I constructed this plan in order to take it from you by ambush and force. I only plan to rule over you and Luna, not all of Equestria. I’m not ready to be a leader, but rather just own planets.” After explaining my mission, I stood back up to my full height and sat down on Celestia’s throne, resting a fist upon my cheek and awaiting the questions that were sure to come.
“But...but...huh? This is lacking sound reason, Spike! Why make yourself my enemy, and even almost kill your surrogate mother, just to preside of myself and Luna!? What purpose does any of this serve,” Celestia fumed, stomping her hoof down in such a way that the marble flooring cracked.
“Planets equal power to Draconians...and the Fortune of Fafnir participants. I must have at least one-hundred planets sporting my flag before I can participate with the other Kings and Queens of the Draconians. That being said, I currently have five-hundred planets with my face on em’.” I crossed my right leg over my left, looking at Celestia’s flabbergasted face. “You, little miss princess, are in the presence of a multiversal King.”
I slammed my fist upon the armrest, sinking the entire floor. Celestia seemed in awe at the fact that something she helped raised could be strong enough to move an entire room down a couple of feet, and with so little power at that.
“I need not preside over Equestria...just you and Luna. Say it with your mouth, Celestia. Proclaim for the the multiverse to here...” I began channeling my aura, feeling the dark-purple smog leak off of me in clouds of spongy energy. Then, I let my soul come into play.
I felt the energy expand out, and everyone raised their appropriate appendages to intercept the violet light of my soul. I saw every planet I ever conquered in my absence floating amongst the purple wisps of energy as my soul continued to grow and grow. Pretty soon, I could feel the entirety of Canterlot surrounded by my soul.
My arms stretched out of their own volition, and I exhaled slowly to alleviate the building tension in my lungs. I bent my head back to peer up at the sky, watching my purple bubble obliterate clouds and encompass the tip of Canterlot Mountain.
This...This was only a fraction.
I inhaled mightily, feeling the urge to let all of Equus know that I had returned.
I roared.
I roared for the pain I felt five years ago. I roared for the strife within the Great Unknown. I roared for Sunset Shimmer. I roared for Dameion. I roared....for myself.
It took a minute or two, but my roar of pride echoed off and the world stopped quaking in reverence of my countenance. Looking down, I saw the faces of Celestia and Twilight looking at me with opened eyes, and I’m being cryptic there.
They finally saw me for the King I am. They knew that if I wished it, I could destroy them all with no more than a few words.
I chuckled and pulled the fraction of my being back into my Magical Core, feeling reinvigorated after that little show. I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of the trillion souls within me. I knew that when I opened my eyes, I’d be activating Soul Stare.
And so I did.
“Now, I have to get down to business. I didn’t just come back for shits and giggles. As Dameion stated before, we have something that needs addressing.”
“Celestia,” I called, getting the alicorn to swallow a lump in her throat. I’m guessing it’s the first time she’s been stacked up against something stronger than her and Luna combined. Nevertheless, she nodded her assent to my call, letting me know she was listening with undivided attention. “This is only the beginning. I was born on this world, so it only make sense that I rule it. Now, I must impart a harrowing piece of information to you all.”
Twilight, although the fear was radiating off her body, stepped forward shakily until she was standing next to her mentor. The size difference between the two of them made me chuckle, then straighten my face at the severity of the words to come.
“W-what is it,” Twilight asked shakily, her knees practically vibrating like her special drawer compartment hidden underneath her bed on the left.
“In the coming week, Equus shall become the feasting ground of a Mad King. That roar just now was a challenge against him, and I know he’s lurking on this planet somewhere. And now he knows that I know he’s here.” Twilight began shaking harder as her eyes started darting from side to side. Celestia grimaced at the severity in my tone, and opened her mouth to respond.
I raised my hand, stopping her just as the first sound escaped. “I can look for him all I want using my power; but, as it stands, he can and will remain undetectable for a large amount of time. It’ll give him all the time he needs to gather souls into a Marfedelom Flask, or a specialized container made for potent magic users and those who soul weave into their arcane abilities...like me.” I placed a thumb on my chest.
“So...what are you asking?” Celestia looked up at me with fearful eyes. I gripped the armrests that had somehow remained intact from my earlier slam.
“His name is Terran Nellis, and he attacks Kings and Queens by living on their key planets in secret. Biding his time in such a way, he becomes nigh untraceable as he slaughters and absorbs the souls of his victims. Every soul he acquires, he places it in a Marfedelom Flask, which grows to a ludicrous size over years and years of doing this. He stashes said Flask in a temporal space bubble, which hangs in the space between this planet and the dimension below.” I sighed, lifted a hand into the air, and snapped my fingers.
A green portal opened up beside me, and the sound of revving hogs and rock music filled the air.
“I’m gonna need the Huntresses for this...”
“Twilight, Celestia,” They looked at me after I spoke with confused faces, and I pointed at the portal with my other hand while lowering the first one. “I am horrible with tracking, and so, I have taken it upon myself to expand my Knights. Knights, as you may have deduced, fight alongside the Kings and Queens during The Fortune of Fafnir. Three classes of Knights exist. You have the Hunters and Huntresses, Sharpshooters, and Swordplayers.”
The revving stopped, and the roar an engine makes when whatever it’s inside of starts accelerating filled the air. I smiled, knowing exactly who was going to come through that portal.
“They have dubbed themselves as BABS, and were the Queens of a parallel universe of Equus. They singlehandedly killed everyone on that planet, and during my youth as a King, gave me a run for my money. May I present to you, Celestia, Twilight...” The throne room doors opened, and Luna came staggering in. “...and Luna, The Boss-Ass-BitcheS.”
Three hogs, growling their authority in voices like bears, came flying out of the green portal. All four motorcycles soared over the heads of Celestia and Luna, their riders in tight black biker suits with silver pyramid-studs adorning the shoulders and helmets. The four bikes circled around as they popped wheelies up the steps, settling their bikes next to my throne.
One of the riders thought it'd be funny to blast Luna’s throne to smithereens in order to make room. I was laughing my ass off when I heard its owner grown in irritation.
I tilted my head slightly left, listening as the bikes all powered off and their riders got off. Their biker boots slapped upon the ground, their black helmets hiding their respective identities. All of them walked on two legs, which was the norm for the dimension I took over. Standing about six feet tall, all four walked up to me and placed a hand on their cocked hips.
“Ladies...” I trailed off and held my hands off to the sides of me. They shared glances with one another, and the leader- the one standing in the middle -took off her helmet and flipped her long brilliant-amaranth mane about, her light brilliant-amaranth highlights flashing like white lightning as her moderate spring bud eyes focused on me with a seductive edge.
“Big Daddy...” On that word choice, the rest of the figures followed suit and removed their helmets.
“Babs, baby, come on and get comfortable. You all too...I’m sure multiversal highway traveling can wear you down something awful.” At my generous offer, Babs grinned and sat down on my knee, unzipping her biker suit enough to showcase the top of her brilliant gamboge bust. She scooted back and rested her head under my chin, nuzzling it affectionately. Babs sighed into me.
It didn’t take long for the other BABS members to worm their way onto my form with equally seductive faces. Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo; all of them had found some way to squeeze on top of me, and I still had enough room to wrap my arms around them.
They turned around on my lap and stomach, affixing everyone else with a cold glare. That went double for Dameion, who found it necessary to walk up the steps and stand next to the throne we were on.
“That’s...that’s impossible...” Twilight breathed out in disbelief, her strength failing her once more as she fell on her ass for the second time today.
“Girls, I hope you’re ready for a good time.” I nibbled on each of their ears, getting quiet moans from the attention. Pony ears are ridiculously sensitive, and race specific appendages are too. “I guess you know why I called you hear?”
“Heh, did you forget that I’m the smart one,” Sweetie quipped, earning her three slaps to the back of the head by her teammates. She gave each one of them a glare, which looked absolutely ridiculous as she went to each one. “You’re all mad because it’s true!”
“Whatever, Priss-Tits. Anyways, youse need us to find a bozo,” Babs asked with confused face, making me nod with a smile.
“You don’t have to go now, seeing as how you just got here. Nestle up with Big Daddy; he’s missed his Angels...”
“Awww...” They drawled out and snuggled closer, making me shift my body to accompany their moments. I was snug, they were snug, all that was missing was a rug for us bugs!
“You’re all insane...” Luna breathed out.
“Eat me, skank! Why don’t you go fuck a duck or something,” Scootaloo yelled at Luna, making the her raise that large head of hers and shake it in disbelief.
“Such language! I helped you with a night terror, young one! Show some respect!”
“Go fuck yourself on the moon for another millenia! No one talks about our relationship with Big Daddy and gets away with it!” I pulled on her arm as Scootaloo made to get up. She looked back at me with angry eyes, and I shook my head.
“Calm down, Matches. We’re all cool here.” She looked at me for a while longer before sighing and rolling her eyes. I yanked her back and slammed my lips into hers, watching as her eyes widened from the sudden affection, and as my tongue rolled around with hers, she lidded her eyes and melted.
“Heeey! Youse didn’t kiss me!”
“Ah want one too! T’aint fair!”
“Why does Scootaloo get a kiss before me!? I’m way cuter...and bustier!”
I pulled out of Scootaloo’s mouth with an audible pop. I looked down at the rest of the BABS crew with a smug smirk. “That was Scootaloo’s punishment for nearly starting a fight. She doesn’t get the...reward you all will be getting.” I waggled my eyebrows, and the rest of them blushed as Scootaloo began pouting.
“Sorry to interrupt this carnival of lust, but can we please figure out how large Terran Nellis’s forces are? I rather not be on this decrepit shithole of a planet when the Flask detonates.” Dameion’s monotone voice made me roll my eyes.
“You’re too serious for your own good. Terran won’t try detonation the Flask while we’re here. Instead, he’ll just redouble his efforts in staying hidden while channeling more souls into it. His objective now, is to grow the Flask large enough to kill us all in one fell swoop. He’s not gonna make it easy for you girls to find him...or his Knights for that matter.” I was slapped on the chest by all of them, making me wince at the fur-on-scale contact that left a sting.
“Come on, Big Daddy! Youse talkin’ bout me an tha girls here! No bozo’s safe from us,” Babs exclaimed smugly, making me chuckle.
“Alright, then you all have your orders. And because I’m feeling generous, Big Daddy’s inviting all of you,” I lifted Scootaloo’s head up and winked at her, “To my room in the midnight hour. Don’t be late. If you are, you don’t get in...or it!” They got up, one after the other.
I gave each of their asses a slap as they did so, getting a giggle out of them all.
Going over to their bikes, which were colored the same way they were, the members of BABS pressed the large red button in the center of each hog. They folded up into small cubes with red buttons on the top. Once folded, they placed the cubes into their latex pockets and walked past the assembled princesses.
All three princesses got the bird before the doors closed.
“STAY AWAY FROM OUR MAN, WHORES!” Scootaloo’s voice carried through the doors before their presence disappeared completely.
“It’s like they never had home training...” Celestia stated with a sad shake of her head. She then looked at Luna, who had come trotting up to her other side, and then Twilight to her left. Her eyes then settled on me again, before she did the one thing no one in this room was expecting.
Celestia bowed elegantly, stretching one leg out as her tall form bent over. “I, Celestia Everfree Faustus, hereby swear myself over to King Spike. Please protect my land from this alien menace, my liege. The sun heeds you.” I could tell, even though her voice was crystal clear, that Celestia struggled with those words tremendously.
Twilight looked like her whole world just fell apart. “Oh, Princess...”
“I, Luna Everfree Faustus, swear the same as our kin. Protect this land, my liege. The moon heeds you.” Luna bowed next.
“That’s two-thirds of the pie...stop hogging the last piece, Twilight, and bow.” I fixed my gaze upon the only one standing.
Twilight’s eyes found mine momentarily before she looked at the elder princesses, who were still bowing gracefully in front of me. Her breathing quickened, and her eyes closed as her mind ran a mile a minute. She was probably thinking of some way to get out of this, to not accept me as a ruler.
“Let me assuade your doubts, Twilight. I will not be leading this country. As I’ve stated, I have no interest in ruling countries, just the rulers of the countries. Control the rulers, control the world. All I need is a verbal confirmation, and I promise on my life that the search for Terran and his Flask will begin tomorrow.”
Twilight stopped straining, and she just remained standing up. Her eyes were still closed, and so I knew that she had made her decision.
She bowed. “I, Twilight Constella Sparkle, hereby swear my allegiance to King Spike. Please, protect this land from the Draconic menace known as Terran. Magic and Friendship heed you, my liege.”
“Ask of us anything, my King.” All three of them said as one.
“Rise, leaders. You no longer need to prostrate yourselves.”
At my behest, all three of them rose.
“I’ll take my leave and select a personal quarters. Should you have any questions...” I raised a hand and smiled. “...Direct them to Dameion kay thanks bye!” I snapped my fingers and teleported out of the room.
I winked back into existence through the roaring of flames, a green cone of my fire spiraling out at my feet before disappearing completely. My location was the hallway outside of the throne room, which allowed me to hear Dameion’s unsatisfied grunt.
“Works every time!” I placed both hands behind my head and began walking off towards the Residential Tower, whistling a merry tune as I did so.
I knew our opponent was one of the higher ranking Draconian Kings, even earning the title of Mad King when he killed Vazzara the Wicked, marking his ninth killing of a King or Queen. Terran was no joke when it came to The Fortune of Fafnir, and if he’s on this planet like Babs said he was, then I’m not even expecting a third of the total population to live through this.
I grimaced, remembering how Twilight, Celestia, and Luna asked me to protect Equestria.
“I’ll try. Damnit, I’ll try!”