//------------------------------// // Joining Forces // Story: Apocalypse: Worlds End or New Beginnings // by Blue dragon 116 //------------------------------// The two days passed quickly as all was made ready In the hive. A growing sense of unease permeating everything, like the dark fog that dominated the horizons moving ever closer. Chrysalis and I stood at the end of the cave that started this all, the entirety of the hive behind us awaiting our orders for departure. "All right listen up." I said turning to face those gathered behind me. "This may be the last time any of you see the hive again, and this may be the last time we see many of you alive. With that in mind take a moment say your goodbyes to home and friends it could very well be your last chance." Their was a dark silence as what I said sank in and the changelings began to mill about. With a tired sigh I turned once again for the exit changing to match my love as we went out. The Queen, her King and their people stepped out and gave one last long look back and then we took to the sky's. Heading for Canterlot, many of the changelings hesitant because of their failed invasion attempt. With a few silent words of encouragement from both me and Chrysalis we all made it to the edge of the forest, trading the tall protective trees for flat lush full fields. And then half way through our flight the fields below gave way to a all to familiar village. And as we grew near screams and sounds of panic could be heard as all the ponies ran for cover. With a few bold ones Firing random spells, throwing whatever they could at us. Or in the case of the pegasus flying up to harasses us, though they all stopped when I sank to the underside of my people. Changing to the dragon and blocking the spells and debris with my body, and scaring off the pegasus just by looking at them. And remained their all the way to canterlot expecting the guards to do worse than the towns ponies. But to my shock we entered the city with no trouble and landed in one of the castles many courtyards without a problem. The sound of many hooves approaching from behind us could be heard as Chrysalis and I got our people settled. "I wish I could say its a pleasure to see you Timor, but I would be lying if I did." Celestia said behind me, as I turned to face her, my eyes going wide as I beheld her and her sister. Both alicorn's were accompanied by a large group of their respective guard with horns aglow, and all of them seemed very upset, scratch that they were seething in rage. It being so strong that I and all the changelings could actually taste it on our tongues. "You may surrender now and avoid blood shed, or we can do battle, in which you shall undoubtedly lose." Luna said stepping forward her eyes cold and unforgiving, but a slight tinge of regret could be seen as well as felt as she looked at me. my gaze lingered on Luna for a second before I gave both princesses a dead pan look and said. "Your joking right?" Luna looked at her sister confused, as Celestia raised a questioning eyebrow. "You both know very well if I wanted you gone their is very little you could do to stop me. I am not here to battle you but to aid you in the battle to come." Their was a heavy silence as Luna looked between her sister and me in confusion as Celestia's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And how do we know we can trust you especially considering who you have allied your self with." Celestia said venom in her voice as she glared at Chrysalis making me growl at her a deep sound that began in my chest. Gaining power as it went up my throat and left my jaws as a black smoke that completely covered the ground around us as I spoke. "Surely given your great age and wisdom Celestia you would know Chrysalis and her changelings are nothing like the monsters spawned by Titulus and his rage." Celestia visibly recoiled in shock as I said that name earning a smirk from me as I approached her quickly covering the distance between us. "Yes I know who that is Celestia, Timor shared all his memory's with me along with his power before he passed. So I can understand your apprehension and anger but they are misguided in the here and now." Not much was said as I glared down at Celestia her face scrunched in confusion. Then her eyes lit up and then narrowed dangerously at me as she took a slow step forward menacingly eyes aflame and horn glowing like the sun. "What do you mean before he passed, you killed Timor, a prince of Equestria fallen as he may have been?" The air in the courtyard became still and loaded with tension as Celestia and I stared one another down, with Chrysalis offering me her support. And even giving me various suggestion's should it come to blows, but I silently assured her it wouldn't come to that, I wouldn't let it. "Do you truly believe me stupid enough to commit such a act and then come here?" I said my gaze never once wavering from Celestia and our battle of wills. " It is a possibility Thomas so tell me will you surrender or must there be blood shed?" Celestia said staring up at me her eyes cold and unwavering. With a long tired sigh I began to lower my head earning a triumphant smile from Celestia and confused frowns from both Luna and Chrysalis as I said. "I had hoped it would not come to this Princess, and that you would have trusted me. But it would seem I have to take drastic measures to make you see the true threat." I could see celestia's smile vanish and Luna's frown grow as my head reached ground level and I took one long, deep breath. Brining my head back up and concentrating on what I was about to do before I said. "So Princesses allow me to show you your true adversaries." Before anyone could react my eyes glowed red with fire and smoke billowed from my jaws surrounding us all in a black void. Blocking out the sun shrouding everything in darkness before the smoke began to take shape forming four figures before me. "Before you stand our true enemies the four horsemen of the apocalypse." I said naming them as they took shape before us War, Death, pestilence, and Famine. "These Celestia are our true enemy's spawned of hellfire and pure evil and they are just as there name implies." As I spoke the figures began to move through countless scenes of destruction taking different forms as they went. But two things always remained the same the color of their armor and there weapons of choice. That and they utterly destroyed anything in there path leaving mangled corpses and ruined cities. All fell before them regardless of their weaponry or power, wisdom or tactics. "There are two signs of their arrival into a world. The first being the return of terror, or Timor being summoned or sent to a world or in this case me. The second happens should the inhabitants fail to defeat Timor. A endless fog shall appear on the horizon and expand until it covers all the sky and world. Then the Horsemen will appear one by one, the destruction of a single town shall mark each riders appearance. Then when all four have appeared they will march across the land with their hellish army and wipe out everything that lives and breaths." The scene changed again to show the four standing at the top a large hill looking back on a ruined world lit by the fires that burned all over. Then a portal appeared before them and they simply vanished into it there armies turning to ash and blowing away in the wind. There was a long silence after the smoke around us cleared allowing sunlight to our world once again. And as it cleared we were met with the sight of thousands of guards surrounding us, a white unicorn stallion in purple and gold armor and another alicorn with pink, purple, and yellow mane and tail at the front of them all. All the guards and the two in front stared dumbstruck up at me as I glanced over the collected might of the ponies. Only to be snapped back to the Unicorn stallion when I felt two powerful spikes of both fear and regret coming from Chrysalis. The stallion in question quickly overcame his surprise and began to look behind me his eyes narrowing dangerously, lit by a burning hatred I've seen only in one other person. "What are you doing here monster, finally come to turn yourself in you filthy disgusting creature." He said taking a menacing step forwards as his horn began to glow before firing a spell directly at Chrysalis. Only to have it impact my outstretched wing as I stepped in front of her. "I would refrain from doing that again if you know what's good for you" I growled dropping my head to his level and pinning him with a cold unwavering glare. Chrysalis telling me all about the stallion in front of me through our link as we stared each other down. "And who are you to tell the captain of celestia's royal guards what to do, especially if it involves that thing?" He spat glaring at me while the alicorn next to him stared at me not with a hate fuelled glare, but a confused stare. "I am Thomas the new avatar of fear" I said pulling myself to my full height, standing on my back legs, wings spread covering the courtyard in my shadow. "I am descendent of Gawain the dragon king, king of the changelings and lover to Chrysalis queen of the changelings" As I spoke I leaned forward until I fell back to all fours shaking the entire castle and everything around us, my face stopping just inches shy of Shinning Armor. "And that Shinning Armor is who I am to tell you to fuck off." I said slamming my jaws shut in his face and snorting smoke to drive my point home. "You are not her lover by choice are you." Shinning said calmly. "I can see the sickly green of her magic behind your eyes, you are a puppet and nothing more just like I was." I began to chuckle darkly, before all out laughing in his face making him grind his teeth in frustration as I said. "I hate to burst you bubble Shinning Armor, but it would have taken more power than she had when I met her to control me like she did you. No the beautiful light you see behind my eyes is not a spell but the presence of my adoptive people. For you see I am truly the king of the changelings by no other will than my own. As I spoke the last part my eyes glowed green same as every changeling behind me as they added their voice to my own, The power of our bonds echoing in our voices and around the courtyard. "it is all a lie...." I ignored the rest of what Shinning Armor had to say turning to his wife instead saying. "Cadence was it, the princess of love?" she nodded yes slowly "Look at the love I have for chrysalis and hers for me and tell me is it true or just the result of some morbid spell and lies?" The courtyard fell silent and all eyes fell on the Princess as she looked Between Chrysalis and myself a confused look to her eyes. And as she looked her confusion seemed to grow as her brow furrowed and her mouth formed a frown. "Well what is the verdict princess?" "The love between you two is true, its not the result of magic or deception" Cadence said her frown growing as she spoke and all was silent yet again while all the ponies stared at her slack jawed. "That's it I don't know how you managed to fool Cadence and her magic, but you wont fool me and im tired of looking at you" Shinning said charging past me to Chrysalis his horn aglow and murder in his eyes. As I watched everything went in slow-mo as Shinning charged Chrysalis, she stared at him in surprise for a moment before preparing a attack of her own. But then in a flash I was between the two towering of shinning armor as he collided with my leg and bounced off it. "The truth doesn't seem to be enough for you Shinning Armor" I said taking a deep breath and releasing it as the all encompassing smoke once again, this time surrounding only me and Shinning Armor. "So I must show you" I said putting my head at his level and looked him in the eyes. "Now look into my eyes and see how the wicked have suffered and what led to that decision." And as he gazed into my eyes he first became rigid as he fought my power but soon he went limp staring into my eyes and seeing for himself that monsters arnt born they are made. And as my spell was reaching its end a sense of alarm flooded me from the hive mind warning me of the reception I would receive once my spell ended. And when it did the smoke dissipated to reveal Chrysalis and the Changelings in a circle around me and Shinning Armor with a barrier around us that was being bombarded by Celestia, Luna, Cadence and all their guards. With a silent command the Changelings made a path for me to Celestia and Luna as I picked up Shinning Armor in a clawed hand and made my way forward. As I made my way forward the bombardment stopped and all three princesses stared at me with angry glares, the sight of shinning's limp body in my claw probably didn't help. "If any harm has befallen our captain..." "There is no need for that Luna Captain Shinning Armor is just fine give him a moment and he shall awaken, with a whole new perspective on some things." I said brushing off the princesses combined anger and depositing Shinning at their feet and laying down a few feet away from them. As soon as I was out of reach all three began to fuss over Shinning Armor and tried to awaken him from his slumber. After some time of this he finally came too when his wife delivered a rather vicious slap to his face waking him and. Making him roll a few feet in my direction from the sheer force of it. "Well that's one way to do it." I said looking at Shinning Armor, his eyes swimming and unfocused. Until he finally righted himself and glared at me while rubbing his head. "How do I know what you have shown me isn't a lie?" he said slowly returning to his wife who was smothering him in apologies. "I guess you will just have to take my word on this one bud." I said chuckling to myself as Shinning gave me a skeptical glare before nodding ok. "What happened, what did he show you Shinning Armor?" Celestia said coming to stand behind him while eyeing me warily. "He showed me her struggles your majesty, I understand why she did what she did though I still hate her for it." Shinning said glaring at both me and Chrysalis warily. "Is that so?" "Indeed it is Celestia now that you know we arnt your enemies we can prepare for the real fight that will begin tomorrow with the arrival of the first horsemen. So I suggest you call on all your allies and begin to plan for war." I said making my way through the ponies to the castle Chrysalis and the changelings following close behind. "And what of you and the changelings what are you going to do?" Luna said blocking my path with a confused glare on her face. "Worry about rallying your ponies and allies lady moon, as for me and mine we will be finding somewhere to stay on the castle grounds, so that you may find me should you need me or Chrysalis." And with that said Chrysalis and I set out to find a suitable place to stay finally settling for the crystal caverns below the castle. After getting the changelings settled in the caves Chrysalis and I made our way back to the courtyard. I opting for my human form, a simple pair of black jeans and a matching Stetson adorning my toned frame with the mark on my chest glinting in the sun light. Giving the ponies there space Chrysalis and I searched for a place where we could relax and keep a eye on things. And shortly after delegates from both the dragon and gryphon empires arrived, immediately badgering the princesses with questions. The most asked question to Luna's surprise pertained to her appearance, and took many assurances from Celestia and Luna both. To convince the delegates that there would not be another Nightmare Moon problem. With that resolved Celestia began to explain to the delegates the true nature of this meeting. "And watch the fireworks as the fools rage." I said to Chrysalis with a smirk earning a chuckle as I covered my eyes with my Stetson as if asleep. The delegates outrage could be easily heard from where Chrysalis and I sat, and one voice was growing louder as its owner came closer. "Here comes one of those fools now, a gryphon." Chrysalis warned silently making me smirk as the gryphon stopped near us and said. "And what is so fearsome about this creature Celestia, why should we listen to anything it says?" "You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover friend, you might find yourself with more than you can handle." I said mockingly from under my hat, the sound of growling could be heard from the gryphon. "Really and what could you possibly do, your much to small to be of any real threat to me." He said laughing as he reached down and swiped my hat from my head. Where I promptly disappeared in black smoke and reappeared behind the gryphon reclaiming my hat and replaced it on my head. "Now I don't know about round here." I said coldly as the gryphon spun around and glared at me. "But where I come from you don't mess with a mans hat unless your looking for trouble." At this point I got a good look at the creature before me, he was about a head and a half taller than me. A scar running from above his left eye and across his face coming to a end on the right side of his beak. His eyes were cold, calculating trademarks of a seasoned warrior if the scar and swords on his hip weren't clue enough. His feathers were dull in color, showing he had age as well as experience, but wasn't beyond service. "So which one of you are the ambassador?" I said looking towards the princesses to see about six more gryphons similar to the one before me. On the opposite side stood the dragon delegates all watching me with narrowed emotionless eyes. In the middle of the gryphons was another his feathers were bright with youth, eyes darting back and forth between me and the princesses showing his lack of experience. "That would be me." He said his voice shaking ever so slightly as he rose a clawed hand. "Ahh very good my name is Thomas good sir and I would like you to tell me what you see before you." I said walking towards him stopping short of his circle guard. "Im not sure I understand, what do you mean?" he said stepping past the guard to get a better look at me. "You arnt a soldier sir, nor are you a friend I have already seen and heard what both think of me I would like your opinion. Do you stand by your guards choice saying I am to small to be of any true threat, or is it possible there is more to me than meets the eye?" I said as the ambassador eyed me warily and all the guards snorted on annoyance. There was silence save the sound of shuffling feet as the ambassador looked me over with a critical eye. "Your body shows signs of training and hard labor." The ambassador said finding his voice. " Your calm in the face of trouble and quick witted. But even with both these traits you pose very little threat to us gryphons." "A fair assessment ambassador, but it is flawed non the less." as I said this the ambassadors eyes narrowed. "For you see, you are basing your assessment almost entirely on my physical appearance, something that could very easily be a disguise." "Be that as it may I still stand by my earlier assessment." The ambassador said stepping closer and glaring at me with smoldering eyes. "You are to small, and undertrained to even be considered anything more than a nuisance. How you managed to convince the Princesses of Equestria otherwise is beyond me, but it just goes to show females have no place ruling a country." As the last words left the ambassadors beak all the princesses snorted angrily or just glared at the ambassador with a look that could have killed. Chrysalis on the other hand was on her feet and hissing threateningly, her eyes aglow in rage. "Is that so, tell me ambassador what if I proved you wrong would you aid Equestria?" I said silently reassuring Chrysalis that they would pay for that insult. "Even if you were to prove me wrong which is highly unlikely." The ambassador said stepping forward getting into my face as he spoke. "It is not within my power to say, that responsibility falls to the king" "Who is conveniently not here though" I said letting my irritation slip into my voice and my eyes darken in anger. "No he is indeed present." a voice said behind me belonging to the first I spoke with. "And I stand by my ambassador you have done little but run your mouth. With no proof of the threat you say looms on the horizon you are nothing more than a child crying for no reason." Again Chrysalis Shot to her feat in anger with me barely holding her back with assurances of retribution. All being passed silently as we stared into one another's eyes. With a final angry snarl she settled back in her place only to hear the king say. "you should keep your bitch on a leash freak, were this my home she would be dead instead of allowed a say in these events." In the time it took for the king and his delegates to chuckle, three things happened. The first being my eyes turned deep red as I let my anger show and power flow. Then all the gryphons save the king began to scream as their own shadows began to attack them and drag them into the dark. The third and final thing happened as I disappeared in a geyser of black smoke and reappeared behind the king a changeling, kicking the king squarely in the back. Sending him sprawling on the ground at chrysalis's feet, while I trotted up behind him my horn glowing red effectively keeping him in place until I lifted him up and looked him in the eye. "Now hear me king, you all foolishly dismissed me as a nuisance and now you are paying the price. But from here on out not only will you trust the Princesses entirely but you will also apologize to my queen. And you will never insult her like that again and if you do there is no place I wont find you do I make myself clear?" "Do you have any idea..." "Who you are? what I have done? Why yes sir" I said cutting the king off and keeping him silent with magic as I spoke. "I do I have nocked a pompous prick down a few notches. And don't start with the self righteous I am a king this means war crap, there is no need for it and it wont ever get that far." As I spoke I shifted and mimicked the kings appearance, everything from his voice and the cocky grin he wore not even a minute before this. "What are you?" he said staring up at me wide eyed making me throw my head back and laugh as I released him and returned to my form. "I am a powerful ally and a deadly adversary." I said reaching a hand out to the king as his followers reappeared out of their shadows. "Now tell me will you aide the princesses and I fight the battles to come or must you and I be enemies?" The king eyed my hand like it was a snake that was going to bite him and when it didn't he slowly took it and I pulled him to his feet, dusting him off once he stood. In all the Gryphons were shaky but otherwise unharmed and refused to go anywhere near me and Chrysalis, and then later agreed to aid equestria in the days to come. As the day neared its end Celestia, Luna and Cadence had discussed and made the necessary preparations to have gryphons in equestria. But still there was no answer from the dragons they would always seem to be staring at me even ignoring the princesses when they tried to talk to the dragons. Then the oldest, largest dragon left the group and came towards me, his scales were a faded deep red. With twisted horns all along the crest of his head and spikes on his jaws. "What are you little one I can sense great power in you, and yet I don't know what you are." He said his voice a low abyssal bass reverberating with power. "mind your words with this one, they are all hiding something and are suspicious of us.." Chrysalis warned as I eyed the dragon before me and pondered how to answer his question. "Tell me dragon." I said smiling. "What do you know of humans." "You mean the monsters mothers tell there children about to keep them in line." Another voice said as a smaller dragon came forward and glared at me with hate filled eyes. "Humans are monsters only content when they have destroyed everything else. And they are the reason our first true king died and isn't here with us." "Is that so little one, so tell me do I look like what you imagined humans to be?" I said annoyed with this dragon already and fighting the urge to knock that look off his face. "And what if I told you that Eleanor wasn't the death of Gawain what would you say then?" Both dragons recoiled and stared at me dumbfounded, until the young one growled and got in my face saying. "you utter such heresy again and I will gladly burn you to a crisp here and now. So what do you have to say to that human?" The dragon glared down at me with a smug smile on his face, one that quickly distorted to a snarl of rage as my hysterical laughter rung throughout the courtyard. "And how would you have across these lies little one, such lies need to be stopped immediately." The older dragon said looking down at me with genuine concern in his eyes. Before they too were filled with anger and scorn as my mocking laughter filled the courtyard once more. "And who says these are lies old one?" I said wiping a tear from my eye. "What I tell you is indeed the truth, for you see I am a direct descendent of Eleanor, the soul mate of Gawain the Great." I hardly got to finish my sentence before I was bathed in searing flames burning away my clothes but doing little otherwise. Enraged I shifted and shot my long neck out catching young dragon around his throat effectively stanching his flames as I beat my wings. taking myself and my opponent into the air only to whip my head around and fling the drake into the ground. Black flames covered his body as I fell from the sky and hit him directly in the chest sending dirt and dust into the air. When all was clear I was standing above the drake my legs holding down his throat and wing, while I glared down at him. At first he struggled to get me off though when he saw me once again his eyes went wide and he froze beneath me. "I should kill you now and save the world from one more jack ass!" I roared as the drake cowered underneath me, only to feel a small prod on my leg. who happened to be Luna looking up and me and shaking her head no with a knowing smile on her face. i have to say i agree with her for once.Chrysalis told me moving to stand next to Luna. "Fine be gone you damned fool and don't let me see your worthless hide unless it is of dire importance." I said with a sigh as I stepped off and returned to human form and began to walk away. Only to stop when i heard the old dragon call out. "My king where are you going?" As he chased after me, bowing once he caught up to me. "I am not your king dragon speak to princess Celestia and the others I want nothing more to do with this." I said brushing past him only to stop when he dropped his tail in front or me, earning a withering glare for his trouble. "But you are our king, when you became one of us it was Gawain who stood before us and rightfully punished that fool." He said his eyes actually sparkling with excitement. " It is all as the prophesy foretold all those years ago out king has returned." "Fine then I am your king, and you know what the first thing im going to do as your king is?" I said my voice dripping with sarcasm and throwing my arms up in exasperation. "You are to aid both princess Celestia and Luna to prepare in every way for the coming days." "As you wish my lord." the dragon said bowing and backing away before going to the other dragons and then the princesses. This day has been nothing but a pain in my ass. I thought as I began walking again, heading for the crystal caves and hopefully some well deserved rest. Only to stop dead and fight every muscle in my body not to scream in rage when I heard Luna's voice behind me calling. "Thomas wait please I wish to speak with you a moment." "Make it quick princess I have reached my limit for dealing with dumb shits today and I don't have much patience left." I said turning to face her as she trotted up to me. "I never did get the chance to properly thank you Thomas." She said catching me by surprise and raise a eyebrow in confusion as I said. "Thank me for what princess I have done little more than cause you trouble since my arrival?" I asked genuinely curious to hear what she had to say. Only to freeze stiff with eyes nearly bugging out of my head when I felt her lean in and kiss me square on the lips and say. "Thank you Thomas for helping me show my true self to my sister, and helping me in my garden." After that Luna quickly took flight heading for a tower on the other side of the castle. I could have sworn I saw a blush tinting her cheeks as Luna flew away, though I didn't have time to think much on the subject. As I was dragged from my thought's by Chrysalis coming up next to me and bumping me with her flank to gain my attention. "What was that all about?" She said nodding in the direction Luna disappeared while giving me a curious look. "Hmm?" I said still partially lost in thought. "Oh right, that was nothing my dear Luna just wanted to thank me." "What for Thomas?" "I've helped her out once or twice since I got here, ill have to ask her about it later." I said still pondering what happened until I felt a sense of unease and worry coming from Chrysalis as she said. "Speaking of questions Thomas I have one for you." Her voice actually shook a little and the fear actually grew as she spoke. "Chrysalis what's bothering you?" I said grabbing her neck and hugging her with her head against my chest. She didn't say anything right away, and I could feel her emotions leveling out as I held her. "How do you feel about kids Thomas?" That question caught me completely by surprise as I leaned back and looker her in the eye to see if she was serious, which she was. "I would like to have some one day if that's what your asking love." I said with a confused smile as I escorted her to our temporary home and laid down to rest. Though rest was a difficult thing for me with all the events of the day weighing on my mind and knowing what tomorrow would bring didn't help much.