//------------------------------// // Chapter Sixteen // Story: Battle Ready: The Rising of Sin // by D101 Reviews //------------------------------// Battle stayed close to the group of Lunar Guard that were hunting down Happy Face. He kept them in sight but not close enough to be noticed; a shadow pinned to its caster, yet just far away enough not to be noticed. He wasn't exactly interested in fighting Happy Face, though he knew if he followed Happy Face he would most likely end up having to fight him, if it even was a he. No fighting the second attacker was not hi intent though he knew very well that it would come to that. He wanted answers. He wanted to find out who these two attackers were and he had a feeling he wouldn't be getting any answers unless he followed Happy Face. Sad Face was down for the count and probably half way to a jail cell in Canterlot by this point. If he was going to get any answers it would have to be before Happy Face was locked up or killed. Given how he had been rag-dolling the Royal Guards with his companion however, that clearly wasn't going to happen. And it was also one of the reasons he was so interested in the pair. They had fought with a fighting style Battle did not recognise; with a strength that was unbelievable for ponies of their size and stature. That was the first reason. The second was how it had felt when Battle fought Sad Face. Battle had fought a number of different opponents in his time: Earth Ponies, Pegasi, Unicorns, Griffins to name a few. He knew and remembered what it had felt like to physically strike one of each of those races. But when he fought Sad Face he knew that she was no regular Pony. The way her flesh had yielded to his punch; the vibrations of her skeleton... it was like he had punched a manticore. The guards were leaving Ponyville now, and judging from the direction they were heading straight for the boundaries of the Everfree forest. Happy Face was probably banking on the innate fear every pony around Equestria seemed to share about entering the dense foliage. As it was he was in luck and quite right given how the Lunar guard were slowing down as they neared the edge of the tree-line. They looked to each other in slight hesitation as they tried to discern what exactly they were expected to do. Battle sped up as he saw this; if the Lunar guard were unwilling to find the assailant they would be unreliable to track it. The guards were talking amongst themselves; muttering nervously about how to proceed. They didn't notice as Battle sped towards them or indeed as he raced past them and plunged headlong into the trees and the shadows. Blackness pressed in on him from all around even from above. His horn flared into light, casting a silver glow between the trees and lighting his way. He blundered through the undergrowth as fast as his legs would allow; ducking branches and dodging trunks along the way. He had no idea how far his target had gotten away from him and no idea which way they were heading. They had been running for much longer than Battle. He would probably be worn out by now. He must nearly be on top of him. As Battle thought this he broke from under the canopy and out into a clearing, the hunched up figure of Happy Face on his hands and knees, gasping for breath. At the sound of Battle's entrance he turned around and got to his feet, backing away slowly as Battle slowed to a stop in the centre of the clearing. "You can try running," Battle said to Happy Face, who looked sharply up at him. "Really it'd be simpler to answer my questions. Like who and what are you." Happy Face muttered something to himself before shouting at Battle: "Parmab wiavh lat ukavupid horuke!" Battle blinked. The language was guttural, rough and cruel. Like his voice had been dragged over broken glass and hot coals. But it was a language Battle recognised. And that's what unnerved him even more. He shook himself and cleared his throat. "Nalal avhaav wauk julneceukukarausan," he called back. Happy Face froze, stunned. Battle fell back into an offensive stance. "Well at least I don't need to ask what you are any more," he said, eyes narrowed. "Chimera." Happy Face ripped off his mask and opened his mouth. He opened his mouth to an obscene degree, his jaw unhinged and his throat bulged like he was forcing a football up from his stomach and out his mouth, a gold light burning through his skin. Battle's eyes widened and dived the side as Happy Face unleashed a ball of golden fire at Battle, or where Battle had been had he not dived to the side. Battle came up on his knee and frowned. "Okay, so that's a thing," he mumbled. Happy Face closed his mouth and rolled his bottom jaw, his eyes narrow. "You know I have to kill you now right?" he asked. "There's no way I can let you go knowing what I am." "Well that's a bit extreme," Battle said slowly getting to his feet. Happy Face shrugged and rolled his neck. "Sometimes extreme measures have to be made." And he lunged for Battle. The unicorn side stepped and Happy Face shot past him. He twisted around and spat fire and Battle ducked, coming up on his left and punching him in kidney. Again, like when he'd punched Sad Face, that heavy resonance of punching something much heavier than it's size let on. Happy Face grunted and cracked his elbow on the top of Battle's head and Battle's world rocked. His head swam and he dropped to his knees. He spluttered at the heavy impact and shook himself, just in time for Happy Face to kick him in the stomach, flipping Battle over and sending him sprawling. He grunted and retched, clutching his stomach eyes screwed up in pain. His ears twitched when he heard the 'clack' of Happy Face's jaw dislocating again. His eyes opened and he forced himself to roll quickly as Happy Face incinerated the grass where Battle had been. Another ball of fire followed and another followed that and Battle pushed himself to his feet and jumped behind a tree, panting as he caught his breath. "Lat saib noav defeaav alnej!" Happy Face called after him. Despite the situation, Battle smiled. "I'll admit you hit like a train," Battle replied, smirking. "I've fought tougher though. Ma inavelligenav auk nalal!" He danced behind another tree, circling around Happy Face as the chimera stalked over to where Battle had been moments before. A voice from Battle's teenage years called back to him and he smiled as he remembered a younger, bloodied and bruised Battle Ready in the Academy. 'If you're opponent's bigger or tougher than you, outsmart the bastard! Honour's all well and good but it won't keep you alive against a guy with a fist the size of your head. Sneak round him and club him in the back!' "So elegant aren't you Juggernaut?" Battle muttered, echoing his words of his youth, stooping low and picking up a fallen tree limb. It was heavy which was good but not so heavy that Battle couldn't use it effectively. He sneaked out from the trees and came swiftly up behind Happy Face, raising his makeshift club high and smacking him firmly around the head. Happy Face cried out in pain and he lashed out wildly, long clawed talons sliding from the ends of his fingers. Battle jumped back to avoid been lacerated and Happy Face stumbled blindly for a few moments. When he turned he was bleeding from his burst upper lip and he looked furious. His blood was a dull copper in colour. Battle rested his club over his shoulder like it were a baseball bat. "You feel like telling me what your plans are yet?" Battle asked. "Jiak liwo pi mausan armauk'uk gijak auk ukarukaparilla!" Happy Face roared. "You'd have to kill me first," Battle smirked. "You have no idea what you're messing with Equestrian," Happy Face snarled, "You meddle in affairs beyond your comprehension." "Try again dii fahdon," Battle called. "I'm from Warhorse." Happy Face blanched and Battle's smile turned cruel. "Now who's out of their depth?" Happy Face turned to run and Battle threw his club in a perfect one handed arc, smacking it neatly between Happy's shoulder blades. Happy stumbled and grunted, ran face first into a tree by mistake. By the time he tried to correct himself, Battle was there beside him, hand on the back of his head. Still dazed, Happy had no idea what was happening until his nose met the tree again with a sickening crunch. He screamed as blood spurted from his nostrils. Battle threw Happy backwards so that he sprawled on the ground. He strode over to him and picked up his fallen club. He whistled a jaunty tune as Happy tried to get up. Suddenly he swung down, the wooden branch crunching onto Happy's left hand. He screamed again and snatched his hand to his chest, falling flat on his back. "Oh come on you're a big guy," Battle said nonchalantly. "It should've taken way more than that to shatter every fucking bone in your hand." Happy whimpered and Battle smacked the branch down on his right kneecap. Another scream and Battle raised the branch again. This time he brought it down with such force that the club split into and there was a crack like a gunshot as Happy's knee cracked. It was almost drowned out by his scream of pain. Almost. Battle threw the remnants of his club away and he crouched over Happy's torso, picking his broken hand away from his chest, squeezing it gently and causing Happy to wince. "Right here," Battle said, squeezing tighter, causing a yelp from Happy. "Focus on the pain right here. You focussing?" Happy nodded, tears streaming down his face, mixing with the blood from his nose. "Gooooood," Battle sang gently. "Now you're gonna tell me what the fuck you were doing tonight and what the hell you were planing on doing with Princess Luna." Despite the pain he was in, Happy Face managed a bitter chuckle. "I won't..." "Oh I hate to use clichés but I have ways of making you talk." "Not in the next minute," Happy gasped. Battle frowned. "What happens in the next minute?" Happy laughed and jerked his head upward to where Battle had found him. "See that plant up there?" Battle looked and his eyes widened. "Hemlock..." He looked back at Happy. "You poisoned yourself..." "Just stalling for time I'm afraid," he grunted. "Should be dead any second now... Sorry. You're not getting anything from me." Battle scowled. "Suicide is the way of the coward." "Compared to what they'd do to me if they knew we'd failed? I'd rather be a coward." "Who's they?" Battle growled, squeezing Happy's hand tight. He gritted his teeth in pain but still smiled, froth bubbling from between his teeth, his body convulsing sickeningly beneath Battle. He stiffened, then collapsed onto the ground, a sigh leaving his lips. Dead. Battle got to his feet. He let his hand go. His face was a mix of disgust and fury. He kicked Happy's body. He felt better. He kicked it again. "Stupid fool," he growled, readjusting his collar.