Scootaloo kept her face to the mirror, watching the glowing Contract mark in her eye. As long as it was exposed to air and glowing, it sent out a continuous pulse along the Contract itself to let Sebastian know exactly where she was. That was their only hope of escape at this point, let alone carrying out her vengeance. Their breach of their cocoons did not go unnoticed, and entire swarms of guards were lining the halls. At first, Blueblood and Bluebottle were confident they could strike them down and fight their way out...until one of Bluebottle's blades was absorbed into the black rock armor the Changelings were wearing. As if anti-magic traps weren't bad enough...magic absorbing armor? What next?
After that, Blueblood and Bluebottle took defensive positions to make sure they could watch all possible approaches. The Changelings, however, simply stood and watched. They stayed as still as statues, to the point it was difficult to tell they weren't statues. "Why aren't they moving?" Bluebottle demanded irritably.
"They want to wear us down," Blueblood responded immediately. "We have to stay completely tense and alert for any possible attack, our nerves as taut as bowstrings. But keep a bowstring taut too long, the bow weakens. They can just stand still and watch us, perfectly relaxed while they wait for us to break ourselves. And we don't have enough of us to take turns on watch." He frowned thoughtfully. "Whatever else you say about them, they know what they're doing."
"Here's hoping I know better-" Scootaloo began.
Ka-THOOM!
The massive explosion rocked the entire tunnel, causing all of the Changeling guards to jump and spin, looking towards the source as a fireball bloomed through a tunnel wall. A metallic tumbling clanking sound echoed through the hole as something began to emerge from the smoke.
Ratatatatatatatatatatat!
The rapid retorts punctuated by flashes of light heralded the Changelings being mowed down like chaff as something pierced through them rapidly, tearing body and armor apart. Blueblood and Bluebottle ducked as tiny metal spheres trailing green gore became embedded in the wall behind them. As the smoke faded, the shape became more clearly defined.
Earth ponies had once built tanks in the pre-Unification era. The intention of these armored vehicles was to provide a means through which Earth Pony strength could circumvent unicorn spell casting. An armored vehicle that could launch metal projectiles to inflict as much damage as war magic...the concept was sound, but execution was not. Most pony tanks were large, clunky things that could barely move and required completely flat terrain to function, making them next to useless given unicorns almost universally built their strongholds atop high slopes.
This was so different from the historical pony tanks Scootaloo wondered why she instantly knew the same word even applied. It was made of pure silver, with enchantments for durability, maneuverability, and cleansing so deeply engraved in the metal she was surprised plant life wasn't springing up around it as it rolled. Multiple rollers lined the sides of the tank at varying heights relative to the ground, surrounded by a tread that rolled continuously as it moved. The body of the tank was a boxy square, big enough to hold all the machinery within and presumably not much else...except for the fact the cockpit cover had a spatial expansion enchantment engraved into the metal, plainly indicating it could hold much more than exterior dimensions allowed. Small paintball guns jutted out at the four sides and the four corners, now visibly loaded with cold iron pellets. A massive turret swiveled around atop the tank, emerald flames visible in its depths behind a shell of some sort. The remains of a shell dropped from the hole in the wall, showing silver powder, iron dust, salt, garlic, and holy water alongside an explosive sunfire charge.
This wasn't just a tank. This was a monster killing tank, and loaded to take on gods.
The guns fired off several more times until all the Changeling guards in the area were either dead or scattered. The tank then swiveled to face Scootaloo and the others, the filly having put her eyepatch back on to face the tank. The hatch squeaked, lifted...
...and revealed five familiar faces.
"CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS RESCUE SQUAD, YAY!"
Scootaloo felt her jaw drop. "Sweetie Belle? Apple Bloom? Diamond Tiara? Silver Spoon? ...Spike? What are you doing here?"
"Uh, rescuing you," Apple Bloom pointed out.
"Duh!" Diamond Tiara added. "We kinda shouted it out just now."
"But how did you find us?" Scootaloo demanded. "And where did you get the tank?"
"We made it ourselves," Sweetie Belle explained. "I found the blueprints when we visited Diamond's house to play some of her games."
"My Dad's a silversmith," Silver Spoon spoke up, "so I know my way around smelting and engraving."
"Zecora helped me mix up th' ammunition!" Apple Bloom added.
"I paid for everything we couldn't scrounge ourselves, and managed to get a rush on the materials," Diamond chimed in.
"And I provide the fire that's making it go!" Spike concluded.
"It's also got some sort of beacon spell to lock in on people," Diamond Tiara added, "but for some reason it's locked onto your butler. He's around here somewhere, teamed up with some crazy mare with a motor-blade."
Scootaloo nodded. Motor-blade. That was a new landscaping tool that Equestria had developed, using a motor and chain to carve through wood far better than an ordinary saw could. It also worked well as a combat weapon. For some reason, Sebastian called them chainsaws. Apparently, Grell got the spell she needed, and somehow was now teamed up with Sebastian. "So what's the plan to get out then?" she asked curiously.
"Hop in!" Sweetie invited as they pulled their heads back in.
Scootaloo quickly clambered into the tank, closely followed by Bluebottle and Blueblood. While the interior was larger than exterior dimensions allowed, it was still pretty packed between the machinery to manipulate turrets and cannon, controls, five fillies, one colt, one dragonling, and one stallion. "Bit of a tight fit," she murmured softly.
"Well we aren't staying long!" Apple Bloom insisted as she started steering the tank back towards the outside.
"So...how are we going to get up the steep sides of the box canyon?" Bluebottle asked curiously. "Can this tank climb walls as well?"
Dead silence reigned throughout the tank. Scootaloo's eyes went flat. "You gotta be kidding me..."
Wow just wow CMC are like Spanish Inquisition in this story..... I really not expected them
8323906
I know just...
Boom, you encountered a wild crusader tank.
So close. So fing close to a perfect execution of the plan.
.......Waaaaaaaant!!!
8323906
Nopony expects the Cutie Mark Crusaders!
Our primary weapon is surprise and fear. Two. Our two main weapons are surprise, fear, and adorable outfits. Our three main weapons are surprise, fear, adorable outfits, and insane gadgetry. Our four...we'll come back in again.
8323913
........Neeeeeeeeed!!!
OMG!! This chapter is pure gold! ... no, silver!
Imagine the face of their sisters when they found out about this.
Scootaloo felt her jaw drop. "Sweetie Belle? Scootaloo? Diamond Tiara? Silver Spoon? ...Spike? What are you doing here?"
wait scootaloo says scootaloo wut
Seems the rescue squad tanked it.
Oh this is good~ xD
Grell and Sebastian can probably toss the tank up there.
..or theres an antigravity mode...
or the unicorns can merge levitation spells together
Best. Tank. Ever.
Whoa! I did NOT see that coming!
S: "Hm...The last time I saw one of these I was being shot at by Germans whilst carrying my master and a young girl who was adept at making mustard gas...Somewhat reminds me of you, Apple Bloom."
AB: "...Thanks?"
8323906You know, we REALLY should have. JUST because of that.
8323921 Yeah, so true
So... Very convenient the CMC just happen to find instructions on a next gen Equestrian war machine they just happen to have the skills to build and arm. My only question, did Sebastian or Celestia " accidentally" leave the plans where the CMC would find them?
Also ... Random heavy weaponry? Very animesque.
I'll take three.
TANK! YES!
I dub thee Godwelder.
Am I the only one who immediately had flashbacks to this at that line? ^_^;;
How in the bucking hell did the cmc build a tank get it through ponyville most of equstria and a changeling hive without celstia or Luna following with a army
Also easy as hay fix if they got the ammo rock slide and ground rocks under treads
8324847
Plot convenience, duh. Also, will probably be addressed at a later date.
Holy crap that is an overpowered tank.
It's also an extremely unrealistic Deus Ex Machina. The CMC and co just happen to find blueprints for a tank that is much more advanced than normal according to Scootaloo, they just happen to be able to build it, they just happen to be able to powerfully enchant it and no-one happens to confront them during the process. They also conveniently are unphased at the fact they just killed a bunch of Changelings and can conveniently control the tank with some skill.
8324344
Neither. Grell did.
8325128
All of which relatively easily explained by the above.
8324847
With a Reaper watching over them to make sure it worked.
A glorious chapter, I can just see Grell becoming another big sister to the Crusaders. Heck, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon don't have sisters, they can adopt her!!!! The tank is awesome, but if it can climb walls that's even more awesome.
motorblade makes lot more sense then chainsaw
I think I"m in love.
8324847
These are the same CMC that built a functional self-powered vehicle out of scraps they found in a barn. In canon. And now they've got MUCH better resources at their disposal.
Holy mackerel... I want one!
...Oh, so THAT'S what makes it "loaded to take on gods". That lot are practically a force of nature WITHOUT the tank added in - who was crazy enough to give them mobile heavy artillery?!?
SWEET CELESTIA, THEY'RE SELF-ARMING! *Runs screaming to the bunker*
You, sir, are brilliant.
I should have expected that. Glad to know you still can surprise me and make me laugh like a mad man
8325169
I love you and I could kiss you for this more please
8325924
Yes but how did they get it across equestria without having a army and two demigods on the flanks
8326404
Reaper escort.
Or because CMC building super tank drew Discord's attention first, and it was so deliciously chaotic that he made sure they weren't noticed.
Or someone arranged to get them a permit to do so.
All three are equally possible at the moment.
8326408
I vote Discord. That sounds right up his alley.
8326408
That or once they knew it was the CMC they all thought BUCK THIS I'd rather punch a fully powered terik then go near them
Tats, this is the second time you've had the CMC pilot a tank in your stories (third if you count the Megas xlr). I wonder how long until they pilot one in their own story? Only time will tell...
8326408
Discord would enjoy a bit of chaos I agree with you plus that tank would give a heart attack to any fool that tried to attack it
8338831
Now... Imagine how scary it would be if we made a Merkava IV. Basically... Let's declare war on literally everyone!
This part seems oddly familiar. I must say it is still a great premise: Put the living doom magnets (heck; in that Luna/Wreck-It Ralph crossover, they were implied to be minor reality warpers!) inside a rolling overpowered death machine, and point it somewhere that you really don't mind collateral.