Chapter 1: Automize!

The Equestrian Prime

"C'mon, y'all, the meteor fell over yonder!" A small filly with a yellow coat, amber eyes, and a red mane with a bow in it said to her two friends as they walked through the dense forest known as the Everfree Forest.

"Are ya sure we should be doing this, Apple Bloom?" A tomboy-ish orange pegasus filly with a purple mane and tail said, looking around, obviously scared. "You remembered what happened to our sisters, right? Even though Twilight was nice enough to take us in, she said not to go anywhere without telling her. We're so gonna get in trouble for this."

"I hate to say it, but I agree with Scootaloo, Apple Bloom." The third filly, a unicorn, said, her mane and tail a matching two-tone light purple and grayish-white with a white coat and they walked through the burned out trail of destruction that the meteor left in it's wake. "What if whoever killed our sisters is still out there and watching? I may not be like Rarity, but I know she, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack wouldn't want us to do this. They'd want us to be safe -OW!" She stopped short as she slammed right into Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. "What's going on girls?"

"See fer yerself, Sweetie Belle..." Apple Bloom said, looking in awe down into the crater, where a pod that looked like somepony could fit inside resided at the bottom of it.

"What is it?" Scootaloo asked, just as awestruck as Apple Bloom.

"I have no idea." Sweetie Belle said, shaking her head as she kept her eyes on the pod.

All of a sudden, all three were grabbed from behind and had rags laced with chloroform placed over their mouths. A few seconds later, their muffled screaming silenced and they fell to the ground, after which they were tied and gagged. The leader of the kidnappers looked at the three and smiled.

"The boss will be pleased that we finally captured the sisters of three of the dead Elements of Harmony." The kidnapper leader said. "He's been after them for a while, but couldn't get to them after Princess Twilight took them in to protect them. Sergeant!" The leader turned to the stallion on his left. "Prep these three for transport back to the boss's mansion. Leave no evidence we were even here."

All of a sudden, a weird light started to scan one of the stallions, like the copy machines used in the offices of the companies of the big cities, like Manehatten. After a few seconds, the light disappeared. They realized that the light came from the pod that the fillies had been looking at in the bottom of the crater. The Sergeant looked back at the leader.

"What was that, boss?" The Sergeant asked, the fear was obvious in his voice.

"I don't know, but it ain't good for us." The leader said, shaking his head in fear while still looking at the pod. "Get those fillies back to base, then prepare to move out, pronto!"

—

All he knew was that he was sleeping, but he was aware of his surroundings, thanks to the computer systems of the stasis pod he was currently in. He remembered how he was in the ruins with his friend Alex. They found the artifact that they had been after, but it turned out to be something that the world at large thought was fictional: the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. Then the Matrix apparently shot a beam of its light at him and he disappeared with it. When he woke up, he was on the FREAKING Planet Cybertron. But the weirdest part was how he could breath, and was greeted by one of his childhood heroes, who apparently was the last of the Cybertronian race: Optimus Prime.

Optimus said that an old foe of his was going to bring a world that he, Aaron, thought was also fictional to darkness if someone didn't stop him. And so Optimus said he sent the Matrix out to choose someone with a pure heart to wield its power and save this new world, Equis, which Aaron was shocked that he was being sent to Equestria. He bowed and said he wasn't worthy, that he's made so many mistakes, ones he regretted, ones he couldn't take back. But Optimus sounded like he smiled under his iconic mask when he said to him that the Matrix didn't look at his heart for his mistakes, but for the goodness that was in it.

And so Aaron underwent a bodily transformation while on Cybertron, with only Optimus to conduct the surgery. He was transformed into a protoform, a blank slate Cybertronian, but his consciousness, his memories, everything that made him who he was, was transferred to a fresh spark. Afterwards, he was put into a stasis pod, and sent through a transwarp field, with the last message from Optimus saying 'Until All Are One'.

Now he was starting to wake up, as the activation sequence of the pod had been activated due to three innocent children being taken hostage. The scanner for acquiring his new form had scanned one of the offenders, after which they ran off with the three fillies, which he thought were familiar, even though they were anthro.

He felt the liquid metal of his protoform body change and morph, with the Matrix adjusting itself to match the new shape of his body. When his body finished changing, he opened his eyes which, in the darkness, glowed blue in the pupils. Then a hiss sounded as the stasis pod cracked open.

—

A male Earth Pony stallion with ocean-blue eyes, six-foot-eleven-inches tall, with auburn-red fur and a dark blue tail and mane falling to just below his shoulders, stepped out of the stasis pod. The shorts that fell to just below his knees hid his Destiny Mark, or as they were commonly known, 'Cutie Marks'. His hand dipped back into the pod, pulling out what looked like a rifle from a world and time long passed, but was far more advanced. It was a gift from his mentor, changed to match his height: his new Ion Blaster Mark VII. He looked around as he held the Ion Blaster at the ready, walking out of the crater towards where he saw the group of mercenaries kidnap the three fillies. He squatted down to the spot where he saw in his subconscious state that the mercs had kidnapped the fillies. After scanning the ground where the three were kidnapped from, as well as the hoofprints of the mercs, he stood back up and started to follow the trail toward their base, set on rescuing the fillies.

A stallion with dark gray fur and a messy mane of dark golden scarlet hair squatted in the trees, watching this unknown Earth Pony stallion coming out of the stasis pod. His head tilted fractionally, his mother-of-pearl golden irises within darkened sclera were prominent. His Destiny Mark between his shoulder blades…

"I'm guessing you can track them through technological means," the stallion commented despite not revealing himself. "I tagged them with a tracer spell, fortunately. Though it has a rough range of around two and half miles at best. Best to stay in range, though I have a sneaking suspicion that the 'random accidents' regarding the former Elements of Harmony… this only cements what I've suspected about that they weren't accidents but homicides intended to appear as accidents," he deadpanned.

"Even though you're helping me, you know I can see you right?" The auburn-red stallion said to who just spoke to him, looking into the trees where the voice came from. "I have thermal vision due to what I am. I know you're friendly, just come on out already. If you wanna help me, let's do it together then."

The dark gray furred stallion cocked an eyebrow as he dropped onto the rocky ridge within a shaft of moonlight above the lighter furred stallion before he tilted his head, his gaze scanning around ahead of their path before his eyes narrowed, the slight reddish orange glow at the edges of his sclera and irises giving away the augmentation. His arcane augmented thermal sight picked up numerous heat sources. "Can't tell if those are torches roughly a fifth of a mile ahead or ponies. I'm picking up around twenty eight heat sources," he relayed. "That implies that either this is a well connected large group or they're trying to keep the predators from a smaller group," he said dryly. He knew that the moonlight highlighted the dark vest with dark lacquered armor plates he wore as well as the slightly longer than knee length pants with matching dark lacquered armor plates that hinted he was part of the Lunar Guard due to his ease of stealth and espionage. The truth, however, was that he was not.

"Well, judging from the tracks of those mercs, they were heading to that area that you described." The auburn-red stallion said, looking at the dark gray stallion. "I will take on the mercs and get the fillies out of there. But if any mercs try to escape, you can take them in for questioning. You remind me of somepony I know of who sounds and acts similar to you. Except he was a comic book character. But as far as my plan I outlined, do we have a deal?" The auburn-red stallion held out his hand, despite not knowing if the mysterious pegasus was willing to do so, he was wanting to be cordial at the least.

"Aye," was all the other stallion commented. His head tilted, looking at the tracks of the mercs. "What is your identity?" he commented offhandedly, as if he weren't paying attention. "Hmmm. It appears one of the mercs walks with a severe limp, as he favors one hoof over the other, something far too easy to exploit to the unwary. Most likely a muscular injury from how his weight is distributed, potentially gives a hint of his roots. Appaloosa, more than likely," he commented. His gaze shifted to the surrounding trees, the augmentation glow in his eyes shifting to a pale green. It lit the tracks in obvious detail to his gaze. His eyes narrowed fractionally. "There's somepony, more than likely in the camp, with a fondness for blades and forelimb bracers. Not many use that particular specialization unless this isn't just a local group of mercs," he deadpanned.

He noticed numerous trees with scratches and slashes as well as fainter scrapes, either from hooves or claws. He tilted his head, cautiously stepping towards a few of the scrapes on one tree, noticing a foul scent from the tree. He sniffed before he snorted. "Pyrus calleryana… not a local variety of tree," he muttered, "more common to the wilderness lands north of Appaloosa, but also common to the wilds of Gryphonia," he muttered before he plucked out a feather caught in the fibrous bark.

"To your earlier question about my name, name's Artemis Prime, last of the Planet Cybertron. And we're having to deal with Gryphon mercs in the mix?" The auburn-red stallion, now called Artemis, said, as he let out an exasperated sigh. "This is turning into one cluster-slagging mess after another."

"Makes it more challenging to extract the young fillies, perhaps, but the ones that kidnapped them were most certainly ponies," The grey stallion said. "It could be coincidence that they are leading us to a group of Gryphon Mercs… unless they're aware of being tracked," he finished grimly. That was always a possibility, he'd found, though it was very rare that he was noticed when he didn't want to be.

"All the more reason to get those fillies now than lose track of the mercs." Artemis said, getting into a stance. "I'll fly on ahead to the group of mercs. Remember, any of the mercs that try to escape are yours to interrogate. But I'm going to get those fillies now. The Elements may have been murdered, but nopony is losing their lives while I'm here. Jetpack: Automize! Maximum Burn!"

All of a sudden, Artemis' back started to shift as a jetpack with stabilizing wings formed on his back. The jet engine roared to life, making him hover in the air. He turned back to the dark grey stallion and smirked.

"I'll leave any stragglers for you to interrogate." Artemis said. "But leave the rest to me. You may not believe it, but nothing can really harm me. I may look like a normal Earth Pony on the outside, but inside is a different story of alien technology. I won't trust you with it, not unless I'm certain you can keep it out of the wrong hands and use it only for good. I'll see you up ahead." With that, Artemis leaned forward and flew over the trees, following the trail from above.

A slight smirk crossed the other stallion's face. "You aren't the only one with advanced technology," he commented wryly as he tugged two items from behind him… one showing itself as a dark red and bluish black belt buckle with a crank on one side and the other as a gold and black cylinder. He touched the buckle to his waistline as it activated, securing itself around his waist. He shook the cylinder, a low clanking sound repeating several times before he twisted both ends which lit blue. He shifted his weight, tugging it apart slightly before clicking it into position.

"Tank and Tank!" it declared as, out of the shadows behind him, the armor segments came as he twisted the crank. He rolled his shoulders as the armor segments attached to his armor. "Now, we can roll out," he muttered, unaware his voice sounded far too similar to a certain Decepticon leader through the helm.

Artemis flew over the trees of the Everfree Forest, following the smoke of the torches. While he was flying towards the smoke, he heard what distinctly sounded like tank treads following right behind him on the ground. When he looked back while his guidance systems kept the flight straight, what he saw made him quirk an eyebrow.

"Never expected to see a Kamen Rider in Equestria." Artemis said through his comlink to the Kamen Rider. He knew it was the pegasus who was helping him, but was nonetheless surprised.

"I don't rely heavily on it, but in this case, anonymity will help us most as the mercs, regardless of whether they are part of a greater whole or working in a small group. They will not know who precisely to seek out as they do not know what I look like. Sometimes it is not fear of the known that is most frightening… but fear of what is unseen and unknown." Came the Kamen Rider's reply. "Call me 'Zhū'," his comment was brief.

"Hmmm... a most sound judgment call about anonymity, Zhū." Artemis said, nodding in agreement while looking back ahead. "I guess I better change into something of my own as well, I just hope it works, as I haven't had time yet to finish getting acquainted with this body. Battle Form Armor: Automize! Artemis Prime: Transform!"

All of a sudden, the jetpack disappeared and Artemis' body began to shift and morph and rearrange itself. As Zhū watched with a quirked brow under his helmet, what looked like pieces of armor began to appear on Artemis' body. Roughly fifteen seconds after the transformation began it was finished. And Artemis stood in his new Battle Form Armor at his full height looking just like his mentor.

Kamen Rider Zhū cocked his head. "Might be wise to go with a less reflective form for the moment," he commented dryly. He did notice that nobody would recognize the form at present.

"Sorry, like I said, I'm still figuring out this new body." Artemis said, his voice now a slightly deep rumbling tone reminiscent of his mentor. "But I do have a stealth mode. Visible only to allies that I tag as friendly. I've already tagged you in my IFF beacon as blue, so you'll see me, but the mercs won't." Artemis looked distant for a minute before he looked back at Zhū. "Luckily the stealth mode was already activated during the transformation, so we should be good."

Artemis looked back to the heat sources before he said, "It looks like you were doubly correct. The torches look like a formation to keep the local wildlife away, but I'm detecting several heat sources that are moving around that I see are the mercs, plus three tied up in a tent at the farthest end of the camp from us. Besides the three tied up, I count at least 20 to 25 mercs. Can you confirm?"

Zhu tilted his head, data streaming through the lenses as they shone for a few brief seconds. "Confirmed. Weapons scattered through the camp appear to be standard spears, crossbows, hatchets, and short swords. It's entirely possible there are also weapons we cannot pick up from here. I'd advise destroying whatever weapons they have. It will create more panic, making them less likely to realize our goal in their shortsightedness created by the panic, leaving them vulnerable," he commented, his eyes narrowing.

"Agreed." Artemis said, nodding before his battle mask extended over his mouth. "I'll get closer to the camp and get into position. When you see my eyes flash twice like this," Artemis demonstrated by flashing his eyes twice, "create a distraction for me, that way I'll destroy any and all weapons I find and get the Cutie Mark Crusaders out of there. Think you can manage that?"

A small chuckle escaped Zhu, though that was not his true name. "Oh, that won't be difficult." He rolled his shoulder as he tugged free the FullBottle Buster which resembled a shotgun or grenade launcher.

"Okay, watch for the double flash of blue." Artemis said as he pulled his Ion Blaster Mark VII back out and ran ahead.

Even though his footsteps sounded heavy to him due to the nature of his Battle Form Armor, none of the mercs seemed to notice. He thanked Primus that the stealth mode of his armor worked like Optimus told him it would. When he got to the tree nearest the edge of the camp and a few of the mercs, he peeked his head from behind the tree and listened in to the three mercs he was nearest, his auditory circuits amplifying the sound.

"Hey Cosmic, when are we moving out? The boss wanted these three didn't he? So when are we supposed to meet him?"

"In a few minutes." the leader, now named Cosmic, said. "He did say that we could have a little fun with them before we brought them to him. And he told me which kind of fun too since he was going to kill them." Cosmic and his men all laughed as Artemis' eyes went wide, realizing what they meant by 'fun'. Then his eyes furrowed in righteous anger and fury as he looked back towards where Zhū was waiting and flashed his eyes twice like he said he would.

'Please, let us be here in time,' Artemis prayed.

Zhū's eyes narrowed as he, too, picked up on their words as he slid three FullBottles into the Buster. "Taka! Gatling! Harinezumi! Full Charge!" The Buster declared.

He then pulled the trigger as the energy built up before releasing in several rapid pulses that paused roughly a story and a half above the ground as an orb of bright silvery orange energy. Though the pulses impacted the orb, causing it to swell before detonating in silvery white needles, burning orange feathers, and deep gray bullets all of which detonated in numerous eruptions of sparks and fireballs on impact with the ground, doing quite a bit of damage to the surrounding tents and exposed weapons as panic ensued.

Artemis took that as his cue and leaned from behind the tree he was waiting behind and opened fire on the mercs. He took potshots at the mercs who were clambering around in complete chaos. And even though they tried to fire their crossbows towards him, they horribly failed to land a mark, as his stealth mode held up and they couldn't see where he was firing from. A few of them ran off in fear, hoping to get away with their lives and hopefully not get caught, while the rest were all on the ground, all with holes in them from ion shots.

"Zhū, five stragglers headed your way." Artemis said through his comlink. "The area's clear. I'm going in for the Cutie Mark Crusaders, over." After he cut the connection, he ran forward for the furthest tent where the CMC were tied up, quickly tagging them in his IFF beacon as friendly so they would see him.

Artemis burst through the tent, scaring the three fillies. After he cut the ropes binding them together and ungagged them, he knelt down to be eye level with them.

"Are you three okay?" Artemis ask them, trying to sound delicate given what they've just been through.

"We j-just want to go h-home." Sweetie Belle said, crying, the three of them hugging each other and crying.

Artemis felt his Spark sink at the sight as he stood up and held his hands before the three fillies to help them up. "And home is where you shall go. A friend and I are here to rescue you. I promise, stick with me and you will be safe. We will meet up with my friend and we will escort you back to wherever it is you live. You have my word."

The CMC were unsure about this at first. But his voice seemed to soothe their worries as they nodded and grabbed his hands, which Artemis helped them up to their hooves. But then Sweetie Belle faltered and almost fell to her knees before Artemis caught her.

"Are you injured?" Artemis asked, a worried tone in his voice.

"My ankle." Sweetie Belle said, grasping her right ankle. "It hurts. I must've hurt it when those bad guys grabbed us."

Artemis scanned her right ankle, even doing a deep tissue scan as he looked to find any issue. Unfortunately, he found she had a hairline fracture in her right ankle. He looked back to her and shifted her around until he was carrying her in his arms.

"You have a hairline fracture of your right ankle." Artemis said. "You will need immediate medical attention once we get you home." While he held her with one arm, he tapped the side of his head once and said, "Zhū, go on ahead of me to the Friendship Castle and alert Princess Twilight. Tell her that Sweetie Belle has a hairline fracture of her right ankle and I'll carry her back. I'll remain in my current form, as you said, for anonymity. But tell Princess Twilight that Sweetie Belle requires immediate medical assistance. But when you interrogate the stragglers, make sure Princess Twilight and the other Princesses are present. I'll catch up with you at the Friendship Castle, over."

Zhū successfully rendered the stragglers senseless, tagging them with remote teleportation Sigils for retrieval before he tied them hand and foot to prevent escape. His eyes narrowed fractionally as he tugged free a sealed envelope. The seal upon it was not one he recognized. His eyes narrowed as he slid the sealed envelope into a storage case affixed to his belt. "Moving out," he relayed. He exhaled as he removed the cylinder from his belt before shaking it, the lenses igniting red this time. He twisted the ends into locked positions before hooking them into the belt. "Rabbit! Rabbit! Overflow!" the belt invoked as he pushed off, letting the armor attach before he landed, not noticing a single purple eye within an orange furred countenance watching through a tear in the tent nearby.

Without further words, he darted swiftly into the darkness.

"Scootaloo, c'mon!" Applebloom said to her friend, who seemed distracted by something outside the tent.

Scootaloo turned, blinking before she darted over to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle, with Sweetie Belle being carried by their savior due to her injury. She wasn't quite sure what she'd seen, but had the distinct feeling it was something new.

Artemis began to walk out of the camp with the CMC in tow, while the CMC stayed close to Artemis in his Battle Form. Apple Bloom looked up at Artemis and asked, "So what are ya, mister? Ah ain't never seen nothin' like ya before." Artemis contemplated how to reply, but figured the truth would be the best option.

"I am an Autonomous Robotic Organism from the Planet Cybertron, the last of my kind. Also known as an Autobot."

"Yer an alien?! Like from our old friend Spike's comic books?" Scootaloo asked, a little scared.

"The term 'alien' is relative, as we Cybertronians have viewed all life as alien as well." Artemis replied, chuckling. "But we Autobots respect the sanctity of life and have always protected the innocent from those who would otherwise wish to conquer them."

"Who would want ta conquer us?" Apple Bloom asked, a little scared at that piece of info.

"That is a story best left to when we meet up with Princess Twilight, once we get Sweetie Belle here the medical attention she needs for her ankle." Artemis replied. "I give you my word though that it will all become clear once we finish the task at hand of getting your friend medical help."

"Pinkie Promise?" Scootaloo said, looking up at Artemis.

Artemis' Spark sank, knowing that the rest of the Elements were dead from the words of Zhū from earlier. But he still decided to do it, for Pinkie's sake.

While holding Sweetie Belle in his left arm, he looked down at the other two fillies and went through the motions, saying in slightly different words, "Cross my Spark, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye. You have my word."

"Spark?" Scootaloo asked in confusion.

"For us Cybertronians, it's the same thing as the heart." Artemis said, smiling through his battle mask. "I just changed the word 'heart' to match the life force that beats in me, a Spark."

"Ooooooh." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom said, finally understanding.

"So while we're walking, I don't know much of this planet, as I only recently arrived." Artemis explained. "I already know what happened to your sisters and the other Elements except for Princess Twilight from the friend I mentioned earlier. Where do you three live now?"

"Princess Twilight was kind enough ta take us in, instead of letting us go ta an orphanage." Apple Bloom said, her voice breaking, and some tears falling. "But she won't say a word about what exactly happened ta our sisters or the other Elements."

"She's probably not doing so to protect you three from the traumatic details." Artemis said, sounding crestfallen because of Apple Bloom's sadness. It was breaking his Spark at how much these three were already put through. "I'm sure she has her reasons, so don't fault her for that. I'm sure she'll tell you when you're ready. But don't rush it, it would most certainly do more harm than good if you rushed it."

After he said that, he looked ahead and noticed the Castle of Friendship up ahead, with Princess Twilight standing there with Princess Celestia, Luna, and Candance and Shining Armor as well. Zhū was also waiting there for the four of them.

Artemis stopped before the group and bowed at the waist, being careful of his grip on Sweetie Belle.

"Greetings, Princesses." Artemis said. "My name is Artemis Prime. I mean no harm. But Sweetie Belle here is in need of immediate medical attention due to a hairline fracture of her right ankle. It was caused quite possibly from the foalnappers that were after them. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo are unharmed, but Sweetie Belle is in need of assistance medically."

Zhū tilted his head. "Most of the foalnappers were tagged with Recall Sigils to transport them to secure facilities for interrogation," he commented before he tugged free the cylinder from his belt, the armored segments dissipating into reddish white mist before he tapped a button on a smaller attachment on top of the crank. It immediately barked "Hazard off," before he tugged it free, his dark lacquered armor dissipating into dark mist. It revealed he wore rather wrinkled olive shorts and a white vest. He exhaled softly as he stretched his wings. "The only biotic Bottle I have that mimics my wings in the armor is the Hawk FullBottle. Admittedly, I have noticed that there are some with intriguing potential, though I have yet to purify them," he commented wryly.

Twilight blinked as his armor dissipated. "What sort of magic is that?" She said curiously. "Where did you find it?" She continued.

The stallion smirked slightly. "There are valleys in Neighpon that emit an odd steam that has curious effects on flora, fauna, even the surrounding natural magical aura. We found that they tend to come in 'natural' forms such as animals, which we dubbed as 'Biotic', as well as non living forms, dubbed 'Abiotic'. Curiously, they appear to react in opposing pairs, a 'biotic' and 'abiotic'," he commented wryly. He still hadn't revealed to Artemis his true name.

"That is all very interesting, but what exactly are you?" Luna deadpanned bluntly, her tone wary as she fixed her eyes on Artemis.

"Twilight, take Sweetie Belle, but be careful." Artemis said. "As I said, she has a hairline fracture in her right ankle." When Twilight took Sweetie Belle in her arms. "This is my Battle Form Armor, so it isn't my actual form. But I will show you and explain. Battle Form Deactivation: Automize! Artemis Prime: Transform!"

The same transformation that Zhū witnessed at the assault on the mercs' camp happened, this time in reverse. After 15 seconds, Artemis was back to being in his normal auburn-red earth pony form. He stood at his six-foot-eleven-inch height, his shorts were dark blue, while his shirt was a bright red. After he exhaled, he looked back at Princess Luna.

"As I said, my name is Artemis Prime." Artemis said. "I am an Autonomous Robotic Organism from the Planet Cybertron, also known as an Autobot, though I am the last of my kind."

"Then you're the one he spoke of," Twilight commented, her voice a bit thick with emotion.

"Who?" Artemis asked, a little confused that Twilight already knew of his arrival beforehand.

Twilight took a deep breath before she spoke. "Primus," she said, though to her surprise, she wasn't the only one who spoke.

Zhū tilted his head, tapping one of his rear hooves on a rock. It produced a distinctive metallic clang. What he hadn't revealed was that one of the tests they had done in one of those valleys had cost something: both of his legs. His partner had also mysteriously disappeared, though his instincts told him that whatever it was wasn't quite an accidental incident. He didn't miss how both Cadence and Twilight shot him curious looks as if they wanted to know how he knew, though that did raise the question about how Cadence knew. True, it was possible that Twilight had told her, though he doubted it.

"Okay, I'm confused." Artemis said, directing his comment to Twilight. "How do you know about the Creator of all Cybertronians, Twilight?"

"Because he said he'd send somepony... his last remaining child, though born of a different race," she said softly, recalling Primus' words.

Zhū's eyes narrowed fractionally. "He claimed that what we stumbled upon could be used for great good, but also for great harm," he muttered. His true name: Cianán Campbell. He had only identified himself as 'Zhū', which was 'build' in Chinese.

"So Primus knew about me all along before Optimus sent the Matrix to where I found it with my friend in an archaeological dig." Artemis said, looking up while rubbing his chin in thought. Then he looked at Twilight, apparently having not heard Zhū, and said to her, "Tell me everything Primus said to you, Twilight. And spare no details."

"I am sending you someone who can find out what your investigation teams could not. He will have ways of finding out that surpass your guard and police forces combined. But he will do so with honor, humility, and respect for those around him. For though he was born of a different race than those of my children, he will be reborn as one of my own, and he will be the last of my children’s kind. I have watched over your world for a long time, young Twilight. Though your planet's inhabitants are still quite young, you still have much to learn. But I have seen the goodness in your hearts, and am willing to help you find peace with the one who has murdered your friends. Your philosophy on friendship has intrigued me, despite some problems, like Zecora. But you worked through them in the end for the better. All I ask is that you treat my last remaining child with the same care and respect as you would your friends, as I know it is what they would want you to do. Will you do that?” Twilight recounted from memory.

"I see you have an eidetic memory, lass," Zhū commented wryly.

"I see." Artemis said, ignoring Zhū's sarcasm. "Let's get Sweetie Belle that medical attention. We'll put the foalnappers in the dungeons until we can question them. I think we all should get some rest before we question them, since it's getting late."

Zhū tilted his head as they all went inside before the belt he wore crackled, arcing with energy before the holographic inducer faded, revealing that his legs from mid-thigh down were cybernetic. "Not quite sure what that box Primus had was… but it felt… odd, sentient," he muttered. He had a sneaking gut feeling, however, that something wasn't quite right. He discreetly clicked his fingers, a flicker of prismatic flame the only warning as he triggered the Recall Sigils.

—

Artemis was finishing up with the ankle wrapping he wrapped around Sweetie Belle's right ankle under the supervision of Twilight and the other princesses. After he velcroed the end of the ace bandage around her ankle, he applied a splint he was familiar with from before coming to Equestria, but he modified it for the anthro bodies of the ponies of this Equis. After he velcroed the splint together, he looked to Sweetie Belle with a smile.

"Here's a couple of crutches." Artemis said, handing them to Sweetie Belle. "You'll need to stay off of your ankle for at least a month, from how bad the hairline fracture was. Luckily you didn't need a cast. Just make sure you use those crutches and stay off of your ankle for the next month, and change the ace bandage every other day. Other than that, you should be just fine."

Sweetie Belle nodded before throwing her arms around Artemis' neck in a hug, which Artemis smiled and returned the gesture.

"Thank you Mr. Artemis." Sweetie Belle said.

"Please, call me Arty." Artemis said, patting her back. After he laid her back down in her bed, Artemis tucked her in and left the light on on a low setting, figuring she would want a night light on, in case she had a nightmare about what happened today. As Artemis walked out with Twilight and the other princesses, Zhū was already walking up to them. Artemis looked at him with a serious look.

"Did you put them in the dungeons, Zhū?" Artemis asked his ally. "If so, I think now would be the best time to interrogate them, while the three of them are asleep."

"Aye," Zhū deadpanned dryly. "Though if you have an equivalent of sodium pentothal or truth serum, that would help," he deadpanned. His head tilted a bit as he hummed, thinking.

"Sodium pentothal, I think I can manage that." Artemis replied, putting a finger up. "Give me a moment. I'll need to look up the formula for it in my databanks. Shouldn't take too long after that to produce. A minute and a half at most for the total time."

Artemis hummed as his eyes had a faraway look in them like he was searching his databanks, like he said. After that, he closed his eyes, as, out of his chest, a compartment opened up, revealing ten vials of liquid, all labeled 'sodium pentothal'. He opened his eyes and grabbed the ten vials, after which the compartment in his chest closed and was sealed, looking normal again. He hands them over to Zhū.

"Here." Artemis said. "Think this should be enough?"

"More than enough." Zhū said, smirking. "These ponies, despite being of near human size, have much denser bone structure and musculoskeletal systems than humans, which lends to more bodily weight and by extension, a greater likelihood of resistance to drugging from such things as this. Gryphons, however, have slightly lighter bones in a hollow honeycomb style internally. Their muscles are tightly packed, but seem to create lactic acid faster than humans or ponies," he commented.

"Hence making them more susceptible to methods like this?" Artemis replied with a quirked brow.

Zhu nodded slightly. "Aye," he deadpanned as he turned, not seeming to realize that his voice gained a slightly deeper, gruffer pitch. "And they will talk," he commented.

"Alright, but we do this by the book, agreed?" Artemis said, looking at Zhū with a serious look. "This is technically the Princesses' jurisdiction, so nothing they wouldn't do. We're technically guests on this world, Zhū, so we'll follow whatever the Princesses want us to do once we get the information. Understand?"

Zhū's head tilted. "Much like Kal," he muttered gruffly. His head tilted fractionally before his ears twitched twice before he cocked his eyebrow. "Hmmm. Seems that we aren't the only guests," he commented dryly, noticing the door before them.

Artemis' eyebrows rose in mild surprise at the one person checking the chairs the mercs were in as well as the screen showing a visage he recognized.

"Starfire?" Artemis said in surprise. "I'll admit finding the Matrix of Leadership when the world at large thought it was fictional was one surprise in the ruins in Greece back home. But this? Like an old friend of mine once said, 'Reality is more fucked up than fiction'."

"Apparently, you didn't have much keeping you on your Earth," Zhū commented dryly to which Starfire looked their way with a slight nod.

"Not really for me either." Artemis said. "But I did love my job. I was an archaeologist. I was actually close to a breakthrough on finding the Lost City of Atlantis. The clue led me and my best friend since kindergarten to the Matrix before the Matrix whisked me away to Cybertron."

"In Sparta," Zhū muttered gruffly. He didn't realize that would immediately catch the Cybertronian's attention.

"Okay, what aren't you saying, Zhū?" Artemis looked to his ally with a stern glare. "I never said anything about where in Greece my friend and I found the Matrix of Leadership."

"Take a wild guess. How would I know about that, unless?" Zhū commented dryly, an eyebrow twitching upward. It was rather obvious if he thought about it as there hadn't been many that knew about the journey.

Artemis looked at Zhū with a calculating gaze, as if he was searching for something. When he realized what Zhū said a few seconds ago, Artemis' eyes went wide.

"Cianán?" Artemis said. "Cianán Campbell? But how…?"

"Just because that damn pendulum took my leg and left the other dangling by a few tendons didn't make me dead, boyo," Zhū, now called Cianán, deadpanned, his tone holding a rather harsh brogue abruptly. "How did I survive? I took a bloody flare to cauterize the bloody stumps," he deadpanned.

"I'm sorry." Artemis said, looking down, shedding a few tears, feeling regretful that he left a friend behind that he thought was dead. "I really am. If I had known, I would've had Alex stay behind to look for you while I went ahead."

"Can't change the past, lad. Regrets are simply shit we cannae avoid. I know about regrets all too well. Ain't unlike me meeting McCloud," Cianán sighed.

Everything was silent between the two old friends before Artemis sighed.

"You were there when I made entry into the atmosphere and landed, weren't you?" Artemis sighed, looking with a fierce glare at the mercs. "How long did you know it was me, or that I was on my way here?"

"Turns out that Primus has quite a few higher contacts. But those contacts didn't say specifically you were coming, only that a 'Prime Child' was coming," Cianán sighed. His gaze was fixed on the mercs as well, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He noticed a shift on the screen before he paused upon seeing two he recognized: Victor Stone and Bruce Wayne himself. "Well, shit. Kinda suspected something when we saw Kori, though I didn't expect to see you two," he deadpanned.

Chapter 2: Interrogation

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 2: Interrogation

Cianán Campbell exhaled softly, his eyes narrowing. "I disliked the idea of pulling any page out of Damian's book, but he knew how to intimidate. Must have been genetic, eh, Bruce?" he commented. He wasn't surprised that Bruce facepalmed.

"Be glad I have other things to deal with, or I'd come there and show you how intimidating I can be," Bruce deadpanned dryly.

"Yeah… I'd be more intimidated by Red here, Bruce. Sure, you can scare the shit out of criminals… but me? Not so much," Cianán said with a small smirk as he flicked a thumb at Starfire. He half turned as he heard Starfire chuckle, as did Victor.

"I swear, the only one that annoyed the hell out of him like that was Dick," Victor commented.

"And Dick's lucky I noticed Damian throwing that baton at his head and ricocheted it back with my kunai dart on its monofilament wire, otherwise, where he stood, had he fallen, he could have been injured fatally," Cianán said seriously. He had noticed the rubble scattered through Arkham that day.

He exhaled softly as his gaze shifted from Victor to the mercs. "I know you mercs may well have a code of honor. But if half of what my systems recorded was true, you intended to take advantage of traumatized teens in a very unpleasant way and knowingly deliver them to be murdered like their siblings. That tells me that you have as much honor and loyalty as a wet fart and less intelligence and cunning than a rat," he snarled with a hint of a growl.

"Don't forget the sealed envelope you pulled off one of them, Zhū." Artemis said, looking to his friend and using his codename again for the interrogation. Then Artemis scowled over at the mercs and said, his voice morphing to match that of his mentor unknowingly, saying, "Taking the children was a bad move. I would suggest coming clean of your own volition of who you were delivering the Cutie Mark Crusaders to, the one who obviously killed their sisters and the other Elements of Harmony. If you don't, I cannot guarantee your sanity after that."

Cianán nodded fractionally. Unknown to him, his irises flickered blood red.

"Can't tell you. It was an…" one merc started.

"If you say 'anonymous', I'm gonna start counting the three before I take my blaster and blow your junk off." Artemis said, his eyes briefly flashing red like a Decepticon as he took out his Ion Blaster and put the end of the barrel on the merc's package. "Because you and I both know that's a load of horseapples. Judging from what I got of a look of the seal on the envelope my friend took from you, there's only one pony with access to that kind of high-quality sealing wax, minus the Princesses. Prince Blueblood."

"More like Prince No Balls after I'm done with him," Cianán growled. His fist clenched as a silvery gray metal flowed from his pores, hardening into a gauntlet that looked like dark gray dragon scales with razor sharp claws tipping the fingers as crimson light trailed through them. "So either you escape with what tiny amount of dignity you have left by telling us what we already know… or you lose your stallionhoods in the most painful ways possible," he said dryly. What he had kept very carefully hidden was something he knew would cause Bruce and Victor to immediately label him as a threat as he had something very powerful and dangerous — the Omega Sanction. He made it a point to never use it, however.

"And trust me. I can either be friendly and willing to make sure you're given a fair trial," Artemis said, his eyes completely changing to blood red like a Decepticon as far as the light from his pupils. "Or I can be brutal and merciless, even deadly if you refuse to cooperate. The choice is yours."

"And trust me, you don't want us to pull a 'Sons of Anarchy' castration on ya, do ya? 'Cause I'm rather tempted at the moment. Of course, I am curious what would happen if I ripped your balls off slowly and painfully… see how long it takes you to talk," Cianán said with a faint smirk. He tilted his head as a trio of slightly curving blades protracted from the back of his armored wrist before extending a few inches as they began spinning with a low, buzzing hum. "Or I can pull a page out of another ally's book," he said ominously.

The mercs looked very nervous. A couple of them looked like they were tempted to talk, though half of the half dozen sneered, unfazed. One looked like he was about to wet himself. Another opened his mouth.

"You're nothing but cowardly guests like that 'Friendship' claiming bitch! She's nothing without her friends! Why, that hick bit-" the Merc snarled before a serrated kunai missed his face by millimeters, opening a shallow cut that bled freely. The startling part, however, was that 'Zhū' never even looked his way.

"Cowards? You know nothing about us, and that scares the shit out of you, bitch," Cianán said flatly, his irises burning blood red with hints of orange. "And you all but confessed to murder," his tone was icy cold as his hand was extended, a thin cable an eighth of an inch in diameter the only connection just beneath his wrist.

"And if you continue to defame the legacies of the Elements of Harmony…" Artemis said, pointing his Ion Blaster to the defaming merc's head and pulling the trigger, blowing the merc's brains out. "Yeah, either you escape with what tiny amount of dignity you have left, or that happens."

Cianán tilted his head as he twitched his wrist, the kunai retracting before it melded into his palm. "So who wants to talk? Of course, there's always the Pollock route," he deadpanned. "And I doubt the big guy has gotten rid of that itch in his trigger finger yet." he said slowly. "And if there's one thing I despise, it's defamation of heroes who risked their lives and especially of children." his tone was flat as the buzzsaw revved. "Rapists are one of my biggest triggers… child abusers are second. Guess what, ya shitheads? You're two for two. Better hope you don't lose the two downstairs," he barked.

"Or the big one upstairs." Artemis said, pointing his Ion Blaster at the smallest merc's head. "So choose your next words, and choose them very carefully."

"You don't frighten us," one merc started.

Artemis pulled the trigger on his Ion Blaster that was still pointed at the smallest merc's head.

"Anypony else of you shitheads wanna grow a pair?" Artemis said, now pointing his Ion Blaster at the biggest merc's head.

Cianán sneezed. "Sorry, I'm allergic to bullshit. I advise you swim for shore from the shit you're drowning in," he deadpanned. "Anyone else craving to do a bit of painting, or would you prefer not to become 'holy'?" he commented dryly before a resounding smack made him stumble.

Starfire winced as she shook her hand. "Geez, you come up with worse jokes than Barry and Oliver," she said dryly, shaking her head.

"At least I'm not like Garfield," Cianán said with a slight smirk. "Now, either you can admit the truth and survive with what little dignity you still possess. Or see how long you survive with the impatient one here," he deadpanned.

"Yeah, like you can…" one merc sneered before a red hot kunai blade neatly removed one lower orb, cauterizing the injury as the merc screamed in surprised pain and shock.

"Hmmm? You were saying?" Cianán's innocent deadpan was nonchalant as if he didn't realize that he'd taken one ball from the merc.

"If you don't want to lose your other testicle or you…" Artemis looked back at the biggest merc, Ion Blaster still pointed at his head, "your head, I suggest you talk."

"And I advise you quit crying like a bitch," Cianán sighed as he retracted the kunai as a heat haze engulfed it.

"It wasn't Blueblood, but another," one merc blurted. "But Blueblood is definitely involved."

"Give us the names douchebag! Or heads and testicles will go bye-bye." Artemis growled, posing to pull the trigger on his Ion Blaster.

"I-i can't! I don't know who it was! But I very much doubt it's just Blueblood and them," the merc said hastily.

Cianán's head tilted, glancing at the forearm bracer which was linked to the heart rate detector.

"Princesses, what does the lie-detector spell say?" Artemis growled. "Can it confirm what my systems say? That he's telling the truth?"

Twilight's eyes were narrowed dangerously. Her eyes dipped before she nodded fractionally.

Cianán tilted his head fractionally before the heart rate detectors went crazy. "Shit! They must have been hit by Dead Man's Switch spells," he barked as the mercs each began convulsing.

"TAKE COVER!" Artemis yelled, running to tackle the Princesses and Shining Armor to the ground.

Cianán slammed both palms to the floor before barriers of metal rose, shielding them. Detonations followed, dust raining down from the ceiling. The barriers receded after a few moments. "Damn, that stung," he muttered.

"DAMN IT! They were living bombs!" Artemis said, getting up from covering the Princesses and Shining Armor. "Blueblood and whoever his cohorts are must've planned this. The Elements weren't just killed, this was an assassination attempt. And I can only guess one reason why!"

"A power grab," Cianán said grimly, his irises glowing faintly with embers of the Omega Sanction. "If Blueblood is behind this, and regardless of what these shits claimed, I don't trust their word blindly, he's most likely aiming to take out all opposition and more than likely, try to spin it as if he's a 'grieving party aiming to take vengeance on whomever killed the Elements of Harmony and Princesses of Equestria' but call it a gut feeling… I doubt he's that good of an actor," he deadpanned dryly.

"From what I know of him, he is not." Artemis said, chuckling dryly. "He's such a dickless pussy it's a wonder he was born a stallion at all."

"He's so busy talking out of his ass, I'm surprised you'd be able to understand anything coming out of his mouth," Cianán commented.

Luna snorted, covering her mouth as she tried not to laugh. Twilight blinked as she cleared her throat, trying to keep her face blank. Koriand'r, however, was snickering.

"Hell, his dick and balls are so small," Artemis smiled, wanting to continue the 'Crazy Train' with all pun intended, "you'd need an electron microscope under an electron microscope just to find them that he basically has a pussy."

Luna snorted again, starting to take a sip of chocolate milk, only for it to shoot right into her older sister's face. Twilight looked startled before she snickered as Cadence struggled to keep from laughing. Shining Armor was biting his lower lip, trying not to laugh.

"I'm pretty sure his balls are so tiny, the nucleus of an atom is the size of a planet while a molecule is a Galaxy to his tiny dick," Cianán said flatly.

Luna's eyebrows shot upward as Tia coughed out a giggling snort. Koriand'r, however, was laughing her ass off, as was Cadence. Bruce cocked an eyebrow although someone else all but draped herself over Bruce's shoulder, laughing uproariously. Shining Armor facepalmed as he chuckled.

"You think so? I think he probably lost them so long ago," Artemis smiled, his eyes having gone back to their normal ocean-blue in the camaraderie, "that he's been trying to fish his dick and balls out of an infinite ocean of them."

"He'd have better luck at pulling his nonexistent cojónés out of a black hole," Cianán said with a straight face. "Though, Amare princeps, Amicitia princeps, Solaris princeps, Lunares princeps… do remind me to give Blueblood a good swift kick in his shrunken blueberries when I see him…. NFL style," he finished.

Twilight's eyes widened slightly. "You speak Old Ponish?" she said with surprise.

"In our home world, it's a language few really rely on… Latin," Cianán said with a cocked eyebrow.

"And it hasn't been spoken in nearly 2,000 years where we're from." Artemis said. "It's so old, and hasn't been used in so long, it's considered a dead language. People where me and Cianán are from only used it in academia, international communications, and science. But as far as everyday usage as a spoken language, it hasn't been used for nearly 2,000 years. And don't get me started on how long it's been since Sumerian was used. That language is older than recorded history as far as I know."

"The same could be said of that asshole Sin in Vegas… considering he lived in Ancient Sumeria as their lunar and fertility deity." Cianán said. "Ran across him after some disappearances. Turns out it was a very nasty demonkyn. In fact, ironically, the Hollywood version of vampirism was actually inspired specifically by one demonic race, the other a cursed race by a petty Greek asshole," he sighed.

"Well, either way, I think now we should get some rest before we track down Blue Balls and his accomplices." Artemis said, before he heard the sound of electricity crackling and smelled the stench of burning electronics. "Cianán... was any of the electronics in the facility damaged in the explosion?" When Cianán shook his head once, Artemis then felt something oozing down his back. When he reached his right hand behind him, he felt a weird, blue viscous liquid on his hand. Bringing his hand up to his face, he saw what it was. The new blood that flowed through his veins.

Energon.

"Scrap!" Artemis said, starting to feel woozy. "Must've been hit by a lucky piece of debris from the living time bombs. Any chance there was a CR Chamber installed? It's the only way to..." Artemis said before the glow in his eyes dimmed and he fell on his back, his body's stasis lock engaging to prevent further Energon loss and bodily damage.

Cianán let his gaze shift around the room before he spotted a rounded chamber inset into one of the walls. He inhaled slowly before exhaling, then repeated it twice more before his eyes snapped open, revealing his iridescent golden irises had become a deep amethyst. He half turned before he grabbed Artemis' arm, jerking him up and onto his back, ignoring the gasps from both Luna and Celestia as most Earth Ponies would have had difficulty doing what he just had. Surprisingly, what he was using had been taken from a comic book of all things. It had been called Zen Shūchū no Kokyū.

He grunted as he hefted the heavier Cybertronian into the chamber before he slapped the activation button before backing out. He staggered as he stepped out as, though he hadn't said it, he had felt every single impact of everything that had hit the wall that had protected them. He blinked as hands caught him before he looked up to see Princess Twilight.

"Looks like you're just as exhausted," she remarked wryly. "Though you hide it a bit better," she teased.

"Comes with years of practice, lass." Cianán said, smirking. "You know, I'm surprised you didn't recognize Artemis' voice, Amicitia princeps. He confided something to me and our partner, his best friend since kindergarten. Something that happened to him when he was 14 years old that involved a nightmare."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, confused.

"Apparently, the nightmare was caused by a certain Dark Unicorn King trying to kill him." Cianán said, his face looking grim as he was recounting the story. "And if that bastard had succeeded in killing Artemis in the nightmare, then his body in the waking world would've died. He was saved by someone who had kicked him out of the nightmare to save his life. Ring any bells, Amicitia princeps?"

Twilight just stood there, shocked realization on her face. She thought Artemis' voice sounded familiar, but couldn't remember. At least, until Cianán told her the story she knew about all too well, because she had been there.

"You're saying Aaron is… Artemis?" Twilight said, her voice breaking with emotion.

"Aye, lassie." Cianán nodded in response. "He never had a girlfriend, nor did he ever get married. Because when he found out who you were, you stole his heart. I thought he was mad, chasing a pipedream, but he said he would find a way to come to you. To see you. I guess the fates of the universe saw fit to bring him here anyway."

His gaze shifted to the chamber as he sat up cautiously. "Though I have to wonder why I'm abruptly exhausted, unless something else happened to me," he sighed. He glanced down at his cybernetic legs which bore more than a passing resemblance to a Cyber Lin Kuei.

Twilight helped him to his feet, before she blinked, noticing a blinking red light on his forearm before she touched the screen on the forearm bracer. She cocked her head, noticing what seemed to be a health bar or energy bar, though she couldn't guess what it was linked to.

"What was that blue liquid like blood?" she asked carefully.

Cianán cocked his head. "I'm not sure, honestly. I didn't know that Cybertronians could bleed, frankly," he commented before he paused, recalling a vague memory.

Twilight tilted her head. "What exactly do Cybertronians 'run' on?" she asked.

Cianán paused, thinking before he exhaled a breath in a hiss as he felt a sensation in his mind as if a curtain shifted as memories rushed through his mind.

*Flashback - Four months before…*

Cianán Campbell bared his teeth against the pain of the numerous second and third degree burns over his body. "Not… fucking… again," he hissed, looking at one leg which was mangled and twisted whilst the other was simply gone roughly an inch and a half below his hip. It didn't help that he was cut up by everything from splinters to glass to fractured rocks. In short, he was royally fucked up.

A brilliant golden white surge blinded him as he saw someone pausing. "A close friend of mine has chosen you to become one of his children, and though our technology is advanced, his is more advanced. He was able to infuse this with something that will heal and help you, make you stronger and faster. Over time, or so he said, your body may adjust to this, or it may not. Nobody knows," he heard a strong masculine voice comment. "And I'll be damned if Darkseid regains what you absorbed from him." The voice commented with a hint of vindictiveness. A blinding surge of light flared as his memory faded into static.

*Flashback end*

Cianán blinked several times, confused. He didn't realize that his right eye had been glowing, projecting the memory. He shook his head as he took a cautious breath.

Twilight tilted her head in confusion, unsure how he'd done that as she could tell that even he didn't realize what had happened.

"It's Energon." Cianán said, looking at the display on his forearm bracer, realizing what the energy bar was. And it was dangerously low.

"What's 'Energon'?" Twilight asked, confused.

"The answer to your earlier question, lass." Cianán replied. "It's what Cybertronians run on. Their lifeblood. That's what Artemis was leaking out of his back from that stray piece of debris from those living time bombs. Apparently my cybernetic legs run on the stuff as well. Which means..." Cianán went to sit down in the nearest chair. Once he did so, he pressed a few buttons on the on-screen display of the forearm bracer and, after he pressed one last button, his legs powered down. "I'll need to wait until Artemis is done in there in order to recharge my legs."

*Several hours later, Artemis' dreamscape…*

Artemis' face was contorting painfully, not from the work of the CR Chamber, but because he was having a really bad nightmare. If a certain Lunar Princess were to see what he was dreaming about, even she would have nightmares over what she would have witnessed.

Artemis, in his original human form, was running from something, or rather someone, that he thought he'd never have to deal with again. He was running like his own life depended on it. But no matter where he ran, those same menacing hazing purple and green eyes followed him.

"I may have been banished the first time, but I have always been a part of your life, Cybertronian." An evil voice spoke, sounding like it was coming from the eyes that were following him. "No matter where you go, no matter what you do, you belong… TO ME!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Artemis screamed as he was trapped, covering his face with his arms.

When the eyes almost closed in on him, a brilliant white light started shining from Artemis, causing the evil pair of eyes to close and scream in anger and fury. When Artemis opened his eyes, a bright white pulsing orb of light was between him and the evil set of eyes.

"You shall not harm my child, foul demon of darkness." The orb of light said, pulsing with light as it spoke. The evil set of eyes screamed in rage and fury. "Begone from my child's Spark forevermore, and never return!" The orb erupted, blinding the dreamscape in its light, while vaporizing the evil set of eyes, which screamed in pain.

Artemis slouched to his knees, sobbing. The orb of light had shrunk in size to about the size of his head and floated before him. Artemis looked at the orb of light.

"Be still, my child." The voice of the orb said, its voice calmer, almost fatherly to Artemis. "He will not bother you ever again."

"Primus?" Artemis asked, his tears still flowing, but calmer this time.

"It's okay to be afraid of the unknown." Primus said. "But you will not be alone, for you have friends, and a mare who loves you, that will help you through the times ahead. And now, Artemis Prime, awaken. Awaken and face your destiny!" Primus's light erupted through the dreamscape once more, blinding Artemis.

—

Artemis woke up, wondering where he was. He remembered blacking out. His stasis lock engaged because he was bleeding Energon from his back from a stray piece of debris from the living time bombs that were the mercs. But he sees he's in a CR Chamber. He guessed Cianán was able to get him in it before he bled out. He made a mental note to thank him later.

Artemis exited the CR Chamber, fully healed and repaired. He looked and saw that everyone else was gone, probably still in bed. But he noticed Cianán was asleep in a chair near one of the consoles of the facility. But when he looked next to the CR Chamber, he saw a most adorable sight to his Spark.

Twilight was also asleep in a chair situated next to the CR Chamber, as if she had been waiting for him to come out of it. Artemis smiled, as he recalled Primus's words.

"It's okay to be afraid of the unknown. But you will not be alone, for you have friends, and a mare who loves you, that will help you through the times ahead."

Artemis walked over to Twilight and took her hand lightly, giving her hand a kiss before placing it back on her lap.

Twilight squirmed as she started to wake up from the action. When she opened her eyes, she looked up and saw Artemis smiling down at her.

"Sleep well?" Artemis asked, still smiling.

Twilight opened her mouth before she was interrupted.

"Ugh… talk about a bastard of a headache," Cianán groaned, his iridescent golden irises holding the slightest hint of a bloody gleam. He snickered as Twilight jumped as Artemis' head turned.

"What was that for?" Twilight commented, barely holding back her voice from squeaking.

Cianán smirked. "The fun of making you jump, though it looks to me like I'm not the only one that had a shit dream, bub," he commented innocently, his gaze shifting to Artemis as the subtle mirth faded from his eyes.

"How did you…" Artemis started to say, surprised that Cianán knew of the nightmare he had while in the CR Chamber.

"There's a certain look one has when they have a nightmare." Cianán said grimly. "Trust me, I've been stuck with an Apokaliptian 'deity' trying to urge me to use what I absorbed from him to, in his words, 'become a godlike extension of myself' every fucking night. Though in truth, I have no desire to be 'godlike' in any way whatsoever. Probably something I picked up from Bruce. Hell, if I can keep it from him as long as I live and drag it into whatever void follows death, I'll be satisfied." Cianán said flatly. He saw Twilight's eyes widen fractionally at his words.

"Darkseid…" Artemis growled. "Primus knows we don't need him showing up here." Artemis looked back at Cianán and smiled, "Why don't you get some recharge for your legs. I may have been in stasis lock, but I was still aware. Just… give Twilight and I some privacy, will you?"

Cianán smirked slightly. "Funny thing is… that I have something that helps me hold back what I took from him," he commented wryly as his fingers dipped into his vest, pulling free a leather thong with a ring securely tied to it.

Cianán exhaled softly as he could feel the energy of the Ring filtering through his body. His head tilted, noticing Artemis staring at the Ring. Twilight's eyes widened as she shivered, feeling goosebumps rushing beneath her fur before she saw Cianán look her way before he blinked several times, looking like he was trying not to laugh.

Cianán blinked as he noticed Twilight's fur was decidedly fluffy almost as if she'd been tossed into a dryer without warning. He snorted, forcing back laughter. He shook his head as he stashed the Ring back under his vest by his heart.

"Surprised the hell out of the Guardians that, before Kyle's White Lantern Ring shattered… it duplicated itself." he commented wryly. "And I do try my best to live life to the fullest." he sighed, unaware that, for a fraction of a second, he was engulfed by a mingled pale blue and orange aura that faded even as he stood, carefully moving with slow steps.

"Here, I got ya, old friend." Artemis said, moving to Cianán's side after opening the CR Chamber back up. "It's only fair. Besides, I left you behind once. I don't plan on doing it a second time." Artemis helped Cianán to the CR chamber slowly before he finally latched him inside and hit the activator button. "Get some rest. You need it."

"Hopefully without Darkseid crying like a bitch in my head for once." Cianán said grimly. "I'd really prefer Luna not encounter him. As for Bookworm there and the others… they have enough scars without his ugly mug haunting them." He sighed as he saw the hatch lower.

Twilight tilted her head as the thick hatch locked into place. "Why do I get the feeling he made several references that went over my head?" she said wryly, trying to get her fur to lie back down unsuccessfully.

"Because he did." Artemis said, chuckling. "Trust me, when he does that, it's best not to question him, just like Pinkie." He then turned back to Twilight and smiled, saying, "Let's go walk and talk. I know you have some questions. Like I told Cianán, I may have been in stasis, but I was aware. I heard everything you two talked about. So… walk and talk?"

Twilight giggled a bit, amused. "As long as you don't trip over your tongue," she teased jokingly.

"Oh har-har." Artemis said sarcastically before he laughed.

Twilight smirked as she shrugged. "You don't spend years around Pinkie and not gain a odd sense of humor." She commented wryly as she sat down before she jumped in surprise as an air horn blasted abruptly.

"Even in death, Pinkie is still being herself." Artemis said, barely holding back his laughter.

Twilight tugged free the air horn, her eyebrows rising in mild surprise to see Pinkie's grinning visage on it. "Something tells me that she may well have been a secret partner in that joke and prank shop in town." She sighed wryly.

"From what I know of her, I wouldn't doubt it." Artemis said, still stifling his laughter at what happened. Artemis, after he got his laughter under control, had a faraway look in his eyes as he looked at his internal chronometer, seeing it was 5:30 in the morning. He then turns back to Twilight and smiles, saying, "Let's go to the balcony and watch the sunrise. We can talk more there."

Twilight shrugged a bit. "Okay, though I'm still trying to get my fur to lay down. Reminds me way too much of when I got the 'Rainblow Dry'." She sighed. "Or when Pinkie tricked me into eating those Pop Rocks with Static Surge soda… 'so fizzy it'll make your fur stand on end' happens to be their catchphrase. Though I later found out that the soda was quite literally 'statically charged'." She commented wryly.

"Well your fur standing up like this reminds me of somepony that only talks in raspberries." Artemis said. He looked down and away with a blush before he said in a slight whisper, "And honestly it's kinda… cute."

"Raspberries? How can someone talk in fruit?" Twilight said cluelessly, slightly confused.

"I'll give you a hint…" Artemis said, still blushing at how cute Twilight looked, despite her fur standing up. Though that did little to hide her impressive cleavage, of which Artemis had ashamedly taken a glance or two at after he woke up. Just because he was Cybertronian didn't mean he wasn't still human on the inside. "First name is Fluffle, nickname is Fluffy."

Twilight cocked her head in slight confusion. "I don't get it," she stated blankly. She really didn't. She didn't realize a lock of her mane fell in her face as she unconsciously crossed her arms, unknowingly emphasizing her fluffy bust.

"Flufflepuff! You look like Flufflepuff and it looks cute." Artemis blurted, blushing more red than a tomato and an apple having a baby when he noticed her unknowingly emphasizing her fluffy bust.

Twilight blinked before a small smirk crossed her face. "You think I'm gorgeous, you want to kiss me... You want to hug me... You want to love me... You want to hug me... You want to smooch me…" she purred teasingly.

"Homina homina homina…" was all Artemis said, unable to form a coherent sentence at Twilight's teasing.

Twilight smirked as she half turned, purposely trailing a finger down her side just to see his reaction. "Having a bit of a brain skip, honey?" she purred just to tease him a bit.

"Are you sure you wanna go this route?" Artemis said as he regained control of himself, walking up to her and taking her hand in his with a loving smile. "If this is intentional, I'm all for it. But it doesn't mean I'm not considerate of your feelings, especially with what happened to your friends. I may have wanted to ask you out for a long time, but are you sure?"

Twilight blinked before she blushed a bit. "Um… damn… I didn't realize I was… um," she started before she shivered, very aware of the urges surfacing due to that bi-annual problem. She took a careful breath. "You can likely smell it, can't you?" she mumbled.

"Like a skunk, but in a good way." Artemis said, a slight chuckle escaping his lips.

"Like a skunk?!? Really? I know I don't stink, as I do remember my deodorant," Twilight deadpanned.

"Nono, I meant… ah crap." Artemis said, rubbing his head awkwardly. "I meant that the pheromones from your… cycle, if that's what you meant… are permeating the air, but it's a pleasant smell, kind of like the lavender shampoo you must be using."

"Um… that's the fur wash," Twilight admitted shyly. "My… shampoo… smells different," she said slowly. Blueberries and lilacs, in fact, but she wasn't going to say that aloud. "At least it doesn't smell like that fart stuff," she muttered.

"Well… uh…" Artemis started, blushing so red it was like a tomato and an apple had a baby. "I know you've liked me for a long time, like I've been saving myself for you. So… it's your decision. I know how bad the heat can be for an alicorn. But I'm not a normal stallion, not by a long shot. I'll be there for you if you want, but only if you want to, Twilight." Artemis continued to blush deep scarlet.

"If you were blushing any brighter, you would double as a lighthouse light," she quipped. "As for my heat… I have some Moon Tea to hold that off, fortunately," she commented. "Though I do hope you're not like Barry Allen," she teased.

"Really?" Artemis said, his face deadpanned like a certain time-traveling cyborg.

"What? He calls himself 'the world's fastest man'. If you think about it, that doesn't say much. Fast on his feet, but faster off of them… I know as Roseluck complained about it… loudly," she sighed, shaking her head.

"Yeah, well, I aim to keep us both satisfied, Princess. Just make sure to put up soundproofing and privacy spells." Artemis smirked, taking Twilight's hand and guiding her down the hallway of her castle. "Which one is yours?"

"I'll believe that when we're still going come Sunset," Twilight quipped.

"Oh prepare to believe." Artemis smiled. "Which room is your room?"

"Ah… third on the right. Second is… um… a bath," she replied.

"Bedroom first." Artemis said, smirking, walking to her bedroom door and opening it, leading her inside before he closes the door and locks it. "Then if we still have any energy left, bathroom. I get the feeling that you have a bit of a kinky side."

Twilight's eyebrow rose before she smirked slightly. "Are you sure you don't?" she teased.

"Just shut up and let's do this." Artemis smirked before he grabbed Twilight and held her around her waist, smashing his lips against hers as Twilight used her magic to draw the curtains shut and put up a soundproofing field.

Chapter 3: Relaxation Before the Takedown

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 3: Relaxation Before the Takedown

As Celestia's Sun set, a certain Alicorn of Friendship was lying in her bed, in the arms of Artemis, twitching slightly as she breathed hard. She shivered as she exhaled slowly before her ears twitched at an unfamiliar sound. "That sounds like..." she mumbled sleepily.

"Hmmm?" Artemis muttered slightly, having woken up from the sound as well while Twilight was in his arms. "You say something?"

Twilight blinked a couple of times, humming softly before her ears twitched as a voice she instantly recognized carried up to them. Her eyes widened as she was about to sit up, only to realize that their bed was kind of scattered around the room. She blushed deeply as she shivered at the memories rushing through her mind.

"I take it that Sunset just showed up, didn't she?" Artemis said, sitting up while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "I'll get in the shower and do a quick rinse. Speaking of…" Artemis turned to Twilight with a saddened look. "Did you tell her about what happened to them? I know she was fond of Starlight."

"Honestly… I wouldn't be too surprised if the world on the other side of the mirror mirrors this one in other ways." Twilight said with a saddened sigh. "AJ's human counterpart also lost her parents as well, although whether or not incidents like… those… were also mirrored… I hope not, but I haven't had the chance to mention Starlight to her yet." Twilight had a sheepish look on her face.

"How about this? You go shower." Artemis said, rubbing his hand on her arm, smiling down at her. "I have nanomachines that can do what a shower can do. I'll go meet her and let her know you'll be down in a little bit. I've always wanted to meet Sunset, because I know what it's like to make mistakes and learn from them. But I think we should get the other Princesses and your brother down here to explain it all to her together. Now, move your cute little caboose." Artemis said, giving Twilight's flank a resounding smack, making her jump and yelp.

Twilight tilted an eyebrow. "And here I thought you wanted to join me~" she pouted in a sing-song tone.

"We'll have time for that, I promise Twi." Artemis said, smiling down at her and giving her a hug, being mindful of her wings. Twilight sighed contentedly as she returned the gesture. "But we don't want to keep Sunset waiting. So let me go greet her while you take a shower. I definitely like that lavender fur wash you use. And don't get me started on the blueberry and lilac shampoo."

Twilight smirked slightly before she vanished into the bathroom.

—

Outside, Sunset Shimmer exhaled softly as she paused before she blinked.

"I think I know a few that these ponies have never heard before," an unfamiliar voice drawled. Cianán saw the look of mild confusion and surprise on her face.

"Such as?" Sunset quipped jokingly. She saw the Pegasus smirk, though what caught her attention was how he walked: a slow, lazy gait.

"Lost Highway by Jon Bon Jovi, for example." Cianán commented before his ears twitched at approaching hoofsteps from the palace. He noticed the metallic tone to the hoofsteps as he knew a similar sound to his own. His hands were wreathed in prismatic flame as something formed in his hands which made Sunset's eyes widen.

"Is that one of the first Les Paul Gibson Guitars?" she almost squealed.

Cianán blinked before smirking. "Aye," he quipped. "Serial number 0000004," he commented. His ears twitched twice at a metallic twang before he heard a rather audible splash. He had noticed a five gallon bucket of soapy water held up by a piano wire by one of the outer doors and could see Artemis covered in soapy water from the stage. Unfortunately, it wasn't one of his pranks… in fact, he was fortunate not to get caught by it himself. "Shall we?" he commented innocently as if he hadn't noticed.

Sunset shook her head before she took a deep breath.

Cianán blinked, looking closely at her before his eyes narrowed fractionally, noticing slight darkness underneath her eyes, signs of minor exhaustion.

She's distracting herself from something painful, he thought.

youtube.com/watch?v=FbUFPhGWiAM

In my rearview mirror,
My life is getting clearer,
The sunset sighs and slowly disappears…
These trinkets once were treasure,
Life changes like the weather,
You grow up, grow old, or you hit the road 'round here…
So I drive…" "Drive drive," Sunset echoed.
"Watching white lines passing by…
My plastic dashboard Jesus…
Waiting there to greet us,

Hey, Hey, I finally found my way,
Said goodbye to yesterday…
Hit the gas, there ain't no brakes on this lost highway,
Yeah, I'm busting loose, I'm lettin' go,
Out on this open road…
It's independence day on this lost highway,
Hey hey, hey hey…

Don't know where I'm going,
But I know where I've been…
I'm afraid of going back again,
So I drive…" "Drive drive," Sunset echoed.
"Years and miles are flying by…
And waiting there to greet us,
Is my plastic dashboard Jesus…

Hey, Hey,
Hey, Hey, I finally found my way…
Said goodbye to yesterday,
Hit the gas, there ain't no brakes on this lost highway…
Hell, I'm busting loose, I'm lettin' go…
Out on this open road,
It's independence day on this lost highway…
Hey hey
hey, hey

Oh patron saint of lonely souls,
Tell this boy which way to go…
Guide the car, you've got the keys…
Farewell to mediocrity,
Kicking off the cruise control,
And turning up the radio…
Got just enough religion,
And a half a tank of gas…
Come on,
Let's go…" before he broke into a solo.

"I finally found my way,
Said goodbye to yesterday…
Hit the gas, there ain't no brakes on this lost highway,
I'm busting loose, I'm lettin' go…
When I'm out on this open road,
It's independence day on this lost highway…
Hey hey," he belted out.

The ponies were staring before they broke into cheers.

"Damn, I knew you were good." Artemis said, looking at Sunset with a smile. "But to see it with my own optics, that was beyond impressive." Artemis then noticed something on the wire that was connected to the bucket of soapy water that drenched him. He grabbed it and pulled off a particular blue wing feather.

"Really Dashie?" Artemis mumbled, chuckling and shaking his head. "Even in death, you're still a prankster." Artemis looked back at Sunset, seeing she was crying silent tears. Artemis narrowed his eyes, reminded of Twilight's words before they parted while she went to take a shower.

Twilight, get down here, quick. Artemis said to Twilight telepathically. Remember what you said about events from here being mirrored in the mirror world? I think something happened. I just pray to Primus I'm wrong about what exactly may have happened. And make sure to get the other Princesses and your brother down here first. I want Celestia in on this especially, considering hers and Sunset's history.

—

Twilight paused as she rinsed her mane, hearing him before her eyes narrowed. I'll take care of things as quickly as I can. She relayed back before she tilted her head. She quickly scrubbed down and got ready to rinse off before she felt a resonant pulse in her Cutie Mark before she blinked as it was pulsing steadily.

—

Outside, Cianán saw Sunset setting her guitar on a nearby stand. "I can tell you're trying not to think about something painful. Trust me, I know well what that's like. I've lost my legs twice in two very painful fashions, though the second time was actually worse, if I'm honest… far more terrifying." He sighed, shivering. "And I still have nightmares of it." he admitted.

"You do? I bet you've never lost your closest friends." Sunset said thickly, fighting to retain some semblance of calm.

"What did you say?" Artemis said, having been lost in the telepathic conversation between him and Twilight.

"I don't like thinking about it, much less talking about it." Sunset snapped, tears at the edges of her eyes.

Artemis' eyes narrowed, not at the way Sunset snapped at him, but at seeing the tears flowing freely.

Twilight, emergency. I think it happened over there. Get them over here and get them here ASAP. Artemis relayed. Sunset's reaction is giving off serious red flags of it being more than a possibility.

Cianán frowned. "This may sound harsh, but by ignoring what happened to your friends, you do a disservice to their memories. I know well what it's like to suffer loss. The first time I lost my legs was to a pendulum blade trap in an Ancient Greek ruin after taking two cinnabar darts to my ribcage. The only reason I didn't immediately die was cauterizing my own legs with a flare… which hurt like hell. Next thing I knew, I found myself in another reality… not sure how it happened, as I was unconscious at the time, but I awoke shortly before an incident where Exobytes were released into the atmosphere… which awoke magical talents within me and augmented my healing… turns out what I thought were my legs were advanced prosthetics… and regenerating my legs from stumps… let's just say I'd prefer to have every one of my teeth pulled without anesthesia than go through that again."

"Either way, I did have friends that did die…" Cianán continued. "Especially when that bastard Darkseid showed up. Of course, he tried to use his Omega Beams on me at close range… I don't quite understand what occurred, but I absorbed his Omega Sanction and basically stripped him of his most dangerous power… however, when it occurred, the detonation blew us apart from each other and rendered me unconscious. So you can imagine how traumatizing it was to wake up to Parademons EATING MY FUCKING LEGS!" he snapped, unaware arcs of pale green magical force edged with bloody crimson flickered around him not unlike flames.

What they didn't notice was a certain navy furred Alicorn Princess flashing into the room in time to hear the end of Cianán's rant, seeing him breathing heavily but not noticing her presence. It was obvious to her that whatever rant he'd let off was one that had traumatized him from the way he was trembling.

"Pardon my friend's rather harsh way of putting it into perspective," Artemis started to say, guiding Sunset to a chair at the edge of the stage and having her sit down, "but I agree with what he said first. Ignoring whatever happened would be doing their memories and legacies a great dishonor and disservice. Just sit down and take it easy. I've already let Twilight know to call the other Princesses and her brother. I want you to tell us what happened. I know it may be hard to do so, but we're here to help. Because we have something to let you know as well. And I'm glad you could make it, Luna." Artemis didn't need to turn his head, as his IFF beacon went off the moment she arrived. "Back to you, Sunset. I know of the history between you and Celestia. I doubt she doesn't want to see you, but would rather very much want to help you through this, you just have to bear through it and tell us exactly what happened once everypony else arrives."

Sunset shivered. "But it…" she started.

"I know." Artemis said, looking at her in sympathy. It broke his Spark to see her like this, but it made his Energon boil and the thought of what he thought may have happened. "Believe me, I can relate more than you can imagine, Sunset. But when everypony else shows up, remember… you're not alone. Twilight's here for you, Celestia and Luna over there are here for you." Artemis pointed to said Alicorn of the Night. "Even me. Just remember that when you tell us. Okay?"

Sunset nodded shakily before she noticed the Pegasus stallion shuddering, noticing almost absently that his wings were in severe need of preening.

Cianán was shuddering as he forced the tumultuous energy down within him. "Even though we know loss and suffering, it doesn't stop us…" he muttered hoarsely as his hand covered the Ring over his heart as he closed his eyes, unaware the bloody crimson aura was trying to overwhelm his pale sea green aura before his eyes closed as low words escaped him. "At the end of Night, At the break of Day… All fear of Death shall fade away… Life long lost shall show its might… Now returned… White Lantern's Light." He whispered, unaware the bloody crimson of the Omega Sanction was obliterated, replaced by brilliant, almost silvery white light that melded with his own pale sea green aura.

While Cianán calmed down, his words didn't escape Artemis' ears nor Twilight's, as well as Celestia's, Cadence's, and Shining Armor's as they arrived.

"I'm glad the rest of you could make it." Artemis said, looking to Sunset, who looked back at him. When he nodded, and she nodded in return with a shaky breath, he turned to them, saying, "Now before we say anything, I don't know what happened to Sunset here in the mirror world. But her reactions so far had been pointing to some major red flags as to what I believe may have happened. Despite her mental and emotional state, she has agreed to talk about it, as I assured her all of us will be here for her. So before she tells us what happened on the other side… Twilight, babe?" Twilight looked over to Artemis as he came to stand next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I think you should tell her first, that way we can compare and find out exactly what happened."

Twilight took a slow, deep breath. "What I initially heard with Rainbow was that she had been involved in an accident. She took a job at one of the Weather Factories…" she cleared her throat thickly before she continued. "Supposedly, she fell into one of the fans intended to churn and thicken the clouds which… well… let's just say that those fans rotate at very high speeds," she said thickly. She saw Sunset's eyebrows shoot up.

"Rainbow was in training to acquire her pilot's license when her single prop plane engine stalled and though she was able to land it safely, an 'errant spark from a frayed wire ignited a small crack in one of the fuel lines'... I'm sure you can guess the result," Sunset revealed.

Twilight's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, a bit disturbed by the similarity between the counterparts' deaths.

"AJ… we still don't know much. But what we do know was that Big Mac and Sugar Belle were out for dinner, leaving AJ and Granny Smith at the farmhouse. Applebloom was on her way back from meeting Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle when…as she turned onto the driveway towards the farmhouse… a massive detonation of emerald flames tore the house apart," Twilight said slowly, thinking of the most recent incident. Artemis hugged Twilight with his arms around her shoulders as she started to cry.

Sunset's eyes widened fractionally before she paused, her head tilting. "Why does that sound familiar?" she muttered to herself before she shook her head. "AJ on the other side… the police claimed the evidence showed that she was in a 'single car accident with evidence of alcohol present' but I know something isn't right about that as AJ is…. was… a very careful driver. Hell, the only one more careful behind the wheel was Flutters. On top of that, AJ never drank behind the wheel. Hell, more often than not, she would have a water bottle in the truck and rarely a soda mostly because of Rainbow, not some alcohol," she deadpanned.

"Let me guess… Sweet Apple Acres apple cider as the soda?" Artemis asked, taking a wild guess.

Sunset shook her head. "In terms of soda, usually, yes, the soft cider. Though it was Patròn tequila, strangely enough, found in her truck. Anyone who knows AJ, however, would have known she hates tequila… in her words it tasted 'like a gorilla's piss filtered through a three month old sweaty gym sock soaked in rotten eggs'," she commented bluntly.

Artemis narrowed his eyes as he looked down, crossing his arms while rubbing his chin in thought. "This can't be a coincidence. Something's fishy about all of this. And if it happened almost like it did here, then Cianán, wanna take a trip?"

Cianán blinked at Sunset's remark of her AJ's opinion of Patròn tequila. He snorted, trying hard not to chuckle. "Having had that… I would agree that Patròn tequila is a very acquired taste… being that you'd have to have no taste buds at all to like that shit. That being said, that mess smells worse than a cargo ship of rotten fish… which says something as I've been on Cobblepot's ship which smells like Liquid Ass mixed with rotten fish and old burnt grease," he deadpanned. "I'd wager that something is being covered up in that one," he deadpanned gruffly.

Artemis' eyes briefly flashed red like a Decepticon again at the too close of a similarity between the Elements' deaths on both sides. He took a deep breath, his eyes going back to their normal ocean-blue, saying, "Sunset, you don't have to keep talking about it. I get it's too much right now. But, and I'm speaking for everypony here, you're welcome to stay to get away from there. Besides, who knows if whoever caused these 'accidents' is also after you. So you'll most likely be safer here. But once me and Cianán are finished with our investigation on Twilight's friends' deaths, we'll come back with you and help there too. It's against my nature to let evil crap like this slide. And I think my friend Cianán would agree, aye?" Artemis turned to Cianán with a smirk, knowing Cianán hated it when he imitated his accent, though it was good fun.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow. "Aye, ya jackass," he deadpanned gruffly, a slight smirk crossing his face. "I would be far too tempted to stomp a mudhole in the ass of whoever is up to that shit," he deadpanned.

Sunset blinked a couple of times in confusion. "Okay, you have me more confused than Pinkie," she sighed, shaking her head before Twilight giggled.

"You too?" Twilight said as she giggled.

Then Artemis had a thought, considering the events in the last twenty-four hours. "Sunset, and bear with me on this considering what's happened in the last day for us. But did all of you, before their 'accidents' that is… have a bad run in with a certain nephew of Principal Celestia and Vice-Principal Luna on the other side?"

Sunset cocked her head, her eyebrows twitching upward before she hummed in thought. "The only one I know for sure was Rarity, as that egocentric ass fucking little hijà de pûtà came in whilst I was repairing one of my jackets. The others…. I don't know," Sunset said, a frown flitting over her face.

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" Artemis asked Cianán, hoping he was having the same thought pattern: A road trip to the mirror world once things were settled here as well as the 'Pinky and the Brain' reference.

"I don't know, Brain. What am I thinking? Narf!" Cianán said with a straight face.

Sunset and Twilight both blinked before they started to giggle uncontrollably.

Luna cocked her head in mild confusion, not getting the reference. She did feel that Twilight and Sunset did need a reason to laugh, however. She blinked as her stomach gurgled before a loud, long pppppbt escaped.

All sounds of giggling stopped as all eyes were turned towards Luna, who was blushing bright scarlet. Artemis sniffed a few times before he started to cough.

"Okay first, Primus damn it, that stinks." Artemis was waving his hand in front of his face. "And second, six words: Damn, Luna. What did you eat?! That stinks enough to choke a Cybertronian lifeform. I should know… I am one and I literally can't breathe." Artemis continued to cough as his systems were overloaded with fart methane.

"Damn, girl, that smells worse than Scarecrow's fear toxin and Bane's bad breath combined," Cianán coughed.

"Careful, if somepony lights a match, we could get blown up." a random pony commented.

"Just for that, Luna," Artemis started to say, "your flank could be considered a deadly weapon of chemical and biological warfare." Then he started to laugh out loud at Luna's expense, much to her embarrassment.

Luna facepalmed. "Were I you, I'd be careful I don't decide to eat a three course meal of beans and lock us both in a room, hmm?" she muttered.

"Trust me, that won't even compare to what I've let out in the past." Artemis said, laughing like he wasn't fazed by the threat. "Just ask Cianán. Ain't that right, mate?"

"Trust me, him, Alex, and Joseph… those three are fucking scary after hot chili night," Cianán deadpanned.

"Primus damn, the one time I eat spicy chili." Artemis deadpanned like Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator after the failed attempt at smiling. "Could not stop blowing a tune on the old butt trumpet, add the diarrhea smoothies that basically kept making me run to the bathroom."

"Butt trumpets, my ass." Cianán deadpanned. "You three weren't playing butt trumpets, you were playing the butt orchestra." His eyebrow twitched upward.

Twilight's eyebrows rose as she tried hard not to laugh at the image. Sunset, however, was snickering before she sat in a nearby chair before a loud pppppbt followed. She blinked, looking in the chair to see a whoopee cushion. "Maybe we should get them together for the Grand Galloping Gala, wouldn't you say? 'The Astonishing Butt Orchestra'," she giggled.

Celestia blinked at the idea before a grin crossed her face as a slightly manic glint entered her eye.

Luna shivered. "Uh oh," she muttered.

"Maybe we should, if a certain irritating nephew doesn't take a hint, lock him in a sealed room with only one hose for air… attached to the gassiest pony we can find… with a regular diet of the smelliest beans and vegetables," Celestia's hummed comment was far too innocent.

"Then I will volunteer for that." Artemis said with an evil smile that rivaled a certain Decepticon leader. "Give me all the asparagus you can muster, and I will let out the worst fart on him in the history of the universe. Courtesy of the old toxic byproduct of when Energon is produced."

"I have to wonder… are there any parkia speciosa beans here?" Cianán hummed. "Those things rival asparagus for a good backup blast or colon clearer, preferably with a big asshole in range," he commented innocently.

"A big blonde asshole with a proton sized dick, maybe?" Sunset said innocently, trying not to grin too obviously.

"Preferably one here," Artemis grinned, his eyes turning Decepticon red again, "the other in the mirror world if my hunch is correct."

"Wonder which one is gonna have their head shoved deeper in their own ass," Cianán muttered.

"Depends on if we bring those two together and shove the head of one up the other's ass, Hancock style." Artemis grinned, chuckling a maniacal chuckle.

"Too bad I rather doubt we'd be lucky enough that 'same matter cannot occupy same space'," Cianán deadpanned dryly.

"Is this another one of those 'Pinkie' references?" Twilight commented wryly.

"Afraid so." Artemis said, chuckling. "What he said was a reference to a quote from a time-travel movie I loved as a kid, bested only by the greatest trilogy in that genre from my childhood."

Cianán smirked slightly before he tugged free a single edged blade. "I was always more into a rather particular series, myself," he commented wryly.

"Huh, I wondered what you meant by McCloud earlier." Artemis said, looking at the sword. "Never was into Highlander. My old friend was. Weirdest thing is he was a clairaudient. He was watching the Highlander movie from 1986. He said that he was watching the scene where Connor McCloud, who was using the alias Russell Nash, went home after he recovered his sword from where he'd stashed it. But strangely, where almost everyone sees him simply looking down as if tired or exhausted, my friend saw him look up and address him almost directly. Not quite by name, which would have been far creepier. All he said was 'I know you're watching'."

Twilight's eyebrows rose, as did Cadence and Celestia's.

"Strange… an extremely rare talent, even one I lack, is known as leaksleeping where one is able to essentially dream of other realities. Or more precisely, act as a 'channel' of sorts for said realities." Luna commented thoughtfully.

"He never dreamed, but he could hear others from those other dimensions like you can hear me normally." Artemis said, looking at Luna. "We were in contact with some pretty heavy hitters as far as worlds we once thought were fictional. Like the MCU and the DC Universe."

"Hmmm. Now that, I've never heard of," Luna commented thoughtfully.

"Kind of like we never thought we'd be surrounded by anthropomorphic mares that, frankly, look very fuckable," Cianán deadpanned before he blinked. "I have no idea why I said that," he muttered, noticing a sweet smoky scent that, for him, brought to mind maple and brown sugar smoked bacon. He also noticed a fainter scent of lilacs and lavender with a hint of morning glories. He cocked his head at a snicker before his eyes narrowed.

"Discord," he growled before his eyes flicked around. He noticed the masculine spirit of Chaos, surprisingly, dressed in a gray and purple bodysuit with a rather blatant 'H' on his head and he hung inverted with a bow and arrow.

"Ugh… a rather blatant reference to Sparrowhawk," Cianán muttered as he turned… only to find himself facing whom most agreed was Discord's Rule63 counterpart: Eris.

"I knew we were going to come face to face with either Discord or Eris sooner or later, just not both." Artemis said, shaking his head as he facepalmed at Eris's antics. "Are you two related somehow?"

"Who's related to what, Tony?" Discord quipped innocently before a rock got caught in his mouth.

"You and her… ya jackass. You're about as subtle as a baseball to the nuts, ya ken?" Cianán deadpanned.

"So cut the shit and answer my question straight, would ya Discord?" Artemis said before he got an evil smile. "Though I have a sneaking suspicion that you're more the asshole of the family while Eris here is the more mild-mannered one. So maybe I'll ask her instead of talking to you, considering what you did when Tirek attacked has put you pretty high on my shitlist."

"Actually, he's closer to 'innocent prankster chaos' in nature, while I'm more the 'widespread natural disaster chaos'. But in form? I suppose you could say we're siblings, though in truth we're more like Harvey's coin." Eris hummed.

"Of course you would know I've run across Harvey… and he's fairly decent when his good side surfaces," Cianán sighed.

"Ugh, never trusted him, despite the fact he uses that piece of crap coin to judge people." Artemis groaned out. "Though I will admit that he does have his moments."

"How do you think I dragged Cobblepot's squawking ass out of the Old Gotham Subways? Though I do remember that blast underneath Gotham's Old History Museum. At the time, Etrigan mentioned two souls he was protecting were pulled away, in his words 'not as if their owners did subside from life's tide, but as if they were transported beyond the reach of the spell's abide'," Cianán deadpanned.

"Never could understand it when Etrigan talks." Artemis chuckled. "Honestly, no offense to Zecora, but his rhyming riddles and such are even more confusing than hers."

"I'm pretty certain that Etrigan meant that whoever had the souls was still alive, but beyond his particular brand of magic's reach. Though trying to figure out what Etrigan says half the time is about as easy as predicting the winning lottery tickets," Cianán sighed, shaking his head.

Then Artemis caught the same scent that he was sure that was happening from Twilight earlier, though he detected a similar scent from Luna. When he looked at Twilight with a quirked eyebrow, she blushed and nodded. He nodded back with a smile. Shining Armor scowled at Artemis, to which he turned to Shining Armor, noticing the scowl.

"Shining, I give you my word I would treat her with the utmost respect." Artemis said. "She saved my life, and when I found out who she was after the fact, she stole my heart. And vice-versa. So no need to go over-protective-brother on her. I wouldn't do anything she wouldn't want to do."

Shining Armor snorted. "Like I'd believe the word of someone I barely know," he muttered.

"Wow, that was about as subtle as Luna's fart… or Artie's," Cianán deadpanned with a straight face.

"Okay, I see what you wanna find out." Artemis said, a serious frown on his face. "You and me. No magic, no weapons, just good old fists and legs. After we've had some rest for the night. Tomorrow at noon?" Artemis extended his right hand to seal the deal.

Shining Armor's eyes narrowed fractionally as he nodded slightly before he shook the Cybertronian's hand.

"Honestly, I'm tempted for a good spar myself," Cianán commented wryly before he paused, his ears twitching at a thestral mare whom was leaning against the wall wearing dark blue and silver armor.

"Ye want a spar, laddie?" she commented in a Scottish brogue.

"Okay, let's get some rest everypony." Artemis said, Twilight moving to his side, making Shining Armor's left eye twitch. "We can make this a tournament-style fight. The winners of both rounds will fight until only one is left standing. Remember, no magic or weapons, and obviously no killing. Have a good night, everypony." Artemis walked off with his arm around Twilight's shoulders, their tails unconsciously intertwining with each other, making Shining Armor's left eye twitch dangerously.

Cadence's hand rose before she gave him a hard swat to the back of the head. "Could you be a little less overprotective? You're her brother, not her father, baka," she grumbled.

"But…" Shining started before Cadence cocked an eyebrow.

"You want a month on the couch with the cage?" was all she said, making him cringe.

Cianán smirked fractionally before he shrugged. "Honestly, I'm tempted to do a few more songs, probably get Miss Brown Sugar Bacon to help," he commented nonchalantly.

Sunset blinked a few times before blushing deeply. "Ah, fuck me," she groaned softly, mortified.

Luna snickered. "I may take a nap myself," she sighed thoughtfully.

"Call it a feeling, but if Kori is here, it's likely that Earth may be here as well. Maybe not the Earth we are from, but an alternate Earth," Cianán commented wryly. He was far more tempted to explore than rest for the time being, admittedly. He wasn't going to admit aloud that Sunset's scent had his mouth watering.

He tilted his head before he hummed. "Should be interesting to see what music you know, lass," he commented thoughtfully.

Sunset's eyebrows rose slightly in challenge. "Is that a challenge?" she said slowly, the corners of her mouth curling slightly upward.

With Twilight and Artemis…

While Cianán and Sunset were about to compare music in the auditorium of the Castle of Friendship, Twilight and Artemis were locked in a heated make-out session in their room, both naked and on the bed.

"Did you make sure to lock the door and soundproof the room, babe?" Artemis asked after they parted for air.

"Yes." Twilight said, laying on Artemis' chest to rest. "You think I didn't notice the way my brother looked at you? Honestly! I swear, it's like he doesn't want to accept that I'm grown up or can make my own decisions now. Especially when it comes to my love life." Twilight sighed at the last word in that sentence.

"Then you put up the privacy spell over the door just in case?" Artemis asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Might be wise to make sure the door's shut, you two," Cadence giggled.

"Ah slag." Artemis cursed under his breath. "Did he hear us, Cadence?"

"Fortunately not, though I will admit that I'm curious what kind of music your friend knows," she replied.

"Well he knows a lot." Artemis said, smirking before he blushed. "Mind closing the door? Twilight will lock it behind you."

"What, planning on testing their limits?" Cadence's giggle was quite amused before the door clicked shut.

After Cadence left, Twilight locked it with her magic, redoing the soundproofing and privacy spells on the room.

"Now where were we?" Twilight said, giving Artemis bedroom eyes.

"I think I remember." Artemis smirked slyly. They began another heated make-out session before Twilight closed the blinds to her windows and turned off the lights.

Chapter 4: Musical Demonstration

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 4: Musical Demonstration

While Artemis and Twilight were having some alone time, Sunset cocked an eyebrow as Cianán set up a few decent sized amps.

"I have no problem if we end up doing the songs together. I know of more than a few good duet songs. Admittedly, I'm more in the mood to see if we can blow these out." Cianán commented.

Sunset blinked before she unintentionally let out a snorting giggle. "That so sounds like something Rainbow would say," she commented.

"See? Dwelling on happy memories you shared with them is far better than remembering how they were taken… and rest assured that whoever took them from you will be someone's bitch behind bars," Cianán commented with a smirk.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J5o8Daw1ZsY

"So how about we see how fast we can blow these amps?" Cianán quipped innocently. His fingers brushed over the strings before he saw Sunset's eyes widen slightly as she stared behind him, not seeing what she saw: the ghostly form of Pinkie grinning. She jumped slightly as his voice belted out.

Brother will kill brother…
Spilling blood across the land,
Killing for religion..
Something I don't understand,

Fools like me, who cross the sea…
And come to foreign lands…
Ask the sheep, for their beliefs…
Do you kill on God's command?

A country that's divided…
Surely will not stand,
My past erased, no more disgrace…
No foolish naive stand…
The end is near, it's crystal clear…

Part of the master plan…
Don't look now to Israel
It might be your homelands…

Holy wars…

Upon my podium, as the
Know it all scholar,
Down in my seat of judgement…
Gavel's bang, uphold the law…

Up on my soapbox, a leader
Out to change the world…
Down in my pulpit as the holier
Than-thou-could-be-messenger of God…

Wage the war on organized crime,
Sneak attacks, repel down the rocks…

Behind the lines,
Some people risk to employ me…
Some people live to destroy me…
Either way they die. They die…" followed by a strong solo.

"They killed my wife and my baby,
With hopes to enslave me…
First mistake... last mistake…

Paid by the alliance, to slay all the giants…
Next mistake... no more mistakes!" followed by a shorter solo that was heavier on the drums initially.

"Fill the cracks in, with judicial granite…
Because I don't say it, don't mean I ain't
Thinkin' it…
Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away…

I know what I said, now I must scream of the overdose…
And the lack of mercy killers…
Mercy killings, mercy killers…
Killers… killers… killers…
Next thing you know they'll take my thoughts away…." Cianán let the chords fade away, exhaling softly. He didn't realize that the White Ring he had was passively drawing on Sunset's memories and creating projections of her friends.

Sunset smirked. "Think you can keep up, hun?" she quipped teasingly as she hip bumped him.

My Past Is Not Today

Power
Was all I desired,
But all that grew inside me,
Was the darkness I acquired.
When I began to fall,
And I lost the path ahead,
That's when your friendship found me,
And it lifted me instead.

Like a phoenix burning bright in the sky,
I'll show there's another side to me,
You can't deny.
I may not know what the future holds,
But hear me when I say,
That my past does not define me,
'Cause my past is not today.

Ambition
Is what I believed,
Would be the only way to set me free.
But when it disappeared,
And I found myself alone.
That's when you came and got me,
And it felt like I was home.

Like a phoenix burning bright in the sky,
I'll show there's another side to me
You can't deny.
I may not know what the future holds,
But hear me when I say,
That my past does not define me,
'Cause my past is not today," she belted out.

"I know a couple of good ones that would fit our recent pasts," Cianán commented, a thoughtful look on his face. He didn't realize that White Lantern Ring was drawing on Sunset's memories and creating projections of her friends again, this time with their instruments ready.

The Touch - Stan Bush

"You got the touch!
You got the power!
Yeah!

After all is said and done, you've never walked, you've never run
You're a winner!
Got the moves, you know the street. Break the rules, take the heat!
You're nobody's fool!
You're at your best, when the going gets rough!
You've been put to the test, but it's never enough!

You got the touch, you got the power!
When all hell's breakin' loose, you'll be right in the eye of the storm!
You got the heart, you got the motion!
You know that when things get too tough, you got the Touch!

You never bend, you never break! You seem to know just what it takes
You're a fighter!
It's in the blood, it's in the will! It's in the mighty hands of steel
When you're standin' you're ground!
And you never get hit, when your back's to the wall!
Gonna fight to the end, and you're takin' it all!

You're fighting fire with fire!
You know you got the touch!

You're at your best, when the going gets rough!
You've been put to the test, but it's never enough!
You got the touch!
You got the power!
Yeah!"

You got the touch!
You got the power!

Touch!"

Sunset hummed, thinking. She didn't notice the projections of her friends watching her, nor did Cianán, though both Rarity and Rainbow glanced his way.

—

Artemis woke up, Twilight sleeping peacefully in his arms with a dopey smile on her face. He smirked as he realized why he woke up.

Well played on my favorite Transformers song, Cianán. Artemis thought before he fell back asleep with Twilight in his arms while she had her right wing draped over him.

—

Cianán smirked slightly, tilting his head fractionally. He hummed, thinking of which he would do next. He had considered 'Murdered Love' though he was almost certain nobody would quite grasp the intended imagery in the lyrics. He paused, noticing a shift of green on a hillside before his eyes widened fractionally, noticing a pale form in a deep green cloak watching them.

Fuck me… this only confirms my suspicion if The Spectre is capable of showing himself here. Cianán realized in a thought. He saw the Spectre shift forms into a human blond he realized was Jim Corrigan, the human host the Spirit of both God's Wrath and God's Vengeance.

Bring Me To Life – Evanescence (Cover by Jonathan Young)

"How can you see into my eyes, like open doors?
Leading you down into my core,
Where I've become so numb…
Without a soul,
My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold…
Until you find it there and lead it back home.

(Wake me up)
Wake me up inside (I can't wake up)
Wake me up inside… (save me)
Call my name and save me from the dark
(Wake me up)
Bid my blood to run… (I can't wake up)
Before I come undone… (save me)
Save me from the nothing I've become.

Now that I know what I'm without…
You can't just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real…

Bring (bring) me (me) to life

I've been living a lie
There's nothing inside
Bring me to life

Frozen (frozen) inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only (only) you are the life among the dead

All of this time, I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul
Don't let me die here
(There must be something more) bring me to life

Bring me to life
I've been living a lie
There's nothing inside
Bring me to life…"

Cianán chuckled. "We've all been there after rough incidents, I'm certain," he muttered wryly. His eyes drifted half-lidded.

"I can attest to that, Cianán." Artemis said, walking into the auditorium, a sad smile on his face. "Trust us, Sunset, like I said earlier, we're all here for you." Artemis smirked as he noticed the ghostly projections of Sunset's friends, but didn't say anything. He just nodded slightly to them, which they nodded back. Artemis walked over to the stage and stepped up, saying, "May I cut in for one, old friend?"

Cianán chuckled. "I don't see why not, mon ami," he drawled in a bad Cajun accent. He had an idea for a song he suspected Sunset would like.

"May I borrow your guitar, Sunset?" Artemis asked, holding out his hands.

Sunset shrugged, lightly tossing her guitar. Artemis strapped the guitar on and, after doing a few test chords, began to play a tune that both he and Cianán were familiar with.

"Interesting choice," Cianán deadpanned.

What I've Done - Linkin Park

"In this farewell
There's no blood, there's no alibi
'Cause I've drawn regret
From the truth of a thousand lies
So let mercy come and wash away.

What I've done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done

Put to rest
What you thought of me
While I clean this slate
With the hands of uncertainty
So let mercy come and wash away

What I've done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done.

For what I've done
I start again
And whatever pain may come
Today this ends
I'm forgiving…

What I've done
I'll face myself
To cross out what I've become
Erase myself
And let go of what I've done.

What I've done
(Na-na, na, na)
(Na-na, na, na)

Forgiving what I've done
(Na-na, na, na)
(Na-na, na, na)
(Na-na, na, na)
(Na-na, na)"

No one noticed except Cianán that a ghostly form of Optimus Prime stood behind Artemis the entire time he sang the song, a hand servo on his shoulder and a smile on his face. Cianán smirked as he rolled his shoulders.

"I'd wager you'll remember this one, brother," he quipped. Artemis smirked as he readied to play and sing alongside Cianán, subconsciously knowing what song his old friend was about to play.

New Divide - Linkin Park

"I remembered black skies,
The lightning all around me…
I remembered each flash,
As time began to blur…
Like a startling sign,
That fate had finally found me…

And your voice was all I heard,
That I get what I deserve…

So give me reason,
To prove me wrong
To wash this memory clean…
Let the floods cross
The distance in your eyes
Give me reason
To fill this hole
Connect this space between
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies
Across this new divide

There was nothing in sight,
But memories left abandoned,
There was nowhere to hide
The ashes fell like snow…
And the ground caved in
Between where we were standing…
And your voice was all I heard,
That I get what I deserve…

So give me reason
To prove me wrong,
To wash this memory clean…
Let the floods cross
The distance in your eyes
Across this new divide

In every loss, in every lie
In every truth that you'd deny.
And each regret, and each goodbye
Was a mistake too great to hide…

And your voice was all I heard,
That I get what I deserve…

So give me reason,
To prove me wrong…
To wash this memory clean,
Let the floods cross
The distance in your eyes
Give me reason
To fill this hole
Connect this space between,
Let it be enough to reach the truth that lies
Across this new divide…

Across this new divide…
Across this new divide."

Cianán took a deep breath as he rolled his shoulders. He shivered as he got the distinct awareness that they weren't alone.

Sunset saw him shiver before she blinked, turning to see the ghostly projections watching them with small, sad smiles. Her eyes widened in surprise, unaware that with her surprise, broad, reddish golden wings flared out as her horn lit with its distinctive bluish sea green aura for a second.

"We didn't want ta leave ya, sugarcube. Dunno who managed ta plant that shit in mah truck." AJ's projection muttered.

"And that bastard… heard something hit the side of the plane as I was unbuckling." Rainbow's projection grumbled.

Cianán's eyes narrowed as Rainbow revealed that her death had been no accident. Sunset's eyes widened at Rainbow's grumbling. "Well, whoever was behind it… let's just say they're going to see what fear really is," he breathed, unaware his voice shifted into a guttural growl on that particular word, courtesy of a certain Entity embodying Fear.

He didn't notice that Fluttershy's projection shot him a concerned look. Sunset jerked, feeling an abrupt shift in Cianán's energy. The shift was abrupt as if he had connections to something that had never been human nor pony. What she didn't expect when she turned was a pair of lips to meet her own.

Cianán's eyes widened as he felt Sunset's lips meet his before he felt her tongue tease his lips as he unconsciously kissed her back.

"Whoo hoo! Snog his ass until he gets lightheaded… or you do." Pinkie cheered with a giggle before an audible smack followed as Rarity facepalmed as the duo made out.

Artemis just smiled, as he had seen this coming from light-years away the minute Sunset showed up. But then he turned to the projections of Sunset's friends with a determined frown, saying, "You have my word that Sunset will be safe here as long as my friend Cianán and I can help. You all also have my word as the last Cybertronian that whoever took your lives, they'll wish their mothers kept their legs closed when Cianán and I are done with them." His eyes flashing red like a Decepticon again as he said that.

"I do know of one song that could fit all of us, really… though it's probably a very different style than she's used to," Cianán commented, tilting his head towards Rarity's projection, missing how her eyebrow twitched upward.

"Ah, I'm sure we can play it, Cianny. After all, we're linked through that Ring… might not want to let Fear Buggy out, though, he's a meanie," Pinkie quipped.

Cianán did a double-take before he cocked an eyebrow. "Okay… how the fu..?" he started before he was cut off by Sunset's hand over his mouth.

"It's Pinkie," was all she said.

Twilight blinked before she started giggling. His reaction to Pinkie reminded her of herself with a certain Sense.

"What?" Cianán said blankly, wondering what had made her laugh.

Twilight snorted a laugh before she tried to regain her composure. "You're reacting much as I once did to Pinkie," she sighed.

He shook his head, rolling his eyes. "I'm not even going to ask… though I did notice something very startling when we were playing… a particular Spirit of God's Vengeance, though I don't know how he's here," Cianán commented wryly.

He took a deep breath and shifted his weight. "One more before a break," he exhaled softly.

"I agree." Artemis said with a yawn. "Besides, we have those sparring matches tomorrow, but I get the feeling that Shining Armor is being a prick about me dating Twilight here because of some underlying reason. You noticed the look in his eyes too, right brother?" Artemis sent a questioning look Cianán's way as he said that.

"Like some dumb fuckers have tried getting close to her in the past and hurt her. Either that or someone who's a mutual friend, pardon my blunt words, fucked them both over," Cianán deadpanned. "Either way, we all have scars both inside and out," he sighed.

Metallica – Broken, Beat, and Scarred

"You rise, you fall
You're down, then you rise again,
What don't kill ya make ya more strong…

You rise, you fall
You're down, then you rise again,
What don't kill ya make ya more strong…

Rise, fall down, rise again…
What don't kill ya make ya more strong…
Rise, fall down, rise again…
What don't kill ya make ya more strong…

Through black days…
Through black nights…
Through pitch black insides..

Breaking your teeth on the hard life comin'
Show your scars…
Cutting your feet on the hard earth runnin'
Show your scars…
Breaking your life,
Broken, beat and scarred…
But we die hard…

The dawn, the death…
The fight to the final breath,
What don't kill ya make ya more strong…

Dawn, death, fight, final breath…
What don't kill ya make ya more strong…

They scratch me…
They scrape me…
They cut and rape me…

Breaking your teeth on the hard life comin'
Show your scars…
Cutting your feet on the hard earth runnin'
Show your scars…
Breaking your life…
Broken, beat and scarred…
But we die hard…

Breaking your teeth on the hard life comin'
Show your scars…
Cutting your feet on the hard earth runnin'
Show your scars…
Bleeding your soul in a hard luck story…
Show your scars…
Spilling your blood in a hot sun's glory…

Show your scars…
Breaking your life…
Broken, beat and scarred…
We die hard…

We die hard…
We die hard…" he belted out.

Sunset shivered as that very much described all of them.

He took a deep breath as he let his wings flare out before he took to the air. He paused as he noticed something hanging from the tree not far from where he'd noticed The Spectre. His eyebrows rose in surprise at what hung there: a nano-fibre vest… with a detachable Arc Reactor.

'Hmmm… could use it as a belt buckle, that way the energy wouldn't have far to travel to keep the legs charged… though I do wonder how I formed those armored bracers yesterday… and the barrier,' he mused.

He didn't know how to manipulate metal in that way, yet it seemed almost instinctive. He got the sense that there was something obviously different that he was missing. He knew it wasn't Elemental Bending as he was almost certain that Benders didn't feel the damage as if whatever they manipulated were an extension of themselves.

He shook his head as he hooked it to his belt, turning away before he blinked as he saw a pair of deep aquamarine irises staring into his own. He chuckled before he felt her hand on his shoulder as he felt his wings fold against his spine just shy of his shoulder blades.

"You're going to bed, mister," Sunset deadpanned.

"Aye, mon amour. That's exactly what I had in mind," he sighed as his gaze rose to the sky seeing the full moon as he concentrated. "Still getting used to flight… as what I'm used to," he commented as golden white electricity arced over his body before he abruptly vanished in a gust of air.

Chapter 5: The E-Team is Born

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 5: The E-Team is Born

After everyone woke up and had breakfast and an early lunch, noon came around as both Artemis and Shining Armor stood facing each other, a circle of ponies having gathered. The duel gathered a large crowd, the talk of the town being a duel between the Prince of the Crystal Empire and the newcomer who had saved the Cutie Mark Crusaders from being foalnapped. The townsponies were also talking amongst themselves, saying that this was a duel for the newcomer to prove himself to Shining Armor for Princess Twilight's heart. Artemis doesn't know how they figured out that he and Twilight were together, but he didn't care. All he cared about was proving himself to Shining Armor that he would make Twilight happy and protect her. But Artemis also had the feeling in his Spark that there was more to Shining's apprehension of him dating Twilight than he was letting on. He would talk to him first, but after this duel.

While the two of them waited for Princess Celestia to start the match, an inhibitor ring was placed on Shining Armor's horn, to prevent cheating, but they were allowed armor, of which Shining Armor had his Guard armor, Artemis was in his Battle Form Armor. Artemis looked at Shining Armor with a look of apprehension.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to change your mind?" Artemis asked, his voice sounding just like Optimus's voice again. He was hoping Shining would see reason. "I know I suggested this, but that was before I could tell there's something in your eyes that says there's more to you being against me dating Twilight than you're letting on. Are you sure we can't talk this out like two civilized adults?"

"I don't trust anyone after that incident. I trust the Princesses and family. You obviously aren't either," Shining said heatedly.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow. "I'd wager someone managed to slip under the radar, get into a relationship with the bookworm, and tried to end it violently, hmm? I hit the railroad spike on the head?" he commented dryly at Shining's glare. "Ah…. you didn't find out until after it occurred, did you? That's why you have the palm tree shoved up your ass," he commented.

"More like a certain Pegasus in the guard that acted like a complete asswipe to her, despite her crush on him. Is that what this is about, Shining Armor?" Artemis said, his eyes narrowing dangerously, flashing Decepticon-red again. "Because I never trusted Flash Sentry at all myself, not after I owed Twilight my life for saving me from Sombra when I was still human. And I will find him myself if you and I can try and talk this out like two civilized adults instead. Because no one, and I mean no one, messes with my friends, especially my marefriend like that, and lives to tell the tale. Not unless they have some semblance of dignity and honor in them to face up to what they did. But he didn't have either of that, did he?"

"Oddly, he's been missing for several weeks, though we did find something that we don't recognize as it isn't from any known military organization," Shining deadpanned before he flicked a badge towards Artemis.

Artemis picked it up and looked at it with a cold glare, instantly recognizing it. Not from personal experience, but from his old friend's description of it.

"Dai Shocker!" Artemis growled, the mention not escaping Cianán's ears, before his head looked straight forward on its own, his eyes shooting two beams like he was projecting something from holding the badge.

Cianán's eyes narrowed as his head tilted before his fingers curled into fists as he noticed what appeared to be a panning shot before he saw Flash Sentry shift into view before he recoiled in surprise. "Took you long enough," the recording relayed before a pale cream hand tossed a golden edged dark blue Coin before dipping down. Flash grinned as he caught the Coin before a flash of blue, gray and black was noticeable. Cianán's eyes widened fractionally as he noticed what was around Flash's waist – a very dangerous item known as the Poseidon Driver.

However, only one Core Medal was within it, the Same Medal.

"Hail Dai Shocker," Flash Sentry commented with a smirk, turning away.

Artemis' eyes beam projections stopped after that last part. His cold gaze went back to the Dai Shocker badge, his eyes in his Battle Form Armor turning red like a Decepticon again. His Energon was boiling and his Spark was absolutely livid at this complete and utter betrayal.

Cianán's eyes narrowed. "Did you notice the reflection in that traitor's helmet? Cream fur, blond mane, blue eyes, smug ass kissing smirk?" he growled.

"I knew it!" Artemis all but yelling the sentence. "Shining Armor, this match is called off. We're taking that slagging traitor Prince down. But how would you like to join Cianán and I personally when he and I go after them? I will even let you take care of that traitorous bastard of a former Guard yourself. If that doesn't prove to you that I care about Twilight and what happened to the other Elements of Harmony, then I don't know what will. So what do you say? Partners?" Artemis walked over to Shining Armor and held out his right hand.

Shining Armor looked hesitant at first. But after seeing that traitorous Prince and former protégé of his in the recording, he steeled his resolve, grabbed Artemis' hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Alright." Shining Armor said, smirking. "But this is your only chance to prove yourself. If I'm not convinced, then the match will continue to prove yourself. Agreed?"

"I understand." Artemis said, smiling that he and Shining were at least able to come to an agreement. "Get some rest, Shining Armor. I got the coordinates from that recording. I know where those two are hiding. We leave at dusk. Cianán?" His friend cocked an eyebrow at him. "I suggest you get some rest too. I've had plenty already today. Maybe spend some quality time with your new marefriend Sunset before we head off. You both know that you want to, aye?" Artemis asked all too innocently as he smirked slightly, mimicking Cianán's accent again to poke good-natured fun at him and Sunset.

"That's a bloody Canadian, ya git," Cianán drawled sarcastically before he rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I'm strongly considering testing his stamina," Sunset commented with a smirk.

Twilight snickered. "Don't exhaust him too much, Sunny," she quipped, "but something tells me he can really stuff you," she teased.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow. "Something tells me you don't mean that in an innocent way," he deadpanned dryly. He saw them trade a look with a smirk that sent a chill down his spine. "I don't know whether to be aroused or scared," he muttered.

Sunset's smirk widened as her wings half unfurled. "I would say the former… especially with how you smell," she purred. She saw his pants visibly tighten. A soft exhalation escaped him as he turned before he totally didn't yelp in surprise upon seeing Sunset right behind him with a grin on her face. His eyes widened slightly as he attached the Arc Reactor to his belt, not noticing the nanites spreading to form an armored belt. He saw her eyes narrow before he grunted as he felt a shoulder lightly shove into his abdomen before he blinked, disoriented before he blinked, confused as he looked around.

"Oops," Sunset said sheepishly. "Though I suppose that landing on the couch is better than landing on the hardwood floor or the marble floor in the bathroom," she hummed. "Though if I'm honest…. I want to give you a good thorough scrubbing and preening… before the real fun begins," she hummed.

"Oh? And you don't need a thorough scrubbing yourself?" Cianán quipped before he cocked his head. "Wait… preening? I thought only birds needed to do that," he commented before Sunset giggled.

"Pegasus wings need preening to remain healthy," Sunset teased. "And you need a good deep cleaning before the fun begins," she purred teasingly.

Before Cianán could say anything, he blushed bright scarlet as a distinctive *poomph* was heard coming from his back.

—

While Cianán and Sunset were having their moment, Twilight and Artemis were lying in their bed under the covers, completely naked, Artemis taking a quick rest with Twilight before he, Cianán, and Shining Armor departed to take on Blueblood and his traitorous former protégé, Flash Sentry later that night. But Twilight had used her Moon Tea this time to take it easy on Artemis as far as her heat cycle. She sighed somberly as she laid her head on Artemis' chest with her right wing draped over him. Artemis, sensing her distress, looked down at her with a concerned look.

"Bit for your thoughts, babe?" Artemis asked. Twilight sighed, sniffling a bit as she started to cry.

"How could he do that to me? After I gave him everything?" Twilight said slowly while crying. "I gave him my innocence, my heart. And now I find out that he was in league with that bastard all along? Who knows if he and Blueblood have hurt more than just my friends." After she ranted those words, she began to sob uncontrollably.

Artemis frowned as his Spark broke at the sight of Twilight's distress. His eyes went Decepticon-red again in righteous anger and fury as he leaned his head down and kissed her head just below her horn, hugging her tightly but gently.

"Twilight, I swear as Primus is my witness that I will make those two pay for what they did." Artemis said. "I give you my word as the Prime Child that I will not rest until those two answer for their crimes. I'm glad you're brother and I were able to come to an agreement. But as far as the takedown goes, it'll be just me, Cianán, and your brother, as I promised Shining Armor first dibs on that traitorous former Guard that is a traitor not only to your heart, but to Equestria as a whole. You saved me from Sombra all those years ago. But I wouldn't dream of ever hurting you like Flash Sentry did."

"Promise?" Twilight asked, looking at Artemis with tears still flowing.

"Cross my Spark, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye. I promise. " Artemis said with a smile, going through the motions of Pinkie's signature promise. He looked in front of the bed, his eyes widened slightly as he saw two ghostly forms standing in the room: Optimus and a certain former Decepticon leader, standing side by side once again. Optimus closed his eyes and nodded, while Megatron nodded as well while pumping his right hand in a fist into the air once. After that, they vanished. Artemis smiled, knowing that despite being enemies once, they were once again friends.

And he was glad to know that when things get tough, they had his back.

Chapter 6: Transform and Roll Out!

View Online

The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 6: Transform and Roll Out!

Artemis was preparing to move out with Cianán and Shining Armor, both of whom had yet to join him outside the Castle of Friendship. It was currently 10 pm. The reason Artemis chose the late night time for the assault was for the element of surprise. While he was checking over his gear, he heard a metallic clattering noise behind him. When he looked behind him, he noticed unfamiliar pieces of armor that he had never seen before, but looked strangely familiar. A note was attached to the helmet of the armor. When he picked it up, he saw it was written in Cybertronian, which his systems decoded into English.

'The Dark Energon has been purified from this armor, courtesy of Primus. Give it to the brother of your femme friend for when you bring those two traitors to justice. It shall serve him well.

-Megatron'

Artemis smiled, as it warmed his Spark that Megatron was being kind enough to help him out. His auditory circuits caught the sound of both Cianán and Shining Armor coming out of the doors of the Castle of Friendship. Cianán was in his Tank Kamen Rider armor, while Shining Armor was in his normal Royal Guard armor.

"Glad you two could make it." Artemis said with a small smirk. Then he looked at Shining Armor and pointed at the pieces of armor that Megatron gave him, saying, "A friend of my mentor gave me these to give to you for when we move out. It's more advanced than the armor you are familiar with, but it should keep you better protected against whatever those fuckers happen to use as weapons. Plus you get your own advanced blaster attached via your right arm, with a wrist blade to match. And even if you don't know what to do, the armor will guide you."

Cianán tilted his head as he noticed the message in Cybertronian. "Huh… so Megatron sent that, eh? No doubt we'll run across other Displaced at some point," he commented wryly, unaware the lens of the right side of his helmet was flickering a pale blue. He blinked, realizing he could read Cybertronian.

"I doubt it, considering they all mostly have one thing in common…" Artemis said, dropping off at the end, hoping Cianán would get who he was referring to as far as the Displaced.

"The Merchant… though technically we were Displaced by someone other than his creepy ass," Cianán commented. "Though…. I don't think I ended up here because of Primus," he deadpanned.

Shining Armor cocked an eyebrow before his ears twitched twice at a distant howl.

Cianán's eyes narrowed fractionally, his head tilting. "That's not a Timberwolf. I've heard them… that… was an Orphnoch… which means we may well run into something from Faiz," he said cautiously, his head tilting. "That reminds me…" he said slowly before a small hatch on his left outer thigh opened before it spat something black, silver, and red upward before he snagged it with his right hand.

"If we're running into stuff from the Faiz world, then we'll need all the firepower we can get." Artemis said, looking at Shining Armor. "Take off your Guard Armor and put on what my mentor's friend left you. You're going to need the added protection if we're dealing with crap from Faiz."

"I guess," Shining Armor sighed cautiously before he noticed embers of silvery white fog forming a curtain. His eyebrows rose as he saw two humans step through, one with dark reddish black hair rubbing his temples.

"Fuck me… Tsukasa had to deal with this awareness all the time? Ugh… what a pain in the ass," he commented dryly with a grimace, the Ziku Driver around his waist obvious.

"He did not tell me of this, my Lord," the other human clad in tan with grayish white pants and a white scarf around his neck and shoulders, spoke. "Though leaving Geiz to protect our timeline was wise," he commented wryly.

"And who would you two be?" Artemis asked, quirking an eyebrow upward.

"My Lord is the King of…" the white scarfed individual spoke before the other cut him off.

"Woz, they don't need to know everything. Suffice it to say that Tsukasa Kadoya passed his dimensional gifts to me and I felt a pull here, where timelines feel… tangled. As to whom we are," the other human spoke before his hand ignited in mingled silver and gold flames before a watch rested in his hand. He twisted one side, embers of golden flame flickering momentarily before he separated the watches, sliding the golden watch on the left side, the silver and white one on the right side before he depressed the button on top, unlocking it even as Woz's hand lightly pushed the Beyondriver's activation arm into position before his hand swatted the Ziku Driver, activating it as their bodies were engulfed in gold tipped silvery flames as Woz's was engulfed in silver tipped green light.

Shining Armor blinked before the faceplate of his new armor clicked into place.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

"Huh, looks like the armor got more of an upgrade than when Megatron was taken over by Unicron." Artemis said whistling, impressed at Shining's new battle armor. "Even comes with the sword from the Bayverse movies of Transformers: The Last Knight for Megatron. Though the Fusion Cannon still looks the same. More or less."

"That doesn't explain who they are," Cianán deadpanned as arcs of golden white electricity flickered over his armor.

"He mentioned Tsukasa Kadoya, so that can only mean he's Zi-O, Tsukasa's successor." Artemis said before he sensed the shock from Zi-O. "I only know because an old friend when I was still human was a clairaudient. He was connected to Tsukasa, though I'm surprised Tsukasa didn't mention that to you. You do know what clairaudience is, right?"

Zi-O tilted his head. "It's a psionic gift for hearing beyond the norm. Not unlike my precognitive talents… though in truth… I'm not human, but I am the last of my kind," he said softly.

"You're not alone in that. As I, too, am the last of my race." Artemis muttered. That did not go unnoticed by Zi-O. Artemis clarified, saying, "I was once human, but am now an Autonomous Robotic Organism from the Planet Cybertron. Also known as an Autobot. Though, as I said, I'm now the last of the Cybertronian race, just like you are the last of yours."

Zi-O cocked his head. "I'm an Atlantean Arcadian Lykos Aristi," he deadpanned. "I was suffused with the power of three Primal Primordials," he deadpanned dryly.

Woz shot him a look before Zi-O rolled his shoulders. "You didn't tell me that, my Lord," he deadpanned.

Zi-O shrugged. "Didn't think it was important," he deadpanned.

"Well, either way," Artemis started to say, "we can use all the help we can get for going after two traitors to Equestria and bringing them to justice. Would you two be willing to lend a hand? We could use a couple of powerhouses like yourselves."

Zi-O shrugged. "Why not? It's what Kamen Riders do… protect the innocent, beat the stupid out of idiots, and if what I'm smelling is right, get the girl, apparently," he commented nonchalantly, before teasing them.

"That's none of your business!" Both Artemis and Cianán blurted out in unison, both of them blushing bright scarlet, despite their current forms.

Zi-O rolled his shoulders. "Hey, I'm not judging nor am I going to ask who, though I can guess. Besides, I can't point fingers… especially when I got flaming twins after that bastard Darkonda showed up, hunting a green dragon," he deadpanned.

"Damn, if Tommy ended up here, we could use his help too." Artemis said, rubbing his chin in thought. "But we've wasted enough time. Make a space, everyone. We're going after Blue Balls and Flash now."

Artemis' eyes flashed bright blue as a swirling bluish green vortex opened up in front of the group. Artemis nodded his head at the vortex.

"This Ground Bridge will take us to a safe distance just beyond the base." Artemis said before he pulled out his Ion Blaster Mark VII. "Just be warned that it can be a little jarring for first-timers through a Ground Bridge. Let's roll out!" Artemis walked through the Ground Bridge and disappeared through it.

Zi-O shrugged as he pushed off, Woz close behind as Shining Armor stalked through before Cianán followed, the Ground Bridge sealing behind them. Had they looked back, they might have noticed a golden glow behind one of the trees from a visor.

As they stepped out of the Ground Bridge, they blinked in the sunlight refracting off a massive ice wall to their right. Zi-O cocked his head, his internal gyroscope noting that the Sun was moving east to west, which made the ice wall to their south. His gaze scanned around, noting a castle built into the side of the mountain roughly four kilometers away. "Looks like we have a bit of a run," he commented nonchalantly.

"Unless we're gonna speed things up a bit," Cianán deadpanned dryly.

"Shining." Artemis said. Shining Armor looked at Artemis. "We should have Resizers in our armor. For you, just say 'Resizer: Automize! Shining Armor: Transform'. Then just say 'Transform' after that to go into vehicle mode. Like this. Resizer: Automize! Artemis Prime: Transform!"

Artemis' Battle Form Armor began to shift and change as he grew in height, the transformation taking roughly twenty seconds. After the transformation was complete, he then stood 30 feet tall.

"Now for part two of the demonstration. Transform!" Artemis yelled the last word as a second transformation took place as he broke up into what sounded like shifting pieces of metal. After that was done, he was now in a completely different form.

"Not bad huh?" Artemis asked the others through his holomatter avatar, which looked just like his old human form. "Hop in." He said to the two newcomers of the group. "This will be quicker to get to the base. Stealth mode is active, so only those I tag as blue for friendly can see or hear me." His gaze went to Shining Armor. "Remember what I said to do. Now it's your turn."

Zi-O cocked an eyebrow before he hummed. "I got the next best thing," he commented wryly as he lightly tossed a Ridewatch up and down.

He depressed the button before lobbing it where it unfolded in an arcing surge of chronal rainbow flame. "Who says we don't have rides of our own?" he commented nonchalantly.

Woz smirked as he flicked out a green tinted Ridewatch which unfolded in a surge of bluish emerald chronal flame.

"Resizer: Automize! Shining Armor: Transform!" Shining Armor said cautiously.

Shining's armored form began to shift and change as he grew in height, the transformation taking roughly twenty seconds. After the transformation was complete, he then stood 30 feet tall.

He grunted the last word as a second transformation took place as he broke up into what sounded like shifting pieces of metal. After that was done, he was now in a completely different form.

"Okay, this is definitely disorienting," Shining commented wryly.

"Believe it or not, Shining," Artemis started to say, "by taking on the armor, even though you'll still be normal as far as your magic, or bedroom activities, or that you can still eat, you're now one of the last of an all-but-dead race of living alien robots like me. You'll still be able to transform back to your normal form for your daily life. So use that new armor with honor."

Artemis looked to the others through his holomatter avatar, then looked ahead as he said, "Let's roll out!"

—

Several Riotroopers noticed some disrupted dust. What they saw through the advanced scanner goggles, however, was wildlife they'd prefer to avoid.

"Ah, crapbaskets, we don't need those things showing up again." One Riotrooper said. "They were enough of a pain in the ass to clear out before." The same Riotrooper groaned.

Displacer beasts were ambush predators capable of projecting their form in one location yet striking from another angle. What made them more annoying was that they ran in packs and their tendrils were known to be toxic.

They were quite resistant to their projectile weapons, unfortunately, and very difficult for even their Kaizo-Majin allies to kill without practice.

—

Cianán cocked his head. "I'm picking up Riotroopers. I count eight on the exterior," he relayed.

Artemis looked from behind the boulder he was hiding behind and scanned the entire structure. The info being relayed in his HUD was disturbing, but he was glad he found that one of them was the target.

"I count seven in the upper section of the structure, eight in the middle, and eight in the ground level of the structure." Artemis relayed to the others. "I count 36 total. Our target is in the penthouse suite-like room in the top-most level of the structure. But there should be 37 here. One of the targets is missing. It looks like the only one here of the two is Prince No Balls."

"Which implies that they could have somehow known we were coming… though how, when we didn't share the knowledge with anypony?" Shining deadpanned.

"I think I know…" Artemis said grimly. "The badge you threw over to me, Shining Armor, right before our match. It must have acted like a beacon that they were being tracked, at the time that my systems projected the recording from it."

"Possible, though it's just as likely someone we likely wouldn't have taken a second glance at may well be a spy, willing or unwilling, I can't guess," Cianán commented cautiously.

"Slag, slag, slag, slag, slag, slag, slag!" Artemis said, cursing in Cybertronian words multiple times.

"What?" Shining deadpanned, his head tilting. "You think you missed something obvious?" he stated.

"What Cianán just said, it reminded me of something my old friend once showed me." Artemis said, looking at the structure darkly. "There's a Kamen Rider that wants to be a hero, but he's forced to do evil shit by Dai Shocker. Maybe he ended up here as well and didn't want to do anything, but was forced to spy on us when we were coming up with the battle plans. Ring any bells Woz, Zi-O?"

"I can think of several. Kick Hopper and Punch Hopper, as well as Necrom, and Amazon Sigma, though Psyga was probably the most unpredictable of the bunch that wasn't a true Dark Rider," Zi-O commented.

"Slag!" Artemis said, saying the Cybertronian curse word again. "It's Psyga! I remember now. My friend mentioned his name once, but not the others you mentioned. It has to have been him."

"Why not the others?" Cianán commented.

"That's because Amazon Sigma was a reanimated corpse of an Amazon," Zi-O sighed. "The others were closer to the light than darkness. More often than not, falling to the Darkness is a choice," he deadpanned.

"Same could be said about Megatron, who chose the darkness for eons of civil war against the Autobots." Artemis said, looking grim. "In his lust for power, he doomed Cybertron. Then he used Dark Energon in a bid to create an army of undead Cybertronians. But he saw the error of his ways, and disbanded his Decepticon legions, saying 'The Decepticons are no more. And that is final'."

"Hmmm. Now that I think about it… the feel of the Omega Sanction… and whatever energy gave me my enhanced legs… they felt like polar opposites, which I'm guessing is the same with Energon and Dark Energon," Cianán commented thoughtfully.

"That's about sums it up about Energon and Dark Energon, old friend." Artemis said to Cianán. Artemis looked at the Riotroopers on the outside, saying to Cianán and the other two Kamen Riders, "Shining Armor and I will take the upper section, where we'll apprehend Prince No Balls. Woz and Zi-O can take the ground level. Think you can handle the middle level, old friend?"

"Aye, though I wouldn't put it past these fucks to rig the place to self-destruct," Cianán commented wryly.

"Then once Shining and I apprehend No Balls, let's meet up in the middle level… here." Artemis highlights a section on the hologram map he was projecting from his eyes. "We'll take an emergency Ground Bridge back to the Castle of Friendship if that is the case. Agreed, everyone?"

Zi-O shrugged. "I suppose," he commented.

Woz chuckled before he let his body stiffen.

Cianán let his eyes narrow, unaware both his Cybertronian eye and flesh eye shone pale blue before he slowed, unknowingly employing a Kryptonian talent: penetrative sight. "Shit… we're gonna need a hell of a lot more firepower. The outer base we're seeing… there's a deeper base in the mountain… and it ain't no small one. Looks like fucking Ace Chemicals in there," he said warily. His eyes narrowed, then widened.

"And I'm counting hostages…" he said warily.

"How many are we talking about?" Artemis said, uneasiness in his Spark at the mention of hostages.

"Hmmm… I'm counting… fuck me sideways with a lit road flare… at least forty that I can see. We could use Kori and…" he started before he heard a chuckle behind him, unknowingly spinning out trying to see who it was. Unknown to him, she was sitting right behind him.

"Kori had a feeling you'd need help, though I wouldn't have thought you'd come up with an Armored Core suit," a teasing voice commented.

"Kara," Cianán deadpanned with amusement. To him, she was like an annoying sister.

He blinked as he noticed a surge of light reflect off the mountainside before he turned, spotting a vortex in the air before something shot out at high speed.

"What in Primus's Spark? I know that craft… it's not possible…" Artemis said, dumbfounded.

Almost as if in reply to Artemis, the craft began to shift and change.

"It seems that the rumors of the child of the Primes was true." The unknown Cybertronian said, looking down at Artemis, though with a look of friendly glee. "I did not think one other survived besides myself."

"Megatron? How is it possible?" Artemis said, confused beyond belief. "I thought you were dead during your self-exile?"

"You can thank my carelessness with Dark Energon for that, but after Optimus freed me from Unicron's control." Megatron said grimly. After which he smiled and looked back to Artemis, saying, "But I returned to Cybertron to visit Optimus, only to find out the planet was dead once again, most likely due to some cataclysmic events in my absence. But Optimus sent me before he went offline to help you. He told me to help you out, if and when you needed it."

"Well, considering they have hostages, we can use the help, Megatron." Artemis said with a smile before his battle mask slid into place. "I may not be my mentor specifically, but I know he'd want us to fight side-by-side like you two once did. What do you say? Partners?" Artemis held out his right hand to seal the deal with a common friend of his mentor.

Megatron tilted his head. "I suppose," he commented before he took Artemis' hand.

"Welcome to the E-Team, Megatron." Artemis said, shaking Megatron's hand. "Now, let's take out this operation of Blue Balls' and rescue those hostages."

"Looks like the illusion is no longer necessary. Woz," Zi-O commented wryly. To those watching the exterior guards, they'd notice they immediately tensed.

"That's our cue. Attack!" Artemis said, pulling out his Ion Blaster Mark VII. "Megatron, help the others while me and Shining Armor take the upper section and apprehend Prince No Balls. Can you do that?"

Cianán saw Megatron nod as he let his legs shift so he went from tank treads rolling to boots slapping the soil as he shifted, pulling out a very familiar button before he flipped the cover, seeing Kara watching with interest from the corner of his eye. He depressed the button as it buzzed sharply as he tugged free the TankTank connector before he hooked it on as his armored form dissolved into misty fog. "HAZARD ON!" it barked as he pulled out two bottles, shaking them a couple of times before hooking them into the Driver.

"Jikken o hajime mashou ka?" he quipped innocently, unknowingly quoting Kiryu Sento even as the Driver barked out "SUPER BEST MATCH! HAWKGATLING!" before he turned the crank handle.

Dark fog billowed out, forming his armor.

He exhaled as he rolled his shoulder as electricity danced over his body as he pulled something free.

"Let's get 'em, Kara. And you and I both know you aren't the only one here, but that, we will talk about later," he commented as his wings extended before he took to the air at high speed.

Cianán ignored how Kara pouted as he took to the air, pulling out the Takataihō before he spun the rotor three times before opening fire, having already targeted the Riotroopers with the Gatling FullBottle's auto-targeting system.

Sparks and rock dust erupted from the energy shots impacting as, at the moment, his intent was to keep the exterior guards from firing on his comrades.

"Alright, Shining Armor, let's go. Time to climb." Artemis said with a scowl as he ran full speed to the side of the mountain just to the side of the structure and threw himself in a massive leap. After he latched onto the mountainside, he began to climb.

"Here goes nothing…" Shining Armor muttered as he did the same as Artemis, and began to climb towards the upper level of the structure via the mountainside.

Cianán tilted his head as he dove, concentrating before he flexed the wings supplied by the Hawk FullBottle before spinning arcs of golden electricity sped at the guards before echoing booms and heavy plumes of dust erupted as he saw a trio of fireballs detonating skyward, meaning three of the exterior guards were terminated permanently. He saw Kara accelerate before he heard a very distinct crunching sound before he heard crashing from within.

His eyes narrowed as he focused, his irises glowing as he let his wings fold in as he dove before kicking one guard hard enough to bury him halfway through the thick brick wall before he let his boots hit the ground as he opened fire, staggering two of the exterior guards before he pushed off, ignoring the sparks and smoke from the damaged armor, slamming into one with a brutal Spear before he twisted, sparks erupting as the other Riotrooper opened fire before he spun the rotor four times before he opened fire.

The Riotrooper groaned as he staggered backwards before he blew apart. "Six exterior guards down. One guard is doing an impersonation of a gargoyle in the wall," he relayed to the others.

"The other two are scattered and splattered," he heard Megatron growl.

He heard numerous crashes and bangs before he saw a fireball erupt out of a wall. He saw Kara tumble out of the hole, wincing as she hovered. "You're about to get fucked, Karen," she growled before she shot back inside.

—

While the others were taking care of things down below, Artemis and Shining Armor, both in their Battle Form Armor, were climbing the mountainside, nearing their target. When they got to the upper section, they stopped and looked. Artemis used his thermal version to scout the penthouse suite of the upper level. He saw Prince Blueblood in the penthouse suite, while the guards were around the outer perimeter of the upper level, freaked out due to their compound being attacked. Artemis then turned to Shining Armor.

"Ready to rain Tartarus on that traitor of a prince and his accomplices?" Artemis asked, smiling at his marefriend's brother-turned-fellow Cybertronian, his battle mask sliding into place.

Shining smirked slightly, unaware his Cybertronian armor mimicked him before he engaged the Fusion Cannon. "Oh, Blue Dickless!" he commented as he opened fire. However, he noticed a vague ripple in the air before, abruptly, Blueblood was out of range and almost out of the room. "Strange," he had time to mutter before he staggered as his armor blared alarms of sustained damage as he saw a bright emerald electricity surge as he noticed someone in green and black with his back to him.

Cianán's head tilted as he jumped down, switching the Gatling FullBottle for the Kaizoku FullBottle for close combat. He heard a detonation overhead as he paused.

—

Artemis looked at Shining Armor, a concerned look on his face. "Shining! Are you injured?"

"The armor's a bit damaged, but I'm not. Though who the hell is that? It ain't your buddy, obviously," he replied.

"No, he is not." Artemis said, dispatching his Ion Blaster and pulling out a sword that caught Megatron's optics in the distance.

—

Below, Kara was fighting off a hideous were tiger Kaizo-Majin. "Ugh… damn, what did you eat last?" she groaned at its foul breath.

"Oh, that? One of the more… unruly hostages. Well… one of his arms, anyway," the Majin chuckled. "Wonder how you'll taste," he snickered.

—

"He WHAT!?" Artemis all but roared when he heard the Kaizo-Majin say that to Kara. Artemis scowled as he looked to Shining Armor. Shining Armor looked back at Artemis, having heard the same words.

"Go… I can handle this." Shining Armor said. "You said the armor will guide me, right? Let me test that out."

"Just be careful, Shining." Artemis said, a concerned look on his face. "Twilight and Cadence will not forgive me if something happened to you."

"You really do care about my sister, don't you?" Shining Armor asked with a raised brow.

"More than you can imagine and know." Artemis said in a slight whisper, a tear streaming down his cheek as he looked down.

Shining Armor was shocked at the amount of loyalty that the Prime Child was showing for his sister. Shining Armor couldn't help but smile.

"Then you better go help those hostages, before they're all killed." Shining said, his Fusion Cannon priming to fire as he pointed it at the Dark Kamen Rider, with Artemis nodding before he turned to prepare to jump down. "And Artemis?"

Artemis stopped and turned his head to look at Shining Armor.

"Take care of yourself… Brother."

Artemis' breath hitched, not believing what he had just heard from Shining Armor: He was given Shining's approval of dating Twilight, in the BEST possible way… that Shining Armor acknowledged Artemis as a brother.

Artemis smiled under his battle mask, nodding and saying, "You too… Brother. May Primus watch over both of us."

And with that, Artemis gripped the Star Saber and took the leap down.

—

Cianán's eyes narrowed as bright golden white with crimson edges electricity surged over his armor, unaware his armor changed as a result.

Kara, however, saw the change in his armor. Her eyes widened slightly as she got chills, though she couldn't explain why.

Cianán's eyes narrowed, the lenses in his helm glowing a dull silvery blue before he moved as her eyes widened, time seemingly slowing as he shot at the the Majin as she shoved it back before he clotheslined it viciously before he twisted as it arced backwards in slow motion and kicked it hard in the upper abdomen, sending it flying through the air. He noticed Artemis dropping down through the skylight gap towards the Majin.

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU MURDERER!" Artemis yelled as he held the Star Saber in a position to stab the Majin for a killing blow.

Before he could react, the Majin felt a massive stabbing pierce through its heart, the sudden action causing it to spew up blood. Artemis slowly and painfully pulled the Star Saber from the wound he inflicted on the Majin, wanting to make it an agonizingly slow and painful death, knowing the wound was fatal. After he pulled the Star Saber completely free, he spun around and severed its head in one swift motion.

"Burn in the deepest Pits of Tartarus for what you have done." Artemis said with a growl, his battle mask retracting before he spit what looked like the Energon version of saliva on the dead body of the were-tiger Majin.

Cianán noticed the other Majin going at Artemis' back before his eyes narrowed as he pushed off, darting past Artemis and grabbing the other were-tiger Majin by the ankle in mid leap and speeding out of the gaping hole Kara had made. What was rather noticeable, however, was the spiderweb cracks and the splash of blood where it had slammed its head into the floor before a drag trail of said blood showed where it had gone: out of the hole. If they looked, they would see a slightly red glowing trail of dust with a trail of blood and dust trailing it over the rocky soil before it reversed, speeding back at the castle before a wet crunching splat sounded as the Majin was hurled at roughly 95% the speed of sound at the exterior wall… exploding on impact.

Artemis just looked at Cianán with a shocked look on his face, looking back and forth between Cianán and where the other were-tiger Majin had become a bloody pizza stain on the wall. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Cianán, smiling.

"Remind me to buy you a cold one when this is over." Artemis said to Cianán over his comlink. "I owe ya one for that."

"If there's one thing that disgusts me, it's cannibalism. That's a hard 'no' for me, eh?" was Cianán's reply as he noticed numerous items that held an odd vibration to them. It was slightly different for each, admittedly. Most prominent amongst them, however, was a sci-fi belt buckle with a yellowish gemstone half orb in its center with a winged 'V' that had a diamond shaped gemstone floating within it. The other, however, was a silvery gray pocket watch with a runic seal upon it. He cocked his head in confusion, his eyes narrowing. He hummed, still unaware of his armor's change.

"Ain't that the truth, brother." Artemis said, shaking his head. "Makes me want to vomit at the thought of what they've done to the hostages already. We better find them, and fast." Artemis looked at what Cianán was looking at. "Looks like they were stockpiling priceless artifacts and the like." Artemis looked to Cianán. "What do you make of these, brother?"

Cianán shrugged. He cocked his head. "You recall the multiverse theory? I think this is evidence that it's true," he deadpanned dryly before he blinked at a rumbling boom. "Looks like Meggsy is getting his aggression out, and this Dai-Shocker trash is more than useful as targets," he commented before a loud crash followed. He cocked his head as he heard multiple rapid chiming sounds. "Is that just me… or are you picking up on what sounds like a Vegas slot machine too?" he commented wryly.

"I hear it too brother." Artemis said, turning his towards the sound. "It sounds like it's coming from…" Artemis' eyes widened in shock as his thermal vision picked up a very recognizable human form in the deeper part of the base. "Uh… remember when you said it looks like Ace Chemicals in here?"

"Hai," he commented wryly in affirmative. His eyes narrowed. "You ain't talking about a certain chucklehead ass, are ya?" he growled.

"Yup. He's here." Artemis growled out. "I can see him with my thermal optics. There's no mistaking that form. And he's with the hostages."

Cianán growled low in the back of his throat before he felt the floor tremble slightly. "Think they cleared this place out?" he deadpanned dryly.

"I hope so. Let me check with Shining." Artemis said before he tapped the side of his armored head. "Shining, what's your status? Did you apprehend Prince No Balls?"

"Whoever that guy was in green and black seems to be able to freeze time for short periods of time. He got away deeper inside," Shining grumbled.

"Cronus. He's a Dark Rider. I've had to access his abilities in the past," Zi-O cut in. "He's capable of freezing time for all but himself and creating Game Fields that alter reality, making 'Buggle' Riders like himself, Snipe, Ex-Aid, and Genm much more dangerous," he revealed.

Cianán tilted his head. "I'm guessing if you're of a particular strength level, his time disruption field doesn't affect the target?" he commented.

Zi-O chuckled. "I know a way to really fuck with him… and potentially get someone closer to not only this rogue Prince, but whomever is leading this Dai-Shocker base, hmmm? See… I don't just have the Ridewatches for the 'good' Riders and 'dark' Riders… but also the ones for the Another Riders… essentially monstrous mockeries of the 'good' Riders," he revealed.

"Well, let's get those hostages and apprehend a certain chuckleheaded asshat, but I'm doing it for Harley. I saw her on the video the day we interrogated the mercs. I'm glad she finally realized he was just using her and broke free of him to turn over a new leaf." Artemis said before he tapped the side of his head with a smirk on his face. "Megatron, how are you doing there? Are the Riotroopers giving you a good challenge?"

"There would be more of a challenge from that irritating pest Rodimus," Megatron deadpanned dryly before a loud, resounding clang resounded through the castle.

"You're saying that asshole that Kal put down wasn't him?" Kara said with widened eyes.

"Okay, I must be missing some context here." Artemis said, looking determined. "Let's just focus on taking down the chuckleface asshat so Harley can have some peace of mind while also freeing the rest of the hostages. Let's focus, everyone." Artemis tapped the side of his head again, saying, "Shining, if you got No Balls, use your armor to open a Ground Bridge back to Twilight's castle and put him in the dungeons. Rough him up, but just enough to make him dirty and filthy the way he doesn't like. We'll follow once we finish here, over."

"What you're missing is that an incident we barely stopped was Joker trying to turn Metropolis into a nuclear wasteland. I stuck near Kal and barely stopped Joker from dosing him with a blast of Crane's Fear Toxin… Lois had to have emergency surgery to get the timer out and, unknown to all but Kal, I backhanded Joker hard enough to snap his neck in a half dozen places. Of course, we found out later that Joker wasn't Joker, but a body double. Bastard turned out to be the half brother of one Victor Zsaz," Cianán deadpanned.

"Damn, never knew you to be brutal, brother." Artemis smirked. "But my optics scanned him in the base. It's the genuine article this time. So you can redo that backhanded slap and break his neck if you want. I always hated him."

Cianán let a faint smirk cross his face. "Oh, he ain't gonna be that lucky. Only way he would have known his little scheme failed was if he was watching. I intend to pull a page out of Hunter's book," he commented before he pushed off, electricity surging over his body. His eyes drifted half-lidded before he focused, unknown to him, as his body phased though the stone before he coughed a bit at the foul stench of chemical air before he focused, electricity flickering down his arm and condensing into his arm before he hurled a Speed Force Lightning blast that blew a chunk the size of an Abrams Tank outward.

"I thought we learned our lesson last time brother?" Artemis said, walking next to Cianán, Star Saber put away and Ion Blaster brought out and held at the ready.

Cianán tilted his head. "I aimed there for a reason. That's where the old volcanic shaft rises meaning a natural ventilation shaft for whatever shit is hanging in the air. And if I'm right, I'd wager that faint green tint is residual Smilex… Joker's trademark chemical known to suffocate the user and caused the victims to die laughing with a permanent 'Joker' grin," he drawled. His eyes narrowed fractionally as his gaze drifted around before a pair of loud resonant clangs echoed behind them before he half turned as he saw the heavy door go spinning before he blinked as it spun end-over-end before it smashed close to a dozen Riotroopers and a Majin that looked disturbingly like a giant praying mantis.

"You take the laughing asshat, brother." Artemis said, holding his Ion Blaster with one hand, pulling the Star Saber out with the other. "I'll handle these 'clowns' and the giant insect. But if he gives you any problems, send me a message. I'm not about to leave you behind again. Just let me know if the hostages are safe and I'll open a Ground Bridge for them to Twilight's castle. But give that grinning asshat the Pollock route… for Harley." After Artemis said that, his eyes flashed Decepticon-red at what The Joker had done to Harley before she left him and turned over a new leaf.

"Speaking of, as far as Bruce and Harley know, the laughter has already stopped… all we're doing is making sure it's nice and quiet," Cianán quipped innocently with a smirk.

"I don't care." Artemis said before his eyes were completely Decepticon-red with a deep scowl. "I hated how he treated Harley, and for what he did to Jason Todd. He deserves the worst possible way to die. For the peace of mind of all three of them, brother… kill him." After that Artemis turned towards the Riotroopers and Majin while yelling, "Alright, ya shites, which one of ya loads of bollocks has the stones to take on the Child of the Primes? I'm ready to do some 'holy' paintin', ya shiteheads!" What Artemis didn't notice was Cianán's snickering at something only Artemis had confided in him as a sign of kinship: he was descended from Irish and Scottish nobility, and in intense situations, that old blood tended to show in his lexicon.

Cianán tilted his head before he noticed movement deeper inside and jogged slowly towards it before his eyebrows rose in shock. "Ah, fuck. You would show up, big guy," he sighed as Kara was getting pretty well pummeled.

He focused before darting up to Solomon Grundy before he slapped the Avatar of the Council of Rot in the back of the head to get his attention.

He saw Grundy turn before he gained something unexpected: a look of recognition. His eyebrow twitched upward before he heard cackling behind him before he pushed off into a twisting roundhouse that tagged Joker full in the face. He landed before he snapped off a crescent kick that knocked away the Bowie knife.

"Hmmm… you aren't the Bat, nor are you trained by him, so who are you?" Joker cackled.

"The Reaper of your soul, you garbage. By the time I'm done with you, the only kiss you will get is that of a wood chipper," was all the reply he got.

—

With Artemis…

Artemis was still fighting with the three were-tiger and one mantis Majins after he took out the Riotroopers Pollock route-style. But these four Majins were somehow the same 30-foot height as he was, and they were giving him problems. His Battle Form Armor was already damaged, and he was slightly leaking Energon. He at least learned from the best, and knew when to call for backup. And he had somebot in mind. He tapped the side of his head to activate his comlink.

"Megatron, I could use some help with these four Majins." Artemis said before he took another nasty hit to his lower chassis. "I badly need an assist."

A booming shot sounded as one of the Majin beasts lost his head before a chuckle sounded from the mountainside. "How'd you like that one, partner?" John Wayne drawled.

"Okay, I never thought I'd be able to say this, as it's been in the tank for years." Artemis said with a smile under his battle mask. "But what the shit-biscuit?! Bee?! How the hell are you still alive? Unless you're not the Bee of my Optimus, if using your radio to quote John Wayne was any indication. How did you get here anyway? I doubt your Cybertron has the same transwarp technology that brought me here." Then Artemis had a shit-eating grin on his face as he said, "I will say this though since you are here. I loved what you did to Agent Simmons the first time you met that crazy shithead when you literally 'took a piss on him' when he kidnapped Sam and Mikaela."

Bumblebee shrugged. "Don't… know. Glow… claimed… Autobot… Prime… in… need," he managed haltingly.

A whump sounded as another of the Majin exploded from a blast that blew it apart from the chest up, splattering its remains everywhere. Moments later, a discus of pale sapphire energy slammed into the chest of another before detonating in a blue fireball, sending it tumbling, but heavily damaged.

Megatron tilted his head, slightly confused, as the Kamen Rider he saw was not Zi-O.

"It's a rather curious fact that when I tap into the other Riders' powers… my Driver changes to match theirs for some reason. The only fortunate thing is that I don't find myself mimicking their personalities," Zi-O, in the form of Fourze Cosmic States, said wryly.

Bumblebee scowled, before he said through his radio, "Reminds me… of… Alice. That… *bleep*ing Pretender."

"Easy, Bee. I'm sure that's not exactly what he means. He can just copy their powers without taking on their personalities." Artemis said placatingly.

"And I can use their abilities, though I will admit the first time I used this form… it had a very nasty backlash. Though I will admit that having multiple Ridewatches fused within my body… let's just say that each one uses a different energy frequency, much like a radio can tap into different radio signals. Still can't use Kiva or Dark Kiva easily as those are, in fact, genetic in power nature. The Lockseeds are easier to access… though I try not to access the Helheim Forest too much… as that tends to linger like a leech clinging to the skin… or a vampire fruit bat to a certain farmer's apples," he sighed.

"You know more about what happened to them… the other Elements, don't you?" Artemis said with a slight scowl at what Zi-O said at the end of his sentence.

"Not really. But the way the… eh?" Zi-O shrugged before he paused as a purple burning phantom was floating and dancing about. "Ryūtaros," he sighed, shaking his head.

"Wouldn't surprise me if this world gains a Den-O, as he's one of the few Riders other than myself who guide the timeline as it should flow," he mused as his body ignited in bluish white chronal flames before winking out, his armor dissipating before he was revealed in his human form. His head tilted as he half turned, his eyes narrowed as his muscles bulged, seeing a far too familiar visage.

"Baron von Sabrewulf," Zi-O commented flatly, noticing the Dai Shocker medal at his belt. His eyes drifted half lidded as he bared his teeth as his canines and incisors sharpened as his clothes tore as his body shifted as he let his Katagaria Lykos side out… the form that the 'classic werewolf' was actually based upon.

Bumblebee whistled in surprise as the darker furred werewolf charged at Zi-O, who twisted, catching and tossing Sabrewulf with a hip toss before he darted forward, tackling the darker furred werewolf with a Spear before they both tumbled off the top floor of the castle.

"Remind me not to get on Zi-O's bad side…" Artemis said as he looked where the two of them were fighting after hitting the ground level.

Megatron tilted his head as he heard a deep crunch before a howl of pain, followed by a wet crack and a snarl followed before numerous crashes. He looked over the side to see Zi-O bodily slamming Sabrewulf into columns and walls before he lifted him and whip-slamming him into a low planter that broke beneath him. "What is the expression the humans use? 'Opening a can of whoop ass', I believe?" he drawled.

"That sounds about right, Megatron." Artemis said in his comlink, sounding like he was smiling. "A famous wrestler-turned-actor used to say that. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin."

"Get your ass up, mutt. You're going to rest in peace," Zi-O snarled before he kicked the dark furred werewolf in the gut before flipping him up and slamming him down with an echoing boom.

"Zi-O, ever seen WWE wrestling? Because I have something I've been dying to do for a long time if you can hold him still for me." Artemis said over his comlink. "You'll know when to get out of the way."

Zi-O cocked an eyebrow before he hauled the dazed werewolf to his feet. "Too bad we don't have any tables or ladders," he deadpanned dryly.

"Oh, I don't need a table or ladder for this. I'm in the perfect position above you." Artemis said with what sounded like a malicious chuckle. "And besides, you said it yourself, 'rest in peace', right? Just hold him steady until you see me dropping down. You'll see."

Zi-O hummed. "Feeling froggy?" he commented.

"Maybe~?" Artemis said all too innocently with a distinctive Scottish accent. "Just let me know when you're in position."

Zi-O rolled his shoulders. "Let's put this rabid dog down," he commented before he held the werewolf in a tight full nelson. "Go whenever," he growled.

"Here comes the Crazy Astro Train!" Artemis yelled as he ran to the edge of the part he was at above Zi-O and jumped, maneuvering his body into doing a piledriver. "LEEEEEEEEROOOOOOOY JEEEEEEEEEEEENKIIIIIIIIIIINS!"

Zi-O tripped Sabrewulf, slamming his face into the ground with a crack before he teleported beneath Sabrewulf, the rising knee audibly cracking bones as it propelled him upward straight into Artemis' catching range. He quickly got out of range.

"FLYING ROBOT PILEDRIVER!" Artemis yelled right as his right elbow made contact with Sabrewulf's spine with a resounding wet crunching splat as the force of Artemis' weight caused Sabrewulf to split apart in his center mass. Artemis quickly got up and pulled out his Ion Blaster. Taking a couple of shots to Sabrewulf's head and chest before standing directly over his head, Artemis held his Ion Blaster at the ready while crouching over Sabrewulf's head twice. Artemis smiled as he retracted his battle mask.

"Tea bag, ya flea-bitten little shitehead." Artemis said before he spit on Sabrewulf's dead carcass. "I would say he just became a 'holy meat-lover's pizza', but that would be too good for him."

"I'd wager Dai Shocker promised him a chance to return to human form… deceptive bastards… using one's scars and desires against them, uncaring if they actually do get it," Zi-O sighed softly as his body shifted back to human.

"Who knows… let's just finish this and make sure they have a massive wrench in their plans for the time being." Artemis said with a sigh as well. He then tapped the side of his head again, saying, "Shining, how ya doing? Did you get No Balls?"

"He's definitely 'no balls' now. Little shit tried to attack me, so I Caged him hard enough his balls popped," Shining deadpanned.

"Alright, sending you a Ground Bridge." Artemis said, his eyes shining bright blue. "Take him to the dungeons at your sister's castle, disengage the armor, and get some rest in the CR Chamber. Like I said, by taking on the armor, you're one of the last of a dying race. You did get banged up a bit by Cronus."

"Got a gift for Harley. Think she'll like it?" Cianán quipped before he held up the Joker's head by the hair, spine still attached. "Found two more holding cells with a good forty or fifty more each plus the first one… damn… kinda surprised me that Grundy not only recognized me, but helped," he commented wryly.

Artemis whistled in appreciation at Cianán's handiwork. "I will say I like that you went Hanzo on him. And yes, I think Harley, Bruce, especially Jason Todd will appreciate that he's gone. For good. As for Grundy, he's not too bad in my books. He's kinda like Harvey, but a little bit more towards the good side, even if he's fighting for the wrong one."

"I know Kal was very thankful after I stopped him from getting blasted by that Fear Toxin… because it doesn't take a genius to tell what it would have influenced him to see. That, and it saved more than just Lois," Cianán deadpanned.

"Wait, what?" Kara commented, sounding breathless. She had quite a few scrapes and bruises, showing how nasty those Majin could be.

"Kal didn't tell you that Lois was pregnant?" Cianán quipped innocently.

"Means you're getting a little cousin to spoil, Supergirl." Artemis said while chuckling.

Kara's eyes widened before her legs gave out from beneath her as she collapsed in a dead faint. It was a combination of not only physical exhaustion, but emotional shock.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow, shaking his head. "Far too tempting to pull a Wade on Logan right now," he muttered under his breath.

"That and it's not like either of us in our natures to pull that on a woman, aye? Especially a Kryptonian woman like her." Artemis said as he activated his Resizer to normal height and walked over to Kara and picked her up gently. "Did you get the hostages out, brother?"

"Told them to head for the exit where we'd have a way to get them home," Cianán commented before he blinked as a pair of arms wrapped around his chest before he blinked at a rather surprising sight.

"Well then, let's get those hostages back to Ponyville and send them home." Artemis said, his eyes glowing bright blue again as he remotely opened the Ground Bridge. Then he projected his voice where his radar was indicating the hostages were and said, "Attention hostages, this is Artemis Prime. I mean no harm. Me and some friends have come to take you all home. If you all will look to the bluish green portal that just opened near you, walk through it and it will take all of you to Ponyville at Princess Twilight's castle. We will give you medical attention and help all of you once we get back. Be warned that it can be a little jarring for first-timers through a Ground Bridge."

Cianán cocked an eyebrow at the mare clinging to him. She pouted slightly before backing away.

"I'm pretty certain herds are a thing here, Cianán." Artemis said with a sly smile. "Don't be too quick to 'blow her' off as a potential mate. I know I won't because I always fancied a certain girl I'm carrying right now besides Twilight." Artemis muttered the last sentence he just said.

"I don't know her… but I do get the distinct feeling I've seen her before," Cianán deadpanned, unaware she was a certain Crusader's grandmother.

"I don't think you wanna know that you have a GILF after you, brother." Artemis laughed as he said that. "I'm just surprised she's still alive despite what Twilight told us what had happened to her and AJ when the farmhouse blew up." Artemis then hummed thoughtfully as he said, "Now that I think about it, she looks like she's 20 years old again when she was elderly from what I knew about her. Dai Shocker must've done something to her to regress her age." Artemis looked to the younger looking Granny Smith and asked, "What exactly did they do to you, Granny Smith? I'll admit, you look great, but there's nothing, magic, technology or otherwise, that would be able to make you 20 years old again."

"Actually, sonny… Ah'm not twenty… but closer to 510, hun. Clean livin' has kept me looking young as mah granddaughters… that blast that night shattered that relic that made me look elderly. Knocked me through a couple o' good trees, too, as it blew me off that porch," Granny sighed.

"Huh… interesting." Artemis said, looking down in thought. "What kind of relic was it? If you remember that is. And were you cursed with it until it shattered or was it purposefully that you took it? Also Granny, Applebloom is okay, just in case you were wondering. When everything happened, Twilight took in Applebloom and the rest of the Crusaders to keep them safe. So be sure to thank her when we get back to Ponyville."

"The former, sonny. Turns out there are more'n a few items that hold some nasty surprises, the Alicorn Amulet amongst 'em. Though Ah'd advise gatherin' those 'Tokens' as those Dai-Shocker shits call 'em," she replied.

"Those two we saw brother," Artemis turned to Cianán and said. "The pocket watch with a runic seal and the sci-fi belt buckle with a yellowish gemstone half orb in its center with a winged V on it. I recognize them. They were from Displaced stories, one that was written by my old friend, and the other, the pocket watch, was written by another author. I know who they are because my old friend, being clairaudient, was connected to them as well, like Tsukasa Kadoya."

Artemis ashamedly, for unknown reasons, couldn't stop stealing glances at the young-looking Granny Smith, who noticed this and kept teasing him with fluttering eyes, along with an occasional display of her impressive cleavage. Despite being over half of a millennium old, she didn't look a day over 20. Artemis could feel all his Energon start flowing southwards in a very hard boner.

Slag it! Artemis cursed himself. Despite being a Cybertronian lifeform now, my mind is still human. Slag it all. But I will admit she is pleasing on the eyes. I just hope that herds are a thing here as well in this Equestria. He chuckled lightly as he continued, I'll get you for that, Optimus.

Artemis looked away as he focused, saying telepathically, Twilight, wake up, babe. Mission accomplished. Also Granny Smith is still alive. She was merely thrown from the porch in the explosion of the farmhouse that took AJ from you. Also I want to talk to you about something when we get back soon… in private. With Granny Smith and hopefully another friend. You'll see why when I get back, babe.

—

Twilight blinked at the message as her eyes fluttered open as she yawned before she jumped slightly.

"And tell Kori to contact Harley, I have something she's gonna really like," she heard Cianán comment.

"And Bruce and Jason Todd too. Tell Kori to tell them both it's the genuine article this time." Artemis added his two bits in.

—

Sunset yawned as she rolled over before her eyes snapped open as she unintentionally rolled out of the bed, hitting the thankfully carpeted floor in a tangle of blankets and sheets. She shivered unconsciously as she took a slow breath. "For a Pegasus… damn… he had a lot of stamina," she mumbled sleepily as she got to her feet, shuffling towards the bathroom, not realizing another Alicorn was likely thinking about the same thing.

—

Cianán exhaled softly. He blinked as he noticed a thorny whip, apparently another Token, before he paused, getting a strong feeling of familiarity.

"What is it brother?" Artemis said, seeing Cianán looking at the whip while he was still carrying Kara. Though Artemis was blushing the entire time as he also had Granny Smith, who looked 20 despite being 510 years old, hanging on his shoulders now.

"I don't know. I'm just getting a sense of familiarity from that particular one… not sure why," Cianán commented before he got a flash in his mind's eye of a pair of sisters… both luscious redheads. He didn't realize he stumbled backwards until he fell back into Kara's hands.

"Damn, that was a quick recovery." Artemis said, surprised before he muttered while blushing. "I hope she didn't hear me compliment her like that even though I meant it when I was carrying her."

Cianán blinked several times before his eyes widened fractionally. He took a deep breath. "Looks like we aren't the only ones who ended up here. There are others, and I don't mean Kara… or Kori," he commented. "Magur Muitaps Anemic," he invoked, a dimensional pocket opening before his hand snapped up, the watch, buckle, and coiled whip floating into the pocket before it closed.

"You mean other Displaced?" Artemis said, cocking an eyebrow upward.

"More like mutual friends from that Earth I ended up on… namely two users of the Green. One, you likely recall by reputation if not by name: Pamela Isley… a.k.a 'Poison Ivy'," Cianán quipped.

"Oh, I know about her." Artemis said with a smile. "My old friend, the clairaudient, made a character on DCUO that, in his mind, was her sister. But it turns out she was Pamela's sister, when he ended up connecting with said character for real. You might know her. Katrina Isley. Hell you might know mine that we connected to who apparently looked like a cross between me when I was still human and Jason Statham. Predator2020, or Predator for short."

Cianán's eyes widened fractionally. "Katrina," he muttered gruffly. "I do recall her and a couple of others going down beneath Gotham Geographic Museum… but soon after there was a huge blast… though I don't know what caused it."

"Did you know Predator as well?" Artemis asked, wondering about the only hero whose face he had the honor of seeing under the helmet he wore all the time except for in his quarters.

"Probably," Cianán commented. "Dunno how many people got tagged by Brainiac's Exobytes," he sighed.

"I did. It was kinda funny seeing him carry Doctor Psycho by one leg before he tossed him into the console that shorted out that damn red sun cage," Kara giggled before she looked down in sadness.

"You're withholding something, Kara." Artemis said, looking at Kara, as he could feel that something wasn't right about the whole story, the way her eyes looked down in sadness when she thought no one was noticing her slight tears. His systems were telling him as such. "You cared about Predator more than a comrade and friend, didn't you? After something happened between you and Brainiac V? Then what happened to him?" When she didn't respond and hugged herself, crying even more, Artemis felt his Spark sink at this and walked over to one of the only other girls besides Twilight he had had a crush on and hugged her gingerly. Kara stiffened at the action for a minute, but then let her emotions flow out in her tears as she returned the gesture and cried into Artemis' chest plate. "It's okay. Take your time." Artemis whispered, rubbing her back gently. When she calmed down after a few minutes but still cried, Artemis asked while maintaining the hug, "What happened to him?"

"Darkseid happened… as we managed to force Brainiac back from the planet… that so-called 'God of Evil' attacked. Quite a few heroes who had done well against Brainiac… they weren't ready to fight him… hell, for that matter, neither was I… didn't stop us, though. No doubt it pissed off Brainiac something nasty when I purged his ass from Brother Eye," Cianán commented grimly.

"What did Predator say, Kara?" Artemis asked, having already known the answer, ignoring his old friend while he glared at Cianán, a silent message that said 'can't you see she's hurting and stop being so blunt for once in your life?'. Cianán shivered in slight fear as he briefly saw Artemis' eyes flash a bright violet that he recognized from Megatron as Dark Energon and decided to keep his trap shut this time.

"‘Find Aaron, he will take care of you,’" Kara said softly.

Cianán blinked as Artemis' eyes widened fractionally.

"I understand." Artemis said as he stayed there with Kara in the embrace. They stayed there for a good 15 minutes while Kara calmed down. Before Artemis knew it, Kara was lightly snoring, having passed out from the emotional turmoil of the last 15 minutes. Artemis smiled despite shedding a tear and picked her up gently but held her close.

As he walked with Kara in his arms and Granny Smith next to him, he stopped by Cianán and looked at him as Megatron, Bumblebee, Woz, and Zi-O walked up to the four of them.

"Let's go home." Artemis said with a tired sigh as his eyes glowed bright blue as he opened the Ground Bridge back to Twilight's castle. Everyone else preceeded him while he looked back at the ruined base before seeing a ghostly form of one man he had hoped to meet, but not ever get the chance to because of Darkseid.

"I'll make her happy, old friend." Artemis said with a saddened smile. "You have my word. May you be One with the AllSpark, Predator."

After the ghost of Predator smiled and returned the smile, Artemis walked through the Ground Bridge with Kara in tow, the Ground Bridge sealing behind him.

Chapter 7: The Fall of Blueblood Part 1

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 7: The Fall of Blueblood Part 1

Cianán winced as the glare of the Ground Bridge blinded him for a few seconds. He blinked as he saw no less than a hundred and seventy anthro ponies. True, he wasn't a die-hard MLP fan unlike Aaron, but he did know some of the characters in the series. Two in particular caught his eye, a slim but busty and wide hipped mare with a dark gray mane and tail, a light gray coat and light purple eyes. Her Sigil was a violet treble clef. The other, however, had moderate cerise eyes, a curly moderate magenta mane, and a pale cerise coat. Her Sigil was that of a cherry topped cupcake with purple icing within a light sea green cup. He noticed that both were dirty and looked quite tired. To his surprise, the pony that had lost his arm from mid-bicep down was a very familiar muscular red stallion with a moderate orange mane. The bandage was quite dirty and clearly needed changing.

He didn't expect a golden furred Alicorn to tackle him, however, as he unconsciously let go of the Speed Force, his armor dissipating into embers of golden red flames. Unfortunately, the Build Driver was smoking a good bit from the nearness and the fact that Speed Force energy was most certainly of an exotic sort, it had more than likely sustained damage.

As it was, his clothes were very much tattered and torn.

"Artemis?" Artemis heard his name called as he turned 180 degrees and was almost tackled by Twilight until he put up an Energon shield, Twilight stopping mid-jump and falling to the ground.

"Sorry babe." Artemis said sheepishly. "Didn't know you were gonna tackle me like that. But as you can see, that wouldn't have been wise, as I'm carrying someone in my arms that has been through a lot and needs a bed to recuperate in."

"Who is she?" Twilight asked, looking at Kara's sleeping form.

"A friend who lost someone very close to her." Artemis said, looking down at Kara with a saddened look. "When her boyfriend was killed because of someone she and Cianán had dealt with, she was told by him to find me. But he had told her my old name from my human life."

"So she…?" Twilight began to ask.

"Yeah, she doesn't know it's me all along." Artemis said as he closed his eyes and nodded. "I want her to rest first and recuperate from the emotional turmoil she had to deal with when she had to remember as she admitted this. So for tonight, I'll let you, Sunset, and Cianán deal with getting these hostages the medical treatment they need and food, water, and a bath. I think she would feel better if she woke up to a familiar face. Oh, and that private conversation I mentioned in my telepathic message? We'll talk a little later about that considering…" Artemis looked down at Kara, to which Twilight nodded, having understood what he wanted to say.

"Go ahead, I'm okay with it." Twilight said, smiling. "You think I don't get the gist of what the conversation is going to be about? You do know that it is 8-to-1 favoring the mares, right? I wouldn't mind, under one condition…"

"That you're my alpha." "That I'm your alpha." Twilight and Artemis said in unison before they just deadpanned, staring at each other before laughing when they realized what happened.

"I guess it's true then when an alicorn and a regular pony fall in love and they bond in that way." Artemis said with a smile. "They're…"

"Immortal as well, along with being telepathically linked, almost like identical twins, finishing each other's sentences." Twilight finished Artemis' sentence by instinct. "Okay, that's creepier than when I first tried to figure out Pinkie's Pinkie Sense."

"We'll figure it out later, I'm going to put her to bed in one of the guest rooms." Artemis said after he deactivated his Battle Form Armor, transforming back to his auburn-red Earth Pony stallion form. "I'll make sure I'm up for breakfast. Depends on when she wakes up. Good night, Twilight."

"Good night, Artie." Twilight said as she stood on the tips of her hooves and kissed him on his lips. After they broke, Artemis walked off with Kara in his arms, ready to go to bed…

"And Twi… look who we found," Cianán commented, flicking a thumb not only at the youthful Granny Smith, but the noticeably tired Big Mac. "Suffice it to say the bastard that hurt him… let's just say that if they're scraping him up, they're gonna need a sponge, because Artie made sure his heart was 'resting in pieces'. Guess he, pardon the pun, died of a broken heart," he commented before he felt two hands swat him in the back of the head, one from a red-gold maned Alicorn, the other from a blonde sonokinetic.

"Yep… kinda figured either you or Diana would be with Kara, Dinah. Though I suspect Harley and Jason are going to really like what I have for 'em, especially Bruce… plenty of closure for the three of them," he commented wryly.

"Oh?" Dinah Lance, the Black Canary, commented before she blinked as he held up what was in his other hand: Joker's spine and head. "Damn. That's…?" she commented with surprise.

"The real thing this time… turns out that we may not be alone here. Though if I'm honest… I'm more focused on two things at the moment," Cianán deadpanned before his stomach grumbled rather loudly. He noticed numerous ponies looking up, likely thinking it was thunder, despite there being no clouds

"I don't know what that energy was… but it obviously has rather rough effects on your body," Sunset said sternly.

"That would be Speed Force energy… think of it like adrenaline on steroids. I know Barry has to, where a normal human would survive on 2,000 or 3,000 calories daily… or experienced bodybuilders consuming twice that on average… Speed Force conduits like him tend to need around 25,000 or 30,000 calories daily… especially when exerting themselves. But being a conduit does boost everything… senses, reflexes, agility, physical durability to some extent, healing," Cianán deadpanned. "It's just the metabolism that's a bitch," he sighed.

Sunset winced. "Then we're gonna get some food for you… then we're going to bed. Anything else can wait until morning… and if you try sneaking off, I may just have to spank you," she said firmly, a hint of teasing slipping into her voice near the end. "And I'm sure you'd like having a hot Alicorn to dominate you, Wes," she purred.

"Who told you that name, mon amour?" Cianán commented, his eyes narrowing at his marefriend.

"Didn't you hear what Artemis and Twilight were saying?" Sunset said, raising an eyebrow. "Even though you're a Pegasus, and I'm an alicorn, we bonded intimately. Which means we're both immortal now, not just me, and we possess a link to each other in the mind not unlike identical twins."

"A telepathic bond, eh? Hmmm. So you're an Alicorn of what…?" he commented half teasingly. "I know it ain't being a hot curvaceous babe, even if you are," he quipped.

"I guess it would be based on my powers from the mirror world that came from my geode." Sunset said, showing Cianán her necklace. "Empathy…" Sunset then looked back at Cianán with a serious look. "You never told Artemis the full truth, did you? You're not exactly who you say you are in a way. You aren't just his friend from those ruins when you got hit by the pendulum trap. You're his clairaudient friend Wes. But you went off the grid because of the way you were treated like a slave by your family. You changed your name, got plastic surgery on your face to change your look. But you still kept tabs on Artemis when you both were still human because you two were like brothers despite the long distance between the two of you. And when you found out that he was leaving for the excavation in Greece, you tagged along under your current name. Tell me I'm not wrong. Remember… the link, so I will know if you're lying. And if you try to do so, consider yourself on the floor of our room for a month, no pillows or blankets."

Cianán shivered slightly as he looked away. "Then you know the source of my last name. Because though I turned my back on them and swore no contact, I didn't want to forget her. Especially when she was the only light in my darkness…" he said slowly before his hand rose to his right pectoral, keenly aware of the crest just beneath his collarbone.

He saw, out of the corner of his eye, her gaze soften. "Honestly, I do see you a lot like a gemstone, lass. For a good while, ye were rough and unpolished, yet over time and with experience, ye were polished to a beautiful shining gemstone," he commented wryly, unaware it sounded like something both Raritys might have said.

Sunset giggled while blushing at the compliment. "That sounds like something Rarity would say. And it seems you know more about us than you're letting on. You and Artemis."

"Like ye would nae believe, lass." Cianán said. "I'll tell him who I am. But when I think we're both ready, aye? Last he heard, I died. At least, that's what they told him. Which was a load of bollocks, especially for them. They never wanted to admit the truth to anyone, even if they were fucked sideways with a lit road flare as a strap-on in their arses."

"Well, don't wait too long to tell him, okay?" Sunset said with a concerned look on her face. "He would be more mad if you don't tell him soon."

"Aye." Cianán said, looking down in shame as he knew how angry Artemis had gotten when he confided to him all the times he was pissed off before and the reasons why, with said reasons being valid reasons. "I'll tell him in the morning."

He took a deep breath before he exhaled softly. "Kinda ironic… that I met face-to-face two characters I had 'created' in that game… Katrina and Kimura… yet I never would have imagined that I would meet you… one of the mares who unknowingly helped me rise even a little out of my fucked up life," he said softly. "And the potential that Katrina and Pamela could be here… Katrina… is like a sister to me, though if I'm right, Pamela will no doubt be quite thorny," he muttered telepathically, unintentionally making a bad pun based on the sisters' shared link through the Green.

"Okay, now you really have me more confused than Pinkie." Sunset giggled at what Cianán just said telepathically. "I don't understand a saltlick of what you just said in my head. But it sounded like something a blonde brawler you and Artemis know would say, am I wrong?"

Cianán blinked several times before he facepalmed. "Ugh… I swear, if Yang isn't a goddess of the Domain of Bad Puns, I'll be shocked," he sighed. "But Katrina… happens to be the sister of 'Poison Ivy'... and gained a link to the Green in much the same manner as I gained access to both magical talent and the Speed Force. I recall an unfinished story that planted, no pun intended, those two sisters in there," he commented, pointing towards the Everfree Forest.

"So you're saying that the whip you found at No Balls' base…?" Sunset began to say, getting the idea.

"Could be from them, aye." Cianán quipped. "And you know… he really doesn't have any balls anymore… metaphorically and physically," he commented sheepishly.

"He tried to attack Shining Armor… didn't he? And in return got his cojónés popped?" Sunset said all too innocently with a malicious grin at the thought of Blueblood's fate.

"As Cassie would say, 'You got Caged'. The only bad thing is that I didn't see it… considering I was dealing with a psychopathic clown," Cianán deadpanned before he paused, a far too familiar chill surging down his spine.

"What's wrong, babe?" Sunset asked, noticing Cianán's shivering.

Cianán opened his mouth to answer when a thud behind him interrupted him. He blinked owlishly. "I do hope that isn't going to happen anytime I mention anyone," he sighed at the blonde sprawled in the dust.

Cassie groaned, dizzy from the abrupt portal transport. She forced herself to her hands and knees before she felt a couple of fingers tap the back of her head. She blinked, looking up to see a lightly furred silvery white hand held out to her. She blinked as she was tugged to her feet. "Who are?" she started.

"Sorry about that. Seems that my affinity for magic boosted my old clairaudience talent into unintentional summoning. And trust me… if Zatanna's magic was complex… hers was just speaking backwards… mine seems to be speaking Latin backwards," came the wry Irish accented voice.

She could tell he was indirectly speaking to her. "Unintentional summoning?" she muttered in confusion.

Cianán sighed softly. His eyes drifted half-lidded. "One advantage to having the Speed Force… is what amounts to an eidetic memory… turned up to eleven," he sighed. "Muas marret ni rutetrever," he muttered as a watery aura gathered around his hand before a watery pool engulfed Cassie, sending her back to Earth. His stomach grumbled loudly again.

—

With Artemis…

Artemis laid Kara in the bed of the guestroom he had brought her to and pulled the blanket over her sleeping form. He stood there as he watched her sleeping peacefully. At least, as peacefully as one could after the emotional turmoil she had been through. As he turned to go to the chair at the desk in the room, he was stopped when her hand reached out and grabbed his.

"Don't leave me…" Kara mumbled in her sleep, starting to cry again. "Please don't leave me…"

Artemis just stood there, a little surprised at the action. But he smiled and got into the bed with her, pulling the blanket over the both of them as he did so. Kara then snuggled up to Artemis in her sleep as he just held her close.

He leaned his head down towards her right ear and said, "I'm not letting you go, Kara. I promise."

As she smiled and her tears stopped, she began to snore lightly again as she and Artemis let the darkness of sleep take them.

—

Meanwhile, Sunset and Cianán were in the kitchen. Though he didn't realize it, he was unconsciously using the Speed Force to move faster, not unlike a certain pink baker as well as her party planner pony counterpart. He was unaware of the small, wistful smile on her face.

Her eyebrows rose as he tugged open the oven before her nose unconsciously twitched before her eyes widened. "Holy shit," she muttered in surprise upon seeing what the steam hid.

Her head tilted before she noticed what was on a nearby platter.

She blinked as her own stomach grumbled. It was only then that she noticed that he was making enough for easily ten or twelve ponies.

"I'll probably eat only about half of this. I'm not heavily reliant on the Speed Force, unlike some who gained a varying connection to it. Though if I'm honest, I know there are likely ponies that wouldn't mind a good meal. Especially Big Mac, Sugar Belle, and Granny Smith, though if it was ol' Ballless behind the deaths of the others…" Cianán commented wryly before he rolled his shoulders.

He blinked as he noticed a covered package sitting on the counter out of the corner of his eye, assuming Twilight or Sunset had ordered something before he examined it. His eyes widened fractionally in surprise as he saw what was on it. "Uh, Sunset?" he commented as he lifted the envelope which, shockingly, was addressed to 'Wes Cianán'. He saw her eyes widen slightly, not recognizing the handwriting as belonging to a certain party planner mare.

Sunset's eyebrows rose in mild surprise before she exhaled slowly. "How the hell she knew things… I have no idea," she sighed. She saw him opening the envelope before he blinked, distracted as he spun, pulling something out of the oven.

Sunset noticed the garlic scent almost immediately which made her stomach grumble. She, however, tugged free what was within the envelope. She shivered unconsciously at the sight.

To her surprise, a message was scrawled on the back in Pinkie's handwriting: I remember all our talks although if this was delivered, then something happened, and it was a doozy even my Pinkie Sense didn't see coming. Though we may not meet immediately, I know you and Artie are likely looking into the doozy… anyway… I think you'll like this! And Sunny? Take care of him… he meant a lot to me. Even if I did annoy him sometimes… Okay, a lot. I only wish I had told him sooner how I really felt about him… that I actually loved him. So make sure he doesn't overexert himself with the Speed Force, Sunny. TTFNUWMA!

Sunset's eyes widened. She blinked a few times. "Pinkie… you drive me crazy sometimes, but your heart is purer than snow," she murmured. She thought about the acronym before she blinked. "Ta Ta For Now Until We Meet Again? Just what do you know, Pinkie?" she mused.

"Hmmm? Did you say something, honey?" Cianán quipped innocently before he saw her cheeks flush a deep red. He noticed the small thought wrinkle just above her eyebrows but below her horn.

He booped her on the nose before Sunset sneezed.

"What was that for?" she commented wryly.

"You were spacing out worse than Han Solo in hyperspace," Cianán quipped.

Sunset blinked before she started giggling uncontrollably.

Cianán blinked several times, unsure why she was giggling. "I don't get it," he sighed.

Sunset chuckled before she turned, hiding the photo of Pinkie as well as the message within her dimensional pocket before she tugged the lid off the box.

Cianán blinked at an abrupt burst of multicolored ribbons and confetti before he realized Sunset had gotten almost completely covered as she stepped away. His eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Dayum," he breathed in surprise.

—

With Artemis and Kara…

Kara woke up suddenly, sweaty from the massive nightmare she just had of the day when Predator was killed by Darkseid and he had died in her arms. What he said in his last words to her echoed in her mind.

Find Aaron. He will take care of you.

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she realized she was in a bed while also feeling like she was being held by someone, albeit in a protective hug. She looked up and saw Artemis in his pony form, sleeping while holding her in the embrace. She wondered why he was in the bed with her.

"I see you're awake." Artemis said, opening his eyes with a yawn. "I know what you're thinking. It's not like me to do anything untoward that you wouldn't want me to do. It was strictly platonic. You needed emotional support from earlier. I was more than willing to help you."

"Why?" Kara said softly. "I barely even know you aside from the assault on the base."

"Actually…" Artemis started to say, unsure of how to reply. But he figured it was better to be truthful. "Yes, you don't know me aside from that… but at the same time you knew about me before we met."

Kara cocked an eyebrow at that comment. Her eyes narrowed fractionally, thinking. "We connected in the past, somehow," she muttered.

"Something like that." Artemis said with a chuckle. "Remember what I asked before you passed out in my arms at the base? What did Predator say to you before he died?"

Kara shivered before she blinked. "You gotta be fucking with me," she said incredulously, realizing what he was referring to.

"No, I am not shitting you." Artemis said, chuckling at his own internal joke from Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. "I would not lie about who I am, or rather, who I was. You can even ask Cianán for proof. He and I were like brothers. I just wish he would've told me the whole truth of who he was."

"He probably has his reasons why he didn't say everything. After all, we aren't deaf," Kara giggled, giving away the fact she too was aware of that truth.

"Still, I did promise him a cold one for that Majin that almost blindsided me from the back." Artemis said, a mischievous grin on his face. "But… the minute he finishes his bottle of beer I promised him, I'm breaking it over his head. Then we're even for him lying to me."

"What, just because I didn't say everything, I lied, brother?" a dry voice quipped, making Kara jump as a phantom form leaned against the wall. It was his astral projection, though it looked much like a living shadow… as his magical talents had two sources - a half demon telekinetic as well as a backwards speaking mage.

"You at least could've told me when we left for Sparta, ya jackass!" Artemis said with a scowl. But then the mischievous grin returned as he said, "That won't deter me from breaking the bottle of the cold one I promised you over your head for lying. After all the talks we had, especially when they pissed you off to no end? I mean seriously, brother, come on."

"Could have, but in the months and years since turning my back on them my trust in most people have gone through the crapper. Hell, it took weeks for me to trust Sig and Jake," he deadpanned.

"Didn't peg you for crab fishing." Artemis laughed, knowing exactly who he was referring to. "But still, brother, it was me. You know you could've still trusted me. I still had the same number and everything despite what they told me. I knew they were lying out their asses. You at least could've called me at least once."

"You, I trust more than most… but what I did reveal was what happened after what that damn pendulum did. What I did not reveal was what happened after I left them," Cianán deadpanned dryly. "That, I will reveal after we deal with No Balls," he sighed.

Artemis just looked at Cianán with a calculating gaze before he sighed and nodded.

"Alright, I forgive you brother. But you tell me everything that happened when you left them." Artemis said before he smiled at him. "But over several cold ones until we're plastered drunk, aye?"

"Trust me, you wouldn't believe who I ran across in my travels," came the wryly chuckled reply.

"You met with that demonic prick, didn't you?" Artemis deadpanned like the Terminator. "I never trusted him, even if he was helpful, but only if it benefitted him."

"Crowley? I've run across him a few times, mostly through a certain pair of brothers… Winchester," Cianán's astral projection sighed.

"Sam and Dean." Artemis deadpanned. "Never expected you to run into them. But considering who we were in contact with over the time we knew each other back on Earth, I can't say I'm surprised." Artemis then heard Kara clear her throat as he looked back to Cianán. "We'll continue this over those beers, brother. For now, give Kara and I some privacy."

"I can say that pictures and media never did you justice, Kara. I can say this idiot is more family than my birth family. Just goes to show that the old proverb is true. The shortened expression tends to be known as 'blood is thicker than water' but the full expression is 'the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb', meaning that the family we're born to can be utter shits out of Darkseid's arse but the family we choose could rival a certain rainbow maned Wonderbolt for her Element," he deadpanned, his last few words seemingly coming from thin air.

"Amen to that, brother." Artemis said, smiling. "We'll deal with No Balls after we help the hostages. Let him stew in the filth he oh so hates to get on himself while he's in the dungeons until after we help them. Agreed? Now… privacy?" Artemis said as he used his hand to wave his brother off.

Kara blinked before she let a giggle escape at a whisper she heard from a certain conscious Alicorn. "Oh, he's gonna do more than 'stew' in it," she mumbled.

"That means you too, Sunset. Privacy. Shoo… shoo!" Artemis said, waving them both off before both of them disappear into the castle, Cianán's shadow dispatching while Sunset closed the door to leave Artemis and Kara alone in bed.

Sunset stuck her tongue out at Artemis as she shut the door.

"Don't stick your tongue out at me, Bacon-head." Artemis called out before he laughed. "I don't know where that tongue's been while you and Cianán had your moment before we went to the base!"

"What, you don't want any?" Sunset quipped cheekily, just to fuck with him.

"Cianán… do me a solid brother…" Artemis said, looking back where the shadow had been.

A yelp followed before a half squealed laugh was cut off by a crystalline click that had a slight echo to it.

"THANK YOU!" Artemis called after Cianán. "Primus damn, I did not need to hear that from her. Must be that time of the year for her."

"What time of the year?" Kara asked cluelessly.

"Uh, ponies here on Equis go through a heat cycle bi-annually." Artemis said. "The only difference is that when that happens, they become more… um…" Artemis lost his voice as he didn't want to scare Kara, despite not knowing if she knew how he felt about her like he did Twilight.

"Horny? Trust me, it's not just my hearing and sight that are superhuman. Trust me, there are things you really don't want to smell, but hers… I don't know why it was making me think of breakfast for some reason."

"Smelled like maple and brown sugar-smoked bacon?" Artemis said all too innocently and cheekily.

"And cinnamon rolls, strangely," Kara quipped innocently.

"Well, since you mentioned you were aware when Cianán said what he said to Sunset as I brought you up here," Artemis started to say, his cheeks blushing bright pink as he was thinking of what he was about to say, "then you must've heard while unconscious what me and Twilight said when I excused myself from helping the hostages to bring you to the room about herds?"

"A little bit," Kara admitted. "Though I did notice neither of you gave me a thorough examination," she teased innocently with a small pout.

"Uh…" was all Artemis could say as he was literally tongue-tied at Kara's teasing. Brain! Status report!

Ppppppbt!

Primus damn it, brain!

"Hmmm… maybe we should examine each other just to be safe, don't you think?" Kara quipped innocently before she jumped at fingers dragging up her spine, turning her head to see Twilight.

"We should examine him thoroughly. Every inch… make sure he's not hurt," Twilight smirked slightly, resting her chin on Kara's shoulder as she watched Artemis.

"If I died and became One with the AllSpark because I got laid by both of my crushes, I'd die a happy Cybertronian stallion." Artemis jokes, his brain finally rebooted before he grabbed Kara, making her giggle as he set her on his other side, sandwiching himself between his two crushes. "So… are you two ready for the night of your lives?"

"Well, I doubt we'll 'crush' you on purpose," Kara teased.

"Though I do suspect we'll drain something long and thick," Twilight quipped innocently as her hand found the very thing in question.

"You really know how to push my buttons, Twily." Artemis smirked as he was starting to get a raging hard-on from Twilight's caressing. "And I like it."

"I can't tell, maybe I should take a closer look," the mulberry Alicorn teased with a small smirk.

"Well maybe you both should." Artemis said, before a resounding smack made both Kara and Twilight yelp as he smacked them on their asses. Then they both gave him a look that reminded him of the Cheshire Cat, realizing he just opened up a can of worms, but in a good way.

"Uh oh…" was all Artemis could say with a smile before Twilight and Kara both pounced on him.

—

Back with Cianán and Sunset…

"I guess the cat's out of the bagpipes, aye?" Cianán said with a sigh as he and Sunset walked through the hallway of the Castle of Friendship, thinking about the conversation he and Artemis had before they left him alone with Kara. But what Cianán didn't say was that Twilight had snuck into the room with them at some point while they were still asleep. "That went… surprisingly better than I expected, considering how he heard us."

Sunset giggled. "Could be worse, you know. Though I am curious about what Kara was getting Kori to contact someone by the name of 'Jason' for," she commented before she blinked as he gained a grin.

"Let's just say that we found someone at the base who was presumed dead on Earth…. well, the Earth of this dimension… but he had a past with both Jason and that clown woman… Harley… suffice it to say, what I brought back… they're gonna like it. Dunno if Bruce will, but I really don't care. Suffice it to say any copycats ain't gonna be quite as… formidable. 'Cause this guy reminded me way too much of Kassady… and that guy was a real prick," Cianán deadpanned before he blinked, a bit confused as Sunset had led him into a communal shower room. He noticed several baskets of various varieties of not only soap and body wash as well as shampoo, but massage oils for fur, muscles, manes, and even feathers.

"I did tell you you needed a good preening. Admittedly, I'm still getting used to it myself, so I called in a bit of help from more experienced ponies at Twilight's suggestion," Sunset commented teasingly as they got a bit further to see massage tables.

His eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "You called those two? Damn… as I recall, Rarity and Flutters always enjoyed going to them… never even considered experiencing their skills for myself," he commented wryly.

— M rated onward —

"It is fortunate there is a bath that works just as well as our old shop, ouí?" a subtly French-accented voice commented.

Cianán blinked, not quite recognizing the voices of a very particular pair of sisters.

Have fun, brother. Artemis said to Cianán over telepathy. I know I am right now.

Keep going until I'm cross-eyed! Cianán heard Kara scream in his head.

I'll make sure you two are walking funny and seeing double for the next month. Artemis said with a guttural growl as Cianán knew what had happened right at that point. He just facepalmed and sighed.

"Really brother? Not you too." Cianán commented wryly before he heard a loud *poomph* next to him as he looked to see Sunset with a bright scarlet face and a massive wing boner. "You heard that too… didn't you?"

"Yep." Was all Sunset said while blushing bright scarlet.

A slight smirk crossed his face. "You know what I think? Let's see if we can make them just as jealous…" he teased before he leaned closer to her, whispering in her ear, "because I know what you're hiding," he whispered.

He saw her jerk back as her eyes widened slightly as that was a lesser known detail about Alicorns, as in one in 25,000.

"How?!" she whispered.

"Two reasons: if something exists, there's bound to be porn of it," he quipped.

"That's one," she deadpanned.

"I noticed it when you were snuggled up to me… although if I'm honest, I kinda like that," he teased. "Dunno if Artie would indulge the idea… but I don't mind," he quipped.

Well, I'm out, even if I'm not against it, it just ain't me. Artemis quipped again. You know, I know how much it annoyed you when the people we were in contact with over the years did this to you. But I gotta say, it's fun.

Keep pounding me, Artie! Cianán heard Twilight scream in his head.

Your wish is my command, Princess. Artemis said as he cut the connection off, but not before Cianán heard Twilight scream and he heard Artemis make the same guttural growl from earlier with Kara.

Cianán just facepalmed. "Seriously brother?! I didn't need to have that image in my head." He rolled his eyes at Sunset's smirk. "Honestly, I'm half tempted to open the connection right when they finish just so they hear those two moaning and begging for more in their minds just to drive them nuts," he muttered.

Sunset snorted softly, shaking her head before glancing at the mares in the bath not too far away, unconsciously licking her lips.

"Seems you aren't just going into heat in one way, but both," Cianán quipped, amused as Sunset jumped before pouting. "Though it seems they're just as stressed as we are. I wonder why," he said with concern.

Why don't you find out and see, brother. Artemis quipped, sounding mischievous. I guess the link between us has passed on your old clairaudience talent to me, along with a level of clairvoyance. Look at the Spa Sisters. See the looks on their faces? I wouldn't be surprised if they're going through that time of the year themselves.

Holy shit, Artie, I'm gonna… Was all Cianán heard Kara say before she screamed as Artemis made another guttural growl.

"Primus damn it, brother!" Cianán deadpanned as he facepalmed again.

Just as he said that, Aloe looked to her twin sister, a bright scarlet blush on her face as she said in Prench, "Tu penses qu'on devrait demander à Sunset si on pouvait les rejoindre, ma sœur?" Do you think we should ask Sunset if we could join them, sister?

"Si nous ne le faisons pas, je ne pense pas que nous serions capables de nous contenir." Lotus replied, a bright scarlet blush on her face as well. If we don't, I don't think we can contain ourselves.

"Je suis reconnaissant d'avoir appris le français de Marinette. Elle était très intéressante à côtoyer, même si je la vois comme une sœur," Cianán quipped, his arms crossed over his chest. He saw them both jump in surprise, their eyes widening, as if unaware he knew exactly what they were saying. Makes me thankful I picked up French from Marinette. She was very interesting to be around, though I do see her like a sister.

Lotus looked at Cianán, smiling from ear to ear, saying, "You speak Prench?"

"Picked up quite a few languages. Korean, German, Haitian Creole, French, Gaelic, Greek, English, Chinese and Japanese," Cianán commented wryly. Although Japanese came from a cousin of mine and Greek and Haitian Creole I picked from where I spent a few years, he mused.

Sunset's eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "How?" she murmured.

Let's just say I traveled a lot… usually with the most reliable travel equipment possible, Cianán quipped teasingly telepathically as he saw her head tilt inquisitively. My feet, he quipped.

"I will say it's hilarious to fuck with someone who is acting like an ass by insulting them in three or four different languages at once," Cianán commented wryly aloud. "Though Bruce was the only one that could keep up with me with that… heh… though I can definitely say that fucking with Nygma was so damned satisfying… insulted him in Creole, Chinese, French and Greek all in the same sentence though he presumed I was insulting him in one continuous language…. drove him nuts… especially when I'd insult him the same way, same thing, but switch up the language order," he commented with a snicker.

Lotus and Aloe had no idea what Cianán was talking about, but thought it was a funny story and giggled either way.

All of a sudden a third female French voice made itself known as it spoke in Prench in a sing-song tone, "Vraiment, Aloe, Lotus, vous souciez-vous vraiment si peu de moi pour me laisser en dehors de la fête~?" A third earth pony mare walked in. She was the lesser known identical sister of Aloe and Lotus, which Ponyville didn't know the Spa Twins were actually triplets. She was Aloe and Lotus's sister, Vera. Really, Aloe, Lotus, do you really care so little about me to leave me out of the party~?

"Te laisser en dehors d'une fête qui n'a pas encore commencé est un peu difficile, ma chérie," Cianán quipped half-jokingly. Leaving you out of a party that has yet to start is kinda difficult, sweetheart. He chuckled as she jumped in mild surprise.

"Tu parles français?" Vera asked, grinning like her sister did with a blush. You speak Prench?

"Parmi d'autres langues aussi. Même si je me suis toujours demandé laquelle était la plus méchante. Heureusement, nous avons un bon bout de temps pour le savoir," he replied with a smirk. Amongst other languages as well. Though I've always wondered which was the naughtiest. Fortunately, we have a good bit of time to find out.

"Bon. Parce que si Sunset est d'accord avec ça, j'aurai les premiers mots. La dernière fois qu'Aloe et Lotus ont organisé ce genre de fête, ils ont oublié de m'inclure~!" Vera said with a cute pout. Good. Because if Sunset is okay with that, I'll get the first dibs. The last time Aloe and Lotus had this kind of party, they forgot to include me~!

"Appelez cela un sentiment, mais je soupçonne plutôt que nous ne nous sentirons pas très tendus au moment où nous aurons terminé," Cianán quipped teasingly. "Bien que je puisse dire que j'ai remarqué que presque toutes les juments ici ont tendance à ressembler au rêve humide d'un poilu." Call it a feeling, but I rather suspect we aren't going to be feeling very tense by the time we're done. Though I can say that I've noticed almost every mare here tends to look like a furry's wet dream.

Sunset's eyes widened as her eyebrows shot up as her cheeks flushed. "What's the expression? 'Flattery will get you everywhere?'" she quipped jokingly.

"I think the usual would be 'flattery will get you nowhere' but I kinda like yours more," Cianán quipped teasingly.

"Alors, j'ai juste une question pour toi, mon beau~." Vera said as she dropped the towel that was wrapped around her body, presenting herself to Cianán in full naked glory. "Porte d'entrée? Ou porte dérobée~?" Vera said as she bent over with her flank facing Cianán, her tail to the side. So I just have a question for you, my handsome~. Front door? Or backdoor~?

Cianán blinked several times before he heard a distinct 'POOMPH'. "Putain de fille. Essaies-tu de me rendre assez dur pour qu'une foreuse pétrolière ressemble à du Jell-O?" he commented as his wings weren't the only thing standing at attention. He didn't miss how Aloe and Lotus's gaze dipped lower before they licked their lips with hungry looks. Damn, girl. Are you trying to make me hard enough to make an oil drill look like Jell-O?

"Peut-être~? Je pensais que vous saviez ce qu'ils disent à propos des étalons avec de grandes ailes ~!" Vera said all too innocently with a cute pout. Maybe~? I thought you knew what they say about stallions with big wings~!

Sunset shivered at the tone he spoke in as she hadn't forgotten what followed it. She jumped as a hand swatted her rear suddenly.

"Careful as your legs looked almost wobbly, lass," Cianán teased, seeing her cheeks flush. "Besides, you can stuff whomever you like," he quipped, very aware of the wording he used. "But I do know one mare who won't be left out," he quipped, amused as he saw her eyes widen slightly.

"Tu le penses, beau?" Vera asked, giggling like a schoolfilly who just had her first crush all over again. You mean it, handsome?

"Au moment où j'aurai fini, vos jambes se contracteront plus qu'un gode à pleine vitesse et elles seront à peu près aussi favorables que la vapeur," Cianán quipped teasingly with a small smirk. By the time I'm done, your legs will twitch more than a dildo at full speed and they'll be about as supportive as steam.

Vera then rushed at Cianán, smashing her lips against his in a very heated make-out session with Cianán as she led him to a room in the communal shower room that looked like a sauna. After the door closed to the sauna, a shimmering field of magic appeared over the sauna as Cianán employed a soundproofing spell.

Sunset chuckled as she shook her head. "I suspect that she's gonna be carried out of there, though what to do about you two? Hmmm? Should I give you a thorough massage?" she quipped jokingly, tapping her chin. She exhaled softly as she felt the slightly tingling heat fade before she saw their eyes widen. She had found that Futa mares were rather uncommon, almost rare, as in 1-in-25,000. However, she knew her near 9½-inch long, 1¼-inch thick twitching length with golf ball-sized orbs beneath were certainly eye-catching.

She smirked as both mares were blushing. She shivered unconsciously as she'd never actually used it on anyone. Admittedly, she was a bit curious what Cianán meant by 'indulging' as she hadn't picked anything up mentally from him upon realizing he knew.

Her head tilted as she approached them before she smirked playfully at the pair just shy of the steaming bath. "I noticed that neither of you have too much scent in the way of those massage oils or fur washes, save for your own, so it can't hurt to add scent," she commented lazily, shifting on her heels. She noticed their gaze drifting as they got a longing look on their faces. "Though it's up to you if you want oils… washes… or me~." she purred teasingly in a sing-song tone.

"Would that mean you add scent to us…?" Aloe hummed even as Lotus picked up where she left off, "or we add scent to you?" she quipped with a small but hungry smirk.

"Depuis qu'Aloe a eu ses premiers dibs la dernière fois que nous avons organisé une fête comme celle-ci, s'il vous plaît, je ne peux pas me contenir, Sunset. Bourre-moi avec ta grosse bite de futa jusqu'à ce que je crie!" Lotus said with a wanting tone of voice, presenting her fully naked body to Sunset while getting on her hands and knees, her flank facing Sunset and her tail to the side. Since Aloe had her first dibs the last time we had a party like this, please, I can't contain myself, Sunset. Stuff me with your fat futa cock until I scream!

Sunset blinked even as she felt a slight tingling in her mind as she unconsciously translated Lotus's comment, though her actions spoke just as much. A chuckle escaped her as she half turned, noticing a fur wash that was pecan pie scented. A small smirk crossed her face as she scooped it up before turning back towards the sisters, noticing Aloe had Lotus distracted with a hungry kiss that made her shiver with need.

She shifted so she was just behind Lotus before she drizzled a bit of the fur wash before she noticed Lotus turning her head before she started massaging the fur wash into a lather as she purposely ground lazily against Lotus's clit, very aware of her body's need and heat.

"Hmmm, you seem very tense. Though I suspect you'll feel very, very relaxed soon," she purred teasingly.

Chapter 8: The Fall of Blueblood Part 2

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 8: The Fall of Blueblood Part 2

Artemis woke up from his internal chronometer saying it was 6:30 in the morning. As his eyes fluttered open, he let out a semi-loud yawn. He noticed a heavy weight on his left and right sides. When he looked down, he smiled at the adorable sight to his Spark.

There, on either side of him, was Twilight on his left, her head on the left side of his chest, her left wing draped over him, and Kara on his right side, her head on the right side of his chest. All three of them were naked under the covers as the room smelled of sweat and sex from their escapades last night. He leaned his head down and kissed Twilight on the forehead just below her horn and kissed Kara on the top of her head. The action started to rouse the two of them from sleep as they looked up tiredly and saw Artemis smiling down at the two of them.

"Good morning, sleeping beauties." Artemis said with a smile. "Did you two have fun last night?"

"Mmm… a bit sore, but not in a bad way," Kara said sleepily.

Twilight blinked a few times before giggling.

"Well, glad I could please the both of you in the best of ways possible." Artemis said, chuckling. "Unfortunately we do have to get up. Me and Cianán have an interrogation date with a certain 'No Balled' Prince. So Twilight? Make sure you get Celestia, Luna, Cadence and your brother down here as soon as possible. I want them in on this. They deserve it. Especially Shining. We'll make sure that traitor answers for his crimes." Artemis got up and used his nanomachines to clean himself off, with a hint of Axe fur wash and body spray. After that he got dressed in a new set of clothes and opened the door to the room. "Oh, and while it's on my mind… Twilight, Kara?"

Twilight and Kara both looked at Artemis with inquisitive looks.

"When you both take your showers, take them together, and don't be afraid to take some pictures… for our enjoyment!" Artemis said with a guttural growl as he closed the door to the room.

What followed next were the screams of both Twilight and Kara as they came from those words alone.

—

Cianán's eyes fluttered open as he exhaled. "Merde... on dirait que tu n'étais pas la seule à être très satisfaite hier soir, Vera-chan." he said quietly. Damn... looks like you weren't the only one very satisfied last night, Vera-chan. He yelped a bit in surprise a few moments later, realizing that though Vera was snuggled to his side, he noticed that only one of the two with Sunset was in sight… and it was the blue twin, Lotus. He shivered as he could feel heat bobbing over his 'morning wood'. He blinked as he looked beneath the sheets to a rather unexpected, but not unwelcome, surprise, at least for him: Aloe's head bobbing over his morning wood he shivered as he saw her gaze rise to meet his before she retreated with a giggle before she coughed a bit. "Tu as l'air un peu affamé," he commented wryly, teasing her. You look a bit famished.

"Il semble que vous aimiez votre surprise de réveil, non?" Aloe asked while giggling. It seems you like your wake-up surprise, no?

"Un peu dur, sans jeu de mots, de ne pas profiter d'une jument chaude et très attrayante en train de prendre un repas," Cianán quipped with a chuckle. Kinda hard, no pun intended, not to enjoy a hot, highly attractive mare enjoying a meal.

Brother, not to interrupt your little morning activity, but we have some work to do this morning. Artemis said through their link. We have a certain 'No Balled' Prince to interrogate. Twilight is taking a shower and will be calling the other Princesses and Shining Armor down to be present for it. So sorry ladies, but we need to take care of things first. I'm sure he'll make up for it later.

As much as I'd prefer to let the 'Ballless Wonder' stew a bit… as Sunny let it slip she may have 'accidentally redirected most of the toilets to drain their contents on his ass'... I'd rather put him out of everyone's misery as soon as possible. We'll clean up, then meet up. Cianán commented wryly. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had done the same with some of the baths and showers just to keep from making whatever dungeon Dickless BlueEgo was in from knocking out whoever checked on his sorry ass.

Trust me, brother, we will, but remember what I said before when we interrogated the mercs? We're going to do this by the book. Let the Princesses decide his fate. As far as what they decide, I'm pretty sure they're gonna let us take care of that little hijo de puta. Now get ready. I'm heading down to the dungeons and pulling a page out of Shawshank and I'm gonna give him a VERY rude awakening with a high-pressure fire hose.

Make sure it's good and icy cold, that way he'll really enjoy the wakeup call. Cianán quipped even as he sat up, pulling a surprised Aloe to him, not realizing it woke up Vera, who pouted. "Envie de nous rejoindre pour un lavage en profondeur?" he quipped innocently to Vera, not realizing Aloe was blushing as he had one hand massaging her flank directly over her Cutie Mark. Care to join us for a thorough washing?

Désolé, mesdames, mais nous devons nous occuper des affaires avec un certain Prince "No Balled" dans les donjons. Je suis sûr qu'il se rattrapera quand nous en aurons fini avec lui. Artemis said in Prench, this time projecting his words to the two sisters with Cianán. Sorry, ladies, but we need to take care of business with a certain 'No Balled' Prince in the dungeons. I'm sure he'll make it up to you when we're done with him.

Hence why I said 'washing' dumbass, not 'fucking you two mindlessly' though I'm very tempted to do that to them both simultaneously, washing and fucking. Cianán's tone was deadpan as he rolled his eyes as he headed for the showers.

I know, I just had to mess with you as per our custom since we've known each other, brother. Artemis said, laughing through his telepathic voice.

I wouldn't be surprised if Cadence were to mention castration for the 'Ballless Wonder'... though Shining Armor kinda already, pun intended, beat us to the punch. Cianán quipped jokingly. Though if I'm honest, I want to see Cadence's reaction to our new nickname for him.

Hence why I let him apprehend that fucker since he was in league with his traitor of a former protégé. Artemis said to Cianán. Then he laughed as he said, Though I'm tempted to see her reaction too. I swear, out of all the times we talked to a certain blonde haired, purple eyed brawler, I swear she was starting to 'rub off on you', am I right? Artemis cackled at his lame joke, knowing Yang would be proud and cackling too.

Cianán rolled his eyes. Pas autant qu'il me frottait la nuit dernière, he heard Vera cut in whilst giggling. His eyebrows shot up at her very dirty joke. "Damn," he muttered gruffly.

Um, I don't know that much Prench, brother. Could you translate? Artemis said, confused at what Vera just said.

Cianán's snickering gave away his amusement. What she said was 'Not as much as he was rubbing in me last night'. he quipped innocently, knowing he would likely cringe at how naughty the joke was.

All of a sudden, a loud metallic clang was heard from down the hallway that sounded like someone just facepalmed, along with a loud female voice cackling in all their heads.

Damn it, Yang, stay outta this. Artemis said with a growl.

Be glad you didn't hear her begging me to make an obscenely bad pun… no matter how tempting it is. Hmmm… though that could probably be utilized as a form of torture… having to listen to Yang's jokes for hours… if not days. It'd have anyone confessing just to make it stop. Cianán quipped teasingly as he twisted the handle to get the water flowing.

"Et bien que je sois très tenté de remplir chaque tout à fait trou que tu as… nous devons malheureusement agir comme des adultes," he sighed with a small shake of his head, knowing it would make them blush. And though I am so very tempted to absolutely fill every hole you have… we unfortunately have to act like adults.

"Promettre de nous rattraper~?" Aloe and Vera asked at the same exact time with a purr to their voice. Promise to make it up to us~?

Cianán shivered at their combined tone. Bloody hell was he so tempted to just decide to stuff them both.

Je vais m'assurer qu'il le garde, ou ce n'est pas mon frère. Artemis said with a malicious chuckle. I'll make sure he keeps it, or he ain't no brother of mine.

Also brother, what you said about Yang's jokes being a form of torture. Artemis said, sounding pensive for a moment. Since I was technically dating her and Blake even if it was through my astral form, and the fact I haven't forgotten about my twins through Blake, I have an idea. You go ahead and have some shower fun with those two, I'll be back in a couple of hours. Hopefully everyone is still where they were when we last talked to them. Besides, I bet the twins and my nonuplets miss their old man, as I didn't have the abilities to be able to see them at the time. Luckily I can open a transwarp field to anywhere I want in the cosmos to where I've been. So you know who I'm going to pick up, brother.

Cianán shivered slightly as he felt their hands massaging his fur before he jumped at a throaty chuckle before he turned to see a very touseled haired Sunset staring at him with a small smirk that he distinctly got the feeling of being hunted from. It didn't escape his attention that she was very much at attention. He shivered slightly. "Ah, fuck…" he muttered hoarsely.

"Ooooh, now that sounds like an idea. Though who's going to do the fucking and who gets fucked? Hmmm?" Sunset purred.

He shivered slightly. Ugh… a little… he managed before he noticed the lack of presence of Artemis. Oh, you teme… ya better hope Ah don't decide ta fuckin' douse a certain kitten, Alicorn, and Kryptonian with a bunch of aphrodisiacs an' lock yer ass in a fuckin' room with 'em! he grumbled. His eyebrows shot up as all three mares, two Earth Ponies and an Alicorn, crowded in with him.

—

Cianán shivered slightly as he exhaled. Fortunately, he showed no outward sign of what he'd gone through, though Vera and Aloe walked with rather noticeable limps as did Sunset.

"Damn, you look like you got rode hard," Kara quipped teasingly to which Aloe, Sunset and Vera blushed.

Cianán cleared his throat as he glanced at Twilight and Kara. He did notice the glow they had. "Looks like I'm not the only one that gave a good stuffing," he commented.

"Don't you mean 'got a good stuffing'?" Sunset quipped innocently.

"I know what I said, lass. And you did get a good stuffing and gave one too," Cianán commented with a smirk. He noticed them trading looks as if they got the feeling they weren't saying something.

His head turned before he blinked as a very familiar someone stepped around the corner.

"Jason. We found him. The real thing. Suffice it to say he wasn't quite in the mood to surrender," Cianán commented.

"And the gift?" Jason commented with a hint of interest.

"Once Harley is on… or if she decides to drop by," Cianán chuckled.

"An' how do ya know I haven't?" Harley said enthusiastically with a grin as she hopped onto Kara's shoulders.

"Heh," Cianán chuckled.

"Well slap me in the face, give me a massive ball-busting nut tap, and call me a monkey's uncle." Artemis said as he came around the corner. "Harley Quinn, as I live and breathe. It's great to finally visibly see you, even if I couldn't at the time."

"Do I know ya?" Harley asked Artemis, hopping off of Kara's shoulders and looking at Artemis.

"You don't remember me?" Artemis asked, looking genuinely hurt. "You don't remember that I stuck my neck out for you, convincing you to turn away from the chuckleheaded asshat and turn over a new leaf? Or the fact that I transformed my right arm into a blaster cannon and shot a massive blast of icy wind at him that froze him like cryogenic stasis? Or the fact that you were willing to give me a chance at a relationship despite my inability to visibly see you at the time I brought you to my Earth?"

"Though I can say the chucklehead's double had even Bruce fooled… which says a lot. Too bad, as he won't be fooling anyone else ever again," Cianán commented. He saw Jason's head tilt incredulously.

"Bullshit," Jason said slowly, drawing out the word.

Cianán's eyebrow twitched upward before the air ignited below his fingers before snuffing out, revealing the 'gift'... Joker's head and spine, still dripping with fresh blood. "No shit, just head," he quipped.

Harley's eyes widened as she saw what he had before her gaze shifted back to Artemis. "Aary?" she said slowly.

Cianán snickered at the shortened form of his name. "I will say that your accent is pretty hot, Harley… though it's not a really good Scottish accent, lass," he commented wryly before he blinked upon seeing a sapphire maned, golden eyed thestral stepping into the room. "Damn, Stella. Looking good," he quipped before Stella pushed off before a pale golden red aura caught her in mid leap.

His gaze shifted to see a golden, almost white furred Alicorn with a deep burgundy-auburn red-streaked mane and pale bluish purple eyes. "Faust?! Damn, I haven't been in contact with you for a long time, but for an initial meeting… I'm almost jealous of a certain jackass," he commented.

Faust tilted her head before she paused, looking at him before she stepped closer to him before he cocked his head as Stella landed chest-first on the floor.

"Damn, she bounces, doesn't she?" a certain blonde brawler commented.

"And you don't? Especially considering you're much like a certain Snake Mistress?" Cianán deadpanned dryly before he felt a cool blade against his throat as well as warm breasts against his back. "Anko," he commented nonplussed at her threatening presence. A slight smirk crossed his face as he'd picked up a few tricks from a particular Lin Kuei member. He exhaled softly as he felt his body dematerialize into smoke before he reformed.

Sunset's eyes widened before a sharp slap resounded as the kunoichi spun from getting slapped on the ass, her eyebrows rising as her rear still jiggled despite the spin. She saw Cianán duck the swipe of the kunai before he swatted it up into the air before he caught it. Her eyes widened slightly as, just as swiftly, she drew a second in time for the blades to clash.

"Okay, ease off people. We don't need to cause a ruckus, not after what we already had to deal with." Artemis said, getting in-between Cianán and Anko. "Let's focus on interrogating 'The Ballless Wonder' first. Then we can sort this out with those matches that we were supposed to have. Only this time it'll be more interesting with more people."

"Funny you should mention interrogation. It happens to be my specialty. Admittedly," Anko commented before she kissed Cianán hard suddenly before retreating with a smirk, "it would be a bit more fun with Ibiki, but I think we can wring him for information well enough," she finished.

"I already had a plan for that, Anko." Artemis said, smiling a mischievous smile. "Oh Yang, babe~?"

Yang smirked as she cracked the knuckles of her left hand with her cybernetic right arm. "We can always tenderize his ass… nice and painfully," she commented.

"How about the next best thing you're good at, courtesy of Cianán's idea?" Artemis smiled a mischievous smile still. "We'll lock you and 'The Ballless Wonder' in a sealed and soundproofed room, with him chained to the chair. And you keep telling him all the bad puns you can come up with like I fell in love with you about. And keep telling it to him until he's begging to tell us what we want to know, just for you to stop. Can you manage that, babe~?" Artemis said that last sentence in a sing-song tone.

Yang cocked an eyebrow. A slow grin crossed her face. "No limits?" she said with a smirk.

Cianán shivered at that.

"No limits, babe. As long as we seal the two of you in the room and soundproof it, then by all means." Artemis said, walking up to Yang and kissing her passionately. He never realized how much taller he was now until right then, having to lean down towards Yang's face to kiss her. When they parted, Artemis continued, "Even if he doesn't crack right away, just knock on the door and we'll let you out if you need to take a break. But whenever you're ready for another crack at his sanity, well… let's just say I'm not going to give him the satisfaction of an execution. That would be too good for him. I want him to truly suffer by way of insanity because of those bad puns I grew to accept and love about you."

Yang smirked before Blake looked at the head and spine with distaste.

"Cianán, for the sake of the others, keep that overgrown zit on a stick hidden." Artemis said, noticing his Faunus girlfriend's look. "We don't wanna traumatize my young ones if they happen to see that thing."

"See what? Hadō no Gōjūyon: Haien," Cianán quipped as his hand dipped, an oblong orb of bright purple flame striking the head and spine and incinerating it. Even the blood was incinerated. "I don't see anything," he commented.

"Sabelotodo." Artemis muttered in Spanish, shaking his head.

Faust's eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "So, your talent is Spiritual Magic?" she commented.

"Spiritual Energy Manipulation and Runic Magic, despite lacking a certain 'head-dick'," Cianán commented wryly. He saw almost all of the Alicorns and Unicorns blush a bit as that was a bit of an unspoken but rather well known secret, that their horns were an erogenous zone.

"Head-di?!?" Yang snickered before Blake's hand blocked her from speaking.

"Don't even repeat that. And you," the feline Faunus said firmly, pointing at Cianán, "you say that again around the kids, and I'll spank you so hard, your rear will double as a stoplight," her tone was firm.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow.

Artemis leaned in-between Yang and Blake while pulling them close, his head sandwiching between theirs.

"I know you two have been dying to give me head for real while also feeling stuffed by my 11-inch-long, two and a half-inch-wide dick for real for a while now." Artemis whispered in their ears, making them both blush bright scarlet at his words. "And now that we're finally together for real, I foresee us doing just that." He growled huskily in their ears. "But we've got time. First Yang can torture 'The Ballless Wonder', no limits on the puns, then once he breaks from the insanity and tells us the info we need, I will make time especially for the two of you. Why do you think I came back for all of you?"

Artemis then looked back at Cianán and smirked, saying, "And brother, don't be jealous that you don't have the Alicorn Goddess of Equis for a wife as well as her." Artemis pointed his thumb toward the hallway of the Castle of Friendship from where they were in the interrogation facility, with Twilight's eyes widening in surprise at seeing another Cadence as well as a grown up Flurry Heart walking in.

"Artie, how are you married to Faust?! Or Cadence for that matter when she's right here?" Twilight exclaimed, pointing to her sister-in-law standing with Shining Armor.

"Because she's Cadence from an alternate Equestria, Twilight." Artemis said, looking down in sadness. "And her Shining Armor was murdered in front of her while she was being raped. We'll leave it at that, because you don't want to know the exact reason why she was being raped. Suffice it to say that I am not just the reincarnation of Faust's long-dead husband, but my Cadence's Shining Armor… at the same time. Two souls reincarnated into one body as a separate entity with its own life: Me. It's too much to explain though. If you want proof, ask Cianán. He knows this all too well."

"If there's anything we've found, it's that life tends to be far more crazy than any fiction we could come up with," Cianán commented wryly before he blinked at a purring comment. "Or as I liked to tell Artie when we were still human on our Earth, 'Reality is more fucked up than fiction'."

"Considering the fact that, by your own admission, you 'created' myself and Katrina," a wry voice commented coolly before midnight blue lacquered boots with ultramarine highlights touched the crystalline floor. His dark brown simian tail was coiled just below his belt.

"Kimura. How're you and Eri?" Cianán commented wryly as his eyebrow twitched upward. "You know that Katrina might be here alongside Pamela," he said wryly.

Artemis whispered to Yang and Blake, both of whom blushed bright scarlet again, but then Yang went into the sealed room where 'The Ballless Wonder' was chained to a chair with an inhibitor ring on his horn. She looked back at Artemis with bedroom eyes and fluttered her eyelashes.

"I'll be expecting a good time with you and Blake after I'm done with him, Artie. So don't start the fun without me, got it?" Yang said before closing the door behind her. Cianán used his magic to soundproof the room after it was sealed so no one would be agonized by Yang's jokes.

"Makes me kinda glad we don't have to hear her stand-up routine. No offense to her, but whilst her puns can be funny, they tend to be inopportune and, at times, inappropriate," Cianán commented.

What? You guys don't like me yanging your chains? Yang said over a telepathic message. Artemis, Cianán, and Blake all facepalmed at the bad pun, not realizing that the soundproofing didn't block telepathic messages.

"She may be bad with puns… but that's why I fell in love with her." Artemis said with a small smirk.

Cianán noticed a white haired heiress walk in. "Weiss Cream. Did you like the cheesecake?" he commented.

Weiss blinked before she cocked an eyebrow. "At least your puns are more tasteful," she sighed before she blinked, realizing the pun.

"At least your pun wasn't raw," Cianán quipped innocently, unintentionally impersonating a certain blonde British chef.

"That was a horrible Gordon Ramsey impression, brother." Artemis said with a deadpanned look. Then he turned to look at Weiss, smirking mischievously, saying, "Long time no see, Weiss. Remember me? I pulled a Bruce Almighty on you twice in my astral form while Blake and Yang held you still to do so and blew your clothes off both times. All of them, including undergarments. You may not recognize me, as I was still human and was using my astral form."

Weiss cocked her head in confusion. "That's… impossible," she said slowly in realization.

"Considering your own inherited talents and a certain Reaper, do you really think you have any room to call things 'impossible'?" Cianán quipped teasingly before he spotted a spiralling blur of red trailing rose petals behind Weiss shooting into the room before he felt it collide with him moments before he blinked, seeing silver eyes before he blinked as he felt lips pressed against his.

"Speak of the devil, Akuma no Sogeki-hei Kama," he quipped as he saw Ruby's cheeks flush as she retreated before he kissed her again.

"It's not just them brother." Artemis laughed, looking at Cianán. "Remember someone in their group who was mute until I used my old seikatsu ability to heal what happened to her who we both rescued after one of my 'gut feelings'? Come on out, my little ice cream."

As Artemis said that, a female figure with two-toned pink and dark brown ice cream colored hair comes walking out from behind Artemis, looking a little sheepish. She had a more badass look for clothing than her usual style.

"Long… time… Cianán…" Neo said haltingly, her voice sounding like she had a major sore throat. "I've… been… getting better… at Artie's… suggestion of… the treatment… for… my throat." Neo coughed a little bit before she popped a throat lozenge into her mouth and started to suck on it.

"Take it easy, babe." Artemis said with a smile before he kissed Neo lightly on the lips. "It's definitely getting better, but you still have a long way to go."

All of a sudden, 11 young little voices cried out in glee as Artemis heard, "DADDY!"

Nine 5-year-old anthro pony fillies and colts and two feline fraternal Faunus twins of the same age ran up to Artemis and hugged him to the ground in a massive dog pile (or is it pony pile?). Artemis laughed the entire time he was under them.

"It's good to see you, my little angels." Artemis said with a smile. "I thought it was your nap time?"

"We were too excited to finally get to see you for real this time." The girl of his Faunus twins, Iris, said. She was the spitting image of her mother, Blake, but with his old human form's eye color versus Blake's, while her twin brother, Beerus, was the opposite. He was the spitting image of Artemis when he was still human at his age, but with Blake's eye color. The only similarity between them was the same black cat ears on the top of their heads, just like their mother.

"So we all woke up at the same time to meet up to come down here and see you." One of his nonuplets through Faust said. The funniest thing about his nonuplets is that if one was smart enough to look, they would see the nonuplets have two different tails: a normal pony tail and a monkey's tail like Kimura's because of how they were conceived.

"Well it's good to finally see you, all 11 of you, for real this time. And that includes you too, Cadence, Flurry Heart." Artemis said with a smile at Cadence and Flurry Heart's way. "And all it took was… what? How many hiccups when trying to come and see me back on Earth?"

"Three times, before you cut off visitation until we could find a way to do so without said hiccups again, beibu." Another female voice said, with a distinct Japanese accent as Artemis looked and saw the one girl he had been dying to see, but couldn't due to said hiccups.

"Minako." Artemis said with a wide smile before she ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. Artemis leaned his head down towards her head and kissed the top of her head. "I hope the transwarp travel wasn't too rough for you."

"Īe,-sōde wa arimasendeshita." Minako said with a smile. No, it wasn't.

"Yokatta ne." Artemis said in response with a smile. That's good to hear.

Minako giggled as she said, "Anata wa yoku manande imasu." You're learning well.

"Watashiniha, watashi ga aishita saikō de mottomo nintaidzuyoi sensei ga imashita." Artemis said with a small smirk. I had the best and most patient teacher around whom I loved.

Cianán chuckled a bit as he hugged Neo. "Good to see ya, lass. Hoka no senshi mo koko ni iru to omoimasu ka? Watashi ga oboete iru yō ni, rei wa shibaraku renraku o toriatte imashita," he commented to Neo, shifting his attention to Minako, whom the Japanese was for. I'm guessing the other Senshi are here as well? As I recall, Rei was in contact for a while.

He wasn't surprised to see her cheeks flush.

"Hai, karera wa koko ni imasu, Cianán." Minako, or Mina to her friends, said to Cianán. "Jissai, rei wa arutemisu ni tsuite mo shinpai shite imasu. Arutemisu ga chikyū kara sugata o keshita hodo kanojo ga barabara ni naru no o mita koto ga arimasen. Kanojo wa watashi to onajiyōni kare o aishi hajimeta to omoimasu." Mina sighed sadly as she said that. Yes, they are here, Cianán. In fact, Rei is also worried about Artemis. I've never seen her fall apart so much that Artemis disappeared from Earth. I think she started to love him as much as I do.

"Watashi wa itsu ijō no hōhō de kanari jibun jishin o keiken shimashita. Soshite, watashi wa machigainaku, sorera no DC eiga wa, sorera no kurai eiga ga dorehodo yakkaidearu ka o shimesu koto ga dekiru to iu koto ga dekimasu... Shikashi, sore o taiken suru junbi wa nani mo arimasen… Soshite watashi o shinjite. Sono rokudenashi no dākusaido... `Kowakute osoroshī' wa chikadzukanai," Cianán commented before he shivered. I've gone through quite a bit myself in more ways than one. And I can definitely say that those DC movies can show how nasty those darker movies are... but nothing prepares you to experience it. And believe me... that bastard Darkseid... 'scary and intimidating' doesn't come close.

"That's not what I'm feeling from her brother." Artemis said, his eyes flashing Decepticon-red as he looked to Minako and held her close. "Chikyū wa dō narimashita ka? Minako-chan?" What happened to the earth? Minako-chan?

Mina began crying uncontrollably as she held Artemis tightly, letting her emotions flow freely.

"Metaria ga okotta. Kanojo wa subete no hito o koroshimashita. Anata ga kite watashitachi o mukae ni kita chokugodeshita. Jigo made shirimasendeshita. Shikashi, watashitachi wa kanojo o eien ni watashitachi no uchū ni kakuri suru koto ga dekimashitaga, uchū no subete no hito no inochi o gisei ni shimashita." Mina said while sobbing. Metallia has happened. She killed everyone. It was just after you came and picked us up. I didn't know until after the fact. But although we were able to isolate her forever in our universe, she sacrificed the lives of everyone in the universe.

Cianán's eyes narrowed as his fingers curled into a fist, the Speed Force electricity, unknown to him, flickering both bright bloody crimson and bright golden white as he unconsciously drew on both the 'positive' Speed Force Barry and most other Speedsters could tap into as well as its 'negative' counterpart that Eobard Thawn could tap into. "Kanojo wa watashitachi ga soko ni modoru hōhō o kesshite mitsukenai koto o nozonde imasu. Nazenara, moshi watashitachi ga sōsurutoki... Sorera no nan jū oku mo no tamashī ga fukushū o te ni ireyou to shite irukaradesu," he muttered dangerously. She'd better hope we never find a way back there. Because if and when we do... those billions of souls are going to get Vengeance.

He saw several of those in the room shiver at his tone. He didn't notice the faint red glow from his chest pulsing like a heartbeat. He took a deep breath, the red glow fading to white.

He didn't notice that a blonde Kryptonian had noticed the red glow and more, recognized the feel of the energy emitted by it.

"So you noticed it as well, did you?" a certain half demon telekinetic sorceress said dryly, amused as Kara jumped.

"Kinda hard to miss, especially after running across Atrocitus," Kara sighed.

"You might wanna calm down, brother." Artemis said, looking concerned. "To be honest, it's scaring not just me, but that just scared the crapbaskets out of the kids." He emphasized when his 11 young kids just ran and grouphugged him, looking at their adopted uncle with a scared look.

"What do you say to leaving your blonde-brawling girlfriend to drive a certain idjit to insanity whilst we get some air?" Cianán exhaled softly. "And that Rage wasn't for me, but those Metallia killed. But I won't become like Atrocitus," he said carefully.

"Yeah, let's go have those beers that I promised we'd have." Artemis said, letting go of each of his kids after giving each of them a kiss on the head. "But remember brother, you promised to tell me what happened after you left them. But I suggested telling me over those beers I promised."

—

"Let's just say, as some might say, I'm a 'jack of all trades, master of none'," Cianán commented wryly as he slammed a shot of tequila down. Artemis and him decided to go to Berry Punch's tavern. Artemis, however, was drinking a regular beer, working on his second bottle. "Though I will say I've worked with a few rather well known 'niche' celebrities," he commented.

"You ever work with a certain 'pirate' after that whole debacle with his ex-wife?" Artemis asked with a small smirk.

"I've met him, true, though if you mean working with him for an extended period? No, though whilst I do like Amber… she's a right pain in the flank," Cianán deadpanned. "Though I'm kinda surprised they have tequila that tastes pretty close to a certain Red Rocker's tequila," he commented wryly.

"I'm pretty surprised myself over the fact that they have a beer almost exactly like Pabst Blue Ribbon. I know the distinct taste of that beer because I used to drink it occasionally." Artemis said as he took another swig of his beer. "So, back to them, tell me brother… what exactly happened when you left them?"

"I did exactly what Pontius Pilate did… washed my hands of them. Surprisingly, I ran across more than a few 'niche' celebrities in my travels. For example, Tim Smith, Steven Tickle, and Josh Owens. Two of them are… or were… legal moonshiners. Josh, semi-legal… mostly. But Tim is a decent guy. Surprisingly, the other celebrity… well, let's just say working with him was one hell of a challenge," Cianán quipped before he tossed back another shot.

"Who exactly was this 'Red Rocker' you mentioned?" a wry voice commented.

"He's, in most musical circles, a legend rivaled by only a few, such as Ozzy Osbourne, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alice Cooper… Sammy Hagar. The funny thing is, when he and one of his most well known bands 'Van Halen' were writing one of their albums… they purposely titled the album a particular way to insult the record company. 'For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge' was what they titled it," Cianán commented, his gaze flicking to Raven, who was nursing her drink. He saw her eyebrow twitching upward before she blinked.

"A very subtle insult," she commented.

Artemis was laughing his ass off, having already drank his sixth bottle of the Pabst knock-off, was more than a little tipsy. But his laughter was directed to what Cianán said, getting what the insult was.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! That title of one of Van Halen's albums was 'FUCK'? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Artemis couldn't contain his laughter, albeit light-weight drunken laughter.

Cianán's eyebrow twitched upward as he shook his head slightly. "Faust was right, you really are a lightweight," he muttered wryly.

"Hey, I'm not a *hic* lightweight." Artemis said, completely plastered drunk by this point. "I'm a Cybertronian *hic* heavyweight." After he said that, Artemis was about to take another swig of his seventh beer before he fell backwards off the stool and was on the floor of Berry Punch's tavern, passed out drunk.

"I'd wager he'll be glad he's not human when he wakes up. To my knowledge, Cybertronians don't suffer from hangovers, though I am curious if there's an Energon equivalent to being shitfaced," Cianán quipped. He shook his head slightly.

"Now you have me curious about who else you ran across," Berry Punch commented wryly as she wiped down a mug.

"One of the more challenging ones was with Troy Landry… or as some knew him, the 'King of the Swamp' down in Louisiana. That was some tough work, but then, fighting a six hundred pound gator by a rope no more than an inch and a half thick and pulling that gator up from the bottom then holding him on the surface ain't easy. Think of them as not unlike a Cragadile," he commented wryly. "And those gators have a 'kill spot' no larger than a small coin on the back of the head. And surprisingly, some gator hunters, such as Troy's son Jacob, actually make a habit of sniping gators out in open water when possible," he commented wryly. He saw her eyes widen at that.

"Ugh, okay, maybe Faustie was right. I am a lightweight." Artemis said, sitting straight up while holding his head in his right hand. "Fuck me sideways with a lit road flare as a strap-on, this is one bitch of a processor-ache though."

"Don't nobody have time for that, boyo," Cianán quipped, cocking an eyebrow. "Besides, ye ain't a lightweight until someone's carrying yer arse out like a carry-on, bub," he quipped innocently.

"Ah fuck off, ye bloody titwanker. Ye think ye are so funny, don't ye? Ye wouldn't know funny if it fucked ye sideways with a lit road flare as a strap-on in yer arse and out yer mouth." Artemis said, his old Scottish blood coming out.

Cianán snickered a bit. "Nah, I'll leave that to the 'Ballless Wonder'. He's probably wishin' fer a set o' earplugs right about now," he quipped innocently before his ears twitched as he caught the distinct vibrations in the air as a certain boot shaped object was shoved in the rectal cavity of a castrated former 'Prince'. He winced slightly at the pitch. "Damn… though the sounds were held in, that bastard's screaming enough to make vibrations through the crystal walls and ground… I can only imagine what Kara's hearing."

"I felt that too, brother." Artemis said, laughing despite his hangover. "He'll definitely be feeling a 'pain in the ass', am I right?" Artemis then began laughing at his own patented Yang-level pun. "Yang really 'parked her foot up his ass', am I right?" Artemis laughed even harder.

Cianán chuckled. "He's gonna need a transanal caligaectomy," he quipped.

Raven blinked, cocking her head inquisitively. "A what?" she said with a hint of curiosity in her voice.

"Extraction of boot from his ass, though something tells me that Yang may stuff that boot as deep as she can down the other end to clean it off a bit… and shut him up if the vibrations are anything to go by," Cianán commented wryly before the double doors swung open to reveal someone unexpected: a geokinetic… Terra Markov.

"Ugh… I need to get wasted so I quit picking up those damn vibrations… whoever it is is giving me a migraine that feels like chainsaws in my head," Terra grumbled, looking very annoyed.

"Trust me, Terra, you don't want to know about the traitorous prick we have in interrogation right now." Artemis said, finally picking himself off the floor and giving Berry Punch 80 bits, 70 for the tab of he and Cianán along with whatever Terra was going to get. He also gave her 20 for a tip, along with a wink her way, to which she blushed and quickly scribbled down her address and handed it to him. Artemis looked at Berry Punch with a raised brow, as if asking a silent question. She nodded with a bright scarlet face and a sheepish smile. Artemis smiled as he took her hand lightly and kissed it, then walked out of the bar back towards his marefriend, Twilight's, castle. Berry Punch's eyes just rolled up in the back of her head as she dropped down on the floor in a dead faint with a dopey smile on her face.

"Trust me, Terra, though I'm not a geokinetic like you, my senses are highly attuned to vibrations as my connection to the Speed Force seems even stronger than Barry's, though I couldn't guess why, and I have yet to run fast enough to actually enter the Speed Force, but I do know Barry doesn't have either a connection to the Negative Speed Force or a connection to the Emotional Spectrum unlike me. Though I still have no clue why I have it even after Kyle lost his connection…" Cianán commented wryly, shaking his head slightly.

His head tilted as he took a deep breath. He tugged out a dried gourd the size of a football that had a stopper shoved in the top. He tilted it, noticing it was roughly ⅘ full. No doubt Berry Punch would be interested in this, he commented wryly.

Terra and Raven both noticed the gourd, the former cocking her head, though the latter blinked at it.

"One of the last batches I ran with Josh, Mark, and Digger. Apparently, it sold damn well… if I recall, they sold it for around $320 a gallon," he commented. "Made a forty-five-gallon run and only decided to keep about a gallon and a half for consumption purposes… peach moonshine infused with blueberries, a hundred and ten proof. Though I suspect she'd be just as interested in this one," he commented, tugging out one half as large. "Watermelon cognac, aged a year."

All of sudden, Artemis' voice came in through their link. Brother, get your ass to the interrogation facility pronto. She broke him.

She cracked his brain like a hard boiled egg, eh? Looks like we can now pick his brain, Cianán quipped as he stowed the alcohol away.

Still got that sealed envelope with his seal on it? Artemis asked all too innocently.

Aye. Hope that bitch has a good singing voice, 'cause we're gonna make him sing until he can't anymore, Cianán commented as electricity arced over his body. Something tells me he's going to be really 'horse' by the time we're done.

But like I said earlier, we're not going to give him the satisfaction of an execution. Artemis said with what sounded like an evil smile that would make a certain demon slayer proud. We're going to let him stew the rest of his life in the nearest looney bin due to him now being insane thanks to my brawler of a girlfriend. They're all waiting for us. So get your rear in gear.

I'm pretty sure your rear is gears, bub, Cianán quipped teasingly as he moved swiftly. He came to a stop just behind Weiss nearly silently before he drawled out two words in a snarky tone he knew would annoy the hell out of her. "I'm waiting."

So are you in a way, brother. IF you count your legs which you are still trying to figure out like I'm still trying to figure my new body out.

Suddenly three loud bangs came from the door of the interrogation room. Cianán disengaged the soundproofing spell and Artemis opened the door, revealing Yang with a dopey but happy smile on her face.

"Is he wanting to sing like a certain species of bird, my sexy brawler~?" Artemis asked all too innocently in a sing-song tone.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow at the way Yang smirked.

"Which species? Parrot or vulture? Or maybe 'dead canary'?" Yang quipped, her tone far too innocent.

"Dead canary sounds about right." Artemis laughed. Then he looked at Cianán and said, "Remember brother, we're not going to give him the satisfaction of an execution. We're sending him straight to the looney bin, considering my sexy brawler here made him go insane from her bad puns."

Cianán had a pensive look on his face as he had a gut feeling something was going to happen nobody would like. What it was, he couldn't quite explain, but his instincts were yelling… just as they had before the Apokaliptian 'deity' had revealed himself.

"What's wrong, brother?" Artemis asked, noticing Cianán's look on his face.

"I don't know, but my instincts are warning me something isn't right. The last time my instincts reacted like this, Darkseid showed up, and there ain't no way I'd put a certain group at risk," he said warily. His head tilted, noticing Flurry Heart fiddling with something in her belt pouch at her hip.

"Flurry, honey, what is that?" Artemis said warily, getting the same vibes as Cianán from seeing his eldest child messing with whatever was in her belt pouch.

"It's something I found," Flurry said before she pulled it out.

Cianán's eyes widened slightly. "Ryūki's Advent Deck… huh. And I'm guessing that she wasn't the only one, hmmm?" he commented wryly, an eyebrow twitching upward. He saw Cadence's cheeks flush in response before she pulled something very similar out, but with a different Sigil.

His head tilted. "Knight's Advent Deck, which means the others could show up as well. Though I do hope it doesn't end up with the Riders holding those Decks fighting to the death," he deadpanned seriously.

"I take it that's bad if that happens, isn't it?" Artemis said to Cianán. "Would we have a Highlander-level fight on our hands if that happened?"

"Worse, as there's not just those two Decks… but eleven others as well. Each has different attributes, though for destructive potential, I'd say that Zolda and Ouija are the most destructive as Ouija has a way to not only steal the Contract Monsters of others, but fuse them with his own partner. Zolda is more of a ranged combatant, but his Final Vent finisher is extremely powerful but destructive… like warzone destructive," Cianán deadpanned. He took a deep breath. "Unfortunately, the Build Driver was pretty damaged, most likely from my use of the Speed Force, so until I get time to repair it, it's pretty much useless. However," he commented before he pulled something out.

He saw Flurry's and Cadence's eyes widen slightly in surprise. "Dai-Shocker was careless. They left no less than four Advent Decks out… and now… they have none," he commented wryly.

"Good, because we don't need those guys showing up again for a good while after we destroyed their base." Artemis said, looking at his second wife and their daughter. "Be sure to use those powers wisely, you two. And if you two get into trouble, don't be afraid to ask for help. Understand? If I lose you two, I don't know what I'd do. Especially now that we're finally together for real this time." Artemis said those last two sentences with a sad look with his head down, shedding a few tears. Only Faust, Cadence, Flurry, and Cianán knew the real reason: he was in tune with Cadence's Shining Armor, not just Amber Skystone, Faust's long-dead husband and Celestia and Luna's father.

Flurry Heart looked at her father with a smile before she ran up to him and hugged him tightly, saying, "Papa, kiwotsukete yakusoku shimasu." Daddy, I promise you to be careful.

Artemis' eyes widened slightly as he smiled and hugged his eldest child back, his Cadence having joined the hug. "Eri obasan kara takusan manande iru yōdesu ne." Artemis said with a smile. It seems that you are learning a lot from Aunt Eri.

Flurry giggled as she said, "Hai. Kanojo wa yoi senseidesu." Yes. She is a good teacher.

"You remember when they ended up in the Mirror World? Only those who are either destined or find an Advent Deck can access that side. The best thing is that no matter how much you destroy there, it won't affect this side… hmmm… what if we trap the 'Ballless Wonder' on that side? He'd be unable to escape or bother anyone on this side without an Advent Deck," Cianán commented thoughtfully.

"Hmmm. Good idea, brother. Flurry, since I originally promised you could train in that sword you found back on Earth," Artemis started to say, "let's see if you're up to this. Would you like to do the honors of taking 'The Ballless Wonder' there instead of leaving him in a looney bin?"

Flurry Heart smiled a smile that would make her Uncle Billy proud as she transformed into her Advent Deck armor and said, "Kare ga okāsan ni shita koto ni taishite, tsuini ikuraka no mikaeri o eru koto ga watashi no saidai no yorokobi ni narudeshou." It will be my greatest pleasure to finally get some payback for what he did to Mom.

"I'm guessing you never told me the whole story about what happened, did you babe?" Artemis said to Cadence, who looked down to the ground in shame.

"Let's just say 'The Ballless Wonder', as you call him here, had a hand in Shining's death and allied himself willingly with them when the Fall happened." Cadence said, crying. "He was the reason the Crystal Empire fell to those filthy monsters. He gave them inside information in exchange for all the slaves that he wanted. They even let him… have his way with me before I was sent to Canterlot as a trophy for Gann where I met Uncle Billy." Cadence started to sob uncontrollably as she fell to her knees and held her face in her hands while she cried in shame.

Artemis felt his Spark sink at the sight of his second wife in such a pitiful state, even though she had good reason to be. Artemis got down on his knees and hugged her gingerly, being mindful of her wings. She stiffened at the action for a minute, but Cadence eventually returned the gesture and cried her heart out in Artemis' chest.

"It's okay, babe. Let it all out." Artemis said in a whisper, rubbing her back gently. "Remember what I said before, like I said to Faust? I'm back, and I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you alone ever again. I give you my word as the last Cybertronian."

"There is no honor in taking advantage of the innocent in such a despicable manner such as that." Artemis heard from a certain Cybertronian of an alternate version of Cybertron, who just walked in.

"Dinobot, been a long time." Artemis said with a smile. He looked around the corner behind Dinobot, but couldn't see anything, but his Cybertronian radar was telling him something was there, but invisible.

"I know you're there, Scar." Artemis said with a smile. "It's okay. Come on out. Everyone here can be trusted."

An electric sound from Dinobot's right side happened as a very familiar Yautja made himself visible after deactivating his camouflage.

"It's good to finally visibly see you, Scar." Artemis said with a smile. "It's been a long time."

"Yes… it… surely has… hasn't… it?" Scar said in broken English.

"Um, why does his voice sound funny?" Iris asked, her head tilting to the side in confusion.

"He's an alien, Iris." Artemis said to his Faunus daughter. "Plus for his species, he doesn't speak English very well, but I see he's been learning."

"And you're not?" a sarcastic, slightly squeaky voice said.

"Rat Trap," Cianán. "You're just as annoying as ever."

"I wouldn't be surprised if all the Maximals are here. I've always wanted to meet Black Arachnia." Artemis said, laughing at the memories of watching Beast Wars.

"Black Arachnia was always hot and bluntly honest, not unlike Silverbolt," Cianán quipped teasingly. "Hell, I had a Silverbolt toy growing up," he chuckled. "Although between you and me, if Tarantulas shows up, I'm going to go Superman Castrator Shot on his ass," he commented. He hummed in thought.

"Is a certain Energon-backblasting, Megadork shaming big guy with you guys?" Artemis said while laughing. "I will never forget how when he was sick with that virus meant for Optimus Primal, he ate those beans. Then when he was in beast mode with you guys against Megadork, he turned his backside to the Predacons and let out that Energon fart that, quite literally, blew the Predacons away, including Megadork. The funniest part was that the blast was visible as a mushroom cloud of Energon from space… FROM SPACE! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Artemis fell to the floor as he, by the end of his story, had completely lost it and was completely busting his gut laughing.

"Sounds like he really blew it up," Cianán quipped with a deadpan expression.

"Okay, that's a fart joke even I wouldn't touch… or smell," Yang quipped.

In that moment, a sound not unlike an extremely deep bass horn blew out. "Ugh… damn beans," a deep grumble sounded moments before a higher pitched horn blew before it deepened to a rumble.

"Tell me that ain't…" Cianán commented wryly. He blinked as he noticed the shadow of a Transmetal 2 peregrine falcon darting past a nearby window.

"Yup, that was Rhinox. I'd know that deep voice anywhere." Artemis said with a deadpan look. "Apparently he still didn't learn his lesson from his issue with those beans he ate before he embarrassed Megadork. Luckily I just disconnected my olfactory sensors so I don't have to smell it." Artemis looked towards the window that Cianán had looked at. "I know that was you, Airazor. Come on in. I figured you all were here."

The form shot past again in a blur before she shot down the hall.

"Airazor, Maximize!" her voice rang out as she shifted into a far more humanoid form.

Cianán blinked before he heard a low pinging sound before his head turned to spot a canine head watching them. "Get your ass in here, you feathered hairball," he deadpanned. He blinked at Airazor's laughter before he noticed Airazor stood a bit over 6 foot 4 inches.

"Feathered hairball! Damn, now that's funny," Airazor chuckled.

Artemis, the entire time, was blushing and looking away from Airazor, hoping she didn't remember the compliment he made to her through their talks through Cianán when he and Cianán were still human on Earth.

Airazor smirked. "I still haven't forgotten," she deadpanned, watching the blushing Cybertronian. "And your Prime told us through Optimus Primal," she commented, hinting they knew a lot more.

"It's not that I didn't want you to remember the compliment." Artemis said, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "I just never thought I'd ever get the chance to finally meet you. Even though I was being completely honest about the compliment." Artemis muttered the last sentence he said in that statement, a little embarrassed.

Airazor shrugged before the winged wolf flew in. Their startled reactions were rather amusing.

"Silverbolt, Maximize," he barked before his body shifted before skidding on the crystalline floor.

Cianán blinked before Silverbolt tripped over one of the cords along the floor and promptly faceplanted. His eyebrow twitched upward. "No traction, eh, pup?" he commented.

"Have a nice trip, see you next fall." Artemis said with a chuckle.

"Ugh… jush my luck," Silverbolt groaned, revealing a golf ball sized chunk of crystal lodged in his mouth, more than enough to muffle him as he spoke.

"Huh, so we found a way to shut him up after all," Rat Trap commented with a smirk.

"Too bad we can't shut you up," Cianán quipped teasingly.

Silverbolt stood with a hint of a growl before he coughed before he spat out the crystal chunk before it ricocheted with a ringing clang off Rat Trap's head right between the eyes.

"Headshot!" Cianán quipped with a snicker as Rat Trap tumbled twice before ending up on his face. "Heh… a crystal hairball rang his bell," he quipped.

"Trust me, Rat Trap, you may be a good fighter, but you were always such a pessimistic prick, always saying, and I quote, 'We're all gonna die'." Artemis said with a smirk while chuckling.

"Can't be worse than Megadork's 'yes' verbal tic… ugh, he was annoying and about as subtle as an avalanche," a wry, slightly hissing voice commented.

"Aiee! Giant spider!" one of the nonuplet twins said, startled.

"Easy, Maya, she's a friend." Artemis said, looking at said nonuplet. "She's from Cybertron, like me, though an alternate version of Cybertron. So Black Arachnia, transform so as not to scare her. I guess she has arachnophobia." When Black Arachnia turned to Artemis in her beast mode, he just shrugged and said, "It's a human/pony fear thing."

"Black Arachnia, Maximize," she sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"It's specifically the 'fear of spiders'," Cianán quipped.

"I know what it is, ya jackass." Artemis said with a deadpan look that rivaled the Terminator after the failed attempt at smiling. "I was just being simplistic about it." Then he turned to Black Arachnia and smiled, saying, "Funny thing though. I said 'Megadork' before you all showed up, long before I even became what I am now. Besides, if I ever met that version of the Megatron that you all dealt with, or his Decepticon predecessor, I would be very tempted to call both of them that, just to see them pop an Energon vessel for crapbaskets and giggles." Artemis chuckled at the thought of seeing both Predacon Megatron and his Decepticon predecessor get pissed off. Airazor, Silverbolt, Dinobot, even Black Arachnia chuckled at the prospect.

"Oh Primus, what I wouldn't give to see him pop an Energon vessel after the, as you said, 'crapbaskets' he put me, Dinobot, and Silverbolt through." Black Arachnia said.

All of a sudden, Beerus walked up to Black Arachnia and looked up at her. Black Arachnia noticed this and looked down at Beerus.

"Is there something on my face, kid?" Black Arachnia asked Beerus, a little annoyed.

Beerus just stood there and smiled while holding up a particularly beautiful red rose.

"I grabbed this from home before Daddy came and picked us up." Beerus said, looking bashful. Artemis thought the sight was adorable, seeing his son through Blake trying to be Black Arachnia's friend. "I think you should have it. You look very pretty."

Black Arachnia was shocked by this, but in her Spark, she felt an emotion she never had before at his admission: joy. Black Arachnia smiled as she knelt down to be eye level with Beerus and took the rose while giving him a hug.

"Thanks kid." Black Arachnia said. "You're not too bad yourself for being Prime's son."

"Ain't that the truth." Artemis said with a smile of pride on his face. "I wouldn't be surprised if he looks like me at 33 years old. Besides the cat ears and yellow eyes, he's the spitting image of what I used to look like at his age when I was still human. Exactly to a 'T'. I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to look like a clone of me at that age when he gets that old." he commented.

"Except skinnier. Though I can't really comment, as when I left them, I wasn't exactly skinny myself. I can say you are quite beautiful, Black Arachnia. True, admittedly, I'm not quite looking for any herd members… though I'm almost sure that Sunset and I hooked triplets, especially from the way Aloe was screaming," Cianán quipped with a deadpan.

"Sorry, but as you already know, I'm taken." Black Arachnia said. But she smirked at Cianán, saying, "But it's still nice to hear compliments like that, even if it's not from Silvy here."

"Yeah, though," Cianán started before he paused, noticing a bead of red before an eruption of crystalline dust detonated before he shifted, rolling to his feet as silvery liquid metal surged from his palm, hardening before a second blast impacted as his eyes narrowed. "Tarantulas…" he growled, not realizing the metal shifted to a metallic red sheen as he unconsciously suffused it with the Omega Sanction.

Brother, you're releasing the Omega Sanction. Artemis said through their link while getting into a battle stance and pulling out his Ion Blaster. Be careful…

Ugh… knowing Darkseid, he'd know the feel of it… and we don't need his attention. Cianán sighed, forcing back the killing intent he could feel within the Omega Sanction as the red sheen receded before he cocked his head. Didn't Tony use some sort of nanotech at some point? he mused, unable to remember the name… Extremis.

Just do me a favor and get the kids outta here as well as everyone in town to a safe distance. Artemis said, having already transformed into his Battle Form Armor. That includes our marefriends and girlfriends for me. Me and the Maximals will handle him. I'll do you a favor and give that bastard the Superman Castrator Shot for ya, ya dig?

Ugh… he's not alone if what I'm picking up is right. Cianán grumbled. Quickstrike and Inferno are with him, which means it's likely Megatron isn't far away.

You're not saying Megadork is back, are ya? Artemis asked incredulously, but with a hint of glee that he finally will get his chance at insulting Predacon Megatron.

It's likely. Inferno sees Megatron as the ant equivalent of a Queen Ant, so he'd follow orders and I'd wager Quickstrike is looking for a good brawl. Tarantulas… I wouldn't be shocked if he had ties to Dai-Shocker… being what his particular lineage is… a certain DARK CYBERTRONIAN, he warned, referring to a particular being the G1 Megatron knew of well. He doubted Megatron knew that particular fact.

Oh HELL NO! You ARE NOT referring to Unicron, are you?! Artemis all but yelled that to Cianán through the link.

"Shut up, brat… ugh… a few millennia sleeping makes a Kitsune so fucking stiff," a deeper growl rumbled.

Kurama, Cianán deadpanned, shaking his head before he gritted his teeth, feeling energy surging through his body, not noticing that flesh formed over his cybernetic legs as his body seemed to be outlined by pale bluish flames that receded into his skin as it faded to bluish white electricity. You asshole Kitsune… fuck… that was almost as bad as regenerating my legs the first fucking time… whilst getting hit by lightning, he grumbled, wincing as he dropped to his knees.

Just take it easy brother. Artemis said through their link. Get the kids and the girls, as well as the townsponies out to a safe distance, the Maximals and I will handle it. When you get everypony out of harm's way, rejoin us to kick some Predacon skidplate.

If I do take it easy, our loved ones are still in firing range, and quite simply… FUCK THAT, Cianán said as he forced himself to his feet, his body arcing with Speed Force energy. Though knowing Sunny, she may well try to sneak into the brawl herself, he quipped innocently.

I wouldn't, Sunset commented wryly.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow much like a certain wrestler-turned-actor, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Hmmm… what word am I thinking of, Sunny? Ah, yes… bullshit.

Sunset's cheeks colored as she shivered.

It's for the safety of you and everypony else, Sunset. Artemis cut in. Shining, use your armor I gave you to open a Ground Bridge and get everypony in town to the abandoned Castle of the Two Sisters. But also watch over my kids and keep them safe, same to you Twilight, Kara, Yang, Blake, Faust. Cianán, the Maximals and I will handle these pricks. Can you do that for me… Brother?

All Artemis could hear was silence. But then he heard Shining Armor say, Consider it done… Brother. You better not get yourself killed. If you do, I'll hunt you down to the Pit for Twilight if you get injured.

Thanks Brother. Artemis said with a smile before his battle mask slid into place. I owe you one for this.

Just come back to Twilight, Kara and the others in one piece and we'll call it even. Shining Armor said with a small chuckle. But a beer would be nice.

A beer it is then. Artemis said with a laugh. Then he held his Ion Blaster at the ready while looking at the Maximals. "Are you all ready to do this?"

"You may not be Optimus Primal, but I know you will lead us into battle with honor as he would have done." Dinobot said while getting into a battle stance of his own.

"I'll see what you can do first, after which I'll decide if I might give you a chance." Airazor said while a little behind Artemis and to his left. Artemis yelped as he felt a very resounding smack on his rear, looking at Airazor who looked all too innocent about what just happened.

"Now you're just teasing me." Artemis said with a deadpan tone.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not~?" Airazor said in a sing-song tone, being far too innocent about it. Artemis chuckled.

"If you found an alternate pony form, oh-ho, the things I would do with you in the bedroom." Artemis purred in her ear. After which a light 'POOMPH' sound came from Airazor's back. Apparently even she was not immune to wing boners as her wings on her back were standing at complete attention and proud.

"I think I might just do that, but I'll choose a pegasus form so I can still fly." Airazor said, a bright scarlet blush on her cheeks with a dopey smile. "I just hope you can keep up with me."

"Careful, Airazor, you're basically invoking Murphy's Law on that one." Artemis said with a smirk.

"Trust me, lass, that would leave you twitching if what he did to a certain Kryptonian and Alicorn was anything to go by," Cianán quipped innocently, not seeing both Kara and Twilight blush in response almost immediately.

That's none of your business, Wes Cianán Campbell. Kara chastised, calling Cianán out on his full name through the telepathic link. Then she sounded like she smirked as she said, Though you're one to talk, considering the stuffing you gave Sunset and the Spa Triplets as well as getting a good stuffing yourself from Sunset in return like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow. "Never said it was, though with this idjit leaving the link open just to drive Sunset and I nuts, I wouldn't have expected you to have a voyeuristic streak," he commented before he paused, his ears twitching as his gaze shifted to the west, towards the Everfree Forest before his eyes narrowed. "Keep the link open and transmitting. I have a feeling we're gonna see something unexpected," he commented as he focused, the armor a certain Bat would have recognized as that of his dark counterpart The Red Death forming around him before he vanished in a gust of air, unaware as he shot past Weiss, her clothes were yanked off with a loud ripping sound, leaving her in light yellowish orange panties and bra, with her screaming 'Damn you, you pervert!'.

He knew if Artemis left the link open and transmitting, they'd be able to see from his perspective as he moved, seeing hills, trees, and various rocks before he shot up the side of Mt. Canterhorn where Canterlot resided. He, however, had unknowingly left his reformed hooves bared of the armor so Sunset was aware of every single footfall.

Sunset shivered as she could feel the tingling rush just beneath her skin of the echo of the energy he referred to as the 'Speed Force' as well as the slight echoing ache of hooves on the ground. She was hovering just above the ground in a side room with her legs in a lotus position, her focus on the connection with her mate. Her head tilted as she hummed softly, the sound musical.

Cianán shivered slightly as he heard Sunset's humming. His head scanned around, spotting the Predacons. "Looks like they're to the southeast of the town, roughly four hundred yards out from the outskirts but not moving closer yet," he relayed. His gaze shifted to the Everfree Forest before his eyebrows shot up. "Holy shit," he muttered both mentally and aloud. Either the Castle of the Two Sisters had not sustained much damage or someone had restored it. His money was on the latter.

What he didn't expect was explosions to detonate around him before he realized he'd been followed. He didn't notice the armor sheathing his legs and hooves even as he spotted the attacker.

"Terrorsaur, Terrorize!" came his screeching cry even as he opened fire.

Cianán knew he was almost as strong as Predacon Megatron. His head tilted before he flipped the bird to the bird-brained Predacon before he was gone in a surge of electricity even as a heavy brick slammed into the Predacon's face and shattered. "Come on, bird-brain bitch. Can't keep up, ya slow-mo?" he quipped teasingly.

He sped back towards Ponyville, glancing back as explosive rounds impacted yards behind him repeatedly. He vaulted off a hill as he somersaulted, purposely smacking his ass to taunt and piss off the aerial Predacon before he landed in a roll before he got an idea and focused so he shot along the ground as a rolling blur.

I can see why Sonic taunts people… pisses them off and serves as a pretty good distraction, he sighed softly, amused as he rolled around the slope of a hill before uncurling and pushing off the ground, tackling Terrorsaur out of the air with a Spear before he tagged him with a few European Uppercuts before they hit the ground hard. He rolled through the impact, wincing a bit. His ears twitched at the deep metallic clunking as he realized Tarantulas was reloading. He grinned as he got an idea. Hey, brother, you may want to head for the balcony. As I recall, Tarantulas' tank mode basically has him shooting those shots out of his ass… well, you'll laugh your ass off at what I'm about to do. He relayed this to Artemis.

He grabbed Terrorsaur's stunned form from the ground before he darted towards the Predacons' location.

Twilight blinked, cocking her head in confusion at Cianán's comment before he cut the feed.

Gonna shove Terrorsaur's head up Tarantulas's arse, Hancock-style, are ye? Artemis cackled at Cianán through the link.

Safe to say it'll be two birds with one stone, or in this case, one bird and one spider with one asshole, Cianán quipped innocently.

Oh, now this I gotta see after what that hijo de puta almost did to me if not for the Transmetal 2 driver. I'll be right there. Black Arachnia cut in, wanting revenge on Tarantulas for that particular point in time.

Cianán shivered slightly at her vindictive tone. See? That's why I do my best not to piss off ladies. Especially medics… they're the scariest when vindictive. They know how to take you apart, then put you back together… repeatedly. He commented. He hadn't told anyone, but he'd run across a dead ringer for a certain blonde Sannin in both skills and temperament on the other Earth. He snickered as he swung Terrorsaur, tagging both Quickstrike and Inferno in the back of the head hard enough to distract them both.

And do you think I'd leave you alone after all the times you pissed me off, teme? A Japanese female voice cut in as he was doing that to the said Predacons.

"Ah, fuck," Cianán muttered as he darted around, stuffing Terrorsaur's head in one cannon tub, his legs in the other two before he kicked him in the nuts in principle before he purposely sat right on Tarantulas' head. "Hello, asshole. Did you order the teabagging service?" he commented innocently.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Black Arachnia's voice came cackling from nearby. "Primus, that's slagging hilarious. 'Teabagging service'? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Eh?" Quickstrike drawled before noticing Cianán sitting on Tarantulas' back flipping the bird. He leveled his Cobra Cannon at Cianán as Tarantulas spun at Cianán's comment, thinking he was behind him before they saw Terrorsaur's predicament as one of the freshly loaded barrels glowed, ready to fire.

"What do you get from barbecued snakes and scorpions alongside grilled spider and bird brains?" Cianán quipped teasingly. "Let's find out," he quipped before the cannon fired. He snickered as he shot at high speed, perching on the railing of the balcony near Black Arachnia as the detonation erupted skyward. "Damn… wonder what he ate to blow that outta his ass." He commented nonchalantly.

"I saw that from all the way over here, brother." Artemis said over the comlink this time. "Gotta wonder if he ate those beans that Rhinox had when he was sick with that virus meant for Optimus Primal." Artemis laughed over the comlink as he said this. "Satisfying enough for you, Black Arachnia?"

Black Arachnia smirked before her eyes widened fractionally, watching over his shoulder before she cocked her head.

Cianán turned before his eyes widened slightly. "Huh… why does you showing up not surprise me?" He also noticed the reflection of a top hat in her hand behind her back.

"Of course she'd show up." Artemis said with a laugh. "She contacted me last night, asked me for a favor. She filled me in on all the times YOU pissed HER off. I couldn't say no to screwing with you, brother. So I went and picked her up from her dimension after she retired as Hokage."

Cianán facepalmed. "Yet I noticed she never did that to a certain knucklehead, considering all the times he pissed her off. Besides, had I not intervened when that idiotic Uchiha fled, he'd have ended up with that snake," he deadpanned dryly as he shifted his weight to lean against the balustrade.

"Oh, if that would've happened after I became a Prime, I would have kicked his ass personally. Sasuke for his stupidity, and Orochimaru for just being the evil pizza shit-stain he is." Artemis said with a chuckle. "It looks like Quickstrike, Terrorsaur, and Tarantulas are, pardon the pun, 'resting in pieces'. So all we gotta take care of is whoever came as far as the rest of the Predacons as well as Megadork himself. Ugh, not looking forward to hearing that 'yes' verbal tic of his in reality. It was annoying enough in the show. Imagine how much more so it would be in reality, brother."

"I'm guessing they had the nuclear chili farts, eh, brother?" Cianán quipped teasingly.

"That's one way of putting it. Though it's not far from the truth." Artemis said with a small chuckle, suddenly appearing next to Cianán.

"Though I can say the first thing I'm gonna do with Dorkatron is stuff his mouth with the heaviest, densest, thickest thing I can find just to shut him up." Cianán commented wryly.

"Oooooh, deal me in on that. You in, Black Arachnia?" Artemis asked, turning to said Maximal.

Black Arachnia blinked. "You do know that could sound so wrong in another context?" she commented innocently.

Cianán shivered as he cleared his throat, trying not to retch at the image Black Arachnia unintentionally put in his head. "I really don't need to know that, lass. That is just… ugh," he growled.

He shook his head before his hand swiped as a burning golden flame flickered over his fingertips as the hat Tsunade had held hidden shot free from her grasp, startling the Sannin before the hat shot up, revealing its owner.

"Hot damn!" Artemis said with a whisper as he blushed at the sight of the gorgeous-looking backwards speaking mage. "I will say this brother. Like ye said about Kara, the media did nae do Zantanna any justice at all, aye?" Artemis said, his old Scottish blood coming out in his flustered voice. Zantanna just giggled at Artie's reaction.

"Glad you think so." Zantanna said while giggling. "Cianán told me a lot about you, Artemis… or is it Aaron?" Zantanna said that last part of her sentence with a teasing wink.

"Who told ye that name, lass?" Artemis said with a small smirk, his old Scottish blood still prominent. "I highly doubt Cianán did. Since, from what he told me, he barely trusted anyone after he left them. That, and I highly doubt he would just give out that info even if he still had such trust."

"I may have… accidentally accessed his memories after he joined the Justice League back on Earth." Zantanna said sheepishly. "I didn't realize what happened until after the fact, as it was a new spell that backfired. But when I realized what I saw, I kept what I saw to myself, but never told him. I didn't want him to be mad at me for a new spell that backfired and had unintentional side-effects."

Artemis looked at Cianán and said through their link, Sound familiar about a certain Alicorn I'm dating after getting her brother's approval, brother?

"You could have mentioned it after we stomped Faust's ass in Mannheim's Chinese Theater in Metropolis, though I have no reason to get pissed off at ye, considering I see you like a sister… a sister that can be a pain in the arse, but a sister nonetheless. Although it seems my magic took after yer own. The only big difference is that I have to speak Latin backwards," Cianán quipped teasingly.

"Sor-ry, ya jackass." Zantanna said with a teasing smirk at Cianán, knowing Cianán would know she saw that particular dialogue of Artemis and Cianán's old human lives.

Cianán rolled his eyes. "Oh? Alip Auqa," he quipped innocently before a basketball sized orb of water fell on both Zatanna and Tsunade… and unintentionally soaking Tsunade's top and revealing a certain lack of support in a particular region though hers didn't sag at all.

"Uh… wha… homina…" was all Artemis could say before he passed out in a dead faint as all his Energon went straight south for the winter.

Black Arachnia blinked before cocking her head. "How the hell are those natural?" she muttered.

"Milk and chakra," Tsunade quipped with a smirk.

"I bet that cow's milk ain't the only milk in those," Cianán deadpanned.

"Besides, Artemis did me a favor. But what he didn't say was something I never told him." Tsunade said with a blush as she muttered something under her breath that none of the others seemed to hear, except Cianán. "We knew each other before… a long time ago in middle school when he was still human."

Cianán cocked an eyebrow before he blinked. His ears twitched twice before he spun. "Cover your ears! Sagig Rogarf Sutci!" he roared before he clapped his hands together. Rather than a sharp clap, an echoing boom sounded, not unlike an explosion. The trio of rockets speeding at them were sheared in multiple places before they detonated.

Cianán's eyes narrowed as he scanned around warily for the threat. He didn't know too many of the Predacons beyond Tarantulas, Megatron, and Inferno. His head tilted before he exhaled softly. "I'm going to proceed with evacuations, at least until we can eliminate the Pestacons," he commented to Black Arachnia, who snickered.

"I wonder how we wake up 'lover boy'," she muttered before she felt a gust of air.

Zatanna rolled her eyes before she shook her head. That was something she didn't need to know. She had also noticed an all too familiar energy when Cianán had tugged her hat free, though how he'd known about it in the first place, she couldn't guess. She paused, noticing the crystalline pitch of her footfalls before she facepalmed. "Ugh… for being a strong homo magus, I didn't consider that crystals might refract more than light," she muttered under her breath.

—

"Um, Mama, even if we did find these 'Advent Decks', we don't know how to use them, and Uncle Cianán didn't tell us," Flurry commented.

"I've been thinking about that. He did mention something about mirrors, so… perhaps reflective surfaces?" Cadence commented thoughtfully, unknowingly exactly right.

Her head turned as a trail of lightning surged out of the gaping hole in the wall, producing a strong gust in its backwash.

"Not again!" a white haired heiress screamed.

"You know, you could just not be in the hallways when he's running around," Ruby pointed out.

Weiss just flipped the bird as she stumbled back to her room after gathering her clothes.

"Wonder why she's wearing that color," Cadence murmured shyly.

—

At the Castle of the Two Sisters, restored by unknown means, although Cianán had suspicions as to how, he delivered a trio of mares. One under each arm and one on his back. The mares were two Unicorns as well as an Earth Pony. One Unicorn mare was a light sea green with a mint green mane and a white streak within it. The other had a white coat and a two toned blue mane as well as purple glasses. The Earth Pony mare had a beige coat, pigment blue mane with a rose pink streak, cerulean eyes, and a cutie mark of three wrapped candies.

A few minutes later, more ponies were placed there in the main courtyard, a particular family of bakers as well as their twins. Minutes later, a rather windswept cellist arrived as well as a certain trio of gardening sisters. Unfortunately, as he darted to leave, vines easily as thick as the front end of a semi truck burst from the ground and covered the exit in time for him to plow face-first into them.

A good thirty seconds passed before he fell back and landed flat on his back only to see a bow aimed at his face, a seed pod filled broadhead arrowhead at the tip. "Really, Kat? No 'hello'?" he commented wryly before he kicked up onto his feet before stumbling.

"Do I know you?" Katrina looked at Cianán with an incredulous look.

"Not face-to-face like this, no. But I know you almost as well as I do myself. You and Pammy both. Though I can say you look damn hot," Cianán quipped teasingly as he let the helmet retract in burning embers of reddish gold. "Though it has been years since we spoke," he commented wryly. "That, and last we spoke, I didn't have a connection to the Speed Force… though I can say that the next time I see Brainiac… I'm going to toss his ass into the nearest black hole," he sighed with a shake of his head.

He tilted his head as he could see the gears turning in her head before she shook her head with an incredulous look. "That's impossible," she said slowly.

"As impossible as meeting someone you 'created'?" Cianán quipped teasingly. He tilted his head as he saw someone he half expected to see.

"And you should both know a certain Clown, the real one, ended up here but he kinda lost his head. Oh, and Harley's at that crystalline castle," Cianán commented.

He saw their eyes widen.

"One question: is it true? Those rumors that claim the only reason Metropolis is still standing was you? Heard it from not only Babe and Nygma, but Freeze, Wilson, and Dent too," Pamela 'Poison Ivy' Isley commented bluntly.

"Ah… the rumors about that body double of the clown hooking up a nuclear heart rate trigger to a pregnant Lois Lane? True… also true that the gust I kicked up from trying to keep up with the Big Blue Boy Scout scattered the Fear Toxin that double tried to hit him with. And knowing Harley, she likely heard about it from Lawton and Jones after I kinda Hurricanrana'ed her ass into the gurney after Supes got Lois out," Cianán said wryly. "Though I'd wager that body double was aching quite a lot after I beat his ass like Smith did Neo in that subway station," he commented wryly.

—

Meanwhile, Tsunade flicked a certain Cybertronian Prime's hard-on without chakra as she suspected if she did so with chakra it would probably explode from the pent up blood. She was very tempted to do what a certain Merc did to a grumpy Canadian.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Tsunade… or should I call you Tasha, my old middle school crush?" Artemis said without opening his eyes.

Tsunade blinked a couple of times, cocking her head as she remembered vaguely that life. It was closer to that of a dream, especially with how the memories returned weeks after a certain incident with a Salamander and in the months following. "That was a long time ago… and I've made more fuck-ups than I care to recall," she sighed.

"Haven't we all? I grew dissatisfied with Megatron's bullshit and his desire to eliminate not only the Maximals, but the primordial humans of that Earth. Unknown to him, using the Vox to try and eliminate the Maximals scattered us through time and space. We don't know if Primal is still alive or not nor where the others are. We got lucky that we happened to end up in the same time and place, though what drew us here is a mystery," Black Arachnia commented.

"I can confirm that Pamela and Katrina are here… in the Castle of the Two Sisters," Cianán cut in over the comlinks. "Kinda ironic… as sisters had the castle and sisters rebuilt the castle," he quipped.

"Huh, that is ironic." Artemis laughed. Then he said to Cianán over his comlink, "You think you can handle the Predacons, brother? I don't think it would be wise for me to go back outside with a certain southern problem still persisting." Artemis looked towards Tsunade and said, "Plus I have some catching up to do."

"Once these stubborn sisters let me out… or I figure out how to vibrate and phase through shit, I can get more out of the potential firing zone. Maybe it's a good thing a particular Barry had Harrison Wells, even if he turned out to be Thawne," Cianán quipped, referring to a particular Earth.

"I'll open a Ground Bridge once I'm settled and keep the refugees at the Castle of the Two Sisters safe, brother." Artemis said with a small chuckle as he stood up. Artemis then looked at Tsunade, saying, "But after that, Tsunade, you and I are going to have a long talk. As in, you could have asked me for help when you and your son back on Earth were in danger from his father." His gaze softened as he saw her look down in shame and sadness. "We'll talk in private if that makes you feel better."

"Yes that would, actually." Tsunade said with a small smile despite her sadness. "I'm sorry. I should've realized I could still trust someone I knew who actually cared about me, even after all this time."

"I never stopped caring." Artemis said in a whisper, looking down in sadness himself as he said this.

"The past is set in stone and cannot be changed. The future is a tale yet to be told. The present is a gift with which we live, hence why it's called the 'present'," Cianán quipped.

Tsunade's eyes blinked before she shivered unconsciously. She knew that Creed very well… as it belonged to a sibling Clan to the one she had been reborn into.

"If you're still willing to give me a chance after this is over with, Tsunade," Artemis started to say with a blushing smile, "I just hope that you don't mind sharing, as I have a herd. The female-to-male ratio is 8-to-1 favoring the females. So I'm just giving you a heads up."

"So it's like a C.R.A.P but more publicly known, hmmm? Meh. Always was a bit more into girls, myself," Tsunade hummed.

"Such as a violet eyed, red headed Uzumaki who happens to hate tomatoes?" Cianán quipped teasingly. "Never did like the idea of a C.R.A.P or gave a crap about it… especially if the remaining Clan Member was female," he sighed.

Tsunade smirked slightly as she leaned forward with a conspiratorial smirk. "I'm certain she'd find a way to come for my ass, but I know why she hates tomatoes," she commented.

"Uh, what's a C.R.A.P?" Artemis said, clearly confused at what Tsunade and Cianán were talking about, having not heard of that.

"Clan Restoration Act Protocol. Think herding for Clan Families. However, if the last remaining member is female, it would be far closer to gang rape in order for them to have children with said skills," Cianán said grimly.

Black Arachnia blinked before her eyes narrowed as her fingers dragged along the edge of the railing, sparks flying though no crystal was broken away.

"I take it you've experienced something like that, Black Arachnia?" Artemis asked, his eyes flashing Decepticon-red at her reaction.

"I don't want to talk about it," was all she said.

What Cianán didn't say was that he noticed embers of deep purple, almost black, energy rising from her fingertips, which he'd noticed, extended into sharp talons.

"Everyone, leave the room." Artemis said, his tone turning deadly serious, his eyes completely changing to Decepticon-red. "And brother?" Cianán looked at Artemis. "Don't listen to this this one time, okay? I want this to be in confidence like when I told you what happened years ago, aye?" Artemis looked towards Cianán with a serious look that said 'please, brother, just this one time'.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow before he shrugged before a sultry female voice spoke moments before he cut the connection. "Why do you" was heard before the connection was cut off.

"I'm not leaving you alone with her." Silverbolt growled, thinking Artemis was going to steal his girlfriend from him.

"Silvy…" Black Arachnia said, causing Silverbolt to look at Black Arachnia with a worried look. "Just go. It'll be fine. Just help Prime's friends and the rest of the Maximals with taking down the Pestacons. I'd rather this be in confidence. I'll… tell you about it later."

Silverbolt's eyes narrowed before an abrupt and powerful tremor shook the palace. His gaze snapped to the west where a thick beam of bright golden red energy was erupting from the trees. Moments passed before a gale hit that knocked him on his ass before his head cocked as he groaned from the tumble he'd taken.

—

Cianán heard Pamela's voice speak as he cut the connection.

"Why do you hold back? I can feel the power within you just begging to be unleashed. It feels so potent that even the Tribunals took note. I know that the Tribunals of Animals and Trees most certainly have. In fact, the Green gave me a way to awaken that potential," she commented.

Cianán blinked as the Tribunal of Animals were essentially the equivalent of Alphas to the strongest Alphas in the Animalistic World that most knew simply as The Red. Vixen had a connection to it through not only her amulet but her bloodline as well. The Parliament of Trees ran The Green, or as it was known, the 'web' all plant life was linked to. The other Forces were The Clear, the same force Arthur Curry, the 'Aquaman', could tap into… the 'web' of aquatic life. Another was The White, which mages such as Captain Marvel and Black Adam could indirectly tap into. True, one of the most well known with a connection to The White was a Greek Skyfather. The Melt, however, was the driving force behind what science knew as 'plate tectonics'. The last two was The Rot, who had chosen none other than Solomon Grundy as their Avatar, and a force many knew simply as Magic.

Cianán's head tilted fractionally before he blinked before he spotted the vines shifting before he felt something both icy cold and burning hot driven into his chest before he saw Katrina darting forward, her eyes wide before he felt the vine behind shifting before he felt what he could only describe as a wall cracking and fracturing in his mind and spirit. Unknown to him, the knife was thrown high into the lower orbital levels of the planet as a bright jet of golden red energy detonated skyward, unknowingly creating a tremor in the ground that would catch the attention of anyone nearby as well as a gale strong enough for a Category 3 hurricane to erupt. He didn't see the simian tail erupt as his mane darkened to a deep midnight blue as his fur became streaked with not only golden red, but a dark indigo-ultramarine before his muscles bulged as his eyes snapped open. Unknown to him, rather than charcoal, teal, or pale blue of a certain form… his irises were a deep blood red with a edging ring of rippling silver like liquid mercury.

—

Black Arachnia's eyes widened as her head cocked at the feel of the energy. "What the hell?" she managed. She could see the beam receding before her audio receptors twitched slightly at hearing a high-pitched whistling.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he went the pony equivalent of Super Saiyan 4." Artemis said with a smile. "Looks like he's got this in a one-sided fight." Artemis then turned back to Black Arachnia and looked at her with a saddened look. He clicked his fingers before a dome of shimmering magic forms around the two of them. "This is a soundproofing field. Anything we say won't be heard by anyone outside of it. Now… what happened? You can tell me." Black Arachnia started to cry as Artemis held her in a friendly hug and said, "Take your time. I'm all ears."

Black Arachnia took a slow breath. "There was once… before I was 'recruited' by Megatron… when I was a very young Cybertronian… and like any young sentient… I made stupid mistakes. One 'job' I had… well… let's just say that the 'boss' saw his employees as little more than something to use and abuse… and I do mean in that way," she said slowly. "Surprisingly… it was Megatron who rescued me from that… contrary to assumption, he could be decent… until he got obsessed with his counterpart in the distant past. I don't know why, frankly, as all that can be learned from the past is what not to do…" she sighed.

Artemis just seethed at the part of her story that she was abused by whomever her former boss was. He was seething so much that he dropped the soundproofing spell as the ground began to shake like an earthquake was happening. Black Arachnia blinked and backed up from Artemis as she realized the source of the quaking was him. Lightning began to crackle above the Castle of Friendship, as his Battle Form Armor disappeared and in its place was his normal clothes.

But he was tensing up, his muscles bulged as he growled to hold back the tumultuous emotions rushing through his mind. All he could think about was what Black Arachnia said, and it made him angry.

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Was all Artemis screamed before a blinding golden light surrounded the Castle of Friendship.

—

Cianán's head tilted as he exhaled slowly and deeply. "Pamela. You do know a cut across the palm could have worked just as easily, hmm?" His voice was dangerously calm and low. "True, fracturing the barrier inside would have likely been slower, but it would have allowed me time to adjust… though I do know about your past, but why the HELL DID YOU DECIDE TO STAB ME IN THE CHEST?!?" he said calmly before his voice rose into a ringing shout.

Pamela jumped in surprise. She, a hardened 'supervillain' and multiple time inmate of Arkham Asylum, jumped. And though she'd never admit it aloud, the sheer power radiating off him was intoxicating. It was, if she considered it, as if she were a plant used to very little fresh air and sunlight and suddenly getting as much as she wanted. She noticed Katrina shivering out of the corner of her eye as if considering something similar.

"I do wonder one thing: who the hell came up with the concept of superheroes and supervillains? I mean, yeah, one helps freely more, the other tends to take advantage of others more… but I do think that the Joker had it right in one thing: all it takes is one bad day… but the real question isn't who has bad days or good days, but what do they do with the days they have? Lord knows, I've had enough 'bad days' to make me no better than the Batman Who Laughs… but what good is it to hurt someone else to make myself feel better? It's like the satisfaction of a bottle rocket… there and gone…" he commented wryly before his hand rose, two fingers to his forehead before he abruptly vanished, no magic, no Speed Force… he simply vanished.

—

"RRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Artemis kept screaming as he was still powering up. Black Arachnia looked genuinely scared by this point.

"Prime, stop! You'll tear the castle apart with us." Black Arachnia said, screaming while crying. "Please, Prime, please stop!"

All of a sudden, the screaming stopped, as did the quaking. The dust that had kicked up from started to settle as Black Arachnia saw the change that had taken place in Artemis.

His normally deep blue mane was spiky and blonde while having grown longer down his back past his waist. His muscles were at least three times bigger than they were, and his eyes were a teal blue. The only difference in his mane was that it also had a streak of purple and mulberry pink side-by-side to each other going down his back in the center. But the most prominent feature was his eyebrows were devoid of hair and looked more pronounced like the protohumans from the Earth she was familiar with.

"Prime?" Black Arachnia asked tentatively, as he was looking straight ahead. She jumped when he looked down at her. But she eased up when she saw him smile.

"I'll be damned to Tartarus if I let Cianán beat me again like he's done so many times even if it was in video games." Artemis said a calm voice as he put two fingers on his forehead and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared.

Cianán cocked his head where he squatted a few feet from Black Arachnia. "Huh. Lucky for us we don't have an insane, self-proclaimed planet-brokering 'emperor' being an ass. Though I would love to knock his reptilian ass around a bit," he commented lazily, amused as Black Arachnia jumped in surprise at his voice. His eyebrows rose as he smirked playfully. "Did you just squeak?" he commented, trying to keep a laugh back.

"DORKATROOOOOOOOON!" Cianán and Black Arachnia heard Artemis scream as he was apparently giving the Pestacons a painful 'ripping and tearing'. "WHERE ARE YOU HIDING YOUR VERBAL TICCED ASS, YOU SLAGGING SON OF A BASTARD PROTOFORM?!"

Cianán blinked several times before his eyes narrowed before his head tilted as a purple laser missed his head before his head tilted back. "There you are, you slag gobbling bitch," he muttered gruffly before he pushed off the railing before he backhanded a few more laser bolts aimed at him. His new Ki Aura flared as he accelerated before he shoulder-blocked the leader of the Predacons in the chest. "Took you long enough to show yourself, yes?" he hissed.

Megatron frowned before his head tilted. "Predacons, stand down. Our mission was to protect the town, not fire upon it, yes," he said bluntly into a communicator, almost hissing the last word.

"Is there a reason why Terrorsaur decided to not only fire on my ass, but chase me almost all the way here?" Cianán's eyes were narrowed.

"Not to my knowledge. I never ordered him to do that," Megatron said.

"Then it appears someone was able to turn Inferno against you, as he, too fired on me. More than likely, Tarantulas, I'd wager… though I'm pretty certain that I humbled him, alongside Inferno and Quickstrike… shoved Terrorsaur up Tarantulas' cannon ass and left him," Cianán quipped.

"I would wager Primal is around somewhere, yes… just like the rest of his Maximals. I do have something that would very much interest the Maximals," Megatron commented. "Though I do not know what those surges were from. They felt like Energon, yet not… yes. Most curious."

Cianán blinked, cocking an eyebrow. "And I'm guessing you have a connection to the Princesses, hai?" he deadpanned dryly. To his mild surprise, the Predacon leader nodded.

"Took yer barmy ass long enough to report in, you old lizard," a familiar Scottish brogue commented dryly.

"Apparently, the Lunar Guard's resident drinker and asskicker decided to drop in," Cianán quipped teasingly. He saw Stella blink.

"Don't think butterin' me up will save your arse from a good bootin'. Besides, as I hear it, you like when a mare dominates yer ass, pun intended," Stella quipped, her wings folding against her shoulders, her dark bluish gray armor and wide brimmed hat shielding her eyes from the sunlight.

"Oi! Been a long time, lassie." Artemis said, his old Scottish blood coming out unknowingly at the sight of Stella, despite being in his super-powered form. "Been wondering when I'd see yer cute thestral arse, Stella. Because I have a present I've been waiting to give ye. And ye can fuck right off with that 'you don't remember me' shite, ya cunt. True, ye don't remember me in this form, aye. But I was still human and was using my astral form, especially when me, you, and darling Sveta had some fun times and great cuddling, innit?"

At Artie's admission, all Stella could do was smile from ear to ear.

"Well fuuuuck me sideways with a strap-on in me arse and out me mouth." Stella said, running up to Artemis and throwing her arms around him in a big hug, the latter laughing and returning the gesture. "Where the fuck have ye been, ya cunt? What the bloody hell happened to ye? When Faust said that ye disappeared, Sveta and I were worried sick about ye. Especially since we never got the chance to tell ye."

"Tell me what, ye old titwanker?" Artemis said with a smirk.

"Oi, Sveta! Bring the two over and let them say hello to their old man." Stella turned to the shade of the trees nearby, where a teal-coated thestral mare with sapphire eyes and a mane color that matched Stella's was standing with two shorter thestral fillies.

"And what am I, chopped onions? I know I make the pussy boys cry, but heck," a teasing voice came from a blond thestral mare with a smirk on her face, whose accent was distinctly Slavic. She wore a red top that strained against her assets as well as a slightly longer than knee length set of dark tan shorts with a slight camouflage pattern as she leaned against the trunk of the tree, watching them.

"Well, if it isn't Songsexual, herself." Artemis said with a wide smile as he waved her over to join the hug. She smiled as she put on her hat and ran over to Artemis, throwing her arms around his neck. Despite being an Amazon of a thestral, Artemis easily towered over her. "I've missed you. I've missed all three of you."

"We've missed ya too, daddy." The two 7-year-old thestral fillies said, running up to Artemis and hugging him around his legs.

"Um, Stella, Sveta, are they…?" Artemis started to say, realizing what Stella said about something she and Sveta wanted to tell him.

"Yep. These two queefbubbles are yers, ya cunt." Stella said with a smile before she placed her right hand on the taller of the two fillies. "This is Starla Uchigata Sabre, who's our little queefbubble, and the smaller of the two of them is Astrid Katanara Sabre, yers and Sveta's little queefbubble."

"Well it's good to finally meet you, my little angels." Artemis said with a smile at his two second-oldest daughters.

"You're forgetting one other, my handsome Prime~." Midnight Song said in a sing-song tone, while rubbing her stomach gently.

Artemis got the message with a smile. "Midnight… how far along are you?"

"A couple of months." Midnight Song said with a happy smile as she looked down while rubbing her stomach. "It's funny. I wasn't one for staying tied down for very long. But you, my handsome Prime, changed my mind when you managed to steal my heart. And honestly, I wouldn't change it for the world."

A puddle several feet behind Midnight shone before someone shot out of it.

Cianán blinked before he chuckled. "I see you figured out how to use it, Flurry," he commented nonchalantly. He saw the trio of thestral tensed before he rolled his eyes as the armored form tugged free the Advent Deck from her belt, the armor dissolving into glowing shards of glass that dissipated into the air, revealing the Princess of the Crystal Empire.

"Okay, what tha fu-?" Stella started before a hand covered her mouth, cutting her off before she glared at Cianán.

"Language, hun. And I'd wager you and your mother got those in your little Mirror World jaunt, hai?" Cianán quipped.

Flurry blushed, but nodded shyly.

"I'm guessing you two ran across Dragreder and Darkwing in there and we're able to create Contracts with them. Hm… sounds familiar. Though in my case, I got Destwilder, and he didn't make it easy," he sighed.

Flurry Heart blinked.

"Flurry, honey," Artemis started to say. Flurry looked at her father. "Did you know about your Aunt Midnight Song here?"

"What do you mean, daddy?" Flurry asked, her head tilting in confusion. "Of course I knew about her."

"Clearly you didn't tell her, Midnight." Artemis said with a smile.

"It may have slipped my mind by accident~." Midnight said in a sing-song tone while giggling.

"Tell me what, daddy?" Flurry asked, pouting in confusion.

"You're getting another little cousin to spoil, Flurry Heart." Artemis said with a smirk.

All that could be heard for miles around was a scream in joy that was being used with the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"Primus damn it, Flurry, what're you trying to do, blow out our eardrums?!" Artemis yelled over his eldest daughter, who was still screaming in joy with the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"Could be worse… such as you with a certain Alicorn…. especially when I was hearing you idjits doing it. Lucky for you there were soundproofing spells, otherwise everyone from here to Oa would have heard her screaming," Cianán quipped far too innocently.

"You know that's statistically impossible because sound doesn't travel in space, ya jackass!" Artemis said with a deadpan expression while he was wiggling his fingers in his ears to get the ringing out of his ears from Flurry's RCV scream of joy.

"What?" Cianán quipped teasingly as he half turned, revealing he wore a vest with a red-eyed silver skull smoking a cigar on the back.

Midnight cocked her head at the unusual logo, not getting the reference.

"It's just Cianán being Cianán, Midnight. Just like Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie." Artemis said with a sad smile, seeing his blonde thestral marefriend's look of confusion.

"I wouldn't want to try being Pinkie. She's far too unique," Cianán deadpanned dryly before his ears twitched before his hand met Sunset's wrist and forearm millimeters from his throat, noticing her stiffened thumb. His eyes narrowed. "Natsumi," he commented as "Sunset's" hair shortened and darkened to just longer than shoulder length and black. "Your perfume gave you away."

"That reminds me." Artemis began to say, rubbing his chin in thought. "I wonder if Tsukasa still has the Oni Armor Crystal that reacted to me all those years ago back when you and I were still human, brother." Artemis looked to Cianán with a serious look. "Any chance you'd still be able to contact him and ask?"

"Kind of difficult to contact someone who's dead," Natsumi said flatly.

"I'm not surprised you picked up some shapeshifting from your brother… Wataru, hai? Kinda realized it considering you're also a Kamen Rider… Kivala," Cianán deadpanned. He saw her startled look.

"Natsumi…" Artemis said, looking at Natsumi, who looked back at him. "Did Tsukasa ever give you the Oni Armor Crystal to give to someone named Aaron Rogers before he died?"

Natsumi shook her head. "He hid them with Riders. He didn't say whom specifically, but that 'those destined for the crystals will find them'," she said slowly.

Cianán hummed. "Hmmm. I'd wager that Cale's Jackal Armor, attuned to the Element of Darkness and the Season of Autumn, may well be with Hibiki."

"Makes me wonder who has the Oni Armor Crystal." Artemis said with a thoughtful look.

"I dunno. My first thought would be Phillip and Shotaro… the 'Two that are One'… Kamen Rider W… but what if that would be too obvious? It could…" Cianán commented before he paused.

"What is it, brother?" Artemis asked, noticing Cianán's hesitation.

His eyes narrowed before he vanished.

Sunset flinched at her mate's look as well as the molten feel of power rushing around him. Despite herself, she could feel her body tightening with need at his look.

"You didn't tell the Princess, did you? You're not just Princess Sunset Shimmer… you're more than that, aren't you?" His voice was low and gentle but intense and focused.

Sunset grimaced before she took a deep breath. "No, and yes…" she said slowly, tapping several points upon a particular rectangle of crystal before it retracted into the wall and she pulled out what was within: a belt device, as well as two slots on either side of where the hips would be. The mechanism on the front looked to be in the shape of a horse head, with the horn sticking out from it. There was a slot at the base behind the neck where something was supposed to be inserted into it, and from the looks of it placed down into the horn. She also tugged free something he recognized immediately.

His eyebrows shot upward. He saw her lips curl upward playfully before she vanished in a gust of flames, the belt and Gaia Memory in hand. "Holy fucking shit! If I recall correctly… the Sci-Twi from that story… had a connection the same way Phillip did to those Records, so there is a chance she could be brought back as he was," he thought. He shivered as he knew the connected stories…. including a certain Gamer Rider. "The idea of meeting him, as he was one of my favorite Riders… he and Takeru…" he mused before he felt the dull ache at his temples like right before that particular incident…. before he'd built the Build Driver. He blinked once or twice, realizing he knew details of building not only Drivers, but specifically the LostDriver that employed the Gaia Memories. Chills rushed through his body at the realization that he had a connection to the True Gaia Memory before he closed his eyes, focusing on the connection before he opened his eyes to see innumerable bookshelves… as well as a bespectacled young woman reading. "Twilight," he thought before she jumped, her head turning as her eyes widened. He saw the book she'd been reading dematerialize even as she dropped it, reforming on the shelf.

On the other side of the mirror…

A certain surgeon and gamer sneezed, unfortunately spoiling his present run in the game he was playing.

Chapter 9: Relaxation Part 1

View Online

The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 9: Relaxation Part 2

Cianán's eyes widened as his consciousness returned to his body. His head tilted as he heard a screech. His head turned before he spotted the Fang Memory. He noticed, however, that there were several differences. The body was gold and the legs red. He noticed the Fang sigil was green rather than pale blue.

He instinctively twisted, catching Fang as she jumped into his arms before he blinked as a LostDriver formed in an outlined skin of light before it fractured and scattered. "Oooh… this is going to be fun," he murmured.

Sunset smirked slightly before her hand slapped Artemis' ass hard just to mess with him. She hopped back as he spun as she chuckled. She tilted her head, noticing that the connection between her and Cianán was quiet. What are you up to, honey? Sunset sent.

Beat me and find out. Was Cianán's teasing, almost mirthful reply.

That made her eyebrows rise. She could tell he knew something. Should I get a paddle? she hummed.

Hey brother, I know she's your girl, but she did something VERY naughty to me. Do I have your permission to punish her? Artemis said with a smirk and eyes at Sunset that made her shiver.

Cianán let out a chuckle as he rose up out of the puddle behind Flurry Heart, ruffling her mane. "I got that. And as for the paddle… let's just say I'm going to use it on you, Sunny. Either way… a mutual friend has a message," he commented as the Fang Memory revealed herself over his shoulder. He saw Sunset's eyes widen slightly as she noticed the LostDriver forming.

"As do I… Henshin!" he said as red, burgundy, gold, and black shards formed into armor dancing amidst bright reddish orange electricity.

"Surprise, Sunny," Cianán quipped. "But I'm sure you can guess who sent me Ruby Fang and the LostDriver," he commented as his visor lit green before fading to a deep jungle green. Sunset's eyes were wide.

"So she's still alive." Artemis commented, crossing his arms across his chest.

"She's in the True Gaia Memory… and unless I'm mistaken, trying to find a way back," Cianán commented.

"How did she get there in the first place?" Artemis asked.

"No idea. Something must have happened when she was attacked," Cianán quipped, "but what I did find was that in that place… if you think it, it's the equivalent of speaking as I only thought her name and she reacted… likely startled the shit outta her," he commented wryly.

Sunset's eyes were wet with tears before she took a deep breath. "So you want to spar, do you? And knowing Stella's stubborn arse, she'd insist on no powers," she commented, flicking a thumb at Stella, not having noticed the kids.

"Which I'm guessing is how she got to where she is… no powers, no magic, just stubborn willpower and bullheadedness," he commented before Midnight Song and Sveta broke into laughter at Stella's pout.

"Yeah, but first, a little R&R." Artemis said with a shit-eating grin as he saw Blake and Yang coming into view. "I promised those two," Artemis pointed to Yang and Blake, "a very relaxing time. So I will bid you all a good night and we'll have those sparring matches tomorrow. Especially now that I don't need to worry about Shining Armor being a prick anymore." Artemis muttered that last comment.

"I HEARD THAT!" Could be heard from down the hallway.

"When was he a prick? When he had that stick stuffed up there before he broke it over a certain former Prince's head?" Cianán said cheekily.

"More like over his now-non-existent cojónés." Artemis said with a laugh. Then he walked over to Yang and Blake and put his arms around their waists, looking at the two of them who gave him bedroom eyes.

"Well, the three of us are heading to bed." Artemis said with a smile. "As my Stella and Sveta would say, 'See ya later, masturbators'."

"He had cojónés? I never saw them," Cianán quipped. "And I swear you'd better keep the link quiet, ya jackass," he deadpanned dryly, rolling his eyes.

Sunset gained an impish smirk as she held up the Unicorn Gaia Memory before she tapped the button. Unicorn! before she slotted it into the UniDriver. "Let's play," she drawled as she depressed it as her armor formed in a surge of light green and teal electricity.

—

With Yang, Blake, and Artemis…

Artemis was naked in the room with both Yang and Blake, the three of them in a heated three-way make-out session. As they broke for air, Artemis grabbed the two of them by their asses and gave them a firm squeeze.

"Primus knows I've wanted to do this for so long." Artemis said with a small smirk. "Especially considering how the twins were conceived."

"Enough talking, more stuffing," Yang deadpanned.

"Wow, Yang, that was quite subtle," Blake sighed, rolling her eyes as she tugged free her bow, revealing it was actually quite a bit longer before her tied back hair fell in wild waves.

"I hope you're ready for this, Yang." Artemis said with a guttural growl as he grabbed Yang and flipped her over onto her hands and knees with her ass in the air. Artemis lined up his already 11-inch-long diamond-hard dick up with Yang's puckered backdoor. "I hope you like it rough, Yang, because I'm going in dry. And for an added bonus, I'm keeping the link open so all three of us can screw around with Cianán."

"STUFF MY ASS WITH THAT FAT COCK OF YOURS!" Yang screamed, already coming from Artemis' words alone. "BY OUM, I'VE WANTED THIS FOR SO LONG!"

"Your wish is my command, my sexy brawler." Artemis purred as he started to inch his cock into her ass as Yang screamed from the intrusion of Artemis' dick into her ass.

—

Cianán didn't realize that the T3 Fang Memory actually afforded him something useful: blocking a certain amorous trio's pleasured screams. Unknown to him, however, Sunset lacked such protections through the link.

Sunset stumbled as Cianán's swing missed her head by inches before she rolled with the stumble, a burst of bright green light detonating from her hand as she came up, twisting her upper body.

The blast caught Cianán in the chest, an eruption of sparks detonating from the impact as he rolled with the throwback. His eyes narrowed as he pushed off, unaware that for a split second, he actually teleported through sheer speed, neatly evading Sunset's energy bolts modelled after a certain Tamaranean's. He twisted in an inhumanly fast and fluid sweep kick that took Sunset's feet out from under her before he caught her thighs and spun into a throw that left her rolling on the grassy ground.

Cianán tilted his head, an eyebrow cocked. "A bit o' righteous fury, luv?" he quipped, unintentionally sounding like a certain blonde Liverpool asshole sorcerer and conman.

"I'll give you 'righteous fury'," Sunset commented before she pushed off into a flying side kick.

Cianán blinked, cocking an eyebrow at the obviously telegraphed move before he sidestepped it and promptly brought his hand down on her ass with a resounding slap. He smirked slightly at her startled yelp as he jumped back. "I'd rather give you a reason to be furious… although…" he commented before he cocked his head, "why do you smell aroused?" he commented as she yelped from embarrassment.

"Quit slapping my ass!" Sunset said sharply.

"Are you getting horny from getting spanked?" Cianán commented densely, not quite getting it. He cocked an eyebrow as she yelped a bit a second time.

He got the distinct awareness of her having narrowed eyes although their awareness of each other was very muted at the moment. He inhaled sharply as he noticed something darting around out of the corner of his eye before he turned in time for it to hit him in the chest and ricochet off skyward before it dove more slowly.

"Well, that's familiar. The Cyclone Memory did the same thing to me, eh?" Sunset commented before a dark purple orb shot from the castle before hovering next to the pale golden red orb. Her eyes widened slightly as both shot into her mate's hands before the glowing energy shattered, revealing two Gaia Memories. One, she recognized, the other was very new to her.

The new one was a rich golden red, though the Sigil upon it wasn't one she recognized. It held what seemed to be a burning skull engulfed by blue flames. Its name: Spirit

The other she did recognize. It was the Skull Gaia Memory.

"Huh… Shotaro's mentor held this Memory… always did like the look of Kamen Rider Skull," Cianán commented before his ears twitched at a click. His ears twitched again as he heard two distinct slaps coming from behind Sunset, realizing her ass was slapped twice, one after the other. But he realized it wasn't he who did it this time.

"You're back, I see," Sunset commented wryly, sounding a bit amused at the unicorn stallion sitting in a nearby tree. His mane was a sandy brown, with a coat of light red, eyes a dull green, and a black jacket. Around his neck was a camera.

Cianán blinked several times before he shook his head. "Tsukasa. Seems for every dimensional cluster, there's one of you, eh?" he deadpanned dryly.

"Watashi dakede wa arimasen. O shiri ni 2-kai tsudzukete anata no nakama o hirateuchi shita yūrei no yōna chikara ga arimasu." Tsukasa said to Cianán in Japanese with a chuckle. "Watashi ga kanjiru koto ga dekiru koto kara, kare wa kanojo o dainashi ni suru tame ni sore o yatte imasu." I'm not the only one. There's a ghostly force that just slapped your mate in the ass twice in a row. From what I can feel, he's doing it to mess with her.

Cianán blinked before his eyes narrowed. "You don't want me pulling a Pinkie, do ya, ya wanker?" he growled. "Ah may not have a Ghost Driver, but there are ways ta fuck with ya," he deadpanned.

"Sore de, Takeru to Makoto o shitte imasu ka? Ē to, anata ga tabi o suru no ga taikutsuda to omou toki, nanika ga sore o kakkidzukemasu... Shikashi, sorekara, nani mo shinjin no kappuru no yō ni monogoto o kakkidzukemasen," Tsukasa commented wryly. So you know of Takeru and Makoto? Huh, right when you think traveling around gets boring, something livens it up... but then, nothing livens things up like a couple of rookies.

How do you know its even someone you're not familiar with, Cianán, or should I say Wes? A voice that sounded exactly like Artemis voiced into Cianán's head, cackling his telepathic ass off like Yang would. Are you sure you don't like having your chain yanged? The voice cackled again at the Yang-level pun. Besides, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up on messing with you and Sunny-side Up Bacon-head.

There's only one that can 'Yang' my chain, and you ain't them. Cianán's eyebrow twitching upward.

Aww, what's the matter? Cat got your tongue? A certain brawler's voice came over the link, even though it wasn't Yang who was currently preoccupied in the bedroom, before a resounding smack was heard before the voice said, Geez, Blake, learn to take a joke.

That was as subtle as an avalanche, Yang. Came the voice of a certain kitten who was also preoccupied in the bedroom, yet it wasn't her. Then Cianán heard this alternate Blake's voice start retching as she sounded like she ran to the bathroom and barfed up her breakfast. Ugh. Morning sickness is such a pain in the ass.

Oh, I'm pretty sure a blonde is going to have a pain in the ass. Cianán quipped.

You say that about Kara, but I never took you for a voyeur, brother. Artemis said with a smile over the link. Don't think I didn't notice you there for a brief moment. I bet you enjoyed the show, didn't ya?

Cianán rolled his eyes. Idiot. You are aware the White Ring is capable of tapping into the Violet Light of Love, aren't you? Admittedly, Rage seems to feed into the Omega Sanction, and Love is supposedly just as difficult to really control, so of course it would passively pick up on energies like that. Hopefully a certain asshole Yellow Lantern doesn't show up. He has a bit of a grudge against me. Cianán deadpanned as he caught Sunset with a scissor leg takedown.

Pound my slutty Cat Faunus pussy, Artie! Blake screamed over the link.

Here I come, Blake! Artemis said with a guttural growl as Blake screamed in ecstasy as Artemis filled her up.

Cianán bared his teeth, unaware his incisors had lengthened and sharpened slightly. You asinine bastard. Cianán muttered. He jerked as he sensed a sudden surge of intense fear to the southwest before his eyes narrowed, unaware the visor was glowing. He did notice Sunset pausing as he grabbed both Gaia Memories. "Looks like we have trouble to the southwest. Dunno how far, though. I don't have a bike, though," he commented wryly. It was then that he noticed projections of his Destiny Mark as well as Sunset's speeding in trails towards Twilight's Castle before he noticed a lighter blue one joining it.

I know that feeling, brother. I felt it too, even if I never met her. Artemis said through the link. It shouldn't be possible… can it? Unless she somehow survived like Sunset's Twilight and became a Kamen Rider, perhaps?

There is a Kamen Rider who straddles the boundary between life and death… Kamen Rider Ghost. Seems there's counterparts to the Kamen Riders here. Though I'd be intrigued to see who would end up as the Helheim Riders. Cianán commented wryly.

Well, I'm physically spent from my activities with my brawler and kitten. Artemis said through their link. But then his voice went to his old Scottish blood, saying, But if ye get ye're arse intae trouble, don't ye hesitate to ask me for help, ye hear me, ya jackass?

Aye, ya prick. Something tells me this ain't gonna be too difficult. Cianán drawled. He paused as his ears twitched at crackling electricity before his head turned upon seeing crimson electricity arcing before his eyebrows shot up. Well, shove a live grenade up my ass and call me a grenade launcher, he commented before his head cocked. You seeing this? he commented. He only knew of one Displaced that used crimson lightning. He immediately thought of the watch Token they'd found before he felt a vibration before he focused, feeling it form in his hand. His eyebrows rose in mild surprise. You may want to get yer arse over here, you Cybertronian man-whore.

The term is 'gigolo', ya little shite-eating jackass! Artemis said with a groan, before Cianán heard him yelp over the link. It may take me a few minutes, as, surprisingly, my legs feel like Jell-O. Tell Uncle Ed I'll be down shortly.

"I see you two were Displaced, though not by 'average' means," Edward commented. "Primus is one of the Elder Void Dwellers, which considering some of them are pretty ancient, such as a certain author's awareness of certain entities," he commented.

"You're implying that Lovecraft's 'Elder Gods' and 'Old Ones' aren't 'deities' in the stricter sense, but these 'Elder Void Dwellers'. Damn," Cianán deadpanned dryly. "Hope we never run across them."

"Well, if it isn't good old Uncle Edward." Artemis said with a smile as he came out of a small Ground Bridge that sealed behind him as he stepped out. "Great to finally visibly see you. Been a long time."

"True. Though Justine has been bugging me about meeting you two, though I have to wonder how the fuck did you manage to strip Darkseid of his Omega Sanction?" Edward commented.

"Hell if I know. I know learning to separate it from the Red Light of Rage is going to be a pain in the ass, much like this idjit leaving a certain connection open at very fucking inopportune times," Cianán commented before he shook his head. "Though if there's five people I'll miss, it's the Winchesters, Harvelles, and Uncle Bobby… Jo and Ellen could be as prickly as cacti, but they could rival a certain polychromatic mare for Loyalty," he sighed.

"At least we dealt with that little hijo de puta that did that to her and the others, minus Twilight and Rarity apparently." Artemis said with a sad smile, placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I know you're nearby as well, Rares. It doesn't take a genius to figure out you're Kamen Rider Ghost here. Twilight would be very happy to know that you are still alive in some way."

"Though the difference here is that I can pull the ambient magic in to form… I suppose you could call it a 'physical shell' in a way," a wry and amused but familiar posh voice commented as her body seemed to form from nothing.

"That sounds an awful lot like the standard description of a Spirit forming a 'cold spot'. I have to wonder how the Eyecons are here. They were famous people from Earth, not Equis," Cianán commented wryly.

"Like the famous Father of Gravity, himself." Artemis said with a small chuckle. "I remember reading about him in science class."

"As well as Benjamin Franklin, the Father of Electricity, and Robin Locksley of Sherwood Forest… more famously known as 'Robin Hood'. Another was a very famous or infamous spirit depending on who you asked… known for the 'Curse of the Pharaoh's Tomb'," Cianán quipped.

"What am I, a fluffed pillow?" a scratchy feminine voice deadpanned.

"And there's Ponyville's resident prismatic tomcolt herself." Artemis laughed.

"You're a pillow? How fluffy are ye, then?" Cianán quipped innocently yet teasingly.

A dull thud kicked up a bit of dust as her body formed, revealing her getting up off the ground from face-planting.

"To quote my sexy brawler, 'damn, she bounces'." Artemis laughed his ass off at Rainbow's expense.

"I'm gonna kick your ass, pretty boy!" Rainbow snapped.

"Whatcha gonna do about it, tomcolt? Straddle me to death? I already been having some action on that front. Not like you can do much worse." Artemis said with a smirk.

Cianán blinked several times at Artemis' comment. "Ugh, you must be eager for her to beat your ass," he sighed before Rainbow shot at Artemis. Cianán darted back as he evaded Rainbow's charge at Artemis, unconsciously chuckling, not realizing he sounded like a certain bald Stooge.

Rainbow was using every technique she learned in karate to try and land a hit on Artemis, but he kept on evading, blocking, or catching her jabs and throwing her back like a certain Terminator from the fifth movie in the series in a certain bridge scene. He was calculating her movements by the millisecond. And he was seeing it clearly pissed her off.

"C'mon, Dashie, you know that you can't beat me." Artemis said with a deadpan look that rivaled the Terminator. "I can calculate your movements by the microsecond. Besides, you need to learn how to take a joke and not get worked up over nothing."

Rainbow glared at him, breathing a bit hard before a very audible smack sounded, making her jump.

"Calculate that movement, brother?" Cianán quipped cheekily before he swatted her ass again, not surprised as she turned on him.

"Actually… yes. I did. But with you, it's like Pinkie Pie: you are so random." Artemis said with a smirk. "Besides, I am trying to de-escalate, not re-escalate, ya jackass!" Then Artemis had a faraway look in his eyes as he sent a telepathic message to Twilight, saying, Twilight, you might wanna come outside, babe. There are some ponies outside with me and Cianán that you would be very happy to see. You too, Bacon-head. There's somepony here that would be happy to see you.

"Oh, my… how daring!" Rarity commented overdramatically, seeing how Cianán had 'de-escalated' the rambunctious tomcolt mare: by getting her in an unexpected liplock. To her mild surprise, Rainbow had one hand on his chest, the other firmly on his ass.

"Doubt you calculated that, brother," Cianán quipped smugly.

"To be honest, I actually did not see that coming." Artemis said with a shit-eating grin.

Sunset swatted Artemis in the back of the head. "I was already here, ya idjit," she drawled.

"Heh, yeah, forgot about that." Artemis said with a sheepish smile.

"Bullshit," Cianán and Sunset deadpanned simultaneously in unison.

"To quote your words to Jason Todd, brother, 'No shit, just head', which I got plenty of from Blake and Yang earlier." Artemis said, laughing out loud.

"Betcha that wasn't the only thing you were eating, was it?" Cianán deadpanned. "I'd wager you were eating ass too," he quipped.

"And their pussies too, 69 position and everything." Artemis laughed, much to Cianán's chagrin.

"TMI, motherfucker," Cianán sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Not like you weren't doing the same thing to Sunset here and the Spa Triplets." Artemis said with a knowing smirk. "When I went to get the rest of the herd, there was one world I visited because of a certain former Queen of the Grimm that turned over a new leaf, who also gave me a chance at a relationship. But she's in a secret location here on Equis with her eldest daughter because she's… afraid of what others will think and do to her if they saw her."

Cianán simply flipped the bird as he backed away from Rainbow, who pouted for a second before smirking.

"So you're dating the REAL Salem, huh?" Ed came through on his Token, having stayed quiet, amused at Rainbow and Artie's scuffle.

"Not just her, Uncle Ed. Faust, Blake, Yang, Twilight, Stella Sabre and her sister, Sveta, A certain 'self-proclaimed' super-genius's grand-daughter, a former Jedi, Cadence from an alternate Equestria, and a certain Senshi of Love." Artemis said with a proud smile. "Between Faust, Blake, and Stella and Sveta, 16 kids under my belt, but I love them all like nothing else. 17 if you count Salem's eldest daughter, who survived the fight between her and Ozma centuries ago. The only difference is that apparently another version of Optimus Prime and Tony Stark teamed up to heal her injuries, which would've otherwise killed her. To prevent that, she was put into a modified coma sleep while Optimus and Tony, the MCU version, worked on her. They're basically turning her into a techno-organic like Sari Sumdac. She still has yet to wake up though." Artemis sighed at that last comment he said.

"As long as we don't run across En Namah Sur down to the southwest, I think we'll have whatever is going on covered," Cianán commented wryly.

"You fucked up his name on purpose, didn't you?" Artemis said with a smirk.

"Considering the name he took for himself being 'Apocalypse'? I kinda deliberately switched the 'S' and 'N' in his name, considering those that consider him their 'lord' would use an altered form of the Japanese 'sama' surname, and the only loyalty I have for that fucker comes in two fingers," Cianán commented, doubling the bird.

Sunset cocked her head. "Who would choose that sort of nickname?" she deadpanned dryly.

"Someone who hopes to intimidate through not only appearance, but reputation," Edward commented.

Cianán's eyes widened slightly upon seeing exactly what ride 'Uncle Ed' had created, recognizing Cloud Strife's Fenrir bike.

Artemis whistled appreciatively. "Nice, Uncle Ed. But if I may ask, do you think you can recreate my brawler's bike Bumblebee? When I brought her, Blake and the others to my Earth, she couldn't leave Faust's house on Earth due to possibly being discovered. I know she would appreciate that, Uncle Ed."

Suddenly a halting voice spoke up, "How… do you… know… that… I haven't… already… followed… her here… Prime?" Bumblebee himself rolled up, Artemis not expecting him to be a motorcycle that looked exactly like Yang's bike instead of a Camaro like he remembered before he transformed.

"So… you were already with her on Remnant before I brought her and Blake to Earth?" Artemis asked with surprise. Bumblebee nodded. "Huh, why doesn't that surprise me? I had a theory why her bike was named Bumblebee. I never expected that theory to be true. It must've been boring being in disguise all the time."

"Was… in stasis… the entire… time." Bumblebee said. "Wasn't… awake. But… I… was aware."

Why am I not surprised? Yang's voice commented over the link between her and Artemis. I knew you were special, Bee. I just didn't know how special.

Wow, something you didn't expect to Yang your chain, eh, lass? Cianán quipped teasingly, amused, turning one of her own puns against her.

Oh, FUCK YOU! Yang screamed at Cianán when she realized what she walked into.

As hot as you are, Yang, you're taken. I'm not the kind to take someone's girl. I did notice a certain 'Orange Cream Soda', though. Cianán quipped.

Weiss' eyebrow was twitching madly. You did not just make a pun about that, did you? she growled.

Uh oh, snow leopard showing her claws. Cianán quipped teasingly.

Shut it before I show what I can do with my Ice Dust to your cojónés, you hentai! Weiss screamed over the link.

Are you sure you don't need some 'stress relief' yourself? Artemis commented to Weiss innocently. I'm sure Blake and Yang would agree, and I'd be more than happy to oblige you.

You couldn't handle me even if I took you up on that offer. Weiss said, sounding like she smirked like she was challenging Artemis.

Is that a challenge, Weiss Cream? Artemis asked, smirking at the thought.

Why don't you come to my room and find out? Weiss said, still smirking in her voice.

Oh, here I come, alright. Artemis said before he opened up a Ground Bridge and walked into it, straight to Weiss's room in Twilight's castle.

Oi vey… thinking with the head below the belt, ain't he? Geez, and here I thought Kuroto Dan's god complex was annoying. Cianán sighed, facepalming. Either way, we got shit to do whilst you're getting Creamed. he quipped.

I'll take that as a compliment. Artemis said, not deigning that with the response Cianán was expecting.

"As a certain Rider would say: Let's Ride," Cianán quipped as he vaulted onto the Fenrir, noticing no push button start nor a key. He blinked as he felt the bike shift before he felt something very warm and pillowy against his back.

"Hope you don't mind, darling," he heard Rarity's posh voice before he felt her arm over his shoulders and the other around his chest.

"Thumbprint and pulse scanner. Makes it to where if someone were crazy enough to take off your thumb or your hand, it'd still be useless due to the secondary retinal scanner," Edward commented. "I also added something from mutual friends," he added before he cut the connection.

Cianán blinked several times in confusion at Edward's comment. "Mutual friends?" he muttered under his breath. "What does he…?" he muttered before he blinked.

"You didn't forget me, did you, rookie?" Tsukasa quipped teasingly as he pulled up on his bike. "After all," he started.

"I know your catchphrase, Tsukasa," Cianán deadpanned.

"I'm guessing you don't have a high opinion of me, oh well," he commented before he tugged the NeoDecaDriver open before he slid the card in his hand into it.

"Henshin," he quipped before nine shadows formed before merging to form his armor before the reddish magenta cards melded with the helm, a golden glow flaring as the transformation finished.

Cianán, Sunset, and Tsukasa accelerated, pulling away at high speed before tines extended, arcs of bluish purple lightning flickered and crackled before firing out in a spiraling beam before a crackling rift formed.

In a matter of seconds, they'd surged through it, vanishing in a surge of lightning that left a brief rift in reality before it receded into a spark that faded to embers.

Unfortunately for Cianán, when the rift reopened, it was a dozen feet in the air and over a sand dune overlooking an Arabian style city.

Sucrairo, Saddle Arabia

Too bad for him, as his heavier bike dug into the sand upon landing and promptly launched him over the handlebars though Rarity managed to catch and even perch herself on the handlebars whilst filing her nails. He tumbled head over heels down the dune several times. "Thank God for armor," he growled. "Though it doesn't keep sand from getting in places it shouldn't be, fuck!" he groaned as he sat up.

Rainbow was snickering as he stood, shaking sand off himself before the deep throated growl of the Fenrir's engine sounded as Rarity revved it and pulled free of the dune.

Cianán saw Sunset turn her head and apparently mutter something he couldn't quite hear, though he did see Rainbow tumble off the back of her bike when she accelerated with a blush that could have rivaled a lighthouse at night.

"Damn it, Sunset! Do you really want me to kick your ass?!?" Rainbow shouted as she scrambled to her feet, mostly covered in sand.

Cianán saw Sunset pause. He noticed a strong surge of nostalgia from her.

He heard her heave a breath as if thinking.

Cianán tilted his head as he felt a tremor up his legs where they rested as he felt a gust of wind. "Might be best if we get in the city! Got a gut feeling that something ain't quite right," he muttered. He noticed Tsukasa turning his head before he accelerated towards the city as Rarity also did the same before he hopped on behind her before he grabbed Rainbow's arm on the run. He did notice with some surprise that, at least for the present, Rarity lacked her horn, but instead had a light blue topaz crystal focus in its place. He noticed Rainbow wore an armored vest with two rows of crystalline foci in the back along her upper back and spine.

It took them minutes to speed through the gates, though he did notice that the guards were within the guard towers that had what resembled sliding windows. He got the distinct sense that they were made to be airtight. His ears twitched at a low rumbling, almost like thunder or an earthquake, though beyond the shuddering and noise, it didn't create damage. Unfortunately, it was moments later the sandstorm hit. He saw flares of bright blue and orange light as both Rarity and Rainbow transformed.

"Is it just me, or did that sound vaguely like a snore?" Rainbow commented bluntly with a grimace as she flicked back her orange edged black hood.

"Curiously, I agree, though I very much doubt any dragon would live underground, especially this far from the Dragonlands," Rarity pointed out.

"Though… how could a dragon create a sandstorm… with a snore?" Cianán commented cautiously. He had a sneaking gut feeling as to what it really was… and it wasn't a dragon… but something almost as terrifying in its own way.

"Unless it's not a dragon," Sunset commented.

Tsukasa cocked his head, watching quietly. There were worlds he'd not visited before that held aspects he'd never encountered before, and this was such an aspect.

Cianán blinked as he took a deep breath. "My thoughts exactly… but if I'm right in what it is… then in its own way… it'd rival a dragon… and outstrip one in others," he commented as he took a deep breath as the sandstorm began to settle. He exhaled softly before taking a second breath, repeating the exhalation. Been a good while since I tapped into it… but I can feel it, and if I'm right… then the entity behind these sandstorms will notice what I'm about to do… his psychic voice was low, but projected to all four of the other Riders' minds as his hand dipped to the LostDriver before he flicked it back to vertical, tugging free the T3 Fang Memory which immediately unfolded and vaulted onto Sunset's shoulder in its dinosaur form, watching as well as Cianán's eyes were closed, his wings held tight to his back.

Rainbow blinked before she felt her skin prickle at an unfamiliar power that was rising in the air before Cianán's eyes snapped open, his irises glowing a brilliant silver as his aura manifested, though rather than being the golden white of the Speed Force, it was a bright but pale bluish silver mistiness that erupted in a thick column that shot skyward.

Tsukasa's eyes widened fractionally in surprise as this was something he'd not run across before. He could feel the sands underneath their feet shuddering in response, even as some of it was whipped into the air.

Sunset staggered back from the energy surge as it didn't feel like pure magic, yet at the same time, it did… yet it felt more… complete… if she had to put a word to it. The column faded away as Cianán exhaled slowly.

Cianán's arms relaxed as he took a deep breath. "Damn… that felt invigorating," he commented before he rolled his shoulders as he took a deep breath. "I KNOW YOU FELT THAT, YOU SAND RAT… NOW SHOW YOURSELF!" he roared in a tone to rival a certain Royal Voice.

The sands near them began to move in a decidedly unnatural way before it formed a pile three times as tall as an Abrams tank before it began to condense and tighten as dark bluish purple markings began revealing themselves on the pile before a jagged tail revealed itself. Dark eye sockets formed upon the obese form before a rumbling snore escaped the form.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow before he pushed off, tagging the miniaturized form with a strong kick, a spray of sand erupting from the impact. "Geez, here I thought Kurama was a lazy bastard… Shūkaku," he deadpanned dryly before the eye sockets flicked golden as deep golden irises glowed within the darkened eye sockets before a sudden gust of air shoved him back as the Ichibi yawned.

"Fuck you, human," Shūkaku growled.

"Sorry, not interested. Got four mares I've already pounded and two hot mares nearby that I wouldn't mind getting to know up close and personally," Cianán quipped innocently. He heard a distinct clunk as he saw Sunset facepalm.

"Ugh… geez. Here I thought both Rainbows were perverts," Sunset groaned.

Cianán smirked a bit. "You weren't saying that the other night… though I hear you were a very kinky gamer… or did you not strip each time you died in certain games… and I hear you weren't the only one?" he quipped.

Sunset faceplanted almost immediately in response. "Damn it," she grumbled.

"I'll take that as a 'yes', then," Cianán quipped. His head cocked as he saw a rush of memories in her mind which made his eyebrows rise. "Damn," he whistled. He wasn't going to voice what was in said memories… yet. But damn if it wasn't very… interesting.

Chapter 10: Meeting Lex Justine Part 1

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 10: Meeting Lex Justine Part 1

Cianán exhaled as Shūkaku glared at him.

"Why should I care about you humans?" Shūkaku growled.

"Ugh… are you fucking blind? Anata wa tashika ni muchina araiguma no nezumi no yōdesu yo ne?" Cianán grumbled. You certainly seem to be an ignorant raccoon rat, aren't you?

Shūkaku's eyes narrowed as he inhaled slowly, swelling half again his size before a fist rammed into his belly as Cianán's fist forced the air out of his projected form's 'body'.

"Do I look like I'm in the mood for your shit, 'sand rat'? I may not be Gaara nor the Akatsuki being around but.." Cianán barked before Shūkaku interrupted.

"You are an Uzumaki, you little shit stain," Shūkaku growled. "I remember that gaki's chakra, even after all these years," he grumbled.

"Hold up, Shūkaku, there's no need to get violent." Came Artemis' voice as he came through a Ground Bridge, with Weiss next to him, holding his hand. "We just wanna talk. Besides, that's no way to talk to my friend who is just trying to talk to you in a civil manner."

Cianán's eyes narrowed at Shūkaku's words, thinking. "Wait… Shūkaku. You said specifically 'his chakra' yet how can that be possible? I'm not related to him nor could that be possible… unless… fuck… the Exobytes. One of them had what even Brainac had classified as 'unknown for its power'... what if… that was Namikaze Naruto's DNA? That would explain how I would have 'his chakra'... yet never been related to him. It would also explain… them," he said, muttering the last part. As he spoke, he clenched his fist, which immediately ignited in deep blue and ebony flames.

Shūkaku's eyes widened, recognizing his elder sister's flames. "How do you have her flames?" he said in surprise.

"Because she's within my friend like she was once within Naruto years ago, Shūkaku." Artemis said. "I heard her voice as well when she called me a brat because I apparently woke her up."

"Actually, two of your elder sisters are with me, Shūkaku… Kurama… and Matatabi… or as the 'Naruto' series knew them, 'Kyūbi no Yoko' and 'Nibi no Nekomata'. Though Kurama did find it highly insulting to be constantly mistaken for a guy," Cianán deadpanned dryly.

"I've seen a fanart of Kurama as a human but with fox ears and tail." Artemis said, blushing a bit redder than his coat. "And I swear she was pretty hot with that kimono in the picture I found."

"Don't make me come out and kick your ass around this entire fucking desert, little brother," a decidedly female voice snarled out of Cianán's mouth. "And I'm sure you know one of my handmaidens, you horndog. She was the one that chose that outfit," she drawled.

Cianán blinked before he cocked his head. "How many Kitsune have we met, brother?" he commented. He only recalled one in particular… who happened to be friends with a sadomasochistic succubus.

"Son of a sandworm… I forgot about Ahri. For that matter, that means I forgot about Evelynn." Artemis then turned to Weiss. "Think you can behave for a few hours while I go pick someone up, babe?"

A sultry whistle sounded on a stairway behind and above their group. The whistle came from a cream skinned, pale blonde haired woman who was smirking in a red and black qipao dress that barely hid her hips. It was Evelynn in what any fan of League of Legends would recognize as her 'Coven' skin.

The one beside her was a dark haired, dark furred Kitsune though her hair faded to a pale blonde as it fell down her back to her child bearing hips and bubble ass.

"Well I'll be Primus damned." Artemis said with a smile from ear to ear. "Ahri! Evelynn! Good to finally see you two for real this time. It's been a long time." Artemis then saw the worried look on Evelynn's face as she looked at him. "So you knew as well when I disappeared from Earth, didn't you?"

"Kinda hard to miss that sort of surge. Not to mention when Kitsune Boy there managed to strip a big chunk of power from a higher dimensional being on par with a Demon Lord like Mephisto. That didn't go unnoticed by a few beings out there, like a certain Dark Dimension 'lord' or a rather tolerable Sorcerer Supreme," Evelynn commented wryly with a smirk.

"Well, I think it's about high time I kept my promise to you, my dear." Artemis said, using Instant Transmission to teleport to Evelynn and wrapping an arm around her waist while kissing her passionately. "What do you say we take this to my room back in the town where I live?"

Evelynn snorted a laugh before she rolled her eyes. "Perhaps after you deal with the Tanuki Bijū. Been a very long time since their kin were awake. Even if this particular one is a blowhard," she quipped.

"Damn, Ahri. You look fucking hot, almost as hot as a certain trio," Cianán quipped, teasingly flicking a thumb over his shoulder. He ducked two black gloved hands as well as a third turquoise-gloved hand aimed at his rear which shot beneath him as he twisted in a very feline way before he tightened his abdominal muscles, lightly pushing off before two sharp slaps sounded as both Rarity and Rainbow yelped at having their asses swatted hard.

He smirked before he turned to the Ichibi. "So what do you say, Shūkaku? Snore your fat ass away for eons, or wake the fuck up and see how the world has changed and live life?! Gaara wouldn't want you sleeping for millennia, you dreaming of him when he's likely in the Pure Lands with everyone else," he drawled, unaware the White Ring was pulsing with a mingled soft emerald green and deep indigo glow from his Willpower and Compassion.

Ahri shivered slightly at the comment before an abrupt explosion of sand surged over the walls on a powerful gust of wind. She darted forward, catching Cianán in her arms before vaulting with inhuman speed and strength, landing out of range of the impromptu sandblasting as she shielded them both.

Cianán was thinking furiously at Evelynn's words. Not only Mephisto, but Dormammu and Stephen Strange are aware of what happened between Darkseid and I? Probably wondering how I did it… when I don't even know that answer! Would probably have Cyttorak and his ilk wary at best, as becoming an Exemplar of one of them essentially means becoming a mortal channel for their power… and I could see why it would scare them… I mean, the Omega Sanction is a pretty big chunk of Darkseid's power. No doubt he'll regenerate it… but his ego will demand he comes for me. He considered all this in the space of a single heartbeat before he realized his thoughts were much faster before he noticed the sand was a minor itch despite his exposed body.

"Cianán's right though, Shūkaku." Artemis said with a saddened smile. "Gaara wouldn't want you to waste your life sleeping knowing you could keep living on for him. Because doing this to yourself would be doing his memories and legacy a great disservice. So for Gaara's sake, wake the hell up, get off your lazy behind, and live your life like you know he would want you to do."

Cianán stepped out as the winds and sand died down. "I do have one small question, Shūkaku… is that wind and by extension these sandstorms coming from your true body snoring… or you ripping ass?" he commented innocently.

"This creature can harness great fear. He will become a powerful Yellow…" a growling snarl sounded before he was cut off by a distinct crack.

"Arkillo of the Yellow Lantern Corps…" Cianán's eyes were narrowed as his fist was buried square between the larger alien's legs before he drew his fist back and executed a one-inch punch that produced a far louder crunch.

Arkillo was launched not only across the courtyard, but through the top of the wall into the desert outside the city before Cianán spoke softly as he snapped the thong around his neck, slipping the White Ring on.

His eyes drifted half-lidded as the words escaped. "In fearful day, in raging night, with strong hearts full, our souls ignite. When all seems lost in the War of Light, look to the stars -- for hope burns bright!" Almost immediately, an eruption of brilliant sapphire light flared as the White Ring shifted ever so slightly in appearance.

Cianán exhaled softly before he he shifted, taking to the air before a surge of golden energy formed a tube for a few moments before it winked out, revealing an unexpected visage.

"Hello, John. I'm guessing you were getting antsy without much work to do after Darkseid bitch-slapped you halfway through the Daily Planet, eh?" Cianán quipped jokingly.

Artemis also was in his Battle Form Armor with his battle mask down and his Ion Blaster out at the ready. He took a couple of pot shots at Arkillo before John Stewart flew up to Arkillo and started duking it out.

"Shūkaku, this is your chance to do things right by Gaara." Artemis said, looking at Shūkaku, who looked unsure at the situation. "He would want you to help the innocent people of this world like he did in the Shinobi War against the Akatsuki. It's your choice. Only you alone can make it." Artemis activated his jetpack in his Battle Form Armor and flew up to join the fray of the battle.

Cianán exhaled softly. "It's your choice. Inspire fear as you once did through Gaara before Naruto humbled your ass… or use your power and strength to inspire hope," he said before he shot skyward, firing bolts of energy at Arkillo.

Arkillo aimed a hard light projection of a salvo of rockets at both Artemis and Cianán, the latter of whom created the projection of a serrated kunai on a serrated chain before he launched it with a flick of his wrist, shearing through a third of them which detonated in flares of light from the impact with one coordinated flick of the wrist. From what I can tell, brother, Arkillo hasn't fought a Blue Lantern directly so he likely won't realize that the Blue Light of Hope, by its proximity alone is siphoning the strength from his Yellow Light of Fear, he sent to Artemis. From what I can tell, those rockets create concussive charges upon impact and detonation. Better go ranged to take them out, he warned.

Roger that. Artemis said, flying off into the distance to a sniper's position.

Arkillo snarled before he got tagged by an oversized emerald sledgehammer construct in the side of the head courtesy of John. He reeled from the blow before a large sapphire oversized cast iron pan smashed into his back as he spun from the blow, slamming into the sand hard.

Cianán re-angled the cast iron pan construct, a couple of the rockets detonating on impact. Unfortunately, he wasn't prepared for the concussive recoil. As a result, the cast iron pan recoiled squarely into his face with a loud clang.

Sunset, Rarity, and Rainbow all winced at the clang.

Artemis, from his vantage point, looked through the scope he attached to his Ion Blaster. He was far enough away that Arkillo could not see him. He also figured that with Arkillo's power of Fear being siphoned by Cianán's Blue Light of Hope, he would be weakened enough to feel the shot he was about to take.

After he lined up the shot, Artemis took a deep breath, held it in, and fired one charged shot on Arkillo's head. Surprisingly, the shot hit it's target.

It just happened to be at the same time Ahri threw an Orb of Deception that tagged the malicious alien in the head at the same time… resulting in a gory eruption of red, gray, and white with embers of blue and golden flame.

Nice shot, my sexy Kitsune friend. Artemis said to Ahri telepathically. It's no wonder Cianán took a liking to you like I did to Evelynn. Who knew our shots would hit at the same time? Talk about coincidence.

That's what you get when you obsess over one thing and never use that gray matter in your head, it ends up splattered everywhere, Ahri quipped teasingly.

"Damn, talk about splattered and scattered. Shows what happens when you don't pay attention like a cheapskate," Cianán quipped.

"Cheapskates like them, brother?" Artemis quipped, cracking a pun at Cianán's blood family, knowing how badly they treated him.

"Trust me, they weren't cheap, they were just pricks who preferred to fuck anyone they could control," Cianán said tonelessly.

"Yeesh. That's much worse than you had let on, eh?" Artemis said with a worried tone and looked to the one he considered a brother.

"Shit happens and all we can do is fertilize the ground… preferably with the bastardòs that fucked us over," Cianán deadpanned dryly.

Evelynn snorted a little laugh at that.

"I'm guessing that the Guardians on Oa picked up on Arkillo, eh, John? Well, suffice to say Sinestro's group lost one of their heavy hitters… besides, I owed the bastard for jumping my ass when investigating that shit with Arthur being deceived by Circe… and Circe may be cute, but she's a total bitch in personality," Cianán deadpanned dryly before he shook his head. "Besides, I prefer somepony who's actually fun to be around, generous, and caring," he commented, seeing all three of the female Riders watching him.

He got the distinct feeling all three were blushing. He didn't realize that his face was rather bloody from the iron pan construct smashing his face repeatedly.

"Bloody hell, looks like Shūkaku left… well… at least he cleared up his mess," Cianán quipped, sighing.

"Though it looks like you need a thorough scrubbing, mister. Ahri, girls… I'm sure you can handle him while I have my promised time with my soulmate, yes?" Evelynn commented bluntly, staring at Cianán as Rainbow, Rarity, and Sunset de-henshined.

"I've heard the baths and spas here are to die for," Rarity commented overdramatically.

Rainbow facepalmed. "Considering we're, you know, kinda dead, I don't see much need for it," she sighed.

Cianán cocked an eyebrow before he pulled off the Ring as it reverted to its White form. "Oh, really?" he quipped innocently as he scratched her hand, a line of blood following before, even as her eyes widened, he healed the injury. "You know that ghosts are unable to bleed… so why do you? Could it be that… you're…" he gasped, "undead?" he teased before Sunset swatted him in the back of the head.

"Really? You had to pull a Pinkie?" Sunset commented, her eyebrow twitching.

Cianán chuckled. "What? You can't say it didn't make shit less depressing… but seriously… the only way you can bleed is if you're alive," he commented seriously.

"Such is the power of the White Lantern Ring." Artemis said with a laugh. "And if my theory is true, then we can bring the rest of the Elements of Harmony back and Spike too, right brother?"

"It's possible, I suppose. I mean, the comics didn't go into that much detail regarding the White Lantern Ring… but I do know that Kyle's shattered, reverting him back into the Green Lantern Corps. And I can tell you right now… a certain laughing Bat… he's far fucking creepier in person. The game definitely captured the creepy factor, where the comics focused a bit more on the sadistic factor… but in person? Let's just say that he's way fucking creepy. Think Bruce… combined with Pinhead," Cianán commented before he shivered.

"Enough of that, and Xipe isn't that bad," Evelynn commented bluntly. Almost immediately, Cianán shuddered.

"You're saying… he's not just real… but under Johnny's employment?" Cianán said warily. He noticed Artemis shooting him a confused look.

"Am I missing something? Because I am so confused right now." Artemis said, scratching the back of his head.

"We'll talk about that later, Artie." Evelynn said with a sultry tone to Artemis as she walked up to him and grabbed his junk and gave it a firm but gentle squeeze. Artemis started to blush more red than a tomato as he felt his Energon flowing straight southwards, Evelynn's rubbing of his crotch not helping his situation. "I've been waiting for this for a long time, and now that I'm on that vacation that you talked Johnny into giving me…" Evelynn giggled as she pulled Artemis' head down and whispered in his left ear, "I'm gonna fuck your brains out until you make me pregnant. Like the mares here, I go through a heat cycle, but monthly. And guess what? It's that time."

That was all it took for Artemis to break as he wrapped his left arm around Evelynn and used his right middle and index fingers on his forehead and, in less than a second, Artemis and Evelynn disappeared.

"Oi vey. I swear…. he has a tendency to really pound his point across. Though I wouldn't be surprised if those two break the bed and likely more than that," Cianán sighed.

"Oh, and you aren't? After all, from the way Breakfast Head's looking at you, she's looking rather… hungry. I know I am," a certain Kitsune purred.

Cianán shivered slightly before he paused, cocking his head as he felt a presence that wasn't Ahri nor John as he noticed the Green Lantern flying towards the northeast. He pushed off, landing next to Ahri. What he didn't expect, however, were a pair of Jedi… a human in black armor with a breather mask helmet on and a Togruta.

"Boo!" the Togruta giggled. Her eyes widened slightly at an almost instinctive Force Push that only slid her back a few feet before they saw the recognition in his gaze.

Cianán's eyes narrowed fractionally, then widened slightly upon seeing the pair. "Ahsoka Tano… you try that shit again, I swear… I am so tempted to spank you right now," he growled before he shook his head.

"Sorry, Cianán, but the only one who can spank me is my boyfriend Artemis." Ahsoka said with a laugh. "Besides, I've been stuck in this Tatooine knockoff of a desert with Skyguy here ever since we were separated from him during the… what exactly did he call it? Transwarp travel?"

Cianán rolled his eyes. "I said I was tempted to, Ahsoka… though what could interfere with transwarp travel? I mean, it's similar to hyperspace jumps, as far as I know… which isn't much, honestly. I'd know more about the Force than Cybertronian tech… eh?" he commented before he blinked. He didn't expect that a third Jedi… one he knew in canon had died.

"Master Luminara," Cianán commented. "Seems the folklore on Earth was right, as it never claimed you died but it did presume it was likely. It seems Mark Twain put it best," he commented wryly.

"As in 'rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated'?" the Jedi Master commented with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Cianán blinked before he shook his head. "I'm not even going to ask…" he sighed as he shook his head. He jumped at a sudden swat on his rear before he heard Anakin snicker as Rarity, Rainbow, and Sunset came out of the heat.

"Besides," Ahsoka started to say, blushing slightly, "I never got to tell Artemis something that happened when we had our moment a while back before he disappeared when he was using his astral form. Something I think he would be overjoyed to hear."

"Oh? And what's that, lassie?" Cianán quipped.

"It's a secret." Ahsoka said, giggling. "But let's just say he'll be very surprised when he hears the news… and sees him." Ahsoka looks back towards the south in the desert where she and Anakin had come from with a fond smile. "He's been anxious to meet Artemis for a long time now. It nearly broke my heart when I heard he disappeared that day. I thought he died. But then he showed up to pick us all up to bring us here. Only problem was that the universe back there is destroyed now. Some Bantha poodoo schutta named Metallia. I'm just glad that he also thought about bringing Owen, Beru, Luke, Leia, and Senator Organa and his wife when he picked us all up. But I feel no remorse for Palpatine though."

Ahsoka looked back at Cianán as she said, "He did find some old friends of mine and Skyguy's that we thought were dead. Turns out after he and I split, he rescued his old friends from the 501st by removing their bio-chips. From what I could track, Rex and the survivors of the 501st are in this town protecting it from bandits and raiders, but they have more damage resistant armor than their old Clone Trooper armor along with a rifle that goes with the armor. What did Artie call the armor and rifle? Mjolnir Mark VI Battle Armor and MA5B ICWS Assault Rifle, I think?"

Cianán blinked before he cocked his head. "Huh… wonder where they found standard issue HALO Spartan armor and the UNSC assault rifle," he commented before he shook his head. "Though… unfortunately… I know more about Metallia than I let on… and she did that shit because it was personal… and she did it to hurt us," he commented grimly.

"What aren't you telling us? Even through our bond…" Sunset started.

"Like Anakin and Ahsoka… I had a life before this… before ever encountering you, Faustie… all of you… and that bitch Metallia is part of that life. See… that was when she succeeded… but it wasn't the first time she tried… in fact, to my knowledge, she attempted it no less than five times. Isn't that right, Usako?" he commented before a thud sounded.

"Ugh… really? You had to use Mamo-chan's nickname for me before he… died?" Tsukino Usagi commented, wincing as she stood. Her blonde unbound hair fell to her ankles whilst her blue eyes were a bit annoyed.

"Considering you and the girls survived? And I know you're there, Minako," Cianán deadpanned, rolling his eyes.

Minako, clad in an orange towel and still dripping a bit, pouted. "You sure know how to," she started before Cianán cocked an eyebrow.

"Surprise him," was all he said. At that, Minako grinned before she vanished in a surge of golden orange light.

"I'm guessing the others are around?" he commented to Usagi.

"Hai." Usagi said while nodding. "While Minako-chan was at Twilight's castle in Ponyville to see Artie, we were here helping with keeping the sandstorm at bay as well as helping Rex and the 501st protecting the town from bandits and raiders, which apparently happens a lot in this part of Equis. We just didn't realize the sandstorms were because of a Tanuki Bijū snoring or, as you put it, 'ripping ass'." Usagi giggled at the end of that sentence. "However, the other Senshi and I decided to set up a base here like we had on our Earth. From what we can tell, Equis is almost identical to the Sol System, with some slight differences, but not enough to make a difference to our powers. So we've put up barriers encompassing the orbits of the planets of this solar system to protect it like we did back on Earth, since it seems our powers work here as well."

"Slight differences like what?" Sunset asked, genuinely curious.

"Like the Asteroid Belt. There isn't one." Usagi said. "But there is a planet where the Asteroid Belt should be. The old scientific folklore of Planet X comes to mind now that I think about it. And apparently Artie didn't just pick up us and the others as well as his herd, including the 501st from their galaxy, but he managed to save two other people related to a group from a video game you played on your old Nintendo Switch, Cianán-san. Two that you and Artie had contact with. I guess he's as smart as he is horny. I guess he figured they needed to live in order to fight the Imagined Order."

Cianán cocked his head. "As long as it wasn't a certain self-proclaimed genius, I don't mind… and from what I noticed at your lack of surprise, you know that it wasn't just the planets that had Senshi… but the Sun as well. Of course, those memories… didn't come to me until after I left those wankers," he commented. His hand rose to his chest as bright crimson flames engulfed his hand before it revealed something he knew would confuse the Jedi but he knew the Senshi would recognize immediately: a dark amber stick capped by dark green obsidian on both ends as well as being capped by a deep golden red gemstone with a circle with a dot within…. a Henshin Stick.

He saw a green eyed brunette step out before her eyes widened. He blinked as the towel hid nothing of Makoto Kino's voluptuous body. He grunted as he sprawled on the floor from the Jovian Senshi tackling him in a tight hug.

He saw the look Usagi was giving him, a look of surprise. "What's wrong, Tsukihime Serenity?" he quipped innocently before he saw her jerk at the formal title… her title. "I'm guessing Luna's around?" he commented to which she shook her head. His eyes narrowed. He rather liked their Mau guardians, who had taken on the disguise of feline companions.

He exhaled softly as Makoto stood before pulling him to his feet. He paused as she tugged him towards the changing rooms before he realized Master Luminara and Usagi were following. He blinked as he noticed the symbol on the door, that of a woman in a hijàb.

It was only then that he realized they'd shuffled him into the women's changing rooms. He shivered at what they had in mind.

"Anata no on'nanoko ga Cianán-san no sewa o shite iru ma, watashi wa Twilight no shiro ni modotte, ātimisu ga watashi ga kare to Evelynn ni kuwawatte mo kamawanai ka dō ka o kakunin shimasu." Minako said in Japanese "Watashi ga karera no `tanoshimi' ni kuwawattara, karera ga mattaku ki ni shinaidarou to watashi wa hijō ni utagatte imasuga." While you girls are taking care of Cianán-san, I'm heading back to Twilight's castle to see if Artemis wouldn't mind me joining him and Evelynn. Though I highly doubt they would mind at all if I joined them in their 'fun'.

"Nē, anata wa omoimasu ka? Taoru ni mi o tsutsunda atsui burondo no shitatari kara, daremoga nani mo kyohi dekiru node wanai ka to omoimasu," Cianán commented dryly, rolling his eyes. Gee, ya think? I kinda doubt anyone would be able to refuse anything from a dripping hot blonde clad in a towel. He yelped as he was stripped to naught but his skin. He glanced at where Minako had been to see embers of golden orange light drifting to the ground before he jumped at a mildly interested hum. His head turned to see a slightly copper skinned blonde and a slightly pale woman with wavy aquamarine hair falling to her lower back.

"Hmm. With a body like that, I suspect you could make a lesbian consider going bi," Haruka Tenoh commented with a small smirk before the aquamarine haired woman draped her arms over the blonde's shoulders.

Cianán blinked several times in confusion, before he looked around before his eyes widened, realizing Master Luminara was just as bare as everyone else, a light sheen of moisture from the humid room gleaming on her deep emerald skin. He blinked, seeing her hair was a deep auburn that was almost crimson. It fell to the middle of her back in messy waves. "Nice to see you, Haruka… Michiru. I've heard your music and seen you racing. As I recall, you prefer Indy Car racing over stock cars due to higher speeds in the cars, even if the potential for ugly and fatal wrecks in the former is higher," he commented.

"What's the phrase humans use? That you are 'utterly fuckable'?" Master Luminara commented teasingly. "After all, the Jedi Code discourages relationships… it doesn't ban them, a fact Anakin might have known… had he asked," she quipped.

Cianán blinked several times at her comment before he shivered. "Ugh… I don't know whether to be impressed by the fact that I'm surrounded by hot women apparently attracted to me… or scared shitless," he sighed, facepalming.

"Except for me and Minako." Ahsoka said, her and Minako sitting at a far side of the hotspring, looking like they were enjoying the show that was about to happen. "We're saving ourselves for Artie, but we'll enjoy the show. Right Minako-chan?"

"Hai." Minako said, giggling into her hand.

"You two are beautiful, though I'm pretty certain that even if Michiru and Haruka aren't attracted to me in that particular way, seven women would be… well… more than enough. Admittedly…" Cianán commented wryly.

"Admittedly what?" Makoto quipped.

Cianán cleared his throat, muttering something under his breath as he didn't meet their gaze even as he heard the low, somewhat damp splat of dampened fabric on the floor.

Sunset's ears twitched before she got an impish smirk. "Oh? Seems he had crushes on all of us at different points," she purred teasingly.

Makoto and Usagi blinked even as Rarity and Rainbow cocked an eyebrow with intrigued looks. Sunset only smirked as Cianán shot her a betrayed look.

From what I can guess, you likely imagined a similar situation to this… well, no more imagining… as much as experiencing it, Sunset giggled.

Cianán shivered slightly as he glanced Ahsoka's way, missing how Usagi and Makoto had already filled up buckets of warm water before he yelped as they were dumped on him.

Rainbow snickered before she yelped as Rarity facepalmed moments before she dumped a bucket of ice water on Rainbow, drawing a startled yelp from the Pegasus mare.

She held her hands up as she had neither used magic nor her hands to move the bucket as Rainbow shot her a look. She suspected Ahsoka might be intrigued as she had used something quite familiar to the former Jedi… a particular interconnected energy flowing through all things.

Luminara shot Ahsoka a look, who nodded slightly, giving away that she had noticed as well. The real question was, however, how many others had the talent?

Cianán blinked, noticing both Luminara and Ahsoka trading looks before he yelped at a sudden chill as both Usagi and Sunset squirted body wash into his body before his ears twitched at a low voice that was soft, but not quite on the level of an animal loving mare.

"Oh, my. Why did you bring him in here?" a bluenette commented, her blue eyes a few shades darker than Minako's.

"It was closer, and I got the feeling we could get some blackmail on him," Sunset quipped.

"Ami? Damn… you're just as cute as I kinda expected. I'd wager you're a genius in your own way," Cianán commented. He saw her blush in response before he felt Usagi and Sunset start massaging the body wash into lather before he jumped slightly as his head turned away from Ami, only to see the Outer Senshi approaching him. He shivered at the way they were looking at him, unaware that his body was putting out fairly strong pheromones.

He saw Luminara simply watching as the Senshi and Sunset started washing his body before he heard soft breathy pants before he felt a finger tap his shoulder before he turned his head in time to see creamy white D cup breasts and slightly darker gray stiffened nipples covered with soap as well as a deep amethyst mane saturated before he felt a hand press against the back of his head. He just managed to close his eyes before he felt softness engulf his head before he heard Yang cackle in his head.

Damn, that looks like the funnest way of motorboating, the blonde brawler snickered.

Luminara's eyebrows rose as the pale blue furred pegasus mare shoved the human male's head deep into the white furred unicorn's soapy cleavage with a grin for several seconds before she let him get free as she tilted her head. Hmm. Curious. Though I do not physically see wings on her, I can all but feel them in the Force. She noted with mild interest, her eyes on Rainbow.

Her gaze shifted to the Senshi, noticing energy radiating from them that both felt like the Force, yet at the same time felt very different from it. Especially the Alicorn, as she'd found they were called. Curiously, the blonde washing his back had an energy that felt much like the energy of the younger of the Diarchy, yet held a stronger, purer core of power to it that almost felt like the Light Side of the Force.

Cianán's ears twitched as he noticed Minako and Ahsoka smirking and giggling. He sighed softly before his head tilted as he heard very soft footfalls before he half turned, spotting two people he didn't expect. Both seemed to be fourteen or fifteen, one with bubblegum pink hair and ruby red eyes as the other had dark midnight blue hair just shy of ebony and deep indigo eyes.

"Misato Tsukino," the pink haired girl introduced herself.

"Huh. The series always implied that your name was 'Serenity' though if I'm honest, I always doubted it… 'ChibiUsa'," Cianán quipped teasingly before his gaze rose before his eyes widened upon seeing the Outer Senshi whose Domain was Time itself, missing Misato's pout. Her deep scarlet irises gleamed with amusement beneath her coppery skin and dark emerald hair that fell down to her ass. He shivered at her look as the corner of her mouth quirked up.

"You two go get cleaned up. As for me… let's just say I see something that does need washing," she commented in a tone that immediately had him thinking With a purr like that, she'd be a dangerous seductress or spymistress. I mean, damn.

You aren't alone, hun. I mean, damn… just from that voice… Sunset commented in his mind through their Bond.

You're imagining her muffled by something else, Cianán quipped innocently. The only outward sign of Sunset's thoughts as her hands roamed his back and shoulders was a momentary pause.

Guilty… though obviously you were thinking along similar lines. Sunset teased as she shivered slightly.

Let's just say that if Rainbow had the gear, no doubt she'd want in on, pun intended, stuffing her like a Christmas turkey… or a Thanksgiving turkey, depending on where you are, Cianán quipped teasingly.

He shivered, unaware that Michiru and Haruka had deliberately not washed his thighs nor up to his waist. He jolted as he felt nails dragging almost teasingly up his thighs before he looked down to see Setsuna kneeling before him, her E-cup breasts and dusky bronze nipples visibly stiff. "Oh, fuck," he breathed aloud.

"Nope, not yet. That cums later. First," Setsuna quipped innocently before, in one fluid motion, her head shot forward before she deepthroated his cock in one movement with only a slight gagging sound.

—

With Artemis and Evelynn…

Artemis and Evelynn were lying in bed in each other's arms, naked and under the covers of one of the guest rooms. Evelynn looked like she was six or seven months pregnant, her pussy still dripping with Artemis' cum. Artemis looked down at Evelynn and smiled, kissing her on the top of her, causing her to stir in her sleep.

"Well, Evelynn, was it everything you were hoping for with me?" Artemis asked, smiling.

"Even better." Evelynn said, giggling with a slight snort. "Usually it's me that makes others squirm, but hot damn, I'd be lying if I said that you didn't surprise me, Artie." Evelynn rubbed her stomach. "It's a little early to tell, but I wanted this. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't want this."

"Hopefully we'll be able to see in the morning." Artemis said with a smile as he kissed Evelynn passionately. At least before he jerked from the kiss with a faraway look in his eyes. "Damn!"

"What is it?" Evelynn asked, confused.

"Having the ability to use transwarp fields grants me certain abilities." Artemis said with a laugh. "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say a certain Senshi whose domain is Time just deepthroated Cianán's cock right off the bat. I mean, damn, Setsuna! Never thought she was hornier than Minako-chan."

Evelynn giggled. "Well, while they are having some fun, let's go to sleep. God knows I've needed a vacation. I'm just glad you were able to convince Johnny to give me one. I'm even more surprised that he agreed, saying that I could have as long of a vacation as I wanted." Evelynn kissed Artemis and said, "Good night Artie."

"Good night, Evelynn." Artemis said with a smile as he used his magic to turn off the lights, hugging Evelynn in a possessive but protective hug, which she returned.

—

Back with Cianán and the others…

"Holy fuck," Cianán yelped in surprise, not noticing how Michiru's hand rose, a faint liquid aquamarine aura flickering as the misty air condensed around where Misato and Hotaru were, giving them privacy and blocking sound from distracting the close friends.

He most certainly noticed as Setsuna started bobbing her head as he saw Minako's eyes widen slightly as she traded looks with Ahsoka. His ears twitched as he just caught the words "find that hot" from Minako over the blood pounding in his ears as he shivered even as he felt the hands of Michiru, Usagi, and Haruka washing his body. He blinked, wondering where Sunset was before he heard Makoto yelp in surprise as he glanced over his shoulder, his eyebrow twitching upward upon seeing Sunset… spanking Makoto. He could see her need twitching. He saw the Jovian Senshi twist abruptly before he saw Sunset sink deep into Makoto's ass.

"Damn, kinda guessed you were an ass girl," he quipped, seeing Makoto blush at his words.

Sunset smirked slightly as she cocked her head innocently. "Are you saying that because I was staring at your ass in the hall or because I stuffed your ass already?" she quipped innocently.

Cianán's eyebrow twitched upward. "Hentai," he deadpanned dryly even as he shuddered as he felt no less than three hands fondling his balls. He blinked as he noticed Haruka wasn't meeting his gaze though Michiru smirked slightly.

"We do need to clean everything, though it seems 'Tsuna is focused on giving you a thorough spit shine," Michiru quipped teasingly.

Now that's my kind of blow job. Yang said telepathically, cackling over the lame pun.

He cocked an eyebrow at the dirty joke. "Could you please not Yang any bad puns out of your asses?" he sighed, very aware of his own pun, though in his case it was deliberate.

He inhaled sharply in surprise as he felt Usagi's hands massaging his ass. His eyebrow twitched upward as he heard the low rhythmic slapping sound as Sunset had her fun with Makoto.

"What are we forgetting to wash?" Michiru hummed softly as she straightened as Usagi giggled.

"Hmmm. Other than his dick which is pretty occupied? Only his hair," the Lunarian quipped.

Michiru hummed softly as she looked over his soaped up body.

"Well, at least his hair will be easier than yours to clean," Haruka quipped jokingly, to which Usagi pouted.

"Mou… you don't have to be mean, Haruka-chan. After all," Usagi started before a voice interrupted her.

"Damn," a certain raven haired, amethyst eyed Miko Priestess commented in surprise.

Rei? Artemis broke into the conversation telepathically. Is that really you, beibu?

Hino Rei blinked before her head tilted. "No, it's Santa's Helper," her deadpan tone gave away nothing.

Usagi snickered as she saw Minako facepalm.

Think you can be fine by yourself for a bit, Evelynn? Artemis asked over the link.

I'll manage. But I'll be waiting for you when you get back. Evelynn said.

Alright. Hang on, Rei. I'm heading over. But meet me outside. I want to talk to you… alone. Artemis said before he cut the connection.

Cianán blinked as he saw her. "Looking good, Kasei-hime," he quipped. He saw Rei cock an eyebrow at him, likely at the formal greeting. He noticed that unlike the others, she was dressed in an ankle length red dress beneath a white blouse, though his ears twitched at the low clunking as it swayed when she shifted her weight.

Rei? I'm outside at the markets nearby. I want to talk to you in private. Artemis said to Rei telepathically.

Weighted clothes, eh? Huh, he noted as Rei turned before he blinked as she vanished with a soft chiming sound.

—

Outside the chambers near the markets…

Artemis was standing near one of the stands of the apples being sold, as he bought two of them while he had two bottles of soft apple cider in his hands as well. He was just waiting for Rei Hino, his other crush besides Minako Aino, to show up. He had been meaning to talk with her after Minako said Rei was heartbroken after they all heard he had disappeared from his Earth because of the Matrix.

A water balloon of cold water landed on his head and burst. Rei smirked a bit as she crouched on a thin wire, watching him. She had a short shoto sheathed at the small of her back.

"Didn't take you for a prankster, Rei-chan." Artemis said, looking up and smiling a loving smile. Rei jumped down and stood in front of Artemis. Artemis held out an apple and a bottle of soft apple cider. "Apple and soft cider?"

"I suppose, though this makes for a rather dusty 'date'," she commented wryly.

"Hey, I didn't say it was a date, but I figured in a desert town such as this, some refreshments would be nice while we talked." Artemis said with a slight huff before he chuckled. He and Rei went to sit down on a bench while they each ate their apple and took a sip of their ciders. "Sooo… wanna tell me?" Artemis said as he looked to Rei with a worried look.

"What the fuck happened, for one? You said you were going to Greece to explore ruins, not vanish for four years before Metallia somehow showed her ugly hag ass again!" Rei commented bluntly.

"Wait hold up!" Artemis said, confused. "Four years? When that happened to me, up to me arriving here, I was gone for six months total. How in Primus's damned name could four years have passed back home?"

Rei blinked. Her head cocked as she rubbed her right shoulder, very aware of what lay beneath her blouse there. "Time didn't stop, it never does… but I do know that whatever happened, Kunzite, Zoicite, and Jadeite were resurrected… though I'm almost certain Jadeite never died because he was acting decidedly… homicidal. I know as he drove a sword through my back an inch and a half to the right of my spine and out just beneath my collarbone… pinned me to the ground," Rei said softly.

"What about what Minako-chan said?" Artemis asked, looking down in shame, though his right hand found its way to her left hand. Luckily for him, Rei didn't pull away, but instead interlocked her fingers with his own. "Did you really start to love me like she did? After all this time? Even when the Matrix took me away to Cybertron?"

Rei cleared her throat before she took a sip of cider. "How could I not? You're almost as stubborn as Usagi and Makoto," she said slowly.

With a distinctive sound of a portal being sliced open reminiscent of a certain dark Slayer, the group turned around to notice the cross-shape opening in the fabric of reality.

"Okay, who the fuck is it this time?!" Artemis said, putting a protective arm in front of Rei. "However… that portal looks familiar. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was an Argent Energy portal."

A blur of motion surged skyward from near the baths before it landed heavily, revealing none other than Cianán… dressed in Kryptonian Armor… that had the Sigil of the House of El upon it.

"Huh… guessing Kal must have found some traditional Kryptonian Armor… or Kara left it… considering this seems to be a few inches shorter than Kal," he commented wryly. His ears twitched at an odd plinking sound before his eyes narrowed.

"Son of a SLAGGING SANDWORM!" Artemis screamed. "WHY DID SCRAPLETS HAVE TO SHOW UP HERE?!"

"Hmm… seems we can use them for target practice, eh, brother?" Cianán quipped teasingly.

"Not me, I'm getting out of here before they eat me alive!" Artemis said, genuine fear on his muzzle and in his voice. "You don't know what those things can do to living metal. And I'M LIVING METAL!" He all but screamed the last three words of that sentence.

"Anyone got some WATER?!" A voice very similar to Twilight's shouted coming from the portal.

Water, eh? Looks like I can use her here… Cianán mused as his hand dipped before he drew a tanto with a small crescent moon charm hanging from the butt of the hilt opposite the tsuba. "Wash them away, Lunetta!" he barked as he shifted the tanto as it flared with light as the single tanto became dual butterfly scimitars. Better yet, Lunetta was a very powerful water-type Zanpakutō. His grip shifted.

"Teppōdama Sandanjū," he barked as he swiped the right hand blade upward, an orb of water the size of a basketball firing off before it shattered into two dozen smaller water bullets like buckshot.

"Fucking beasties want to eat my gunblades and my metal bits." The voice said as it stepped through the portal. "Luckily I have a cloak of flames to melt them. Extreme temperatures and water are their only weaknesses!"

Cianán glanced down, noticing what he immediately recognized as Arkham City Cryogrenades before he depressed the trigger on three of them before lobbing them through the portal. "Then they're gonna get a cold meal," he quipped innocently before he heard the almost triplicate whump as the Cryogrenades detonated, icy fog measuring −457.67 °F in temperature erupting outward. "Huh… seems Bruce left some of his gear with the armor. I've actually met Victor and he, like Pamela, is a decent guy who's had a nasty hand dealt his way," he commented. He didn't realize that his Cybertronian right eye was glowing a dull reddish purple, his pupil glowing blue even as his other eye shone pale bluish green.

"Take cover!" The mare, who was wreathed in twin fires at the moment making her completely unrecognizable other than a silhouette, shouted. "I'm going to do something extreme!"

"Behind me, ye idjits! Bakudō no Hachijūichi: Dankū!" Cianán barked sharply, using his reiryoku to manifest a transparent wall to block the backwash.

Suddenly the flames surrounding the mare blast outward as if they were being pushed by an invisible aura of power. "Draconis release!" She shouted. The extreme heat from the black and white mixture liquifying the scraplets and nothing else leaving a few survivors outside the blast radius. "Hate those Unicronian blasted parasites."

"Eclipse Flames, eh?" Cianán quipped, cocking his head. "Too bad we can't set the little fuckers on his ass," he commented evilly with a smirk.

"Actually and I hate to be this kind of mare, those were my twin Godfires and I undid their manifestation with that technique." The Anthro Alicorn-Dragon hybrid said. "Those things were born of the Chaos bringer like a certain power boosting species of transformer I've met, so they might not eat him if they were sent to him."

Cianán hummed. "Ah can think of one fucker Ah would not mind them eating," he commented, his Irish accent strong in his voice.

"Primus damn it, that was scary." Artemis said as he came around the corner out of hiding. "If one thing scares me by instinct due to being a Cybertronian lifeform, it's Scraplets. Now that I think about it, all of the dead Cybertronians on Cybertron besides Optimus looked like they were eaten alive by something. But I didn't recognize the marks on their bodies. Now I realize now that it was Scraplets." Artemis then looked over to the Alicorn-Dragon hybrid, recognizing her right away. "Ayumi… been a long time. How have you been? I take it you've finished helping my Blazkowicz duplicate in his Equestria? Or are you just visiting?"

"Huh?" Ayumi said not knowing anything about that. "I'm in the middle of a quantum leap type scenario, I first jumped to Cybertron in this universe and then opened the portal once the scraplets started swarming me. I only know about their weaknesses because I'm able to access the multiversal Internet to refresh my memory."

"Wait, seriously? You didn't meet him yet?" Artemis asked, clearly confused about what she said. "So you haven't seen my duplicate yet? I remember Cianán and I were in contact with him back on our Earth before I was sent to Cybertron by the Matrix."

"So I'm guessing you don't have an 'Al' to help ya," Cianán quipped teasingly, referring to the AI assistant another unlucky 'Quantum Leaper' had had.

"In reference it's more of a similar thing to the multiverse episode of Family Guy, only I can't turn off the shuffle feature." Ayumi said. "I can open portals fine but I can't actually open one to my home dimension yet. For some reason these damn blades just want me to help out others and get stronger. Damn Sparda for imbuing his protective instincts for his family into them when he adopted me!"

"Haven't watched that show for years. I was preferential to American Dad myself." Artemis said with a smile before he laughed.

"Damn. As long as we don't end up with a wayward Roger, I don't care… or a certain annoying blue alien 'dog'," Cianán quipped, rolling his eyes before he paused at her mention of Sparda, his eyes narrowed fractionally.

Out of the blue, a blue and light greenish-blue fur ball rolled up and jumped onto Cianán's shoulders.

"Hello!" The blue alien 'dog' in question said, covering Cianán's eyes in a peekaboo gesture.

"Which blue alien dog were you talking about?" Ayumi said thinking about Jake in his demonic form while watching the spectacle.

"I'm guessing if you're here, a certain quartet ain't far away?" Cianán commented dryly, having sensed Stitch rolling through the sand minutes before but ignoring his spiritual energy.

"Ich." Stitch said in the affirmative. "Here in town, taking in the sights."

"Huh, Jumba trying to get DNA for 629?" Ayumi wondered.

"Ich." Stitch said in the affirmative with a sigh. "628 cousin was a clone of a human from the future with giant finger to poke eyes with. But after Jumba managed to remake Marcus from his DNA after he gave up heart to John Connor of the future, Jumba cloned him back to life. Managed to keep memories intact up to when he died to give heart to John Connor in the future."

"I'm not that surprised. And get your pert ass down here, Ellen. Your life energy is very distinctive. Hell, the only other one I've felt that was as distinctive as yours was Sarah," Cianán deadpanned dryly, his head turning before a feminine voice cursed.

"Really, you ass?" Ellen Ripley deadpanned before she pulled the trigger anyway, sending the beanbag at Cianán's head before she blinked as the beanbag tapped her on the head as she felt the gust.

Stitch blinked, a bit startled at Cianán's speed, especially enhanced by the Speed Force.

"Really, even Rainbow would find that prank childish and sloppy… a beanbag coated in itching powder," Cianán's voice quipped innocently behind her even as her eyes widened as she started to turn before she let out a loud, long, wet fart. "But I never said I wouldn't turn your prank attempt on ya," he continued with a smirk. He had used his magic to change it from itching powder to fart powder.

He felt Stitch swaying on his shoulders before he floated back to the ground. "Should prove interesting if I can find a way to combine Kryptonian flight with the Speed Force's gifts," he commented wryly.

"Yo Stitch." Artemis said, making Stitch look at Artemis. "Do Nani and Lilo still have the 'gifts' I bestowed them all those years ago? The ones that made even the demons of Hell scream in fear?"

"Ich," Stitch commented.

"What 'gifts' would those be?" an accented voice quipped innocently, a pale reddish gray Praetor Suit with distinct if subtle feminine curves leaned against one of the stalls. The visor was a deep golden red.

Cianán blinked, cocking his head. "The embossed flower on your right bracer gives you away… Lilo," he commented dryly.

"Damn, Lilo!" Artemis whistled in surprise. "Didn't expect you to be grown up now. It wasn't that long for me since I last talked to you and Nani when I was still on my Earth. How much time passed for you? Seems like a lot of it did. Let me guess… Judgment Day happened, didn't it?"

Lilo opened her mouth to speak when she was interrupted.

A loud ape roar sounded out as another woman appeared from the rooftops alongside a gorilla with red boots and a tail. Ones and zeros trailing off of both of them for a second.

Cianán's eyebrow twitched upward before he pushed off, hovering several dozen yards above the ground before he noticed the large, red furred ape with a quartet of tails. "Well, well, Son Goku. Hey, Nani, have you found a big enough banana for this old King Kong yet?" he quipped innocently, knowing it would irk The Yōnbi Bijū.

"What are you helping 'what' for?" Son Goku grumbled, as 'Nani' meant 'what' in Japanese.

Cianán blinked before he snorted a laugh as he'd never even noticed that fact.

"So, we meet again, Nani." Artemis said with a smile. "Been a long time. Let me guess… Judgment Day happened like I predicted, didn't it?"

Nani shrugged. "Those H-Ks make good target practice, even if they don't clean up after themselves," she commented. Her Praetor Suit was a deep reddish copper with a dark gray visor.

"Ayumi, why do I smell another monster ape?" The gorilla asked, partially covering the young woman protectively. "Dora finally figured out the portal tech you both found in that ruin."

"Umm… this portal tech, Boots…. it wouldn't happen to have this symbol on it, would it?" Artemis asked while projecting the symbol as a hologram from his eyes.

"Yeah the area we found it in was a partially ruined advanced City." The gorilla said warily.

"On your Earth?!" Artemis asked, surprised.

"Earth?!" Boots asked. Dora was still silent, surprisingly. "Dude, we live in a computer world. Not this dirt as you call it."

"Clearly you misunderstand what I meant, but whatever." Artemis said with a shrug of his shoulders. He then realized Dora had been silent the entire time. "Boots, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Dora speak before? Why isn't she speaking now?"

"That would be because of my earlier comment." Boots said. "Until we get an answer for the monster ape Dora is reluctant to say anything as not all of my kind were friendly. In fact I'm the only one that Diego knows is friendly. We once ran into a troupe of my kind and they almost attacked us till Diego scared them off."

"Well to answer your question, he's technically not an ape, but an ape demon of Japanese mythology. But I can vouch for him as he's from a world that was originally a manga and anime from Japan. He's on our side." Artemis looks to the Yōnbi Bijū with a look that makes it stare at Artemis with wide eyes. "Riiiight?"

"Yes." Son Goku grumbled. "I'll be on my best behavior. You have my word on my honor. Since you know Lilo and Nani, I can trust you."

"I tend to keep quiet for the most part when I got older I couldn't explore with the help of the player anymore so I learned a lot more skills including that silence is golden when it comes to observing new surroundings even with Boots here to protect me I gained my own fighting skills training against him with Sword and Machete." Dora said pointing to her sentient weapons both strapped on her hips. "I even learned some magic thanks to the star pocket on Backpack." She said modestly, in truth she had learned not just how to use the star pocket to collect them but to utilize their power in powerful range to text each dependent on a different star for different effects. "I just hope that Swiper's gang hasn't followed us. He's gotten worse after a mistake I made as a kid recruiting more foxes to join his gang of thieves."

"The past is set in stone and cannot be changed. The future is a tale yet to be told. The present is a gift with which we live, hence why it's called the 'present'." Artemis said, quoting Cianán's words to Tsunade from the sibling Clan's Creed.

"The Uzumaki Clan Creed. Their only other Creed is 'Family Above All'," Cianán deadpanned before he paused at a scraping sound before he turned his head to see Stitch scratching at a stone before his eyes narrowed. Unknown to him, his irises bled to a metallic silver with an odd crimson Sigil floating within his irises.

"Sparda felt the same, that's why he imbued my gunblades with a large portion of his power as he did with the Yamato and the Rebellion." Ayumi said as she summoned the twin weapons in a flash of purple flames.

"Anyway Lilo, back to my question." Artemis said, looking back at Lilo. "Did Judgment Day happen like I predicted when I gifted you and Nani with the powers of the Doom Slayer, and was in contact with John Connor?"

Lilo grimaced as she shivered. "It was worse. Cyberdemons and other Demonkyn showed up alongside Skynet's forces," she said slowly.

Cianán cocked his head. "Makes sense. Never did get the sense that Skynet being a 'cyber defense initiative' going homicidal being a 'random incident'… and considering we knew Skynet was out there… the only way that would occur is if Skynet wasn't a 'random incident' but a measured strike… a Demonic Strike to not only turn humanity's tech against them, but breed a sense of near fear and distrust in such tech," he deadpanned dryly.

"I wouldn't put it past those fuckers." Artemis said with a growl. "I honestly wondered why Skynet modeled the T-600s, 700s, 800s, and 900s off of the human skeleton."

"Guess we're lucky Judgment Day ain't here… though I have to wonder if there is a way to 'reboot' T-3000 John back to who he once was… against Skynet. Hmmm… I have to wonder," Cianán commented before he paused, his eyes widened fractionally as he recalled something that he was almost certain most people had overlooked. It was very brief, lasting perhaps the equivalent of half a frame in the 'Terminator: Genesys' movie, when the quantum field generator had triggered, but he recalled something. He blinked as a holographic projector shone from the chest of his armor, revealing the scene as the magnetic force tore John's T-3000 body apart before it froze, a glowing gleam of blue behind John's left eye a split second after disintegrating. He zoomed in on it, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spotted a chip no larger than the head of a push-pin… with a distorted blue mark with a skull upon it. "Thought so… the superiority complex, the fact that he relied specifically on claws or blades… it wasn't John at all," he growled.

He took a deep breath as his eyes narrowed as steam rose from his body. His hands shifted, Lunetta reverting to her sealed tanto form. Her voice came out as a soft, British accented whisper much like a violet haired psionic of a particular group of mutants.

"You're going to use him? Considering how… unstable… he can be?" Lunetta commented.

"Considering that a lot of the shit he went through growing up was because of that particular Virus with Trojan Horse capabilities… Matrix will most certainly want to put him away… permanently," he replied wryly.

"Let us out!" Twin voices said from within Ayumi's gunblades. "Primus wishes to speak through us!"

"Are you two going to behave this time? I don't want to have to kill you again after last time." Ayumi said growling at the devil arms. The twin weapons shivered at the threat but assented their glows becoming brighter before they leapt from Ayumi's hands transforming in twin flashes of light.

Cianán's eyebrow twitched upward before he hummed. "Those two voices are very easy to recognize… Agni, Rudra. I do hope you two get to the point, or I'll find a way for every Pinkie in every Equestria to learn 'the most annoying song' and use it on you two every chance they get," he warned.

"Do not compare us to that firestorm, we are the light in the dark reborn as the spirits of this one's blades." The elder armored Twilight said.

"We are far stronger thanks to both Sparda's power and the fact that we were originally gods in our own rights!" The provocatively armored younger Twilight next to the Elder said.

"Aye, that I'm aware of. But if there's one thing I recognize it's certain… tendencies you two have. I will admit that most people overlooked you two in your previous forms for being highly annoying to a certain Son of Sparda. However, I know that you two were quite useful for crowd control," Cianán quipped teasingly. He knew that would catch their attention as few bothered to praise them. He took a slow breath as he focused as a maelstrom of energy he knew both Devil Arms would recognize as Demonic Energy surged. Blood red and orange energy as well as pale blue and white energy formed two blades that landed in his grasp. His eyes cracked open as the silver and crimson within his irises had inverted due to him tapping into his Demonic Power he'd gained from a certain half demon empathic sorceress.

"Especially against that bastard Jacob, Rachel's brother, as his Lust abilities couldn't get close enough to affect Us," he commented, his voice becoming triple toned. "After all, if there's one thing We became, it's skilled in combat," he said as he straightened from his half crouched position. His head tilted fractionally as some of the sands behind him bubbled with darkness before Rachel Roth, 'Raven' to those who didn't know her well, surfaced.

"We are not The Firestorm, they are separate beings!" Both said together. "We were reborn from the weapons she wields, think of us as a mixture between zanpakuto spirits and devil arms!"

"Guys calm down both of you. They did not know about your origins and they didn't know that comparison is a sore spot for the both of you. Being tied to my weapons instead of your male lion-like physical forms from before your first deaths." Ayumi said before turning to the others with a serious look in her eyes. "They really hate the comparison with The Firestorm twins. Considering they're the source of my twin godfires reborn into these new forms after Sparda brought them back to life inadvertently, they do have some similarity with them. They are the source of some of my more advanced powers and godly forms. Basically they are the equivalent of Unicron and Primus as they are literal gods of light and darkness only after their rebirth they've been aligned to balance, good, and order tempered by chaos. Please do not piss them off."

"I remember what you said about them to me through our common friend a while back." Artemis said, rubbing his chin in thought. "They were the twin gods from Remnant, right?" When Ayumi nodded, Artemis nodded and looked at the two gunblades, saying, "Well then, you two, what does Primus wish to say?"

"He wakes! Earth is lost!" They say together the context revealing exactly who wakes.

"Fucking hell! That bastard!" Ayumi shouted, punching the ground cracks spreading from the impact. "Sunset, Sonata, little Sci." Tears landing before being absorbed by the broken ground.

"Primus…" Artemis started to say. "Did he send those things after me? The Scraplets? Because he already knew about me?"

"He cannot respond. He gave this warning thanks to being in tune with me and my nature, temporarily boosting his power." The elder said. "He did not destroy the planet, just made it poisonous to Cybertronians. Similar to the planet Master of another timeline. Techno-organics would be fine. If any true Cybertronians want to stay on the planet for an extended period of time, bring your own untainted fuel."

"That would mean any of my children, whom I suspect would be like a certain protoform turned human." Artemis said in thought.

"He'll pay!" Ayumi said her body rapidly turning black and shiny before a purple aura exploded from her. The Hakai visibly poured off of her in waves. "God or not he can die, it's been done!"

"Ayumi, I understand that you are angry." Artemis said, his tone cold, his look grim with his eyes flashing bright violet. "But that's why I was chosen by the Matrix. But there's no need to go half-cocked without a plan. If Unicron is anything like I know him to be, then we'll take him out and make sure that he answers for his crimes. But we do it together. But we'll need some backup as far as some allies. I think I know of three such allies we can call upon."

"We need to get there before he tries to reshape the planet into a new physical body for him. He's done it before with asteroids. What do you think he'll do with a planet the size of Earth?!" She demanded. "Not to mention how many people we know that live on that planet!"

"I get that. But we'll need some heavy artillery as far as other Displaced. I know of three who can help." Artemis said as he looked to Cianán. "Take out his Token, brother. It's time to put in a Triple-S Class Job request. It's also time to meet Lex Justine."

"While you recruit I'm going directly there to buy time and to let out my frustration. Who knows, maybe I can pull a few strings of my own and bring other matrix bearers to help out." Ayumi said as the twins returned to their weapon forms. "Plus you have to understand I'm not just going in half-cocked, I plan ahead." She didn't mention that she saw a massive army fighting stone avatars through the weave. "Room." She said as a translucent blue orb appeared before rapidly expanding to incomprehensible size. "Shambles." She said before disappearing.

Cianán's eyes widened fractionally before he heard rapid beeping before he pulled out the advanced belt buckle, which was flashing rapidly before snapped out two words sharply. "Aeta Zero!"

Almost the moment he did so, a warping of the air spat out a young woman, her dark red armor fractured and cracked as blood trickled from numerous wounds on her body. She tumbled several times before she sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily. She had dual sets of wings, though one wing was clearly fractured in at least two places.

"Shit, talk about a crash and burn." Artemis said before he ran over to the woman that just appeared. He knelt down beside her, hovering his hand over her, saying, "I hope this still works after all this time. I haven't used it in reality, just my astral form. Seikatsu… times 100!"

"Green star shot!" Dora said, adding her magic in to help heal the newly met woman. "The green star focuses on growth of any kind, this includes healing."

Cianán saw her eyes open, noticing they were a deep reddish violet that faded to a crystalline ultramarine ring at the edges of her irises. "Damn, 'Lexis… you look like shit," he commented before she groaned.

"Ugh… I feel like I got turned into a Rancor's chew toy… fuck… and my nanites reserves are next to nothing from regenerating… bloody hell…" she panted before her stomach grumbled loudly.

"Hence why my friend here and I are helping you." Artemis said, his gaze soft despite the intimidating silvery white aura around him that was lightly streaming into Alexis. "Just relax. This should only take a few minutes. Considering how badly you were banged up on landing, this will take a few minutes."

A creaking of metal was heard as a new portal opened. "Dammit, missed her!" An unknown female said, stepping through before a new portal opened and the woman raced through. "Ayumi, you need Help!!!!" She shouted.

"I can passively absorb metal from sources… but I've found it's more effective, surprisingly, when I do what an Iron dragon Slayer does," Alexis said slowly, engulfed in the healing foggy energy.

"She went to Earth because Unicron woke up, Steel Heart." Artemis said through the portal without looking away from Alexis. "She's not in a good mood because of that bastard. Also, it's been a long time."

"Oh crapbaskets!" Was heard before the portals closed.

"Huh she says that too." Boots idly commented.

"No hello back? Now I feel offended." Artemis said with a pout.

"Dude you may not have noticed but she was breathing heavily and was focused on something, probably been chasing that Alicorn around for a while now, probably trying to be the Al of the duo as you called it." Boots said, "her responding means that she did acknowledge you but she's probably more focused on helping her friend than anything."

Cianán took a deep breath. "Believe me, I know the feeling of that. Though I can say that Selina Kyle…" he started before a chill shot up his spine before he spun, his eyes narrowed fractionally. He definitely got the sense of being watched, and not by the Senshi.

He didn't notice the dark furred werecat squatted over one of the archways… as Selina Kyle had gotten the curse that altered Barbara Ann Minerva transferred to herself, freeing the woman. She looked much like she did when under the formula once meant to create animal human hybrids such as the manbat but this was far more detailed actually having her female features be revealed instead of hidden as the formula had done for her. Selena did like the look especially since as a side effect the curse made her look much more appealing to certain bat at least she hoped.

Cianán's ears twitched as he could hear purring. "Hmmm… that purring isn't Cheetah… if anything… it reminds me of Isis, Selina's cat. Now that I think of it… one of those introductions between Diana and Barbara as Cheetah all but claim that her curse that made her what she was couldn't be broken… yet… transference is a possibility. I will admit those times I ran across Selina, not just on the streets, but at those troublesome parties, she was fucking hot," he muttered. He could guess that Barbara would have had enhanced senses, so if the curse were transferred to another, they would likely gain the same.

"Though I do have to wonder, brother… what would the BFG do to Unicron? Considering his known canon size, not much, but if he just awoke, his full body may still remain inactive," he commented to Artemis.

"You want to destroy the literal core of the Earth!" A random pony shouted. "Are you fucking serious!"

This outburst surprised everyone especially since it came from a stallion that had been getting groceries from a stand right by the group. "I'm confused just who are you and how do you know where the chaos bringer resides?" Boots asked, revealing he knew far more than he let on.

"I'm Maximum." The stallion said before they rapidly transformed in a writhing mass of tendrils, revealing a human woman with chocolate brown hair wearing a t-shirt a leather jacket jeans combat boots and a pair of 14 ft wide brown wings with a leading white edge her right arm looks exactly like the devil bringer except for its coloration being white and gold instead of the red and blue that Nero sported. "I've been following you two in this world ever since I accidentally teleported myself here through hell." In a snap of her fingers the other Displaced were wearing a form-fitting version of her jacket. "My token, it works similar to a bag of holding and is far more durable than you would think."

"Could be worse. Could be those bastards trying to purge and 'sacrifice' Earth… or those damn Celestial Seeds," came a wry comment before a chuckle followed. "And from what he recalls of that ain't pretty, Max," a Pegasus mare commented. She had a few scars that were clearly claws as reddish black tendrils engulfed her. Her deep crimson mane and slightly copper skin as well as her deep emerald-aquamarine eyes remained unchanged. She wore a decidedly familiar outfit… her 'Kuoh Academy' garb.

Cianán's eyes widened fractionally, recognizing her immediately. "Damn. Rias Gremory. Etrigan spoke of you quite often," he commented. He blinked as he found himself sprawled on his back, confused, unaware Rias was straddling him in a decidedly suggestive way.

"You know Uncle Etrigan?" she chirped cheerfully. His eyes widened at that before he noticed she, too, had a Devil Bringer.

—

Meanwhile on Earth…

Ayumi appeared in a lifeless canyon. Looking around for a moment before she stomped her hoof on the ground, sending a pulse of her unique mixture of powers directly to the god of darkness at the planet's core. In response to the unspoken challenge to his divine role, Unicron put more effort than usual into crafting the avatar he would respond with just as Ayumi had planned.

"You dare challenge me?!" He said as a transformium Avatar burst from the ground. "You are not my match but I'll humor you with a show of my power."

"Bring it, you scraplet!" Ayumi said as she burst forth, her speed creating fire and shockwaves as she punched the godly avatar in the chest knocking him into the far wall of the canyon. "Since this isn't your real body, I won't hold back!" She was suddenly in front of the avatar, rapidly punching the body with thousands of blows a second utterly shattering the thing. "Consecutive normal hakai punches." She said calmly. "I know earth has far stronger metals to craft your avatar out of, scraplet. Give me a fair challenge or you soon won't exist."

—

Back with the group…

"Mark," Max said addressing Rias "these idiots want to try using the BFG on Unicron!"

Rias blinked before her eyes narrowed. "You really are idiots. Unicron is essentially a sentient darkness within the core of the Earth. The only way he can normally escape is if the core of the planet has an instability or something or someone uses themselves as a host for his essence," she grumbled. "And being that humans don't know he exists, they aren't going to do it, and Cybertronians aren't stupid enough to do so, Primes especially," she said dryly.

"Two words: Prime Starscream." Boots said in reply. "When he dies Unicron will have a new body to control considering anyone who has used his dark energon is connected to his anti-spark."

Rias rolled her eyes. "So most aren't stupid enough to connect to the bastard, knowing that doing so may give power in life, but damns you even after death into being little more than a puppet," she amended. "Ugh… too much like those fucking Black Rings," she grumbled.

"That is probably why he's awake now… Screamy probably kicked the bucket while searching for Megs." Max said. "It would be the most likely scenario. But how would he be in the Earth's core again if his anti-spark was trapped in the reliquary of the Primes that housed the AllSpark?"

"Hmmm… unless this ain't the same Unicron that got sealed. Multiverse within an Omniverse, remember? And the fact that those Void Dweller 'Merchants' tend to Displace people so often, some with dramatically different pasts, it stands to reason that the multiverse theory ain't just likely, but all but a certainty," Rias commented, her vocal cadence shifting subtly. Her eyes narrowed. "And if I find her.. she's gonna have reason to fear. I don't give a damn how many resources she has access to," she growled.

—

Earth's upper atmosphere…

Thor watched the fight between two Gods from far above, at first ignoring the challenge since it wasn't directed at him but becoming intrigued when he felt his own lightning coming from the area where they were fighting now he and a few other gods including Diana, Metron and surprisingly Kratos were observing the fight watching as the smaller mare continuously destroyed each avatar Unicron made hundreds littering the landscape already. "This is very interesting. She fights as if she is dancing. She uses all of our powers and more while those weapons of hers remind me of yours." Thor said to Kratos.

"I believe they are one of my three versions of these," the visiting God of war stated "The blades of exile most likely considering that they've taken a new form as she wields them." Kratos had followed Raiden from the realms of Mortal Kombat sometime ago to visit a more sane version of Thor than the mad God Tyr he knew of. "She definitely fights like a Spartan."

On the ground Ayumi was smiling, truly enjoying herself in beating down the god of darkness. Every time an avatar rose up she destroyed it within moments yet the chaos bringer would spawn another, each slightly stronger and more durable than the last. Sometimes she even felt something different than transformium meet one of her blows. "I hate to ask but are you enjoying this battle just as much as me?" She said as another avatar formed.

"I'll admit I am." Unicron said rattling in the fight realizing that this fleshling truly was worthy to challenge him. "Truly only my twin brother Primus has given me such a challenge but you will not last forever since you are flesh, you have stamina limits whereas I can draw upon everything of this world to fight you!"

"We'll see about that considering I know you're drawing upon other elements to craft a body that will truly last longer than a few moments." Ayumi said as she sliced the current avatar in half while dancing around one of his dark energon blades. "After all, I felt some vibranium in those last few avatars."

"It is not like I was hiding it, in fact you were the one to suggest I do so." He said as another avatar burst from the ground. "I am just happy you're allowing me to do so. With the raw power behind each strike I sense that you could truly just crack this planet open and destroy me easily yet you do not."

"I'll admit I have a soft spot for the planet that formed around you and I know that it wouldn't be that easy to truly defeat you as your body is not refined energon but extra planar metal." Ayumi declared while shocking that avatar with lightning. "So I'm going to fight you as you are now. Hope that doesn't disappoint."

—

Back in Equestria…

"Are you going to explain why you know so much, Boots?" Dora asked. "I know you spent some time following the player throughout his internet searches as his assistant so that could be it but seems like this is something more."

"One of his internet searches was looking specifically into inspirations for me and we both found something interesting in the process." Boots began cryptically. "I was originally supposed to be a monkey and that's all I was supposed to be, not a gorilla with a tail. That means I'm not like any version of Boots from any other of the multiple copies of our game. When we dug deeper we found something even more interesting that changed my outlook and taught me what I know about sword wielding to teach you."

"Huh." Max said, finally recognizing the voice Boots was speaking with. "Boss Monkey?"

Cianán blinked. "Does the name 'Hiruzen Sarutobi' mean anything to ya? There's only one Boss Monkey I recall… " he commented. "Monkey King Enma who was partners with Sarutobi-jiji," he heard a whisper in his mind.

"Optimus Primal: Maximize!" Boots shouted as his form shifted to a metallic blue and orange ape 12 ft tall. This form rapidly transitioned in a twisting of metal and gears to a bipedal robot around 15 ft tall. "I'm surprised someone else knows the nickname my crew gave me." The Maximal leader said.

"While I am a version of Optimus Primal I come from a timeline where I gained this form by holding the Matrix of Leadership which I still continue to hold. I'll join you in fighting the Chaosbringer."

"Whoa." Dora said surprised that her life long friend was actually a techno-organic robot. "Boots?"

"I'm still your friend Dora. I'm just different than I was before I learned this. For some time I was recruited to fight the Chaosbringer in other worlds; this is just an extension of that duty." Optimal Optimus said.

"Huh, never thought I'd get to meet you in person, Primal." Artemis said, looking at Optimal Optimus in complete awe. "So it's true what Airazor said? That my Prime told you and the Maximals what was going on and told you guys about me before I arrived?"

Cianán's ears twitched as he just caught a purring sigh before he let his eyes drift closed before he moved, unaware he moved swiftly, but left an almost bluish white trail of Speed Force lightning before he opened his eyes to see a dark furred werecat squatted with her back to him, her head turning as if searching for something. "Selina," he commented, amused as she jumped at his voice.

"Nope that would be a different version of me." Primal said. "I've grown up with Dora my whole life. A fun fact about the beast upgrade is that it allows us to grow in organic forms similar to how a human would grow. During the time after I stopped being the player's research assistant I was recruited and taught everything about who I truly am then I returned to Dora once gaining my optimal form. I began teaching her how to sword fight with the twin blades from my time in my first form."

"I'm not joining in your fight against a dark God." Selina said "We've already done that once with Darkseid and I nearly died. Even with this upgrade I'm not risking my life, not until I know for sure what Bruce feels about me."

"And knowing him, he would probably label Cianán as a threat because of the Omega Sanction." Artemis said. "Even though technically, it wasn't his fault he got it, as from the story he told me, it sounded like it was a fluke. And no one, not even Cianán, could figure out how that happened."

"Though if I'm lucky, I won't face Darkseid again until I master not only what I absorbed from him… but this damn White Ring. Besides… I lost my legs from about mid-thigh down thanks to whatever the fuck happened between Darkseid and I… fucking Parademons," he said with a shiver. "And Selina… I have no intention of asking you to get involved. If anything, I wanted to do three things the next time I saw you," he continued wryly. He knew that would get her attention and curiosity.

"Oh?" The cat asked. "Like what?"

A small smirk crossed his face. "One, I wanted to thank you, considering Huntress, being rather reckless with her crossbows, damn near turned my ass into a pincushion and you prevented that. Two and three are a bit easier to show than tell, honestly… though I doubt Bruce would do what I have in mind: to pamper you like a Princess, 'cause honestly, you look hotter than ever," Cianán commented as he stepped close to her, restraining the urge to hug her. Whereas Bruce might act ignorant or even outright ignore Selina's teasing, Cianán, though he didn't often work Gotham's streets, he most certainly noticed when she roamed about. He blinked as he could hear Vera and Lotus cooing in his mind even as Sunset was snickering.

"I'm sorry truly I am but ever since the marriage failed I cannot truly open my heart to another and Bruce he still has what little of my heart that I'm willing to give." Selena said acknowledging that she would love to be with someone who actually appreciates her more than just the occasional fling but in accepting this curse she had seen a few timeline that showed that Bruce truly loved her just as much as he loved Talia, considering in those timelines Damian was her son instead of Talia's. "If Bruce does truly break it off with me instead of this wishy-washy will he won't he that he's been doing ever since. Then I will most definitely give you what little I am willing to but until then I have to know exactly why neither of us could find happiness with each other."

Cianán chuckled before he hugged her impulsively. "If there's one thing I know, the bonds we choose as our family tend to be a hell of a lot stronger than the ones of the blood flowing in our veins, so I can understand. Trust me, having that perverted idjit as a 'brother'," he commented, flicking a thumb at Artemis, who muttered 'Fuck ye too, ye bloody cunt', "is damn near the only thing that kept my sanity sometimes before… well… let's just say that I know how fucked life can be," he commented with a shrug. It was then that he felt an intense burning surge through his body, unaware that the particular form of Extremis used to regenerate his legs… was derived from a particular very dangerous Darwinian obsessed Egyptian mutant's technology.

"Uh you do know the whole situation around polygamy on this planet don't you?" Dora said approaching the two glowing purple from the purple star which gave power over time and gravity/space allowing her to keep up with speed force users since the star itself used the speed force to control these powers. "Besides, you need to at least branch out and don't let resentfulness get to you since it was you who broke off the marriage in the first place."

Something in Selena made her want to accept Cianán and his offer but her heart aches for Bruce. 'What is wrong with me?!' she thought as that urge continued to grow moment by moment. "That may be true but I…" she started before something inside her snapped and she just stood blankly.

Cianán was on one knee as his eyes were narrowed as he could feel a malicious intent trying to subvert his thoughts before his eyes widened before his fist clenched as he turned before his fist lashed out, a loud, echoing crash like shattering glass sounding before he pushed off, shoulder blocking the bulkier mutant who stumbled back, but only smirked in response. "I should have realized that mentioning you earlier was invoking Murphy's Law… En Namah Sur… or do you prefer your other name… Apocalypse?" He growled.

"Quite impressive that you are resistant to my psionic powers even at close range. And I actually felt those blows, more impressive. You could be a strong Horseman of mine," he offered.

Cianán eyebrow twitched upward at Apocalypse's comment. "No. I wouldn't do that regardless of whatever gains I'd get. Besides, I suspect I can think of an entity that even you don't want to be under the thumb of… Darkseid. Though I have no idea how the ever-lovin' fuck I stripped the Omega Sanction from him and didn't burn alive from within. I mean… that is literal god level power," he sighed.

"That and if you want to take over this world, Apocalypse, you'll have to go through an entire UNIVERSE full of heroes, including me." Artemis said, having transformed into his 30-foot Battle Form Armor and pointing his Ion Blaster at Apocalypse.

He almost missed the mild look of surprise from the ancient mutant before he hummed. "If that were my intent, do you think I would have purposely sent a weakened form of my techno-organic virus you would know as Extremis to Earth? Please. Do not belittle my intelligence nor your own. It should be obvious," he deadpanned.

"So what're you saying? You're trying to help us?" Artemis deadpanned like the Terminator, his Ion Blaster still pointed at Apocalypse. "Considering your own record, so to speak, how are we supposed to trust you?"

"Wait… think about it. If he's the 'canon' En Namah Sur, he'd have no interest in assisting anyone whatsoever… unless you're not. You're like Artemis and I, aren't you? You're a Displaced but in the form of him," Cianán deadpanned dryly, his eyes narrowing. "And I'd wager you gained some aspects of his memories and personality… that must be a bitch," he deadpanned.

"You have no idea. He keeps grumbling about how weak everyone is and how we should purge them," Apocalypse sighed.

"Actually there is a Canon version of Apocalypse that would help people." Optimal Optimus said. "You're based on Apocalypse from Life 9 of House of 10 aren't you? He certainly helped out in life 10."

Apocalypse shrugged in reply. "Dunno. Never read any comics about him, though I do recall the Evolution version of him," he deadpanned.

—

Back on Earth…

The Divine challenge had been going on for a good long while at this point. Unicron and Ayumi were quite aware of the Divine beings watching them, Raiden, Fujin, fire god Liu Kang Spawn and even Hellboy having joined in. All of them suddenly felt a ripple pass through the fabric of SpaceTime.

"You felt that too didn't you?" Ayumi asked, pausing momentarily after feeling the ripple.

"That I did, someone has just invoked Murphy's Law which may interfere with our battle, are you willing to put pause on our fight until I craft an avatar strong enough to possibly match you with my full focus." Unicron requested, concerned with the nature of what had just been set in motion inadvertently.

"Very well but I will be monitoring the progress myself to make sure that you aren't trying to pull a fast one. You may be an honorable version of yourself but you still are a god of darkness and the bringer of chaos." Ayumi said to the Avatar which quickly collapsed.

"This version of the chaos bringer as she said is quite honorable, then again he was always a warrior even when merged as he originally was." Diana said. "To think that he shares a similar origin to the anti monitor and monitor. Once a whole being split in two upon entering the physical multiverse instead of becoming two individual beings, copies of each with slight variances being the only difference."

—

On Equis…

Cianán's teeth were gritted as he could feel the techno-organic virus within Extremis trying to convert his body before he blinked as he had an idea. "If I still have it…" he muttered hoarsely as a point flared a hot golden yellow between his shoulder blades as he could feel the Mind Stone shifting in position, not seeing the metallic grayish black choker of segmented metal form that looked to be formed from dozens of scales no larger than 1/128th of an inch in width around his throat with a hexagonal gemstone at its forefront… the Mind Stone itself.

He breathed heavily as his head was pounding from the focus and strain. "Damn… that left me feeling like Diana was using my head as a speed bag. Damn… wonder what she's doing now. Her, as well as a couple of others," he muttered. He exhaled softly as he saw Selina's tattered outfit and the fact she was swaying slightly. He carefully picked her up in his arms, not realizing his body was now standing just shy of 6'4" tall and broad shouldered as well as packed with slim yet powerful muscle.

He took a deep breath as he carried her inside, not noticing that Sunset, as well as Makoto, who happened to be sitting gingerly on a stool as her hair, which fell to just shy of her lower back, was washed by her near genius IQ friend, as well as Setsuna, Haruka, Luminara, and Michiru saw him. He was unaware his body was radiating intoxicating pheromones as he carefully got Selina's tattered clothes off.

"She looks like she needs something to eat and wear after she bathes," Rarity commented, watching him strip off her tattered clothes.

"Not sure why she all but went catatonic, but I doubt she'd mind if I get the sand outta her fur and give her a bit of pampering as well. After all… you did so for me," Cianán quipped teasingly as his armor opened, not unlike a certain philanthropist's armor.

"Leave me bare" Selena said, startling everyone. "To tell the truth, wearing anything has been rather uncomfortable but I maintained modesty as long as I could." The cursed woman started stretching her limbs out. "What just happened was that I had a discussion with a godly being or that's what I could tell."

"That's actually you would be guardian protector of a certain country." A female voice said as the oni girl approached. "Haki can do alot when utilized properly you can thank our purple pony friend for teaching me how to use it in my zoan's inherent magic for telepathy."

"Ok just how many of us are going to show up!" Max shouted irritated that so many off-worlders were being drawn to this one place. "It's like our authors are assembling an army!"

"You might be surprised, but from what my Lord saw upon arriving here due to our Tsukasa Kadoya's unfortunate demise, it appears that multiple timelines seem to be tangled up in this one world. How it will untangle as well as its cause is unknown," Woz commented, his eyes closed as to not invade the privacy of the women enjoying the bathing area as well as the hot springs.

Alexis winced as she stretched, her dual sets of wings rustling in agitation. "Can't be worse than the mess I've had as of late. My older brothers and my father have been pushing me hard to master my Devil Trigger as well as awaken my own Sin Devil Trigger, it's evolved form," she commented wryly as she exhaled. "And though it's true that my aunt took me in, my mothers are still under Sigma's thumb… ugh… it's frustrating," she said with a grimace.

Rias hummed, her eyes almost closed as a dark haired, lightly muscled male was washing her hair, her partner and counterpart, Mark. "Trust me, it hasn't been easy for us as we've had trouble with Umbrella… and a certain dick blonde asshole," Mark commented wryly.

"And Wesker is almost as troublesome as Riser's whining about being small enough to fit in a pocket. On the upside, we did find Akeno and Kiba," Rias commented with a chuckle.

"And trust me, she's just as hot as the manga and anime imply. I have to wonder if Koneko is just as much of a snuggler," Mark quipped innocently before Rias smacked him without looking.

"I still can't believe the two of you got separated!" Max said. "So your mine, Nero's, Rias', and Mark's interdimensional aunt. Do you mind if I give you a hug Alexis? Also if you're wondering how I have fourth wall awareness so easily, part of being Maximum is being compelled to write down their experiences and send them off to other people to be written about in books so that kind of implies an author's sense of world building including the fourth wall."

Alexis shrugged. "Turns out that my demon sword contained my father… oh, and I merged with an eleven thousand year old assassin and I have a rather… well… let's just say she's rather unstable at best, outright homicidal at worst… half Edenian-Tarkatan hybrid as what amounts to a slave," she commented as she tapped her temple, a ruby and gold ring on her middle finger, the gemstone holding a swirling fog of crimson.

"And when I said 'mothers' I meant it literally… both Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna are my mothers as they're twins… one specializes in Spiritual and Assault Magic, the other in Dream and Elemental Magic… which the Dream side I'm kinda fumbling my way through figuring it out… the Elemental side… well… I'm pretty decent, though I wouldn't say I've mastered it as it's always evolving, wouldn't you agree?" she commented wryly.

Yamato suddenly burst out laughing. "So basically you have the same origin as my girlfriend! Ayumi has the same family deal as you, only Discord is her father along with Velvet and Night Light being her biological parents as well. She told me that Sparda adopted her when she found her way to his world different from yours, a primarily human-based world as she called it." The oni woman continued chuckling. "You know once she gets back here she's going to hug all of you. She somehow copied Luffy's stretching abilities so yes she'll be able to do that all at once."

"Most likely the ones known to the 'games' which my brothers did confirm were true and in their past. Though what's really a pain in the ass is that we've, on top of dealing with Sigma's omnicidal nature… a Demonic Chrysalis tainted by the Necronomicon Ex Mortis is back home… though it seems that my Zanpakutō has a very violent and acidic effect to undead like Deadites. Whether that expands to other Demonkyn, I haven't tested," Alexis sighed.

"Eh Gramps in my world turned out to be from the soul society confirming that he and Eva did die. But due to their nature in the fact that Ava was a fullbringer before death they became incredibly powerful soul reapers and rejoined the land of the living in Gigais" Max said. "You know what's funny? Ever since going to hell Ichigo has had a devil trigger along with his hollowfication same with Gramps and me. Aizen was surprised when he learned that activating your devil trigger naturally causes your qualification to be utterly subsumed and controlled.

And that's not even getting into freaking Instar and that crap that I had to deal with surrounding her, the bitch still lives no thanks to freaking Umbrella. But that's a story for another day."

"Making a reference, Ms. Martinez?" Optimus said. "For shame he hasn't even started that one yet!"

"Bite my shiny metal ass you overgrown toaster. I was referencing the actual series, not The story based on it!" Max shouted "besides I already have the armor so I could use it to do a spin-off if I so chose!"

"Uh," Yamato commented staring at the mutant bird kid and cybertronian ape in confusion "any of you understand that little exchange cuz I'm kind of in the dark here I know the fourth wall and some concepts around it so I get that part but with everything else I'm lost."

"Not really as it's about as understandable as Pinkie or Rose, but I get the sense we all have our own shit to deal with. And trust me… if Aizen tries anything with invading my world," Alexis commented with a slight smirk as her hand rose to her shoulder as her irises glowed a deep reddish purple, glowing with miniscule gleams like stars. "He's gonna find a nasty surprise," she commented.

"The funniest thing about all that was that Virgil had to fight Aizen for his chair." Max said "it turns out he can summon the smaller version of his throne even without the tree still being around and for a while Aizen thought that that was what gave him his overwhelming power considering the chair he used to be suppressed by."

"For those unaware of the fact." Dora said "my world is directly interacted by a player through the fourth wall as it originated as a video game and TV series literally based one-to-one on the same game, the robot ape over there is actually my friend Boots in a new form so we both have always been aware of the fourth wall. That awareness in and of itself gives you a superpower of sorts being able to interact and understand things outside of your own universe and even multiversal barrier not everyone can interact as directly as others when they have fourth wall awareness but those of us that have interacted with the fourth wall for the longest tend to be able to shatter it not just break it."

"Multi-dimensional concepts give me a headache if Frankie was here he would honestly probably understand that even better than I can but at least I get the basic gist the longer you interact with the fourth wall the more aware you are of things past that you can more directly interact with beings past it as well." Yamato said. "By the way, where's me in sword form? Still with Virgil?"

"A few of us have actual copies of it." Max said. "My world's main version actually is a demon sword just like Dante and it's been renamed the demon sword Virgil for that very reason."

Alexis' hand flicked out as deep indigo flames ignited before she held a double edged katana with a ring on the end of the hilt. "Aèvìternus," she said quietly.

"Think there's enough of us to take down the Chaos Bringer?" Dora said using Unicron's title. "Ayumi did hint that there would be a couple of more bearers of the Matrix of Leadership, we have Boots here and you too Artemis but that's only two."

"She's probably already on Earth and is racing towards the battlefield." Max said, thinking of her friend Nova. "Like Ayumi she tends to rush at the enemy in craized bloodlust tempered by an analytical mind and a warrior's experience. Though I wonder if a certain Cybertronian Knight might show up as well all things considered."

Cianán hummed as he saturated Selina's fur before he added body wash to it before working it into a rich, fragrant lather. "The real question is, if Ayumi didn't wake that version of Unicron and Metallia didn't, what did wake him to active action? I have a gut feeling that Starscream isn't the only factor… there's something we're not yet aware of involved, I'm sure of that… not to mention the fact I know Brainiac is out there somewhere," he commented. Not to mention Darkseid… whom is likely aiming to rip my head off given the first opportunity… though I wouldn't put it past him to go all 'Apokalips War' on us… that was a movie where he really fucked up the DC universe… in fact, I'm pretty sure one of the few that came through relatively intact was Rachel… he sighed, thinking of Raven of the 'Teen Titans' turned 'New Titans'. He knew that many superheroes didn't survive the Apokalips War… Zatanna being one.

Suddenly the ripple in reality occurred again alerting everyone. This time the sensation wasn't just metaphysical since it caused small objects to shake.

Cianán dropped to one knee, suds covering his hands and forearms as he felt a painful burning resonance. "He's trying to break through…" he groaned.
—

Back on Earth…

On Earth, the observing deities felt the ripple again while also seeing the visible effects it caused.

"This doesn't bode well," Kratos said "whoever this is is pushing the limits of luck and fate another one like that and whatever is trying to get in will succeed!"

"Not what but who," a grim voice commented. The speaker seemed to be made of golden white metal with dark grayish white pants and dark gray hair. His irises were a deep coppery red and, rather than having one set of arms, he had three. His gaze shifted to the world he knew as Gaea. It was the demigod turned primordial Asura.

"I have arrived!" Unicron's voice rang out but not from the earth. "You are weak, my counterpart, honoring rules and being a warrior!" Suddenly the Unicron Avatar that had been forming fell apart and that same voice screams in unending pain.

"I would suspect that we could turn Unicron on him," Asura commented. "You do know that there are darker and more corrupt deities than you, Unicron. A certain Apokaliptian 'deity' is one whom even you would not desire active, hmm?" he deadpanned.

"True, but in these dark times, Unicron, my brother, we have to work together against Darkseid." A booming voice rang out as a large orb of pulsing white light appeared among the deities assembled.

Asura's head tilted as he saw Raiden turn and notice him. What few knew was that known deities in mythology and media were 'shadows' of the true deities. Some were closer to their true counterparts, others further away. Some crept closer swiftly, others taking hundreds if not millions of years for their 'shadows' to channel more of their true power. His gaze shifted to Primus, noting he was even above himself. True, in his own universe, he was a Primordial, but compared to Primus, he might as well be a toddler compared to a full grown adult. As well as compared to an ant to a mountain as far as power.

"Your brother is dead and my master approaches glory to Darkseid!" The voice of Unicron from space said.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Ayumi shouted as her body began sparking in black and white lightning as her Ryo aura began to resemble fire. The Alicorn blew past the assembled observers as a dark orb moved out from behind the moon. "WE WERE HAVING FUN!!! I'LL END YOU!!!" In her rage Ayumi threw her gunblades away to float in the microgravity and her arms rapidly expanded and were covered in shiny black Amament Haki similar to a certain rubber Sun God. "SERIOUS HARMONIC DRAGON GATLING!!!" she roared through the void as she threw dragon sized punches at sublight speeds making it look like millions of her fists were striking the unliving metal moon at once. "DIE!!!!!!!"

"You're thinking what I'm thinking, aren't you? Darkseid has tapped into one of those necromantic realities and is using it to augment his decreased power," Asura commented grimly to both Kratos and Raiden.

The two nodded seeing the destruction that Ayumi was causing.

—

Back on Equis…

"Jesus Christ, Primus damn it!" Artemis exclaimed, feeling the ripple in reality. And even though he never met him, he could feel who it was. "Brother, I never met him like you did, but I feel that energy. It's that fucking Apokaliptian teme, isn't it?"

Cianán's eyes narrowed as he took a deep breath. He paused, his head tilting. "He must have a multiversal window… and something or someone feeding him power to augment what I took from him… yet the only world I know of for certain that would have access to such a thing would be the Earth the Justice Lords called home. And if half the comics are true, then that world's pretty well fucked but not dead. Though…" he paused before he spoke, "there are worlds in both the Marvel Multiverse as well as the DC Multiverse that are, technically 'dead'," he commented with narrowed eyes.

"A Dead Universe you say?" Primal said, visibly uncomfortable. "There's one powerful universe in the Cybertronian multiverse that goes by that exact name. Multiple versions of Unicron have used the power of this universe to travel space and time, almost recreating his singularity form. I believe that is the universe that Darkseid is using for power."

"SLAG IT ALL!" Artemis screamed, going straight to his pony form of Super Saiyan 3 instantaneously. "This world is not ready to fight the likes of him… at all! But I will be going after him myself for what he did to Predator. I was hoping to meet him, only for that bastard to take that chance away. He's not going to get away with it. Not while I still function." Artemis put his right middle and index fingers to his forehead and, in the blink of an eye, disappeared in a blur of motion.

—

Darkseid's Unicronian Moon…

Artemis appeared out of the blue on a desolate landscape, completely in darkness. But thanks to his thermal vision, he could see just fine. He tuned his circuitry to sense for Ayumi and stood in silence until he felt a strong pinging off of his radar. He looked to the Moon's eastern horizon.

Hang on, Ayumi. Help is on the way. You're not the only one with a grudge against Darkseid's arse. Artemis said to Ayumi telepathically before he unconsciously activated a power alongside his Super Saiyan aura that had long been dormant within his body since becoming a Cybertronian: the God of Destruction Hakai. After he activated the Hakai, though subconsciously, he took to the air and flew towards where Ayumi was fighting the Darkseid-controlled Unicron avatars.

—

With Ayumi on Darkseid's Unicronian Moon…

After a few minutes of assault on the larger body of the Dead Unicron Ayumi had broken off large chunks of the extra planar metal not realizing that this is exactly how Primus first created his own Cybertronians and other versions of Unicron created the minicons. Thinking she had done significant damage she slowed her assault for a moment. In this moment she suddenly got struck in the back by a newly formed Avatar consisting of the debris broken off in the fight.

"So instead of just transforming I hindered you enough to force you into using avatars!" Ayumi said an evil grin on her face at the prospect that she damaged the outer body enough to keep the large extra planar transformer from utilizing his T-Cog. Summoning her gunblades back to her hands with ghostly chains of energy her grin grew wild as she knew that these were opponents strong enough to last a decent amount of time against her if they were numerous enough that that wasn't the only threat which made her even more happy to take them down. "Bring it on you scraplet!"

"You mind if I get in on this, Ayumi?" Artemis said as he flew in, his Super Saiyan 3 aura mixed with the God of Destruction energy. "He took someone important from me and someone else. So I'm not taking 'no' for an answer." He tagged Darkseid in the face of his avatar. He then proceeded to power up the signature move of one of his other childhood heroes, but mixed with the God of Destruction Hakai. "Hakai Solar Kaaaaa… Meeeee… Haaaaa… Meeeee…" Artemis then thrust his hands forward as he screamed, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The blast raced towards the Pluto size planetoid some of its energy being dissipated by encountering the the respawned avatars but only partially, once it was about a hundred feet from the surface of the planetoid's tallest outcropping it stopped revealing that because Ayumi was using haki infused punches she was able to bypass the defensive barrier but normal plasma-based attacks such as the Kamehameha in any of the Cybertronian weapons available to Artemis were useless at the moment.

"Damn, sometimes I forget Haki can bypass any defense." Ayumi said about the defensive barrier. "Try infusing your god of destruction energy into your next attack. It should be able to do the exact same thing!"

"How do I do that?" Artemis asked. "I didn't even know I could still use this power. It was a subconscious deal when it activated itself. So how do I do that?"

"Not sure the shows never really explained what God Ki feels like in relation to normal Ki." Ayumi said. "While I also have the ability to use it, I've never activated it because I don't want to risk destroying something that I don't intend to."

"I'll give it a try. Hakai!" Artemis yelled, the destruction energy flaring around him more than his Super Saiyan aura though he remained in Super Saiyan 3 form. Then Artemis put both of his hands out to his sides, palms opened, and began to gather his purple-tinged golden energy in both hands. "Hakai Final…" Then he cupped both hands in front of him horizontally and screamed, "FLAAAAAAAAAAAASH!" A massive purple-tinged yellow blast of energy mixed with his God of Destruction energy flew towards Unicron's moon body, before it hit the surface and detonated upon impact.

"Damn Artie didn't think you had that much destruction energy." Ayumi said. "Still that isn't going to be enough. I think Unicron here is only a herald of Darkseid, kind of like how Galactus was a herald of the Black Winter plus he's pretty much like Cell, you have to eradicate all of him to get rid of him. And there's still his counterpart inside the planet that he seemed to take control of."

"Slag, that's gonna be tough." Artemis said, a slight smirk crossing his face. "I think I'm beginning to understand what Goku felt when he encountered a tough and strong opponent. And this certainly fits the bill."

"I'm sure, gaki," a far too familiar voice drawled. A bipedal purple skinned feline anthro female Sphinx stared at them both.

A blue skinned, white haired male hovered nearby, a faint smile on his face. "I must admit that I'm curious how exactly you called me, young man," the Angel commented wryly, as next to him hovered Cianán with an uncomfortable look.

"Honestly, I don't know. I could feel Ki Energy in that serum that I swiped from Brainiac's ship… but if I remember correctly, only Lord Beerus can call you Whis. And I'd wager you would be able to tell what was in that serum, too," Cianán said slowly before he winced as he could feel something within him. He had, however, noticed that the White Ring had disintegrated, though he clearly recalled inhaling the dust of it. He could feel the energy of whatever it was within the serum settling within him.

"Do you have it?" Whis commented as he turned to face him. He blinked as he saw the vial. "Hmm. That is certainly Coluan tech," he commented.

"Curious. I have to wonder how he created this, as it has samples of Ki from numerous fighters we know well," Whis commented.

Cianán's eyes widened slightly before narrowing. "Ugh… as long as I don't end up like that biomechanical wet fart named after an amoeba," he grumbled.

Tell me about it, brother. Artemis said over the link. I don't give a damn, if he shows up, I'm Hakai'ing his biomechanical ass to the Void and let Primus be his judge.

Call it a feeling, but I suspect we're gonna have a shitload of training. If Beerus ain't behind it, I wouldn't put it past them to find a way to pull certain Fighters here, even temporarily, Cianán deadpanned dryly in return. He didn't say that he very much suspected that one of the Ki samples was from Beerus himself. And ‘Coluan’… that's Brainiac's species, he muttered cautiously. He hadn't yet realized that the Beerus of this particular universe was female rather than male.

"The only version of him I refuse to fight is the one that has Miata and Chondria as its children." Ayumi said knowing about the hug bug that was 21. "Or any like them understand?!"

Cianán cocked an eyebrow. "You talking about Beerus, or Whis? 'Cause if half of what I know of them is true, either one in a fight would be scary enough, much less anyone strong enough to force one, or gods forbid, both of them, to actually get serious. Though if I'm honest, there's more than just food that could be interesting and exciting about Earth. Hell, I'm almost certain that more than a few of a certain pair of Leagues have certain common secrets that they may not realize they have," he commented wryly.

He suspected that might interest them, though he had to admit that a certain 'Princess of Assassins' had let her guard down, likely unaware that the one behind that particular style of music…. was himself. He'd found with some surprise that certain bands he was very familiar with had never existed. So, he used his memories of their music to effectively recreate it… though he'd overheard more than a few arguments amongst the Amazons about guilty pleasures and, one had suspected that some of the artists had been connected by more than their genre of music. Unknown to the others, she was far closer to the truth than even she knew.

"I meant the version of Cell that has been pioneered by a certain YouTuber where they were renamed Android 21. The same guy who voices Goku in Team Four Star made a "what if" story on if Cell turned good." Ayumi said. "Like me, that version of Cell loves hugs and has a couple of kids. We meet him we DO NOT attack, got it?!"

"If they attack us, no guarantees. If they don't… kinda obvious, ya ken?" Cianán drawled, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he felt the energy bubbling deep in his gut.

"I gave the warning because he usually runs up to hug people which can be misconstrued as an attack especially since he looks like Perfect Cell wearing a Piccolo Gi." Ayumi said as she looked over the regenerating planetoid in front of the group. "So you think we've given him enough time to fix himself? I seriously want to fight a planet sized robot with my own gigantic fists!"

"I'm down for that." Artemis said, his Destruction Hakai visibly poured off of his Super Saiyan aura. "I want to see what I can do with this power now that I'm aware of it. But I'm not like Goku where I'll let it get to my head. I know my limits. But I owe that teme Darkseid one for taking Predator from me and Kara." Artemis then punched his right fist into his left palm. "It's time for payback."

Cianán inhaled slowly before exhaling as a low growl escaped him as he felt his body suffused with power. Unknown to him, he shifted from nothing to SS5.

"Going for max huh?" Ayumi said as Unicron began shifting, transforming into its larger planet-sized robotic form.

"It doesn't feel like my maximum… feels more like releasing a muscle… pretty sure I can go higher, but I'm going to see what this 'herald of Ol' Rockface' can do… considering I faced his master already," Cianán commented wryly. His irises were a pale coppery gold. He couldn't quite explain the feeling he was getting, as if he wasn't alone. He could almost see in his mind's eye the Fighters whom he'd absorbed Ki from. A Namekian as well as no less than four pureblooded Saiyans… two male, two female. His head cocked ever so slightly at a low snort in his mind. He tilted his head as he saw the hairstyles of the males, recognizing them, but not really focused on communicating with them.

"We'll talk later, kid. You have something else to focus on," he heard a slightly gruff voice comment in his mind. Of course, he recognized Piccolo's voice immediately. However, the Namekian was right.

The giant that was Unicron and finally finished transforming revealing it to be familiar yet unknown to each of the people battling it. "You shall know evil. Glory to DARKSEID!" It said once its face was formed.

"As much as I hate to admit it, his look is pretty metal." Ayumi commented before her aura changed from resembling flames with a purple hue to actual black fire as her body was engulfed. "But looks don't stop me from taking you out!"

"What did he say? 'Glory to Dickseid' was what it sounded like, 'cause that's one 'New God' who's certainly a dick," Cianán quipped innocently, his aura manifesting as a silver flame edged with deep crimson-indigo. Arcs of black edged silvery Speed Force lightning, supercharged with Ki, flickered over his body. "But I'm going to shove a supermassive black hole right up his exhaust port," he growled.

"Not before I unleash my rage on him!" Ayumi said as her aura of black fire quickly transformed into the shape of a legless wyvern which rapidly begin approaching the miles high transformer. The fiery aura reshape itself once again as she stopped in front of Unicron's face the flames began coalescing in between her extended gun blades merging with the weapons to form a massive version of the dark saber. "Killer move, serious series haki style!" She said as she quickly brought down the massive blade of black plasma launching the concentrated fire directly at the transformer's right eye. "BLACK RAGNAROK!!!" As the blade of concentrated fire impacted unicron's eye it cut deep into the extra planar metal before detonating into a black hole carving out a massive chunk in the undead beast's cranium.

"Your turn!" Ayumi said as she backed away from the now thrashing transformer.

"Kurai Eikyõ Makanosappō," Cianán's voice was low as he focused a blast of brilliant pale lavender Ki which coiled around a dark violet blast which ate deep into Unicron's chest before the combined energies detonated like a bomb with the force of several thousand megatons. Unknown to him, the dark violet Ki… was a Ki energy that caught Beerus' and Whis' attention immediately… for it was the Hakai.

"Don't forget about me. Hakai!" Artemis said, appearing out of the blue, his Destruction Hakai still prominent. He got into the Kame Style stance as he chants, "Hakai Solar… Final… Big Bang… Galick… Kaaaaa… Meeeee… Haaaaa… Meeeee…" Artemis then thrust his hands forward as he screamed, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The blast flew towards the center of Unicron's chest plate and, upon impact, detonated in a huge explosion, taking out a big chunk of his chest plate.

"You shall die!" A new female voice said as all over Unicron large cuts looking like shattered glass appeared before in a flash of golden light Max reappeared next to Ayumi sheathng the demon sword Virgil after performing Virgil's signature move. Once the blade was sheathed a sound not unlike glass shattering rain out in the empty void as the cuts in the dimension finally reached the god-like transformer doing almost as much damage as the other three attacks individually.

"How is it this guy isn't dead?!" Max asked, exasperated as each of their attacks' damage slowly healed. "It's like the motherfucker's immortal!"

"He's an undead extra-planer God," Ayumi commented. "Probably some form of immortal like Majin Buu."

A soft hum sounded as an orb of reddish black power no larger than a golf ball sped at just barely below the speed of sound before hitting the undead Cybertronian low in the belly and expanding to the size of a small moon, eating away at the dense metal like acid. "Let's see how well he heals when there's nothing to heal," Rias commented.

"Boidō Enryūgeki," a whisper came as a dense arrow of silvery black Eclipse Flames formed into plasma surged at Mach 3 speeds towards Unicron. It hit Rias' Power of Destruction Orb and expanded it half again its size violently with arcs of searing Eclipse Flames plasma whirling around it. It was Alexis whom had launched the attack.

"Nice shot, Alexis. Let's see how he likes this." Artemis growled out that last word before he lifted his right hand into the air, palm open and facing up. "Hakai Kienzan!" Artemis screamed, a swirling disc of purple-tinged golden energy forming in his open palm before he threw it towards Unicron's heavily damaged body, the disc of energy having grown in size as it flew towards the Chaosbringer. When it made contact with his midsection, it sliced right through, effectively cutting Unicron in half. "Take that, you oversized pile of scrap metal!"

Alexis' eyes drifted closed for an instant before her demonic aura surged as her hand rose. "Sanzai suru, kemono no hone ! Sentō, kōshō, kōtetsu no sharin. Ugokeba kaze, tomareba sora. Yari utsu neiro ga kyōjō ni michiru! Hadō #63 - Shinkū Raikōhō!" she murmured as she blended Demonic Power into her destructive Hadō spell, turning it from a brilliant golden to a bloody crimson with silvery black edges. When the blast hit Unicron in the face, it detonated in a flare of brilliant light.

Cianán blinked before he shivered. He could feel the Ki energy just waiting to be used. He blinked as he had an idea as he focused his Ki, a slow, nasty smirk crossing his face. The Ki energy gathered into his palms before it formed into a heavy pair of pale bluish lavender Fūma Shuriken. He then shot higher before he flipped twice and hurled them into the smoke engulfing the undead Cybertronian's head. His bellowing roar gave away Cianán's targets: Unicron's Eyes. A slight smirk crossed his face as he suspected the undead Cybertronian would try to pull them out… thereby detonating them.

"Sheesh!" Max said "How is it that we can't end this guy! I keep saying it but something is up you shouldn't be regenerating this fast! Even for a God he shouldn't have a Wolverine like healing Factor without it being explicitly stated in his powerset!"

Cianán's eyes narrowed fractionally before his eyes widened. "Not without a power source to siphon off of… and where we currently are isn't too far from Oa. So it's entirely possible he could be siphoning power from there," he muttered. His Willpower hardened like forged and quenched steel as emerald flames mingled with his aura as he felt the power flowing within him before he felt a different presence in his mind, not those of the Z Fighters, but one he recalled feeling once before: Ion… the Embodiment of Willpower himself.

He didn't notice his clothes change into dense armor that was a deep emerald so dark it was almost black, but the highlights burned with silver and indigo tipped emerald flames.

"Fuck this!" Was felt by everyone as Ayumi rushed forward, her aura completely gone and her body looking like it was riddled with cracks. "I'm done holding my corporeal form! Time for Magic to do as it wills!" The Alicorn now had rainbow light shining through the cracks in her body as she rammed into the dark mechanical god, the impact of the collision finally destroying her physical body revealing her pure energy form underneath which rapidly expanded to match Unicron in size as she drew upon all energy in the universe. "Didn't think I'd have to use my full potential as the conduit of energy to finally put you down but to save time for all of us to confront your master I'll do what I must!"

"And you ain't gonna siphon off Oa's power, you bastard," Cianán growled as the emerald green flames swirled, manifesting into a massive dragon construct, the markings shimmering both a rich sapphire and ivory.

"Back off everyone!" Max shouted "If she's the conduit of energy as she saying she could literally kill you unconsciously by converting all of your matter into energy we need to back off now!"

"He's not pulling on Oa of this universe. In my current form I can see that he's pulling on something from another universe, probably the universe that Darkseid took over to augment his power!" Ayumi said.

Cianán tilted his head before he saw darts tinted a deep reddish purple impact Unicron's hand as it swung around and detonate on impact.

Alexis smirked a bit as she rolled her shoulders, the Devil Arm Lucifer glowing an ominous red on her back. Her scaled skin was a pale cream, though going down her triceps and elbows it was a deep reddish black with curving serrated blades coming from the midpoint of her forearms back to her elbows. Her hips and bust were a deep crimson that faded smoothly into both the pale cream of her abdomen and reddish black running down her outer thighs and over her calves. Her wings appeared to be draconic in nature, but were a deep reddish black that faded to a deep indigo near the bottom. Her fingers and toes were tipped in reddish orange claws. "I'm tempted to let Pandora out to play," she hummed.

"Yikes… considering that Pandora had only six revealed forms in the games, that leaves a lot of nasty surprises," Cianán deadpanned dryly.

"I'm already here." A familiar monotone voice said. "Max let me out to have a little fun."
The demonic Android was back in her weaponized sexbot form. "It seems that Ayumi is more focused on keeping Unicron contained than drawing excess energy from the rest of the universe. We should be safe to finish him off but I cannot think that Darkseid will just wait for us to finish his herald. I can feel him approach."

"Too bad we can't get Unicron to take out Ol' Rockface or vice-versa. Though I'm pretty certain that he ain't gonna be happy with Unicron regardless," Cianán deadpanned dryly.

"Nope! He'll probably punish him with those fancy Omega Beams, though even I can't guess how," a far too familiar voice giggled.

"Pinkie. Looking cute," Cianán quipped teasingly. He saw the demonic mare giggle innocently before all he saw was pink, unaware his head was engulfed in her bountiful bosom.

Ayumi began glowing brighter as she shrank back into her humanoid form. Unicorn suddenly looked drained of color as if he was near death. "I cut off his connection to his universe while also draining most of his energon now we have a chance!" She said once she regained her physical form. "Everyone use your final attacks!"

"I've been waiting to use this one. My Doom Slayer counterpart taught it to me when I was passed out earlier." Artemis said, getting into the Kame Style stance while cupping his hands to his right side. "Primordial Solar Final… Galick… Big Bang… Kaaaaa… Meeeee… Haaaaa… Meeeee…" Artemis then thrust his hands forward as he screamed, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Ayumi's aura flared up again this time resembling the rainbow light from earlier along with the black fire. The raw power began flowing into both of her gunblades, the rainbow light into one the black fire into the other extending them similar to her black Ragnarok attack before she crossed then in a X-shape the twin energies merging at the contact point in creating an orb which began growing.

"Jackpot!" Both Max and Maudora shouted as they fired off their respective final energy blasts. The impact of each knocked the weakened Unicron to his knees.

Pinkidora giggled as she fired off numerous missiles, each detonating in spheres of dense, burning plasma engulfing Unicron's upper body.

"Akuma Chōshinsei Enryūgeki," Alexis whispered as she fired off a blast of prismatic flames from Aèviternus, the blast causing the burning plasma to get warped into almost a dozen cutting arcs as it was dragged in the backwash.

"White fire and black flame merge into one." Hey Ayumi started as her grimoire appeared "they mix and empower each other," the others could sense and see the positive energies within Ayumi pour into her glowing blade construct and into the growing orb. Light magic, harmonic energy, God of creation ki, conqueror's haki, reishi, and many others. "As they empower each other they also tear each other apart!" The same could be said for all the negative energies pouring into the black blade construct and the orb in the center. Dark magic, discordant power, Hakai Ki, devil power, hell energy and so much more. "Once they reach their peak they burst forth and create…" the orb had grown to the size of a small country before it finally did as Ayumi said and burst forth in a devastating beam of pure power.

"Harmonic Elysium!!!!!!" Ayumi shouted as the beam impacted Unicorn and detonated. At first a supernova could be seen from Earth, the blast almost hitting those assembled to defeat the chaos bringer. But right as the heat was being felt a spot of black could be seen inside the blast and the supernova began to rapidly shrink taking Unicron with it as that spot of black revealed itself to be a proper black hole which then also dissipated leaving only a few floating pieces of Unicron including his head and disembodied hands.

"That should do it." Ayumi said, barely moving as she floated in the void by the moon. "Can someone grab me? I used up most of my energy finishing him off. I'm running on fumes. I don't want to risk hurting anyone by pulling more from the universe."

Cianán tilted his head as his Henshin Stick formed in his grasp. "I'm going to make sure Unicron can't reform using another planet… and there's one way to do it. Saikyō Taiyō Kishi — Henshin," he commented as the sunstone gemstone flared with light and radiance, specifically solar radiance. Unknown to him, not only Celestia, but Amaterasu, Apollo, Helios, Amun Ra, Surya, and Ètaìn all felt it due to the fact they were all solar deities.

As the energy faded, it revealed Cianán clad in an armored form.

He said only four words: "Kaji no Shì: Dosei." Immediately, a scythe that radiated an icy, dark feeling formed in his grasp as a very lethal Scythe materialized — the True Harvester.

"Hmm… so he's the one. Terrifying thought, that. To think that as realities fade and are born, each has their own representative of Death… but only two can use that particular Scythe… Death of the Endless… and her Heir," a cold voice spoke in a whisper. The speaker was a deity of the Dead… in fact… the very same one whom had assisted in training one of their missing friends.

"Do not end him, things are going in a certain way and we cannot alter it! If you try Darkseid will be here faster and end us. This was all done to delay him!" Ayumi shouted terrified of the things she saw in the alternate branches of the weave. "Teleport him to true void, a large area far enough away that no gravity besides his own will act on him if you want to keep him from reforming into his planetary form but do not end him!"

Cianán tilted his head. "Though the idea of terminating the threat is tempting, it will draw Ol' Rockface's attention faster. I intended to send him through a Void Gate… to about a dozen light-years shy of the Source Wall, where it'll take him dozens if not hundreds of years to find another planet and the majority of those that far out are husks of worlds, and I'd wager he'd need energy to revive his body… which he most certainly won't find out there," he commented with a slight smirk.

"His soul gives him enough energy he reformed a lifeless asteroid into his first body so it will take him a long time but he can still do it." Max said, "Tony found out most of his history in Marvel thanks to the armor of the celestials and crafted it into a Godkiller suit." This revealed a bit of backstory for the group, everyone learning that Ironman had met the demons of blood.

Cianán's head tilted before he vanished before a broad triangle shaped rift opened before a golden sphere slammed into the blinded head of Unicron, launching him into the rift which sealed behind him. He reappeared, a deep golden neckerchief swaying in the vacuum behind him as he held a scimitar before he dismissed it, the neckerchief dissolving into nothingness. "Pretty certain both Hotaru and Haruka felt as I accessed their Elements. We haven't met Tony or any of his counterparts, but we have spoken to a few in the past," he commented.

"Eh? Wait… you know that Equation?" Rias said abruptly before she shivered. "Yikes… and very few in this dimension have knowledge of the full Equation… though there are some who know it, yet are capable of resisting the urge to use It," Mark spoke through her.

Cianán paused. "You too, eh? Guess I'm lucky Ol' Rockface's lackeys never got me… and they damn well won't get you, either. I know one other whom, for certain, knows the full Equation," he commented.

"I know the other equation," Max and Ayumi said together. "Using that you can nullify the anti-life."

"I can say I've run across both Kalibak and Granny Goodness… the former is an example of ego and brute strength, the latter… well, she's a manipulative bitch," Cianán deadpanned dryly as he shrugged.

"She went the way the animated version did in my world." Max said "That's to say old Rockface killed her upon his return."

"Who exactly are all of you?" a voice commented. A very familiar 'S' sigil rested upon the chest.

"Kal. Kinda surprised it took this long for someone from the Watchtower to come out. Though I'm guessing that Kara and Karen are busy?" Cianán quipped teasingly, knowing it would catch the Kryptonian's attention.

"Do I know you?" Superman deadpanned.

"Considering you and I held Darkseid back from punching Bruce into the next century, I'd think so," Cianán quipped teasingly.

"Hi, my name's Galatea!" A voice said as another person approached. "Kal you don't have to wear a suit at all I'm surprised you're even using the armor they gave you."

Cianán tilted his head. "You're Kara's twin she mentioned, eh? You're just as cute as she is," he commented nonchalantly.

Kal El sighed, though it was rather obvious he was most likely rolling his eyes. "Just because we can survive in vacuum doesn't mean we can do so indefinitely," he deadpanned dryly.

"Damn, you're stiff, aren't you, Kal? When was the last time Lois relieved you?" Cianán said bluntly.

"Actually I'm her younger sister. I may look older than her but that's due to rapid aging tech. I look as old as she would have if she had not gotten stuck in a semi stasis around a yellow star." Galatea clarified "And yes Kal we can live indefinitely in a vacuum as long as we're near a yellow, blue, or white star. Solar radiation literally feeds us and keeps us alive." She turned her head and huffed looking extremely annoyed at having to reveal this to her technically younger cousin. "You can thank Lex Luthor for figuring that out considering my origin and all that. He looked into the full biology of a Kryptonian and figured out exactly how our solar absorption works. I actually have a copy of all of his Kryptonian files in my brain thanks to the whole made to kill Supergirl thing that I let go of. Knowing my biology down to the core was one of the things that gave me an edge on her at first."

"There could be another reason why he's wearing armor Galatea." Max commented remembering something about Earth's sun that had only been recently discovered. "The sun is a white star with a blue tinge. Maybe he's trying to avoid getting overcharged?"

"Oh yeah I had forgotten about that." Galatea commented, realizing that the only reason everyone could hear her was because of that same overcharging effect causing her to temporarily create an atmosphere unconsciously. "Considering you have problems with regulating your absorption levels consciously or unconsciously, the armor makes far more sense now Kal."

"Why do you think I usually did a lot of meditation, Kal? There's a few reasons… nor just the fact that I was learning magic from Zatanna and Rachel… but I realized real fast about what I gained from Kara. Trust me, the first time you put your hand through a four inch steel wall with six inches of concrete behind it, you ain't gonna forget it. Therefore, I had to learn how to control that… and trust me, I can tell the difference between our old home's Sun and this one… a big boost in energy. Pretty sure they noticed too," Cianán quipped, rolling his shoulders before his wings emerged, also clad in golden armor. He didn't realize it made him look like an Angel.

"Though if John knew what I found on Apokalips when we had our little jaunt there… he'd be drooling," he commented nonchalantly. "Though how did it go from Nosgoth to Apokalips, and where is Kain, I wonder?" he mused.

"We need to gather everyone up. This fight has spread us all out. I can tell that one is near the moon currently but that's pretty much it." Galatea said.

Rias tilted her head as she winced as she focused before she employed Shunpō to flicker behind Cianán. "Definitely going to feel that later," she groaned before she blinked, noticing Galatea, but not recognizing her.

"Oh you're a cutie." Galatea said, looking at Rias. "So h-" started before a green fist smashed her in the face.

"Smashers, I've located Max and Rias!" Red lantern Professor Hulk said. "Use your lantern abilities to home in on my location!"

Rias sneered. "If I were you, Banner, I'd be far more concerned if you are going to retain the capability to have children… or walk again. So I very much advise you to consider your next words carefully," she commented. In her hand was an orb of her Power of Destruction no larger than a baseball, though it held the explosive force of a few sticks of dynamite. If she aimed where she was warning, it had the capability to likely consume not just said capability, but almost all of his legs and a good third of his torso.

Alexis whistled. "Damn. Am I the only one aroused right now?" she quipped innocently.

Cianán facepalmed. "Really, 'Lexie? Channeling Akeno, are you? Geez… when we were linked in the past, you weren't such a horny sadist," he sighed.

"Galatea is a wanted criminal. I have good reason to hit her. The database of my ring says that she is to be either avoided or in cases of beings like me attacked on sight to subdue and contain." Hulk said. "Also did you forget about the fact that the Red lantern ring constantly engages my regeneration that or the destruction would only temporarily hinder my body. With the level of rage I am at I'm above the Titan Hulk that Max showed me."

"There's just one tiny problem. This isn't your nor our home dimension, or did you not realize that, big guy?" Rias deadpanned. "Thus, she isn't the same Galatea in your database," she sighed. "And I'm well aware of your regeneration… that doesn't mean it won't hurt like hell and be quite satisfying for me… ah, shit… that's definitely Akeno's influence. Whatever Kisuke did to merge Mark and I but scattered my Peerage must have altered the Evil Pieces just enough that some aspects of our personalities slip through each other…. fuck," she drawled with a grimace.

"Going to feel that one later," Galatea said, rubbing her jaw as it quickly healed from the exposure to the white star nearby. "Actually that is the current database as we've had lanterns from other universes jump into ours so we had an auto update feature added to the green rings and because every other ring is designed exactly like the green ones it was added to any lantern that shows up. I'm technically a fugitive from Oan Justice."

"I got nothing against the Guardians, but from when I've worked with you, you've been as decent as Kara and Karen. If they're going to judge you based on shit they have no experience in, they're just as guilty as the expression 'innocent until PROVEN GUILTY' would fit here. And even if I don't trust them doesn't mean I don't hope for the best," Cianán deadpanned dryly, not noticing the faintly golden red veins in his armor becoming a brilliant sapphire blue. Arcs of pale blue edged, golden cored Speed Force electricity arced over his body as he hovered, ready to act.

"I did nothing wrong consciously to get on their wanted list but I do deserve it." Galatea said looking down with a melancholy expression on her face. "Back when I was defeated after using the Ultimen army I was thrown from the Watchtower at incredibly high speeds while unconscious, charging up the whole time. With nothing to slow me down and being supercharged by the white star I hit a planet, an inhabited planet, and accidentally broke it to pieces wiping out its entire population within a second. That is why they want me, they had no one monitoring my situation, so they can't prove that I didn't do it consciously and they can't disprove it either not without breaking their own rules on memory manipulation and memory reviewing. Otherwise I'd be completely innocent and just the victim of bad circumstances. While I'm technically a fugitive they've given stay on my capture as my cousin and my sisters are taking care of me and since they trust Kal and Kara at the very least, they're basically my wardens, providing that I'm good. Jolly green here didn't realize that because the stay was very recent and hasn't actually been put in the file. It's not his fault nor is it mine but we're both victims of circumstances here."

Cianán's eyes narrowed fractionally, his head tilting before he shot at Galatea before he abruptly Speed Phased through her before he half turned. "What if I told you that plan regarding the Ultimen had been planted in your head? Thus, I would think the one who did so would be responsible for what followed," he commented before he flicked a tiny capsule no larger than a mustard seed with wires no thicker than spider thread trailing from it at Galatea. It had a far too familiar 'L' logo within a pentagon emblazoned on it. "Only reason I picked up that signal was because of the 'Jolly Green Giant' after his punch loosened those wires. It was just slight enough for me to pick up on that signal when I tapped into the Speed Force. But damn… wouldn't surprise me if Lex had a counterpart of a certain shrinking thief or a couple of shrinking physicists in his employ," he deadpanned. "No doubt Ray would be quite annoyed that someone managed to reproduce his tech… considering that white dwarf material is such a bitch to acquire," he sighed.

"You do know Pym particles are easier to make and acquire," Hulk said. "Add on to that that our Ray uses both white star matter and Pym particles to increase efficiency of his shrinking and allowing him to grow to giant size while also keeping the extra reinforcements of his suit including the enhanced strength, flight and all that that it grants on top of the giant size enhancements…"

"Uh, nope. I know of Scott Lang and Hank Pym, but I've never met them face-to-face, unlike you, big guy. I will say that when it comes to the Avengers, my top two were Nat… and you. Besides, the world I ended up on was a cross between DC Universe Online and what I think was the New 52, no Marvel… before Orion's surly ass took me to Equis after a couple of Parademons mistook my legs for corn dogs. I distinctly remember his surly ass grumbling about 'how a mere mortal was able to gain the interest of both my adoptive father and birth father, I'll never know' not that he realizes I heard him grumbling," Cianán commented to Red Lantern Professor Hulk.

"Don't use that title," Hulk said after using the mind reading capabilities of the Ring by accident. "I know what I technically am to outsiders but just call me Hulk or Bruce we're the same person now and I answer to both. No more split personality when it comes to Savage and Bruce we're one in the same, so please don't use that title, Joe and the others are still in here though if you wanted to know."

Cianán's eyebrows rose at that. "Hmm… I imagine most Earths that aren't connected to the Marvel Multiverse or that Marvel-DC merged Multiverse would have the theory that Bruce had multiple personalities due to Joe and you. Though I vaguely remember something about a 'demon Hulk' and something referred to as 'Kluh' which was the equivalent of a 'Savage Hulk' to what was generally known as the 'Savage Hulk'. No idea if you're referring to them or not," he commented. "I'm guessing the events of 'Planet Hulk' and 'World War Hulk' didn't happen here?" he commented thoughtfully.

"Kluh is what happens when my morality is switched and I go Titan Hulk." Hulk said. "He was the first hint that I had an even more powerful version of my Savage form. Planet Hulk and World War Hulk actually did happen otherwise Scar my son wouldn't exist. I was exonerated for what I did during the World War Hulk incident because it was found out by everyone that Meek was the one who set me off. Surprisingly the Justice system in my universe actually runs on sense as it should. Considering I was in a temporary insanity because of my rage going that high I was exonerated and sent to mental counseling with Dr Sampson."

"Huh. Meek… I'm guessing… fucked with your head, eh?" Cianán commented wryly. "I know that feeling… Psimon tried to do the same to me… until he figuratively and literally lost his head. Kinda hit him too hard. That was when Kara's genes really kicked in… suffice to say it really startled not only the Titans, but the 'Hive Four' as well, considering I couldn't have hit someone that hard without several miles to build up a hit at the time," he sighed. "Guessing Jennifer is just as hot as she is intelligent, eh?" he quipped teasingly.

"That's right,'' a woman's voice said from the distance where a gray and red deep red blue and red and bright green and red streak could be seen. "By the way we've been listening in on the entire conversation and know that Galatea isn't to be attacked." Jennifer said, revealing herself and the other streaks of red tinged light to be the other agents of smash, all of them wearing red rings.

"I still can't get over how the red ring enhanced my physical form through my rage. I thought I'd look more like my Savage form, but instead it actually slimmed me down in my arms by layering the extra muscle more densely and instead brought me up five whole cup sizes!"

"Damn, Jen. Pardon the pun, but you're fucking stacked," Cianán commented. His head tilted, admiring her. Pretty sure the only other ones I've seen that stacked are Flutters, Moonbutt, and Sunbutt. Rarity's close, though, he mused.

All that was heard next, since he had been quiet the entire time, was a loud thud as Artemis fell down in a dead faint on his back, having a massive Energon nosebleed.

All he muttered before fainting was, "Huh… wha… homina…" before passing out, a massive tent in his pants as he was very much at attention from all the hot women around him.

Cianán facepalmed before he felt a finger tapping on his shoulder, the slight clunking sound like coins jingling. What he didn't expect, however, were two with ties to the White Fang… enshrouded in pale pink with their clothes a deeper pink… as Star Sapphires.

His eyes widened behind his helmet. What caught his attention, however, was that both were staring at him like predators… and he was their prey.

"Oh Kali!" Max said before returning to human form. "I'm going to have to ask, but Gira?"

Kali shook her head with a slight frown. "Let's just say that Adam has a lot to answer for," she spoke through clenched teeth.

I actually have a couple of options for each of those girls if you want. A voice said in Cianán's head.

Cianán's eyes narrowed fractionally. Who are you? his tone was wary. Only one of the Guardians I've met was Ganthet, he deadpanned dryly.

You already know who I am, chaos incarnate. I'm also Maximum's Father using a bit of reality warping and some Naughty ideas my daughter came up with we figured out how to create figuring enhancing potions that literally work with someone's perfect mental image of beauty and that's only one of the options I have." The voice said.

Being that your voice is different from a certain draconequus, I'm guessing you're the 'bigger' Chaos, aye? As in the Primordial Erebus and Nyx were born from, Cianán's comment was controlled.

Jebediah Batchelder, a human mutate turned draconequus. I'm using a power called The Voice, something that made me human way back when to contact you. As long as you have had some connection to one of my daughters I'm able to use that psychic link to speak with you. The mental voice that sounds like neither man nor woman, adult or child, yet still distinct said I'd rather not actually head out into space currently, I just helped five behemoths track my daughter down to this universe and don't want to screw it up with more chaos just by being there as my presence tends to do.

Trust me… our lives have been chaotic on a level Discord would fucking drool at for years with only intermittent years of 'normalcy' and I use that very loosely, Cianán sighed.

"That's what Sunny said after she stuffed you, didn't she?" Yang cackled before a very audible slap sounded.

See? Yang is about as sane as we run across at times, Cianán sighed, shaking his head.

What I mean is that I am Discord and that just being there causes more chaos. Jeb said. It was something that happened around me even before I gained magical abilities.

Cianán's head tilted fractionally before he shrugged. I'll take your word for it, he sighed as he shrugged.

"So we need to gather everyone up and then head back to Earth. I don't doubt that Unicron is currently trying to build an army for us in response to what we did to his physical form." Max said.

Cianán hummed. "He can go ahead. After all… I have aggression to work out," he commented, unaware his voice shifted to sound identical to a certain Saiyan Prince.

Kal cocked an eyebrow. "Considering the mess of repairs we're having to deal with in the wake of Darkseid's invasion after we ran off Brainiac, I'm pretty sure that keeping that army as far from inhabited locales would be best," he commented.

"Nick contact you yet, Kal?" Cianán commented flippantly before he vanished, a blur of motion the only warning as he shot towards Earth… before a faintly orange glow ignited, trailing downward specifically towards the Sahara Desert, one of the least populated areas on the planet.

Chapter 11: Meeting Lex Justine Part 2

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The Equestrian Prime

Chapter 11: Meeting Lex Justine Part 2

Artemis woke up in his, Twilight's, and Kara's room, wondering what happened. All he remembered was passing out after battling Unicron, but he couldn't remember why he passed out. He felt a heavy weight on his left and right sides of his chest. When he looked down, he smiled.

Twilight was on his left, her head on his chest with her left wing draped over him. Kara was on his right side, her head on his chest as well. He leaned his head down and kissed Twilight on the forehead just below her horn and kissed Kara on the top of her head. They both squirmed at the action as they began to wake up. They looked up at Artemis, seeing him smiling at the two of them.

"I could get used to waking up like this." Artemis said as he gave their rear ends a firm squeeze.

"Considering your reaction to that group near Earth, I suspect that wasn't the only thing that woke up," Kara giggled.

Cianán groaned softly before he blinked a couple of times as he could feel a weight on one arm as all he could see was light orange. "What the fuck?" he muttered in confusion before he felt something flop onto his free arm before he heard a yawn as he felt whom he was almost certain was Sunset shift before he blinked in surprise at whom he saw… as the last one he expected was

Diana… Princess of the Amazons.

"So want to tell me why I found the 13th Prime on one of Poseidon's colony planets?" Diana asked politely, implying by the nature of ponies that they were the descendants of the original horses created from seafoam as the myth went. "We've been aware of Cybertronians for a long time, especially since they've visited Earth on multiple occasions in the past. In fact a certain Prime of time named Vector visits my mother every few hundred years and gives The Grecian gods information about the goings on in the Galaxy through this friendly arrangement."

Cianán shrugged."Hell if I know. Though I didn't expect to see you again, Diana… especially after that shit with Darkseid after we ran off Brainiac… but I do have a suspicion that Ol' Rockface is gonna have a grudge for me… considering I somehow stripped a good bit of power from his Avatar… though I have no clue how. I do know what he tried to do with Bruce after that incident you called the 'Final Crisis' where he supposedly died but reappeared elsewhere hours later… he no longer has," he said quietly. He knew that would get her attention as a mortal capable of absorbing and stripping divine power was… unusual… to say the least.

"You must have some Radion in your blood. That's the only thing that could explain how you could take a New God's power since it works the same as the green kryptonite to a Kryptonian. Still to have such a devastating radioactive element within your body and survive easily makes you very unique." Diana mentioned remembering the one time Bruce used an actual firearm and what the bullet was made of when he used it.

"Speaking of… if I remember correctly, wasn't that mess kicked off with Orion's death? If so… how the fuck was it that he was the one that dropped me on Equis… after those damn Parademons mistook my legs for chicken legs," Cianán commented. "That reminds me… I noticed you didn't comment on the birthmarks," he commented wryly, flexing his wrists as the metallic Chinese Dragons glittered.

Brother, not to interrupt your little moment with the Aμαζον Pρινκεσδ, but get your ass up. Artemis said through their link, Artemis' use of Ancient Greek catching Diana off guard. Uncle Ed just contacted me through a copy of his Token that showed up in my room which scared the crapbaskets out of Twilight and Kara. He's bringing Lex Justine and Sonbasūta for a visit.

I'm guessing he doesn't know we found one of his Tokens already. Speaking of, I wonder what Ye Ol' Sandbag's reply was, Cianán sighed. Though apparently a certain kitten's mother is rather clingy… 'cause she's stuck to me like super glue, he sighed.

Alexis groaned, hearing the telepathic communication pretty clearly even half awake. Seriously? Geez… he really needs to come up with a dimensional clock that syncs to whichever Equis he's on so he doesn't, you know, wake people up at the crack of dawn… she grumbled.

Amen to that Lexi. Artemis said with a yawn. Especially when it's inopportune. You don't wanna know what he interrupted when my copy of his Token rang and I had to get up to answer.

I don't need to know which part of you was up, you ass, nor how deep, Cianán and Alexis groaned simultaneously.

Sunset blinked before she snorted a laugh at that. Grumbling in Stereo. Could be a new hit on the music charts, she teased.

You weren't saying that when you were stuffing and getting stuffed by Sunny-Side Up Bacon-head, now were ya, aye? Artemis cackled in his old Scottish blood.

Sorry, did you say something? I couldn't hear you, Cianán quipped innocently as gagging was audible.

Damn, looks like the older kitty wants protein, Sunset commented. Oh, fuck, she groaned a moment later as more gagging followed.

Ugh…. I would end up with two horny kittens… speaking of. Anypony know how we got back? Cianán hummed.

I sure as the Pit don’t, considering I remember passing out, but not from what. Artemis said, sounding pensive as he thought about how in Tartarus they all got back to Equis.

I'd wager if it wasn't John or Hal, it could have been Kyle, Carol, or Saint Walker, Cianán mused.

That would be my doing, a Voice said in everyone's head. It was the least I could do to thank you all for protecting my daughter.

Then in a flash of white lightning Valencia, Ella, and Maya appeared in the room. "Brrr he's right, using the Voice freezes you." Dr. Martinez said.

And who are you? Artemis asked the unknown voice.

"Mom!" Max shouted as she rushed into the room. "I heard you using The Voice! MARK RIAS GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE! MOM FOUND US!"

A rather loud crystalline crash sounded as a groan followed. "Really, Max? My head was already pounding from finding out a couple of… well… let's just say they could come in handy against Wesker and his bitches," Mark deadpanned, grimacing as he stood, brushing shards of shattered crystal from his chest and face.

"Really bad timing, you know," Rias groaned as she was busily drying her hair. Her gaze, for a moment, flicked to Mark. "And what exactly did you find out?" she commented.

"Let's just say that Ddraig isn't the only partner I've got… though I do hope their personalities don't slip into mine," Mark commented wryly.

"Wesker is a good guy, remember? We need not worry about him turning. Nem though is still on my shit list." Max reminded her siblings. "Ever since uncle Sparda saved us I've been looking for the beast."

A glowing bluish purple slash opened before Alexis stepped through, the spatial rift sealing behind her. Her ears twitched twice at a crackling hiss as she spotted a dark red webbing form, blocking the exits. "Shit! Demons incoming!" she barked sharply as she spotted Hell Prides as well as Empusas.

"Draconis release!" Ayumi shouted as she became engulfed in her unique twin flames, her presence revealed in the process, scaring the crap out of everyone. "Copied that ability from Max's herm girlfriend Fang. Just like in Canon both she and I can blend in while motionless."

Alexis chuckled. "Looks like he sensed us… took the motherfucker long enough," she chuckled. Her eyes drifted half lidded before snapping open.

Chakra swirled around her feet as she clenched her fists. "I'm sure you can guess whose bloodline I'm from," she deadpanned dryly, her gaze flicking to the group.

Her muscles tightened before she pushed off in a powerful Wushu Qìxuántī. Her kick, which impacted with her heel and the outer edge of her foot, followed by a swift second snapping side kick, caught the haft of one of the scythes of one of the Hell Prides and snapped it with a sound like a metallic shotgun blast.

"How difficult are these shits to fight, Lexi?" Artemis asked as he showed up in his Battle Form Armor, taking a couple of pot shots at the Hell Prides with his Ion Blaster.

Alexis snorted. "From what I'm sensing? These are probably threefold stronger than those my nephew Nero ran across before they ran across Urizen… but compared to us? Not too much of a challenge," she commented as she turned just in time to catch a scythe into her chest which she glanced down at with annoyance before she headbutted the Hell Pride hard enough for a visible shockwave to erupt from the impact before she reared back a right hand and coldcocked the demon into the floor, the impact tolling out a boom not unlike a cannon blast as the demon's head exploded from the impact. "Motherfucker… this was one of my favorite qipaos," she growled, cracking her knuckles.

"Is it just me, or was I the only one reminded of a certain cherry kunoichi?" Mark commented wryly.

"Well just in case, I think I know someone whose specialty is hunting demons." Artemis said, chuckling. "Let me see if I can contact him. I don't have as much experience as Cianán with clairaudience." Artemis closed his eyes before snapping them back open, his eyes shining whitish gold. "If you have a problem with the forces of Hell, I will help you out. Call my name, and you will know why I'm called the Doom Slayer, the Hell Walker. Time to Rip and Tear. I call upon Aaron Blazkowicz."

A distinctive heavy click of a shotgun being chambered followed, though it surprisingly came from a female Slayer. The only hint as to whom was beneath the helmet was a Hawaiian Flower on one shoulder of the Praetor Suit before the Super Shotgun was unloaded, the blast blowing apart two leaping Empusa demons.

"Ah, damn… something tells me we're gonna have to air out the place after this. Demonic blood smells foul," Alexis grumbled before she pushed off, the gauntlet and greaves of the Devil Arm Beowulf forming before she tagged a leaping Empusa with three somersaulting kicks before she slammed it into the ground with the Lunar Crescent combo. It exploded on impact.

"Trust me, that ain't as bad as those fucking H-Ks and Endos after 'terminating' them since Skynet was due to Hell's influence." Lilo grimaced, remembering a far worse smell. "The Hell energy and burnt electronics smell combined is way worse."

"Can't be worse than Khandarian Demon blood merged with Changeling blood. Ugh… not to mention the ones Sigma 'upgraded'... Talk about a foul stench. Smelled like burnt motor oil mixed with rotten eggs, soaked in shit on a hot summer day," Alexis replied. "And those were the ones Sigma didn't upgrade… them… they smelled like that plus the foulest wet fart you could come up with times ten," she grumbled.

"Trust me, if you want foul times ten plus one, try having to sleep with seven other guys in an archeological dig camp after a hot chili night… let's just say that we never had to worry about mosquitoes… 'cause those nights took bug bombs and made them look like firecrackers compared to the Hiroshima bomb," Cianán quipped innocently before a large hand swatted him in the back of the head, slamming him into the floor before he rebounded in time to kick a Hell Pride in the face as he tightened his core, somersaulting to land on his feet.

"I thought we agreed on never speaking of that again, o' brother of mine?" Artemis said with a growl before a distinctive warp appeared in reality. Artemis recognized the warp and smirked.

"So you finally showed up. Took you long enough, you demon-slaying bastard." Artemis said with a huff.

"Sor-ry, ya jackass!" A slightly deeper voice identical to Artemis' said as a bulkier black Praetor Suit that looked like an Alicorn mix with a red visor stepped through the portal. "You should know from Lord Beerus, interdimensional travel takes a bit. Ya jackass."

"Time to show my claws," Cianán muttered gruffly as he slid the Advent Deck into the V Buckle. "Henshin," he growled as his armor formed in a rippling mirrored outline before solidifying.

Suddenly all of the group were engulfed in the same fire Max and Ayumi produced. "So you finally master the twin flame cloak reinforcement?" Ayumi asked Max.

"Took for-fucking-ever but yeah I mastered it." Max replied with a chuckle. "Everyone you got a chakra cloak like boost, don't waste it!"

"I don't need it because I got something better." Artemis said, deactivating his Battle Form Armor and going straight to Super Saiyan 3 before he flew at one of the Hell Prides and drop kicked him into the wall with such force, he was scattered and splattered. Unbeknownst to Artemis his Saiyan lightning had turned to the white and black of the flame cloak.

Cianán, as Kamen Rider Tiger, swiftly scanned his Strike Vent card into his axe the Destvisor, gaining heavy clawed gauntlets before he pushed off, the flames condensing as reddish white flames not only around the edge of the axe but the Destclaws as well before he lashed out, trailing blue flames as no less than four Empusa and a Hell Pride exploded into fireballs with the trio of slashes he delivered as he held the Destvisor in his helm's 'mouth' not unlike a certain swordsman pirate known for his Santōryū. His head tilted as he sensed stronger, corrupted Ki rising before a dozen far uglier demons materialized, looking like dark reddish black skinned lizards with vicious looking forearm blades.

"Fury Demons… ah… they're gonna be fun. Fast and pretty nasty with hit-and-run tactics. If they were with Chaos Demons, whose primary attack makes them the demonic version of biological buzzsaws, we'd be in a bit of trouble… but it doesn't look like we have those to deal with. Usually, Fury Demons only show up in groups of three or four. A dozen… should be a good warm up for my girls," Alexis commented with a smirk as she pulled out a pair of pistols… that looked scarily like a certain bloodthirsty Vampire's dual pistols. Their names: Veritas and Thanatos.

Alexis hummed softly before she cocked her head before her arms were sheathed in silvery metal from wrists to shoulders as purple demonic lasers pelted her specifically as one of the walls near the ceiling fractured from the blasts. Her head turned slowly, her eyes narrowing before a dangerous malicious look entered her gaze. The demon hovering over the rest had six wings, each with thirteen eyes from which it fired its laser bolts.

"So you want this?" Max asked Ayumi extending her demonic hand to the others. "Or should we just sit back and support?"

"Support for now," Ayumi replied. "If they get overwhelmed we jump in. Plus we have plenty of backup nearby."

"Oh, now we're playing with fire… looks like we've got an Artemis in play… this is mine… now let's dance," Alexis said with a giggle as the ruby and golden bronze ring on her left middle finger shone before a surge of blood red smoke billowed out to reveal a Vampiric form of Mileena.

As she rolled her shoulders, a familiar glowing green staff formed in her grasp in a maelstrom of burning emerald flame as her deep bluish gray eyes became a deep, slightly glowing emerald. To those who knew of Mortal Kombat, they'd recognize the staff as that of the Edenian Assassin Jade.

"I see you guys got yourself in quite the pickle, hm?" Uncle Ed's voice came out of nowhere as a Void portal opened up, Lex Justine and Sonbasūta walking through. "Luckily I brought a couple of people who can help, since she's been bugging me nonstop to meet Artemis and Cianán."

Cianán facepalmed before he sighed. "You would make a joke about that dickless wonder. Though in my opinion, he's more like a dickless case of mental flatulence," he commented dryly, his voice slightly muffled before he pushed off, clashing blades with two of the Fury Demons. His head tilted before he smirked slightly before he flicked a card up, breaking the clash as he spun, the card sliding into the Destvisor before he twisted, striking the back of the haft against the inside of his knee, scanning the card.

"Final Vent," the V Buckle invoked as Destwider, a large bulky anthropomorphic armored weretiger, tackled and impaled both Fury Demons from behind as it leaped from the crystalline wall before they were impaled by Cianán and decapitated from the front.

He noticed bluish purple orbs rising from the demonic corpses before Destwider consumed both before he let out a belch before he leaped back into the crystalline wall, vanishing.

All of a sudden, a scream from one of the Fury Demons sounded before what sounded like a flamethrower sound hit everyone's ears. Said Fury Demon was burned to ash as Aaron's Flame Belch retracted. Aaron then looked over to Ayumi as he quirked up an eyebrow.

"What are you doing here?" Aaron asked Ayumi. "I thought you were still back in my Equestria taking a nap after our last battle against the Demons?"

Cianán facepalmed as he pulled free the Advent Deck, dismissing his transformation. "Take a wild guess. Because time in different Equestrias flows at different rates." His fist clenched as a deep purple flame ignited in his palm before it blossomed into an orb with arcs of shadows forming overlapping rings before he hurled it at the Demons. It was the Titan's Shadow technique that consumed the demonkyn before he slashed his hand in an arc, the orb condensing as it sped at the larger demon as Alexis dropped to the ground moments before the orb detonated in a blast of purple flames and smoke on impact with the Artemis Demon before it dropped, stunned, towards the ground before Alexis tagged it with a vicious upward slash. To their surprise, a nude young woman dropped from the demonic shell, revealing it to be an artificial Demon as it crystallized and shattered.

Cianán's eyes widened fractionally before he pushed off with inhuman speed and strength, vaulting up onto the damaged wall and catching Twilight. Sunset, here, now! he barked over their Bond, amused as he heard her yelp.

Son of a bitch!?! she cursed. He noticed the distinctive scent of peaches and nectarines.

Sorry, luv, but you may want to hurry your shower up. Seems that more than one Twilight has been missing, he relayed.

"YOU MOTHERFUCKERS!" Ayumi shouted in the RCV causing all the others to cover their ears as she rushed forward grabbing SciTwi while her flames shifted to cover the human girl, rapidly healing her while pulsing as if it was about to blow. "DON'T FUCK WITH MY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!" In a flash Ayumi and SciTwi disappeared.

Without her anchoring the flames the twin fires expanded to cover the rest of the area causing the demons to scream in pain while refreshing the cloaks Max and Ayumi had placed on everyone, even those who had their own aura. Leaving distinct traces of the extra power imbued into them.

"Well that's her trigger apparently." Max said as soon as she could hear again. "Don't fuck with anyone Ayumi deems family got it."

"Note to self… let Droiae castrate Urizen when I see him," Alexis growled. Her eyes were narrowed, slitted, and blood red. "She's not the only one," a feminine voice snarled from Alexis. "Really, Kuramai?" she grumbled before she pushed off, somersaulting before landing within the castle. "Damn… that's one thing I really hate about demonkyn… no sense of subtlety nor keeping shit neat," she sighed, shaking her head.

Alexis cocked her head before she shifted her weight, Aèviternus whistling through the air before it was blocked by a single finger before a single drop of blood fell to the floor before the speaker hummed as the other blade was blocked with a kneepad in a burst of sparks.

"Not many can sense me before I tend to show myself. Cereza and Jeanne can because of our long working relationship… hmmm, but you… have almost as much potential as them, girlie," the speaker commented with a smirk. He had never revealed to Cereza nor Jeanne that he'd become a Void Dweller.

"Huh… Rodin. Cereza told me about you in passing when I ran across her. Heh… in her words, you're 'a stubborn ass bastard who plays his cards closer to his chest than his gold chain, but he's loyal enough'," Alexis commented as Rodin pushed away the blades, both the katana and wakizashi. She shifted her weight, sheathing both blades. She didn't say that she'd noticed that Cereza had held her soul in her body despite where she was.

"So how's my second favorite hell smith?" Max asked of the fallen angel as she landed having sensed Rodin herself thanks to her devil bringer reacting to anything demonic near her. "Nico is still the first by the way."

Rodin snorted. "How do you think Nico learned that shit? She had to have a teacher too, and the Inferno ain't exactly known for being a place for kiddie gloves as Devil Alicorn Girl there knows. Hell, she did somethin' even I thought damn near impossible… she fought her way out. And as I hear, made a hell of an impression down there. It ain't easy getting respect down there… an' she took on Sammael and cowed his ass… which I've only seen two other than myself pull off," he deadpanned.

Alexis snorted. "And make no doubt about it… I sent the bastard who sent me there down on a one way trip. Still got the fucking scar," she grumbled. "Made me suspicious when he wanted to meet about a job but had no evidence or proof," she grumbled with a wince, rubbing just beneath her sternum.

"Oooh, can I see? Can I see?" Pinkie commented with a giggle, bouncing on the tips of her hooves.

Alexis cocked an eyebrow, rolling her eyes. She seemed unplussed by Pinkie's 'Pinkieness'.

"In fact Rodin, Nico learned most of her gunsmithing from her grandmother the 45 virtuoso and the creator of Luce, Umbra, Ebony, and Ivory. The demon shit she learned from her father's research and don't go saying that you helped him otherwise I might just behead your ass. That man was so bad I don't even care if you're a friend of Cereza's." Ayumi said with a serious look on her face. Said look was reminiscent of a certain abominable fist that turned against God. "Don't doubt that wouldn't kill you but it'll hurt a lot, even playing by Spawn rules you're a fallen angel not an undead or natural born demon so a beheading will most likely incapacitate you at most."

Rodin tilted his head. "You'd be surprised at some who've found me. Cereza and Jeanne are just the more well known… but far from the only ones," he chuckled. "And I ain't into that shit. Humans deserve their lives, as short as they are," he deadpanned dryly.

"You know, I'd sooner not tick off someone with the nickname 'The Infinite One', hmm?" Cianán deadpanned dryly, rolling his eyes. To him, it seemed like common sense. His head tilted as he could tell that Rodin had already known about Ayumi's 'correction' though he didn't see how. Based on Rodin's lack of surprise at her correction, I'm almost certain that he didn't just know it already, but he knows something else he ain't saying, he commented.

His head tilted as he saw Rodin's hand slip into his jacket before he flicked out two things, one aimed at himself and the other aimed at Alexis. He instinctively let his hand snap across, catching what Rodin had tossed him.

His eyes narrowed fractionally as his eyes flicked up to Rodin.

"He holds but one set of infinity." Ayumi said calmly revealing that she had a very good idea of the shit she was stirring up. "What is one set of infinity to a being powered by all sets of infinity, or for one such as myself multiple sets of infinity. Before you ask, I don't care if he helped him, I just don't want to hear it." The mare then revealed that she still held onto the human Twilight. "Let's drop this for now. She's sleeping. Luckily my healing got to her and repaired any physical damage powering that thing caused her but I don't know what traumatic effects it caused her mind so for now let's let her rest."

Alexis' head tilted at the case Rodin had tossed her. It wasn't the Devil Arm Pandora, though she could sense some intense energy inside it.

"That implies that I give a fuck about things regarding 'infinity' as you put it," Cianán commented with a roll of his eyes.

"I got to go." Ayumi said calmly. "there's a certain Blazkowicz I need to talk to." In the burst of black fire Ayumi disappeared. The shape of a black flaming dragon in the distance was the only indication she had left.

A note was left in the spot where she had been for Artemis, who picked it up and read it, which said simply, "I'll tell him that you said hello."

"Huh, I always was wondering how he was doing, or in this case, you, ya jackass." Artemis said with a laugh, looking at said demon slayer.

Aaron's only reaction was giving Artemis the bird.

"You know, I'd wager he's gotten off more on dealing with demonkyn than a certain bookworm Princess," Cianán quipped innocently in a deadpan tone. His head tilted as the BFG was pointed in his face almost immediately before he smirked slightly before the afterimage faded away. "For a Demon Slayer, you're too slow," he quipped before he was tagged in the face so hard that he did the impression of a gargoyle in the wall.

"Ye were saying, ye bloody cunt of a faker?" Was Aaron's simple reply.

Cianán somersaulted with the impact, tumbling twice before he hit the wall. "Seems I'm not the only one with a little Chaos, eh?" he chuckled with a smirk.

"When you train with your previous life on Taras Nabad, and live with Shadow there and live with Amy on Equestria, you pick up a trick or two." Aaron said with a smile. "Though Shadow's attitude may have bled into mine a bit. And Amy, surprisingly, wasn't affected by the dark magic of the 'you-know-what'." Aaron said, not wanting to say the artifact's name in front of Artie's Twilight, Cadence, or Flurry Heart, having noticed the latter two of them in hearing range.

"From the sound of it, you ran across a certain crystalline Demon Hedgehog… which means he may show up here," Cianán deadpanned dryly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"That's not what I was referring to, ya jackass, and ye bloody well know it and know what I was referring to, ye bloody cunt." Aaron said with a deadpan Scottish brogue.

Cianán tilted his head. "Ah, so you weren't referring to being a horndog, eh?" he commented wryly, referring to a certain Umbran stallion turned usurper of the Crystal Empire.

"I'm giving you about five seconds to change your tone before I Hakai your ass straight to the Void, smart-ass." Aaron said, a slight animalistic growl coming from him.

"Huh, so he can use that power too." Artemis said with a laugh. "Sounds like he took a little too much after Lord Beerus, though."

"Looks like you picked up more than just Shadow's tricks with Chaos Energy, you also picked up his sense of humor. Wonder where he dropped it," Cianán teased with a far too familiar smirk before a hand swatted him in the back of the head before he blinked, looking up to see a familiar Mobian female chipmunk lying on top of the wall, flexing her wrist.

"And it looks like you picked up Sonic's sense of humor. Where did you find them?" she said with a pointed look, her blue eyes staring into his.

Cianán blinked once, then twice, not realizing that the ring of green bleeding into his irises from the edges receded. He shook his head as he shivered. "Okay… ugh… talk about disorienting," he said slowly, wincing. He shook his head. "Makes sense if Sonic used them as often as the games implied that they might gain some sort of imprint of him in them… but I'd really prefer if he doesn't do that again," he muttered. "And 'where' I found them wasn't quite right… so much as 'when'," he sighed.

What? Too much Hedgehog for ya? A voice said in Cianán's head before the male voice snickered.

Not really, Sonic, but the fact that I found it after getting hit by lightning may have something to do with it… and, ironically… it was in the depths of a hollowed out tree trunk, Cianán deadpanned dryly.

You really had to bring up Longclaw like that? Not cool bro. Sonic said in a sorrowful tone.

Different tree, ya idjit pincushion… there was one down the street from the house I lived in for a good while. Though when I hopped into that stump… let's just say I found something unexpected… Sonic, Cianán deadpanned dryly. As he spoke to the 'Blue Blur' mentally, he was still staring at Sally Acorn.

"You know… I do have something that will interest both of you," he commented. He saw Sally's eyebrow rise at that comment.

He half turned before he blinked as he noticed a familiar Mobian Echidna as well sitting on the edge of a rooftop.

"So you can already use Chaos Sense, kid?" Knuckles deadpanned dryly.

"That, and your footfalls are as loud as a jackhammer to a gong, Knuckie. I mean, you ain't exactly quiet, but then neither is Rouge. I always wondered something, though… did she really get named after makeup?" Cianán commented wryly.

A thud sounded from a nearby bush before a feminine grumble followed. "Really? I'll have you know I'm not as delicate and airy as that makeup, you ass," a feminine voice grumbled.

"We all have scars, Rouge. I'm not going to ask about yours nor those of 'Knuckie'," Cianán commented wryly before he pushed off the ground as a fist half again the size of his head fractured the ground. "Really, Knuckles? Let me get you a bit of air," he commented, catching Knuckles around his neck before twisting his hips into a Hurricanrana, dislodging his fist and tumbling him onto his back before Cianán flipped onto his feet.

Artemis walked up to Rouge, who stood there with a faraway look in her eyes. When she looked at Artemis, who was roughly seven inches taller than her, all she saw was a fierce gaze, but instead of anger, it was filled with sympathy and compassion.

"Come with me." Artemis said, holding his left hand out to her. She looked unsure at first, but then nodded as she took his hand, after which he put his right middle and index fingers to his forehead and they disappeared in a blur of motion.

"Idjit. Pretty sure Rouge would have been most interested… other than you, Sal," Cianán quipped, cocking an eyebrow.

I'm just going to talk to her in confidence like I did with Black Arachnia, dumbass. Artemis said through their link. I get the feeling of some trauma not unlike what Black Arachnia went through. So I'm taking her somewhere where she'll be calm to talk about it. Hentai. After which Artemis promptly cut the connection, leaving only silence.

Heard that before… promptly before you creamed Weiss, Cianán deadpanned bluntly. So don't blame me for calling you out, he quipped before he purposely blew a mental raspberry. He could hear Sonic snickering in his head as well. He had a rather big secret he'd kept deeply hidden for good reason… and it was, as Pinkie might say, 'one hell of a doozy'. But we all have shit we don't talk about… and Pamela doesn't realize she broke a seal I'd deliberately placed on myself, he thought to himself.

The group paused as they sensed a large amount of power approaching rapidly before seeing a black flaming dragon diving towards them. Suddenly a red streak rose up to meet it giving off an energy not unfamiliar to Artemis and Aaron. "The heck?! Did someone accidentally summon an Alduin Displaced?"

Cianán's eyes narrowed fractionally, unaware his irises bled to a rich sapphire-aquamarine. "If they're here to start a fight," he muttered gruffly, his Ki aura igniting. He knew they'd notice how dense his Ki was, however, if they looked closely, they'd notice hints of greenish gold within his aura… giving away whom he was descended from. He did know two whom were descended from Alduin. He took a slow breath as his fingers curled inward.

His head tilted as he noticed Lady Beerus looking his way with an interested look.

Stand down, it’s Ayumi in her dragon form. Artemis’ voice came telepathically to everyone.

Cianán's head tilted fractionally as he focused, pushing his roiling Ki down, his Ki receding. However, it revealed several facts that hadn't been noticeable… namely the fact that his clothes were in tatters and that his shoulders, sides, hamstrings, and almost all of his back and arse were covered in slashing scars clearly from whips, quite a few scars overlapping each other. He heard a startled gasp behind him, spotting Rarity and Fluttershy staring at him, the former at his clothes, the latter at his back with tears at the corners of her eyes.

“Dayum!” Artemis said, having re-established the link, seeing the scars, but it was one-way only so he could see what had Flutters so mortified. He was mortified himself at what he saw. Apparently Cianán never told him about the existence of those. Something happened… but it was something he didn’t remember.

“What?” Rouge asked, seeing Artie’s reaction.

“That’s not for me to discuss.” Artemis said, looking back at Rouge, who was sitting on a bench in a park in Canterlot that Artemis took her to. Then he snapped his fingers as a shimmering dome that was barely visible made itself appear. “As I told a friend, this is a soundproofing spell. Nothing outside of this dome will hear what you tell me. I can tell you have been through something traumatic. Is that why you changed your name to Rouge… Alicia?” Rouge’s head snapped to look at Artemis with wide eyes, wondering how in Chaos he figured out her real name… her birth name. “It’s okay, take your time, and I promise I won’t tell anyone what your real name is. This will be strictly in confidence. But take your time. I’m all ears… as a friend.”

Rouge jerked at his words, her eyes widening slightly. However, as a trained spy and government agent, her reaction might as well have been the equivalent of openly gaping at him. "That's more complicated than you know. What happened to create Mobius was a race known as the Xorda… they tried to wipe out humanity, yet unknowingly enhancing animal life in the process, giving rise to Mobians. However… there were some humans that neither regressed to what Mobians call 'Overlanders' like a certain gear-headed, egocentric doctor, but mutated themselves into Mobians… the odds… well… we don't quite know, but it couldn't have been more than one or two humans out of a few hundred million. You can imagine how traumatic that would be," she said slowly.

“You’re saying that you’re… one of those humans?” Artemis said slowly, starting to get the picture. His hand instinctively went to hers, to which she squeezed his hand back in comfort.

"I was. Mobians were found to be immune to the gas that the Xorda were using to try to eliminate humanity. Moreover, some were found, such as the Echidna Race amongst others, to gain very potent powers. To my knowledge, however, not many recall those horrific days, which is probably for the best… though I can say that adjusting suddenly to the enhanced hearing and flight of a bat… Oi… that had to be the most annoying," she commented. "It's also why when Sonic got out his guitar, I didn't stick around as some pitches of music are, quite literally, physically painful for me. But I have little doubt that bastard Ixis is going to show up… considering he's the reason Sonic isn't here.”

“Well he’ll find it harder than the Master Emerald trying to imprison us in the Zone of Silence.” Artemis snickered. “Considering that the moment he shows up, I’m Hakai’ing his chimeric ass straight to the Void, which is worse than Hell itself. Because you’re surrounded by nothing and no one.”

Rouge snickered back. "What do you think the Zone of Silence was? It's a dimensional 'bubble' within the Void. And he knows how to escape from there," she commented.

“Then we'll make sure there's nothing left to bring back," Cianán commented through the communicator. "And that, I can definitely do," he commented before the sound of him faceplanting was heard over the communicator.

“What have I said before, brother? This is an A and B conversation, so C your way out of it. Before D jumps over E and Fs you up.” Artemis said, growling. “This is in confidence. So zip it and butt the fuck out before I make you faceplant all the way to Equis’s version of Mars, ye bloody cunt!”

"That implies that I would share this. Which I have no reason to. However, when Pammy broke the Seal… I remembered… and not much of it's pretty," Cianán deadpanned dryly. What he precisely recalled, he wasn't saying yet.

“We’ll talk about that in private, brother to brother, no one else, but later.” Artemis said.

“Is it odd that I find it highly arousing when you affected him from miles away just to plant his face in the dirt without touching him physically when he just butted in like he did?” Rouge asked, her legs squirming indicating what was going on between them.

Cianán exhaled softly as he let his legs cross in a lotus position, hovering not unlike a certain Namekian, letting himself hover slowly higher before his ears twitched, his head tilted as a bolt of red light shot past his head before his eyes opened. "Are you that eager to die, Kano?" he muttered.

"You killed No Face and Tasia, mate. So I'm taking your head off," Kano snarled before he fired another laser bolt, this one through Cianán's chest before he blinked, as Cianán didn't even react to blink.

"Better men than you have tried. And Tasia tried to kill me first, so with that pûta, it was self-defense… No Face… had no business trying to set that orphanage on fire… so I snuffed out his flame permanently. Maybe you'll meet them in the Netherrealm," he heard Cianán's voice behind him before an uppercut sent him airborne, a few teeth dislodged from the blow before a hand caught his ankle before he was slammed brutally twice into the ground before he felt himself whipped into the air, the whiplash disorienting him badly. A bead of emerald light formed in his hand, forming into an orb before his hand rose as his aura surged, his hair rising in wild spikes as it turned golden before he fired off the Eraser Cannon at Kano's distant airborne body. The detonation was loud as if a bomb went off.

"Why am I getting the smell of spicy cinnamon?" Artemis muttered, before he looked towards Rouge, seeing her legs squirming as she refused to look at Artemis directly. "Rouge, are you… going through a cycle right now?"

"Is it that obvious?" Rouge asked, not wanting to look at Artemis, even though, despite the fact that he listened to her as a friend, she found him attractive.

"Take my hand." Artemis said, holding his left hand out to her. "I believe I can help relieve that itch, if you will allow me."

Rouge looked at Artemis with wide eyes, her attraction for him growing. But then she smirked, giving him bedroom eyes.

"Do you think you can handle me, big boy?" Rouge asked in a challenge.

"I don't think…" Artemis said, grabbing her hand and using Instant Transmission to teleport the two of them to his room onto the bed. What surprised Rouge was that he was able to do so and remove their clothes all in the span it took to appear in the room. "I know I can."

"Just shut up and let's do this." Rouge said, smashing her lips against his as the curtains were drawn and the lights were dimmed.

The Equestrian Prime

by Artemis Prime

Prologue: An Archaeological Dig and a Prophecy…

Chapter 1: Automize!

Chapter 2: Interrogation

Chapter 3: Relaxation Before the Takedown

Chapter 4: Musical Demonstration

Chapter 5: The E-Team is Born

Chapter 6: Transform and Roll Out!

Chapter 7: The Fall of Blueblood Part 1

Chapter 8: The Fall of Blueblood Part 2

Chapter 9: Relaxation Part 1

Chapter 10: Meeting Lex Justine Part 1

Chapter 11: Meeting Lex Justine Part 2