How Tankopalous Came To Be
Rainbow Dash hated villains. Bad guys, evildoers, crooks, witches, demonic spirits, vandals, evil sorcerers, you name it. Any baddies that came around to mess with Equestria, she and her friends will be there to show them whose boss. Today was no different.
The villain they’re facing was a giant white cat that had a complete taste for egotistic appearance. The giant crown, the giant cape, the giant staff was all there at his command to look as fabulous as he could be.
Of course, Rarity would disagree, Rainbow Dash snickered in her thoughts.
The usually chic and magnific unicorn was traumatized by his outfit, and had made more than enough comments about his taste in fashion. So far, it was hilarious.
“How on earth do you get around with that shade of red?” Rarity cried. “It looks positively drab!”
“What are you talking about? This is the finest cape in all of the land!” Salazar the Cat Sorcerer shouted. “Besides, this cape is more rich and expensive than all the bits you could make in your life!”
“Ha! I could find a way more posh cape in the flea market!” Rarity flipped her luxurious, well-kept mane. “I’m willing to bet bet that’s where you picked your horrendous attire.”
“Lies! You’re just spouting lies!” Salazar stomped on the ground repetitively, looking very irritated.
“And don’t get me started on that icky, slimy, green staff you have. I don’t even know how you could work around without shame!”
Salazar pointed the staff menacingly at Rarity. “Hey! Don’t make fun of my weapon! It’s way better than your tacky Elements of Harmony.”
“We’ll just see about that,” Twilight said, standing her ground. “Everypony, get ready!”
“Right!” the rest of them shouted in unison.
Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, and focused her will on everything that her friends meant to her. The unbending loyalty she had for all of them flowed to her will, giving her the strength needed to complete the magic that is friendship. She opened her eyes, to see her other friends channeling their harmony, as well as a very nervous looking, shivering cat in a red cape.
“N- No! I thought Sombra had broken the connection!” Salazar quivered. “There’s no way they should be working!”
“Sorry Salazar,” Twilight said. “but Sombra has disappointed you.”
The cat twitched his eyes. “Very well then, it seems I have no choice. Behold: My trump card!”
Salazar swept his pulsating green staff in front of him, and shot a green lighting from the skeletal headpiece. The bolt of magic stuck the ground, and poofed up an iron cage. Rainbow then suddenly felt the flow of magic disappear, for inside the cage were-
“Opal!” Rarity cried.
“Angel? O- oh no”
“Gummy! What are you doing in there?”
The rest of them cried out as they saw their pets trapped inside the cruel bars. They squirmed uncomfortably inside the tight spaces. Salazar arrogantly chuckled at his small victory, twisting his thinly crooked mustache. With the animals at his mercy, the mares wouldn’t even dare attack him.
“You see! You see! I always have a backup plan!” Salazar went up towards the cage, and picked it up. “You blast me, and you blast these poor saps as well!”
“Ohnoohnoohnoohno,” Fluttershy squeaked over and over again, on the verge of tears.
“Well now what?” Applejack demanded. “Ah can’t just leave Winona in danger!”
“And my baby Opal as well!” Rarity teared up.
“What about Gummy! He needs his auntie Pinkie!”
The mares bawled over each other, pleading for Twilight’s guidance. The mare in speaking was being over whelmed by the sudden twist of events. She nervously peered over to the cage as well. Her feathered friend, Owlowiscious, was in there as well!
“Hold on girls, I’m trying to think here!” Twilight shrunk from the constant cries of her friends.
Rainbow Dash wasn’t a part of the scream fest though. She was trying to gather her thoughts, and see if she could locate her pet in the crowd of the others. However, there wasn’t a scale, or shell of the critter.
Oh Tank, where the heck are you?, Rainbow anxiously wondered.
As the cyan mare speculated the whereabouts of her pet tortoise, she looked above Salazar, and gasped. Luckily, she managed to muffle her shock so nopony would notice. Tank, that sly, green, slow reptile, was on a nearby roof, directly above the furry sorcerer. What in Celestia’s plothole was he doing up there? He’s going to get spotted! Rainbow Dash tried to signal to Tank to get the buck out of there, but then Salazar noticed her antics.
“Why on Discord’s feathered tail are you dancing for?” he demanded.
Her friends looked over to her. Rainbow Dash stopped. “Nothing! Just mocking you, that’s all!”
“Hmph! I wouldn’t do that if I were you, especially since I have all of your pets as hostages!” The cat allowed himself an evil laugh before starting to wave his staff. “And now, for the inevitable checkmate!”
Rainbow Dash didn’t retort. There were more pressing matters at hand. Like the fact that Tank looking about ready to jump! With her predictions right on the spot, the tortoise made a ten point leap.
“I win- OOFH! What the?? Get off me, you infernal beast!” Salazar yowled, trying to knock Tank off his head.
In the escalating moment, he had dropped the cage and it miraculously broke into pieces, freeing the imprisoned animals from within. The pets scurried (or flew) over to their respectful owners, demanding comfort from their masters with cuddles. They all obliged, and cooed at them. One mare, however, was missing out on all the fun. Cause her pet was still in danger.
“Tank! What are you doing?” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Get back over here!”
“I… I think he’s trying to distract him!” Twilight realized. “We must take this chance, girls!”
“What?” Rainbow couldn’t believe what was coming out of her friend’s mouth. “Are you serious? We can’t use the Elements now! Tank is still up there!”
“It’s his choice in the matter, Dashie,” Applejack chided. “He’s buying us time.”
“Bu- but!”
“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Twilight insisted. “The Elements of Harmony only affects beings with bad intentions, remember?”
“I- I,” she stammered.
Not sure what to believe in, she looked over to Tank. The loyal pet was desperately trying to hang on, not letting Salazar’s swipes knock him off. She looked back at her friends, who were insistent on defeating Salazar now. Between the peer pressure, and the safety of Tank, she knew that Equestria was more important. She sighed in resignation. Some Element of Loyalty she was.
“Alright, I’ll do it,” Rainbow Dash gave in. She joined in with the others for the final confrontation between them and Salazar. “Are you sure Tank will be alright?”
“Absolutely,” Twilight said.
Well, better late than never. Rainbow Dash focused her will of loyalty again, and joined her energy in with her friends. The friendship they’ve shared with each other gushed in and out of the bearers, flowing like streams of refreshing water. Before she even knew it, the moment was over, and Salazar was defeated. The product of their battle though was dustier than their other fights with evil goddesses and demons. The smoke was filling the lungs of Rainbow Dash, causing her to cough a little. It wasn’t a fiery kind of smoke, but it was thick enough to make her gasp for fresh air.
“Tank?” She urgently called out. “Tank? Where are you?”
She then heard a familiar wheeze come from the center. That was her Tank! Annoyed by the smoke obscuring her vision, she rapidly flapped her wings, successfully clearing away the smoke. The scenery that was reveal by her wind was outrageous. A huge crater was formed from the impact of their friendship beam, leaving no traces of any form of life or crazy furballs. However, Rainbow Dash can discriminate a small, green shell at the bottom.
“Tank!” Rainbow Dash quickly flew in the hole to rescue her pet, forming a gleeful smile along the way. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay. You had me scared there for a mome- what the?” Her earlier grin was quickly replaced by a bemused look.
Tank had popped his head out from his shell, but there was something different about him. Okay, make that two differences. Her pet was now sporting a long horn from the top of his forehead, looking sharp enough to pierce the heavens above. Previously camouflaged by his shell patterned, Tank had unfurled a pair of graceful, feathery wings that were very much larger than life. Her friends gasped in amazement at the spectacle they were given. All around Ponyville, the civilians were also given the treat of the phenomenon. Rainbow Dash’s reaction?
“What?”