Goose clapped his hooves and just like that we were swarmed with a myriad of powers. Portals and lasers of all kinds were shootin' everywhere and Ah couldn't make heads or tails of what belonged ta who. Blur was quick to grab the attention of the beam shooters and while she played whack-a-mole with them, Ah went ta deal with the physical oriented Power Ponies.
Without a second ta spare, the green one came after me with her spiky tail. She was slow and predictable, but the red one followed suit quick and the two worked well in tandem. After gettin' used ta their attacks, Ah found an openin' and grabbed the red one and used her as a meat shield against her teammate. The spike tail jabbed into her, and she passed out near immediately. The green one was a little shocked, and that was all the time Ah needed ta punt her inta the mirror like cube wall that surrounded us. The thin' rippled and almost cracked, then the green one collapsed ta the ground like a rag doll.
“Well, that takes care of two. How are ya doin'?” Ah asked Blur. Ah turned around ta figure out what she was up ta, and it looked more like she was just playin' with them than actually fightin' back. The four elemental mares would shoot some kinda beam from all different directions, Blur would just play limbo with em, then the portal chick would redirect the beams, and then Blur would just go lean on her in her trademark fashion. It didn't look like these girls were used ta Blur's brand of irritatin', and she was relishin' in that fact.
“Oh you know. I think they're more used to surprise attacks, so they really don't know what to do with so many allies in a fight. What do you want to do?” Blur asked.
“Let's knock em' out and get this over with. Ah'll go after the portal chick first, then We'll just take the rest out. You been hit by anythin'?” Ah asked. Ah could barely see Blur until she stopped ta tease somepony then moved ta another spot.
“Nah, they're not that good I don't think. The closest anypony got was that Volt Switch girl. I think she's better than the rest- Oh shit!” Blur just about halted on a dime as a lightnin’ bolt struck just in front of her.
“Damn... One more...” Volt Switch said. At this point, Ah figured Ah'd intervene. Ah shot just under the yellow one's stomach and reeled myself in as Ah loaded a kick with my back leg. She noticed me just a little too late, and my leg collided with her ribcage. She hit the corner of the cube and dropped like a sack of bricks.
Ah pulled my blade out of the ground and turned around ta intimidate the other groupies. The girls nearly froze in spot fer a second and that's all Ah needed ta get ta work. The closest ta me was the water based Power Pony so Ah figured Ah'd go after her first. Actin' like a gorilla ta keep up the significant amount of fear Ah seem ta have struck in these girls, Ah charged toward her stompin' both of my front hooves in the ground with every move that Ah made. Ah reached her, stopped right in front of her face, spun and kicked her ta Timbucktu. Ah heard a pretty good soundin' crack come from her body, so Ah'm hopin' Ah didn't hurt her too badly. She smacked face first inta the field and after landin', the cube wall started ta crack.
While Ah was busy, it looked like the other girls wised up ta what we were doin' and tried ta even the playin' field. The ice bitch switched tactics and started ta cover the ground in ice, which as luck would have it, managed to catch Blur.
“Oh crap, they got my leg!” Blur cried as she tried ta struggle out of her icy prison. Ah turned around just in time ta watch the light mare form some kinda sharp crystal like thin' in one of her hooves like she was about ta spear Blur. As fast as Ah could, Ah aimed one of my wristbands at her hoof and fired. She musta caught sight of me just before Ah fired because right then, she canceled her crystal and ducked. The blade shot and stopped in the cube wall, and whether Ah was ready or not, it started ta retract. Just about yanked from my spot, Ah managed ta get a hold of myself and close-lined the poor Ice chick before she knew what hit her. Ah put the limp body Ah was now in possession of on the ground, and at the same time, Blur freed herself. Standin' together now, Ah decided ta offer these last two a choice.
“So. If y'all want ta keep this up, Ah'm sure we're game, but Ah figure yer a little more than out matched, and pretty soon y'all be out numbered. Why don't ya just give up? This was over the minute it started.” The magenta one narrowed her eyes at me.
“The day I give up protecting my darling is the day I die! Take this!” Synchro Noise said. She got inta that stance again and formed another crystal. This one was much smaller and much faster than the last one, and she javelin tossed it at my face. Rather than test it, Ah just stepped outta the way and punched it. The crystal shattered and shot little light-needles in the cube walls everywhere.
“Holy hell... I don't know about you, but the Boss lady would love to study that.” Blur said. Ah stood and admired my work with her.
“Honestly, Ah think Ah'd like ta study that. Yer power is formin' light right? Condensin' it Ah suppose?” Ah asked. The mare stomped her hooves on the ground.
“Are you mocking me!? I am Synchro Noise, and I will not be treated like a child! Pulse!” She yelled at her teammate. The other mare, who looked like she was about ready to give up snapped ta attention.
“Y-yes?” She stuttered.
“Do the thing we talked about.” Synchro ordered.
“B-but Goose said-” Pulse started.
“I don't care what Goose said! If we don't he'll end up in jail for good, do what I asked you!” The black coated mare pulled out her phone from seemingly nowhere, or at least nowhere that Ah could tell she was hidin' in that damned tight suit, and aimed her horn at its screen. She aimed her horn at the ground by Synchro's hooves and an orange portal opened up. Inside it was somewhere else on the docks next ta a crate in a storage container. Synchro reached down inta it and pulled out somethin' Ah never thought Ah'd see again.
“All I have to do is put this on my chest and I'll become stronger than both of you!” In her hooves now was a mirror. It was bright as the stars and reflected more than Ah thought was possible. But that wasn't right. It was the same mirror. It was the one he was wearin' back then. The stallion that Red Hoof fought. The stallion that Dad fought. The stallion that crashed through a buildin' with him. He was wearin' one just like it... That was the mirror... That was the mirror... that was the mirror... that was the mirror... that was the mirror...
“Marevelous what are you doing!? Look out!” Blur shouted. Ah was pulled back ta my senses and what Ah saw in front of me was nothin' like what Ah thought was just there. Standin in front of me now was some kinda monster. Covered in magenta scales, the creature was like a giant lizard with bat wings and several blue and red crystalline horns runnin' from it's head ta the back of it's tail. It had opened it's mouth and some kinda light was beginnin' ta charge in front of me from deep within' the creature's mouth. Ah finally realized what was goin' on in time ta dodge the beam of hot white light that fired from inside the creature. The beam traveled through the cube and shattered a hole in it. It kept goin' until finally it reached a storage container. The metal bubbled and expanded red hot until it finally exploded, leavin' melted chunks of steel all over.
“What in the fuck is that!?” Ah exclaimed.
“What is it!? Where did you go!? That's Synchro Noise!” What had happened finally dawned on me. When Synchro touched the mirror ta her chest, the thin' started ta meld with her skin. The veins in her body turned black and she started ta scream out in agony. Her body twisted and grew rapidly, makin' horrible cracks and pops all the while. Her coat was replaced with scales and her form became lizard like until finally it stopped where she is now. The dragon that was Synchro let out a loud roar that shattered the rest of the cube, and all around me Ah saw Goose's grunts runnin’ around with boxes and throwin’ them in storage containers. They all stopped and turned when the sound of shattered glass started ta hit the ground and the magenta dragon was out in plain sight. The dragon turned its attention ta some of the grunts and began ta charge it's beam.
“Shit! Blur, get those ponies outta the way! She's about ta fire again!” Blur took off and Ah ran around ta try and slam the dragon's mouth shut. Ah jumped above her head and loaded as much force as Ah could inta my right hoof as possible. Ah slammed inta the dragon, but it was only enough ta get her ta half close her mouth.
That wasn't enough!? The beam came out and Blur had only managed ta get a few of the grunts out of the beam's trajectory. When the dust settled, there was just a rut in the pier now, melted from the intense heat. Pieces of ponies were charred and scattered all over the place.
Blur dropped ta her knees, and all at once the remainin' grunts broke inta a frenzy ta get away. Screams filled the pier as the grunts dropped and broke crates. Ponies scattered in every direction, topplin' over each other and pushin' each other out of the way. The dragon let out another ear shatterin' roar and took aim at Blur now.
“Son of a bitch, get up! We don't have time ta fuck around!” Ah shot one of my blades after her and launched ta Blur's location. As Ah was pickin' her up, the monster was just about ready ta fire. Ah didn't have time ta shoot again, so Ah put all Ah could inta a jump. The beam came out of the monster's mouth just as Ah made it inta the air. The laser passed and caught the end of my tail with it. A searin' heat shot up my spine and made me drop Blur mid jump. Ah crashed inta a storage container and started cursin' at the top of my lungs. It was the most intense pain Ah'd ever felt in my life, and after Ah finally got a look at it, Ah figured out why. About half of my tail was gone, and where it stopped now was a bright orange, black charred mess melted ta red latex. Seein' the damage only made it worse and Ah screamed out.
“Applejack!? Applejack come in! What happened?! Are you alright? I can't get a hold of Pinkie, what happened!?” Twilight started ta yell in my head.
“Damn it, would ya shut up!? She melted off half my goddess damned tail! Good fuckin' hooves day it hurts! Ah, shit!” Just then, Ah heard a whine that reminded me of a camera about to take a picture. Ah looked up and saw another bright orb start ta from in the dragon's mouth. Ah immediately looked around fer Blur, and when Ah couldn't find her, Ah figured there was no way she was behind me. Ah leapt outta the way and another beam of light shot through the bent storage container Ah crashed inta earlier. The dragon roared at me and finally, my anger reached a tippin' point. Ah charged the bitch seein' nothin' but red.
The dragon reared its giant head back and looked like she was about ta snap at me. Rather than avoid it, Ah got an idea and spread my hooves out in anticipation fer it. Ah grabbed her jaws with my left hooves and then started ta punch in what used ta be her soft pallet. The dragon moaned in pain, and then Ah fired my cable through it's mouth after it started ta bleed. The wire passed and shot all deep in her skull until it stopped at the bone. The creature screeched in pain and Ah started ta loose more of the wire. Ah let go of her jaws and used all my strength ta pull on the wire. Like Ah hoped, the blade was stuck enough in the monster ta bring it with me and Ah slammed the creature on it's back inta the concrete.
The monster roared out in anguish as she tried ta get back on her hooves, but Ah was gonna make damn sure that didn't happen. The creature was about ta make it ta her side and Ah had the wire reel back in. It rocketed me ta her mouth and Ah punched right in the skin of her jaw. Ah could feel the bones shatter under my hooves, and the monster lashed out at me, kickin' me solid in the stomach with one of her stubby scaly hooves. Ah shot back until the wire caught me, only fer it ta snap and stop only so much of my momentum. Ah sank inta a storage container and couldn't hardly catch my breath after she knocked the wind outta me. The dragon roared again, blowin' a wind in my face, and Ah busted the rest of the storage container around me. Ah spat out some blood that had welled up in my mouth and the dragon stamped a hoof in the ground twice like she was about ta charge.
Ah screamed as we both charged at each other, the dragon's hoofsteps shakin' the very earth around us and my own stomps doin' about the same. As if she were a whip, the dragon stopped once she was in range and twisted her body while usin' one of her hooves as an axis tryin' ta gore me with the spines along her back. Ah saw it comin' just in time and leapt over the swipe. While in the air, Ah aimed the remainin' blade at her eye and fired. The monster writhed once the blade pierced the gooey orb and rather than bring me toward her, the blade came back with the eyeball attached ta it.
The dragon screeched again, this time so loud that she shattered all the nearby light bulbs and just about caused my ears ta bleed. Ah was disoriented but still angry enough ta keep it together and go in fer the final attack. She'd raised her head and Ah realized that the scales on the underside of her neck were smaller and not as thick as the other scales that practically armored. While she was distracted, Ah jumped and shot at the ground just underneath the monster's neck. The wire reeled in enough ta launch me toward the blade and then Ah halted it so Ah would have enough length of it ta use. Ah landed and then jumped over her neck, wrappin' it with the wire as Ah did. The creature swiped at me, but not quick enough ta keep me from finishin' the loop. Ah landed on her back, wrapped the wire around my hoof and pull with all my strength.
The Monster started ta choke. She fired beams of light every which way in the air as she squirmed and struggled under my strength. Ah pulled harder, and the creature groaned and screeched, no longer able breathe fer her beams. Her movements started to slow and just as Ah could see her remainin' pupil begin ta sink upward in it's socket, Ah was kicked off the monster. The dragon took a deep breath, and finally fainted.
“Stop it, stop it, stop it! You... you were really gonna kill her!” Ah heard. When my eyes could finally see color in the world other than red, Ah saw Goose cryin' over Synchro's limp dragon body. “You idiot...! I told you not to use the mirror at any cost... Why? You... you killed so many of our friends...” Ah finally managed ta regain all of my senses and was now able ta see just how much damage had been done. There were four new ruts in the pier, all of which still steamin' from their recently melted state. Goose's other girls had disappeared, and none of his grunts were anywhere ta be found, save fer... well, the remains of the ones that were caught in the initial beam. There was a smell in the air that just defiled the nose, like that of singed fur, waftin' slowly over the pier. The concrete everywhere Ah had been was just about rubble at this point, and several storage containers we converted inta warped or melted modern art pieces. Then a thought finally came ta mind.
“Aw hell, where is Blur?” Ah said aloud. Goose was quick ta answer.
“She... She's over by the entrance to the pier. I've been...” He sniffed, “trying to get my ponies to safety during your fight. Oh goddess... If I had known that... Oh goddess, this never should have happened... If it weren't for these fuckin' mirrors!” Goose yelled. He stepped back and found what he was lookin' fer on Synchro's body. Just between her front legs, hidden under a crest in her rib cage was a football shaped mirror pulsin' on her body. Goose punched it, and the mirror shattered. The veins on the dragon pulsed one last time, and the body started ta sink inta the shape of the pony it used ta be. Once the body had finished revertin', it wasn't movin' anymore.
“Synchro? Oh baby please... please don't...” Goose stated, but quickly lost much of his voice. The hole in Synchro's mouth and her empty eye socket were just drainin' blood all around her body. Ah spotted Blur and she looked relatively unharmed, if not just a little scratched up here and there. Ah stood up, and against my better judgment, Ah patted Goose on the back. Ah wasn't sure who Ah was doin' it fer at this point though.
“Twilight... thin's here got outta hoof in a hurry, but... Ah guess the mission is done.”
“Is Pinkie okay? What happened out there? Are you okay? I just saw a heat signature fade off my map...” Ah shook my head.
“We're fine. That... that was my fault. I'm bringin' Blur and Goose back ta the castle with me. Ah don't care which one ya call, but Ah need ta talk ta one of yer relatives, in a hurry too.” There was silence fer a moment.
“I can have Luna here if it's really that urgent...” She clearly wasn't happy about it, but willin' ta call her aunt anyways.
“Ah figured as much. She's probably the one ta talk ta anyhow.” Ah could feel it wellin' up in my throat. Ah spat out another glob of blood, but the feelin' wasn't gone. Ah knew exactly what it was, but didn't want ta say anythin'.
“Okay, I'll send the message then. Applejack...? Is... is something wrong?” Twilight asked. My teeth clenched together.
“Ah... Ah couldn't control myself and... Ah...” Now it was my turn ta lose my voice.
“Don't say anything else. Just come back and then we can talk, okay? I expect to see you here in the next twenty minutes. It'll be okay.” Ah rubbed at my eyes and sniffed.
“Get up. After everythin' you just put me through, you're gonna keep yer end of the deal, got it?” Ah said, tryin' ta keep the shakin' out of my voice. Silently, Goose stood and followed me like a lost puppy. Ah picked up Pinkie and threw her on my back as we left and resisted the temptation ta look back at the corpse we left behind. With one last deep breath, the three of us left the pier. It'll be a long time before Ah ever want ta come back here.