//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Deception // Story: Equestria Wars Episode XV: Knights of Zero // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Charming Thunder looked at the downed SCORPIO and got up to walk away from her as the GEMINI captain said, "The inferior model has been eliminated, and I have sent an alert to Zero." Charming Thunder was shocked to hear that Zero is now heading to the ship. "He is on his way. You may want to leave before you die, too." "I am here to take your ship," Charming Thunder said. "Nothing is going to change that." "Death it is then. Understood." A holo image of Lucina appeared behind Charming Thunder as he approached the terminal. "Dad, you alright over there?" Lucina asked. "SCORPIO's gone," Charming Thunder said. "The captain destroyed her." "She did serve us well. One less problem on our hooves, I suppose." "That's not all. The captain sent a signal to Zero." "Then the entire Eternal Fleet will be coming our way. We don't want to be around when they show up. We should regroup. We'll come to assist you." --------------------- Once everyone met up together at the doors to the bridge, Charming Thunder and the others entered the room and see the GEMINI captain floating. Lucina and Charming Thunder activated their lightsabers as Kallen drew her blaster and readied themselves for combat. "It's over," Charming Thunder said. "That was fast," the captain said. "I expected to have several minutes more. Oh well." Skytroopers suddenly came up and surrounded Charming Thunder and the others. "Personal combat simulations have been a hobby of mine for several minutes now. I've conducted more than two thousand in that time. Your chances of survival are....poor." "You can't win. Surrender." "Incorrect. I can win. In fact, I can do anything I want." The Skytroopers aimed their weapons as Charming Thunder leaps in the air and sliced one of them in half as the battle commenced. Kallen aimed her blaster and fired at some Skytroopers as Lucina chopped some down. The GEMINI captain decloaked out of nowhere behind Charming Thunder and began to lay some punches. He grabbed her arm and threw her across the room as she cloaked. Four holograms of her appeared and began to fire at him. As he deflected, he tried to figure out which one was the real one and found her across from him. He leaps in the air and sliced at her. She then got on her knees and looked up at Charming Thunder. "That....was incredible. It was....beyond anything I could have ask for." "That doesn't sound good," Kallen said. The captain slowly got to her feet as Charming Thunder stood back a little. "Now I know what it's like. Even in failure, it's my failure. My choice. Isn't it wonderful?" "Are you saying that you have free will now?" Charming Thunder asked. "How is that possible?" "It isn't easy to keep you distracted. The Skytroopers never slowed you for long. Even so, I kept up my end. Now I get to do whatever I choose. And I choose...." The ship began to shake a little as the captain turned and walked away from Charming Thunder. "There. Destruction protocols are in effect." Charming Thunder thought about it for a sec and then something occurred to him. "Something happened during your battle with SCORPIO, didn't it? It changed you somehow." "Astute of you, your highness. Not that your epiphany is of any consequence. Your fate remains the same. I have decided to transfer my consciousness into the frequency. And now that I'm finished, I've decided to leave." The captain began to spark with electricity. "If the ship's utter destruction doesn't kill you, I'm sure Zero will. He would be arriving soon. Enjoy dying." She then collapsed as Charming Thunder and the others rushed to a terminal next to the door they just came in. "We need to get the GEMINI Prime on board. She can stop this." "There's no time for that," Kallen said as explosions erupted everywhere on the ship. A holo transmission of Twilight appeared on the terminal. "Charming, do you read?" Twilight said. "What's going on up there? This ship is about to explode!" "We should leave now!" Lucina said. "This mission is a failure." "It wasn't a total loss. As long as we get off this ship, we'll head back to Canterlot and inform the princesses on what's happened. Let's move out." Charming Thunder, Lucina, and Kallen made a run for it to the hangar bay as the ship continued to explode. When they arrived at the hangar, the shuttle they arrived in was about to take off as they ran for it avoiding collapsing debris. They jumped in the shuttle and ran to the cockpit of the shuttle. "Everybody hang on," the pilot said as he piloted the shuttle out of the cruiser. The Eternal Fleet along with a flagship in front of them. The flagship's guns aimed at the shuttle as it made a run for it. Zero watched from the bridge as the shuttle made the jump to hyperspace. He slowly turned and trotted off of the bridge. "Find them," Zero said as he continued to walk away. --------------------- Charming Thunder and the others looked at the deactivated GEMINI Prime as they wondered why it is shut off. "Okay, this is getting weird," Twilight said. "She's being unresponsive ever since we left the ship." "Strange," Charming Thunder said. "What could this mean?" --------------------- Guards stood at ease at the throne room as the seat was left open since Zero left. Suddenly, Skytroopers entered the room and opened fire at the guards. The guards raised their shields and blocked the blaster fire. One by one, they were shot down as the Skytroopers approached the throne. Suddenly, a holo figure shaped like SCORPIO appeared and transformed into an actual being as she sat on the throne. She then got up and stepped forward as the Skytroopers turned around. --------------------- As Charming Thunder and the others examined the GEMINI Prime more, a hologram transmission came in and Charming Thunder couldn't believe his eyes seeing SCORPIO alive. "I needed you to believe I was deactivated," she said. "I take you in, and you stab me in the back," Charming Thunder said angrily. "We had an arrangement. You wanted something. I wanted something. I happened to regain command of my master's Eternal Fleet. If my master; Cyber, ever returns, he will be most pleased. For now, the fleet is now mine to control. After SCORPIO cut the transmission, Charming Thunder and the others scowled before suddenly and abruptly, Lucina cried out in shock as her eyes narrowed down insanely small and fell to the ground. Charming Thunder and Twilight ran to her side with worry. "Lucina!" Charming Thunder shouted "What happened!?" "M-My connection to the dark side..." Lucina whispered like she was having a major headache "I-it just suddenly severed completely, very forcible. Danny, can you help me with my headache." No response. "Danny?" Again, no response. "Is anyone home?" After a brief moment of silence, she scowled. "Danny! So help me I'll- Wait..." "What?" Twilight asked with nervousness. Then the next thing Lucina said shocked them completely, "DANNY IS NO LONGER IN MY HEAD!! I CAN'T SENSE HIM IN MY BRAIN!" "W-what!?" Charming Thunder asked in shocked. "Wait... there is someth- ARGK!!!" Lucina said before grunting in pain. "Lucina? Are you ok?" Twilight asked with worry. "YOU IDIOTS!" Lucina shouted, but it was not her voice. It was Danny's. Charming Thunder and Twilight backed off and see Lucina standing, her eyes were purple and she laughed. "I can't believe you actually FELL for that!" The Danny-possessed Lucina shouted with glee. "I can't believe you didn't get suspicious at all! No wonder why you fail all the time, Charming Thunder!" "What do you mean!?" Charming Thunder scowled. 'Lucina' stopped before grinning. "Think about it. Why, all of a sudden and out of the blue, would I suggest SCORPIO to come alone for the ride?" Charming Thunder began to think, trying to connect dots but Twilight beat him to it. "It's the Keeper, isn't it?" She looked at 'Lucina' "You tricked us! You intended on having SCORPIO take the Eternal Fleet back for you because she was your Keeper that you told us about!" 'Lucina' grinned even more "Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Give a prize to Miss Sparkle!" "Why!?" Charming Thunder shouted "I thought you changed!" 'Lucina' laughed. "Me!? Change!? Don't make me laugh! Good and Evil cannot and probably WILL NOT fuse together! There will always be an opposite and since I am giving you an irrupted departure, I will give you a warning. Very soon, in the near future, I will ascend from my current state to a point where no one could ever challenge me. The darkness rises with the light, but both must defeat the Betrayer! Once the death of the Betrayer is ensured, the light and dark will forever be bounded by the balance of rivalry and their battles shall be legendary as well as their adventures. Heed those words, Charming, because sooner or later, I will reappear and when I do fight against you once more, and there will be nothing that will stop me from achieving that goal! Not you or anyone else!" Lucina began to twitch as she was surrounded by an aura of purple energy. "This world shall know the true power of Light and Dark!" Suddenly, there was a flash and when that ended, everyone sees Lucina on the ground, groaning in pain. Charming Thunder rushed over to Lucina and helped her up as their flight to Canterlot continues.