//------------------------------// // The Storm // Story: The Tale of the Three Sided Medallion // by FlareGun45 //------------------------------// The ponies, dragons, griffons, yaks, and changelings all started battling against the dark forces of Tartarus. With Equestria and all of their allies present, it’s pretty much an even battle since Tartarus’ dark forces are extra powerful and come in very large quantities. The yaks were smashing evil forces left and right with the griffons clawing at their faces. Changelings fool the dark forces with their disguises, and dragons burn the forces to a crisp. Of course there are causalities in all ends – with fellow friends falling for the sake of their lands. However, now is not the right time to regret the fallen, for the enemy is still nigh, and every allied force must work together to keep the dark forces away from Equestria, because there are so much more friends back home that needs protecting, and who knows what might happen to them once the forces reach them? In the middle of the battle, Scropan comes face to face with his brother. Tirek says, “So we’re really doing this, huh?” “We don’t have to.” Scorpan said. “I’d rather us just forget about all this. Fight along side me, Tirek. I’ve redeemed myself. Can you do the same? The princesses will let us both go – but you’re going to have to trust me.” “I trusted you many centuries ago!” Tirek said as he sucks up the magic of nearby allied forces at once. Ponies collapse on the ground all tired out, yaks lost the will to smash, griffons and dragons fall from the sky, and changelings can no longer change. When Tirek absorbs all their magic, he grows. “But I had to regret that trust.” He continued. “And you must PAY!” Tirek fires a huge magical beam at Scorpan, but he immediately turns himself into stone to protect himself. “Is that seriously all you can do, Scorpan? Turn yourself into stone?” “Nope, I’m just getting warmed up!” Scorpan said. “You think you’re the only one who can absorb and perform magic?” Scorpan opens his mouth, and starts absorbing the magic from some of Tirek’s forces, and he starts to grow as big as Tirek. “We’re brothers, Tirek. We know the same magic.” “Grrrr!” Tirek growls as he and his brother start having the biggest magical duel since Tirek’s battle with Twilight. Speaking of Twilight, the Mane Six were contributing all they could to defeat the Tartarus forces in their own unique ways. Rarity had a magical crystal shield much like her human counterpart that was used to reflect the magical blast from the evil forces right back towards them. She also uses the shield as a mirror the admire herself for a job well done, and also to fix her hair when it gets messed up in the middle of battle. Pinkie Pie helped out with the battle by using her party cannon, but it wasn’t very affective on the evil forces. “Hmm.” Pinkie thought. “Not feeling the party? Oooh, wait! This party is too small for you! You need something more your size!” That was when Pinkie brought out a much bigger party cannon. “Say hello to the Super Speedy Cake Squeezy 6000!” She fires it as the evil forces get piled on from the cake, who couldn’t resist the sweet taste of it. “I really hope I don’t get sued for that name.” Pinkie said. Applejack lassos up the enemy forces and rode them like a rodeo so she can tie them up and bring ‘em down! Rainbow Dash flew along side the Wonderbolts to try to confuse the enemies and have them knock into each other or make them dizzy. Fluttershy didn’t really fight any of the enemies, but teamed up with the medical team so she can bring the fallen allies to safety to get healed up. “Good job, girls!” Twilight congratulated her friends. “At this rate this battle will be won in no time!” “Ah know this battle will be won, but let’s just hope it gets won by the correct side.” Applejack said. “Of course we’ll win! Good always prevails!” Rainbow said. Right after she said that, a few of the Wonderbolt cadets and a couple of full-time Wonderbolts, in this case Thunderlane and Misty Fly, get sucked up by Tirek’s magic as he continues to fight his brother. Celestia and Luna help out in the battle as well, and even though they are very affective against the enemies, there’s only so much they can do to help themselves, as they are at the same time commanding the EUP. Meanwhile with Starlight, she takes down three strong enemies, including the Bugbear that attacked Ponyville a while back; however, before she was able to fight the dreaded Hydia, Queen Chrysalis pops in and blasts Starlight by surprise. Luckily for Starlight, she thought fast, and protected herself with a magical field. Starlight fired back at her, but Chrysalis’ quick reflexes help her with dodging the blast. Chrysalis then takes out an orb out of her satchel and tosses it at Starlight. She teleports out of the way, and instead of Starlight, the orb hits Hydia, causing her to get tied up with the orb’s special ability. Chrysalis starts to get even angrier as she is very determined to taking down Starlight. As Scorpan claps his claws which causes the ground to crack in a line, Tirek dodges out of the way and says, “You have power, Scorpan, power that you never used until now! You have potential, dear brother! I know you want to make amends with me, and I’ll gladly accept if you just come back. Let’s take over Equestria together like we planned!” “I’m done fighting, I’m done running away, I’m done ruining lives, and I’m done with avoiding you!” Scorpan said. “All I want now is to go home, but I can’t go back without you.” “That’s why you wanted to make amends with me, isn’t it?” Tirek asked. “It’s the only way for you to return home. Well, guess what, brother? You think they’ll let you back even with me with you? Our parents never wanted us to take over Equestria! They won’t let us back no matter what! It’s too late, so we must make this our new home!” “They will forgive us, brother!” Scorpan said. “Twilight and her friends can make it happen!” “Seriously why is it ‘Twilight and her friends’?” Pinkie asked. “Yeah, who elected her leader?” Rainbow asked. “I thought this was a friendship thing?” “I can’t believe you’d side with these weak ponies over your own flesh and blood!” Tirek said. “Where did your life go so wrong, brother? That fool Star Swirl, he never understood potential whenever he saw one! He corrupted you! He became your new brother, and after that, this dragon friend of yours!” Spike roars loudly as stomps towards the allies. “Who’s next after him, brother? Are you just going to keep finding more brothers to make up for your betrayal on me?” Spike starts taking down some of the allies unintentionally. Just before he took down some dragons, Garble in the middle whimpered and said, “Uh, Spike, I’m sorry for all the harassment I’ve given you! I was just having fun, I always thought you were cool! No hard feelings, right?” Spike didn’t accept, and just stomps on him. “Spike!” Ember cries out as he flies up to him along with Thorax. “Snap out of it, buddy! You’re better than this!” “Please!” Thorax begs. “I want my friend back!” Spike suddenly exhales some fire breath towards their direction, but they both dodge out of the way. “Spike, quit being dumb!” Ember yells. “We’re your friends! They’re the enemies! Fight them!” Spike just whacks both Ember and Thorax out of the way as he starts charging towards the princesses. “Where did he go so wrong, Thorax?” Ember asked as upsettingly. “What happened to Spike?” “That’s not Spike, Ember.” Thorax said. “That’s just a monster using Spike’s body.” “Hey, that ‘monster’ happens to be a dragon, you know.” Ember reminded him, feeling insulted. Chrysalis tosses orbs everywhere to try to get Starlight out of hiding. Don’t look away from me, Starlight Glimmer!” Chrysalis yelled. “I want you to look at me when I take you down!” She continues searching for her. “I know you fear me. Ever since I swore revenge on you, you’ve been afraid of me! Tirek told me how much you’ve been afraid! I think you should face your fear, and just let me destroy you, and get it over with!” Starlight was about to ambush Chrysalis from behind, but Chrysalis notices her coming and tosses an orb at her which causes a fume of smoke to screen her, and Starlight starts coughing. Chrysalis uses this advantage to tackle Starlight down. “Now I gotcha! Take a look around you, Glimmer! None of this would’ve happened if you didn’t steal my hive from me!” “This is YOUR doing, Chrysalis!” Starlight informed her “If you would’ve just accepted our friendship then and there, we’d all be at peace! You would get the love that you needed! You don’t have to be evil! You have nothing to gain from it!” “But it tastes so delicious!” Chrysalis said as she licked her lips. “Ew that tongue.” Starlight commented as she suddenly teleports out of Chrysalis’ grasp and returns to dueling her. Spike was getting closer towards the princesses, but they were too busy fighting and ordering that they don’t notice him coming. However, Twilight notices him, and she said, “Spike!” She flies over as fast as she could to protect the princesses. Spike was about to exhale some fire on them, and just as the princesses notice him, there was nothing they can do, but Twilight jumps in the way and uses her magic to shield the princesses from the fire blast. “Spike, stop this! It’s me, Twilight! Your best friend!” Twilight tried to snap Spike out of it. “My only best friend is gems, and Tirek promised me so much more if I help him take down the princesses… and you!” Spike said. “Trust me, Spike, the only thing Tirek will promise you is a one-way ticket to betrayal and disharmony.” Twilight said. “Please, snap out of it, Spike! I know you’re in there! Fight, Spike! Fight through the greed! I believe in you!” Spike exhales another breath of fire towards Twilight, and even though she protects herself from burning, the impact is causing her to get pushed back. Some of the allies start attacking Spike, which is causing him to fight back. “Stop!” Twilight yelled. “Stop hurting him! You’re making it worse! It’s Spike, everypony! STOP!” Nopony could hear her, and as Tirek and Scorpan were fighting, Scorpan gets distracted as he saw his friend getting attacked. Tirek fires a magical blast at Scorpan, which causes him to fall to the ground in pain. “Why do you care about that dragon so much, brother?” Tirek asked. “You met a random dragon, you befriended him, and now you two trust each other like you’re family! This is not like your friendship with Star Swirl, or any of your friendships with anypony else. This is something different. What could it be?” Scorpan fires a magical blast at Tirek to push him back so he can get back up and fight him fairly. “You found him as an egg, and you gave him to the ponies. Twilight Sparkle hatches the egg, and gets a bond with him. Yes, I know about the bond. She’s his mother. But wait a minute, brother? Isn’t there something missing there? Who’s the father?” Scorpan levitates some huge boulders and throws them at Tirek, but Tirek cuts each boulder in half and they miss him completely. “In dragon culture,” Tirek continues, “when the mother gives the egg love, the mother and the hatchling have a sacred bond that shall never be broken. As for the father, the bond between him and the child is he who protects the egg. Is it not?” Scorpan charges at his brother and screams as he runs towards him with his fist out. Tirek steps out of the way and Scorpan keeps charging as he punches the nearby boulder, causing it to shatter. “Spike’s father was never there for him when he needed it, so the egg had to trust a new protector. Who was the one who rescued the egg, Scorpan? Who? Dear brother, your bond with this dragon isn’t a coincidence. It was meant to be! But you knew that already… didn’t you?” “AAAAH!” Scorpan cries out in rage as he fires the biggest magical blast he ever made which causes Tirek to get pushed back and he slams into the nearby mountain. Spike keeps fighting with the allies and trying the hardest he could to reach the princesses. “Spike, please!” Twilight begged. “Remember all the good times we had? Spike, remember Owlowiscious?” Spike breathes more fire over at Twilight, and she blocks it with her magic again. “Okay, not the wisest story to remind him. I got it! Spike, remember the last summit we went to? All of Equestria’s allies were fighting with each other, but who stopped the fight? You did, Spike! I was so proud of you! I’ll always be proud of you, Spike! I’ll always love you! You’re my family, Spike! You always will! Do you trust me, Spike?” Twilight holds her hoof out in hopes for Spike to take it. Spike didn’t even think twice about it, and just slammed Twilight aside. Rainbow saves her life. “Thanks, Rainbow Dash!” “Don’t mention it!” Rainbow said as all of the Mane Six rendezvous with each other. “That’s it! This battle has gone way out of hoof!” “I agree.” Rarity said. “Can’t we just go fabulous again and just defeat Tirek once and for all?” “Scorpan really wants to reform his brother.” Twilight said. “Yeah, well, too many ponies are falling because he’s not going fast enough!” Rainbow said. “Please, Twilight, I can’t afford seeing any more hurt ponies!” Fluttershy begged. “I’m all out of ammo!” Pinkie said as she fires her cannon, but all that comes out is a drop of frosting and some sprinkles. Twilight takes a deep breath and sighs. “Scorpan really wanted to reform his brother – I thought it could happen. Can we at least ask him first?” Twilight’s friends felt uneasy about it, but they decided to take a chance. Tirek moans in pain as Scorpan marches over to him. “Yes, brother, it WAS meant to be! That’s why I had to see him! No more sneaking around! If I didn’t see him, both he and I would be in a coma. His bond to Twilight is stronger so at least the coma wouldn’t be as quick.” “Scorpan!” Rainbow yells. “Can we do it now? Can we get this over with?” “NO!” Scorpan yelled. “I will reform him! Just hang on!” “We’re losing fellow ponies and friends too fast!” Fluttershy yelled. “Is it really worth their sacrifice?” “You just need to give me a little more time!” Scorpan begged. “Please, I know what to do!” “Oh do you know?” Tirek asked. “Well if you really don’t want them to use Rainbow power on me again, perhaps I can just do this!” Tirek uses his magic to grip on the Mane Six so they can’t escape, and he starts charging up his magical beam. “Say goodbye to Equestria’s only hope, Scorpan! Nothing can stop me now!” As Spike was fighting more of the allies, he spots Tirek up ahead who was about to finish off the Mane Six. When Spike saw his friends in danger, he started to remember them, and all the good times they had and the love they shared. Spike started to fight his greed, but that’s when Spike started to lose his strength, so he had to act fast. He ran towards Tirek, and before he could blast the Mane Six, Spike suddenly tackled Tirek, and held him on the ground much to his surprise. Before he fell though, he fired the magical blast to a random part of the battlefield, and the Mane Six fell since Tirek was no longer holding them. “Spike, what are you doing?” Tirek asked. “Protecting my friends!” Spike said. “I promised you riches!” Tirek reminded him. “I promised you more treasure than any dragon could ever have – unlimited! You’re willing to sacrifice all that?” “I would sacrifice my life for my friends!” Spike said. Just then, the magical blast Tirek fired hit one of the Tartarus creatures that had a body like mirrors, it reflected on it, and it blasted right back on Spike which made him collapse. “NOOOOO!” All of the Mane Six yelled. “Spike!” Spike fell unconscious as he shrinks back to his original baby dragon self. The Mane Six all run over to him to comfort him, and Tirek laughed. Starlight eventually notices Spike’s fall, and her being distracted caused Chrysalis to get the upper half, and finally hold Starlight down and defeat her. “That couldn’t happen at a better time!” Tirek said as he was hysterical laughing. “’I’m willing to sacrifice my life for my friends’, and then BOOM, bye-bye! That was classic!” Scorpan felt so bad. He let his best friend and son figure take the fall, and all of the Mane Six weeped over him, and his brother just laughed. Scorpan’s sadness became rage. “Do it.” Scorpan said to the Mane Six. “W-what?” Twilight asked as she sniffled. “Do it… now!” Scorpan demanded. Twilight took a deep breath, and held back her sorrow for a little while so she can get the job done. The Mane Six did what they had to do, and with the power coming from the Castle of Friendship, the Mane Six became colorful again for the first time in a long time. Tirek was still laughing hysterically, but eventually stopped as he saw the Mane Six performing their rainbow magic. “No!” He yelled. “No, no, no! Not again! No!” “Yes, again!” Scorpan said as he jumps in and holds Tirek close. “But this time, we’re going down together… my brother!” Just then, for the first time, Tirek felt a small sense of happiness. He smiles just as he and Scorpan were suddenly hit by the blast, and all the magic that was within him returned to their rightful owners. Everypony and ally in the battlefield who had their magic taken away from them was brought back, including Discord’s. “Yes!” Discord cried out in excitement. “I am back, baby! Sike! Now I think I had enough of fooling around with those petty monologues, let’s just cut to the case!” Discord snaps his fingers, and every creature from Tartarus in the battlefield was suddenly in a cage. Chrysalis gets distracted, noticing her allies has been captured, and that’s when Starlight gets the upper half. She uses her magic to blast Chrysalis off of her, and during the impact, one of her orbs fell out of her satchel. “Please be a useful orb!” Starlight hoped as she tossed it at Chrysalis, and she suddenly gets tied up. “NO!” Chrysalis cried. “I will not be defeated by you again!” “You already have, and this time, you’re not going anywhere!” Starlight said mischievously. And just like that, the Battle for Equestria was over!