//------------------------------// // A New Quest // Story: Equestria Ninjas: The Movie // by Wildcard25 //------------------------------// Somewhere down the river the hats of both Applejack and Shinigami floated down the stream until Applejack picked hers up and put it back on, and Shinigami did the same with her own hat. The heroes and ninjas survived the waterfall, but were recuperating and drying off. "Everyone ok?" Leo asked. "I think my bottom's on backward." Rarity panted. "I can't even feel my bottom." Mikey groaned. Raph kicked him in the flank, "How about now?" "Much better." Mikey smiled. "You ok, Professor?" April asked the Fugitoid. "Well, if this body of mine wasn't water proof I'd be in rust city by now." the Professor answered. "We just got our cupcakes handed to us by the worst party crasher ever!" Pinkie complained. "No kidding." Sunset agreed. "We got to go back there and fight!" Rainbow said eagerly. "Too dangerous, Rainbow." Leo replied. "Yeah, you saw the size of those goons." Spike reminded them. "Going back now without a plan is suicide." Karai added. "But we can't hide here forever." Blade noted. "And let's be honest, we can't go back." Applejack said. "A.J's right," Casey agreed, "You saw what happened to Celestia, Luna, and Cadence." "We go back now and we're only going to get the same fate." Sunset put in. "Our best chance for now is to keep them from Twilight," Leo said, before noticing Twilight looking down at the river dismally, "Twilight?" they all looked concerned. "The Queen." she said. "Yeah, the Queen!" Pinkie beamed, before asking, "Uh, what Queen?" Twilight looked up seeing Canterlot still surrounded by smoke clouds and airships, "Celestia told Luna to find the Queen of the... "Hippos". Luna can't, so I have to." "Hippos? Are you serious?" Raph asked in confusion. "You don't think maybe she was cut off with her order?" Sunset asked. "What good can hippos do in a situation like this?" Shini asked. "I've heard they're surprisingly graceful for their size. Huh, but they're always hungry." Pinkie explained. "Hungry?" Mikey began. "Hippos?" Donnie asked, as everyone else looked at each other awkwardly. "Any idea where to even find them?" Karai wondered. Twilight explained, "They're somewhere south, past the Badlands." Fluttershy suddenly dawned her worried face, "That means we'll have to... leave Equestria. Oh!" "I'm not even packed!" Rarity cried. "Seriously, that's your big issue?" April asked rhetorically. "I understand you're scared, and nopony else has to go. But I have to find this queen. She might be our only hope." Twilight started walking off, as the group smiled knowing what to do. Leo blocked her, "Hold on, Twilight. There's no "I" in any team. Especially this one." "We've done enough solo hero suicide missions and they never work out well." Raph added. "Yeah, you're not getting all the glory." Rainbow put in. "And just what are we supposed to even do, go into hiding?" Karai asked rhetorically. "You know you can't stop us." Sunset added. "We're all in it together." Blade said. "We always got your back." Applejack assured. "Indeedy!" Pinkie smiled. "I am ready to save Equestria!" Rarity said proudly. "We all are." April took a stand. "Yay." Fluttershy said softly. "We're all behind you, Twilight." Spike confirmed. "So what're we waiting for?" Shini asked the group. "Let's go find this hippo!" Pinkie started bouncing off. "Wait for me!" Mikey followed her. "Guy's, we need to go South." Spike reminded them. "Sorry." Mikey said, as he and Pinkie headed south followed by the rest of them. "Whee! Boingy-boingy-boingy-boingy-boingy! Anypony up for a game of "I Spy"?" Pinkie asked, as everyone groaned except Mikey, "No, really! Come on! I spy with my little eye something that is orange. No takers? It's you, Applejack!" "And I thought she meant my mask." Mikey said. "Does she have an off switch?" Raph groaned. "I highly doubt that, Raphael." Fugitoid replied. Karai who was walking close to Blade spoke to him, "So, Blade. I can't help but notice you seemed to know this Storm King and Tempest very well." "Is there something you'd like to share with us?" Applejack inquired. Blade seeing how everyone present was looking at him, sighed, "It's another part of my story I am no longer proud of." Blade began narrating his story. "Years ago, before I discovered Dark Codex's grimmoire, I was a traveling mercenary looking only to hone my skills and defeat powerful opponents. It was during one of my fights Tempest found me and brought me to her master, the Storm King. He promised me all the opponents I could fight as long as I served him. No pony had shown me kindness since my mutation so I jumped at the chance to be useful once more and not be seen as a freak. I did many jobs on behalf of the Storm King with Tempest as my partner. Over time I developed a kindred bond with her because like me she was also different because of her horn." "Sounds like you two had a thing going on." Mikey smirked. "If only." Blade sighed, and continued. "Then it was during a job where we had to get something for the Storm King. We succeeded and upon our return we had to pass through the Serpent Canyon. A canyon littered with hundreds of snakes. It was treacherous, but we were pulling through. Until there was an avalanche of boulders that trapped me. I pleaded with Tempest to come and help me, but she told me..." "If Dead Weight can't keep up then it needs to be ditched." Tempest's words echoed in his head. "So she left me to perish. There I was, legs trapped under boulders with hundreds of snakes coming right for me. Were it any pony else they would've given up hope. But me, this act of treason once again fueled my hatred for ponykind and turning that hatred into strength I was able to pull myself out and escape. On my own once again I swore never to trust another pony no matter what." The group was in shock to hear another side to Blade's tragic back story, "Oh, Blade." Twilight gasped. "We're so sorry." Leo said in sympathy. Blade smiled, "Well, the past is in the past, and I've moved forward abandoning my hatred. Now I only wish to stop the Storm King and Tempest." "What do you think they're after?" Donnie asked. "It could be anything." Sunset said. "Have you got any theories on it?" Fugitoid asked Blade. "Knowing the Storm King he's after something big. Especially if it involves the Princesses," Blade explained, "But Tempest is another case. Even she has her own motives." he squinted his eyes. The scene cut back to Canterlot, where ponies were in chains and shackles as the guards were keeping them in line. One guard cut the strings of some balloons that floated up. Tempest who was on the balcony watched them float by in disgust, "All this power wasted on parties when there are far greater uses." she went inside the throne room, where she looked at the statues of the three trapped alicorns. Two guards entered while carrying a glass beaker containing a glowing liquid that was giving off a ringtone, "Well? Answer it!" she ordered. One guard poured it into a cauldron that emitted blue flames and smoke and for some reason a dial-up modem noise. Appearing in it was the Storm King as shown on the tapesty, but the being was looking around in confusion, "Where am I supposed to be looking? I never understand how this spell works. Tempest!" "Over here, Your Excellency." she answered in boredom. "Where?" "Over here," The king tried looking around, "No. No, right. Look right." "My right?" "Yep." The Storm King finally got things straight and could see Tempest, "Oh. There you are. Here's the deal. I'm in the middle of a big re-brand here. "The Storm King" is tracking well as "intensely intimidating", but you know what? I need to back it up. You know what I need to back it up with?" he pounded his fist and spoke angrily, "A STORM! That would be great! You promised me magic that could control the elements, and right now, I'm holding a what?" he held up a black staff, "A branch. A twig. Bleh!" "Uh, that would be the Staff of Sacanas, Your Excellency, and it will..." Tempest began explaining, "...channel the magic of the four rulers of this land. You'll soon have the power of a hundred armies." "So that would be a yes on your locking down the four Pegacornicuseses, or whatever you call them?" The King asked. "Give me three days. I'll have everything ready for your arrival," She promised, "But I should warn you, I ran into an old associate who tried to stop us. Blade Swipe." "Blade Swipe?" The Storm King gasped in shock, "I thought you took care of him!" "So did I, but I assure you. He will not get in the way of the plan." She promised. The Storm King spoke ominously to her, "Remember, Tempest. Only I have the power to make you whole. Make this twig work, and you'll get your reward. Fail me, and your horn won't be the only thing that's broken." "It won't be a problem." she assured him. Suddenly the Storm King cheered, "Great!" suddenly the transmission was warbling, "I'm ready to power up, crash and bash, and be the biggest, baddest bugaloooooo..." the call ended. Grubber who had arrived spoke to her, "Sorry, bad spell service. Want me to call him back?" "Do you have the Princess?" Tempest inquired. Grubber started pushing his index fingers together, "Well, uh, funny story. It kinda seems like she... she might've like, you know, got away... a bit," Tempest's eyes squinted at him, "I know you're disappointed, but I got one word for you: Spongecake!" he presented her a spongecake slice. This in turn resulted in Tempest zapping Grubber who screamed. "I need all four for the staff to work." Tempest reminded Grubber. "Hey, I know! I want the Storm King to fix that crazy horn as badly as you do. It looks like a crackly chipped tooth on the top of your head. And you know you don't look good in hats." Tempest went up to him with her cracked horn sparking, "That Princess is not gonna keep me from getting my horn back! Prepare my ship!" Grubber took off. Tempest calmed herself, and spoke to herself, "Please. How far could one little pony get on her own?" she walked around while recalling her fight with Blade Swipe, "Blade, once I get my horn back I'm gonna show you what I can really do." she snickered.