Chapter 22-
Ground Zero
“Careful with the door, Chris!”
“I got it, I got it!” The blonde man replied, trying to gingerly switch up his hold on the couch he and Sweetie Belle were trying to fit through the door she was so worried about. “Okay, keep going.” The unicorn nodded from her side before starting to back up again slowly, Chris taking his own few steps forward until he was in the room.
“Okay, just a little further,” Sweetie grunted as she pulled the load and her boyfriend further inside before she began to lower the furniture with a grunt. Chris followed suit, though he seemed to fair far better than the mare. The pony looked up at the human as she took in several deep breaths. “How are you not winded?”
Chris raised an eyebrow at that, hands resting on the arm of the couch. “We do nothing but fight machines on a regular basis,” he answered. “My question is, why are you winded?”
“I’m still a mage, Chris,” she answered irritably, pushing herself up and yanking a handkerchief that wished it had seen better days out of the back pocket of her jeans and wiped at her forehead. “I’m still not used to physical labor.” She threw the rag at the young man who chuckled as the cloth hit his chest and fell onto the couch.
“Coulda fooled me,” he said before he glanced around their new room, the room he would’ve been in already if he hadn’t stupidly denied it after he was reinstated as a Councilor. “All that time you’re putting into the machines in the training room is starting to show.” And he was right. The yellow-green tank top she wore left her now toned arms bare to the world, holding on tight to her torso where the young man could see the muscle that was beginning to form on her abdomen.
Sweetie puffed out her cheeks a bit and turned her head away, pretending to be looking for a place to push the furniture. “...Over there,” she finally said with a nod of her head towards an empty space against the far left wall. She leaned down and started to put her hands back under the couch. “Come on, help me move it.”
Chris watched her for a few moments before he chuckled and walked around to the back of the sofa until he was in the dead center. “Hey, Sweetie,” he said, catching the mare’s attention as he popped his knuckles. “You may want to take a few steps back.” The unicorn blinked for a moment before doing as the ranger bid and stepped away several paces. The gray-eyed man smirked a bit before he reached down and put his hands under the furniture. Slowly, he began to lift, the couch groaning slightly as he hefted it into his arms.
Seemingly with no effort at all, Chris picked the piece up and walked forward, turning around as he reached the area Sweetie wanted the furniture. He looked over his shoulder and took a few more steps back before setting the couch down. “Done and done,” he said proudly as he stepped around the couch, pushing one side of the couch against the wall as he went.
Sweetie only blinked for several moments as the man walked over to the front and pushed it back as well before collapsing into the seat, still wearing his victorious grin. The mare let out a breath of laughter as she looked at him, shaking her head as she started to walk forward. “I’d say I’m surprised,” she said before she sat in the center, turning and laying back so that her head rested on his lap as she looked up at him. “But I think we’ve seen you do more. Still don’t know how though.”
The man fell silent at that, a small frown forming on his face as his eyes no longer seemed to be looking down at his marefriend. “...Honestly, I’m not sure either,” he finally muttered. “Harmony did tell us that she was using some of her harmony magic to keep me and Sam from biting it, but… she also admitted that I shouldn’t have grown so strong physically.”
“...How much was your last max out?”
The question was quiet and straight to the point, yet it struck like a hammer against his thoughts. “...My last max at a deadlift was 2,800 pounds,” he finally answered, watching her green eyes widen in surprise.
“Harmony magic doesn’t even begin to explain that,” Sweetie breathed, sitting up and twisting until she was looking at him in the eye. “This could actually be a huge problem, Chris.”
“An increase in physical power of over 2,500 percent in a little over three months,” the man added with a small nod of agreement, his eyes focused on the floor. “An increase in strength by such an enormous margin is unheard of….” He finally turned his gaze on the mare, eyes wide and scared. “I don’t know what’s happening.”
The pair fell silent, neither of them speaking as they looked into each other’s eyes. Eventually, Sweetie Belle let out a soft sigh and moved closer to his side, resting her head on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay,” she said quietly, her hand sliding down his arm to rest over his own. “I know that whatever’s going on, you’ll be able to figure it out and make the most of it.”
The ranger stayed quiet for a moment before a small smile spread over his face. “Thanks, Sweetie,” he said gently, planting a kiss on her forehead. The couple fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s company for several moments before Sweetie spoke up.
“We should probably go get the puppies from Rarity,” she said suddenly.
“That would be a good idea,” Chris agreed, both of them swiftly getting up and leaving their new living quarters.
“And when should I expect your arrival?” Midnight questioned the hologram before her, the strain of anger in her voice barely hidden away.
“I could be there within a day or two if you’d send your dragon to fetch me,” Sombra replied, a sneer on his face as he looked over his newly sharpened and polished blade, the black sword glinting.
The dark alicorn finally stopped trying to hide her fury as a snarl grew over her face and a very unpony-like growl emanated from her throat. “Spike is no dog to be called at your command,” she murmured ferally. “Get here under your own power or don’t. I don’t care which!” The mare swiped her hand angrily through the air, cutting off the communication channel between Ponyville and the Crystal Empire. For several moments, Midnight Sparkle didn’t move nor did she speak, but, when those moments ended, her rage-filled growl turned into a cry of rage that shook the castle.
Slowly, the roar came to an end with the pony trembling where she stood. Only another second passed before the curtain surrounding the communication crystal was moved to the side. “Midnight?” Spike questioned as he poked his head into the small chamber. “Are you alright?”
The mare’s trembling ended abruptly, the alicorn straightening up tall and squaring her shoulders. “King Sombra has decided he’s going to pay us a visit,” she answered shortly, her hands moving to fix her ruffled clothing. “If my estimations are the same as his, we have about four or five days before he gets here. We need to set up what defenses we can, as weak as they may be right now. Sombra is temporarily pulling his support, so make sure what cogs we have are all active.” Midnight turned on her heel and began to walk out of the chamber and into her mostly decommissioned lab.
She walked down the center lane, hand trailing over one long table that still held many a decommissioned experiment. Spike watched her go, a sad look breaking his emotionless mask for a fraction of a second before he replaced it. The drake squared his shoulders and began to follow his queen. Midnight let her hand continue to trail behind her on the countertop until her fingers touched over something that still held its warmth. The mare stopped short while her draconic companion continued forward until he stood directly behind her.
“...We aren’t beaten yet,” the dragon said with a low rumble. The armored alicorn before him didn’t reply, simply lifted her hand and let the tips of her fingers touch the glass case behind which sat a still pulsating replica of the green focusing crystal that Sombra had provided her.
“...No,” Midnight finally muttered, her hand slipping from the glass as she stood taller than she had in days. “Not yet we aren’t. Prepare the troops,” she added as she began to walk away. “And make sure our star boys are ready.” With that, Midnight Sparkle exited the laboratory, leaving Spike alone in the dust hall.
For several moments, the dragon stared at where his queen had disappeared before a quiet breath escaped his lips. “As you wish, my queen,” he said under his breath before looking towards the duplication device and taking one of the gems from its container. With his goal in mind and the only tool he needed in claw, the drake left the room in search of his wards.
However, unbeknownst to either alicorn or dragon was the shifting shadows that followed suit soon after….
Chris and Sweetie slowed to a stop outside the royal purple door decorated with three blue diamonds that represented the studio-like room of Rarity. The younger Belle sister raised a hand to knock on the door only for both her and the man beside her to jump as a loud bang echoed from the other side of the door followed by the sound of barking, yowling and a very upset unicorn.
“No, NO! VERAL! Stop chasing Opalescence, she is not a chew toy!” Human and pony cringed as another crash sounded out from the small abode within the Castle of Two Sisters.
Chris and Sweetie quickly shared a look before Pink Static jumped out around the human and the pair rushed forward. The ranger threw the door open and ran into the room, immediately wishing he hadn’t. Cloth and fabric had been strewn about the room, and furniture, including the fashionista's famous fainting couch, lay turned over on its head. The couple quickly spotted the source of the ruckus as the pure white mare ran out from her room, eyes seemingly glued to the floor. She raced towards her disturbed furniture, reaching it just in time for two blurs, one light gray and the other brown and green, to dart around the couch and charge towards the pair. Chris’ eyes narrowed and he took a step forward, stomping a boot and throwing out his arm as a pulse of Pink Static followed his commanding tone. “Stop!”
One could practically hear tires screeching as Opal and Veral slid to a stop in front of him. The cat looked like she had seen better days, her pupils shrunken to mere slits as her fur stood on end even as Veral looked up at the man with his tongue lolling and tail thumping against the floor. Rarity soon followed behind the two animals, panting heavily as she doubled over and put her hands to her knees. “Oh, Rarity,” Sweetie fussed as she hurried to her sister’s side, putting a hand to the older mare’s shoulder. “We’re so sorry. Veral doesn’t usually act like this.”
“I-it’s no problem, dear,” Rarity replied, taking in a few more breaths before exhaling one last time and straightening up. “To be fair, though, I think Opal may have spurred the chase.”
Chris looked up from the two animals in front of him, his eyebrow quirking. “What do you mean?” He questioned, drawing the unicorns’ attention to him.
“Well,” Rarity answered with a short shrug. “She may or may not have surprised Rose.”
The man’s eyebrow dropped and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the revelation. “...Right,” he said after a few moments of pure quiet before he looked down at the cat and timberwolf at his feet, the cat somehow looking smug until she caught sight of the face the ranger was making. “Veral, go get your sister.” A flash of pink electricity had the young monster scampering away with the click of his metal paw as the cat made a run for it and jumped into Rarity’s arms.
“I apologize sincerely, dear,” the stark white unicorn said as she pet Opal’s fur. “She got out of my sight while I was in the kitchen. I should’ve known something like this would happen the way she was eyeing them.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Rarity,” Chris answered as he waved his hand and stepped closer to the two mares. “I understand more than anybody what it’s like to try and keep your eyes on so many animals at once.”
“If anything, we should be the ones saying sorry,” Sweetie Belle added. “We could have asked anyone to watch the puppies while we were moving.”
“Yes, but I offered, dear,” the older pony replied with a small smile as she put a hand to Sweetie’s arm. “I’d like to be of some use to you whenever I can.”
“You’re already the best big sister ever,” Sweetie said, hugging her older sister close. Something flashed over the older mare’s face before she returned the embrace, a strange expression that only Chris seemed to catch.
Before he could understand it, though, the metallic clicking that identified Veral returned, the young timberwolf and his sister returning soon after. The man turned his eyes on the pair and a smile flashed onto his face as he knelt down to greet them. “There’s my little girl,” he said gently reaching out to scratch each of them behind the ears. Pink Static once more crawled over his frame as his hands kept contact with the pups as he pet and scratched them. The little she-wolf yipped at him, closing her eyes and pushing into his hand before wrapping one of her large paws around his wrist and playfully putting her jaws around the base of his thumb.
Chris only chuckled a bit as Rarity and Sweetie Belle watched. “You know she could take that thumb off, right?” The younger unicorn questioned as Rose adjusted her grip and shook her head lightly with an unintimidating growl.
“Of course,” the ranger answered as he continued to play with the timberwolf. “But you wouldn’t do that, now would you, girl?” Rose paused for a moment and looked up at him before giving a pair of barks as her tail thumped against the floor. After a few more seconds, the young man pushed himself back up, patting the dust off his pants. “Alright, let’s get on back to-”
The jingle of his and Sweetie’s communicators cut him off, Chris throwing a look towards his marefriend before lifting the device to his face. “Chris and Sweetie Belle here,” he said, answering the call.
“You’ve got Cobalt and Firefly, too,” the pink pegasus’ voice came through after his.
“Rangers,” Artemus replied, catching their attention with the introduction. “I need you to come to central command immediately. We’ve just received intel that you need to hear.”
“You got it, Artemus,” the man answered, sharing a look with Sweetie Belle as the off-white unicorn gave a nod and steeled her features. “We’ll be there a-sap.”
“Be sure that you are,” the mare answered curtly before dropping the line.
“Meet you guys there,” Cobalt said before he and Firefly hung up as well. Chris dropped his hand before looking at Sweetie.
“You ready?” He asked only to receive an affirmative nod from the unicorn.
“Always,” she answered, lifting her arm so that the charms surrounding her wrist tinked against one another before she turned to Rarity. “I’m so sorry, Rarity, but this sounds urgent.”
The older mare flashed a smile at the younger before placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, dear,” she replied before she began to shoo them out the door. “I can handle the twins for a little while longer. You two just go out there and be heroes.”
Sweetie blushed a bit as she was ushered out by her older sister. “Alright, alright, we’re going,” she said with a short giggle before she met Chris at the door. “We’ll be back to pick up the pups later.” With that, she and her boyfriend slipped out of the door, the sound of their hasty footsteps echoing after them.
Rarity found herself waving at the door with a smile that was far too wide. Letting out a sigh, she dropped her hand and grabbed her opposite wrist as her eyes met the ground with a frown. A sharp yip caught her attention and she turned to see the timberwolf twins facing off against Opalescence, the animals’ hackles already raised towards each other. The unicorn let out a much heavier sigh as she put a hand over her eyes, horn glowing blue as she reached her magic out to the kitchen to finish pouring the glass of wine she’d been interrupted in making.
The sound of hydraulics signaled Chris and Sweetie’s arrival as they strode into the command center, walking straight into the middle of a whirlwind of rushing staff members. “Sweetie, Chris!” The shout drew the couple’s attention to the raised platform where Cobalt was at the railing, calling them over as Artemus, Firefly, and the Changelings waited behind him.
The pair hurried up the steps, coming to a stop in front of the group as Cobalt turned back from the rail. “What’s going on?” The man questioned as he pulled his head out of the way of papers flying by in somepony’s aura.
“We’ve got some big news,” Artemus replied as she leaned against the console behind her, fingers tapping against the metallic surface. “Something that could completely change this war.” With that, she turned her eyes to Chrysalis, the others following suit.
“Thorax and Tarsi seem to have come across a conversation they were never supposed to be privy to,” the queen began, knitting her fingers together in front of her chin as she rested her elbows on the arms of her wheelchair. “In doing so, they have discovered that Ponyville, and more importantly Midnight’s castle, will be under minimal defense for a short time.”
The group’s eyes widened at the news, Chris and his team each exchanging stunned looks before turning back. “How long do we have?” Chris questioned hurriedly, taking a step forward only to pause as Chrysalis held up a hand for patience. In the same motion, she swept her hand towards Thorax who stepped forward.
“Midnight said that they’d have four to five days before King Sombra made his appearance in Ponyville-”
“Sombra’s coming to Ponyville!?” Every eye turned in surprise to Cobalt, the usually stoic stallion seeming to tremble at the name.
“Eeeyes…” the changeling prince answered slowly, throwing a strange look to the thestral before continuing. “He plans to remove his forces from Ponyville so that he can analyze Midnight’s own standings. This leaves her stronghold weaker than ever before, now that she no longer has any support from either of her compatriots.”
“However,” Tarsi spoke up, stepping up to say her piece. “Midnight has ordered her dragon, Spike, to rearrange her troops so they are as efficient as possible. Not only that, but she told him to get their star boys ready, whatever that means.”
“I’ve already relayed this information to every major operation in the Resistance,” Artemus said, turning back to the four rangers. “I haven’t gotten a reply yet, but no doubt they’re trying to form plans as quickly as we are. We want to be ready to go as soon as the Council approves.”
“The Council?” Chris questioned, seeming to snap suddenly back into reality before shaking his head. “No, no, no! If we wait, there’s no way we’ll be able to hit them as hard as we could. The sooner we hit that castle, the better!”
“As much as I agree with that sentiment, Chris, there are regulations in pla-”
“Screw regulations!” The young man suddenly snapped. All activity seemed to grind to a halt, everyone in the room staring at the young man as a hush fell. The ranger took a few breaths before he continued. “Don’t pretend you haven’t seen it, too, Artemus. All these rules and regulations have kept the Resistance back for way too long. Some of your strongest combatants just sit on the Council and do nothing because the rules forbid it. When we get attacked, it takes us twice as long to respond because the operation leaders are too busy chasing each other because the protocol is broken! The best progress we’ve made is when we throw all that out the window and head in with a single, fully functional plan!”
The young man’s outburst came to an end as he tried to catch his breath, everyone still staring at him with wide eyes. Everyone, that is, except Artemus. The alicorn had an unreadable expression as she watched the human before she spoke. “Then what would you do?” She questioned, the tone of her voice commanding.
Chris continued to simply breathe for a few more seconds to steady himself. “We need to send in a small team first,” he replied, the gears in his head already moving faster than most thought possible. “Get in and assess the situation before reporting back to the other combat ops. Once they have the go-ahead, the scouting party should play the distraction, causing as much damage as they can while they make their escape. By the time Midnight realizes what’s happening, the main force will already be at her gate.”
The silver alicorn stared at him for several moments before she spoke again. “Who do you propose make up this small strike force?” She questioned, teal eyes burning into him.
“My team and the Changelings,” the man answered immediately, his gray eyes meeting his leader’s. “With the knowledge Scout Ops possesses and Ranger Ops special weapons and training, we’ve got the best chance of succeeding.”
Everyone present was quiet for several moments before someone spoke up. “Even by your standards, Chris,” Chrysalis began, hands resting against the end of her nose as she looked at the floor. “This plan is very forward and risky.” The Changeling Queen looked from the floor up to the man. “...Can you handle it?”
Chris watched her for several moments, eyes scanning over her, looking into her eyes before the full weight of the question hit him. He looked to his team, his gaze washing over them as so many thoughts ran through his head. After a second, he looked to the other Changelings, searching for the information he needed to answer the question. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his expression answered the question. “Yes.”
Chrysalis’ eyes didn’t seem to change as she saw the determination and assuredness on his face, but Chris thought he spotted the corner of a smile as her hands hid her lips. “Then go to work,” she said before flicking a hand towards Thorax. “From now until you return from your mission, my little ‘lings will be under your command and care. Be sure they return to me in pristine condition.”
The ranger’s face lit up in a grin and he immediately stepped into a salute. “Yes, ma’am,” he answered before he relaxed and looked to Thorax and Tarsi. “You guys need any prep before we head out?” He asked, getting a pair of shaking heads.
“We’re always ready to go,” Tarsi replied. “Just point us where you need us.”
“I can do that,” the man answered before turning so that he could face his team and the scouts. “Meet me in the hangar. I’m going to run to the lab and grab some new weapons for our guests.”
“Right,” the three ponies answered before they turned and started on their way, Sweetie glancing at the insectoids and nodding her head for them to follow. Chris turned to run to his lab, Yellow Static already dancing around him before a voice stopped him.
“Chris.” The man looked over his shoulder to Artemus, her look of worry catching him off guard for a moment. “Keep the others safe, but don’t forget that we want you to come back, too.” The blonde was quiet for a second before he simply nodded and took off in a blur of electricity and color.
It took Chris a little more than a few seconds to come to a stop in his laboratory, quickly looking around to find the pieces of equipment he’d been working on, not bothering to move the tarp that draped over a large corner he had pushed slightly off to the side. A few moments of searching later and he found his silver case hidden under the leg space of his computer desk. Moving quickly, he picked the case up and placed it on the document laden desktop, clicking the clasps open and lifting the case to inspect its contents.
Giving a satisfied smirk, he dropped the lid on the case and secured it before he turned to race away again. And he would have gotten away with it, too, if a familiar black orb hadn’t shot out of the door. “Chris!” Samson called as he stopped in mid-air in front of his brother. “What’s going on? Cobalt told me the rangers are mobilizing.”
“We are,” Chris answered, blinking a few times before he shook his head and flashed a quick grin. “Midnight’s defenses are being reduced big time and we’re going to hit while we have the chance.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” The orb questioned, floating a bit closer.
Chris’ eyes widened at that. “To be perfectly honest, I’d forgotten,” he said before he sensed more than saw the deadpan look he was getting from Sam. “Besides,” he added, clearing his throat. “I didn’t want to interrupt… whatever it is you were doing.”
“Studying,” Sam answered before he zoomed in front of the young man as Chris tried to leave. But still! I’m just as much a ranger as anyone else here, and besides that, I’m your brother! Someone’s got to watch your back, ya big doof.”
Gray eyes seemed to look past the constantly shifting red and orange patterns of the dark orb, looking towards his brother within before he let out a breath. “You’re right,” he said, flashing an apologetic smile. “Let’s go kick some robot arsch.”
“We’re going to work on that,” Sam said in a slightly annoyed tone as he floated towards Chris and fused with him.
“What’s wrong with my German?” Chris questioned with false indignity as he prepared to run again.
Nothing at all, came the reply from inside his mind. Just a habit I’m going to have to break you of. Cursing in German isn’t as intimidating you think.
“Would you prefer Russian?”
God, no! A laugh ripped itself from Chris’ chest before he cannoned his legs and began to once more race through the castle. Seconds later, he came skidding to a stop in front of his team as they and the Changelings waited next to the doors into the Astro Megaship in their combat gear.
“Annnd, we're ready to go,” the young man said, walking towards the Changelings as he balanced the case in one arm as he opened it. “Take these. They’ll be more effective than your usual weapons.”
Thorax and Tarsi took a step towards the case before glancing in. Tarsi reached in first and drew out a new blaster in a white holster. The majority of the weapon was blue with silver and red accents running over it, the body being relatively triangular with a conical barrel while a curved, silver blade arced from a second barrel that sat above and behind the main to a black, slanted pillar that extruded from the back of the gun.
“A, more or less, perfect recreation of the astro blasters used by the In Space Rangers,” Chris began to explain, closing the case and locking it before letting it drop down to his waist. “They’re not as advanced as the laser pistols or swords, but they have their own advantages. They’re two blasters in one, just detach the bladed part from the blue and you have yourself a second gun plus a melee weapon.”
Thorax inspected the weapon for a moment before looking up at Chris. “You would just give these to us?” He questioned, an eyebrow arching up.
“I was going to try and put them into mass production anyway,” the man replied with a shrug as he started to turn towards the door before them. “Figured it wouldn’t hurt to give you guys the edge a little bit earlier.” With that he put his hand on the wall of the Astro, the door sliding open in response.
Thorax watched Ranger Ops enter the massive ship before glancing towards his partner, Tarsi only shrugging in response as she followed after the others. Thorax stayed put for a moment before he finally followed, attaching the blaster to his belt. The two Changelings walked past Chris as he waited just inside the door, reaching a hand out back towards the hanger, Titanium Static jumping out over his hand as the lever that would open the hangar doors. With a flick of the wrist, the man pulled the handle down, the sound of machinery filling the air as he turned around and entered the Astro Megaship proper and led them towards the Jump Tubes in the rec room.
“So, why are we in here and not the bridge?” Tarsi questioned, eyeing the six circular openings in the wall, handles over each of them.
“That’s because we’re not taking the Astro,” Chris answered as he went to a panel in the wall and began to type in a few commands.
The purple changeling raised an eyebrow at that as the tunnels lit up in their respective colors behind her. “Why not?” She questioned as the man walked past her and stopped at the red tunnel that sat third away from the left wall.
“DECA?” Chris called out to the digital assistant in response, looking towards the camera at the top corner of the room.
“The Astro is not equipped with a cloaking device,” the electronic voice spoke up. “While the ship could get you to your destination faster, the enemy would see you approaching before you could get within a reasonable range.”
“And using the galaxy gliders, while not as fast,” Chris picked up as he put a hand to the bar above the red port. “Will definitely get us closer and let us fly under any radar they have.”
“If that’s the case,” Thorax spoke up as the ponies around him went to their own shutes; Sweetie at the silver to Chris’ right and Firefly at the pink to the man’s left while Cobalt went to the black tunnel against the right wall. “We should approach the castle from the Northwest. There’s a small group of trees that back up next to it from that direction. We can get in close and never be detected.”
“Then it should be perfect,” the ranger said with a nod. “You guys need a crash course on how to fly a glider?”
“We should be fine,” Tarsi answered as she walked towards the blue tunnel next to Firefly, leaving the yellow shute that sat between Sweetie and Cobalt for Thorax. “Couldn’t be too much harder than surfing.”
“You surf?” Firefly questioned as Thorax made his way to the last tunnel.
A light smile fluttered onto the Changeling’s lips before she glanced towards the pegasus. “I was an infiltrator, sweetheart,” she said in a suddenly silky tone, eyes half-lidded. “And nothing catches more attention than a fit pony on a surfboard.” Firefly’s eyes went wide as a fiery blush suddenly lit up her face, getting a laugh from Tarsi before the Changeling jumped up and swung into the chute, disappearing into the blue light.
A few more chuckles filled the room before the others began to swing into their own slides. Firefly blinked a few more times before the mare patted her cheeks to rid herself of the blush, shaking her head and jumping into her chute to leave Cobalt alone in the room. A breath of laughter left him as he closed his eyes and shook his head before following the others. Moments later, six different colored streaks of light launched from the Astro Megaship, racing towards the sky before angling off on their pilots’ course.
On the parapets of the dark castle of Midnight Sparkle, a single cog stood watch, its arms moving up or down at right angles every now and again as it’s head jerked from one side or another. Not a single living or mechanical soul inside the castle walls saw the flash of black and gold that suddenly punched a hole through the machine’s head. A pair of shadows raced from the treeline, climbing the vertical wall with ease and setting down on the other side of the parapet, Chris and Cobalt solidifying on either side of the downed cog.
The thestral turned his back to the wall as Chris canceled his Gray Static, the pink and teal colors of Crystal Static taking its place as he placed his hands on the wall in front of him. Static ran down the outside of the fortress’ walls, hand and footholds forming in moments. The second the colorful energy died down, four more figures rushed out of the protective shade of the trees, the mares and Changelings quickly scaling the wall before the man closed the handholds.
“Cobalt, take point with me,” Chris whispered out as he and the others stayed crouched next to the low built barrier. “Fly, you, Thorax, and Tarsi stay behind us. Thorax, I’m going to need you and Tarsi to feed me directions as we go. Sweetie, I need you to cover our backs and tail from the rear. Everyone good on that?”
Several nods of approval followed his question. The man added his own before he began to move, the others moving around until they were in the formation he had suggested. “One question,” Thorax murmured quietly in his ear. “Where are we going?”
“Where can we cause the most damage?” The ranger asked in response, this time Tarsi speaking up.
“Midnight’s lab,” she replied, a verbal buzz in her words as negative emotions charged her voice. “That’s where she makes all her abominations. It’s easily the most volatile location in the entire place. The worst part is going to be getting through the throne room.”
“We’ll face that problem when we get there,” Chris said before he threw a look over his shoulder. After a moment of thought, he put his hand on Cobalt’s shoulder, drawing the stallion’s confused attention. “Everybody, link up.” The group threw puzzled looks towards one another until Sweetie reached out and put a hand to each of the Changelings’ shoulders. They and Firefly looked back at her before they shrugged, the insectoids putting a hand each on the mare between them. Firefly looked to each of them before following their lead and putting her hands on Chris and Cobalt’s shoulders.
Before anyone could ask a question, green and orange Static jumped up around Chris, flowing through him and down his arm towards Cobalt as a trail of the same energy crawled up the hand Firefly had laid on Chris. Cobalt and Firefly’s eyes went wide as yellow and deep purple Static began to arc from each of them respectively, the energy trailing over them and onto the others until Thorax, Tarsi, and Sweetie Belle were covered in rose, turquoise, and pale green respectively.
“I promised I’d bring you all back safely,” the ranger said as he removed his hand, the Static dying down in brightness and activity as he did so. “And that’s what I plan to do. Now, let’s go kick some arsch.” Nods acknowledged his words and together the group began to move, each keeping an eye out as they headed towards the nearest entrance into the tree-like castle.
The team stopped at a door cut into the dark crystal. Chris looked towards Sweetie at the back of the group, the unicorn giving a nod as her horn lit up in her pale green aura. After a moment, she looked up and nodded to him. Without wasting another second, the blonde swung the door open and went inside, muscles tensed despite Sweetie’s clear signal. His eyes scanned the hall they’d entered, noting how the dark crystal did little to dampen the shadows that lurked around every corner and the sparse decor. The man lifted a hand and waved the others inside.
When everyone had made it inside, Chris glanced back towards the Changelings. Thorax nodded right and with that, the team made their way, taking the first right and every turn after that just as carefully as they had entered the door. It wasn’t long before they came across their first patrol of cogs, two machines walking back and forth opposite each other. Chris frowned as he analyzed the situation before ducking his back around the corner. He looked to Cobalt, nodding back towards the pair of robots. The thestral nodded back before the man turned back to watch the cogs. Yellow Static flashed over his hands as he knelt down and put them to the floor. As the cogs were just about to pass each other again, Chris sent out a trail of energy, letting loose the moment the Static was underneath the cogs.
The machines jerked and spasmed as the lightning ran through their systems, frying them from the inside and leaving them as nothing more than smoking husks as the power died away. The bodies began to tilt to the floor, Cobalt shifting into shadow form before darting towards the machines and catching them before they could clatter to the ground. Chris and the others rushed from the perpendicular hallway, coming to a stop just as the big stallion laid the automatons down. He straightened up and nodded, the group taking off once more through the castle.
They only encountered a few more patrols and the occasional lone cog as they made their way towards the throne room. Chris once more poked his head out around a corner only to jerk it back quickly to avoid detection as two more cogs stood guard over a large set of double doors. He took a breath to calm his racing nerves before glancing up towards Cobalt Steel, lifting up a hand with two fingers held up. He put his middle finger down and raised his other index finger so that it was next to the other before he pulled them apart until they a shoulder-width apart. The stallion nodded before he closed his eyes and once more allowed the shadows to overtake his form. Chris put his hand to the wall, his lightning element once more racing away, this time going up toward the ceiling before rounding the corner. Neither cog saw the Yellow Static snake towards them, meeting the wall behind them silently before sliding down towards them. Lightning burst from the wall, arching through the automatons just as it had before, Cobalt rushing out to catch them before they fell.
The team hurried next to him, coming to a stop before Chris looked back towards Sweetie Belle, the mare nodding again before her horn lit up. Seconds ticked by, a worried frown forming on Chris’ face as the mare’s expression shifted to strained. Another moment and Sweetie looked up, a bead of sweat coming from her brow as she took in several breaths, an apologetic look flashing over her face as she shook her head.
The man’s frown deepened and he looked towards each of his party, brows furrowed and nodding. Each took his signal and drew their weapons; Sweetie summoned her staff from her charms, Firefly pulling out her laser blade and pistol and forming the advanced configuration before catching the extra pistol Cobalt tossed to her as he waved his hand over his charm and drew his great sword. The Changelings each took out their astro blasters, Tarsi separating the black blaster from the main body as Thorax pulled out a dirk to accompany his own blaster. Chris nodded his head as the others finished and looked up at him, turning around to face the door. He took another deep breath before crossing his arms over his chest in an ‘X’, red grid lines forming from his right hand as silver lines did the same in his left. He drew his arms down slowly as the Psycho Sword and Silverizer formed, the latter in gun mode.
Without waiting another moment, he braced himself, his and the others’ Static flaring up before he rushed forward, slamming his shoulder into the wooden door, denting it as he heard wood splinter on the other side. He rushed in and quickly moved to the left to let the others in, Silverizer raised up as he held his blade in an underhand grip and used his right arm to support his left at a ninety-degree angle. Chris scanned the empty room as the others fanned out, his frown remaining as no opposition leaped to stop them. Very slowly he began to move to his right and stopped next to Thorax.
“I don’t like this, either,” Thorax admitted softly to the man’s silent question, both still keeping their eyes moving around the room. “Spike spends almost fifty-two percent of his time here, Midnight spending closer to seventy.”
Chris nodded silently as he took note of the deviation before he shook his head. “We can’t abort now,” he said quietly. “If everything’s going right, they should be sending a strike force as we speak. ...Let’s go, but keep alert.” The Changeling nodded in response as the ranger stepped back to his previous position. With a nod of his head, the group began to move through the room, the sinister throne sitting before them as the black and green torches cast warped and distorted shadows on the floor before them. Tarsi and Thorax came to a stop, the others following suit before the blonde man looked towards them. Thorax tilted his head to the right, Chris nodding forward in response. The Changelings began to walk forward, changing the party’s course towards the right wall of the throne room. Soon, the light of the torches left them as the walked into the shadows of the throne. The Changelings led them further into the shadows and eventually down a darkened hallway. Thorax and Tarsi split apart, the insectoids each lining themselves up on a different side of a door that could only barely be seen.
The blonde man once more found himself looking back towards the group’s unicorn, finding her horn already glowing only to stop as she shook her head. Chris let out a breath and turned his gaze back to the door. He let go of his sword, leaving it to float in the air as Green Static formed over his empty hand. He held up five fingers, dropping his thumb after only a second. The other fingers followed soon after and when his index finger dropped he took a single step forward and hiked his other leg before kicking the door for all he was worth. Crunching and shredding metal followed the kick, the door folding in around the impact point as it crashed into the lab behind it. The ranger yanked his blade from the air and ran forward, stopping short and letting his gaze sweep the room… only to find nothing.
Even as the rest of his team rushed in behind him with weapons at the ready, Chris was beginning to relax ever so slightly as he looked around the dimly lit laboratory. ...Sam?
I don’t sense anything, the mental brother replied which only caused the hairs on the back of Chris’ neck to stand even more on end.
“This isn’t right,” Cobalt muttered, verbalizing everyone’s thought even as they began to move cautiously through the space, circling tables, eyeing strange contraptions, and occasionally jumping at shadows.
“You don’t know the half of it…,” Tarsi’s voice replied, the strange multitone returning to her voice as she pulled her twin blasters closer to her chest. Chris didn’t seem to hear the Changeling as he grew closer to a tall white sheet. What lay underneath was completely unknown to him, and yet, against his better judgment, he once more loosed his sword from his grasp and reached out towards the draping cover.
“Like rats in a trap.” Chris yanked his blade out of the air and spun just before the sudden flash of fluorescent lighting blinded him and the others. The man blinked his eyes rapidly, tensing up and dropping back into a fighting stance even before Midnight, Spike, and Staroid came into view. The alicorn wore a sinister smirk as her subordinates stood behind her, machine to her left and dragon to her right. “Did you really think I didn’t know you were here? Many of my Machine Captains may be incompetent, but I am not.”
The ranger grit his teeth together as thoughts rushed his mind. “And here I thought we’d be playing a nice game of cat and mou-”
MOVE YOUR ASS!
Chris jumped forward, tucking into himself as he felt the rushing air and rumbling shudder as whatever was behind him slammed into the floor and missed him by fractions. He twisted as he swung his legs over his head, planting them before straightening into a fighting stance as his opponent came into view. Chris stared up at the humanoid machine, a rust color dominating its seemingly chiseled musculature while blue metal plating covered it in the shapes of boxing gloves, shoes, trunks, and what looked like headgear. Light glinted off the gold of the fake title belt that wrapped around the machine’s waist and, much more importantly, the spiked knuckle plates on his gloves.
“Light on your feet,” the machine said as it straightened up. “Coulda got ya with that OHKO.”
“Punch-A-Bunch,” the ranger muttered as he tensed up even more, his team all starting to back together in a group. “Should’ve known you’d be rearing your ugly face.”
“Oi-”
“Punch-A-Bunch.” Midnight’s stern tone cut the Machine Captain off cold. She turned her attention on the team before her. “You’ll all surrender now, or you will die. Make your choice.”
“Made it the moment I hit the floor,” Chris muttered as his wrist flashed. “RUN!” The Static around everyone present suddenly flared out, the light flooding the room and blinding the villains. But their ears worked fine.
“OUT OF THE WAY!!!” Cobalt’s roar filled the air, a streak of black being the only thing to suddenly appear in the burning white of their blindness. The thestral charged through Midnight and her minions, knocking them aside and making room for the others to run through.
“Grr, get them!” The dark alicorn cried out in rage, eyes slammed shut as she rubbed them back to normalcy. Spike was the first to recover from the blinding flare, his face forming up into a snarl as he rushed out the door, yanking the dark blade of his broadsword out of its sheath. Midnight swiped her hand over her eyes before she turned her eyes to the doorway, sclera turning to teal as her pupils shrank to slits. She ran through the door, teeth grinding together as she went.
Staroid shook his head, his optics finally coming back online. With a mechanical growl, the machine got to his feet and made to run out of the door. He stopped just in time to dodge out of the way as the metal door suddenly slammed into the frame, embedding itself sideways into the crystal wall. The automaton jerked around to see Chris standing where he had been before, garbed fully in his Psycho Chrome armor while Punch-A-Bunch sat embedded in the opposite wall. “Where do you think you’re going?” The ranger questioned in a strange dual-tone as green and orange Static danced over him.
Cobalt ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Shadows streamed from his eyes and the sails of his wings as he ran, straight out of the hallway and darting to the side before he turned to make sure the others got out safely. The next to come was the Changelings, then Firefly, and, finally, Sweetie Belle.
The unicorn practically dove out of the dark passage, spinning around as the light of her magic jumped to her horn, eyes, and the crest of her staff. The mare swept her staff in front of her, magic streaming from it before a barrier of pure pale green light blocked the hallway. The wall shuddered as Spike came into view, the tall drake slamming into the barrier and glancing off. The dragon shook his head before he turned his eyes on the mage, smoke curling from his nostrils.
“Come on, Sweetie,” Cobalt urged, rushing to her side and taking her free arm. “We have to get out of here.”
“Not without Chris!” She replied, trying to yank free from the stallion’s grasp. “He’s still back there!”
“He’s trying to buy us some time!” Cobalt argued, pulling on her a bit harder. “We can’t waste his efforts!”
“Guys, shut up!” Firefly’s shout made the two stop as the pegasus stood stock still behind them, her head tilted back as her ears swiveled back and forth. And that’s when they all heard it.
“Get us the hell out of here!” The voice was heavily muffled but what followed certainly wasn’t. A loud bang sounded through the throne room before even further muffled words followed, though they were unintelligible.
“Does that sound like them to you!?” The first voice yelled out before the banging picked up again. “Hey! Can anyone hear me out there! Open this damn door!” Each of them traded looks before Cobalt took a breath and slowly approached the back of the throne. He put his hand out and touched the hard stone, feeling nothing unusual at all until a thump reverberated through it at the sound of another bang. His hand slipped in surprise, scraping nearer the edge of the throne’s stage. His ears perked up as he picked up a different texture of the stone, and, upon further inspection, found a slight gap in the stone.
The stallion followed it with his eyes, a frown forming on his face as he traced a door with his gaze. He looked back towards the center of the stone, noting that the banging had stopped and had been replaced by light thuds. “...Please,” the voice said softly, weak and scared. “Please don’t leave us here….”
Cobalt froze in place, hand on the cold surface, but before he could get himself back together, another voice spoke up. “C’mon, Ari… no one’s coming for us….”
The stallion’s eyes narrowed at that. “Sweetie!” He shouted over his shoulder, looking towards the unicorn as she gave him her attention. “Keep that barrier up!”
“Yeah, I’ve been working on that!” She answered, wincing as the purple drake slammed his shoulder into the shield once more and forcing the mare to turn her attention back to him and her magic.
Cobalt let out a breath before he turned back to the hidden door in front of him. “We’re getting you out of here,” he called out, hoping his voice carried through the stone. “Just stand back.” A moment passed in silence before quick shuffling sounded from the other side of the door. The stallion nodded to himself before he stepped back with one foot, planting himself as his shadows began to grow.
“Whatever you’re doing!” Sweetie suddenly yelled out. “Do it quick!” But the thestral hardly heard her or the resounding boom of magic meeting magic. Instead, he drew in a deep breath, filling his entire being with air as he drew his arms back, fingers spread out and tensed up like claws. With a shout, he exhaled all the air in his belly and lungs and launched his arms forward. His shadow-cloaked hands slammed into the stone, fingers digging in as the shadows from his wings slammed into the edges of the door. He grunted as he started to pull, veins already bulging from his arms as the yellow Static around his body intensified. A growl issued from his throat as the door began to crack under the pressure, slowly giving in to the thestral’s strength. With a final cry of effort, Cobalt Steel ripped away the stone door and raised it over his head, maintaining his balance only by stepping back.
He was forced to blink as a figure ran out and stopped mere inches before colliding with him. Sharp purple eyes blinked at bright yellow ones before slowly backing up. “Um…” Aria Blaze muttered before a pair of shouts drew each of their attention away.
“Aria!”
“Cobalt!”
The siren’s attention snapped to Adagio behind her as she tried to support Sonata, the youngest siren looking worse for wear while Cobalt’s attention was yanked towards Sweetie and her, now failing, barrier. “A little help, please!” The stallion’s eyes widened as the cracks in the barrier reached the edge, the magic shattering like glass and kicking up a dust cloud with its shockwave. A shadow formed in the debris cloud before Midnight walked out, a look of fury etched into her face as her horn and hand glowed with her magic.
“Where do you think you’re taking my si-” The enchantress was cut off as she jumped out of the way of the stone slab that was suddenly thrown her way. The stone slammed into the ground behind her and shattered on impact, leaving a crater behind. The sound of boots and rushing wind drew her attention back to the throne room proper, eyes widening as Cobalt’s warcry pierced the air and his sword sliced through it.
A shadow fell over her as the sound of metal on metal reverberated through the room. “How dare you!” Spike shouted as he and the thestral struggled against each other.
“Oh, screw you!” Cobalt answered, shadows coming up to cover his blade before he deflected the dragon’s sword off his own, drawing back to one side before slashing horizontally. The drake back stepped and countered, blades ringing and bouncing off one another before the pony brought his sword down. Spike retaliated with another parry only for his eyes to go wide and the breath to rush from his lungs as the stallion spun and drove a heel into his stomach.
The spinning mule kick sent the dragon flying, giving Cobalt just enough time to look behind him to the rest of his team. “What are you still doing here!?” He shouted, turning just in time to catch Spike’s diagonal slash. “Go while you still can!” He grunted and pushed his opponent’s blade away from him before rushing in with another shout of battle.
Midnight watched the combatants for a second more before her face contorted in a snarl and she whipped her head back towards the escapees only for her to have to tilt her head out of the way. A cry of shock and pain ripped from her lungs as the slash of green magic flew past her head, crashing into the wall and gouging a sharp gash into the crystal. The alicorn gasped and let out a groan of pain as she reached a hand up to her cheek, pulling it away as she felt something warm, wet, and sticky. Her eyes locked on her own bloodstained hand for several seconds before she clenched her fist and a feral growl rumbled out of her throat. “You. Little. Bitch!” She shouted, eyes, horn, and hands glowing with the full intensity of her magic as Sweetie stood opposite of her, Thorax’s tail slipping through the door behind her.
“Problem?” The younger mare questioned, eyes filled with anger before she flashed out of existence. Midnight let out a roar of rage before she teleported after the upstart, leaving thestral and dragon in their sword fight.