//------------------------------// // 7: Plague and Pestilence (AKA Giant mantises suck okay?) // Story: MLP: Lord of the Skies // by The Bricklayer //------------------------------// “So, uh, remind me why we’re all the way out here again?” a stallion, clad in royal guard armor asked practically shaking in his boots. Fizzlepop tossed him a look, before casting a glance upwards. Off in the distance, glowing in the dark were streams of lava cascading down the mountainside like fiery rivers. Like hell itself had sprung up from the depths, bubbling and bringing with it an anger unseen by all for generations. A fierce roar, not even tempered by the ages echoed off in the distance. “Well, we’re here to check on His Royal Highness,” Fizzlepop drawled as she nervously took a few steps forwards.  Already a tent had been set up on the barren grounds, and for the moment the former tyrannical mare shivered. Another roar, and then another. She closed her eyes and whispered: “I’m sorry…” She was no fool, and while she was no Fluttershy even the former enforcer could hear the sheer emotion in that cry. The pain, the agony. It wasn’t a cry of rage against the heavens, it was one of a creature who’d lost his mate, lost his way. Fizzlepop could only begin to guess what Rodan was feeling really. He’d been awoken from a long nap, only to find the world had changed. It was one of horses and steel and fire and industry. It wasn’t the prehistoric jungles he knew, and the only thing that was even remotely familiar was his mate. And now even that was lost to him. “He’s miserable,” Fizzlepop whispered in stark realization. Another harrowing cry, another song of mourning.  “He also killed dozens, if not hundreds of ponies when he woke up,” the guard to her left reminded her. “I lost friends, a brother in that awakening. So excuse me if I’m not feeling any sympathy for his Royal Highness. Hah, Lord of the Skies my ass. I don’t care what they’re calling him nowadays, he’s a menace!” Oh right, Fizzlepop mused. He was Soarin’s brother, wasn’t he? Gently, she shut her eyes and gave the fallen Wonderbolt a moment of silence.  “He was only acting within his nature,” Fizzlepop said kindly. “So it’s within that beast’s nature to be a killer?” the pegasus replied, his green eyes narrowing. Facehoofing, Fizzlepop cursed herself only just now realizing how that could have been taken. Goddess, she wished she was Fluttershy at times, she really did. “Not remotely what I meant,” Fizzlepop clarified. “Imagine, if you will, if you were asleep for generations and awoke only to find your whole world changed. And then you found yourself under assault by who, as an animal, you’d probably consider rivals to your territory. You would defend your home correct?” “Possibly… but… but…” the pegasus mumbled. “He’s still a monster, we should all just find a way to put him down!” “Careful, that line of thinking leads to dangerous stupidity. The kind of thinking Hardsteel let himself be led astray by!” Fizzlepop said. She knew it was a low blow, the horrors Hardsteel sank to rocked the guard. But it was a necessary evil for this pegasus to see sense. “...You’re right,” said her companion. No, not her companion Fizzlepop corrected. A guard by the name of Breezy Air nee Skies. “I suppose maybe in some respects, Rodan is just of a thinking being as you or I. In time maybe we’ll forgive him, maybe I will.” “Perhaps one day, we’ll find a way to live in peace with these creatures,” Fizzlepop agreed. “The world belonged to them once, and it is only within their right -no, our right- to let them take a little of it back. Perhaps sometimes, the only way to heal our wounds is to make peace with the demons who created them.” “Serizawa used to say that.” Breezy whispered. “You really believe that?” “Don’t you? Isn’t that why you are here?” Fizzlepop asked pointedly and Breezy was silenced. “Hold up, something’s happening!” another guard said as he peered through a telescope. “Big Bird’s on the move!” Sure enough, Rodan was taking off and into the moonless sky. With a cry and a howl, he flapped his powerful wings and all three ponies were nearly crushed into the ground. “...Ugh, anyone get the number of that minotaur?” Breezy asked. “Now where’s he going in such a hurry?” Fizzlepop mumbled as she picked herself up off the ground. “And the first pony who tells me it’s for a food, fight, or a fuck is winding up cleaning the barracks for a solid month.” “Well, I mean, who can he even fu…” Breezy started before closing his mouth at Fizzlepop’s ice-cold glare. “Shutting up ma’am.” “I don’t know where he’s going, but something tells me we’re going to find out…” Fizzlepop uttered. Dawn broke over Ponyville, and when it did the farmers were in for a very large shock. Mile after mile after mile of orchard, grove, and plantation was stripped to the bone. Trees, once covered in leaves and fruit were now ripped barren and topsoil had been ripped apart with every crop removed. It was as if some great force, during the middle of the night had swept everything away. “I just don’t get it…” Applejack murmured to herself as she walked through the now barren orchards. “...what in Celestia’s name could possibly have done this? I mean, I know we get thieves from time to time but they couldn’t have possibly have done this!” “Bats, you think?” Rainbow asked as she trotted alongside her. Applejack looked at her, and Rainbow stammered out a: “W-Well, I-I mean it’s not like it hasn’t happened before! I mean, let me just call up Fluttershy and she can have a word with the local fruit bats and-” “Has to be one big bat,” Big Mac rumbled. “Now, our family has worked these fields for generations and not once, not ever have we even heard of a bat this big. One that can rip branch from branch and strip an orchard barren in a single night.” Applejack took off her hat and rubbed her forehead with a hoof. “Yeah, now I dunno Big Mac. I’m getting the feeling that this ain’t not bat behind this. Least, no normal one.” “Well, come on! Clearly it’s no normal bat!” Rainbow shouted. “Has to be a bat through, a huge swarm of ‘em. Came right during the night and picked as you please. It was like a sale on apples!” “Well, if it is a bat swarm, I swear I’ll be having Fluttershy be having words with ‘em. They wiped out a year’s harvest and then some!” Applejack shouted shaking a hoof angrily at the sky. “Oh, there’ll be hell to pay for this!” “Well, I mean no offense to Flutters because she’s good with animals and all, but what do you expect her to do?” Rainbow asked and here Applejack and Big Mac looked at her. “W-Well, I mean think about it. They’ve got the taste now, right? That means they know where the food is and chances are they probably know when it harvests. Mark my words, next year and then the next after that they’ll be back!” “Yes, thank you for summing it up like that,” Applejack deadpanned. “Yes, thank you for dashing any hopes we might have had in resolving this here mess.” “Look, I’m just being realistic!” Rainbow exclaimed. “I mean, you of all ponies should understand honesty right?” “Yes, well you can stop being honest and realistic Dash,” Big Mac rumbled. “Because oh yes, giving you false hope might have suddenly magically made things all better,” Rainbow returned. When it looked like the two might have come to blows, Applejack stepped in between them. “Now now, let’s not get all huffy just yet,” Applejack said. “Now I’m sure we can all work out a solution to this dilemma peacefully. Our family’s weathered worse, and we’ve always come out on top. Dash, can you see if you can find Discord? Maybe he can reverse this… thing.” “Uh, yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah, about that…” Rainbow stammered out nervously. “Rainbow…” Big Mac started. “What did you do?” “Oh, I didn’t do anything,” Rainbow remarked. “So why are you suddenly looking at me? It’s not like I personally offended Discord or anything! I have a natural ‘charm’ about moi.” “Well, can you use some of your ‘natural charm’ and just be out with it?” Applejack asked. “Well, what basically happened is, -and I heard this from Spike after our last game night so it’s the truth- well Discord apparently had some long lost relations he needed to reconnect with.” “Convenient,” Applejack muttered in disgust before sighing. “Well, I suppose I can’t blame him, coming from a large family myself…” “Still pretty poor timing on his part,” Big Mac remarked before sighing himself. “...right, I did remember him mentioning this, now that I think about it. Well, there goes the obvious solution.” “You ever notice how the obvious and easy solutions are never around when you need them?” Rainbow commented casting a glance skywards. “I swear… Anyways, but yeah. That’s what Discord’s up to. But I think I know someone who can help. Mage Meadowbrook.” Here both Big Mac and Applejack turned back to look at Rainbow. “Now, will you two stop looking at me like that? I swear, that’s the third time this morning…” Rainbow grumbled with a small little huff.  “Mage Meadowbrook, are you sure?” Big Mac asked. “Dash, after what she did, I’d think she’d be on your persona non grata list.” “Okay, A, and first off I’m really surprised you even know what persona non grata means,” Rainbow said. “So am I with you,” Big Mac replied. “I read.” “So do I, now if you let me finish dude?” Rainbow remarked in abject annoyance. “Okay, good. B, and secondly, Mage Meadowbrook was just trying to do her job. She was just trying to save my sister. I can’t ever hold that against her, despite the… outcome.” “That’s… surprisingly mature of you,” Big Mac appraised. “What, you saying I can’t be mature?” Rainbow sniped. “But yeah, anyways. Mage Meadowbrook. I’m thinking she can get out here and do some of her magical mage stuff, maybe bring along Lady Mistmane or something and get your garden growing again.” “Yeah… yeah, that might work actually…” Applejack mused with Big Mac nodding along. And so, as it were, both the Element of Beauty and the Element of Healing came to the Apple Family Farm. “Mhm, yes this is a plight upon your lands, non?” Meadowbrook said as Applejack looked on. “I shall see what I can do. Truth be told, ma chéri I am surprised I am welcomed back after my… failure.” “Yes, well, if Rainbow Dash is willing to forgive you, then I think we’re all squared right?” Applejack asked. “Haven’t you heard, this is Equestria? We’re big on things like forgiveness and all that!” Through teary eyes, Mage Meadowbrook let out a: “Thank you…” before Mistmane waved them over. “Something else is going on here as well, young ones,” the wizened old mare said. “I’m not quite sure but it seems as if in this section of the orchards, all life has been sucked away. Drained, really.” “What, like a parasite?” Rainbow asked. “If you like, yes,” Mistmane said. “I’m not sure how to describe it except it was as if something larger leached away the energy -and still is for that matter- from the plants.” “Great, more mysteries…” Applejack grumbled. “Can you still help us with our orchard?” “Yes, give me and Mistmane some time,” Meadowbrook agreed. “I think together, we can come up with some sort of solution to your woes. But I still do not understand what possibly could have done this? It is like a plague of locusts!” “Please, don’t say locusts…” Big Mac asked fearfully. “Like, the last time Equestria had locusts it was nearly starved to death!” “But I am calling it as I see it,” Meadowbrook said. “But these are faster than any locusts I’ve ever seen. Like, they would have to be the size of a house…” “Say that again.” Rainbow Dash said her voice suddenly urgent and fearful. Gone was the jokey attitude from before. Now returning was the Element of Loyalty, defender of Equestria. “I said they would have to be the size of a house. Whatever is the matter?” “I know exactly what did this…” Rainbow whispered before galloping off. “What’s her problem?” Applejack asked before she realized with Meadowbrook soon to follow. “...Oh. Oh, crabapples.” “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you two at the funeral,” Pharynx said stepping into town. “It was all a bit of a haze really, kinda just… wanted to get it over with and then get drunk.” One mare, slightly thinner than the norm and a pegasus. The other mare, a bit chubby but not unpleasantly so. Pharynx vaguely knew both of them, Scootaloo’s aunts if he remembered right. Honestly, he didn’t even know why he was in town to just… talk. Personally, he wanted to come to see Lady Mistmane’s findings and be done with it. Then he could get back to his next worry, oh god he needed a stiff drink. Was this what being the Director was like? Suddenly he held no envy for his brother, having to deal with mess after mess after mess.  Well, at least Pharynx for his part, had it slightly luckier than his brother. Slightly. “I’m amazed you even came,” Lofty said. “You… you didn’t have to. It’s been a month now, really. Time’s flown by.” “Yes, well you can thank being overwrought for that, with mess after mess after Titan related mess to deal with,” Pharynx said to the mare. “But I would have come anyway.” “She wasn’t even your family, nor were you even involved in her death,” Holiday said. “So why…” “Because it was Titan-related, so Scootaloo’s death by proxy is my fault,” Pharynx said. Lofty gave him a hard look. “So, is every death via a Titan your fault? Was this Serizawa character’s death your fault, was Soarin’s?” Lofty asked. “Did you attend their funerals as well? Everyone who’s ever been killed by a Titan? Because that’s a long list.” “Serizawa and Soarin’ weren’t kids!” Pharynx snapped before he took a deep breath and sighed. “I’m sorry, it’s just… I’m a parent as well now. A day or so before… that incident, I was gifted a little grub of my own. Don’t see her as often as I’d like, but my little Moongleam is…. Well, yeah.” “I… I understand,” Lofty said. “But you’re still going above and beyond what you really need to do. That money you sent the family, our family? It was too much.” “Yes, well Scootaloo’s father was one of my employees and if I had anything to say about it, so would Rainbow. They deserve at least something for all of this, I doubt the money helps but it’s something,” Pharynx muttered. “Why are you even in town anyways?” Holiday asked. “Nothing to be concerned about right? No Titans? I run a travel business, and my clients are already scared stiff as it is.” “Holiday!” Lofty hissed. “What, I’m still a buisnessmare. I still have work to do, besides it helps with… You know.” Lofty wrapped a comforting wing around her wife, kissing her atop the forehead. “I understand,” Pharynx said before he chuckled. “Well, if it helps any, I hear Titanus Gojira is on the move. Might pay a visit to the tropics, that’s a tourist attraction right there!” That got a few chuckles from the mares before they stopped dead in their tracks. “What’s he doing here?” Holiday whispered as Soulshine walked about. He stopped in his tracks as soon as he saw the mares. “Oh dear…” the golden-maned stallion muttered. “You’re… Oh yeah.” “Why they let you out and about in Ponyville is beyond me,” Holiday snorted. “You’re an abomination of a stallion, after what you tried and pulled…” “And here I thought we ponies were all about forgiveness,” Pharynx muttered before he tried to cleanse the situation. Clear the air. “Look, the only reason Soulshine is here is because-” “No no, I don’t need you to fight my battles director,” Soulshine said. “But yes, I live here. As… repentance. To see how she lived, if that makes sense. Live with my shame. I’ve sold off most of the business anyways, stocks were terrible after the whole giant angry lava pterosaur awakening.” “Well, you deserve it!” Holiday snapped. “Holiday…” Lofty hissed.  “No no, she’s right. I do deserve this. It’s my own personal ball and chain now, I have to live with it. Both me and Meadowbrook do. The only thing we can do now is move on, and try to make amends. Meadowbrook by continuing her medical work, and me… well, me doing janitorial duty for Princess Twilight at her castle. Been a while since I’ve held a mop anyways, it’s… humbling,” Soulshine said softly. “Now, if you want to throw me off a bridge if makes you feel better, by all means, do so. Maybe it’ll allow me to make amends with the child I helped get killed.” “Strangely…” Holiday admitted. “I don’t think it’ll make me feel any better. Scootaloo wouldn’t want that anyways. You’re… well, maybe you’re not such a terrible pony after all. I don’t like you, and probably never will but…” “In the Ponish language there are orphans and widows, but there is no word for the parents who lose a child,” Soulshine said and Holiday’s eyes widened in recognition. “My Sister’s Keeper?” she asked and Soulshine nodded. Holiday’s eyes softened and not even knowing why she hugged the stallion. “I’m… I’m sorry. Oh goodness gracious, here I am crying again.” “There really should be a statute of limitations on grief,” Soulshine uttered and despite all this Holiday laughed. Like, joyously laughed and Soulshine was soon to follow. “So, what have we got?” Fizzlepop asked upon return to Canterlot and Monarch headquarters. “We need answers boys, double time!” “Well, Rodan’s on the move and quite fast actually,” Star Hunter said. “We’ve got multiple images of the big guy circling the Maginet really. It’s almost like he’s a tourist attraction.” “Well, Titans are big news these days,” Fizzlepop uttered. “Really too big if you get my meaning…” “See, uh, too big and Titans, that’s uh pretty clever ma’am,” Star Hunter laughed. Fizzlepop looked less amused. “Okay, um stopping with the jokes now Captain.” “Honestly, ponies would probably survive these things more often if they just exercised basic common sense,” Fizzlepop grumbled. “You see a Titan, you head for the nearest shelter. It’s not exactly a complicated subject to wrap your head around.” “Oh, hold up. Just nabbed us a slice of video!” Star Hunter said before his eyes widened with a soft: “Whoa…” Breezy and Fizzlepop walked over and saw Rodan, atop a high mountain peak in Haywaii. High above the jungles he perched himself, before he flared his wings and generally made himself look more massive than he already was. No small feat, mind you. The pterosaur let out several screeches and then a squawk sounding almost as if it was a… warning of some sort. “What is he... is that like when eagles and other birds threat display? Like, is that what this is?” Star Hunter asked, and then to his amazement the veins of lava Rodan sported began to glow. Like, actually physically glow as if he was communicating with something. Or trying to ward something away. The ponies below, maybe? “Is he like a gorilla pounding his chest?” “Possibly, probably yes,” Breezy agreed. “It’s exactly like that. Well, consider us… very intimidated.” “No… no, I’m not sure it’s for us,” Fizzlepop said as she watched Rodan tilt his head almost in a curious fashion. “It’s like he’s listening for something. Now if I remember correctly, some birds do actually hear things on the infrasonic scale, like below the range of our hearing. So what’s out there?” “And more importantly, do we even want to know?” Star Hunter asked. “Actually… Do we have territorial routes? I mean, the big guy’s had to have left his volcano sometimes right? Everyone’s gotta eat, even him. Shame we can’t just stuff him with a big hayburger and call it a night.” “What are you thinking?” Breezy asked. “Why? What’s with the routes?” “Because we want to start a boat tour! Use your critical thinking skills featherbrain, I know you have them,” Fizzlepop said. “All of this, the light show, the big wing flaring and now Rodan in Haywaii? He’s spooked by something, clearly. When an animal leaves his or her hunting ground, its usually because it’s threatened by something. I doubt this one is no different!” “And I’m not sure we want to know what he’s actually listening for,” Star Hunter muttered. “I mean, he looks spooked. If something can scare him, than… hoo boy. Like, is everyone else very suddenly freaked out or is it just me?” “You’ve got a call coming in from Ponyville,” a red-furred pony said peeking his head in. “Yeah, uh, you might want to hear this.” A panicked Rainbow Dash pacing back and forth was revealed. “Okay okay, Dash, it’s cool. You’re all cool, we’re all cool. Monarch’s on the other end of the line and we’re all totally not going to die here…” In her head, Rainbow saw flashes, images of things she’d rather not remember. A city under siege, a massive reptilian creature rising out of the waters. And oh, the buzzing, the horrific buzzing. Like a thousand deadly angry wasps but much worse. Oh, so far much worse than that. Massive eyes peering out through the smoke and the fog, and sickle-like implements attached to their owner. “Rainbow, Rainbow,” Fizzlepop said calmly. “I need you to stay with me. What, what is it? What’s the matter, what did you see?” “You… Fizzlepop, is that you?” Rainbow asked as Applejack walked up, rubbing her friend’s shoulders in a calming motion.  “Easy Dash…” AJ’s voice said. “You just take it nice and slow, now pardner. I’m sorry Captain… er Fizzlepop. Something’s got her right spooked, not sure what. Like, I haven’t seen her this spooked in ages, something’s really got her riled.” “Yeah, you and me both,” Fizzlepop agreed as she looked behind her. Rodan’s veins glowed once more before he let out a screech and a shriek. Then, with powerful flaps of his wings, he took to the skies once more. Fizzlepop sighed to herself. “...Yeah, that one’s going to be interesting to deal with.” “Was that… was that Rodan?” Rainbow stammered looking ready to start panicking again. “Please tell me he’s not coming here again, like please tell me he’s seriously not!” More flashbacks, more imagery. The roar of a demon and a powerful explosion as that demon took flight. Ponies ripped from the air, the life leaving their wings. The thunder of explosions, lightning ripping open the skies. Fizzlepop watched the poor mare’s panic grow with each passing minute. She searched for anything that might help reassure her. She opted to lie to Rainbow, she didn’t know if Rodan was going for Ponyville or if he was going for somewhere else. “No Rainbow, he’s going home. He’s just going out for an explore, that’s all. Now tell me, what’s the matter?” “I’ll speak for her,” Applejack said handing Rainbow a bag to blow into. “Well, we were investigating the orchard. See, our whole harvest for the year got smashed, stolen. Somebody mentioned locusts, think it might have been Meadowbrook, I don’t know. Then Rainbow freaked and said she had to place a call to you.” “No no no no no no no no,” Rainbow swiftly corrected. “Not locusts, something a little worse. No, much worse. The same thing that attacked Titanosaurus. The Kamacuras. They’re coming.” Fizzlepop’s eyes widened as things all started to make sense. Of course… Of course… “So that’s who he’s afraid of. Rainbow, thank you. You, you don’t know how much you just helped.” “Just do one thing,” Rainbow said. “If Rodan and Kamacuras are going to come to blows? Make sure you take them both down.” Fizzlepop’s eyes widened. “Are you sure that’s what she said?” Twilight asked, calming waves coming off of her in an otherwise raging storm of fear and anxiety. “The kamacuras?” “Well, Rainbow Dash seemed pretty sure of herself, so yeah I’d say that’s what she said,” Fizzlepop replied before she frowned. “Twilight, Rainbow… I’m worried about her. She’s terrified. Like, I didn’t notice it before and I’m not sure how but I’m noticing it now. She’s been put through hell this past month. First, she had to fight Kamacuras, then she lost Scootaloo and then there was Rodan.” “I’m well aware,” Twilight murmured before Fizzlepop glared at her. “I’m not sure you are,” the Captain of the Guard stated. “Mess after mess after mess has been piled atop her head and I’m not sure how much more she can take. She’s this close to cracking Princess, and to be honest I’m amazed she hasn’t cracked earlier.”  “So what do you suggest I do? Huh?” Twilight asked. “You know Rainbow, she’s always been stubborn as a mule. It’s not like there’s much we can do to stop her!” “I know, that’s what I’m afraid of…” Fizzlepop murmured… A pestilence and a plague, they were once called. In ancient times, they came from parts unknown and savaged lands well beyond repair. The badlands were once thriving until they came. The hoards. The kamacuras.  It was only after a great wizard devised a spell to keep them locked away that the plagues were finally stopped. But then after centuries of decay, the spell finally broke free and out they came. The kamacuras were originally a part of the natural cycle, but as Titans of old passed or hid away in hibernation very few were left to keep them in check. So they ravaged the lands. And now they returned to old habitats ready to begin again the cycle. To their surprise, they found something awaiting them, bugs smaller than them coming out of their hives to face them. Slashing and slicing, one of the kamacuras smashed through a dwelling before it let out a screech of pain. The leader, clearly by his colorful garments stood tall and firm. His bright orange horns clicked and clacked together angrily, wings buzzing in agitation. Twin sickles were raised and one slashed downwards. But to the giant mantis’ surprise, no blood was drawn. Instead, the leader was holding the sickle firmly in place with his horns. With a great mighty heave, and then a toss the kamacuras found himself thrown into a nearby mountain pass. While the kamacuras had been hidden away, the small ones grew in strength. Now they could fight back against the encroaching hoards. The kamacuras let out a shriek, wings buzzing in fury. This small one dared to interfere? Then a massive explosion as a wave of rainbow light filled the sky, a gritty determination in the maker’s eyes, several changelings taking to the air to support her. Several actually dogpiled the kamacuras that had dared to attack their leader. Thrash as he might, the kamacuras could not throw them off, and eventually, he heard it. The continuous vibration of wing muscles eventually created heat, a lot of it in fact. So much heat that in fact that the massive insectoid kaiju was actually roasted alive. The body dropped to the ground with a nearly cataclysmic thud, the shockwave leveling some smaller dwellings.  Rainbow meanwhile was trying to outpace another member of the hoard, dashing between mountain peaks with the monster in hot pursuit. The mantis was fast, but she was faster. Then, surging upwards she actually looped behind the massive insect, and just in the nick of time too. The kamacuras actually plowed through a mountainside, rocks and rubble flying through the air and battering the poor creature. Eventually, it found it hard to stay aloft, and crashed into the ground, carving a great gouge through the earth and rock.  “Oh yeah, still got it…” Rainbow said before circling back around to re-engage another member of the hoard. Down below, she could see a massive flash of green flame as Thorax changed into a kamacuras himself, and ripped open a member of the hoard with his twin sickle arms. Changing back as he detected something behind him, Thorax grabbed another kamacuras with his horns. He lifted the massive creature, groaning under the strain before bringing it back down again with a mighty thud. The broken body twitched slightly, before falling silent. Rainbow let out a squeak of shock. She knew certain insects could lift 5,000 or something times their own body weight but Celestia… That was something else! Rainbow then took a sharp left turn as another member of the hoard slashed at her with a sickle arm. The massive mantis poured on the speed and with barely any warning zipped around a mountain peak. Rage filled the mantis’ body. These small ones, they dared to interfere with the cycle, they dared to interfere after they’d been locked away for so long by magic spells? Now Rainbow found herself on the defensive as she dodged strikes from the Titan again and again. One wrong move and that would be the end of her. A wing sliced off, or her head ripped open. No more Element of Loyalty. “Really not the way I planned to go out, I mean sure I’d like my death to be awesome please but by a giant bug? I mean, that’s not awesome, that’s just humiliating! My epitaph reading: “Rainbow Dash, dead via giant mantis!” Like, that is so uncool it’s not even funny. Alright then big guy, you want a race? You got a race! Come and get your mare, big guy. Titan or not, I will not let you harm Equestria!” Far and away, unaware of the battle that was rapidly developing on the Changeling Kingdom’s borders Mistmane continued to track the death and decay. Applejack and the Lady Mistmane had stayed behind to see what parts of the orchard they could save. The sun beat down on them as the morning turned to afternoon, Big Mac and Meadowbrook turning out into the fields. “Welp, least we know it’s not just us who’s been affected by this… blight,” Big Mac said to himself as he walked the barren fields of the Sunrise clan. “Whatever Rainbow Dash was so terrified of, it seemed to be fairly indiscriminate.” “Animals often are,” Meadowbrook said as she began shaking something. The dried gourd sprinkled dust as it was gently waved over farm fields. Little by little, new sprouts began to spring up. Though it would be a while yet before any of them bore fruit. “Still, I don’t think anypony’s ever seen a razing this bad. At least, not while we were living back in our time.” “I don’t think anypony in any time has ever seen a razing this bad, Lady Meadowbrook,” Big Mac rumbled. Meadowbrook smiled softly, her eyes widening in surprise before they twinkled with delight. “Lady Meadowbrook?” the healer remarked. “My my, mon chéri, you do know how to flatter a mare!” “Well, I, uh…” Big Mac stammered as Meadowbrook let out a giggle, using her hoof to hide her laughter.  “Think nothing of it, mon chéri,” Meadowbrook smiled before that smile faded. “...our time huh? Celestia, it has been a long time since those years.” “I personally, don’t see the problem,” Big Mac said. “Y’all are finding new ways to fit in here, every one of you.” “I know, but seeing how the world has changed in many regards, I do often at times long for the simpler times. Before monstrous threats of every size, these… Titans and all that they bring with it,” Meadowbrook said. “Sometimes I do wonder if I’m in over my head…” “If you are talking about Scootaloo, then…” Big Mac started before taking a deep long sigh. “You did the best that you could, that’s all anybody could have asked of you. You did what you thought was right, nobody should have the right to hold you to that.” “Thank you…” Meadowbrook whispered before she gave a blushing Big Mac a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, mon petit chou.” Big Mac didn’t quite know why, but somehow he felt that statement would make him blush even redder. If that was possible. Meadowbrook chuckled. Her cabbage, a perfect little nickname for her little farmer.  Panting and sweating, a mare with a deep red mane ran up. “M-Mage Meadowbrook,” Strawberry said as she recognized the mare. “O-Over here, to the south fields, you want to come and see this. It’s… well, it’s something alright. Never seen anything like it!” For the record, neither had Meadowbrook. A massive bulb surrounded by a grove, an actual grove of flowering plants with spores floating all around. “Well, this is… new,” Big Mac remarked. “I think we discovered what was leeching life away from our plants…” And then, little by little the bulb began to open and a loud shriek filled the air…. Back in the Changeling Kingdoms, Thorax had discovered that even with the might of the army behind him, he could only hold back the massive mantises for so long. Several hives had already been smashed apart, the hoard reclaiming the area as their own. “Well, this is a bit of a predicament, isn’t it?” Rainbow asked as she and Thorax eyed the kamacuras. “I think we’re already past the point of predicaments,” Thorax returned. “Like, I think we’re in crisis mode, actually.” “You could have at least let me have my fantasy…” Rainbow muttered to herself. Thorax began to bark out orders. “Everyone, to the hives, and quickly now!” Thorax shouted. “Single file, we’ll get underground and wait this out. They’ll leave eventually when they’ve had their fill, and we can rebuild then!” Rainbow was all too keen to follow, really. “You handle yourself well in a crisis,” she remarked. “Really sturdy, I suppose. Like, if I was in your place I’d be freaking out. Amazed I haven’t started doing that already.” “Oh, yes, well when the adrenaline dies down I think we can start Twilighting,” Thorax teased. “Twilighting?” Rainbow asked. “We’re using her as a verb now?” “Well, Rarity said to me that you started it!” Thorax returned. Rainbow made a ‘fair’s fair’ motion with her hoof before muttering something under her breath about gossipy fashionistas. Behind them, Ocellus had only now just managed to slip into the caverns, before tripping on a tangled root in her panic. Landing face first in the mud and the dirt, she looked up and saw it. A kamacuras gazing down at her, massive orbs staring right into her soul. Thorax’s head whipped around when he heard the scream. “Ocellus!” he shouted, taking a quick u-turn and running back to the younger drone. He didn’t even know if he could make it in time, as even now the kamacuras was digging out the tunnel. Light began to flood in, before it was covered by a deep darkness as the massive mantis blotted out the sun. A slash of the arm downwards, and Ocellus braced for the death that never came.  When she felt nothing, she looked upwards to see Thorax holding back the sickle with his horns. With a great tug, the blade was ripped clean free of the monster formerly attached to it. Ocellus took her chance and ran for it. Another sickle blocked her path, and then another. She looked upwards, a second kamacuras staring down at her. And then a familiar roar filled the air as cinders began to rain down. Both kamacuras were ripped free of the ground by massive talons. Rodan, the Lord of the Skies had arrived, and he roared in challenge.