Everypony in the accounting office stood there in shock, having just seen a member of the Royal Guard punch out one of their employees. Many were about to yell, only to see something fall out of Cruncher's pocket. The unicorn moaned as he pushed himself up, only to see the syringe now on the floor. He gasped before leaping at it, but Live's magic grabbed it, yanking it up to her. Everypony stared at the device she was holding, only for Grand to walk up and grab Cruncher's neck.
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?!" Grand roared, spit flying out of his mouth and hitting Cruncher's face, "I spent over ten years staring at your horn-writing! Working with you and Doom on projects where you insisted on doing all the writing...if numbers weren't your special talent, calligraphy would be it!"
Live blinked at Grand, only to remember back to the wall that Bomber had blasted a warning into last night. The way it was written, joined up with impressive skill and perfect equal distance between the words. "So that's how that he figured it out..." She whispered as Remarie walked up to Grand, trying to push him away from Cruncher.
"Can somepony tell me what's going on? Why did you punch Cruncher?!" She then turned to Live, "And isn't that one of those items that strange mare was showing off the other night?"
"Yes, it is." Live replied, "A Cutie Marker." She showed the device to Remarie, only for her to notice it was the same marking that the pony that had attacked her was wearing on his clothes, making her turn to Cruncher with a long frown.
"Honey...why do you have this?" Cruncher just looked away in response.
"Because he's the pony that's been using it," Grand growled, "He's the one who attacked you and destroyed the theater." Remarie gasped at this as he continued, "He's the one who attacked me at the construction site last night and tried to blow up half of Canterlot." The ponies around them all went wide-eyed, "He's the one who caused Doom to sacrifice his life to stop that explosion, and then murdered Center Stage in cold blood." He then shoved Cruncher to the floor, "He's the pony known as Bomber."
Remarie's eyes went more and more wide at the sound of this, turning to Cruncher as he continued to remain silent. "Please...tell me this isn't true." But Cruncher said nothing, Remarie now tearing up before running away.
"Remarie!" Cruncher finally cried out, only for Live to stand in front of him. But as she did this, he suddenly sidestepped around her, getting past her before running out of the office, Live and Grand following him as they reached the stairway, "Please!" He screamed, making her stop. "Please...just let me explain."
"I think we'd all like to hear your excuses for everything you've done," Live chimed in, "So go on, try and worm your way out of all the horrible things you've done with that Cutie Marker."
They all stood there, sweat now going down Cruncher's face as he let out a sigh, glancing away as he responded, "I just...I needed it. I needed the Cutie Marker. It was the only way I could feel special enough to even achieve what I wanted."
"What did you want?!" Grand barked, only for Cruncher's gaze to slowly turn back to the mare he loved. "Remarie?! What does taking a dangerous drug and terrorizing Canterlot have to do about her?!"
Cruncher glared back at the solider, a look of resentment blazing in his eyes, "Of course you wouldn't understand! Why would you ever doubt yourself?! You're mister hero. Mister Royal Guard, who protects everypony and is admired by anypony you meet despite the horrors you've caused!" Cruncher yelled back, Remarie and Live's eyes both darting back and forth between the two as Grand began to growl at Cruncher.
"Don't you dare bring that up. That has nothing to do-"
"It does!" Cruncher screamed, "After all, you're a monster too, and yet your cutie mark and special talent makes it easy for you to be a hero anyways!" He glanced back at his flank, at the numbers and math symbols emblazoned on it. "But what do I have that makes me special?! My talent is math, the same special talent a thousand other ponies have! How the heck am I supposed to stand out with a talent like that?!"
"That's your excuse?!" Grand countered, "You did all that because of you didn't like your talent?!"
"YES!" Cruncher exclaimed, only to look away from all three, "It...it didn't matter to me at first. I was happy with not standing out and being part of the crowd. Sure, I wished I could have a talent that wasn't as boring, but I was willing to live with it." He then turned to Remarie, "But that all changed when I saw you."
Weeks ago...
Cruncher had just helped the theater's owner with some accounting problems and was hearing out of the theater, but as he passed by the stage, he saw somepony on it, helping another mare with her dress. Remarie stood there, looking like the most beautiful pony he had ever seen.
He then heard her laugh, the most angelic sound now going into his ears.
And once she was done with the unicorn's dress, she turned and smiled at him, "Hello there. Are you here to help with the play?" Cruncher said nothing, his voice suddenly going AWOL. He tried to speak, but the only sounds he could make were a bunch of unintelligent sounds. "What?"
Cruncher tired to talk again, but still his vocal chords were paralysed.
"Remarie!" They turned to see Spick on the edge of the stage. "Center's looking for you. He said his tuxedo legs are too short."
"Be right there," Remarie sighed before turning back to Cruncher. "Sorry, I have to go. Hope to see you again."
With that, she left as Cruncher just stared at her. But as she left his sight, his voice returned, "Hello, goodbye. I'm Number Cruncher...oh."
He then sat down on the floor, unable to move for a second. And as he got back up, he walked out of the building, his body shaking as he muttered, "I'm such a loser..."
"I couldn't talk. I was completely frozen. It was as if my body was telling me I wasn't meant to talk to her." He put his hoof to his face, tears going down his face as he continued, "And I began to believe it. Why would such an amazing and beautiful pony have anything to do with me?"
"Cruncher..." Remarie barely replied, remembering that meeting and having thought Cruncher was cute and the way he couldn't talk to her was adorable. If only she had put off helping Center with his pants, then she could have talked some more and he might have loosened up around her. She then remembered seeing Cruncher around the theater a few more times, each time staying as far away from her as possible.
That is, till Cruncher continued, "I kept finding excuses to go back to the theater. But every time I came, my body froze up. My mind kept telling me that she wouldn't want anything to do with me. Why would she? I'm not some super cool pony that can slay a tatzlwurm or capture an entire gang of criminals single-hoofedly. I wasn't Grand or Doom." He then stared down at hooves, Grand's anger slightly fading as he saw Cruncher slump down as he added, "It got so bad that simply being around her was torture. I...I knew I could never be a part of her life....and it scared me."
But as he said this, he let out a low chuckle, "And then it happened."
Cruncher ran out of the theater and into the alleyway beside it, panting as he felt a wave of self-loathing wash over him. "RAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" He roared as he punched the wall, only to flinch and clutch the hoof in pain as he turned to lean against the wall and slide down it.
"Problem?" He looked up and saw a pink mare walking up to him, a briefcase hovering in her magic. "You seem rather...frustrated."
"You wouldn't understand," Cruncher spat back, glancing away.
"Try me," she replied, putting the briefcase down, "I think you'll find I understand better than you think."
Looking up as though she was nuts, he did a small shrug and told her about the amazing mare he wished he had the courage to talk too, but knew he didn't stand a chance with her.
"I see," she giggled, "Seems your pain is from your talent, isn't it? Such a boring mark won't help you there."
"You think my pain is amusing?!" Cruncher growled.
"Of course not," she replied, "I'm chuckling at your good fortune. You see, I have just the thing that can help you get the girl you want." Cruncher raised an eyebrow at this, only for the mare to open the case. He then saw a bunch of different tubes with multiple images on them. "With this, the power to do anything will be yours."
The Present...
"And she was right!" Cruncher laughed, staring down at his hooves, "I...I used the Cutie Marker and I got power that I had never felt before! It was amazing!"
"Its also dangerous." Live chimed in, "Power that if used wrongly, could have killed you. Did you not think of what might happen if the Cutie Marker was defective or got damaged without you noticing? It could have caused your magic to backfire and cause you to explode, killing you and anypony around you!"
"It was worth the risk," Cruncher replied, waving his hoof, "With that power, I finally had something I never felt in myself before: Confidence. I no longer felt like I was just another nameless face in the crowd. I now had the strength to talk to the mare I had been pinning for. If I could make anything I want explode, talking to one mare was a cakewalk." He turned to Remarie, "Don't you see? It's thanks to the Cutie Marker that we're together. I never would have been courageous enough to talk to you if I hadn't gotten it."
However, Remarie began to backpedal at this, a look of horror now on her face, "But...but you attacked me." Cruncher blinked at this, grimacing as she continued, "You destroyed my place of work and terrified me."
"It...it wasn't my fault," he replied, "I thought...I thought you were cheating on me. When I saw you and Center kissing...I just felt an overwhelming sense of anger overcome me."
"So you attacked me?!" Remarie almost screamed.
"It's the Cutie Marker," Live chimed in again, Cruncher and Remarie turning to her. "The more a pony uses it, the less rational they become. How many times did you use it before the other night?"
"A few times," Cruncher responded, "Before I first talked to Remarie and every time before we went on a date. I would use it and go to the junkyard outside of town, destroy a bunch of stuff to calm my nerves and help me remember I was worthy of her. Then...then I just kept going back whenever I had free time." Live and Grand shared a glance as he continued, "I just...the power. It was such a rush that...that I couldn't get enough. I started going there everyday."
"Multiple uses in rapid succession," Live sighed, "No doubt about it. The Cutie Marker's started affecting him. He stopped thinking rationally."
But her words didn't reach Cruncher, the stallion instead turning to Remarie. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. I was just in so much pain and...I hated myself when I realized what had happened." He then gave her a big grin, "But I made things right. I made Center pay."
Her eyes shrunk at these words, "Cruncher...what did you do?"
He opened his mouth to reply, only for Grand to speak up, "You had Technica invite Center to the party last night, didn't you? You planned on making him pay."
"He deserved it!" Cruncher yelled as he spun back and pointed at Grand, "He's the reason I almost killed the mare I loved! He attacked her and made me think she was cheating on me! He had to pay! That's why I did what I did!" He let out a long low hiss, "But you got in my way. Thanks to you, I barely managed to get my revenge, and because of you, Doom is gone! You just couldn't help yourself, could you?! You just had to cross off the final name on that list! Now you're the last surviving pony of Ms. Careheart. You just couldn't live with failing to finish of that last pony, could you?!"
"Cruncher..." Grand barely replied, now hearing his old friend say that he thinks Grand was happy about that night. His mind told him only one thing: The Cutie Marker had done some serious damage to his brain.
Cruncher turned to Remarie at this, Grand unable to respond as Cruncher tried to walk over to her, "Everything's alright now. I've taken care of Center, so he'll never trouble you again. Now we can be happy, together." He reached out his hoof, but Remarie pulled back.
"No...no!" She yelped, shaking her head, "You...you tried to kill me! And you killed Center!"
"But I fixed that!" Cruncher responded, "It was all a misunderstanding, and I've fixed it!"
"No..." Remarie shook her head again. "Cruncher, don't you understand? You're ill." She glanced over at the Cutie Marker, "Using that thing has made you into somepony you're not."
"It's made me powerful," Cruncher countered, flexing his hoof, "With it, nopony will be able to stop me! We can live a life of luxury, with nopony getting in our way."
"No Cruncher," Grand chimed in, "You need to pay for what you've done." The unicorn turned to glare at him. "Even if he was a jerk, Center didn't deserve what you did to him. And you were willing to blow up half the city, killing somepony who called you a friend in return."
"Only because you got in my way!" Cruncher screamed as he pointed at Grand again, "I won't let you villainize me! I'm the hero of this story!"
Live shook her head at this, "It's over Cruncher."
"IT'S NOT OVER!" He yelled, turning back to Remarie. "Don't worry. I won't let them split us up!" He glanced back at Grand, "I know you. You came to try and talk me down before you told Celestia or anypony else who the one behind all this is, didn't you?" Grand didn't respond at this, making Cruncher laugh, "I knew it. You're so stupid Grand. All I have to do is get rid of you, then nopony will get in my way ever again!"
"Cruncher..." Remarie whispered, "What are you saying?" He turned back to her, a look of deranged excitement on his face.
"I made a mistake before, letting him figure out who I am. But I can make it right. Then we can be together."
He then reached out his hoof at her, only for the mare to smack his hoof away. "No."
"Remarie…"
"I don't want anything to do with you," Cruncher's eyes went wide at this. "Not this you. The version of you that I liked died the moment you used that thing for the first time."
"You never even knew that version of me!" Cruncher hissed, "If it wasn't for the Cutie Marker, I never would have had the courage to even talk to you!"
"Maybe..." Remarie replied, only to sigh, "But maybe that would have been for the best." Cruncher's face looked like it was about to crack at this, "If us being together meant you had to become this murderer...it would have been better that you never met me." Cruncher's hoof went down, his body shaking as Remarie gave him a look of pity. "But it's not too late. If you turn yourself in, serve your time, then maybe there's still a chance."
But as her words hit Cruncher's ears...they went in one ear and out the other. Instead, he turned to glare at Grand, "You..." He gritted his teeth as he growled, "You did this! You couldn't leave well enough alone! You had to make everypony around you miserable!"
"This isn't my fault," Grand responded.
"YOU TURNED HER AGAINST ME!" Cruncher screamed, his face turning red.
"You did that yourself," Grand calmly replied, shaking his head. "Now it's time to give it up." Cruncher shook his head as he began to backpedal, slowly go up the stairs that lead up to the roof. "We can help you. You've done terrible things, but you're just as much a victim as you are a criminal. If you give yourself up...we'll find a way to help you. But if you try and fight, I'll have no choice but to stop you."
"No," Cruncher whispered, his tone slowly getting louder. "No...no..." Grand and Live got closer, his voice shaking as he began to pant, "No...I won't let you take me." His horn began to spark, "STAY AWAY!" With that, his horn exploded and unleashed a bright light that blinded everypony. Cruncher used this distraction to grab the Cutie Marker in Live's magic and pull it free, making her gasp as the light faded to show him placing it up to his neck. "I win." He pressed the plunger down.
"Bomber!" It exclaimed before he was consumed by light and revealed his Bomber outfit. Remarie gasped at this, now seeing the undeniable proof that the stallion she loved was the maniac that attacked her.
Grand charged at Bomber, but he raised his gauntlet and fired a blast. "AUGH!" He cried as it hit flying back, slamming through a wall, the whole thing collapsing and burying everything but his back legs.
"GRAND!" Live screamed before hearing movement behind her, she and Remarie turning to see Bomber making a break for it up the stairs. "Stay here!" Live told Remarie before running after the criminal while Remarie went over to Grand and tried to pull the debris off of him. But she barely got three pieces off before the pile exploded, Grand ascending out of the rubble.
"Are you alright?" She asked as he sat up, Remarie only gasping as she saw his face.
Bomber finally reached the roof and rushed over to the side, finding no way to go down before a bolt of lightning flew past him. He glanced back and saw Live teleporting over to him, an anti-magic-ring in her possession. "I'm taking you in!" She yelled as she unleashed a barrage of bolts, only for Bomber to raise his gauntlets, an explosion firing out and hitting the lightning. The following collision covered the roof in an explosion, smoke pouring out as Live coughed at the fog consuming her.
And before she could react, the smoke faded to show Bomber right in front of her. "Good night!" His gauntlet was pointing right at her chest, an explosive blast coming next.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed as she was blasted back, slamming into a metal fencing that circled around the roof. She then slumped over, falling unconscious from the sudden blow.
Bomber laughed at this before taking the ring and putting it on her horn, "That'll keep you out of my hair."
"CRUNCHER!" He turned to the voice, only to see the Grand suddenly on the roof, a large gash running down his left eye. "Stop this!"
"Never!" Bomber screeched, "You took everything from me, so now I'm going to take everything from you!"
Grand sighed and shook his head, only to charge with a hammer in his hoof. Bomber fired his gauntlets in response, but Grand darted around the roof, dodging both blast before swinging his hammer into one of the gauntlets. This made the device shatter, causing the Cutie Marker user to growl.
He then dodged Grand's second swing and managed to grab the hammer, the pair pulling at the weapon until Bomber spun the two, pushing Grand back into the fence. He then leapt back as his horn began to glow. "You wanna play hero?! Well it's time the world saw the truth! That you're a villain, and this will forever be on your conscience!"
With that, he fired the spell straight up, flying high above the city. Grand glanced up to see the spell continue to fly, only to explode into hundreds of smaller purple lights, which began to rain down on the city. Grand's eyes went wide at this, "NOOOOOOOOOO!"
All over the city, ponies were living their every day lives, only for the purple lights to fall down and collide with things all over the city. The walls of buildings, the pavement, street lamps, the outside chairs and tables of restaurants...and even clothes that some ponies were wearing. The ponies that saw this only had seconds to wonder what was happening before they got the answer, as the energy from the spell caused everything glowing purple to explode.
Grand's heart stopped when he saw multiple columns of smoke and fire fly into the sky, the screams of ponies filling the air. He knew then and there that this would be a day that would forever go down in Equestria's history a day of terror. Only to hear Bomber scream at the top of his lungs as he put Live on his back.
"Let despair fall upon all citizens of Canterlot!" Grand turned to see Bomber yelling to the heavens before pointing at Grand, "And let it be known that the reason this devastation happened is because you failed to do what was needed!"
With that, he fired a blast at the fence and created a hole in it that he leapt through. "CRUNCHER!" Grand screamed, running to the edge as he saw Bomber fired a blast of magic at the ground, causing it explode and the shockwave cushioned his fall, allowing him to land perfectly on the ground. Grand quickly leapt off as well, slamming his hammer into the wall beside him. The hammer dug into the concrete, Grand slowly sliding down the wall before landing as well.
He began his chase at Bomber at this, both running to another building just a few streets over. And as Grand ran after him, they went into an alleyway that was a large descending staircase. As he got there, Bomber was already on the bottom of the stairs, only for somepony to walk out in the middle of the staircase. She wore a huge grin as she said, "It's no use following him."
Grand slid to a stop and glared at the mare, "You..."
Technica giggled before pointing at the still smoking city, "Quite a spectacle, isn't it?"
"Do you realize what you've helped do?!" He gestured to the city, "Monstrous damage to the city and to who knows how many ponies!" He then pointed at her, "What you've done has only sealed your fate! If your Cutie Markers weren't gonna be illegal before, they will be now! And Princess Celestia will make sure you and everypony involved with those devices will end up rotting in jail forever!"
"I doubt that," Technica laughed, waving her hoof, "This little event will boost our finances ten times over. When word gets out that a single everyday pony was able to acquire this level of power, ponies far and wide will flock to us like sheep! We'll be rich!" She then rubbed her chin, her tongue slightly coming out as her eyes somewhat rolled back, "As the first user of the Cutie Marker, Number Cruncher has created a real sensation. I'm sure everypony will want..." She held up her Cutie Marker, "This devilish little device."
As she said this, Grand looked back at the destroyed city, more and more cries filling the air. He then stared down at his weapon, still incomplete due to his own stubbornness. Death had happened due to this, untold pain and suffering now falling upon the city. All because he chose to not take the power he had been offered. Because he hesitated to defend others with it, all out of pride and self-loathing.
And it was here that a piece of Grand's soul died as the words of his friends echoed in his mind.
"Sometimes we have to do the things we don't want to do, for the good of those around us."
"I've met some Royal Knights and many of them...well, they think the position sometimes feels more like a punishment than a blessing."
The words entered his head, making him clench his hooves in the hammer. "I understand now..." he whispered, now realizing that a Royal Knight's destiny was not just one of respect and control. It was a destiny of responsibility and sacrifice. And even if he didn't want the title, he knew one thing: He would not hesitate anymore.
"Do yourself a favor," Technica suddenly chimed in, "Go home. Run away. Leave the city if you have to. If you do that, I won't be forced to removed you. Because one way or another, your little adventure is finished. This is what happens to Celestia's pawns." She then pulled out a second Cutie Marker, "Unless this event has changed your view. Maybe you would like a taste of the future."
"No," Grand replied, his eyes slowly looking back up at her. However, there was a new fire in his eyes, one that made her raise an eyebrow, "I won't run away. I won't run away from anything, including my destiny. Now...I'm taking you in."
Technica let out a sigh and swapped markers, "I tried to give you an out. Remember that." She placed the Cutie Marker to her neck and pushed the plunger down, causing the device to let out a noise.
"Technology!" With that, the device unleashed a bright flash of light that wrapped around the pony. It solidified to reveal the bat-themed costume that clung to the mare's body.
She spread her wings as her horn began to glow. "Prepare yourself. Because you're facing a pony that is the next stage of Equestrian evolution."
"No...you prepare yourself." Grand replied, "Because I might not be part of the next stage of Equestrian evolution, but I am something special."
"What's that?" She asked, only for a light to catch her attention, making her now see the hammer beginning to glow.
The light exploded off of it and filled the street, blinding her as the hammer began to morph and change. No longer was it a hoof-held hammer, now becoming a giant war-hammer that was almost as large as Grand was long. It was mostly made of silver metal, with a large rectangular head that had Grand's cutie mark on the longer sides of it while near the bottom was a bronze ring followed by a handle wrapped in a brown leather and a bronze orb at the very bottom.
Grand spun the hammer, barely feeling any weight coming from it. He then stood up, his form now showing a full standing solider as he answered her question, "A Royal Knight."
Technica rolled her eyes at this, "How disappointing. Figures you would-blugh!" she yelped as Grand used the hammer to pole vault him right at her, slamming his hooves in her face. She tumbled down the stairs, only to spin and regain her footing before firing a swarm of flying buzz-saws back at him.
"Grand Impact!" Grand yelled as he slammed his hammer into the ground, causing the pavement to break apart. Rocks ascended from this, swinging his hammer at them next as they were swatted into the buzz-saws.
Rock on metal created a number of explosions, all the buzz-saws smashed into short-circuiting and overloading. Several rocks flew through this, all about to hit Technica as she tried to take to the air. As she did this, her chest-armor opened and fired several electro-cords, Grand knocking them back with another hammer swing. And as she tried to hit him again with the cords, Grand just grabbed the incoming cords, electricity surging through him before slamming his hammer down, breaking the cords.
He glared back up at her, the mare now feeling a small shiver go down her spin before he exclaimed, "Grand Impact!" The ground ripped apart again, Grand firing the rocks at blinding speed. The mare's wings flared as she took to the air, only to see the rocks still follow her.
"Raugh! So annoying!" She hissed as she reached into her utility belt. She then threw a series of beeping shuriken-like devices, all of them exploding as they hit the rocks. But as she did this, she saw Grand about to summon more rubble, making her whisper, "I can't fight him here..."
Grand watched as Technica turned to fly away, the earth pony growling. "Not this time!" He placed his hammer on his back, cutting into a sprint as both began to wind through the streets of Canterlot as fast as they could move. But despite Technica having the advantage of flight, Grand had no trouble keeping up with her as she swerved around corners and alleyways. 'She's not trying to outrun me. She must be trying to find a place that better suits her.'
And after about five minutes of running, the pair arrived at a construction site, filled with multiple pieces of heavy machinery, electronic tools and even a large fuel tank in the middle. She flew into the site, laughing as she landed on the half built building's girder structure. "Gotta love this city's desire to improve itself!" She cheered as Grand ran in, "So many playgrounds for me to use to my heart's content!"
"Being in one of these didn't help you last night!" Grand barked back.
Under her mask, Technica smiled, "Last night, I had to worry about my clients getting hit. But this time-" The machines all began to rev up, all turning toward Grand as she continued to laugh.
A bunch of cords came first, Grand swatting them away with her hammer before hitting a charging forklift, knocking it over. As he did this, a dump-truck came next, making Grand yell, "Grand Wall!" He slammed his hammer down, causing a large thick wall to fly out, the truck smashing and bouncing back.
Grand then noticed a power-saw slithering up, but Grand blocked it with the head of his hammer, the saw unable to cut into the material. It pulled back, then swung around to whip him with its cord. He leapt back at this, only for an excavator to charge at him, trying to crush him with its scoop.
"Not this time!" He pulled his hammer back, "Grand Slam!" He swung the hammer like a golf club, smashing the excavator's shovel with enough force that its arm was ripped clean off. It went flying before landing on the power-saw, crushing it as well. Grand then leapt onto the excavator, hopping up as Technica flew back, landing on another girder as Grand got to her level.
"I'll admit you're strong," Technica commented as she dusted herself, "If a little hypocritical." Grand raised an eyebrow as she continued, "You condemn me for selling devices that make ponies stronger, but isn't your hammer just like a Cutie Marker? It grants you powers and abilities you wouldn't normally have otherwise. Yet its considered something for the greater good while my product is hated. And why? Because the princess says so. Tell me, where's the fairness in that?"
Grand shook his head at this, "You don't understand. There's two differences between my Celestic Gear and your Cutie Markers."
"Which is?"
"The first is that my Celestic Gear doesn't turn me into a psychopathic addict that can't go ten minutes without using it."
"A mild side-effect. I'm sure we'll be able to fix with enough time and backing," Technica replied while waving her hoof, "I bet you'll get addicted to that hammer if you use it enough."
"I won't. That's the other point. Unlike you, Celestic Gears aren't handed out like candy to anypony that can scrap enough bits together." He held up the weapon, "This device isn't a toy. It's a gift that shows Celestia trusts me enough not to ever use this power for wrongdoing. I still might not think I'm worthy, but I accept this gift and all the trust Celestia put in me when she gave the magic to make it." He lowered the weapon and glared at her, "But you're willing to grant unbelievable power to anypony as long as they can afford it."
"What's so wrong about that?!" Technica spat, "Anypony should be allowed to have power! Why be stuck on the bottom of the barrel because your mark told you so when you can be at the top with just a few bits?"
Grand shook his head, "Just because they can buy it doesn't mean they can handle it. Power corrupts. And with how your Cutie Markers effect the users, it'll make them go insane...all because you wanted to make a quick bit! That's what makes you and the rest of your dealer friends monsters, because you don't care how many lives you destroy as long as it benefits you!"
"That's just your opinion," Technica shrugged, "My opinion is that I'm doing Equestria a service. This is the future of the kingdom, and I'm simply getting on the bandwagon before it takes off." She summoned one of her electric cords and pointed it at him. "Even if you somehow stop me, you'll never stop the Cutie Markers. They're everywhere. In every major city of Equestria. Manehatten, Fillydelphia, Applewood and so many more, each having at least one pony selling Cutie Markers. This is happening, and nothing you do will stop it!"
"Don't count me out." Grand hissed, "I'll find and stop every last one of them." The air shifted as his body tensed up, a grim, deadly look in his eyes, "I swear it!"
"I doubt that!" Technica cackled as she took to the air and thrust an electro cord into the girder below her, sending a jolt through the whole structure. Grand leapt from the girder, hooking his hammer on another as the Celestic Gear's material wasn't conductive. With this, he spun around once before flinging off the girder, flying straight up at Technica and slamming both hooves into her stomach. She cried out as she was sent flying before firing a cable from her hoof, wrapping it around a girder that yanked her back down.
While this happened, Grand hooked another girder and swung up, landing on top of this one as Technica began firing blasts from her horn. Grand started spinning his hammer to deflect them, the spells now striking the site instead. And as this happened, Technica fired a buzz-saw at a crane cable above the earth pony, making Grand jump away as the girders fell and smashed into the site. Now buckling under the strain, the half-finished building began to collapse.
Technica flew up higher at this as Grand began to maneuver around the falling structure, only for Technica to throw explosive shuriken she had. The barrage of projectiles hit just about every piece of the building, explosions now consuming the stallion. "AUGH!" He cried as he was consumed by the explosion, a pillar of smoke now appearing as Technia began to laugh.
"HA! I told you this would happen!" she cackled, "I told you it was pointless! This is true power! The power of the Cutie Markers, the power of the future-"
"RAAAAAAHHH!" roared a voice from within the black fog. A second later, Grand's hammer shot out of the smoke, instantly slamming into Technica's left wing, shredding into pieces.
"AAAAAHHH!" She screamed, her body now beginning to flail as she lost her ability to fly. And as she tried to balance herself, Grand leapt out of the smoke, hopping onto a fuel tank before leaping off and rolling over to his hammer.
But as he grabbed it, he looked up and saw Technica falling straight down. "NO!" She cried as Grand pointed his weapon at her.
"Grand Force!" From the hammer's head, a tornado of rocks and sand exploded out.
"AUGH!" She screamed as the tornado slammed into her, destroying her other wing and shredding up most of her suit and mask. The force of the tornado sent her flying right into the side of the oil tank, her body hitting it before she slumped over, only for the tank to rock and fall over the edge of the holsters. The round object rolled over next, making her scream as it smashed her lower body, "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Pain surged through her body, now feeling every bone in her back legs shatter. And as this happened, fuel started to leak out and spread around her...and began to go for the many electrical tools Grand had smashed earlier that were laying on the ground.
But despite the pain, Technica began to try and pull herself free, only for a quartet of hooves to walk up to her. She looked up and saw a pair of cold, rage-filled eyes, only for her laugh at the sight, "Oh, hello there. You're gonna save me, right? It's what you ponies do." But as she said that, Grand just stood there, not responding. He just glared at her, making her raise an eyebrow, "Uh, hello? Aren't you a goody-two-shoes? HELP ME!"
"Who's the one behind the Cutie Markers?" Grand hissed as he leaned down.
"What?! You're asking me this now?" As she said this, the fuel began to inch their ways into the tools, "Aren't you supposed to do that after you save me?!"
"If I wait until then, you won't have an incentive to tell me." As he said that, one of the tools short-circuited, a small flame beginning to ignite. And as it began to grow, Grand smacked his hammer into the dirt, making the ground around the flame to flip over and extinguish before saying, "Last chance. Tell me, or I'll let the next flame reach you."
"You...you're bluffing!"
"Am I?" Grand hissed, the mare now seeing the coldness in his eyes turn into a raging fire, "You tried to cause chaos in this city! You show nothing but delight in hurting others! And most importantly, you helped kill my best friend and turned my other friend into a monster!"
"So?! Why does that matter?!" Technica spat as a new flame appeared from another tool touching the fuel. "Save me already, you stupid pawn of Celestia!"
"Who's the mastermind?!" Grand roared, spit flying into Technica's face, "TELL ME!"
"Save. Me." She repeated, a sickening smile slowly appearing on her face.
But as she said that, Grand leaned back and sighed, "So be it." With that, he spun around, his hooves moving as he began to walk away.
And as he saw him move, Technica's eyes glanced between him and the fire, her body trying to move...but her destroyed legs wouldn't work. It was here she realize he wasn't bluffing. "NO!" She screamed, "PLEASE SAVE ME! I...I DON'T WANNA DIE!"
But as she said these words, Grand stopped for a moment and spoke without turning to her. "How many of your victims said that to you?"
And with that moment, the flames reached the tanker.
KABOOOOOOOOOOM!
The city shook as the building site was filled with another explosion, Grand just walking away as a massive ball of fire turned into a giant pillar of smoke. The was no remorse or doubts on his face right now, as he knew he had to do one thing, and one thing alone. He had to save Live and stop Cruncher, once and for all.