//------------------------------// // Chapter 23 // Story: MLP A New Generation 3: The Rise of Armored Hoof // by TwiShine45 //------------------------------// Quarter gulped as the purple intruder came ever closer. He had no idea who this was, if she was a crazed fan, an agent of Scarlet Wing, or just somepony bent on destruction for destruction’s sake. Whatever the case, he knew two things: one, she’d broken into their rehearsal space where they were getting ready for the coronation, two, she had hooves as sharp as knives and a horn that was even sharper. Her teeth glinted as she growled at he and the rest of the band, sending them ever more into tighter and tighter quarters. She wasn’t alone, either. Five other ponies surrounded them, nostrils flaring and eyes pulsing with a desire to perpetuate decimation and death. “So…Quarter Note…we finally meet,” the purple unicorn leader said in a voice that was somewhere between silk and sear. “Look…I don’t know who you are,” Quarter said, trying to be brave, “but…I know this…Sun…Zip…” “Sun-Zip-Pipp-oh, please!” The purple one snorted. “Do you really think your friends can save you now? Sunny Starscout is miles away from here on a one-way ride to a throne that should belong to somepony else. The rest of your friends are too busy preparing their roles that they haven’t even bothered to check up on you. They simply left you here…you…and that entrancing racket you call music!” “Racket?” Mane Halen asked in defiance. “Yes, racket, you groveling guitarist!” The purple unicorn said. “Racket, plain and simple! But, what I want to know is…what is your secret? Where do you get such power?” “Power? What power?” Quarter asked in an attempt to play dumb, hoping that she’d move on. “Oh, don’t give me that!” Their enemy shouted. “I know that you, Quarter, and the rest of Armored Hoof have a terrific hold over the minds and souls of the citizens of Equestria! From Maretime Bay to Zephyr Heights, Bridlewood to the foot of Canterlot itself, nopony can get away from you! My mistress, Meadow Bloom, knows of this as well…and soon, all of Scarlet Wing will descend upon your precious Maretime Bay…unless you are able to remember where you get this…power.” She leaned in and sneered in Quarter’s face. He looked deep into her eyes and saw, surprisingly enough, some version of Sunny. This pony was indeed curious, inquisitive, and unequivocally determined. The only difference was that Sunny used her nature to help the world around her. This pony only wanted one thing: to divulge to Meadow and the rest of Scarlet Wing the true source of Armored Hoof’s power. That would lead them directly to Canterlot and the thrones of Celestia and Luna themselves. Quarter knew that, were that to happen, all of Equestria would come under attack. Scarlet Wing’s Distrust Dust had worked once. Placed in such a large scale once more, it would definitely lead to reversion…or worse. He spat in her face, a defiant maneuver that caused her to shriek with anger. She ordered her underlings to attack, and soon enough, hooves were flying around the room. Luckily for the band, there were more of them than the Scarlet Wing contingent. On the downside…Scarlet Wing’s ponies knew how to fight. The band members were primitive in their techniques, to say the least. Mane threw extra guitars at ponies, but that only served to stun them. Glowing Radiance and her fellow backup singers used some extra microphones as projectiles. Skins Mare and Thumper Trot used drumsticks and a backup bass guitar, respectively. Unfortunately for the band, Scarlet Wing had things like speed, power, and knowledge on their side. Two of the agents dodged some microphone attacks before slashing Glowing in the shoulder. She yelped and darted from the fray. Skins and Thumper were taken down with magic blasts. Finally, Quarter and Mane were left to face the purple unicorn and her five fellow agents alone. They were backed into a corner, helped along by the ever advancing enemy. Quarter gulped once more as he noticed the agents’ leader grin. It was a devious, wicked, malicious grin that should never have been experienced by anypony anywhere. “Wha…what’s your name?” He asked. “My name?” She responded. “My name is Opaline.” “Opaline…?” He repeated. “Yes…Opaline, and soon, Quarter Note, I shall have you to add to the pile of bodies I shall leave in my wake. Oh, yes, there will be death…there will be blood…I can feel it. I can taste it. My mistress shall rule Equestria, and I shall be her second-in-command.” “Second?” Quarter asked, trying to bluff a bit. “I find that difficult to believe.” “It doesn’t matter what you believe,” Opaline growled. “For today, you and your precious little band will die…unless…you reveal your power source to me!” “I would have thought that little projectile from earlier was answer enough,” Quarter growled back. “But, it seems not. I will NEVER reveal it to you! Do you think I’m an idiot? Why would I jeopardize Equestria like that?” Opaline sneered once more. “Oh, I know you’d never jeopardize this worthless country…but…I also know you’d never jeopardize HER!” Opaline pointed to the ceiling, where a rope was lowered. Somepony was struggling at its base, tied up and, quite literally, hanging on for dear life. Quarter’s mouth fell when he saw who it was. His shock was immense, and his anger began to boil underneath him. He felt his mane burn with a fire that he’d never known before and his hooves dug into the floor beneath him. Fear drove his rage, for the pony that he saw bound and gagged and hanging from the ceiling meant more to him than anypony else. “ZIPP!” He cried. Opaline cackled. “YES! I have your mare, Quarter! Look up there, you petulant fool! LOOK! Do you see her? She’s bound, Quarter. She’s gagged. She’s covered with the wounds only I could inflict! Now…while I know you’d never jeopardize Equestria…I also know you’d never do anything to harm your beloved! Tell me the secret to Armored Hoof’s power, or I shall drop her from that ceiling onto the floor here!”