Chapter 81
“Bronwyn and Lacy are in, we’re clear to begin Operation: King’s fall!” Nova’s voice yelled over the radio that was in Roxxy’s ear, causing her adrenaline to spike as she looked to the stage, watching as Champion shook hooves with the two Hippogriff Dignitaries.
As he moved to shake hooves with the second on, the large screen behind his head cut to static, not alarming anyone that much at first.
She looked around, seeing all the TV’s in the area that the Newscasters had set up for their respective News channels were also showing nothing but static.
Then it all cut to Nova, sitting in her office with the camera pointed right at her as she leaned on her desk.
“Hello, everypony. Equestria,” she said solemnly, causing the entire crowd to start murmuring. Champion turned to face the screen, clearly displeased as he seemed to be telling his staff to handle it, as all the servants on the stage rushed off.
“I have been painted as the villain of recent events, slandered beyond belief by my own brother,” she said calmly, keeping her composure. “I am here to set the record straight, to prove to the world that it was not the Bronies who killed the Princesses, but my own brother! Champion! A.K.A. Star Chaser!”
The crowd exploded into yelling, clearly not buying what she was selling as they yelled for the camera to be turned off.
“I have proof,” she suddenly said as the screen changed to show CCTV footage of a destroyed street, ponies running all around as Nova continued to speak. “This is footage from the battle that destroyed New Ponyville, a terrible day that only gets worse when you know the full truth.”
Champion was not moving as he stared at the screen, his breathing heavy enough that even Roxxy could see his chest rising and lowering from here.
“Champion, the ‘hero’ of our world showed up that day, but not to save everyone,” she said as the footage then cut to Azure Moon helping a few ponies out of the rubble.
This caused a few ponies to cheer, as they loved to see their Queen helping others on that fateful day.
Then the footage showed everyone just explode around them, then cut to Champion himself just punch ponies, turning them to bloody messes.
“Champion has lied to you all,” she yelled as the screen then showed him attack Lance unprovoked and killed an untold amount of ponies in the process. “He killed the Princesses and blamed it all on myself and the Bronies. The Apostles were never under anyone's control other than his own. They are not heroes. He is not a hero. They are villains of the worst kind!”
As she exclaimed this part, the camera shifted to a live view of Champion as he stared right into the camera. Once he realized he was being recorded he spun to face the crowd, not appearing as upset as she’d have expected.
He calmed his breathing and put on his trademark smile.
“Well, the wonders of video editing, huh?” he said, causing everyone to just stare at him in disbelief. Roxxy was thrown for a loop, as this was not the expected reaction at all.
“That video is WAY out of context,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Yes, I killed the ponies you saw on the screen, but they’re leaving out the fact that those ponies were Brony supporters who were apart of the attack that day. Everything else she said was to slander me and turn all of you against me.”
Everything fell silent as he stood there smiling confidently. Then slowly, ponies began to cheer his name yet again.
“Oh you got to be fucking with me,” Roxxy growled as she pulled out her PDA and hijacked the broadcast from Nova. The screen went to static again as Champion began to laugh proudly.
“Yes, I do only what is best for-” he suddenly stopped as he heard the loudspeakers around the area blare to life again.
“You’re going to be mine,” the Champion on the screen said coldly as he stood above an angry Azure Moon. Without warning he began to remove his pants, causing the crowd to gasp all around Roxxy.
“No,” Azure Moon said firmly. “No, that is not happening.”
“Yes,” came Champion’s response as his pants fell away.
“Star Chaser, no!” she yelled, fighting to get away from him.
“Just stop,” he ordered as he lowered himself onto her, the angle making it clear what was happening.
“If you… IF YOU-” she started to yell, but was cut off as she began screaming in pain.
The crowd watched in horror as the angle changed a few times to really set in what was being shown.
And the entire thing was shown, all the way up to him using some kind of item to take control of her mind.
Not a single pony spoke in the crowd as the camera returned to Champion’s face, which was blank of all emotion now.
Finally, someone in the crowd yelled out, “monster!”
With this everyone opened up, yelling their own insults up at the emotionless Champion as he stared out at them.
As the crowd let their new found hate for their King be known.
“Roxxy?! What have you done?!” Nova yelled over the radio.
“What needed to be done,” Roxxy responded as she pulled the ear piece out.
“Murderer!”
“Rapist!”
“Pig!”
All kinds of insults were thrown his way as the ponies behind him began to leave quickly. The two Hippogriff Dignitaries stayed where they were, more out of shock than anything else.
Finally Champion showed a sign of being alive as his eye twitched.
“Excuse me, but we’re taking our leave now,” the lead Hippogriff said as the pair began to back away from the twitching stallion.
“Stay. Right where you are,” Champion said in a monotone voice as he turned his head to them, then back to the angry crowd. “So that’s the game? Taking everything from me?” he asked, looking right at Roxxy and then to each member of Phantasm Troupe, easily picking them out of the crowd. “Okay, you win. I’m no longer the beloved King of Equestria.”
A sense of dread over took Roxxy’s body as he said that, a chill running so deep that she felt like shrinking down and never being seen again.
“But,” he said as he worked his jaw, “if I can’t be the beloved King of Equestria, then I’ll just be the hated ruler of the entire world.” With that he looked back at the two dignitaries, the camera still on him. “Starting with this,” he said as his eyes glowed as two beams came out and sliced the two Hippogriff’s in half. As the crowd looked on in shock, he turned back to them, eyes still glowing, “I am Champion, Supreme God King of all life.”
The crowd reacted instantly as his eyes flashed, cutting through the front few rows with ease, killing every single pony in the front.
Strawell, who’d stayed behind him, rushed for him, but his back hoof just shot up and caught her in the chest, sending her flying back into the massive screen, bringing the entire thing down behind him as he stopped his lazers, watching as the crowd rushed away from him in a panic. All those but the members of Phantasm Troupe, who knew they couldn’t run even if they wanted to.
“I really should’ve killed you brats long ago,” he said as he jumped down into the gore below, eyes looking between each of them as he moved forward.
Roxxy looked around briefly, taking note that most of the crowd was out of the area now, but Babel was still there, off to the side hiding behind a fallen cart. Literally the WORST place to be right now. But she couldn't do anything about that now, not with Champion’s intense aura bearing down on them.
Louie and Nova suddenly appeared as they jumped out of a portal, right in the middle of Phantasm Troupe as they all slowly prepared themselves.
“Star Chaser, stop,” Nova growled as she stared her brother down, who just smiled at her.
“Sister, this was the worst possible move you could’ve made today,” he laughed with a little too much joy. “Fine, you want to end this today? Then we will,” he said as he suddenly disappeared, only to reappear right by Summer Breeze.
She yelped as his hoof flew straight for her, but a forcefield appeared around her, causing her to be sent flying away harmlessly.
“Oh! Which of you can create the force fields again?” he asked, turning to look at each of them, a crazy smile on his face.
Of course no one gave him an answer as Nova walked forward, staring him down. “Are you scared of me brother? Face me first, then them, unless you’re a coward.”
“You’re trying to provoke me,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “No baby sister, you’re the main course. I’ll kill you last.”
He suddenly appeared right next to her, tapping her hip with his hoof, “see? I could kill you now.” He then zipped right up next to Roxxy, grabbing her roughly as he yanked her towards himself. “But I want to kill your little friends first.”
Roxxy glared at him as she gave her a wink, then unexpectedly threw her down as he returned to his original spot.
“I can kill each of you when I want, I’m just trying to decide the order,” he said as he looked between each of them.
The sound of rubble falling caused him to look back to see Strawell pulling herself out of the debris of the stage, eyes locked on him.
“Ah, I’m surprised she’s still alive. No matter, to the list she goes,” he laughs, turning back to everyone else. “Now. Eenie meenie miney…” he began to point at each of them in turn, a wide smile on his face.
“Oh screw you, fuckboy,” Nightstreak muttered under his breath, causing Champion to look at him with a crooked smile.
“Mo,” and with that he appeared right before Nightstreak.
“Yo,” Nightstreak said smugly as he reached out and grabbed Champion’s hoof, causing him to raise an eyebrow.
“Nightstreak! NO!” Dude yelled as Nightstreak threw a smile his way, followed by the two of them disappearing instantly as a portal opened right on top of them, closing not a moment later.
ooo000<^>000ooo
Champion narrowed his eyes at the smirking stallion as he looked around, a bit confused on the change in destination, as it’d happened instantly.
“What is this?” Champion asked as he took a few steps away from Nightstreak, not liking the energy of this place.
“Just a little place we created for you,” Nightstreak answered smugly, taking a few steps back. “I can tell you this now, but each and everyone of us had this little amulet,” he said, tapping his wrist where a little charm rested. “We all agreed that whoever could do it would sacrifice themselves to bring you here. Just ended up being me.”
“Hm…” Champion muttered, looking at him with a crazy smile. “You think this place will hold me?”
“I know it will,” Nightstreak countered. “I’m trapped here to fucker. This place was set up to be a one time enter, so no one else will be coming in here from now on. Just the two of us, unless you kill me that is.”
Champion pulled out his Dimensional Dagger and stabbed at the air, only for nothing to happen.
“See? You’re stuck,” Nightstreak laughed as he pulled out his own Dimensional Dagger and stabbed the air, followed by nothing happening as well.
This angered Champion further as he turned to face Nightstreak.
“Here, try mine, maybe it’ll work in your much more capable hooves,” Nightstreak mocked as he tossed the Dimensional Dagger at the Royal stallion, where it landed right in front of him.
But Champion kept his eyes on the young stallion before him.
“Ah, yeah, just gonna kill me then?” Nightstreak asked, his Ego Gauntlets appearing on his hooves. “Well, I won’t die easily, fuckboy.”
“You will,” Champion answered plainly as he stomped over to Nightstreak, not in a hurry as there was nowhere to go on this endless void of a plain.
Nightstreak stood before him, in a fighting stance as he focused on Champion.
The larger stallion came to a stop right before Nightstreak, a blank look on his face. “Die,” he said simply as his hoof shot up, flying for the younger stallion's chest.
Yet he didn’t move as he held the gaze of Champion, letting the attack fly for him without moving. Then, as it touched the fur of his chest, he activated his Ego. Everything happened at once.
Champion’s hoof passed through open air as Nightstreak’s body seemed to move on its own, his own hoof flying right for Champion’s face. A loud boom filled the air as Champion was sent flying away, spinning through the air trailing flames and slamming into the ground.
“YES!” Nightstreak cheered, jumping in place as Champion slowly stood up, shaking with anger.
That hit had his own power behind it, but multiplied!
Then he felt blood pouring down his face, causing him to bring out his mirror, and what he saw caused his blood to boil. His mane was ruined! It was burned away leaving only a few patches of hair.
“You PEASANT BLOODED FAG!” He roared, losing all sense of control as he flew towards a smirking Nightstreak.
“Gotcha fucker,” Nightstreak declared proudly as he was hit by the freight train that is Champion. Blood exploded everywhere as Champion came out on the other side of the stallion, looking back to see nothing was left but parts of his legs.
“AHHH!!!!” he roared, his rage not satiated after killing the one who ruined his mane.
He used his lazers to melt the remaining bits of the stallion then zipped over, grabbing both daggers for himself, all the while still screaming.
With a roar, he began punching the ground over and over again, creating a massive crater. Then, once he reached the climax of his anger, he shot straight into the endless sky, using his Ego to keep pushing his speed faster and faster, reaching a point he was basically moving faster than anything had in all of existence.
And he kept pushing himself, screaming in rage as he flew straight up. Then as he reached the point of Godly speed, he burst through a bubble like ceiling, appearing in a dark void with blinking lights all around him.
A place he knew of thanks to Lorenzo.
The In-between.
The space between dimensions. He growled as he grabbed Nightstreak’s Dimensional Dagger and flipped it around, accessing its last few travel destinations.
Still breathing heavily, he ripped open a new portal and flew into it.
ooo000<^>000ooo
“That idiot!” Dude cried as he sat on the ground, tears flowing down his face. “I told him I’d do it! But he just always has to be the center of attention!”
“It’s okay,” Summer Breeze choked out as she sat next to him, hugging him tightly. “He… knew what was doing…”
But the two quickly divulged into messy sobs as they held each other for comfort, having lost a brother and a partner.
Roxxy and Flippy Dew weren’t doing much better either as they leaned into each other, tears running down their faces.
“This was a disaster,” Nova said solemnly as she stood above all the dead citizens, looking over to the film crews to see they were still there, pointing their cameras at them.
“Is it safe to come out now?” Babel yelled to them as she peeked over the top of the overturned cart.
Roxxy wiped her nose and turned to her, raising a hoof, “Yeah… it’s safe to-”
A portal snapped open behind them, with screams filtering out of it as Calypso jumped out, dragging a heavily injured Kelmoon after her.
“Calypso?!” Nova screamed, watching as the mare stumbled and fell, her own wounds slowing her down.
“Fucking Champion…” she muttered as she pointed behind her at the open portal.
“How?!” Nova screamed as she saw a few different portals opening inside the Safe Dimension, where a few ponies seemed to be jumping through them. Then Champion appeared at the entrance of their portal, crazy eyes staring at them. He was covered in so much blood that he didn’t look Equine anymore.
He didn’t say a word as she stepped through the portal, causing it to snap shut behind him.
“How did you-” she started to say, but then he shot towards her, her own Ego barely warning her as she dodged his attack.
“Games over,” he muttered as his eyes flashed purple.
Roxxy was the first to move as his eyes locked on her and he zipped right at her. Her eyes went wide as a forcefield appeared around her, but he just smashed through it and grabbed her by the neck.
“Copy,” he growled as he stuck a hoof into her left eye and ripped off two legs, then threw her to the side. “Now you match.”
A multitude of attacks slammed into his back as he turned, eyes locked onto his next target. This time he didn’t have any comments as he flashed up to Dude, eyes burning with hatred.
“Your bastard did this to me,” he said simply, pointing at his head. Then as casually as possible his hoof shot forward, turning the stallion to a fine mist as he turned to Summer Breeze.
“STOP!” Nova roared as she appeared between them, eyes ablaze.
“Hm,” Champion muttered, clearly not there emotionally as he took a step forward, but a forcefield appeared around him, this one much stronger than the last.
“Which of you is doing this?” he asked, eyes turning to flippy dew. “Ah, of course.”
He slammed his hoof into the ground, sending a shock wave at Flippy Dew that slammed into her and sent her flying away, unconscious.
“Resilient brats,” he said in a low voice as he scanned the remaining ones, feeling like he had all the time in the world to pick his next victim. Then his eyes settled on Louie who was squared up with him currently. “You, canine.”
As he turned to him, his senses picked up something else, followed by someone flying into the area and landed right in front of him.
“Really now?” he asked as the stallion stood up, smirking up at him.
“Well hey there, Champion ol’ pal! Guess who swapped sides!” Jun laughed, his demonic form making him appear very imposing, despite the goofy look on his face.
“I know,” was all Champion said as he stepped up to the buffed stallion.
“Bet you didn’t expect this one, huh?!” Jun laughed as he powered himself up and sent out a shock wave, attempting to remove Champion’s Ego. “Got ya now!”
“Unlikely,” Champion replied as he punched Jun in the chest, causing him to explode.
Jun’s head soared through the air and landed next to Louie, blinking in surprise.
“Ah shit… I didn’t turn his Ego off apparently…”
“Dumbass,” Louie growled, not sure what he could even do here against Champion.
“I just need a few minutes…” Jun muttered, but Louie knew none of them had even a minute at this current pace.
“Goodbye, baby sister,” he said as he flew at her, but she dodged his attack, much to his annoyance. She dodged a few more, her eyes wide as she tried to keep his attention.
“How does this Ego of your work?!” he asked, not enjoying this at all.
“Like this,” she said as she suddenly lunged forward, the tip of her sword glowing brightly with Ego as she pierced through his right eye, actually doing real damage.
He let out a scream, like a young colt, and grabbed her Ego Rapier and yanked it out of her magical grasp. Then in one movement he snapped it in half, killing the weapon instantly, and the Soulbind.
Nova yelped in pain as part of her died, then he shot forward, wrapping both hooves around her neck.
He didn’t say anything as he slowly choked the life out of her, wanting it to be slow so he could watch her struggle. But she was lasting longer than she should. Then he noticed the Ego trail coming from Summer Breeze to Nova, doing her best to keep the mare alive.
Champion growled as he used his eyes to shoot a beam right at her. She dodged to the left, but lost her back leg in the process, as it was completely disintegrated.
She screamed and kept her Ego attached to Nova, ignoring herself.
An overwhelming presence appeared behind him, causing him to look back to see Strawell, fully powered up as large Ego filled wings shot from her back.
He didn’t get time to form a sentence as Louie landed on him, wrapping his legs around the stallion’s neck and throwing him towards the furious Strawell. She sprang forward and landed a heavy hit into his face as he flew at her, causing him to crash into the ground, an unamused look on his face.
But she wasn’t done as she hit him with a series of hits to the chest and neck, causing his body to actually seize up.
This caught him off guard as Louie landed next to him and grabbed his leg. With a grunt, he began to spin around as fast as he could. Then with a yell he sent Champion’s limp body flying through the air and over the Palace wall, where the cliffs were. The fall wouldn’t hurt him, but they needed as much time as possible here.
“Everyone!” Nova choked out as she raised herself off the ground. “Use your daggers to go to random locations on the Eternal Plains!”
Calypso, who was tending to both Summer Breeze and Kelmoon gave a sharp nod as she took Summer Breeze’s Dimensional Dagger and opened a portal, pushing the two into it immediately and followed them through.
“You’re out of here, Princesses,” Louie said sternly as he opened a random portal and began to push Nova into it.
“Not till everyone else is through one!” she yelled, but he ignored her as he shoved her through and forced it closed.
“We have two injured who may need help,” Louie said, turning to look at Roxxy, who was being dragged away by Babel, and to Flippy Dew who was just recovering, but still out of it.
“I’ll get the delimbed mare,” Strawell said sternly, but a boom caused them all to freeze as Champion reappeared, landing right in the middle of Louie and Strawell.
“You two…” he growled, cracking his neck as his eyes twitched, “are my personal playthings after that little… stunt.”
Without warning he flew right at Strawell, but a forcefield appeared around her, causing him to yell with rage. His head snapped to Flippy Dew as she stood there shakily, smiling at him.
“Hey, get out of here you two,” she said weakly, putting a forcefield around Champion as well, pushing all she had into it. “I’ll hold him down…”
“Kid, use your dagger too-” Strawell began, but Flippy Dew just laughed.
“Just go, it’s the least I can do,” she growled as Champion broke through her forcefield and began to stalk towards her.
Strawell looked at Louie and gave him a nod. It took him a moment to realize what she wanted, but once he did, he returned her nod.
“I don’t know how your Ego is strong enough to hold me back a bit,” Champion said coldly as he approached the injured mare, who kept putting up forcefields between the two. But he just smashed through each one. “But I’m going to fix that.”
She finally fell onto her haunches, unable to keep up her defenses. So she just smiled up at him, accepting her fate, knowing she’d at least saved the others from-
As his hoof reached out for her, a dark blur shot past him and snatched her up.
Strawell rolled across the ground, a portal ripping open in front of her as she rolled, and she tossed the young mare through it. The portal snapped shut as she turned to face Champion, who’d shot right up to her.
“You were supposed to leave too!” Louie yelled to her, but she just smiled past Champion, holding up the Dimensional Dagger in her hoof.
“I have your dagger,” she laughed as Champion shot a hoof out, grabbing her by the throat. “I wasn’t leaving you to die here alone.”
Louie exploded forward and attempted to grab Champion, but the stallion’s hoof shot out and grabbed him by the neck. He then dragged the two right up against each other, glaring at them.
“I don’t know you,” he growled at Louie as he turned to Strawell, “but you? I never expected you to betray me.”
“You made it easy,” she spat out as he squeezed them both together roughly. “You’re a rapist and a murderer. I’m ashamed to say I was ever on your side.”
“Well in a few years, you won’t care about that,” he said coldly, a sinister smile sliding onto his face. “What you saw on that video with my wife? That’s child's play compared to what I’ll be doing to you.”
“Ha! You’re threatening me with rape?” she laughed, causing him to narrow his eyes. “Go for it, young man! It's your mistake leaving me alive today!”
“Let’s see what kind of attitude you’ll have after a few hours under me,” he laughed.
“Wow! You really are the worst, aren’t ya?” someone said from behind him, causing him to turn around.
“Who are you?!” he roared in confusion.