Defenders Assemble

by Maxis122

Chapter Four : Phase Two

The team was now assembled. Everypony who had been chosen to be a part of the program had been found. But there was still a few minor details that needed to be ironed out. But these problems are actually rather large. Either way the first part is done, getting them together.

They were back in the meeting room, sat around the table. Max was busying himself with the new technology, prodding the screen and getting instant results. Being fascinated by everything that was around him. Even though there was a part of him that didn’t want to be there, he knew that it could turn out alright for him, and probably others.

Next to him was Twilight, as she was the pony that he could trust the most as of now. And as the table went around the others were seated, with Luna at the head of the table, nearest to the big screen. She gazed over the members who were sitting before her, seeing each individual with their various concerns and dreams. Clearing her throat, she began.

“It’s good to see that everypony has now come together” She then gazed over at Max, “And I’m sorry about how we got you in”

“I’ll work on forgiving you” Max responded, looking over at the rest of the group.

“As you are now here, we can now begin phase two of the program” Luna explained as she then pressed her screen, making a information slide come up. “Training”

“That’s good to hear” Twilight sighed in relief as she began to read off the screen.

“We are looking to train you in your specialist area’s” Whooves explained as he pressed another button, causing each of the members to get an individual plan on their screen. “You are free to train on your own, or with help”

“But I’m guessing most of you will already know what you will be doing” Luna said as smiled at the team.

“I guess I know what I need to know” Lyra admitted as she read over her plan.

“I’ve just got to practice” Derpy said.

“Twilight and Max will be working with me” Luna announced, “Whooves, you can supervise the other two”

“We don’t need supervision” Derpy snorted, “Well, I don’t know about her”

“What?” Lyra spat as she received a smirk from Derpy, “I’m part of the royal guard for Celestia’s sake”

Derpy the hummed for a moment and pulled a spontaneous face, “Good point”

“But I still need to be there” Whooves pointed out, “Just in case you have problems, that is”

“Problems?” Lyra questioned.

“Yeah” Whooves then pressed a button and a bunch of manuals appeared, “Unless you have read all of these then I doubt that you will be able to work the machines”

“I guess” Lyra said slowly as her face dropped at the amount of pages in the books.

“Can I read those?” Twilight asked quietly.

“Sure” Whooves said without looking at her, flicking the screen. The books then appeared on her screen.

“Thanks” She said as she began to look through them.

“As you will be staying here for a little while we have gotten you rooms” Luna announced, pressing another button - showing a schematic of the facility. Then a part lit up, showing their set of rooms.

“Cool” Max let out as he looked closely at the schematic. The others took a mental note of the area and then returned their attention to the head.

“Is there anything else that anypony would like to ask?” Luna asked, gazing over the team. Max put his hoof up, “Yes?”

“Just wondering, is this all of the team?” Max asked.

“Yes. You, Twilight, Lyra and Derpy are the only members of the Defenders program” She explained. Max shrugged and returned his attention to his screen.

“Anypony else?” Luna asked. After waiting a few seconds she got another hand up from Lyra.

“Who are we protecting Equestria from?” Lyra asked. Luna went silent for a few seconds and then pressed another button. Their screens were spammed with various known and unknown creatures and races. Each one with a hostile tag on them.

“A better question would be what were are protecting it from” Derpy said as she looked over the pictures.

“I guess you didn’t know we had this many problems” Luna presumed as she looked at each of their facial expressions. Ranging from subtle fear to shock.

“Not at all” Max said as he leaned in, only to jolt back as a picture shot forward.

“Is there anything that is specifically a major risk” Twilight asked, trying to narrow down the possibilities.

“So far, these are all equally as threatening” Whooves explained, “The latest one was the changeling attack”

“I remember that” Lyra coughed as she remembered it clearly.

“But, as of now we have no major threat” Whooves repeated.

“So we are just going to have to prepare for now” Luna said informatively. “Anything else?” The team looked over at each other for a moment and then Max rose his hoof again. “Yes?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, can you make sure I don’t get hit by one of our own again” Max requested as he rubbed the back of his head. “Because my head still hurts”

“I’ll make sure of it” Lyra chuckled as she smiled over at Max.

“Dismissed” Luna announced as she raised herself to her hooves and began to walk over to one of the side doors, marked “Training”. Max and Twilight followed her as she left, leaving the others to exit afterwards. As they waited Whooves walked over to the door and stood in front of it for a second.

“What do you guys think of Max and Twilight” Whooves asked.

“Their nice” Derpy replied.

“As long as their on our side” Lyra added. She then noticed Whooves was being a little uneasy. “What’s up?”

“Huh?” Whooves blabbered before regaining his posture, “It’s nothing”

“Doesn’t sound like nothing” Lyra inquired.

“No, seriously. Nothings up” Whooves tried to conclude.

“You sound a little tense” Derpy said as she walked over to the duo, “Is it about them two?”

“Well...” He tried to forge another way to get out of the conversation, but it was for nothing.

“Don’t worry, we won't tell them” Derpy assured him.

“I guess I can tell you” Whooves began as he sighed, “You see, I picked this team out of everypony in Equestria. And I guess I was expecting them to be a little different. And after seeing how Max reacted I wasn’t sure if this was ever going to kick off”

“They’ll get into it” Derpy assured Whooves as she walked past him, going through the door.

“Yeah, they just need some more time” Lyra added as she walked past him too.

“Which training place have we got?” Derpy asked as she stopped for a second.

“Three” Whooves stated as he walked with the group. He couldn’t help but think about how inexperienced the other two were. Then again he should have expected it, after they were picked as civilians. And after being pushed into a new world, they would need time to get used to it and develop. ‘Soon’ he thought.

Max and Twilight followed Luna into the training hall. It was large with several ponies working in it, working on various pieces of machinery. Max took a long look around as this was the first time in which he had been in one of these rooms. Seeing how a lot of the equipment was already out and being tested.

“I would like to work on you powers first Max, if you don’t mind Twilight” Luna announced as she walked over to a door on the other end of the room. Beyond the door was two other doors, one being a heavy dead locked door, and the other being a examination room.

“What is this place?” Twilight asked, looking at the two separate doors.

“This is the place where anypony can let their abilities and power be let out, in a controlled environment” Luna explained, “Therefore nopony will get hurt in the process”

“Not bad” Max let out as he walked over to the dead locked door and knocked on it.

“We can also get readings and use them for our research” Luna went on, “Then we can find a solution to your issues”

“So, do you just want me to walk in and let it all out?” Max asked.

“Pretty much” Luna replied, receiving a nod from Max.

“Shall we begin then?” Max asked, as he knocked on the door again.

“Yes” Luna then walked over to the other door and pressed a button to open it, inside was a bunch of devices, like the ones in the main room at the edge of the room. There was also a large pain of thick glass. All of the chairs were facing the window so that everyone could see.

“Director” One of the ponies spoke up, who was wearing a lab coat.

“He’s ready” She said, receiving a nod from one of the operators. The dead locked door then opened, allowing Max to walk inside. After the doors were locked and everyone was seated, the operator leaned over a microphone and pressed a button.

“We are ready when you are” He said. Max nodded and then looked over to the targets on the other side of the room.

“Do you have any idea what this is going to look like?” Twilight asked.

“No idea” Luna said as she waited for Max to proceed.

Inside of the room, everything was silent. It was longer in the opposite direction of the glass plain, spanning out for about fifty meters. Max walked forward a little until he came up to a white line, which was marked very long range. After closing his eyes and breathing out slowly, he focused on his power. Everything remained silent for a few more seconds as Max closed in on his power that he had been trying to lock away.

He then suddenly opened his eyes and he was suddenly surrounded by a bright cyan blue aura. The energy quickly became condensed into rings of plasmatic energy as Max attempted to gain some control over it. As it built us he threw it forward. The energy burned everything that it came into contact with and it bounced around the room for a short second.

In quick succession, more energy was suddenly produced. This time Max wasn’t ready for it and he ended up throwing it backwards. The energy smashed into the glass, leaving some of the glass melted. Again and again, more sudden bursts of energy were produced from his body. But some of them ended up being balls of energy than rings or beams.

He then slammed his hoof down on the ground. For a few seconds he was still and silent, as was the crew and operators who were watching. Each of them wearing a face of shock, after all the shouting that Max had done, they thought that he was in great pain. And then it all stopped.

Suddenly Max’s body lit up in a blue aura, much like the shade of his coat. He now had little control over what was about to happen next. He reared up and screamed as waves of power started to blast out of him, hitting the room and causing many burns to appear. After his moment he then got some control and slammed the ground again. This time the power was thrown out of him and onto the ground, causing a massive surge of power to be let out.

Sweating heavily and breathing just as much, his coat returned to its normal state. He then stood up and began to walk over to the door. But he was too tired to walk any more, so he fell down onto the ground. Tears swelled in his eyes as he laid on the ground, exhausted from the exercise.

In the control room, everyone had their eyes on Max. Knowing that he possessed so much power, yet he had no real control over it as it escalates. The readings were now coming up on their screens, showing just about how much was going on in that room. The heat was on an all time high, from where the blasts had hit.

“That escalated really quickly” said the operator as he looked over the readings again.

“You can say that again” Twilight added as she walked over to the door.

“Where are you going?” asked the operator as he noticed Twilight walk away.

“To get him out” Twilight responded firmly as she shot a look back at him. He simply avoided eye contact and pressed the release button. The doors opened to allow Twilight to enter. The room blowed out a breath of hot air as the pressures leveled out. Twilight hesitated to step in the room after feeling the hot air, but she pressed one hoof down to feel that the ground was now being cooled down.

She then walked inside and approached the blue pegasus in the room. Keeping her speed slow in order to not be so sudden with approaching him. When she was a meter away she could feel the heat coming off of his body. Kneeling down, she placed a hoof on his head.

“Hey” She said quietly, “You alright?”

“Sleepy” Max groaned as he rolled onto his back. He then yawned and flickered his eyes open. “I’ll be a minute”

“Take all the time you need” Twilight assured him as she nodded to the operators. He was safe again. At least for now.