//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Roar at the Moon // by Eagle Heart //------------------------------// At this point in their miniature journey back to Hovviwo, Fluttershy had to be forced ahead by her friends, due to her being absolutely paralyzed with fear. “Come on, Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash groaned, being unable to force the yellow pegasus ahead, even with almost all her might. Fluttershy just slammed her teary eyes shut, and whimpered, shaking her head in disagreement. “It’s not that bad!” “I could always carry her.” Rhulo suggests. “That would be a better thing to do!” Rainbow replied, still trying to get the terrified pegasus off of her hind end. Fluttershy, in response, curled-up in a ball on the ground, tears streaming down her face in terror. The cerulean blue pegasus grew a guilty look on her face. “Uh...” her ears pinned back, and she stopped attempting to shove Fluttershy forward. “Yeeeah... May need to carry her, big guy.” she chuckled sheepishly, going away from Fluttershy. Rhulo shrugged, and walked over to the yellow pegasus, and with one sweep of the arm, she was in his grasp, and he was continuing onward. “Cakkco cawxkoh kxud A kxeiwxk jxo't ro...” he said to himself. Fluttershy began to weep, and she somehow managed to curl up into a tighter ball than before. She was terrified beyond anything she could remember. “Is she always like this?” he asked the group. “Well... Not all the time, sugarcube...” Applejack spoke. “If’n y’all thought about it, it’s not every feather-pickin’ day that you’re told to go to a whole ‘nother world, Rhulo. Now Ah know that we’ve tolerated it pretty well, but Fluttershy’s... Ah bit more sensitive, Ah can say.” “It’s also not everyday you have strange aliens visit your planet, either. Our race is a resilient one. Things like that don’t scare us, but the Criujib do.” Rhulo said to Applejack. Applejack sighed. “How long until we get to that... What was it... ‘Hoffiwah’?” she looked to Rhulo, a bit more than confused. “Hovviwo... It should be about another three hours until we reach the Xemocudt Jungle.” Rhulo explained. Rainbow groaned at hearing this. “Ugggh, why can’t I just-” Twilight, after a little while of staying silent, interrupted her. “It’s not like any of us know the way to ‘Hovviwo’, Rainbow Dash.” she smiled. Again, the cerulean blue pegasus groaned, mumbling something about ‘eggheads’ under her breath. Though the others wouldn’t be able to hear it, Rhulo picked up what she said. “Ugh... Twi’ is such a buzz-killin’ egghead...” “You know Rainbow, if you somehow knew the way to Hovviwo, and decided to fly there, I’m pretty sure if any of the guards saw an incoming alien without an escort, they would shoot you on sight. So your ‘buzz-killing egghead’ friend is just looking out for you.” Rhulo said to Rainbow. Rainbow flustered with shock, and slight anger, due to Rhulo saying the ‘jist’ of what she said out loud. “I-” Twilight just chuckled. “It’s alright, Rainbow Dash, it’s not like I’m mad at you for it or anything.” Rainbow Dash smirked, and looked this way and that. “Uh... O-okay...” her face was still a bright red from being caught. “Besides Rainbow, you could’ve called her worse things, like raksx or jmuhk-ujj. Twilight should be glad you only called her an egghead.” Rhulo said, letting out a chuckle. Rainbow’s eyes widened, even though she didn’t know what ‘raksx’ or ‘jmuhk-ujj’ meant in their language. “Um...” meanwhile, in her head... ‘I’m starting to hate him.’ The expression of anything-but slight anger on her face would’ve said enough. Twilight, however, raised a brow, curious as to what these words meant, but thank sweet Celestia, she didn’t pursue it. “So what kind of dangerous creatures do you have to face while on your world? You already met one of ours... Tumd Wecomj...” Rhulo said. Twilight looked up at Rhulo. “Well, from what I’ve seen in this world so far, our dangerous creatures back in Equestria would be nothing more than a small bother to those... Wecomj... We have Hydras, basically they’re three-headed, seventy-foot-tall, when fully grown, mind you, lizards that have very sharp beaks. We also have Manticores, which are part-lion, part-scorpion, part-bat.” she explained. She then continued, “Oh, and we also have dragons. Me and the girls had to deal with one that was sleeping in a cave at the top of a mountain. They’re large, scaly, winged lizards that breathe fire. And the smoke generated by the dragon’s snoring, the one that we had to deal with, was going into the air, which was very bad.” she finished. “We have those too, but we have them as vuhm-udamucj, or in your language, farm animals.” Rhulo explained. Rainbow Dash’s jaw dropped. Literally. “Wow! That’s amazing!” Pinkie Pie somehow managed to be walking backwards in front of Rhulo... The only confusing part was... She was behind Rhulo. How the hell was she suddenly in FRONT of him!?! “Are they big, tough and mean like our dragons? Do they go ‘GRRR’ and then try to eat you alive?!” Rainbow Dash’s jaw came back into its place... And she now looked at Pinkie Pie, with a very confused look, as though she never heard those words leave Pinkie’s mouth. Specifically, ‘-and then try to eat you alive?!’. “Well, if you think those are bad, let’s hope we never have to deal with any aso-waudkj...ice giants. Last time I got caught fighting one of those, it was with six other soldiers and I was the only one who came out alive.” Rhulo said. Twilight was pretty surprised. “If... You don’t mind going into detail, could I get some more information on these ‘ice giants’?” she asked, quite curious to hear what he had to say. “They’re big creatures, often anywhere between one-hundred to two-hundred feet tall. They usually carry large maces taken out from the sides of mountains. Their hair is made of pure, thick ice. They don’t wear any clothing, but luckily, their icy hair covers the area between their legs quite nicely. I’m not sure I could bring myself to climbing that area again any time soon. Gah... The smell... They are very aggressive, but unless you get their attention by doing something stupid and suicidal, they won’t notice you.” Rhulo explained. Rainbow Dash was trying to hold back a whole load of laughter. But, Pinkie Pie didn’t. She fell straight on her flank, and began to laugh up a storm. And at the same time, everypony else, Applejack, Rarity, Twilight... Not Fluttershy, because she was still weeping... gawked at him in shock. “You’ve gotta be kiddin’ me.” Applejack gulped. “A-are they anywhere aroun’ here? Cause Ah really don’t want to be anywhere near one’a those things...” she looked around, paranoid. Before Rhulo could speak, Haffoh held up a hand, signaling the group to stop. “Xect.” “They are only in the Cdebm Xoitc about 500 miles north of Hovviwo. We’re fine.” Rhulo said to reassure them. Then Rhulo stops. “Hang on everyone.” he turned his head to Haffoh, “Nxuk aj ak?” Haffoh crouched down and pointed to a fresh Cruijib track. “Criujib. If uxout. Wok tend. Kxoho uho meho kxud u dehmuc cuhwo jgiut... Kxoo zijk melot kxheiwx xoho, ro mo zitwomodk.” indeed, there was footsteps, and lots of them, ahead of the group by about 19 meters. And at that range, there was a squad of about 60 camouflaged Criujib soldiers, about 20 P50 Jxua-jiak Criujib, 40 Jfatoh-kudb... “Nxoho neict kxoo ro semadw vhem..?” Haffoh wondered. “Kxaj ceebj cabo ud adlujaed vehso. Muroo kxo uho fcuddadw ud ukkusb ed u laccuwo!” Rhulo says, starting to get angry. “Xen te oei juo 'wok tend' ad kxo Fedo cudwiuwo, houc giasb?” Haffoh asked him. “Get down!” Rhulo announces to the group. “Cabo kxuk.” Rhulo crouched down. The ponies, aside from Fluttershy, who was still in Rhulo’s embrace, hit the ground faster than you can say ‘HOLY POP-TARTS IN PINKIE PIE’S PARTY CANNON!’. Haffoh rolled onto the ground, off of the path, and into a bush, very quickly becoming almost completely invisible, aside from the small tip of the shejjren that poked out from the bush. “Ooj!... Get down...” “Find some cover!” Rhulo whispered to the ponies. He practically threw Fluttershy into the nearby bushes, the pegasus letting out a ‘small’ scream. He then jumped up into the treetops, about 30 feet above them. From the bush that the yellow pegasus landed in, sobbing could be heard. In a flash, the five others rushed into the same bush, and tried to comfort her. Meanwhile, Haffoh loaded-up a regular reck into his weapon, and steadied his sights. “Uchawxk, den no xulo ke nuak kxom eik idkac kxoo coulo.” Rhulo quietly whispers to Haffoh from above. “Idcojj kxoo dekaso ij... Jkuo xattod.” Haffoh replied in a whisper. “Kxoo'cc dekaso ij av no zijk jkuo xoho. No doot ke boof eik ev jawxk vhem kxoah kxohmuc jsuddohj.” Rhulo replied while he put his helmet on. “Kxoo sud joo oei nakx kxoah jsuddoh-... Kxo fedaoj... No wekku wok kxom u rak vihkxoh unu-” Haffoh was cut off by a voice... “U'fo xulton ax roid cuqwidaboc!” one of the Criu announced. “Uw dro dbooc, iwn uw dro kacroc.” “Shuf! Haffoh no doot ke melo, kxoo'lo tokoskot ij!” Rhulo whispered to Haffoh. He then quietly leapt through the branches to get closer to the group, but still far enough away to where his armor concealed his signature. They’d think he was a bird. “Lrolt ud ead. Up ud'c i Shaizhar, ne wed rocudido de tuvv.” one of the commanders said. ‘Crud crud crud!’ Rhulo thought. He leapt through the trees and quietly landed in the bush with the ponies in it. “We need to move!” he whispered. “Okay!” Twilight whispered. “No,” Rainbow Dash grew a determined look on her face. “We gotta stop hiding. We’re not dirt under their feet!” she argued. Haffoh facepalmed. Though he couldn’t understand her, he could tell by the tone of her voice what she was getting at. “Rainbow, there’s too many for us to handle alone!” Rhulo whispered back. “Not to mention, they have twenty P50 Jxua-jiaks with them!” Rainbow gritted her teeth, and her ears pinned back. She groaned, and said through clenched teeth, “Ugh... Fine...” meanwhile, in her head... ‘This place. Sucks. CELESTIA! SEND ME BAAACK!!!’ “Mavduxvo vupopebmc nodoldon. Dge Shaizhar, cuh awunowdupuon lboidaboc.” one of the Criujib said. “Tuvv drom ivv.” ordered the commander. The Criujib raised their weapons- “VEH THALOSARIA UDT VEH DUHDAU!!!” Rhulo yelled out his battle cry and jumped out. He swung on a tree branch he came flying down, he smashed his fist into one of the walkers, breaking the glass. He grabbed the driver by the neck and threw him out behind himself, the Criujib flew straight for Haffoh. Haffoh chuckled, and as the Criujrib was sent flying towards him, he released the drawstring on the shejjren, and the reck was sent flying... … Directly into the Criujrib’s skull. By now, lasers were being fired this way and that by the Criujrib, having one-second pauses in between each fired laser. Rhulo backflipped off the walker, dodging all the lasers that were shot into the walker. He landed and punched one of the P50’s in the helmet and he grabbed its right arm and neck, he flung it around just as all the Criujib shot at Rhulo. All the lasers hit the P50 and killed the Criujib inside. One of the P50s charged at Rhulo, but he ducked down and rammed its legs. He masterfully lashed out his leg behind him, and with an immensely powerful kick, he sent the P50 he hit flying straight into the commandos behind him, knocking them down. Rhulo spun around and grabbed the wrist of a commando, just as they were swinging a sword down at him. Rhulo side flipped, and twisted the commando’s arm. He then punched the commando’s shoulder and popped it from its socket, then Rhulo pulled the Criu closer and wrapped their arm around their neck, breaking the arm. The Criu fired again, and the commando Rhulo was holding made the perfect meatshield. All the while, a Criujib managed to get behind Rhulo. But just before the Criujib could do anything, a reck flew, and gorily decapitated the lupine soldier. Haffoh smirked, and loaded another reck into the shejjren, ready to fire once again. Rhulo bent backwards, three swords just barely went over him, he back flipped over the sword behind him and grabbed the wrist mid-backflip. He sent the sword into the forehead of the Criujib he was holding. He tilted his head to the side so the sword would safely go past. Then he threw the body into one of the commandos. He caught a sword with his plated hand and smirked, he clenched his fist and broke the sword in half, then he used the broken blade to stab the Criujib in the neck. A P50 sent a metal fist straight for Rhulo’s back, but he spun around and caught the wrist. Rhulo slammed his right fist into the thing’s helmet, and used that momentum to smoothly flip and lock his legs under the right arm of the P50 and its neck. He squeezed, and the helmet popped right off. Rhulo backflipped off of the mechanoid, and slammed a foot into one that was charging at him from behind. Rhulo grabbed the dazed P50 and spun it around, knocking down a few P50s that were heading for him. He used the momentum to throw it up into the air and to give Haffoh the chance for a perfect headshot. Bada-bing. Bada-boom. The shot connected marvelously when Haffoh fired the reck. The crescent-shaped blade planted itself into the P50-wearer’s skull gorily, sending blood this way and that. The driver of the suit fell limp. Rhulo turned, and got smacked in the face by a metal fist that sent him flying back into a crawler, the force causing the crawler to fall right over onto its side. Rhulo got up, and wiped the blood from his mouth. Then he spoke. “Uc drid dro kocd ea qed? Druc uc lruvn'c xvi.” He smirked and leaned back to dodge an incoming fist, he caught the fist and pulled it back with him as he fell back, he put his feet onto the torso of the P50 and sent it flying behind him, tearing the mechanical arm right off... Along with the arm of the Criujib inside. “Haffoh jxeek ud opfcejalo uk mo!” Rhulo yelled out while he smashed a commando in the face with his fist, at the same time he kicked a P50 back into the rest of them to stun them for a second. Haffoh nodded, drew back the drawstring after loading an explosive reck into the shejjren, and firing it off, the explosive blade going straight for Rhulo. Rhulo kicked a P50 in the stomach, causing it to bend forward. He jumped, and rolled on the P50’s back, locking his arms with its arms. And this allowed Rhulo to lift it up onto its back, and right at this time, the explosive reck hit the P50 straight in the chest. A split second later, Rhulo used the momentum to throw the P50 straight into the group of them. It flipped and flipped and flipped, until it hit the group, and exploded, getting rid of a mass majority of the Criujib. Rhulo then ran, and jumped up onto a crawler, he punched through the glass, and proceeded to beat the Criujib’s face to a bloody pulp. Then, he picked the body up, and threw it out. He quickly pressed the self destruct button, and jumped behind the crawler. He gave it a shove and it tumbled into the remaining group. Rhulo jumped into the trees as it exploded, finishing off what was remaining. He then hopped his way through the trees, and back to the group. He licked his finger and thumb, using his saliva to snuff out a small flame on his neck. He wiped some of the blood from under his mouth where some was leaking out from his helmet. “Doloh uwuad, Haffoh.” his face hurt quite a bit, he was just really good at hiding it since he was a hardened warrior. “Uho oei uchawxk?” Haffoh asked with concern. Rhulo took off his dented helmet to reveal his mouth and his nose were bleeding like crazy, that P50 really hit him hard. “Dekxadw u teskeh sud'k xudtco.” he said. “Xect jkacc.” Haffoh said, standing up from his knees. He took out a few reagents, specifically, he took out some sectnoot, and crushed it. Then, with the powdered sectnoot, he mixed it with some water from his flask, and the juice from a vcumorohho that he crushed in his palm. Haffoh applied the thick mixture onto his fingers, and he rubbed the mixture around the areas that were in pain. The vcumorohho juice eased the pain, while the sectnoot numbed it away. “Aj olohoedo ocjo uchawxk?” he asked after Haffoh finished. “A kxadb je.” Haffoh looked back to the ponies, who were poking their heads out of the bush. “Muoro uvkoh oei'ho vapot if, udt no'ho rusb ke Hovviwo, oei sud jkuhk ke kocc mo rujas juoadwj ad kxoah cudwiuwo. Ak't ro xocfvic, rosuijo A sihhodkco edco bden 'wok tend' ad kxoah cudwiuwo.” Rhulo nodded and turned to where the ponies are. “They’re gone now.” “Y-y-you di-didn’t hurt them... D-did you?” Fluttershy poked her head out after everypony else. Rainbow just face-hoofed. “Why would I do that? Of course I killed them as brutally as I could think of. Too bad I didn’t get the chance to capture one, boy then would I have some fun with the torture. Their blood may taste like iron, but it sure tastes sweet.” Rhulo said. Fluttershy’s lower lip quivered, and she began to tear-up. Applejack scowled at Rhulo, just as Fluttershy began to cry. And then, the five other mares group-hugged the crying pegasus. “What are you doing? It’s weird.” Rhulo said, rubbing his head in confusion. Pinkie Pie put her head up. “It’s a group hug, Rhulo-whulo!” “Generally, if any Shaizhar would even attempt to do that, they’d lose their arms.” Rhulo explained. Rainbow almost chuckled. ‘Okay, he may be a little bit mean... But at least he’s funny. AT. LEAST.’ “You know, there was someone who tried to do that hugging thing to a friend of mine, he had huraoj, and I had to pull him off and beat him to a bloody pulp just to get him to stop.” Rhulo said. None of them really responded. Aside from Rainbow, who accidentally let out a chuckle. “Hey, huraoj is no laughing matter. It kills at least thirty of us a year.” Rhulo said. “S-sorry! J-just what you said before!” Rainbow fell over, laughing. Haffoh facepalmed. Again. “Well stop your weird actions and let’s go. We need to get back to Hovviwo before night, unless you want to deal with the Xencoh Medbooj. Those things are annoying.” Rhulo advised, almost shivering at the traumatic experiences that he’s had with those things. The girls broke the group hug, but Applejack kept close to her. “Come on, girls. Lead the way, Rhulo...” Twilight said, walking onto the path along with the others. Rhulo starts leading the way again, heading East to Hovviwo. It took them a couple of hours to reach the city. By now, it would be sundown and in the far distance... The Xencoh Medbooj could be heard. Howling and howling. Rhulo waves to the guards at the gate, showing his badge. They open up the gate and let them all in. Rhulo headed straight inside. He sighed already being able to predict the reactions of the people. “W... Whoa...” Applejack gasped. “S-s-so... Awesome!” Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. Twilight’s jaw dropped. The amount of awe and shock and amazement on her face... Was very obvious. As soon as all the ponies entered, they were already getting hostile and awkward stares from the people. But, that familiar pink mare we all know as Pinkie Pie didn’t care about the stares and glares. “Hello! Hi!” she waved and smiled at the Shaizhar citizens. “Oh come on, it’s not like this is a shining city made of gold. That’s only inside the temple.” Rhulo said to the ponies. He then turned to one of the citizens. “Nxuk kxo xocc uho oei jkuhadw uk?! Jshon evv!” he yelled at them, they picked up the things they dropped when they were nearly pooping their pants from him yelling at them. They ran as fast as they could back home. Haffoh chuckled at this. “Daso. Daso.” he clapped sarcastically with a smirk on his face. “A ted'k cabo roadw kxo sodkoh ev ukkodkaed.” said Rhulo while growling a little. Once again, his friend chuckled. “Ah, Rhulo, A ucnuoj bdon oei noho kxo edo.” he patted him on the back, chuckling. Rhulo sighed, “Okay, what were you sent here to do?” he asked the ponies. Twilight spoke up. “Princess Celestia sent us here to investigate this new world. Her sister, Luna, discovered it while she raised the moon in Equestria, and she informed Celestia about it. And seeing that we were fit to do such a task, she sent us here.” “So let me get this straight... She sent you six... Instead of the best warriors in your army. To investigate a planet they know nothing about, that from what I’ve seen of both you and your planet, is about fifty times more dangerous.” Rhulo said while holding in laughter pretty well. “Yes.” Twilight replied seriously. “Why?!” Rhulo almost yelled, really confused. Rainbow laughed. She literally couldn’t help it anymore. She plopped down on her flank, fell on her side, and began to laugh. HER. FLANK. OFF. “Does your princess happen to have any mental illnesses, or took any recent blows to the head?!” Rhulo asked, rather loudly. Twilight looked as though she was just called a whore. “WHAT!?!!” “No really! Fighting off those guys was really hard, I almost died at least three times! You were just hiding in the bushes!” Rhulo yelled. “Either your princess is really screwed up in the head, or you must be some kind of magical chosen ones from a far off land chosen to wield the staff of A-ted'k-walo-u-jxak or some kind of sacred amulet!” Haffoh began to laugh. Hard. “YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT PRINCESS CELESTIA THAT WAY!” Twilight attempted to charge at Rhulo, but was held back by Rainbow Dash and Applejack. “I think I can talk about her all I want, it’s not like she’s going to fly from your bum and yell at me. Or blast me with that staff.” Rhulo said. Twilight growled with anger at him, and humphed. She still glared flaming daggers that screamed “I WILL MURDER YOU IN YOUR SLEEP.” at him, though. “Oh political immunity is a wonderful thing.” Rhulo said. “But, seriously, there has to be more to sending you six, rather than it just being sending you six while being in a drunken haze.” “Maybe the princess sent us here to get some treats from here and bring them back for her! I mean, Celestia likes cake, and she could’ve sent us to get cake from here and bring it back to Equestria!” Pinkie Pie giggled. Once again, Rainbow Dash’s hoof connected with her face. “Because that’s a great idea, especially when you have no money, and I’m pretty sure if some random aliens walked into a store, they’d be shot by a reck in about two seconds.” Rhulo said while crossing his arms. “Awww...” Pinkie sighed. “Well, If’n Ah knew why the princess sent us, Ah’d tell ‘ya. But Ah’ll guess she sent us ‘cause she can trust us.” Applejack said. “Maybe you’re all actually the chosen ones and don’t know it yet, and the staff of A-ted'k-walo-u-jxak is here.” Rhulo said. “Either she’s great at hiding information, or you’re all just naive and ignorant.” Most of them, aside from Twilight, who was giving Rhulo the glare of death, shrugged. Haffoh held back more laughter. “So I suppose that you’re going to want to meet our leader. That is if you’re not here to suck his brain through a straw.” Rhulo said. “Ooooh!” Pinkie Pie imitated a ghost... yeah... nice alien impression, Pinkie. “Take me to your leeeaaaderrr!” Rhulo instantly put his helmet on and extended his glaive. “AK'J UD UMRIJX!” he yelled out. All the citizens ran to their homes and grabbed their weapons. They all ran out and surrounded the ponies. Pinkie giggled. WAIT-... WHOA. GIGGLED!?!?! “UCHAWXK! DE JITTOD MELOMODKJ EH NO'HO UCC WALADW OEI KXO JMUSB TEND!” Rhulo yelled to the group and the ponies. “NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS!!!!” Twilight groaned. Haffoh facepalmed. Fluttershy... Curled up into a ball and started crying in terror. Rainbow Dash’s expression said nothing more than- “Well... We’re done for!” “ALRIGHT! I WANT TO KNOW YOUR INVASION PLANS!” he demanded from the ponies. “Invasion plans?” Twilight was confused beyond belief. “NOW!” he yelled. “Nxuk uho oei teadw...” Haffoh asked Rhulo. “We only want to debate!” Pinkie Pie declared. “One cupcake!” “Kxoo uho adlutohj semo ke bacc kxo xawx fhaojk! A nudk u hosb feadkot hawxk uk kxo fihfco edo'j xehd kxadwo!” Rhulo yells. One of the ranged warriors did as they were told. … Er, forty-seven of them. Fluttershy was crying her eyes out. “Muwoj! A nudk u muwas nuht uheidt kxo fedaoj!” he commanded to the mages in the back. The mages nodded, and began to draw energy from the runes at their sides, and then they channeled it through wisps, and drew the rune in the air, and the multiple spells casted. “Nowhere to run! Now tell me your plans!” Rhulo commanded. “We don’t have any plans, unless leaving is one of them.” Rainbow said. “Not going to talk huh?! Looks like we’re doing this the hard way.” Rhulo smirked. “Wiuhtj! Uhhojk kxom udt fhofuho kxom veh adkohhewukalo kehkiho! RIK! A nudk ke touc nakx kxom fohjeducco!” He commanded to the guards. Haffoh, by now, was walking away from the group. The guards did as they were told, and quickly grabbed the ponies, and began to drag them away. Rainbow tried to fight, but it was pointless. “Wha-what are you doing?! RHULO!” Rainbow yelled. Rhulo was walking next to the guards, he said to her. “A little bit of interrogative torture, and maybe execution if I’m lucky. You shouldn’t mess with my people next time.” “WE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!” she yelled back as they took them away. “Kxaj aj weadw ke ro vid...” he said while doing a semi-evil laugh. Rainbow groaned, helplessly falling limp in the guard’s arms as he carried her and her friends away. But wait... … Where was Rarity?