//------------------------------// // It's About Time! // Story: Returning Survivor // by Itchy //------------------------------// Mecha stared at his newest creation. If it worked... he just got 40% deadlier... removing his current mechanical leg, he replaced it with the one he just finished, before walking towards the testing range. Shifting his leg into his newest creation, Mecha was about to begin until he noticed something out of the corner of his eye, the time. Eyes widening, he shifted his creation back into a leg, before running off, yelling, “LUCIFER'S LAKEBED! I'M LATE!” As he ran, he didn't notice Sugary Spice or Lively Spirit, both giggling. “I told you he'd fall for it,” Sugary Spice told her friend. “I know... but why didn't he realize that we'd tampered with the clock?” Lively Spirit asked, “You told me that he was almost impossible to prank.” Sugary Spice grinned as she walked up to the clock and said, “Normally he is, but when you get Cheerilee involved...” she trailed off, fixing the clock, “He gets screwier than Gluttony at a buffet.” Blinking, Lively Spirit shrugged, before beginning to converse about random topics. LINEBREAKER Mecha was halfway to Cheerilee's house when he realized that he wasn't late... and still covered in soot. Sighing, he walked over to Synge's pond, took off his mechanical leg, and jumped in. After a few seconds he popped back up, before leaning against a rock. Synge then swam up and stared at him, before asking, “Something bothering you?” Shrugging, Mecha replied, “Not really... just have this feeling that something's... off.” Nodding her head, Synge said, “I know that feeling... sucks doesn't it?” Laughing, Mecha retorted, “Not as much as dieing...” Synge burst into laughter, saying, “No, I guess it wouldn't feel that bad...” Shaking his head, Mecha said, “Yeah, that's something I wouldn't recommend... by the way, your Equestrian is pretty good.” “Why thank you!” Synge replied, smiling. “I've practicing with Twilight... such a nice mare.” “Really now?” came a familiar voice... to Mecha at least. “Twily's been teaching you Equestrian?” Synge turned to face Shining Armor, before blushing and replying, “Yeah... she's been a great help... do you know her?” “I'd hope so,” Mecha said, “Seeing as she's his sister.” “Really now?” Synge asked, before facing Shining. “You do share a resemblance... but you're much more handsome.” Shining Armor blinked, before replying with, “I have a marefriend... and plan to propose.” Pouting, Synge said, “Oh poo,” before smiling and adding, “Good luck!” before diving down to the bottom of the pond. Blinking, gave his head a shake before making his way out of the pond and shaking himself dry. Grabbing his mechanical leg, he reattached it, before asking Shining Armor, “You're proposing?” Nodding his head, Shining Armor used his magic to bring out a case and opened it, showing a simple ring. “Planned on asking tonight... and I was wondering if you and Cheerilee would mind tagging along.” Eyebrow raised, Mecha replied, “That sounds fine, but I have to ask. Wouldn't you rather take Cadence out solo and then propose? After all, that is much more... romantic I think.” Shaking his head, Shining Armor replied, “That's just the kind of thing she'd expect for a proposal. I want to surprise her, make it a bit more special. A proposal on a double date is just on the right side of surprise- unexpected enough to make it memorable, while maintaining a friendly environment with friends.” Nodding his head, Mecha replied, “That makes sense... more thought then I'd ever put into proposing.” “You're kidding... right?” Shining Armor asked. “You, the pony who has a plan for everything, including for Celestia going rouge and raping every filly and colt in Equestria while pranking everypony she meets, which happens to includes custard, rope, and whipped cream, have not come up with a plan for proposing to Cheerilee?” Nodding his head, Mecha replied, “Think about this from my point of view. When I tried to ask her out in a planned manner, everything went wrong in ways that just shouldn't happen, until I went with asking her out drunk. Then, almost every time I take her out on a planned date, even more impossible stuff happen, with me ending up in the hospital half the time. Imagine me trying to propose! I'd either end up dead, or stuck in the hospital until the wedding. No, I think I'll stick with my current plan.” Eyebrow raised, Shining Armor asked, “Didn't you just say you didn't have a plan?” “Eeyup,” Mecha replied, “And that's my plan. No plan at all, and then when fate hands me a ring perfect for proposal with Cheerilee there, propose. Maybe. Depends on the situation.” Shining Armor just stared at Mecha, before shaking his head. “Why did I expect anything else from you? Anyways, you okay with this plan?” he asked. “Sure,” Mecha replied, “So long as you don't mind the possibility of somepony trying to kill me.” Sighing, Shining Armor asked, “Do I even want to know?” “Well...” Mecha started, “Statistically speaking... probably not.” “Yeah,” Shining Armor said, turning to leave, “That's what I thought.” LINEBREAKER Capo watched as his cultist ally poured different chemicals into different vials... again. Losing his patience, he shouted, “When are you going to finish those blasted potions!” Giving a bored look to Capo, the unicorn replied, “In about... three seconds,” before pouring one last chemical into the vial he was holding with his magic. Snorting, Capo said, “It's about time...” “Excuse me for trying to ensure we win this upcoming battle,” the Nightmare Moon worshiper replied. Rolling his eyes, Capo asked, “So what's the plan?” “Quite simple...” the cultist started, as they walked to the planning room. LINEBREAKER Cheerilee stared at Mecha, before asking, “We're really going on a double date with them just so Shining Armor can propose in an unexpected manor?” “Eeyup,” Mecha replied nonchalantly. “It was either this or playing Changeling Roulette with train tickets. I figured you'd rather be there when Shining Armor proposed instead of on a train to Luna knows where.” Staring at her stallionfriend, Cheerilee asked, “You really had planned on playing Changeling Roulette with train tickets for our date?” Shrugging, Mecha replied, “I've found that the less planning I put into our dating, the less likely things are to go wrong or result in me in the hospital. That was the most planning I was willing to risk putting into our date tonight.” Still staring at Mecha, Cheerilee broke out of her trance by shaking her head, before saying, “If it wasn't for the fact that I know you're right, I'd swear you weren't taking our relationship serious.” “Yeah, I mean let's face the facts,” Mecha said, as they began to walk towards the train station. “The more detailed the plans I make for our dates, the more hazardous end up to my health. Take Heart's and Hooves's day for example- I had the most detailed plan for our date possible, and then died for 13.7 seconds!” Chuckling, Cheerilee replied, “True. Granted, that was by far our best date... up until you died of course.” Stepping onto the train, Mecha said, “Yeah... totally worth it though, but not something I'd like to repeat though.” “Agreed,” Cheerilee said. LINEBREAKER Mecha, Cheerilee, Shining Armor, and Cadence were all enjoying a pleasant dinner while chatting about various things. “So wait,” Mecha inquired, setting down his drink, “You're telling me that Celestia was heading towards a bunker designed specifically for if I go evil?” “Yeah,” Cadence replied, laughing. “It's suppose to be able to withstand an explosion large enough to level the mountain it's in... but she's decided that it's worthless if you can prevent her from getting to it.” “So she's commissioned an anti-Mecha tunnel,” Shining Armor added, pushing a paper towards Mecha. “Estimated cost? Several billion bits.” Looking over the paper and shaking his head, Mecha said, “I'm not sure if I should be thrilled it costs that much to build an anti-me tunnel, or upset that I'm considered that big a threat.” “Oh, you should be happy,” Cheerilee said. “Especially since the funding for this should be pulled solely from nobles because of the Security Payment Act.” “Really now?” Mecha asked, “Then why aren't I being taxed for it?” “Probably because this is technically a classified plan against you,” Shining Armor said, before pulling the paper back. “Then haven't you committed treason by showing him that?” Cheerilee asked. “Since that was a level 1 classified document, probably not,” Cadence said. “Especially when you factor in the fact that Mecha is one of the few ponies besides myself and my aunts to hold level 5 clearance.” “I have level 5 clearance?” Mecha asked, wide-eyed. “What in Luna's name did I do to warrant that?” Shrugging her shoulders, Cadence replied, “Probably because of that tid-bit at the end of your report involving a lake bed and what you saw there, seeing as that was the only part to warrant a classification level of 5.” Blinking, Cheerilee faced Mecha and asked, “Is she talking about the reason you don't really fear most creatures?” “Yeah,” Mecha replied, nodding his head. “Didn't realize that was classified though.” “Oh yeah, that info!” Shining Armor said. “Yeah, it was decided that what you found there shouldn't be made known to the public. Everything else though... I think they're in the process of declassifying it.” Sighing, Mecha said, “Yeah, not looking forward to that. Last thing we need is everypony in the world flooding into Ponyville to ask me about it...” Shaking his head at his friend's statement, Shining Armor glanced at the clock. Nodding his head when he noticed the time, he turned to Cadence and asked, “Do you want to go for a quick walk?” Nodding her head, Cadence smiled as she got up, saying, “That sounds lovely.” Watching the two get up, Mecha shot Shining Armor a grin, before turning to chat with Cheerilee. “You know,” he started, “This has been quite pleasant.” “Yeah,” Cheerilee replied, “And nopony has tried to kill you tonight!” At that point, a loud “YES!” was heard from the garden, followed by Shining Armor and Cadence walking in, a ring on Cadence's hoof. “Congratulations!” Mecha and Cheerilee told them, as Mecha pulled a bottle of wine from under the table. Popping the cork, Mecha poured each a glass, before lifting his up, saying, “To the happy couple, it's about time!” Chuckling, everypony tapped their glasses together before taking a drink from them. LINEBREAKER Capo and his ally stood outside the restaurant, waiting for their target to walk out. Capo held a crossbow in his hooves, staring at the door. “Discord's mismatched horns, how long are they going to be!” he muttered. “Patience my comrade...” the cultist replied. “We'll be rid of our enemy soon...” At this point the four friends walked out of the restaurant, laughing and joking. With a grin, Capo took aim, putting Mecha in the cross-hairs. LINEBREAKER Mecha laughed at Shining Armor's story, when he heard a light twang sound, and turned his head to face the direction of the source. Eyes widening, Mecha spotted the crossbow bolt heading for him, when he was suddenly on the ground, Cheerilee on top of him. “Are you alright?” Cadence asked, running up to them. “I think so...” Mecha started. “How about you Cheer-...” he trailed off, staring at the bolt meant for him lodged in Cheerilee's side. Shakily getting up, Cheerilee replied, “I-I-I should b-b-be fine...” before screaming out in pain and collapsing. “That would be the poison seeping in...” came a voice from the shadows. Turning to face the voice, Shining Armor frowned before saying, “Aren't you suppose to be in jail?” “Yes, I suppose I should be,” the cultist replied, stepping out of the shadows. “Granted, that bolt was also suppose to hit Mecha instead of his marefriend... oh well.” Mecha was to busy trying to help Cheerilee to notice this conversation though, as he turned to Cadence, saying, “Get her to a hospital, quick!” Gulping, Cadence said, “I can't... my levitation isn't steady enough to prevent myself from further injuring her...” Turning to Shining Armor, Mecha yelled, “Then you need to teleport her there!” “I wouldn't do that,” Capo said, stepping out and revealing himself. “That poison was meant to both inflict pain and prevent you from using your magic... right?” he said, turning towards the cultist. Sighing, the dark unicorn replied, “Yes, that's right. Any attempt to use magic will just increase the amount of pain she's in.” Growling, Mecha told Shining Armor and Cadence, “Go and get her some help. I'll deal with these two.” “Are you-” Shining Armor started, only to be cut off by Mecha. “GO!” he yelled, causing Shining Armor and Cadence to lift Cheerilee up and put a leg over each shoulder, before walking off. Seeing that she was safely away, Mecha turned to face his two foes for the night. “You two... have seriously pissed me off.” Chuckling, Capo replied, “Oh really, have we now?” as he started walking back and forth. “Why's that? Because we harmed your precious marefriend? Don't worry about that, you'll be in for much worse,” he said, pulling a vial out. “And who knows, maybe she'll join you after we're done?” That was not the best thing to say, as Mecha... snapped for a lack of a better word. He got up on his rear legs and shifted his right leg into his newest creation... a sword whose hilt worked as a gun. Black wisps of magic started to circle around him, as his rage caused his body to generate an excessive amount of magic, slowly causing a black aura to build around him. He looked up from the ground, revealing pitch black eyes, with his left eye generating a giant ethereal flame. The aura around him slowly moved towards his left leg, causing the ethereal flame to die down as a sword made from magic solidified in his left hoof. “You... are going to regret that,” Mecha replied, his tone dead flat. Capo gulped, and flinched when another figure landed next to Mecha, covered in a dark cloak. “Leave the cultist to me,” the figure said, pulling out a scythe with blades on both ends. The hood fell back when he stood up on his rear legs, revealing Solaris. “I've got the cultist...” At this point, the rouge unicorn laughed evilly, before pulling out a vial of his own. “Let's see how well you fair when my magic rivals that of Nightmare Moon's!” he yelled, before downing the vial. The vial's effect was made clear as the cultist's body was covered in magic, a vile purple aura surrounding his body that slowly lifted him into the air, crackling with static. Capo took this as his cue to drink his own vial, before dropping it and clutching his head in pain. His body slowly began to morph, his muscles bulging out rapidly as he increased in size. While this was happening, Mecha asked Solaris, “Legally speaking, what are my restrictions right now?” Shaking his head, Solaris replied, “None. They're both trying to kill you, have threatened to kill a civilian after they kill you, and have ingested some kind of steroid, so no restrictions.” As Capo's form settled into a large behemoth close to the size of a house, Mecha smirked, and said, “Perfect,” before disappearing in a flash of black. Capo's eyes went wide, before he twisted around and blocked Mecha's blades with one of his arms, receiving nothing but a light cut when Mecha kicked off. “Bha! That the best you've got!” Capo taunted, “I've been cut worse by paper!” “Oh, you've seen nothing yet,” Mecha replied, before vanishing in a black blur once more. While Mecha was attempting to break Capo's guard, Solaris was dealing with magic wave after magic wave from the cultist. Spinning his scythe overhead, he brought it down and cut a wave of magic clean in two, causing it to split and travel around him, impacting the building behind him. Horn glowing with magic, Solaris launched three beach ball sized fireballs at his opponent, who used his magic to force the fireballs away from him. “You ignorant foal! Do you truly expect to beat me you traitor!” The insane unicorn shouted, sending out several whips of magic towards Solaris. “Of course I do!” Solaris shouted, leaping around the tendrils of vile magic, cutting them off when he had the chance. “As I'm not the traitor, you are! And the punishment for betraying the throne is...” A loud explosion cut them off, as Capo had tried to punch Mecha, only for him to have dodged, resulting in the crater in the road. Mecha took this moment to run up Capo's extended limb, dragging his blades into Capo's flesh and leaving thing red lines, before leaping at Capo's head, blades swinging. When Capo brought his other foreleg up to block the strike, a loud BANG could be heard as Mecha was pushed back from the force of his shot, while Capo started to scream. “What is this!” he yelled, gripping the hole in his foreleg. “How can this hurt so much!” “What, you've never had a piece of metal just over nine millimeters* in diameter forcibly pushed into your leg before?” Mecha said. Growling, Capo yelled out, “I'm going to kill you!” as he lunged towards Mecha. Leaping back, Mecha flicked his magical blade at Capo, releasing a wave of energy towards him that impacted his chest, leaving a somewhat deep gash which didn't slow him down. Throwing a fast punch, Capo managed to catch the side of Mecha's mechanical leg, causing him to be thrown back in a spin. Sliding to a stop, Mecha looked up to see Capo rushing him again. Leaping to the side, Mecha watched as Capo ran straight into a wall, while behind him Solaris and the cultist continued to trade spells, with Solaris firing off giant fireballs every ten seconds or so that the cultist grabbed with his magic before flinging them back, fueled by his vile magic. With quick slash, the fireballs were split in two and passed harmlessly around Solaris, bursting upon impact with the brick wall behind him. Staring down his opponent, Solaris twisted the large battle scythe until it split at the center, ends collapsing into itself until he was left with two, smaller, hand scythes**. “I've really got to thank Mecha for this,” he muttered to himself, rushing forward. Stepping around the most recent wave of dark tendrils trying to kill him, Solaris began to lash out against the magic, cutting through it with his hand scythes as he prepared a spell of his own. When he heard a loud BANG, he ignored it in order to launch his own spell- a dark bolt of magic that impacted with the cultist's magic, creating a BANG at the same time one came from behind him. The magic seemed to stop moving... before rushing to the impact soon where it collapsed upon itself before violently exploding, throwing the cultist on the ground. “What... what was that?!?” the cultist yelled out. “Magical implosion,” Solaris stated, putting his scythes away. “Very useful spell against rouge unicorns... dangerous to. Had I hit you with that spell, you'd have been the center of that explosion.” A third BANG rang out, causing Solaris to frown and turn, saying, “What in Luna's name is going on?!” What he saw was Capo, shrunken down to his normal form after the potion he'd drunk had worn off, trying to crawl away from Mecha. Granted, that was hard to do with three of his kneecaps blown out from Mecha's bullets... BANG Make that all four. Mecha stared at Capo, his gun-blade smoking while the black blade of magic absorbed all light heading for it. Unblinkingly, Mecha stepped forward, and pointed his blade at Capo's head, causing him to stutter and panic, screaming, “Please, have mercy! I'll never bother you again, just please, spar me!” tears flowing down the side of his face, begging Mecha not to finish him off. Mecha didn't seem to care though, as a click sound was heard, the sound of a bullet being chambered. “Stop it Mecha, it's over!” Solaris shouted, grabbing Mecha's shoulder. “He poisoned Cheerilee,” Mecha started, keeping the gun-blade pointed straight at Capo's head. “He threatened to kill her...” he added, refusing to blink. “What do you expect me to do? Let him live after all that! What if that had been Spitfire!” he yelled, his rage surfacing. “I'd want to do the same,” Solaris replied, calmly, “Which is why I'd hope you'd do the same thing for me as I'm about to do for you.” “And what is that?” Mecha asked, shaking in barely controlled rage. “Ask what would Cheerilee want you to do right now,” Solaris replied, giving his friend one last squeeze on his shoulder, before stepping back. Mecha continued to shake for a bit, before calming down. His muscles visibly relaxed, as the black blade began to dissipate, before the magic making it returned to Mecha. He lowered his gun-blade, and turned to face Solaris, who noticed the ethereal fire that had burned around Mecha's left eye had finally dissipated. “She'd want me to let him live,” Mecha finally said after a minute's thought. Solaris was about to reply, when Mecha rapidly turned and fired, the BANG leaving everypony in deafening silence, no pony willing to say anything. “I... can't believe it...” Solaris said, staring. For while they'd been talking, the cultist had tried to cast one last spell, only for Mecha's shot to impact his horn, causing it to shatter. “Yeah... who knew it was possible?” Mecha inquired, staring at the blubbering mess of a cultist. “You know, this guy had a lot more composure earlier today.” “Cut him some slack,” Solaris replied, “He's just had a large amount of his magic imploded in front of him followed by having his horn shattered... that's enough to get any unicorn to break down.” “True,” Mecha replied, “And I have one thing to say while we talk about magic; never channel all your magic through your body at once.” Blinking, Solaris asked, “Why not?” “One, it causes you to feel numb, preventing you from realizing how injured you are,” Mecha started, “And two, I'm about to pass out from it,” he added, before falling forward as everything went black. *Exact bullet- .357 magnum- approximately .003 inches larger in diameter than a 9 mm **Hand Scythes- look up something called a Kama, that is what he shifted his battle scythe to