Chapter 10: It isn’t over yet
last chapter: “In that case heed this, Overseer. They will be watching, kill me and they will soon come and take vengeance. Kill me and you WILL die.” He replies just before Kieron grabs at the GM’s head and adds.
“No they won’t, I don’t care for IRIS.” He replies as he pulls the trigger and kills the GM who falls to the ground in a heap. Kieron then flops to the ground as he feels weak, “We win, we win.” He says to himself before blacking out.
<Next morning>
Kieron wakes up, stiff and weak in the hospital, he slowly looks round to see many other ponies in beds, some were injured with pieces of glass and bricks in them, they must have been hit by the pieces of wall that fell when the mech shot at Canterlot. Another pony was laid on the bed, screaming in pain as a large piece of metal was sticking out of it, it was one of the recruits. More ponies are rushed out as nurses rush them in on beds, he watches as some of them are guards, and some are civilians.
He then faintly manages to speak up to the nurse next to him, “What...What’s going on?” The nurse turns to him, it was Nurse Redheart.
“Shh, rest now. Don’t speak, you are very weak. So much for not being able to die...” she comments as he looks at her confused, “You died, Kieron. Over the night, we rushed you in here, and you died for a whole two hours, Moonshine and Treacle Tart was distraught about it. But yet you miraculously came back to life...” she adds as he can’t process what she is saying, “Afterwards something happened to them, Celestia found that you have a connection to them and they were weakened by you dying.”
He looks at her, taking a little to think about what she said before understanding the part about his daughters, he forces himself out of the bed, rolling over only to fall to the floor, Redheart tries to pick him up but he pushes her away as he looks over to see Moonshine in a bed with Treacle in the bed next to her. He begins to pull himself along whilst pushing Redheart away every time she gets near him.
He gets to the middle of the room only to be stopped by some nurses rushing in front of him with yet another bed, the hospital was almost full, ponies were injured left, right and centre. He rolled onto his back and looked over to the doors; he could here muffled explosions, gunshots and screams.
He then rolls over onto his stomach and begins to try and push himself onto his feet, Redheart watches in awe as she had never seen anypony or anyone manage to put so much will into not dying and fighting to keep their strength. She walks over to help him, he then tells her to not touch him as he puts his hand onto one of his knees to push himself up, and he soon gets onto his feet, stands up slowly and comes to a full stand. Blood was still dripping from his head and stomach from last night, he then slowly begins to stumble over to the doors, and Redheart follows him to make sure nothing happens to him.
He pushes the doors open only to see his worst nightmare, SKULL forces had infiltrated Canterlot and were killing every pony that they came across, his forces and the UEFDC were putting up a good fight but most of Kieron’s mechs had been destroyed with only Atom and two other piloted mechs standing. All of the UEFDC mechs had been demolished apart from the Corporal’s which was stood fighting in a circle helping Atom. Most of their tanks were in rubble; their forces begin pinned down by SKULL troops.
He then presses a button on the back of his neck, his power armour unfolds around him but his helmet is missing and parts of his left arm is missing. He then stubbles out of the hospital, almost falling over as another bed is rushed inside.
He then begins to walk down to the streets where some SKULL troops are firing at the remaining recruits.
When he gets down there, a SKULL trooper sees him and begins to shoots at him, the rounds deflecting off his armour, one then hits his head and he falls to the ground, a recruit quickly runs over to him and stand over his body, he then grabs at his head and pulls the bullet out. He gets up, pulls out a rifle and begins to open fire on the troops who stand no chance against him.
He soon finishes them off; the recruits then group up with him and begin to sweep the streets, killing all SKULL troops they come across as SKULL mechs rampage over them, killing many innocent ponies, Atom and the two others doing their best to fight them off.
As they fight through the streets he feels much stronger than before, the adrenaline kicking in, they easily crush any of the SKULL troops that face them. As they continue to roam the streets they come to a square with a fountain in the middle, it didn’t have water in it but was filled with blood and SKULL troops ripped open, he then turns sharply to see the feral Anthros from before, “WE SERVE YOU, SKULL WILL DIE!” one of them shouts out before giving out a loud roar and jumping down to join Kieron and the others fight off any SKULL forces that oppose them.
As they come round to the main entrance to the castle a voice calls from the steps, “Kieron...You killed me, but yet I still stand, did you think I would honestly go down that easily?” He turns to see the Grand Master stood with two of the armoured Anthros from before, “I won’t die if this isn’t broken.” He adds as he pulls out the top half of his cane from behind him.
Kieron’s face drops as he stares at the cane, the eyes of the cobra glowing. The GM the lifts a hand and the Anthros charge towards the group stood in front of him, the Anthros with Kieron then charge forwards then over some houses as they lure them away.
The recruits take aim of the GM, he gracefully swings his can to the right as their guns are torn from their armour and thrown away. One of the recruits then charges at the GM, Kieron tries to stop him but the GM uses his cane to grab the pony, lift it into the air and then rip it apart, piece by piece, blood and guts spurting everywhere with pieces of metal, then drops the meat bag onto the floor in front of the others.
The main doors open slowly as ‘Tia sneaks out, she walks up behind the GM, lifts up onto her rear legs ready to kick him but he spins round to kick her in the side causing her to hit off the wall and fall onto the floor, she quickly get back up only for him to be behind her with his cane round her neck. Kieron charges at him as the GM begins to tighten the cane round her neck, choking her. Kieron jumps up over them without the GM noticing and pulls at his hair causing him to let go of one side of the cane and swing for Kieron, stabbing the teeth into his arm. ‘Tia coughs a little before the recruits runs over to her and helps her inside.
She then heads inside with them only to see Kieron on the floor with the GM stood over him, Kieron kicks hi in the leg causing him to falls down, they both quickly get up, Kieron pulls out a knife as the GM wipes the back of his hand across his mouth to wipe the blood off.
“Now would be a good time to try again...” the GM says to himself, “Delta, Echo, Alpha, Tango, Halo” he says as Kieron grabs at his head, struggling and squirming about.
“KIERON!” ‘Tia shouts out, “Fight it. You can fight him, he isn’t your master, and you are a free person.” She says to try and help him. He stops moving, looks up at the GM who looks unsure; he then turns to face ‘Tia, his eyes red, “No, it’s worked. Kieron, fight him. You vowed to protect us.” She says trying to stop it.
“Help yourself, stupid, insolent race. Your race is inferior, SKULL is superior, we will rise, I may have destroyed most of his forces but we can still win. SKULL will rise again, I have a motto...” Kieron says to her as he becomes angry and evil fills him, the GM stood victoriously next to him, “SKULL is the future, we are SKULL, those who are not, will perish. You are not SKULL, so you will die.” He says as he pulls out his rifle and aims at Celestia.
The noises outside stop, one recruit open the door and look, “Their mechs are gone, Atom and the other did it, and all of the SKULL forces are dead. Apart from a few soldiers.” He says before closing the door and facing ‘Tia.
“No, we haven’t won yet, we need to stop HIM.” She replies pointing at the GM, “That cane, we need to destroy it.” She adds as Kieron shoots a round that flies past her and hits the recruit at the door in the head, killing him instantly, he slumps to the ground as ‘Tia looks quickly back at Kieron with anger.
“YOU VOWED DAMN IT, KIERON. YOU VOWED TO PROTECT ALL OF THE PONIES OF EQUESTRIA!!” she shouts with anger at him. He stares at her, his memories creeping in through the control that the GM has over him. His eyes slowly shift back to normal, he keep the same posture to fool the GM who fails to notice.
“You fail to notice Celestia...what was I originally created for?” he asks her.
“To serve SKULL, to be the most loyal soldier to the Grand Master.” She replies as she lowers her head.
“Correct...but sooner or later that person will get sick and turn on him.” He says just as he turns and shoots at the GM who dives down to dodge it, gets up and swings for Kieron with his cane, Kieron grabs the cane, pulls it out of his grasp and throws it over to Celestia who uses her magic to grab it.
Kieron then give a series of punches to the GM’s stomach before uppercutting him, he falls to the ground. Kieron stands over him as he tries to scurry backwards.
“How...How can this be possible? You are meant to be under my control, the genetic coding should have you as mine right now.” The GM questions him whilst still moving back, soon up against a wall.
“As I said before, I am now a free man; I can decide for myself, you control no-one. And now you will have to wait to see who dies. Celestia, it is your choice now. What will you do with him?” he asks as he looks over to her.
She returns a gaze as she thinks about it, she at first really wants to kill him but that isn’t like her, she wants to take his power from him and make him a slave for her. She looks at the cane in her magical grasp, “You shall live, human. But you will work as a slave for us; you have caused us misery and pain. Now it is our turn to return the favour.” She says as she crushes the cane with her magic.
“NO!!” the GM shouts as he goes to run over to the pile of ash on the floor, Kieron stops him by grabbing him round the throat and lifts him up, “Put me down, Kieron” he orders.
“No, I don’t take orders from you anymore, but you will be taking orders from her.” He replies as he points to Celestia who walks over and comments.
“Your first job will be to start cleaning the streets of Canterlot. And don’t think of doing anything, I will have a guard watching you all the time, and the punishment will be you worst nightmare.”
“Moonshine” Kieron finishes her sentence. The GM sharply looks at him with pity.
“No, please, anything but that. I’ll do it; I’ll clean the streets...” He says as Kieron drops him and he stands, “Right over my dead body” he adds as he grabs Kieron’s knife and stabs it into his own neck, killing him before slumping onto the floor.
Kieron and Celestia stand over his body, “Is it finally over?” she asks him, he looks at her and shrugs his shoulders.
“I don’t know. It should be, but I get the feeling it isn’t, not yet.” He replies as the Corporal enters the castle through the main doors, he looks happy.
“We are victorious! SKULL has lost, we have won!” he claims in a really happy tone. He walks over to the two of them and looks at the corpse of the GM, “I would never have thought that he would take his own life. But I guess...” he stops as him communicator bleeps, he excuses himself and walks over to the other side of the room where he is inaudible.
Kieron and ‘Tia looks back down at the corpse, “I think I know what is going to happen next, princess. They now have no planet, SKULL destroyed it. They need a planet, and we have that planet. The UEFDC can’t be trusted for too long, I get the feeling they are about to turn on us.” He explains to her quietly.
The corporal finishes speaking, he and Kieron then both turn and aim their weapons at each other at the same time, “It would seem we need a new planet, Overseer. SKULL has destroyed Earth, you have a planet similar to Earth and we would like to have this planet. Or share the planet, would that be possible?” he asks.
“No!”
“Yes” ‘Tia says at exactly the same time as Kieron who denied them the offer, they both look at each other, “Kieron, they want to share Equestria.” She claims.
“Yes, but they can’t be trusted, no offence...” he replies as he looks over to the Corporal who knods, “This is your planet, they can make a ship at Cloudsdale then go out into space and find another planet they can habitat.” He adds. He then faces the Corporal who shakes his head in disagreement.
“I’m sorry, Overseer but the captain does not want that, he thinks that your idea would take too long. Why search for planet when there is one right here?” he replies.
Kieron then raises his rifle to aim at the Corporal and shoots just past his head, “You have no forces; you have nothing, so just make a ship and leave.” He orders.
“We don’t need to do that, we have a ship and it’s coming back here right now. The ‘Spear of Freedom’ will take this land.” He replies.
Kieron gets really angry and shoots the Corporal in the head, he then runs over to the doors, opens them to see the UEFDC ship in the distance approaching Canterlot.
‘Tia then walks up to him and asks, “We can’t take anymore, and will you be able to fight them off?”
He looks back at her and replies, “I don’t know but I guess I will have to try.”
He then heads out of the castle towards Ponyville, ‘Tia doesn’t even try to stop him. Atom is still in Hades as he walks up next to Kieron. He then lowers a hand; Kieron gets in and orders for him to take him to the mech facility. They then rush off to the facility. The ship slowly advances on Canterlot as ‘Tia heads back inside and Mathis prepares the shields.