//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 
// Story: A bad egg in Equestria 
// by Alkem 
//------------------------------//


A Bad Egg in Equestria


Chapter 6:




Past the thick steel hull of the massive air cruiser that blocked out sunlight as it flew over the lands of Equestria, the sinister doctor Robotnik on the edge of his seat as he viewed a holographic projection on the deck window. On the map projection he was eying with vigor was a lone dot that slowly moved across a trail of dashes. Dashes that went across the map and stopped at a location labeled Canterlot. Robotnik could have sat there and watched the dot get ever closer if it were not for an alarm suddenly going off in his ship's deck.

Speakers positioned around the room, blared out an ear splitting wail that was accompanied periodic light flares that made the painted the room like a cherry every three seconds. "Proximity alert," a monotone voice then spoke out. Followed afterwards by stating, "Incoming projectile approaching from the stern."

Caught by surprise by the sudden emergency, Robotnik jumped slightly before looking down below his captain's chair where an assortment of his minions scrambled into position at their stations. "Is there a visual on the projectile?"

The tin clad lackeys quickly taped away on their console's control. "Bringing up visuals now, sir." The sound of typing ended all at once and the projection on screen changed to that of a video.

Observing things play out, he snarled, noticing something. "Those four again—no wait, five now. So they rescued someone to help. Not like that'll make a difference. They aren't going to interfere with my plans!"

One of the little mechs leaned back from his console and looked up towards the doctor. "What are your orders, master?"

Robotnik sat and watched the monitor capture the scene unfolding as a hail storm of the ship's laser cannon fire made their way across the sky headed for the incoming vessel. He cracked a smile, widening it as one of the beams closed in to hit. But then something flashed onscreen. He narrowed his eyes and noticed a group of mare, with a purple one standing at the front of their little vessel shining a light from a horn sticking out of her forehead. The light around her protrusion then expanded to form a massive sphere. One that engulfed and surrounded her craft, shielding her and the other mares as the focused beams of lights made contact.

Robotnik immediately furrowed his brow and gnashed his teeth as he watched his weapons being casually negated by a mere orb conjured by those creatures. With his eyes keeping track of their voyage to the ship, he watched as the girls vanished from the camera's view as they lowered their ship down onto his.

"Master, the projectile has landed upon the ship's stern along with its passengers. Shall I dispatch the troops to intercept and capture them?"

Robotnik rose from his seat, staring out the deck window and out into the sky. "No." He looked back at his map and watched the dot moving ever closer to Equestria. "I'm not going to waste our invasion resources in dealing with these stowaways. We'll need them all once we arrive at the castle." He turned and started walking towards the room exit. "Where did that vessel land?"

"On the stern of the ship, master," another of his servants replied

"Good. I'll deal with the intruders myself. After all, those five went through all that trouble to get here. The least I can do is show myself as I take care of them for good." He stopped himself, just inches from stepping out and looked back. "There is one unit I do want to join me. Signal it to report to me on the upper half of the ship's hull." He then walked away. "It's time that thing does something more than just soar around my ship."




On the far opposite end of Robotnik's ship, the band of mares had disembarked from their makeshift ships after their less then smooth landing and stood in awe atop the flying goliath as their mane and tails whipped wildly from the constantly blowing wind.

"Is everypony alright?" Twilight asked, gauging her friends.

Applejack was trying hard to keep her hat from flying off. "A-okay here, Twi."

Rarity, finished checking the condition of mane and fur and pouted. "Oh, all this wind is going to ruin my hair. Oh and I guess I'm alright."

Fluttershy was the worst by far. The powerful ceaseless gusts pushed against her, shoving her slowly back. Fortunately her little band of butterfly bots flew behind her to hold her in place. "I'm just –" She flapped her wing, trying her hardest against the wind. "—fine."

"Good." Twilight looked around and only three friends were accounted for. "Where's Pinkie Pie?!"

"Over here Twilight," a voice called out from behind. At the very end of the ship, leaning over the edge, Pinkie looked down to the ground below. "Can you believe how tiny everything looks from up here? And would you look at how fast we're going."

Twilight grabbed hold of her sightseeing friend and pulled her back with the other. "Focus, Pinkie. We've got a job to do. We have to stop this thing before it can get to Canterlot."

"You're right Twi. I doubt even the castle guards will be prepared to handle this thing when it comes a knockin' on their doorstep," said Applejack.

"Certainly not," Rarity added. "So, Twilight, how do you propose we put a stop to this dreadful ship?"

Twilight stared down the long stretch ground before them. "First we need to head to the front of the ship. The controls for it are probably somewhere around there. After that we just need to get inside and stop it. Let's go girls."

Twilight now dashed across the upper hull along with her friends, determined to stop massive ship before it could reach its destination. Their hooves clanked along the steel below, pushing against the wind and clouds the whisked by. They had made some progress before a voice rang out.

"That's far enough!"

The girls came to a halt as a ball shaped craft with the top part left open approached and hovered a few feet in front of them. Inside the metal ball, doctor Robotnik stood up and extended his finger at them. "I must commend you five for making it aboard my ship. For a group of candy-colored equines you sure are tenacious, but this is as far as you'll go."

"Oh yeah?" Applejack snapped back. "And just how you supposin' to stop us? You said it yerself, there's five of use and only one of you."

Robotnik stared down at her while he tapped his finger against his chin. "That's a good question." He then directed his finger out to the port side of the ship. "That's why I decided to bring some help along with me."

The girls all peered over and spotted an object quickly making its way to the back of the ship. Once it got there they saw that it now started flying straight towards them. "Run, girls!" Twilight and other turned to gallop but something now blocked their path.

A long-stretching veil of orange tinted light stood in between them the doctor whose machine shined the mysterious barrier. On his side of the wall, Robotnik wagged his finger at the girls with a conceited smirk. "Sorry girls, you've got nowhere to go. Now just sit tight while my beautiful creation takes care of you."

Trapped, the girls all pushed against the doctor's force field, looking back to catch glimpses of the metallic pegasus getting closer. With it now just a few feet away they all jumped out of its way. Applejack, jumping to the side, got a look at the flying figure. Its color, its shape, its wings, it was all so similar; everything except for those cold soulless red eyes. With the girls managing to dodge they watched as the flying metal pegasus easily ripped through Robotnik's barrier and started flying back to the rear of the ship.

"Did ya'll see that? That had to be—"

"I know Applejack," Twilight sullenly replied, watching as the robotic pegasus spread its razor sharp wings as it cut across the sky and flew to the ships stern. "I just wish I hadn't."

Rarity, looking back with the other for the mechanical mare inevitable charge, glanced over to Twilight. "Twilight dear, I understand how you feel. But right now is not the time for it." The mecha mare shot forward like a bullet, just missing Rarity who barely avoided her. "First we need to figure out a way out of this! Otherwise we'll be done for!"

Avoiding yet another encounter, Twilight glanced back to the doctor who answered her with a sinister smile. "Okay girls—" She looked back to her fellow ponies. "—I have an idea."




Standing atop the gargantuan flying warship, blocked by the doctor's impenetrable wall, five ponies faced an approaching metal monster, with a quivering, shaking, whimpering pegasus taking the lead.

"T-t-t-twilight,—" Standing a couple of hoofsteps apart from the other girls, a shaky Fluttershy looked back to her friend. "—a-are you s-sure this is a g-good i-idea?"

Standing back along with Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie, Twilight watched their terrified friend from afar. "Yes Fluttershy. And trust me; I won't let anything happen to you. So don't be scared."

"Of course I trust you, Twilight." Fluttershy looked down at her hooves, watching her legs shake like maracas. "But I'm still scared!"

"Just remember to jump up and fly when she gets close, okay?"

Practically crouching, she looked ahead and kept her eyes forward as the words shrilly came out of her mouth "Okay." She spotted the pegasus make it approach. Noticing Fluttershy standing by herself, it changed its course straight for her.

"Now, Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted.

Mustering all she could to her buckling legs, Fluttershy jumped and opened her wings. The robot arced its course and stayed on target, flying ever closer. Seeing it still headed for her, Fluttershy curled up in terror, crying out if she could but the hooves over her lips kept them sealed tightly as were her eyes.

Watching since the beginning, Robotnik readied himself for a sight as Fluttershy flew right in front of him. But all of a sudden the yellow pony vanished in a flash of light. "What?!" In the corner of his eye, he spotted the familiar yellow coloring crouching behind Twilight Sparkle. Unfortunately he couldn't confirm it since he was preoccupied with his machine now headed straight for him. "Wait, no! Stop! Uuuuaaaaaaaaah!"

Effortlessly shattering the barrier as it had before, the metal mare this time connected against the metal shell of Robotnik's cruiser in a brutal crash that sent both of them to the ground.

Twilight and the others watched the barrier vanish as both creation and creator dropped to the floor and skidded to a halt. "Come on girls now's our chance," she said, galloping on to leaving the doctor and his robot in their dust.

Tightly grabbing hold of his controls, Robotnik maneuvered his vessel back up and after the scurrying mares. "Oh no you don't!" He looked back as he flew, watching his work also getting back up. "Get back up you pile of scrap. I won't let them get away!"

With the ship still soaring through the clouds over Equestria, the girls were hightailing it to the front of the ship. At their rears, doctor Robotnik and his mechanized pony were quickly closing the gap.

Catching up to them at last, Robotnik started up his barrier again, but it didn't respond. "What?" Repeatedly hitting the switch, his face began to match the color of his shirt with each failed start up. "You piece of junk!" He started wailing upon his cruiser's console until it finally responded.

A single strip of his once grand barrier appeared, one that only covered enough to reach up to the girls' thighs. A literal hurtle facing them, each girl easily cleared it with a hop, skip or jump.

Further back, the metal pony was charging after them and adjusted its trajectory after spotting the girls all jumping over Robotnik's malfunctioning wall. It arched up, just missing Pinkie Pie, who was the last to make It over, but still wound up making contact against its creator again with a loud metal crunch.

Shaking off another collision with his invention, Robotnik maneuvered himself back in front of the girls and again pounded against his controls. "Blast it. Work!" With one last hit causing sparks to fly off the barrier came to life one more time but to his disappointment it now only covered a thin sliver of light belted out. "No, no, no!" Rapping his fingers against his buttons, Robotnik got his shield to work properly if not enough to manifest a large enough force field to cover the area around him. "This is it! No more games!"

The girls watched as the doctor's transport swooped down at with spiraling dive Leading the group, Twilight quickly teleported out of the way. Pinkie leapt up with all her might, flipping over the light-encased sphere. Applejack ducked to the floor, sliding with her back hooves first. Rarity, using elegant hoofwork, sidestepped the hazardous orb

Last in line, Fluttershy looked back to see the mechanical mare was also closing in on her. She felt her limbs begin to wobble as she looked back ahead to the mad doctor approaching. Pushing her limits, Fluttershy jumped and flew up, but both Robotnik and creation went after her. At the corners of her eyes, Fluttershy spotted them still headed for her, soon they'd have her. Her wings, despite her effort couldn't push her fast enough, but then she felt something push against her. With trails of lights flaring behind them, Fluttershy's band bug bots pushed her forward, avoid the devastating collision taking place behind her.

Robotnik's cruiser was sent flying over the girls' heads as Fluttershy rejoined them, bouncing against the hull and off the ship's starboard. The mares all sighed, smiling amongst themselves, but as Twilight stared ahead to the clear blue skies, a series of darkened clouds started rising up from below the ship. The thick plumes gathered together, forming a giant mass the engulfed the sun and shrouded the area in shadow.

"You fools didn't think it was going to be that easy!" Robotnik spoke out, rising up from grey depth. Hovering back up before the girls, he seemed a lot more menacing aboard a brand new machine of his. Floating in front of the girls, it faced them as it kept up with their galloping. "You know, girls, at first I was planning on capturing and convert you into my minions." It was his regular cruiser, only now it had a set of massive metal arms sticking out of its sides with a spiked lid added on top. With the girls stopped before the imposing figure, the machine struck a pose. "But now I just want be rid of you once and for all!"

Keeping their eyes on the big armed mech, the girls didn't notice the metallic pegasus coming up from the rear. It was dented with sparks shooting out from the cracks littered over its frame but it sped forward, zooming over the girls' heads.

Aware of her approach, Robotnik, swung one of his mech's arms, swatting the little bot away. "That's enough out of you!" Batted to the side like a fly, the mecha mare u-turned and headed back to the ship's stern. "Now then…" Robotnik turned his mobile back to the girls. "Let's get back to— what!?"

Galloping past the doctor and his machine, the girls only got a few seconds of peace before he hovered back in front of them and kept pace. His machine slammed its palm toward Applejack, but she run past it as it hit the hull with a clang. It struck again; repeatedly pounding its fists against the top of the ship, missing each time as the girls did their best to dodge.

Gripping his controls tightly, Robotnik watched the crosshairs on his windscreen lock on. "Pretty fast aren't you? Well how about this." The mobile's arms detached and flew forward.

"Aaaaaaaaaaah!" Screaming for her life Fluttershy wriggled and struggled to break free from the hand's grips as they carried her back to the doctor.

The other girls watched, galloping after the set of arms holding their friend. "Fluttershy!"

With his machine's limbs back in socket, Robotnik glared down at the little pony in his clutches. "Hang on little pony, you're in for a ride."

The arms rose up and swung down, but Twilight grabbed hold of the right arm using her magic. Applejack let loose her lasso and wrangled herself the left one. Together, with Pinkie and Rarity aiding them, they pried open the palms and freed Fluttershy. Twilight and Applejack, still holding onto the hovering craft's arms, looked at each other then looked back.

A clang echoed as the flying pegasus bot collided against the strung up doctor, sending it skidding onto the floor.

"Rrrrraaaaaaah!" Quickly raising his contraption back up, Robotnik watched his defective creation making its trip to the rear of the ship. "You miserable pile of scrap, I'll clip you wings for that!" Focusing back on the mares running further away from him, he caught up, spread his crafts arms apart and charged forward. "Heh, try and dodge this!"

The persistent cruiser lowered in altitude, matching the girls' height, and started sliding forwards. Twilight quickly stopped, signaling her friends to as well. "This way, girls!" she yelled, turning and running from the approaching doctor.

The screeching sound of metal against metal caused Rarity to cringe as she and the other kept on running. "This is just dreadful. We'll never get to the front of this thing at this rate."

"I know," Twilight answered, looking up ahead and spotting what she hoped was coming. "And I have an idea."

Seeing victory close at hand, Robotnik looked forwards and noticed the same thing Twilight had. He chuckled. "Is that it?" he said, reading the arms for a hammer drop.

"Okay girls…"Twilight watched as the bot got closer and closer. "Ready… now, break!" Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack split apart, leaving Twilight alone in the doctor's sights.

"Did you really think I'd fall for something like that?" Robotnik kept after Twilight Sparkle, but his focus was now set on the robot headed his way. "It's time you go to the scrap heap." He swung his craft's arms down as the pegasus came into reach. As the twin metal hammer came crashing down upon the metal mare, a faint spark of light surround it. Robotnik rolled his eyes to Twilight and noticed her horn what aglow with the same light.

The set of fists slammed against the hull, leaving a big dent as a result. The doctor already knew what was coming. As he tried quickly to maneuver his mobile away, another light shined inches from his windscreen and something burst forth from it.

"Noooooooooo!"

The pegasus bot shattered Robotnik's craft as it bounced dropped like a ragdoll a few feet away. Robotnik's mobile, now cracking like the egg it resembled, lost one limb after another. A chain of burst and booming sounds rung out from inside. It then finally combusted into pieces and sent the doctor dropping to the ground.

Pinkie and Fluttershy were first to run to the fallen machine pony, with Rarity Applejack and Twilight quickly joining. They stood around their metal pony, watching as its soulless eyes first dimed and then faded into black. With the last of its energy depleted, its battered body cracked, snapping off altogether with a pop and the five of them leaned in to meet the pony inside.




At first the voices came in a little fuzzy.

"_, Ra_nb_ Da_. Can you _ us?"

While she didn't here every word exactly, Rainbow Dash recognized the voices.

"Come _ girl, you _ get up."

"Please Rainbow Dash, _ simply must _ up."

But things soon cleared up.

"Oh Rainbow Dash! Oh we missed you so much."

Until one final, booming voice rang loud and clear.

"With you back, were all back together. We've totally gotta celebrate! Yippee!"

Cringing from the last voice shouting practically by her ear, Rainbow Dash's swung wide open. "Pinkie Pie, you don't have to be so loud!" Rubbing her aching ear, she looked up to see the rest of her friends all looking down at her with smiles and tears running down their cheeks. She felt her eyes swell and quickly sat up, hugging the teary eyes party pony as something wet rolled down her cheeks. "I take that back, Pinkie. Please, be as loud as you want to be. I wanna be sure I can hear you." She tightened her grip and looked to the others. "I wanna be able to hear all you guys," she said, having them all join in.

Breaking apart from their hug, relieved to have the last of her missing friends safe and sound, Twilight went to check on someone else. "What!? Where'd the doctor go?!" the girls all looked up at her, also realizing he had vanished.

"Over here girls," Robotnik casually declared, waving at them from afar.

Rainbow caught sight of round scientist and glared at him. "You! Just what do you think you're doing, turning ponies into those… those things?!"

"Moi? Why I'm simply executing my plans to conquer this land." He grinned, hiding something behind his back. "Plans that have calculated for this outcome." Something clicked as he pressed down on his concealed device. Suddenly a set of triangular shaped glass walls rose up from the hull, closing to form an octagonal pyramid that sealed them inside.

"What the—hey let us out!" Rainbow shouted, kicking against the walls. The other joined in, kicking against the glass as hard as they could, but it did nothing.

"Sorry ladies, I won't have you interfering with my plans." The doctor walked to their prison peered inside while he pointed and laughed. "I know you really wanted to stop me from going to Canterlot. Well as a consolation prize for your efforts, how about I send you there on a one way trip. That way you can enjoy you last moments with all those other ponies before I conquer it and enslave all of you.

As he started walking away, the girls felt their little cell begin to shake. "That is if you six manage to survive the crash landing."

The pyramid rose up and separated from the ship. Propelled by a rocket attached to the bottom of their chamber, they looked down to see the doctor wave them off.

"Farewell, my little ponies!" He cracked into hysteric laughter, watching the trail of smoke grow as the girls rocketed away. Seeing them fly out of sight, he made his way back to the deck. "Now then, I've got a kingdom to destroy, a princess to capture and then an empire to build! Mwahahahah, hahahahah!"