The Time has Come
"I can smell the fear. I know your fears..."
Andy rose from the ground after Sparkler had violently slammed him many times against the living room wall to save her sister. The cyborg's mind was now fully directed to locate the Hooves family and terminate them. Andy then began to march forward to the front door, but instead of simply exiting the wide open door...
BOOM!
Andy let his machine instinct controll him, and he blasted a large portion of the house to make his own exit. Now, a wide area of the house was completely missing and burning. The cyborg exited the house and observed his surroundings. Everything seemed quiet and normal, but the machine knew that it would soon be overcome by the sounds of trouble.
"Where are they?" Andy asked himself.
Andy glanced to his left and saw the path just led somewhere that had no signs of any civilization but nature itself. He then looked to his right, that's where he saw the structures of Ponyville in the distance. "That is where you fled."
The Cyborg made his towards the small town to finish what he started.
********
Andy walked along a empty dirt path, which is very unusual since the ponies of Ponyville were always travelling on it. But the machine did not make this an important matter, for his objective was incomparable than a lonely dirt path. The cyborg scanned all that crossed his vision to see if it would aid him to locate the specific ponies he was after. But he suddenly stopped, and gazed down at the path.
He observed the dirt for a long moment.
"You can run, but you can't hide what you left behind."
Andy noticed there were newly made hoofprints marked on the ground, which meant the Hooves are travelling the same path as him.
"Fools. You should have chosen the grass. That might have bought you some more time to live."
Andy proceeded as planned, but stopped as he saw the town had many barricades surrounding the outsides of it. There were many Guard ponies taking cover behind these barriers, some ponies made the rooftops as makeshift watch towers. Andy knew that they were on high alert, and expecting him and his brothers. But this did not intimidate the machine.
"They will know fear."
The cyborg marched forward, despite that he was clearly outnumbered, he had no fear, no doubt, no nothing. He was willingly prepared to end many ponies that dared to get in his way. Andy charged his plasma cannon for the fight that was highly going to breakout. "You don't frighten me, you don't intimidate me. You are nothing."
"What the...Sweet Celestia! Here comes one of them!" a Guard shouted from one of the watch towers on the rooftops. All the Guards went to their designated positions to defend the town from the cybernetic terror that approached them. The Earth pony Guards pointed their spears at the cyborg, the unicorns used their magic to pick up large metal objects to throw, like a catapult. The pegasi Guards were the ones who would go up against the machine first.
"TERMINATE."
One of the captains that were in charge of the town's defense waited patiently until the machine got close enough. Andy got closer and closer, until, "ATTACK! GO GO!" the captain yelled to start the attack.
The pegasi flew into the air, then dived down towards the cyborg. Andy saw the incoming threat, and prepared to counterattack.
"THEY WILL KNOW FEAR..."
Andy fired his weapon at the charging group. Some of the pegasi managed to avoid the green orbs of doom, but for some others... it was their end if they didn't evade on time; they were instantly vaporized on contact. Some of the pegasi made a quick glance back at their friends, and gasped loudly as they saw their fellow Guards disappear instantly when they got struck by the weapon. They couldn't believe what just happened, but they immediately had to get over the loss and concentrate back on the machine.
"Take this you monster!" a Pegasus Guard shouted as he was the first one to come close to Andy. The Pegasus began to deliver punches and kicks to the cyborg.
Andy just stood there with a unimpressed stare as the winged creature made no damage against him due to his heavy metal armor. He simply grabbed the Pegasus by his left hindleg with his free hand, and slammed him against the ground. Andy had brought the Guard pegasus down with such force, he immediately passed out by the impact.
The cyborg continued on but stopped as more pegasi Guards showed up to confront him. Some of them had spears to use against him, Andy fired at the ones who held the weapons first, then back to the others who didn't.
"DEAD." he said as he caught the spear of a Guard that managed to get close enough to use it against him. Andy snapped the spear in half, and grabbed the Pegasus by the throat; he used the unfortunate pony as a shield to thwart their attacks.
"I have him. Move closer and your friend is done."
The plan worked. The pegasi that were attacking halted their attacks. Andy approached the barricades closer and closer as he had the upper advantage for now. The pony that was in the cyborg's grasp was Wind. He felt powerless to do anyththing since this machine had its weapon right next to his head. Even though he had a helmet, it still would protect to the power of the cannon.
Wind saw one of his fellow Guard ponies trying to sneak up behind the machine, but he slowly shook his head as in "No." The Guard pony obeyed and waited for a proper time to strike. Andy was now directly between the barricades that covered both sides of the entrance to Ponyville. He saw all of the Guard's aiming their weapons at him as he crossed further into the entrance.
"Don't try anything. You know what will happen," Andy said as he pressed the plasma cannon against Wind's head. The situation got more tense as no pony did anything but to watch helplessly their friend being used as a hostage to let this machine enter the town without trouble. Cloud, who was out of the hospital and fully recovered, could only watch in terror as her closest friend was held by death.
Come on, let go of him you dumb machine! Once you do... Oh, you are so in for it! she exclaimed in her mind.
"I have no use for you anymore. You service is honored," Andy stated, he raised Wind up and threw him at a group of Guard ponies. But by the time the Guards could react, Andy was already in the town and terrorizing all. He blew up houses and carts that had been abandoned, since the town was put on a lock down and were immediately left behind. Andy noticed the Guards were approaching him, and he took action against them.
The Cyborg Commando began firing at them.
Most of the ponies were struck and instantly vaporized, but for those who weren't, weremcaught in the blast. Some were blown against walls, the ground, or crashed through windows and landed in the houses. Cloud and Wind were the ponies that had the unfortunate result of crashing into the windows of a house and ending up in one. Cloud painfully got up, but recovered from the blow.
"Come on, Wind, we need to get out there and stop this thing!" she said to him.
No response came from Wind. Cloud turned her head at him and saw he had some cuts from the glass, and he was bleeding from his muzzle. She nudged him to get up, but there was still no response.
"Come on, get up. Get up, Wind, we still have to fight this thing." He still didn't move. Cloud felt herself beginning to panic, her friend didn't react, she didn't know if Wind was actually unconscious, but the worst she feared was if he was actually gone. For good.
"Wind, come on! Get up, get up!"
The sounds of the cyborg approaching was close. The screams of the Guards outside were heard loudly, and more explosions came too. The mare Guard began to nudge her friend more to get him up and escape quickly. "Don't do this to me right now! We've got to move now!"
Cloud then made up her mind and dragged Wind to a safer area of the house. She searched all over for a safe place to put him in. Cloud walked into the darkened living room of the house. "This area might work," she said to herself.
The mare pegasus placed Wind against a wall where he wouldn't be exposed to any danger like shrapnel or flying debris. Cloud moved a hoof against his neck to feel a pulse... There was a pulse, but very faint. Cloud sighed in relief that her friend was alive.
"Oh thank you're still alive."
"Woooaahh!"
CRASH!"
The sound of something crashing through a wall rang loudly in the living room. Cloud ears immediately perked up at the surprising sound. She poked her head around a hallway and saw one of the unicorn Guards on the floor of a bedroom. Cloud immediate went to aid the pony.
"Huh? Lightning!"
The stallion lifted his head up off the ground, and said, "Cloud is that you? It is! I thought that machine got you!"
Lightning, who was on the same Guard team as Cloud and Wind, was glad to see his friends alive. Cloud immediately helped Lightning get up. "Hurry! I have Wind in the living room."
"You do? Well let's go. But damn! That machine grabbed me and threw me with such strength I've never encountered! "
The two ponies went into the living room. Lightning quietly gasped as he saw his friend laying against the wall unconcious..
"Is he alright?"
"Yeah, he's breathing but he needs medical help. I'll go see if this house has any medical supplies."
"Well make it quick. These wounds he has are serious."
Cloud began to search the kitchen. She looked through many cabinets and drawers for anything useful. But nothing that would provide help was not found. Cloud grumbled as she couldn't find any medical items. "Darn it! Who ever owns this house really needs to have an idea on First Aid."
The mare continued her search in the other rooms. But no medical supplies were appearing at all.
"Cloud, hurry up! Wind doesn't look too good!" Lightning shouted from the living room.
"I'm trying my best here! This owner must be really stupid!"
Cloud noticed the house had a second floor, and she went up the steps to see if there was any medical items above. The second floor of the house was just a long hallway with a window at the end, a bathroom to the right, and another room that on the left near the end of the hallway. The mare decided to check on the bathroom first, then the room down the hall if there wasn't anything. "Please be in here," she said to herself.
Cloud approached the bathroom and saw a cabinet above the sink. She opened the cabinet and saw there was bandages, and other items to aid Wind. "Perfect!"
Cloud grabbed the lifesaving items and exited the bathroom. She was about to head for the stairs, but in the corner of her eye she saw something by the window. Cloud glanced over to the window, and she felt her heart stop for a second as she saw a tall creature standing next to it. This thing was observing the battle outside.
"Hey! Who are you? What are you doing here?" she shouted at the unknown thing. The creature wore dark clothing and was hairless from the head and had a gotee mustache.
The creature looked back at her and raised an eyebrow at her.
"I said who are-"
"Cloud! I need you down here with those medical supplies if you found any!" Lightning shouted again.
"I'm going!" Cloud turned her head back at the stairs. "But there something up here with- me...?" When she turned back at the bizarre creature, it was gone. Vanished. Not a single sign on where it could have gone to. Cloud took a few steps back confused as this thing had mysteriously disappeared to nowhere.
"Uhh... Heh, must be my imagination." she assured herself.
The mare immediately made her way down the stairs to help her friend. Cloud entered the dark living and dropped the medical items between Wind and Lightning. "Alright. Let's get him fixed up."
Lightning began to wrap bandages around Wind's wounds. Cloud disinfected the cuts around his face. The two vigil Guards closely focused on aiding their friend, but were halted as an explosion from the outside shook the house.
"Damn! Are we really having a hard time defeating this thing?" Lightning asked as another explosion shook the house. Dust and dirt fell from the ceiling. Some accessories fell over from their positions and rolled off shelves.
"I guess we are. That thing has some power that I've never seen before. It could easily defeat anything." Cloud responded.
"Well, let's just hope our friends have at least weakened it."
The explosions were constantly heard. The green light of the explosions from the cyborg's weapon could be seen through the small spaces in the windows blinds. The light would brighten the room for a mere second, then fade away and leave it darkness again. Lightning and Cloud managed to bandage and heal their friend from his wounds. Cloud smiled in content and patted Wind on the shoulders.
"Don't worry. You'll make it."
"I hope he does, but we need to get out there and stop that thing," Lightning said as he heard the machine's weapon fire.
"Yeah, I know. But we can't leave him by himself. He'll be vulnerable to anything."
"I know it's tough we're going to have to leave him. But I assure you he'll be fine."
"Okay... Let's go. But hold up."
Cloud made her way to the stairs with Lightning behind her. Lightning closely followed but was confused why Cloud was heading up the stairs than heading off into the battle outside.
"Where are we going? How can are we going to fight that mechanical terror from up here?"
"Look." Cloud stopped and looked back at Lightning concerned. "I saw this thing up here, and it was looking outside. I asked who it was but all it did was stare at me. Then you gave a shout at me and I turned my head to respond back, but when I turned around to face the thing... It was gone."
Lightning stared at her dumbstruck. How was it possible Cloud saw a creature inside the property if it was abandoned.?There was no possible way she could have seen something else with them in the house.
"You're joking, right? How could something that was right in front of you disappear that instant? But it doesn't matter! Let's go!"
"But me hear me out! There's a room at the end of the hallway up stairs, and I think it went in there."
Lightning was about to respond, but another explosion rocked the house. Cloud stumbled a bit as the explosion seemed to be more closer and powerful to their location. Lightning shook his head and made his way toward the battle.
"I'm sorry, Cloud, but we need to stop this thing rather then find a ghost you saw!"
Lightning left the house and charged to the fight. But Cloud remained in the house by the staircase. She looked back and forth between the second floor and the giant gaping hole in the wall that was blown apart by the cyborg earlier. Her curiosity to discover what that thing is overwhelmed her, but then again, she had to defeat the rampaging machine outside. Cloud made her mind and decided.
"Ugh... Fine. I guess it's more important to protect your people than finding a ghost."
Cloud also left to go into battle. Now, all that remained was the wounded guard, Wind. The Pegasus managed to crack open an eye and investigate his surroundings. He realized that he was by himself in a dark room that was brightened for a second by the green light from the explosions outside.
"Where... Where am I?" he asked in his mind.
Wind tried to get up, but struggled as he felt pain from the wounds he had. He looked down and saw he was bandaged in some places.
Ugh... What happened? All I remember was that thing using me as a shield, then it threw me against some of my friends. I recovered and charged at it, but it used its weapon against us. And that's all I remember.
Wind's vision was slightly poor. It constantly shifted between clear and hazy. The only thing Wind could do for now was just sit there and wait out the battle. But he very much disliked this. He heard more explosion and the shouting voices of the troops outside fighting the cybernetic evil.
"Damn. I'm useless like this. I need to get out there and help," Wind grunted as he tried to get up, despite the pain, he still fought through it and managed to get back on all four. Wind took a step forward, but he lost his balance. He tried again and was able to keep himself stable. Wind took a step forward, and he stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Uurrggh... That stupid machine had to weaken me! Damn this sucks!"
Wind looked up from where he is, and saw through the giant hole in the wall the cyborg on the otherside of the road, destroying random objects and purposely targeting the Royal Guard troops. Wind dropped his head against the wooden floor, and his vision becoming more hazy.
Wind just laid there in defeat for the destruction to subside. He winced when he heard another scream. But suddenly he heard footsteps. His ears immediately perked up by the sound.
"Hello? Is somepony there?" he asked.
Silence was the only reply he got back. The steps got louder as they got closer. Wind frantically turned his head in every direction to find whoever was in the house, but it sounded like it came from all directions.
"Hello? Whoever you are come out."
Wind felt a drop of sweat slide down his left cheek as he heard more footsteps approaching him. His vision became more hazy and his muscles felt weaker then before, his stomach felt like it was being squeezed, and he almost felt like throwing up. He tried to move a leg but it didn't follow his command, it simply remained glued to the ground. Wind stared to panic as he lost control of most of his body.
"What's going on?" he grunted between his clenched teeth.
A dark figure suddenly appeared from the staircase ahead. The figure had its head facing the gaping hole in the bedroom. Wind gasped but instead made a wheezing sound, which kind of gave away his position becasue the figure immediately faced him. Wind tried to crawl away but his body refused to act, but he then suddenly felt the motion of something stopping behind him.
He felt his heart stop for a mere second, a large shadow loomed over the weak Guardpony. The figure in front of Wind revealed to be armored in a red and black color scheme. Its helmet's visor was almost T-shaped due to panels that were connected to it on both sides, with what appeared to be holes on it too.
Wind could tell this creature was fully equipped by noticing pouches of equipment and other objects on it. But the one thing that caught his attention was the L-shaped object that was on its left leg, that had another smaller L-shaped object within it. Wind could tell that this thing was not from around Ponyville or any other Equestrian location at all.
You are not somepony...
The armored creatured pointed at something behind behind him. Wind slowly glanced at whatever was behind him.
Oh, how did I not notice you!, he exclaimed in his mind.
Another creature, just like the one in front of Wind but more armored, stood behind him, staring at him expressionless by the helmet it wore. Wind felt himself shaking by the fear that instantly affected him inwardly. More of those creatures appeared from the rooms, and surrounded the pegasus.
"Sorry," the large creature behind Wind said. "But it's not safe here."
"For what? Hiding in this house?" Wind coughed heavily as he asked. "I don't know who or what you are, but are you making me feel like this? I can't move and I feel beyond horrible!"
All of the creatures looked at each other, then they glanced over to the figure behind him. They gave a single nod at it.
"What are you guys going to-"
Wind was unable to complete what he was saying for he felt the underside of a heavy boot connect to the back of his head.
"Alright... Get him out here. Our brother outside will provide the distraction we need."
********
"Prepare yourselves. The time has now come..."
Ron and the two spies gazed at the approaching threat. Ron aimed his targets system onto the single human, and the large group of ponies. He clenched his metal hands into fists. John and Dave stood there slightly frightened, since they weren't armed at all. "Uhhh... Ron? How do you suppose we fight because... We have no weapons!" John shouted frantically.
Ron glanced over at them. A glare was concealed behind the faceplate he wore. "You have capabilities of bending light to provide yourlselves with personal camoflauge. You have the advantage. So, use it." The two spies stated at each other concerned, then looked over the incoming threat.
"Yeah... We're screwed, aren't we?""
The Reaper inwardly smiled impishly as he believed the ponies and GDI trooper was no threat. A small chain gun and "primitive" weapons would do no harm to him. But if there was some heavy firepower, then that might actually have soem effects on the cyborg. Ron fixed his sights on the trooper for he was the one he considered at least dangerous.
The group stooped a few meters in front of the Nod trio. Dave foolishly waved a hand at the crowd, John just stared at them blankly, and Ron... Nearly had the command to release all weapons on the edge to activate.
"Sooo... Uhh... What are you guys doin'?" John asked, awkwardly hunched over and staring at them, with a wide grin.
"What does it look like?" the GDI soldier said, his voice was filled with annoyance. "We're here to stop you!"
"Is that so... Well, No. No, No... no. You can't stop us!" Dave proudly pointed a finger in the air.
"Oh look it's princess Celestia!" John pointed a finger at the large group of soldiers. Shining Armor and the Guard ponies gasped loudly, and immediately turned around to see the powerful princess. But no. The sun goddess was not there, and it was a clear lie. The Guard ponies glanced over at the spies enraged over this devious trick.
"You lied to us you... Huh?" Shining Armor yelled at the two foolish creatures, but was immediatelyleft without words as the two were gone. Out of sight. They had only vanished. Shining's eyes widened as he realized where the two spies were, or what move they just did. He looked back to pack of guards who were utterly confused on where the two spies went.
"Where they'd go?" a Guard asked.
"I don't know. But did they teleport somewhere?" a second Guard asked.
"Wait until I place a hoof against their heads to them for lying to us!" a third Guard hissed between his clenched teeth.
" 'Place a hoof against their heads to smash us'? Why aren't you brutal,' a voice sarcastically said.
The mumblings of the ponies instantly went dead silent. They glanced around frightened by the unknown voice. The GDI soldier, Mammoth, shook his head as he knew who was behind all of this.
"Now, who was the one that wanted to put a hoof against our heads?" a second voice asked.
The ponies that didn't say the certain quote, backed away and revealed an earthpony standing alone in the center. "Oh come on, guys!" the single pony yelped.
"You want to smash our heads?" the voice asked.
"Y-yeah..." the pony stammered, his voice was filled with fear. He heard footsteps approaching home, but they weren't from the GDI soldier or the ponies around him. "I-I can take you on."
"Wait until we rip your head off, and mutilate you," the second voice whispered in his ear.
The Guard pony turned pale and fainted. The ponies that encircled him gasped loudly as they were stunned on how their friend fell unconcious.
"Ha! Ha!" John revealed himself laughing by the fainted pony.
"You guys are so easy to intimidate!" Dave added. "You can't even stand strong against us! What kind of guards are you?"
"Uselss, weak, faithless. You guys can't do anything."
Dave opened up one eye and noticed that the Guard ponies were snarling at them. Some of them began to slowly take a few steps closer toward him and Dave. Yup. This is where it's going to get interesting, he said in his mind.
"That's it. Everypony... ATTACK!" Shining Armor yelled the order at the top of his lungs.
All Guard ponies charged at the members of Nod. "I KILL YOU!" Dave screeched madly. He randomly began to punch any pony that got too close to him. John turned invisible as he saw four guards charging at him. He turned invisble and evaded the threat. But then he came around a pegasus stallion, and... kicked him in the flank.
The Guard pony turned around at him enraged. "Nnnnngghh! Wait until I get my hooves on you!"
"Umm... No thank you." John took off running and kicking any other pony that crossed his path.
Besides the combat that went on between the two Nod humans, and the ponies. Ron simply watched the battle. None of the ponies had dared tried to attack him for some mysterious reason. Perhaps it was conspicuous that the Reaper can easily end any target he comes across, but besides that, it still confused Ron.
"Hmm... None of the ponies has attacked me yet. Are they afraid to challenge me? Or am I being saved for last, so they can overwhelm me?" he asked himself.
"Hey, Cyborg, over here!" a voice shouted at the Reaper.
"Hmm?" Ron glanced over to the direction of the voice, and saw the Wonderbolt team standing before him. "Oh, so that's where you went. Not bad for stealth," he actually admitted.
"Yeah! Wait until we kick your flank- wait... He doesn't have one, so- Uhh..." Soarin' didn't know how to exactly taunt this machine. "Wait. Umm... Torso...?"
Ron shook his head, unimpressed on what Soarin' had to say to him. "Well, wait until I rip your spines out, Wonderbolts."
"Yeah, wait until you- Wait, what!?"
"TARGET MARKED."
"Uh-oh. Here he comes!" Fleetfoot exclaimed as the Reaper approached them at full speed.
"Wonderbolts, GO!" Spitfire commanded.
The Wonderbolt dispersed to dodge the cyborg. Soarin' was about to takeoff, he got a few inches off the ground, but he felt something grab his tail. He looked back and saw the Reaper grasping his tail. Soarin' flapped his wings harder to escape, but only ended up flying in the same place.
Ron slyly smiled inwardly and slammed Soarin' against the ground with great force. Soarin' was heavily stunned by the impact, his vision was hazy and he lost his hearing for a second, then it returned. Soarin' rolled onto his back in pain. But he saw the cyborg looming over, appearing like a silhouette due to the machine blocking the sunlight that casted upon him.
"Uh oh. Not good, NOT GOOD!" Soarin' yelped as he saw the Reaper's right spider leg lift in the air, and stop directly over him.
"EXTERMINATE."
"Oh crud.."
Soarin' closed his eyes to not witness the death that was going to be brought down upon him. "Oh no you don't!" Spitfire yelled. Soarin' shot open his eyes and saw Spitfire fly up to the Reaper. The cyborg noticed her and lashed an arm out to attack, but in the blink of an eye she dodged the attack, and ended up on the right side of the cyborg's head. "Take this!"
Spitfire striked Ron on right side of his head with a solid hind leg. The head of the cyborg was now tilted to the right. Soarin' immediately up got as he has the chance. The other Wodnerbolts, who were flying around to find an opportunity to strike this metal spider, glided downward and hovered next to Spitfire.
The Reaper made no movements. It just stood there with its head tilted to the right. Blaze flew in front of the cyborg's head to see if it was still active, but something was wrong.
Its red three dotted eyes were gone.
"Didn't this thing eyes glow red or something??" Blaze asked, confused.
"Yeah, it does. Are they cracked open or busted up bad?" Fire Streak asked.
"No. There gone. Like they dissapeared."
Spitfire also flew over next to Blaze to see what was going on. She placed a hoof to her chin in confusion as the cyborg remained frozen in position. Spitfire then cautiously moved a hoof towards the machine to see if it would react. I hope it's shutdown or... It's actually dead. I have a bad feeling about this.
"Spitfire, what are you doing!?" Blaze immediately pushed her hoof away before it came close to the cyborg's head.
"I just wanted to see if it would do something if I touched it, or do anything."
"Yeah, 'do something'... Are you out of your mind. Can't you see it's beyond dangerous!"
Spitfire still didn't understand why it didn't react, or to be considered "Beyond dangerous". She moved closer to Ron, and waved a hoof in front of his face. Nothing. No movement. "Hey. I think it's shutdown."
"What makes you think that?" Misty Fly questioned.
"Just watch... Hey! Reaper guy! I'm talking to you! Hello?" Spitfire shouted at the machine. All the other Wonderbotls winded as their captain blurted out random words at it. Soarin' uncontrollably twitched his left eye as he had the fear the Reaper was suddenly going to come back to reality. Fleetfloot slowly gained altitude, so she could be safe, just incase if the machine suddenly switched back on.
Misty Fly and Fire Streak hid behind a log, and poked their heads out over the edge to see if anything would happen. Soarin' stated at his close friend bewildered, but he shook his head and made up his mind to stop Spitfire before anything can dangerously unfold. "Spitfire, just stop! It doesn't matter of this thing went asleep in us. Let's just get out of here and help the rest."
"Soarin', I think it's gone for good," she glanced back at the Wonderbolt. "I've done almost everything to get its attention but it hasn't even moved. I think I defeated it." Spitfire triumphantly smirked as she believed she had defeated the cybernetic menace.
But Soarin' still suspected the cyborg was active, and watching them. But he was also driven by curiosity. Soarin ' wanted to at least give a small bump to the cyborg, to determine if it was alive. Or just say a some words to it.
"Spitfire, I don't know if we won here, but... I still have a bad feeling about this."
"Look, I do to, despite that it might be dead on us, but I think one solid kick to the head might have put it down for good."
"I still have a bad feeling..."
--------------
***...Warning.../_!_\....Warning.../_!_\...***
***.../_!_\...Unit has suffered partial damage on Data Storage.../_!_\...***
*** [Danger]...Data corruption has been detected...[Danger]...***
***...Request in progress...***
***...Unable to complete request to repair corrupted data...***
***...Data corruption and damage is causing replay of recorded events...***
***...Repairs are in progress in damaged sectors...***
***.../_!_\....Playing recorded events in Brotherhood archives.../_!_\...***
"From God to Kane- jgdghdjfkhvh" [Corruption Detected]
"A full frontal attack with you strongest forces should render their center of military opera-"
"Once in, build up an arsenal of weapons- hnjkbfdcbh!" [Corrupted Data]
"I call it Ezekiel's Wheel..."
***...10101101011010010011010...***
"KANE LIVES!"
"Never to leave your side again..."
***...[Caution] Unit has an increase in anger for unknown causes...***
***...Iniating ECCP...[Emergency CABAL CONTROL PROGRAM]...***
***.../_!_\... A.I. not detected! Extracting similar fragments of A.I. from Data Storage...***
***...5%...35%...60%...75%...100%...***
***...Iniating ECCP...Standby...***
"CABAL ONLINE..."
------------
"I'm telling you, we won!"
"How could we just win that easily? That thing is way tougher! It could take more damage than just a small kick."
"Look, it's not even moving! Hey, dumb cyborg! Look at me!"
The machine did not move as the voice of Spitfire yelled at him. Soarin' tried his best to stop his close friend, but wasn't making much progress. Soarin' suspected this thing was playing a trick on them. It didn't make any sense to the Wonderbolt. How could the cyborg suddenly shutdown, or disable if possible, just by a singe kick to the head by Spitfire? It didn't add up, the cyborg was metal beast that could withstand much damage, but a kick could render it?
"Spitfire, I think we should leave it alone," Soarin' said while he nervously backed away from the captain of the Wonderbotls and the Reaper.
"Oh come on Soarin'! It has to be dead- huh?"
Spitfire slowly turned as she heard the sounds of mechanics parts moving. She quietly gasped as she realized the cyborg began to tower above her, its eyes were no longer red, but blue. It slowly scanned to the left and right, then gazed down upon then .
"Heh, I guess you were right, Soarin'. It is alive."
"TARGETING YOU SHALL INCREASE THE PROBABILTY OF A FAVORIBLE OUTCOME," the cyborg spoke.
The Wonderbolts were taken back by the voice it spoke in. It sounded like its voice was combined with a more demonic-like voice. The wires that connected to its head we're surging with blue, electric spikes. All the red lights on it were also glowing blue. Spitfire and Soarin' began to slowly back away from Ron. "Look at the time, we seriously need to go," Soarin' nervously said.
"Y-Ywah, what he said, and W-whatever 'favorable outcome' means... You can tell us later," Spitfire added, stammering.
"No, Spitfire. I will not allow you to leave without knowing the definition of 'favorable outcome'." Ron began to approach them with a loud thump sound as each leg impacted ground.
"Okay, Uhh... What does it mean?" Soarin' asked.
"You all die..."
"Oh, so that's what it means. Well- WHAT!?" Soarin' yelped.
"Hehehaha!"
"Lookout!"
Ron fired all weapons at the Wonderbolts. Spitfire and Soarin' immediately took off into the air to evade the fast moving projectiles. Spitfire felt the small, rapid gushes of wind from the small projectiles that we're being fired from the object under the cyborg's left arm. Spitfire felt the adrenaline in her body, her heart racing at top speed to keep herself moving to live. She dove down and took cover behind a tree. The fiery Pegasus stopped there to catch her breath, but she winced when she heard the projectiles striking against the tree at high velocity.
Then the grass around her was suddenly being shredded and blown apart by the cyborg's weapons. Dirt kicked up and pieces of grass scattered everywhere. Spitfire then cringed as the bark around was also being torn apart. What do I do! What do I do! she exclaimed in her mind. But suddenly everything went quiet. The projectiles had stopped coming, the dirt and bark wasn't being shredded anymore. Spitfire slowly peeked her head to check if it was clear.
Surprisingly it was. Everything was quiet and nothing was moving. The Wonderbolt captain scanned to the left and right for any signs of trouble but there was nothing. Spitfire narrowed her eyes down for this was very strange. But there something wrong about this, besides the weapons bring fired at her. She couldn't understand what was missing, until she gasped loudly after a long minute of thinking.
"W-where's the Reaper at?"
The cyborg, Ron, was missing. He wasn't anywhere in sight. It was like he had just instantly vanished without a trace. The few things that were visible in Spitfire's sight was the figures of the humans and ponies in battle, the destroyed land that was in front of her, and some of her Wonderbolt friends hiding behind objects. "Where is it? How could something huge just dissapear. It doesn't make sense!"
"Oh, how your pony intelligence is nothing compared to cybrenetic intelligence, hmpf... Spitfire."
Spitfire felt her heart stop. Her body instantly froze at the demonic cyborg voice speaking directly behind her.
"Spitfire, do you have any idea on what you're facing? The threat? The danger you know that leads to death?" the machine asked.
Spitfire closed her eyes and slowly shook her head as a response. But she shot her eyes open when she felt the tips of the cold metal fingers of the mechanical terror on her head. Her head slowly being being turned around to make her face the Reaper. Spitfire eyes widened with terror as she saw her close friend in the grasp of Ron's left hand. "S-Soarin'...no..."
Soarin' battered and bruised all over his body. His wings seemed to be dislocated too. Ron glanced back and forth between Spitfire and the beaten Soarin' in his hand. "This is what happens when you defy Nod. When you defy Kane. I could've gave him a chance, but instead he attacked me. Very malicious of him to do this. But now I look forward to you, Spitfire... If you help me and o-our, m-my- your, my three b-brothers- fleshbacks- brothers, we can change your life and Equestria's beyond imagination."
"What do you mean?" Spitfire asked, her head hung low. But she was confused inwardly by the cyborg appearing to have difficulty speaking when he mentioned the two Nod humans plus the other cyborg.
"What I mean is if you join- help us! We can leave you, your friend," Ron pointed at Soarin' with his free hand. "And your other Wonderbolt friends in peace. Plus the rest of this country of course. And remember... We can bring peace and gifts."
Spitfire raised her head up and stared at the cyborg, then at Soarin, who was in critical condition. Soarin'... I'm so sorry... You shouldn't be like this. You've been my friend since my childhood, and I can't leave you like this. I guess I'm going to have to... Believe in the Reaper. Forgive me if I made the wrong choice...
"What will happen if I don't help you?" she asked.
"Hmpf, well I say it would be very intriguing," the cyborg snickered. "You and all of Equestria and the other neighboring countires shall perish. Not by me or the other three. But in time. Maybe soon or in years. The answer is not clear. This is why I'm granting you an option. Live or... Extinction."
The explanation struck Spitfire like a thousand daggers. If she didn't help the cyborg the planet would face mass extinction, but if she did help, the planet would fine like if nothing had happened. She couldn't decide whether she should aid the Reaper or continue to mark it as enemy. What if he's lying? It's a machine. It can't think or know all of this but the GDI human said it's smart...
"I...Uhh... I don't know... If I should," Spitfire glanced back and forth between Soarin' and Ron. But when she saw Soarin' it almost made her form tears in the corner of her eyes. "I accept-..."
"Spitfire, NO!" a voice yelled at her.
"Huh?" both the Reaper and Wonderbolt said in unison. They both turned their heads at the source of the voice.
A figure stood in front of them, and it revealed the lone GDI trooper. He aimed his chain gun weapon at the cyborg. "Spitfire, this guy is lying to you! Nod only brings terror and death to wherever they go! Don't listen to him!"
Ron turned away from the trooper and back to the Wonderbolt. "Did I forget to tell you what GDI has done in the past? They harassed and murdered civilians, that have done nothing but enjoy everyday life. What did they do wrong? Nothing. Nod simply arrived to end the massacre and save the lives of families who were near death. Why have faith in this one?"
"You've got to be kidding me! You are the ones that do all of this. GDI would never do that! We save lives, not kill them. Come on, Spitfire. You know better than this!"
"I..Urgh...I don't... Uhmm... I can't really." Sptifre was completely lost. Both creatures say they are the good guys, but then they tell each other they're both killers. She didn't know what to do. Whatever side she chose could lead to an unfortunate consequence.
"Captain, you know you can't trust this cyborg!"
"Spitfire, Nod is a peacefully organization where they won't disturb others, unless we are provoked, then we shall destroy those who oppose us. I- us, we- just want a path that would lead us back to where we belong. Nothing else. Just a way back... Hmpf, 'home'."
Spitfire felt like she was going to breakdown. Nothing else was this stressful or painful than she ever experienced in her life. A single choice she made can lead to unimaginable results. Spitfire suddenly took in a deep breath and decided who she would help. She slowly glanced over at the Reaper, then back to the GDI soldier.
"I... Choose... Nod..."
"You have got to be kidding me? Nod? NOD? NOD!? Have you got mad!" the human screeched.
"No. She has not lost control of herself. She only saved herself and the planet."
"She only damned it! Come on, Spitfire! You know better than this!"
"Enough. Time to end this now and forever. Listen to the sound sounds of your extinction, human."
The cyborg began to approach the soldier. Mammoth fired his weapon at the metal beast, but wasn't very effective against it. The bullets simply deflected or impacted almost without damage. They machine slightly winced when it got stuck by the projectiles. Mammoth stopped firing as he realized he was only making it angrier. "Bullets don't make a difference here! Damn it!"
Mammoth took a few steps back when the machine got too close for comfort. Then he turned around and made a dash to get more room between him and the mechanical terror behind. The soldier stumbled when he felt bullets whizzing by his head. The diet around him started to kick up around him. "Not good! Not good!" he yelped.
A loud, whistling sound came to his ears. He stopped and checked behind to determine what it was. "HOLY $&@T!" Six missiles were chasing him. Mammoth ran at full speed to escape the missles, but then more bullets came flying at him. He grunted when a bullet struck his weapon, and parts of his jet pack. "Damn it! I'm about in the open, and there's no cover! No weapons or equipment to help me now!"
Two missiles impacted two the right side, the three other to other in front. Only one more remained. Mammoth kept on running for his life. He searched for any cover that could protect him but the area was wide open. "What kind of place has no cov- Ahh!"
A missile impacted directly behind him. Mammoth was thrown violently against the ground. His ears rang loudly, his helmet's visor was cracked. Parts of his armor and uniform were torn off. He struggled to get up but managed to get back up on his feet. Mammoth disconnected his weapon and his jet pack, since they were usless now. The human clutched the left side of his chest as felt incredible pain on it. But he felt his heart stop when he saw the Reaper standing on a mound watching him.
"Why won't you just quit," the soldier wheezed.
But the a loud sound of wind and jet engines filled the sky. Mammoth looked up, and coudln't believe what he saw...
...An Orca fighter flying above.
"Where did that come from?! But hell, at least it can kill that thing!"
The Orca fighter dropped its altitude, and hovered overhead. The human turned to look at the cyborg, and saw it fire it's weapons at the aircraft. The fighter strafed to the left and right to evade the projectiles. Then returned fire with its missile launchers and machine gun. Explosions and large plumes of smoke consumed the Reaper. "Please be dead. Please be dead," Mammoth pleaded.
Seconds passed by. Then minutes without a single sign of any bullets or missiles flying in the air. The smoke slowly daded away, but still concealed anything behind it. Mammoth slightly smiled and raised a fist in the air as he thought the battle was over. "Yeah... You're finally dead. Now let's get out-"
Two missles came flyng out of the smoke. Mammoth immediately dropped his arm, and stood there frozen. The explosive projectiles were heading straight for the Orca. The aircraft tried to evade but was stuck, and started to lose control. The Orca came spiraling down to a forest to the east. "No! NO!" Mammith screamed.
The fighter crashed, and smoke rises from the forest. Mammoth immediately went running toward the crash site. "Damn it! Damn it! This has gone all to hell!"
Mammoth entered the forest. He mantled over logs and large rocks in his path. He ducked under fallen tree branches, then shove to the side any brush that got in the way. The human entered a clearing where parts of metal and other parts of the Orca were scattered like broken glass on a floor. Tiny flames were seen on the aircraft and on the grass. "Hold on! I'm coming for you!" Mammoth shouted.
The cockpit glass was shattered to many segments. And two figures were barely visible inside. Mammoth opened up the cockpit canopy and his eyes went to the size of softballs...
...Two Royal Gaurd pegasi were the pilots of the aircraft.
"How the hell did you guys know how to fly this!?"
Both ponies were in odd flight suits, and brusied with cuts. The Pegasus in the pilot seat in front, cracked open an eye and heavily coughed. "J-jet... We n-need to get out of here," he mumbled.
"Well I'll get you out," Mammoth replied.
"Huh?" the Pegasus slowly turned his head at the GDI soldier. Then slightly smirk. "Hey, you're that creature everypony's been talking about it. I guess this machine belongs to you, huh?"
"Belongs to GDI to be exact. But nevermind that, we need to get you and your friend out of here."
"Forget me. Can you go check my friend, Jet, in the back?"
"Sure..."
Mammoth opened up the canopy more to get to the copilots seat. He saw another Pegasus inside, but his head was leaning against the controls. Mammoth removed him from the controls and checked to make he was alive. "Hey, buddy. Get up," he gently shook him. "Come on, we need to get out of." the human soldier then check for a pulse; there was no pulse. Mammoth shook his head in discontent. "Your friend is gone. Sorry..."
The Pegasus in the pilot's seat made a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. "Damn... If I only could've seen those projectiles coming at us on time. Then he would still be here."
"Don't blame yourself for his death. You can't save everything, you know?"
"I guess your right," the Pegasus opened up his eyes again. "But can you help me help me get out of here? I think I'm stu-"
A bullet striked the pony in the neck. Blood sprayed all over the frontal area of the cockpit. Mammoth fell back on the ground, then friend around to see who was the shooter. His body froze when he saw who it was. "Y-you're still alive? How?"
The Cyborg Reaper was still vigil, but appeared different. Parts of him were either cracked or missing. Sparks flew from him due to the lost pieces. Some wires on his head were ripped off, and no longer surging. Lights flickered on and off on his body. But there was a tell-tale sign of what the human feared most: Tiberium. A green glow emerged from the cracks in the cyborg's armor.
Thunder broke the silence between them. Large waves of dark rain clouds were rapidly covering the land. The Reaper made his toward the weakens the soldier. Mammoth got up to face the machine. "So now what? Here to put a bullet in me too? Huh?"
"The ponies have learned how to use your weaponry. I will not allow that. They don't have the privilege to use. But it's time to end you, so you can no longer threaten this land," Ron replied.
Mammoth knew he couldn't fight the cyborg, it obviously overpowered, but he stood brave against it. The cyborg raised an arm on the air to beat him down, but the human suddenly climbed aboard the machine and came face to face with him. "No. I will stop. You will only bring terror into this world."
"And how will you stop me? By using your weak limbs to damage me- u-us?"
"No, not like that." Mammoth surprisingly pulled out a Frag grenade from a pocket in his uniform, which Jump Jet soldiers didn't really have, and wasn't the type of grenade GDI infantry would use. "But this can..."
"Do you believe a small explosive device can end us- me? I've survived worse."
Mammoth pulled the pin and impishly smirked at Ron.
"See you in hell... Reaper..."
"See you in Ascension... Human..."
BOOM!
A large explosion consumed both creatures. Smoke covered them, and anything nearby. The blast knocked down small plants and forest critters. The dark clouds of smoke slowly faded away, and reveal a lone figure. Rain poured down on the figure. The creature that was left standing was Ron. Drops of water trickled down his faceplate and body. The fires around the crash site were extinguished.
A thin crack crossed his left eye vertically, and other tinier cracks around his face. Cuts and bruises were visible on his human sides. More parts of him were gone. The majority of lights on him have shutdown, yet few remained active but were beginning to malfunction. His gattling gun was also badly damaged, and no longer of use. Ron disconnected the dead weight from him. His missile launcher on his right shoudler was torn by the blast. Ron shook his head, and his eyes turned to red. He was now in his "normal" state again.
"I must now find a way back. But where is this unit at exactly?" Ron checked the computers onboard, but they displayed warning and error messages. "No matter..."
"He's gone..." a voice said to his right.
Instead of usually turning his head at an instant speed, Ron slowly glanced to the source of the voice. It revealed Spitfire and the rest of the Wonderbolts. Spitfire wasn't really soaked in the rain due to her uniform covering her. "Miss Spitfire..."
"The human actually gave his own life to stop you."
"Yes. He did sacrifice himself. But- Hmm?"
Ron noticed a metal object near Spitfire's left foreleg. But this object wasn't part of him or the Orca. Ron leaned down and grapsed the object. "Hmm... It's his military identification." Dog Tags were in the palm of his metal hand. He scanned it for a long moment then dropped back to the ground. Spitfire noticed this and gently picked the tags. The team encircled to see what it was. But she couldn't understand what the alien writing said, yet some did resemble Equestrian writing.
"What does it say?" she asked him, but no response came. Spitfire perked her head up and saw the Reaper was gone. But she barely caught a glimpse of him, since the rain was starting to brew up and obscure anything in it. "Hey, Reaper guy!" she called out.
Ron heard the sound of her voice, and walked back to her. "Yes, Miss Spitfire?" he asked.
"What do these words say?"
Ron was starting to get annoyed. He didn't really feel like answering her question since he had priorities that he was far concerned about than just simple words. But he decided to answer her question. "It says his name is 'Lieutenant John William'. Blood type O positive. Age twenty nine."
"But he said his name was Mammoth. Why wouldn't he tell us his real name?" Spitfire was utterly confused.
"That's another trait of GDI; they lie. Farewell... This is probably the last time you shall ever see me..."
Ron began to depart from the pegasi, but he stopped when he heard Spitfire call him out again. "Wait! I still have something to ask you."
"What is it, Miss Spitfire?"
"Were you lying to us about Nod?"
Ron turned his head away and stared at the soaked ground. He never really meant to say the 'peace and gifts that Nod brings', but he only did to proceed with his plan. He then looked up to face the Wonderbolts, especially Spitfire. "Yes. What I said is true. Nod will bring peace to this world. We keep our promises full. But," Ron noticed that Soarin' was missing from the group and a few others, "Where is your blue friend that I... Put down earlier?"
Spitfire pointed at hoof at a tree. Soarin' was under it unconscious, and out of the rain with Misty Fly and Fire Streak tending him. Ron slightly smirked as he felt the power in him from beating up Soarin'. "Since I believe I will no longer be present in his life, deliver this message to him: 'Good luck if he want's to be with a certain pony, and enjoy a little gift that will be his future and inherit the next genartion'. If he asks why I said this, then tell him: 'Nod knows everything. Past, Present, Future and beyond'."
Ron once again left, and disappeared into the rain. Spitfire wanted to stop him to ask him more questions, but decided to let the machine be. She frowned in discontent and lowered her head. One question would forever haunt her. "What was the Reaper's real name?..."
------------
Ron walked along a muddy path in the pouring rain. Luckily he didn't slip due to his legs keeping him stable. Thunder boomed across the sky, then lightning came next. The wind howled, and blew almost everything back with its strength. Ron wasn't robot by these natural forces. But one thing caught his attention; pegasi were up in the air trying to control the weather. But we're miserably failing as nature fought back against them.
"Don't try controlling Mother Nature. She will beat you down."
The cyborg's plan was to find a certain pony that he marked with vast importance. But he also knew it would be difficult to reach him, since now all Equestria wasn't practically against them and his brothers. "I'm coming for you, Doctor. I know you can get all of us back to the homeworld," Ron grumbled.
He continue on into the path, but was treading on very familiar terrain. In the storm, Ron caught a glimpse of hill with a single tree on the top of it. "Ah, the hill which I found Ponyville from above." Ron followed the road up the hill and stared at the town in the distance. The rain hindered most view of the town, but certain explosion illuminated parts of the town.
Ron knew who exactly was behind all of the trouble. "Andy, why are you so conspicous? But I have faith that you will end this conflict." The Reaper used his zoom optics in his mechanical eyes but was also badly damaged. They either displayed static, or warning messages. But his right eye was the one that displayed at least the best image. It constantly shifted between normal and static. Ron scanned the town left and right to search for the Doctor, despite the bothersome malfunctioning optics.
"WHERE ARE YOU? Hmm?"
Ron spotted four ponies fleeing from the town, and heading up another hill in the distance. But something very bizarre was on that hill. A random blue box that had the words "Police Box". Ron was a tad confused, but didn't give too much attention. He focuses in on the ponies, and discovered it was the Hooves family.
"THERE YOU ARE..."
The Reaper immediately made his way to the pony family.
-----------
"Come on! We need to escape this 'Nod'!"
"How do you suppose that?"
"The TARDIS of course!"
The Hooves frantically rushed up the hill to get to the time machine. The Doctor stopped and let the family pass by him, then he turned around to make sure they weren't being persued by any of the Nod members. Whooves made a single nod as he acknowledged it was clear. He rushed up then to meet the waiting Hooves family. "Alright, I need to get you somewhere safe, away from these monsters." he said.
"Doctor? Where are you exactly going to take us?" Dinky nervously asked, hiding behind her sister's right foreleg for comfort.
The Doctor gently smiled, and came up to her. "Somewhere where they can't hurt you, or your family," he softly padded the filly's head. Dinky smiled back at him, and gave him a quick hug. Whooves got the keys of the TARDIS out and unlocked the doors to it. "Quickly. Get inside!"
The Hooves family was about to enter when they heard dreadful, familiar noise from behind. It sounded like it came from all directions. "What is that sound?" Sparkler asked.
"I don't know. But it sounds machine-like," Dinky replied.
The Doctor raised a suspicious eyebrow at the sound. He searched in all directions for the source but nothing appeared. But suddenly in the corner of his eye, he saw a large figure. Whooves glanced over to what it was, and gasped loudly as he saw the Cyborg Reaper standing before him. The Hooves noticed his gasp and faced what he was looking at – they all stood there terrified.
"R-Ron? You're alive? I thought the Guard got you since you disappeared in the morning..."
"No, Doctor. I am alive. But I have some unfinished priorities with you."