Chapter 22 Nopony Ever Died From Wanting Too Much
The rebels pursued their way into the tunnels of Nova's manarite quarry and tackled every guard they came in contact with. They kicked them down then stomped them out. Although some enemies were trickier than others and Rainbow had gotten into a fight with a mutt against the venomous spike. Using quick thinking and fast reflexes, she gotta grip of the dog's paws and forced the needle on himself. Which killed him in twelve seconds. Dash felt no regrets. She was satisfied with the art of revenge and continued along the way like everypony else. Two Earth ponies attempted to run ahead of the pack without thinking of the dangerous consequences and were intercepted by two Pegesi. One pony was shot in the heart with an N-Tech laser while the other was skewered in the leg with the neuro-toxin. Twilight cried out in terrifying denial, "NO!"
Her, Applejack and Rainbow galloped ahead to tend to the situation. Twilight went to their aide as Dash and AJ dealt with the two guards. Twilght tried to resuscitate the blue Earth pony shot in the heart but had no response. She tried several times more until she accepted his doomed fate and shed one little tear then closed his cold, lifeless eyes. Everypony crowded around the casualties and had a moment of silence then progressed through tunnel further more soon after. Noticing the opening on the other side of the cave, everypony shouted a battle cry and surged into the massive production room of the manarite with Nova's men all around. Being shot at, Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow used their mirrors to deflect the lasers and powerful magic.
A couple dogs were wielded with pick-axes and swung at Big Macintosh who caught one axe and bucked it out of the dog's clutches. Then using it to block another attack from the second canine. Mac hooked his pick-axe in with the other and hauled it away from the dog then smashing his pick-axe into the dogs paw. The mutt cried and whimpered pathetically on the ground. Big Mac turned around and seen the other dog charging at him. Then he braced himself as the guard checked into him. They fought hoof to paw. Each grappling and trying to pin down the other. The dog was getting the better advantage until Macintosh headbutt him and leaned back on top of the struggle. He forced the dog to bend over backwards then fall to ground. He jumped on top of him and knocked him clean out with one clear jab to the head. He sprang up swiftly to dodge a buck from another pony. Big Mac noticed he was also armed with a knife and was trying to shank him. The pony swung got lucky as he cut Macintosh's leg while he tried to evade the slash. The gash only infuriated Mac as he rushed forward and quickly knocked the knife from his hooves with a powerful swipe, then grabbed onto stallion and shoved him into the downward funnel of a rock crusher. The stallion struggled to get up but the angle was too steep and he slipped into a merciless death. His anguish cries didn't affect Big Mac as it for the sake of revenge. He looked around and chuckled, "Eeyup!"
Spike had the boldness to take on three ponies at once. Using his size and agility to the advantage, He side stepped the bucks and mounted one of the ponies. The guard tried to bronco buck him off but instead felt his backside being scratched and slashed. The steed collapsed from exhaustion and pain, then Spike was face to face with the two other ponies. They proceeded to seize him but Spike smiled a clever smile. Surprising them, he jumped on then sprang off the wall with a spin and incoming roundhouse kick that nailed one of the guards and used his hands to claw the other while still in mid-air. He landed like a cat then grabbed both of their heads and bashed them together, compromising the two guards. Spike sighed of relief and looked around at the damage he did then laughed hysterically.
Across the room was his lover, Rarity who went hoof and hoof with a quarry worker. She was disgusted by the mud covered pony, "Uh! Don't you DARE touch me with those filthy, FILTHY hooves!"
The dirty stallion scoffed with a deep laugh and swung his hoof at Rarity. She stepped back and evaded the strike then checked herself for stains, "This coat is quite dirty enough, thank you very much."
Then without care, he retrieved a dirty rag from his pocket and threw it at Rarity, leaving a smudge on her already tainted coat. She petrified in shock while the worker laughed at her. Rarity felt the boiling, pent up, anger ready to explode, "Oh! It...is...on..."
The white mare leaped and clipped the laughing stallion in the jaw, literally smacking the smile off his face. He retaliated with a kick but missed as Rarity caught his leg and tripped him up. The angered steed grabbed on to a nearby lead pipe without Rarity knowing and concealed it until she came near. Sure enough Rarity approached him with wide and psychotic eyes, giving him the keen opportunity and clubbed Rarity in the leg. She fell screaming in pain, her eyes beginning to water. The stallion picked himself up and began to slowly raise the pipe, intending to smash it over her skull. Rarity was backed into a corner and had to think of a quick fix out of the situation. Then she remembered she was able to use her magic again and grinned. The pony with a demented smirk slammed the pipe down without any expectation and Rarity used her magic to redirect the shot straight down on the stallions hoof. He buckled and dropped the weapon then clenched the painfully throbbing hoof. Rarity laughed gallantly. She took the lead pipe and swung it at the vulnerable steed. His head cocked to the side and he dropped lifeless. Rarity clopped her hooves to wipe off the dirt, "Now that's how a lady deals with her problems..."
Meanwhile Rainbow Dash and the other Pegesi flew over head, dismantling the quarry's machinery, smashing crates, tearing up conveyer belts, pulling out pipes and cables that malfunctioned Sparks' work. Rainbow went to fiddle with a machine's control panel on the upper deck until she was met with the smug look of Bradshaw who had returned with a black eye and scratched up face, "I'm gonna squish you like the dirty lil fly you are!" he exclaimed angrily.
Rainbow laughed and got into her fighting stance, "Well? Bring it on!"
Buckingham jumped her and tried to haul her to the ground. She dodged the assault and back hooved Bradshaw in the face. He ignored it and got up with a swift kick, colliding with Dash's leg. She buckled but managed to catch herself and smacked the southerner in the gut then uppercut him. Bradshaw again shook the pain away and tried to break her leg, but failed as he was batted in the face by the flap of her wing and backed off staggering away. Rainbow jumped on his back and tried to choke him out but Bradshaw quickly pressed against the cave walls and squatted her off. She attempted to fly away but Bradshaw was too quick and hauled her down then pinned her to the ground, mounting on top of her, "I'm afraid this flight has been cancelled." He grinned.
Buckingham headbutt her then began clubbing her with his hooves. She shielded her face but it only bought her short time until he fixed his position and pinned her front hooves down as well, making struggling extremely difficult. She strained to get up but the stallion was too heavy and she couldn't budge. Buckingham went to headbutt again but Rainbow quickly thought and came up with an all or nothing plan. When Bradshaw came down with the headbutt, Dash leaned her head up and kissed him, leaving the love sick stallion shocked and frozen. Bradshaw straightened up and lost his focus for a second, enough time for Rainbow to slip through his legs and pushed his skull into the wall. Buckingham groaned and got up to find out his nose was bleeding. He turned around and seen nothing except a blue hoof whip across his face and he collapsed again, into a crate of powdered manarite. Dash took the opportunity and began looking at the control panel. She looked for something clever to pull. Then noticed a dial on one of the far sides that read Main Power Level. The gauge above showed a needle inside a green zone, leading to a yellow zone, then red. She supposed if the needle got into the red zone, it would malfunction the machine permanently. She cranked the dial to the maximum level and went to finish up Bradshaw Buckingham.
In the meantime, Applejack and some of the other rebels stormed the laboratories and trashed the machines, but more importantly, broke the crates upon crates of silverblood sirum. While amidst the chaos, AJ was being attacked by three scientists. One of them managed to slice her leg with a broken beaker which weakened her bucking power. Although she never lost hope as she still bucked a trolley of used needles towards them. One of the three escaped as the other two were skewered multiple times. The remaining steed rushed on with the N-Tech spike exposed. He jabbed forward and Applejack side stepped. He took another swing and she ducked. He tried to stab downwards at her legs but again Applejack sprang out of the way. Finally the scientist became infuriated with her agility and took a nightstick from a fallen guard. AJ tried to jump out of the way from that but didn't leap far enough as she clubbed in the gut, knocking the wind out of her. She slammed against the wall then smacked the ground. The scientist smirked confidently and dropped the baton, leaning over her motionless body with the deadly stinger looming towards her neck. He winded up his hoof and propelled it down to kill her but all of a sudden, Applejack flung upward and drove her hoof into his chest...with HER N-Tech that she got from Aspen back in Canterlot. The chemist(specified on his name tag), slowly lowered to the ground clutching his heart. Finally the twelve seconds were up and he perished quietly. Applejack padded him on the cheek and moved on to destroy the rest of Nova's sirum manufacturing machinery.
Among all this pandemonium, Twilight Sparkle was with the other Unicorns, fighting with Nova's Unicorns. Blasting magic back and forth; Fireballs, thunderballs, ice rays, and anything else that the Unicorns could conjure up. Although the rebels were finding it hard to fight as Sparks' stallions were revved up with silverblood and had more capabilities. But with her mirror, Twilight was still able to deflect the attacks then get through the massive war room and make it to the secret door unscathed. She galloped up to the door then it suddenly blasted open, knocking her back and creating a dusty cloud of smoke. She coughed and hacked then opened her eyes to stared up at a familiar pony with the emotions of betrayal expressed in her face. A once welcoming face that made her feel confident, now the face of a corrupt maniac, drunk with power. Dr. Know looked down at her with his lazy eyes and calm smile, wearing a white, thick long-sleeve buttoned shirt that was done up all the way to emphasize the contrast of his shining black, cybernetic hooves. He tisked at her, "Twilight Sparkle...I am disappointed in you my child. A student as smart as you are should realize the importance of this research. Don't you understand that we could revolutionize the way us Unicorns handle magic? We'll once again become the supreme rulers of Equestria. The Earth ponies have nothing and the Pegesi only have wings. We'll have the unlimited magical enhancements that this missile is going to help with. Open your eyes and join Mr. Sparks with his project. He'd be glad to have your assistance..."
Twilight stood up and snapped back fiercely at the traitor, "How could you Professor? You turned your back on everypony. I could never join Nova. You must open YOUR eyes and see that he isn't doing this for Unicorns. He's doing this for himself and nothing more. Everyponies life is in danger. You have to stop this or else the Equestria we know will be gone forever."
Know smiled even harder and shook his head, "Now haven't I taught you that you should never talk down to your teachers? It's too late. The missile is now fully programmed and Mr. Sparks is ready to launch it when ready. But before I tell him that, I wanted to see if you were still the same obedient school filly you were years ago...I was wrong. But I'm giving you one chance to change your mind, or else I will be forced to remove you from Mr. Sparks' conscience because you have been giving him many migraines these past nights."
"Nova Sparks took our beloved Princess Celestia away. My teacher! You should be ashamed of yourself for joining forces with him." Twilight frowned.
His smile faded and turned to seriousness, "Nova has paved the way for science to be expanded. Celestia did nothing. She held us back and deserved to be slaughtered...You know with these new hooves I've been able to overcome my problems and crush my enemies who have stood in my way,"
He took a nearby chunk of manarite and crushed it between his titanium hooves. He glared at her with a cold expression, "And I hate to say it but, you have become a dangerous insect that must be squashed quickly...Farewell Twilight Sparkle. Don't worry, your death will be a quick...twelve...seconds..."
Dr. Know clicked his front hooves together and a metal prong extended out from the front of each hoof, even his back legs. Twilight knew they were poison tipped and began to back away. Know's smile appeared again as he slowly trotted toward his former pupil, now an enemy. He chuckled, "Clever isn't it? I had them installed when they planted the new hooves on. Now let's see how well I kick."
The evil Doctor jolted his left hoof forward and Twilight backed further away from the kick. He tried again but Twilight managed to jump back again. Dr. Know laughed momentarily and unbuttoned his top button, "I can see this is going to be no easy task."
He lunged ahead to make Twilight step back once more but he tricked her into stumbling over a bucket of powdered manarite. As she toppled over and fell on the ground, Know took the opportunity and kicked her but Twilight managed to roll out of the way just in time. She then sprang up and tackled her former Professor into the wall and grappled with him, trying to dodge his flailing legs at the same time. They turned around numerous times, taking turns pinning each other against the wall. Know broke the hold free and clubbed Twilight in the head with his dense hoof, dazing her momentarily. He kicked again but Twilight was focused enough to side step the attack. With a more frustrated determination, Know swung his hoof in the air again but missed Twilight as he accidentally smashed his metal hoof into a hydrogen gas pipe running along the wall, and punctured it with his spike. He ignored it and swung again, this time connecting the shot and giving Twilight another hard smack to the head. She had to think of something. Know was fast, and tricky to fight. She looked around the short hallway and found nothing unless they went back out into the open. But looking out, Twilight seen something that caught her eye. With quick thinking she had an idea. While Know kept swinging and kicking at her, Twilight lead them next toan exposed circuit breaker somepony had tampered with. She put her head in the way of the breaker and halted until Dr. Know jumped up and came down with a powerful jab from his heavy metal hooves, not knowing what was behind her. With a slight smile, Twilight leaped out the way and seen him smash his hoof through the electrical panel, electricuting himself with volts upon volts of power flowing through his veins. He hollered in agony and begged for the pain to stop. Twilight chuckled and gave her Professor a devious glance, "How shocking..."
Twilight charged her horn and shot Dr. Know with an energy orb, knocking him away from the circuit board but leaving him in a state of shock, quite literally. She grabbed ahold of him and pushed him into the wall, demanding answers, "Now tell me how to disable the missile!"
Meanwhile in the upper deck of the large room, Nova appeared from a door leading to a balcony with a pack of dogs. He shifted his eyes over at a sight that pleased him and ordered his dogs, "Over there...Down the stairs. Get her!"
Rainbow was still tussling with Buckingham until she was mauled and ceased by two dogs who beat her down with nightsticks. One mutt ordered her, "On your hooves! Mr. Sparks wants to speak with you."
Nova trotted up from behind them and padded his guard dog on the back, "Well she's more for a ransom, then to talk to." He grinned.
Sparks, Buckingham, and the dogs took Rainbow back up the flight of stairs and stood up on the balcony. Nova took his silver gun from his jacket and stuck it to Rainbow's heart then screamed down at the anarchy, "ALRIGHT THAT IS QUITE ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU!"
Nopony heard him as the ruckus continued. Nova was impatient and back hooved one his dogs to do something. The canine whistled as loudly as he could and drew the attention of some ponies. Nova could get the rest, "ENOUGH!"
The room was suddenly silent, and everypony stared up at Nova Sparks who wore a cunning smile and held Rainbow hostage. Dash tried to struggle, "Let, me...go!"
Sparks restrained her, "Shut up! Or I'll have to break your heart."
Applejack called up from the lower level floor concerned and threatened, "Ya'll better not hurt her! Nova we gotta a bone to pick with you! Shut down yer lil operation down right this minute!"
Nova taunted her, "Ooooh I'm SO scared Ms. Applejack...My dear, your being quite illogical about the situation. Look at me...I have an armada of dogs and ponies, I have a damn missile set to launch any second...and of course, I have your friend Rainbow Dash here with me. Which reminds me...I do believe it's time to say farewell to our little flying friend."
AJ warned him further but Nova put the gun up to Dash's chin and was about to pull the trigger when a voice broke the suspense, "Hold it right there Nova!"
Twilight trotted out into the center of the room with the beam sword against Dr. Know's neck. Know was still jittering from the shock, "If you do anything to Rainbow Dash, Dr. Know gets it."
Nova smiled deviously, "Ah Twilight Sparkle, splendid...Now it's officially one big family reunion. Although quite pathetic."
"Cut the small talk Nova! We got you right where we want you now. You can't possibly fire the missile without Dr. Know." She grinned.
Sparks sneered, "Really? Well I always plan ahead and DO have a plan B. Even if the missile doesn't go off, I have plenty of explosives aboard my ship this very instant. Even though I was saving them to begin another quarry, I suppose I'll just have to find some more and drop these ones on Lochrest if meteor is shut down...Which is not going to happen. Magical enhancements are my dreams Twilight Sparkle, and you can't kill my dreams...(He looks at Rainbow and fixes the gun) But my dreams can kill you. Time to face destiny!" he praised.
Applejack spoke out, "Yer nothin but a greedy, selfish, and dog gone coward hiding behind those mutts of yers. Why don't ya come on down and settle this yerself?"
He laughed at her hysterically, "Are you mad woman? If I go down there I'll be shred to pieces by your associates. Funny isn't it? I guess this is how Celestia felt when I took over. Me and my army were rebels then. But now were in control and you are the rebels. Except this time the rebellion shall fail and crumble beneath my hooves. Plus, greedy? Selfish? Nopony ever died from wanting too much my dear. It's only the idiots who have failed to overcome the odds without the proper material that are the ones who die...I have the manarite, I have the missile, and soon I will have a magical singularity! It's just a matter of time."
Twilight shook her head frantically and restrained Know even harder, "Well your time has already run out so give up! We got the tools to stop you!"
"Yeah surrender Nova while you still gotta chance!" Rainbow warned.
Sparks put pressure on her neck, "Open your damn trap again my dear and I'll shut it myself!"
He glanced around the room and found Spike standing by Rarity, "Ah there you two are! The runaways. You two were quite lucky to escape my clutches but now I am afraid your too late...Dr. Know!"
Know looked up but struggled because Twilight still held him with tight restraint, "Y-y-yes? Mr. Sparks?"
"Is meteor ready to be launched?" He asked.
Dr. Know laughed briefly, "I handed you the activator before I got myself into this mess sir. Press the button and the mountains will disappear..."
Nova smiled malevolently while the light reflected eerily in his glasses, "...Then I'm afraid you've outlived your contract..."
He raised his silver blaster and shot Know in the heart. He fell from Twilight's grip and hit the ground dead with a confused look in his eyes. Twilight froze for a second and quickly hid behind a crate. Sparks put the gun back to Dash's head and used his magic to retrieve a black metal box with a white button and short antenna. He levitated the box front of him and concluded his speech, "I guess I can call myself a, meteorologist!"
He laughed maniacally as he pressed the button, followed by a familiar, blarring sound of trumpets. Twilight look around then stared back at Nova with wide eyes, trying to talk over the loud sirens, "So YOUR the one who set those horns off last night!"
Sparks laughed and put the box back inside his coat, "Oh You heard them? Correct! Last night was just a test. This one though, is real! I'm just letting my men all around Equestria know that project: meteor is officially under way!"
Something then caught Nova's eye. He glanced down at the control panel of the refinery machine. Everypony seen sparks gushing from the circuit board and Rainbow laughed, "Looks like your in for it now!"
Sparks looked at her with confusion, "What are you talking about?"
"Uh Oh..." Bradshaw cut in.
"What do you bloody mean uh oh?" Nova asked hastily.
No sooner as the words were out his mouth, combined with the leak of hydrogen gas thanks to Dr. Know, the control main frame exploded, sending debris and fireballs everywhere. Everypony ducked and galloped for cover. Sparks, Buckingham, and the dogs themselves were launched back against the wall, giving Rainbow the opportunity to escape. She flew down to the lower level to meet up Twilight and Applejack. Nova got up from the blast and looked at the raging inferno which was spreading. He kicked his dogs and yelled down at the rest of his army in the room, "MAN THOSE FIRES OUT!"
He shoved a couple canines back through the door, "Get down there and protect the missile!"
Then he picked up Bradshaw Buckingham and handed him his N-Tech, "Oh and Mr. Buckingham..." He laughed sarcastically.
"Would you pllleeease? KILL those bastards!"
Finally Nova retreated back through the door and escaped into the missile chamber. Twilight, Applejack, and Dash met up with Rarity, Spike, Big Macintosh and the remaining team of 17 other ponies behind them, ready to intercept further in. The three team leaders huddled together, "Ok now what?" Asked Rainbow Dash.
"Good job with the explosion Rainbow...Nice distraction." Twilight complemented with a wink.
"All that's left to do now is storm the next room and stop the missile before it sets off! and we still have to find Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie so don't stop for nothing. Stop the missile, find the girls, finish Nova, got it?"
They put their hooves in and nodded, "Got it!"
The girls dispersed and Applejack lead the pack again with much pride, "ALRIGHT EVERYPONY! MOVE ON!"
The faction cheered and wailed louder battle cries as they moved on, galloping towards the next room and most important part of the siege, destroying meteor and confronting Nova. Their mission was only half way completed and not nearly as difficult as it was about to get. Now with a blazing fire raising tensions, they were pressured for time before more of the leaking hydrogen gas would reignite the flames and cause the cave to burn out and trap any ponies on the other side of the flames. It was do or die time.
[...To be continued]