//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: The Battle Against the Precursor // Story: The Darkened Past: Alex’s Past History in Ponyville // by captinalex1 //------------------------------// In the darkness I lay tearing at what has been done. My friends, the Wonderbolts, everyone I care about is soon going to be no more and I'm stuck here not being able to do anything. -Sniff- "Your not the only one that's crying." A mysterious voice speaks out. "Huh... W-who’s that-their?" I ask. "Um, c-can you help me out of this bag please?" It kindly asks. "Uh, sure I'll try." I tell it. Then I slide myself near the bag and put my hooves on it. I'm hoof cuffed so this will be tough but like I told it, I'll try. I find the rope and pull. It gets loose so I pull again and the bag is open. I hear buzzing and it flies out. It opens his eyes and gives a small light so we can see. "Hey, your a Changeling." I notice. "Mhm. Wait, your voice is familiar." He tells me. "Names Alex, if that matters." I tell him. "Yes it does. Remember me. I'm the one that you came to talk to when I was by the bridge." He tries reminding me. "Oh now I remember. Um, never really got your name little one. Mind telling me?" I ask. "Names Changeling 560, or 560 for short." 560 tells me. "Aww, I still want to give you a nickname. Here, I'll call you Star Dust. How's that sound?" The little Changeling smiles brightly, "Yes, Yes! I love that new name. Nopony has ever called me something nice before." "Now that we have that out of the way, we need a way out of here. Any ideas? Oh and can you untie me please." "Yes of course." Star Dust unties me. "For an escape idea, well that wall over their." -he points- "Is where the driver sits. If you can break it down, we could take over the ship." "Hm, sounds like a good idea, but I've been cleaned of my weapons." I tell him. "Really? Then what's that near your hoof?" He points. I look down to see a mini energy blade. I then look at him as I pick it up. "You hid this from them, didn't you?" "Correction, they never expect me to be armed." Star Dust corrects. "Nice job kiddo." I then turn the blade on and stab the wall. The heat weakens the wall and I begin to cut through. "What the hell!" Razor looks at me cutting. He then sharply turns the ship and I lose my balance falling and hitting my head. I slowly get up holding it, then charge and bust the wall down. I thrust the blade towards him but he grabs my hoof, and squeezes it having me drop the blade. He then pushes me away and slides out a gun. Just as I thought I was dead, Star Dust jumps on Razors face and begins to beat him. Razor let's go of the ship controls and starts to fight back. I get up grab his gun, put Razors hoof down and take a few shots at it, trying to wound and not kill. He growls in pain and throws Star Dust at me. Dust and I fall laying flat. Razor holds his injured hoof and pulls another gun with his good one and takes aim. "Any last words?" He smirks. "Yes, the controls you dumb ass." I point. So he puts the gun away and sits back down to the controls. "Fine I'll give you that one for free." He groans. But he hits a button and that ties me and Star Dust up then we get thrown into that back. "Damn, should have seen that coming." I tell Dust. "Ahh, it's no big deal." Star Dust says, trying to stop my worrying. Veger finally lands the ship and opens the door, pulling us out and carrying Dust and I onto a field. When I look at the enemy we have to beat, my mouth drops. "We're screwed!" I tell Star Dust. "Why, what is that thing?" Dust asks. "A Precursor Guardian." I tell him. "Oh." -looks down- "Oh..." Dust sees the end might be near. Razor, with his blade, trots up and lifts Dust's head with it. "Oh, it certainly is your end." He then looks up at the Precursor. "Finish them." Razor tells it. Razor then drops Dust's head and trots out but stops. "Oh and Alex, this time the Precursors will not have mercy on you." He then darkly trots out. I look up at the Robot as it's hand turns to a gun and his other hand reaching for a Laser-saber. I feel something and look down and see my device boot up. "Psst, hey Dust." I whisper. "What's up Alex?" He whispers back. "See my, eh... d-device." I struggle to put my hoof in view. "Hit the red button on it. It'll begin to heat up and hopefully burn the rope weakening it and setting us free." "Got it." For a moment Star Dust struggles then finally hits the button and I feel the device heat up. "Nice Dust." I tell him. The rope slowly starts snapping. The Precursors notices us trying to escape, so he aims his gun and shoots. But it's no bullet, it's 3 KGs. The KGs take aim and fire at us. I purposely take shots to break the rope, and SNAP! The rope breaks and Star Dust and I split up. I take out the KGs as Dust distracts. The Precursor gets mad then lowers his arm at us. A mini energy gun points and he takes fire, at the same time firing lasers from his back to distract Dust and my path. As Star Dust is galloping, trying to dodge, he sees a bomb cart on the ceiling. "Alex, look up their!" He points at it yelling to get my attention. I look up and see three of them. "Alright, lead him near one." "Got it." The Changeling then starts galloping towards one. "Ok Alex, he’s coming closer." Star. Dust gets a little nervous. "Um, hurry." "Right, right. On my way." I acknowledge. I see a weapon laying on the ground, so I dive for it and grab it. I aim then get the Precursors attention. "Hey, tin can over here." I grin. Though, I went to far. The robot gets the Laser-saber and hits the ground, making an energy shock wave. I jump over dodging it, so he swings and I duck, him missing me. I then fire the weapon and it shoots an energy ball. The shot flies through the air and strikes the bomb cart. It falls and hits the Precursors on the head and explodes, also making a crater in the ground. The Changeling flies back to my side as I look at the weapon. "Cool." "No, that was awesome." Star Dust adds. "That was kinda..." I get cut off, because the Precursors flies out and rapid fires his energy ball. Dust and I dodge but I get hit by one and it burns. The Changeling buzzes up and pushes another Bomb cart having it fall, repeating the process of damaging the Precursor. The robot though flies out of the crater again. "What the hell!" I shout, looking like this is pointless. The Precursor whips around and strikes Dust with the saber and the Changeling falls motionless. "Star Dust, NOOOOOO!" I gasp. I aim and fire another shot, destroying the energy gun the Precursor was using. The Precursor, ferrous with me, charges and hits me with a fist. I fly through the air and hit the wall, cracking as i collapse. The Precursor, slowly walks closer to finish the job. With weak hooves, the Changeling slowly gets up and flies onto the Precursor's face punching and hitting it, trying to damage the eyes of the robot. Star Dust manages to break one of them, weakening the robots ability to see. But sadly the Precursor robot manages to grab Star Dust by the wing and throws him across the arena, Dust crashing into the wall, breaking it and it collapsing on top of him. I slowly open my eyes to look and all I see is a collapsed wall with Star Dust missing. My eyes water and I begin to tear. Seeing the horror. I feel the darkness rising but I force it down controlling it. "No." -sniff- "No darkness..." I tell myself. I then slowly start getting up. The Robot, half blind, sees me and puts his foot on my back slowly weakening as he pushes me back down. I feel my hooves weakening and giving in, as they slowly bend back down because of the force. With the strength I have left, I slide my wing and grab the gun that was next to me, aim and fire wishing for the best. The energy shot soars through the air and strikes the bomb cart. Unfortunately, the cart slips but gets stuck. Me knowing that's all I could do and have no hope left, I close my eyes about to get crushed. But, when all hope is lost, the biggest miracle happens. Somepony using magic, moves the bomb cart and it gets unstuck and hurdles towards the Precursor Robot. The Robot looks up and gets hit. It then falls back and explodes, with a high pitched "ting" sound. I open my eyes, laying flat on my stomach seeing that he's gone. "Star Dust!" I call out. No answer. "Star Dust..." My eyes water and my tears fall on the ground in front of me. "Star...Dust..." I call one more time, almost begging he's ok. I then slowly get up and limp towards where I last saw him. I look around at the debris. Grab parts and start digging calling Star Dusts name. When I brush a piece of wood off, his wing appears and I dig faster. Finally I pull him out, but his eyes are closed. "Star Dust!" I call. I then check for a pulse. It's, it's weak. Scary weak... I look around and find a small Speeder Bike, one that scouts use. With the last of my strength, I pick him up and carry him to it. I strap him down and I strap myself down. Then I turn on the engine and slowly drive out of the arena. As I drive, I stop in front of a hatch. It senses the Speeder and opens revealing sunlight and fresh air. I drive out and look around. "Hm, this place looks different." I examine. I hear drilling so I drive the Speeder Bike behind a bush and shut it down. I get off and peak my head through the bush only to find Veger and Razor with their KG units. My ear twitches as I listen to their conversation. "Are they dead Razor?" Veger asks. "Like you wished, hehehe." Razor answers back. "So what have we got here?" Razor asks. "You are looking at the Precursor Tunnels to the Precursor weapon." Veger tells him. "Ah, nice. However, what will this weapon do?" Razor asks. "Well it's a gun that concentrates both, dark and light energy into a powerful beam that can cut and rip right through, really, anything." Veger explains. "Sorry for so many questions, but I think this is my last one. What are we even gonna use this weapon for?" Razor asks. "Well anything to be precise. My main goal is to fire it and that town you all know as Ponyville. Then strike terror on Cloudsdale. And finally, take out Canterlot. How's that sound Razor?" Veger tells him. "Ohh, I could never agree more with such a devious plan. It's perfect and I like it, plus no Alex means no stopping us. Hehehe, this is our day!" Razor laughs. "Damn, I want to attack but one, it's too risky, and two, Star Dust is weak and dying." I talk to myself. I then look at my wrist attachment and mark the location of the drilling site. "Perfect, when I get back to Cloudsdale I can show them and they will plan something out." I turn around to trot back to my Speeder when I bump right into a KG unit. He grabs my hoof by the device and crushing it to the point of it falling off. He then walks me over and throws me to my knees in front of Razor and Veger. Both surprised look at each-other then back at me. Razor trots over and lifts my head up. "Hm, your luck to survive that Precursor guard." Veger pitches in. "Honest, I knew you're a fighter but you, you were just lucky." Razor tells me, then leaves my head alone. Veger looks at the KG and tells him, "Tie him up, and this time, use electric hoof cuffs." "Roger." Then the KG does what he's told. "You know what, we could use the weapon on him." Razor looks at Veger thinking about what they could do with me. They both look at me and smile evilly. "Good idea Razor." Veger agrees. They then pick me up and throw me into the light-speed car and take me down the Precursor Tunnel into the weapon room.