//------------------------------// // Fight or Flight? // Story: Hell Hath No Fury.... A Darksiders/MLP Crossover // by Deemo //------------------------------// War awoke from his dream to the harmonious tweeting of birds something a little too welcoming for the Rider , grumbling due to his drowsiness he got up and trudged towards the bathroom groggily before dumping himself into the bathtub, the warm water relaxing his tired muscles as quickly as he woke up from his stupor trotting outside he went off to fulfill his punishment. Walking towards the serpent tome he noticed a rather befuddled pegasus mare, coat grey like a rain cloud paired with a blonde mane on her flank sat a trio of bubbles, watching her shift her head around the serpent tome her wall-eyed expression informing War of how stupid she looked at the moment walking towards her preparing to speak he was interrupted when she picked a letter from her saddlebags and then promptly placing it in the mouth of the serpent before flying off. Shaking his head he walked over to the statue and flipping open the dusty tome, War watched as writing formed on its pages Good Morning War Welcome to your first day of your punishment, as you know some jobs will be posted to you if they're important to the town, this letter contains your first job of the day which is to supervise Ms. Cheerilee and her students for a field trip to the Ghastly Gorge, why I ask for you to do this job is, for the safety of this generation of fillies and colts as the wildlife in that gorge is not one to be taken lightly. I trust you will do your best to protect these children from harm when you are there. that will be your only job for today but more jobs will be expected to be completed after today. Have a lovely day Mayor Mare PS. there will be a map provided with this letter of the Ghastly Gorge scanning through the note War was only able to process one thing, an escort for children. Closing the tome War suddenly felt a searing pain in his left hoof he quelled the urge to scream in pain clutching his hoof the pain grew from searing to numbing, he watched as golden light broke through from the gaps in the gauntlet, he watched as the light streamed forming into a small creature as the light faded War marveled at the new creature that sat in his palm. It was small and lithe its body a dandelion yellow with a scarlet spiky mane its eyes adorned with large eyelashes as well as a pair of antennae curved forwards from its tiny head, large see-through wings were flared out giving the creature its size. moving his head closer the buglike pony stood up shakily before looking at War. "Hello" the creature squeaked War mentally cringed at the pitch of the creature's voice but remained physically stone-like. "What are you?" he questioned "Where have you come from?" "Well I'm a Breezie" she replied "I was tasked by Princess Celestia to keep you in check" 'A Watcher?' he thought grimly remembering the shadowy creature that chastised the Rider wherever he went, gritting his teeth when he remembered him betraying the Rider his anger burned away to satisfaction when he crushed the vermin's skull like a freshly laid egg. "Are you alright?" War looked at the Breezie its small innocent form forbade him from crushing it, turning away his gaze turned towards the rising sun its warmth tingling his fur. "I'm...fine" he lied before walking away, confused the Breezie followed him "What's wrong?" the Breezie questioned floating calmly around the stallion's head "Nothing" he replied bluntly his gaze forward and unmoving ignoring the the Breezie that continued to circle his head. picking up his pace he walked faster until he was a decent distance in front of the winged pygmy pony. He continued to walk through town until he saw a the schoolhouse he was looking for, slowing down he began to walk at a more casual pace towards the door, already War could here the squeals of excitement from the fillies and colts within the building. All commotion stopped however when the children saw him in the doorway they watched him survey the room as if looking for something before turning around and walking outside. "Who is he?" a colt asked "I heard that's the guy that beat Rainbow Dash in a fight" another child murmured back "That's impossible, nopony can beat Rainbow Dash!" cried an orange filly Listening to the spread of rumors surrounding the Rider he couldn't help but smile, already he had become quite the celebrity at this quaint little town. War's thoughts were interrupted when he saw a dark purple mare talking to the children reminding them of behavior and such before walking turning towards him. "Ah you must be the extra helper for the day" War nodded in response "Pleasure to meet you I'm Cheerilee" extending her hoof for a shake, fingers extended from War's gauntlet before returning the gesture to the schoolteacher her face contorted into a gasp earning a chuckle from the Rider. "I am War" he said simply before withdrawing his hoof. "There is still an hour before we have to leave" she said "why don't you prepare before we depart" "I plan to, there are some things I still need to do..." before departing Walking back to his home he noticed a new face in town a griffin obviously female judging by her build she was talking to the rainbow haired mare and just looking at their body language it was not a friendly conversation, their voices loud enough for War to hear the griffin was harassing Rainbow Dash putting her down about how she couldn't beat a 'stupid stallion wearing fan-boy crap', little did she know that this particular stallion was not in the mood for a fight. The griffin looked towards the Rider and began following him taunting him and teasing him, it only served to anger him. Ignoring her harsh words he continued the walk home that was until she started increasing the strength of her taunts before she resorted to throwing anything she could get her claws on at the Nephilim. picking up a brick she hurled it straight at his head and connected, shattering on contact and making him stop abruptly. the spectators around were already anticipating what will happen next and quickly returned to their homes. "What's the matter loser? afraid of getting dirty?" she taunted before picking up a tomato and tossed it hitting War in the back of the head ruining his hood. reaching behind his head and scraping off the mess he turned to face his assailant his eyes burning with rage and giving her a merciless glare. "I'm in no mood for a fight wench go find somebody else to bother" he retorted before turning around and walking away Gilda growled in frustration she ran across the street towards the rider tearing a wooden plank off a nearby stall as she closed the distance between herself and the stallion swinging it with all her might it smacked against War's head, a painful crunch followed soon afterwards. Apparently War's head was harder than wood as the plank shattered against his skull the splinters littered his hood along with the remains of natural produce, Gilda's jaw lay agape at how resilient this stallion was before said stallion turned around to glare at the griffin. War had enough of her taunts and its time for her to reap what she sowed. seizing her wrist he held in her in an iron grip before electricity flared on his smaller hoof a gauntlet equal in size to his left hoof appeared, this was Tremorfist a gauntlet capable of shattering almost anything as if it were glass. Drawing Tremorfist back he looked into the eyes of his oppressor giving her a cold glare before gut-punching her with so much force she skidded across the ground before slamming into a vegetable stall. looking at the griffin that lay there he proceeded to tear a postbox out of the ground before withdrawing Tremorfist and replacing it with the Abyssal chain, sending out the hook it latched onto Gilda's waist before pulling her towards the Rider, drawing back the postbox like a baseball bat he swung it at the right moment sending her flying towards Cloudsdale. dropping his improvised weapon War walked away from the carnage he left behind and headed towards the schoolhouse, an angry sneer painted on his once calm visage. the Breezie quivered in fear at the raw power and rage this figure exuded and remained silent, unable to stand up to the Nephilim War waited patiently outside the schoolhouse until Cheerilee's students began to pour out into the street all of them sharing idle chatter with each other until Cheerilee exited the schoolhouse, the Rider also seemed to notice random adults arriving at the group. Applejack being one of them as well as that strange wall-eyed pegasus, Rainbow Dash, Thunderlane Cloudchaser and Flitter "Alright is everypony ready?" she called "YES" the group responded After a brief roll-call and plan of what will happen the group set off towards the Everfree forest the children seemed to bunch closer together as soon as they entered as they followed the path War couldn't quite catch why the place was scary to the residents, ignoring it he continued to walk. Finally reaching the Ghastly gorge the children ran over and looked over the edge "Whoa" was all they could say Intrigued War walked over and looked at the gorge, the walls were steep with gigantic holes lining them at the bottom sat a river. looking at the holes that lined the walls of the gorge, War watched as a bird flew through the gorge landing on a root that stretched out from the stone it preened itself before a large serpent lurched out of the hole closest to the root before snapping the avian in its jaws and retreating to the depths of its home. "So that's a Quarry Eel" he breathed, hearing bickering he turned to see Diamond Tiara and her 'friend' Silver Spoon ganging up on Dinky Hooves ( having a roll with him is quite handy). "What are ya gonna do ya stupid blank flank" they teased "Run home to mommy?" at this point poor Dinky was in tears slowly backing away from her oppressors wanting to get away from them, not realizing she is on the edge of the gorge as soon as she stepped on thin air she screamed before falling off. Ditzy Doo watched as he daughter disappear over the edge screaming her daughters' name she dove after her flapping her wings wildly to catch up with her child. War unable to watch a mother lose her child jumped after her taking a diving position as he plummeted passing the wall-eyed mare pulled up in surprise but realized her mistake tried to follow only to be pulled up by her fellow pegasi. "I will have stern words with the two of you and your parents" Cheerilee scolded looking coldly at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon The Rider called upon his Voidwalker power his hoof glowed blue before he sent a blue orb of energy towards the ground below Dinky, surveying the ground quickly he fired off another projectile on an angled flat rock using the Abyssal Chain he fired it at Dinky pulling himself towards her before holding the filly close falling through the portal. Dinky waited for Death's cold embrace but it never came opening her eyes slowly, realizing she was flying she looked up to see her savior wondering how he was flying was when she noticed wings of black energy sprouting from his sides, their peaceful flight was interrupted when she saw them, gigantic red eels revealed themselves from their caves their eyes were filled with hunger and their smiles only assuring Dinky that falling was only the beginning and before she knew it her savior broke into a dive. War knew he needed to escape these beasts and fast diving would keep the Eels from striking them from the air. withdrawing his wings he placed the filly in his hood. "Hold on little one this is going to get messy" he said before sprinting towards a rock formation, it wasn't a ramp but it would do, picking up a stone he tossed it into one of the caves awakening an eel as he ran jumping off the ramp he fired his abyssal chaim at the beast's chin before swinging up into the air. A nearby eel saw its would be snack and opened his mouth wide to catch its meal, War brought out Tremorfist and punching the Eel in the snout causing its head to snap sideways firing off his Abyssal chain at the Eel's side before sprinting up the Eel's length before jumping into thin air before landing onto the head of another Eel firing his Abyssal Chain again at the walls of the gorge he pulled himself and Dinky and proceeded to climb up the wall, turning around Dinky screamed as he was welcomed to the sight of an eel's open mouth, tearing off a slab of stone he lodged into the eel's open jaws the creature reeled back in surprise and began to flail wildly. Firing off two Voidwalker portals the first at the bottom of the gorge the other at the slab of stone in the eel's mouth, jumping off the wall the Rider dove down towards the portal only to be launched into the air before the eel crushed the slab between its powerful jaws it roared and extended itself further from its cave its dripping maw at the ready as it tried to follow its prize. Dinky and War landed safely thanks to Shadow-flight but the Eel loomed over the both of them it roared in frustration at how elusive his meal was and was tired of chasing them, War too grew tired of running, drawing his sword within his hoof he waited for the beast to strike, the creature roared and dove headfirst onto his prey but missed effectively lodging its snout in the dirt. climbing onto the beast's snout he stabbed it in the eye causing it to shriek in pain before he jumped into the air and decapitating the beast with a mighty swing. Dinky leaped out of War's shroud and ran frantically calling for her mother looking to see the mailmare separate from the other adults before running towards her daughter pulling her into a tight embrace a heartwarming moment for all, War in turn got claps on the back and thank yous from the adults before walking towards Dinky. "Are you alright?" he asked "Yeah" she sniffed "I'm Okay thanks to you" "Thank you for saving my daughter mister" she sobbed her eyes swollen with tears before pulling him into a hug her tears soaked his shroud but that didn't matter to him, smiling he returned the embrace a strange feeling of peace entered his heart and welcomed it with open arms. Watching the others return to Ponyville, he stayed back a golden light seeped from his palm. "Woohoo that was AWESOME" shrieked a squeaky voice "Can we do that again?" turning to the Breezie that sat on his shoulder he chuckled "Maybe, just maybe" before following the others turning to no one in particular he gave a knowing wink.