Double Dragon: Shadow over Equestria

by Scarlett Haze

Mission 4 - Meanwhile at the Super Awesome Base

In Appleloosa, two ponies have sat themselves outside of the local pub. Though they may have had a few, the sight of a train flying straight up has not been lost on either of them.

"Lookit that," one mumbles. "They've managed to make it fly."

"WHY THE MOON?!" Jimmy yelled out, trying to talk with his brother in his stuck position.

Billy kept attempting to pull his leg from the train, still finding no success. "IT'S WHERE THE LAST PONY WAS BANISHED TO!"

Jimmy turned to his brother as they breached the atmospheric layer of the earth. "THEY BANISH PONIES TO MOONS?!"

"ONLY TYRANICAL ONES, TO MY KNOWLEDGE!" Billy yelled back. "BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A THOUSAND YEARS TO WAIT ON TO SAVE MARIAN!"

Jimmy's eyes shot open as the moon came into view. "A TH- THOUSAND YEARS?!"

With a resounding crash and groan of metal as it turned unnaturally, the train spun wildly against the white surface of the moon. A final thud of the rotating train revealed that the Lee's and their friends weren't on the top of it anymore. The sound of space is a unique thing. Technically, with nothing for sound to bounce off of, silence was the only thing that greeted the four woozy and slightly hurt warriors.

Billy moved himself to the side of the train, still seated as he put his back on it to stay upwards. Gripping his left arm, he attempted to get blood flowing back into it. "Anyone still alive?"

A resounding chorus of grunts and moans greeted Billy's ears, making him breathe a little easier.

He then took another breath and blinked. When did air on the moon become possible? Something about this whole thing was setting off bells and whistles to his schooling. His head went through tomes of knowledge from his public school days and repeated them resoundly in his mind.

Although, having to question this over everything else that had occurred to him today seemed a little hypocritical, to be honest.

"How do we get out of this one?" Billy heard his brother ask from the other side of the train.

"Like I said," Billy began, before forcing himself to stand. "We don't have a thousand years to wait. We need to get the attention of a certain two ponies that may be able to get us down."

"How do we do that?" Jimmy asked, rubbing his neck and looking over at Shining Armor.

Billy thought over the question for a moment and rubbed his chin, checking on Leash as she licked a wound on her paw. "We need to see if the previous resident left any surprises up here."

"About that," Jimmy started. "Who was the last one on the moon?" Shining Armor's eyes betrayed the answer to Jimmy, letting him know that it was something that wasn't pleasant at all.

"Sister of the one who raises the sun in Equestria," Billy explained. "The creature born from jealousy and fear, Nightmare Moon."

A hush came, letting the brothers know there was nothing else to talk about.

"I'm going with Leash," Billy cried out, starting in a direction. "We'll find something on this moon soon enough."

Jimmy gave a nod to Shining Armor. "Guess you're with me then."

Billy and Leash kept a look out for anything out of the ordinary as they walked. Oddly enough, a chair just seemed to be sitting in the middle of nowhere with what appeared to be a pumpkin right beside it. Although, it could have easily been nothing at all. The sameness of the moon could be easily tricking their vision to see something that may not have been there at all

It was a different experience for Billy, seeing the world above him instead of the moon; like the two places decided to switch positions and not let anyone else know. He could see the sun much further away than the earth and if he could focus, sure enough there were other planets hanging around.

Billy broke the quiet to make the trip more bearable. "So, your pack was meant to protect that mountain and the avatar... right?"

Leash's ears twitched, but she didn't respond.

"I'm not meaning to pry into personal life or nothing," Billy backed up. "I'm just curious as to why you would let someone like Chrysalis into the place when you were meant to protect it from creatures like her."

Leash rubbed her arm and avoided looking at Billy. The nervous tension kept Billy from inquiring any further before he noticed a folded paper hat at his feet. Lifting it up, it looked to be a folded up treasure map, just big enough to fit on a small head. Giving a look into it, Billy finally set the hat back down. He was no origami crafter, and he didn't know how to unfold it. With a shrug, he opted to leave it back where it was on the ground for its owner to reclaim it some time down the line.

The further they traveled, the more of the moon and its surprising wonder revealed itself. By surprising wonder, what Billy had really meant was more moon dust and craters. Finally, on the horizon a building's top could be seen. The closer they came, the larger the building seemed. The structure intimidated them as they saw the form of it looking like a unicorn's skull, the tip of the horn burning in a bright blue.

Staring upwards to the terrifying building, Billy tried looking around the horn to see if something was attached to the tip, perhaps leading them to where the source of energy may be. "If we could get up there..." Billy pondered. "It could work."

The entrance came, and Billy noticed Jimmy and Shining Armor also reaching the same door as they did. Waving to the duo, Billy and Jimmy stared down the towering doors and placed their hands on their hips.

"Shall I?" Billy asked his brother.

"Oh, no." Jimmy waved his hands. "Allow me."

Jimmy reeled back and slammed his fist into the doors, making the mass of metal swing open for the group. "Ladies and children, first." Jimmy said with a grin, motioning the others to go in.

"Ahh," Luna sounded, suddenly hearing an odd buzzing in her ears. She gave a quick shooing motion around her right ear to try and shake off whatever small insect had managed to approach her. Giving a look around, she confirmed that there weren't any insects or extremely small creatures that were even around.

Thankfully, no other pony, be it her guard or any visitor of the castle, seemed to notice her actions and she opted to maintain her composure against the buzz that remained.

The four entered the base and heard the heavy doors shut and seal behind them. The entrance was unnecessarily huge! Black marble walls that reflected the blue neon that hung from it, giving the place a rather unnerving science fiction vibe.

"Welcome, pathetic insects!" A recorded voice boomed out from an unseen speaker. "You are in the Queen's base of operations! You will experience pain and suffering like none you've felt before as you are led in by my... soldiers, shall we call them."

The opposite end of the room opened, revealing mechanical ponies with deadly red LED light eyes and shimmering chrome.

"Now, if you wish to live," The voice continued, her dark nature oozing through and making the party feel they were dealing with an unnatural presence. "You may approach the right hoof wall, faces against it. And the rest of you who feel like... heroes, then suffer the wrath of Nightmare Moon's personal robot army!

Leash was the first to strike, her whip surrounding the neck of one robotic warrior. With a roar and mighty pull, the robot was pulled into the air and swung over her head. The robot landed on the ground, the clang of metal on smooth stone sounding oh, so sweet to the ears.

Shining Armor put his army training to the test, spotting the open weaknesses of the limbs and striking them. The metal bent and his attacker was soon grounded, just as well.

Billy and Jimmy went with their usual methods, bashing the robots in the head until they either exploded or the head was sent careening to the other side of the room.

"What's this?!" Nightmare Moon's voice came on again. "You... you're beating my warriors?! Then she must have sent you."

Jimmy gave a glance to Billy, hoping to get an explanation.

"Remember when I mentioned that this mare had a sister who raised the sun?" Billy asked. After seeing Jimmy give a nod, he continued. "Guess who was the one who sent Nightmare Moon up here."

Jimmy's expression turned to confusion. "This is a little girl's show we're still talking about, right?"

Before the banter could continue, more robotic soldiers made their way in.

"We need to get to the top!" Billy yelled out, before roundhousing a robot in the side of its head.

"That beacon that was on top," Jimmy noted, shoving his knee into the grappled mechanical pony he was holding. "I get ya!"

Pushing through the initial wave was easy enough as they passed into the next room. A large winding staircase caught the attention of the brothers as they began ascending them. They soon were halted by more metallic ponies that beeped unnaturally. Billy took a look at their chests to see explosives hanging off of them.

"Off the stairs!" Billy screamed, trying to push the group back.

It was too late for any of them to not feel the force of the explosion as the stairs fell back to ground level. The hunk of metal settled down and was soon pushed away by Jimmy and Leash as they rose from it.

"Timing, bro," Jimmy coughed. "You have to work on that."

Billy only let out a disdainful moan in response, still attempting to find feeling in his legs.

"How are we going to get to the next floor up now, crazy dragons?" Leash huffed, pacing under what remained of the intact stairs.

Shining Armor wasted no time on focusing on a teleportation spell, but felt a wave of pain strike his head. "Something is keeping my magic from being used. Maybe we can find another way up."

Jimmy flapped his wings and motioned to Leash to get on his back. "I'll get you on the return trip, Shining," Jimmy promised.

Shining Armor gripped Jimmy's shoulder before he moved and motioned to a gun on a pole hanging in the corner, pointing directly at him. "I don't think flying is going to work if that thing is going to do something."

"Get in close," Leash said with a confident smirk. "I just need one shot with my baby."

Jimmy gave a look of uncertainty to Leash, "It's aimed at me. I don't think I'll be able to get close without feeling some nasty firepower."

"Stupid plan, I'll agree with that," Leash shrugged. "However, between the both of you dragons, it's those kinds of plans that you like to do anyway."

Billy kipped up from his lying position and looked up to the stairs. "Doesn't look too high up," he thought. "Leash, I'll huck you up there."

Leash tried to find the right kind of look of confusion to Billy before asking, "What do you mean by 'huck'?

A howl of wild fear could be heard across the base as Leash was sent hurtling upwards. Her paws reached the edge of the stairs as she hung there, doing her best to pull herself up. Her legs kicked against the empty air before she finally managed to get seated.

"Alright, you're on catch duty," Billy started.

Leash barked angrily at the blue dragon below before speaking, "Don't you ever do that again! I will end you if you even attempt to put your greasy claws on me again!"

Billy looked down at his hands and observed them closely before gently wiping them on his sides, "They're not greasy," Billy mumbled in protest.

"Whatever!" Leash continued to scream. "Start bringing up the rest and I'll pull them up the rest of the way."

Jimmy went to pick up Shining Armor and was set to fling him when he noticed that Shining was stiff as a javelin. Taking that as a cue, Jimmy reeled back and let the stallion fly straight at Leash. He didn't expect to be such a direct shot however, as Leash was unprepared to take a full-body unicorn shot to the face.

"Sorry!" Jimmy shouted, cringing at the sight of Leash collapsed with Shining Armor on top of her. He looked over his brother as he cupped his hands for him to step on. "Hang on a minute," he realized. "Billy, if I get up there, how will you get up there without flying and setting off the turret up there?"

"I climb," Billy flatly responded.

"On what?" Jimmy asked with minor hesitation.

"Just step up on here," Billy sighed.

Jimmy took Billy's advice and felt himself lifted up. Gripping the step, Jimmy went to pull himself up when he felt a weight at his legs. "How'd I know? HOW'D I KNOW?!"

Billy started to pull himself up on Jimmy's body and awkwardly tried to avoid scratching or pressing on anything that could be easily hurt. "This is the only way, Jimmy. Sorry to do this to you."

Jimmy regripped the step and tried to ignore some of the pain that was occurring to him. "I hate you sometimes, Billy, do you know that?!"

"I'll repay the favor down the line," Billy grunted, now passing over Jimmy's head.

"WHEN ARE WE GOING TO FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION LIKE THIS AGAIN, BILLY?!" Jimmy screamed.

Without answering, Billy helped Jimmy up and finally they all got to the second floor. The second floor resembled a dojo, familiar territory for the Lee brothers as they tried to move past the awkward situation that occurred.

"So, reached the next floor, have you?" Nightmare Moon's voice came on again. "My loyal minotaur will take care of your little rebellion, posthaste!"

The sliding doors slammed open, revealing an overly jacked-up minotaur in a white karate gi. His navy blue fur just on the cusp of black, without going the whole way. His horns pointed forward, adding to his menacing stare as he focused on the group. His intensity was soon lost as he attempted to restrain himself from laughing, and then failing miserably. "Ha, Ha! Th- They brought in-! Ha, Ha! They let in-! Hoh hoh hoh, ha ha ha ha!"

The Lee's readied themselves, seeing that they were dealing with a much larger opponent. Abobo immediately sprang to mind for the two and the minotaur seemed to be the perfect fit for the body type.

"Big, not fast," Billy quietly noted to his brother.

"Means we got to hit him fast and tire him out before knocking him out," Jimmy added, finishing Billy's thought.

The minotaur finally stopped and went into a ready position, his fists meeting at the edges of his waist, still accenting his muscle mass. "I am Honor Bound! When I fight, I make no sound!" He shouted, each word making the veins on his arms stand out. "My attacks are swift! With my power, I'll give you a face lift!" He then leaned forward to the group and winked, "If you catch my drift."

"Then let's settle it," Leash spoke up, snapping her whip. Striking her whip at Honor Bound, she found it ripped from her paws and saw it flung to the other end of the room.

"We'll settle it with only ONE weapon!" Honor Bound grunted before crashing a closed fist into his open hand. "With my fists, I'll teach you a lesson!"

Suddenly, the minotaur charged forward, surprising the group as it reared his head and sent them all flying in different directions. Billy only managed to land on his feet and turned back to Honor Bound, seeing an overconfident smirk on his face.

"Scratch the big guy, slow attack angle, Jimmy!" Billy screeched. "He's big AND fast!"

"Yep," Jimmy said, his body crumpled and upside-down. "I'm quite aware of that."

"I have an idea," Shining Armor spoke up, righting himself again. "It's risky, but it may work." He waited for Honor Bound to make a charge before leaping up and wrapping his hooves around the horns on the minotaur's head. "We take the bull by the horns!"

Honor Bound was thrown off balance by the added weight and soon found himself crashing into a wall and getting stuck in it.

Billy and Jimmy took advantage of the brief opening and started bashing their fists into the ribs of Honor Bound, soon realizing that each shot they took felt like they were punching concrete.

"What is this... thing made out of?!" Jimmy grunted, opening and closing his fists to try and make the pain go away.

"Abobo 2.0, more like it," Billy mentioned backing away from the minotaur to think of another plan. "We're on the right track with the horn part, but I don't know how we're going to hurt him!"

Honor Bound ripped his head out of the wall and reaching back, gripped Shining Armor. Flipping him off his back, he sat out and brought Shining Armor's back squarely against the solid wooden floor.

Shining Armor felt all of the air in him escape as the rippling pain carried from his back to his chest. Something in him must have broke, because he couldn't force himself to get back up.

"Foolish pony," Honor Bound grunted. "When someone gets on your back, then get on the attack!"

Leash's eyes glinted, taking the words as a hint on what to do. "Dragons," she excitedly cried. "His back! Everything else but his back is ripped with muscle!"

Honor Bound suddenly felt very naked and uncertain when he heard the one secret about his incredible physique was let loose. "D- don't fool yourself in thinking that is the right answer! You're probably mad that I'm a fantastic belly dancer!"

"That doesn't even make any sense as a threat," Billy said before forcing himself to bend backwards to avoid a running clothesline by the minotaur. From the crab position, Billy continued to roll and performed a mule kick to Honor Bound's back, making the minotaur howl in pain.

Leash moved past the minotaur and reacquired her whip, waiting for a moment to step in and give a few lashes. She felt a major satisfaction to solving the problem before the dragons could. Her happy moment was cut back to reality as she remembered why she was here. She would need to explain to them why she let the changeling queen into the chambers sometime, but not in the middle of a big fight.

"I won't be beaten!" Honor Bound howled. "Not here, or during any season!" His panic was soon cut off with a solid shot to his spine by Jimmy, knocking him to his knees. His eyes rolled back as he fell, looking up to the ceiling. "Mistress, forgive me."

"Welp, see ya, big guy." Billy said as he moved to Shining Armor checking to see if anything was wrong.

"HURAGH!" Honor Bound voiced, managing to stand up again. "Systems! High alert! THE HIGHEST OF ALERTS! Nightmare Moon, the queen of Equestria, will put an end to you all, here and now!"

Luna gripped the sides of her head as the buzzing became a high-pitched squeal, she knew where it was coming from, because the squeal now came with a voice.

"Warning! Warning! Intruders on the moon base!" the voice droned repeatedly, nearly driving her insane. She had no choice but to send herself back on the forsaken plane of the moon to stop whatever racket had now lodged itself up there.

A flash of light appeared in the dojo as Luna stood at its center, holding a metallic box. Taking the box, she began repeatedly bashing it to the ground, making the warning lights and signals fade and eventually stop.

"M- mistress?" Honor Bound announced, seeing the visage of his queen look completely different from how he imagined.

"WHAT DID WE TELL YOU ABOUT OUR ALARM SYSTEM?!" Luna bellowed, making the fur on Honor Bound fluff up from the gust of wind from her voice. She looked to the two dragons, the diamond dog, and Shining Armor before shaking herself to a quieter state. "Shining... Armor? What are you and these...?"

She resolutely gave up in attempting to remain calm and ask questions, teleporting them all of them back to Canterlot Castle.