//------------------------------// // Chapter 9: Part 1, Escort // Story: The Bridge: A Godzilla-MLP Crossover // by Tarbtano //------------------------------// Mothra Twilight Sparkle Anguirus Rainbow Dash Rodan Princess Luna Captain Blueberry Frost Cached Ire Hammerbolt Incognito Blade Dancer Bold Rush Godzilla Shadow of Red ???? -------------------------- Canterlot Castle -------------------------- The five of the six teleported into the middle of the palace's main hall were beyond bewildered. Rodan leaned between Anguirus and Mothra to try and keep his footing as all three kaiju looked at their new surroundings with a mix of awe and alien fear. Anguirus was a bit in both boats. -So... this is what it feels like inside a building...- Anguirus eyed the walls and stained glass with a mix of fascination and uneasiness. Rodan stared up at the ceiling for a few moments with a slightly saddened look. -A sky without a sun, clouds, or the other celestials.... I don't like it- Mothra's kindly voice chimed into the pterosaurs mind, reassurance strong on her tone. -"You'll get used to it. If the monarch of this land summoned us here it must be something important..."- A powerful voice instantly drew everyone's attention to its source, the head of the staircase leading up to the royal chambers. "Welcome, Elements of Magic and Loyalty." Princess Luna stood at their peak, tall and proud despite the bandages coating half her body. One of her flanks was completely covered in magic-charged wrappings, a cast was formed over her lower right hoof, portions of her waving mane bore remnants of burn marks; and bruising encircled half of her right eye. She was clearly healed from her ordeal, but the idea such a powerful being could appear even in a worse shape than she was now was a frightening prospect for the ponies in attendance. The lunar princess strode down slowly, limping slightly due to her wrapped hoof. Her voice was strong and dignified, though her occasional wincing did fumble it slightly enough to not bother with royal formalities. "We-.. I apologize my letter was on such short notice. With Celestia tending to Cadence, you were the only one I could request assistance from." Twilight stopped being slack jawed from the sight before her and scrambled to respond. If Luna was deciding to drop her voice it had to be serious. Rainbow Dash managed to hide her fear at seeing one of her rulers so bandaged up a bit more. It wasn't normal seeing someone so regal and powerful in a state like this. "Y-yes of course Princess! You said there was an attack on the castle! What happened?! Are you alright?!" "Looks like something did the number on you, are you going to be ok?!" Luna closed her eyes and held up an assuring hoof. "I am fine now my little ponies, just wounds from a previous duel with the castle's attacker. The mages and doctors did their work and we alicorns heal rapidly, I'll be fine in a few hours... As for the attack, I fear a most dangerous individual had assaulted the castle....." The dark alicorn narrowed her eyes and cast her gaze over towards the odd trio standing to the side of the two elements. Luna's face remained unmoved as her horn began to glimmer casting an archaic spell, making the aura, the life-force or spirit of a being; visible to her. To the outside eye, they were an odd looking Earth Pony, Gryphon, and Changeling standing close to Twilight and Rainbow Dash. One their aura was in view, Luna only saw a trio of alien creatures being idle next to her ponies. A spiny quadruped, a broad winged bird-like dragon; and a curiously shaped butterfly exposed themselves next to the auras of the elements. "...I see he was not alone in his number." Rodan was a bit wide eyed, glancing back and forth between Mothra and Luna with a cocktail of confusion and fear. He tried his best to whisper despite trying to reach out to his ally via her telepathy. -"Mothra I don't like the way that pony is looking at me..."- -"She's been through much Rodan. She knows what we are and it's made her tense. I'll handle this."- Mothra strode up to the alicorn. Noting she was apparently about half a head taller, the changeling quickly bent her forelimbs and craned her neck down, bowing respectfully to the diarch of the night. After shooting a brief, hard telepathic shout to her cohorts, Anguirus and Rodan also bowed down... Or at least Rodan tried too before slipping off his balance and face planting into the floor. "........ow." Anguirus broke his bow and quickly shifted to help his friend up. "You really need to get the hang of this. You're flopping around like a fish out of water." "Shut it before I peck you..." Mothra held in a shrug, rolling her eyes with a chuckle as she raised her head back up, looking into the eyes of the night princess. "If the race you speak of is 'kaiju', yes we are of their numbers. My allies and myself mean you no harm." Princess Luna remained unmoved for a moment, her mane flowing forward in magical radiance. Slowly, she nodded. "A better greeting than your predecessor to say the least, still... a threat could be posed..." Luna's horn glimmered as he eyes narrowed slightly, not liking one bit how close these 'kaiju' were to her subjects. Rainbow Dash cut in instinctively, wincing a bit from her injuries as she spread her unbroken wing in the direction of Anguirus. "They're no threat! The changeling is just as big an egghead as Twilight and the Spiky one's a good guy. I was in an campground that came under attack from a gang of dragons. He somehow turned into this giant alligator thing and beat the snot outta the drakes!" A flash of green shifted and popped out from Anguirus' mane, rolling down his back. Falling onto her rump, Gentle Leaf shook her head to clear it before looking around. Upon seeing one of the rulers of her land, the wide eyed filly could only wave her hoof as she smiled. Anguirus was quick to shift his focus, shrugging as he patted the happy filly's head as he shook his slowly. Mothra glanced back at the pair. "It's true. Had Anguirus not been there to fend off the dragons, many more lives would have been lost." Princess Luna raised an eyebrow at the tale being pitched to her. The spiny earth pony before her looked well built, easily a match for many of the guards, but fending off a whole group of dragons singlehoofedly? A lovely dream, but one that was all but impossible... unless the Element of Loyalty's words about some giant crocodilian was true. "If you traveled here amongst the elements and have their trust, I trust in their decision. As for the methods behind the feats they claim, that will need to come later." Rodan stood up to a more natural stance, slowly gaining a better sense of balance. Amidst the hall and permeating from Princess Luna herself, he smelled something. Something familiar. Someone familiar. "Your Majesty,-" Rodan said with a calm voice as he took a shaky step, flapping his broad wings to both help propel and steady him. Princess Luna looked over to the odd looking gryphon. "-where is Godzilla?" The lunar princess blankly responded. "I've sent for him to be escorted here." ============= Heavy hoofsteps, surrounded by a barrage of lighter hoofsteps creaked down the hall leading up from the dungeon. Heavy chains rattled against the floor as deep breathing echoed out from a thick muzzle. The rattle of armor and weapons creaked as off glances looked over recurved fangs, a frizzled mane; and bent horn. The entourage of guards was as silent as they were varied. Due to an...incident... earlier, half the guard staff that had been on shift was on medical leave for at least a week. The remaining guards on hand had been away at the time and had suddenly found themselves escorting one of the most powerful prisoners in recent memory. Needless to say, between that knowledge and the fact that said prisoner easily was a full head taller than the largest of them, yet had been next to passive throughout the ordeal, was putting them at enough unease it could be cut with a knife. Still, Captain Blueberry Frost stayed firm as she took up point, her lance standing tall into the air. To her right was Major Cached Ire, a subordinate who was not afraid to give an unending glare at the unresponsive prisoner. Major Hammerbolt was the largest in their party, giving some relief to Private Incognito. Had the massive crimson stallion not been at the new recruit's side, being the only one on the prisoner's left flank might have been hair raising for anyone. Bringing up the rear and keeping watch on all in front of her was Lieutenant Blade Dancer, who's long mane did not obscure her constantly keeping a wing on the handle to her cutlery. Blueberry Frost glanced back in annoyance at the last member of their posse, who was walking up beside Blade Dancer. The scowling face of Private Bold Rush was one of the last things she wanted to see. The unicorn was tall, lean but powerfully built behind his dark coat and mane; and bristling with rage as his spider cutie mark gleamed. -Blade Dancer is on a hair trigger and Ire's still torn up about this guy putting half her squad in the infirmary. Please don't be stupid again, Rush.- "Keep it moving everypony, glancing at him is not going to make us move any faster." Blueberry Frost tried to keep looking forward as they marched on, but couldn't help but shoot back off glances to make sure her platoon was keeping to the escort. -This guy took down over twenty guards in one burst. Still, he's been keeping very calm so far and if he's strong enough to smash through a wall it's a miracle he didn't put anypony in critical... I wonder if?... No, just focus on the mission for now, you got appearances to keep. Just hope the others keep calm. Last thing we need is an incident to flare on in transit... Come on keep your lids on guys.- Bold Rush didn't follow expectations, and killed the calm. "Should have just executed him on the spot. Striking the Princess like that." he spat, as if there prisoners couldn't hear him. "Quiet Private." "What? It be quick, just a slice through the neck. We could even mount the beast's skull on the guard chambers.... Besides, doesn't need to even be an execution." Cached Ire rolled her eyes, glaring back at what had to be her least favorite guard in the world. Her voice was barely any more polite than a grumbling growl. She grumbled lowly, "And what are you on about now? Another scheme to try and get yourself in Luna's chambers?" Bold Rush growled. He was a stallion known for three things. The strive for legendary heroism, adoration for beauty and wish to surround himself with the latter. Captain Frost was half convinced he only joined to ogle the female guards or get closer to the princesses. The captain could already feel her fur standing up on end in prayer what she was expecting to build would stop. But she knew such hope was pointless. Godzilla had disrupted Rush's peace and harmed someone Bold had made no secret he saw as an apex for his desires. This wasn't going to end well, and Captain Frost picked up her pace to try and hurry the group along as the guards muttered among themselves. ".... As I was saying... we cooould have a 'prisoner escape' in transit and had to use lethal force. Already a plausible scenario and would remove a threat..." Bold Rush said with a sly tone. Hammerbolt bluntly retorted, trying his hardest not to back kick the snob behind him, "You know damn well we don't do that to other ponies, or anything for that matter. Princess Luna ordered him over alive and I will not abuse my code to harm another of Equestria out of some jealousy spat." "And have you even looked to your left?! This thing is no more an Equestrian than a nightmare monster. Wouldn't even be execution, just pest control....Hey, you even listening?" Bold Rush lifted a hoof and smacked it against the midsection of the prisoner. Heavy muscle and unnaturally dense tissue stopped the blow in the same effect to as if the unicorn had tried to punch solid rock. The target was unmoved, not even apparently noticing. Bold Rush, not one of great mind, sneered, grabbing the end of his baton and smacked it against a ribcage that had previously shrugged off magic blasts from an alicorn. Needless to say, no matter how hard he hit, it was a no sell. He might as well have been trying to chisel away a granite bolder with a rubber duck. Blueberry Frost ignored the first few blows, but finally she had her duty to perform, personal views or suspicions regardless. Duty needed enforcement. Without even looking back, she barked her orders in her thick country accent. "GIT' back in file Private, now!" Bold Rush gave one last strike, one about as harmful as a fly landing on a airship; before he begrudging got back in file. That is, while his body got back in place, his mouth didn't. His mumbles were audible to his entire platoon, as was the quiet skid of his sword being drawn. "Have a good look at the walls demon, Princess Luna will like a good spot to mount your head as an ash tray when I hoof it over... For attempting to murder her guards of course..." The insult was just as audible to the prisoner. Halting in place, the massive stallion raised his horned head, red and yellow eyes flickering. The entire group of guards halted, even their movements to tug on his chains not budging the behemoth of a unicorn. Burning red and gold eyes glared through the transgressor. Bold Rush reacted on impulse, trying to bring up his sword and swing at the prisoner's neck. Just before impact, Godzilla released retaliated full force. Effortlessly snapping the chains around his forehooves as if they were made of plastic, the king of the kaiju pushed aside Incognito and Ire to get them out of the way. Eyes flashed and a spiky mane glowed with neon light as he swung out a forehoof and smashed it into the unruly guard's chest. Armor dented in as he was hurled back four feet and straight into a wall. Bold Rush's sword skittered across the ground, Godzilla stepping on it and bending the steel underhoof. A low voice growled with a deep rumble in the back of their throat. "I don't kill who's not a threat..." The unicorn groaned as he slumped against the floor, looking up in shaky breath as Godzilla towered over him. Blue and white flames tore free from his maw, melting and burning the muzzle away until nothing but cinders fell to the floor. The kaiju convert planted a hoof on Bold Rush's stomach, pinning him down. A hardened, enraged voice spoke out through the embers. "Don't....push me..." Godzilla felt the chill of cold metal on his neck, glancing to his side. "Step. Away... from him..." The former kaiju cast a glance down at the recurved steel put to his throat, trailing up to the determined face of Blade Dancer. The pegasus mare that hovered before him was not alone, the gleaming tip of Blueberry Frost's lance being all too visible as it pointed at his chest. The remaining three were forming a line around the former kaiju, making themselves ready and armed as well. Godzilla only eyed the group before giving a bemused, approving nod, taking his hoof off of his would be abuser. "You ponies are impeccable in your resolve. Admirable... Now that the issue is settled." The stallion held up his hooves before nodding at the spare hoofcuffs Incognito had on his armor. "I think you lot were escorting me somewhere?" The silence was enough one could hear a pin drop, everypony who wasn't actually a kaiju was half dumbstruck. After a few moments Blueberry Frost shifted her lance back to a neutral pose. "Private, 'cuff the prisoner. Majors Hammerbolt and Ire w'll take Bold Rush to the Docs'. After your done Incognito, you go help them with that klutz and check on the other guards." "Yes ma'am!...." Incognito cautiously approached Godzilla with slow steps. He got a few shakes coursing through his body as he approached the same hooves he saw bend steel. Swallowing his fear, he spoke out in a whisper. "These might be uncomfortable but I mean you no harm. Please don't attack me, it's just my first day..." A voice Incognito recognized in pitch but foreign in tone uttered out calmly. Godzilla nodded slowly. "You've done nothing to give me a reason to attack, I will not harm you unless you change that." Blade Dancer overheard the exchange, raising an eyebrow but keeping quiet as she held her position. The two stallions gave slow glances to the stern face of their captain, before slowly nodding and going at their work. Incognito set the hoof cuffs to their largest diameter before putting them on Godzilla. Blade Dancer keeping her weapons to the prisoner's throat gave the now confused private some assurance, keeping calm despite seeing the unicorn smash his way through chains twice as thick just moments earlier. Hammerbolt and Ire passed by the trio as they picked up and carried off the beaten down private, slinging him over Hammerbolt's shoulders as Ire steadied them from above. Hammerbolt and Ire both gave near identical thoughts. -Brave, bold idiot...- -Dumb*** had it coming...- Incognito looked back to his captain, the new recruit giving a honorable salute before running after the Majors to clear their way. The captain gave an approving nod. -Good kid that Incog'... Now..- "Lieutenant Blade Dancer, at'ease. We'll escort the prisoner from here." Blade Dancer narrowed her eyes before slowly lifting her namesakes away from Godzilla's unmoved neck. The tall pegasus mare sheathed her blades and folded her wings, taking up formation on Godzilla's flank, the captain on the other side. "Right, now let's get moving." "At your will captain." They had walked silently down several corridors and headed down a long hallway, Blade Dancer leaning over to whisper something the kaiju couldn't hear to her captain before Godzilla broke the silence. "I probably just bruised half your underling's ribs right in front of you. Thought you'd be more angered than this." Blueberry Frost dropped the stoic face she'd been holding for some time, rolling her eyes in an amused manner before chuckling lightly. "Had it happened to anypony else I would have probably run you through. Private Bold Rush however had more strikes on his sorry flank than any in my platoon eva' did. He'd be more inclined to run off to the girl's club than file in his rank. Would'a demoted or discharged him long ago if his family wasn't them fancy snobs they are. 'Sides, I could tell you just roughed him up; he'll be fine once the medics get to em. Heck, Blade Dancer here probably would have done worse to him in the past if I hadn't held her back." Blade Dancer cracked a smirk as she giggled, nodding. "With amount of times I had to throw his rear out of the mare barracks' showers, he had it coming. Someone was going to break a few of his sorry bones eventually, I'm just bummed you probably just bruised that thick skull of his." Blueberry Frost laughed a bit under her breath, lifting a hoof and lightly punching the enormous unicorn on the shoulder. "Maybe he'll get so scared silly he'll resign. And dun get torn up about what he said about your head on a wall, he's just been eyeing Princess Luna like a love drunk colt. Half the reason I think he signed up." Godzilla could only lift an eyebrow at the oddly friendly behavior. "You two seem... oddly amicable for someone who sent half the guards to the infirmary and struck your monarch." Blueberry Frost looked ahead, guiding the trio around a turn and down the stairs; her country accent ripping through as she spoke in a relaxed tone. "Diarch actually, her big sisters outta' town at the moment. Listen I'm ah' good judge of character, and Blade Dancer told me a few words she overheard. I've seen and heard the things you can do, and if you meant us harm you'da done a lot worse. I saw how easily you broke out, so if you did want to lash out, you'd have done it earlier. If you meant to kill anypony, you'd have done so earlier too. I'm no oblivious hopeful, but I know a vile soul when I see one; and vile you ain't. Call me hopeful, but I reckon' there's been some heapin' of misundertstanding about. Y'er definitely not soft, but not some crazed sociopathy' headcase. I had an incline on what was going on so I was bit more lax than I normally am, despite the amount of wallop you can pack. Why else did you think I was fine escorting you with just a few other guards and not the whole squad in the first place?" Godzilla Junior glanced over at the Captain as she turned her head, sharing a look before both looked forward to see where they were going. "Then why the sudden call to arms when I broke out? I distinctly recall the feeling of cutlery on my neck." Blade Dancer smirked at the last remark as Blueberry Frost shrugged. "Eh, knee jerk reaction. You get it after a few years. More or less wasn't a conscious thought." "Nothing personal big guy." Godzilla glanced at their weapons briefly before continuing on, the captain's more than friendly tone of voice beginning to get to him. "If you're all so benign, I am sorry for harming your kind. I just remember waking up in the ...throne room did you call it?- And being surrounded by guards. One of them grabbed my hoof and I thought I was being attacked, so I fought back. One thing led to another I guess... I just hope this 'Princess Luna' understands that." "Eh, don't get ye' worries in a bundle. Medics fixed her and the others up nicely and alicorns heal quick. Luna and the afternoon shift always were a bit quick to the lance, so I can vouch that what your spinning is possible. Just tell the truth and she'll know." After a time, Blade Dancer glanced over at the stallion that was a full head and a half taller than her high form. "If you're not the villain type, why not break out if you felt wrongly imprisoned?" Godzilla looked back at her, not knowing what in the realms of Tanaka of what to make of her changing face as he felt her looking him over. "Because I didn't know what was going on. Besides I didn't want to risk harming any innocents if it did turn out to be one big misunderstanding with you ponies. I felt I could still break free if I felt I was in danger, but thought staying nearby was the best way to find out what was what." A smirk became visible on Blade Dancer's face, one Godzilla could tell was part confidence and another part something he couldn't trace. He knew one thing. Her looking him over was unnerving. She however was looking over his dark color, tall, draught horse-like build with an agreeing eye. -Let's hope your telling the truth about the being good part, I'm liking what I'm seeing~ - -Good Tanaka lady, stop looking at me like that. I don't know what you're doing but it's weird.- The trio neared the entrance to a familiar hallway. "And if Princess trusts yah and you end up stayin', don't be afraid to talk to a recruiter." Captain Frost quipped, shrugging her shoulders and letting herself hope for best case scenario after all. Meanwhile Blade Dancer smirked, winking at oblivious stallion as she got a last word in before straightening up for royalty. Godzilla felt a wing gently smack his back as she passed, Blade Dancer smirking contently with a minor blush. "Don't be shy, I'd like to see more of your cut in the training hall." Godzilla only had one thought as he walked into the chamber. -First I get kicked in the face by an equine princess, then being offered a role by the Captain... and now I think that blade happy mare is trying to signal me for Tanaka knows what... By my father's spines, this race's females are strange..- ----------------------- As the two guards and their prisoner entered the room, a barrage of words were all yelled out almost in unison due to Luna recognizing the guard staff and the kaiju present recognizing Godzilla Junior. "Greetings guards." "GOJI!" "Chief!" "Hello Junior." "Junior?" "Another one! And he's a unicorn!" "Geez calm down Twilight." Blueberry Frost and Blade Dancer couldn't help by share a small laugh at the banter they heard. They bowed to their ruler. "As you requested Y'er majesty." "Thank you, you may leave us now." "As you wish Princess Luna." The duo rose back up to their full height and departed, but not before Godzilla caught a wink from Blade Dancer out of the corner of his eye. The former kaiju didn't know whether to shrug in annoyance or embarrassment as the chuckling of the large stallion in the hall below told him he'd seen the mare's signal. Godzilla felt a bead of sweat run down his face. Then something occurred to him... -Wait a minute.... three of that group called me by name- Godzilla's eyes trailed over red horns, brown spines, and rainbow wings before his face slowly shifted to a large smile. The massive stallion's entire mood shifted to joy as he rushed right past several of the native Equestrians before anyone could stop him, and ran up to his old comrades. Twilight and Rainbow didn't know what to make of the sight, but couldn't help but giggle. They had expected a hardened, sociopathic assailant to be escorted in; not some giddy soul who was embracing his friend's like a colt meeting his classmates at school. Princess Luna, despite being puzzled by the spectacle, was more worried with the reinforced hoofcuffs Godzilla had snapped midstride without even noticing. She also noticed the wounded state she'd thought he'd be in, or lack there of. -He was riddled with wounds and received minimal medical attention in the dungeon, but his strength seems to have returned full force. The one called Mothra seems to be the most placid of their group, let's hope she can reign in that monstrosity...- Godzilla and his group however couldn't have been happier. Much had happened, but numerous conflicts and war had reforged each of them into steadfast allies. For as puzzling the thought might be to some, the four kaiju were to each other exactly what the analogy Twilight and Rainbow Dash had thought of. For them, they were each surrounded by three of their closest friends. "How did you all get here?" "Magical ponies." "Tell me what's new..." "Why were you in chains?" "Misunderstanding with the guards, got into fight with that diarch." "Dammit Goji what have I told you about getting into fights with unknowns?" "Hey they attacked first!" "Godzilla... crowned king of the kaiju, attacked by magical technicolored ponies and forced to fight back..." "...Nooot the most awe inspiring of your duels Chief." "Compared to the random alien, dragon, and alien dragon invasions have fought weirder before..." Mothra smacked her hole filled hoof into her face as a flurry of green bounced up to the group. Gentle leaf popped up from among them, perching on Anguirus's head, waving at Godzilla with a perky smile on her face. The King of the Monsters gave the other Terran Defenders a half confused, deadpan glance. "...Who's child is that?" Their greetings and banter however were cut short by a booming voice above them. Princess Luna held a stern face as she looked down at the stallion who'd been her foe just a few hours ago. Godzilla returned the look. "What's this I hear about a 'misunderstanding' sending half my guards to the infirmary?" Luna's look was very unamused, but before Godzilla could reply a gentle but firm voice chimed into his head. Mothra Lea was sweating bullets and anxiously whispering to her ally via telepathy. -"Bow to her, NOW. She's on edge both for herself and for the ponies around you. There now being four of us isn't making it any better. Bow and show you respect her and mean no threat, or we might get Cross Dimensional Royal Rumble Round 2."- Godzilla shrugged as he swallowed his pride as he looked back at the nightly princess, bowing his forelimbs as he lowered his head close to the floor, looking down. Princess Luna needless to say was not expecting this, but reigned in her surprise as she waited for her answer. Godzilla rose back to his feet and all noise in the room ceased. "It is true... I crash landed in your palace on accident. I do not know how I got here. When your guards approached, I was in a daze. When one grabbed my arm, I thought I was being attacked and shoved them back, causing the fight to break out. More and more came in and one thing lead to another. I am sorry for the harm I've caused, but in my eyes I was only defending myself." Princess Luna held her head high and looked down upon the kaiju, weighing her mind if the apology was genuine or not. Twilight nervously bit her forehoof, hoping the idle stare the alicorn and unicorn were giving each other truly was contemplating thought and not them sizing each other up for another fight. Luna's decision was ambiguous. "Your damages can be repaired, and the captain seemed amicable enough around you... I'll find out the full truth later and measure if your word holds up, but for now, I believe a more pressing matter is at hoof." Luna let her voice echo through the large hall as she looked towards the balcony and window. "Before I ask where you all came from, how many of you are there?" Twilight and Mothra shot each other a nervous glance as the alicorn's gaze came upon them. Mothra nodded to the purple alicorn before speaking up. "We aren't sure how many of us might have ended up here your majesty, but we believe we have a spell that can answer that... abet... you may get some house guests if we're right." ============ Red was beyond enraged and not having an enjoyable day. His domain was invaded, some of his minions and lieutenants lay dead on the ground; and his hellish realm was slowly but steadily being overtaken by sheets of cold blackness. The entirety of Zenith was being changed before his dark eyes. Where there was once bloody, craggy spires of rock was now clean, smooth, pillars of black glass. The burning rivers of blood and torrents of lava were shifting to black seas that chilled the air. Even the air, once a blazing, sweating heat; was becoming a cold, lonely, biting shadow. Zenith was becoming a hell of a totally new category. It was once brimmed with torture, legions of hell beasts; and disgusting chaos that fueled one with agony and fear. Now it was becoming a lair of isolation, darkness, uniformity, and cold. What was once a domain where the greatest fear was everlasting pain, was becoming the nesting place of possibly the most hellish fear of all. Being frozen. Being lost. Being helpless. Being all alone... True, Red was no weakling. The latter part wouldn't be as much of a concern of his if he didn't feel his strength being sapped every time he stepped on that gleaming obsidian realm. When he kept to his remaining domain, he was holding his own just well in the fight itself, the oncoming energy barrages inflicting relatively light wounds that pushed his insectoid body around more than it did harm him. There was only three problems that kept the hellish lord from finishing what could have been an easy fight quickly. For one, the obsidian was surrounding him and growing, giving him less room to dodge or fight without feeling drained by the very ground or air he trod upon. Secondly, the black pestilence kept growing back quicker than he could destroy it, and his enemies kept diverting his attention; so he couldn't halt the spread. Thirdly, enemies was a plural word. Opening his gaping maw to hose down the foe before him with hellfire, The Shadow of Red didn't have time to divert his flames to his flank as a massive form burst from the rivers of blood turned dark water. The glimmer of crimson burst out and a beam of plasma smashed into the side of Red's carapace and knocked him back. Blasted back into the icy blackness, Red groaned. More of his energy was sapped every passing second, and he barely had enough time to smack back one oncoming attacker with his tail before he managed to leap out of the zone of influence. Had he enough time to fight his foes individually he could easily overpower them. But time was against him. The black pestilence spread quicker and quicker and he kept getting attacked from every angle. He needed to reduce his attacker's numbers quickly, and he thought he knew how to pull it off. Leaping over an onslaught of plasma, Red reached the still intact steps of his temple. Energy trickled out from the bloodied ground, emanating from the remaining corpses of his fallen forces; as it flowed up his spike-like legs. The glow drew itself into Red's arm, shimmering amidst his claws. Red glared back into the red eyes of his main enemy, as it slowly walked down from the temple. Red's gaping maw drew a smirk before he threw his limbs out. There was silence for a moment, and then there was a vacuum. About 200 meters out in the direction Red had thrust his arm, a black oval opened up like a curtain behind his foe. Inside it's tapestry was a myriad of sights. Hundreds of worlds, hundreds of stars, thousands of dimensions. A portal to an entirely new realm. Air, both blistering hot and biting cold rushed past Red as his foe began to slide backwards towards the portal behind him; the rip between realms was a greedy maw as it sucked everything it could reach back. Red smirked, assured his plan had worked. -It is the leader, cut the head off the snake, and the body stops moving...- However, the beast cackled in rage, slamming its arm down into the obsidian below it, stabbing the rest of its claws downward to anchor itself. It's backwards descent slowed in spite of the portal's pressure. Fortunately, Red was not one to wait for the portal alone to whisk his foe away. Flames licked out from his massive, bloodied lips and ignited hollow cavities where eyes should have been. "Beeeee gooooone..." Just as Red was about to send his foe away, a slow, mocking, dark chuckle called forth from his would-be victim's breath, echoing across the cavernous walls of Zenith as it if it was being spoke by a thousand voices. The intruder opened his eyes, the orbs glowing in the darkness. "....yooou first..." Before Red could unleash his attack, a piecing shriek split the air behind him. A winged, serpentine body, glowing from tip to tail in crimson energy slammed into Red from behind. Scorpion-like legs lost their grip and the hellbeast was hurled forward, flying past the still form of his dragonetic foe as it outstretched a hand and caught the serpent to keep it from being sucked in too. Red didn't have time to slash at his surroundings to try and gain a hand hold, before he was sucked through the portal. Banished from his own homeland, the scowling, enraged face of Red screamed out as he landed in a storming sea of an unknown realm, not of Equestrian and likely not of man. A mocking, fang filled grin closed the portal behind him, and the intruder of Zenith became its new master.