I felt a sickening, lurching sensation and suddenly I was on my hands and knees in cool grass. My stomach rebelled against the rest of my body and made sure to make a big show about it. I just barely managed to keep my breakfast down and shakily got to my feet. Around me, the flock was dong the same, while the princesses looked on in concern. Unfortunately, Nudge an Gazzy hadn't been able to keep themselves from puking their guts out. Poor guys.
A quick catalog of my surroundings told me a couple things. First and foremost, we were all here and in (arguably) good shape. Second, judging by the now-familiar mountain bearing a city at whose base we now stood, Celestia had teleported us. Awesome as the idea seems, I'll have you know that the experience is much less glamorous in real life, if I could even call the shit we get into "real life" anymore. As it was, I simply filed the information away under "more magic bullshit." I shot the white alicorn a glare that I hoped conveyed something like "frickin' warn me next time."
Apparently, I got through, because she winced sympathetically when she met my eyes. It almost made me feel a little guilty. Except it didn't.
Finally, I focused on the thing that probably should have been my first priority, or at least my second: the Feminazi herself. The bitch was standing proudly and at least a foot taller than I remembered, and there was a palpable aura of power around her. Something had definitely changed since we last met, and boy was she feeling good about it.
"Princess Celestia and Luna, I presume." Her holier-than-thou tone made me ball up my fists in anger, itching to deck her right in her smug face. "I come before you with but one, simple request. I desire total control over your country. Refusal to satisfy me would be... unfortunate for all the dear citizens of Canterlot."
The princesses' faces hardened. I guessed that peaceful negotiations were already out the window. Celestia and Luna stepped forward stiffly and defiantly. "If you truly believe that we will simply give you sovereignty over the ponies we are sworn to protect, then you severely misunderstand how things work in Equestria," the elder sibling proclaimed.
Luna nodded to her sister and stared challengingly into the whitecoat's eyes. "We will not negotiate with terrorists." I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of action movies, considering that my entire existence basically is one, but I'll be damned if that line isn't badass. "Should you harm even one hair in the coat of one of my little ponies, Faust herself will not be able to save you."
Instead of backing down in the face of such a blatant threat, Lady Hitler (should I actually bother to learn her name?) chuckled, an infuriating smirk on her face. Whatever had happened since we last met must have given her a serious ego boost, and it was really beginning to grate on my nerves. "We both know that that is an empty threat, Luna. You and your sister wouldn't dare risk the safety of your subjects, even if it meant sacrificing your kingdom.
The lunar princess stomped at the grass, horn and wings flaring aggressively. "Do not pretend you know me, human!"
There was that chuckle again. "Who's pretending, Lulu?" For a moment, the bitch's eyes flashed teal and her pupils became slitted and draconic. "The Nightmare sends her regards."
The mood instantly changed. I hear both sisters gasp in shock, then Luna slowly strode forward, making calming gestures with her wings, as if approaching a dangerous animal. "Human, you know not of what you meddle with. The Nightmare may seem to be a powerful ally now, but she is a creature who thrives on deception. She will betray you as soon as you cease being useful. I was once seduced by her promises of power as well. Please do not fall as I did."
The flock looked to me, their expressions confused but wary. I signaled for them to "wait and listen" in our own little made-up sign language. Something serious was going one with the whitecoat, and I sure as hell didn't want to be the one to escalate things (which was actually a nice change of pace).
For a moment, it looked like the scientist was considering Luna's words, and a worried pall fell over her face, but then she cocked her head as if listening to someone whisper in her ear. The smug look instantly returned, and she let out a sinister laugh. "It's not my fault that you were too weak for the Nightmare, Princess." She spat out the word like it insulted her mother. "And my name is Julia Carpenter. You would do well to remember it. After all, mine is the name that will go down in history as humanity's salvation.
Great, now I had a name for the textbook case of megalomania. Why is it that these idiots always think murder is the answer for all people's problems?
Luna stopped advancing, her posture now still and uncertain. Celestia took the opportunity to say her piece. "You are deluding yourself, Ms. Carpenter." I resisted the urge to scream out my thanks when the princess called Julia out for her idiocy. "I fail to see how attacking my kingdom will help your own race. After hearing the terrible things you and your fellow researchers have done to the flock, here, I am reluctant to accept your justification for anything."
At her words, Carpenter finally acknowledged us, though I wasn't thrilled about it, as the scorn and hatred in her eyes filled me with legitimate fear. Regardless, each of us remained resolute, and I met her hate-suffused gaze with a matching one. I kept my mouth shut before my snark got us into trouble, and hoped the flock had the sense to do the same. "What of the mutants?" she asked, seething. "They're not even human. Their existence was a mistake, one I intend to correct."
Then again, we all know how well I react when I'm pissed off and terrified. "Listen, cunt," I snarled, stomping forward ignoring the protests of the flock. "We didn't ask to be created this way, we didn't ask to be freaks, and we sure as hell didn't ask to be tortured and hunted for our whole lives. You assholes did this to us. So if you're not brave enough to take responsibility, at least have the decency not to punish us for something we have no control over. I thought racism was something rednecks resort to when they have no one else to blame for their own mistakes, but I guess that's exactly what's happening here. Funny how that works, isn't it? So you and whatever the hell you have swimming in your head can fuck off."
At this point, I was standing directly in front of the whitecoat. Her eyes were hard as steel as she stared slightly down at me, but mine were diamonds. For once in my life, I was grateful for my freakish height, because I would hate to give this speech while craning my neck. Deep down, I knew that threatening her was a really bad idea, but I don't tend to make the best decisions when pushed. Fang and Iggy confirmed this when they muttered "Dammit, Max," in sync.
Her eyes turned teal and slitted once again, and stayed that way this time. When she spoke, it was not the voice of Julia Carpenter. It was a silky growl, quivering with barely-controlled rage. "Mind your tongue, half-breed. You cannot fathom one iota of my power. I am immortal, and I have been around since the birth of the very planet on which you now stand. What keeps me from striking you down before you draw your next breath?"
"I can think of at least eight people, the worst of which is standing right in front of you," I spat, indicating the flock and the princesses, all of whom looked ready to jump to my aid in the very, very likely event of a fight breaking out, though they weren't happy about me being the cause of it.
Celestia chimed in there. "I had hoped to resolve this peacefully, Julia, but if you are allied with the Nightmare, an enemy of Equestria, then you must also be treated as such. My sworn duty is to protect my little ponies, and I am not afraid to get my hooves dirty in the process of carrying out my vow."
Julia's eyes returned to their normal color and she chuckled menacingly... again. "I suggest you rethink that statement, Princess. We wouldn't want you to do anything rash, now would we?"
I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye and a sickening chill ran down my spine. I had completely forgotten about the flyboys during our "negotiations." I spun in place. My heart started racing and I could feel the adrenaline enter my system, preparing me for the fight that I knew was coming as soon as I caught sight of the small army that had descended to land just behind the flock and the princesses.
When they saw my reaction, the flock sprang into action, forming a tight circle an readying for battle. Luna and Celestia were slower to react, and by the time they faced the flyboys, the first of them were already upon them. Their horns burned with fierce light, assumingly to blast the whole force to hell, but two streaks of black energy blazed past my head and struck them directly in their horns.
Just like that, both princesses dropped like ragdolls.
I saw red, and whirled around with a haymaker aimed directly at the bitch's stupid mouth. It was stopped dead by her hand, still engulfed in a swirling vortex the same color of the blasts that had felled the princesses. It felt like there was a steel vice around my fist, and the aura faded to reveal that Julia was holding my hand as casually as one would an egg. The Nightmare, whatever it was, had given her a serious boost in strength.
Fortunately, I'm no lightweight myself, and I have years of experience with fighting dirty. I swung another punch at her face, which was similarly caught. She smirked at me confidently, and I smirked right back, because she had done exactly what I wanted her to do. Never breaking eye contact, I delivered a bone-crushing kick directly to her cooch.
Her face doubled up in pain and she let go of my hands to cover up her very sensitive area. I used my newfound freedom to send my fist crashing directly into her face, knocking the possessed whitecoat on her ass. You have no idea how incredibly satisfying it was. Keeping one eye on her, I turned slightly to check on the flock.
It wasn't going well. There were numerous dispatched flyboys surrounding their small circle, but more were taking their fallen comrades' places every second. Angel, Iggy, and Nudge were already nursing various cuts, and even Fang and Gazzy were starting to tire. We weren't going to win this fight. There were just too many of them.
A flicker of movement caught my eye and drew my attention back to Julia. I twisted out of the way just as another bolt of black energy screamed past me, impacting a flyboy and making it freaking explode!
Be careful, Max.
I resisted scoffing at the Voice's "advice," instead letting out a ferocious snarl as I lunged towards Julia. We may have been outgunned, outnumbered, and out-everythinged, but I'll be damned if we were gonna go down without a hell of a fight.
I feinted right, then punched out with my left, landing a hit in her gut. Following with a kick, I managed to take out her kneecap. The snap of her bone and her subsequent shriek of pain brought a fierce grin to my face. It was, however, quickly banished when she encased her leg in that same, pitch aura.
Her bones creaked an snapped back together, and the bitch straightened, returning my smirk from earlier. I fought to keep the fear out of my eyes, but, judging by the way her grin widened, I was probably unsuccessful. She lashed out with lightening speed, her elongated nails raked down my cheek, leaving bloody streaks in their wake. I let out a hiss as the white-hot pain clamored for my attention, but pushed it aside and punched out, but she deflected the blow and kicked me in the stomach. All of my air left in a woosh and it took all I had not to vomit all over myself.
I sank to my knees, unable to do anything except wheeze. Julia strode forward, looking more as if she had been walking through a slight breeze than participating in a fist fight. She raised a hand that was once again covered in black magic. I don't remember anything after she laughed and sneered, "Good night, mutant."