//------------------------------//
// The final battle Pt2- Return 
// Story: When Worlds Collide 
// by Lon35hadow 
//------------------------------//

	BANG!!

Lightning expected to feel nothing, literally, when he saw the human pointing it's weapon at him, as he heard the gunshot, which is why he was surprised when he felt his muzzle broken from the punch. He opened his eyes and saw the same human, his arms down by his sides, a hole through his fore head. The dead man then fell over backwards. Lightning then heard three more gun shots, and saw one pony, one sangheili, and one kig-yar fall dead. He remembered what direction the human had fallen, and looked back, towards the hill the changelings had come down.

What he saw was a single human like figure on a vehicle with two wheels, and had olive green coloration, and a small wind shield at the front.



Sitting at what Lightning guessed was the seat, the figure wore, as far as he could tell, a helmet with a single, reddish visor going down the vertical middle. The left shoulder had what looked like an egg over it, with a small piece of silver metal jutting out from it in a triangular way. The chest piece had a smooth appearance, with the top of it, just under the collar bone, being an upside down triangle. The coloration was a forest green, with accents of tree bark brown.

(Just apply color scheme listed above.)


Unseen by Lightning, or any others, for that matter, Plasma clenched his fists. "So," he said, anger coming through his voice,"it seems a few of you have reverted to the forms your species originally had."

The figure put his sniper rifle on his back and said, "Yeah. We have, Plasma, and now? You and the Brotherhood's going to be screwed."

When he spoke, everyone, literally, everyone, stopped fighting, simply due to the shock of hearing the voice of the former zealot of the Brotherhood, Shadow Specter. 

Plasma simply laughed. "And what makes you think you, all by yourself, can stop me?" he said. spreading his arms.

"Who ever said I was alone?" Shadow said as a howl was heard from just behind him. Walking up the hill to stand beside Shadow was Oak, the pack leader of the timberwolves loyal to lone team. But he wasn't the only one. From behind him, came a large timberwolf with his color scheme, and two others with the normal color scheme.

"I had heard your brother tamed a pack of wolves," Plasma said. "But even they can not help you."

"We'll see about that," Shadow said as he revved the engine on his cycle, did a forty five degree turn, and, with the timberwolves, as even more normal sized ones were coming in from behind those at the top, rode into the opposing force.



When he came close, he leaped off of the cycle, allowing it to crash into a group of Brotherhood soldiers, killing or pinning them. He landed with an energy sword drawn, as well as a plasma pistol. He then ran into the horde that awaited him, and made his way to Lighting, killing any who got in his way. Before he could make it there, though, Solar Flare teleported into his path and rose both normal swords, as sharp as an ice pick, and as hard as diamonds, and created two ethereal blades.

"So, we meet again, Shadow," Solar Flare said as she got into a combat stance.

"That we do, Celestia," Shadow said as he did the same, putting his pistol away and drawing a second sword, igniting it as well.

Solar snarled. "I am not the weak mare you love," she said, venom in her voice "I am her better."

"No, you aren't," Shadow said as the two began to circle one another. Those in the surrounding mob sensed that they would son fight, and all cleared a circle for them, none wanting to get caught in the coming carnage. "She was a pony who cared for others, and was, is, willing to give her life for them. What you are is a twisted mockery of her, wanting just to kill those who disagree with her." Shadow stopped moving, and crossed his energy swords. "Well, you think I should be dead, and I think I should be alive, so come get me."

"Only because you asked," Solar Flare said before she charged at him, her four swords pointed at the armored, human like stallion. He sidestepped them with agility not even the Spartans had, and brought one of his swords down towards the alicorn's horn. She blocked the sword with one of her ethereal blades, and retaliated with her remaining three. Shadow blocked her single ethereal blade with his energy sword, and used his own levitation magic, a shade of green similar to Lone's three month ago when the first attempt to defeat Plasma had failed, to block her actual swords.

Solar Flare was surprised, as she was among the most powerful beings on the planet. A mere unicorn shouldn't be able to stop my swords with plain magic, she thought. Under her helmet, she snarled again.

"Some one getting mad," Shadow asked as he redirected the force keeping her swords from hitting him upwards and kicked her away, freeing up movement room. "How about I make this easy for you," he said tauntingly as he deactivated the sword in his left hand and used his magic to tie said hand behind his back. "En Guard," he said, pointing his sword to Solar Flare.

"You whelp," she yelled as she charged again. When she was a few feet, she stopped, and created a whirlwind with her blades, each aimed for Shadow. Amazingly, Shadow blocked or dodged each of them. he then caught one of Solar's swords in the gap between his blades, and, using a little strength enhancement magic, twisted his sword, breaking Solar's in two. 

"How?" the alicorn said in astonishment.

"Simple standard Spartan strength enhancement," he said as before he teleported to the other end of the impromptu arena. "ANd an enhancement spell." Among other things, he thought as the two went at it again.

SSV Normandy-meanwhile

Smith nearly threw up from the passage through the wormhole, a trip that took only a second before they saw, in the distance, a planet orbited by who knew how many ships or platforms.

"Joker, what's our status?" he asked.

"Well," Joker said groggily. "I think I broke a few ribs, and scanners report there being a single ship near by. Doesn't match known classifications, and it's transmitting a signal, requesting for docking."

"Right," Smith said. "Tell them they're cleared to dock."

"Actually, sir," Hazard said, "it looks like they don't have any docking clamps, so you're going to have to use a shuttle."

"Great," Smith said. "Tell Cortez to get the shuttle ready, and I want two marines to accompany me."

"Aye, aye, sir!" Joker and Hazard said. With that, Smith made his way to the elevator that was at the back of the CIC. He entered it, and the elevator made it's way to the shuttle bay.

When the doors opened, Smith walked over to where the shuttle pilot, Steve Cortez, was doing maintenance on one of the thrusters.

"Is everything ready, Cortez," Smith said.

Cortez got up from his crouching position in front of one of the engines. "Yes, sir," he said. "Just doing some last minute checks."

"Good."

"Sir, I may ask, why do you need the shuttle?"

"At this point, Cortez, I'm not entirely certain myself. What I do know is that I need the shuttle to get to a ship requesting my presence."

At this point, the elevator doors opened, and the two marines, wearing Alliance standard armor, walked out and strode over to Smith, their Avenger rifles on their backs. They saluted as they reached the Admiral, and one of them said, "Sergeants Michaels and Jacobs, reporting, sir."

Smith returned the salute and said, "Good. You two are going to be accompanying me on what might be a first contact mission. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" the two marines shouted.

Smith nodded. "Good. Cortez, get the shuttle ready, we're leaving asap."

"Aye, aye, sir," Cortez saluted as he made his way into the shuttle with the Admiral and two marines behind him.

Once they had entered, Cortez shut the main door and did the pre-flight checks, he sent a message to Joker that said to open the bay door. Once the door was open, the singular shuttle exited, and made it's way to the unknown ship.

A few minutes earlier- unknown ship

Hood and the others appeared in a flash of light, with all but John and Nightengale feeling nauseous . "You get used to it," John said when they saw he wasn't sick at all.

When they were felling better, a few minutes later, they saw that they were in the hanger bay of a large UNSC ship, with many beings of what was multiple species, some completely unknown by the UNSC.

"Admiral, Captain, every one else," Nightengale said as he removed his helmet. "This is the hanger slash bridge of the ship Tip of The Spear, the command center for all of the actions me, John, and our allies in this dimension have done over the past month."

"Impressive layout," Dutch said.

"Thanks," they heard Maruco say as he walked up with another being with a build similar to Nightengale's, only he was Spartan high. He wore the Spartan-III mark V helmet with the up-armored attachment, FJ/Para shoulder plates, and the Collar/breacher chest peice, all with a black primary color and accenting red. "Good to see you, again, Admiral," Maruco said.

"Like wise, Maruco," Hood said before turning his attention to the other figure. "Who are you?"

The figure removed his helmet, revealing his slightly scarred face, with cyan eyes. "Lone Shadow, Admiral Hood," Lone said. "Leader of those on this ship and our allies on the ground."

"Well, this is definitely interesting," Lasky said. "Just what do you and your allies call yourselves, anyway?"

Lone chuckled before saying, "Lone team. No, I did not come up with the name. It's that way because all of our members, when fully trained, are threats to whole squads of soldiers out to kill by themselves, as well as a partial memorial to my ancestor and name sake."

Before anything else could be said, one of the new aliens walked over, a data pad in his three fingered hand. His skin, or carapace, what ever it was, was gray, was was the armor he wore. He looked like some kind of mix between a bird and a human. His left shoulder was hidden under a large steel plate.



"Here's the intel you were asking for, Lone," he said as he handed the data pad to Lone.

Lone took and and, while looking over it, said, "Thanks, Saren. Tell Nihlus that you two will be going down with the first wave."

Saren nodded. "Right," he said before turning in the direction of the main corridor .

"And who, and what," Romeo asked, "was he?"

"That was the turian known as Saren Arterius. He was, once upon a time, controlled by Plasma in his own dimension, but killed him self when his influence was weakest. Now, he's one of my advisors, as well as one of the leaders of the ground forces from this ship."

"Somehow," Mickey said, "I think I've heard weirder, but I don't know where."

"Believe me," Maruco said as he made his way to the armory to check on the weapons, "Shit's going to get weirder."

"What does that imply," Buck asked, which got chuckles from Lone, Nightengale, and John.

To answer for them, Aretemis came on through the intercom and said, "Lone, the Normandy just came up on sensors. Sending request for Smith now. Hood, you're going to be needed for what comes next."

"And what's that, Artemis?" Hood asked.

"Negotiations."

Surface of Equis- a few minutes later

The fight between Shadow and Solar Flare, though short, was devastating. The armor on both combatants was scratched and dented, even carbon scorched in some locations, and both were panting from exhaustion, with the sun lowering behind them.

Just as it reached the horizon, they once again crossed their swords, the clang echoing across the field. Solar had lost the energy to maintain both of her blades, and dispelled them, meaning she had only one sword left.

"Why do you continue to fight," Solar Flare asked when their swords met. "You can not defeat us. The wolves you brought with you, though many, are but animals."

Shadow just laughed. "Even if they were just animals," he said, "which they aren't, seeing as how they haven't tried to attack either of us since our fight started, I'm not the only one coming here with allies."

Solar narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?" she asked as the sky went to night.

Under his helmet, Shadow smirked. "Easy," he said. "You have more than one sister."

"No, I don't," Solar said, pointing her one ethereal blade left at him. "The only sister I have is Eclipse."

It was then a voice not heard in the physical world for five years spoke up from atop a second hill, getting the attention of all. "Oh, sister, I'm hurt," Nightmare Moon said. The alicorn of the night wore a helmet with a rectangular, purple visor in the exact middle of it. The shoulder pieces seemed somewhat blockish, but had organic, flowing curves, instead of sharp corners. The fore arms had a similar armor, and looked like rectangles. The chest piece had two, triangle like shapes, with the longest sides back to back. The leg armor seemed like it was made for stabbing, as it had a sharp appearance. The over all color scheme was midnight black as a primary, and a deep purple as an accent color. 



In her right hand, slung across her shoulder, was a scythe, with the blades giving off a small hum, as well as a slight shimmer in the air. Around her form, which matched Lily's in terms of build and height, with the add-on's of a horn, wings, and hooves in place for feet, was an army of Thestrals, some on the ground, others in the air, their leathery wings unfolded.

"How are you here," Eclipse snarled from her position beside her father. "You should be dead!"

Nightmare simply laughed. "I'm surprised father did not tell you about the place he was imprisoned. Then again, he does have quite the reputation for lying and manipulation. After all, it's because of him that the human named John had to deal with the Didact."

This got a growl from Plasma. "So, not only has the reject of my experiments come back, but she has allied with those destined to fail." It was here that a single, steel arrow embedded itself in the ground in front of Plasma from the opposite direction he was facing. He turned and saw another human-like pony, wearing what he recognized as the standard Spartan-IV armor, but the helmet had a small cross as the visor, with the color scheme being tan for the primary with an accenting shade of black. In his hands, he held what looked like an energy crossbow that could fire normal ones as well.

"Guess who," Robin said.

Plasma only laughed. "So, this is what you hope can defeat me and my followers," he said. "Two stallions and a failed villain with only wolves and primitive bats!! I see that I was indeed justified in changing your forms twenty thousand years ago, as it apprantly increased your intelligence."

"What do you mean," Rainbow said from the crowd.

"Simple. In the forms that the three new arrivals have, in a true army, the ponies had a chance to defeat me. In order to prevent this. I did what the forerunners did to humans: I devolved you, though it seems that you went down an entirely different evolutionary path, which seemed to keep your powers at the level I intended. It would seem, however, that an unintended side effect was increased intelligence," Plasma said. "I said I took pro-active methods in ensuring no rebellion could win, and that was one. It matters not who you bring, I made sure to plan for it." He chuckled. "Tell me, where is the rest of the Brotherhood?"

"Oh no," Shadow said, just as multiple figures, pony and other, appeared out of thin air, and some even dropping in from the air.

"I was hoping lone team would attack me, so that they would be annihilated once and for all."

All this got was a laugh from Shadow, Nightmare, and Robin. It was then another voice not heard for some time spoke up, and another form made its way beside Robin.

The figure was a light tan, and it's right arm ended in what looked like a jagged blade. The head looked like it had two tentacles coming from the side, and three, smaller ones ending in what looked like red flowers at the end. The feet were mismatched, the right being bigger. In the main body, it looked as if two parts had been sliced out.



"It is not just lone team, Plasma," Hermit said from the body of the flood tank (what I call that form.). "There are others who would gladly put aside any differences, and we are already gathering them."

As he finished the sentence, what was recognized by those who had seen them as flood infection forms, stalker pure forms, and the projectile launching form of the pure form came over the hill, all standing behind Robin and the tank form, all waiting in anticipation.

"Father, what does he mean," Eclipse asked.

"It doesn't matter," Plasma said. "Any who stand against me will fall. Solar! Kill Shadow, and assist the others in removing this annoyance Green Mist, come with me."

"Yes, My lord," Green Mist said with a bow a Plasma made his way back to his castle. The changeling then followed him.

"I will deal with Nightmare," Eclipse said. Twilight, Rarity, I wish for your assistance. Harvest, Coldheart," she said, as Cadence had taken the name cold heart to show that nothing could prevail against her, and what she left her enemies with after a battle, "Deal with the abominations."

"Yes, Misstriss," they said, as she and Solar were the leaders of the enforcers for obvious reasons, then went off on their tasks.

Shadow and Solar heard all of this. "Looks like it's still just us," Shadow said.

"Not quite," Solar said with a grin. "Brotherhood, assist me!"

Just before they could do so, the Brotherhood was stopped by those of lone team who had stopped fighting as well, and fighting broke out on the two hills as well.

"Just like the Brotherhood follows your command," Shadow said as he and Solar jumped back from one another, "lone team doesn't need a command to help out one of their team mates."

"And that makes you all weak," Solar said. "Only those who follow commands should live."

"Then Me, Nightmare, and who knows who else should be dead by now, but we aren't!" Shadow yelled. "Celestia, I know you're still in there, and I know that you can still fight Plasma's control!"

"Why should she?" Solar asked. "She's failed you, and failed to keep her throne. The only thing she has done right was to be so foolish to allow father to awaken me within her. The others were all planted, but I already existed in her mind. All she needed was a push to let me take control, and that was your brother. She hates him, and she hates you, as well as lone team. She always hated killers, and regardless of what you tell your self, that is what you are. A killer."

Shadow laughed, the two still standing where they were. "Then what does that make you?" he said as he charged her again.

Solar blocked his blade, and the two became locked again. "I do not delude my self as to what I am, but I do not see my self as evil. You see your self as a protector of those who can not defend themselves. Rich, coming from one who was once a part of the Brotherhood. I am but a servant of Plasma, and that is enough for me."

Shadow launched himself away from Solar, and laughed again. Only this time, unlike all the other times, it was haunting, even to Solar. Like a demon laughing in amusement at a puppy being kicked while a fork was being rubbed on fine china and someone was rubbing a balloon, with bones clinking in the background. "I am not a killer," he said.

"But I know some pony who is."



Shadow's horn lit, his magic going from green to a black, and an orb of the same color encircled him. Inside it, Shadows fingernails sharpened into claws, and, under the helmet, his teeth became razor sharp, and his eyes looked like Nightmare's keeping the color. His tail began to look more like a sword. His horn slimmed down, and gained a sharpened end. His armor took on a darker color scheme then what was there.

The orb dissipated, and what was once Shadow looked up at Solar. "And that would be me," Chaos Riser said in a haunting, but, to Solar Flare, at the same time, attractive, baritone voice.

"So, you are his dark side, Chaos Riser," Solar said, whihc got a nod. "Then tell me, why do you fight with him? You must be more powerful then he is. Why not just take control of his body, letting him only watch the crimes you commit, knowing he can't do anything?"

Chaos simply laughed again, causing shivers to run up Solar's spine. "Because, unlike you, or the other enforcers," he said, drawing and activating an energy sword, now an almost dead shade of green, "Shadow and I understand what being partners in our sense means. It means we look after one another, lending the other our power when they need it. Being a dark side does not mean you must be evil. It could just mean you're willing to do more for greater good. That is something not only Shadow and I understand, but something our brother, Lone and Fear, do as well. There is a reason beyond our bloodline that makes us as powerful as we are, and that is that we act as one, the one in control of the body fighting, the other providing advice, and giving the other their power. It's dark sides like you, Solar Flare, that give us good dark sides a bad name. Something tells me, actually, that Plasma keep you only so none will rise. He cares nothing about you, nor your sister. If he did, he would not have you face us alone."

"Nonsense," Solar said. "That cooperation makes you weak, and father would never kill me for failure."

"I never said he did, Sol," Chaos said. "You did. You know I'm right. As for the cooperation, did you know that when one body dies in a union like Shadow's and mine, both individuals are killed. It is reasons like that we must cooperate, so that both may survive. Celestia does not give you her strength, because she wishes to die, separated from, not just her sister, but from those she calls friend, as well as the one she loves."

"Then let her die, if you can kill me, that is!" Solar yelled as she charged again.

Tip of the Spear- secondary hanger bay-meanwhile

Lone and Hood stood in the secondary hanger bay, waiting for the shuttle from the Alliance to arrive. The others were all in the drop bay, making sure their weapons were ready, as they knew they'd be coming down in an active combat zone.

"So, what is the Alliance, exactly," Hood asked Lone, who shrugged.

"Basically, they're pretty much like the UNSC. They key difference being the tech, as well as the fact they have good relations with practically all other races in their dimension."

"Including turians?"

"Yeah. Turians are just one of around ten races in that dimension, including humanity. Another difference is that they are the entire human government."

Before Hood could voice another question, the Alliance shuttle came into view and entered the hanger. "You sure it's okay not to hany guards?" Hood asked before the shuttle landed.

"We're good," Lone said just before the door opened and Smith, followed by the two marines, walked out.

This is going to be confusing, Hood thought.

Lone was the first to walk up to Smith. He gave a salute, which was returned by Smith, and said, "Admiral, My name's Lone Shadow, captain of the ship you and your troops are on."

"Right," Smith said as he lowered his arm. "Admiral Smith, Commanding officer of the SSV Normandy, and leader of the citadel task force. You wouldn't happen to know what my ship and I are doing here, do you."

"I do, admiral, but before that, I want to introduce you to another person who has involvment and stakes in what's going on." Lone moved aside as Hood stepped up. "This is Admiral Lord Hood, leader of the UNSC-covenant fleet."

"And what is exactly the UNSC? And what are you, exactly?"

"All in time, Admiral. All in time. Right now, we should go to the breifing room, as what I have to say to the both of you is best said while you're sitting down."

"I suppose so," Smith said, to which Hood agreed, and the two admirals and one unicorn left the hanger bay, the two marines staying with the shuttle, and made their way to the briefing room.

A few minutes later

Lone and the two admirals stepped into a pretty comfortable briefing room, said room having leather seats and a polished wooden table in the center. Seeing as how it was his ship, Lone took the place at the head of the table, with Smith and Hood sitting at the nine and three o'clock positions.

"So, Lone said, "to answer the question going through each of your minds, we are in a different dimension then where you two came from. The reason is that a particular threat that we've encountered, whether it be in person or in history texts." When he saw Smith's reaction, Lone added, "There is a way to get back to your home universes. In fact, Smith, that portal you went through to get here is to way back for you.

"Now for the reason you are here," Lone said. "As I just said, there is a threat that our universes have encountered at some point in history, and only the combined forces of our worlds can stop him."

"So you need the help of our fleets to do so?" Smith asked calmly, considering the situation.

"In short," Lone said. "Artemis, project the recon photos of the atmosphere."

"Right," Artemis said before multiple pictures of Equis' orbit and atmosphere showed up, with multiple Brotherhood ships and Reapers in them.

Smith's calm mask shattered as he saw the latter. "Reapers?" he asked, fear in his voice. "How?"

"That threat I mentioned? Yeah, as it turns out, he controlled them when they came for the Alliance and it's allies. And those ships you don't recognize, Smith, are repainted versions of UNSC, which is the equivalent to the Alliance in Hood's universe, and covenant ships. The covenant, before you ask, was a religious alliance of aliens that, up until seven years ago in Hood's universe, wanted humanity dead. Basically a less technologically advanced form of the Reapers just wanting to kill humans."

"Great. Another crazy group," Smith muttered.

"For the record, Smith," Hood said, "the covenant's our ally now, and I don't like when an ally is insulted, even if they are guilty of it."

"Well, I wasn't there, seeing as how I'm not from your universe," Smith said before looking back to Lone. "But you haven't answered my question as to what you are, exactly."

"In scientific terms, I'm a humanoid equine with advanced mental capabilities. Layman's terms: I'm an anthro unicorn."

Smith raised an eyebrow. "The only reason I'm not laughing and taking you seriously is because of the fact this is obviously your own universe."

"I figured that," Lone said. "Before either of you ask what this could do for your universes: I was hoping to open portals between the three of us that would allow for our universes to remain in contact and trade with one another. I can tell you that ponies, my species, of which unicorn is one subset, will be open to it, and I have contacts in the higher positions of the governments of most other races on the planet, so I can try to get them to allow it as well."

After a few seconds of silence, Hood spoke up. "Well, seeing as how we may have to deal with him later, you have the support of the UNSC and it's allies, Lone."

"And the citadel forces as well," Smith said. "You'll need people who went against the Reapers before to have a chance."

Lone smiled. "Artemis, tell Nightengale to go ahead with code name: Convergence."

"Already done," Artemis said. "Admiral mith, you'll be able to contact your fleet from the Normandy. Hood, you can do so from here."

"The I guess I should be on my way," Smith said as he got up.

Before he left the room, though, Artemis told him, "I'll send you the frequency you and your ships will be able to communicate with us on, admiral."

"Right," Smith said just before he left the room and made his way to his shuttle.

"I'll take you to the comm room, Hood," Lone said as he got up from his seat and putting his helmet on.

"Thank you, Lone," Hood said as he got up and the two left the briefing room.

Equis surface

Solar Flare's armor was badly damaged, with numerous cuts, and even some parts of her body burnt from the energy sword. She was breathing heavily. Chaos, however, was unharmed. "See what working with an ally can do," he said.

The fight between the Brotherhood and lone team had been going on for a while, with lone team and it's allies still outmatched by the Brotherhood, due now to numbers and training, in contrast to just numbers before. The only difference was that there were less deaths on both sides, as the major leaders of both sides were focusing on one another, and their forces, wanting to survive, were trying to stay clear of these fights.

"It does not matter," Solar said. "You will fall, and I will be the one to make sure it happens." She then charged him. Chaos simply side stepped and hit her on the back with enough force to break her concentration, causing her sword to fall to the ground, and knocking her on the ground herself. To her credit, she did not try to get up, though it was mostly just exhaustion.

She turned her head around, and saw Chaos standing next to her, hes energy sword lit. "Go on, kill me. I know you want to."

With out a word, the sword was raised, and brought down as Solar closed her eyes. She heard a slight burning sound, and felt nothing. She believed herself to be dead, and opened her eyes, only to see the sword impaled in the ground next to her. She looked back at Chaos, only to see that his armor was now Shadow's. "Why?" she asked.

"Because I'm not a killer," Shadow replied. "And Chaos thinks that, out of all the other enforcers," he said, kneeling down to look her in the eyes, "you are the one that knows they're being manipulated, even if you won't admit it."

"I expected you to be the one ot think that, not him," she said. 

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter, seeing as how you're going to die now," Solar said.

"And why's that?" Shadow asked.

"Us," Eclipse said from behind him, causing him to turn around and attempt to draw his pistol, but he was stopped midway by her magic. Standing beside her were the other enforcers, with Nightmare and Robin being held in magical grasps as well, though they were still awake, as their eyes were open and moving.

They were moved beside Shadow as the enforcers with horns charged a spell that would kill them unless they were able to create a shield, which was impossible, as they couldn't move. "Truly, what made the three of you think you could stand against the might of Plasma, and survive?" Eclipse said. When the three didn't answer, Eclipse added, "Ah well, it doesn't matter. Nothing you could say will save you." Her horn, as well as Coldheart's, Twilight's, and Rarity's, began to glow brighter, as the energies began to reach critical mass.

"Sister, wait," Solar Flare croaked. "If you kill them with that much energy, I'll be killed too."

Eclipse laughed. "I know."

"Father will have your head."

"Who do you think ordered us too kill you?"

A cold dread filled Solar Flare as she heard these words. "No. No, he wouldn't!" she said frantically.

"Yes, he would," Coldheart said. "He exterminates those who are too weak to carry out their duties. He knew that you had doubts, even if you did not, and wished for us to take care of it as soon as possible. Now, we can accomplish that and kill these three at the same time. After all, it's for that reason we killed Shining Armor a month ago"

Those nearby stopped where they were when that either saw this sight or heard these words. Not the last part, but what came before it. Though it was known that Shining Armor was the weakest of those in Plasma's personal guard, which, under Plasma's rule, apparently, meant death.

"He doesn't want weak ponies in any position of power," Harvest said. "The fact that you weren't made by his power means that you are the weakest of us all, and he wanted to make sure it wasn't an issue. This gives us an excuse, one that none would dare refute."

"Indeed," Rarity said. "The only position for those who are weak are the dead, target practice, or just cannon fodder."

"And what better kind of cannon fodder," Twilight said, "then one that is utterly and deeply loyal to their ruler."

The horns were nearly blinding at this point, and Solar had to squint. It was here that she realized that, deep down, whether because of Celestia, or just her own thoughts, she had thought a few times that Plasma was simply manipulating them, and that Shadow and Chaos were right. She knew she should have been sad her life was going to come to an end, but, instead, she felt an anger within. With it, came a voice that did not sound like Celestia.

"Now you see the truth," the voice, distinctly female, with not a tone of anger, but one of care and love, said. "Plasma cares nothing for you."

"What does that matter," she said in her head. "It's too late for me to do anything!"

"No," the voice said firmly. "There is one thing that will help you, but you must allow it."

"I do. I'll do anything to stop Plasma."

"Then you must do only one thing. Admit to yourself what you have kept hidden to yourself even now, for the power comes only with being honest with yourself." 

"I don't know what you mean," she said out loud with out realizing it.

"It looks like she's gone crazy," Eclipse said. "Even better. Now we can say this was an act of mercy." The enforcers with magic capability then crossed their horns.

"Yes, you do," the voice said, still in a firm tone of voice, like a mother scolding a child. "Admit it, or Plasma will win!"

"Fine," she said in her head. "If it will prevent him winning, I'll admit it." She hesitated, but she eventually spoke it in a whisper, though Shadow, and, by extension, Chaos, heard it thanks to their armor. "I love Chaos Riser."



The beam of magic fired at the four, but, just as it did so, time seemed to slow for Solar Flare, and she heard the voice once more. "Then go. Reclaim the form you were meant to have, and help those who need it, my daughter."

Before she could say anything to that, Solar Flare felt her body hover of the ground and change. Her spine changed, and she now stood on her rear hooves. Her legs and chest took on a slightly bulkier look, and her fore arms also changed, and her fore hooves began to change, angling  and dividing into five long, small appendages. Her face remained the same, except that her eyes were now more human sized. Her mane shortened, and, instead of being pure fire, changed to orange, yellow, and red. It also no longer flew in an invisible wind, much like Nightmare's in her new body. In short, her body was now similar to Nightmare's. 

Her armor changed as well, the helmet, shoulder plates, chest piece, and leg armor changing to fit her new body, and changing in form as well. Her armor was now the same as Nightmare's, the difference being that it was orange for the primary, and a dark yellow for the accent, and the visor was purple, but, when she turned her head, was turquoise.

At her right, a pole ax materialized, and two magnums did the same on her thighs where they would rest when not being used. The blade of the pole ax seemed to vibrate, and gave off a slight shimmer. She took the weapon in her right hand, and time seemed to go back to normal, only now, she stood in front of Shadow and the others. Her horn lit, and, just before the beam could hit, a shield came into existence, and it exploded on the shield, obscuring the vision of the others.

The enforcers grinned under their helmets, but immediately scowled when they saw Solar Flare, in her new armor and body, her horn lit, standing there, a pole ax by her side, and a magnum drawn. Out of surprise, the enforcers released Nightmare, Shadow, and Robin, each of whom either still had their weapons, or retrieved theirs, as they were nearby, and looked in shock at Solar. 

"What are you three gawking at," Solar said to those behind her. You're free, now fight." They simply nodded, and rushed at one enforcer each. Nightmare rushed to engage, Coldheart, Robin went to attack Harvest, and Shadow was unlucky enough to get Twilight and Rarity, leaving Eclipse for Solar.

"So, you throw your lot in with those three," Eclipse said insultingly.

"I do, and I know I won't regret it," Solar Flare said. What do you think, Celestia, assuming you're listening? Think we should try to free Luna from Eclipse?

For once, Celestia said in Solar's mind, we are in agreement over something.

Solar smiled under her helmet. "Then let's go," she whispered before rushing Eclipse.

Bridge of the Tip of The Spear

Lone, Hood, and Smith, who just recently returned from the Normandy, were standing in what was the ship's bridge.

"Both dimensional portals are reading ships coming through," Aretimis said, though the three leaders didn't respond.

"You guys told them to not fire until you contacted them after they came through," Lone asked, to which the two admirals nodded.

"First ships, coming through."

Indeed, a single covenant frigate and turian frigate were the first ships through their respective portals, and more and more ships had exited, until, nearly ten minutes later, what appeared to be over ten thousand total, true space ships were through the portals, a number needed due to the Reapers.

Lone nodded, which was the signal for the two admirals to inform their fleets as to what was going on. At the end of it, they both passed the figurative microphone to Lone.



"Any and all ships on this frequency, this is Lone Shadow, Captain of the ship Tip of the Spear. I know none of you know all of what's going on, so here it is: An old threat that we've all heard of in one way or another is here, in this dimension, conquering my home world, and I'm certain he'll come after you all next. Today, we are here to ensure that doesn't happen. We will be facing nearly impossible odds, and there's no guarantee any of us are going to survive. But, if we all stand and fight, which everyone on my ship is willing to do, then we will have a chance. I'm not asking any of you, and I sure as hell can't order you, to assist me. I leave that up to you, and your leaders. But, if you do decide to stand with me and my allies, then we can ensure that no one else will need to deal with this threat in the future. After all, the best heroes are just ordinary people, and that describes each and every one of us, I'm sure." A pause in the speech. "That is all."

There was a pause before those in the bridge heard Artemis say, "Getting a message from every ship," she said.

"They're with us."

Lone smiled under his helmet. "Then tell them to get into a fucking large pyramid formation, the Spear, being, well, the tip."

"Done," Artemis said. "What next?"

Easy," Lone said, his horn lighting. "I'm heading down," he said, then vanished in a flash of light.