//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Phantom Lord // Story: Equestria Wars Episode XI: Attack of the Vines // by sonicdash123 //------------------------------// Twilight was in her bedroom brushing her mane as a knock was then heard at the door. She puts down her brush and walks up to the door. She opened the door to see that no one was there. "Must've been the wind," she thought. She closed the door and turned around to see a plunder vine. Before she could call for help, the vine sprayed blue mist at her dozens of times until she was unconscious. A black ailicon stallion then picked her up and flew out of the castle carrying her. --------------------- At the castle gates of Canterlot, Charming Thunder was with Cadence and Shining Armor discussing things important. They turned to see a stallion wearing red Ponylorian armor along with a cyborg pony and HK-47. The two noticed them and bowed to them. "It’s an honor to meet you three in person, princess, prince, and king," the mare said. "Pleasure to meet you as well," Charming Thunder replied. "Who are you two?" "I am Phantom Lord, a Bounty Hunter looking to join the Great Hunt," Phantom replied. "And I am Mako, intelligence for Phantom Lord and his left hoof mare." "Greeting: Hello again, Charming Thunder," HK-47 said. "It’s been a while." "Hello to you too, HK-47. I thought you were with my brother." "Statement: I was abandon by Danny and both found and rebuilt by Phantom Lord. Danny had left me, T3-M4, HK-50s, and core program less Soundwave. Phantom Lord found us and rebuilt and gave us a purpose. We have a lot to own to my new master." "I see," Charming Thunder replied in disappointment. "You know; I’ll take you to the Enclave." Phantom Lord nodded and they began to walk away. --------------------- Twilight woke up at the Tree of Harmony covered with plunder vines as she was tied up by the vines. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded as she struggled to break free. "I brought you here of course," a stallions voice said. He then revealed himself from the shadows and walked up to her. "I am Omega Brony. It is a pleasure to meet you, princess." "Release me at once!!" "I'm afraid I can't do that. I have plans for you and your husband." "If you lay a hoof on him." "Oh, I'm not the one who is going to hurt him, but your dark side will. You see, I require some of your alicorn magic in order to make a duplicate of you, but something powerful." The vines then began to tighten Twilight and began to glow. "And it has started. Do not worry. You will not die in the process. You will only fall into a deep slumber thanks to my dark magic." The vines then covered Twilight as she muffled inside. The vines glowed brighter then exploded. Through the smoke, Twilight laid on the floor asleep as a look a like of her walked out of the smoke and chuckled evilly. "Henceforth, she will be known as Twivine....Sparkle." "I like that," Twivine said. She then gazed at the tree and flew up to the Element of Magic logo. "Hope you won't mind if I use this, Tree of Harmony." She then used her magic to take out the element and made a crown with the element but a different color. She then laughed menacingly as the vines dragged the unconscious Twilight away. --------------------- The group arrived at the Ponylorian Enclave and Phantom Lord talked to the Huntmaster. Charming Thunder watched as Phantom Lord listened to the stallion and the centaur. "Quiet! Quiet, you dogs!" the assistant shouted. "The Huntsmaster is about to speak. Pay attention and show some respect for once in your lives!" "The Great Hunt is upon us!" the Huntmaster declared. "Many will hunt, many will die. All will win glory and honor! Today, we have too many hunters. All most compete. Only one joins the Great Hunt!" "You heard the Huntsmaster. You’re competing for the last spot in the Great Hunt by taking down three bounties in Canterlot and surrounding areas." "You expect us to hunt here?" one of the hunters asked. "With Equestrians crawling all over us? And Jedi?" "Let the stallion talk," Phantom said. "I want to hear this." "For all you overblown, useless, notalent cowards, we installed a handy exit door. Use it now." Two hunters left as the Huntmaster's assistant continued. "The rest of you, the real hunters, go see your handlers. They’ll get you oriented to the city and assign you three unique bounties. Everypony who takes down all three of their bounties wins a spot in the final melee. Anypony who doesn’t get all three is out." Hunters began to leave to head to their handlers. The same hunter from before looked at Phantom Lord. "Hunting in Canterlot? That’s suicide. I’m grabbing the first shuttle out of here. I suggest you do the same, friend." "Do I look like a coward to you?" Phantom asked. "No, you look like a colt with fire in his eyes. The kind who gets himself killed." "I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that and you better start walking before I have to kill you." "May your quarry fall before you, hunter." The hunter then left the room. "What are you standing around for? Your handler is a mare named Starlight Glimmer, new blood." Charming Thunder eyed Phantom suspiciously and followed him until he reached the main bounty hunter lobby where he sees Starlight Glimmer. Charming Thunder's eyes narrowed with hate and he walked over to her with Phantom Lord. Starlight noticed them and also sees Charming Thunder and looks nervous. "Hello, Charming," Starlight greeted nervously. "I thought you were still in your cave," Charming Thunder replied darkly. "I thought about a new life and became a Bounty Hunter handler." Starlight turns to Phantom Lord. "I take it you are my hunter?" "You are my handler, if that is what you mean," Phantom replied. "Good. Now, you’re first target is-" Starlight pulled out a datapad and her eyes narrowed. "Whoa, this isn’t right…you got enemies in the Ponylorians or something?" "Just Tarro Blood, the killer of my friends and our crew," Mako replied. "Why?" "Tarro Blood?" Charming Thunder asked curiously. "A Canterlot noble who became a member of the Ponylorians. While he is charge with nothing because of the rules, he deserves death for killing my crew and friends. He’s a coward and he calls himself a Ponylorian." Charming Thunder noted that he would look up Tarro later while he watched Phantom. "Ok, you’re first target is an Horde noble, named Draco. While he is a pony, he is a consider a traitor to the Equestrian Empire so he was sent to prison. However, he was later send to build a statue of Charming and Danny fighting together but the prisoners there rebelled. Place is heavily protected, no pony could get in. We don’t even know if he is alive or not." "Why wasn't I informed about this?" "Because word of it never goes around in Canterlot since it is just shortly outside Canterlot. The militia is stationed there and never call for reinforcements since they have a staging point." Charming Thunder groaned and said, "I really need to get over there and retake the blasted place." "Anyways, if you do find him alive, his family will pay big." "Easy jobs bore me," Phantom said. "Agree," HK-47 added. "If he is alive, then freeze him with the Carbonite freeze ray you have there. When you finish your first bounty, hurry back here for the next one." Phantom nodded and began to walk away with HK-47 and Mako. Charming Thunder followed walking next to him. "Well, I’m not bothering you or anything, but why do you have the helmet on?" Charming Thunder asked curiously. "Personal reasons and it helps my equipment. Now if you excuse me, I have a stallion to hunt down and freeze." Phantom Lord left in a hurry as Charming Thunder regrouped with Cadence and Shining Armor. "I think Phantom Lord is Danny Eclipse." Cadance and Shining gasped in shock. "Are you sure?" Cadence asked. "Yes, I'm sure. He refused to remove his helmet, HK-47 could lie to us at any time, and I felt some strange force attracting towards Phantom Lord. Not to mention, I felt something tingling at my chest, my medallion. I think he is my brother." "What should we do?" Shining Armor asked. "Have a spy follow him, keep track of his movements. If given the chance to take the helmet off to reveal his face. I want to KNOW who Phantom Lord really is!" Shining Armor saluted and left. Charming and Cadance began to leave as well.