//------------------------------//
// Infestation 
// Story: The Guardian's story 
// by Lon35hadow 
//------------------------------//

	Rhino, Cybis, Twilight, now wearing Infinite lines armor with the Vanity as her primary(both TTK FWC), Applejack, and Nightmare sat around a round table in the Tower. We were still trying to come to terms that we were the bearers of the Elements. I mean, I knew Twilight and Applejack would be, but still. On the way here from outside, Rhino, Cybis, our Ghosts and I had decided over our mental link to make Fire team lone a six-person team, and not a three-man one. Needless to say, Nexus, Fleur, and our Ghosts were currently working on how to make shaders, Fleur becoming our equivalent to Eva Levante.

"Okay, look," I said, my right hand on my forehead, "we have to live with this, so we can't just ignore it. Which is why I propose that we use the Elements only as a last resort, when not even our supers, what ever yours is, Nightmare, can do any thing. Can we at least agree on that?"

"I can agree with that," Cybis said.

"Same here," Rhino added.

"I don't know," Twilight said. "I mean, what about what you said about them on the moon?"

"That's why they said last resort, Twilight," Nightmare said. "Besides, there are a few beings who deserve to be turned to stone, like a certain old enemy of Celestia's and mine." 

"We already have a plan for that," Cybis said.

"I still want to know how uncle Rhino got that hammer," Applejack said, her arms crossed.

"What, this," Rhino said as he swung his right hand, the Hammer of Sol appearing. "If I had to guess, I'd say it was the Element of Loyalty."

This got off topic quickly, I thought. "Look, we can talk about that later. Right now, we need to think about what we're going to do next, cause I'm certain we pissed off Celestia."

"That's an understatement," Cybis said. "But I agree: we need to plan for what she'll do next."

"I might have an idea as to that," Nightmare said, getting all of our attention. "She will most likely send out a plea for aid to her allies, as well as something a little more drastic."

"And what's that?" Rhino asked.

"A little over a thousand years ago, there was a kingdom in the north, the Crystal Empire. It was being ruled by a tyrant king. He was defeated, but not before he was able to somehow banish all of the Empire, his punishment being sealed in ice, Celestia hoping him being alone would rehabilitate him." I face palmed.

"So you think she might try to bring him back, and he might try to bring the Empire back, which will mean both Celestia and us will be fighting a second enemy?"

"Yes, and the king, Sombra, will most likely try to drain the Crystal Heart, an ancient artifact, of its love, which power the Empire."

I was about to speak up when an idea came to mind, and I grinned. Nolandroid, I said over our link, have those magic signature detectors in orbit directed to large cities with Guardians in them, and have it tuned to any thing nonpony, and locations include here.

Right, he replied before Twilight commented on my smile.

"Uh, Josh, why are you smiling? This is bad news."

I chuckled. "No, it isn't," I said. "Tell me, Twilight, Apllejack, Nightmare: Ever heard of changelings?"





Celestia say on her throne, no one on the room but her, with a hoof on her forehead, worry on her face. She had lost the Elements to those she believed to be corrupted by Nightmare, as well as her sister, and it was a safe bet they were preparing for war. It was then she remembered what her father had said about three others from Josh's world. As much as she didn't want to rip them from their world, she had no choice if Equestria was going to survive a war.

She sighed, and lit her horn, a dimensional rift opening with it.

A minute later, three beings, each in similar build to Josh and the others. One who had one what she recognized as Hunter armor had their armor colored red with stripes of white on the right shoulder. The chest looked as if it had leaves and a net on it, while the left bracer had three feathers on it. Its cloak was red and white. (Helmet: Skyburners annex. Chest: Vermillion stripe. Arms: Bog wild. Legs: Kallipolis boots. Cloak: Cloak of the rising. Shader: Themisto.)

The Warlock's robes were an electric blue. Its helmet was. . . odd, to say the least, with small spikes from the top, one on the right, two smaller ones on the left. Its forearms had a slight, purplish arua, much like the color of Cybis' Nova bombs. The robes had some small studs on both sides of the upper torso, with a small badge above those on the left. The left boot had blue fabric wrapped around it, the color being the same as the robes. (Helmet: Kellbreaker's mind. Chest: Kellhunter's cloak. Arms: Nothing manacles. Legs: Kellbreaker's path. Shader: Glowhoo. Bond: "The unconquerable".)

The Titan's helmet looked like a window had been wrapped around the front of the helmet, with two metal plates infront of the forehead. The chest, arms, and legs all had a bony appearance, which did set Celestia off slightly. The mark was split into three gray parts, the middle being the longest. (Helmet: Ithacan type 1. Chest, arms, and legs: Willbreaker set.  Mark: Ithacan mark. Shader: Glowhoo.)

The three lay sprawled on the floor, no weapons next to them. Celestia used her magic to check them over, see if there was anything wrong, and the were simply unconscious.

She cast a spell that would safely wake them, the Hunter being the first to awaken. "Ugh, what happened?" he asked in a voice similar to Josh's but not exactly like it. He then saw Celestia. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

"I do not know why someone would try to kid with you," Celestia said. "I am princess Celestia, and I have brought you and your comrades here to help with a problem I believe only you can solve."

"What do you mean 'comrades'," he asked before looking to the Warlock and Titan. "The fuck? How did that happen?"

"What do you mean," Celestia asked.

"Those two shouldn't be real," the Hunter said. "They're just characters I made for a game." He looked down. "Same with my gear."

"How can those two not exist?"

"Because, they're just characters I made for a game," the Hunter said, before he looked back at his armor. "Guess this explains what happened to Josh."

Celestia went on guard. "How do you know Josh?"

"Because he's my friend, and he just vanished about an hour ago.(1)" He shook his head. "My name's Patrick, and I, well, I was wondering where he went."