//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Tick-Tock The Bet is Up // by Black Hailstorm //------------------------------// Chapter 5: Feeding “I need others if I'm going to survive” Ponyville Current time: 9:45 pm. “Watch out!” Ben said shoving a pony out of the way as the top of a building tumbled towards them from the swing of the Ursa Major’s paw. Landing rather roughly on the ground just inches away from the rubble that nearly flattened Ben got back on his hooves instantly looking around for anyone else that may need help. Sure he didn’t have the omnitrix, but that never stopped him before, and it wouldn’t stop him now. “Dash!” he called seeing the pegasus circling the air for anyone that needed help, hearing her name the rainbow maned pegasus flew down hovering above Ben. “What’s up?” she asked. Ben simply pointed to the stallion with the three horse-shoe cutie mark. “Get him to safety. Twilight and the others are trying to keep the bear-” “Ursa Major” she interrupted. “Whatever, they’re doing they’re best to keep that bear at bay. I need to go help them” he stated moving forward. Nodding Rainbow Dash turned her attention towards the still shaken stallion lifting him up under his pits and carrying him a few inches into the air. “Be careful” she called as Ben took off towards the giant beast, but the hero didn’t reply he had more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. Reaching the beast within a matter of seconds Ben could see the lavender alicorn shooting rays of magic at the beast which only seemed to be infuriating it even further. Just as the beast was about to let out another massive roar that this time would most likely fracture the infrastructure of the buildings a rather large lasso looped over its mouth firmly closing around it and snapping the beast’s mouth shut. Ben let his eyes travel to the lasso’s original position before he saw that its owner was Applejack, the orange country pony fighting to keep the beast’s massive jaw shut as she was slowly dragged along the ground. “A tough critter aren’t ya?” she said with her teeth firmly shut on the other end of the lasso. A gust of wind blew on the mare sending her hat flying as the Ursa Major snorted in annoyance, clearing knowing that Applejack’s attempts were nothing but a game. One simply firm yank on the constellation beast’s part and the orange pony was sent flying. To keep the beast from going after the screaming mare as gravity began to do it’s job Twilight had to hit the beast in the face with a burst of magic that would keep it stunned for a few seconds. “Dash!” Ben called, instinctively running towards the plummeting earth pony, as her descent brought her closer and closer to her painful demise. Seeing a flash of mixed colors zoom by him Ben watched as Rainbow Dash shouted “I’m on it” zooming past Twilight who was still hitting the beast with her magic and Pinkie Pie who had begun pieing the creature with her party canon’s, a barrier of sound began forming around Dash’s hooves as she began quickly closing the distance between her and Applejack. “Almost...there” she said adding to the fire as she leaned forward, and then in a zap of light. BOOM! A barrier of rainbows shot out from behind the cyan pegasus as she shot towards her friend catching her just in the nick of time before she landed on a building. The barrier was so strong that it sent a blast of pressure slightly knocking Twilight back had she not braced herself and pushing Ben a few feet back. The Ursa Major however wasn’t prepared. Getting the remaining force of the rainboom, the giant bear was knocked back to a sitting position that along with the brutal hits Twilight had been using in an attempt to daze the giant creature. Just as it was about to get back up on its paws again a burst of shining light illuminated the sky. The light was so bright that it caused Ben to avert his gaze so as not be blinded the same including for Rainbow Dash and Applejack once the two had safely landed along with Twilight who knew for certain who that was making an appearance. Princess Celestia. The fuchsia gray alicorn with her wings spread wide in that regal manner of hers, her head raised with not a sign of snootiness detected allowed the light to disappear before she turned her stern gaze on the Ursa Major below her. The Ursa Major, though surprised clearly wouldn’t be backing down as it let out a warning growl for the alicorn to back off. Celestia was unperturbed. “Princess?” Twilight asked, surprised once the light had completely disappeared. “How did you-?” “Spike sent me a message” she replied calmly her stern gaze still directed on the Ursa Major below. Allowing her eyes to slowly scan the now desolate town before her the Princess took in every shattered building. Every ruined playground. Every broken sidewalk, and every destroyed home. “Was anyone hurt?” she asked, no one in particular. “No one was injured” Rarity replied returning with Fluttershy from having made sure everyone in Ponyville had made it safely into Zecora’s home. “Good” she said her stern expression relaxing a bit but returning once again when she stared at the Ursa Major that now sat on her rump waiting for her enemies to make their next move. The beast had her gaze firmly fixed on the six mares her anger clear as her lips curled into a dark scowl revealing all her sharp, white teeth. “What is the meaning of this?” Celestia asked her stern gaze pointed towards the creature. It continued to growl. Slowly descending to the ground Princess Celestia continued to stare at the creature waiting for some kind of response. Ben and the rest of the group had joined her where the alicorn stood. “Um, not trying to be rude here but you do know it can’t talk right? Unless I’m missing something here” Ben said, earning a slightly reproachful look from Twilight. “Actually” Princess Celestia said her eyes still directed on the giant bear. “She can, she’s just being stubborn.” “Hm...cool” Ben said with a shrug as the six mares stared surprised. “What’s wrong Natani?” Celestia asked the bear. “Why have you attacked my subjects at such a late hour? Disrupting not only this peace but my rest?” Celestia questioned. The bear continued to snarl, showing all its teeth letting out a low feral growl as it said nothing. Its eyes still firmly glued to the mane six. “Will you not answer me?” Princess Celestia asked, her voice remained calm but the firmness in the question clear. The bear called Natani continued to glare darkly before it slowly rose bits and pieces of debri falling off her rump as she got on to all four of her paws, kicking around to make her sitting spot more comfortable Natani sat back down, causing a small rumble and a few buildings behind her to collapse. “My child” her voice boomed, causing Ben to wince grabbing his ears. “Your pitch if you don’t mind” Celestia said her ears flicking as they readjusted to the sound. Another deep growl escaped the beast’s throat before she continued in a lower tone this time. “Where is my child?” she asked again more sternly this time. “Pardon?” Celestia asked looking slightly confused. “Do not play the fool with me Princess of the Equines” the beast snarled. “I want my child!” she stated her claws grinding the hard earth into dust as if it were nothing. “Why do you think we have your child?” Fluttershy asked. “We would never take a baby from its mother.” “That may or may not be true, considering that my child was upset by two ponies before I came to find him missing once again. I simply believed he would be returned to me like before but he has not returned and that was hours ago” Natani snorted. “When I tried to get the ponies attention here they all began running screaming monster. I lost my temper, I come to find my child and am then called a monster by your subjects?!” the bear asked the anger seeping back into her voice. “But there’s no way Snips and Snails would do that!...again at least” Twilight said feeling a little doubtful. “Wait you’re telling me two kids really stole a bear?” Ben asked in disbelief. Applejack nodded. “Wow, you guys sure like trouble don’t ya?” he said with a slight grin. “Hey Natani!” Ben said drawing the colossal bear’s attention to him. “We’ll find your kid alright! Promise, just give us sometime and don’t destroy the town while we’re gone!” he called up to the beast. Princess Celestia watched the flash white stallion before her with curiosity as he spoke. Looking up Natani she said “Well Natani? What do you say to this stallion’s suggestion?” The bear remained silent her glare still in view but as she pondered this her glare relaxed a bit. “You have half an hour. If my son is not returned to me Ponyville will be my midnight snack” she said slamming a paw on an old building, crushing it and sending wood and other debris flying everywhere. “And if it comes to that you’ll be facing me” Celestia warned, the bear merely snarled her defiance. “Go” she said turning her attention to Ben. “Find the child, before things get out of hand.” Nodding Ben immediately turned to the others. “I need your help. Where are Snips and Snails?” Rarity and Fluttershy immediately took the lead. “Follow us.” 5 hours ago Location: Everfree Forest, Center; Southside. “Where am I?” a deep gray colored dragon, clad in dark clothing asked. Upon the dragon’s face he wore a metallic mask that completely hid his face and only allowed him to see and breath. Slowly rising the teenage dragon that was no bigger than a monster truck, collapsed to the ground his head swimming. “What happened?” he thought, as he fought to gather his thoughts trying to remember what he had brought him to this forest. The dragon within the mask let out a painful gasp as an image flashed through his mind. An armored figure, clad in dark blue armor and gold stripes. A helmet, a deep monotone voice that was accompanied by multiple voices, and that last sentence he heard before reawakening in this forest. “This is your punishment. Enjoy it well, for it will be your last” Count Down’s voice echoed the sentence in the dragon’s head. “URGHHHHHH!” the dragon screamed, roaring from within his helmet feeling both frustration and rage course through his body. He now remembered what had happened. In his foolish attempt to absorb the power of the great beast things ended up backfiring on him and instead of gaining power, the dragon had been placed here instead. In this dark forest, where his newly enhanced senses could pick up sounds all across the area. In the distance he could hear animals of various types and kinds moving about around him. For a second he thought for sure he could hear the faint sound of talking from a distance nearby but one he couldn’t pinpoint. Slowly rising onto his legs the ash colored dragon looked down at its arms, remaining silent as he took in his new form staring at his extremely dry almost shrivelled ash colored scales as he looked up to his old looking hands that seemed to be bereft of all life. Clenching both hands the dragon flexed his fingers, then turned his armored covered face to glance at his back. He had no wings, only a tail. Turning his attention back to his hands the dragon continued to stare in complete silence, almost as if completely shot into a state of stupor as he stared at his light gray colored claws. “So this is what I’ve become?” the dragon muttered to himself, as he heard crows cawing and the faint sounds of twigs breaking in the distance as they made their way around his direction. “First I lost the girl I thought would make the richest man in the world, then my youth, then my place as a respectable being. Now I’m losing my humanity?” the dragon asked a bitter coldness gripping his heart, one he had felt many many times before. “Is the universe really this cruel?” he asked the air, his tail swaying side to side slowly brushing aside rocks and other smaller things on the ground. “To yank me away from not only my world, but to force me into this body? And even then I still am without my youth” he said still staring at his dry old scale hands. The dominant voice of Count Down once again echoed through the dragon’s mind. “Please, please have mercy!” the dragon had remembered himself begging, the interstellar being as he lay on the ground trembling. The response the metal giant had to that pathetic attempt of plea was merely a cold callous laugh that made the dragon who was human at the time freeze as if the temperature had dropped to a freezing point. “I find it funny” the giant said as he slowly stepped towards the trembling armor faced man before him. “That the worst of you humans beg for mercy when you know just how well you don’t deserve it. And you Michael Morningstar, surely know that mercy. That is something you will never have. Not for the crimes you have committed” the voices echoed the last two words once the dominant one had finished. The trembling weak teenager, in his armor merely maintained his frightened posture, acting as if he had no desire to be in the same room as the very being that seemed to represent the very definition of zenith. And once that being had taken a step closer the vile villain jumped up and placed both his armor gloved hands on the giant’s own armor, watching as waves of electric energy flowed into him. “Yes!” he had said, the dragon frowned on his stupidity at the time. “This power! It’s so good! With this I’ll never have to worry again! About maintaining my charm! Being a leech that has to survive off others! This will last me centuries! I’ll be young forever!” he had said as he felt the waves of delicious power flow into him, feeling his original form returning and once again looking like himself. The interstellar being hadn’t fought back or even flinched when Morningstar had attached himself to him like the grovelling leech he was. Instead with his sapphire green eyes fixed on the poor fool the metal giant watched through his helmet as the boy regained his original handsome features. His gold locks and blue eyes radiating nothing but youth and vitality. “You truly are a leech” Count Down said when the energy had suddenly stopped flowing surprising the villain as his now gold complexion no longer brightened any further. Morningstar went unperturbed by this, believing he had enough power to knock the giant out and absorb the rest of his delicious power he levitated off the ground. “Really now? Go ahead” he had said confidently much to the annoyance of the dragon now. “Take your best shot.” And that’s exactly what he did. Raising his left hand slowly in a calm manner Count Down snapped his iron metal fingers and in an instant all the power Morningstar had gained was gone in a flash, returning him to his old, dry, and shrivelled up form. “W-What happened?” he had asked stupidly. “What do you mean?” Count Down asked without interest as the teenager began to tremble once again. “What did you do to me?” he asked staring at his cursed form in shock and disgust. “I gave you as you humans say ‘what you asked for’. You lost” he replied in his monotone voices. “I-Impossible. I drained you! You should’ve been weak!” he retorted. Count Down said nothing and raised both his hands in invitation. “Would you like seconds?” the dominant voice asked, in a taunting manner. Feeling the rage return to him the dragon recalled how he had foolishly charged in, once again draining the being only to be stopped, have all the energy drained out of him instead then have a portal slowly suck him inside. As confidence turned to realization and realization turned into defeat, Darkstar as he was now known since Ben, Kevin and Gwen had ruined him looked up into those cold sapphire eyes that watched him get sucked into the armor long enough for him to hear those chilling words. “This is your punishment. Enjoy it well, for it will be your last.” Snapping out of his flashback the dragon had taken note of the sound of approaching steps that had made their way towards him the entire time he had recalled his major folly. Rounding on the being that dared to disturb him the dragon clenched his shrivelled claws ready to strike, only to freeze upon seeing an extremely large bear, presumably a cub with the stars on its fur staring back at him. Dinner his mind thought as he could feel the power that seemed to be radiating off the cub. Licking his lips Darkstar waited for the cub to approach him with only a few feet as distance. Having his tail lash out and firmly wrap around the cub’s paw Darkstar immediately began sapping the power out of the beast as he began to struggle. A loud raucous roar escaped the bear’s lips that seemed to create a murmur in the forest, in the distance the dragon was sure he’d heard voice react to the roar of the cub but merely ignored it as he fed. Feeling his scales growing stronger as he sapped the magic and energy out of the cub the dragon could feel his scales regaining their youth. Slowly as time passed the cub’s resistance dwindled and within two hours the resistance that he had been putting up was a shrivel of what it had once been. Darkstar’s scales had now gained a light red color, his underbelly taking a pale peach color, which seemed to match his yellow spikes and hair. The cub had let out weak whimpers and pleas being too young to actually talk in an attempt to communicate it wanted to return home, but the leech, Darkstar payed no mind to its protests. To Darkstar this wasn’t about gaining power, this wasn’t about getting payback on Ben Tennyson or the interstellar being that had thrown him here in this world and stripped him of his humanity. This was about him surviving, In a last ditch effort, the Ursa Minor was able to get up and toss the dragon away from him, mustering enough energy to banter away into the woods only a few feet before it felt sharp claws pierce into its fur and skin drawing small drops of blood. “Where do you think you’re going” the dragon asked, as he snaked his tail around the whimpering cub once again, slowly dragging it back towards him as the Ursa Minor left claw marks behind him in its attempts of escape. Flashes of light ensued behind the woods as Darkstar continued to drain as much magic and energy from the bear as he possibly could, feeling his strength returning. Enough strength where he would be able to move, and not have to worry about feeding again at least for a few days. As Darkstar drew in more and more energy thoughts of simply sapping this creature’s life force entirely popped into his head. Licking his lips once again as he wiped traces of blood off his claws into the grass. Watching the cub whimper though then pass out from exhaustion as he drained it dry of its strength and natural power Darkstar decided it was best to leave it at that, retracting his tail, and releasing his firm grip on the unconscious Ursa Minor the dragon got up. Turning towards the sound of running water the dragon got on all fours and made his way to the stream looking at his reflection. Dipping both blood stained, now black, claws in the running river Darkstar slowly took in his new appearance appreciating how he had turned out. His ash scales had become a dark shade of ruby red. His underbelly being a jasmine, claws no longer ash but a black licorice and his spikes and hair gold. Raising a claw the dragon removed his mask and stared at his face that had now resumed its normal form. No longer looking shriveled or feeling weak Darkstar was satisfied with his feeding and his appearance. His ears flickered for a second as he caught sounds approaching him, just as he turned the dragon jumped out of the way as a pack of timberwolves hastily made their way by him in an attempt to escape someone that had clearly frightened them. Shrugging it off Darkstar took one last look at his reflection in the mirror smiling as he conjured up a small bag to keep his mask in. Just in case he’d ever need it. Placing the metal mask inside the bag and putting the strap on him the dragon turned towards the direction of voices he’d recently started hearing. Not the one’s where the animals had just ran from, but a different pair. Taking one last look back at the unconconscious, Ursa Minor the dragon smiled. “I thank you for the meal” he said bowing his head slightly before walking into the forest. Unknown to the dragon a small creature with a horn, and pupil-less eyes had been watching him carefully in silence. As soon as the dragon began heading in the direction of where the rest of the unknown figure’s allies were the creature spread it’s wings creating a very small buzzing sound as it took off into the night, having decided this was knews their queen needed to know. Darkstar had just been selected as a new ally. A search party had been sent. Ben and Fluttershy had teamed up, searching for any signs of the cub that may have been in the woods while the rest of the main six split up into teams and search parties in order to find Natani’s cub before it was too late. “Where is that kid??” Ben groaned from frustration. It was getting late, and he was starting to get tired of going on a search like this. They’d been working on finding this kid for almost a full hour now but had come up with nothing. Fluttershy had asked many of the animals and all of which who had said they didn’t know anything about a missing Ursa Minor. There was that one bat that had mentioned it saw Princess Luna talking with a pony and Discord earlier but was too far away to have actually heard what was going on. Fluttershy made a mental note to ask Discord what he was doing in the Everfree forest later. “We got anything yet?” Ben asked the pegasus as she had just finished asking a group of birds if they’d seen anything. “No” she replied sadly. “I really hope we find that Ursa Minor soon. His mother is just so worried” she said with concern. “Yeah, I kinda like Ponyville. I’d rather not see it get eaten by an overprotective mother” Ben said oblivious to the glare Fluttershy shot him. Just as Ben was about to suggest they head a bit deeper into the forest his ears caught the sound of whimpering. Immediately taking into action the hero rushed into the forest, dodging branches and jumping over roots as he made his way in haste towards the whimpering sounds, forcing Fluttershy to fly after him in order to keep up. Once Ben had finally come to a stop, directly behind the bush of where the whimpering sounds were coming from Fluttershy soon appeared, taking steady breaths asking “What...was that about?” Ben merely pushed open the bush ignoring the question. “Is that a-” “Manticore?!” Fluttershy said pushing Ben aside and floating towards the whimpering creature. “What’s wrong, aww poor thing” she said soothingly stroking the creature under its chin, making it purr. “What are you doing?” Ben asked confused as he carefully trotted up to the two. “I’m simply establishing a relationship” she said smiling as the manticore licked her face, making her mane stick up in the air due to saliva. “I see...since you’re good with animals this is the best way for you to help us get info right?” Ben asked which Fluttershy nodded to with a smile. “Now tell me what’s wrong?” she said to the manticore, which gained a slight roar in response. “Oh I see. Princess Luna? Discord? Two ponies, one of them looking strange? YOU DID WHAT?!” she screeched at the manticore causing it and Ben to cringe, Ben more out of surprise than the manticore out of guilt. “WHY Would you do that?!” she asked the manticore with a firm stare. Not replying immediately Fluttershy gave the manticore “the stare”, making it cringe even more under her gaze till it responded. “Well I’m glad Princess Luna stopped you. You did an awful thing!” she scolded. “What is it saying?” Ben asked the slightly angered Fluttershy. “He said that he had tried attacking one of my friends and attacked two ponies lost out here, one of them had red hair and looked kinda different” she said still giving the manticore a look. Ben’s thoughts immediately thought of Gwen, but he shook his head. No, I can’t get distracted now. I’ve got to help these guys first then I can worry about that later, I just hope that it’s a possibility. Blinking his eyes now fixed with determination Ben sighed. “What did he say about the cub.” “Oh yes, sorry” Fluttershy smiled sheepishly turning back to the manticore. “Have you seen an Ursa Minor around here?” she asked hopefully. The manticore replied almost instantly, at least that’s what Ben thought from the small roars he heard in response. “What did he say” he asked rubbing his temple from the headache he was starting to get from listening to all these animal noises. “He said that he did see a Ursa Minor asleep not too far away from here he’ll lead us there.” “Great, lead the way.” *** ***** *** “Oh man” Ben said his brows furrowed as he stared at the claw marks on the back of the Ursa Minor once Fluttershy’s new pet had flown them both to the top of the creature’s back. “Can you heal it?” Ben asked Fluttershy who had started to tear up a bit at the wounds on the weak bear. Clearing them she nodded, turning to the manticore she told it what to bring so that they could get started. Ben had already made it back to ground level by the time the mare turned around and was heading into the forest. “Wait!” Fluttershy called. “Where are you going?” “I’m going to stall our guest. Once you’re done bring him back to her then we can start” he said glancing over his shoulder as he began proceeding towards Ponyville. “Start what?” “We’ve got a bad guy to catch after this. And I intend to make him pay for what he’s done” Ben said before disappearing into the forest. Emerging out on the secluded side of Everfree forest Darkstar had shrunk his body, to a smaller size so as not to attract too much attention upon his form. Upon his entrance towards the spot he had heard the voices coming from the dragon looked around his blue eyes taking in his surroundings, seeing nothing. Turning towards a slight buzzing sound, the dragon stared at the mare walking before him. The liberty colored mare stopping inches away from the dragon as he stared down at her. “Our queen awaits” she said, turning around. “Follow me, if you wish to meet” turning around and with a slight sway of her hips the mare trotted off to a different part of the forest till her she spread her wings and took off. Whoever this queen was Darkstar was interested in seeing why he had been chosen to meet her. Levitating now that he had enough power and magic to do so, the dragon followed the mare into the night sky, unknown to him he would soon be meeting the Queen of the Hive. And would soon be meeting the hero that had thwarted him so many times before.