Lightning Rain sat up in his bed, stretching his arms as he kicked the sheets off. The sun was already shining down against him through his window, indicating it was time for him to get ready for school. He got off his soft, almost too comfortable bed and headed straight for the bathroom, grabbing his shirt and jeans from his bedside on the way there.
He pushed back strands of silver-blonde hair as he splashed some water on his face, the cold liquid instantly refreshing his energy. He picked up his toothbrush, spread some paste on it, then jammed it in his mouth. He furiously got to work on his teeth, making sure to clean them all as fast as he could. Soon, he spat out what remained and washed his mouth with a cup of water.
After finishing up in the bathroom, he changed into his regular clothes and headed for the dining room. Surprising enough, his sister was already seated there, munching on a piece of toast. She had on her usual grey coat, along with a white shirt and black shorts underneath.
“Morning, Rain,” she greeted through the toast in her mouth. “You’re late today. Sleep late last night?”
“Late?” he asked, only now checking the time. His clock read seven twenty. “Huh. I did oversleep today.”
“Too busy worrying about today’s game?” she inquired, dusting her hands over her plate.
“Game?” Lightning Rain thought back to his timetable. She was right. Today was the day for the first preliminary baseball game. “Game! Thanks, Dust! I forgot all about it! I definitely need my daily exercise today!”
“Did Jetstream feed you something by any chance?” She pushed a hand through her orange hair as he made a face at her. “Anyway, we should get going if you want to get to school on time.”
“Right,” he nodded. He was late, so he was going to have to make do with his exercise later on. “Hang on a sec.”
He put his backpack and jacket on, grabbed a piece of bread, layered a piece of ham inside it and brought it with him as he went out the front door, Lightning Dust following just behind. She got the car keys out and unlocked the car, getting into the driver’s seat. Lightning Rain threw his stuff into the back and joined her in the front, chewing on his ham sandwich. Dust grabbed a helmet and put in on, signalling for Lightning Rain to quickly put his seatbelt on.
“How are things with you and Jetstream?” she asked as she started the car. She headed out of the garage and down the street towards CHS at a high speed. “You two still trying to kill each other with your… swords?”
“I put an effort to avoid fights,” he replied, holding on to his chair with one hand. “But Jetstream just doesn’t know when to quit.”
“Well, he’s not half bad,” she smiled as she turned the wheel. “I mean… he’s funny, isn’t he? He tells lots of jokes?”
“Oh yes, he sure does. Lots. Way too much. And they’re not usually funny.” Lightning decided he had enough talk of Jetstream, so he changed the subject. “What about you? Don’t you have a run today?”
“Yep,” she nodded, "Today's the day we show the coach who's the fastest runner on the team!"
Lightning Rain was proud of his sister's talent at running fast, but she never cared for the safety of her teammates. "You know, you should at least start looking out for your teammates."
"Pffft. Why do you keep trying to convince me to do that? I've got no time for that if I want to win!"
“You’re on a team, big sis. There’s no ‘I’ in team.”
“Sure,” Lightning Dust grinned back at him. “But there sure is a ‘me’.”
Lightning Rain shook his head. "You never really did care about anyone else, Dust."
"What are you talking about?" she ruffled his hair. "I care about you. I'm not that irresponsible. I'm your big sister. I've gotta watch out for you."
The car eventually rode into the parking lot of Canterlot High School in record time, settling itself in between a black car and a square bush. The siblings got out of the car and made their way to the front lawn of the school.
"See you after school, Rain," Lightning Dust told her brother as she headed for the doors.
“Well well well…” a voice said behind him. “If it isn’t my favourite pupil.”
Lightning Rain half turned his head to see his green-skinned friend walk up to his pace. “What do you want, Jetstream?”
“Oh, I just wanted to say hello, Lightning. Why so serious?”
“Nothing. No reason. Let’s just get to class.” Lightning walked on, trying to avoid another fight.
“Sooo…” Jetstream joined him on the left. “Excited for Valentine’s Day? That’s coming up soon. You don’t mind if I ask your sister, do you?”
“What? Of course I mind!”
The two boys changed the topic and began to talk about last night’s baseball game when Lightning Rain was distracted by a dark movement at the corner of his eye. “What was that?”
Jetstream followed Lightning Rain’s eyes and looked around. “What was what? I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. Unless you count Snips over there gaining a few more pounds, if you know what I mean. Ho ho.”
“Nevermind,” Lightning Rain shook his head. “Just thought I saw something.”
“You been playing too many of those Wooden Cog games, Lightning. You’re getting paranoid. Next thing you know you’ll be looking inside barrels for people hiding in them.”
“Whatever…” Lightning and Jetstream carried on, entering home room before the bell.
Home Run waited patiently as home room began. Mrs. Harshwhinny began taking the attendance, checking if all the students were here today. Some students were late as usual, but everyone else here was accounted for as she began her lesson.
“Not more poetry…” he heard Rainbow Dash groan over in the other seat. “Anything but that.”
"It's not that hard, Rainbow." Sunset rolled her eyes. "Just remember what I've been telling you."
While the captain complained about all kinds of things, Home Run leaned over to Applejack and whispered to her. "So, still nothing from our mysterious friend? Your actions have consequences?"
She shook her head. “Nah. Ah thought we decided a while ago that it was probably a prank, or some kind of archived feedback from the Warframes reaching full power.”
"You never know. I mean, whoever sent that to us might not have been serious. I mean it’s not like there’s something that can come against nine Tenno and their pilots, right?”
"Ah still can't believe it... Mr. Loregiver? An Equestrian? Never would a' thought."
"Well, that's why he's undercover," Home Run continued. "If we could all guess he was from Twilight's world, then he wouldn't be much good would he?"
"Mr. Run," Mrs. Harshwhinny called. "Thank you for volunteering to read the next portion. I was going to get Ms. Dash to do it, but you saved me the trouble."
“Piss...” he muttered, but did as he was told.
Soon, first period was over, the students leaving for their next class.
"You owe me, Dash!" Home Run told the athlete as he and Applejack headed for the dreaded computer class.
"Yeah, yeah!" she replied on the way to her next class. "Just don't make it a habit of saving me."
Computer class was a total drag like every other day. Mr. Pierce spoke in his dull, monotonous voice, almost putting a few of the students to sleep. Only the fear of his baton kept them awake. Home Run also noticed the teacher was walking with a severe limp, almost dragging his right leg behind him.
Flash Sentry had gone up to the teacher to ask if he was okay, but Mr. Pierce scared him away. "It's not important, Flash."
Mr. Pierce slowly returned to the projector screen and pointed at an icon with his baton. “As I was saying class, this program is the one I want you to open. Inside, you’ll find the tools you need to craft your very own 3D model. The instructions are straightforward. If you kids don’t understand it, you really should ask… Principal Celestia to swap you to another class of your liking.”
“I wish,” Dense Bush whispered.
“What was that, Mr. Bush?” Mr. Pierce asked sternly, turning to the green-skinned boy.
The boy immediately melted in his seat as Mr. Pierce stared at him. “N-nothing… M-Mr. Pierce.”
“That’s what I thought,” he grunted, hobbling over to his chair. “Get to work, class.”
"Is Mr. Pierce alright?" Home Run whispered to Applejack. "He seems... I dunno. Injured? Perhaps more grumpy too?"
"Don't worry about him, Home Run," Applejack told him. "He doesn't like sharin' his problems. Just leave him be."
"If you say so," Home Run said before returning his attention to his project.
The bell rang, finally releasing them from the realm of eternal boredom. Home Run headed for Math class, which passed by without much incident. Even Jetstream kept his mouth shut, not saying anything to get himself in trouble. Soon, it was time to leave Mr. Bray’s class; the teacher giving them four pages of homework, much to the annoyance of the students.
Home Run left math class and headed for the art room, thinking about the workload for the night and how dreadful it was that each teacher loved to give the students a heap of work, like they didn’t know the other teachers were going to do the same. While thinking, he accidentally bashed into someone else turning the corner at the same time.
“Oof!” the woman said as she stumbled backwards.
“I’m sorry!” Home Run rubbed at his head before noticing it was the principal he had bumped into. “Principal Celestia! I’m so sorry. I really didn’t see you.”
“It’s alright,” she mumbled as she got up. “I should have seen where I was walking. I was too absorbed in my documents.”
She waved farewell as she headed down the hallway, probably towards her office. Home Run quickly straightened his shirt before getting to Art class. As soon as that was over, Home Run headed for one of his favourite activities of the day. Lunch.
The baseball player grabbed some tacos before looking for a table. The Rainbooms weren't in the cafeteria yet, so he found a seat with the Winds of Destruction.
"Why if it isn't Home Run!" Jetstream tossed his empty carton of milk back onto the table. "Come to join us today? Excited for the upcoming championships?"
Home Run blinked at the word ‘championships’, remembering his time in his old school. This time, he would make it right. “I definitely am.”
“Awesome! With a full team this year, we’ll win for sure.”
“Wait,” Home Run pointed out as he dug into his lunch. “They let you play without a full team?”
Heavy Wind shrugged, scrolling through his phone. “Yeah. Rainbow Dash ended up playing both catcher and outfielder at once. We still got through to the finals, but then they made up a rule that you couldn’t play two positions at once anymore. Figures.”
“Yeah,” Jetstream butted in with a piece of asparagus in one hand. “They’re just mad that we got so far with just the few of us,” Heavy Wind chortled into his taco. “What’s so funny?” Jetstream demanded.
“Check this out,” he held up his phone for the table to see. It was a picture of a green pony with a hoof up to its mouth, looking very philosophical. Beneath it, two lines were written: ‘If guns don’t kill people and people kill people, then does that mean toasters don’t toast toast, toast toasts toast?’
“Say what?” Home Run’s head spun as he tried to understand the riddle.
The others were far less impressed. Sundown shoved the phone back to its owner. “It’s too early for this, Heavy. Save it for later, when Ah actually feel like putting up with your shenanigans.”
“Yeah!” Jetstream pointed his asparagus in Lightning’s face. “Just look at Lightning! He’s so dumbfounded, he can’t even swipe this leafy goodness out of his face!”
Jetstream jumped back as a blur of silver sliced the asparagus in two. Lightning Rain put his knife back onto the table. “Don’t push it, Jetstream.” he said calmly.
Jetstream stared at what remained of the stalk and tossed it back on his plate. “What a waste, Lightning Rain! I was gonna eat that.”
“You can still eat it.”
“Not after you’ve touched it, I can’t! Didn’t your sister ever teach you table manners?”
“You two boys at it again?” a turquoise-skinned girl said behind them, carrying an empty tray.
“Lightning Dust!” Grabbing the leftover stalk of asparagus, Jetstream clamped it in between his teeth and leaned back in his chair, grinning. “What’s happening?”
The track member shrugged and patted her younger brother on the head, making him flush. “Just passing through. How’s the baseball training coming along?”
“It’s coming good!” Jetstream continued to lean back a little further. “This year, we have just enough people to make it within the rules!”
Home Run’s phone buzzed in his pocket. “Just a sec,” he said, ducking off to answer it. He pressed it against his ear; there seemed to be a lot of static on the other end. “Hello?”
Instead of a coherent answer, there was a long, drawn out hiss, like a deflating balloon inside of a paper bag. After roughly ten seconds, the line went dead.
“What the heck?” Home Run stared at his phone, confused. There was also a message in his inbox. He opened it. “Aw crap…”
‘Your actions have consequences. There is no place to hide.’
“What was that?” Heavy Wind asked, bending over to see Home Run’s phone. “Your actions have consequences? There is no place to hide? Must be a prank. I’ve seen stuff like that on Neighgag too many times. Like the seven days prank, or the Janeighcan prince emails. They’re all fake.”
“Home Run being targeted by those prank calls you keep posting about?” his twin joined in the conversation.
“Yep.”
“The ones that you actively contribute to?”
“I might have tried them on the neighbors once or twice,” Heavy said slyly. “Fifty bucks is fifty bucks.”
Home Run looked at him with new confusion. “You… didn’t happen to just send me this prank, did you…?”
“Nope,” he shook his head. “I only do mainstream pranks. I’ve never even heard this one before.”
Rainbow Dash suddenly jogged up to the baseball team, a small alarmed look written all over her face. “Hey guys. Can I borrow Home Run for a bit? I think it’s quite important.”
“Don’t see why not, cap,” Heavy Wind waved Home Run to follow her. “Go on, slugger.”
Home Run got up and went with the rainbow haired girl out the cafeteria and into the immediate hallway. The five others were already there, holding their phones with varying amounts of disquiet.
“I take it everyone got the message too?” Home Run asked them, receiving nods from each one. “You think it’s like… legit?”
“I think so,” Rarity said grimly. “I think we should tell Twilight.”
“Right,” Sunset nodded, unslinging her bag and pulling out her journal.
Before she could put a pen to the paper, everyone looked to their phones as they began vibrating again.
“Uh oh…” Pinkie said out loud.
Home Run picked up the call again, the rest of the girls doing the same. The same paper bag balloon sound was heard again, before the call cut at the end.
“There it is again!” Applejack pointed at her screen, looking at her inbox.
The others opened the message, viewing the words inside. ‘The blood of Captain Vor is on your hands. Did you really think there would be no repercussions?’
“How does he know about that Grineer captain?” Sunset asked aloud.
“Y-you know…” Fluttershy squeaked. “I don’t think this is a prank.”
Rainbow suddenly activated her Warframe, Zephyr folding over her like a second skin.
"Rainbow, what're ya doin'?" Applejack hissed.
“Whoever is sending us this knows who we are, and what we did in Equestria four weeks ago. That means they’re probably coming for us right now! It’s like that one movie where you get sent a text seven days before you die!”
Rarity looked skeptical. “Rainbow, that’s not even remotely similar. In fact, I’m not sure you even have the right movie in mind."
Vauban immediately folded over Home Run without warning, startling the batter. "Home Run, I do not think this is a joke. Whoever is sending us these messages... It clearly knows we killed Captain Vor, and it will also know how dangerous we are. Daring to challenge us like this... It must be a strong opponent."
"Vauban is right," Zephyr spoke in his head. "You all better suit up."
The other Tenno quickly folded out over their human pilots, doing as Zephyr said.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." Mag voiced her opinion.
"Whoever this is..." Rhino added. "Our power has been restored to us and we drift together. There’s no way we can lose."
Instead of an attack, their phones began buzzing again, alerting all of them to another incoming call.
"Should we pick it up?" Home Run asked the others before deciding whether to press the green button or not. Before they could choose, an ominous black static filled each of their HUDs, blocking a good portion of their vision. In it, a dark figure, swarmed with streaks of dark cloud-like energy stared back at each of them.
"I am your reckoning..." the black figure boomed.
"Look out!" Vauban yelled, taking control of the Warframe. He spun around and grabbed the shaft of an arrow, the tip pointing right at his visor.
"Woah..." Home Run moved his head as far as he could from the arrow tip. "Nice save, buddy. But where...?"
On the opposite side of the hallway, a dark figure emerged from a well of smoke and shadows, standing from a kneeling position. As it stepped into the light, its features were cast into sharp relief: an eyeless face, engraved with a jagged, vaguely square sigil, a shadowy, streamlined body that was accented with red, a deadly-looking bow in its hand, two racks of throwing knives on its thighs, and the handle of some kind of heavy bladed weapon on its shoulder. At once, they all came to the same conclusion.
“A Warframe, and not one we have on the database,” Mag concluded. “Possibly hostile. Be on guard.”
“Possibly?” Vauban questioned. “He shot an arrow at us!”
Faster than they would have thought possible, the dark Warframe nocked a second arrow to the string and let fly, the bladed tip slicing through the air toward the group. They scattered, but as they were recovering, the rogue Tenno glowed with red energy, closing the distance between them, a crimson energy blade in its hand as it slash dashed past Applejack. The sound of a shield breaking was heard as the girl cried out.
Rainbow Dash snarled and raised her pistols, intending to empty them into the attacker at point blank range. The assailant turned and leapt over her, dodging all the bullets, landing behind her completely unharmed. It spun a kick at the back of Rainbow’s head, but Zephyr took over and brought the Warframe under the kick, narrowly dodging it.
Home Run and Applejack rushed at the Tenno, ready to smack their weapons in its face, only for it to vanish into thin air, reappearing some distance away and out of range. It gestured with its hand and Rhino and Vauban were pulled to the floor in a wave of magnetic force.
“Hey!” Mag shouted. “That’s my skill!”
It peeled it’s melee weapon from its back, brandishing a ridiculously sharp scythe and it would have taken off one of their heads, if Pinkie hadn’t slid in the way and blocked the blade with her shotgun barrel. The Tenno quickly spun and kicked her to the ground, aiming his scythe for her head.
"Pinkie!" Applejack reached forward.
The blade whiffed harmlessly through the Mirage clone, the real Pinkie squirting back into view behind the Tenno and firing her shotgun right into its back. The Tenno staggered, hissing in annoyance as it slashed with the scythe again, cutting down yet another Mirage clone. Three more Pinkie's hopped into view, blasting the rogue Tenno with their guns. With a growl, the assassin raised its hand up to the sky. Crimson energy pulsed out in a ring, and one by one, the clones winked out of existence, leaving a baffled Pinkie Pie suddenly standing on her own. She brought her arms up to her face with a squeak as it aimed its scythe again.
Home Run dashed forward and put his whole body weight into a slam, knocking the Tenno to the ground.
“Stop it!” he shouted, doing everything he could to hold the enemy down. “We’re pilots, just like you! We’re working for the Lotus too!”
The black and red Warframe responded by teleporting out from under him and appearing airborne above him, a fistful of knives flying from each hand and pinning Home Run to the floor.
"Agh!" Home Run screamed as the blades punctured through his armor and skin. Each blade felt like it was made of ice, and it burned like nothing else he had ever felt before.
“Fluttershy!” Trinity barked. “Home Run is in trouble! Use our blessing skill before that abomination finishes him!”
Rarity and Sunset fired their weapons at the Tenno to distract it while Fluttershy quickly pulled together as much energy as she could get and fired off a blessing at Home Run. The soothing green light washed over him, healing his wounds as Vauban ejected the knives from his body.
“Okay,” the boy muttered, glaring daggers at the enemy Warframe. “Now it’s my turn.”
Home Run pulled out three tesla grenades and threw them at the assailant, getting away as electricity arced across the hallway, damaging a few lockers. But none of them reached their intended target, as each of them was intercepted by a thrown knife mid-flight. They detonated in brilliant explosions in the hallway and dust fell from the ceiling ominously.
“That is so not fair.”
“His throwing skill is indeed formidable.” Vauban agreed.
Sunset’s glaxion was being surprisingly effective, the beam of ice keeping the enemy at bay as it flung knives and shot arrows back, but with Fluttershy’s help they didn’t do any lasting damage.
“Uh, guys?” Ember’s pilot grunted. “I’m running out of ammo here, so if you have a plan, now’s the time!”
"He might be strong, but he can't take all of us at once!" Rainbow motioned. "All at once! Go!"
The pilots aimed for the rogue Tenno altogether as it brought up some kind of bubble-like dome around itself as it floated in the middle of it , feet and palms pressed together as if meditating while the gunfire and Warframe powers assailed it.
“A shield, huh?” Rainbow reloaded her pistols and kept firing. “Let’s see how long you can keep it up!”
Home Run and Applejack bashed at the rotating barrier with their weapons, Rarity shot at it with her arrows, while Rainbow, Pinkie and Sunset emptied their magazines into the shield, squeezing the triggers of their guns for all they were worth.
“Come on, guys!” someone shouted above the roar of their assault. “I think it’s about ready to give!”
The bubble around the enemy Tenno grew brighter and brighter with each hit, becoming almost blindingly white, then-
Nothing.
Home Run wasn’t sure what happened next, but the blast of light that followed knocked out even the glare filters on his Warframe. His visor was cracked and it was all dark in the suit, though by the feel of it he was lying on the floor. His ears were ringing and there was a coppery taste in his mouth that he identified as blood. His right leg was burning with pain, just under his knee.
“Vauban?” he croaked. “What’s going on?”
Home Run waited, but no answer came from his Tenno companion. He tried to get up, but his arm felt like it was encased in a lead pipe.
"Can anyone hear me?" he called out.
A muffled voice came from behind him. “Yeah… right behind ya. Ah think. Ya alright?”
There was a sound that sounded like wind blowing past him, followed by a series of metal hitting metal. There were a few grunts, followed by the scuffling of feet.
“I can’t move…” Home Run replied, still trying to lift his arm. “I think Vauban’s down. And my leg hurts.”
“Same with Rhino, Ah’m afraid,” Applejack grunted. “And he’s a little heavy…”
"Home Run! Applejack!" he heard Rainbow call from behind. "What are you waiting for? Get up! Mr. Loregiver's buying us time!"
"Afraid we can't, Rainbow," Applejack answered for them. "We can't move. Ah think the suit's broke."
Home Run felt the hands of someone grab on to his body and pull him back, dragging him along the floor. Immediately, the pain in his leg flared up, forcing his mouth open with a huge screech.
“My bad, Home Run!” Rainbow apologized as she stopped dragging him. “You’re in no condition to move.”
“Is it... Is it bad?” Home Run asked, unable to see past his blackened helmet.
“Uhh… let’s say you’re lucky you can’t see it. I’ll get Fluttershy over.”
"Home Run!" he heard Rarity say, trying to hold back a scream of some sort. "What a dreadful... wound! Are you... alright?"
Home Run could still feel the pain in his leg, but endured it. "I wouldn't think so, from what Rainbow said."
He heard a few held gasps as more feet rushed next to him.
"We'll get you patched up right away," he heard his timid friend whisper.
Soon, he felt the familiar soft energy envelope him, slowly moving down to his injured leg. Eventually, the pain subsided, releasing him from its deadly grasp.
"Sorry, Home Run," he heard her say again. "I didn't have enough energy to fully heal it... Umm... Try to take it easy..."
“Thanks, but I still can’t get up. The armor’s power is down,” Home Run tried to lift an arm, still unsuccessful.
“We’ll help get you out, you two,” Rarity said from his left.
Suddenly, he felt a dagger-like object prying its way into his Warframe. Vauban wasn’t going to like it, but he wasn’t functional right now, and Home Run just wanted out of the suit at the moment. Light entered his vision as the helmet was lifted off his face. He blinked a few times at the bright invasion, eventually seeing the faces of his friends.
“Thanks, guys,” Home Run sighed as they began working on his arm and leg armor.
They had picked up one of the assailant’s throwing daggers, digging them through his Warframe armor, taking it off piece by piece. He grunted as the tip of one nicked his shoulder; those things were seriously sharp. As soon as the body armor was lifted off his chest, Home Run managed to push himself up as Applejack emerged from Rhino as well, both a little bloodied but otherwise ok.
The clash of metal drew their attention back to the ongoing fight as Excalibur blurred past them, his skana locking blades with the enemy’s scythe. Sparks flew as both Warframes pushed against each other, neither one refusing to submit.
"Go! Get out of here!" he shouted back to them as he fought. "I'll take care of this!"
The Rainbooms wasted no time, rushing over to get Home Run and Applejack out of there and making sure to grab all the discarded bits of armor.
"Follow me!" Sunset beckoned, holding the journal in her hands. "We need to get back to Equestria. It'll be safer, and we need to get Vauban and Rhino working again."
"Mirage says we can go back and fight,” Pinkie jogged aside Sunset, holding onto Rhino’s legs. “I mean, we do have all their powers now, right?”
"With Home Run and Applejack like this?" Sunset asked, opening the journal. "I think we better get to Equestria first. I'll tell Twilight to ready the form changing spell."
She stopped in her tracks, reading something off her journal. Everyone gathered around her to see.
"What is it?" Rainbow Dash asked, looking over.
"Twilight says they're aware of the situation and are waiting at the portal for us."
The team continued on, heading out the front doors of the school building. They still had three more periods to go after lunch, but this was more important. Home Run hobbled along, being supported by Rainbow, while Rarity helped Applejack along. The others carried the broken pieces of Vauban and Rhino, making sure not to drop any along the way.
At the statue, they spotted Twilight and Spike already waiting there, along with an unfamiliar girl with grey skin and blue-grey hair with a pink highlight going down above one eye. She wore a black jacket over a dark pink shirt, and a long blue skirt over black-purple boots.
“Come in,” Twilight told them, putting one foot through the mirror. “Hurry!”
Like before, the party ducked into the mirror and stumbled to a halt in Equestria, retaining their human forms. Twilight snatched the journal off the pedestal, sealing the way off.
“Just in case that thing tries to follow you,” Twilight explained.
“What about Mr. Loregiver?” Fluttershy asked. “What if he needs to come in. I mean… isn’t he from your world?”
“Excalibur will need to fend for himself,” the new girl said firmly. “We cannot risk any harm coming to the princess, or any of you, for one pony.”
“Yeah,” Twilight nodded. “He’s tough. He can handle himself, but you know…? I still can’t believe he’s the Loregiver from our world. He fits in so well… I mean, I used to visit him in the library whenever I needed a book or two.”
The new girl shrugged. “Adaptation, my princess. We guards of the Eclipse will go to any lengths to serve Equestria.”
“Say what now?” Applejack asked, trying to stand on her own. The wounds she had received back at school proved too much for her however, and she settled for sitting against the wall.
Twilight ran to her friend's side and inspected her with worried eyes. "Hold still. We’ll take it from here, Applejack. Eclair, if you would help me with the parts."
Twilight and the girl took the Warframe pieces from the team and arranged them back in two opened cryopods, making sure everything was inside before sealing it.
"So... these things are going to fix Vauban and Rhino?" Home Run grunted, still being supported up.
Eclair nodded primly. "Oui, human. According to Princess Celestia, these... Pods will construct your armor to the best of its ability."
"Wait... are you that bat pony that was with Princess Luna when that Grineer captain attacked?" Sunset said as she folded Ember away.
The grey-skinned girl nodded and half bowed. "Agent Eclair at your service. It is a pleasure to meet les heros who saved the life of Princess Celestia. I only wish it were under more pleasant circumstances.” She spun on her heel and opened one of the crates in the room, returning soon afterwards with a box of medical supplies. "Venir, I will tend to your injuries."
Rainbow brought Home Run and Applejack to the guard and sat them down as gently they could while Eclair tore off a length of bandage with her teeth, dressing and binding both of their injuries in no time at all.
"So, Twilight," Rarity walked up to her. "Did Princess Celestia tell you anything about our new... Adversary?"
Twilight semi-nodded. "Yes and no. She did mention it was definitely a Warframe, but she had no idea what it was and it’s definitely got a grudge with us. Nyx received three messages around the time it attacked you, so I’m in its sights as well."
Nyx suddenly folded out and separated from Twilight, walking over to the pods. "What happened to my brothers? What did it do to them?"
Applejack tested the movements of a bandaged arm. "It used some kind o' sphere attack. No matter what we did, we couldn't break past it. Next thing ya know, it exploded. Home Run and Ah, took the most of it, bein' right in front and all."
If Nyx had a face, it would have been something like a shocked expression. "This sphere... it is one of my Warframe skills. It absorbs all damage focused on it and releases it back in a wave of destruction. This Warframe you fought... Perhaps is another of my form."
"Well, no wonder we got hammered!" Rainbow chuckled a little. "We were doing as much as we could against it!"
Mag folded out and joined Nyx. “The enemy is formidable. It also had a skill of mine and Excalibur’s. I do not think it is what it seems.”
“A Warframe with the skills and abilities of others…” Twilight contemplated. “I think I better tell the princess about it.”
“No need Twilight Sparkle,” Princess Celestia and Princess Luna walked into Twilight’s palace, maintaining their equestrian forms. The humans waved at them, getting simple nods and smiles. “I am aware of the situation. Loregiver has contacted me. This enemy… I have seen it before. It has thrown a wrench in my plans a few times, but I have never found out what it was, or where it came from."
“Is Mr. Loregiver alright?” Sunset asked. “Did he beat the Warframe?”
“From what he told me, neither could defeat the other. In the end, the rogue one ran away, disappearing in a cloud of smoke,” Celestia briefed them. She headed over to the pods to check on Vauban and Rhino, checking on the status of their repair. “This… thing, this… Stalker has dealt lasting damage on Vauban and Rhino. I’m afraid even I cannot fully repair them.”
“What can we do?” Home Run subconsciously touched the place where Vauban’s badge normally sat. “Will they still be functional?”
Celestia nodded her head. “They will be alright, but they won’t be able to fight like they normally do. You’ll actually barely have enough energy to hold the suit together. I suggest avoiding combat until we find a way to get your Warframes up and running to their best ability once more.”
“Avoid combat?” it was Applejack’s turn to ask. “We can’t jus’ let the rest of them fight off this thing on their own. We gotta help!”
“I am afraid that our decision is final, Applejack,” Luna said sternly. “We cannot risk you stepping into a battle when there is every chance your armor could fail to protect you from a fatal injury.”
“But…” Applejack started to say, but stopped, eventually conceding. “You’re right… Ah shouldn’t give my friends more trouble than there already is.”
Luna nodded approvingly. “Indeed.”
“First things first,” Trinity detached herself from Fluttershy and brought up a 3D display with her hand. “Did anyone manage to get a scan of this Stalker? Such information could be most useful.”
“Vauban did,” Home Run replied. “But… well…”
“Oh. I see. We will need to retrieve the scans after his Warframe has been reassembled, then.”
“Guess we’ll have to wait then,” Sunset muttered, crossing her arms. She looked understandably cross about their predicament.
Fluttershy raised a hand and waited for everyone to turn to her before speaking. “Umm… I have a question. Shouldn’t we head back? I mean… we still have school, and I wouldn’t want to get in trouble.”
Celestia and Luna glanced at each other as if asking for each others’ confirmation. “Well… I suppose you could, if Loregiver has the school secured. We will ask him.”
Celestia magically pulled out her Lotus helmet and put it on. “Excalibur. Can you hear me? The students need to get back to class. Is everything in order?” She nodded as she listened to what Loregiver was saying before returning her attention back to the team. “He says the enemy seems to be gone for now. You may go back. He’ll provide an alibi for you.”
“Are the Warframes done, princess?” Applejack slowly walked towards the pods. The glass had fogged up again, obscuring her view of Rhino. A small square screen on the side of the cryopod displayed a wireframe of her Warframe, with several areas still blinking red.
“I’m afraid full reconstruction of Rhino and Vauban will take at least until tomorrow morning, including the system backup and reboot,” Celestia said gently, using a wing to coax Applejack from the pod. “But don’t worry. They’re in safe hooves.”
“Do not trouble yourself, Applejack,” Nyx assured. “We shall guard over the pods for you.”
“Guess we should head back before we get Mr. Loregiver in trouble,” Home Run told the others. He didn’t want to leave Vauban here, but at least he was in good hands.
“Well… okay then. We may as well head on back.”
They waved their goodbyes but before they left, Luna stopped them. “Wait. Eclair? Go with them. I want you to watch over them for me.”
Eclair stepped forward and gave a bow. “As you wish, your majesty.”
Rainbow Dash was skeptical. “Are you sure she can protect us? No offence, but she doesn’t even have a Warframe.”
This time it was Twilight’s turn to pat Rainbow on the back. “Oh, but she does. I helped her pick one just before your call came through… though it’s true we haven’t had the chance to try it out yet.”
“Ne t'inquiete pas, Rainbow Dash,” Eclair said, walking ahead of them. “I am an Eclipse guard. I will live up to my duty to Princess Luna.”
“What was that?” Applejack objected, but everyone else was already through. “Aw, dagnabbit.”