“If that’s what we’re facing then it doesn’t look good” Twilight admitted, Moondancer had just told everyone that had arrived from the other cities, the looks amongst the ponies and their allies summoned up their position, in deep trouble. Those that had faced the monsters Moondancer had described looked as terrified as ever. The news some ponies had turned traitor also deeply affected the ponies but none more than Twilight and the news Flash had turned traitor, her eyes were barely hiding the tears “Right, we will need to have a war council but we’ll have it tomorrow to allow more allies to show themselves” in truth she wanted some time to sit with her sadness and clear her head.
Gandalf was first to speak up “Pardon my sharpness but we had better have the council sooner than later, by which I mean today. Otherwise we risk losing everything” he wasn’t rude but the effect of his words on Twilight was noticeable “I understand your….position but we are all in this for better or worse” Gandalf could see through Twilight’s position but he felt there was no time for weakness and the sooner they took action the better.
Basil however took this moment to step in and support Twilight “Terribly sorry to interrupt kind sir but our forces are still tired from the long trip back, we’d best rest and it might also give us time to decide who will be on this bally council” he said but Basil could also see Twilight’s inner turmoil.
Applejack then stepped in “I reckon Basil’s right on this old timer, I need some time to find where my family will be sleeping for the next little bit” nodding towards the remains of Sweet Apple Acre, when she had found out, she had been relieved to see her family was okay but the damage done had clearly affected the sturdy earth pony.
Suddenly Armstrong spoke up “I’m deeply sorry about your home” he then started to hold Applejack’s hooves as he went over the top with sympathising “How tragic it is that you fight bravely for your friends and family, only to return to find your home destroyed by cowardly villainy but you still retain such courage!” Applejack looked at Mustang for support but he merely shook his head and Armstrong continued “Please allow me to help you to rebuild?”
Rarity stepped up and said “Darling that sounds like a marvellous idea, who’s with me?” quite a few followed the Apple family to start with the rebuilding while others decided they’d be better off helping to rebuild the rest of Ponyville. Some walked off mumbling something about training or getting some sleep.
Still Basil, Spike and Sailor Jupiter remained with Twilight who sadly walked into her castle and slumped at the map before tears dripped down her face. All this was too much for her, she’d tried to be strong and all that had resulted in was finding out that the pony she had a crush on had betrayed Equestria. She sighed as her three friends followed her in “What is it?” she asked trying to hide her emotional distress.
Sailor Jupiter sighed “We were thinking this news about all these new enemies having taken Equestria has got you really worried” she said dodging round the obvious news that might have hurt Twilight more but she wasn’t sure if she should point out she had seen Twilight’s face fall at the news Flash Sentry had turned on them and this made the Scout suspect Twilight knew the pony “I mean the news…”
“That a bally pony has betrayed us, seemed to hit you pretty hard” Basil cut in without much tact or grace “So what’s the jolly problem? We will try to capture these traitor ponies instead of killing the traitorous turncoat loonies!”
Spike however said in a small tone trying to appeal to the Twilight who had raised him from an egg “Twilight, please…we’re worried about you, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Rairty are more worried than they’ll admit!” he knew he had to break through the fresh guilt Twilight felt “You can’t build a wall around your feelings!”
"I can't build walls! Huh? Your wrong that's exactly what I do!" Twilight suddenly yelled “Leave me alone!” she now had tears in her eyes and before any of them could stop her, she used her magic to levitate them out of the room and locked the door “I’ve let too many ponies down…Applejack would be better leading you than I would!” she screamed through the door.
Basil summoned up their thoughts with a whisper of “Well that’s some dashed bad luck”
Roy Mustang was training with his fire alchemy, trying to prepare every trick in his arsenal for the upcoming battle, he knew better than most that his alchemy would have to keep up with an impressive range of fighters. It was at that moment two streams of fire came out of a bush just in front of him, he was able to dodge but he was curious as a black dog and red brown dog popped out from where the flames had come from.
They both barked at Mustang playfully both were wagging their tails “Did you two do that?” Mustang asked as he witnessed an old man step out too from the bushes he remembered seeing the old man at the meeting at the castle “So who are you?”
Iroh smiled his kindly smile “I’m merely a man who witnessed you training and thought I’d assist with your fire bending” he said but earning a confused look from Mustang “I’m Iroh, a fire bender from the land of fire”
“My name is Roy Mustang and by fire bending I take it you mean alchemy?” Mustang asked looking at the old man with a curiously raised eyebrow, fire bending sounded so silly it had to be made up but the old man seemed unfazed by Mustang’s question, which made Mustang suspect the man was telling the truth, well there was one way to see if he was being honest and that was to challenge the man “So this fire bending…I take it you can control fire?” he asked
“Indeed” Iroh said with a proud smile and knew Mustang would want to test him so he readied himself into a stance that implied he was ready “I await your challenge” the two dogs sat panting as they watched the spar about to break out “Do not fear hurting me. You won’t get close”
Mustang smirked, sparring someone with similar abilities to his own could prove fun “Alright but don’t blame me if you wind up with mud on your face” he said with a cocky grin. Iroh gave him a nod and the spar began, Mustang snapped his fingers, causing a stream of flame to travel towards Iroh but the old man jumped into the air before doing some movements and the fire then seemed to obey him “What the?!” Mustang said stunned the surprising movement Iroh was capable of. Iroh then send the fire back where it came from but Mustang snapped his fingers and countered his flames.
Iroh smiled after the flames died down and said “Hmmm it seems us sparring against each other wouldn’t be of much use, it defiantly be better if an earth bender like King Bumi were here” he sighed remembering the easily excitable earth bender would be more than eager to step in “I say our skills would certainly complement one another”
Mustang had to admit Iroh had a point, as long as the fight went on Iroh could couter Mustang’s alchemy and he could counter Iroh bending. “Indeed” he sighed out as he looked at the mountain “We defiantly need more help, without it retaking that city up there will be more difficult than ever”
Iroh looked up and said “It makes me wish my nephew and the Avatar were here to assist us” he wasn’t use to wishing but the odds seemed wildly against them. He then noticed Mustang sadly nodding “I take it you have friends you were wish were here?”
“Yeah, the Elric brothers would certainly help, they always seem able to overcome the odds” Mustang said as he then noticed his stomach rumbling “I guess I could also go for some lunch” After walking about the town Iroh and Mustang found Sugar cube corner “This place looks like it might serve food”
“Hey are you two heading in?” asked a pony behind them turning they found themselves staring at Rainbow Dash “I take it you don’t have any Equestrian money?” they both nodded and smiled “Leave it to me” as they walked in Pinkie sat behind the desk looking quite sad but as soon as the three walked in her face brightened up “Hey Pinkie these guys could do with some grub”
Pinkie nodded and said “Oh well the cakes have said anyone fighting to free Equestria gets free food…up to a point” she quickly added “What do you two want?”
Tien was also training in the Everfree forest but then he heard a voice “P…Please help me” the voice was female and as he looked down he saw a tired zebra tied to a tree “I…I need…to reach…Twilight!” she breathed out as Tien landed next to her and snapped the chains “Thank you” she then fainted
Tien flew back to Ponyville where Fluttershy spotted him as he landed landed next to the town hall “Zecora! Oh sweet Celestia!” she ran over as Tien laid her on the ground “Where did you find her?” Fluttershy looked over the zebra as she started to patch up the zebra’s injuries.
“I was training in the forest when I heard her call out to me” Tien explained as he looked over the two “Who is she? She said she needed to talk to Twilight but I wasn’t sure what to do with her” he wasn’t sure if Zecora was but the pony had been at the meeting earlier, suddenly Moondancer ran up and Tien turned saying “What’s going on?”
Moondancer said her breath heavy “There’s a monster attacking! It’s ambushed there fillies just outside of the town!” she had tears in her eyes “Someone needs to help them!”
Tien powered up his energy and said “Point me in the right direction!” Moondancer pointed towards the direction she’d come and Tien flew off to assist the fillies.
“Run! Scootaloo come on!” Applebloom screamed as they ran from the monster, they had gone to find out if the school house was okay and had been attacked by the monster who now was closing with every passing moment. Applebloom and Sweetie bell were running but Scootaloo had tripped her leg injured in the fall “Oh no! Scootaloo!”
“Help me!” Scootaloo screamed in fear as she tried to move away from the monster “Leave me alone!”
“Scootaloo!” Applebloom yelled but she was stopped by Sweetie bell, who shook her head knowing that if they tried to help her it would be over for all of them but there were tears filling her eyes like Applebloom’s eyes as they watched the scene before them “Scootaloo! I’m so sorry!”
Turbanshell laughed as he approached his victim “Time to die little pony!” he cackled out as he put a foot on Scootaloo’s wing to prevent her from flying away and raised his weapon high before swinging it down on Scootaloo’s head but it was stopped by Tien who just managed to block it “Who dares?!”
Tien threw the enemy back saying “Are you okay young one?” he dug into a pocket and retrieved a senzu bean “Here this should fix that leg right up” after Scootaloo ate the bean, her leg healed and she ran over to her friends, Tien turned to the monster “How dare you! You attack youngsters all because you didn’t have the courage to face a real opponent!” he readied himself for battle “You’re pathetic! Prepare to die! I Tien Shinhan will be your doom!”
“With my power boost, I’ll crush you!” Turbanshell yelled as he charged forward, Tien flew to the side to avoid the blow from his weapon before kicking Turbanshell around the head and send the monster flying into a tree “You pathetic human! I am Turbanshell and I’ll kill you!”
Tien flew up with his arms crossed and said in a smug tone “You couldn’t kill me if you trained for a thousand!” he wasn’t overconfident with his chances of victory but he decided the time had come to end the pathetic excuse for a fight, so he formed a triangle with his hands and screamed his ultimate attack “Tri-Beam!”
“NOOOOO!” Turbanshell screamed as he was vaporized by the powerful attack.
Tien panted as he landed next to the CMC “Are you all okay?” he asked as he felt the strain of having used the dangerous attack, it certainly seemed to have left an impression on the young fillies and Tien was worried he might have scared them “Oh I’m sorry if I scared…”
“That was awesome!” Scootaloo said eager to thank their rescuer “How’d you do that? It was so cool, you were like…Tri-beam and pow!”
“It was certainly impressive” Sweetie Bell admitted though she seemed a little intimidated by the tall man but then it wasn’t often she had seen had attack that powerful “What’s your name?!”
“My name’s Tien!” Tien explained as he looked the fillies over for any injuries “So none of you are hurt are you?” he awaited their response but they all just shook their heads “Right then let me walk you three back” it was at that moment there was a massive explosion, as Tien turned he saw the monster he’d just destroyed grow into a massive monster over seven hundred feet tall “Get behind me!”
Fluttershy watched in horror as she saw the monster grow, she turned towards Sweet Apple Acre and flew towards it; she needed to get Godzilla to help fight the monster.
Tien was trying to fight the monster but he was fighting not only to defeat the monster but to defend the CMC “Damn it! Really wish the others were here!” he whispered as he stopped Turbanshell from crushing the girls “You oversized crab worm!” he snapped but he was losing, he needed help and it needed to arrive soon.
“Special Beam cannon!” Tien smiled as the attack struck Turbanshell’s weapon, disarming the monster.
“And here I thought you’d never turn up!” Tien called over to Piccolo, who smirked back and the two prepared to fight “Guess your attack is losing it’s edge, huh, Piccolo?”
Piccolo flew up to him and smiled “Hmmm true but I don’t think either of us are at the top of our games, huh?” they flew round Turbanshell and it was at that moment Piccolo spotted the three fillies “Who are the horses and where are we?”
“They’re some ponies I was asked to help and we’re in the land of Equestria, the land of ponies” Tien quickly explained dodging another attack but they were merely lining up to use their best attacks “Hey why don’t we go for a Special beam and tri beam special?”
Piccolo nodded and they both flew up above the monster’s head “Special beam cannon!” Piccolo screamed.
“Tri-beam!” Tien screamed but their attacks were stopped by the intervention of a new fighter “Who are you!?”
The new comer flew up and drew a sword, smiling calmly before yawning and then said “Sorry gentlemen, Turbanshell here was send to kill ponies not two non-ponies and call me Lord Aizen” but he had spotted the CMC “I guess I’ll have to do what my monster was send to” he slashed his sword down and a powerful energy wave was send straight for the three fillies.
“NO!” Tien screamed as he flew towards the CMC, he quickly picked them up but the attack struck him in the leg “AHHH!” he collapsed on the ground injured.
“Tien!” the CMC yelled running over to the injured man.
Aizen smiled satisfied at the damage he’d done “Finish the job and don’t stop!” he ordered the monster before disappearing.
Piccolo was left in an impossible position “Damn it! Tien! Get up!” but Tien was struggling to raise to his feet “Well this certainly isn’t good!” he had to cover Tien and the three ponies he’d put himself at risk for but without Tien the chances to stop Turbanshell were minimal. Suddenly the monster was struck from behind by the tail of Godzilla that roared his trademark roar, Turbanshell fell forward narrowly missing the CMC and Tien “Good timing!” Piccolo commented as he prepared his attack spotting a weak spot he yelled “Special Beam Cannon!” the attack hit the monster right on the button, destroying it.
Fluttershy flew up and spotted the CMC “Girls! Tien!” she flew to the three girls with the human and then she saw Tien’s injuries “Oh no! We need to get him to Twilight!” the enemy’s new plan was clear, they wanted the ponies to attack and until the ponies gave them the entertainment they wanted, more monsters would attack and with Tien now injured chances, the ponies chances looked worse than ever but Piccolo was certainly a welcomed arrival.