//------------------------------// // P.O.V. // Story: Equestria Girls: The Rubicon // by Jongoji245 //------------------------------// Before Dispersal Deep in the cavernous lair of the Predacons, Chrysalis approached the massive glowing container. The “embryo” twitched here and there as it slumbered. The Changeling Queen looked at the control panel, noticing the gestation process at ninety-nine percent complete before beeping to a one hundred. Drawing a toothy grin she pressed a button. Steam hissed from the container while the edges of the container seeped out the mutagen mixture onto the earthen floor. The container burst open, releasing the giant mutant onto the floor. The body twitched before one red eye opened up. “Where…. Am… I?” He growled as he rose on his hind legs, twisting his body with a series of loud pops, seeing Chrysalis. “Do you recognize my voice?” She asked, braving death as she stood before the giant blue beast as he leaned towards her. “...Chrysalis…” - He raises a gray brow - “The years have not been kind since we've last met.” “Do you remember what happened?” “The school… Tambelon... Closed down… I was driving on the highway” - lifting his hand, the beast found he had cloven claws in place of his regular hands - “What?! What has happened to me?” Chrysalis chuckled, “You are dead flesh brought to life through science and sorcery.” “Sorcery?” The beast asked. “Yes. And there are a few… terrorists who would use that against the world.” Chrysalis brought a mirror before him “They will make us like this!” The beast took a good look at the mirror, noticing his cloven limbs, ragged blue fur, and gnarled, curled horns alongside his toothed muzzle. He roared at his reflection before smashing the mirror. 2 Hours After Dispersal Back at the base, Sweetie Belle paced back and forth around the ground bridge, waiting for her sister’s company as well for her fellow Crusaders to come back safe and sound. Dapplewood and Tex were playing a game of Solitaire, the former just drawing a number three club and placing it on the four club. Sadira looked at another scroll, reading ancient dialect before noticing the painting of a fire ifrit. Twilight kept vigil on the radar while Spike shuffled on the grass. Snips and Snails, still in their hurly-burly mutated form, stood guard, biding their time with a game of rock paper scissors. Worry reached Sweetie Belle easily, and she soon tapped into her com link. “Rarity, are you still there?” The Crusader could only hear static, much to her worry. She looked down when a hand was placed on her shoulder. “Don't worry,” - Tex, away from the game, rubs her shoulder - “your sister would do just fine.” “But my-” Sweetie Belle was joined up by Sci-Twi. “He’s right,” - She added - “whatever lack of communication there is maybe due to distance. We’ve never designed the comms for long distance missions such as this.” “Yeah.” - Said Snips in his deep voice - "And whatever obstacle will come, Trixie will break through!” Continuing his game of solitaire, Dapplewood was just about to complete a deck of cards before he noticed something wrong with the air. He takes a few sniffs, looking around before continuing on the game, placing the full deck aside before making a few hand gestures to Snips and Snails. “What was that, eh?” Asked Snails. “He just asked why do you two hang out with her?” Answered Sweetie Belle. “Well…” - Snips placed a turtle claw on his beak, trying to come up with an answer - “She’s great.” “And powerful.” Added Snails. Those two most commonly placed facts didn't convince them. Sadira looked away from the scrolls to ask, “What else?” “She’s… bigger? “ said Snips. “She’s bigger!?” Said most of them with a ridiculed tone. “Then what you used to be?” Asked Twilight, pointing to the even taller mutates. Snips and Snails widened their eyes. True that Snails was among the tallest boys in their class, but now that he was even taller along with his partner in crime, the rules may have changed for him altogether. Dapplewood sniffed the air again before getting up. His scent game led him straight to the HUB itself. Hearing the sounds of snapping cables, the youngest Maximal rushed forth, giving a sharp hiss through his teeth upon seeing the perpetrator. It was Flash Sentry. The jock turned around, finding the boy getting aggressive. Tex and Sweetie Belle joined soon after, finding Flash to their surprise. “Flash?” - Tex grabbed him by the jacket and pulled him out of the van - “What are you doing?” Sweat dripped on his head as the Rocker tried to find an answer. “There was… a rat! Yes, a rat eating at the cables!” Twilight entered the HUB, inspecting the damage this so-called rat did to the modules. “Some huge rat this was, the communications module is busted. If we can’t get that fixed, we won’t get an early warning from either team...” As Twilight continued, Flash crab walked away before getting up. Turning around, he found Dapplewood again this time with Snips and Snails behind him. The Thunderfoot just stared at him, keeping the jock in his place. Having known him through his ten-eleven year life, Dapplewood knew of Flash being at best what they call a “waifu stealer.” But he knew Flash wouldn't be that low as to damage vital and expensive equipment. Dapplewood inched his head further, baring his teeth as Flash’ eyes shrank, especially with a werewolf and a snapping turtle behind him. The boy caught the baby blues shifting to the left before flipping back to him. Dapplewood immediately turned around, finding another student being pushed around by Sadira. Blowing a whistle, he guided Snips and Snails to the conflict. “Hey, what's going on-?!” Snips’ question was interrupted when the supposed student turned around and hissed at him. Hearing the hiss, Spike curled back, raising his hackles. “A Changeling, here?!” He questioned before Flash snatched him away. “Spike!” They all shouted as the assailant held the dog by the head. “Flash, what are you doing!?” Exclaimed Twilight. Spike bit down hard on his hand, releasing him from the death grip and rushing back to his owner. The wounded individual watched as the wound oozed green blood. “That ain’t Flash.” Said Tex before rushing forward and pinning the Changeling on the wall of the school. The beast transformed into its blackened self and started gnashing its pointed teeth at the tall sophomore as he shifted his head over to Sweetie Belle. “You learn any stun spells?” Ponying up, Sweetie Belle lit up her horn before delivering a sharp shock to the Changeling’s skull. Though not as strong as Rarity or Sunset, it was enough to knock the beast out. Back at the Ground Bridge, the Changeling that hissed at Snips began to flutter away. His mutate mode more athletic, Snails lifted Dapplewood onto his shoulders, running forward before jumping. Dapplewood than jumped up and grabbed the Changeling by the legs. Snails then tossed up Snips, adding more than enough weight to ground the Changeling. The boy held the creature by the neck, ignoring the foul breath before knocking it out with a good headbutt. An hour later. With help from Snips and Tex, Twilight had just finished repairing the radar system. “There, that should get the radar booted up in a few minutes.” “Still need to get communications back.” Said Tex as he lifted himself back up from underneath the desk. “No time, the Ground Bridge must be repaired next.” As Twilight, Tex and Snips left the HUB, the radar booted back up, displaying two blips. One coming from the north at a rapid speed, the other, with a much more powerful signature, just a walking distance south from there. While not the Apple Family Knot, Dapplewood knitted and knotted so much that the Changeling duo responsible for the sabotage couldn’t break out. Sweetie Belle, having spent much of her energy holding them together in a bind, plopped on the floor, catching her breath as she pets Spike. “If we don’t repair the module quickly, our friends will be fighting to the death.” Twilight lifted up the damaged cover, finding that several power cables have been torn from the power source, a massive gem called a Sunstone from Princess Celestia herself. “With this, it'll take until dark to get repaired unless we use an alternate power source.” “How about a car battery?” Asked Tex, pointing to their vehicles. Twilight placed a hand on her chin, looking at the damaged unit before turning to the giant sophomore, “We're going to need at least three-” Without warning, the blip that was rushing towards them made it’s presence known before them, having smashed several cars along the way before turning around to the gatekeepers. Crawling on all fours towards them, the beast rose on his hind legs, easily towering even Snips and Snails for the moment. “Who… Who are you?” Sweetie Belle cringed as she looked up the massive humanoid goat. The beast looked down at them, his physique blotting out the sun. “I have changed. But you may remember me as the former principal of Tambelon.” Those facts ringing across their ears brought a shade of pale on their technicolor bodies. “It can’t be…” - Twilight just caught her glasses falling off her nose - “Grogar was dead for over thirty years.” The large ram narrowed his red eyes, looking to notice Tex cracking his knuckles. “Maybe I can make that true.” He said before rushing forward and giving Grogar a series of rapid punches before being swatted aside. Grogar growled as his horns lit up before firing a blast from a bell-shaped charm around his neck. Sadira was quick to bring up a sand wall, blocking the attack as it shattered like glass. Surprised at his power, the goat touched his horns, feeling the heat on his hooves. “What sorcery is this?” he questioned himself before Snips, Snails, and Dapplewood rushed out of the destroyed shield. Snails pounced on Grogar, scratching his face as he held the scruff with his teeth. Snails rushed to the goat’s backside, turned around and jumped, colliding his spiny shell on the blue fur. With the demonic goat fallen and Snails holding him down. Dapplewood looked to the bell charm before grabbing and pulling it. Sweetie Belle whistled for Spike, joining the boy as they tried to pull the bell. Pull with all their might, the charm was held tight around his neck. Twilight used this opportunity to rush over to each car. “Sorry about this, guys.” She apologized in her head before smashing each driver side window, unlocking the door and hood. Grogar would have none of this; the goat rose back on his hind legs, grabbed Snails, spinning around to thwack Snips away. He then grabbed the smaller children, tossing them forward to the Ground Bridge. Spike held on the longest, a mistake he learned when he got blasted away. Dapplewood hissed, letting his emotions get the better of him as he charged forward. Defensively, Grogar swatted at the boy so hard on the jaw that it broke one way and shattered teeth. The boy remained limp, coughing up blood as the Crusader tried to drag him out of the way. Grogar prepared another blast, intimidating Sweetie Belle as she tried to cast a spell. At the last minute, Sadira bridged herself between the goat and the Crusader. She mustered as much sand as she could, but in no way will it be enough to help. Sadira screamed as the blast went through the hardened silica and sending her scattered to the winds. Sweetie Belle whimpered as she slowly stepped back. Twilight bridged herself this time. “What can you hope to accomplish this time?” - Grogar growls - “Your friend wasn't so lucky.” Twilight embraced Sweetie Belle, ready for the worst as Grogar lit up his horns. But joining the static of charging horns was a long drawn out howl. The beast stopped his charging attack, turning around to his right to where the howl came from. As the battle remained in a standstill, the empty street echoed with heavy footsteps growing louder and louder before a large man, around his early sixties, with charcoal black skin, white hair, and yellow eyes within a red sclera. And if that's not enough, Grogar tilted his head up as he became slightly dwarfed by the staggering stranger. “Well?” - Grogar tilted his head - “What do you want?” The man merely stared at him, keeping a firm glare at the goat as he snorted on his beard. Twilight began to scoot back towards the portal, hooking the last car battery with a loud click. Grogar turned his attention, lowering his guard as the taller man grabbed the blue fur and flung him aside. The man howled once again before trudging forth towards Grogar. The goat rose on his hind legs, channeling his energy to his charm. Twilight and Sweetie Belle winced as the bell sent a full blast on the man's chest. They opened their eyes, gaping their mouths at the scene of the attack. The man was still alive, though the front of his shirt was burned away. He trudged forth again out of the smoke, grabbing Grogar, carrying him a few yards before slamming him to the ground. In the volley of fists and teeth a distance away, With Sweetie Belle rushing to their emergency supply of Zap Apples, Twilight was on her own as she rebooted the Ground Bridge. Several lines of code in HTML and CSS have been muddled, fortunately for Twilight, Sunset had provided backups of the updated code before the teams dispersed. Back at the battle, Grogar and the stranger were locked together, pushing each other in a feat of strength. Though he has been mutated with sorcery, Grogar wasn't having as much luck. The stranger slowly pushed the goat away before kicking him to the concrete. The former schoolmaster looked up, seeing a massive leather boot rise above him. However, the boot reached too late as black smoke enveloped Grogar, sending him away. Despite not being as physically strong as Apple Bloom,Sweetie Belle managed to prop up Snips and Snails besides Tex. As she reached for Dapplewood and Spike, a large shadow quickly loomed her. The stranger looked down with evil eyes piercing into the Crusader's soul. But the stare was a good distraction for Twilight to click on the first dispersal team she saw, sending up a ground bridge right behind the stranger. "Sweetie Belle!" The tall man stood straight as Rarity (her horn encrusted with dark crystals), Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Chelsey, and Diver. He turns around, seeing the new arrivals look at their wounded teammates before looking at him. Rarity especially clenched her teeth. “What have you done to her, you beast!?” The man not answering, Chelsey and Diver rushed at him. The anthropomorphic Kaprosuchus barreled at the man’s waist, pushing him a few feet back before Chelsey gave him a series of punches. Rarity swiftly took her sister away to safer grounds. Fluttershy and Pinkie grabbed Spike and Dapplewood respectively. Twilight tried the next set of coordinates before looking back. The man had just tossed Chelsey aside before slamming his fists on Diver. The overweight Maximal panted as she held herself on all fours. The stranger lifted his foot and pinned the croc down, twisting the front toe before lifting it up, ready to stomp on her. That is until a loud bray is heard and a large object swept him away. A fully feral Cosgrove with the injured Zipper on his back, Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo just returned home. The taller of the Apple Sisters prepared a lasso as the stranger stood tall, removing a quill lodged in his shoulder with a growl. He then trudged towards them as Cosgrove bridged himself between them, warning the stranger again by slamming his tail on the ground. The stranger merely watched as the Maximal swayed his tail back and forth before Applejack threw the loop around his neck. She pulled with all her might, getting the stranger to stagger before Cosgrove pounced on him. The man struggled to get up, but with Chelsey, Diver, and Sunset back into the fight, he could only watch as Applejack hogtied him. Strong as he was, he couldn't break out of the bond. Cosgrove stood up, powering down before taking out his phone. “Dad, I would like to report of a hostile at Canterlot High.” Ten Minutes Later As per protocol, the police arrived and took the man away. But the damage was still being undone. Applejack and Sunset helped Twilight establish a connection to the power source. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Diver and Chelsey were hard at work helping out their wounded or cursed. Rarity’s horn was restored after eating half of a zap apple, flaking off the black gems. Zipper was placed on a medical table, breathing slowly as he was feed a slice of zap apple at a time. Snips and Snails had the mutagen purged from their bodies, much to their sadness. “And once, I felt useful.” Said Snips. “You two did an excellent job, either way.” Said Tex, flexing his wounded body. “An excellent job!?” Trixie stepped forward at the honorary Maximal, looking furious “Sadira is dead because of your headstrong actions!” “Hey, hey!” Chelsey bridged herself between the two “If she hadn’t done that, Sweetie Belle would have been dead.” Trixie scowled at the piebald girl, turning with a huff as she walked away. Snips and Snails stood up and joined her, but not before looking back at Twilight. They have quite a lot to think about regarding their great and powerful master. And sooner than later, she would be gone from Canterlot High. Who would they follow then? With his jaw broken, Dapplewood’s head was taped down with an ice pack on the broken joint. Unable to chew, he was instead given a soda drink hat with two bottles of zap apple cider. Occasionally he did clench his face as new teeth erupted out the damaged ones or empty spots. He looked around, taking notice of one person missing. Cosgrove stood near Cogsworth's house, hands in his pockets as he readied to deliver the news. He knocked on the door, standing stiff as a soldier as he waited. Soon the door opened, revealing Cogsworth's not so quite happy parents. “Can I help you?” Asked Shock Drive, glaring down at Cosgrove. The sophomore took a deep breath, “I have some bad news… regarding your son.” “No, don’t talk-” “He’s a Predacon under the guise Galgameth.” Shock Drive opened the door wide open, pushing Cosgrove away. “Well, it was all your fault for pushing him! You did this to him!” - Shock Drive stamped back into his house before turning around - “You're lucky I won't sue you!!!” The door slammed at his face, Cosgrove took a deep breath before slowly walking out of the neighborhood towards school. One the outside he looked like something Maud Pie would relate, but inside told a different tale. His heart was pumping rapidly, as is his breathing. His brain was at war, logic trying so hard to repel his rage. And beneath that chaotic build, what vented out was a deep heinous growl as his eyes twitched. Cosgworth is presented with a large variety of metal from sheets to steel rods. With the Eye of Fashoom in his hand, he knew exactly what purpose the gem could be used for. He felt a crystalline hand on his armor, looking back to find Sombra with Heka wrapped around his neck. “You have done well.” - the snake staff slithered - “Very well indeed.” Sombra raised a brow. “Do you regret leaving your former friends?” The mechanic looked down, reminiscing of the past years he has been with his friends. And now, having harmed one of them means there is no going back. “No.” He clicks a button at the back of his head, bringing back the boll weevil mask, “Not at all.” He finishes before lighting up the fully repaired optic sensors.