Back to Equestria brothers.

by ThatRarityIsaSpy

To Manehattan! Or not........

“That was probably the largest headache I’ve had in a century.” Tarkus said watching an amused Diomedes.

“You said yourself. Naive, and a bit annoying.” The honor guard captain replied. “That was actually pretty funny I’ll say myself.”

“Next time you get to explain things to a cyan horse.” Tarkus groaned as he sipped a light yellow liquid from an awkwardly small cup. “At least this tastes good.”

“Lemonade!” Pinkie said jumping out of nowhere with a hailstorm of confetti. “You should also try some......”

The pink mare stopped for about ten seconds to think of every beverage in existence in Equestria before saying every single one. The only reply she got was having the two space marines looked at each other with odd looks.

“Well....... later....” Tarkus said awkwardly. All of this, really is a new experience. It was often he was sent to go meet with random small pastel colored horses. Some proved reasonable, others friendly, a few stupid and then there was this one. She really just couldn’t sit still.

“Have you ever tried something?” Diomedes asked. “It’s called sitting still.”

“Why would I want to do that? Even my cutie mark tells me to party!”

“You’re just gonna have to get used to Pinkie’s energy.” Twilight said walking by with some tea.

“I all of a sudden have the urge to go kill something.” Diomedes said grabbing his bolter. He really wasn’t too interested in having a pink horse chase him and Tarkus around over the sake of “parties”.

“I’ll come with you.” Tarkus replied. He was getting sick of sitting around with a bunch of pastel colored equines. Time he did what he did best. Unfortunately, now he had to STAND around a bunch of pastel colored equines, as they followed him.

“Where’s Cyrus and Martellus anyways?” Tarkus asked.

“Something about looking around in that forest.” Diomedes said pointing at the Everfree.

“And where’s Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I haven’t seen her all after morning!”

“Is she that yellow pegasus who can talk to animals?”

“Yeah.”

“Probably got dragged with Cyrus to find the best thing to fight.”

“What?!”

“Relax, she’s probably fine.” Tarkus said. “Cyrus and Martellus handle themselves well. Cyrus merely wants to see what are the best places for training new recruits.”

“And this forest, is excellent.” The one-eyed man said emerging from the trees. “For the first time since we came here, it’s offered me sufficient challenge. Dragons. Lot’s of them exist in the forest. So do giant bears the size of titans.”

“I have marked this location for Angelos.” Martellus said to his brothers. “This will be one of the ideal places. Oh... and here’s your friend.” The techmarine then dropped Fluttershy, who looked rather sick.

“Eh, now what in tarnation did ya varmints do to her?”

“Nothing.” Cyrus said.

“Oh.... it was terrible!” Fluttershy said recovering in about ten seconds flat. “They were killing the poor dragons and the timberwolv......”

Really? Poor dragons? Those things would probably go around terrorizing towns and you call them poor? But despite the fact he was annoyed by Fluttershy’s rambling about “poor dragons” and how he “heartlessly” murdered the timber wolves, dragons, manticores or anything that seemed to have been worth his time he didn’t say anything. He was much used to this already and didn’t feel like starting any bickering.

“You know?” Rainbow Dash suddenly said. “He may like killing things. But fighting dragons? That takes guts! And while killing everything you see is wrong at least he’s brave! Like me!”

“I’d rather say YOU are like Cyrus.” Tarkus said. “He’s fought things worse than just dragons.... and frankly, you don’t look like someone built for fighting fire-breathing lizards.”

“Looks aren’t everything!” Rainbow Dash said.

“LOOKS ARE EVERYTHING.” Rarity snapped. “Take a look at them! That shining armor! That dazzling......”

Great. More rambling for the sake of rambling. Tarkus thought. This is probably the largest headache I’ve had in centuries.

“And I just think... he needs a mane.” Rarity finished examining Diomedes who looked like he wanted to stab the white unicorn. But he endured this with stony silence despite his face of disapproval.

“Alright.” Tarkus said. “I suppose this place is marked and good to go. Any other notable places?”

“Well let’s see.... we got the far south where dragons nest.....”

“Ideal.” Cyrus said wiping his brow. “It was a great challenge slaying the creatures.”

“And the far north contains icy blizzards. For some reason unbeknownst to be. There is a strip of land that is not encased in ice.”

“Hmmm..... no native life?”

“None that deserves our attention.” Martellus said. “Signs suggest civilization, but that’s not good enough.”

“Yeah, that’s the crystal empire! The crystal ponies are just recovering.” Some pony said.

“Great. I want dragons and big beasts that can rip a man apart. Not more multicolored equines.” Cyrus said.

“But many strange creatures inhabit there!”

“Fine. Go on Martellus.”

“Hmm....... griffins in the far, far east across some ocean.”

“Unless you feel like swimming. No pony in their right mind will take you there.” Twilight said. “Griffins aren’t the friendliest of all things. They make a habit of being barbarians, fighters and.....”

“Mark that.” Cyrus said. “But really I want a fight. Not a massacre.”

And I thought Rainbow Dash had a ego. Applejack thought as the space marines continued discussing.

“The west is badlands.” Martellus said. “Doesn’t sound interesting.”

“Nope.”

“Hey........ wastelands........” Martellus said. “Those things we caught with the book of Lorgar.... inhabit there.”

“Changelings.” Twilight said. “They feed off of love and strive to conquer Equestria!”

“Sounds like a low quality offshoot of Tyranids.” Cyrus said. “And....”
“These things are tough! They are very skilled in destructive magic and.....”

“On second thought, mark that.” Cyrus said cutting Twilight off again.

“Done. A few other locations remain. One includes a massive desert, also in the south. Inhabited by strange creatures and more equines.”

“Nope.” Cyrus said giving his disapproval. “Alright, so... dragons, griffins, snow or changelings?”

“I am a bit tired of dragons.” Martellus said. “I say Griffins.”

Oh boy, chances are we get dragged along. Rainbow Dash thought.

This ain’t gonna end well. Applejack thought digging at the ground.

“Griffins it is!” Tarkus said. “I hope they are as fierce as they are described to be.”

“There’s a port in manehattan.” Pinkie Pie said. “You should go there!”

And here’s where we get dragged along. Twilight thought.

“Very well then. However.....”

“Okay okay! I’ll come!” Rainbow Dash said. “I know the most about griffins!”

“Sorry sugarcube, but ya go and we all go.”

“I go too.”

“I can’t just let you go all alone out there! I am coming too!”

“I am with you Dashie!”

“It’s settled. We all go!” I hope this ends well. Twilight thought pasting a smile on her face.
I was going to ask for an efficient ways of travel, but I guess this will also do if we need knowledge on griffins. Tarkus thought.
“Then... let’s get moving. Wait..... what's that?" Tarkus asked as he pointed at a book hanging out of Twilight's saddlebag. When the unicorn didn't say anything.... he grabbed it. In the instant his eyes met the words of the cover, he dropped it in disgust taking a step back.
"Mars and Terra......." Martellus said as he saw the title.
"HAVE YOU BEEN READING THAT?!" Diomedes raged as he saw the book.
"When Jonah told you to burn it. He MEANT it. For some reason, the fool assigned to do this didn't." Cyrus paused for a moment. "And now you decide to read this?! Do you have ANY idea what you've done?"
"But I didn't......." Twilight said.
"What do you mean?!" Diomedes raged again wanting nothing more than to break the equine in half.
"It's that....... well......"

The other day, Twilight had received a notice from Princess Celestia. It's subject was the book.
Twilight,
Prior the humans departing ponyville, 5 months ago, one of them, Jonah Orion had told me to burn this book as well as have the Canterlot librarian executed. Unable to bring myself to do this, I went to see the Librarian and I explained to her what had happened and asked how she got the book. In truth, she had no clue. It merely turned up and she never read it. So not wishing to have to commit any atrocities, I told the librarian to burn the book. I even saw it myself, she threw the book straight into a roaring fire.
It didn't burn. It simply didn't burn. Soon... the Librarian told me.... she felt as though she was being watched. Watched with hateful eyes that wished her harm. This taxed on her sanity, until the day came.... right when the humans arrived back in Equestria, did she kill herself. Unable to cope with it any longer. Only the humans can possibly know of this answer. I implore you, hold onto the book. Discover anything you can. For the sake of Equestria. Do it. If this text is half as evil and tainted as Jonah described it, it is best we learn what we can and destroy it as soon as possible.

Yours truly
Princess Celestia

"Well..... that explains why this book is still in one piece." Diomedes said taking it. "I will be right back."
As the space marine proceed to attempt to destroy the text in everyway possible. The other space marines looked at one another while the mane six gave blank stares.
"The librarian was being watched..... normal when chaos makes it's reach." Cyrus said. "But.... did she.... hear anything?"
"No. She was insane but she wasn't hearing voices. Poor thing." Twilight thought.
Strange Cyrus thought. But then again, there were many reasons chaos could do or couldn't do anything. He sat down for a moment and began to meditate. This was cut short when spike vomited up yet another scroll.

Sorry I didn't include this in my other letter. Twilight, beware of changelings, we have caught many the other day in a crackdown. Be careful and be safe. They want that book......

"Changelings." Twilight said. "Again......"
"I am detecting several unidentified life forms." Martellus said. "Something unclean is here."
"Then we find it. And destroy this threat." Cyrus said. "Come on!"

Author's Note:

Edit was made. Instead of going to the Griffins, we now have the changelings.