Sunset Rekindled

by EldritchNexus

Enter Bloodwing

"What in Equestria?!" exclaimed Sunset Shimmer. "How's that possible?"

"King Nelphyn's powers are beyond your comprehension, naive little unicorn!" growled Bloodwing. "I am beyond anything you've ever faced before. You can't defeat me."

"Maybe she can't..." said King Craw, standing back up. "But I can."

"Craw, you don't have to do this!" said Sunset.

"I know I don't." said Craw. "That just makes me want to do it even more."

"A Changeling risking his life for a pony?" commented Bloodwing. "Rather unexpected, but all the while futile. I'll kill you both just the same."

King Craw's horn glowed red.

"Try me." he said, simply.

---

Glitch was flying around the labor area, knocking aside any templar he saw while babbling incomprehensibly on the way:

"Banter banbehbehbehbehbehbehbeh!" he babbled, as he K.O.-ed a gryphon templar from behind. "Boom-phphphphphph! Bekekah! Bekeeeeekah!"

"You think you can get me?!" Kengu shouted nearby to an earth pony templar armed with a spear. "Meet me somewhere!"

The templar nervously jabbed his spear into the air, only to be hoof-punched in the face by Kengu.

Silver Shadow and Commander Grubb stood back-to-back, surrounded by more templars.

"How many of them are there?!" grumbled the Changeling leader.

"I know!" said Silver Shadow. "They're just crawling out of the woodwork! They're just like...well, you guys!"

Grubb turned his head around as he was fighting, as if to retort Silver's comment, but instead...

"You know, I actually agree!" said Grubb. "Now I know how you ponies must feel!"

---

Bloodwing was pummeling King Craw into a wall repeatedly. He flashed his teeth viciously at the Changeling, and continued speaking:

"Bloodwing, let him go!" shouted Sunset. "There's no reason for you to keep fighting us! Your fortress has already been infiltrated, and your Neo-Templars are probably wiped out by now! Face it: No matter what you do to the two of us, you've lost!"

Bloodwing laughed coldly.

"You think that the templars are wiped out?" he said, ominously. "No, my little pony. Even if you two were to somehow defeat me and eliminate every last one of those murderous rogues that live here with me, we still won't be wiped out."

"What are you talking about?!" hissed Craw.

"Did you think I founded the Neo-Templars?" asked Bloodwing. "No! I joined them! They've existed since long before I was even born!"

Sunset gasped.

"There are hundreds of templars just like the ones you've faced here throughout Equestria." said Bloodwing. "And their numbers are growing and growing. Fort Echidna's just one place to look, and there are countless other places where the rest of the templars might be. You just don't know them yet! What you and those pathetic allies of yours have experienced in this fort is just a taste of what's to come! Mark my words: You can't win!"

"Well, I think we can do the whole world a favor by wiping your templars from the face of Equestria!" growled King Craw.

Craw fired a spell at Bloodwing's horrid face. The beast-pony reeled in anger, and then started wrestling with the false Changeling king, trying at every opportunity to bite at him.

"You know, you and I really aren't that different!" King Craw said to Bloodwing, even as they wrestled. "Please, I've done what you have right now, and I trust that the pain...just...isn't worth it!"

"I've been done that path, too!" said Sunset. "You can still clean up your act!"

But at this point, Bloodwing was beyond reason. His hatred and newly-found insanity that came with his transformation had reduced him to a mere beast of near-equine shape.

"Sunset, get out of here!" Craw shouted to Sunset. "Get back up to the surface!"

"I don't want to leave you, Craw!" Sunset argued, bitterly. "Not with him!"

"You won't!" countered Craw, amid his struggle. "I'll try and join you as soon as I can! But you'll just be in danger if you stay down here! Go! Please go now, my lady!"

Sunset nodded in acknowledgment, and left the room to find a stairway that led to the upper levels.

---

Teddy somehow found his way down to the prison area of the subterranean levels. He had to be careful not to draw any unwanted attention from any templars that might still be down there. He crept around every corner, trying to stay as quiet as possible. As he snuck around, he heard voices coming from a prison cell.

"Well guess what, Pupa?" said a voice. "Looks like this place is really going to the dogs! And since nopony's around right now, that means I'm gonna have a lot of fun with you!"

Teddy went up to the cell door, and saw an earth pony templar in battered royal guard armor trotting in circles around a very young female Changeling with a grayish complexion, big eyes, and long straight bluish-green hair. Her fanged mouth was closed and drooling, but the rest of her body was quivering in fear.

"Here's what we're gonna do!" said the templar, who was grinning wickedly. "I'm gonna take you out of here..."

Teddy was about to sigh in relief, but what the templar said afterwards ruined that notion:

"And then I'm gonna bring you someplace quiet in the countryside, where we'll live the rest of our days." said the templar. "You'll be my pet!"

This both disgusted and angered Teddy.

"How'd ya like that, Pupa?" said the templar. "Why not gimme a kiss, sweetie?"

Pupa slowly turned her head, but said nothing. Instead, she opened her mouth and bit the templar on his hoof. He cried out in pain, then shook the bitten hoof.

"Scratch that." said the templar. Looks like I better find a collar...and a whip!"

Then Teddy burst into the cell door, ran up, and struck the templar in his helmeted face. He toppled sideways, dazed, while Teddy tried to break the shackles holding Pupa to the ground. Pupa whimpered a little, but eased up when she saw the kind expression on Teddy's face.

"Don't worry, little girl." said Teddy. "I ain't here to hurt ya! I'm gonna getcha out of this crazy place!"

Pupa nodded mechanically, but still said nothing. Instead, she continued to drool.

"You don't talk much, do ya?" commented Teddy.

"Get your hooves off of my pet!" growled the templar, getting back up.

"You're sick, you know that?!" shouted Teddy, disgusted. "For crying out loud, she's just a child! And nopony should mistreat children, even if they are Changelings!"

"I don't care." chuckled the templar. "And if you haven't noticed, she's dumber than dirt, so she wouldn't know mistreatment if it bludgeoned her over the head, which is exactly what I'm gonna do to you!"

"Like heck you will!" said Teddy, getting Pupa on his back. "C'mon, let's get outta here!"

And then he ran out the cell, with the crazed templar in pursuit.

---

Scarlet Blaze and Golden Sun were on a separate level, fending off some of the more battle-hardened templars. They were all charging at them, screaming like maniacs. Golden Sun used concussive blasts to knock them aside, while Scarlet went all-out and used every method of attack she could offer to incapacitate her own attacks. Eventually, the tall unicorn lieutenant came into the fray, wearing full armor. He charged straight for Golden Sun, his horn glowing, when Scarlet suddenly tackled him and they tussled on the floor for a moment, while the other templars watched.

"Don't you dare hurt my--" Scarlet shouted.

The templar lieutenant looked up at Scarlet.

"Daughter?" he said, with a voice that was familiar to Scarlet. "Is that you?"

He took off his helmet, revealing his copper eyes, reddish-brown coat, and graying crimson mane.

"Fa...father?" gasped Scarlet. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, Scarlet." said Crimson Blade. "It's me."

The other templars started to jeer.

"I can't believe it!" shouted a templar.

"C'mon, keep fighting already!"

"Templars, stand down!" said Crimson Blade, getting back up.

"No can do, traitor!" said another templar. "Let's get 'em!"

But the three unicorns' horns started glowing, and an entire wall of offensive spells repelled the templars, forcing them all to retreat down the corridor.

"Father, I thought you were dead!" said Scarlet.

"And I thought the same of you." said Crimson. "I thought you and your husband both died fifteen years ago. I was absolutely distraught!"

Crimson stripped himself of the armor he was wearing, to show he renounced his position as a templar.

"I was such a fool!" he said. "But there's no time to explain now. Why are you here, Scarlet?"

"Me and my husband are here to save our children."

"Long time, no see, Professor Sun." said Crimson, turning to his son-in-law.

"Where do you keep the prisoners?" asked Golden Sun.

"Follow me!" said Crimson Blade.

---

King Craw and Bloodwing flew up air shafts to the higher levels, battling each other as they did so. They both came out into the ruins of the original Fort Echidna, and were wrestling each other on a ledge overlooking the river below. Bloodwing was getting the upper-hand, though, and had Craw pinned down. He was poised to bite down on his neck, when suddenly, there a javeling was thrown through the air, and struck Bloodwing in the ribs. The beast-pony turned, and saw Sunset Shimmer standing there. He growled viciously at her, and started to creep up to her, his sharp teeth slavering.

But this gave Craw time to get back up, and yank Bloodwing by the javelin stuck in his side. Then he bashed his skull into Bloodwing's face twice, forcefully ripped the prosthetic hoof straight off of Bloodwing's leg, causing him to screech in pain. King Craw took the opportunity to grab a stick of dynamite off of Bloodwing's belt, emitted red sparks from his horn to light the fuse, and then jammed the whole thing down the beast-pony's throat.

"Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" Craw said, coldly to the gagging creature.

Then he shoved Bloodwing over the edge of the balcony they were on, causing the beast-pony to plummet deep into the river, where he appeared to explode even as he was submerged, creating a lot of steam and bubbles on the surface. King Craw sighed in relief, and collapsed to the ground from exhaustion. Sunset Shimmer quickly went up to him, wide-eyed and concerned.

"Craw, are you all right?" she asked, alarmed.

"Of course, my lady." said Craw, panting as he laid on the ground. "It's been a while since I had to fight an enemy that strong."

"That was very brave and valiant what you did for me." said Sunset.

"Ah...I just wanted him out of my lair as soon as possible." said Craw. "But there's still all those other templars that are running around that place."

"They can wait." said Sunset, softly. "Right now, I want to show you my gratitude."

She tenderly placed a hoof on King Craw's chitin-covered chest, and gazed into his red eyes. She bent her head down to kiss King Craw on the mouth. There was a pause, and Sunset stepped back, her face visibly sweating and her lips dry. She was visibly trembling. Craw bent his own head up, and opened his own mouth to extend his tongue. He gently stroked it up and down, then left and right across Sunset's face to clean the beads of sweat, even as they crept down her forehead from her damp, disheveled mane.

"Sweeter than sugar..." Craw muttered under his breath.

Sunset blushed.

"Don't be afraid." Craw told her. "I can tell just by looking into your eyes that you want this kind of company right now. Your hormones desire fulfillment; and your blood is boiling like hot water."

Sunset paused. Craw spoke again:

"If you'd like, I could change into somepony more appropriate for your species."

"No." said Sunset, shaking her head. "It's okay."

Craw frowned.

"I mean, you don't have to turn into anyone else." said Sunset, whose voice was getting slightly huskier. "I...like you just as you are."

"But just how much, exactly?"

"Well..."

In a moment, the two were tongue-kissing and embracing each other.

Author's Note:

Princess Pupa was created by Magic Man, and used with his permission. Credit goes to him for the character.

Comments

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

unexpected twist

[Lord Nopony]

"How many of them are there?!" grumbled the Changeling leader.
"I know!" said Silver Shadow. "They're just crawling out of the woodwork! They're just like...well, you guys!"
Grubb turned his head around as he was fighting, as if to retort Silver's comment, but instead...
"You know, I actually agree!" said Grubb. "Now I know how you ponies must feel!"

LOLZ!!

But this gave Craw time to get back up, and yank Bloodwing by the javelin stuck in his side. Then he bashed his skull into Bloodwing's face twice, forcefully ripped the prosthetic hoof straight off of Bloodwing's leg, causing him to screech in pain. King Craw took the opportunity to grab a stick of dynamite off of Bloodwing's belt, emitted red sparks from his horn to light the fuse, and then jammed the whole thing down the beast-pony's throat.
"Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" Craw said, coldly to the gagging creature.

You go Craw!

[00RaiserGundam]

Loved Craw's one-liner. Wonder how this will finish going down.

[JimmyHook19]

5317354 oh yeah! Craw's one liner was epic indeed!