As a surge of adrenaline raced through Samus, she turned towards the boundaries of the town, looking for anything defensible even in the slightest. Spike, however, was way ahead of her. “Shining, shield the town, now!”
“What?” Shining gasped out in shock. “But-”
“Do it Shining!” Celestia barked out. “Don’t argue!”
Leaping to the table, Shining charged magic along his horn before launching his spell, which took shape as a shimmering pink bubble surrounding the entire town. Samus quickly scanned it, and found it to be as durable as she’d hoped. With luck, this would offer some protection from civilians.
However, before she could begin plotting out a defense, Samus heard what sounded like a piano and a heavy guitar echoing through town, and she saw the ponies shivering as their fear spiked. Glancing out the window, she saw crimson eyes in the shadows over the town, and heard a familiar voice singing.
In the dark of the night I was fading and shrieking
For the nightmare that plagued was as bad as could be
It left me in raging fits
To see a corpse falling to bits-
Before her very eyes, dragon bones rained down from the clouds to ping off the shield.
How horrid it was that this nightmare was me!
“Ridley!” she hissed angrily, turning towards the others.
“Heart song…” Luna whimpered softly. “Even Heart Song...twisted by Dark Magic…” Before anyone else could sing, the song continued, now backed up by the sound of thousands of hooves marching and the buzzing of countless insect wings.
I was once the mightiest warlord of the cluster!
When they thought to replace me, that was a mistake!
On pirates my vengeance did wreak!
But till they are slain I won’t sleep!
Upon them now what Ridley has sown he shall reap!
Switching her visor, Samus saw the armies marching and flying towards Ponyville and quickly scanned them. What she discovered did not fill her with hope.
Recorded to Logbook
Para-spite
X Parasites have mimicked Changeling drones, creating an army to march under Ridley’s banner. These have further been amplified by Dark Magic, Ing Possession, and Phazon injection. Their normal carapace is now much thicker, and the additional spikes are coated with Dark Water, making them especially toxic to the touch. Retains shape-shifting ability and capacity to drain emotional energy, though limited to an equine shape of equivalent size. Destructive and ruthless, they retain both the Ing vulnerability to light based weaponry and the X weakness to Metroid based beams and predation. Your dragon aspect will allow you to absorb them without Phazon corruption, and the Light tech will protect you from Ing Possession.
Warrior Para-spite
Like Para-spites, but these X mimic Warrior Changelings and are possessed by Warrior Ing. The end result is a far stronger creature. Standing nearly three times the height of the standard Para-spite, it is capable of inflicting far more damage and taking much greater punishment. Retains the same weaknesses of the Para-spite, but the thicker armor makes it more difficult to damage.
Hunter Para-spite
Unlike Warrior Para-spites, these Warrior Changeling mimics have been possessed by Hunter Ing. Preferring aerial battle and having a lighter build than Warrior Para-spites, these retain the Hunter Ing capability of phasing in and out of local space. Retains the same weaknesses as other Para-spite variants, but incredibly deadly both at range at close in. Engage with caution.
“Adam!” Samus called out. “We need to evacuate this town!”
“What?” Adam shouted out. “But we’re shielded-”
“The shield’s relying on one pony’s strength!” she barked out. “And we’ve got an army of X, Ing, and Dark Magic coming in! I need as much room as possible to work in, and no civilians to trip over, especially when the hosts are shape shifters!”
“On it!” Anthony barked out as he raced to the door. “This castle’s huge! We’ll bring them all in here!”
As Adam, Anthony, Rundus, Ghor, and Gandrayda got to work, Samus and Spike moved into combat positions as the dark song continued, this time from the army, sounding like an unholy, hissing hymn.
In the dark of the night, evil has found you!
As the dark of the night blots out the dawn!
“Revenge will be sweet…” Ridley sang out.
“Now the power’s complete!” the army sang out with him.
In the dark of the night...you will die!
Samus growled under her breath, watching as the lead scouts of the marching army began banging on the outside of the shield, sending the citizenry there panicking towards the Castle. “At least they know where to go,” she murmured softly as they raced past her.
“Thanks for small blessings,” Spike murmured back as he took to the air, the music echoing still.
Can’t you feel how my power has grown overwhelming…
Soon I shall crush you both ‘neath my heel!
Though your fear I can smell in this place
I know my forces you’ll face!
Just before, dear Hunters, I send you to Hell!
Seeing some of the hostiles starting to breach the shield, Samus raced forward, using a straight physical strike to knock them back, not wanting to risk releasing any X until all the civilians were safely out of the range of the battle. Despite that, the army continued to sing.
In the dark of this night, Terror has found you!
“Terror’s the least I will do!” Ridley snarled from the clouds as the billowing shadows slammed into the shield from above.
In the dark of the night, our march is true!
“Soon we shall feast!” Ridley shouted out.
On the flesh of the weak!
“In the dark of this night, you’re through!” Ridley snarled out.
“We’re not done yet!” Spike growled back as the shield shrank down, protecting just the castle now that everyone - and everything - had been evacuated there safely. The army continued to sing, but Samus and Spike refused to listen, already lunging to battle, but the magic of the song held the forces together.
“Come my minions!” Ridley sang out. “March for your master! Now it’s time to feed!” The soldiers charged forward on ground and sky, surrounding the pair of defending Hunters. “Show them now how hopeless it is!”
“In the dark of the night!” the creatures proclaimed repeatedly as they stalked forward, only for Ridley himself to take shape out of the dark clouds.
His body had drastically changed. He was no longer sleek and smooth as he had been. He’d bulked up in the same way Spike had when possessed by the Emperor Ing, spines erupting along his back between his wings and lining his arms. A crimson horn curved from the center of his forehead, and acid dripped from his jaws. A spiked sphere tipped his tail, smashing a house apart with a lash.
“You’re through!” Ridley snarled down at the Hunter pair as lightning flashed around them.
And here we go.
I heard Ridley singing in Rasputen's voice from the beginning. Now I want to watch Anastasia you jerk.
Gotta love Anastasia... even the fight scene sucks.
Another enjoyable chapter. Good work.
Bring it!
Great now I'm now gonna hear Ridley as voiced by Christoper Lloyd (yes I know he didn't actually sing the song in the movie).
I know that song from the Disney movie Anastasia good song choice and great chapter
Wreak, perhaps?
this just seems to fit
7481291
I heard it in Tim Curry's voice myself.
7481292 Surprisingly, that movie was not made by Disney.
7481353 Well there's a reason why it's not historically accurate. Disney mostly takes inspiration from history or fairy tales.
7481291
7481325 No love for Jim Cummings? The guy that sang the song we all sung while reading?
This is going to be fun. I suspect I'll be using that emoji a lot.
Pinkie what are you doing get back here!
The parasprites are gone!
Marched them right out of Ponyville
I should of known, Pinkie did it again
Pinkie dear where did you deposit those little monsters anyway?
that funny magic mirror to that other place...
7481424 It doesn't help that most people aren't even aware that he sung the song which goes to show how good a job he did lol.
Defender2222 has written lyrics much closer and nothing's happened to him, you should be fine. Awesome chapter, keep up the good work.
7481424
I have recently seen The Rockey Horror Picture Show. So it was that voice or whoever did Scars singing in the Lion King. Not sure if Jeremy Irons did his own singing in that movie.
Oh boy.... Got to give Ridley props, awesome enterance and his minions are terrifying. Can't wait to see how this battle goes.
FREAKING CLIFFHANGERS!
Para-spites?... I now wonder if you will do something with the parasprites...
Anyone else think it would be cool if Samus turned into a giant momma dragon and just laid waste to Ridley and his forces?
Are the gamers going to give samus and spike in-fight pointers through comms?
7481583
I can actually see them showing up and devouring the entire X-Changeling army.
...and then get completely wiped out when Dark Samus shows up.
DO IT.
And one of the most epic villain songs there is!
Merde.
Double Merde.
Triple Merde.
Against an army that big it won't do shit.
Wise move.
Really? Really? Allow me to show you how fucked you are. This is Samus motherfucking Aran. She is part Metroid, part Human, Part Chozo, and part Dragon. She has one of the highest body counts in all of Nintendo and is the Nintendo woman with the highest body count. She's backed up by a dragon that is her son, and possibly Discord and co. Discord alone is a high level reality warper. Army or not, Ridley, you must realize, you are doomed.
Somebody, I don't care who, but somebody, make fanart of this.
Tats, this is fucking glorious, I could hug you!
7482029
I like hugs.
7482035
*administers tactical hug*
7482037
fitting, cause of all of the bugs and buglike enemies...
7481494 are you sure cause I use to own the movie and even the case had a Disney logo on it
7481353 I guess your right but its weird cause I use to own the movie and even on the case it said Disney
This is going to be wonderful. i think you may have outdone yourself. very much looking forwards to the next chapter
Well... It make me think of this...
Also... I can't see why they don't counterattack, Music Vs Music just like the Dazzlings.
I think as long as you don't copy the song exactly you should be fine.
Nice job wth the parody by the way.
7481452 Jim Cummings did the last part of Be Prepared, starting from "Be prepared for the coup of the century..."
7482808
Thank you! Man that guy has done some good singing.
I love you. (Platonically)
7482855
7482341 Positive. Anastasia was made by Don Bluth for Fox Animation as a way to cash in on the Disney princess craze of the nineties. The only way I could see Disney appearing on the box is if even the printer was tricked by the animation style. Admittedly, I don't see that being outside the realm of possibility. While generally fun, it is a pretty blatant ripoff of the style.
7482341 Well, it was made by a couple of people who used to work at Disney, maybe that was what the box was mentioning.
*Makes a truckload of popcorn*
...
There will be blood.
7483312 I guess your right
7483310 I guess your right
Spike's retort mid-song made me think of the KH2 Little Mermaid fight song against Ursula.
Why do I get the feeling that this
will describe a good portion of the next chapters
And the award for Best Villain Entrance goes to... Omega Ridley! (that's what I'm calling this form, because one way or another, something is going to end before the dark of this night is over...)
7482178
And also because Ridley's harder to put down than Rasputin himself.
Dark Water? Like from the comics? So any pony infected will become evil, that's what it does right?
7486225
No, Dark Water as in the waters of Dark Aether.
7486230 Actually, and I have no idea why, my mind went here
Of all places when I read that. But then I'm old so it wanders off at times.