Chapter 16- Everfree United pt. 2
Chapter 16-
Everfree United, Part 2
“I-I’m not sure about this…,” Fluttershy said quietly, staying behind Big Mac as they and the Rangers moved through the Everfree, Cobalt and Firefly leading the way.
“Don’t worry Fluttershy,” Sweetie said gently, putting her hand on her fellow element’s shoulder gently. “We’re all here for you.”
The yellow pegasus looked back at Sweetie Belle, searching her eyes for a few moments. She let out a breath and allowed the rigidity in her body drain away as she nodded. Sweetie nodded back and pulled her hand back, the party falling back into for silence for a few moments.
“What is the point of this?” Mac’s gruff voice questioned, seeming to vibrate the very air.
Chris quickened his pace a bit, keeping up just behind the large stallion’s left shoulder. “A battle is coming,” he said bluntly. “The resistance won’t survive.”
“Then why are we out here?” the earth pony asked, his voice a bit skeptical.
“The resistance alone cannot survive what’s coming,” Chris reiterated. “Midnight has an army waiting to demolish us. We’re out here to recruit an army of our own.”
“We’re here,” Cobalt announced, unwittingly cutting off Big Mac’s next question as he and Firefly stopped in the middle of a clearing… a clearing with multiple husks of timberwolves laying about.
Fluttershy came out from behind her partner, her eyes going wide as she saw the bodies lying about. “Oh my…,” she said in a small voice, tears forming in her eyes. “Who would…?”
Chris stepped up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder to comfort and calm her. “A soulless machine,” he answered softly. He let his hand fall away and he walked forward into the middle of the glade. “...Which way did the wolves come from?”
“They came in from the Northeast,” Cobalt answered dutifully, his eyes going over the area as he recalled the events. “No idea exactly how far they traveled, though, seeing as timberwolves and cogs don’t get tired.”
“They would have been leading the machines away from their den,” Fluttershy muttered, walking further into the clearing, taking a knee as her hand hovered the remains of one of the wooden creatures.
Chris fell to silence as he processed what was being told to him. He took a knee as well, putting his fingers into a wolf print in the soil. He was quiet for several minutes before he stood back to his feet. “Let’s go,” he said, his tone having an air of authority that he rarely used. “We’re going to find the den and search out the rest of the timberwolf packs-”
“Are you insane!?” Fluttershy suddenly interrupted, quickly covering her mouth with her hand after realizing her outburst. “I-I mean that’s an extremely dangerous decision. The females will still be in the den with their young and the other packs will be even more aggressive if they smell a rival pack on their territory.”
Chris nodded his head. “I know,” he said calmly. “I stayed with a woman that did a study on gray wolves, and normally I wouldn’t suggest such a thing. ...But circumstances have changed… a lot.” With that, he turned and started on his way, backtracking the trail of the wolves. “I need your help, Fluttershy, but I’d never force you to do something you didn’t want to.”
Fluttershy and the others stared after him for a long moment, all except Sweetie who ran after the young man to catch up. Eventually, Cobalt followed after his teammates and friends, Firefly not far behind. Fluttershy and Big Mac hung back for several more moments, the mare looking back at her companion with a look of worry, her eyes asking the silent question. The big red stallion only gave a shrug and small smile. He walked over and wrapped his arms over her shoulders, leaning his head forward and leaving a small kiss on the top of her head. “I already told you, Fluttershy,” he said, his deep voice surprisingly soft. “I'll take care of you no matter where we go.”
The soft-spoken pegasus looked up at the stallion holding her comfortingly in his arms, her eyes lingering on his smile and the tenderness in his eyes. A soft smile came to her to match his before she leaned forward and buried her face in his torso. “Thank you, Big Mac,” she said softly before leaning back again. She turned, Big Mac taking his arms away from her shoulders as he stepped up next to her and they followed after the rangers together. Unbeknownst to the two elements, though, Chris gave a little smile as he felt them fall in alongside them.
The group traveled in silence, most of the group staying tense while Chris and, surprisingly, Fluttershy remained mostly relaxed… until they started making it into the middle of the territory. Both individuals let their eyes wander the foliage, frowns forming on their faces. “What’s wrong, Chris?” Cobalt asked, shadows beginning to drift off of his knuckles.
“There’s no sign of the females,” the man grumbled in response, eyes flicking over a bush to his left before jerking towards the foliage on his right.
“And that’s a bad thing?” Firefly all but whispered in response, her wide eyes shooting about sporadically.
“It’s very bad,” Fluttershy confirmed, her eyes narrowing uncharacteristically. “The female wolves wouldn’t stay holed up at the den. That would put any cubs in harm’s way if a fight broke out. They’d spread out and patrol, taking on anything that got too close-”
“Guys.” Sweetie Belle’s simple statement had everyone stop and turn to where the unicorn had moved low hanging creepers out of her way. “We found the den….”
Everyone fell silent as Chris stepped up next to the off white unicorn. He closed his eyes and let out a sad sigh at the sight before him. “We’re too late….”
The words sounded through the air like the axe of an executioner. None of them dared move except Fluttershy, the gentle mare giving a soft gasp as she hastened to Chris and Sweetie’s side. Her eyes widened and she put a hand over her mouth as tears formed. Passed the creepers lay a rocky clearing littered with the shriveled and decaying bodies of what remained of the timberwolf pack. The corpses laid about in a ramshackle manner, some having scorch marks, holes, or slashes, evidence that Defoliator hadn’t been the only culprit. Quietly, she and Chris both made their way further into the den. The others followed more hesitantly, but the faces formed into expressions of sadness. Not even monsters that had once been dangerous to ponies deserved a fate like the one before them….
Yip!
Everyone’s heads jerked up like a gunshot and Cobalt and Sweetie brought up their weapons, Cobalt his laser blade and Sweetie her staff. Chris held up his life to the two to keep them calm while he surveyed the area.
Yip!
Chris and Fluttershy’s eyes shot towards an area at the back of the area where the pile of decayed wolf remains grew denser. The two threw each other a look before Chris started forward. He stepped gingerly around the bodies as he made his way towards the sound. What he came to was a rocky outcropping with creepers and other forms of foliage hanging off and over it. Hearing a soft crunch behind him, he turned his head to find the yellow pegasus behind him while the others crowded together and kept their space. He looked towards the timid mare and she gave him a nod, prompting him to look back towards the outcropping.
Slowly he lifted his hand and started to push the plant life away from the stone. A shuffling noise once again caught his attention as the foliage moved away to reveal a shallow cave formed into the outcropping. Crouching down, Chris peered inside and waited for his eyes to adjust. Inside the cave was a mostly empty space… except for the large body of a timberwolf laying in the center of the inner chamber. Several moments passed before Chris let out a sigh and started to turn away… only to stop as shuffling caught his attention.
“Chris…,” Fluttershy said softly, bringing her hand to his shoulder and pointing back towards the timberwolf corpse, the young man’s gaze following the direction. They remained still for several seconds before the shuffling returned, the body moving ever so slightly before settling again, a soft yip joining the disturbance. Chris’ brow furrowed before he started to move forward. Both human and pony held their breath as Chris stepped towards the corpse, coming to a stop next to it. Slowly and carefully, he moved his hands underneath the body, only to jerk them back as a soft growl sounded out and a sharp prick nipped his fingers.
“Ah!” He gasped in surprise, shaking his hand as more shuffling disturbed the timberwolf. Still giving the body a curious look, he let Black Static jump over his hands and put them back under the timberwolf. Feeling another dull impact against his protective aura, he lifted the dead weight up and away gently, rolling the timberwolf out of his way. He stopped in surprise at what he found underneath.
Two pups stared back at him, one letting out a growl as it stood before the other, the second lying on the ground, its shriveled up foreleg hugged tightly to its chest. For a long moment, neither human nor timberwolf looked away from one another, but that changed when Chris noticed something.
Fear. The eyes of both pups were filled to the brim with the emotion, the closest of the two putting on its bravest face for the sake of its injured companion. Chris ’ surprised features melted into that of sympathy as he started to reach his hand forward. A hand which the two young timberwolves shied away from, the aggressive one’s growling growing louder as its mossy hackles rose. But Chris didn’t stop. He pushed his hand forward until the one up front lunged forward, ripping into his hand and arm.
The cry of pain it expected never came as Black Static once again flashes around his arm, creating a defensive barrier the puppy had no chance against. But still, it tried, gnashing and tearing at the limb as viciously as it could… until a soft pressure pressed against its chin. Glowing green eyes widened as the timberwolf cub felt its head and, subsequently, its gaze, move away from the protected limb and towards Chris’ soft gaze and reassuring smile. Pink Static danced gently over his hand as the two sat in silence, the nature magic providing the only form of communication they were likely to achieve. Chris moved his hand from the pup’s lower jaw and moved it around until it hovered over her head, the small she-wolf pressing her crown into his hand and letting a small, scared whimper. “It’s okay, little one,” he said softly, his eyes darting away from and towards the other as it got up onto its good legs and stared up at him.
The ranger removed his hand from the little she-wolf’s head and held both hands out to the other in a welcoming manner. The timberwolf limped towards him on unsteady paws until it could press its head into his hand, reopening the communication line that revealed so much to the both of them. Gently, Chris moved his hands from the pup’s head to around his barrel, picking him up cradling him to his chest, making sure to avoid his injured leg. He stood to his feet that way, starting on his way out only to stumble slightly as the sister pushed her head into his leg. Chris stopped and looked down at the she-wolf, giving a soft smile as he continued on his way.
Fluttershy still stood at the entrance of the small cave and gave a little gasp as she saw Chris return with the two pups. The sudden exclamation made the siblings flinch, no matter how soft it was and Chris had to use another quick burst of Pink Static to reassure them.
“Oh, you poor dears,” the yellow mare said softly, her hand lifting almost hesitantly before coming down softly on the wolf’s head in Chris’ arms. “What do you think happened?” She asked, looking up at Chris with concern lacing her voice.
The young man could do nothing but shrug. “The best I can guess is that the mother tried to cover them when Defoliator attacked,” he said in a sad tone. “She sacrificed herself for her cubs-”
“Guys, we have a problem!” The sudden shout cutting Chris off and carrying with it a sense of fear. The ranger’s eyes shot up and he passed Fluttershy the pup in his arms.
“Stay here,” he whispered, being careful to avoid the injured leg as he let go. “Try to keep them quiet.” Receiving a nod from the pegasus, he knelt down and put his hand to the top of the she-wolf’s head, a flicker of Static communicating his thoughts to her. She sat down on her haunches as he stood back up, watching him with a scarred look as he left the cave.
Chris walked back into the sunlight and immediately froze as he got a look at the scene before him. Cobalt, Firefly, Sweetie, and Big Mac had been herded into the center of the clearing, their backs together as they brandished their weapons at the pack of timberwolves that had surrounded them. Chris let his body relax and calmed his heart rate, straightening up before he let his base Static burst forth. Several timberwolves spun around quickly to face him, including the largest among them. The large male stared at him for a long moment, a low growl emanating from its throat as it stalked towards the man that dared interrupt.
The man in question, luckily, knew how wolves on Earth worked. He stayed still, not letting his Static fade or flicker, keeping his eyes off the alpha while still making sure it didn’t leave his sight. The timberwolf started to circle towards his right, never taking its piercing gaze from his face, slowly growing closer to the young man... who immediately caught the creature by surprise as he started to lower himself to the ground.
From within the circle of the remaining beasts, Cobalt’s eyes flew wide. “Chris! What’re you-” Cobalt tried to take a step forward with his exclamation, only to stop short and bring up his blade as several of the wolves spun back around to growl and savagely bark their warning at him.
“...It’s okay, Co.” The sudden statement had the thestral’s eyes focusing once more on his leader, the man’s hand held out slightly in his direction in a calming manner. “I’ve got this one….”
Cobalt stared at the man for a long moment before he hardened his look and nodded, moving his foot back to where it had been before, strengthening his defensive stance once again.
Chris, sensing his friend’s actions more than actually seeing them, continued on his path downward, the alpha still closing the distance between them. By the time the ranger had made it into a full crouch, the timberwolf was little more than a few feet away from his. Everyone present in the clearing held their breath, waiting for the moment everything would come crashing down… only to have their minds come to a stop as Chris started to reach his hand towards the still growling beast. The timberwolf never flinched, simply kept its gaze glued to the human’s face, its lips drawing back and increasing the intensity and volume of its snarl as flesh met wood. Chris rested his hand on the wolf’s chest, keeping his gaze off the animal for a few more seconds before he began to lift his eyes. The two leaders’ gazes met one another, the air itself seeming to go still and turn stagnant. Moments passed into minutes, those minutes stretching on and on… until the sound of growling faded until it was gone. Both Chris and the wolf shared their gazes for a little while longer before Chris took his Static covered hand back and the timberwolf turned away, issuing a sharp bark to which the other wolves reacted immediately. They stopped their growling and turned with their leader walking off into surrounding forest as the Rangers and Big Mac stared dumbly after them. Chris straightened up, dusting his pants off and drawing the attention of his teammates.
“Chris…,” Sweetie breathed, fear still shaking her voice slightly. “What just happened.”
“What just happened,” Chris answered, looking up and giving the group a victorious smirk. “Is we just got our reinforcements.” He turned as the others just looked to one another in confusion, his focus returning to the cave. “Fluttershy, it’s clear now, you can bring out Rose and Veral.”
It took a few seconds but the mare appeared quickly, the male pup, Veral, still in her arms while Rose, the little she-wolf, rushed passed her and nuzzled into the young man’s leg, giving a soft, relieved yip as she did so. This only managed to further the puzzlement of the others present, Firefly going so far as to let her eye twitch a little.
“...What the actual hell is going on!?” The usually mellow pegasus exclaimed, drawing the attention of every intelligent being present.
Chris looked at her worriedly for a second before he let out a little chuckle. “I’ll explain everything later,” he promised, keeping up his confident smile. “Right now, we need to move. The alpha, Thresh, said he would gather the other timberwolf packs, but it would be up to us to handle the other species. He told me that there was a hydra not far from here that might listen to reason, but Fluttershy,” he paused a moment to look at the timid mare with a tired expression. “I need you to take charge of the next one. Channeling Static through the ground is really, really difficult.”
The pegasus stared up at him for a tense second before giving a soft, nervous chuckle, Veral’s tail wagging all the while to thumb against her arm naively.
Chris took a deep breath, tilting his head from one side to the other as he shook out his hands. To say he was on edge would've been a complete understatement. He could feel every scenario running through his head, all the ways he could possibly mess up. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that the sudden hand on his shoulder made him just about jump out of his skin. He turned quickly, taking deep measured breaths to get himself back under control. His gray eyes looked up to meet the cyan eyes of Nightmare Moon as she looked down at him with a calm smile.
“Are you ready?” She asked softly, her hand giving his shoulder a little squeeze.
Chris stared up at her for a few seconds before he let out a little breath and looked back up with his determined look. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he answered, his voice still a little shaky despite his resolution.
The dark mare gave a little chuckle. “We can always be more ready, Chris,” she said, patting his shoulder before releasing it. “I will go introduce you.” She turned and started to walk away only to lift a finger over her shoulder and turned a bit. The mischievous glint in her eye couldn’t escape the young man’s notice, but her grin told him she wasn’t trying to hide it “Before I go, there is someone here that might be able to help you with your nerves.”
“Who-” Chris started only to stop as little black sphere of energy swam out of her mane, dark red and yellow light and mist flowing from it.
“...Hey, Chris…,” Sam said as he faced his brother for the first time in several days.
The blonde didn’t say anything as he stared at the orb, Nightmare’s eyes going from one brother to the other. “...I’ll leave you to it, then,” she said before turning back. “Be ready to go when I introduce you.” With that, she left and walked onto the stage, the sounds of the crowd on the other side of the curtain dying away.
The pair were completely silent as they stared at one another. Ever so slowly and even more slightly, the black orb drifted closer to the young man. “Chris, I’m-”
“Sam.” The voice was soft but carried with it enough stopping power to cut off the second personality. Slowly, and even though Chris couldn’t see it, Sam looked up to see his brother giving him a look he didn’t expect. He expected hate, anger, disappointment, but what he got… was worry. “...I know.”
The orb was silent for a long moment before it rushed forward and Chris was suddenly held tight by something that felt like a hug. When the blonde’s eyes widened in surprise, he could make out the the faint, flickering green outline of his brother. Just as soon as it had happened, the hug ended, the orb floating back. “Thanks, bro,” Sam said softly, drawing out a grin from Chris.
“No problem,” the brother answered before raising an eyebrow. “You know what’s going on?”
The orb bobbed up and down slightly in a nod. “Nightmare gave me the rundown on the way up from the tree.”
“So, that’s where you’ve been,” Chris said, looking like something just clicked into place.
“Eeyup,” Sam confirmed. “Harmony thought it’d be a good idea for me to get my head together before we put ourselves back together.”
Chris chuckled. “Sounds like she had the right idea,” he said before he lifted his gaze and looked past Sam towards the curtain where they could hear Nightmare giving Chris his intro. “Guess that’s us.” He looked back towards the sphere in front of him. “You ready, bro?”
The orb glowed a little brighter for a moment. “More than ever,” he answered. On instinct, Chris extended his fist and felt the same sensation as before as Sam’s form once again flickered in the air, his fist bumping Chris’ own before the aura faded and the blonde could once again feel the weight of his brother in his head.
Let’s do this, they thought together as they began to walk forward and through the curtains. They walked out onto the stage facing every fighter the resistance had to offer. Chris lifted his hand and gave a little wave as he approached the podium that Nightmare now stood beside. He stopped in front of the provided microphone and looked out over the crowd of rebels that had been gathered. Every fighter they had stood before him in silence, looking up at him expectantly.
The young man stared for a second more before he took a deep breath and steeled his expression. “Ladies and Gentleman,” he began, using the closest thing to a universal pronoun he could think of. “I have been informed that for the past several days, the wildlife of the Everfree has been far more aggressive than it has been in years. Not only that, but the weather team has lost control of our airspace and the agriculture team has been fighting a losing battle. I would like to shed some light on these events. Two of my team reported seeing a new Machine Captain in the Everfree today… a Machine Captain that slaughtered an entire pack of Timberwolves. Not only that, but Chrysalis’ scouts have returned from Ponyville. They report that Midnight Sparkle has built an army of cogs and reconstructed Machine Captains. It is my belief that this is her endgame. She plans to throw this force at us while our teams are overworked, hot, and hungry. She has planned it so that the Everfree is no longer a barrier between her and us, but a thicket she can press in on us to trap and destroy us.”
Murmurs ran through the crowd as the scared populace looked to each, each asking questions and looking for some sort of solace. The chatter quickly grew in volume until Chris raised his hand, grabbing their attention once more. “I understand that this is grave news and that you are all scared, but, thanks to the help of Fluttershy, Element of Kindness, we have begun our counter measures in a way that our enemy will not expect.” With that, the young man raised his gaze from those before him to the edge of the forest behind them, glad that Nightmare had agreed to set this up outside. “Fluttershy, if you would please.”
A moment passed before the soft yellow pegasus stepped out of the shadows of the forest, her right hand crossed over her body and clutching her left arm as her lowered head allowed her mane to fall into her face. The shy mare slowly lifted her eyes from the ground before bringing up her left hand and waving timidly. What happened next shocked the crowd so much so that many of them tried to back up and flee. A large, copper head emerged from the Everfree, its slitted green eyes searching the crowd as its serpentine tongue flickered through the air. Slowly, the rest of the hydra stepped out of the darkness, revealing two more heads as other beasts began to crawl, slither, and stomp out of the forest. Timberwolves, manticores, several cockatrices, even a cragadile showed themselves from the forest, lining up in front of the rebel fighters.
Then the earth began to quake as thundering booms sounded out. Slowly, the enormous blue head of the Ursa Minor loomed out over the Element of Harmony, stepping out soon after to show off the rest of its body. The primordial bear raised up on its hind legs before letting out a mighty roar that shook the heavens themselves. The roar lasted for what seemed to be an eternity before fading out, the bear quaking the earth as it slammed back down, bringing its head down beside the unwavering yellow mare, who simply smiled and lifted her hand to rest it on the side of the Ursa’s head.
Chris smiled at the display before speaking out, catching the crowd by surprise as many of them jumped. “In our time of struggle, we have forgotten a crucial point. King Mondo’s war is not with us! It is with the very planet! Everything that lives, breathes, consumes, and bears offspring is his enemy, and he wishes to crush it all! Why, then, should we do his work for him? Why should we attack the beasts of this world while they try to survive as we are? Why not embrace them and turn them into the allies we so desperately need?” A bright flash drew the ranger’s attention to his side where Sweetie Belle had appeared, holding Veral in her arms as Rose once more rushed up to jump at his leg and yip up at him. The young man smiled down at the pup, bringing his arm down to pet her head before turning back to the crowd. “Tomorrow, my team and I, alongside the captains, Elements of Harmony, Councillors Chrysalis, Ember, Zecora, Cadence, and Gilda, and Commander Nightmare Moon, will stand on the edge of the Everfree side by side with its inhabitants and we are going to face our enemy head-on. Our only question is, who’s going to follow us? Who’s going to stop cowering in the dark and face the light? Who is going to fight with us for their home!?”
Chris had admittedly sunk into his own words, scared of the crowd's reaction only to be jerked back violently as the crowd exploded into cheers. The young man looked out over the crowd as cries of support filled the air, fists pumping into the air. The ranger’s gaze surfed the cheering fighters before it drifted back towards the edge of the forest where he could see Cobalt, Firefly, and Big Mac step out of the forest next to Fluttershy. Cobalt had his arm around Firefly, both of them smiling while Big Mac put his hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder.
Chris gave his own smile as he watched this unfold, looking to his side as Sweetie put a hand on his arm. The young man brought his hand up to cover hers before a voice cut through everything else.
Hey, Chris?
Yeah, Sam?
Why is there a timberwolf rubbing against our leg?
Uhhh….
Light shown down on a new day… and Midnight glared out at the sunrise shining over the Everfree. Her army marched towards the forest, the machines stomping forward, ready to end the battle that had plagued her for years. Finally, it shall end, she thought to herself, eyes narrowing on the horizon. Finally, I shall have my chance.
“Midnight!” The alicorn’s head jerked up as Spike flew in to land in the chariot beside her. The wide-eyed look on his face told her everything she needed to know. “There’s something at the edge of the forest!”
Midnight jerked her gaze away from the dragon and towards the frontline where her automatons were beginning to come to a halt. Her horn lit up in turquoise and black magic, her eyes lighting up next as they zoomed into what her son was pointing out to her. Her face curled up into a snarl when she saw the figure. Pale skinned with a mop of blonde on his head, black jeans and boots, a red shirt and pitch leather jacket. Under the influence of her spell, she could even see his eyes staring at her. The mare cut her magic off as her anger soared to new heights. “HALT!”
The entire army came to a stop around her as her angry glare stared at the man that had made her life a living hell. “At last,” she muttered to herself. “Spike, kill-”
“There’s more movement,” the dragon interrupted, taking another step forward as shadows began to emerge from the forest around the man. First, a white unicorn mare, garbed in the blue robes of what she recognized as the high order of mages, a staff carried in her hands. This mare was skilled…. After her came a thestral, truly a rare breed, wearing heavy armor as his hand rested on a large greatsword, followed by a pink pegasus wearing light armor, a belt strapped around her waist holding some sort of gun and baton. And then the mare froze in her spot because the next to step out was Nightmare Moon, clad in her steel blue armor, cyan eyes staring towards her with fire in them.
Midnight stopped paying attention after that as more and more ponies and those of the other races began to pool out of the trees, her rage blinding her. “Spike,” she hissed, never taking her eyes off of the alicorn that had resisted her for so many long years. “Make sure none of them leave alive.”
The purple drake looked towards his mother figure before nodding dangerously. “It shall be done,” he answered before looking back towards the growing opposition. “Just like in the Dragonlands.” With that, the warrior jumped into the air and flew towards the resistance forces, letting out a roar. “CHARGE! KILL THEM ALL!!!” With that, both sides surged forward and the battle began.
Chris watched as Midnight’s army approached his position, his glare growing. He let his gaze rest on the dark purple mare near the middle of the force, his frown growing. Finally I get to put a face to all our suffering, he thought even as he felt her eyes on him. He stared back defiantly until he felt Sweetie Belle come up behind him, followed by Cobalt, Firefly, and Nightmare.
And then they all felt it. A pulse of angry magic filled the air, Nightmare’s eyes narrowing. “Here it comes,” she warned as Chrysalis stopped beside her and more and more of the resistance lined up beside them.
No sooner had the words left her mouth than a monstrous roar ripped through the sky and they could see a purple streak launch into the sky. “CHARGE!” A deep, rumbling voice shouted. “KILL THEM ALL!!!”
Chris smirked. “You heard him,” he said bracing himself before throwing one last look at his comrades. “TAKE 'EM DOWN!” With that he rushed forward, the Equestrian Resistance Force surging up behind him. The Ranger raised up his morpher across his chest and proclaimed the age old words. “It’s morphin’ time! GO, PSYCHO!” Golden light flashed through the air around him before the light dissipated, revealing Psycho Ranger Gold rushing towards the opposing army, the Psycho Fan Axe held in his hand.
Chris’ visor lit up as a golden crosshair zoomed over the crowd of advancing machines, looking for one signature in particular. Before he could lock on, though, the ranger was forced to spin his weapon over his head before doing a complete three-sixty sweep. Any machine in range of his weapon lit up in an explosion of sparks as the man plunged into the depths of the opposing forces followed soon by his comrades. Three more icons lit up on his screen signifying Cobalt, Sweetie, and Firefly as the life report systems in their belts kicked in, allowing him to keep an eye on them in the midst of battle.
But at that moment, the young man’s attention was needed elsewhere as he swung his fan ax to and fro, spinning and twisting with each strike as he built up momentum. A red flash on his screen alerted him and he slammed the blade of his weapon down like a sledgehammer, splitting a cog in two before using the staff of his weapon as a vaulting pole, jerking himself as he lifted his feet over his body. An explosion lit up the spot where he’d been just seconds before, a cog with its face plate slid up jerking its gaze to stare at him in surprise.
Chris, the Sling! The golden ranger reacted instantly to his brother’s instruction, jerking his free hand out to the side where grid lines and the Psycho Sling quickly formed. Chris readjusted his grip on the ax handle before his body spun as he pulled the trigger on the sling. Bolts of yellow energy shot out and slammed into the ring of automatons rushing at him, halting them in place as their chests exploded. The man’s feet hit the ground and he let his momentum carry on as he hefted the axe out of the ground and around him, an arc of light rushing out and slashing through several more of the cogs. He came to a stop, hefting the fan ax to rest on his shoulder while he let the sling fall to his side.
“Quite a few down, way more to go,” Chris muttered before his HUD flashed. He flicked his head in the direction his compass was indicating and found a silhouette of red shown on his visor. Chris smirked as he felt Sam start to surge forward.
Let’s go get the big one! Sam said, his brother giving a nod and rushing forward towards his target.
Nightmare streaked through the battlefield like an angel of war. Her scythe drove the air, tearing through the machines as the blade glowed with the same energy as her horn. The mare twisted as yet another cog got in her way, slashing horizontally and cleaving the automaton in two before rushing forward once more. Her eyes narrowed as a bulky machine captain stepped in front of her to halt her progress, an agitated ‘tch’ escaping her lips.
The machine lifted an arm and launched a pair of missiles at the alicorn, the scream of rockets sounding through the air. Nightmare only tightened her lips before cocking back her weapon and spinning quickly and sent forth a twisting blade of magic that cut through the explosives and detonated, leaving the mare to plunge into a cloud of black smoke.
The resurrected Silo let its arm drop, its eyes flashing as it tried to locate its target. A split second twinkle caught its attention, its head swinging around as the rocket pods on its shoulders moved into firing position. This didn’t last long though as a blast of deep cyan magic tore through the air, ground, and machine, blasting a hole straight through it. The recoil of the blast blew back the smoke, the black cloud dissipating to reveal Nightmare Moon with her hand outstretched, the glow of her horn fading after the magical burst.
The alicorn took a deep breath and lowered her arm only to jerk her scythe up and brace for impact before a ray of cyan magic, much paler than her own, sparked off the blade of her weapon. The alicorn lowered her scythe and peered over the blade to watch as another, far younger alicorn took her place across from her.
“I was wondering when I’d get to meet the great Nightmare Moon,” the dark purple mare purred out before a frown took over her features. “Now I can finally crush this rebellion at its source.”
Nightmare narrowed her gaze. “You must be Midnight,” she said, her tone almost casual as she began to move to her right. “I’ve heard many things about you from the mages that escaped Canterlot.”
Midnight smirked through her glare. “And what did they tell you?” She asked, beginning to counter step as the two began to circle one another.
“That you were pretentious, arrogant, and autocratic,” Nightmare answered, the glow of her scythe starting to brighten. “And you always had a way of doing exactly what you were told not to.”
Midnight laughed at the accusations, narrowing the older mare’s eyes further. “Those old fools were just afraid,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Scared they’d be replaced by someone like me. Even as a filly I had more power in my little finger than the entirety of Celestia’s inner circle. The fact that most of them are dead is proof enough of that.” The sound of leather on metal ripped through the air followed by a metallic crash as the purple alicorn drew her saber to stop Nightmare’s sudden rush, the thin blade holding back the magical scythe with seemingly no effort at all. “Ooo, looks like I struck a nerve.”
Nightmare let a growl issue from her throat before she twisted her scythe and spun, bringing the scythe up and down from the opposite direction, only to be stopped once more by Midnight’s quicker blade. The dark mare pulled her strike back and renewed her assault, striking quickly and ferociously as Midnight Sparkle retreated backward and parried every attack with deft movements. The younger mare wore a smirk as she moved, her movements not seeming to falter her resolve or even tire her. Nightmare hefted her scythe above her head, the blade shining with magic as she drove it down. This time though, Midnight didn’t block. Instead, she jumped back, the blade slicing the air in front of her harmlessly before it embedded itself into the ground. The corrupt mare danced back into close combat, spinning like a dancer and kicking her armored heel into the older mare’s chin.
Nightmare stacked back, her scythe pulling free of the ground as Midnight jumped back to put distance between them. The black-furred mare reached up and wiped the blood from her lip. She looked up to find the younger alicorn smirking at her. “Seems you’re not as scary as all those legends made you out to be,” Midnight said casually, lifting her blade to rest it on her shoulder.
The dark alicorn grit her teeth against each other before pulling her hand back and thrust her palm towards her, a sphere of volatile magic launching at the cocky mare. Midnight’s smirk only grew as her blade glowed with the light of her magic before it swiped through the air. The magic blast split in two and sailed past her on either side, twin explosions sending up debris and shaking the ground.
“Ohhoho!” The purple mare chortled, bringing her saber back up. “Now that’s more like it… too bad it’s not enough, though.” The mare’s eyes suddenly narrowed and she drew her weapon back before rushing towards the leader of the Resistance.
Chris surged through the crowd, using his fan ax to cut down any machines that got in his way. The crowd began to thin as the silhouette of his target grew near. He leaped into the air, dodging the swing from the cog that lashed out at him. He soared over the battlefield, Defoliator finally coming into view after his mad dash through the conflict. The ranger’s eyes narrowed as he saw the machine captain towering over one the ponies from the Resistance, their eyes wide and full of fear as they cowered on the ground. Chris growled.
Let’s crush this bastard, Sam said, his presence melding with Chris’.
Right! The brother answered, twisting through the air and dropping towards the robot with his blade aimed at the machine’s back. He dropped like a stone only to feel the air rush from his lungs as a sharp pain filled his side. He hit the ground hard, skidding as his shield of Static flashed around him. He ground and started to get back only to get slammed once more. “GAK!” He spat as any breath that remained in his body rushed out, his body folding in on itself. His head hit the ground with a thud as his body fell limply back into place.
“Hmph, you don’t seem all that tough,” a rough voice growled before the pressure on his abdomen increasing painfully. Chris opened his eyes, gritting his teeth as he looked up at his attacker. He reached a hand up and grabbed the purple dragon’s ankle, trying to pull it off of his torso to get some air. Spike just smirked wickedly. “Pathetic. Defoliator.”
Loud mechanical thumps shook the ground enough to draw the ranger’s pain filled gaze to the side to see the Machine Captain stalking towards them, blood dripping from his pincer as the pony laid limp behind him. An evil chuckle emanated from the machine as it came to a stop over him. For a split second, the young man was filled with terror, and he knew that’s how the pony had felt in their last few moments.
And it filled him with rage. The ranger lifted his hand as yellow and pink grid lines formed in the air, solidifying into a new a weapon before he pulled the trigger. Blazing pink bolts slammed into the machine throwing out sparks and ripping a cry of pain from Defoliator before the young man turned his attention to Spike. Orange and green Static burst out around him as he used the palm of his free hand to slam into the dragon’s ankle, knocking it off his body and toppling the drake’s balance at the same time. He proceeded to twist his body, his lower body coming off the ground as he manipulated his shoulders and pushed the ground with his still open hand. The result was his legs spinning out from under Spike and rotating to kick the purple drake in the chest, sending him backward. Chris pulled his legs back underneath him as he came to a stop. The malicious visor of his helmet leveled at his opponents as he held out his hand, the fan ax he’d dropped earlier dematerializing before seeming to jump back to his hand and reform.
“Pathetic?” He said, a questioning and dangerous tone arcing through his voice. “Why don’t I just show you what pathetic can do?” The ranger lunged forward, red, blue, and black grid lines shooting from his combined weapon and forming the Cyber Slash. He let the Psycho Fan Axe’s handle slip in his grasp until he held the very end of it. He swung it over his head, swinging it towards Defoliator as he slashed at Spike. The machine jumped out of the way, barely avoiding the blade of the weapon as it sunk into the ground where it had been standing moments before. Spike reacted differently, his arm quickly going across his body and coming back up to block the Ranger’s blade with his own black broadsword.
The young man and dragon pushed against one another, their faces coming close. Spike snarled. “You can’t win,” he growled, smoke rising from his nostrils.
Chris pressed forward, Red Static joining the orange and green. “Watch me,” he answered through grit teeth before the Psycho Fan Axe lit up in gold light. The young man jerked the weapon from the dirt and swung the butt of the staff at the drake’s head as the main blade of the weapon shrank down, a twin blade forming to rush towards Spike’s eyes.
The dragon shoved his blade against Chris’ own, staggering him before kicking the Ranger in the torso, sending both of them back. Spike slid back, throwing his wings out to slow down as he stared at the Ranger across from him as the man recovered. Spike growled as he realized just what he was dealing with, smoke curling from his nostrils and mouth as a faint green glow lit up behind his teeth. “It’s a shame you’re not going to live long enough to regret your arrogance!” The dragon roared, charging the ranger once more.
Chrysalis cut through the battlefield like heated steel, green magical circles appearing in the air and launching spears of fiery magic as she waved her hand through the air. She’d swapped her usual garb for something a bit more practical, the robes of the changeling mages, the heavy black and green cloth flowing with her swirling, dancing movements.
She smirked as she felt the ground shake, a concussive blast rippling through the enemy forces as they set off one of her many traps. It almost felt too easy for her as she dodged out of the way of a cog’s strike before spinning and kicking it away, a wave of her hand sending another lance of magic through its torso. Her confident smirk didn’t stay long though as she was forced to jump away as something set off her proximity circle. She spun and launched a lance of energy, her eyes widening as a familiar jackhammer caught the magical attack and deflected it.
She slid to a stop facing the machine only to jump back into the air and buzz her wings as it slammed the weaponized limb into the ground and sent a wave of explosive energy through the ground towards her. A thought struck her only too late and she turned her head in midair to watch helplessly as the attack slammed into the Resistance forces, throwing up an explosion as a chorus of pained shouts and cries ripped through the air. The changeling queen stared in horror before her features twisted into rage and she threw her gaze back to the revived Digster.
“I’m going to make sure you burn for that!” She hissed, her horn igniting in green flames as three spell circles formed behind her in a triangle formation. She charged the automaton, flames trailing of her splayed fingers as she held it out to her side, preparing to cast once more. Digster raised his dead, glowing eyes to meet her gaze before rushing towards her, jackhammer raised and prepared to strike.
Unbenounced to them, a dark shadow lurked through the battlefield, cutting down its enemies without mercy, but always leaving one eye on the changeling’s back.
Scythe and saber once more met in the air, throwing up sparks as Nightmare and Midnight once again came face to face with one another, each glaring at the other. The alicorn’s pushed against each other, forcing them to slide back. Nightmare took a hand from her weapon and swiped it through the air, sending forth a wave of cyan magic. The younger alicorn’s gaze jumped up and she swung her blade up, slashing the attack in half before leveling the blade at the older mare.
“It would seem we’re evenly matched,” Nightmare said softly, her eyes narrowing towards her opponent. Her eyes widened back as she noticed the younger alicorn’s smirk.
“You really are an old fool,” Midnight said, a little purr running through her voice as she took a step forward.
Nightmare repositioned her stance, spinning her magically charge scythe. “And what makes you say that?” The alicorn growled, preparing to launch back at her enemy.
The purple mare only snickered. “Do you honestly think that you’re my only target?” She questioned, her smirk widening at Nightmare’s confused look. “My goal is to kill the entire Resistance. That only begins with you, but… well, just take a look around.” Nightmare’s eyes narrowed dangerously, hesitant to do anything the dark mare before her said. However, ever so slowly, her eyes drifted across the battlefield and what she saw made her eyes go wide.
Ponies, her little ponies were being rundown all around her. Even the other species she had grown to care for as her own were being overrun by the machines. “And that’s not even the best part….” Nightmare’s eyes shot back to find Midnight grinning wickedly. “You’re not the only one with spies all about, and, oh, all the juicy things they’ve told me about you… and that little love bug of yours.”
The black mare’s eyes shoot open and her pupils shrink to pinpricks. “Chryssi!” She yells turning and rushing towards where she can feel the changeling queen fighting to her fullest.
Chrysalis jumped back, crossing her arms and forming a shielding spell circle as Digster launched forward and slammed his jack hammer into the shield. The spell held, Chrysalis sliding across the ground with no harm down to her. The same couldn't be said for her opponent.
Digster was scorched and dented, wires sticking out here and there where the changeling’s magic had managed to break through it’s armor. It smoked and stumbled across the battlefield, clearly losing its ability to continue.
Chrysalis, on the other hand, seemed to only be a bit winded, though she had had to dissolve her proximity alarm in favor of the more energy consuming combat spells. As the machine raised itself up for another charge, the queen raised her hand, the three spell circles from her back coming around her to spiral in front of her hand.
“This has been fun,” the changeling said in a low voice. “But I've got better things to do.” A fiery green orb burst into existence in the center of her spell circles, the archaic disks beginning to spin ever faster as more magic energy built up. And that's when it happened.
The queen heard it before her other senses caught it. The sound of a blade being swung sliced through the air before pain tore through her every fiber. A silent scream leaped to her face, causing her focus to leave her and the built up magic to unleash itself, tearing through the air and ground. The queen hit the ground just as her beam tore through Digster and kept going, detonating in the crowd behind him. The pained yells were lost on Chrysalis as her wide eyed gaze stared across the ground, a pool of green ichor starting to pool out of the deep slash in her back.
The pain became too much and as Chrysalis eyes rolled up and closed, Staroid stepped around her body, his bloody scythe poised for another strike. The machine let out a dark chuckle as he stopped next to her head. “Love hurts,” he murmured before swinging his weapon down.
Nightmare’s eyes widen as she felt the burst of Chrysalis’ magic suddenly fade to almost nothing in a split second. She jerked when Midnight began to laugh wickedly. “Don't you see?” The dark alicorn sneered. “We're going to tear down everything you’ve built. And we'll start with the things you love most….”
Midnight's blade slipped past her shoulder, a metallic ringing sounding out as magic ran through it. But the elder alicorn didn't move even when her rival began to pull the blade back in preparation.
Nightmare stared at the ground with tears building in her eyes, the droplets beginning to overflow and trail down her cheeks. They were going to take everything from her. Her forest. Her home. Her hope. Her resistance. Her will. But worst of all, they were going to take what she cherished most.
Her love.
Nightmare’s thoughts froze on that before images flashed through her mind. Chrysalis sleeping in her bed. Shining and Cadence enjoying a day out with a newborn Flurry Heart. The Elements of Harmony sitting around a table, eating, talking, and laughing. She could see Heavy Ladle’s gentle smile. Battle Cry bringing her a cup of coffee in the morning. Chris and Sweetie embracing after the young man woke up. The alicorn’s eyes began to narrow and her teeth clenched. She refused.
Midnight’s blade swung down towards the alicorn’s exposed neck with a manic grin before a blast of pure magic threw her away, the mare landing solidly on her back. “What in Tartarus!?” The dark alicorn shouted, getting up on her elbows to see what had hit her. Her eyes widened at what she saw before a flash of light blinded her.
Staroid’s blade sailed down before an explosion rocked him off his balance and his swing went wide, carving a furrow into the ground. He got his balance back and shook his head before glancing behind him. Seeing nothing he shook his head and turned back to his target and lifted his scythe once more. “Let’s try this again, shall we?” He muttered before swinging once more.
His blade fell through the air only to stopped as a pair of curved blades caught his with a sharp CLANG! His gaze rose up only to meet a pair of burning teal eyes. He jerked in surprise as the scrape of metal sounded out. The curved blades had turned and their owner pulled upward with them, throwing the automaton’s scythe into the air before spinning around and slashing Staroid across the middle.
“AAARRGH!” The machine yelled in pain, stumbling back and clutching at the smoking gashes in his armor. He looked up to get a good look at his attacker only take another defensive back. In front of him stood a mare in full platinum battle armor, her silvery coat glowing with an inner light as her black and purple mane burned with the same flames as her eyes. Her hoplite armor gleamed with light, even the added pauldrons that protected her shoulders and upper arms, a himation that started violet and darkened to a deep blue hung from her right shoulder by a light blue diamond shaped clasp. Armor covered most of her upper leg and thigh, extending from the metallic stiletto boots that rose to meet at the armor knee joints. A teal sash hung around her waist with the diamond shaped end hanging down from the center, held up by a crescent moon clasp while a long black skirt hung down from her left hip, accented by deep purple wave patterns along the edge. The weapons she held out to her side looked like someone had taken scythe blades, turned them up ninety degrees, and attached them to sword handles, crescent moons added to the back of the hilts at the base of the blades.
Staroid stared at the alicorn, her phase shift more than apparent in her glowing eyes, flared man, and levitating form. “Wha-What the hell are you!?” He questioned, stepping back in horror.
The alicorn’s rage-filled face stared at him. “I am Artemus!” She growled before rushing him, her war scythes flashing across her body in preparation for another strike. Staroid started and barely had time to bring his weapon in front of him before the blades banged together. The robot looked between the sparking weapons and the mare in front of him. In a split second, he made his choice. A glow filled his staff before it shrank back into sword form and he sheathed it quickly as Artemus’ blades slid past each other. He jumped into the air and transformed into his star form before flashing off into the air, deciding his life was more important and that the changeling queen wouldn’t make it off the battlefield, anyway. Not with the wound he’d inflicted.
The phase shifted alicorn watched him go before she suddenly gasped. “Chrysalis!” She shouted out, turning and racing to the side of her lover.
Chris slid back with his sword and fan ax crossed as Spike dropped his clawed foot back to the ground. The ranger’s HUD lit up in warning, giving him barely enough time to swing the Psycho Fan to his left and catch Defoliator’s pincer. Not good, Chris! Not good! Sam shouted from inside Chris’ head.
I can see that! Chris replied, jumping to the side and rolling out of the way as another stream of green flame torched the ground he’d been standing on.
If we take any more hits, we are fucked, Chris! The young man jerked his eyes to the bottom left of his display, seeing that the Static shield around his armor was taking a lot longer to recharge after the last hit he’d taken. Chris looked up from the screen just in time to lift the Cyber Slash and block the downward swing of the dragon’s blade.
The ranger grit his teeth as the dragon pushed down on him. “ I told you,” Spike growled, pushing his blade down with his full body weight. “We are going to crush you to dust!” the man could only grunt as he felt his arm start to give. He lifted his fan ax to support his own blade, only to see an alert light up on his visor. His eyes widened and he looked to the side only to find Defoliator leveling his tail at him as an orb of energy began to grow at the end.
We can’t dodge and hold this up at the same time! Sam shouted, Chris’ eyes going wide. He was out of options. He had overplayed his hand, even with Psycho Gold, even with all of his Static abilities and weapons… he’d lost.
A loud boom shook the battleground, knocking Spike off his balance just enough for Chris to push with all he had left and stumble the dragon before jumping out of the way as Defoliator fired off his wayward blast. The man rolled to his feet, his breath labored as his opponents regained their balance. “What the hölle was that?” He muttered, his eyes switching between Spike and Defoliator. “Gah!” He suddenly exclaimed as his head suddenly felt heavy, dropping the Cyber Slash as his hand came up to his helmet.
The pressure disappeared just as quickly as it had invaded and Chris was left blinking under his visor before Sam spoke. Dude… that was Artemus.
The young man lifted his head at that, turning to look in the direction the pillar of magic had shot into the air. “Artemus is… she finally fused?” He felt Sam’s nod from inside his head before the second brother said anything.
There’s more magic in the air now than there has been in close to a decade, Samson said before he seemed to rush forward. Especially Harmony Magic… Chris, you have to take this chance now!
What chance? Chris questioned, his eyes darting back to his opponents that had gotten back under control. I don’t know what you want from me!
Just focus, Chris! Sam’s shout shocked him. You’ve got a hell of a lot more power inside you. You have to use the Chrome booster with the Psycho Armor. That’s our only chance, Chris….
As his brother’s voice faded out, Chris felt himself freezing up. What was Sam talking about? He wasn’t as skilled with his magic as his brother was, and even if he did manage it, there was no way he could hold it for any length of time. His eyes jerked up as the sound of footsteps reached him. He looked up just in time to see both his adversaries rushing at him… and he couldn’t make himself move. He watched helplessly as the dragon and machine closed in on him only to feel some sort of pressure on his shoulder
Chris… I’m right here with you, Sam said, seeming to whisper in his ear. Just try and I’ll be right there with you. Time seemed to slow down as Chris suddenly relaxed and sank into his inner space. He found himself staring across the black field, an orb of shining light burning against the background. He started to walk towards the light, watching as rainbow colored tendrils started to flow towards him and the orb. He stopped just in front of the sphere, its size just as wide as he was tall, and looked up at it.
...I don’t know what to do… He said quietly, a sad frown forming on his face. Green light came forwards in small specks before coalescing into Sam, his hand resting on Chris’ shoulder.
Just… accept it. Was his brother’s only response before melting away, leaving Chris alone. The young man let his gaze fall for a moment.
...Accept it? He questioned, stepping forward a little more until he could feel an ever so slight warmth crawling off of it. His head tilted a little as he gave the orb a funny look. This is the Chrome booster…? He slowly lifted a hand and the light brightened as his hand drew closer only for a spark to pop and make him draw back his hand. There’s no way… it just won’t listen…. Suddenly, a new warmth touched his back and he looked back to find one of the multi colored tendrils swirling around his back, other tendrils trailing following it down before starting to circle around himself and the energy before him.
He looked about him as the harmonic force swirled around him and the orb, filling him with a different sort of warmth. Something more comfortable. Something like… When we’re with Harmony…. He watched as the magic swirled and climbed towards the shifting sky, covering him with a myriad of colored lights before all the magic started to rush by from below, the rushing air blowing his hair skyward. He looked around in awe before his eyes fell on the Chrome booster. He couldn’t tell, but for some reason the orb felt… calmer….
On a whim, he reached his hand back up and, receiving no retaliation, pressed his palm against it. Light blinded him as he felt power suddenly rush through him. On the surface, Spike roared out as he swung his blade, Defoliator swinging his pincer forward as it sparked with electricity as a wave of red and blue Static ran over Chris’ body.
Suddenly, the young man opened his eyes inside his helmet and, with a shout, threw out his arms as silver power poured out of him, sparking with red and blue energy as the dragon and machine were blown backward. Defoliator landed hard on his side, lett out a loud thump while Spike hit his back and rolled backward into a kneeling position. “What the hell?” He questioned as his emerald eyes rose to take in the ranger. The wave of power died down and Chris’ body relaxed, the armor he wore having changed. The gold color had been replaced with an iridescent silver sheen, red and blue shining off of it at the right angles. The squares on his forearms and shins glowed as well as red and blue energy swam around within them, constantly shifting.
The ranger brought his weapon horizontal, the head of the axe glowing with grid lines before it began to shift and change. By the time the glow faded, the fan ax head had shifted ninety degrees and the Cyber Slash had formed at the end of the shaft, forming a sort of spear head. Chris spun the halberd around before bringing the weapon down onto his shoulder. “...Shall we begin again?” The ranger asked.
Spike let out a growl at that before rushing the young man. “Fancy new suit or not, you’re still trash!” The dragon roared, bringing his weapon down only to stop as the blade banged against the halberd’s shaft.
The sinister helmet tilted forward. “Then what does that make you?” Chris questioned before he slammed his knee into the drake’s stomach before swinging his leg out and behind him to slam into Defoliator as he tried to get behind him. Machine and dragon alike stumbled back, Spike raising his eyes just in time to bring his sword up to parry the vicious thrust of Chris’ polearm. The dragon flipped his blade around and swung it towards the ranger only to fill the air rush from his lungs as Chris slammed the butt of his staff into the drake’s solar plexus before sending a spinning heel kick into the side of his face.
As Spike slid across the ground and lost his sword, Chris turned and spun his halberd in front of him, deflecting the chords Defoliator launched at him before he rushed the machine. His weapon arced through air before he swung it up and slashed through the robot’s pincer as he tried to thrust it towards him.
“ARRRGH!” The machine cried out in pain as a shower of sparks exploded into the air. Defoliator stumbled back, his other hand gripping his split limb. “Gr, you’ll pay for that!” The automaton shouted, looking up to find Chris already in his face.
“That so?” The man questioned before he stabbed the butt of the Chrome Halberd into the ground and used it as a pole to vault into the machine with his boot extended. The kick landed solidly in the machine’s torso, staggering him, but not enough for the ranger to end his assault. Chris dashed forward, rearing his fist back before slamming it into the machine’s face. A metallic bang sounded out as Defoliator’s head was thrown to the side before the automaton rebounded, bringing up his fist. The ranger blocked the blow with his arm, using his other fist to slam into the machine’s midriff, sending Defoliator sliding back to crash into his back.
Chris shot his open hand behind him, his halberd dematerializing into grid lines before the energy dashed into his hand, the weapon reforming just in time for the ranger to catch Spike’s blade on his own. The two stared at one another as their weapons sparked against one another. “...Still think you can crush me?” Chris taunted, Spike grabbing the hilt of his sword with his other hand to press harder down on the young man. The ranger didn’t even seem phased.
“Gh… how?” The dragon questioned, his jaws gritting together as a green glow seeped out from between his fangs. “How could you possibly get this much stronger in a single burst?”
The chromatic helmet tilted forward. “How? That’s easy.” The visors cover the man’s eyes suddenly lit up in different colors, orange on the left and green on the right. “Fuck you, that’s how!” The ranger’s head shot to the side, his body leaning out of the way as a spear of green flame suddenly shot from the drake’s maw… and straight through Defoliator’s chest as the machine tried to drive his spikes into the man’s back.
The dragon’s eyes widened before bulging as Chris slammed his leg into the drake’s midsection, tossing him away. The dragon slammed into the ground an tumbled away, lying still several yards away from the ranger. Slowly, Spike pushed himself up, only to stop as a shadow fell over him. The drake lifted his head to see the point of the Chrome Halberd gleaming in front of his eye. The purple dragon’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock as he looked passed the tip of the weapon and towards Chris’ wicked helmet. “...Game over,” the ranger murmured, the tip starting to rise like an executioner’s ax before the ground rumbled.
Chris stumbled back, his helmet turning to watch as Defoliator grew in a mass of green energy. “Ah… scheisse…” the young man muttered before the sound of beating wings caught his attention. He spun on his heel, looking to the sky just in time to see Spike fly away at high speed.
That’s not comforting, Sam commented as Chris turned his head back up to watch as the green energy shattered to reveal the giant and fully repaired Defoliator.
“No, it most certainly is not!” Chris answered verbally, the Chrome Halberd disappearing as he spun around and started running towards the Everfree, his hand going to the side of his helmet as he opened a broadcast channel. “Everyone, back into the forest now!”
“Chris!” A voice that the man quickly recognized as Artemus’ called out in response. “Chrysalis is hurt. Badly! We can’t move her!” The panic and fear in her voice was more than enough to get him to stop in his tracks and look across the battlefield to find Artemus and three other mages hunched over a crumpled figure.
A frown formed under the ranger’s helmet before he turned to look up at Defoliator as the machine turned towards the Everfree Forest. “...Don’t worry, Artemus,” he answered, a gleam flashing across his visor. “I’ll figure something out.” He reached up and turned off his communicator before he started to run towards the automaton. “Delta, I need Megazord power!” Chrome aura suddenly poured out around him before he tensed his legs and rocketed into the air. He rushed at Defoliator, the aura condensing in his arm before he slammed it into Defoliator’s chest. The machine gave a shout of pain as it stumbled back, Chris sliding down his metallic surface before curled his legs up under his chest before pushing off, just in time for Delta to fly by and catch him.
“Delta, fighter mode!” Chris ordered, his hands grabbing onto the controls as Delta transformed and Defoliator got his feet back under him. Chris leaned forward on the controls, muscles tensed. “This isn’t going to be fun, Delta. This one’s tough. His armor is a whole lot thick- GAH!” An electrical shock ran through his body as an explosion shook Delta, a large gash carving through the zord’s chest as Defoliator withdraw one of his barbed tendrils.
“Gh, sorry, dropped my focus, buddy,” Chris murmured, putting his eyes back on the battle. “Won’t happen again.” He thrust the joysticks forward, Delta getting its feet underneath it before rushing forward. Delta lifted its fist only to stop short and lift its other arm as Defoliator wrapped its spike around the zord’s arm. Delta pulled against the restraint, only for its joints creaked under the strain. “Gotta break free, Delta!” Chris cried, raising Delta’s right arm in cannon mode before another explosion lit up the right side of his vision and an electrical shock erupted through his body, the ranger yelling out in pain as Defoliator pierced Delta’s shoulder.
Chris gritted his teeth together and jerked the controls, Delta’s cannon straining to turn to the left and fire, sending another wave of pain through the ranger even as Defoliator’s tendril fell away from Delta’s restrained arm. Both machines stumbled back, the Delta Megazord smoking and sparking from its injuries as Chris breathed heavily in the cockpit. “Nn… Delta… we can finish this. Open… the battlizer port.” A slot to his right slid open and he lifted his hand, chrome aura pooling out of it before he placed it over the battlizer port, the energy flowing into the chamber. On the outside, Delta’s undamaged canon began to glow in the chrome aura as Defoliator started to rush them.
“Delta, now!” The Megazord jerked its arm up and the hand spun, charging up energy. “Chrome Gyro Cannon, fire!” Chris shouted, shoving the controls forward just as Defoliator filled his viewing window. Silver, blue, and red energy exploded from the cannon, slamming into automaton’s chest in the exact same place that Chris had punched it earlier. The spiral of energy pushed back on the machine, grinding it across the ground until it was half way back to Ponyville. Defoliator finally lost his balance and fell back, the cannon’s beam fading away and letting the Machine Captain hit the ground and explode.
Chris slumped forward in his seat, his visors and mouthpiece sliding back to reveal his sweat drenched face as he panted. He lifted his hand away from the battlizer port and used it to turn Delta back towards the Everfree, wincing with every shuddering step as electricity ripped through him. He stopped when Artemus and her mages came into view. Chris stared at them for a long moment before he sighed as he realized that between them lay Chrysalis, a pool of green blood surrounding her. “...Let’s… let’s just go home….”
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It's called "Dissociative Identity Disorder".
Is chryssi dead...? I hope she's not dead...
It should be Alicorn.
8596402
Thank you for pointing that out.
8596732
....I need to speed up production.
Or make any progress whatsoever
.............DAMMIT FINALS