A Soldier's Orders

by Animatorsnake

Tourist Arc: Ch.13 - Dark Chaos

Author's Note:

A little warning... well more of a notice to those you might be confused when reading this chapter. Soldier 3112 has no clear gender but is referred in the story as a 'he', when some points of the story seem to be talking about him, it's speaking of his alter-ego (spoilers, won't say) so if your confused... here's a few examples to who is who:

Soldier 3112/Dark Armor - He is Dark (underlined words means this character is being referred.)

Darkness - BURN TO ETERNITY! (and bolded words measn this character is being referred.)

Trixie, Discord, and Twilight stared at the dark figure… which was Dark… yet also not Dark. Discord, coughing out some butterflies grinned at Dark, trying his best to look friendly. Approaching Dark, Discord inched close to Dark each passing second, waving his claw at the same time. “I am terribly sorry for what I did previously before. How about you and I have a truce and party; we can hang out at Las Pegasus… I hear they have some nice re-”

Before Discord could finish, something hard made impact with Discord’s jaw. Sent tumbling back to Trixie and Twilight, Discord continued to roll until stopping to a halt. Looking up while keeping a paw on his jaw, Discord stared at Dark… who was staring down at the ground. Dark, who was both still engulfed in black flames… was also frozen in place… which caused both Twilight and Trixie to tilt their heads in confusion; Discord on the other claw wasn’t pleased the wisest. After recuperating from the sudden assault, Discord’s grin began to widen… letting a malicious chuckle slip out.

“Sooo… you want to play it that way, hmmmm? I can play dirty too,” said Discord. “I’m the master at playing dirty!”

Discord hovered in the air, then with a snap of his fingers, he teleported behind Dark. On his paw he made a hammer the size of a carriage, on it were the words, “It’s hammering time”. In an instant, Discord sent the hammer slamming toward Dark, leaving nothing but some black flames slip underneath the hammer. Twilight’s eyes widened quickly to stand on all fours… only to fall back to the ground. “D-d...DISCORD! What are you doing!?” shouted Twilight, struggling to stand.

“What does it look like? I’m trying to fight back of course,” said Discord. “Well I did attack first… but he was doing some weird stuff to you. Seriously, he was all over with his grubby hands and-” Before Discord could finish speaking, the ground near him and the girls began shaking; eying the ground below him, Discord looked up and frowned. “Oh… poop.”

Before Discord could teleport away, an explosion below him appeared. Coming out of the wreckage was Dark… unscathed by the explosion and Discord’s hammer. His right gauntlet was glowing menacingly, the flame almost lashing outward as if it were trying to find something to grab on. Dark stared at Twilight and Trixie; both the mares felt a shiver down their spines… but slowly stopped shaking when Dark looked the other way, not interested in the two of them. Sighing in relief, Trixie gazed toward Twilight, the expression of fear and confusion on her on the situation they were in.

“Would somepony explain to Trixie on what in the name of Equestria is happening?!” shouted Trixie.

Twilight eyed the ground then back at Dark, who was still in search of Discord. “Well… you went unconscious from the explosion from the factory… I… I carried you to safety but we both ended in an alleyway surrounded by thugs… I fainted. I remember you waking me up in that alleyway, where that reporter Dark saved was fine, but the authorities caught us and sent us to the nearest hospital where we recuperated from our injuries. The guards that were protecting our room felt a sudden shaking from the lobby of the hospital where a strange… black armored creature covered in flames was attacking… We… ran and...” said Twilight, sighing. “Discord found us… I asked him where Dark was… and he answered sawing… that… Dark… is...”

“Is what, Dark is what?” asked Trixie, impatient.

Twilight sighed some more, uneasy to the information she was giving to Trixie. After a few more seconds passed, Twilight spoke her answer. “Dark was the same thing that attack the hospital… The thing… before us… is Dark,” said Twilight, staring at the dark figure.

Trixie twisted her head and looked toward the flaming, headless, walking suit of armor. She first gawked, then shook her head… then gawked again. Trixie felt like her eyes would bulge out any second… which was a fitting description to how she felt right now. Both her and Twilight had witnessed first hoof of the capabilities that Dark could do… if this ‘thing’ was Dark. Nevertheless, what made Twilight worry more was the state they found that crime scene back at the alleyway was. “What happened to you Dark?” thought Twilight.

Dark looked left and right, finding his target; knowing full well that explosion didn’t damage the strange being. A tap on Dark’s shoulder was felt, swiftly turning to see who it was… Dark saw nothing but more empty space on the rooftop. Dark was getting more and more impatient… and angry, any second he could blow up, literally and figuratively. That’s when Dark turned one last time, a giant object made impact toward Dark, causing to send the suit of armor into a chimney. Shaking off the concrete, Dark looked up to see a very intact Discord… grinning back, insultingly.

“That was some attack… but your going to need to try better to hurt me,” said Discord, chortling.

Dark was annoyed, having his meal running from him… and now fighting what Dark could describe as a pile of animal body parts glue together. Dark’s flaming head began to grow some more until… both of his white eyes grew into the size of a golf ball. “You annoy me… for the last time!” shouted Dark.

Everyone was shocked to find Dark speaking, especially in his state; instantly Dark ran toward Discord, coming out both his gauntlets were two purple energy blades. Pointing both toward Discord, Dark spun around causing himself to spin violently, creating a tornado of purple blades. Discord tried dodging every lunge and slash, but Dark was relentless with his attack. Twilight and Trixie continued to watch, both horrified and shocked from how fast Dark was moving, not slowing down at all. However Discord dodged each hit, while switching to clothing worn when facing against a bull. “Oh leh!” said Discord, pulling out a red cloth.

After stopping his rampage, Dark turned to face Discord when another object struck him… or in this case something blinded him. Discord had thrown the red cloth at Dark, laughing at Dark’s attempts at attacking him. Now so far Dark hasn’t been able to do anything toward Discord… burning away the red cloth, Dark made the two purple energy blades disappear, leaving him with his gauntlets surrounded in black flames.

“I burn you… but you do not fall. I cut you… but you do not fall. I explode you… but you do not fall,” said Dark, the dark flames growing more and more fiercer. “None of these things seem to harm you… you leave me no choice… for if this doesn’t work… then all will turn… TO NOTHING!”

Dark raised one of his gauntlets in the air, with an open palm he stars to chant something in a language unknown to the three Equestrians. Deciding to watch and gloat than do anything, Discord makes some popcorn poof to existence, munching both the popcorn and the kernels. “This is going to be interesting,” said Discord.

Twilight, who was extremely fearful to what Dark meant turned to face Discord. “Discord, we need to stop Dark. I don’t know what’s happening, or what’s happened to him but, if we let this continue any further...” said Twilight, her gaze looking at the ground and Dark. “Something terrible will happen.”

“Oh don’t be such a worrywort Twilight. Besides, if anything happens I can make it disappear in a flash,” said Discord, a flashlight appearing on his claw, flicking it on and off. “Just-like-this.”

Twilight wasn’t sure if Discord could stop whatever Dark was planning, but before she could retort back… the ground they were on was beginning to get warm… very warm. Both draconequus and alicorn looked up to see a giant ball of black inferno. Within it, they saw a dark figure, flickering in… and out, intervals going by with each second. Trixie out of the three spoke first to respond to the ever growing flame. “Uhm, Trixie doesn’t want to be blunt but… what is that?” said Trixie.

Before anypony could speak, a fourth voice spoke answering both Trixie’s questions, and Twilight’s fears. “Your doom… burn to nothing, waste away from infinity, darkness shall consume you...” said Dark, continuing his chant.

Twilight didn’t want to see what was going to happen next, so grabbing Trixie and dragging her behind some intact chimneys, Twilight used what remaining magical power within her and summoned a shield, surrounding both her and Trixie. Discord continued to stare until he noticed Twilight going to cover, smirking he looks back at the growing black flames. “What are you so afraid of? It’s just a big colored bonfire, what’s it going to do, cook us some marshmallows?” said Discord. Discord’s laughed rang across the roof… but to his dismay… Dark was nearing his attack… and after finishing one final line of his chant… it was done.

“Eternal flame of the darkest abyss… come forth!” shouted Dark, raising both gauntlets outward to the sky. “ETERNITY’S SHADOW: ABYSS ROAR!”

The giant bonfire of black flames erupted, unleashing a giant wave of dark flame. The blast shook the roof and all nearby building, while some ponies where shocked by the sudden explosion. Discord was the unluckiest, not reacting quickly enough, he was sent flying off the building… and possibly the city. After some seconds had passed by, Twilight let her shield drop while exhausted from feeling the blast, but pleased it held it back. Looking around, the ground and chimney around where they stood was scorched to the blackest marks… nothing but ash and soot littering everywhere. Helping Trixie up, both mares leave the cover of the chimney; turning to face where Dark was standing… all they saw was nothing but two empty boot marks.

“Where… where did he go?” thought Twilight. “He was here a second ago, he couldn’t disappear that quickly after that explos-”

Before the lavender pony could finish her thought… a sudden chill crept up to her. Noticing the ground around her gotten more dark, it took Twilight two seconds to realize somepony… or thing was standing behind her and Trixie. Turning her head while at the same time Trixie was… both mares spotted the flaming body of Dark… staring them with white eyes though taking a better look, Dark has no eyes… just… fire.

Moving his gauntlet, Dark reached toward Twilight; afraid the flames on his gauntlet would burn her, Twilight stepped back. Not being careful where she was stepping, Twilight tripped causing both mares to tumble… while at the same time giving a pained whine. “AHHHHHHH!” screamed Twilight, clutching her leg. Looking down, Twilight’s leg was changing an array of colors; after moving so much whilst injured, Twilight pulled a muscle… or possibly more. Dark… or what Twilight thought was Dark, moved more closer to Twilight reaching forward with a gauntlet shrouded in dark flames. Trixie watched in horror covering her eyes to not see what would happen, Twilight followed suit closing her eyes too… what she felt next… was not the painful scorching of hot flames… but the warm touch of something else.

“Wha?” said Twilight, which was all she could say before opening her eyes. Laying on her cheek was not a gauntlet covered in flames… but a gauntlet… free of them. Whilst the rest of his body was covered in the shadowy flames, the gauntlet touching Twilight was free of the flames… as if they had a mind of their own and decided to not scorch the lavender pony. Staring in shock and curiosity, Twilight expected the gauntlet to be cold to the touch if it were not covered in fire, and even if it were once she expected the gauntlet to be a lot more warmer… but it wasn’t. The warmth she felt was soothing… but not too hot… but not too cold… it was a mild warmth… almost like feeling the sun’s rays shining down on you but feeling the cold breeze of spring’s winds go through your mane and fur… it reminded of Twilight of that kind of feeling.

She closed her eyes again… relaxed by the feeling… until she didn’t felt it anymore. Reopening her eyes, the dark figure’s gauntlet was distanced a few inches away from the princess; what could of made the dark figure suddenly stop… Twilight then saw it was staring at her leg. The dark figure reached forward with the same gauntlet that touched Twilight’s face, stopping a few centimeters from touching… when a strange energy slipped out of it’s gauntlet.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? LEAVE HER ALONE!” shouted Trixie. Attempting to stand up to protect Twilight, this only caused all of Trixie’s legs to buckle tumbling back to the ground in defeat. Twilight looked at Trixie with a frown but, back at her own leg. The dark figure let out a dark essence slip, at first she felt a painful stinging… but it subdued, looking down at her leg once more; what she saw both frightened and shocked her. Looking down at the leg that was previously throbbing… was now perfectly fine… as if nothing had happened at all, to make sure it wasn’t an illusion Twilight touched it warily until she began messaging it. She smiled… but the smiled dissipated and was replaced with a frown; Twilight looked up to her healer… but the dark figure vanished again. Looking around some more, she saw the dark figure was clutching Dark’s helmet in both hands… staring at it back as if it were looking at another face. It then looked back at Twilight and Trixie, both mares gave a confused look until it spoke again… for the last.

“Your scent is familiar… I wish we would speak more… however my time is short. When we ever meet again, whether another life… another time… another world… Remember this,” said the dark figure, taking a glimpse at Twilight. “I did not save you because I wanted to or I should… I saved you… because you resemble someone I once knew… and seeing you in pain… was too much for that memory to resurface once more. I take my leave… another thing though that I must say… Tell my other me… my… ‘brother’… That he will understand what he is, and will learn the truth of his existence… one day… one day.”

The dark figure slowly placed Dark’s helmet snuggling on it’s flaming head… it was a fit. Suddenly the dark figure’s flames began to extinguish, but a bright flash appeared temporarily blinding Twilight and Trixie. Once the light subsided, standing where the dark figure… was Dark… but… he stood still unmoving. Twilight was the first to move, slowly trotting toward Dark; moving a hoof up to Dark’s helmet she began tapping his visor.

“Dark… are you...” said Twilight, inhaling. “Is that ‘you’ in there now?”

All Twilight gotten as a response was silence… silence… until she heard the clicking and beeping of machinery turning on. Taking a few steps back, lights on Dark’s armor began to shine and turn on; Dark’s visor shone with a light but slowly disappeared. Dark’s finger twitched, then his hand… Dark’s hand began to move a little until it clutched into a fist. Dark looked up his visor looking toward both the mares before him… an expression of worry clear on him. “Twilight… Trixie? Are… are you two alright?” asked Dark.

Twilight’s eyes began to mist over, wiping them of any tears that may be there, she smiled and responded. “You took the words right out of me,” said Twilight. Twilight trotted, where she hugged Dark; confused the armored soldier was bewildered of what happened, but before responding Trixie joined the hug too.

“Trixie… Trixie thought you… you were...” said Trixie, nuzzling her head more into Dark. “Please… don’t do that again.”

“I… I...” said Dark, sighing. “I promise… but I have to ask…”

Now Twilight and Trixie stopped there hugs to look up at Dark, telling he was more confused than the two mares combined. “...Just what in the deities happened?” asked Dark. Twilight couldn’t tell what was Dark’s expression… both she had two thoughts rise up that could give her a clear guess.

“Dumb… founded...” thought Twilight, mentally giggling to herself.

The three figures on the roof stood there, until the lavender alicorn spoke… responding with a simple yet, overused line.

“It’s… it’s a long story,” said Twilight.

Elsewhere in Equestria, after the dark figure sent Discord flying out of Manehattan… within a prestigious castle, two princesses ate their lunch in peace… until they heard what could be best described as… a screaming… violin? “What in the name of Faust?” said Luna, holding on her hoof what was a pastry called a crumpet.

Breaking through the dining room’s many windows was literally a screaming violin, shattering the window… and itself once it hit the ground. However more screaming was followed… when a very familiar figure came crashing where the violin crashed. Right there, within the destroyed chairs… was a disgruntled spirit of chaos… which apparently had tiny black flames littering all over his body.

“Discord!?” shouted Celestia, dropping a piece of cake.

“Hi Sunbutt,” said Discord, using the nickname he gave Celestia whenever he drops by… literally in this occasion.

Ignoring the insult and simply running to his aide, Celestia looked to the guards who saw what happened, not sure whether to arrest him or watch. Taking in the situation, Luna stared at both guards, using her best to sound authoritative in this situation. “DON’T JUST STAND THERE AND GAWK! GET THE MEDICAL STAFF IN HERE! PRONTO!” shouted Luna. Both guards scrambled out, bumping into one another, leaving the princess of the sun and moon with Discord.

Lifting Discord’s head up, Celestia softened her voice so she wouldn’t harm Discord’s eardrums while also putting out the small flames on him. “Discord… what… happened to you?” asked Celestia.

Discord opened his eyes but winced when he noticed a part of his body was scorched by the explosive fire. “Well… remember that… ‘friend’ that your apprentice met and broke out a few days ago?” said Discord, his voice raspy and tired.

Celestia ears perked up, listening to Discord carefully by leaning in close to him to hear. When she got close, Discord moved closer, near whispering to her what he saw. “That… ‘thing’… it’s not… it’s not alive… I don’t think it cares for anything,” said Discord. “It’s not evil nor is it good… whatever it is… it wasn't born to destroy… it was created to.”

Discord’s eyes glazed over, ready to go back unconscious… but before he did, one sentence slipped before his eyes closed shut. “Beware… for nothing shall stop it… Darkness… comes for all...” said Discord, the end of his sentence echoing from his voice. Discord slumped down, catching his head Celestia gently put him down; at the same time medical ponies came and took Discord to the infirmary wing for any injuries he may have received.

“Don’t worry princess, he just fainted… He’ll be fine, but it’s best that you leave him to us,” said a nurse pony, bowing down to Celestia.

Once the medical ponies had left with Discord, Celestia ordered the guards to leave her and Luna, alone. Leaving they closed the dining hall doors behind them, after making sure they left immediately Celestia used her magic and flipped the table that held today’s lunch… causing as if a tornado had come by and caused all this mayhem compared to Pinkie’s aftermaths of a party. Luna inched toward her sister, noticing the rage her eyes grow… but ebb away as she calmly breathed in and out.

“Dear sister please… don’t stress yourself. We wish for you not to harm yourself in this state,” said Luna, careful to not anger her sibling.

Celestia looked at Luna, but sighed and returned to look at the direction of where Discord had come from. Glaring at the city far from Canterlot, she almost could see a dark shadowy aura surround the city… as if something was taunting her and wanted her to make the next move… only to send it crashing to the ground. Celestia has faced foes before, evil kings, gluttonous magic-stealing beings, beings of chaos, and more… but this new threat… it did not want to rule… it did not want power… and it didn’t wanted to have fun in it’s own messed up way… no… All it wants… was the destruction of Equestria and all the ponies who live in it.

“My poor Twilight… what has this thing done to force you too join it,” thought Celestia, worrying for her lavender apprentice.

Celestia looked at Luna, a goal and ambition clear in her mind as rain. Trotting out the dining hall, Luna followed behind; Celestia spotted the captain of guard and headed for him. “Captain, gather your men, all of them. We are going to Manehattan… immediately; also tell the elements they are free and must see me in the throne room, as quick as possible,” said Celestia, her motherly tone completely gone, replaced with one a tone of a true leader in action.

“Of course Princess Celestia!” said the captain, saluting. Before he could leave Celestia stopped him, giving him another order.

“One more thing,” said Celestia, leaning. “Send the Wonderbolts ahead of us to Manehattan… pronto. There mission is not to find Princess Twilight… but to capture… no… but to eliminate the being called… Soldier 3112.”

Everypony was shocked, never before the princess or anypony would go for such methods before. Usually an action like this is only taken if Equestria as a whole was faced with a life threatening situation, and since the only ponies who know of Soldier 3112 being the princesses, Celestia, Luna, Cadance, and Twilight, Shining Armor, Discord, Spike, and the Elements of Harmony. At first the captain of guard froze but nodded, not speaking a word to the sudden order from Equestria’s peaceful leader, who wouldn’t send such an order without a good reason.

Luna stood shocked, frozen as a statue even; usually she would be of the two to take such an action… but Celestia… Luna shook the thought away, joining her sister again questioning her reason for such a sudden action. “Dear sister… Tia,” said Luna, using her sister’s nickname. “I understand why you are doing this, but do not let anger lead your actions… It will only lead to more pain.”

“My actions are not controlled by pain, sister… This… ‘thing’… I don’t know why it has come to our realm nor do I care,” said Celestia. “It has harmed one of my oldest friends… and I shall not watch as it will slowly harm our ponies. If it wants a fight...” Celestia snorted, steam shooting out from her muzzle. “Then it'll get more than a fight… more than a battle… no… it’ll get...”

A war.