Mistress of Arms
Siel'Viz laid on a table on Vi'Al's laboratory, surrounded by machines of all shapes and sizes. Her armour was now long-gone, and a plethora of dog tags hung from her neck, each one chronicling the memory of the bravest warriors that she had put into the ground. She reached up and rubbed the tags, weak from all of the tranquilisers Vi'Al was pumping her limbs with. A small smile forming on her face as she did so. At least that would stay with her. The pride of her past. Said smile soon withered once her 'doctor' decided to use his mouth.
"You know, of all of the creatures that I've tended to, of all of the species I've dissected and examined, you are without a doubt one of the finest pieces of work I've ever had thrust upon me," Vi'Al was scribbling down notes while also keeping a steady flow of chemicals flowing into his patient. It was almost as if he was a blur with how much he was moving around. "Imagine. Me, working on one of the Captain's inner circle. At first, you would have called me a mad wolf, but that oaf of a human discredited that notion."
"What do you think about this Shining Armour fellow? What did you personally draw from him when he took out my eye?" Siel'Viz asked. "Where do you think he fits into the grand scheme of things? A tool for the Wolfpack to break the Power Rangers, or another in the endless line of cattle we see before us?"
"Personally, I would say that he would make a fine Wolfpack warrior. Just... not like that. In his current state, he would be even less useful than even the weakest of our Hounds," Vi'Al dismissively waved his claw and dug through a metallic crate, shifting parts around. "That being the case, it's hard to tell whether or not he actually acted as a hero or whether he just landed a fluke shot because of your boastful nature. We cannot prove his alignment in our game without more data. And, given how the Captain has freed you from the rules, I doubt any more data will come out of it."
"What can I say? War's a rough life," Siel'Viz gave a demented laugh. "It's a wolf-eat-wolf world wherever war goes. You either live to kill or get eaten alive. If you can't keep your head above water in the battlefield, then you are to be scattered to the winds, as bombshells, bullets, cannon fire and aircraft fill the silence you would otherwise hear.
"Even some of the most powerful soldiers in the Lupus brigade that I knew met a tragic end. Either they were met with someone greater than them, or they got themselves killed recklessly. Now, I feel like I'm about to join them, drifting in the afterlife." She clutched the first tag she could touch. It was getting harder and harder now that all of the drugs were being planted within her body. "You did have the Hounds gather my 'personal stash', right?"
"Absolutely. In fact—" The laboratory door opened, revealing a group of Hounds stomping inside with a collection of steel boxes "—Here it is now."
"I thought I'd never have to fight another battle wearing you, considering how easy it got for us in recent memory. But now, look where we are." Siel'Viz began to black out as the Hounds unloaded the gear and laid it out on a separate table for Vi'Al. "Looks like the Power Rangers proved me wrong on that regard."
"Alright now, my dear, all you need do is sleep. By the time you wake up, everything will feel like it never even happened in the first place. That, and I guarantee that the weakness residing in you will be a thing of the past." Vi'Al pushed a few more buttons, yanked a few more levers, and let out one more influx of tranquilisers with the push of a button, causing Siel'Viz to fall into a deep slumber. "For all that the Power Rangers have done for us, I feel that it's time that we repay them back tenfold..."
The Rainbooms all gathered together in Elaris's ship, their thoughts a pure blank save for the attack on Rarity's parents. Even now, the news stung to think about. The Wolfpack were not just another group of people looking to cause chaos for them. They were merciless killers; relishing in their deeds if for the sole purpose of causing them to suffer. Some of them paced the floor, thinking of the more violent ways to fight back against them, while others sat down with crossed legs and hands in their eyes, mopping up their tears.
"My mom and dad... They've been travelling for all their lives, barely having any time to come home for me and my little sister," Rarity spoke up, her voice much more brittle than usual. "I... I never really knew them that well, except for the fact that they loved us and their adventures very much. And the day I finally get them to come home and stay there the Wolfpack RUIN EVERYTHING!"
"Rarity, I can only say that I'm sorry for your loss. It's utterly devastating to lose family like that; especially when it comes to battle," Elaris lowered her head to the console of the ship. "I can go to sleep and still hear the screams of my people being gunned down as we ran with the Crystals to this world. Their families must feel a gaping hole in their hearts too."
"It's still just fucked up if you ask me." Rainbow Dash punched her own hand. "We should just go right up to Mar'Zek's ship, blow it up from the inside out and let him watch as everything around him burns!"
"As much as I'd like the idea, I don't think that going to the Alpha Slayer is such a good idea, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy meekly lifted a finger. "I mean, it is the flagship of the Wolfpack. It's going to be packed with security and horrible countermeasures..."
"Not to mention, it's the size of a country. You'd get lost in there very quickly," Twilight added, before coming over and patting Rarity's shoulders. "Look, as much as I hate it as well, we can't just storm the Wolfpack's flagship because of it. I mean, you could take a wrong turn, end up at Mar'Zek's throne room, and then what? You'd be dead meat wearing Power Ranger armour."
"Consarn it, then what DO WE DO?!" Applejack screamed, punching a hole in Elaris's ship with her bare hands, the metal buckling and twisting around her. "The Wolfpack is going straight for our hearts! We can't just sit around and do nothing all day!"
"Well, there is... one thing that we can do," Sunset spoke up, holding the handle of her sword as the fires flickered before her. "Right before Siel'Viz ran off, she said something to Shining Armour. Said that if we knew what was good for him, we would evacuate him from this planet. Now, I'm not entirely one to guess on hunches, but I think that means he's going to be attacked by her, probably off-guard as well."
"Wait, what?!" Twilight's eyes shot open as the words echoed on her mind.
"If you know what is good for this man, you will evacuate him from this planet. He shot my eye. No-one has ever shot my eye before. And the next time he sees me, he's either joining the Wolfpack or going six feet underground!"
Instinctively, Twilight whipped out her phone and punched in a number, planting the device to her ear, she heard the noise of a call trying to reach the line. "C'mon, big brother. Pick up, PLEASE. You need to hear this!" A few more repeats of the noise, until finally, it stopped."
"Hi. You've reached Shining Armour. Sadly, I can't help you right now. Either I'm busy with my best little sister in the whole world, or I'm doing my job. Heh, one or the other. Leave a message and I'll get right back to you." Her phone said, in what seemed like a perfect, if a bit garbled recreation of his voice.
"Dammit! Straight to voicemail!" Twilight hung up and put the phone away.
"We HAVE to find Shining Armour. And fast." Sunset ran over to Twilight's side. "For all we know, either the Wolfpack could have gotten their hands on him already or he's about to get caught."
"I... I might not have been able to save my family. But I can take measures to make sure that this kind of stuff never happens again." Rarity brushed away the last remnants of her tears and snot, before standing back up and lowering her brows. "Everyone. We're going to Canterlot PD. That means you too, Twilight."
"I couldn't agree more," she said. "Shining Armour's always been there for me, so now it's my turn to be there for him. Before he gets..." She slid a finger across her neck.
"Before you go, Rangers, I've been working on something in the Forge, but it's not quite done yet. It should be something that'll help you fend off the Wolfpack a bit better," Elaris lifted her fingers. "I'll head on over there to apply some finishing touches. In the meantime, you go and defend this Shining Armour fellow."
"Roger that. Team, let's move!" Sunset charged out of the ship with the rest of her friends close behind, Twilight included. Within seconds, the bridge became empty as Elaris jumped out of her seat and ran off to the Forge.
Sunset Shimmer and the Rainbooms ran through the streets of Canterlot, the air giving way around them as they barreled down the sidewalks towards the Canterlot Police Department. With the thought of the Wolfpack making another attack ringing heavy on their minds, they knew that they needed to act fast, to save Shining Armour and everyone else around him from the invading wolves.
Rarity herself ran next to Sunset, almost leading the charge herself at times. For all of the joy she had felt when being with her family, the thought of one of her other friends losing family was a haunting thing to think about, a fear that she needed to fight if she stood any chance of staying a Power Ranger.
"Alright, team. If we're fast, we can get everyone out of the building before the Wolfpack even have a chance to lay their dirty claws on it," said Sunset as they turned another corner. "Then, after we take care of business with Siel'Viz, I say that we treat Rarity to something extra special."
"Ooh, like a ten-layered cake coated in sprinkles, fudge, cream, eclairs, and every dessert under the sun?" Pinkie beamed.
"Well... Not exactly like that, Pinkie. Ah say that it's gotta be something extra good for her, given how the poor girl's just seen her parents getting shot down in front of her eyes," Applejack interjected. "But thanks for the input anyway."
"Just one more road to pass, everyone. We're almost at CPD!" Sunset barked, wrapping her arm around the nearby lamppost and using it to slingshot herself down the other path, prompting her friends to follow suit. "Now we can..."
But what the girls were expecting to see was not a pleasant sight whatsoever. Canterlot Police Department had been completely razed from roof to door, with a massive fire engulfing the scene. The walls had been ruptured, their pieces lying splintered around the ground. There was no sign of people caught in the blaze or running out of it in the nick of time. It had been totally destroyed.
"No! We're too late!" Rarity exclaimed, nearly catching her fingers on the fires, embers just grazing the space around her as she hastily retracted her body.
"You know, Power Rangers, I do have to give you points for effort. You want to fight the good fight no matter what the consequences may be." Siel'Viz'z voice cut through the fires, her silhouette showing with a body hanging limply underneath her arm. "Even when I end the White Ranger's parents, another in your bloodlines stands up to fight in their stead. How would the rest of your parents react when I slaughter them in cold blood?"
"Siel'Viz!" Rarity morphed in the blink of an eye, swinging her swords against the fires. The sudden rush of wind put some of them out, but only for a brief instance. "It's about time you came back for a proper fight! You've got a l—"
"Say one more word, White Ranger, and I gut this Shining Armour fellow right here and now. How much do you think his organs would sell for on the black market?" Siel'Viz interjected, wrapping thin wire around Shining Armour's body, tightly constricting him.
"You won't get the chance to put him up for sale, Wolfie!" Rainbow morphed and pointed her twin blasters at the Wolfpack agent. "Now, do you wanna settle this in the fire pit, or somewhere with fewer civilians?"
"Not here. It won't make me feel alive." She shook her head, lifting Shining Armour over her back. "After all, how can I feel alive when I know my prey cannot handle a burning arena?" She opened up another portal with her devices. "Rangers. I have a question for you all. Do you like war? Do you enjoy going into battle, obeying the orders of your drill sergeants and squad leaders?"
"Enough with the corny old talk about war already!" Pinkie morphed next, her cannons locked and loaded as they pointed at Siel'Viz. "We're not here to join the military, just be regular old superheroes. Nothing more, nothing less."
"We don't need to join some rag-tag bunch of strongmen to take you on." Applejack whipped out her Terra Hammer and morphed as she smashed it into the ground. "Ah reckon we'll do just fine against you!"
"Spare me your delusional hopes, Power Rangers. You've not been in real combat. To feel the adrenaline rush of aircraft roaring over your heads, of bullets ringing past your ears, of the satisfaction of killing an enemy soldier and claiming their tags!" She pulled off her chestplate for a brief instance, the dog tag collection showing plain as day. "But if you still think that you can handle me, one of Mar'Zek's champions, then come and find me at the Canterlot Allied Forces Base. There, we'll be settling this little spat between us once and for all!" Siel'Viz threw Shining into the portal, before she dashed through herself, the fires dissipating instantaneously with her departure.
"Canterlot Allied Forces Base?" Twilight parroted. "Why would Siel'Viz possibly want to fight there?"
"Probably to go with this stupid soldier act she's putting on." Rarity grunted, demorphing along with the others who had. "But I didn't even think that Canterlot even had a military."
“It’s just because we’ve not seen a real war in our country for a pretty long time now. I mean, the whole place is just one big, dusty old base with a bunch of people walking around,” Pinkie Pie chirped.
"And now, little miss Siel'Viz is using it as a spot for her final showdown..." Rainbow Dash tightened her hand into a fist. "And she's holding Twilight's brother hostage. We need to get over there as fast as we can."
“But she’s one of Mar’Zek’s top wolves…” Fluttershy’s hands wrapped around each other as hair drooped over her eyes. “How are we going to fight someone like that, especially when she’s got your brother as a hostage, Twilight?”
"I... I don't know. I'm not even sure what I can do without another one of those crystals." Twilight twiddled her fingers, metaphorically shrinking in comparison to the other Rainbooms. "But I have to do SOMETHING! I can't just let those fiends do this to him!"
"Well, we can't just do nothing. We're supposed to be the Power Rangers, after all. And I'm pretty sure that sitting around and letting the villains do bad things isn't in the job description." Sunset reached for her phone and opened a comm link with the ship. "Elaris. We're too late. The CPD's been raided. Siel'Viz stole Shining Armour and is holding him hostage at Canterlot Allied Forces Base."
"Understood. I'm sweeping the location now for any signs of Wolfpack activity. I'll let you know if she decides to bolster the defences," said Elaris on the other end of the line. "In the meantime, I discovered an... interesting signal that I think you girls should check out. Come and meet me back at the Forge."
"But Siel'Viz..." Sunset's eyes widened. She'd never known Elaris give the team an order to fall back after a Wolfpack agent made their threats clear. She almost dropped the phone in response with how violently her fingers twitched.
"It won't take very long. You can run for the base immediately after I'm done talking." She pounded away at some buttons on a console. "Firing up teleportation sequencers. Transmatting you back now."
With one last button push, columns of light, colour-coordinated to the suit of each Power Ranger erupted from the ground, swallowing up the Rainbooms and completely blotting out the rest of the world. Once the light diminished, the team were back in Elaris's ship, looking directly at the infinite cosmos of space that was the Forge. The Harmonite in question for their return came through the doorway, walking up to the group.
"Rarity. I think you and I need to have a little bit of a talk about the situation with your parents." Elaris strolled up to the White Ranger, raising an arm and planting it on her shoulder. "Do you remember when you bought them a crystal, to commemorate their return to Canterlot?" She asked, pulling it into view.
"Yes... Yes, I did. But I don't see how this has any relevance to the mission, Elaris." Rarity recoiled, almost as if she had been physically attacked with the memory of her parents being struck by Siel'Viz's attacks. Her heart turned cold, and she could feel a large lump forming in her throat as she let the event fester in her mind once more.
"Well, it seemed that something triggered in that crystal the moment the blow landed. A quick run through L.U.C.Y.'s scanners revealed that it has the same power fluctuations as the White Ranger Crystal, yet has a unique variable and ether flow that I've not seen from you or any of the others'..." Elaris chucked the crystal into the Forge, where it hung in mid-air, slowly spiralling in front of the group.
"Affirmative. I have detected a unique quasi-augment wavelength that seems to correspond with that of Rarity's Power Ranger form," L.U.C.Y. called out. "Data analysis seems to indicate that she can use this crystal as an extension to her own strength when its' energy readings coalesce with that of the White Crystal."
"In other words, in theory, this crystal should allow Rarity to become a stronger Power Ranger. Maybe even stronger than that of Siel'Viz." Elaris moved through the other Rainbooms and started using the Forge, bending the metaphysical cosmos with waves of her hand. She threw both of her hands towards her, causing stardust to fly from the edge and into the crystal. "But so far, the crystal's currently out of alignment and its' wavelength is sporadic. I'll fine-tune it to sync with that of Rarity's crystal. I'll warp it over to you as soon as the work's complete. You just have to survive against Siel'Viz until that job's done.
"Cool, girl! You've got yourself an upgrade in the shop." Rainbow Dash threw herself onto Rarity's shoulders, poking her head out from Rarity's side. "As soon as Elaris is done working her magic, you'll be able to cleave that wolf like a Christmas turkey!"
"Oh, well, I wouldn't go that far..." Fluttershy meekly lifted a finger at Rarity's metaphor. "But I agree that Rarity's gonna have an edge over the Wolfpack."
"I also discovered that in your lives as CHS students, you used your own tools for added mobility and combat. Rainbow and Sunset with a pair of bicycular vehicles, as well as Pinkie and Rarity with what look like wheel extensions for their feet. I think this world refers to them as motorcycles and rollerskates, I think?" Elaris briefly turned her head from the Forge. "During your off-time, I've been working on the devices in theory, trying to tune them with your respective crystals, but no matter what I do, the data always gets corrupted. Perhaps once we repair the ship some more, we can finalise these things for your own personal arsenal."
"At least that's some good news. We'll work as hard as we can to fix this ship up once Siel'Viz goes down." Applejack slid her thumb across her mouth, holding it up as she headed to the exit. "Come on, girls. We've got ourselves a wolf to hunt."
"Elaris. You keep working on that crystal as hard as you can. I'll go with the girls this time," said Twilight, earning stares from the other girls. "What? You don't think I can handle myself out there?"
"As much as you can, Twilight, this is the Wolfpack. AND one of Mar'Zek's inner circle we're talking about here. You're gonna get yourself so hurt that not even the hurtiest pain machine on this planet could feel as painful as a beatdown from one of those meanies!" Pinkie flailed her arms outward, fingers almost reaching the roof of the barracks.
"Oh, I know what you're trying to do, girls. And it's not going to work, I'm afraid." Twilight clutched at her own geode, using her own magic to levitate the girls out of her way. "Need I remind you that I've got my own magic as well? Sure, it can't do much on its' own, but it should give me some chance of fighting back. Maybe not defeating the Wolfpack, but at least serving as a distraction."
“Yeah, but the Wolfpack are gonna have that entire place under heavy security, Twilight. One of them finds you and it’s game over, girl.” Rainbow Dash locked her hands together, with knuckles pointed outward. “If you go out there, you’ll die.”
“If I let Shining Armour get hurt, he’ll die. Think about it. The best thing a little sister can do for her brother is giving him her life; even if it means she loses her own in the process.” Twilight left the room, leaving the speechless Rainbooms behind her. “I’ll be seeing you at the edge of the military base, girls. Bring all the Ranger power you want.”
“Twilight… Don’t do this. Please. You’re going to get yourself killed out there.” Sunset limply raised her arm, only for it to tumble back down after, as Twilight had already long-since left her and the others behind. She stood boldly, hands contorted to fists as she clutched her crystal. “We have to go, girls. No point in us waiting around while we let our friends walk into the firing line.”
“In the meantime, I’ll keep working on the new crystal as much as I can.” Elaris returned to her post, continuing to use the Forge to pump the jewel with energy. “It might take a few minutes, but as soon as it’s done, I’ll send it over to you, Rarity. Use it well and tear Siel’Viz down a peg or two.”
“Thank you. We’ll do our best.” Rarity clenched her fist and pumped it, a small, subtle smile showing on her face as she turned to the rest of her team. “Girls. Let’s move. It’s time to go and save Shining Armour.”
“Yeah! And while we’re at it, let’s save Twilight from being eaten by wolves!” Pinkie bounded upward, only receiving glares from her friends. “What? Not like that’s really gonna happen. Those guys wouldn’t like the way she tastes. Bookworm isn’t a very appealing flavour for monsters these days.”
“Missing the point entirely Pinks…” Sunset thought. “Girls. On me.” Sunset morphed, prompting the others to do so, completely foregoing their usual catchphrase. There was no time for it now, they had to save their friends. “Let’s go!” She ran out of the ship with the others in tow, off toward the military base.
Twilight laid on the top of a hillside, looking down at the base through a pair of binoculars with a star-shaped crest between the two magnifying lenses. Where there were once human soldiers, there were now the Wolfpack. Some holding the troops hostage through metal restraints, forcing them to work, or hijacking aircraft around the base. She scanned the whole base, checking each corner of it from top to bottom, warehouses to barracks, but couldn’t find Siel’Viz or her brother anywhere.
Twilight began to pant frantically in fear. What if… what if her brother had already been transported back up the Alpha Slayer? What if even now Mar’Zek was running weird experiments on him? As the images of such a grizzled fate flashed through her mind, Twilight couldn’t help but shed sweat, her hands growing cold and jittery as she tried to keep up the search.
Then she heard the sound of energy rifles cocking and slowly turned to see Hounds with weapons trained on her.
“Like pigs to the slaughter, they come!” one of the Hounds cackled.
“Where’s the rest of your friends, little girl?” The other asked, pointing the weapon at her nose. “Coming to shoot down our mistress, are they? Fat chance of that happening.”
“I know why she’s here. She’s come to stage a desperate rescue on that man we captured back at the police department.” The first hound let out a boisterous, chesty laugh. “Guess we really have cornered Twilight Sparkle after all. And now, she’s doing the most desperate thing she can to be a hero like her friends. Isn’t that just precious?” He showed his fangs to her.
“Sorry, boys, but you’re not really my type.” Twilight clutched her geode, catching both wolves in a pair of magenta auras, lifting them up off of the ground. “But while you’re here, let’s play a game. It’s called target practice!”
Twilight threw the wolves back down the mini-mountain, right into Sunset and Rarity’s swords. The impact from both sides was large enough to slice the Hounds in two, causing their bodies to detonate behind the Rangers as they reached the top of the hill to join her.
“Twilight…” Sunset said. “I know your brother is involved in all this, but that’s exactly why you shouldn’t be here. The Wolfpack… if they capture you, they’ll just toss your brother aside or use you as a bargaining chip or something!”
“Then what do you expect me to do? I can’t just sit on the sidelines and give you tips and advice all the time. I should be out there. With my friends. We’ve fought everything together, haven’t we?” She asked, peering into Sunset’s eyes. “With all the stuff you’ve done together, I’m starting to feel a bit cast aside, as if I don’t even matter in this whole Power Ranger business anymore. If anything, this is my chance to prove more than ever that I can handle myself just as well as you girls can.”
“Yes… But…” Sunset trailed off, but couldn’t find a refute to that argument as her eyes met Twilight’s own. Twilight was firm in her stance, unwavering. “Fine.”
“Thank you. I’m glad to see that you still believe in me.” Twilight pulled Sunset into a sudden hug; one that she quickly received back from her. After that was done with, the girls huddled together, lying down in formation as they got eyes on the site. “Now, how do you think we should tackle this?”
“Oh, how about emerging from your little huddle and facing me head on? That seems like such a Power Ranger-type thing to do after all...” Siel’Viz asked through the comms systems, causing all the girls to jump. “Typical. The easiest way to assassinate a figure in war is to use stealth. In what world do you think I’m as gullible as that?”
“Siel’Viz! Where are you hiding Shining Armour?!” Rainbow barked through her comm device.
“Let my brother go!” Twilight shouted.
“It is far too late for you to rescue him. The Wolfpack is breaking him down as we speak. Give him a few more hours of torture, and he’ll be wearing our sigil with pride,” she spoke, a venomous tone accompanying her. “But first, I think it’s only fair that the entry fee into our rank and file is to take one of his eyes. After all, he took one of mine, so it’s only fair, don’t you think?”
“No!” Twilight shouted. “Let my brother go, I’ll go in his place as long as you—”
“Your bargaining posture is highly dubious. And anyways… You don’t settle things in war with talk and political deals. You settle things with bullets, aircraft fire, grenades, utter pandemonium!” Siel’Viz remarked. “Do you think we amassed such a grand army by talking them down or negotiating deals with their planets’ leaders?” She asked, causing Rainbow and Applejack to punch the ground in succession, leaving large holes afterwards. “Come, Power Rangers. Enter my little base. We’ll finish this as any soldier of war would. With blood and with steel! Let us see if you’re worthy enough to defeat me…” The link dropped with the sound of static, leaving the Rangers in silence.
“She knows we’re here. We’ve got to move fast.” Applejack clutched her Terra Hammer and held it up firmly, as she stood on two legs once again. “Twilight. I don’t think I need to ask you this, but—”
“Yeah, I know. Just bring my brother back safe okay?” Twilight asked.
“We’ll be sure of it.” Fluttershy patted Twilight’s back as she used the other to hold her flute close to her heart.
“Come on, girls. It’s time to go to war with the Wolfpack.” Rarity lowered her brows as she channelled magic through her swords, sharpening the tips of her diamond blades.
“For Shining Armour. And for Twilight.” Sunset punched her chest. She looked to the others and saw they were mimicking her gesture, a salute of loyalty to one another in a way. She darted off towards the gates leading into the base, leaving Twilight on the hill to act as overwatch.
As they ran for the entrance, the hounds instinctively raised their weapons for battle, but as soon as Siel’Viz’s garbled voice came through on their devices something surprising happened. They bowed, stepped aside, and called to the other wolves inside, who had most likely heard the orders of their commander. It didn’t take long for the Hounds to scatter, leaving a large space for the Rainbooms and Siel’Viz to battle. Yet the ones who had taken over the planes and jets simply stayed where they were on the runways, ready to launch at a moment’s notice.
“That’s odd. They don’t want to fight us?” Pinkie tilted her head at the docile Wolfpack soldiers. “I thought for sure that they’d come down on top of us like a swarm of angry insects…”
“Best not to tempt fate, Pinkie. I don’t want to have to deal with this many wolves all at once…” Fluttershy laid her hand on Pinkie Pie’s. “It’d just be too barbaric.”
Once all of the Rangers took their place, the warehouse in front of them opened wide, revealing Siel’Viz walking out towards them.
“Barbaric you say Yellow Ranger…?” Siel’Viz asked. “You don’t even know the meaning of the word… But you soon will!”
There was a mechanical chunk where her eye had been shot out, with a wide red line of light popping out of it. The armour that she was in was a noticeably darker shade of black than the last suit she wore, and her sword shone brightly in the afternoon sun. There were also a bunch of holes in the back, but not holes that exposed her flesh. Rather, they were hatches for something that the Rangers couldn’t see yet.
“Look upon this grand and magnificent sight, Power Rangers. Is there no better home away from home for a war veteran like myself?” She asked, stretching her arms outward to show off the base. “The freshly cut grass, the well-kept tarmac, the rigorous assault courses inside, even the vehicles and weapons these people keep working so well on. Truly, it warms the heart, doesn’t it?”
“You talk too much,” Rainbow stated readying her weapons. “Now let Shining go!”
“Oh, I already did. Right now, he’s all the way up there. With the captain and his crew.” She pointed skyward. “If you came here hoping to pull him out of some human interrogation chamber, I’m sad to say that it won’t break him as well as we can break someone. But I can at least appreciate the effort. It’s no fun in fighting a war where your enemy never acts for themselves, strategizes, comes up with a plan and ultimately fails!”
“Funny, isn’t that what you’ve been doing?” Rainbow had to ask. “You and your plans haven’t worked yet… And we’re here to keep that from ever happening!”
Siel’Viz opened up her chest armour, revealing over a dozen dog tags hanging from her neck. Each engraved with the details of some of the kills she made, showcasing the victims of her rampage, as well as the powers that came with them. Fluttershy let out a squeaking noise. “Do you know what these are, Power Rangers? I suspect your Yellow Ranger does…”
“Dog tags. Usually worn by soldiers to identify each other when they go out into battle.” Sunset tightened the grip on her sword. “Frankly, I was expecting you to show them off at least once. Not like a soldier to go out into battle and not claim their enemies’ tags.”
“Exactly. In my time with the Wolfpack, I have collected a myriad of tags. Each one entirely different from the last,” she said, rubbing each of the tags with her claws. “Every one of these people put up the best fights I’ve had in my entire life, pushing me to my limits, making me act on instinct to survive. Truly, the greatest satisfaction is taking an opponent’s tag after such a ferocious battle with them.” She sighed in pleasure, stomping towards the Rainbooms. “And once I take your tags for my own, I’ll keep them for myself, while the captain takes back what was once stolen from him. The crystals that he rightfully seized from your precious Elaris’s homeworld!”
“That will never happen,” Rarity said as she summoned a certain gemstone into her hands. “Your conquering ends tonight. You took my parents from me, and I swear by their lives your warmongering is going to end here.”
“Oh? A rather bold statement. Unfortunately for you, you are at a severe mismatch.” She cackled slyly under her breath.
She slammed her foot down onto the ground, then did the same with the other, taking a wide-legged stance as the black armour she wore sprung to life with green lights running up her body. Said lights wrapped themselves around her arms, legs, and what was left of her chest as it closed back up, concealing the tags. Once the neon reached the holes on the back of her suit, a series of elongated, mechanical arms poked out of them, each taking a weapon and pointing them at the Rangers, as she held her own sword out to them.
“The joy of going out into battle. Of feeling aircraft soar over your head. To feel bullets rattle against your armour, to drive your knives and other such weapons into the throats of your enemies and reap the rewards!” She called. “To be at war is to feel TRULY ALIVE!” She charged towards the Rangers, instigating the battle.
“White Ranger Power, Revive Mode!” Rarity shouted in a fury slamming the gemstone into her morpher. “Paladin Armor, activate!”
However, Rarity suddenly found herself wracked with electric shock after electric shock before she screamed and clutched her arm in pain as the gemstone fell to the ground. As soon as it hit the roads, she was slashed backwards by Siel’Viz, before the arms on her back let loose a torrent of bullets into her body.
Sunset and Rainbow Dash moved in to fight in her stead. Sunset’s swordplay colliding with Siel’Viz’s, while Rainbow tried to get behind the Wolfpack agent. As she tried to move in for an attack, the hands grabbed her by the ankles and tossed her into Sunset, before the both of them were locked into a chokehold by the Wolf and tossed into Applejack and Fluttershy.
“Now, do you feel the full power of the Wolfpack’s finest armour?” Siel’Viz asked. “This is, after all, the suit that felled the Cosmos Council of Ragna-8, killed the Unkillable Enzroth of Libic-3. And the suit that the captain himself enjoys fighting against!”
Sunset studied each of the many arms wriggling about, watching closely as they juggled polearms, guns, grenades, and more around. “You… You overcompensating for something?” she asked, her helmet having been shattered. Wiping away blood from her mouth, Sunset managed a smirk. “So basically, all we gotta do is remove those arms from that armour of yours right?”
“Like you’ll even get the chance.” Siel’Viz coldly grinned as the jets took flight, being piloted by the hounds. “Have you ever heard of the term Air Superiority? If not, let’s just say I hope you girls have anti-air weapons on you right about now!” She boasted as the jets reached the air, turned around, and let loose a run of machine gun fire and missiles down on the Rainbooms’ location. “Welcome to the war, ladies!”
However, Fluttershy was ready for this and blew into her flute sending massive hawks of yellow energy up into the air to scythe through the wings of the jets. One by one, the Hounds parachuted out of the ravaged vehicles, not even bothering to activate the parachutes as they bore their claws towards the butter-yellow girl.
“Oh no you don’t!” Rainbow shouted, shooting each Hound out of the air with carefully placed shots. She barely had any time to look at the explosions before Siel’Viz’s arm attachments swept her legs with polearms, followed by a lunge at her face with the wolf’s sword.
Sunset whipped her sword in a blaze of fire and managed to burn through one of the arms with the shockwave. It landed with a bang, releasing the grenade it had been holding with the pin taken off. Sunset was momentarily blinded by the flashbang allowing Siel’Viz to shoulder charge her and send her sprawling to the ground.
“Time to shake things up!” Applejack spun her Terra Hammer and swung it into the ground, causing an earthquake to form around her. As Siel’Viz tried to jump away, a large stone erupted out of the crumbling ground, almost impaling her had she not dodged in time and landed behind the orange cowgirl.
“On your left!” Rainbow shouted and Applejack whirled around to send Siel’Viz flying with her hammer before Rainbow ran after her with her speed powers, and let loose a torrent of blaster fire into Siel’Viz and dislodged two more arms with her spray and pray tactics.
“Such tactics are hardly befitting of a warrior!” Siel’Viz shouted. “You have no strategy, just blind luck!” She used the remaining hands to push herself back to Rainbow Dash, pinning her to the ground. She punched her face repeatedly, while the arms prevented the other Rainbooms from getting close as they splayed outward, firing bullets or swinging the melee weapons wildly. “Get me the tanks!” She howled, prompting the remaining hounds to run to the remaining warehouses. Applejack was already anticipating this and slammed her hammer down once more bringing the warehouses down on top of the wolves.
“You’re no true warrior,” Applejack shouted. “You order your men to do everything for you! Never fighting on the front lines yerself!”
Siel’Viz heard the insult, vaulted off of Rainbow Dash exactly as Applejack had planned. However, what the farmgirl didn’t see coming was her picking her up with the bionic arms and let the sword strike at her chest over and over again. Tossing AJ aside, Siel’Viz ran towards Sunset, kicking her in the face.
“Why… Why do they fight for me?” Rarity wondered as she saw the Rainbooms take Siel’Viz apart piece by piece “This is my fight, after all. I… I have to avenge my parents!”
“Fitting. The Power Rangers were born in war. They will die in war.” Siel’Viz boomed, pulling her arms over her body as Pinkie jumped over her and let loose a stream of explosive confetti. A swing outward and the Pink Ranger was smacked into Sunset once more. “You are no true veterans yet. But at least you will die with the thrill of having faced one in your lives.”
“A war… a war should never be thrilling,” Rarity whispered as she picked herself up off the ground. “A famous man once said this: ‘War is Hell.’ You should take a cue from that,” she said slicing off the final two arms with her swords. “Once you take a life, you can never go back from that. That’s what my friends were doing, trying to keep me from killing you and becoming just like yourself. And I thank them for that.”
“You realise, of course, that this is not the first battle that you have had, right? Preda’Tor, Ahn’Taier, Barebones, Livewire, Noh’Vel, all who you have slain before.” Siel’Viz turned her gaze towards Rarity. “How hypocritical of you to say that you aren’t acclimated to the feel of killing yet.”
“Yes, but that was in simple self-defence. It was never cold-blooded murder like I planned to do to you. And when you go down, it won’t be in cold blood,” Rarity stated the gem glowing with power.
“Yes. It will be from old age. You are the ones who will die first! Siel’Viz leapt into the air with the arms, letting a torrent of grenades, bullets, and energy shockwaves from her blades fall on the Rainbooms. They engulfed the battlefield in explosions, causing all of them but Rarity to de-morph under the intense attack.
When the dust settled, Rarity sent Siel’Viz flying backwards with a powerful shockwave from the now glowing gem before she could even get close to her. “It’s rude to interrupt a lady when she’s speaking. As I said, you will not go down in cold blood. No, you will go down when I defend me and my friends… No, the whole world from your tyranny!” Rarity stated as she was engulfed in blinding white light. “Paladin Armor, activate! White Ranger Revive Mode!”
Pulling the crystal into her body, Rarity burst into a pillar of white light. Inside, two large wing-shaped epaulettes landed on her shoulders, as a thick layer of white steel landed on her gloves. Her chestplate gained smaller golden plates right where her shoulders connected with her ribcage. Streaks of gold ran down her legs, creating a brand new pattern that overlapped the stars that were already on it. Her helmet grew spikes akin to that of a crown, with more markings showing under her chin and above the visor’s emblem. A fluttering white cape with a golden edge popped out of her back as her swords began to glow. The blades got wider, longer, and were made out of pure diamond. The hilts grew more barbed edges, with more tiny gems laid into them. A few swings to test them out and Rarity knew she had reached a new level of power; one far beyond that of her last form.
“WHERE IN THE NAME OF MAR’ZEK DID THAT COME FROM?!” Siel’Viz roared out in shock and rage. “Vi’Al never gathered ANY data on this!”
“I am the shield that protects the weak. The barricade holding everything back. The shining light of justice that will keep everyone safe, keep everyone alive, keep everyone free from your cold lies.” Rarity pointed the swords toward Siel’Viz, ready for another round of conflict. “I am Rarity Belle. The White Paladin!” she shouted an explosion of white smoke erupting from behind her.
“So you got yourself an upgrade. It scarcely matters!” Siel’Viz’s arms pointed themselves at the White Paladin. Grenades unpinned and rifles ready to shoot. “Your era is at an end. Those crystals will return to Mar’Zek’s hands!”
“We’ll see,” Rarity said dashing forwards in a blur of white light before sending Siel’Viz crashing into a ruined warehouse. She was going to drive her through the chainlink wall, but the suit brought its’ weapons down to push Rarity back before Siel’Viz could crash into her.
“Do you think I’ve been going all-out on you, Power Rangers?” Siel’Viz asked as she clashed over and over with Rarity’s new swords, having to exert more power with each strike as Rarity deflected and pushed aside every hit. “No. I’ve been holding myself back. Saving this for what I assumed would be my last stand!” A beam of energy erupted from the center of the suit, which pushed Rarity back to her friends. It then opened up, allowing the remaining hands to grab the dog tags and hold them tight in each hand; with every single tag crackling with energy of different colours, of elements swirling around them.
“I call on the souls of my kills! Give me the power to run these Rangers down!” Siel’Viz cried out as the tags sent out waves of fire, water, insects, earth, ice, air, and more.
“And your last stand it shall be.” Rarity stated, the cape changing into angelic wings before she flew towards Siel’Viz, slicing apart the waves until she landed a solid punch to the wolf’s face, shattering her helmet. “Do you have any last words before I end this?”
“Join the Wolfpack,” was all that Siel’Viz said before she jumped over Rarity, using the arms to throw her over her shoulders. She let another swarm of attacks rain down upon her with the dog tags, burying her under a torrent of destruction.
Rarity had just formed an impenetrable diamond dome around her, which was repelling all of the attacks, yet it blotted out the rest of the world with how the smoke settled all around it. Once the onslaught finished, she dropped the shield only to find Siel’Viz charging at her. Rarity swung her swords sending an orb towards her foe and Siel’Viz was encased in diamonds before she lit her blades on white-fire.
“Crystal Calamity!” Rarity declared, leaping into the air and soaring upward with her wings. She dive-bombed the encased Siel’Viz, swinging both of her swords down through the wolf’s back, shattering the diamond cell and causing a titanic explosion to ring out across the base. The winds from the aftershock rushed across the field and overturned anything in their path; including the downed Rangers.
Panting and sweating, Rarity de-morphed. “This hunt… is over,” she said before collapsing from the power overload.
“Holy cow… They did it.” Twilight stood up from the distance, a smile forming on her face. “They actually did it! They beat one of Mar’Zek’s inner circle!”
“But what about Shiny?” Twilight asked herself. “What about my brother…?”
As the other Rainbooms rushed to help Rarity up, they were met with the sound of applause. Applause from the soldiers that had once been held captive by the Wolfpack. They came out of hiding and clapped for the girls as they helped their fainted friend stand back up again.
“Ugh, never doing that again…” Rarity murmured barely able to stand.
“Rarity. That. Was. AMAZING!” Pinkie Pie was the first to break the silence between the teenagers. “You stared that big, bad wolf straight in the eyes and you completely blew her into next century! Or was it next millennium? Who cares? She’s gone now and it’s all thanks to you!”
“No, you did it, girls. You were the ones that took out her arms and helped me not to murder Siel’Viz in cold blood. For that, I can never thank you enough…” she said hugging her friends tightly. ”Don’t you know you’re all my very best friends?”
“Yeah. We all do.” Sunset hugged Rarity as tight as possible, with the rest of the Rainbooms doing the same shortly after.
As Rarity drowned in the hugs of her friends and the cheers of the soldiers surrounding them, she closed her eyes, falling asleep. Heaven knows she needed it after that long battle.
From the Alpha Slayer, Mar’Zek had seen everything, along with Vi’Al. The battle had left them both speechless. It took a good few moments after the screen turned off before Vi’Al broke the silence.
“Well. I guess that settles that. She couldn’t overcome her weakness, even with the modifications I gave her and her suit.” He adjusted his lab coat, pulling the collar over his shoulders. “Still, it is what it is, isn’t it, captain? The weak are purged. Only the strong survive. And as it would turn out, Siel’Viz was not strong at all. She was rather weak, disguised very well as being strong.”
Mar’Zek didn’t say a word.
“If anything, this battle opened up a branch for me to further my research. This new White Paladin form that the White Ranger took up during the battle definitely warrants some study.” He wrote down on his clipboard a note, as if to serve as a reminder of his increasing workload. “In the meantime, shall we begin the funeral preparations for Siel’Viz, captain?”
Again, nothing but silence came out of the Wolfpack captain.
“Uh… captain? Are you okay?” Vi’Al walked in front of the captain, waving a hand in front of his face. “Hello? Are you in there?”
Mar’Zek grabbed Vi’Al by the throat, lifted him into the air and tossed him out of the bridge, before he stood up and stomped out of the room, still not uttering a single noise as his footsteps echoed all the way through the corridors, reaching the ears of every wolf along his path.
“Oh my… I haven’t seen the captain this angry in a long time.” Vi’Al stood himself back up, dusting off the damage as he recollected his tools. “Oh, you’re in for it now, Power Rangers. When the captain gets angry, all bets are off. I’d start packing your bags if I were you, because he’s going to destroy this planet and everyone on it...” He walked off back to his lab.
Mar’Zek trudged through the ship, returning to the darkened chambers of his brig, lifting the five cages out of the dark void once more. The eyes of his five prisoners lit up when they saw his face once more. Once the cages were in position, the Wolfpack captain swung his sword against the metal floor; the clang’s noise filling every corner.
“Siel’Viz is dead.” He spoke gruffly. “The Power Rangers have felled one of my best.”
“She’s clearly not your best then, if you let her die like this, captain.” The center cage laughed boastfully before a ferocious roar came from Mar’Zek.
“I had hoped that I wouldn’t have had to release you from your chains, but it seems like those teenagers are forcing my hand. Now, I am counting on you to fill the gaps where my former right-hand wolf once stood.” Mar’Zek’s sword generated a hefty amount of dark-purple lightning. “But know this. I have taken measures to avoid another mutiny like the one you tried to stage on me. If you dare to try and strike me down, consider your coffins filled.”
“If the Power Rangers make you this angry, then perhaps we should step in. We need someone to teach those heathens their rightful place on the food chain,” said the only female wolf out of the group.
“Those Rangers are going to be destroyed. We will make sure that they never have it easy ever again.” Said the third wolf. “I assure you that a bullet through their brain is enough to make them submit to your rule.”
“Ooh, ooh, ooh! Is it finally time? Time to come out and play with my new hurty-dolls?” Said another wolf, his voice frenzied and giggly. “I can’t wait, captain! Playing with hurty-dolls is the bestest thing in the whole universe. The joy of dressing them up, grooming them for failure, gutting them and selling their skins on the black market once I’m done with them, it makes me want to sing with how happy it makes me!” From inside the cell, claps could be heard.
“You have our word, captain. We will promise not to take your life, so long as we get to fight these Power Rangers in your place,” the last cage said. “It would be so wonderful to taste the fresh air again after so long. No greater feeling than a sightseeing, slaughtering tour of this new planet, wouldn’t you say?”
“May my Lupine ancestors forgive me for what I’m about to do.” Mar’Zek whispered, then raised his sword, sliding the tip of it into the ground. Energy spread out from it, which coiled from the walls to the titanic chains that held the cages upright. Bolts spread across the doors of the cages before they opened wide, allowing five silhouetted bodies to climb out of it. “As the captain of the Wolfpack. I free you from your bindings. Now go, and fulfil the Wolfpack duty we have set you out to do. Rise, my Feral Five!”
Stats
Page generated in 0.029 seconds
Total duration
780 users online
1,103,819 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Always a pleasure to help. vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/kamenrider/images/a/a0/Yusuke_Godai.png/revision/latest?cb=20151002133818
And I can't wait to see what you do with the Feral Five... (Why does one give me flashbacks to Harley Quinn?)
The Faral Five you say. I wonder if they are anything like the Fatal Five from the Legion of Superheroes? They will provide plenty of challenge but I think they will be helping power up the rest of the girls soon enough.
when will they find the missing sixth crystal?
Oh boy...
Oh, that does not sound good...
Yeah... That was a thing...
Try it, I'll prepare the coffin.
Excuse my french, but fuck the police!
Probably not much, humans are kinda shit.
Huh...
Brand new toys!
This is not good... Not good at all...
Well, that is certainly true.
Yeah... about that...
Revi-Revi-Revi Revi-Revi-Revi Revi-i-ve Shi-ppu! Shippu!
Let me prove that to you by killing you.
Neat.
Good speech Rarity.
Damn...
No Feral Rage?
That can't be good...
9644727
There goes one potential plotline, down the drain...
Hey, points for sheer guts. Or stupidity. Can't decide which.
...And now you can guess why I named it for that joke. But it gets even better. Case in point, study the description of the Paladin armor. Who does it remind you of?
Cue the music!
And it's about bloody time I think.
I can't help but think of Wolf from Star Fox every time I read a scene with Mar'Zek.