Spike meets Mimikyu

by Zephyr Spark

Chapter 10 Power Awakens

Matchstick hid in the cover of trees, beside his comrades and beasts. The dragons had Ponyville surrounded, but the town was unusually quiet. In the late afternoon, many ponies might be settling down in their homes after a long day. Still, something did not feel right. He tightened his grip on his steel club

“Matchstick, over there,” a dragon shouldered his side and pointed into the corners of the building where a tiny rabbit-eared creature emerged.

Several dragons turned green, their eyes greyed by weariness and fatigue. Matchstick was one of the few dragons to receive the limited Roseli medicine, but even he felt a twinge of nausea. The abomination matched Garble’s description of the dragon-killer. Matchstick saw hatred in every dragon’s eye. They all wanted to leap out and wring the little thing’s neck. He held his hand, ordering them to halt as the beast came into the open field.

But he could not control them like Garble. Five dragons broke from the trees and raced at Mimi, steel clubs and daggers extended to strike. A giant butterfly bolted from outside a building and launched a stream of webs at the dragons. The white webs clamped their wings shut and sent them tumbling to the ground. In an instant, every dragon flew into the fray, followed by their monsters.

The butterfly dashed into the air above Ponyville and flapped his silver wings, unleashing white scales like powdered snow across the town. At least three quarters of every dragon and beast fell into a deep slumber.

An endearing growl burst through the town. Every dragon who heard the sound felt weaker. The growl sounded once again, making them feel even weaker. Matchstick glanced around for the source. After two more growls, Matchstick saw a speaker system hooked throughout the town roofs. He yelled a command to the dragons in the town, but nobody responded. Those who had not fallen asleep soared after the butterfly, only for a giant bird and rainbow flash to knock them out of the sky. Twin hurricanes scoured through the air, sucking in a dozen dragons and blue bats like a vacuum. A few dragons went after the dragon-killer, but pink auras surrounded their bodies and flung them into the air. A lavender alicorn and cat emerged, provoking more dragons to enter the fight. Matchstick gave up strategy, and ordered them all to charge. He summoned twenty dragons into the air and black dogs to surround the town. On his command, they unleashed a flood of fire to drown the town. The flames bent away from their path, striking a massive orange dog.

Pyro absorbed every last bit of fire. His tendons quivered with anticipation and his heart burned with vigor. Three Pawniards led by a single Bisharp raced at Mimi, their steel claws extended to kill. Pyro took a deep breath and drowned them in a burning torrent. Mimi cast a thankful gaze before launching herself at another dragon, her body exhaling violet mist of rage. Pyro hoped Twilight’s plan would work. He hoped Applebloom would be safe in the shelter with the other ponies who could not fight. A loud war cry brought him back. Two Mankeys and a Primape charged at him from the forest, while two dragons descended upon him from the sky and an Ursurang stomped across the clearing. Pyro supposed asking for a one on one fight would be futile, so he hammered into the nearest Mankey with blinding speed.

On the other side of town, Brawn heaved the Boldore above his head and launched the rock beast into the horde of dragons circling the town. He scored a direct him on a green dragon, knocking it straight from the sky. The Boldore rocketed off the dragon and fell into the forest trees. Brawn delivered a straight jab into a Cacturne’s face and sent it soaring across the ground. Pointed rocks dug into his feet, a parting gift from the last Boldore. The rocks were more inconvenience to him than a threat.

Two dragons slammed into him with all their weight, but they only pushed him back a few feet. Brawn cracked his neck and tensed his muscles, boosting his strength and defense. The dragons drew steel daggers and charged from his left and right, prepared to pierce his grey skin. He twisted his face into a horrific, daunting expression. Both dragons who unconsciously slowed down. Brawn leapt at the right dragon and knocked the dagger from his clawed hand and followed with a leg sweep. As his comrade fell, the other dragon unleashed a gasp of flames. Brawn had no time to dodge, he crossed his arms across his chest and braced for impact. The embers burned his skin and clouded his vision with bright sparks.

Claws swiped against his flesh. The dragon he knocked down raked his claws across Brawn’s abdomen. Blinded by the flames, Brawn could only guess where the other dragon was. A lucky kick nailed the dragon in the face and sent him colliding into his fire-breathing companion’s chest. The flames stopped, giving Brawn the opportunity to rush at the downed dragons. He grabbed them by their tails and flung them over his head. He tossed them into a nearby building, making perfect dragon-shaped holes. He traced a hand over his stomach where the claws struck him. Before he could gauge his harm, his vision flashed red as a painful blow sent him soaring. He blinked dirt from his eyes in time to see a Primeape and five Mankeys tearing across the ground in a rampage of blind fury.

From atop a building, Bulk Biceps leapt through the air and rammed into the Mankeys with the force of a battering ram. Brawn caught Primeape’s punch in an open palm. His hand wrapped around Primape’s wrist. He swung a complete circle and launched Primeape into the pile of Mankeys, bowling them over like pins. The Mankeys and Primeape rose to their feet and the dragons staggered from their dragon-shaped holes, dazed and injured. But one look at Bulk and Brawn was all they needed. They all charged the muscled jocks.

Three Golbats joined the sleeping mass below, plummeting from the clock tower some distance below. From the roof, Sleepster waved his pendulum at the dragons, Golbats, and Fearrows in the sky. Any Pokémon or dragon who caught sight of him would fall into deep slumber and then fall to the ground where a horde of earth ponies with hammers, baseball bats, and other weapons waited for them. He did his best to even up the sky battle for Rainbow Dash, Blaze, Buttercup, and the other pegasai but there seemed no end to this swarm.

Pink hooves yanked him from a bold dragon’s iron club. The club splintered the roof tiles. The dragon was about to deal a backhand strike when Sleepster’s nimble hands darted faster than the eye could see. The dragon no longer had the weighty club in his hands. Sleepster now held the iron club in his other hand. His eyes flashed blue and a telekinetic blast sent the dragon tumbling off the building. Pinkie Pie blasted a swarm of Golbats with her party canon, forcing them to reconsider a direct approach.

Pinkie sniffed. Something was burning. She glanced down and saw a fire rapidly spreading from the bottom of the tower upwards. The pink pony grabbed Sleepster and skydived off the building. She arched her back around and shot a grapple hook into the roof, swinging the two of them down below. They rolled across the ground, straight into a spider’s web stretched across twin buildings, halting their momentum. As they panted, a massive red spider descended towards them with glistening fangs. It wrapped them up in a straitjacket of silk, and sunk its fangs into the pink pony. Its mouth filled with confetti and sugar. The spider looked closely and realized it had webbed up a pair of piñatas shaped like a pony and a Hypno. It could only wonder when they managed to swap these dummies as Sleepster chucked it through the streets with a psychic blast.

Haunter licked a pegasus with his long tongue, paralyzing the trembling equine. A mare swung a baseball bat at him, but the weapon phased right through his purple body. His eyes flashed blue and the mare wobbled to the ground asleep, where he proceeded to consume her dreams. He sensed an opponent behind him and delivered a sucker punch into the body of a small purple dragon, stopping his fire attack. The drake clawed his stomach and tried to stagger away, but a single mean look and his feet could not move. Haunter floated towards the trembling drake to deliver the finishing blow, when a pink pegasus seized the drake and vanished in a flash of light.

Nurse Heart used heal pulse on Spike, restoring his health. Spike nodded his thanks and raced back into the fight to find Mimi. Starlight, Twilight, and most ponies objected to Spike joining this fight, but he insisted Mimi could fight much better if he was there. Mimi told Fluttershy that she would only fight if Spike could be nearby, so it was unavoidable. Dragons were tougher than most ponies. Even as a baby dragon, Spike had more endurance and stamina than some stallions. Still, Starlight knew he was not naturally aggressive. She just hoped her friend did not get himself killed. Starlight vanished back into the battlefield to retrieve any other injured ponies.

Haunter cackled and hurled a shadowy blob at the Sableye, knocking it out. The pink pony returned and teleported away with Sableye and all of Haunter’s victims. He felt rankled, until a fresh wave of ponies with weapons approached him. His fist, laced with violet flames, hammered an armored pony into the ground. A stallion tried to spear him but the spear phased harmlessly through Haunter. He grabbed the stallions face between his twin clawed hands and licked him, paralyzing him to the ground. In a matter of seconds, he knocked out every last pony.

Matchstick glided down towards Haunter. The ghost sharpened his slaws, waiting for orders. Matchstick’s claws burned with black energy. Before Haunter could unleash destiny bond, Foxy raked Haunter with night slash, knocking the ghost out. Foxy shed Matchstick’s appearance and assumed Haunter. The illusionist melted into the dragon’s ranks like a shadow melting into dawn or the endless night.

Blaze and the other pegasai shivered, as an unexpected cold took hold of them. The cold ice splintered across his wings. He fumbled but refused to fall. The bird ascended higher into the sky, hoping the icy attacks would soon cease. He cawed a warning to anyone listening. Pegasai and dragons alike began tumbling from the sky, their wings frozen solid or blistered with ice.

Jack and Gem-eye saw the two white Pokémon unleashing ice beams into the sky. They exchanged brief nods. Jack descended into the ground and faded into the shadows. Gem-eye clawed across the buildings towards the ice demon. Soon, he came upon Glalie. Gem-eye waved his hands and formed rays of light that sparkled like gemstones. He launched them into Glalie. He spiraled through the air for a moment before finding his balance. Glalie launched a beam of ice from its mouth but Gem-eye used detect to evade the attack. The gremlin bolted forward, claws brimming with purple fire, and scored a lethal blow on Glalie. The Pokémon toppled over unconscious. Frosslass almost hit the rainbow mane pegasus with an ice beam, but the pegasus kept darting out of range. She frowned and prepared another attack. But she had no time to react as Jack raked his twin claws across her back with shadow force, knocking her out in a single blow.

Applejack crouched behind Carousel Boutique, hiding from the walking cacti that she could not kick without getting a hoof-full of needles. She could feel their piercing yellow eyes, searching for her. She grabbed a trail of rope at her hip and readied her lasso. They were coming closer by the second, but she kept calm. Boney waited in the adjacent alley for her signal. She burst from her cover and lassoed the nearest cactus’ legs, pulling him to the floor. Surprised by Applejack’s appearance, the Cacturnes did not notice Boney until his flamethrower attack roasted their backs. Applejack and Boney hoof-bumped, and then returned to the other Cacturnes.

Matchstick stumbled awake. The last thing he remembered was a fellow dragon approaching him, and then nothing. He looked at the battlefield, littered mostly with dragons and their Pokémon. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He was messing up Garble’s plan. Matchstick tripped, unable to walk. He was at the end of his strength. But the dragons weren’t beaten yet.

He cupped his mouth and bellowed at the sky, “All Bats! Execute panic attack!”

The twenty remaining Golbats formed a circle around the town. All at once, they unleashed a sinister flash that confused every single creature. Nobody could tell friend from foe. Ponies began attacking other ponies or hitting themselves. Dragons and pegasai plummeted to the ground, until only the Golbats were left in the air. Blaze raced after Dash’s falling form, intercepting her from the fall. He was unaffected by the lights, but his partner could hurt herself if he did not restrain her. The few creatures that managed to snap out of their confusion were soon lulled back into confusion by the ceaseless flashing lights.

Matchstick was too fatigued to move or to stop the insanity. He planned this attack and so far, it was hurting everyone. He sank back into unconsciousness, haunted by his failure.

Jack roamed out of range from the confuse ray. Now, he looked up into the sky and saw the source of the confusion. He looked across the town where ponies, dragons, Pokémon, friends, and foes tore themselves apart. A week ago, he might have laughed at seeing this torment. But now, he felt no such pleasure. In a single moment, he made his decision.

The pumpkin head Pokémon levitated into the air, racing as fast as his bulky form could travel. He tanked multiple confuse rays, but focused on his purpose. The sky was where the ground should have been and a thousand monsters clawed on his skin. Jack continued racing towards the circle of Golbats, guided by one thought. His body glowed with crackling white energy that grew brighter by the second. He reached the circle of Gobats. He extended his arms and unleashed every last bit of his strength in a massive explosion that engulfed every last Golbat and shook the ground below. The confuse ray stopped. One by one, ponies, dragons, and Pokémon regained control of their senses in time to watch the blast push away all the clouds. Jack’s existence became an inferno of pain, searing him to the last molecule. As the last of his strength faded and his vision dimmed, he held onto the one precious thought in his life of malice. Even as he closed his eyes, he could still see Fluttershy smiling at him as vivid as a marble sculpture etched into his heart.

The yellow pegasus’ heart fluttered and she let out a gasp. She had a feeling something happened to Jack. Beneath the cover of the shelter, she could not rush to the battle and find her friend. Even if she could, she wouldn’t be any help. Her dragon phobia was too paralyzing.

Scootaloo quivered as the explosion rocked the cave. Twilight put her, the CMC, Rarity, and several other ponies (mostly fillies and foals) into the safe house underground. Most of the ponies around her were either pacifists or children. Karp was here because he was useless. The fish flopped in his tank, blubbering futile bubbles.

“I’m really worried, Karp,” she whispered to the red-scaled fish. “I get the feeling our friends aren’t doing too well. I wish I could do something.”

Karp stared back with unblinking eyes.

“I don’t like this lying around, all useless,” she sighed, “but I guess we should be used to it by now, huh?”

She tensed as dust fell from the roof of the cave and the lights flickered.

“It’s getting worse. I hope Rainbow Dash is okay.”

A roar echoed through the cave from outside. Mayor Mare managed to keep them all calm, even as the roars intensified. Scootaloo swallowed. Whatever it was, it was getting closer. The shadow of a giant bear framed the cave wall. Ponies screamed as the bear drew into the light of the cave. Scootaloo wrapped her hooves around Carp’s fish tank.

“Well, no matter what happens, I’m glad you’re here. For all the grief you’ve given me, I’m really happy I met you, Karp.”

Karp scowled. He couldn’t understand why Scootaloo was talking like they lost. She couldn’t give up yet. And neither could he. He would protect her, he would protect the one who told him to never give up. Scootaloo gasped. A bright light burst from Karp’s body. His form melded into the light, extending a dozen feet in both directions, breaking the tiny fish tank. His fish body became a large serpentine body with house-sized jaws, spikey dorsal fins burst from his segmented body, and a crest with three points burst from his forehead. His eyes narrowed into a permanent scowl, his pupils became red. The light flared and dissipated, leaving the mighty serpent facing the tiny bear. Karp roared, and the bear bolted away.

Karp turned to the orange pegasus. Her mouth dangled open.

“Karp, you,” she felt proud tears streaking her face, “you did it.”

He bowed his head to the filly. She could not wrap her hooves around his massive head, but hugged what she could. Karp closed his eyes and grumbled in a happy tone. Scootaloo and he remained close for a full minute, as she poured out happy tears. Then, she wiped her eyes and nodded.

“Let’s go, Karp. Our friends need us.”

Author's Note:

I was going to make this chapter much longer, but I really wanted to publish more of this story and this felt like the perfect cliff hanger. Thanks for your support. I appreciate all comments and feedback.

Comments

[Mother3Forever]

Here comes Karp to save the day!

[The black pony sniper]

Dare by storm's comming and its realy angy ho order the Sh storm too go

[Zephyr Spark]

8260272 You know it.

[Author of MADness]

Nice keep it up

[Zephyr Spark]

8263493 Thanks!