Episode 92: Back in Black
Reunited Theme:
The Pony Spartan’s Comment
Loganic’s Comment
Ponygamer12’s Comment
Korthar’s Comment
As you watch the absolute chaos unfolding before you, your eye begins to twitch.
“Seriously, I just left a bunch of craziness,” you sigh and look to Nightshade. “Did Discord relapse?”
“What? No, no, this isn’t because of him,” she says with a shake of her head.
“Are you sure? Because I still don’t buy that bullspit of him being reformed and-“
“Trust me Daddy, this isn’t him, he kind of doesn’t have any powers at the moment,” she interrupts you.
“What?!” you ask in surprise.
“Yeah he kind of caught Blue Flu from this giant Tatzlwurm that I helped defeat and he’s lost all his powers so we’ve all been looking after him since he’s so frail now, and really he’s not so bad once you get to know him,” she explains and you blink out of synch.
That’s, uh, that’s a lot to unpack, you think as you try to comprehend a powerless Discord.
If the Usurper is powerless then you can get some much needed retribution more easily, Sombra points out.
And I’m sorry, but did she say she fought a Tatzlwurm? Selena asks in concern. Those things are extremely dangerous.
Yeah, let’s put those thoughts on the backburner for now, you think with a shake of your head.
"Okay, Nightshade,” you say looking down at your filly. "If this isn’t from Discord then I need you to tell me everything that happened while I was gone."
“Heh heh, everything?” she nervously laughs, and you know you’re in for a doozy.
"Do we have time for that? It looks pretty serious out there," Adagio questions pointing at the screen.
"Probably not a lot of it." You admit. "But I'm not walking out there without knowing what's going on. Trust me, going in blind has really bucked me throughout my life."
"You curse in front of your kid?" Aria inquires and you sigh, but before you can chastise her for being a prude, she continues, "Nice."
“...Okay, right off the bat I already like you,” Nightshade says pointing to Aria who smirks even more.
“What about me?” Sonata asks excitedly and Nightshade squints.
“Jury’s still out on you and the orange one, but I’ll get back to you on that after we hang out a little more,” she says.
“Understandable,” Sonata nods.
“Girls, focus here!” you say trying to snap your fingers, but only end up shaking your hoof about. “Ugh, that’s gonna be a lengthy habit to break. But anyway, give me the sit-rep Nightshade.”
"Well, you see..." she says apprehensively and scratches her ear, "I'll tell you the full story later I promise, but please try and wrap your head around these cliff-notes."
She then takes a deep breath and you are immediately reminded of one of Pinkie’s rapid fire habits.
"Long story short we got all the artifacts we needed to give mommy and Sombra a body. While we did we found other creatures who tagged along on our journey because of Grandbuggy and eventually we ended up staying at Ponyville until the Equestria Games started here at the Crystal Empire. I got three of the Deadly Six and all of my close friends to see our side of the story so now Applejack, Granny Smith, Big Mac, Fluttershy, Pinkie, the Crusaders including Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon plus Spike and Cadence know that The Hooded Offender was actually Mr. Tennant and El Hunko, and I think Rainbow Dash figured that out during the Vampire Apocalypse we had. I figured out that the Apples are our cousins, which is gross by the way Daddy, you shouldn’t kiss Applejack like that anymore, also I saw Trixie and made up with her, Discord and I are cool now, and also I reunited Grandbuggy with Granny Smith. And actually, today I had to yell at the Princesses because they're all here at the games and somehow managed to convince them that mommy isn't evil because me and Spikey had to save the Crystal Ponies because everyone's magic is disabled for the games which is dumb as buck if you ask me! But then these flankholes called the Black Suns who are on offshoot of the Crimson Knights showed up and ruined everything! Oh, and to top all of this off, I’m kind of OP and unstable now because your “Friend” gave me the Alicorn Amulet to fight that plant monster outside awhile back, but it’s kind of stuck in me until we can get Sombra’s Umbrum people to get it out of me!"
To punctuate that long rushed explanation, she lowers the scarf and you see imbedded in her chest, pieces of a very familiar amulet that brought you misery.
She stares at you and is understandably worried, as you just sit there slack-jawed at all that info.
"What The Buck?!" the three of you yelp in unison as your minds are overwhelmed.
Why the buck was she going on dangerous adventures without me?! You mentally bellow.
She’s got the Amulet stuck in her chest! Sombra growls.
I am going to flay this “friend” of yours that gave her that with a rusty spoon! Selena shrieks.
“Yeah, I know it’s a lot to process without going into too much detail,” she says scratching at her ear. “But right now we gotta get to Grandbuggy and the Princesses and-“
“Your Gorramned Right We Gotta Get To Grandbuggy!” you growl taking her aback. “I need to force feed him one of his stupid smelly cigars for even thinking it was a good idea to take you on a-“
“Hey! This isn’t Grandbuggy’s fault Daddy!” she says defiantly towards you and you do a double take. “In fact, things were going fine and I was having lots of fun! I made a ton of new friends and I’m also back with all my old friends, and it was all fine until that plant monster showed up.”
“Even still-“ you try to argue but she cuts you off again with a grit of her teeth.
“NO! There is no “even still,” I’M the one who put that stupid amulet on! Me! Even though I’ve never liked your mysterious friend, I put it on when that package arrived!” she declares and you actually take a step back as you see the shards blip a shade of red.
She looks down at the glowing pieces and sighs and they dim.
“So don’t go punishing Grandbuggy, this is my fault, not his.”
“I…okay honey,” you say still offput by her forcefulness as you walk up and put a hoof on her scars. They are warm to the touch, but she doesn’t flinch, rather she just looks down and to the side. Broken as they are, you can’t help but be reminded of the last time you were this close to this artifact.
Which apparently she says she’s made up with Trixie? Selena points out. Meaning she’s finally awake.
“Yeah…” you nod, filing away that bit of good news, but still, your worry for your daughter is still front and center. “How long has it been like this?”
“A few months, and they’ve really they’ve caused me a lot of problems,” she says with a sigh before looking you in the eye. “And Daddy?”
“Yeah?” you say as you take your hoof off of the shards.
“I’m sorry for getting mad at you so much in the past for losing control,” she apologizes then looks down guiltily. “I now know first hoof how easy it is.”
You hear Selena gasp and Sombra grumble at that apology.
“What happened?” you ask in concern.
"This stupid amulet..." she looks down at the shards and grits her teeth, "T-they make me act crazy sometimes! And now when I get mad I-I can't control it!"
You think back to Trixie and the pain in her eyes after she’d taken the bloody thing off of her. The regret and guilt that permeated her, and now your own daughter is showing the same signs.
“Hey now Honey, whatever happened it wasn’t your faul-“
“Yes It Is Daddy!” she cuts you off with a shout. “I hurt someone real bad because of this thing. And truthfully, if I hadn’t snapped out of it, I don’t know if I would have killed him or not!”
Aria puts a hoof to her mouth in shock, Sonata shuts her eyes closed and Adagio looks on in sympathy. Your eyes widen as you can see the regret on her face, and you, Selena and Sombra can’t help but feel like you’ve been stabbed in the heart.
“What…” you try to start, but she keeps going.
“There was this Black Sun guy, they’d been taking a few of the artifacts before us, and one night I thought he’d kidnapped Grandbuggy, but it turns out that had been Flash Sentry, but I didn’t know that so I chased the guy down with my shadow minions and burnt up a lot of the forest,” she explains rapid firedly. “And when I caught him, I tortured him.”
Her shards are glowing once more and you see her shaking a bit as she admits her sins to you. You bite your lip and step forward, bringing your filly close to your chest in a warm hug.
“I was actually laughing while I did it too…” she says guiltily. “And the only reason I stopped is because I found out he was a kid like me…”
The sirens wince at that and look away from this admission, giving you some semi-privacy
"Shh... It's okay Nightshade..." you try to soothe.
“No it’s not! I screwed up, and I’m not going to pretend like what I did was cool Daddy,” she grunts before resting her head on your chest. “I actually met that colt again today, and I’ve started to make amends…after fighting again that is, but even still, I know full well what I did was wrong. I just wanted you to know that I get it now. What it feels like to not be in control. To almost kill someone.”
"But you aren't a murderer,” you say with a wince. You know full well what that feels like, and you’re thankful she doesn’t have to feel it too. “You haven’t gone that far, and it's alright now sweetie, and you wanna know why?"
She looks up at you, and you see that her eyes are watery but no tears are falling. Her breathing hitches but she seems to be in control.
"Because we're back. And me, your mother, and Sombra are never going to let you go through something like that ever again. Isn't that right guys?"
"No question!" Selena says emotionally.
"Of course." Sombra says in a quiet but genuine tone.
She smiles at that, and your daughter hugs you tighter, knowing that she wasn't only hugging her father, but her mother and friend as well.
"Sweetie Belle isn't here right now," she says quietly, with a chuckle as her shards stop glowing.
You chuckle a bit at that, glad your precious girl is still capable of joking around.
"I know,” you say as you rub her mane and she lets out a sniffle. When she pulls back from you, she seems a bit more composed.
“Sorry, again this stupid thing makes my emotions weird,” she apologizes.
“It’s alright honey, I’m just glad you’re still you after wearing it so long,” you say remembering Trixie’s madness.
“For the most part,” she nods. “Jack and Cadence actually figured out a solution for getting these out of me.”
“They have?” you ask with a bit of hope.
“Yeah, turns out since they’re made from Umbrum, all we have to do is find the seal that holds them in place and do…something with them to remove these,” she explains.
They seek to free my kind? Sombra asks in surprise.
I guess? Is that bad?
I…I do not know, Sombra says unsure. While it’s true Amore used them to create that amulet…I do not know what it is they would do for Nightshade.
Are they dangerous? asks Selena.
They are my species, so of course they are, Sombra says matter of factly.
“Um…okay, I guess if Jack and Cadence think it can work,” you say nervously.
“It’s all we got really,” she shrugs looking down at her scars. “Though I guess in a way this stupid necklace is also the reason why I’ve even made headway with the Princesses and Deadly 6.”
“Yeah, you did mention that before…” you trail off. “You went to face them?”
“Not intentionally,” she explains. “A giant iceburg was falling on the stadium and me and Spike saved everyone, and then they saw I was an alicorn and that I had the shards in my chest, and I kind of had a shouting match with Celestia and Luna because for awhile now everyone’s been thinking that I was Mommy reborn into a different body for some stupid reason.”
You feel Selena flinch at that and you give a gulp knowing full well how close to the truth that had almost been all those years ago.
“Yeah, ponies are dumb…but shouting at them got them on our side?” you ask in disbelief.
“Well, I got a hoof in the door at least,” she shrugs.
“And they didn’t just immediately try to blast you with the Elements of Harmony?”
“How could they-Oh right, you missed that,” Nightshade says bopping herself on the forehead.
“Missed what?”
“The Deadly 6 don’t have the Elements anymore,” she says happily.
“WHAT?!” you, Selena and Sombra all collectively say in shock.
“Yeah, that plant monster was made from these vines that reached all over Equestria, and the Deadly 6 had to give up the Elements to stop it,” she explains and suddenly you feel a weight lift off of your shoulders.
Well, that is a bit of good news I suppose, Selena sighs. I for one did not want to face them a third time.
Or at all in my case, Sombra adds.
“That’s one less thing we have to worry about then. No wonder you faced them straight on,” you praise Nightshade.
“Eh, probably would have done it anyway. It wasn’t a civil conversation, but after Cadence and most of the Deadly 6 spoke up for me, Shining Armor held back his guards and Celestia started crying and not sure what to believe anymore.”
“Wow…that’s just…”
Wow, Selena agrees.
“So what you’re saying is that they no longer wish to hunt you or your parents?” Sombra asks with your mouth.
“I’m pretty sure that’s what I did,” she shrugs. “Though they still wanted to talk, which is what we were going to do back at the palace before the Black Suns showed up with the stupid plant monster I’d destroyed months ago!”
As she says that on one of the monitors you see as the astral dragon dive-bombs said monster onto a medal ceremony stage.
“Right, I guess we should probably focus on those guys,” you say as you bite your lip.
“Yeah, they seem kind of antsy out there,” Aria says pointing to the cloaked figures who watch the scuffle in nervousness.
“Seriously, how many times am I going to have to deal with terrorists?!” you grunt. “You’d think that after the last Crimson Knights got infiltrated by The Hive and the whacky “Leaders” joined Torchwood that there wouldn’t be any one else willingly following Flag Burner’s message!”
“Who?” Sonata asks and you wince.
“He was this radical stallion that wanted to take down the government…I ended up killing him a few years back,” you say with regret.
“Oh…” Sonata mutters and Nightshade gasps.
“Yeah…doing that was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made,” you admit before looking to Nightshade. “And I Pinkie Promise you Nightshade, you’ll never go that far. Not like I have.”
“Um…actually you haven’t gone that far Daddy,” she says which causes you to raise a brow.
“Huh? What do you-“
"D-daddy! He's back!" She says, sounding both happy and nervous oddly.
"Who's back?”
She stares at you for a moment in silence and points to the screen as the mech suit starts blasting lasers at the spectral dragon.
"...Flag Burner's alive."
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
Kichi’s Comment
The Pony Spartan’s Comment
Despite all the ruckus outside and on the monitors, all seems to go quiet for you, as if you’ve been deafened by a thunderclap.
“What did you just say?” you ask in absolute disbelief…and hope.
“Flag Burner isn’t dead Daddy, that’s him in the robot suit,” she says slowly, noticing your thousand yard stare.
Her words still don’t seem real, and your brain struggles to process them. You flashback to that terrible night when you let your anger get the better of you.
The smell of ash and soot, his maddened cackling, the feel of his skull caving in under your hoof, the unrelenting guilt…and now…
"Flag Burner's alive...?" you breathe out in shock.
T-that's...Selena stammers, she too overwhelmed by the sheer weight of those words.
Sombra stares on in silent contemplation, knowing full well the power of the guilt you’d felt from that day. He’d used it on you during the Trixie incident after all.
“Call off your dragon Nightmare Moon! Give me the Hooded Offender!!!” the mechanical monstrosity roars and fires a volley of missiles that fly past a magical recorder. You feel and hear the impact of them as they strike the crystalline barrier Nightshade had constructed in front of the window of this room, and you can see the nervous glances of the Sirens as the crystal starts to splinter…but most of all you see the expectant face of your daughter who hasn’t looked away from you.
“That…that’s his voice…” you say breathlessly to Nightshade who just nods.
I knew it sounded familiar, Selena muses flabbergasted.
“Then…he’s not dead.”
Apparently so, Sombra says matter of factly.
Once more, time seems to slow down for you, even as another volley of shots, lazer and missile alike strike at the barrier. That night flashes over you again, and strong emotions wash over you…but you do not weep.
Strong emotions flood you, but you do not sneer, nor shout nor growl…
“Bugze? You alright?” Adagio asks in concern.
Strong emotions overwhelm you, and you give your answer as you start laughing. The girls all are taken aback for a moment, but you just laugh and laugh and laugh.
It isn’t a laugh laden with madness, happiness, disbelief, regret, nor nervousness.
No, it is a laugh of relief. Pure, unadulterated relief as three years worth of guilt, shame, and self loathing fades. It does not disappear, but it feels as though you’ve healed an old wound. A new scar to add to your tapestry as a reminder of what could happen…but it is healing none the less.
You feel as though you’ve finally come out of a haze that you’d been trapped in for over two years and can finally breathe clearly once again.
You feel the relief of not being a murderer.
“I…I can’t believe it,” you say as you get over your little fit and Nightshade beams at you.
“It’s true Daddy,” she says in comfort.
“I just…” you trail off and smile. “I guess ‘How?’ would be my biggest question.”
“I’m guessing some mad scientists stuff,” she says and looks at the monitors. “The suit isn’t the only thing that’s robotic about him.”
“What do you mean honey?”
“Okay, you know that Kano guy in Mortal Kombat?” she asks and you nod. “Kind of like that, only with half of his face instead of just the eye…oh and he’s also got a metal foreleg.”
“A cyborg?” you ask in shock and she nods.
“Oh, like that teen superhero guy in that cartoon back in the human world?” Sonata asks and Nightshade raises an eyebrow.
“I guess?” she answers before looking to you. “And did she say human world?”
“Yeah, that’s where I’ve been for this whole time. Everything was humanized over there, including me and the Dazzlings,” you explain and her jaw drops.
“…You? You were a human this whole time?” she sputters and you nod with a wince.
“Yeah, fingers were weird to get used to,” you say and her face looks sympathetic.
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that daddy, I know how much you hate My Little Human.”
“Eh…I got used to it,” you hoofwave. “But I’ll tell you all about that later. If Flag Burner’s alive, that means things are about to get dicey, especially if he’s part machine now. Speaking of which, where the buck did he even get a mech suit like that?”
You remember battling Strong Head’s prototype back in Vanhoover but this thing looks much more refined.
“Yeah, you remember that jerk we fought in Vanhoover? Well I think he’s got pieces of that one, plus parts from the one that Flash Sentry had.”
“Flash had one of those?” you sputter. “Is he here?”
“No, he’s still back in Canterlot. But yeah, that’s what he used to kidnap Grandbuggy when everyone thought that he was you, and then apparently it got blown up by Doctor Caballeron at Daring Do’s house.”
“Say what now?”
“Oh yeah, apparently she’s real and been writing about her actual adventures, Ahuizotl is much nicer in person though.”
“Okay…” you say trying to wrap your head around fictional characters being real. “But why would Flash think I was Grandbuggy? I look nothing like him!”
“Ugh, there was this whole thing going around that I was Mommy and that popping out of “Your” head made you all old and stuff, so everyling thought you’d been drained like a raisin or something, it was really dumb!” she says spitting on the ground. “And that’s what that stupid robo-flankhole outside still believes.”
A chunk of the crystal she built cracks off as more laser fire hits it.
Mayhaps we should focus on the here and now? Selena warns and you snap out of your reverie.
“Okay, we’ll curse about the stupidity of ponies later, right now we need a plan of action.”
“We kind of already had one,” Nightshade says as the crystal gets blasted again. “In fact, we should probably get moving. Walk and talk everyling!”
And with that, she ushers the four of you out of the room, and you find yourself inside of cement corridors.
“So, is this that new stadium I heard they were building for the Equestria Games?”
“Yup! Me and the CMC were part of the Flag Ceremony for Ponyville and it was sick, but that was yesterday,” she explains as you all run/hover after her. “But anyway, until you showed up, we were following Grandbuggy’s plan. All my friends were looking to shut down the magic cancellers the stadium has installed with and Spike and Me were supposed to save the Princesses, but then we ran into that colt I told you about, he’s half Windigo by the way.”
“Half Windigo?” Aria asks in disbelief.
“Yeah, apparently he’s also from like a thousand years in the past…weird how everything lately comes from that time period,” she says with as shrug and the purple siren looks to her orange sister.
“How the heck does someone bang a ghost spirit thing?” Aria asks and Adagio just shrugs.
“I don’t even want to think about it,” you say with a shudder. “And wait, he put you in charge of freeing the Princesses?”
“Yeah, he didn’t want me confronting Flag Burner and losing control of my powers because apparently the stupid Crystal Heart’s got a problem with that, so he went off to distract Flag Burner and his goons while Spike and I saved the VIP’s,” she then bites her lip as she takes a left. “But then Grandbuggy got captured and I showed myself to distract him and sent Spike on up ahead, and then that dragon thing showed up and Spike was able to save the Princesses and Grandbuggy just like I knew he would. And that’s when you showed up. What is that spectral dragon anyway?”
“It’s the manifestation of the corruptive influences of the Human Twilight Sparkle’s soul which lashed out when she became empowered by Equestrian Magic,” Sonata says eloquently, causing you and her sisters to do a double take.
“Huh?” Nightshade grunts.
“Uh, Twilight’s human double got drunk on magic thanks to me, turned into a supervillain and we had to stop her with the power of Rock and Roll, and that dragon got created in the process.”
“…Okay, I’m just going to pretend I understand that and just move on,” Nightshade says shaking her head as she opens a door to a stairwell.
“Where are we heading Nightshade?” you ask as she starts descending.
“Somewhere on the basement level, that’s where Grandbuggy, Spike and the Princesses and Deadly 6 should be,” she explains as you follow her.
“Wait, hold up!” you order and she stops, as do the Dazzlings who nearly crash into you.
“Why are we holding up Daddy?” Nightshade asks.
“Think about it honey, that nutjob is frothing at the mouth, wanting me to come forth. He wants me above anything right?”
“Y-yeah?” she nods.
“Then me going to the Princesses and Six would be bad news for everyone,” you say as you look to the stairwell signs, seeing one that says field entrance.
What are you thinking my bug? Selena asks as you hear the distant thudding of the monsters fighting.
“I’m thinking that I give him exactly what he wants,” you answer aloud and the others gasp.
“Are…are you sure?” Nightshade asks and you nod.
“Right now, without his leverage he’ll be rabid, but if I show up, he won’t even be thinking about the others,” you explain. “If Grandbuggy was able to get his attention before he was captured, then I’ll be the best distraction they’ve got. Besides, Shining Armor built those suits to specifically fight me.”
“Are you even up for that man?” asks Aria.
“Yeah, we did just get done with a different battle not 20 minutes ago,” Adagio points out.
“Aren’t you tired?” asks Sonata in worry.
“You girls forget, I’m no longer in that squishy human body, I’m back in glorious chitin, and am much stronger,” you boast. “And also I can use the Awakened Cloak.”
There could be an issue with that, Sombra speaks up and you pause.
How so? Selena inquires.
If we are in the Crystal Empire, depending on how close we are to the Palace, the Crystal Heart might interfere with our power, he explains. Your eyes widen at that and you look back to your filly.
“Nightshade, you said the Crystal Heart was messing with you right?”
“Yeah…didn’t feel too nice,” she grunts rubbing at her shards.
“Is it affecting you now?”
“I don’t know?” she says with an unsure hoofwave. “I mean we are far away from it, but earlier when I was fighting Frost, I didn’t exactly use my powers so…”
“Hmmm…” you ponder.
I suppose we will just have to deal with it as it comes, Selena considers.
I’m sure we could handle it, I just don’t know what it’d do to Adagio, Aria and Sonata, you point out.
Oh…Selena trails off.
I honestly don’t know how it would react, Sombra pipes up. It was made to deter shadow and dark magic. Their magic is not something I think the Amore ever encountered.
You then feel the rumble again from the clashing titans and a light bulb goes off.
“Nightshade, do you have any idea if these cultists have taken over the rest of the city?” you ask and she shrugs.
“No clue. The plant monster kind of encased the entire stadium and then Flag Burner and his goons came out singing and taking everyone hostage,” she says.
“Well if the spectral dragon and plant monster aren’t getting blasted away by the Heart, then maybe the Suns captured it too,” you theorize.
“…You know, that would make sense with them using the monster,” Nightshade says with a hoof to her chin.
“If this heart thing you’re talking about hurts dark magic, then yeah, that thing looked plenty evil,” Adagio adds her two cents.
“Oh it’s definitely evil. It’s made from seeds Discord planted a long time ago, and infused with potions and tonics that Grandbuggy says are evil,” Nightshade informs.
“…So this is all Discord’s fault after all?” you accuse and she rolls her eyes.
“The vines? Yes, retroactively and from the past, but as for that monster? Kind of my fault.”
“…Well whatever, the point is, if they aren’t getting blasted then the Heart has been deactivated and the Empire is going to be exposed to the arctic fast. We’re gonna use our powers and we’ve gotta get this over with quickly.”
“Okay then…so what’s the plan Daddy?”
You take a deep breath.
All you my bug, Selena encourages.
And exhale.
"Alright. Dazzlings!" They look at you with resolve in their eyes, ready and willing to help you, as you've helped them. "I want you three to try and get the Black Suns to argue with each other. Once you do, try to stop the fight between that plant monster and Midnight's dragon."
"Got it,” Adagio nods.
“No problem,” Aria agrees.
“Two shows in one day? EEEE!!! We’re getting popular again!” Sonata squees and her sisters roll their eyes good naturedly.
“And whatever you do, stay out of the crossfire when I start fighting Burner. If you’re able to get others to safety, do so. And be on the lookout for an old changeling in a bowler hat and, uh…” you trail off as you look to Nightshade. “Who are these other friends?”
“Oh, right, The Outcasts,” she says bonking herself on the head.
“Outcasts?” you inquire.
“Yeah, it’s our team name. You can join it too if you want,” she offers you and the Sirens.
“Heh, I can dig it,” Aria says with a smirk.
“Thanks, but yeah there’s Greta, a lady griffon with green feathers under her eyes, Ahuizotl, who’s a big cat monster thing with a hand at the end of his tail, and Daring Do who’s a brownish gold pegasus mare with a helmet on. They’re the ones searching for the magic dampeners right now.”
“Daring Do and Ahuizotl? Aren’t they those adventure movie characters back in the human world?” asks Adagio.
“They’re movie and book characters here as well, and I’m starting to get the impression they’re actually real,” you say looking to Nightshade who pouts.
“Of course they’re real, I told you so earlier, didn’t you believe me?”
“I’m sorry honey, I’m being overloaded with a lot of info all at once you know?” you excuse and she rolls her eyes.
“But yes, they’re real. Daring Do is actually A.K. Yearling who’s been writing the books this whole time. She and Ahuizotl are kind of dating now and-“
“THEY ARE?!!!” you shriek as you never saw that pair coming.
“Yeah, it’s kind of adorable actually,” she smirks. “But yeah, they and Greta are trying to repower everyling as we speak.
“Greta? Why does that name sound familiar?” you think as something itches at the back of your mind.
“Oh, she was Samus from the Extra Lives Gang, remember?” Nightshade explains and your eyes widen.
“I thought she retired?” you say thinking of how you let her go after the Fazbear’s incident.
“Oh she did, but we kind of accidentally kidnapped her after fighting off an undead Arimaspi, and she was bored so she decided to tag along since she was there,” Nightshade summarizes. “But moving on the other members are two dragons named Princess Ember who’s tall and blue and Garble who’s short and red. They’re getting my friends the Cutie Mark Crusaders out to safety, which are five fillies that are all around my height.”
“Huh, I thought you said only the purple dragon version of that puppy back in the human world was the only one hanging with ponies,” Sonata points out.
“I thought he was,” you shrug before turning back to your daughter. “And did you say Garble?”
“Eyup.”
“Smaug’s kid who you beat up in Applewood?”
“Eyup.”
“I don’t remember him being short.”
“Yeah he tried to eat the Tree of Harmony below the Everfree Castle and it shrank him,” Nightshade giggles and you hear Selena gasp.
What is the Tree of Harmony? Sombra inquires before you have a chance to ask the same.
It’s where Celestia and Luna received the Elements of Harmony to defeat Discord, Selena explains. They grew upon it like fruit.
Really? That’s the first time I’ve heard about this, you think in befuddlement. A tree that grows super weapons was under my hooves that whole time when I found your armor?
It never really came up before, Selena shrugs.
“And then there’s Spike, the cute green and purple dragon Daddy told you about…hopefully good things,” she says giving you a side sneer and you chuckle nervously. “Right now he’s with the Princesses, Deadly 6 and Grandbuggy, and probably a blue colt that’s always breathing steam since I saw ice cover the opening earlier.”
“The six and Princesses look like pony version of Sunset’s friends and Twilight, Canterlot High’s Principals, and Dean Cadence,” you say quickly to the Dazzlings.
“Oooohhhhh,” they all say and nod in unison.
“Alrighty then, we won’t try to hypnotize any of them then,” Sonata says.
“Are you sure we shouldn’t for pony Twilight? Especially if she’s an alicorn?” Aria questions and you pause.
“…Okay, if she seems neurotic and has got the crazy eyes, maybe you can lull her down a bit,” you instruct. “Better safe than sorry.”
"Got it. We'll see what we can do,” Adagio says.
“Oh, and don’t forget my pet robot fox Mangle, she’s white and pink,” Nightshade adds.
“A smaller version of this thing,” you say as you pull out the Human World Mangle’s head out of the bag which barks mechanically.
“WHAT THE BUCK?!!!” Nightshade shrieks as she jumps back and her shards blip.
“Oh right, the creepy robot things you told us about,” Aria says not even disturbed.
“You kept one as a pet?” Adagio asks Nightshade.
“Yeah, because she’s adorable. The Buck is that thing Dad?!”
“We burnt down another Fazbear’s in the human world,” you shrug. “Kind of felt sorry for their Mangle and brought her along.”
“Skreonk,” Head Mangle barks in agreement.
“…Plush Mangle’s gonna cry if she sees that you know?” Nightshade points out and you roll your eyes.
“She’s a machine honey, they have no tear ducts!” you say as you put Head Mangle away.
“They still have feelings Dad!” she spits before composing herself. “But yeah, please don’t dismember my pet. Also there will also be a mix of crystal pony and regular pony civilians in the mix, both audience and athletes alike, and some Griffons as well. But the enemy’s not hard to see, they’re all wearing dark cloaks.”
“Oh that doesn’t sound too difficult, I hope they like Pop Music,” Sonata says excitedly clopping her hooves together before frowning. “You know, I kind of prefer the sound of clapping now.”
“You’ll get over it,” you say before addressing everyone in the room. “This maniac has a dangerous arsenal on him, and so do his friends. We are going to face them and waste their time to give The Outcasts and the Princesses time to regroup. If everyone gets repowered, then these clowns don’t stand a chance. But until then…”
You reach into the inventory and take hold of some familiar clothing. You smile at the Dazzlings and Nightshade as you whip them out.
“Let’s give them a show.”
The Dazzlings smirk at that and Nightshade beams as she sees the variety you’ve pulled out.
“I figured there’s no need to walk back the progress you made for us, so why hide who I am?” you say as you ruffle her mane.
“You mean it Daddy? No more running too?” she asks with hope and you smile.
“I’ve been in marathon for most of my life, it’s time to stop running honey,” you say confidently.
“YES!” she says as she leaps up and hugs your chest. “I knew laying everything out in the open would be the best solution! The Apple in our blood demands it!”
“…Yeah, let’s go with that,” you chuckle as you break the embrace…and she’s still on eye level with you.
Your jaw drops as Selena and Sombra go speechless seeing your daughter hovering in front of you effortlessly with her wings.
“Uh, what’s wrong Daddy?” she asks waving a hoof in front of your face.
“YOU CAN FLY?!!!” you three exclaim which startles the Dazzlings.
“Oh yeah, Grandbuggy taught me a few months ago. It’s super awesome,” she says as she starts doing barrel rolls in the air. “What do you think?”
“I…I…I kind of wish I’d been around to see your first flight,” you say with slight melancholy.
Me too…Selena mutters.
Me three… Sombra laments.
“Oh…sorry,” she says sheepishly. “If it helps, I’ll fly you around later. I’ve gotten really good at holding stuff in my magic too.”
“…I’ll hold you to it,” you say as you shake your head from such thoughts. “But anyway, if you can fly, then that makes things easier on what we’re about to do.”
You then start to don your clothing.
“Alright everyling, let’s go make ourselves known,” you say as you all head down the stairs.
POV CHANGE: Grandbugy
Puzzling Frost’s Comment
You grunt and pant as you usher the Princesses, Elements of Harmony and Shining Armor through the basement level with the mechanical abomination on your back, Nightshade’s dragon boyfriend and some blue colt covered in scars that you’re fairly certain is the half windigo kid.
After failing spectacularly at putting a dent in that clanker’s armor, you thought for sure that your ticket was finally getting called…but then Nightshade bless her heart exposed herself and tried to save you.
If that random ghost dragon hadn’t shown up, I don’t know what would have happened, you think curiously and that bit of fortuitousness.
And then with the mother of all good timing, Spike freed you and the rest and the blue colt froze the hatch over. And while everyling else gushed over the young drake for his heroism, you being used to hitting the ground and running immediately gathered all of the depowered folks and told them to follow you. Many of those that hadn’t been privy to your existence till today were a bit cautious, but hey, you did just try to save them like an idiot earlier.
Now all I gotta do is get them out and find my little filly! That dang kid is gonna be the death of me, you think as you look down a hallway and see that the coast is clear.
“Alright we’re good, come on now,” you wave to the Princesses.
“While I appreciate the help random changeling, who exactly are you?” Luna asks in a whisper as you feel a tremor from the battling titans above.
“Quick Fix yer majesties, nice to meetcha and all that,” you whisper over your shoulder as you move along.
“Okay…that doesn’t exactly answer my sister’s question,” Celestia inquires and you roll your eyes.
“He’s Nightshade’s Great Grandfather,” Spike speaks up and Celestia, Twilight, Luna, Shining and Rarity gasp.
“Then that would make you…” Twilight trails off.
“The boy’s Grand dad, yep,” you nod as you front roll and check around another corner. “And let’s just say I’ve really got some choice words for the lot of ya’ll once we’re through all this, assuming ya still wanna talk to Nightshade civilly.”
“I…” Celestia gasps, taken aback by your accusation but Cadence steps in.
“Of course we’re still going to talk Mr. Fix, but you’re right we’ll deal with the main problems right now.”
“Thanks Cady,” you smile before frowning at Shining Armor. “She’s got a good pretty head on her shoulder’s this one, so you better shape up and start listening to her.”
“Hey now, I do listen to my wife,” he says indignantly.
“Heh, not enough to not build a gorramned death machine to fight my boy and his special lady in his head,” you spit and he bites his lip. “Oh and let’s not forget who’s hooves it’s in now.”
“Alright, alright, let’s not squabble right now, we all do have so much to talk about, but we have to live first,” Cadence implores.
“Skreonk!” Mangle agrees and you just sigh.
“You’re right Cady, I’ll save my many, MANY gripes for later,” you say and look forward.
“Cadenza, why is he speaking so formally to you?” Luna asks her niece who chuckles nervously.
“Well, I’ve kind of been in the know with the others about who he really is for awhile now,” she says and both her aunts and Twilight look shocked.
“Yeah, that was like my reaction when I found out too,” Rainbow Dash nods and everyone looks at her quizzically.
“Now wait just an apple picking minute, how in the hay did you find out?” Applejack asks.
“Yeah, it was supposed to be a secret,” Pinkie Pie inquires and Rainbow points to Fluttershy.
“Eep!” she says when all eyes are on her.
“Fluttershy?” Applejack asks and she rubs her neck nervously.
“Um…well…you remember when I was turning everypony into vampires?” she says sheepishly and everyone in the room shudders.
“Yes, I recall,” Applejack nods.
“Well, I guess Flutterbat said some things to Rainbow Bat and…I guess Rainbow Dash remembered?”
Everyone looks to the other pegasus and she shrugs.
“Yeah, it was all kinds of hazy and I thought I might have imagined it, but after my Birthiversary I asked Shy straight up and her reactions told me all I needed to know,” Rainbow explains.
“Then why didn’t you say anything to me or Rarity?” Twilight asks and Rainbow rubs the back of her neck.
“Well, I mean, it was dicey water there Twi. I’d apparently stumbled onto a Pinkie Promise territory and I wasn’t going to break that,” she says as everyone notices Pinkie eyeing a nervous Fluttershy inquisitively.
“Hmmm, I say that the spirit of the promise wasn’t broken since you were a different person at the time, but you’re on thin ice missy,” she scolds Fluttershy who nods nervously.
“But even still, I only knew that Baker was the Offender, I didn’t know a lot of the other stuff, like you being related to him Applejack!” Rainbow gags and the orange mare blushes and looks away.
“So the Apples are related to the Off…Bugze?” Celestia inquires and the cowpony hides behind her hat.
“Take pity on the gal, yeah there’s related by half blood. I knocked her Grandma up back in the day, so ya got two different family trees from one mare,” you say crassly and they all look at you offended. “What? That’s what happened!”
“I am still so confused by all these revelations,” Luna says holding a hoof to her forehead.
“Well you keep on being confused till we can sort it out later. Right now we gotta find a medium sized blue dragon and a small red dragon.”
“We gotta what now?” Rainbow asks.
“Ember and Garble took the Cutie Mark Crusaders to make an exit for them,” you explain.
“Ah yes…that messy…princess…” Celestia stutters with a thousand yard stare remembering her company not even an hour ago.
“Our sisters are safe?” Rarity asks, ignoring her traumatized monarch and sounding relieved.
“Eh, safe-ish I suppose. This whole place is still surrounded by plundervines,” you say pessimistically.
“Which is something I still don’t get. How are those still around? Didn’t the Tree of Harmony destroy them all?” Fluttershy inquires.
“And even if they didn’t, how are they being controlled by Flag Burner?” Celestia ponders.
“Yeah, that is a good question,” Spike says looking to the blue colt who just winces and bites his lip.
This whole time that you’ve been moving and chatting, you’ve noticed that he hasn’t been speaking up, or really looking anyone in the eye. Even as he and Spike saved everyone, he has tried to remain in the background. You’ve also seen him giving really nervous looks to the Alicorns in the group.
“Do you know anything Frost?” Spike asks him and he looks down.
“Y-Yeah, I know a bit,” he admits.
“You do?” asks Celestia and the colt flinches from her gaze. “Who are you little one?”
“And How dost though know child? And…” Luna pauses as she sees the scars on his body and her expression changes to horrified pity. “What happened to you?”
“I…I uh…” he stammers as his nervous breath comes out in steam and you put a hoof up between them.
“Hey now give the kid some room, right now it don’t matter how he knows,” you defend getting their attention back on you. The blue colt looks up at you quizzically and apprehensively and you give him a small smile. You know the look of someone who’s been through trauma, and from Shade told you, this guy sure went through some.
Shade and Spike must have done a number on you to get you to this state, you think remembering the roars of rage from earlier when he burst into the cafeteria. But if you’re helping Spike out, that means they got through to ya in some way. Though heavens know noling gets over all their emotional baggage in less than an hour.
You give the kid an encouraging smile and he still winces his face, before looking to Spike.
“After Rainbow Falls, some of the Suns got a tendril of the monster into protective crate before the Harmony wave got the rest,” he explains, trying to focus his explanation directly to Spike, even though he’s telling everyone else as well. “It’s not really all that smart, but Flag Burner’s got this…tiny chip or something like that, modern day tech stuff in his machine parts that allows him to order the thing around.”
“A micro chip?” Twilight asks and Frost nods to her before stiffening up and turning back to Spike.
“Yeah, that was the word. I won’t even pretend to understand how it works, but DWC gave it to him and it listens to Burner now…or at least it did till that dragon thing showed up.”
“Okay, so like a mind control thing from a comic, got it,” Spike nods. “Speaking of comic book stuff, what even was that dragon?”
“I have no idea Spike, but it’s mana felt dark and corrupted,” Celestia muses.
“I thought you were depowered?” you quip and she looks at you incredulously.
“Though I don’t have access to my magic at the moment doesn’t mean I can’t still sense things.”
“Fair enough,” you shrug as you round another corner and nearly jump right out of your skin as you nearly collide with a giant blue and black mass of fur.
“AAAAAHHHHH!!!” both you and Ahuizotl screech like little girls as you stop yourselves from headbutting. When everyone looks at the two of you incredulously, you cough into your hoof and make your voice a bit deeper than normal to compensate.
“Ahzi, good to see you.”
“Si, you as well Fix,” he says mimicking the deep voice trick.
“Is this a friend or foe?” Celestia asks hectically since it’s not too often someone towers over her and Rainbow Dash gasps excitedly.
“He’s a frie-OW!” you are interrupted as you are hit upside the head by your buddy’s tail paw.
“What did I tell you about not being a hero idiota?!” he scolds with his paws on hip.
“Hey, I was in a jam, that robo-buck needed to be stalled,” you argue.
“Well even still you-“
“Oh My Gosh! It’s Ahuizotl!” Rainbow and Twilight fangirl out interrupting everyone.
“Oh, uh…hola?” he says nervously as he sees the Princesses and Rainbow staring at him.
“I mean, I knew if Daring Do and Dr. Cabeleron were real that you would be too, but this is…” she then gains a suspicious look. “Wait a minute, you’re a villain so do you have something to do-“
“Ahz! Why are you stopping?! There’s still a few-“ Daring Do says as she flies around the corner and sees your whole group. “Oh…”
“Daring Do! I didn’t know you came to the games as well!” Rainbow squees.
“Yeah, that was intentional…” Daring mutters.
“So, are we like teaming up with Ahuizotl or…?” Twilight questions.
“Oh for, they’ve been teamed up for awhile now Dash,” Applejack sighs.
“They have?!” Rainbow asks earnestly. “Is DaringZotl Real?!”
“Uh…” the giant cat thing says dumbly.
“Hey, don’t go spreading that around, we haven’t made it public yet!” Daring says with a blush.
“That’s not what I-Ugh,” Applejack facehooves as Rainbow…gains a really weird sly grin.
“Easy girl, calm down now,” Cadence says pushing her head down like a dog.
“Alright ya dang kids, yes Ahzi’s a friend, even if he is a pain, and has been for awhile now,” Grandbuggy summarizes.
“Yeah, he’s been walking around town the past few months in some sort of disguise magic that Nightshade used,” Pinkie explains to Twilight, Rarity and Dash.
“For reals?! GAH! If only I asked more questions after the Vampire Apocalypse!” Dash bemoans and Ahuizotl shakes his head.
“Alright, that’s enough sputtering about, we have to get moving. There’s some cultists and some loose tendrils coming this way right now,” he warns.
“AGH! My hoof!” a mare’s voice cries out from down the hallway, followed by the sound of crashing pots and pans.
“I can hear that,” you nod before taking off down the opposite tunnel, with everyling else soon following suit. “Any luck with the magic dampener?”
“No,” Daring shakes her head regretfully. “We’ve been laying out traps like crazy.”
“What about catbird?” you ask.
“We haven’t seen Greta since we split paths,” he says and you grit your teeth.
“Gorramnit…well the building ain’t on fire yet so I’m guessing the dragons and kids are fine,” you theorize.
I hope so for Nightshade’s sake,” Daring says as she flies above you. “Also, nice job almost killing yourself ya dummy!”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” you roll your eyes. “Ya can rib me on that later, right now we gotta get them out, turn off the dampener and meet back up with Nightshade.”
“Wait, I know where the power core for the dampener is!” Shining exclaims. “It’s in the subbasement area near all the breakers on the North side of the stadium.”
“How many basements does this place need?!” you huff over the needless architecture.
“Well Fix, if he knows the way, then perhaps we don’t have to get them out,” Ahzi says.
“Pardon?”
“If we know exactly where it is, we shut it off then the Princesses will be fully powered and can help us against our foes, especially now that that dragon showed up.”
You look back at the group your leading and realize they are the biggest firepower you can possibly get.
And if Catbird ain’t found it yet…
“Alright, new plan. We get you lot in fighting shape!” you say to them.
“Heck Yeah!” Rainbow says shadowboxing the air.
“At full strength, we should make easy work of those two giant monsters and that madstallion,” Luna agrees.
“Exactly Moony,” you smirk before looking back to your cat thing friend. “By the way, any clue on what that ghost dragon is?”
“Not a clue amigo,” Ahuizotl shakes his head, as does Daring.
“Eh, worth a shot,” you sigh as you all exit out into a loading area full of carts and ramps…and 10 Black Suns.
“Oh! There they are!” a stallion says excitedly as they all raise their rifles and fire.
“Ah Tartarus!” you say as you and the rest dodge behind some carts as laser fire lets rip, and on instinct you see the Frost kid throw up a wall of ice.
“Wait now guys, I think they may be already subdued!” a mare calls out.
“What?” another one asks.
“Yeah, the Windi-colt’s there. He must have captured them all,” they say with surety. The assorted rescued group all look at the blue colt and his ice magic curiously and he flinches.
“Isn’t that right kid? You got them all?”
“Um…” Frost says unsure under all their hooded gazes.
“Wait a second, what happened to your awesome gauntlets?” asks another one.
“Um…”
“And your cloak?”
“Uh…” the colt starts to sweat icy slush.
“Deploying Fox!” you shout as you toss Mangle towards the distracted goons.
“Deploying wha-AAAAHHHH!!!” the stallion screeches as Mangle starts clawing and biting at his face under the hood.
“Fox Deployed!” you quip as you slide under a cart and toss your bowler right at the shins of another goon. Your beloved hat hits them, bowling them over (pun intended) and it returns to you because screw physics.
Not to be outdone, Daring flies above two more, and back kicks them in the back of their heads knocking them out.
Ahuizotl, being the big that he is, literally picks up a cart and rushes at a group of five, using it as both a shield and a battering ram. They start shooting at him, but the cart takes the brunt of the damage before he uses it to smash ontop of them.
“What the buck?!” a cloaked stallion says before he dodges a blast of flame from Spike. “Why you little-“ and he sends a blast at the purple dragon…which immediately gets stopped by a column of ice which sizzles.
“Thanks Frost,” Spike says as he sends another blast at that Sun which knocks him back into the wall.
“Uh…no problem,” Frost says nervously.
“Why…you little Traitor!” the remaining guard says furiously as he drops his rifle, takes out a cattle prod and spins it around.
“H-Hey now, I wouldn’t got that far,” the colt tries and fails to defuse the situation, but the stallion doesn’t listen and just charges forth with the electric weapon. Frost just sighs and makes the ground under the stallion slippery, causing him to stumble comically and fall onto his own weapon, knocking him out.
“Heh, good work team,” you congratulate. “These chumps ain’t so tough when they’re facing folks at their prime.”
You look back to see the Princesses and Elements and even Shining looking at how effectively you all just did and you grin.
“You lot are falling behind in your score, let’s go make sure you got a fighting chance eh?” you say with a wink. And as Ahuizotl and Daring tie up the beaten goons, you hear Luna whisper to Celestia,
“Sister, do you ever get the feeling we know much, much less than we thought?”
“With how many revelations that have already been revealed today, I’m going to go with a hard yes Luna,” Celestia says with a sigh.
“I know it jus breaks one of the first rules I ever taught you about using fire on living creatures…but nice job Spike,” Twilight says proudly as she pats him on the head.
“Oh you know, just doing what I gotta,” he says humbly.
“And that ice magic was pretty sick kid, where’d you learn that?” Rainbow Dash asks Frost who just looks down and to the side nervously.
“Alright, gather up you lot, we gotta get to that dampener,” you order everyone who immediately group up again. You then go up a ramp and into a pathway leading towards the north, and as you do you come across an abandoned security guard desk which has a monitor on it.
You take a moment to glance at it and see the situation top side. You see the unexplained dragon thing fighting with the plant monster, and Flag Burner attempting to get control of said monster, you see the captive audience still within the stands…and then you see something that nearly shocks you into a heart attack.
“Fix? Why are we stopping?” Ahuizotl says trying to hurry you along.
“Yes Mr. Quick Fix, we must hurry if we want to…” Celestia starts before she too notices what you’ve seen and her jaw drops. This causes everyone to pause and look at the monitor, and soon their expressions of shock and surprise mirror one another.
“I’ll be Gorramned…” you say as a sense of disbelief and relief wash over you.
“H-Hoody?” Fluttershy gasps.
“No, it’s Bugze,” Cadence corrects with a smirk. “And it looks like he brought back up.”
POV CHANGE: Bugze (You)
The Pony Spartan’s Comment
Korthar’s Comment
Puzzling Frost’s Comment
WARGAMES’s Comment
You never played Hoofball, or Baseball or Soccer, but you can almost hear the cheers of thousands of ponies at the stands. Cheers for the players that would be on the very ground you were walking on. There should be cheers of encouragement to win, and even boos for loss. Nonetheless, they were all the same.
Cheers of hope.
But today is no ordinary day. There aren't any cheers, despite the number of creatures in the stands.
Let’s rectify that, you think in steely resolve as you walk onto the field. It’s still damp from the Iceburg Nightshade said Spike burnt up, and there are scorch marks dotted here and there, but still, the grass under your hooves let’s you know it’s game day.
You spot your quarry, a 9 ft metallic suit of armor barking orders and trying to contain two gigantic monsters, but in the midst of that chaos, why would they possibly notice you?
As you walk across the field towards the center of the stadium, you look down towards the right where your daughter trudges beside you with the same determination on her face as you. You look to your left, and the Dazzlings are right by your side, just as determined as they float along. This audience is much, much bigger than the humies you all just preformed for.
You have no idea that many of the magical recorders are now upon you and you are being broadcast nationally.
They should all know who’s coming to save them,you think as you light up your horn.
Bugze, what are you- Selena starts, but you cut her off.
I told you Selly, no more running. It’s time to show them all our true colors.
It’s not the same as when she was able to manifest back in the human world, being more of a hologram here, but after a wisp of purple mist leaves your horn, standing beside Nightshade now is Selena in all her radiant beauty.
Nightshade smiles up at the image of her mother, knowing that after this bullspit is taken care of, it won’t be long till she’ll be standing there for real.
Well, if you so insist, she says cheekily, her image being projected straight from your mind.
Unbeknownst to you, the Princesses and Deadly 6 gasp as her form manifests, and your Grandbuggy feels a sense of pride and happiness for you.
Oh I do indeed, you think to her with a smirk. You too smoky, let’s let the Crystal Ponies know who the back up is.
Uh, actually I’m good, I think that- he starts to argue, but you ignore him and as green smoke leaves your horn, he is projected between you and the Sirens. Said sisters are shocked to see the luscious flowing locks of his when compared to his human counterpart, but they don’t say anything as they keep their eyes towards the crowd.
And unbeknownst to you, many Crystal Ponies are left speechless even within their harrowing situation as they look upon their former dictator.
…Well, I guess we’re doing this then, he grumbles.
"No more running," you repeat to yourself.
Those viewing the broadcast across the nation and within the stadium are intrigued by the company you keep, but more than any of them, their attention is upon you.
You have on your head, partially covering your orange mane the Stetson, symbolizing Bugze, the former Drone 9001, who became the handybug of Appleloosa.
Unbeknownst to you, Braeburn and many of your friends in that wonderful town go slack-jawed.
Around your neck is the overly long scarf of the 4th Doctor, symbolizing Baker Sylvester Tennant, a stallion with a young filly who made many friends in Ponyville. You wore it at a time where the former Mare in the Moon and you became friends, and so much more. You wear no mask though, revealing your scarred chitinous face.
Unbeknownst to you, many mares gazed on.
You wear the fancy white dress pants with purple trim from the El Hunko persona, a person who many saw in wacky circumstances ill befitting of his posh clothing. You wore those clothes when you met and fought a Dark King who has made much progress.
Unbeknownst to you, many in the fashion world could not put words together at your appearance.
You wear the red Deadpool logo shirt from your Crimson Vengeance outfit, a persona that is a hero in most ponies’ eyes. It symbolizes a time where you, your Shadow Princess, and the Fallen King started out, trying to finally make a difference and succeeding.
Unbeknownst to you, Guards across the nation, including your best frenemy Flash look on in awe.
And last but not least, is the Nobody Cloak, the cloak that symbolizes all of your greatest triumphs, and your worst mistakes, the persona that most in this world know you as, for better or for worse, The Hooded Offender. The cloak however is opened down the middle revealing the rest of your accessories…and the hood is not pulled up.
You have nothing to hide anymore.
The 7 of you stop near the center of the field, where the madstallion you thought you killed all those years ago stiffens and slowly turns around, ignoring the battling monsters. The cockpit of the mech opens up, and you see him clearly. Despite the metal parts making up half his face, and the burn scars peppering his body, you would recognize that glare anywhere. If you had any doubts before, they are permanently silenced.
It is most definitely him.
You all stare at Flag Burner, determination in each of your eyes as his red robotic eye stares into your soul.
"It's been a long two years, Burner," you say, projecting your voice for all to hear.
Unbeknownst to you, you just shook the world.
The battle of the titans still rages behind him, a spectacle that normally no one would be able to tear their eyes from, but thousands, if not millions have as they witness you facing down your old enemy.
He sizes you up as you do the same, witnessing the battle scars you’ve each gained in the last few years. After what seems like an eternity of bated breath, the fleshy side of his face grins.
"For me, it feels like it was just yesterday," Flag Burner says as his red eye shines brighter. "But I guess being comatose helped with that."
“Yeah…I guess it would,” you nod as if the both of you are just having a pleasant conversation over tea. Up in the stands and on the field, the other Black Sun members guard their quarries, not quite sure what to do. “But don’t get me wrong, even after two years, I’ve never forgotten you.”
“That makes two of us,” he chuckles, and you can hear the tinny echo from his mechanic parts.
"I'm glad I finally get to see you again, because..." you trail off as you begin to shake. Flag Burner tenses within his suit, thinking that you are preparing for an attack…but then he and everyone watching is taken aback as you sniffle and tears run down your smiling face.
"I can finally look at myself and not feel ashamed,” you say with such relief that the audience can almost feel it. “I’m not a murderer…I’m not like you after all.”
A perplexed Burner raises his one remaining eyebrow as the Plundervine monster gets dropkicked by the dragon in the background. After a few moments of contemplation, he throws his head back and starts to bellow his tinny laughter, which reverberates throughout the crowd.
"And here I thought you came to finish the job. How pathetic!" he spits. “You’re still the weak willed changeling who refuses to do what’s necessary.”
“And it’s going to remain that way. I don’t have to kill you to stop you,” you say with stoic resolve.
“I beg to differ, you failed to kill me two years ago, and here we are again,” he says gesturing to all the chaos around him. “But yes, we are most definitely going to battle again. It took you long enough, but I’ve finally coaxed you out of hiding.”
“I wasn’t hiding, and you didn’t coax me, I literally just got back into town,” you respond.
“Oh bull, you got tired of me harassing little Ms. Nightmare Moon there and finally came running, despite being weakened,” he shoots back.
“I…Are you serious?!” Nightshade bellows and points at Selena and herself as if in comparison. “Tell me you’re not that stupid?!”
“What? I’m supposed to be intimidated by illusions of a darker toned Luna and King Sombra? Ha! You’re silly projections earlier were more intimidating.”
“Oh My Bucking Gods!” Nightshade facehooves as both Selena and Sombra gape at that stupidity.
"They’re not illusions ya nimrod! And what are you talking about? What earlier projections?" you ask in confusion.
“The ones where you tried and failed to make the populace feel sympathy for you and your dark mistress…and King Sombra too for some reason,” Flag explains, sounding a bit befuddled by that last part.
“Huh?”
“But really, what Saturday morning cartoon special did you rip that off from? It’d have been more effective without the flying humans and shadow clones,” he taunts.
“Wait, What?! You Saw All That?!” you yelp in surprise.
“Oh right, I forgot,” Nightshade says causing you all to look to her. “Before you guys came back, all the broadcast screens were showing you three getting tormented by Nightmare type stuff from your past and then you started fighting back and there was this purple human with wings…it was weird.”
“…Are you saying that all that stuff we went through in Human Twilight’s mindscape was seen on these stadium screens too?” you say aghast.
“Not just on these screens Offender, but all over the nations,” Flag Burner says dramatically as he points out all the magical cameras floating around.
“But how? That was projected in the human world!” Selena gasps as her cheeks flush over having her inner turmoil be projected.
“It…it must have been because of the dimensional rifts and…” Sombra trails as he looks to all the crystal ponies in the stands sheepishly.
“Yeah…if it helps, a lot of it was warbled and glitchy,” Nightshade says trying to add some optimism.
“…So honey, when you said you kind of outed me to the Princesses then…?”
“Yeah, everyone in Equestria saw that,” she says rubbing the back of her neck.
You just gape at your daughter then up at the many cameras and back to Flag Burner who is just grinning at your torment.
“You know, me wearing all these clothes was supposed to be a grander revelation for the local audience,” you say looking at your assorted clothing. “I didn’t know it had already been built up.”
“I’ve gotta say though, besides the coat you look utterly ridiculous,” Flag taunts and you sneer.
“Oh you’re one to talk Mr. Copy and Paste!”
“Excuse me?” he responds.
“This is just a rehash of your own plan! You have no originality!” you yell at your old foe.
“Says the guy wearing the same cloak after all these years,” he shoots back.
“Well…Shut Up!”
“Bugze, you’re losing your composure live on camera,” Adagio whisper yells at you from the side of her mouth.
“Huh?”
“We’re live dude! Quit looking like a dork, this is our debut too!” Aria chides.
“Yeah, quit killing the awesome vibe we had going with that entrance,” Sonata adds and you facehoof.
“Alright, alright fine,” you grumble before taking a deep breath and facing Burner with a serious face once more.
“Alright Burner look, I’m sure she’s said it a hundred times already, but Nightshade is NOT Nightmare Moon. The mare that used to be her is right next to me,” you point to Selena who glares at the cyborg. “Her name is Selena and she’s real, just like Sombra there. They’re both real, and so were those projections you saw earlier.”
“Oh please, you expect me to believe that you encountered a mythical human?” he scoffs with a roll of his eyes.
“Yes! A whole planet full of them! It was terrible, but I got used to it!” you exclaim.
“Uh huh, yeah not buying it, just more of your foolish games like usual,” he shakes his head. “I mean seriously? You march onto the field with projections and…what? Sea ponies?”
“We’re Sirens, thank you very much,” Adagio says in offense.
“Yeah, is that supposed to mean anything to me?” Flag says uninterested as the Plundervine Monster puts the dragon in a headlock.
“Bitch, we are the Pop sensations The Dazzlings that nearly took over the Western Sea Coast a thousand years ago!” Aria growls.
“And most importantly, we’re Bugze’s friends which is unfortunate for you,” Sonata boasts.
“I’m shaking,” Flag says sarcastically and looks to you. “Was this your idea or your master’s you pathetic vessel?”
“Mine, and I’m noling’s “Vessel!” you bark. “And I don’t care whether you believe it or not, because it doesn’t matter if you believe. The ones standing beside me are my allies and friends, and we oppose the evil that you do.”
“Evil? You say as you have The Boogeymare and Crystal King next to you?” he taunts.
“They’ve changed! I’ve gotten to know them over the years, and they’re not evil anymore, not by a long shot!” you proclaim.
“Bah! You’re just perpetuating the false godesses’ dogma that “anyone can be reformed” with trying to make Nightmare Moon and King Sombra sympathetic.”
“Hey, I may not agree with Celestia and Luna on a lot of things, but there are exceptions!” you shoot back. “And like I said, it doesn’t matter if you believe or not, I just felt it was common courtesy to the others that they know who’s going to save them.”
“I don’t know who you’re fooling Offender, you’re not saving anypony today. It’s we that are going to save this country,” he declares. “Once I’m through with you, the Princesses will get their’s…”
You scowl at that and shake your head.
“You’re just as delusional as you were back in Fillydelphia,” you sigh.
“This suit design was made by the royals you’re defending, specifically made to kill you,” he says with a grin. “And since you’re separated from Nightmare Moon, I doubt you’re any stronger.”
“Yeah, you go on believing that,” you grunt, “I AM going to stop you, and noling’s dying today.”
“You say that now, but we’ll see,” he chuckles ominously.
“Let me guess, more bombs around the stadium if you don’t get your way?”
“No, unfortunately there was no time for the explosives, but my plant friend behind me more than makes up for it,” he says just as the monster body slams the dragon, causing a small crater.
Glancing up you see that many of those same vines wrap in and out of the infrastructure, as well as blocking the opening up top.
Hmm, bet his idea is to have that monster tear the whole place down if he didn’t succeed, you theorize.
It would fit his M.O. Selena agrees.
But said monster is preoccupied right now, Sombra smirks as the dragon throws the plant monster off.
Well, let’s distract it even more then, you think before saying aloud,
“Alright Burner, let’s stop beating around the bush. We’re going to fight one on one, and we’re gonna have some background music to emphasize it,” you declare pointing to the sirens.
“Really? You brought your own musicians to a fight? How vain of you,” he smirks.
“That makes two of us,” you respond and he chuckles.
“Very well, I will allow this, though whatever tune they sing will soon turn to despair,” he shoots back and the sisters roll their eyes at his underestimation of them.
“Yeah, well there can be no true despair without hope,” you counter, echoing Trixie’s words from last year.
“Clearly, now are you through wasting my time? Shall we get on to the main event?” he inquires grandiosely.
“Very well then,” you say as you then look to your daughter, “Nightshade, run along now and go find Grandbuggy.”
"What?!” she exclaims flabbergasted, stumbling a little. “No, I'm fighting too!"
"Nightshade-“ you start but she cuts you off.
"I'm not going to get hurt!" She exclaims and her shards blip. “I mean, for buck’s sake, why bring me along if you’re just gonna put me back in the bag?!”
Everyone watching in Ponyville can’t help themselves but feel nostalgiac by this exchange, erasing any doubts that you weren’t Mr. Tennant and your daughter.
"You're not the one I'm worried about," you argue back. "I mean, yeah, of course, I'm worried. You're my little filly. But with that amulet, you could go out of control. And... I don't want to be forced to fight you…”
She looks at the frown on your face and winces.
"We know you're strong Nightshade,” Selena pipes up in a soothing tone. “You’ve done wonderfully while we were gone and we know you’re far stronger than us, the Princesses, and everyone else in Equestria. But now that we're back, please let us handle this.”
The image of the former Nightmare Moon speaking in such a loving, caring, gentle tone throws many off, leading credence to your earlier words that she has changed for the better.
"Mommy..." Nightshade objects, though half heartedly.
"This isn't your fight Nightshade, or Sombra's for that matter,” you tell her plainly. “It’s something your mother and I started.”
"If I hadn't powered and influenced your father's body all those years ago, that stallion may have never come to exist with this much power as he does now," Selena says sneering at said stallion.
"But I’m already here…"
"Listen to your parents, Nightshade, that amulet is dangerous and unruly” Sombra orders in his own gentle tone, which perturbs many.
“I know that but-“
“Don't make the same mistakes I did,” he pleads, cutting her off. “I am a monster to the world and rightfully so, but you need not be.”
“Sombra…” Nightshade trails off.
“I may never truly be forgiven by anypony, but at least I can take the steps to become the pony Hope believed I could be…and that means protecting my friend,” he says placing his projected hoof on her shoulder.
Watching from a monitor, Cadence puts a hoof to her mouth. She’d taken what Nightshade had said about Sombra with a grain of salt, but now it seems even more plausible. Even Shining Armor, having been run through by the former king feels some confliction.
"I..." she looks down and grits her teeth. “I understand all that, but you’re wrong about one thing Daddy. This IS my fight as well. She looks to Flag Burner and at the plant monster and everyone in the stands. “Lady Luck hates all of us as a family, and no matter who started it, this is all of our business. So the least I can do is face whatever she throws at us standing with you, not hiding in the bag!”
You stare at her stunned. Your parental instincts are telling you to keep her safe, but the sincerity in her voice gives you pause. For the past year she’s been dealing with all of this without you. She’s not the curious tiny sleepy filly you met in the Everfree all those years ago.
Your little girl is growing up, and that makes you smile.
“I wasn’t going to put you back in the bag honey,” you say reassuringly and she perks up at that. “And I’m not going to keep you out of this, Grandbuggy needs help after all.”
Her eyes widen as she realizes what you’re getting at.
“Let us deal with Flag Burner honey, because you’re the only one who can keep the Princesses safe right now.”
“Oh…” she says taken aback. “I, uh, I guess I assumed a little bit there.”
“It’s understandable love,” Selena says with a smirk. “But yes, you need to go to them now.”
“Yeah, alright,” she nods before eyeing all three of you with scrutiny. “But if things go south for you, I’m jumping in, the amulet be damned!”
"You think that wasn't my backup plan?" you smile and raise your hoof. "Deal."
"Deal." The two of you hoofbump. Then for good measure, you reach into the inventory, pull out the Boomstick and toss it to her.
“For good measure,” you say with a wink and she grins.
“Oh I got plans for this,” she squees.
Removed From The Inventory
Boomstick
“…Anyone else feel intrusive hearing all that?” Aria asks her sisters and they both wince in agreement.
“Ugh, are you quite finished?!” Flag Burner growls rolling his eyes. “This sappy bullspit is troublesome! Aren’t you the one who said to stop beating around the bush Offender?!”
Nightshade grits her teeth at that.
“Alright you stubborn hunk of junk, Daddy, Mommy and Sombra are gonna kick your ass, but before they do…”
A shadow coalesces near his head inside of the suit and a tiny impish fist strikes from the darkness right into his remaining fleshy eye.
“AGH!” Flag shrieks as your shadow imp chuckles and disappears back into the darkness.
“That’s for ruining mine and Spike’s epic moment!” she shouts in triumph.
“Nightshade, what was that?” you ask in concern.
“That was my minion Jackie Bob, I’ll tell you about him later,” she hoofwaves.
“Okay, but I guess that means first strike to us,” you say looking to the three siren sisters and give them a smirk.
“Showtime Girls.”
"Right." Adagio nods.
"Kick his ass, Bugze," Aria says.
"And win!" Sonata finishes.
The three of them then start floating straight up…
And then they start singing.
“What are they doing?” Flag Burner says as their melody echoes across the stadium.
“They’re giving some background music to beat your face in,” Nightshade threatens “Like this!”
Once more Bob’s fist strikes out and hits his eye.
“AGH! Why you little!”
“Good luck everyone!” she giggles as she runs back towards the tunnel entrance.
“GAH! Fire on that little bastard!” Flag Burner orders the other Suns…but nothing happens. “Are you deaf? What are you doing?”
Looking around he sees that most of his men are staring slack jawed at the sirens as they sing and not even comprehending his words.
“What is going on?!” he exclaims as the Dragon uppercuts the Plant Monster and at the same time, a grey shadowy tail strikes his still exposed face.
“MUDA!” Selena cries out and he is jostled backwards. Shaking his head he looks back to you with a sneer, to see that shadows are beginning to form around your body.
“I told you Burner, we’re stopping you,” you say plainly as your eyes start to glow orange and red. “And that shot was for trying to hurt my little filly.”
“Ah, so your mistress hasn’t left you completely drained, excellent. Well then, if you’re finally ready…” Flag starts before the chassis closes around him and the mech suit starts to whir. “Come at me then!”
The tails extend around you, as the crystalline wings pop out of your back along with your tusks, claws and horns.
Sombra, you're not the only one who has to take their first step towards redemption, you think to the fallen king before turning to Selena. But whether they acknowledge those steps or not, we’re doing the right thing.
Both your head-mates nod in determination at your assessment, before you all look back the cyborg.
“Right now, everyone across the World! It isn't The Hooded Offender fighting, nor Tennant, nor El Hunko, and even Crimson Vengeance,” you declare as your voice gets deeper. "Flag Burner! You face Bugze the Changeling, Princess Selena and Sombra the Umbrum! We're bringing you down, and this time..."
The projections of Selena and Sombra enter back into your horn and your form finishes growing.
"No creature dies…” you finish as your Awakened form returns.
PonyGamer12’s Comment
WARGAMES’s Comment
With immense power you haven’t truly felt in a long time, you rush towards the armored mech as it beelines to you. With a flap of your crystalline wings, you boost yourself into Supermane punch stance, and Flag uses rocket thrusters on his suit to go into a tackling motion.
You both meet in the middle…but it appears his jets gave him the edge as you are grappled around your chest and jettisoned backwards.
“Oooohhhhh,” you groan as your head spins, but he doesn’t give you the chance to get your bearings as he thrusts the arm of the mech into your throat, pushing you further into the wall and begins rapidly punching you with the other fist which seems to be on a piston.
“GRRAAAGGGGHHHH!!!” you roar, reminiscent of how you sounded in the berserk Phase 4. A roar that causes several Crystal Ponies in the audience to shiver in dread.
“Yes! Yes! Feel The Delightful Pain! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!” the metallic voice shouts triumphantly, but as he gloats, you are given a split second chance to move your tails to intercept his attack. They struggle a bit, but they are able to stop it.
“Sharing is Caring! It’s Your Turn Now!” you grunt as you uppercut him in the general area of where he his head should be, your crystalline claws leaving some jagged grooves on the metal.
Now with some space, you spin and use your wings as a club which lifts him into the air and away from you.
“Gyah!” he grunts as he superhero lands a good distance from you.
You take a moment to catch your breath and spit out some of your midnight colored blood.
Dang, that thing hits like what I assume a bus would feel like, you say as you get back into your battle ready stance.
I know what you mean, that initial strike had me feeling it, Selena says wearily.
And the tails struggle against him…there must be orichalcum weaved into that suit, Sombra theorizes and you frown.
Oh great! Just what we need! Thanks a lot Shining! You mentally curse, and in the tunnels, said stallion sneezes.
Burner then holds up his gauntlet and suddenly three missiles streak towards you.
“Oh no you don’t!” you declare as you flap your wings and acrobatically spin through the volley, deflecting them with your tails. Two careen to the side and explode onto the field, but one you are able to catch and redirect it’s momentum right back to it’s sender. The missile strikes the mech square center and the stallion inside grunts as he is thrown backwards.
“Sick Move Bugze!” Sonata says from above you.
“Thanks! But focus on the sing-“
ON YOUR LEFT! Selena warns and you instinctively front roll, just as the Plundervine Monster lands on it’s butt after being blasted by a dark blue mist like fire from the dragon.
No sooner do you do that though that Flag blasts you with fire from his gauntlet.
“AGH!” you say as the beautiful flames betray you. “You Son of a-GAK!”
You cry out as the vines of the beast whip about wildly while it stands up, catching you off guard and tossing you into the stands.
You grunt as you crush several seats, and your tails start to beat out the flames.
There is way too much stuff going on in this stadium at once! Sombra grumbles.
Yeah, I noticed! You huff and look to the field to see that Flag Burner is also scrambling from the kaiju battle in your direction.
“Hey Dazzlings?! Maybe focus on those monsters?!” you call out to your allies who are still singing.
“Still working on the goons Bug Brain!” Aria shouts back.
Raising a brow you look to all the sections where the audience had been gathered, and see that all the Suns watching over them are too transfixed on the Sirens to guard properly. Quite a few audience members who are quicker on the uptake have started to cautiously and orderly make their ways out of their seats and towards the exits…though there are still those that are either too scared or too unsure.
“You’ve got the Suns’ attention, start lighting a fire under the sports fans to get them out of here!” you order as you launch yourself out of the stands and towards Burner.
“Yeah, yeah, we hear ya!” Adagio says through gritted teeth of concentration as the sisters begin another song
“Grr! You fools better wake the buck up before I-“ Flag tries to order but you thrust out your hoof and cry out.
“Would You Kindly SHOCK OFF?!” activating your electric plasmid. The added energy from your Awakened forms an actual lightning bolt, and several mounds of the rock and dirt beneath him launch into the air…but he does not.
“Whoa!” Sonata yelps as she and her sisters fly out of the way of the ground projectiles.
“You think I wouldn’t be prepared for Electricity?” he taunts through the dirt. “The Suns have studied your every move thanks to DWC and we know your every weak-“
“Slingshot Falcon Kick!” you shout as you use your tails to fling yourself into him, interrupting his monologue and giving him a get kick to the chest which sends him flying into the opposite stands and causing a hole to be formed.
If the audience members weren’t convinced before by the Dazzling’s song, they are more than convinced now as they start making their ways out in large numbers, no longer constrained by the vines or Suns.
Good, now hopefully Shade’s and Grandbuggy’s group can get them all to safety, you think as you spin and send crystalline spear shards from your wings into the hole where you hear the satisfying clanging and rendering of metal.
“Ha! Direct Hit!” you cheer…but then the dragon flies up in your air space. It’s wings strike you, causing you to launch into the hole you just sent Burner.
I’m starting to hate that bucking dragon! Selena curses as you sit up amongst the dust and debris.
Yeah, but at least that plant monster can’t beat it yet. Needs the power of Rock to stop it right?
Which those sea horses better get to if they don’t want me to tan their hides! Sombra grunts.
Hey now, they’ll get to i-
“ACK!”
Your introspection is cut off as a chunk of crystal concrete strikes you in the face, shattering it, followed by gut punch which strikes you along your glowing scar line.
With him so close now, you can see some battle damage on his suit, but nothing major yet as he stomps onto one of your hooves, pinning it to the ground, takes hold of your horns and head butts you. There is a large metallic clang as the metal hits your hard skull, causing you to see stars.
“GGGRRRR!!!” you growl as your tails wrap around him, attempting to crush him, but like Sombra said, the magic canceling metal seems to be incorporated as it feels like you’re trying to hold a bar of soap that’s been covered in oil.
“Let’s go for a stroll!” he laughs maniacally as he activates his thrusters pushing you back first into several layers of concrete and crystal, each layer hurting more than the last. Eventually you break out of the infrastructure and back onto the field and flies you up into the rafters air and slams his fist into your gut and launches a missile at point blank range which blows him backward, but also sends you flying up into the rafters where you strike the vine covered ceiling.
“GYAK!” you hack as blood spills from your mouth and you momentarily stay embedded in the ceiling.
Gods, not even Strong Head’s mech or Mongo hit this hard! You mentally bemoan.
It seems Armor’s improved since then. And if this thing is only made from the leftovers of the other two…Selena trails off.
His own personal one might be as tough or tougher, Sombra finishes her thought as you see Burner slow his descent and land below you. The gauntlet he fired the missile from is even more damaged thanks to the point blank shot, and it gives off a trail of smoke.
Well, let’s be thankful Nightshade’s given us a chance to talk things over after this, you say as you unlodge yourself from the ceiling, flap your wings and divebomb the giant robot.
The Sirens start up on another song as you fly towards your enemy.
“Well you’re even dumber than I remembered!” he says as he unsheathes a long blade from his other gauntlet, holds it in a spearing motion, intending to skewer you.
“You would think that! WOULD YOU KINDLY BUCK OFF?!” you shout, activating Bucking Bronco.
“Whagh!” Burner cries as he and a good chunk of the earth beneath him are jettisoned up at an intense speed, causing him to lose his stance.
“Falcon Punch!” you shout as it’s all the opening you need as you strike him with your hoof and all 9 of your tails, diving you both into the ground like a meteor strike.
The entire stadium rumbles at that, as there is a sizeable crater, and you swear you even see the basement level of the stadium through some of the rubble.
“Ooooohhhh…” you hear Flag groan within his suit, which does bring you some bit of respite, since that one hurt you as well.
“And that…is something a squishy human body could never do,” you grunt as you sit up. You wrap your tails all around the suit, trying and failing to get a grip on it, so you resort to your claws.
“Alright you cooked lobster! Time to come out of your shell!” you grunt and tug at the metal.
“It’s not gonna be that easy weakling!” Flag growls as he attempts to punch you, but you dodge it.
“Oh yeah, I’m sure weak after a freaking Supermane move. Totally!” you taunt as your claws dig into the metal, chipping as they do so…but then an immense weight slams into the both of you.
“AGH!” both you and Burner grunt as the weight of the spectral dragon pushes crashes on top of you, pushing you both face to face within the debris.
“Curse you for bringing this magic dragon thing Offender!” Flag grunts as the two of you are smooshed together.
“Okay, on one hoof you’re right, I did bring the stupid thing, but on the other buck you!” you groan.
And while you two get squished into the ground by kaiju…
POV CHANGE: Nightshade
Kichi’s Comment
Loganic’s Comment
After sucker punching and running away from Flag Burner, you’ve made your way back into the labyrinth of tunnels, looking for your Grandbuggy. There is still a part of you that is a bit miffed at not being able to fight at your parent’s sides after so long not seeing them, but on the other hoof, you’re glad they didn’t tell you to get back in the bad.
I would have really lost my cool there, you think pessimistically. But in the end, you know that they’re right, they’ve gotta settle a score with the cyborg, and so you’ve run back into the underground, looking for Grandbuggy, Spike and all the folks that got rescued.
But before you find them, you bump into two other individuals who are dry heaving in a corner.
“Ember?! Garble?!” you exclaim.
“Oh, hey Shade,” Ember says looking a little green in the scales as Garble spews into a bucket.
“What are you two doing?” you ask a bit squicked out. “Did you get the Crusaders out?”
“Yeah, yeah we did,” Ember says as she burps and groans holding her disjointed stomach.
“Uhhh…” you trail off fearing something horrible but she rolls her eyes.
“The punk and I had to chew through about 10 feet of crystal wall in order to make them an exit,” she explains as he hurls.
“Oh…OH!” you say relieved and start chuckling nervously. “I kind of thought you-“
“I know what you thought, and I told you before, I don’t eat ponies Shade,” she harumphs before holding her stomach.
“So Applebloom, Sweetiebelle, Scootaloo, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are out of the stadium?”you ask and she nods.
“Yup, though the sky looked a little more stormy than I recall, but they all ran off to go get some help,” she explains and you smile.
“Well at least something’s gone right out of all of this,” you say.
“Yeah, speaking of which, I thought for sure the old bug was gonna get squashed there,” Ember says matter of factly.
“Me too,” you nod with a frown. “Thank goodness that dragon thing showed up.”
“I’ll tell you this for free, that ain’t a dragon,” she says authoritatively. “That’s…I don’t know what it is.”
“It’s like the manifestation of Princess Twilight’s human counterpart’s anguish or something, daddy tried explaining it but I still don’t get it…oh yeah, speaking of which, my Dad, Mom and Sombra are back!”
“Yeah, we noticed,” Garble groans wiping his mouth of spittle. “How the buck did your dad manage that?”
“He literally fell out of a hole in reality with three sea ponies who sound like valley girl teens, but that’s not important right now,” you say just as there is a rumble under your hooves as you see your Dad get slammed by the mech into the side of the stadium.
“Seems pretty important to me,” Ember points out.
“And those sea ponies got some get singing voices…they’re pretty too,” Garble says as he becomes mesmerized by the screen.
“Down boy! But yeah they’ve got it handled,” you hoofwave. “Right now, we gotta link back up with Grandbuggy and Spike and get the Princesses and Deadly 6 through the hole you sent the CMC.”
“Yeah alright, just…let’s go at a steady pace?” Garble says still looking sick.
“I told you to start spitting out the chunks after you hit your fill,” Ember chides as she picks him up.
“That goes against every instinct I’ve ever had with crystals and gems!” he whines as they start to follow you.
With the two dragons in tow, you make your way towards the passage where the hatch was, only to find several knocked out Black Suns caught in hastily put together traps.
“Ahuizotl and Daring have been through here,” you theorize noticing how much rope has been used.
“Those two have got a serious problem,” Garble muses.
Eventually though, as the fight in the field rages on, causing more tremors, you open a door and see a large group of familiar ponies, along with an old changeling, giant cat thing and your robot fox. They all seem transfixed by Pinkie Pie who is talking a million miles a minute.
“And so, since on the screen he claimed that he was in a human world, my theory is that he went where Twilight went since we saw Sunset Shimmer on those staticy images, which is weird that you didn’t run into him by the way Twilight if he was hanging out with your human buddies, but anyway from what we saw just now it’s only safe to assume that he somehow infected your counterpart with magic, and then used Sunset and all our dopplegangers to stop her using an epic rock concert that those seahorse girls were also a part of and they must have blasted that dragon thing through the dimensional rift. Bugze then said goodbye to everyhuman and jumped through with the seaponies.”
Everyone just stares at her rapid fire explanation and you feel a pressure behind your sinuses like you have to sneeze real bad.
“Pinkie…what are you basing this off of?” Twilight asks confused.
“That’s a curious word everyhuman, you think they use that or everyman?” she responds with a hoof to her chin.
“Pinkie, what the buck are you talking about?!” Grandbuggy demands with a twitching brow.
“Just some callback humor…” she says with a giggle before gaining a serious expression and turning to us the audience. “Just…callback…humor…”
…Just Pinkie being Pinkie, you think with a mind numbing sigh.
Of course nobody else in the group can see what she’s looking at, so they all turn and see you and the dragons instead.
“Grandbuggy!” you call out and the old bug grins ear to ear.
“Oh honey, there you are!” he says rushing up and giving you a hug.
“Grandbuggy, Grandbuggy! Daddy and Mommy and Sombra are back!” you cheer happily.
“I know kiddo, we all saw on the monitors,” he says just as enthusiastically.
“It was nuts! They fell through a crack in reality with the Sirens and…” you stop your little rant as you see Princess Celestia with bags under her eyes and her world view crumbling.
“Oh, uh…hi princesses,” you say timidly, having only publicly called them out less than an hour ago.
“Hello…little Nightshade,” Luna says still apprehensive over the whole ordeal.
“Yeah…hi Nightshade,” Ms. Twilight says, still biting her lip. You then look to Celestia, who turns her gaze from you, a look of shame on her face.
“Yeah…this is awkward isn’t it?” you say aloud.
“Oh yeah, definitely,” Spike says, while nodding his head towards Frost, who really looks like he feels out of place amongst the group.
“And it’s going to be that way till we all get to sit down and talk, but we ain’t got that luxury right now,” Grandbuggy points out.
The stadium rumbles again from the battle and Cadence steps forth.
“Remember everypony, we get through this first, then we chat. Right now we need info only pertaining to these events,” she says.
“That’s right, did our sisters get out okay?” Rarity asks the red and blue dragons.
“Yeah, they’re fine. We got a nice little exit secured,” Ember reassures.
“Thank goodness there,” Applejack sighs.
“Yeah, it was starting to snow, but they went off into town to find help,” Garble says and Cadence and Shining’s eyes widen.
“What?” Ember says noticing their expression.
“If it’s snowing, then the Crystal Heart must have been taken off it’s pedestal!” Cadence says with worry.
“It’s the only thing keeping the Arctic conditions out of the city.”
“Oh…yeah, that’s bad,” Garble says dumbly.
“Which is why we gotta stop this soon,” you say with authority. “Now that we’ve found you we can get you all out of the stadium, and once we’re done fighting the plundervine monster and Flag Burner we’ll find the Heart and-“
“The plan has changed chica,” Ahuizotl says.
“Huh?”
“We’re getting the magic dampener off line so that the Princesses, Elements and Shiny boy there get their juice back,” Grandbuggy explains. “Especially if the Crystal Heart’s been removed, the lovebirds need to put up their giant bubble.”
“He’s right, Nightshade, we have to get our powers back ASAP!” Cadence says with urgency.
You look to her, and to the other Princesses and the Elements, and even Shining Armor. They look okay physically, but none of them have magic or their full flight capabilities or strength. The only ones that do are your fellow Outcasts, Spike and Frost.
“What, like an escort mission? Those are ALWAYS the worst part about any videogame!” you complain.
And before anyone else can agree or disagree with that assessment, Fluttershy speaks up.
“Um, I think someponies would appreciate being shown the exit,” she says pointing to the screen.
On it, you all see as the audience members make their way out of their seats while the Sirens sing and the remaining Black Sun’s in the stands do absolutely nothing about it.
“Gorramn, when Beardo talked about fighting singing seaponies in the past, I thought he was taking the piss about how dangerous they were,” Grandbuggy mutters and you whistle impressed.
“Beardo?” Twilight asks.
“Starswirl the Bearded Sparkles,” he says offhoof and she, Celestia and Luna go wideeyed.
“You Knew Starswirl?!”
“Yeah, yeah, he was a bit of a grumpy bucker if I’m honest,” he rolls his eyes.
“But that’s impo-“ Twilight starts and you cut her off.
“Grandbuggy was a time traveler for a long time,” you say simply.
“What?!” she exclaims.
“Eyup,” he agrees and looks to the princesses. “I was even in the crowd at your coronations.”
“You were?” Celestia asks in shock.
“Yeah, would have had first row seats, but the Doc was hiding from Princess Platinum after he accidentally got engaged to her and-“
He is interrupted as a door opens not too far from you all. You all tense and prep for a fight, but then you see as a group of civilians, being led by depowered guards.
“Guards!” Shining barks out strongly and the armored protectors light up with relief.
“Sir!” one of them salutes and wanders over as you hear many of the civilians muttering about the Princesses and you.
“Sitrep soldier!” Shining orders.
“Sir, those singing sea horses have mind controlled the terrorists, and they’ve encouraged everyone to vacate so we don’t get caught up in the Offender’s crossfire.” Just to emphasize that point, the stadium rumbles again. “Or those giant beasts sir!”
“Alright then, I want you and the other guards to start organizing the civilians, there’s a small exit that’s been created, but it’s gonna have to be single file in order to get everypony out,” he orders. “The dragons there will give you the directions.”
“Sir!” the stallion salutes and rushes over to speak to Ember and Garble who start giving directions to the hole they chewed, while also warning of the vines covering the outside. After getting the info, some more guards run off to find the other groups, and Ahuizotl and Daring warn them to watch for traps and any stray Suns.
With a large crowd of audience members entering and exiting your area, your group has huddled off to the side. And though the situation is still tense, you see many of the ponies, civilian, athlete, and guard alike giving looks of praise to you.
“Huh, weird to be getting so many looks like that after so long,” you say aloud.
“Tell me about it…this is weird,” Frost says uncomfortably, huddled next to you and Spike.
“Hey now buddy, try to relax a little or you’ll pass out,” you try to encourage but he just looks at you incredulously.
“How can I? At any moment the Princesses could turn on me if they figure out what I am,” he whisper yells.
“There’s not a chance of that happening pal, we’ve got bigger fish to fry, and you did help save them. Twice!” Spike points out and the colt looks down with his ears flopping.
“I mean…well…”
“It’ll be alright Frost,” you say patting his shoulder and her looks up. “Heck, half my group are former criminals, and you can bet I’m gonna be asking for Get out of Jail Free cards after this is all over. They owe us.”
“Oh…okay,” he says looking to the Princesses as they bark orders with Shining. He still looks unsure, but he’s sweating a lot less.
“Alrighty, with all the civvies, maybe we’ll have to split the group if we wanna shut off the dampener now,” Grandbuggy muses aloud.
“Perhaps we could have the Dragons here with the Princesses and Us in case of stray Black Suns, and the rest can go with Shiny into the sub basement?” Twilight suggests.
“Doesn’t sound too bad, but I really hate splitting the party,” Grandbuggy grumbles and Shining shivers.
“Trust me, as a veteran Ogres and Oubliettes player, I know the feeling,” Shining says with understanding.
“Huh, Gygax actually went and made his little nerd game for real?” Grandbuggy says in surprise. “Shoot, that’s another guy I owe 20 bits.”
“Well whatever we do, we gotta get a move on,” you say impatiently before you notice something. “Wait a second, where’s Greta at?”
“Probably lost and being useless,” Garble snarks and you frown at him.
“No seriously, where is she?”
“Haven’t seen her in a hot minute,” Grandbuggy shrugs. “But seeing as how the magic dampeners are still online she-“
Suddenly there is a wave of energy that washes over you all. It’s like the sensation of being full of static electricity and your ears popping after a climb in elevation. And while you don’t feel all that different, suddenly everyone else feels as though a switch has been flipped and are full of a lot more energy.
“Wait, did everyling just…?” you question and immediately Twilight lights up her horn.
“It’s back everypony! The magic’s back!” she exclaims excitedly. This sets of a train reaction as Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Shining and Rarity all light up their horns, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash start hovering more effectively, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie get more energetic.
“And while everyone stares at this new development in surprise, and Frost winces because of fully powered princesses, Ember looks to Garble with a cocky grin.
“You were saying?” she says to his stupid dumbfounded face.
In the Dampener Room
Greta the Griffon lets out a sigh of relief and triumph, her talon still on the deactivation switch. All around her are the knocked out forms of a large group of heavily armed Black Sun’s members. Some appear to have been choked out, others have had their faces slammed into hard surfaces, and yet many more have been blasted by the Dark Canon, or taken out by martial arts strikes.
The Griffon herself has a few singe marks here and there on her feathers and leonine tail, and a bruise or two, but other than that, she is pristine as is her cardboard box. She takes a cigar out that she pilfered from Grandbuggy, lights it up with the still heated barrel of the Dark Cannon, and takes a long drag. She holds it for a moment, before letting the smoke out slowly as she stares at the ceiling in bliss, striking a mesmerizing pose that any species would drool at.
“Heh heh, thank you Kojima-san…thank you for the victory this day,” she says as she takes another puff. “I promise you this, if we get out of this today I will dedicate my life to bankrupting Konami into the ground for their sins…”
Taking a few more choice puffs, she looks over at a security monitor in the room, watching as the Spectral Dragon and Plant Monster fight, as the Hooded Offender and Flag Burner do the same.
“I suppose I should help with that,” she says as she puts out the cigar, holsters the Dark Canon and picks up one of the many laser rifles littering the room. “I mean, if the Offender is back, then I gotta show him I haven’t squandered his gift.”
She then points the gun at the Dampener panel and pulls the trigger, frying the circuits in a shower of sparks.
“Just in case,” she smirks as she rushes off to get to the field, grabbing the cardboard box along the way, just for good measure.
Back in the Corridor
“Well it looks like Greta did something useful after all,” Grandbuggy smirks as he looks over the lot of you.
“Damn straight she did,” you say with a manic grin. “Now we don’t have to split up.”
“Right,” Cadence nods in agreement before looking to the crowd. “Continue to follow the guards to the exit in an organized manner.”
“Yes Princess,” her citizens respond and she smirks before looking to everyone.
“Well, we’ve still got a job to right?”
Everyone looks pumped and ready to go, from the Outcasts, to the Elements, to Frost and Spike.
Princess Celestia and Princess Luna look to one another, a silent conversation in one look before they both nod.
“Thou ist correct my niece! Tis Time For Battle!” Luna shouts in the RCV.
“Yes my little ponies and other assorted creatures…” Celestia says before taking a deep breath and steeling herself. “I never thought I would say this, but let’s go back up the Offender and his allies!”
“Buck Yeah!” you shout in triumph as everyone else cheers.
“Heh, it’s about Gorramned Time,” Grandbuggy smirks.
WARGAMES’s Comment
Ello Calebero’s Comment
You then pull out your Power Pole and the Boomstick Daddy gave you and connect them with some earth bending.
“Last one to the field is a rotten egg!” you shout as you fly off down the corridor, leading the pack.
And so, the Outcasts, Royals, and Elements run with you, not after you, towards the field to help your family.
Grandbuggy’s right, it’s about Gorramned Time.
POV CHANGE: Bugze (You)
With the majority of the audience members now vacated, the Sirens have finally moved onto singing at the two giant monsters…which forces them to dodge and weave as both will occasionally take swipes at them.
“Ugh! This would be so much easier with an accompanying band!” Adagio curses as she swims under a Plundervine that whips at her.
“There’s marching band drums on the sidelines,” Sonata points out and dives over a blast of spectral dragon’s breath.
“That ain’t gonna work with our rhythm dummy,” Aria scoffs as she free falls to get out of the way of both titans as they crash into each other.
“Try something more upbeat!” Adagio orders as she starts singing as the other two catch on.
And while their spectral forms form around them and they begin swimming towards both monsters, you and Flag Burner still slug it out. Being inspired by the catchy song, you hold your hoof out and yell,
“Would You Kindly Light Em Up?!” as a torrent of fire washes over the mech…but it doesn’t stick as he rushes through it.
Motherbucker! You think angrily as you block his attack and claw at the side of one of the legs.
“You think that fire is going to do a damned thing Offender?!” Flag cackles and blasts at you with a laser.
“It will if it sticks!” you growl as you dodge another volley of missiles.
Bugze, try a Molotov! Selena instructs.
Wait, really? You question and she nods.
Perhaps with a fuel source present, the flames will stick to his armor, she explains.
Or better yet, enter any openings and smoke the morsel out, Sombra adds.
Eh, worth a shot, you shrug as you pull out one of the molotovs, light the rag with the hover board, and toss it at the robot.
Removed From the Inventory
1 Molotov (3 Remain)
The glass shatters and fire finally sticks to the robot.
“Yeah!” you cheer…but a little too soon. “Gyah!” you grunt as he launches a harpoon tied to a cable into one of your wings. The cable then forcefully retracts and you are pulled towards his fiery form.
Buck! You think as you pull out Second Law, and with a little boost of Air Bending, you fire snuffing out the flames and causing the robot to stagger. Instead of catching you in a bear hug, you both strike chest to chest and tumble to the ground.
“I Am Not A Gorramned Fish!” you roar as you bite the wire in half. You then have your tails remove the harpoon from your crystalline wing, which immediately heals over with more crystal.
“No, you’re the bait on the hook to get the fish cockroach!” Burner grunts as he stands up and aims the shoulder mounted laser weapon at you, but your tails throw the harpoon right into the opening, which causes it to spark and explode. “Ack!” he cries out as his weapon becomes inoperable.
“Looks like the fish took your whole line!” you quip as he growls. Noticing that the damaged weapon now has exposed circuitry, an insane idea comes to you.
Removed From the Inventory
Mangle’s Head (Human World Version)
The mechanical fox barks as rush towards the mech, slam your tails into the ground and flap your wings at the same time, and front flip over your foe as he tries and fails to strike at you. While still in midair, you clamp Mangle’s exposed neck stump onto the sparking opening of the shoulder mount.
“Pierce the Heavens!” you cry out to the fox who gives you a wink as you finish your flip and land on the other side.
“Pierce the wh-Huh?” Flag Burner yelps as a groaning, mechanical whir comes from his suit. “What the buck is this?”
“Cursed Technology!” you proclaim as you spin around and give a flaming falcon bunch to his exposed back.
“AHHH!!!” Flag cries as the suit spits 180 degrees and falls onto it’s back, none of it’s limbs working. “Why won’t you work?!”
“Skreonk!” the Mangle head says as it’s wires start to connect with the suit’s even more.
That was extremely clever my bug, how did you come up with that one? Selena asks impressed as the mech twitches.
Eh, I just remembered how our Mangle cannibalized and took over the bodies of all the other animatronics last year, so I figured I might as well try, you explain.
…Whoever was the architect of these automatons is truly a horrifying mind, Sombra mutters.
All machines are evil remember? Now, let’s crack open this oyster, you think with a grin.
You reach out with your claws and attempt to pry the lid off of his cockpit area, but it does not budge.
“You’re not getting in here Offender! Only the pilot or someone with clearance can open this shell!” he spouts, and you can hear him hammering buttons on the inside. Gritting your teeth, you spot a slim crack near the damaged missile launcher and you get another good idea.
“Well, then why don’t you open it up for us? Would You Kindly Swarm?” you say holding your glove to the opening, and you feel the bees form around the holes in your foreleg appear and enter the opening.
You hear more whirring sounds, then a cry out surprise, and then panic followed by the sound of buzzing bees inside the cockpit.
“Not the bees! Not The Bees! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Flag Burner wails inside as the swarm stings him relentlessly.
All across Equestria, those watching can’t help but wince at this method, rubbing phantom stings on their own limbs.
“Open up if you don’t want to swell up like a balloon Burner!” you order, and after a few more moments of wails a hiss is heard and gas escapes the cockpit from a seam. Smirking, you reach down to pull it open more…
“Surprise Motherbucker!” Flag Burner shouts as the lid jettisons off of the mech at high speed.
“OOF!” you grunt as the hunk of metal crashes into you and throws you back a hundred feet. Growling, you use your tails to throw the lid to the side and stand back up. Looking back towards him, you see as the cloud of bees leaves the opening, as a laser beam fries many of them.
“What in the…?” you start before the mech suddenly lifts up to a sitting position, and you see heat coming off of Burner’s robotic eye as he glares daggers at you.
The mech hands then reach up, grab the bewildered Mangle who barks in fear, and tear the offending head off of it, followed by a shower of electric sparks.
“How tough is this bucking suit?!” you growl as he stands back up, now with his upper torso exposed, which has many bee sting welts.
“You don’t crawl out of the grave and expect to be put back so easily!” he says menacingly as he tosses Mangle over his shoulder.
“SKREOOOONNNKKK!!!” the machine cries as it goes sailing across the field.
Well at least there’s an opening in his armor no- Selena starts before a shimmering field encases his exposed parts. OH COME ON!
“You think I would face you again without being prepared?” he says with a smirk. “My dear friend has given me all I need to defeat you.”
“Well Buck You And Buck Your Friend Too?!” you growl as your tails whip about and he smiles.
“Uhhh, Bugze?” you hear Sonata call out, but you ignore her.
“I think you would have a very hard time facing someone as clever as DWC,” Burner taunts.
“Bugze?!” Aria calls out.
“I don’t even know who this DWC is but his name is stupid and he sounds like a chump!” you insult.
“Hey, Bugze!” Adagio yells but you ignore her too.
This bucking suit is going to be a pain ripping all the limbs off. Thoughts?
We are still holding our own and some of his weapons are damaged, perhaps we should just go for a war of attrition, Sombra theorizes.
If we can get the field down, perhaps we could invade his mindscape, Selena suggests. Though if he’s part machine, I don’t know how effective that will be.
Well it looks like we’re just gonna have to keep banging our head against this rock till something breaks and-
“BUGZE!!!” all three Sirens shout.
“WHAT?!!” you shout impatiently up at the hovering seaponies. They simply respond by pointing across the field…and your jaw drops. “What The Buck…?”
Where before there were two battling creatures, there is now one. That doesn’t mean one triumphed over the other one however.
“KKKKKKKRRRRRRAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!!” a deafening roar rings out throughout the stadium as an unholy amalgamation of the Plundervine Monster and Midnight Dragon hovers above the field.
Midnight mist wafts off the creature, as it’s skeletal structure is now made up entirely of plundervines, the face itself is a combination of the previous two creatures, and it is the thing of nightmares, as many watching can attest to.
“…Is this the work of your dark master Offender? Trying to take away my pawns?” Flag growls at you.
“Uhhhh…” you trail off and look to the Sirens expectantly. “Who did that?”
“We didn’t do it on purpose!” Sonata excuses.
“Yeah man, all we did was hit a crescendo and blast the dragon into the plant thing,” Aria adds.
“It’s not like we were trying to fuse them together!” Adagio harrumphs.
“Well I don’t care if it wasn’t your intention, you need to fix that!” you exclaim.
“No duh,” Adagio rolls her eyes. “You mind lending a hand?”
“I don’t have those anymore, and right now I’m dealing with him!” you say pointing to Burner, just in time to catch him as he nearly skewers you with that same harpoon from earlier. “GAH! You Cheapshotting Flankhole!”
“You covered me in bees!” he shouts as he kicks out a leg which makes you stumble and gives him the opportunity to fling you backward, even farther from the plant-dragon hybrid.
“I’ll help you as soon as I’m finished with him!” you shout to the sirens who look at each other nervously. They don’t have the luxury of sitting around for long though as the dragon flies towards them, trying to ensnare them in it’s vines.
“AAAAHHHH!!!” they shout as they swim through the air.
“Oh for-Would You Kindly Freeze?!” you shout as you send a blast of ice towards the dragon while blocking a strike from Burner. It doesn’t do much, but the blast does knock the dragon’s aim off enough to help Aria avoid it’s mouth.
“Thanks dude!” she calls out.
“No Pro-GYAK!” you choke as Flag slams the blunt end of the harpoon into your throat, and you retaliate with a punch to his midsection, which glances off of the magic field.
Up above in the mad dash, the Dazzlings regroup.
“Dagi, what do we sing now?!” Sonata begs her older sibling.
“I’m thinking, I’m thinking!” she says through gritted teeth as the plant-dragon swoops around and flies back towards them.
“Any time now!” Aria says hectically. “It’s not like we’re getting any more help!”
And just as she says that 6 beams of magical light, one golden, one blue, one pink, one purple, one light blue, and one midnight blue strike the dragon midflight, causing it to roar and crash into the stands.
“…Well buck whatever I say then,” Aria says as she and the other shocked sisters look down. Even you and Flag take a second to look at the commotion…and see 5 alicorns and one unicorn stallion with smoke wafting off their horns.
“Oh hey, Bugze’s kid brought help,” Sonata says while waving and down below the alicorn filly waves back.
“The Cavalry has arrived!” Nightshade says triumphantly holding the Power-Boomstick above her head and standing in unison with the other princesses and Shining Armor. And as she says that, the Deadly 6, Outcasts, Spike and Frost run onto the field behind them. You even see Plush Mangle, carrying the head of Human World Mangle, and starting to assimilate with it, growing larger.
“Well would you look at that,” you say gleefully.
She actually went and rallied them, Selena says proudly.
And they’ve got their magic back, Sombar notes as does Flag who snarls.
“Cool, thanks for that, but that thing’s still kicking!” Adagio says pointing to the group, recognizing some of them that Shade had described before.
“I’d be disappointed if it wasn’t!” Dash says as she and Daring fly off towards the plant dragon as it starts to sit back up.
“Be careful girls, this thing is a fusion of dark and chaotic magic!” Twilight warns.
“Which means it’s gonna be a hay of a rodeo taking it down!”
“Not to mention it looks like a dragon!” Fluttershy says timidly.
“With terrible symmetry and color pallete I might add!” Rarity says in disgust.
“And I’m contributing to the conversation too!” Pinkie finishes.
“Wow, they really are pony versions of Sunset’s friends,” Aria mutters as she observes the Elements.
“And the Principals,” Sonata adds, pointing to the other princesses.
“Well, let’s back them up then,” Adagio says as she starts singing, with the other sisters following suit.
After the first volley, the dragon is now back on it’s feet and it charges at the group.
“Here it comes,” Shining announces and Celestia looks in your direction.
“Offen…No, BUGZE!” Celestia calls out and you are shocked to hear her name come from her.
“Yeah?!” you call back.
“We will deal with this monstrosity, and keep it out of your hair!”
“Can you handle Burner yourself?!” Luna adds.
“Uh, yeah?” you say still feeling weird about the situation even as Cadence, Fluttershy and the others smile in your direction.
“Of course you can boy! You three took back Appleloosa, a giant tin can ain’t gonna best ya!” Grandbuggy encourages and you feel yourself swell with happiness hearing his voice.
“Uh, yeah I can handle him,” you say even as the stallion brims with rage. “How about you guys?!”
To answer your question, the minute the monster gets within range, three blasts of fire from Spike, Ember and Garble erupt, halting it’s progress before Nightshade extends the Power Pole up into the monster’s face, striking it with the Boomstick.
“We got this Dad! Now Buck That Fool Up!” she calls out as the other start blasting at the dragon. You can tell it won’t be a one-sided fight, from either side.
And with everyling else there, then Nightshade need not lose control, Selena muses.
I sure hope so, you think as you turn back to face Burner.
Puzzling Frost’s Comment
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve given back their power,” he seethes and you glare him down. “Before that thing even had sentience, the useless royals were captured by the vines. Those fools will not be able to bring it down.”
“Yeah, and earlier you were so sure you could control it, but look how that turned out,” you insult.
“I will take control of it again, after I’ve finally brought you down…” he threatens as his eye flares red. “When you lie broken at my hooves, they too will fall.”
“And like I’ve been saying Flag, that ain’t gonna happen,” you respond back and he smiles maniacally.
“Come now, let’s finish what we started in Fillydelphia, I know our audience would love to see it,” he taunts as he flexes the fist of the right gauntlet and a blade weaved with orichalcum extends, causing both you and Selena to wince. “Time to die Offender.”
“Didn’t you hear me before?” you grunt as you reach into the inventory. “No one dies today. Rurouni!”
And with that pass code, you unsheathe the Jet Stream Sam Sword and point the reversed high frequency blade at him causing his one fleshy eye to widen.
“You want your revenge so badly?” you taunt.
“Then come and take it madstallion,” Selena orders.
“If you think you can,” Sombra finishes.
“Oh I can! I know I can!” he says as he sprints towards you and thrusts the gauntlet blade at you, to which you parry.
“Typical mad dog. All bark, and no bite!”
“OFFENDER!!!”
“BURNER!!!” you yell into each other’s faces as the others face off against the Plundervine Spectral Dragon.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
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Yay. Very nice chapter.
Amazing chapter! OMG Frost is so cute in this, such a shy little pony!! And just after he was on a murderous rampage in the last chapter XD
School is bad right now so I'm going to do a quick comment while I have the idea in my head. ON WITH THE SHOW
(Theme for the beast)
POV Shift Nightshade
“HERE IT COMES!” Rainbow shouts as the monstrosity charges toward you. You let loose a volley of magic missiles as the other alicorns fire their own respective blasts. The monster roars in as its body splits apart letting the blasts pass through harmlessly.
“OH, THAT’S BULLSPIT!” You, Aria, and Spike shout in annoyance.
“Spike!” Twilight scolds before teleporting out of the way of the creature.
“Scolding later! Fight and Survive now!” Shining shouts as he barrel rolls out of its way. The monster bashes against the stadium bleachers breaking through several layers of crystal.
“We have to keep in here! If it gets out the entire city will be at risk!” He ignites his horn and summons a bubble shield around the beast as it tries to stand up. You along and the other princesses at your magic to the mix keeping in its cage. The beast’s head reshapes itself to face you and roars.
"SHA DO RU!"
It roars as its eyes glow before firing off a pair of red lasers. It pushes against the shield cracking it.
“Hold it back!” Luna cries, only for it to open its maw and unleash a torrent of midnight hellfire from its maw. The combined blast cracks the shield further before it expands its wings breaking the bubble.
“SHA DO RU!!”
It cries as it fires off a hail of flaming plant seeds.
“Look out!” Rarity shouts before summoning a diamond-shaped shield. The rest raise their own shields while the flyers dodged the fire.
Suddenly a burst of flaming tendrils and flytraps launch out of the ground all around you.
“¡Ah, eso está caliente!” Ahuizotl shouts as one of the tendrils slash at him. The others are confronted by more as they pop out of the ground. The Dazzlings turn to the beast and release a banshee scream to keep it at bay.
“Alright, I call hacks!” You huff as you slam your boomstick into the ground. The shock wave smashes the ground unrooting some of the flaming vines. You turn and see a flytrap sprout behind AJ, before you could do anything a black arrow beam slices it in too
“TAKE THAT YOU FLAMING FRENZY PLANT!” Greta shouts as she flies out from one of the stadium entrances.
“Greta!” You shout happily. She winks at you before firing off some more blasts on the plants.
“Way to go girl!” Grandbuggy shouts as he slices a plant with his bowler hat.
“It ain’t over yet!” Daring shouts as the monster slaps away the sirens with its wing. You ignite your horn and catch them before they crash.
“Does anyone have the number of that bus?” Sonata says dizzily.
“You guys okay?” You ask, they nod as they get their bearings. Adagio’s eyes suddenly widen.
“Kid look out!” She cries as you turn to see a flaming fly trap lurching towards you. Before you could blink an ice pillar shoots out from the wet ground and skewers it. You turn to see Frost, he gives you a reluctant nod.
“SHA DO RU!!”
The monster cries once more as it flaps its wings. It leaps into the air and hovers over all of you. It extends its wings as several flytraps appear on its body. They lurch back before vomiting balls of midnight blue fire towards the ground.
“Incoming fire! Literally!” Pinkie screams as before dodging a blast.
“Darn piranha plant rip-offs!” Greta yells flying out of the way of the fire.
“Shields now!” Celestia orders as she raises her own above her and your allies.
“GAH!” You turn to see Frost pinned by a plant as several fireballs head toward him.
“FROST!” You shout in terror. With a boom, the fireballs explode on impact. Horror fills your heart.
“Ugh! We have him Shade!” Cadence says as she hovers over him with a shield, along with Fluttershy as she stomps down the plant with surprising ferocity.
“YOU DON’T HURT OTHERS!” She shouts as stomping the tendril into pieces. Frost stares between the two in bewilderment and fear. Fluttershy turns to the colt, “Are you alright?” She says with a calming tone. Frost glances over to you quickly and you give a reassuring look. He then nods back to the mare.
“Don’t worry you’re safe now,” Cadence said, dropping down next to them.
"SHA DO RU!!!”
The beast roars once more, before firing off its blue hellfire.
“Run!” Applejack shouts as the fire hits the ground, a wave of fire blanking the field. Thinking quickly you earth bend a wall of rock around the fire preventing it from reaching the others.
“This freak doesn’t know when to quit!” You groan as the monster dives toward you.
“Hit the deck!” Daring yelled as it collided with the ground. You braced yourself as the beast sent a shockwave knocking you all back.
“SHA DO RU!”
It roared as picked itself back up.
“Why does it keep shouting that?!” Grandbuggy asked in annoyance.
“Maybe its saying its name like a pokemon? Shadoru?" Greta suggests you and those close to her gave her a deadpan look. "What you got any better ideas? Besides we gotta call it something other than 'Big Scary Plant Ghost Dragon'."
And that's all for now, hopefully more soon. IF school allows me.
Use the tazer on his harpoon the next time he shoots it at you
Light yourself on fire and promise yourself that you will only put it out once you beat him. Pain is a great motivator.
So, his suit may be fireproof, but it can still melt.
For nightshade, combine your earth bending with the affinity to fire that is granted by being related to Bugze to force a volcano under da man
Use the moon powers for power
Once again with the amazing chapter Browndog! Well worth the wait.
This was an awesome chapter!
Ahh I see what you did there. XD
Sadly I also can't think too much, maybe because too many fightings
----
"You know, at this rate I could even be happy if Discord was here... Why is that everytime there is a big fight that could decide the fate of Equestria he always seems to be missing?" Ask Bugzee to himself
"You will never win Bugzee! First I'll kill you and then I will kill Nightmare Moon!" Shout Flag Burner
"You will never touch my daughter" Say Bugzee punching him
"He sound like a broken disc... " Comment Sombra a little bored
"Whatever we do, we can't let him approach the monster" Say Selena to Bugzee
"Why?" Ask Bugzee as he evade another hit from Flag Burner and throw some dirt to his face making him scream
"I know you for a long time, with your bad luck and how Lady Luck hate you, it could not surprise me if just when he and the monsters are about to be defeated and we are all tired, suddenly something happen and they end fusing in another monstrosity that we need to ally together to defeat" Say Selena only to feel Sombra slapping her
"Are you stupid? Don't give her any ideas and never tempt her" Say Sombra as the three of them suddenly had the feeling of Lady Luck smiling and writing in a note bloc.
"Great, Just great" Groan Bugzee
"Give up Bugze! You are weak! Surrender and your death will be quick!" Shout Flag Burner
"If you can't say anything original, just shut up!" Screamed Bugzee as he defended with his sword and took a piece of Duct Tape and put it in Flag Burner mouth
Meanwhile with Nightshade
"So, while daddy is fighting the bad guy, we need to take the big bad monster, any ideas?" Ask Nightshade looking at the other alicorns without answer.
"Come on, anything? Don't tell me with all the times you got a fight against daddy and other baddies that now you have a blank" Say Nightshade looking at the Mean Six and the alicorns
"Well, darling, sorry is just that we usually don't have to fight giant monsters" Say Rarity
"And is not like we can do too much, I may be slow to think sometimes and a brute but even I know that a sonic Rainboom could do nothing to that thing" Say Rainbow Dash
"What about you Celestia? Luna? Come on, something you can be done? Throw a big Sun Ray? Summon a meteor? Anything?" Ask Nightshade
Is then that Celestia look at Nightshade
"If you want all the Crystal Empire and part of Equestria destroyed, a Sun Ray powerful enough to go trough the dark clouds in the north could melt all the snow and create a tsunami that could engulf everything from here to Canterlot, and a Meteor could make this area unable to live even with the Crystal Heart for a long time" Say Celestia to Nightshade making her groan
"Great... Anyone have a idea?" Ask Nightshade only to feel Mangle appear out from the inventory with her Ocarina.
"Whatever, at this point I can try" Say Nightshade as she put the Ocarina in her lips and use the 'Song of Storms' summoning a storm as she hope that some lighting hit the monster
All I’m gonna say is, I best hope the doctor was joking. Flag’s going down, and bugze is gonna live a long gorramned life of normalcy after this. If Bugze doesn’t marry Selena I’m gonna commit crimes!
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It was actually future Thorax that said the thing
You should definitely have Cadence ask Bugze about her stabbing him, only for it to be about the other world
The only problem I have is that the cover doesn't have Bugzes' hair. Otherwise this as perfect of a continuation as I could ask for
Why do I have a feeling that Flag Burners going to be like Sensor Armstrong from Metal Gear.
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WHATEVER THE CASE
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Or possibly wesker.
I think I know what DWC stands for now.
I bet the deadly 6 and the princesses are gonna give Bugze the biggest apology that they could possibly muster for not giving him a chance to begin with after they're done with the crazy battle. I'm not sure how it's gonna go, I'm just waiting for them to apologize for antagonizing the poor guy this whole time. Seeing Celestia cry her eyes out means that it might happen. Something tells me that Bugze would have mixed feelings about that: Relief, Forgiveness, a small amount of anger for obvious reasons, and a hint of discomfort for some reason.
The demon slayer main music plays as Bugze gets ready to use a powerful attack, dodging flag burners attacks and then hits flag burner as a bunch of smoke is released into the air around it. Bugze stands there. Feeling accomplished. Before the smoke clears revealing Bugze missed almost completely, only damaging the most useless part of the mech/flag burner.
(I kinda thought of Rui’s defeat when I wrote this so that’s why I put demon slayer main music but anything is optional, I just thought of that song.)
Eventually Bugze and his mind roommates manage to do enough damage to the mecha that Flag is forced to eject himself from the machine. Bugze of course takes this as the mecha being finished for good, especially as it starts to shake uncontrollably while steam escapes its many joints. However he is shocked that Flag starts to laugh mockingly after he mocks him about his suit being busted, and when Bugze questions him about what's so funny the crazed cultist sneers and begins to rant,
"You utter FOOL! If you think I simply stole this mecha then you have another thing coming. Much like myself my benefactor upgraded this glorious machine past its previous limits. It is no longer a shoddy attempt to fight back against your dark magic! Instead..."
Suddenly clumps of machine bits start shooting off the mecha, flying and crashing all over the area as a cloud of steam covers the mecha. A few moments pass and Bugze starts to think Flag was all bark and no bite, when suddenly a loud shout of 'Dodge' is the only warning he gets as he barely avoids getting his skull skewered by the bots blade.
Fast! Were the collective thoughts of our hero's as the steam clears to reveal the mecha once more.
The once bulky robot suit is now far slimmer and sleek, almost looking like some sort of suit of armor as replacing the pony seat was a metallic head similar to a knights helmet. The bot starts bending and moving about in ways far more flexible and speedier then its previous form. It's sword has somehow become more pointed and thinner, and to make matters worse those strange menacing symbols from the human world have appeared once more surrounding the mecha. At Bugze's shocked look Flag can only laugh mockingly as he shouts,
"Tremble in fright at the speed and ferocity of my SILVER CHARIOT! Now, knell broken before my hooves! DESTORY THEM, SILVER CHARIOT!"
The robotic suit thrust its sword at speeds vastly superior to its original form, and Bugze can only just barely doge most of its strikes but still gets numerous cuts across his body. After he manages to disengage Bugze and co don't know what just happened, but they do know that things just got far more complicated for them.
As the mecha starts to overwhelm Bugze, much to the shock of those watching, he tries to think of some way to get some breathing room. However, just as he's about to be stabbed a hulky form suddenly blindsides Silver Chariot, tackling it away from Bugze. Getting up to see what saved him he is both shocked, amused, and slightly terrorized at his savior.
For there punching Silver Chariot into the ground with their massive fist is Mangle, or rather both Mangles, whose massive body is made up of all the discarded bits from when Silver Chariot changed its form and from the damage its taken. Apparently the two heads managed to combine their processors (brains) together and hacked the bits of machine to create a similar form of their old Animatronic Amalgamation.
Usually Bugze would rant about evil machines, but considering the situation and how he actually likes the robot head from the human world he decide to give it a pass this time in favor of kicking Flag's butt.
Soon the two of you are working together, trading blow after blow against Silver Chariot, with any parts that fly off being absorbed by the Mangle's to further power them off. Flag tries to interfere, but the robot monstrosity simply bats the idiot back into a pile of crystal ruble. It wouldn't take long to defeat the mecha with the both of them working together, however both of them notice Nightshade and the other's beginning to struggle against the Dragon/Tree hybrid.
With a knowing nod between the two of you the Mangle's break off and pounce into the beast mouth, attacking from within ala the Hulk in The Avengers (or at least one of the things he did in the battle of New York) leaving Bugze to finish off the heavily damaged Silver Chariot.
Also a quick cut to the other's shock and awe at the sight of the Mangle's, with Nightshade gushing over her pet before mumbling like a certain Deku about how she should classify the two headed robot horror. Course this freaks some of the others yet, is ignored by those used to Bugze/Nightshade's habits, and cause a certain drake to mumble out how adorable it is.
10719551
After managing to destroy the suit for good Bugze charges at Flag, only to get flung back by a surprisingly powerful punch. Getting up Bugze is shocked to see Flag's entire body seemingly glowing as his muscle mass increases ten-fold. Bugze questions what's going on, to which Flag just grunts out,
"Nano-machines son!"
After that the mad pony seemingly loses most of his reasoning as he blindly charges at Bugze, the two going back to back with blows as Flag meets every punch head on with one of his own. The shear intensity and force of the punches starts to slowly life the two into the air, each yelling out their own chant and ignoring their defiance of the rules of reality.
Twilight naturally sees and kinda breaks down while trying to figure out how that is even remotely possible, but is snapped out of it by RD when she reminds them they need to fight the evil her's rouge dark magic.
The fight between Flag and Bugze is seemingly coming to an end, with Flag being far more injured and slowly losing ground despite his increased strength. As the two break off from another charge Flag collapses to the ground, and Bugze urges him to just stand down as he's clearly lost.
"Lost...lost...LOST!?"
Despite being in clear pain Flag forces hi body to stand up, glaring in pure hatred at the bug before him as he starts to growl out,
"This! This isn't a lost! You have no idea what a lost is! You can't even begin to comprehend what it means to truly lose, to be beaten into the ground with no hope of ever getting back up! Of what I lost!"
Bugze subconsciously glances at the locket hanging around Flag's neck, a reminder of the daughter he lost and what lead him down this path of vengeance and destruction. A flash of The Nightmare crosses Bugze's mind and he tries to speak up, but is cut off by Flag's angry howls.
"I have crawled my way out from the very depths of Tartarus itself! I have beaten, deceived, manipulated, and killed to reach where I am today! To the cusp of my victory, ready to finally achieved what I have longed so much for! To bestow my vengeance upon everypony who has ever wronged me! AND YOU!"
Flag stares at you, his eyes lost to swirls of madness as his emotions take control.
"You robbed me of my victory! You stole form me what was rightfully mine! I was so close to getting my revenge and you had to get! In! My! WAY!"
The raw hate in his tone actually causes Bugze to step back subconsciously, and for the former king in his head to shiver at the sight. An unwelcome image of himself long ago overlaying the mad revolutionary before them.
"Well no more! Today is the day I finally have my revenge! You can't stop me, nopony can ever stop me! Especially with the key to my victory being right in my hooves!"
Flag pulls from behind him a strange looking syringe, its needle replaced with some sort of rectangle bit (think usb drive).
"DWC gave this to me, a last resort to finally reach my calling. Apparently it removes my limits at the cost of, well, me." His nonchalant tone at that causes Bugze to stare at him in horror, which is seemingly what he wanted as he laughs mockingly, "At this point, I don't care. I'll do whatever it takes to claim my vengeance. Besides...."
Flag gives you a cruel smug look as he says,
"Even if I fail, I'll die knowing you will forever blame yourself for my lost. After all, you killed me once before so another time won't be any different. Just remember Offender, its your fault!"
With that declaration he stabs the syringe into himself before Bugze could get a chance to stop him, and the effect is almost instantaneous. Flag's red coat becomes much lighter and steam escapes his every haggard breath . His face whips towards you, foam dripping from his snout as he wails in rage before charging you. His pupils gone, leaving only white nothingness emitting nothing but rage.
Flag Burner was no more, his rage taking over him completely as he only sought Bugze and anyone else who was nearby deaths. What was once a stallion lost to the grief of his daughter was now nothing but a hallow mess of rage and spite. All that remained...was Rage.
Was gonna add more, even an outcome to the fight, but this comment has gone on long enough. I'll probably add another one later or tomorrow, but feel free to add to it or make an ending of your own!
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I’ll be honest I completely forgot he had a daughter. What chapter in season 2 was that revealed?
10725609
I think it was either the last or second to last episode of the Die Horde arc, or the first part of it when Flag captures Bugze.
I do remember that Bugze got his eye scar from that necklace cutting him across his face though.
10725611
Thanks I'm gonna go through and check that later
Many beings were watching the battle around Equestria.
Currently, the camera was centered on your battle with Burner, showing the empty part of the messy field. Every other second, the swift movement of air could be heard caused by you and your opponent moving so quickly, the only clue being the grass and dust flying where you were a second ago.
Flash Sentry watched as a bead of sweat trailed down the side of his head.
A couple clashes of your strikes could be heard.
Many pony's in Ponyville watched anxiously. Aloe had her hooves together and prayed to the gods, routing for you all the way despite things.
The camera nearly missed you two dashing across it's view, too quick to follow.
Trixie sat in her hospital bed, watching her room's display. "Bugze..." She breathed out.
The camera managed to see you dodge one of burner's punches, before jumping back.
Young colts and fillies looked on with awe, like they were reading their favorite comic book, or show.
Burner flew straight at you and you jumped back.
Even Zecora watched in anticipation with a steady look, hoping for your wellbeing.
When you two were seen exchanging blows in one second, in the next you were already gone.
Some fighting the dragon/vine monster looked back at times to see if you were alright, even when they looked closely, it was hard to tell what was going on.
You dodged a right hook by ducking down, and wrapped a tail around your right hoof.
"Falcon Shoryuken!" You yell as you get him under his metal chin. As he's in the air from you uppercut, you spin and yell, "Falcon Kick!" Kicking him towards the stands, breaking some of the seating with his abrupt landing.
He stands up, not fazed in the slightest. "Not bad." He says, smirking.
"Could say the same to you." You say glaring at him. "Unfortunatley, you're not putting much work, the suit's doing all the work for you."
"Like the mare and stallion in your head isn't assisting you aswell?" He laughs. "In war, there are no rules." He says, taking a battle stance again.
*Some fighting choreography*
He sends you flying into the side of the field, the impact on the wall sent dust flying everywhere. On the camera, everyone watched as Flag Burner stood still watching the cloud of dust in front of him, hiding his view of you.
"Come out Offender we both know that's not enough to stop you." He says in a booming voice.
There's no hint of movement in the smoke.
"Bugze?" Trixie says in worry.
Big Mac gritted his teeth. "Cmon, cus..."
Burner stood still for a little longer, before getting a little impatient. "If you don't come out I'm going to help the monster defeat your friends!" He threatens.
Still nothing.
Burner furrowed his brows. "Enough games, Offender!"
Then he heard something behind him, it sounded like an elastic band being pulled.
He turned his body halfway and looked behind him, seeing you with a bow and ice arrow prepared in your tails.
"Lives aren't to be played with, Flag Burner."
He glares at you.
"And this isn't a game."
You shoot, and the arrow hits him on the chest. The arrow itself doesn't do damage, but the enchantment on it certainly helps. Slowly, Burner could only watch as he in the suit started to be engulfed with ice, he tried to wiggle out of it but to no avail. He was frozen in it.
"That isn't enough, Bugze." Selena says.
"I know." You sprint forward, lighting your horn. "But now he can't dodge until he breaks out of it."
The ice in front of his glare cracks.
"Help me with this one."
Coming out of your horn, projections of Selena and Sombra appear, sprinting at the same speed to your right and left. You and Sombra let Selena get to him first.
Raising her hoofs, she timed it to the point where when the exact instant Burner managed to break the ice he was trapped him, she got the first punch.
Then the next one followed.
Then the one after that.
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
"WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
"MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA!"
"MUDA!"
One last blow knocks him up in the air.
Sombra then jumped up to him, encasing his hoof in dark magic.
"ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!"
"ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!"
"ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!"
"ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!"
"ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA! ORA!"
"ORA!"
The last punch sent him to the ground, where you stood.
Using tails around your hoofs....
"ATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATA!"
"ATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATA"
"ATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATAATATATATATATA!"
"ATOU!"
You managed to knock him back across the entire far end of the stadium. The mech dragging and bouncing many times against the field, creating another cloud of smoke, becoming even larger once he lands one last time. Many who watch could not keep their jaws closed at what they just witnessed.
The Princess have funny bewildered expressions, mostly because they are used to your shenanigans and foolery, but seeing Selena and Sombra in the same sense could not be anything but confusing.
You stare at the Burner in his mech, the machine so busted that you could bet your entire life earnings that the stallion wouldn't be able to use it anymore.
Then, you see the shadow of Flag Burner eject from the seat through the dust. His fleshy and furry pony body out in the open and exposed.
In Fillydelphia, many ponies watched in astonisment. A lot of them remembering what happened that terrible day, knowing who was the one who caused it.
Eventually, the dust clears, and the camera was centered on Flag, who wasn't all the injured despite taking all those blows.
A stallion in a large silent crowd of ponies in Fillydelphia looked on. "F- Fl-..."
"Flag Burner!" He yelled, stopping the trance of the crowd and making more of them react.
Now he was vulnerable.
Time to finally end this.
But then the mad Stallion starts to laugh.
Queue comment
10725115
And then, after it seems that Bugzee managed to win and Flag Burner is defeated he got up shouting
"You Fool, You did well, but this is not my final form! I have still three or four forms the next more powerful" And get ready to power up shouting and charging energy only for nothing happen.
"Wait a moment, I think I did something wrong" Flag Burner began to charge energy again only for Bugzee to just throw a flying kick in his face
"As if I will let you do it" Shout Bugzee as he began to slap him in the face.
"This is for trying to kill my daughter" Slap "This is for calling my daughter Nightmare Moon" Slap "This is for not listening to her" slap "This is for trying to conquer Equestria" slap "this is for what you did to the crystal empire" slap "This is for the mecha you stole" slap "This is for all the bad things you did" slap "And" slap "this" slap "is" slap "For" slap "making" slap "me" slap "think" slap "you" slap "died" Bugzee channel his energy and make a big slap that echo around
ON WITH THE SHOW!
"For Bucks sake does this thing not take a hint?!” Rainbow groans as the beast roars again.
"SHA DO R-"
“Oh Sho duh BUCK YOU!” You shout as you stomp your hooves to the ground. A large dome of earth shifts around the beast sealing it inside. You hear the beast roar as it bashes against the makeshift cage. “Okay, does anyone have any ideas?” You shout to your allies.
“Hitting it with blunt force isn’t working. It just keeps growing back.” Granbuggy summarizes helping AJ up to her hooves.
“Fire doesn’t work on it either.” Garble huffed, “That crazy ghost fire made it resistant to it.”
“Can’t we just separate them?” Sonata groaned, rubbing her bruised head.
“Then we’d be back to dealing with two monsters instead of one,” Cadence said using some healing magic on the others.
“I doubt we can separate them now. They’ve become one in the same.” Celestia said readying her magic as the earth dome started to crack.
“Agreed but what else can we do? The only other option I can think of is the Crystal Heart.” Rarity said. “But if we use the heart it’ll hurt Nightshade and Bugze!” From the top of the dome burst, a blast of midnight fire as the head of the beast poked through the new hole.
“SHA DO RU!”
It roared as it fired off its eye lasers.
“Omega beams incoming!” Greta said ducking out of the way of one of the beams. One went for the ground group and the other went for one of the fliers.
“Can’t hit me you dumb monster!” Rainbow said dodging a beam, it arched and turned for her. She yelled in shock as she dove again, the beam trailing after her. “Now that’s just cheati-AHH!” Rainbow yelled as the beam hit one of her wings causing her to fall. Twilight ignited her horn and caught the mare with her magic.
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight yelled as she tried to help her friend. The other beam arched toward her. Thinking quickly Twilight raised a shield around her blocking off the attack. The second beam swerved around for a new target and flew toward Luna who fired off her own beam toward it. The two beams collided, fighting for dominance until Celestia added her own beam pushing back the monsters.
The beast burst from its prison and gave off a sonic roar. You and the others fell in pain as your ears started to hurt. The Dazzlings unaffected flew up and smacked the beast in its face with a three-tail whip. You recovered to see the monster shove them off and summon more tendrils from the ground.
“Enough with the angry noodles already!” Pinkie yelled blasting away one with her party cannon.
*Other people's fighting comments here*
That's what I have for now. Keep those comments rolling!