Dream-Mix: Predawn

by ScarfStar

6: Looming Darkness

“Well well, nice of you to show up. My bats are hungry.”

Kamella was currently fighting Noland, she waved her sword like a conductor's baton and guided an army of bats at him. They once again filled the sky with shrieks above the two like a sea of red wings.

“...and thank you for bringing Twilight Sparkle back to me. I’ll attend to her once I’ve dealt with you and that ugly puppet.” She smiled sweetly as she pointed the sword directly at him.

Noland tapped a hoof to his hat as the bats closed in on him.His hoof giving off a green aura as the wind in the surroundings picked up speed.

“I’m hungry for some payback and you should have stuck with your old look.” He casually punched the air causing gusts of wind to converge into a tornado that swept up the bats and cleared the skies once more.

Kamella gave him a cold stare but then gasped as she was pulled into the tornado along with the bats. Noland watched as the winds continued down the streets as more of them were sucked into it.

That was almost too easy.

---

Meanwhile this was all too weird for Twilight.

Transporting Gates,Vamponies and now Roboponies? Everything about this cloaked eyepatched pony was cold and empty. The stare and even the air around her felt lifeless. Though she was set on her goals, that was the only pony thing about her that Twilight could deduce as she blocked a bolt of lighting sent from Alloy’s sword.

It wasn't even magic her assailant was using. This was turning out to be another bizarre adventure they’ve gotten themselves into.

Pinkie and Flux used this opportunity to leap out of the crater. Flux looked for something solid to take cover behind while Pinkie bounced up to the roof of the nearest building with surprising ease. She felt right at home in this world it seemed.

For now Twilight had driven Alloy back and away from Flux using mostly shields and barriers. Pinkie meanwhile…

“Where’d ya think we ended up this time Twi?”

“Focus Pinkie!”

Twilight cried out as she blocked an incoming sword swung by Alloy with her magic barrier and leapt back to distance herself from said pony.

Before Alloy would resume her pursuit she quickly turned and slashed a bowling ball flying at her from behind. The pieces flew off into the distance with an explosion scattering several bats.

“I am focused. I’ve still got her in my sights!”

Pinkie was now leaning on her party cannon on a nearby building. Though she swiftly bounced out of the way onto another as various lightning bolts heading towards her from yet another sword swung by an annoyed Alloy.

“You can talk more after we deal with this crazy- !” Flux ducked behind a table as a streak of lightning shot past him. He had taken cover in an outdoor store, relieved that he wasn’t dealing with her alone.

“You’re like insects” Alloy growled and briefly turned to deal with Flux but another bowling ball fired at her causing her to leap into the air to avoid it. “Scurrying around in groups.”

However as she jumped a purple coloured wall appeared above her, courtesy of Twilight. She slammed headfirst into it and staggered backwards after landing on the ground.

“NOW!” Flux yelled out and jumped from his hiding place. Twilight and Pinkie were suddenly enveloped in a red and blue aura.

Twilight felt a sudden rush of energy and without hesitating, fired a magic beam from her horn at Alloy. At the same time Pinkie launched another bowling ball from her cannon.

There was a blast of pink and purple as the attacks met their mark and sent Alloy flying into the air. She sailed far off into the distance and above the rooftops as if she was a cannonball.

Flux pumped his hooves into the air triumphantly as he watched her fly off and Pinkie launched a few fireworks out of the party cannon in celebration.

Twilight sighed briefly and looked to her hoof as the aura faded. It had felt like a tingly sensation not only a boost in power but in confidence as well. However this quickly faded and she yelped at the sight of a set of broken mechanical hooves crashing to the ground nearby.

“...and that’s game!” Flux laughed excitedly and walked past Alloy’s broken remains. “That is until she gets a new body. Maybe she’ll have whiptail next time.”

Twilight stared at him in disbelief and then groaned.

“Well atleast one of us is enjoying ourselves.”

“I know I am!” Pinkie chimed in as she balanced on the party cannon with only her forelegs as it rolled in next to Twilight. Who gave her a peculiar look wondering why the previous power boost didn’t make her curious as well.

“Let’s just find Noland and get out of here before she comes back.” Twilight shook her head and then looked around briefly. There were only a few bats left behind but they were keeping their distance high up in the sky.

“We did leave him alone with that vampony.”

The mere mention of ‘vampony’ caused Flux to suddenly shiver which Twilight took note of.

“Is everyone doing okay?”

Noland made his presence known as he walked in beside Flux, causing him to jump.

“We’re just peachy!” Pinkie giggled as Flux landed near her and she offered him a cupcake.

“Oh you’re the client. Nice meetin’ ya.” Noland nodded in Flux’s direction though his expression saddened. “By yourself too. This is bad…”

Twilight observed the remaining bats watching from building rooftops and frowned.These ones seemed different despite looking the same, she could actually sense some magic from them which was probably a bad sign.

“For now… I don’t think we’re out of the woods yet. We should probably head back to that safe spot before-”

“Going so soon?” A familiar voice echoed from above causing a shiver to run up Twilight’s spine.

“Oh no…” She gulped and looked up for the source to see Kamella yet again.

Though she was a complete mess, wilder mane and a torn dress accompanied with a manic smile and even tattoo-styled bat wings. As she stared down at the four ponies, her bats circled the skies above her.

Flux fell backwards while staring up at Kamella and shivering all over as Pinkie gasped and aimed the party cannon upwards. The sky was filled with bats now, making it difficult for a clear shot.

Noland seemed nonplussed, his badge glowing green as he stared up at Kamella.

“Back again? I’ll send you into the stratosphere this time.”

Kamella laughed as her bats combined into something much larger , in a brief flash a larger more monstrous bat took shape above them. It had golden fur and even the flapping of its wings began to rock the surrounding buildings with the air currents.

“Not this time! I’ll be taking each of your souls!”

As she spoke, dark pools of darkness suddenly appeared around them and her laughter ceased. Her expression changing to a look of panic.

“N-no, they’re mine!”

“Those aren’t gates.” Noland gasped and took a step back as one appeared behind Flux and grew in size.

They were popping up everywhere, the walls and even the sky. Pinkie backed into Twilight cautiously, there was an uneasy feeling in the air right now.

With one flap of its wings the giant bat conjured up several smaller tornadoes of its own. The gusts of wind tore apart the nearby buildings, sending debris everywhere as they ushered towards Twilight and her friends. Whatever fell into the pools instantly vanished even the tornadoes.

The monster dived at them and Twilight readied a spell however-

SLASH

-in an instant the giant bat was cut clean in two, it roared before fading out of existence. The force of the attack rocked the air around them, making Kamella lose her footing on the building she'd been standing on.

The tornadoes instantly vanished and a dark blue hooded figure landed nearby wielding a matching scythe-like beam of energy. The figure looked directly at Twilight and Pinkie Pie.

Twilight was completely puzzled, everything was happening so fast. She looked back at the newcomer and then at Kamella.

“Who-”

She never finished her sentence however as the ground beneath her gave way, a dark blue portal had appeared below her suddenly. It wasn’t like the other pools of darkness but before she could act she was already falling.

“Twilight!”

Pinkie had tried to grab Twilight by the tail but the portal expanded now drawing her in as well. In an instant the two disappeared into it.