The Master Game

by WanderingPhysicist

The Master Game

Royal guards hold back a mob at the gates of Canterlot Castle. The rioting is led by a winged Zony with a broken heart cutie mark. The guards do their best to hold back the mob. A purple dragon as tall as Celestia uses his fire breath to keep the mob at bay. Even the Lunar Guard is active in helping shield the palace and drive back flyers. The growing restlessness of the mob is making it hard to keep the peace without hurting innocent citizens.

In the palace, Celestia, Luna and Cadence are meeting with Shining Armor about the situation. The rulers are trying every magic they can think of.

‘My magic can only do so much,’ Cadence sighs. ‘I can use my love magic on a few, but I cannot fix the whole city.’

‘But we saw the lights from the Crystal Empire,’ Luna says. ‘The Crystal Heart was revitalized in your absence.’

Cadence shakes her head. ‘Maybe if it were here, I could do something more.’

‘It is okay,’ Celestia assures. ‘We’ll spread your spell to as many mages as we can. They will help heal those being controlled.’

Luna scowls. ‘This reminds me of why we sealed Discord. Where is he! Bring him here!’

‘I’m kind of busy right now,’ Discord replies, staggering into the hall. He has his claw to his temple, and his eyes are closed.

‘What are you doing?’ the Princess of the Night demands.

‘I’m doing all in my power to keep the spell causing this attack from infecting us here.’ He falls to the floor. ‘As much as I'd like to, I can’t just snap my fingers and make it disappear.’

The doors to the throne room are thrown open. A dark grey stallion with a messy blonde mane trots in. The guards quickly rush to intercept him, but he knocks them out with a single kick to each of their heads. Shining levitates a spear to defend the princesses.

‘Now, now. That is no way to greet your new ruler,’ The Master taunts. He stops and looks at Discord. ‘Good to see you again, James. Oh, wait! You’re Discord in that form. Silly me. Here, I thought you were the whiny little brat I went to school with.’ He smiles evilly. ‘Instead, you’re the whiny little brat whose wife died in his arms.’

Discord snarls and tries to stand. ‘If I wasn’t protecting my friends from your influence, I would do to you what I did to The Daleks.’

‘Pity.’ The Master examines a hoof nonchalantly. ‘You might have a way around the mages I control but if my adoring public outside is able to be cured,’ -- he looks at the princesses -- ‘it will be in time to accept their new Master.’

Celestia stands. She glares down at The Master. ‘I do not know who you are or what you are trying to pull, but I will not stand for my citizens being threatened.’

‘I’m not threatening them. I’m merely liberating them from their former ruler. Now, if you will kindly stand aside...’

‘You’re a fool to think you can overthrow us. We have handled pests like you before. Shining Armor, remove him.’

The unicorn advances on The Master, spear ready. The earth pony rolls his eyes and knocks the spear away. Shining fires a magic bolt, but The Master dodges the attack. He charges and headbutts the unicorn in the chest. Shining staggers back and swings a punch. The Master takes the hit and swings a punch of his own. The unicorn is knocked back. The Master keeps up his attack and keeps swinging away. Soon, Shining is pressed against the wall. The unicorn casts a shield spell, knocking The Master back. He lifts the earth pony with his magic and throws him across the hall, into a pillar. Shining fires a magic blast, bringing the pillar down on the rogue Time Lord.

The prince takes a deep breath. ‘I hate having to end somepony, but you left me no choice,’ he snorts towards the rubble.

‘Oh, you haven’t won yet,’ The Master replies, picking himself up from the debris.

Everypony takes a step back, shocked to see the attacker still alive.

The Master pops his neck and joints as he steps forward. ‘You seem to have missed the part where I am a Time Lord. That just makes me better than you.’

Shining stares at the attacker, trying to read him. He glances around the room, looking for something that can help. He smirks. ‘And you seem to have missed the arrival time for the late night express from Ponyville.’

‘What?’

There is a loud hiss as Sunshine drops from the ceiling on The Master. The earth pony struggles to keep the bat pony’s claws from slicing him to pieces. The Master gets his hind legs under Sunshine and kicks him away. The bat pony flips and lands beside Shining. The prince has another spear levitating beside him.

‘Please. I was just making him look good so that he’ll be really humiliated when I beat him.’

‘So, you were just showing off for the wife?’

Shining looks at Cadence and winks. ‘Like you don’t have the same motivation.’

Cadence blushes and clears her throat. ‘Uh, boys?’

The princess points. The Master slowly gets back to his hooves. He has a few cuts from where Sunshine almost slashed him.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ The Master demands. ‘You should be a Cyberpony by now!’

Sunshine smirks. ‘Their queen had other plans.’

The bat pony looks over. Fluttershy is hiding behind the door. She gives a barely audible cheer for her husband. The Master sneers. He moves slightly, and Sunshine darts between the Time Lord and his wife. The guards and the attacker watch each other closely to see who will make the first move.

Celestia leans down to Luna. She whispers, ‘Find a way to get to the Elements of Harmony. If Fluttershy is here, hopefully the others will join you soon.’

‘I’ll do my best, sister.’

Luna slowly slinks back, but The Master raises a hoof.

‘I wouldn’t do that,’ the rogue Time Lord warns. ‘You might not like the results.’

The stallion gets out a small device with a button on the end. He presses the button. Screams can be heard coming from outside. They slowly die out when he releases.

‘Make one move towards your Elements of Harmony and your populace will die a very painful death,’ The Master threatens. ‘Of course, I could just activate it now while you try wrestling control from me.’

Sunshine hisses and dives at The Master. The Time Lord turns to counterattack, but he is stopped when Shining grips the device with his magic. The Master laughs, drops the device, ducks under Sunshine and gallops after Fluttershy. The pegasus shrieks and tries flying away. The Master leaps and tackles her from the air. He locks the mare in a chokehold.

‘Now I think my bargaining power has increased slightly,’ The Master gloats. ‘Mr Bat Pony, will you kindly activate my device? Otherwise, I might have to’ -- he puts pressure on Fluttershy’s neck, making her scream -- ‘snap!’

Sunshine growls. He looks at Shining, who has the device in his magic. ‘Don’t make me fight you for it, Shining...’

‘You’re not seriously considering what he is saying!’ Shining shouts back.

‘If it was your wife?’

Shining looks back at Cadence. The princess shakes her head.

‘Don’t, Sunshine,’ Luna commands.

‘I’m sorry, princess,’ Sunshine replies. ‘I have no choice.’

‘I trust he’ll do the right thing,’ Fluttershy says, trying to smile.

‘Which would be killing everypony outside,’ The Master adds. ‘See how well this works out for everypony?’

Sunshine looks over and smiles at his wife. He turns back to Shining, glaring. The unicorn glares back. He glances briefly at The Master and Fluttershy. The stallion puts pressure on Fluttershy again, making her squeak. Sunshine dashes at Shining. Before the bat pony can reach the device, Shining tosses it towards The Master. Sunshine changes direction in mid stride and charges the rogue Time Lord. There is a scream. Fluttershy falls to the ground.

The Master screams in pain as Freya latches on to his neck, her fangs digging into him. The stallion flails about, trying to dislodge the filly. Sunshine kicks The Master’s device out of the room as he skids to a stop beside his wife. Fluttershy smiles and gives him a quick kiss before they see what is going on.

‘My baby!’ Fluttershy shrieks when she sees Freya.

The Master swings a punch and knocks Freya from him, taking a bit of fur from his neck as well. The filly tumbles around but comes up standing by her parents.

‘Don’t hurt my mommy!’ the filly growls.

Sunshine and Fluttershy stand beside their daughter and growl as well. The stallion reactives the electricity in his claws. The Master looks at the position he is in. Shining Armor in front of him. Fluttershy’s family surrounding him. Three princesses ready to strike from their thrones.

‘Well, this can’t get any worse,’ the trapped stallion comments.

A commotion is heard from outside.

‘Bend it, Buckham!’ a young male voice shouts.

‘That doesn’t make sense!’ a young female voice shouts back.

‘Behave or you have to go home,’ an older female voice sighs.

‘Yes, Pinkie,’ the young voices moan.

Pinkie plows through the throne room doors. Behind her, Pound Cake tosses a ball towards the mare then dives for cover. Pinkie bumps the ball up. Pumpkin Cake runs up Pinkie’s back and kicks the ball at The Master. The stallion dodges before the ball strikes the ground and explodes.

‘That was a bomb!’ Pumpkin yells at her brother.

‘You’ll be amazed what you can make with things you find under a train seat,’ the colt laughs nervously.

‘You could have killed me!’

‘Sorry.’

‘Behave,’ Pinkie groans. She looks around the room. She find her target and glares. ‘Mr Master, will you join me in the kitchen? You promised to help with some baking.’

The Master backs away slowly. He turns to run, but a light purple flash appears in front of him. He stops before he runs into a sword being held by Pipsqueak. Dinky stands beside her coltfriend with a spell ready.

‘Of course, you find a way back, Doctor,’ The Master groans.

‘I’m not The Doctor,’ Pip replies, ‘but I won’t let you harm the princesses.’

Luna laughs. ‘You’re always so gallant, Pipsqueak.’

‘Thank you, best princess.’

Celestia groans. Her sister laughs.

‘She’s not the best,’ Pinkie argues. ‘That one is currently traveling the universe with her husband.’

Celestia groans again. She focuses her attention on The Master and readies a spell. ‘It seems you have lost. Release my citizens and I’ll be lenient at your sentencing.’

The Master weighs his options, knowing he is trapped. ‘I seem to have made a small miscalculation in trusting certain allies. No matter. Change of plans!’

The Master backs to the wall. He taps the window behind him a few times and smirks. He hops backward, through the window. Shining instantly teleports after the criminal. Sunshine gives his wife and daughter a quick hug and flies after The Master.

Celestia trots down from her throne. ‘Luna, you and the other Elements of Harmony get to the vault. Get the Elements and be prepared to use them. Cadence, you stay here with the foals.’

Luna follows her sister. ‘What will you be doing?’

‘I’ll be handling that pony personally.’ Celestia storms out of the throne room. ‘And somepony take care of Discord!’

‘I’m good,’ Discord moans from a corner. ‘Could use a drink though. And maybe a bottle of aspirin.’
...

The Master lands in a courtyard. He dusts himself off as he trots away from the falling glass behind him. The stallion steps aside just as Sunshine swoops down. The bat pony misses his target. Shining teleports into the courtyard. The wayward bat pony slams into the unicorn, causing both to tumble into a bush. The Master yawns as he continues his escape.

Suddenly, there is bright rainbow flash above the courtyard. A rainbow streak shoots from the sky and slams into The Master. Rainbow Dash forces the stallion into the ground while she punches his head. The Master rolls to his back and kicks Rainbow Dash away. The pegasus’ crash into a tree knocks her out.

The Master stumbles to his hooves. ‘What the hell hit..?’

An orange streak slams the stallion into a tree. Scootaloo deals body blows to the trapped stallion. The Master flails, trying to hit back. He catches a branch and swings it, hitting Scootaloo in the head. The pegasus drops with a massive head wound.

‘Holy hell!’ The Master exclaims. ‘What is up with you ponies?’

Scootaloo moans and holds her head.

‘Can’t you bloody stay down?’

The Master kicks Scootaloo in the head and gallops away. He reaches an area away from the castle and stops to catch his breath. Two ponies in hooded white robes drop on either side of the tired stallion. One has a grey muzzle sticking out, the other has a white one.

‘Bollocks!’ The Master swears. ‘Don’t you ever give up? I’m a Time Lord! There is no way you can defeat me. Twice the hearts, infinitely more stamina, more healing energies than that orange smear back there. Can't you just give up already?’

Octavia and Sweetie Belle stand on their hind legs and extend blades from under their robes. The Master groans and stands as well. The assassins stab forward. The Master ducks and knocks their attacks behind him as he rolls forward. He sweeps a kick back. Octavia jumps over the kick. Sweetie catches the leg with her magic and flips The Master over. The stallion lands crouched and charges forward. He slams a foreleg into each of their guts. The mares stagger back. The Master stands and swings down. Octavia dodges to the side, but Sweetie is smashed into the ground. Octavia stabs forward again. Her attack is blocked, and The Master hits her in the head. The mare falls. The stallion drops back to all fours and sighs.

‘Didn’t one of my plans work!’ the exasperated stallion shouts.

‘Nope!’ a pair of voices reply behind him.

The Master turns in time to get simultaneously bucked in the head by Applejack and Apple Bloom. The stallion sails across the courtyard before landing and tumbling to a stop. A pair of black hooves step up to the prone stallion.

‘One second,’ The Master groans. ‘I just need a moment to find all my teeth.’ He shakes his head and realizes something. ‘Wait. If they are here, then those monsters failed... That means this is... his... monster...’

The Master looks up. Del looks down, hisses and lunges at the stallion. He rolls out of the way and gets to his hooves. The stallion jumps back as Del snaps at him. Around the courtyard, the other ponies are getting up. Applejack and Apple Bloom help Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo to their hooves. Rarity tends to her sister as Spike helps Octavia, having followed Rarity when she arrived. Shining and Sunshine join the growing ranks. Celestia teleports in. She trots beside Del. The changeling princess stands with the pony princess and hisses at The Master.

‘Surrender,’ Celestia snorts. ‘You are outnumbered. My guards are curing the ponies you brainwashed. If you keep fighting, it will only end in your death.’

‘I’m a Time Lord!’ The Master shouts back. ‘There is no way you can defeat me. I am stronger and smarter than all of you combined. You hurt me, I heal faster than you ever could. You kill me, I regenerate. You can only defeat me with another with Time Lord blood. The closest thing you have is her brat!’ He motions to Applejack.

‘My sister can beat you!’ Del hisses.

‘She’s dead!’ The Master yells back. ‘She is sleeping with the Daleks now. Any moment, they will come down and kill you all. She’s gone! Kaput! Finished! She! Is! Not! Coming!’

A blue and white streak slams into The Master. Rei stands over the stallion and beats him into the ground. She delivers a punch that gets a loud grunt from the stallion. The Master swings a punch of his own that knocks Rei from him. He grabs one of her hooves and spins her into a tree.

‘You damn runt!’ The Master shouts. He stands over the mare. ‘You think you can stop me? You’re as dumb as your father. You two are the weakest, most pathetic excuses for ponies, and you will die!’

The Master raises up to stomp the prone mare. A magic bolt strikes him in the chest. He looks over to see Lucas readying another spell.

‘Don’t touch my wife!’ the unicorn threatens.

‘What?’

The Master looks down. Rei smiles, exposing fangs. Mimi is surrounded by green flames as she returns to her normal form. She laughs at the confused stallion before her. Lucas uses his magic to pull his wife back to his side. The Master steps back, not knowing what will happen next.

Lucas smirks and steps forward. ‘I’ve waited years to be able to do this.’ He points a hoof into the air. ‘P-’

‘PLASMA BUSTER!’ everypony shouts.

‘Ah! I wanted to say it,’ Lucas moans.

A blue-white twinkle appears in the sky. It shoots down to the courtyard. A trail of swirling blue and white plasma follows behind it. The Master mutters an unheard swear as Rei slams into him. The stallion screams in pain as the electricity surrounding the pegasus surges through both of his hearts. Rei directs the plasma away from the palace as she flies them through a window and slams The Master into a wall. The stallion falls forward, face first into the ground. Rei snorts as the electricity evaporates around her. She turns and looks around. A window that once showed Nightmare Moon’s banishment is now missing the main antagonist. Rei smiles, seeing the damage. She looks at the representations of other key events in Equestria’s history as she waits for the others to arrive.

Celestia teleports in with the ponies from the courtyard. The doors to the hall swing open. Luna, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Pipsqueak and Dinky gallop in. Stormy is with them. Having seen the commotion from the throne room, Cadence and the foals follow Luna’s group. Discord is absent as he regains his strength.

Lucas looks at Stormy. ‘About time you show up.’

‘Sorry. The wife and I got sidetracked removing the hex from the afflicted ponies. How many did you assist?’

Lucas snorts and turns away. Rei goes to Celestia.

‘I am fairly sure I finished him,’ the mare reports. ‘I should have put enough electricity through both his hearts to light Las Pegasus for a month.’

‘It had to be done,’ the princess sighs. ‘I’ll have the body taken away.’

Rei nods. The two ponies turn to join the others when a low laugh fills the hall. They look back as The Master slowly gets back to his hooves.

‘You ignorant little twit,’ the stallion spits. ‘You fell right into my trap. Where is the one place you don’t put the pony that will kill you all?’ He trots back towards a stone doorway. ‘Right at the vault holding the most powerful magical artefacts in the universe!’

Everypony stares in shock as The Master goes to the door leading to the Elements of Harmony. He keeps laughing.

‘Oh, the looks on your faces. Priceless. You cannot believe you have lost. It was quite simple really. Make you think you are winning. Draw you in to a false sense of security. Then, BAM! Swipe the Elements from you and leave this pitiful city a smoking crater as I go off to conquer the world. Quite a lovely plan really.’ He looks around the hall, making sure to note Rei, Del and Satsuma. ‘Best of all, I get to wipe the stains that whiny little pest left on this world from existence. Think happy thoughts kiddies, because your daddy is next.’

The Master cackles as he stands by the door. He stands triumphant before everypony, laughing like a madpony.

Author's Note:

Unnamed zony leading The Master's mob appears courtesy of Laura the Zony.

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[survivor]

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