Shanghai'd! Chapter One: A Sudden Turn in Tide

"Spike!" Twilight groaned as she heaved a large stack of books onto an adjacent shelf.

Spike had dozed off from the long hours of re-organizing books the night before, or so to speak, a few hours before. Twilight left him to organize the rest, as she had to make an appearance with Celestia the day before at some ball and was far too tired to sort the rest with him. With a long exasperated grunt, Spike heaved himself off his bed and trudged downstairs in a tiresome manner, putting on his jeans and red sweater.

"What?!" Spike moaned as he reached into the fridge to grab himself a glass of milk.

"Some of these books aren't in the right order..." Twilight tried to voice her complaint as lightly as she could, but from the look on the tired purple dragon's face, he was not satisfied by the statement. She fastened her red jacket in an impatient manner to encourage him.

"Yeah, sorry... listen, I kinda was seeing double by the time the clock struck three, and it's six now. I barely slept..." Spike lifted the glass to his mouth and took one long gulp until the contents were gone.

"I had a rough day yesterday too, you know!" Twilight's outburst became softer as she bit her lip, realizing what a preposterous thing that was to say.

After weeks of him, stacking books whilst she communed with royalty, after all, his hard work and dedication, Twilight still didn't recognize his diligence. He felt more like a slave now that she had become royalty. It was beginning to negatively affect her outlook on the efforts of others, and he didn't respect that one bit. A long fuse that had been lit long ago finally reached its end and Spike could no longer contain his anger. He was sick of being just a simple librarian, of being everypony's shoulder to cry on and everypony's whipping boy. Rarity had scoffed at him before, but hearing Twilight just pout at him like that was the last straw. Slayer of Tirek or not, Spike wanted to tear a hole in Twilight so badly.

"Of what?! Dancing and eating with royalty?!" Spike crossed his arms in disapproval, fire billowing from his maw. "Listen Twilight... I've had quite enough princess-sass, thank you very much!" The doorbell rang loudly, abruptly interrupting the dragon's furious rant.

"What now...?" Spike unlocked the door to find a familiar cream-colored mare standing before him. "Oh, hello Fluttershy."

"Um... hi... was I interrupting something important?" Fluttershy stepped back, hearing the sheer exhaust in Spike's voice as clear as day. "I heard you guys arguing... so, I hesitated to ring the bell."

"No, you weren't interrupting anything Fluttershy," Twilight replied as she glanced at Spike, anger still swelling in his chest. "Come in."

"Actually... I just wanted to ask something of Spike really... I don't have to come inside." Fluttershy insisted in her usual whispered-words. "Spike... I need some help to fix my house... um, a storm had rolled in a few nights ago, and it broke a few windows and wrecked some of my fences. I also broke my wing a while back too, and... it still hasn't really healed...um."

Spike took a deep breath and turned his head to face Twilight, letting out a long and exaggerated sigh. "This is what I'm talking about! It always has to be me that fixes everyone else's problems! Twilight, sorry I've... got to get some air." Spike marched past Fluttershy and walked off into Ponyville.

"Hang on, Fluttershy I'll get him." Twilight was an inch from the door when Fluttershy grabbed her arm.

"No, I think you're the reason he's acting this way. Seeing you going after him will only make it worse... I'll go." Fluttershy's expression surprised Twilight, all of a sudden her entire demeanor shifted from timid to determined.

"Alright, alright... I'll be waiting." Twilight raised her arms in surrender as she sat down on her dining room chair.

****

Fluttershy trailed Spike for a while as he walked along the roads in a disgruntled manner, eventually stopping at the Ponyville river port. He sat down on the pier above the river, dangling his legs over the edge, just barely touching the water, and he looked down for a moment at his reflection. Why did he let his anger consume him so? Did he mean what he said? Spike wasn't so sure about anything anymore, and it was much harder to control his collected anger nowadays. A moment of silence passed as his frustration began to simmer, and he raised his head in response to a soft peep coming from the tree behind him; an unmistakable, shy squeak.

"Fluttershy...? How long have you been following me?" Spike inquired, perplexed by Fluttershy's tenacity, as he had roamed a very long distance from his house. He wandered all the way from the treehouse to the port at the edge of Ponyville.

"The whole time... I wanted to call out to you, but... I just wanted to find out where you were going is all..." Fluttershy gently sat down beside Spike and looked across to see the large ships sailing into the port. The gentle glare off the water shimmered as if there were thousands of tiny candles beneath the waves, and a cool breeze off the blue water filled the air with the sweet smell of the sycamore trees on the banks. "It's beautiful..." Fluttershy let out a breath as she looked back to Spike. "Do you always come here when you're upset?"

"Yeah... and I'm not upset. Well, at least not anymore." Spike gazed at the river with her. "I'm just confused is all."

"Confused?" Fluttershy looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I've just been thinking. Fluttershy, do you think I'll be stacking books the rest of my life?" Spike inquired.

"That depends... do you want to stack books for the rest of your life?" Fluttershy replied with another question.

"I- I dunno, I was just thinking I needed a little more... adventure in my life, you know?" Spike trailed off as he looked down. "I just-... I wanted more than just this. I want to be more than what I am now, and I don't think I'll ever get there if I spend the rest of my days here."

"You've been on many adventures with us Spike, and I think I've had more adventure in my life than just about any other pegasus," Fluttershy replied as she glanced back to Spike. "Now that may be enough for me, but you..."

"I'm not sure... maybe I'm just being selfish..." Spike said with a sigh.

"Nonsense, Spike. It is never selfish to think you can do more with your life. You're a dragon after all! You should be able to do whatever you want with it!" Fluttershy put her arm around Spike's shoulder to reassure him, and a smile spread across the young dragon's face.

"Thank you, Fluttershy." Spike got to his feet and assisted Fluttershy up as she put her hand out.

"Stop! Thief!" A voice from far down the port pier yelled.

Spike squinted to see a figure in the distance running towards him, and when he finally could make heads of the silhouette he couldn't believe his eyes.

"What the-!" Spike gasped with wide eyes.

The figure approaching was cloaked, though his face was still visible to Spike. The runaway had a face that looked much like his, yet it seemed different-- some sort of doppelganger. The thief had a gold necklace and jewels in his hand. Spike and the copycat made brief eye contact for a moment, but the impostor gave Spike a snicker and sarcastic parting gesture as he disappeared into a crowd of ponies exiting from a vessel nearby. Before Spike could even speak, he noticed the large group of stampeding soldiers with their sabers drawn.

"He stole that mare's jewels!" The armed guards shouted.

"Uh oh!" Spike grabbed Fluttershy's hand and darted away from the soldiers, with Fluttershy barely keeping up. "C'mon, we'll disappear into that crowd ahead!"

"Are you sure?" Fluttershy asked with a nervous tone.

"Do you want to get trampled by some metal-encased stallions with swords?!" Spike yelled back at Fluttershy as they frantically raced to the crowd ahead.

Without thinking Spike and Fluttershy followed a line of rough-looking stallions onto a large ship beginning to head out of the port. The two ducked down inside the hulking wooden ship, Spike watching as the two guards passed by. Spike sprawled out on the wooden ship-floor as he let out a sigh of relief, only to be gently interrupted by a nudge from Fluttershy's elbow on his shoulder.

"Um... Spike." Fluttershy pointed upwards to the looming shadow above the two.

"Eeek!" A shrill cry escaped Spike's lips as he sat beneath the feet of a lumbering giant.

The zebra-stallion before them was massive, even larger than Big Mac. His eyes almost glowed, and his voice boomed like thunder as he spoke. "Well well, what do we have here?" The hulking stallion uttered in his booming voice as he eyed Spike and Fluttershy intensely. Spike couldn't form a coherent sentence in the monster's presence, so he nudged to Fluttershy to speak for him.

"My name... is... uh... Fl-Fluttershy, a-and this is Spike." Fluttershy timidly squeaked.

The giant stallion let out a jolly laugh and pulled the two up. "I'm only jokin' you two! Hahaha! Welcome to the crew, bruddas! I'm Coba! I'll be your Quartermaster!" The large stallion gestured to the line of stallions on the deck awaiting the captain.

"Spike... I don't like this." Fluttershy weakly muttered.

"Just go with it, the guards didn't notice us..." Spike replied quickly under his breath.

"The Captain's coming! Look alive, gentlecolts!" One of the crew members yelled.

A figure with a large, purple feathered hat and coat appeared from behind a door and approached the balcony above the main deck. He raised his head and took off his hat to bow for the crew, and as he did so Spike's eyes widened to see the face of a black-scaled dragon with burning yellow irises, and zig-zagged, orange tail fins greet the crew.

"No way, a dragon?!" Spike was speechless, and when he turned to Fluttershy, he could see the shock in her eyes as well.

"Ahoy, mates! You must be my new crew! The name's Draven Jagged-tooth. This is my ship, Hydra." The dragon grinned as he patted a wooden railing with his clawed hand. "I'll be your captain..."

Shanghai'd! Chapter Two: Draven's Confession

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Spike barged through the crowd of men in front of him, leaving Fluttershy behind in his daze.

"Spike, wait!" Fluttershy hollered as Spike approached the front row.

"Hey!" Spike shouted at Draven, who was in the middle of a speech.

At first, Draven didn't notice, as his eyes were fixed on the crowd now behind Spike. With much deliberation, Spike decided to get his attention forcefully. And so, with one deep breath, Spike bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"Hey!" Spike's booming voice echoed throughout the docks.

All who stood beside Spike paused and turned to face him. Draven ceased his rant, and the crew stood silently before Spike. Realizing his folly, Spike's courage buckled as he saw the intense expressions from the crew members huddled around him. One of the crew raised a long sword to Spike's throat, pressing it lightly against his scaled skin.

"How dare ya interrupt Captain Draven so abruptly!" The mare beside him stated in disgust as her curved sword inched closer to Spike's neck. "I should cut ya down myself!"

Spike slowly turned his head to face the mare holding him in place. She wore a brown jacket and loose fitting pants, and her long silver hair shrouded the one side of her red face, her visible amber eye burned with passion as she stared him down. And as she raised her sword and swung, another voice halted the blade as it barely touched his soft throat.

"Stop!" Draven shouted in protest.

Draven vaulted over his balcony, landing in front of Spike. He was about a head taller than him, which was around two heads taller than Fluttershy. He had a gleeful air around him, like a brilliant light, and he had a certain wit about him that intrigued Spike. His long, leather captain's coat was primarily purple, and he wore a quite extensive chapeau with a long red feather in its brim. As he looked down at the young dragon, he beamed, offering him a helping hand to get back on his feet.

"Do my eyes deceive me?" Draven brought Spike to his feet as he stared at him intently. "Is one of my own kin on my ship?" Draven observed Spike, circling around him in a curious fashion. "Not just any normal dragon, lads! A fearsome fire-dragon!" Draven turned to face his crew, then looked back to Spike with a wonder-filled expression on his face. "Tell me, lad, what's your name?" Draven inquired, his left brow raised in amusement.

"It's Spike, sir..." Spike peeped as he looked back to Fluttershy.

Draven paused, then burst into laughter along with his crew. Draven wiped away a tear of joy as he put a hand on Spike's shoulder. "Heh, heh! Pretty lousy name for a fire-dragon, don't ya think?" Draven teased in a jolly manner."Say, come to think of it... I'm certain I would've remembered another dragon joining my crew. What are ya doing on my ship?"

"Well, um." Spike was slightly embarrassed by the question and blushed.

"Bah! I'm teasing ya, lad! Hey, if yer a great fire-dragon like your appearance tells me, let's see it!" Draven's face shone with childlike excitement.

"See what?" Spike asked in confusion.

"Your flame, boy! Show us your magic!" Draven patted Spike hard on the back. "And don't be afraid to show-off, lad!

"Um, right..." Spike stood at the edge of the large wooden boat and braced himself, digging his claws firmly into the hard wooden deck. Spike looked back to see Fluttershy, just as nervous as he was. He had to make it convincing otherwise, he might've been tossed overboard like a sickly fish.

With a mighty breath, a giant column of green flame escaped the purple dragon's mouth, parting the surface of the river water as the blast shot just above the waves. A loud roar escaped the blast as it traveled many miles into the river ahead, disturbing the course of ships in the port.

"These flames... I've felt them before," Draven thought as he basked in the glow of the intense emerald-fire. "Could it be...?" Spike's aura felt so familiar to Draven.

Once the blast subsided, a wave of silent awe rained over the crew members. Then, the sound of joyous laughter and amazement swept across the deck of the ship. Draven approached Spike slowly and shook his hand.

"Well to put it lightly lad, I'm convinced. Welcome aboard." Draven's jolly face, however, shifted to a look of seriousness in an instant. "Alas, there isn't any time for celebration lad. I believe I have something dire to discuss with you in private... follow me to my quarters."

Fluttershy barreled through the crowd of raving pirates and took Spike's arm. "Spike, that was amazing! Since when could you make that much fire?!" Fluttershy inquired with the same sort of amazement as the rest of the crew.

"Since always I guess. I never really saw any use in it before, or I never really had the chance to do it." Spike explained as he scratched the back of his head, looking downwards bashfully.

"Who's this lass here?" Draven asked as he turned to face Fluttershy.

"Her name is Fluttershy, she's a friend of mine," Spike explained quickly.

"Alright then, she comes too," Draven stated as he walked through the door into the ship, gesturing to the two to follow with a nod.

Spike and Fluttershy followed Draven into the captain's quarters on the upper deck. The whole room was decorated with dozens of relics and stacks of treasure contained in various chests. There were rubies, diamonds, all sorts of artifacts as well. There were even a few scrolls collected on a bookshelf in the corner with odd scribblings of runic symbols. In the center of the room was a round table, and on it was a map. Draven drove his blade into the edge of the map as he circled the table, pointing to where the blade struck.

"Ah, here it is... here is where my crew and I plan on landing," Draven said with a gallant tone.

"And where is this exactly?" Fluttershy asked as she stared at the map, unfamiliar with the land drawn on it.

"Old tales refer to it as the Blacklands, an ancient land that most Equestrians hardly know of, and feared by all who know of it." Spike and Fluttershy were wearing quite the dumbfounded mugs. "And from what I can see, you haven't the slightest clue what it is. Let me explain." Draven sat on his chair near one larger chest, right next to the bookshelf containing the scrolls. "Sit down, my friends. I shall tell you the story of The Seven Sorcerers."

"Long ago, during the first ages of the kingdoms in Equestria... there was a great evil plaguing the land," Draven explained as he eyed the map intently.

"Isn't there always?" Spike chuckled to himself, followed by a light punch to the shoulder by Fluttershy. "Ouch!"

"Ahem. As I was saying, this evil was referred to as the harbinger of death, Leere. Leere was an alicorn who thought of himself as nothing less than a god, and all had feared him throughout the lands. This was until his sister's had discovered his plotting and lies, and slew him." Draven looked up at Spike and Fluttershy. "You may know these two sisters as the keepers of night and day."

"Celestia and Luna?" Fluttershy questioned.

"They had not gone by those names in that age, the names you know were given to them by mortals, same as Leere." Draven continued on, still sparking much intrigue in Spike and Fluttershy. "However, you cannot kill death itself. After his defeat, his most esteemed sorcerers retreated to the Blacklands with Leere's most prized possessions, awaiting their lord's return. Before the great war between him and his sister's, Leere had forced the greatest pegasi blacksmiths in the land to forge the Sorcerer's Stones."

"Hold on, I think I remember this tale. It was a poem my mother used to tell me about." Fluttershy added.

In the Blacklands old, lay a story untold, by mortals oh so fearful.

The ancient smiths made mighty stones, which to this day many doth not condone.

The first stone, Right, lay atop a mountain on a starry night.

The second stone, Power, lies in a place where mortals cower.

The third stone, Sight, gives the future to a mortal who cannot see the light.

The fourth stone, Spirit, resides in a place where none can hear it.

The fifth stone, Mind, is held in a place only the wise can find.

The sixth stone, Fear, is the heart of a stallion who gambled with Leere.

The seventh stone, Greed, rests in a cave where the dragon-hearted take heed.

Together they form the ultimate weapon.

The Sorcerer's Circle, ye who unleashes it shall wield Armageddon.

"So you see... I am not going to the Blacklands to plunder or pillage. I was sent by your own Princess, who fears Leere's inevitable return and wishes for my crew and I to find and destroy the stones before Leere reawakens. Alone, the stones are powerless, but even two together can flatten a city. Imagine what seven can do in the wrong hands." Draven arose from his chair and stretched.

"Wait wait, you were hired by Celestia?" Spike inquired in astonishment. "Celestia hired pirates to retrieve these stones?"

"I prefer the term 'privateers', thank you very much," Draven said, somewhat offended. "But yes, she hired 'pirates'."

"Why are you telling us this?" Fluttershy asked with much confusion.

"Because I believe you can help me. " Draven fastened his large captain-hat firmly on his head.

"There's something you're not telling us..." Spike accused as he stood up from his chair.

With a deep sigh, Draven put his hands on Spike's shoulders, looking deeply into his eyes.

"Aye, Spike. I have held out on you long enough, as I'm sure you can tell." Draven looked at Fluttershy for a brief moment and back to Spike. "Spike, I have seen those flames of yours before."

"What are you saying?" Spike was baffled by his words.

"Spike, I believe I may know your father." Draven's voice took a serious tone as his eyes locked with Spike's.

"My father?" Spike tried to process what he had heard. Never before had he considered his father. Since he was very young, he always insisted that he had passed long ago-- blocked him out of his mind like ancient history.

"Green flames are associated with fire dragons of royal blood, this is you." Draven could clearly see Spike had a hard time coming to terms with the truth.

"What about my mother? What happened to her?" Spike asked, dreading Draven's answer.

"Your mother died during an invasion by the changeling army."

An overwhelming sadness took hold of Spike's heart as he heard Draven's words and crushed it in his grasp. He felt his whole identity begin to crumble into a pile of rubble. "And... what of my father?" Spike held his head in his hand as he sat back down in his chair.

"Orius... he was a good friend of mine. When we were young he had found me-- a survivor of a great purge of my race. I am a thunder dragon you see. The last of my kind all but wiped out by the armies of King Sombra. That bastard slaughtered every single dragon in my kingdom after they refused to join his alliance." Draven clenched his fist as he choked back painful memories. "Sixteen years ago, your father retreated to Equestria after the changelings attacked. This is where he left you."

Spike, still comprehending Draven's story, sat in silence and listened.

"I had already had a ship and crew when this occurred, and when I heard news of the attack and your father's disappearance into the Blacklands, I had followed this rumor and set sail. My crew did not fare well, and we were pushed back by the changelings. I swore to myself to find your father one day when I was older, and now that you're here... the stars have truly aligned." Draven put his hand out to Spike. "So, will you join my crew, Spike? Will you help me on this quest to not only find your father but save this world as well?"

Spike looked across the table to Fluttershy, who was still trying to make sense of Draven's story. "What do you think? What about Twilight? All our friends?" Spike asked Fluttershy as she looked to him.

"I think this is too important Spike. This should be your decision." Fluttershy insisted.

Spike closed his eyes to think for a moment. Despite all Draven had told him, regardless of the tragedy, Spike recognized this as a new opportunity, a new path destiny had given him. He wanted adventure, and this was his only chance to get it. When his eyes opened, he grabbed Draven's hand tightly, confidently, and shook. A determined grin spread across his face as the fire within him was set ablaze once again. He had a feeling this would be a new beginning.

"Yes, yes I will..."

Shanghai'd! Chapter Three: Gateway to The Sea

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A loud knock on Spike's door awakened him abruptly from his slumber. He got up, put on his clothes, and opened the door in a haste. He expected Fluttershy, but to his surprise is was the red mare from yesterday, leaning on the adjacent wooden wall.

"You slept in. We've landed at the coastal port for supplies. Follow me." The mare began to walk down the long hallway in the ship, with Spike trailing not far behind.

"You know, you haven't told me your name yet," Spike added lightly.

"It's Gin, and... I apologize for what had happened the other day. I can get caught up in the moment." Gin exited through the door to the upper deck with Spike following, who was reassured by Gin's words.

"My name is Spike..." Spike looked out across the water to see the approaching port, along with the vast sea ahead of it.

"It's nice to meet ya, Spike," Gin grinned as she turned around to see Draven, who was standing behind them both.

"We've got a long journey ahead of us, mate. We're gonna be stopping at the port for supplies." Draven explained as he raised his hand to gesture to a crew member. "Lower the boarding bridge!"

With a nod, the crew member lowered the large wooden pathway across to conjoin with the cobblestone ground of the port. Fluttershy emerged from the lower level shortly after and said good morning to the crew, giving Spike a half-smile. He enjoyed the warm feeling of compassion Fluttershy always shared with those around her.

"Spike! And uh.... what's-er-face! You two go with the crew and relax for a while, maybe grab some food. I've got some mapping to do. Take Gin and the paladin with you in case you wish to wander, but not too far okay?" Draven informed the young duo.

"It's Fluttershy..." Fluttershy chimed in.

"Paladin?" Spike uttered in a confused tone.

"Ah, don't worry. One of the crew members. He's a brooding type and doesn't talk too much, but who knows? He might grow on ya!" Gin insisted as she then called up towards the crow's nest.

A large figure dropped from the mast and onto the wooden deck. He was average height for a stallion in his mid-twenties, but his grave appearance made him seem somewhat taller in a sense. His right eye was deep blue, and his left eye had a patch on it that covered most of the left side of his brown face down to his cheekbone. His body was clad in silver armor like a knight, and his short black hair was spiky and slicked back, almost windblown. His demeanor exuded much grit and intensity as he approached Spike and the others.

"This ray of sunshine's name is Winslow. He isn't the chatty type, but he gets results when you give him an order." Gin said with a smirk. "Isn't that right, ya tin-can?"

"Hmph." The steel-encased stallion grunted.

The port was relatively busy and had visitors from many far away nations. A large market and pub lined the coastal street full of people. Gin put her arms around Fluttershy and Spike's shoulders with glee as a grin formed on her face.

"How about a drink or two on me?" Gin gestured towards the pub cheerfully as she patted Spike and Fluttershy on the back.

"Thank you, but I don't really drink..." Fluttershy answered, slightly guilty at not accepting Gin's kindness.

"I'm game!" Spike replied in agreement. "Sounds like fun!"

"Alright! Fluttershy, why don't you go with Winslow and peruse the market while Spike and I join the crew at the pub?" Gin suggested.

"That sounds great!" Fluttershy said with a warm smile.

****

Spike and Gin sat down at the center table separate from the crew. Gin ordered two drinks and the two began chatting over their ale.

"So what's your story, dragon?" Gin asked as she lowered her tankard to the table after a long swig.

"Well up until now, it was never really a long story. It definitely wasn't an exciting one either," Spike explained as he too took a sip of his drink, slightly cringing at the strong taste. "I was raised by a good family of ponies. I live, or until recently... lived with a very close friend of mine. We grew up together, and she's more like an older sister to me than anything else. We made friends with a lot of ponies when we moved to Ponyville, and... I miss them a lot."

"Doesn't sound so boring to me." Gin said with a half-smile.

After a drink from his beverage, Spike sat silent for a moment, then looked up at Gin nervously. "What's your story...?"

After a long pause, Gin raised her drink to her mouth; then back down as she licked her lips. "I was an orphan you see... me father left, and me mother died when I was very young, and I grew up in the slums of Canterlot." Gin's cheerful attitude seemed to dissolve as she progressed with her story. "I was often a beggar, and sometimes I resorted to thievery once every so often. I regret what I did, but... I did it out of survival. I was such a young filly, alone and afraid in such a big world, and I had no family to speak of, well, except my older brother. But, I never got to see him after he was drafted into the navy."

Spike sat silently as he heard Gin's melancholy, and realized the insignificance of his previous problems with Twilight days ago. "Draven found me one day when I tried pickpocketing him, but instead of reporting me like almost everyone else I stole from... he just smiled and said. 'What's a young filly like you doing all by yourself?'. After that, he took me in and introduced me to his crew, who accepted me with open arms." Gin's frown turned into a gentle smirk as she continued. "Draven is the closest thing to a father I've ever had, and these band of misfits are like family a to me. I think the rest of the crew feels the same."

Moved by her words, Spike looked up at Gin with a vividly new perspective on his surroundings. Previously unsure about his situation, but now confident in himself and the road ahead. He sat straighter as he replied to Gin. "That's a story I could drink to," Spike added with high-spirits. "But I think I figured something out today, though."

"And what's that?" Gin inquired with a chuckle.

A rumble from Spike's stomach roared, followed by a belch of green fire from his mouth.

"I don't think I'm a very good drinker..." The two then shared a laugh as Gin ordered another drink for herself.

****

Winslow and Fluttershy walked along the wide street eyeing the many fruit stands, seafood -sellers, and various vendors.

Fluttershy was nervous in the presence of the stale-looking stallion as he looked straight-forward, barely paying any attention to her (Or anyone else for that matter). Fluttershy cleared her throat as the two walked alongside each other, she spoke with withering confidence as she attempted to chat with Winslow.

"I um, don't suppose you see anything you like?" Fluttershy said softly to the blonde stallion; the long, uncomfortable pause that followed was a little unnerving.

"Not really." Winslow finally answered. Fluttershy had never met a stallion so reluctant to speak. He retained a sort of tactical tunnel-vision whenever surveying those around him, always cautious of thieves or enemies.

"Oh, look at that!" Fluttershy's attention was drawn to the fresh fruit shop, specifically on the dried food section. "Perhaps we should buy some for the rest of the crew?" Fluttershy gained the attention of the shopkeeper, waving him over. "I'll take some of those apricots, please!"

"Right away, Miss." The shopkeeper answered cheerfully as he put the orange fruit into a large paper bag. "Here you go. That'll be twenty bits, please!"

Fluttershy handed a handful of change to the clerk, then said goodbye. She approached the ever-weary stallion with an open bag, filled with fruit. "Would you like some?" Fluttershy asked Winslow innocently.

"Yes, thank you," Winslow muttered as he plopped an apricot into his mouth.

Winslow seemed calm for a moment before his expression changed to that of distress as he looked across the street to see a band of shrouded individuals. They were approaching them menacingly, and the eyes beneath their hoods glowed a dim green.

"Quickly this way!" Winslow grabbed Fluttershy's arm as they cut across to a narrow alleyway, making sure not to cause a disruption as they did so.

The two were moving swiftly but were halted halfway down the alley when another three shrouded figures approached from the opposite direction. They had been surrounded.

"Stay close to me," Winslow ordered Fluttershy as he drew his long-sword.

The group surrounding them revealed their true faces. They were most assuredly changelings.

"Where is your captain?" One of the Changelings inquired as he drew his green saber.

"None of your concern, you scum," Winslow replied as he pointed his blade at Changeling's neck.

"How dare you!" The changeling yelled as he took a large slash at Winslow; who dodged and struck the attacker's midsection with expert timing.

The other group of changelings grabbed Fluttershy and dragged her into a door nearby. She panicked and called out in desperation, but Winslow was caught up in his fight with the others. Fluttershy was thrown to the ground in the small room behind the door and approached by the group of changelings who drew their blades.

"We're gonna enjoy this cutie-pie..." One of the changelings hissed with a ghastly sneer.

Fluttershy began to stall to wait for the right moment to strike, as her eyes darted about the room.

"Please! Don't hurt me!" Fluttershy cried as she put her arms over her head; not because she was afraid of them, but because she feared a beast lurking within.

"It's a shame we have to hurt a pretty little thing like you doll-face." The changeling raised his arm to strike.

The world slowed around Fluttershy as her eye's reddened, her fangs extended, and her nails sharpened into pointed talons. She moved at a supernatural speed as she dashed for the attacking changeling, biting down hard on his neck; spurting out blood as she did so. The changeling wailed in pain as Fluttershy greedily gorged herself on the helpless prey. She then moved on to the other's, coming to her senses as she held the two by their necks up high. She resisted her urge to feed as she narrowed her eyes on them.

"Stop..." Fluttershy muttered as the changelings dropped into a heap on the floor from her gaze.

She whimpered in guilt for the changeling she had executed, but she left regardless, realizing Winslow needed aid.

"I'm sorry..." She muttered, tears pooling in her eyes.

Winslow sheathed his sword as he frantically rushed back to Fluttershy who just exited the door to the alleyway.

"Are you okay?" Winslow asked with a worried tone in his voice.

"I'm fine... I uh, got away." Fluttershy lied with hesitance.

"Okay," Winslow's concern was soon replaced by doubt as he caught a glance of blood lining the corner of Fluttershy's lower lip, which she covered up with her hand quickly.

"C'mon, we have to warn the others." Winslow grabbed Fluttershy's arm and began racing back to the docking bay.

****

Spike and Gin's conversation was interrupted by Winslow and Fluttershy as they explained what happened. The two got up from their table quickly as they rounded up the crew into the ship.

"Get in! Everypony!" Gin ordered as the crew ran across the boarding bridge.

Draven appeared out from his cabin in response to the ruckus outside and inquired to Gin in concern.

"What the bloody hell is going on out there?!" Draven demanded as Gin ushered more crew members onboard.

"Captain! Winslow and Fluttershy were attacked by a group of Changeling assassins! They're fine, but right now we've got to go!" Gin frantically replied as she began preparations to set sail.

"Let's get out of here before the whole Changeling Armada shows up!" Draven shouted with much fear surrounding his voice.

The ship sped on in fear of the oncoming maelstrom behind them and eventually disappeared into a thick fog, shrouding themselves from the armada, allowing their escape.

****

Later that night, Fluttershy leaned on the wooden railing and looked down to the ocean below. She choked back tears when she thought about her mindless rage. It had been many months since she had become more than a pony, and she was still getting used to the thirst and uncontrollable lust for crimson-sustenance. Granted, it was more than that. She felt this burning hatred, demonic and foul, one that was not her own. Was this a vampire? No, it couldn't be.

Winslow approached unexpectedly from around a corner in silence. He seemed menacing, as if on a mission when he approached her. He put his hand on her neck and planted her against a wall.

"What are you-?" Fluttershy muttered, fearful of the stoic stallion. Fluttershy could feel that Winslow was not choking her, but simply placing his hand around her neck. He let go after a few seconds and peered into Fluttershy's eyes.

"No pulse. Do not think I can be fooled so easily, I used to hunt vampires for a living. Don't worry though... I'm not that stallion anymore." Winslow whispered to her softly. "What you did was reckless, and somepony could have easily found you out."

"You can't tell anyone, please..." Fluttershy begged quietly. "If anyone finds out... I'll.-"

Winslow put his hand on her mouth, shushing her. "I know."

"What intrigues me, however, is the fact you didn't burst into flames. Have you always been able to do that, even in sunlight?" Winslow asked in a serious tone.

Fluttershy nodded silently in reply, and Winslow backed away from her. He went back downstairs into the ship slowly but turned to face her in hesitation.

"Interesting.Goodnight, Fluttershy, and... thank you for that apricot." Winslow said as he descended down to the lower level.

"Goodnight Winslow..."

Shanghai'd! Chapter Four: In Dragon's Footsteps

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Apricot could hear hoof-steps in the distance. However, this was not the trotting of regular hooves. Many ponies recognized the sound of changeling hooves upon stone. He turned to his children, who were still playing with their toys on the floor.

"Cream, Cinnamon. Put your toys away and look proper. Someone is at the door" Apricot said as he took a peek through the seeing-eye on the door. He choked back dread as his worries were confirmed; three changelings in shrouds stood before his front door.

Apricot opened his door to greet the mysterious visitors with somewhat feigned happiness mixed with desperation. "Hello, gentlecolts. How may I help you?"

One of the figures closest to the door undid his hood to revealed himself. The figure who presented himself to Apricot made him quake and quiver. "General Verulius Constantine." The stallion in the center bowed in respect to Apricot. "I do not wish to barge in unannounced, but could my friends and I ask you some questions, perhaps?"

Thinking of no other option, Apricot stepped aside from his doorstep to usher the visitors inside. Constantine was unlike most changelings Apricot had seen before. Instead of a feral appearance like most other changelings, he was quite dashing. Whilst his complexion still remained a dark blue like most others, his young features, and charismatic demeanor complemented his extensive general-attire. However, his young body was contradicted by his stark white hair. Strangest of all was the horn atop his head, and this was not the twisted horn of Chrysalis. It was the horn of a common unicorn. Apricot simply gawked at the conundrum that was this mysterious stallion, as he tried to formulate why he had intruded in his house.

"Perhaps you wish for an explanation, my friend." Constantine gestured to Apricot's adjacent dining room chair closest to himself. "Please sit, it is your home after all. I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable in it."

Reluctantly Apricot sank to his chair; still unsure about the situation he was in. Regardless he turned to his daughter's.

"Put out some apricots, and make some tea for these guests, Cream. Cinnamon, go upstairs to your room." Apricot said with subtle harshness to his voice.

"Very kind of you indeed sir," Constantine said appreciatively. "Now, let's get down to business shall we?"

Apricot nodded his head, and his daughter set out a plat full of fresh apricots on the table.

"Well then, I have come to understand based on my sources that you had sold some fresh fruit to a couple of ponies a few days ago, no?" Constantine crossed his leg in a polite manner.

"You'll have to be more specific General," Apricot suggested as he took a bite from the fresh fruit. "I get all kinds of customers every day."

"Yes, I apologize. They were a stallion and a mare, one was a unicorn whilst the other was a pegasus. The unicorn was clad in armor, and the pegasus was in common clothing." Constantine crossed his arms in deep thought, trying to recollect the information. "Ring any bells?"

"Well, yes. There was a pair like the ones you're describing, I think." Apricot remembered. "They had bought some fresh apricots from my store and then darted away."

"Good, good. Now, was there by any chance... a dragon?" Constantine picked up an apricot and took a small bite.

Apricot did not approve of Constantine's nosiness and had sat silently in response.

"Mmm. You know... Apricot, correct? My mother owned a fresh fruit farm not far from here." Constantine added, taking another bite from his fruit. "I spent most of my childhood with her at that farm."

"Is that so?" Apricot replied with a barely noticeable amount of sarcasm.

"Yes. My father worked far away as a soldier for the changeling army, and my mother tended the farm along with me. We were very happy." Constantine's eyes looked across the room as a wave of nostalgia filled his mind with warm memories.

"That sounds nice." Apricot was listening intently, but this was out of respect rather than interest.

"Yes, it was. Until a group of dragons burnt my farm, my home, and my mother to ashes in their blind rampage. They are reckless animals that do not understand anything else but chaos..." Constantine's relaxed expression quickly melted away to reveal a look of utter disgust. "Do you see now? I must find this dragon before he acquires dangerous items my superiors are interested in. I must know why you are withholding this information from me."

"You have no business asking these questions of me, and you have no business in Equestria, bug. I'm alerting the authorities-..." One of the changelings blocked the door, preventing escape.

"You know sometimes an apricot tree would yield sour fruit. Do you know what we would do when we found diseased branches?" Constantine snapped his finger's, and the two other changelings nabbed Cream and Cinnamon. "We cut them off."

"You sick bastards!" Apricot yelled as the changelings drew their sabers; drawing them closer to the children's necks. He was held back against the living room door by Constantine, who's grip was far stronger than it looked.

"Please! Please don't do this! I'll tell you what you need to know!" Constantine dropped Apricot as he fell to his knees and begged, tears streaming down his face as he did so.

"Good." Constantine hissed.

"There was a dragon visiting the pub near the docks, and I also heard something else, but... this is just a rumor." Apricot desperately blurted out, followed by a curious silence from Constantine. "I had heard that the captain of their ship was another dragon! A thunder dragon!"

"Thank you! Now was that so hard?" Constantine grinned, eyes wide and dripping with malice.

That single expression from Constantine was enough to send chills down Cream and Cinnamon's spine, raising the hairs on their neck's. Constantine's evil demeanor subsided quickly, however, and he started acting like himself again.

"Thank you for your time, my friend." Constantine thanked the shivering stallion as he began to walk out the door, with his troops following not far behind. "Our talk has been... most educational."

Apricot was still in shock from the event and swiftly grabbed his daughters in relief that they remained unscathed. Mere steps from Apricot's door, Constantine grabbed a small orb out of his pocket. The orb glowed a faint green, and a voice echoed from it.

"Have you found the location of Draven?" Chrysalis inquired.

"Yes. It seems our friend has acquired new crew members; a fire dragon and a pegasus that I believe you might have been acquainted with before." Constantine answered her.

The orb heated from Chrysalis' sheer rage. "Those infuriating friends of Twilight Sparkle?! The mare who ruined my plans!?"

"I take it you recognize the names... Now, what shall you have me do, my lady?" Constantine asked.

"I want you to find them! Kill them! Humiliate them! Make them suffer in my name, and let them be examples to our enemies!" Chrysalis was blind in her anger but quickly relaxed as Constantine replied back.

"Now, now, my dear. Let me handle that manner of business. We need to focus on the task at hand; retrieving the Sorcerer's Stones." Constantine insisted. "I have an idea as to how we shall come at this task, but first I need the full force of our army. Do I have your permission?"

"Very well, General, you have my permission. Shall you set sail to the Blacklands soon?" Chrysalis inquired.

"Yes, but first, I must tend to an order of business," Constantine explained. "Which brings me to my next question."

"What is that?" Chrysalis said; somewhat curious.

"Where is Ponyville?" Constantine's lunatic-smile once again returned, this time, more psychotic than ever. "I think I should get to know this Twilight Sparkle more in-depth..."

"I shall give you the location soon, General," Chrysalis promised as Constantine placed the orb back in his pocket.

"Sir, what shall we do with the shopkeeper and his family?" One changeling soldier asked; looking back at the closed door they had exited not long ago.

"They know too much. Kill them all." Constantine answered as he looked back to the soldier, eyes wide with lunacy.

****

Twilight had felt quite guilty over the past few days for angering Spike, for letting Fluttershy go after him alone, and for turning up nothing when she looked for them. She, however, could not function after this much sleep-deprivation, and was far too tired to even be miserable. Yet, sleep evaded Twilight in her restlessness, and never once could she get a full hour of deep sleep in the days passed by.

Before she was angry at Spike for leaving, but now all she wanted was to have him by her side. All she wanted to know that he was okay, and if Fluttershy was with him. Her sadness was cut short, however, by an abrupt knock at the door. She got to her feet quickly, realizing it could be the authorities delivering news about the investigation. Twilight's eagerness dissolved though when she met a group of changelings standing at her doorstep. The taller one near the center pulled up his hood and spoke.

"My name is General Verulius Constantine." The changeling bowed in greetings to Twilight. "Are you by any chance Princess Twilight Sparkle?"

"I am, why?" Twilight remained cautious of the strange changelings at her doorstep.

"Very good." Constantine nodded to the changeling next to him.

The changeling attempted to club Twilight over the head, but she dodged. With her magic, she blew the group back, causing them to fall on their backs; all but Constantine.

"Did you take Spike?! If you wish to abduct me, I won't go down without a fight!" Twilight stated, well aware she was in no mental nor physical shape to battle after days without adequate sleep.Twilight stepped outside and cast a spell, creating twin purple swords of magical energy. The troops attempted to strike at her but were halted by Constantine.

"Stand aside. I shall deal with her myself." Constantine unsheathed a magical saber that glowed a ghostly green energy, and with his sword issued a battle salute to his foe. "I can assure you I have nothing to do with your dragon friend's disappearance. Alas, I will have much to do with his demise, of course..."

In a flash of green and purple light, their blades clashed. Constantine began dodging Twilight's fast and agile strikes directed at his chest, and immediately countered with his saber, swinging high and low to wear her down. However, Constantine withdrew from the frenzy and backed off, taking his time to analyze his foe before attacking once more.

"You are most assuredly worthy of my effort, young-princess!" Constantine complimented. "I admire your spirit, but you are far too tired to retaliate again."

Realizing his words were true, Twilight resorted to magical attack instead, firing off large blasts of arcane fire that scorched the ground in front of her. Constantine took heed and swiftly avoided her barrage, releasing precise shots of searing green energy to counter. Twilight raised a magical shield in response, but it broke under the immense amount of power being hurled at it.

Twilight was blown back and landed on her side. She heaved herself back up in determination but nearly crumpled when Constantine took a swing at her again; causing her to panic and defend with her blades. They were at a stand-still as their blades sparked and crackled when they clashed;,Constantine easily overpowering Twilight with one arm as he broke her blades into pieces. Constantine sheathed his saber and approached Twilight.

"You have amused me, Princess, but now your act has grown tiresome." Constantine crouched down to Twilight, who was kneeling out of exhaustion.

Twilight watched in amazement as Constantine's hand began to decay into a skeleton's appendage, glowing a sickening green color as he began to scratch the bottom of her chin. He smiled then murmured an indecipherable language, causing Twilight to feel far more drowsy than she ever had before.

"What is that magic...?" Twilight fell on her back and fainted.

"Take her to the port and load her on the ship. We shall set sail for the Blacklands at dawn, and pursue the enemy." Constantine ordered his soldiers.

"I have much in store for your new dragon friend, Draven..."

Shanghai'd! Chapter Five: Arrival

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"Spike." Fluttershy shook Spike gently, as she coaxed him out of his slumber.

"Um... What?" Spike murmured in a drowsy tone of voice.

"Wake up, Draven wants to see you," Fluttershy said in her usual soft tone of voice.

Spike let out a long yawn as he climbed down from his bunk and onto the wooden floor bellow. He sluggishly put on his shirt, pants, and finally his jacket, and walked into the hallway to see Fluttershy. She was waiting patiently, with her regular shy, yet warm demeanour. She had been given clothes from Gin that were better suited to wear on a trip such as this. Her short skirt replaced by long brown leather pants, and her usual white and sleeveless shirt replaced by a less restrictive, yet form- fitting white blouse and buckled vest.

"Does it look okay?" Fluttershy asked as Spike examined her attire.

"Well. You look like a pirate now." Spike lightly chuckled.

"I don't feel like one." Fluttershy bashfully replied.

. When the two exited to the deck above, Draven was leaning lazily in front of them against the mast support post but jumped up as soon as he saw Spike and Fluttershy.

"Ah, there ya are! We've got a few hours yet before we arrive, but I wanna hedge things out before we land so we know what to do first." Draven patted Spike on the back and began walking to his quarter's. "Meet me and Coba in the mapping room soon. We've got an idea on where that first stone might be."

Spike's attention was diverted to the steel-clad unicorn approaching him.

"Good morning Spike. Good morning Fluttershy" Winslow greeted in a serious, yet somewhat cheerful tone.

"Um, good morning." Fluttershy replied in her hushed voice; Spike noticed she seemed especially shy towards Winslow.

As Winslow marched onward to monitor the crew, Spike nudged Fluttershy's arm.

"Hey, what was that about?" Spike inquired.

"It's nothing." Fluttershy snapped; almost cutting Spike off,

It was definitely unlike Fluttershy to reply to a greeting in such a way. Based on her reaction to the statement, however, Spike figured it was best to ask later.

The map room had extensive adjustments to its appearance, and almost every map in the drawers lining the room was either pasted crudely on the wall or laid flat on the floor. It was obvious Draven had been doing some studying on the Blacklands geography.

"So, what 's the news?" Spike said; still eyeing the many maps around him.

"Well, our friend Coba thinks he may know where the Stone of Right is," Draven said as he dipped his quill in ink then gestured to Coba with a nod. "Please continue mate."

"My people hail from the Blacklands. The Twhubi Nation. I lived atop the largest mountain in the Blacklands, Mount Wantthai." Coba pointed towards the large precipice drawn on the map; no doubt it was the mountain itself. "Every year we hold a ceremonial tournament for fighters around the world. This tournament is held on the starriest night of the year, which just so happens to be a few days from now."

"The first stone Right, lay atop a mountain on a starry night." Fluttershy had said softly to herself. "That's sounds right."

"Not only that but I think I might know where the stone actually is," Coba explained. "A ceremonial headdress is awarded to the victor, and on the headdress is an ancient jewel that my people consider sacred. I believe that is the Stone of Right."

"So, are we going to steal it?" Spike asked; still somewhat confused as to what Coba was getting at.

"No. I have already abandoned my people, and to earn their trust I must show them I am a strong warrior." Coba said; almost offended by Spike's question. "I must compete in the tournament. However, I won't be doing it alone."

"What do you mean by that?" Spike asked.

"You will accompany me in battle." Coba insisted.

"What?!" Spike was shocked by Cobas' words.

"In order to compete you must have a partner," Coba explained to Spike.

"But, I'm no fighter! I'm just a secretary for a princess!" Spike said; somewhat doubtful in judging himself.

"No fighter you say? And yet I saw you part the sea with a single bellow of your flames!" Coba chuckled; trying his best to cheer Spike up.

"Granted you still need proper training before you fight." Draven said; somewhat contradictory. "I think I can assist you with that one boy."

"What kind of training?" Spike inquired; curious about Draven's words.

"While all that fire you showed the crew was powerful and impressive, it was reckless and lacked precision," Draven said analytically. "I can teach you the ways of dragon magic, and help you learn how to focus your power into a more practical tool."

"Will he be killing anyone?" Fluttershy murmured; worried by the whole situation.

"No. My people do not approve of senseless killing, but the rules state that you must knock out the opposition." Coba got up from his chair and put his massive hand on Spike's shoulder. "So how about it? Will you fight with me?"

"Yes." Spike gladly agreed.

"Perfect! Your training will start now!" Draven joyfully applauded, as he practically pushed Spike out the door.

"Wait what?!" Spike yelled as he flew out the door.

****

Draven ordered his men to back away and leave him and Spike alone as he pulled a large lever. When it clicked, a set of wooden dummies appeared out from trap doors.

"Alright boy! These are my practice targets that I used to use when I was still learning!" Draven shouted from the other side of the ship. "Hang on a sec."

Draven jumped down from the balcony across the ship and approached Spike. He lined up beside him in a ready position and took a deep breath. In a flash, his clenched fist became engulfed in bolts of powerful lightning. He took a step back, and in an instant flew forward towards the dummy; striking it dead-center with his charged strike.

"Alright, mate! Your turn!" Draven stated as he shook off the lightning from his hand.

"How did you do that?!" Spike shouted with childlike wonder and curiosity.

"An old dragon technique. Here, let me show you." Draven stood behind Spike. "Alright, I want you to breathe. That's the most important part about this attack."

Spike took a deep breath, clenching his fist as he did so.

"You've got to focus on that target boy, nothing else. Imagine there's a signal travelling from your head to the arm where you want the flames at." Draven continued as he raised Spike's arm higher towards the dummy. "Let the magical energy flow now."

Spike could feel a warmth in his hand now. It wasn't scorching heat like he imagined it to be, but a dull and soothing feeling. His fist ignited in emerald flames and grew intense as he focused on the target.

"What now?" Spike asked in a ready stance.

"You've got to lunge at your target!" Draven directed; noticing Spike's doubtfulness about lunging that far forward. "You're a lot stronger than you think you are, boy!"

With burning confidence, Spike bucked his back-leg; sending him flying forward at impressive speed towards the target. With a swing he hit the target across the shoulder; scattering green flames around in a small blast as it collided. Spike was shocked by his capability as he viewed the now scorched appearance of the dummy; its right side charred black by the intense heat of Spike's fire. Draven gave spike a pat on the head as he applauded with pride.

"Impressive, boyo! For most young dragons, it takes three or four tries to get that right. Yet you did it on the first try!" Draven chuckled in his usual jolly manner. "But, we still got to work on your aim. A strike on the shoulder won't do much, but a strike to the mid-section will send others flying!"

Winslow hopped down from the crow's nest and walked up to Draven.

"We will be approaching the Blackland's port soon Draven." Winslow informed Draven, then turned to face Spike. "And by the way, excellent power! I almost felt that fire nearly scorch me!"

"Thanks!" Spike bashfully nodded; feeling he may have overdone it a little.

****

Spike and Fluttershy hopped out of the ship and onto the pier to see a large and bustling seaport. Equestrian soldiers lined the streets, and other large ships like Draven's unloaded spices and other materials into the supply docks.

"Whoa," Spike said in astonishment.

"Not so barren and uncharted as you thought huh?" Gin said to Spike.

"It's so busy," Fluttershy whispered to Spike.

Spike knew Fluttershy was awful around crowds, but this many ponies made her extremely nervous. She was always so used to the quaint and silent atmosphere of Ponyville. This was far too much of a shock for her, being in a horde of ponies like this.

"Come on Coba, we've got some supplies to unload." Draven uttered in a tiresome manner. "You folks go ahead! Don't get into any trouble like last time!"

Spike walked with Gin and Fluttershy into the main square, he noticed there was more than just soldiers or commoners gathering. Other ponies from different nations were just arriving from the wave of ships that had docked earlier. Spike was curious and tried to guess in his mind where exactly some had come from; most he could make a fair assumption on their homeland, but the nation of origin for some ponies was a mystery to him.

"Are all these ponies here for the tournament?" Fluttershy asked; somewhat tense around the massive group of people. "I thought Draven said the Blacklands were uncharted and populated with natives..."

"That was the last time Draven sailed here; which was decades ago. It was a different time back then, and the natives weren't too kind to travellers." Gin replied to Fluttershy's comment. "Now they are accepting of visitors and opened the tournament to colonizers in hopes to create a good relationship with Equestrians."

All of a sudden somepony ran past Spike; nearly knocking him down trying to get through.

"Oh, hey sorry my ba-..." The random stranger trailed off at the sight of Spike.

Spike could barely believe his eyes either. The stranger was a dragon wearing a white shirt and grey pants, and no older than Spike himself. His scales were light blue and his tail fins were a bright white, almost shining in the day's light. He was attentively eyeing Spike in disbelief, and Spike was doing the same as well.

"Well, I'll be damned!" The dragon said in astonishment.

"Seems I'm running into dragons wherever I go." Spike uttered somewhat jokingly.

"Are you competing in the tournament?" The young dragon questioned.

"Um, yeah," Spike replied.

"Nice! So am I! It's good to see one of my own kind around here!" The dragon seemed quite cheerful and enthusiastic.

"Hey, what are you doing? The way to the mountain is over here!" A stallion ran up to the dragon, noticing his obvious intrusion on his conversation. "Oh, apologies."

The white stallion was shorter than the rest of them and had extremely long and spiky black hair almost past his back-- held behind his forehead by a black bandana. He wore a strange kind of red garb cinched with a black cloth belt. He seemed disappointed in himself for barging in on the two dragons.

"It's fine." The dragon assured the somewhat embarrassed stallion and turned to Spike. "This is my comrade, Jhettei."

"Hey, my name is Spike!" Spike said to the two fighters.

The stallion bowed in respect to Spike and his group. "An honor to meet you."

"My name is Cyro! I'm a frost dragon from Northern Equestria." The dragon said in salutations.

"Oh, awesome! Pleasure to meet you!" Spike put out his hand to Cyro, and the two shook hands, making a slight sizzling noise as their hands touched.

"Yikes, that's cold!" Spike pulled his hand back quickly.

"You kidding? Your hand almost lit mine on fire!" Cyro joked.

"Say, I'm famished! Let's grab a bite to eat, Jhettei!" The blue dragon uttered as he patted the short stallion on the back, then gave a wink to Spike. "I'll see you at the tournament, 'Hotshot'!"

The two walked off and disappeared into the crowd.

"Well, that was sort of dumb luck. You don't see many frost-dragons around these parts." Gin stated.

"He seemed nice," Fluttershy said timidly.

"That friend of his was a Northland-monk," Winslow added. "You certainly don't see many of his kin in a place like this. I wonder... what he was doing here? And why is he in the company of a frost dragon?"

"You know... to tell you the truth I'm kind of hungry myself as well," Spike admitte, gesturing across the square to a restaurant.

"Well, I could eat too." Gin agreed.

Gin and Spike began to walk ahead of Winslow and Fluttershy, but they looked back after realized they weren't keeping up.

"Hey, you two coming?" Gin asked.

"We'll be there in a second!" Winslow answered.

Winslow looked to Fluttershy and seemed slightly worried.

"Are you alright? You seem anxious." Winslow questioned.

"I just... I'm not comfortable. It's not just me being shy, it's just that... I can't stand being near anyone." Fluttershy said; clearly showing restraint.

"I understand. That changeling was your first wasn't it?" Winslow said in concern. "You thirst for more don't you?"

"Yes," Fluttershy replied as she nodded her head. "The worst part is... it tasted so good, and I can't do that again! I don't want to do that again!"

Winslow put his arm around Fluttershy as she wept; holding her closer to him. "I can't say I know how it feels, but I understand the outcome of such lust well."

"I'm sorry. I feel like such a monster for thinking such awful thoughts!" Fluttershy cried.

"I think it would be best to find a way to drive those thoughts away. Until then, you should stay away from large crowds like this." Winslow informed Fluttershy.

"Thank you. Really, I mean it." Fluttershy said; wiping the tears from her eyes.

"You're welcome. Now, let's catch up with them shall we?" Winslow proposed.

****

After a large meal Spike patted his stomach and accidentally let out a belch of flame; covering his mouth in embarrassment afterwards.

"You certainly can pack it away..." Winslow said; somewhat impressed by the stack of food Spike had inhaled.

"Well, I usually prefer gems, but sometimes I can make an exception! Although sometimes it doesn't agree with me." Spike replied as he felt his stomach rumbling.

Suddenly, Spike felt something in his pocket. He curiously dug it out; surprised to see a simple folded piece of paper that he knew well wasn't there before.

"What the..." Spike was surprised to see the familiar handwriting on the paper.

Spike

His interest had been enhanced upon reading the front. He knew who it was, and unfolded the paper to reveal a message that caused him much distress.

I don't know if you will get this letter, but if you do... please find me. I was taken hostage by changelings, and I think they are headed to the Changeling Embassy on the east coast of the Blacklands. I'm weak and I think my arm is broken.

Help Me...

Shanghai'd! Chapter Six: Rescue

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Twilight struggled to lift herself from the hard ground in her prison cell; her feet nearly giving out as she stood. She weakly trudged to the metal door and spied through the crevice cut into the middle for both prisoners and guards to see in. Unfortunately, there was little chance for her to escape, as most of the changeling guards were armed with flintlocks and sabers. She only hoped that the letter she sent to Spike would reach him in time. Most of all, though... she hoped that Spike was alive to even read the message she sent him. The changeling guards had missed an enchanted notepad on Twilight's body when they searched her, fortunately.

She was hungry, and to top that off her arm had been broken in her fight with Constantine. She didn't notice it, though, and only realized this when she had attempted to stand up the first time when she woke up. She thought to herself that most likely it had been injured when her magical shield was destroyed in battle; the force of the blast knocked her senseless and the adrenaline must have dulled the pain before she passed out. It was only a few moments later when she realized that a small collar clamped firmly on her neck. Based on the situation she knew it was an anti-magic

The door suddenly slammed open, and two guards menacingly approached Twilight; grabbing her by the shoulders and causing her tremendous pain.

"Ah! Nggh!" Twilight wailed in agony.

The guards dragged Twilight up the stairs and through a larger corridor leading to a door; tossing her inside and locking the door behind them as they did so.

"What is this? Why do you treat this poor mare with such hostility?" Constantine said with a sympathetic tone of voice. "She is my guest! I suggest you treat her with the same respect you treat me with. Oh, and take that collar off will you? It's sullying the atmosphere of the room."

The guard beside Twilight loosened and snapped-off the collar as she surveyed the room closely. It was, in fact, quite lovely. It was decorated with the finest furnishings, and colors of red and royal gold gave the room the utmost opulence. Constantine had a collection of alcohol that lined the shelves adjacent from the chair in which he resided, and most were vintage; around forty to fifty years of age. Twilight watched as Constantine stood up to gather two wine glasses and then pour into each about half-full with a very old bottle of wine.

"I've been saving this one you know. I only bring it out on special occasions, and you my dear, are what I consider a special occasion." Constantine charmingly stated. "It is not every day one can become properly acquainted with an alicorn princess."

Twilight seemed thrown off by Constantine's mysterious hospitality. "Why did you-."

"Take the collar off?" Constantine interjected. "You're an intellectual one. You should have come to realize by now that I outmatch you in both magical and physical capabilities based on the outcome of our last skirmish."

Twilight stood still for a moment and reflected on the last battle. She knew she was in no shape to fight then, and she certainly was in no shape to fight now. There was no other option but to accept Constantine's hospitality for the moment. As her arm ached in pain she could clearly see that Constantine showed signs of minor concern. Although based on his almost sociopathic personality, she couldn't truly notice any signs of feigned sympathy.

"Oh dear, well that must certainly hurt. Allow me." With a snap of his finger's; Constantine's guards fastened a sling around Twilight faster than she could protest.

"Why do this? The presentation, the suddenly humble attitude, and the wine?" Twilight felt almost mocked by Constantine's abrupt change in personality.

"Twilight, I believe we've gotten off on the wrong foot. You see, I believe we both come from the same background." Constantine insinuated."We come from pleasant families, and we both strive to learn; to grow and develop into something more."

"Is that so?" Twilight sarcastically replied.

"Why yes. Look at you; so hungry for knowledge and enlightenment. Why, becoming an alicorn at your age and earning Celestia's respect is unheard of!" He began to wear down Twilight as he continued. "We both, at our core, lust for knowledge."

"We are not alike!" Twilight said in outrage. "You are sadistic and cold!"

"Do you know what King Sombra had said long ago? He had said 'Knowledge can corrupt oneself and others like an infection, but like a cure it can wipe away our doubts and fears' ." Constantine chuckled lightly at the sentiment. "He was a fool, but a learned fool nonetheless."

"What are you getting at?" Twilight became annoyed by Constantine's evasiveness towards her words.

"You crave knowledge like me Twilight Sparkle, but that is where our similarities end. I crave knowledge because I seek power. You crave knowledge because you are afraid of something." Constantine sneered at the sight of Twilight's look of distress and leaned into her ear to speak once again. "Yes. You are afraid of others not accepting you, that is why you strive for knowledge. You fear being mocked, isolated, and shamed. And most of all, you fear what you cannot fathom!"

Twilight shook in fear as she swallowed his words reluctantly. She could not believe the halfling's words in her ear. She tried to reply, to speak, but words had failed her.

"Oh, and your little dragon friend... Spike, was it? He's on his way to rescue you right now." Constantine stated.

"W-What?" Twilight stuttered in disbelief.

"Do you take me for a fool? You don't think that magic notepad was simply missed was it? Of course not! It was I that instructed the guards to leave it on you. It was the only way to reel your little reptile in!" Constantine snickered in pleasure as Twilight became utterly afraid at the realization that it would be her that caused Spike's demise.

Constantine snatched the notepad using his magic and ushered the guards to take Twilight away to her cell. The guards threw her inside and spat on the flood as they left her behind. Twilight collapsed onto the ground and wept as she lay on the hard ground of her prison. She was completely defeated.

****

Draven and his crew were full speed ahead towards the coastal embassy. The rough sea split from the immense force of the vessel, and a strong tailwind accelerated their advance.

"Are you positive this is the place?" Draven asked; slightly shaky at the sight of the approaching fortress.

"Yes, Twilight knows what she's talking about. This has to be it." Spike uttered in determination.

"Very well. To arms men! To arms!" Draven rallied the crew around him. "This'll be one hell of a battle mates! I'm not sure what'll happen, but we have to get in and get out. Spike and Winslow will take care of infantry while we hold them at bay with cannon-fire! "

"Aye, captain!" The anxious crew members hollered.

"Spike. I don't want you or anyone else dying on me." Draven informed Spike. "If I think you're in trouble, I'm going in after you. We clear?"

With a nod of agreement, Spike turned away and faced Winslow.

"Are you ready fire-dragon?" Winslow asked; his eyes burning with a surprising eagerness. "We'll have an open window to enter the embassy through the outer wall once we get close enough, but we will need you to get us both inside."

"Wait, what?!" Spike was flabbergasted by the statement.

"Like I said before, boy, you're a dragon!" Draven patted Spike on the back. "You're stronger than you think! You've got to jump over that wall with Winslow on your back."

"He probably weighs three hundred and fifty pounds with that armor on!" Spike gawked at Draven.

"Draven! We're approaching the outer wall!" Coba shouted out as he peered through his telescope.

"No time to talk Spike. Just move." Draven said; his usual jolly tone of voice morphing into a more serious one.

"Are you sure you're up for this Spike?" Fluttershy interjected.

"It's most likely my fault she is in there." Spike uttered in guilt. "I have to go."

"Then let's go." Winslow fastened his longsword to his back as he approached Spike.

With a nervous grin, Spike felt Winslow's steel-clad arms hold tightly around his shoulders. He could already feel the tremendous weight of the armored-stallion begin to press on his back. Winslow was much taller than him, and at first Spike doubted he could even get an inch off the ground. Suddenly though, he felt the pressure diminish as he focused. His breathing slowed to a steady rate as the outer wall began to inch closer to the boat.

"On the count of three!" Winslow yelled. "One! Two! Three!"

Spike launched himself sky-high along with Winslow; the speed of the jump causing the air to make a loud gust around them. The stone wall's massive height was surpassed in mere seconds, but sooner than expected he and Winslow began to fall back to earth. He landed hard on the solid stone wall; feeling a jolt of pain as he and Winslow hit the sturdy brick of the massive barricade. They recovered, though and got up as soon as they went down; Winslow faster than Spike.

"Excellent work. I would've liked it if you had stuck the landing better, though." Winslow joked in his usual hardy attitude.

Winslow aided Spike to his feet as they heard approaching troops, followed by the sound of cannon-fire from the ship.

"Intruders! Intruder-." The approaching changeling guard's speech was cut-short by Winslow's massive blade lobbing his head clean off.

Spike was shocked at the sight of the gruesome act but shook it off once he focused on the task at hand. Winslow prepared his blade to draw more blood as he raised it to more approaching troops.

"Go! I'll hold them off while you get to your friend!" Winslow brought his hand up to his eye and tore away at the patch covering it.

Revealed to Spike and the troops close by, was an eerie sight indeed. Spike paused for a moment as he looked at what was hidden underneath the patch. His left eye was much larger than his right. It had a yellow pupil, a putrid green iris, and where there should have been white in his eye... was instead pitch black. Green veins outstretched from Winslow's eye as it focused on his enemies; hailing his oncoming attack.

His strikes were impossibly fast, and no enemy saber could even touch him in his onslaught. Winslow was almost intangible as he dodged point-blank flintlock-fire, and he moved as if the wind carried him.

"Quit standing there and get moving!" Winslow ordered Spike.

Snapping out of his astonishment, Spike jumped down into the maw of the stone fortress. What few changelings that weren't occupied with Winslow attempted to attack Spike but were incinerated into ashes by the large blast of fire that escaped his mouth and leveled the locked entrance-way ahead; allowing him access inside. Spike was not confronted by any guards along the way through the large hallways of the embassy, as most were being slaughtered by Winslow outside. Spike had no clue where exactly Twilight was, but he knew his best bet was the prison downstairs.

Sure enough after descending the stairs and racing down a couple of corridors he had reached what he believed was a prison based on the numerous metal doors lining the large underground chamber.

"Twilight!" Spike called out in desperation.

"Spike?!" A voice yelled back in response.

Spike rushed towards the source of the reply and stopped after finding the right door. He peered into the door slot to see the familiar purple mare.

"Twilight! Are you okay?" Spike asked Twilight; showing much relief.

"Spike, how did you get here? How did you get past the guards?" Twilight inquired; dumbfounded by the whole situation.

"It's a long story Twilight, and I'd prefer telling you later!" Spike ignited his hands and readied his clenched fists. "Right now, I've got to get you out of here!"

"Since when could you do that?" Twilight was shocked at the sight of Spike's strange ability.

"Stand back," Spike ordered Twilight as his flaming fists knocked down the metal door.

Spike raced to Twilight and brought her back to her feet; swinging her usable arm around his shoulder for support. His attention was then drawn towards the cast around Twilight's arm for a brief moment.

"Where did you get that?" Spike said; somewhat puzzled.

Spike was halted as Twilight stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the stallion that stood before the two. Constantine was leaning against an adjacent wall, sipping his glass of wine as he did so.

"He gave it to me." Twilight muttered in reply; disgusted by the wicked stallion's presence.

"I don't believe we've been properly acquainted young fire-dragon." Constantine sadistically stated, then bowed in respect. "My name is General Verulius Constantine."

"Listen, buddy, skip the intro. What do you want?" Spike impatiently interrupted.

"Very well. I've brought you here so that I may kill you. Is that better?" Constantine sneered in psychopathic pleasure.

Spike let go of Twilight and stood in front of her as a guard. "Are you the one that did this to her?" Spike's heart boiled over with anger.

Constantine chuckled in a mischievous manner, as he took another sip from his wine, almost mocking Spike as he took his time to reply.

"What's so funny?" Spike asked Constantine in strife.

"Oh, nothing. The last time I heard a fire dragon dare speak to me like that was a long time ago." Constantine's eyes glowed a ghostly green as his laughter grew demonic and powerful. "I enjoy killing vermin dragons like you."

"Shut-up!" Spike ran at Constantine and took a blazing swing at him.

"Spike, don't!" Twilight warned Spike.

Spike was caught off guard as Constantine dodged, and immediately retaliated with a swift knee to his chest, winding him momentarily. He recovered quickly and tried to strike once more at his head, but again Constantine evaded and blew him back hard into a wall with a blast of magical force. Spike struggled to get back on his feet from the powerful blast, but drove himself to in determination.

"Weak!" Constantine quickly ran at Spike with his magical saber drawn ready to strike at his neck.

"No!" Twilight screamed.

A sudden blast of lightning knocked Constantine back, and Spike looked across the room to see the source of the bolt.

"Stay away from my crew member, you monster." Draven intensely stared down Constantine.

"You made me spill my wine, Draven," Constantine stated in disappointment as he emerged from a pile of rubble that was once a wall.

Lightning began to burst from Draven's body, creating a barrier of searing electricity that made the ground tremble. His eyes were electrified with power, and his fists crackled with thundering might.

Twilight could not believe her eyes. "A thunder dragon..."

Shanghai'd! Chapter Seven: The Battle, The Reunion, and The Scârbă

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"Spike, I want you to get out of this place." Draven uttered in utmost seriousness. "Take your friend and get to Winslow. I'll meet up with you later back on the ship."

His words took Spike by surprise. Never had Draven been so intense about any situation, as he stared down the sneering Constantine; his eyes locked on him in deep-focus. Draven began to manipulate the lightning around him and began to form something. Spike didn't realize what at first, but when the energy began to manifest on his back, it had become clearer. The bolts formed a large pair of wings on Draven's back.

"Wings?" Spike was almost literally shocked by the dragon before him.

"Spike, I said get out of here!" Draven's intensity had become anger as he turned to face Spike.

"I can't leave you!" Spike yelled in reply.

"You can't beat him, Spike! I have to hold him off while you flee!" Draven insisted. "Go, now!"

Spike picked Twilight up and held her tight as he began to run through corridors and up staircases. Twilight was weak, but she managed to voice her opinion on the matter regardless.

"We can't leave him!" Twilight told Spike.

"I know, and I don't intend to. I'll leave you with one of my friends for now. He will get you to their ship." Spike informed Twilight.

Spike hurried to Winslow, who had just swiftly slain the last changeling, sheathing his long blade in the scabbard tied to his back. Spike rushed towards him, dumping Twilight in his arms.

"Draven had entered the bowels of the fortress mere moments ago. Are you going back in after him?" Winslow questioned.

"I have to, he might be in trouble." Spike coated his hands once more in flames.

"Take heed young dragon, I sense a dark power within those walls," Winslow warned.

As Winslow took Twilight back down a beaten pathway to the nearby coastline, she noticed his peculiar eye as it pulsated and surveyed the surroundings. She wanted to ask, but she was far too tired to speak any longer.

"Dragon Thane's Thunderous Spear!" Draven began the fight with a blast of striking electricity. Constantine however, defended with a magical shield that repelled the attack.

"It has been a while, hasn't it, Draven?" Constantine hissed.

"I should have known it was you who would do something like this," Draven said, disgusted by the scoundrel. "You were always a conniving son-of-a-bitch."

"I'm flattered, Draven, truly I am." Constantine snickered in response. "You do realize your efforts will amount to nothing in the end."

Constantine shot off an omnidirectional blast, causing the structure around the two fighters to shake and quiver. Draven blocked the magical maelstrom using his thunderous wings, and immediately launched a counter-attack by summoning a moving wall of electricity that blew Constantine back into the stone wall behind him.

"As long as the boy is safe and away from you, I'm happy." Draven said; charging another attack.

"Why do you ally yourself with those insolent worms? Have you forgotten what fire-dragons had done to me?" Constantine dashed towards Draven, slashing at him with his sharp saber.

Draven coated his hand in a barrier of electricity that began to clash with Constantine's attack.

"What happened to you was no reason to betray my trust, and kill my friends and family!" Draven shouted in outrage, letting out a burst of lightning that hurdled towards Constantine. "I called you my brother once!"

"Whatever bonds we held before are irrelevant! I cannot let a single fire dragon live! I couldn't! They took everything from me!" Constantine replied in a mad rage; dodging Draven's attack.

"You befriended their king, and when his guard was down you demolished his city and murdered his wife! You took far more from them then they had taken from you!" Draven voiced in hatred. "You forced him to abandon his people and his only son!"

A blast from Constantine brought Draven down to earth; his body slightly damaged from the attack.

"I have more power now than I ever have had!" Constantine's eyes began to glow a ghostly green, and his body began to morph.

"What have you done, Verulius?" Draven could not believe his eyes.

Most flesh had torn away from Constantine's body; revealing a green wraithlike form surrounding his skeletal features. His empty sockets began to burn with ectoplasm, his military outfit became torn and tattered as it enveloped him like a cloak, and most of his white hair was now covered by a shadowy hood.

"I have surpassed mortality! I have been shown the power of death itself! And it is beautiful!" Constantine sprouted skeletal wings engulfed in ectoplasm and lunged towards Draven menacingly.

"Perish!" Constantine shrieked demonically; hailing his oncoming assault.

Constantine let out a terrible howl that sent out a wave of power; nearly flattening Draven as it reached him. He was then caught off-guard when Constantine slashed him across his chest. While most would consider the savage strike a normally fatal blow, Draven's scales absorbed most of the damage, only causing minor lacerations. Although, the strength of the attack did wind him regardless.

"Nggh!" Draven grunted in pain as he hit the stone wall.

"I'm going to enjoy-." Constantine paused and turned to see a massive beam of emerald fire engulf him. "Aarrghh!"

Constantine was scorched by the blast and launched across the room from the force. He was tossed into another adjacent wall that crumbled on impact as he hit, causing the structure around the massive prison chamber to become unstable.

"Take that, asshole." Spike taunted.

Spike immediately noticed that Draven had been injured and helped him up, and to his dismay, he could clearly see he had started a chain reaction in the structural stability of the fortress around him, and his breath became frantic.

"What the hell do you think you're doing boy?!" Draven grunted as a stone from the ceiling fell on the ground close to his feet. "We've got to get out of here or we'll be flattened!"

Stone blocks and bricks fell from the high ceiling as they frantically ran down the large corridors, and the large doors leading to the exit had almost given way as they smashed through them. Thankfully they had made it out just before the whole castle collapsed on top of them, and they laid motionless panting for several minutes before getting back on their feet.

"That was close." Spike wheezed. "You think that bastard is dead?"

"Not a chance in hell. I suggest we haul ass before he shows his face again." Draven panted.

Draven and Spike made their way to the rocky beach bellow, and eventually met up with their ship on the edge of the shoreline. They climbed the ladder Gin threw down and rolled onto the wooden deck in exhaustion. Coba assisted the two to their feet.

"You're hurt, Captain," Coba said; looking at the large scar across Draven's chest.

"It's just a nick, I'll be fine." Draven put his hand on Spike's shoulder as his usual jolly expression returned. "Nice rescue boy!"

"Thanks, Captain!" Spike smiled with joy.

****

It was hard for Spike to explain to Twilight all that happened within the last week or so, as she had many questions like always. Regardless he summed his story up as best as he could to her, making sure he didn't forget any details. He told her about Draven, his mission, and how he knew his father a long time ago. Twilight understood the weight of the issue when Spike paused talking about his mother.

"I see." Twilight raised her hand to her mouth as she began to process all that Spike had told her.

"You see... this all kind of happened." Spike had trouble trying to justify his prolonged absence, as he twiddled his thumbs nervously. "I'm sorry Twilight, but it was just important."

Spike felt guilty for leaving Twilight alone and clueless. He regretted never even trying to tell her that he was okay or telling her he was even alive. He felt quite low from his actions.

"Twilight I-..." Spike was cut off as Twilight wrapped her arms tight around him.

"I can't stay mad at you Spike. I can't even force myself to be angry." Twilight's eyes began to water, and her warm smile reassured Spike. "I'm just glad you're okay..."

Spike grasped her tighter in his arms as he himself began to weep softly.

"I'm so sorry..." Spike cried.

Twilight and Spike separated from their embrace, letting out all doubts and fears in the process. She looked up to him with an expression of joy and hopefulness.

"I want to help you, Spike," Twilight said softly. "I want to help you on this journey."

"Okay." Spike smiled back at Twilight.

****

Later that night, Fluttershy got out from her bed. She had not slept in days since their arrival in the Blacklands, as she was afraid of the terrible nightmares she had when her cravings took a hold of her mind. Her cream colored feathers had shed and were scattered across the bedroom floor. She walked over to her mirror to see a familiar sight.

She looked at herself in shame as she eyed the grotesque bat wings that replaced her usual feathered ones. Her ears were pointed and long, and her teeth had razor sharp canines replacing some of her usual mare teeth. Her eyes were a crimson red, and the mere sight of the foul colour made Fluttershy look away from the reflection; the thought of blood sweeping over her mind. She could barely control herself as she licked her lips in desire. Then, a light knock on the door had interrupted her suddenly.

"Don't come in please!" Fluttershy used her blanket to hide her wings, and she frantically swept the feathers underneath the bed.

"It's Winslow." He sounded concerned to Fluttershy.

"Um, y-you can come in." Fluttershy stuttered nervously.

Winslow opened the door. His armour was off, and he was wearing regular clothing; which surprised Fluttershy. She tensed up more when Winslow spotted the feathers beneath her bed and the large blanket concealing her wings.

"What's wrong?"Winslow asked. "What are you hiding under that blanket?"

"Nothing, I just... please go away." Fluttershy panicked and began covering her face in blankets; unaware that she was revealing her wings to Winslow.

"Do your wings always shed at night?" Winslow inquired, noticing the small feathers still trying to cling to her then leathery wings.

Realizing her efforts at hiding were futile, she dropped the blanket and faced Winslow; her hands shaking in embarrassment.

"These are undoubtedly the wings of a Scârbă," Winslow explained. "One of the rarest, and most powerful of all vampiric creatures."

"What does that mean?" Fluttershy eyed her wings in concern.

"It means that whatever created you was either magic or you had demon blood in your veins and a vampire had bitten you," Winslow stated. "Based on your non-existent weakness to the sun, I believe it was both. Artificially created vampires have no weaknesses to the sun, meaning that magic must have been involved."

"Are you telling me I'm some sort of hybrid monster?" Fluttershy said; slightly whimpering at the thought of it all.

"No, I don't believe you're a monster at all Fluttershy." Winslow moved closer to Fluttershy.

"I feel... like one." Fluttershy began to tear up.

"I can't say I know what you're going through, but I understand what it feels like." Winslow lifted his hands to his eye-patch and undid the knot; letting it fall to the floor as he opened his left eye.

"Your eye..." Fluttershy lifted her hand to Winslow's face, but he cocked his head to the side quickly when her fingertips made contact with his left cheek. "I'm sorry. Does it hurt?"

"Every day of my life it has hurt. It feels like this eye has been on fire for an eternity." Winslow choked the sharp pain the touch caused.

"Where did you get it?" Fluttershy asked.

"I was born with it." Winslow responded with some restraint. "My father was a paladin like me once, and my mother... was a sorceress."

Fluttershy listened intently as he continued.

"Sometimes, when those who use black magic have an offspring... the children end up with deformities. I was one of those children." Winslow seemed to be choking back much pain as he spoke. "In the paladin order, it is forbidden that any member has relations with those of dark hearts. Regardless, my mother and father fell in love; deciding to have a child shortly after."

Winslow peered out the window for a moment; his eyes closed, trying to push down agonising memories.

"I grew up with paladins until around the age of seventeen, hiding my eye with a patch like this one. Eventually, word got out about me, and... the day after they demanded to see my father and mother in the court; which they knew meant the guillotine." Winslow quivered. "They refused to obey, and when they tried to smuggle me out of the order... they... they died protecting me."

"That's awful. Such cruelty is beyond shameful." Fluttershy muttered in a quiet outrage.

"So you see... that is why I'm alone and without an order. I wandered for weeks until I found a city, and when I got there I did everything I could to stay alive." Winslow added. "I blame myself for their deaths. They would have never been killed if I hadn't existed in the first place."

"Your parents knew the risk Winslow. They loved you anyways." Fluttershy said soothingly.

Winslow took a deep breath and looked down at the floor.

"My mother died when I was just a baby, and I never knew my father." Fluttershy lowered her head so that her eyes met with Winslow's. "Sometimes, I hear her voice in my head still... telling me bedtime stories before I drift to sleep. I feel her tuck me in at night wherever I am, and sometimes I try to hold her hand in my dreams, but I- I never can touch her... she can't hold me."

Fluttershy began to weep again, but this time... she began crying in pure agony and sadness rather than embarrassment or shyness. She had tears streaming down her face she and moaned softly under her breath.

"Stop crying Fluttershy. Please stop crying..." Winslow looked up to the now sobbing Fluttershy before him.

Fluttershy heard his words, but the grief had almost completely consumed her. "I-I can't! Please just-."

Fluttershy stopped as she felt Winslow's lips touch hers. The sadness seemed to melt away as she closed her eyes and felt the heat of him reach her cold body. Fluttershy backed away and stood up suddenly though, with Winslow standing up in response.

"We can't. I'm..." Fluttershy trailed off as she peered into her mirror. "I'm a..."

Winslow said nothing as he approached her again wrapping his left arm around her hip, and gently brushing her cheek with his hand; feeling her soft fur.

"I don't care." Winslow bluntly stated; holding her tightly in an embrace, and once again leaning in for another kiss.

Shanghai'd! Chapter Eight: Naval Battle at Dawn!

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The morning sea was quite beautiful under the light of the rising sun, as it burned in the sky like a warm candle. Fluttershy leaned off the side of the deck; admiring the sun in its beauty.

"You seem cheery..." Gin had snuck up behind Fluttershy and had almost made her jump.

"Yes, I guess I am." Fluttershy thought about last night and lightly blushed; attempting to hide it from Gin.

"So, who's the stallion?" Gin asked; watching Fluttershy's face turn beet red.

"N-No one!" Fluttershy stuttered.

"Oh, really?" Gin teased. "Cause I think I heard someone in your room last night..."

"T-There was no one in my room-." Fluttershy was cut off.

"Oh, c'mon Fluttershy! Who was it? Coba? Spike? Draven?" Gin guessed.

"It was... Winslow." Fluttershy squeaked softly.

Gin seemed surprised by the statement. It was as if she never even considered the idea of Winslow in any social relation. She seemed disappointed for a moment as well, her silver hair slightly shrouding a worried expression.

"I never imagined that." Gin mumbled under her breath.

"Is something wrong?" Fluttershy inquired.

"No, nothing. I'm just happy for him, and for you." Gin lowered her head for a moment but raised it suddenly and looked up to Fluttershy with a happier expression. "Winning anyone's affection in these days is hard, especially Winslow's. That stallion has a lot of death and anguish in his past, and he never usually talks to anyone."

"I... I see." Fluttershy muttered quietly.

"I've been trying to get to him for years now, but you earned his trust in less than a week. That's is a feat not many have accomplished." Gin paused again but continued as she looked to Fluttershy. "I want you to promise me something Fluttershy."

"What is it?" Fluttershy asked.

"Take care of him will you? He may look tough, but he is just as vulnerable as any other pony." Gin explained; looking back down at the ocean bellow.

"I promise Gin," Fluttershy assured her.

"Good. Well, I'm not sure about you, but I need a drink." Gin sighed as she walked away.

****

Twilight sat across the large map table and listened to the details of Draven's mission intently.

"So, you're looking for the Sorcerers' Stones?" Twilight said in surprise. "I thought they were just a legend."

"Well, that is what Celestia wants people to believe. She doesn't speak of them often, nor does she speak of her brother." Draven explained; sipping from his glass of rum. "There's no conspiracy behind it, though, I guess she just wants herself and others to forget."

"And now that her brother is returning, those memories have become reality once more." Twilight realized. "Who is that halfling general that captured me? His powers... they seem so familiar. I've read about magic like that before, but I can't put my finger on it."

"Only three kinds of beings I know of can outmatch an alicorn's magic. Dragons, other alicorns, and... a lich. In the ages of Leere, many powerful forces allied with his army. Among the strongest were the lich-kings. These lich-kings were feared throughout the land as a shadowy mist of death and destruction that wielded the true powers of necromancy. They summoned legions of undead to demolish Leere's enemies." Draven explained in length.

"And Constantine?" Twilight questioned.

"Like most I thought the liches had been all wiped out in the First Ages, but apparently not. Constantine has now shown us that the liches were never dead, only hiding." Draven said; slightly worried by the thought of it all. "Constantine is a young lich, he was taught the magic of necromancy by someone, but by whom I have no idea."

Winslow marched in the map room and sat down next to Draven; fastening his eye-patch firmly to prevent the knot from loosening. Twilight hesitated for a minute, she wasn't entirely sure how to speak to Winslow, but her own curiosity got the better of her eventually. She was so interested in his eye she had seen the day before.

"Um, may I ask that I see your eye Sir Winslow?" Twilight properly stated; making sure she said it as polite as possible. "If that is okay with you that is..."

"I wouldn't-." Draven was cut-off.

"It's alright Draven." Winslow insisted.

With a sigh Winslow removed his carefully tied patch; revealing his mysterious and demonic-looking eye. The eye surveyed its surroundings by itself; moving without the consent of Winslow. As it moved it appeared to be scanning Twilight as if interested by her. Twilight moved closer in intrigue.

"Fascinating." Twilight uttered in wonder. "It appears to be semi-sentient!"

"It does this when it sees new people, usually I can control it. Although this time, it seems that it is finding you to be a strange sight. It hasn't seen an alicorn before." Winslow stated as the eye ceased moving around and began to follow Winslow's direction.

"How does this eye function?" Twilight asked; still paying close attention to the eye.

"When I engage in combat, it just shows me things. It tells me to act and react at the right moments, thus allowing me to predict an enemy's attack patterns." Winslow elaborated.

"Interesting..." Twilight began to write on her notepad as Winslow explained. "May I see the eye's powers for myself?"

Winslow nodded at Draven, who walked across the room and fetched a flintlock out of the dresser drawer. He tossed it to Twilight; who had no clue how to use such a device.

"Come outside," Winslow ordered Twilight.

Twilight followed and held the flintlock awkwardly in her hand. Winslow stood in front of her; unsheathing his sword and holding it down to his waist.

"On the count of three I want you to fire," Winslow informed Twilight.

"You want me to shoot you?!" Twilight uttered in shock.

"Oh, trust me... you won't make the shot." Winslow casually boasted.

Twilight's hands shook as she raised the gun to Winslow's chest; closing one eye and aiming down the barrel to make sure her shot was accurate.

"Are you sure about this?" Twilight nervously asked.

"I won't be doing this if I wasn't," Winslow assured Twilight. "Alright. On the count of three. One. Two. Three!"

Twilight's hands barely held the gun as the recoil almost knocked it right out of her grasp. A plume of ignited black powder escaped the barrel as the shot traveled towards Winslow. Twilight couldn't see the shot land, but she heard the clanging noise that Winslow's sword made. The shot was pointed directly at him, yet no visual signs of injury were on Winslow's body. He sheathed his sword and approached Twilight; picking up a shard of the lead ball that embedded itself into the wooden deck and handing it to her. The ball was split right down the middle, and Twilight could hardly believe her eyes.

"Ha ha! Amazing!" Twilight chuckled in a gleeful curiosity. "I thought you were going to.-"

"You were going to miss anyways." Winslow said; somewhat embarrassing Twilight.

Twilight was stunned by his words. "How did you.-"

"Like I said before. The eye shows me where the shot will travel, and where to strike it." Winslow said; unsheathing his barely scratched sword. "It even tells me what strike will cause minimal damage to my blade."

"That's truly incredible!" Twilight stared in awe at Winslow's sword. "This eye of yours... I don't know what it is, but it seems to be radiating some sort of temporal energy."

Spike yawned as he exited the lower deck of the ship, and Twilight rolled her eyes in response to the lazy dragon.

"You slept in." Twilight sighed.

"Yeah, I know. I kind of found it hard to sleep last night." Spike murmured as he looked to Fluttershy; her face turning a bright red as he did so. "I see you and Winslow are hitting it off."

"He just gave me a demonstration of his eye, and it is certainly remarkable!" Twilight peered into the large dark eye.

Spike turned to Draven, who was drinking what remained of his bottle of rum. He seemed slightly on-edge; his usual jolly and gleeful attitude was replaced by worry.

"Something the matter?" Spike asked; noticing Draven's obvious change in mood.

"No. It's just that... bah, never mind." Draven gave a half-smile to quell Spike's suspicions.

"Captain! Captain!" One of the crew members taking post on the crow nest shouted.

"What is it, lad?" Draven questioned.

"I can see the peak of the mountain ahead, but a thick fog is approaching!" The crew member yelled down.

"Damn." Draven cursed. "We're running out of daylight."

"What should we do Captain?" Coba asked; peering through his telescope.

"We have no other choice. We have to go into it." Draven stated. "This is the fastest route by sea, and changing course now would cost us precious time that we don't have the luxury of wasting."

"All hands on deck lads!" Gin called out to the crew.

Spike couldn't see ten feet in front of him, but regardless he could hear what went on around him... nothing. No sound seemed to carry in the ship's direction, and the crew member in the crow's nest was blind as a bat.

"Seeing anything?" Draven shouted up to the crow's nest.

"Nothing yet Captain!" The crew member replied.

"What are we looking for?" Twilight asked.

"We aren't the only pirates patrolling the coastline, lass. With this fog... we're bound to run into something." Draven explained; his eyes repetitively scanning the dense fog for dark patches within the haze.

Winslow heard a low and moaning "creak" in the distance. It was muffled by the fog, but his fears had been realized when he made out the silhouette of a large ship sailing past them. He looked to Fluttershy, then tackled her to the ground as the sound of cannon-fire blasted the eerie silence away.

"Ambush!" Gin yelled as musket-fire and cannonballs hailed down upon the deck. "Alicorn! I need you to raise a magical shield or this ship isn't going o be sailing for long!"

With a nod, Twilight uttered a magical phrase that raised a protective barrier around the left side of the ship. Gin then pulled out her blunderbuss and peppered the enemy crew with a blast of grapeshot, along with Coba and the others.

"Right side!" The stallion in the crow's nest pointed.

"Spike! Get your arse over here!" Draven began charging a thunderous attack. "We'll attack together!"

Spike let out a huge ball of fire from his hands that exploded in an emerald inferno; scorching the mast of the other enemy ship. Draven's lightening pierced the hull, making a loud clap as it smashed a hole in the side of the ship. Another ship appeared from behind, and Winslow immediately responded.

"Someone give me a rope! I've got this!" Winslow shouted as the stallion in the crow's nest tossed him a long and sturdy rope.

Winslow took a running start and swung himself toward the enemy ship behind them, and launched himself onto their deck. He swung his blade wildly in a berserker rage; dodging swords, muskets, and flintlocks. No weapon seemed to bite him as he easily cut his enemies down. Eventually, he moved on to the next ship via another rope and hacked his way through the remaining troops on all vessels; returning to his ship after narrowly escaping the burning enemy boat.

"Any others?!" Spike yelled out.

"We've got a big one headed straight for us! It's going to ram!" Coba eyed trough his telescope.

"I'll take it out!" Twilight insisted.

"No, I'll give you a boost. I don't think even you pack a big enough punch to take a ship out in one shot." Spike said to Twilight with intense eyes.

Twilight positioned herself at the very tip of the bow along with Spike, who stood adjacent to her. Green fire escaped Spike's body and condensed in his hand while Twilight's horn began to flow magic energy into her hands. With a battle cry, they released their final-blast. Twilight fired a beam of purple light, and Spike engulfed it in an all-consuming, spinning ring of green fire. When the attack made contact with the oncoming ship, it was utterly obliterated. The blast scattered pieces of charred wood across the ocean around them; smoke rising in the sky, and what remained of the vessel sank into the depths bellow. The two collapsed on the ground beside each other and panted in exhaustion.

"Where... did you learn... to do that?" Twilight breathed hard.

"You can... learn a lot when you live in a magic library... and stack the books all day." Spike teased.

"Shut-up..." Twilight wheezed in annoyance.

With a pull, the two friends were brought to their feet by Coba, who was joyously laughing. "Nice finisher mates!"

"Thanks..." The two gasped for air tiresomely.

"Captain! The fog is beginning to clear!" The stallion in the crow's nest informed Draven. "We'll be landing in the Bay of The Twhubi in an hour or so!"

"Good, I was wondering when we'd get out of that damned haze," Draven said as he walked back to the bridge. "Gin, we've got to prepare for landing."

"Yes, sir." Gin followed Draven to the poop-deck.

"Well. That both escalated and de-escalated quickly wouldn't you think?" Twilight casually joked to Fluttershy.

"Yeah... it was kind of scary, but I think it's over now." Fluttershy squeaked as she looked at the large and misty mountain looming in the distance.

Shanghai'd! Chapter Nine: The Empress of The Changelings

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"The audacity!" One of the Changeling commanders yelled from across the large table. "You expect us to put faith in some young general barely out of his twenties!?"

"I'm not expecting you, commander... I'm telling you." Chrysalis said unwaveringly.

"You have wasted precious Changeling resources on a some silly fairy tale!" Another commander on the left side of the table shouted.

"This is no fairy-tale, I can assure you. Our folk have seen the skies blacken! You have all seen the crops dying, but you continue to ignore the signs!" Chrysalis yelled. "Leere is returning to this world once more!"

"We're merely having a bout of bad weather, nothing less! What we can't ignore, however, is your blind faith in that retched half-breed!" One of the council members grunted. "His actions cost us one of our embassies in the Blacklands, and countless soldiers!"

"How dare you mock him that way! That stallion's victories have brought honor to our great nation! Petty insults shall get us nowhere in this debate, my council!" Chrysalis bellowed; her eyes blazing with passion. "If we do not act now, we could lose our chance at bringing Leere to our side!"

"Ridiculous! Even if this so-called 'destroyer' exists... what makes you think he will come to our side?" Another council member snorted.

"He shall bend to us because of this!" A booming voice echoed from the chamber entrance behind Chrysalis, silencing the council.

Constantine approached the council with a small orb in his hand. Shades of reds and blacks swirled inside the translucent orb; giving off a dark aura. He held it high for a moment and placed it inside Chrysalis's hands.

"Gentlecolts of the Changeling High-Council, I present to you... the fabled Stone of Power." Constantine sneered in mischievous delight.

"Thief! That is a sacred Changeling artifact! You have no right to take it from our hands!" The Chairman of the council protested. "His grimy half-blood mitts have tainted it!"

"Correction Chairman. I have no right... unless permitted by the queen. Isn't that right Chrysalis?" Constantine hissed.

"He had taken it from its altar with my permission! He has the right to hold it." Chrysalis retorted sharply.

"Without this stone, Lord Leere has no way of manifesting in this plane of existence again. He needs this stone as a conduit, a physical gateway rather than an ethereal one." Constantine explained. "Although, it is currently under an unbreakable magic-seal, as evident by the rune etched on the one side."

Constantine grabbed the orb and showed the magical symbol to the whole council. He then slowly placed it on the desk and cleared his throat.

"Our ancestors built a temple to Lord Leere in the First Ages," Constantine said in utmost seriousness. "This temple holds the key to breaking the seal on the Stone of Power. However, this temple is far to the north; deep in the territory of the Zhophziis. They are a barbaric nation of warriors, and will kill outsiders on sight."

"Constantine and I wish to suggest to you all that we form a truce with these barbarians," Chrysalis stated firmly. "Without their aid we cannot regain lost territory from the Equestrians, and we cannot summon Leere."

"How on earth will you do such thing?" The leader of the council scoffed.

"The Zhophziis has had loyalties with Leere since the beginning of recorded history and had served him in the war between him and his sisters," Constantine answered. "Once we tell them of our plans and retrieve the rest of the stones, there is no doubt they will join our cause."

"Nonsense! Utter nonsense! You expect us to put the army in your hands for... this?! Some dusty old legend? Neither of you has the right nor the authority to make this decision!" The Chairman of the council barked. "You half-bred snake! We should demote you for suggesting such foolish ideas to this council!"

"You should really watch your mouth, Chairman..." Constantine's voice grew deep and menacing. "I think you should really consider our plan..."

Constantine's eyes narrowed, and his mouth tore apart to reveal a menacing row of fangs that struck at the Chairman's heart. The felt his chest being torn apart and when he looked down he could see shrieking ghouls tearing at his insides. He tried screaming, but words failed him as blood gurgled up from his mouth. He could hear haunting, demonic laughter escape Constantine's now gaping mouth as he felt his soul quiver in dismay.

"Are you quite alright sir? You seem pale." Constantine said sarcastically with a feigned look of concern.

The Chairman shook his head in disbelief, then cleared his throat; attempting to hide his disturbance from the rest of the council at the table. After realizing it was a hallucination, he regained his composure and nervously choked out only a couple words.

"Yes... I'm... I'm fine. We shall think about what you've told us, until then... we have no further business with you and the queen." The Chairman said: slightly unsettled.

Constantine and Chrysalis exited the large chamber into the wide corridor on the other side. The palace was relatively empty, as most of the guards were off duty. Chrysalis looked around for a moment; making sure no one was around and moved closer to Constantine.

"Would you care to join me in my room later Verulius?" Chrysalis' usual serious expression melted away to reveal a warm smile as she spoke.

Constantine lowered his self-righteous attitude for a moment in response with a humble smile. He looked to her as the two walked down the hallway together; his smile causing Chrysalis' chest to ignite.

"I would love to Chrysalis," Constantine said in satisfaction.

****

Constantine knocked on Chrysalis's door three times in a somewhat rhythmical fashion; his face brightening up as the door opened to reveal the mare behind the door.

"Stunning." Constantine complimented Chrysalis.

Her usual queen attire was replaced by a simple, yet elegant nightgown (Although more of a dress though than an actual nightgown). The long black gown was covered in various emerald sequins that complimented her eyes, and the moonlight shining through her large balcony filled her bedroom with a blue light that cascaded down onto her face like a celestial shower. Her somewhat sultry half closed eyes met Constantine's; in awe at the sight of her. Constantine bowed in respect to the beautiful mare in front of him and made sure her did it in the most respectful manner her could.

"I did not know I would be sharing the night with an angel," Constantine said as he bowed his head. "May I come in?"

Chrysalis's face flushed red in response to the statement, and her chest seemed to burst as she replayed his words over and over again in her mind. She came down to earth soon enough though and stood aside; ushering Constantine through her door.

"Let me pour you a cup of tea." Chrysalis proposed as she scurried across to the teapot on her coffee-table. "Do you like milk, cream, or sugar with yours?"

"Milk but no sugar or cream thank you." Constantine replied as his eyes remained locked on Chrysalis; turning away from him to hide her blushing.

The teapot poured the steaming water into a fancy teacup in which she had handed to Constantine along with his teabag. He took a whiff of the smell billowing from the slightly orange liquid inside the cup and exhaled deeply in satisfaction of the aromatic tea.

"Orange pekoe. Perfect." Constantine took a sip but stopped himself halfway; noticing he had forgotten the milk. "How silly of me!"

Constantine walked over to Chrysalis and grabbed the milk on the table; noticing that Chrysalis seemed far more distant when he got closer to her.

"What is wrong?" Constantine put his hand on Chrysalis's face; that was mostly shrouded by her long dark-blue hair.

"The Council grows suspicious of the two of us Verulius." Chrysalis sighed. "Oh, how I loathe them!"

"My dearest Chrysalis, they shall perish before they even get the chance to separate us. I promise I shall be rid of them for you soon." Constantine stated with passionate confidence as he poured milk in his tea.

Chrysalis drank her tea quickly before she even sat down, which surprised Constantine. She then got up from her chair abruptly and wondered out onto her balcony that overlooked the entire kingdom. Constantine followed Chrysalis, who was enjoying the view of her atop the royal balcony. Her jade eyes surveyed the kingdom she built; enjoying the prosperity around her. He placed his elbows on the railing and stared out to the scenery as well.

"It truly is a sight to behold... your subjects have never been more prosperous " Constantine calmly stated.

"I owe most of it to you, General," Chrysalis said pleasantly. "Your victories and conquest of the Blacklands has brought wealth and honor to our nation. We built this colony by ourselves Vesuvius, and the eastern Blacklands has become our new home. They are more your subjects than mine in fact."

"Are they, though? My dearest Chrysalis... how long will you stand aside and let those meddlesome fools chip away at your power?" Constantine insinuated. "They are undermining you."

"I know..." Chrysalis sighed in disappointment. "They already control the army and the treasury. Oh, will we be rid of them soon? I do hope to torture them slowly for treason."

"Patience my queen. We shall have our satisfaction soon. We cannot simply murder senselessly without a proper plan." Constantine raised his hand to Chrysalis and bowed. "Until then my queen... shall we have a dance while we are still young at heart?"

"I'd love to," Chrysalis said as she gave her hand to Constantine

The two began to sway and move in harmony as they stepped in sync with each and every move they made. Chrysalis would spin for Constantine, and he would rock her down into his arms; barely touching the ground as she leaned her head back. The couple read each other's patterns and danced without rhythm or beat to speak of; letting their hearts guide their actions.

"Do you remember when you first laid eyes on me Verulius?" Chrysalis asked.

"Funny, I was just about to ask the same question." Constantine casually chuckled; spinning Chrysalis another time. "How could I forget?"

"You were a young lieutenant; steadfast and loyal, and I was just wandering about the Grand Changeling Ball." Chrysalis reminisced. "I was all out by myself in a courtyard, and you of all ponies had approached me."

"Was it that you did next?" Chrysalis teased; knowing full well what happened.

"I think I put my mouth up to your ear like this..." Constantine said sarcastically as he raised his mouth to Chrysalis's ear. "And then I told you that it was selfish to keep all of your beauty for yourself and not share it with others."

"And then you called me something that day too... what was it?" Chrysalis asked once more; keeping the running sarcasm going.

"A far more lofty title than any queen I know of." Constantine whispered. "Empress."

Chrysalis shuddered in delight at the mere mentioning of the phrase and began to blush lightly.

Chrysalis spun one last time and flew into Constantine's arms suddenly. Their eyes locked onto each other; slowly closing as they both leaned their heads into the kiss. The kiss was heartfelt, and Chrysalis moaned in a lust filled desire as she wrapped her arms behind Constantine's neck; locking him in place as the two prolonged the embrace for as long as they could. They broke away for air, and both had been filled with a heat spreading throughout their body; causing Chrysalis's face to blush hard.

"I am yours, Empress..." Constantine whispered.

"As am I... Emperor..." Chrysalis panted softly.

Chrysalis grabbed Constantine's hand; leading him back inside to her bed. The two then fell onto it together and kissed again as Constantine placed himself on top of Chrysalis. Constantine broke the kiss again and stared deep into Chrysalis's emerald pools; the beauty of her face magnifying tremendously as she looked up to him with lustful eyes.

"I will give you the world my dearest Chrysalis," Constantine said softly, then leaned in once again.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Ten: A New Piece on The Playing Board! & New Allies and Enemies!

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Spike opened his eyes to see a thick black fog cloud his vision. He stood up cautiously and waved his arms out in front of him; making sure there wasn't any unseen hazard in the murky blackness that dominated his surroundings. While his eyes adjusted to the light levels of this environment, he cocked his head to look behind at the source of a noise that had just startled him.

"Who's there?" Spike shuddered in a panicked fear.

Only a few faint whispers replied to Spike's inquiry. He could not recognize what they were saying. It was as if a broken harmony of hushed voices were conversing with each other just out of Spike's line of sight; spectating him from behind the shadows. However, Spike felt an eerie chill crawl up his spine just a few short moments later; sending waves of dread into Spike's mind. Beads of sweat rolled down his face as he felt a cold-dead-hand grab his shoulder. Spike turned to see what was causing his dismay.

"Welcome..." The dark being before the terrified dragon moaned in a dreadful wheeze.

His voice echoed all around Spike; invading his ears numerous times as the sound of the creature's voice reverberated numerous times off unseen walls. Spike shuddered at the sight of the being as it leaned its head out from the blackness.

The creature was skeletal in structure and was shrouded in a misty haze of pure shadow; forming a dreadful black mane that waved in the air like a candle. The creature was clad in a ragged- shadowy black robes. Almost as if they too were composed of shade as well. Upon its head was a rusted- jagged crown that gave the beast more of a menacing appearance as it connected to its long twisted horn. The spectral-black wings on its back stretched out to an impressive length, and his hands were- like the rest of his body, skeletal, but clad in dark armor made of rusted metal. His body sat suspended in the air, levitating. Surely it was an alicorn, but unlike any Spike had seen before.

"Who-Who are you?" Spike stuttered; practically choking on his words as he struggled to vocalize.

"Young Hatchling, I am the one who had fallen long ago. I am the one who reaps, who grieves, and the one who destroys...." The specter wailed in a low and eerie moan.

"You're Leere..." Spike uttered in disbelief.

"I am the one you speak of, mortal. However, I am not what I used to be. I am a shadow of my former self..." Leere whispered like an injured animal; his empty black eyes piercing Spike's soul

Spike could barely utter a phrase in Leere's presence. Fear clouded his mind for a brief moment as he gazed into the hollow eyes of the dread lord, but thankfully he regained his conscience after he averted his eyes.

"Why am I here?" Spike questioned.

"For over ten thousand years I've waited. Ten thousand years I've sat in silence within this realm of existence you are in. Slowly tearing at the seams of this extra-dimensional quagmire around me for eons." Leere stated in forced whispers of malevolence. "I wanted you, Prince of the Fire Dragons, to be the one who sees me for the first time in ages."

"Why me?" Spike asked; intently eyeing the ethereal ghost before him. "Why not Celestia or Luna?"

"You seek the stones, child. You seek to destroy the Sorcerer's Stones that shall bring me unto your world once more." Leere hissed in a voice demonic-harmony and agony. "My dear sisters knew that my return to this world was imminent from the beginning. What use would there be in telling them what they already know? What use would it be for me to entertain myself with old pieces on the playing board?"

"What do you-" Spike looked down to see that the mist clouding his feet had cleared to reveal the floor beneath him.

When the mist cleared, a giant chessboard lay beneath Spike's feet. Spike was sitting on a singular tile that encompassed his body, and Leere sat at the end of the board within his own tile. Leere seated himself on a black and white throne gracefully, and gestured to the board around Spike with a wave of his hand, and let out a ghastly cackle as he did so.

"Welcome to the game pawn..." Leere stated in his raspy voice. "There are no rules. Only the strongest shall prevail."

Spike looked around to see statues of his comrades. Rainbow Dash, Twilight, Fluttershy, and what looked like Pinkie Pie... almost all of his friends were pieces on the playing board positioned on the tiles near him.

"It appears we've run out of time. Good luck young dragon. The Sorcerer of Right awaits you." Leere rose from his throne and rushed at Spike; releasing a deafening shriek as he flew at light speeds towards him.

Just as Spike screamed he opened his eyes and gasped for air. He held his heart in an attempt to slow its rapid beating, and his breath slowed as he came to his senses. He was still in the ship, and still in one piece. His candle burned brightly in his quarters, and the night still reigned over the mountainous peninsula of Mount Wantthai. He let out a sigh of relief and laid his head back onto the pillow.

"Just a dream..." He whispered to himself as his eyes shut tight.

****

A knock on Spike's door caused him to put a pillow over his head in a childlike reluctance to wake.

"Spike? Are you in there?" Fluttershy asked softly.

"Yeah... I'm... yeah..." Spike grunted into his pillow.

Fluttershy opened his door slightly; trying not to be intrusive in her attempts at making him wake from his slumber.

"Spike. Draven says it's only a couple hours until you have to enter the tournament with Coba." Fluttershy innocently squeaked.

"Yeah... I nnnghaah... uunngg ha." Spike mumbled nonsensically.

"Oh for crying out-. Wake up you lazy fire-breathing lizard!" Gin barged into Spike's room abruptly and smacked him on the back.

"Ouch! What the hell?!" Spike shouted as she smacked him hard.

"Get out of bed or you won't be in the tournament you daft salamander!" Gin stated in exasperation.

"Gin, I don't think that was completely necessary..." Fluttershy trailed off.

"What? We did it your way and it failed miserably." Gin stated.

"Can you guys give me privacy so I can cover up, please? As much as I love to hear mares bicker, which I don't. I would appreciate it if I had a little alone-time, please." Spike interjected as he covered up his lower region with a blanket.

"Oh, um sorry Spike..." Gin replied in embarrassment. "We'll be right outside waiting for you."

"Yeah, thanks." Spike groaned.

Spike got to his feet and changed into his vested jacket, shorts, and foot-wraps. He headed out the door quickly as he heard the roar of the city from across the port. He opened the door, and sure enough Gin leaned carelessly on the wall adjacent from the entrance to his room.

"Ready to go lazybones?" Gin teased.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Spike replied with a grin

Spike exited to the main deck outside with Gin and Fluttershy to truly see the land for the first time in the daylight. The city itself gleamed like gold, and its structures were colored with regal shades of purple and light beiges. Golden decorations were hung from every street in the downtown area, and in the distance Spike could see massive towers dominating the mountainside, along with the tournament coliseum near the top.

"Outsiders that had seen the city of Mount Wantthai for the first time had called it 'The City of Majesty'." Coba stated as he walked up to Spike and stood beside him; also admiring the magnificence of the great city. "An appropriate name indeed."

"It certainly is an eye-opener," Twilight said as she too had eyed the massive city. "Were you born in this city Coba?"

"Yes, I grew up in Mount Wantthai with my father and younger brothers," Coba explained. "I joined the royal guard when I was of age, and I earned great respect amongst the people of Mount Wantthai."

"What happened though? Why are you here on this ship today?" Twilight questioned in curiosity. "Did something happen?"

"That is a story best saved for a later day my friend," Coba answered merrily.

Draven emerged out from his quarters onto the balcony and jumped down onto the main deck as he saw Spike. He ran over to him and patted him on the chest; unintentionally winding him for a brief moment.

"Well, I'll be damned! This lazy fire-breather is alive after all!" Draven chuckled. "You look like hell. Are you sure you're ready for this, boyo?"

"We'll just have to wait and see then won't we?" Spike grinned; feeling slight stiffness in his shoulders as he rolled them around in their sockets.

"Then we best be there before registration," Coba stated. "Perhaps there'll be time for a grand -tour later?"

"Sounds awesome!" Spike gleefully agreed with the idea.

****

Spike and Coba marched up downtown together side-by-side. Spike knew Coba was tall, but in comparison to everypony lining the street, he stuck out like a sore-thumb. They walked up to the center square; admiring the beautiful architecture around them.

"Majesty is right," Spike said with wide eyes as he looked to the gargantuan governmental building ahead.

"C'mon, this way," Coba ordered Spike as he began to walk to the government building. "We should be able to register this way.

"Hey! Coba wait!" Spike shouted as Coba walked away; oblivious to Spike.

Spike lost Coba in the crowd of people, and became utterly lost and confused as he retreated to a narrow alleyway at the edge of the street. He leaned against a small market building as he let out a disappointed sigh.

"Coba!" He shouted out to the crowd. Alas, his words were muffled by the massive swarm of people walking by.

Spike remembered the direction of the building and began to walk up the alleyway, hoping that it would somehow act as a shortcut up to the government building. He stopped, however, when he reached a dead-end and heard a voice call out from behind him.

"Well, well, well..." A raspy voice hissed. "What have we got here?"

"I believe this would be a fire dragon." A more intense mare voice replied.

"Ah yeah, I remember those guys!" The hissing voice replied.

Spike turned to see two mysterious ponies behind him. One was a half-changeling wearing a dark hood that shrouded a long ragged red mane that poked out in front of his dark face. His armor was that of a thief, but of much higher quality, made of a fine black leather that had little wear or tear. The other one was a pegasus mare with armor made of a brighter colored, much heavier metal and hide combination. Her fur was a light gray, and her hair was an olive green. Probably one of the most defining features of this mare was her right arm, which was more extensively clad in metal plating than any other place on her body, encasing her hand, and reaching all the way up to her shoulder.

"Who are you two?" Spike asked cautiously.

"We're competitors too buddy. Only, we play for keeps you see... someone's been looking for you." The changeling stated as he pulled out a dagger from his side-pocket. "We've got a contract to fulfill you see. And we always finish our contracts. Isn't that right Sigrid?"

"I couldn't agree more Viper." The warrior said as she drew a double bladed ax in her left hand.

"Ah, ah, ah... don't get ahead of yourself my dear. Introductions are important in this line of work." The changeling hissed; his ghastly forked tongue displaying itself as he did so.

"Very well, have it your way. I am Sigrid Bjornheart." The brooding mare greeted.

"And I am Emmerich Daggerfang." The changeling purred mischievously. "You may call me Viper."

"Listen, guys, I don't know what you plan on accomplishing, but I won't go down without a fight," Spike said as his fists ignited.

"Trust me kid... there won't be a fight. Sigrid!" Viper shouted.

In the blink of an eye, Spike heard a gust of air. Sigrid had dashed behind him almost instantaneously, causing Spike to be completely caught off-guard. He could not defend against her ax in time; as she attempted to slash at his throat. Spike closed his eyes for a moment; believing the ax would strike him... but the sound of clashing steel caused him to open his eyes in shock.

"Dripping with dragon 's bane. You plan on crippling him?." Winslow said as he observed Sigrid's ax.

"A paladin?" Viper shuddered at the sight of Winslow. "This dragon definitely has friends in high places!"

"I shall ask only one time. Stand down and retreat." Winslow said; his left eye burning in anticipation.

"He, he..." Viper sneered maliciously. "Alright, alright! You win! We'll back off!"

Viper walked past Winslow and whispered into Spike's ear "Can't wait to beat you to a bloody pulp in the tournament!"

Viper gave Spike a push as he walked away into the downtown area, Sigrid following behind. Winslow turned to face Spike and gave him a look of relief.

"Spike where's Coba?" Winslow asked.

"I lost Coba in the crowd," Spike explained. "What are you even doing here?"

"I followed you. It is my job to make sure my fellow crew members are safe! What you did was moronic!" Winslow scolded Spike. "Still, I'm glad I got here in time to keep you in one piece."

Spike pondered on Winslow's words, believing he was withholding something else that he was doing. He did not wish to cause a dispute, though and started reviewing what just happened in his mind.

"Who were those two?" Spike asked Winslow.

"Obviously hired mercenaries. I can make a fairly accurate assumption on who hired them." Winslow answered.

"Constantine?" Spike said to both himself and Winslow. "Why would he hire mercenaries?"

"Mercenaries are sworn to secrecy, and will not give the name of their employer," Winslow replied as he sheathed his sword. "Directly attacking you with Changeling soldiers would cause a ruckus with the citizens of Mount Wantthai and the Changelings, possibly resulting in conflict. Hiring mercenaries in this situation is much smarter in a sense"

"Why me, though?" Spike said, looking down at the ground as he did so.

"I do not yet know. Perhaps he sees you as a credible threat to his goals." Winslow suggested. "Whatever the reason, though, we must remain vigilant. It's obvious Constantine intends to interfere with the tournament."

****

Spike, Coba, and Winslow walked up the steps of the government building. Spike stopped, though, and questions boiled over in his mind. He looked up to Coba, who had stopped after noticing Spike stop.

"Why are we registering at a governmental building?" Spike asked Coba with a confused look on his face.

"It is because we had sailed from Equestria," Coba replied.

"We must pay international fees on order to legally compete," Winslow added.

"Ah..." Spike said, still a little confused.

The group walked inside to find a magnificent towering structure with opulently painted ceilings and regal banners hung from the exits and entrances. Spike gawked at the sight of the tremendously large room as he walked up to the main desk with the others. Coba began speaking with the stallion at the desk.

"Name please." The stallion said in boredom.

"Coba Munyetta and Spike." Coba complied.

"Late fees will apply." The tired stallion added.

"We're well aware," Coba said, signing the paper laid in front of him.

"Say... is that a dragon?!" The depressed stallion behind the desk lit up at the sight of Spike.

"It is..." Coba answered.

"Oh wow! I've only seen one so far today, but I want to see a fire dragon in action with my children! The late fees are on me, fellas!" The now excited stallion insisted.

Spike tried convincing the stallion otherwise."Um, you don't have to do that bud-"

"Oh, but I do! I've told my children tales of dragons, and now they get to see one for real at the tournament! A real fire dragon!" The desk worker said gleefully.

"Thank you, sir." Winslow bowed in respect. "We shall remember this act of kindness."

"Good luck to you two at the tournament!" The stallion waved as the group walked out of the door.

"Well, that's new." Spike shook he head in amazement.

"What? You don't get that kind of attention in Equestria?" Coba wondered.

"Not really. Dragons are a lot more common in Equestria I guess." Spike told Coba. "It's more about royalty and nobility where I come from."

"You should get used to the attention Spike," Winslow said with a half-smile. "Not many ponies in the Blacklands get to see a real fire dragon very often."

After Spike thought about the statement for a moment, he thought about what happened to his race in the Blacklands and stood silent for a moment. However, his brief period of reflection was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hey, Hotshot!" Cyro yelled up to Spike from the bottom of the stairs. "How've you been!?"

"Hey! Cyro!" Spike's sadness melted away as he ran down the steps to meet up with his fellow dragon.

"You registered mate?" Cyro asked. "I was just about to head up the mountain with Jhettei here. Care to join me?"

"We would be honored to escort you." Jhettei bowed in respect to Spike and his friends.

"Your hospitality is appreciated frost-dragon." Winslow thanked Cyro. "We accept your offer."

"Then we best be off, mates!" Cyro said with a smile. "It's a long-haul up to the top of the mountain! This way! Jhettei and I know a shortcut."

"Let's get going!" Spike said with a jolly grin as he began walking with Cyro and Jhettei, with Winslow and Coba following not far behind.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Eleven: Forest Ambush

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Twilight walked alongside Draven and the others down the winding mountain path surrounded by towering evergreens. Everything in the Blacklands seemed much larger, almost prehistoric. She had to admit, the rugged terrain of the Blacklands was quite daunting, and her whole body tingled with curiosity at the thought of exploring it all. The birds were vibrant and exquisite; strange parrots and giant dragonflies flew about the treetops. Every creature was as fascinating and alien as the last.

"So... This is a shortcut?" Twilight asked as she squinted ahead at the exhaustingly long trail.

"I know what you're thinking... and yes, it is. You're lucky we didn't take the long route." Draven replied with a jolly tone in his voice. "I have no doubt Spike and the others probably took this path as well. Most who are in the tournament do."

Twilight thought for a moment. There was something that had been bothering her for a while since her rescue at the Changeling Embassy. Not letting the opportunity slip, she popped a question to Draven; finding it appropriate, as she knew it would be hours before they would reach the top of the mountain.

"Hey. Draven?" Twilight said with an anxious expression pasted on her face.

"What is it, lass?" Draven answered.

"Back at the Changeling Embassy... I was wondering what kind of magic that was that you used when fighting Constantine. It was thunder-magic no doubt, but... what were those wings?" Twilight wondered. "I have never seen anything like that before."

"I admire your curiosity, lass!" Draven chuckled. "But I must warn you first, it's quite a lengthy explanation."

"We have time," Twilight said as she looked up to Draven.

"I was hoping you'd say that!" Draven admitted as he looked up to the top of the mountain "You see, there isn't just one type of dragon you know."

"Elaborate," Twilight said, intrigued by the statement.

"You ponies have your own subsets... your own races. Earthponies, pegasi, unicorns, and alicorns all have different specialties and unique skills. To the surprise of many ponies, we dragons have our own categories too."

"You mean like frost dragons, fire dragons, and other various elemental types?" Twilight suggested.

"Well, yes there is that, but what I am talking about is somewhat different. Some dragons have wings you see, whilst others don't. Winged-dragons are called Awyr-Dreigiau in our tongue, which actually means 'Sky-Dragons' in your speech." Draven explained. "These kinds of dragons are a lot like pegasi in both magical ability and physical ability. They are quick, and they can manipulate the air and winds around them, and because of their own unique abilities, they are not placed in the classes of regular Dreigiau."

"What does this have to do with you?" Twilight asked, raising her left brow and cupping her chin in her hand.

"Hold on, lass, I'm getting there," Draven replied sharply. "Ahem. As I was saying... this is where the lines get blurred on what category a dragon is in for most who are not our kind. Non-winged dragon categories are defined by blood. The first category is a strong and hardy kind, the Cyffredin-Dreigiau, or 'Common-Dragon' is a lower class of dragons with less potent magic-blood, or in this case, the dragon equivalent to an earthpony. Our blood is what determines our magical potential as you can see."

"What about you?" Twilight wondered.

"Ah, see this is where it gets interesting," Draven said with a childlike excitement. "Higher-up dragons are the unicorns of the Dreigiau, also called Hud-Dreigiau, or 'Magic-Dragons'. Their blood is pure, and bursting with magical potential. This category specializes in using only certain types of magic that agree with their blood, which is where elements of magic come into play."

"Is that where you and Spike fit in?" Twilight inquired as she looked back to Fluttershy and Gin for a brief moment.

"Which brings me to the last category of dragons... the Arglwydd-Dreigiau, or 'Lord Dragons'," Draven said with a smirk. "These dragons are among the strongest of our kind and are the elite force within our kin that have the combined powers of all the other classes. They are usually high-ranking nobles of pure blood and the sons and daughters of Elemental Dragon-kings, the alicorns of Dreigiau. This is where Spike and I fit within the categories."

"So his magic is as strong as me, or Celestia?!" Twilight gasped; she never thought Spike had such magical potential.

"Well, not yet... but he has the potential to surpass you, and others," Draven informed her as he looked up the trail ahead.

"I had... no idea." Twilight admitted as she held her head in disbelief.

"When a Lord-Dragon reaches a certain level of power, he gains his adenydd, or his 'wings'," Draven said. "The adenydd allow Lord-Dragons to unlock their full magical-potential. They are a sign of wisdom and power"

"So that's what those wings were." Twilight thought out-loud.

"I want Spike to learn more about who he is, and what he can become." Draven cheered with intensity and pride. "I want him to unlock his power with training. Like I had unlocked my power when his father taught me... I owe it to the both of them."

"I understand. It's just-, I don't want him to get hurt along the way. He's more than my best friend... he's my brother." Twilight said with worry as she looked towards the ground, processing it all.

"You remind me of myself at your age. Spike's father was my brother too, and I loved him like my own blood. Although we were some years apart, we grew up together as if we were twins." Draven uttered with a warm smile. "I promise you Twilight, I will look after him like you would, with all my heart."

Twilight replied with a smile and compassionate eyes as she heard his comforting words, and the load on her shoulders seemed lighter than ever. Despite their brief time together, Twilight felt at ease around Draven. He had this sort of magnetic aura about him that drew ponies in, comforted them. Twilight could tell the bond between Draven and Spike's father was strong, as strong as her connection to Spike. Twilight gave a light sigh as she walked along the trail for a short while, taking in the scenery. Though, this was not to last. The calm was soon broken when Draven put his arm out and stopped Twilight and the others.

"What is it?" Fluttershy asked nervously; noticing Draven's eyes narrow to look further ahead.

"Captain, what's going on?" Gin said in confusion.

Draven was silent for a few seconds before replying, and he turned his head slowly as he looked back to Twilight and the others. "We've been followed," Draven whispered as he jolted his head to the side and closed his eyes, picking up on a barely audible rustle in a nearby brush and faint traces of dark energy.

Fluttershy began to feel on edge. Not because she was scared, but because she could sense the presence of over a dozen immortals closing in on her and her friend's position. She could hear the sharp fangs and claws extending from behind the thick forest in the distance. They were closing in for the kill.

"Vampires..." Fluttershy had thought to herself nervously; her instincts screamed at her as she clenched her teeth. Were they coming for her?

"I don't like this..." Gin muttered as she reached to grab her blunderbuss strapped to her shoulder.

Twilight readied her magic, casting a sensory spell to survey the surroundings. Her eyesight became infrared, scanning the trees only to find that there were no heat signatures of any kind.

"I can't spot anything with my magic!" Twilight said softly, but with much frantic desperation.

"That's because they don't have a heat trace! We're being ambushed by vampires!" Draven said in a panic. "They're moving too fast to be anything else."

"Vampires?! Here?! Why are they this far out of their territory?" Gin's breath became rapid and uneasy as she pressed the butt of her gun to her shoulder.

"I don't know, but I can hear them clearer now, and they're coming right at us," Draven said, opening his eyes and sharpening his vision.

"What do we do?" Twilight asked as she readied her offensive magic.

"They're using the cover of the trees to avoid the sun. If we stay out in the middle of the road we should be safe." Draven said as his fists became engulfed in electricity. "Fluttershy and Gin, you stay in the middle. Twilight and I will cover the two sides of the road."

"It's a cloudy day... do you think it's enough? Gin inquired as she raised her blunderbuss to the nearest opening in the thicket.

"We have no other choice but hope for the best. We're surrounded." Draven said as he raised his hands. "Here they come!"

The rapid rustling in the forest became quiet for a brief moment; catching the group off guard before a wall of red eyes glowed brightly behind the bushes, then a maelstrom of magic attacks shot wildly from both sides. Twilight raised a large magical bubble in defense whilst Draven let out a burst of lightning, scorching the trees and bushes, and sending deafening crackling-noises throughout the forest, along with shrieks from the attackers. After the attack from Draven subsided, another wave of magical force began to wear on Twilight's defensive spell, causing the sides of the magical dome to slowly crack.

"Your turn! I'll cover you!" Draven bellowed as he raised his hands high to summon a wall of surging electricity in a protective circle.

Twilight lowered her shield and began firing off shots of purple arcane energy at visible targets, and followed up with a flash of light that knocked back multiple enemies on Draven's side. A vampire on her side attempted to claw Draven but was halted by a blast from Gin's scattergun; sending him flying backward behind the trees.

"Get down! Now!" Draven shouted as he released a blast of lightning that struck multiple vampires with a loud boom.

When the attack subsided, Draven lowered his hands and let out a sigh of both exhaustion and relief to see that they were retreating.

"Is it... over?" Twilight panted as she fell to one knee.

"I think so," Draven said as he looked to the now scarred terrain around him.

"There's one over here!" Gin said as she looked down at an injured vampire; steaming as the rays of the sun shone on his pale body.

"Who sent you?!" Draven said as he effortlessly picked up the vampire by his collar.

"Să use înece în frică, muritorii! Să se înece în frică, muritorii!" The burning vampire sneered maliciously. "Dragon dezgustător!"

"What is he saying?" Gin asked.

"He is speaking in vampire-tongue," Twilight stated as she observed the pale stallion.

"Speak so I can understand you! You filthy bloodsucker!" Draven yelled as he shook the vampire violently.

"Vestitor... The Harbinger of Frică... Fear." The struggling vampire hissed. "He shall drain the muritori of their life, and smite those not loyal to his majesty! Arrragghh!"

The vampire let out an agonizing cry as he burst into flames; Draven dropping him to the ground as he did so. Fluttershy turned away and wept as the stallion writhed and convulsed in pain for what seemed like forever, then falling silent as his skeleton disintegrated into ash that was swept away by the wind. Twilight held Fluttershy for a moment to comfort her. She knew Fluttershy was sensitive to such things as this, and this was the only thing Twilight knew to do when comforting Fluttershy. She wiped away her tears eventually, and broke-off from the compassionate embrace shortly after; allowing Gin to put an arm around her in sorrow.

"There was nothing we could do... the prolonged exposure to the sun was going to kill him even if we brought him into the shade." Gin reassured Fluttershy.

"I wish he could have died in peace... He was a pony once too." Fluttershy cried.

"He was trying to kill us-!" Draven stopped when he saw Twilight gesture to him to be silent.

Draven stepped forward and took his hat off in shame; disappointed by his words of hatred towards the vampire. Regardless of what he believed about vampires, he knew that in his heart it was not right to dishonor the dead, evil or otherwise.

"I'm... I'm sorry Fluttershy. Not even a cutthroat like him deserved a fate like that." Draven admitted; feeling empathy for the sensitive mare. "Are you okay to move on?"

Fluttershy nodded as she wiped away her remaining tears slowly, and Gin removed her hands from her shoulder as she sniffled a little.

"Yes... let's get going." Fluttershy whimpered as a half-smile replaced her frown.

Twilight Put her arm around Fluttershy as they walked up the trail whilst Gin and Draven stayed behind the two. Gin seemed uneasy about the whole situation that took place, and walked alongside Draven, leaning in a little as she whispered to him.

"Hey, do you know who this 'Harbinger' is?" Gin said softly.

"As a matter of fact I do," Draven said in a grave tone of voice. "The Sorcerer of Fear, Alptraum, has been known to be associated with vampires. He has even been rumored to have created vampirism in the First Age for his followers so that they could rule the Blacklands with him as immortals."

"Do ya really believe that it was the Sorcerer that the vampire had referred to?" Gin inquired.

"Undoubtedly," Draven replied. "With Leere's impending return, it would make sense for Alptraum to return to this realm as well to spread fear across the world once more."

"Why attack us, though? Why are we special?" Gin asked, peering into the woods, still somewhat cautious of another ambush.

Draven looked up and stared at Fluttershy for a moment, then looked back to Gin slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible. "I'm not too sure Fluttershy's being honest with us..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twelve: The Tournament Begins!

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Spike and Cyro ran ahead of the group to look up at the massive arena before them in awe. It's tremendously tall stone walls towered over almost any structure Spike had seen before, and the regal purple banners that hung on the sides of the walls demanded the utmost respect to anyone who would gaze upon it.

"It's a lot bigger than it looked in the city," Cyro said as he looked to the imposing structure.

"To be honest it looked big even there." Spike said; spacing out a little as he gawked at the sight of the huge coliseum.

Winslow patted Spike on the back as he walked by; ushering him to follow with Coba to the front gate as they passed by the two dragons. "Follow Coba, he knows where to go."

The two dragons approached the large iron gate to the arena with Jhettei; tagging behind as he was surveying his surroundings. There were many guards lining the circumference of the arena, two of which were standing guard by the main entrance. Their attire was alien to what Spike was used to in Equestria. He was acclimatized to the centurion-style armour of the Equestrian royal guard, and the gear the Twhubi wore was far from a centurion.

The armour was a glimmering bronze, and on it was various etchings of lions and various jungle animals Spike was unfamiliar with. A plate of metal concealed the guard's faces like a cowl, along with purple wraps that formed a sort of hood as it covered the rest of the head. In fact, almost all of a guard's skin had been covered by both armour-plating and purple cloth.

"Halt." The guard on the left side of the gate said as he put his hand out to stop the group. "State your name and business."

"I am Coba Munyetta, and this is Spike," Coba said as he turned his head to Spike. "We are entering the tournament."

"What of his last name?" The guard said curiously.

"He... uh..." Coba said nervously.

"Drafir, it is Spike Drafir." A familiar voice finished Spike's sentence.

Draven made his way to the guards along with the rest of his small group. He patted Spike on the shoulder as he stood beside him.

"Sorry, if I was a tad late boyo." Draven chuckled lightly as he looked down to Spike.

"Are you all with Spike and Coba?" The guard asked.

"Yes sir, we are," Twilight said as she found her way to the front as well.

The guard laid eyes on Twilight only for a brief moment before dropping to one knee in respect. He put his arm across his chest, and he laid his spear on the ground beside him.

"An absolute honour to meet you Princess Twilight Sparkle." The guard has said as he grabbed her hand and held it in front of his lowered head. "I had no idea that the Equestria was sending you to watch the tournament."

"I-I'm sorry what?" Twilight said; flabbergasted by the guard below her.

"Your princess, Celestia, she sent you to represent Equestria did she not?" The guard asked.

Draven nudged Twilight on the arm to get her attention as he nodded to her to say "yes". Twilight quickly snapped out of it as Draven gestured to her to say it to the guard.

"Um, yes... of course. These people are my associates, and um- Coba and Spike represent Equestria in this tournament." Twilight said; shifting her way of speech to a more proper Canterlot accent.

"Very well your highness. Follow me to your chamber's." The guard said as he turned to the large door.

"Um, sir? We're entering as well. My name is Cyro, and this is Jhettei." Cyro stated as he gestured to Jhettei, who was standing behind the group.

"You will have to join the rest of the competitors while I escort these ponies to their chambers. You should be able to ask a guard where your living area will be." The guard said to the left-out frost-dragon.

The large metal doors swung open slowly to reveal a huge room filled with competitors gathering near the center. Twilight entered first, but after entering she was directed to a flight of stairs on the right, along with the rest of her group.

Cyro held Spike's arm before he went up and gave him a grin. "I'll see you in the arena, Hotshot."

"Yeah, I'll see you there!" Spike said gleefully as he began walking up the steps.

****

The Equestrian Quarter was huge. It was familiarly decorated like a typical nobleman's house in Canterlot. The main room was coloured with blue and silver, and various tea-sets and utensils were stocked in the many cupboards that lined the walls. The other rooms adjoined to it had enough beds to house an Equestrian battalion. Each room was decorated with the same design as the main room and had chests and drawers along with many closets for clothing. Gin excitedly ran up to the couch on the right of her and jumped on it; letting out a deep sign of instant relaxation as she plopped down onto it.

"Lucky bastards... Is this how you folks always live back home?" Gin asked as she turned her head to face Twilight.

"Well... not always." Spike said bashfully. "This is something you would see in Canterlot or the Crystal Empire, not Ponyville "

"It's a hell of a lot better than a creaking old ship that smells like a dead rat!" Gin laughed to herself.

"Hey! I'll have you know that it does not creak, and it doesn't smell at all... I quite like it!" Draven said; a little offended by Gin's words.

"Whatever you say, Captain!" Gin chuckled.

"Draven, did you know we would represent Equestria?" Twilight asked; curious about what had happened at the gate. "By that I mean, were you aware of my status as Princess?"

"Aye, I was. Although I had no idea you'd get mixed up in all of this. I was originally going to say the same thing you said back there." Draven explained. "Granted, who are they going to believe serves Celestia? Some dragon, or an actual Princess? You saved me a hell of a lot of explaining lass."

Fluttershy sat down on the couch adjacent to Gin and began massaging her hooves as she lifted her legs up to her. "All of that walking made my hooves sore."

"Mine ache as well." Winslow said as he sat down beside Fluttershy; causing her to blush a little.

Gin giggled a little under her breath as she eyed the two sitting beside each other.

"What's funny?" Winslow asked as he looked to Gin.

"Oh, nothing." Gin uttered as she got up and walked off to a room down the hall; smiling as she did so.

"Princess Twilight, your chamber is just down that hallway on the right side near the end." The guard stated as he pointed down the long hallway in front of him. "I believe I shall take my leave."

As the guard left, another zebra entered the room in his place. Only this time it was not a guard, but what looked like a nobleman or high ranking officer. He approached Twilight and bowed as she got close.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance Princess Twilight, I am Prince Wantinga. I have heard much about you." The extensively dressed stallion said as he gave salutations.

"Thank you." Twilight said, slightly flattered by all of the respect she was getting.

"I take it your fighters are ready? The tournament will begin shortl-." The zebra cut off as he looked to Coba.

The two looked at each other for a moment as if they were completely shocked but hugged each other after eyeing each other intently, as if making sure they were, in fact, not dreaming.

"Coba!" The zebra-prince said as he put his hand on Coba's shoulder. "You look well brother!"

"Brother?!" Twilight and the rest of the group said; completely stunned.

"Ah, yes. Everyone, allow me to introduce you to my brother, Prince Wantinga Munyetta." Coba said as he placed his arm around his brother's shoulder with a gleeful smile.

"What the hell Coba? Your royalty, and you neglected to tell us?" Gin shouted in protest.

"Well, I'm not technically royalty. The eldest inherits the title of Prince." Coba said as he cheerfully gestured to his brother beside him, although his expression changed to worried once he turned to his brother. "How is father Wantinga?"

"Not well. He is becoming more and more plagued by his illness every day." Prince Wantinga said as he looked down at the ground. "I fear your absence has made it worse."

Coba was saddened by his brother's words as he sighed in sorrow. "As I feared."

"Your father is sick?" Spike asked as he rose from his chair.

"He has been for many years..." Prince Wantinga said; heartbroken by the thought of his father. "I fear it has finally taken hold of him, and I don't think he will live much longer."

"What ails him?" Winslow asked. "Can it be cured?"

"We are not sure about his illness. Some say it is a pestilence of some sort, others say it is a curse, but I think it is just his body giving out from old-age, and something like that cannot be cured." Wantinga explained as he sat down on a chair adjacent from his brother. "I don't know what to do if and when he passes. I'm not sure if I'll have the strength he had."

"You will be a good king, brother. I know that for a fact." Coba reassured Wantinga.

"Thank you, Coba," Wantinga said as he got up from his seat. "I cannot keep this saddened spirit within me for the tournament. This should be a splendid occasion for the people of Wantthai. Their own Coba has returned to his people to witness the tournament!" Wantinga joyfully laughed.

"I appreciate your hospitality brother, but I am not here to reunite with my people. I am here to enter the tournament with the fire-dragon." Coba said with an expression of utter determination.

"I see." Wantinga said; hiding his disappointment from his brother. "Well, I wish you the best of luck in the coming days brother. Know that I am watching you and cheering you on."

Wantinga left the room down the staircase; leaving Coba slightly regretful of his actions. Although he knew his family wished to accept him again, he could not let family get in the way of his mission. His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of trumpets and the boom of the crowd.

"They are about to start Spike," Coba said as he grabbed his arm.

"Um, wait a minute please." Spike politely asked as he let go from Coba's grasp, and he walked up to Twilight. "So I, uh... guess I'm-"

Spike was silenced as Twilight pulled him close for a hug. "Good luck Spike."

Fluttershy stood up and gave him a hug as well. "I'll be rooting for you."

Spike smiled as he walked down the steps; stopping for a moment on the first step to look at Twilight one last time before going down.

****

Spike was beside Coba in the long line of eager competitors waiting behind the door to the arena. He looked around for any familiar faces, but none was to be found. Although most of the noise was muffled by the large iron doors that blocked off the entrance to the coliseum, Spike could still hear the announcer.

"People of the Blacklands! You have waited long enough! May I present to you... your challengers!" The announcer yelled as the iron doors slowly creaked open.

The sound of cheering was deafening as it entered Spike's ears, and he had almost covered them as the sound of trumpets hailed their arrival into the gigantic arena. The circle shaped battlefield was lined with dozens on soldiers in a formation; making a sort of runway for the fighters to walk along as the people roared with joy.

"Representing Canterlot, and the Equestrian Empire... Coba and Spike!" The announcer yelled as one of the guards ushered the two outside.

The crowd's cheering grew louder as Spike put his hand up and waved. Coba simply put his hands at his side as he looked forward; walking like a soldier to the end of the guards. They were directed by one of the guards to remain standing in the center while the other competitors lined up beside them.

"From the Changeling Empire... Viper and Sigrid!" The announcer shouted as the changeling and pegasus lined up beside Spike on the left side.

Viper looked at Spike and stuck out his forked tongue; hissing at him as he did so. The display from Viper got him nervous about the upcoming fights ahead, and he knew a mercenary like him had a lot more experience in fighting than Spike could ever have. Regardless he tried not to think about it, as he knew that would only guarantee failure in the future.

"And all the way from the Northlands in Equestria... Cyro and Jhettei!" The announcer bellowed as the blue dragon and short stallion waved to the crowd down the isle of soldiers; taking their place on the opposite side of Coba and Spike.

"And from the Crystal Empire... Stín and Armandura!" The announcer howled as two stallions made their way into the line.

Armandura was dressed in a brown leather armour that covered his entire body, along with a red cape and hooded cowl that concealed his features. Stín's face was shrouded by a large white hood that hid his expressions in shadow, and his body was wrapped in a white robe. He carried with him a crystal sword on his belt that shone a dim grey light, and beneath his hood his eyes were glowing a similar color.

Spike felt a chill run down up his spine when his eyes were locked with Armandura as he just got in-line. He didn't know what to think of it at first. His presence seemed... familiar to Spike, almost like déjà vu, but different.

"Do you know anything about those two Coba?" Spike whispered.

"I know that Stín is the Crystal Empire's grand-mage. The other, I have no idea." Coba answered as he also locked eyes with the pair.

As other competitors exited the door, Spike scanned the crowd for Twilight and found her separated on a balcony next to the King of Wantthai; smiling as she caught a glimpse of Spike waving to her. He felt a lot less nervous after seeing Twilight watching her, and Spike always felt more secure knowing Twilight had his back. Spike knew he needed Twilight, and he knew she needed him as well. Perhaps Twilight was meant to join him on this journey with Fluttershy. Perhaps Twilight would always join Spike wherever he went, and maybe this is what comforted him the most; knowing he had friends like Twilight and Fluttershy to follow him in his footsteps.

"You look as if in deep thought my friend," Coba stated as he noticed the blank expression on Spike's face. "Something wrong?"

"No, not at all. In fact, quite the opposite... perhaps I don't count my blessings as much as I should." Spike said as he looked down; smiling a little.

"You have good friends Spike. I think that's more than enough to get you through what lies ahead in the next couple days." Coba said as he looked up at Twilight. "Look at that... She's already made a friend out of my father. "

"Well, they don't call her 'The Princess of Friendship' back home for nothing," Spike said as his grin grew larger.

"So without further ado, may the tournament commence!" The announcer shouted as the sound of cannons rang out, coupled with the cries of the roaring crowd.

"Now it gets interesting..." Draven said as he sat down in the seat beside Twilight.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Thirteen: Fight! Viper vs Angreifer

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"Ladies and gentlecolts, before we begin round one, I must recite the official tournament rules to our competitors, so please be patient." The announcer stated as he cleared his throat. "Rule Number One: There will be no killing of any kind in the tournament- only incapacitating is allowed but nothing more than that. Rule Number Two: All black magic is banned from the tournament. Rule Number Three: Cheating of any kind is punishable by disqualification."

Coba and Spike sat on the sidelines in the competitor's box at the very edge of the arena and listened intently as the announcer bantered on about other rules that had less meaning.

"When did they add the rule on black magic?" Coba uttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Spike asked Coba; barely hearing what he had said.

"Nothing Spike. It's nothing." Coba retorted sharply.

"Thank you for your patience everyone. Now without further ado, we shall begin Round One!" The announcer eagerly shouted. "This first round shall focus on singular combat only, and it shall be an elimination round! Meaning if you get KO'd, you lose this round!"

"I thought it was pair-fighting," Spike said softly to Coba.

"That's Round Two." Coba quietly replied.

"I will draw the first two combatants now!" The announcer said as he reached into a glass bowl beside him; sifting through various pieces of paper carefully. "And... our first fight shall be between Viper of the Changeling Kingdom, and... Angreifer, of Ausrüstung."

"What's Ausrüstung?" Spike inquired.

"To the far west there is a nation of fire and steel. A nation that builds technological wonders and contraptions that no other kingdom has ever even thought of creating. The Ausrüstrians are builders on a grand scale." Coba explained. "Their technology is hundreds of years ahead of anyone else, but they are, however, a secretive folk. They do not share their technology with the world around them... especially the Equestrians."

Out from the competitors barracks came Angreifer. His body was clad in a strange steel armor with flashing lights and strange dials. The armor made various clanking noises as he moved to the center of the arena along with Viper, and jets of steam escaped his gauntlets as two long blades shot out of his arms.

"What marvelous technology!" Twilight said with wonder as she eyed the steel encased stallion.

"Those Austry's sure know how to accessorize, don't they?" Gin chuckled; leaning up against Draven's seat as she did so.

"The fight shall last five minutes! Remember, you must knock out or incapacitate your enemy to win. If both of you are still standing, it is a tie! Now, everypony count down with me!" The announcer yelled.

"Let's see what this 'Viper' is capable of," Coba stated with a serious tone of voice.

The two fighters positioned themselves on opposite sides of the arena, both readying their weapons. Viper drew his two hooked daggers, and Angreifer's armor made more mechanical noises as it assembled a helmet that shielded his face; letting out a burst of steam as it made an air-tight seal around his neck.

"Three! Two! One! Fight!" The audience screamed along with the announcer.

As the bell rang Angreifer stood at the ready and shot off like a rocket at Viper as a jet of flame escaped the back of his mechanical suit. Viper was caught off guard and strafed to the right as Angreifer took a slash at him; only inches away from his chest. As Viper dodged he tossed various throwing knives at his foe, but they bounced off Angreifer's thick armor like a small rock being tossed at a wall.

Viper began running towards the mechanized stallion but slid between his feet just as Angreifer had took a swing at him. Viper slashed at the gaps in his armor in his shin-plates, and this caused Angreifer to let out a robotic cry of anger. The metal stallion lashed out at the changeling and gave him a strong kick to the chest; sending him flying across the arena. Viper recovered by executing a backward roll, and jumping up to his feet once more.

"Alright, metal-head... let's see what you got!" Viper taunted as he stuck out his forked tongue.

Angreifer began slashing wildly as he dashed forward. Viper avoided his onslaught and snuck up behind him; jumping on top of the metal suit and stabbing at the gears and mechanisms in the back. He cut-out a large cable and tossed it aside, causing Angreifer's armor to flail its arms wildly; knocking off Viper. The suit malfunctioned for a moment; kicking and slashing all around.

"System reset!" A voice escaped the armor.

The suit stopped for a moment; standing with its head down. Then all of a sudden, it sprung to life; letting out loads of sparks as Angreifer began another assault. This time, however, he raised his hands. The blades on his gauntlets morphed into cylindrical barrels, and they began spinning at a dizzying speed.

"What the hell-." Viper was cut short as the guns on Angreifer's armor began making the same sound as a musket, only it was a lot more... rapid.

Viper ran around the arena as projectiles tore up the ground beneath him; strafing and dodging bullets as they whizzed past him. However, one struck him in the shin; causing him to collapse on the ground in mid-sprint. He rolled on one side facing away from Angreifer as he approached him, and when the mechanized pony let down his guard to check if Viper had been knocked out, the changeling hurled two knives that punctured the eye-holes in the helmet that covered Angreifer's head. The metal clad stallion stumbled back; trying to grasp his helmet in a panic. Eventually, he tore the metal helmet off; revealing his head, or... her head.

"You took out my arcane targeting system you slimy bastard!" The mare shouted in frustration as her guns morphed back into blades.

"Well... what do you know?" Viper snickered; entertained by the surprise. "Sorry doll-face, but I couldn't have you shooting me to shit!"

Angreifer rose into the air as a jet propelled her upwards. She sat suspended in the air for a moment before launching herself towards Viper. This time, though, Viper did not attempt to dodge. He instead lowered his hands, and began smiling as Angreifer charged towards him.

"What the hell is that conniving snake up to? Why isn't he moving?" Draven said to himself.

Angreifer slashed Viper across the chest; causing him to fall backward from the force of the attack. He laid there for a while, without any noise escaping his mouth. Thinking she had won Angreifer turned around and began walking back to the competitor's box, but halted when she heard Viper begin cackling maniacally.

The armored mare turned to face the changeling as she heard his laughter. "What's so fun-."

She trailed off as she saw him raise to his hooves again, a thick, green liquid pouring from the wound as he got to his feet unsteadily. He tore off his leather armor to reveal many tattoos of snakes covering his dark blue body. The "blood" that leaked from his open wound sizzled as it touched the ground; making an almost burning noise. He raised his head to Angreifer, who was watching in horror as the slime that coated her right gauntlet-blade began to eat it away.

"Heh heh heh... you want to know why ponies call me Viper?" The changeling smiled in sadistic delight. "Because there's only poison in these veins!"

"This fight isn't over..." Coba said, somewhat rattled by the disturbing display from Viper.

With that, the green substance leaking from Viper's wound started to morph and spasm. The liquid shot out of his back; writhing and slithering as they formed disgusting tendrils that waved in the air. His smile grew wider as the liquid wrapped around his hands and shaped itself into claws. Before Angreifer could react to the horror show before her, Viper let out a harrowing shriek as his tendrils flung him upwards toward her.

"What is that magic? I've never seen any spell that behaves that way." Twilight uttered in worry as she analyzed the strange substance.

"That isn't magic Twilight... it's alchemy. A vile blend of magic and science." Draven said as he gave Viper a disgusted glare.

Angreifer dodged the first attack, but the second assault came almost as quickly as the first. A tendril shot out from Viper's palm; striking Angreifer's flight-pack. She fell to the ground with a smash, and more sparks shot outwards randomly from her armor. Viper turned back around and slashed her again with another tendril, this time across her chest-plate. The metal hissed and sizzled as the residual liquid from the attack burned away at the armor, making it frail.

Angreifer then resorted to magic attacks and cast fire spells from her damaged gauntlets; fireballs shooting out in a barrage as they hurled towards Viper. He melded his tendrils into a protective wall, and the oncoming attack exploded in a crimson inferno as they made contact with his defense. Smoke was scattered across the arena and surrounded the metal clad mare. Her vision was clouded, but in the smoke she heard a gust of air moving towards her. An attack from Viper out from the smoke slashed her legs first. Angreifer then shot more spells into the smoke in a panic, but a second attack knocked her onto her stomach.

"Come out and fight me you son of a bitch!" Angreifer grunted as she got back on her hooves.

Only a cackle and another slash replied to her comment. The third attack struck her left arm; tearing off the protection from it.

Outside the cloud of smoke, the crowd watched intensely to see who would come out of the smoke; eager to see the victor of the fight. As the cloud lifted, the crowd roared in entertainment as they saw the metal-mare kneeling before the vile changeling. He attacked one last time and tore off her armor to reveal her broken and bloodied body underneath. Then he placed his hoof on her chest and pushed her to the ground with a thrusting kick. He stamped his hoof on her chest and raised his arms in triumph; laughing and whipping his forked tongue out with glee. The audience went wild with joy as Viper's tendrils morphed into snakes; hissing with pleasure.

"The winner of this fight is 'The Viper' Emmerich Daggerfang!" The announcer screamed.

"Viper! Viper! Viper! Viper!" The crowd cheered.

"I've got to talk with Spike..." Draven said with concern. "If he's going to beat Viper, we have to come up with a strategy."

"Let me do it," Winslow said as he approached Draven, who was sitting in his seat.

"We'll both go," Draven suggested quickly. "I have knowledge on that changeling's powers, and you know the strategy."

"Very well," Winslow said as he turned to exit the large sitting area.

"Wait! Can't I do anything to help him?" Twilight asked Draven with worried eyes.

"Don't worry Twilight, we'll take care of it. For now we need you to stay with the prince and the king." Draven replied.

Draven stormed off before she could protest further; leaving her alone with the prince and king. She lowered he head, feeling a little useless as she watched the changeling in the ring hiss and taunt his foes in the competitor's stands.

"Looks like your friend has a little competition here..." The King of Wantthai whispered to Twilight. "I fear he may face great challenges ahead in the days to come."

"Yes, but, I don't know if I can do anything to help him," Twilight said with woe. "I know so little about the land I'm walking on, it just-... It just makes me feel hopeless like I'm just a weight on everyone else's shoulders. Do you know what I am talking about?"

"Young mare, I have seen many tragedies in my time. Do you want to know what helped me through it? I had people to guide me, people, to walk me along my path that led me to where I am today, and I've had people who were my crutch when I thought I could not walk along the path I took... yet here I am... old and grey, and happy to know I will leave this earth with pride." The old king said with honesty. "I think you being here helps him more than anything else. I may not know the two of you, but that look in your eyes shows me you care about that dragon as if you were his flesh and blood. I respect your compassion young princess, may it carry you and your friend through the ages."

"Thank you, King." Twilight said; the weight slowly lifting off her shoulders as she looked at Spike with new eyes.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Fourteen: Fight! Armandura vs Galaeron

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"Ladies and gentlecolts!" The announcer yelled; the boom of his voice echoing across the swarm of screaming fans. "I am know going to select the fighters for the next match-up!"

As much as Spike tried to be excited, he couldn't seem to shake his worries. While he knew his natural power was formidable, the fact that he only had at the least a few hours of training with Draven did not compare to the years of experience that the fighters beside him had, including Coba. Spike began gritting his teeth as the announcer plunged his hand inside the glass container in front of him.

"Our next fight will be... Armandura of the Crystal Empire, versus Galaeron of the Miriad Kingdom!" The eager announcer shouted out to the equally eager fans.

"Sorry if I tend to repeat myself a lot, but... what is a miriad?" Spike asked as he turned his head to face Coba.

"I enjoy the questions, Spike, honestly. I admire your curiosity! It's always good to know more about the lands you walk on! " Coba reassured Spike with a light chuckle.

"Ladies and gentlecolts! I present to you... your fighters!" The announcer cheered as the two brawlers lumbered out of the barracks.

"So, what is a miriad?" Spike uttered as he looked out to the arena.

"Wel, see for yourself," Coba replied, gesturing to the stallion taking his position on the right side of the arena.

The stallion was tall, and his complexion was sky-blue. In fact, his fur had a tint to it that differed from any pony Spike had seen before; it was almost pale. His eyes were a flawless emerald green that seemed to pierce your soul like and arrow, and his long blonde hair was braided tightly at the bottom. Spike noticed that his ears seemed longer, or rather, pointed, which was a feature alien to him. He was dressed in a silver armor that shone like the moon, and a dark blue cape stretched down to his feet. A strange weapon was in his hands, it was a crossbow no doubt, but it was unlike anything Spike had seen before. One of the most strange aspects of this weapon was the fact that he was not carrying any bolts or ammo of any kind.

"That is a miriad," Coba said as his too eyed the strange looking stallion. "They live in the northeast in a kingdom seldom seen by outsiders. The few who have been there speaking of those lands as nothing less than beautiful. A land bathed in light, always glimmering, whether it be night or day."

"Will I get to see it possibly?" Spike said in an unintentional coaxing-tone.

"We'll have to wait and see where this journey takes us, Spike," Coba stated.

Armandura stood tall on the opposite side; his eyes- although barely visible, were burning with anticipation. His demeanor seemed focused and demanded respect. In actuality, his thief-like attire greatly conflicted with his blatantly obvious hardy personality; causing strange feelings to stir within Spike, which Coba noticed right away.

"What's troubling you?" Coba wondered; seeing Spike's blank expression.

"Nothing Coba. I just... nothing." Spike trailed off as he shook his head.

"Now folks, if you will... count down with me now!" The announcer bellowed. "Three! Two! One! Fight!"

With that, Galaeron raised his crossbow, which then began to glow a blue light near the end. It fired a javelin-shaped energy shot that whizzed towards Armandura; who anticipated the attack, and dodged it easily.

"So that's what it does," Spike commented soon after watching the crossbow fire.

Armandura cast a spell quickly after coming out of his dodge-roll. In his right hand was a magical sword, and in his left was a shield, both glowing a purple light as they hummed; causing the air to crackle from the heat generated by the magical items.

"What on earth kind of magic is that?" Coba said; unfamiliar with the kind of magic Armandura was using.

"I know this magic! It's the kind Canterlot war-mages use in a fight!" Spike said; a little proud of himself for recognizing it so easily. "Hmm, that's strange. Crystal Empire mages don't use that magic I don't think."

Armandura summoned more magical swords around him hovering in a circle; forming a tight barrier as he charged towards Galaeron. His first strike missed, but in a flash the rest of the swords sliced at Galaeron. Galareon tossed the crossbow aside in a panic and drew the saber strapped on his waist. While he blocked the rapid strikes from the maelstrom, he was pushed back when Armandura gave him hard shield-bash; sending him flying backward.

"I don't think any normal Canterlot war-mage wields their magic to that extent." Spike commented; somewhat thrown off by Armandura's surprising talent with his Sword Magic.

After recovering from Armandura's first assault, Galaeron retrieved his crossbow. He began to fire it with focused precision; aiming for non-fatal areas. As Armandura began his next attack, a shot grazed his elbow. While he felt the pain shoot up his arm from the cut, he brushed it off; unwilling to let his foe have another chance to hit him again.

Armandura launched another attack, this time he cut his foe across the arm before his foe could draw his sword. To finish, he landed another shield-bash, this time a light one to stagger Galaeron. Once Galaeron recovered he quickly slashed low with his saber; cutting through Armandura's armor, but barely slicing beneath his skin. Regardless Armandura felt the pain instantly and gave Galaeron a hard shield-bash to the face; making a loud bang that echoed across the arena. Galaeron struggled to recover as he switched to his crossbow and began firing once more.

Galaeron's aim was hampered by the blow to the head; exactly what Armandura was counting on. Armandura uttered a magical phrase; summoning even more blades which then hurled themselves towards Galaeron. Dodging the attack, Galaeron made a shot just as Armandura lowered his hands to recharge. The shot hit him; embedding itself deep in his shoulder, and causing him severe pain.

In an adrenaline-fuelled rage, Armandura began a final onslaught. He uttered a long spell, and with that, many swords surrounded Galaeron. The swords raised as if ready to kill... but disintegrated, along with his weapons in-hand, just as they were about to dice him up.

Galaeron was confused by Armandura, he wasn't sure why he had halted the final attack which would have won the match. "What is this?"

Armandura raised his now empty hands to his head and formed fists. The crowd cheered as he went down into a hand to hand fighting position.

"You wish to fight as equals then?" Galaeron said to his foe. "I accept your challenge Equestrian."

"I don't believe what I'm seeing!" The announcer said; shocked by what was before him. "It appears Armandura wishes to fight in hand to hand combat!"

"Wait... why would he just give up victory like that? Wouldn't it have been easier to finish him off with his magic?" Spike muttered to himself quietly.

"Simple... to be fair. The way the tournament picks fighters in matches is through chance, not arranging them by skill or experience. That's what makes Round One unfair." Coba answered; interrupting Spike's train of thought. "Armandura here clearly could see that his magic skills surpassed Galaeron, so he decided to fight him on equal ground."

Armandura readied himself; planting his legs in the ground and going into a deep back stance. Galaeron displayed various acrobatics in his approach towards his foes such as front flips and back flips, which were all impressive considering the fact he was wearing heavy metal armor. Armandura didn't seem phased by Galaeron's display, however and dodged the first attack. Galaeron threw a jumping side-kick, but Armandura dodged and immediately followed up by strafing to the left and landing a spinning back-kick straight onto the bridge of Galaeron's snout; causing him to fly backwards and crash onto the ground. He got up again and wiped away a trickle of blood from his face as he tasted it on his tongue. Now aware of is opponent's skill, Galaeron held back for a moment to wait for an attack.

Armandura knew what Galaeron was planning, and attempted to fake him out; switching his stance position multiple times from his left side to his right. Just as he stepped into Galaeron's range he backed out; causing Galaeron to miss as he attempted to strike at his face. Just as he stumbled Armandura stepped in but was greeted with a hard back-fist to the side of his head. He shook it off quickly and gave a hard side-kick to Galaeron's rib-cage; winding him briefly. As Armandura stepped in again, Galaeron gave him a strong jab just under the ribcage up through his diaphragm.

Armandura lost his breath for a moment, almost choking after feeling the hard impact hit him like a ton of bricks. He dropped to one knee to catch his breath, but also to lure Galaeron inside the range of his legs. As Galaeron walked towards him and threw a punch at his lowered head, Armandura caught it and jumped up to give him a devastating kick to the jaw; making Galaeron step back. Galaeron's vision blurred for a moment. He expected Armandura to land a final strike, but to his surprise Armandura instead sat down on the ground with his legs crossed.

"Are you... waiting for me to recover?" Galaeron said; struggling to push the air from his lungs to speak.

Armandura said nothing but nodded slowly as a sign of both agreement and respect. As Galaeron came-to, Armandura stood up. He put his fist straight out in front of him so Galaeron could see it.

"A fighter's salute..." Jhettei whispered under his breath; watching the fight closely from the sidelines.

"What is it? What are you doing?" Galaeron asked as he stared at the fist pointed at him.

Once again, Armandura said nothing, but he gestured to his fist; nodding as Galaeron raised it slowly. He nodded again as Galaeron's fist made light contact with his.

"You fight honorably Armandura. Such a trait is hard to come by in a world such as this." Galaeron stated; Armandura nodding again in agreement. "Now, shall we finish?"

The two backed up and lowered themselves back down into their fighting positions. They charged at once and began to attack each other once more; their fists blazing as they stuck each other again and again with no let-up. Even with his sturdy armor, Galaeron could feel each piercing blow from Armandura as if the armor was made out of paper. Galaeron could clearly see Armandura's fists; bloodied and bruised, yet he fought on as if he either didn't realize or didn't care.

Galaeron tried throwing a roundhouse kick but failed. Armandura saw this coming and struck his kneecap with a paralyzing palm-strike. He brought his leg back and automatically clutched it in response to the pain. After a couple seconds of deep breathing he launched a strong punch to Armandura's face; who staggered for a moment, then defended with a thrusting kick just as Galaeron tried to step in. Armandura's hoof went under the gap in Galaeron's armor; penetrating his defense. He felt the full force of the impact crunch down on his lungs and deflate them like a popped balloon. He fell to one knee and wheezed frantically. His strength finally left him, and he could not rise to his hooves again. Armandura saw this and approached him slowly. He tried putting his hand out to help him up, but Galaeron refused; knocking it to the side.

"I cannot... fight... any longer..." Galaeron coughed. "You have proven... to be... the better fighter... and you must finish it..."

"If it is what you want." Armandura said softly; his voice muffled by the shroud blocking his face.

Armandura jumped up and threw a kick that landed right between Galaeron's eyes; knocking him on his back, and rendering him unconscious.

"The tense battle has ended my fellow fans! Armandura wins! Armandura wins!" The announcer screamed; the crowd's cheers almost drowning him out.

"That was awesome!" Spike said with childlike excitement.

Spike's excitement dissipated as he looked up to see Twilight across the arena; wearing the same face he wore when Armandura walked past him for the first time. While he tried not to think much about it... something bothered him, not just with Armandura, but Stín as well. For some strange reason, it just didn't sit right in his stomach. However, his stomach grumbled more when he heard the next words spoken by the announcer

" Ladies and gentlecolts...our next fight will be... Spike, of the Equestrian Canterlot team versus Sigrid, of the Changeling team!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Fifteen: Battle! Spike vs Sigrid & A Warning From The Home-Front

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"This way! We can cut through here to get to the competitor-pit!" Draven stated as he began running through the crowd of fans in front of him.

Draven ran swiftly past the swarm of ponies lining the massive outer-marketplace with ease; shuffling side to side with Winslow, who was not far behind.

"Damn, how the hell do the troops not get lost in a place like this?" Draven asked himself; seeing the seemingly endless expanse of vendors and merchants that lined the city-like streets of the marketplace.

As the two cut through the thicket of carriages and ponies, something caught Winslow's attention. It was a faint noise emanating from one of the back alleyways; pleading for him to approach. At first he tried to ignore it, but soon the pleas began to take hold of Winslow. He was not under anypony else's influence, however, and he knew this because of the sharp pain in the left side of his head. His left eye pulsated, sending a jolt down his spine.

"Draven I... I have something to attend to." Winslow said as he grabbed Draven by the shoulder.

Draven was speechless for a moment but regained his composure as his mind became flooded with unorganized thoughts that struggled to arrange themselves into words. "But Winslow I-."

"Don't worry, just go by yourself," Winslow replied sternly. "It's only Sigrid he's fighting after all, not Viper."

"Fine. Don't be doing anything stupid though!" Draven said; putting his hand on Winslow's shoulder.

"Understood Captain." Winslow said; reassuring Draven.

Winslow began to cut across the steady stream of ponies lining the street along the marketplace towards the source of the noise. He stopped as he came close to the alleyway entrance; turning his head to make sure Draven had pushed onward, and after scanning the area behind him, he pressed on into the shadows of the dark alley.

Darkness reined in this narrow alleyway; rats scurrying across the crude cobblestone that paved the ground, a foul odor escaping the gutters and pipes that lined the sides of the small urban-hallway, and barely any sign of another pony... until Winslow heard the call again. This time, though, the plea had grown louder, heightening his curiosity. Further he traveled down the winding alley, further into a thick growing cloud of foul smelling smog; the voice growing louder and more tantalizing as he proceeded. This was... until he had met a sudden dead-end.

He heard the sound of footsteps drawing near; growing rapid in their pace. Eventually the footsteps were only a few feet from him, and when he realized this he removed his eye-patch and unsheathed his blade; putting it out in front of him, facing his body towards the shadows that cloaked the unseen pony in the long alleyway.

"Show yourself now, or I will be forced to drag you out of the darkness myself!" Winslow shouted into the blackness ahead.

Slowly but surely, a hooded figure emerged from the shade and approached Winslow. It was clearly a mare, and the pony was wearing a black robe along with a shroud that covered most of her body.

"I apologize if I've startled you, but I mean no harm." The hooded figure said; reaching to pull up the hood on her head.

The suspicious mare pulled off her hood and revealed her features; leaving Winslow without words. Her mane shone like a night sky full of twinkling stars, and her eyes glowed like the moon on a cloudless midnight.

"Princess Luna..." Winslow said in disbelief; bowing in respect as soon as he came to his senses. "I'm... I'm sorry your highness, truly I thought you were an assassin."

"You need not apologize friend. What you did in the situation was understandable." Luna insisted.

"Luna, my friend, why are you this far from home?" Winslow said; giving her a brief, yet warm hug.

Luna sighed for a moment, then lifted her eyes to meet with Winslow's. "Such a question is not so easily tackled, but regardless I shall explain as best as I can."

****

Spike made it halfway up the steps into the arena before being stopped by a scaled hand grabbing his shoulder, forcefully turning him back.

"Spike! Boy, I'm glad I made it here in time. I came as soon as I heard the announcer." Draven panted in exhaustion. "Listen, it may not be Viper you're fighting, but I ran over here to give you some last minute pointers on Sigrid."

"Where's Winslow, doesn't he usually travel with you?" Spike asked; noticing his obvious absence from Draven's side.

"Before I got here he told me that he had something to take care of, and ran off into the market section of the outer arena. I didn't have the time to ask, so I let him go." Draven explained quickly. "Anyways, listen up, boyo... come closer."

Draven leaned in slowly towards Spike so he could hear him better.

"Watch out for that ax of hers. Winslow thinks it's tipped with dragon 's bane." Draven said with the utmost seriousness in his voice. "I'm a little iffy about that concealed arm too. Your friend Twilight says it's radiating some strange magic. She' s a Valkyrie as well, a highly skilled warrior from Falkfell in the Equestrian Northlands. "

"Uh, thanks..." Spike said doubtfully. "Hey... Draven?"

"What is it, lad?" Draven answered.

"Why do you have so much confidence in me? I mean, why put me of all dragons in this tournament?" Spike inquired, a gripping, yet unexplainable curiosity aching to have his question answered.

"Because I have faith in your abilities, boy." Draven insisted. "You may not see it, but I sure as hell do, and if there is one dragon on this earth that can win this tournament... it's you. Now get out there Spike, you've got work to do!"

"Again, thanks." Spike said with a sigh; still uneasy about the situation, but his worry dulled nonetheless. "Hey! Wait! Draven!"

"What is it?" Draven shouted.

"Perhaps this isn't the best time to tell you that...uh." Spike trailed off as the door to the stands closed behind him.

"Tell me what?" Draven questioned.

"That I may, or may not have... serious stage-fright." Spike said; a prominent blush line extending across his face.

"Oh bloody hell, Spike! It's too late for that now, isn't it?!" Draven yelled in frustration.

"Ladies and gentlecolts, it is my great honor to present to you... Spike Drafir from Ponyville!" The announcer stated as he pointed towards the scared purple dragon bellow.

Draven's outrage was then drowned out by the roar of the screaming fans. "Spike! Spike! Spike! Spike!"

Spike's feet became numb, and his breathing raced. He could feel his hands shaking in an anxious manner, and his balance became skewed as he walked to the center of the arena; standing stupidly and gawking at the booming crowd. His fear heightened to greater levels when Sigrid approached him menacingly; ax in her right hand, awaiting the taste of dragon's blood.

"And from the Equestrian Northlands... Sigrid Bjornheart!" The announcer said as the bloodthirsty mare smiled in anticipation.

"I apologize in advance if any permanent damage befalls you in this battle dragon." Sigrid snickered.

"Um, thank you." Spike said; quivering in fear.

"Three! Two! One! Fight!" The crowd cried out along with the announcer.

In a flash, Sigrid raised her wings and dashed at Spike, who was still dazed by the crowd around him. She raised her ax to strike, but before she could, Spike came to and raised his arms to block in a panic. Spike learned from watching Draven fight how to block using his arm-scales. While it wasn't like any sword or weapon, it was a dragon's natural defense that made them more resilient than most other creatures.

Although the scales blocked the downward slash, the force from the head-on charge knocked Spike backward with great speed. Luckily his scales absorbed most of the shock as he flew back, and he got back on his feet quickly.

"Damn! I can't focus with all these ponies watching me... I can't think!" Spike thought to himself. "I've got to find some way to focus!"

Spike had no idea what to do, his thoughts were disorganized, and he couldn't predict what Sigrid would do next. He was playing a game of cat and mouse, with him playing the role of a cornered mouse.

Sigrid charged again, this time she performed dizzying aerial acrobatics that dazed and confused Spike; causing him to lower his guard. She slashed at him precisely; cutting his inner arm where there was no protective layer of scales. The slash didn't hurt at first until he felt the dragon 's bane sizzle when it made contact with his blood. A searing pain shot up his arm as the dragon 's bane weakened him; making him fall to one knee in agony.

"Damn, that hurts! I can't get hit again... this dragon 's bane is draining my strength!" Spike thought.

Just as he recovered, Sigrid began another attack, but this time Spike was ready. He strafed to the side and gave her a quick smack from his tail, sending her flying back in the opposite direction. As he heard the roar of the crowd follow, he felt his heart shiver a little, staggering him again. Sigrid took this opportunity the moment it had arisen and struck Spike with a thrusting kick to the gut; toppling him over. He laid on the ground; desperately trying to breathe after the impact knocked the air out of him.

"Ladies and gentlecolts, it appears Spike isn't getting up!" The announcer said; shocked by what was before him.

"Damn it, Spike! C'mon!" Draven shouted.

"Spike! Get on your feet, Spike!" Coba yelled out across the arena.

"Don't give up Spike!" Twilight passionately bellowed.

"They're right..." Spike slowly wheezed.

"Fans, I think this fight is ov-." The announcer stopped to see Spike rise to his feet.

Sigrid turned to see a burning green glow shine in Spike's eyes, his back and head-fins were set ablaze, turning them into emerald jets of fire. He felt his strength return in an instant. In fact, he felt more powerful than he did before. The crowd's cheers no longer seemed to affect him, and he took several deep breaths before opening his eyes. When they opened, all Spike could see was his friends in the stands and his foe before him. A burning feeling spreading through his heart made his face light up with joy... it felt good to let the flames within his body do as they pleased.

"Alright, Sigrid! You want a fight, you got one!" Spike said with determination.

And like that, Spike shot off like a rocket straight for Sigrid.

****

"Why are you here Luna?" Winslow asked with a look of urgency on his face.

"To warn you and your comrades of an impending threat," Luna replied softly.

"But why you? Couldn't one of your spies have sent the message?" Winslow inquired; confused by the whole situation.

Never had he seen Luna so worried before. She was distant and closed-off from him. She almost looked afraid; taking Winslow by surprise.

"No, because there is no way for a spy to sneak into the Blacklands anymore," Luna said with a sharpness in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Winslow asked, moving in closer to Luna.

"Constantine has become a greater threat than any of us could have anticipated. He is growing stronger every day. He is no longer some famous general." Luna explained. "Recently he has been elected by his citizens to be Chairman of the Changeling High Council after the untimely death of the previous Chairman, and under his rule, he has declared war against the ponies of both the Blacklands and Equestria. He has set up a perimeter across the great sea that divides the two continents, no one gets in or out. No one except a Princess with dominion over the night."

"Sweet Celestia... and the people of New Canterlot on the southern islands? What of them?" Winslow asked with reluctance, dreading to hear the answer.

"Dead. All of them." Luna whimpered; tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "His army did not spare a single one. I saw the city burn, and I could do nothing but watch! His army is unlike most. They are... undead- puppets "

"Do you know of their current position?" Winslow asked; trying to say it as politely as possible, to not worsen the princess' mental state. "I must know Luna. We cannot defend the Blacklands without knowing where they are marching to."

"I don't know where they are now, but I know where they wish to go," Luna stated as she wiped tears from her eyes. "The Zhophziis Nation. There, Constantine will attempt to form an alliance with them. If this happens... he will summon Leere."

"I see," Winslow said, trying to process all that he heard from her. "However we cannot cause a ruckus in Wantthai now, not when the tournament is on. It will take many days before an army of that size can reach us if they even do march our way, and we are so very close to uncovering the Stone of Right."

"I know. For now, the Equestrian army will try to stall them as best as they can for you whilst you and your comrades search for the stones." Luna insisted.

"Understood Luna," Winslow said with respect. "I will aid them as best as I can."

"Thank you, Winslow," Luna replied politely. "Oh, and just to be safe, you must keep this discussion to yourself. Twilight, or anypony for that matter, must not know I was here... it would endanger me, and everyone else involved."

"Again Luna, I understand." Winslow nodded in agreement with along with Luna.

"Now I must take my leave dear friend. I hope our paths will cross again soon, and on better occasions than this." Luna said with a happier tone to her voice.

"Yes, I hope so as well." Winslow chuckled. "And... Luna?"

"What is it?" Luna wondered.

"It was good to see you after all these years." Winslow chortled.

"It was good seeing you too..." Luna agreed with a warm smile before disappearing into the shadows. "Goodbye and good luck!"

"Goodbye," Winslow muttered before walking back into the crowded street.

****

Spike launched himself at great speeds toward Sigrid, the flames sprouting from his back acting as jet engines. He struck her with his foot, which was coated in an emerald fire. She flew back into the arena wall and stood there for a minute after recovering to think before attacking again. Then, she started another assault, but this time, she put all of her speed into the attack. She danced around Spike, flying left and right, and above his head. Spike couldn't keep up, and was hit in the back by both of Sigrid's hooves. He staggered a little but regained his balance quick enough to counterattack. He flung scorching fireballs towards his foe, but Sigrid dodged with swift aerial-maneuvers.

"That all you got hatchling?" Sigrid snickered.

"Not quite," Spike replied with a smile on his face.

Sigrid was confused by his words until she felt a blazing heat burn her back. A fiery explosion threw her onto the ground, and when she got up... more of the fireballs Spike had cast were zooming towards her.

"Impressive! The little hatchling finally figured out how to manipulate his flames!" Gin marveled at the blazing display, like fireworks.

"Since when could he do that?" Twilight questioned.

"Well dear, a dragon's powers when he's young usually are reckless and volatile. However, when they get older they learn to not just generate, but manipulate whatever element they possess." Gin explained in length.

"How do you know so much about dragons?" Twilight asked curiously.

"When you spend years listening to an old dragon yammer on ... you'll be surprised what you learn." Gin laughed. "Don't tell Draven I said that, though."

Spike began another attack, only this time, he shot off a blast of fire from his mouth. Sigrid quickly dodged, but realized the previous attack had scorched some of her wing-feathers, slowing her somewhat. The percussive bang from his attack still reached her, and the resulting boom caused her vision to blur and her ears to ring. She got up, and her face became lit-up with a furious rage.

"Fine! If you want to crank the heat up, then I think I might join in!" Sigrid said as she tore the armor away that was encasing her right arm.

Revealed to Spike, and the entire audience was a gruesome sight to behold. Sigrid's arm was a grotesque mass of imperfect muscle tissue and bony spines that formed itself into an "arm". The arm glowed a faint red color in the gaps of the muscle tissue, and the long fingers on her scaled hand were more like bony claws rather than functioning digits.

"She's the daughter of a witch," Draven said to himself.

"Ladies and gentlecolts, it appears Sigrid has cast some... strange kind of magic on her right arm that has transformed it into a demon-like appendage! This fight hasn't even started folks!" The announcer said, gawking at the sight of Sigrid's mangled limb.

Spike stood there for a while staring at the arm, trying to formulate a plan of attack. Without the restriction of the fastened armor, Sigrid's arm grew large, causing her reach to extend to lengths greater than her left arm, even with an ax in her grasp.

"What's wrong, hatchling?" Sigrid snickered as she saw his dumbfounded expression.

"Nothing," Spike replied quickly, blatantly denying his own doubts.

Spike attacked by tossing a fireball to test Sigrid's defense. To his surprise, she didn't try to avoid it, instead, she stood there. Before the fireball hit, however, her arm morphed, making bone-crackling noises. Her arm formed a bone shield, and it absorbed all of the impacts.

"That all you got you overgrown salamander?" Sigrid scoffed.

Angered, Spike tried attacking once more by lunging in to strike with his hands. However, before he got the chance to even land a blow, he was tossed aside by Sigrid's powerful arm.

"That arm makes it impossible to close distance, and it can block my ranged attacks!" Spike thought. "I've got to resort to another strategy."

Before Spike could formulate a plan, however, Sigrid grew impatient and started showcasing her arm's abilities. She drove her bony hand into the ground, pounding it firmly inside. The action confused Spike, and he was caught off-guard when massive bone-spines started erupting from the ground, one of which grazed Spike's chest. His chest burned from the slash. Although small, it felt worse than the dragon 's bane on her axe.

After getting to his feet again, he tried a different tactic. This time, he charged head on. Sigrid laughed at the attempt and tried to knock him away, but before Spike was in the range of her arm, he jumped upwards. His feet were engulfed in a fiery green explosion that rocketed him above Sigrid, and when he was in range, he discharged a fireball at her back. The newly added weight of Sigrid's right arm impeded her speed and rendered her perception quicker than her actual reaction. She tried to lift a bone shield up in time, but the fireball hit before she could defend.

"That's it! I'll outspeed her!" Spike stated in his mind.

The attack staggered her, and when she did so, Spike took the opportunity. "Dragon King's Fiery Breath!" He struck her with a blast of emerald fire from his mouth, and while she was able to block the attack, the force still knocked her back with great force, making her fly across the arena.

She got up again, but this time, it was apparent to Spike that she had been weakened. Her balance was slightly skewed as she rose, and her breathing seemed to turn into a soft pant. She became infuriated with Spike and began to cast strange magic with her right hand. Spikes rose from the ground near Spike, and he dodged the first wave of spines. Although, the second attack slashed him across the shin, making him collapse to the ground for a brief moment before struggling to rise back up again.

Spike used his maneuver again and struck Sigrid with another concentrated ball of green flame. This time, though, she became angered by the attack rather than injured.

"I've just got to keep the pressure on!" Spike thought to himself.

Sigrid finally had enough of Spike and caught his tail, whipping him around by it, then letting go, flying across the arena. She then went down into a deep ready-stance and started charging another strange attack. Her arm shone a dark red light and vocalized a noise similar to that of a prolonged and distorted screech.

"Let's see who's the strongest, you wretched salamander! Your flame, or my arm!" Sigrid shouted, her voice barely audible over the sound her right arm was making.

"Alright! Let's go!" Spike said as he began to charge his attack. "Dragon King's..."

"This might be the last attack, folks! Hold onto something please, because this might get explosive quick!" The announcer stated.

Spike began to concoct an inferno within his hands, the air around him heating up as he did so. The massive fireball started to scatter embers and sparks and made a roaring noise thousands of times louder than a campfire, roaring like a lion as the flame grew. "Infernal Blaze!"

Once the two were prepared, they fired without warning. Sigrid shot a huge drill-shaped spine coated in red energy, and Spike hurled an immense and all-consuming meteor made of green flames. As the attacks flew they burned a trail in the ground and made a rumbling sound as they traveled. When they collided, Spike's fireball shattered the attack and zoomed towards Sigrid, who raised her shield in response.

The fireball exploded as it made contact with her shield, releasing a cloud of smoke that lifted high into the air, then formed a thick and choking haze that clouded the audience's view of the fight for a brief moment.

"The smoke is clearing ladies and gentlecolts! Who's it going to be? The warrior, or the dragon?" The announcer commented as he began to make out the victor. "Oh! Oh! I can see somepony!"

Out from the smoke was Spike. Broken, bloodied, and beaten. He stood steadfast in the center, looking down at Sigrid, who was laying flat on the ground.

"This is... unbelievable... defeated by... some no-name dragon!" Sigrid choked out before falling unconscious.

"Ladies and gentlecolts, we have a victor! The winner is Spike Drafir from Ponyville!" The announcer screamed at the top of his lungs.

Spike fell to his knees, feeling the oncoming pain from the fight as the adrenaline wore off. He basically was forcing himself to stay conscious as he lowered his head. However, even after all of the pain, after all of the exhaustion, Spike somehow managed to summon up enough energy to crack a smile.

He had won his first fight.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Sixteen: The March of Constantine! & A Dragon's Purpose

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Viper descended down a long flight of stairs bellow the arena. It was dark in the lower levels, and not many ventured inside accept for maintenance reasons. Viper had pick-pocketed a map of the lower levels off a guard roaming the halls of the stadium. He had already picked a roam on the east side of the labyrinth for himself, so that he was completely undisturbed. The various valves and pipes lining the sides of the hallways in the maze and the low ceiling made it difficult to navigate, but luckily it was no problem, as changelings could see in very low light-levels, and had a built-in organic radar; making them a natural at finding their way in dimly-lit environments. Viper himself had enhanced senses far greater than any normal changeling, and found his way to the empty room within minutes.

Instinctively, he looked back a couple of times to make sure he wasn't being followed. The action was not out of paranoia, but out of habit. In his experience in the realm of the criminal world, you always needed to be cautious. The motion of always looking behind had become a subconscious action.

From a pouch on his belt he grabbed a spherical, translucent object. He placed it gently on the ground, then rolled it towards the center of the room. As soon as the ball stopped rolling, Viper poked his head out the door one last time before he quietly shut the steel door. A whirring noise escaped the sphere as it began to project a hologram.

"Viper? Why have you contacted me?" Constantine's hologram inquired.

"I'm sorry... master, but I'm afraid I have some bad news." Viper choked-out.

"Well, out with it!" Constantine shouted.

"Sigrid has been defeated." Viper said; forcing the words out from his throat.

"Hmm, yes, I believe that is of importance. Now tell me, who defeated Sigrid?" Constantine asked in his usual charming, yet haunting voice.

"Spike did master, the one you had talked about before," Viper answered reluctantly. "I must apologize master... I underestimated him."

"No, it's alright. I suppose I have underestimated him as well." Constantine sighed. "You always were far more competent than Sigrid ever was. Perhaps you will have a better chance at defeating him."

"I will not fail you, master." Viper said; standing on one knee as he did so.

"No, you won't," Constantine stated firmly.

Constantine didn't have to tell Viper what would happen to him if he failed. He knew Viper was trembling on the inside.

"On an unrelated topic Constantine, how goes your march north?" Viper asked curiously.

"Swimmingly," Constantine replied. "My army is picking off territory piece by piece."

"And Chrysalis? Is she not with you?" Viper inquired.

"No. She chose to stay in the Changeling Capital to keep those council-rats in line." Constantine responded. "I -."

A loud booming noise escaped the sphere and the image of Constantine distorted for a brief moment. Then the sound of gunshots followed.

"Constantine? Master what's happening?!" Viper shouted.

"My apologies Viper, but I appear we are under attack by an Equestrian fort shooting mortars at us! I will contact you later, but first I must deal with this nuisance!" Constantine yelled; the sound of his voice almost drowned-out by the sound of cannon-fire.

Constantine put his communicator inside his pocket quickly and ran out of his war-tent frantically; seeing his men taking fire from the fort atop the hill. He approached one of the commanders menacingly and put his hand on the frightened changeling's shoulder.

"What is going on commander?!" Constantine said in outrage.

"The Equestrians have planted themselves firmly on top of the hill, and we can't make them budge! We're losing too many men to those mortars!" The commander explained in a panic.

"Damn it all! Infantry, behind me!" Constantine's voice grew louder than a thousand mortars in his rage. "Musketeers, form a defensive position on the banks of the canal!"

His infantry made a formation behind Constantine; raising their arcane-shields in a testudo formation, which repelled most of the shrapnel from the mortars. Constantine was picking off Equestrian soldiers that stayed outside, and slicing the other soldiers who were manning the cannons in half. Soon the outer perimeter was void of soldiers... and what remained was blood, organs, and various limbs that covered the ground, and stained the grass a dark red.

The outer door was made of solid steel and didn't falter one bit as the Changeling Army hammered it with cannon-fire. The riflemen on the outer walls of the fort did not fare as well, as scores of stallions fell into the river bellow.

"Men! Get back! Leave the door to me!" Constantine bellowed to the troops behind him.

In an instant, Constantine morphed into his terrifying lich-form; his skeletal hands raised to prepare a massive blast.

"Men! Prepare yourselves! General Constantine is preparing an attack!" The commander shouted.

Constantine let out a harrowing shriek as he charged his shot. The ground trembled as a loud humming noise escaped the ball of ghastly green energy that was forming in his hands. The noise became progressively louder as the ball of searing ectoplasm expanded into a comet that set the ground ablaze beneath it. With a final screech, Constantine hurled the massive ball at the steel door.

"Perish fools!" Constantine wailed in a ghoulish cry.

The attack made a jet-engine noise as it zoomed towards the door, and when it made impact, a massive explosion occurred. This explosion caused the leaves on the trees surrounding the gate to burn and wood shrapnel to fly in random directions. As the smoke cleared, Constantine directed his troops to storm the opened gate (or rather, the large gaping hole in the side of the fort).

What happened next could only be described as a slaughter. Civilians who were held up inside ran for their lives. Mares, stallions, colt, and fillies were all being butchered by sabers and axes. The changeling musketeers fired at crowds of unarmed mares and children. Constantine was draining the souls of soldiers; turning them into nothing but bones and ash.

Changeling cannons were firing grapeshot that murdered dozens per shot; creating a cloud of red-mist that settled on the already blood-dampened soil. Constantine's army rounded-up the remaining mares as slaves for the army to do as they saw fit, and the stallions could do nothing but watch as their own organs were torn out from their chests.

Constantine saw a lonely scout in the distance; watching the horror-show before him. He kneeled down as Constantine approached and brushed his sword against his neck; sending a shiver down his spine that shook his very soul.

"Please, just end it..." The scout cried, closing his eyes as he accepted his oncoming fate.

However, he did not get such satisfaction. Constantine lowered his blade, then kneeled down to his level. Constantine grabbed the frightened scout by the hair and forced him to watch his troops torment the mares. He leaned into the scout's ear and whispered oh so gently.

"Do you see this? Do you see what my army is capable of? I want you to tell every fort, every town, every nation that what happened here, will happen everywhere else!" Constantine uttered in a low, demonic voice. "Go now, worm. Be thankful that you caught me on a good day."

As Constantine let go the stallion, he ran away as fast as he could; trying to outrun the sound of screams and cries coming from the now ruined fortress. A final screech from Constantine echoed across the land; warning the Blacklands of the impending doom.

****

Spike woke up in a sweat; the sheets on his bed stained. He fell back down to his pillow however after feeling his body tense-up in pain. He noticed the bandages across his chest and then looked to his bedside to see a familiar cream-colored mare dive in and hug him tightly.

"Oh, Spike! Are you okay?" Fluttershy asked in a hushed voice.

"Yeah just... argh! Uh, Fluttershy... you've got an awfully tight grip!" Spike choked out in surprise; unprepared for brute-like strength coming from a mare like Fluttershy.

"Oh, um... sorry." Fluttershy said as she backed away; blushing a little in embarrassment.

Spike then received a warmer, less bear-like hug from Twilight.

"You lost a lot of blood in that fight. You fainted after the announcer declared you the victor." Twilight explained.

"I'm sorry if I scared you Twilight." Spike uttered in a heartfelt voice. "Really, I am."

"It's okay Spike. I knew you'd be alright, but I wasn't sure how long you'd be out." Twilight admitted as she broke the hug off. "I suppose I got a little too worried there for a moment."

"It's fine really... say, where's Coba?" Spike asked.

"The tournament rules state that the team member who is not injured is not allowed to exit the competitor's pit for any reason other than injuries, is strictly prohibited. Meaning that he wasn't allowed to leave." Twilight said, picking up her book from the desk beside her and placing it inside her satchel.

Twilight paused for a moment and thought. Something was bothering her... something she wanted to tell Spike for days but put it off for obvious reasons. She knew that now was the best time to ask before he went back.

"Spike. There is something I've been wanting to ask you for a while now, but I never got the chance to ask you." Twilight said with a serious tone in her voice.

"What is it Twilight?" Spike asked; looking up at her from his pillow.

"Why did you leave the house all those weeks ago? You know, when we had that argument... I know I was a jerk, but I don't think it was enough to make you storm out like that." Twilight stated.

"Yeah, I know. Listen... Twilight. I want you to know that none of that was your fault." Spike admitted. "It was more to do with me than anything."

"What do you mean?" Twilight inquired.

"Well... I guess you could say I'd been thinking lately, like a lot. It wasn't about Rarity or anypony for that matter. It was to do with me, and by that I mean... where I was going." Spike sighed as little as he explained. "Have you ever felt like there was something else out there for you? Have you ever felt like maybe you were destined to go down a path that'll lead you to the answers you've waited for all of your life?"

"I suppose, but... what are you getting at?" Twilight said curiously.

"What I'm trying to say is... I was stuck Twilight. I didn't have a purpose when I was with you in your library. Day after day I stacked books, and eventually I read a couple. I learned about fantastical worlds and mythical places around the world, and thought... 'Maybe there's someplace out there where I can find... something'." Spike explained. "All my life I've only had questions Twilight. I wanted to find out who I was, and where I was going. I wanted an identity besides 'Spike the Secretary'."

"Spike... I never-." Twilight trailed off.

"Now look at where I am! I'm in a arena hundreds of miles away from home in a whole new world I've never seen before, searching for mythical stones and the father I never even knew I had!" Spike said with an reassuring smile that lit up Twilight's face. "I'm doing the things adventurers did in the books I read! I'm fighting generals and monsters, I'm exploring this land, I'm meeting incredible ponies! I've even learned a lot about Fluttershy, who I thought I'd figured out up until now! By the way Fluttershy... I know about you and Winslow."

Fluttershy looked away bashfully as Twilight turned her head towards her.

"But do you want to know the best part about all of this is Twilight? I get to do it with the one mare I love more than anypony else... I get to do it with my own sister." Spike said with a warm smile.

A heat spread through Twilight's chest as she processed all that Spike had told her, and tears ran down her face as her smile grew and grew. She dove in for another hug; her eyes closing as she wept out of happiness. As Twilight cried, Spike did as well, and the two became locked in a heartfelt embrace. Fluttershy cried as well; brushing her long pink hair to the side so that her tears wouldn't dampen it. Twilight had always considered Spike a brother, and Spike always considered Twilight his sister, but never had either of them referred to each other as such. Just the mere action of Spike calling her his sister was enough to get Twilight to break into tears.

"I love you, Spike..." Twilight cried.

"I love you too Twilight..." Spike sobbed.

The door creaked open a little bit, and Gin leaned her head in so that she could see inside.

"Sorry if I was interrupting any mushy-crap, but I think the announcer is about to draw a name." Gin said politely.

The two let go of each other slowly, and Twilight rose to her hooves; dusting off her skirt as she got up.

"Hey, uh... fellas? I could use a hand here..." Spike chuckled; the mares laughing as they picked him up cautiously and walked him out of the medical room.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Seventeen: Battle! Stín vs Cyro

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"Guess what fans? We only have a few more furious-fights to go before Round One is over! Speaking of fights... wasn't that a 'heated' match we had with Spike and Sigrid?" The announcer chuckled jokingly, followed by some booing from the crowd in response to the pun. "Oh, I know, I know! That was in poor taste, and I apologize. Ladies and gentlecolts... without further ado, I will now draw names!"

The audience stood silent as the announcer reached his hand inside and perused in the name-container; watching intently as a drum-roll played in the background. After a few seconds of sifting through it, he finally grabbed the first piece of paper out of the bowl.

"Let's see... our first fighter for this match is... Cyro Dreyfus, from the Northlands!" The announcer stated with his loud, but jovial voice.

Cyro's face lit up instantly as he jumped up from his seat in the competitor's box and walked up the steps into the arena. Spike was sitting beside Twilight in the box. Although his dragon anatomy allowed him to heal quickly, he had lost quite a bit of blood. Earlier, the officials told him to sit out for one fight before fully healing, and although he objected at first, pain shot up his spine... his injuries had reminded him that they were still there. Spike wished he was in the box with Coba to wish Cyro the best of luck, but sadly, he could do nothing but watch and hope for the best.

"Alright! Our next fighter is..." The announcer trailed off as he reached his hand inside the name-container. "Stín Starých, of the Crystal Empire!"

"This should be interesting..." Draven muttered to himself.

Out from the pit came Stín; his white robe reflecting the moon's rays, and his eyes glowing an eerie grey. However, his crystal sword was a different colour than the last time Spike saw him. It was a deep-black that seemed void of light. In his left hand was a staff. This staff was a long white pole that had a large crystal at the end. The staff shone a white light and seemed to hum as Stín waved it about. Something about his magic sparked interest in Twilight. She didn't know what it was yet, but she knew whatever it was... it was extremely powerful.

"Fascinating..." Twilight muttered softly.

"What is it Twilight?" Spike asked; hearing the intrigue in Twilight's voice.

"His magic is... odd. It seems to be in flux- shifting in a way I cannot describe." Twilight stated; her eyes locked on the mysterious hooded-stallion. "I can sense crystal magic, but... there is another driving force behind his magic I've yet to identify."

"Aye." Draven uttered in agreement. "I can't seem to put my finger on that stallion."

The two fighters positioned themselves on opposite sides. Cyro cast his magic; making two long sabres made of ice. Stín also readied his magic. In one hand, his staff radiated white light, and in the other hand his sword began to leak a shadowy black energy.

"With me now! Three! Two! One! Fight!" The announcer bellowed along with the crowd.

Stín raised his staff and sword so that the ends of each weapon almost touched, then- they began to create a swirling ball of black and white energy. The ball of energy then morphed into a spear-shaped object that spun like a drill; releasing bursts of shadow energy and white light.

"He's merging light and shadow magic?!" Twilight muttered in disbelief. "How is that even possible?"

"What the hell?" Cyro stated under his breath.

"Dark-Light Javelin!" Stín shouted; his voice threatening and intense.

The massive spear of energy shot off at incredible speed; the sound it made was akin to that of an arrow travelling. Cyro raised his swords and created a wall of ice to stop the attack. He expected a loud "boom" to sound as he raised the shield, but to his surprise... all he heard was another magical-phrase from Stín.

"Refract!" Stín uttered in a commanding voice as he swung his staff to cast another spell.

Before the "javelin" could collide with the wall of ice it slowed, then split into separate beams of light and shadow that curved around the ice-wall, and hit Cyro directly in the chest; knocking him back with great force.

"Arrgghh... damn it!" Cyro groaned as he got to his feet.

"Wait! I know what kind of magic that is! I've read about it before!" Twilight shouted with excitement. "It's Equilibrium!"

"Equal-what now?" Spike asked.

"Equilibrium. It's an ancient magic used by members of a sect known as The Agents of Order. Back in King Sombra's era, The Agents of Order were a powerful group of wizards who studied in both light and shadow magic. They believed in two realms beyond our own that were the source of all magic. The first was the Neplatný, a purgatory where all dark magic is spawned, and Nebe, a realm consisting of pure light." Twilight explained."The Agents of Order believed that they could bring peace to the world by creating a magic that balanced these two powers, and thus... Equilibrium was created. Shadow and light, working in perfect harmony."

"But you're forgetting the part about how they couldn't use the magic they created," Draven added.

"Yes. What is so strange about Stín, is that he's actually using Equilibrium." Twilight said with slight surprise in her voice.

"What do you mean?" Spike wondered.

"When The Agents of Order forged their magic, they did not realize the adverse effects it would have on their bodies. Equilibrium would kill anyone who dared to cast it. It was stable in an undisturbed state, but when a wizard attempted to manipulate it, it would kill the caster. The sheer amount of power generated when shadow and light merged was too much for any mortal pony to cast." Draven informed Spike.

"What are you saying?" Spike said with great curiosity.

"I'm saying that he should have died just now. Simply the act of attempting to merge the two should have rendered him unconscious at the least." Twilight replied. "There's something about this 'Stín' that is different."

Cyro tried attacking with his ice blades, but Stín cast a blowback spell that struck with so much force that it almost flattened him. He got up again and used ranged attacks. He shot out a volley of icy arrows from his hands that struck the ground like hail, and then he created a dome-like ice-shield that protected his entire body.

"Shadow Seep!" Stín bellowed as he dodged the rain of ice effortlessly.

A wave of black tendrils caused the ground to erupt beneath Cyro's defence and flung him high into the air. Cyro tried hurling a ball of ice whilst airborne, but Stín knocked it aside as if it was nothing. Stín then raised his staff, and it released a blinding light.

"Why is he shouting out his spells before casting them?" Spike asked Twilight. "Also, you said shadow magic came from the realm of dark magic... isn't that against the rules?"

"A common trait of ancient magic is that the incantation must be uttered in a phrase. Ancient magic is a lot more complicated to cast than the magic we have today." Twilight explained."And there are exceptions when it comes to magic derived from shadows. The shadow magic that he is using is similar to Luna's, and therefore not classified as 'dark magic'."

"Thousand Swords of Blinding Light!" Stín yelled as countless swords of light manifested just above Cyro, who was still high in the air.

He formed and ice-shield again, but the sheer amount of magic attacks overwhelmed his defence and knocked him back to earth at great speeds. He hit the ground with a deafening "wham", and dust launched into the air.

"Come on Cyro... come on..." Spike uttered quietly

As the dust cleared, Cyro jumped out of the hole with a smile on his face. He brushed the dirt off of his legs and arms, then approached Stín slowly.

"That's some impressive magic! You wield it with such skill!" Cyro complimented the stallion standing in front of him.

Stín stood silent; unresponsive and cold.

"Hello? Anybody there?" Cyro waved his hand in front of Stín's face as he stood with his head bowed.

Then, all of a sudden, Stín sprung to life. His eyes were no longer a greyish colour, but a black, almost eclipse-like glow. He began to slash away at Cyro wildly, then drove his sword into the ground and raised his hand just as Cyro tried taking a slash at him. He levitated him off the ground and then began uttering another incantation.

"Shadow-Crush!" Stín said in his low, growling voice.

"Oh no, you don't!" Cyro reacted just in time before black tendrils captured him.

Cyro summoned an ice pillar that shot out of the ground and hit Stín right in the jaw; black blood shooting out of Stín's barely visible mouth and onto the ground. Cyro took this opportunity to strike with an ice sabre but was dumbfounded when what he thought was Stín disintegrated into a black ooze. Cyro then turned around to see that Stín was behind him and tried slicing again, but was stopped as Stín raised his staff.

"Blinding Light!" Stín said as a bright light escaped his staff that burned Cyro's eyes.

"Arrggh!" Cyro grunted in pain as he covered his eyes.

"Shadow Slash!" Stín yelled as he landed a downwards slash on Cyro's chest.

Cyro fell back, only this time... he couldn't get up. At first he tried getting on his feet, but his open wound stung terribly and was leaking blood profusely. As Stín approached him, he made a ditch attempt at blowing him back. He slammed his hands on the ground; sending a wave of icy-spires that formed a protective barrier. This saved him enough time to use ice to stitch his wound together. Although it hurt, it stopped the bleeding and allowed him to fight on.

Stín cut through the spires with ease, but when he went to finish-off Cyro... he had disappeared. Then, all of a sudden, Cyro slashed Stín when his back was turned. Stín bled for a moment but tendrils made of white light caressed the wound, and within seconds the cut had healed over.

After recovering, Stín began another attack by charging forward. Cyro noticed that when Stín moved, it wasn't with his feet. He seemed to glide across the ground as if he was levitating. Just as Stín was about to strike with his blade, he vanished out of thin air. Cyro didn't have time to process, however, as Stín appeared behind him and gave Cyro a swift kick to the head. Then before he could hit the ground, Stín slashed him across the arm. Then again, on the leg. Then again, across both of his Achilles' tendons. It was if Stín was phasing in and out of reality itself as he attacked.

The incapacitating strikes caused Cyro to fall to one knee just for a moment, before icing his wounds over. Regardless of the makeshift-stitching, his body had been devastated by the vicious beating from Stín, and he could barely stand.

"I'm... not... done yet..." Cyro wheezed.

"Damn it Cyro, you're in no shape to fight any longer, just surrender!" Jhettei shouted out to Cyro.

"Hehe... No can do buddy." Cyro replied in a tired, weak voice. "If I'm going down, I'm going down swinging..."

"You idiot... you'll never learn. There are some battles you cannot win." Jhettei muttered as he shook his head.

"Alright mate... let's see what you got! I don't want you to hold anything back!" Cryo said as he weakly raised his sabres to Stín.

"Cyro... what are you doing?" Spike said quietly as he watched his new found friend limp towards his foe. "You're even more injured than I was."

With a nod, Stín rushed forward. He knocked Cyro on his back again, but Cyro got up and retaliated with shots of concentrated ice-magic. He was then cut across the shoulder and fell to the ground again. He used his sabre as a cane as he heaved himself back on his feet; coughing and panting. He hacked up blood as he bowed his head in pain; giving a forced half-smile before falling backwards for the last time.

"Good... fight..." Cyro uttered softly as he hit the ground, and fell unconscious.

"The winner is Stín, from the Crystal Empire!" The announcer joyously hollered as Stín bowed his head in respect to his adversary.

"There's something about that unicorn... something sinister," Twilight said to herself as she saw the glow in his eyes disappear.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Eighteen: Battle! Coba vs Jhettei & Whispers of Alptraum

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"Attention ladies and gentlecolts! It's time for the next fight!" The announcer yelled.

The announcer plunged his hand inside the name-container; sifting through what few names remained in the large container. After a few seconds, he withdrew his hand from the container to reveal the first name.

"Our first fighter is... Jhettei Shinohara, from the Northlands!" The announcer said with a pleased smile. "Now, the second fighter."

The announcer rummaged through the name-container with care; picking up some names, but tossing them aside to get to the bottom. He quickly pulled a piece of paper near the bottom, then unfolded it at a tantalizingly slow pace.

"Our second fighter is... Coba Munyetta, of the Equestrian Canterlot Team!" The announcer bellowed joyfully.

Spike got up from his seat behind Twilight; angered by the fact he was forbidden from entering the competitor's pit until fully healed. He wanted to run down to the pit right then and there to cheer on his partner, to encourage him, but he knew it couldn't be, and before he could say anything, Twilight put her arm on his shoulder in an attempt to ease his frustration.

"Spike, you're injured. You need to sit down." Twilight stated; sounding far blunter than she intended to. She then tried to remedy her previous stern remark with a more reassuring and understanding tone as she continued. "I'm sure Coba will be fine without you..."

"But I should be down there watching, wishing him luck!" Spike replied in protest; watching his partner enter the arena. "I'm his friend..."

Draven patted him on the back in response to Spike's outburst; feeling sorry for the young dragon's predicament. "I wouldn't worry too much, lad. I've seen Coba in action before. He used to be a Wantthai Soldier, a captain. He's got a hell of a lot of combat experience."

"You sure?" Gin whispered into Draven's ear; a little doubt in her voice. "I've heard Northland Monks can break stone with their bare hands..."

Draven agreed with a grunt. He knew full-well what a Northland Monk was capable of, being that he heard many tales of the mysterious monks. He could recall being told tales of Northland monks by elder dragons when he grew up, tales about legions of steel-clad knights being vanquished by nothing more than earth-ponies in silk robes. He had never truly seen a monk in action, much less in person, and he didn't know what to expect from one as young as Jhettei.

"Now fans! Count down with me!" The announcer shouted; interrupting Draven's train of thought.

The two fighters found their positions on opposite sides of the arena; the crowd watching, waiting for the countdown to begin. Coba grabbed the spear strapped to his back he had grabbed inside the competitor's pit and readied it; lifting it high above his shoulders for a throw. Jhettei bent his legs to lower himself into a ready position, and then raised his fists to prepare.

"Three! Two! One! Fight!" The crowd chanted quickly in eager, almost impatient sounding cheers.

As the horn blew, Coba launched his spear. It traveled at blinding speeds as it hurled towards Jhettei's legs. Without hesitation, Jhettei jumped high into the air with an impressive front-flip and evaded the spear. He landed behind Coba, who was shocked by Jhettei's acrobatic skill.

"Damn, I'd hate to fight anypony fast enough to dodge a spear thrown by Coba Munyetta." Gin stated as she observed Jhettei's stunning agility.

Coba retrieved the spear that had embedded itself into the hard ground and readied it again, only this time he raised it up to his waist in a defensive position. He expected a look of intensity on Jhettei's face, but to his surprise... Jhettei showed no signs of emotion whatsoever. His expression remained cool and collected, and his eyes locked onto him with a calm, yet threatening glare. Coba circled his opponent; keeping his spear close as he tried to box Jhettei in. He tried taking a stab at the young monk's shoulder, but Jhettei dodged and knocked the spear out of his hands before Coba could follow-up. He then pushed Coba back with a powerful palm strike to the chest; staggering him for a moment, and allowing Jhettei to land a series of fierce kicks directed at Coba's ribs. Jhettei expected the blows to disable him, but to his surprise, Coba ignored the pain and stood up.

"I almost forgot his tenacity..." Draven said with passion in his eyes as he watched his comrade fight through the pain. "He won't give up until every bone in his body is crushed, and every pint of his blood is spilled ."

Coba grunted as he struggled to reach down and grab his spear, but regardless, he pushed himself to. He held it waist-high at the ready and waited for Jhettei so he could formulate a plan.

"He may be small, but he hits like a giant. I need to be careful when I'm in his range." Coba thought as he observed his foe. "I can't charge in without thinking. That's exactly what he wants..."

Jhettei smirked a little as if he knew what was running through Coba's mind. Jhettei then started waving his hands around as if he was summoning magic, and a strange green energy began to seep from the ground bellow him.

"You believe I can't do ranged attacks?" Jhettei asked the confused zebra. "I suppose I'll have to prove you wrong."

The energy Jhettei summoned from the earth began to manifest into a large sphere, and when it reached its maximum size, Jhettei began moving it with his hands. He then hurled the ball of energy right towards Coba, who panicked, and rolled out of the way before the sphere could hit him. The ball kept going and exploded as it hit the ground not far behind Coba. Coba then looked back to see that a large chunk of earth was missing where the sphere made an impact, and Coba was dumbfounded by this power Jhettei had. In fact, the entire audience was flabbergasted by the fact that a regular earth pony just summoned what appeared to be magic.

"What was that?" Twilight asked herself; trying to process what she just saw.

"Well... that's new." Gin said in awe as she stared at the gaping hole in the arena where the sphere exploded.

"That wasn't magic." Draven uttered as he assessed what he saw. "That was ki, it must have been..."

"What are you going on about?" Gin asked as she looked back to see the puzzled expression on Draven's face.

"Well... it's been said that the Monks of the Northlands have... unusual powers over some ethereal force. In ancient writings, it was referred to simply as 'ki'." Draven stated; a little unsure about what he was saying.

"What is it? Some kind of magical attack?" Twilight suggested.

"No, no... nothing like that. I remember being told by someone that ki is a kind of life-energy, a spiritual power that the monks were rumored to have mastered, but it was thought to be some fairy-tale... I guess now we know those tales are true."

Jhettei began to prepare another attack, but Coba was ready this time. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a strange amulet. This amulet was skull shaped and appeared to be carved out of a peculiar red-coloured stone. On the back of the amulet was a large spike that seemed out of place, and was very sharp.

"You're not the only one with spiritual aid," Coba said with a smile.

Coba placed the amulet on his palm so that the spike was lined with the center of his hand and pushed it inside using his middle finger. Coba's various tattoos of demons and skulls began to glow a bright red.

"Blood-Sacrifice!" Coba shouted as his body began to radiate a crimson energy, and his teeth sharpened to a point.

"Hehe... that monk is in for it now." Gin whispered to Spike and Twilight. "Before he joined the Wantthai Army, Coba was training to become a shaman."

Coba launched towards his opponent with frightening crimson-eyes. He began slashing wildly with his sharpened fingernails as he gnashed his teeth like a wild animal. He succeeded in striking Jhettei across the leg; interrupting his attempt to summon a second ki-sphere.

The wound burned like acid, and Jhettei clutched it in agony. His calm and collected face morphed into a look of utter determination as he summoned a massive amount of ki from the earth.

"First-Aura!" Jhettei shouted as a large amount of ki entered his mouth.

Jhettei's let out a blast of energy that formed around his body like a shield. The bursting-aura made a humming noise and became louder as it grew more intense with every breath from Jhettei, like adding fuel to a fire.

"This could be troublesome," Draven said to himself.

****

Fluttershy was in the audience with Winslow, who she had found in the marketplace a few hours prior. She was very reluctant at first to return to the crowd and watch, but Winslow insisted she would be fine as long as he was with her. And he was right. Fluttershy didn't know why, but... she was extremely comfortable around Winslow, which was odd, considering the fact she only knew him for a few weeks. Although he appeared reclusive and brooding, he was compassionate, and unlike most ponies... he truly understood her, which usually took years for most ponies.

However, something else bothered Fluttershy. Ever since the day that they were attacked by the group of vampires in the forest... something disturbed her. The name "Dracul" seemed to echo in her mind. She could hear voices in her head, telling her awful things. She heard a low voice whisper to her as she eyed the crowd in front of her.

"Drink... drink..." The unknown voice hummed.

Fluttershy held her stomach in pain as her eyes began to alter the world around her. She could see the beating hearts of every colt, every filly, everyone in the arena. And with every throb of the arena's heart, she felt her mind throb as well.

"Fluttershy... what's wrong?" Winslow asked Fluttershy as he attempted to grab her hand.

Fluttershy looked down to Winslow, but she didn't recognize him. She could see his heart too, and it drove her mad as it beat. She knocked his hand away and ran down the stairs that led to the marketplace; her eyes were wide with anxiety as she ran right through a group of guards on patrol. In her fit of insanity, she knocked one of the guards into a wall with a swipe of her hand, then kept running into the market. Winslow wasn't far behind and saw the patrol tending to the guard who was knocked unconscious.

"Have you seen a cream-coloured pegasus running this way?" Winslow asked one of the guards.

"Yeah, she looked crazy... knocked one of us out cold. You know her?" The guard said as he looked down at his unconscious comrade.

"Apologies... she tends to have... anxiety," Winslow said as he began to run down the long staircase into the market.

Fluttershy was fast, as expected by Winslow. She darted through the crowd of ponies lining the streets with ease, but he had trouble keeping up, mostly because he stopped to apologize to every pony he hit in his pursuit. Then without warning, Fluttershy strafed to the right side of the street and ran into a back-alley.

"Perfect..." Winslow muttered to himself in an exasperated tone of voice.

Fluttershy desperately tried to find an escape route but found herself trapped when she nearly slammed her head into a brick wall at the end. She felt the beat of Winslow's heart as he approached her slowly.

"Fluttershy? Fluttershy, just calms down and think... this isn't you." Winslow uttered delicately.

Fluttershy jumped at Winslow and pinned him to an adjacent wall. Her fangs unsheathed from bloodlust as she hissed in his face loudly; her previously green irises shifted into a malicious shade of red, and her skin was much paler than before. Winslow knew trying to harm her would only make matters worse, if he made any sudden movements, she could screech and be discovered, and then be executed.

"Fluttershy! Look at me!" Winslow said with great intensity as he stared into her eyes.

The ravenous mare tried ignoring Winslow's words, but the sane part of her began to tear away the bindings that tied her mind in a knot. Fluttershy let go of Winslow and fell to her knees; flailing her head about as she held it tightly with both hands like a mental patient during an episode. Winslow then grabbed her and forced her to look into both of his eyes as he tore off his eye-patch.

"Look at me..." Winslow whispered to her in a voice similar to that of a mother putting her child to sleep.

Fluttershy's eyes returned to normal, and she fell into Winslow's arms with a cry of joy when she recognized him.

"I'm so sorry... I-I didn't mean to... I didn't hurt anyone, did I?" Fluttershy asked in her usual soft speech.

"You knocked out a guard, that's it," Winslow assured her.

"I couldn't control myself! I could see what I was doing, but I couldn't control anything! It was like I was just riding around inside my head!" Fluttershy wept as she held Winslow tight.

"I know... I know." Winslow said in a soothing voice as he stroked the back of her head.

"I can't go on like this! I'm going to kill someone!" Fluttershy cried as she broke off from the hug.

"I won't let that happen..." Winslow vowed as he removed his gauntlet and raised his wrist to Fluttershy's mouth. "You may take my blood."

"What? No. I can-." Fluttershy stopped as Winslow gently placed his wrist in between her jaw.

"I'm not giving you a choice...I don't think I'll be able to snap you out of it again Fluttershy. If you don't do this... you will kill an innocent pony." Winslow warned. "That can't happen."

Reluctantly, Fluttershy bit-down. At first she enjoyed the taste, the warm feeling of blood sliding down her throat... the feeling was almost euphoric. She felt her body regain its strength as the blood flowed to every part of her body, and when it rushed to her head, she felt her body go numb from the sheer pleasure that the sweet red nectar gave her. However, she felt these feelings diminish as Winslow pulled his arm away, and she retracted her fangs. The pleasure was replaced by the foul aftertaste of shame as she came to her senses, and again she wept.

"I enjoyed that... I drank another living creature's blood... and I enjoyed it..." Fluttershy whimpered. "What is wrong with me?! I'm a monster! "

Winslow silenced her cries as he leaned down and grabbed her chin so that he could bring his face closer to hers. He then planted his lips on Fluttershy's, and the two shared a long embrace. Fluttershy tasted like a cut you'd suck on when it bled, but he didn't mind. As long as he knew it satisfied her, it would suffice for him as well. After breaking the kiss and opening their eyes, they stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

"I hate it when you cry..." Winslow muttered to Fluttershy as he wiped her tears away. "I hate seeing somepony so pure and beautiful, being tainted by sadness and self-loathing."

Fluttershy smiled as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and stood up.

"Let's get back to the arena." Winslow insisted as he gave Fluttershy his hand.

"Yeah..." Fluttershy nodded; taking his arm and locking it in with hers as the pair walked back together.

No longer did she hear the voices in her head, but nonetheless they would always be there, and she didn't care. Fluttershy rested her head on Winslow's shoulder and gave him a sigh of satisfaction as she buried her face in his neck. He tucked his head into cradle hers, and the two looked up at each other as they walked out into the wide street of the market. re.

****

Coba charged his foe with great speed as he growled and grunted like an animal. He slashed at Jhettei's chest, but missed, and received a crushing punch to the stomach from Jhettei. The blow shot up Coba's spine; sending waves of pain throughout his body, and caused him to cough up copious amounts of blood.

"He's getting impatient..." The King of Wantthai thought in his old, but spirited voice. "He always is an impatient one when it comes to fighting."

The king seemed worried, as expected of a father. Twilight noticed that there was a lot of regret on his face, like he was reciting his dying words. Although he seemed humble and jolly on the outside, Twilight could feel the pain and anguish in his presence.

Coba was struck by Jhettei again and again. He hit him on his arms first; striking up into the nerve in his armpits, and disabling him. His arms fell limp and lifeless from the attack, and he could no longer feel either one of them. In an act of desperation, he flailed his arms wildly to try and hit Jhettei, but it was no use. Jhettei struck both of Coba's kneecaps with great force; causing him to instantly fall to the ground. Regardless, Coba choked down the ever-increasing pain and got up.

"I do not intend on beating you until death Coba," Jhettei said with utmost seriousness as he relaxed his fighting stance.

"You don't understand Jhettei! This isn't about me... it's about my father! It's about honor! I cannot, no, I will not fail him!" Coba shouted as he looked up to his father, upon his throne.

"Coba..." Gin choked-out.

The king bowed his head when Coba tried looking at him. He didn't show it, but Twilight knew he wanted to say something, to speak, but he was far too frail to talk over his son.

"Come on! I'm not done yet! I can still do this!" Coba angrily yelled at Jhettei.

"I cannot..." Jhettei muttered.

"You must!" Coba screamed.

"No," Jhettei replied sharply.

"Then I'll make you!" Coba bellowed as he took a swing at Jhettei, who dodged and struck back.

Jhettei hit him in the chest again, and a loud crunch sounded as his fist impacted his ribcage. Coba backed up, then charged again, and again, and again. Jhettei hit him over and over, every time he charged, until the right side of his face was purple, and almost all of his ribs were cracked.

"I wish I had the strength to tell you, son... The strength to tell you the things I should've told you." The king thought. "The day you left was the worst day of my life... I thought you'd never return. You seem to forget why you left. It was not your own ambitions that led you astray, but my actions. I was the one who forced you to leave, I was the one who claimed that you'd never take the throne, yet here you are, proving me wrong. In only one fight, you have shown me that you are fit to rule. You bear the mark of a true warrior... you are brave, strong, and independent."

Jhettei struck Coba in the chest again.

"But there is one last thing you must learn as a warrior..."

Jhettei kneed Coba in the snout.

"And that is..."

Jhettei gave him one last strike across the face before stopping, and sure enough, Coba fell backward.

"Accepting defeat..."

"I've... lost..." Coba weakly grunted as he fell.

There was a long silence as Coba lay on the ground. The audience simply stared at the broken zebra sprawled out of the ground with wide eyes. The announcer then cleared his throat and broke the silence that reigned amongst the crowd of ponies.

"Hrrumph! Ladies and gentlecolts... we have our winner! Give it up for Jhettei Shinohara!" The announcer bellowed joyously as he pointed at the short stallion.

For some strange reason, Coba smiled, much like Spike had done at the end of his fight. He wasn't sure why, but he felt... happy, like a weight had been lifted off his chest.

"Why are you smiling? Aren't you in pain?" Jhettei asked; confused by Coba's sudden change in mood.

"Of... course I am..." Coba coughed. "But... you know what?"

"What?" Jhettei said curiously.

"I... had fun..." Coba wheezed

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Nineteen: Secrets and Lies

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Coba tried opening his eyes slowly, but a layer of crust coated the edges of his eyelids. He rubbed them vigorously before attempting to awaken once more, and sure enough, they opened. He had been placed in a medical room much like the one Spike was in, and various healers and shamans had already done their work, he dozed off not long after, and was only awakening now because he felt a presence in his room, one that he was very familiar with.

"Coba?!" Prince Wantinga asked eagerly.

"W-Wantinga?" Coba murmured as he felt his eyes adjust to the light shining through a nearby window that filled the room with a glowing atmosphere.

"Brother, how do you feel?" Wantinga said as he put his hand on Coba's shoulder.

Coba propped himself on the headboard of his bed carefully, as he didn't want to disturb any wounds he received from his fight with Jhettei. He looked down at his various bandages and healed scars, then flexed his arms and legs; trying to gauge his range of mobility.

"Ah, I'll live!" Coba chuckled jovially, along with his brother.

"All jokes aside brother, you fought with great spirit today. Father is proud, I can tell." Wantinga said as he gave his brother a pat on the shoulder.

"Yes, he is," Coba said with a sigh of both relief and exhaustion. "Speaking of our father, how is he? He seems worse than before."

"He is... losing his speech." Wantinga uttered with an overwhelming sadness as he looked down at the ground. "This may be his final days."

"Unfortunately..." Coba sighed. "At least he will spend them with the two of us."

Wantinga and Coba remained silent for a moment. They both thought of old memories. Their father as a young man, their late mother; beautiful and compassionate, and the time their father brought them to the tournament. They didn't speak, only nodding in agreement as they realized that they were recalling the same memories, thinking as one mind; something brothers as close as Coba and Wantinga would do.

"My, how time passes..." Wantinga remarked "It feels like just yesterday, he held us both up on his shoulders to watch the fighters, doesn't it?"

"I can still hear the cheers of the audience," Coba added. "Although, there certainly wasn't as many lining up to fight as there are now. That was all before the Equestrians, before the colonizers, before this Leere mess began."

"Those were simpler times," Wantinga remembered; taking a deep breath as he did so. "Everything made sense back then."

"Well, the world must change brother," Coba stated. "And for better or worse, we must change with it."

"That's funny, because, despite all of your adventures with your friends, you haven't changed a bit!"Wantinga chuckled.

A knock on the door interrupted the two, and Wantinga went out to check on who was. After a few short moments, Wantinga stepped inside the room again with Gin, Draven, Spike, and the others... and even Jhettei, who was the last to enter the medical room. He walked over to Coba with his head hanging low. Then, when he made it to his bedside, he bowed as a sign of respect to his former adversary.

"I apologize for any pain I may have caused you my friend." Jhettei uttered; ashamed, and full of woe.

"No need for apology Jhettei. Believe me, I've been beaten down much worse than this!" Coba said as he looked back down at his many bindings and bandages.

"Thank you. Such forgiveness is rare in this age." Jhettei bowed once more.

"So what happens now?" Spike tried asking politely but came off a little too intrusive than intended. "There's one last fight to go, but they're all out of names to draw."

"The last fight of the first round is simple. The crowd chooses two fighters they found exceptional, then they pit them against each other." Coba explained.

Wantinga got up from his chair quickly after looking at the clock.

"Oh, dear, I have to go. I have a... meeting to attend to before the last fight." Wantinga said in a hurry. "Apologies my friends, but I have to go."

"That was odd." Twilight wondered. "I wonder what got him all jumpy. Did any of you think he seemed a little distressed?"

"Ah, ignore it. He's had a lot on his plate ever since my father took ill." Coba insisted.

"The next fight doesn't start for another two hours or so. I wonder what kind of meeting he's going to?" Gin added.

Spike had a hard time listening to the conversation. Mainly because of his stomach, whose growls drowned out the chatter of Twilight and the others.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt again, but I could use something to eat about now," Spike said; holding his stomach that begged for sustenance through vile groans.

"Good idea, I'm starved." Gin chimed in.

"Can you stand?" Draven asked Coba, who lowered his head back onto his pillow.

"I think it would be best that I get as much rest as possible." Coba yawned as he gestured to the group to leave his room.

"Duly-noted." Draven acknowledged Coba's decision. "You want us to pick you up something too?"

"I'd like that," Coba said, yawning again as he pulled his sheets up one more time.

"Alright then. Well, farewell for now." Draven said, the rest of the group following him outside.

"Where do we go to grab a bite to eat?" Spike asked Draven, who led the way.

"Back to the marketplace," Draven replied, looking back at Spike with a smile and a nod.

Twilight thought for a moment. She wondered where Wantinga could be going, as it seemed odd for him to just run off like that. No, something was wrong, and she knew it. She leaned her head to the side to whisper to Spike, who was directly adjacent.

"Psst. Spike, move closer." Twilight commanded Spike.

"What's up?" Spike inquired as he leaned his head in.

"I want to know what Wantinga is up to," Twilight muttered.

"You heard Coba, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. You shouldn't get all worked up about it." Spike insisted.

"I dunno... something's bothering me about him. I haven't paid attention to it until now, but I haven't seen him at all throughout the tournament." Twilight stated; a little uneasy about the situation. "We should follow him."

"I don't like this Twilight. You know what they say about curiosity..." Spike hesitated; doubtful about the whole idea.

"C'mon, we'll only be gone for a few minutes..." Twilight coaxed Spike with a sweeter tone of voice.

"Fine, fine I-... H-Hey Draven!" Spike stuttered.

"What is it, lad?" Draven replied.

"Me and Twilight... we'll catch up with you. We're going to... go for a walk... upstairs." Spike lied.

"Alright then, uh... don't take too long," Draven said; unsure of Spike's intentions.

Spike and Twilight began their trek down a long corridor that would eventually lead them to the upper levels.

"'Going for a walk'? Very inconspicuous..." Twilight giggled as she joked with Spike.

"Oh, hush you. I get nervous when it comes to confrontation. Why didn't you say anything?." Spike said; a mixture of annoyed and embarrassed.

"Because it's funny when you get all nervous like that!" Twilight chuckled.

"Come on, that's not cool!" Spike replied to Twilight's teasing as he gave her a light nudge with his elbow.

****

The two followed a long flight of stairs to the upper levels, but were perplexed by the complexity of the building, and took a break by a trash can to gather their thoughts on the situation.

"Well, where do we go?" Spike asked; looking frantically around the large complex around them.

Twilight shook her head in response. "No idea-"

She felt a hand grab her shoulder that wasn't Spike's and jumped in response. Expecting Draven or Gin, she was confused to find that it was a familiar blue dragon who caused Spike to light-up immediately.

"Cyro?" Spike said; surprised to see the frozen dragon, alive and well.

"Hey, Hotshot! How's it going?" Cyro asked in his usual jolly mood.

"Good! Nice to see a familiar face around here! What about you? You seem to have healed up well!" Spike stated; noticing that the only bandages on Cyro were a large strap around his arm where Stín had struck him.

"I'm fine! Healers let me leave, so I figured I'd take a little stroll!" Cyro said gleefully.

"Mmhm!" Twilight coughed. "Sorry to interject, but I don't believe you've introduced me to your friend here."

"Yeah, uh, sorry. Cyro, this is Twilight Sparkle, and old friend of mine from Ponyville.

"Pleasure to meet you Twilight! Spike's told me a lot about you!" Cyro greeted Twilight as he shook her hand firmly.

"Thanks, good to meet you too. Listen, Spike and I have some important business to attend to, so we better get going. Nice chatting with you, though!" Twilight said in a hurry as she grabbed Spike and raced away.

"Oh, um... okay! See you around!" Cyro shouted in response as the two trudged down the hallway of the upper floor.

Spike stopped Twilight before trotting any further, as he was confused by Twilight's sudden determination. He organized his thoughts before voicing his confusion and spoke in an unsure, flabbergasted tone of voice.

"What gives?! Do you not like him or something?" Spike said in outrage.

"Not at all. The dragon is a ray of sunshine, but we can't afford distractions or Gin and the others will get suspicious of where we are." Twilight explained.

"Good point," Spike admitted. "But hey, Cyro! I think I saw Jhettei join up with some of our group to go and eat."

"Thanks! I'll look into that!" Cyro hollered back.

****

Spike and Twilight eventually navigated their way through the confusing hallways and corridors of the arena and found Wantinga's quarters. However, before they could gain entry, the two were stopped by two guards who halted them, just as Twilight was turning the knob. The guards were much different. One was shorter and much thinner, whilst the other was as tall and bulky as Coba

"Stop at once!" The taller guard shouted. "What on earth do you think you are doing?"

Spike was speechless, words seemed to overflow from his mouth. "I- um- I- um..."

Spike looked to Twilight, who was not just speechless, but stone cold. He nudged her with his elbow, whispered to her, grunted to get her attention, but nothing. She simply stood frozen in fear; sweat dripping down her face. Spike knew better than anypony that Twilight was not very safe to be around when stressed or out of words.

"Well? Out with it!" The shorter guard demanded.

"Um, um, uh... oh, sweet Celestia! Is that mare getting mugged?" Twilight bluffed in desperation as she pointed in a random direction to distract the guards for a brief moment.

"Hmm?" The two guards said as they turned to face where she was pointing.

Twilight then cast a spell on both of them, and within seconds, it knocked them out cold. Spike was just as, if not more stunned than he was before.

"W-... What was that?!" Spike hollered; still flabbergasted. "How in the-. Twilight, what was the reasoning behind... this?!"

"I'm sorry, I panicked!" Twilight replied quickly.

'''Hey, Spike! How was your walk around the arena?' It was great Draven, thanks for asking! We lied to you, knocked out a couple guards, and attempted to eavesdrop on Coba's brother. 'Why that's fantastic Spike!'" Spike acted out an exaggerated future conversation with Draven.

"Oh, be quiet! We won't get caught!" Twilight bellowed in frustration. "Here, here... you'll see."

Twilight took the shorter guard's unconscious body and propped it up on one of the nearby chairs next to the door leading to Wantinga's room. She huffed and puffed as she tried lifting the second, taller guard's body, but it was no use. She sighed loudly and gestured to Spike for assistance. Reluctantly he rolled his eyes but brought himself to do as she asked eventually.

"You know this is all on you if we get caught," Spike added; grunting loudly as he propped up the large guard on the much smaller chair.

"Yes, yes, I know. Now, let's just see what Wantinga has been up to, okay?" Twilight insisted.

"This better be worth-. Oh, it's locked." Spike said as he felt the knob jerk as he tried turning it. "Well I guess will just have to give up and-...wait, what are you doing?"

Spike surprised, as Twilight pulled out what appeared to be a lock-pick of sorts out of her satchel. She then proceeded to fiddle around with the lock, which made a loud "click" as she turned it very carefully.

"Did... did you just-?" Spike stuttered.

"Yes, I did," Twilight answered Spike's unfinished question.

"When did you learn to do that?" Spike asked, still gawking at the opened door.

"All knowledge is useful, regardless if it's good or bad. You never know when you might need to pick a lock, and-. You know what.. let's just leave it at that." Twilight said bluntly as she walked through the door.

"At this point I should just stop questioning things," Spike mumbled to himself as he looked up and began massaging his forehead out of mental exhaustion.

The room inside was cluttered with many various papers and bills of sale and was without any proper organization, which Spike noticed, quickly got on Twilight's nerves, a slight twitch in her eye as she saw the mess beneath her feat.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold it, I know what you're thinking, and no. We are not going to clean. We'll be here for hours if you do. Just find whatever it is you need so we can get out." Spike stated firmly.

"Alright, fine!" Twilight sighed.

Twilight began searching through the various papers. Naturally, she checked the main desk in the center first, as it would probably have the latest documents, specifically ones that concerned the tournament.

"So why are you so suspicious about Wantinga anyways?" Spike wondered; as he never really asked.

"If there's one thing I've learned in my brief time as a princess, it's that everyone hides things from you. Their thoughts, feelings, even their past. What may seem like a flower can just be a flytrap, waiting to snap shut? Viper and Sigrid... they're mercenaries. There's a lot more to them than meets the eye, obviously, they were hired by someone to compete with you. All letters concerning foreign affairs and dealings go through the Prince, so I'm certain we'll find what we're looking for." Twilight explained as she rummaged through the papers.

"Wait, why me, though?" Spike asked.

"I have no clue. Perhaps whoever hired them knows something we don't." Twilight said, picking up a small letter with a familiar emblem stamped in on a wax seal. "Aha! Here's something interesting!"

"What is it?" Spike inquired as he approached Twilight, who raised the letter up so he could see it better.

"See that emblem? It's the emblem of the Equestrian Assassin's Guild, a secretive group that is known for black market dealings." Twilight pointed out. "Let's see what's inside, shall we?"

Twilight grabbed a letter-opener and dug inside, what he found was certainly interesting. It was not signed, it was not addressed to anyone, and the only recognizable marking was the same emblem on the seal, at the bottom of the letter.

We have received your request, and we have accepted it.

The item(s) supplied to you are as followed:

-One ounce of refined cinnabar

We thank you for your purchase and hope you are satisfied with the results.

-Have a good day.

"So, what does it mean?" Spike inquired.

"Refined cinnabar is poisonous. You can lace drinks and food with it to kill someone slow-." Twilight stopped for a moment as an idea popped into her head. "Son of a witch."

"What, what is it?" Spike said as he watched Twilight begin to pace.

"Who do you know is dying from a mysterious 'illness' around here?" Twilight hinted.

"King-, oh..." Spike trailed off as he realized what she was talking about. "Wait, that's crazy! There's no way we can know for certain if that letter is even for Wantinga!"

"You're right, you're right we've got to find something- ouch!" Twilight yelped as she felt a burning sensation scorch her fingertips. "Oh, no, no, no, no!"

The letter spontaneously combusted and burst into a fiery inferno, searing her thumb and index finger, and causing her to drop it on the desk. It then exploded in a burst of ash and settled on the desk in the form of a fine gray powder.

"Damn it! I should have known! It was charmed. It wasn't meant to be in our hands, so it burst into flames." Twilight said with great frustration.

"What now?" Spike asked, picking up some of the gray ashes and rubbing it between his clawed fingertips.

"I don't know, we lost our only lead," Twilight stated. "There's no way we can prove it was Wantinga."

"Maybe not!" Spike interjected Twilight's defeatist attitude. " Maybe we can find the shipment?"

"Perhaps, but that could take a long time, time that neither you or I have." Twilight pointed out. "We have to get back to the others and tell them about our findings."

"What about Coba? Shouldn't he know?" Spike added.

"No, not until we are absolutely sure it is Wantinga," Twilight told Spike.

"Hold it! I hear someone coming this way!" Spike whispered.

"Let's go, before someone finds us in here!" Twilight said quietly.

"Alright!" Spike agreed, as the two left and gently closed the door behind them.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty: Haki's Return

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"Sorry, but, I'm still lost, lass... are you saying Wantinga is the one making his father sick?" Draven said fiddling with his captain's hat as he leaned back in his chair. "I dunno, seems awful strange... no, there has to be something else at work here."

"I don't think so." Twilight retorted. "Strange or not, it's not uncommon for heirs to knock-off their parent's..."

"That's understandable, but... Wantinga doesn't seem like the scheming type. He seems jumpier than usual, perhaps he's scared of something?" Draven speculated.

"How can you know for sure?" Gin interjected. "He's a prince after all. He's got his responsibilities, his fears. He could just be on-edge from the stress."

"Maybe he's being controlled? Like hypnosis or mind control." Spike suggested.

"It's a thought..." Twilight agreed. "But, if it is, it's certainly more advanced than any form of mind control that I've seen. The way he talks acts. It all seems too real to be just a simple mind-spell."

"Agreed," Draven said with a calculating expression on his face. "Something bigger than us is at work. Perhaps... no, it can't be."

"What?" Spike asked; seeing Draven's troubled expression.

"Nothing, it's just that... I think we have awakened something, something dark. And... I think whatever it is, it's listening to us right now as we speak." Draven's voice softened, silencing the others.

Spike felt a chill run down his back, his vision blurring as he processed all that Draven had said, then out of nowhere... he heard a voice whisper into his ear. It was a raspy, and ominous sounding voice, and all it had to say was one name.

"Haki..."

Spike's head throbbed in response to the whisper, that continued to echo within the confines of his mind like a dark and empty cave. He shook his head in discomfort and clenched his teeth as he grunted softly, as more voices began filling his head with a chorus of incomprehensible whispers.

"Spike, what's wrong?" Twilight asked as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

The voices subsided as Twilight got his attention after shaking him a little, and Spike rubbed the side of his head as he felt a brutal headache stab at the side of his skull.

"It's fine... I-..." Spike trailed off as he thought for a moment. "Who's Haki?"

"Haki?" Draven wondered. "She was one of the first queens of Wantthai during Leere's Age, why do you ask?"

"I don't know, I... the name just popped into my head." Spike said; perplexed by what had happened. "Do you... know what that is?"

"Can't say that I do," Draven admitted. "Only thing that I know is that she went crazy from some strange artefact during the last years of her reign, during the Leviathan Wars; one of the first crusades of Leere when he invaded Wantthai. It was said that Wantthai collapsed after the queen went mad with power and joined Leere, then enslaved most of her people."

"Sounds fantastic." Gin joked.

"I think Coba would know more about it than I do. Perhaps you can ask him later." Draven suggested as he stood up and checked his pocket-watch. "It's almost time for the last fight. We better get moving."

"R-Right..." Spike stuttered nervously.

****

Winslow was roaming the outer perimeter of the arena, with Fluttershy not far behind; unsure about what exactly he was doing. The fight was about to start, and although Fluttershy was a quiet mare, she couldn't help but voice her opinion in the only way she knew how.

"Um... uh... I..." Fluttershy trailed off, void of words to make her sentence polite.

"What are we doing out here? Why aren't we in the arena?" Winslow asked himself for Fluttershy. "I can hear something... something familiar, yet unrecognizable. A whisper perhaps. One that is not of this world. My eye can sense it."

"Come his-was sah, ahhsashhaa." The voice whispered to Winslow in incomprehensible gibberish.

"I can't hear it." Fluttershy murmured as she looked around.

"That is because it chooses to speak with me. Why? I do not know." Winslow stated as he closed his eyes to focus, then pointed towards a set of stairs not far from his position. " There, it's coming from down there."

Fluttershy narrowed her vision to zoom in on the old wooden staircase. There was a sign hung on the wall next to it that read "Market Storage", and it was unguarded, to her surprise. The two approached the stairs but were halted by a sign placed on the railing, "UNDER CONSTRUCTION, DO NOT ENTER!".

"Winslow, I don't think we should-." Fluttershy stopped when she noticed he had already bolted down the stairs.

As Winslow reached the end of the staircase, he noticed that the whispers were beginning to become complete, and started forming coherent sentences.

"Akys?" The voice asked in a barely audible murmur.

Winslow did not respond and began walking through the dimly-lit corridors lined with stacked boxes and bags full of supplies, Fluttershy tagging not far behind. He followed the whispers intently, and it eventually led him to a dead-end filled with boxes.

"Is this it?" Fluttershy asked.

"No. There's another room past these boxes." Winslow replied as he began to feel for a lever or switch somewhere in between the crates filled with rations and other supplies. "Found it."

Winslow worked his hand between two boxes and tapped a button. The stack of supplies then separated, and a new pathway was revealed. The path ahead was dark, unlike the rest of the storage room, and the area ahead seemed to be constructed from stone and went even further down into an unknown part of the arena. Winslow remained silent, hearing two voices ahead. One sounded like Wantinga, and the other was the whispers he had heard moments ago. Ahead was a massive granite chamber with a table-like altar in the center.

"My lady... finally we shall be together." Wantinga proclaimed.

"Is that Wantinga?" Fluttershy whispered.

"I'm afraid so..." Winslow replied in a hushed voice.

Wantinga stood by the altar with many of his own personal guards. They were dressed in ceremonial robes, chanting some strange language. The two guards ushered a mare dressed in a tribal gown made of twigs and leaves onto the table.

"Haki , oh Haki , kuchukua sadaka hii! Kutembea katika dunia hii kwa mara nyingine tena katika mwili wa binaadamu!" Wantinga and the mare chanted.

"What are they doing with her?" Fluttershy asked Winslow in a panic.

"It seems to be a ritual of sorts, and I believe this mare is offering herself to..." Winslow trailed off as he looked again. "Haki."

"Can we stop them?" Fluttershy murmured.

"Unlikely. Even if we managed to stop the ritual, Wantinga would send the whole guard down upon us, and killing him would make it even worse." Winslow stated, somwhat shocking Fluttershy; it stunned her that he even thought of killing him. "If I'm right, and they are in fact summoning Haki, we can destroy her for good."

"What do you mean? If Haki comes back, won't she hurt everyone?" Fluttershy inquired.

"No. She is bound by honour. She cannot kill anyone in Wantthai until she obtains the tournament headdress, her crown." Winslow explained. "And the only way she can acquire the headdress is if she faces the victor in combat and slays them."

"Spike..." Fluttershy whimpered.

"If he wins, it must be he who destroys her," Winslow added. "And if he wins, he can destroy the stone."

Wantinga began chanting along with the guards again in an unholy incantation. He waved his arms above the mare, who laid motionless on the stone table. She then began to levitate, and a red energy surrounded her.

"Na kama his sadaka pili, mimi kukupa yangu royay - damu !" Wantinga yelled as he cut his palm and smeared the blood across the altar. "Kujitokeza ! Kujitokeza !"

The words echoed around the room, and the red energy began to absorb into the mare. Her mouth opened, and a howl escaped her maw. Then, she fell back on the table abruptly. For a moment, she was still, but after a few short moments, she stood up. The twigs and leaves the mare were wearing were no more, and what replaced them was a dress made of thorns, horns, and fur.

"My children! You have been so very loyal to me, and for that I thank you!" Haki snarled with a threatening, demonic growl.

"Thank you, my lady." Wantinga eagerly replied. "Welcome to the mortal world."

"This realm feels... different from when I last set foot on it." Haki inquired, lowering herself onto the ground.

"There is a storm rising my lady, your master is returning," Wantinga explained.

"I see..." Haki took in a deep breath from her nose and exhaled loudly. "I smell a worthy challenger... oh, a dragon... I shall enjoy bathing in his blood." Winslow could see sparks igniting in Fluttershy's eyes.

"No!" Fluttershy cried as she stepped out from behind the pillar.

"Fluttershy, no!" Winslow yelled.

Just then, the population of the room turned to face Fluttershy, and she immediately began regretting her actions. Haki floated towards her and grabbed her by the neck, raising her high in the air, and choking the life from her.

"And what have we here? A vampire? No, you are more... a demon. You shall be gutted for you insol-."

Haki was silenced as a sword lobbed her hand clean off, a bloody mess following. She wailed and shrieked as she stumbled back, and her eyes began to glow red with anger as she gripped the stub that was her hand. Winslow brushed off the blood with his finger as he dragged it across his blade.

"Akys! I knew it was you!" Haki cried in agony. "You will pay for that, worm!"

"Don't call me that." Winslow uttered with the utmost intensity. "That name no longer has any meaning to me."

Winslow's left eye began to convulse. The sound of tearing flesh began to echo across the chamber, as two smaller, but similar eyes formed beside the original. One on the top, one on the bottom.

"Winslow... your face," Fluttershy said in shock.

"Kill them!" Haki ordered the guards.

The first guard lunged at Fluttershy, but was cut off, quite literally, as the hand that held his sabre was parted from his forearm. Winslow followed up with another strike, but this time, he lobbed the guard's jaw off without hesitation. Winslow took a wide swing and slashed two approaching guard's chests open, blood spewing out like a fountain. The next guard snuck behind Winslow and stabbed his hand with a dagger, which resulted in Winslow's sword leaving his grasp.

Winslow responded to this with great ferocity, and kicked the attacking guard in his chest so hard, not even his armour could prevent Winslow's steel-encased foot from shattering his ribcage like a porcelain vase and force him to the ground. Another guard attempted to strike with his saber but was met with a hard fist to the face, followed by Winslow grabbing his head and twisting, until a deafening crack reverberated all around the stone chamber.

Winslow then grabbed his sword once more, and charged at three guards, thrusting his blade through one, then two, then the last, impaling them all on his blade like a steel scour. After dislodging the sword from the bloody corpses, he was attacked by Wantinga, who was carrying a large dagger, and slashing violently, showing no restraint.

Winslow then noticed the faded whites in his eyes. He was being controlled. As Wantinga slashed, Winslow dodged, then grabbed his head and slammed it hard on the stone table; rendering him unconscious. Winslow's extra eyes disappeared, and he fastened his patch back on.

"Impressive. You haven't lost your... talents." Haki snickered.

"You have no power here. Leave now, sorceress, or taste my metal again." Winslow threatened, staring her own with his witch's eye.

"Very well, oh brave and noble 'paladin'. This will not be the last time you hear from me." Haki cackled as she began to disintegrate. "Tell your little dragon friend, that I'll be waiting for him."

With a grunt, Wantinga goes to his feet. Winslow raised his sword at the ready, but Wantinga put his hands up to reassure him that he was not hostile any longer. "Please, don't kill me like you did my guards!"

"These were not your guards, your highness." Winslow corrected him, pointing towards the rotting corpse closest to him. "These were thralls, layered in powerful illusion-magic."

"Thank goodness..." Wantinga gulped as he looked down at the mangled bodies that quickly began to dissentigrate into dust.

"Do you have any knowledge pertaining to your actions?" Winslow inquired as he sheathed his blade.

"Yes, damn it, I remember it all." Wantinga groaned in frustration. "I was a damned prisoner in my own body. I knew what I was doing, but I couldn't resist. By the gods, what have I done?"

"You couldn't do anything about it. It was out of your hands." Winslow attempted to reassure the ashamed stallion before him.

"No, all of this is my fault. I poisoned my father and reawakened the greatest threat to Wantthai. Now I must pay my penance and inform my father of my heinous actions." Wantinga insisted.

"No, not yet, Wantinga. We must let the tournament commence without interruption, or else we will lose the only means of destroying Haki once and for all." Winslow cautioned Wantinga. "Haki senses a legitmate threat in Spike, and I have faith that he shall be victorious."

Shanghai'd! | Arc One |Chapter Twenty-One: Battle! The End of Round One!

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As the announcer stepped out of onto his balcony, the crowd began to roar, so loud, in fact, that the very earth beneath the arena began to shake and tremble. The announcer raised his hands, and bashfully refused the applause; the audience silencing themselves to hear him. Spike watched intently from the competitors box along with Coba; a combination of eagerness and excitement overtook them as they heard the crowd's cheers die down.

"This is it, Spike," Coba said as he nudged Spike on the arm with his elbow. "Look alive."

"You all been waiting so patiently for this last one on one fight, and I can't wait to give it to you!" The announcer hollered joyously. "Now, this is it folks, he last fight of this round... I hope you're ready for this... because this fight might get intense! Do want some intensity fans?!"

"Yeah!" The mass of fans bellowed.

"Alright! Now, let's begin!" The announcer cleared his throat once more as he began to stare down the audience. "You may pick two competitors of your choice, one at a time, but they must not be fighters who have fought before, no rematches, and no competitors from the same team. You must shout the competitor's name, so we can come to a conclusion, but I'm not going to hog all the judging for myself! No, no, no... I'll get some help, from your very own Prince!"

The crowd screamed again as they saw the young Prince step out onto the balcony beside the announcer. He looked nervous, almost as nervous as Spike when he had to come face to face with a crowd of similar size. Coba chuckled to himself quietly as he looked up at his brother.

"You never were good with crowds," Coba mumbled to himself.

"All right, all right! I'm liking your enthusiasm folks! What about you your highness? Are you as hyped as they are?" The announcer wondered as he looked back at Wantinga.

The Prince was stone cold in fear for a brief moment before coming to and noticing the announcer eagerly awaiting a reply to a question he didn't hear.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Wantinga asked as he blushed; realizing what he had asked.

"Hahaha! I'll take that as a yes!" The announcer said jovially. "So! Without further ado, we shall decide on our first fighter! Let's see, shall we?"

The crowd shouted various names, Sigrid, Armandura, and Angriefer but the most prominent name amongst all others was Viper. The fans loved his first fight, and he certainly knew how to put on a show for the crowd. The announcer silenced the audience again and turned to Wantinga for his input.

"So, what so you think,your highness?" The announcer inquired; putting his arm around Wantinga's shoulder as he did so.

"I heard the name Viper more than most other names," Wantinga suggested to the announcer as he looked down and pointed at Viper in the competitor's box.

"I'd have to agree with you on that one your highness!" The announcer said in his usual intense, yet somehow relaxed tone of voice. "So, it's decided then! Our first fighter is none other than Emmerich Daggerfang! Otherwise known as Viper!"

Viper looked across the competitor's box to Spike and stuck out his forked tongue to mock him; giving a slight hiss as well. He hopped outside into the center, the crowd cheered him on, and he replied with a boastful hiss and tongue display to ignite the crowd with anticipation.

"Here we go..." Draven muttered as the announcer hushed the fans.

"Alrighty then! Let's see who are the second fighter will be!" The announcer uttered in excitement.

This time, the crowd had mixed feelings, as Spike and Stín seemed to be tied. Spike was torn as well, he didn't know whether he should be eager or terrified. One part of him wanted to be brave and fight, but the other half wanted Stín to enter the ring instead. Granted, he knew deep-down that regardless of his feelings toward the situation, he had to persevere, as a lot more was at stake than just a silly tournament. He had a mission to accomplish, and he was going to fulfill it.

"Hmm... this is a close one ladies and gentlecolts, but I think I've come to a decision. How about you prince?" The announcer asked.

"I believe I have as well..." Wantinga agreed.

"Now, then... who's it going to be? I think... Spike Drafir, the blazing dragon!" The announcer shouted, followed by a brief round of cheers from the crowd. "And what about you prince?"

"I agree. I believe Spike has more support here." Wantinga said as he scratched his chin trying to make heads of it. "I'll have to go with Spike..."

"So, it is done! Ladies and gentlecolts, I give you... the final match of Round One!" The announcer hollered as he raised his hand to gesture to the two fighters. "Fighters! Take your positions!"

Spike tried flushing away his doubts, his fears, but the more he tried to let go, the more he thought about defeat. Twilight noticed the look on Spike's face, and the fear in his eyes, she knew him better than anyone, and she knew what it looked like when he was truly scared.

"Don't worry," Draven said as he saw the worry on Twilight's face. "He'll be fine."

"How can you know for sure? I mean, look at him." Twilight said as she pointed towards Spike, who was standing in the center of the arena, stressed beyond belief.

"Let me tell you something about us dragons, lass. No matter what enemy we face, no matter what the odds are up against, we always push forward and surpass our limits." Draven said with great pride. "It doesn't matter if we're clumsy, daft, or scrawny. Once we get into a fight, there isn't anything that phases us. Deep down, whether we like it or not, we dragons are fighters, and we'll keep going until the life is sucked out of us. And Spike here is the finest example of that kind of spirit. I saw it in him from the first moment I laid eyes on him."

Twilight thought about what he said, and as she thought, she remembered all the times that he had aided her. No matter what the task, he would do it, no matter what he would do it, and he'd do it with a smile on his face. Right then, she saw the worry melt off Spike's face. He narrowed his eyes to focus on his foe, and then... a smile stretched across his face. Emerald flames spouted from his fins, and his eyes began to burn with determination. Viper tried countering Spike's sudden change in attitude with a series of hissing and growling to try and startle him again, but Spike didn't seem bothered.

"What did I tell you?" Draven gloated as he turned to Twilight with a jolly smile on his face, to which Twilight replied with a similar expression.

"Alright everyone! With me! Three! Two! One! Fight!" The announcer clamoured along with the crowd.

"It's just you and me now little hatchling. I'm going to enjoy this." Viper hissed as he drew two daggers from the leather bandolier strapped across his chest.

Viper slashed both of his wrists, and out from the cuts leaped two green sabres that found their way into his hands; constructed from the venomous liquid coursing through his veins. Spike shrouded his body in a veil of flame, preparing his attack.

"What is that? The fire his fins are engulfed in?" Twilight asked Draven. "I've seen him use it before."

"That, lass, is Dragon Fury. It's a technique usually learned by fire dragons at a younger age. It's used to double the user's strength, speed, and magic ability. Think of it as a speedy way at getting a head-start in a fierce battle." Draven explained. "Although, he's got to watch out... using that form too often in battle triples his magic-consumption. He'll burn out like a withered twig if he doesn't use it properly."

Spike launched himself at blinding speeds toward his foe using the propulsion of the fire around him, but Viper was quick and dodged, slicing Spike across the back of his shin as he passed by. Spike tumbled down and smacked his head with great force on the hard ground. Before Spike could even recover, he felt a lasso-like venom-weapon bind his arms to his sides and was tugged backwards, followed by a firm elbow to the back of his head.

"Heh, pathetic..." Viper snickered as he raised one of his sabres.

"C'mon, boy! Don't be reckless!" Draven shouted down to Spike. "Think!"

Besides the ringing in Spike's ears, he could hear Draven loud and clear. As Viper attempted to chop Spike with his sabre, he dodged by rolling to the side and counterattacked with a potent fireball that pushed Viper far enough back for Spike to gain ground again. Spike then followed-up with a blazing punch to Viper's jaw that caused him to stumble back, allowing Spike to fire a blast of flame from his mouth.

Viper came to quickly, and defended by moulding his venom into a protective shoulder-mounted shield that blocked the fiery attack. Viper tore away at the sides of his leather armour with his daggers and cut two large gashes on both sides of his ribcage. From the two gaping holes, four tendrils shot out. They looked like bioluminescent vines that shone a dull and sickening green, and they whipped around and lashed about as if they had a mind of their own. The ends of each tentacle shape shifted into a ferocious viper-head; one of them resting its head on Viper's outstretched hand so he could give it a scratch under the chin.

"Do me a favour little draglet... let one of these snakes here impale you." Viper hissed as the four snakes began their assault.

One snake tried to slam its head into Spike; fangs at the ready, but Spike dodged, and the sound of the snake hitting the sturdy ground echoed throughout the arena. The snake had lodged itself firmly in the ground, and Spike took this opportunity to hurl a large fireball near the end of the tendril; causing it to explode.

"Rrrgghh! Damn you!" Viper shrieked as he ordered two other snakes to attack.

The snakes advanced, and Spike succeeded at evading the first one, but the second sunk its fangs deep into Spike's other shin. He cried out in pain before grabbing the snake's head and tearing it off the tendril, and from his shin; the snake's hissing and squirming ferociously before liquefying into venom.

"Oh no, he got bit!" Twilight said in horror.

"Damn it, Spike, hang in there..." Draven thought to himself.

Spike immediately began to feel the effects of the poison coursing through him. A searing, burning sensation caused his muscles to spasm, and he fell backward; unable to control his actions. A rage overtook him. This rage was not of revenge or anger, it was fury, a berserker within him that didn't want to be put down. Spike's body began to burn hotter and hotter as flames spewed out of his mouth in a massive jet, burning away the venom like tissue paper, as the venom tried escaping through his mouth.

"What the hell is-. What is this!" Viper screamed as he watched Spike burn up his snakes. "That's it hatchling! You've forced my hand!"

Infuriated by this, Viper summoned more tendrils that began piercing and stabbing away at his body; his cries of pain morphing into cries of sheer hatred and evil. His body became clad in a hardened venom armour, and his face transformed into a hideous snake-changeling hybrid. His pupils began to sharpen like a reptile, his jaw outstretched to make room for four venom-laced fangs, and his hands turned into clawed and scaled paws.

"I'll kill you Ssspike! I'll ssmash your ssscales and feasst on your heart!" The mindless abomination howled, his forked tongue whipping about with a desperate bloodlust.

"What the hell is that... thing?" Gin asked Draven; repulsed by the sight of Viper.

"I don't know, but I don't think we're dealing with alchemy anymore." Draven worried.

"It's a curse of some kind, like lycanthropy or vampirism," Twilight explained. "This curse seems to be high-level magic, definitely the work of a sorcerer or warlock. I'm not sure who'll win now..."

"Hard to say, it pretty much boils down to whoever has the most firepower, and the way I see it, Spike has a chance to even to odds," Draven said as he looked down at the snake-stallion and raging fireball staring each other down.

Spike shot off like a comet at Viper, who dodged it easily and laughed at the reckless attack.

"Ha! You miss-." Viper was interrupted as he felt a firm kick impact his back.

Spike zoomed by, and landed on a wall, only to launch himself in the opposite direction like a bullet ricocheting. Spike hit Viper again and again, tearing away his armour piece by piece.

"Damn you! Damn you!" Viper hissed as he knocked Spike out of the air with a venom-constructed mace.

Spike hit the ground but rolled backwards; landing on his feet without a scratch. He was pulled back, however, as a venom-whip constricted his hand and tugged him closer to Viper. Viper then began to beat the young dragon senseless with elbow strikes, knee attacks, and claw slashes to the chest. Spike then fell to one knee for a moment; trying to regain his strength, and eventually rising back on his feet.

"Oh no. Spike! Don't give up Spike!" Twilight cheered in desperation; fearing the worst.

Viper smacked Spike around more and more. He gave him a kick to the chest, a jab to his snout, and an uppercut to his jaw, but still we stood before him; eyes blazing with fury.

"Damn it, why won't you just give up!" Viper screamed as he launched another punch, but was stopped halfway to Spike's face by the beaten dragon's hand.

"Because I can't," Spike whispered. "I've come so far. I can't stop, no... I will never stop."

Viper was silent as Spike raised his head to look into his foe's eyes. His body began to heat up again, only this time, even hotter than before. Spike grabbed Viper's hands and melted away his gauntlets. Viper then tried to attack with a tendril, but Spike tore it in half with his bare hands. Spike struck Viper's chest-plate with a burning fist, and it shattered like glass.

"No! S-Stay back!" Viper hissed as he launched tendril after tendril, only to have each one burned away or ripped apart.

Spike burned away the armour on his legs, and walked faster and faster towards Viper until he was in a full sprint.

"S-Stay away!" Viper shrieked in dismay.

Spike grabbed Viper by the throat and tossed him high into the air, and for a brief moment as Viper flew high into the air, the world stood still. Spike took a deep breath and uttered a magical phrase that sent shivers down Draven's spine.

"Dragon King's Fiery Breath!" Spike roared, as a beam of pure green flame shot out of his gaping mouth.

The beam of fire that escaped his maw was massive- like a fiery pillar rising high in the air. It scorched Viper and blew him upwards higher and higher, until his fell to the ground with his eyes rolled back, unconscious. Spike had won. The crowd went wild. They cheered and cheered until they lost their voice. Spike sat silently on his knees, before smiling, wider than before.

"Why are you smiling Spike?" Twilight mumbled to herself. "You've been beaten, bitten, and broken. Yet, you still smile anyways... you can't even stand. Why?"

"I couldn't tell you," Draven replied to Twilight. "Maybe... maybe he's found it."

"Found what?" Twilight wondered.

"Out there, maybe he found it. His passion..." A prideful smile stretched across Draven's face as he looked down at the young dragon. "His purpose."

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Two: A Late Night

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Draven took a large drink from his tankard; belching as he slammed it down on the wooden table.

"Ugh, was that really necessary?" Twilight said in disgust as she waved her hand; trying to dissipate the stench.

"Ah, don't get your knickers in a wad Twilight!" Gin chuckled lightly; Coba, Jhettei, and Spike joining in on the laughter. "He's always a brute!"

"I am not you bloody wench!" Draven snorted.

"Haha! Don't worry mate, we love you anyway!" Gin said with a satisfied grin. "Say, Twilight, how about I get you a drink!"

Twilight hesitated. "Uh, I don't think I should-."

"Oh, c'mon! Just a little one won't hurt! It'll help you loosen up little!" Gin insisted as she ordered the bartender to give Twilight a drink.

As Twilight looked at Spike, he giggled lightly; knowing full well this would be her first drink. Recognizing the look on his face, Twilight crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.

"You think I can't do it, don't you?" Twilight asked Spike; staring him down intensely.

"Hehe... looks like Spike's skeptical princess!" Gin laughed.

The bartender plopped a shot glass down; full of whiskey. Twilight rose to the occasion and downed the whole shot, or at least held it in her mouth to try and trick Spike. At first it worked, and the whole table was impressed, that was until her eyes began to water from the intense burning sensation that tingled her snout. Twilight began to panic, and Gin grabbed her shoulder.

"C'mon deary, either let it burn or swallow it!" Gin urged the now red-faced mare.

Twilight swallowed it slowly with one large gulp, and she plopped her head down on the table; letting out a sigh of relief as her mouth began to cool.

"How was it?" Spike chuckled.

"It's not so bad once you get past the liquid-fire stage." Twilight groaned.

"Well, in that case, another round lad!" Gin waved to the bartender.

"Yay..." Twilight moaned.

Just then, Winslow and Fluttershy came through the tavern door. Winslow looked worried, and Fluttershy, a little rattled. Spike saw this and stood up.

"I'm fine." Fluttershy quietly reassured the group as she sat down at the empty seat next to Jhettei.

"Spike, I must speak with you. Come." Winslow firmly stated as he walked out the tavern door.

"Don't have too much fun when I'm gone Twilight." Spike teased the now pale-faced mare as he stood up and walked outside.

"C'mon, have another one! It'll be fine! Just try swallowing it sooner next time!" Gin laughed.

Twilight could only respond with a low groan of defeat as she lifted her head from the table.

****

The air was cold that night, and Spike could feel a chill run down his spine as he stepped out. Winslow stood at attention; watching Spike as he rubbed his hands together. Winslow turned and faced the wind as he stared up at the moon high in the sky. He was wearing a troubled expression, unlike his usual emotionless one. He turned his head quickly to the right, not paying attention to Spike but noticing the wind veering from north to east.

"Even the wind is afraid to fly in these troubling times," Winslow said as he turned to Spike. "It wants to escape, but it can't find a way out. Like all of us, it is shrouded in a blanket of darkness and fear."

"Winslow... uh, what did you bring me here for?" Spike wondered; Winslow turning his back to him again.

"On this day, the Sorcerer of Right has reared her ugly head and has issued a challenge to the victor of this tournament," Winslow said as he looked deeply into the moon. "And that victor must be you, Spike."

"What? Why?" Spike said as he began to process what was said. "Why me of all ponies?"

"I do not know." Winslow answered; lowering his head for a moment before turning back to Spike. "All that matters now, is to destroy her, once and for all."

"You're not making any sense Winslow. You're getting ahead of yourself." Spike uttered with a curious look upon his face. "What happened tonight, with you and Fluttershy?"

"Fluttershy and I had ventured, following the trail of a peculiar noise." Winslow said; sighing softly as looked down at his hooves. "It led us to Prince Wantinga, who was reciting a dark ritual to awaken Haki, the Sorcerer of Right. He had been hypnotized, for what he believes had been months on end."

"He seemed so inconspicuous... how?" Spike wondered; scratching his chin as he looked down at the ground in deep thought.

"Hypnosis induced by ritualistic methods differs from common mind-spells," Winslow explained. "It is a highly advanced magical technique that creates a feigned identity that overlaps the original one. This is something that Haki has been known in early history to have utilized to control others."

Spike had a new question, one that began to burn in his mind. "How do you know so much about the history of the Blacklands?"

"My paladin brethren kept many records of ancient wars, wizards, and magic," Winslow said. "To become a paladin, one must have a working knowledge on the writings of paladin scholars from before."

"Winslow... where are they? The paladins?" Spike asked.

Winslow stood quietly for a while. He seemed saddened by Spike's words and gave a quiet sigh in response as if trying not to gain attention from him. He looked down at his hooves once more, this time, a lot longer than he did previously.

"We are straying from the original topic." Winslow uttered after his long sigh. "I merely brought you here to inform you of what has occurred. That is all I wanted."

Spike recognized the pain in his voice and tried to ease the situation. "Winslow I-."

"You may go back to the tavern." Winslow interrupted; trying to give Spike a weak smile. "Hopefully they aren't getting themselves into any trouble."

"What about you? Aren't you going to join us?" Spike tried suggesting to the anguished stallion.

"Tonight I would prefer solace," Winslow said with a somber expression.

As Spike walked away, he looked back, wanting to say something more, something to relieve him. However, he stopped himself before he could say anything. He had seen sorrow like this from others, but none of them shared the hardy attitude of Winslow, who always seemed so unwavering and free from emotional baggage. Spike thought it would be best to leave him be.

****

Drunken chuckles escaped the bar-goers, as they sang and danced their troubles away. Twilight being one of them. Although she was usually very aware of her own well-being, she was known to occasionally cave under the influence of peer-pressure, and the persistence of Gin was hard to refuse when given little time to think about the outcome of her "suggestions".

"Woooo!" Twilight roared in a stupor as she danced about the tavern; carelessly unaware of the various others disturbed by her intoxicated rambling.

At this moment, Spike walked in, watching Twilight dance about the tavern; eventually coming to a grinding halt as her eyes met his. It took a moment for her to recognize him, but when she did, a large grin grew on her disoriented expression.

"Spiiiiike!" She yelled in a gleeful, yet out of tune voice, like a worn-out children's song on a music-box.

"Twilight?" Spike wondered; looking over to the table they were seated at to find that only Draven and Fluttershy were still present.

Fluttershy had an obvious blush on her face, and her slow movements suggested that even she too, was drunk. Although, she was still conscious enough to remain quiet. Gin was at the other end of the tavern, seated on a high barstool where the barkeep would refill their glasses, with her head rested on the counter, and her eyes closed.

"Draven? What happened?" Spike said in a panic; shocked by the disastrous wreck that was supposed to be, 'The Princess of Friendship'.

"Well, Coba and Jhettei left to do their own thing, and... well, it sort of went downhill from there," Draven answered; trying to sugar-coat it as best as he could.

"And you did nothing to stop them from drinking this much?!" Spike said in an outrage.

"Oh, come on Spike, they were just having fun," Draven said; trying to justify his action, or lack of action so to speak.

"You call making a fool of yourself 'having fun'?" Spike shouted in outrage; removing Twilight's hands from his face that were trying to massage his cheeks. "Get- Get off, please."

"Oh, you're no fuuuun..." Twilight said in a mindless, and childlike way. "Hey, Gin! Spikey's here!"

"What?" Gin uttered quietly as she rubbed her eyes. "Spike!"

Gin ran over to Spike; tripping over a chair, and landing at his feet. She raised her hands to Spike and put on an innocent face; trying to be as cute as possible.

"Will you help me up, Spike?" She said in a phony tone of voice.

With a sigh, he picked her up off the floor with ease and held her in his arms for a moment before setting her on her feet. As she was set down, she stumbled and fell back into his arms. She gave him a wink, and took her finger and ran it down his chest.

"You're so strong..." She purred.

"Pfffttt! She likes you..." Twilight giggled. "Ha!"

"Okay, fun's over kids!" Draven announced; grabbing Fluttershy and Gin, and tossing them up on opposite shoulders. "Spike, grab your princess."

"Aww... but we were having so much fun." Twilight groaned; giving Spike a 'puppy-dog face'.

Without a word, Spike swung her over his shoulder as well, and the two dragons walked outside with the drunk mares shouting and yelling as they were suspended in the air. Well, all except Fluttershy.

"We best get back to the room, along with these three drunks," Draven stated as he let out of huff, trying to re-position Gin.

"But I don't want to go to bed!" Twilight shouted.

"Yeah, let's go." Spike agreed.

****

Spike had troubles finding sleep that night. Instead, he stared at the brightly decorated ceiling that glimmered as the moonlight entered his room. The night had been long, and despite his exhaustion, he had troubles trying to even close his eyes.

Eventually, he succeeded in closing them, but before he could enter a deep sleep, he noticed a strange shift in the blankets near the end of his bed. After laughing it off as just a product of sleep deprivation, he tried closing his eyes again. However, he felt something warm climb up his body and approach the headboard. Spike was frozen in fear at first but quickly realized that what was approaching him was not as bad as what his imagination had concocted. Gin's long silver hair fell down to Spike's face; obscuring his vision, before she tossed it to the other side.

"Gin! What are you-." Spike was cut off as Gin placed her index finger on his mouth to silence him.

"I thought you needed a little company..." She whispered in a seductive voice; alien to how she usually spoke. This caught Spike completely off-guard.

Spike looked down at the rest of Gin beneath his blanket. Her ample chest pressed up against his, and he felt her legs forcefully intertwine with his. Before he could protest again however, he felt her tongue tie itself to his. She tasted like strong whiskey, and despite the burning sensation, it was smooth and delicious. Although lost for a moment, he eventually came to his senses and tossed her to the other side of his bed.

"Gin, listen, I-..." Spike trailed off as he noticed that Gin was sound asleep, snoring. "Uhh..."

Spike tried to move her, but she squirmed and writhed about in response. So, he decided to leave her where she was. At first he was going to get up and move to another bed, but he felt his body grow ever weaker, and he closed his eyes out of sheer exhaustion... out-cold.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Three: Rise and Shine

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Spike's eyelids opened and closed repeatedly until he adjusted his vision to see the dresser adjacent to his bed. He then tried to tear the sheets off that were covering him from the chest down but found it to be harder than expected. It was held by another hand, a red hand that belonged to Gin.

"Damn, I was really hoping that was a dream." Spike quietly groaned to himself.

Instead of trying to tear them off, Spike tried worming his body out of the sheets. It was successful at first, but Gin turned and hugged him close to her chest; causing Spike to blush as he fought the urge to look down at her chest again. He gently removed her hands from his sides and shuffled backwards. Again, he was successful at first, but this time, Gin's eyes opened. It took a moment for her to recognize him, but once she did, she prepared to scream. Spike reacted quickly and covered her mouth.

"Listen Gin! Listen! I can explain!" Spike quietly insisted.

Gin's eyes burned with anger, and she began to fight back furiously as she pounded on his chest.

"Ouch! Gin, calm down! Listen, we're both in hot water if either of us is heard!" Spike said with the utmost seriousness. "Will you calm down, or will I have to keep my hand on your mouth forever?"

Gin calmed herself, and her enraged expression cooled to a more annoyed one as she took her hand and removed Spike's scaled mitt.

"What the hell happened!?" Gin whisper-yelled.

"Listen, you were drunk okay? All you did was sneak into my room and fall asleep beside me, that's it!" Spike said with a worried expression; hoping she wouldn't recognize that he left out a key detail in the story.

"What else happened Spike? I know something else happened!" Gin interrogated the blushing dragon.

"Okay, okay... you kissed me." Spike shut his eyes tight as if he was expecting to be hit.

"What kind of kiss?" Gin wondered. "I tend to be a pretty slutty-drunk, you know. I know I didn't give you a wee chicken-peck!"

"Alright! You gave me a little uh..." Spike trailed off, and instead, he stuck his tongue out and flicked it about to finish his sentence with a visual display.

"Oh, no!" Gin uttered in self-disappointment; holding her head in her hand, and slamming the back of her head into her pillow. "Oh, why does alcohol make me such a bloody bitch?"

"It was my fault too, I uh..." Spike was too shy to go into further detail about his own natural desires.

"Ah, I see..." Gin said with a wink. "Well, in that case."

Gin gave Spike a firm smack on his cheek; leaving a large red mark on the side of his face.

"Ouch, again! What was that for?" Spike asked.

"For letting me ram my tongue down your throat, you horny lizard!" Gin answered playfully.

Gin stood up and looked in a mirror, squinting as she tugged at her skimpy lingerie; posing a little. "I do have good taste when I'm drunk, though, don't I?"

"I, uh... um." Spike gulped; completely speechless by the half-naked vixen before him, speaking to him as if he was just one of the other mares.

"Haha! Look at your face! I'm just fuckin with you!" Gin smiled as she picked up her clothes scattered about; still teasing the poor dragon by waving her rear a little as she picked up her necklace off the ground. "You're such a sucker..."

Spike's attention was then grabbed by the jewelled necklace Gin was putting on. It had a pink jewel in the center, and it sparkled like a twinkling star in the midnight sky. The lace was golden, as was the frame that held the large gem. He had never noticed it before, maybe because she kept it hidden under her shirt to deter thieves.

"Wait, what is it-. Oh, you're looking at this." Gin said as she held the jewel in her fingertips. "Yeah, I thought a dragon would be interested in a gem like this..."

"What is it?" Spike said with childlike wonder. "I've never seen a gem like that before."

"It was my mother's..." Gin stated as she held it up in front of the window; allowing light to hit it, and the pink beams to escape the many sides of the jewel. "A pink diamond. It was given to her by my father before he left her. I've protected and held onto this for as long as I can remember. It's pretty much all I have to remember her by."

Spike didn't want to get too far into her past to cause her pain and tried changing the subject. "I think I hear people waking up, you better get dressed."

Gin fastened her boots on and opened the door; standing in the doorway for a little while before lifting her head up and turning back to him.

"Let's do this again sometime... you're not bad company." Gin purred as she gave him a seductive wink and smile and walked across to her room.

"Wait, again?" Spike asked; his face reddening more than ever.

****

Spike fried zucchini on one frying pan for the ponies, and bacon on another for Draven and himself. Gin sat on a stool and was slumped over on the island's polished wooden countertop. Draven leaned up on a china cupboard next to Spike and monitored his progress; licking his chops. The scent wafted over to Coba, who sat on the couch in the living room, across from the kitchen.

"Damn, those smell mighty good Spike. You almost were done?" Coba said impatiently.

"Ah, ah, ah! You can't rush me on this!" Spike said in his best Rarity impression. "You cannot rush the culinary arts! These things take time!"

"Ah, blah, blah! How long does it take for you to cook some damned zucchini?" Gin whined. "Hang on, when did you even learn to cook?"

"Trust me, when you've had as much time on your hands cooped up in a library as I did, you'd be serving Celestia by now!" Spike laughed. "I cooked when I got bored, so... I cooked all the time when Twilight wasn't around."

Following the sound of hooves stomping on the floor, and a door slamming shut, a hung-over alicorn stepped out of the hallway, and into the living room; bags under her eyes and a dizzied look on her face.

"Well, look who's up!" Draven mocked the bumbling mare. "How about some food? You look hungry!"

"No- thank you." Twilight gagged.

"Heh, did you have fun last night?" Spike asked sarcastically.

"Can it Spike." Twilight groaned; looking at Gin. "Gin, how are you not dead? You drank almost all of the tavern's whiskey!"

"I'm a pirate, Twilight! Whiskey is my water!" Gin said with a relaxed grin on her face. "But, I still feel like shit... ugh."

Gin massaged her forehead to calm the faint throbbing inside her head, then sprawled out onto the island; letting out a long sigh. Spike then flipped the zucchini one last time and separated it into five dishes. It was then that Fluttershy stepped into the living room with a yawn and a stretch.

"Good morning..." Fluttershy greeted.

"Hey... you feeling tired too?" Spike wondered; noticing that Winslow was not behind her. "Say, where's Winslow? Did he go to sleep last night?"

"I'm here..." Winslow grunted in a brooding manner.

Winslow was dressed in regular clothing, which ironically, was odd, considering the fact he wore armor most of the time. He was clad in a white, short-sleeved shirt two buttons near the neckline. His arms were large and had bulging veins running up them, along with many scars collected over years of fighting. Even without armor, his presence was more than intimidating. Spike passed him, and the rest of the ponies in the group a plate full of zucchini, besides Twilight of course. Although Fluttershy was a little flustered the night before, she wasn't flat-out drunk like Twilight.

"So, when did you get back?" Spike asked Winslow; shovelling a forkful of bacon into his mouth.

"Not long after the rest of you fell asleep," Winslow replied quickly.

Spike felt guilty about bringing up the paladins the night before. Although Winslow didn't show it, Spike could see the troubled look in his good eye, and he began to take note of his distant behaviour.

"So, what happens next Coba? In the next round I mean." Winslow changed the subject.

"Well, this next round is all about teams. The two competitors from each team must now face off against others teams as well. Spike and I are one team." Coba explained. "Only the highest rated teams fight. Right now we are third in the rankings, which makes us a potential candidate team for round two."

"So it's relatively short?" Spike inquired; taking another forkful.

"Usually, if things run smooth," Coba said with a mouthful of zucchini. "Mmm... this is good Spike! Twilight, did you know Spike could cook like this?"

"Not really, no. Although he did always have an affinity for food!" Twilight said in a teasing manner.

"I can't deny that." Spike laughed; as did the others.

Twilight tried tasting her breath, and what she got was a truly putrid taste similar to that of vomit or rotten tomatoes. Being the OCD ridden clean-freak that she was, she quickly raced to the bathroom without a word.

"What was that?" Gin asked Spike as she watched Twilight race down the hallway to the bathroom. "It's as if she was on fire!"

"Ah, she's just a little afraid of filth is all. And the way she looks now, pretty much screams filth." Spike sighed as he heard the door slam shut from down the narrow hallway.

Twilight opened and closed the bathroom door quickly, yet quietly. She grabbed her toothbrush from the cupboard bellow and ran it under the cool water. She put a thin layer of toothpaste on the top of the brush and began to rub her molars and tongue frantically. She scrubbed the back, the front, the bottom, pretty much any angle of her mouth that was brush-able. She did it so fast, in fact, that she barely tasted the mint in the toothpaste as she took a mouthful of water and began to gargle.

She swished it around for a moment before spitting frothy liquid out into the porcelain sink. She looked up at the mirror to see a tired mare. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was numb. However, that wasn't the only thing she saw. In the open shower behind her there was a figure. Out of the corner of her eye she barely made it out, but... as she slowly moved her gaze towards the mysterious pony, she began to make out what it looked like. She screamed and fell back out of sheer terror.

"What was that?" Spike said as he heard the screams emanating from the bathroom.

"I don't know, but it doesn't sound good." Gin said as she got to her hooves.

"I'll see what it is." Winslow insisted s he trudged down the hallway; hoping it was not Haki.

The figure was a stallion, but unlike any she had seen before. His build was lanky and frail, and his complexion looked like that of a freshly dead corpse that was losing its pigmentation. He wore a white suit that seemed to be sewn out of a straight-jacket of sorts, only it was tailored to look like a tuxedo. His eyes were large swirling pools of black and white, and they almost put Twilight into a daze as she looked deeper and deeper. His grey and ragged hair were a long mohawk that was spiked forward in nonsensical directions. Most disturbing of all, however, was his smile. A snarling maw of sharp, jagged teeth that stretched all the way to his ears, and inside it was a gaping hole of pure blackness.

Twilight's next response was to turn her head and face her attacker, but was dumbfounded to find that the stallion wasn't in the shower, in fact, when she turned her head back to face the mirror once more, the creature was gone.

Winslow opened the door, and found Twilight, with a stunned expression on her face. "I heard screaming, what's wrong?"

"I- I saw somepony, in the mirror..." Twilight stuttered. "He was tall, and his eyes were so... and his mouth was just teeth, sharp teeth!"

"Slow down Twilight... what did you see?" Winslow uttered in a soothing tone of voice.

"Some kind of... stallion. A tall one, with swirling eyes, and a toothy grin." Twilight panted. "What... was that?"

"Hmm. I had hoped we wouldn't have to deal with him just yet." Winslow said to himself.

"With who?" Twilight wondered.

"Gek, the Sorcerer of Mind, or more commonly known as the Sorcerer of Madness," Winslow said with genuine fear. "He's unpredictable, and will hop around from place to place; worming his way into the minds of others, and leading them astray."

"What is he doing here?" Twilight inquired further.

"Like I said, he's a wild card. You never know when, or why he shows up, he just does." Winslow explained. "Perhaps, it is an omen of what is to come..."

"What's coming?" Twilight said as she rose to her hooves.

"I don't know." Winslow pondered.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Four: An Electrifying Beginning to Round Two!

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"Good morning ladies and gentlecolts!" The announcer shouted. "This is the moment you've been waiting for! It's time for the final round of the tournament!"

The crowd bellowed in excitement as the announcer bowed to his audience.

"Yes, yes," he smirked, "now I know you didn't just come here to see me ramble, but I think I should give you a proper introduction to Round Two!"

Half of the crowd booed in response but calmed down as soon as the announcer raised his hands to silence their impatience.

"Now, in our final round, you- the audience, choose which teams will face each other in the arena." The announcer said as he gestured to the center of the arena. "Now, you may ask, 'Mr. Announcer, how do thousands of ponies choose? Counting them would take days!', well, allow me to introduce you to a new addition to this little tournament of ours... the voting sphere!"

A massive trap door opened at the center of the arena, and out from it sprang a massive crystal ball that hovered in the air; making a whirring noise as it levitated.

"The next step is simple. At each chair is a slip of paper tucked right beneath a slot in the left-armrest." The announcer explained. "This paper is enchanted, and after signing the team-name on the bottom, and checking off the box to verify your decision, the voting sphere will tally up the numbers and give us a result. Choose wisely, because in Round Two, the rules of elimination stay the same as they were in Round One; any team that loses... is knocked out for good."

"That contraption is new..." Coba said as he marveled at the massive globe suspended in the sky from the competitor's box.

"What, the globe?" Spike said; staring up at the sphere with Coba. "We use them a lot in Equestria to tally up votes. Granted, not with this many bodies of course. There must be tens of thousands in here!"

"Now fans! Choose your teams!" The announcer yelled.

The voting sphere began to whir louder as thousands of beams of light shot out from the voting slips into it. After a few minutes time, the ball retreated back into the trap door and sent a beam into a slip in the announcer's hand.

"Alright then," he said as he cleared his throat, "I will choose the two most-wanted teams for this first fight. Our first team and most-wanted is... the Ausrüstung team; Angreifer and Verteidiger!"

Angreifer stepped out onto the arena in a lightly-armored mechanized suit. Her partner wasn't actually a pony at all, but a hulking automation made of gold-colored steel. Although it was shaped like a stallion, its proportions were way off; it towered at over ten feet tall, and its huge left-forearm seemed to be some sort of cannon. Steam billowed out from its mouth and its eyes shone an empty white glow; looking blankly at the ground. He didn't actually exit the pit like normal competitors, however. He was so large, that he was instead lifted inside by a platform through the sphere's trap door.

"What is that monstrosity?!" Twilight gawked at the steaming pile of steel; looking to Draven to see his reaction. "What is that strange creature?"

"That's no creature at all... it's an Ausrüstrian Dampfriesen. The mechanized heavy-hitters of their army." Draven said; looking intensely at the clanking contraption. "They don't feel pain, fear, or compassion. They do pretty much whatever their Ausrüstrian commanders tell them to."

"An army of golems..." Twilight muttered to herself.

"They're a lot more than just regular magically-created golems, I'll tell you that much. This one may seem impressive, but it's nothing compared to some I've heard about." Draven said with a scowl on his face. "Monsters towering to fifty-feet."

Twilight tried to imagine such a beast but quickly snapped back to reality as she briefly visualized it.

"Our next team is... the Miriad Empire; Galaeron and Syrune!" The announcer shouted with excitement.

Galaeron stepped out into the arena with his female partner. Like him, she was clad in silver armour and wielded a bow rather than a crossbow. Her armor wasn't as extensive as his and a cape was not present in her attire, suggesting she was of lower rank or was more a roguish type than he was. They stepped out to face the steel-titan head on, and their expressions were a sort of silent-ferocity, a contained determination. Angreifer walked up to Syrune and spat on the ground; smirking as she turned around and prepared Vernteidiger for battle.

"What was that about?" Spike wondered; seeing the hatred in the eyes of Syrune.

"Ausrüstrians and Miriads don't get along, never have," Coba explained. "There's no particular reason, besides their differences in philosophy, but other than that, they just don't like each other."

"Alright then..." The announcer said in an uneasy tone of voice; trying to ignore the 'spat' between the two teams. "It's, uh, time we begin the fight!"

Verteidiger clanked and steamed as it prepared its weaponry; Angreifer doing the same as she loaded her rifle with bullets.

"Verteidiger, non-lethal, but make it hurt..." Angreifer sneered.

"Affirmative." Verteidiger moaned in a low and robotic voice.

"Prepare yourself Syrune, this Ausrüstrian doesn't mess around," Galaeron warned Syrune. "Aim for the giant's chest. That's where its power is stored."

"Right."

"Three! Two! One! Fight!" The crowd shouted along with the announcer.

Vernteidiger shot off a blast of energy from its arm-cannon that hurled towards Syrune at lightning speeds. Luckily, she was quick enough to dodge the blast and charged forward with her bow drawn; firing off two magic-arrows that burned like a frozen flame. Vernteidiger raised its arms to defend, and successfully blocked the arrows. It charged at Syrune soon after and gave her a hard backhand; knocking her back with great force, and nearly shattering her armor.

"Syrune!" Galaeron cried as he charged at the mechanized-monster with his crossbow at the ready.

Before he could aid Syrune, he was struck by a firm steel-toed kick from Angreifer. He fell backwards into a roll and recovered, but he took a moment to realize what had happened; grabbing his jaw as he felt the pain of the blow. He looked over to Syrune, and to his relief, she was up and fighting again.

"I'm fine, just take care of her!" Syrune ordered Galaeron.

Galaeron jumped up and smashed Angreifer on the head with the wooden end of his crossbow; staggering her. He then followed up with a kick, but it was caught by Angreifer's literal "iron grip". She threw him to the ground and tried stomping on his chest, but he rolled to the side and shot his crossbow; landing a bolt right between a gap in her chest-plate. She clutched the bolt and pulled it out; letting out a few grunts and groans of pain as she felt the blood pour out from the hole in her rib-cage.

"Alright... now it's my turn." Angreifer panted as she pressed a button on her gauntlet. "Vernteidiger status report."

"Energy levels at ninety-one percent capacity. Armour at ninety-five percent integrity." A robotic voice from her gauntlet buzzed.

Syrune jumped on Verteidiger's back and began firing her bow into the robot's spine; inflicting massive damage to its body.

"Shake her off!" Angreifer ordered the metal beast.

Vernteidiger's torso spun around and around until Syrune flew off; receiving another crushing backhand from its arm as she was tossed to the ground. She fell on her back hard and felt the steel plates on her back smash into her shoulder blades as she hit the earth; sending a wave of pain across her body.

"Vernteidiger status report!" Angreifer talked into her gauntlet.

"Energy levels at eighty-six percent capacity. Armour at seventy-two percent integrity." The robotic voice answered.

"Launch electrical barrage!" Angreifer commanded.

"Preparing to fire electrical barrage on the count of three... two... one... firing." The robotic voice uttered in a calculating way.

Vernteidiger began firing a hail of electrical bursts from a shoulder mounted gun. They shot upwards, then fell to the ground like a mortar; striking the ground near Galaeron and electrifying him.

"Galaeron!" Syrune shouted as she got back on her hooves.

Syrune fired an arrow into the barrel of Vernteidiger's shoulder mounted cannon and caused it to jam; rendering it useless. She then fired another arrow into the metal giant's chest, causing it to short-circuit for a moment.

"Dammit!" Angreifer shouted in frustration. "Status report!"

"Energy levels at fifty-two percent capacity. Armour at sixty percent integrity." The voice in her gauntlet replied.

Galaeron grabbed the dirt off the ground and threw it into Angreifer's eyes. She stumbled back and tried rubbing her eyes, but the sand would not come out easy. Galaeron took his opportunity and gave her a swift kick to the head; knocking her to the ground. He then focused his efforts on Vernteidiger and whistled to get the metallic monster's attention.

As Vernteidiger turned, Galaeron fired two bolts that struck it right in the eyes; blinding the robot. It tried to knock him away, but he was too quick, and he managed to drive his hidden-dagger straight into its chest. Vernteidiger exploded with great force; launching Galaeron back. Angreifer soon recovered as she heard the "boom" and witnessed the destruction of her mechanized partner.

Syrune and Galaeron closed in on Angreifer, who stood still; waiting for the right moment to launch a surprise attack. As they prepared their weapons, she smiled.

"Engage Pegasus Mode." She smiled.

"Engaging Pegasus Mode." Her armor affirmed.

A pair of wings sprouted from her back. However, these were not the wings of a regular pegasi, these wings were made of a leathery-brown substance, and appeared bat-like in design. They stretched out to their full length before flapping down, and with one mighty thrust she was lifted into the air.

"Wings?!" Twilight uttered in shock. "Where did those come from?"

"One of Ausrüstung's crowning achievements." Draven said; slightly worried. "The ability to give earth ponies the power of flight."

Angreifer dove at Syrune; smashing her into the wall at high-speeds. She then beat her down; giving her a jab, a right cross, and a knee to the chest. Syrune fell to the ground soon after; utterly destroyed by the incapacitating blows.

"Damn you!" Galaeron cursed Angreifer as he fired his crossbow.

"These wings are made to block bullets! " Angreifer laughed as her wings blocked the bolts. "They can sure as hell block your flimsy arrows!"

"How about a sword?" Galaeron said as he drew his saber; challenging Angreifer to a duel.

"Very well." Angreifer responded to his challenge as she reached into her pocket and grabbed a metal stick.

The metal stick expanded into a large quarter-staff with two prongs at each end that sparked as she waved the staff about.

"Let's go!" Angreifer bellowed as she charged at the on-guard Miriad.

Angreifer swung at him with her staff; striking him in the chest. As it impacted, he felt a strong jolt of electricity course through his body and down through his spine. The force blew him back, and he quickly got to his hooves before she could strike again. This time, he blocked her staff.

"An electrified staff? How uncivilized..." Galaeron mocked the armoured mare as their weapons became locked in a clash; sending sparks flying.

Angreifer pushed against Galaeron and staggered him; giving him another prod with her staff. Galaeron recuperated again and slashed her wing off. He then gave her a firm kick to the chest and slashed off another wing.

Angreifer became furious, as she swung with great ferocity and speed. However, Galaeron blocked every strike; making her even angrier. She tried thrashing him again, but this time, Galaeron slashed her across the gap in her chest-piece, then her arms, and then her legs. She fell to the ground; blood leaking from her armor. Galaeron held his saber close to her neck.

"Yield Ausrüstrian," Galaeron demanded.

It was then that Angreifer noticed the head of Vernteidiger was right behind Galaeron; giving her an idea.

"You know, you can take a lot of electricity Miriad. I wonder, how much can you take? Let's find out, shall we?" Angreifer smirked.

"What are you talking- Arraahhh!" Galaeron cried as he felt two sharp objects embed themselves inside his back.

Galaeron looked back to see two wires attached to his back that led to the disembodied head of Vernteidiger, and before he could cut them off... electricity traveled up the wires into his body. He screamed until Vernteidiger ran out of power, and he fell to the ground in a heap, unconscious.

The crowd remained silent for a moment, watching Angreifer struggle to get to her hooves. Sure enough however, she got up using the last of her energy and raised her arms in triumph; the crowd cheering as she did so.

"Angreifer wins! Ausrüstung wins!" The announcer shouted.

"Well, I'll be damned..." Coba muttered to himself in relief. "That was a close fight."

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Five: The Lost Town of Liberty & The Crystal Empire vs The Changeling Empire!

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"Now wasn't that something folks?!" The announcer asked the satisfied crowd."Now, we must take a short break to clean the arena, so please be patient! It will only take a few minutes.

It certainly was something. The arena was scarred by blasts, and the rock foundation was cracked by the cumbersome weight of Vernteidiger's steel-hooves. A cleaning crew rolled in to dispose of the wrecked automation, and earth mages used their magic to repair and reinforce the cracks and holes made by the last fight.

Spike watched as the injured Miriads were dragged off the battlefield to the infirmary by Wantthai guards. Syrune was battered and bruised horribly by Vernteidiger's vicious blows, and Galaeron had two cauterized puncture marks in his back where the two wires had entered his body and electrocuted him. Spike was appalled by the sheer brutality of the hulking steel-beast, as was Twilight, who watched from Equestrian's viewing box along with Draven and the others; situated high above the roaring crowd.

"It's incredible how much destruction one of those metal-giants can cause..." Twilight muttered quietly to herself; looking down at the scarred arena. "How can they create such technological monstrosities? Who are these 'Ausrüstrians'? "

"Are you saying you didn't know about Ausrüstung?" Gin was surprised by Twilight's lack of knowledge on the subject, and she inquired further; wondering why Twilight knew so little. "Your princesses never mentioned anything to you? Your schools don't teach children about Ausrüstung in your history class, or whatever you Equestrians do when you're young?"

"No, I can't say that I have heard of Ausrüstung," Twilight confirmed her lack of knowledge to Gin and the others.

"I think I know why." A quiet voice behind the group chimed in.

It was Fluttershy. She and Winslow emerged from the staircase leading into the main room of the Equestrian quarters, and she picked up on their conversation just as they approached Twilight and the others.

"I-um... have a secret I've been keeping from you and the rest of our friends, Twilight." Fluttershy bowed her head, trying to conjure up the courage to speak her mind.

"It's okay Fluttershy, you can tell us," Twilight assured the nervous mare.

"Um, okay..." Fluttershy said with an uneasy expression. "Back in Equestria, I ventured out into Everfree looking for Angel, the usual. Only this time, I stumbled on something..."

Twilight and the others remained silent; letting Fluttershy continue.

"Eventually, I found him, but he wasn't in a hollowed out log or up a tree. He led me to an abandoned town." Fluttershy explained.

"A town in the middle of Everfree?" Twilight thought to herself.

"It was old, very old. But, at the same time it wasn't. The houses were made of metal, and there were broken chariots that lined the streets, only it didn't seem like they needed to be pulled." Fluttershy continued, taking a deep breath. "Then, I saw it..."

Fluttershy began to tremble in fear, and Winslow tried to calm her down. He succeeded, and she came to her senses soon after.

"It's alright Fluttershy. Tell me what you saw..." Twilight tried he best soothing the panicked mare.

"It was... standing in the street, near the center of town-- a big, lumbering creature made of metal. It looked like that thing that just fought in the arena. Only, it wasn't as big. It was my size." Fluttershy claimed, shivering with fear. "I thought it was a lost pony, and I called out to it. That's when I felt Angel's heart beat faster, and then I knew something was wrong."

Fluttershy held herself tightly to cope with the anxiety she felt, and the terrible memories she visualized over and over. She took another deep breath and continued.

"The creature's head turned all the way around to face me, and that's when I knew it wasn't a pony." Fluttershy cried. "It's eyes were so empty, I knew it wasn't alive. It ran at me, and I told Angel to run and hide, but the monster turned its whole body and began running at me on all fours. We ran and ran until we reached the edge of Everfree. He tried grabbing Angel... it tried to catch him, but I wouldn't let it... I couldn't let it."

"So what happened then?" Gin asked.

"When we finally made it to the edge of the forest, I looked back and saw the monster running at full-speed. I thought it would get us, but just before it reached the edge of Everfree... it hit something." Fluttershy cleared her throat and continued. "It wasn't a tree stump or a rock, it was jumping, and it looked like it hit a wall."

"A wall? Like a magical barrier?" Twilight wondered. "And you passed through it... so that means it was very high-level magic. The only kind of pony I know that could cast a spell like that is an...-"

"Alicorn," Draven finished her sentence, "it was an alicorn."

"Well, after I escaped, I sent a letter to Celestia that told her about my experience," Fluttershy added. "She didn't write back... she visited me personally instead."

"Personally? How come I didn't hear about this?" Twilight said; slightly angered by Celestia's secrecy.

"She told me to never tell anyone about what I saw, she didn't even ask if I was alright. It was the first time she actually scared me..." Fluttershy whimpered.

"That doesn't seem like her at all." Twilight thought. "Why would she be so blunt?"

"If I may interject again, I think I know what Fluttershy saw back in Equestria." Draven wormed his way into the conversation again. "I think Fluttershy might have stumbled on the lost town of Liberty."

"Liberty? What in Equestria is that?" Twilight asked.

"Two hundred years ago, four intellectuals; a scribe from the Crystal Empire, a general from Canterlot, a scientist from Manehattan, and the mayor of Ponyville met in secret. They were unhappy with the monarchy that ruled over Equestria, and the system of identification known as 'cutie marks'. " Draven explained. "They devised a philosophical idea, one that would shake the very foundation of Equestria, known as democracy. It was a system of government in which officials are elected by a nation and nobility isn't required. Instead of a princess, the leader in this new system would be called a president, and even the president would be elected once every so often."

"That's astounding! A nation ruled by an elected official?" Twilight became extremely interested in the topic at hand, not realizing she had interrupted Draven. "Go on, please, go on!"

"After many months of planning, the four ponies began construction of a town they named Liberty. They invited ponies from across the nation in secret, to join their community, and many did. The scientist began constructing technological wonders and released them to the public, the scribe wrote down laws and rights on documents, the general defended his people with an army of loyal soldiers, and the mayor made the scribe's writings law. Their little experiment became a total success, and the ponies living there were extremely happy with the way things were run in Liberty. But, it didn't last." Draven's jolly demeanor shifted to melancholy as he went on with his story. "Celestia was against their movement, and so, the rest of Equestria was as well. Celestia charged into the town with her troops, but she was halted by the four ponies who had defied her."

"Four ordinary ponies stared Celestia down?" Twilight muttered under her breath.

"Aye, it takes stones to do such a thing, but they believed in their little town, and they defended it," Draven said, more confident. "They had renamed themselves, on their own terms. Archibald Mason- her former general- Valiant Hoof, Ivan Aquarius- the scientist from Manehattan- Brilliant Spark, Natascha Chetbrovsky- the scribe from the Crystal Empire- Righteous Pen, and Richard Chesterfield- the former mayor of Ponyville- Mayor Old Glory. They had signed a document, declaring their independence, and secession from the Equestrian monarchy."

"So then what happened?" Twilight asked.

"Celestia ordered them to leave," Winslow answered. "So they left and took their technology with them. They sailed east, and eventually found refuge in the Blacklands, and settled on the west coast, where the land was rich with resources."

"That's what Fluttershy found in Everfree, the ruins of Liberty. And that automation was one of the few machines they left behind." Draven informed Twilight and the others.

"And Celestia must have put that barrier up to make sure those robots wouldn't escape." Twilight deduced. "But, why would she do something like that? It doesn't seem like her..."

"She was a different ruler back then," Winslow added. "She was prone to irrational actions."

The group was silent for a moment, and Twilight looked over to the King of Wantthai, who simply sat and smiled at her with kind eyes, oblivious to the conversation. The look on his face calmed Twilight, and she took a deep breath to gather her thoughts. She thought she knew Celestia, she thought she knew the mare who wore the crown, but she was mistaken. "What else could she be hiding?", "Are there other secrets she's hidden from her subjects?". These were questions that ran rapid in her mind.

"Maybe we should end our little history lesson." Gin stated jovially as she saw the troubled expression on Twilight's face.

"Ladies and gentlecolts! You've waited long enough! It's time for the next fight!" The announcer yelled out to the crowd as he stepped onto his balcony above the arena. "Release the voting sphere!"

Out from the center of the arena rose the sphere. The audience then prepared their voting slips, and beams of light shot out from the enchanted paper into the glowing crystal globe. The sphere made whirring sounds as it filled with votes, and it lowered itself back into its hole in the center.

"Alright folks, let's see what we got!" The announcer shouted to the eager audience. "Our first two fighters are... Viper and Sigrid, representing the Changelings!"

Regardless of who won, Spike couldn't deny that the Changeling's team was a force to be reckoned with. Spike shuddered to think about how powerful the two would be together. His fight with Sigrid was long and difficult, and his fight with Viper was fast-paced and brutal.

"Or the second team is... Stín and Armandura, representing the Crystal Empire!" The announcer cheered.

This match would be tough, as the Crystal Empire's team was equally terrifying. Stín was a mage with otherworldly powers, and Armandura was a battle-mage; beating one of the Miriad's best soldiers in hand to hand combat.

"This'll be interesting!" Draven stated with a hefty laugh.

"Yes it will be," Twilight said with smile, "I'm eager to see Stín fighting again. I'd love to study his magic further."

"Although that battle-mage with the shroud seems pretty durable as well." Draven suggested; playing out scenarios in his head, trying to figure out who'd win the match. "Both sides have tricks up their sleeves."

The two teams assembled on opposite sides of the arena. Stín prepared his sword made of shadows and staff of light, and Armandura summoned a sword and shield made of purple energy. Viper took two daggers and cut across his back; two green tendrils emerging from his wounds. Sigrid tossed the armor encasing her cursed-arm aside and revealed the large skinless-limb within.

The two fighters from the Crystal Empire said nothing, but simply looked at each other and nodded, to make sure they were prepared. Viper gave Stín a hiss followed by a tongue display, but the quiet stallion paid no attention to Viper's ruckus.

"Ready? Three! Two! One! Fight!" The announcer joined in with the audience.

"Been waiting to fight you, wizard." Viper snarled as he began to circle around the Crystal Empire's team along with Sigrid.

"I'm going to have a lot of fun tearing you apart." Sigrid taunted Armandura.

"They are tenacious," Stín muttered to Armandura, "but that only prolongs the inevitable."

"Let's begin!" Armandura shouted as he advanced; landing a shield-bash on Sigrid.

"Why you little pest!" Sigrid growled as she tossed Armandura aside.

Armandura fell into a dive-roll and quickly got back on his hooves. He retaliated with an upwards sword-slash, but it was caught by Sigrid's cursed-arm. Armandura used Sigrid's arm as leverage to yank himself towards her face; giving her a hard punch right to her snout.

"Damn you." Sigrid cursed Armandura as she wiped the blood from her face.

Viper attacked Stín with great ferocity. His two tendrils reached out at the robed wizard at lightning speeds, but they were blocked by a wall of light that manifested as Stín struck the ground with his staff. Viper moved quickly and strafed to the side of Stín's wall; slashing him across his chest with another slimy tendril.

"Shadow Slash!" Stín shrugged Viper's attack off and slashed the air with his sword; releasing a wave of dark energy that Viper blocked with great difficulty.

"Damn that magic is strong." Gin uttered with a light chuckle; impressed by the abilities of the wizard.

"It certainly is. Viper had no trouble blocking Spike's basic attacks before, but with Stín, it's a whole different story." Draven added.

Armandura was holding his own well against Sigrid, despite her arm's impressive strength. He landed another savage kick that knocked the ax out of her normal hand, but Sigrid counterattacked with her cursed-arm; knocking him back. He recovered again- standing firmly, and brought his shield to his chest as a sign of respect.

"An Equestrian Ubique? That's a soldier's way of saying 'good hit'!" Twilight was pleased but also suspicious of the familiar action. "Is he ex-military?"

Sigrid took the salute as an insult and lashed out at him with her hand's bony claws. Armandura saw it coming and moved his head to the side; Sigrid's attack barely grazing the side of his shrouded head. As Armandura rushed past the strike, he brought his arm out and close-lined the angered mare.

"You bastard!" Sigrid groaned in pain as she got back on her hooves.

"He's a pile-driver that Armandura," Draven laughed, "built like a wall!"

Viper launched a ball of slimy liquid that began to wrap around Stín's body and immobilize him. Viper took the initiative and sliced Stín again, but it only angered the wizard. Stín's cold expression became furious as his eyes began to burn like white-fire.

"Burning Flash!" Stín bellowed as his body released a wave of omni-directional light; disintegrating the slimy prison around him, and knocking Viper back.

"That damn near blinded me!" Gin complained as she rubbed her eyes.

Viper got to his hooves quickly and began to scream and snarl like a beast. His head and body morphed like it did before, and Viper became a half changeling- half snake once more.

"Just like our last fight!" Spike pointed out to Coba.

"Yes." Coba agreed. "He will be harder to deal with now."

"Kill you..." Viper moaned in a raspy voice. "Kill you!"

Viper lunged at Stín, but Stín was waiting, and slashed him across the shoulder as he dodged the attack. Viper's anger redoubled, and he whipped him around with his tendrils; finally knocking him down with brute force. Stín got up and vanished in an instant.

"Where did he go?" Draven wondered as he scanned the arena with his eyes.

"He became a shadow," Twilight said as she pointed down at the misshapen shadow beneath Viper's feet.

"Where did you go?" Viper hissed. "Where did you-."

Viper's speech was cut-off as a large shadow rose up from the ground, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground.

"Still your tongue snake..." Stín's shadow groaned. "Shadow Crush."

Stín's shadowy body wrapped around and grasped Viper's body like a vice-grip, causing him to writhe in pain. Viper grimaced at this and attempted to bite down on Stín. However, Stín retreated, knowing a nip from Viper could mean death.

"Do you intend to kill me, beast?" Stín asked Viper.

Viper said nothing and hissed at the hooded wizard with malicious intent.

Armandura lunged at Sigrid with his sword, but Sigrid blocked and knocked Armandura on the head, making his ears ring from the force of the impact. Regardless of the pain, he got back up and struck Sigrid in the face with his shield again and again. It wasn't out of anger, but pure determination, smashing her over and over until she stumbled back. Armandura realized she was finished, and tossed her into the center. He turned his head and then focused his efforts on Viper.

Viper attempted to claw at Stín, but before he could, a hard shield made of magic slammed into the side of his face; smashing him down. Armandura then threw Viper into the center of the arena with Sigrid.

"Let's finish it!" Armandura yelled to Stín, although the cowl muffled his speech.

Stín's weapons disintegrated, and his hands rose; preparing to cast a final incantation.

"Strike from Neplatný, up towards Nebe!" Stín uttered in a booming voice.

A ring of shadows formed on the ground; encircling his two foes. And when they tried to stand up, they were immobilized by some unseen force.

"Strike from Nebe- down towards Neplatný!" Stín's shout echoed for miles.

A magic circle of light formed above Sigrid and Viper; granting them absolutely no method of escape.

"I- I can't move!" Viper grunted as he tried lifting his arm.

"Me neither!" Sigrid moaned.

Armandura threw his shield between the two magical barriers; creating a third magic circle. It spun rapidly, as did the other two when Stín raised his hands to cast the final spell.

"Brace yourself!" The announcer warned the crowd.

"Equilibrium Shield Crush!" Stín and Armandura yelled at the top of their lungs, their voices echoing all around the stadium.

A contained blast of light, darkness, and purple energy swirled within the three magic circles. And the two trapped within felt the intense power scorch their bodies, feeling their power being drained. A wave of energy escaped the spell, giving off a warm glow, and eventually petering out as the circles faded. Stín lowered his hands and fell to his knees; having spent all of his magical power. As the smoke cleared, the unconscious bodies of Sigrid and Viper became visible.

"It is done." Stín uttered with his head bowed from sheer exhaustion.

"Oh- oh my!" The announcer said in disbelief. "The Crystal Empire wins! The Crystal Empire wins!"

The crowd went mad. They tossed their food in the air and hollered "Crystal Empire" over and over until their voices gave out. Spike and Coba were speechless, terrified by the duo's incredible power. They shuddered to think what would happen if they fought the two mages.

"That was..." Draven almost lost his words. "Unbelievable!"

Twilight said nothing. She had never seen a spell that used, not two, but three different magic types to subdue a target, it was unheard of. She pulled out a notebook and began frantically writing down notes.

"What in the world are you doing?" Gin wondered as she looked down at the shaking alicorn.

"I have to write this down! That was amazing! Remarkable! I have only heard legends of Starswirl merging magic like that!" Twilight's hands shook with childlike excitement. "And I witnessed it!"

"Oh, such a teacher's pet..." Gin teased the ecstatic mare.

Twilight wrote down her thoughts for a while before reaching the end of the page. Near the bottom, she noticed some writing... not hers. It was sloppily written scribbles, but she could make out the words nonetheless.

Nice notebook you got here!

-Your Friend

Mr. G

As she read the words, she didn't hear her own voice reading them... it was someone else's-- psychopathic and cold. Her whole body shook as she heard laughter echo in her mind; and again, it wasn't her own.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Six: The Worm & Cyro and Jhettei vs Spike and Coba!

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Twilight felt her hands shake; dropping the letter to the ground as she brought her hand to her forehead. Twilight hunched over on her chair and tried to conceal her fear and doubt as she then proceeded to bury her face into her hands. Gin looked back and caught a glimpse of the distress on Twilight's face. She hadn't seen her so disturbed before, which was odd, considering the fact she had been such a level-headed individual around her friends.

"Twilight, is something wrong?" Gin moved over to Twilight and crouched down; trying to look in her eyes.

Draven and Winslow also approached Twilight; realizing Twilight's sudden, and noticeable change in behavior.

"Twilight, what is it?" Winslow asked; looking down at the shaking mare.

"I- I..." Twilight's words seemed to fall out of her mouth. "Look."

Twilight reached back into her pocket and gave Winslow her notebook; directing him to the correct page. He examined the page, and his eyes widened as he analyzed the bottom signature.

"What is it?" Draven read through the notebook as well, and the exact same expression appeared on his face as well.

Winslow and Draven looked up at each other and gave a nod. Winslow grabbed Twilight's wrist and dragged her out of her chair. Draven followed behind them and ordered Gin and Fluttershy to stay. Winslow pulled Twilight down the narrow hallway leading to her room, and almost tossed her inside her bathroom as he opened the door abruptly.

"What's going on?" Twilight panicked as her rear slammed onto the tiled floor of her bathroom.

Draven said nothing and brought Twilight to her feet; gesturing towards the mirror in front of them as he looked at Twilight. "What do you see?"

"What do you mean-."

"Look closer Twilight, focus!" Winslow seemed desperate as if Twilight were mortally wounded and he was trying to save her. "Look for anything strange or unusual."

Twilight did as instructed, and she peered into the mirror; focusing her eyes on whatever Draven and Winslow wanted to show her. Eventually, she found it, and it wasn't in the background behind them, it was her own face. She noticed that her eyes were darkened, almost black. They bulged out like fish-eyes and seemed to move around aimlessly. When she focused her gaze even more, she could make out small puple dots in the center of each eye. She cocked her head to the side in fear and buried her face in Draven's neck.

"Did you see something? You must tell us now." Draven ordered the terrified alicorn.

Twilight took a deep breath and looked back at her reflection; her eyes returned to normal. "My eyes, they were black, with white spots near the center of each one."

Winslow grabbed Twilight and looked her in the eyes; removing his patch to examine her closely. "Let me have a look."

Winslow's eye stared into hers, and it was a feeling that Twilight had never experienced before. When the eye looked at her, it wasn't actually "at her". It appeared to see through her and looked not at her eye, but her soul. As his eye looked into her, she felt her body go numb, and weak. His eye began to glow green as it focused harder. Eventually, he found whatever he was looking for, and the eye began to claw at it with an unseen, ethereal hand; tearing whatever disturbances she had.

Twilight felt her body regain motion, but her mouth was still numb, and her words failed her once again. "What did you-."

"My eye looked into your soul and saw something dark. I took care of it." Winslow stood up; aiding Twilight back on her hooves as she teetered a bit.

"What was... 'it'?" Twilight asked the both of them.

"A infernal-worm. A demonic tool used by Gek to drive ponies mad that embeds itself inside a victim's mind. He must have planted it in you when you witnessed him in the mirror last night." Winslow suggested.

"Do you think it's gone now?" Twilight wondered.

"There's no way to be certain of it," Draven answered; looking into Twilight's eyes to make sure she was clean. "Until Winslow's spell wears off, you won't be seeing any more visions or hallucinations."

"How long will it take for the spell to wear off?" Twilight massaged her temple; trying to soothe her throbbing head.

"A few weeks to a month. It varies based on who I cast it on, and the severity of the infection." Winslow explained. "Only time will tell if you are truly cured."

"Perfect..." Twilight groaned as she lowered her head; shaking it from side to side in frustration. "What do I do now?"

"You mustn't tell Spike or the others. Keep it to yourself until we know more." Winslow insisted. "Maybe... maybe if it's not dead, we could use the worm."

"What do you mean, 'use it'?" Twilight began to shake nervously.

"Gek is trying to corrupt you. He doesn't often toy with mortals unless they have something he wants, so you must be of some importance to him." Winslow suggested. "If the worm is still alive, I can use it to-. "

"To what?!" Draven stamped his foot in disapproval. "Are you suggesting we use Twilight like a living map?"

"We can use it to find out where Gek is hiding the stone. If it is alive, I can use my eye to make a connection with him, find out what he's planning." Winslow approached Draven; trying desperately to convince the stubborn dragon. "Gek is a wild-card- impossible to trace, you know that! If we try it now, we might be able to find him, kill him, and cure Twilight!"

Draven weighed the options and sighed; realizing Winslow's logic wasn't flawed. He turned to Twilight. "What do you think?"

"I don't know... what are the risks?" Twilight said in defeat; knowing it was their best option to find the Stone of Mind.

"It could quicken the recuperation time of the worm to less than a week, but like I said, it varies based on a variety of factors." Winslow informed Twilight; putting a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.

Twilight thought for a moment. If this was the best way of finding the stone, she would do it. However, she thought about Spike- the anguish she would feel knowing that her sanity was at stake, and he could do nothing to save her. Then again, if she didn't do it, she wouldn't be able to find Gek, and cure herself.

Reluctantly, she looked up at Winslow "Do it."

Winslow nodded and sat her down on the closed toilet seat. He placed his hand on her forehead and shut his eyes. Twilight's vision was black for a time, but a flash of white brought her to a surreal vision.

The first thing Twilight felt was a strong gust of wind. It was warm, but antagonizing, and blurred her sight for a moment. As her "eyes" adjusted, she saw clouds zooming past her, she was flying- but higher than she had ever flown before. The sun was absent, as a dark layer of cloud covered the sky like a sheet above her. Bellow her was a massive city by a great ocean with towering buildings, and bright lights, unlike anything she had seen. The sea was rough and churned; smashing against the coastline of the city with tidal force. Despite the dreariness of the environment, it had a certain beauty to it that she couldn't explain.

However, her joy was cut short when she heard the sound of a deep, and echoing horn that made her whole body shake. At first she was unsure where it came from, but it soon became apparent when a massive shadow blocked her way. She couldn't make out the object at first, as it was shrouded by fog, but that changed when the fog began to move aside to accommodate the flying object.

It was an oddly shaped aircraft that must have been hundreds of feet long. It had a distinct oval shape to its body and moved quite slow. She didn't have enough time to examine it further, however because she realized that she was on a collision coarse with the strange flying machine. Twilight tried moving her body, but like a dream- the vision wouldn't allow it. She shielded herself with her hands to brace for impact and closed her eyes, but there was no impact at all.

"Twilight... Twilight! Can you hear me?" Winslow's voice was muffled, and his face was blurred.

"Wha-... what?!" Twilight was seeing in double at first, but her vision soon adjusted as she moved her head around.

As she came to her senses, she clasped her heart and began to hyperventilate in a panic. She was back in her bathroom with Draven and Winslow, but she felt numb again, so limp.

"Calm down Twilight, it's me." Winslow lightly shook Twilight, and sure enough, she was fully awake.

Twilight shook her head and shivered. "There was a-, and I-..."

"I know Twilight, I know. I saw it too." Winslow reassured the frightened mare as he held her by the cheeks; waiting until she calmed down.

"What happened?" Draven said in a worried voice. "Is she alright?"

"She'll be fine, she's just in shock is all," Winslow explained as he once again brought Twilight to her hooves.

"Did you find out anything about the stone? Did you find out where Gek is?" Draven inquired as he assisted Winslow in standing Twilight up.

"No, Twilight ended the vision before I had the chance to find out," Winslow said as he comforted the shocked mare. "She saw an Ausrüstrian zeppelin and the city of Ausrüstung itself. There is no doubt that the stone we seek is there, but where exactly... is still a mystery."

"Bloody-hell..." Draven patted Twilight on the head. "Will she be alright?"

"Yes." Winslow turned his head to Twilight. "Twilight? I need you to be calm so that others don't get suspicious of you. This was only a conversation about Spike, that's all they're going to know."

Twilight nodded her head rapidly to show she understood and closed her eyes to try and dispel memories of the vision that kept repeating themselves over and over in her mind. She took a few deep breaths before regaining her composure and walked out into her bedroom with Winslow and Draven.

"I'm fine now, thank you." Twilight walked down the hallway slowly, so as not to lose balance again.

"Damn." Draven cursed under her breath. "First Spike seeing Leere in a dream, and now she has a bloody psychopath trying to worm his way into her head? Is everyone going crazy?"

"Such is the norm in a time where chaos reigns over all else." Winslow worried.

"Should we have prepared earlier?" Draven whispered to Winslow.

"No, the signs appeared long before Leere even began to stir, we just couldn't see it. The agents of darkness may not know of their master's presence, but they arise when the time is right, and in this case, it is now." Winslow imparted; giving Draven a pat on the shoulder before returning to the viewing balcony with Twilight.

"Better now, than yesterday..." Draven uttered with relief.

****

"Ladies and gentlecolts, I don't know about you, but that last fight was exhilarating! What do you think?" The announcer placed his hand on his ear to hear the crowd's roar of approval. "That's what I like to hear! Now, you all know what comes next... release the voting sphere!"

The sphere once again emerged from the trap door, hovering over the crowd and awaiting their votes. Beams of information shot out from the voting slips at great speed and materialized inside the giant globe. Once it was done collecting the votes, it lowered itself back into its hole at a tantalizing speed; trying to create an eagerness amongst the crowd. The announcer grabbed his newly processed slip and cleared his throat.

"Our first team is... the Northlands' team- Cyro and Jhettei!" The announcer bellowed with excitement, his eyes moving down the page to find the next pair of combatants. "Our second team is... the Equestrian Empire- Spike and Coba!"

Cyro passed Spike on his way out of the competitor's pit, giving him a firm handshake as a sign of respect towards his foe. "We may be friends now Hotshot, but I want you to know... I won't be so friendly out there, so you best be on your toes." Cyro's voice was less chipper than Spike was used to, which made him fairly nervous. Cyro made his way into the ring.

"He won't give up easily Spike, and Jhettei is in a league of his own. Are you ready?" Coba asked the young dragon as he got to his hooves.

"Well, no turning back now right?" Spike said uneasily.

"That's the spirit. C'mon, let's get going." Coba gestured to Spike as he began walking up the steps into the arena; urging him to follow.

Spike and Coba joined their opponents in the center of the arena, the crowd watching them every move. Cyro had been so friendly to him, and other competitors outside the ring, but inside, it was a different story. His calm and bright personality diminished, and a look of blind determination replaced his usual cheerful expression. He stared Spike down along with Jhettei, who had his eyes on Coba. Coba was eager to fight Jhettei again, and he knew that if he was going to beat such a skilled combatant he would need to utilize his skills in a far more controlled manner, rather than trying to overpower his adversary.

Spike felt the same way about Cyro. Taking into account that he was of the same race as his own, he'd have to retool his strategy. Dragons rely heavily on their magical abilities, and Cyro's abilities appeared more focused and specialized than Spike's way of wielding magic, which was to overpower his foe with as much firepower as possible. Although this method worked well against his previous opponents, it would not hold up well against Cyro's aggressive, but analytical fighting style.

"Fire and ice? That's an old war that has been waging for centuries." Winslow commented on the two dragons glaring at each other below. "I'm rooting for fire."

Draven said nothing but gave a grunt of approval as he heard Winslow.

"Alright, then folks! With me! Three! Two! One! Fight!" The announcer sang joyously.

The fighters got into their ready-stances and prepared themselves. Spike's fire swirled around him, ready to strike. Coba's talisman began to glow as he summoned his beast-strength. Cyro created a blade of ice as sharp as glass. And Jhettei took a deep breath and focused his inner energy.

"I'll take Cyro, you go for Jhettei!" Spike ordered Coba as he charged.

Cyro unleashed a blast of ice-cold from his left hand, the ground shivering and crackling their teeth as it passed overhead. The blast reached Spike, but Spike cast a wall of emerald fire that melted the attack away.

"His fire burned through that attack so easily!" Gin said in awe as she felt the warmth of the pillar of fire before her.

"It burns brighter and hotter than regular flames." Twilight informed Gin, feeling the heat of the fire as well. "Cyro will have to bolster the power of his attacks if he wants his ice to withstand the heat."

"But that would only drain his magic faster. He'll have to resort to close-quarter combat if he wants to stay in the fight." Draven uttered with the utmost seriousness; calculating every detail of the fight between the two dragons.

Cyro ran at Spike and lashed out with his ice sword; swinging at Spike's shoulders to try and incapacitate him. Spike predicted this and raised his arms to defend, his thick scales absorbing the impact and shattering Cyro's weapon. However, Cyro was able to re-forge his weapon faster than expected and began attacking again, almost immediately. This would take longer than he originally anticipated.

On the other side of the ring, Coba was faring well. He stood his ground and remained ever vigilant of Jhettei, who had many tricks up his sleeve. He was small, and could easily evade Coba's powerful jabs and crosses. Coba knew this and stayed at a distance, knowing that as long as he stayed out of Jhettei's range, he would emerge victorious. Coba backed off and threw a kick at the nimble stallion, but Jhettei ducked and attempted to close the distance by moving in. Coba reacted, and backed up; launching a firm jab that landed right in Jhettei's solar-plexus.

Jhettei was winded by the blow for a brief moment but quickly regained his strength as he stood back up. shrugging off the blow faster than any other warrior Coba had faced before.

"He took a blow right in the chest, from a stallion more than twice his size, and it only took mere moments for him to recover?" Draven was shocked by Jhettei's resilience, and Coba was as well.

Jhettei took a deep breath, and focused. He tensed every muscle in his body, his teeth grinding together as he fought through the intense pain of stressing every part of his body.

"Aianbodi!" Jhettei uttered under his breath as he relaxed his muscles.

He took another deep breath, and stood silently, awaiting Coba's next move.

"What did he just do?" Twilight wondered as she looked down at the motionless Jhettei, who stared blankly at Coba.

"I have no idea," Winslow admitted as he found himself flabbergasted by Jhettei's change in pace.

Coba attacked Jhettei with all his strength; ignoring his foe's reluctance to react. As he struck Jhettei however, he soon realized why he didn't bother defending. His fist made a "ding!" sound as it collided with Jhettei's jaw. Landing the hit pumped him up at first, but a sharp pain in his hand began to run up his arm. He looked down and was surprised to see that his fist was bleeding at an alarming rate, he almost shattered his knuckles when he struck Jhettei.

With a mixture of pain and anger, Coba began to strike Jhettei in the face again and again, but nothing worked. Coba did nothing but injure his hands further.

"What the hell was that?" Gin gawked at Coba's shattered hands.

"I have no clue, perhaps a technique of some sort?" Draven suggested as he waved his arms in uncertainty.

As Coba stepped back to rethink his strategy, Jhettei charged forward, a lot slower than he was before. Coba evaded him and pushed him back with a thrust from his foot.

"It seems that his technique comes at the price of movement," Winslow observed the slow pace of the previously agile fighter, noticing the added power in his attacks, and increased weight. "His blows have great power. Coba must be vigilant."

Spike began to have difficulty with Cyro's relentlessness. Every time he'd knock him away, the ice dragon would get right up close, and wear him down. He began to resort to magic attack rather than physical, and launched himself into the air with a jet of flame. As he flew higher, he bombarded the arena with great fireballs, blasting the rock around Cyro. To defend, Cyro summoned a dome of ice like the one he had used in his fierce battle with Stín. However, it did not hold up well. Spike slammed into the ground like a comet, surrounding himself in a veil of flame. He crashed into the dome and smashed it to pieces with his fiery power. "Dragon King's Comet!"

As Cyro flew back, he rammed his sword into the ground, slowing himself down to a grinding halt, and allowing himself to continue the fight. Spike launched another fireball, but this time, he shaped it into a disc and tossed it at incredible speeds. Cyro dodged, but the disc turned around and slammed into Cyro like a sack of bricks. The ice dragon fell to the ground, and with a grunt and heave, he returned to his feet.

"Alright, now it's serious," Cyro said with great intensity.

He yelled loudly before releasing an aura of glaciating energy that began swirling around him. The sound of cold wind and blizzards echoed as the energy formed into frozen armor. Eventually, Cyro was clad head to toe in ice armor that shone like glass and crystals. "Dragon Berzerker's Ice Armor!" Spike used an explosion of flame to launch himself forward, but he was cut off by Cyro's ice-encased fist that slammed into his face hard. Cyro then hammered Spike to the ground with a massive shard of ice that smashed to bits as it pummeled him downwards. "Dragon Berzerker's Ice Mace!"

"That could be troublesome..." Twilight muttered nervously as she watched Spike get beaten down.

Cyro battered Spike over and over with various ice-hammers, ice-swords, and ice-staffs; eventually overpowering him, and finally flattening him. Cyro ceased his assault and lowered his weapons.

"You put up a good fight Hotshot, but not good enough-." Cyro's sentence was cut short as a fiery fist hit him directly in the face, destroying his icy helmet.

"I'm not done yet!" Spike growled with determination as his flames began to consume his body, surrounding him in a bursting aura of fire.

"Dragon King's Fiery Breath!" Spike roared, and as he did so, an all-consuming blast of fire escaped his maw. The blast enveloped Cyro and exploded as it hit a section of the stone wall surrounding the arena. As the smoke cleared, Cyro stood up and looked down at his body, no armor.

"My armor..." Cyro uttered in disbelief as he felt what was left of his battle-gear drip off his body.

Coba was baffled by Jhettei's endurance. While it was impressive before, he seemed almost invincible now. Punches and kicks did nothing, and Coba was running out of limbs to hit him with without breaking or snapping something.

Jhettei charged at him again, but without realizing it, Coba left his leg out in front of Jhettei. As Jhettei's foot caught, he tripped over it and hit the earth with great force. This accident gave Coba an idea.

"He's heavy... I can use his momentum against him!" Coba thought, preparing himself for Jhettei's next attack.

As Jhettei prepared to kick Coba, he moved forward and grasped his leg, lifting it up and tossing him back. Jhettei got up again and punched, but Coba then blocked and moved with Jhettei's strike, lifting him over his shoulder and throwing him down.

Realizing his strategy was compromised, Jhettei nullified his technique, and his fighting style returned to normal. Coba predicted this, and just as Jhettei stood, he kicked, his shin smashing into the small stallion's nose.

After relieving himself of his technique, Jhettei was completely drained of his internal energies, and could no longer fight using any of his other abilities. He was so confident in his technique that he failed to think Coba would figure out his form's weakness.

Coba jabbed Jhettei, then gave him a knee to the chest, then another jab, and finally finished the skirmish with a firm uppercut right below his jaw. Jhettei flew up and hit his head as he landed, feeling the full impact of the debilitating blow with it.

"Heh, guess I was a little overconfident with this one." Jhettei wheezed as he got back up on his hooves and bowed to Coba. "You are truly a great warrior. Your father is lucky to have a son like you."

Coba smiled and looked up to his father, who stared down at his son with the same endearing eyes he knew from his childhood when he told him and his brother stories before bed. Although his father was old and could not communicate as well as he could in days gone by, he still had faith in his son and was proud of the warrior he had become.

"Yes, and I am lucky to have him as a father," Coba replied as he turned his head back to Jhettei.

"Well folks, it looks like those two fighters have reached a conclusion, but the fight is not over yet! We still have two dragons facing-off!" The announcer stated as he surveyed the arena.

Spike and Cyro's battle raged on, Spike delivering powerful blasts of fire, and Cyro dishing out icy-destruction that clashed with his foe's flames. Spike hit Cyro with his flaming fist, but Cyro blocked it and countered with his ice-covered hand that hit Spike harder and harder each time he attacked. Spike summoned a fiery whip and slashed Cyro across the chest, and Cyro fell back down again but got up every time no matter how beaten up he was.

"Come on Spike, hang in there!" Twilight cheered her friend on as she watched the battle continue.

Cyro charged up the last of his magic power into one final attack and so did Spike. The crowd braced themselves for a spectacular finisher, and that's what they got. Spike released a beam of searing green flame, and Cyro shot off a continuous blast of ice. The two attacks collided and fought against each other. Cyro strained every muscle in his body and focused what little magic he had to boost the power of his attack, pushing his attack further toward his foe. Spike focused as well and felt his flames heat up even more, propelling his attack forward, and finally cutting through the maelstrom of ice. Cyro felt the full force of the attack and fell to the ground once it hit him.

"Did he win?" Gin coughed as she fanned the hot steam away from her face that clouded the arena.

Cyro was still standing, but only barely. His right eye was closed and swollen, his chest had been slashed by the fire-whip, and although his scales protected him from most elemental attacks, his body had many burn marks from Spike's flames. He ran at Spike, limping and screaming desperately as he charged forward towards his adversary.

"Cyro! It's over, we lost!" Jhettei yelled at the stubborn and battered dragon as he ran at Spike with his fists raised. "Cyro, stop it!"

Spike took the punches and felt each impact his chest. However, they decreased in power with each strike, until they were nothing more than light taps. As Cyro felt his body go limp, he fell to his knees, and he lowered his head in shame.

"It's okay, you can stop," Spike whispered to Cyro as he crouched down to his level.

"I can't! Not when my tribe still thinks I'm a failure!" Cyro cried.

"What?" Spike wondered.

"My tribe of ice dragons, they think I'm weak. They kicked me out and left me for dead in the snow." Cyro wept. "I came here to prove them, and everyone that I'm not a weakling! I can't disgrace my ancestors!"

"Screw your ancestors! Cyro, this was one of my hardest fights, and I am almost as beat up as you, see?" Spike pointed at his swollen left eye, and Cyro looked up at it. "I'm not a warrior or a fighter like Coba or Jhettei... I'm a princess' assistant, with crazy powers I never knew about! I'm honestly surprised I won... any of my fights!"

Cyro sniffled, and stood up, wiping his tears away.

"Cyro, you have shown great endurance. You have shrugged off major blows, slashes from swords, and you're still fighting. It doesn't take a genius to realize that your ancestors would be proud of your bravery even if you lost, because you put up more of a fight than anyone I've met, and trust me when I say that I've met some pretty tough ponies!" Spike smiled as he gestured to Twilight and Draven.

"Yeah, I guess you're right..." Cyro murmured.

"Excuse me... Excuse me!" The announcer interrupted their conversation. "I don't mean to bother you guys, but we need a winner here!"

"What do you suggest?" Spike yelled up to the announcer.

"I don't know, maybe knock them out or something!" The announcer shouted down to Spike.

"Can't Jhettei and Cyro just admit defeat?" Twilight shouted from across the arena.

"Yeah, we're doing that." Jhettei sadi to the announcer.

"Yeah, that works too..." The announcer replied, clearing his throat. "The winner is Spike and Coba, from the Equestrian Empire!"

Although they were confused, the crowd cheered anyways, and Spike raised Cyro's arm in celebration. Twilight clapped with delight, and Draven joined in. Spike didn't just win the fight, he won a friend as well, and Cyro gave Spike a thumbs up as the guards carried him off on a stretcher with Jhettei following behind.

"Good job, Spike, good job," Draven said with pride as he saw that joyful smile appear on the young dragon's face as he celebrated with Coba.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Seven: The Rat & The Crystal Empire vs Ausrüstung!

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It was the second day of Constantine's march towards Wantthai from their ruined outpost in the north, and they were met with little resistance from the various guards of the neighbouring villages on the edge of the Wantthai-Changeling border. Although the Equestrian soldiers were formidable, they were caught off-guard by Constantine's brilliant military strategy. In only one night, Constantine had destroyed every fort and outpost on the edge of the Wantthai Nation. He even went as far as to destroying the Equestrian colony in the south.

When morning arrived, Constantine ordered his troops to set up camp near the Wantthai capital of Jubyia, where the tournament was being held. He was eager to taste Spike's power once again. Despite the Equestrian's best efforts, they could not break through the Changeling armada blocking off the sea to the Blacklands and warn the people of Wantthai. His army hid in the thick forest and left no trace of attack behind; making his forces nearly untraceable. Every soldier of his that fell in battle was resurrected by his magic- brought back as a hellish undead soldier. However, the Changelings did not object, as they were bred to obey without question.

Constantine sat alone in his tent devising strategies plans of attack, thinking of all he had accomplished in a single night. He had even scared the princess of the night with his army and sent her running. He laughed at this and poured himself a glass of wine as he did so; twirling the glass to refine the taste, and smelling the overpowering aroma that radiated from the light amber liquid within his chalice. He let out a deep sigh and another weak laugh as he set the drink aside after a quick sip.

"Sir. May I speak with you?" A soldier asked from behind the thick curtains that closed-off Constantine's tent; his appearance shrouded by said curtains.

"You may," Constantine uttered with disappointment as he stood; having enjoyed the solitude, "what do you ask of me?"

A hardy-looking changeling walked through the curtains. He was not undead and sported the side-cape of a captain; sparking Constantine's interest.

"Well, well... a captain." Constantine said with pleasure; retrieving a chair at the other side of the tent for him to sit on. "Please, sit. Tell me your business..."

"Your grace, we have spotted the scout you had sent to Wantthai a few days ago from the fort we had sacked. What should we do?" The captain asked as he sat down on his chair.

"Let him go, he is vital to my plan. We must stay hidden, but strike when the time is right." Constantine stated firmly as he poured the captain a glass of wine.

"When is the right time, sir?" The captain asked; taking a sip of his wine.

"It will take him around five hours. Enough time for the tournament to end." Constantine explained as he took a sip from his glass of wine. "We shall follow him as the gryphon-flies, and move through the forest. Which reminds me, you should tell our troops we will be leaving in one hour."

"Very good sir." The captain replied as he put his left hand behind his back; seeing that Constantine was preoccupied with his glass of wine.

Constantine however, was well-aware of the dagger behind the captain's back as he had placed a mirror on the captain's side of the tent, right where his chair was. This was Constantine's way of identifying traitors in his army- those that were still loyal to the Changeling Council. Constantine intentionally looked away and used his peripherals to spot the knife in the mirror.

"Do you know why I love the Blacklands so much captain?" Constantine asked; keeping his eyes locked on a map hanging on the wall of the tent.

"No sir, I can't say that I do." The captain said; readying his dagger.

"There aren't so many pests like mosquitoes or flies, despite the Blackland's hostile environment." Constantine rambled; paying close attention to the position of the knife in the mirror. "However, there is still one pest that insists on making my life a living hell."

"Oh, and what pest would that be, sir?" The captain said; feeling his hand twitch as it grabbed the handle of the knife.

The captain sprung at Constantine with his knife drawn, but felt an unseen magical force grab him, and knock the knife out of his hand. Constantine stood up and grabbed the captain by the throat; lifting him off the ground, despite the fact he was smaller than the armor-clad soldier. He took a sip from his wine still in hand and brought the terrified soldier closer to his face.

"Rats..." Constantine growled; his eyes burning with hatred.

Constantine threw the captain outside, and backed him up against a nearby tree. The other soldiers in the camp were curious, and gathered around to witness the scene.

"He is a liar and a traitor to the people of the Changeling Empire!" The captain desperately cried out to the crowd gathering around him and Constantine. "He murdered the Chairman of the High Council and made himself some kind of... emperor!"

" Amusing ... and you believe your beloved Council can lead your people into the future, hmm?!" Constantine yelled at the captain and the rest of his army. "The same Council that robbed our Queen of her power, and taxed the nation heavily?"

"Your... empress is weak and led us to failure at the hands of the Equestrians over two years ago! She is a coward who-." The captain stopped as he felt Constantine's sabre drive through his chest and lift him up; pinning his body up on a nearby tree.

The captain hacked up pints of blood as Constantine continued to push the sword further into the tree; making his death quicker, but far more agonizing. His eyes rolled back into his head as spat up more blood, and his body convulsed for a few minutes before slumping over, dead.

Constantine did not withdraw the sabre from the captain's body. Instead, he let him hang dead; admiring his bloody work. The crowd said nothing, and when a single soldier approached the body to clean it up, but he was halted.

"Leave him," Constantine ordered the soldier, "and let him be an example to all traitors who dare cross my path."

"Yes, your grace." The soldier obeyed; stepping back into the crowd.

"Long live the Emperor!" Another soldier shouted.

"Long live the Emperor!" The rest of the camp cheered.

"Back to your tents soldiers, and gather your weapons! Soon we shall strike!" Constantine bellowed triumphantly.

****

"Hello, once again folks!" The announcer stepped out onto his balcony and bowed. "Only three teams left! Who will emerge victorious? This next fight may decide just that! Now, release the sphere!"

The sphere ascended again, and shots of light that escaped the voting slips zoomed around the arena. They were then siphoned by the globe, and the large spherical structure soon retreated back into its hole. The announcer approached the edge of his balcony and grabbed the slip containing the results.

He cleared his throat. "Mmmpphh! Our first team is... the Ausrüstrians!"

The crowd roared as Angreifer emerged from the pit and Verteidiger rose up out of the trap door. Verteidiger was repaired, and shined-up as ever. Angreifer was clad in a lightweight jet-black coloured armour that seemed to hum as she walked.

"That mare can't seem to make up her mind when it comes to her wardrobe, can she?" Gin joked as she observed the strange armour.

Twilight giggled in response to Gin's joke.

"What's so funny?" Gin wondered; looking back at the laughing mare. "I don't think it was that hilarious."

"Nothing, it's just... that's something a friend of mine would say right about now." Twilight sighed as she reminisced about her close friend. "I guess I miss her a little."

"And, they will be facing off against... the Crystal Empire!" The announcer shouted as the crowd gave him a cheer of approval.

The hooded mage emerged from the pit with his partner, Armandura. Spike noticed something odd about Stín's robe, and that was the colour of the robe. Spike didn't see it before, but in almost all of Stín's fights, his robe shifted from white to grey, to black. In fact, as Spike thought about the last few fights... looking back, Stín's weapons even seemed to morph; remembering the first time he saw him... his sword was grey. Spike knew quite a bit about magic, being that he lived with a magical scholar. However, Stín's magic was... odd to say the least. It was in a constant state of flux and seemed to respond to Stín's emotions. When he was angered his attire was black, when he was calm his robe was white, and when he was determined his outfit was grey. Spike felt uncomfortable around Stín, and this vexed him. Although, his presence seemed stranger when in an angered state, or when his robes were black. He seemed to radiate an aura of dread and darkness wherever he donned a black robe, and this energy shook Spike to his core.

"Alright fighters... prepare yourselves!" The announcer warned the fighters as they assembled in the arena.

Stín conjured up is blade and staff, and Armandura summoned his sword and shield. Verteidiger's arm-cannon made a humming noise as the metal giant charged the weapon, and Agreifer pressed a few buttons on her gauntlet; giving the announcer a nod once she was ready.

"Ready? Three! Two! One! Fight!" The audience chanted with the announcer.

Verteidiger immediately fired a shot of blue energy from his cannon right at Armandura. At first, the crowd expected him to dodge, but their surprise, and to Twilight's surprise... he didn't even flinch.

"Does he intend to take the attack?!" Twilight asked herself as she looked down at the unmoving stallion.

"I can't look!" Fluttershy squeaked as she covered her eyes.

The energy-shot exploded upon impact; sending the earth below Armandura upwards from the blast. Angreifer expected her foe to be reduced to a pile of ash, but incredibly he remained unharmed, as he had raised a magical barrier just before the attack made contact with him.

"That's... impossible! Dampfriesens are designed to smash through magic barriers, and this guy's shield is barely cracked!" Angreifer thought as she gawked at her foe, who was standing in a small crater. "Who is this stallion?"

Draven saw a troubled look on Twilight's face as he turned his head. "Twilight, what's the matter?"

"That magic, it's just-. No, it's nothing, never mind. I'm fine." Twilight muttered quickly with sharpness in her tone.

"Are you sure?" Draven asked as he gave her a raised brow.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Twilight replied with a weak smile.

Stín engaged Vernteidiger with great control and magical prowess. He took the form of a shadow and phased through the metal beast's arms as it swung at him wildly. Stín then took his blade and sliced where Verteidiger's cannon-forearm and elbow met, but oddly, it did not make a sound as it passed through his foe. Angreifer was confused by the attack, as there was no exterior sign of damage, but the heads-up display on her gauntlet showed that Verteidiger's arm has been heavily damaged. The metal giant made horrid clanking noises as it tried moving its arm, but it was no use.

"What on earth just happened?" Gin's expression looked as if a pegasus flew past her at Mach speeds.

"That was a Phasing-Blade attack!" Twilight said with excitement, "A really, really high-level magic-sword technique!"

"What the bloody hell is that?" Gin wondered.

"It allows the user's magic blade to phase through an opponent's armor, and slice at the enemy from inside," Twilight answered Gin. "I've only seen it used once, by Princess Luna."

"Huh, you learn something every day." Gin chuckled.

Armandura held his own against the skilled Angreifer, who tested his speed as she lashed out at him with her electro-staff. And as expected, he dodged without even trying. Angreifer knew she would have to be less direct, and implore a more subtle fighting style. She pressed more buttons on her gauntlet, and suddenly, vanished. Armandura was completely caught off-guard by the strange ability, and quickly lost his calm and collected demeanour. Angreifer then appeared behind him, struck him with her staff in the side, and turned invisible again. She repeated this multiple times until it began to wear Armandura down.

"She can turn invisible too? This mare has a hatful of tricks, doesn't she?" Draven laughed; impressed by the interesting powers of Angreifer's armor.

Stín was tearing Vernteidiger apart. He used his "Phasing-Blade" attack over and over; causing significant damage to the great metal titan. Soon, he was nothing more than a pile of scrap metal.

"Damn you!" Angreifer shouted with rage as she jabbed Stín with her staff; sending a jolt of powerful electricity through his body.

Angreifer's cloaking abilities gave her a significant edge, and while Stín was able to use his blade technique, he could not prepare in time before she vanished again. Eventually, the two stallions stood back to back in order to properly defend themselves against an invisible target.

"Can you find a way to disable that cloaking mechanism?" Armandura whispered to his partner.

"Perhaps, but it may take time," Stín said as he dodged another attack from Angreifer.

Armandura blocked another assault and pushed Angreifer back with his foot. "Time is not on our side at the moment!"

"Let's try this... Shining-Flash!" Stín bellowed as a flash of white light escaped his body, and melted Angreifer's invisibility away.

Angreifer did not relent, however, and tossed down a black sphere that shot black smoke out all over the arena; concealing her once again. Stín had to use his staff to see through the smoke, and Armandura stuck close by his comrade to make sure they were not separated in the cloud of smoke.

As the smoke dissipated, the two stallions could hear the sound of Angreifer's laughter. "Hey, boys! Why don't I introduce you to my girls!"

Around they were four turrets with machine-guns. They locked on slowly, but quick enough so that Stín couldn't pick them off before they began to fire.

"Armandura! Shield, now!" Stín yelled as he covered his face.

"On it!" Armandura raised his hands and created a magical dome that reflected the hail of bullets.

"Expand it!" Stín commanded Armandura as he transformed into a shadow.

Armandura widened the dome's diameter, and this allowed Stín to close distance. He went under the shield and phased through the four guns, making them explode as he tore wires and important mechanisms out of each turret. As soon as Armandura lowered his shield, Angreifer closed in and began hammering him with her quarterstaff, electrocuting him over and over until the angered stallion finally had enough. He tucked his shield in tight, and let loose a powerful bash that knocked the mare back. Stín then trapped her in a magic circle and zoomed towards her head, coming to a grinding halt as his hand touched her forehead. He brought her ear close to his mouth and uttered a magic phrase.

"Shadow Sleep..." Stín whispered.

After stumbling back, Angreifer fell to the ground, unconscious. Once again, the audience was speechless after witnessing the spectacle that was the two mages that stood undefeated in the arena. The audience began to cheer once the announcer cleared his throat.

"The Crystal Empire wins again! Can they be stopped?" The announcer shouted joyously.

"I certainly hope so..." Draven said nervously as he looked down at Spike in the pit; he was scared out of his wits.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Eight: Equestria vs The Crystal Empire!

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"Ladies and gentlecolts, this is it! The final fight!" The announcer cheered; the crowd giving him a holler of approval. "Only two teams left, but... only one shall emerge victorious!"

Spike thought about just how far he had come to reach the final fight. While he had surmounted many obstacles in his path, the challenge in his way seem twice as daunting than all the rest combined. Armandura was a formidable opponent, and a expert tactician. Stín was on another level- being able to steamroll Cyro in such a short time. When they were together, they seemed unstoppable. Spike began to become nervous, as a tight feeling began to stretch his chest. He felt like screaming, like running, but he knew that couldn't happen. There was a lot riding on this last fight. Coba saw the doubt in Spike's expression and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Spike, you have to face you doubts, let go of your fear." Coba comforted the terrified dragon. "Don't let your own fear be your downfall. I have seen countless warriors fall to that fear that doubt. It can kill you on the inside, tear away at your soul."

"It's not that simple Coba. I'm not a warrior, or a knight in shining armor. I'm just a dragon who gets lucky now and again." Spike sighed. "I can't just shake fear off."

"You think those victories have to do with luck? No, you Spike, are a fighter. Time and time again I've seen you face adversity, not because you are fearless, but because you have courage. While you may not see it yet, you have courage." Coba placed his hand on Spike's shoulder.

"What if I'm not strong enough? What if I fail?" Spike said as he held his head in his hands.

"You act as if weakness is a sin, why? A weakness makes us better, it reminds us to keep pushing, to keep reaching out for something." Coba lowered his head to get to Spike's level. "If you go into this fight thinking about losing, you're guaranteed to lose. You can't think, you have to just fight."

Spike smiled. He didn't realize it before, but he always felt a flame- not in his hands, but in his heart. He never understood it until now. The level-headedness he experiences in battle, the sudden determination he experiences. He felt complete when he fought in the arena, and he loved the thrill of the fight. Coba may not have known what he was thinking, but he knew his words got through to the young dragon as he gave him a pat on the back.

"Now folks, it's time I showed you just what our fighters have been waiting for! Show them, the crown!" The announcer yelled as he pointed towards the center of the arena.

From the center emerged a grand headdress held by two guards. It was decorated with extravagant peacock feathers and beautiful red jewels, but the most impressive feature of the headdress was the centerpiece. It was a stone that shone a crimson light that seemed to burst with energy. The guards set in on a magical platform, and it rose into the sky until it reached the announcer, who placed it beside himself.

"There it is... the Stone of Right. The Queen's Stone." Coba said as he lifted his head up. "My ancestors have been safeguarding it for generations.

"Woah." Spike could only gawk at the mystical orb as he watched the energies of it swirl inside, and fill his mind with wonder.

"Long ago our shamans foretold of a day when Haki would return. They warned us." Coba uttered with a enchanting voice, similar to that of an old stallion telling fillies and colts an old wise-tale. "They told us to find the greatest warriors in the land, warriors worthy enough to face off in combat. And when a champion was declared, they would face the ultimate challenge... Haki herself. However, the true purpose of the tournament was lost to the ages, forgotten. My family on the other hand, must not forget. We have waited countless years for the return of Haki, and the return of a new champion. One that would fight her, and slay her once and for all. Perhaps today, that champion shall be chosen."

"And you think it'll be me?" Spike wondered.

"Draven has faith in you, and I think that counts for something." Coba smiled.

"Fighters! Assemble in the arena!" The announcer ordered the competitors.

"Well, let's get going..." Coba grunted as he stood, and outstretched his hand towards Spike to lift him up onto his feet. "Win or lose, we shall see this battle through."

As Spike go to his feet and began walking over to the stairs leading into the arena, he was halted by another hand that placed itself on his shoulder. He turned, and to his surprise it was Cyro, giving him a jolly smile.

"I just wanted you to know that I'm rooting for you out there." Cyro said cheerfully, but with some degree of seriousness in his tone.

Spike gave him a nod and walked up into the arena with Coba and the Crystal Empire team; the crowd screaming wildly as they caught sight of the two fighters. They shouted things like "Equestria! Equestria!", and they cheered louder when Spike waved his arms. Twilight watched from afar, and smiled when she saw how happy Spike was.

"Your dragon has become a regular celebrity, hasn't he?" Gin laughed.

"Yes, he has..." Twilight grinned.

"Fighters! Prepare yourselves!" The announcer warned the two teams.

Stín and Armandura summoned their weapons, and Coba withdrew his spear; ready to strike. Spike felt the flame in his chest returning; excitement spreading throughout his body, and making him practically vibrate.

"Three! Two! One! Fight!" The crowd chanted.

The battle started silent, as the two teams began to analyze each other. They circled each other, until finally, Coba grew impatient, and struck Armandura with his spear. He dodged with impressive agility, and caught the spear; pushing his opposition back with a palm-strike. However, he did not continue- he simply stood in place, unmoving.

"Odd, knowing his strategy you'd think he would counterattack..." Twilight said in confusion.

"Maybe he's taking a moment to gauge his power." Draven suggested.

"No, he is a smart fighter, he would've watched Coba fight before and learned." Winslow wondered.

Spike attacked Stín next; igniting his hands and unleashing a flurry of flaming fists. Stín dodged with even greater speed than his partner, and evaded every single strike from the dragon. As Spike charged up a fireball, Stín knocked it away with his staff, and closed the distance between them; walking right up to the Spike and placing his hand on the left side of the dragon's chest.

Spike felt his body go numb as he felt Stín's hand touch his chest , and although he tried to react, he couldn't move. He struggled and struggled, but it was no use, Stín began whispering a strange language that was unrecognisable at a barely audible volume. While Spike did not understand him, the unknown words seemed to resonate within his body and soul, and he felt his muscles tense-up. Stín then pushed him back with an unknown force, and the young dragon stumbled backwards, but recover. Although he was flummoxed by what had just occurred.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Draven scratched his head.

"He... looked into his soul, but why? It has nothing to do with the fight." Winslow looked down and scratched his chin.

"Maybe that's just it, maybe he knows something we don't." Twilight suggested; pondering Stín's actions.

Spike backed off and thought about what just happened; gripping his chest tightly as he felt a sharp pain spreading through his heart and lungs. It was not severe enough to incapacitate him, but it was enough to be a minor irritant.

"What did you just do?!" Spike demanded Stín, who said nothing.

Stín instead, began attacking Spike with great ferocity. He slashed wildly with his saber, and attempted to cut at his legs to immobilize him. However, Spike noticed something strange about Stín's attack pattern. Although he had cut him multiple times, they were barely flesh wounds, and each attack that landed seemed to avoid his weak-point entirely.

"He's holding back." Winslow pointed out as he scanned Spike's injuries with his eye. "Spike should have received far more devastating injuries than that. What is he doing?"

Armandura and Coba were locked into a furious fist-fight; Coba landing a significant amount of blows to his foe. Armandura however, did not really put up too much of a fight. He only blocked strikes with his forearms, and threw a few light-jabs into Coba's mid-section. This confused Coba, as he had seen him fight so many times before. Eventually he grew impatient and halted his attack.

"Are you going to fight me?" Coba asked in outrage.

His masked opponent said nothing, and went back into a fighting position.

Coba charged at his foe again, and he launched a side kick directed towards his enemy's face. This did not go as planned however, and Armandura moved his head to the side; dodging his attack. He then spun around, and struck Coba in the head with a backhand. Coba felt the full-force of the impact, and he crumpled to the ground as he felt a trickle of blood escape his nostril. Coba was rendered unconscious with one blow.

"Coba!" Spike cried out in horror; his anger redoubling as he attacked Stín with all his might.

"This is bad." Gin choked out nervously.

Armandura stepped into Spike's battle with Stín, but he did not attack. He merely watched his partner fight the young dragon. Even when Spike held nothing back, the wizard still did not retaliate. Spike pounded at his magic shield relentlessly, but it was no use. He had to think of another strategy to face his foe.

"Maybe I can outmaneuver him if I build up enough speed !" Spike thought; charging up his fire, and letting it envelop him.

Spike used the propulsion of his flames to zoom around the arena, and sure enough, Stín was caught in a daze. He was unsure where his foe was going to attack, and although he didn't show it, Spike could see that he was in a panic. Spike flew right at Stín, and the hooded mage raised a magic shield made of light. However, Spike curved around his shield, and struck Stín right him the back with a flaming-kick. Stín flew forward, and got back to his feet instantaneously.

Armandura then joined the fight, and raised magic barriers that blocked Spike's flight-path; denying him an opening. Spike zoomed back around and tried striking, but just before he struck Armandura, the shrouded stallion blocked him with another barrier; Spike hitting the wall with all his force. This caused him great trauma, and he fell to the ground just as he felt the wall hit his face. Spike got back on his feet, but with great difficulty. Regardless, he forced himself to continue no matter what.

"I can't think... just got to move!" Spike thought as he surrounded himself in flames once again.

Spike shot-off again, only this time, he tried using a technique he employed during his fight with Sigrid. He chucked a fireball at Armandura and intentionally missed, only to have the fireball curve back at him. Although Armandura saw this coming, he neglected to raise his guard as he defended against the fireball. This was Spike's opening. Spike closed the distance, and landed a debilitating blow right in his gut. The stallion stepped back and gasped for air, but Spike did not give his foe a breather. He struck him with a kick to the ribs, then his head, and then another strike to his gut. Eventually the stallion had enough, and fell backwards. Armandura had been overpowered.

"Way to go Spike!" Twilight stood up and cheered.

Spike then directed his attention to his last foe, Stín. He zoomed past his guard again, but this time Stín was waiting for him. He caught him in mid-air with a shadowy tendril, and brought him down to earth. Stín followed up with a blast of light that pounded him further into the earth, but Spike recovered once again, and just before Stín raised his sword to jab at him, Spike hurled a fireball at his face. Stín was blown back by the force of the fiery explosion. He clutched his face tightly as he felt the sting of the intense heat.

Spike rose to his feet and charged again, but this time, he stopped dead in his tracks as Stín raised his head. Armandura panicked and got to his feet to try and distract Spike, but it was too late.

"Stín, your hood!" Armandura shouted at the mage in horror.

Spike was speechless. Underneath the mage's hood was a face he did not expect, one that brought him, and the rest of the audience terror. His mane was grey, his fur was light grey, and his eyes were an emerald green. Although his appearance had changed ever so slightly, his face was still unmistakable.

"King... Sombra?" Spike muttered to himself as his eyes met "Stín's" once more.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Twenty Nine: Answers & The Changelings Attack!

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"Draven, stop!" Gin yelled at the stubborn dragon as he stormed down the long hallway of the arena's dungeon.

Draven said nothing, and his eyes narrowed; ignoring Gin and the others as he kept moving forward. After the events of Spike and Coba's fight, Sombra and Armandura were taken to the prison for questioning. Draven on the other hand was overflowing with anger. He had no intention of questioning.

"Draven, please stop!" Gin screamed as she grabbed his shoulder.

Draven batted her hand away and knocked on the prison door.

"For Celestia's sake Draven, try to think for a second!" Spike said as he blocked the door.

"Get out of my way." Draven's voice was cold and emotionless; full of hate.

"What do you plan on doing?" Twilight asked the enraged dragon.

Draven ignored Twilight, pushed Spike out of the way, and knocked on the door again. The metal slot in the cell door opened- a guard standing on the other side.

"We are in the middle of an interrogation, sir please-." The guard was cut off as Draven smashed his hand through the wooden door and opened it from the inside. "You can't be in here!"

Draven's eyes met with the guard as he raised his hand to his face; sparks shooting out of his clawed fingertips. "Get out."

The guard obeyed and raced out of the prison cell. Spike and the others entered the cell and faced Sombra; Armandura leaning up against the nearby stone wall behind the dark mage. Draven tossed the table separating them aside and grabbed Sombra; slamming him against the wall. Armandura did nothing and looked away.

Spike grasped his arm and tugged, but Draven did not budge. "Draven, put him-."

"Let him go." Sombra commanded the young dragon, and although reluctant, he did.

"I should kill you right now, you filthy piece of trash!" Draven shouted at the silent wizard.

"Then do it," Sombra said calmly. "I will not stop you."

"You wiped out my entire race!" Draven exploded.

"I know what I did," Sombra replied as he lowered his head in shame, "and I know it means nothing to you... but I think about it every day. I still hear the screams of those I slaughtered in my dreams to this day."

"You... you expect me to believe your shite!" Draven cried.

"No, but if you really want to kill me, I wanted you to know... that I am truly sorry for what I did." Sombra's remained calm as his eyes met Draven's. "Kill me if you wish, it is your choice."

"Draven, I know what he did to you, but killing him will not ease your pain." Twilight tried to calm Draven down. "I've seen this kind of hatred and violence before... it never ends well."

Draven closed his eyes tightly in frustration and let out a ferocious roar as he released a flash of lightning that demolished the stone wall adjacent to him. After venting his anger, he took a deep breath, and relaxed. Although a grim expression still remained plastered on his face as he lowered Sombra to the floor. With a huff, he backed up against the shattered door behind him and leaned against it; sarcastically inviting Twilight and the others with a wave of his hand, and signalling them to "go ahead".

"Why are you here?" Twilight wondered although she had many other questions racing through her mind. "More importantly, how are you even here?!"

"It is a long story, but I shall try to sum it up." Sombra continued as he sat down at his chair in the corner of the cell. "It all began two and a half years ago when I was vanquished at the hands of Princess Cadence. You remember, don't you?"

"Yes, but... we saw you get destroyed. Your entire body was obliterated!" Twilight recalled past memories of her adventures in the Crystal Empire.

"Yes, my physical body was destroyed," Sombra hinted, "but my spirit was intact."

"But, that's impossible. The Crystal Heart was said to wipe away all evil, and it failed to kill you?" Twilight was flummoxed by what she was hearing.

"Despite what you may think, no being is pure evil, Twilight Sparkle. On that day, my soul was infused with the positive energy of the Crystal Heart." Sombra explained. "I cannot explain my resurrection, however, but I awakened later on- somewhere in Everfree. I suffered amnesia, and I had no idea who or what I was. But in my dreams, I came in contact with the beings that salvaged my soul. They spoke of an ancient order, a sect of wizards that called themselves-."

"The Agents of Order?" Twilight made an educated guess.

"Yes." Sombra nodded. "They offered me a second chance and taught me their ways. I learned about my past little by little as time went on, and eventually... I remembered it all. The lives I took, the villages I burned, the darkness that clawed at my mind and took hold of me. That is when I promised myself, the friends I made, and the Agents of Order that I would never become that stallion again."

"Friends..." Draven scoffed under his breath as he looked down at the floor.

"And... who's this?" Spike pointed at Armandura, who looked away; trying to ignore their conversation.

Twilight crossed her arms and approached the masked stallion; reaching for his face-mask. However, Armandura grabbed her forearm and looked at her with troubled eyes.

"Are you sure you want to see this face?" Armandura warned Twilight as he grasped her wrist.

"I want to know..." Twilight said as she slowly removed Armandura's face mask.

She gasped, and Spike's eyes widened. Twilight dropped the mask and covered her mouth.

For a moment, she could see the handsome face of her brother. However, as he turned his head to face her, she saw his other half. His left side was terribly mangled and burnt. Strands of flesh were all that was left of his cheek, and his left eye was white... empty. Underneath his charred skin were blue glowing veins that stretched out past his neck like a hideous spider web.

"Your face..." Twilight attempted to touch Shining Armor's charred left-half, but he caught her hand once again.

"I am not the brother you know today..." Shining Armor grunted; a wheeze escaping the left side of his face as air passed through his torn lips.

"What do you mean?" Twilight was almost brought to tears seeing her brother so emotionless and scarred.

"I am not of this time." Shining Armor explained. "I am from Equestria, ten years in the future."

"That's... unbelievable." Twilight shook her head as she tried processing all that she was told.

"Yes, but your friend already knew that... correct Winslow?" Shining Armor asked the quiet stallion who stood next to Fluttershy by the door.

"Yes..." Winslow admitted after letting out a long sigh.

"What is he talking about Winslow?" Fluttershy looked up at Winslow with pleading eyes.

"My eye saw it in his first fight..." Winslow said. "A temporal disruption."

"Why are you in this time-period?" Twilight asked the scarred stallion.

"In my time, Leere had lost the war. All was well in Equestria." Shining Armor grunted. "However, one day... something went terribly, terribly wrong. Something changed the course of history, something that wasn't there before. The world started to collapse around us, and soon... all of Equestria was burning. I had to go back to fix it, so the Twilight of my time narrowed down where the anomaly originated from and sent me back in time."

"How long have you been here?" Twilight wondered; tilting her head to the side.

"Around a year." Shining Armor answered. "You sent me back a year earlier to identify the threat and prepare the ponies of this altered timeline."

"And have you found this 'threat'?" Gin asked.

"No, I've yet to find out who or what caused the distortion in the timeline... but I think I have a good idea." Shining Armor continued. "Constantine. He was not in my time period's records, and I don't think he belongs here. He belongs... somewhere else, but I don't know where he came from. His presence has altered the flow of time."

"Yes, it is odd..." Draven joined in the conversation; having calmed down enough to organize his thoughts. "While he has for many years, it seems as if the stallion appeared out of thin air."

"Precisely." Shining Armor added.

"But why did you join the tournament?" Twilight inquired. "Do you even represent the Crystal Empire?"

"Yes," Sombra interjected as he rose from his chair. "Me and Shining Armor have been working together for the past year now. We were recruited by Princess Cadence herself as the first members of her espionage agency, The Black Crystal. Our mission is simple. We seek out and destroy dark powers that threaten the safety of our future, anything tied to Leere in some way."

"Does my brother... here, know about you?" Twilight asked the scarred Shining Armor.

"No, Princess Cadence has kept our identities a secret from the public, and Celestia and Luna as well," Sombra answered for the Shining Armor, as the burned stallion rested his head against the wall once again. "We were tasked with joining the tournament and identifying the one who would defeat Haki."

"And who is this 'chosen one'?" Draven said with a hint of rudeness in his voice.

"I think you already know..." Sombra said as he looked towards Spike.

"Me?" Spike thought Sombra was insane. "Why is it always me? What is so special about me?"

"I do not know for sure, but for whatever reason... someone up there has taken a liking to you," Sombra said calmly as he pointed at the sky. "There's something about you Spike, I saw it when I looked into your soul. Something mysterious and ancient that you've yet to discover."

"But I still don't understand. Why did you go easy on us?" Spike asked; still extremely confused.

"To see if you were ready, and you passed. You have the potential to be the most powerful Lord-Dragon in generations. However, you have not attained this level of power yet." Sombra continued as he placed his hand on Spike's shoulder. "You have won by default, due to our arrest. This means you and Coba are the winners, and they will announce it soon."

"And what will happen to you two?" Twilight said as she looked at her brother.

"Princess Cadence shall have us freed soon once I contact her." Shining Armor answered. "We will then go back into hiding until we are needed."

"So that's it? You're just going to roam free after she frees you two?" Draven grunted as he looked down at Sombra.

"No, there is still much work to be done. I am sworn to keep the world in balance, and that I what I shall do." Sombra replied as he stood up. "You may not forgive me now, but I promise... one day I will make up for the things I did to you."

"I think I heard the announcer." Draven sighed and walked out the door, with Gin following not far behind. "Let's get going."

All but Twilight and Spike left the room, as they still had so many questions that needed answers. Twilight tried asking first, but the words seemed to fall out of her mouth as she turned to Shining Armor. Her question was a sensitive topic.

"Shining Armor... what happened to Cadence, and the other me?" Twilight said in an ever so soft tone of voice.

Shining Armor said nothing, and simply lowered his head; staring at the floor. Realizing she had crossed a line, Twilight tried to ease the situation.

"I'm so sorry..." Twilight sympathized with the poor stallion who hung his head in sadness. "I should go. Come on Spike..."

"Hold up. I have one more question... for Sombra." Spike requested as he grabbed Twilight's arm. "If it's okay."

"Go ahead..." Twilight said as she choked back a few tears. "I'll be outside."

Spike turned to face Sombra. "All those memories... those visions... how did you deal with them?"

Sombra said nothing and pulled a ring from his middle finger; raising it up to Spike's face. "I had someone to face them with me."

****

"Ladies and gentlecolts! I am pleased to announce the winners of our tournament!" The announcer shouted with joy as he pointed to Coba and Spike, who sat in the pit. "The Equestrians- Coba and Spike!"

Twilight, the King of Wantthai, and the others watched as the champions walked to the center of the arena. Spike was still uneasy about what was in store for him as he walked down the purple carpet laid down that lead to the center. Coba followed, and watched his father, then looked to his brother who was with the headdress in the center.

"Now, as per tradition... the victors must choose their roles. Shaman, or warrior?" The announcer asked the crowd.

"What is he talking about?" Fluttershy asked Winslow.

"It is symbolic. Haki had two brothers- a warrior, and a shaman. The warrior went off to fight his sister whilst the shaman stayed behind and protected the kingdom. They must decide amongst themselves." Winslow replied as he pointed at Coba and Spike.

"What will you choose, champions?" Wantinga asked Spike and his brother.

"I will be the shaman, you must be the warrior," Coba whispered to Spike.

"What? You actually believe what Sombra said, I told you I'm not a warrior.-" Spike was cut off by Coba, who raised his hand to silence him.

"You are a lot stronger than I am, you must be the warrior," Coba demanded the confused dragon.

"Okay..." Spike said nervously as he turned to Wantinga."I will be the warrior?"

"Very well." Wantinga smiled as he placed the headdress on Spike, then turned around to face the audience. "I present to you, your champions! The Shaman- Coba, and The Warrior-."

"Help! Someone! Help!" A voice cried out in the distance.

The arena remained silent as everyone tried honing in on the source of the cry. The screams grew louder and louder as a young and frightened stallion make his way into the arena; approaching Prince Wantinga, and kneeling.

"You dare interrupt the tournament? This is sacred ground you stand on!" Wantinga was appalled by the audacity of the terrified soldier. "Explain your actions!"

"I am sorry, your majesty... but an enemy approaches! The Changelings are marching towards us!" The scout cried. "We are under attack!"

"It's happening... too soon," Winslow muttered.

"My word..." Wantinga uttered in disbelief. "We must stop the tournament! Soldiers with me! We are under attack! We must protect the city!"

"Wantinga, what is going on?" Coba asked his panicked brother.

"The Changelings are approaching, we have little time to prepare for the attack! We must go, now!" Wantinga informed the champions, then turned to the audience. "Citizens, follow my soldiers! They will escort you to shelters underground!"

The civilians scrambled to the lower levels of the arena in a way best described as an ordered chaos. They ran in single file to the courtyard outside, as did soldiers who accompanied them. Coba and Spike followed Wantinga, who told them to follow.

"We have to get going!" Draven ordered Twilight and the others. "We have to protect the city as well! Winslow, Gin! You two come with me! We'll find Spike and Coba!"

"What about Fluttershy and I?" Twilight asked with great urgency in her voice. "We can help too!"

"No, you are a princess, and Fluttershy is not fit to fight," Draven commanded the determined alicorn. "The Changeling soldiers will kill you first if you go out and help. You are a prime target."

Realizing his point was more than valid Twilight sighed, and aided the king to his feet. "Alright, but if things get hairy, I will help... whether you like it or not."

"Fair enough..." Draven smiled; admiring the princess' determination. "C'mon crew, let's get going."

"Where are we going... exactly?" Gin asked Draven as she followed him down the nearby staircase leading into the main courtyard of the arena.

"When this place isn't an arena, it functions as the Wantthai military base of operations. Now let's go, we have to win this battle before Haki challenges the victor. I'd rather not face two evils at once tonight!" Draven said with a gritty expression as he ran down the spiral staircase with his crew.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Thirty: The Battle For Wantthai

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"Move it! Move it!" A soldier shouted as he practically dragged civilians out of their homes. "Get to the shelters!"

After escorting the civilians, the soldier arrived at one of the city's outer walls and rallied with his fellow troops. Wantinga was there, as were Coba and Spike, who joined him in his war-tent near the main gate.

Although Spike had seen fighting before, he never knew what a fully fledged war looked like, and admittedly he wasn't keen on finding out. Beneath his serious expression, he was utterly terrified. Coba, on the other hand, had an eager expression. This was understandable, as he was raised to fight as a soldier on the frontlines. Spike wore armor similar to the guard's steel-uniforms, and Coba was clad in a more extensive suit of gold coloured steel with a long indigo cape, signifying his rank in the army. His brother's armor was even more impressive. It was made of ebony coloured metal, with gold laurel and leaf patterns adorning it.

The evening air was hazy- making it difficult to see oncoming troops, and the enemy made not one sound. Changelings were masters of stealth, and this was an advantage the Wantthai army took into great consideration.

"Man the cannons! I want muskets and mages on the top, keep the infantry behind the walls!" Coba ordered some troops as he emerged from the tent along with Spike and his brother.

"Have you missed war, brother?" Wantinga laughed as he grabbed swords and shields from a nearby weapon rack, tossing a saber to Spike with a smile on his face.

"I have mixed feelings, but I do enjoy the thrill of battle nonetheless," Coba replied sharply, but cheerfully.

Spike gawked at his blade. "How in Equestria am I supposed to use this?"

"Ah, simple as moving your arm I always say. Just think of it as an extension of your hand, and swing." Wantinga said as he slowly swung his long sword to demonstrate.

"Easier said than done..." Spike gulped as he heard cannon fire.

"Where was that?" Coba asked himself as he looked around. "Who fired that shot?"

"I did sir," A nearby artillery-gunner replied as he ran over to his commander, "I saw something sneaking about in the distance! The fog is too thick to get a clear shot!"

"Change to grapeshot then, pepper those bastards!" Wantinga commanded the gunner. "Constantine must be sending them in small groups first to test the waters."

At first it was one or two muskets that fired, then hundreds burst into a chorus of thundering might along with dozens of cannons. Blasts of magic were hurled by battle-mages atop the walls into the swarm approaching, that looked like glowing eyes in the gloomy haze. At first the wall's defences stood strong, but the Changelings pressed on and vaulted their troops over the tall stone walls with their siege ladders. Changeling artillery started raining down on the city void of civilians, and troops were shredded by the deadly shrapnel. In only a few short minutes, the battle had exploded, and Spike was caught in the confusion of it all.

"Arrrghh! Stay strong soldiers! Stand your ground!" Coba shouted as he cut a Changeling invader in two. "Spike! Behind you!"

Spike turned and came face to face with an undead Changeling soldier. While the regular Changelings were not easy on the eyes, these creatures were on a whole new level of repulsiveness. They snarled and screeched like wild animals, and their skeletal features were covered in torn and rotting flesh. Spike wanted to close his eyes as he slashed it to prevent any foul substance from splashing onto him, but he knew that was the timid bookworm in him talking, and now was not the time. Spike slashed the rancid creature's neck, but it didn't react, letting what was left of its thick green blood spill on the ground. The Changeling tried goring him with a bony claw, but Spike dodged and blasted the monster's face apart with a blast of fire from his hand.

"These things only go down if you smash their head!" Spike shouted as he crouched down and looked at the dead beast.

Before Spike could stand up, he was immediately attacked by another enemy. In response, he shielded himself with his hands, but before the creature could scratch him its head was blown apart by a shot from Gin's blunderbuss. Spike fell back on his rear but felt a small yet strong hand lift him back up.

"Duly-noted Spike-a-rooney. Sorry, we're late, just had to properly arm ourselves." Gin joked as she aided Spike to his feet, before turning to Coba, who was in the midst of battle. "Some sexy weapons you have here, lad!"

Gin wasn't just armed with her blunderbuss. She had two large bandoliers across her chest that were filled with gunpowder and ammo, and they had loads of pistols strapped to them. Around her belt, she carried strange iron spheres with long black strings on the top of each ball.

"Yeah, now is not the best time Gin!" Coba said as he hacked his way through Changelings.

Winslow and Draven were behind Gin with serious expressions- ready to taste the blood of changelings. Draven had a single bandolier over his leather coat, and a saber in hand. Winslow, of course, had nothing but his long-sword.

"Let's kick some arse, shall we?" Draven said with a grin as he blasted a few Changelings to pieces with his lightning.

"More are approaching. Open the gates, let me handle them." Winslow grunted as he walked towards the approaching wave of enemy soldiers.

Wantinga was in shock, as the idea of one stallion taking on dozens of Changelings was unheard of."What? There are far too many, you can't-."

"Let him go. He knows what he's doing." Coba reassured his brother as he went back to fending off the remains of the last wave.

Winslow prepared his blade slowly, removed his eye-patch, and raised his sword up in a thrusting position. Then, without even thinking he began his attack as he charged through the gate. He sprinted at the Changeling wave with godlike speed and slashed seven in half with his first strike. His second attack cleaved eight Changeling's heads off. Winslow's attack seemed more like a dance to him, a rhythmical motion like none other. Another eight were then beheaded, then ten, and then twelve. Eventually, the entire wave had been decimated in less than ten seconds. Spike had never seen such speed from even Rainbow Dash, which was made all the more impressive considering that she was a pegasus and he was only a unicorn.

"How is such speed possible?" Wantinga asked Draven as he stared stupidly at the pile of dead Changelings near Winslow's hooves.

"Damned if I know!" Draven laughed as he gave Wantinga a pat on the back.

"Sir, more are coming!" A Wantthai guard cried out in the distance to Coba. "He's sending them all! Their numbers are in the thousands!"

"Damn, they outnumber us twenty to one!" Coba said as he rallied in a circle with his comrades. "What are we going to do?"

"We'll help," Cyro said in the distance as he approached the group along with Jhettei.

"Good, we need all the help we can get." Coba relaxed for a moment. "But, where are the other competitors?"

"They all left except the Ausrüstrian and us," Jhettei said as he shook his head. "Even the Crystal Empire."

"Damn them, I bet their precious princess busted them out, and now they're all drinking tea and crumpets!" Draven childishly mocked the two mages.

"Oh, shut your gob you overgrown lizard!" Gin snapped at the pouting dragon. "We've got a war to win!"

"Then let's get to it." Wantinga nodded as he directed his troops. "Soldiers, form a defensive line!"

****

Twilight and Fluttershy remained in the arena with the king in their balcony. They could hear the battle from afar, and although Twilight had the utmost faith in Spike and his friends, she couldn't help but feel worried for them. Fluttershy saw this in her expression as she looked out into the distance- where the sound of musket fire echoed off the mountains.

"Don't be worried Twilight, I'm sure he's fine. He has Draven and all the others with him." Fluttershy said in her angelic voice as she comforted Twilight.

"I know, but... I feel so helpless. I should be there fighting alongside him." Twilight lamented as he hung her head in shame.

"They can't let you go out there Twilight, you're too important," Fluttershy explained as she drew closer to Twilight and put her arm on her shoulder.

"I know, but-." Twilight stopped and raised her head as she heard the sound of hoof-steps nearby. "Do you hear that?"

Fluttershy's enhanced hearing immediately picked up on the noise as well. "Yeah, I do."

In the distance, they could hear snarls and cries of undead soldiers. In response the two mares lifted the king off his throne and moved him into a nearby bathroom; sitting him down on the toilet seat before going out to investigate.

"They must be after the king," Twilight whispered as she moved across the room and put her back against the stone wall, adjacent to the doorway leading into the staircase.

"What are we going to do?" Fluttershy squeaked as she put her back against the wall beside Twilight.

"Well, Changeling soldiers are expert assassins. There's no point in hiding from them," Twilight assessed the situation, "it looks like we'll have to fight them."

"Fight them?" Fluttershy whimpered.

"I'm afraid so..." Twilight replied as she summoned her two magical swords."Use that sword over by the king's throne."

Fluttershy grabbed the sword and returned to cover. "I can't use this!"

"Sure you can, just swing at whatever it is you want to slice, and it'll work. Simple." Twilight, of course, knew it wasn't that easy.

"O-okay..." Fluttershy nodded as she held her sword tightly.

Twilight waited for the approaching soldiers and listened. She could hear them running up the stairs at first, but something else caught their attention. Somepony whistled to them downstairs, and then what followed was the sound of a massacre. Guns fired, but these were not single-shots, it sounded like hundreds of muskets firing in a chain. After the gunfire stopped, Twilight and Fluttershy went downstairs to find out the identity of their hero, or... heroine.

It was Angreifer, carrying an assault rifle and wearing mechanized armor. She had an expression best described as bloodthirsty as she blew the tip of her gun; letting the smoke billow out of the barrel. Twilight and Fluttershy hadn't paid attention before, but Angreifer was very beautiful. However, her beauty was not manufactured like Rarity's, she had a natural beauty to her. She had a long black mane that seemed spiky yet smooth, and her eyes were an interesting shade of grey- almost white, like her fur.

"You two alright?" Angreifer asked the two mares.

"Uh, yes I think so." Twilight said as she looked down at all the dead Changeling soldiers; their heads popped off by Angreifer's strange rifle. "What in Equestria was that?"

"Oh, this? This is my favourite rifle, she's a little more advanced than your typical musket to say the least." Angreifer laughed as she reloaded her gun. "She gets the job done."

"Thank you for helping us Angreifer." Fluttershy thanked the armored mare.

"No problem, and the name's Masami Akiyama." Masami corrected her. "Angreifer is just my 'stage-name'."

"Alright, Masami... why haven't you left like the other competitors?" Twilight wondered.

"Truth be told, I wanted to talk to this Equestrian princess I've heard so much about." Masami continued. "A friend of mine thinks you and your little friends can assist us in some rough business back in the capital."

"Who is this friend?" Twilight inquired.

"The forty-second president of the U.D.A- The United Districts of Ausrüstung, Charles Chesterfield. We've kept our eyes on you and your friends since you stepped hoof on the Blacklands." Masami explained. "He figures we can work out a deal."

"A deal?" Twilight replied with a curious expression.

"Yeah, I don't really know the details... but, he'll explain it to you when he gets here!" Masami said in a cheerful voice.

"Gets here?!" Twilight's mind was going a million miles a minute.

"Yeah, your troops are getting messed up out there. I figured you needed a little backup," Masami laughed gleefully, "So I called in a little aid for you guys!"

****

"Stand your ground soldiers!" Coba shouted as he cleaved through another Changeling.

The Changeling army was relentless and felt endless. While the Watthai troop held firm, their ranks were dwindling fast, and their defence was beginning to crumble. The stone walls that held strong were cracking, and the battle-mages were being overwhelmed and devoured by the undead. Draven and Winslow were faring well, but they could not push the horde of Changeling soldiers back.

"This looks grim Winslow, what will we do?" Draven grunted as he blew up a few Changelings with a bolt of lightning.

"We can't win this on our own Draven, you need to get to Spike, you two can cut a path for us!" Winslow informed Draven as he grabbed a Changeling and smashed its head on a nearby rock.

Draven sprinted through the battlefield; slicing and electrocuting Changelings as he closed in on Spike's position. His first foe was cut to ribbons by his saber and fell to the ground. His second foe met a brutal end, as Draven drove his claws into its skull and sent a spark of electricity into its brain, causing its head to blow apart. Eventually, Draven made it over to Spike, who was hunkered down in a trench with Gin.

"Bout' time you showed up!" Gin said as she loaded her blunderbuss.

"Sorry I'm late, Spike... how much magic have you got?" Draven asked the young dragon as he struck another approaching changeling with a bolt of lightning.

"Quite a bit, why?" Spike replied as he tossed a fireball into the swarm of Changelings; scorching a few.

"Maybe we can combine our magic, sort these bastards out, huh?" Draven suggested with a jolly smile.

"Alright, what do we have to do?" Spike uttered in a curious tone of voice as he threw another fireball out into the fray.

"C'mon, I'll show you!" Draven laughed as he jumped into the battlefield.

"What are you- what are you doing?!" Spike cried out to Draven as he shook his head and joined him in the fight.

"Give me some fire, lad!" Draven shouted at Spike as he began charging up his lightning.

Spike conjured up a ball of fire and passed it to the black dragon. Draven then waved his hands around the ball of flame; swirling it around and mixing it with his lightning.

"Help me hold this, will you?" Draven said as he moved the spinning ball of fiery lightning closer to Spike. "Focus, with me."

Spike grabbed a hold of the arcane energy and put more of his flame inside it; charging the attack even more. Eventually, the sphere could no longer contain any more power, and Draven pulled it back; preparing to toss it.

"Stand back... this'll get messy," Draven said as he pushed Spike back into the trench nearby.

Draven tossed the ball of energy with all his strength, and it touched down right in the middle of the Changeling horde. The blast wave levelled nearby houses, and the sound was nearly deafening. Although the attack killed many, it was not enough to stop the onslaught, only stall them.

"Did it work?" Gin asked as she peeked over the trench; seeing the piles of dead Changelings.

"Yes and no..." Draven wheezed. "There's more on the way."

"We can't keep this up for long... Constantine will show up any minute now." Coba panted as he rammed his sword into the ground to lean on it.

"We must keep fighting! We are the only line of defence left!" Wantinga tried encouraging the tired band of warriors.

"We... can't hold out much longer," Jhettei grunted as he sat on a pile of bricks to catch his breath.

"Right you are..." A sadistic voice purred.

"Who's there?! Show yourself you coward!" Coba yelled as he looked around.

Changeling soldiers marched closer and closer, eventually stopping just within arm's-length. Constantine had ordered his troops to halt. He emerged from the crowd of growling beasts with his chin held high, and a disgusted look on his face as he approached Wantinga and the others.

"I will get to the point quickly... surrender or die. However, I believe it would be a wise decision to fall to my blade instead of being drawn and quartered. Again, it's your choice." Constantine sneered as he drew his saber.

"Go fuck yourself, Constantine." Draven spat on the posh stallion.

"Charming..." Constantine scowled. "Kill them, they are not worth my time."

The Changelings slashed with their sabers and thrust with their spears, but the warriors held firm. Gin blasted a Changeling to bits with a grenado, Winslow beheaded dozens of Changelings with each strike, and Coba joined his brother as he charged towards Constantine, slicing any Changeling that got in his way.

"Come brother! We will take him together!" Wantinga roared as he tried slashing Constantine, whose back was turned.

The battle was stopped by his saber in mid-air as Constantine turned to face the young prince; a sickening grin spreading across his face as his craving for blood began to overtake him once more.

"I hoped you would do that..." Constantine snickered as he knocked the two approaching Wantthai warriors down with a wave of magical power.

"Coward! Quit hiding behind your magic and fight us as an equal!" Coba taunted the Changeling general.

"If you insist." Constantine gave a light chuckle as he prepared his blade once again.

Constantine charged forward with a crazed look in his eyes as he sped towards the two zebras with blinding agility. His first strike was precise and powerful. Constantine spun around and clunked Coba on the head with his hard hoof, knocking him down and disabling him for a brief moment. Constantine then lashed out at Wantinga with great ferocity and began to wear him down with numerous slashes from his curved blade.

Coba eventually snapped out of his daze and joined in with his brother, trying to land a blow on the nearly untouchable stallion. Each attack the two stallions landed on him were countered, and outmatched by a counterattack of greater power. Coba tried slashing low, but Constantine could see him coming from a mile away. The general gave him a forceful palm-strike that sent him flying back into the heart of the battlefield, separating him from Wantinga, but keeping him within viewing distance. Coba was utterly lost, and his friends were all scattered across the city fighting the endless horde. There would be no aid coming anytime soon.

Wantinga tossed his red cape aside and swung wildly at his foe; trying to overpower the smaller stallion. Constantine laughed the attack off and jumped up; giving the prince a hard kick to the throat.

"You're boring me, I'm done playing with you..." Constantine said in an unimpressed tone of voice.

Constantine dashed past his foe and slashed, sheathing his weapon as he sped past him. He turned to face the prince. "You were not worth dulling my blade..." Constantine laughed.

The prince gripped his throat tightly, trying to keep his blood from spilling out, but it was no used. He coughed and spat as he choked on his blood and felt his own lungs fill with liquid. With one last gurgle he fell to the ground and died. Coba witnessed it all.

"No!" Coba cried out to his brother as he was grabbed by Changeling soldiers and brought before Constantine.

As Coba hung his head in defeat as Constantine raised his blade to deliver the last strike to end his life. He closed his eyes to make the end less painful.

"Goodbye, Coba-." Constantine was cut off by the sound of a powerful gunshot.

Constantine staggered back and looked down at his chest, and saw a gaping hole. His wound healed, but it was far more painful than any gunshot he had endured before. He looked up, and a massive spotlight shone down on him. The source of the light was a hovering ship that had two propellers on each side, spinning rapidly, and making a distinct whirring noise. A stallion jumped out of the low altitude ship and landed on the ground beside Coba, who was kneeling before the dead body of his brother.

The earth pony beside Coba was the roughest looking stallion he'd ever seen. His brown face had scars that only a warrior would have, and his mechanized suit was coloured black, unlike most other Ausrüstrian contraptions. He wore a red veteran beret over his brown mane, and on top of his armor was a black trench coat with a large bandolier. In his right hand was the largest pistol Coba had ever seen.

"Stand down bug-boy." The gritty-looking soldier warned Constantine.

"Or what?" Constantine sneered.

"Or I'll beat the shit outta ya..." The gruff soldier said as he lit a cigar.

"Oh, that is adorabl-." Constantine was cut off as the soldier's metal fist collided with his face.

"Sorry pal, couldn't hear ya over the sound of me smashin' your jaw apart like fuckin' porcelain!" The soldier laughed, smoke billowing out of his mouth as he chuckled.

Constantine was amazed by how strong the earth pony was, even with armor, Constantine knew that it wouldn't be enough, but he was proven wrong. Constantine got to his hooves and breathed deeply, regaining his strength, and letting his jaw heal. The soldier seemed impressed by his enhanced healing and laughed again as he drew closer to the general.

"Well, look who's been eatin' their wheaties!" The soldier scoffed as he shook off the ash from the tip of his cigar.

"How dare you-." Constantine's speech was once again cut short by another crushing blow from the soldier.

Constantine stood up again, only this time, he attacked with his magic. He released a powerful wave of magic power, but to his surprise... the soldier brushed it off as if it were just a light breeze.

"What?! How did you-." Constantine's face once again met with another metal-punch.

"Yeah, normal magic doesn't do shit to me." The soldier explained as he lifted his trench coat to reveal a large glowing dome on his chest. "Arcanium power core for a heart, technical stuff... you wouldn't get it."

The soldier began a beat-down on Constantine. He smashed his head on a nearby rock, pummelled him until he bled, but before he could land another blow, the Changeling general turned into smoke and blew away; realizing he was outmatched. The soldier turned and looked down at Coba, who was grieving over the dead body of his brother whom he held so dear in his heart. The soldier crouched down and shut Wantinga's eyes with his two fingers, placing his hand on Coba's shoulder as he began to cry.

"I'm sorry I didn't arrive sooner, son..." The soldier hung his head. "Nothing we can do now, but bury him. Let me carry his body."

The soldier grabbed the lifeless body of the prince and held it in his arms, gesturing to Coba to get up as he walked back towards the inner-city.

"Commander Stiehl, are we clear to land, over?" An electronic voice escaped the soldier's gauntlet.

"You are clear to land fellas, time to clean up this mess, over." The soldier spoke into his gauntlet. "Bring the pain."

****

On the other side of the battlefield, Spike and the others were fighting for their lives; trying to push back the flow of Changeling soldiers. However, they did not relent, and slowly but surely wore them down. Gin had sustained multiple saber wounds, Jhettei had a few cuts and bruises, and even Winslow had a few scrapes. The battle was not going well.

"We're dying out there..." Gin wheezed as she rested the back of her head on a partially destroyed brick wall with Spike.

"We can't give up, the people of Wantthai depend on us!" Spike tried encouraging Gin with what remained of his hope.

"No Spike, I think this is-." Gin's voice was overshadowed by a massive foghorn escaping the clouds. "What in the bloody hell is..."

As the clouds parted, a mighty airship thousands of feet long descended. It began firing massive cannons and machine guns, and dozens of troops dropped out of the airship. Flying squadrons with winged mechanized suits rained fire on the Changeling horde; sending them into a full-scale retreat. The Changeling army was scattered by artillery strikes, and the armored soldiers chased them down with their assault rifles and their miniguns. In a matter of minutes, the battle had been won... but at the price of the Wantthai people's next ruler. The remaining Wantthai guards, Ausrüstung soldiers, Spike and his friends, and Coba gathered around the dead body of the Prince of Wantthai. Coba said nothing and hung his head in shame.

Coba began to break down. "This is all my fault, I should've-."

"Don't do that to yourself Coba, we were all separated. There was nothing we could've done." Spike tried to reassure the crying stallion.

"I know that... but he was just within reach! He was so close!" Coba screamed as he pounded on his brother's chest.

"I know Coba... I'm sorry..." Spike wept.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Thirty One: The Sky Opens; Haki Awaits

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The starry sky above the arena began to swirl and morph into a void of endless nothingness. It was as if the very space above the massive stone structure was starting to crumble. Coba paid no attention to it at first as he looked down at the lifeless body of his brother, but the swirling vortex started to whir and groan; reminding him of the impending danger that was Haki.

"She's here..." Draven uttered under his breath as he looked up at the hole in the sky.

"Already?"Gin said as she strapped her blunderbuss to her back and turned to face the giant hole.

"We have to get back to Twilight and Fluttershy! They could be in trouble!" Spike realized as he crouched down and placed his hand on Coba's shoulder. "We have to go."

"I know, just... not yet... I have to stay with him for a while. Go now, find our friends, find my father... kill Haki. Go." Coba said as he pushed Spike away and ordered the remaining troops to get back to the arena.

All but the one soldier left, the same one that saved Coba minutes ago. He lit another cigar and blew some smoke as he looked up at the celestial tear in the heavens. He laughed as if he just heard a joke, then he gave his attention to Coba, who kneeled in silence beside Wantinga's corpse.

"What are you still doing here?!" Coba cried. "Leave us be, soldier!"

"The name's Butch, kid. Listen, I don't know ya, but I know what you're thinkin' right about now." The soldier sighed. "You're thinkin': 'How could this happen? Was it my fault?'. Well, I'm just here to tell ya that it's nopony's fault. Death doesn't care if you're special or somthin', it happens to everpony... whether you want it to or not."

Coba began to break down again. "But why him? Why take him from me? He had so much to-."

"So much to live for? Yeah, I knew a few stallions who had a lot to live for as well, but then I watched their heads get blown to pieces." Butch sighed again; releasing a puff of smoke. "I'm not tellin ya to get over it now... I'm askin' ya to not let it consume you, the anger, the guilt. It ain't nopony's fault but death itself."

"Are you saying that I shouldn't take revenge? That I shouldn't grieve?" Coba asked as he looked up at the gritty stallion; slightly offended by his statement.

"Nah, I'm sayin' you need to let him go eventually, cause he'll never be free if you keep hangin' on," Butch grunted as he put his hand out to Coba. "C'mon, let's take him somewhere else."

"No, I just... give me a minute." Coba choked back more tears as he ran his hand through his brother's mane.

"Well... I'll see you at the arena. Bring him with you..." Butch said as he began walking back into the destroyed city.

Stiehl stopped for a moment; tightening his hand into a fist as he looked back at Coba, but then shook his head and moved on.

****

The swirling vortex in the sky began to hover over the arena; looking down upon all those who were below. Spike gulped as he heard the gaping hole growl; feeling it in his bones. The others joined him on the balcony and stared down the vortex with him.

"So, what happens now?" Spike asked the others as he turned his head.

"Well... prophecy states that the warrior has to enter alone," Draven explained.

"But, how am I supposed to get in that thing?" Spike scratched his head as he looked up again. "By blasting myself into it?"

"We don't know what that is, Spike. It could turn you into spaghetti for all we know!" Twilight placed her hand on her chin in deep thought. "Maybe... the stone! Where's the stone?"

"I think I saw the announcer take it away when the Changelings attacked," Fluttershy added, "but I don't know where exactly-."

"Not a problem." A familiar friendly voice interrupted.

It was the announcer and Butch. Butch gave him a nod, and from his overcoat the announcer revealed the Stone of Right; glowing a bright red, and humming softly as he placed it in Spike's hand.

"Where the hell did you two come from?" Gin chuckled lightly, the turned to face Butch. "Wait, who are you?"

"Found this guy on my way here. Said he was lookin' for some kind of "dragon warrior", or somethin'." Butch said as he patted the announcer on the back. "The name's Butch, by the way."

"Wait, I know you! You're the same soldier who saved Coba!" Draven remembered. "Is he okay?"

"The guy needs time... he just lost his brother after all," Butch grunted.

"Wantinga... he must be devastated." Twilight shook her head; trying to process it all.

"This may sound cruel, but we need to focus on the task at hand right now. " Winslow interrupted. "Getting Spike up there somehow."

"Right..." Twilight agreed; although she could not shake off the anguish caused by thinking of Coba's misery. "What's our next move?"

"Well, how do I use this thing?" Spike wondered as he looked down at the glowing red rock.

"You must go to the center of the arena where the celestial anomaly has manifested. The stone will react automatically, and you will be thrust into Haki's limbo where she will challenge you to a magic duel." The announcer explained to the confused dragon.

"What happens if I lose?" Spike asked; still extremely uneasy about the task at hand.

"If you lose, Haki's spirit will be freed from this arena, and she will claim Wantthai as her own. It will bring the Sorcerers one step closer to reviving Leere. We must not allow that." The announcer informed Spike and the others as he began walking down some nearby stairs back to the catacombs, where the other civilians were hiding. "This stone has been in my family for generations. We have waited thousands of years for this moment, and now... it has finally come. Take good care of the stone, Spike."

"Well, this doesn't seem impossible." Spike sighed sarcastically as he looked into the stone.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" Fluttershy asked the frightened dragon.

"No turning back now I suppose." Spike unsurely shrugged his shoulders; a clear expression of fear on his face.

"Then you best be going." Winslow insisted as he gestured at the center of the arena.

"Can I go with him?" Twilight begged to Draven and Winslow. "I just want to... I just want to wish him luck before he..."

"It's okay Twilight. You can go." Draven nodded his head as he gave the young alicorn a comforting smile.

****

Spike and Twilight walked down the last hallway of the concourse leading into the arena. She slowed down a bit as they got closer; trying to savor what could be her last moments with Spike. Eventually, her pace slowed to the point of a snail, and Spike walked ahead of her until he noticed her absence.

"Twilight, what's wrong?" Spike asked the worried alicorn, although he knew the answer.

"Spike, remember when we used to play in the royal gardens?" Twilight reminisced as she stared down at the floor.

"Of course I do." Spike smiled as he turned to face Twilight. "I would hide in the rose bushes, and I'd jump out and scare you!"

"But you always got scraped up by those thorns." Twilight sighed as she remembered. "Then we would play doctor when I patched you up!"

"Oh right! Thank goodness I had scales, otherwise I would have been minced-up!" Spike laughed for a moment before realizing that Twilight was beginning to cry.

"Please come back safe Spike... I can't go on without you! Promise me you'll make it back alive!" Twilight wept as she felt Spike wrap his arms around her.

"I promise Twilight. I promise..." Spike cried as he rested his head on her shoulder; feeling her gentle pulse.

As Spike broke away from their embrace reluctantly and moved forward; looking back one last time before he opened up the two large doors leading into the arena. As the gates shut, his eyes met with Twilight's one last time; her graceful smile gave him hope, and her passionate eyes gave him strength. He looked up at the hole in the sky and walked closer to it, but stopped when he felt his pocket burn. The stone shone ever brighter than before, and without acting upon the rock, it gravitated towards the black-hole; pulling him closer to the center of the arena.

When he reached the center, the stone lifted him off the ground high in the air. He tried fighting its pull at first, but he eventually realized where it was taking him. As he reached the tear in the sky, he was sucked in, and he felt his entire body shake. At first, the black void surrounding him seemed to remain still. But then, he felt the world turn- as if his whole perception was turned around. He ascended to begin with, but then, he fell. He hit the ground hard, but not as hard as he expected. As he adjusted his vision, he realized what he landed on.

The ground felt squishy and soft, like some kind of giant organ, and it even throbbed like a heart. As he got to his feet, he brushed off the grotesque slime that seemed to move as if it had a mind of its own. He looked up automatically to survey the area, and to his surprise... it was the same arena. Although looked as if everything was... organic, like the entire stadium was made from living tissue. The chairs were made of bone, there were pools of blood all over the arena, and strange pillars made of muscle tissue supported the hellish structure. Although, there didn't seem to be an end to the ceiling. It was nothing but blackness that went on forever, and the only sign that there was an end was the fact that the tissue-pillars towered high above the walls of the arena.

Then, the ground started to shake. Spike used his claws to anchor himself to the squishy ground as he felt his body vibrate. On the other side of the arena, an orifice of teeth opened, and a wormlike creature emerged from the hole. It was gargantuan; twenty times larger than Spike, and its slimy body began to twitch as many more mouths began to open all over its body. Spike shielded himself; waiting for a killing blow, but to his surprise... the creature sat still as if it were waiting for something.

Once again, the stone burned in Spike's hand as he raised it up towards the hideous creature. As the creature smelled the stone, it laughed, or... many ponies laughed as all of the creature's mouths opened up. As it laughed, Spike could hear the voices of many different ponies- colts, fillies, the elderly.

"Jina lako, joka ni nini?" The squirming mass of flesh asked with the voice of a young filly.

Spike was speechless at first, but eventually he mustered up the courage to speak, although it didn't come out as he intended. "Uh- um... what?"

"What is your name, dragon?" The worm groaned in the low voice of a stallion.

"It's... Spike?" The shivering dragon muttered. "What- what is this place?"

"Matumbo... The Bowels. Haki's darkest depths, the hell she has created." The disgusting mass wailed. "Sisi ni Mkutano. We are Mkutanu... The Gathering. We are the souls of those she plucked from the skies of mbinguni, and dragged down to her own kuzimu. We are the guardians of this temple of flesh and bone, and we have been waiting for you, mpiganaji."

"Where is Haki?" Spike inquired; his whole body still shaking from fear.

"She is waitng for you, mpiganaji- in the next room." The vile creature growled as it drew closer to Spike. "We can smell royalty, the damu of the joka mfalme... the dragon-king...."

The whole arena began to shake and groan. Blood and screams escaped openings all over the arena, and Spike once again held onto the fleshy ground. Another orifice opened behind the worm-beast; leading into a sort of throne room.

"Enter the chamber, mpiganaji, fight Haki. Free us from this kuzimu..." The shambling mass moaned.

Spike nodded and reluctantly moved forward; swallowing his saliva as he looked back to see the orifice close behind him. There was no going back. There was no escape.

Shanghai'd! | Arc One | Chapter Thirty Two: Spike vs Haki

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Spike could barely see inside the dimly lit throne room, but after narrowing his eyes he managed to make out the throne at the end of the hall. Instinctively he walked towards it, and as he did so a pair of parallel torches began to make his path clear. As he walked further towards the throne, more torches ignited until the entire room was lit. Spike could finally see what was sitting on the throne. It was Haki, although, not the Haki Fluttershy and Winslow described.

Her body looked inside-out. Muscle tissue, veins, and bones were all visible on her body. Her skull was without skin, and from her head sprouted bony spines that formed an asymmetrical crown-like structure that jutted upwards in odd ways. Her entire form was twisted and misshapen, one arm was disproportionate to the other, and her two long legs had two different ends. The left leg ended with a skinless hoof, and the right leg ended with a rotting dragon's foot with decaying claws and vile liquid dripping from it.

"I have been waiting for you, Spike." The distorted creature wheezed in a voice somewhat similar to Zecora's.

"Are you Haki?" Spike asked the foul hag.

"I am the one you seek, dragon," Haki growled.

"Why do you look like this?" Spike said as he marvelled at Haki's ghastly figure.

"My spirit distorts the body of those I possess," Haki gurgled, "and it can yield unpredictable results."

"Why do you want Wantthai so badly?" Spike asked Haki.

"Because it was, and always has been my divine right to rule Wantthai!" Haki bellowed; offended by Spike's question. "I was the strongest of my kin!"

"Obviously that wasn't true, otherwise you'd still rule Wantthai today." Spike retorted as a large grin spread across his face.

"How dare you mock me, you loathsome reptile!" Haki screamed as she waved her hand at Spike; sending a wave of red magical energy towards him.

Spike was blown back by the force of the blast, but recovered quickly, and tossed a ball of flame right at Haki's face. The fireball scorched her severely, but within seconds her wound healed over. She screeched and let loose a discharge of bony thorns from her mouth, one of which hit Spike in the shin. Immediately he pulled it out, but blood began oozing from his wound, and his leg tensed up as he felt the pain racing up his spine.

"Foolish lizard, in this realm I am a god!" Haki barked at the injured.

"In this realm, you're also cocky!" Spike joked as he struggled to stand.

Haki roared again, and bone pillars erupted from the floor. Spike dodged with great difficulty; feeling every step as his wound became more and more painful. Spike then hid behind a nearby bone-pillar to tend to his injury. Twilight taught him some basic medical skill before, and he remembered the time she taught him about cauterisation and how it could stop bleeding.

"Here goes nothing Twilight... I hope it doesn't hurt as much as they say it does." Spike whimpered as he began cauterising his wound shut with green flames. "Oh! It does hurt !"

"Come out and face me you, coward!" Haki yelled.

Spike leapt out of cover and shot another fireball out of his hand, but it was diverted by a strong telekinetic force and was redirected towards him instead. Spike was hit in the chest and was launched backwards into a bone pillar that snapped as his body made contact with it. Although the attack was devastating, Spike's adrenaline allowed him to push through the excruciating pain. He shot off like a rocket and tried pummelling Haki, but with a wave of her hand she interrupted his flight path and drove him into another pillar made of muscle fibres. His body was then entangled by the strands of flesh; rendering him immobile.

"You're weak, dragon!" Haki snickered. "You are nothing but a nuisance to me!"

Spike smiled and spat out a ball of fire from his mouth that exploded right in Haki's face. She stepped back and wailed in pain; blindly firing blasts of magic in random directions as she tried to regain her sight. Spike took the opportunity and attempted to strike her in the back, but Haki had feigned her pain; grabbing Spike by the neck and smashing him into the ground. Haki then picked him up and tossed him across the room. Spike rammed through five pillars before losing momentum, and he laid on the ground for a moment before standing once again.

Spike coughed up some blood as he stood up and staggered about as he tried regaining his balance. Haki however, did not want him to make such recoveries, and she blasted the poor dragon back into a nearby wall with a wave of magic force; sending even more bone debris flying across the room. Spike's body was durable to say the least, but Haki's attacks were on a whole new level. Every attack from her felt like falling from a ten story building.

Spike got up again and clutched his aching rib cage. He felt at least four ribs that were broken, and he had massive scars across his face and chest from Haki's crushing blows. Spike powered through the pain. There was a lot more at stake than just his own life. Twilight, Draven, Gin... they're lives were on the line. He couldn't give up, he wouldn't.

Despite all his injuries, Spike attacked with all his might. He head-butted Haki, then grabbed her skull and breathed fire all over her face. The jet of flame melted the flesh of her bones, and with a deafening shriek she threw Spike to the side. This time, she truly was in pain. Spike, however, didn't let her recuperate. He elbowed her in the jaw, kneed her in the chest, and punched her in the throat with his flame-coated fist. Haki retaliated with another blast of magic that imbalanced Spike, and have her an opening.

Haki burst into a flurry of fists; striking Spike again and again as he tried getting back up. Haki then blew him away with a blast of magic so powerful, it melted the fleshy ground beneath his feet. The powerful attack finally brought Spike down for good, and Haki laughed as she approached the battered dragon who laid speechless on the ground; straining himself to stand back up. Haki put her dragon's foot on his chest, pushed down, and snapped some more of Spike's ribs. The young dragon wailed as she pressed down, and he tried lifting her foot off, but it was to no avail.

"I admire your tenacity Spike, but I'm afraid it only prolonged the inevitable." Haki sneered as she twisted her foot. "Once I kill you, I'm going to kill that little alicorn friend of yours, and do you know who she's going to curse when she draws her last breath? Spike Dra-."

A giant torrent of black flames escaped Spike's mouth and enveloped Haki's body. The sorceress flew across the throne room and collided with yet another bone pillar. A large amount of smoke poured out of Spike's mouth and shrouded him; sending Haki into a fit of impatient rage as she shot blasts of magic into the smoke.

"Come out of hiding warrior! At least die with honour!" Haki shouted in her outrage.

As the smoke cleared, Haki could make out an unfamiliar foe on the other end of the room. It was Spike, but his appearance had changed dramatically.

His light scales took on a much darker shade of purple, and his form was a lot lankier than before; his body looking more like a mature dragon. His beige underbelly became dull and grey, and he sprouted two demon-like horns from his head. His jacket was torn away, and the only thing covering him was his tattered black shorts. Spike's previously emerald green eyes were pitch black and devoid of life, and he radiated an aura of dread and dismay.

"Wha-what is this?" Haki gawked at Spike. "What did you do?"

Spike said nothing and vanished out of thin air. In an instant, he appeared behind Haki, who was caught completely off-guard. Spike grabbed her head with one hand and discharged another massive beam of black fire- once again enveloping his foe, and melting her away.

"How can this mortal have so much power? What made him so strong?" Haki thought to herself as Spike pummelled her into the ground with a cold and emotionless expression.

"I will not be beaten by a mere mortal!" Haki screamed as she blasted Spike with everything she had.

Spike was blown back briefly but stood up as soon as he hit the ground. He then waved his hand and cast a magic circle above Haki, who was wide-eyed with disbelief. With a snap of his finger, a tornado of fire emerged from the magic seal and swept up Haki in an inferno of dark flames. Once the spell subsided, Spike began another assault and smashed Haki into another pillar.

Haki was becoming desperate, and in haste, she conjured up a bone sword to impale him with. While she succeeded, it did not do as much damage as she expected. Spike grabbed the sword and pulled it out with little effort, and black blood leaked out of his chest onto the ground before his wound healed over. No effect.

"Rrrgggahh! Die! Die! Die!" Haki hollered as she summoned more and more bone-pillars to impale her foe.

Each bone pillar pierced his body but affected him even less than the sword had. Spike simply smashed the pillars apart with his bare hands and removed each sharp spine from his body like they were nothing but rose-thorns. Spike summoned another magic seal underneath Haki that surrounded her in walls of flame. This was to save himself time for his next attack.

Spike held his hands together as he charged-up one final attack. Four balls of dark flame orbited around him before gathering in his clasped hands. As the attack built the room began to shake around him, and when he outstretched his arms the fire gathered in his palms. The fire surrounding Haki dissipated once Spike's attack reached full power, and Haki's vision was no longer obscured by dark flames.

"Wait, I have seen this power before... this is not the power of a dragon it's-...." Haki's thoughts trailed off as Spike released his attack.

"Dragon-Warlock's Glorious Inferno!" Spike bellowed in a deep, booming voice.

A giant ball of flame was launched from Spike's hands right at Haki, and when it made contact with her a swirling explosion of black fire consumed her body and incinerated her inside and out. As the attack ended, Haki simply sat still and clutched her heart.

"H-how... d-did you?" Haki wheezed as she looked down at her hands that were beginning to disintegrate into ash. "M-my body..."

Spike reached into his pocket and crushed the Stone of Right in his hand, and then the limbo around them began to melt away along with her. Without Haki holding up the limbo, it could no longer sustain itself. As Haki finally melted away she witnessed small lights lift up into the endless black sky.

"M-my souls..." Haki whispered before disappearing entirely.

Spike's body returned to normal, and he fell unconscious soon after being lifted away from the doomed world below by all the small orbs of light. The last thing he remembered was the small voice of a filly similar to one of Mkutanu's personas.

"Thank you, hero..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc One Finale | Chapter Thirty Three: Aftermath & A New Frontier!

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Spike's tired eyes opened slowly in the morning light, and his ears had trouble adjusting to the calm atmosphere around him. He sat upright but was gently pushed back down onto his bed by another pony's hand.

"Lay back down Spike, you've had a rough night." A gentle, but stern voice insisted.

"Gin?" Spike asked the unseen mare as he tried to adjust his vision.

"Yes Spike, it's me..." Gin replied as she hovered over Spike.

"Where am I?" Spike groaned as he looked around the room.

Spike noticed the pile of flowers next to his bed and wondered just how long he had been resting. "Gin, how long was I-."

"It's only ten-thirty in the morning, but it seems you've become a celebrity in a pretty short time." Gin laughed. "Ponies have been lining up all morning to give flowers to the "Saviour of Wantthai", and all that."

"Did she stay with me the whole night?"Spike asked himself as he noticed the bags under Gin's eyes.

"Gin, where's Twilight and the others?" Spike wondered as he propped himself up with his pillow.

"They got wrapped up in some business with an Austy bloke, but I didn't really give damn about him, so I decided to stay here- wait til' you woke up." Gin explained. "I wanted to give you a little something as well..."

"Um- uh, what?" Spike said as his face flushed red.

"Just close your eyes, and I'll show you..." Gin whispered to Spike in a seductive voice.

Spike closed his eyes and puckered his lips; waiting for a kiss. However, what he felt instead was a hard punch.

"Ouch!" Spike yelped. "What was that?"

"Sorry Spike, I just wanted to create some dramatic tension. Did it work okay?" Gin chuckled as she aided the aching dragon to his feet.

"Yeah, really feeling the tension..." Spike sighed as he rubbed his snout.

"Can you walk? I can carry you outside like a baby if you want!" Gin joked as she helped steady Spike.

"Tempting, but I'll pass." Spike chortled as he walked around a bit.

"Let's get going then." Gin declared as she ushered Spike outside.

As Spike and Gin exited the city infirmary, they were greeted by thousands of ponies in the cobblestone street shouting things like: "Hail the warrior!", or "Praise Spike, our saviour!". The mob surrounded Spike and gave him hugs, kisses, and even more flowers. Spike was overwhelmed by the roaring fans and showered in praise. This was the first time Spike truly felt like the heroes he read about in his comics and storybooks.

"Spike!" Twilight yelled from across the sea of heads.

"Twilight?" Spike looked around frantically.

Twilight pushed her way through the crowd until she reached Spike. Fluttershy was with her, and they both had giant grins spread across their faces.

"I'm sorry I didn't stay with you, but we talked with some ponies from Ausrüstung, and we
had to help Coba with... he went to see his father," Twilight explained with a guilty expression.

"It's okay Twilight, I understand," Spike insisted, "he needs us more than I need you guys..."

"I'm glad you're okay!" Fluttershy smiled as she tilted her head innocently.

"Where's Draven?" Spike asked.

"Back at the arena, he decided to stay on the Ambassador," Twilight informed Spike.

"The Ambassador?" Spike wondered as he scratched his head.

"Remember that big ol' airship that kicked the Changeling's asses?" Gin interjected as she pointed up to the massive ship parked above the arena. "Well, there it is."

"Woah..." Spike's eyes widened as she looked up at the gargantuan airship above the stadium.

"We should get going now, everyone's waiting for us up there." Twilight reminded the others as she wormed her way through the crowd.

"Let's go then." Spike agreed as he followed her, along with Gin and Fluttershy.

****

Coba clenched his fist as he approached his father, who sat in his throne overlooking the arena. His father had episodes before, but not as frequently. He'd sometimes forget his crown or his clothes, but this time... he forgot more than just little things.

"Father?" Coba called out to the king.

"Wha- who's there? Aria is that you?!" The king shouted as he looked around desperately.

"Father... mother died a long time ago..." Coba reminded his father.

"Oh, of course... what happened to her anyways?" The king asked his anguished son.

"She died of childbirth father when she had me. Remember?"

"Right, right..." The king shook his head. "And- and you are?"

"Your son, Coba." Coba tried explaining to his confused father. "Do you- do you remember me?"

"Oh, of course, I do! You gave me a plate of wheatgrass just a few minutes ago!" The king snapped his finger as he pointed at Coba.

"No, that was Koga, your servant." Coba hung his head.

"Right..."

"I came here to tell you about Wantinga, your son. He died last night, defending Wantthai from the Changelings." Coba placed his hand on his father's shoulder.

"How old was he?"

"Twenty-seven, father. He was twenty-seven."

"Oh, dear. That's far too young..." The king shook his head in disappointment.

Coba began to weep as he remembered his brother. His smile, his kind demeanour. Back when his father was well, he always told Wantinga how much he was like his mother. Kind, compassionate, and caring. His father understood him better than anyone, and now his understanding was replaced by confusion and delusions.

"I know, father. That's far too young..." Coba cried as he buried his face in his father's chest.

"Oh, don't be sad. Death is just a part of life, it happens sometimes." The king comforted his son; patting him on the back as he hummed a familiar tune, the same one he used to sing to Coba when he was younger.

The sound of hoof-steps interrupted Coba's embrace with his father, and he forced to regain his composure seconds after he broke off from the hug to meet with his visitors. Spike and the others emerged from the entrance leading into the long staircase down to the market and the concourse.

"Oh, hello Spike. It's good to see you well and active." Coba chimed cheerfully as he hastily wiped away the remaining tears from his eyes.

"Good to see you too, Coba. Are you okay?" Spike asked Coba as he looked over to his father sitting in his throne.

"I've fine Spike," Coba replied with a sharpness to his voice.

Spike could tell it was quite obvious he had been crying based on the red marks under his eyes and his sudden change in tone. He wanted to ask about his brother, but he thought it would be best to let him bring it up.

"I'm sorry..." Coba apologized as he held his forehead in frustration. "I... I don't know what to say to you, Spike."

"I don't expect you to Coba, I just wanted to see if you were alright," Spike assured the mixed-up stallion. "What's going to happen now?"

"With my brother dead, there is no one else to inherit the throne but I." Coba lamented.

"Does that mean..."

"Yes, Spike. It appears that this is where I must end this journey of ours." Coba stated reluctantly as he put his hand out to Spike. "Thank you, Spike, for saving my people. It was an honor to fight beside you."

"Will we ever see each other again?" Spike always hated goodbyes.

"This isn't a goodbye forever Spike... our paths will cross again one day, I'm sure of it." Coba smiled as he shook hands with the young dragon.

Coba moved over to Fluttershy and gave her a hug.

"I won't forget you Coba." Fluttershy whimpered.

"Nor will I."

Coba then hugged Twilight. "You take care of Spike, you hear? He gets reckless sometimes."

"I always do." Twilight nodded.

When Coba's eyes met with Gin, they stood still for a moment. They both remembered all they had been through together. The battles they fought, the riches they plundered. It was all coming to a close, and Coba could tell Gin wasn't ready to say goodbye.

"Well, what do you want?" Gin pouted as she crossed her arms; trying to avoid eye-contact.

Coba said nothing and put his hand out for a handshake. At first Gin was reluctant, but eventually she caved, and she could no longer contain herself. She practically jumped on Coba and squeezed him tightly; tearing up as she squished the huge stallion.

"Damn it, who am I supposed to share my rum with now?" Gin wept as she squeezed tighter.

"There's a lot more for you now, right?" Coba laughed as he returned the hug.

Gin gave him a punch to the shoulder before drying her eyes and backing up. Coba gave them a shaman's blessing to give them good luck before saying goodbye one last time.

"Go with grace friends! I hope we will see each other again someday, in this life or the next!" Coba bowed to his comrades as they walked down the stairs.

****

Spike and the others gathered in the center of the arena and looked up at the giant ship in the sky.

So, uh... how do we get up there? Do they just toss us a ladder or..." Spike trailed off as she gawked at the massive sky-carrier. "Woah."

"Hello? Can you hear me?" An electronic voice buzzed in Twilight's satchel.

"Hello?" Twilight replied as she grabbed a small black device and raised it to her ear.

"What is that?" Fluttershy stared at the odd contraption.

"Some kind of wireless communicator, I think," Twilight answered as she examined the machine. "That same soldier gave it to me when we talked to him earlier."

"Hey, it's me, Masami. Can you hear me?" The communicator beeped.

"Yes, yes we can hear you Masami! How are we supposed to get up there?" Twilight responded as she waved at the airship.

"Well, there isn't any open space large enough for us to land, so we'll have to teleport you guys up here!" Masami informed Twilight and the others.

"Did she just say teleport?" Spike chimed in.

"Hold onto something guys, it might be a bumpy ride!" Masami chuckled before shutting off the communicator.

A huge machine emerged from the bottom of the airship and began charging up power; making a loud humming noise as it aimed right at Spike and the others. In a flash of light, they were gone, and in an instant they all landed on a hard metal surface.

"Ah, my back..." Gin groaned as she got to her hooves.

"Everyone alright?" Masami said as she tapped on the glass container surrounding Spike his friends.

"Where are we?" Spike asked Masami as he rubbed the back of his head.

"You're in the Ambassador folks!" Masami announced with pleasure as she pulled a lever; raising the glass container that held Spike and the others.

"How did you do that?" Twilight inquired as she inspected the various dials and mechanisms around the glass chamber.

"Easy. We disassembled you and put you back together here!" Masami cheered as she shook hands with everypony. "Awesome, right?"

"More like nauseating..." Gin dry-heaved.

"Yeah, that'll subside soon. So, let's get to the bridge shall we?" Masami ushered Twilight and the others onto an elevator.

"What is this?" Gin asked as she tapped on the steel plating of the small elevator.

"An elevator. Think of it as an easy way of going up!" Masami smiled as she unwrapped a piece of gum and plopped it into her mouth. "Anyone want some gum?"

The elevator ascended at incredible speeds; causing Gin to dry-heave again. In a matter of seconds, they reached the top floor, the command center. Spike's eyes widened as he emerged from the elevator.

"Wow." Spike's jaw dropped as he looked across the room filled with stallions and mares tending to consoles and monitoring strange glowing screens.

The room had two visible levels. There were the workers manning the controls, and the officers and soldiers guarding the upper platforms above the workers. At the end of the room was Draven and three other ponies. One was Butch, the other was Winslow, and the other Spike didn't recognize. They all sat in front of a long space-age metal table.

"Ah, there you all are!" Draven joyously clapped as he hugged Gin. "Where's Coba? Did he not get beamed up?"

"No, he-... he had to stay behind." Gin filled Draven in on the details.

"I see..." Draven looked down; slightly disappointed to hear the news, although deep down he knew it was inevitable. "Well... nothing we can do now I suppose. Anyways, I'd like you all to meet Charles Chesterfield! He's the president of Ausrüstung!"

Draven directed the group's attention towards the extensively dressed stallion. His fur was turquoise and his hair was a bright orange, and he wore a tweed suit with a vest underneath that had a gold pocket-watch fastened to it. He wore a pair of rounded glasses over his emerald eyes, and he brandished a smile that was as worthy of respect as a princess, yet as humble as a farmer.

"A pleasure to meet you all! Captain Draven has informed me of your countless adventures and skirmishes, and I must admit, I am quite impressed by your resumes," Charles complimented Draven and his crew in his Canterlot-like accent, "and your captain is a mighty fine cribbage player, let me tell you!"

"Double-skunked him." Draven snickered as he gave Gin a cheesy wink.

"I'm sure you've met my associates already, but I don't believe you've been properly acquainted!" Charles gestured towards Butch. "This is High Commander Butch Stiehl, he is our... pony relations specialist. And this lovely mare to your left is Masami Akiyama, she is a technical wizard, but I'm sure she has already told you all that. They are but two of the five members of Ausrüstung Task Force One, our last line of defence against foreign and domestic threats."

"What did I tell ya about callin' me High Commander, Chuck?" Butch grunted as he attempted to light a cigar, but he was stopped by Masami who snatched it out of his hand."Oh for fuck sake, Masami!"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Masami teased Butch as she tossed the cigar into a nearby trash bin. "No smoking on the ship! You'll have to wait til we land! Now, sit down at the table!"

Butch grumbled as he sat down at the table; crossing his arms and pouting like a child. Charles and Masami sat down as well, along with Twilight and the others. Charles called over a butler on the other side of the room, and he served each pony with a glass of white wine, except Butch, who got a glass full of apple juice.

"Don't make me shoot you, Bensley!" Butch growled at the butler.

"Thank you, Bensley." Charles thanked the butler as he slipped a strange platinum coin into his hand. "Now, isn't this splendid? A bottle of fifty-year-old Delicieuse wine and guests, simply marvellous."

"Thank you for your hospitality sir, but why are you so interested in us?" Twilight inquired as she took a sip of the strong wine.

"Ah, apologies. I tend to ramble often. Let me explain." Charles insisted as he placed his wine glass gently on the table. "Recently, there has been trouble in Ausrüstung, grim troubles. Back home, ponies have been disappearing with no explanation, and there have been numerous terrorist attacks on banks, government buildings, and schools. It has only been getting worse as time goes on. We believe these incidents have something to do with this Leere fellow your group has been pursuing these past few weeks."

"Why is that?" Draven wondered as he took a sip of his wine.

Charles took another drink from his glass before continuing."A friend of mine, Evelyn Aquarius, has identified a correlation between these incidents and this Leere chap. These attacks seem ritualistic."

"How so?" Winslow asked as he set his sheathed sword on the floor.

"They are random, purposefully." Masami interrupted. "Some kind of cult that worships madness is what we think. But we don't know for certain if they have a leader."

"Madness huh? What kind of cult worships being crazy?" Gin commented.

"The kind of cult that worships Gek," Draven answered Gin's remark.

"I beg your pardon?" Charles inquired.

"The kind of cult you're describing is one that worships Gek, The Sorcerer of Mind," Winslow answered.

"What is this Gek guy, exactly?" Masami asked as she took a sip of wine.

"He was an ancient scholar back in The First Age known as Gekken. He craved knowledge, and his elders warned him about his lust for power, and how it could corrupt him. Of course, Gekken didn't listen. He made a dark deal with Leere. He would serve him in his war, and in return Leere would give him infinite knowledge." Draven explained. "While it did work at first, it wouldn't last. Imagine having all that knowledge, and holding it inside for tens of thousands of years... that can drive you mad, and he did. Gekken became Gek, and the curious scholar that was Gekken was replaced by a distorted psychopath."

"Heavy stuff..." Butch grunted from across the table.

"And you believe this Gek fellow has something to do with these incidents? Should we be looking for him?" Charles suggested.

"No, the pony called Gek died long ago. However, he lived on as a spirit, a state of mind. As long as there is one pony left on the planet, he will always exist as an ethereal entity." Winslow added. "He is a manipulator, a dream, he only exists as a thought. He is the puppet-master, but he does not pull the strings, he only nips at them."

"So you're saying that he must have corrupted somepony else, and that pony leads this cult?" Masami asked Winslow as she blew a bubble and popped it.

"Exactly," Winslow concluded.

"And that is where you all fit into the formula." Charles chimed in. "You all know more about the Sorcerers than anypony else. Our scientists have no idea how to come at this problem, but you can help. And this is where we fit in. Ausrüstung wants to ally with you, the Equestrians. After two hundred years, I think it's time our two nations buried the hatchet."

"You want to ally with Equestria?" Twilight queried as she stood up.

"Yes. You can't fight this war with the Leere alone Twilight Sparkle, Celestia knows this." Charles pointed out.

"Twilight Sparkle? Celestia? You Equestrians have weird fuckin names." Butch rudely remarked; causing everyone to glare at him with hateful eyes. "What? Just sayin'."

"My party members believe my dealings with Equestrians are troublesome, but I wish to prove them wrong. If you help us, perhaps you can change their minds- show them that Equestrians can be an ally." Charles suggested as he put out his hand. "So, will you help us your highness?"

"Do you want me to decide?" Twilight asked Draven.

"Well, I do technically work for you, so yeah, it kind of is up to you." Draven laughed as he took another sip of his wine.

Twilight took a moment to think. Without the Ausrüstrians, Wantthai would've been nothing but a pile of ash under the Changeling flag. Equestria needed an ally like Ausrüstung to help in the upcoming war. Twilight shook Charles' hand and smiled.

"We'll do it, but I'll have to speak with Celestia after we're done." Twilight decided as she raised her glass for cheers.

"Oh, thank you, your highness. You won't regret it!" Charles thanked Twilight as he clinked glasses with her.

"Mr. President, plot a course for the capital?" A pilot on the lower floor asked Charles.

"Yes captain, let's go home," Charles replied as he sat back down.

"Wait, what about my ship?" Draven interrupted.

"Not a problem. Captain, beam up that ship in the harbour down there, will you?" Charles requested as he looked down at a monitor on the lower level displaying Draven's ship.

"Yes, sir." A worker saluted Charles as he pulled a lever.

The same machine that teleported Spike and the others fired a beam of blue light that sucked up the ship within seconds. "Target in the loading-bay sir!"

"Excellent! Let's get going then! Buckle up everyone!" Charles shouted as he fastened his seatbelt. "Open the windows too, why don't you? It looks like a mad scientist's basement in here!"

The large metal dome surrounding the bridge windows opened up, and the open sky became visible to everypony. Spike was in awe as he looked up at the clouds hovering overhead, and Twilight was as well.

"Looks like were off then, huh?" Spike chuckled lightly as he turned to Twilight.

"Just another day in the life of Spike, right?" Twilight giggled as she laid back and watched the clouds.

"Engines at maximum power, Mr. President!" The pilot shouted over to Charles.

"Punch it!" Charles bellowed joyously as he held onto his arm-rests.

In an instant, the ship blasted off, and they zoomed through the clouds; moving on to the next frontier. The capital of Ausrüstung, Eisen. As they sped onwards, Gin screamed. She may have been tough on the open seas, but in the sky... it was a different story.

"How's this for dramatic tension Gin?" Spike laughed as his seat vibrated violently.

"Shut up!" Gin cried as she covered her eyes.

*END OF ARC ONE*

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Thirty Four: A New Member of The Crew!

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Spike looked out the window and down at the Blacklands beneath him. It was far larger than Equestria ever could hope to be; spanning tens of thousands of miles. He could make out the mountains and fields through the clouds as they soared by in their massive airship.

Whilst Spike was in awe, something bothered him about his fight with Haki. While he remembered entering her realm and killing her, his memories seemed... incomplete, like a whole chunk of information, was robbed from him. In fact, the only thing he could remember was a feeling that he felt just then, adrift, like his conscious mind was wandering.

"Pretty amazing isn't it?" Draven interrupted Spike's train of thought; standing beside him and exhaling as he looked down at the massive world below.

"Yeah..." Spike sighed.

"Something's obviously bothering you, Spike. C'mon, out with it." Draven deduced.

"I barely remember my fight with Haki, even though it only happened a few hours ago," Spike recalled as he turned his head to face Draven.

"Oh?" Draven wondered as he looked down at Spike. "What do you remember?"

"I remember... entering her chamber, fighting her for a while, but the only thing I can remember after that is me defeating her," Spike explained as he shook his head. "It's weird, I've never felt this before. It feels so... odd. Do you have an explanation?"

"Can't say that I do," Draven admitted as he scratched his scaly chin. "Perhaps it'll sort itself out in time, I'm not sure. I'll have to think on it. Thanks for telling me."

"You're welcome," Spike muttered as he watched Draven walk back to the table to speak with Charles.

On the opposite side of the command center, Butch, Masami, Twilight, and Gin were all in a secluded room with a plethora of couches surrounding a large coffee table in the center. Masami blew a large bubble with her gum and popped it as she put her feet up on the table. She was dressed casually in a grey blouse that fit her curvaceous figure, and a simple red ascot around her collar. Butch, on the other hand, wore the same outfit from before, minus his veteran's cap which he threw onto the coffee table.

"Are you guys still thirsty? We've got rum if you're interested, pirates like rum right?" Masami asked as she looked over at Gin.

"I'm not one who likes to break down stereotypes, especially if that stereotype is true. Yeah, I'll have some rum!" Gin chuckled as Bensley set a fancy bottle of rum on the table. "Gee, I think I might put a dent in your wallet with these, this rum looks bloody expensive!"

"Yeah, this is the airship of the president of the richest nation in the world, I don't think you can..." Masami ate her words as she watched Gin down the whole bottle. "Nevermind."

"Bensley, can you get us some chips and dip too?" Masami asked as she spat her gum into a trash bin across the room. "Also, get Butch a Quantum-Kick Cola will ya?"

Butch grumbled as Bensley placed a tall bottle of soda on the table, and he picked it up quickly; underestimating his own strength and crushing it as he grabbed the bottle.

"Oh, you big baby look what you did! Bensley, cleanup on aisle Butch!" Masami shouted over to the butler as she swiped her hand across the couch in a desperate attempt to prevent a stain.

"You know, you could take off your armor Commander Stiehl," Twilight suggested as Bensley set chips and dip down on the table, and began cleaning up the mess.

"It's not armor, pal" Butch grunted as he removed his large metal chest-piece and trench coat. "Well, that was."

Twilight was in shock when she looked down at Butch's body and realized his situation. Everything but his head and torso was made of metal, and a large glowing blue circle was on his chest where his heart was.

"What in the bloody hell is this?" Gin uttered in shock as she looked at Butch's body up and down.

"Lost my limbs and heart a while back, my bones and muscles were also replaced with some crazy metal and polymer yarn." Butch gave a light laugh as he tapped on his chest. "Only stallion ever to get an arcanium core for a heart, right here. Same kind of power cell that runs that robot that fought with Masami here."

"That's incredible!" Twilight shouted eagerly as she got out her notepad and began jotting information down.

"You got a notepad too?" Masami laughed as she took a chip and dunked it in the dip; handing the butler another strange looking coin. "Heh, Evelyn will definitely like you!"

"Sorry for... changing the subject so suddenly, but what was that odd coin you just handed the butler?" Twilight asked politely as she jotted down more info on her notepad.

"Oh, these? These are called cogs. They're our currency!" Masami informed the curious young alicorn as she reached into her pocket and brought out seven coins. "They use different materials for different values! Steel-worth one, bronze- worth ten, silver- worth fifty, gold- worth one-hundred, platinum- worth two-fifty, arcanium- worth five hundred, and the legendary diamond coin- worth one thousand!"

Masami placed the seven different coins on the coffee table. Twilight examined them closely and took note of the engravings on each coin. All had what appeared to be an eagle flying through a large gear on one side, and on the other side was a side view of Charles' face along with the date in which the coin was manufactured.

"What do you Equestrian's have for currency?" Butch wondered as he took a sip from his fresh bottle of soda.

"We use bits!" Twilight grabbed a few bits out of her satchel and placed them on the table.

"Weird-ass coins you got here..." Masami joked as she analyzed the foreign coins; turning one of them over and spotting an image of Celestia on one side. "Who's this, your queen?"

"Princess." Twilight corrected her as she put the coins back in her satchel.

"Princess? I thought she was your ruler..." Masami scratched her head.

"She is, she's just called the princess," Twilight explained as she ate a chip dipped in hummus.

"Wait, but that doesn't make any sense. Shouldn't she be called a queen then? I mean, she seems to have a lot more veto than your average princess, so why stick with-. You know what, I'm just gonna stop questioning Equestrian logic." Masami threw her hands up in the air in defeat as she took another chip.

"To tell you the truth, I never really understood it either," Twilight admitted as she also grabbed a chip.

"Sir, we have a potential problem!" A worker shouted up to Charles, who was sitting at the large metal table with Draven.

"What kind of problem?" Charles asked as he stood up.

"We've got an incoming potential hostile on the radar. Whatever it is, it's moving fast!" The worker informed the president as he watched the monitor in his workspace.

"Interesting. What is this aircraft's trajectory?" Charles said as he jumped down to the lower floor and observed the approaching green dot on the monitor.

"Headed right for us, sir." The control room worker replied as he looked up at Charles with a serious expression.

"What's up?!" Masami shouted as she playfully hopped down to the lower level.

"It appears we have a hostile inbound," Charles announced in a cheerful yet worried tone of voice.

"Oh yeah? How fast is it movin'?" Butch called down from the upper level as he and the others exited the secluded lounging area into the control room.

"I would estimate it at around mach five maybe. Shouldn't be too hard to catch up with." Masami added as she jumped back up to the upper level and pressed a button on a nearby wall; revealing a hidden armory full of mechanized suits. "Chuck, prep the launch chamber."

"Are you going out there?" Spike questioned Masami as she put on a black aerodynamic-looking suit of armor.

"Hell yeah I am, gonna see what's cookin' out there!" Masami grinned as a helmet emerged from the suit and covered her face with a large visor.

Two metal wings sprouted from the back of the suit and the whole armor made a series of beeping noises before finally settling down. A glass chamber rose from the center of the lower level, and Masami stepped inside; pressing a few buttons on her gauntlet before giving one of the pilots a nod.

"Good luck, Masami." Charles encouraged the already confident mare.

"Who needs luck when you've got machines that can calculate probability for you?" Masami joked as she was dropped out of the sealed chamber into the clouds below.

Masami jettisoned from the aircraft and stretched out her wings to catch the wind. In a flash, she fell behind the Ambassador and began to survey the area with the various gadgets attached to her visor. She looked around the clouds for heat signatures and found a trail right below her. The path was odd for any aircraft she had seen, as it seemed to perform various aerial stunts such as loop-di-loops and aileron rolls, which was strange for even a military aerial-suit test. Another strange aspect about the flight path was that it was so small; confirming her theory that it was a single pony in a similar suit.

She moved closer to the pony flying just below her and eventually, she was flying right beside the pony. She was a mare, and unarmored, but Masami was travelling too fast to make out her entire form. She was definitely a pegasus, no doubt about it.

"Beautiful day for a flight, huh?!" Masami shouted through a speaker in her helmet.

"Who the hell are you?!" The odd looking mare yelled at Masami as she sped forward.

"Your friendly neighborhood air-traffic controller!" Masami laughed as she scratched the mare under her chin. "These are my skies, baby!"

"Ha! Dream on metal-head! I do what I want!" The cocky mare grinned as she zoomed past Masami with a careless expression on her face.

The mare thought she had left Masami in the dust, but before she could even relax, Masami was right in front of her; using two jets attached to her metal wings to propel her forward.

"You know it's rude to walk away from a conversation!" Masami teased the stunned mare as she blocked her from escaping again and again.

"Hey! Let me get to that ship!" The frustrated mare whined as she tried looping under Masami.

"And why would you want to do that?" Masami asked as she blocked her again.

"None of your business!" The angered mare grunted as she finally evaded Masami and sped towards the Ambassador.

"Why do they always run?" Masami sighed as she chased the stubborn pegasus.

Masami caught up to the supersonic pegasus in seconds, and when she reached her, Masami reached into her armor's pocket and tossed a disc at the mare. The pegasus caught the disc and chuckled to herself.

"What is this thing?" The mare giggled as she looked as the small disc.

"Toss it back and I'll show ya!" Masami replied as she reached out towards the pegasus.

"Ha! I ain't fallin' for that!" The confident pegasus laughed as she tried to throw the disc away, but failed; realizing it was stuck to her hand like glue. "What the..."

"For shame, trying to break my toys! Someone didn't teach you proper manners!" Masami mocked the confused mare who desperately tried to remove the disc embedded in her palm. "Sorry, it had to come to this!"

Before the pegasus could pull it off, however, her wings suddenly gave out, and she plummeted almost instantly. Masami laughed as she caught the falling mare in her arms and blasted upwards back to the Ambassador.

"What did you do to me?! I can't feel my wings!" The pegasus shouted in outrage as she began punching Masami, but it had little effect.

"Just a little party trick for an extra special pegasus." Masami sarcastically coddled the mare as she raised her gauntlet to her face. "Yo, Chuck, open the hatch again!"

"Would you stop calling me that?! You sound like bloody Butch!" Charles yelled through Masami's helmet-earpiece.

Masami and her flightless guest entered the hole in the bottom of the ship that sealed off as they made their way inside the confined glass chamber. Masami clicked a button on the back of her armor, and in a millisecond, the mechanized suit collapsed into a suitcase that Masami grabbed off the glass floor of the chamber.

It was at this moment that Masami truly looked at the pegasus for the first time. She hummed to herself as her eyes walked up the pegasus' body all the way up to her piercing red eyes.

"Hmm... you're a cutie-pie!" Masami purred seductively as she eyed the athletic mare. "What's your name sweetie?"

"It's uh... Rainbow Dash?" The shocked mare uttered slowly as she tried to process the situation.

Rainbow Dash felt her heart beat as she glanced briefly at the attractive mare before her; trying not to suggest that she too was eyeing Masami up as well. She went from, stunned, to excited, to confused as she began to assess what was going on around her, and the strange feelings that made her tingle when she looked at Masami.

"Hey! My eyes are up here, kitty! Can I call you Kitten?" Masami joked as she flicked Rainbow Dash on the forehead and growled like a tiger.

"What is happening right now?!" Rainbow Dash screamed in her mind.

"Hey, listen! I didn't come here to mess around alright! I just came here to see Twilight! I only followed some directions I got from Princess Celestia!" Rainbow Dash cried in a confused-outrage as she clenched her fists.

"That's all you wanted? Well, you could've just asked!" Masami burst out laughing as she set her suitcase down on the glass floor and punched Rainbow Dash on the shoulder; pressing a button on her gauntlet as she made another growling noise. "Hey Charles, she's cool. You can bring us up now!"

"Are you certain she's okay?" Charles asked through a speaker in the glass chamber.

"Positive. I think I might have a new mare-crush!" Masami giggled as she winked at Rainbow Dash. "Also, she said something about Twilight Sparkle as well. I dunno, all I know is that she's pretty damn cute!"

"Um... thank you, Ms. Akiyama, that was very... helpful." Charles sighed through the speaker.

The glass chamber rose into the lower control room. Twilight and the others were gathered around the tube as Masami stepped out with Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike burst into joyous laughter and piled on top of Rainbow Dash without a word, and Rainbow Dash joined in their chuckles as well.

"Dashie!" Fluttershy squeaked as she hugged Rainbow Dash tight.

"Rainbow Dash what are you doing here?" Twilight asked as she broke off from the group hug.

"I should ask you the same question! We were all looking for you guys for weeks! I had to go all the way to Canterlot to ask Celestia where you guys were, and she gave me this thing!" Rainbow Dash drew a crystal ball out from her backpack and handed it to Twilight. "It tracks your notepad, I think!"

"Good to see you again Rainbow Dash!" Spike grinned as he gave her another hug.

"Yeah! Say, who are all these guys?" Rainbow Dash wondered as she looked as Draven and the others.

"Right! Everyone, this is a good friend of Spike and I, Rainbow Dash!" Twilight introduced Rainbow Dash in front of Charles and the rest of the crew.

"Hey, lass." Draven tipped his hat as he gave Rainbow Dash a warm smile.

"Greetings." Winslow saluted Rainbow Dash.

"How's it going?" Gin grinned as she waved at the welcomed pegasus.

"Oh, I don't need you to introduce me to her. Isn't that right, Kitten?" Masami purred as she playfully bumped hips with Rainbow Dash and walked back upstairs to the lounging room.

"What was that about?" Twilight wondered as she watched Masami give Rainbow Dash a wink.

"I have no idea..." Rainbow Dash replied with a flabbergasted look on her face.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Thirty Five: Welcome to Chesterfield Manor!

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"Woah, Woah, Woah!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she got up out of her chair and pointed at Spike across the table. "Are you telling me, Spike, here fought in a tournament, and won?! Who did he fight? A bunch of unorganized books that needed to be stacked?"

"Ha-ha, very funny." Spike sarcastically laughed as he rolled his eyes. "I've gotten a lot stronger over these past few weeks! You shouldn't underestimate me!"

"Oh really? So, who did you fight anyways?" Rainbow Dash snickered as she sat back down on her chair and put her feet up on the metal table.

"Well, I fought Sigrid- a cursed Viking-pegasus, Viper- a snake-mercenary, Cyro- an ice dragon, and Jhettei- a monk!" Spike listed; using his fingers to count.

"Wha-. Jhettei? You fought Jhettei and won?" Rainbow Dash gasped as she covered her mouth with one hand.

"Wait, you know him?" Spike wondered.

"Of course I do! He's the pony who taught me karate! I met him before you and Twilight arrived in Ponyville!" Rainbow Dash reminisced. "He's one of the only earth ponies ever to beat me in hand-to-hand combat! How's he doing by the way? Did you talk to him?"

"He seems fine, he's got a partner now- the ice dragon I mentioned, Cyro," Spike explained as he took a drink from an ice cold bottle of soda Masami ordered for him. "Mm, this is good. What flavor is this Masami, and who makes these weird drinks?"

"Mountain Haze Ginger-Ale," Masami read off her own bottle before taking a sip as well, "made by Fenway.co, they pretty much run the soda industry."

"There's an industry in soda?" Twilight lightly chuckled as she thought about the idea in her head.

"Of course," Charles answered Twilight as he too took a sip from a bottle of soda. "Industry, science, invention. All these things help keep the gears turning in Ausrüstung, both metaphorically and literally. There's an industry for almost everything, including food."

"Heh, you guys are weird." Rainbow Dash laughed as she looked at the colorful label on her bottle.

"That is a matter of perspective." Charles reminded Rainbow Dash as he gently set his soda on the table. "In this airship, you and your friends are all considered elephants in the room."

"Mr. President, we are entering Eisen airspace now!" A pilot hollered up to Charles as he turned his chair to look out the window. "We should be landing in a short few minutes."

"Splendid! Give word to Evelyn, tell her I'll be meeting her at Chesterfield Manor shortly."

"Yes, sir!" The pilot nodded.

"Oh wow..." Draven uttered under his breath as he hopped down to the lower level; gazing upon the approaching city. "Blow me down, look at this lads!"

Everypony gathered around Draven and peered out the window; seeing the peaks of towering skyscrapers that poked through the clouds and grazed the upper atmosphere. Within seconds, the Ambassador lost altitude and descended to the bustling city below. Spike whistled as he looked down at the brick streets and sidewalks, the metal clock towers clanking away, and the shops and markets in the downtown district. Every building followed a similar format. All were chrome and had a smooth space-age design; each shining brightly in the afternoon sun.

"It's beautiful." Fluttershy sighed as she saw colts and fillies playing in the streets; holding her chest as she felt the environment around her overwhelm her senses.

As they approached the edge of Eisen, they came across the industrial district. However, it wasn't as grimy or dirty as Canterlot's. It was just as polished, if not cleanlier than the downtown due to the lack of traffic on the streets. Workers could be seen in the large buildings that passed by, toying away at menial tasks with bright smiles on their faces. As they passed by some workers stopped and waved at the Ambassador; hoping their president would wave back at them. Sure enough he did, and he did so with a smile on his face.

"It's good to be home..." Charles exhaled in relief as he looked at Twilight.

"This is amazing! How can you make buildings this big?" Twilight practically pressed her face up against the glass as she gazed upon the steel structures in astonishment.

"High strength steel and quantum-powered anti-gravity generators." Masami interrupted as she pointed over to an island floating in the sky. "We use the a-grav generators to support the weight of objects and suspend them in place, like the science academy over there."

"Sir, we are approaching Chesterfield Manor." A pilot informed Charles.

"Everyone to the teleporting chamber then, Evelyn and the others are waiting for us."

****

In a flash of blue light, Spike, and the others warped out of the Ambassador onto a large landing platform just outside of a vast and exquisite mansion. The outside was primarily white unlike most of the other buildings in Ausrüstung, and sturdy stone pillars supported the entrance-way into the mansion. Gin whistled as she looked up at the massive pillars lining the front.

"Damn, this is fancy," Gin admitted as she walked inside the gigantic house with the others.

"Welcome to Chesterfield Manor," Charles announced proudly as he directed the Spike and his friends inside.

The mansion was styled much like an Equestrian noble's house, and was extensively decorated with priceless paintings, furniture with beautiful designs carved into the wood, and suits of armor and antique weaponry encased in glass lining the main hallway leading into the heart of the mansion.

"How old is this building?" Twilight wondered as she examined what appeared to be a suit of Equestrian guard armor sealed up behind a glass case.

"It has been in my family for over two hundred years. Before Mayor Old Glory left with the other three founders, he gathered up all of his belongings, including his royal guard armor. He used to be in your army before he became the first mayor of Ponyville. He built this house with hopes and dreams... it is very dear to me." Charles sighed as he admired Old Glory's armor in the case; brushing his hand across the smooth glass as he pressed on with the others following not far behind. "Ah, but I ramble! Come to the living area! I have some interesting friends I think you should meet!"

Charles stopped in a large room with dark furniture and closed curtains. The bright orange light emitted from the chandelier created a comforting ambiance in the living area and tied the room together nicely. Draven noticed the doors leading into rooms were very tall, around sixteen feet in height, and the ceilings extended even further upwards.

"Why is this door so bloody big?" Draven gawked at the giant doorway.

"Oh, that's for Edgar... another member of Task Force One." Charles answered politely.

"Speakin' of which, where is the big lug?" Butch wondered.

"He should be in the kitchen cooking up dinner. Here, I'll call him over." Charles poked his head out the down and yelled down the hallway. "Edgar! Our guests have arrived!"

On one of the many sofas in the living area was a pony with his back facing the group, just in front of the unlit fireplace. He appeared to be flicking a butterfly knife about, only this knife seemed to have two blades on both sides of the handle. The way the stallion's hands were moving were robotic and precise, far more coordinated than any other pony Spike had seen, besides Winslow.

"Liazo, what did I tell you about that blasted knife and my leather couch?" Charles scolded the stallion, who turned around in response.

"What the..." Spike thought as he stared at the stallion as he stood up.

The stallion sitting on the couch was Viper. He had the same dark navy-blue complexion of a changeling, and his toothy smile, although, he seemed different. His blue hair was much shorter than regular Viper's red locks, and it had silver frosting; giving his hair a snowy look, and his blood-red long-sleeved silk dress shirt and black leather pants complimented it nicely. He did not have snake-eyes like Viper, his eyes were gold with silver rings around his pupils. He was certainly easier on the eyes than most stallions, far more attractive than Viper could ever hope to be, and his demeanor seemed to resemble the composure of Constantine, but he had a more cool vibe to his aura, like smooth jazz.

"Viper..." Spike jumped to conclusions as he clenched his fist.

"I'm sorry kid, what?" The half-changeling scoffed in a confused manner.

"Who's Viper?" Rainbow Dash scratched her head.

"He's the slimy bastard Spike fought in the tournament." Gin growled as she shot the stallion a wicked glare.

"Ok, ok... I see what's going on! You think I'm that asshole Viper, don't ya?" The half-changeling laughed as he drew closer to Spike. "Listen, me and him are two of seven clones. We're all clones of that rat, Constantine!"

"Clones? You mean like copies?" Twilight asked the relaxed stallion.

"Yes, before the civil war, the old dictatorship made a shady deal with an individual now known as Constantine. It was an experiment, a rather foul one if you ask me." Charles shook his head in shame.

"Yeah, my siblings are all around the Blacklands doing shit. Who knows, you'll probably stumble across a few in your travels. By the way, name's Liazo, I'm one of the less ugly ones." The half-changeling grinned as he put his hand out towards Spike, who shook it reluctantly.

"Daddy, daddy!" A filly and a colt cheered as they piled on top of Charles.

"Who are these giants?! My-my, have you grown since I left yesterday?!" Charles chuckled as he scooped his children up in the air and danced around. "James, Lucy... I want you to meet some friends of mine. These are our guests, they will be staying with us for a while."

"Oh wow! Are those dragons! Oh boy, real-life dragons!" James clapped his hands as he looked at Spike and Draven with curious eyes. "Can you breathe fire, like in the movies?!"

"Well Spike here can, I shoot lightning!" Draven bragged as he winked at James.

"Oh wow! Can you show me?!" James giggled with delight.

"Now, now James, we can wait some other time, Daddy has some important business to take care of first." A warm motherly voice hummed from the other side of the living room.

A sweet looking mare leaned up against the doorway near Charles, and he immediately sprung at her; tossing her around with joy and kissing her on the snout.

"Hello, Eleanor." Charles smiled as he set her down. "Everypony, this is my wife Eleanor."

"Hello everypony, I take it these are your guests?" Eleanor asked Charles as she looked toward Spike and the other.

The older filly looked over at Fluttershy, and she wore a knit sweater with bunnies all over it, and this sparked intrigue in Fluttershy.

"Hello..." The little filly uttered weakly as she brushed aside her long brown hair that obscured her vision.

"Hi..." Fluttershy squeaked as she crouched down to speak to the timid filly. "I like your bunny sweater..."

"Thank you... I like your hair..." The shy filly mumbled as she scratched her chin; trying to avoid eye-contact.

The group's conversations were interrupted when a loud stomping noise echoed throughout the house; sending a chill down some pony's spines. The stomping grew louder as the unknown source drew closer, until eventually... a humungous hulking pony filled up the doorway.

He was around fifteen feet tall, and his massive arms were larger than Winslow's body. The creature's breath seemed to make the ground quake as he moved to the center of the room. His pale gray face and body were horribly scarred, and his cheeks seemed to be missing, as his teeth were all visible. His eyes were white, and empty, but still functional. He wore a short-sleeved dress shirt and vest, and covering his lower section were giant torn brown jeans held up by belt fashioned out of what appeared to be industrial steel wire. Long red hair stretched down to his hips and was brushed back like a hedgehog's spikes, and his forearms were not normal... they seemed to be clunky robotic gauntlets, and they delicately held a silver tray full of crackers topped with a strange green paste. Spike was shaking as the "pony" approached him with the tray; offering him one of the small crackers.

"Crackers with pistachio patè." The behemoth groaned.

"Th-thank y-you..." Spike muttered; almost soiling himself.

"Everypony, meet Edgar. He's a member of my family." Charles presented the bulky goliath, who nodded with a grunt and sat down at a massive chair in a corner; custom made to fit him.

"I always love the look on their faces..." Edgar smiled as he rocked his chair.

"Gets me every time." Liazo snickered as he plopped back down on the sofa.

"Now, what the bloody hell is going on out here! What did I tell you all about keeping it-." A mare with a voice similar to Rarity's trailed off as she entered the gargantuan living room. "Oh, we have guests... my apologies."

"Very subtle, Eve, very subtle indeed." Masami sarcastically clapped as the mare blushed. "Now, greet everypony... don't be shy!"

The mare was short and seemed quite restless. She sported a long white lab coat over a sky blue blouse and navy blue jeans. She had black fur and pink eyes, along with grass-green hair that was shaggy, and cut short at the chin like a young colt. She sighed as she approached each of the guests politely and shook their hands; cleansing her own with a bottle of anti-bacterial liquid she drew from her pocket once she had finished greeting everypony.

"This nervous bundle of paranoia is called Evelyn Aquarius." Masami teased the impatient mare as she rested her arm on her shoulder.

"Amusing..." Evelyn rolled her eyes and forced a grin. "It's... a pleasure to meet you all."

"I'm proud of you Eve, that took bravery." Masami mocked Evelyn as she scratched her under the chin.

"Oh, quiet you!" Evelyn cried in outrage as she weakly punched Masami in the shoulder. "I apologize for Ms. Akiyama's actions in advance everypony."

"Aw... I love you too." Masami chuckled as she gave her a hip-check.

"Well then! Now that we have been all properly acquainted, how about some food? I take it you all must be famished after the long journey!" Charles proposed as he marched down the hall to the dining room. "Wait, where's the food, Edgar?"

"I told you before Charles, an artist never rushes his work." Edgar crossed his arms stubbornly. "A proper ratatouille takes time!"

Charles sighed as he trotted back into the living room "Very well then, we eat in..."

"An hour," Edgar grunted as he grabbed an apron off the wall and stomped over to the kitchen.

"An hour-?!" Charles cleared his throat and relaxed. "Okay then, we eat in an hour!"

"Good I'm starved, some grub would be groovy." Liazo purred as he slid his butterfly knife back into his pocket.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Thirty Six: The Fun Begins!

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After supper, the sun began to set in the west, and soon after it was dark outside. There was no moon, no crickets or buzzing of insects, just still darkness. Twilight and the others were directed to their rooms on the upper level of the maze-like mansion and walked up a grand and opulent staircase that led into a long corridor with numerous guest rooms; each fitted with a bathroom, a closet full of clothes, and a king-size bed. Spike settled in a room just across from Twilight's, and the first thing he did in his bedroom before turning-in was pop his head out the door; wishing Twilight sweet dreams before jumping backwards onto his bed.

While Twilight felt comfortable in the mansion, she couldn't shake a certain feeling. She didn't feel watched, she felt more like she was being stalked. She turned her head constantly as she undressed and put on her nightwear; making sure the room was safe from an intruder. Twilight also noticed something else, it was subtle... but noticeable. She felt a chill run down her spine as her neck became moist from somepony's, or... something's breath. Twilight's mind was running wild with crazed ideas.

"Who's there?" Twilight whispered as she looked around the room frantically.

Twilight tried to ignore it at first, but the feeling of terror slowly began to creep up on her, the fear of the unseen. She flicked the light switch on to dispel the darkness closing in, but the bulbs blew the instant she clicked the switch. Twilight tried to run to the door, but a strange, overpowering force rendered her unable to grasp the handle. She held her head as a piercing headache began to muddle her vision; causing her to see double. Knowing she was about to faint, she instinctively directed her body toward the bed as she passed out. As soon as she hit the bed, she was out cold.

Twilight awakened in darkness soon after; her vision being taken from her by black nothingness. She looked around, tried to stand, but her hands and legs were tied to something above. She attempted to speak, but her mouth refused to open, it was sewn shut. She was standing upright, but Twilight could not move on her own. Her body was dead and slumped over; the only support being the unseen ropes tied around her neck, head, arms, legs, and waist. After a few minutes of silent horror, a spotlight broke through the blackness and cast its light on Twilight.

Her sight returned to her once the spotlight shone down on her, and her surroundings became partially visible. She was standing on a stage, an old and withered one for that matter; creaking and groaning from practically no stimulus at all. While Twilight was unable to move her limbs, she was able to move her eyes around, and she looked down at her body first. She wore a ballerina outfit similar to that of a typical music-box dancer that would spin mechanically when you opened the box.

Suddenly an invisible choir of violins began to play a broken, distorted tune. It sounded more like musical screeching, as it followed a chaotic, yet somehow precise patterns. As the music echoed across the dark room, Twilight began to feel her body move; tugged by the ropes around her body. She danced around the stage with dysfunctional grace, hideous beauty. Her dance was like the stage, old, broken, decrepit, yet deep and mysterious like an ocean. She tried to move again, but to no avail. She could only let the nightmarish vision continue on its unknown, possibly endless route.

As the violins began to slow down, Twilight felt her body slouch again, and the song ended. All was quiet for a time... until she heard a single pair of hands clap slowly, but truthfully. Twilight was unsure of the source until she heard the sound of hooves stepping up a staircase just at the other end of the stage in the corner of her eye. It was Gek, in his same psychotic tuxedo made of torn pieces of canvas off strait-jackets with belt buckles acting as buttons to hold the suit together.

Gek's smile was wide, toothy, gaping, and his laugh was nothing less than disturbing. It was cheerful, but it sounded injured, like a dying animal. The white spots in his eyes were fixed on Twilight, cold and dead inside, but intrigued by the mare. He bowed in respect to the princess before him; his smile growing larger and larger until it almost reached his ears. Twilight felt the strain on her mouth disappear as she tried to move her jaw.

"Where am I? Why am I here?!" Twilight demanded; her voice cracking as she struggled against the ropes.

"Oh sweetie, I just wanted to get properly acquainted!" Gek chuckled with his wheezy voice. "I'm sorry about the ropes, really I am, but if we're going to get along, we must learn to trust one another. Can you do that for me?"

"Go to hell!" Twilight shouted in outrage as she tugged at the ropes once more.

"Must you be so difficult your majesty? I only want to talk." Gek's voice became cold and sociopathic.

"What is there to talk about? You're a sick monster! A sick, twisted-." Twilight trailed off as she felt Gek put his clawed index finger over her mouth; approaching her menacingly and robbing her of her courage.

"Now now dear, I can't have you throw around petty insults like its pitching-practice!" Gek snickered, then sighed as his expression changed to disappointment. "For a princess you're not very well behaved..."

"W-Where are we?" Twilight stuttered as she looked at the sadistic stallion in horror.

"Isn't it obvious? We're in your head!" Gek joyously bellowed as he clapped once more. "This is where all your happy memories go to die! I quite like it in here!"

"How is this possible? Winslow restrained your power over me!" Twilight replied as she struggled against the ropes.

"Oh, don't be silly! That old paladin may have stopped me from taking you over, but that sure as hell won't get rid of me!" Gek laughed. "Whether you like it or not..."

"*I'm always here...*" Gek's sadistic voice came from every direction and echoed off the invisible walls of the empty theater thrice in a chorus of chaos.

Twilight reluctantly drew closer to Gek. Her curiosity was telling her to ask more, to ask Gek what his plan was, but she knew he would be cryptic, and non-forthcoming. "What are you trying to do?"

"Oh, this and that... simply put, I want chaos. Not the childish garbage that your 'Lord of Chaos' seems to think he owns, no. I want to see everypony cry and vomit, and laugh at the same time. I want all of you to chuckle and choke on your own blood as you slit each other's throats." Gek's eye twitched as he grabbed Twilight by the jaw with his clawed hand. "I want to have some fun... and I think I'll start with you."

Gek pulled Twilight closer and drove his tongue down her throat; grabbing the back of her head to get a better angle as he sloppily kissed the frightened mare. Twilight tried to hit him, to punch him, but the ropes overpowered her as they spread her out like a convict about to be drawn and quartered. She began to cry as Gek took his other hand and groped her; leaving claw marks on her chest and stomach. As Twilight felt Gek's tongue worm its way into her nostril she vomited and began to choke as he pressed his mouth harder against hers. Gek broke off the kiss suddenly as Twilight began to tire, and he licked his "lips" greedily as he backed away; leaving Twilight gasping for air as she emptied her bowels on the old wooden floor.

"We're going to have so much fun, sweetie..." Gek purred as he ran his hand down her cheek.

Gek released her from her bonds, and she fell through the floor; falling further and further into the black abyss. Then she woke up in a cold-sweat. She hyperventilated rapidly as she examined her body to see if there were any scars, and luckily she was unscathed. She felt unclean, violated. She cried as she got up from her bed; realizing the night had passed, and noticing the time on her watch read 9:00 am. She slept in.

Twilight raced to the door, but before she could get downstairs she was stopped by Winslow, who stood outside her door with his usual stoic expression.

"Tell me everything," Winslow grunted as he looked down at Twilight.

****

Spike and the other late-risers gathered in the living room; having had their breakfast. Evelyn yawned as she took a sip from her coffee and played with the last of Edgar's pancakes with her fork. Edgar eyed up her plate eagerly; knowing she was finished.

"Fine, take it." Evelyn sighed as she pushed her plate across the dinner table to Edgar, who sucked it up like a vacuum.

Evelyn walked down the hall into the living area to meet up with the others. Liazo was on the sofa across from Masami, and he rested his feet up on the coffee table lazily. Masami shifted herself closer to Rainbow Dash on the other side of the couch and put her arm around her shoulder; pressing her voluminous chest up against her arm, and letting her cleavage show through her blouse. Rainbow Dash took a glance at her chest for a moment before flushing red. Spike was in stitches in his loveseat when he saw the look on Rainbow Dash's face.

"Shut up, Spike!" Rainbow Dash was angry and confused at the same time; stomping over to Liazo and sitting down with her arms crossed.

"Ahem. Sorry to interrupt whatever juvenile activities you were doing, but we have work to do!" Evelyn scoffed as she took a drink from her coffee and walked past Masami to the next room; demanding that the others follow.

Masami followed up with a firm slap to Evelyn's rear as she passed by; causing her to jump up and yell. Evelyn shot her the stink eye soon after and exited the room with her head held high.

"Well, let's follow Ms. Sunshine then..." Masami hopped up and followed Evelyn, with Edgar following not far behind.

"Where are we going?" Spike asked as he stood up.

"Command center," Edgar answered him as he gestured over to Rainbow Dash and Liazo. "We'll meet the others there."

"I'll get there, I'll get there." Liazo insisted as he played with his knife a few times.

Spike and Edgar left the room; leaving Liazo and Rainbow Dash alone together. She was still blushing from Masami's mockery, and there was a furious look on her face. Liazo put his hand on her shoulder slowly and tried to reassure the confused mare.

"Don't worry, she does that with every mare." Liazo lazily comforted Rainbow Dash. "Lucky for you, you happen to be her type. She loves the competitive, arrogant types."

"I'm not arrogant!" Rainbow Dash whined.

"Whatever. All I'm saying is that she thinks you're attractive, so she's gonna tease you is all." Liazo groaned as he stood up and walked into the next room; following the others to the command center.

"She thinks... I'm attractive?" Rainbow Dash blushed again as she tried comprehending the idea of it.

Rainbow Dash shook her head as she thought about it. Why would a mare like her? Why did Masami make her feel so warm and fuzzy? Rainbow Dash never thought about it before, nor had she noticed it, but the thought of Masami excited her, and it scared her. From a young age, she was told that ideas like that could get you locked up in Equestria, and the mere thought of Masami began to drive her crazy. She wasn't one of those mares, she couldn't be.

Rainbow Dash shook her head and ran after Liazo. She followed him to the other side of the mansion where Edgar, Evelyn, and Spike were waiting. They were standing on a large circular platform that had steel side rails and warning flashers on either side; suggesting what the contraption was able to move. As soon as Rainbow Dash stepped on, the whole structure began to lift into the air. They ascended beyond three stories and stopped at a dome-like glass structure at the top. It was massive- the platform was wide itself, but the observatory-like room was massive.

The room was filled with space-age gadgets and gizmos, monitors, a round island in the middle with a crater in the center. Everything in the room clanked and buzzed, and Spike was astonished. He walked to the center of the command center with the other but was surprised to see that Twilight wasn't with Draven and Charles, usually she would be awake before anyone else.

"Where's Twilight?" Spike asked Charles, who was sitting on a metal chair next to Draven drinking a cup of tea.

"I do not know, but I'm sure she'll be up any minute." Charles tried reassuring Spike. "Come to think of it, Winslow is absent as well. Fluttershy, have you any explanation?"

Fluttershy shook her head in response. "No, he told me to go ahead and meet up with you all. I don't know where he is."

"Regardless, we must commence the briefing," Charles insisted as he took one last sip of his tea before placing it on a nearby butler's tray, "Masami, this is your plan, you should run through it."

"Thanks, Chuck. Alright, activate command center console." Masami requested as she tapped the middle console with the crater in the center.

"Simulation, activated." The console beeped.

A huge projection shot out of the console like magic, and Spike was amazed when he saw a miniature version of Eisen. It was to scale, and displayed detailed models of streets, buildings, and other various landmarks.

"These cultists want to send a message, so it's no surprise they'll want to attack public events. Okay, so in... two hours The Liberty Day Parade is going to start." Masami stated as she looked down at her watch. "There's also a big farmer's market in the lower east side. We'll all teleport to Riker's Station... here."

Masami waved her hands across the hologram to zoom in on the station. She tapped on it and placed eleven red markers, each representing one member of the group.

"Alright, once we get to Riker's Station we split up in pairs. Spike, I want you and Butch to get to Liberty Square, you'll set up shop there- there're a lot of ponies attending the parade, so you better stay sharp, look for suspicious folks. Draven, you stay with me- we'll keep tabs on everypony's location from Riker Street. Rainbow Dash, go with Liazo- you two will be our scouts, report any suspicious activity to Evelyn and me." Masami reached into her pocket and pulled out a handful of gadgets small enough to fit in an ear. "Almost forgot these. Everyone put these in your ear and molar, all you have to do is speak, and we'll answer."

"What about the market?" Draven asked as he placed the microphone in his ear-hole.

"Gin and Evelyn, go to the market, see if there's some shady stuff going on. Winslow and Twi-. Where are those two?" Masami wondered.

"Here," Twilight replied softly as the levitating platform brought her and Winslow up to the command center.

"Good. I want you, Winslow, and Edgar to join up with Gin and Evelyn, you'll cover more ground that way. Make sure Edgar stays out of sight, he might draw attention. If these cultists are smart, they'll go for him first." Masami ordered Twilight.

Spike noticed Twilight's gloomy expression and moved over to her; giving her a slight nudge to rouse her from her slump. "Are you okay Twilight?"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Let's just get this done, okay?" Twilight replied sharply; silencing Spike.

"Um, I'm sorry to bother you all, but what can I do?" Fluttershy chimed in quietly.

"You can stay here and watch my kids with Eleanor and I!" Charles proposed before Masami had a chance to answer.

"Okay..." Fluttershy whimpered with a disappointed expression.

"Alright then, now that we're all informed, I want you all to get dressed in... less noticeable clothing." Masami sugar-coated her words as she looked at the pirate's strange clothing and jackets.

"What's wrong with this?" Gin protested as she looked down at her getup.

"You all look like pirates, something like that is gonna stand-out." Masami critiqued the pirate's wardrobes.

"She has a point I guess," Draven sighed, "but I'm keeping my hat, damn it!"

"Alright, fine! Everyone meet me back here in five, Me and Eve are gonna get the teleporter up and running." Masami shooed everyone onto the hovering platform, back downstairs.

"Do you think this'll work?" Charles asked Masami, who began playing around with a nearby computer.

"It better work."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Thirty Seven: Liberty Day (Part One)

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"You look like a hustler!" Gin laughed at Draven, who was wearing his feathered captain's hat with his brown leather coat, blue dress shirt, and tan pants.

Draven rolled his eyes and nodded; reluctantly agreeing, but keeping his hat on anyways. Gin's outfit made her look like a gangster- a white blouse with a leather jacket on top, and she sported a fancy black fedora that complemented her silver mane nicely. The appropriately dressed group gathered in the main corridor on the upper level; eyeing each other's get-ups.

"These clothes are odd..." Twilight stared down at her outfit- a red leather jacket with a peplum and black jeans. "Very odd..."

"I think they're kinda cool!" Spike chuckled as he gave the others a bow; excitedly showing off his buttoned blazer and blue jeans.

"Yeah! This jacket is awesome!" Rainbow Dash agreed as she zipped up her brown bomber jacket that had various military symbols on the shoulders and chest.

Winslow stepped out from his room into the hallway. While his clothing did change, he still kept the knight theme to his outfit. He wore a buttoned-up leather trench coat with gold colored embroidery depicting leaf patterns lining the edges. Winslow kept his metal greaves and gauntlets, and his long-sword was still strapped to his back. Although his attire was a little less obvious, it wasn't too outside his comfort zone.

"Woah, Woah! Damn, look all that skin! I can almost see your neck, Winslow!" Gin teased the stoic paladin.

"Ha." The annoyed stallion uttered in his low voice as he began walking down the grand staircase to the command center. "We best get going."

"Oh, Winslow... never change." Gin chuckled as she followed the emotionless stallion downstairs along with the others.

As they approached the living area, Liazo got off a bench in the entrance-way and joined up with them, and caught a glimpse of Draven's out of place hat; bursting out into hysteric laughter.

"Oh! Oh no! Please, take it off before I die from asphyxiation!" Liazo fell on the floor.

"Hey! It's not that bad is it?" Draven wondered as he looked back at Spike and the others, who all avoided eye contact.

"Do it for all of us honey..." Gin placed her hand on his shoulder.

As Draven took off his hat, he felt a small hand tug at his jacket, it was James. He had an eager expression on his face, and his eyes were full of curiosity.

"Mr. Draven? I can take care of your hat for you!" James jumped up and down.

"Alright lad, but keep it safe will you?" Draven gave the colt a wide smile as he patted him on the head.

"Aye, aye captain!" James saluted Draven as he rushed to the living area where Fluttershy and Eleanor were.

As the group entered the living area, they saw Fluttershy's new clothes as well. She was wearing a frilly green dress with pink floral patterns, and it gave her an innocent look that warmed your heart when you looked at her. She smiled as she saw Spike and Twilight in their new clothes, and she raced over to them to admire their odd outfits.

"I love this coat on you Spike, you look so handsome!" Fluttershy complimented Spike, who blushed as he received the positive comment. "Rarity would love this!"

"And what about me?" Rainbow Dash pushed Spike aside to flaunt her jacket.

"Not bad Kitten..." Masami purred as she entered the room and tugged on Rainbow Dash's tail, then walked ahead of her into the next room. "C'mon guys, we haven't got all day! The teleporter is up and running, let's get a move on!"

"Um... let's all just ignore what she did there, okay?" Rainbow Dash asked the others as she turned around, but she was given no verbal response, just expressions of contained laughter. "Shut the hell up!"

****

As Spike and his friends entered the control room, they were greeted by Edgar and Evelyn, who were playing chess. Evelyn sneered and moved a piece; smiling proudly as she crossed her arms- confident in her move. Edgar remained calm and moved his piece ever so slightly; causing Evelyn to turn red with anger.

"Checkmate." Edgar uttered softly as he stood up and walked over to the other side of the control room where Charles was drinking his tea; leaving Evelyn in a speechless rage.

"Every damn time! How?!" Evelyn slammed the table; knocking off a few chess pieces.

"Oh there, there Eve... do you want me to get you your pacifier?" Masami patted Eve on the back; mocking her with a sarcastic frown on her face.

"I have an IQ of three hundred and seventy-eight! How do I keep losing to Edgar?!" Evelyn rushed over to a blackboard on the other side of the command center and began furiously writing down advanced mathematical equations.

"C'mon Eve, you can't win all the time..." Butch tried soothing the furious mare, but she ignored him and continued to write down equations.

"Alright, Eve, time to get going." Masami practically grabbed Eve and dragged her over to where Spike and the others were gathering.

"Damn it all... hello everypony..." Evelyn pouted; trudging over to a capsule nearby. "Let me get my suit..."

Evelyn stepped inside the small chamber and as she did so, the capsule door closed. After a few seconds, she emerged with a strange skin-tight suit on. It was black, but it wasn't kevlar or leather. It was shiny, almost liquid. Orange lines ran across her suit, the largest being the one running up and down her spine, each gave off a faint glow- malachite in color.

"What is this suit? It's not a robotic like all the other ones..." Twilight muttered curiously as she observed the jet black armor.

"It's called the Quantum Suit V-3. I designed it myself." Evelyn explained as she checked to make sure the suit assembled properly. "The suit can generate and manipulate high energy particles, and is made up of a special material that is heatproof, bulletproof, shockproof, and lightweight. It's only a prototype, so I'm still working on it. It's powered by ultraviolet rays gathered by the black material and is fed through my artificial spine and converted."

"That's... amazing! How did you do it?" Twilight asked with childlike wonder in her expression.

"The schematics are all up here..." Evelyn smiled as she tapped on her head. "I applied the teleporter designs and used them to create a portable teleportation and particle manipulation device."

"So you can teleport?" Spike chimed in.

"Yes, in fact, I-," Evelyn disappeared in a flash of light, then reappeared right behind Spike, "can. I can move my particles to a desired spatial coordinate in a mere half-second. Unlike regular teleporters, I can move my body without the use of a circuit."

"I've never seen an earth pony teleport before." Twilight gawked at Evelyn and her astounding suit.

"Well, magic and science are two different schools of learning, and science takes much less time to master in my opinion." Evelyn boasted. "Plus, I do not have a horn..."

"Alright kiddies, that's enough show and tell. Everyone, to the teleporter!" Masami demanded as she stepped on a large platform on the opposite side of the room along with the others."Charles, get ready to hit the switch."

As Evelyn and Twilight stepped on the other platform, Fluttershy raced over to her friends and hugged each of them. "Good luck everyone."

"Stay safe everypony, I'll be in touch." Charles nodded as he pushed a button; sending them away in a burst of greenish-blue light.

****

Downtown was a lot larger from ground level. It was connected to a huge financial area with various shops, food stands, and performers. Riker's Street eventually connected to Liberty Square, which had even more shops set up for the parade. In the heart of the square were four colossal metal statues, each depicting one of the forefathers of Ausrüstung.

"Alright, guys, time to split up," Masami ordered the task force. "Just a recap. Spike, Butch- get up to Liberty Square, see what's going on. Twilight, Winslow, Edgar, Evelyn, and Gin- you go to the market on Alkali Street. Make sure Edgar stays out of sight, stick to the alleyways. Kitten, you'll reckon with Liazo like we planned, you see anything out of place, call it out. Draven and I will stay here and monitor Riker's Street, and keep tabs on your positions. Let's get going."

"C'mon fire-breath, we haven't got all day." Butch sighed as he began walking toward Liberty Square.

"Good luck, Twilight. Stay safe." Spike wished his friend luck before catching up to Butch, who was already making headway. "Hey, wait up!"

Spike ran ahead with Butch and melted into the crowd. He looked back for a moment to try and catch a glimpse of Twilight, but she had disappeared already. Spike looked all around downtown, observing all the strange-looking folk, police robots, and food stands.

Butch walked for a while before stopping at a street performer, a guitarist on a stool with his case on the ground, full of change. He was slender, old, he had a warm smile and a long beard. Butch was charmed by the stallion and sat down on the bench beside him, noticing the rank on his army jacket.

"Howdy soldier, what brings you here?" The old stallion's voice was like gravel, and he spoke in a slow drawl.

"I just was coming to see the parade, but I see your jacket there. You a captain?" Butch smiled as he pointed at the bars on the guitarist's shoulder.

"Yes' surry. Five years in the third Zhophy campaign, two years at Galloway." The old stallion boasted bashfully.

"I'll be damned... say, I know that tune. Mind if I holler a little?" Butch asked the old stallion kindly.

"I'd be honored, soldier." The stallion grinned as he started strumming a little louder.

And then, Butch began to sing. It was slow and heartfelt. Spike could hear the strain in Butch's voice, not because he had troubles hitting the higher notes, but because he could hear the painful memories pour out of his soul as he sang.

Green grow the lilacs, all sparkling with dew
I'm lonely, my darling, since parting with you;
But by our next meeting I'll hope to prove true
And change the green lilacs to the Red, White, and Blue.

Green grow the lilacs reminding me of
The ones that I brought you with all of my love,
The gates of my country will open for you
And change the green lilacs to the Red, White, and Blue.

Green grow the lilacs, Your favorite flow'r,
So sweetly perfuming - a sad parting hour.
Oh send me a message - That you love me too,
Let's change the green lilacs to the Red, White, and Blue.

Green grow the lilacs, all sparkling with dew
I'm lonely, my darling, since parting with you;
But by our next meeting I'll hope to prove true
And change the green lilacs to the Red, White, and Blue.

As the song ended, Butch shook his head to melt away the sorrow, and he stood up soon after; shaking the old stallion's hand before tossing a diamond cog into his case.

"Bless you, soldier, you're a good stallion." The old coot laughed. "The name's Wes, Wes Richards."

"Butch Stiehl, it was good meetin' ya." Butch shook the stallion then walked away, with Spike following not far behind.

"That was awesome, Butch. Where did you learn to sing like that?" Spike complimented the gruff stallion as they approached the four statues in the center of Liberty Square.

"We used to sing deep down in the trenches, my squad and me," Butch recalled as he lit a cigar.

"You served in a war?" Spike asked Butch, who nodded in response. "What was it like?"

Butch remained silent before puffing out some smoke from his snout. "Are you hungry? I could go for some grub right about now. There's a food stand over there-- sellin' hotdogs."

Butch changed the subject quickly, too quickly in fact. He zoomed over to the hot dog stand with Spike and picked up a foot-long. The young dragon saw Butch grab a small medicine capsule from his pocket, and before eating he popped a small white tablet in his mouth, sighing as he looked down at the ground for a moment.

"Masami, can you hear me?" Butch talked into his microphone.

"Yep, anything fishy going on?" Masami responded through his earpiece.

"Not yet, no. I'll keep you posted, though." Butch grunted.

****

The market on Alkali Street was less commercial than on Riker's Street. There were farmers and merchants with fresh fruits and vegetables, pottery, and silverware. Alkali Street was also more artsy than Riker's Street, as the design of buildings were less similar and more unique; usually taking on an arts and crafts kind of look. Twilight took occasional peeks into the street as she walked down the alleyway alongside Edgar, who was a little disappointed he couldn't be seen on the streets. Winslow also tagged along to keep an eye on Twilight. His spell wore off faster than he originally thought, and Gek was beginning to wear on Twilight's mind.

"Masami, do you mind telling me what we're looking for exactly?" Twilight asked as she pressed a button on her communicator.

"Anything suspicious or out of place," Masami answered.

"Could you be a little more specific?" Twilight requested although she knew it would only be a guess.

"Well, you might want to monitor heavily populated areas. If these cultists want to preach, you can bet your ass they'll wanna find the largest crowd." Masami informed Twilight.

"What kind of preaching do you speak of?" Winslow inquired.

"The explosive kind..." Masami replied in a grave tone of voice. "Also, check the back-doors in those alleyways, they lead to maintenance rooms, I bet they'll try and hide in there."

"Alright then... let's try this door over here." Twilight pointed over to the door on her left.

Twilight tried opening the door, but it wouldn't budge, there was a sturdy metal lock on it. She reached into her satchel and grabbed a lock-pick, but it didn't work on the sophisticated lock.

"Darn, do you know how to crack these locks open Ed-." Twilight trailed off when she watched Edgar snap the lock like a toothpick with his thumb and index finger. "That also works..."

The maintenance room was filled with levers and buttons, but nothing out of place. However, there was a red "X" painted on a nearby wall. Twilight inspected it by running her fingers across the paint, it was still wet.

"Masami, I think we found something," Twilight informed Masami. "Paint, still wet, it's in the shape of an X. Somepony must be marking targets."

"Good work. Liazo, Rainbow Dash, you hear that?" Masami called out on her communicator. "Where are you guys?"

Rainbow Dash and Liazo watched the market and the parade from the roof of a very tall building at the halfway point between the two events. They watched both Twilight's group and Butch's intently; waiting for any suspicious activity.

"We hear ya Masami, Rainbow Dash and I are on a building overlooking the financial district on Cook Avenue. Where is this red X?" Liazo wondered as he looked towards the marketplace.

"On Alkali Street, just a block away," Masami instructed Liazo.

"Hey Liazo, I see somepony across the street, he looks weird." Rainbow Dash crouched down at the edge of the roof and pointed down at the strange figure standing on the sidewalk.

From What Liazo could tell, the figure was a stallion. He was shrouded in an odd face mask and hood, and he moved back into the alleyway once his eyes met with Rainbow Dash's.

"He's going over to Twilight and the others, let's bag em'. Give me a lift." Liazo put his hands out to Rainbow Dash, who grabbed him and shot off like a rocket to the other side of the street; landing on a nearby roof overlooking the next alleyway. "Alright, you stay here and-."

Rainbow Dash went after the hooded stallion before Liazo could finish speaking. "I'll get em'!"

"Perfect, we got a jackass on scouting duty..." Liazo muttered to himself as he jumped down into the alleyway with Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash pursued the masked stallion down the narrow alleyway, and just as she caught up to him, The stallion pulled out a silenced pistol; aiming it right at Rainbow Dash's head, and halting her advance.

"Don't move a muscle..." The stallion uttered with a murderous glow in his eyes.

Before he had a chance to fire, Liazo snuck behind him and slit his throat with his butterfly knife; silencing him with his other hand as he placed it over his mouth. "Good riddance..."

"You killed him..." Rainbow Dash muttered in disbelief.

"Yeah, and this would've been you if you didn't have me with ya." Liazo scolded the stubborn pegasus, who crossed her arms and pouted like a foal in response to his criticisms.

"Maybe you were just too slow..." Rainbow Dash mumbled.

"Oh, really-?!" Liazo was cut off as a bullet entered his heart and dropped him.

"Liazo!" Rainbow Dash cried as she turned around, only to see another hooded stallion with a gun headed towards her.

As Rainbow Dash backed up, she tripped over Liazo's body and hit the ground. She backed up until her back was pressed against a dumpster. She was scared out of her wits, looking around frantically for a method of escape, but her thoughts were too muddled to formulate a plan. However, when she looked over to Liazo's lifeless body, she noticed something odd.

Liazo didn't exude regular blood, it was silvery, like liquid metal. As she narrowed her vision to observe the strange liquid, she noticed that Liazo's eyes were moving-- one winking at her as she looked closely. In a matter of seconds, the liquid jumped off the ground and formed into a metal spine that drove itself through the hooded stallion's brain, killing him instantly.

"What the..." Rainbow Dash gasped as Liazo got up off the dirty ground and wiped his shirt clean. "You just-, and you-, how?"

"Oh, no one told you about me? My blood is mercury, I can manipulate it at will, change its density, hardness, mass..." Liazo enlightened the flabbergasted mare, who could only gawk as she was aided to her hooves. "Sorry about scaring you like that, happens sometimes..."

"Liazo, are you okay? Your communicator cut out for a second." Masami asked Liazo.

"I'm fine, sugar. Just had a little tussle here, we're fine," Liazo informed Masami. "Listen, there's probably more going down other alleyways, give word to Eve and the others that trouble's on the way."

"Alright, good, I'll get in contact with Eve," Masami replied. "Is Kitten okay?"

"She's a little shaken-up, nothing too bad," Liazo answered as he patted Rainbow Dash on the shoulder. "C'mon, we got work to do."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Thirty Eight: Liberty Day (Part Two)

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The market in Cooke Avenue where Twilight and her group resided was dwarfed by the market on the Lower East Side. Gin was slightly dizzy from all the civilians, soldiers, and various machines roaming the streets. She had never seen a city of such size, not even in Equestria. Evelyn was used to the bustle of Ausrüstung, and her focused demeanor matched most of those patrolling the streets, but her outfit set her apart from others. Her unbuttoned white lab coat was already odd, but the strange suit she wore beneath it attracted a good amount of attention as she walked by other ponies who tried to catch a glimpse of it in the most polite way possible.

"You do realize others are starin' at you, love... right?" Gin informed Evelyn as they walked beside each other down a long sidewalk full of other ponies.

"I think they are looking at your ridiculous fedora..." Evelyn sassed her back, scoffing as she shot Gin a glare.

"Oh can it, you bloody egghead! I rock this fedora and you know it!" Gin bantered with her playfully, fastening her hat.

Both mares rolled their eyes in response to each other's comments, Gin crossing her arms, and Evelyn raising her chin in a spoiled manner.

"Hello? Eve, Gin? Are you guys there?" Masami's voice buzzed in their ears.

"What is it Masami?" Evelyn responded as she stepped into a nearby alleyway with Gin.

"Rainbow Dash and Liazo had a kerfuffle with some shrouded fellows in an alleyway on Cooke Avenue, have you guys seen any strange lookin' ponies yet?" Masami wondered. "I think they plan on setting up some bombs, they put up red markers on some maintenance rooms on Alkali Street, and I believe they'll be targeting teleporting stations next. Can you check Mason Station on Corrigan Street? Just make sure there isn't anything fishy going on."

"Very well, Masami. In fact, we're already on Corrigan." Evelyn turned to Gin and gave her a snarky expression as she began moving down the sidewalk again. "Are you going to just stand there? Come on!"

"Hey! Who made you the boss, princess?" Gin complained as she caught up with the small mare.

"I did, just now," Evelyn laughed as she tucked her hands into her coat pockets, "and unless you want to get lost and mugged by wild hobos, I suggest you follow my lead."

"Alright, your majesty!" Gin sarcastically bowed as she followed the scrawny mare, snickering a little as she caught sight of the frustration on Evelyn's face.

As Gin walked beside Evelyn she noticed how much taller she was than her. She was about a head taller, and Gin considered herself to be slightly below average height. Gin's first guess when she saw Evelyn was that she was around fourteen, maybe fifteen, although her personality contradicted her appearance. She wasn't spoiled, a little snobby, but she remained collected and mature like an older mare when relaxed.

Gin tried to not be rude when she popped a burning question of hers, as one slip could've set her off. "Hey, Evelyn... random question, but-."

"How old am I?" Evelyn cut Gin off mid-sentence. "Twenty-two. Not what you were expecting, right?"

"Wow, I-." Gin was stunned by her words. "How-?"

"My mother was short... I am as well." Evelyn answered Gin's question before she could even ask. "In my opinion, I like my body this way, not all buxom like Masami. I don't get any attention from stallions, and I like it that way."

"Aww... have you been checking me out?" Masami teased Evelyn through her communicator.

"Silence, you promiscuous doxy! I told you I don't partake in sexual relations with mares, or anypony else for that matter!" Evelyn yelled into the microphone, although no one else could hear Masami, making Evelyn look like a fool in front of the various ponies walking by.

"I'm taking that as a "maybe"..." Masami mocked the poor mare further, to which Evelyn reached into her mouth and removed the microphone with a disgruntled expression.

"Ugghh...There's the station, we should check the boarding area first." Evelyn explained impatiently as she approached the stairs leading to the underground station.

Somehow, Mason Station was even busier than Corrigan Street, jammed packed with well-dressed stallion and mares, and manual workers in their overalls. Mason Station had one large waiting center with shops and benches, and around it was about a dozen teleporting stations- each connecting to a different district in Eisen. In the center of Mason Station was a grand and opulent fountain made of marble. Gin and Evelyn made their way to the fountain, as it was a good vantage point to scout for anything out of sorts. However, just as Gin was sitting down at a bench beside the fountain with Evelyn, she was nudged backwards by a shrouded stallion passing by, and she lost her balance, falling onto the small mare who had already sat down.

"Uggh! Get your oversized posterior off my sternum!" Evelyn wheezed as she tried to lift Gin off.

"Are you calling me hefty, you stuck-up snob?" Gin growled as she stood back up, completely forgetting the stallion who pushed her.

"No, I merely stated that your rear is disproportionate to your body is all..." Evelyn corrected Gin as she lifted her chin, confident that her comment would enrage the rowdy mare.

"Why you little!" Gin snarled before realizing why she fell backward. "Wait, where did that stallion go?"

"What stallion?" Evelyn asked as she looked around the station frantically.

"Over there..." Gin whispered as she pointed towards a stallion heading to a teleporting chamber. "He pushed me down..."

"We need to-..." Evelyn trailed off as she began to sniff around, smelling the aroma of smoke in the air. "Do you smell that?"

"Smells like a cannon just fired some grapeshot..." Gin analyzed the smell intently.

"Where there is smoke, there is fire, but where?" Evelyn surveyed the area to look for a fire, but nothing seemed to be burning. "An incendiary device perhaps? No, that couldn't be."

"Wait... look over there." Gin pointed towards the strange stallion shrouded in a ragged robe, the same one who pushed her. "You can barely see it, but... there's smoke coming off that guy."

Sure enough, there it was. Barely visible in the dark room, but noticeable nonetheless. It radiated off the stallion like an aura, and as he passed by other ponies, they all began to notice. His breathing was heavy and slow, and he had a hump in his back that made him look crippled and old.

"Who is that stallion? He's givin' me the creeps." Gin whispered to Evelyn, who was trying to avoid catching the attention of the mysterious stallion that simply stood silently in the middle of the station.

"I don't know, but he could have some sort of bomb strapped to him... security will investigate shortly,"Evelyn answered her as she stood up. "We can't get his attention or he'll see us and recognize me."

After a few minutes, the stallion moved over to a nearby food stand. The stand owner didn't say a word, as the strange stallion offered no salutations, and his demeanor was far worse than grim- almost bone-chilling. The stallion did not purchase anything, he simply stood in front of the stand owner breathing heavily.

Eventually, the stand owner mustered up enough courage to speak to the shrouded stallion. "E-Excuse me s-sir, but I have other customers... you need to buy something."

The stallion looked back at the non-existent line-up and chuckled lightly. "I don't see anypony else..."

"P-Please, you have to leave!" The stand owner stuttered as he began backing away slowly.

A police officer showed up within minutes, his hand on his holstered pistol and a curious look in his eye. "What seems to be the problem here?"

"Officer, he won't leave me alone!" The stand owner cried as he kept backing away.

"Sir, either purchase something or leave." The police officer instructed the odd stallion nicely as he placed his hand on his shoulder. "Sir, please- ugh!"

The malicious looking stallion slammed his palm into the police officer's chest, blasting him backward into a nearby pillar and rendering him unconscious as the back of his head slammed into the stone structure. The other ponies walking by noticed right away, and soon, the entire populous of the station was running for their lives and screaming in horror. Gin ran over to the police officer who was slumped over on the ground next to a giant crack in the stone pillar behind him where he had impacted.

"He's alive, but he'll have a nasty headache in the morning!" Gin yelled over to Evelyn as she felt the police officer's pulse.

Evelyn approached the stallion cautiously, making sure she didn't make any sudden movements. "I don't want to hurt you... listen, my name is-."

"I know who you are, Evelyn," The stallion coughed violently, "And I know why you're here..."

"Alright... okay, can you tell me why you're here perhaps? Maybe who you are?" Evelyn asked slowly as she activated her suit.

"Something that was left to wither." The stallion wheezed as he removed his robe and cowl. "Ashurr... the first member of Infernalgear."

The unknown stallion was horribly burnt. His skin and fur were gone, and the only remaining flesh on his body was a mixture of muscle and melted fat tissue. On his back was a pressurized metal tank with two tubes that sprouted from the top and attached to his neck, suggesting his lungs were severely damaged, and he required a breathing apparatus. The gas tank was attached to a robotic frame that covered his arms like medical braces. The only thing on his body that retained a slight trace of morality was his sky blue eyes, that might of once had life in them. He coughed and wheezed as he pressed a button on his neck, and in a matter of seconds, the gas tank on his back pumped air into his lungs, or... that's what Gin and Evelyn thought it was until smoke escaped his mouth.

"Oh, dear Archibald Mason!" Evelyn gasped as she watched the charred stallion exhale a large cloud of smoke. "What are you doing with that?"

"I breathe in brimstone like a regular pony breathes fresh air... it fills me." The scorched stallion laughed and coughed at the same time. "And now... it shall fill you too, that is Gek's will."

Ashurr released an explosion of smoke that blew Gin and Evelyn back with great force. The two recovered but coughed as they felt smoke fill their lungs. It was hot and heavy and reeked of death... like the ashes of the deceased. Gin waved the smoke away, but it seemed to have a mind of its own; independently seeking out her nostrils and mouth.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Gin coughed as she tried to blow the smoke away.

"I have... no idea, but he is obviously insane." Evelyn hacked as she breathed in a considerable amount of ash.

Evelyn huffed as she got to her hooves and retaliated. She charged up her suit, then released a wave of energy from her hands that staggered her foe. Gin also joined in the attack and fired her many flintlock pistols she kept tucked in her jacket. Each shot impacted his torso, but blood did not exit through his back, only puffs of smoke shot out as each ball passed through him.

"Uhh, that isn't good..." Gin gulped as she saw each wound heal over rapidly.

Ashurr screamed and fired a burst of smoke at Gin, which knocked her down again, and Ashurr followed up with a firm kick that struck Gin's chest with piercing strength. Evelyn charged another blast of energy and fired it in the form of a beam that rocketed Ashurr into a nearby wall, smashing it down as his body made contact.

"Are you okay?" Evelyn asked Gin as she hoisted her back up.

"Ah, it's nothing... just landed on my big, oversized rear is all!" Gin growled as she prepared two new pistols.

"Alright, I'm sorry!" Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Listen, we've got to get out of this confined space, or we'll suffocate!"

"Agreed..." Gin coughed again as she took in another breath of smoke. "We've got to beat him up faster then."

"Uggh! You are so very infuriating!" Evelyn grunted as she powered up her suit.

"Well, you aren't exactly "Little Miss Sunshine" either!" Gin snapped at the scrawny mare.

Gin was interrupted as a howl escaped the large hole in the wall, announcing Ashurr's next attack. He jumped out of the hole with a devilish look in his eyes, and he propelled himself toward Evelyn first, knocking her back into a nearby food stand. She recuperated quickly and fired an orb of charged particles at his face. He dodged the sphere and blasted her again with a forceful shot of smoke that made her stumble. Gin stepped in when she realized Evelyn was losing ground and punched the charred stallion in the face as he flew by. Ashurr didn't seem fazed, and he returned fire with a barrage of smoke bombs that exploded as they hit the ground, sending blasts of concussive force and clouds of smoke in all directions.

Gin was tossed around violently by the explosions, and she was picked up by her throat before she could even stand again. Ashurr began to choke the poor mare, as his eye's became an evil red in his rage. As Gin struggled to break free from his grip, she felt his hand clasp tighter around her neck.

"I'm going to enjoy strangling you, bitch..." Ashurr snickered as he gripped her even tighter, causing her to gasp for air. "You're gonna- Arrghh!"

Ashurr was so hard-set on choking Gin, he completely forgot about Evelyn, who fired another focused beam of energy directly at the gas tank on his back. The tank burst open, and smoke escaped the metal container in a pressurized explosion. Ashurr dropped Gin in response to the attack and began to wheeze and cough as he breathed in fresh air.

"Arrggh! No! No, no, no! This wasn't supposed to happen! You were all... supposed to die! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Kaiser will... punish me for this!" Ashurr panted as he struggled to breathe in the smoke that was leaving his tank.

As he captured all the smoke in his lungs, he released a giant smokescreen that shrouded him from Gin and Evelyn, and as it cleared he was nowhere to be found. Gin hacked as she got up again, massaging her aching neck.

"Are you alright, Gin?" Evelyn asked the aching mare as she got up from the hard ground.

"Just a little light-headed is all... thanks." Gin grunted as she moved her head around to regain her balance.

"We've got to leave before this smoke chokes us..." Evelyn urged Gin as she ran up the stairs leading back to Corrigan Street.

Gin followed her up the steps back onto the sidewalk where they regained their strength from the intense fight, panting rapidly as they finally breathed in some clean air. The police had completely evacuated the street, and not a single soul was present. Evelyn activated her communicator once again to get in contact with Masami, and she placed the microphone back in her mouth.

"Masami, can you hear me okay?!" Evelyn shouted into her microphone, but there was no response. "Masami? Damn... the smoke must've damaged our communicators. Does your communicator work?"

"Nah, it's all fuzzy..." Gin sighed as she tried listened to her earpiece.

"We better get back to Masami and Draven, they'll probably be worried right about now." Evelyn uttered with a serious tone as she scratched her chin.

"What the bloody hell was that just now? I've seen some messed up shit, but that tops it all!" Gin chuckled as she thought about Ashurr's scarred face, and how it made her skin crawl.

"I have no idea... he was a cultist for sure, as he had the same robes that Liazo described. However, he is much more than a regular member of the cult. Perhaps a part of an inner circle, maybe?" Evelyn suggested as she brainstormed.

"And who do you think that Kaiser guy was that he mentioned? You think he's the leader?" Gin inquired as she thought about what Ashurr said.

"I wouldn't doubt it... most cult leaders usually have their drones do the work for them," Evelyn answered Gin as they both began walking back to Riker's Street. "We have to warn the others, I have no doubts they'll send more of their heavy-hitters to test our strength."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Thirty Nine: Liberty Day (Part Three)

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There was a brisk northern wind that calmed the scorching prairie day, and the moon replaced the sun's orange glow with a gentle blue light, painting everything navy with its lustrous brilliance. Cicadas chirped as the tall grass blew, and a wolf howled as the moon rose high into the sky. On the outskirts of Stahl Wasser, a town south of Eisen, where the rocky mountains and towering skyscrapers flatten out into rolling hills and hickory trees, two young colts began stacking logs in their barn for the long winter ahead.

Sometimes their mother would send them off doing odd jobs every so often at night. The youngest didn't question it, but the eldest knew better. Regardless, he remained calm for his younger brother Butch. He didn't want him to worry.

"Elliot, how many more do we need?" Butch pouted as he tossed his older brother a log.

"A dozen or so, Mama doesn't want us getting cold this winter," Elliot replied with a reassuring tone in his voice as he climbed up a ladder leading to the mow of the barn.

"But Elliot, winter ain't coming tomorrow, it's five months away. What are we stackin' these logs for?" Butch protested as he held a log in his hands.

"Listen, Mama wanted us to do this for her, so we're doin' it, you hear me?" Elliot snapped at Butch as he grabbed the log in his hands.

"I'm sorry for being nosy Elliot, I just was curious is all..." Butch sniffled as he wiped his nose.

"I know, I know Butch. Sorry for beakin'-off, I'm just a little on-edge is all..." Elliot comforted Butch as he jumped off the ladder and patted him on the back. "Listen, why don't we-."

Elliot trailed off as he overheard screaming coming from his house, his mother's screaming. Their mother's voice cracked as she yelled at her drunken husband, who had just walked in the door in a stupor. "Rodger, please calm down! You've had too much! Elliot and Butch, they-."

Their mother was silenced by a swift backhand from their brutish father. "Shut up, you fuckin' bitch!"

Elliot tensed up as he heard his mother cry, getting beaten by her husband once again. He turned to his weeping brother and placed his finger on his mouth- hushing him.

"Don't cry Butch, he'll quit soon... she'll be alright." Elliot attempted to alleviate his brother's sorrow as he brushed his cheek lightly.

"The Bear's beatin' her Elliot..." Butch sobbed.

However, it ended sooner than expected, and the shrieks from their mother were replaced with dead silence. Elliot quieted down to hear his mother's voice telling him "He fell asleep, boys, it's alright...", but he heard no signal. He remained quiet as he heard hoofsteps in the distance, not light ones like his mother's; they were sluggish, unbalanced, drunk movements that gave him and his little brother the shivers.

"Elliot! Butch! Where are ya?! I wanna talk to yall! I jus' wanna talk is all!" Their father burped as he stumbled towards the barn.

"The Bear's here, Elliot! That never happens!" Butch yelled quietly as he tugged at his older brother's shirt.

"Pipe down Butch, he'll hear ya!" Elliot replied sharply as he ran to the other side of the barn and loaded his father's twelve-gauge.

"What are you gonna do Elliot?" Butch whispered to his brother; tears still streaming down his face. "Elliot?"

Elliot ignored Butch and moved towards the large open door of the barn, where his father just entered, his shotgun at the ready, and determination in his eyes. "What do ya want, Bear-..."

Elliot trailed off as he looked down at his father's hand. His curved army knife was soaked in blood, and the rest of him as well. He had a crazed look in his eye, and he waved his knife around as he tumbled about- getting closer and closer to the two boys.

"What did you do?" Elliot whimpered as he readied his gun, a new fiery hatred blazing in his chest. "What the hell did you do?!"

"Aww, Elliot... I don't mean to harm yall!" The Bear grunted as he approached his enraged son. "Butch? Hey Butch, I jus' wanted to talk is all- show ya some wild game I just bagged!"

Butch said nothing and cowered behind his armed brother, who stood steadfast and unwavering. He pointed the shotgun at his father's chest, and as he took another step, he fired. Their father was blown backward, and his chest was torn to pieces by the buckshot. Elliot dropped the gun in relief and grabbed Butch, making him look away as he hugged him tightly. "Don't look, Butch, just don't..."

"What are we gonna do Elliot?" Butch wept as he tried to turn his away.

"We high-tail it outta here, that's what..." Elliot replied as he pried the curved trench knife out of his father's hand and wiped it off; passing it to his brother as he put his hand on his shoulder. "We go to Eisen, our uncle's there... he'll sort things out. Here, take this knife."

"What about Ma, Elliot?" Butch inquired with an innocent little voice as he looked down at the shiny knife.

Elliot took a deep breath, then faced his brother, grabbing his hand as he did so. "Momma ain't comin' with us Butch... C'mon, we've gotta get going."

Elliot practically dragged Butch away with him as he walked out into the tall grass. Butch struggled against his force, and eventually broke free. He ran towards the dim light of his farmhouse and heard Elliot wail as he chased after him. Butch approached the front door cautiously, but confident he'd see his mother alive and well.

"Butch! Butch, please... don't go in there!" Elliot cried as he ran after his stubborn brother. "Butch!"

****

"Butch? Butch?!" Spike shouted at the dazed stallion next to him on their bench in the middle of Liberty Square.

"Huh, what? You said something, son?" Butch shook his head as he tried to conceal his confusion unsuccessfully.

"I just asked where you got that knife... is it an heirloom or something? It looks custom-made." Spike observed as he eyed the curved dagger strapped to Butch's leather belt.

"Aw, this old thing? Nah, it's just a rusty old dagger a merchant sold to me not long ago. It was cheap." Butch chuckled and shrugged as he slid his finger across the blade of the knife.

"Does it have a nickname or something? A lot of stallions usually name their blades a creative name, has your dagger got one?." Spike wondered as he analyzed the dagger.

"The Bear's Claw," Butch grunted as he slid his curved knife back into his belt and rose from the bench.

"You there Butch?" Masami asked the gritty stallion through his communicator.

"I'm here Masami, what do ya want?"

"Gin and Evelyn are here with Draven and me, they had a skirmish with a weird lookin' cultist in Mason Station not long ago- had some crazy smoke-powers, something like that," Masami informed Butch.

"Is Eve okay?" Butch questioned Masami with genuine worry in his voice.

"I'm fine Butch, just a little scraped up is all." Evelyn insisted as she spoke into her microphone.

"Anyways, look sharp... there could be somepony sizing you up right now in Liberty Square," Masami warned Butch. "Look for ponies with black cowls and shrouds, that's most likely what we're looking for."

"Thanks, sugar, keep me posted if something comes up." Butch thanked Masami as he turned off his communicator.

"No problem, stay safe out there." Masami advised Butch before shutting her communicator off as well.

Butch gestured at Spike to "get up", and the young dragon obeyed. Spike had Butch figured out on the Ambassador the day before. He wasn't brave, he was simply without fear. He face-off against Constantine like it was a friendly boxing match, and he seemed to ignore other pony's pain. He was able to detach himself, from... well himself. Although, he was very secretive and didn't seem to trust his own feelings, much like a wounded soldier.

"Alright fire-breath, listen up," Butch commanded Spike, who felt he should've saluted to the gruff commander, although he knew that probably would've offended him. "I want you to start lookin' around- point out anypony who looks suspicious."

"Wait, haven't we been doing that all this time?" Spike questioned Butch's orders.

"Well, look harder then!" Butch raised his voice as he walked away and pushed Spike in the opposite direction.

"Alright... look harder. I can do that." Spike muttered to himself as he scanned his surroundings.

The Square was bustling with ponies of all colours, shapes, and sizes. Some were zebras, whilst others were white-furred ponies. It was odd, but there were quite a lot of white-furred ponies scurrying around the square. Spike hadn't noticed before, but it became apparent to him as he started looking around. Admittedly, there was an equal amount of pastel-colored ponies in Liberty Square, but few enough to make the others stand out. Spike also realized that Masami was one of these ponies too, and he activated his communicator uneasily, unsure whether his question was politically incorrect.

"Um, Masami?" Spike made sure she was listening.

"Yes, dear?" Masami replied with her cheerful voice.

"Uh, who are these white-coloured ponies with, um... the black manes and tails. I um, figured you'd know since..." Spike trailed off and tried to reorganize his thoughts into something less offensive.

"Oh, yeah. Those are Pēru, they're my kin. Well, not exactly... I'm half Pēru, I get my stunning figure from my father's side." Masami boasted proudly."A lot of them immigrated to Ausrüstung around fifteen years ago after the civil war, including me."

"Wait, so you're not mad I asked?" Spike was flabbergasted, he thought he was going to be unrelentingly sassed.

"Spike, if I had a bronze cog for every time somepony new asked me that question, I'd be Archibald Mason. It's not racist to make observations, it's just wrong to make generalizations based on those observations." Masami chuckled lightly. "You're a cutie, Spike! If I didn't have a crush on mares like Kitten, I'd just eat you up!"

Spike blushed as his mind was filled with lewd thoughts. "Uh, um..."

While Masami often behaved playful and mischievous, she had a rich intellectual side to her personality. She often caught most off guard with her intuition, and Spike was certainly no exception. When she used the two sides of her against another, she could most definitely outwit the smartest of ponies.

"Aha! You're thinking about it aren't you?" Masami deducted a she giggled teasingly, making Spike's face flush red even more. "Oh, you are, aren't you?!"

"I can't take this kind of torment... first Gin, now this?" Spike thought to himself as he shut off his communicator and started looking around again.

Spike saw nothing out of the ordinary at first, but as he observed with greater focus, he began to spot a strange individual moving in odd patterns within the crowd of ponies. It was a stallion, but much like the other cultists, he was shrouded in a black cowl and face mask. However, what truly made the stallion stand out was the odd noise he emitted. Although he was several meters away, Spike's dragon-hearing was sharp, and he identified the strange sound as a rattling of steel chains.

As Spike's eyes met with the mysterious pony, he flinched slightly then turned away, confirming Spike's suspicions. As he approached the larger crowd the stallion was hiding in, the pony jumped up and backed into a nearby alleyway. He seemed scared, not by Spike, but the mere action of Spike staring at him.

"Hey Butch, I think I found somepony in the crowd- over by the statue of one of the forefathers," Spike informed Butch through his microphone.

"You think so?" Butch double checked with Spike. "It could be just a merchant or something."

"No, I think this is the real-deal. He was wearing the same outfit that Masami described." Spike watched as the hooded stallion retreated. "I'm going after him."

"No, you're probably walkin' right into a trap. Let me help ya, I'm not far from your position." Butch insisted as he sprinted over to Spike at lightning speeds.

Butch's cybernetic legs allowed him to reach Spike within seconds, and in his haste he kicked up a substantial amount of dust. As he braked, he kicked up more dust, and various ponies in the crowd around him turned their heads in awe as they witnessed Butch's athletic prowess. He may have been in his early fifties, but his athletic ability was that of twenty-year-old pegasi combined when paired up with his mechanical limbs and heart.

"Woah..." Spike gawked as he choked a little on the dust that was flung into the air.

"No time to doddle, fire-breath, let's get that son of a bitch." Butch grinned as he jumped over the crowd of ponies into the back alley, lowering jaws as he landed the jump perfectly. "These folks won't stop for ya, it's best to jump."

Spike gulped a little as he looked at all the ponies in his way, and reluctantly, he leapt over the crowd successfully, but didn't really stick the landing very well, face-planting into the solid pavement. He got to his feet with a dizzied expression, and as he shook his head he felt a piercing headache pound against his skull. Spike blushed again as he watched the various bystanders try to contain their laughter.

"I think you should work on the landing next time, stud." Butch joked as he patted Spike on the back and raced after the shrouded cultist zooming down the narrow alleyways.

"Well, I'm sorry for not having cannons for legs!" Spike yelled in a mixture of frustration and embarrassment as he ran after the shrouded stallion along with the bionic-pony.

Spike and Butch chased after the stallion at great speeds, but no matter how hard they tried, the stallion kept gaining ground, despite Spike and Butch's physical advantage. Butch eventually gave up pursuing the pony and drew his massive revolver from the utility belt around his waist.

Spike often took glances at the giant gun, but he never saw the full weapon; it had always been holstered. The giant dark grey pistol was decorated with silver engravings of angels and demons, and on the barrel was the crudely etched name, "Elliot's Bite".

"Let's see if some good ol' sixty caliber'll stop ya!" Butch snickered as he fired the gargantuan gun at his prey, landing a shot right in the stallion's back, sending a mist of blood and a few sparks flying as a dozen links of the broken chain were blasted off his body. "Gotcha."

The retreating pony was knocked down with great force and rolled a few times until he hit a nearby dumpster, slamming his head into the metal bin. Surprisingly, the stallion got back on his hooves at an alarming rate and began wailing like a feral beast. He removed his cowl and mask, and underneath the dark outfit was a stallion completely covered in tightly wrapped chains from head to hoof. The only visible flesh on the stallion's body was his eyes and the wound created by Butch's revolver.

"Now you wanna fight, pal?" Butch smiled as he holstered his pistol and cracked his metal knuckles.

"No, no, no, no, no! No! I d-d-don't, you're evil- make my flesh show. No! You need to- I must kill- no! Hahahahaha- no!" The psychotic stallion howled as he began to cover up his wound with tightly-wound chains. "Kaiser wants you dead- not yet, though... Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

"What's wrong with this guy?" Spike's eyes widened as he watched the maniac begin bash on his head as if he were punishing himself.

"I dunno, but I don't like it..." Butch admitted as he witnessed the stallion's insane rant.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it! Stop looking at Gar Nichts! Stop looking at Gar Nichts' ugly blood, ugly flesh! You're evil! Evil, evil, evil! Kaiser says so, Kaiser always says so!" The stallion called, "Gar Nichts" screamed and mumbled as he covered his eyes and sobbed. "So many staring eyes, so many ponies looking, always looking-. No! No! You're evil... all of you! Leave me alone!"

Chains shot out of Gar Nichts' back at blinding speeds; homing in on Spike and Butch. They successfully dodged the first time but were knocked aside by the chains as they whipped back; slamming them into the nearby wall. Butch and Spike recovered, but were tossed around by more chains as dark portals on the walls spawned more steel chains, creating a maddening maelstrom of metal and chaos.

"You're voices are too loud, too loud, too loud! You are all too loud for Gar Nichts! Shut up!" Gar Nichts bellowed as he hit them with all his might.

The steel-storm battered the two brutally, and they struggled to recuperate. Spike was in worse shape than Butch, who only had a few bruises, Spike was bleeding from his leg and right arm.

"This guy is fuckin crazy, and he hits like a jackhammer," Butch grunted as he wiped the blood from his face.

"What... do you suggest we do?" Spike groaned as he coated his fists in flame.

"We gotta be crazier..." Butch chuckled as he removed his trench coat and revealed a deadly weapon strapped to his back. "I'm hittin' em with everything I got. Let's see how ya hold up against some four-gauge-fun."

Butch loaded a monstrous triple-barrel shotgun with giant shells, and with a flick of the wrist, the beastly cannon was cocked and ready. The wood grip gun was engraved with gold leaf patterns, and like his revolver, the colossal shotgun had a name etched into the barrel, "Rosie". It had a long glowing tube attached to the bottom of the three barrels, and it shone a blue light, similar to his artificial heart.

"Spike, give me some of that fire of yours!" Butch ordered Spike as he extended his hand out to Spike.

"Wait, what?" Spike shouted in bewilderment.

"No time! Just toss me a fireball, kid!" Butch reached out to Spike.

Spike didn't question him and threw Butch a ball of green flame. He caught it in his hand and shoved the fire down the glowing tube with gunslinger-speed. Gar Nichts seemed frightened by the massive gun and summoned more chains to lash out at his foe.

"Die, die, die!" Gar Nichts cried as he launched his chains towards Butch, who stood still- steadfast.

As the shotgun fired, it kicked up dust in front of it from the concussive force and even pushed Spike onto his tail. It shot out a blazing tornado of metal pellets and emerald fire, and the intense heat of the blast melted Gar Nichts' chains like butter. The shot slammed into the chain-clad stallion with its full-force, and Gar Nichts was blown back into a dead end. For a brief moment, he was without chain-armor, and this seemed to infuriate him.

"You can see my flesh! My flesh! You're evil, you're evil!" Gar Nichts cried as he covered himself in chains once again. "Stop looking at me! Leave me alone!"

Gar Nichts used his chains to grapple a wall slingshot himself out of the dead-end and retreated to the rooftops, out of their reach within seconds. Butch fired off a few shots with his revolver, but Gar Nichts' chains let him move at lightning speeds.

"Damn, he's quick." Butch sighed as he reached into his pocket and lit a cigar.

"We need to... get to Masami." Spike panted as he got to his feet.

"Agreed... let's get going." Butch nodded as he picked up his trench coat. "C'mon, I know a shortcut..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty: Liberty Day (Part Four)

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Twilight, Edgar, and Winslow ran down the narrow alleyway into Riker's Street, and were met with floats and armored soldiers marching towards Liberty Square, where they would loop around the four statues and end up on the other side of Eisen, back where the parade started. Twilight and Winslow stood on the sidewalk with Edgar behind them, hiding in a large metal dumpster to conceal his gigantic body from others.

"Hey... Edgar. What is this parade about anyways?" Twilight whispered to Edgar, whose eyes peeped out of the bin in response to her question.

"Liberty Day is the day the four founders signed the secession papers to separate from Equestria, making us an independent nation."

"Interesting... and you celebrate this every year?" Twilight wondered as she gazed upon a float moving towards Liberty Square with cheerleaders dressed in patriotic red, white, and blue regalia, dancing to the beat of drums and the sound of a trumpet playing a catchy nationalistic song.

"Yep," Edgar muttered as he noticed a pony passing by, ducking just before he made eye contact with him. "That was close..."

"Do you always have to hide from ponies like that one?" Winslow inquired as he watched Edgar duck again as another pedestrian walked by.

"I'm not very stealthy, as you can tell..." Edgar chuckled lightly as he ducked once again. "And if ponies see me, they'll know there's impending danger, and scatter. We don't want to cause a panic."

"Right." Winslow agreed as he watched the mechanised robots march alongside the armored soldiers. "Is there a way for us to cross the street to Masami and the others without going all the way to Liberty Square and back up?"

"I'm afraid not," Edgar answered the stoic knight, much to his disappointment. "Besides, we should stay here- scout for a bit."

"Hey, fellas!" Masami buzzed through their communicators at a higher volume than usual; causing them all to cringe slightly.

"Ouch!" Twilight uttered in discomfort as she fiddled with her communicator.

"Oops, sorry, my bad!" Masami giggled as she toyed with the volume, teasing them a little as she cranked it slightly, then dropped it down to a stable level. "Anyways, I think there's some trouble ahoof... I need you all to check the floats and ponies marching down the street- make sure they're legitimate."

"How do we do that?" Twilight asked as she looked at Winslow, who was just as flummoxed.

"Liazo thinks he can weigh-in," Masami replied as she adjusted her communicator to Liazo's frequency. "Go ahead, sugar."

"Alright, can everypony hear me? I'm on a building in the financial center with Rainbow Dash, overlooking Liberty Square." Liazo queried as he looked down at the parade from a faraway rooftop, with Rainbow Dash adjacent to him. "Listen, I thought about those cultists RD and I fought earlier. They weren't like most ponies. I remember clearly that they were as cold as ice- dead cold in fact. Like a corpse, that's been sitting for a while. I have no idea why, but that doesn't matter, what does matter is that we can trace some cultists using thermal imaging."

"Twilight, can't you use that heat-eye thing, or whatever?" Rainbow Dash guessed; trying to remember the terminology. "Oh! Heat-sense, was is called?"

"Yes, I think that might work." Twilight nodded as she uttered an incantation; causing her eyes to glow red like a fireball, and her horn to shine a similar color. "Let's see what I can find."

Twilight analyzed the surroundings in infrared vision. She glanced at the cheerleaders- nothing unusual, she directed her eyes toward the armored soldiers, nothing. Then a strange metal beast rolling down the street was caught in her gaze, it was as cold as ice. But it was uncertain, as Twilight's vision was iffy when it came to penetrating thick walls or armor. She was cautious anyways, and pointed the clanking machine out to Edgar, who nodded nervously, then activated his communicator.

"Masami, we have a big problem," Edgar informed Masami, who waited patiently for a reply.

"What do you mean by 'big' exactly?" Masami wondered, although part of her was dreading to hear the answer.

"Twilight spotted something in the tank." Edgar responded as he peeped his head out of the dumpster.

"The tank?! By the forefathers, what did we get ourselves into?" Masami gave a dreadful groan as she calmed herself. "Alright, I want you all to-."

Masami's communicator cut out, and silence was the only reply the task force received on her end. Twilight tried adjusting her communicator, as did the others, but it was no use. Masami's communicator had gone offline, and Draven and Evelyn's had as well. Gin's was nothing but static, and this alarmed most of those who tuned into her frequency.

"What the hell just happened up there?!" Butch growled as he tried to contact the others. "Spike, what do you hear on Evelyn's end?"

"Nothing." The young dragon replied in horror as he tapped on his earpiece.

"Looks like we've got to wing-this, folks... this ain't groovy..." Liazo uttered in anxiety as he informed the rest of the team with functioning communicators.

"I'm going after Evelyn," Butch grunted stubbornly as he walked passed Spike into another narrow alleyway- a shortcut to Riker's Station. However, he was stopped by Spike, who placed his arm on his shoulder. "What do ya think you're doing?"

Spike hadn't seen Butch so intense. He was usually gung-ho and bold, but this time around, Butch looked simply menacing. The mere mention of Evelyn in danger set him off like a firecracker. He knocked Spike's hand away instantly and tried walking away again, but this time, Spike grabbed his arm.

"Butch, we can't just leave. If they're in trouble, they can handle it, can't they? They have Draven, and Masami's pretty capable." Spike attempted to reassure Butch, but the stubborn soldier still retained his gruff attitude and intensity.

"Spike's right Butch, we can't just abandon our mission. Our job is protecting the ponies of Ausrüstung, you know that." Liazo reminded Butch.

"Yeah," Butch grumbled as he lit another cigar. "What do you want us to do?"

"I need you two to get back to Liberty Square. If things go awry, you've got to get everypony out of there and away from harm." Liazo delivered his orders powerfully, and with ferocious-focus. He could not let anypony lose sight of the task at hand.

"Alright, we're on it." Spike nodded as he turned around, but stopped just as he saw of Butch, who stood still- at a crossroads. "Butch? Are you coming with me? Butch?"

"Dammit, the one time I'm not with her..." Butch mumbled as he looked down at the ground.

"Butch?" Spike asked again as he tilted his head.

"Yeah, I know..." Butch groaned as he ran past Spike; giving him a light shoulder check as he did so out of oblivious frustration. "Let's just go."

****

"Hello? Hello?!" Masami tapped her communicator frantically. "Rrrgh, damn thing... nothing ever works when you want it to. How about you guys? Is anypony's communicator working?"

The ragtag group of comrades toiled in a maintenance room in Riker's Station monitoring the communicators, away from the public eye, so as not to arouse any suspicions. Masami tinkered with her signal box and communicator, as did the rest of the group. It was an utter mystery as to why the communicators went out so suddenly, and the silence within the small dark room was foreboding to say the least. The only relief from the tension was the incessant tapping on communicators- trying to get them to function properly.

"Nah, lass... I can't hear anything," Draven replied as he tried adjusting his earpiece. "How about you, Gin?"

"I'm afraid not, I only hear static." Gin responded as she removed her bothersome communicator. "Weird..."

"It appears that something or somepony has disrupted our communications systems. It isn't anything to do with the signal." Evelyn deducted.

"Perhaps radio waves?" Masami proposed.

"No, otherwise our communicators would've combusted inside our eardrums." Evelyn contradicted Masami's conjecture, and Gin cringed as she grasped her ear, visualising her ear exploding. "It must be some form of magical interference disrupting the communicators- inaudible to a regular pony's ear. Magic-auras like this are typically short-range, so the source of this distortion must be close."

Masami was silent for a moment as if she had come to a shocking realization. Her eyes widened momentarily, but she tried to conceal her emotions, calming herself, and attempting to dispel any suspicions about her reaction to Evelyn's analysis. Draven caught sight of Masami's sudden dip in behaviour and was curious as to why her demeanour altered so drastically.

"Something the matter, lass?" Draven asked the dazed mare politely, noticing her worried expression.

"No, nothing." Masami lied as she shook her head frantically, impatient with her own lie, and yearning for the conversation regarding her reaction to cease. "It's nothing, really."

"Alright then." Draven cordially accepted Masami's reticence, as he did not want to incite another- more severe reaction. "Anyways, what's the plan?"

"Well, we could go outside to find the source of the disruption, but somepony has to monitor the communicators here. I think you and Draven should go out there, Gin and I will stay in here." Evelyn ordered Masami and the black-scaled dragon. pointing at both of them with her middle and index finger.

"Why do I have to stay here?" Gin objected with somewhat justified indignation.

"Butch worries about me often..." Evelyn answered her with a doubtful sigh as her eyes gravitated towards the ground in a sombre fashion. "I would appreciate it if you stay here, for Butch's sake."

"Alright..." Gin was caught off guard by Evelyn's concern for Butch's well-being and sat down on the cold concrete of the maintenance room floor in acceptance, resting her head against the brick wall.

"Masami, Draven... you may leave." Evelyn nodded to Masami and Draven as she watched them walk out the door into the unpopulated station.

As the door shut, Masami and Draven were greeted by utter stillness. It was astounding what an absence of life could do to the atmosphere of a normally bustling area such as Riker's Station. The air was thick with darkness, and shadows seemed to stand still rather than stir with the imagination, but still seemed to shake in the presence of light raining down from the two long staircases leading up to Riker's street. The noise from the parade assumed a different sound in the echoing chambers of the station. What sounded like laughter and cries of joy, sounded more like haunting wails and harrowing moans in the empty, and dusty station.

"Say, it looked like you saw a ghost just then... what was that all about?" Draven asked the still worried mare, attempting to distract himself from the unsettling environment surrounding him.

"It's... nothing. I was just reminded of a ghost, something from my past. I hoped to forget it... but it always returns." Masami answered in a grave tone of voice.

"We all have past demons we wish to hide from others and ourselves..." Draven responded with empathy in his voice as he gave the graceful mare a jolly smile that only he could deliver. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, it's fine, really." Masami refused politely, staring at the ground as she walked along the grey pathway with Draven leading to the main area of the teleporting station.

The large pathway spread out into a massive room with a ceiling nearly forty feet in height. The wide area was filled with benches and dining tables, and the teleporting chambers were nearby, although they were switched off for the parade. The room echoed severely, and the slightest hoofstep from either of them was enough to create a reverberating sound.

"This seems pretty deserted, do you want to-." Draven trailed off as he heard another pair of hooves stomping on concrete. "Do you hear that?"

"Yes." Masami whispered as she moved closer to Draven, clearly hearing the clattering of hooves in the distance. "Stay close."

Out of the darkness, a pair of eyes emerged- purple dots that seemed to never blink. It's eyes were fixated on the two, and its gaze was almost hypnotic, sending a chill down Draven and Masami's spine. As the eyes moved forward, the pony's face was revealed, or rather, the mask covering the pony's face.

The slightly cracked mask had devil's horns and sharp fangs that jutted out like a saber-tooth tiger. It was a blood red oni mask- a demon, a mask that slashed at Masami's courage. Not because of the demon, but because of the pony she knew was underneath. The mask's "tongue" stuck out like a snake, and the design of the mouth made it look like the demon was howling, and the pony's eyes made it look all the more real.

"Draven, plug your ears!" Masami warned the unnerved dragon, who prepared his lightning cautiously.

Draven was flummoxed by the command. "What, I-."

"Just do it!" Masami cut off Draven as she stared at the demonic pony looming over them with great intensity. "Do it now!"

"Boo." The pony uttered in a soft, eerie voice. Just as Draven plugged his ears, the pony drew a katana from his sheath, and a massive sonic boom blew Masami and the dragon backwards. It sounded like a trillion screams, like a banshee wailing at the moon, like a million fingernails running down a chalkboard. The most horrifying, awful sounds, and it all was bellowed in an instant. "Cursed Blade Technique: Kuroko's Howling Slash!"

Masami and Draven recovered, although their ears rang a bit from the boom for a moment. Masami grunted as she got to her feet, and she helped Draven up too. Draven was dazed, but he quickly snapped out of it and began to survey his surroundings to spot the unseen adversary.

"Show yourself, you yellow-bellied shadow walker!" Draven growled as he illuminated the area with his lightning.

The pony emerged from the shadows as Draven's lightning lit up the room. He was a stallion, a little shorter than Draven, but around a head taller than Masami. He wore a black robe fitted for combat- the sleeves removed, and replaced with metal arm protectors that were ink black, and shone like obsidian. He had a blood red sash across his waist that added to his devilish appearance- the only trace of normalcy in his appearance was his coal black hair that was tied in a thin ponytail, and his white complexion-- the only skin showing on his body being his neck and ears.

"I am Kanakirigoe, the third member of Infernalgear. You should respect the shadows, dragon. Kuroko's Scream!" The menacing stallion hissed as he blew Draven back into a pillar with a deafening sonic scream, rendering the unprepared dragon unconscious. "There... now we can talk."

"Draven!" Masami shouted back to her ally as he attempted to run to him, but she was unable. She was locked in a staring contest with her foe. "What did you do to him, Ichirou? What did you do to me?"

"Oh, nothing... he will recover in time. You, on the other hand, I used a magic-disabling technique I learned from The Shadouītā Scrolls. I can't have you doing anything rash just yet." The sociopathic stallion purred. "I'm so glad you remember me, Masami."

"How could I forget the stallion who murdered my master..." Masami growled at the mischievous stallion as he paced around her casually.

"Ah, ah, ah... don't you mean our master?" Kanakirigoe snickered deviously.

"He was your father, nothing more, and you murdered him in cold blood." Masami snapped as she spit on the ground. "You took your mother's sword and corrupted it, and destroyed all Hiro built for you!"

"Wrong! What he built for you! You were given Kochi!" Kanakirigoe exploded as he struck Masami. Although she tried blocking, his strength was beyond that of any mortal, and it crushed her arm as she attempted to deflect his backhand. "Pathetic... and to think my father thought you were his star student. The great 'Angreifer'."

Masami crumpled to the ground in a heap as she clutched her shattered arm, writhing in agony. "You're pathetic, you piece of shit! You became a shadow-eater, you consumed the darkness, you became something ugly! Hiro never wanted this for you- aarrghh!"

Kanakirigoe stepped on Masami's fractured forearm forcefully and caused this her to wail in pain. She cussed at him furiously. "Oh, don't worry Masami, I'm not going to kill you. I just want to make my mark, give you a message from me and my... associates. You are playing a dangerous game, 'Angreifer'. I want you dead, no doubt about it. But not just yet... I will return to finish the job, but you better come prepared next time. You'll need to use everything Hiro taught us, you can do that for me, can't you?!"

"Go to hell, Ichirou..." Masami groaned as Kanakirigoe removed his hoof and sliced her across her left shoulder with his blade.

"I already have... I'm renting a condo actually." Kanakirigoe sassed Masami, chuckling to himself as he walked back into the shadows. "You know, I always thought you were beautiful. I wanted to marry you... but it turned out you were nothing but a worthless Dyke. Give Hiro my regards when you visit his grave sometime. Ciao..."

And with a wisp of cold air, Ichirou vanished, leaving no trace. Masami cried for a moment before getting back on her hooves and tearing at the fabric on her shirt to fashion a sling for her arm. She walked over to Draven, who snapped out of his trance as soon as she tried to rouse him.

"Ah! Wha- what... Masami?! What happened?" Draven grunted as he stood u, realizing Masami had been horribly beaten. "Oh my-. Masami, your arm! Here, put your good arm around my shoulder."

As Draven and Masami began their slow trek back, their communicators buzzed for a moment, then became clear. "Hello? Hello?! Is anypony there?"

"Evelyn? Is that you, lass?" Draven asked as he limped forward.

"Yes, I got the communicators back up and running," Evelyn answered proudly. "Did you find the source of the magic signal?"

"Yeah, listen... we found the source. Long story short, I got my arse kicked, and Masami's been beaten badly." Draven uttered in a gritty tone of voice as he got a better grip on Masami's arm.

"Oh, dear me. Come back here right away, I have a medical kit on me." Evelyn panicked. "I'm going to get in contact with the others- make sure everyone is okay. Hang in there you two, I'll send Gin to meet you halfway."

"Thanks, Eve..." Masami thanked her weakly as she looked down at the floor with a troubled expression.

Draven limped for a few moments before slowing down to talk to the silent mare. "What happened back there when I was knocked-out? Who did this to you?"

"Just another demon of mine..." Masami uttered with a grave expression.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty One: Liberty Day (Final)

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"Arrggh, dammit!" Masami moaned in pain as she sat down on the cold hard floor of the maintenance room.

"Alright, Masami, I need you to breathe." Evelyn tried soothing the injured mare as she opened up her medical kit and drew from it, a needle and thread, and peroxide. "Here, put this in your mouth."

Evelyn handed her a piece of leather, and Masami bit down hard on it; straining her jaw muscle to distract her body from the excruciating pain her arm was in. As Evelyn sewed her up, she groaned and fidgeted; still trying to power through the pain. Every time Evelyn punctured some of her skin, she jerked her head in response, and bit down harder on the leather, until there was almost nothing left to bite down on. After she was done stitching, Masami spat out the chunk of leather like chewing tobacco.

"Alright Masami, this will sting a lot," Evelyn warned the stitched-up mare as she popped the cap off the bottle of peroxide.

"Gee, thanks for sugar-coating it for me!" Masami growled as her arm tensed up; sending a jolt up her shoulder as Evelyn dabbed the deep gash with a cotton pad she soaked in the antiseptic fluid. "Son of a bitch! Motherfucker!"

As Evelyn dabbed the wound a few more times, Masami felt instant relief, although her wound still felt like a nest of hornets repeatedly stung her arm. She jerked her head back and took one last deep breath before getting up off the concrete floor. Draven steadied her as she rose up, and Gin patted the dust off her back.

"We need to get you back to the mansion, now." Evelyn insisted with sharpness in her voice. "Your arm is still shattered."

"No, we've got a mission to complete, and I ain't sittin' on the sidelines and watching. We're finishing this." Masami stubbornly grunted as she used her good arm to adjust her communicator.

"We can handle this ourselves, you know that." Evelyn reached up to place her hand on Masami's shoulder.

"I know, I know... but if something happens while I'm gone I'll never forgive myself. I won't do anything stupid Evelyn, I promise... I just want to keep you all safe." Masami tried convincing Evelyn, and to Draven's surprise, she was moved.

"You are an imbecile, Ms. Akiyama, but I suppose I can commend you for your tenacity." Evelyn smiled as she picked up her medical kit.

Masami could be as stubborn as Butch or Winslow when she felt it was necessary, and she impressed Draven and Gin with her steadfast nature. She didn't lose faith in her team, and they in turn, they did not lose faith in her. It was obvious who the leader of the team was, Masami was like a mother-figure; watching over the task force like a parent would.

"What next? Do you want us to get up there and help them?" Draven interjected as he fastened his jacket.

"Yes. In fact- here, let me get in contact with everyone. They're probably scared shitless." Masami laughed to herself as she began turning a dial on her communicator to tune into everypony's frequency. "Hello? Is anypony there?"

"Masami? Oh, thank the forefathers! I thought you were dead!" Liazo replied through her earpiece; relieved to hear her voice.

"Masami, I thought you were gone! Are you okay-." Rainbow Dash stopped herself before sounding like a romantic, but the damage had been done. "I mean... are you okay, Masami?"

"Oooo... so you do care about little ol' me!" Masami instantly perked up; ignoring the burning pain in her arm out of sheer excitement. Evelyn rolled her eyes in response to Masami's teasing. Even with a mangled arm, she still couldn't help but tease every mare within a five-mile radius with her charm.

"No I-. Aarrghh! Just tell us the plan, okay?" Rainbow Dash growled as she ran her hand through her mane out of impatience.

"Okie-Dokie, Kitten!" Masami pestered Rainbow Dash further before clearing her throat and switching to a serious tone of voice, similar to a mother about to lecture a child. "Alright. Twilight, Edgar, Winslow, you guys there? What's the situation down there?"

"We're here Masami, we tried checking some of the tanks as they passed by, but all of them were operated by machines," Twilight explained as she looked around; noticing more approaching floats on the way. "Although there are some floats coming up here quick. I'll see what I can find."

"Good. Liazo, see anything suspicious?" Masami inquired as she fiddled around with her long black hair.

"If the tanks are safe, I wouldn't doubt they'd be tryin' somethin' else." Liazo uttered with a puzzled expression. "What do you figure-. Oh, fuck!"

A deafening bang resonated through the whole street, and within milliseconds, one of the cheerleaders on a parade float had her head blown to pieces. The bang was loud enough to be heard for miles, and as various ponies lining the streets started realizing the danger, they started to scatter with their hands above their head- a desperate attempt to shield themselves.

"Oh, sweet Celestia!" Twilight screamed in horror as the cheerleader's lifeless body fell off the float and onto the pavement not far from Winslow. "What was that?!"

"Did everypony hear that?!" Spike wailed in dismay as he ducked behind one of the statues along with Butch.

"Where did that noise come from? Liazo, what's going on out there?" Masami shouted as loud as possible into her microphone.

"A Sniper! He took out a bystander! Everypony get to cover!" Liazo ordered the others on the ground. "Rainbow Dash, I need you to get airborne! Get out of firing range, and find that sniper! You're a pegasus. You've got keen eyes! Spot that fucker! Take him out!"

"On it!" Rainbow Dash rocketed into the brisk air and tapped on her earpiece for further instructions. "What am I looking for?!"

"The shot came from that skyscraper just across the street- in Liberty Square just above Butch and Spike! Look for a broken, or open window- something out of sorts!" Liazo was almost breathless from sheer panic.

"What do we do, Masami?" Draven asked the spastic mare as she furiously flailed her one good arm.

"Get up there with Gin, make sure everypony gets to Riker's Station, and for the love of Ivan Aquarius, stay under cover!" Masami opened the maintenance room door and practically pushed them outside, then turned to Evelyn. "Eve, I need you here with me!"

"Right." Evelyn nodded as she stood still.

"Butch, Spike, I want you two to clear the streets- escort everyone to Riker's Station! The police won't get here in time before the next shot is fired! Twilight, Winslow, Edgar, where are you guys?!" Masami demanded; her heart pumping frantically. "Twilight? Twilight?! Edgar, where is she?!"

Twilight stood motionless in the street; staring blankly at the headless body of the cheerleader on the pavement nearby. Ponies scattered, trash bins were knocked over in the chaos, some were being trampled in the maelstrom of fear and confusion. However, Twilight paid no attention. All the voices around her were reduced to muffled cries and gagged sounds of clattering and stomping of hooves. Winslow tried to grab her- snap her out of it, but she remained silent. Edgar remained motionless in his dumpster and watched

"Twilight! Twilight, get a grip! We've got to get to cover!"

Twilight felt warm blood on her face- the cheerleader's blood, it was running down in a steady trickle. As she felt the red liquid soak her forehead, she heard a whisper in her left ear- it was Gek, who stood beside her with a maniacal smile stretched across his face. He leaned in slowly and whispered to her- words that made Twilight's soul quiver.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

As Twilight turned her head to face Gek, he vanished into thin air, and the thick haze of shock and confusion began to dissipate around her; the world returning to normal. Winslow jerked her again, but she still was immobilized by fear, and down at the end of Riker's Street the sniper noticed Twilight standing out in the open. He poked his rifle through the hole he made in a window pane and focused his rifle; honing in on Twilight, and aiming right for her skull.

"Twilight! Twilight, please!" Winslow panicked as he finally woke Twilight up from her daydream.

As another shot echoed in the air, the bullet zoomed towards Twilight; only missing her by a fraction of an inch as Winslow finally was able to nab her and toss her aside- into the alleyway with Edgar. She was still breathless.

"Liazo, I think I just saw the sniper's gun over there!" Rainbow Dash pointed towards the broken window across the street.

"Get after em' then!" Liazo responded with haste as he began climbing down the side of a building down to the ground. "I've got to get the rest of these ponies to safety!"

"Got it!" Rainbow Dash nodded before racing towards the sniper's position.

Rainbow Dash zoomed past the tall glass building where the sniper made his nest and took a sharp U-turn; smashing through some more glass on the other side of the building, so as not to launch a full-frontal-assault. She covered her face as she fell into a dive-roll, and as she got to her hooves, she heard the sound of the sniper standing up from his probing-position upstairs, and slowly moving towards her. Rainbow Dash ducked behind a corner and poked her head out to spot him. As their eyes met, the sniper fired a shot to scare her off, but she didn't budge, and she stayed behind cover- waiting for the sniper to get too curious. As he carefully trotted downstairs, he drew his dagger and prepared to strike. The noise of his blade unsheathing alerted Rainbow Dash, and she responded with a blinding counterattack. She sped out of cover at light-speed and knocked the knife out of his hand before he had a chance to slash.

As Rainbow Dash moved in to strike again, the cultist brought out a pistol and fired wildly at her. Luckily, Rainbow Dash was one of the fastest of her kind and dodged the gunfire as if it were water balloons thrown by a foal. When the sniper ran out of ammo, he readied another dagger and started to swing recklessly at her. She dodged again and spun around; landing a roundhouse kick right on his jaw, and launching his head into the hard drywall on the staircase.

Rainbow Dash expected her foe to yield right away, but the sniper was driven- he was consumed by an insane bloodlust that only a maniac could experience. He tried punching her and missed; slamming his bare hand into a nearby wall. As he pulled it out, it looked mangled and broken, but the cultist didn't mind, instead he resumed his crazed attack- ignoring Rainbow Dash's kicks and punches, regardless of how many ribs she shattered. His eyes shone a distinct purple as he charged towards his foe with his fists clenched. The cultist threw another punch, but this time, Rainbow Dash caught his hand and smashed his face in with her elbow.

"Damn it, do you guys ever quit?!" Rainbow Dash growled with impatience in her tone, and a mixture of exhaustion and rage in her expression.

"I have the Lord on my side. With his power, I am invincible-." The cultist was cut off as Rainbow Dash gave him a firm kick to the groin, and he exhaled slowly out of sheer pain with a wheeze as he crumpled to the floor.

"I'd like to see your 'Lord' protect those." Rainbow Dash grinned as she kicked him in the temple; rendering him unconscious. "Guys, I knocked the sniper out!"

"Good. Get down here, the police will arrive shortly to clean up the mess." Masami informed her before banging her head against the maintenance room wall. "Damn, We should've seen this coming. How could I have been so stupid?! Somepony died today!"

"It wasn't your fault Masami, we had no idea what they were capable of until now," Evelyn reassured the shamed mare as she hung her head in disappointment. Although, Evelyn's expression contradicted her words, and it weighed on Masami- making her failure harder to bear. Reluctantly, she turned her communicator back on and adjusted jer communicator to match Rainbow Dash's frequency. "Listen, I want you to get that sniper back here. Maybe we can get him to talk."

"I'm on it." As Rainbow Dash turned towards the cultist, he grabbed her leg suddenly; looking her straight in the eyes with a crazed expression.

"I have failed my prophet, and my lord. You must punish me, Sinner... like sinners punish each other." The cultist reached into his pocket and brought out another knife (more like a sharpened letter opener), and attempted to hand it to Rainbow Dash. "You must end me, Sinner. You must send me unto a lake of fire, where I must answer for my failure!"

"Are you crazy?! I'm not going to murder you!" Rainbow Dash backed away as the cultist pulled out a small leather-bound book from his tattered satchel. "What are you doing?"

"Then in purgatory I must dwell..." The cultist placed the book on his chest and raised his knife; puncturing the book, and driving the knife through his heart.

"No, stop!" Rainbow Dash kneeled down and pulled the knife out of his ribcage; letting the blood pour out of the hole in his chest. "Why?!"

"Because it is the will of my lord and prophet." The cultist choked on his blood; coughing and hacking away as he tried to speak. "May Father Kaiser cast you into oblivion and inflict endless suffering upon you and your kin."

As the cultist drew his last gargled breath, Rainbow Dash looked away; trying to ignore what she had just witnessed. She tapped her communicator lightly before closing the cultist's eyes with her middle and index finger. "Masami, the sniper is dead."

"What happened?" Masami wondered; hearing the anguish in Rainbow Dash's voice.

"He... killed himself right in front of me." Rainbow Dash was on the verge of crying, but held back her tears, as she felt it would be immoral to cry over a psychotic murderer. "What do you want me to do?"

"Leave him there Kitten, you've had a rough day. I think we all have. I'll get the police collect his body for identification." Masami insisted as she let out an empathetic sigh and gently placed her forehead on the maintenance room wall. "What a mess..."

****

The Ausrüstung authorities showed up within minutes and blocked off the area encompassing the incident. Bodies of the fallen cult members were collected, and the dead cheerleader's corpse was tucked into a body-bag. As one of the police officers approached the corpse, he zipped it up; Twilight watching from the sidelines along with the rest of her friends.

Draven stood beside Twilight, and with a sympathetic half-smile he patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay lass, these things happen..."

Butch walked over to Evelyn, who crossed her arms uncomfortably, and as he drew closer, she turned her head away. "I'm sorry, for worrying you." Butch said nothing, and instead he gave her a grunt of approval.

Evelyn moved over to one of the ambulance drivers packing up the corpses and unzipped one slightly, to make sure it was the right one, the sniper. She drew out a wallet and showed the stallion her ID. "Excuse me, sir, my name is Evelyn Aquarius, head of the A.M.S. Could you send the autopsy results to this address, please? Official government business."

Evelyn brought out her notebook and wrote down a few numbers, then tore off a page and handed it to the driver. "Of course Dr. Aquarius, you'll have the full report in by tomorrow morning."

Rainbow Dash sighed as the sniper's corpse was rolled inside a hovering air-tight container along with the others, and Masami noticed the somber pegasus. She wrapped her good arm around Rainbow Dash's hip to try and comfort her; pulling her closer, but not enough to cause discomfort. "We don't win every time, Kitten. I guess that's a lesson I need to learn."

"Why did he just... you know, kill himself?" Rainbow Dash stared at the ground as she went on. "What the hell was going through his head?"

"I've dealt with cults before, and they're always the same. They're just following the teachings of a loony, trying to gain self-validation by following somepony powerful." Masami explained although Rainbow Dash remained silent as she thought to herself. Rainbow Dash broke away from Masami's grasp and turned to Spike, but looked back after hearing the compassionate mare whimper to herself as she clutched her shattered arm. "Damn."

"Are you-. Are you okay?" Rainbow Dash stuttered slightly as her eyes met with Masami's enchanting silver-gaze. "Your arms is-."

"Don't worry, Eve will fix it up when we get back." Masami's chuckled to herself as Rainbow Dash inspected her arm again. "Really, I'm alright."

Spike stood beside Liazo and Winslow, who were both leaning up against a brick building- away from the bloody scene. "So... what happens now?"

"Well, I just called in a bi-copter- should be here shortly," Liazo replied calmly. "We've got to get back to Chuck, reorganize ourselves."

"Do you think there'll be more attacks like this?" Spike swallowed nervously as he looked down at the blood-splatter on the nice clean street.

"No. This was just a warm up- a declaration of war." Winslow chimed in and gestured to Liazo. "I believe they're trying to cause a panic amongst you and your fellow team members."

"It worked, didn't it? Damn, we haven't lost anypony in years, and now..." Liazo trailed off as he clenched his fist, then dug into his pocket and lit a cigarette. "Chuck isn't gonna be happy."

A soft, yet loud whirring noise announced the arrival of a small black aerial vehicle (well... small in comparison to the Ambassador). It was armed with machine-guns and various other weaponry, and it had two large propellers on either side of the airship that allowed it to take-off and touch-down easily. It landed near the crime scene and lowered its landing gear, then a side door slid open to reveal a large seating area, enough to house everypony. Evelyn, Twilight, and Draven jumped inside, then Edgar and Butch. Gin was followed by Rainbow Dash and Masami, and she waved at Spike and the rest of his clan.

"Alright guys, everypony inside!" Masami called over to Liazo and his group, who hung back a little longer than the rest. She gave Liazo a slap on his rear as he walked up the steps into the bi-copter, and the half-changeling shot her an evil look, to which she replied with a smug grin. While Spike could tell Masami's spirit had been dampened, she still remained cheerful in order to lift everypony else up.

Evelyn rolled her eyes as she buckled everyone into their seats, and Masami stuck her tongue out at the stuck-up mare as she trudged over to her spot near the cockpit. She turned her head to the pilot and gave him a signal; pointing up as she spoke to the driver. "We're all in."

****

In the north, a long forgotten district began to stir, The Silence. This district was where The Dictatorship dwelled more than a decade ago, where the tyrannical Empire of Ausrüstung was born, and where it was destroyed. After the civil war shook the nation, the new social-democracy of Ausrüstung used this walled-off plot of land- hundreds of miles wide, to house its criminals. Serial killers, rapists, drug lords, only the worst were thrown into this terrible place. The district was destroyed by a chemical bomb near the end of the war; killing off all the plant life, and ponies inside. To prevent any method of escape, an energy shield was put in place to trap the civilians, and even after the war, it remained active- a testament to an age of violence and war that came to an even more violent end.

Beneath the chaos of The Silence, lay buried an old laboratory that once housed the greatest minds of the Dictatorship, The Maze. Now, this labyrinth houses a civilization of lunatics, psychopaths, test subjects left behind. In this chaotic world they call home, they worship their prophet, the sacred guardian of knowledge who was chosen by god to bring a message to those who were willing to listen. Thousands gathered around the sacred altar of Gek, the fountain of chaos where the prophet would drink his fill of the waters of life.

The chamber in which they performed the ritual was dark, only illuminated by a few dozen torches surrounding the mass of ponies who bowed their heads in prayer as the prophet spoke in a voice that demanded respect.

"My brothers and sisters, children of the Lord, I have gathered you all here today, to pray for our fallen kin, who so bravely sacrificed their lives in the name of our Lord, Gek! May they walk beside him in his Palace of Glass, and feast with his brethren that have also passed on!" The prophet bellowed to the crowd of ponies as he closed his leather-bound book. "But fear not my brothers and sisters, for Gek has shown me something spectacular! Our Messiah is upon us, soon the sacred mare of legend shall lead us into a new dawn!"

"Bless Father Kaiser! Bless Gek!" The cultists prayed as they stood up with their hands clasped together.

The prophet wore his ceremonial armor fashioned out of an old mechanized suit and held together by the prophet's raw power. The armor shone like a silver star- various laurel patterns decorated the steel that housed his body. The armor was necessary to sustain the prophet, as he needed the pain to survive. Being a prophet of Gek- he was cursed to live out his existence in need of suffering to keep his body strong. Overtop of his armor was his red robes- a sign of authority amongst the worshippers, and lordship. Various metal spikes on his back and gauntlets dug into his flesh to fill him with strength- pain, but it did not harm him, as Gek's power could heal his wounds instantly. His unicorn horn looked more like a jagged steel saber than a horn, and long pale blue mane stretched down to his waist. His hollow black eyes had, but a speck of purple within them- mere dots, and his dark gray fur was sleek and majestic. His eyes gazed upon his followers for a brief moment before approaching his fountain.

"For you, my kin, I drink!" The prophet grabbed a metal dish and dipped it into his fountain, he lifted it high in the air, and as he did so, the mass of ponies cheered. Kaiser poured the dish filled with green liquid into his mouth. It sizzled as the fluid made contact with the back of his throat. Only the prophet could drink the blood of Gek, as it was highly acidic. "May your grace give us strength my Lord, and may it lead us into the future!"

"Praise Gek! Praise the prophet, Kaiser!" The cultists chanted.

"Go now my children, spread your gift around the world! I shall see you all soon for our next hour of prayer!" Kaiser shooed his followers away, and they listened, retreating into the shadows- back to their decrepit homes.

Kasier kneeled down before the fountain and prayed one last time, then walked over to a nearby panel; flipping a switch to reveal an entire pool filled with acid right behind the fountain- his chamber of solitude. He removed his armor slowly with his magic power until he was naked and exposed. He stepped in slowly; feeling every satisfying burn as his skin and fur made contact with the green liquid. He exhaled slowly as he felt a euphoric feeling send a shiver up his spine into his head, and he closed his eyes as he began to recite a prayer to his dark god. However, before he could let his pleasure fully consume him, he was interrupted by the sound of hoofsteps nearby.

"Father Kaiser, we have returned with good news." Kanakirigoe hissed as he kneeled at the edge of the lake of acid, with Ashurr and Gar Nichts kneeling beside him. "We have tested the abilities of this 'Task Force', and they have proven themselves worthy of our attention."

"Good my children, good..." Kaiser uttered in a soft, yet rough sounding voice- like fine sandpaper. "You have done well."

"Shall we mobilize our forces, Father?" Ashurr suggested, although Kaiser's disappointed expression answered before he even spoke.

"Oh, Ashurr you are too impatient." Kaiser grinned as he waded in his green pool; moving his hand across the top- just above the acidic liquid. "Gar Nichts, Ashurr I want you two to go downstairs and talk to Dr. Gearza in his operating room, tell him to activate his skeletons. Gek has shown me the identity of our Messiah, a mare."

"As you wish, Father." Gar Nichts and Ashurr bowed before running off.

"Father, who is this mare you speak of?" Kanakirigoe asked as he gazed into the green pool with his head bowed.

"One of the Equestrians that just arrived in Ausrüstung. An alicorn by the name of Twilight Sparkle" Kaiser sneered as he emerged from the acid pool and reconstructed his armor with his telekinesis. "Gek has informed me of her importance... I must have her."

"And what of Charlotte, the android?" Kanakirigoe wondered as he raised his head. "All she talks about is Evelyn Aquarius, she won't stop rambling on about her."

"She shall get her satisfaction soon enough, but we have more pressing matters to attend to." Kaiser gestured to Kanakirigoe "up", and he rose to his hooves to prove his obedience. "The gears of chaos are turning, my child..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Two: Another Late Night...

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Liazo put a cigarette in his mouth and ignited the end, inhaling a breath of tobacco smoke, then he turned his head to the side, and slowly exhaled. He rarely ever smoked, but on the rare occasion he did, it was after a botched mission. He cleared his throat a little as he reached towards the checkerboard in front of him, and skipped his black piece over two of Charles' red ones- then he gave the turquoise stallion a smug grin. "King me."

"Damn." Charles cursed Liazo under his breath as he took one of Liazo's ousted chips and placed it on the chip that made it to his end of the board.

Liazo took another deep breath of cigarette smoke as he leaned back in his chair and looked up at the starry sky. There was no moon, no wind. There were no distractions that night, and Liazo always enjoyed playing chess on Charle's patio- enjoying the company of the humble ginger-haired stallion. "Heh, look at the sky tonight."

"Yes, wonderful indeed. So nice of Luna to give us some stars tonight." Charles grinned as he grabbed his fancy pipe and began smoking with Liazo.

"C'mon Chuck, you don't really believe in those fairy tales, do you?" Liazo smiled as he ran his hand through his frosted blue mane.

"No, but it's nice to dream once in a while- distracts you from reality." Charles inhaled on his pipe, then exhaled, and released a puff of black smoke into the air. "I suppose you'd need to do so. You've had a rough day after all..."

"Yeah, I-. Yeah... it was my fault, I panicked when Masami went offline. It's my fault that mare got-." Liazo cut himself off before he could continue, and took another deep breath out of his cigarette.

"I know what happened Liazo, and you shouldn't fret. I will send a letter to the family of that poor mare, they deserve closure." Charles tried reassuring the disappointed half-changeling, but Liazo grunted and took another puff from his cigarette. "You did your job well, and there was no way we could've known that sniper was up there."

"I had a gut-feeling Charles, and I ignored it. I knew I should've told Butch and Spike to check those buildings!" Liazo ran his hand through his mane again, then furiously tossed his cigarette in the ashtray right next to the checkerboard. He massaged the side of his skull vigorously as he shook his head. "We've never lost anypony before..."

"This is different Liazo, you've never gone up against something like this. Our team is used to fighting foreign, or minor domestic threats. This cult threatens to plunge our nation into chaos, and they are organized- a rare trait amongst similar groups. I'm not even certain if there are any other groups like them." Charles admitted as he took another whiff of smoke from his pipe. "Perhaps more light can be shed on the matter when the autopsy reports arrive, Evelyn will figure it out..."

"She always does..." Liazo added with a half smile and a nod as he got out of his chair. "Well, I'm gonna get some tea and hit the hay here quick, you want anything?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Charles replied as he followed him into the mansion, "I'm going to tuck-in James and Lucy."

****

As the others prepared for bed,

Charles knocked on James' door softly before entering, and he was surprised to hear an unfamiliar voice emanate from within- soft and sweet, but it wasn't Eleanor. "Come in."

Charles opened the door a crack to see who it was and was happy to see Fluttershy- standing next to young James; sound asleep in his bed. "My word, you managed to get him to sleep?"

"It wasn't all that hard... I just sang a bedtime song to him, and he drifted off like that." Fluttershy smiled as she looked down at the snoring bundle of innocence. "He played all day with his mother while you were upstairs."

"My, my... I am speechless." Charles grinned as he brushed his James' mane to the side and kissed him gently on the forehead. "Goodnight, Jameson."

"Sorry for tucking him in without asking you first, I just thought you were too tired. You filed papers and talked with other ponies all day on that... what did you call it?" Fluttershy scratched her head as she tried to remember the name of odd device Charles would speak into.

"A telephone." Charles reminded her as he patted James on the chest before looking out the door to Lucy's room across the hall. "And, you shouldn't be apologizing. If anything, I should. I haven't paid attention to either of them as of late... my job just eats up too much of my own time. Is Lucy all tucked in as well?"

"She's asleep too, Eleanor tucked her in." Fluttershy answered him as they stepped outside and closed the door behind them, then Fluttershy brushed her hand across the soft wool of the scarf Lucy made. "Look, she knit me a scarf!"

"Ah, yes. She is quite the knitter, let me tell you!" Charles said as he admired the carefully crafted red scarf around Fluttershy's neck. "My little angel..."

"She reminds me of her mother when she was young. Clever, yet quiet, innocent and honest." Charles uttered in a sweet voice as he pressed his ear against Lucy's door to make sure she was asleep.

"Aren't we going in?" Fluttershy wondered as she gripped the door handle but was stopped by Charles, who placed his hand on hers.

"No, she doesn't like it when ponies enter her room at night," Charles whispered as he carefully removed Fluttershy's hand from the door and found that the handle had been slightly dented where Fluttershy placed her fingers. "Hmm, you have an impressive grip my dear- one that certainly caught me off guard!"

"Oh, goodness! I'm so sorry about that!" Fluttershy whimpered as she blushed in embarrassment.

"Oh, don't fret, I will have that fixed tomorrow." Charles insisted as he walked down the main hall, where his room was located. "See you in the morning! Oh, and one more thing!"

"What is it?" Fluttershy asked as she looked over to Charles, who had his head poking out of his doorway.

"I think you'll be a great mother some day." Charles uttered with a warm expression as he gently shut the door behind him, to which Fluttershy blushed in response, pondering over the idea. She brought her hands to her chest as she heard James snoring away in his room. "Goodnight."

Upstairs on the second level, Rainbow Dash changed into her pajamas- long baggy sweatpants and a tank top. After stretching her aching back, she jumped backwards onto her fancy bed. As soon as she made contact with the soft mattress, she let out a long sigh.

She stared at the ceiling for a while before rolling on her side. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but feel guilty about what happened to the sniper that day. She knew she could've stopped him, could've helped him, but she was at a loss as to why she let him off himself like that. She always got frustrated whenever she felt an emotion she couldn't accept, like the strange warm sensation in her chest when she looked at Masami. Masami vexed her greatly. Typically, it was Rainbow Dash that did the teasing, but with Masami it was a completely different story. She had Twilight's intiution, coupled with Rarity's charm and wit. It was a spectacularly lethal combination, and Rainbow Dash was always flummoxed around her.

Rainbow Dash's thoughts seemed to bounce back and forth between Masami and the sniper, which caused her great anxiety. She took a nearby pillow and pressed it against her face, then screamed as loud as she could into the soft muzzle. Half of her felt guilty, whilst the other half was still thinking about Masami's silver eyes. She yelled into the pillow again for good measure.

A knock at the door interrupted Rainbow Dash's train of thought, and admittedly, she was relieved that it had. "Uh, who is it?"

"It's me," Masami spoke through the crack in the tall wooden door. "Can I come in?"

"Um, yeah hang on." Rainbow Dash replied, then buried her face deeper into her pillow- letting out an even louder cry than before. She got out of her bed, walked to the door, and opened it slowly. "Duh- Um- I."

Masami was wearing a red, almost translucent nightgown that made Rainbow Dash's face almost match the hue of the revealing sleepwear. "C'mon Kitten, out with it..."

"Uh... what did you need?" Rainbow Dash looked away for a moment to focus her thoughts before speaking to the more than attractive mare in front of her.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay is all... may I come in?" Masami asked politely as she gave Rainbow Dash an innocent look that made the flustered pegasus' heart explode.

Rainbow Dash stepped aside and ushered her to a chair near her bed. "Just, sit over there, I guess. Hey, your arm looks a lot better."

"Oh, yeah," Masami remembered as she looked down at her arm that was no longer in a cast. "Evelyn's a wizard when it comes to medical stuff, she used one of her weird concoctions to fix it. Kind of tasted like apples... so, how are you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess." Rainbow Dash tried to play cool, but Masami raised an eyebrow curiously, and got up from her chair and sat next to her.

"It doesn't take a psychic to realize that something's obviously bothering you. So, what is it?" Masami deduced as she shuffled a little closer to the rainbow-haired pegasus.

"It's just... that sniper-." Rainbow Dash trailed off to regain her composure; trying to retain her fearless demeanor, but she found it difficult to explain without spilling her guts clumsily. "I feel guilty about what happened to that stallion today. I could've saved him, I-."

Masami gently leaned on Rainbow Dash's shoulder to silence her. "It wasn't your fault Rainbow Dash, you were just... scared is all."

"Scared? I wasn't-." Rainbow Dash paused for a moment to recall the emotions she felt at that moment. There was confusion, panic, and to her surprise, the cold and empty feeling of fear. Rainbow Dash curled up into a ball, and she rested her head on her knees. "I-. I think I was afraid..."

"You know, feeling fear doesn't make you weak... everypony experiences it one way or another, but we all get scared sometimes," Masami reassured Rainbow Dash, who was on the verge of breaking down. "It's okay now... there's no one around here to see you afraid."

"I... I..." Rainbow Dash began to whimper softly as her eyes watered. Her cries were weak, fragile, like an injured bird. Masami patted her back lovingly as she watched Rainbow Dash softly weep, and she comforted her as best as she could. "Thank you..."

"No problem, Kitten." Masami nodded as she wiped away Rainbow Dash's tears and lifted her up- sitting her back on the edge of the bed. "I've been here before."

"Masami, who gave you those injuries? Was it one of those freaky guys right? You seemed... bothered, like you saw a ghost or something." Rainbow Dash wondered as she wiped away one last remaining tear. "Who was it?"

"Somepony I used to know when I was a lot younger." Masami sighed as she looked up at the ceiling; recollecting her memories. "When I was around twelve years old, I stole a wallet from a stallion, who later confronted me in an alleyway. I gave it back to him, and surprisingly he was a lot more impressed than he was angry. He introduced himself to me- Hiro Wakahisa. He was a former lord back in my homeland, Sato Island."

"How did you all end up here?" Rainbow Dash asked as she watched Masami stare at the ground in shame.

"My father was in the Ausrüstung army, and he and his division were sent to Sato Island to subdue the anti-government terrorists, that's where my father met my mother." Masami took a deep breath before continuing. "When I was five, he was killed by a suicide bomber, along with the rest of his squad. The Sato Island War ended not long after, and because the war caused so much damage to crops and soil, my people were forced to move to the mainland."

"Wow, that's... totally not awesome." Rainbow Dash sympathized with the anguished mare.

"After we all immigrated, my mother had to find a job, but when we arrived, the dictatorship came into power, and the Pēru ponies were assimilated into their society by force. Pēru foals were put into public schools where the Ausrüstrian children had more rights, and they tried their best to kill our way of life. However, that's a different story, for another time..." Masami laughed lightly all of a sudden as she remembered a happy memory. "Anyways, back to Hiro. I thought Hiro would report me to the police, but... for some odd reason, he took a liking to me and offered to train me in the ways of his ancestors, along with his son, Ichirou."

"So... why did you steal from him? If you don't mind me asking." Rainbow Dash inquired as she moved slightly closer to her.

"Money was tight, and my mother did everything in her power to keep us alive, but it wasn't enough. I had to go out into the rich part of town and steal from others. I'm not proud of it..." Masami sighed as she continued to stare at the ground.

"But, you had to, I guess..." Rainbow Dash tried to comfort her, but she didn't seem to pay attention.

"Hiro brought me into his dojo and taught me every martial art he knew; kenjutsu, battōjutsu, Iaijutsu, ninjutsu, karate, judo, every Pēru martial art- both ancient and modern." Masami chuckled as she recalled her master's stoic expression, his cool demeanour, and ruthless training. "He was a hard-ass, but I loved him nonetheless, and he loved me. I grew on him and Ichirou, even though I was a handful, but we learned to live with our flaws and focus on our training."

"Wow, so you're like... a martial arts master?!" Rainbow Dash became overjoyed, and got up off the bed and began to kick and punch; showing off her knowledge of martial arts.

"Well, I wouldn't say that, but I know quite a bit." Masami smiled as she watched Rainbow Dash over exaggerating her "hi-yah!" sound effect.

"So, what happened to Ichirou and Hiro?" Rainbow Dash asked Masami politely, and the silver-eyed mare immediately became sombre once again. Rainbow Dash reacted quickly and sat down beside her on the bed once again. "Sorry, if that killed the mood..."

"No, you should know... I've gotten this far into the story already." Masami insisted as she continued. "Ichirou was different from his father. He was brash, arrogant, he didn't respect his father or his teachings. I guess he felt neglected like I had robbed him of his father or something, but I couldn't see it at the time. I got really confused whenever he would snap at me, or hit me too hard during training."

"Geez, and you and Hiro put up with that?" Rainbow Dash thought of her younger years, when she was like Ichirou, perhaps too much like him. "I suppose I know the type..."

"For a time, we thought it was just a phase, but one day in training, Ichirou sliced my arm; cut it on purpose. He was angry I guess... to this day I have no clue what set him off." Masami looked back on the incident but was still flummoxed by his actions. "Maybe he was a bottle of soda, just building pressure for so many years until he... popped."

"So what happened after that?" Rainbow Dash wondered as she shuffled even closer to Masami- very intrigued by hr story.

"Hiro kicked him out of his dojo, and when he did, he left... for a long time," Masami explained as she turned to look at Rainbow Dash. "Hiro and I didn't hear much about Ichirou until we learned about a new gang called The Nikuya, who were terrorising the upper east side of Kupfer- a city to the south. That's where a lot of Pēru ponies immigrated to, and where I spent most of my life. Anyways, Hiro became curious of this new gang and decided to investigate, and discovered Ichirou had been leading them. When he found this out, Hiro knew he had to atone for the sin of casting aside his only son, and he decided to meet with him and bring Ichirou back into the light. He challenged Ichirou to a duel."

"And... what happened?" Rainbow Dash asked, although she already knew the answer based on Masami's miserable expression, and the tears in her eyes.

"Although he told me to wait at the dojo, I followed him in the shadows, and I watched the fight." Masami began to sob. "He won the duel, and after he sheathed his blade, he offered to help his son up. Little did we know, Ichirou had mastered a forbidden technique- one that Hiro thought was extinct. The Shadouītā. Out of desperation to win, Ichirou had consumed his own shadow to gain evil power, and he struck down Hiro right before my eyes... as Hiro fell, Ichirou turned his head to the side... and looked at me... he knew I was there the whole time- hiding behind a nearby brush like a coward!"

Masami began to cry out of shame and frustration on Rainbow Dash's shoulder, and the blue pegasus comforted the black haired mare to the best of her ability. "It's okay..."

Masami wiped the tears from her eyes and continued, mush to her displeasure. "After that, Ichirou disappeared. In exchange for incredible power, a Shadouītā's life is decreased to only weeks... I thought he was dead. Somehow, he managed to extend his life; prevent his body from being cast into The Shēdo. Ichirou shattered my arm, he's the one I met in Riker's Station, and he'll kill anyone close to me."

Rainbow Dash thought back to when she saw Masami's shocked expression, the worried eyes she had for just a brief moment before shaking it off to dispel any suspicion of her fear. "So that's why you were so shaken up... you saw-."

"A ghost that never seems to leave," Masami muttered to herself as she looked down at the ground once again. "And now you know who that ghost is, and what he threatens to do..."

"Masami, I promise you, I won't let anything happen to anypony you love!" Rainbow Dash shouted with determination, which seemed to liven-up Masami's spirit. "I will protect you, I promise!"

"You did just meet me yesterday morning, are you sure you want to make that commitment?" Masami joked as she punched Rainbow Dash in the shoulder.

"Hey, don't you remember spillin' your life story just now? I think we're closer than friends!" Rainbow Dash chuckled for a brief moment before her eyes met Masami's once again, and then her cheeks flushed red. Masami's looked even more stunningly beautiful in the dimly lit room, as he eyes shone like two silver stars. Masami stood up and approached Rainbow Dash slowly; lightly placing her hand on the dazed pegasus' cheek. "I- um- uh!"

"How close?" Masami spoke in a seductive voice as soft and smooth as silk as she wrapped her arms around the back of Rainbow Dash's neck and pressed her voluminous chest against hers.

"Masami, this is... not-." Rainbow Dash was silenced by Masami's graceful finger- gently placed on her lips. "It's not ri-."

"Not right?" Masami interrupted Rainbow Dash's sentence. "Then why can I feel your heart beating so fast, and your skin burning up? Your body strongly disagrees with that statement. Let me ask you something, Kitten... how old are you?"

"I turned nineteen not long ago, why?" Although, once again, Rainbow Dash already knew the answer to her question.

"I was around nineteen when I had my first kiss, about six years ago. Pretty late, I know... but I never had a lot of time for relationships when I was that age." Masami rambled on as her face moved closer and closer to Rainbow Dash's. To the young mare, Masami smelled like chocolate and herbal tea. An odd combination, but pleasant to say the least. "My first was a mare. She was cute, a little shorter than me, an athletic type. She had an exotic mane like yours, legs like you wouldn't believe... she was the whole package."

"Um- I." Rainbow Dash could only stutter as she stepped back into a wall, with Masami still grappled to her. Then, Masami kissed her. At first, Rainbow Dash resisted weakly, but then, the kiss became deeper, and Rainbow Dash closed her eyes as she began to enjoy the taste. It was brief but passionate, and as she pulled away, Rainbow Dash muttered softly to herself. "One more..."

Masami wasted no time and firmly planted her lips on her's once again. This time, she lashed around with her tongue more violently, pleasing Rainbow Dash immensely as the pegasus moaned passionately. The two moved towards the bed with precision, desperately trying to keep their embrace alive as they fell backward onto the bed. Rainbow Dash fell on her back, and Masami was on top, her more than hefty chest weighing down on Rainbow Dash. "Let me tell you a little secret, Kitten..."

"What?" Rainbow Dash said weakly, her eyes fixated on the voluptuous mare's 'come-hither' look.

"This room has soundproof walls..." Masami purred as she kissed her once again, Rainbow Dash's wings shooting out to either side of the bed from arousal.

"Awesome..." Rainbow Dash groaned as she began to pull Masami's body in closer to hers.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Three: Unexpected Guests

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Twilight's eyes struggled to open. While her sleep was eventless, it certainly was rough. It felt like her skull was a blender, and the innards of her skull were the smoothie, and she was afraid to think about the pony who blended the concoction of cranial-pounding dystrophy that caused her such trauma. As she opened her eyes, she was immediately met with the pony who set the blender on high.

Gek was laying beside her on the bed with his head propped up against a pillow. He was reading what appeared to be a small comic book and he was wearing... reading glasses? Panic overwhelmed her as she realized just what she was analyzing, and she opened her mouth to scream, but no sound escaped. It was as if Gek stole the sound from her throat.

"You know what I hate? Cliff-hangers." Gek sighed as he closed the thin magazine and made it disappear in a small puff of magical smoke, then removed his glasses. "It's always just build-up, build-up, build-up, build-up! Then, just when you've had enough, just when you're gagging yourself to get to the kicker... they end it. Comic books are a shameful form of literature, but exciting nonetheless. What's your opinion, sweetheart?"

Twilight could only make sounds similar to that of somepony suffocating, and Gek's facetious smile only made the whole experience even more tormenting. "Eeeehhhgghhh... ahhhyy...."

"See? You're as choked-up as me!" Gek chuckled as he discarded his glasses. "Now, I'm only going to let you whisper, dear... ready? Viola!"

Twilight felt the air return to her lungs, and her voice was restored, although hoarse from just awakening. "Why can I see you right now? Is this a dream?"

"Good! You asked the right question!" Gek gave Twilight a soft, pleasant clap as he hopped out of the bed. "Nope, this is no dream! Let's see... you've had me in your brain for... let's see here... about three days! That little spell that Winslow used will only work for another... hmm... I give it... day or so, maybe a little more! So tell me, does this look like a dream to you?"

Twilight looked around the room. Everything seemed in order, nothing unusual, nothing out of place, all was accounted for, well, except the psychopath standing by her bed. "No, but-."

A knock Twilight's door interrupted her train of thought, it was Spike. "Twilight, you in there? Edgar's going to make some breakfast!"

"Hey, it's your scaled friend!" Gek hummed as he leaned up against the wall, waiting for Twilight to answer the door.

Twilight opened the door cautiously, still convinced that the world around her was an illusion. Spike peered in through the crack in the door, and Twilight jumped backward in response. "Spike! Um, how was your sleep?"

"It was good..." Spike raised an eyebrow as he inspected Twilight, who was behaving oddly. "What's with your... face... you look weird."

Twilight wanted to scream, to cry, but most of all she wanted to tell Spike everything. However, words were stuffed in her mouth forcefully by some invisible power. "Weird, what do you mean?"

"I didn't want to say that! I wasn't going to say that!" Twilight thought as she clutched her forehead with one hand.

"Like I said, pumpkin. You've got to choose your words carefully..." Gek snickered as he read her thoughts.

"Shut up!" Twilight screamed as she broke free of Gek's influence for a second, falling to her knees, and almost pulling out her hair.

"What?" Spike wondered as he crouched down to help Twilight up. "Twilight, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Spike! I was just... working on my... acting!" Twilight replied without control over her speech.

"Well, it's a pretty convincing act, to say the least." Spike joked, all though his statement was layered with a shred of suspicion. Twilight was known to get a little eccentric from time to time, and mornings were definitely no exception. "Um, are you... feeling alright?"

"A-okay Spike!" Twilight smiled almost too cheerfully as she tilted her head to the side, unsettling Spike a little.

"Okay..." Spike grinned nervously as he began walking down the hall to the dining area. "I'll see you at breakfast then, I guess."

Twilight shut the door quietly before looking over at Gek, who was standing on the other side of her bedroom with a twisted, toothy grin stretched across his face. "What are you doing to me?!"

"Ah, ah! Spoilers! Can't give you the whole kazoo right off the bat! As much as it truly kills me, I'm afraid I'll have to leave you on a cliff-hanger!" Gek frowned sarcastically as he poked Twilight on the snout. She felt it. "Now put a lid on it! Or I'll make you pull your own tongue out!"

"You can't do that yet! The spell hasn't fully deteriorated!" Twilight gave the lunatic a sharp remark, and he groaned in response; growling at Twilight's steadfast intuition. "What about Draven and Winslow? They still know about me!"

"True... but the spell has worn off a lot faster than Winslow anticipated, hasn't it?" Gek snapped back at Twilight, and her eyes widened at the realization. "They still think you've got time to spare, which you haven't... nice try, though, sweetie."

"What do you want with me?" Twilight muttered hopelessly as she looked at Gek, who teasingly poked her on the snout again.

"You have something I want, doll-face." Gek got to the point quickly as he whispered in her ear as if somepony were listening. As his hot breath was launched onto her fur, Twilight recoiled at the smell of rotting corpses and mold.

"How could you possibly want anything more? You were given infinite knowledge!" Twilight shook her head as she gave the beastly stallion a look of disgust. "What could I possibly have that you want?!"

"I'm not as all-knowing as the press claims me to be," Gek explained as he placed his hand on Twilight's shoulder. "You see, when good ol' Leere gave me all that know-how, he left out something important in order to keep me in line, something only an alicorn would know. That little chink in my armor was exploited by your ever so majestic Princess Celestia... lord of being a thorn in my side! She locked my stone up in a box so that I couldn't get my hands on it! I can only open it if I can get that little piece of knowledge Leere left out so long ago, and only an alicorn knows it! Celestia, Luna, Cadence, they are all far too powerful for little ol' me to control! That's where you come in, sweetie! You're fresh meat, the newbie, the new foal on the block, you are nowhere near as powerful as those three!"

"And I can't resist your power..." Twilight groaned as she realized the true weight of the situation. "What is this piece of information then?! I wouldn't know something that intricate!"

"Oh, but you do..." Gek insisted with a demonic laugh as his body began to fade away into the air. "Think about it."

"Even if I do get corrupted, you won't win... Spike and the others will stop you." Twilight gave Gek a sharp glare as he disintegrated.

"Maybe... but I, at least, I'll have a little fun." Gek sneered as his body finally vanished. "Toodles!"

Twilight stood still for a moment and looked at the mirror on her bureau. She felt cold inside like her body was raw- a dull numbness. It was the sensation of shock and awe, of doubt and fear.

"I can't tell anyone... and Draven and Winslow still think I'm alright..." Twilight thought as she clutched her cold heart, and tears began to stream down her face. "I'm... alone, but... surrounded by ponies who are oblivious. They don't even know..."

Then Twilight thought of Spike, her friend, her brother, the only being she trusted more than anything else. She couldn't give up, she couldn't let Gek win just like that, for him. Even if she was doomed to become a puppet, she couldn't lose faith in her friends. They always found a way, no matter what. Spike had gotten so strong over the days gone by, she had to be strong too. A fire ignited in her chest, an inferno of determination, she couldn't give up, not yet. She was a magic-wielder, an alicorn. "There must be a way to repel Gek", she thought, she just had to look for it.

****

Rainbow Dash awakened pleasantly. Her face was buried in an extremely soft pillow that felt like smooth and luxurious velvet. As she lifted her head, she felt the imprint her head made disappear instantaneously as if the pillow were made of gelatin. Then she found out just what that "pillow" was. Rainbow Dash's face reddened at the sight of Masami, who was sleeping - back to the mattress, and With Rainbow Dash on top. She had been sleeping with her face buried in Masami's buxom bosom.

Rainbow Dash repositioned herself on the bed and settled right next to Masami with her chest facing upwards as well. As she turned her head to the Masami's side, she was met with her face- gorgeous even in deep sleep. She was the only mare (besides Rarity) that looked good even while sleeping. As Rainbow Dash's snout nudged Masami's, she awakened, and their eyes met once again. Her eyelids fluttered gently before opening fully, and a warm smile stretched across her face as she nuzzled with Rainbow Dash playfully and kissed her on the cheek. "Good morning, Kitten."

Again, a heat spread in Rainbow Dash's chest. This time, however, it was not from arousal or lust, but something purer, something that tugged at her heartstrings gently. It wasn't like what she felt the night before, she felt safe, secure, and based on the expression of the beautiful mare next to her, she felt the same as well. "Good morning..."

Rainbow Dash got up and sat on the edge of the bed to put her tank top back on, and as she did so, she felt Masami press her chest up against her back. The dark haired mare ran her hand across Rainbow Dash's cheek with slow grace, and as she moved her hand closer towards her ear, she grabbed the back of her neck; pulling Rainbow Dash's head to the side, and kissing her once again. Even after sleeping, Masami still tasted smooth and sweet like cream. Every kiss from her was like a hit of morphine- you only wanted more. "Was that fun, or what?"

"That was... awesome." Rainbow Dash grinned as she stood up and realized she was without a clean change of clothes. "Oh, geez, I didn't really bring extra stuff to wear..."

"That's fine, you can use my stuff if you want!" Masami insisted as she walked over to her closet on the other side of the room. "Ah, here we go! This should fit you."

Masami threw Rainbow Dash a sports tank-top- meant to fit tight around Masami's body, but on Rainbow Dash, it was baggy (her chest couldn't supply the volume needed to occupy the top)."Um, I think this is more for you."

"Yeah, this might be a problem." Masami acknowledged the obvious issue by excavating her closet for something Rainbow Dash could get away with. "Oh, here! This blouse was improperly measured, it didn't fit me... well, you know where..."

Rainbow Dash tried on the blouse with a doubtful expression, but surprisingly, it looked good. Besides their bust measurements, Masami had roughly the same build as her, and so, the shirt fit like a glove. "Cool."

"Alright, you put these pants on, I'll get... hmm... this on!" Masami shouted triumphantly as she handed Rainbow Dash a pair of blue jeans and put on a white tank top with a brown bomber's jacket and red pants held up by a red leather belt. Her taste in clothing would certainly make Rarity cringe. "All done?"

"Yep." Rainbow Dash replied cheerfully as she walked over to the door but was stopped by Masami. "What is it?"

"It's just... I wanted to apologize," Masami's said with a shameful expression, "in advance."

"For what?" Rainbow Dash wondered as she raised an eyebrow.

"It's just, I'm sorry if I run my mouth a lot flirting with others. I've been working on it for some time now... it's just... instinct, you know?" Masami hung her head. "Sometimes I just get in over my head. It's- it's weird, I know, but... I mean it. I feel like I kinda just... flung you into my world too quickly. You must think I'm some slutty bimbo."

"Well, yeah you did pull me out of the water a little too fast, but... I kind of liked the rush." Rainbow Dash reassured Masami as she placed her hand on the doubtful mare's cheek. "You're pretty cool, Masami. And that's coming from a mare who's only known you for a few days! Everypony has flaws they can't get rid of, others just have to learn to accept you. You reminded me of that last night. I was afraid, and I couldn't accept it, I was frustrated."

"Thanks, Kitten." Masami smiled as she blushed slightly. "Looks like you've got a lot of experience in this department."

"Let's just say it's my job to accept my friends no matter what." Rainbow Dash gave a light laugh as she walked out the door and began to smell the distinct scent of maple syrup and flapjacks. "Ooo! I smell pancakes! Let's go!"

****

Like every morning, Butch woke up in a cold sweat; panting furiously. Every night it was the same dream. Although he never remembered it, he just got used to the same feeling- empty dread, crippling anguish, like a stake being driven through his heart. Butch got out of bed and began to stretch his cybernetic limbs to make sure they were functioning properly. Right leg- fine, left- fine, arms- fine, heart? Cold and mechanical, but functional nonetheless.

He looked over at his night table with a dreadful look on his face as he stared at the bottle of pills, and the tall glass of water sitting next to it. He groaned as he took a sip of water and ignored the pills.

"Sleep well?" Elliot asked the hollow soldier as he observed from a chair across the room next to the bureau.

"It was alright," Butch mumbled to himself as he took another sip of water.

"Any bad dreams?" Elliot wondered, although, based on the ring of sweat on the bed and the bags under his brother's eyes, it was the same nightmare as before.

"Nope." Butch shook his head as he set his glass back down on the table.

"You sure?"

"Yeah..." Butch assured him as he opened his blinds and looked out the window. "Nice day out..."

"It certainly is." Elliot nodded as he walked over to Butch and patted him on the back. "Are ya sure nothing's botherin' you? You look troubled, what's the matter?"

"I don't wanna take these pills, Elliot," Butch grunted as he pointed over to the bottle on his night table.

"Butch, you have to," Elliot demanded as he stood up. "Every day you don't want to take it, but you have to, Butch. I'm not real."

Butch grunted again as he looked down at the floor and tried to hold back his tears. He grabbed the bottle off the table and popped a pill in his mouth; grabbing the glass of eater and taking a swig to wash it down. As he lowered the glass, he looked back. Elliot was gone, and he was left alone in his room- peering out the window. In a sudden fit of rage, he crushed the glass in his hand to dust and scattered the pieces on the floor as he threw them to the ground in a voiceless rage. As he simmered down, he began to weep softly- hoping nopony would hear him, but he quickly wiped the tears from his eyes and fully regained his composure as he heard a knock on his door. Somepony must've heard the glass shatter as they walked by. "Um, hello?"

"Hang on," Butch growled as he put on a muscle shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

"I'm sorry, I just... thought you needed help is all." Fluttershy squeaked through the crack in the door. "May I come in?"

"Whatever, kid," Butch grumbled as he walked over to his bureau and cracked open a bottle of whiskey.

Fluttershy entered the room nervously and noticed how different it was from any other in the house. It was simple, and only had two chairs next to the bureau, a twin bed, and a simply-designed nightstand with a lamp. Fluttershy tried to be polite, but her lungs couldn't withstand the strong scent of tobacco smoke in his room, and she used her scarf to cover her face- trying to conceal her discomfort.

"Are you having something to drink in the morning?" Fluttershy wondered as she watched Butch pour some amber liquid into a shot glass.

"It ain't whiskey. Masami always replaces my booze with apple juice to get me to quit... fuckin hell." Butch carped as he drank the shot anyways, then noticed the insecure expression on the cream colored mare's face and realized he was upsetting her. He shook the bottle to see how much was left, and he poured the rest into another shot glass and handed it to her. "Do ya want some?"

"Y-y-yes please." Fluttershy stuttered nervously as she took a mouse-like sip from the shot glass, then saw the shards of glass on the other side of Butch's bed. "Thank you... um, there's broken glass over there."

"I know," Butch grunted with his gravelly voice. "I just dropped it is all. So, tell me. What do ya want? Did Masami send you up here to get me or..."

"I just heard glass smashing, and I-... I wanted to check on you, to see if you needed any help." Fluttershy trailed off a few times before finally getting to the point. "You seemed kind of lonely is all..."

"Well, you ain't exactly lively-company." Butch set the empty bottle of "whiskey" on the bureau for Bensley to refill. "You can barely talk to me."

"You aren't very friendly either." Fluttershy pointed out assertively as she quietly took another minuscule drink from her shot glass.

"Listen, kid. I just want to be left alone for a few minutes, okay? I'll get to breakfast soon, just... leave me be." Butch forced Fluttershy out the door and slammed it behind her.

Fluttershy remained silent as she sat in the hallway with her drink. She then whispered under the door. "I'm sorry."

"It ain't your fault," Butch replied with a groan as he sat back down at the edge of his bed. He frowned as he stared at the empty chair across the room, the chair where his brother sat. "I'll be down in a few minutes, just... yeah."

****

Liazo stuck a fork in his leftover apple pancakes and leaned back in his chair with a satisfied groan. "Damn, Edgar, you've outdone yourself again. How the hell did you get those apple slices in the pancake?"

"Hey, Liazo, my kids are here. Swearing? Remember?" Charles reminded the half-changeling across the table as he covered James' ears, and Eleanor covered Lucy's as well.

"Yeah, yeah I know!" Liazo scoffed as he moved his attention back to Edgar, who was a little rattled from being put on the spot. Everypony at the table seemed interested. "So, how'd ya do it?"

"Um... I just poured a layer of batter into the pan and put on the apple slice, then I covered the slice in more batter." Edgar answered Liazo sheepishly as he repositioned himself in his wooden chair made of ash (regular woods had a hard time supporting over two thousand pounds of raw muscle ). "That's... it."

"This is awesome!" Rainbow Dash grinned excitedly as she greedily consumed the deliciously sweet dish. "You may just give Pinkie Pie a run for her money!"

"Could you eat a little slower, please?" Eleanor politely asked Rainbow Dash as she watched her suck up the plateful of pancakes without even breathing. "You're going to ruin your figure, my dear!"

"I doubt it." Spike chimed in from across the table as he ate a forkful of pancake and gave Twilight a nudge and a wink. "She burns off food like fire burns off dry sticks."

Twilight laughed quietly, but returned to her thoughts soon after, and ignored her surroundings as she picked at her food. She was fixated on Gek's story. What knowledge did he hope to gain from her? Was it some kind of alicorn weapon? These were all questions that seemed to never leave her alone. It was mind-numbing to think about what exactly Gek was planning, as he had a tendency to be unpredictable and hard to pin. God or not, Twilight knew he must've had a weakness, and she was determined to find it.

"Are you sure you alright?" Spike asked the oblivious mare again as he watched her step into an intense train of thought. "Twilight?"

Twilight jumped a little as she heard her name called out, and she shook her head frantically. She lied, much to her discomfort."Oh! Yes, Spike, I'm fine. What, I just was thinking is all!"

"About what?" Spike interrogated her further as he gave her a glare.

"Oh, nothing! Just spells, some good books I've been reading, the usual stuff!" Twilight fibbed as she gave him a nervous laugh that caught the attention of Draven. The black-scaled dragon said nothing but raised a brow at her in suspicion. His curiosity was interrupted by a stack of papers being slammed on the table by Evelyn, who had a confident smile pasted on her face.

"So, you got the reports from our friendly neighborhood morticians, huh?" Liazo moved his hand over to the stack, but it was batted away by Evelyn. "Ouch! What the he-... heck."

"Thank you." Charles commended Liazo for his effort in concealing his cursing.

"Yes, and I have stumbled across something intriguing in these reports!" Evelyn announced as she flipped through a file. "Ah, here it is! All three cultists were found to have a much lower body temperature than the average pony, just like you described Liazo. Not only that, but their pupils had an odd purplish hue to them- possibly the effect of a drug, but I suspect something else based on the blood tests. All three were found to have an abnormally large amount of a certain chemical in their system, the same chemical used in The Guiver Device."

"The chemical bomb? The same one that struck the north district?" Masami wondered as she took a bite of her toast with jam and passed the maple syrup over to Rainbow Dash, who was still eating.

"Please, Masami, Evelyn. Refrain from talking about that blasted bomb at the table with my children present, we will discuss this later." Charles demanded with a stern expression.

Masami and Evelyn almost forgot about Charles' relationship with The Guiver Device. Near the end of the war, he had to make the decision whether to drop the bomb or not. He was always a cheerful and fair stallion, but the mere mention of the bomb would bring back bitter memories, and remind him of the horrid times during the war- causing him to act unstable and volatile.

"Sorry, Charles," Evelyn said uneasily as she packed up her papers and hung her head. "I will be in the living area when you want to discuss this further."

Spike wanted to ask about the bomb, but, based on Charles' reaction, he figured it'd be best to leave the issue be. "So, you are related to Richard Chesterfield, right? That one stallion made into a statue in Liberty Square?"

"Yes. He is my great-great-grandfather." Charles explained as he backed up his chair and pointed over to a portrait on the wall depicting a stallion who looked remarkably similar to him. "He built this mansion from the ground up and laid one of the four foundations of Ausrüstung- our rights and freedoms."

"So, Evelyn is also related to that Ivan guy?" Gin piped up as she gazed at the portrait- thinking back to Draven's story regarding Ausrüstung's history.

"Yes. She is his great-great-great granddaughter. They were a family driven by the sciences, and they dedicated their lives to innovating Ausrüstung. They created the Ministry of Science, they invented armor, developed teleportation, weapons, they literally built the nation." Charles gave an in-depth explanation as he sat back down in his chair. "However, their time has passed. Evelyn is the last remaining Aquarius... all were killed at the end of the war."

"This war doesn't sound like a good time." Gin sympathized with Charles and Evelyn.

"It wasn't a good time, for anypony." Charles choked back painful memories as he thought of the bloody conflict. "But we've grown as a nation since then. We've tried to wipe the slate clean- start over. It has been rocky, but we're just starting to see the light. There's no way I'm letting these maniacs blot out that light, I can guarantee you that. They will pay for disturbing the peace of our fair nation."

"Amen." Liazo cheered as he drank out of his orange juice filled glass and got up, gathered his dirty dishes, tucked in his chair, and walked to the kitchen. "I gotta get a jam session in here before we get down to business, I'll be right back!"

"Where's he going?" Spike watched as Liazo raced outside onto the patio with a strange looking black case.

"Oh, don't mind him. He plays in a jazz band sometimes, often practices with his saxophone out on the deck. Trust me, it's best not to interrupt him while he is in, and I quote, "in the groove"..." Masami informed the young dragon just before he followed Liazo outside.

"What the bloody-... heck, is a "jazz band"?" Draven questioned Masami as she cleaned up her dishes.

"Oh right, I keep forgetting you guys are pirates..." Masami gave him a half-smile as she leaned on the towering doorway leading into the main hallway. "Just a kind of music is all."

Suddenly, the doorbell rang out, and Bensley greeted the unseen, and unexpected guest. "Hello sir, madam, do you have an appointment with Master Chesterfield?"

"Who could that be?" Charles peeped his head out a nearby window, then trotted over to the main entrance.

The guests were a stallion and a mare, around Charles' age. Both of them wore business suits similar to what politicians would wear, and the stallion carried a suitcase. They gave off an undeniable aura of seriousness and intensity as they walked right past Bensley.

"Who are you two?" Charles asked the two unexpected guests, as the others followed him not far behind.

"Mr. President, My name is Agent William Amos, and this is Agent Patricia Golde, we need to talk." The stallion demanded Charles as he removed his tinted glasses.

"Very well, follow me to the living area. I'm sure you'd want to talk to Dr. Aquarius as well." Charles ushered the two inside as he guided them through the mansion.

"Hey, what's going on?" Liazo poked his head through the patio door and followed the crowd into the living area.

Agent Amos opened the black briefcase quickly, as if it was routine, and grabbed a filed document from the top of the stack of various documents. "What you are about to see, has been classified as our agency's most secret document."

Charles and Evelyn skimmed the paper, and Masami and the others stood around them. It detailed the transfer of death row inmates, and criminals serving life sentences in the northern district of Ausrüstung. The paper went on about The Guiver Device and its capabilities, coupled with the adverse side effects of prolonged exposure to low levels of the chemicals found in the bomb. It also gave in-depth profiles on all of the so-called "members of Infernalgear", including Ichirou, which made Masami gasp at the sight of his picture.

"What is this Agent Amos? How could you possibly know all of this information?" Charles interrogated the agent with swift assertiveness.

"My partner and I represent The Scout Directive, Mr. President. It is an elite espionage and deep science division." Agent Golde said as she handed Charles a silver badge he recognized instantly.

"But, that's impossible." Charles shook his head as he ran his hand through his mane. "The Scout Directive was dissolved after the war. Why was I not informed of this?"

"Because we didn't want you to know, simple as that." Agent Amos replied sharply.

"You have lied to the ponies of Ausrüstung, Agent Amos!" Charles stood up and began to pace out of anxiety.

"Let me see if I am reading this document correctly." Evelyn cleared her throat. "You've placed some of the most dangerous individuals in Ausrüstung in the northern district, a chemical cocktail, in order to observe the effects of slow exposure to chemicals of The Guiver Device? Am I interpreting this data correctly?"

"Yes, Dr. Aquarius." Agent Golde confirmed.

"Then you are all hopelessly moronic!" Evelyn slammed the document down on the table and let the papers spill out onto the ground.

"You lied to me. You told me that the effects of the bomb would be permanent, not decrease in severity in less than a year!" Charles screamed at the top of his lungs. "I wanted this government to be honest, free from lies, from conspiracy!"

"We are truly sorry, Mr. President. We never imagined our enterprise would spiral out of control like this." Agent Golde tried to relieve pressure, but it was already too late to ease the situation.

"Never imagined my ass." Masami scoffed as she crossed her arms. "You knew what the bomb would do all along."

"Yes, we did. Now we must pay for our crimes, but do not let the ponies of Ausrüstung pay as well, Mr. President. You must understand, not a word of this conversation can leave this room..." Agent Amos continued. "If the public knew, there would be hell to pay."

"Yes-... yes I know." Charles furiously combed his hand through his mane as he paced about. "So what do you want me to do?"

"We need your team to investigate further." Agent Golde requested. "You all have faced the ring leaders head-on, meaning you have experience. This cult isn't getting its money from nowhere, it's funded, heavily. It isn't domestic, we have reason to believe it is foreign."

"Constantine..." Draven cursed the name under his breath.

"I'm sorry?" Agent Amos listened-in.

"The leader of The Changeling Empire, Constantine. He's the one funneling funds into the cult." Draven answered him.

"How can you be sure?" Agent Golde wondered.

"It makes sense." Liazo agreed with Draven. "He knows taking Ausrüstung head-on is suicide. So, he's funding the cult to start chaos."

"He's trying to prevent you from entering his war," Winslow added as he joined in on the conversation. "He's trying to eat away at you, from the inside."

"I suppose." Agent Amos nodded as he passed Liazo a document.

"What is this?" Liazo asked as he looked down at the paper and scowled as he read it.

"This cult is buying weapons from some ponies you may know. We have no idea how they are getting weapons to the north, but we believe you can help us in that department as you have experience in this business." Agent Golde filled-in the half-changeling as she took a sip from the coffee mug Bensley put out for her. "We know your history with them, and if it is too much for you then-."

"No. I have the know-how. Let me do this." Liazo insisted. "I have a score to settle with the Catelli's..."

"Who's that?" Rainbow Dash scratched her head as she saw the anger in Liazo's eyes.

"The Romean mob, the Catelli family." Liazo's fist burned as he scrunched up the paper in his hand. "My old employers... time to do some investigating."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Four: East Side-Sleuthing

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After the two agents packed up and left, Liazo sped over to the living area where he picked up his saxophone case off the floor, and out of curiosity, the whole group followed the stallion on a mission. Spike watched Liazo intently as he placed his saxophone case up on the living room coffee table and opened it up. His saxophone was silver, unlike most, and it was covered in opulent engravings of angels and laurel wreaths. It glimmered faintly as he placed it on the couch-cushion adjacent to him, and Gin inspected the instrument carefully.

"Wow," Gin uttered in astonishment as she ran her hand across the sleek surface of the chrome instrument, "does this have silver in it?"

"Yep, but not a lot- don't want it to tarnish," Liazo replied as he felt the edges of the case's innards. The red velvet layering the inside looked extremely expensive, and it was so clean, the fabric seemed to have a sheen to it. "Alright, let's see here..."

Liazo grabbed a hidden strap near the middle of the case and pulled on it; revealing a secret wooden compartment filled with weapons, papers, and photographs. In one of the grooves, there was a small picture of a familiar grey colored mare sitting beside her cello that Spike recognized instantly. Upon further inspection, he noticed a faint stain of red in the corner, lipstick... it was a kiss. Right next to the kiss was a handwritten signature: "For you, my sweet Nocturne Sonata... Until we meet again..." "Hey, Liazo, this mare looks a lot like a mare I know, Octavia-."

"I'll take that, thank you very much!" Liazo huffed with a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment in his voice as he swiped the picture out of Spike's hand and slid it in his dress shirt pocket. He then shuffled through a stack of photos in the secret compartment and set five pictures on the table, all were pictures of different stallions, and two of them had a red "X" drawn overtop of the picture.

"Liazo... who are these guys?"Rainbow Dash crouched down and analyzed the pictures, then looked at the photos left in the case. There were about a few dozen more, and all of them had red X's.

"Mob bosses, warlords, mercenaries, you name it," Liazo explained. "You see, before I joined the Task Force, I was an espionage agent, pretty good one too."

"He would infiltrate gangs and take out their leaders quietly," Masami added, "His nickname used to be "Shush"."

"I would appreciate it if you'd quit callin' me that, "Angreifer"." Liazo snapped back at her, and she stuck her tongue out like a foal. "Anyways, these guys are the head honchos of a big ass mob in The Lower East Side, The Catelli's. As you can see, I've already offed two guys."

"So, what does this have to do with the odd weapon shipments going to that northern district?" Winslow inquired as he looked down at the photos along with the others.

"The Catelli's are the only mob capable of supplying, and moving all those guns into the north district without attracting the attention of the authorities." Liazo went on as he starting fiddling around with his butterfly knife. "Although, I have no freakin' idea how they're getting all those weapons past the walls and the protective force-field surrounding the district. That's why we've got to do some digging, find out what shady deals The Catelli's have made, and we stop em'. Smooth as jazz..."

"Alright, so what's our first move?" Twilight chimed in as she picked up the three photos.

"See that one right there?" Liazo pointed to one of the pictures in Twilight's hand. It was a grimy-looking stallion with a sleek suit, and eyes that were akin to that of a snake about to strike. "That's Sergio Deluca- slippery bastard. He's got the know-how, and he's been out of the game for a few years now, but he still keeps his Catelli friends close by. He'll know what they're up to."

"Where do you think he is?" Evelyn wondered as Twilight passed her the photo of Sergio.

"I've got a few ideas..." Liazo grinned mischievously as he started removing the various weapons from the wooden compartment in his case. There was a baseball bat, a dozen throwing knives, and a pair of brass-knuckles.

"Wait, no guns or explosives?" Gin raised an eyebrow as she picked up the baseball bat. It was taped near the handle, and two thick, spiked steel bands were drilled into the clubbing end of the weapon. "What the hell is this thing?"

"A baseball bat- oh, right... pirates. Yeah, baseball is a sport that's pretty popular around here. I'd take you to a game, but I don't think we really have the luxury of time." Liazo joked as he grabbed the baseball bat. "I don't really use guns- never liked em'. They're too quick, they don't send a message as well as a good ol' fashioned melee weapon!"

"Also, Liazo can't aim for shit," Masami interjected.

"Says the mare who shot Charles after she forgot to turn the safety off her pistol." Liazo beaked her off; causing her face to turn bright red.

"I still have a scar on my shoulder!" Charles yelled down the hall as he approached the living area. Rainbow Dash giggled to herself; trying not to catch Masami's attention.

"C'mon Lee, I told you never to speak of that!" Masami gave the smug stallion a punch to the shoulder.

"You started it!" Liazo hummed as he tossed the pictures and weapons back into the case.

"Alright! Now that those two are gone, I believe we have worked that needs to be done." Charles fastened his tweed suit, then checked his pocket watch. "So, what is the plan?"

Twilight was impressed by Charles' ability to focus. Over course, she expected nothing less from the leader of a whole country. Hard pressed jobs call for determined individuals. However, Twilight could still see traces of doubt in his expression... even a president had the right to be nervous. Would she stare down these situations when she becomes a princess? Would she even get the chance to become a ruler? Twilight shook off such thoughts and set aside her paranoia once more. She couldn't lose sight of her goal- getting rid of Gek before it's too late, but when would "too late" be?

"I'm gonna head out and find an old friend of mine- chase down a lead regarding those gun shipments," Liazo announced proudly as he stood up, picked up his case and walked towards the door. However, he was stopped dead in his tracks when Masami grabbed his tail and jerked it hard. "Ow! What the hell?!"

"Just where do you think you're going, huh? You're just gonna waltz out of here like we don't exist?" Masami scolded Liazo, and he looked back at her nervously with a pathetic grin. "You have a team you know! Take some others with you, please!"

"C'mon Masami, you know I hate doing crap like this alone- ow!" Liazo exclaimed as he felt Masami tug on his tail again. "Alright, alright! Fine! Would you let go of my tail?!"

"Sure thing!" Masami uttered sarcastically as she let go and patted him on the head teasingly. "Choose away!"

"Okay, I want... Rainbow Dash, Gin, and Edgar... I guess." Liazo sighed as he pointed to each pony.

"Why me?" Rainbow Dash wondered as she stood up.

"Your fast, simple as that. " Liazo explained as he turned to Gin and pointed at her. "You're the mouth, you've got a sharp tongue, we can use that."

"I don't have-. Okay, you know what? I'm not going to argue with that, I do." Gin admitted as she nodded her head with a half smile.

"Edgar is the-. Well, I think you all know what Edgar is, look at him." Liazo gestured to the silent brute towering above everypony.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Edgar protested as he crossed his arms.

"Are you kidding me? Your damn forearm is bigger than my whole freakin' torso!" Liazo tapped on Edgar's steel-encased hands lightly to emphasize his point, and the behemoth grunted in response; accepting the fact that he was the obvious muscle of the group, much to his displeasure in being labelled as a talking battering-ram.

"So, what is the plan exactly?" Gin wanted clarification, as Liazo seemed to slack off when it came to details.

"Find Sergio, get answers, and bag any fuck that tries killing us while we're at it," Liazo explained as he started opening and closing his knife. "We clear?"

"As mud." Gin teased as she patted Draven on the back. "Off to work we go then."

"Watch yourself out there, this is an environment you're not used to," Draven warned Gin as he tipped his hat to her.

"C'mon Captain, it's me! I'll be fine!" Gin insisted; chuckling a little as she got up from the sofa.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way, we should get going," Liazo suggested as he put on a pair of rounded sunglasses and flicked his butterfly knife one more time before placing it in his pocket. As he walked over to the entranceway, Charles halted him. "What is it?"

"Keep them all safe, Liazo. I don't want anypony else dying on my watch." Charles gave him a stern expression, and Liazo nodded as he thought about the cheerleader the day before. "Get moving."

"See ya guys! I'll be back!" Rainbow Dash waved to the others as she exited the mansion with Liazo.

"Stay safe!" Fluttershy called out before the door closed.

All who gathered in the living area were quiet for a few seconds until Evelyn chimed in. "I might have another lead..."

"Excellent, what kind of lead?" Charles clapped his hands together.

"I believe I can triangulate the exact location of the cultist hideout using the blood samples gathered from the cultists." Evelyn proposed.

"Oh? Elaborate please." Charles said as he put one hand up to his chin with an intrigued expression.

"You see, the chemical levels in the cultists are not all the same, in fact, some are completely different. Based on atmospheric maps, I can find out just how far these cultist's have spread their influence." Evelyn continued as she tapped on a small electronic device and showed Charles the data that appeared on the screen. "My guess is that they reside at the heart of ground-zero, the detonation site. However, I cannot know for sure until I get to A.M.S building, they have the tools I require."

"That sounds promising," Twilight interjected as she looked at Evelyn's gizmo. "What a strange little device..."

"Yes, well... I believe I need a few of you to join me. If I separate from you all, they would most assuredly try to kill me." Evelyn informed the others as she put the tablet back in the pocket of her lab coat.

"Good point. In that case, Twilight, I want you and Butch to accompany Evelyn to The Ministry of Science." Charles gave orders as he checked his pocket watch again.

"I'll go too." Spike piped up as he approached Twilight, who grew uneasy as she saw the look in his eyes.

Spike had been suspicious all morning, and only then was he certain that something was indeed wrong with Twilight. What truly baffled Spike was the fact that Twilight was concealing whatever secret she was keeping, it was uncommon for her to just bottle up her feelings. Part of Twilight wanted Spike to figure it out, but the other part wanted him to leave her be, as she was unsure what would happen if he did find out.

"Very well, the more the merrier and all that," Charles said with a jolly laugh as he adjusted his glasses.

"What about us, Mr. President?" Draven asked as he took off his feathered captain's hat and gestured over to everypony else.

"You must stay here with my family along with Winslow and everypony else. We cannot leave the mansion unprotected. With you here, my family will be safe." Charles pointed out as he drew closer to Draven. "Also, I want a crib-rematch. I hate getting double-skunked."

"Alright, you've got a deal." Draven grinned as he brought out a deck of cards from his long captain's coat.

****

The Lower East Side of Ausrüstung looked like a war-zone to say the least. Down-trodden ponies walked down the sidewalks with shopping carts filled with their belongings, and beggars sat on the streets either mumbling to themselves incoherently or trying to stop anypony walking by. The stench in the air was a mixture of molten steel from the industrial district and sewage, and the sky was a hazy grey colour, it wasn't anything new to Gin- she had lived in slums for most of her adolescent life.

"This place brings back memories, not typically good ones, but I can laugh about them now nonetheless," Liazo spoke to both himself and the others.

Gin looked up at Edgar, then back to the various ponies walking by as they paraded down the sidewalk. They weren't bothered by his presence unlike in those Main Street. "You've probably heard this a thousand times, but... why aren't they bothered by you?"

"Perhaps they're too distracted by trying to survive, or maybe they just don't care." Edgar suggested, then sighed for a moment- Gin could see he was biting his tongue.

"Alright, now tell me the real reason." Gin pried as she walked alongside the giant.

"There used to be a circus act around here- a freak-show, back when this part of town was booming with business." Edgar recalled; struggling to regain the memories he tried so desperately to throw away. "I was the main attraction. "Der Zug! The Strongest Pony On The Planet!" is what they used to call me around here."

"What made you quit?" Gin asked, although, based on Edgar's expression, she could tell he didn't quit.

"The circus went out of business after Main Street was relocated to where it is now, Riker's Street, this used to be Main Street. Ponies quit visiting this part of town after that, and eventually, it turned into slums. Money quit funnelling into this place." Edgar lamented. "Soon after, Charles found me. He empathized with me and told me that he used to see the circus before it went out of business. He offered me a place to live, and I took his offer reluctantly at first, but he grew on me, and I met the rest of the team in the process."

"Did you enjoy working in the circus?" Gin inquired as she looked down at a bum on the street and tossed some coins into his hat. They were bits, but at least they were something.

"It had its moments..." Edgar paused for a brief moment as he scratched his snout with his metal hand. "I'd always light up when I saw the smiles I gave the colts and fillies who watched me lift tanks and fighter jets. But, for the most part, the parents always looked down on me, and that hit me hard. They thought I was some mindless monster, they thought I was stupid. My employers didn't even pay me and had to sleep in stables with wild animals. I was glad to leave the circus."

"That's rough," Gin sympathized, "can't say I know how you feel."

"Well, I'm glad you don't know how it feels." Edgar tried to smile with his big toothy maw as he began to pick up his pace to catch up to Liazo (which was basically a couple of long strides for Edgar). Gin followed sheepishly; knowing she had struck a nerve in Edgar unintentionally.

"So Liazo, what's this place you were talking about?" Gin queried as she caught up with Liazo and Rainbow Dash.

"Sergio's apartment building should be about a block away, you can't miss it. It's the only place without a broken or boarded-up window." Liazo uttered quietly as if someone was listening. "Make sure to check your pockets once in a while- a lot of thieves on this block."

"Hey, Liazo... how do you know Octavia?" Rainbow Dash wondered as she examined her pocket to make sure a burglar didn't pickpocket her, and to her satisfaction, nothing was missing.

"Octavia... We have time I guess, may as well make the most of it." Liazo grinned as he lit a cigarette and adjusted his sunglasses. "I was tasked with an assignment by my case officer regarding the whereabouts of a former Catelli mob boss who evaded capture by taking hopping on a ship sailing to Equestria- Mario Catelli. You see, Mario enjoyed listening to live musicians a lot, and I knew he couldn't keep away from a good show. Eventually, I found a certain symphony in Canterlot that screamed "Mario", so I signed up as a musician. I knew Mario couldn't resist, so I waited for him."

"And that's where you met Octavia?" Rainbow Dash guessed.

"Yeah... she was beautiful..." Liazo daydreamed a little as he thought about her, but kept his cool attitude. "After our first rehearsal, I invited her to share coffee with me, and she accepted. We hit it off and dated for a few months. I stayed there, even after I killed Mario. It got me fired from my job, but... I think it was worth it. After I left Equestria, I wrote to her, and even today, I still write to her. We've been dating for three years now."

"Wow, Vinyl didn't even tell me about you two! I always thought they were- you know." Rainbow Dash trailed off as she watched Liazo crack-up.

"Yeah, I can see how you'd think that..." Liazo chuckled as he tossed his cigarette bud in a trash bin as he walked by. "I actually tried breaking it off when I left, but she's a stubborn mare, and I guess I love her because of that."

Liazo and the others stopped at a tall brick building about five stories tall, barely decorated, and bland. Most of the blinds on the building were shut, and a few lights were on mostly on the upper levels. The building (while dirtier than a lot of buildings on Riker's Street) was a lot cleaner than others in The Lower East Side.

"Does Sergio own this?" Gin asked Liazo as she looked up at the top floor.

"No, this is just another shitty apartment owned by The Catelli's, they don't charge Sergio rent," Liazo answered as he pressed a button on a panel adjacent to the door. The phone rang for a few seconds, then a smooth voice answered.

"Whadda ya want, eh?" The Romean stallion demanded with a thick accent.

"Guess who?" Liazo replied with a smug grin.

"Oh, it'sa you..." The voice grumbled; obviously dreading to hear Liazo's voice. "Leave'a me alone! I don'ta want you here! I know'a nothing!"

"Hey Sergio, you still owe me two hundred, remember? But tell you what, if you let me and my friends in and give us a few answers, maybe I'll forget about that debt... sound good?" After a few seconds of silence, a buzz escaped the door and Liazo opened it quickly. He turned to the others and removed his glasses. "See? Smooth as jazz..."

As they piled into the main entrance, Edgar stayed behind. It was obvious why, as the door leading into the building was less than half his height. "I'll stay here. I don't want to fall through the floor."

"Yeah... good idea." Rainbow Dash smirked at him jokingly as she closed the door and followed Liazo through the lobby.

The lobby was deserted, and the only material items in the room were a few lamps and sofas. The plant on the absent landlord's desk was dying, and like everything in The Lower East Side, the room stunk- like rotting meat and mothballs... it was a dive to say the least. On the other side of the lobby was the elevator, and right next to it was a list of residents on a piece of paper hanging up on the wall.

Liazo ignored the paper and stepped in the elevator along with the others. "Alright... floor four..."

Cheesy elevator music played loudly as they ascended, and Rainbow Dash became extremely distressed as they were lifted upwards. "What the hell is going on?! Why are we moving?"

"Really? You've been teleported numerous times! We even teleported here just a half hour ago, and this is what phases you?!" Gin rolled her eyes as the confused pegasus ignored her and began squealing like an infant. "Bloody hell..."

As the elevator came to a halt, Rainbow Dash exhaled peacefully, and as the metal door opened, she bolted out of the elevator as if a bomb were about to go off inside the steel box. "Whew! Never doing that again!"

"Okay, Sergio's apartment is just down the hall, this way," Liazo said as he pointed to the right and started walking. "Don't make any sudden movements too, okay? He's a little jittery."

As Liazo came to Sergio's door, he knocked on it three times. After a long pause, Sergio opened the door- in his wife-beater, pajama pants, and bathrobe. He had bags under his eyes and an unimpressed look on his face as he gave Liazo an agitated glare. "Come in."

"What, no hug?" Liazo joked as he ran past the tired purple stallion and jumped on his sofa; making himself at home.

"Liazo, what are you doing here with these'a pony stranti!" Sergio exclaimed as he gestured to Gin and Rainbow Dash, who joined Liazo on Sergio's sofa.

"Relax Sergio, these guys are okay..." Liazo assured the frustrated stallion, who ran over to his oven and poured coffee into his mug.

"So what do you want, eh?" Sergio groaned as he sat down on his recliner next to Liazo and the others. "You come here, make'a yourself at home, and you want my help, so ask!"

"Alright, alright... we just wanted to ask you about some gun shipments you may know about... regarding those cultists you may have heard about on the radio," Liazo explained as he started playing around with his butterfly knife.

"I know nothing." Sergio bluntly denied as he sat back in his chair and looked away.

"Oh really?" Liazo pried.

"Yes, yes! I know'a nothing!" Sergio nervously nodded as he put his coffee on a nightstand nearby and crossed his arms. "I'm out! Fuori!"

"Okay then..." Liazo smiled as he walked over to his fridge and opened the freezer; revealing a stockpile of guns and explosives. "And these are?"

"Fonzi's'a son lived here'a for a few days. Those'a must be his!" Sergio began to sweat as Liazo glared at him. "Okay, okay! Dagli antenati! I'll'a tell you!"

"Wow, you don't handle pressure well..." Rainbow Dash felt pity for the bundle of nerves as he took a sip from his coffee mug.

"I'm listening..." Liazo hurried Sergio up as the nervous stallion cleared his throat.

"Godfather'a Fonzi, he made a deal with a powerful stallion with strange'a powers about'a three months ago, he called himself'a Father Kaiser. You heard of him, yes?"

"Yeah, he was the leader that smoke-guy mentioned." Gin thought back to her fight in the teleporting station with Ashurr.

"Well, Father Kaiser told him that he found a way to get weapons into the north district through an old'a teleporter."

"Of course! That makes so much sense." Liazo snapped his finger as he pieced it together. "Do you know where the teleporter is?"

"No, but I do'a know where the weapons'a warehouse is where they are building the firearms'a..." Sergio ran over to his kitchen and took a map of Eisen off the fridge, then pointed the location out to Liazo. "Here! The warehouse is'a here, by'a Moody Harbour!"

"Alright then, thank you for your time Sergio, it's been fun." Liazo shook his hand as he got to his hooves. "Now then, we best be off. C'mon you two."

"Wait!" Sergio stopped them just as they were exiting.

"What is it?" Liazo responded as he turned around.

"You must be careful... Fonzi has'a set up heavy security... armored security." Sergio warned them.

"Again, thanks, Sergio, I'll keep that in mind." Liazo waved as he insisted the other two go ahead.

"Um, do I still owe you that two'a hundred?" Sergio laughed timidly.

"Hmm, we'll see." Liazo chuckled as he closed the door in his face. "We'll see..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Five: Hunters On The Move

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"Fifteen-two, fifteen four, fifteen-six..." Draven counted all of the fifteens in his hand as he spread them out on the coffee table, then began counting the extra points. "A double-run of four makes eight, and a pair is two. I've got sixteen points! What have you got, lad?"

"A nineteen hand... zero..." Charles almost whimpered as he watched Draven joyously place his peg at the end of the crib board; snickering to himself as he put his clawed feet up on the table boastfully. "Blast!"

"Hold on, lad! What about your crib?" Draven reminded Charles as he pointed towards the extra four cards on Charles' side of the table that were facing down.

"Does it matter? Even if I get more than sixteen I'll still be double-skunked!" Charles pouted a little as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his sofa.

"Aww... somepony's a sore loser..." Masami chuckled as sat on the loveseat nearby and watched as steam shot out of Charles' ears.

"Don't be mad, lad!" Draven gave him a jolly laugh as he packed up his cards.

"Yeah! I mean, it's not like you just lost five times in a row!" Masami teased Charles as he adjusted his glasses and swallowed the unbearable anger swelling in his chest.

"One of these days Masami... pow, right in the kisser!" Charles threatened Masami as he raised his fist, but she knew it was an empty threat; Charles was far too noble to carry out such a deed.

"I love you too Charles!" Masami the frustrated stallion on the back, and after a moment of silence, they both laughed together. "You faker! You aren't mad at me!"

"Good show..." Charles exhaled with satisfaction as he brushed off his anger. As he did so, James and Lucy ran in the living area and hugged their father; almost flattening him in the process. "Ouch! Careful now!"

Charles began to tickle James and Lucy, and the two were brought to tears within seconds. James kicked and screamed, but Lucy was more contained with her excitement, and she giggled quietly as Charles nuzzled her lightly to get a reaction out of her. After the two caught their breath, they jumped on Masami next, and she laughed even louder than them as they jumped up and down on her. "Auntie Masami! Auntie Masami!"

"You two are trouble!" Masami lit-up as she gently lifted them off.

"Daddy, daddy, look!" Lucy raised her arms and spun around for Charles as she showed off her wool sweater with bunnies all over it.

"It's beautiful sweetie," Charles brushed her cheek as he admired the cute designs on the sweater, "did you make that?"

"Nope! Auntie Fluttershy made it for me!" Lucy became overjoyed as she hugged Fluttershy, who had just walked in the living room.

"Oh my... Auntie Fluttershy?" Fluttershy uttered nervously as she began to process those words. "But I've only been with you a few days..."

"You've made an impression nonetheless, dear," Eleanor reassured the confused pegasus as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're one of the kindest ponies we've ever met."

Fluttershy was caught off guard by the statement. Sure, she had been called kind by many others before, but it still somehow managed to stun her every time. Even though she was called kind constantly, there would always be a part of her that would feel unworthy of such praise. It was simply how she functioned.

"Um- I- th- th-thank- thank you..." Fluttershy stuttered and trailed off as she blushed slightly; trying to hide her face after such a horrendous response.

"Hey, where's Winslow?" Masami wondered as she looked over to Flutttershy. Usually, he would always be glued to the cream-coloured mare.

"He went outside to practice magic," Fluttershy replied as she stared back at the entranceway.

"That basta-..." Draven trailed off as he realized he was about to swear in front of Charles' children, "Baster... yeah-... baster! He's practicing magic without me!"

"Thank you." Charles quietly thanked the dragon as he stood up.

"Well then, I think I might join that paladin!" Draven announced as he approached the entranceway; tempting young James to tail him.

"Dad, dad! Can I go with him?" James begged as he tugged on Charles' sleeve. "I want to see magic!"

"I don't know... will you stay safe?" Charles crouched down and asked the excited colt.

"Oh yes! Yes dad, I will!" James pushed out his chest and gave him a salute to emphasize his point.

"Alright, soldier! March on!" Charles saluted his son, and the young colt sprinted after Draven.

"I think I'll tag along as well, just to be safe. You stay with Lucy." Masami insisted as she followed James outside.

James and Draven exited the building together, and the young orange colored colt bounced around like a ball, tugging at Draven's purple captain's jacket. Just looking at the colt brought back vivid memories of his time with Gin when she was a filly. Bright-eyed, full of wonder- she always loved watching Draven and Winslow practice magic. He gave the colt a loving smile as he daydreamed about young Gin; prancing about the deck of his ship and causing a ruckus.

"What are you thinking about Mr. Jaggedtooth?" James pried as he tugged at his sleeve again.

"Ah, nothing lad!" Draven grinned as he scratched the back of his neck in an attempt to act natural. "You just remind me of somepony is all!"

Draven took a deep breath and admired the large park in front of Charles' mansion. It was walled-off to the public, and that preserved the area's serene beauty. A small creek ran under a bridge that stretched over to the other side, leading to the teleporting pad that they had arrived in days ago. Surrounding the circumference of the pad was a vibrant flower bed of various hues, creating a ring of color that would've made the landing pad look like a pupil with an iris from an aerial view. Past the bed of flowers were trees, mostly ash, and oak, but they provided a pleasant contrast when paired up with the flowers; an atmosphere of containment and security, an aura that brought inner peace to whoever entered the park. The most remarkable aspect of the area was that it remained relatively quiet despite the bustle and noise emanating from the city nearby (Charles' house was situated on the very edge of Eisen, near the Western Ocean, and only a few hundred meters away from the Downtown area).

In the massive front yard of the immense estate- closer to the perimeter wall -Winslow was using spells on rocks he picked up off the ground, tossing them into the air and firing blasts of blue, concentrated magic from his horn and fingertips. The rocks exploded when struck by a bolt of magic, but luckily they were small enough not to cause any significant damage, merely turning into dust fragments as they combusted.

"Woah, cool!" James hopped up and down as he ran over to Winslow, who didn't seem to notice the young colt. "Hey, Mr... what's your last name?"

"It's Conrick." Winslow replied with a stoic expression as he tossed up another rock and cast a levitation spell on it, suspending it in the air. He then blew it to pieces with another spell, and it exploded like a firecracker.

"Mr. Conrick, can you teach me some magic?" James waved his hands about and made explosion sound effects.

"You mean your teachers haven't taught you any in school?" Draven raised a brow as he crossed his arms.

"No, we don't teach magic in schools." Masami chimed in as she joined up with the group. "Mainly because we don't have a lot of unicorns in Ausrüstung. Most of the ones that are here are either immigrants or descended from the handful of unicorns who joined the forefathers on their journey to the Blacklands. James and Eleanor are two of the few descendants left."

"I suppose it understandable why they don't teach magic in schools then." Winslow agreed, then kneeled down to James' height. "Would you like a few lessons?"

"Yes please, Mr. Conrick!" James clasped his hands together and tried to contain his excitement.

"Alright then," Winslow gave the colt a half smile as he patted him on the head once, "let's begin."

"A magic-duel then?" Draven proposed as lightning sparked at the end of his clawed fingertips."We should show him how to fight another magic wielder. Let's keep it simple"

"Very well," Winslow nodded as he set aside his sword and prepared his magic, raising his hands and coating them in magical energy. He then gestured to James, showing him the proper stance when facing an enemy. "Always fall back into a defensive position- don't leave anything open. If you keep your hands up, your magical shield will hold strong."

"Yes, Mr. Conrick!" James copied Winslow's stance as he raised his hands up like a boxer, but with an open hand instead of a fist. "How do I make a shield?"

"All you have to do is focus," Draven instructed the colt as he prepared a small electrical attack. "Try to imagine a wall in front of you, lad. If you hold that thought, your shield will be able to withstand a lot of punishment. I'll demonstrate with Winslow first... are you ready?"

"Yes," Winslow answered as he raised his hands and pointed over to a nearby tree. "Stand over there, James."

"Yes, sir!" James obeyed as he hid behind the tall ash tree and eagerly awaited the duel.

"Try not to blow anything up, will you?" Masami urged the two fighters as she stood beside James. "The caretakers will be pissed if you start a fire..."

"We won't," Winslow assured her as he returned his attention to Draven, who was waiting for his first attack, "I promise."

"Pay attention, lad!" Draven belted over to James as he prepared his first attack. "Watch Winslow block this!"

Draven fired off a bolt of lightning that struck Winslow's shield and dispersed in the air, revealing the magical dome around him momentarily as the attack impacted it with a crackling sound. Draven pummelled his foe hard with precise bolts, but Winslow's shield did not admit defeat.

"There are two ways to crack through a shield," Draven explained as he turned to face James. "You either use brute force or break your opponent's focus."

Draven shrouded his body in lightning and looped around Winslow's magical shield, launching himself like a cannonball. Draven then fired a blast at his back, cracking the shield, and leaving a distinct crack in the transparent dome.

"See that, James?" Winslow made sure he was paying attention. "My eyes couldn't keep up with him, and I couldn't adjust my shield in time. That's how he made me break focus."

"That was awesome!" James cheered as he pumped his fist up in the air with an excited grin on his face.

"Of course, it would've been a different story if you had a blade, Winslow!" Draven punched the paladin on the shoulder teasingly as he ran over to James. "Did you learn anything?"

"Oh yeah!" James beamed, jumping around as if he had pogo sticks for legs. "Magic is awesome! Can you teach me more some other time?"

"Of course I-." Draven paused for a moment as he glanced at Winslow, who had his blade prepared as if he was about to strike. "What's wrong, Winslow?"

Winslow stood at the ready as he surveyed the opposite side of the estate, where the trees thickened and light was scarce. "Something or somepony is watching us... over there." Winslow pointed over to the thicket.

"Yeah, I can hear something rustling about over there." Draven noticed as he listened in.

"James, stay behind us," Masami ordered the young colt as she stepped in front of him, a pistol at the ready. "There's no time to run."

Draven prepared his lightning once more, and Winslow removed his eye patch, revealing his witch's eye. As they readied for the oncoming assault, James began to break-down, alerting their enemies of their whereabouts. Masami attempted to calm him down, but the pressure was weighing on him, and he cracked. "You need to be silent James!"

Six metal beasts with mechanical, purple eyes jumped out of the bushes and stood in a perfect line. They all looked alike, yet... drastically different from what Masami was used to. They looked nothing like any automation she had seen.

They looked like skeletons, albeit skeletons with mechanized parts encasing their horrific frames. It seemed as if every "bone" was a crude imitation- made of metal. Their skulls were proportionate to their bodies, but they were hideous as if somepony coated a pony's skull with metal and sharpened their teeth into razor blades. Their hooves and hands were replaced with mechanized claws, and their eyes shone a disturbing and faint purple in the dim light of the forest as they stared down Draven and the others. What was most interesting about them was not their bodies, however, but the glass dome replacing the top portion of their skulls... and what was inside them.

"Are those... brains in there?" Draven was slightly unsettled by the sight. "Masami, what the hell are these machines?"

"I- I have no idea..." Masami admitted as she raised her pistol.

Suddenly, the cyber-skeletons split up into two groups. A couple ran towards the house, and the remaining four stayed behind and started sprinting towards Draven and Winslow, each letting out a bloodcurdling screech that echoed for miles. Masami ran after the two that were going for the house.

"Keep James safe! I'm going to help Charles!"

Draven and Winslow had no time to respond and began to fight the four skeletons. They were incredibly fast and agile and even dodged precise bolts from Draven. Winslow however, was having an easier time. He sliced off the arms and legs of each robot one by one, and James stayed close by, making sure he was near him, but not close enough to get cleaved in half by Winslow's massive greatsword.

As Winslow finished off the last one with a sword-thrust to the chest, he noticed something... they were all standing up again. They began to repair themselves, and within seconds, they were attacking him again; screaming and snarling like wild animals. "They can heal!"

"I can see that, thank you!" Draven bellowed as he struck a skeleton with a blast of electricity; knocking it back into a nearby tree.

"Mr. Jaggedtooth, look out!" James warned Draven of the approaching skeleton, who had its eyes fixed on his neck.

Draven dodged the creature's maw and grabbed its head with his claws, sending a pulse of searing lightning through the glass dome covering the creature's brain, and cooking it like a boiled egg. It was then that Draven realized what needed to be done in order to defeat them. "That's one! Winslow, you have to destroy the brain!"

"Dually noted!" Winslow shouted as he cut a skeleton in half at the waist, then drove his sword through its brain capsule. "That's two!"

"Look out!" James pointed towards a charging skeleton headed right for Winslow.

"Second Eye: Soul Piercer!" Winslow shouted as another witch's eye opened on his face just below his larger one. Winslow moved so fast it seemed as if he were teleporting, and he appeared behind the skeleton with his blade in a thrusting position, brain matter smeared across his sword. The skeleton stood for a moment, then fell. As he turned his head to face Draven, the second eye disappeared. "That's three!"

The last skeleton charged at James. "Draven!"

"Stay back, James!" Draven yelled as he stepped in front of the colt to protect him. His eyes began to crackle with electricity, and he raised his hands to summon a mighty blow. "Dragon Thane's Thunderous Greatsword!"

A towering blade of pure lightning appeared in Draven's hand, and he slammed it down on the machine hard, utterly obliterating it and searing the grass slightly. It let out a thunder-like 'boom' as it made contact with the ground.

"That's four..." Winslow took a deep breath as he turned his attention to the house. "We've got to get back to the house, now! Come James!"

The two remaining creatures charged at the entranceway door, smashing it down with their combined momentum. They then ran around the mansion- it seemed as if they were looking for somepony.

Masami whistled loudly, and within a matter of seconds, a mechanized suit flew towards her and caught her like a net, assembling, and boosting her speed. She followed the robots through the house with her pistol at the ready, and a determined look in her eye. She wasn't going to let anypony hurt her family. She flew over to the living area and tackled one of the machines to the ground, then blew the creature's brains out with her gun. "Charles, where are you-."

Masami felt a hard smack hit the front of her helmet and blur her vision- she was seeing double, and could no longer stand. Surprisingly, the creature didn't try and finish her off, and it moved onto the next room in its desperate search.

Charles, Eleanor, Lucy, and Fluttershy were held-up in the master bedroom, all on the bed. Charles had a shotgun in his hands, and Eleanor held Lucy tightly. "It's going to be alright..." Charles whispered to Lucy.

The skeleton starting banging on the door with great ferocity, screaming and crying as it tried to crack the door open. "Daddy, what's going to happen?"

Fluttershy stood up, and without a word, she shoved them all into a closet and locked it. "Stay here."

"Fluttershy, what are you doing?" Charles cried in outrage as he banged on the closet door. "Are you insane?"

"I have to protect my friends, no matter what," Fluttershy muttered to herself as she felt her fangs extend and her wings transform. "No matter what..."

As the creature broke the door down, Fluttershy charged forward and drove her claws into the skeleton's brain, killing it instantly. She then felt her body return to normal as the machine fell to the ground. She ripped the leg off a chair and drove it into the metal skull of the beast; feeling uncomfortable with lying. "Come out."

"Fluttershy, how did you-?" Charles was speechless as he emerged from the closet and looked down at the fallen foe lying in a heap on the floor.

"Winslow... taught me a few things..." Fluttershy felt a sharp pain in her chest as she lied once again.

"I can't thank you enough, Fluttershy. You saved my family." Charles was on the verge of crying as he hugged her tightly. "Thank you..."

Fluttershy cried too. Not because she was happy, but because she knew that it was wrongfully deserved praise. She thought about what would've happened if they saw her in her vampire form, and what they would say to such a beast. However, she used her tears as a mask to hide her true feelings about the matter. She felt empty and cold like her heart had just shriveled up.

"What's going on? Is everypony okay?" Masami stormed in the room with her pistol drawn but holstered it once she realized the automation had been subdued. "How in the-?"

"Auntie Fluttershy saved us! She's a hero! Like the one in the comic book James reads!" Lucy beamed as she hugged the cream colored pegasus' leg tightly, which hit Fluttershy hard. She was so in awe by her, so thankful. What would she have said if she knew about her? "You're the best Aunt ever!"

"Thank you... really..." Fluttershy felt uncomfortable smiling as she looked down at the dead robot.

"Masami, your head!" Eleanor touched the bruise on the pale-faced earthpony's head gently, trying not to hurt her. "You need an ice-pack."

"I'm fine Ellie... I'm okay..." Masami insisted as she sat down on a nearby chair. "I'm just glad you're all safe."

"Is everypony okay?" Draven asked as he rushed over to the opened door with Winslow not far behind.

"Yes, we're alright." Charles nodded. "Fluttershy saved us."

"Did she now?" Winslow gave Fluttershy a suspicious look. "I'm glad you're all unscathed-." Winslow stopped and looked out the window. He heard a faint screech come from the front yard, there were more skeletons standing outside.

"Bloody... heck." Draven corrected himself as he peered out the window with the stoic paladin. "What are they doing?" Just as Draven said that the skeletons turned around and retreated, jumping the fence and running off into the city.

"I think they were looking for somepony..." Masami deducted as she thought back to when the skeleton ignored her a few minutes prior. "Looks like they didn't find whoever he or she was."

"She has a point," Winslow added. "Those creatures seem to mimic the hunting instincts of a wolf, and I suspect they are tracking somepony."

"Who?" Charles wondered as he watched the last of the skeletons jump over the perimeter wall.

"Well... they all just hopped over the south wall, so that means... shit." Masami realized. "They're headed to the Ministry of Science! I've got to get a hold of Evelyn!"

"Twilight..." Winslow thought to himself, then looked to Draven. They were thinking the same thing.

"Hello? Hello?! Is anypony there?!" Masami spoke into her communicator, but there was only static. "Dammit, there's interference... somepony knocked out the communications grid!"

"But who would have the tools to do-." Charles and the others stood silently as they all heard the radio on the bureau turn on by itself and listened to a cold and robotic voice speak.

*A-A-A-ATTENTION PONIES OF EISEN, THE-THE-THE TELEPORTING STATIONS HAVE BEEN DISABLED FOR MA-MA-MA-MAINTENANCE. D-D-DO NOT PANIC, T-T-THEY WILL BE BACK UP EVEN-EVENT-EVENTUALLY. IT WOULD BE WISE TO STAY IN-IN-INDOORS FOR THE TI-TIME BEING.*

"There hasn't been maintenance for over one hundred years..." Masami's eyes widened.

"Well, there's the problem! No wonder they're doing maintenance!" Draven chimed in but was confused as he saw the shock on Charles' and Masami's face.

"That's just it, though..." Charles muttered. "The stations were all built one hundred years ago... they don't need to be maintained. Somepony just knocked them out."

"Shite." Draven cursed under his breath. "We've got to get to Twilight!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Six: The Race

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The Ministry of Science building made Chesterfield Manor look like child's play. There were two huge astronomy towers reaching high into the sky on either side of the complex, a grand entrance too opulent for even a king, and a massive console at the heart of the building that created a spherical hologram of the entire world. However, what was most impressive about the A.M.S building, was the fact that the entire structure was suspended in the air by anti-gravity generators attached to the bottom of a great landmass that supported the weight of the building, a massive rock that looked like a mountain flipped upside-down.

"Wow..." Spike could only gawk at the immense building as they walked through the halls. He turned towards Twilight to see if she was enthralled, but she seemed to stare at the ground in silence. It was obvious something was wrong. "Hey, Twilight... are you alright? You've been acting weird all day."

"No I-... Yeah, I'm fine Spike," Twilight lied; knowing full-well what Gek would do if she didn't. "I'm just having a weird day is all..."

"Alright then..." Spike replied uneasily.

"Man, how dense is this guy?" Gek chuckled as he wrapped his arm around Twilight and pointed at Spike. "I mean, he's getting suspicious... but geez! Does he really trust you that much?"

Twilight said nothing and looked away as if Gek didn't even exist. She assumed ignoring Gek would just make him go away, but he kept rambling on; not acknowledging Twilight's attempts at disregarding his presence.

"Also, why are you called The Princess of Friendship? I mean, that's probably the worst title I've ever heard!" Gek went on; starting to irritate Twilight. She couldn't say anything, however, as she would look like a lunatic, then Gek would force her to make up an asinine explanation as to why she acted that way. "Celestia's the princess of the sun, Luna has control over the moon and dreams, Cadence has control over love, and you have control over friendship? Wow. If you ask me, I think you're getting the short straw."

"We're almost there," Evelyn pointed down the long hallway. "My laboratory is just ahead."

Evelyn opened the door on her right and ushered Butch, Spike and Twilight inside. Although it may have looked generic and similar on the outside, the interior was vastly different. The room was mostly cyan and grey with a certain metallic shine unlike the rest of the building's marble design, and every nook and cranny was filled with curiosities. At one end of the room, there was an entire library with a shelf of books and jars filled with numbered specimens. Based on the complete lack of disorder in the room, it was obvious that Evelyn might have had some issues with OCD. In fact, the amount of cleanliness even flummoxed Spike, who was so confident in his own organizational skills when it came to stacking Twilight's books. Near the entrance, was a section dedicated to chemistry. Flasks, jars, and bottles were filled with various substances- all labelled by chemical equations, which looked like gibberish to Spike.

The most impressive area in Evelyn's lab was the weapons testing section- the largest chunk of the laboratory. There were armaments galore; laser rifles, plasma tech, anti-gravity gauntlets, stealth visors, and more. And like every other item in the lab, they were all either hung up on the wall or placed on shelves and catalogued.

"What the heck is this?" Spike analyzed one of the guns on a rack. It was a large handheld cannon of some sorts, and near the end of the gun (possibly where the contraption fired from) was a satellite dish- or rather- a small satellite no bigger than his hand. Spike tried to pick it up, but his hands were batted away by Butch, who seemed slightly annoyed by Spike's curiosity.

"That there's a Magnetic-Compression Ray. That'll scrunch ya into a tiny ball before you can even say 'ouch'." The gritty soldier informed Spike. "Also, Evelyn hates it when you move her shit, so don't try anything funny."

Spike nodded and moved over to where Twilight was. She was receiving a grand tour of the laboratory from an extremely excited Evelyn, who raced around the room as if she were a colt in a toy store. She picked up another gun off the wall. "Oh! Over here, we have a plasma rifle! This will melt almost anything!"

Twilight was a little overwhelmed by all of the gadgets and gizmos in the lab. Sure, she knew a thing or two about math and engineering, but the kind of toys Evelyn surrounded herself with were on a completely different level. Evelyn was also a curious pony to understand. She often would behave contained and disconnected, but once she found something intriguing, she would spring to life like a jack-in-the-box. Twilight had a feeling she held back her emotions quite often, and Twilight knew it well, as it was an issue she suffered from before she moved to Ponyville.

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Evelyn raised her hand and pointed upwards in a "matter-of-fact" fashion. "I have a gun I've been testing that is perfect for you, Spike!"

"Oh, really?" Spike was getting excited as he watched Evelyn grab yet another weapon and hand it to him. It was a pistol, and it was designed like a flintlock, only... it seemed to have some parts on it that were a little out of place. "What is this?"

"Well, I was inspired by your friend Gin's armaments, and I figured I would create a gun like hers!" Again, Evelyn's change of character caught Spike and Twilight off-guard. "Look, look! It functions like a flintlock, but it has another function too! If you flip this switch on like so... you can fire concentrated magic out of it!"

"Woah!" Spike uttered excitedly as he pointed it around. Evelyn began to panic as she watched him point it at the window, and she snatched it out of his hand; fearing he would blow something up.

"However, it is a prototype... so I wouldn't recommend firing it right this second!" Evelyn explained as she hung it back up on the rack.

"Oh..." Spike said, a little disappointed that Evelyn made a weapon for him that he couldn't use. Granted, he wasn't to keen on wielding a gun anyways.

Twilight saw a smile form on Butch's face. He was overjoyed to see Evelyn beaming like a foal again, and it brought back memories of when she was a filly, full of wonder and imagination. She had been through so much in her life, living through that horrible war, her parents dying when she was at the young age of seven after Aquarius Mansion was fire-bombed, and her enrolment in a strict boarding school not long after the funeral. It was hard for her to find happiness, but when happiness found her, she was almost like a foal again.

"Butch, why are you looking at me like that?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow at him as she watched the smile disappear from his face.

"Nothin', darlin'..." Butch shook his head and tried concealing his grin, but it was certainly hard to contain. "It's just-."

"We should focus on what we're here for." Evelyn cut him off as she waltzed over to the chemistry section of her laboratory. "I have the autopsy reports here, let me just-."

"Dr. Aquarius! Dr. Aquarius!" A voice shouted as it drew closer to her door. It was another scientist in a lab coat. "Dr. Aquarius, the teleporters have been shut down by somepony, and radio communications have been knocked out!"

"What?! How is that possible?!" Evelyn said with a stunned expression. "Who in this world has the technological capabilities to do such a thing?"

"We have no idea, Doctor. Everything was just shut down in a blink of the eye!" The scientist panicked as he ran down the hall, and red light began to flash overhead in every room and corridor of the building.

*RED ALERT, RED ALERT. ALL SECURITY FORCES ASSEMBLE. THE A.M.S IS UNDER SIEGE.*

"What now?" Butch exclaimed as he looked out a nearby window. There were more than two dozen strange looking robots that were jumping off nearby skyscrapers onto the grounds of the A.M.S. One of them was advancing towards the same window he was looking out of. "Aw, shit! Everypony, cover your ears!"

Butch drew his revolver and blew the skeleton's head right off; breaking the glass, and alerting the rest of them. Evelyn grabbed the Magnetic-Compression Ray off the wall and assembled her suit. "Accelerator Suit!"

A black liquid began to encase her body and harden into armor, and when she held the gun, it absorbed the weapon and assimilated it into its own mass, turning her armor-encased hand into a magnetic cannon. There was no time to be in awe, and Spike's fists ignited with burning intensity.

"We've got to defend the A.M.S! They must be after our weapons!" Evelyn shouted as she raced out into the hall, gesturing to the others. "Come on! We can't let them get into the basement!"

Spike and the others followed Evelyn down the wide corridor and into the main entrance. The armored security guards were trying desperately to fend off the assault; firing at the horde of machines with laser rifles and shotguns. However, every time a skeleton was shot down, it got up seconds later- still thirsty for blood. The security guards ordered civilian scientists inside, and they set up a barricade soon after. They were holding them back for a while, but it wasn't long before a security guard got too confident and tried pushing back a nearby robot. It grabbed his arm and dragged him into the mob of skeletons, his screams demoralizing the other guards.

Butch and the others ran downstairs and aided the guards. Evelyn fired at one of the beasts with her ray, and it collapsed into a condensed ball of metal and gore as the beam made contact with its chest. Spike melted one of the creatures with a blast of fire emitted from his gaping maw, and he destroyed another with an explosive fireball. There was certainly far more than two dozen now, and they were beginning to overpower the small security force by sheer numerical superiority.

"We've gotta get these assholes outside!" Butch ordered everypony as he drove his metal fist through another robot's skull, splattering its brains across the floor. "We can't bust out anythin' flashy until we get em' into open-space! Twilight! You've got some tricks up your sleeve, don't ya?! Do ya think you can push these things back?!"

"I'll try!" Twilight said as she began to levitate her body into the air. She charged up a spell and uttered a magical phrase.

A magic wall formed outside the entranceway, and it started to bulldoze the robots, sending them flying into nearby concrete statues and flower beds outside. As the spell subsided, Butch jumped over the barricade in a gung-ho fashion and charged the beasts with his shotgun. "Guards, stay back! We'll handle this!"

"Yes, sir!" A majority of the security guards responded.

Spike rocketed himself towards a robot and smashed its head apart with a blazing punch, and Twilight vaporized another one with a blast of magic. Even in the intensity of the fight, Butch had an ever-gritty expression on his face. Spike could tell just by looking at him, that he wasn't a stranger to fighting multiple opponents at once. The way he danced around shooting and punching through his enemies was smooth, but terrifying as well. He would pivot on the spot and smash a robot's skull into his knee, then he'd turn and blow another apart with a blast from his cannon-like shotgun. It didn't seem like Butch enjoyed fighting to Spike- rather- Butch kept a calm demeanour, even when facing numerous opponents. It was as if he treated the situation as a normal occurrence- the daily grind. And that baffled Spike greatly. Perhaps being a soldier, Butch got used to such action.

"Spike!" Twilight interrupted Spike's ongoing battle as a skeleton jumped on her back and bit down hard on her right wing, attempting to cripple her. It took Spike a few seconds to realize that the skeletons were only going for Twilight.

"Twilight!" Spike blew apart the robot biting down on her with a fireball to the head but more were piling on top of Twilight. She may have been an alicorn, but she was no match for the robots' overwhelming numbers. In the struggle, one of the skeletons knocked Twilight on the head, rendering her unconscious. Then another one of the skeletons grabbed her and jumped off the hovering landmass onto a nearby building. "Butch, Evelyn! Help me! They're trying to take her!"

"Aw, hell! We can't get to ya! There's too many!" Butch hollered at Spike as he tossed a skeleton off his back. "Get after her! We'll deal with these guys by ourselves!"

Spike took a deep breath, then jumped off the A.M.S building. He was airborne for a few moments, and just before he hit the approaching roof of the skyscraper, he set his hands and feet ablaze and directed them at the building, softening his landing using the propulsion of the flames. He pursued the skeleton holding Twilight down into the streets of Eisen, dodging billboards, airships passing by, and other skeletons trying to slow him down.

"Twilight!" Spike called out to her desperately as he knocked robots off his back who were trying to stop his advance.

Spike finally had enough and propelled himself using his flames. He sped away from his attackers, but the kidnapper was still far ahead, so he used all his magic power trying to gain speed. However, the kidnapper responded to Spike's advance with a burst of incredible speed; bouncing off the roofs of buildings and water towers to try and pick up the pace. Although Spike had the speed advantage, he had a rough time trying to dodge oncoming obstacles. Eventually, Spike lost almost all of his magic power, and he crashed into a water tower on top of another building; falling down onto a roof. But he didn't quit there. He couldn't just let that bucket-of-bolts run off with his best friend.

Spike used all his physical strength to jump from roof to roof; trying frantically to catch up with the mechanised monster. As he started to gain on the creature, he prepared what was left of his magic for one last push. Once the skeleton was within range, he jumped and created a fiery emerald explosion with his hands to push himself ahead.

However, just as he was about to grab Twilight, Spike noticed some kind of portal-like ring form in front of the creature and his alicorn friend. It was a ring made up of a single steel chain, and in the center was a swirling purple vortex that spun like a galaxy. As the skeleton's hand made contact with the dark hole, it vanished, along with Twilight.

"Twilight..." Spike's eyes widened as he realized what had just happened, and he fell down into an alleyway; slamming his head against a wall, and plummeting into an open dumpster below. His eyes fluttered for a few seconds before going dark. "Twi-..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Seven: Captors

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Twilight opened her eyes reluctantly as she began to make sense of her surroundings. The concrete floor was cold and decrepit, and as Twilight tried to pick herself up, she felt a layer of rubble on the ground rub against her palms as she pushed herself off the ground and to her hooves. Twilight's vision was blurry for a moment, and she stumbled a few times before falling flat on her face again. Her head felt like having a rock constantly rattle around inside her skull- pounding against her brain, and as she got up one last time, she felt a trickle of blood pour out of her nose.

She looked around to try and analyze the environment, and it was difficult due to the lack of adequate light and the constant pounding in her head that made it difficult to focus. She was entrapped by some sort of cage anchored to the ground like the kind used in a zoo to contain wild beasts, and outside of the cage was a room of indiscernible size with a surgical table in the center that was faintly illuminated by a fluorescent light dangling from the ceiling. There were surgical tools on a tray next to the table; scalpels, tweezers, bone-saws, syringes, every doctor's tool imaginable.

Twilight felt a chill run down her spine as a she heard a stomping sound, although... it wasn't like any trotting she heard before. It was more along the lines of a metallic noise as if somepony took a piece of steel and smashed it against a rock. The noise got louder and louder until a figure finally emerged from the darkness.

It was one of the skeletons, the same ones that captured her recently. Only... this robot was unique. It didn't seem to have a jaw like the others; just a blank, rounded face that had two purple, unblinking eyes that were fixated on Twilight. Its metal body was extensively armoured, much more than the skeletons she had faced before, and it wore a black leather lab coat similar to the ones mad scientists wear; it fastened the coat as it approached the terrified mare.

"Ah... Princess Tvilight..." The metal beast groaned in a thick accent. His "mouth" seemed to behave like the monitors on life support machines. As he spoke, a small digital line where his mouth should've been started to vibrate, and created zigzags that were similar to his speech patterns. "I vas beginning to sink you vher not going to vake up. My skeletons bludgeoned you severely."

"I-..." A million questions popped into Twilight's head at once, and they all seemed to jumble up into a ball inside her head. As she sat down on the floor, she reorganized her thoughts. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"I good qvestion, Princess Tvilight. My name is Dr. Gearza," The skeleton commended Twilight as he gestured over to two pairs of glowing eyes in the darkness. "Bring him in."

Two robots dragged a squirming stallion into the room. He was bound and gagged, and Twilight could see the fear in his eyes and the sweat dripping down his face. He was thrown on the surgical table beside the odd looking skeleton.

"Now, Tvilight... let me ask you a question..." Dr. Gearza asked her as he strapped the poor stallion to the surgical table with three thick strips of leather; disturbing Twilight as he grabbed a hefty looking bone saw. "Do you believe in individual eqvality?"

"W-well, I..." Twilight trailed off as she found herself stuttering again. She watched as Dr Gearza drove a syringe filled with a strange pink liquid into the writhing stallion's neck and injected him with the odd fluid. Within seconds, the stallion stopped resisting, and Dr. Gearza positioned his bone-saw just above his head. "What are you doing?!"

"Freeing him, Princess," Dr. Gearza replied in his electronic, monotone voice as he began to saw away at the stallion's skull until he reached the brain. He dug his metal hands inside the stallion's head and ripped out his grey matter, along with parts of his brain-stem, and he placed it inside a jar full of translucent green fluid on the table nearby. "I have freed him from veakness... from personality."

"Why did you do that?!" Twilight hollered at him as she gripped the prison bars in frustration. Dr. Gearza clapped his hands together and summoned two other robotic grunts, who hauled in the empty robotic frame of yet another mechanical skeleton and placed it on the floor beside the operating table.

Dr. Gearza lovingly placed the brain inside the hollow head of the robot, and poured the green liquid inside; sealing the glass dome that covered the cyborg's sensitive area. The robot sprung to life soon after and started snarling and hissing as it tried to adjust its perception. "Good as new... isn't it beautiful?"

"What are you talking about?!" Twilight barked at him as she watched Dr. Gearza release the stallion's hollow shell from the leather restraints and pulled a lever attached to the surgical table; tilting it, and opening a trap door underneath. Twilight stared, wide-eyed in horror as she witnessed the lifeless corpse fall into the black pit bellow. "Why are you doing this?"

"Imagine a vorld vithout veakness, Tvilight. A vorld vithout violence, racism, ignorance, pain. That is my goal, Princess," Dr. Gearza continued as he pulled up a metal chair and placed it just outside the cage so he could get a look at Twilight. He waved her over politely. "Come here."

"Why should I listen to you?" Twilight grit her teeth in anger as she backed away.

"Because your life is in my hands..." Dr. Gearza pressed a button on his forearm, and Twilight felt a device around her neck begin to squeeze tighter. "I vill not repeat myself again. Now, come here."

"If you need me... there's no way you'll kill me!" Twilight realized as her back hit the wall.

"Not exactly..." Dr. Gearza corrected her as he stood up. "You see, Gek needs your brain- your knowledge. I can easily turn you into von of my creations, and nopony vill know das difference. Now, Tvilight... come here."

Twilight felt the pressure leave her neck as she drew closer to the mechanical doctor, and he grabbed her hair suddenly; tugging her closer forcefully. Dr. Gearza reached over to the surgical table and grabbed his flashlight, then began to shine the beam of light in each eye individually.

"You have a mild concussion, but nussing debilitating..." Dr. Gearza identified her condition as he put his miniature flashlight away. "Now, tell me... have you had hallucinations yet? Dreams?"

"Go on, sweetie! Tell the good doctor what's up! He's got a licence after all!" Gek appeared behind Twilight and placed is an arm around her shoulder; staring at her with his haunting eyes that were like voids leading to the pits of despair. "Well... you gonna tell him or what?"

"I'm not telling you anything." Twilight crossed her arms defiantly, then fell to the floor in agony as the collar around her neck began to grip tighter. She tried using her magic, but her horn crackled and fizzled like a malfunctioning roman candle. "My... magic!"

"Oh, good call, good call!" Gek clapped sarcastically. "You really are a tough nut to crack aren't ya?"

"A magic inhibitor, yes... you are an alicorn afta all, Princess," Dr. Gearza pressed the button on his arm again, and Twilight's breathing returned to normal as the collar deactivated; releasing pressure on her neck. He snapped his fingers and another two robots entered the room.

"I've-... I can see him right now." Twilight admitted as she pointed over to Gek, but it was obvious Dr. Gearza couldn't see him.

"Marvellous... truly marvellous. Now, tell me... has he shared his thoughts vith you? It must be wundersam to have all that knowledge at your fingatips..." Gearza drew uncomfortably close and squeezed his head in between the bars of the cage.

"Oh, I'm flattered!" Gek chuckled delightfully as he danced around Dr. Gearza, then a sudden banging noise interrupted his joy. It was emanating from a dark corner of the room.

"Ah, that vould be Kaisa's lackeys. They are here to escort you to him." Dr. Gearza unlocked her cell in a stoic fashion as he ushered her out of the cage. "Now leave my presence, Princess. I have important vork to attend to. Take her upstairs."

The two cyborgs dragged Twilight upstairs and out the a door; tossing her over to a pair of shrouded cultists armed with laser rifles. They grabbed her arms tightly and walked her down a narrow hallway decorated with tattered red banners illuminated by overhead fluorescent lights; some of which were either flickering incessantly like a strobe light or giving off a stomach-churning humming sound. There was a thin layer of dust that was kicked up as they walked over the old floor; Twilight thought this must have been some kind of underground complex based on the electric lights and concrete walls.

"Where are you taking me?" Twilight asked; struggling against their grasp.

"To Father Kaiser, Blessed One." The cultist on her right responded. She was slightly confused by what he had called her.

"Is he your leader?" Twilight wondered.

"No, he is a prophet, a guardian of the sacred knowledge of our Lord. He walks in the hoofsteps of giants, and we follow." The cultist on the left answered; the calm, almost sociopathic tone in his voice unsettling the distressed alicorn.

"How many of you are there?" Twilight asked although, she knew she wasn't going to get a straight answer.

"Enough to lay waste to any army that stands in our way." The cultist on the right replied; causing Twilight to sigh. That wasn't a number, really... it wasn't even an estimate.

As they reached the end of the hall, the two cultists opened a metal security door, unwinding a valve that released air pressure. It flung open with a deafening creak; it was obvious the facility hadn't been maintained since whoever built it left, or rather, was ousted by somepony else (possibly the cult itself).

Twilight was tugged through the opened doorway into an enormous chamber that was lit only marginally better than the previous areas. Torches were hung on the walls and bonfires were blazing amongst the mass of ponies gathering in the center, a crowd that hummed an incomprehensible tune, and kneeled before an altar in prayer. Granted, fluorescent lights were hung from above, so there was really no need for the torches. Twilight only caught glimpses of the crowd before being escorted to a "backstage" room hidden by huge sheets of steel ripped from bombers, jets, anything salvageable. They stopped at another metal door that was constructed out of road-signs that were sloppily spray-painted grey. Once that door opened, there was a massive vault door with five keys inserted in a slot. As the cultist twisted the valve on the door, the keys turned with it, opening the vault and revealing the next area.

"He is in here. Go now, child." The cultist on the left motioned towards the door, and Twilight obeyed reluctantly, feeling the collar jerk slightly. Twilight was distraught by the collar's strange ability to sense her thoughts and feelings.

Twilight walked through the vault door into yet another chamber that was much smaller than the previous one. It was a throne room, but not quite. It was decorated with the same red banners from the hallway that all had the same symbol of a serene angel with a hammer and a scythe in its grasp, with the same three words surrounding the emblem "Peace, Unity, Fertility". At first, the image appeared pleasant to the eye, but as Twilight looked closely, it seemed as if the angel transformed into something evil- something fierce and powerful. The angel was, perhaps, a deceiver; a herald of lies for the masses. The propaganda struck her like a piece of metal slamming against a bell; echoing for a few moments.

"That is a symbol of The Dictatorship, my child." An abyssal voice instructed Twilight as a figure broke through the shadows that shrouded the other end of the room in a black nothingness. It was a stallion, tall and stoic like Winslow, but his presence was not like him at all. In fact, as he drew closer, Twilight felt pins and needles prick at her body. It was some kind of aura he emitted. She tensed her body as his face finally became visible. "There is nothing to fear, Blessed One."

The stallion's face was grey, and his long, pale blue mane was slicked back naturally. The most distressing feature, however, was his striking eyes that were black with purple dots in the center where his pupils should have been, and his jagged horn shone a faint glow, like chrome. His horn looked like a crudely fashioned saber. "Are you...?"

"I am Father Kaiser, child. The head of the snake." The dark-faced stallion grinned as he approached her, and caught a glimpse of her collar. "How barbaric... we must remove that wretched device immediately."

Twilight felt an overwhelming force pry at the collar as Kaiser raised his hand. Twilight identified it as telekinesis, but... far more controlled and precise. He was actually disassembling the collar into its basic components, rather than just tearing it off.

"There." Kaiser gave her a half smile as he tossed the pieces of the collar aside. "Are you feeling better, Twilight?"

"How do you all know my name?" Twilight interrogated him, although, based on her situation it was more of a questioning rather than an interrogation.

"We know because Gek knows..." Kaiser smile grew wider as he tapped on his temple lightly. "I can sense his presence all around you. It smells... overpowering."

"Why did you take my collar off just now? It was the only thing keeping me from just running off." Twilight asked him.

"Oh? Well... run off then, and never come back." Kaiser motioned towards the door, and Twilight ran for it. As she put her hand on the door handle, she felt an indivisible hand pull her back and spin her around to face Kaiser, and he grabbed her jaw with his large hands, lifting her up in the air.

His power wasn't just precise, he completely tore through her magical defence and rendered her useless. Twilight had never felt such power from a unicorn before. It was clear that his telekinetic abilities surpassed her own, even Celestia's. What was most peculiar about his telekinesis was that it wasn't generated by magic. It was something else.

"If you're wondering why you can't break free from my grasp, it is because my abilities do not originate from my horn. My telekinetic field is created by my brain naturally, rather than artificially engineered by magic. There is no magic for you to counter, child." Kaiser explained as he brought Twilight closer to his face. "You are helpless."

"Go to hell." Twilight spat on him, and he wiped his face with an annoyed expression.

"Must I teach you manners, child?" Kaiser raised an eyebrow, and tossed Twilight into a wall, leaving her breathless and stunned. His horn shone a dark red, and bolts of crimson lightning coated his metal-encased hand as red hot spikes in his gauntlet dug deep into his forearm. "I am sorry... but this is a necessary evil, Blessed One. Lord Gek, forgive me. Maw Of Agony: Searing Hand."

Kaiser struck Twilight with a torrent of malicious red lightning, only it hurt far more than any electricity she had experienced. In fact, it wasn't lightning at all. It was something far worse. It felt like she was being branded all over her body, like she had been thrown into a pit of glass, every agonizing torture method imaginable... and it was all happening in mere moments. She screamed, and whimpered, but she did not beg for mercy. Showing him any obedience would only be a victory for her captors. She would not bend, no matter how painful it was.

"Wow. That looked like it hurt! You alright, snookums?" Gek laughed as he danced around Twilight, who laid in a heap on the ground.

"What you've experienced just now is my true magic, The Maw Of Agony. I am able to toss physical pain and suffering from my body, onto somepony else..." Kaiser grinned maniacally as the spikes on his gauntlet popped back out. "Do not suspect that I came to this land with a just a scroll. I have brought a sword as well, and it shall reign terror on the Lord's enemies. That was my weakest spell, please do not insult me again."

"Better listen to him, junior!" Gek warned Twilight as he laid down beside her.

"I won't... listen to you, or anypony in this ludicrous cult!" Twilight coughed up blood as she cursed Kaiser again.

"I expected more from you, child..." Kaiser sighed as the spikes on his back punctured him. "Now, I will break you."

"Wow, I should've brought popcorn!" Gek chuckled psychotically as he watched Twilight's get shocked over and over.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Eight: The Warehouse

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Liazo and the others hid behind a large c-can placed near the entrance of Moody Harbor Warehouse. The warehouse was swarmed with armed guards, and the grey sky above made the atmosphere all the tenser; a mist layering the ground and adding to the still mood. As they gathered, Liazo prepared his butterfly knives with a few flicks of the wrist, and Gin loaded up all of her flintlock pistols.

"You think those guns'll do the trick, sister?" Liazo shot Gin a doubtful expression, and she simply loaded another proudly.

"Oh, I'm good with flintlocks, mate," Gin gave him a smug grin as she loaded up her final flintlock (impressing Liazo with the speed at which she loaded them).

"So, do we have a plan?" Rainbow Dash inquired as she scooted Edgar over to talk to Liazo.

"Yeah," Liazo answered as he poked his head around the c-can and looked up at a band of thugs on the roof of the building, "Okay, I got it. Rainbow Dash, I want you to take out those guards up on the roof, and you gotta be quiet about it- make sure they don't get a shot off."

"Got it." Rainbow Dash nodded.

"Gin, you stay with me. We'll enter once Rainbow Dash gives us the word." Liazo informed her as he tucked his head behind cover. "We're going stealth, so don't fire a shot until I give you permission. We're taking them out silently."

"Aw..." Gin frowned as she holstered her pistol, which was out and ready to tussle. She brought her knife out with a momentary grin that faded as she stared at it for a while. "It's just not the same..."

"Edgar, I want you to stay here and out of sight, okay?" Liazo looked up at the hulking behemoth, who was trying desperately to stay hidden (the c-can was not as tall as him). "I want you to bust down the front door if things go south."

"Alright," Edgar grunted as he hunkered down into a ball.

"Let's get going then," Liazo peeked around the corner again. "RD, you're-."

"Back in less than a minute!" Rainbow Dash was gone before he could even finish his sentence, and the only evidence that indicated that she had been in that spot was a dust trail that dispersed as it rose high into the air.

"Damn." Gin whistled as she heard quiet jet-like noise echo in the air.

The supersonic pegasus landed on the roof behind an air conditioning unit; out of an approaching guard's line of sight. Rainbow Dash waited until he passed by, and before he had a chance to even speak, she put him in a sleeper hold. He passed out within a few seconds as she put his neck in a vice, and to her displeasure, the guard 's head hit the side of the air conditioning unit; alerting another guard who was in close proximity.

As the other guard ran over to the source of the noise, Rainbow Dash flew around him like a boomerang, and jabbed him in the temple; rendering him incapacitated. After another guard caught her in the act, she picked up the pace, and jabbed him in the throat to silence him, then gave him a swift shot to the back of the head. She emitted a loud cracking sound as she zoomed around the roof; taking down guard after guard until they were all no more.

"Nice... I must've broken some kind of record there." Within thirty seconds, she took down the entire group of spotters on the roof. Rainbow Dash activated her communicator as soon as the last guard dropped. "Yo, Liazo. The roof is clear. You can take down the guards in the front now."

"Nice. See if you can sneak in from the roof. We'll meet you inside." Liazo grinned as he peeped around the corner one more time to get a good idea on where each guard was stationed. "Alright. Gin, just follow my lead. If things go awry, just shoot. Understand?"

"Alright, mate. Let's roll." Gin poked her head around the corner with Liazo. "So who do you want to take out first?"

"We should take out the guards that are roaming around first. We'll leave the stationary ones by the door until we've dealt with the other-. Shit!" Liazo ducked behind cover again as a guard looked in his general direction and walked over to the c-can. Gin gave the nervous half-changeling a worried look. "Don't worry, he ain't sure. Edgar, as soon as he turns the corner, you knock him out."

"Yeah, yeah." Edgar groaned as he wormed by Gin and Liazo to the end of the c-can.

Edgar stood, or rather, sat at the ready for the guard, and as he poked his head around the c-can, Edgar's massive metal paw enveloped the peeping guard's face; silencing him. He squirmed about for a few moments before Edgar lightly tapped him on the back of the head; knocking him out cold, and making him look like a limp noodle as he dangled in the air for a while. Edgar placed him in a nearby trash bin; sloppily tossing a bag of trash on him to hide his unconscious body.

"Elegant." Liazo mocked Edgar's attempt at being stealthy.

"Oh, you try being a ninja when you're almost sixteen feet tall!" Edgar snapped back at the smug stallion.

"Let's focus, guys!" Gin rolled her eyes as she peeked around the opposite end of the c-can. "You two bicker like an old married couple."

"Okay, alright!" Liazo waved his hands in the air in defeat as he looked back at the two stationary guards. Luckily, they hadn't noticed them yet. "Alright, let's see here... there's... two more roaming around, I'd say. I'll take the one on the left, you take the one on the right. Sound good?"

"Yep." Gin nodded as she advanced towards the warehouse entrance, ducked behind a storage crate, and brought out a bottle of rum she was storing in her coat. It was almost empty, and she took one last swig of the remaining liquid. "That's good..."

Liazo tried running to the left, but he was stopped by a big arm that blocked his way. "What is it now?"

"We haven't established a signal yet for when you need me." Edgar reminded Liazo, and the half-changeling brushed his hair back in frustration.

"Oh, for the love of - okay, um... does "Ding-Dong" sound good?" Liazo sighed as he looked back at Edgar with a disappointed expression.

"I suppose it will have to do..." Edgar crossed his arms and motioned towards the warehouse.

"Thank you!" Liazo bowed and ran over to the other side opposite to where Gin was; vaulting over a stack of crates into cover.

On Gin's side, there was a thug leaning on a c-can across from the storage crates she was hiding behind. She stopped slouching and bent her head back to get a view of the guard. He was smoking a cigarette, and not paying much attention to his surroundings. Gin picked up a pebble off the ground and tossed it at his smoke; extinguishing the cigarette, and angering the guard.

"Alright, who fuckin' threw that?!" The thug called out to whoever threw the rock, and then he drew his pistol. "You better come out, dammit!"

As the guard pointed his gun over to where Gin was, he heard a "ding" sound behind him, and he turned around absent-mindedly; unaware that Gin had jumped over the stack of crates just as he looked away. Before he could even say another word, Gin took her bottle of rum and slammed it against the guard's temple; flattening him.

"Dumbass..." Gin chuckled lightly to herself as she stared down at the guard and shook her head in disappointment.

Liazo was stalking a guard walking down a corridor formed by a two rows of c-cans, and every time the guard would look back, Liazo hid behind another conveniently placed stack of crates; waiting for the perfect moment to strike. As the guard made his way to the end of the corridor, Liazo whistled him over.

"What the..." The guard trailed off as he cautiously approached the stack of storage crates; shouldering his rifle.

In an instant, Liazo sprang out of his hiding place and hit the thug's neck with his opened hand, which was to the side like a blade. The knuckle of Liazo's little finger impacted the guard's neck with sufficient force to disturb the blood flow to his brain, and the guard hit the ground with soft "thud" without a word. He ran over to another stack of shipping containers close to the entrance.

"Hey, Gin. You good?" Liazo used his communicator.

"The guard is out. Where should we meet up?" Gin asked as she looked over to the guards standing by the metal door leading into the warehouse.

"There's another stack of crates piled in front of the guards. I'm already there." Liazo informed her as he watched Gin vault over more crates and barrels to get to him. "Stay low."

As Gin sat down beside Liazo and put her back against the crates, she peeked a little. The guards were motionless, and there was no viable cover near them to get a good angle. Gin and Liazo knew they had to distract them somehow, but it had to be subtle; not enough to compel other guards inside the warehouse to go outside.

"We need to occupy them, so I can sneak around an-. What are you doing?!" Liazo uttered in shock as she watched Gin undo the top four buttons of her blouse, remove her jacket, and set her weapons aside.

"I'll be the distraction, just get going." Gin ordered him firmly, although, it took a while to regain his composure as he sat and stared at her cleavage for a moment with his jaw hanging open. She gave him a swift backhand across the face. "Quit gawking ya dolt!"

Liazo quickly snapped out of it and looped around another c-can to flank them, and he waited for the right opportunity. Gin grabbed her empty bottle of rum out of her jacket and stood up; pretending to stumble and stagger about like a drunken wench. At first, the guards raised their guns with caution, but as they analyzed the mare, they came to realize the threat level of the situation.

"What the hell-. What are you doing here, you bimbo?! This area is off-limits!" The guard yelled at Gin, who was tripping over her own two hooves. He ran over to her in fear that she might hurt herself, and tried helping her walk, but Gin batted his hands away.

"Wha-?" Gin responded with a lazy-eye as she hiccupped; moving her head around side to side as if she got lost in a cave. "Who are you guys?! I-... ugh."

"Listen, we don't have time for this, you drunken whore! We've got a job to do! Why don't you just run off, and-!" The other guard was cut off as he felt Gin take his head and ram it into her bosom.

"Say... you're two are cute..." Gin blushed as she licked the other guard on the cheek. "I'm sure two big, strong stallions like yourselves, haven't had the company of a mare like me before. What do ya say?"

"Well, I'm not opposed to the idea... are you, Frank?" The guard with his face buried in Gin's chest mumbled.

"Um, no... I'm cool with it." The other guard smiled weakly as she felt Gin's hot breath on his face.

"Good." Gin purred as she freed the trapped guard from her grasp and stumbled back. "Now, close your eyes and pull down your pants... I've got a surprise for you both."

"Aw, man are we gonna have our-!" The two guards were knocked out by Liazo, who hit them both in the back of the head. They fell to the ground with their pants undone, and as their heads slammed into the pavement, Gin bit her lower lip, trying not to burst into hysteric laughter.

"Oh, I love being a mare sometimes!" Gin grinned gleefully as she patted the two guards on the head and gathered her belongings, which were strewn across the ground behind the pile of crates.

"You are devious." Liazo gave her a nod of approval as he watched her get reorganized.

"I know." Gin giggled as she put her belt of guns back on and fastened her jacket. "So, what now?"

"Hang on... hey, Rainbow Dash! You there?" Liazo asked her through his communicator, but there was no answer. "Aw, hell... they must've caught her! We've got to get in there, and fast!"

Liazo and Gin opened the door quietly and stepped inside the warehouse. They were surprised to find that the room was completely empty. In fact, there wasn't a single soul in the room beside Rainbow Dash, who was tied to a chair on the other side of the room next to an empty conveyor belt where guns should have been.

"Rainbow Dash!" Gin shouted as she ran over to her and pulled the gag out of the pegasus' mouth.

"Aarrghh! Guys! There're two other ponies in here! They aren't normal either they're-." Rainbow Dash trailed off as she heard hoofsteps coming from a nearby metal stairwell.

"Hello, Liazo... my beloved." A seductive voice as smooth as butter cooed.

"No, not you." Liazo felt a chill run down his spine as he heard the mare speak.

She was the most beautiful mare Gin and Rainbow Dash had ever seen. The graceful earthpony wore an exquisite single-strap, red sequin dress that went down past her hooves, and her long and wavy blonde hair hung down past her shoulders. The burgundy-furred mare had as much makeup on as Rarity, and they could tell, that even without her extensive navy blue eye shadow and mascara she still would've looked stunning.

"Yes, me..." The mare whispered as she walked towards them with one hand on her hip. "How have you been, darling?"

"Just peachy." Liazo gritted his teeth as he glared at the mare with hateful eyes.

"Oh, Liazo... you're such a handsome and passionate lover, don't look at me with such spite!" The mare blushed as she circled around him. "I don't want our differences to come between us..."

"Who's this creepy broad?" Gin gestured over to the mare.

"Maria Catelli... Godfather Fonzi's daughter." Liazo grumbled as he kept his eyes locked on the mare.

"Oh, you do remember me!" Maria's eyes widened, and she blushed even harder as if she were getting a charge just by hearing Liazo's voice. She licked her lips greedily as she kept circling him.

"What are you doing here, Maria? Where's all the weapons?" Liazo demanded as he grabbed her shoulder, but he looked away once he heard another pair of hoofsteps drawing closer. "Oh hell..."

A malicious looking, lime-furred stallion approached the group with deranged eyes. He was tall, taller than Liazo, and he was built like a tank- big and burly. He was wearing a wife-beater and black jeans, and his short-cut black hair made it look all the more genuine. He tugged on his gold chain necklace as his face contorted into a sick and twisted grin. "Well, well, well... if it isn't Liazo! And look, he brought some friends to play with us!"

"Hey, Marco. Glad to see you've still kept the good old cliché Romian-thug look. You really rock that gold chain." Liazo taunted the hardy looking stallion, who was not impressed at all by his sarcasm.

"Well, I like to keep it traditional, you know?" Marco smiled as he cracked his knuckles. He closed his eyes for a moment, then as he opened them, they transformed. His eyes were almost completely red, and the only remnant of what used to be his regular eyes were green rings that looked like his irises. "Now, I'm only going to say this once. Get outta here."

"No chance, Marco." Liazo put his butterfly knives away and stood still. "My team and I want info."

"Well then, I guess I'll have to knock some sense into ya." Marco chuckled as he stared down Liazo.

"I'm so sorry about this, my love." Maria frowned as her eyes morphed too; hers had blue irises instead of green.

"What are you two going to do to-." Rainbow Dash was cut-off by Liazo, who put his hand up to silence her.

"Rainbow Dash, Gin... I want you two to get out of here." Liazo demanded as he turned his head towards them. His eyes were like theirs as well, only his had silver irises. "These two are dangerous."

"But Liazo you-." Rainbow Dash was shushed by Gin.

"We should listen to him. I don't think have a hot clue what we're dealing with, here." Gin convinced the driven pegasus, who had to agree.

As Gin and Rainbow Dash headed for the door, it was blocked by a giant mass of flesh that sprouted from Maria's shoulder like the roots of a tree. The flesh was in fact hundreds of squirming hands and arms, and they clawed at the air blindly as the two approached the door. "Nopony's going anywhere."

"I'm going to have a lot of fun killing you all." Marco grinned maniacally as a fibrous tissue began to sprout from his back and envelop his body; forming an armor composed of muscle and tendons.

"You ain't killin' anypony tonight." Liazo exhaled deeply as two silver tendrils shot out of his back and whipped around like octopus tentacles. He taunted the two monsters; waving them over. "Bring it."

Marco roared as he charged at Liazo, and he swung at him just as he came within range. Liazo however, dodged without any effort, and jumped over him with ease; slicing at his back with sharpened mercury tendrils. Marco's armor repaired itself quickly, and the muscular beast grabbed Liazo and tossed him into the side of a water tank, cracking through the thick steel, and releasing a large amount of water into the warehouse- enough to soak the whole floor with a thin layer of fluid. Liazo's bones and muscles snapped back in place as he recovered from the blow, and he got revenge with a barrage of mercury needles that shot out of his tendrils; puncturing Marco's defence as spines lodged themselves in his chest and arms.

"Die!" Maria screamed as she spawned hundreds of limbs that sought-out Rainbow Dash and Gin.

"Quick, untie me!" Rainbow Dash demanded as Gin began cutting the rope with her pocket knife. She cut through just in time, and Rainbow Dash jumped into the battle with her.

Rainbow Dash moved so fast, the hands couldn't catch up with her. She practically teleported as she evaded the constant onslaught of hands and claws, and in a flash, she was within striking distance to Maria. Rainbow Dash hit her with a supersonic fist that made a loud "wham!" as it impacted her; sending her backwards, but not staggering her completely.

"You stand in the way of my beloved Liazo! Therefore, you must perish!" Maria growled as she knocked Rainbow Dash aside with a wall of flesh.

"Oh yeah? Well, the only thing you're standing in the way of is..." Rainbow Dash vanished momentarily, then appeared behind Maria; giving her a swift kick to the side which launched her into the wall. "My hoof!"

As Gin pulled her pistols out, she looked over to Rainbow Dash with a raised eyebrow. "That was weak, sister... you've got to work on your material."

"Yeah, that sounded a lot better in my head!" Rainbow Dash admitted with a smile as she saw Maria lying in a heap by the wall.

Liazo and Marco were constantly matching each other blow for blow; Marco focused on raw power, and Liazo focused on agility and precision. While Marco put up a decent fight, he was beginning to turtle, and Liazo caught on quickly. He jabbed Marco through the chest with a massive mercury-blood spine. Outraged by that, Marco grabbed Liazo and pinned him down on the ground with a muscle wrapped hand. "Any last words, Liazo?"

"Just two..." Liazo grinned mischievously as he spat up a little blood. "Ding-Dong!"

"What the hell is that?" Marco belly-laughed as he squeezed Liazo tighter. "Those are your last words? That was so pathet-."

A giant metal fist smashed through the wall with untold force, and struck Marco like a freight train at full speed, slamming into his body with a deafening "boom!", and propelling him through the water tank, and then into the wall on the opposite side of the spacious warehouse. With another two punches, the wall was reduced to rubble by Edgar, who stepped inside with an angered expression.

"Ding-Dong." Edgar groaned with a voice like rolling thunder. "How badly do you want me to hurt him, Liazo?"

"Flatten his ass!" Liazo ordered the brute as he got to his hooves.

"Alright then! First Restrictor Band: Removed!" Edgar bellowed as one of the three chain tattoos around his neck disappeared. Edgar went down on one knee for a brief moment as he took a deep breath, then, as he stood up, steam erupted from his back like a raging volcano; letting out a squeal as it escaped his body.

"What's happening to him?" Rainbow Dash asked Liazo, who was regaining his strength.

"Edgar's got a nuclear reaction going on in his body at all times. In order to increase his strength, he lets air flow into his body to fuel the reaction, and he uses water vapour in the air to cool himself down. That's why all that steam is shooting out of him like that." Liazo explained in detail as he watched Edgar pound away at Marco like a punching bag.

With one last roar, Edgar took Marco's arms and ripped them right off; causing him to wail in horror as blood shot out of his armless torso. He fainted not long after. "Damn... you!"

Liazo took one last deep breath and approached Maria along with the others, who was in the midst of recovering from the crushing blow she received from Rainbow Dash. Liazo grabbed her dress and picked her up; shaking her lightly in order to snap her out of it. "Maria, where the hell are all the guns?"

"They're... in the northern district now... you're too late." Maria squeaked softly as Liazo brought her closer. "I don't know anything else!"

"Don't lie to me Maria! Where's that teleporter Sergio told me about, huh?" Liazo demanded as he pointed over to Edgar. "Don't make me tell him to rip your head off!"

"Okay!" Maria cried as Liazo put her down. "It's underground, that's all I know! Our father told us to stall you in order to get the guns there safely!"

"So, where exactly is it?" Liazo asked her; looking back at Gin and Rainbow Dash.

"It's under the Liberty Square Monument- the forefather statues! It was built in secret six years ago!" Maria confessed.

"So, that's how those slimy cultist bastards got in the city so easily!" Gin thought back to Liberty Day.

"Liazo, can you hear me?" Masami's voice buzzed in the halfling's ear. "Long distance communications just got back online!"

"Talk to me, sugar..." Liazo replied as he backed away from Maria. "What's up?"

"The Ministry of Science was attacked three hours ago. The cultists took Twilight as well." Masami informed Liazo and the others through their communicators.

"We've got to get her back!" Rainbow Dash said with a determined look on her face.

"No, we have to regroup back at the house. Spike is unconscious right now, and we don't have a plan yet. Have you guys figured anything out?" Masami wondered; a layer of worry in her tone.

"We know how the cultists are getting in the city," Liazo answered her.

"Good, that's a start," Masami sighed. "Get back here with everpony else."

"Alright." Liazo and the others shut his communicator off. "C'mon guys, let's get moving."

"What about Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said in desperation.

"We'll get to her eventually, but right now, we've got to reorganize ourselves." Edgar chimed in; patting Rainbow dash on the back.

"Then let's get out of here." Gin said as she opened the door.

As Liazo exited the building with the others, he looked back at Maria, who looked at him with tired eyes. "You're not like them, beloved, you know. You're one of us, Liazo... a gola..."

"I'm not one of you." Liazo frowned at her as he began closing the door. "If you two get in my way again, I'll kill you, and Fonzi."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Forty Nine: A Memory of Mine

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"Gaahh! Twilight!" Spike gasped as he practically jumped out of his bed, the evening light shining through his window and into his eyes. He quickly rubbed them to adjust his vision.

"Woah, calm down Spike," Gin got out of her chair next to the window and placed her hand on his chest to ease Spike back down onto the bed, and reluctantly he put his head back on the pillow, putting his right hand on his forehead as he felt his head throb. It felt like a scalpel was digging into his brain. "You took a nasty blow to the head."

"What?!" Spike groaned furiously as he jumped back up, he had hoped what happened was just a terrible nightmare. "Where's Twilight?!"

"Evelyn thinks she was taken to the northern district," Gin explained, trying to calm Spike down. Although, that would not be an easy task. Spike had a deep connection with the purple alicorn, deeper than most friendships.

"Damn it!" Spike punched one of his pillows in outrage, ashamed of his failure to rescue her in time. "It's all my-!"

"Spike, don't do that to yourself. Masami told me what happened, and it wasn't your fault." Gin tried to reassure him, but it didn't seem to help. Spike began to pound his fists against his head in a mindless rage.

"I almost had her, Gin! She was right in front of me!" Tears began to well in Spike's eyes as he thought back to his last conscious moments. "I had her, and now I'll never get her back!"

"I know, but we'll help you get her back..." Gin agreed with him but put a positive spin on it to comfort him. She drew closer to the bed and hugged him abruptly, catching the purple dragon off-guard. She knew it was the only thing that would calm him down. "I'll help you get her back."

Spike found the situation odd. Again, here Gin was, waiting for him to wake, her presence as comforting as ever. She had a profound effect on him like they shared a connection. Although this connection was not like brother and sister, it was purer, like a spring morning, like radiant sunshine that made his woes lighter; less of a burden. Spike wiped the remaining tears from his eyes as he returned the hug, holding her tightly, then loosening his grasp as Gin's heartbeat drained the fear from his body, and her warmth melted the cold and empty doubt that plagued his mind. "Thanks, Gin..."

"For what?" Gin asked as she broke away from the warm embrace.

"For being there for me..." Spike pulled off his sheets as he sat himself down at the edge of the bed beside her. "If there were a seventh Element of Harmony... I think it'd be you. Although, I'm not sure what that element would be called."

"Thank you." Gin beamed as she stood back up and aided Spike to his feet. "Come on, everypony's downstairs waiting for you. We've got a-!"

"You're awake! I was so worried about you, buddy!" Rainbow Dash launched herself at Spike and gave the dragon a bear hug, crushing him a little. "Don't you worry! We're gonna get Twilight back! Evelyn's got a plan!"

"Thanks, Dash..." Spike patted her on the back to "tap out". Rainbow Dash's herculean strength rivalled that of Applejack's, and the hug that pressed his organs together was certainly a display of such power. "But, maybe you should ease up a bit," Spike started turning purple, or rather, more purple than usual. "Please..."

"Oh, sorry," Rainbow Dash's face flushed red as she watched Spike pant profusely. She then gestured to him with a gleeful nod, her mug as brazen and steadfast as ever, even in the face of all the misfortune and uncertainty. "We need you downstairs, pronto! We've got an alicorn to save!"

Spike and the two mares descended the stairwell and looped around, entering the living area, where he was met with the disgruntled expressions of his friends who were gathered around the coffee table, and it seemed as if Rainbow Dash was the only one keeping it together after what happened. Draven greeted Spike with a half smile, pleasant, but grave as if he had failed. "Good to see you awake, lad."

As Spike entered the gathering, Masami approached Spike, and he lowered his head as she drew closer. She put a hand on his shoulder to try and loosen him up. "Spike, I promise we'll get her back no matter the cost. No matter what it takes. Evelyn, tell him the plan."

Evelyn tossed a small disc onto the coffee table, and it made a clicking noise as it landed on the table, latching itself onto the wood surface. As it clicked in, it emitted a bright blue flash; releasing a holographic, three-dimensional map of an expansive area.

"What is this, Evelyn?" Spike inquired as he inspected the territory displayed by the hologram.

"Isn't it obvious? This is The Silence, the district where Twilight is being held captive." Evelyn explained as she rotated the hologram with her hand as if she had telekinesis. "Agent Amos and Golde visited again last night, and they left this with me to plot our course. It has been very helpful."

"We're going to the north district, tomorrow," Masami added as she sat down on a nearby sofa beside Liazo, resting her leg on her knee to get comfortable. "We'll pack up our gear and get going tonight. Charles will be waiting for us at Brandon Military Base, just outside of the southern wall of The Silence."

"But what if it's too late? What if they've killed Twilight?" Spike began to panic as images of Twilight's dead corpse began to dance around in his head.

Draven and Winslow stared at each other for a moment, then gathered around Spike. Draven was the first to speak. "I think it's time..."

"Time for what?" Spike wondered as his attention bounced from Draven to Winslow, back and forth.

"Lad, back at the tournament... Twilight came in contact with Gek, The Sorcerer of Mind. He was trying to corrupt her." Draven sighed for a moment as he watched Spike's face contort into a confused expression, then he continued. "It was then that Winslow intervened and used a mental spell on Twilight to kick him out long enough for us to find a cure."

"It appears to have worn off sooner than expected." Winslow chimed in as he crossed his arms. "The cultists were able to track her using the aura ponies emit when in the process of becoming one of Gek's puppets. That's how they captured her."

"You bastards!" Spike's fists ignited, and he lunged at Winslow. However, he was restrained by Edgar, who stood behind him.

"Still your tongue, Spike!" Winslow bellowed, offended by Spike's outcry."She didn't want you to worry about her, to distract us from our goal! She could have told you earlier, but she chose differently! None of us expected the spell to wear off so quickly, so none of us are to blame! Now listen, or you'll surely never see her again!"

Winslow's words knocked some sense into the young dragon, and Edgar let go of him when he felt that he had cooled down. Spike was still furious, but he accepted the truth and listened to them. "Go on, Evelyn."

"Thank you," Evelyn cleared her throat and began elucidating the details. "We'll enter the district through the front door-."

"The front? Are you out of your damn mind? Why don't we just use the teleporter in Liberty Square to get the jump on em'?" Liazo commented as he put a toothpick in his mouth (he couldn't smoke in the house).

"That's far too risky. We could be falling right into a trap." Butch supported Evelyn.

"Yes, a good point, Butch. But that's only half the story." Evelyn interjected as she took the map and zoomed in on a singular point, a tall rectangular building with a signal tower at the top. "This is an old radio station used to transmit encrypted messages during the civil war. Agent Golde informed me that this station is still running, and emitting a strange frequency, the same one used to shut down the communications systems and teleporters."

"Who's creating these... fre-quen-cies?" Winslow tried sounding out the word, but it didn't roll off his tongue like he thought it would. Admittedly, he wasn't very familiar with the Ausrüstrian language.

"Good question!" Evelyn clapped her hands together as if she were a schoolteacher who just taught a foal how to handwrite. She pressed a button on the disc, and the display morphed into what appeared to be a biological profile of a skeleton-robot, only it differed from the others. "I believe this monster is the prime suspect."

"Who in Equestria is that?" Gin gawked at the strange looking machine, in awe by the complexity of the creature's mechanical body.

"Agent Amos and Golde's associates haven't a clue as to who, or rather, what this pony actually is." Evelyn uttered with disappointment in her tone. "Although, they've made an educated guess that this pony is the one who created the skeletons, and based on patrol reports, this contraption goes by the nickname of Dr. Gearza. Although, he seldom visits the radio tower. He controls it from a distance, but something tells me he'll want to defend it at all costs."

As Evelyn uttered that name, Spike noticed the change in Butch's demeanour. He seemed in shock like an arrow just struck him through the heart. However, he quickly shook his head and relieved himself from whatever was troubling him, trying to hide his revelation.

"What makes this... thing so important?" Rainbow Dash asked as she shot Butch a suspicious look, and he turned away as she did so.

"He can interrupt communications, which, based on the reports, are why patrols are often wiped out. They get separated, and then they perish." She continued. "But we aren't just some average patrol. If we can take this tower out first, we'll be able to communicate with one another inside The Silence."

"Seems like a sound idea," Draven added. "But what's our plan for rescuing Twilight?"

"Amos and Golde will meet us at Brandon Outpost and fill us in on the rest of the details," Masami answered him. "Until then, we best be getting packed."

Draven looked back at Spike, who was still overwhelmed by dread, and Draven could see the tightness in his chest. "Hey, lad. Don't worry, we'll get her back."

"You don't know that," Spike moped.

"I wish I could tell you we're going to get her back for sure, but I can't make promises, Spike. We're all jumping into this whole business blind. Hell, I bet the rest of my crew are confused as hell up in the loading bay of that massive flying machine up in the sky." Draven tried to cheer him up. "But Spike, I'll do all that I can to get her back, and I know you will too. You two are inseparable."

A weak, doubtful smile spread across Spike's face. "Thanks, Draven."

"Hang on a sec!" Rainbow Dash interrupted everypony. "What about Fluttershy? Is she going to join us?!"

Masami thought for a moment. "Well, she's not exactly-."

"I'm coming," Fluttershy insisted.

"Are you sure?" Evelyn questioned her. "The Silence is a dangerous place, you could get killed."

"Yes, I'm sure," Fluttershy nodded. "I- I can't sit on the sidelines and let my friends go without me anymore. I need to be there with them."

Spike felt a lump in his throat and began to protest. "Fluttershy, you can't-."

"Spike, I've made my decision. "Fluttershy stomped on the floor with her hoof.

"Alright then," Masami clapped her hands together. "Let's get ready, why don't we? Meet me and Evelyn here in twenty minutes. I'll prep the teleporter."

****

Upstairs, as Rainbow Dash prepared her clothes in her room, she saw Butch pass by her opened door, and she tried to catch up with him. When she did she grabbed his shoulder, and he recoiled in response, knocking her hand away as soon as it made contact with him. "What the hell do you want?" His reaction seemed too abrupt, almost panicked.

"What's your deal?" Rainbow Dash interrogated him. "Back there, I saw you react when that name was mentioned, Dr. Gearza."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Butch flatly denied her and tried to walk away, but Butch was stopped in his tracks when Rainbow Dash stepped in front of him. "Get out of my way."

"Not until you tell me what's bothering you." Rainbow Dash insisted with a determined expression. "I want to help-."

"Fuck off, you foal," Butch growled at her. "I ain't your friend. You have no right stickin' your nose in my business."

"Something the matter, you two?" Masami interrupted their heated argument as she turned a corner, leaning against a wall adjacent to Rainbow Dash's door.

"No," Butch grunted as he nudged Rainbow Dash aside and continued to the end of the hall, to his room.

Rainbow Dash dusted herself off and huffed as she watched Butch slam his door. "What the hell is his problem? Can you believe hi-." Rainbow Dash stopped once she saw Masami's intense glare. "What?"

"What were you thinking?" Masami said as she crossed her arms. "You can't talk to him like that!"

"Why? He told me to fuck off!" Rainbow Dash snarled at her, and Masami scoffed.

"That stallion has been through a lot of shit in his life, Dash," Masami explained with a somber, empathetic tone. "He's... broken, not right. He never talks about his military service, his family, nothing. All he can do is just bottle things up, keep it inside. If he knows something, he'll tell us eventually... all right? Until then, just give him some space. Let him clear his head."

"I get it, Masami." Rainbow Dash shook her head shamefully. "I got heated, and I'm sorry. I should go-." She was stopped by Masami, who grabbed her arm.

"Like I said, just leave him be. Let him punch something first, vent his emotions." Masami said as she kissed her on the cheek, which made Rainbow Dash blush. "I'll see you downstairs, Kitten."

"Yeah, see ya..." Rainbow Dash chuckled to herself and went back to packing her clothes.

****

Butch groaned as he took a sip of apple juice from his fake whiskey bottle and stared at the ceiling, and he plopped a few pills in his mouth as he got up off his bed and checked the clock hanging up on the wall: 8:18, which left him with five more minutes of time to himself.

He walked over to the chest at the foot of his bed, and he grabbed an old comic book, from before the war. The one a friend gave to him a long time ago, back at Galloway, the last major conflict before The Civil War. He read the cover to himself aloud, but in a soft tone of voice so that nopony would hear him. It was a comic he and Elliot read growing up as a kid, and a friend of his liked them a lot more than he did. It was a gift he never got the chance to give Butch, a thank you gift.

"Captain Ausrüstung: Finest Hour... Issue Number One." He laughed under his breath and flipped through the pages of the comic. "The Cap battles Dr. Gearza." The name echoed in his mind over and over. "Nopony else knows that name but you... that was your favorite villain."

He read the last page of the comic, a page that was inserted by his close friend. It read: Thanks, Butch, you're my hero! Sincerely, Dr. Christoph Kaiber. He weakly laughed again as old memories of his friend came flooding back, memories of his wit and charm, his laugh, his funny accent. He remembered his wife and how sick she got during the war. He remembered when he saw his close friend get kidnapped by the government, and how it sparked his hatred for the old president. He remembered Christoph's drive and his passion for science. It was all gibberish to him, but Butch listened to Christoph when he ranted about physics and engineering. Their conversations made Butch feel whole again like the world wasn't crumbling around him, even though it was.

Then Butch remembered the look on his face, the look on his face when he told Christoph about his wife's passing. He had been imprisoned by the government throughout the war for speaking out against their policies, for eight long years he had been imprisoned, and then Butch had to tell him. He had to tell Christoph about her death. Butch knew the grief all too well, he knew his sorrow, he knew the hate and the self-loathing. But he knew Christoph couldn't handle it. It drove him mad.

Butch closed the comic book and tucked in his coat pocket, just in case he needed to remind himself of a purer time, a time when, for once in his life he didn't feel like a hollow shell, a worthless sack of flesh. He groaned as he took another sip of his apple juice, then he set his cup on the bureau as he exited his room. "I'm sorry I forgot about you, Chris. I'm sorry..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty: Escape

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"Get up, Twilight..." It sounded so familiar to Twilight, warm, caring. Those words echoed in her mind for a few moments before it finally registered. "Get up..." She grabbed a pair of adjacent metal bars, two of the many that surrounded Twilight in her prison cell.

Her body was completely numb like it was all asleep. Her senses were almost completely deadened by Kaiser's excruciatingly painful torture methods. There were slashes all across her face and back, and a few ribs on her right side were fractured, her clothes were in shambles as well. Regardless, she persevered and got to her hooves.

She looked around to find the source of the voice, to find hope, strength, something to dispel her dread, but to no avail. She rested her head on another vertical steel bar and tried to ease her mind. Her whole body was screaming in agony, yet she found herself empty, without feeling. There was no release, however, her body contained the hollow feeling, contained her screams.

"Think, Twilight..." In her peripheral vision, a shimmering glow was visible in the darkest corner of the room, and she looked up. Although, it disappeared as soon as she glanced in its direction. "Think..."

"Celestia?" Twilight called out to the speaker, but her voice was hoarse and dreadful to listen to. She didn't know whether it was just a trauma-induced hallucination or legitimate, but she didn't care. It was enough to reignite her soul though it was still a dim light.

"Yes..." Her voice was hard to hear, but Twilight smiled weakly in response.

"Gek will hear you, Celestia..." Twilight croaked as her eyes fluttered slowly and her smiled faded.

"He cannot, I assure you... but I don't have a lot of time before he notices, so please, listen." Twilight did not have the energy to respond, so she continued. "I don't know where you are or what you're doing, but I can feel your pain. Know that whatever happens, I will be with you, no matter what."

"But what if I-... I can't. This collar I'm wearing-." Twilight tugged on the device around her neck that was negating her magic. "It won't come off."

"You will find a way, you always do, Twilight." Tears began to run down her face as Celestia's soothing voice began to warm her soul. "You alone can achieve great things, and you can escape. Do not let your journey end here, my beloved child. No matter what happens, I believe in you."

"I know..." Twilight wiped away her tears and clenched her fists. She felt her courage return and her wits sharpen. "Thank you."

Just then, she felt Celestia's presence disappear; it was replaced by another force, familiar and menacing. "So, you seem awful bright-eyed all of a sudden. What's gotten into ya? Ya lookin' for another lickin'?" Gek snarled maliciously as he approached her from behind. Twilight didn't reply, looking around for a way out, something to spark her creativity. "Oh, so you're givin' me the silent treatment now, huh? What were you doing in that moment of interference? Who were you talking to?"

"A friend," Twilight replied with a smug grin. "Although, somepony like you wouldn't understand."

"Ooh, sassy..." Gek hissed, watching her roam around the prison cell with his arms crossed and his back against the concrete wall the cell was attached to. "I'm surprised you got your confidence back, seeing as how you were beaten to a bloody pulp. Kiddo, I assure you, you're stuck here."

Twilight scoffed and looked into the dark corner on her right, the same spot where she had seen the familiar light. It was another metal bar, possibly a replacement. It was resting against a concrete pillar, one of the supports for the massive underground complex above. She looked forward and spied a medium sized rock just within arm's reach. It looked weighty enough to provide some momentum, but not sufficient force to break through any barrier, she placed her bets on the bar for that job.

Twilight reached through her cell and grabbed the rock. It was about a pound, enough for what she was planning. Without hesitation, she tore off pieces of her tattered jeans until she was left with upper thigh length shorts, tying the strips into a makeshift rope. She tied the rock to the end.

"Hmm..." Gek observed quietly.

Twilight then used her creation as a poor stallion's grappling hook and swung it around a few times until she gained enough momentum to let it fly. She intended to wrap the bar with the rope, using the rock as a weight. She missed the first shot and tried again, but missed the second time. All those years of reading books didn't really pay off in terms of athleticism. On the third try, she managed to snag it, tying the rope around the middle of the metal bar. It didn't make too much sound, but she didn't want to take the risk of alerting Dr. Gearza's minions or any of the cultists. After taking a deep breath, Twilight tugged on the rope with her right arm, causing the metal bar to fly towards her. Much to her surprise, she caught it in her left hand and exhaled in relief as she slid it into her prison cell.

"Inventive." Gek clapped slowly and sarcastically. "So, what's next?"

Twilight felt the wall for a weak spot with her right hand, then moved it down to the floor, where she identified a chink in the floor. It was a small hole right where the wall intersected with the ground, and the concrete around the narrow opening was thin enough to be chipped away. So, Twilight began to use her metal bar like a pick, and the process lasted a few minutes before she had made a wide enough hole to slide through. The opening she created led to an unknown section of the complex, and she made that assumption based on the fact that there were no lights. With a little hesitation, she slid through the hole quietly and jumped down into the black pit. She grabbed a large chunk of cement off the ground and plugged the hole she made, making sure it looked natural.

"Clever." Gek chuckled as he floated down into the hole after her, but Twilight was still giving him no response. "Oh, lighten up!"

The only light source was the glowing orb that held her collar together. She wanted to find a way to take it off, but not until she escaped. Twilight figured the collar would be able to mask her magic signature, hiding her from Kaiser. She ran down the dimly lit hallway with caution, as she could hear the faint sound of scratching nearby, perhaps a rodent or a rat? Twilight wanted to believe that, but her paranoia had a habit of getting to her in desperate situations. She pressed on, sliding her hand across the rough wall on her right. Twilight eventually stopped at a t-intersection, and looked around, though it was hard to see in such a dark environment, to distinguish an opening from a shadow. She took a left, which led to a dead end, or rather, what was once a dead end. The wall had been smashed open, revealing yet another hidden area of the old building.

The hidden room was certainly old. There was a thin layer of dust covering most objects in the room, and spider webs covered the ceiling like a disturbing duvet. There were glass beakers, test tubes, jars filled with strange specimens, and pieces of old tech left behind by somepony. It was a laboratory, but it obviously wasn't in the best shape. Twilight inspected the walls for a switch of some kind, luckily her time in Ausrüstung taught her a little bit about electricity. She found an old rusty switch, and surprisingly, the room lit up as she flicked it on, although the light was fairly dim.

She wanted to turn around and find another route, but curiosity got the best of her, and she perused the old shelves and drawers, looking for something of value. She found a few books about physics and engineering, but nothing noteworthy. After a few minutes of browsing, Twilight came across an old box, about the size of a large pumpkin, sitting by a wooden table at the end of the room, filled with old papers and small black rectangles that were small in size, no bigger than her own palm. They were each labelled from one to five with big black writing on each item. The first four were labelled 'Dr. Christoph Kaiber's Log', but the second was just signed with illegible scribbles and nonsense.

At first, she had no idea what to do with them, but after inspecting an odd rectangle contraption on the table nearby, she saw a label on it as well. Though the label had no words, simply an arrow pointing down at the open compartment that seemed wide enough to house the little black boxes. She followed the arrow on the little black box and slid it gently into the slot on the machine, pressing the compartment in after she heard a click. She loaded up the first box, and after the machine buzzed a few times, it began to play something. It was a recording of a robotic mare voice that transitioned into a recorded message left by a stallion.

*DR. CHRISTOPH KAIBER LOG: ENTRY NUMBER ONE.*

*Hello? Is zis-... um, yes it is on. I am Dr. Christoph Kaiber, an experimental physicist unt engineer. I have made zeez tapes as a... vay to vent my frustration. You see, very recently, I vas tried for treason by my own country. It vas unfair, unt unjust. Although, I am not angered by zis. I am angered by the foolish decision to drop ze Guiver Device on zis place, zis horrid place! I vas imprisoned in zis room for almost eight years! Eight whole years! Now, here I am once again, thrown avay like some stale piece of bread. I promised myself unt my vife that I vould leave zis place and nevah return, but... my vife is dead. She died a year ago, at ze end of ze war, just as I escaped this retched place. I vas tried for treason the next day.*

*'I had no choice!', I told them. 'Zay forced me to design zeir veapons!". But, zey didn't care. I vas a traitor in zeir eyes. To zem, vith zeir black and vhite vision, I vas evil. I vas exiled, and although I didn't like it, I had to return to zis place... to survive. Now, zare is nothing for me to do here but verk. I vill find a vay to bring her back, I vill! I must begin my verk! I vill update someday soon.*

Twilight loaded the next tape, and looked around the room, stumbling across a drawer full of oddly shaped keys. One of them seemed to fit in the collar nicely, but she hesitated to open it. She listened to the next tape quietly and turned the volume down slightly so that the noise wouldn't echo. She was intrigued by the nervous doctor's story.

*DR. CHRISTOPH KAIBER LOG: ENTRY NUMBER TWO.*

*Using Dr. Aquarius' blueprints, I have made the first android, and it vas a success. Although, she lacks my vife's memories of me. Zare must be a vay to fix zis issue, zare must be a vay! I vill resolve zis issue later, because I have identified strange chemicals in ze air I am currently breathing, no doubt zay are ze leftovahs of ze Guiver Device. I do not know the long-term effects, but for now, I am experiencing mild headaches and nausea. I must remain cautious.*

Twilight placed the third tape in the machine. The next time she heard the stallion's voice he sounded panicked.

*DR. CHRISTOPH KAIBER LOG: ENTRY NUMBER THREE.*

*I cannot continue my verk in zeez conditions! Yesterday I... I saw my vife. She vas sitting on my chair, just over zare in ze corner of ze room. She vas screaming at me... but I-. I couldn't hear her. It vas as if she ver drowning. Ze chemicals are beginning to affect my central nervous system. I must leave zis place at vunce, I-. Vhat vas zat?*

An explosion sound cut out the audio and the tape ended, which intrigued Twilight even more. She popped the fourth tape in.

* DR. CHRISTOPH KAIBER LOG: ENTRY NUMBER FOUR.*

*Zare vas a... explosion. I am trapped in zis room vith no vay of escape. I am running out of time, and options. I see only vun method of escape. To prevent my eventual death, I must transfer my mind into an android body using ze limited resources I have at my disposal. Zare is no telling vhat it vill do to my mind. Vithout a natural endocrine system or an adequate supply of ze organic chemicals needed to generate emotion, I fear I may completely wipe my mind clean. But I must not lose hope, for her. I vill see you again, someday, Helga... I know I vill.*

Twilight's shook her head, pitying the poor doctor who had to make such a hard decision. She loaded up the last tape. This tape sounded harsher, colder, more robotic. The robotic mare voice was corrupted, replaced by a low, groaning voice that shook her to the core. Then, she heard the corrupted voice of Dr. Gearza.

*DR. CHR- CHR- GEARZA'S LOG: ENTRY NUMBER F- F- WARNING: CORRUPTED*

*I have nevah felt more alive. My thoughts are so clear unt precise... so beautiful, deprived of veak thoughts that distracted me before. I must share zis gift vith ze vorld. Yes... I must share zis beauty vis ze vorld.*

"So, now you know how our dear Dr. Gearza got his crazy!" Gek cackled to himself and jumped off of the wooden table. "What a quack, huh?"

"Did you do this to him?" Twilight's face contorted into an angered glare.

"The idiot did it to himself, I had nothin' to do with it," Gek snarled as he slithered behind Twilight and put one arm around her shoulder. "I don't cause chaos, doll... ponies do. I just play with fate a little."

"What happened to him after?" She asked, although she didn't expect to get a straight answer.

"Kaiser found him, obviously. He fixed him up, got him in his best clothes, and took em to church!" He laughed again. "Oh, he's just having a grand ol' time now!"

Twilight wanted to punch Gek, but she knew that would only satisfy him even more. She poked her head out of the opening and headed out into the dark hallway again, shutting off the switch in the laboratory to cover her tracks.

Just when she was about to take the other path, she heard the sound of metal claws scraping against stone. They found her empty cell. She made a quick decision and took off her collar. While she would be visible to Kaiser for a brief moment, she knew that would be much more preferable than being chased by the Gearza's skeletons.

"Smart move, pumpkin," Gek grinned. "Let's see how far you get!"

Twilight dropped the metal bar and replaced it with the collar, ran down the hall as fast as she could, and disappeared into the shadows, hoping she would find some light at the end of the tunnel.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty One: Into The Silence

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Liazo lit a cigarette and listened to some music, it was one of the albums he and jazz group recorded so many years ago. He heard himself on the saxophone. It was smooth, yet sharp, with purpose. He often was reminded of his time undercover when he listened to himself play, a darker time in his past. Jazz was a release for him, a way to vent his emotions. It's what made him always so cool and collected. Although, back then, he found it difficult to express himself when he put on so many masks, the life of an undercover agent was not for the faint of heart. At times, he forgot what side he was on. He knew the Catelli's so well, and despite all the suffering they caused, Liazo understood their struggles. To fit in, to pay for your food and your house, they were just ordinary folk who got desperate, turned to crime and violence to survive. Was he so different? Liazo thought about that as he let out a puff of smoke and laid back in his chair, putting his hooves up on the desk in front of him. Regardless of what he felt about his former family, Liazo knew the Catelli's made a bad move allying with the cultists, and he needed to stop them.

He and the rest of his team arrived at Brandon Outpost the day before, at around eight. The outpost was one of the largest in Ausrüstung, and was attached to the metal, one hundred meter, outer wall that secluded the northern district from the rest of the world. It was much colder up north; the gas fireplace was constantly ablaze in his room. Each room was prepared for their team, catered to their likes and dislikes. There was a fresh supply of cigarettes, the lights were turned down low just the way he liked it, and he had plenty of wine and whiskey to taste. Liazo laughed. If he were to tell his younger self about the life he had with Task Force One, he'd probably think he was crazy. Then there was a knock at the door, interrupting his train of thought.

"Come in," Liazo said as he walked over to his bureau and filled two glasses halfway with whiskey.

It was Gin, and Liazo passed her a drink as soon as she entered. "Thanks, love. Gee... this is cozy." She grinned as she took a sip of her whiskey, but her expression contorted as she felt the drink's firm bite. "Damn, how old is this?"

"Fifty years, or... that's what the bottle says anyways." Liazo replied as he grabbed the bottle and examined the label. "For all we know it could be a thousand. I dunno, kinda all tastes the same after it hits the forty year mark, like ginger and hot sauce."

"I wouldn't say that," Gin said as she took another sip. "I think old liquor has a habit of fooling ponies. It starts out spicy, but after a while, the taste begins to refine. Most ponies usually down it quick because of the heat, but they're missing out if you ask me." Gin set her glass down on the bureau and sat on Liazo's sofa, just a few feet away from his fireplace. "But, you already knew that, didn't you? So tell me, what's got you all riled-up?"

"I'm worried, Gin. I'm worried about the team, it's members." Liazo shook his head and set his glass down beside Gin's, rubbing his temple with his middle and index finger as he did so. "I hate to say it, but we're just as cruel as our enemies. Like them, we've all killed, we've all done unforgivable things. The only difference between us and those crazies is that we're working for the team everypony cheers for. We're all just as evil as them."

"Well, it sounds corny, but... sometimes you have to be bad to fight bad." Gin tried to ease his mind. "You're on the right side, that's all that matters."

"Sure, but... don't you ever feel guilt for the things that you've done?" Liazo asked her as he sat down on the couch beside her.

Gin remembered her life of petty theft before she became a privateer. She remembered the time she stole from an orphanage, the time she stole from an old widow. Her fists clenched for a moment, then she took a deep breath. "All the time..." She sighed, then looked at Liazo. "But, here I am, alive and drinking. I suppose I just learned to live my life with tunnel vision. I only focus on the now and tomorrow, and I think that's all that matters. I've accepted my past misdeeds, and I guess I've learned to just... let them go, because I can't go back in time and fix it."

"I guess we all need to let go once in a while, huh?" Liazo smiled as he poured Gin and himself another glass. "So, are we gonna hit the road soon, or what?"

"Yeah, we will." Gin nodded. "We're all briefed and we know the plan, all that's left is to get our shit together and storm those gates."

"Who knows what'll be in there. The wall's been shut for more than a decade."

"Yeah, but we'll be ready. We've got Butch, Edgar, you..." Gin thought back to the warehouse. "Speaking of which... what were those powers? Back at the warehouse, I mean. It looked like you knew those ponies too."

"Yeah, that..." Liazo scratched the back of his neck in an exhausted fashion. "Back in the day, I used to be a private undercover agent. I'd infiltrate the ranks of a crime group, then bust em'. Life was, well... liveable for a while. It put a decent amount of money on the table, but... I was pretty desperate for cash back then. That desperation led me to a high paying job, one thought to be impossible. The Catelli's."

"So, you were working for them, but not really?" Gin inquired.

"Yeah, exactly. I worked with them for a while, but... the deal got dicey. I was taking my time, learning about them. It took me a while to realize that I began to treat them like friends, like family, the line became blurred and... I had to get out of the game." Liazo downed his whole glass of whiskey. "I ratted them out finally, locked up most of the gang, but... it didn't go as smooth as I thought. They busted outta prison the next day, went underground, which was bad news for me. I had to disappear too, get away from them. That's when Charles found me."

"And your powers?" Gin wondered. "Viper didn't have that bloody fast regeneration or those freaky eyes..."

"The inner circle of the Catelli mob possesses the supernatural powers of the gola, zombie-like creatures that feed on flesh. Each gola is unique in its own way, and by that, I mean powers. There are two ways to become one. Number one is through genetics, the second way..." Liazo tugged on the collar of his red dress shirt to reveal the lower portion of his neck, which had a large circular scar, a bite mark. "Is through initiation... infection. They accepted me into the inner circle just before I left. For a time, they were the closest thing I had to a family."

"So, if you're a zombie, are you dead?" Gin asked as she stood up and examined his bite mark.

"No, just half-dead." Liazo chuckled to himself. "It comes with its perks and its downsides. My unique, cloned brain allows me to resist the urge to consume flesh more than most golas, but I still get a little peckish from time to time."

"Sounds like fun." Gin laughed lightly. "Thanks for telling me about... yeah."

"I should be thanking you," Liazo grinned as he poured one last drink for himself and downed the whole thing. "It's good to know I can trust somepony. Now, let's get movin'. I wanna personally shove my hoof way up Fonzi's ass."

****

After the mission briefing, Rainbow Dash went to Masami's room, where she was readying herself for the mission at hand. Although, it wasn't what she expected. When Rainbow Dash entered her room, she saw Masami, standing in front of an old chest that was laying at the foot of her bed.

Masami took a deep breath as she looked down at the chest that sat just in front of her. She thought of Hiro, his teachings, his kind voice. Every fiber of his being was contained in his chest, the chest that she salvaged from his dojo. It was his heart, contained in a two hoof by four hoof chest. Rainbow Dash watched Masami as she knelt before the container and bowed her head with her eyes closed.

"What are you doing?" The curious pegasus asked as she crouched down and investigated the odd, black chest covered in strange symbols.

"Paying my respects to my master, Hiro," She muttered as she opened her eyes and unlocked the chest with a red key. "I asked for his permission to take his sword."

"His sword-?" Rainbow Dash trailed off as Masami reached into the opened container and withdrew a meter and a half long blade, shielded by a sheath. "Whoa..."

The blade was a sight to behold, even with the sheath hiding the blade. Its handle contained smooth, flat pieces of jade, and its hilt was jet black like a piece of obsidian. The sheath was gray and decorated with complex ink drawings of snakes, trees, mountains, waterfalls. The blade certainly had a story to tell. Rainbow Dash gasped as Masami slowly pulled the sword out of its sheath, revealing the elegant blade beneath. The gleaming metal was so polished and clean, it was hard to tell whether the blade was silver or pure white. As Masami waved the katana in front of her, Rainbow Dash heard a faint humming noise, an echo emanating from a realm beyond her perception.

"This is Hiro's blade, Kochi, a blade passed down by his ancestors for generations. And now, the only Wakahisa has fallen to darkness. He has already claimed a blade of his own, filled with violence and hate." Masami explained as she slid the sword back into its sheath. "Now, Hiro has granted me his blessing, and I may use his blade."

"How do you know all this?" Rainbow Dash asked as she knelt down beside her.

"The Pēru are all connected. We breathe, dream, and think as one. We all are in sync with the spirits around us, it's in our blood." Masami said as she set down in front of her. "This probably sounds a lot like fiction, but... Pēru can talk to the departed, our ancestors."

"That's not hard to believe. I've seen a lot of crazy stuff before." Rainbow Dash assured her.

"Yeah, well... my culture is pretty batshit insane." Masami snapped back to her old joking self, then Rainbow Dash chuckled. "What?"

"Everypony's insane, Masami." Rainbow Dash laughed, although, she didn't really know why. Masami joined in too, and after almost laughing themselves to death, they laid on the floor beside each other. "That was... stupid."

"Yeah, I guess. I liked it, though. It felt good to let that out." Masami gave Rainbow Dash a long kiss, then got up, grabbing her sword. "Let's get going, Kitten. We've got work to do."

****

Everypony assembled in the launch bay of the military base, the gates of the northern district. Spike and everypony else would be the first outsiders to ever set foot in the north district in over fifteen years. There were tanks lined up along the walls, each having their own name pasted on the side of their hull like 'Mighty Mary' or 'Big Ben'. Spike chuckled at the odd names. Charles was there to meet with them one last time before they left, and he looked as confident as ever. Although, beneath his confidence, Spike could see a shred of worry, which was understandable. When the fate of your country rests with a band of pirates and soldiers, you'd be a little on edge as well. The group gathered around Charles, who had a handful of soldiers clad in robotic armor beside him.

"I suppose we should go over the plan one last time before you head out, hmm?" Charles suggested as he brought out a hologram-projecting disc from his pocket and clicked a button on the side. A map of the northern district appeared; it was a simulation of their mission.

"Go for it," Masami replied as she popped a piece of gum in her mouth, blowing a few bubbles as Charles began his explanation.

"Now then, here's the basic outline of my previous explanation," Charles went on. "The team will stick together until Radio Station Astral is down. After you accomplish that, you'll all split up to take down the remaining members of this 'Infernalgear' group. You will most likely come across a few ruffians and malfunctioning dampfriesens on the way, so be wary. The ponies on the other side of this wall are not your friend. Prolonged exposure to the residual chemicals of the Guiver Device has driven them mad."

"Don't worry about chemical exposure," Evelyn chimed in. "It takes years for the vapors to affect your central nervous system, and I don't think we'll take that long."

"Yes, but just to be safe, do not breathe in the small clouds of vapor you find. They're a dull green color, and they hang close to the ground like a heavy fog." Masami added.

"We don't know much about their leader, but whoever he or she is, they are extremely powerful. A normal pony would not be able to control such an unstable group without an immense amount of magical and physical power."

"That's why we have Ed!" Rainbow Dash cheered the great giant on and gave him a high five, nearly forgetting that he had metal arms. She almost broke her hand. "Oww..."

"Good enthusiasm, Rainbow Dash. We'll need that. You also have But-..." Charles trailed off as when he realized Butch was absent. "Where's Butch?"

"I'm here," Butch grunted as he stomped over to his team, wearing a heavy mechanized suit of armor that seemed fairly unique compared to the basic armor of the soldiers behind Charles. "Just had to get Ironsides up and running."

The armor was colored auburn, but it had many scratches and scorch marks. Spike could tell it had been through tons of combat. It looked slightly rusted too, a lot older than the shinier suits that the common Ausrüstung infantry units wore. He wore a sleeveless black trench coat overtop of the armor, which must've been tailored to fit the suit perfectly. It was probably way too big for him without the metal shell. Around his waist was a utility belt filled with ammunition, and it also had various grenades and other tools. His helmet covered his whole face, and the only visible flesh on his body was in fact, his tow eyes that were hidden behind thick, circular glass eyeholes that shone a bright green light.

"What is that armor?" Spike whispered to Liazo, who was right next to him.

"Oh, that? That's Ol' Ironsides, Butch's personal mech-suit. That's for when things get serious." Liazo grinned. "It may look like an antique, but trust me, you won't put a dent in him with that shit on. The suit's rubber-insulated, wrapped with kevlar, and covered in graphene-coated cordium plates. Graphene-coated cordium is pretty much indestructible."

"What about all those scratches and burns? It's indestructible, right?" Spike said to Liazo with a skeptical expression on his face.

"That's just the paint job, which I'm surprised has lasted this long. That armor has tanked direct hits from a surface to air missile." Liazo chuckled to himself. "I remember when that happened... he complained about his back for the next week."

"Alright everypony, now that we're prepared mentally, let's get properly armed." Charles looked excited, like a colt about to open his Hearth's Warming Eve presents. "Evelyn, go ahead."

"My pleasure. Follow me, everypony." Evelyn walked towards a nearby wall and they all followed. She pulled a switch, and it revealed a massive hidden compartment filled with special firearms and equipment. "Before I distribute our weapons, I must ask out pirates to reach into their pockets. You'll find a small black sphere. I want you to squeeze them very gently with your hand."

Spike did as instructed and applied pressure to the tiny black ball. As it squished, it spread outwards, expanding into a film that began to coat Spike's skin. It went all the way up to his neck then stopped, hardening into a tough armor, similar to Evelyn's, jet black and shiny. It went over clothing too.

"Whoa... cool!" Spike shouted as he felt the solid black surface of his new suit of armor.

"Interesting," Winslow said to himself as he looked down at his hooves. His long jacket didn't get covered, but his metal armor was overlapped by the strange black substance.

"This armor will cater to your body specifically, becoming immune to your powers and abilities and providing resistance to their weaknesses," Evelyn explained. "They are also immune to most small arms fire and heat resistant, for extra protection."

"Hey, guys! My arse looks amazing in this!" Gin chuckled as she turned around and waved her backside in the air.

"So it does... now onto the weapons." Evelyn rolled her eyes as she began browsing the weapon compartment. "I'm only giving weapons to those I believe need them. Evelyn started with Fluttershy. She handed her a metal sphere and pressed a button on the side, activating it. "Fluttershy, this is a medical drone. It will heal others when they are hurt. It's solar powered, so don't worry about the battery."

"Thank you..." Fluttershy was scared out of her wits by the strange floating sphere that looked at her with one big eye. "W-will it f-follow me?"

"Well, only if you want it to. You can always just shut it off." Evelyn said as she pressed the button on the drone again, deactivating it. She then looked down at Fluttershy's armor and gasped. "My word, your armor is incredibly durable! You're much stronger than I thought!"

"I- um... thank you?" Fluttershy said with wide eyes, afraid that the others were catching on to her little secret.

"Gin, you get this custom-made blunderbuss. Just click the button on the slide, load up the chamber with one of these arcane-enhanced shells and fire. Rinse and repeat." Evelyn instructed Gin as she handed her the gun and a pouch filled with shells.

"Nice. I'll call her Scotch!" Gin giggled as she hugged her new gun.

"Winslow, here's-." Evelyn was about to hand Winslow a sub-machine, and he pushed it away gently with his hand.

"I'm sorry, but I do not use firearms." Winslow refused the weapon politely.

"Don't be ridiculous, you imbecile! You can't use a sword in a modern combat situation!" Evelyn yelled, outraged by the stubbornness of Winslow.

"Lass, he'll be alright," Draven insisted. "He's lived this long only using a sword. I think he knows what he's doin'."

" I suppose that concludes the weapon-segment then..." Evelyn sighed as she walked over to Charles with her head hung in disappointment. "Let's go, I guess. Charles leave this chamber and tell the operator to open the blast doors."

"Very well, Evelyn. I'll see you soon then, yes?" Charles shook her hand and then bid farewell to his team. "I hope to see you all again soon! Kick those cultist's posteriors for me, will you?"

"See ya, Charles!" Rainbow Dash waved as everypony walked towards the giant metal door at the end of the room.

The door was sealed shut, covered up by a massive metal blast door. The doorway had various flashing red lights, and their flashing became brighter as the door began to emit steam. There was a technician on the intercom, announcing every step of the opening procedure. "Opening blast door number one." The first door opened, screeching as it inched its way up and revealing the second door. "Opening second blast door." The second door was rustier, and it had a harder time opening than the last one. "Opening final blast door. Releasing magnetic-locks." The final door was more complex than the others. There were three great gears that turned and clicked together in sync, clicking away until they finally turned three-hundred and sixty degrees. Then, as the final door opened, Spike could smell charcoal and fire. Sunlight escaped the crack in the door, and as the opening grew wider, the whole chamber was filled with warm sunlight. As the doors finally opened all the way, it let out one last gust of steam to welcome the brave explorers.

"Godspeed everypony, Godspeed..." Charles said on the intercom as they all stepped out into The Silence.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Two: The Streets of Schlüssel

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As Twilight made her way through the dark corridors, she ran her hand across the rough cement to guide herself through the dark catacombs, feel for vibrations in the walls, which would warn her if any skeletons were approaching. Her collar masked her magic aura, but it attracted the bionic abominations like moths to a flame. Taking it off was dangerous; her magic aura was easily detectable by Kaiser, and she'd rather have cyborg hunters on her tail than have Kaiser watching her every move. The scars on her back and neck would burn every time she thought of him; his wicked grin, his menacing presence, his incredible magic power. Twilight hadn't felt power like his before. It practically radiated off him like a campfire, a searing heat that burned like a cauldron. He was no ordinary unicorn, that much was clear to her, but something else was wrong with him. His power felt artificial, fake. It didn't belong to somepony else, but his magic was synthetic, manufactured.

As she drew closer to the end of the corridor, she saw streaks of light streaming through tiny holes in the ceiling. Twilight heard a faint voice escape the numerous openings, the voice of a mare, she was singing. It was sweet, soft, like a feather blowing in the wind, delicate and gentle, tranquil and calming. However, beneath the grace of the unseen mare, one could hear traces of doubt, confusion. Whoever she was, she felt trapped. There was also a peculiar ring to the mare's voice that made the noises around her muffled and distorted. The scraping noise became fuzzy and blurred like it was muffled by the mare's strange voice.

Twilight was not met with an intersection when she reached the end of the hall, all that greeted her was an abrupt end. She heard scratching noises not far behind, the scraping of metal claws against rough cement. The skeleton's were approaching, and fast. Twilight frantically surveyed her surroundings, looking for some glimmer of hope. Then, just above her head, she heard the mare's voice again, only a few meters away. As the scraping grew louder, Twilight grabbed a cement fragment on the ground and began to pound on a structurally weak area of the ceiling above, causing it to crack and crumble until there was nothing but a gaping hole covered by weak wooden planks. Twilight looked down the pitch black hallway and saw three pairs of purple, glowing eyes that stared into her soul. She was too late.

Twilight prepared for the worst, but to her surprise, the skeletons backed-off. Not because of her, but because of the singing. The field of distortion generated by the mare's singing was affecting them somehow, and they were beginning to spark and malfunction. They hissed and screeched softly as they retreated in terror.

"They must have sensitive ears..." Twilight hypothesized.

She tore off the wood and pulled herself through the opening, rolling over on her side, feeling the cool wood on her back. Twilight got up and dusted herself off, and as she lifted her head, her eyes met with a mare, the same mare that was singing before. She had a powder blue fur coat, and her grey eyes were large and innocent, filled with fear. Her long, wavy ginger hair was decorated with a single white hydrangea, and her locks stretched all the way down to her waist. The mare wore a white, long-sleeved dress that went all the way down to her knees and fanned out into a frilly lace. She squeaked a little as Twilight drew closer, and she grabbed a broom propped up against a nearby door, preparing to smack Twilight across the face.

Twilight raised her hands to protect herself, but after a brief moment of silence, she lowered her guard. The mare set aside the broom and inspected her gashes and scrapes, holding her hands gently with her left hand and methodically caressing the deep cuts on her forearms and chest with the other. It was then that Twilight felt her adrenaline wear off, and her knees began to buckle under the weight of what felt like a ton of bricks. The mare eased her onto a sofa nearby and laid Twilight on her back, propping her head up with a pillow. As she ran over to what appeared to be a small kitchen area, she covered up the hole in her floor with a rug, then moved over to her sink. She wet a cloth with a bottle of strange fluid and grabbed a box in one of her kitchen cupboards. Twilight then took a moment to breathe and analyze the change in scenery.

While the light of the opulent, crystal chandelier hanging above the circular room was dim, it was not nearly as dark as the labyrinth below. The walls were painted white and covered in flowery patterns of hydrangeas, and the floors were covered in dark hardwood. The design of the room seemed to match the mare's outfit completely, and Twilight could tell it was made specifically to house her. There was a shelf neatly lined with books of medicine and philosophy on one side, and on the other side, there was a wood fireplace and stove. The large metal smoke pipe attached to the top of the stove acted like a chimney and traveled up until it reached the ceiling, where it disappeared. There were two sofas across from one another next to her fireplace, and books were stacked high on the table in between the two pieces of furniture.

"Zis will sting..." The mare warned Twilight as she grabbed her scarred hand and ran the peroxide-soaked cloth over her forearm. Twilight recoiled and let out silent screams as she felt the peroxide cleanse her wounded flesh, and she gasped as the mare removed her tattered blouse to treat the scars on her back and chest.

The mare withdrew bandages from the box and wrapped Twilight's body until she looked like a mummy. Twilight grunted and gritted her teeth as she sat up and put her blue blouse back on, jerking her head to the side suddenly as she felt the burning sensation of the peroxide return with a vengeance. More suffering for relief. That was a bargain she couldn't turn down if her wounds were minor, but that was not the case.

"What's your name?" Twilight cleared her throat, realizing how hoarse her voice had become after being silent for so long. It felt like she had been underground for decades.

"It is Marie, mademoiselle." The mare spoke up. "I apologize for my threatening actions moments ago. I was merely frightened."

"I think you've already apologized," Twilight said as she looked down at her bandages. "Thank you. Who are you?"

"Oh, I'm-... I am..." She trailed off and began to bite down on her nails, looking down at the floor as she so. "Zis question baffles me so..."

"You don't know who you are?" Twilight asked her, and Marie massaged the side of her head to rouse sealed memories.

"No, I'm afraid not. Ze only thing I remember before all zis is fire, and ze face of a little filly, Evelyn." Marie shook her head in self-pity.

"Evelyn Aquarius?" Twilight chimed in, and Marie's face lit up.

"Oui... oui! You know her?" She beamed excitedly as she pulled Twilight closer.

"Yes, do you?" Twilight became intrigued. Perhaps she was the little glimmer of hope she was looking for.

"Oui! I know her! She is my best friend! She is such a darling little filly!" Marie smiled for a moment, but it faded as soon as her memories ran dry once more. "But... I cannot remember her. I only know her face, her laugh. Zat is it. Is she still small, like I remember her?"

"Yes, but she's much older than a little filly now, although she may still look like one," Twilight informed Marie.

"I want to see her! Can you take me to her? I want to know if she can fix me, make me 'ole again!" Marie could barely contain her enthusiasm. "What is your name?"

"It's-."

"Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship and apprentice of Princess Celestia. You were being kept prisoner here, by Kaiser." Marie blurted, then covered her mouth with wide eyes.

"How did you-?" Twilight was baffled.

"I'm so sorry, mademoiselle. I just... pick up on sings. I'm... not like you." Marie said with a disappointed look on her face as she pounded on the side of her head. "Is it true? Are you an escaped prisoner?"

"Yes, it-." Twilight was cut off as Marie placed a hand on her mouth and gave her the "shush" signal, pressing the base of her index finger against her lips.

"Cultists. Dr. Gearza must've tracked his skeletons. Zare is two of zem, zey have machine guns." Marie raised her head and closed her eyes, and Twilight felt the strange aura again.

"How did you know that?" Twilight whispered to her.

"Like I said, I pick up on sings... waves. I understand zem." Marie muttered. "Zare is no time to talk, Twilight. You must hide in zare." Marie pointed to the wooden closet near her kitchen.

"They'll find me." Twilight shook her head and ran over to the kitchen area, grabbing a frying pan out of a drawer. She ran over to the door and put her back against the wall, raising the frying pan and preparing to strike. The door would hide her enough so that she could launch a surprise attack. "Go get the door."

"Zat is insane, mademoiselle!" Marie panicked as she heard the cultists knock on her door.

"Really? Because that's one of the sanest ideas I've heard around here!" Twilight snapped at Marie though her rage was in hush tones. "Open the door!"

Marie scooted over to her door and hastily contorted her nervous demeanor into a pleasant one. "Who is it?"

"Let us in, you pile of scrap!" One of the cultists screamed on the other side.

Without hesitation Marie complied and opened the door, trying to avoid eye contact with Twilight, who was waiting for the right moment to strike. As they walked inside with their guns raised, Marie's eyes danced about, looking for something to fixate on besides Twilight. As the two cultists drew closer to the nearest couch, Twilight caught sight of the back of one cultist's head, it was in close proximity to the other one, who also had his back turned. There was no time for internal debate, and Twilight sprang into action.

Twilight slammed the nearest cultist with her frying pan and a loud clanging noise sounded as the metal pan made contact with his skull, followed by the sound of him hitting the floor. The other cultist was quick enough to turn, but not quick enough to evade Twilight, and her pan hit him square in the jaw where it connected with his skull. Within a short moment, Twilight managed to flatten two armed cultists with nothing but a flimsy frying pan and what she assumed was an unimaginable level of luck. Perhaps karma was giving her a "free shot" that day, a little gift to make up for her recent misfortune.

Marie simply sat and gawked at the two unconscious bodies for what seemed like the longest time, just stuttering in a nonsensical fashion. "W-what now?" Twilight didn't respond and began stripping the cultists, taking off their black robes and shrouded cowls. "What are you doing?"

"Putting on a disguise. You put one on too." Twilight said as she wrapped her face in a piece of black cloth she picked off the face of one cultist. She then attempted to hand Marie a robe, but she refused and pushed it away. "What's wrong?"

"I can't leave, Twilight," Marie said as she brought her arms close and curled up, almost hugging herself. "I can't leave without Dr. Gearza's or Kaiser's permission."

"What are you talking about? That's crazy." Twilight tossed her hands in the air and shook her head in disbelief. "You can't be-..." She trailed off as she watched Marie stomp over to her kitchen and grab a knife from the block next to her sink. She then set the edge of the blade close to her wrist and cut it right down to her muscle. "What are you doing?"

Marie winced slightly from the pain, but there was no blood that escaped the wound, and as the knife slowly cut across her wrist, her skin began to heal over. Beneath her skin, however, there were wires and articulated plates of metal. It was Twilight's turn to stare in amazement.

"What is-?" Her words clumsily fell out of her mouth and fell flat on the ground.

"I told you. I am not like you. I cannot leave this place." Her words were dripping with anguish and torment as her cut healed over within seconds. "Please, go. I'll throw zeez two down the hole you made. I'll keep the skeletons away for as long as I can. Please, just find Evelyn. Tell her that I'll be waiting for her."

"But, Marie I can't just-."

"Go! I can't leave, you can!" Marie was on the verge of crying, and Twilight wanted to stay, but she knew more would come soon, so she nodded and picked up one of the submachine guns. She left without a word and ran down the hall.

****

Twilight emerged from the underground bunker with a grunt and a sigh as she opened an emergency hatch, hidden beneath what used to be an old building. She closed the hatch and grabbed a piece of metal on the ground, jamming it between the lock. It was a vain attempt to get the cultists off her trail, but it was a start. She pulled off her hood and face mask, crumpling them into a ball and tossing them like a baseball, then she picked up her gun.

The sun was bright and shone down on the grey landscape below. Twilight saw bricks and cement scattered all around the little clearing where the hatch was. There were also a few foal toys like wooden cars and baby dolls, but they were terribly sun-bleached and eroded, like everything else around her. Twilight assumed that the building that once stood on top of the hatch was some kind of toy store and that theory was confirmed as she found a chunk of wood wedged into a pile of cement rubble to her left. It was a sign, but the writing was barely visible, faded by the elements. Half of the sign was missing, but Twilight could read it once she drew closer to it and squinted.

*EARL'S -*

She lost interest in the sign and looked up in awe at the towering, decrepit skyscrapers that surrounded her. The pale concrete hands of the dead city rose high in the sky, reaching towards the heavens like a dying stallion gasping for his last breath, but no angels dared to grab the hand of the scarred land below. From the looks of things, Twilight guessed that she was in some sort of downtown area and that assumption was based solely on the fact that there were taller buildings in the area.

Twilight walked into the street with her machine slung around her shoulder by a long leather strap, and she felt it rub against her back as she trotted along, causing her minor discomfort; the rubbing was beginning to irritate her wounds. She took off the strap and carried the gun normally though it was heavier than she thought. She had never used a gun before, nor did she know how to use it, but it was still a threat for potential attackers nonetheless (although, she didn't know what kind of attacker to expect in such a place). Twilight tugged at her collar and debated whether to take it off, but she remained cautious and kept it on, just in case. As she made her way down the street, naturally she surveyed the area.

She looked at the broken and boarded-up windows of corner stores, the occasional dried-up blood-splatter on a door or piece of wood lying on the ground, which frightened her. What frightened her the most, however, was the occasional bullet hole she'd see in a wall or a ricochet mark on a piece of metal. There were definitely other ponies around, and they were as well armed as she was. That feeling of dread, uncertainty, that's what really got to her. Twilight, often feared what she could not predict or calculate. This barren hell she was in, it was all one big, unsolvable equation. There were so many variables to consider, so many outcomes. It was all so overwhelming.

"So, you enjoyin' my little ol' summer retreat? It's a lot of fun around here!" Gek appeared beside her just as Twilight moved her head to the side. Again, she didn't respond, and she looked with an angered look on her face. "Oh come on, dollface! You gotta talk to someone around here that has somethin' between their ears, am I right?"

It took Twilight a while to respond as they both walked along the empty street. "Did you cause this?"

"What? Me? No, no..." Gek chuckled at the thought. "The idiots who lived here brought it on themselves. This is what happens when you wall your whole district off from the rest of the world. Though, I don't blame them, fear makes you mortals to the craziest things." Gek looked down at Twilight's wings and added to his previous statement. "Sorry, it makes mortals do crazy things."

"So, what happened here then?" Twilight wondered. She wanted to give him the silent treatment, but she couldn't stand the constant silence. Luckily there was no one to witness her talking to a hallucination.

"This used to be the capitol of Ausrüstung you know, Schlüssel.The ponies that lived here got greedy, tried changing the rules and messing with things, not in their control. They did some wacky stuff with alchemy and synthetic magic, let me tell ya." Gek explained as he grabbed a packet of gum out of his pock and plopped one piece in his mouth. "Eventually, those in the south got pretty ticked off, and they wanted to rebel, so they did. It was only minor resistance to start, but eventually, it turned into a full-scale civil war, ending fifteen years ago after the rebellion detonated the Guiver Device at the heart of the city. That's when things got interesting. You see, ever since then, the deep science division of the new democracy has been throwing all kind of colourful ponies in here, lettin' them soak in this beautiful air. It takes a few years, but... if ya spend enough time around those little pockets of green gas you'll see around here, you'll go cuckoo."

Just then, Twilight heard a noise behind her. It was hoofsteps, and they were coming from one of the back alleyways along the street. Then, there was another noise, the rattling of chains. It came from behind the boarded up window of one of the old corner stores. She could see the faint shine of eyes in between the cracks of the boards, dozens of staring eyes. They all were fixated on her.

"Oooo, this is gettin' heavy." Gek laughed lightly as he patted Twilight on the shoulder, who began to panic. "I think there's a nice calm murder goin' on over there, so I'll get back to you once this all blows over." Then, Gek vanished, leaving Twilight alone.

"Look at this little filly, huh?" The raspy, disgusting voice of a stallion echoed down one of the narrow alleyways. "We don't get many pretty little things like you around here."

The small stallion emerged from his hiding spot and walked out onto the street, approaching Twilight. He was shirtless, with only a pair of shorts on and a spiked collar around his neck. He was without a mane, and his fur was matted and dirty. There were purple rings around his pupils, and horrifying green veins were visible on the bald patches all over his body. He spat out tobacco on the ground and began to fiddle with his straight razor, snickering uncontrollably. Twilight pointed her gun at the stallion, and he stopped dead in his tracks, but he didn't seem scared in the slightest. He just stood there and grinned at her maniacally.

"Little foal's got a gun, Rusty! Look at that!" A deeper, groggier voice chuckled from behind a window. Then, a larger stallion with a spiky leather jacket popped out of his hiding spot and drew closer to Twilight. He was carrying a sledgehammer, he swung it about as he approached her. "Are we gonna have some fun, guys, or what?!"

More and more stallions emerged from their hiding spots until there were more than a dozen. There was the odd mare or two, but for the most part, the band of ruffians were stallions, horribly scarred, deformed and bald stallions. They were all armed with machetes and blunt weapons, no guns, however. As the stallion called "Rusty" walked closer towards her, Twilight raised the gun and aimed it at his chest. She saw Butch and the cultists use a gun, surely she knew how to use one.

"Try it, filly!" The fiendish stallion shouted as he sprinted towards her. Twilight pulled the trigger, but there was no booming sound that escaped the gun, no smoke, no flash. The trigger wouldn't budge, it was stuck. The fiend gave her a backhand to the jaw, and it launched her backward. "Safety was off, idiot!"

A fire began to rage in Twilight's chest, and she reached for the key in her pocket. She was going to take off the collar and blast the smug stallion into oblivion, but she didn't feel the key in her pocket. She looked around frantically, and she saw it lying on the ground next to a pile of rubble. But before she could even get up, she was pinned down by the larger stallion with the sledgehammer, who stepped on her forearm, keeping it in place. The stallion with the straight razor grabbed the key off the ground and examined it.

"What the hell is-..." The stallion figured out what it was for after looking down at Twilight's collar. "Oh, I see! You're a unicorn, aren't ya?! Yeah, we don't get many of those, especially ones with wings!" The stallion plopped the key in his mouth and swallowed it. "Oopsies!"

A feeling of terror overcame Twilight. Now she was permanently robbed of her magic. She tried escaping the hoof of the larger stallion, but he pressed down harder, causing her to wail in pain. "No, no, little filly." The stallion picked her up off the ground by her bangs, and the smaller stallion clapped his hands in delight as the rest of the group gathered around Twilight.

"Oh, wow. Today is a good day!" He cackled, but he was then silenced by Twilight's foot, which went right in his crotch. "Aaarrrgh! Fuck you!" The stallion grabbed a machete from another pony in the crowd, and he swung at Twilight blindly. The group stepped back.

There was a brief silence as the blade sliced through Twilight, though, she was too shocked to look down at where it hit. With her right hand she felt her chest, nothing was cut. She felt her legs, nothing. Then with her left hand, she felt her head, nothing. In fact, she couldn't even feel her hand touch her face. Twilight looked down, and her eyes widened to the point where they almost popped out of their sockets. She had no left hand.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Three: Hand of The Atom

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The barren waste Spike and the others were greeted to was truly a sight to behold. The damage of time and conflict had worn away at almost every structure in The Silence. And from the hill to the south –where they had been only a few hours before when they entered the wasteland– one could see the scars of violence left on the face of the gray world. Seeing a place like this, it frightened Spike inside. He could feel the rage in the air, the maddening sounds of gunfire far away in downtown Schlüssel. The chaotic environment even made the ground beneath his feet tremble in fear. Spike didn't want to look at a decrepit building, a corpse on the ground, he wanted to move forward and focus on his mission. After fighting a few insane bandits along the way, he had his fill of mindless bloodshed.

Butch, on the other hand, was lost in the gray land he once knew. It had been more than thirty years since he had left the training academy in Schlüssel, and he knew the city front to back like a favorite novel. He knew every secret, every story. Yet, it was all so alien to him, so distant. New stories were being written in this new world that was all so different from his old nostalgic tales. His memories stacked on top of one another like books, far too much content for one lifetime, and too much weight for one to bear. The street corners, the stores, the old apartments, they were all destroyed and demolished. He scoffed at the decimated city around him and looked down at the sidewalk, and he kept looking down for a majority of their walk to the radio tower to the west. Perhaps it was because Butch knew, no matter how battered the world was, the ground would always remain the same. It was never a victim of time like Schlüssel's buildings, it had familiar stories to share with him. He took off his helmet chuckled lightly, remembering the academy.

He and his brother Elliot found sense in their lives at the academy, a clear goal and a purpose. The soldiers life was meant for the brave, and while Butch never considered himself to be brave, he knew Elliot was. But Ellie had a loud mouth and was no stranger to getting in deep waters. He got that from Pa, which was a fact that irked him on a daily basis. Luckily, he had Ma's heart, like Butch. Butch ran his thumb across the handle of his revolver as he recalled a memory.
*

"Alright, soldiers! Line up!" The drill sergeant announced, and everypony obeyed.

"Yes, sir!" Butch and the rest of his military comrades shouted as they stood at attention.

"Now... las' night, I found all my missin' shaving cream. Would you believe that, huh? But, ah... it wasn't in the right spot. I found it in my fuckin' hat! So, I'd like the stallion responsible to step forward, or by the foundin' fathers, I will make yall do the gauntlet, you hear?!" The drill sergeant took his hat and slammed it on the ground as he walked along the line of soldiers, catching a glimpse of Elliot in the corner of his eye smirking mischievously, holding back laughter. "Something funny, Private?"

"You should really check your hat before ya put it on, sir." Elliot grinned, and the sergeant grinned back, then punched him in the gut. Elliot took the punch and shrugged it off, trying to act tough in front of Butch, who was right beside him.

"So, we got a comedian?! So, comedian, let's test that bravado, huh?! Bring out the Bull's Bite!" The drill sergeant ordered his assistant, and he retrieved a black case from a weapon rack nearby. He opened it, and revealed the gun inside; it was a fabled sixty caliber revolver. "You've got three shots, son! I want you to hit that apple right off the tree over there! If you hit it, you keep the gun. If you don't, you and your brother can pack yer bags! Can ya do that, colt?" The drill sergeant pointed to the apple tree, about a few hundred feet away.

"Sure as shit I can!" Elliot beamed as he grabbed the gun and ran his had down the engraved barrel, and he was surprised by how light it was. He took a moment to aim and stesdy his grip, then he fired the first shot , and it missed. The full force of the recoil pushed against his wrist, and he cringed in pain. "Shit!"

"That's number one, son!" The drill sergeant shouted.

Butch watched with an excited look on his face. He had the utmost confidence in his brother. but Elliot was beginning to realize the error in his stupidity. The pistol was going to tear his hand off for sure. He aimed again but felt the weight of the gun put pressure on his worn wrist. He fired anyway, and it missed again.

"One more try, Ellie!" The drill sergeant hollered over to him.

Butch felt a lump grow in his throat, and it only got bigger as he saw his brother struggle to lift the revolver. Eventually, he blurted to him. "C'mon, Ellie! C'mon! You can do it!"

Elliot turned his head and looked at Butch, who was cheering him on with enthusiasm by himself. He gave Butch a wink and a smile as he felt the muscles around his wrists tighten and strengthen. He felt a surge of energy flow through him, and he raised the massive hand-cannon one last time. Time began to slow, his breathing began to slow, he was more focused than he had ever been before. He clenched his arms and fired. The bullet didn't just go through the apple, it exploded into a thick paste, like applesauce. Butch and the rest of the privates began to cheer on Elliot, and Elliot –with a smug grin on his face– picked up the sergeant's hat and placed it on his head. The drill sergeant huffed and walked back to his tent.

Butch ran over to Elliot and gave him a punch to the shoulder. "That was awesome, Elliot!"

"Thanks, though I probably would've fucked up if it hadn't been for you, Butcher." Elliot placed his hand on Butch's shoulder and handed him the beautiful revolver. "I owe ya one Butch, this is for you."

Butch held the gun in his hand and unloaded the chamber. He played around with it, aimed down the sights, and he smiled as he felt the bumps on the engraved gun as he ran his hand down the barrel. "You're givin' this to me? I can't take it, Ellie. You won it fair and square. I don't even need anything like this." Butch shook his head in a stubborn fashion and handed the gun back to Elliot.

"I insist, Butch. C'mon. I think we've been through enough shit in our lives, how about you take this one gift I give you without giving it to some homeless stallion, huh?" Elliot tried handed it back to him, but Butch refused to grab it. "C'mon, buddy... you know you want it."

"Fine," Butch snatched the gun and tucked it in his belt. "But I'm namin' it after you, Ellie. Got it? You deserve that much."

"Alright, alright." Elliot chuckled as he patted him on the back. "So, how's about we get a drink, hey? I hear there's a dance tonight too, maybe you'll find somepony special, huh?"

"Oh, I don't think so..." Butch scratched the back of his head as they walked back to their barracks.
*

"Butch?"

Butch shook his head, and the voices around him became clearer as snapped himself out of his own daydream. He put his helmet back on to hide his expression. "Huh?"

"What were you smiling about?" Evelyn asked. He hadn't noticed she was right beside him the whole time. "Just now, you were smiling."

"Oh, nothin' you'd be interested in, Eve. Nothing at all." Butch shook his head and rubbed the handle of his revolver again.

It wasn't rare for Butch to do that. In fact, he never told Evelyn much about his brother, the war in Galloway, not even the civil war. She only knew his brother and everypony else from his past based on a picture in his file or old records and war documents. He rarely talked about the war, and as much as it saddened her to see him so contained, she knew how much it damaged him to recall the past; with happy memories there came dark ones as well. She knew he'd change the subject next.

"So, what's the plan?" Butch asked just as Evelyn predicted. "Are we going in guns-blazing, or...?"

"Based on patrol reports, the facility doesn't have any energy shields around it. Even if it did, Edgar would be able to break through it." Masami chimed in.

"Do you think there will cultists guarding this tower we're headed to?" Winslow inquired.

"Unlikely," Liazo added. "Their leader is smart. He wouldn't waste warm bodies on a radio tower. We'll be met with resistance from those skeleton assholes. He's using Dr. Gearza to buy time for his troops to spread out. He wants to control as much territory as possible before we can get to him."

"What do you mean?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"He or she wants to protect the head honchos,' Infernalcog', or whatever it's called. They mean something to their leader, although I'm not sure why." Masami explained as she plopped a piece of gum in her mouth. "I think what happened on Liberty Day was to test us, analyze us. Those creeps fought didn't use all of their tricks. It's obvious they're raring for round two."

"Liazo, what about that Fonzi bloke you talked about before? Is he with them now?" Gin said as she twirled her flintlock.

"Yeah, probably. I've backed him into a corner for too long I suppose, and I think he's ready to fight back. So, he must've made a speedy alliance with their leader to save his ass, but I'll get em'." Liazo said with determined eyes as he fiddled with his butterfly knives.

"Do you- do you have any idea where he'd be hiding?" Fluttershy squeaked.

"I've got a few ideas, one of them seems the most likely-." Liazo was cut off by Edgar, who stopped in his tracks. Then, the rest of the group halted in the middle of a wide street. "What's up, big guy?"

"There's something coming. Something big, and it has some backup." Edgar warned them.

Then, a tank turned a corner and stopped about twenty meters away. It was in between two large apartment buildings that dominated most of that block. It was an old military tank, but it had been modified, and had extra plates of metal armor around it, a flamethrower on top, and the barrel of the main cannon had barbed wire wrapped around it. There were also multiple spray-painted images of skulls on the sides and on the top of the metal beast. As it stopped, a horde of almost six dozen well-armed bandits emerged. They had submachine guns, LMGs, and shotguns. They also wore distinct masks that appeared to be other pony's skulls.

The top hatch of the tank opened, and a greasy looking stallion with a smug grin and a green mohawk emerged. He cackled to himself a couple of times as he stood up with a confident mug. "Well, well... looks like you've all finally arrived! This place is abuzz with news of this 'Task Force' wipin' out everypony in sight. Well, let me tell you something... we're the Skullz! If you think you can beat us, you're dead wrong! Kaiser put a bounty on your head, and I intend to collect-!"

The stallion's head exploded into a red mist, and Butch put his revolver back in his holster as the headless body of the Skullz leader fell off the tank and onto the ground. "That's what happens when ya ramble, ya fuckwit."

There was a moment of silence amongst the Skullz, almost as if they were having a hard time grasping what had just occurred. After whispering to one another for about two minutes, they all turned to face Spike and the rest of the team. "Attack!" They quickly chose a new leader, and he ordered them all to charge in guns blazing. "Kill em' all!"

"Everypony, let me handle the tank!" Edgar shouted to his comrades, his voice like roaring thunder. "Keep them occupied!"

The team split up. Masami and Rainbow Dash cleaved a path through a band of about ten ruffians and headed to the old apartment building to the right, Draven and Winslow shattered the ranks of a dozen as they made their way to the apartment on the left, and Spike and the rest of the team stayed out in the street to cover Edgar as he faced off against the metal beast. The tank fired off a few shells, which all hit him directly with full-force, but it did absolutely nothing, barely even moving the goliath of a stallion. He scowled at the tank, irritated, and he started to prepare and attack.

"Second Restrictor Band: Removed!" Edgar bellowed as two of the three chain tattoos on his neck disappeared.

Edgar knelt on one knee, and he slammed his titanic metal fist into the hard pavement, causing it to crack and crumble around the area his fist impacted. However, this was not the attack that would level a tank. As Spike fought off a bandit, he occasionally stole a glance once or twice, looking back at Edgar. He watched as Edgar took a deep breath in. Gears and cogs within his body began to clank and crash together, and steam erupted from his back like a raging volcano. He then stood up and began gathering a strange orange energy in his hands. His metal fists began to glow faintly orange and radiate a searing heat, and his eyes began to burst with the same strange power. More and more energy gathered and gathered, eventually forming an orange ball of blinding light about to burst. An intense humming noise emanated from the sphere, and Spike could feel the energy shake him to his core.

"Everypony, get behind Edgar, now! Cover your ears!" Masami ordered everypony, and they all retreated, leaving the remaining bandits in Edgar's range. "Whatever you do, don't look at Edgar's attack! You'll go blind! Close your eyes, now!"

Edgar then tossed the sphere of energy like a baseball, but his arm stopped just as he was about to release it. The sphere floated in mid-air for a moment before Edgar grabbed it with both hands once more, and pushed it out in front of his chest. Instinctively, Spike turned his head just as Edgar released the stored energy. The savage bandits tried to run, but they were too frozen in fear to do so. They simply waited for Edgar to strike.

While Spike could not see the attack, he most assuredly felt it. There was a moment of pure silence before the blast contained within the orb was released, time seemed to slow, and it was this silence that truly displayed the awe-inspiring power of Edgar's attack. Small pebbles lifted off the ground as the wave of silence commenced, and when Edgar finally released the true attack, it rocked the world around it. Spike felt breathlessness as a powerful gust of wind almost knocked the air out of his lungs, and he felt the levitated pebbles shoot out in every conceivable direction like bullets. Spike's body felt heavier under the change in pressure, and he covered his earholes as the noise carried in the air. It sounded like the time Rainbow Dash set off a Sonic Rainboom, only it was much louder.

As the attack ended, Spike leapt to his feet, bearing witness to the devastation brought about by Edgar's terrifying power. The apartment buildings both hand huge chunks missing from their sides, the pavement in front of Edgar was torn to pieces, and any trace of the bandit group was utterly obliterated. There was no tank, and every bandit was disintegrated in an instant. The blast radius was shaped more like a cone, a beam that became wider as it traveled, eventually dissipating in the air. It was certainly no fire, but it had a limited range much like Spike's flame breath.

As the dust settled, Spike coughed. "What-... what was that?!"

"A directed release of atomic energy. It's power source not known to you Equestrians but feared by us. It's destructive, unstable, but powerful and effective." Evelyn explained as she picked her glasses off the ground and put them back on. "I don't recommend it to anypony."

Edgar sighed as he dusted himself off and rotated his neck from side to side, trying to relax his body after putting such a strain on himself. Edgar usually only had to remove one restrictor band, but removing two usually got results. He sat down and looked on at his handy-work. He grunted to himself as he scowled at the mark he left on the already scarred wasteland. He hated his power, and he hated the devastation he caused. It had been years since he removed the second restrictor, and he thought of what might've happened if had removed all three.

As the rest of the group celebrated their victory, Edgar simply sat and stared at the blast zone, his fists clenching off and on as he struggled to grasp his own abilities. Sure, he had mastered them in a physical sense, but the idea of what he could do, the mere thought of his power. It truly frightened him, and that self-doubt frustrated him inside.

Masami saw Edgar silently lamenting by himself, and she sat down beside him on a large piece of concrete, looking at the blast with him. "What's wrong, big guy?" He didn't reply, and Masami changed her tone to be more soothing and gentle. "C'mon, you can talk to me..."

"Look," Edgar grunted as he pointed at the scorched earth ahead.

"You don't have to be afraid of it anymore, Eddie... you've learned to control them–."

"I know that..." Edgar cut her off, and he stood up. "But look at this, Masami. Do you think any pony would look at me the same after seeing this? After seeing what I can do? What about those bandits. They were ponies too. Did they feel pain when I killed them? Were they suffering? I don't even know, because I haven't even felt pain before." Edgar shook his head and stomped away towards their destination. The radio tower was only a few miles away.

"Hey, what was that about?" Rainbow Dash asked Masami as she broke off from the victory party.

"Oh, nothing. Ed just needs some time to himself. Just let him walk by himself for now." Masami said as she stood up. "Alright fellas, that's enough chit-chat! We can celebrate more once we bust up that radio tower!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Four: Corruption

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"Get the fuck in there!" One of the bandits grabbed Twilight by her hair and tossed her into an empty cage in a shed made of metal junk. He slammed the door behind him, and he left her alone to bleed.

They had taken her to their hideout, an old junkyard repurposed into a base of operations for the ruffians. The fort was heavily guarded; machine gun turrets lined the walls, mines layered the surrounding area around the fort, and there was even a missile launcher on a gun rack, along with a stockpile of grenades and ammunition. Bodies impaled on long metal poles decorated the outer wall of the fortress, warning those who got close what would happen to them if they crossed the bandits.

Twilight fashioned a makeshift gauze wrap out of cloth from her stolen robe, and she cringed as she felt the ragged cloth wrapped around her forearm loosen, causing the stump that was her hand to bleed again. She was an alicorn, and she healed quickly when it came to broken bones and cuts, but losing an appendage was well beyond her body's limits. She lost a lot of blood on the way to the bandit's hideout, and she was still bleeding. There was no time to plan an escape. She looked over at a nearby table on the other side of the shed, there was a kerosene lantern there, and she tried to reach for it with her single non-amputated hand. However, it was too far away to reach, and there was no loose metal bar or slab of concrete in sight that could save her. The only thing she could do was wait and bleed out.

As she curled into a ball clutching her bleeding stump, she thought of Spike. More specifically, she imagined the look on his face clutching her lifeless body, the hopelessness in his eyes. She began to cry with him as she visualized it. "I'm so sorry Spike, I couldn't... see you again." She groaned in pain as she felt her stump spurt blood again, the sting of caked dirt in her open wound. It would get infected, but that didn't matter to her, she would die from blood loss anyways.

"Gee, that didn't turn out well for you at all, did it?" Gek cackled as he appeared in a vacant wooden stool by the shed door. "You know, I'd pick up that lantern for you, but I am a hallucination. Besides, it's kinda funny seeing you like this. Here you are, Twilight Sparkle, the great 'Princess of Friendship'... all reduced to a whimpering mess. It's a damn shame that you won't get to see that dragon friend of yours again." He grinned sadistically as he laid back on the stool, resting his head against the metal wall. "But hey, you've still got your right hand. At least, you'll be able to write a death note without it being all in scribbles and stuff. Silver linings, you know?"

"I... hate you..." Twilight grunted as she wailed, trying to stop the bleeding by wrapping the cloth tighter around her forearm.

"I know sweetie, I know, but you gotta think positive! You got yourself into this mess and you can get yourself out of it!" Gek cackled at his own frivolous humor. "But in all seriousness, you can get yourself out of this whole mess. Or should I say... I can get you out of this mess."

"What... do you mean?" The faint hope Gek was dangling over her head enticed Twilight, and she became intrigued, ignoring the pain for a moment before feeling her stump sting again.

"I can get heal you up and get you out of this cage, little bird, but you gotta let me take the wheel..." Gek snickered again, only with more malice his tone. His voice shifted into a harmonic growl of raspy groans and withered voices.

"Never... go to hell you demon!" Twilight cursed him as she slammed her good hand on one of the metal bars of her cage. "If you corrupt me, you'll get the stone and drive everyone mad!"

"Oh who told you that bologna? 'Winnny the Mighty Paladin'?" Gek laughed. "You think I care about Kaiser's little schemes? Pumpkin, I never really wanted any of this crap. The Silence, the crazies in here, Infernalgear? I didn't create them, they created themselves. All I do is plant seeds and watch them grow. Kaiser yammers on about how I talk to him and all that junk, but he doesn't know jack. He's delusional. That fake body of his drove him crazy years ago. This whole thing is one big, entertaining-as-heck mess! "

"This is all just a game to you, isn't it?" Twilight realized. "You're just spreading chaos and death for the sake of it!"

"Correctamundo, my brilliantly naive friend!" Gek gave Twilight a 'thumbs-up'.

****

Kaiser sat on his throne made of metal, the throne of the old dictator that ruled Ausrüstung with an iron fist. It was surrounded by statues of angels and demons, banners displaying the emblem of the old government. He grinned as he looked down at his mighty empire, his Infernalgear. He got out of his seat and stepped down to their level.

"I have located the whereabouts of Princess Twilight, Father Kaiser..." Dr. Gearza informed Kaiser in his usual cold, robotic voice. "Shall I send my remaining skeletons to her position?"

"No, she is taken care of," Kaiser replied.

"But, Father... don't we need her to unlock the stone?" Kanakirigoe wondered as he drew closer to Kaiser.

"We do, and she will eventually..." Kaiser answered Kanakirigoe as he walked past him and the other members of Infernalgear. "The madness of this world will make her cower in fear and cause her to become desperate. Her devotion to her friends will be her downfall. Gek shall claim her, and she will return very soon."

"Understood, Father Kaiser." Kanakirigoe nodded as he tapped the hilt of his katana. "What of Masami? When shall I face her?"

"Patience, Ichirou. You will see her soon." Kaiser turned his head to face him for a moment, then he looked towards the towering entrance to his throne room. Marie was being escorted inside by two armed cultists. "Thank you, children. Leave her with me." The cultists nodded and left them alone.

"I have done as instructed, Father Kaiser..." Marie said with regret in her tone.

"Very good, Marie. You will see Evelyn soon, I promise." Kaiser patted her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear. "Code: 031-5." Marie's face went blank, and her eyes turned pale. "You will trap Butch and Evelyn in a trance and kill them once you see them, do you understand, android?"

"Yes, Kaiser." Marie's voice became empty and mechanical. She snapped out of her daze shortly after and shook her head as she began massaging her temple. "What happened?"

"You were daydreaming, child." Kaiser lied as he told her his plans. "I want you to go to the first floor of this complex, not far from the entrance. Wait for Evelyn there. She will arrive soon."

"Yes, thank you... Kaiser." Marie smiled weakly as she exited the chamber.

"What's the plan, Father?" Ashurr growled in his gravelly voice.

"You all have your keys, correct?" Kaiser asked, and they all nodded. "Excellent."

"You will go to the armory on the second level, Ashurr. You will be accompanied by your bandit friends in that little arena of yours." Kaiser ordered Ashurr, who exited the throne room and marched towards his destination. He then looked to Gar Nichts. "Gar Nichts, you will go to the third floor, to the experimentation wing."

"No! No, Kaiser! No! I can't go back- so many eyes, ghosts! Mother's ghost! She stares at me! They stare!" Gar Nichts grabbed the chains concealing his face and moaned loudly, his head thrashing about like a lunatic. Kaiser then grabbed one his head and tore off a chunk of his chain armor. He gasped and wailed even louder. "Kaiser please, no! They'll see me, they'll look at me! They'll-."

"I don't want to hear your insane babbling, fool! Do as I ask or I'll strip all the chains off of your body and hang you on a pole so everypony can see you!" Kaiser knocked him down onto his knees and Gar Nichts whimpered like a scolded foal. "That's better... now go." Gar Nichts raced outside with tears in his eyes.

"Shall I head to the radio tower, Father?" Dr. Gearza asked him as he approached Kaiser.

"Yes, and do hurry. They are getting closer every minute. Be gone." Kaiser instructed Dr. Gearza. He then stopped at Ichirou as he made his way back to his throne. "Once the tower is destroyed, I want you to be on the second level of the complex."

"Father, how do you know that they'll split up? Wouldn't it be smarter to take each of us on with the full team?" Kanakirigoe wondered.

"They are confident in the size of their team, so they will split up to tackle each member of Infernalgear all at once. That shall be their demise."

"What about Godfather Fonzi? He arrived in The Silence just yesterday. What shall become of him?" Kanakirigoe asked.

"Hopefully, he will distract the half-changeling clone and any others willing to follow him. He is expendable." Kaiser explained. "He has been helpful, but he has outlived his usefulness. I suspect the Task Force will ignore him entirely. Do not fret, Ichirou. My hard work will soon pay off, and the stone will be freed from this container." Kaiser smiled as he sat down on his throne once more and grabbed the cube resting on the arm of his seat. "Soon we shall all be with Lord Gek, and Twilight Sparkle shall be our blessed saint."

****

"Think of Spike, Twilight. Think of his pathetic whimpering face when he cries over your corpse." Gek's words began to weigh down on Twilight, and she began to lose herself. "What'll it be, death or life?"

Twilight thought of her friends; Spike, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie. She thought of warm memories, photos from happier times. She imagined them burning up as a result of her death. It was far too early for her to die, and she couldn't let Spike live on with such grief. As much as it killed her to admit it, she was willing to let Equestria burn so long as Spike was without such pain.

There was a brief moment of silence as she felt the last of her blood drain from her exposed stump. "Do... what you have to do..." Twilight turned her head to face Gek. "I'll break out of it... and when I do, I'm going to kick your ass along with Spike..."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, pumpkin." Gek's grin stretched and contorted into a jagged maw of teeth as he jumped on Twilight and grabbed her by the head. "Oh golly, this'll be fun! Let's get crazy."

Gek opened Twilight's mouth and began to vomit black sludge, giggling as he expelled the noxious fluid into her mouth. Twilight's eyes rolled back into her head, and as the hallucination of Gek began to fade away, she started convulsing and shaking. She snarled like a wild beast as she seized and clawed at her cage with her left hand, which was replaced by a clawed, black-hand made of the same sludge. Twilight stood up she began to vomit uncontrollably all over the floor, laughing and crying as she slammed her head against the metal bars of her cage, trying to cause a ruckus.

One of the bandits barged into the flimsy metal shed and checked on Twilight. "What the hell do you think you're doing, you crazy bit-."

Twilight grabbed the guard by the throat with her clawed left hand, and she stuck her tongue down his throat, violently kissing him like a crazed animal in heat. Her sharp, black tongue became elongated and shot out of the back of his throat like a sword, killing him instantly. With her tongue, she reached into the back pocket of the bandit and snatched the keys.

"Oooo, naughty!" The voice of Gek echoed in Twilight's deranged mind. "I didn't think you had this much crazy all pent up in your noggin!"

Twilight grabbed the dead bandit by his mane and dragged him outside. He tossed him on the ground like a sack of potatoes, and the other bandits rose from their seats and watched as Twilight clumsily stumbled into the center of the fort with her head bowed. The hair in her mane grew into a tangled mess, and it had darkened to the point where it was almost black. It covered her face, and as the bandits drew closer to closer to her, she began to laugh and giggle like a filly, and it got progressively louder as they raised their guns.

"What the hell did you do, you bitch?! You killed my mate!" One of the bandits got out of his chair in an outrage. He had been playing poker with the others. "Rusty, get over here!"

Rusty jumped down from his lawn chair perched on top of the outer wall and aimed at Twilight with his gun. "What going on here?! How the hell did you-... what the fuck?"

Twilight raised her head to look at Rusty face to face, and her long and tangled hair whipped about like a bag of cobras. Her eyes were like Gek's, swirling circles of black and white. The scars all over her body only emphasized her menacing appearance as she staggered back and forth towards Rusty. Her wings unfurled, revealing a mess of clumped feathers and more of the foul black sludge. It dripped on the ground as her wings flapped momentarily, and the droplets of sludge began to contort and morph into writhing little worms. One of them slithered over to a bandit by Rusty, and he crouched down to get a closer look.

"What the hell is thi-." The bandit was cut off as the worm jumped at his face and dug into his eye like a festering maggot. He convulsed on the ground for a moment before his whole head burst open; the intelligent sludge turned into a spiked ball within his skull, causing his head to explode.

"You little cunt!" Rusty cocked his gun and aimed at Twilight's chest. "Fucking kill her!"

"Oh, you parasites are in for it now! Sick em', little princess!" Gek cackled, and Twilight did as well.

A hail of bullets impacted Twilight as she ran towards the bandits with blinding speed. However, they did not generate the desired effect at all. They seemed to pass through her body as if she was a mass of liquid, splattering black tar on the ground as she drew nearer. She cleaved the closest bandit's head off with her slimy left claw, and she grabbed the decapitated head of the bandit with her teeth and swung around like a crazed barbarian as she tore the next bandit's arms off with her own two hands. Turrets mounted on the walls emptied their entire clips into her, but it didn't seem to slow her crazed rampage down at all, it only prolonged the violence. Twilight wailed as she came close to an RPG-wielding bandit, who was able to hit with one of his shots. Dust and debris were kicked up, and as the cloud rose high into the sky, there was a momentary feeling of relief amongst the bandits.

"Fellas, don't worry I got her-." A tendril shot out of the cloud of dust, piercing through the RPG-wielding bandit's chest. The tendril lashed a bit, and the whole tentacle shot through his upper half, cleaving him in half from his sternum all the way up through his skull.

Twilight jumped out of the cloud of dust and began hacking up the remaining bandits. They kept firing, but that was not enough to even slow her pace. She grabbed another bandit by the head, ripping his whole spine out of his body. She then moved on to another bandit. Twilight grabbed a grenade off of the poker table and rammed it into the bandit's chest, pulling the pin. She tossed him up in the air, and he exploded into a red mist like a grotesque firework.

"Boss, we've gotta get out of here-!" The bandit with the sledgehammer called out to Rusty before being cleaved in half by Twilight's elongated left hand.

Realizing most of his comrades were slain, Rusty retreated, and exited his fort, leaving the remaining bandits behind to be brutally killed at the hands of the insane princess. He ran as fast as his hooves could carry him, dodging his landmines and booby traps. He hoped one of them would go off and blow Twilight to kingdom-come, but he heard no such sound. He looked back at his destroyed fort for a moment, and as he turned away he ran into Twilight, who blocked his way. Rusty fell backward onto his rear, and he began to move away from the insane princess in fear.

"You get the fuck away from me, you crazy bitch! Get the fuck away!" Rusty raised his gun and aimed it at her head, but before he could fire off some shots Twilight snatched the gun and put it in her own mouth, firing the entire clip into her brain. Twilight laughed and bowed her head as she dropped the gun, and she got closer to Rusty. "Please, no! I'll give you anything you want! Do you want money, hmm?" Rusty grabbed some money out of his pocket and put out his hand, offering her some gold cogs. Without a word Twilight took his hand and tore it off like a dead tree branch, smiling as she heard the boned in his wrist snap off. "Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Fuck you, you cunt! Aaagh!"

Twilight's grin grew wider as she dug her hand into his stomach, trying to find the key he swallowed. Rusty screamed and cried as Twilight ripped the key out of his stomach. She then used it to remove her collar, and within seconds, she felt her magic powers return. Twilight grabbed Rusty by his mane and tossed him onto an unoccupied metal pole, and he joined the rest of his impaled victims outside the walls of his burning fort.

"That was wicked, Twilight! I didn't know you had it in you!" Gek cheered her on. "Now, let's go home, shall we? I hear there're tea and biscuits waiting for us there!"

Twilight cried and giggled like an imprisoned lunatic as she looked up at the sky and readied her wings. She blasted off like a rocket with a single, strong flap, and she headed back to the underground complex, back to Kaiser.

On the other side of The Silence, Winslow heard Twilight's maddening cries, and he turned around for a moment and mumbled to himself. "No..."

"What is it, Winslow?" Spike saw Winslow's worried expression, and he stopped to talk with him.

It took a moment for Winslow to reply. "Twilight... she has been corrupted. I don't know if we will be able to free her, Spike."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Five: An Episode

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Spike felt his heart grow heavy as he heard Twilight's voice from across the waste. She was in pain, out if her own body. As he walked with his group, he began to slow down. His friend was suffering, and he was walking away from her. He shook his head and turned around, and felt Winslow's hand grab his shoulder. "Would you let go?!" Spike snapped as he knocked Winslow's hand away. "I'm not going to run away from her! She's in pain! She needs my help!"

"Spike, I understand your dilemma, but you cannot charge headfirst into danger whenever you're friends are in peril! You are not strong enough to face what's out there. Twilight will be fine, Spike. Gek will have to take time unraveling her mind. He's never corrupted an alicorn before." Winslow tried to talk sense into Spike, but he wouldn't have it. "You cannot hold the life of one friend or family member above everypony else!"

"What do you know about friends or family, Winslow?!" Spike exploded as he gave him a shove, and Winslow bowed his head, containing his own rage.

"Spike!" Fluttershy broke off from the others and ran over to Winslow. Draven and Gin joined her as well. "Please, don't say such things!"

"Oh, and, of course, you defend him!" Spike growled at her, and Fluttershy stepped back, her eyes filling with tears. "What about Twilight?! We can't just-!" Spike stopped as a loud 'bang' echoed across the wasteland. Gin fired her blunderbuss in the air.

"Shut the fuck up, Spike!" Gin shouted at him as she holstered her blunderbuss. "We're going to help her, but we can't do it if we can't communicate with one another in this hellhole! We're taking out that tower first, then we worry about Twilight!"

Spike regained his composure, but he looked down at the ground with a scowl as he shook off Fluttershy, who was trying to calm him down. He ran ahead of the group and crossed his arms, returning to a brisk walking pace as he secluded himself from the others. He wanted to run, to scream, but he knew such actions were adolescent. He fastened his jacket as he walked along, and he bit his lip in frustration as his mind wandered, thinking about Twilight scared and alone. It killed him inside to think about it.

Rainbow Dash and Masami kept their distance from him, but they were close enough to make sure he was okay. Rainbow Dash reached into the pocket of her suit and pulled out a bottle of pop she saved from the mess hall in Brandon Outpost, it was a Quantum Kick Cola. She cracked off the cap with her bottom molar and took a sip. It was sweet and fizzy like it should've been, and as she took another drink, she thought of Twilight as well. It seemed like she forgot about Twilight over the past couple days, and she scoffed a little as she remembered her. She found it funny how ponies begin to notice others once they're gone, how ponies take what they have for granted. Twilight was one of the few ponies in the world that she could trust wholeheartedly. She let the fizzy soda sit in her mouth for a moment as she ruminated on her thoughts, and she gulped it down as she shook her head. Masami's eyes gravitated towards Rainbow Dash's half-empty bottle, and their eyes met for a moment.

"May I have a sip? Sorry, I haven't had anything to drink since we left Brandon Outpost." Masami asked. "I have my canteen, but that doesn't beat Quantum Kick." Rainbow Dash handed her the bottle and she took a long drink from it until it was down to a quarter. "Kind of ironic, though, how they advertise this drink as a thirst-quencher, yet it's quite the opposite." There was an awkward silence, and she handed the bottle to Rainbow Dash as they kept walking together. "You must really love Twilight, huh?"

"W-what?!" Rainbow Dash misunderstood Masami's statement. "What do you mean?"

"Not that way, Kitten..." Masami assured Rainbow Dash. "I meant as a friend."

"Well yeah, me and Twilight have known each other for years." Rainbow Dash told her as she took one last sip of the syrupy drink then tossed the empty bottle aside into the window of an old police station. "It's hard to leave her alone like this, but I can understand why we're doing this. Twilight's tough, tougher than she knows, and I know she'll get out of this mess."

"I'm surprised you aren't as mad as Spike," Masami stated as she walked along the street with Rainbow Dash, eyeing the decrepit stores and buildings as they talked. "It's weird to see you this calm."

"Yeah, I'm just... kinda in shock a little. It's weird to not have Twilight around me." Rainbow Dash went on as she stepped over the cracks in the pavement. "I can't wrap my head around it really... I mean, it's so strange. Part of me wants to pout with Spike, but... I guess-." She trailed off and tried to rearrange her sentence. "I guess I'm just enjoying the silence. I feel like such an ass saying that. It's weird... maybe I pay attention to my friends too much. I never take the time to worry about how I'm doing, you know? And to think, Twilight had to get corrupted by a sorcerer and kidnapped for me to realize this."

"Don't feel bad. Realizations like these can come at the worst of times." Masami gave a light laugh to try and cheer her up, and it worked for a brief moment. Masami could tell Rainbow Dash was having a serious personal crisis. "It's not your fault, Rainbow Dash, really it's not. It's not selfish to worry about your own well-being from time to time, even in this kind of a situation."

"Thanks." Rainbow Dash was still unsure about her predicament. It was hard to focus on serious subjects. "It's... not -. Damn, I wish I could talk to other ponies about this kind of shit!" Rainbow Dash shook her head a little as she tried to hold in her frustration. "I-."

Masami rested her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder as they walked together, and she whispered into the pegasus' ear. "We don't have to talk about it anymore if you don't want to."

"I can see the tower." Edgar said as he looked down at all of his friends, his shadow looming over them all. "We should be there in about thirty minutes."

Liazo looked up and saw the antennae of the radio station in the distance. He turned to Evelyn for details. "What should we be expecting, Evelyn?"

"Dr. Gearza will be sending all of his skeletons. He doesn't want us to destroy that radio tower. Without it, his allies will lose more than half of their army." Evelyn explained as she walked beside Butch, who was fiddling with his revolver. "It will be much easier to take on this cult and retrieve the stone without those beasts backing their forces."

"The sooner we get to Twilight the better..." Winslow added, giving a nod to Spike. But the angered dragon didn't notice. "Gek may have control over her body, but it will take a little bit less than a day for him to fully take hold of her mind. This is our window. If we do not get to her in time, she will be consumed forever, and the Stone of Mind will be unleashed."

"How do you know so much about this stone?" Evelyn inquired with a suspicious tone in her voice.

"Like I've said to many others, I am a paladin. My brethren and I know all there is to know about The Blacklands, including its histories and secrets. The Order kept extensive records of past events, and we must know them by heart to become a fully-fledged paladin." Winslow replied with a sharpness in his voice, not offended, but bold. Evelyn nodded, satisfied with his answer. "However, I am unfamiliar with the history of the stone in Ausrüstung, can you inform me?"

"Certainly..." Evelyn adjusted her glasses and began to recall the story in her mind before reciting it. "As you know, two-hundred years ago, the four founders fled to The Blacklands after being forced out by the Equestrians. Soon after we found our place on the west coast, we began to spread out and expand our reach. Our troops pushed the Zhophziis tribes of Sharrzej out, and we went as far south as The Sands of Faashar."

"Isn't that cruel? What you did to those tribes you ousted?" Fluttershy questioned the morals of the early empire of Ausrüstung and became quite passionate as she evaluated the decisions made by the ponies of Ausrüstung so long ago.

"It was, and I won't deny that. That is the whole reason our two nations despise each other to this day, and the reason why the miriads to the east hate us so much as well." Evelyn went on as she fiddled with a piece of tech she pulled out of her pocket; it looked like a rubber ball, but it had various flashing lights on it. "Anyways, The Old Republic of Ausrüstung was growing, and discovering so many amazing wonders. However, our greatest discovery was in an old tomb, the resting place of an ancient cult, similar to the cult we are dealing with currently. Inside the tomb, locked away in an ancient cubical container was the stone. Our scientists brought it back to Eisen and began experimenting, they wanted to unlock the well of knowledge buried within the stone, and they came so close. After decades of experimentation, Ivan Aquarius and the rest of the A.M.S fabricated the first AI, an artificial intelligence to be used in machines. This changed everything."

"And you used that in your robots? The dampfriesens?" Draven asked as he joined in on the discussion. Being a storyteller himself, Draven was all for learning more about the history of The Blacklands.

"Yes, but dampfriesens have very low intelligence, and only take orders from the mainframes." Evelyn answered his question but raised another in the process.

"Mainframes?" Gin wondered.

"They are the crowning achievement of Ausrüstung, the command centers for foreign and domestic security. The mainframes act as instructors. They give orders, and the dampfriesens follow, like a colony of ants and their queen if you will. They use the most sophisticated AI in existence, and there are only four- well, three of them I should say." Evelyn said as she fixated on the strange device in her hand more and more. She began to derail and lose interest for a moment, but she snapped out of it after a long gap in the discussion that she hoped the others would fill.

"What's that contraption you got there?" Butch's age showed as he pointed down at the odd sphere with intrigue. Evelyn tried containing her laughter, but a small snort escaped her snout.

"It's an EMP grenade. I've been working on implementing guidance systems into this device, but my efforts have been fruitless so far. I've been trying to make it hover, but the a-grav chip doesn't seem to want to respond. Blast." Evelyn toyed with the machine in a more frantic manner, but then her toying escalated to the point where she was simply infuriated, and she violently mashed the buttons on the grenade. Butch chuckled a little, and snatched the grenade from her hands, opening it up to fix the problem. "What are you doing? Do you even know how to-..." Evelyn trailed off as Butch handed it back to her after he rearranged a few parts within the device. She tossed it in the air, and it hovered above her head, whirring and beeping as it detected its surroundings and awaited Evelyn's order.

"There you go." Butch said as he lit a cigar and tossed his burnt-up match on the ground.

"How did you-?" Evelyn lost her words as she grabbed the grenade out of the air and put it back in her lab coat pocket.

"I used grenades like that back in the day," Butch remembered his past experiences regarding the civil war and the robots utilized by the northern district. "Back when..." Butch heard gunfire sound in his mind, like roaring thunder. It shook him on the inside, and his breathing became rapid. He stopped and stepped back. Evelyn realized what was happening right away and grabbed his hands, trying to prevent him from rummaging through his pockets for his pills. Butch then ripped off his helmet and dropped it.

"What's happening to him?" Fluttershy asked Evelyn as the whole group stopped.

"He's having... gastric distress. Please, just go on ahead, we'll be alright." Evelyn insisted as she shooed everypony away. "We'll be fine."

"Let's go." Masami ordered them with a hint of reluctance, but she knew Evelyn would take care of him.

Butch was often stricken with tremors and cold flashes whenever he remembered the sounds of war. The blood, the horror, it would come rushing back to him in an instant, and he was helpless when it happened. The others believed Butch was beyond saving, that the pills would help him, but Evelyn knew needed more than that. The pills were experimental, developed by doctors to treat shell-shock, but they had terrible side effects like increased irritability and anxiety disorders; she didn't trust the medication, and she went to great lengths to discourage him from taking it.

Evelyn found the bottle of pills in his utility belt and tossed them aside, the glass in the bottle shattering as it hit the half destroyed concrete wall of an old general store. Butch didn't seem to notice, he was too lost in the cacophony of his subconscious. Evelyn grabbed his hands and tried to hold them steady, but Butch's mechanical arms began to rattle violently, and he mumbled incoherently as he shook his head. He started crying as his eyes twitched rapidly, and he felt the world grow dark around him as he heard the screams of children, heard the cries of mothers searching for their child, felt their pain and agony as his hands tensed over and over again.

"Butch, Butch... look at me. Stay with me, okay?" Evelyn removed her glasses and grabbed his head to help him focus. "Please, I need you to come back, okay? I need you to look at me."

Butch shook his head frantically as he looked away, as shaking his head was the only action he could manage in that state. His breathing began to slow as he stared down at the shattered glass on the ground, and he fell to his knees. Evelyn followed, and dropped down to his level, trying to help him through his episode.

"Please, Butch... look at me." Evelyn had tears streaming down her face as she reached out to him, and she trembled as Butch's eyes moved to the side until they final met with hers. "Look at me..."

"Rosie?" Butch's muttered weakly as he wiped a hanging tear off of Evelyn's cheek, peering deep into her soul as he stared at her magenta eyes, reaching into her being to find somepony else that wasn't there.

"My name is Evelyn, Butch..."

"Evelyn..." Butch was lost for a moment once again as he stared into space, and as he came to he closed his eyes. His body jerked as his eyelids popped open, and his breathing hastened into a terrified pant as if he had just dunked his head into a bowl filled with ice-water. As his breathing slowed, he looked back to her. "Evelyn."

"Yes, Butch it's me..." Evelyn smiled as she put her glasses back on and stood up. "Are you okay?"

"You're cryin' darlin'..." Butch stood up with her and wiped away her remaining tears. Again, he completely forgot about his own pain, focusing only on hers. He left his hand on her cheek.

Evelyn remembered when she was little, growing up in her father's mansion all alone with no one to talk to except Butch when he visited. She remembered that long night when there was a thunderstorm when she'd slept with him for comfort. He was the one who cared for her, who listened to her whenever she had a brilliant idea. He was her rock, her only friend, the father she wished she had. Now as an adult, Evelyn wanted to help Butch, understand him. But alas, she never truly knew him, because he never let her in. She only caught glimpses of his past, brief flashes of light; sudden like one of his the matches he used to light his cigars, burning out just like that.

"I'm fine, Butch..." Evelyn said as she set her hand on his. She knew her comfort would bring him solace. "I'm okay..."

"Masami... will they be alright by themselves?" Rainbow Dash looked back; Butch and Evelyn were far away, but still visible.

"Yeah, they're fine." Masami gave her a warm smile as they continued. The radio station was on the horizon, and they were all ready. Broken, scarred, angry, but ready. "They're fine..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Six: Thirty Minutes

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There was a menacing clanking noise that sounded in the distance as Spike and the rest of the group drew closer to the radio tower. They hid behind a dilapidated police station and prepared their weapons. Butch loaded his massive, cannon-like shotgun with three gigantic flak shells and filled his revolver with armor-piercing rounds. He lit another cigar as he peaked around a back alleyway that came to an abrupt end at a drop-off; he looked down into the ravine ahead. The radio tower was much taller than expected, and it actually was rooted into the ground at the bottom of crater. the ground shook and trembled as the clanking noise grew louder, and more robotic sounds joined in, turning the single crank into a symphony of metallic chaos. Butch saw hundreds of skeletons at the bottom of the crater, and one towering, fifty-meter skeleton protecting the complex attached to the tower. He ran back behind the cover of the police station and relayed the information.

"There's a whole damn army down there..." Butch said with a slight groan. "We'll have to surprise them, hit them with a single, hard attack to scatter their ranks."

"What kind of attack are we talking about?" Edgar wondered, hinting at his desire to tear them apart with one of his nuclear blasts.

"Can you take that big one down there?" Masami pointed at the giant skeleton as they both took a peek.

"I'll try." Edgar nodded as he cracked the knuckles of his right hand.

"Alright, we need a strike team to sneak around the crater using this avenue," Masami pointed at the sign on a nearby street corner that read Dallas Avenue. "You'll enter the complex through the back, and hit em' where it hurts. You'll take that cyborg bastard down, Dr. Gearza. Who's game for being part of the strike team?"

"I'm in." Liazo volunteered

"Same. I won't be too helpful out there in the fray anyways." Gin admitted, knowing full-well that she was just an earth pony without the adequate firepower to deal with the threatening group of mechanical monsters.

"I'll go," Butch said as he holstered his pistol.

"Me too." Evelyn stepped closer to Butch, signifying her unwillingness to let him go without her. She fabricated a reason to join them in her haste. "I might be able to shut the facility down permanently from the inside."

"Sounds like a plan." Masami nodded as she peaked around her corner again. "You guys get moving, get inside, and find a way to shut it down. We'll take the bots. Go."

The strike team began their march north around the crater, and Masami turned to face the remaining members of their group. She brought out another black sphere, similar to the one that generated the elastic armour that everypony else was coated in. It buzzed and whirred a few times before liquefying and morphing into a piece of technology. It appeared to be a musket, but it was unlike anything Spike or Draven had seen before.

"What in Leere's name is that?" Draven raised an eyebrow at the strange, alien weapon.

"A LRHPR or a Long Range High-Power Railgun to be exact. I utilizes magnetism to propel a bullet to hypersonic-..." Masami realized she was rambling and cleared her throat awkwardly to break the boredom-laced silence she created. Masami could tell the others were pretending they knew what she was talking about. "Never mind. Let's just scout for a while." Masami strapped the rifle to her back and stepped into the old police station, making her way up the stairs to the roof and urging the others to follow. "Come on."

As soon as they reached the top– save for Edgar who stayed at ground level, worried the whole structure would crumble under his crushing weight– they began surveying the area. Edgar tried leaning against the side of the building to get a better view, but the brick outer wall of the station groaned and crackled as he pressed his back against the building. He recoiled as soon as he heard the noise, and retreated to the sidewalk, sighing as he hung his head with a mixed expression of embarrassment and relief on his face.

"Poor guy..." Masami shook her head as she peered through her scope to get a better view of the radio station's defences. "Nothin' but robots thankfully, no cultists. Winny, how good are you at clearing a path?" Masami asked the stoic paladin, who was leaning up against the closed door that led to the spiral staircase they all took to reach the roof.

"I have experience with such a task." Winslow replied as he drew his sword, inspecting the edge of the blade. "I fear my sword may dull, however, those metal creatures do a number on the sharpness of its edge. I will try to slay as many as I can."

"That's a promise he can keep, I'll tell you that!" Draven assured Masami, but she still remained sceptical of paladins who jumped into modern battlefields with claymores and outdated armour.

"I'll... have to see it to believe it." Masami tried to place her judgement lightly, but it was hard for her not to criticize his choice of weaponry.

"What'll I do?" Rainbow Dash interjected as she crouched down to look at whatever Masami was aiming her scope at.

"You're more than fast enough to distract them without taking any hits, you'll be makin' em'-..." Masami trailed off as raised her scope just enough to see the other side of the crater. "What the hell?" It took her a moment to realize what was on the other side of the ravine. "Shit! Everypony get down!"

They all ducked, including Edgar, and held their breath as Masami peaked over the edge of the building to catch a glimpse of the other side. Rainbow Dash covered her ears and tucked her head into her chest as she awaited an imminent attack, but no such attack was heard. "What's going on, Masami? Are there bandits?"

"Not sure..." Masami zoomed in on her scope to get a better view. "There's a sniper on the other side of the crater. It's not a bandit..."

"What could it be?" Fluttershy whispered as she tried looking, but she was stopped by Winslow.

"Careful," He warned the curious pegasus, placing a hand on her back to keep her behind cover.

"Could it be a cultist?" Spike suggested.

"No. That scope emits a blue light, meaning that weapon's a standard issue rifle, spec ops. Maybe it's a member of some lost patrol? No, that's not right... they were all equipped with heart-rate monitoring implants. They're all dead..." Masami talked to herself as she tried piecing it together. "It can't be a cultist or a bandit, only trained spec ops can use that rifle. Or maybe..."

Masami set her rifle on the edge of the rooftop and directed it towards the mystery sniper. She flicked a dial on and off on her scope, turning the blue light on and off in a pattern that was unrecognizable to Spike and the others. However, they were too worried about Masami's safety to care, and Draven grabbed her shoulder to try and pull her back down.

"No, it's fine," Masami insisted as she pushed Draven's hand away. "Looks like we've got an ally... see?" Masami pointed over to the other side, and Draven looked down the scope. The sniper was repeating the same pattern, turning their light on and off. "I asked that pony if he was peaceful, and it looks like he is."

"How do you know for sure?" Spike wondered.

"I'm pretty sure... the only kind of ponies I know that can use scope-communication are ex-military, but that makes no sense. Surely most of the residents of this hellhole are all crazy, there's no way. There's something else to this." Masami was still gobsmacked by the situation, and she flicked her scope on and off again to send a new message.

"What are you doing?" Draven asked as he watched her turn it on and off, counting seconds every time she turned it off.

"I just asked he, or she their purpose here," Masami explained as she kept tinkering with her scope. "Maybe if I adjust the scope a little I can get a view of the sniper..." She fiddled with a few screws in the internal mechanism of the rifle scope, and she peered through it once more, closing her left eye tightly and focusing her sight. "What the hell?"

"What is it?" Draven was intrigued by Masami's shocked expression as she zoomed in on the sniper.

"Well... our mystery ally isn't ex-military, that much I can say..." Masami answered him as she gawked at the strange pony.

The pony holding the rifle was no pony at all. Granted, its shape and mannerisms resembled that of a regular stallion. It was clear the creature was made of a metal based on the golden chrome designs of the robot. Its facial expressions were lifelike, its cheeks and muscles made of overlapping, intricate plates of metal animated by articulate gears and cogs that were barely visible between the cracks in the smooth plating. It was definitely an android, but more advanced than anything she had seen before. The robot had thin strips of wire for hair, which formed a mane made of thin metal strands. It wore a leather trench coat and a bandolier over its metal torso. The android's visible, camera-like eyes were cyan blue, and it even had mechanized eyelids that squinted as it peered into its rifle

"This is incredible. Evelyn would be losing it right now." Masami communicated with the robotic stallion again, and sent the message "What–are–you?"

"Not–one–of–them." The android replied through its scope, realizing that Masami was zooming in on him. "I–am–a–dampfriesen."

Masami lowered her rifle for a moment and began to evaluate the weight of her discovery. The creature she was talking to was a dampfriesen. A highly advanced and intelligent, android, dampfriesen. "Wow..." Masami took a deep breath and replied again. "How–can–we–trust–you?"

"What is it, Masami?" Spike inquired.

"I... I have no idea." Masami was positively gobsmacked by the mechanical marvel. She zoomed in on the sniper. He was writing down something on a piece of paper with a piece of charcoal. As he finished, he raised it up high for her to read and saluted. "By the founders..."

UICTORIAM, IUSTITIAM, AD SECURITATEM

"What did the sniper say?" Spike asked as he stood up.

"He said, 'Uictoriam, Iustitiam, Ad Securitatem'. It means, 'To Victory, To Justice, To Security'." Masami beamed as she waved to the sniper. He waved back. "It's the oath every dampfriesen knows and recites once it leaves the Ministry of Security. It's hard-wired into their AI mainframe; Archibald Mason's Oath to a Secure Ausrüstung." Masami laughed joyously as she spread the news to Edgar, who– to her surprise– was saluting to the sniper on the other side. Did he see him? "Edgar, what's up?"

"Oh, what?" Edgar shook his head; he was daydreaming. "Apologies... I spaced out for a moment."

"You won't believe it, Eddie! That sniper is a dampfriesen, but way more than that!" Masami informed the giant, who tried getting a closer view of the sniper by standing up on a nearby dumpster. That failed miserably, and Edgar crushed the steel dumpster beneath his hooves like a tin can.

"Damn." Edgar cursed under his breath as he stepped off of the crumpled slab of metal squished by his gigantic hooves. He became so caught up in his blunder that he forgot about the topic entirely, but he returned to the conversation at hand once he tried (and failed) to bend the dumpster back to normal. "So, you said the sniper is a dampfriesen? I thought they were supposed to be malfunctioning brutes...?"

"So did I," Masami said as she zoomed in to look at the sniper again, "But it looks like I was wrong. I wonder if there are more of them?"

"There's no time for inquiries, Masami. We've got to formulate a plan of attack." Draven reminded her of the original mission, and Masami nodded back to him in agreement. "If that sniper's on our side, surely he'd be willing to help?"

"Let's see," Masami said as she sent the sniper another message via scope sight. "Can–you–help–us–take–the–station?"

"That–was–my–plan." The robot stallion replied.

"Looks like this dampfriesen knows about our plan..." Masami concluded as she raised her hand in the air to give the sniper a thumbs-up, and the robot stallion reciprocated the gesture. "No time to ask any more questions. Let's get back to the plan."

"So, where shall Spike and I attack?" Draven asked Masami, who was still scouting the area with her rifle.

"You two have got the firepower for crowd-control." Masami watched some of the skeletons in the ravine bunch up into separate squads. "I think you'll be able to take more of em' out if they huddle together like that." Masami pointed down into the crater, directing Spike and Draven's eyes to the packs of skeletons. "Try hitting them from a distance with that magic of yours."

"Sounds like a plan." Draven agreed wholeheartedly.

"What about me?" Fluttershy said with her usual timid tone of voice. "What will I do...?"

"That drone has a built-in themosonic barrier generator. It should provide adequate protection for you and anypony else you wish to shield. Just point at your desired target, and the drone will take care of the rest." Masami explained as she fiddled with Fluttershy's drone. "There. The barrier won't harm living things now, only mechanical constructs."

"Alright, so now what? Will there be a signal, or...?" Draven looked around for some kind of sign that gave him an answer.

"I'll give the word. It'll take around thirty minutes for them to get to that end of the crater." Masami instructed them as she looked down at the watch on her left hand that she set to go off at thirty minutes. "Until then, I suggest you all stick around. I get lonely all by myself!"

"Alright then," Rainbow Dash hummed as she picked up an old wooden stool leaning up against a rusty air conditioning unit and propped it up. "So, why is this thing in a crater anyways? I thought you guys uses that... 'Guava Device' or whatever."

"It's 'Guiver', and yeah we did. I think this was just caused by erosion." Masami explained as she zoomed in to get a better view of the edges of the crater. The broken pipes jutting out of the landscape confirmed her theory. "Yep, I'm right. The sewer system must've gone to shit after so many years of improper maintenance. The pipes probably all burst due to environmental conditions, eating away at the landscape until this whole section of Schlüssel sank. I'm surprised that the radio station survived, after all these years."

"Who's this automation we're fighting with, Dr. Gearza? The one that leads these monstrous mechanical constructs?" Winslow inquired, looking down into the crater. "What are his intentions?"

"No idea. All I know is that he's crazy..." Masami scoffed and shrugged her shoulders.

Rainbow Dash thought back to Chesterfield Manor when Agent Golde and Amos were showing them the files regarding the members of Infernalgear. She remembered the concerned look on Butch's face when Dr. Gearza's name was mentioned. "I think Butch might know him..."

"Oh? How did you come to that conclusion?" Masami raised an eyebrow as she continued to survey the ravine.

"Well, he looked worried when those agents talked about him. Maybe he knew him?" Rainbow Dash didn't have any other evidence to support her claim.

"It's possible. Perhaps that's why he decided to be a part of the strike team. Maybe he has a vendetta or something?" Masami laughed and shook her head. "If I was Gearza, I'd turn tail and run. There's nothing more frightening than having Butch breathe down your neck. Well, maybe Eddie's a little scarier..."

"Thanks, Masami..." Edgar rolled his eyes as he sat down on the crumpled dumpster like a tree stump.

"Love you too, buddy!" Masami chuckled as she looked down at her watch. "Twenty-seven minutes left..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Seven: A Goodbye To An Old Friend

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Butch hid behind a pile of rubble at the edge of the crater. From what he could see as he raised his head to take a peek, the entrance was not heavily guarded, and the drop-off was nowhere near as daunting as it was in the middle of Dallas Avenue where they were before. The backdoor only had a few skeletons guarding it, but there was a camera just above the locked metal door, which would be a problem for him and the rest of his strike team.

Butch thought back to before when he fixed Evelyn's EMP device. "Eve, remember that grenade I fixed for you?"

"Yes, what do you need it-?" Evelyn caught on before she finished the sentence. "Ah, here. Careful, though, it's just a prototype so it won't disable electronics completely, it will just temporarily stun them."

"How long will we have before that thing wears off?" Gin asked as she loaded up some of her flintlocks.

"Approximately... two minutes." Evelyn guessed off the top of her head. "Maybe three..."

"Maybe three?" Liazo questioned Evelyn's estimation skills as he fiddled with his lighter.

"Let's make that two minutes just to be safe, okay? We'll have to break open the lock on that door before it wears off. Who can lock-pick here?" Butch wondered, inviting the other members of the strike team to speak up.

Liazo spotted the lock from behind the pile of rubble. "That lock is ancient, metal. I was only trained to crack magnetic locks that run on electronics. I haven't got a clue when it comes to mechanical locks."

Everypony but Gin paused for a moment and calmly directed their gaze at the silver-haired pirate, subtly hinting to her that she was an expert at lock-picking, and she was the perfect candidate. It took her a moment to realize why they were staring at her, and her expression contorted into a bitter one. "Oh, I see! You all think I'm a master lock-picker because I'm a pirate and I steal things!" Gin huffed as she pulled out a bag of lock-picks from her pocket in an impatient manner, guilt-tripping the others. Her expression went from offended to gleeful in a matter of a half a second as she opened the bag and grabbed one, revealing to the others that her reaction before was nothing but a ruse. "Well, I am! That lock'll be open in no time at all!"

"Spare me the jovial attitude, Gin. This is serious." Evelyn sighed, a little annoyed by Gin's carefree demeanor.

"Yeah, I'm just... trying to lighten the mood, you know?" Gin chuckled lightly as her smirk faded for a moment, but returned when she rifled through the bag of lock-picks. "Sorry."

Gin often joked around too much in the eyes of Evelyn. She was never serious, she often facetiously laughed at dire matters, and she treated most things like a game, which irked her beyond belief. However, what agitated Evelyn the most was the way she ended every sentence, with a small laugh. Perhaps it was her coping mechanism? Her way of dismissing a bad mood or thought? Whatever the reason, it still bothered Evelyn. Although she hated to admit it, Evelyn also harbored a degree of jealousy for Gin. Evelyn was so very tired of treating every situation in her world like it was a matter of life and death, and she wished to relieve herself of the mask she wore daily.

What saddened her, though, was the fact that her serious attitude often disappointed Butch, jabbed away a little at his already damaged soul. Evelyn didn't want to accept the fact that every day she was becoming more and more like him. Never happy, always angry, bitter with the hand she was dealt in life. Butch grew happier when the two joined together on Task Force One three years prior, his dismay and dread seemed to be swept away whenever he saw her. However, Butch only saw a happy, carefree child whenever he looked at her, only seeing with his old eyes that grew so accustomed to her young, smiling face. She wanted him to tear away the act, tear away the illusion that she was six again. Evelyn wanted Butch to see her as she was; a mare who's only experience being a filly was when he came to visit her at her mansion or her boarding school.

"Evelyn, what's got you down?" Butch took off his helmet as he noticed Evelyn, who sat down on the other side of the pile of rubble on the sidewalk, staring at the ground, lost in her own thoughts.

"Nothing, Butch... nothing." Evelyn snapped out of her internal crisis and returned to the matter at hand, still feeling a sharp pain in the back of her head; a desperate cry from a foal trapped within her head. She stood up and joined them on the other side of the mound of concrete. "Let's get back to work."

"Alright, let me run this by you all one more time." Butch prepared his explanation, directing his eyes towards the back door of the radio station. "Once we hear the signal, I'll toss this grenade at the door, and Gin'll break the lock."

"Wait, what's the signal?" Gin wondered.

"Masami is a wiz at timing. Once we hear a railgun shot, we go for it, okay?" Butch instructed them, and they all nodded. "I assume she gave us... thirty minutes. So that leaves us with less than a minute to spare."

"How do you know that?" Gin inquired once more.

"I timed our walk from the middle of Dallas Avenue to here," Butch explained, lifting up his arm to show her his electronic watch that read 29:35 which was a number that then proceeded to rise like the second-hand on a clock. Gin was surprised by how attuned the members of Task Force One were. Every action; attacking, defending, retrieving anything, it was all instinctual. She figured it was because of their years of experience together, being on every mission with each other.

"Alright..." Butch kept his eyes on his watch, looking over at the back door and raising his left ear to listen for the Masami's first railgun shot. He raised his hand, urging the others to be ready. "Steady..." His left ear twitched in anticipation, and just as his clock hit 30:00, an electric crack sounded in the distance, followed by a small explosion. "Go!" Butch put his helmet back on; the ensuing cacophony almost drowned his voice out.

A Butch tossed the EMP grenade towards the group of skeletons by the door. At first, Gin thought the throw was going to be too short, but as the grenade made its way down, it redirected itself and zoomed towards the robots like an eagle going in for the kill. As it made contact with the closest skeleton, the grenade detonated, disabling all electronics within the fifty-meter blast radius. The cyborgs fell to the ground, writhing in pain as their systems failed. Butch vaulted over the mound of rubble and made his way down the gradual slope to the back entrance; the others followed, and they all arrived in less than thirty seconds. Gin began to crack the lock.

"Be careful, Gin. There are pressure sensors on the door. Tearing it open or shooting the door will set off an alarm." Evelyn

"How long, Gin?" Liazo tapped the wall in a panic, worried that the robot would awaken.

"Damn..." Gin tried forcing the lock, but it wouldn't budge. She groaned and turned to Evelyn "This is rusted. Can we open the lock any other way?"

"We need some kind of acid, heat would trigger an alarm as well." Evelyn thought hard as she tried formulating a method to melt the lock. "I know! Butch, do you have gas grenades on your suit?"

"Yes, I think so." Butch searched his bandolier for the grenade. "Yes, here it is!"

Evelyn grabbed the grenade and pulled a screwdriver out of the holster in her utility belt. She began loosening the bolts around the grenade, weakening the bond that held the grenade together. "There's acid in this gas grenade. It should be able to melt the lock off!" Evelyn took off the last bolt and tossed the top part aside, holding the bottom of the grenade filled with acid in her hand. She gently lifted it just above the lock and poured it on slowly. The acid fizzed and bubbled as it ate away at the rusty lock. "Yes! It's working!"

"We've got thirty seconds..." Liazo gritted his teeth, counting the time.

The lock fell off and withered, allowing them access to the radio station. Evelyn was the first inside, and she opened the door quietly as she entered. "Come on!"

"What about the skeletons? Don't you think they'll notice the lock is missing?" Gin asked Evelyn as she went inside.

"No, I've studied them. The control chips in their brains are cheap, non-advanced. They only follow a single specific order. If I'm right –and I am right– they won't notice the lock as long as the door is shut." Evelyn explained frantically as she shut the door behind them.

****

Winslow and Edgar led the charge, cleaving and tearing numerous cyborgs apart. Draven blew apart scores of skeletons, chaining lightning through multiple targets. Spike had a harder time fending off the robots, due to his lack of experience in facing multiple opponents, and he sought help from Fluttershy, who protected him with a shield whenever a skeleton got too close. Spike managed to blow apart a few, and Fluttershy pushed a few back, but one got through their combined defense and charged towards Spike with malicious fury, screeching and wailing as it drew closer. But before it could reach out and grab him, a round from Masami's railgun traveled through the metal beast's head, causing it to fall to the ground, dead.

"Boom." Masami grinned as she pulled her eye away from the scope on her railgun. She reloaded, watching the dampfriesen sniper's display of astounding marksmanship. He hit a skeleton between the eyes in mid-jump, he hit another through the head by ricocheting it off a nearby piece of scrap metal, and he even managed to shoot multiple targets through the head using only one round. Masami scoffed, feeling drastically outmatched by the beyond accurate sniper. "Show-off..."

The giant cyborg near the station raved and roared like a maniac as it stomped towards Edgar, ready to face-off against the brute. Edgar urged the others to stay behind him, and he prepared to defend against the titanic metal beast, who was readying a hard punch. "Plug your ears!"

Edgar's fist collided with the giant skeleton's, sending out a concussive wave of energy that blew back dozens of other skeletons. The sound that reverberated was akin to a bell that had been struck by a piece of solid metal. Spike and the others shielded their faces from debris that was kicked up by the blast, and as the thunderous crack of power subsided, they all felt a loud ring in their ears. The giant skeleton stepped back and looked down at its hand; it was almost blown to pieces by its own attack. It was clear that while the giant skeleton had the size advantage, Edgar was still far stronger and much more durable than his opposition, and he hadn't even deactivated any of the markings on his neck that restricted his power.

However, the giant skeleton was intellectually incapable of using logic, and it continued its attack, kicking Edgar across the jaw and sending him flying into a pile of concrete and metal. Before it could even follow-up, Edgar sprang from the mass of rubble like a jack in the box. His powerful legs propelled him into the air, and he threw a hard right cross that shattered the jaw of the giant skeleton like a piece of porcelain. The creature fell over, and Edgar tore off its head as if it was as flimsy and frail as the head of a dandelion. He lifted high into the air with two hands and tossed it into a mob of approaching skeleton's, flattening about a dozen more.

"Hate to get into a bar fight with him..." Draven chuckled to himself as he disintegrated another skeleton with a surging torrent of lightning.

Rainbow Dash attracted the attention of numerous skeletons, and they pursued her like a pack of starving dogs, clumping up into tight packs that chased her relentlessly. Spike took advantage of their closeness and clapped his hands together, unleashing a fiery blast that blew them all apart "Dragon King's Fiery Explosion!" Spike was unsure how he knew such a phrase. He didn't seem to even recall learning such a technique. It simply came to him instinctually.

"Thanks, Spike! I owe ya one!" Rainbow Dash gave him a quick and playful salute as she kicked a skeleton through the chest. She shook it off, and she joined Spike and Fluttershy, who were both huddled together. "Wow, they don't stop, do they?"

"More are coming," Winslow said as he pulled his sword out of a skeleton's head and readied his blade. "Be prepared..."

****

The strike team raced down the long corridor to the reactor of the radio station. Gin tagged along with Liazo and stayed behind Butch and Evelyn, looking around for some kind of arrow or directive symbol. "Are You sure we're headed the right way, Evelyn?" Gin asked as she ran after her.

"I'm positive that this is the correct path. Dr. Gearza knows the main reactor of the radio station is what keeps this thing running. He'll be protecting it, along with any remaining skeletons within this facility." Evelyn reassured Gin as they made their way to an elevator shaft. "Here. This should take us down to the reactor level." Evelyn attempted to hack the terminal beside the elevator, but to her surprise, there was no need. The terminal was already unlocked. "Odd..."

"What? What is it?" Liazo wondered, tucking his hands into the pockets of his black leather pants.

"This control terminal is already unlocked," Evelyn answered him as the doors opened. "This must be a trap then..."

"Well, is there another way down?" Gin suggested.

"No, I'm afraid not." Evelyn tapped on the rim of her round glasses, darkening the lenses to appear as if they were sunglasses.

"Umm, Eve... it's not really that bright in here, is it?" Gin joked as she watched Evelyn step inside the elevator and look down towards the ground, looking at something invisible to the others. "What is it?"

"I can't see any sign of explosives or other devices at the bottom of this shaft," Evelyn concluded as she tapped the rim of her glasses once more to deactivate them. "It should be safe to go down, but I not sure what we'll face once we get down there."

"We better be ready then," Butch said as pinned few grenades to his belt, ready for use. He stepped into the elevator along with Evelyn, and Liazo and Gin followed.

The elevator ride was choppy, but without serious malfunctions, which was surprising considering the elevator hadn't been properly maintained for over fifteen years. There was a sharp jerk at the end that off balanced all but Butch, and the doors struggled to open due to all the rust and wear on the mechanisms. Butch grabbed the doors with his cybernetic arms and forced them open, he was able to easily overpower the rusty elevator with the strength of his synthetic limbs.

"Remind me to call you whenever I need a jar opened, huh?" Gin joked, to which the gritty soldier replied with a momentary grin and a nod as he stepped out first.

As Butch got out, he drew his revolver, aiming it into the blackness around him. It was extremely dark –darker than the hallways leading up to the elevator– and he couldn't see a thing, on his left or right. He could only see the faint blue glow of the reactor core ahead. As the others exited the elevator, they raised their weapons, ready for whatever was in the blanket of shadows that surrounded them.

Suddenly and without warning, a record player began to hum a tune that was familiar to Butch. The location of the record player was unknown, as the sound seemed to bounce off of the metal walls of the great chamber. The tune was an old war tune, sung by Helga, Dr. Gearza's late wife who died of lung cancer. It was soft and heavy. It was slow and moving like a ballad, yet hardy and strong like a march. The song made Butch recall cherished memories of Christoph and Helga. However, at the same time, the song felt empty, without a soul.

How stands the glass around?
For shame you take no care, my colts,
How stands the glass around?
Let wine and mirth abound;
The trumpet sound,
The colors they do fly my colts;
To fight, kill or wound;
As you would be found,
Contented with hard fare, my colts
On the cold ground

O why, soldiers why?
O why should we be melancholy colts,
O why soldiers why?
Whose bus'ness is to die;
What? sighing? Fye!
Drink on, drown fear, be jolly colts;
'Tis he, you or I, wet, hot, cold or dry;
We're always bound to follow colts,
And scorn to fly.

'Tis but vain;
I mean not to upbraid you colts,
'Tis but vain;
For a soldier to complain;
Should next campaign,
Send us to him that made us colts;
We're free from pain,
But should we remain,
A bottle and kind landlady
Cures all again–.

The record cut off abruptly as four figures stepped out of the shadows. There were three that appeared first, each an android of somepony whom Butch thought he'd never see again. Before him were three androids of Helga, clanking, and twitching like spastic toy soldiers. They had her long and flowing blonde hair, her green eyes, her white coat. Besides their mechanical movements, they appeared lifelike. They stepped towards the strike team with cold unblinking eyes and wide smiles, their arms and legs transforming into various bladed weapons. Dr. Gearza followed them, and the lights blinked spastically, turning on completely after Dr. Gearza clapped his hands.

"What the bloody hell is this?!" Gin looked at the robotic mares in horror.

"This is vare I end you." Dr. Gearza clapped again, and the androids sprang into action, sprinting towards them.

"I'll take Gearza! You take the androids!" Butch shouted as he fired his revolver at Dr. Gearza, who dodged with blinding speed and retaliated in an instant, slamming Butch in the chest with a firm palm strike and winding him.

"Butch!" Evelyn cried out to him as she fought a Helga android.

"I'll be fine! Worry about yourself!" Butch insisted as he got back on his feet. He stood before Dr. Gearza in silence, staring at him with a serious expression. "I don't want to hurt you, Christoph."

"Zat name has no meaning." Dr. Gearza said coldly as he swiped at Butch, who dodged. "You have no meaning to me."

Dr. Gearza slammed his fist into Butch's face, but it had little effect. Butch replied to his attack with a firm knee to the cyborg's face, causing him to stumble back. "Do you even remember who Helga was?"

"No. I have erased all knowledge of such an individual from my mind exactly eight years, six months, three days, eight hours, and sixteen minutes ago." The soulless machine said with little pause in his speech. "Your efforts to persvade me are trivial and illogical, and should you should not continue zis if your goal is victory."

Butch clenched his fist and gave Dr. Gearza a strong uppercut as he grit his teeth in anger, which dented Gearza's metal head severely. "Why did you do it, Christoph?! Why did you do that to yourself?!"

"Das stallion named Dr. Christoph Kaiber transferred his mind into zis body in order to ovacome death and continue his research. However, ze lack of an endocrine system left ze emotional centas of his limbic system permanently damaged." Dr. Gearza explained as he continued to attack Butch, analyzing him to spot a weak point. "Zis exposition displeases me... die."

Dr. Gearza's eyes shone a purple light, and a ray of purple energy escaped his eyes. Butch dodged, circling around him as he drew closer, getting close enough to land a round kick to Gearza's sound. Yet again Gearza stumbled back, black, oily lubricant leaking from his chest. He growled and lashed out at him in a furious rage, delivering fierce blows to Butch's sides. The hits did not crush his armor or metal bones, but the force carried through his body and rattled his organs. Butch coughed up blue fluid as he stepped back.

"Butch, these androids keep regenerating every time we kill em'! You can't keep stalling! You've got to take out Gearza, now!" Liazo shouted at Butch as he held the jaw of the Helga android open with his bare hands.

"I'm sorry, Christoph..." Butch swallowed hard as he pulled out his shotgun aiming it at his legs. The blast from his gun shattered the cyborg's legs like weak matchsticks, and Gearza fell forward onto his stomach. He wanted to fire his last shot to end it, but his own conscious prevented him from applying pressure to the trigger. It had been a long time since Butch felt that kind of restraint, he didn't want to lose a piece of his past all over again, a piece of his life before the war. In that moment, Butch only had two things worth living for in his life, and that was the battered cyborg before him, and Evelyn, who watched him struggle as she fought the android Helga.

"Vhat are you vaiting for? I have been defeated." Dr. Gearza groaned as he crawled towards Butch. "Free Dr. Christoph from zis fate-." Dr. Gearza was cut off by the roar of Butch's shotgun as it tore open a gaping hole in his metal skull. His eyes flickered for a moment before finally shutting off for good.

"Goodbye, Christoph." Butch nodded to the dead doctor as he made his way to the whirring reactor core at the end of the room. He tossed a fragmentation grenade down the hatch of the reactor, and he ordered the others to find cover. "Get down, now!"

Without hesitation they all obeyed, and they all took cover behind a stack of metal supply crates. The blast rocked the ground beneath them, and it kicked up a large amount of dust and smoke, obscuring their view for a brief moment. The lights shut off for a moment just as the dust cleared, and when the effects of the blast subsided, a select few fluorescent lights turned back on.

"That's just the backup generator," Evelyn assured them as she inspected the lifeless androids and the dead reactor. "It doesn't generate enough power to even get close to turning the tower back on."

"So... is that it?" Gin scratched the back of her head as she looked up at the ceiling.

"I assume so. The rest of the skeletons will turn off shortly without the direction of Dr. Gearza and the tower." Evelyn assured her as she looked over at Butch, who stood silently as he bowed his head before the corpse of his fallen friend. She moved over to him slowly and patted him on the back to comfort him. "Did you... know him?"

"Yeah. He was a friend of mine..." Butch replied as he continued to stare at the empty metal shell on the concrete floor. "A good friend."

The two remained silent for what seemed like the longest time as they both paid their respects. As they did so, Gearza's eyes filled with a gentle yellow glow, and a message began to play. Butch smiled as he heard the voice of Christoph, and he took off his helmet to hear the voice recording better.

*Hello, um... hello is zis sing on? Oh-... zare we go. Hello, Butch, zis is Christoph, and if you're hearing zis message, vell... somesing has happened to me, I suppose. I know sings may seem dark and hopeless at times, but I don't vant you to be sad, Butch. Don't treat this like Rosie's death... you have been through too much already. Please, you may be filled vith anguish and dread, but I don't vant you to hold onto ze past too long. You're ze bravest stallion I know. You're my friend, my partner, ze brother I never had, and I vant you to remember all that we did together, the good times. I vant you to know that no matter vhat happens. Ve'll alvays be vith you; Rosie, Elliot, me. Ve're there, you just need to look.*

*Christy, diner!*

*Coming, Helga! Oops, I'm sorry... I have to end it here! See you later, Captain Ausrüstung!*

As the message ended, Gearza's eyes faded to black once more. Evelyn paused for a moment as she heard a word escape Butch's mouth, too small to hear. Although he tried to hide it, a tear rolled down his cheek silently, shamefully, and his face darkened as he clenched his teeth. Evelyn felt his arms hug her tightly to his chest, and she comforted him as best as she could as he quivered, trying to hold back the urge to cry. Evelyn didn't say a word, she didn't speak, as she felt it would only make him worse.

"I'm sorry, Christoph..." Butch muttered as he dropped his helmet.

****

As the last cyborg fell to the ground, Edgar cracked his knuckles and neck. "Damn, all that fighting put a strain on my back!"

"Hate to find out what kind of back pain you're experiencing." Draven joked as he dusted off his captain's coat. "So, have they disabled the tower?"

"They destroyed the reactor core, yes." Masami nodded as she slid down the steep slope to the others inside the crater, unloading her rifle and strapping it to her back. "A reactor can't be repaired without arcanium, and there isn't a scrap of it in this whole district! So, that's that!"

"Where are the others?" Fluttershy wondered as she looked around for the strike team.

"Right here," Butch grunted in the distance, stepping over the piles of deactivated skeletons. "Dr. Gearza's taken care of..."

Masami saw the pain in his eyes and was immediately concerned. "Butch, are you-?"

"I'm fine." Butch replied before she could finish her sentence, and he began to climb the rough slope back to Dallas Avenue. "Let's get moving. Don't you want to have a little chat with your android friend over there, Masami?"

"Yeah..." Masami accepted Butch's unwillingness to talk about whatever was bothering him, and she followed, urging the others to do the same. "Come on, guys."

As they made their way back up, Spike whispered to Gin. "Hey, what happened in there?"

"I have no idea..." Gin shrugged slowly as she shook her head.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Eight: Gyro

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The group made their way to the crater via the various streets and avenues surrounding the ravine, as the side of the crater in which the android resided was far too steep to climb. Butch and Evelyn tagged along behind the rest, and Spike walked alone, ahead of everypony else. Butch was silent, and his face was almost motionless like a statue as he trotted along. Evelyn copied him for a while as they made their way to the mysterious android on the other side, but she eventually broke the silence, as she wondered about Dr. Gearza's true identity, the alias that Butch was familiar with. She cleared her throat to gain his attention, and his eyes moved to the side as she did so. "Butch... who was Dr. Kaiber? I read his file, but... there was nothing about his relation to you. Who was he?"

"He was a scientist, obviously..." Butch grunted as he looked down at the ground. "I met him at my tour in Galloway. "He ran maintenance on suits of mechanized armor like the one I'm wearing. He was the brightest stallion I knew, and he was a damn good engineer. But, his real passion was for physics. He'd drone on about space stuff, and I listened, although I didn't really know what he was talking about most of the time." A small chuckle escaped Butch's mouth as he looked to Evelyn. "After Galloway, we kept in contact for a while. Then the civil war broke out, and like almost every other scientist that spoke out against the tyranny of the old Dictatorship under The Friedenstruppen, Christoph was taken by The Friedenstruppen, forced to build weapons of war for the north. His wife died shortly after he was abducted."

"That's awful." Evelyn shook her head as she moved a little closer to him. She remembered Dr. Kaiber's audio recording, the message for Butch, a certain name that Christoph said.

*Don't treat this like Rosie's death... you have been through too much already.*

That name, Rosie; it pulled at her, beckoned to her like a ringing bell to come hither. Ever since Butch had first mentioned that name, it stoked a fire within her being, a flame that needed more; more fuel, more information, anything that could keep her going. She had to know who Rosie was. "Butch..."

"Yes?" Butch had lightened up after recalling happier thoughts of Christoph, and it pained Evelyn to mention more sadness and ruin his fragile mood.

"The name, on your shotgun, the name you called me before we attacked the tower, who is Rosie?" The ensuing silence was filled with extreme anguish. Butch's eyes became dark and glossy as his grin faded, and his expression went blank. Evelyn was afraid that he would spiral into an episode once more, and she stared at him intently, eventually trying to ease the situation. "Butch, forget I asked you that question. I didn't mean-."

"She was a friend." The sudden reply was quick and firm, too fast to be the truth, but Evelyn accepted his unwillingness to tell her about Rosie. Butch looked at the ground again, and Evelyn joined him as she cursed herself, hating her own blasted curiosity.

"Hold it," Masami ordered them as she walked ahead of the group over to Spike. "This is the building."

They stopped at the old general store. It was an old and weathered building, and its paint was faded and worn to the point where the writing on the outside was totally illegible. Inside the general store were various worthless objects like empty paint buckets, soda bottles, and rotting mannequins that sat in odd positions on the ground. All of the smaller, looser objects were scattered around the floor and on the shelves lining the aisles nonsensically, as if a chaotic wind had swept everything around into a maddening mess. It was clear that years of looting and exposure certainly affected that building and almost every other building that was still standing in the ruins of the old city.

As they all made their way upstairs to the roof– save for Edgar who again, stood outside and whistled, as the door was not wide or tall enough to let him through– they kicked up a fair amount of drywall dust and other debris that layered the creaking wooden steps. They all went one at a time, fearing that the spiral staircase would crumble under their combined weight. Masami went first, of course, and as she opened the door at the end, she was greeted by the sound of an accordion, though it wasn't very good. The sound was adolescent, still fresh; it was clear that whoever was playing was obviously just learning.

As she and the others made their way around a series of air conditioning units, they arrived at the source of the sound. To Masami surprise, it was, as she predicted, the android who was playing Hot Crossed-Buns. It took the android a while to notice them, and when he did he frantically placed his instrument in a black duffle bag next to the stool he sat on.

Up close, the android appeared very humble and open, though at that moment he was slightly embarrassed. He gave them all a shy grin as he spoke, a slight electronic undertone in his voice like he was speaking through an electric fan. "You must be that outsider, my sniping pal!" He grinned as he tapped his railgun that sat beside him, leaned up against an AC unit. He put out his hand with a jolly expression on his complex mechanical face. "My name is Alvin. Well, actually it's a lengthy stretch of binary, but I hate those complicated names and-, um..." The android trailed off, realizing that they were all staring at him with wide-eyed, statuesque expressions.

Evelyn and Masami's shock outweighed the rest of the group, and they simply stood still, trying to wrap their head around 'Alvin'. Evelyn had seen fairly complex AI at Cogsbaine Tech before, but nothing could compare to the android before them. He had mannerisms, small micro-expressions, he even twiddled his thumbs as he waited for a reply. Masami spoke up and put out her hand to him, and he shook it with a gentle, yet cold and metallic grip. "It's... nice to meet you. I'm Masami, this is Evelyn. And this is my team; Liazo, Butch, Draven, Gin, Spike, Fluttershy, Winslow, Rainbow Dash..." She trailed off as she pointed at Edgar on the ground. "And that's Edgar."

"Nice to meet you all!" Alvin beamed as he grabbed his rifle and strapped it to his back.

"So, why did you help us?" Masami had a million other questions, but she figured that was more important than her other senseless, nerdy ones.

"My superior, Lady Athena, she wants to meet you all." He answered as he raced downstairs into the wide and open street; the others followed, still puzzled. "She's been watching you all since you arrived."

"Athena?" Evelyn remembered the four original dampfriesen mainframes, the brain of the security force in every major city in Ausrüstung; Ajax Mainframe in Ratsche, Rhodes in Eisen, Kells in Kumpfer, and Athena, who was the mainframe of Schlüssel. "Athena as in-."

"Yes, that Athena." He nodded as he started down the street. "Please, there isn't time to stop and talk. I'll answer the little questions on our way to the control core, but I'll leave the rest to her when we get there. Please, follow."

"Masami, this is-..." Evelyn was still speechless.

"Yeah, I know..." Masami shook her head in disbelief as she followed Alvin. "Fucking incredible."

****

Twilight sat alone in a small chamber. It was windowless, soundproof, and its interior was made up of six flat, white walls with insane scratches and scribbles all over them. Twilight sat in the middle on an aluminum stool with her head bowed, lost in her own mind, and laughing to herself as she felt her buried conscious attempt to escape the maximum security prison that was her mind. "Shut up!" The real Twilight flailed her head wildly as she clawed at her scalp, trying to find a way out. The maddening laughter of her deranged self, mixed in with her horrid cries, creating a panicked and desperate request for help. She felt Gek crawl up her spine, trying to quash the sane thoughts that still flowed through her.

"Still resisting, huh?" Gek chuckled as he tried to sedate Twilight, but it wasn't as easy as he previously thought. "You put up a hell of a fight, pumpkin. I'll give you that. But, I can't have you flail about like a soggy dishrag, yeah? Just give in, it's just not good for my own rep, doll. What do you reckon ponies'll think of 'Gek the Sub-Par Corruptor'? Now that does not roll off the tongue."

Twilight raised her head, convulsing and shaking as she fought harder against his influence, overcoming a few barriers within her mind to spit on the floor in an act of protest against Gek. While her sane half did not yet have the ability to speak, she still had enough influence to think aloud in her own mind. "Go to hell, Gek..."

"Been there, sweetheart. It's pretty boring to be completely honest." Gek snickered as he gave her a smug grin, resting his arm on Twilight's shoulder as he continued. "Listen, doll. You know I don't expect to win, right? I mean, sure I'll be a pain in the ass... but really, these cultists are outta their minds if they think they can take on Ausrüstung. I'm loopy, but I ain't an idiot!"

"What happens when you corrupt me? Won't you use the stone to corrupt everypony?" Twilight was caught off guard by Gek's openness.

"I'm dead, pumpkin. Actually, I'm worse than dead." Gek lifted his arm off of Twilight's shoulder, and he circled her. "I'm an idea, a thought. I can't use the stone, but you can."

"You mean to tell me this entire cult thinks they can revive you, but they can't? Was there even a point to this if you can't return?!" Twilight's body contorted and convulsed again, her beaten and unkempt body flailing about the room as she talked with Gek.

"Oh, pish. I don't have to be alive and kickin' to have my fun, doll! You already know that!" Gek said as he pressed his ear up against the barely visible door of the confined chamber, hearing hoofsteps draw closer outside. "Oh, looks like Kaiser's here to kick the tar outta you again! I'll get back to you after he crams you down into a tiny pocket of this brain of yours! Oh also, don't spoil the secret to Ol' Kaiser! He'd be awfully displeased if he knew his whole life was a joke!"

The door swung open, and Kaiser stood there for a moment, motionless. He looked into Twilight's eyes; they were purple, normal, a clear indication she was indeed fighting back. He stepped forward and pulled Twilight closer to him, grabbing her by the throat as he growled at her. "You continue to resist Lord Gek? Why? You are a stubborn mare, and that will only result in more pain I'm afraid." Kaiser's hand became coated in red lightning as he readied an attack. "Maw of Agony: Torturing Torrent..."

Twilight's conscious mind snapped back and forth as she was engulfed in a wave of powerful lightning. Her sane half cried and whimpered, whilst her psychotic side smiled and giggled; again, creating a mishmash of overlapping reactions to the torture. Kaiser grabbed her by her unkempt mane and began beating her violently with his metal-encased fist. She did not heal like she had before, however, as her resistance to Gek's influence crippled her insane side's healing abilities. Even her blood reverted back to a crimson red, and she spat on the floor as Kaiser gave her a fierce uppercut to the chest. She felt her eyes throb as the parasite within her began to take over once more; her broken, bloody body didn't have the strength to resist any longer.

"Pathetic..." Kaiser scowled as he gave her anther blast of painful lightning. "In this state I see only two options for you; either you tear your body apart, or I do it for you! That is your fate if you continue this childish attempt to fight back!"

"I'll... kill you..." Twilight cursed Kaiser, although she could not say it aloud, much to her disappointment. "When Spike and the others free me... I will kill you, Kaiser." Twilight let out an animalistic growl as Kaiser electrocuted her once more. "Aaarrgghhh!!!"

****

"So, are you part of an army or something? " Rainbow Dash asked Alvin as they strolled through the mazelike streets of Schlüssel.

"No, I'm more like a scout," Alvin answered her as Rainbow Dash caught up to him so she could walk alongside him. "I was given specific orders to meet up with you all. I can't really tell you anything else. Not because it's secret or anything, more like it's because I wasn't told anything else but that."

They followed Alvin to his 'control core' to the northwest, a few miles from the radio station. As they walked along more streets and sidewalks, they began to take in the scenery more. There were great factories that sat on street corners, old broken signs that read "Cogsbaine Blast Furnaces". Schlüssel had once been the headquarters of the wealthiest company in Ausrüstung, Cogsbaine Industries, a company that originated from the old town of Liberty in the forest of Everfree all those years ago. Almost every Ausrüstrian knew the name well, as the mere mention of the name "Cogsbaine" meant wealth, success, and power to the ponies of Ausrüstung. It reminded them of a simpler time when the world was less violent, less sullied by hatred and conspiracy. The Cogsbaine Family had existed for over two hundred years, and that resilience inspired the people of Ausrüstung. Even after numerous wars, terrorist plots, and depressions, the company stood firm.

However, in the eyes of Masami, she only saw greed and treachery whenever she heard that infamous name. She was reminded of her experiences with the company, the conspiracies that surrounded the working class that served in those great factories and mines. Seeing the unions, the scores of workers boycotting the factories, demanding a raise in pay with fewer work hours. Hiro had been part of a strike once when he worked in the factory to pay the lease on his dojo. He'd slave away for hours and would barely have the strength to teach lessons after his shift; even though he tried his best to hide his exhaustion from Masami and Ichirou, they both saw right through the charade, but they knew not to inquire about his stamina, as he was always anxious after a long day at work.

"This is the industrial area, yeah?" Rainbow Dash looked over to Masami, whose eyes were still fixed on the bold red text on the side of a factory to her right reading 'Cogsbaine'.

"Yeah," Masami said in a flat tone of voice as she slowly moved her gaze downward, staring at the ground. This easily caught Rainbow Dash's attention, and she moved over to her in concern.

"This was all owned by Cogsbaine Industries once, the wealthiest company in Ausrüstung." Liazo chimed in as he dug one hand into his pocket and brought out a butterfly knife, fiddling with it was he walked along beside the others. "They made the dampfriesens, but the government purchased them all a long time ago, using them as their primary security force."

"Hold it." Alvin put his hands out to his sides to signal the others to halt. "We're here."

"Uh..." Gin scratched her head as she looked around for some kind of door. "We're in the middle of the street. I don't think-!"

They all disappeared in a flash of blue light, and there was about a two-second delay before they reappeared, a sound very similar to a camera flash and another sudden blue light signifying their arrival. They found themselves in a sewer illuminated by various electronic lamps along the rounded walls. The sewer was drained completely, and at the bottom where they were standing, the hard concrete had been replaced by wooden boards, the kind one would see on a bridge. It took them all a moment to recover, as teleportation without a warning usually resulted in a loss of balance, and in Gin's case, vomiting.

"Oh, bloody hell..." Gin groaned as she heaved up her breakfast. "Just when I thought I was getting used to it..."

"Woah..." Spike gulped as he stared in amazement at the massive bustling city in front of him, filled with the strange robot ponies.

"Welcome to the control core, or as we like to call it, Gyro," Alvin said in his slightly electronic voice.

Gyro was built beneath a truly immense chamber, which was where all the water had once converged all those years ago when Schlüssel had been alive and busy. The city was built like a pyramid; tightly packed, but organized enough to make up for such a deficiency in space. The buildings were gold and silver, the same as the dampfriesens, and clotheslines were hung on balconies of various houses that overlooked the entrance to the city, forming a great network of wire and semi-wet clothing. There was not a single space that was wasted in Gyro, and not an inch of the town was dirty. Houses were stacked up onto each other in neat towers, much like apartment buildings, and the pathway was glimmering like a diamond, which was a welcomed sight to see in such a gray world like The Silence.

Children played in the streets, kicking soccer balls around or playing with toy airplanes that were most likely salvaged from the surface. Evelyn was curious of the younglings who stopped and stared as she walked by. "Children? Do you all grow and develop like us?" She asked Alvin, who retrieved a lost ball on the side of the road, giving it to the child who lost it as he walked by.

"You mean your dampfriesens don't?" Alvin raised an eyebrow, or rather, the piece of shaped metal above his eye that replicated an eyebrow. "Weird."

"Again, I'm speechless..." Masami gawked as she looked up at the ceiling, towards the massive artificial light hanging from the ceiling of the great chamber; she assumed it was meant to simulate a sun of some sorts.

"You should see the rest of Gyro," Alvin said as they all walked along, minding the occasional pedestrian that passed by. "It goes on for almost a mile in every which way. You're only seeing the downtown!"

"This is pretty crazy." Rainbow Dash ran her hand through her mane as she shook her head, doubting all that she had seen

"It's so lively down here." Fluttershy smiled as she watched some children tossing a baseball around. One of the dampfriesen children missed catching the ball, a small filly from what Fluttershy could tell. The filly approached her cautiously with a bashful expression, pointing at the ball next to Fluttershy's hooves.

"Excuse me, miss? Can I have the ball please?" It was obvious she had never seen somepony like Fluttershy before.

Fluttershy beamed as she handed her the ball, and when she did, Winslow did so as well. "There you go."

Winslow was relieved that Fluttershy finally felt safe and comfortable. She had been so quiet so throughout their whole ordeal, he wanted to ask her what was wrong, but he figured asking a question like to a mare like Fluttershy would only make her mood worse. She was surprised, however, by the strength she had portrayed so far in their journey, she was much more resilient than she thought she was. Another part of Winslow evaluated the darker side of such a realization as well, the fact that Fluttershy was growing more accustomed to violence. He hated the thought of her losing her purity, the kind of quality she expressed often, and a quality he himself lacked. It tore him up inside.

"It's good to see you smile..." Winslow had trouble grinning as his eyes met with hers, and she blushed, standing up straight and cowering behind him so that he couldn't look at her. Winslow sighed as he walked along in front of her, respecting her wishes for privacy.

"So, where is Athena?" Evelyn inquired as she caught up to Alvin, who was walking alongside Masami and Rainbow Dash. "Is she at the center of town?"

"Yeah. She lives up in that tower dead ahead. We call that The Spire, her private room where she manages Gyro and watches over us. She knows everything about anything!" Alvin continued as he pointed towards the massive tower ahead, glimmering gold under the blue light of the artificial sun above. "Pretty breathtaking, isn't it?"

"That's an understatement in a place like this," Liazo added as he chuckled at the tower.

As they approached the great tower, they were inspected by two guards, who brandished very high-tech weaponry; laser rifles, plasma grenades, EMP emitters, sophisticated elastic suits with bandoliers and ammo pouches. One of the guards approached Alvin, peering over his shoulder at the aliens behind him. "State your business with Lady Athena."

"I'm Scout Unit 213, sir. I'm here to bring these surface dwellers to Lady Athena, under her direct order." Alvin explained, to which the guard gave him a suspicious glare.

"Please widen your optical receptors please." The guard ordered Alvin, who obeyed with great reluctance, sighing as the guard's eye flashed briefly. After that, he stepped aside and opened the door to a giant elevator by pressing a button on a nearby panel "Proceed."

"What was that just now?" Draven wondered.

"Oh, that? He read my memory bank to find the orders I was given." Alvin casually answered his question, although that raised more questions than it answered. "Guards have that ability just in case."

"Well, we are pretty foreign." Gin joked as the elevator began to ascend.

"Very true. This is the first time outsiders from beyond the walls have visited." Alvin chuckled. "Those bandits are... not the civil type."

As the elevator came to a halt, the sliding gold door swung open, revealing yet another great chamber. It was around seven meters tall, and there were no windows within, as the rounded walls seemed to generate their own light. It took a moment for them to realize that the chamber was, in fact, the artificial sun that they thought simply dangled above like a light bulb. The floor was made of a translucent silver glass that shimmered under the dim blue light of the chamber, twinkling like a starry sky. At the other end of the room was a large, rotating metal chair that was bolted to the floor. It was facing away from them all, and as Alvin stepped ahead of the rest he cleared his throat to gain the attention of whoever sat there.

"Excuse me, Lady Athena..." Alvin muttered to the chair's resident.

"Oh, Alvin, you've returned..." The very mature and smooth sounding voice of a mare said as the chair turned suddenly. The tall and slender mare arose from the chair with delight, walking over to Alvin and the others.

Lady Athena looked a lot more like a living pony than a mechanical being. She was strikingly beautiful; tall and slender, a long flowing mane of golden hair, cyan blue eyes like the other dampfriesens that were decorated with blue eye shadow, a sleek and elegant silver coat. She was not built like an arrangement of twigs by any means, but she was certainly tall, almost as tall as Edgar. She was fairly curvaceous, and her dress accented that quality nicely. Her dress was subtle yet extravagant, and it was gold like almost everything else in Gyro. There were silver patterns of roses and flowers on it, various flourishes of silver lace near the collar, and a train at the back. Although, the train was not made of fabric at all, but a sparkling feathered veil of energy, humming and crackling like electricity, and dancing gracefully around like the brilliant plumes of a phoenix as she approached Alvin.

"Thank you, Alvin." Lady Athena smiled as she craned her lengthy body to pat him on the shoulder and send him off.

"See you soon, I hope!" Alvin said to everypony as he jumped into the elevator once more, taking it down.

"I apologize for that sudden warp you had. I'm far too accustomed to teleporting non-living beings into Gyro." Lady Athena bowed her head gracefully as she spoke in a voice that was as sweet and smooth as a melody that heralded the start of spring, yet there were traces of gravitas in her tone. "I am Athena, the architect of this sanctuary, and the former dampfriesen central computing system."

"You're... incredible." Evelyn's mouth hung wide open at the sight of the brilliant work of art before her.

"I thank you for your kind words..." Lady Athena bowed her head once more as she stepped closer. "I'm sure you all have, at the very least, a vague idea of why I've brought you here."

"I believe so, yes." Evelyn snapped out of her daydream as she replied. "Is it concerning Kaiser? The stone?"

"Yes, Evelyn, but I should explain in greater detail. I will keep it brief, however, as time is of the essence." Lady Athena said as she created holograms out of thin air, surprising Evelyn with the fact that she knew her name without her even telling her. The first one was a three-dimensional map, an X-ray of some kind of underground complex. "This is Kaiser's underground bunker. It used to be a facility used by the old government more than fifteen years ago. And at the bottom, in this small room –the throne room of the old dictator whose name shall not be said aloud– is the Stone of Mind. This is the source of our troubles."

"The fifth stone Mind is held in a place only the wise can find..." Fluttershy muttered to herself as she looked at the map.

"So, how will we destroy it?" Draven asked the giant mare, still a little flummoxed by his surroundings.

"That is a task I believe to be impossible I'm afraid." Lady Athena admitted as she continued. "However, it is held within The Enigma, a container that prevents its power from being properly wielded. It can only be opened with a piece of knowledge that eludes even Gek, the secret to true immortality. This secret lies within an alicorn, whether they are aware of it or not."

"That's why he wanted Twilight specifically." Spike chimed in as he came to a conclusion.

"Yes. And we are running out of time. Your friend's mind has not been fully unraveled, but soon it will be, and that will spell doom for us all. We must launch an offensive on Kaiser's fortress as quickly as possible. You'll need the aid of my army for support."

"Very well. So, what's the plan?" Draven inquired as Lady Athena created a battlefield hologram, simulating her ground troops.

"My army will pound their defenses, and this will provide you an opportune time to head inside and work your way through the various members of Infernalgear. Each member holds a key with them which, when combined, will unlock the throne room where the stone is being held. Then, you will take down Kaiser. I must warn you... this may prove difficult."

"How the hell do you know all of this? And why are you helping us?" Gin shook her head as she tried to process it all.

"I am an artificial intelligence constructed for one reason, to defend the ponies of Ausrüstung. I have a duty to fulfill." Lady Athena replied. "As for how I know all of this; I am networked into almost every crack and crevice of this district. I know all that goes on in this wasteland. So tell me, will you help? Will you help me be rid of that tyrant and his wretched cult that threatens my kind and yours?"

"What do you think, Masami? Can we trust her?" Rainbow Dash asked Masami, who was still evaluating every outcome in her mind.

"Yes, we should." Masami nodded at Rainbow Dash, and then to Athena. "Lady Athena, I trust you. My team and I will help you launch this offensive. It's decided."

"Then you must prepare, go to the armory. You will go over the plan in detail with my generals. I'm afraid I cannot leave my children behind, as I am bound to them. I cannot aid you in this fight directly. Please, go with grace." Lady Athena gave them her blessing as she sent them away, stopping for a moment as she turned, her eyes meeting with Edgar's. "Do I know you?"

"Maybe you did... a long time ago..." Edgar muttered before he turned around.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Fifty Nine: Prelude To The Attack

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Troops gathered in the armory of Gyro. It was a reasonably sized complex constructed out of the same gold and silver colored metals the rest of the buildings were made out of. The armory sat just a few meters from the tower at the center of the glimmering city. Spike and the rest of the group noticed that the security forces of Gyro also doubled as the military of the town as well, and that was an assumption based on the fact that there was no fully fledged police officer in sight, only armed soldiers that lined the street corners.

There were tables lined with armaments, both conventional and seemingly fictional; hand-held particle rifles, magnetic pulse guns, dozens of grenades. The tables were set in long rows that reached the end of the complex, and every android soldier on duty in the building began to arm themselves, preparing for the assault that was to come. Spike and his friends stood silently at the door for a moment, unsure if they were to reequip themselves as well.

"So... what now?" Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow as she watched the androids work at a pace that was almost tiresome to look at.

"Now, you get what you need. And meet us in the briefing room once you're done." Alvin piped up as he walked past Evelyn to get to another table that had a few pistols on it. He loaded each pistol and handed it to a soldier, who tucked it into their holster as they passed by, walking through a set of double doors into the smaller room attached to the armory on the right. "Don't be shy. I'm sure you need all the ammo you can get." Alvin eyed Butch's weaponry and whistled, impressed by the threatening size of his equipment. "Damn, that's some big guns you got there. Not sure if we've got four gauge shells or sixty cals here..."

"It's alright, I came prepared," Butch assured him as he opened up a few pouches on his utility belt; they were all filled with the ammo his very specific firearms required. "I never pack light."

"No, you certainly don't..." Alvin grinned as he grabbed a shell out of Butch's pocket and marveled at it. "What do you plan on killing with this? A tank?"

"In my experience, I like to make sure the guy I'm fightin' is dead, so I feed him a big-ass shell– dead before they even hit the ground after this gets em'," Butch grunted as he brushed the barrel of his shotgun and swiped the shell from Alvin's hand, placing it gently back into his ammo pouch.

"Oooo!" Masami shook in anticipation as she eyed the assault rifles sitting next to her on a nearby table. "Hello there, ladies..."

Masami loaded one of the assault rifles that caught her eye; it was a larger one, high caliber. It's wooden grip and stock, chrome plated frame and streamlined design made it a sleek-looking piece of artistry. It was indeed a Popov assault rifle, an antique. It seemed so out of place amongst the other rifles; everything else seemed like a worthless piece of metal compared to the glimmering majesty that Masami fondled with closed eyes and a romantic grin.

"You done dry-humpin' that worthless piece of Popov garbage?" Butch scoffed at Masami as he watched her toy with the gun, popping her bubble.

"Oh, can-it you Maverick-loving jarhead!" Masami barked at him as she cradled the rifle in her arms like a sick child.

"Don't you talk shit about Maverick, princess." Butch waved his index finger at her as he drew his unloaded pistol, turning the revolving chamber slowly so that the others could hear the satisfying click that it made as the drum spun. "Maverick's got it made."

"You simpleton Maverick-lovers don't know the first thing about beauty!" Masami sighed as she attached the sling that was on the table next to where her rifle had sat, strapping it to her back and wearing it proudly along with her sword as she grabbed a few extra curved magazines for later.

"Please, guns aren't better once you start dollin' it up with all of that chrome metal and rosewood grips. That shit ain't reliable." Butch laughed as he mocked Masami's choice of guns.

"What are they yammering on about?" Draven leaned in to ask Spike, but he just stared on at the two of them as they continued to argue over their guns.

"No clue." Spike shrugged as he listened to the banter.

"They're arguing over which gun company is better... again." Evelyn rolled her eyes as she checked her watch, clearing her throat to capture their attention. "Masami, Butch, come now. We should hurry if we want to plan our attack along with these dampfriesens."

"Just a minute, Eve. I'm talking sense into this meathead!" Masami growled at Butch as their eyes locked onto one another. "I can throw this gun into an incinerator and it'll still fire after I take it out!"

"Maybe so, but you Popov-loving vodka-gurglers wouldn't want to since it'll ruin that pretty paint job!" Butch snapped at her.

"Oh yeah? Well, Maverick guns only come in one color, fuckin' black and gold!" Masami swayed her hip to the side in a sassy fashion as she shot him a comeback.

"Shouldn't we, uh..." Gin leaned backward and watched the rest of the androids enter the briefing room through the double doors. "Get going?"

"Are we really arguing about gun aesthetics at a time like this?" Liazo shook his head as he covered his face with the palm of his hand. "I'm going to the briefing room, alright? You kids can argue all day long about your fancy guns..." Liazo expressed his bias as a knife-wielder as he urged the others to follow him through the opened doors to the next room. "You guys comin' or not?"

"Yeah, yeah..." Masami shook her head and crossed her arms as she followed Liazo.

"Whatever," Butch grunted as he loaded his revolver.

"I'm not really a fan of guns to be completely honest..." Rainbow Dash whispered to Masami. "Do you guys really have to argue over guns like that?"

"If I moved faster than a bullet, I don't think there'd be any need for guns," Masami chuckled as she gave Rainbow Dash a playful nudge with her shoulder. "Butch knows a hell of a lot about guns. I think it's healthy for us to have a little heated debate once in a while– keeps us sharp, you know?"

"Yeah, I suppose..." Rainbow Dash scoffed a little as she walked alongside Masami into the large briefing room.

The briefing room looked more like a war room. There was a large, round table with a holographic grid on top of it. The grid acted like a map that could be manipulated. Three large, black leather chairs were placed at the end of the table, and this is where the three android generals sat, all dressed up in their full blue and white military regalia, ready for war. Other androids were gathered around them, possibly officers or commanders, the same ones who were preparing themselves in the armory.

"Hello, comrades." The general in between the two others greeted them. "I am General Clide, and this is General Weiss to my left and General Kruben to my right."

"A pleasure to meet you all." Fluttershy grinned as she cheerfully waved to them.

As Butch made it to the other end of the table, the three generals sat up and stood at attention before him, which confused Butch at first. "I'm sorry, did I miss somethin'?"

"No, sir." The general in the center shook his head. "Your rank as High Commander puts you ahead of us, sir."

"Fellas, you really don't have to-..." Butch trailed off as the rest of the androids saluted him.

"Hello everypony, are we ready?" A familiar voice echoed throughout the room, Lady Athena; it was coming from the overhead intercoms.

"Yes, my lady." General Clide nodded as he sat back down in his chair.

"Good. Let us begin." She said as the table lit up, generating yet another hologram of the outer regions of Kaiser's complex.

"The governmental building on top of Kaiser's complex is heavily fortified. It's guarded by bandits, cultists, and ex-mercenaries. This will be a tough battle for our stallions. " General Weiss used his hand to manipulate the projection, zooming in on the landscape of the area around the old governmental building. There were multiple high-tech cannons atop the outer walls surrounding the old building. "There will be rail-cannons, proximity mines, and various other nefarious traps and barriers placed in your way. On top of that, Kaiser's also got some kind of machine guarding the entrance. Although, Lady Athena's sensors have yet to identify this machine. We must proceed with caution."

"Machine?" Edgar's mind began to wander, worried about the mysterious 'machine'.

"So, if this place is so locked-up tight, how are we going to get in?" Spike gawked at the daunting array of defenses that the complex boasted, and he couldn't help but be pessimistic about the mission at hand. "Can we even get in?"

"A good question," General Kruben piped up as he adjusted his glasses. "You see, our frontal assault will surely crumble without adequate support. Our mortars will help, but they'll only prolong our offensive's destruction. We need a tank, something to absorb everything they throw at us. I think we've already got that covered..." General Kruben motioned towards Edgar, who snapped out of his daydream shortly after his name was said. "You tanked a direct hit from a goliath skeleton without taking a scratch. That takes some real muscle, pal. We need you to be our blockade. You think you can do that?"

"I'll give it a shot, yeah," Edgar nodded as he leaned up against a wall.

"We'll need some heavy hitters backing Ed up," Masami added as she directed her attention towards Spike and Draven. "How about it? You two lizards up for a brawl?"

"Always," Draven grinned in his usual jolly manner, looking over to Spike to hear his answer. "And you, boyo? What's your plan?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to get Twilight back..." Spike clenched his fists as a flame began to burn in his chest. "Whatever it takes, I'll kick Kaiser's ass. I'm going with you and Edgar."

"I promise you, you'll see her again." Rainbow Dash patted Spike on the shoulder as she gave him a comforting smile.

"I know I will. She's the toughest pony we know. They won't break her, no pony can..." Spike's eyes filled with determination, causing Rainbow Dash's grin to grow wider.

"We have our bruisers, so now what?" Rainbow Dash asked as she stretched her arms out, putting one behind her head.

"We need a strike team to sneak around the main defenses and take out the members of Infernalgear from within. We need infiltrators, and I think we have just the team in mind." General Clide explained as he lit a cigar and pointed at Rainbow Dash. "You there, pegasus... Lady Athena tells me you're quite the speedy one, is that right?"

"Hell yeah, I'm fast! You're looking at a future ace right here!" Rainbow Dash boasted with a prideful grin on her face.

"I can confirm that she is quite fast indeed..." Masami snickered as she made the crude remark, and Rainbow Dash's face turned bright red as a result.

"Nice..." Gin whispered to Masami as they fist-bumped.

"Yes, yes... bawdy indeed." General Clide chuckled as he puffed out a small plume of smoke from his mouth. "All innuendos aside, we need that speed to get past guards and breach defenses. Are you up for the task?"

"As long as I get to run walk away from explosions and get my name on a plaque, I'm in. I'll get Twi back if it's the last thing I do!" Rainbow Dash's pride returned as she thought of herself in glorious battle.

"Who else wishes to join the strike team?" General Clide wondered.

"If Kitten's going, I'm going with her," Masami answered as she tugged on Rainbow Dash's tail. "She'll need somepony to watch her ass from time to time..."

"I'll go too. I won't be of use if I'm going with Spike and Draven, but I want to help in any way that I can if it means I'll get to see Twilight again." Fluttershy said proudly, determined to prove her worth to the others.

"I'll join you," Winslow chimed in. "The strike team will need all the help it can get."

"I'm in." Evelyn piped up.

"Oh, what the hell? Count me in as well." Butch said as he lit his own cigar with a match.

"Then I suppose it's a triple-double-date then!" Masami joked as she gave Rainbow Dash a pinch on the cheek. "Don't worry about us once we get in, Clide. We'll split up into groups of two and take out those bastards!"

"Great. Now, that leaves only two left. How about it Liazo? What's your plan?" General Clide asked the halfling.

"I'm a spy. I won't do you guys any good if we're all on the offensive..." Liazo replied as he fiddled around with his knife. "I'm gonna go my own way. I'm takin' down Fonzi by myself, once and for all."

"You can't be serious, Liazo... he'll kill you if you go alone." Evelyn chimed in. "Take some soldiers with you. You aren't going by yourself."

"I don't want anyone to get killed. This is between Fonzi and me." Liazo insisted as he crossed his arms in a stubborn manner.

"Don't be that one edgy lone-wolf, mate..." Gin said as she moved closer to him. "I'm going with you."

"Gin, you can't-."

"Ah, ah, ah... you haven't got a choice." Gin shut Liazo up before he could protest, and she patted him on the head playfully. "You're stuck with me, lad! Us cutthroats have to stick together, right?"

"Then it's all settled." Lady Athena spoke up as troops started flooding the armory, looking for fresh weaponry. "We will begin mobilization shortly. Please, everypony get ready. And Liazo, Gin... I'll teleport you to Fonzi's hideout, but I'm afraid you'll have to walk back. I'll be far too occupied with managing our forces."

"Looks like things are about to get bloody..." Butch grit his teeth, biting down on his cigar as he thought of all that could go wrong in the battle to come. He looked down at Evelyn with a worrisome expression. "You stay with me, okay? Don't ever leave my sight, promise me that."

"Don't worry, Butch... I can take care of myself. But-...." Evelyn grabbed Butch's hand and gave him a bright smile. "I promise, Butch."

"Thanks, darlin'..." Butch's worried mug faded away as he patted Evelyn on the head.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty: More Memories and Regrets

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*Boom... Boom... Boom...*

Butch clutched his rifle as he heard that noise again, it was louder this time, and it only got worse as time went by. The stomping of metal hooves, the clanking of gears, the loud suction sound of hydraulics. The Friedenstruppen was approaching.

*Boom... Boom... Boom...*

Butch raised his head just above the trench to get a closer look, trying to catch a glimpse of the armored infantry headed their way. He felt a hand grab at his shoulder, tugging him back down into the mud.

"The hell do you think you're doing, Lieutenant?" It was Major Kore, his commanding officer; he was whispering, but Butch could tell that he was holding back the urge to yell. "Do you want to be shot?"

"Sir, I was trying to-... never mind. No, sir." Butch shook his head as he fastened his helmet tighter onto his head, visualizing his head being popped open like a bottle of champagne by a sniper's bullet. He ran to the other side of the trench where Elliot was. He and his group of comrades had been playing cards, but the noise of the looming enemy alerted them, and they set their heavy caliber rifles on the trench line, waiting for Frieds to emerge from the thick fog that blanketed the battlefield. They had been pinned down by snipers for days, and support was far away. "Do you think it's a patrol, Elliot?"

"I don't know. They've been sittin' behind that fortress of theirs for hours. They could've been musterin', gathering forces." Elliot said in hush tones as he aimed his rifle, the clanking noise growing exponentially louder within a matter of seconds. "Randy, what do you see?"

"Nothin', just more fuckin' fog." Their machine-gunner replied from his slightly elevated position as he loaded up a belt of ammunition. "Wait, I-." A bullet whizzing through the air silenced him, and a red mist coated Elliot's face.

"Shit!" Elliot exclaimed as he leaned into his rifle, trying to hide his head. A hail of enemy fire began to barrage their position, and Elliot began to return fire. "Somepony get on that gun! Switch to armor-piercing rounds! All they've got is ponies in suits! Remember, they don't have any artillery! Major, when will our tanks arrive?!"

"They hit a snag! They were jumped by jet-bombers!" The Major shouted to Elliot as he radioed in to command. "We're on our own, Captain!"

"Shit! Fuck!" Elliot hit the side of the trench with a clenched fist in frustration. "They said they'd be here in seven hours! Seven fuckin' hours!"

"This fog is too damned thick! They keep gaining ground! What do we do?" Butch asked Elliot as he put a round into the chest of an armored Friedenstruppen. "We can't hold off another attack! We've lost too many already!"

"I know, I-..." Elliot stopped firing as he slouched against the side of the trench. "Fuck! Where's the plasma grenades?!"

"Here, Captain! Here!" Private Andrews shouted to him as he ran over to him down the long trench. He handed him three grenades, and Elliot immediately tossed them into the fog. The blast of the grenades cleared the fog just enough for Elliot to get a clear shot.

"Get on that machine gun, now!" Elliot ordered the private.

"Yes, sir!" The private began firing into the visible crowd of charging soldiers, mowing them down with his machine gun. "Their getting chopped up, sir! But they're still coming in hot!"

"Damn it! There's too many of em'!" Elliot growled as he reloaded his rifle. "We've got to hold it here, colts! We can't let the enemy advance beyond this point or they'll turn Kumpfer and its civilians to ash!"

"But sir, we can't-!" The private flailed as three bullets struck him; two in the chest and one in the check. He gargled for a moment before passing out.

"Fucking hell! Fuck!" Elliot was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Hours of death looming over him was beginning to wear on what Butch thought was an impenetrable soul of steel. "We can't lose this... we can't!" Elliot ran past Butch and tore the machine gun off of the tripod, placing it on the edge of the trench where he had put his rifle. He began firing once again. "Get me more ammo, Butch! I'll run out soon! Go to the Major!"

"Alright, Elliot! Please be alive when I get back!" Butch shouted to him as he ran along the trench, hopping over the corpses of his fallen allies. He eventually stopped at the other end of the trench where he assumed the Major would be, but he didn't see him at all, just a pile of debris and more corpses. "Major?! Major!"

"Here..." A voice groaned from beneath a pile of bodies. The Major's body was scarred and mangled around his head and chest, it was clear that he wasn't going to make it, but Butch was in denial. "Some bastard shot me up with a plasma rifle. I'm cooked, son... you've got to get this ammo to your brother."

"I can't leave you, Major! You can't die here!" Butch yelled as the enemy fire grew louder.

"I'm an officer, son... I was meant to die here... on the battlefield, not you. That's my job. You go and fight back, live a little longer. Kick some ass." He gave Butch a withering smile as he stared off to the side, his eyes going blank.

Butch ran back to Elliot, praying to The Four Founders that he'd be alright when he got to him. Luckily, Elliot was still alive and delivering ferocious resistance, mowing down more soldiers that dared to get close to him. "Fuck you assholes! Fuck you all!" He was so caught up in the violence of it all, that he almost didn't realize that Butch was right beside him. "Load it up, Butch! We've got to keep these bastards back!"

Butch and Elliot roared in a blind rage as they fired their weapons into the crowds of soldiers, knocking more and more of them down. Butch grabbed a grenade from his belt and tossed it into another group of enemies, scattering their ranks. After Elliot ran out of ammunition, he pulled out his two combat knives and eviscerated soldiers that jumped into the trench by sneaking his blade into the gaps between the plates in their armor.

Butch also ran out of rifle ammo, and he switched to his massive revolver. The force of its shots blew back opposing soldiers, but the recoil was severe, and it wore on Butch's wrist long before he emptied the drum. "I'm out of ammo!"

"Then pick up a rifle!" Elliot said as he grabbed a rifle off of Private Andrews' corpse and began firing.

Eventually, even the rifles ran out, and Butch and Elliot pressed their backs against the trench, left with flimsy ten-millimeter handguns and six fragmentation grenades. The low caliber side-arms were almost useless against armored opponents, but the grenades could do some damage. Elliot loaded his pistol. "Butch, remember when we went skeet shooting? When you told me I needed a little more practice?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Butch's voice was barely audible over the sound of gunfire.

"I think it's time for some practice," Elliot grinned as he handed Butch the six grenades. "Toss em'!"

Butch tossed a grenade into a crowd, and just before it could land, Elliot shot it with his pistol, which killed a few of the Friedenstruppen soldiers. Butch then tossed another, then another, and then the rest. It spared them a few minutes to scavenge for more rifles. However, just as Elliot picked up a new rifle, he looked over to Butch, who had also found a rifle. It took less than a second for Elliot to realized that there was a live plasma grenade just beneath Butch's hooves.

Elliot pushed Butch away without any hesitation. In that moment, Elliot knew his fate, he knew there was no time for him to run from the blast. Butch and Elliot shared one last look at one another as time began to slow around them. Elliot's mouth opened slowly. "I'm sor-." The blast cut Elliot off, and he was almost completely shredded as he shielded Butch from the blast.

"Elliot!" Butch screamed in horror as he looked down Elliot, who was on the on the ground; Butch began to cry as he heard The Friedenstruppen get closer and closer. He crouched down and cradled Elliot's scorched, nearly lifeless body; his legs were blown to pieces, and he only had his left arm. "Elliot, stay with me! Stay with me!"

"Butch, I want to go back to the farm... with you and Rosie. Remember how happy we were?" Elliot coughed as his eyes began to flutter. "Rosie and your daughter, they-... I'm sorry Butch. Now you've lost me too... I guess I inherited Pa's brains, huh?" Elliot grinned as he looked up at the sky that was beginning to clear up, revealing the stars above. "You think Ma's up there, Butch? Rosie? You think there's a plot of land up there for me?"

"I-..." Butch choked up as he tried to calm himself for Elliot. "Yes, there is, Elliot. And everpony you love'll be there... and you'll be so-." Elliot passed away in his arms, and Butch laid him down with his head bowed, tears running down his face.

Butch grit his teeth, trying to contain an animalistic cry of vengeance and pain. He grabbed his rifle and jumped out of the trench with red eyes, hungry for blood. He shot a soldier in the head, then another, and another. He unloaded his rifle and drove the bayonet into an enemy's mouth. Butch abandoned his rifle and continued onward into the fray. He took a machine gun from the corpse of a dead Friedenstruppen and killed scores of enemies, but he received three bullets to his right arm. Regardless, through sheer will, he used his mangled arm to tear off the helmet of another soldier and snap his neck. Butch growled like a maniac as he tore out a soldier's throat using his bare hands, crushing his fingers.

Butch killed more soldiers as they tried to stop his relentless frenzy. They fired at his legs to slow him down, and it worked; Butch crawled over to another corpse and picked up his gun. Butch fired at them again as he fell to the ground. He screamed as he slew more and more of them. However, they eventually overpowered him, and a soldier subdued him by blasting off his arms with his shotgun and knocking him in the head with the stock. A Friedenstruppen officer grinned as he looked down at Butch, snickering. Butch could barely hear what they were saying as his vision began to fade.

"He's still alive. Should we kill him, Commander Aschetunn?" A soldier asked the officer as he pointed his gun at Butch.

"Do not kill him, gentlecolts..." The officer said with a voice like a viper as he pushed the soldier's rifle away. "I think I have something in mind for this one. We've been looking for resilient scum like him... put him in a medical pod."

"Elliot-..." Butch was cut off as the officer's hoof impacted his face. His eyes fluttered as his head fell to the side. He heard the deafening noise again.

*Boom... Boom... Boom...*

"Butch, are you okay?" Evelyn asked Butch, noticing him staring off into space.

"What?" Butch looked around to recompose himself. He realized where he was; he was walking along a narrow street with the rest of the strike team, approaching the government building. Evelyn was walking along beside him. "Yeah, I'm fine... sorry about that."

"Are you sure?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow at him, skeptical about his response.

"I'm sure, darlin'– just a little anxious is all." Butch insisted as he pointed at the fortified government building ahead; he wanted to change the subject quickly. "Masami, how do we get inside somethin' like that?"

"There's supposed to be an exhaust vent on the other side of the cliff the building is sitting on, a large air-filtration vent. It's big enough for us to take inside. Let's see here..." Masami reached into a pouch on her utility belt and grabbed a map of the ventilation system. "Yeah, it'll split into four sections, I think, each leading to a section of the underground complex where our creepy little Infernalgear members are..." Masami sighed as she rolled up the map and placed it in her pouch, and she muttered to herself as she bowed her head. "Including Ichirou..."

"Hey, you okay?" Rainbow Dash lowered her voice as she moved closer to Masami.

"I'm fine, I-..." Masami ran her hand through her mane as she hung her head. "Is it wrong for me to feel like it's my fault?" Masami rambled without giving Rainbow Dash any background information. "Oh, I'm-... I'm sorry, Kitten. I just feel like I could've done something for Ichirou. Could I have done something different? I just-. I just want to go back and fix all of this, fix him. I know I can't change the past, I know that. All I just want to know why, why did he kill Hiro the way he did?"

"Oh, Masami..." Rainbow Dash put her hand on the frustrated mare's shoulder. "You can't change ponies. You just can't. You can raise them, teach them right and wrong, but in the end, they're their own pony. Ya can't change who he is..."

"I know, but I refuse to believe he just killed Hiro like that, his own father," Masami crossed her arms and held them against her chest. "He must've been corrupted or-..." She trailed off.

"Maybe, but... there was something about him, a flaw. Nopony is born evil, right? Isn't that what everypony says?" Rainbow Dash tried to cheer her up, but it didn't work too well. Rainbow Dash then tried to cheer her up a different way, and she wrapped one arm around her shoulder, pulling Masami closer. "It's not your fault. Really, it's not. It was his decision to do the things he did."

"How do you know that?" Masami said to her softly as she rested her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder.

"Because I know ponies like him." Rainbow Dash replied as she patted Masami on the head.

Masami was silent for a moment, simply staring ahead, processing what she said. "I'm sorry."

"What? Why?" Rainbow Dash was confused by her random apology.

"I keep forgetting about everypony else. I keep forgetting about everypony else's problems and how they're so much larger than mine. I always think I'm just this... special cookie, you know?" Masami shook her head, rubbing it against Rainbow Dash's shoulder. "I barely know about all of your problems; Butch's problems, Evelyn's... yours. I always pay too much attention to myself, ruminating on all of my decisions. I'm not like you."

"No, we aren't that different." Rainbow Dash insisted. "You're leaning on the shoulder of the Queen of Arrogance here, Masami. Don't keep feeding yourself lies. My mom always told me that 'a lie can become truth if told enough times'. You're a good pony. And if you keep telling yourself you aren't, then you might end up like your friend, Ichirou."

"Your mom kinda sounds like my mom." Masami chuckled lightly as her eyes lowered to the ground.

Rainbow Dash was perplexed by Masami before, caught off-guard by her tricks and flirtations. However, it didn't take long for Rainbow Dash to finally figure her out. Masami –although she didn't show it– was more than just a cunning fox. In her own way, Masami held within her outer shell the spirit of the rabbit. She was scared, doubtful, afraid of the past and what the future may hold. Masami was real, a real character like everypony else. It took some time to unravel her, but Rainbow Dash finally understood her. Rainbow Dash then felt a warm feeling in her chest. This sensation was not infatuation or lust, but genuine love.

"Sorry if I'm being all mushy and shit, it's not like me..." Masami shook her head again as she looked forward.

"No, it is you, and it's me too." Rainbow Dash turned her head to Masami, and she turned her head to Rainbow Dash. Masami was blushing. "I finally got you..."

Masami's face became redder, having fully exposed herself to Rainbow Dash. "I'm not blushing, I-! Yeah, you got me..." Masami laid her head on Rainbow Dash's shoulder once again, smiling. She sneakily planted a kiss on Rainbow Dash's cheek. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." Rainbow Dash laughed as they continued walking together.

"Hey, you two! Are you too lovers comin', or are you gonna sit back and talk about your feelings?!" Butch shouted from far away; he was way ahead of Rainbow Dash and Masami. "Remember... the strike team?!"

"Ah, shit..." Masami cursed to herself as she raced ahead of Rainbow Dash. "C'mon, Kitten! Can you keep up?"

"You know I can!" Rainbow Dash shouted to her as she followed.

Fluttershy smiled as she looked back at Rainbow Dash, as chipper as ever. Her laughter reminded her of countless memories, all that brought her immediate joy. As she continued to stare, Winslow began to notice.

"Is there something wrong, Fluttershy?" Winslow asked as he leaned in towards her.

"No, there's nothing wrong." Fluttershy's smile faded for a moment as she replied, but it soon returned once she saw Rainbow Dash giving Masami a playful punch on the shoulder. "I just forgot how much I missed Rainbow Dash."

"Come on, you guys! We've got ourselves a cult to crush!" Evelyn shouted at everypony as she walked alongside with Butch.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty One: At The Gates To Freedom

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Metal hooves scraped against the ground as a legion of dampfriesen soldiers made their way to the governmental building, accompanied by Edgar, Draven, and Spike. Their march was swift and purposeful, and they held their weapons firm as they stomped down the streets of Schlüssel. Spike hung back, staying behind the vast mob of troops along with Edgar and Draven. Edgar and his scaled comrades were to lead the charge once they were given the signal.

"Damn..." Spike looked down at the ground as he walked and grimaced, feeling a strain in his bowels. He slowed down to catch his breath.

It had returned, that same feeling he had after blacking out during his fight with Haki. It was like a weight pressing down on his chest, a tugging at his heart, it was a dreadful feeling. Spike had felt it almost every day after leaving Wantthai, clawing, scratching. He envisioned a black flame, a swirling vortex of ebony fire, all-consuming and powerful, ancient as the world itself. These visions appeared to him as blinding flashes, too quick to fully comprehend. Spike clutched his chest tightly, and Draven ran to his aid.

"Boyo, what's the matter?" Draven urged Edgar to continue his march and waved him off. "You go on ahead, I'll handle this." Edgar nodded and continued to follow the army.

"My chest, it-..." Spike didn't say anything before, but the feeling was too intense to shrug off anymore. "I feel like I'm being torn up inside..."

"How long have you felt this way?" Draven tried to diagnose him.

"Not too long... ever since we left Wantthai," Spike answered and exhaled deeply as he felt the sensation subside. "It's nothing, I'm alright now..."

"There's more to this than just chest pains... he's been quiet ever since we left Wantthai." Draven thought to himself as he placed a hand on Spike's shoulder. "Are you sure you're alright, Spike?"

"Something is..." Spike trailed off, lacking the words to properly describe such an unexplained feeling. "I've been having chest pains and headaches, weird stuff. I don't know. I don't really feel like myself to be completely honest. It's probably because of Twilight."

"Have you felt your powers fluctuate at all when you exert yourself too much?" Draven inquired.

"I'm not sure... I haven't really gotten too intense lately." Spike replied, thinking back to the assault on Dr. Gearza's radio tower. "No... I haven't been exerting myself too hard, I don't think. Why do you ask?"

"Spike, I need to you close your eyes for a moment." Draven insisted as he put his hand out towards Spike and placed it on his forehead. "I need you to clear your mind. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah, I'll try," Spike said as he closed his eyes as instructed. It took him a while, but eventually he was able to let go of his other distracting thoughts.

Draven felt Spike's heartbeat, and Spike felt his. As he closed his own eyes, Draven saw a bright emerald flame. However, it lacked the warmth he was expecting. It was colder, less energetic. The flame was shrouded in a black cloud of obsidian embers that burned much hotter than the green fire, and it exuded a mysterious aura that he had trouble recognizing.

"A devil dragon...?" Draven muttered under his breath as he removed his hand from Spike's head.

"What was that? That thing you just did?" Spike wondered as he felt his head throb.

"That was called Dragon Sense. It's a form of non-elemental magic that all dragons can use." Draven answered him as he shook his hand around as if he had gotten dust on it.

"Non-elemental magic? But I thought dragons could only use fire or lightning, or whatever power they were born with." Spike was perplexed by Draven's interesting display of the strange power.

"Well, yes and no. A dragon can use the raw elemental energy in their blood and manipulate it freely, you already know that. However, a dragon also has raw magic in his nerves and brain, and we can use that in short, semi-controlled bursts. There are five different techniques, all called Dragon Disciplines." Draven explained as he rubbed the palm of his hand he had placed on Spike's head. "We dragons use it to fight enemies that are immune to our own elemental attacks, or sense auras. That power I just used, Dragon Sense, I used it to see your aura."

"And what did you see?" Spike asked him as he gently rubbed his temple.

"I saw doubt, dread... fear." Draven's words struck Spike like the end of a blade piercing his heart. "I don't blame you. Twilight, seeing all this violence, it gets to you, trust me. However, such thoughts are dangerous in the mind of a dragon." Draven cleared his throat and placed a hand on Spike's shoulder. "Within every dragon, a demon lies dormant, constantly scrambling to escape. Anger, violence, hate... all of these things can unleash a diafol ddraig, a devil dragon; an evil force that usually lurks within common and magic dragons.Think of it as dark magic for dragons; volatile and unpredictable. However, I've never seen one inside a lord dragon like you before. Yours is... odd, and immensely powerful."

"What will happen to me?" Spike's face became panicked and desperate, the visions of the black flame returned as well.

"Spike, listen to me." Draven shook Spike to snap him out of his daydream. "No matter what happens, you must not give into your diafol. I fear it could lead to great suffering. I will teach you all that I know about the Dragon Disciplines once we finish our business here. I will teach you how to tame your beast. Until then, you must remain focused, and above all else you must not lose sight of who you are, Spike. Can you do that for me?"

"But, Draven I-."

"We have to get moving, Spike. The others are counting on us." Draven said as he turned his gaze to the army, who was far ahead of them. "Come, stay close to me."

Spike stared off into space before catching up with Draven, reflecting on his conversation with him. He tried pushing his dark thoughts aside, cramming them into the corner of his mind, stuffing them into the dark room that held his greatest fears. Spike tried searching his own mind for a shred of courage, an ounce of hope. However, he became lost in his own thoughts. Shaking his head, Spike dug his hand into his pockets as began to tag behind Draven. He felt something familiar near the bottom of his right pouch, something he almost forgot. Spike slowed down as he reached in to grab the object.

It was a quill. A single owl's quill. To any pony who didn't truly know him, the quill seemed mundane, simple, meaningless. To Spike, however, the quill seemed to gleam in his hands. With that very quill, Spike wrote Twilight's lovingly crafted letters; messages to Celestia, her brother, her friends. He was surprised that it remained undamaged all this time. With the quill in his hand, Spike began to smile, and countless cherished memories began to drown out the festering despair, bring light to his darkness. His smile grew wider as he gracefully ran his finger across the base of the feather all the way to the dark tip. He closed his eyes, visualizing his home, the rolling hills of Ponyville, the waving tall grass. The quill was more than just a memento, it was a piece of his soul, his being, and it was part of Twilight as well. Spike carefully placed the feather in the pocket of his buttoned jacket, taking care not to ruffle it.

"Spike, we've got to pick up the pace!" Draven shouted back to Spike as he caught up with Edgar.

"I'm coming!" Spike's grin held steadfast as he replied, still rubbing the quill in his pocket. "I'm coming, Twilight..."

****

Twilight kneeled before the altar that arose from the seat of Kaiser's throne, revealing the metallic cube that Kaiser held so dear to him. He had locked Twilight in the chamber using the massive metal doors of the throne room, shutting it tight using the five keys he distributed amongst his inner circle. The cube whirred as Twilight's hands drew closer to it, eagerly awaiting a taste of Gek's power.

However, for no particular reason, Twilight smiled, and her arms recoiled back. Gek did not approve of this infuriating act of rebellion, and he tried pulling her forward towards the cube. "Now, now, doll. What's gotten into you all of a sudden? I thought we were getting somewhere! Tell me, sweet pea... what's eatin' ya?"

Twilight daydreamt for a few moments, sensing Spike's presence. She felt the fire in his chest, this emblazoned spirit, his hope. Gek exclaimed in anger as Twilight began to fight Gek's influence, trying to burn him away with her magic. "You wouldn't understand, Gek..."

Twilight's words certainly plucked a nerve, and Gek growled furiously. "I wouldn't understand?! Oh, really?! It's that little dragon brat isn't it?!" Gek tightened his grip on Twilight, grasping her soul like an anaconda, trying desperately to choke her out. "You aren't going to win, pumpkin..."

"No, you're wrong. I'll get out... and you know it, don't you? You claim to not care about lying to your cult, losing, living on as a spirit, and that may be true, but... you hate the idea of losing to me, don't you? A common princess, a juvenile alicorn, a bookworm. I bet it would look terrible on your resume, being beaten by a librarian." Twilight's grin grew confident for a moment. However, she soon felt a surge of dark power, the full force of Gek's influence. It shot up her spine like a metal rod, and she fell backwards, writhing in agony. "Arraagghh!"

"You're a little twat, you know that? I've tried being nice to you, I've tried working with you, I've tried reasoning with you, but you just won't accept it, will you?" Gek's voice became harsher, with a low demonic growl beneath his sociopathic voice. "Give in, and unlock the blasted box!"

"No." Regardless of the intense pain, Twilight's grin still remained.

"Then it'll be more fun for me then!" Gek laughed maniacally as he began to torture Twilight more.

"Hurry Spike..." Twilight thought to herself as she cringed, hoping Spike could hear her voice.

****

Spike hid behind a dilapidated building with Edgar and Draven, sitting down in a circle. Alvin joined them as well, and he tapped on his communicator, waiting for the signal from Athena.

"Looks like this is it, huh guys?" Alvin said as he sat down on a piece of rubble. "My stallions are rarin' to go, and the strike team is almost to the exhaust vent, so we should be attacking at any moment."

"Then we best prepare ourselves then." Draven nodded as he stood up, urging Spike to join him. "Come on, boyo... we're gettin' Twilight back."

Alvin pulled out a pair of binoculars from his trench coat pocket, eyeing the open field that they had to traverse before attacking the fortress. "Looks like we'll have to cross that field. It'll be an open-season for those turrets mounted on that cliff. There'll most likely be mines too, so we'll have to be wary." Alvin heard static on his com-device, but it regulated after a few seconds, and Athena's voice became loud and clear. She was sending the message to every soldier in her army.

*My brothers and sisters in arms. Today we march onwards to stop Kaiser and his brutal regime. Today we free ourselves from the brutality of this wasteland! You mark the beginning of a new age for our kind. Archibald shall lead the charge!*

"How did you know?" Edgar asked Athena through his communicator.

*That's a silly question, Edgar... of course I would recognize my creator, the one who dreamt me up, The Founder of Security.*

The androids all stepped back, realizing who she was talking to. They all looked up at the towering behemoth that was Edgar. He was reluctant to say anything at first, but after seeing Draven and Spike's dumbfounded expressions, he sighed to himself. The androids all kneeled before him, bowing their heads in respect to their creator.

"You're-..." Draven's speech stumbled for a moment. He was completely gobsmacked. "Why didn't you-...?

"Yes. I am Archibald Mason, one of The Four Founders." Edgar nodded and bowed his head. He sighed to himself again. "I suppose somepony would've found out sooner or later. I'll explain it all to you and the rest of the team once this is all over, I promise."

Alvin approached Edgar with his head still directed towards the ground. "Mr. Mason, sir-."

"You can still call me Edgar, Alvin. I've gotten used to that name." Edgar shook his head, urging the androids to cease their prayers. "I'm no god, everypony. I'm just a stallion out of time. And like you, I have a dream, a goal in mind. No matter what happened in Ausrüstung; war, violence, unrest... there always remained an idea, a single belief. Power is not with the government, it is with the ponies that support it. I am no leader, I don't believe in gods or deities... but I believe in one thing. Freedom. For it is the right of every pony, no matter what you're made of. And that is what you are all fighting for. Not for me, but freedom."

The dampfriesens cheered and shouted as they gathered around Edgar, jumping down from rooftops. Spike and Draven smiled, clapping for him and the rest of the army that roared and jumped for joy. They shouted a familiar phrase, the same one that Alvin used. "Uictoriam, Iustitiam, Ad Securitatem! Uictoriam, Iustitiam, Ad Securitatem! Uictoriam, Iustitiam, Ad Securitatem!"

"Soldiers! Prepare yourselves! On my mark, we march forward!" Edgar commanded his army, and they obeyed with a spring in their step. Edgar tuned his communicator. "Athena, are the mortars ready?"

*Yes, father.* Athena replied; Edgar could tell she was smiling.

"Soldiers! Spread out across the field and march forward!" Edgar ordered them.

"You ready, boyo?" Draven turned his gaze to Spike, and he was happy to see the fire reignited in his eye.

"Yeah, let's do this," Spike grinned and looked forward, following Edgar into the plain.

The large force of android soldiers widened their influence along the open field that stretched to the cliff where the government building sat. The wind kicked up a few miniature dust tornadoes and howled menacingly at the army to leave, to run, but they stood strong. The ground shook as they marched forward with even greater speed, and the building's defences began to lock-on to their targets.

A cannon perched on the outer wall fired, and a railgun shot came hurdling towards the army at terrifying speed. Before the shell could even touch the ground, Edgar blocked it with his body, absorbing the impact like it was nothing. Spike and Draven activated their own powers. Spike's fists ignited into a blazing emerald flame, Draven's surged and crackled as electricity enveloped his body.

"There are ground troops approaching!" Spike shouted to Draven and anypony else who could hear him.

"I'll handle em'! Wings!" Draven shouted as thunderous wings of lighting sprouted from his back; he thr took off at blinding speed, a trail of electricity behind him. He let loose a torrent of lightning as he rose high into the air, electric wings sprouting from his back. The lightning slammed into the ranks of the cultist troops with awe-inspiring might, scattering them. "Grand Dragon Thane's Surging Discharge!"

"All right, my turn!" Spike grinned again as he coated his own fins in green fire, seeing more approaching troops that Draven missed. "Dragon Fury!" Spike propelled himself into the air using his flames and released a bellow of fire from his mouth that blew the horde of cultists away. "Dragon King's Fiery Breath!" Spike fell back on the ground; Dragon Fury could only allow brief bursts of flight. The heat of his attack also activated explosives hidden beneath the ground, mines. "Guys, there's mines! Be careful!"

"I'll take care of them!" Edgar roared as one of his chains disappeared. "First Restrictor Band: Removed!"

Edgar slammed his fist into the ground, causing it to shake and groan from the sheer force. The vibrations in the earth roused the mines, and they exploded, killing more cultists. "Get going, troops!"

"Mortar-fire! Mortar-fire! Stay behind it, guys!" Alvin screamed as Athena's mortars began to bombard the fortification, battering the turrets and walls and granting the dampfriesen ground troops a point of entry through a hole in the defences. "Over there!"

"Follow me!" Edgar shouted as he crushed cultists beneath his colossal metal hooves. "Through that hole!"

Edgar barrelled through the opening with the force of a freight train, scattering more cultist troops and absorbing more enemy fire. More cultists tried swarming Draven, and as they drew closer, Draven charged an attack that caught Spike by surprise. It was yet another non-elemental ability.

"Dragon..." Draven held his breath, and an aura of blue energy began to coat Draven's being. As he outstretched his arms, a wave of power was expelled from his body as an omnidirectional ripple of force. "Wave!" The attack sent scores of cultists flying, destroyed electric traps, and obliterated barricades and walls. As his attack subsided, Draven let out a cocky laugh. "I haven't used that in years! I think I've gotten a little rusty..."

"You've got to teach me that!" Spike gawked at the destruction the attack caused, and Draven scared some cultists with sparks of electricity. "Okay, now you're just showing off..." Spike scowled at him as he tossed a fireball at an approaching cultist wielding a sword. Draven scoffed confidently and shot Spike a smug grin as he tipped his hat. "Cocky as Rainbow Dash..."

"So... that was really easy." Draven scratched his head as he looked around the grounds of the government building. "Edgar, what do you-? Edgar?" Draven looked over to Edgar, who stood in front of the entrance to the building. "What's the big-...?" Draven trailed off as he saw what Edgar was looking at.

"I knew you were that machine..." Edgar growled at the figure standing before him. "I never thought that bastard would stoop this low... what did he do to you, Natachsa?"

"Natascha? You mean-...?" Spike looked to the strange mechanical mare that stood in front of the gateway.

The pony was tall and of the same build as Lady Athena, tall and elegant. However, she did not exude the same aura as her; this doppelganger's appearance was menacing and dripping with malice. Grey tubes extending from a metal pack attached to her back dug into her neck, and her metal body was streamlined and jet black with crimson-red outlines on each individual, interlocking plate of black armor. In fact, the only flesh that was visible was her neck and head; her arms and legs were all cybernetic. Her long, straight black mane almost covered her olive green face. The mare's eyes were pure red and without a hint of white, and although she had no pupils or irises, Edgar could tell she was staring right at him. Her stone cold expression of rage was unwavering and unkind, heralding imminent danger.

"That's Natascha Chetbrovsky...The Founder of Rights..." Draven gulped as he stared at the silent mare who was teeming with mindless anger.

"Everypony, get back. Deal with any stragglers outside the walls." Edgar commanded his troops, not wanting any of them to get killed by Natascha. "We'll handle this." As the troops stepped back, Edgar slowly drew closer to her with Draven and Spike close by. "Natascha? Can you hear me?"

The mare said nothing, and growled at them all, charging up a powerful laser in her eyes. "Aarrghh!" She bellowed as she released a beam of light from her eyes that struck Edgar in the chest, sending him flying into a nearby wall.

"Edgar!" Spike shouted over to the giant as he watched him recover from the attack.

"I'm fine." Edgar cringed as he clutched his chest and stood up. "We've got to deal with Natascha quickly, or she'll kill us all..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Two: Snake Eyes Club

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The strike team made their way around the cliff face, eventually stopping at the bottom of a ravine the cliff sat inside of. The entrance was there, just barely poking out of the soil. Based on the height of the cliff, the whole complex must've been constructed hundreds of meters below to reduce pressure on the geological structure of the area. The team scaled the ravine with the help of Rainbow Dash, who carried each member– except Butch, who simply jumped down –to the bottom. As they approached the metal grate poking out of the cliff, Evelyn grabbed some tools out of her pockets; a screwdriver and a wrench.

"Let's see if I can open this..." Evelyn said as she tended to a bolt.

"Eve, you know we I can just kick it down, right?" Butch offered, but Evelyn was too caught up in her own thoughts to pay any attention to him. Eventually, after a few minutes, Butch grew impatient and motioned to Evelyn to stand aside.

Butch smashed the steel grate covering the large ventilation duct with his metal hoof, then tore it off with his robotic hands. While his strength was already more than impressive without his armor, with the added power of the suit he was wearing, he was practically a walking tank. Rainbow Dash whistled in amazement, trying to wrap her head around just how strong the stallion was.

"Damn..." Rainbow Dash gave Butch an approving nod as she looked down at his handy work.

"Told ya it'd be much easier than trying to unscrew the damn thing," Butch said to Evelyn, who rolled her eyes, unresponsive.

"My way would've been much cleaner..." Evelyn mumbled as she turned her head away from the others.

"You and your OCD..." Masami shook her head and gave a light chuckle as she stared into the shadowy duct leading into the complex. "Well, this is it."

"Do you know the way to each member of Infernalgear?" Winslow inquired.

"Yeah, I've got a map right here." Masami tossed a metal disc in the air, and a map of the complex appeared as a hologram. "However, I'm not exactly sure where each member is, I only know which area of the complex that member resides in. I also don't know which member is which, since they all are marked as red dots on this map..." Masami's expression suggested otherwise as if her explanation was only half of the truth. Rainbow Dash realized this and intervened.

"You okay?" The sky blue pegasus asked.

"Yeah... I think so." Masami shook her head again, trying to keep a half-smile on her face. "I just-... got a chill is all. Let's just get this over with."

"Go on." Winslow insisted as he gestured towards the map with his index finger.

"Right. So, there's one here, on the first level. According to this map, there's some kind of interference in this general area, so it's all highlighted in red. I'm assuming it's some kind of machine perhaps." Masami turned the map, zooming in on an area marked by a red dot. "This is the experimentation wing on the third floor. There's somepony in here, kind of off to the side, away from everypony else."

"I'll investigate that." Winslow volunteered.

"And I'll join you," Fluttershy said with a determined expression, steadfast in her decision.

"It might be-."

"I'm going with you. We shouldn't split up." Fluttershy insisted in a stubborn fashion.

"I think I'll go to the first level. If it's a machine I should be able to handle it with casual ease." Evelyn said as she put her tools away.

"No way, Eve. I ain't lettin' you go by yourself." Butch grunted as he crossed his arms.

"I can handle myself, Butch. I'll be fine." Evelyn tried to coax the brooding stallion by patting him on the shoulder, reassuring him with her confident expression. "I'll be okay."

Butch sighed in reluctance, closing his eyes and bowing his head in deep thought, imagining Evelyn all by herself. While the thought scared him, he knew Evelyn was more than capable of defending herself. "Alright. But you find me as soon as you're finished and you call me if you're in trouble, okay?"

"Okay, Butch." Evelyn agreed.

"Alright. So, here's the other two red dots. There's one here, on the second floor. There seems to be a lot of activity in this area as well. Perhaps there's a group of cultists? I'm not sure." Masami tried piecing it together in her head.

"I'll go there." Butch volunteered instantly, taking the most dangerous job for himself. Evelyn wanted to protest, but she knew he could handle himself; it pained her to see Butch ignore his own safety. However, every worry that Evelyn tried to throw at him before seemed to just glance off of him, like it didn't even matter. Years of being a soldier taught him that, shaped him into a daring brawler who jumped into the fray before anypony else.

"Good..." Masami was sceptical as well, as she knew such decision would bother Evelyn. However, Masami knew there was no time to spare, so she figured it would be best for him to take care of a larger threat. "Okay. Let me see what else we have here." Masami paused for a moment as she stopped at the last area marked with a red dot. "This is the last one floor before the ritual chamber... that's where Ichirou is."

"How do you know that?" Evelyn wondered, the sceptic within her kicking and screaming.

"I just do, okay?" Masami's tone shifted from confused to cornered in an instant, and that quelled Evelyn's inner sceptic. She didn't believe most of the mystic mumbo jumbo that Masami talked about, but she often tried to respect Masami's culture, knowing full-well the consequences of belittling somepony's beliefs; Evelyn learned that in boarding school. "I'll go. Alone."

"Woah, woah, woah! Alone? Are you kidding me, Masami?" Rainbow Dash glared at Masami with a disappointed mug.

"I have to, Rainbow Dash. For Hiro." Masami clenched her fist tightly. "Go with somepony else, okay?"

"Hey, that's bull-."

"Rainbow Dash, everypony, go inside. I'll talk with Masami." Winslow ordered them, and they all obeyed, respecting his ability and obvious wisdom. "We won't be long."

"Alright..." Fluttershy agreed as she crouched and entered the air duct.

As the rest of the strike team entered, Winslow sat down on the soft soil and crossed his legs, sticking his sword into the ground, blocking the duct. He hummed an unrecognizable tune as he relaxed his body, closing his eyes. He opened them slowly, looking up at Masami, who was leaning against the ravine with her head to the side, away from his gaze. "I don't suppose you'll sit down?"

"I think I'll stand," Masami replied bluntly as she turned her head to him.

"So, tell me... are you the leader of this team?" Winslow said as he placed his elbow on his knee, resting his head on his closed fist in intrigue.

Masami didn't reply for a few seconds. "Yeah."

"Then may I suggest something to you?" Winslow asked her as he tapped the blade of his sword. Masami nodded slowly. "You need to throw away honour in a situation like this."

"It's not honour, it's-!"

"Yes, it is for the sake of honor. I know what honor is." Winslow silenced Masami as he stood up and approached her. "Your friend is leagues above you. If he could catch Draven off-guard, then he is leagues above Spike, Twilight, me. Martial prowess and faith will not win this battle. You're a well-rounded tactician, use that. Do you think it would be smart to fight 'fairly' against an enemy infused with supernatural rage directed towards you? He will use anything and every tool at his disposal to kill you."

"Which is exactly why I can't let him kill anypony else I love..." Masami said, tears welling in her eyes.

"You will most assuredly die, Masami. Do you think your master would want that? Do you think Rainbow Dash would want that?" Winslow's speech became more passionate and empathetic. "There is a fine line between honor and foolishness, and you're stepping over it into that dark realm, the same realm your friend stepped into."

Masami swallowed and closed her eyes, realizing the truth in Winslow's words. "I know. I know that, dammit..."

"Then let Rainbow Dash help you. She loves you... and there is no greater weapon for fighting tenacious personal demons than that." Winslow patted Masami on the shoulder as he sheathed his sword and entered the duct. "Come, we have work to do."

"Yeah..." Masami nodded as she followed him inside.

****

Liazo was an odd stallion indeed. He was fashionably dressed, often wearing a vest coupled with an extravagant dress shirt. The lavish choice of fashion, the charisma, the smooth voice; every aspect of Liazo's character, mannerisms, and quirks, they were all Constantine's. Yet, there was a calmness to his demeanour as well. Liazo was much calmer than Constantine¬– well, calmer than the Constantine that Gin knew –and that calmness seemed to seep into the other elements of his character. He was perhaps, what Constantine could have been, an alternate version of the tyrant.

Gin walked alongside Liazo down a narrow sidewalk. It was fairly quiet, save for the faint racket emanating from where the battle was ensuing, and a brisk but non-threatening wind traveled down the street. Old street lamps sparked once every so often, stunning Gin, who cursed every time they did. Aside from Gin's occasional frustrated reaction to the sparks, she didn't talk much to Liazo.

Gin cleared her throat as she peered into the broken windows of the various houses that lined the street. "So... what's it like? Being... you know, a-."

"A clone of a sociopathic monarch?" Liazo finished her sentence, adding some flourish on the end. "Pretty interesting. I age slower than you due to my physiology, but I didn't really have a childhood." Liazo let out a laugh as he looked up at the sky. "They, uh... the ponies who made me, they accelerated the aging process for me– slowed it down once I reached maturity. Me and my siblings... we were going to be Constantine's 'perfect warriors', some bullshit like that..."

"You know, if it makes ya feel any better... I didn't really have a childhood either." Gin said as she took a sip from a flask she hid in her bandolier. "I grew up in a rough part of town, I had parents when I was young, but nothing else. I just had me brother, that's pretty much it."

"Does your brother have liquid gold or acid for blood?" Liazo asked with a half-smile.

"Yours do?"

"Yeah. My brother, Gaines. He has gold for blood. I don't really keep in touch him, but I hear he's the king of some island in the south." Liazo chuckled as he recalled another sibling. "You already met Viper. He hasn't got much of Pa's brains. In fact, he was the only one of us Constantine could keep in line. Then there's Roderick. He's got steel in his veins, and he's a brute."

"Sounds like you have a family with some character, huh?" Gin laughed as she put her hands in her pockets. "Is there anypony in your family you keep in contact with? You know, through letters or something?"

"There's Bethany," Liazo remembered as he ran his hand through his frosty blue hair. "She's an angel compared to the rest of em'. I write to her once every so often, ask her how things are. Last I heard she was in Caven Isle, the miriad capital city to the far east. She's in some kind of group– can't remember the name of it. She's really the only one I talk to nowadays."

"What's her power?"

"She's got molten obsidian for blood," Liazo answered.

"Is it hard? Being an individual when you're... you know." Gin wondered.

"Yeah, sometimes. But, I mean, we weren't all raised the same, I suppose. To be honest, I don't think me and Constantine are alike at all. Sure, we look the same, but at the end of the day... I'm my own pony, you know?" Liazo said as he fiddled with his butterfly knife.

"Why are the Catelli's so important to you?" Gin asked, curious as to why Liazo went through so much trouble to kill mob bosses.

"Because they were my family once, that's why," Liazo said as he put his knife away, staring down at the sidewalk as he continued. "When me and the rest of my siblings escaped, we all went our separate ways, and I was pretty lost in Ausrüstung once I got here. Then I met Fonzi. He was suave, deadly, a real killer. He saw what I could do, and he invited me into the family. So, I joined."

"What made you leave?"

"Oh, well... that's a long story, but I think I can break it down for ya... this was all before I became an undercover agent..." Liazo tried recollecting his memories into an organized heap. "Well, I slept around quite a bit when I was in the gang. I mean, we all did. But, there was this one mare... she was a fox, I'll tell you that much. Her name was Mariana O'Neil, a member of a rival gang. She was... my first love. Eventually, Fonzi found out, and..." Liazo paused for a moment and lit a cigarette. "Fonzi got some of his guys to cut her up and throw her in a river. "

"Damn, that's..." Gin was unsure how to respond to such a tale of brutality. "Damn..."

"I left the gang after that, and that's when I took up private espionage. I spied for the cops, the feds, anyone willing to pay enough coin. And of course, that's how I met Octavia. I think I already told you about her." Liazo had a momentary lapse before continuing. "Then, after a few more contracts, I ended up butting heads with Butch, and after getting punched in the face, one thing led to another and I got on the team."

"Well, you certainly have had it rough." Gin sympathized with the troubled stallion.

"I've sorted myself out over the years, but yeah, I guess..." Liazo tossed his cigarette on the ground and stepped on it. "I don't think I've had it as bad as Butch... that stallion's been through hell." Liazo stopped and looked up, pointing down to the end of the block. "Over there, there's the place."

Liazo pointed over to the larger building covered in old neon signs. Without the glow of the neon they were hard to read, but as they got closer, Gin could read the words on the building.

SNAKE EYES CLUB

"Heh, figures. Fonzi used to talk about this ol' place all the time. It used to be where all the Catelli bosses met before the war. Real shady stuff happened here." Liazo reminisced as he walked towards the old double doors; they were locked. "Ah, shit. Let's see here..." Liazo reached into his pocket again and brought out a bobby pin and a thin throwing knife. "Alright, give me a second..." Liazo cracked the lock on the door, and with a click, it swung open, revealing the lobby. "Viola..."

"Nice work. I'm almost jealous." Gin giggled as she urged him to go first. "Milady..."

"Sir..." Liazo went along with Gin's joke as he bowed to her, entering first. "C'mon."

The lobby was completely dark, save for the front desk, where a single lit candle sat. Dust congealed on every surface in the room, but after years of exposure, the building remained structurally intact. There was still the old red carpet with floral designs on the floor, the chandelier was still hanging above the lobby. The building had been taken care of. The Catelli's had been there, Liazo could tell, and he could tell they had been around for a while based on the shape of the building. The floorboards were discolored, some boards were entirely new. Somepony had been doing repairs.

"Keep an eye out, Fonzi must've brought the whole gang tonight..." Liazo shook his head in a troubled manner as he vaulted over the front desk. He motioned over to the next set of closed double doors leading to the main area of the club. "Hey, can you check that for me, Gin?" Liazo scoured through the desk, looking for other clues. "What have you been up to, Fonzi...?"

"Hey, Liazo... this door is locked." Gin crouched down to get a better look at the handle. "This lock is welded shut too."

"Welded?" Liazo scratched his head as he looked around for another way in. "Well, that's-." The phone on the desk began to ring, cutting through the silence in the lobby. Liazo picked it up. "Fonzi? You there? C'mon, don't leave me hanging, after all we've been through together?! Fonzi...?"

"Yeah, Quicksilver... I'm here." A raspy voice on the other end replied.

"So you do remember me!" Liazo grinned as he flicked his knife around.

"Oh, how could I? How could I forget the stallion who, with his own two hands, killed half of my crew?" Fonzi snickered. "You're dead meat, Liazo. You've been dead meat for years, and now I can finally get back what's owed..."

"Don't tell me you're still hung up over that, Fonzi. That was years ago..." Liazo chuckled, agitating Fonzi.

"So, did you have a funeral for that little Consuelo mare, Liazo? After we chopped her up and fed her to the sharks? Did you cry, Liazo?" Fonzi growled, his voice like sandpaper.

"You listen to me, you son of a bitch." Liazo pounded on the desk with his free hand. "I'm gonna make you cry, you hear me? I'm ending this, once and for all."

"I can't wait..." As Fonzi replied, the double doors opened, and Liazo heard cheers from the next room. The whole Catelli family was waiting for them. "Welcome home, Liazo..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Three: The General and The Scribe

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Due to the age of the air vent, it was prone to creak and groan as Masami and the rest of the strike team made their way through the mazelike ducts, forcing them to move slowly. Rainbow Dash wasn't too thrilled to creep and sneak about, as that was not her forte. She preferred a tactic catered to her personality, like a simple blitzkrieg; a hit and run tactic. The silence was wearing on her, and she looked back, motioning to the others to pass her by until Masami came along. She joined up with her, aching to apologize. Although she didn't fully understand Masami's reasoning, Rainbow Dash was willing to admit she was too steadfast with her.

"Hey, listen. I won't join up with you if you don't want me to. It wasn't really my place to decide since... you know. Sorry..." Rainbow Dash whispered to Masami as she sneaked with her, crouching down low to keep her head from hitting the top of the vent. "It wasn't my-." Rainbow Dash was silenced by Masami's finger pressing up against her lips.

"No, I'm sorry. You didn't do anything wrong, Kitten. I was being stubborn. I got so caught up in preserving Hiro's honor, that I neglected you and refused your help." Masami apologized as she brushed Rainbow Dash's cheek with her fingertips. "I feel like such a damn fool. I've led this team for... I don't know how long now, and I still act like a prideful little filly."

"I know how it feels. Well, maybe not the leadership part, but yeah..." Rainbow Dash chuckled lightly as she scratched the back of her head. "Hey, Masami..."

"Yeah?" Masami turned her head and was caught by surprise. Rainbow Dash was blushing; not from embarrassment or anger, but nervousness.

"Why did-, you know... why did you jump on me like that night? Just... hook up with me like that?" Rainbow Dash wondered, feeling whisked away by her own question, imagining that pleasurable night at Charles' mansion.

"Why? Well... I don't know. I just... had a good feeling about you is all. It felt right." Masami laughed awkwardly before scoffing to herself. "I'm also kind of a slut... I guess I got that from my mom."

"Yeah, well..." A wide, mischievous grin formed on Rainbow Dash's face. "I think that's a side of you I could get used to, Fox..."

"Fox?" Masami raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, you gave me a nickname. I figured it would only be fair if I had one for you as well..." Rainbow Dash winked at Masami as she gave her a playful nudge, taking care not to cause a ruckus.

"You're a naughty mare, you know that?" Masami purred as she stopped for a moment, trying to focus her hearing. "Hang on a minute, everypony..."

"What is it?" Evelyn whispered back to her.

Masami looked down through a hatch beneath her hooves, opening it ever so slightly to try and identify the area below. They were above a long hallway that appeared to be unoccupied. She opened the hatch more and grabbed her long mane, holding it in her hand so that it wouldn't get stuck in the opening as she poked her head through. There was a small phrase written on the wall. It was hard to see due to the font color and the low light levels, but as she narrowed her sight the words became clearer. It read 'LEVEL ONE'.

"Evelyn. This is the first level of the complex. Do you have your map?" Masami asked her as Evelyn made her way past the others and to the hatch.

"Yes. I should be able to find my way from here." Evelyn nodded as she looked down into the corridor. "I guess I'll be going then. Wish me luck."

Before she could jump down, Butch grabbed her arm and gave her a worried glare. "You be careful now, okay?"

"I can assure you, I will," Evelyn promised as she jumped down, trying her best to be as quiet as possible. "Good luck, everypony. I'll see you soon."

"Let's get moving," Masami stated as she shut the vent hatch, continuing onward with the rest of her strike team.

****

Natascha's power was on par with a giant; her brute strength, her destructive firepower. She was more than a match for Edgar and his two dragon allies. Her speed was also highly advanced, and she used it frequently to batter her adversaries. She moved so fast in fact, that it appeared as if she were fading in and out of existence with each savage assault.

Draven was struck from behind with a firm metal hoof, knocking him out of the air and onto the ground with enough force to kick up a substantial amount of dust. Draven had to take a few moments to recover as he stood back up, wiping off a trickle of blood from his mouth. "Ah, damn it... that bloody hurt."

"Get up Draven!" Edgar shouted as he blocked a barrage of punches from Natascha, waves of concussive force being released with every blow that made contact with his robotic gauntlets. "We have to take her out as quickly as possible! She'll get stronger the longer you fight her!"

"Bloody hell... she gets stronger than this?" Draven cringed as he dusted off his coat and prepared himself, thunderous wings sprouting from his back once more as he dodged a laser beam fired out of Natascha's eyes that melted the ground around where he had been standing. "Keep away from that beam! I don't think our scales can defend against that!" Draven shouted to Spike, who swallowed as Natascha turned her attention to him. "Don't be afraid, boyo! Just be careful!"

"Isn't 'be careful' just a nice way of saying 'be afraid'?!" Spike snapped at him as he evaded Natascha's claws that lashed at him like a wild animal. However, one slipped past his guard, slashing him across his left shoulder. He felt an immediate burning sensation as he retreated, switching out with Edgar. He had felt that stinging sensation before. "Crap! Is that dragon's bane?!"

"That's what she'll do! She analyzes your weaknesses, reorganizes her attacks, then she tries to undermine your guard! Change your tactic!" Edgar instructed the two dragons as he furiously sparred with his cybernetic opponent. "She can't analyze me! That's why she's going for you two first! She's eliminating the smaller threats to focus on me!"

"Then I'll get her attention!" Draven yelled back to Edgar as he let loose a storm of lightning that impacted Natascha's chest, sending her flying back into another section of the ruined fortress' outer wall. Natascha retaliated quickly, charging towards Draven with her crimson red eyes. "Well, I pissed her off! What now?!"

"Use something she hasn't seen before! A different attack if you can! I'll block her, you go around and hit her with something!" Edgar said as he deflected a blast from Natascha's eyes. "Now!"

"Let's try this..." Draven used a bolt of lightning to boost his speed, allowing him to perform a swift loop around Edgar and Natascha. His right hand began to glow the same blue aura his body had before when performing Dragon Wave. The glow of the strange energy became more intense as it climbed up his forearm, eventually manifesting fully within the opened palm of his hand. "Dragon..." Draven raced towards his distracted foe at incredible speed, and he drove his hand forward, striking Natascha in the spine. "Shatter!"

"Aaargh!" Natascha exclaimed in pain as she felt a hammering blow shatter her internal structure like glass. She fell forward onto the ground, coughing up blood as she grimaced.

"What was that?!" Spike gawked at the strange power as Natascha wailed in agony.

"Another Dragon Discipline! Dragon Shatter!" Draven answered him as he clenched his left fist, charging up another palm attack in his opened right hand.

"Whatever that was, it seemed to work! Don't bother using your lightning anymore! She's most likely built up a resistance to it already!" Edgar said as he deflected another barrage of punches and kicks from Natascha, who was beginning to fight like a wounded animal, slashing and growling. "Keep going, Draven!"

"Dragon Shatter!" Draven struck Natascha in her snout, muffling her voice and causing her cries of anger to become gurgled. Draven kept attacking, and a surge of power was expelled each time he landed a blow on her. "Dragon Shatter!"

It was then that Spike heard his communicator buzz; it was Masami. "Spike, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me!" Spike responded as he took a few steps back, distancing himself from the fight. "What's going on in there?"

"Not so loud, we're the air vent right now," Masami whispered. "We're fine here. We're almost at the second level. What about you? Did you find out what that machine was?"

"Sorry, Masami. Yeah, it's one of those Four Founders you told me about, Natascha..." Spike explained their situation as he evaded another blast from Natascha's eyes. "She's strong, really strong. Edgar seems to be handling her well, though, and I think we may have found a way to beat her."

"A Founder? And Chetbrovsky no less? Damn, the plot just keeps thickening, doesn't it? How the hell is that ol' gal still alive? She must be over two-hundred years old." Masami said in disbelief.

"I have no idea, but we can handle her, I think," Spike assured her as he tossed a fireball at Natascha's face, allowing Draven to attack again.

"Okay then, Spike. Give me an update when you deal with her, yeah?" Masami requested as she opened yet another hatch, checking to see if there were any guards present.

"Alright, Masami," Spike replied over his communicator.

"Was that Spike?" Rainbow Dash asked as she held Masami's hair for her.

"Yeah. He's fighting that machine Athena warned us about. Although she neglected to tell us who the machine is. She's Natascha Chetbrovsky." Masami answered her as she turned off her communicator.

"Chetbrovsky?" Butch scoffed at the idea as he crouched on the edge of the hatch. "Shouldn't that old timer be in the ground right now?"

"Yeah, I'm having a hard time grasping it too." Masami shook her head as she removed her head from the hatch. "Looks like it's all clear, Butch. This floor is right above a maintenance room. Be careful when you're on this level. There's a lot of activity, possibly a gathering of cultists, something you can probably handle, tough guy."

"You make sure you stay safe, alright? You don't want to end up lookin' like me..." Butch grinned as he gestured to his cybernetic arms before jumping down into the small room filled with pipes and other numerous electrical devices. "Get going."

"Alright. There's supposed to be a fork in the road just up ahead. See?" Masami pointed down the duct. Sure enough, the ventilation duct broke off into two opposite directions. "It splits off and leads to the last two floors before the ritual chamber, according to this map," Masami informed the others as she tinkered with her holographic map. "Winslow, Fluttershy, you'll take the right one. Rainbow Dash and I will take the left."

"Understood," Winslow said with a slight grunt in his tone as he nodded. "Fluttershy, stay close to me."

"Okay..." Fluttershy squeaked as she scooted over to Winslow.

"You take care of her, Winslow. Okay?" Rainbow Dash gave Fluttershy a warm hug before letting her go, whispering into her ear. "Don't be afraid, Fluttershy. You've got Winslow with ya, and you're a tough mare. Don't you ever doubt that."

Seeing Rainbow Dash's smiling face bestowed upon her confidence that could not be matched by anypony else. Hearing her laugh, hearing her cocky attitude and wit; it reinforced the timid pegasus' own will. She was truly what her title entailed. Rainbow Dash was an embodiment of loyalty, in its purest form.

"Thank you." Although confident, Fluttershy was reluctant to let go of her, afraid that it may be the last time she would see her again. Eventually, however, she let out a long sigh and released her, mustering up enough courage to power through her doubtful thoughts.

"I swear on my sword, no harm will befall her," Winslow swore to Rainbow Dash as he placed a hand over his heart.

"You're a good stallion, Winslow." Rainbow Dash grinned as she grabbed Winslow's hand and shook it.

"I'm not too familiar with this gesture... what is it?" Winslow scratched his head as he let go of her hand.

"It's a handshake, silly." Rainbow Dash chuckled at the old-fashioned stallion as she let them go down the path on the right, further into the cavernous series of tunnels. "See you soon, fellas!"

"Interesting..." Winslow was still perplexed by the unfamiliar sign of kinship as he walked along the vent. "A hand...shake?"

"It's just a way of agreeing where we're from," Fluttershy informed him, giggling a little at his childlike wonder as he continued to marvel at his hand.

"I see..." Winslow said as he jumped down a slight drop-off in the vent, Fluttershy tailing not far behind.

****

Archibald Mason looked down upon Eisen from his balcony, beaming as he saw children playing in the streets and busy stallions in their business attire, off to a hard day at work in their new jobs. It took less than a decade to build Ausrüstung from the ground up, using nothing but coal and steel to construct their cities. He breathed in deeply as he grabbed the railing, and he picked a bright yellow marigold off of a hanging basket of flowers just above his head; marigolds were always Natascha's favorite.

"You're awfully chipper this morning." A voice as sweet as honeysuckles said, filling Archibald with bliss. A familiar pair of delicate hands grabbed his waist and pulled him in for a hug from behind.

"Why wouldn't I be, Natascha?" Archibald turned his body and placed his arm around his lover's shoulder, pulling her in close, letting her nuzzle against his chest. "Look at this. All of this joy, all of this. This is your reward for all of your hard work."

"All of our work, Archie." Natascha looked up at the tall stallion, whose grin grew wider as he gazed at the sunrise, just rising above the Ministry of Science on the horizon, resting on the very top of the building like a candle. "We all did our part; you, Ivan, Richard. We couldn't have done all of this without you."

"Me? Naw... I just gave them a military and a some robot police." Archibald chuckled to himself.

"You make it sound like it isn't a big deal. Try not to be so humble all the time, Arch." Natascha giggled as her deep, crimson eyes met his. She could tell Archibald was holding back some shred of doubt beneath his joy. "What's wrong, Archie?"

"What do you mean?"

"You always daydream like this when you're troubled. What's the matter?" Natascha rubbed his shoulder, feeling the tension in it.

"It's just-..." Archibald closed his eyes as he tried to find a way to translate his jumbled mess of thoughts and emotions. "I want to see this nation grow old, and I want to grow old with it. I want to see it prosper and thrive in this new world. I want to always be there for its citizens. Don't you want that?"

"Of course, I do, Archie. But, we can't always be there for Ausrüstung, you know that. We all have our time in this world, then we have to go, no matter what other business we may have here." Natascha sighed as she saw Archibald shake his head. "Hey, it's okay..."

"Remember that stone Ivan's been experimenting with over the last couple of years?" Archibald reminded Natascha, who immediately caught on to what he was about to suggest. "He says it can do more than just create AI. He says it holds the secret to extending our-..."

"We aren't immortal, Archie. We weren't meant to be." Natascha tried to comfort him, grabbing his hand and placing it on her chest for him to feel his beating heart. "Do you feel this, Archie? It's my heart, a mortal's heart. And while it may not beat forever, it burns hotter than even the most powerful immortal's breast. It beats for these people, this city, and... for you. I know that, even when I'm dead and gone, my love will always be eternal." Archibald laughed lightly to himself as he leaned forward onto the railing of his balcony, rousing Natascha's curiosity. "What?"

"All these metaphors and abstract thoughts... they're a little too much for a young and dashing military stallion like me, scribe." Archibald beamed as Natascha grabbed the back of his neck with her right hand and brushed his cheek with her left.

"Oh just shut up and kiss me, you bastard," Natascha whispered to him as she pressed her lips against Archibald's, letting her warmth flow into him, filling him to the brim with her passion.

As they pulled away from the kiss, Archibald went down on one knee and brought out a ring, the ring he had been saving for just the right moment. "Marry me, Natascha."

It took Natascha a few moments before she could respond, she was utterly speechless. "I... what about Richard? He said we shouldn't get too-."

"Shut up and marry me, you bastard," Archibald smiled as Natascha leaped onto him, kissing him again and again. "I love you, Natascha Chetbrovsky..."

"I love you too, Archibald Mason..."

****

Edgar's mind returned to the present as he felt Natascha's fist impact his chest, sending shockwaves throughout his muscle-bound body. He had been daydreaming in the midst of battle.

"Edgar, what the bloody hell are you doing? Fight back!" Draven shouted to Edgar as Natascha continued to pummel him with crushing blows to the head and chest.

"I can't do it, Natascha..." Edgar muttered to himself as his heart sank, watching Natascha snarl at him like a mindless beast. "I can't..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Four: Divide and Conquer

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The first level of the underground complex was fairly small. It acted more like welcome area and a break room for members of the Friedenstruppen deep-science division rather than an actual level where experiments were held, as there were many amenities on level one; foosball tables, a dusty old bar with rusted metal tables and chairs, and a cafeteria conjoined to the one side of the small inner chamber. Outside of said central area were many various outer cells, tiny rooms for scientists to live in that were fitted with miniature labs and tattered cots for them to sleep in. Evelyn could feel their presence, the spirits of the troubled scientists and doctors, abducted and forced to work long hours under the cruel fascist policies of the Friedenstruppen Party. Dr. Gearza had been one of those unfortunate souls.

As Evelyn made her way into the center of the inner chamber, the concession area, she read various posters on the walls, propaganda put up to instill fear in the minds of the scientists. They all seemed to follow the same designs; a red and black background, red to highlight the strict punishment that their captors threatened to unleash, and black to signify death, the ultimate price of reluctance. On every poster was a seraph, an angel, the symbol of the Friedenstruppen. In Evelyn's eyes, it meant only one thing, an absolute order through violence and brutality.

Although she was very young when the Civil War ended, she knew of its suffering through tales and stories, and through Butch's tortured eyes. When she looked at Butch, smiled at him, there were only brief moments of happiness. Then the episodes returned, images of chaos, the sounds of screaming; they all reminded him of his past, the past he tried so hard to lock away within the confines of his mind. As Evelyn grew into a teenager, she began to distance herself from him, unable to understand his anguish and fear. Then, as she became older, she returned to his side, realizing how much he needed her. Butch was broken, empty, darkened by the cruel world he grew up in.

Evelyn approached a stool near the bar and sat down, evaluating her decision to let him roam by himself. She wept as she let her thoughts consume her, forgetting about her mission. She felt her heart sink as she imagined him dead on the ground, alone and without her. Evelyn couldn't allow that. She clenched her fist and got out of the stool, intending to abandon her original mission and rescue him. However, as she rose from her seat, she heard a voice echo within her skull, a distant yet eerily close voice. It was calling her, almost begging her, whimpering to her. "Evelyn... Evelyn..."

The noise grew progressively louder to the point where she could no longer think due to its deafening volume. It was then that she realized that the voice was not sound at all, but a signal. She turned her communicator to match the frequency of the thought projection in order to combat its influence, however, this attempt appeared fruitless, as the signal morphed almost as soon as she adjusted it accordingly. As a reflex she brought her hands up her head and clutched her ears– granted, she knew such a method would be pointless. Her frustration grew until she eventually blurted, shouting at whoever was generating the odd signal. "I can hear you! I can hear you!"

As Evelyn let loose her outburst, the projection subsided, leaving Evelyn standing in the center, clueless. "What do you want?"

"Help... Help..." The whispers seemed to come from every direction due to the odd nature of the signal. "Help... Help..."

"What? What do you need help with?" Evelyn asked, genuinely intrigued by the echoes.

"I can't stop... I can't stop, mademoiselle." The whispers became clearer as the source drew closer; Evelyn recognized the odd accent. "Please, stop me... I beg you... he tricked me..."

"Who tricked you?" Evelyn hollered to the unknown speaker, although she was beginning to piece together the identity of the mare.

"Kaiser..." The voice was no longer a signal, it was coming from above Evelyn's head, hidden within the veil of shadows that layered the ceiling like a blanket. "Please... I can't remember... I can't... forgive me."

Out of the shadows sprung a mare, her long orange mane concealing her bowed head. As she rose, her hair parted, revealing her pained expression. She looked as if she were being torn apart by some unseen force. The mare thrashed around violently as she clutched her head with her clawed, metal hands. It took Evelyn a moment to realize it, but she knew her. Deep within her memories rested images of the mare that stood before her; a smiling face, a sunny park where she played as a child, the chirping of birds. It was her nanny, the mare who took care of her as a child. The only friend she had besides Butch. "Marie?"

Just as she realized who she was speaking to, Marie wailed in pain and let loose a wave of telepathic signals, influencing Evelyn's mind, causing the world to spin around her. She fell backward into some kind of blanket. It enveloped her, caressed her softly as she fell downwards into a dark pit. It didn't take long for Evelyn to realize that she was hallucinating. However, that realization didn't seem to wake her up from the trance. She continued to fall down until she hit something soft, a pillow; Evelyn fell into a gigantic wooden cradle. Evelyn then felt a pair of humungous hands reach into her crib, lifting her out and dragging her upwards into another realm of darkness. However, as she was lifted higher, the cloud of blackness disappeared, and she found herself in an empty white room¬– the only normal object being a closed wooden door, not attached to any wall in the room.

"Where am I?" Evelyn wondered as she felt a presence behind her, and as she turned she saw her; it was the same mare, only this time she was calm and collected.

"Our minds ave become intertwined, Madame," Marie explained to her, slowly becoming more frantic as a web of shadows began to eat away at the white walls of the room. "Please, we haven't much time. I'm currently fighting against my programming as we speak, and I need your help to do it, Evelyn."

"Me? I'm not a programmer, I can't fix you!" Evelyn panicked as the walls began to crumble.

"Oui, you can, you are an Aquarius." Marie brushed Evelyn's cheek as she took her hand and placed it on the door. "I think we can both get out of zis if we work together. Okay?"

It took Evelyn a few moments to realize what needed to be done, and she placed her hand on the doorknob as well, giving Marie a nod. "Okay, I think I get it, Marie."

"Zen let us go forth..." Marie prepared to turn the knob with Evelyn. "Un... Deux... Trois!"

****

Butch made sure his weapons were loaded before he found a way out of the maintenance room. The various pipes and valves that lined the walls made the area look intricate like a clock tower and the random bursts of steam emphasized the neglected state of the plumbing system. It was obvious the room hadn't been visited in many years. Butch made his way through the small system of pipes and stepped over a large secondary ventilation shaft to finally arrive at the rusted metal door on the other side. He tried opening with a casual amount of effort. However, the door was fairly reluctant to open; a layer of rust coated the handle and jammed the lock. Butch rolled his eyes impatiently and ripped off the handle, opening the door with ease. He grabbed the mechanized helmet strapped to his utility belt and placed it on his head, a gust of air escaping as the helm locked in place.

Butch trudged into the dimly lit hallway with his revolver at the ready, brushing the leather grip of the gun as he slowly made his way down the hall. Butch made it to the end of the hall, taking a right at a T-intersection; there were footprints along the left pathway, and they continued down the right corridor. Butch could smell the distinct, thick scent of burning flesh and molten iron as he made his way down the path, the smell getting more intense as he pressed onwards. However, he stopped for a moment as an intercom began to buzz right next to him; somepony was attempting to reach him. Butch assumed it would've been Masami or Evelyn, but that was very wrong.

"You there, soldier... I know you..." The voice was harsh and hoarse; it sounded like sandpaper rubbing against rough wood. "Yes... I thought they might send you to kill me..."

"I don't think I know a stallion with a voice like that, pal..." Butch replied to the groaning speaker as he continued down the hall.

"Oh, of course not, of course not, Butch. You probably wouldn't recognize me with this ugly mug and growl I got..."

"How the hell do you know my name, huh?" Butch asked the voice on the intercom as he turned to the left, down another corridor.

"How could I forget you, Butch? We served together in Galloway, do you remember?! Do you remember when our generals lied to us– told us we were yellow-bellies for showing sympathy for those damned Kusckon terrorists? We burned em' in their mud huts with our flamethrowers; mares, stallions, foals. There were no terrorists. We did it for our great leader, our great Chancellor. They called you The Butcher..." The voice growled at Butch, opening old wounds in the grizzled soldier's mind. He began hearing the screams again; the agony, the pain, the guilt. "And you deserted with that pretty little mare and that brother of yours after Galloway. You left to join that loathsome rebellion, left your brothers and sisters to rot behind the great metal walls of the north. I had no choice, unlike you! I was kept in these walls to wither and die with my kin. I deserved a soldier's death, not a whimper!"

"Listen, I don't know anything about you, pal. You've mistaken me for a different stallion..." Butch shook his head as he continued onward.

"Oh, you remember me, Butcher. How could you forget the stallion that killed your brother? That turned you into what you are now?" The stallion on the intercom snickered, knowing that his words would strike Butch like daggers to his heart. And it did. "You remember me now, don't you? You can feel it; the tiny little pin-pricks all over your body. The doctors in my science detachment ripped you apart and put you back together... we made you into the cybernetic freak you are today!"

Butch grit his teeth as he clutched his chest, feeling an intense rage in his chest. He heard the whimpers of his brother, his last words. He clenched his fists, so hard in fact, that if he had placed coal in the palms of his hands they would have made diamonds. "Commander Aschetunn..."

"I was worried you forgot about me, Butch!" The gravel-voiced stallion wheezed as he cackled maniacally. "Although, I don't think ranks really matter anymore do they, Butch? I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting for you. I've been waiting for fifteen years for this moment, the day I finally end this little game of ours for good! You will prove yourself to my kin, embrace your murderous instincts! You will grant them death, or they will for you..."

Butch said nothing and pressed onwards with burning passion and an expression of indescribable malice on his face. He so wanted to wrap his hands around the Friedenstruppen's throat, make him atone for his cruelty and horrid actions during the Civil War. He was more than willing to grant him his wish; he was willing to tear out his heart and feed it to a wild cur.

"Such silent rage, yes!" Ashurr laughed as he heard no response from Butch. "Use that rage, feel it's power. I want you to think of me burnt at the stake, roasting over a burning cauldron! Yes!"

Butch reached the end of the hall where he was met with a metal door. Without hesitation he smashed it to pieces with a single kick, stepping over the debris and finding himself in a massive arena. It was constructed using old Friedenstruppen tanks and warships, and they encircled a great fighting pit that was surrounded by hundreds of bloodthirsty bandits, savages that joined to watch the carnage. They had all gathered to see Butch in action. They wanted to see the true power of the Steel Enforcer, his true self. As he made his way down a long stretch of stairs into the arena, he stared straight ahead, not paying any attention to the roaring and cackling bandits that slammed on the sides of their metal seats as Butch made his way into the pit.

"Welcome to The Armory! You must prove yourself worthy! You must prove to these stallions that you are indeed a soldier who will give them the death they deserve!"Ashurr announced from a precipice on the other side of the pit, perched high above the arena. "Oh, and do make it gory, will you? Granted, I don't think that'll be an issue if it's you fighting these stallions. These folks love a good bloodbath now and then..."

Butch grunted and stood silently at the center of the pit with his head bowed, ready to tear through any obstacle blocking his way. He checked his shotgun to see if it was loaded; it carried armor-piercing shells. "You're all dead..."

"Release the first wave!" Ashurr grinned as he ordered a bandit to open a gate just beneath his precipice, releasing dozens of other bandits armed with guns and blades. "Kill them, and you get to me!"

****

The third floor reeked from vermin infestation. Old glass experiment chambers attached to the walls were teeming with rats and other vile creatures; it appeared that the third level had been victim to mother nature in all her disgusting wrath. Bats nested in small bundles on the decrepit, colorless ceiling, and an unknown green substance dried onto the floor, layering the whole level with the unknown dried fluid. Winslow assumed that the fluid once was held within storage vats, drums perched on the other side of the experiment wing across from the testing chambers. To his surprise, Winslow didn't see Fluttershy recoil in disgust at the horror show before them. Instead, Fluttershy approached the rats, reaching into her pocket to grab a scrap of food she carried with her, a pita chip. She fed it to the rats and various bats on the ceiling, tossing it to them with an ecstatic smile on her face.

"Where did you obtain that piece of food?" Winslow questioned Fluttershy as he watched her continue to divide the pita chip amongst the ever-hungry gathering.

"Oh, I took it from the Ambassador. I always keep little morsels of food for stray animals." Fluttershy beamed as she finally tossed the last crumb to the rats.

"You are... not repulsed by these creatures?" Winslow wondered, still scratching his head over the whole thing.

"Of course not. They're living creatures, just like you and me. They may be ugly at first, but they mean well. They're just trying to survive, like us." Fluttershy shared her opinion with Winslow, fully expressing her compassionate side.

"That is... most comforting, Fluttershy." Winslow shook his head, however, unsure whether he meant to or not. "Granted, there are some monsters in this world that will not show you the same kindness."

"Oh, I don't believe that..." Fluttershy shook her head as they both walked alongside each other down the experiment lab. "Everypony has a soft spot... even the monsters."

Winslow chuckled, moved by Fluttershy's optimism and bright attitude towards animals. As much as he wanted to believe her, though, he knew of evil creatures, whether it be animal or pony; he knew of demons, vampires, lycans. Winslow had a hard time accepting Fluttershy's ideals after being a paladin for so long. However, he kept his own beliefs to himself, afraid of sullying Fluttershy's good mood.

In the distance was a faint noise. It was emanating from the other end of the experiment wing; long anguished sobs and the ominous rattling of metal chains against concrete floors. Winslow gestured to Fluttershy, placing his index finger over his mouth to silence her. "Do you hear that?" He whispered.

"Yes..." Fluttershy replied with caution in her tone. "What was it?"

"I am uncertain. Stay close. It could be a trap."

"Okay..." Fluttershy quivered as she hid behind Winslow, who drew his sword as they slowly made their way to the source of the unsettling whimpers.

The fluorescent lights flickered on and off, going completely dark for brief intervals. The break in light and dark widened as they continued down until they almost reached the end, where the only light at that point became the glow of Winslow's horn. The paladin created an orb of yellow light, letting it gently leave his hand and float down the darkened hall. As it made its way to the very end, the light illuminated a mess of chains layering the ground, and he could see the bundle thicken as the orb inched closer and closer to the source, the sobs becoming more and more distressed. A ball of tightly packed chains formed a solid sphere that latched itself to the wall like a spider's nest.

"There's somepony in that cocoon there. I assume it must be that crazed stallion that fought with Butch and Spike..." Winslow informed Fluttershy as he poked at the side of the egg with his longsword, readying a strike. "Come out, coward!"

"Y- You go, leave me... leave me with mother..." The disturbed stallion mumbled as the veil of chains lifted, revealing him beneath the sphere clutching a small wooden music box with a dancing ballerina on the top. "Y- You dance so well, mother... so well! W- What's that? No mother... I don't want to! I can't! N- No! Shut up! Rraaarrrghhh!" The crazed stallion set the music box on the ground, breaking down completely as he writhed about on the floor, lost in his madness. "No mother, that's not fair! You can't-! No, please don't! Don't tell father! He'll send me to the corner again! I'll do it!"

Gar Nichts arose from the ground, chains lifting him higher until they levitated his body in the air like a grotesque arachnid. His body rattled as he began to sob again, covering his face that was already concealed by layers of heavy chains. He set the music box aside, inside a metal box on a nearby shelf.

"M- Mother wants me to hurt you... she says you're evil. F- Father Kaiser said so t- too..." The whimpering stallion grumbled as he walked along a wall, eyeing up Fluttershy and Winslow. "I- I can't make mom and dad mad... so I'm- I'm gonna hurt you as best as I can, okay?"

"Fluttershy, this stallion is extremely far-gone. Be wary." Winslow began to analyze his foe as he drew closer. "Here he comes!"

"I'm sorry!" Gar Nichts cried as he sprung at them both.

****

"Rainbow Dash, this way..." Masami motioned over the t-intersection in the ventilation system. "Let's take a left."

Rainbow Dash and Masami had been wandering the ducts for much longer than expected, and this was due to the complexity of the cavernous filtration system. The deeper they went, the more mazelike they became. Rainbow Dash fell behind a bit, checking hatches to see if they were getting any closer. She closed another, trying to catch up again. The distance between hatches widened as they continued, and this allowed Rainbow Dash to catch up to Masami as they explored further.

As Rainbow Dash approached the next hatch, she felt something on her shoulder, a cool breeze, a whisper; it was a voice that beckoned to her in the distance, calling her. She stopped, turning her head back to hear it clearer. Masami stopped as well, wondering what she was up to. "Hey, Kitten... what's up?"

"Oh, I just... I think I missed one back there. I'll go check. You stay put..." Rainbow Dash lied, overtaken by an overwhelming curiosity.

"Rainbow Dash... Rainbow Dash..." The voice called out to her, putting her into a trance-like state.

Rainbow Dash found herself turning around, crawling towards the soft and subtle speaker. The voice seemed to soften as Rainbow Dash caught a glimpse of a faint glow near the same intersection she had cut through only moments before. On the side of the vent, etched into the metal, was a symbol. It was unfamiliar to her, though it looked much like an abstract anvil, constructed using several strange letters and linear patterns. As she outstretched her hand, she watched as the symbol disappeared with a soft fizzle. She recoiled and cringed for a moment, grasping the back of her hand as she looked back to see the symbol had disappeared. She tended to it and found that the symbol had in fact, had migrated to her. The symbol was burned into the back of her hand. She grabbed a handkerchief out of the pocket of her black combat suit, tying it between her fingers and around her palm to hide the brand.

The same faint whisper spoke to her in the distance, beyond her comprehension. "Chosen..."

As Rainbow Dash made her way back, Masami noticed the kerchief, pointing at it as Rainbow Dash approached her. "What's that there?"

Rainbow Dash figured it would be pointless to hide such a minor burn to Masami, so she unwrapped it, raising her left hand up high for her to see. "Have any idea what this thing is?"

"No clue..." Masami scratched her head at the odd brand. "Didn't know you were into branding, Kitten..."

"No, it's not like that. I read something back there, then it just appeared on my-..." Rainbow Dash trailed off, too impatient to waste any more time. "Let's just get going. I'll explain it to you on the way. How far are we from the fourth level?"

"Just a few dozen meters more and I think we'll be there-..." Masami shook her head and chuckled to herself, feeling a wave of worry wash over her mind. "We'll get there."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here with you, remember?" Rainbow Dash reminded her, grasping Masami's hand as she did so.

Masami lunged forward and deeply kissed Rainbow Dash, leaning into her with careless and spontaneous passion. Rainbow Dash was taken aback by the random move, but she eventually caved and became enveloped in Masami's warmth. She was soft, so beautiful, Rainbow Dash was addicted to her. As they broke their kiss, Masami brushed Rainbow Dash's cheek slightly, causing both of their faces to flush red.

"What was that for?" Rainbow Dash wondered as she came down from her momentary burst of adrenaline.

"Just in case... you know." Masami implied as she brushed her hair to the side with her hand. "Let's get going..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Five: A Family- Lost, Forgotten, Then Restored

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Evelyn felt her body grow limp as she passed through the door with Marie. They fell much like how Evelyn had entered the hallucination, into a sheet, a layer of fabric that supported the makeshift reality, like spacetime. As they both landed on the sheet, they felt the fine silk envelop them, entrap them for a moment, only to release them gently on the other side. Evelyn looked around, gawking at the labyrinth they were now inside of. Although, it wasn't just any maze. Evelyn was inside her mansion, The Aquarius Mansion.

"How-?" Evelyn shook her head and closed her mouth, unable to organize a coherent sentence to describe the familiar world she was in. She felt the familiar rug beneath her hooves with her right hand, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply. Evelyn eyed the old paintings hanging up on the walls down the wide hallways. It had been more than fifteen years since she had seen the house she grew up in. Granted, the world they resided in lacked vibrant colour, it was all in greyscale. "Why is this all grey?"

"With our minds entangled, we can peer beyond the conscious realm of memory. We are in my subconscious at zis moment, my repressed memories. It appears my memories lack colour due to zeir age, a symptom of having an artificial brain." Marie explained instinctually. "Come, I believe you can help me unravel zis memory..."

With that, Marie grabbed Evelyn's hand and ran down the hall until she stopped at a room; it was Evelyn's old room. Evelyn became consumed by happiness and joy as she marvelled at her crayon portraits, fragments of her lost adolescence. They had all been consumed by flame; her family photo albums, her cat Whiskers, her parents, they had all been turned to ash. She, however, did not let darkness overshadow her bliss in that moment. She relished in the familiar sights; her toy rockets, the quilts her grandmother sewed for her, all tucked into her always opened drawers. Evelyn turned when she heard a coo from behind, a baby.

Evelyn slowly approached the crib, afraid she would wake the child, and she looked inside once she got close enough. "It's-..." Evelyn gasped as she held her hand over her mouth once again as she saw her infant self stare up at the ceiling with a scowl; the infant Evelyn then began to bawl. Evelyn attempted to grab the baby, but her hands passed through the infant as if she were an apparition. "What?"

"You cannot interact with zis realm, you can only watch," Marie informed Evelyn as she turned around towards the door, hearing a pony enter. It was Marie, although she was wearing a maid outfit and kept a duster holstered to her outfit. Marie watched her younger self pick up Evelyn and cradle her, lulling her back to sleep. "A maid... I was your maid..."

"Yes..." Evelyn smiled and nodded as she drew closer to the Marie in the black and white, frilly maid outfit. Merely seeing her infant self and the blissful smile on the maid Marie almost brought her to tears.

"Was I... your friend?" Marie wondered as she stood beside Evelyn, watching her younger self intently.

"You were my best friend... my second mother..." Evelyn lowered her gaze until she looked down into her empty crib.

Evelyn's door then began to rattle and shake, groaning and cracking. Marie panicked and placed her hand on the door. "Please, we have to leave this memory! Dr. Gearza's bug is after us!" Marie shouted over to Evelyn, gesturing to the door handle as the walls began to darken into black shadows. "Please, come!"

"But, the memory-!"

"It's not after the memory, it's after us! We ave to leave, now!" Marie said as they prepared to tug on the door with all of her might. Evelyn looked back at her infant self one last time before tugging, trying to keep the memory locked away within her own mind. "Un... Deux... Trois!"

Evelyn fell forward with Marie this time, landing in yet another blanket that gracefully caressed them as it carried them further down, into the chasm of their conjoined subconscious. "What exactly are we looking for, Marie?"

"A dark memory, hidden away to prevent me from breaking free of my programming," Marie replied as they landed gracefully into yet another section of Evelyn's former home. "Zare should be somesing here, I know it..."

Once again, Marie dragged Evelyn down the hall until she reached her room. "Why are we here again-?" Evelyn trailed off as she stepped inside to see Butch on a chair, with his back towards her. He was looking outside her bedroom window; although, it was impossible to see through, as the window gleamed a blinding white light. Butch's left hand was on the railing of infant Evelyn's crib, his real hand before it was mechanical. "This is... impossible."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean-..." Evelyn paused for a moment to regain her composure. "I never met Butch when I was this young, I know I didn't. I met him when I was older when I was five or six. This must be some kind of trick..."

"My memories don't lie, Evelyn." Marie shook her head as she watched Butch start to cry. "Zat's ze downside of being an AI, you cannot replace or rearrange old memories... you can only lock zem away."

Evelyn approached Butch, who was looking down at something in his free hand, a photograph. It was of some mare; magenta eyes, a black fur, a long red mane. She was small, and she could tell based on the size of her compared to Butch. In the picture, she was dressed in a wedding gown, and she was being lifted high into the air by Butch, who wore a tuxedo, the kind of suit a groom would wear. There was also some handwriting in the corner, and Evelyn could tell it was not Butch's.

The Love of My Life...

–Rosie

"Rosie..." The name echoed in Evelyn's mind like a soft whisper in a dark cave.

"Did you know he had a wife?" Marie clearly saw the look of shock on Evelyn's face.

"No, he never told me..." Evelyn's tone became soft and disconnected as if she were unfamiliar with her own voice. "Why didn't he just tell me...?"

"We always hide ze memories we can't forget from ze ones we love... that's zat I've learned after years of solitude..." Marie tried to cheer Evelyn up, but she turned her head and watched Butch, who was still weeping over the photo. However, Butch went silent as the infant Evelyn in the crib grabbed his index finger with her tiny, delicate hand. Butch's tears then disappeared, and he smiled as she got up from his chair, tucking the photo into his pocket. "You ave helped him more zan you know, Evelyn..."

"Yes, I suppose I have..." Evelyn shook her head as she became lost in her own thoughts of Butch.

The walls then began to shake and creak once again in a threatening manner, screaming at them to run. Marie and Evelyn repeated the usual routine and ran to the door, grabbing the handle and opening it quickly, falling into yet another memory. This time, they found themselves in the Aquarius Manor living room, sitting on a couch across from Butch and Giovanni Aquarius, Evelyn's father. Giovanni looked the same as Evelyn last saw him; tall, slim, intelligent. He was everything she looked up to when she was smaller. They appeared to be both writing on a sheet of paper, and Butch seemed quite on edge.

It appeared intact and as decorated as ever. Certificates, family photos, and portraits of ancestors hanging on the walls such as Ivan Aquarius, who was always wearing his lab coat when depicted in any medium. The fire was burning low, only giving off enough to barely illuminate the greyscale world around them. Evelyn watched her infant self roll around on the living room rug, giggling as she hugged Butch's leg. Butch smiled for a moment as he turned to her, but he scowled as he returned to the paperwork scattered on the coffee table that sat in front of Giovanni and him.

"What are they doing?" Evelyn looped around the couch, eyeing the paper in Giovanni's hand; the slim stallion then passed it over to Butch, whose expression grew melancholic as he continued to write on it. Evelyn read it from the top.

*CERTIFICATE OF ADOPTION*
This is to Certify that
Evelyn Red Stiehl
Has been formally adopted
Into the Aquarius Family
By Giovanni Aquarius and Raina Aquarius
On the fifteenth day of Marthus, AS 179
And will from this day forth, be known as
Evelyn Connell Aquarius

Signed Butch R. Stiehl and Giovanni C. Aquarius

It took Evelyn a moment to finally let what she read fully sink in. Her breathing hastened as she stepped back into the wall behind the couch, clutching her chest as she felt a weight slam into her like a wrecking ball. She swallowed, running her hand through her hair as she stood up, placing her hands over her eyes.

"You are... Butch's daughter..." Marie stated as she looked down at the finished adoption certificate Butch tossed on the coffee table.

"How-...?" Evelyn choked up before she could finish, looking down at her hooves. "Why didn't he just fucking tell me?!" Evelyn knelt, trying to slow her breathing as she expelled her outrage. She tore off her glasses and wiped away her tears. "Why...?"

At that moment, Butch stood up and shook Giovanni's hand, then he made his way to the entrance, grabbing his veteran's cap and duffle bag off of the kitchen table as he left. Evelyn watched as her infant self crawled after him, crying. Evelyn ran after Butch as well, Marie following not far behind. As they stopped at the end of the hallway leading to the entrance, Butch looked down at the infant Evelyn, who was still crawling after him. Another pony was at the door, a taller stallion in military gear who looked a lot like Butch. Infant Evelyn and the younger Butch shared one last glance before he turned away, the taller stallion placing a hand on Butch's shoulder as he left the mansion.

"He went to war..." Evelyn realized as she knelt down, turning her head to her infant self; the young foal was bawling her eyes out. "He left me to keep me safe..."

The memory began to darken, and the room groaned once again. Marie placed a hand on Evelyn's shoulder. "We have to leave, Evelyn. We're still not zare yet..."

It took Evelyn a moment to regain her composure. She adjusted her glasses, brushed her hand against the carpet beneath her, then she took a long and slow breath in and out. She got to her hooves reluctantly, but she knew she had to press on. "Yes... yes, give me a moment."

"Zis way." Marie directed Evelyn to the door down the hall, the same door the younger Butch exited through. They opened it, diving into a darker world, a world thick with the scent of smoke.

"No... no, no, no, no! Please, I don't want to be here!" Evelyn panicked, feeling the heat of the flames all across her body. Aquarius Manor was burning like it had done so long ago. "I can't be here!"

"We must go, Evelyn! Ze memory I seek is ere, ze memory zat will free me from my nightmare once and for all." Marie said as she guided Evelyn though the smoke.

"Why?! What could possibly be here?!" Evelyn shouted as the roar of the flames grew louder.

Marie and Evelyn made their way through down a corridor and into the kitchen. It was smouldering and crackling; the flames were more intense there. It was obvious the fire had started there. At the other end of the room, a silhouette shuffled about around the flames, fiddling with some kind of container.

"Who is that?!" Evelyn yelled to Marie as they inched closer to the figure hidden within the flames. Evelyn' question was answered shortly thereafter.

It was Marie in her maid outfit again, holding a jug of gas in her hand. She was burning the house down, pouring gasoline on non-ignited objects. Marie gasped and looked away in horror. "No! No, I remember now!"

"It was you!" Evelyn's screamed at Marie as the flames rose. "Why?! Why did you do it?! Why did you destroy it all?! You ruined my life! You killed my mother and father!"

"I was reprogrammed!" Marie snapped as she waved her hands, wiping away the hallucination, returning to reality. She dropped down to her knees as she whimpered, continuing her explanation. "Oui... I remember now. It happened so suddenly when I was in your room. I felt somesing hit me from behind, knocked me down onto my stomach. It was an intruder, someone dressed in black. A Friedenstruppen spy. He opened ze back of my head and planted a chip inside, a bug. The chip must ave... wiped ze whole ordeal from my mind. Ze next day, I'm buried in a pile of ashes. I didn't remember anything after that..."

"Why should I believe you?" Evelyn questioned her, sceptical of the whole story.

"I cannot lie to an Aquarius. It is in my programming, and no one else can wipe it away but Giovanni." Marie answered as her eyes began to tear-up, and she reached into the opening in the back of her head, removing a small, black, spiky piece of metal. The chip had been completely melted. "And to sink my troubles were all contained in zis little piece of metal..."

"Why did you run away?" Evelyn asked as she looked down at the weeping mare.

"I didn't remember anything. I ran because I was lost, and I ended up in a junkyard... where he found me... Kaiser..." Marie explained as she began to shuffle away from Evelyn. "I'm not asking you to forgive me, I just want you to under-!"

Evelyn silenced Marie as she hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her face. "I can't stay mad at the mare who raised me... I can't."

"I'm no mother, Evelyn... I'm not even alive. What kind of mother burns down her own house and leaves her child alone...?" Marie whimpered pathetically as she kept her hands at her side, resisting Evelyn's embrace.

"I don't care what you did anymore!" Evelyn cried as she held her tighter. "All I care about is that you're here now, with me! We've both suffered too long to hold onto regret anymore! I forgive you..."

Marie thought of Evelyn, Giovanni, Raina, her life before all of her misery. Giovanni created her with the sole intention of her to be Evelyn's second mother for when Raina was away at work, and she quickly grew into her role. She began to understand love, embrace it, then she began to love Evelyn, the little girl who wanted a real family. Then, she lost her love, her memories, her life. She fell into an abyss. And now, after so many years of darkness, the little girl returned to her, now a mare. And Marie was finally happy, knowing that the mare now had a family again.

Marie wept as she returned Evelyn's hug, smiling as she felt Evelyn's warmth. "I'm so sorry, my sweet child... let us find your father..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Six: Byakko and Kuroko

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Rainbow Dash cringed as her brand burned, sending sharp waves of pain up her arm. The brand seemed to burn the further she and Masami explored the old soldier barracks on level four. This floor had different sub-levels and was designed like a city square. The plaza in the center had many trees and park benches; whispers of old soldiers seemed to gather there, remnants of the once bustling miniature-metropolis. It was quite serene in fact; time had not withered the segregated world around them like it did for other areas of the complex, and an artificial moonlight was cast down upon the plaza, focusing the light into the center, where the towering statue of a seraph stood. The demeanour of the statue was harsh and bold like it was almost threatening; holding a sword in its right hand and a broad shield in the other. It looked towards the light as if it was some kind of prophetic soul, a being to guide the ghosts of old soldiers. However, an angel of war was not suited to guide spirits, as the tales say. Thus, the invisible souls that dwelled within the nooks and crannies could not find respite. They were frozen forever in time, like the dead trees and shrubs that surrounded the angel.

"Pretty haunting..." Rainbow Dash muttered, wary of the ghostly atmosphere around her.

"Yeah, but it's kind of pretty in a way too," Masami added, looking up at the artificial moon above her head as she walked towards the angel in the center. It was then that she heard growling, low and ominous. "Hold up. I think Ichirou is in here somewhere..."

"You think?" Rainbow Dash wondered, listening in to hear the looming figure out of her sight.

"Most definitely," Masami nodded slowly as she placed a hand on Rainbow Dash's shoulder and gave her a peck on the cheek. "No matter what happens, I want you to stay close, okay?"

"Alright." Rainbow Dash agreed as she felt her brand burn once more, pulsing off and on as danger drew closer. She grabbed her "Ah, damn..."

"Is it your brand again?" Masami whispered to her as she watched the brand on Rainbow Dash's hand begin to glow.

"Yeah, it's on the fritz right now." Rainbow Dash replied quietly as she wrapped it in her handkerchief again. "I think it's trying to warn me or something..." A loud rumble echoed in the distance on the other side of the plaza, something dark and threatening. "Over there. It's coming from over there."

A shadow began to inch its way across the ground, around a tree, eventually snaking its way up the angel statue, manifesting at the top, right on the seraph's head. The shadows gathered, forming a being, the same one from Masami's nightmares. Ichirou.

"What fascinations the Friedenstruppen had with angels..." Ichirou snickered as his Oni mask began to emerge from the black mass of shadow. "They believed the seraphim watched over them in battle, guided them to their destiny. I suppose in a way, it did lead them to their destiny..." Ichirou was lost in thought for a moment, then motioned to Masami. "Did you know that Leere was an angel once?"

"It's nice to see you too, Ichirou." Masami scowled as she clenched her fists. It was clear to Rainbow Dash that Masami was holding back immeasurable anger.

Ichirou's eyes glazed over Rainbow Dash's wings for a moment, then spoke to her. "You there. Are you some sort of descendant of the seraphim?"

"No, I'm-..." Rainbow Dash felt his words bore into her ears like daggers, momentarily halting her speech. "I'm a pegasus."

"Ah, the one from Equestria?" Ichirou grinned as he once again melted into a shadow, rematerializing a few meters away from them. "Yes, Kaiser has told me about you."

"Would you quit stalling, Ichirou?" Masami said as she reached for her katana, slowly unsheathing it. The quiet 'ching' echoing throughout the plaza.

"Ah, Angreifer... Ausrüstung's fearsome warrior-maiden– or should I say, warrior-harlot..." Ichirou snarled as he taunted Masami.

"At least I have a little fun, right? When's the last time you got laid, huh?" Masami snapped back at him, trying to cut through her own rage with humour.

"I need no such pleasures anymore, Masami. I have Gek to guide me, to comfort me..." Ichirou answered, lost in a delusion.

"You know, you never were the best at banter, Ichirou..." Masami shook her head in disappointment.

"That name no longer has any meaning to me! I, Kanakirigoe, will kill you both and assimilate your souls into my shadow!" Ichirou growled at her as a katana arose from a shadow he cast on the ground, his cursed blade. "Are you prepared to face your demise?"

"Cut the honourable warrior crap and fight us, alright?" Masami loosened up, letting go of her rage as she prepared her blade.

"As you wish." Ichirou held his breath, then melted into a shadow once more, scattering himself amongst the surrounding blackness in the plaza.

"Where'd he go?!" Rainbow Dash's eyes widened as she heard Ichirou's laughter in all directions.

"He became a shadow," Masami said as she raised her katana above her head, preparing a counter. She then reacted, and deflected a thin slash of dark energy that clashed with her blade for a moment before dissipating. A second, unexpected attack then sliced her arm from behind, gouging a moderately deep wound into her left shoulder. "Ah!" She grimaced in pain, stumbling forward a bit.

"You're slow, Masami. You've gotten rusty." Ichirou laughed in the distance.

"And you've gotten cheap." Masami retorted as she raised her katana out in front of her body. "Stay wary, Rainbow Dash."

It was then that Ichirou sprung out of the shadows and attacked Rainbow Dash from behind. To his surprise, however, he was much faster than most opponents he had fought before, and she easily dodged a wide sweep from his katana, jumping over him. She cocked her legs back and delivered a penetrating kick to his back as she landed on the other side of him, launching him forwards. As he fell, he transformed into a shadow once more, laughing.

"Most impressive..." Ichirou snickered as he praised Rainbow Dash. "Is this your latest one-night-stand, Masami?"

"Like hell I'd dump a mare who can kick your ass, bastard," Masami grinned over at Rainbow Dash, who nodded and winked back at her.

"Amusing..." Ichirou sighed as he sat in the shadows. "Tell me, pegasus... do you know how many mares Masami has gone through?"

"Don't listen to him, Kitten. I haven't met anypony like you before..." Masami insisted, confessing her feelings to Rainbow Dash in that very moment. "I've only got eyes for you."

"Kitten? Hmm... interesting." Ichirou cackled again as he emerged from the shadows, letting loose a harrowing cry that shook the concrete foundation of the barracks. "Kuroko's Scream!"

"Rainbow Dash, plug your ears!" Masami tried to warn her, but it was too late. Rainbow Dash was blown back by the immense wave of power, and flew into a tree with great force, incapacitating her for a moment. Thankfully she recovered, but before she could come to Masami's aid, Ichirou shrouded her in a veil of shadows, entrapping her a dome of darkness. "Rainbow Dash!" Masami shouted over to her companion, then looked to Ichirou, who was readying his katana. "Bastard..."

"I'll deal with her after I've killed you..." Ichirou said as he approached her menacingly, raising his blade.

"Fuck you!" Masami reached for her assault rifle and open-fired, sheathing her katana to aim down her sights. Ichirou dodged the bullets swiftly, fading in and out of shadows as he got closer and closer to Masami. After emptying her clip, Ichirou appeared before her, grabbing her assault rifle and crushing it in his grip. He then struck her in the chest with a palm strike, fracturing two ribs, and sending her tumbling back, out of breath. "Shit!"

"This ends now." Ichirou's Oni mask contorted into a wide, jagged grin as he raised his blade again.

Within her dome, Rainbow Dash felt her exposed brand glow and burn brighter than ever, much to Rainbow Dash's frustration; her impatience got the better of her. "Would you quit whining and tell me what you want, you stupid thing?!"

The brand's glow faded for a moment, then pulsed one more time. However, it did not seem to burn that time. It spoke to her once again. "Metal..."

Rainbow Dash's branded hand launched forward automatically, grabbing a random piece of steel within the dome that had been sitting on the ground. As she gripped it in her hand, her fingers began to darken and harden into a firm, yet supernaturally flexible metal. Her hand became encased in a steel membrane, then her arm, then her entire body. She became entirely composed of steel within seconds, save for her hair and eyes.

"Woah..." Rainbow Dash lightly chuckled as she crouched down, loading up her legs. "Let's see what I can do!"

With substantial effort, Rainbow Dash burst out of her shadowy prison, launching herself high into the air. She then spread her metal wings and lunged at Ichirou, slamming into him with the full force of a rapidly swinging girder. The blow knocked Ichirou back, smashing him through the metal statue of the angel and onto a sub-level.

Masami gawked at the steel mare before her, utterly speechless for what seemed like forever. "Rainbow Dash... how the hell did you do that?!"

"It was the brand!" Rainbow Dash pointed at the mark on her hand, not noticing Ichirou preparing another attack.

"Rainbow Dash, look out!" Masami tried warning her, but Rainbow Dash was hit with another scream.

"Kuroko's Scream!" Ichirou wailed as he sheathed his katana. However, it did not have the desired effect.

Rainbow Dash was barely affected by the force, and the vibrations passed through her steel body with ease. "Holy crap!"

"Hmm... I'm not sure how you were able to pull that off without magic, pegasus, but this little trick won't help you against this!" Ichirou snarled as he grabbed the handle of his katana, readying a sword technique. He then unsheathed the blade, a demonic snarl escaping the blade as it became enveloped in darkness. "Cursed Blade Technique: Kuroko's Ink!"

Streams of shadow began to melt off of the blade like a quill coated in too much ink, dripping onto the ground. As they did so, they whipped forward, travelling along the ground until they met with Rainbow Dash. The tendrils then sprung upwards, slashing Rainbow Dash in rapid succession, battering her metal armor until it shattered completely.

"No metal can withstand the strength of spirit blades, pegasus. No matter how strong it is, my spirit blade shall always cut through it because I will it to do so!" Ichirou snarled again as he grabbed Rainbow Dash by the neck and tossed her aside into another tree. As she impacted it, it snapped in two, and Rainbow Dash tumbled down, the tree slamming down upon her as she fell to the ground. "There's one down..."

"You bastard! I'm going to kill you if you hurt her anymore, Ichirou!" Masami screamed as she furiously swung at him, putting all of her strength into her upward strike.

"Pathetic!" Ichirou cackled as he effortlessly blocked the two-handed swing with a simple, one-handed parry. He then grabbed Masami by her hair and pulled her in close, slamming her chest into his hard knee. She was winded by the blow, and Ichirou slashed her across the leg within this timeframe. She stumbled back, grabbing a grenade off of her belt. Masami tossed it at him, but Ichirou simply waved his hand, ordering the shadows to consume the device. They did as they were told, and they absorbed the blast like it was nothing but a flimsy firecracker. "It's hopeless, Masami! I am the superior fighter! Perhaps you would've been a worthy adversary if you spent less time with your disgusting lifestyle of sleeping around with other mares and more time focusing on Hiro's teachings!"

"Homophobic asshole-..." Masami was cut off by Ichirou, who gave her a firm roundhouse kick to her groin, stunning her. "Bastard-!"

Ichirou then grabbed the back of her neck and quickly tore his mask off to reveal his face. He looked just like Hiro when he was younger; his hazel eyes, his thin brows, his pronounced cheekbones. He was the spinning image of his father, and it shook Masami to her core when Ichirou brought her closer, greedily shoving his tongue down her throat. She resisted to the best of her ability, trying to hit pressure points on his neck, but with her injuries, she was not able to break free. Ichirou began to grope her rear with his free hand, asserting his dominance over her, bringing her to tears as she continued to resist the sexual assault. Ichirou moved his hand around and up, caressing her ample chest as he lightly bit down on her tongue. She screamed into his mouth as Ichirou moved his hand up again, digging his armored fingertips into her left shoulder.

"Simply exquisite..." Ichirou licked his lips like a wolf that had just dug into its fresh kill as he pushed her back onto the ground. "That was something I've been wanting to collect from you for a very long time, Masami... thank you." Ichirou sighed as he watched Masami stand up once again, steadfast as ever. "Ah, the spinning image of your mother; a bitch who doesn't know when to just give up. You know, I think you should be thanking me. The world could use less worthless dykes like you-!"

Rainbow Dash's metal-covered fist collided into Ichirou's face with untold speed, shattering the left side of his face entirely and launching him into the ground with earth-shattering strength. He impacted the floor, creating a sizeable crater and launching dust high into the air. Rainbow Dash's eyes burned with incomprehensible rage, so much that it seemed as if her pupils became red. "Don't you ever shut the fuck up?!"

Ichirou recovered, but with great difficulty. The savage blow certainly damaged him greatly, and he felt waves of pain across his body as he stood. "You fucking-!" Rainbow Dash kicked him in the gut, which blew him back again, winding him. However, he regained his strength much faster that time."Rrrraagghh! That's it! You die first! Become one with my shadow! Cursed Blade Technique: Kuroko's Dark Judgement!"

A massive tower of shadows escaped Ichirou's sword and barrelled towards Rainbow Dash, blowing apart the benches and trees, and growing wider until it left no avenue for Rainbow Dash to escape. She could only watch as the shadow consumed her. Rainbow Dash shielded her face with her steel-covered arms, but she knew that such a defence against the giant shadow would be nothing. Just before she lost hope, however, she saw a blue light in the corner of her eye. Then, she heard Masami's voice, stronger and bolder than ever.

"Sacred Blade Technique: Byakko's Shrine!" Masami shouted as she stood in front of Rainbow Dash, raising her blade high into the air, enveloping it in a pure, blue aura.

A wall of blue light surrounded Masami and Rainbow Dash, absorbing and deflecting the shadows. And in that moment, Rainbow Dash saw Masami look back at her with a peaceful, serene expression, like a benevolent guardian spirit. As the shadows retreated, Masami kept her blade at the ready, the blue light still clinging to it, shining like a bright lantern. Dozens of tiny speckles of light spawned off of the sword, dancing in the air like fireflies for a brief moment before rising into the air and fading away.

Masami's wounds didn't seem to bother her anymore, and strangest of all, nine blue, spectral fox tails replaced her usual black one. Her breathing was calm, steady, as if her mind had entered into another realm, much quieter than their own. She stared down Ichirou, who seemed gobsmacked by the whole thing. "You're wrong Ichirou, I have been training. I just never use what I've learned... because it reminds me of Sato Island, you, Hiro. I suppose it was my way of coping with all that happened to us. I slept around because my spirit constantly has been wandering, searching for somepony..." Masami said to him as she looked back at Rainbow Dash, giving her a wink and a smile. "And now... Hiro's spirit has somepony to protect."

"Masami..." Rainbow Dash was left speechless, and her heart beat faster as she watched the blue light surround them. The blue aura of the blade manifested into the spirit of a nine-tailed, giant white fox with glowing blue eyes, almost three meters tall. Rainbow Dash felt an immediate sense of security as it coiled its tails around them both, shielding them from supernatural harm. "Woah."

"So... this is Hiro's guardian spirit, Byakko," Ichirou grinned as his eyes turned into his usual dark pools, with a minuscule purple dot standing for his pupils. "I once dreamed of wielding that power. But now, I have a power even greater than his precious White Fox!" Another translucent, black fox spirit manifested around Ichirou, but its presence was disturbing, and its cries made it seem as if it were in pain. Its eyes were empty, with demonic pupils like Ichirou's, and it was not well kempt and graceful like the white fox. It was emaciated and mangy, with patches of hair missing all over. "Behold! This is Kuroko, the guardian spirit given to me by The Shadouītā Scrolls!"

"Rainbow Dash... you ready?" Masami asked her beloved companion as she gave her a comforting smile.

"Yeah, let's do this!" Rainbow Dash said with determination as she grabbed another scrap of metal off of the concrete floor, using the power of her brand to coat herself in metal once again.

"How poetic, Masami! The White Kitsune versus The Black Kitsune! The dark versus the light!" Ichirou grinned maliciously as the two fox spirits began to snarl at one another.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Seven: Butchers and Demons

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The arena had been drenched in blood, and dozens upon dozens of mangled corpses were strewn about the ground. In times of war or violence, Butch would often be lost in his own passion. Granted, Butch wasn't passionate about the blood or gore. Butch drive was derived from his determination to end a conflict before the screams returned, before he could hesitate. If he did, the mobs of bandits would surely overwhelm him.

"Release the fifth wave!" Ashurr snickered through his microphone; he was obviously enjoying himself. Butch was tearing his bandit clan apart like a relentless berserker.

The metal gate beneath Ashurr's balcony opened once again, releasing another horde of crazed marauders armed to the teeth. Most were armed with blunt instruments like clubs or sledgehammers, but the odd one had a makeshift submachine gun or a revolver¬. Butch attacked the gun-wielders first, as they often fired upon his face, and while Butch's armor provided ample protection against such an assault, the combined-fire pinned him in place, stopping his advance. Butch's armor was extremely heavy, as most things composed of cordium are. While cordium was much stronger than steel, it's weight made it unfeasible for anyone but ponies like Butch to use; his limbs granted him the strength to make the armor practically weightless.

Butch strafed left and right, dodging incoming bullets with ease, and he leaped over the crowded gang of melee-bandits, landing on the head of one of the three gun-wielding ruffians. The weight of Butch's hooves crashing down on the bandit's head crushed him like a fleshy tin can, splattering what was left of him across the blood-soaked ground. Butch then moved on to the next gun-toting foe and grabbed his large, curved knife of his utility belt, driving it into the eye-socket of the helpless thug. Butch realized he had turned away from an approaching machete-bandit, and he quickly remedied his mistake, pivoting around and slamming his hoof into the blade-wielding bandit's chest. The bandit coughed up pints of blood as Butch's armored hoof obliterated his entire ribcage, rupturing almost every major organ in his chest area.

Butch drew his revolver and blew off the head of the next gun-bandit with deadly precision. Another marauder charged at him with a sledgehammer, lifting it up for an overhead strike. Butch evaded, then grabbed the bandit's head, twisting it and popping it off like a cork, splattering blood all over his helmet's visor. Butch shook his head frantically to get rid of the blood then turned, punching another attacker who had a knife square in the jaw, causing his eye to fall out and the whole side of his face to cave-in. Another thug lunged at Butch with a lead pipe, trying to bash his head in before he could react, but he didn't stand a chance. Butch reacted before he could even touch him, drawing his shotgun and blowing the entire upper half of his body to smithereens with only one barrel– four gauge shells didn't mess around.

Butch spun around once as he jumped, building up enough momentum to drive his fist through the chest of another psycho to tear out the throat of another behind him. Butch then knocked another to the ground with a leg-sweep, and he followed up with a lightning fast elbow to the downed enemy's face, smashing the attacker's skull to pieces. A thug brought out a grenade from his belt and pulled the pin, attempting to throw it at Butch, but Butch saw it coming, and he shot the grenade with his revolver, causing the bomb to detonate in the hand of the thrower. The blast pushed Butch back a little, but it had devastating effects on everypony else. Fragments from the grenade killed all of the remaining fighters, leaving only Butch once again.

"Very good, very good indeed! You're still quite the fighter, Butch! Of course, you have me to thank for that. Without me, you'd just be a mangled torso." Ashurr taunted Butch, reminding him of all the horrible experiments he conducted on him whilst he was imprisoned in his deep-science laboratory. "Release the armored thugs!"

With that, the towering metal gates of the pit lifted again, and a small group of six stallions in mechanized armor stepped out, aching to tussle with their heavily armored adversary. Butch refilled his shotgun and revolver, loading them with armor-piercing rounds. While their armor appeared quite durable, Butch could tell it was made out of reinforced steel, not cordium like his own. The armor-piercers would go through their plating with minimal effort, but with the physical augmentation such armor endowed on its wearer, Butch had to take note of their advanced speed and strength. They all were equipped with shotguns and light-machine guns, one even had a rocket launcher; Butch knew he had to take out the one with the launcher first, as he posed the largest threat. However, he had to be careful, as he was beginning to run low on ammunition. He had to make every shot count.

Butch charged forward, bullets kicking up the dust behind him. The fighters were astounded by Butch's incredible pace as he evaded their fire, ending up on their side of the sizeable arena in a matter of seconds. Butch quickly counterattacked as he fell into a combat-roll, drawing his pistol out to shoot the armored stallion with the RPG first. He fired his first shot, but it glanced off of the side of the gunner's helmet, barely hitting him. In response to Butch's attack, the launcher-thug fired a rocket at Butch' s hooves as he retreated, hitting Butch in the chest just as he began to jump forward.

The fragments didn't affect Butch, nor did the heat from the explosion, but the concussive force did stun him for a few moments before he regained his senses, allowing the armored squad to lay down suppressive-fire on Butch. Butch stepped back and shook his head furiously, angered with the fact that his body wasn't keeping up with his own determined mindset. Butch grabbed a grenade off of his utility belt and tossed it over to his foes to distract them so he could regain his vision, ducking behind a pile of corpses for cover. The grenade was one of Evelyn's prototype neutron-grenades– explosive devices that sucked up metal objects into a magnetic-singularity. The grenade sucked up a few guns, and it managed to crush and consume a single armored stallion before the energy within the artificial singularity fizzled.

"You can't hide from us, asshole!" The marauder with the rocket launcher shouted at him, loading his weapon to demolish Butch's cover. "Eat this!"

Butch hit himself in the head until he finally stopped seeing double, and as his hearing returned, he heard the sound of an approaching rocket. His reflexes quickly kicked-in, and he ran out of his cover, escaping before the rocket could impact him again. Butch pulled out his shotgun, charging it up with the arcane energies within his magically-powered heart. He aimed his massive gun at the launcher-wielding bandit, giving him all three barrels just as the smoke from his launcher settled. The shotgun released a volley of magically-charged, blue pellets that tore through the ranks of the armored squad, melting and boring through their thick armor with ease. Three had been killed, leaving only two left; the one with the launcher– sadly –and another, whose equipment had been reduced to two basic combat knives after the neutron-grenade stole his previous weapon.

As the bandit with the rocket launcher aimed at Butch, he dashed all around the pit in zigzag patterns, confusing the gunner with his agility. Butch then closed the distance between them, dispatching the knife-wielding foe who blocked his way by snapping his neck, then he moved on to the launcher-bandit. The thug dropped his launcher, realizing it was foolish to fire his weapon at such a short distance, and he brought out his pistol, aiming at Butch, who was fast approaching. Butch reacted, ducking his head in time to dodge the ruffian's first shot, then he knocked the weapon out of his grasp with a firm palm strike to the back of his hand. Butch followed-up immediately and struck the bandit in the neck– where his armor was thinnest. The blow stunned and staggered his foe, and Butch took the opportunity without any hesitation; Butch pulled out his revolver and blasted the poor stallion's helmet and brains apart with a point-blank shot to the forehead. The last fighter's lifeless corpse fell to the ground with a thud, and Ashurr grinned at this, clapping vigorously for Butch.

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous!" Ashurr cheered as he raised his overhead microphone, allowing the crowd of thugs and lunatics to speak for him; they were rooting for Ashurr to step into the ring and fight. "Looks like my friends here want to see some real carnage, Butch! How can I refuse such a request?"

Ashurr stepped onto the railing of his spectator's box and leaped into the arena, the psychotic audience raving and ranting like a canopy full of primal apes as he raised his arms up, showing off to the crowd. Butch scowled and scoffed under his breath, clearly witnessing just how mad the former deep-science officer was.

"You're outta your fuckin' mind, Aschetunn..." Butch shook his head at the delusional stallion, who was sticking his tongue out like some beast about to attack. "At least you didn't lose your narcissism."

"Oh Butch, I have to admit... you're right. Years of breathing in all of that wonderful mystery-gas really loosens a few screws in the old noggin!" Ashurr snickered as his burnt and leathery face contorted into a toothy, rotten grin, his hands becoming coated in thick clouds of smoke and ash. "Let's quit wasting time, huh?! I'm in the mood for a rumble!"

****

Gar Nichts was incredibly fast, so fast that he appeared to be fading in and out of existence as he wrapped his body in an even thicker layer of steel chains. While Winslow was sharp enough with his witch's eye to catch him, his sword blows simply bounced off of Gar Nichts' chainmail body. Gar Nichts could loop around Winslow by passing through one of his chain portals, slapping him with a chain before Winslow's eye could see him move.

"This one is incredibly agile..." Winslow grunted as he recovered from one of Gar Nichts' attacks.

"I thought your eye can predict an opponent's next move...?" Fluttershy wondered; it was odd seeing Winslow struggling in a fight.

"It can, but only when I'm in direct eye-contact with my foe," Winslow explained as he gripped his sword tighter, readying himself for the next attack.

Chains burst out of portals opened on the ceilings and walls of the experimentation wing, knocking Winslow and Fluttershy around like ragdolls as they lashed about. Winslow recovered easily, but Fluttershy did not fare as well. She was holding back, trying not to embrace her vampiric nature and go on a mindless rampage like she did when she killed those changelings at the docks weeks before. Fluttershy lusted for blood, so much so that she almost considered trying to drink her own in a desperate attempt to calm her bestial urges. The struggling pegasus sweat profusely as she stood back up, reluctant to even go near Winslow as he tried to shield her from the shifting walls of metal.

Winslow became fed up with the slippery foe's antics, and Winslow charged up a sword strike, two more, smaller witch eyes sprouting next to the original as his blade became coated in his magic. "Third Eye: Soul Reaper!"

Winslow spun, and his sword did with him, cutting the air and releasing small whips of magic energy, extensions of his blade that cut through the chains like butter. Gar Nichts was caught in the cyclone and was struck in the chest, the attack removing all of the chains in that area on his body. He began to whimper and ramble incoherently in anger.

"No! No! No! You cut me! You saw my skin! You're evil! Evil, evil, evil!" Gar Nichts screamed like a maniac as he retaliated, summoning more chains that whipped and lashed about. "Die, die, die! Leave me and mother alone!"

A tsunami of clashing and clanking metal flew past Winslow and struck Fluttershy across the head, sending her tumbling backward into a wall. She grit her teeth, holding back the animal that clawed at her heart; it was teeming with endless rage.

"Fluttershy-!" Winslow cut himself off as he saw Fluttershy's eyes darken. "Oh no..." Winslow quickly ran to Fluttershy, placing a hand on the back of her neck. He was shocked to find that she was not only perspiring, but that he could feel a pulse; her body was on fire. "A heartbeat? But that's-... impossible..."

Winslow watched in horror as Fluttershy's teeth began to twist and grow into razor sharp fangs, and he was even more taken aback by her eyes, that were beginning to darken to the point where there was no longer white in them, only red irises in empty pools of blackness.

"Winslow... it hurts!" Fluttershy clutched her chest, feeling it burn with an agonizing intensity. "I don't know what's happening!"

"Fluttershy, try to fight it! I don't know what's going on, but you have to focus! You cannot lose control!" Winslow instructed his anguished companion frantically as he turned to face her, letting his guard down.

Two chains shot forward out of a nearby wall, threatening to impact Fluttershy's chest and crush her. However, before they could do so, Winslow tossed her to the side, blocking one of them with his sword. The other pierced his armor and lodged itself into his gut, puncturing his innards. Winslow reacted, and removed the chain with his hands before it could do further bodily harm to him. The wound, sadly, began to affect his consciousness as blood began to leak through his armor and leather overcoat. He fell to the ground, the world spinning around him.

"Winslow!" Fluttershy cried in shock as she watched him fall. She then felt her inner beast stir even more. "Raagghh!" She roared in agony as she felt two masses of bone grow on her forehead, piercing through her skin. "I-... Arraagghh!"

Fluttershy's boney protrusions eventually curled back, forming menacingly long and jagged horns, and the hair on her tail disappeared; replaced by the tail of a writhing serpent. She screamed and wailed as she felt the muscle on her body grow and harden, and long, sharp, dragon-like claws replaced her small and delicate hands. Fluttershy became taller, her body became more shapely and toned, and her usual blouse was tattered and ruined, barely able to accommodate her new body. She felt an infinite anger wash over her, a grotesque hatred. However, she kept her eyes on Winslow, focusing on who she was and her goal in mind. Fluttershy felt a new, unbearable power, one that shook the ground beneath her.

"Those horns... that tail..." Winslow gawked at Fluttershy as he laid on his side next to her, clutching his wound. "She's not just a scârbă or any other simple demon... what is she? Could she be-...?"

Fluttershy's expression was dripping with bloodlust. She wanted to tear Gar Nichts apart, crush his heart in her hand. Rage sharpened her mind until was nothing but a razor; she immediately knew what do with her power. It almost felt instinctual to her. Her bat wings unfurled, startling Gar Nichts and striking fear into his heart. He began to shake and quiver nervously as Fluttershy stretched out her wings menacingly, casting her shadow upon him.

"Y-you're evil! Y-you're a monster! A d-demon!" Gar Nichts stuttered as he began to layer his body in chains again, preparing to defend against an impending attack from the growling she-devil who began to walk forward towards him. "Stay away!"

And with that, Fluttershy flew at him with the speed and ferocity of an angry dark god, smashing through his defensive chains with casual ease with the back of her hand; her strength completely caught Gar Nichts off guard, and it left him wide open. She gave him a swift slash with her right claw, cutting through his chain armor like it was nothing, leaving his body exposed once again.

"No! No! No! You can see my flesh! Evil! I kill evil things like you!" Gar Nichts ranted like a child as he stepped back, threatened by Fluttershy's mere presence. "Mother didn't warn me about you!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Eight: The Western Sun

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Beneath a cherry tree, when the blossoms fell, a master and his two students trained in a small park in the Pēru District of Eisen, the two students duelling each other to sharpen their skills with a blade.

"Alright, Ichirou! Take this!" Masami lunged at Ichirou with her wooden practice sword, trying to penetrate Ichirou's guard. She swung low at Ichirou, trying to score a hit on his legs, but Ichirou blocked, and immediately countered, tapping Masami on the head as she let her guard down. "Aww, crap. You got me..."

"Focus, Masami," Hiro instructed Masami as he stepped behind her, crouching down to help her with her sword. He grabbed the handle with her, helping her blocking. "You cannot use a wide sweep until you learn to defend yourself properly. There is such a thing as overconfidence in the art of the sword."

"Yeah, I know Master Hiro..." Masami beamed as Hiro patted her on the head, Ichirou scowling as he did so.

"Good, Masami. Now, Ichirou are you ready?" Hiro called over to Ichirou who had been waiting for Hiro's feedback. To his displeasure, however, he did not get any.

"Yes, father..." Ichirou muttered as he prepared his practice sword.

"Now, remember what I've been telling you in the dojo; you must be in the moment– totally focused on your opponent." Hiro reminded Masami as she too readied her weapon.

"Yes, sir." Masami nodded excitedly, happy to hear Hiro's advice. "Okay, Ichi! I'm ready!"

Ichirou grunted and held his blade out, a jealous anger pooling within him. It had been only a few months since Masami started training, and Ichirou was already beginning to hate her. She was so cocky and determined, unfocused and undisciplined. He was fed up with his father constantly coddling her like she was some frail piece of silk. As Masami swung at her, Ichirou blocked and hit her hand, knocking the wooden sword out of her grasp. He didn't stop there, however, and he smacked Masami in the hand again, leaving sizeable welts on her fingers.

"What the hell, Ichirou?!" Masami shouted at him in anger as she held her throbbing hand.

"I'm sorry, I–." Hiro snatched Ichirou's sword out of his hand, cutting him off as he smacked him upside the head.

"Masami, leave us be for a moment, will you?" Hiro ordered her sternly.

"Yes, Master." Masami bowed in respect as she scurried off down a dirt path, leaving them alone.

Hiro turned to Ichirou, a more than angered expression on his face. "Blowing out sompony's candle does not –."

"Make mine shine any brighter?" Ichirou rudely interrupted, finishing Hiro's sentence for him. "I've heard that before, father."

"Then why have you not taken my advice, Ichirou?" Hiro shook his head in disappointment as he handed Ichirou his sword back. "You cannot let your rage guide you. That is not the way."

"I know, father, but she is a thief, a ruffian–!"

"She is a filly from a down-trodden home. She's just insecure at the moment, she'll get better." Hiro insisted as he tried to place a hand on Ichirou's shoulder, but the stubborn foal grunted, taking his sword and backing away. "She has potential Ichirou. She just has to focus–."

"What about my future, father?! What about my potential and my skill?! Does that even matter to you now that you finally have got the daughter you always wanted?! You don't love me..." Ichirou snapped at his father as he gave Hiro back his mother's practice sword, running off with tears in his eyes. "Mother loved me..."

"Oh, Yumi... what shall I do with our son?" Hiro looked down at the seashell necklace around his neck– a memento of his late wife. "You always understood him in ways a father simply can't..."

****

Masami and Ichirou's blades collided, sending waves of power and ribbons of blue and black energy outwards. The two fox spirits evaporated into masses of spectral mist, swirling around the two swordmasters as they continued to clash. Rainbow Dash was stunned, simply watching her beautiful warrior-maiden dance about with her blade as if she were gliding. She was always so sassy and upfront, but when she was truly in battle, her personality faded, and she was replaced by a gentle swordsmare. With every breath, Masami's soul felt less heavy, but with every breath, it also burned hotter, more intensely. She spun around and around like a top that constantly changed directions, clashing blades with Ichirou at an incredible pace.

"You gonna step in, or are you gonna look at my ass all night?" Masami broke her focus for a moment to berate Rainbow Dash, who simply stood on the sidelines and gawked.

"C-crap!" Rainbow Dash hit herself on the head with a frantic expression and jumped into the fight, grabbing a piece of the broken seraph statue on the ground. Her brand shone its silver glow, and her body became coated in metal once again.

Rainbow Dash threw a punch at Ichirou, and he dodged, countering with a barrage of shadowy blades that erupted from the ground. "Cursed Blade Technique: Kuroko's Ink!"

"Oh no you don't!" Rainbow Dash shouted as she rocketed into the air, evading the deadly attack. However, she fell to earth faster than expected. The added weight of her metallic body affected her flight. She crashed into the floor with substantial force, winding herself for a brief moment. "Damn, it's really hard to get off the ground..."

"You okay?" Masami asked Rainbow Dash as she distracted Ichirou with a few speedy strikes to his shins, immobilizing him long enough for Rainbow Dash to recover.

"Fucking bitch!" Ichirou cursed at Masami as he felt the pain shoot up his spine.

"Yeah, I'm good!" Rainbow Dash nodded as she lunged at Ichirou again, but this time more cautious. As Rainbow Dash got in close to Ichirou's guard, she instinctually outstretched her hand towards him; a voice that she assumed was the brand guided her, and word seemed to roll of Rainbow Dash's tongue as if she had said it thousands of times. "Metal: Mace!"

Rainbow Dash's right arm began to rapidly expand, and layers of steel overlapped and hardened in an instant as she raised it high above her head. As she launched a right-cross at Ichirou, her hand became a solid chunk of steel, jagged and hefty. The mass of metal collided with Ichirou's face, knocking across the room. However, Ichirou did not impact a wall like she had hoped; he instead disintegrated into a dark mist.

"Rainbow Dash, how'd you do that?" Masami raised an eyebrow at her as Rainbow Dash's hand shrunk, returning to normal size.

"No clue... it just-... came to me." Rainbow Dash shrugged her shoulders in bewilderment as she looked around for Ichirou. "Where'd that bastard go?"

"Right here!" Ichirou growled as he leaped out of the shadows behind Rainbow Dash, slashing her across the back with his dark blade.

"Gah!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she fell forward, blood oozing from the gash in her back.

"Rainbow Dash!" Masami screamed as she ran to her, blocking Ichirou from delivering a killing blow while she was down, stopping his blade in mid-swing with her own sword.

"Are you so weak that you'd be willing to sacrifice you own life for the sake of this winged mare?!" Ichirou lashed out at her with his blade, crushing her block with a powerful overhead strike.

Masami regained her footing before Ichirou could follow-up with another power-attack, and she strafed around him, slashing him at the shoulder as she looped around. "Are you so desperate to win that you'd stab a pony in the back while they are on the ground like some lowlife street-thug?!"

"Oh, that's rich!" Ichirou snapped back at Masami as he pivoted towards her, slashing low to cut at her shins. "Quite a thing for you to say seeing that you were once a petty thief, scrambling to survive!"

Masami jumped over Ichirou's wide swing, giving him a firm kick to the ribs as she did so, momentarily stunning him. "I may have been a thief, but at least I'm not a murderer!"

Ichirou growled and attacked Masami with a swift stab, but she managed to block it, and their blades scraped against each other once again, sending sparks flying. "It's not murder to put a weak animal out of its misery, is it? Hiro was foolish and old, and he underestimated my power!"

Masami felt her heart sank; hearing Ichirou describe his father with such hateful words almost brought her to tears. "I see now..." Masami broke their clash and stepped back, lowering her sword for a moment. "I thought I could convince you to change, to repent...but it's clear to me now. I kept imagining you as this grey soul; a pony on the edge of shadows, one that could be rescued if I just tried. But I was wrong. Your darkness cannot be cured with words. It can only be cured with a sword."

"You can't kill Hiro's little son, Ichirou..." Ichirou smirked, confident his reply would prove Masami's statement moot. "You can't kill Hiro's son."

"You're right. I can't kill Ichirou..." Masami prepared her blade again, gripping the handle tightly in her hands. "But I can sure as hell kill the thing that killed him."

"Hilarious. You actually think you can defeat me without the help of your little marefriend here?" Ichirou sneered as he pointed over to Rainbow Dash, who laid face-down on her stomach, blood oozing from the deep gash on her back.

"I know I can," Masami said as she sheathed her blade and grabbed a piece of fabric out of her pocket– a long, white ribbon; the piece of silk that once supported the weight of her father's war medal. It was the only thing she had left of him. "Because I have both of my father's with me."

Masami breathed in deeply and tied her long mane up into a long, flowing ponytail using the ribbon, and she closed her eyes as she envisioned the face of her father– young, with a humble heart and a smile that could fill any saddened soul with glee. She imagined herself on his shoulders once again, running along the beach they used to visit together when she was barely a toddler. They were her most cherished memories of him. Masami them looked down at her blade, the blade of her second father; the one that guided her when she was lost so long ago. She found strength in their souls, the courage held within them. Masami felt Byakko brush the back of her neck with its tail, assuring her that she was safe.

"Enough of this nonsense!" Ichirou roared as he summoned Kuroko, who snarled and growled at Byakko. "Kuroko! Kill her and that fox!"

Kuroko pounced at Byakko, and in response, Masami dodged, Byakko evading with her. Kuroko slammed into a separate level of the barracks, causing the surrounding structure to crumble and crack. Masami directed Byakko to Rainbow Dash, and the giant fox curled around Rainbow Dash, shielding her from the falling debris. Kuroko took this opportunity and began to slash at Byakko, trying to wear away at her guard.

"Masami..." Rainbow Dash choked out as she tried to raise her head.

"Don't worry, Rainbow Dash. I'll finish this." Masami assured her as she held Byakko in place.

"It's pointless, Masami! Kuroko will tear through that pathetic fox before you can even scratch me!" Ichirou boasted as he raised his blade. "If you are caught by my blade, your spirit will weaken. And if that happens, Byakko will surely be destroyed."

"We'll see about that." Masami scoffed as she unsheathed her own sword, the silver edge glimmering like the moon under the light streaming in from above. "Let's get this over with so I can get that damn key from you."

Ichirou charged at his foe with ruthless speed, his blade drawn and ready to kill. He slashed high, and Masami ducked, stabbing him in the lung. In response to the pain, Ichirou let loose another powerful wail that staggered Masami. He followed-up, going for her legs this time. Masami, however, was able to block his strike, and she gave him a firm roundhouse kick to the open wound on his midsection, inflicting immense pain. Ichirou wailed and lashed out in anger, recklessly swinging left and right, determined to cleave her in two. Masami avoided the flurry of attacks, stepping back each time Ichirou swung.

As Ichirou began to slow down, Masami took the initiative and slashed him across the leg. Ichirou then attempted to hit her with one of his blade techniques. "Cursed Blade Technique: Kuroko's Ink!"

Masami fell into a backwards roll and avoided the maw of piercing black spines that erupted from the ground, and she quickly used one of her own attacks whilst Ichirou's guard was down. "Sacred Blade Technique: Byakko's Claw!"

A solid blade of blue energy escaped the end of Masami's sword like a whip as she swung it, and the energy ribbon cut Ichirou across his midsection, slashing his garb, and revealing one of the keys needed to enter Kaiser's throne room. The regenerative capabilities of a Shadouītā were impressive, but attacks like Masami's were too quick and deadly to recover from in the heat of a battle. His regeneration took time, and Masami knew this for a fact. She had to take every opportunity she had to injure him; there was no room to hesitate.

It didn't take long for Masami to realize that Byakko's guard was weakening; Kuroko was inches away from Rainbow Dash, and this got Masami's adrenaline pumping. She began to dance about, doing flips and kicks, slashing Ichirou with her blade over and over. Black blood splattered across the ground as she continued hammering him with a constant barrage. She gave him a kick to the jaw, stunning him, then she cut him across his right eye, which then blinded him for a moment. Ichirou's guard was failing miserably, and he knew it. Ichirou retreated, stepping back to let his body and mind rest for a moment. He then mustered up all of the power he had into one final strike, allowing his blade to become fully empowered by swirling shadows.

"I'm through with this nonsense! Kuroko, return to me!" Ichirou commanded his fox spirit as he dashed towards Masami. The fox melted into dark shadows and wrapped around his blade, increasing its size tremendously. "Cursed Blade Technique: Kuroko's Dark River!"

Byakko ceased her defensive stance and also became one with Masami's blade, lengthening it into a massive sword made of blue energy. "Sacred Blade Technique: Byakko's Divine Lotus!"

Rainbow Dash watched as Masami passed by Ichirou with a determined stare, looking straight forward as a 'ching' sounded, and this confirmed to Rainbow Dash that somepony had been hit. There was s brief moment of silence; both warrior's blades lost their aura. Eventually, Ichirou stood, which frightened Rainbow Dash, who saw Masami, still kneeling. Then, Ichirou stumbled back, black blood gushing from his chest. He had been slashed through the heart.

As Ichirou fell onto his back, Kuroko gently evaporated, as if the demons within it had been exorcised. Ichirou hit the ground with a loud 'thud', blood pouring from his mouth. "Im-... possible..." His eyes then rolled into the back of his head, and his breathing stopped entirely.

Masami stood up, but fell back down onto her knee, feeling the adrenaline subside, leaving her bloodied and battered. Rainbow Dash felt her strength return as she stood up to aid Masami, who was badly beaten up and exhausted. The blue pegasus caught Masami as she fell forward, and she hugged her tightly in her arms as she began to sob. No words were exchanged in that moment, no gestures, only raw emotion. Masami returned the hug, not caring about her own injuries or Rainbow Dash's, and they sat there. Rainbow Dash closed her eyes, patting Masami gently on the head as she soaked her shoulder with her tears.

Masami imagined herself, in another life. She was teaching younglings, showing them the ways of the sword with Hiro and Ichirou. She imagined the dojo rebuilt, the temple where they prayed restored to its former glory. She saw herself under the cherry tree with Ichirou again; smiling, laughing– the way it all should have been. Masami's crying became softer as she buried her face into Rainbow Dash's neck, and she imagined Ichirou as a child, holding his father's hand.

"Masami... look." Rainbow Dash broke the silence as she opened her eyes, noticing that Ichirou was absent. Only his sword was there, embedded in the ground with the key hanging from its handle.

"Dad, why didn't you let me learn all that Masami did?"

"Your mother- she believed she could tame Kuroko with the scrolls. She failed, and that failure cost Yumi her life. I couldn't let that happen again. I couldn't lose you, so I tried to force you to have a life beyond martial arts. But I denied you your identity, and in the end, you ended up falling to Kuroko anyway, and I am truly sorry, son."

Masami turned, wiping the tears away. She stood up with moderate difficulty, and she remained silent as she approached the sword and took the key. Masami placed the key in her pocket, and with a tug, she removed the sword from the ground. It had been restored to its former glory. Yumi's sword was as it should've been– a blade that was as elegant and as vibrant as a lotus. It was freed from Kuroko for good.

In the distance, Masami heard a whisper. It was soft, barely noticeable, but she heard it. Ichirou. "Thank you..."

"You're welcome..." Masami muttered to herself as she strapped Yumi's blade to the utility belt on her damaged combat suit. She saw visions of Ichirou and Hiro walking alongside each other again, but this time, the sun was red and setting, and they were much older. They walked together into the western sun, towards a promised land where they found each other again. A tear rolled down Masami's cheek as she sighed to herself. "You're welcome."

"What happened...?" Rainbow Dash wondered as she got up, cringing a little as the gash on her back began to sting.

"He's free... he has forgiven Hiro," Masami laughed lightly as she turned to Rainbow Dash, tears once again streaming down her face. "I'm free..." Masami then placed a hand on Rainbow Dash's cheek. "We're free."

With that, Rainbow Dash and Masami kissed, expressing their relief as they let their access thoughts and feelings drift away. They knew each other now, felt as one, dreamt as one; they finally were free of their burdens, free of their restraint and their worries. Although it had been days, they felt like they had known each other for a lifetime. The two kissed for what seemed like an eternity, and as they pulled away from each other, Rainbow Dash smiled, giggling gleefully as they continued to embrace each other.

"We're getting blood all over each other..." Rainbow Dash pulled away from the hug, realizing that they were quite injured

"Yeah, well..." Masami smirked as she grabbed gauze wrap and disinfectant out of a pouch in her utility belt. "It wouldn't be the first bodily fluid we've shared..."

"That was in really poor taste, Fox..." Rainbow Dash chuckled at the Masami's dirty humor as she poured the disinfectant on her wound, feeling the distinct burning sensation.

"I know..." Masami agreed as she wrapped Rainbow Dash's wounds up with the gauze. "Now, let's wrap you up, and then we can find a place to meet up when the others are finished their mission, Kitten."

"Sounds good." Rainbow Dash nodded in agreement. "Oh, hey. On a side note... are you magic or something? Because I'm still really confused by that whole freaky spirit shit!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Sixty Nine: Mercy and Forgiveness

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Ashurr's assault was brutal and overwhelming; Butch barely held out against his barrage of smoke bombs that exploded with rocking force. Every time Butch would dodge or try to move, Ashurr would encircle him, surrounding him in a maelstrom of swirling ash. Butch's mechanical lungs and breathing apparatus inside his helmet luckily nullified the choking effect of the ash, and his visibility remained optimal thanks to the smoke-proof eyeholes on his helmet. However, that didn't reduce the impact of Ashurr's smoke torrents, and he quickly found himself pinned down and out of breathing room to analyze the situation. Butch knew where to hit Ashurr– at the air tank on his back. Granted, that proved to be a difficult task, as Ashurr's vapour body was very agile and manoeuvrable, and he was able to dodge quickly. Bullets were unable to harm the fleshy parts of his body, and they passed through him without any effort or effect. Not even a shot from his shotgun was able to hit the tank that hid within the clouds.

Butch's first instinct was to try and absorb the magical energies within the cloud around him, but his arcanium heart seemed to reject it, as if it were some kind of poison. He cringed as he felt a throbbing in his chest. "What the hell?"

"This isn't magic, Butch! It's alchemy gifted to me by Kaiser! You can't absorb or even resist against it!" Ashurr laughed maniacally within the storm of smoke and ash. "You'll have to try much harder if you want to beat me!"

Butch felt a blast of ash blow him back into a wall, pinning him down. He tried to resist, but the velocity of the wind was too great; so great in fact, that it almost pressed him into the concrete foundation of the inner walls. His armor may have been bulletproof and heatproof, but it wasn't immune to blunt force or wind. Grimacing as the wind howled, Butch grabbed an incendiary grenade off of his belt and tossed it forward. Though it didn't go far, the ensuing blast pushed back Ashurr far enough so Butch could loop around him. Butch strafed to the right, dodging blasts of smoke and ash that pummelled the ground around him, pounding hard into the ground with a deafening explosion. Eventually, a blast caught Butch in its range, sending him tumbling down. This gave Ashurr an opening.

Ashurr growled as he lashed out with whips of smoke that seemed to pass through the plating in his armor as they smashed into him. His reinforced, steel ribs absorbed most of the hit, but a small amount of force broke through his guard, and it briefly winded him as it slammed into his innards, causing massive trauma. He stopped and kneeled, coughing up a bit of his artificial blue blood within his mask; he wasn't willing to take it off and allow Ashurr another advantage. He stepped back and dodged another strike from Ashurr, and this time, he decided to bust out his secondary attacks. Butch's arcanium heart went into overdrive, and the magical energies stored in his heart began to exude from his body, forming around him like a blue flame.

"Alright, Aschetunn... I only use this mystic shit for dicks like you. Consider yourself special, asshole." Butch grunted as the energy around his body sunk into glass window covering his visible heart, gathering its power. A surging beam of raw magical energy then escaped the chest piece on his armor and barrelled towards Ashurr with blinding speed. "Eat this shit!"

"Please..." Ashurr scoffed as his body evaporated into a cloud of smoke; he then dodged the attack as if it were nothing. The blast his the other side of the arena, demolishing that area of the inner wall and killing a few members of the audience. "You're slow, Butch..."

"And you look like a prune, what else is new?" Butch laughed lightly at the scorched stallion's mangled face, which infuriated Ashurr.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you, Butch!" Ashurr cackled as he lunged at Butch, once again disintegrating into a grey haze as he advanced towards him. "Die!"

Ashurr lashed out at Butch with claws made of solidified ash and debris, slashing wildly at him like a rabid animal. Butch dodged the first strike, but he underestimated the speed of Ashurr; he may have been a few years older than him, but he was certainly no pushover. Ashurr sliced Butch across the chest, the reforming ash once again ignoring his armor. Butch clutched his chest as a he felt the gash beneath the metal armor, but he was unable to recover in time before Ashurr attacked him again. Butch was slashed across his arm, his leg, his shins, almost every part of his body but his face had become littered with gashes and scrapes beneath his external, metal shell.

"That armor is worthless, Butch! Worthless!" Ashurr grinned with his sinister, rotting maw of teeth. Ashurr then slashed at Butch's face, tearing off the smoke filter beneath his chin and allowing the polluted air to fill his lungs. "Suffocate!"

"Damn!" Butch coughed as he tore off his helmet, gasping for air. His eyes fluttered as he clutched his chest, the sentient ash trying to bore through his tough artificial lungs. "Sh- shit!"

"It must be nice to have artificial organs, huh Butch?" Ashurr smiled as he clapped his hands together in delight. "However, in this case, they may prove to be more of a burden than a blessing. It only takes seconds for me to eat away at a normal stallion's lungs. But for you... it'll take a few minutes, maybe five. The pain must be excruciating."

Butch wheezed as he clutched his throat in agony, trying to find a way out, to think. He grabbed his pistol and tried firing at Ashurr's tank, but it missed completely. Butch fired all of his shots in a panic at Ashurr; still, nothing. He tossed his last grenade at Ashurr, but the slimy weasel slithered around and contained it with a shield made of solid ash.

"It's pointless to struggle, Butch. I've won." Ashurr snickered above Butch as he placed his foot on the gasping stallion's chest, confident in his victory. "I'm glad I could finish this little feud of ours, that I could finally bring down the infamous Steel-Enforcer. It almost brings a tear to my eye that two stallions with nothing left to live for can finally hash it out after so long, finally bury the hatchet! How does it feel Butch? To gasp desperately for air, knowing this the last moment? How does it feel not having anyone? To die alone?"

"You're-... wrong..." Butch coughed as he winced in pain.

"Hmm?"

Butch grinned as he saw Evelyn's face; smiling, laughing when she was younger. His grin grew wider as he thought back to their picnic's in Chetbrovsky Park, their trips to go see the toy store or a movie together. Whenever he saw Evelyn, he saw his wife, the first mare in his life that mattered to him. He saw her magenta eyes, her brilliant smile. Butch loved everything about his daughter. Evelyn was all he had left in his life, the one thing worth living for.

"I've-... got her- ..." Butch beamed as he tapped a button on his left gauntlet, activating the backup nuclear battery to run his heart. He fought against Ashurr, and by pressing another button on his forearm, another blast– this time and incredibly powerful one –began to charge. Ashurr tried escaping, but Butch grabbed a hose attached to his gas tank, preventing him from fleeing. "Eat shit, you fuckin' Frieden!"

"No-!" Ashurr was cut off as Butch expelled all of the magic energy in his body, blasting Ashurr sky high until he hit the ceiling. As he came back down, a volley of rocks also followed, entombing him. But Butch knew he wasn't done.

"I'm not finished!" Ashurr growled furiously as he leapt out of the pile of debris, completely red-faced. "Not by a long-shot, Butch!"

Ashurr launched himself into the air, then he charged at Butch, gathering all of his energy into his hands, forming a massive sphere of smouldering hot ash and smoke within them. Butch got back up on his hooves, almost completely drained of power. However, he was betting on one last hunch to get him through his fight, one last lucky guess. And so he stood in place, waiting for Ashurr to unleash his final attack.

"Raagghhh!" Ashurr roared as he launched the sphere at Butch.

The orb collided with Butch's chest, exploding violently and messily. Pieces of concrete and corpses strewn about on the ground were flung meters into the air, and a massive crater was formed where Butch once stood, or rather, that Butch was standing in. As the dust settled, Ashurr gawked at Butch, who remained steadfast in his posture; he had not moved from his position, and he was completely unharmed.

"What?!" Ashurr shouted in disbelief as he watched Butch walk towards him with a menacing expression his face. "How did you survive that?!"

"When you know a kid like Eve, you tend to pick up a few tricks here and there..." Butch grinned as he chuckled under his breath. "I found out how your mystical shit works, ass-wipe. Alchemy may not be regular-old magic, but it's still the same thing once you dumb it down. Whatever the reason, the magic in my mechanical heart doesn't like that alchemy shit of yours– didn't agree with it. So I got rid of that magic, and-."

"Made your body an empty vessel!" Ashurr's eyes widened as he realized his own major miscalculation. "No, but-! This can't be!" He hyperventilated in a panic as Butch drew closer to him, and he prepared a desperate attack to blow him away. "Stay back!"

The blast of ash was absorbed by Butch before it could even make contact with him, and this frightened Ashurr to his core. He had been outsmarted by somepony he thought was a jarhead. Butch gave him a smug grin as he drove his fist into Ashurr's gut, and then he picked him up by the throat, making him dangle like a branch on a willow tree. "You know, I've had a long time to think about what happened between you and me all those years ago..." Butch grit his teeth as he thought of Elliot dying in that trench all those years ago, his experiences as a lab-rat for the Friedenstruppen to experiment on, and he felt his rage began to overtake him. He gripped Ashurr's throat harder. "Deep down, I hoped that the war didn't take you as well because I wanted you to feel what Elliot felt all those years ago. I wanted you to know what it was like. I thought that killing you would bring me peace..."

"Then take my life, soldier! Do it! You want to, don't you?!" Ashurr growled as he felt Butch's grip tighten. "End me!"

"No," Butch replied as he dropped Ashurr to the ground.

"What?!" Ashurr snarled as he sat at Butch's hooves.

"You were right about one thing, Aschetunn. We are a lot alike, you and I." Butch smirked as he looked up at the audience, who simply sat there, gawking at the corpses that were strewn about the arena. "We're both old soldiers, bound to serve our nation no matter how bad it gets. We both did terrible things in Galloway, during the war. But I moved on– found a family again..." Butch looked down at the ground as he brought out the picture of Rosie he kept in the back pouch of his utility belt. "That's what I've done for more than forty years; I've just tried to forget. But I can't run from the past, I can't bottle up everything that happened..."

"Then why not kill me?!" Ashurr shouted at him on the ground.

"Trust me, I do, with all my heart, but that wouldn't help me. I hate what you did to me, and I hate what you did to Christoph; you forced him to rebuild me in that medical pod. You forced my closest friend to bring me back from the dead! Do you know how fucked that is?! You're the reason why he's-!" Butch took a deep breath as he reorganized his thoughts. Ashurr stood up, but fell back down; Butch's punch crushed most of the bones in his ribcage. Butch grabbed the key in Ashurr's pocket, and he tucked it into yet another pouch in his combat belt. "You're a truly fucked son of a bitch, you know? You deserve death... but I ain't the executioner you're lookin' for, pal. I'm through with you, Aschetunn. Goodbye."

With that, Butch turned away, ignoring Ashurr's ranting and raving. "Don't just take my key and leave! Butch, you come back here, you coward! You come back and do your duty as a soldier! Finish me! Fuckin' kill me, you fuckin' jarhead! I killed your brother! I killed Christoph! Just kill me!"

Ashurr's voice was overwhelmed by the mad cries of the crowd. They cheered and rooted for Butch, who simply walked away, steadfast in his reluctance to kill Ashurr. "Butch! Butch! Butch! Butch!"

"Fuckin', bitch... just fuckin-... kill me..." Ashurr laid on his back, and he began to sob as he gripped the valve on his gas tank. He pulled it out with the remaining strength he had left, and slowly, his lungs began to fill with poisonous fresh air. He wheezed and hacked as his eyes rolled back into his head. Within seconds, Ashurr lost motor functions, and he died shortly after with one last, tortured breath.

"So long, Aschetunn..." Butch muttered under his breath as he looked back at the lifeless corpse of the former Friedenstruppen officer before leaving the arena with a crowd of bandits and thugs cheering him on. "I'm comin', Eve..."

****

Fluttershy grunted and growled like a wild beast as she broke through the wall of chains and grabbed Gar Nichts by the throat, slamming him into a glass test chamber with immense force. Gar Nichts exclaimed in horror as the chains on his body were shattered into tiny pieces, and he quickly replaced them before he could look down at his bare flesh.

"No! No! You can't see my flesh! It's ugly! Ugly!" Gar Nichts rambled as he stepped out of the broken test chamber and prepared a torrent of chains to strike the demonic pegasus. "Please, go away!"

Fluttershy dodged the chains and flew forward at Gar Nichts with blinding speed, and she drove her knee into his face as she flew by, sending him tumbling backwards onto the ground. He grimaced as he struggled to regain his balance. Fluttershy's strength and speed had increased tremendously, to the point where the very ground shook when she flew by.

"Her power is... unbelievable..." The wounded Winslow stared at Fluttershy in amazement as he kept his hands pressing down on his wounds. She didn't seem to respond to his presence, and she focused only on Gar Nichts as if she was in some kind of trance-like state. "She won't be able to understand me in this form... I hope it ends soon, or she'll kill that crazed stallion..."

Fluttershy roared as she took Gar Nichts by the leg and swung him over her head, driving him into the ground with a thud, and shattering more chains covering his body. In his anger, Gar Nichts recovered quicker, and he hastily retaliated before Fluttershy could close the distance. He opened more portals on the ceilings and walls until there was practically no surface area left, and thousands of steel chains shot out, all pinpointed spears aiming for her. Fluttershy seemed to teleport as she dodged them all– disappearing in one spot, then reappearing just as fast. She punched him in the stomach, sending more links flying off of his torso, revealing more of the scarred, pale skin that the chains covered. Fluttershy then began to beat him further, tearing off more of his chains as she kicked him in the chest and punched him in the face. Gar Nichts wasn't as old as Winslow thought. He was, in fact, a teenage colt.

"Oh no..." Winslow's eyes widened. He couldn't allow Fluttershy to kill a young colt. If he did, she would never forgive herself. He tried to stand up, but his wounds preventing him from doing so. He grunted as he fell to the ground again. "Fluttershy! Stop! He's only a foal!"

Fluttershy didn't listen, and she back the poor colt against a wall, pummelling him further until he began to drift between the conscious and unconscious realm. She screamed and shrieked as she continued her brutal assault, and Gar Nichts unable to fight back. Gar Nichts began to sob in agony as he was relentlessly beaten by the demon that was looming above him. The colt reached desperately towards his music box on the other side of the room as he fell to his knees, receiving more and more strikes to his face and chest.

"Fluttershy, please! Stop it! Stop it now! You're killing him!" Winslow shouted in desperation as Fluttershy rampaged like a mindless war-beast. "Stop now! Please, Fluttershy! PLEASE!"

Fluttershy's fist stopped in midair before it could reach the face of the badly beaten Gar Nichts, who barely was conscious, simply sitting in silence on his knees. He stuttered as he tried to form a sentence, but he had been hit in the head too many times, and he simply shuffled back to rest his head on the wall behind him, unable to summon any of his chains to cover his body. He was a sickly child, frail and weak, limp, starving. He whimpered as he crawled towards his music box again, to the gift his mother gave him for his first birthday.

Fluttershy fell backwards, and her body reverted. She was about to fall unconscious, but Winslow fought through his own pain and grabbed her, catching her before she hit the floor. Her eyes fluttered for a moment, then she gasped as if she had been drowning the whole time. "What happened?! Where am I?!"

"It's okay, Fluttershy, you won..." Winslow assured her as he helped her up. "You beat-."

Fluttershy ran over to Gar Nichts, who laid on his back, motionless. She wept as she reached into her utility belt for medical supplies, knowing full-well who beat Gar Nichts nearly to death. She found that her suit and the clothes on top of it had been almost torn to shreds; she lost the medicine needed to save the poor colt's life. "Winslow, do you know healing magic?!"

"Nothing that can save him in this state. He's lost too much blood..." Winslow said with a hopeless tone in his voice. "We can't-."

"Wait! The medical drone! Where is it?!" Fluttershy stood up and called out to the robot, and after a few seconds, it showed up, prepared to take orders. "Please, help him!"

The drone beeped a couple of times as it scanned Gar Nichts, checking for signs of life. A mechanical arm with a syringe at the end then popped out of the bottom of the droid, and it plunged the needle deep into the bloodied colt's chest. After a minute, Gar Nichts resumed a normal breathing pattern, and within a few more minutes, his wounds slowly closed. He opened his eyes shortly after. Fluttershy ran to him, but Gar Nichts realized where he was quickly, and he recoiled, terrified of the mare that beat him. He grabbed his music box and covered his face with his free hand.

"Please! Leave Gar Nichts alone! I don't want to fight anymore!" The colt tried to summon chains to cover his body again, but he was still too weak to conjure any. "Please, don't look at my flesh! I don't want to be here! I hate this place!"

"Please... I want to help you." Fluttershy crouched down to talk to the disturbed colt curled up beside his music box. "I'm not the same mare anymore... see?"

Gar Nichts shook his head and cried, too rattled to see that Fluttershy was docile. "Please! No! Don't hurt Gar Nichts anymore!"

Fluttershy tried a different tactic, and she wound up the music box Gar Nichts carried to soothe him. She even realized the tune. It was a song her adoptive mother used to sing to her, a lullaby. "I love this song..." Fluttershy hummed along with the tune, remembering her childhood as she rocked her head back and forth with the rhythm. "My mother sang this to me when I was a little filly..."

"Your mother...?" Gar Nichts lowered his hand but jolted a little when Fluttershy's eyes met his. He stuttered nervously, not knowing how to talk to such a quiet and graceful mare like her– much different than anypony he knew. "Y-you know song too?"

"Yes, I do." Fluttershy gave him a warm smile as she drew closer, Winslow watching her from a distance. "I'm very sorry, Gar Nichts... my name is Fluttershy. Pleased to meet you."

"Kaiser called Gar Nichts... Gar Nichts. He said Gar Nichts' real name was bad. Mother called Gar Nichts... Nick." Gar Nichts said as he opened up more to Fluttershy, letting her see his frail form, covered up by nothing but a pair of tattered brown, burlap shorts. "Nick didn't want to hurt Fluttershy..."

Gar Nichts no longer looked menacing and insane, instead, he looked timid and slant, damaged and vulnerable. His sapphire blue eyes were filled with tears, and his long periwinkle mane was covered in rust after being hidden beneath a layer of chains for so long. His white, dirty fur was mangy and ruffled, and his tail was completely missing. He wasn't a villain, he was a victim of the wasteland's cruelty.

"I should be apologizing to you, Nick... I lost control. I forgot who I was. I'm so, so sorry..." Fluttershy slowly got closer to Gar Nichts, then cautiously wrapped her arms around his sickly body, hugging him. Gar Nichts wept as he returned her hug, crying into her shoulder as he continued to hold on tight. That had been his first hug in fifteen years.

Fluttershy broke the hug, and sighed to herself, helping Gar Nichts to his hooves. The colt motioned towards Winslow, who was still wounded, seated on a piece of rubble clutching his bleeding gut. "Nick is... sorry."

"I'll be fine." Winslow nodded as he summoned Fluttershy's drone to tend to his wounds.

"Gar Nicht-... Nick wants to give you this." Gar Nichts grabbed his key out of his left pocket and handed it to Winslow, who gave him an approving nod. "Nick doesn't want to help Father Kaiser anymore..."

"Thank you... Nick..." Winslow smiled at Nick, and Nick smiled back as he grabbed his music box.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Seventy: I Love You

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Twilight sat on Kaiser's throne, bloody, almost defeated; it took every ounce of energy to resist Gek's power. Gek tried to worm inside her mind, take the knowledge he needed to open the cube that contained the Stone of Mind. She couldn't allow that, no matter how much it pained her, no matter how much it hurt to tense her body– the wounds Kaiser had inflicted had healed over, but the fur that was once there was replaced by discoloured scars and dried-up blood. He mane was a tattered mess, and it covered her bruised face like a shawl. As Gek burrowed deeper, Twilight tensed again to resist, but no matter how hard she tried, Gek seemed to inch just a little closer to his goal every time. Twilight had ceased crying at this point; pain had become normalcy to her, and she preferred Kaiser's beatings over Gek's incessant probing and mindless, maddening chatter.

Gek massaged Twilight's shoulder, feeling the strain in her body. However, he knew she wouldn't fight back; she was far too busy trying to fight his influence. "You seem tense, darling." Twilight didn't respond. "Oh, don't tell me I've rendered you speechless! C'mon! Let's talk-! Oh, but what should we talk about-... ah! I know! Let's talk about cute colts! Isn't that what you twentysomething's talk about?"

Twilight let out an anguished cry as she clenched her fists, feeling Gek's power shoot up her spine again. "Arraagghh!"

"That's the spirit! I knew you had something left in you!" Gek chuckled for a moment, then paused; an idea popped into his head. "Oh, I know something that'll lighten the mood! Let's play twenty questions! Do you wanna guess?" Again, Twilight said nothing. "Alright, fine! I'll guess! Okay, so... is it an animal?"

Twilight whimpered, holding back her tears as she clenched her hands on the ends of the throne's armrests. Gek shook his head and sighed to himself; it appeared as if Gek did not actually recognize the pain he caused. That was reality for him; pain, suffering, anguish. Gek was lost in a delusion. But, for some reason, he was aware of that delusion, yet he did nothing. He simply sat and stewed inside his realm, waiting for something new, something unusual. It took Twilight to realize that 'that something' was her. Her own personality deviated from his chaos in every way. Gek was trying to prove something; he was trying to prove– in his own sick way –that anypony can fall from grace and into madness. Was it a warning? Twilight couldn't tell. Perhaps this was the scholar Gekken talking through the cracks in a wall, trying to relay a message to her. Then again, it could've been some sick joke again.

"Hmm... that's not really a good clue, but I think I can piece it together. Give me a minute..." Gek sat down on one of the throne's armrests and thought to himself, tapping his hoof on the floor. "Oh, I got it! Your animal is... Celestia!" Twilight broke down; she didn't cry or whine, she simply grit her teeth with her head bowed. "Well, I think I'll take that as a yes! Chalk one up on the board for this sorcerer!"

****

Liazo awoke in a cold sweat as he clutched the two circular marks on his chest. "Gah!"

"Lee, what's the matter?" The sweet mare next to him asked as she placed a hand on his cheek to calm him. It didn't take before his breathing slowed to a normal pace. "Was it that dream again?"

Liazo turned his head to Maria and nodded as he got up, grabbing the glass of water on his nightstand as he tried to recall the nightmare. "Yeah."

Liazo often found himself lost in Maria's emerald eyes whenever she looked at him. Her perfect smile, her wavy ginger hair, her white as snow complexion. His fear seemed to melt away as soon as she looked at her as if it was nothing. However, Liazo wasn't the kind of stallion who was willing to shake off doubt and fear so easily, as he had been on the run most of his life from almost everypony. He was reluctant to let Maria steal his dismay because he feared for her safety more than anything. And if he lost his edge, even for a second, he could lose her. He couldn't let that happen.

"The dream about drowning in that glass chamber again, during the war?" Maria inquired, trying to get his attention; he would often try to look away every time she tried to help him with his constant nightmares.

Liazo was silent for a minute or so, then piped up as he looked at the clock on his nightstand; 3:00 am. "Maria... you know who I am, what I do... why do you put up with it? Why have you stayed with me all this time? You could get killed if Fonzi-."

"Fonzi won't find out, I promise." Maria insisted as she wrapped her arm around Liazo, which he grabbed with his hand. "We need each other, Lee..."

"How could somepony ever love some test-tube hybrid freak like me?" Liazo shook his head as he looked down at his shirtless self, at the sutures that covered his body. "Am I even a real-?"

"Don't say that, Lee..." Maria said as she gave him a peck on the lips, placing her hand on his heart. "You're real, Liazo. You're the most real stallion I've ever met. And I fell in love in love with that stallion. Doesn't that give you enough proof?"

Liazo grinned as he hugged Maria tightly. "How did I get so lucky?"

Liazo's phone rang on his nightstand. It was Fonzi again– calling him in for some job he needed to be done. Maria sighed and grabbed Liazo's hand before he could leave. "Can't you stay...? Just a little longer, Lee..."

Liazo's hand hovered over the phone as he looked back at Maria, who stared at him with those big emerald eyes of hers. He let out an exasperated breath as he retracted his hand and fell into Maria's embrace. "Alright... I'll stay for a little longer, okay?"

"Okay..." Maria said as she planted her lips on his. "Liazo... I love you."

"I love you too..."

"Liazo...? Is something the matter?" Gin looked over to Liazo as he paused for a moment, standing in front of the double doors in silence.

"Nah, just remembered something is all..." Liazo laughed under his breath as he opened the doors. "It was nothing really..."

Liazo and Gin stepped through the double doors and entered the fancy lounge. There were two levels of the establishment; the visible, detached second floor were rafters– almost like the storage level on a barn. They were on either side, but they acted more as theater boxes for the gang members to watch, as there was nopony on the ground level. The lower level was, of course, the largest of the two. There was a wide and empty carpet floor, tables and chairs had been shoved to the side, and at the end of the expansive room was a stage where ponies would often perform for the gang long ago. Long, purple velvet curtains concealed the backstage, and a spotlight was cast down upon the center of the wood-paneled stage floor, where a stallion was standing, grinning mischievously.

"Ladies and gentlecolts, ponies of the great Catelli Family! I present to you... Liazo Catelli! The star of our little production! And it looks like he's got a friend as well! Give em' a hand, folks!" The stallion stepped down a staircase onto the empty floor, the spotlight still on him as he slowly approached Liazo with his hands behind his back.

The stallion appeared to be very charismatic and slippery. He was taller than Liazo, but only by an inch or two, and his slicked-back, black mane and crimson red fur shone under the glimmer of the spotlight above. He also wore a very fancy white suit that went well with his mane and complexion, and there was a magenta hydrangea tucked into the pocket of his suit, accenting his brown eyes. Liazo scowled in disgust at the mob-boss Fonzi, dark memories flooding back to him as he saw that perfect white smile of his. Fonzi only stepped so far– making himself comfortable in the center of the lower level where all could adore him, all except Liazo and Gin. They prepared themselves, knowing full-well that this was all a trap.

Before they knew it, two muscular thugs stepped in front of the door they entered, and they shoved them forward so they could get a closer look to Fonzi. Fonzi then chuckled to himself, motioning to the spotlight operator to shine the light on Liazo and Gin. As the beam hit them, the applause grew louder, some even whistled. They walked towards Fonzi, who patiently awaited them.

"Well, well... I'm glad you brought some company, Liazo." Fonzi gestured to Gin as he got up close and personal to Liazo, whose scowl grew teeming with malice as the mob boss turned to Gin and went down on one knee, placing a kiss on Gin's hand. "She is quite something... is she yours?"

"She's a friend," Liazo grunted, tempted to kick Fonzi in the teeth.

"I ain't his, ya slimy rat!" Gin recoiled as she wiped the back of her hand, afraid such a vile creature carried some kind of foul pestilence.

"Oh! She's quite the spitfire, isn't she fellas?!" Fonzi asked the crowd who watched from above, and they replied with a roar of approval. Fonzi then reached into his pocket and grabbed a switch-comb, brushing his mane back to keep it neat and tidy.

"Quit stalling, Fonzi and fight us already, will you?" Liazo insisted as the spotlight faded to black, rendering the room pitch black. Fonzi then clapped his hands, and chandeliers hanging above lit up, illuminating the entire room.

"Very well, Liazo! I think it's time we settled this, once and for all, don't you think?" Fonzi smirked as he jumped back up on the stage, removing his blazer and tie, and undoing the top few buttons of his baby-blue dress shirt. He raised his hands, and as he did so, blue webs made of a fibrous material shot out of his sleeves, sparking and crackling like electrified whips. He closed his eyes, and as they opened they changed to the eyes of a gola– red with yellow irises. "Let's dance, foals!"

Fonzi whistled, calling upon the rest of his gang to join the fight. They jumped off of the second level with their Tommy guns drawn, ready to bag the two. But Liazo was ready, and his eyes changed to that of a gola's as well, silver tendrils of mercury escaping his arms and back– four in total. Gin grabbed her arcane-powered blunderbuss, loading it with an incendiary shell.

"Alright, let's see what Scotch can do!" Gin grinned as she prepared her flak-gun and opened up her jacket, revealing her arsenal of bombs and flintlocks. "I'll take these bastards, Liazo. You deal with the charmer over here."

"Be careful," Liazo warned her as he ran towards Fonzi with his butterfly knives drawn. "Okay, Fonzi! Let's do this!"

"Bring it, punk!" Fonzi growled as Liazo jumped up onto the stage.

Liazo began his assault by spinning his body, letting his tendrils act as helicopter blades to cleave his foe, but Fonzi dodged with his enhanced speed. The mob-boss then jumped over Liazo and slashed him across the back with whips made of crackling neurons. Liazo staggered for a brief second, then sheathed his butterfly knives, reaching into his vest to grab multiple throwing knives. He tossed them at Fonzi with pinpoint accuracy, managing to plunge two into Fonzi's legs. Fonzi grimaced as he manipulated his own tendrils to rip the knives out of each thigh, but he knew Liazo wouldn't wait for him, so he created a wall of thick nervous tissue to protect himself from Liazo's speedy and sharp tentacles.

"You're still an annoying fuck, Liazo..." Fonzi grunted as his wounds healed over.

"Good to know!" Liazo yelled back at him as he sliced Fonzi's barrier in half with one of his mercury whips. However, Fonzi wasn't where he expected him to be. "Huh?"

Fonzi had slithered his way behind Liazo's guard, and he pierced his back with a pinpointed spear of nerves, impaling Liazo. The half-changeling spat outs pint of his mercury blood. "You aren't the only one with speed, pal. Granted, I did miss your heart, so that's a shame..."

"Liazo!" Gin shouted to him as she ducked behind a pile of old wooden tables, shielding herself from the gang's gunfire.

"I'm... fine, Gin..." Liazo choked as the hole in his back healed over. "Worry about yourself."

Gin lit the fuse of one of her bombs with a match and waited, counting the seconds. She tossed it into the crowd of thugs, and they scattered as soon as the bomb went off. The fragments tore apart a few of them, but there was still over a dozen left. Gin got out of her cover and fired her blunderbuss into the chest of a mobster who got too close. The shot blew apart his torso, sending flaming, fleshy debris flying across the room. Gin holstered her blunderbuss and brought out a pair of flintlocks– two of over a dozen –and she fired her first shot. That shot managed to hit one of the thugs in the eye, killing him. However, her second shot grazed the head of another gangster. She ducked behind cover again once the thugs started to open fire with their machine guns again. This time, they grabbed tables on the other side of the room and used them as cover.

"Bloody hell..." Gin sighed as she counted her bombs– she had seven left, hopefully, enough.

While Liazo's attack started well, it did not finish the same way. Fonzi's gola powers were far more advanced than his, and his speed was enough to outmanoeuvre even attacks from his tendrils. It was clear to Liazo that Fonzi was no longer holding back like he did at the start of the fight. He was going all-out. One of Fonzi's tendrils slammed him into the stage floor, smashing a Liazo-sized imprint into the wood floor. Liazo recovered, and grabbed his throwing knives again, but before he could throw them Fonzi's elaborate web of neurons entangled him. Some of the nerves even wrapped around his own knives and stabbed him as the fabric-like cables began to constrict tightly around his body. Fonzi was trying to squeeze the juice out of him like a melon.

"You thought you could take me on?! Me?! That's rich, Liazo!" Fonzi grinned maniacally as he began slamming Liazo into the upper floor of the lounge, destroying some of the support pillars on the opposite side of the room to Gin. "I'm gonna enjoy this, Lee. I'll finally get you outta my hair for good!"

Gin killed two more gangsters with another pair of flintlocks, blowing their heads apart. She then lit another bomb, tossing it behind the cover of another four thugs, killing them in a fiery explosion. Another gangster stepped out of his cover and fired. Gin, however, was not quick enough with her own aim, and two bullets struck her in the left leg; one hit her shin, and the other hit her thigh. She growled in pain as she ducked back behind cover, loading her blunderbuss with an electrically charged shell. She poked her head out and fired at the same thug. The blast staggered and wounded him, but the after effect of the electricity in the shot then began to take effect , and he fell to the ground soon after, convulsing and seizing until he died of shock. Gin tossed another bomb over the pile of tables, and it landed fairly short to her reduced throwing capabilities. It only killed two.

"You're little bitch, Maria... I gutted her and tossed her body into the river after you betrayed the family. You were my brother, Liazo! I trusted you with my life, and then you stabbed me in the back by shaggin' that damn O'Neil girl! The enemy!" Fonzi shouted as he continued to beat Liazo silly with his whips.

"Cut it out with the 'us and them' bullshit!" Liazo used his tendrils and sliced through Fonzi's snare, setting himself free. "Contrary to what you may believe by spendin' time with me, blood is the same color, dammit! It ain't green and pink or white and silver! It's fuckin' red!" Liazo's heart raced, and his tendrils whipped about furiously. "I wasn't your damn brother, Fonzi! I was an investment!"

Fonzi howled like a rabid beast as he flung himself forward at Liazo with his own fibrous appendages, and he stabbed Liazo in the shoulder and hip with shaped spears of nervous tissue. Liazo quickly reacted to this and used Fonzi's attack as a quick way to close the distance between them. Liazo tried ramming a knife into his throat, but Fonzi dislodged the tendrils embedded in the halfling and stepped back, avoiding the knife.

"Is that all you got, Liazo? Huh?!" Fonzi snarled as he slashed Liazo across the chest, splattering his silvery blood across his face. "You ain't shit, asshole!"

Gin grabbed her bomb and tossed it into the face of an approaching thug, and it exploded violently, the blast knocking Gin back into a wall. She quickly recovered, but her injured leg reduced her speed greatly. She grabbed her last two flintlocks and killed one gangster, then another, leaving only five left. Gin ducked behind another pile of tables and fired at two machinegun-wielding tuffs, blowing off their heads before they could even fire their guns. A gangster then jumped out of cover nearby and sprang into action with two daggers in his hands. Gin reacted, and smashed the gangster's face in with a bottle of rum she kept strapped to her belt, then she blew his head apart with her last shell. The bottle broke, but Gin salvaged the last drops of rum for herself, letting it drip into her mouth and replenish her vigour for the final two mobsters. Gin sighed, then grabbed a loaded Tommy gun off of the one dead gangster nearby.

"Damn... do I just-. Yeah, I think that's how it works." Gin scratched her head at the unfamiliar contraption in her hands. It wasn't like any gun she was used to.

Gin tossed the remains of her rum bottle across the room, and it shattered into tiny pieces. The noise fooled the two thugs, and they began firing at the table closest to them, believing that's where their foe was hiding. Gin capitalized on this and rolled on her side, shouldering the gun as she began to open fire. The gun was a lot more accurate than she thought, and it mowed down the last two tuffs, reducing the upper parts of their bodies to a bloody mush.

"Fuckin' hell that smarts!" Gin cringed as she felt the wounds on her leg burning. She couldn't stand, but she could crawl, and she soon saw Liazo getting pummelled by Fonzi as she raised her head to get a look at the stage. "Liazo!"

Liazo had been badly bruised and beaten, his metal blood poured out of his mouth and head. And as Fonzi began to beat him harder and harder, the blood flung across the stage, some of it even got on Fonzi's coat. Fonzi chuckled as he started to punch Liazo in the face over and over, getting more of his blood on him. Gin knew Liazo would surely be killed if she didn't intervene, and she grabbed another mobsters gun and fired wildly at Fonzi. The bullets struck Fonzi in the jaw and neck, but this only seemed to be a mild irritant to him, as these wounds healed over rapidly.

"Fuck off, ya bitch!" Fonzi tried reaching out with his tendril to impale her, but Liazo stopped it with his own tentacle before he could get close. "You're still as resilient as ever, I see! You just don't know when to quit, do you?!"

Liazo was punched back into a wall, but as he got up, he smiled, chuckling under his breath. "I should say the same thing to you, Fonzi. You've gotten dumb, haven't you?"

"What the fuck are you-?! Oh, fuck..." Fonzi looked down at himself; he was covered in mercury.

"Tell me... what happens when mercury gets on your skin?" Liazo grinned as he got up, his wounds healing slowly as he approached Fonzi, who began having troubles seeing straight. "I wanted to ignore you, Fonzi. I knew that Maria's death was partially my fault, so I kept away from you. I let you have your fun as the head of the Catelli Mob. I shouldn't have. I never thought you'd stoop this low, resorting to crazed terrorists to fill your fat wallet. They killed foals in those bombings, Fonzi. They killed innocent little foals, and you didn't even flinch!" Liazo began slice Fonzi with his mercury tentacles, cutting off his tendrils and his arms. "That's why I came back to kick your ass! You've changed, Fonzi! And it all started when your father died! When you took over and killed Maria!" Liazo pierced his heart, draining him of his blood. "This isn't just for her, this is for every innocent pony you killed! You had me thinking when I was working for you that the Catelli Family only killed murders and rats, but what does that make us, huh?! We were no better than them! You were no better than them!"

Liazo ceased his attack, and his tendrils recoiled back into his body, along with the rest of his blood that had been spilled. He stumbled back, then fell off of the stage in exhaustion. Gin ignored her wounded leg and ran to his aid. Luckily, most of his wounds were healing over. The deeper gashes, however, did not. His body had been exerted too much, and his regeneration was slowed to a crawl.

"Liazo, are you okay?!" Gin shouted as she checked his pulse. Thankfully there was a heartbeat.

"Yeah, I'm okay..." Liazo wheezed as he raised his body, but Gin stopped him, insisting that he should rest . "Alright, alright..."

"What now...?" Gin wondered as she looked around the room at the destruction.

"We wait here. We're too injured to walk back by ourselves..." Liazo informed Gin as he laid down on his back. "Did you get that, Masami?"

"Yeah, Lee... I hear you loud and clear. Athena is gonna send a squad to get you guys outta there soon, so sit tight." Masami replied through his communicator.

"Good..." Liazo closed his eyes and grinned, images of Maria's face flashing before his eyes. "Good..."

****

"Edgar, what the bloody hell is going on?!" Draven screamed at the giant, who had simply stood in place, taking Natascha's punishment for hours. Draven and Spike were the only ones attacking her, and they didn't seem to put a dent in the rampaging mare. "Edgar, can you even hear me?! Quit lollygagging and kick her ass with us! Isn't that what you said, that we had to kill her quickly?!"

Edgar was lost in his own mind, flooded with thoughts of Natascha. Natascha's attacks didn't hurt him physically, but what they did do was tear away at his soul, shred his being on the inside. With every blow that hit his body, he was reminded of her before all of this, before the experiment that turned them all into monsters. Edgar thought that he could run from what happened to them, that he could just forget about the past, but he knew such a thing was impossible. Avoiding him was impossible. He knew that what happened so long ago would haunt him until he finally faced his fears head-on. But he couldn't do it. His comrades were being pummelled by Natascha, but he didn't have the heart to hit his own wife. He just couldn't.

"Please, Edgar, help us!" Spike begged Edgar as the titanic pony continued to daydream. "You're the only one who can stop her!"

Spike was right. Edgar knew what had to be done. He had a country to protect. He had a new family to keep safe. Edgar had to set aside his own feelings and look at the big picture, no matter how hard it was. Edgar leapt into action, slamming his fist into Natascha's face. Images of her flashed before his eyes; it was his life before the war, before the chaos and the violence. When it was only the two of them. He thought to himself as he whimpered.

"From the very first moment, I looked at you..." Edgar punched Natascha again, and it shattered the armor that covered her body. "I fell in love..." Edgar hit her again, shattering her pelvis. "I remember dancing with you at the ball in Canterlot for the first time..." Tears began to form in Edgar's eyes as he continued the battery of his beloved wife. "When we cut our wedding cake together..." Edgar wept as he imagined the face of their late daughter. "I remember Mabel... our little angel... she was so young..." Edgar began to wail in anguish as he tore off the tubes that dug into Natascha's neck. "I walked you home from the hospital... you were crying... the doctors told us there wasn't anything we could've done..." Edgar sobbed as he hit her over and over. "I remember the long chats we'd have in the park..." Edgar wailed as he tore off the rest of her armor. "We got ice cream... I would get butterscotch... and you'd get vanilla..." Edgar ripped another piece of armor off of her, then continued to brutally smack her about. "We'd just talk... about the weather... about your dreams of becoming a violinist and mine of becoming a writer... I loved our talks..." Edgar's rampage began to calm down, leaving Natascha time to register the sheer trauma Edgar's attack caused. "Please... forgive me... and know that..."

"Edgar..." Spike watched as tears ran down Edgar's face.

"I love you, Archie!"

"I love you..." Edgar whispered to Natascha as he grabbed her by the head.

Edgar screamed in agony as he twisted Natascha, snapping her neck, and killing her instantly. There was a moment of silence as Natascha fell into his arms, limp and lifeless. Edgar cradled her, gently closing her eyes with his fingertips. He grit his teeth as he looked down at Natascha. She was so calm and peaceful; the way he remembered her. Then quietly, Edgar began to sob, the tears that had collected on his face finally falling off of his cheeks, landing on hers. He hummed to himself a lullaby, the same one that had lulled their daughter Mabel to sleep so long ago.

Draven removed his hat as he saw the wedding ring on Natascha's finger, and the ring that Edgar grabbed out of his pocket. It took Draven only a moment to realize what had just happened. "Oh, by the stars... what have we done...?"

Edgar's expression then shifted to one of unstoppable anger and untold spite. His eyes darkened, his face became pale. A groan escaped his mouth, one that shook the very earth beneath his hooves. He bowed his head and looked down at Natascha again, tears still streaming down his face. He was going to kill him for what he did. He was going to kill Kaiser, for her. He raised his head and bellowed at the top of his lungs. The ground trembled. It was a cry that could strike fear into the heart of a god.

"RICHARD!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two | Chapter Seventy One: The Fall of Madness

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The dampfriesen army scattered the ranks of the cultists, and pushed them far away, back into the downtown of the Silence. Some cultists even surrendered completely and retreated, realizing that defeat was imminent and that Father Kaiser had abandoned them– locked them out of the ceremony room. At that point, there was no obstacle in the Task Force's way but Kaiser.

The pirate crew and the Task Force gathered on the first level of the complex; they were beaten, bloodied, completely drained from their brutal engagements. Masami and Rainbow Dash were the first to arrive, as they had arranged the meeting place, and the rest soon arrived afterwards. Alvin and a few other dampfriesens were present as well– mostly to deal with any stray cultists that roamed the empty corridors of the old underground maze. Evelyn arrived last with Marie tailing her. Edgar, however, did not show up yet. Although Gar Nichts and Marie were met with judgement at first, it didn't take long for the Task Force and their allies to realize they were no longer a threat. Gar Nichts and Marie appeared to be more like slaves than anything– powerful grunts who joined Kaiser for survival's sake; they had not committed any acts of evil against the dampfriesens or the Task Force.

"Nick is sorry..." Nick– formally known as Gar Nichts –said with his head bowed to Masami and Evelyn.

"It's okay, Gar- I mean... Nick. We understand." Masami gave him a nod of approval; she understood his situation, and she sympathized with him. "You didn't harm any of us too badly... you just were scared is all."

"Sure packed a hell of a wallop, though..." Butch grunted under his breath, massaging the welt Gar Nichts had left on his hip when he engaged him in the alleyway.

Butch sat by himself on a metal table next to the dilapidated bar, a cigar in his mouth, pieces of his armor scattered on the floor around him. Evelyn beside Masami on a separate table, closer to the center of the room. She sat impatiently in her seat; she was trying her best to resist the urge to finally talk to Butch. Marie was hesitant to force Evelyn, but she felt it was a better time than ever for Evelyn to relieve the crushing weight on her shoulders. She slowly approached her from behind, carefully placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Evelyn... you should talk to him." Marie encouraged the nervous mare, who jumped a bit as Marie awoke her from the raging moral debate that raged within her conscious. "He is by himself..."

"But I-..." Evelyn wanted to argue, but she knew Marie was right. If she kept it bottled up any longer, her heart would've exploded into a thousand pieces. "You're right, Marie... I'm sorry."

Masami raised an eyebrow as she watched Evelyn walk towards Butch with a bashful expression; she had never seen her in such a disorganized state. She was always so cool and collected like she had a clear goal in mind at all times. However, that was not the case. She seemed more like a small canoe amidst an ocean of troubles. "What's up with her?"

"Yeah, she seems pretty beat-up about something." Rainbow Dash agreed; she was sitting on the other side of Masami.

"Let me tell you..." Marie said as she sat down in Evelyn's vacant metal chair.

Evelyn had a habit of over-thinking emotional situations; she wasn't the best at expressing her own feelings around others since it was such a rare occurrence. She often pushed emotions to the side, favouring logic rather than the chemicals in her brain. And, in a way, Butch was like that too. Evelyn changed her mind hundreds of times with each stride as she drew closer to Butch. She knew that once he noticed her there, she would have no choice. Evelyn wanted to run, to hide, but her legs seemed to move on their own. There was no going back.

Butch turned his head, realizing that Evelyn was only a meter away from him. He got off of the table quickly, as it was obvious Evelyn was in distress. "Darlin', are you alright?"

"I'm-..." Evelyn removed her glasses as she tried to think of something intelligent and eloquent to say, but her own expansive vocabulary somehow failed her, and she slowly constructed a very juvenile response, one that she never expected would come out of her own mouth. Nothing witty, nothing complex– just a bare-bones reply. "No, I'm not alright..."

Butch was taken aback by Evelyn's reply. He got closer to her– he could feel the nervous tension practically radiating off of her. "What is it-?"

Evelyn caved-in to her emotions, falling into his arms as tears began to run down her cheeks. She began pounding on his chest, letting out her frustration on him. Evelyn stopped, however, as she recomposed herself in his embrace. "Why didn't you tell me...?"

Butch sighed, immediately realizing what she was talking about. "I'm sorry..." Evelyn didn't reply, she instead began to cry even harder in his arms. Butch placed a hand on the back of her head as she cried into his chest. "I-... I hoped you wouldn't-..."

"Why...?" Evelyn asked him as she continued to sob. "You had so many opportunities to-..." Evelyn stopped herself; she knew it would've been harsh to put all the blame on him.

"Because a smart mare like you doesn't deserve a weary old soldier for a father, like me," Butch said as he patted Evelyn on the back. "I'm not fit to be a father, Eve..."

"Not fit...?" As Evelyn broke away from the hug, hundreds of memories danced before her like a mosaic, cascading and spiralling like a fountain. She recalled the games that they'd play in Chesterfield Manor, the drawings that she made for him that he'd frame in his room when she was seven. Evelyn's lip quivered as the pace of her tears began to hasten, falling off of her cheeks like waterfalls. "You were the only real father I ever had..."

Butch quickly comforted Evelyn and held her tightly once more. This time, Butch began to cry as well, and he grabbed the only photo of Rosie he had out of his pocket– his wedding photo. He handed it to her. "Rosie... I always hated it when she cried. Because when she did, my whole damn world came crashing down– seeing her like that. You made her so happy, darlin'..." Butch sniffled as he whispered into her ear. "That's why... she named you-..." Butch sobbed with Evelyn as he thought of Rosie. "She died later that night... once you were born. She was just too small to have a kid... I should've known better. I had your name changed after... because it reminded me too much of her."

"What was my name before? The name my mother gave me...?" Evelyn wondered, smiling a little as they both looked down at the picture of Rosie.

"What will we name her, Rosie...?"

"Joy..." Butch whispered as he tucked the photo back in his pocket.

"That's a beautiful name..." Evelyn grinned as her tears began to run slower than they had before.

"I'm so sorry, darlin'... I should've told you. It's just that-..." Butch choked up. "Every time I wanted to tell you, I looked at you, and I saw... Rosie. I-... I didn't want to get attached to you. I didn't want to go through that again..."

"It's okay, I understand..." Evelyn closed her eyes as she broke the hug, then she took a deep breath as she opened them. "I'm just glad I could finally meet you... father." Evelyn's words warmed Butch's heart, and a grin appeared on his face. Evelyn placed a kiss on his cheek gave him another hug as she took his hand."Let's sit together, dad... we still have to end this."

"Yeah," Butch nodded as he sat down with her.

Rainbow Dash's mouth hung wide open as she watched the two of them grab a seat at a nearby table with tears running down her face like a leaking pipe. Masami nudged her shoulder, chuckling at her unusual non-tomboyish behaviour. "You crying, Kitten?"

"N-no! I'm not!" Rainbow Dash shook her head frantically as she wiped the tears off of her face. However, she didn't get the typical sarcastic remark she expected from Masami. Instead, Masami gave her a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay... you're kinda cute when you cry." Masami winked at her as she stood up to get everypony's attention. "Alright, everypony! Listen up! Are we all here?!"

"No... Edgar is-." Draven trailed off as he looked back, watching Edgar step out of the elevator on behind him. As he did so, the whole population of the room stood up, bowing their heads in sympathy for the widowed stallion. "Edgar... I'm-."

"Don't be," Edgar insisted as he walked towards him. "What happened to Natascha wasn't your fault. It was mine for trying to let go of the past. The mare named Natascha Chetbrovsky died a long time ago, along with her husband, Archibald Mason."

"Edgar... where is she?" Spike asked him with his hands crossed.

"I buried her outside... and I dug another grave beside hers as well." Edgar's expression became dark and teeming with malicious intent.

"Oh?" Alvin said as he fastened his coat. "For whom?"

"A stallion once name Richard Chesterfield..." Edgar answered him as he walked by, his gigantic steps shaking the whole room as he did so.

The room fell silent for a moment as they all pieced together the puzzle. Then, consciously, they soon all realized who he was referring to. Evelyn was the first to speak up. "You don't mean..."

"Yes," Edgar confirmed her before she could even continue. "The leader of this cult, Father Kaiser. He is Richard Chesterfield, a stallion I once called a friend when I was Archibald Mason."

"Why did he do... this?!" Spike's frustration was reaching the boiling point. He had enough of waiting around. "Isn't he supposed to be on your side?!"

"He was once my friend... but Ivan Aquarius' experiment changed him like it did to me and Natascha. We were trying to find the secret to immortality, and we used the cube to accomplish that task. However, as you know, the data was incomplete. Regardless, we tried anyways... and the experiment left us permanently damaged. I lost my memories, and Richard... he lost himself. I was one of the lucky ones." Edgar explained. "And now, I must close this chapter in my life for good. Richard deserves peace after being Gek's puppet for so long..."

"And you need our help to stop him?" Masami tried finishing his sentence, but her guess wasn't as accurate as she wanted it to be.

"No. I cannot let any of you fight Richard. This is between us." Edgar answered her firmly. "He is far too powerful for you all in your current state. I can defeat him."

"Edgar, we want to help you. Can't you let us come with you?" Fluttershy pleaded to Edgar as she approached him.

"Please, I don't want to lose anypony else to that monster, Kaiser. I've already lost... too much." Edgar bowed his head for a moment as he pictured Natascha again. "I have to fight him alone. But I will need somepony else to accompany me. I need Spike."

Draven chimed in, reluctant to send Spike to fight such a powerful combatant such as Kaiser. "Are you sure, Edgar? I could just come with you if you need-."

"No. Thank you, but I need Spike to open Richard's throne room." Edgar approached Spike and went down on one knee to meet him at face-level. "You are Twilight's only hope to free her of Gek. I need you to take the keys. I'll keep Kaiser distracted whilst you attempt to free Twilight."

"But, how do I do that?" Spike wondered with a hopeless look in his eyes.

"I do not know exactly, but you must help her fight Gek, overcome his influence. You share a profound bond with her, I can feel it. Once you free her, I'll be able to finish off Kaiser." Edgar instructed Spike as he grabbed every key and placed it in his hands. "Her fate and the fate of the world rest solely upon your actions. Are you prepared?"

Spike was hesitant at first, but the thought of getting Twilight back was a no-brainer. He nodded enthusiastically. "I'm ready... I'll do it."

"Good. Then, in that case, I recommend to everypony that they leave this place immediately! This whole place could crumble in the midst of the coming battle!" Edgar informed the rest as he stood upright. "I need you all to go to Athena and rest until we return."

"Thanks, Eddie. I wish you two the best of luck..." Masami smiled as she began walking towards the elevator.

The Task Force and Draven's crew gathered near the elevator and began piling in, all except Fluttershy. She stayed to give Spike one last hug. "Good luck, Spike. Bring back Twilight in one piece, okay?"

"Yeah, you take care." Rainbow Dash said as she hugged him as well.

"I promise Fluttershy..." Spike said as Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash followed Nick into the elevator.

"Good luck, lizard guy!" Nick waved as the elevator ascended to the surface.

Spike turned to face Edgar, and he nodded to confirm with him that he was indeed ready. Edgar nodded back to him, then instructed him to step back as he began charging up a ball of energy in his hands. "Cover your eyes, Spike."

As the ball of nuclear energy expanded in his hands, he raised it high above his head, then dropped it just as it was reaching a point of instability onto the floor. The ball spun, sparking and grinding against the metal-reinforced concrete within the structure until it finally gave way. The ball of condensed power rammed through layer after layer, until it finally was so deep it almost disappeared. It had bored a hole right down to the bottom of the complex.

"Woah..." Spike gawked at the massive hole that Edgar had created.

"Alright, now jump on my back. You're in for a wild ride, Spike." Edgar smiled as he crouched down for Spike. "Hold on tight."

Spike jumped on and grabbed onto Edgar's massive shoulders, bracing himself for a powerful gust of wind. And to Spike's dismay, Edgar descended. "Aaahhhhhh!"

****

Edgar landed with an earth-shattering thud, and the ensuing shockwave kicked up a large amount of dust and debris, blanketing the floor of the ritual chamber in a layer of dirt. The chamber appeared to be constructed by Kaiser's followers based on the composition of most objects in the expansive room– all built using various pieces of scrap metal and other junk. The room was illuminated by fluorescent lights hanging overhead, and there was a sizeable open area near the altar at the end of the room. The altar was much different than the other makeshift items in the room; unlike them, the altar was constructed out of stone and appeared to be an authentic relic, possibly owned by some other cult with the same agenda.

"Where's Kaiser?" Spike whispered to Edgar as he hopped off of his back; Edgar didn't respond, however. He simply stood at attention, waiting for something.

Spike narrowed his vision and looked past the altar to see a pool filled with some strange, green liquid of unknown origin. It bubbled and boiled like a cauldron, and it sizzled like a piece of raw meat on a grill. As he looked closer, he saw a figure rise out of the pond. Kaiser. He was without clothes, but that soon changed as a swarm of metal seemed to rise out of the ground and fix itself to him as if he were some kind of living magnet. As the green liquid that coated him began to run off of his body, it was clear to Spike that Kaiser had suffered severe chemical burns from whatever was in the pool, as whole pieces of flesh appeared to be missing from Kaiser's body. However, that changed quickly, and the scars and holes filled in with new flesh and bone, and he appeared completely unaffected by the acid altogether.

"Ah, Archibald... I was wondering when you would return to me once again." Kaiser grinned as he walked to his altar, grabbing a black, leather-bound book off of the granite table and turning to a page in the middle. "You're right on time. I was about to recite a prayer in this book to my kin, but... it appears they have fled like startled hares. What a waste. Perhaps I could recite it to you?"

"I have no time for your asinine rants, Richard." Edgar beaked at Kaiser as he stood in front of Spike.

"Oh? What a shame..." Kaiser shook his head as he closed his book; he then saw of Spike. "Who is this hatchling-? Oh, wait I think I recognize him! You are Spike, correct? Your friend had much to say about you. Oh, granted, it was mostly whimpers-- begging you to come and save her, but still, we had interesting conversations whilst I tortured her."

Kaiser's cold, unapologetic tone angered Spike to the point where smoke began to burst out of his nose like a chimney. "You're gonna pay, Kaiser, you hear me-?!" Spike was cut off by Edgar, who shook his head at him.

"Don't let him get to you. That's what he does. Isn't that right, Richard?!" Edgar shouted over to Kaiser, who blissfully walked down the steps of his altar to get to Edgar. "You always had a silver tongue."

"Very true, Archibald. But remember, you fell for my snake's tongue once..." Kaiser reminded Edgar of their last encounter more than one hundred and seventy years ago– before their transformations.

"That was when your intentions were pure, Richard. Not now." Edgar said as he began cracking his knuckles. "I'm through with hiding from the past, Richard. This ends tonight." Edgar clenched his fists and took a deep breath. "Final Restrictor Band: Removed!"

Edgar began to emit a brilliant orange light. It was hot, much hotter than any flame Spike had felt, and it was as bright as a dying star. And as soon as it had happened, the shimmering glow faded away, leaving an unfamiliar figure standing in the same spot where Edgar once stood. His hair appeared the same; red and down to his hips. Granted, he was much shorter– although still around two and a half meters at the very least. His face was gone and was replaced by a metal mask with two glowing orange eyeholes. The rest of his body was plated with the same dark grey, metal armor, and his figure was not as bulky as it once had been. His figure was similar to a well-toned stallion of his height, and his hands were not as brutish and oversized as they were before. They were sharper, sleeker, and resembled the gauntlets of an ancient Equestrian knight– which made sense to Spike, considering Archibald Mason had once been an Equestrian general long ago.

"So... this is your true form? How nostalgic of Ivan to design such a function specifically for you. Does it bring back memories of glory in the name of the fair Princess Celestia?" Kaiser joked as his gauntlets began digging into his forearms, preparing for an attack.

"Spike, do you see the door?" Edgar questioned Spike as he turned to face him for a moment.

"Um..." Spike quickly looked around and spotted a vault door in the far corner of the room, barely visible due to the wall of junk that almost covered it completely. "Yes, I see it!"

"Quickly, go!" Edgar shouted at the dragon.

"Dragon Fury!" Spike's back fins and eyes ignited into an emerald fire, and he rocketed forward towards the door. However, he felt an unseen force stop him dead in his tracks– Kaiser's telekinesis. "Damn!"

"Maw of Agony..." Kaiser grounded Spike and prepared an attack, but before he could let loose a blast of red lightning Edgar charged into action and drove a nuclear-powered fist into his jaw, and a powerful shockwave followed as soon as his fist made contact with Kaiser's face, blowing even more dust away. Kaiser recovered almost instantly, hit eyes burning with anger. "Why you..."

"Go, Spike! Go!" Edgar ordered the young dragon as he distracted Kaiser by putting him in a headlock. "You aren't getting close to him, you hear me?!"

Spike grabbed the four keys out of his pocket and began placing them in their intended slots in the complex lock. He twisted them, however, they didn't open the door like he was expecting. It didn't budge. Spike then punched the door with his fiery fist, but that didn't seem to even make a mark. AS Spike examined the lock, he realized something dreadful. A key was missing.

"Crap! Um, Edgar... a key is missing!" Spike shouted over to Edgar, who was occupied with defending against Kaiser's vicious onslaught.

"What?! What do you mean there's no-?!" Edgar trailed off as he spotted the final key around a chain on Kaiser's neck. "Ah, rats... Spike, I need your help!"

"What, me?!" Spike gawked as he also spotted the key. "Oh no..."

"You think I'd leave the final key with anypony else?! Please! You aren't getting this key!" Kaiser laughed psychotically as he pushed Edgar back with a telekinetic wave.

"We'll see about that, Riche..." Edgar grunted as he began his counterattack. "Spike, be ready!"

"Got it!" Spike said as he leapt forward, ready to attack.

"Away!" Kaiser bellowed as he tried to flatten Spike with a burst of telekinetic energy. However, Edgar reacted and pulled Kaiser hand away from Spike's direction, manually redirecting the attack. The attack completely destroyed the ceremonial altar, and it nearly swept the green pool away entirely. Kaiser snarled in anger, and he drove his telekinetically-empowered fist into Edgar's face, which released yet another shockwave as it struck him. The attack only seemed to stagger Edgar for a moment, and as soon as he regained his senses, he immediately returned to the offensive, pounding Kaiser's invisible force field with his atomic punches. With every strike, the earth groaned, and debris began to pile up around them as the concussive blasts loosened the concrete structure around them.

Edgar then grabbed Kaiser's hands and clamped down hard on them with all of his might, nearly shattering Kaiser's telekinetic defences. Kaiser grinned with delight as the pain invigorated him, filled him with even greater power. However, his pleasure was cut short by Spike, who flew past him like a firework, trailing green embers behind him as he grabbed the key right off of his neck.

"How does it feel having your greatest strength used against you, Richard?" Edgar smirked, knowing full-well that the empowerment of pain would put Kaiser into a period of brief ecstasy– a more than large enough window of time for Spike to snatch the key.

"No! Rrragghhh!" Kaiser exclaimed as he reached out to smite Spike with a blast of red lightning, however, once again, his attack was cut short by Edgar, who knocked his hand away before he could cast his spell. Kaiser growled again and attacked Edgar next, realizing he'd be unable to prevent Spike from opening the door with him in the way. "It's hopeless! If he opens that door, he'll be killed by Gek along with that alicorn friend of his!"

"I have faith in others, Kaiser– a quality you never had. They will overcome your master." Edgar said as he pinned Kaiser to the ground, preventing him from reaching Spike in time to stop him.

Spike turned each key and twisted the valve in the center of the lock, opening the door with a long and low groan. He stepped inside, feeling a chill run down his spine as the door shut behind him with a foreboding thud. The throne room was extremely dark; the only light being a few overhead lights at the end of the room, above the throne. Atop the throne sat Twilight, although not the Twilight Spike knew. She was silent, cold, distant. She didn't seem to notice him at first, but once she did, she let out a cough to confirm to him that she was conscious.

"Twilight!" Spike ran towards her with a relieved grin on his face. However, that relief soon morphed into agony as he got closer to her. He slowed to a grinding halt in the halfway to the throne and staggered back, feeling an unknown force push him. "What?"

"Spike... please don't... you can't..." Twilight moaned as she arose from the throne, limping down a set of stairs. "He'll kill-. Raaghhh!"

Twilight's eyes darkened and twisted into dark swirling pools of black and white, and she howled like a banshee as she flailed her arms wildly. She lunged at him with blinding speed and sliced him across the chest with her clawed left hand. Spike clutched his chest as he stepped back to assess the situation. It was obvious Twilight was no longer in control of her body. However, she still retained some control over her thoughts; that much was for certain. Spike was not going to retaliate. He wanted to help Twilight fight Gek. If there was any hope at defeating him, Spike knew it would be through the bond he and Twilight shared. "C'mon, Twilight! Don't give up hope! You can fight it!"

Then, another voice overpowered Twilight's as she leapt forward at Spike. It was a stallion's voice; rough, cold, and completely deluded. He laughed maniacally as he tried to blast Spike with one of Twilight's spells. "Hahaha! You think you can just waltz in here and talk your way out of this?! Gimme a break, ya scaly idiot!"

"You must be Gek..." Spike scowled at the foul being that was using his dear friend's body like a marionette.

"How'd ya guess? Was it the eyes?" Gek cackled through Twilight's mouth as he stuck his long, snakelike tongue out. "I suppose you're the little dragon she's been begging to see, huh?! She really makes the perfect damsel, don't you think?!" Twilight slashed Spike across the chest again, forming an X pattern on his stomach. "So, that's it, huh?! You won't hit her?! How valiant of you, hero!"

"Twilight, if you can hear me, fight back-! Arragghh!" Spike exclaimed as Twilight dug her left hand into his shoulder. "You can hear me! I know you can! Fight back! Think of Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, everypony else you love! They're with you! You can fight him!"

"You think that'll work?! You insolent little brat!" Gek made Twilight punch Spike in the stomach, winding him. "You think some flowery words will stop me?! She's mine, you worthless lizard! And there's nothing you can do to stop me!" Twilight grabbed Spike by the throat and pinned him to the ground, Gek laughing as she did so. Twilight's left hand twisted and reshaped itself into a black spear composed of chaotic energy that was aimed at Spike's forehead . Spike reacted and stopped her by grabbing onto the inside of her elbow, halting the tip of the spear just an inch above his forehead. "You're cooked, kiddo! Just give it up!"

"Like... hell... I will..." Spike choked out meekly as he reached into the pocket of his jean shorts with his free hand and pulled out his writing quill, holding it in front of Twilight's face. "You know... what this is... Gek?"

"A quill?! You think some flimsy quill can stop me?! Ha! I know the pen in many cases can be mightier than the sword, but please! It's just comical at this point! Do me a favour, dragon! Go to hell!" Gek snickered as he made Twilight put more strength into her arm, trying to overpower the young dragon. "It's ov-!" Gek stopped for a moment, then Twilight stepped back off of Spike as he walked towards her with the quill still in hand. "What the hell is this-?"

"A promise!" Spike shouted as he put the quill back in his pocket.

"Something you wouldn't understand, Gek!" Twilight's voice returned, stronger, and more confident than ever. Twilight's body flailed about as if she was trying to tear herself apart. Gek wailed in pain as he felt Twilight fight back harder than ever. "You may claim to know everything, but you still have much to learn about us ponies with mortal hearts! You think you know how we think and how we act?! You know nothing! All you know is empty facts and cold calculation! And like any thinker, you suffer one major flaw! You micromanage every detail, but you fail to see the big picture!" Twilight's eyes returned to normal, and she grabbed the Enigma Cube off of the armrest of her throne. Gek tried tugging back, but it was no use. Twilight began to open the cube. "Now you're going to suffer for your arrogance!"

Gek chuckled as Twilight began to flood the cube with the missing knowledge held within her mind. "You fool! If you open that cube, I'll be-!"

"Set free? No, you won't! You said it yourself! You're only an idea! A thought! And ideas can be reshaped! You have no power in the mortal realm! Without the stone, you won't be able to control anypony else!" Twilight said confidently as she broke the seal on the cube, revealing the glowing stone inside– a shining purple orb. "You made a beginners mistake, Gek! You took me for a fool! And now, I'm going to fracture your spirit into a million pieces with your own power so that it will take you one hundred thousand years to reconstruct yourself!"

"No... NO!" Gek screamed as Twilight grabbed the stone with her corrupted left hand and gripped it tightly in her palm. "Even if you do that, a part of me will still live within you!"

"Maybe so... but it's a price I'm willing to pay if it means you won't harm anypony else! Goodbye, Gek! It hasn't been nice knowing you!" Twilight grinned as she crushed the stone, causing a massive explosion of energy that shook the entire complex, causing the room to finally destabilize.

As the dust settled, Spike ran to catch Twilight in his arms. "Twilight... you did it."

"Spike..." Twilight smiled for a moment, but it disappeared once she realized that there was still a battle ensuing outside. "I think we still have one more thing to take care of, Spike."

"Twilight, your arm..." Spike's eyes widened as he saw the stump that was her left hand.

"It's fine," Twilight insisted as she used her magic to create an artificial hand. "I'll use this for now... we've got to get going."

"But, your injuries too..." Spike grabbed Twilight again; she was too exhausted to even walk. "You can't go out there and fight with us."

"I have to," Twilight cringed as she tried to muster up what strength she had left. "I still have to pay somepony back for what they did to me..."

Spike was reluctant, but he knew it was pointless to argue with a determined Twilight. Once she set her mind to it, there was no turning back for her. "Alright... but you need to be careful."

Edgar and Kaiser shrouded themselves in energy and charged at each other, and the resulting shockwave generated by their collision removed layer after layer of concrete and dirt beneath them. With every attack, they were slowly deconstructing the whole complex around them. Kaiser released a torrent of lightning to scorch Edgar, but Edgar blocked it with a wall of energy, and he countered with a powerful right cross that smashed into Kaiser's chest with untold force.

"Edgar, I'm back! And I brought Twilight with me!" Spike shouted over to Edgar, Twilight trailing not far behind him.

"No..." Kaiser stopped for a moment as he gawked at Twilight, who was free from Gek's influence. "Impossible!"

Edgar took the initiative and began pummelling Kaiser to give Spike and Twilight time to join the fight. "You've lost, Richard! Your cult is no more! Infernalgear is no more! Gek is gone! You have nothing left to fight for!"

"Then if my lord is destroyed, then I shall smite you all in his name!" Kaiser bellowed as he broke free of Edgar's barrage and let loose a powerful constant stream of downward telekinetic force– an artificial gravity ten times that of the norm. "Perish, fools!"

Edgar and the others were flattened on the spot, but Edgar reacted before Kaiser could do any more damage. He charged up a beam of atomic energy in his mouth, then released a powerful beam that engulfed Kaiser completely, sending him flying up into the ceiling. Kaiser emerged from the hole that had been created with blazing eyes that burned like molten lava and a grimace that could threaten even a demon. He roared as he tried striking the ground with his red lightning, but Spike attacked before he could do so. The young dragon rocketed upward using Dragon Fury and zoomed past Kaiser, then let loose a pillar of fire from his maw.

"Dragon King's Fiery Breath!" Spike shouted as his attack consumed Kaiser totally. It sent him flying down to the ground towards Edgar.

"This is for Natascha!" Edgar's energy-coated fist collided with Kaiser's chest, fracturing his armor and body completely. The force of the impact launched Kaiser into the air once again, giving Twilight time to prepare for the final attack as he fell back down.

"Do me a favour and die, Kaiser..." Twilight muttered to herself as her left eye changed to a swirling black and white vortex, summoning a bow made of purple arcane energy.

Kaiser stared down at her in awe as a chaotic and terrifying black arrow manifested in the string of her bow, ready to be shot. "Is that my Lord's power?!"

"Cosmic Chaos: Collapsing Star Shot!" Twilight shouted as she let the black arrow fly.

The arrow screamed as it pierced through his heart, boring a gaping hole through his chest. Kaiser let out one last breath before slamming into the ground. "Impos-... sible..." Kaiser was killed instantly from the fall, as he was no longer able to protect himself with a force field, and the arrow that pierced his torso had also nullified his regeneration.

There was a moment of silence as Edgar walked towards the lifeless corpse of the stallion who he once called a friend. "I'm sorry, Richard. We had to..."

"I'm... sorry about your friend, Edgar..." Spike said to the lamenting stallion, who slowly closed Richard's eyes the same way he had for Natascha. Spike could see, however, that Twilight did not sympathize with Edgar– although she kept to herself to be polite. In all honesty, Twilight was tempted to spit on his loathsome corpse for what he did to her. "Twilight... are you okay?"

"Yes... I'm alright..." Twilight shook her head as she felt her anger dissipate. "I think so..."

"Then let's get out of here before this whole place collapses..." Edgar said as he grabbed them both and placed them on his back. "Hold on."

And with that, Edgar, Twilight, and Spike left the destroyed complex for good, leaving behind a broken pile of metal and concrete– once the home of Richard and his cult for almost fifteen years. And it was gone, along with their dark lord, the Sorcerer of Mind.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Two Finale | Chapter Seventy Two: A Little Get-Together

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"Twilight, you almost ready?" Spike asked as he knocked on her door and fastened the tie on his hastily put together black suit; she had been in her room for quite some time. "Edgar says all the appetizers are ready..."

It had been two days since their ordeal in the north district; most of the crew and the Task Force slept the entire day after the whole event and were still exhausted. Nerves were– to say the very least –fairly high. Spike hadn't sustained as grievous injuries as others like Masami or Rainbow Dash, but he was moderately sore nonetheless; Evelyn's wonder-serum could only heal so much. Twilight's injuries were another case entirely, as she had experienced the worst out of all of them. Her scars were deep, both in the metaphorical sense and the literal.

Charles insisted that they celebrate and unwind, which was understandable. After all that had happened, they deserved a period of relaxation. Edgar was also relieved, as he was able to finally take his mind off of recent events with his cooking hobby. Liazo was fairly neutral about the whole celebratory aspect of their get-together. After all, he was usually known for being the edgy-type, a bit of a loner. Gin was all ears once Charles mentioned the free liquor, and Draven was as well. Most of the crew was just happy to be alive and well.

"I'll... be just a minute. I'm just adding a few finishing touches." Twilight's voice was panicked and rushed, and Spike could hear frantic rustling on his side. "Alright... I'm ready."

Spike opened the door slowly and poked his head through. "You sure...?"

"Yeah, Spike. I'm sure," Twilight insisted as she waved him in.

Twilight wore a blue dress decorated with lace; simple, unlike her princess attire she would normally wear to a formal event back in Equestria. She had a white scarf on that covered most of her neck and chest, and she wore fairly dark eye makeup to contrast the noticeable scar along the top of her left cheek. Her hair was much shorter due to the fact that most of it most of it had been cut off during her time as a prisoner. Her hair had once gone down to her hips, but after, it only went down to her shoulders. And it was not straight and organized like it once had been either; it was wavier, predominantly brushed to the right to hide the deeper scar just above her brow.

"How do I look...?" Twilight stared down at the ground in a sombre manner.

"You look great, Twi," Spike assured Twilight, giving her a determined look to reinforce her own self-esteem.

Twilight's eyes still were fixed on the floor, and she removed her scarf slowly and tossed it on the ground, revealing the scars she kept hidden. "How about now...?"

Spike sighed as he looked down at the discoloured, pink patches across Twilight's chest and shoulders– marks left by Kaiser's cruel torture methods. He placed a hand on her shoulder, then another, and then he embraced her tightly to let her cry. She buried her face in his chest, and her wings curled up as she tried taking deep breaths.

"Twilight... you are beautiful. Trust me. There is nopony here to judge or stare at those scars. We all have some scrapes and scratches." Spike comforted her as she let go of him.

"Evelyn said that some discolouration will pass eventually... but my chest and my shoulders..." Twilight shook her head as she ran to the mirror on her bureau to fix her makeup. "They won't leave."

"Twilight, I don't care about what you-."

"I do! I was helpless, Spike! Helpless! Do you know what that's like-?!" Twilight stopped herself as she looked down at the floor again, shaking her head once more. "I'm sorry, Spike... I know you were just as helpless as me– wondering if I was alive. I-... I shouldn't have said that... I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Twilight. I understand," Spike assured Twilight as he opened the door. "Are you sure you want to go? You can always just stay here and rest."

"No, I'm okay, Spike. Really, I am..." Twilight persisted as she wrapped her scarf around her neck again, replacing her frown with a meek smile. "Let's go downstairs."

Spike took Twilight's hand and guided her down the hall and down the steps that led to the main entrance. They looped around the staircase and walked down the hall, into the living room where the others had gathered. Like Spike, most of the other male partygoers wore two-piece suits, each with their own personal flair, save for Winslow; he wore the same jacket with his gauntlets and shoulder guards on top. Rainbow Dash sat down on the loveseat nearest to the attached kitchen area by the entrance, and she wore a knee-length, strapless white dress with the bomber jacket overtop– the one she had grown so accustomed to after her undercover operation during Liberty Day. Granted, there was a large stitch in the back of the jacket, and this was the spot Ichirou had sliced through during her bout with him. She sat together with Masami, who clung to her as if she was joined at the hip with the young pegasus.

Edgar entered the living room with a tray of shrimp pâté and crackers, and he placed them on the island methodically so that the tray kept in-line with the other pans filled with appetizers. "Alright... there we go. We're ready! Everypony come grab a plate!"

As Twilight and Spike entered, all of the others ran to the island, craving Edgar's delectable treats. They were the first to grab a serving, and they sat down next to Fluttershy, who sat with Nick on the couch to the right of Rainbow Dash and Masami.

"So... your name is Nick?" Twilight had seen Nick before when she was a prisoner, but never for too long. She didn't really know what to think of his sudden change of heart. Perhaps he simply saw an opportunity to escape Kaiser's grasp.

Nick didn't respond, and he covered his face with a series of interlocking chains; Fluttershy spoke for him. "Yes, it is. Sorry... he doesn't like big crowds."

"It's alright," Twilight smiled as she reached out to shake his hand. "My name is Twilight if you didn't already know."

Nick hesitated at first, but eventually he mustered up enough courage to outstretch his arm and grab her hand. "Hi..."

Spike grinned as he saw a spark return in the eye of Twilight, one that hadn't been ignited in what felt like years. All of the anger that had built in Twilight, the hatred, and spite, that seemed to melt away in that moment. She returned to her duty, the job that suited her more than anything else; making friends. Nick lowered his chains, realizing that Twilight meant to harm, and he beamed like a skipping little foal as he shook her hand enthusiastically.

It was then that Charles entered the room with his family. James jumped around and played with his bouncy ball, and Lucy sat beside Nick, who shuddered slightly in her presence.

"Hello," Lucy said with a blank, nonchalant expression as she gave him a wave.

"Hi..." Nick muttered as he began to turtle, his head ducking down into his long trench coat.

"Attention, everypony! Attention!" Charles announced as he clinked his empty glass, holding Eleanor close. "I have something to say. Please, find a table or a couch to sit at..." As instructed, everypony found either a table secluded in a corner or any vacant spot on the couch. Edgar simply stood. "I wanted to thank you all for what you have done for Ausrüstung. You have saved us from the great terror that swept our nation. Again, I cannot thank you enough. You have saved the lives of who knows how many mares and stallions, and because of that, you have left an impression on the ponies of Ausrüstung. I hope that one day, Equestria and Ausrüstung can live in harmony... and that we can stand together in the years ahead."

"Hear, hear," Butch nodded as they all began to clap. Marie, who sat beside him, also joined in on the applause.

"Oui, Oui!" Marie beamed.

"Hold on..." Charles quieted them down as he continued. "Furthermore, I have an announcement to make. After all that has happened, I think this little family has grown a little. In fact, I think it has grown a lot. Not just in a literal sense, but in a metaphorical sense as well. Which is why I want to welcome the newest member of Task Force One... Rainbow Dash, would you stand up for me?" Rainbow Dash grinned as she leapt out of her seat. "Yesterday, Masami told me of Rainbow Dash's heroics and her uncanny synergy with the rest of the team. It takes a certain kind of individual to put up with the antics of this team, let me tell you. We bicker and whine, but at the end of the day, that's just what a family does. And not only has she proven herself to be a more than worthy member of this team, but Draven and the rest of his crew have as well. However, we know you all cannot stay with us forever. You have a much more demanding task at hand." Charles let go of his wife and approached Rainbow Dash, who had a wide grin on her face. "Yesterday I inquired if she would consider joining the team, and after much debate, she finally decided last night. It gives me great pleasure to introduce you all to our newest member of Task Force One. Take a bow, Rainbow Dash."

"Woah, that's awesome, RD!" Spike said cheerfully as he clapped.

"What about Scootaloo?" Fluttershy wondered. "What about all of your friends in Equestria?"

"Scoots can take care of herself. She's fifteen, and she's got her mom and dad. I'm nineteen, and for the longest time, I didn't really know what the hell I was going to do with my life. But, being with Masami and Evelyn and everypony else, I think I finally found my place in the world. My place is in Ausrüstung with the Task Force." Rainbow Dash answered Fluttershy confidently with a warm but determined smile on her face. "Don't worry, you guys... I'll keep in touch. Besides, Equestria and The Blacklands aren't too far apart. I mean, I got here lickety-split once I joined up with you all on that big-ass airship. It's me, remember? The fastest pegasus, like, ever?" Twilight and Fluttershy's worried expressions pulled Rainbow Dash's head out of the clouds, and she walked over to them shamefully, realizing what it would be like to live away from them. "Listen... you two, Pinkie, AJ, and Rarity... you're the bestest friends a pegasus like me could ask for. I love you guys so much, and I promise you guys that I will write to you, and I will some banging on your door whenever you need me, I promise. But, I can't keep trying to hold onto my fillyhood living with my parents for the rest of my life. It's time I move on. And don't worry, you two... I'll still be the Element of Loyalty. You just give me a holler and I'll be there in ten seconds flat!"

"Rainbow Dash..." Twilight and Spike digested everything Rainbow Dash said, as did Fluttershy. And while they found her words hard to swallow at first, they knew Rainbow Dash was right, and they knew she would keep her promise. "Alright, Rainbow Dash... but you write to your parents and to Scootaloo, okay?"

"I will, Twi... trust me." Rainbow Dash smiled as she hugged the both of them. "Alright, that's enough sad stuff for now. Let's enjoy our last night together, huh?!"

"I couldn't agree more..." Charles nodded as he brought out a large bottle of champagne. "Rainbow Dash, would you care to do the honors?"

"Oh, sweet! I've always wanted to open-!" Rainbow Dash was cut off my a blast of frothy liquid that engulfed her whole face as the cork popped off in her grasp, soaking her whole head. "Oh... damn..." Everypony broke out into a roaring laughter as Rainbow Dash's face turned beet-red. She joined in on the joke, but admittedly, she was fairly embarrassed. "Oh, can it, you guys!"

"I'll get you a towel, Kitten..." Masami said as she wiped off a bead of champagne on her red sequin dress.

As the party continued, they all found a spot in the living room to converse. Winslow talked with Liazo and Butch, and Evelyn played with Lucy and James in an open corner of the room. Gin sat at the table with the ice and liquor, flat-out drunk with her head on the table. Spike laughed to himself as he walked over to her and pulled up a chair, poking at her side with one of his clawed fingers.

"Ouchie!" Gin hiccupped as she raised her head to look up at the dragon who sat next to her. "Oh heeeyyy, Spikey! Howww are you?"

"I'm good, Gin," Spike chuckled as he grabbed Gin's hand and lifted her out of her seat. "I think you need to go to bed, huh?"

"Oooooo, Spikey... you wanna sleep with me?" Gin mumbled as Spike threw her over his shoulder to carry her upstairs.

"I'm like sixteen, Gin, I'm not gonna be doing that with you..." Spike shook his head and scoffed as he began walking towards the staircase.

"Bloody hell..." Draven watched Spike carry Gin as he sat down at a table with Edgar and Charles. "I told her not to got too overboard, but she just had to have a sip of that damn brandy!"

"What can I say? Edgar has good taste..." Charles nudged Edgar, who sat down beside him in his massive rocking chair, his knees towering high above the table. Charles then reached under the table and brought out a crib board and a deck of playing cards with a scheming expression. "How about that rematch, Draven?"

"Alright. You deal first." Draven said eagerly as he thought of his departure the next day. "Say... where's Hydra and my crew? Are they still on the Ambassador?"

"Yes, in fact, they have gotten fairly anxious over the past few days. I'll tell the crew of the Ambassador to drop them in Chetbrovsky Harbour tomorrow morning." Charles informed Draven as he placed two cards in his crib. "What time will you set sail in the morning?"

"Probably ten o' clock, maybe a little later," Draven replied as he placed two cards in his hand in Charles' crib.

"Where are you off to?" Edgar inquired as he watched Draven and Charles count up to thirty-one.

"East. I've got special orders from Celestia to return to the Equestrian colony to the south of Wantthai– well, what's left of it –once we take care of a sorcerer, and that'll take probably a month to get there. My crew and I will remain there until we are given further instructions, or until another Sorcerer shows his face." Draven answered as he gathered up his cards and placed them on the table to count them. "Alright... so... fifteen-two, fifteen-four, fifteen-six, fifteen-eight, and four sevens is twenty points. Take that!"

"Oh, hell! That was a rotten hand!" Charles cursed as he slammed his hand and his crib on the table; both yielded only a total of four points. Draven then gathered up the cards to shuffle them. "You seem to know quite a bit about this whole magic business... what is that peculiar mark on Rainbow Dash's hand?"

"Oh, that? That's one of the Brands. I'm no expert, but those things pop-up quite a bit here in the Blacklands. Most who have them are sailors or explorers, mostly because where they show up is fairly remote and random at times, although most believe they're some kind of ancient 'cutie mark'. Nopony really knows the origin of the Brands." Draven explained as he dug through the files in his heads. "Some say they are the souls of the extinct seraphim, others say they were all created by a scribe during The First Age. Collectors, warlords, pirates... many in the Blacklands go out of their way to find the Brands. Somepony with a Brand can go from a normal pony to a powerhouse just like that. Rainbow Dash was one of the lucky ones who just stumbled across one of them. It's never clear what Brand you'll get until you get it."

"Hm, very interesting indeed..." Charles nodded as he digested Draven's wisdom. "So, back to the original topic... when do you think the next sorcerer will show up?"

"No clue. Could be a day, a week, who knows..." Draven said as he dealt out the cards in his hand to himself and Charles. "Although, Winslow's got a funny feeling that something's brewing in the northeast– though we don't know for sure."

"Well, let's hope it's nothing too serious. Equestria is facing enough problems as it is with that bloody stalemate waging on the Wantthai border." Charles shook his head as he grabbed his hand and brought it to his face. "Ah... another bloody awful hand..."

"We can only hope..." Draven said as he picked up his hand.

****

Deep within the western mountains along the border of the Miriad Kingdom, there lay a crypt, long-forgotten by the ponies of the Blacklands. For ten-thousand years it remained quiet, undisturbed. But suddenly, in that secluded chamber, a great evil held within a coffin bound by many chains began to stir and shake. Soon, the chains shattered, the lid flew off, revealing the creature held within.

A lanky, pale miriad stallion arose from the coffin; emaciated, frail, and limp. His fangs hungered for blood, and his claws lusted to crush the Equestrians and all those who opposed him. He hissed as he lashed his tongue, and a swarm of bats escaped the dread lord's gaping maw as he uttered his first word in over ten-thousand years.

"LUNA!"

Luna awoke in a cold sweat as she gasped; her bed sheets were completely soaked. She wiped her forehead off with her duvet as she grabbed the glass of water sitting next to her on her nightstand. However, as she closed her eyes to take a drink, something sharp cut her lip. She recoiled and placed it back on the nightstand; the sudden shock caused her to swallow the water down the wrong pipe. As her breathing returned to normal, she looked back at the glass on her left in horror. A single, indigo rose stained with her blood sat in the glass, and the blood swirled about within the water until it all became a faded, transparent red hue. Luna grabbed the rose and bit her bleeding lip to stop it from dripping onto her already ruined bed covers, holding the flower high in the air so the light of the moon could illuminate it.

Then, Luna turned to look out into the night sky, to see the moon above. However, she was not met with a silver dish in the sky. Instead, she was met with something that terrified her, something that rattled every fiber of her being. "No..."

The moon was crimson red.

*END OF ARC TWO*

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Seventy Three: A Dark Cloud Rising in The East

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The Miriad King, Callicera ll, looked down upon the great Kingdom of Ccrondil from the highest tower of his palace, Castle Valkhiir, in the city if Caven Isle. From this height, he could see the mountain range to the west, The Cloudsreach Mountains, which stretched along the far north, just grazing the edge of the Zhophziis Empire, to the border of The Kingdom of Wantthai in the south. Below, in Caven Isle, his people were lively, prosperous. The land was rich with grain and iron, and cascading mountain waterfalls poured into the Gressoel River that ran through Caven Isle, eventually bleeding into The Grand Sea that hugged the coastal city. The morning sun was just above the horizon, greeting the day with its invigorating glow.

However, as Callicera looked to the north, he noticed a faint haze in the distance, a dark, purple cloud. This cloud raced towards Caven Isle at blinding speeds, and it began to encircle the tallest buildings, blotting out the sun. A grim gust of wind then ominously howled– an omen that rattled Callicera's bones. Trumpets began to sound the alarm, and the city began to scream and cry; a dreaded evil had arrived, and they did not prepare for it.

"Farrin!" The Miriad King called upon his messenger Ccrondil raven– a creature who could fly as fast as even the swiftest pegasus. He quickly wrote a letter for Luna, detailing the situation at hand, then he gently placed the letter in its talon. "Fly! Go to the Night Princess!"

He prepared his gleaming silver armor and descended into the bowels of his great castle, making his way to where his royal guards began to muster in the entranceway. The king's only next of kin, his daughter, Ocèara, ran to him as Callicera stepped off of his grand staircase.

"Father, the sky! What is happening?!" Ocèara asked the king as she trailed behind him, barely keeping up with his urgent pace.

"You must leave, my dear. Now." The king said as he placed one hand on his daughter's shoulder, disregarding her question. He placed an ancient scroll in her hand; one he had kept close for hundreds of years. "You must take this scroll and head to the secret exit . You must then reach the harbor and climb aboard a ship; Galaeron and Syrune shall accompany you. Ccrondil is no longer safe. You must go to the Equestrian outpost in the south and take this scroll. My letter will soon reach the Night Princess of Equestria, and she will know what to do with this scroll. You must meet with a dragon named Draven Jaggedtooth once you arrive at the outpost, and nopony can open this scroll but Luna, do you understand?"

"Father, what shall become of you?" Princess Ocèara inquired in a panic as the guards locked the entrance and barred it shut. Galaeron and Syrune– the king's personal guards –grabbed the princess and took her downstairs where they could make their escape. "Father!"

"We cannot stay, your highness," Galaeron informed Princess Ocèara as they retreated into the depths of Castle Valkhiir down a winding, stone staircase.

"Go, Ocèara! Go whilst he cannot yet take you!" King Callicera said to his daughter as she descended into the basement of his palace with Galaeron and Syrune. The king then turned to the gates, motioning to his guards to stay close. "Stay sharp! We must stall them for as long as possible!"

"Your majesty!" A guard who had been fighting in the streets ran to him and recalled what he had seen. "Their forces! I've never witnessed something like this! The violet cloud! It made some guards toss their helmets to the ground and abandon their post in fear altogether!"

"That was a sample of the Sorcerer of Fear's power, brave stallion." The king said with a grave face as he drew his greatsword.

"That's not all, sire! They have ponies with Brands in their ranks, and a dragon! And a swordstallion of immense power!" The guard hyperventilated as the gates began to clatter and creak. "How did such an army some to be?"

"Evil is drawn to that sorcerer like a moth to a flame." The king added as the gate began to freeze into a solid wall of red ice. "Everypony! Away from the gate! That is the work of a diafol ice-dragon!"

The gate cracked and groaned as the guards backed away from it, and it eventually shattered with great force as a weapon of immense power struck the giant mass of ice. Shards of ice pierced the armor of some of the guards, disemboweling them entirely. As the remaining guards backed away from the smashed gate, they noticed six figures stepping out of the purple cloud that dissipated as it entered the room. The first figure to emerge from the haze looked much like a dragon berserker from the Equestrian Northlands. He wore a cape made of a bear's hide and a set of leather armor that barely protected his incredibly muscular body. There were scars on his face and chest, many of which looked like claw and bite marks, and his eyes were red with cyan pupils. His scales– like a regular ice dragon's –were cyan, and his back and tail fins were jagged and gray; his horns stuck straight out of his forehead with a slight backward curve. Because of his odd eyes, the guards were hesitant to fight him, as they feared he was a devil dragon.

One guard decided to take a swing at the ice-dragon with his saber. This did not end well; the dragon's hand became coated in a red mist, and he fired a blast of red frost at his foe, freezing him instantly. "Dragon Mahaha's Freezing Shot..."

Another guard tried to attack the dragon with his flintlock pistol, but he failed miserably and was cut in two by a massive greatsword; this was the next silhouette to appear from the fog. "What admirable bravery..."

The stallion that emerged sheathed his titanic red-edged, black blade. His eyes were red with orange rings around his pupils, and this terrified the other guards, as they were the mark of a high-ranking demon. He wore a torn, short cape made of dark red feathers, and it was draped over his right shoulder. His horns were that of a great mountain goats, and they twisted around the sides of his head, parting his long pink hair so that it did not cover his face; his right horn appeared to be broken off at the end. His cream-coloured complexion greatly contrasted his very grim black knight's armor.

"I could handle him, Amon," The ice-dragon snarled at the sword-wielding stallion.

"I don't believe that to be true, Sven..." The dark knight said stoically.

"A devil dragon and a demon knight...?" Callicera muttered to himself, frozen in fear.

"Now, now, you bad colts... let's not bicker." An overwhelmingly salacious voice purred from within the fog.

The guards felt an overwhelmingly hot sensation as the next member of the group showed herself. She was attractive to the point of non-belief; her tight, black leather suit that hugged her ample chest and hourglass figure. Her half-closed, red bedroom eyes that were dusted with blue makeup, her perfect peach-coloured complexion, and long, wavy white hair flowed down her shoulders and past her hips. Every aspect of her form was utter perfection, yet the guards still felt as if there was something even more alluring to her, something they physically couldn't resist; nopony even seemed to notice the two, twisted red horns sprouting from her forehead. The two guards closest to her dropped their weapons and tossed aside their helmets, their eyes going blank. They went down on their hands and knees, praying to the mare before them as if she were some kind of divine goddess that had just blessed them with her presence.

"You're so beautiful..." One of the entrance guards said in a monotone, empty voice.

"I love you..." The other guard mumbled.

"Oh, thank you, darlings..." The gorgeous mare giggled cutely as her bat-like succubus wings unfurled. "Now... would you two do anything for me...?" She asked them. "Would you die for me...?" They nodded enthusiastically."Oh, good! Please, off-yourselves," The two guards then took their sabers and sliced their throats open, pleasing the sick succubus to point where she moaned loudly to herself, sexually excited by their act. "Oh my... you've gone and made me wet."

"I suggest you keep your oh so numerous sexual triggers to yourself, Lamia..." A gentlecolt with a proper Canterlot accent hummed to the succubus as he stepped into view. "I understand your tendencies, but it would be splendid if you could keep this as professional as possible. We are ransacking the abode of the illustrious Callicera ll after all."

The stallion that appeared next was dressed very formally; he wore an expensive black wool suit with a frilled white tie and a dark purple Garrick overcoat on top, the kind that a lawyer or a banker would wear, and he had a walking cane in his hand that matched his . Upon his head was a fancy dark purple top hat, and he wore a monocle to further accent his gentlecolt demeanor. However, no gentlecolt's attire could take away from the stallion's obviously grotesque figure. His body appeared to be nothing but skin and bones, as his legs that were covered by peach colored leggings were simply frail twigs without any flesh. His hands were long and spindly, and he wore gloves over them to conceal their true appearance. A full-face, white mask covered the stallion's expression and hid his true, possibly skeletal appearance from everypony. On his pale and discolored neck was yet another strange brand, similar to Rainbow Dash's, but the symbols were arranged into a different pattern– a swirling vortex.

A guard fired a shot at the stallion, but it simply was sucked up by his body, as if he were some kind of vacuum. The gentlecolt sighed to himself as he grabbed the handle of his walking cane, revealing the long blade sheathed within the shaft of the cane. "Oh, how bothersome and petty..." The stallion raised his blade and pointed it towards the guard who fired upon him. "Void: Lock," The guard then became surrounded by a white fog that swirled and spun, speeding up until the cloud eventually imploded, vanishing into a singularity. "My deepest apologies, good sir."

"Spare me the gentlecolt nonsense, Theodore..." A gravely, slightly muffled voice growled as a stallion wearing black, leather plague doctor attire appeared out of the haze that had nearly dissipated. The last of the guards backed away from him, fearful of his fate after witnessing his comrades being slain before his eyes. "Are you afraid? You definitely should be..." The plague doctor's left arm erupted into a shambling mass of black rats with red eyes, squirming and squealing, and the brand on his gray right hand shone a black glow. "Fester: Feast!"

The mass of tar-covered rats exploded onto the retreating guard, assimilating him into their biomass as the black blob of decay then began to retract, sinking back into the body of the stallion with the plague doctor mask. The powerful group of five then began marching towards the king.

"Your Brand is most foul, Dr. Thatches," The gentlecolt named Theodore shook his head as he sheathed his cane.

The Miriad King raised his blade to his five approaching foes, readying himself for an intense battle. "If you intend to kill me, you will not accomplish that task so easily!"

The ice dragon's hand became engulfed in an icy red mist as he raised it towards the king. "Oh, please, don't kid yourself-!"

"Halt, Sven..." A quiet, ominous voice echoed throughout the grand entrance, silencing everypony. The group stepped to the side to make room for Alptraum, their approaching master. "I shall handle him myself..."

The Sorcerer of Fear lived up to his name. His eyes were pure, crimson red with empty gray pupils, and his pale blue face appeared smooth, like porcelain. His long stark white hair, however, tended to cover his face and eyes as he moved, like a curtain blowing in the wind; his pointed miriad ears poked out of the sides of this curtain as well. Alptraum sported a simplistic black robe that descended all the way down to his hooves¬– or rather, where his hooves should have been. Near the bottom of the robe, the fabric was shredded, replaced by a veil of wispy black shadows that concealed the lower portion of his body. Then, Alptraum's hand emerged from his black robe with a saber in hand, pointed right at the king's heart.

"Where is the scroll?" Alptraum asked the king in his low but quiet voice.

"I will never tell you, fool!" Callicera shouted at him as he prepared his blade.

"So be it..." Alptraum scoffed as he readied his weapon.

Alptraum lunged forward with blinding speed, but Callicera was an experienced duellist, and he was able to block Alptraum's overhead strike with relative ease. Alptraum danced in the air as he continued to hammer away at his defenses as if he weighed nothing, a draft lifting him off of the ground as he spun and slashed with wild grace. The king parried and blocked, strafed and evaded Alptraum's attacks, but he knew he was outmatched in terms of offensive power and sophistication. He was driven back, running backward up the grand staircase as Alptraum continued to relentlessly pursue him. The king knew Alptraum was holding back, as he had in his arsenal a plethora of dark magic and vampiric strength. However, Alptraum, being of noble bloodline, still followed the miriad codes of honor, and he fought with his saber to the best of his natural ability, which was more than overwhelming to say the very least.

"I must stay alive long enough for her to escape..." Callicera thought to himself as he received a debilitating slash to the thigh from Alptraum's saber. "I must!"

The princess and her guards exited the castle through the secret exit, mowing down Alptraum's vampire grunts as they made their way to the harbor where their ship was docked. Syrune managed to fend off enough vampires with her bow to clear a path, and Galaeron's twin blades were doused with holy water. They had fought vampires before, as there were many in Ccrondil. However, they only appeared in small groups, never gathering into an army like the one that had just destroyed the capital so quickly.

"Please, princess! This way!" Syrune shouted to Princess Ocèara as she brought down more vampires with her bow– arrows tipped with garlic extract. They all descended wooden stairs through the coastal district of the city, leaping over the burning debris that covered the scorched ground. The escape ship coasted by the platform pier that stretched out into the harbor, and this forced Galaeron to take the princess in his arms and carry her down, as her gown greatly slowed her pace. If they didn't make it to the ship in time, they would be landlocked in the ransacked city until the ship could loop around again, and by that time, they would surely be killed.

"Father!" The princess screamed with tears in her eyes as she watched the king battle Alptraum atop the great tower where he down upon his majestic kingdom. "He's in pain! Can't we do anything?!"

"Please, he is buying us time! We must go! We need to make it to the end of the pier or the ship will miss us!" Galaeron said as he hastened his pace, racing towards the end of the burning pier; the ship was getting closer and closer with each of Galaeron's strides.

Syrune strapped her bow to her back as she prepared to jump onto the ship that passed by. "Get ready! Here it comes!"

Galaeron jumped first, landing on his back to protect the princess from the impact, and Syrune grabbed onto the outer railing of the ship, barely able to hold on. Quickly, Galaeron reacted, setting the princess down and grabbing Syrune's hand before she could fall into the water. He pulled her up, and as he did so the ship turned sharply before it could hit another docked ship.

"Quickly, Galaeron! Use a vanishing stone before Alptraum discovers our whereabouts!" Syrune reminded Galaeron, to which the miriad stallion reached into his pocket and brought out a glowing white crystal. He crushed it in his hand, and within mere seconds, the ship turned invisible. "They won't be able to catch us now. The stone's effect should last us the duration of our trip south."

The princess helped her two bodyguards to their hooves, and as she did so, she heard the sound of clashing swords echo from up above in the king's tower. "Father!" Princess Ocèara exclaimed as she watched struggle to fend off Alptraum.

For the last time, the king looked down upon his city– ruined in mere moments. He looked down at the harbor, where he assumed their ship was. He could feel his daughter's sadness, her confusion, and it pained him to not be able to look into her eyes before he died. The king knew what he had to do for his citizens; he had to sacrifice himself for their sake, for the sake of the Ccrondil and the Blacklands. The king closed his eyes as he began to lighten his defense, letting Alptraum hack away at his armor. As he fell to his knees, Alptraum grabbed him by the throat, lifting him up before he could fall.

"Where is the Eclipse Scroll?!" Alptraum bellowed as his black saber disintegrated into a shadowy mist.

"You fool... I've sent a letter to Equestria. Luna will assemble the Cadre. She will vanquish you..." The king choked.

"Do you think I care?! I want Luna here! I want her to see what I've done! And I will kill her before she even gets the chance to use that blade!" Alptraum snarled as his grasp on the king's throat tightened. "Farewell, fair king! Your rule was grand, but mine shall be eternal!"

"NO!" The princess shrieked as she dropped to her knees.

Alptraum drove his hand through the king's chest, crushing his heart. And as the king began to choke on his blood, Alptraum held him over the edge of his tower. The king felt his life flash before his eyes, and he heard his ancestors call out to him, telling him that it was his time. The king thought to himself quietly as he dangled over the ground below.

"Farewell, my fair city. Farwell, my subjects. And farewell, my sweet child. May your mother's spirit tend to your broken heart. May the Light guide your path, and may you live on into the next age so that you may take my place in this tower. Farewell."

"FATHER!" The princess shouted in horror as she watched Alptraum drop him, walking away with a smile on his face. However, she knew her outburst was pointless, as the vanishing stone completely masked her voice. "Father..."

Galaeron placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, but she didn't seem to respond. "I'm-... sorry. He was a good stallion and an honorable king."

"Galaeron, how long should it take us to get to the outpost?" Syrune tried to interject in the most polite way possible, but the urgency of their situation demanded rudeness.

"One week at the most..." Galaeron said as the ship began to make headway into The Grand Sea. "I'm not certain how long it will take for the letter to reach the Equestrians, but I believe they will arrive at the outpost just as soon as we will. Their ships are some of the fastest in the world."

"But, Galaeron, what about the changeling blockade along The Grand Sea? Won't they have a hard time dealing with them?"

"With the Night Princess on their side? I doubt they'll have any trouble." Galaeron answered her as she brought Princess Ocèara to her hooves and dusted her gown off. "Come, princess... let's get you to your quarters."

****

Constantine raised his goblet to his mouth, sniffing the red liquid, savoring its aged perfection. He took a sip, then placed the goblet down on the arm of his throne. As Emperor of the Changeling Empire, Constantine's true colors began to show. He was cruel, unapologetic, and megalomaniacal to the point of no return. He was a tyrant, but he kept the public fooled with his newspapers and his extensive propaganda campaigns. The food in the nation was rationed for the empire's soldiers, and hoarders were sentenced to execution without trial. While starvation wasn't too big of an issue within the urban centers, the peasants suffered greatly under the heavy taxes of Constantine's reign.

Chrysalis had given up all of her power to Constantine, and it was only until it was too late that she realized this. After ousting the Changeling Council, Constantine set up his own Dark Council; an amalgamation of his four new, powerful non-changeling generals from the farthest reaches of the Blacklands. They often sat around him on a large dining room table, with Constantine at the end, discussing battle strategies and politics. Chrysalis sat at the end, watching the generals debate as she thought to herself quietly.

"A spy has informed me that Alptraum has taken Caven Isle. The rest of Ccrondil shall surely follow. Everything has gone according to plan, your Excellency ." Said Pierre Moreau, the former miriad general who sat to the right of the table, closest to Constantine. "I assume you wish to mobilize your forces soon...?"

Pierre Moreau was known far and wide for his mastery of the rapier and his powerful Acoustic Brand, a Brand on the palm of his left hand shaped like a sound wave, and one that could level buildings with the power of sound. His attire as a changeling general was similar to that of his previous uniform when he was a miriad general. He wore a feathered musketeer hat with his expensive, general long coat. Pierre also brandished a black goatee with a pointed mustache. And like all miriads, Pierre had a sky-blue coat of fur, emerald green eyes, and longer ears than common ponies and his complexion went well with his mostly navy blue outfit.

"Not quite yet, Pierre. Alptraum wishes to face Luna alone for now. Our troops are spread out far enough as it is, and I am not keen on the idea of fighting a war on three fronts." Constantine replied as he took a sip from his wine glass. "We'll humor him for now and let Luna pass the blockade. Although we shouldn't make it too obvious we're letting her pass."

"I agree," General Sky Runner added as she grabbed her own wine glass. "We must put our trust in this sorcerer for now."

A former commander of the Equestrian Pegasus Corps, General Sky Runner was an influential figure in Cloudsdale. However, she defected from her military position– like most of the other generals – and she joined Constantine, craving action and a higher pay. And like the rest of the generals, Sky Runner had a Brand on her forehead, the diamond Magic Crystal Brand. With it, her body could transform into a magic crystal with many mystical abilities. Her bright orange-red hair was done up in a very long and poofy ponytail that went down to her hips, and her silver complexion went very well with her lovely yellow eyes. Her general long coat was structurally much like the rest, but hers and the other generals had a coat with their own flourish. The epaulettes, the collars, and the cuffs on the coat were made with a general's color of choice in mind. Sky Runner's color of choice was orange-red.

"Granted, we should probably step in if they're gettin' their asses handed to em'. Those damn Equestrians will no doubt be sendin' Luna out with some heavy support. You think they'll be backin' her up with that fleet admiral of theirs?" Said General Rick Racer, a former Ausrüstung field commander, who sat between Pierre and Chrysalis. "If that's the case, we should that little ambassador protégé of yours, Emperor Constantine."

"A good idea..." Constantine nodded his head as he took yet another sip from his goblet.

General Racer was a hot-headed, loud-mouthed individual, but he was well known for his quick thinking in the heat of battle and his unstoppable willpower. Racer defected not long after the defeat of Gek and the signing of the Old Glory Treaty, a trading agreement created by the Ausrüstung government and the Equestrians. It was created to better the tense relations between the two nations. However, the paper was met with much criticism by the right wing of the Ausrüstung Government, who supported isolationism, and it caused some military leaders in Ausrüstung to abandon their posts entirely, looking for jobs elsewhere in the world.

The hot-head general with olive green fur sported a blonde brush cut that was slicked back with hair gel, and his brown eyes were often covered by his aviators. His overcoat's secondary color was a faded yellow, the same as his blonde hair. A cigar was always in his mouth, and his Brand, the Boom Brand– a formation of runic symbols that created an explosion –was just below his right eye. With the Boom Brand, General Racer's body was literally made of explosions.

"Aye, send that dragon of yours," Said General Cain Carmerax, the former Zhophziis chieftain who sat between Chrysalis and Sky Runner.

Cain left the Mountain Zhophziis Kingdom of the south after their embarrassing defeat at the hands of their northern neighbors, the Forest Zhophziis. They fractured his warrior kingdom and nearly wiped out his race with the help of the Ausrüstrians. Admittedly, he wasn't looking forward to working with Racer, but such 0artnership was necessary in desperate times.

Cain sported his Spartan armor beneath his long coat, and he wore his chieftain's helmet to hide the terrible scars on his face, and the brand on his chin, the Turn Brand, which was shaped like a revolving circle of arrows. The Turn Brand could shake and shift the land, stir up powerful gusts of wind, and it could even create whirlpools in the sea. It was a Brand of immense power that he had stumbled across in his first battle against the Kusckons, and with his murderous and unpredictable nature, the Turn Brand was a dangerous tool in his hands. Cain's Zhophziis tusks stuck out of his helmet, and his overcoat's secondary color was steel gray, the color of a sharpened spear, Cain's weapon of choice to go along with his massive shield.

"Constantine... what about our subjects?" Chrysalis said meekly at the end of the table. "The peasants? What shall we do about the food shortages in the countryside?"

"They shall endure, my dear, as they always have. This war is not won yet." Constantine replied to her bluntly as he took another drink from his goblet.

"And how long will that take, Constantine?!" Chrysalis exploded as she rose from her seat in a threatening manner.

"I do not appreciate your tone, Empress! And you shall call me 'your Excellency', harlot!" Constantine bellowed as he stood up. "You dare criticize my judgment?! After I'll I've done for you and my citizens?!"

"My citizens, Constantine! And I am not your Empress!" Chrysalis barked at him as he slammed her hand on the table. "All you have given my children is famine, militarism, and defeat at the hands of Wantthai!"

Constantine's eyes darkened as he sat back down on his throne, and his tone of voice changed to a cold, empty growl. "I believe I shall call upon my ambassador now. Thank you, General Carmerax, General Racer..." He snapped his fingers, summoning his ambassador. "Come in, Fang..."

A door close to Chrysalis' chair opened, and a dragon stepped into the meeting room, a malicious smirk on his face. He was average height for a young dragon of his age and quite built. His scales were purple and his round back fins were red, and his green eyes were dark and ominous. His short snout was filled with very sharp teeth, similar to a shark's maw. And he sported a less extensive, changeling scout long coat. His tail whipped about excitedly as he approached Queen Chrysalis.

"What is it your desire, your Excellency?" The young dragon named Fang asked as Chrysalis began to tremble in fear.

"I would like you to go to the Ccrondil capital of Caven Isle. There, you will meet with our ally, Alptraum. You shall do as he asks... but whatever happens, do not let your identity be known to Draven's crew. Do you understand?" Constantine instructed the young dragon.

"Yes, your Excellency..." Fang nodded.

"Very good," Constantine grinned as he looked over to Chrysalis, who was tempted to flee in terror. "There is one more thing I'd like you to do for me, Fang. Please dispose of Queen Chrysalis for me, will you?"

"As you wish, Emperor Constantine," Fang's right hand ignited into a purple flame, one that was poisonous and filled with malice. He opened the glass doors leading out to the balcony that overlooked the canyon below; a canyon that was hundreds of feet in depth with a shallow river at the bottom. He then pushed Chrysalis against the railing of the balcony, raising his flaming hand for an attack.

"No, please! Don't do this!" Chrysalis begged Fang grabbed her by the throat.

"I'm sorry, my dear... but you have simply outgrown your usefulness," Constantine said with a blank expression as he took another sip from his goblet.

"Dragon Duke's Caustic Fist!" Fang's fist impacted Chrysalis' chest, causing her to gasp and her heart to skip a beat. The force of the blow also pushed her off of the balcony, causing her to tumble into the canyon below. "It is done, your Excellency..."

"Well done, Fang! Now go away, and tend to that business in Ccrondil. Get there before Draven or the Equestrians can." Constantine ordered Fang as a cook emerged from another door, serving him and his generals. "Your time will come soon..."

Fang's flame disappeared as he closed the glass doors, turning to face Constantine. "Yes, father..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Seventy Four: The Red Koi Departs!

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In the afternoon, Luna walked down the long corridor into Celestia's war room, where Equestria's military leaders, The Big Three, were gathering. She had received the letter from the miriads that morning, and in response, her sister called an emergency meeting to sort out the issue. Luna knew what had to be done, but she also knew her sister wouldn't be too keen on the idea of her leaving Equestria in the midst of a war. However, Luna couldn't ignore Alptraum; if he went unchecked, it could mean victory for Constantine and his growing army.

Two guards saluted Luna as she approached the door, and they opened it for her. She paused to thank them, then entered, sitting down at the round table in the middle of the circular chamber. Celestia sat on a chair that faced the entryway, and she greeted her sister with a nod and a 'come hither' gesture. "Please, sit."

Luna sat in the chair across from her sister, looking down at the detailed map set on the table. To Luna's right was Field Marshal Fury Heart, Equestria's High Commander of the Army. Admittedly, Luna had never met her before, nor had she met any of the other members of The Big Three in all her years as a princess. They were often behind the scenes individuals, never really wanting any unwanted attention. The Field Marshal was an earthpony in her mid-forties with white fur, green eyes, and a blonde mane; she was fit and quite attractive for her age, but she exuded an aura of extreme grit and determination. And such a demeanor was understandable, given her reputation. The Field Marshal, better known as The White Tigress, was known far and wide for her numerous victories in The First Changeling War, where she orchestrated many genius strategies that eventually led to the defeat of Chrysalis. She earned her nickname, 'The White Tigress', after defeating a rare albino tiger with her Claw Brand on a remote island in the southern regions of Equestria. And after that incident, the Field Marshal kept the great beast's fur as a trophy, wearing it around her standard issue, white Equestrian officer's long coat and uniform like a cape.

"Ah, Princess Luna, you're just in time." The Field Marshal said as she adjusted her monocle. She then looked over to the vacant seat next to her. "However, I believe Fleet Admiral Pisces is running late, sadly. He shall be here shortly."

"He's most likely getting held up by that damn crew of his..." Air Marshal Bloodquill chuckled as he scratched the tip of his beak. "Wouldn't be the first time."

The griffon sitting next to Celestia was in his early sixties and just about as tall as her– which was quite tall –and he sported a gray brush cut, similar to his silver, red-tipped feathers that were all over his body. His thick, rounded glasses sat in front of his large blue eyes and on top of his yellow beak. Admittedly, the Marshal's face looked more like a wise old owl than a cunning eagle, perhaps this was due to his older age. His red-feathered wings also stuck out of his white Equestrian officer's uniform and long coat.

Grand Air Marshal Bloodquill hailed from Griffonstone and was a fairly unique griffon to say the very least. He had left his hometown at a young age to enroll in the Equestrian Flying Academy and set records that lasted up until Rainbow Dash came around. He was known to get along well with ponies– a rare trait for a griffon. Marshal Bloodquill managed all aerial, military operations in wartime concerning pegasi and griffons in the military. He concocted brilliant diversionary strategies, and like the other members of The Big Three, he wasn't afraid to jump into the fight himself as Marshal Bloodquill was a master of the saber.

"Ah, regardless, we should get down to business. I'm sure Admiral Pisces wouldn't mind." Celestia began her explanation to Luna as she pointed to Ccrondil on the map. "As you all already know, Alptraum currently controls Caven Isle, the capital. The north has fallen to him, but the lords of the southern cities are currently fighting back with everything at their disposal."

"They will not hold out for long," Field Marshal Fury Heart added as she pointed at the mountainside that hugged the southern regions of Ccrondil. "They have no supplies from the north, and the Cloudsreach Mountains block them from ever reaching Wantthai. They're stuck there until they surrender, or we show up."

"Then we mustn't waste time in that case," Luna chimed in as she offered up her idea. "Once I join up with Draven's crew in the south outpost, I can enter Ccrondil through the farthest south seaport, Illioa's Rest. From there, with the help of his crew, hopefully, I'll be able to reinforce the troops in the south regions and work my way up from there."

Celestia pondered over Luna's plan as one of the servants in the war room poured her a glass of red wine. She raised the glass to her mouth, then took a drink. And as she placed it on the table, she voiced her opinion. "Luna... are you certain that this is what you want? I can lead whilst you're gone, but... I think you need an escort. The Blood Moon will limit your powers, you know that-."

"Sister, I can handle myself, Blood Moon or not," Luna answered her bluntly, not realizing how beat up her sister was over the whole ordeal until she saw the disappointed look on her face. "Oh, Celestia, I'm-."

"I can escort her– my crew and me..." A husky, strong voice stated from the entryway. It was Admiral Pisces, dressed in his finest uniform.

The fleet admiral was not a dragon of fashion, but he wore his white navy uniform with pride. His white long coat that was over his frock coat sported large, golden epaulettes, and his collar was laced with golden silk. On the back of his long coat that he hung around his back like a cape, was a red koi, a symbol of endurance and perseverance in his homeland island of Shuǐcūn. The koi not only represented his ancestors, but it also represented his powerful crew that he had hand-picked, The Leaping Koi. Admiral Pisces' snout was much like a beak, though it was lined with a row of sharp teeth like a shark or some other predatory fish, and two long whiskers– possibly sensory organs –stretched downwards out of the end of his snout like a mustache. He had pale blue scales and very vivid purple eyes, and his blue webbed head and back fins were patted down like a mane of hair to make room for the white, peaked admiral cap laced with gold on his head. In his mouth was a corn-cob pipe, and strapped to his back was his signature weapon of choice, a golden trident.

The water lord-dragon, Fleet Admiral Horatio Pisces– formally known in his home province as Jiao-long Lin –was by far the most recognized and respected individuals in Equestria, and he was the most experienced out of all other admirals in the Royal Navy; granted, his lengthy dragon lifespan was sort of an unfair advantage. His mastery over The Dragon Disciplines and his elemental abilities struck fear into the hearts of Equestria's foes whenever he stepped into the fight. And it was said that Admiral Pisces once churned the sea to become so violent, it wiped away a pirate fleet. Being that he was over four-thousand years old, many rumors regarding his power were often over-exaggerated. But regardless, once Admiral Pisces was in the ocean, he was unbeatable; hence his nickname amongst his navy comrades, 'The Sea God'.

"Admiral Pisces, welcome," Celestia greeted the large water-dragon as he sat down next to Luna. "You said you were willing to escort my sister?"

Luna was shocked to see the muscular Admiral Pisces in the flesh; he was a few inches taller than Celestia (and she had to have been two meters tall), and her sister had to have been two meters in height. She could feel the strength radiate off of him like a roaring ocean, and she could almost hear crashing waves with his every breath. And the frightening part about it was that he didn't seem all too serious. In fact, he was quite chipper in that moment.

"Yes, my crew and I are more than capable of aiding the princess on this mission," The admiral nodded as he rested his trident against the table.

"But, Jiao-long... what of the navy?" Luna found it quite odd that Celestia called him by his real name. "We can't go without a fleet admiral during wartime."

"With all due respect, Princess Celestia, I believe Equestria's other admirals are more than capable of handling her navy in my absence." The admiral said as he lit his pipe and crossed his arms.

"I suppose," Celestia thought it over as she looked down at the map of the world. "How long will it take for you to arrive at the outpost?"

"Less than a week," The admiral answered, smoke billowing out of his nostrils."I plan on being there just as Princess Ocèara arrives. I'll send a letter via raven to the outpost."

"Less than a week?!" Fury Heart and Bloodquill shouted, questioning the sanity of their naval comrade.

"Fleet Admiral Pisces, that's insanity," Field Marshal Fury Heart shook her head at the idea. "A voyage to the Blacklands will take no less than two weeks-!"

"Enough," Celestia silenced Bloodquill and Fury Heart's outrage. "Less than a week it is."

Luna was gobsmacked by the trust Celestia had in the admiral, it was unheard of to Luna. Perhaps this was the Celestia she never didn't know, the side of her that watched over Equestria in her absence. Back then, perhaps the admiral was the only shoulder Celestia could lean on, the only individual she trusted just as much as her. Luna pondered over this for a moment, but quickly returned to reality once she saw the admiral rise from his seat, gesturing to her to stand up.

"Thank you, your highness..." The admiral shook Celestia's hand as he made his way to the exit. "I'll leave right away. Come, Princess Luna."

"Goodbye, Jiao-long," Celestia bowed her head for a moment, reluctant to say anything to her sister. However, she worked up the courage then and there, and she raised her hand to stop her sister from walking out on her. "Wait, Luna..."

"Yes, sister...?" Luna said as she turned back to face her.

"Please... be careful," Celestia got up from her seat and hugged her tightly– right in front of The Big Three. "Come back safe and sound, alright?"

"I will, Celestia. I promise," Luna patted Celestia once on the back as she broke the hug. "I'll see you soon..."

"Goodbye..." Celestia muttered to herself as the others left the room, leaving her alone.

****

The Royal Navy dockyards were as lively as ever. Ships entered and exited the harbor constantly, either returning troops or picking them up to be shipped out to Wantthai. Luna walked down a pier lined with shops and stands, many of which were for refreshments. The barracks were at the end of the pier, and smaller piers jutted out of the larger one, leading to hundreds of warships. The military machine of Equestria was kicked into overdrive once the war began, and it steadily increased its ambitious shipbuilding projects tenfold.

Luna¬, who was wearing a white officer's frock coat and a blue scarf, walked down the main pier with Admiral Pisces beside her. Typically, guards would often accompany Luna if she would take a stroll in the city. However, the admiral was more than enough protection for anypony. Guards, marines, shopkeepers, it didn't matter who; everypony saluted the admiral as he walked by, and he'd tip his hat to each one with a grin and a nod. There was no denying the admiral's popularity dwarfed hers.

"It must be tiring– being as well-known as you are," Luna spoke up as she walked alongside the admiral to his ship.

"Ah, it isn't like this all the time, your majesty..." The admiral said as he lit his corn-cob pipe. "I'm simply in my element. If we were in your castle I'd be downright ignored."

"Yes, I suppose," Luna chuckled as she waved to a passerby. "You know, I haven't ever met you, Admiral... isn't that odd? Perhaps I've become a bit of a recluse..."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that your majesty," The admiral laughed as he tucked one hand in his pocket. "And you may call me Pisces, your majesty. I'm not a fan of big titles. Besides, you are Celestia's sister."

"Ah, of course, my apologies..." Luna nodded as they reached the end of the pier where Admiral Pisces's ship was docked. "Oh, my goodness..."

The Red Koi was a marvel to be sure. Its sails were pristine and void of dirt or gunk, and there were many patterns on them, including the large red koi in the center of the mainsail. The ship was armed to the teeth with various cannons of different size and design. There were smaller deck guns along the railing of the ship top, and three long ramps descended down to the pier. The two wider ramps were being used by ship-hands to load cargo, and the narrower ramp in the middle loaded the crew on who took the supplies down to the hold. Sitting next to the ship was the main crew, Pisces' elite crew mates. They sat and gave orders to the ship hands.

"Ah, there they are! The dragon of the hour and our esteemed guest on this fine vessel!" An approaching stallion grinned as he broke off from the grouping of elite members, removing his black bowler hat and bowing before Luna and his captain. "It's an honor to make your acquaintance, Princess Luna."

"Thank you, kind sir," Luna beamed as she shook the stallion's hand.

The stallion that bowed to Luna was a very spry and eager young stallion with a very charismatic and cunning expression. His fur was bright red, he had a periwinkle mane, and his amber eyes were full of excitement and adventure. He wore a tweed vest over a white dress shirt, and on top of that was a white officer's long coat with the red koi on the back.

"Princess Luna, this is my First Mate and Master Gunner, Vice-Admiral Rummy Fawkes ," Admiral Pisces introduced the young stallion to her with pride. "Rummy? Care to introduce the rest of the crew?"

"It would be my pleasure!" Rummy hummed as he walked over to the rest of his group with a skip in his step. "Hey, fellas! Come and meet Princess Luna!"

Three members of the group followed Rummy over to Luna. The first was a changeling. He was a head taller than Rummy, and he was a scarred one to be sure. His navy blue carapace was quite damaged around his neck, and his left eye was pure white with a scar across it. His ears were also very damaged, and he wore a striped, red and black bandana around his short, dark green hair. The frilled blue, buttoned dress shirt he wore was covered by his white long coat that had the koi ensign, and he wore brown pants with it. There was also a small, white cat with blue eyes on his shoulder, purring and rubbing up against his neck. Which was odd, considering that the norm for a mariner's pet was usually a parrot or avian of some sort.

"Nice to meet ya... name's Dross." The changeling grinned as he bowed before Luna. Then he gestured to his cat. "And this beauty here is Pearl."

"Rear-Admiral Dross is our carpenter and doctor on this vessel," Rummy informed Luna as he fiddled around with a coin in his pocket. "He's good with lumber, let me tell you! And he's one hell of a fighter too!" Rummy said as he pointed to the mark on his hand. "Ain't that right, Dross?"

"Aye," Dross nodded as he gave his cat a scratch under the chin.

The next member of the main crew was an ice dragon; short, fairly thin, a little taller than Spike. He wore a wide, toothy smile on his face that didn't seem to go away, and he was constantly fidgeting as if he always had something on his mind. He wore a red dress shirt and blue jeans, and he wore his koi long coat like Pisces¬– a cape around his back.

"Hey there! It's an honor to meet you, your majesty!" Cyro beamed as he shook her hand and bowed.

The other elite was a short stallion, around a head shorter than Luna. His fur was white and his black mane was short and spiky, and it was brushed back like a hedgehog. He wore a red bandana around his head and a red, ceremonial Northland monk garb with a black sash around his waist to hold it together. On top of his regular garb was his koi long coat as well.

"It is an absolute honor, your majesty," Jhettei said firmly as he bowed in respect to the Night Princess.

"This is Leading Hand Cyro Dreyfus and Jhettei Shinohara. They're our 'elites-in-training'!" Rummy introduced Luna to the new additions as he looked around for the last member of Pisces' inner circle.

"A pleasure to be acquainted with you both," Luna turned to Admiral Pisces, who was looking for somepony. "Admiral, have you lost somepony...?"

"No, she's just hiding behind the sail..." Pisces said with a groan in his voice, as if he had been through that situation countless times before. He shouted to his main sail with smoke billowing out of his nostrils. "Daisy, come out right now!"

"You forgot the magic word..." A high-pitched, cutesy voice squeaked from above.

"Daisy, Princess Luna is here..." Rummy coaxed the unseen mare, and with a great thud, she landed on the deck of the ship, causing the boat to bob.

Daisy was not a regular pony; she was much, much larger than any mare Luna had seen. Daisy was a giant. Luna had heard about giants living on the southern islands of the Blacklands, but she never actually had seen one in the flesh before. Daisy was only a few inches taller than Pisces, and by Luna's standards, she considered him to be a giant. The giant named Daisy appeared to be in her mid-twenties, and she wore a green blouse and a magenta skirt with beige leggings underneath that went down to her massive hooves; all of her clothes were tailored specifically to cover her much larger body. Like the rest of her elite group, she wore a white long coat with the red koi symbol. Her eyes were bright orange and full of wonder, her long, wavy blonde mane was decorated with flowers and went down to her hips, she had sleek mauve fur, and she sported balanced figure for a female giant of her age. She was certainly pretty, though, not very many stallions would openly admit to eyeing-up a mare of her size; most would often feel a little threatened in the shadow of a mare as large as her.

"Hello, hello, hello!" Daisy bowed then shook Luna's hand excitedly, unintentionally lifting Luna off the ground with the overwhelmingly strong waving motion of her handshake and throwing her into the air momentarily before she realized that she had let her foal-like enthusiasm get the better of her. "Oh! Sorry, sorry, sorry! I'm very sorry, your majesty!"

"It's... quite alright..." Luna said slowly as she shook her head, trying to regain her balance after that sudden shock to her system. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well..."

"Well, now that we've all been introduced, I think it's time we set sail. Time is of the essence," Admiral Pisces piped up as he looked towards his ship hands who were moving the last of the supplies. "How's the loading going?"

"Pretty good, Admiral Pisces..." A stallion in navy attire said as he struggled to lift a crate full of cannons off of the pier with his seven other comrades.

"Daisy, give that poor colt a helping hand, will you?" Admiral Pisces instructed the gentle giant.

"Sure thing, Gramps!" Daisy hummed cheerfully as she walked over to the groaning marines with a skip in her step. She then worked her fingers under the crate and lifted it onto her shoulder as if it were as simple as breathing. "There we go!"

Luna gawked at Daisy's amazing display of strength. Cannonballs were usually particularly heavy, especially solid shot (the ones within the crate that Daisy picked up), and the fact that she lifted them without any effort at all was astonishing; Luna was convinced that there was something more to her than just muscle. She had to have had some aid to help her lift the cannonballs.

"Based on your expression, you're probably wondering why she can lift all of those cannonballs, right...?" Rummy guessed as he stood beside Luna. "See that mark on the back of her neck? That's the Scale Brand. With that, she can decrease and increase the weight of objects as she pleases."

Luna narrowed her eyes to get a glimpse of the back of Daisy's head, and sure enough, there it was; a Brand shaped like a banker's scale. "Interesting... I haven't seen many Brand-users in quite a long time– not since my last visit to the Blacklands. Are there any other Brand-users on your ship, Vice-Admiral?"

"Why yes, as a matter of fact..." Rummy loosened the collar on his dress shirt to show Luna the Brand on the lower part of his neck. "This is the Gunpowder Brand– lets me generate and manipulate... well, gunpowder!" Rummy said as he made a tiny spark on the tip of his index finger. "Oh, and Dross has one too. It's called the Chimera Brand– lets him morph his body so that-... tell you what, I'll get Dross to show ya. Hey, Dross!"

"Yeah...?" Dross shouted back to Rummy as he left the ship and descended down the ramp to talk to his crewmate.

"Show Princess Luna what you can do..." Rummy requested; to which, the changeling's left hand began to morph and twist, turning into a bear's paw, then a lion's claw, and then a mass of snakes. "Pretty cool, right?"

Luna was a little more shocked by Dross' grotesque ability than impressed; this was really something Twilight would've been far more interested in. "Indeed..."

"Admiral Pisces! We're ready to go!" A marine shouted down to Pisces as he began loading the two cargo ramps.

"Alright, let's get going, your majesty," Admiral Pisces said as he ascended the wide middle ramp with Luna following him not far behind. "I'll have Vice-Admiral Rummy show you to your quarters once we leave the dockyards."

"Very well," Luna nodded in agreement as she looked at the sails above that began to fold. She shuffled over to Rummy to inquire about the odd function. "Vice-Admiral, why are the ship's sails folding?"

"The sails are folding everypony! The sails are folding!" One of the crew members shouted to those who were close to The Red Koi, to which they proceeded to scatter in a panic.

"You don't just get to the Blacklands in less than a week using just the wind!" Rummy said with a cunning grin and a wink as he pointed to the water that began to rise beneath the keel of the ship. "When you've got the most powerful water dragon on the planet managing your ship, you use the sea !"

"Brace yourselves!" Pisces warned his crew as he jumped to the forecastle deck of his ship, trident in hand.

"Oh dear..." Luna muttered to herself as she grabbed onto a rope attached to the main mast.

"Forward!" Pisces bellowed as he thrust his trident forward, launching the boat out of the dockyard like a cannonball using the force of the water that built up around the bow.

"Isn't this the best way to travel?!" Rummy shouted as a brisk wind began to overshadow his voice.

"I was never really a fan of sailing!" Luna screamed as she held her crown down with her free hand, eyes wide from a rush of adrenaline.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Seventy Five: The Path

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The outpost, Ranger's Fort, unlike the rest of the Equestrian colony of the southeastern Blacklands, was mostly intact, save for the watchtowers of the northern walls– the ones facing New Canterlot. New Canterlot was quite a mess to the far north of the city from Constantine's lightning-fast offensives, but the outpost was mostly safe from the attack, as it only lasted for so long; it was an attack meant to instill fear rather than actually cripple the Equestrians.

Ranger's Fort was more like a castle than an actual fort, a rallying point for New Canterlot guards and arriving marines who were deployed to the front on Wantthai. It's stone walls were strong and sturdy, and the taller watchtower to the south remained intact. Within the walls were barracks, an armory, a large, wide open training ground, and a dockyard. And the castle in the center housed Equestrian ambassadors and important nobles; this is where Draven and his crew stayed. They had so far only been there for three days, and they spent most of their time outside enjoying the beauty of the coastal city. Spike, however, spent most of his time in the training grounds with Draven. Twilight, Fluttershy, and Nick usually stayed to watched him train with their captain on a table nearby.

"Alright, Spike– just like we practiced!" Draven said to his student as his hands began to surge with thunderous power, and he bent down into a combative stance to prepare for Spike's oncoming assault. "Use your increased speed when using Dragon Fury! Get past my guard, lad!"

Over the course of their five-week journey to the east, Spike had learned quite a lot from Draven. He taught him the basics of The Dragon Disciplines; Dragon Shatter, Dragon Sense, and Dragon Wave. Although, Draven was not too knowledgeable when it came to teaching another art of dragon magic, Dragon Skin. In his own words, 'I'm not much of a teacher, lad! I'm a brawler!'. Draven taught him more about Dragon Fury over those five weeks, but not nearly enough to master it. Regardless, Spike had learned as much as he could from the thunder dragon, and he had many opportunities to hone his new abilities on the many pirates who tried to attack their ship during their voyage. His power had grown a fair bit to be sure. Spike's attire had changed as well. He ditched his old orange, buttoned jacket, and replaced it with a far sturdier, brown and buttoned, hooded-vest. He also switched out his usual jean shorts for a more flexible cotton knee-breeches held up by a long red sash that hung down low. Spike also adopted more rugged, open-toed , brown leather sandals, replacing his old and worn out flip-flops.

"Alright, Draven!" Spike shouted on the other side of the training area as his back fins ignited in an emerald blaze with a deep breath; he had been practicing the activation time of this form, as it often was difficult to use before due to the strain it put on his body. "Dragon Fury!"

"Wow, Spikey's getting good!" Nick clapped excitedly as he watched the young dragon blast off towards Draven.

"He certainly is, isn't he...?" Twilight smiled at Nick she adjusted the mechanical prosthetic hand Evelyn gave her before she left.

Nick didn't stay in Ausrüstung like Marie had. He actually snuck onboard when the Hydra was about to set sail east. Nick was later discovered after a member of the crew found that a portion of their rations was missing, and while he was met with many doubts at first once Draven accepted him into the crew, he soon proved to be a very valuable asset to them. Nick had a knack for fixing things, and his extra chain-appendages simplified most of the work and heavy-lifting on the ship. Eventually, the crew adored him, much to his discomfort, as he still was very shy unless accompanied by Fluttershy. And Nick, being the bright young colt that he was, learned more and more words from Fluttershy, who educated him daily when he had free time.

"That's it, Spike! Now, use quick thrusts to evade whatever I throw at ya, lad!" Draven launched blasts of lightning from his hands to knock Spike out of the air, but they missed Spike, who used small blasts of fire that escaped his palms to redirect himself in mid-air; his speed was quite blinding. "Don't be airborne for too long! You'll guzzle all of your energy if you keep using your fire like that! Use your elemental power sparingly! Try out some of those new attacks you've been working on to complement Dragon Fury!"

"Alright!" Spike shouted with a grin as the flames around his feet faded away, and he finally reached Draven. He cocked back his fist, then he released a quick burst of flame like a jet engine as he slammed his open hand into Draven's lighting barrier. "Furious Dragon King's Thruster Punch!"

The attack let out a booming noise as Spike's hand impacted the wall of energy around Draven, and the flames scattered outwards around the dome of lightning. His Dragon Fury attacks were a lot more physical, more reliant on Spike's draconic strength than his elemental abilities. This allowed Spike to focus more and more and honing his hand to hand combat skills, and he showed great improvement over the past five weeks.

"Follow-up, Spike! Shatter my guard!" Draven hinted to use Dragon Shatter, and Spike picked up on this instantly. "Use what I taught you to find the weak point in my guard! Use Dragon Sense!"

Spike took a deep breath, closing his eyes. The world slowed for a moment as he entered a calm state of mind, an ethereal plane. Blue, arcane energy coated his hand as he loaded another palm strike, and he stepped back to analyze Draven's defense. As he narrowed his eyes, he could see a small blue crack in the middle of Draven's shield, a metaphysical fault line in Draven's elemental energies. However, as he thrust his hand forward, his hand fizzled, and his mind became muddled and blurry. He lost focus, and in an instant, the arcane energies building up in his hand faded away, and he tumbled forward on his face.

"Ow..." Spike grumbled with his head in the dirt.

"Looks like he still hasn't been able to use that perception ability of his properly yet..." Twilight pointed out as she watched Draven help her friend to his feet. "He can't seem to focus."

"He'll get it eventually, Twilight. Spike is a smart dragon," Fluttershy said optimistically as she and Nick got up from their seats. "Where's Gin, by the way?"

"Right here, love!" Gin called over to the table as she and Winslow approached them. "Me and Winny were just grabbing a bite to eat is all! Sadly, all they got is mush and hardtack at the barracks..."

"It was acceptable..." Winslow said as he took a bite of the hardtack in his hand, crumbs around his mouth. "Has Spike's training been successful?"

"More or less..." Twilight said as Spike dusted himself off and approached the table with Draven next to him.

"Well, that was fantastic," Spike muttered to himself sarcastically.

"Oh, don't be so glum, boyo! You almost had it that time!" Draven chuckled in his usual jolly way.

"Um, Spike... hold still for a moment," Twilight requested as she dusted the dirt on Spike's forehead, laughing under her breath as Spike let out an unimpressed grunt. "There we go."

Fluttershy was quiet around Winslow, in fact, she had been quiet around him since her fight with Nick when he was Gar Nichts, and this deeply troubled Winslow. However, Winslow was far too busy to ever ask how she was during their trip. And the way she avoided him made it obvious to Winslow that she was not keen on talking about what had happened to her, especially not around Nick, who she believed was still traumatized because of her actions. Winslow, seeing an opportunity to talk with her in private, took it without hesitation.

"Excuse me, Nick...? May I converse with Fluttershy for a moment?" Winslow asked the small colt as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Okay, Winny!" Nick grinned as he waved at Fluttershy, who walked off with Winslow to a quiet place away from listening ears.

At first, Winslow was unsure how to approach the situation, but soon, once he saw her expression become more and more troubled, he hastily fitted together his questions. "Fluttershy, I want to apologize for not inquiring about your fight with Nick. It was rude of me to ignore you like that-."

"It's not your fault, Winslow..." Fluttershy interrupted him as she looked down at the ground, shaking her head from side to side. "You were just busy is all. You're a big help on the ship, and I didn't want to get in your way. And... I tried to avoid the subject. I just wasn't ready to talk about it yet," Fluttershy murmured softly as she crossed her arms in discomfort. "I still don't think I'm ready yet..."

"Have you been sleeping well, Fluttershy...?" Winslow asked, noticing the dark, wrinkled patches under Fluttershy's eyes.

"No. I've been-... I've been having nightmares..." Fluttershy whimpered as she rubbed her eyes. "I keep seeing that beast-... that thing that I became. What was that?"

"I haven't the slightest idea what exactly it was, but I know that a scârbă is not capable of such feats of strength or speed. You are something far rarer and deadlier. You are no common demon that can appear by accident. You are something powerful and ancient, like nothing I've ever seen before in all my years of travelling-." Winslow stopped, realizing that he had scared Fluttershy– making her believe she was some kind of monster. "Fluttershy, I didn't mean to-."

"It's okay..." Fluttershy shook her head, shaking off the visions of her as that mindless, violent beast. "You only want to help me, I get that... go on."

"You are a half demon, that much I know... but you aren't the offspring of any typical run-of-the-mill demon." Winslow thought back to when he saw Fluttershy in her more vampiric forms during the first stages of their journey. "Perhaps your vampiric qualities are merely transitional phases that lead up to that form of yours? I'm not so sure. Regardless, that form appears to be linked to your more passionate emotions like anger or hunger– primal thoughts and feelings like vengeance."

"So... you're saying if I keep calm, I won't turn into that thing again?" Fluttershy asked.

"I believe so, yes... you only transformed after Nick wounded me." Winslow deduced as he thought back to their fight. "I will try to avoid endangering myself in your presence, Fluttershy."

"Okay..." Fluttershy nodded slowly as she turned around and walked back to the others.

"There's more to her... I just can't put my finger on it. Her power feels so... strange," Winslow thought to himself before he followed her back to the table to join up with the others.

"Captain Draven!" A marine called out to the thunder dragon with his hand held high, a slip of paper in his grasp. He then held out the letter to Draven and placed it in his hand. "I've received this urgent letter from Canterlot! It's for you, and it arrived just a few minutes ago."

"Thanks, lad," Draven gave him a quick salute as the marine ran off to join up with his comrades in the barracks. He opened it carefully, worried that his claws might tear the paper apart, and he unfolded the letter. He read it twice over to make doubly sure he didn't miss any details; the contents of the letter were certainly shocking indeed. "Well, I'll be damned..."

"What is it, Draven?" Spike raised an eyebrow as he tried to take a look at the letter.

"Luna is coming here..." Draven shook his head in astonishment, and the others were wide-eyed with shock. "That's not all, either. Looks like she's being accompanied by the bloody Fleet Admiral and his crew..."

"Celestia sent Admiral Pisces to escort her?!" Twilight had heard tales of the admiral, but she had never met the dragon in the flesh before. "Wow..."

"It also says that they'll be here in less than a day, around the same time as the Miriad Princess..." Draven said, mystified by the letter. "Looks like Equestria is bringing out the big guns for Dracul..."

"Dracul...?" Twilight said to Draven; the name didn't ring a bell to her.

"Ah, my apologies. Us thunder dragons call Alptraum 'Dracul'..." Draven corrected himself as he folded the letter and placed it in the pocket of his purple captain's coat.

When the crew arrived at the outpost days before, word of Ccrondil's fall had spread to New Canterlot quickly, and it wasn't news to them that Princess Ocèara was heading south either. What was so shocking to Draven was the fact that Equestria was throwing down their trump cards so quickly. It wasn't like Celestia to get nervous about situations like this. However, this nervousness probably stemmed from Celestia's caution regarding Luna. Losing Luna would spell doom for Equestria in the coming years if the war continued that is.

"So... what does this mean?" Spike wondered.

"It means that this stage of our journey will be exponentially harder, Spike," Winslow answered him as he crossed his arms. "Haki and Gek were the weakest of the Seven Sorcerers– just the beginning. Alptraum is far more powerful than anypony we've faced so far..."

"Huh..." Spike said as he sat down in a vacant chair, looking over to Gin, who was seemingly oblivious to their conversation; she appeared quite excited rather than concerned like the rest of the crew. "Gin, are you alright?"

"Oh, what...?" Gin shook her head as she broke away from her daydream. "I'm sorry... I just was lost for a moment is all. Yeah, I heard what Draven said. I'm okay..."

"Alright..." Spike shrugged his shoulders doubtfully, still suspicious.

"So, what now, Captain?" Nick asked his dragon captain that scratched his chin, pondering over the situation.

"We wait," Draven replied bluntly as he walked back out into the training area. "Come, Spike... let's work on Dragon Shatter! You want to impress the admiral, don't you?"

"More like embarrass myself..." Spike muttered as he got up from his chair, stomping over to his captain with a pouty expression.

Spike fell on his face many times that afternoon. And he continued to do so until the evening when the rest of the crew packed up and went to their respective rooms for the night; they had to get as much sleep as they could if the coming days were to be as hard as Winslow said. Eventually, after much more botched attempts at a Dragon Shatter, Spike gave up, and he went to bed with a disappointed sigh that night.

****

Spike opened his eyes, finding himself in a world, unlike anything he had seen before. The ground and sky were pure white, and there was no visible horizon or even a sun. However, this plane of existence was by no means empty. It was full of rocks, flowers, trees, even a few mountains, and statues. Although, Spike could not make out any fine details, as every object in that realm was merely a silhouette, a three-dimensional mass of shadow that he could barely comprehend. As he walked, the ground appeared to ripple like still water, and a noise sounded with every step similar to that of a wind chime. It was not annoying at all to Spike, which surprised him; he often found the randomness of wind chimes quite irritating. However, this was not the case with these chimes. They had a pattern, and their rhythm was quiet and non-intrusive. Spike walked up a hill covered in black rocks and roses, and willow trees swayed from side to side as a brisk wind gusted in the east (Or, what Spike assumed was in the east based on the harshness of the wind). Spike eventually came to a large boulder at the top of the hill, and on top of that very boulder was a figure, one that felt familiar, yet alien at the same time to the young dragon.

The figure appeared to be a dragon, although, his body had no texture or detailed shape. His body was a mass of pure white, and there was a bold, black outline around his form. The almost shapeless dragon had pure black eyes that stared into Spike's soul, and white horns without texture curled around the head of the barely perceivable being. The figure sat with his legs crossed, and his hands were together as if he were in the midst of a prayer.

With much hesitation, Spike spoke up. "H-hello?"

The dragon's 'eyes' opened, revealing a pair of white irises in the center. "Hello..."

The dragon's calm and collected voice seemed to soothe Spike, and the chime resonated again as he stepped closer to the being. "Where am I?"

"We are within Equilibrium, young one," The dragon answered him, although Spike could see a mouth on him anywhere. The dragon then raised his hand, pointing behind Spike. "This is where all magic in the universe meets its first crossroads."

Spike turned and saw a mass of gray behind him that fanned out into the realm, cascading downwards into light and dark, black and white. Then Spike looked past the being on the rock, noticing a whole spectrum of color, a brilliant rainbow that he swore was not there before. "Who are you?"

"My name is irrelevant, young one. I live in this realm, ever since The First Age..." Said the shapeless dragon. "I am the thought projection of a dragon that passed away long ago, one that sacrificed himself for the good of the world. I apologize in advance for my answers, as being in this realm only allows me to say so much, and I cannot disrupt balance..."

"Why am I here with you?" Spike asked the quiet dragon.

"Alas, that is one question I cannot answer outright, young one..." The dragon answered him as he bowed his head. "But I can say this; I have known you for a long time, Spike Drafir... a very long time indeed."

"Why can't you tell me what you mean by that? Can't you give me anything else?" Spike inquired further, a little annoyed by the dragon's reluctance to tell him the full details. "Why talk to me now if you've known me for so long?"

"I cannot tell you why we are here together, Spike... as it would disrupt your fate, causing you to veer from your path," He said as his eyes met with Spike's once more. "As for my reasoning as to why I can contact you now... it is because you are growing Spike; your power."

Spike looked into his eyes, realizing what was familiar about them. "You... you're the devil dragon Draven told me about! You helped me beat Haki, didn't you?"

"Aye... however, I am no devil dragon. It was your own power that morphed me into that beast; this principle is true for all magic. That was merely a manifestation of your rage and fear– expressed through my spirit." He said as his form began to disintegrate. "It appears this vision is fading away, young one. Hark! You must not tell a soul of what our encounter here, Spike! Not yet! Doing so would be catastrophic! The world is changing, Spike, and you must learn all you can for the road ahead! You cannot veer from the path, do you understand?!"

"But, wait! What path?! What are you talking about?!" Spike shouted to the dragon as his form completely vanished along with the world around him. "Hey!"

"Farewell, young one..."

With that, Spike awoke from his slumber, panting furiously.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Seventy Six: The Crossing of The Grand Sea

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Luna's eyes fluttered for a moment before they finally opened, and with a groan she got back on her hooves, clutching her throbbing head. The sun was bright, and she heard birds chirping around her; she felt the tickle of long grass brushing up against her legs, smelled the thick, sweet scent of indigo spring roses in the air, and a gentle wind blew her long, spectral mane about. Luna recognized this field. She had seen it before, long ago, when she was younger, less weary. In the distance she saw a figure; he was tall, somewhat slant, but she couldn't see his face due to the fact that his back was facing her. Though, she did recognize his noblestallion's attire; it was the regalia of somepony she once loved.

Luna inspected her attire, and to her surprise, she was wearing a white bridal dress with exquisite lace. Luna then approached the figure, and she found that as she drew closer, the grass became brown, the air became damp and ghastly, and the sun darkened, the bright Blood Moon taking its place. Luna's pace quickened as she saw the figure begin to walk away from her, and she tripped and staggered about as thorny brambles began to lash out of the dying grass, wrapping around her legs to try and slow her down.

"Lothwick! Lothwick!" Luna called out to the faraway prince as a bramble vine latched onto her neck, pulling her down into a maw of sharp thorns and roses. "Please, don't go! Don't leave me!"

"I'm sorry..." She heard his voice reply to her in the distance, muffled and empty.

"Princess Luna...? Princess Luna? Princess Luna?" A faint voice snapped her out of her nightmare, and she sprung upwards out of her bed in shock. She then clutched her chest and neck, checking for scrapes or injuries; there were none. "Princess Luna... I came to wake you. You seem to have had a terrible nightmare." It was Vice Admiral Rummy who roused her from her slumber, dressed in his casual attire and long coat. "Are you alright...?"

Luna took a few moments to breathe deeply. "I'm-... I'm fine, thank you."

"Here, take this..." Rummy handed Luna the glass of water sitting on the bureau.

Luna took a few gulps of the lime water, cringing slightly at the faint bitterness of the tart citrus fruit. Regardless, she found relief in the refreshing beverage, and the coolness of the ice cold water soothed her nerves as the liquid slid down her throat. She took another few deep breaths before speaking once again. "Again, I thank you, Vice Admiral."

"It's nothing, your majesty, I'm just doing my job. During our journey I am to provide you with whatever you need," Rummy shook his head, insisting that he deserved no thanks for his simple deed. He didn't inquire about her dream, as he felt asking her would be too intrusive; he was already in her room after all. "I just came down here to inform you that we have crossed the changeling blockade; we should be landing in two days tops. I was going to wake you a few hours ago to give us cover for our crossing, but it appears the changelings have pulled back their blockade."

"Pulled back the blockade? Why?" Luna said, dumbfounded by the sudden retreat of the changelings.

"I'm not sure, but Admiral Pisces has got his signature intense mug on. I think he knows what's going on..." Rummy replied as he fastened his bowler hat and opened Luna's bedroom door. "When you're ready, come out to the deck. I think some fresh sea air will be good to clear your head, your majesty!"

"I'll see you outside then," Luna said as she leaped from her sheets, watching as Rummy closed the door.

With a sigh, she removed her nightgown, replacing it with her military frock coat and the midnight blue shoulder cape that signified her rank as Night Princess. She looked in her mirror as she placed her crown on top of her head unsteadily. Luna still felt quite anxious in her outfit; it didn't feel wrong or uncomfortable, it just pained her to remember the armor she once wore, the persona that had haunted her for years. She pressed her hand up against the mirror as she saw a silhouette of the dreaded doppelganger around her reflection, and she turned away as she heard terrible, horrid laughter echo within the confines of her mind.

"Why can't you just leave me be?" Luna scowled as she took the blanket off of her bed and draped it over her mirror, scoffing at it.

****

The main deck of The Red Koi was bustling with activity. Most either swept the deck or fiddled with the deck cannons, but some leaned up against masts or sat on barrels, rambling on about rumors and old wise tales. Pisces stood on the bow deck like always, peering out into the sea to bask in its majesty. The Leaping Koi sat on a round table behind their admiral playing cards, and Luna walked past them to talk to Pisces, who appeared to be caught up in his own thoughts.

"Excuse me, Admiral Pisces...?" Luna said to the old daydreaming dragon as he stared out into the distance. "The Vice Admiral has informed me that the changeling armada has pulled back."

"Yes..." Admiral Pisces replied after a moment of silence. "I believe Constantine is testing Alptraum by letting us pass..."

"I see. So then he is trying to make sure he is an ally worth supporting?" Luna proposed. "I suppose he must've funded the overthrow as well in that case."

"That would make the most sense, yes," The admiral nodded as he crossed his arms, still looking out into the ocean. "If Alptraum manages to defeat us, that would prove to Constantine that he is worth his time. And thus, he would gain an ally. If that is how it is, we must do all we can to strike down Alptraum now."

"I agree... and with the help of Captain Draven's crew, I believe such a task can be accomplished. Especially since Princess Twilight and Spike are with him." Luna added, confident in her own plan. However, she noticed that the admiral seemed to scowl at the mention of the thunder dragon's name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Is something the matter, admiral?"

"I'm not too fond of privateers..." The admiral grunted as he turned to face Luna. "No matter how you look at them, they're still just pirates on a contract, your majesty."

"I don't think you should paint all pirates with the same brush, admiral. If Celestia trusts them, we should as well," Luna tried to convince the admiral, but he appeared unmoved by her statement.

"In my experience... it is foolish to put one's faith in a pirate, no matter who they are," Pisces grumbled bluntly as he walked away, descending down into the main deck to inspect the crew.

Luna shook her head, furious with herself for angering Pisces, and she sat down at a vacant chair on the round table next to Daisy, a disgruntled look on her face. "I should apologize to him..."

"Don't, it's best to just let him simmer down. It's not your fault. He just gets a little grumpy when you mention anything about pirates to him, your majesty," Daisy assured Luna, insisting that she remained seated as she put her hand out to stop her from leaving.

" I suppose that is understandable, being that he is in the navy after all," Luna thought it out as Dross dealt the deck in his hand, giving her four cards.

"It goes a little deeper than that..." Dross chimed in as he placed five spoons on the round table. "He has a history with pirates– when he was a lot younger. Although, I think you should ask him about it. It's not my place to explain, your majesty."

"I see," Luna said as she picked up her cards and looked down at the silverware on the table. "Tell me, what is this game we are playing?"

"It's called 'Spoons'. You basically have to try and make a four of a kind hand, and then grab a spoon as quickly as you can. If you don't get a spoon, you get a letter of the word 'SPOONS'– you get all of em' and you're out. The deck will go around the table to each pony, and that pony feeds the pony next to them cards until somepony eventually gets a four of a kind. Sound simple, your majesty?" Rummy explained as Dross prepared himself.

"I believe I understand, yes..." Luna said uneasily; she wasn't much of a big card player herself.

"Alright then, let's go!" Cyro grinned as Dross began to pass cards to Rummy hastily.

The cards passed from pony to pony until they met with Luna, who was a little gobsmacked by the sheer speed of her opponents. Granted, it made sense for them to be so swift with cards, seeing as how they were stuck on a ship most of the time with nothing else to do. Luna assembled a hand of two fours, a five, and an ace, and it remained that way for the longest time. She focused intently on the cards, analyzing each new card as it passed. However, Luna became too caught up in passing the cards that she completely missed the "grab a spoon" part of Rummy's instructions. Within six rounds, Luna was out, much to her disappointment. Part of her was relieved, however, as she was quite afraid of Daisy's massive mitts slamming down on her hand and crushing it.

"Oh, blast!" Luna grumbled as she sat back in her chair and crossed her arms in a huffy fashion, watching the rest of the game with a stiff upper lip.

"It's alright, princess... it's just your first game," Rummy chuckled at the sight of Luna's disappointed, adolescent expression.

"Yes, I'm aware..." Luna moped as a questioned popped into her mind. "Since I have time to spare, and you all seem to be far better at multitasking than myself, do you mind if I inquire about your Brands? I have seen them quite often in my time, but nopony has ever fully explained them to me..."

"You don't know much about Brands, your majesty? Huh, guess even a princess as old as yourself has some questions..." Rummy smiled as he recalled what he knew about Brands.

"I do not go out very often," Luna joked, chuckling lightly.

"Alright, let's see..." Rummy thought for a moment, constructing his explanation. "As you already know, Brands affect the body of the Brand-user so that they become more in tune with the infinite possibilities of The Arcane Realm, the place where all magic comes from. The Brands are a way for nonmagic-born races to artificially gain power." Rummy and the others grabbed a spoon; all except Cyro. "There are four different types of Brands. The first group is called Cellularum Brands. Those Brands alter the living tissue of the Brand-user, but cannot alter the living tissue of others. Dross' Chimera Brand is a Cellularum type. Then there's the Tractatori Brands, which are Brands that allow the user to manipulate and a certain type of substance or energy. Stronger Tractatori Brands can grant the user the ability to generate a substance, but most only grant the user the manipulation ability. Although, a Tractatori Brand does not affect the user's body the same way the fourth type does. My Gunpowder Brand is a Tractatori Brand."

"The Brands with the most destructive capabilities are the Alteratio Brands. These Brands allow the user control over certain aspects of the environment around em'. Daisy's Brand, the Scale Brand, that's an Alteratio Brand." Dross pet Pearl as he joined in on the conversation; Rummy dealt a hand to everypony. "The fourth type of Brands are the Tradendi Brands, which cause a pony's body to embody a certain inorganic substance or natural force. Those with Tradendi Brands are a pain to kill since physical attacks rarely do anything to em'– sometimes pass right through em'. Usually, the best way to deal with em' is to counter with raw magical attacks from a unicorn or a dragon or attacks from other equally powerful Brands. Some Brands are rarer than others, and some are much more powerful than others. "

"How very interesting," Luna nodded as she digested all of the information she had been given.

"Well, there's quite a few sub-types as well within each type, but they're pretty complex. If we went into detail with those, we'd be talking all day long..." Rummy added as he grabbed a spoon frantically.

"These Brands are quite perplexing," Luna scratched her chin as she thought back to her experiences in the Blacklands. "I've seen them so many times in my past travels, and yet, I don't even know where they come from."

"Some say they existed long before you and your sister came into the picture, your majesty," Dross chimed in as he received his hand. "Maybe they were always kickin' around."

Suddenly, a horn sounded, and The Leaping Koi rose from their seats instantly, scanning the sea for the incoming threat. Luna arose from her seat once the fleet admiral ascended back up the stairs to the bow deck. "Fleet Admiral Pisces, what approaches?"

"That, your majesty," The fleet admiral answered Luna as he pointed far ahead to the southwest; a group of three ships were approaching their speeding vessel, and fast. "Those aren't Changeling Empire ships, and they aren't ours..."

"Then whose are they?" Luna asked as she descended the stairs down to the main deck with the fleet admiral.

"Goldblood Pirates, that's who," Admiral Pisces grunted as he could make out the familiar jolly roger of a gold-toothed skull and crossbones. With a scowl, he grabbed the trident off his back to prepare for a tussle, and he began shouting to his troops. "Marines! To arms! Gunners! Load the cannons and let Rummy do the rest! You know the drill! Move!"

"I beg your pardon?" Luna was unfamiliar with the name.

"The Goldblood Pirates are the navy of Dorio, The Pirate Kingdom of the Southeast Islands ruled by Goldblood Gaines, The Pirate King– better known as Five-Brand Gaines," Dross chimed in, then broke off as he tended to the sails and the ropes around the main mast.

"Somepony get the cannonballs ready for Daisy!" Pisces ordered his crew.

"They're here, Admiral Pisces!" A deck hand shouted back to his as he rolled a rack of cannonballs onto the main deck.

"Good. Daisy, you know what to do," Pisces nodded to his giantess.

"Aye, aye, Admiral!" Daisy hummed with a nod as she skipped to the other side of the main deck where her cannonballs were.

"Cyro, protect the ship! Jhettei, tend to any wounded with your healing arts!" Pisces commanded them. "Dross, use the cannonballs as well!"

"Right!" The two answered as they took their position on the main deck.

"I'm on it, Admiral!" Dross said as he grabbed a cannonball, his right arm morphing into a gigantic crab claw. "Chimera: Giant Pistol Shrimp!"

"Princess Luna," Pisces turned to face her. "Stay with me on the bow deck and try not to interfere in this battle. It is my duty to protect you, and I don't want the Goldbloods to know you are on this vessel. It's bad enough that I'm here."

"Very well, Fleet Admiral," Luna followed him to the frontal deck, and she stood behind the giant dragon, awaiting his next order.

"Turn to the south! Rummy, Daisy! You're going to unleash hell!" The fleet admiral said with his husky, booming voice as the ship began to turn to the left. "Fire on my command!"

Rummy dropped down into a combative stance and loaded up his right hand, keeping it close to his hip until he received the order to fire. "I'm ready!"

Daisy grabbed two cannonballs off of the rack, juggling them like pebbles. "Ready!"

As the pirate ships drew closer, Pisces raised his hand, then pointed at the oncoming foes. "Fire!"

"Scale: Euclid Shower!" Daisy began to throw volleys of cannonballs at incredible speeds, shattering the masts of the pirate ships and smashing through their hulls.

"Chimera..." Dross placed a cannonball in the pincers of his crab forearms, and then he launched it out of the appendage with a loud 'snap'. The shot burst into flames from the intense friction as it hurdled at the ship in the middle, and it set its tough sails ablaze as it blew through them with casual ease. "Giant Pistol Shrimp Cannon!"

"Gunpowder: Boyang Barrage!" Rummy shouted as he thrust his fist forward, causing all of the cannons on the ship to fire at once, hammering the ship on the left.

"Dragon Berserker's Frozen Javelins!" Cyro fired spears of ice from his palms into the sky that dropped down on the ship in the center, piercing its main deck and damaging its central mast.

Luna was impressed by the quick work the crew was making of their foes, who were still at a considerable distance. They had severely damaged the center ship, and it began to sink. The ship on the left had its main sail collapse after one of Daisy's cannonballs broke it in half like a toothpick. And the ship on the left, which had sustained the least amount of damage, was beginning to take on water from all the holes blown into its hull by Rummy's barrage of cannon fire.

"Cease fire!" Admiral Pisces ordered them as he raised his left hand, stirring the sea. "I shall finish them off myself!"

"By himself...?" Luna muttered as The Red Koi began to sway and rock about from the sudden crashing of waves. A mass of water then began to rise above the three scouting ships, casting a shadow down upon them. It was a tidal wave, hundreds of meters in height. And Pisces summoned it with casual ease with a wave of his hand. "By the stars!"

"Dragon Conqueror's Tidal Maw!" Pisces bellowed as he dropped his hand, letting the towering wave fall down on the poor scouting convoy, burying them within a watery grave. As the ocean settled, the crew cheered joyously for their beloved fleet admiral, who, with a grunt, descended the steps back down to the main deck.

Luna knew that the fleet admiral was powerful, she could tell simply based on the overwhelming power that radiated from his spirit. However, she didn't expect to see such unstoppable magnitude of this caliber; she was positively speechless after seeing him fight casually, and she shuddered to think how terrifying he would be in a serious fight. Not even she could generate such an attack in such a short amount of time. Luna could see how he earned the title of 'The Sea God'.

"Are you confident we can protect you, your majesty?" Rummy laughed as he stood beside Luna, who was watching as debris from the ships began to float to the surface with her mouth wide open.

"That was... astounding," Luna answered his slowly as she looked down at the fleet admiral, who nonchalantly sat down on a stool by the main mast, lighting his corn cob pipe as if nothing had happened.

"That's out Gramps for ya!" Daisy giggled as she twirled around Luna.

"You're in good hands, your majesty, trust us!" Cyro smirked as he gave her a wink and a thumbs up.

"I think I'll trust my sister's judgment a little more now..." Luna let out a sigh as the ship returned to its normal speed and trajectory with a single thrust from the fleet admiral's palm.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Seventy Seven: Scars & A Plan of Attack

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Twilight held her breath as she detached her cybernetic left hand; it always hurt to sever the hand's connection to her nerves, and she winced in pain as a jolt shot up her hand and through her neck. Her stump wrist ached, confused by the lack of an appendage. The hand channeled magic similar to her old one but was not the same. She felt incomplete, broken, a puzzle with a missing piece. Although, it was the scars that hurt the most. That pain was psychosomatic; brilliant flashes of light would bring her back to each memory of her torture, each time she touched a scar. With nothing but her undergarments on, Twilight looked at the scars covering her once beautiful body in her bedroom mirror.

The worst scars were the ones on her chest and neck; they snaked across her once unscathed and uninjured figure, a figure that she once knew. She saw a stranger in the mirror, a wild, unkempt hobo. By no means did she abandon her mane or her makeup, however, but she gave up on pretending like the scars weren't there. She wore scarves, added more blush than usual, wore a glove over her prosthetic hand; Twilight couldn't bear to let others see her, touch her. She often thought, 'What stallion could ever love a hideous mare like me?'. Quietly, she wept to herself, tears streaming down her face and onto her ample but scraped-up chest. She fell on her knees, wiping away her tears with her only hand, and she grabbed the artificial hand off of the ground. Twilight placed it back on her stump and grimaced as its wiring conjoined with the nerves in her forearm.

She put on her green blouse and white scarf, and she placed a glove over her robotic hand. Twilight then put on her makeup, covering most of them with color corrective makeup Masami gave her. It worked, mostly; the deeper scars under her left eye and on her right brow. They were far too severe and too stubborn. Being a mare who suffers from mild OCD, imperfection agitated Twilight, especially in the facial area. And being a walking imperfection, Twilight was infuriated, growling at her own uneven face in the mirror. Twilight now shifted from sadness to anger often, but she only kept her struggles internal, never lashing out at her friends; such an act would only perpetuate her suffering and instigate suffering in others. She didn't want that; for Fluttershy, for Rarity or the others, especially not for Spike. She laughed to herself, mocking how pathetic she had become; a shy and soft-spoken character. It appeared to her then that she had become Fluttershy, back when she had first met her, contained and angry with her own image.

"Hey, Twilight..." It was Fluttershy on the other side of her door, knocking ever so gently. "The Princess of Ccrondil has arrived. And Luna is docking too, so, are you almost done...?"

"I'm..." Twilight almost let her feelings overflow, and she adjusted her cracking voice accordingly to feign her true emotions. "I'll be right out, Fluttershy. I just have to put my eyeshadow on."

"You don't sound too confident, Twilight... can I come in, please?" Fluttershy requested in the most polite way possible.

Not willing to turn down her close friend, Twilight sighed, then opened the door for her. She then walked back to the chair in front of her bureau and finished her eyes. "Come in, I'm done."

Fluttershy was taken aback by the grandeur of Twilight's specially designed room. The purple curtains that blocked her windows were silk and her massive bed was large enough to fit four fully grown stallions. Still in awe, the cream coloured pegasus grabbed a stool next to the door and sat down beside her friend looking in the mirror with her. She looked closely at Twilight, finding something to compliment her on to cheer her up.

"You look very pretty with shorter hair and without bangs, Twilight..." Fluttershy said, beaming at her friend, who said nothing and got out of her chair to tighten her scarf more almost to the point where it became a choker. "Oh, Twilight, you shouldn't put on your sweater like that. You won't be able to breathe."

Fluttershy loosened Twilight's scarf, and as she did so accidentally touch one a deep scar on the back of her neck. Just as this happened, Twilight felt the cold of her touch, cold similar to the chilly air that radiated off of Kaiser. Without thinking, Twilight exploded, knocking her friend's hand away. "Don't touch me! Don't you dare touch me!"

Fluttershy stepped back, eyes wide with fear. Twilight had never raised her voice at her before, and hearing then rendered the shy pegasus speechless. She whimpered softly as she backed against the door, unsure how to respond to Twilight's sudden and unexpected outburst. "Twilight..."

Realizing what she had done, Twilight became desperate, trying to explain herself. "Please, Fluttershy, I didn't mean to! You just scared me is all! Honestly, it wasn't your fault!"

Knowing what Twilight had gone through, Fluttershy understood where her alicorn friend was coming from. She had finally felt what it was like to be vulnerable and weak for the first time, things uncommon for an alicorn to feel. And Fluttershy could see the fear in Twilight's eyes, the pain in her voice; she didn't mean what she said. "It's... okay, Twilight. It's okay."

"Th-... Thank you, Fluttershy. You're a true friend... and I take that for granted. It's not your fault– really, it's not!" Twilight shook her head, containing her tears. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be," Fluttershy insisted as she gave Twilight a quick hug before opening the door to leave. "I'll stay here with you until you're ready, then we'll head downstairs, okay?"

"Okay..." Twilight nodded slowly as she felt the scar on her neck sting again, reminding her of the brutal backhand from Kaiser that had left the mark. "Okay."

****

Princess Ocèara and her guards met with Draven's crew at a massive, circular oak table covered by a great map of Ccrondil. Fleet Admiral Pisces, Luna, and his crew entered; the rest had waited patiently for their arrival, eagerly awaiting to be in the presence of The Sea God himself. Although, Draven seemed a little quiet when he entered, and he gestured to him with a nod.

"Captain Draven..." Pisces said as he tipped his peaked admiral's cap.

"Fleet Admiral Pisces..." Draven nodded as he stood up for Luna and bowed to her. "It is a pleasure, Princess Luna. As you know, our mission was a success in Wantthai and Ausrüstung."

"Yes, and I congratulate you, Captain. I congratulate your crew as well..." Luna said as she shook his hand, turning to face the rest of his crew; she waved to Twilight, Fluttershy, and Spike especially. "Hello, all. And hello to you three! It has been two moons since we last saw each other face to face."

"I'm glad to see you again, Luna," Twilight smiled as she shook Luna's hand, making sure she was the one to raise her arm first so she could use her right hand to shake.

"Long time no see..." Spike grinned as he greeted the princess.

"Hello, Luna," Fluttershy waved.

"Everypony, these are my Leaping Koi. The changeling next to me is Rear Admiral Dross Roy, the giantess next to him is Commodore Daisy Melina... " The fleet admiral piped up, introducing his crew as they entered. "And the stallion entering now is Vice Admiral Rum-."

"Rummy!" Gin shouted excitedly as she raced past the admiral to Rummy, hugging him tightly as she jumped onto him.

"Ah... so this is the sister you've told me about, Vice Admiral?" Pisces raised his brow as he watched Rummy dance around with Gin in his arms.

"Sister?!" Draven's crew gasped in shock as they watched the two siblings hug each other.

"Everypony, I'd like to introduce you all to my older brother, Rummy!" Gin giggled as she and Rummy walked over to their seats, right next to one another.

The crew greeted Gin's surprise sibling as he walked round the table to his seat; Cyro and Jhettei then entered the large chamber, in awe at its sheer size. Spike jumped up, instantly recognizing his former rivals he had fought in the tournament more than a month before. "Cyro! Jhettei! How have you guys been keeping?"

"Well, as you can see we've joined the navy!" Cyro said proudly as he flashed his long coat around. "Jhettei and I have been in for about four weeks now! We joined the academy not long after the Wantthai business!"

"That's awesome!" Spike said as Cyro and Jhettei found their seats on the other side of the table across from Spike.

"Well, now that we're all properly acquainted, I believe we must start," Luna declared as she and Pisces approached the map laid out on the table. "Princess Ocèara, please join me, would you?"

Twilight's own mental cacophony seemed to drown out the strategies and debates, and she was completely oblivious to the changeling that had just sat down beside her. She was lost in her imagination, wandering off to her quiet realm of solace where she could escape her worries. Then, suddenly, she felt a fluffy white mass brush against her cheek; it was a cat, similar to Rarity' cat, Opal, and it purred pleasantly as Twilight ran her hand across its sleek back. She felt a nudge from her left, the elbow of Dross.

"Looks like Pearl had taken a liking to you, your majesty..." Dross grinned as Pearl wandered to him and sat on his lap. "Are you alright? You seem kinda out of it, your highness."

"Oh, I'm-... I'm fine, thank you, Rear Admiral," Twilight assured him as she shook her head, although the changeling didn't seem too convinced by her answer.

It was casually speaking to a changeling; besides Constantine, who was only half-changeling, Twilight had never engaged in a polite conversation with a changeling before. She expected him to be vicious, snarling at her, but he was quite pleasant to talk to. He was polite, understood etiquette, and referred to Twilight as 'your majesty', which she still had not been used to. It was a common Equestrian belief that most changelings were brainless, feral slaves that served their ruler to the letter. Though Dross seemed to be a little contained, he was still quite friendly, and speaking with him proved all those horrid rumors about changelings to be false.

He was by no means ugly like most would expect. He was actually fairly easy on the eyes if you ignored the chip out of his ear and his one blank eye with a scar across it. His toothy smile was not ferocious like she expected, it was friendly and humble, much like any stallion in Ponyville.

"You know, I have a friend who has a cat just like yours, her cat's name is Opal," Twilight mentioned as she reached over to pet Pearl. "It's kind of funny that you named your cat after a gemstone as well."

"Yeah, I guess gemstone names just fit, I suppose," Dross chuckled as he petted Pearl with Twilight. "Heh, you are a lot quieter than I remember you to be, your majesty– seeing you in your dress with a big smile on your face. You just seem... different is all." Realizing what he had said, Dross shook his head and apologized. "Crap, scratch that... sorry for saying that to you. It won't happen again, your highness."

"Don't be, and you don't have to call me 'your highness', Rear Admiral," Twilight insisted as she petted Pearl more. "I've... had it rough recently. I haven't been myself."

Dross looked closely at her face, noticing the scars under her eye and on her brow, to which Twilight looked away, shielding her face with her hair, blushing. Dross panicked, looking away frantically. "I'm sorry, your-, I mean Twilight... sorry. I didn't mean to stare."

"It's okay..." Twilight shook her head as she parted her hair with her hand and continued to pet Pearl. "As I said, I'm just not myself..."

****

"Alright, Fleet Admiral, what should our method of attack be?" Draven said as he stood up, eyeing the map that was laid out across the wide table at the center of the war room.

Pisces pointed to the southern coastal city of Illioa's Rest at the tip of Ccrondil. "There. We shall meet up with the Lord of Edenmire in Illioa's Rest, and from there we shall join with The Cadre of The Crescent."

"If it still exists after ten thousand years, that is..." Princess Ocèara added.

"It does. They have simply been underground," Luna interjected as she placed a finger on the southwestern region of Ccrondil. "We just need to reach Fortnight Tower to the east. There, we will be able to summon the remnants of The Cadre"

"Who is The Cadre of The Crescent?" Fluttershy wondered.

"Long ago, during the first war against my brother, Leere, Celestia and I had our own specialized sect of elite troops tasked to deal with supernatural threats like vampires or demons– creatures loyal to our brother and the Seven Sorcerers. My troops are especially skilled at fighting vampires, and they have been a part of the Ccrondil royal family for generations," Luna then looked over to Syrune and Galaeron, who nodded as they revealed the symbols on their necks– a sideways crescent moon with a sword through it. "Syrune, Galaeron, is there any more members in Ccrondil currently?"

"There is a chapter somewhere in Edenmire I believe, but only the bell atop Fortnight Tower will draw them out of hiding," Galaeron answered her as he hid his tattoo once again. "They'll arrive in mere moments once that bell is rung."

"Syrune, Galaeron? You're a part of this sect of warriors? Why did you not tell me? Did my father know?" Princess Ocèara piped up, outraged by their deception.

"No. We cannot reveal our alignment, not even to our king. We can only do so when permitted by the Night Princess," Galaeron answered her calmly as he pointed to the map-- along the Gressoel River that divided North Ccrondil and South Ccrondil. "Gressoel is our front lines so far, but the south is losing scores of troops as we speak. We must push across the river to reach Caven Isle and strike at their heart. And with the added might of your fleet admiral and Draven Jaggedtooth, this campaign should be somewhat easy."

"Perhaps..." Admiral Pisces scratched his chin as he pondered over the plan. "We need to remain together for the first stage of the assault; Luna shall lead the way as she knows where this mythical tower stands. I believe Alptraum will send his forces through Mystwood where the south is weakest and flank us from the north-west to cut us off."

"We must also take into account the changelings as well..." Luna added to the debate, using her foresight to try and envision the upcoming war. "If Constantine is supporting Alptraum's forces financially, he must have a plan to occupy if Alptraum succeeds in taking Ccrondil. He needs an ally to help his upcoming war with the Forest Zhophziis of the north. They were not as kind as he hoped is what I heard."

"Do you think the Northern Zhophziis of Whuzikar will aid our campaign with troops?" Princess Ocèara asked as she gestured to the large tribal nation that dominated the Northern Blacklands.

"Forest zhopis helping miriads? I wouldn't count on it, your highness..." Draven chimed in as he pointed to the Cloudsreach Mountains. "And the mountain range is far too treacherous for any troops to pass through. There's no way they'd help us. Besides, they're only in it for themselves."

"So, what then?" Twilight joined in as she continued petting Pearl.

"It appears we have no other ally to aid us at the moment, so we must do the best we can with what we have at our disposal," Luna replied with a disappointed sigh as she looked at the grandfather clock at the other end of the chamber. "We don't have much time. Vampires can walk freely as long as the Blood Moon is active. They can strike at any time."

"Then we must leave today if there is no time to waste, your majesty. Draven shall join my crew on my ship, and with the added speed I will provide, we should be there in two days. Hopefully," Pisces motioned to everypony to stand. "Meeting adjourned, everypony. We will set sail in one hour. Until then, I suggest you prepare yourselves for the coming days. Away now."

Everypony broke off into groups and found a place to dwell for the hour in the castle before the voyage. Spike and Cyro practiced outside, and Twilight and Dross continued chattering as they walked down a long corridor together. Gin and Rummy found a quiet place to talk on the outer walls, watching the troops prepare themselves on the ground for the coming fight.

It had been years since Gin had seen her brother in the flesh. They had talked to each other through mail, but communication via postal services was iffy at best when you were in the Equestrian navy, so far away at all times. She was glad to see him the same as ever, and she had changed since the last time they met face to face, as she was only sixteen last she saw Rummy, who was twenty-two at the time. Now she was nineteen, and Rummy could hardly recognize the strong, independent mare that stood before him.

"You've grown taller, Ginny," Rummy grinned as he leaned against the stone wall of the fort.

"You've grown greyer, Rummy," Gin joked, sticking her tongue out at her brother playfully as she russled the man under his bowler cap.

"Ever the prankster, Gin..." Rummy chuckled as he brought out a flask filled with whiskey. "Want a sip?"

"A sip?" Gin scoffed as she snatched the flask out of his hand and drank half of it. "You underestimate me. I've got dad's drinking habits!"

"Yeah... he was a pretty boozy guy..." Rummy smiled as he downed the rest of the whiskey. "I miss them both..."

"Me too," Gin's expression went blank as she remembered her mother and father from long ago when they were just foals living in Dorio. "But we can't get em' back now, can we?"

"Maybe we can get something; Gaines is sticking his fingers in pies all over the place, especially in Ccrondil. It won't be long before he shows his ugly mug, sis," Rummy reminded her of Gaines– the half-changeling bastard who ruled over their former home with an iron fist. Rummy then pointed to the diamond amulet on Gin's neck. "One of us will have to deal with him eventually..."

"Yeah..." Gin sighed as she hid the necklace underneath her ruffled blouse. "That's what I'm afraid of..."

"Don't worry," Rummy comforted Gin, giving her a warm hug. "It'll be fine, Ginny... I promise. We'll get that bastard for what he did to mum and dad. Now c'mon, let's get to the docks. We'll be leaving pretty damn soon, and I don't want to be late again or Pisces'll make me dodge a tidal wave."

"Alright, alright..." Gin giggled at the thought as she followed his brother back to the castle. "Truth be told, that'd be damn funny to see."

"Shut your trap," Rummy laughed as they descended a flight of stone stairs together. "That ain't even an exaggeration..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Seventy Eight: Chrysanthemums and Anemones

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"That smarts..." Spike groaned as he felt the lump on his forehead left by Cyro's fist, sitting on a barrel of salted pork.

"Oh please... " Cyro grumbled as he felt the welt on his chest left by Spike's foot. "You hit me harder than I hit you!"

"Heh..." Spike chuckled under his breath, giving up on his silly grudge. "You've gotten pretty good, Cyro."

"You too, Spike," Cyro's scowl disappeared as he leaned back against the outer railing of the main deck.

A few hours prior, in the training grounds at the southern outpost, Spike and Cyro's 'training exercise' spiraled into an all-out fight. Cyro bragged about him being able to use Dragon Shatter, then Spike boasted that he knew Dragon Sense, and one thing led to another. However, they both felt two huge lumps left by the Fawkes siblings; Gin clocked Spike and scorned him after he and Cyro's fight held-up the voyage, and Rummy did the same with Cyro. They didn't speak to each other for a while after their little tussle since they never got fully test their improved fighting abilities.

Draven watched the two young dragons banter with one another light-heartedly from the poop deck, and a wave of nostalgia flooded over him. He saw a twinkle in Spike's eyes, the same one that his father had whenever he sparred with Draven when they were young. Draven shook his head, recalling the time he had accidentally hit Spike's father in the face with a lightning bolt when he sneezed; he drilled the young thunder dragon for that one.

"You seem chipper, Captain Draven," Admiral Pisces smirked as he approached Draven, standing beside him, gazing at the two rivals exchanging witty retorts and brags with the pirate captain. "Perhaps... nostalgia?"

"Aye, they remind me of Orius and me when we were young..." Draven nodded as he turned away, leaning up against the railing and looking out into the blue, seemingly endless ocean to the east.

"So you did know the Fire Dragon King, hmm?" The old dragon raised an eyebrow as he slumped, resting his elbows on the railing as he observed Spike. "And that is his son I presume?"

"Aye," Draven nodded once more as he looked the admiral's way. "There's no mistakin' that mug and that fire of his..."

"His power is certainly considerable for a dragon of his experience level, and the emerald fire is a clear indication of royalty..." Pisces said as he watched his crew toil about on the main deck. "Have you trained him?"

"I'm no teacher, Admiral..." Draven shook his head unenthusiastically. "I've lived for nine hundred years, and I still never learned all there is to know about the Dragon Disciplines. I guess I was too busy stealin' to pick up new tricks– didn't need em' to rob rich folk."

"Ah, yes... and what made you turn to piracy, Draven Jaggedtooth?" Admiral Pisces inquired as he turned his head to Draven.

"After the dissolving of the Council and Orius' disappearance, I got lost in the mind– did the one thing I was good at doin'... fightin'. And when you're good at fightin'... the stealing part just comes naturally." Draven grinned for a moment as he lifted his head to admire the designs on the mast. "You've got one hell of a ship, Admiral. You're just like the stories I've heard when I was a lad."

"Most of those feats in those stories are made up– trying to make me some kind of living god, or start some kind of cult of personality. I'm just one dragon with one tired, old soul," Pisces joked as he admired the mast with Draven.

"What's the fish?" Draven gestured to the red koi on the sail.

"That would me my tribe's mythical Red Koi. There's a tale to go along with it too. Care to listen?" Pisces asked him as he continued to gaze upon the sail, corn-cob pipe in his mouth.

"I always have time for a good tale," Draven accepted the offer as he reached into his pocket and grabbed a pipe.

"Well, long ago, when the world was new, there was a single koi fish in a great lake. He ended up in that lake after a flood, and he was separated from his kin. Above the lake was a towering waterfall, one that almost reached the heavens; atop this waterfall was where his home resided," Pisces continued as he puffed out a whiff of smoke. "The koi told himself, 'I will reach the top, no matter what," and so the koi began to climb. Twelve times he tried at first, and every time he was washed away by the mighty current of the waterfall, he made sure he climbed a little higher the next time. And so, this went on for days, then months, then years, until finally, the koi reached his family. The Dragon God was so impressed by the koi fish's determination, that he turned him into the first water dragon. His name was Ju-long Lin– my great, great grandfather. The koi now forever remains a symbol of endurance, bravery, and perseverance in Shuǐcūn."

"We dragons always have the wildest tales, don't we?" Draven scoffed as he blew out some smoke from his nostrils.

"That we do..." Pisces shook his head as he descended stairs to the main deck.

On the bow deck, Twilight looked out into the ocean, as if she were searching for something. Her white scarf blew in the wind, and her short hair danced from side to side as she felt the cool breeze of the sea kiss her wounds. For a time when she was young, Twilight always feared the sea. She often screamed in dismay whenever a wave rolled in on the beach during her trips to the coastline with her parents. She wondered how they were as she turned her head to the east, the sun gently caressing her eyes, cascading from above. Dross walked up the steps to the bow deck to join Twilight, and he tapped on her shoulder to gain her attention as he leaned against a barrel full of unknown contents.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Dross said as the cool breeze welcomed him and Pearl, who sat on his shoulder like a parrot.

"It is," Twilight smiled sheepishly as she tightened her scarf.

"Usually, it isn't too kind, but I think days like these makeup for the storms and the cold tenfold," Dross grinned as he stroked Pearls head with his right hand. "You look like you're pondering over something. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm... just a little homesick is all," Twilight answered him as she leaned beside Dross. "Do you ever get homesick out here?"

"Nah... my old home is far from my mind. This is my home. The masts and the sails are the roof over my head, and the sea is my country," Dross said as he looked up at the mainsail. "Where is your home?"

"Canterlot originally, but I left it behind once Celestia moved me to Ponyville," Twilight explained as she looked to the east again.

"And were you happy with the sudden change in scenery?" Dross inquired.

"Originally, no," Twilight chuckled as she remembered all the troubles she had at first– her awkward approach to the ponies in Ponyville. "After a while, however, I made friends, learned their stories, laughed with them. Ponyville changed my life for the better."

"Are you happy now, Twilight?" Dross wondered, noticing a tinge of anguish in her eyes.

"I don't know what I am, to be honest..." Twilight crossed her arms, feeling the scars that ran across her forearms.

"The Blacklands change a pony's outlook, trust me," Dross said as he tapped on the side of the barrel with his index finger. "But it doesn't have to change who you are, Twilight."

"It has nonetheless," Twilight shook her head in a disappointed manner as pain shot up her arms; she then massaged her hands. "I don't think I'll be the same."

"That's what I thought too..." Dross' voice became low and morose as he rolled up his left sleeve, revealing a terrible slash on his forearm that ran from his wrists to his elbows. "But I found peace with the sea, and now you have to find your peace too."

Twilight was taken aback by the scars; she knew what had left them, as she had seen them on zebras from the southern, more violent areas of the badlands. They had been left by a whip. "Are those...?"

"I was a slave for five years in Dorio. I got left behind when I was sixteen after a crusade went awry– taken in by the Goldbloods to serve their king. I escaped three years ago with the help of this," Dross pointed to his Brand, then motioned to the cat on his shoulder, who purred as he petted her softly. "And with the help of this little squirt too..."

"That's... horrible," Twilight shook her head, trying to comprehend Dross' pain. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, really..." Dross refused Twilight's sympathy. "All I'm saying is, you can't let the pain consume you. You have to embrace it, let it define you."

"How can I ever look at myself again, Dross? How do I embrace something like this? Whenever I look in the mirror, I see only an imperfect monster..." Twilight held back tears as she shook her head.

"Imperfection is not weakness, Twilight..." Dross reassured her as he slowly grabbed Twilight's hand, sending a jolt up her spine. "It's what makes you a living, breathing creature. I think it's what makes life beautiful. And it's what makes you beautiful in my eyes."

"You're more thought provoking than I thought," Twilight tried to crack a smile as she fought through the pain of holding his hand. It was hard at first, but eventually, his warmth passed on to her, and her face flushed red. She turned away quickly before she did something rash, but she kept their hands locked together for a little longer. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Twilight," Dross assured her as he let go of her hand. "It takes a long time... but you'll get over it eventually. I promise you that."

Nick hung from the main mast on one of his chains, dangling in the wind, stewing over his own troubles. The Silence was the only home he ever knew; violence, despair, starvation. He turned sixteen the week before, and while his body adjusted to the proper nourishment and education of the strange new world around him, he couldn't help but feel adrift– lost in the wind. His trench coat fit him a bit better now that he built up some muscle, and he found it much easier to climb than before. The idea of staring eyes didn't bother him as much anymore; that fear was replaced by the fear of 'what if?', the unknown. He didn't have parents, a family, not even a home; all he had were crewmates and comrades, and a ship. Regardless, he was more than happy to experience all he could, to forget all he had endured as a child.

"Hi!" Daisy called up to Nick, almost singing.

"Oh, hi..." Nick replied back to her as he lowered himself down to the main deck.

"Are you okay?" Daisy asked with childlike curiosity. "You look pretty blue."

"Nick is-... I'm," Nick blushed as he corrected himself, embarrassed that he almost referred to himself in the third-pony. "I'm not blue, I'm white..." Nick assumed she meant the color of his fur coat.

"Not that kind of blue, silly! I meant sad. You look a little sad." Daisy chuckled as Nick dropped to the deck.

"I am... kind of... sad," Regardless of how much Fluttershy and Winslow taught him, he still had trouble with talking to strangers; words failed him constantly. "Yes, I'm sad."

"Well, here!" Daisy hummed as she handed him a flower with her giant hands.

"What is this?" Nick asked her as he cradled the odd yellow flower in his hands, eyeing it intently.

"It's a chrysanthemum, just for you!" Daisy giggled as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're weird, but you're cute too! I thought of this flower when I saw you!"

"Thought of me?" Nick raised an eyebrow at the flower as he held it above his head so the sun's rays could hit it.

"Of course! My mother told me all the time that everypony has a flower of their own!" Daisy laughed joyously as she looked at the yellow flower in Nick's hands. "Mine was a daisy, so my mother named me after it!"

"Chry-san-the-mum..." Nick sounded the word out, then he repeated it in his head a few times more. "I like that word!"

"I knew it suited you!" Daisy cheered as she skipped past Nick, handing out more flowers to the crew.

"Chry-san-the-mum... chry-san-the-mum... chry-san-the-mum..." Nick repeated as he paced for a bit before leaning against the mast. "Chrys-..."

"My apologies," Luna appeared next to Nick with a flower in her hand; a purple one that opened up like a daisy. "I'm sorry if I startled you..."

"It's okay," Nick assured her as he marveled at his flower. "What is this, Princess?"

"It's a chrysanthemum, Nick– a flower."

"No, no... what is this?" Nick still lacked the vocabulary to communicate as well as other ponies, so he turned to hand gestures to convey his message.

"Ah, you want to know what it means!" Luna said as she caught on to what Nick was hinting at.

"Yes, yes! What does it mean?" Nick laughed, and his face flushed red.

"A chrysanthemum means joy and optimism, and a long life," Luna could see the word 'optimism' was giving Nick troubles. "Optimism is when a pony sees the good things in anything, no matter what. Daisy is trying to tell you that you're that kind of pony."

"Ah..." Nick nodded as he wrapped his head around the new word. "Op-ti-mism..." As he sounded the word out, he looked down at the flower in Luna's hand again. "What does that flower mean?"

"It's an anemone. It means..." Luna trailed off for a moment, unwilling to tell him the primary, darker meaning of the flower. "It means anticipation– being really excited about something when you're waiting!"

"An-ti-ci-pa-tion..." Nick smiled as another word entered his vocabulary. "I like that word too!"

"Words are definitely important," Luna smiled as she watched Nick recite all the words he had just learned. "It helps you grow as a pony."

"An-ti-ci-pa-tion..." Nick said to himself as he waved his hand, chains launching from his fingertips and lifting him up off the deck and to the top of the mast.

"Daisy knows her way around a floral arrangement..." Rummy smirked as he leaned up against the main mast, watching as Nick pulled himself up. He saw Luna's flower as he turned to face her. "Yikes... that's not a very nice flower. You okay, your majesty?"

"Apparently not," Luna scoffed at her flower as she placed it in her flowing mane.

"Well, whatever it is, it's probably none of my business anyways," Rummy said as he walked away, placing a cigarette in his mouth. "Maybe you'll have a better flower tomorrow..."

"Hopefully," Luna frowned as she gazed at the sea.

Anemone: indicates fading hope and a feeling of having been forsaken.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Seventy Nine: Gold-Blooded

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Alptraum sat in his old throne, admiring the walls the other pony within once knew. However, such memories of his old kingdom were dark blurs in his mind; they were distant, faded shapes of faces, muffled sounds of cheering, faint screams of agony. His conscious mind could no longer recognize pain and suffering, he felt only a cold mist within his hollow, fragmented mind– pieced together again like a broken vase. The only name he recognized was 'Luna'. Perhaps an enemy or a rival? Alptraum only harboured hatred for this pony, though, he wasn't sure why. Was it his hatred, or somepony else's hatred crudely stuffed into his mind? He leaned back uneasily on his chair, not noticing the young dragon who stood next to him– the Changeling Ambassador.

"My lord...?" The dragon asked, noticing Alptraum's blank expression and troubled scowl.

"Hmm?" Alptraum raised his brow and stood up as he returned to reality.

"You appear troubled. Is anything the matter?" Ambassador Fang asked the vampire lord as he watched him shuffle to the other side of the room, to a mirror on the wall. "Lord Alptraum?"

"Tell me... who is this stallion, Ambassador?" Alptraum pointed to the figure in the mirror in front of him.

"I beg your pardon?" Fang was baffled by Alptraum's question, as his reflection was clearly regular. His hair was white, his eyes were red , and his fur was powder blue. Although, he did wonder why Alptraum, a vampire lord, had a reflection. "My lord, this stallion is you. I'm not sure what you're asking..."

"No, no... this stallion isn't right. He's not whatever I am," Alptraum disregarded what Fang said as he peered into the deep, emerald green eyes of the stallion in the mirror.

The doppelganger in the mirror had bright blue fur full of life, and his hair was brown and wavy, well-kept, unlike the mess of white tangles on Alptraum's head. He was so familiar. Maybe he was a relative? No, that didn't sit right with Alptraum. No, he knew the face in the mirror, although he couldn't remember his name. Was the doppelganger, in fact, not a doppelganger at all? Was he fake? Alptraum growled as he smashed the mirror to pieces with his hand, tossing glass across the room.

"My lord!" Fang shouted as glass fell just in front of his feet. "What is the matter-?"

"Nothing," Alptraum replied suddenly, turning to face Fang. "Nothing at all."

Just as Fang began to sweep the glass, the skeletal gentlecolt, Theodore entered with his cane in hand. The rest of Alptraum's inner circle also entered the throne room after him, awaiting orders from the newly appointed King of Ccrondil. "My lord, are you quite alright? What is this glass?"

"I'm fine. I just had an accident is all..." Alptraum massaged his temple as he stared down at the pile of glass on the floor. "What is it you want?"

"Very well, my lord," Theodore nodded as he approached Alptraum, who sat back down on his throne. "I have rather grim news for you, unfortunately, my lord."

"What is it?" Alptraum asked as he got up from his seat once again. "Is Luna on her way?"

"Yes, but she has others with her. The Equestrian fleet admiral and his crew are with her, and the Dragon Prince of Ponyville and Draven's crew are with her as well." Sven piped up as he ran his hand through his scaly mane of fins. "This will be harder than expected."

"Then you all must stop them from reaching Fortnight Tower. I believe they intend to go there," Alptraum ordered them; granted, he wasn't too sure why. Fortnight Tower simply seemed important to him, as if it was something worth protecting. Ah, but then the memory returned to him again! He needed to stop Luna from summoning the Cadre! "Yes, you must stop them at all cost."

"But, my lord, what of Caven Isle? Don't you need protection?" The demonic swordstallion, Amon, asked Alptraum.

"More importantly, what if your inner circle fails?" Fang chimed in, gesturing to the group of devotees in front of him.

"Like we'd fail, hatchling!" Sven laughed off the idea of failure.

"Don't you dare call me a hatchling, you mindless brute! I am a lord dragon, fool! I am above you!" Fang shouted at the muscle-bound dragon, scoffing at his remark; his fist ignited into an amethyst flame.

"Oh, really? You think you can take me on, squirt?!" Sven's eyes burned as a blade of red ice formed in his hand.

"Enough!" Alptraum silenced the two dragons then took a sip of red wine from his silver goblet. "What Fang says is true, Sven. If we are to ensure my reign here, we must practice redundancy. I cannot be open to attack."

"Then what do you propose?" Fang said as the flame in his hand faded.

"Should The Indigo Rose fail, Fang, you are to send word to Constantine to send The Four Generals and his army here. If Luna obtains the Eclipse Blade, she will be able to bypass the effects of my Blood Moon. I cannot let her reach me." Alptraum stated as he took yet another sip from his cup.

"Seems like overkill to me..." Lamia criticized Alptraum's paranoia.

"Not at all," Dr. Thatches chimed in, leaning against a nearby stone wall. "Admiral Pisces shouldn't be underestimated. We need all the help we can get from Constantine."

"And what do you know of the Admiral, Dr. Thatches?" Lamia said with a tinge of suspicion.

"Enough to know that we'd be making a bloody big mistake if we didn't send for The Four Generals, love," Dr. Thatches crossed his arms, dodging her suspicions. "If Pisces is gonna be in the fight, we better get all the firepower we can. Those generals are in a league of their own." Dr. Thatches then walked over to the grand entranceway. "I'll join you in Mystwood when I can. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are some prisoners that need torturin' down in the dungeon. I'll be there if ya need me..."

Without another word, Dr. Thatches exited the throne room, slamming the door shut behind him. Fang knew there was something awry with Thatches. He knew an awful lot about the Equestrian marines, especially Pisces. For a doctor, he also knew quite a lot about mapping and strategy too. In fact, he orchestrated the whole plan to take Caven Isle by himself for Alptraum. These qualities caught Fang's attention; they were the attributes of a pirate, or at least a former marine. Perhaps an Equestrian spy? No. Fang had reason to believe this 'Dr. Thatches' was tied to somepony high on the food chain, somepony powerful. Fang was getting more curious by the minute. However, he had to get permission from Constantine if he were to investigate, and that would surely waste his valuable time; the Equestrians were closing in on Ccrondil, and fast. He had to be ready, but he'd keep his eye on the mysterious stallion in the meantime.

"Well then, off with you all. Go to Mystwood with our army in an hour or so. Make sure Luna and her allies don't make it to the tower," Alptraum instructed them as he waved them away.

"Now, about Constantine's offer..." Fang spoke up as the rest of The Indigo Rose left the chamber.

"I told you before, Fang... I will not accept its conditions until my position on this throne is secured," Alptraum refused as he took another sip of wine. "Away with you."

****

Dr. Thatches made his way to the dungeon, descending a flight of damp, stone steps to a long corridor filled with the moans of the few prisoners they took during their siege of Caven Isle. He removed his mask with a sigh of relief, eager to get rid of the stuffiness, and he took off his cap, letting his long yellow hair flow down the back of his neck over his Tyrian purple fur. His eyes were grey and he was a well-built stallion with a strong jaw and a large neck, but he had an air of deceit about him as if he were always scheming about something. His various ear piercings and tattoos accented his rough nature, and the gold-toothed skull under his chin boasted his rank as a Dorian Commander, a Pirate Executive of Goldblood Gaine's army– Rufus H. Thatchet.

"Hmm," Thatchet pulled out one of the various triple-barrelled flintlocks in his leather coat and walked down the hallway, firing into each occupied prison cell as he walked by until there was nopony else; he didn't want any witnesses. He then pulled out another object from within his coat, a crystal sphere used for long-distance communication. "Oi, your majesty... I got a bit of information for ya that I thought I'd pass on."

"Well...?" A deep gravelly voice emanated from the crystal ball as the magic within it swirled about to form a picture– a projection of the speaker. "Whatcha got, Thatchet?"

The speaker was the half-changeling Five-Brand Gaines on his throne, in all his terrifying glory. His eyes were gold with pupils like diamonds, and his gigantic muscular body could intimidate almost anypony. He was probably the size of a small giant– over three meters in height and his long, matted grey hair cascaded down his barreled chest like a mess of vines. He wore a grand, royal purple cape with golden epaulettes over his unclothed, tattooed torso, and he wore a pair of brick red harem pants with a navy blue sash around his waist. His gold, jewel-encrusted teeth glimmered as he grinned maniacally, and Thatchet watched as his slave mares kissed his massive hands and chest as he sat on his throne.

"Sorry to bother you, your majesty..." Thatchet could see that Gaines was obviously busy; the scantily clad, whip-scarred mares were clearly about to pleasure him.

"Oh, Thatchet, you ain't interruptin' anything important! These mares here were just gonna show me a good time!" Gaines snickered as he grabbed a whip off his sash and lashed the mare on his shoulder that was playing with his hair. She gasped as the whip impacted her arm, and she tumbled down with a thud, out of Thatchet's sight. "Don't touch the hair, bitch! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Heh..." Thatchet smirked as Gaines kicked the mare who had tumbled down. "I'm guessin' you're gonna kill em' after, right?"

"Oh yeah..." Gaines' tongue stuck out as the mare on his left bit his neck. However, she stopped soon after what Gaines said sunk in, and she realized her fate. Gaines snarled as he tugged on her mane. "Did I say stop?! C'mon! At least enjoy your last few hours! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"So, back to the matter at hand..." Thatchet got back on topic as he heard movement from the floor above. "Word in Ccrondil is that the Equestrians are sending Luna and the damn fleet admiral. Looks like everypony's gearin' up for war. Constantine is sendin' The Four Generals too."

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about! That old lich is throwin' everything out of his back of tricks! Good to see him finally get shit done for once! What about Draven? Is he in on this action too?" Gaines said as he pushed another slave mare away. "Oh! How about the runt– that little dragon cub of his?"

"Draven's in, yeah..." Thatchet nodded as he thought back to his mission in Ausrüstung during Liberty Day when he spied on Draven and his crew. "And as for the Drafir hatchling... I think he's still with our dear friend as well."

"Ha! Great! I knew that old dragon couldn't resist a fight like this! This'll be good! Blood, violence, death! The whole nine yards!" Gaines laughed again, spilling his tankard of beer all over his lap. "Aw shit. Oh, wait! This reminds me! How's Rummy and Ginny? Are they on their way?"

"Oh yeah. If Draven and Pisces are in this fight, they'll be there too," Thatchet answered as he took a swig from the flask of rum in his coat pocket.

"Oooo... this is just gettin' better and better! If you see em', tell em' I use their dad's skin as a blanket. Oh, and pummel em' a little too while you're at it..." Gaines instructed his commander as he took a large gulp from what remained in his tankard.

"No problem, your majesty..." Thatchet said as he put his flask back in his coat pocket. "I'll keep you posted if your name gets mentioned."

"See to it that 'Emperor Constantine' over at changeling HQ knows that we mean business!" Gaines set his tankard down and let out a roaring belch. "I wanna see em' cry!"

"You got it, King Gaines," Thatchet nodded as the image in the crystal ball began to fade away. "I'll see you after this all blows over."

As the image completely vanished, Thatchet heard a faint breath from an open cell to his right that was filled with crates and other supplies. He grabbed another flintlock from his coat and held it up, preparing for an ambush. Then, out of the shadows, a figure armed with a black blade jumped out of the shadows and cut off his head, causing it to tumble to the ground. However, Thatchet, being a Tradendi Brand user, was not affected by the attack. His head liquefied into a black ooze and crawled up his body, which still stood upright, and his head rematerialized quickly once the black substance congealed around his neck.

"You could have just said hello, love..." Thatchet grinned as he turned around to face the mysterious mare clad in black, leather armor.

Based on the shape of the rogue pony's hourglass body, he assumed she was a mare. She held in her hand a blade made of obsidian. Although, after taking another good look, Thatchet could see that the blade actually protruded from the palm of her hand like some kind of spiny growth. It retreated back into her hand as she stood. The hood on her head covered her face, and her tight suit of leather fit her curves well; Thatchet had a thing for leather.

"Brand-users... always got to make things difficult," Her soft yet mature Canterlot voice was soothing and serious at the same time, almost sultry.

"You're feisty, love..." Thatchet grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "Whatcha doin' here?"

"I could ask you the same question, Goldblood Pirate– mixing yourself up with the likes of The Indigo Rose..." The mare said as shards of obsidian shot out of her hands like a hail of arrows.

"Funny..." The shards went through the liquid body of Thatchet, and he raced at his foe with blinding speed, catching her off-guard. He grabbed her collar tightly, then removed her cowl to reveal her face. "Now, that's what I was expectin', love... now we're even. You saw my face, now I can see yours."

The young, half-changeling mare beneath the cowl was as attractive as Lamia. Her silky smooth, auburn hair trickled down the one side of her head like a waterfall, and her mystifying, orange topaz eyes were deep and intense like the very gemstone they embodied. And her fur was neat and well kept, smooth like a polished crystal. Thatchet let her go, and she dusted herself off hastily, cautious of the pirate commander.

"So, what's a Cadre member doing here?" Thatchet recognized the outfit; he had seen it before in his travels. "You're supposed to be underground, aren't you?"

"I've been called out of retirement," The mare replied sarcastically, trying to keep her answers non-specific.

"Relax, love, I'm in the same position as you up there. I won't tell," Thatchet said as he pointed up at the ceiling to where his 'allies' were. "I won't tell a soul– spy's promise. Why don't we just turn around and forget this happened, huh?"

"How do I know you're not telling the truth?" The mare asked as an obsidian blade appeared in her hand again.

"You're just gonna have to trust me, I suppose..." Thatchet grinned as he put his hands up in surrender. "Even if I am lying, I won't try to stop you, that much I can promise you. You'll have plenty of time to escape with that ninja bullocks of yours or whatever if I do tell..."

"Very well. Then this meeting never happened, alright?" The mare said as she pulled up her hood with her free hand.

"Alright..." Thatchet gave her a smug grin as he put his mask and hat back on. "Say, you look an awful lot like a halfling I know... you know Gaines?"

"Sadly..." The mare said as she disappeared into the shadows without a trace.

"See you around then, huh?" Thatchet snickered as he waltzed down the corridor and back up the steps.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty: Another Late Night

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"Alright, Jhettei, cut the shite... how the hell do you do that?" Gin threw her hand up in defeat as she lowered her cracked sabre; it had nearly shattered when she tried to cut Jhettei's hand (With his permission of course). "That shit you do... 'Iron'... whatever it's called."

The marine crew clapped and cheered for Jhettei as Gin tossed aside her broken sabre, and she huffed, sitting back down at a round table along with him; Rummy sat down with them as well. Jhettei dusted off his right forearm and reached into his satchel, grabbing a large vase-like container made of ceramic decorated with illustrations of cherry trees in full bloom. He then grabbed three small, similarly decorated dishes, ones that could fit into the palm of a hand, and he slowly filled each with a clear liquid from the strange vase. The liquid glistened under the light of the moon above, and it rocked within the dish in unison with the dark seas around them.

"It's called 'Aianbodi', and it is a technique passed down to me by my brothers and sisters in my monastery. It alters cells using ki, and it can change their properties to make them as hard as the strongest steel..." Jhettei grinned as he handed Gin a cup. "Granted... what you call magic, I call ki. Ki is just a word used to describe the arcane energies in all things."

"What's this?"Gin looked into her cup; it was a clear substance, and it was clearly alcoholic based on the smell. Though, it wasn't as strong as the hard liquor Gin was used to. It had quite a gentle fragrance, like a light wine.

"Sake," Jhettei said as he handed Rummy his cup. "From my homeland." Jhettei gestured to Gin to try. "Go ahead, drink. Don't be shy."

Gin took the small dish and downed the minuscule amount that was there, swallowing it. The burning sensation followed, and to Gin's surprise, it was not as ferocious as expected. She instead, found herself tasting something sweet and refreshing, like coconut water or some kind of rosewater. Gin exhaled deeply and with satisfaction as she set her dish on the table.

"Well, wasn't what I was expecting that's for sure. It's good..." Gin nodded slowly but with confidence as she stewed on the mysterious flavour. "So, what's in it? A flower of some sort? A fruit?"

"Sakura blossom with amazura ivy extract," Jhettei smiled as he drank his. "My favourite since I was just a young colt."

"Ya drunken monks..." Rummy joked as he chuckled into his cup, drinking his serving of sake.

"Why give me some of this after I just tried to cut off your arm?" Gin snorted a little at the thought; normally such an action would cause a bar brawl where she came from. Granted, there were no mystics in Dorio. And if there were, they were mostly likely charlatans.

"Ah, well, mostly because I had a hankering for it, and you two happened to be here," Jhettei smiled as he took the dishes and tucked them back into his satchel. "It would be rude to not share with comrades. And... I want others to know the taste. It would be blasphemy to not share the flavours of my home with others."

"Thanks," Gin grinned as she put her hooves on the table. "So, I never asked... but what is a Northland monk like you doing on a pirate ship with an ice dragon?"

"Yes, now that is a story..." Jhettei nodded as he leaned back in his chair. "I left my monastery simply to explore the world. Before this, I thought I'd fall off the edge of the world if I left the confines of my mountain village."

"How'd you meet Cyro?" Gin wondered.

"During my trek through the mountains, I had found Cyro buried in a mound of snow, barely alive; he had been beaten badly. I brought him to an inn in the nearest village, tended to his wounds, and restored him to good health. And from that moment forward, we've been travelling the world ever since, learning all that we can about ourselves." Jhettei looked to the conversing Cyro and Spike nearby, then stood up and glanced over to Pisces at the stern, who was still driving to boat forward at top speed to their destination. Jhettei bowed to Gin and Rummy. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'll offer some sake to the Admiral. He's been driving the ship forward nonstop all day. Farewell."

Gin stared at Spike for a moment, a fluttering feeling in her chest. A confused scowl then formed on her face, as if she was unsure of her own body's reaction. Rummy caught sight of this, and he pulled his chair closer to her and looked over at Spike.

"So... you like em'?" Rummy pried, noticing Gin's troubled expression.

"Umm..." Gin's eye twitched nervously as she grabbed the bottle of alcohol she held in her jacket, and she began to take a long gulp. As she drowned away her unwanted emotions and place the bottle on the table, Rummy grabbed it. "It's not like that..."

"You don't have to spill your guts out here, Ginny. I know you. I know what's bothering you..." Rummy reassured his sister as he took a drink from her bottle and grimaced. It burned like fire. "Oh, sweet Celestia... do you use this to disinfect wounds too? Bloody hell, Ginny. You can't just wash away your thoughts with this shite."

Gin grumbled and took the bottle from Rummy, placing it in her jacket once again. "Dad did it all the time, so why can't I?"

"Pa had better reasons too, you know that, Ginny..." Rummy shook his head as he dug up old memories. "He risked his tail for us every day, doin' what he did. And he got killed for it... for us."

Gin swallowed Rummy's truthful words like a bundle of nails, and her eyes became glossy with tears as she got up from her seat. "I know what happened, Rummy. I know what happened to Pa. But why did you leave us for... for this? You could've stayed with me and Ma. You could've been there for her when she died in her bed. Where were you when I roamed the docks pick-pocketing blokes in Canterlot alone?"

"Gin, I was at sea fightin'," Rummy reminded her of his battles during the First Changeling War. "I had no idea what was goin' on at home. Don't pin this all on me... please."

"But you could've stayed! You could have lived with us instead of joining the navy!" Gin's yelling was beginning to catch the attention of the crew near the bow, especially Spike. "Why didn't you let me join y-!"

"Because I didn't want you to get killed by Gaines like Pa! Not then! You were too damn young!" Rummy exploded with rage as he stood up, recklessly tearing her sister apart with his words. It took him only a few seconds to realize what he had said. "Oh, Ginny, I'm-..."

"Don't... just don't..." Gin stepped back, her tomboyish, steadfast nature beginning to buckle. She hid her tears behind her curtain of silver hair, and she retreated down into her cabin in the living quarters below in a flash, trying not to show her tears in front of the crew.

Draven followed Gin downstairs, running past Rummy. And Rummy sat back down, head on the table. He regretted it all. He knew it was his fault, and he knew the pain he caused her had been brewing for a long time. Rummy just hoped it would never reach the boiling point. Spike wanted to go and talk to Gin, but Winslow stopped him before he could.

"Don't Spike..." Winslow said to the young dragon as he gripped his arm. "Draven can handle this."

"Alright..." Spike replied, worried for Gin.

Luna descended from the crow's nest and sat down beside Rummy at his table, placing a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Rummy removed his bowler hat and placed it on the table as he ran his hand through his mane, and he sighed to himself as he tried to regain his composure. "I didn't mean that... what I said to her. Ginny... I didn't mean that."

"I know you didn't, Rummy..." Luna said calmly as reassured. "You two have been harbouring a lot of pent-up emotion, that much I know. And it is not my place to inquire about why or how, but I know you two will get over it eventually. You need a little time is all."

"I'm supposed to protect her, Luna... I was supposed to. When Pa died, I was so blinded by my hate and my rage and-... I just didn't want that bastard to take her away too. That's why I had to leave– to stop him from finding Gin and Ma..." Rummy almost began to cry, but he choked it back to keep face around his marine comrades. "I didn't mean what I said..."

"I know, Rummy... and your sister does too. You two have been trying to place blame on each other for whatever happened all those years ago, but it wasn't in anypony's control accept fate." Luna consoled Rummy. "For now, she just needs to be away from you. She'll be alright soon, I'm sure of it."

****

Draven approached Gin's door, hearing her soft whimpers from the other side. He knocked very gently, trying not to be too invasive with his approach. "Gin...?"

"Go away, please..." Gin sniffled as she buried her face in her pillow.

"Gin-..." Draven trailed off and removed his hat as he thought of something to say. Then something popped into his head. "Gin-Gin... let me come inside. Please...?"

He had not called her by that name since she was a filly.

The door unlatched softly, but loudly amidst the stillness of the living quarters, and the creak of the door echoed throughout the long corridor where Draven stood. He entered, and tilted his head to the side as he sympathized with the troubled mare who tried frantically to wipe away her tears in front of her captain. He sat down beside her on the edge of her bed.

Gin looked down at the ground with a scowl, angry at herself for getting caught up in her own emotions like that. "I'm sorry, Draven, I-... I don't know what came over me. I didn't mean to blame him for all of it like that! Argh, I feel so stupid! It wasn't anypony's fault! I shouldn't have been so dumb and stupid and-... shite! Why can't I just act like a normal mare for once in my-?!"

Gin fell silent as Draven hugged her tightly, and her eyes went wide with shock. She then wept, burying her face in his coat as tears streamed down her face. Draven stroked the back of her head lovingly as she let her release her anguish. He patted her on the back softly as well, doing all that he could to make it easier for her to let out her pain. He had done this before, a long time ago, when he first met her in that alleyway in Downtown Canterlot. She had pick-pocketed him, and he managed to corner her in a dead-end after a long chase. Then, for no reason, she hugged him like that, without a word– only tears and whimpers. It must've been the first release in a long time. She had no father or mother to hold her then, to tell her that 'it'll be alright'.

Gin smiled as Draven wiped her tears away, and he returned her kind expression as he grinned as well. She sniffled one last time before a strong and determined look returned on her face. "Thank you, Draven... for everything."

"Don't mention it," Draven said as he put his captain's hat back on. He then grabbed the deck of cards in his coat pocket. "Now, how about we play some crib, huh?"

"Okay..." Gin gave him a warm smile as set up a folding table and two chairs in the center of her room.

****

"Hopefully Gin is alright..." Twilight muttered as she crossed her arms.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Dross insisted as he stood beside the brooding alicorn.

Twilight and Dross stared out at the ocean together all alone, watching the silver moonlight reflect off of the wakes in the sea through her cabin window. Despite her layers of clothing, she still shivered, even inside the confines of the ship. And then Dross, without a word, took his long coat and put it on her, hoping to warm her up.

"Thank you..." Twilight said as the coat's warmth enveloped her.

"No problem," Dross nodded as Twilight grasped his hand.

"No, really, I-..." Twilight trailed off as she let go of his hand and looked forward through the window into the endless field of black water and moonlight. Her head bowed as her cheeks blushed. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

"Because I know how you feel, Twilight. I know what it's like to feel like you're alone like no one else knows what it's like– going through what you went through." Dross said as he grabbed her hand. "But I'm not going to let that happen again, not to anypony else."

"Dross, may I ask you something...?" Twilight turned to Dross and hid behind her hair as her face flushed red.

"Yes, anything, your majest-. I mean... Twilight," Dross answered hastily as Twilight got closer to him, paralyzing him with her longing expression.

"Can you kiss me...?" Twilight asked calmly as she removed Dross' long coat.

"Twilight, I can't. Look at me... I'm not royalty or anything a princess like you deserves. And I've only known you for a day. I'm a changeling– an insect," Dross refused Twilight as he tried to turn away, but Twilight stopped him. "Please, don't-."

"I don't care..." Twilight shook her head as she placed a hand on his cheek. "It doesn't have to be anything serious, Dross. Just one kiss. I just want to know if what I'm feeling is real, don't you?"

Dross' eyes met with Twilight's as she approached him again. Their faces slowly crawled towards each other at first, but eventually, they both grew impatient. They quickly locked lips, and Twilight closed her eyes, as did Dross. They held the kiss for what seemed like an eternity. Heat rushed through Twilight's body, and Dross wrapped his arm around her waist. They broke the kiss after a few short moments, but they still insisted on staying in each other's embrace.

"I thought we agreed it wouldn't be anything serious..." Twilight smiled as she removed her scarf, unafraid of him seeing her scars anymore.

"I guess we're both liars..." Dross laughed lightly as he brushed up against Twilight's neck. "What do we do now?"

Twilight's fear, her anger, doubt, and dread; it was melting away. She wanted Dross to stay, just for a little while. All she wanted was to feel normal again, to feel whole and complete, and Dross gave her hope. She didn't care that she only knew him for so long, and she certainly didn't care what he was. She knew what she felt in her heart. Twilight wanted this, just for a moment, before the dreams returned. She was tired of reliving her torture over and over.

"Stay here, in my room..." Twilight insisted as she removed her sweater. "Will you?"

"I am supposed to answer any wish a princess asks, so..." Dross gave her a half smile as he kissed her on the forehead lightly. "As you wish, your majesty..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty One: The War Begins

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"Admiral Pisces! We're approachin' the harbor!" Dross shouted from the bow to Pisces as he brought a telescope to his right eye. He then zoomed in and swept the beach with his eye, making sure the shore was clear of any opposing forces. Luckily, there were none, and in the distance, he could see mustering miriad troops on the pier waiting for them. "Syrune, Galaeron! It looks like your welcoming party made it!"

"Good. Then we have nothing to worry about during our landing," Galaeron nodded as he motioned to Princess Ocèara to follow, taking his place on the bow deck beside Dross and the others. "Come, your majesty."

Princess Ocèara walked up the set of stairs to the bow and found a spot to gaze at the shore near the very front beside Spike. Spike had not conversed with Ocèara, as he felt a little jittery around her. She was quite beautiful; her long flowing ginger hair and emerald eyes coupled with her gentle demeanour and waving blue dress made Spike quite red in the face. He happened to notice a strange, delicately rolled piece of paper in her hand, a scroll. It had odd inscriptions on the ribbon that held it together, and she clutched it tightly as she looked ahead.

"Um... hey," Spike tried to initiate conversation, but Ocèara appeared to be a little lost in her own thoughts. "Princess...?"

"Oh? Oh... I'm sorry. Did you need something, Sir Drafir?" Spike found it odd that she called him by his odd last name, one that he was still not very used to.

"No, I just was wondering what you're holding in your hand is all," Spike pointed to the scroll in her left hand.

"This is the Eclipse Scroll. It's an ancient document passed down by my ancestors– it holds the key to finding Fortnight Tower. It is currently hidden somewhere in Mystwood, and this scroll should give us the directions we need," Ocèara explained as she put the scroll in her satchel.

"So... how are you?" Spike forced a half-grin to try and not look nervous in front of the princess, but that tactic ended up backfiring, and he winced a little, struggling to fight against his facial muscles.

"I'm fine, thank you," Ocèara giggled a little at the sight of Spike's nervous expression, and the young dragon blushed even harder in response to her reaction. "I'm sorry, Sir Drafir... that was a very odd look you had on your face."

"Uh... yeah, sorry," Spike scratched the back of his head and looked down at the deck as he leaned over the side of the ship to get a good look at the coast. "So... this is Ccrondil?"

"Yes," Ocèara smiled as she took a deep breath, taking in the cool air of the Grand Sea and admiring the view. Granted, the horrid cloud of smoke to the north stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the sea and the gentle colors of the harbor. "Is is what you expected?"

"Well, you know, it's not exactly fit for a tourist nowadays..." Spike gestured over to the cloud shrouding Caven Isle in a thick haze.

"Yes, I suppose not..." Ocèara smiled; though it felt quite dreadful seeing her country like this, Spike's light-hearted humour put her at ease.

Spike saw the worry in her eyes; perhaps he had crossed a line. "Sorry, your highness, I just-."

"It's alright, Sir Drafir... you mean well with your jesting," Ocèara insisted as she watched the dark cloud swirl and linger in the north. "And I need your humour in times like this."

"So... your father, he-?" Spike cut himself off, clearly seeing the woe on Ocèara's face as soon as he mentioned her father.

"He passed away, yes..." Ocèara nodded slowly as she closed her eyes, thinking back to her childhood memories of him. "But he saved me..."

"If it makes you feel any better... I never really knew my father..." Spike scratched his head as he tried to picture his father.

"Thank you," Ocèara said with a half smile as she crossed her arms.

"I think I'm doing a pretty lousy job at comforting you..." Spike shook his head, disappointed with his attempts to cheer her up.

"No, you have, Sir Drafir..." Ocèara grinned as she turned to face the young dragon. "You mean well... and you're sweet."

Spike's face went red from the compliment, but he shook it off, determined to not become infatuated with a pony way out of his league. He cleared his throat to break the awkward tension, and he put his hand out to shake hers. "Since we're... friends... you can call me Spike."

"A pleasure to meet you, Spike," Princess Ocèara beamed as she shook hands with him. "You may call me Raiel, my birth name."

Rummy leaned on a barrel propped up against the railing of the bow deck, watching Spike and Ocèara exchange jokes and personal stories. He sighed, knowing that his relationship with Gin would not be as easy. It had been so long since they sat down and talked about each other's life; they had existed always in the now, never caring about the problems of the past. It was in their natures to let go, to move on and rebuild. And just in the midst of his thought, Rummy heard her voice, Gin.

"Hey, Rummy..." She walked up to the bow deck with Draven beside her. Gin then turned to Draven, motioning to him to leave them be.

"Hey, Ginny-." Rummy braced himself for a stern talk. However, he did not get what he envisioned. Gin hugged him tightly. She hadn't hugged him since she was a foal.

"I'm sorry for what I said, Rummy," Gin apologized to her brother as she broke away from the hug. "It wasn't anypony's fault for what happened to us. I guess we just have baggage, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess we do..." Rummy shook his head slowly as he looked down at the deck. "I'm sorry for sayin' what I said too... it wasn't my place to shout at you. I was just angry is all."

"It's alright, Rummy," Gin chuckled as she reached into her jacket, grabbing her bottle of rum. "Care for a sip?"

"It's not disinfectant this time, right?" Rummy scoffed as he took the bottle, downing a fair bit of the booze. "Yep... that's spiced rum. The stereotypical drink of a pirate. And the beverage that inspired my name. Kind of ironic that I like gin more than I like rum, isn't it?"

"Quit your babbling and drink, Rummy..." Gin lightly punched her brother in the shoulder as she sat down beside him on a neighbouring barrel.

The waves stirred up by Pisces behind the ship began to calm as the vessel got closer and closer to the pier, and the admiral soon met with his crew at the center of his ship along with Daisy, Cyro, and Jhettei. The dragon admiral stood at main deck and called upon the marines to join him in the docking of The Red Koi. The miriad marines on the pier tossed them a stout line, and the Equestrian marines tied it tightly to the front of the ship. Daisy dropped the anchor, and the miriads tied the thick line around their capstan; many of them began to push and pull on the great pulley, fastening the gigantic vessel to the dock. The crew of The Red Koi then dropped their bridges to the pier below, letting the elite group off the boat so that they could do the grunt work of unloading the supplies carried by the mighty cruiser.

"Get all of these supplies off the ship! I want them all taken to Fort Sunse within two hours!" Admiral Pisces ordered his marines with firmness in his deep and booming voice as he exited his ship, joining up with miriad generals who awaited their arrival at the pier.

"Everypony, follow us," Syrune said to the others as she followed her princess, who stuck beside the fleet admiral.

"Where are we going?" Fluttershy inquired in her usual soft and sweet tone of voice.

"To Fort Sunse, the military base in Illioa's Rest, where the supplies are going," Daisy answered her as she skipped alongside Rummy.

"Are we walking there?" Twilight asked Dross, who placed a hand on her shoulder as he accompanied her.

"It's less two miles away, so it's not too far," Dross assured her as he walked beside the troubled alicorn. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I'm fine... it's just... I'm sorry I couldn't do anything with you last night. It's just-. I overestimated my limits is all..." Twilight hung her head in shame; she refused to do anything lewd the night before. Although she wanted it, her body still did not agree with the sensation of touch. They had slept together only in the literal sense that night. "I'm sorry."

Dross stroked the back of her head, convincing her that she committed no folly. "It's alright, Twilight. You still need time. You can't rush this."

"I know..." Twilight frowned as she rested her head on Dross' shoulder.

"That's sweet..." Fluttershy smiled at Winslow as she looked over to her alicorn friend. "They look happy together."

"That they do," Winslow nodded as he put his hands in the pockets of his coat. "I'm glad she's finding her peace after so long. She's been through too much."

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Fluttershy wondered.

"Eventually, the pain will leave her body..." Winslow shook his head in a disappointed fashion. "But, she won't be able to get rid of the memories. Those will stay with her for as long as she lives."

"Twilight..." Fluttershy whimpered as she watched Twilight nuzzle against Dross' neck, tears in her eyes.

****

The trek to Fort Sunse was woeful at first. The town of Illioa's Rest was still and gloomy, devoid of activity. Most were too scared of the ensuing war in the north to go out, and the only visible life in the dreary town was the guards and the occasional hanging vine that crawled up the side of a brick house. The countryside, though, was a relief from the gloom. It was sunny– if you ignored the looming cloud in the distance –and green, and orchards that dotted the landscape were bustling with activity; they needed to support the troops on the front with their resources. The rolling, emerald hills of the country were also rocky, and damp with morning dew, but not enough to take away from the overall uplifting nature of the environment. Creeks ran through thickets below stone bridges, meadowlarks chirped as they rested on fence posts, and willow trees danced in the gentle breeze that seemed to come and go like a whimsical tune. It was as if nature had ignored the chaos and the violence going on in the north as if it didn't even matter.

Fort Sunse was a loud and hectic place; soldiers marched around the outer walls, scouting for invaders, a group of mares prepared crates of ammunition and barrels of gunpowder to be sent to the front by cart. Strange beasts drove their carts rather than soldiers, and this peaked Spike's curiosity. The creatures were quadrupeds, though, they were not mammalian. They were reptilian– almost like tall giraffe-like crocodiles but shorter, like a giant dog. They were very lean and sleek, and their heads were long and slant. Their feet were shaped much like hooves rather than claws, though, they still retained an overall reptilian look to them. Most were either a silvery-green or a dark-brown, and the soldiers that accompanied them fed them fish that they kept in buckets.

"Hey, Syrune... what are those things?" Spike asked, directing Syrune's attention over to the odd creatures.

"They are ckrels, common Blacklands creatures. Most are for pulling, but some are used as mounts," Syrune could see Spike was having a hard time wrapping his head around the idea of a 'mount'. "You can ride them...?"

"Oh, okay..." Spike nodded, though, he was still having a hard time wrapping his head around the idea of a pony riding such a strange lizard.

"Stand at attention, soldiers!" One of the generals that walked alongside the fleet admiral piped up. "Fleet Admiral Horatio Pisces and Princess Luna of Equestria have arrived with our fair, Princess Ocèara!"

Every soldier and miriad in Fort Sunse stood as stiff as a board before the great titans that were the fleet admiral and Princess Luna. Pisces saluted the troops, and Luna waved to them, ordering them to stand at ease. She cleared her throat before speaking. "Thank you all for the welcome, my brothers and sisters in arms. You have suffered under the tyranny of Alprtraum's reign in the north for far too long! And I hope, with the help of you, my cherished allies, we can bring down this tyrant once and for all!"

The troops cheered for Luna as she and the others entered the general's war room in the massive tent in the center of the fort. The tent housed quite the arrangement of tables, including a very wide, circular one in the middle, where a complex map of the northern front was laid out. A single, extensively dressed general in his mid-sixties stood at the end of the tent with his hands behind his back. He wore a red frock coat, like most of the miriad troops, and his while side-cape hung over his shoulder. On his chest were dozens of medals and badges of honour, and his silver epaulettes glistened before the candlelight of the tent. His bearded face was wrinkled, as it should've been, but still he sported a very athletic build and his determined demeanour was as respectable as Pisces'. He wore a patch over his left eye, and a long scar ran across that side of his face. His grassy green, faded mane was cut short like a new soldier. Like every miriad, he sported longer ears and a pale blue coat of fur.

"Everypony, I introduce you to Field Marshal Sebastian Durand, the high commander of Callicera's army." Princess Ocèara gave the field marshal a respectful bow as she introduced him to the others.

"Thank you, your highness," The field marshal gave the princess a bow as he walked over to the Admiral Pisces and Princess Luna. He shook Luna's hand first. "Princess Luna... your presence is a welcome sight to behold, that I assure you. Your speech seemed to bolster the spirits of my troops, and I thank you for that."

"You are most welcome, Field Marshal," Luna said in her most pronounced voice. "I hope I can do more than just that, however."

The field marshal then stood before the towering admiral and spoke to him with the utmost respect. "The Sea God... it is an honour to be in your presence. Tales of your valour inspired me as a young soldier. With you on our side, we are guaranteed victory."

"I wouldn't declare victory so soon, Field Marshal... Alptraum's forces are vast, and Constantine's are even more so," Pisces said as he strolled over to the map of the northern front. "Let us get down to business..."

"Agreed," The field marshal said as he pointed down to Mystwood on the map. "Alptraum's forces are going to be meeting us at Mystwood as we push our way through the north-west. That will be the deciding battle, and I have no doubts that he will send all members of his Indigo Rose to stop our advance."

"That's where we'll come in..." Pisces said as he gestured to his Leaping Koi and Draven's crew. "We can put down the members of his inner circle and shatter their chain of command, letting us push through to the Eclipse Caverns."

"And in that case, I fear Constantine will send his Four Generals and the whole might of the changeling army upon us," The field marshal shook his head. "That will be the final bout for Ccrondil for sure... and it will decide the fate of the whole Blacklands. If Ccrondil falls in his hands, there will be-."

"It will not fall, Field Marshal, I can promise you that..." Luna reinforced the field marshal's will. "With the help of my Cadre, we will win the day. Ccrondil shall remain united."

"I certainly hope so..." The field marshal shook his head with hopelessness in his voice.

"Everypony... this is the beginning," Luna stiffened her posture as she spoke to the others with a foreboding tone.

"The beginning? Of what?" Spike asked Princess Luna.

"The Blood Moon War..." Luna said with a still expression. "Starting today, the balance of power in the world will change forever..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Two: Fall of Mystwood

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A guard of Mystwood sat atop its great stone walls, gazing into the thick mist that blanketed Crosis Swamp to the north. The mist carried the foul air of the swamp, and northern winds often blew that noxious haze south, choking life in Mystwood. However, life went on in Mystwood regardless, and each day was heralded by the usual crowing of Ccrondil ravens. Houses in Mystwood were grey and in shambles– simply piles of lumber from ash trees crudely slapped together into what one could call a 'house'. The guard of Mystwood scoffed as he watched the peasants and merchants in the streets, living day by day like they always had the past month; in poverty. With the death of their king and the division of the nation, Mystwood was hit the hardest by wartime taxes and their defences were more than lacklustre. It was the guard's daily routine to peer over the wall and spot something peculiar, however, he saw nothing most days, and when he did see something, it was usually a refugee of the north looking for food and shelter. He had orders to not let any civilians in, and he followed them to the letter, though, it did pain him to turn away families so bluntly. But he understood the commandment, as refugees could very well be simply disguised vampires, and the guard knew all too well that if there was one vampire in the city, it wouldn't take too long for there to be ten, then one hundred, and so on. He couldn't allow that.

On this day, however, the guard decided to look out into the swamp, as it seemed to bellow and brew more than the norm. The mist clouded his vision, but he could make out the row of trees that lined the edge of the slimy waters. These ash trees were often dead ones, as the swamp's overpowering miasma choked the life out of them; a living ash was hard to find. As his eyes fixated on the tree closest to the stone wall that stood upon, he noticed something odd crawl up the base of the tree– a thick, green vine winding its way up, consuming the dead tree. And as it shambled up the ash tree, runners shot off the main vine, and roses blossomed off of them rapidly; they were dark, indigo roses. This disturbed the guard deeply.

Then, out of nowhere, the guard heard an anguished cry from the swamp; a ckrel barely able to stand emerged from the mist. It was coughing and was riddled with terrible gashes from claws and teeth, and it had no rider to guide it; it only moved forward out of instinct and sheer will to survive. The wounded beast was undoubtedly a ckrel of a northern cavalry division– the one that had been wiped out three weeks prior by the vampiric onslaught. The ckrel groaned as it limped towards the stone walls of Mystwood, and the guard prepared his musket to fire at the beast, as he wanted to give it a painless death. However, just before he fired, an arrow whizzed from the hazy north and struck the creature through the neck, finally felling the once majestic beast. This alerted the guard, and he raised his musket to prepare for invaders.

An eerie silence fell upon Mystwood in that moment, but only for a moment, as a cacophony of gnashing teeth and growls began to stir the swamp; a horde of vampires was approaching, and fast. The guard lowered his musket and called upon his comrades to sound the alarm; cannons poked out of the walls, dozens of soldiers stood at the gate with their bayoneted muskets, and civilians fled into the southern districts of Mystwood, hoping to be spared by the horrid battle that was to come.

A storm of arrows darkened the sky above and rained down upon the unprepared town, killing dozens upon dozens of guards and peasants. The remaining guards then fired off their cannons into the mist, hoping to hit something, but it had no effect. Vampires did not begin to storm the walls like they had expected; instead, a lone stallion emerged from the mist, with the horns of a great demon lord and a giant crimson sword that burned with red hellfire. It was Amon, one of Alptraum's Indigo Rose, who stood behind him, motionless, letting him approach the gate by himself. His faded and long, pink mane flowed down his shoulders, and his demonic eyes burned as he stepped over the corpse of the ckrel, making his way to the gate. He started sprinting.

"He's all by himself! Stop his advance!" The guard ordered his comrades from atop the wall. They responded to his order with musket fire and the blaring of cannons and roaring troops.

"Hmm... they are the tenacious lot, aren't they?" Theodore sighed as he fiddled with his cane. "Don't they realize Amon is a Lord of Infernum?

Amon dodged the musket fire and cannonballs that blistered the ground around him, and he charged his giant claymore, holding it across his body for a horizontal slash. A feathery veil of dark purple hellfire then began to coat his blade, and he released it at the height of its intensity. "Demon Blade Technique: Raven's Wing!"

The attack left the end of his claymore and the crescent-shaped wave of purple flame hurdled towards the battalion of guards. The attack cleft most of them in two at the waist, and it even sliced the cannons and the muskets into two parts; nothing was safe, save for the wall. Amon charged up another attack, and this one would split the gate like a fruit.

"Demon Blade Technique: Serpent's Tail!" Amon shouted as he lifted up his titanic blade for a downwards slash, the edge of his sword becoming coated in a yellowish-green energy.

The attack once again left his blade, but this time took the form of a hundred-hoof-tall, towering pillar of plasmatic power, and this pillar barrelled towards the outer wall with tremendous might. As it impacted the stone wall, it completely shattered the gate, tossed aside or incinerated guards, and broke apart the stone structure, leaving a gaping hole in the wall. The attack grazed one guard's shoulder, sending a chill down his spine as he watched it roll across the cobblestone streets of Mystwood, toppling cathedrals and burning up shacks. Luckily, the attack fizzled before it could reach the southern districts of Mystwood, but the gaping hole still left the town helpless to an attack.

A horde of vampires mustered behind the members of Indigo Rose, including Amon, and he spoke up, commanding the horde with his low, threatening voice. "Take stallions without families and leave the mares and foals. If you disobey these orders, I shall remove the top of your head from your skull with a wave of my hand. Go now..."

"You're soft, Amon..." Sven growled as he followed the horde of vampires that entered Mystwood with his group, unimpressed by Amon's merciful attitude towards war. "We need all the help we can get! Let the mares and foals become vampires too!"

"Such a thought is appalling and brutish, ice dragon. War is won through proper tactics and honour, not through the outright murder of innocents and sheer recklessness." Amon shook his head in disappointment as he sheathed his blade, Droyuz.

"I thought Lords of Infernum were merciless and cruel, not filled with sappy garbage like you!" Sven scowled as a gigantic, red icicle formed in his hand. He then tossed it into the air, and as it flew it gathered more and more moisture in the air, forming an even larger iceberg– almost twenty meters across. Sven laughed maniacally. "Now I'll show you how a berserker wages war! "Leviathan Berg!"

"No!" Amon exclaimed as he heard the screams of mares and foals coming from Mystwood. He drew his blade, cleaving the iceberg in two with another slash coated in green energy. The two chunks toppled down, landing on the eastern and western walls, narrowly missing the southern district. Amon then approached Sven menacingly and grabbed him by the throat, lifting him high off the ground. "You animal!"

"Oooo... did I pluck a nerve, Amon? Why are you so soft? " Sven cackled as Amon squeezed tighter around his throat. "Hahaha! I know! You had a-!"

Sven's words triggered an emotional reaction in Amon, and he slammed the ice dragon into the ground, knocking him out cold. "Don't speak anymore, beast."

"That was unnecessary, Amon," Theodore said to the demonic stallion as he twirled his cane. "And I too must wonder... what drives your actions? What happened to you, Lord Demonknight?"

"My business is my own, Bearer of the Void Brand," Amon replied sharply, silencing the gentlecolt. "Focus on our goal. Don't ask any more questions... or I'll have you join Sven in his rest."

"Ah, shite..." Thatchet groaned as he used his Fester powers to lift Sven off the ground with a blob of amorphous, decayed black goo. "Damn, he's heavier than I thought."

Amon reacted as he heard a cry from one of the guards when Lamia began to rip him in half with her claws, and he stopped her before she could do so. "Halt, Lamia! You can kill him a quicker way."

"No..." Lamia growled as she grimaced at Amon with the guard in her clawed hands. "Mortal stallions are worthless pigs."

"Hmm... it would seem we all have our odd motivations..." Theodore smirked as he watched Lamia tear the guard in half. "Lamia's are... extreme, perhaps."

"And why are you here then, Theodore?" Thatchet inquired as he dragged Sven along with him. "You've been quiet about that this past month, so out with it."

"I am on the hunt for a peculiar Brand, good sir," Theodore answered him as he strolled through the streets of Mystwood, guards fleeing in his presence. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a notebook. "One that I've yet to catalogue..."

"What are you then, some kind of Brand-hunter?" Thatchet wondered.

"Not exactly, no... I'm a scientist you see, and I've been studying Brands for many decades," Theodore said as he lifted his hand to his mask, shushing himself. "I shall say no more than that..."

"So, what now?" Lamia put her hand on her hip as she licked the guard's blood from her mouth.

"We shall hold this town for Lord Alptraum," Amon answered her as he unsheathed his blade and called upon a group of vampires. "You, vampires, go east with a battalion. Stall them to let us build a proper defence here in Mystwood."

"Yes, Lord Amon," The vampire soldiers bowed as they ran into the town to gather the required numbers for their force.

"Ugghh... huh?" Sven snorted as his eyes fluttered, and he gasped as he felt the disgusting slime beneath him bubble. "Gah! What's this shit, Thatches?"

"Hang on, I'll put ya down..." Thatchet said as he placed Sven on the ground.

"Arraggh! There's some in my fur cape, ya slimy bastard!" Sven groaned as he tried brushing off his cloak.

"Oh, good... you're awake..." Lamia grumbled as she crossed her arms.

"I'd sock ya if you-! Weren't... so..." Sven's fist unclenched as he approached Lamia; her aura was beginning to effect the chemicals in his brain. "Gorgeous..."

"Good dragon..." Lamia purred as she brushed her hand against his cheek. "Could you carry a dainty little mare like me, perhaps?"

"Yes, mistress..." Sven said with a blank stare as he picked Lamia up and carried her like a baby.

"Your powers are quite devious, succubus," Theodore laughed lightly as a teacup materialized in his hand with a puff of smoke like void energies.

"Mmmm... and will you bow to me too, masked stallion?" Lamia hungrily growled as she leaned her head closer to Theodore, who didn't seem affected by her aura. "What?"

"I have no internal organs, demon. Therefore, I have no endocrine system. And thus, you have no way of manipulating the hormones in my body since I have none to speak of," Theodore grinned as he lifted his mask slightly to take a sip of his tea, revealing his fleshless maw. "Besides... my heart belongs to another."

"You're no fun, Theodore," Lamia scoffed as she rested her head on Sven's shoulder.

"Obviously, we seek 'fun' in different ways," Theodore harrumphed.

"Oh, talk, talk, talk! We're just talking! When do we plan on killing?!" Sven shouted as he gnashed his teeth ferociously. "I wanna tear somepony's head off!"

"Do not fret, good sir. You shall have satisfaction soon," Theodore tried calming the impatient ice dragon, but it didn't seem to work. "Now, we'll keep ourselves occupied and split up until they arrive. However, we'll meet here once they do, and we'll give them a proper greeting. Once we introduce ourselves, we'll draw some of them away. I'll be finding a cathedral perhaps."

"I'll find a nice brothel to get comfortable..." Lamia smacked her lips seductively as Sven placed her on the ground. "I hope there are some do-able ponies in this town."

"Can ya ever stop thinkin' about sex for one second, ya bloody doxy?" Thatchet said as he adjusted his plague doctor mask. "I'll be wranglin' any civilians in the southern end. Maybe I'll grab a drink at the local tavern too."

"Remember what I said, Dr. Thatches... do not kill any mares or foals," Amon reminded the masked stallion as he made his way south where the screams were coming from. "I shall guard the town square."

"I'll go to the lower east end. Maybe there's a fightin' arena there I can set up shop in. I'll give it a little renovation..." Sven snickered as he tucked his hands in his pockets, smashing houses with massive blocks of ice as he walked down the street.

"So, now we're off then," Theodore said to Amon as his teacup disappeared. "What of the Eclipse Caverns?"

"I shall move the bulk of our forces to that position. We need to split their army apart. I think you can achieve this, yes?" Amon said as he turned to Theodore.

"Most definitely..." Theodore laughed as he turned away. "And, Amon...?"

"Yes...?" Amon raised an eyebrow.

"I hope you find the one you're looking for," Theodore said as he trotted down the cobblestone streets.

"I do as well," Amon nodded.

"You know..." Theodore remembered a detail he had almost forgotten. "If you do find the one you're looking for, Alptraum's deal will expire, correct?

"Correct," Alptraum mumbled slowly as he bowed his head.

"Then I hope you can make the most of the time you'll have with her," Theodore tipped his top hat as he continued on his trek. "Farewell, for now, Lord Amon. I shall see you in the bout."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Three: Warm-Up Round

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The Red Koi barrelled through the raging river with little effort thanks to Pisces' control over its currents, completely changing the direction at which the river ran. A convoy of miriad battleships also followed the advance of the mighty vessel, carrying hundreds of troops to serve in the upcoming battle for Mystwood. Pisces lit his corn-cob pipe and hummed to himself at the spearhead of the ship, his trident in hand. Spike snuck up behind him and stood next to the hulking admiral, looking up at his towering figure.

"Is something the matter?" Pisces raised his brow as he looked down at the young dragon standing next to him. "You look troubled."

"I overheard your talk with Draven... you knew my father?" Spike said as he leaned against the outer railing of the ship. "Who was he exactly?"

"Hmph, you are Orius' son– too curious for his own good. Very well, I shall tell you." Pisces said as he puffed out a cloud of smoke from his snout. "Your father was one of The Four Draconic Emperors, like me, the highest order of lord dragon in the world. He was a kind one; caring, thoughtful, and a benevolent king. He also was a rowdy one..." Pisces smirked as he looked down at the river. "It was hell teaching him the Dragon Disciplines."

"You taught my father?" Spike's eyes widened; finally, somepony who knew his father as well as Draven. "What was he like? How powerful was he? How did-?!"

"Hold on, hold on, young one... you are asking too many questions for an old dragon like me to keep up," Pisces laughed lightly as he continued. "Your father's power was like none other in his prime, and it was often tricky to keep him contained. When he was just a hatchling, his parents had me take him under my wing. Being the next in line for the Blazing Throne, it was my duty to sharpen his skills to become a powerful ruler. He soon surpassed me after five years of training..." Pisces scowled as he thought back to his last meeting with Orius. "Then the changelings attacked his kingdom during The First Changeling Wars; those years were clouded in uncertainty. We went our separate ways then... he didn't even tell me he had a child. And now, you are here with me, so perhaps that was meant to be..."

"What do you mean?" Spike wondered as he glanced up at Pisces, who took in a whiff of smoke.

"Spike, think back to all that you've gone through so far in your adventure... was it difficult?" Pisces asked Spike as he puffed out more white smoke from his snout.

"Well, yeah... this whole voyage has been pretty hard– harder than any other journey I've ever experienced," Spike admitted as he remembered his fights in the arena, his battle with Haki, and the final bout with Kaiser; each mountain he had to climb was higher and more daunting than the next. "I don't know if I'm ready for what comes next..."

"Then I have a proposition for you..." Pisces said as he grabbed the pipe out of his mouth. "Once we complete our mission here, I'd be willing to teach you what I know. Does that sound good to you, Spike?"

Spike's eyes lit up with childlike anticipation as he envisioned himself as a master of the dragon arts. "Really?! Wow, Admiral Pisces, I-!"

"Ah, but be warned... this will not be easy," Pisces said as he gave the pipe to Spike, who took a puff and immediately began coughing. "I am by no means a pleasant instructor to have. You will be worked hard."

"If I've survived this long in the Blacklands, I think I can deal with whatever comes my way with you, Admiral," Spike said with confidence, smoke masking his voice.

"You certainly are Orius' son..." Pisces grinned at Spike as he took his pipe from the young dragon. "But don't think too far ahead. You have to focus on the present for now, Spike. There is too much at stake on this mission. In the Blacklands, it will only get harder from here on out."

"Harder?" Spike's eyes danced about in a daze as he tried to imagine the challenges that lie in his future. "Can't a librarian have a break...?"

"You'll have to be more than a librarian, Spike," Pisces said with a chuckle as he looked ahead, watching the smoke to the west rise into the evening sky, shrouded by fog. "Look, Spike, over there."

"Is that Mystwood?" Spike guessed.

"Yes, and it appears an attack has only just occurred. My best guess is that they were attacked only two hours ago based on the severity of the smoke." Pisces remarked as the thick fog of Crosis Swamp and smoke from Mystwood began to waft into his nostrils. "Winslow, can you see anything up there?"

"No, Admiral," Winslow answered him from the crow's nest. "The fog is getting thick-. Wait. I hear something."

Just then, an arrow flung out of the thick fog and struck a marine in the chest, causing him to fall backwards onto the main deck. And before anypony had time to speak, a hail of arrows began to rain down on the crew. Twilight was the first to react to this, and she immediately put up a magical barrier before the arrows could cause further mayhem. Though, her shield could not reach the other ships around The Red Koi.

"Ambush!" Rummy shouted as gunpowder began to seep out of his skin and ball in his hand like clay. "Battle stations, while Twilight's shield still holds!"

"Guys! I can't protect the other ships! The Red Koi is far too large!" Twilight gasped in horror as the convoy accompanying them became engulfed in a storm of arrows.

"Somepony has to get out there and wipe out their archers!" Draven said as he blasted the banks of the river with his lightning, trying to find their attackers. Luckily, he managed to hit a vampire with a bolt who was hiding in a tree. "The trees! They're in the bloody trees!"

"I'll go! I'm fast enough to dodge the arrows!" Winslow insisted as he jumped down onto the deck, removing his patch.

"Winslow, no! You can't go out there! You could get killed!" Fluttershy begged Winslow as she held him tightly. "You promised you wouldn't get into any danger like this!"

"Fluttershy, I must. Otherwise, these vampires will wipe out our reinforcements." Winslow consoled her as he broke away from her embrace. "I will be okay."

"Alright..." Fluttershy sniffled as she crossed her arms uncomfortably; she knew he was right.

"I'll come with!" Rummy announced as he ran over to Winslow. "I can take out multiple enemies in a short amount of time. You just need to block the arrows for me while I take those tossers out!"

"Watch your ass, Rummy!" Gin gave him a stink-eye and clenched her fist; Rummy knew she was going to be pissed if anything happened to him. "I don't wanna be pullin' arrows out of your sorry hide when you get back!"

"Alright, alright!" Rummy tensed up at the sight of Gin's fist as he turned to Winslow. "Let's get going."

"Very well. Come!" Winslow shouted as he stood at the edge of the main deck. "Follow my lead."

"Nah, follow my lead!" Rummy said as he jumped off the deck, a ball of gunpowder forming beneath his hooves.

"Yes... you are indeed Gin's brother..." Winslow shook his head and sighed as he followed Rummy, jumping onto the nearest ship to the left of The Red Koi.

Just as Rummy was at the correct angle, he detonated the gunpowder, sending him flying forward at incredible speeds. Winslow seemed to teleport from ship to ship, and Rummy landed on the bank just as Winslow did; he was quite impressed by just how fast the sword-wielding unicorn was.

"Bloody hell... are you a demon or some bollocks?" Rummy said in awe as he prepared his powers, gunpowder billowing out of his hands into clouds of black powder. "Alright, let's take these ones out first-!" Rummy was cut off as a gust of wind stirred up by the racing Winslow almost knocked the bowler hat right off of his head. "Bloody hell!"

"Fourth Eye: Soul Dance!" Winslow said as he jumped up, his left eye emitting a bright yellow glow as he drew his sword; his left eye had split into four separate witch eyes.

A whirlwind of slashes escaped the edge of Winslow's blade as he dashed towards his vampiric foes, slicing them to ribbons. Rummy followed Winslow, yet again launching himself into the air like a cannonball. He used the cloud of gunpowder around him, tossing a pouch of grapeshot in front of him and precisely detonating the gunpowder at a condensed point behind the bag. The grapeshot blistered the trees, felling dozens upon dozens of vampires as the shots blew apart their skulls.

Alright! That's all of em'! Let's head to the other side!" Rummy shouted as he blasted off to the other side of the river.

"Right!" Winslow shouted in reply as he dashed from boat to boat.

"Gunpowder..." Rummy was the first to attack this time, and he gathered a giant ball of compressed gunpowder in his hands. As it grew to its maximum size, Rummy tossed it at the river bank, unleashing his attack. "Cannon!"

The ball of gunpowder hit the earth with tremendous force and exploded as soon as it impacted, completely obliterating trees, rocks, and any vampire unlucky enough to be in the range of the devastating explosion. The attack wiped out a majority of the forces on the right bank, and as the smoke cleared, Winslow easily picked off the rest with his superior speed and reflexes, slicing each vampire's head clean off.

"Pretty good, paladin!" Rummy grinned as he launched himself back onto the main deck of The Red Koi. "Remind me never to piss you off!"

"Your fighting skills are exceptional as well, Vice Admiral," Winslow nodded as he complimented his ally.

"Good job, you two!" Daisy clapped excitedly as she jumped up and down with bliss, shaking the whole ship.

"Uh... guys. I don't mean to interrupt your bromance or whatever, but... " Spike gulped as the water beneath the ship froze into a mass of red ice. "I don't think it's over..."

"Others are approaching!" Luna shouted to the crew as she surveyed the area, flying high above the ship.

"No..." Cyro's eyes went wide as he looked down at the red ice in horror, remembering it from his childhood all too well. "It can't be-..."

"What is it, Cyro?" Jhettei asked his friend, who was most definitely in shock. It took him only a moment to realize what was causing this reaction as he took a peek at the ice below that surrounded the hull. "Oh dear..."

"Prepare yourselves!" Pisces scowled as he watched the five members of Indigo Rose approach their ship in a line, walking over the frozen river. "It's Alptraum's inner circle!"

"Shite..." Gin said in a panic as she loaded her blunderbuss.

"Quickly, Luna! Get back to the ship! The Blood Moon cripples your power! You cannot fight these five with us! You are too important!" Pisces ordered Luna, who complied and dropped down to the main deck.

"Twilight, be careful," Dross warned Twilight, placing a hand on her shoulder as her horn began to glow brightly. "These five are very powerful..."

"I can handle myself, don't worry." Twilight insisted as her hands began to shine as well.

Troops jumped off of their boats and ran towards their foes, charging at them with all their courage and strength. However, Sven simply scoffed to himself as he raised giant walls of crimson ice to block their advance, denying them access to The Red Koi and secluding Pisces and his crew. "You all ain't worth my energy... I wanna fight Pisces!"

"Don't be a fool, Sven," Theodore snapped at the brutish ice dragon as he drew his sword cane from its sheath. "Pisces surpasses your abilities tenfold."

"Pfft! Then I'll be going after-... oh?" Sven's eyes lit up as he spotted Cyro hiding his face from him. "Hey... well whaddya know? It's a small world after all! I think I'll kill you instead, Cyro!"

"He knows you, Cyro?" Jhettei asked Cyro, who was clearly disturbed by Sven's presence.

"I'll tell you later, Jhettei," Cyro said bluntly as frozen mist began to coat his fists. "Right now, we just gotta deal with these guys, okay?"

"Very well..." Jhettei said uneasily, as he was off put by the fact Cyro hadn't ever spoken of such a dragon with red ice before; it wasn't like Cyro to hide something from him. So whatever it was, it must've been very personal.

"Alright, so... who wants to attack these blokes first?" Thatchet asked his comrades as they stopped in front of the hulking ship. "Wanna flip a coin? Ah, never mind. Let's all just get in a blue with these wankers!"

"I shall never understand that uncouth lingo of yours, Dr. Thatches..." Theodore groaned as a grey cloud of void energy began to swirl around him.

"Me first!" Sven cackled as he jumped up, charging an icy attack in his hands. "Dragon Mahaha's Freezing Spear!"

"Step back, everypony! Deal with the others!" Pisces ordered his crew as a bubble of blue arcane energies surrounded his fist. He thrust his fist forward, and the bubble broke, causing arcane fault lines to form in the air and release a sound similar to the smashing of glass. "Dragon Shatter!"

"Huh-?" Sven's body exploded into chunks of ice as Pisces attack broke his icy body apart with a long range Dragon Shatter; this was something Draven hadn't seen in a very long time.

"Bloody hell..." Draven gawked at the admiral's power as Sven's body began to reorganize itself on the ground.

"We can't have that..." Theodore smirked underneath his mask as he raised his cane sword at the ship. "Void: Kapteyn Room." Pisces became cloaked in a veil of swirling void energies, trapping him in place. However, this was only for a moment, and Pisces soon broke out of the cage with another Dragon Shatter aimed at the side of the prison. "How bothersome..."

Theodore disappeared in a puff of white void energy, then reappeared behind Princess Luna, who was caught completely off-guard by the attack. Luckily, Jhettei intervened, and he managed to catch the sword with his hands. "Got you!"

Just as Jhettei tried to retaliate, Theodore teleported once again, this time behind Jhettei. Thankfully, Cyro reacted to this, and he blocked the next strike from Theodore's cane with a blade made of blue ice. "I got your back, Jhettei!"

Thatchet leapt at Princess Ocèara with tendrils of black ooze seeping from the holes in his mask. Spike stopped his attack with a blazing fist to his chest. "Dragon King's Blazing Fist!" Although it didn't seem to hurt him at all; it only stopped him. Spike's eyes widened as his flames began to whither and fizzle. "Huh?"

"That's cute, ya hoon..." Thatchet snickered as Spike's magic completely rotted away, and his hand began to sink into his liquid body. "But your flame is just a bloody candle to me... my Brand decays anything, including that worthless fire of yours. Now rack off, ya twat!"

"Dammit!" Spike grimaced as his arm got sucked into Thatchet's tar-like body, and he could feel the bits of bone and other rotting pieces of flesh inside of him. "Okay, that's just disgusting..."

"Dragon Shatter!" Draven leapt forward and freed Spike from Thatchet's grasp as he slammed him in the face with his attack, blowing him back into the wall of ice on the right and onto the ground.

"Ew, ew, ew!" Spike stuck out his tongue in disgust as he shook the back slime off of his arm. "It's so gross!"

"Thank you, Spike. " Princess Ocèara said as she swept off the slime from his arm with her hand.

"Hey, I did the saving!" Draven growled at Spike enviously.

"Dross, look out!" Twilight screamed as she put up a magical barrier, blocking a claw slash from Lamia aimed right at Dross' neck.

"What a shame... wasting your energy on a filthy stallion. And I thought you were cute..." Lamia groaned tiresomely as she tried attacking Dross again. However, she was met with a firm right cross to the jaw as Dross' fist morphed into that of a giant ape's. "Arrgh! You worthless piece of garbage-!"

Lamia was then hit by a blast of magic from Twilight's horn directly in the chest, launching her back into an ice wall. "Hands off, you freak..."

"Nice one..." Dross smiled at Twilight, to which she giggled to herself.

Pisces was occupied with Amon, who slashed at him wildly with Droyuz. Pisces, however, was a better close quarters combatant than he had anticipated, and the hulking dragon pushed him back with every attack with his trident. This surprised the rest of Indigo Rose, as they had never seen anypony block a sword swing from the demon lord so effortlessly.

"Demon Blade Technique: Serpent's Tail!" Amon shouted as he swung his down upon Pisces.

"Dragon Skin!" Admiral Pisces bellowed as his arm became coated in an armor-like coating of blue arcane energies. He then reached out and caught Amon's blade, deflecting the energy back.

"He blocked Droyuz?" Amon thought to himself as he attacked again. "This dragon is a master of The Five Disciplines. I must be careful."

Theodore parried Cyro's sword slash, and teleported out of sight, only to reappear right on top of the young ice dragon with his sword high above his head, ready to cut him down. However, Winslow blocked the attack and fended off Theodore's onslaught of slashes augmented with void energies.

"Thanks!" Cyro said to Winslow as his sword evaporated.

"Looks like we won't win this with Pisces on their side..." Thatchet said to Lamia as he got back up. "Hey, where the bloody hell is Sve-?"

"I'm back!" Sven announced with malice in his voice as he jumped aboard The Red Koi once more, unchallenged by Pisces, who remained occupied with Amon. He then set his sights on Fluttershy and Gin. "Ooo... aren't you two pretty little things?"

Gin replied with a shot from her blunderbuss to the beast's chest, boring a hole through his ice torso, but it didn't seem to slow the dragon down at all. "What the-?" Gin was cut off as Sven knocked her away with a swift backhand, tossing her aside so he could prey on the helpless Fluttershy.

"Gin!" Rummy caught Gin as she fell back, seeing the lump on her head beginning to form as he cradled her in his arms. "Oh shite..."

"You're mine, bitch!" Sven snarled as he threw a spear of ice at Fluttershy.

Winslow had been occupied with Theodore, but he quickly caught sight of Sven's attack, and he blasted away Theodore with a magic attack from his horn, blowing him away. He raced towards the spear of ice, hoping to make it in time before it could strike her in the chest, but alas, his sword was only an inch too short to stop it. However, Amon broke away from his fight with Pisces, looping around to block Winslow's sword. And as he did, Droyuz stopped the icicle from impaling Fluttershy.

"He... saved me?" Fluttershy gasped as she thought to herself, watching the horned demon duel with Winslow.

"What are you doing in the mortal realm, Lord of Infernum?" Winslow questioned Amon as sparks shot off of their slashing swords.

"I am here simply to spread chaos, paladin," Amon replied in his low and menacing tone of voice as he pulled back his blade, sheathing it as he heard Alptraum's voice call out to him.

"It's time to leave, Amon," Alptraum said to the demon lord as Theodore teleported back down to the frozen river below. "Go back to Mystwood with the others."

"Very well, my lord," Amon replied back to his dark master as he turned to Theodore, who was battling Nick and Daisy. "Theodore! We must return!" Amon then turned to face Winslow as he bowed to his adversary. "Until we meet again, paladin."

"And so we shall retreat, good sir!" Theodore waved his hands, casting a vortex over each of his allies. And with that, he and the rest of Indigo Rose vanished into thin air.

"Where'd they go?" Nick raised an eyebrow as his chains retracted back into his body.

"They went back to Mystwood," Pisces concluded as he watched the river rapidly thaw. "That was just a warm-up. They were testing us."

"Testing us?" Spike clenched his teeth nervously. "You mean they were going soft on us?"

"Yes, they were..." Luna added as she crossed her arms in concern.

"Field Marshal, are you alright?" Rummy called over to Field Marshal Sebastian Durand, who was on the ship to the left of The Red Koi.

"I'm fine, but more than a dozen of my men are wounded!" The field marshal replied.

"They were going easy...?" Spike swallowed his fear as he thought of what was to come in the next battle.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Four: The Battle Dead Ahead

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Gin awoke slowly and carefully, feeling her head throb as she arose from her bed. "Arrgghh... damn."

"Careful, Gin. You took a hard whack to the head." Rummy said from his chair in the corner of her room as he eased her onto the edge of the bed. "Does anythin' hurt?"

"Am I allowed to say everythin' hurts...?" Gin groaned, massaging her temple to quell the throbbing. Surprisingly, there wasn't a lump on her head at all. "Bloody hell, it feels like I've been hit by a battleship."

"You were hit by a dragon after all..." Princess Ocèara chimed in; she sat on a stool at the foot of Gin's bed. "I'm surprised you came to this quickly, to be honest. My magic heals wounds, but it doesn't pull injured out of unconsciousness."

"Gin's got a thick skull— get's it from her grandpa," Rummy smirked as his sister scowled; though, his jesting was cut short soon after Gin gave him a hard punch to the shoulder. "Ow!"

"I apologize in advance for whatever my brother says in the future, Princess," Gin said as she ran her hand through her mane. "And... thanks for the healing-thingy too. I was worried about a lump."

"You are very welcome, Ms. Fawkes," Ocèara smiled as she got up from her seat. "Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I think so... let's see," Gin grunted as the blood in her head rushed down to her hooves as she rose from the bed and stretched out, numbing the feeling in her legs. "I'll be fine. Where's the rest of the crew?"

"Upstairs on the deck. They're just rallyin' up the troops for the attack on Mystwood," Rummy said as he stood up, placing his bowler hat back on his head and fastening his long coat. He opened the door, leaving it ajar for Gin and the princess to follow. "Take your time if ya want. I'll be up there if ya need me."

"Alright, I'll catch up," Gin waved him away as she stretched her neck, moving it back a forth, up and down. The princess didn't seem to move from where she stood. Instead, she simply watched Gin as she regained her senses. "You don't have to stay, Princess, I'm alright."

"I insist that I stay, Ms. Fawkes. I don't want anything to happen to this crew whilst I'm here," Ocèara said as she sat back down on her stool.

Princess Ocèara, despite all that had happened to her— the death of her father, the state of her homeland, the constant fear of war over her head —she persisted in placing the problems of others above her own. Her presence was calming, her posture was elegant, yet there was still a tinge of doubtfulness in her demeanour— something Gin could often pick up on. Gin, whilst not the same pony as Ocèara, knew that feeling of hopelessness well; it was what she grew up with.

"Princess... why are you really stayin'?" Gin asked her as she sat back down on the edge of her bed next to Ocèara. "I know you do want to help, but... there's somethin' else. I can see it in your eyes."

"It's noth-..." Ocèara's lip quivered as she looked away, staring at Gin's open door. "I'm afraid, Ms. Fawkes is all. I'm afraid for you all. I'm afraid that what happened to my father will happen to you all as well. I keep seeing him in my mind whenever I'm alone— the face of my father as he fell from his tower. I just-... I'm afraid, Ms. Fawkes..." Ocèara turned to face Gin— eyes glossy, with an anguished expression. "For the first time in my life... I'm truly afraid."

"Listen, I don't know you too well, but... I know what you're going through." Gin said as she slowly scooted closer to Ocèara. "My father was a navy espionage agent who risked his life every day to keep the world safe from Goldblood Gaines. He loved me mother, and he loved me and Rummy. My father was my hero. But one day... Gaines found out about him being a double-agent for the Equestrians— sneaking information to Celestia..." Gin swallowed as she tried to regain her composure. "One night, our father woke us all up— told us to sneak out the window into the alleyway to find a safe place. He told us he'd meet-..." Gin covered her mouth as she choked up, shaking her head in an uncomfortable manner. "He told us he'd meet us at the pier later, but... as we left the house, we heard gunshots. Mum tried to cover our ears but we heard it— it was like shattering glass in an art museum. We were young so we didn't know any better, and we asked mum where dad was. And-... and she told us, 'Daddy's going on a really great vacation, you'll see him again when you're older...'. My dad was just stalling for us to escape..."

"Ms. Fawkes, I-..." Ocèara's eyes widened as she digested the shocking story. Gin shook her head as she swallowed her traumas, reaching out and hugging Ocèara tightly. Then, princess began to cry, as she remembered her last moments with her father. "I'm so sorry... I didn't-."

"No, don't be. I needed to tell somepony that wasn't Draven..." Gin grinned as she wiped away her tears, taking Ocèara's hand. "My father was my hero, and your father was yours, yes?"

"Yes..." Ocèara's tears fell gently as she recalled cherished memories of her beloved father. "I remember when he rescued my little cat, Iris, from the tree in our castle garden. I was so scared, I was crying and doubtful that I'd ever see her again. But then, I see my father, climbing up the tree. He grabs Iris, and then climbs down. And then, just at the middle of the trunk, my father falls off. He tumbles down and hits the stone walkway below. Yet, he's not in pain, in fact, he's invincible— all because I was smiling at him as he handed me, Iris."

"Because that's what father's do. A father makes sacrifices for their children, no matter what. He loves them, nurtures them, and always keeps a bright smile on his face for you in the evening, no matter what happened during the day." Gin grinned as she hugged Ocèara tightly. "Your father, like mine, sacrificed himself so that you could live. He was courageous in a time of hopelessness, and it was because he knew you were safe. The reason we're both here is because somepony was brave. And now, we can both be brave for others." Gin broke away from the hug, putting her hand out towards Princess Ocèara to help her up from her stool. "Let's get going. They're probably worried about us up there!"

"Indeed, Ms. Fawkes. They're probably worried that we're 'shagging'! Is that the term?" Princess Ocèara asked Gin as she got back on her hooves, curious whether she was getting her pirate lingo correct.

"I'm impressed, Princess!" Gin laughed as she let go of her hand. "You learn a lot when you spend time on a sailing ship, I suppose-!"

Ocèara hugged Gin tightly again, a warm smile on her face. "Thank you, Gin. And... you can call me Raiel."

"You're welcome, Raiel," Gin said as she returned the hug.

****

Luna, Admiral Pisces, and Field Marshal Durand gathered around the main mast of the deck, hashing out the method of attack. Luna wanted a direct approach— a full frontal assault to hammer through their defences all the way to the caverns on the other side of the city. Mystwood was dead ahead, and The Red Koi docked on the side of the river (Which, of course, the fleet admiral had stopped completely with his paramount control over water). They were just minutes away.

Field Marshal Durand shook his head as he tried to digest the Night Princess' plan. "No, we cannot do that, Princess Luna. It is far too risky. We don't have the troops to-."

"Field Marshal, I will lead the charge." Admiral Pisces interjected, reassuring the field marshal as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll have Princess Luna, Daisy, Syrune, and Galaeron with me as well. We can hold off their forces whilst you storm the gates. They'll be prioritizing Luna and me over other soldiers. Because they know without us, morale shall run low. Once we break through their defences, Luna and I shall work our way to the Eclipse Caverns."

"I suppose..." The field marshal considered his plan; he knew Pisces would be nigh impossible to kill by some lowly vampires and thralls. "What of this Indigo Rose? What shall we do with them?"

"Yay! I'm with Gramps!" Daisy giggled as she hugged Pisces tightly, almost squishing him with her herculean strength.

"I'll have the rest of us split up into squads and press them back into certain areas of Mystwood so that they cannot interfere with the battle," Princess Luna turned to the others, specifically to Winslow. "Winslow, I'm putting you in charge of these teams. Organize yourselves into suitable groups of two to four."

"Yes, Princess," Winslow said as he bowed to Luna then directed his attention to the others behind him. "Line up, everypony. I'll do the dividing." Winslow walked down the hastily formed row, scratching his chin. He looked to Cyro and Jhettei first. "You two— you both can stick together. I think you work well as a team. I'll get you to go to the lower east end, where the fighting arena is."

"Alright..." Cyro said in an unusually docile voice; it wasn't like him to be so contained, and Jhettei assumed it had something to do with that other ice dragon from earlier.

"Spike, I'll have you go to the west end slums with Gin and Rummy," Winslow ordered Spike as he met him in the line up.

"I shall go with them as well, Sir Winslow." Princess Ocèara chimed in; she had replaced her fancy dress with a more appropriate battledress, fitted with a suit of armor over top a knee-length velvet skirt reinforced with leather and steel mesh. A saber in an elegantly engraved sheath also hung from her hip.

"No, your majesty, you can't..." Syrune tried discouraging her princess, but she was far too much like her father to ever be swayed. "You could-."

"I will not stand idly by watching you all fight for my country and do nothing. I must fight on behalf of my subjects and to honor my father," Princess Ocèara silenced her bodyguard with a sharp tongue and determined expression. "I was trained by my father with the saber, and my magic can heal wounds. I by no means a liability on the sidelines, and I'll be much safer away from the frontlines."

"If you insist, your majesty, I shall have you go with Rummy's squad," Winslow said as he directed the princess over to the group of three. "Your safety still must not be ignored, Princess. A larger group will guarantee such safety."

"But, Field Marshal, can we not go with her?" Galaeron asked his commanding officer Sebastian Durand, who stood between him and Pisces.

"You and Syrune are captains; we need officers to command the army. Letting you go with the princess would be a waste," The field marshal replied to him firmly. "I'm sorry, but she will be safer away from the fray."

"I shall return to you both in one piece, I promise." The princess tried to reassure her bodyguards, but they didn't seem too confident.

"Moving on then..." Winslow said as he met with Fluttershy in the row. "Fluttershy, you and I shall go to the east-."

"No, Winslow, I-... we need to go to the town square." Fluttershy interrupted him, uncomfortably crossing her arms and looking down at the ground.

"Why is this...?" Winslow wondered; she was still pondering over the sword-wielding demon who had saved her only hours ago.

"I don't know, I-... I just have a feeling that that's where I need to be is all," Fluttershy shook her head, ashamed that she had so rudely interrupted Winslow and demanded that he change his plan so suddenly.

"Very well... we'll talk about this later," Winslow nodded as he moved on to Draven and Nick. "I'll have you two pair up and press your chosen enemy to the cathedral in the north. Does this sound acceptable?"

"You bet!" Nick grinned as he patted Draven on the back. "Let's do this, Draven!"

"Alright, alright, Nick. Don't get too excited..." Draven said, trying to calm down the eager colt beside him.

"Dross, Twilight, I need you both to push back you desired foe to the lower west side. I'm sure that won't be too hard for you both." Winslow ordered the rear admiral and Twilight at the end of the row.

"We'll be fine, Winslow," Twilight assured him as she fastened her prosthetic left hand.

"I certainly hope so..." Dross muttered as he adjusted his bandana.

"Alright then, let's mobilize!" Pisces shouted out to the small army, and they obeyed without a second thought.

Docked ships pulled up their anchors, soldiers loaded their muskets and sharpened their sabres, and cannons poked out of each ship as their crew below loaded them up as well. The fleet admiral grabbed the trident off his back, spun it once, then thrust it forward, letting the river flow towards the west— Mystwood, which was still smouldering from the brutal vampire attack. Pisces also lit his pipe, breathing in the tobacco smoke; one last whiff before the battle for Mystwood.

As the group on the main deck broke up, Jhettei caught Cyro just before he went downstairs; it was clear he wasn't ready to talk, but Jhettei didn't have much time, and he wanted to know before the fight ahead. He grabbed Cyro by the shoulder and turned him around; the young dragon simply stared in a mindless daze at the wooden deck of the ship, lost in his thoughts. And as he came to, he shook his head slowly and sighed to himself. He wasn't too eager for the battle that was to come, especially if he was there— that brutish beast of an ice dragon, Sven.

"Who was that dragon, Cyro?" Jhettei asked his companion with worry in his tone.

"Do you remember when you met me all those years ago– beat up in a snow bank...?" Cyro recalled the shameful memory without any difficulty; it was the defining moment that truly changed his life, both for better and for worse.

"Yes, of course I do, why?" Jhettei raised an eyebrow at the ice dragon.

"Well... a dire bear wasn't what beat me up like that. It was him— that dragon with the red ice we fought, Sven." Cyro explained, dark memories flashing brightly in his mind like menacing streaks of lightning. "He's a member of the tribe of ice dragons I once belonged to– my father's tribe. When I ran away, my father sent Sven to bring me back, and I barely escaped him."

"And now that he's found you again, he wants to finish his task," Jhettei deduced.

"Well, not exactly, no..." Cyro sighed. "My father hates failure more than anything, and when Sven didn't complete his mission, he kicked him out permanently. He doesn't want to capture me. He wants to kill me this time... and he'll try to kill you two. I can't-... I don't want him to take anything away from me."

"It's okay, Cyro... you'll be alright. Things will be different now. You'll have me to help you fight Sven, and you're abilities have improved tremendously after training. We can take him down together. Deal?" Jhettei gave his friend a reassuring, confident grin as he put out his hand for a shake.

"Okay, Jhettei... but we have to be careful, alright? He's a devil dragon, not just any regular ice dragon." Cyro warned Jhettei as he shook his hand. "And also... thanks for helping me with this, pal."

"No problem," Jhettei gave a light chuckle as he reached into his satchel. "C'mon, let's have some sake before the fight."

Fluttershy met with Winslow on the stern deck, and she watched the waves cascade outwards behind the ship in wakes as they make their way up the river. Winslow leaned on the back railing, staring up at the fog-covered rear sail, giving Fluttershy a little time before he spoke. She turned back and joined him as she looked up the mast as well, crossing her arms again as a cool breeze flew by, causing her wings to shudder slightly.

"I'm sorry I-... if that demon didn't block my sword, you would've-."

"He didn't want to block your sword, Winslow... he wanted to stop that dragon's icicle, and he did. I think he was just trying to make it look unintentional... but I don't know why he'd do that, do you?" Fluttershy questioned Winslow as her gaze dropped back down to the main deck below.

"I don't know... perhaps he knows you? You are half-demon after all... it wouldn't be out of the question," Winslow suggested, shrugging slightly as he thought about the whole situation. "Are you sure you want to fight him? That demon is a Lord of Infernum after all... he won't be an easy foe to defeat."

"If he saved me, I think he can listen to reason... I hope." Fluttershy was all mixed up; her mind was flooded with a thousand questions regarding the demon clad in dark armor. "I just want to know why he did what he did. And if it comes to it and he isn't as friendly as I thought, we'll deal with him, right?"

"Yes, we will..." Winslow nodded, though, admittedly he was a little uneasy about fighting such a powerful being like Amon. His skills with the sword were greater than any mortal. "I think we can..."

"Good," Fluttershy said as she leaned her head on Winslow's armored shoulder.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Five: No Time To Explain

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"To arms, stallions! To arms!" Fleet Admiral Pisces shouted as The Red Koi halted near the banks of Crosis Swamp, where the water hugged the hill that Mystwood sat atop. Every miriad and Equestrian marine gathered their loaded muskets and readied their cannons for battle. "Daisy!"

"Yes, Gramps?" Daisy replied as she trotted over to the bow deck, unintentionally shaking the whole boat with her giant hooves as she made her was over to Pisces.

"See that shell of ice where the wall was shattered?" Pisces directed her attention to the gaping hole filled in with Sven's red ice a few hundred meters away. "I need you to shatter it from a distance. My Dragon Shatter cannot reach that length in time so that the debris will not harm the troops."

"Yes, sir! Should I go get the big guy?" Daisy asked her commanding officer as she turned away.

"Yes, please do so," Pisces answered her back as she retreated to where the cannons were below the main deck through a door just before the stairs to the bow deck.

"Excuse me but, who is this so called 'big guy'?" Luna inquired as she hurried up the steps to join Pisces on the bow deck. "Is it another member of your crew?"

"No, you'll see..." Pisces grinned as he heard a slamming noise from below, rocking the shop back and forth. "You'll see..."

Luna turned back as the noise grew softer and less intimidating, almost to the point where it was as quiet as a feather wafting in a light breeze. Daisy emerged from the floor below with a massive cannonball one and a half meters in diameter, large enough to be called a boulder. As she held it high with one giant hand, she tossed it in the air, up to the bow deck where Luna was. Luna's eyes widened as she braced for impact, however, she felt no impact whatsoever. The hunk of raw iron simply stopped as it touched her nose and fell to the bow deck; it was as light as a grain of sand. She saw no difference in size, shape, or texture, and it appeared to be iron; yet for some reason, this sphere of metal didn't seem to have any weight at all.

"Zounds! What is this witchcraft?!" Luna's eyes were glued wide open as she held the whole cannonball on her fingertips.

"Daisy here can control the weight of any object with her Scale Brand, remember? That means she can make a ship float in the air, or sink it my making it weigh as much as a mountain," Pisces reminded Luna as he watched her stare on in awe as Daisy effortlessly grabbed it with one hand and stood on the outer railing of the ship. "Ready, Daisy? I'll give you a boost."

"Uh huh!" Daisy beamed as she cocked her legs in for a jump. She then hopped off the railing and into the swamp. "Go!"

With the thrust of his hand into the air, a column of water rose from the murky depths of the swamp and rocketed Daisy into the air. Daisy spun rapidly with the cannonball in hand, and as she reached an optimal altitude, she released the mass of iron from her grasp. The ball whizzed straight towards the sheet of ice at blinding speeds as if it were a fastball.

"If that ball is so light, won't it just bounce off the ice?" Spike asked Rummy as he poked his head outside the railing of the main deck to watch the cannonball strike its target.

"Well, Daisy may seem a little ditzy at times, but she is the most experienced with her Brand out of all of us," Rummy answered Spike as he watched with him. "Watch. She'll keep the cannonball at the weight of a small rock until the last second... then..."

The cannonball impacted the wall with brutal force, smashing the shield of ice to tiny pieces that shot up into the air. Not only that, but the cannonball began to roll, crushing any vampire soldier who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"She'll increase its weight to be as heavy as a hundred battleship anchors!" Rummy laughed as he watched the wall of ice practically disintegrate from the sheer force of the impact. "Nice one, love!"

"Thanks, Rum-Rum!" Daisy giggled as she gave him a peace-sign gesture and curtsey as she skipped down to the main deck, wiping the gunk off her hooves. The miriad soldiers hunkered down in the neighbouring ships could do nothing but stare on in awe at the restored hole in the wall. "Let's go get em'!"

"Aye, Daisy!" Pisces shouted as he grabbed the trident off of his back. "Field Marshal Durand! Prepare your troops for the assault!"

"But, Pisces...!" The field marshal exclaimed as he drew his saber. "The hill is far too steep and the swamp is far too shallow. We won't be able to dock!"

"Leave that to me..." Pisces grunted as he outstretched his hand towards the hill on which Mystwood sat. He then clenched this hand into a fist and slowly dragged it back into his body, like he was pulling on some invisible chain.

The murky waters began to flow backwards until the water level sank to the very bottom of the swamp— a layer of pebbles coating thick, grey sand. Surprisingly, the force of the water didn't seem to drag The Red Koi and the rest of the neighbouring convoy backwards; instead, some of the water from the swamp congealed at the bottom of each ship, supporting it so that it stayed upright. Draven scratched his head at this; he had never witnessed such magnitude or precision of any manipulation like Pisces' before. Perhaps his skill came with his age combined with the fact that he himself descended from the first water dragon.

"Lower the land bridges!" The field marshal ordered his convoy as he watched vampires begin to gather at the hole. "They're building strength. We must hurry!"

Troops lowered the wide ramps made of interlocking planks of wood onto the side of each ship, lodging them into the muck covered ground below. They all deployed at lightning speeds, grabbing their muskets and sabers once more and running off the ramps in pairs. Then, they all gathered around Pisces and their field marshal at the bottom, along with the Equestrian marines that made up the fighting force of Pisces' crew. They met together right in front of The Red Koi, and the last soldiers to get off each ship carried the ramps for scaling the steep drop-off at the hill.

"To the gates, my soldiers! To the gates!" Luna raised her saber as she rallied her forces. "Let us go forth and free Ccrondil from Alptraum's tyranny!"

"Aye!" The troops replied as they thrust their weapons into the air.

"Winslow..." In the midst of Luna's speech, Fluttershy tugged on the paladin's shoulder to get his attention.

"Do not fret, Fluttershy. I'm here for you..." Winslow tried to reassure his companion, but it didn't seem to help the anguished young mare. "Fluttershy, I-."

"Winslow, it's not that," Fluttershy shook her head as she opened her eyes to look at Winslow; they were demonic , pure red with orange rings for irises. "I can feel the tension in the air, the violence brewing... I can't hold back my other side. I-..." Fluttershy held her head and closed her eyes, turning away from the rest of her friends. "I'm afraid for all of you... I don't want to kill anypony..."

"You won't, Fluttershy. You're stronger than this," Winslow insisted as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Fluttershy?"

"Then why do you insist on protecting me...?" Fluttershy clenched her teeth as she held back the horns that were sprouting from her forehead and curling back behind her ears. "You just want to protect everypony else from me, don't you?! You're afraid that that beast will come out, aren't you?!"

"Fluttershy, it already is...!" Winslow whispered frantically to her as he looked back; some of the troops were beginning to notice her amidst the shouting and cheering of the crowd. "You must calm down or your friends will see you-!"

"Then let them see me! I'm tired of hiding!" Fluttershy snarled in a delirious rage and grimaced as her feathers fell out and muscle began to fill out her form, making her appear taller. Then, her eyes went to the normal green, and in a moment of sanity, Fluttershy looked to Winslow with desperate eyes. "Help me..."

"Fluttershy?!" Twilight turned to see her friend kneeling on the mud and moaning in agony, and she quickly ran to her, leaving Dross' side. "Fluttershy, what's-? Oh my... Spike, Draven, get over here!"

Fluttershy was in her full demon form; fangs, bat wings, dragon claws and feet, goat horns, and a serpent's tail. Twilight wanted to think that her form was just an illusion or a strange spell gone wrong, but it was all too real. She quickly tried to analyze the situation, try to find a solution, but there was none in sight. Her only idea was to let Fluttershy go through the motions of the transformation— see if she could come to grips with her form and dominate her inner demon.

"Twilight, what's-... oh sweet Celestia..." Spike's eyes widened as he looked down at Fluttershy, who was now larger than Draven. "What's going on?!"

"Bloody hell!" Draven gasped as he watched Fluttershy snarl at him and dig her claws into the ground. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry, but-... I need you both to carry her to the rear of The Red Koi. I don't want anypony else to see her in this state. We need to let her power through her rage and hatred. It's the only way she'll be able to break the chains that are dragging her mind into Infernum." Winslow quickly explained as he motioned to the two dragons to grab her. "Please, try to restrain her."

Draven put Fluttershy into a double arm lock, and Spike wrapped his arms around Fluttershy's ankles to prevent her from kicking. They both found their jobs exceedingly difficult, as Fluttershy's strength was far greater than they anticipated. She almost completely broke Draven's advanced submission with her raw power alone, but Draven kept her tightly locked in his grasp as they carried her behind Pisces' vessel. They set her down gently, and she convulsed again as soon as they did so. So they pinned her arms and legs down to the ground so that Twilight and Winslow to tend to her.

"Fluttershy, can you hear me? It's Twilight." Twilight tried talking to her, but Fluttershy just gnashed her sharp teeth together and groaned in pain. "Will she be alright, Winslow?"

"I'm not sure. We just have to wait and see... she hasn't transformed since our fight with Nick." Winslow replied bluntly as he held Fluttershy's head. "Fight, Fluttershy! You can do it!"

Fluttershy winced as she cocked her head back from a sudden jolt of intense pain that shot up her spine, and with a wheeze, she clenched her fists tightly. Then, she felt her right arm loosen as the tension suddenly left. Then, she felt her left arm do this as well. She was gaining back control. She wasn't going to let that beast hurt anypony else like it did to Nick. She couldn't. That demon wasn't who she was, she was her own pony. With one roar, she loosened up her legs and slowly got off the ground.

"You aren't... my master..." Fluttershy grimaced as the stiffness left her torso, and she bowed her head, fighting against the beast that still desperately tried to take control over her. "I won't let you hurt... anypony else!" Fluttershy roared as she fell to her knees, her body returning to normal.

"Fluttershy!" Spike caught his friend before she fell face-first into the rocky muck, and he shook her gently to quickly reawaken her. "Fluttershy, can you hear me?"

"I'm..." Fluttershy's eyes fluttered for a moment as she came to. "I'm alright, everypony..."

"Thank goodness..." Winslow sighed deeply as he looked into Fluttershy's eyes; they were still red, though, they were not as intense and bloodthirsty as before, and her horns were still present on her head. "You've controlled the demon. Although, you still retain your horns and red eyes, Fluttershy."

"Oh no..." Fluttershy shook her head in disappointment as she got back on her hooves. "W-will they go away?"

"I'm not sure, but you have control for now, and that's all that matters," Winslow placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"And... all of you... you saw that thing..." Fluttershy turned away from Twilight and the rest of her friends who had helped her. "I'm so sorry..."

Twilight was overwhelmed with a current of different emotions and found it hard at first to come to grips with the situation. She thought back to Fluttershy's vampire fruit bat incident. Could this be her fault? "No, it's okay, Fluttershy... I can understand why you wouldn't want to tell anypony. But, was this my doing? That debacle with the vampire fruit bats, did it-?"

"N-no, it wasn't your fault Twilight. You didn't know." Fluttershy reassured her good friend. "It may have unlocked whatever I am... but there was no way any of us could've known..."

"What now...?" Draven asked Winslow, a little more relieved knowing that Fluttershy could control that form of hers with enough focus. "I don't think Fluttershy should join in on his fight. It's too dangerous for her in this-."

"No, I have to go to the town square. Yes... I have to go there. Something is pulling me towards it. It must be that demon," Fluttershy said as she turned to Draven. "I need answers... and I think that demon we faced can give me some if he is as high-ranking as Winslow says he is. He must know who I am, he must..."

"If you insist, Fluttershy," Draven accepted Fluttershy's wish. She was right, if anypony would know what exactly Fluttershy was, it was a Lord of Infernum. "But you need to stay hidden from the others if you don't want to be found out. You and Winslow need to tag back until the troops have made their way through the opening, okay?"

"Understood, Draven," Winslow said as he looked back at Fluttershy, who had a doubtful scowl on her face. "We'll be fine."

"What if we just take a different route...?" Fluttershy suggested as her wings unfurled, still bat-like. "What if I carry you over the wall? I'm strong enough in this form to aid in the fight as well."

"Fluttershy, I'm not sure if that is a good idea," Winslow attempted to discourage her, but he knew how steadfast she was. She may have appeared timid at times, but when it came down to it, she was the most determined pony Winslow had ever met. "But if you insist that we must fight Amon, I cannot ignore your request..."

"How do you know he's in the town square, Fluttershy? Won't he try to stop the charge to the gates with his friends?" Spike wondered.

"No, he'll stay. He's waiting for me. I can just feel it..." Fluttershy felt her heart beat as one with Amon, who she could tell was kneeling at the fountain in Mystwood Square.

"Seems awful sketchy if you ask me, Fluttershy..." Draven added as he fastened his feathered hat, hearing the roar of the troops intensify; their assault was going to begin. Draven tapped Twilight and Spike on the shoulder. "But it looks like there's no time to debate! C'mon! We got to get back to the others!"

"Fluttershy and I shall stay here until we see you storm the town," Winslow said as he drew his saber. "Fluttershy, are you certain you can carry me in your current state?"

"Yes," Fluttershy outstretched her wings, readying them for the flight.

"Farewell then, you two. We'll see you after the bout," Draven waved goodbye as he took Spike and Twilight back to the hillside.

"Good luck, Fluttershy!" Twilight shouted back to her friend as she waved with Spike and Draven.

"Good luck, Twilight..." Fluttershy muttered under her breath. "I hope you find what you're looking for as well."

Draven, Spike, and Twilight butted through the hundreds of troops that gathered around Luna and Pisces until they reached the front, where the other main members of the fighting force were. Dross nudged Twilight as she stood beside him.

"Hey, what happened there?" Dross asked his partner.

"Nothing, I was just tending to a Fluttershy is all. She's... just a little scared," Twilight half-lied.

"Well, I hope she gets better..." Dross said as she crossed his arms. "We're about to take off."

Around twelve ramps were propped up against the hillside to allow troops to easily climb the steep drop-off. The army grew eager as vampires poured out of the hole in the wall, and Luna raised her hand high to give the signal. Pisces twirled his trident once and coated it with a layer of blue Dragon Skin, strengthening the weapon to be almost unbreakable; it had certainly been a long time since Pisces had been in a real bout with his marines, and a spark was rekindled in his eyes once more as he turned to face the enemy atop the hill. Luna's hand suddenly dropped, and the troops all lined up behind each ramp in an orderly fashion. She hovered in the air for a moment as the first wave of vampires were approaching fast, then she thrust her saber forward, and the troops began to run up the hillside and onto the battlefield.

"Charge!" Luna bellowed as she and Pisces led the assault.

"Um, 'charge'! I guess!" Spike shouted in confusion as he sprinted after Draven with blazing fists. "I think I was being a bit of a whiner when I said I didn't like my old job! I didn't ask for this!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Six: A Demon's Wrath

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Vampires swarmed like ants at the edge of the hill on which Mystwood sat, wearing ragged rags and torn leather cuirasses, snarling like starved animals— hungry for blood. Luna, despite her weakened magic, held off the horde well with her saber and the occasional weak beam of magic from her horn. Spike and Draven held off vampires with their respective elemental powers; Spike breathed hot flame onto a squad of vampires, and Draven fried them to a crisp with wicked bolts of lightning from his hands. Daisy dug her hands into the earth and uprooted the ground, tossing boulders of sod and rock at her opposition, and Nick barraged his foes with a maelstrom of chains, pummelling his foes senseless. Cyro froze vampires in their tracks and smashed them to pieces with Dragon Shatter, and Jhettei raised his defenses with his Iron Body technique as he beat vampires senseless. Dross sprouted eagle wings out of his back and dive bombed into the horde with giant crab claws for arms, crushing and slicing vampires with his pincers. Twilight aided his efforts, and she let loose blasts of powerful celestial magic, vaporizing scores of vampires.

Dross noticed an oddity about Twilight when in battle; she was smiling, though, she didn't seem to notice it. Twilight found herself lost in the fray, as wild and as unpredictable as her foes, almost growling herself. Her eyes were twitching in an unsettling fashion, and as she cocked back her arm to deliver a fatal sword slash to an opposing vampire, she laughed lightly under her breath. Perhaps this was due to all the pent-up anger within her soul, the hatred, the fear that boiled up inside her like a frothing elixir in a smouldering cauldron. Twilight cleaved through most of the vampires on her side of the hill, leaving only limbs and charred remains strewn about. She almost seemed on the verge of crying.

"You fucking-..." Twilight scowled as she cursed at the corpses at her feet and whimpered, remembering all the torture she endured all the suffering. Had it damaged her spirit? Was this reality for her? A blood-stained battlefield?

"Twilight..." Dross grabbed her shoulder as she got up off her hooves. "You can't let that rage consume you... you'll get lost out here."

"I know... I know, I'm sorry," Twilight nodded as she wiped away the anguish from her eyes. "Why is this so easy for me now? The killing?"

"It's not easy, Twilight," Dross could barely be heard over the roar of the battle around them. "It's harder for you now than ever before, you just can't tell yet. But you gotta keep fightin'; there's too much stake, you know that."

"Yes..." Twilight nodded with a little more confidence as two magic blades manifested in her hands; another wave was approaching from the north. "There are more coming!"

Spike, Draven, and Raiel held off an approaching force of vampires on the other side of the sloped, grassy battlefield with a bit of difficulty. They had multiplied their numbers from the last wave, and these vampires wore heavier armor and seemed a bit hardier. Draven's lightning, however, still was able to fend off their advance, but Spike was having a hard time keeping up with the vampires. Their speed was far greater than his, and even with Dragon Fury activated, Spike was outmatched by their agility and sheer numbers. A vampire managed to break through his guard, slashing him across the chest. Raiel reacted swiftly as Spike stumbled back and grimaced; she had to stop the vampires from gaining any more ground on the young dragon or he would surely be overwhelmed.

Raiel drew her saber, and it emitted an odd blue glow from the blade as she directed it towards the surrounding vampires. "Magic Blade Technique: Glowing Edge!"

Spike watched in awe on the ground as a whip of blue arcane energy escaped the tip of Raiel's saber, slicing dozens of vampires in two and blowing others back. "Whoa! What was that?"

"A trick my father taught me when I was much smaller, now hold still..." Raiel replied as she sheathed her blade, placing her hand, which appeared to be glowing, on Spike's wound. "Guérir."

Spike felt a sharp sting as the wound on his stomach closed in an instant. Not only his stomach healed, but his other minor scrapes and scratches were mended as well. "Where were you when I fought in the tournament?"

"Hey, you bloody bampots! Quite makin' googly-eyes at each other and fight off these bastards with me!" Draven shouted at them both as he blasted another vampire apart with his lightning.

"Shite! There's too many of em'!" Gin grimaced as she fired her blunderbuss into the chest of a charging vampire, blowing it back onto the ground. "Guys! We gotta find Alptraum's lackeys and quick, or we'll end up as vampire chow!" Some other vampires attempted to jump at Gin and Rummy, but they were stopped dead in their tracks by a powerful shockwave that tore up the ground in front of them, scattering the vampire troops. "Bloody hell..."

The shockwave originated from an attack of Pisces. He had smashed the ground to pieces with a powerful punch imbued with Dragon Shatter, and the attack had such power behind it that Gin thought it was an earthquake at first. Pisces protected Luna with all his might, sending entire battalions flying into the air with Dragon Shatter. His Dragon Shatter was so advanced, in fact, that Draven mistook it for Dragon Wave.

"Everypony! Behind me! Advance!" Pisces roared as he stood in front of Luna like a shield, blocking bullets and arrows by coating his chest in Dragon Skin. "You mustn't put yourself in the line of fire, Princess Luna!"

Pisces rammed his trident into the ground, causing a fissure to run up the hillside, smashing the wall apart even more and causing a geyser of water to rise up from the ground. His raised his free hand up and waved it about in a gentle fashion, manipulating the bursts of water that arose from the fissure, washing away the troops and creating a gap in the enemy forces for them to advance.

"Forward!" Pisces' eyes narrowed as they locked on his target; the members of Indigo Rose were dead ahead, waiting for them inside the city. "Hold the line here with the Field Marshal, marines!" Pisces turned to his crew and Draven's. "Stick to your groups and pick a target! I'll hold off their troops with Luna!"

"Aye, aye, gramps!" Rummy nodded as Spike, Gin, and Raiel followed him through the opened way to Mystwood. "You blokes! Let's take em' together!"

The three dragons were the first to advance down the path Pisces created with his water. Cyro's Dragon Fury caused his back fins and eyes to emit a cold, arctic haze. Spike activated his Dragon Fury as well, and they charged beside Draven, who clenched his fist, turning on his Dragon Fury too— sparks crackling all over his body. Draven's electrified elbow collided with Theodore's cane sword, and they clashed for a few moments before backing off. Nick aided his comrade and fought against Theodore as well. Spike breathed hot fire on Thatchet, but the slimy stallion scoffed at his attack, slamming his partially-rotting fist into Spike's face. Rummy caught Spike and blasted Thatchet's head apart with a blast of gunpowder, but his head regenerated in seconds. A blade of ice formed in Cyro's hand, and he swung at Sven with all his might, but the brutish ice dragon blocked with an icy shield and snarled at him. Out of instinct, Jhettei backed his friend up and launched his palm into Sven's defenses.

"Tetsu no Ken!" Jhettei shouted as his hand took on a dark grey color, almost as if his skin was metallic. The palm strike pulverized Sven's ice shield.

"Heh, not bad, runt!" Sven remarked as he gave Jhettei a swift backhand to the face, knocking him away. "But you gotta do better than that!"

The battle moved to the outskirts of Mystwood; houses and cobblestone streets were uprooted and destroyed by the ensuing battle, and the hillside behind them was set ablaze by tumbling torches hanging along the outer walls.

Lamia vanished out of thin air atop a nearby thatched-roof house, then reappeared behind Dross in an instant, claws out and ready to slice her prey. "You! Stallion! Die like the pig you are!"

"Dross!" Twilight cried out to her companion as she parried Lamia's claws with her twin sabers, slicing Lamia's hands clean off.

"Rraaagghh!" Lamia hissed as her hands began to regenerate rapidly. "I hate killing pretty things like you! But you're beginning to piss me off!"

"You're insane, succubus," Twilight scowled at her foe as she readied her blades.

"Aren't we all?" Lamia snickered at Twilight, her tongue lashing about like a snake.

"Careful, Twilight. This is no ordinary succubus," Dross informed Twilight; no succubus could have that kind of speed. "I think we're dealing with some kind of snake demon!"

"How clever you are, little bug..." Lamia purred as her eyes became more reptilian and hypnotic. "Come here..."

"I..." Dross' eyes went blank as he lowered his guard.

"Oh no, you won't be controlling him!" Twilight stepped in before Lamia could corrupt Dross and swung at her stomach. "You'll have to go through me!"

"If I must..." Lamia grinned maliciously.

"Theodore...? I think it's time to divide and conquer," Thatchet nodded to Theodore, who was dueling with Draven and Nick.

"Indubitably, my good sir," Theodore raised his hands into the air, void energies swirling all around him. "Void: Kapteyn Scatter!"

An omnidirectional wave of void energy burst out of Theodore's hands like compressed vapor, encompassing everypony within its radius. Theodore then snapped his finger, and the cloud compressed back into his hand, carrying everypony across Mystwood in an instant.

****

"Winslow, can you see the others down there?" Fluttershy wondered as she flew over Mystwood, Winslow dangling under her, grabbing into her hands.

"I don't see anypony. By the stars," Winslow stared down at the gate, dumbfounded as he shook his head, watching as bursts of void energy blast mist into the sky in separate locations across town. "It's that Brand-user. He's creating portals with the void energies he exudes. He's moved the others away from the battle."

"But isn't that what we wanted?" Fluttershy asked Winslow as she lowered altitude.

"Yes, but the question is; is that what they wanted as well?" Winslow said as Fluttershy landed on the rooftop of a blacksmith shop, close to the town square. "Stay sharp. I can feel that demon's presence."

Winslow jumped off the building, falling into a dive roll just before he hit the street; Fluttershy followed, though, she simply hovered downwards like a deflating balloon. "These poor ponies..."

Buildings around the town square were completely deserted; fresh fruit stands, banks, they were all void of life and breath. Only the occasional rat would scurry across the wide street leading into the town square. A dysfunctional fountain stood in the center of the square, spurting out blasts of murky grey water at random intervals. Fluttershy could see a figure in the distance, shrouded in a feathered cloak, bowing his head and kneeling in meditation before a giant blade plunged into the stone beneath his feet. He seemed to be whispering something to himself, perhaps a passage of some sort, and his eyes opened slowly as Fluttershy and Winslow drew closer to him.

"You've come," The demon murmured, deep and detached, low and harrowing. His voice seemed to echo, and the world around them began to darken in his presence. "I have been waiting for you, paladin and fledgling."

"You are not like the others in your organization, are you?" Winslow pried, suspicious of the demon lord's motives. "Why are you in the mortal realm?"

"And why did you save me?" Fluttershy added.

"It is very simple," Amon scowled, his demon eyes burning with anger. "It is my sworn duty to kill the last member of a bloodline that brought about my suffering nineteen years ago. It is you, Fluttershy. I have spared you until this moment. You are destined to be my last victim. And you and your parents shall be reunited in Infernum!"

"What...? No..." Fluttershy recalled faint memories of her birth parents; her mother died of illness, and her father was a soldier who died in action, she was sure of it. "My mother died to plague nineteen years ago, and my father was killed in action."

"No, your father was a demon like me, Fluttershy, and it was I who vanquished him. I killed your mother and father all those years ago, and I've come back to finish the job. Your father doomed me to die in this realm, cursed me from ever returning to Infernum. They are my sworn enemies. And they died like rats in a trap, helpless and screaming..."

Fluttershy's form morphed as anger began to consume her heart, and her more distinct demon features became more and more evident. She was going to tear him in half, rip out his heart. If this was the one responsible for all the pain her mother endured, she was going to make him feel it tenfold. "Y-you... I'll kill you!"

"Fluttershy, wait!" Winslow shouted as Fluttershy charged at Amon blindly.

Fluttershy took a swipe at Amon, but he dodged with unfathomable speed and countered, giving her a firm knee to the face. He grabbed his sword and held it high to land a killing blow on the stunned Fluttershy, but Winslow intervened in the nick of time, blocking with his greatsword, though barely able to withstand the sheer strength of the demon.

"You will die with her, paladin," Amon said coldly as he grabbed Winslow by the throat, holding him high in the air. He then tossed him aside, launching him into a building, toppling it.

"Winslow!" Fluttershy cried out to him as Amon gave her a firm kick to the stomach, winding her.

Winslow emerged from the rubble, his eyes multiplied into three new ones. He drew his blade and took a swing at Amon with a determined mug, but that confidence soon faded as he heard a deafening clash of metal. Amon had blocked his sword strike— what he assumed was the impossible. His demon eyes saw past his gaze somehow, rendering his ability useless.

"Your eyes... they are those of a sorceress. Mine are the eyes of a Lord of Infernum. Such pitiful magic is worthless to me, mortal," Amon scoffed as he parried Winslow's blade and slashed the paladin across his chest. "Pitiful-." Amon was cut off abruptly by Fluttershy's hard fist impacting his face, sending him back into the fountain and pulverizing the angelic statue that sat in the center. He continued backwards, slamming into a house and causing it to cave in. However, he stepped out of the rubble within seconds. Though, he was amused by the fact Fluttershy was able to slip past his guard. "Impressive, young demon... but you have no blade to control that boundless energy within. Your form will tear you apart if you try to sustain it."

"I... don't care..." Fluttershy panted as sweat dripped down her face. "And... I won't lose... anypony else to you!"

"Oh? I doubt that." Amon snickered as he grabbed his blade off the ground and held it up to Winslow, who was in the midst of recovering. "En guarde." Winslow relied on his intuition to block Amon's sword before it could scrape Fluttershy, but Amon saw through him, and shifted his angle of attack, charging his blade with green energy. "Demon Blade Technique: Serpent's Fang"

Luckily, Winslow was fast enough to avoid most of the attack, but it did gouge a deep cut in his right forearm, making it painful to grip his blade. "Damn..."

"You won't hurt him!" Fluttershy leapt at Amon, attempting to strike him with a kick, but Amon ducked, elbowing her in the face, pushing her back once again. "Why isn't he using his sword...?" Fluttershy thought as he raised her fists; it didn't make sense. "I was wide open."

"Rraagghh!" Winslow shouted as he charged up an attack. "Fourth Eye: Soul Dance!"

Amon dodged the long-range slashing attack with ease and passed Winslow's guard once more. Winslow reacted immediately and held his blade up to block. However, Amon did the unthinkable as he grabbed Winslow's blade with his left hand, crushing it in his grasp. For the first time in his life, Winslow was without his blade. Amon then gave him a swift backhand to the face, downing him.

"Winslow!" Fluttershy screamed.

"And now it is just you and me..." Amon said as he raised his blade to Fluttershy's heart.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Seven: The Mousetrap

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Spike and the other members of his team fell through the roof of a building, landing down on a solid wood floor after tumbling down the two-story building. Luckily, nopony seemed to be seriously injured; just a few scrapes and scratches. Gin was the first to get on her hooves, and her eyes danced about the new surroundings. There were empty tables and chairs scattered about the floor, a silent stage right behind her, and a bar just a few meters in front of her.

"A tavern...? How the hell did we get here?" Gin scratched her head as she looked up at the gaping hole in the ceiling they made.

"It was that Brand-user. He's got some kind of warping ability," Rummy answered her as he stretched out his aching back. "I bet they were counting on us to split into groups. This tavern must be a long ways away from Luna and the others."

"Crap... and I thought we had the upper hand," Spike said nervously as he surveyed the dark, decrepit building

"Hold on, everypony," Raiel shushed the others as she listened carefully. "Step out of the shadows, whoever you are! I can hear you!"

"You're a cunnin' one, ain't ya, Sheila?" A gravelly and ominous voice echoed all around them as a figure stepped into view atop the staircase on the second floor above. "I'm surprised you found me out so quickly."

"It's that weird goo-guy..." Spike recalled the last encounter they had on The Red Koi.

"I figured you would be here, Rufus," Rummy piped up as his hand began to pop and fizzle as gunpowder ignited in his palm. "Nice outfit. Still doing Gaines' spying I see?"

"Yeah, well..." Thatchet grunted as he removed his mask and hat, revealing his tattooed burgundy face and yellow mane. "I like what I do regardless on how stuffy my disguise might get." Thatches whistled as his eyes directed their attention to the tomboy pirate next to Rummy. "Hello there, Ginny. How ya doin', love?"

"Spare me the sweet talkin', Rufus, or I'll shove that silver tongue of yours up yer arse," Gin growled back at Thatches as she brought out two loaded flintlocks from her jacket.

"As feisty as ever..." Thatches snickered as he walked down the steps and strolled past the bar table, grabbing a tankard and filling it with ale.

"You know this guy, Gin?" Spike wondered as he saw Gin's eyes ignite in a burning rage.

"This bastard works for Goldblood Gaines," Gin answered Spike as she raised her pistols at Thatches. "He's responsible for my father's death!"

"It's what I do, love. We're pirates, not fuckin' paladins. Get over it," Thatches chuckled to himself as he downed his tankard. "And all I did was rat him out to Gaines. I didn't pull a trigger on em'."

"You've got some nerve showing up here, Rufus," Rummy's hand began to pulse more burn as more gunpowder seeped out of his arm.

"Ha! That's funny, mate— acting all high and mighty now that you've got that fancy rank of yours," Thatchet grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "Last time you tried fightin' me, I wiped the floor with ya. You think you can take me this time?"

"I've got some backup," Rummy said as he motioned over to the rest of his group.

"Heh... these guys? All I see is a wannabe dragon, a spoiled princess brat, and a pirate with daddy-issues..." Thatchet's gold tooth flashed brightly as evening light cascaded down upon him from the hole in the roof. "You call that backup?"

"Prepare yourselves, everypony..." Rummy warned his allies as Thatchet's body began to morph and grow. "He's got the Fester Brand, a Tradendi Brand. If he holds you for too long, his body will try to eight-inch your magic and your living tissue. Whatever you do, do not let that black shite touch you."

"My word..." Raiel gasped as she witnessed Thathet's Brand begin to reveal itself.

Thatchet's left arm began to fall apart and decay into a disgusting black tar, and it split into three tendrils, waving around in the air as if they had a mind of their own. Whole skeletons began to poke out of Thatchet's back and chest, grabbing onto his shoulders and forming macabre armor. More tar poured out of his mouth as he approached them, grinning menacingly.

"Once I kill ya, your body will rot in mine forever," Thatchet's voice became mixed with the frothing bubbles of the black goo. "I'm gonna enjoy this..."

****

Cyro and Jhettei reappeared in a puff of white smoke just a few meters above a flat piece of dirt, wide and long enough to fit a whole battleship within its circumference. They landed a little smoother; Cyro landed on his feet, and Jhettei landed on his forearms to absorb the impact with a break-fall technique. As they both dusted themselves off, they analyzed their surroundings. This flat piece of ground was the pit within an empty gladiatorial arena; thousands of vacant seats overlooked the pit, and the tarp overhead acted as a partial roof, casting a shadow upon the arena. What unnerved Cyro, however, was the ice growths all over the coliseum; stalagmites overrunning the stands, stalactites dangling from the edges of the arena. And all of the ice was red.

"That skeletal Brand-user is powerful; he must have some kind of warping Brand," Jhettei stated as he got back on his hooves.

"Yeah, and he dropped us right in a hornet's nest..." Cyro replied as his hands became shrouded in a veil of icy blue mist once again. "Get ready, Sven is-!"

"Right here!" Sven shouted as he burst out of a stalagmite nearby, taking a swing at Cyro.

"Arrgh!" Cyro groaned as he was flung back into the stone wall to his left. "No... not you..."

Sven's hands became sheathed in crimson ice, forming terrifying frozen gauntlets with a sharp, eight-inch claw on each finger. He also coated his armor in blue Dragon Skin, further strengthening his guard. Not only that, but Sven's body began to let off an ominous aura, fiendish and maniacal. His mouth widened into a jagged maw of icy teeth reinforced with Dragon Skin, and red stalagmites of ice burrowed out of his back, tearing his fur cape to shreds.

"What is this?" Jhettei's eyes were wide with fear as Sven walked towards him, hunched over like a wild beast.

"This is Sven's devil dragon; the ice demon known as Mahaha... The Smiling Devil," Cyro grunted as he got back on his feet.

"After I tear you both apart... I'll make sure to freeze a nice big smile on your faces..." Sven laughed, his voice more laced with malice than ever. "I'll make yours, especially wide, nephew..."

"Nephew?!" Jhettei gasped as he looked over at Cyro, who bowed his head in shame.

"Yeah..." Cyro mumbled.

****

Twilight felt her body crash into something soft and plush as she fell down into a dimly lit room, something fluffy; a pillow, many in fact. They were strewn about the carpet floor of the room, and they all seemed to reek of sweat and other unmentionable fluids. Twilight plugged her nose as the thick musk in the room wafted into her nose, and she looked around to get a better sense of where she was as she emerged from the pile of pillows. She could hear the giggles of a grown mare coming from behind a curtain in front of her. Was it some sort of stage perhaps? Based on the smell Twilight began to piece together just where exactly she was. It was a brothel. And as soon as she came to this realization, she soon came to another; Dross was gone.

"Dross?!" Twilight panicked as she ran towards the curtain, batting it aside quickly. "Dross, where-..."

Twilight scowled as she saw Lamia dead ahead on a throne, surrounded by bound and gagged prostitutes who were positioned face down on the ground as if they were just brutally beaten. Their breathing was heavy and tired, and they called out in muffled mumbles to Twilight as she approached Lamia. Lamia sneered as a prostitute fed her grapes, and she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before he left her side.

"Where the hell is Dross?" Twilight growled at the grinning succubus as purple blades of magic formed in her hands.

"Hmm? Oh, that bug... I got him to loosen up a bit, you see," Lamia snapped her fingers, and awkward hoofsteps soon followed from yet another curtain behind her. "Some out, my dear..." Dross trudged out of his hiding place, eyes blank and rolled back into his head. He groaned softly as Lamia got off her throne and kissed him on the lips messily, sucking up his life energy. "Delicious... I can taste your saliva through his disgusting stallion mouth. Have you laid with this bug, darling?"

"You let him go right this second, witch!" Twilight snarled at Lamia as she raised her blades.

"Oh... I think I can do better than that, little princess..." Lamia vanished out of thin air, using her incredible speed to catch Twilight off-guard, appearing right behind her. "I think I'll have you join him!"

Twilight grunted as Lamia grabbed her by the throat and attempted to hypnotize her. Lamia's eyes became swirling, multicolor whirlpools, drawing Twilight in. Though, Lamia soon found it impossible to penetrate her mind any further; another, much stronger force seemed to challenge her. Twilight was one of the first ponies to resist her charms.

"Hmm... impressive," Lamia took a step back as she released Twilight. "Somepony has put up psychic blocks around your mind, dear. What have you gotten yourself into...?"

Twilight thought back to her final battle with the Sorcerer of Mind— the last words he said to her. "Even if you do that, a part of me will still live within you!"

"That piece of Gek's soul..." Twilight realized as she got back on her hooves. "It's blocking Lamia's powers." Twilight recreated her blades once again. "I can beat her, I can free Dross... I've just got to be careful. This snake demon is much faster than I am."

"Hmm... you're trying to formulate a battle strategy," Lamia deduced as she sat back down on her throne. "Cute, but you shouldn't be planning to fight me..." Lamia snapped her finger once again as she pointed at Twilight. "You should be worrying about him."

"Aaargh!" Dross roared like a mindless animal as he charged at Twilight with bear claws for hands.

Twilight dodged to the side, and Dross ran past her, tearing through the curtain and falling into the room full of pillows. He got up just a few moments later. Twilight had little time to think, but it became clear to her what she should do. She went after him and jumped down onto the pillows. "He's a lot slower like this, but I shouldn't underestimate him. I need to find a way to transfer a piece of Gek's power into his mind. If I do that, maybe he'll snap out of her hypnosis."

"Kill her! Make her bleed!" Lamia laughed as she watched from her throne.

"Sorry, Dross..." Twilight said to herself as she created a magic barrier and slammed it into his face like a shield. "But this is the only way!"

****

Draven and Nick popped back into existence on a hard wooden object. Though, they didn't fall from any height like the others. They were seated next to each other on a wooden pew. And as their eyes darted about the new scenery, they realized that they were within a cathedral. The grand place of worship was Gothic in style, much like the other complex structures in Mystwood, and images of angels and demons lined the cathedral, forever captured in the vibrant colors of its stained glass windows. Granite statues of archaic knights lined the walls, and a grand statue of Luna stood at the back of the church, overlooking an altar with incense and two empty podiums; one for the bishop and the other for a conductor to command his choir in the three vacant pews at the front.

"Is that Luna...?" Nick wondered as he got out of his seat and walked down the aisle in the middle to get a closer look.

"Aye. The ponies of Ccrondil worship her as their goddess— the mare who freed the miriads ten thousand years ago from Alptraum," Draven recalled his history as he joined Nick in front of the altar. "Those were dark times, and now they're here once again."

*Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture plays: Begin at minute 2:30 mark - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzK2e8jKikc*

Then, the piano to the right of the bishop's podium began to ring out throughout the cathedral. It was humming an ominous tune at first, harrowing yet silent. Then, the music became progressively louder, menacingly paced but solemn, as if announcing the arrival of a feared but respected tyrant. Draven tilted his head to see who was playing, and to his surprise, it was the skeletal gentlecolt named Theodore, lost in the music and oblivious to the two of them. However, just as the piece reached a climax, his hands went stiff, ending it on the highest point.

"What a visionary Tchaikhoofsky was..." Theodore rambled as if he were speaking to himself, then he turned his head to Nick. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"You're good at that, skeleton guy," Nick said as he pointed at the piano.

"Ah, you flatter me. I am no pianist— merely a dabbler of the art; my skill is only the result of centuries of careful study and the memory of my ears," Theodore went off on a tangent as he grabbed the cane that was leaning against the piano.

"Nick, back up," Draven ordered Nick as he stepped in front of him. "You're brought us here, didn't you? Why?

"Ah, to the point already then?" Theodore sighed as he stepped over to the altar. "Specifically, I wanted to bring young Nicholas here. You just so happened to be next to him as I cast my spell upon you all. I have scattered you, yes. But fear not, nowhere dangerous in nature. No, it is the tenants of those buildings that are the true danger— my fellow members of Indigo Rose. Though, what they shall do to your friends I know not."

"You want me...?" Nick raised an eyebrow at the eloquent stallion as he paraded beside the altar.

"You don't seem to concern yourself much with those so-called friends of yours," Draven said as he stood his ground. "Why do you want Nick?"

"I care not what happens to those sycophantic sheep. Ah, but I should watch my tongue... the word sycophantic, I suppose, could apply to me as well..." Theodore went off on yet another tangent as he rambled on. "Ah, but I digress. Down to business then. I am studying in the field so to speak. You see, I am a scientist looking to study items of magical property. Specifically, Brands. Doctor Theodore Connell, a pleasure to meet you. I have come to Ccrondil to study the Brand that Nicholas possesses."

"A Brand?" Draven took a step back as he turned to Nick. "Nick, your powers are from a Brand?"

"I don't know what a Brand is, Captain..." Nick said as he scratched his head.

"Hmm... I wish to see the full extent of these powers," Theodore then sighed as he withdrew the long blade from his cane. "Ah, but to do so requires the proper studying session, which I fear is somewhat violent. Would you both care to be the subjects of this experiment?"

"I don't like the sound of the big words he's using, Draven..." Nick said as chains began to shoot out of portals in his back, forming a mass of metal tentacles. "Are we gonna fight?"

"It looks like we are, lad..." Draven said as his fists crackled with electricity.

"Then on with it then!" Theodore announced in an almost triumphant manner as his cane became surrounded in more of his white fog.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Eight: A Demon's Melancholy

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Fluttershy dodged the massive pillar of red energy that escaped Amon's blade as he raked the sky with his weapon. The clouds overhead were split by the attack, and a vent of air pushed Fluttershy upwards. But she managed to regain her stability, and flew back down the ground to fight Amon head-on. "That was close..."

Amon held back, Fluttershy could see it in his demeanor and posture as he swung his blade at her. But why? Why would he show no mercy to Winslow, then proceed to go easy on her? Was he stalling? Was he analyzing her? No, an experienced knight like Amon would have already fully analyzed his foe. The former seemed the most likely, but what was he stalling for? Fluttershy blocked a downward strike from Amon, using her scaled draconic hands like tough gauntlets. Her demon form was waning, however; a few minutes longer and she would be rendered unconscious from the sheer strain the form put on her body.

"I'm surprised a mortal like yourself can sustain that form for this long without a conducting blade. I expected you to go feral by now." Amon said coldly as Fluttershy deflected his sword swing.

Fluttershy realized something else in the heat of the moment as well. Why was Winslow still alive? If he was not holding back before, surely he would be dead. If he really was serious, he would have no trouble in killing him. Something else was at play here, something that seemed too obvious to ignore. Amon was restraining himself against a pony who he supposedly wished to kill will all his might. He was lying. Amon didn't seem enraged either; he was calm, collected, free. Although he hid it as best as he could, it looked as if he had freed himself from shackles.

"Your sword slashes..." Fluttershy stared down at the ground as she backed off. "They're weaker than they were hyped up to be. But that's not it, is it? What are you trying to do?"

"I'm merely savoring my kill," Amon replied with a wicked grin. "It is what I had done with your parents, and it's what I will do to you."

"You monster!" Fluttershy felt her rage boil over, her animal within clawing at her throat. She charged at Amon with all her might and kicked him back into a fruit stand, smashing it to pieces. "You keep spitting on my parent's memory like it's some sick joke!"

"Why do you defend them, filly? You hardly know them— how your father neglected you," Amon said with a low tone and a blank expression. "They don't deserve your sympathy."

"They do! Like it or not, they were my parents and they were taken away from me! I was taken away from them..." Fluttershy screamed in frustration as she lowered her hands, bowing her head once more. "I just wanted to know why I ended up with my other parents..."

"By dumb luck," Amon scoffed, scowling at Fluttershy. "It was fate spitting on me, denying me of my revenge."

"You're lying!" Fluttershy roared as she slashed at Amon with her claws. "If you were that adamant to kill me, I would've been dead a long time ago!" Fluttershy managed to land a blow on Amon's side, scraping away portions of his metal armor. "Why didn't you kill me?! Why didn't you kill Winslow?! Why are you not blocking my attacks?!" Fluttershy clawed at Amon's arms and legs, wounding him severely. Yet, Amon let Fluttershy vent her rage. And he closed his eyes just before Fluttershy lunged at his neck with her claws outstretched. But Fluttershy stopped dead in her tracks, looking down at Amon, who sat silent, awaiting his death. "Why...?"

"Kill me... you have won..." Amon said, awaiting his fate.

"Why should I?! You just gave up!" Fluttershy lashed out at the cool and collected knight as he sat down before her. "Why should I kill you?!"

"I attacked your friends... wounded your companion..." Amon turned to Winslow, who was laying unconscious on the ground. "I deserve death. Kill me!"

"I don't think anypony deserves to die... even if they killed my parents. But you never really did that, did you?" Fluttershy said as her demon form began to fade away, and she stumbled from the overwhelming pain of the reversion. "You're my real father... aren't you?"

Amon's eyes widened as he looked up at his daughter in her normal state, a gentle angel, without any trace of evil within; peering into her green eyes reminded Amon of her mother. "Yes..."

"Why? Why tell me this way?" Fluttershy grit her teeth in anger as memories of her adolescence began to blur. "Why tell me now?!"

"Please try to understand what I am..." Amon lamented as he recalled his memories one by one, unpacking the ones he locked away. "Your mother, Crocus, she was mortal. A typical demon will be executed for having a child with a mortal, but... I am a Lord of Infernum. If I were to be discovered, I would be given a fate worse than death. Banishment. Outside of Infernum, my powers fade, my immortality wanes, and the demons of Infernum shall hunt me down until the end of time." Amon clenched his fists as an image of Crocus' face flashed before his eyes. "But she was worth the risk..."

A memory played in Amon's mind; the very first time he had met Fluttershy's mother in Everfree Forest. It was the crack of dawn, and Amon had patrolled the forest in the form of a giant white wolf, scouring the thick woods for hunters that might kill his kin— the beasts of the forest. He came to a quiet, tranquil pond with water as clear as a diamond. He stared at his reflection for a moment, then looked up, hearing the soft shuffling of hooves on grass. His teeth gnashed and a low growl escaped his maw as he saw a mare standing on the other side of the pond.

She was a pegasus of below average height, fairly slim, and she exuded this air that ran thick with the scent of blossoms caked in morning dew. Her flowing, wavy purple hair cascaded down her shoulders and down to her hips, and her bright green eyes sparkled like peridot gemstone. Her white face was soft and kind, and she had a curious look on her face as she gazed back at Amon. He could see a notebook in her hand, and she wore common leather armor that a hunter would wear with various bandoliers across her chest.

"I'm sorry for intruding," The mare raised her notebook up and gestured to it the same, childish way one would when they were to speak to a wild animal. "I was just studying the forest creatures is all..."

"You try to speak to a wild beast? What a foolish mare..." Amon said as he calmed down a bit, intrigued by the captivating pegasus.

"A talking wolf?!" The mare gasped as she came to grips with the reality of the situation. "How can you do that?"

"I am Amon, Lord of Infernum, King of Beasts and protector of this forest," Amon grunted through his snout as he sat down on his rump. "Why have you not fled in terror yet, hunter?"

"Hunter? No, no, you misunderstand... I just wanted to explore the forest and go bird-watching is all. I don't like hunting, to be honest. I think it's a waste of time to kill innocent animals merely acting on instinct," The mare explained herself calmly as she closed her notebook. "I didn't mean to startle you, Amon. And why would I flee from an animal who isn't trying to hurt me? I shouldn't fear wolves, or talking ones like you for that matter."

"You do not fear this form...?" Amon tilted his head in confusion as he stared back down at the pond to look at his gigantic form. He reverted back to his regular demon form, causing the mare another shock. "Poachers always flee when they see me!"

"Well, I suppose it's a good thing I'm not a poacher then..." The mare said as she walked around the small pond to meet with the odd demon. "My name is Morning Crocus... it's nice to meet you."

"She made me feel alive... and she taught me the true values of life in this world." Amon continued. "I loved her with all my heart."

Amon sat beneath a great oak tree with Crocus right next to him, feeling the cool breeze together as they sat atop a hill overlooking a gulch. Amon was impatient back then; brash and prone to fits of frustration. He growled as he sat back up. "Rrraggh! Why must we sit beneath this tree and say nothing? Was this not a romantic event of some sort?"

"It is. We're just enjoying the nice weather is all..." Crocus giggled as she stood up as well. "You're cute when you get all angry like this."

"You infuriate me sometimes..." Amon sighed, noticing a pink butterfly land on his shoulder, gently fluttering its wings. "What is this odd creature?"

"For the 'Protector of The Forest', you don't know too much about your forest do you?" Crocus chuckled as she put her hand out, allowing the butterfly to land on her finger. "This is a butterfly. It helps pollinate flowers and other plants. I especially love these pink ones." Crocus laughed again as she said more of the insects land on Amon's shoulders. "I think they like you."

"I am the King of Beasts... I do not concern myself with the small creatures. I leave that to the dryads." Amon's eye twitched slightly as butterflies continued to land on him, forming a layer of the insects on his armor. "I see no need for these creatures..."

"Nonsense. A butterfly is just as important as a wolf or a bear. They keep balance in the forest. They connect plant to animal, rock to river, the sky to the earth. Though it may seem small and frail, a butterfly protects the forest with benevolent grace," Crocus smiled as the butterflies scattered, flying off into the distance. "No matter how small, every life matters. We mortals are small, but we matter. Demons, beasts, monsters... they all matter as well."

"Crocus, do you take me for a monster...?" Amon inquired in a softer tone of voice.

"You're not a monster. You're just misunderstood," Crocus grinned as she placed her hand on his cheek. "And you're just trying to live like every other creature."

"I want to stay here, Crocus, with you..." Amon closed his eyes as Crocus stroked his face.

"You told me what would happen, Amon. You know the consequences. I can't let you throw your life away for me," Crocus began to cry as she removed her hand from his cheek. "I-..."

Amon lunged forward and planted his lips onto hers, embracing her for what seemed like a lifetime. As they broke the kiss, they both kept their eyes closed as they gently pressed their foreheads against each other's, and Amon whispered to his beloved's ear with heartfelt passion. "You are my life. I am dead without you. You know that."

"Then a second love sprung into my life..." Amon grinned as he looked up at Fluttershy. "And I couldn't let anything happen to her..."

"She's beautiful, Amon..." Crocus smiled weakly in her bed, cradling an infant pegasus in her arms. "Come see her..."

Amon nervously approached the newborn, hesitating a little as he picked her up. But his worry melted completely as his eyes met with his daughter— bright green eyes and a pink mane. "Hello there, little one..."

"She looks like you..." Crocus said as Amon leaned in closer for them to both meet their new foal. "What shall we name her?"

Amon heard a familiar sound from a nearby window; a butterfly. It sat on the windowsill, watching them from afar and protecting them. "Fluttershy..." Amon grinned as he saw his daughter smile at him. "My butterfly..."

"What a wonderful name..." Crocus laughed lightly as she hummed to her new daughter, lulling her to sleep.

"She was slain soon after you were born by a lowly demon. And I couldn't even protect her..." Amon lamented, grasping the handle of his blade that remained in his hand. "I couldn't save her... but I wanted to do what I could for you. So I left you at your parent's doorstep; a kind and honest family that could give you the life you deserved." Amon said as he closed his eyes. "If you are angry with me, I understand. I failed your mother, and I failed you as a father. I wanted you to kill me here, quickly and without a word. It would've been much easier if you had just done it without thinking. I didn't want to do this to you..."

"You wanted me to just kill you like that...?" Fluttershy was rendered speechless for a few moments. "Why? Why did you want me to kill my own father?"

"I am not your father..." Tears fell from Amon's chin as he felt the wounds on his chest. "What kind of a father would say such things to his daughter? Hit his daughter? What father would abandon his daughter? I am no fath-."

"No..." Fluttershy hugged Amon as she began to bawl, embracing him tightly in her arms. "You are my father... you gave me life. You loved my mother and she loved you! That's all that matters! I should be thanking you! For once in my life, I feel like I'm not alone! I feel like I know myself for once in my life!"

"Fluttershy..." Amon's eyes widened as his daughter cried on his shoulder. "You were never alone. Your mother and I were with you, always. We were just too far to reach you."

"Dad..." Fluttershy whimpered. "Dad..." It was then that Fluttershy saw the fingers on her father's left hand begin to disintegrate into a soft, sand like powder that was whisked away by the wind. "Dad, what's happening to you?! What's going on?!"

"My deal with Alptraum has expired..." Amon said as he broke away from Fluttershy, getting back on his hooves and grabbing his sword off the ground with his good hand. "Alptraum's power kept me alive for this long... but my body has surpassed its limit."

"W-what does that mean, dad? W-what are you saying?!" Fluttershy ran to him once again, embracing him tightly. "Dad, what are you saying?!"

"My time has come, my sweet Fluttershy..." Amon smiled as he planted a kiss on his daughter's forehead. "I must go to your mother now."

"But you can't!" Fluttershy cried as she saw butterflies begin to pour from his left forearm, fluttering away in the wind. "You can't leave me now! Not when I just met you! You can't!"

"I must, Fluttershy... it is my time..." Amon removed the sheath from his back and placed his sword inside, leaving it on the ground beside them. "But this is not the end, my butterfly. This is the beginning." Amon backed away, leaving Fluttershy, but keeping her in his sight as his body continued to deteriorate. "Take Droyuz, child. Become strong. Protect those you love with all your might. And do not cry for me..." Amon smiled as a whirlwind of butterflies began to whisk him away. "Know that I am the gentle wind brushing against your cheek..." Fluttershy bawled as she hugged Amon's blade. "Know that your mother is the rustling tree that gives you shelter..."

"We love you, Fluttershy..." Amon and Crocus' voice echoed in her mind as she wept with the blade still in her arms. "We will protect you until the end of time."

Winslow's eyes fluttered for a moment as he heard Fluttershy's cries nearby, and his lips parted slightly as he looked in her direction, watching as she rocked back and forth with Droyuz still in her arms. "Fluttershy...?"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Eighty Nine: Maniae Gemini

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Dross in his hypnotized state was fearsome to be sure. He growled and snarled at Twilight like a rabid mongrel as he swung at her with crab and tiger claws, and he sprouted hawk wings and a scorpion's tail to dive bomb Twilight. Luckily for her, Dross' agility and coordination were severely hampered by his zombified state and she was consistently able to avoid his attacks, though only barely. Twilight's mind was flooded with thoughts, visions of what she might have to do to Dross to subdue him. She feared to act on those visions, though following them meant her survival. Twilight charged forward, slamming a magic shield into Dross' face as he dove at her. Dross tumbled back onto the ground, to which Twilight immediately followed up her attack. She tried to shield bash Dross in the temple to knock him out, but he was quick enough to evade her. As he strafed to the right, his scorpion tail lashed at Twilight's leg, puncturing a large hole in her thigh. Lamia chuckled in delight as Twilight stood still and began to grimace in shock as the venom began to stun her leg and climb up to her stomach.

"You're mine now, Princess Twilight . There's nothing you can do," Lamia sneered as she stepped down into the pit full of pillows. "Accept your fate... and his fate as well. He shall become my slave forever— my personal trophy."

"Why are you doing this? What do you have to gain from helping Alptraum?" Twilight asked as she fell to her knees.

"Alptraum promised me a world without judgment of my kind, a world where I may enslave stallions to my heart's content," Lamia gave Twilight a wicked grin as she clenched her fist tightly. "I want justice."

"Mommy, why can't I go outside by myself?" A young filly with red horns sprouting from her forehead asked her mother, peering through the curtains of their living room window, watching as a few fillies and colts played catch with a softball back and forth.

"Because you're just, well, you're different is all..." Her mother consoled the poor filly as she stroked her long white hair.

Posy had told Lamia time and time again why she couldn't be with the other foals; her kind was only met with judgment, distrust, and aggression. Posy found Lamia on her doorstep when she was just an infant, crying and wailing for her real mother and father. Most would've scrapped the child, screamed and tossed it in a faraway forest as soon as they laid witness to the horns and red eyes of the foal. Posy insisted that she deserved just as much as the others. Demon or not, Lamia deserved some kind of life; she often liked to think her parents wanted that for her, but she had little faith that a couple of demons would ever care about something like an infant.

A knock the door alerted them both, and Posy quickly hurried Lamia into the closet. She hastily smoothed out her red face to make it a little fresher, and she brushed her blue hair vigorously to give it a wavier appearance. "I've got a customer, Lamia. Please plug your ears and close your eyes until I tap you on the shoulder, okay?"

"Okay..." Lamia squeaked as Posy closed the closet on her. "Mommy...?"

"Yes, sweetie?" Posy replied.

"Why do you let those bad stallions beat you up in here...?" Lamia said, Posy feeling the scars on her head and chest ache as memories surfaced within her mind; the last customer was violent, and it had almost cost Posy her life.

"I just need money, sweetheart. Otherwise, I can't buy us a house like I said I would..." Posy answered her as she fully shut the door. She sighed, then opened the door slowly. "Hi, there..." Posy put on a more seductive voice as she sat down on the bed. "Care to join me?"

"What are your rates?" The figure in the doorway said in a low tone that carried throughout the room.

"A hundred an hour," Posy answered bluntly as she sat at the edge of the bed. "So... you interested?"

"Yeah," The stallion moved toward the bed and took his clothes off, preparing himself as Posy took her robe off, revealing her lingerie underneath. "Three hours."

After they had done their deed, Posy walked over to the bathroom, fixed her hair and makeup, then grabbed her purse off the toilet seat and approached the stallion. She sighed to herself as she looked at the meagre funds in her wallet, and she held it out to the stallion. "Three hundred bits."

"I ain't payin' for three hundred, skank. You only gave me two hours and fifty minutes." The stallion snickered as he stood up, putting his shirt back on.

"C'mon, you're really gonna be that picky?" Posy scoffed as she rolled her eyes and let out a sigh of exasperation. "I need three hundred, pal."

"You ain't gettin' fuckin' shit, bitch," The stallion laughed as he pulled out a flintlock from his pocket and revealed a tattoo on his neck— the mark of a Goldblood Pirate. "In fact, you've got to pay up... my higher-ups want their cash..."

"I-I... I don't have anything!" Posy began to panic; she knew what would come next.

"Then you'll just have to pay in blood then..." The stallion grinned as he squeezed the trigger on his flintlock, firing a shot into Posy's chest. As she fell back into a wall whimpering, he took her purse and marched out the door without a word.

"Mommy...?" Lamia began to tear up as the shot echoed in her head a thousand times; she felt a wave of loneliness wash over her as she heard no verbal reply, only a wheeze, and a cough. She opened the closet door and ran out into the bedroom, kneeling before her dying mother. "Mommy..."

"Sweetie... I'm sorry..." Posy groaned as her eyes fluttered. "I love you..."

"Mommy, don't go, mommy!" Lamia shrieked in horror as Posy's eyes shut and her head slumped forward. "Mommy!"

"Stallions are nothing but selfish animals who take and take— never give," Lamia stated coldly as her eyes locked on Twilight. "My mother was killed by a stallion, every stallion I've ever known simply used me like a tool, tortured me. I will never feel helpless before any stallion ever again!"

"You can't just write off every stallion just because of your bad luck!" Twilight winced as the venom began working its way up her spine. "What you're saying is insanity!"

"Silence! I'm growing tired of your nonsensical babbling!" Lamia said with a disgusted expression as she grabbed a knife from her pocket. "I'm going to cut your tongue out, then I'm going to cut the rest of you up agonizingly slow to savour your suffering..."

Twilight thought back to magic lessons with Celestia and Luna— her training in the Royal Garden. She remembered something Celestia had said after showcasing her true form to Twilight.

"Twilight... an alicorn is a pony who is the most in touch with the currents of the Arcane Realm— the place that all beings draw their energy from. Within these currents lurk the energy of the universe; both positive and negative. For a time, we alicorns can transcend mortal bodies in combat and attain a higher state of being. This is our Astral Form."

Her Astral Form— a state that only an alicorn can achieve with enough willpower. She thought of Celestia in her form, the form of the Sun Goddess. She shimmered like gold, stood as high as a church tower, and rained down heavenly ruin upon her foes; or that's just what the legends had claimed. She recalled tales of Luna as the Moon Goddess, the Savoir of Ccrondil who slew vampires and demons. These were the forms of gods, and they were the stories she grew up with. If she had any hope of winning, she had to embrace her inner spirits, both good and evil.

"I've got to muster up what magic I have left! I'm an alicorn! I must be able to achieve an Astral Form like Celestia and Luna! I just need to focus!" Twilight closed her eyes as she fought through the venom, trying to burn it out using the magic coursing through her veins.

"Are you trying to fight through the venom...? That's cute. It will only make it more pleasurable for me to watch you squirm and writhe as you die on the floor," Lamia snickered. "You will know true pain soon enough..."

"True pain...?" Twilight seemed to stop struggling as what Lamia said began to sink in, causing Twilight's head to violently convulse and twitch like a lunatic. The energy that she began to build up started to swell and build upon itself on its own, feeding off her stored agony. "You think you know what pain is...?"

"W-what is-...?" Lamia's heart began to pump faster in her chest as she watched Twilight stumble forward towards her like some deranged mental patient. "What is this sudden spike in magical power...?"

Negative energies began to manifest around Twilight; all the hatred, the rage, the sorrow that she felt— it was gathering in a dark cloud around her, a purple mist that enveloped her body. She breathed heavily as the darkness wrapped her in its odd shroud, gifting to her sensations of rage and sorrow, laughter and tears. Her soul was cleft in two by this darkness, and she felt her body tear itself apart as the darkness continued to caress her very soul. The mist began to swirl faster and faster, emitting a wailing cry as it sped up continuously. Gek's power had become one with Twilight's. With one last shriek, the mist exploded outwards, clouding Lamia's vision for a brief moment.

"What did she do...?" Lamia gasped as she heard both laughter and sobbing coming from the mist— an indication that there was now a new combatant in this fight. "Show yourself!"

"Aren't you a funny little thing!" An overly-cheery, almost maniacal voice echoed throughout the chamber. It was Twilight's voice to be sure, but it was beyond malicious.

"You thought you could torture us... we don't like being tortured..." A Twilight with a solemn, mournful voice mumbled.

"Who are you?!" Lamia panicked as she ordered Dross to inspect the odd cloud that surrounded them.

"We are not one..." The melancholic voice croaked as the singular figure stepped out of the mist.

"We are two!" The wicked mare cackled. "We are Maniae Gemini!"

The new form of Twilight emerged from the mist, revealing herself as a manifestation of Gek and Twilight's fractured spirits, merged into a single, yet separate entity. She was twice the size of her regular form, and she towered over Lamia. What was once Twilight was now a loose representation of the mare that once was. She was made out of what seemed to be the pieces of a grey Twilight statue, held together by the same purple mist that birthed her; they were like strange ligaments that filled the gaps where each joint was supposed to be. The statuesque mare had permanent, totally opposite expressions on either side of her face, split right down the middle; the one on the left was the sorrowful one, who had a frown that bent at an unnatural angle, and the other was the wild one with a wide grin that traveled all the way to her right ear. She hovered in the air with her head bowed. She had strange, heterochromatic eyes. The Sad Twilight on the left side had Twilight's normal eye, and the Malicious Twilight had a swirling, white and black vortex— the same as Gek's.

She still had a pair of alicorn wings. Though, like her eyes, they were mismatched. The wing on the side of Gek's eye was a black feathered alicorn wing, and the wing on the other side was composed of more purple mist. Her tail appeared normal as well, however, the mane of Sad Twilight had purple hair with black streaks that stretched down all the way to her hooves, covering most of her face on her side. Malicious Twilight's black hair on the right had purple streaks, and it was a spiked mess that jutted out in odd directions. The most disturbing trait out of all of this, however, was the fact that both seemed to breathe and blink at different times.

"This is the part of you that was resisting my power?" Lamia calmed down a bit as she assessed the situation.

The new form of Twilight said nothing more, and she immediately burst into action, charging forward at Lamia with terrifying speed. Lamia's hands extended into sharp claws, and she swung at Twilight, but it had no effect. Twilight's body evaporated into the purple haze as Lamia cleaved through her, and the mist quickly reassembled itself behind her, materializing into Twilight with her hand surrounded in a claw composed of dark purple energy.

"Cosmic Chaos: Screaming Nebula Claw!" Twilight's two halves said in unison as she slashed Lamia across the back with an attack made of dark cosmic energy, sending out ripples of arcane force that tore apart the roof of the building, letting the rain pour inside and dampen the room.

"Arrggh!" Lamia wailed in agony as she lost control of Dross; her dominance over him replied on intense focus. "You-!"

"Cosmic Chaos: Howling Comet!" Lamia was cut off as Twilight let loose a beam of energy from her stone horn, launching Lamia through the wall and onto the cobblestone street on the other side, knocking her unconscious.

"Wh-wha-..." Dross shook his head as he came back to his senses. "Twilight...?" Dross gasped as he turned to the massive hole in the roof and wall, and his eyes went wide in shock as he saw what his companion had become. "Twilight! Twilight, is that you?!"

"Don't interfere, Dross. I will kill her myself." Twilight grunted as a massive claymore composed of mist and crackling energy formed in her hand. She raised it high above Lamia, who laid flat on the ground in a heap. "Cosmic Chaos..."

"Wait! Twilight!" Dross shouted as he stood in front of Lamia with his arms outstretched, acting as a meat shield for the snake demon. "You've won! She's been subdued! There's no reason for you to kill her now!"

"I... must..." Twilight kept her blade high in the air as she listened to Dross, fighting against her urge to slice him along with Lamia. "She hurt you... she killed dozens! She deserves death..."

"I know what she did, Twilight, but that doesn't make it right..." Dross convinced her as he put his hands down. "This isn't you. You don't kill without thinking. This is not the Twilight I know. Put the sword down!"

"I..." Twilight grimaced as she fought against the darkness corrupting her sense of reason and logic, and she lowered the blade, causing it to disintegrate in her hand. "I..." Twilight's form began to melt away into a thick fog, and it blew away in the wind and rain. Tears streamed down her face as she stumbled forward into Dross' arms. "I'm sorry, Dross! I thought I could control myself... but I'm just not strong enough to overcome it! I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, Twilight... it's okay," Dross said as he stroked her hair. "We won..." Dross broke the embrace and turned to the gravely injured mare that lay on the ground behind him. "But we've got to get this mare back to the ship or she'll surely die from blood loss. Are you strong enough to run or fly?"

"No... I used up all my strength trying to sustain that form..." Twilight coughed as she felt her body go numb from the strain of releasing all that magic energy at once.

"Then I'll carry you both," Dross said as his legs morphed into the talons of an eagle and he sprouted wings from his back, grabbing both of them in his grasp and lifting them high into the air. "Hopefully we can make it in time..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety: White Ice

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The demonic dragon Sven moved incredibly fast, despite his bulky musculature. This speed caught Jhettei and Cyro off guard, Jhettei especially. He found it exceedingly difficult to dodge the flurry of claw slashes from Sven; he began resorting more to his Iron Body techniques, as they seemed more viable in a situation where his speed was lacking. Sven wasted no time with Jhettei, and the small stallion barely had any time to prepare himself as Sven caused a giant red icicle to rise out of the ground in front of him like a pike, driving forward into Jhettei's stomach . Jhettei focused his energy into his midsection, hardening it with Iron Body and turning his chest a metallic black; he had greatly improved this technique since his fight with Coba in Wantthai.

The icicle sent him flying upwards, but luckily, due to his defensive technique, it did not impale him. Jhettei landed on his back, rolling over into a reverse dive roll and lengthening the distance between him and his foe, giving Cyro time to enter the bout. A titanic blade of crimson ice formed in Sven's hands as he leapt high into the air towards Jhettei, raising the giant weapon for a devastating downward strike. However, Cyro got in his way before he could reach Jhettei, and he coated his forearm in blue ice and struck the side of the weapon, smashing it to pieces.

"You're annoying, runt!" Sven cackled as he gave Cyro a swift backhand to the face, launching him backward onto the hard ground; the Dragon Skin-reinforced ice gauntlets that he wore made each blow feel like being rammed by a battleship going full speed. "You're both weak! Leviathan Berg!"

"Brace yourself!" Cyro shouted to his friend as he coated Jhettei and himself in a shell of ice, watching in frantic horror as a colossal hunk of red ice fell down towards the two, casting a shadow over both of them; there was no way to avoid the attack. "Here it comes!"

The attack tore Cyro's ice shields to pieces as it impacted the ground and shattered into deadly splinters that shredded their defences. Jhettei was blown back into a wall, sharp pieces of ice in his shoulders and chest, and Cyro was struck upside the head by a flying hunk of ice, nearly felling him. With great determination, Cyro got back up, Jhettei did so as well. The two stumbled as they arose; the impact nearly had flattened them both, and they had sustained numerous fractures.

"You two are tenacious!" Sven laughed as he charged at Cyro, who was still in the midst of recovery. "Die screaming!"

"I'm not..." Cyro strafed to the right just in time, utilizing Dragon Sense to predict Sven's next attack. He followed up, slicing Sven across the belly with a blade of ice. "Dying yet!"

"Bastard!" Sven grimaced as he coated his wound in ice, wincing from the burning sensation. "You've learned Dragon Sense! Who taught you that?!"

"Me, myself, and I! And here's something else for ya!" Cyro growled as he landed a punch on Sven's back, shattering the ice spines on his body. "Dragon Shatter!"

Jhettei followed up, his fist morphing into a metallic black as it impacted Sven's face. "Tetsu no Ken!"

"Rrraagghh!" Sven recoiled in pain and anger, twitching in agony as new spines of ice replaced the missing scales on his back. "I'll kill you both!" Sven reached out and grabbed Cyro, then plunged his right claw into the young dragon's left shoulder. "You were a mistake, boy! We were glad to be rid of you!"

"Eat shit, Sven..." Cyro gritted his teeth as he gave Sven a firm knee to the groin, giving him time to retreat recover. "Jhettei, now!"

Jhettei sprung into action, launching a barrage of Iron Body-reinforced kicks to Sven's chest, shattering some of his ribs. "Tetsu Kikkufurarī!"

"You're annoying!" Sven howled as he gave Jhettei a palm strike to the chest, snapping some of his bones through metaphysical fault lines in the arcane energies around them. "Dragon Shatter!"

"Jhettei, focus! You must not falter in the face of your enemy, no matter his size or strength! Do unto him what does unto you!" The voice of his master echoed in Jhettei's mind. "You are a Northland Monk! Master your spirit, and it shall guide you through battle!"

"Yes, Sensei..." Jhettei coughed up blood as the attack blew him back into a wall once again, shattering the stone structure. However, Jhettei got back up regardless of the pain, and he fought on against his brutal foe, resurfacing from the rubble to launch a maelstrom of punches "Tetsu no Ken Furenjī!"

Sven's gut was pummelled by the rapid-fire punches, but he retaliated regardless, ignoring the pain though rage as he interrupted Jhettei with a slash across the chest, tearing away his marine coat. Jhettei gasped lightly as he fell backwards, then he dug his hooves into the ground, brought his clenched fists to his hips, and focused his internal energy. His spiritual powers coursed through his muscles, reinforcing them with the sheer iron willpower of his soul. His whole body began to shine with a metallic sheen, making it appear as if he were a statue made of pure metal. He took up a fighting stance, raising his fists to protect his face as he narrowed his vision towards Sven.

"Sourubāsuto: Aianmonku..." Steam billowed out of Jhettei's mouth as he exhaled deeply. "I haven't used this technique before... you shall be my practice dummy."

"Huh... you're tougher than you look, kid..." Sven remarked at the iron statue that stood at the ready. "No matter... this'll just prolong the inevitable!

"I was wondering when you were gonna use that," Cyro said to Jhettei as he removed his coat and mended the wound on his shoulder with ice. He then grabbed his wrist, clenching tightly. "In that case... I'll go all out as well." Freezing wind escaped the fins on Cyro's back, and icy cold air poured from his eyes like a thick haze. "Dragon Fury."

"Hahaha! You think you can beat me, little squirts?! I'll kill you both and carve a nice big smile into those faces of yours!" Sven sneered as he activated Dragon Fury as well, red mist gushing from his mouth and eyes.

"Let's do this, Jhettei!" Cyro shouted to his comrade as he rocketed towards Sven with a mighty blast of frozen air from his feet.

"Right!" Jhettei nodded as he spun around to strike Sven with a kick. "Tetsu hōki!"

Sven was much faster than expected, and he ducked just in time before Jhettei's kick could impact his jaw. He gave Jhettei a swift uppercut, launching him up into the air. However, Jhettei did not fly as far as the last time Sven struck the small stallion; this was most likely due to his increased weight. Cyro then moved in, dodging to the left as Sven swung at him with a blade of ice and closing the distance. He dove under his arm as Sven took a swipe at him, then he cocked back his fist, clenching it tightly as ice formed over it like a gauntlet.

"Furious Dragon Berserker's Cyrojet!" Cyro screamed as his fist zoomed forward at unperceivable speeds using a jet of cool air from his forearm.

Sven groaned as the attack fractured more of his ribs, and he wailed in outrage as he sliced Cyro across his chest with one of his claw gauntlets. He attacked again before Cyro had the chance to recover, pounding him in the chest with a speedy uppercut, then he sent him flying back with a firm kick to the gut. Jhettei intervened quickly before Sven had the chance to do any more damage, and he tried battering the devilish dragon again with another storm of iron fists.

"Tetsu no Ken Furenjī!" Jhettei bellowed as he launched yet another barrage of rapid-fire punches. Though, this time, Sven covered himself in a dome of ice and coated it in Dragon Skin, rendering the attack worthless, as his Dragon Skin was far superior to Jhettei's ki techniques. Jhettei's fists glanced off the dome like bullets off the thick hull of a battleship. "Damn!"

Sven erupted from the dome, bursting out with giant icicles all around him, all directed at Jhettei. The icicles sped forward towards Jhettei's chest, however, they did not make it, as Cyro had knocked them away with a boulder of ice just in time. Sven turned to face his nephew, but before he knew it Cyro was already within point-blank range. Cyro pulled back both his arms and slammed his palms into Sven's stomach, causing even more trauma with the combined power of Dragon Shatter. Sven grunted as the strike impacted him, finally toppling him over onto the ground. However, this was not the end for Sven. He recovered quickly, rolling backward to prepare for a highly destructive technique, one that Cyro and Jhettei were unprepared to deal with.

"Dragon Wave!" Sven roared, sending out a shockwave of blue arcane energy from his body.

The attack whisked shards of ice into the air at high speeds, turning them into deadly projectiles that could rip and tear flesh as they passed by. Cyro was struck in the abdomen by these shards, but they only bounced off Jhettei. What had caused his damage was the shockwave— the ripple of magical waves that distorted his armor, causing it to become frail and weak. Sven realized this quickly, and he rushed Jhettei, pounding him mercilessly with his fists and fracturing his armor until it completely shattered and disintegrated. Sven then grabbed Jhettei by the collar and slammed his elbow into his shoulder, dislocating the joint and pulverizing his collarbone.

"No!" Cyro desperately tried to stop his uncle, but Sven blew him back with a wall of ice, nearly crushing him. But Cyro got back up, and he broke through the wall with a Dragon Shatter to its center. He sprinted at Sven, but to his dismay, Sven was counting on this.

In his haste, Cyro failed to notice the shell of ice that coated the ground around Sven, and as soon as he entered this area, the surface erupted, releasing hundreds of shards of ice that pierced Cyro's stomach. He grunted as he got to his feet once more, blood oozing from his chest and hands. Sven simply laughed as he watched his battered nephew stumble towards him, hacking and panting.

"You want me?!" Cyro yelled as he held out his arms. "Then put Jhettei down! Take me on instead!"

"Oh, you're dumber than I thought, Cyro!" Sven laughed as he tossed Jhettei aside, wiping the blood from his face. "You put on that coat, and now you think you're some kind of hero? An Equestrian marine? You're the son of a chieftain and a whore, runt! You'll never be anything more than that!" Sven snickered the blade of ice in his hand disappeared. "Your mother, Crysella—she died like a spineless bitch, and for what? Just to help a worthless piece of shit like you escape us?! Nopony leaves the clan, Cyro! Nopony!"

Cyro's eyes widened as memories of his past resurfaced.

One night, outside of Orienstead, a frost dragon encampment in the Northlands, a twelve-year-old Cyro and his mother hid behind snow banks layering the mountainside. They had both ran for miles, dodging the arrows and avoiding their tribe's trained timber wolves, bred to smell the scent of frost dragons that dared to desert the clan. For a moment, and to their relief, all appeared quiet. Although this breather was brief, as they heard snow crunching and howls in the distance soon after they had stopped. Crysella knew there was no way to outrun the wolves, she simply wanted to accompany Cyro for as long as possible, guide him through the mountains so he could escape into the Crystal Empire to the south. It was then that she threw her bag down the cliff side.

"Mother, why did you drop your bag?!" Cyro shouted to his mother, though his voice was barely audible through the blizzard that was raging.

Crysella bundled up his belongings and handed him the second backpack, strapped it around Cyro's shoulder, and placed a map of Equestria inside. "You'll need this for the journey ahead, snowflake."

"Mother, what are you doing?!" Cyro began to cry as his mother turned away, ignoring him. "Mother, please! Why are you just standing there?!"

"Go, Cyro," His mother said quietly, looking back at her son with tears in her eyes. "And don't look back."

"No! I want to stay with you! I can't leave you!" Cyro wept as he hugged his mother tightly.

"You must, Cyro if you are to escape. Please, you must go!" Crysella pushed her son off of her, knocking him back onto a mass of ice, carrying him downwards off the mountain and into the ravine below. "Run, Cyro!"

Crysella stood her ground as the timber wolves barrelled towards her, impaling them with icicle daggers she created in her hands until they were all no more, but in the process suffering terrible wounds on her legs and chest. She limped forward as a figure emerged from the blowing snow, a tall, hulking dragon.

"Where is Cyro?!" Sven shouted at Crysella as he looked behind her.

"He is free!" Crysella screamed at Sven as she spat in his face. "And you can't do anything about it! You will never take the title of chieftain from him!"

"You bitch!" Sven growled as he drove an icicle into Crysella's chest.

The sound of her gasp echoed throughout the mountains, reverberating off the snowy peaks and reaching Cyro's ears. He wept harder, tears streaming down his face and pooling at his chin as they dripped onto the think snow beneath his feet.

"Go, Cyro... go far away..." Crysella thought to herself as she drew her last breaths. "Nothing shall stop you; not Sven, not your father, not the pressures of this world or ugliness of death. Go... live a long life... live amongst friends... live knowing that I love you with all my heart, snowflake..."

"Y-you fucking sick bastard..." Cyro scowled as hatred began to pool within his heart. "You dare mention my mother to me?! My mother was everything! She was my shoulder to lean on when you fucks beat on me! She was the one who would give me hot cocoa on a stormy day! And she was the one who set me free!" Cyro tore away his shirt and coat, revealing strange markings across his shoulders and chest, branded markings of demons and dragon skulls. "I never wanted to be chieftain! I never asked for these marks! But now I'm gonna use them to kill you... "

"This is..." Sven gawked as clouds of wispy white snow began to seep from Cyro's skin, forming a robe and hood made of sleek, frozen air. His teeth sharpened to jagged points, his whole body turned stark white— everything except his eyes, which were totally blue and empty. "N-no... this is impossible!"

"Devil Dragon: Ice Wraith..." Cyro whispered, his voice echoing like an ethereal entity as he locked eyes with Sven.

"Cyro...?" Jhettei winced as he saw the new form of his friend.

Cyro vanished in a puff of white mist, putting Sven into a wild panic. He called down dozens of icy meteors to smite Cyro, but each attack simply phased through him as if he were made of air. As the shower subsided, Sven stood still, beads of sweat rolling down his face. A cracking noise caught his attention to his right, but before he had time to react he felt a sharp object slash his chest wide open, pints of blood gushing from the wound. Sven attempted to mend the wound, but before he could he felt a ghostly apparition pass through him, causing his wound to freeze irregularly and inducing tremendous pain as icicles dug into his internal organs. He gasped for air as he felt half his lung collapse from the pressure of the ice inside his chest, and he whimpered to himself as white mist gathered until it formed Cyro; he held in his hand a reaper's scythe fashioned out of white ice.

"To Niflheim with you..." Cyro muttered, a chilly air escaping his wide maw as his hand phased through Sven's skull, freezing his brain into a solid hunk of ice.

With a wheeze, Sven's head was cleft from his body by Cyro's scythe, finally felling Sven for good. His headless body tumbled forward onto the ground with a thud, and the empty arena fell silent. Jhettei's mouth hung wide open as Cyro's form began to fade away, freeing him from the demon's grasp. With his good arm, Jhettei stopped Cyro from falling onto his face, and they both knelt together in the arena.

"We must get out of this place, Cyro," Jhettei said to his comrade as the stadium began to crumble around them; there was no answer. "Cyro...?"

Cyro took a deep breath, tears of joy falling onto the ground as he smiled. "I'm free..."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety One: A Fiery Heart

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The entire tavern was on the verge of collapsing; Thatchet's brief battle with Rummy's group had completely torn the building apart. Rummy's explosive attacks blasted massive holes in surrounding buildings, and Spike's flames set chunks of wood and other flammable materials strewn about ablaze. Gin and Raiel were nearly drained of all their strength by Thatchet's passive Brand ability, but Spike and Rummy fought on, determined to defeat the mischievous pirate commander. In the corner of his eye, Rummy looked down the long road that stretched further into Mystwood, spotting a group of vampires closely guarding a large cluster of civilians. He made a split second decision, realizing that Thatchet was far too powerful for either mare to fight. He fired blasts of compressed gunpowder from his hands, detonating them upon impact with Thatchet's body, holding him back to provide Gin and Raiel enough time to escape.

"Gin, Raiel! Get out of here!" Rummy motioned towards the hole in the wall. "Thatchet's too skilled with his Brand for you to fight him!"

"But, Rummy, you two can't fight him by yourselves!" Gin pleaded to her brother, reluctant to abandon him like she did her father.

"No, Thatchet's attacks are too deadly for you two! I need you two to free those civilians down the street, okay?! You get to the battlefield and help Pisces once you're done with them!" Rummy ordered the two mares, firing balls of gunpowder from his hand at Thatchet.

"We'd only be collateral damage in this fight, Gin, he's right." Raiel convinced Gin as she stepped through the hole in the wall.

"Oh no, you don't!" Thatchet growled as his body melted away, rematerializing right in front of Gin and Raiel. "You two tossers ain't gettin' away! Gaines told me to kill you both-!"

"Dragon King's..." Before Thatchet could attack, Spike intervened, knocking Thatchet back into the bar with a fiery roundhouse kick to his side. "Blazing Sweep!"

"Be careful, Spike..." Gin warned her comrade as she stepped outside with Raiel, who also looked quite concerned for him as well.

"Don't worry, you two! I'll make sure to kick his ass no matter what!" Spike winked at them both as emerald flames coated his fists. "Now get going!"

Thatchet scoffed as he got back up, dusting off his clothes as he narrowed his vision towards Spike. He was strong, stronger than he expected, and he was fast enough to catch him off guard without Dragon Fury. Thatchet retooled his fighting strategy on the spot, rushing forward at Spike and outstretching his whole body into a grotesque mass of black tar and bones. Spike rolled to the side, but his leg was caught in Thatchet's sticky body, trapping and immobilizing him. Thatchet rose up to finish him off, but Rummy cut him off before he got the chance.

"Gunpowder: Grapeshot Kick!" Rummy shouted as his hoof came in contact with Thatchet's face, blowing it apart like a watermelon as the gunpowder coating his leg ignited; this gave Spike time to escape.

"Damn, I could feel him withering away my magic..." Spike cringed as he grasped his shin. "Rummy! Gin and Raiel made it out! What now?!"

"We don't have to worry about the tavern, that's what! Go all out!" Rummy shouted back at Spike as he used his gunpowder in mid-air for a boost to dodge balls of sludge Thatchet threw at him.

"All out, huh? Then stand back, Rummy!" Spike yelled as he kneeled, taking in a deep breath as he bowed his head. A mane of flame suddenly shot out of the fins on his back, and his eyes were blazing like torches; he had been working on this technique the most. "Dragon Fury!"

"Eh?" Thatchet raised an eyebrow at Spike as he pulled back, reverting to his normal state. "What the bloody hell is this rubbish? You got flame hair now? What the hell is that gonna do?"

"Get ready, jerkface..." Spike grinned at Thatchet as he crouched, his right-hand flat on the ground to aid with his balance, and his left hand resting on his knee. "Furious Dragon King's..."

"An attack? From that distance?" Thatchet cackled, confident that the five-meter gap between him and Spike would be sufficient to render any attack from the dragon predictable. "Try it, brat! You ain't got shit-!"

Spike vanished out of thin air, then reappeared a foot front of Thatchet, two snapping noises following the young dragon; the first from his movement, and the second one from his attack— a blazing punch to Thatchet's gut. "Thruster Fist!"

"Aarrgh!" Thatchet hacked up blood as he flew back into a load-bearing wall of the tavern, causing the whole structure to collapse. Thatchet was not expecting this kind of speed from Spike, and thus, he was unable to activate his intangibility in time to counter the attack. Thatchet emerged from the rubble with minor splinters, angered at the fact that a mere hatchling was able to touch him. "That bloody wanker! Where'd you go?"

"Holy hell, Spike! Nice one!" Rummy remarked as he launched himself up into the air with a blast of gunpowder, safe from the debris of the ruined building. "Alright, lemme get my shit together too!" Rummy let out a jolly laugh as his right hoof popped and fizzed from tiny explosions of gunpowder. However, Spike followed up before Rummy even landed back on the ground. "Or not..."

Spike sprang forward like a bullet, ricocheting off a nearby building, bouncing off the air with a gust of fire, and crashing down on Thatchet with a flaming kick to his back, driving him into the ground. "Thruster Axe!"

"What was that noise?" Raiel gasped as she looked back at the collapsed tavern.

"Looks like they're fightin' hard..." Gin stated as she grabbed Raiel's hand, racing down the street. "C'mon! We got no time to dawdle! Let's free those townsfolk!"

Spike retreated to give himself air, panting heavily from the toll Dragon Fury was taking on his body. Although Spike trained with the technique well, he still was unable to reduce the strain it put on his cardiovascular system; to sustain such intense internal fire required tons of oxygen. Upping the power of his attacks required more oxygen, which burned off more of his fire, which wore away more at his stamina. He put everything he had into those first two strikes; this consumed an enormous amount of energy.

"Rummy, keep him busy! I need a minute or two!" Spike shouted up at Rummy, who started spinning in the air as his whole body became coated in a cloud of gunpowder.

"Will do!" Rummy nodded as he dropped the back of is hoof down on Thatchet, who quickly came to his senses, forming a barrier of sludge above him. "Gunpowder: Flechette Heel!" The attack clashed with Thatchet's defenses, but it didn't seem to make any progress. Rummy stepped back, loaded up gunpowder in his hand, then let loose a column of explosions that formed a cone in front of him, consuming Thatchet in the exploding beam. "Gunpowder: Dragon Breath!"

"Ya bloody bastards..." Thatchet grimaced as the gaping holes in his slimy body healed over. "I'll kill you both and bring your heads to Gaines!"

Thatchet's body began to morph again, his right arm splitting into three limbs, which all transformed into deadly scythes. More tar poured from his mouth and eyes, coating the ground in the sticky substance and wearing away at the ground beneath them until the whole tavern fell through the earth into the sewer below. Thatchet snickered as his body absorbed the putrid water inside, gaining more biomass from the decayed matter in the sewage system. He sneered at Spike as his eyes disappeared entirely and were replaced by empty black pools of nothingness spewing tar at an alarming rate, and his arms outstretched, turning into giant, dripping limbs. He swung his fist at Rummy, and he quickly avoided the attack with a blast of gunpowder that launched him backward. However, the arm kept stretching out, still barreling towards him.

"Rummy!" Spike shouted at he watched Rummy get pounded into the side of the stone sewer.

"I'm... fine Spike..." Rummy coughed as he got back on his hooves. "We have to be careful. He's gotten stronger now that he's in his element."

"Die!" Thatchet shrieked as his left arm erupted into a mass of black tendrils that all honed in on Spike.

"Damn!" Spike grit his teeth as he put all he had into his speed, dodging the tendrils left and right in mid-air. Unfortunately, their numbers overwhelmed Spike, and one of them slashed at his leg, cutting deeply into his shin. He fell to the ground, falling on a pile of wood left by the ruined tavern and cringing in pain as a large wooden splint lodged itself into his left arm. "Shit! My arm..."

"Hahaha! Die!" Thatchet sneered as he tossed a huge ball of sludge at Spike.

"Gunpowder: Cannon!" Rummy vaporized the attack with a large blast of gunpowder before it could reach Spike. "You okay, Spike?!"

"Yeah! I'm fine!" Spike winced as he removed the hunk of wood from his forearm and cauterized the wound with his flames. He activated Dragon Fury again, racing forward at Thatchet, avoiding his fists. He got past his guard, pulled back his arms, then fired off a fiery double-palm strike to Thatchet's chest. "Furious Dragon King's Thruster Rocket!"

Thatchet wheezed as all the air got knocked out of his body, and he was thrown backward into a pile of rubble from the collapsed street. He coughed as he got back on his feet, gritting his teeth in a mad rage as his legs dissolved into a blob of a black goo. Rummy loaded up another gunpowder blast, but Thatchet scoffed at it, knocking the attack and Rummy away with a massive tendril made of ooze.

"Shite..." Rummy hacked up blood as he hit the side of the sewer again; he struggled to get back on his feet that time. "Spike... we've got to think of something to take him out quick! The sewer is giving him his strength! He'll just keep healing over in here!"

"Dammit..." Spike muttered to himself as he got back on his feet, recovering from another tendril striking him as well. "Yeah... I think I have an idea."

****

Gin and Raiel eliminated most of the vampire guards surrounding the few dozen civilians by then, and only a handful remained. In desperation, they resorted to attacking foals and mares, trying to grab them. The two mares would have none of this, and they quickly dispatched their foes. Raiel gracefully cut them to ribbons with her saber, and Gin blew them away with her blunderbuss and array of pistols.

Gin fired her blunderbuss into the chest of a vampire, stopping it dead in its tracks as it charged at her. "Fuck you, ya pointy-toothed bastard! Raiel, how you doin'?!"

"Fine!" Raiel shouted back to Gin as she cut the head off of one vampire who was about to attack a miriad family. "There aren't many of these vampires! I don't think they were counting on us to go free the civilians!"

"Thank you, your majesty!" An older miriad stallion shouted to his princess as slew another vampire.

"It is my duty, good sir," Raiel nodded to him as she raised her blade to another group of vampires. "Now go with the others!" Raiel gestured to the edge of town where the other civilians were mustering. "We will come to your aid once we've liberated Mystwood!"

"Yes, your majesty!" The elder stallion said as he ushered the others through an alleyway.

The sounds of cannon fire and clashing swords echoed through the town, though, they all seemed to be overshadowed by Rummy and Spike's explosive attacks that shook the ground. Their battle was still raging. Gin had faith in her brother's strength; it had gotten him through many hardships before, and it wasn't going to fail on him now. Even through his rigorous training, his constant beatings at the hands of changelings, no matter what, his strength never failed him. And Spike had this quality as well; unshakeable determination, the strive to overcome his foe.

"They are both quite the fighters..." Raiel piped up as she stood beside Gin, who listened to the fight from afar.

"Yeah... Draven's got faith in Spike, and rightfully so," Gin chuckled lightly as she holstered her pistol. "He may say he's some useless bookworm, but that dragon is tenacious, more so than Draven, and that's saying somethin'. I think this is just the beginnin' for him..."

"What a place to start," Raiel laughed as she heard the chaos around her. "We should get back to the battlefield. I think Rummy and Spike can handle Thatchet."

"Yeah, let's get going," Gin nodded as they both ran down another back alley towards the fray. "Good luck, Spike..."

****

Rummy and Spike panted as they stood before their sneering foe, exhausted and battered. Rummy had taken the worst pummeling; Thatchet had pounded him senseless with his barrages of tentacles and sludge blasts. The passive effects of Thatchet's ability had worn at his stamina, and he was barely able to keep his balance. Spike had received a heavy beating as well, even a few of his scales were missing from his arms and back.

"Hahaha! This is bloody depressin'! Even with the help of this lil' squirt, ya still can't beat me, Rummy!"

"I haven't got much left in me, Spike. If you've something left in your bag of tricks I suggest you use it now..." Rummy breathed deeply as he clutched his ribs.

"Yeah... I think... I've got one thing I haven't tried yet..." Spike panted as the flames on his back faded; Dragon Fury had taken most of his strength. "Rummy, get out of here, okay? I haven't used this attack on anypony before, and I don't want you getting caught in it..."

"Alright, but don't hurt yourself too, huh?" Rummy grunted as gunpowder formed at his feet, launching him out of the sinkhole and back onto the street with a thud. "Hurry!"

Spike stumbled towards Thatchet; his whole body was aching. He had never gotten into such an intense bout before, and it was only then that he realized how much stronger he would have to become to face all the challenges that lie before him in the Blacklands. But he continued forward, determined to best Thatchet once and for all. He was going to surpass him no matter what— that much he knew. Spike's whole right arm was set ablaze in his green flames, forming an odd flame armor over his limb.

"What now? More flames? You know I'll just burn away your magic, right?" Thatchet sneered, unimpressed by Spike's so-called 'final move'. "What a joke..."

"We'll see..." Spike grinned as he took in a huge amount of air, focusing all his fire into his right arm as he pulled it back, causing the fire fist to expand until it became the size of a ship. It radiated a brilliant glow as it hovered beside Spike, and the heat from the fireball was so intense that it burnt the splinters of wood scattered on the ground. "I'm not gonna let you get away with what you did to Gin and Rummy! I'll kick your ass right here and now!"

"Oh really?! Big talk for a dragon who can barely stand! Try it, lil' sprite! Those flames'll get smothered as soon as they touch me!" Thatchet laughed as he created a massive shield of black sludge in front of him, confident in his Brand's defenses against elemental magic. "Bring it on!"

"Dragon King's..." Spike sprinted for a moment with the fireball next to him, then jumped high into the air, cocking back his gigantic fist for his one last attack. As he threw the punch, the enormous gauntlet of flame flew towards Thatchet's shield, picking up speed at an alarming rate until it impacted the shield. "Fiery Meteor!"

"Eh?!" The gauntlet did something odd Thatchet didn't see coming; it actually impacted his shield before the flames even touched the sludge. Without any effort, the fist broke through his guard, and without any time to react, Thatchet was consumed by the flames. The fist carried him forward faster and faster until it stopped abruptly, launching him far across the city, slamming him through the outer wall of Mystwood and into the depths of Crosis Swamp.

"Shite... he used the huge pressure wave that column of fire created as it raced forward to punch through Thatchet's shield without even touching the slime... smart." Rummy thought to himself as he got back on his hooves to see if Spike was alright. "Spike, you alright?"

"Yeah... I'm fine..." Spike wheezed as he fell on one knee, breathing heavily; the ground was charred in front of him, and smoke seemed to radiate off of the young dragon. "Did I win?"

"Heh, yeah you did, buddy. Nice punch. If he ain't dead, he'll be feelin' that one in the mornin'." Rummy chuckled lightly as he helped Spike back to his feet. "C'mon, we best be gettin' back to the ship. Pisces and the others'll handle the rest."

"Yeah..." Spike grinned as he slung his arm over Rummy's shoulder. "Hey... I didn't faint."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Two: Chains Of WRATH

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Theodore's powers were on an entirely different level. His proficiency with his Brand stemmed from his long life and dedication to the studies of the Brands, and he performed with expert precision and skill, dodging Draven's wicked blasts of lightning by warping around the cathedral. He would appear behind Draven or Nick, slash away at them, then warp away before they could land a blow on him. Granted, they were quick enough to evade his strikes, but only barely. Nick was having a hard time focusing; his mind was flooded with too many 'what-ifs', and he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Theodore would attack him specifically, targeting the chain armor he wrapped himself with and cutting them in half with his cane sword

Nick warped using a chain ring, stepping through it and teleporting behind Theodore. "Void..." Theodore reacted quickly, unsheathing his sword and coating it in void energies to land a devastating blow on Nick's chest, tearing open a hole in his guard. "Rend!" Nicholas lashed out in anger and wrapped his fists in chains as he tried to take a swing at Theodore. But Theodore evaded, strafing to the side and warping him to the other side of the cathedral. "Void: Scatter."

"Dragon Thane's..." Draven stepped in, a sword made of bolts in his hand. "Thunderous Greatsword!" The attack fell down upon the ground like a tumbling tree as Draven took a slice at Theodore, and it slammed onto the stone floor with a crack as the electricity popped and fizzed. The attack nicked Theodore, however, scorching the bottom of his coat. Draven gave him no time to counter, and he followed up with an electrified fist. "Dragon Thane's Surging Fist!"

Theodore deflected the attack with his sword, causing a blast of lighting to fire off into the ceiling, forming a wide hole in the cathedral. "Void: Divide!" Theodore then countered, swinging his blade downwards at Draven, releasing a whip of misty void energy that blew him back into the right wall of the cathedral. Nick jumped into the air, portals forming in his hands. He cast his attack, unleashing a barrage of chains that pounded the ground into dust. But Theodore dodged each one, warping back and forth around the building until he closed the distance on Nick. He swung his blade, slicing at his side once again. "Void: Rend!"

Theodore muttered to himself as he stepped back for a moment, examining Nick, watching as his chain armor began to regenerate. "Hmm... interesting. Strength of chains connected to mental focus? Yes."

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doin'?" Draven lunged at Theodore with his fist drawn back, coated in lightning.

Theodore evaded, warping onto the head of Luna's statue, still keeping an eye on Nick as he sheathed his cane. "I'm conducting experiments, good sir. This is all for science. I suspect young Nicholas has a very rare Brand... one that the world has not yet seen in action. I must discover the full potential of this Brand."

"I don't know why you keep talkin' about a Brand." Draven raised an eyebrow at Theodore. "You aren't makin' any sense. Nick doesn't have a mark like that swirly thing on your neck or Rummy's little explosion symbol on his hand."

"Then how do you explain his abilities?" Theodore inquired.

"Well, alchemy I suppose. I mean, how else could you explain it? A Brand can't do all the things Nick can do, and he has no mark on his body." Draven answered, his fists still shrouded in electricity.

"Ah, but that is the golden question, isn't it my reptilian acquaintance? Where is his mark?" Theodore gave a long sigh before unsheathing his cane sword and teleporting back down to the central altar of the church. "To see Nicholas' Brand, you must look inside, dragon. These eyes are voids... they are pulled closer to objects of power; they wish to consume them. I can feel Nicholas' power pouring from his chest."

Draven took Theodore's hint, activating Dragon Sense to take a closer look at Nick's aura. What he saw indeed shocked him. "Bloody hell... Nick."

"What?!" Nick panicked, clutching his chest as Draven looked inside.

Imprinted on Nick's heart was a Brand; a symbol that looked like three links of chain. I was glowing purple, spreading its energy across his body. "Nick... your Brand is on your bloody heart."

"How?!" Nick was on the verge of crying.

"You are not who you think you are, Nicholas. You are not some nopony who washed up in The Silence all those years ago, you were born there. And when you were just a toddler the Ausrüstrians experimented on you, using data that had been collected over centuries, data regarding the very nature of Brands." Theodore stated, causing a stir in Nick's memories. "You were torn away from your family Nicholas —your memories wiped clean— ripped apart and put back together again to be one of three ultimate weapons for the Dictatorship of Ausrüstung to use for their ends. You are a WRATH Brand-user, Nicholas Chetbrovsky!"

"Chetbrovsky..." The word fell on Draven like an anvil as he turned to Theodore. "How the hell do you know all this?"

"Because two hundred years ago, my research was stolen by a stallion named Ivan Aquarius after the fall of the town of Liberty. We had worked together, studying Brands in the Blacklands. Then, one day, I stumbled across my Brand, a Brand that gave me my immortality, but wiped away my identity. I forgot my wife, my family, everything I ever loved. I spent the next one hundred years trying to piece together my former life." Theodore bowed his head, clenching his fist tightly as his memories resurfaced. "And in the end, my research was used to create something awful, something dreadful. Three children —each taken from their homes— were used to create the first artificial Brands. Nicholas is in possession of the Chain WRATH Brand." Theodore seemed to calm down as he turned to face Nick. "I want to help you, Nick. I-!"

Chains poured out of the mouth of Luna's statue from a portal of swirling purple energy. The chains lashed out at Theodore, knocking him to the ground. Draven's mind raced; he was unsure of what to do. Should he let Nick vent his rage? Should he stop him? Theodore's story could've easily been contrived, but the pieces seemed to fit together. He made a split-second decision, and he blocked a chain that almost pierced Theodore's chest with a blade made of lightning.

"Get out of the way, Draven! He's a liar!" Nick growled at his captain, chains whirling around him as his eyes began to glow purple. "He doesn't know me! You don't know me!"

"Calm down, Nick! You'll collapse the whole bloody building!" Draven shouted at Nick as the walls began to morph and shift in composition, transforming into chains that whipped around the room, smashing church pews and other sculptures. "Everything is turning into chains!"

"His Brand is both Tractatori and Alteratio! He's changing the molecular structure of everything around him using thousands of his portals!" Theodore yelled back to Draven as he got onto his hooves. "We must find a way to end this rampage or he'll kill himself and us!"

"Hold on, Nick!" Draven shouted as he and Theodore sprung into action, dodging chains left and right as they charged at Nick, trying to stop his onslaught. "Lord Dragon: Thane's Tartan!" Draven removed his coat, then activated his full lord dragon form. Blue markings resembling lightning bolts spread across his shoulders and chest then formed up from his legs and coated his hands as well. His wings became smaller and a hunk of their energy seemed to move down to his hips and fan out like a kilt. Draven's once yellow electricity took on a light blue hue, and his Dragon Sense was kicked into overdrive. "I'll give it everything I've got!"

Draven flew towards Nick at remarkable speeds, to which Nick retaliated, unable to discern friend from foe in his rage. Draven saw the chains coming and avoided them all, trying desperately to reach Nick in time to stop him. With much hesitation, he decided to destroy the chains. "Grand Dragon Thane's..." Draven pulled his arm back, then thrust his palm forward, causing blue cracks of arcane power to form in the air as he used Dragon Shatter in sync with his electrical attack. "Thunderous Javelin!"

With a loud crack, a huge bolt of blue lightning escaped Draven's Dragon Shatter, obliterating hundreds of chains that wrapped themselves around Nick. However, this proved ineffective, as Nick quickly spawned twice as many chains as before from the very ground beneath them. Theodore continuously warped himself into the air to avoid the chains below, and he sliced some using his sword as well, though, this didn't prove to be of any help whatsoever. Eventually, the number of chains were too great, and Nick knocked both of them back into the huge doors of the cathedral. With a grunt, Draven got back on his feet, and Theodore soon followed.

"Nothin's workin'! How the hell are we gonna stop em'?!" Draven screamed over to Theodore as his lord dragon form faded away, his voice barely audible over the violent whirlwind Nick was beginning to kick up with his thousands of chains— all twirling and revolving around him like planets around a star. "We can't get close!"

"We must find a way to reason with him! We cannot defeat him in this state, he's far too powerful! Attacking him will only make it worse in this enraged state!" Theodore replied as he kept his top hat from blowing off in the wind. "Only you have a chance at calming Nicholas! Please hurry!"

"Let me think, let me think..." Draven tapped on his skull, frantically formulating a solution. Within a few seconds, an image popped into his head; Nick's music box, his mother's music box that he always kept with him in his pocket. "I got it! You can teleport things, yeah?"

"Good! I need you to grab the item in Nick's right pocket! Can ya do that?" Draven asked as he held his feathered hat on his head, once again activating his lord dragon form. "I need you to place it in my pocket, then you gotta warp me to him!"

"I can do such tasks! But I will not be able to warp you to him with one go of it— the energy he is emitting makes it difficult to pinpoint my void powers! Be ready to deflect anything that comes your way!" Theodore replied as void mist poured from his hands. He snapped his finger, then waved his hand over Draven's legs. "You have the item! Go!" Theodore warped Draven towards Nick through the maelstrom little by little, and Draven smashed his chains apart with every few meters of progress.

"C'mon!" Draven wound up Nick's music box and clutched it in his hand, holding it out to Nick as he fought against the furious storm of steel and wind, using all his strength to push himself forward. He roared as he gave it one last push, and with his hand outstretched, he opened the box in front of Nick. "Remember, Nick!"

The music box chimed its pleasant tune. And despite all the chaos around it, the melody seemed to overtake the whole cacophony, cutting through the flurry of metal and howling winds. As the tune rang out in Nick's ears, his rampage began to slow down gradually until his chains completely paused in the air, standing still. Nick's eyes returned to normal but seemed to go blank as he stared ahead, letting the melody carry him away to memories that had been locked within his mind.

****

"Nicholas... did you have the same nightmare again? The one about the bad stallions taking you away?" Said a sweet and gentle mare as she sat at the edge of young Nicholas' bed, her head hovering above his like a watchful protector. Her large red eyes were as mystical as rubies, and as warm as a hearth, calming his restless spirit. Her white face was perfect, angelic— she could do no harm. And her long indigo locks were as wavy and deep as an ocean. "Tell me about it..."

"There was this really bad stallion, and-..." Nicholas shivered as he recalled the nightmare. "He was yelling at me, and he dragged me away— far away from you! I don't wanna go, Mommy!"

"Oh, Nicholas... nopony will drag you away from me, ever. But... someday, when you're much bigger, you'll have to go off on your own, sweetheart." Nicholas' mother said softly to her son.

"Why?" Nicholas wondered.

"That's just a part of growing up, sweetie." Nicholas' mother answered as she patted him on the head.

"But, will I see you again after that?" Nicholas asked.

"Of course you will, Nicholas. You can visit me whenever you like. Even if you're a thousand miles away, you'll always be with me, and I'll always be with you." Said his mother as she wound up the music box on his nightstand. "Now go to bed, sweetie. You always get grumpy the next morning when you have a rough sleep."

"Okay..." Nicholas murmured as his mother kissed him on the forehead. "I love you, Mommy..."

"I love you too, angel," His mother smiled as she closed his door and walked down the hall, leaving him to drift back to sleep.

****

Nicholas held his hand out to the music box in Draven's hand as the melody came to its conclusion, closing it. He grabbed the box, then fell to his knees, his chains disintegrating as he did so. Tears streamed down his face, though, he didn't sob. He simply sat there, staring at the music box as he remembered his mother's kind face again. Draven's lord dragon form dissipated, and he placed a hand on his shoulder, crouching down to his height to comfort him.

"Lad..." Draven wasn't sure what to tell Nick. "I-."

"I remember her..." Nick wept as he hugged Draven tightly. "I remember her, Draven... thank you."

"Don't mention it, lad," Draven didn't have to ask Nick what he was talking about; he could feel the warmth return to him, the spark of life that was missing all those years. Now he had a real image of his mother, a real memory of her that he could hold onto. "Are you okay? Any bruises?"

"Probably..." Nick grunted as Draven helped him back on his hooves, looking around at all the destruction "I did this, didn't I?"

"The dual typing of your Brand makes your powers unstable— harder to control than natural Brands." Theodore joined in on the conversation as stepped forward to meet with the two comrades. "Your emotions simply got the better of you, my boy."

"Right... thank you..." Nicholas tried to recall what the mysterious gentlecolt's name was, but it had slipped his mind. "What was your-?"

"Doctor Theodore Harrison Connell..." Theodore bowed, removing his top hat and revealing an almost skeletal skull underneath. "And you are most welcome. After all, we are both connected, you and I."

"Connected?" Nick thought back to all that Theodore had told him earlier, and he stopped him before he opened the cathedral's battered doors. "Wait, Theodore!"

"What is it, Nicholas?" Theodore didn't turn around.

"Those other three you were talking about, the ponies who had powers put in them like me. Where are they?" Nick asked.

"I haven't the slightest clue," Theodore answered as he turned his head to Nick, opening the door in front of him a crack. "But perhaps you will find them in time."

"Will I see you again?" Nick inquired further.

"Mayhaps, mayhaps..." Theodore said. "I think our paths will cross again very soon."

"Hold on," Draven stopped him again. "So that alliance with Alptraum was just a sham to see Nick?"

"Essentially, yes..." Theodore nodded.

"Did you even kill anypony?" Draven asked as he put his coat back on.

"Hmm," Theodore took a moment to think, then exited the cathedral, warping away in a puff of white smoke. "I think I'll leave that up to you..."

"Huh," Draven shrugged his shoulders as he held the doors of the ruined cathedral open for Nick. "What a weird guy." Draven laughed lightly as he patted Nick on the head. "Oh well! Let's get going then, boyo! They'll need us on the battlefield!"

"Yeah!" A grin returned to Nick's face as he followed Draven through the town square, his hand still clutching his treasured music box. "Let's go!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Three: The Liberation of Mystwood

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Pisces, Daisy, Syrune, Galaeron, and Luna carved through the vampiric soldiers amassing on the long highway running through Mystwood; it spanned all the way to the face of the Cloudsreach Mountains where the city ended, and where the Eclipse Caverns began. The cavern entrance was heavily guarded by elite vampire soldiers and three towering, five-meter giants enslaved by Alptraum, brainwashed and hypnotized into serving him. Pisces saw the internal conflict in Daisy's eyes as she looked ahead; there was hesitation in her expression. Although half-giant, they were still her brethren, and she was reluctant to move forward with Pisces and the others as they advanced; she knew she'd have to put them down if she followed.

"Daisy..." Pisces turned to face her as he blasted away score of vampires with his Dragon Shatter. "You may hold back if you believe it is too much for you to bring down those giants, but we need you."

"I know, Fleet Admiral..." This was one of the few times Daisy referred to Pisces using his title rather than just a nickname. "I just-... I was already forced to watch my own kin get slaughtered. I can't bring myself to harm my own ponies."

Pisces thought back to the grim tales of Daisy's life in Titan Island of Dorio, where Gaines' empire had bulldozed through five years prior. Daisy was the daughter of an Equestrian naval officer and a giantess, and she was one of the lucky few that was evacuated in time before Gaines himself sunk the whole island. She had never forgotten that day when she was forced to leave her mother and father behind.

"I will not kill them, I promise," Pisces nodded to her, pointing back to the ship still resting on the shoreline. "Go back, collect wounded, and kill any other vampires you come across along the way." Daisy stood motionless for but a moment before Pisces raised his voice at her, bracing himself for the next wave of opponents. "Go!" As Daisy ran back with tears in her eyes, Pisces readied his trident, preparing to thrust it forward. "Brace yourselves, stallions!"

"Hold fast!" Field Marshal Durand shouted to his miriad troops as they halted on the steep roadway with their muskets loaded and their sabers ready; the vampires were swarming like ants. "Musketeers, fire!"

A wall of bullets escaped the barrels of hundreds of muskets, tearing apart the first line of bodies who were charging downhill towards them. Scores of vampires tumbled to the ground with gaping holes in their chests where their hearts once were. Shrieks of horror and dismay escaped the toothy maws of their vampire kin, boiling into anger and hatred. In response, the vampires drew their bows and fired high into the air, calling down a hail of arrows that darkened the sky. Durand had no troops fitted with shields, and the ruined town around them provided no cover for the counterattack. They were wide open. However, Pisces stepped forward, clenched both his fists and held them at his hips, waiting for the right moment. As the arrows drew nearer and nearer, Pisces' body began to glow faintly blue.

"Dragon Wave!" Pisces roared as he thrust his palms outwards, creating an all-encompassing wall of arcane energy in front of him that smashed the arrows to pieces.

"Incredible..." Galaeron remarked as splinters of arrow shafts rained down on the ground.

"Advance!" The fleet admiral bellowed as he charged forward, his trident coated in Dragon Skin and gleaming a faint blue.

Luna followed Pisces into battle, cleaving any opposition that stood against her in a frenzied dance of steel and blood. At this moment she felt nothing, said nothing; she simply went through the motions of battle, her body dictating her movements rather than her mind. No arrow nor sword seemed to bite her as she and the others tore through the ranks of the vampire army, and she moved as swift as the wind as she slashed the throats of a dozen vampires with one swing. Galaeron and Syrune had room to show off as well, and they showed expert skill as they fought together. With her bow, Syrune placed each of her arrows in the eye of a vampire as they drew close, killing many, even their heavy troops in steel armor. Galaeron's proficiency with his twin sabers was profound, and he could behead a vampire with but a single flick of his wrist. Galaeron would tear through any foe who dared to get inside Syrune's comfort zone without hesitation.

"A giant approaches!" Field Marshal Durand hollered as the charging giant's footsteps shook the ground beneath him.

The giant raised his colossal great ax above the line of musketeers and brought it down upon them, but Pisces intervened, blocking the two-handed swing with just his trident and right hand. With a great roar, Pisces fired off another Dragon Wave at the titan, pushing him back and onto a battalion of vampires, crushing them all and rendering him unconscious. The second, female giant charged forward with her spear, lunging at Pisces with eyes full of rage. Pisces dodged with a simple strafe to the right, and he separated the head of the spear from its pole with a downward strike to the base of the weapon. He wasted no time, dashing towards the giantess with terrifying speed. He crushed her knee with a Dragon Shatter-empowered punch, toppling her. And as she fell to the ground, Pisces loaded up another Dragon Shatter aimed at her temple, and this knocked her out cold as it made contact with the side of her head.

The third, male giant was incapacitated not by Pisces, but by a bolt of blue lightning that slammed into his chest, finishing him one hit, but luckily it didn't kill him. "Hey, lads!" Draven was flying in from the south side of Mystwood with Nick in one arm. He touched down to meet with the others as they took a brief moment to regain their strength; the horde of vampires lost confidence after their giants were so easily defeated. "I thought you guys needed a little help, so me and Nick decided to show up. We're still good to fight!"

"What of the others? Twilight and Rummy?" Luna wondered as she rallied with the others.

"I saw Rummy and Spike make their way to the ship just a few minutes ago— they're beaten up bad," Draven replied as he heard another voice call out to him in the distance.

"Draven!" Twilight waved to him as she joined up with the others, Dross by her side.

"Twilight! Dross!" Draven gave her a quick hug as she and Dross entered the battlefield. "Are you alright?"

"We're fine— just a few scrapes is all," Twilight insisted as she clutched the closed scorpion sting on her leg. Although her healing magic remedied her wound and dulled the poison, the pain was still quite overwhelming.

Dross spoke up, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Twilight, you're not-!"

"I'm fine, Dross, don't worry about me..." Twilight shook her head somewhat frantically, realizing the armies ahead were gathering strength. "Where's Spike?"

"He's on the ship with Rummy, Gin, and Raiel. From what I could tell he used up all his magic in his fight," Draven answered her. "Lass... you should be there with em'. You aren't fit for a fight like this."

"No, I'll be alright," Twilight nodded her head, as she took in several deep breaths to calm herself. "I'll just stay back and provide support."

"Do be careful, Twilight. Even alicorns can overexert themselves," Luna warned her as she sheathed her saber.

"Dross, did you see Winslow and Fluttershy?" Draven asked him with desperation in his voice.

"Yeah, although Winslow's a little worse for wear. I saw Fluttershy carrying him back to the ship around ten minutes ago with Cyro and Jhettei. They should be there by now." Dross replied as he readied his powers, his arms transforming into the spiny appendages of a porcupine. "Heads up. Those bloodsuckers are getting rowdy..."

"Form up, stallions! The enemy is mustering!" Field Marshal Durand commanded his troops as he unsheathed his rapier. Scores of vampires formed a wall that stretched for hundreds of yards along the entrance of the Eclipse Caverns and beyond, preparing for their final assault on Pisces and Durand's forces. "Stay close! They'll try to overwhelm you with their numbers!"

"No! I cannot let any of our stallions to be lost on this day! Fall back into a defensive position with Durand and Twilight, troops! Shoot from afar! My comrades and I shall deal with the horde!" Pisces commanded, to which they all followed his orders without any question. "Away with you!"

"Let's do this!" Nick chuckled as he stood behind Draven

"You got it, lad..." Draven gave Nick a wink and a thumbs-up as he stared back at him, activating his lord dragon form once more. "You ready, Dross?" Draven then turned to his spiny ally on the left, who braced himself for the horde fast approaching.

"As I'll ever be..." Dross grinned as he stared down the vampires.

"Luna?" Draven asked the alicorn to his right.

"Let us smite them like I had in the days of old!" Luna shouted triumphantly as she unsheathed her blade and held it out in front of her face.

"We'll be right behind you, Night Princess," Syrune said, Galaeron nodding with her.

"Then let us go forth!" Pisces bellowed as he lifted his trident high into the air. "Onward!" Admiral Pisces attacked first, taking a deep breath before letting loose a colossal column of water from his mouth that consumed a large portion of the advancing enemy line and swept them away. "Dragon Conqueror's Tidal Breath!"

"Have at thee!" Luna screamed as a beam of magic escaped her horn and blistered the land in front of her, killing dozens upon dozens of enemy troops.

"Chimera: Needle Rain!" Dross yelled as a shower of huge spines escaped his hands— flung high into the air, impaling many vampires.

"Grand Dragon Thane's Thunderous Might!" Draven gathered a mass of blue electricity, flew high into the air and brought down a torrent of lightning that fried many vampires into fine ash.

"Chain WRATH: Chain Palace!" Nick shouted, the ground beneath him transforming into a mass of chains that battered the opposition from afar, tossing scores of vampires into the air.

"Holy hell, Nick, how'd ya do that?!" Draven scratched his head in disbelief as he watched the chains turn back into dirt and stone.

"I don't know, I-... I guess I just learned it." Nick shrugged his shoulders at the feat, he wasn't too sure how those words managed to pass his lips.

"Enough conversation! There are still stragglers!" Syrune screamed at them both as she picked off retreating vampires to the north with well-placed shots to the backs of their heads.

"Watch out! The giant is back on its feet!" Dross shouted as the giant raised his massive body and prepared to crush him with his titanic ax. The shots from the muskets behind Dross didn't seem to slow the lumbering titan down.

"Dross!" Twilight and Pisces cried out in horror as the giant swung downwards at the changeling.

Suddenly, before the giant could land its attack, a boulder the size of a small house slammed into his face, blowing him back into the mountainside ahead with a deafening 'boom' as he impacted the hard rocks. A large shadow was cast down upon Dross, the shadow of a large and familiar mare. Dross laughed as he felt the earth shake beneath the mare's hooves. "Daisy!"

Daisy smiled as she replied, though this proved difficult as she heard the battered giant let out a wheeze in the distance. "Hey, Drossy..."

"You've returned," Pisces grinned back at Daisy.

"I may be a giantess, but I'm also a marine! I can't just leave my comrades behind!" Daisy said with a determined mug as she pounded her fist into the earth and pulled up a huge hunk of stone and dirt. "Scale: Euclid Mortar!" She tossed the heavy mass of earth into the crowd of vampires, crushing tons of them. As they charged at her, she punched some of them back with such force that they would scatter the ranks of other small groups "Let's go!"

"Good going, girl! My turn!" Dross said to his crewmate as he leaped into the air, transforming both his arms into the monstrous fists of a giant ape that were the size of houses. "Chimera: King Kong Thrash!"

Dross let loose a hail of furious fists that rained down upon the vampires ahead like a shower of asteroids, rendering some caught in the worst of it into a bloody pulp. As landed back on the ground, his hands then shifted into the immense claws of a giant pistol shrimp which had proportions around the same size as his last attack. With each claw he scooped out a portion of stones from the street beneath him and closed the pincers like a vice, using the large muscles behind each claw to build up tremendous pressure. As the pressure grew to the very limit, he released his claws, causing the muscles behind them to create a snap-back effect, launching dozens of stones outwards like giant flak cannons.

"Chimera: King Pistol Shrimp Volley!" Dross snickered as he watched vampires begin to flee in terror. "Kinda feel bad I didn't bring Pearl along with me...she hates vampires..."

"Well done, you two!" Pisces commended their efforts as he tore apart another cluster of troops with a Dragon Shatter-empowered punch. "Now, Draven! Let's finish this!" A ball of water manifested in Pisces' right hand, which he outstretched towards the lighting dragon to his right.

"Right!" Draven's left hand crackled with electricity, and it melded with Pisces' attack as he held his hand out as well.

They both aimed at the largest group of vampires right in front of the cave entrance, then tossed the small ball forward to smite them with the fury of a tempest. As it made contact with an elite vampire, it spread into an omnidirectional wave of water and electricity that enveloped all those that stood it its way. The shockwave killed the rest of the vampiric attackers and sent them flying all across the Cloudsreach Mountains. As the blast subsided, there was a moment of silence, a brief period of hesitation. Pisces stood strong for a moment, then released the tension building in his body, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

"We are victorious, my brothers in arms!" Pisces announced triumphantly as he raised his trident high into the air. His voice shook the ground, and it roused the civilians who were beginning to gather at the town square. "You are liberated, Mystwood!" The miriads of the partially ravaged city rejoiced, chanting Luna's name over and over.

"Huh? What was that?" Cyro overheard the chanting from outside the ship as he laid down in his bed, receiving treatment from Raiel in the lower levels of The Red Koi, who used her magic to mend the lacerations on his body.

"We won the battle..." Raiel said as a wide grin stretched across her face and an overwhelming feeling of bliss washed over her. "Mystwood is saved."

"What now...?" Spike asked as he laid in the adjacent bed.

"We win the war," Winslow said, sitting down on a chest nearby with numerous bandages on his head and chest.

"What do you mean, Winslow?" Asked Fluttershy, who was tending to his bandages.

"This is far from over," Winslow stated with a grunt to his voice; the wounds on his chest made it difficult to speak. "Luna must retrieve the Eclipse Blade from Fortnight Tower."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Four: A Brief Moment of Rest

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As the night reached its peak, the ponies of Mystwood held a brief celebration for their liberators, gifting to them food and song around a pyre. Spike sat with Draven and Pisces; he was covered in bandages, as were the other injured souls who had a fierce bout with the invaders like Cyro and Winslow. However, despite the pain and struggle, Spike was relieved to get a moment of respite for the grueling road ahead. Caven Isle was next, and it would prove a fight that would dwarf Mystwood tenfold. He took a bite from an apple, tilting his head to the side as he stared at the fruit, watching as it reflected the orange glow of the pyre just a few meters away. He finished it off, tossing it into the fire ahead as he looked over at the hole in the outer wall of Mystwood, then up at the stars above. He heard bustling miriads in the distance preparing for the final battle to come; their rest would come later than the others.

The miriad peasants set up tents near the destroyed city walls, gathering supplies and weapons for their town guards; they were to join up with Durand's forces. Daisy carried cargo onto ships docked near the hillside, and Galaeron and Syrune aided in their efforts along with Raiel; she kept a wide smile on her face as she did so, no matter the gloom of the world around her or the daunting challenges that lie ahead. As she finished up her work there, she and her two guards sat down by the pyre nearby, joining with Durand and Luna, who appeared to be in a heated conversation about something; Spike wanted to investigate. As he looped around the fire, Spike felt an arm grab at his wrist; it was Twilight, and Dross sat close by on a large stone.

"Hey, Twilight, how are you feeling...?" Spike had been told about her fight with Lamia by Dross just after the battle.

"I'm alright, Spike, really..." Twilight nodded her head, insisting that she had regained her composure. But Spike could see the worry in her eyes; she was scared, more afraid than she had ever been before, and that fear tore a chunk out of Spike as well. "Are you okay? You used up a lot of your magic. Are you sure you're okay to be roaming around like this?"

"Yeah, I'll live," Spike assured her as Twilight loosened her grip on his wrist. "But I'm still worried about you— that thing living inside you, it's-."

"I'll be okay, Spike, I'm learning to control it," Twilight interjected in a slightly harsh manner.

"Alright..." Spike doubtfully stared down at the ground and back to her a few times before he broke free of her grasp. "Okay."

Spike stood in front of them, to which Raiel got up on her hooves as well, smiling warmly at Spike as she took his hand and kept walking around the pyre. "Come."

"Huh? What are we-?" Spike was cut off as Raiel motioned towards a fairly secluded spot near the fire and sat down, placing her hand on a stone next to hers, inviting him over. "Okay... what's this about?"

"I'd like to give you something, Spike," Raiel said as she reached around the back of her neck with both hands.

"Whaa...?" Spike's teenage mind wandered to lewd places.

"Spike, nothing like that..." Raiel snorted as she placed something in Spike's hand. "Here. I want you to have this."

Spike opened up his hand slowly, marveling as the whole form of the object came into view; it was a necklace, a very simple yet elegant design that beautifully reflected Raiel's personality. The string was made of simple brown leather, and the metal used at the end of the string and on the amulet itself was made from polished steel, expertly crafted and shaped. The ornamental jewel was a deep blue sapphire— calm and safe. It was shaped into a raindrop, and four steel spiral pieces swirled down the bulb of the drop, connecting at the bottom. Spike felt and overwhelming spiritual peace come over him as he gazed into the sapphire raindrop.

"Raiel... what is this?" Spike asked as he carefully cupped the necklace in his two hands.

"It was my father's— given to me when I was very small," Raiel answered him as she sat closer to Spike. "I want you to have it."

"What? No, Raiel, I can't... this is-." Spike tried handing it back to her, but Raiel refused to take it.

"No, take it, please..." Raiel pushed Spike's hands away. "My father gave that to me to keep me safe where ever I went. His mentor gave it to him, and before his mentor was a brave knight. It's been passed down from pony to pony throughout Ccrondil's history." Raiel grabbed the necklace and put it around Spike's neck. "I want you to wear this where ever you may go. So that when you leave Ccrondil, you'll take a piece of it with you."

"Raiel, I-... I don't know what to say..." Spike said as he looked down at the necklace. "Why give this to me?"

"Because you are worthy of it, Spike," Raiel grinned as she revisited the memory of her father giving her the same necklace. "Even with odds stacked against you, even when things seem bleak, you somehow manage to live through it. You defeated Haki, you stopped Gek, and now you will help us defeat Alptraum. You go through life with humble grace, yet you carry yourself with courage, and you keep a smile on your face, always." Raiel closed her eyes for a moment as she saw her father's face pop into her head. "You remind me of my father."

"He sounds like an amazing stallion..." Spike smiled as he clutched the raindrop in his hand.

"He was." Raiel sighed as she opened her eyes, placing a kiss on Spike's cheek. "And I think he would have thought the same of you."

Gin looked on at Spike and Raiel with pleasant eyes— a wave of bliss overtaking her. Though she did harbor some emotion for Spike, it didn't blossom, and she was okay with that fact. She was content with them remaining friends. But she saw genuine love between Spike and Raiel, the kind that could happen in an instant, the kind that burned with a steady but never wild flame. She was happy for him.

"Ginny, you alright...?" A bandaged Rummy asked his sister as he watched her stare on at Spike and Raiel, who both were laughing together.

"I'm better than that, Rummy." Gin smirked as she turned to her brother, clutching her own necklace, pulling the diamond towards her heart.

"You have some crew, Pisces..." Draven said to the stoic admiral beside him as he felt the warmth of the flames tickle his face.

"I could say the same for your crew, Draven." Pisces gave him a nod, grinning ever so subtly as he glanced over at Rummy, who seemed as bright and chipper as ever. Pisces reached into the inside pocket of his frock coat, grabbing a small coin and holding it just below his chest, staring down at it with pride.

"What's that? A bit?" Draven wondered as the copper coin glistened against the light of the pyre.

"A lucky coin— a battered old bit Rummy found on his first day of training with me when he was fourteen." Pisces chuckled lightly as he put it back in his pocket, remembering how often Rummy would challenge him to a fistfight as a young colt.

"You've known him a while then, eh?" Draven said as he adjusted his hat.

"Indeed." Pisces' fiddled with his coin, rolling it across his index finger with his thumb. "We both have a Fawkes in our crew."

"Wouldn't be as lively without em' right?" Draven snickered as he watched Rummy and Gin scrap over the last sip of rum from her bottle.

"No, it would not," Pisces gave a hearty laugh as he grabbed his tankard filled with ale he set on a nearby stone, downing half of it with a single glug. "It would not..."

Fluttershy kept Droyuz close by, sitting just inches away from her against the wall of a dilapidated house. She was reluctant to even take it out of its sheath. Fluttershy had explained Amon's story to him and Twilight, and at first Winslow wasn't sure what to make of it. As a paladin, Winslow was trained to think of demons as heartless, soulless creatures without empathy. But as he grew older, he began to realize the bias of his upbringing— the sheer narrow-mindedness of thinking. Like regular ponies, demons were still living beings with a spectrum of emotions. And like him, they too had a biased upbringing in Infernum— a programmed resentment to the mortal world above. To Winslow, it was clear Amon deeply cared for his daughter and never stopped caring, despite his situation, despite all the pain and misery of his existence, he still held onto the hope of seeing her again. And although his prized blade he had since he was very small had been shattered to pieces, it could never come close to the damage done to Fluttershy's spirit.

Slowly, Winslow grabbed Fluttershy's hand, remaining at a comfortable distance from her. "Don't fret, Fluttershy. Your father isn't lost. He's with you." Winslow motioned over to Droyuz, clutching the remnants of his own blade— wrapped up in a blanket on his lap. "His memory lives on in his blade the same way my father lived on in my blade."

"Will it go away, Winslow? The confusion, the anger, the... heartbreak?" Fluttershy asked with a low and somber voice, though, her sadness did not manifest through tears like they usually did. This pain cut too deep to be shed through tears. "I only saw him for... minutes. And yet, somehow, it felt as if I knew him my whole life."

"The pain will go away, but only if you turn it into something stronger. Turn it into passion, willpower, determination..." Winslow let go of her hand and placed Droyuz on her lap. "Pain is just reassurance that you are alive, and everything else you feel keeps you alive. So live, for him, and for everypony you hold dear right now. Live."

Fluttershy grabbed the handle of Droyuz, slowly pulling it from its leather prison, revealing it's faint crimson glow. She smiled, feeling a familiar warmth come over her; her father's embrace. "Thank you, Winslow..."

"I miss this..." Pisces said as he took a whiff from his pipe, blowing out a cloud of smoke from his nostrils.

"What's that? Battle? War?" Draven wondered.

"No... moments like these, when common folk come together like this," Pisces' eyes twinkled as he looked up at the stars. "In a great conflict like this, minds are fractured, spirits are broken, yet..." Pisces took another puff from his pipe. "In the aftermath, we piece ourselves together— our paths become clearer. And with each fracture in soul and mind, we rise up once more— reinforced, more resilient. It has been going on since ancient times and will go on until the end of time. I suppose that our purpose here."

"Well spoken," Draven laughed as his eyes danced across the pyre audience, meeting with Luna's; her eyes were lacking depth. "What do you suppose she's been doing all these years?"

"She's been sitting around pieces, Draven. For years, nothing but broken pieces scattered around her feet. She's aimless, shapeless," Pisces answered him as he saw the plainness in her expression as well. "I think this is where she'll finally start picking up the pieces." As he replied to Draven, Luna stood up, and Syrune and Galaeron readied themselves in an anxious manner; they knew something the others didn't.

"Luna, what's going on?" Twilight asked.

"I'm heading out," Luna answered her.

"To the caverns?" Spike chimed in, standing up as well. "If you're going, I'm going."

"No, Spike, Luna must do this on her own," Galaeron ordered the young dragon as he drew closer to Luna. "All of you, you must-."

"Thank you, Galaeron, but I can explain," Luna interrupted him as she stared on at the caverns ahead. "The time has come for me to fulfill my duty to the ponies of Ccrondil once more. Princess Ocèara? The Eclipse Scroll..." Luna held out her hand to Raiel, and she placed the sealed document kept in her pocket inside Luna's palm. "And now I shall go forth and retrieve the Eclipse Blade! And I shall slay Alptraum! Luna held up the scroll high in the sky for the miriads to see, and they cheered with joy and laughter as she left the pyre, marching alone towards the Eclipse Caverns ahead.

"Luna? That's it? You're just going to leave and not explain anything...?" Twilight stepped forward, stopping Luna. "Why have you been so... blunt?"

"Please, Twilight... we do not have time for this pointless chatter. I must fulfill my duty to Ccrondil-."

"Luna, please, don't just leave without a word..." Twilight pleaded to her.

As Luna turned to face Twilight, her lip quivered for a brief second as she reached into her breast pocket. Though, she stopped before she could bring herself to speak, and turned back around just as soon as she pulled her hand out of her coat. She closed her eyes as she began her march forward, grasping the Eclipse Scroll tightly. She had to do this, regardless of how much she hated the situation fate placed her in, regardless of the pain. Her destiny was grim and bloody, but it was hers nonetheless.

Luna made her way through Mystwood with her head held low, staring down at the ground, hiding her tears so that nopony could see her in such a pathetic state. She felt her wedding ring in her coat pocket weigh as much as a ton, her sorrow pulling down on it like an anchor. "Why did it come to this Lothwick...? I love you so, but I hate what you've become. Why must I plunge myself into an abyss once more?"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Five: The Laughing Deva

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Changelings guarded the entire perimeter of Alptraum's castle, as there were few vampires left in his army. The changelings arrived shortly after he caught word of his Indigo Rose's defeat and the retaking of Mystwood. He sat on his throne doubtfully, frustration taking hold of his cold sense of logic. He knew the ramifications of Luna's victory; soon she would have the Eclipse Blade, it was only a matter of time. If he had any hope of keeping the city under his flag, he had to leave it to the Four Generals and Fang.

Fang and the generals sat around a large circular table placed right in front of Alptraum's throne. General Cain stood, as no chair was large enough to accommodate the gigantic, three meter Zhophziis bull. He was a quiet one— never speaking unless he voiced his opinion. General Moreau held a teacup filled with orange pekoe, occasionally sipping from his glass as he formulated battle strategies. Ambassador Fang flicked his tongue out like a snake, his impatience getting the better of him as he tapped his finger on the table, working through his nerves to focus on the task at hand. General Sky Runner sat with her right leg perched atop her left knee, dramatically moving her head about like some actor in the midst of a soliloquy as she calculated the possible outcomes of the battle.

"Hmmm..." General Sky Runner scratched her chin as she sat on her chair, looking down at the map of Caven Isle that laid flat on the table. "I suggest we reinforce the river— place cannons and snipers at key positions along the banks."

"Nah, a water dragon would wipe em' away in an instant," General Racer said in his usual drill instructor style of speaking. "We can afford to pull our defenses from the river."

"I concur," General Moreau nodded as he sipped his tea like a proper gentlecolt; he was a Ccrondil noble after all. "We'll place the handful of vampiric soldiers we have left at the banks; they are expendable. They'll provide us ample time to assess their attack as it occurs."

"Hmm," General Cain nodded, pointing to Caven Isle's harbor on the map. "They will most assuredly loop around the river and deploy their troops from there. Our army shall keep them from the castle. If not... we four will confront them directly to land the killing blow to their offensive."

"That will be the perfect time to release our secret weapon..." Fang chimed in, standing up straight and setting his hands on the table. "Doctor S has toiled in his laboratory long enough. It's time to reveal to the world the true power of Emperor Constantine and what technical marvels our nation can accomplish."

"The metal beasts?" Alptraum wondered. "If you must..."

"Those machines will definitely be a thorn in the side of the Equestrians for sure..." General Moreau added as he filled his cup to the brim with the full kettle, sitting just a few inches away from the map at the edge of the table. "However, I question their reliability... they are still prototypes."

"This will be their test run, General. And I have the utmost faith in Doctor S' scientific prowess." Fang said with confidence as the royal chamber doors flung open, foreign soldiers flooding the room. "Ah... our guest."

"Guest? You did not inform me of such a thing..." Alptraum raised an eyebrow at Fang, to which he smirked, strolling over to the entrance to welcome his mysterious guest.

The Four Generals recognized the soldiers instantly; they were Kusckons, the inhabitants of The Sands— a land of arid deserts to the far south of Ausrüstung. For the past month, Constantine had established a close partnership with the Kingdom of Kusckamaj, for they were valuable allies if he wished to take the southern nations of the Blacklands. Not only that, but Kusckamaj supplied many nations with valuable cordite, a mineral needed to create state-of-the-art smokeless propellants for ammunition. Kusckamaj also held most of the world's oil reserves, another essential resource used to build a powerful industrialized nation. And while Kusckamaj may not have understood the benefits of such a nation, they did understand the world's new dependence on their materials, and as a result, their nation became flooded with riches. Gaines relied on them, Constantine relied on them, and only then did Equestria begin to realize the opportunity in Kusckamaj. If Constantine was to gain the trust of Kusckamaj, he had to gain the trust of their king.

"Ah, your highness, welcome..." Fang bowed as the Kusckon troops clad in their white robes stood aside, letting their king pass into the throne room. "I am Ambassador Fang, and I welcome you to Caven Isle."

"Heh, heh... you changelings sure took a one-eighty in terms of manners, heh?" The King of Kusckamaj sneered as Fang kissed his hand on one knee. "So... this is the throne room of Ccrondil, heh? Pretty dinky if you ask me, heh..."

"I beg your pardon?!" Alptraum growled, disgusted by the Kusckon royal.

The King of Kusckamaj was known to many across the world by one name, Basim Bjiora: The Laughing Deva. He was flamboyant and elegant, yet flippant and sadistic. He dressed in attire alien to most kings, sporting a sleeveless coat made from hyena's fur, a bare chest covered in runic tattoos, and a linen red skirt that went down all the way to his ankles decorated with gold embroidery, just barely covering his calves. His snout, like most Kusckons, was much shorter and filled with razor sharp fangs, and his fur was a dark brown. His eyes were deep purple, covered in regal dark eye shadow and filled to the brim with profound arrogance. On each forearm was a series of tightly wound gold rings that hugged them like a secondary skin, and around his neck and shoulders was a broad color fashioned out of gold and jewels into an exquisite floral design. His long, lime green hair was as straight as a board, extending all the way down to his stomach. His long and intimidating black horns added to his already towering stature, standing almost as tall as Cain.

He ruled over Kusckamaj with an iron fist, subjugating any pony who he deemed lesser than him, which was everypony. And he slaughtered defiant peasants in droves by burning their villages or starving them out. There was not a single pony in the Blacklands who didn't shudder at the mere mention of his name, and his atrocities sparked much conversation around the world. The only pony more powerful than him in the entirety of the Blacklands was Constantine and the Goldblood Army of Dorio.

"I said... this throne room has no style at all! It's bland, boring! It's like some old coffin that's been sitting in a tomb for ten thousand years!" Bjiora scoffed at the meager decor of Alptraum's chamber with a hand at his hip. "This room is just-... ugh, beyond saving."

"You dare speak to me in such a manner, worm?! I am Alptraum, The Sorcerer of Fear! All who hear my name shudder at its mere utterance! You are below me, peasant!" Alptraum snarled at the sassy royal.

"You dare...?" Bjiora lost his flamboyant demeanor, his face shifting into a menacing and psychopathic expression. His eyes twitched, and a wide, crooked smile stretched across his face. "You dare call me, a Deva, the descendant of the gods, a peasant?! You, Alptraum, are but an ant compared to me! You are a mere prince with borrowed power, heh! I am divinity!"

"Please, you two, we haven't the time for such silly banter! You are here merely to spectate, your majesty, nothing more!" Fang got between Bjiora and Alptraum before either of them did anything rash. "If you wish to see Constantine's good side, I suggest you behave yourselves! If you are both willing to join my Emperor, you must be at peace!"

"Very well..." Alptraum muttered as he sat back down on his throne.

"Oh, so cheeky, heh..." Bjiora snickered as he strolled over to the table, taking a seat next to General Sky Runner. "Oh my, your outfit is just gorgeous, General! We'll get along just fine! Are those epaulets silk?"

"Hmm... why yes, they are indeed," General Sky Runner replied.

"Enough idle chat, let's get goin' already!" General Racer growled, his hot-headed and impatient attitude getting the better of him. "You Easterners and your pointless ramblin'! Don't ever get down to business!"

"Ah, Ausrüstrian zeal... it never ceases to amaze me..." Bjiora chuckled to himself as he glared at General Racer.

"You shut your trap, Kusker! We Ausrüstrians kicked your ass back in the day!" General Racer shouted at the smug noble.

"Only because I wasn't king..." Bjiora sighed as sand particles seeped out of his right hand, lumping into a ball that he tossed around out of boredom.

"Alright, that's enough-..." Fang paused as he felt a vibration in his pocket; it was his crystal ball, his direct method of contact to Constantine himself. He was calling. "Excuse me for a moment, will you? I have some pressing matters to attend to..."

"Take all the time you need, Ambassador," General Moreau said as Fang exited the throne room. "We'll be waiting."

"So..." Bjiora gave a long, exasperated sigh as he leaned forward his chair and withdrew a deck of cards from his pocket, setting them on the map. "Does anypony here play cards?" As they all shook their heads, Bjiora giggled to himself. "Good! The last pony who won against me was whipped to death and crucified..."

Fang walked out into the hallway and looped around a corner on his left, trying to find a secluded area where he and his dark master would not be bothered. Hastily, he grabbed the crystal ball in his pocket, letting it drop to the ground. It stopped just inches from the ground, hovering as it projected a hologram of Constantine at the palace in his rose garden, painting the landscape of the forest nearby.

"My Emperor... Basim Bjiora has arrived." Fang bowed before his master, informing him of the good news.

"Good, very good..." Constantine purred slowly and smoothly as he continued to paint to his heart's content. "And Alptraum?"

"Paranoid as ever. My does he irk me to no end..." Fang grumbled.

"Now, now, Fang. We mustn't get on his bad side. He is a Sorcerer after all..." Constantine reminded Fang.

"Yes, but he is stark raving mad, your Excellency!" Fang said, infuriated by Alptraum's stubbornness and pride. "He insists that he is the ruler of his kingdom, yet he sits uneasily on his throne like some scared child, barely able to comprehend his own memories!"

"He shall instigate his own demise, Fang, rest assured. We have no need for his presence in Ccrondil once we have won the country. Luna will be rid of him for us..." Constantine grinned as he began to paint the sunset. "This war shall bring about the dawn of my new order-- a world under my control. And then, only then shall we have peace in this world. Today marks the birth of an empire which shall span the globe, my apprentice."

"Yes, master. This world shall be remade in your image..." Fang grinned, imagining the bright future ahead. "But what of the Draconic Alliance? The Black Crystal? Do you believe they will make an appearance soon?"

"Hmm, perhaps..." Constantine pondered on the thought for a moment before returning to his artwork. "Regardless if they do or do not, our message to the world shall still remain clear. Their presence will simply add luster to my jewel of victory. Though, if they do, be sure to contact me immediately so we can confront the issue as it arises."

"What about Bjiora? Should he have a part in this battle?" Fang inquired.

"Not unless he insists on it. He tends to be more of a free spirit. Let him roam as he pleases and he'll be happy," Constantine answered him as he leaned back in his seat, eyeing his work before showcasing it to his Ambassador. "What do you think, Ambassador?"

Fang marveled at the extraordinary piece of artwork; it was truly a masterpiece. "Undoubtedly your best work yet, your Excellency. Farewell for now."

"Farewell, my son. Keep me posted if there is any change in Alptraum's mood. He's losing his grip on reality, and that makes him dangerous." Constantine warned him as he deactivated his crystal ball on his end.

As Fang grabbed his communicator off the ground and stood back up, he felt a disturbance in his vicinity, a presence. It was faint, but his Dragon Sense picked up on it nonetheless. He stood on guard as he paid closer attention to his surroundings, listening in for an out of place noise. After thirty long seconds of silence, Fang turned away. But just as he did so, he felt an overwhelming presence in the air, and without hesitation, he tossed a fireball down the hallway. The ball of flame stopped as it made contact with an invisible pony, knocking them down onto their back. As the spy's invisibility faded, Fang rushed towards the figure with blinding speed and grabbed the intruder by the throat, slamming them against a nearby wall with great force.

"I thought I smelled a snake..." Fang grimaced as he snarled at the mare in his grasp; it was the same spy who had been watching Thatchet just a few days prior. "It's you... the failed clone, Bethany. You look so much like Constantine..." Fang gripped tighter around her neck. "What are you doing here? Why have you come to Ccrondil? Are you still in the service of the Cadre?"

"Fuck off, you bureaucrat pawn..." Bethany cursed the young dragon administrator. "You won't stop us from retaking Ccrondil from that Alptraum and that bastard you call father."

"Perhaps... but you won't live to see-! Arraggh!" Fang howled as Bethany blew shards of obsidian into his eyes and stuck a sharp blade of the glasslike rock into his forearm, stunning him.

In a puff of smoke, Bethany disappeared, leaving a furious Fang in excruciating pain. He stumbled back, leaning up against a nearby wall. As two Kusckon guards ran to his aid, he waved them away, getting up by himself. He couldn't let Alptraum hear of this attack; it would drive him into a paranoid frenzy.

"Take me downstairs to get aid. If either of you tell Alptraum of this attack you'll both be executed on the spot..." He knew he could trust the Four Generals and Bjiora to distract him whilst the mess was dealt with, but redundancy was an essential part of his job after all.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Six: A Tower Without Walls

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Luna took a deep breath before entering the bowels of the Eclipse Caverns. Darkness enveloped her as she walked inside, and she outstretched her hand to touch the wall, guiding it across the jagged stone to find her way. Her horn shone its brilliant blue light, illuminating a short path only a few strides ahead; the darkness was so thick that it blotted out even her light. She turned a corner, hearing the stone walls behind her shake and rumble; the entrance had closed itself off, and she was now totally alone with just her own thoughts. At the end of the new corridor, Luna caught a glimpse of another light, a white, pure glow that crept around the next corner on her left. She slowly trudged across the flat stones beneath her hooves, descending down a gradual slope as she made her way. Like a curious child, Luna poked her head out to see the glow, however, the glimmer had retreated, compressed itself into a ball of light, secluded in a dark chamber of immense size. Her trials began here.

Luna reached into her pocket, grabbing the Eclipse Scroll and unrolling it in her hands. As she approached the light ahead, she cleared her throat, preparing to read the ancient text of the document. "Let the bright caress the dark, let the moon bring down its light, please rid the world of evil, says I, The Princess of The Night!"

The spec of light expanded, pushing away the cloud of shadows within the caverns until they were pulverized into nothing more than a mist, flattening them against the walls of the dome-like chamber. Luna stood in the center of the great room and began to whisper to herself ancient incantations, breaking the binding seals within the caverns. The light dissipated, allowing the shadows to return once again. Only this time, they organized themselves into a rectangular form in front of her, a door composed of pure shadow. She clenched her fist tightly, closing her eyes as she took a few deep breaths. She grabbed the ethereal handle, twisting it in her grasp and walking forward with her eyes still sealed shut. Luna felt the door close behind her, and as she opened her eyes, the world around her was altered.

She was in her bedroom, though, it was not like it was in the present day. It was the room she had as a young mare, a room that resided in a great temple, a temple she had forced herself to forget. This was where she and her siblings began their life alongside their first subjects, over ten-thousand years ago. This was the first trial of her journey through Fortnight Tower, the first floor of her subconscious; the memories that had been locked away for so long. Only she could venture into this realm; any mortal would be driven mad by horrific nightmares.

The walls were lined with shelves full of books; grimoires, ancient codexes, novels, tales of bravery and romance. They were all cherished memories of a time long before Equestria, before Nightmare Moon, before Discord. She was positively flummoxed by the vivid atmosphere of it all, and the form of the room seemed hard to comprehend. It was familiar, but something seemed so off about everything around her as if the fabricated reality would warp in the corner of her eye every time she would turn her head. She looked down at her hands, and to her surprise, they were translucent, ethereal, she had no physical form in this realm. She was but a ghost.

Luna turned as she felt an odd presence behind her, an aura all too familiar. As she spun around, her eyes became locked with dark cyan eyes. She was staring at her own face. Though this was a younger, less tired face, a face Luna longed to have after so many years. Her hair was short and non-spectral then, a neat assortment of wavy light azure locks. She did not have her crown or regular garments then, she sported the look of her ancient people, a gleaming white tunic decorated with golden lace and embroidered azure half-moons along the edges.

The young mare walked around Luna, though, she didn't seem to notice her presence whatsoever. Instead, she toiled away at her bookshelf, mindlessly humming to herself as she flipped through a text in her hand. Then, suddenly, the younger Luna's ears perked up as a knock at her door sounded, to which the older Luna paused; she recognized this memory. She had once considered it to be one of the happiest of her life. Now, it only stirred up waves of sadness within, like a roaring tide without an end.

"Luna...?" A sweet, gentle voice whispered through the crack in her door.

"Lothwick?!" Young Luna practically skipped over to the door with delight as she opened it, revealing the stallion on the other side. The young mare fell into his arms instantly as she saw his face. "Lothwick!" She then nuzzled up against his chest. "You've returned..."

Luna stood and watched, smiling through her tears as she saw his face, just within arm's reach. He had looked just as he always did back then; graceful, kind, warm in spirit. His eyes were green like a forest, his long chestnut hair shimmered like obsidian, and his sky blue face was serene and calm. His long indigo tunic was sleek and pristine, and his outer robe was made of red silk. She almost had forgotten such a face. He was the vessel that held her up, the savior who could free her from any peril, he was everything to her.

"I told you I would..." Lothwick smiled as he snuck an indigo rose in Luna's hair; his royal symbol. "Things in Ccrondil have died down now... we're at peace." Lothwick returned the young alicorn's hug as he stroked her hair carefully. "Which means..." Lothwick reached into his pocket and slid a ring he had crafted in Ccrondil just a few weeks prior onto the finger of Luna's left hand. "We can spend as much time together as we like. If you wish to be mine that is, my dear..."

"Oh, Lothwick..." Young Luna's eyes were filled to the brim with tears of joy, all whilst her older self watched with tears of anguish as she clutched the old ring in her pocket. Young Luna grinned as she dragged Lothwick inside her room, kissing him multiple times on the cheek. "Yes... yes I will be yours. And you shall be mine."

Watching from the other side of the room, Luna felt a chill run down her spine, a cold breath that breathed on her shoulder. She had felt this new presence before. It was hollow, detached, an ominous entity. The approaching stallion was unmistakable; his shadow announced his arrival like a trumpeter as it crept closer to the open door. Luna's eyes widened as the stallion came into view, a tall, regal looking stallion with a blank look on his face. He wore long green robes, and his posture was as stiff as a corpse. His horn was long and sharp at the end, and his straight, jet-black hair fell to his hips, nearly blocking his pale gray face. His sharp hazel eyes seemed faded, void of life, and his stiff face was tight and grim looking. His gray wings were folded behind him, occasionally ruffling themselves up to appear like a cape.

"Brother..." Luna watched in horror as the dark stallion turned his head to see his young sister in such bliss with her soon-to-be husband.

"My, my... isn't this lovely?" Leere smirked as he clapped his hands together a few times. "When shall you be wed?"

"Oh, Leere!" Young Luna laughed as she gave her brother a warm hug, which he returned. "We haven't decided... but you'll be there, won't you?"

"Of course, dear sister. I wouldn't miss seeing my own blood wed a stallion such as Prince Lothwick," Leere nodded, breaking away from the embrace; he often made it hard to discern whether he was being sarcastic or not. "Furthermore, I give you my best wishes, younglings..." Leere grinned— a ghastly, vile sneer. "Hopefully it shall last an eternity."

Looking back on the memory, Luna realized just how powerful those words were to her lover. Lothwick's heart sank at this very moment; he knew he was not immortal like his alicorn companion. At the time, Young Luna was too naive to see the concern on Lothwick's face, the genuine horror hidden behind his eyes. Like always, Leere had snared another mortal in his trap, and he never planned on letting go.

"Ah, it appears I must depart, you two... Celestia and I have pressing matters to attend to— a chess game," Leere's grin disappeared for a moment. "One day I'll beat her for sure, I just know it... ta-ta." And with a sigh, Leere walked away, leaving Young Luna and Lothwick alone, with a ghost watching nearby.

The realm then began to fade away, warping and twisting in odd directions. Luna panicked, realizing her ethereal form had no physical influence in this dreamscape. The opened door twisted and converged, and Luna turned back in horror as the forms of Lothwick and her younger self were ripped to shreds by the warping. Her only way out was through the door, and it was starting to close in on itself. She raced forward, phasing through tumbling bookshelves and other furniture; the door had now twisted into a wide hole with nothing but blackness on the other side. She jumped through it just in the nick of time; the reality behind her had completely torn itself apart.

She floated upwards, higher and higher in the darkness, until she flew through another hole in space, launching herself into a new dreamscape. She had landed back in her old room, only this time her younger self was not blissful like in the previous sequence, she was melancholic, weeping softly at the edge of her bed, her older sister consoling her. Luna remembered this event as well. This was a turning point in her life, a wake-up call to the misery in store. This was shortly after she had visited her ailing husband in Ccrondil. He had suffered from some kind of sickness that turned his fur pale and his hair white. In hindsight, Luna knew it was the first case of vampirism.

"He's-..." Young Luna was cut off by her own whimpers. "He's not himself... I don't know what's wrong with him! He doesn't recognize my face! He doesn't recognize anypony!"

"There, there, sister... we'll sort this out eventually. Leere's Sorcerers are trying their best to heal his condition." Luna knew the horrid falseness of Celestia's words; they both had no clue what Leere was planning. "We just need to give it time."

"You don't understand... he tried to sink his teeth into my neck! He's not himself! His mind is deteriorating!" Young Luna cried.

"I know, sister, I know... I'll go talk with Leere about this. Hopefully, he'll be able to fill us in on the details," Celestia tried reassuring her young sister, but she found the situation just as hopeless. "Please, have faith, sister. His spirit is strong, he'll pull through."

"No, no, no... Lothwick..." Young Luna was too caught up in her own sorrow to pay any attention.

The dreamscape began to break apart once more, contorting and caving in on itself, shredding into thin pieces of ethereal cloth. However, to Luna's dismay the door was shut this time, and it seemed that she had no method of escape. The bookshelves toppled down and dozens of books were scattered across the ground wide open. Thankfully, a dark portal began to manifest between one of these books near the bed. Luna stuck her hand through the small vortex, and it immediately widened as it sucked her body into the void. She fell downwards through the abyss at first, but then gravity seemed to invert, and she was tossed through yet another hole. Only this time, she did not end up back in her room like the previous instances. She ended up inside a strange quagmire of dreams— a pocket dimension fabricated out of her own subconscious mind.

Luna stood at the edge of a large platform of rock, suspended in the realm of chaos and anarchy; there was a war going on around her. Miasmas of purple, black, and blue danced around the platform like a nebula, warring with one another for dominance. Luna marveled at the realm for a moment, caught up in its chaos. Was this really going on inside of her? She stood there, perplexed and caught off on a tangent of self-reflection. Perhaps all the troubles she threw away had grown too much, perhaps her mind was ready to burst at the seams like she feared it would. Regardless, she had to make sense of it all. She couldn't let her own thoughts destroy her like it did with Lothwick.

"Was it all you expected?" A familiar, wicked voice called out to Luna, a mare.

Luna turned, and her mouth hung open in horror as she stared on at the Mare on The Moon. "No, not you..."

"You thought you'd be alone in this realm?" Nightmare Moon snickered from the other side of the rock, wearing her dark malefic armor like she had long ago, her robes composed of nightmares, and helm of shadows. "No... I've been here for a long time."

"What do you want...?" Luna asked firmly, though, her voice was layered with trace amounts of doubt and anxiety.

"To be free, Luna. Isn't that what every creature desires?" Nightmare Moon cackled to herself as she sat down on the shifting ground.

"You aren't anything more than an alternate personality— a spawn of all my regret and resentment... you will never be free," Luna stated, confident she had silenced her doppelganger.

"You see... that is the extent of our truth, Princess Luna. I'm not you. I never was..." Nightmare Moon grinned, resting her chin on her hand. "I am a child of your own kin— created by Lord Leere as his contingency plan."

"What?" Luna's heart skipped a beat.

"You didn't think I was just some illusion, did you? Just some... thought or idea? No... I'm a parasite, Luna, a void implanted inside of you by Leere himself. I'm just like my brother, you see. Alptraum is my brother. We're both pockets of nothingness— vacuums of endlessness that draw in all that is. My brother and I fed off of your anger, your doubts... your fears..." Nightmare Moon stood up and began to loom over Luna. "My brother infected Lothwick with ease, as he was mortal. It was easy to feed off of his fear of death. He became the Sorcerer of Fear. However, you are a complicated case... you are an alicorn. You were a three-stage plan, Luna. Stage One was simple, all I had to do was whisper into your ear, tear you apart just like my brother, Alptraum. It was I that made the decision to lock Lothwick away all those years ago, not you. I used your grief as a tool. Stage Two took time and patience. I corrupted you over centuries, slowly absorbing all of that negative energy, manifesting into the being you see before you, taking over this subconscious realm... so I suppose I do owe my self-awareness to you..." Nightmare Moon continued, pacing about the stone platform. "Your banishment was simply the icing on the cake..."

Luna digested her words with difficulty, but they ended up strengthening her resolve. If she was to rid Lothwick of Alptraum, she had to rid herself of her own nightmares first. "And Stage Three...?"

"Hmm... now, Stage Three is more of a gamble than anything..." Nightmare Moon smirked, tapping on the crescent moon symbol attached to her chest piece. "The Stone of Fear is within Lothwick's chest, it is his heart. However, there is a shard missing from the stone, and thus, it is unstable." Nightmare Moon ripped the crescent piece from her armor, holding it out towards Luna. "This is the piece you require, the piece your smiths used to forge the Eclipse Blade. However, you of all ponies should know what this piece is. This was never a shard... it is a separate stone all in itself, spawned off the original."

"I am aware... if I fuse it with Alptraum's heart, it will be incompatible. Both stones shall be obliterated in the process." Luna stated, recounting her past knowledge.

"Then you must also be aware of the reality of killing Sorcerers and smashing their stones...?" Nightmare Moon added, tilting her head to the side curiously.

"Yes... killing them will not halt my brother's return. It would only make it harder for him to conquer this world once he does inevitably return." Luna bowed her head in shame.

"Oh, that's rich!" Nightmare Moon sneered with delight. "Does anypony in Equestria know that besides you and your sister?!" Nightmare Moon waited for a reply, but she received none. "What a joke! You'll be only mildly inconveniencing my father, and you get to kill your husband too! Hahahahah!"

"Still your tongue, foul demon..." Luna grimaced as a blade of magic manifested in her hand. "I'm sick of looking at you."

"Heheheh... finally..." Nightmare Moon slapped the shard back onto her chest, summoning a blade of pure shadow. "You know the rules of the duel, yes...?" Nightmare Moon was given no response, but she explained anyways. "If you are victorious, you get the shard and I'll be out of your life for good. However... if you lose, I take your body and lock you in here, forever. Are these terms acceptable?"

"They are..." Luna nodded, preparing her blade. "Let us begin."

"Let's!" Nightmare Moon shrieked as she charged at Luna with her blade held high.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Seven: The Cadre Arrives!

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Lamia's eyes sprung open as soon as she came to, laying on a secluded bed in the medical cabin of The Red Koi; she was given a special room all by herself to be tended to. Dross placed a hand on her shoulder, insisting that she remain stationary. "Whoa, there... you nearly bought it fighin' Twilight. Don't strain yourself."

Lamia wasn't relaxed, though, she was wasn't entirely outraged either, she was more flummoxed at the fact that she had not been restrained to her bed. "What...? Where am I?"

"You're on The Red Koi, Admiral Pisces' vessel. You're fine, you just took a nasty blow from a friend of mine is all..." Dross put his medical skills to practice, examining the burn on Lamia's shoulder left by Twilight's brutal assault.

Lamia hissed and recoiled as Dross pried off the bandages to rub a cotton pad soaked with vinegar on her seared flesh. "Don't touch me, stallion!"

"Listen, girl, you shouldn't even be on this boat with us! I'm the only reason you're here right now. Hell, I'm the only reason you're alive right now!" Dross forced the cotton pad onto Lamia's burn, causing her to writhe momentarily before the vinegar began to calm the wound. "Besides... you haven't got much to go back to anyways. The Indigo Rose is history now."

"You-..." Lamia scowled at Dross as she trailed off, convinced he was telling nothing more than a tall tale. "You're lying! This is some kind of trick to get me to divulge secrets."

"Personally, I don't give a damn what you think..." Dross said as he patted her bandages back down. "If you don't believe me, then that's fine. I don't think you're dumb enough to try anything here anyways..."

Lamia grunted, realizing that escape was nigh impossible; miriads would undoubtedly shoot her on sight. "Why then? Why bother helping me?"

"Cause I think you aren't the demon you claim to be. You ain't any harbinger, you're just a lost kid..." Dross sat down on his chair, leaning forward and glaring at Lamia. "Why join Alptraum, huh? What'll that do for ya?"

"If Alptraum takes over Ccrondil, he'll create a haven for us demonic children, a paradise!" Lamia announced with the conviction of a religious zealot, sitting upright against the backboard of her bed and snarling.

"Why would you want that...? You're a demon. Can't you just go back to Infernum like the others?" Dross was given no reply. "Yeah... that's what I thought. You're stuck here. You can't go back because you don't want to. This is your home, not Infernum. So, who raised you? A farmer? A blacksmith?" Again, Dross received no reply. "Did a stallion kill them? Is that why you're the way you are now?"

"No, I-!" Lamia cut herself off, shocked at the fact that Dross could read her so easily. "Why are you trying to get to know me?! I'm your enemy, and you've got other wounded to tend to, don't you?!"

"The way I see it, you're my patient. I've got oodles of time, sister... the miriad healers have made quick work of the others. But they won't touch you." Dross said as he held his hand out to touch Lamia's face. However, she pulled her head back reluctantly. "Oh, come-... really?!" Regardless, Dross thought of Lamia's stubbornness as little more than an annoyance, and he pressed his hand against her forehead to check the bruise near her hairline. "I'm not gonna hurt you-..." Dross trailed off; her name had slipped his mind. "What's your name...?"

Lamia was stunned for a brief moment. Had he just said 'I'm not going to hurt you'? The idea of hearing those words escape the lips of a stallion seemed like pure fiction, she had a hard time grasping it. In fact, thinking about it made her blood boil with frustration. Though, she didn't seem to object his treatment any further like before. "Why are you asking me such silly things?!"

"Because I've got nothing better to do," Dross replied as he dabbed a warm cloth on Lamia's bruise. "I figured you had nopony really to talk to, so I decided to treat you."

"Why treat me like any other patient?" Lamia was beginning to relax, though, she still kept her guard up. "I've done terrible, awful things, and yet you still treat me like any other patient."

"As a doctor, I've taken an oath to treat every patient equally— to do no harm to those I heal. It's my job," Dross said as he removed the warm cloth and applied grape-seed oil to the bruise. "You're a little tricky... common medicines don't seem to have an effect on you. I've had to find natural stuff."

"Why go through all this trouble just to help me, a mare?" Lamia asked with a little more sincerity than last time.

"Because you've had a rough go of it, haven't you?" Dross said as he laid her back onto her pillow, sitting down on his chair as he did so. "All you've ever known is hatred, rage, pain... it's in your nature to embrace those feelings. I get that."

"How do you know such feelings, insect?" Lamia asked the changeling doctor, who simply leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"I was born different too," Dross recalled his first days as a hatchling in the hive. "I had hair, unlike my brethren, and my skin wasn't as dark as the others, I also lacked the harsh of fangs of my siblings too. Regardless, I tried to fit in as best I could, and I joined the army at age sixteen, hoping to prove myself to Chrysalis. I was part of the First Changeling War fifteen years ago." Dross continued, delving into his darker memories. "However, my group got separated, and I was captured by pirates and dragged off to the other side of the world, to Dorio. I served as a slave for five years, but I eventually escaped after an Equestrian trade vessel docked at a nearby harbor. I made sure I was far away from that wretched place." Dross sighed to himself. "It was only until I ended up here that I realized that I didn't have to blend with a crowd. I could be my own pony, and I found peace amongst other misfits like myself aboard Pisces' ship."

"What are you trying to tell me...?" Lamia wondered.

"I'm trying to tell you that you don't have to blend in anymore. You have freedom now, and I suggest you take it." Dross stated as he looked down at the various bruises on her shins. "Yikes... Twilight's a lot stronger than she looks. Hold still." Dross pulled out a few cloth bags filled with freezing cold peas from the ice box below the bed frame, and he placed them on top of Lamia's legs, to which she groaned in pain. Dross pulled them away quickly. "Ah... too cold. Sorry about-."

Without a word, Lamia held Dross tightly in her arms, burying her face in his neck, weeping softly. She could no longer contain herself. All the pain, misery, anger, they all finally bubbled up. Throughout her life, she had only known the hatred of others. She joined Alptraum in hopes that one day, she'd finally be able to live in relative peace. She was born so different, so alien to the norm. She had been called 'abomination', 'devil', 'witch'. At some point, she began to believe those nicknames, that became her identity. However, out of the blue came this random stallion, a changeling to boot. And now, he tells her the opposite of everything she's heard her whole life? Her whole world seemed to unravel at this realization. Despite all who hated her existence, this single stallion seemed to care for her like any other mare. She found it impossible to try and hate him any longer.

"Hey... you don't have to get all teary-eyed over me, you know..." Dross chuckled, gently patting the demoness on the back. "You're-."

"It's Lamia... my name is Lamia..." She whispered through her tears as she hugged him tighter

"It's nice to finally meet you, Lamia. My name's Dross..." The changeling doctor smiled as he simultaneously checked the bandages on her back.

****

Nightmare Moon's blade came down on Luna like a landslide, but luckily she dodged just in time, strafing to the right. Nightmare Moon's attack created a large crack along the one side of the stone platform. Without any effort, Nightmare Moon pried her blade from the stone, releasing a ranged slashing attack from her sword to cleaved Luna in half— a wave of darkness. Luna ducked, then launched her own blade attack.

"Waning Crescent Blade: Artemis Wave!" Luna shouted as she sliced the air in Nightmare Moon's direction, firing off a blast of blue lunar energy.

"Damn you..." Nightmare Moon cursed under her breath as she blocked the attack with her dark claymore, breaking it apart with a thrust. "Take this!" Nightmare Moon retaliated with a downward strike causing the stone beneath Luna to erupt with dark power.

Luna had no time to waste, nor could she make a single mistake. If she were to be injured in this realm it would surely carry over to her reality. She couldn't afford to slip up if she was to fight with Alptraum. Luna dodged again, summoning a magic flail in her left hand to strike at a distance. She whipped the flail out, latching onto Nightmare Moon's right hand and pulling her closer. However, she put up a staunch resistance, and she severed the chain with her sword the moment it grabbed her. Luna scowled at her doppelganger as her flail faded out of existence; she created a war ax in its place, tossing it at her foe like a tomahawk. Nightmare Moon avoided the ax, throwing yet another ranged slash her way. Luna scoffed, going into a prone position to evade. She unfurled her wings once the attack subsided and took to the sky, charging a blast of magic in her horn.

"Worthless!" Nightmare Moon snarled as she too prepared a beam attack.

Their attacks clashed for a few seconds before fizzling, one never gaining an advantage over the other. Despite her best efforts, the Blood Moon still had an effect on her, even in this realm. It's power nearly severed her ties to the moon's energy, and she was running on mere fumes. She would have to use diversionary tactics to gain an advantage. Simply powering through her opponent would drain her already diminished magic. Luna mustered dual blades in her hands, dodging left and right as she dove at Nightmare Moon, who was trying to knock her out of the air with a flurry of ranged slashes. Luna closed the distance, landing right at Nightmare Moon's hooves with her blades at the ready. However, Nightmare Moon counted on this, and she brought her blade down on Luna before she could even strike.

Luna blocked the attack with her sabers, redirecting the energy outwards, knocking Nightmare Moon back. Though Nightmare Moon recovered quickly, and she swung low at Luna's hooves. Luna jumped up, slicing Nightmare Moon across the shoulder as she ran by. In a rage, Nightmare Moon released an omnidirectional wave of darkness, blasting Luna back. With a grunt, Luna brushed off the attack, preparing for Nightmare Moon's follow-up. Nightmare Moon swung high at her head, but Luna ducked, firing a blast of magic from her horn into Nightmare Moon's midsection. Nightmare Moon stumbled back, but held her ground, black smoke leaking from her open wounds. Luna could tell Nightmare Moon was getting more and more dangerous the longer she fought her. Although injured, her rage was more powerful than ever, augmenting her attacks. If she tried blocking blows from her sword, the force would surely shatter her arm. She had to evade.

"Rraagghh! Coward!" Nightmare Moon growled as Luna fell backward into a roll to evade her ranged sword swings. "Fight me head on!"

"Your rage imbalances you, demon... you won't win on this day." Luna taunted Nightmare Moon, stoking her doppelganger's fire.

"We'll see!" Nightmare Moon howled as she fired a black beam of energy out of her horn to smite Luna.

Luna dodged the furious blasts of magic, taking care not to trip over debris created by their fight; the platform was wearing down beneath them. She summoned a bow composed of sacred lunar light. "Waxing Crescent Bow: Artemis Shot!"

Luna fire three arrows at once, all aimed at Nightmare Moon's chest. Unfortunately, two arrows were shattered by Nightmare Moon's blade, but one managed to penetrate her defense, plunging itself into her gut. Nightmare Moon grimaced as she dispelled the arrow with her magic, fighting through the pain, and she summoned a black shield fabricated out of shadows in her left hand. Luna quickly summoned a broadsword, wary of Nightmare Moon's now enhanced defense. Though, her new guard had also crippled her offense. Without two hands to wield her claymore, the weapon would become sluggish. Luna began to circle Nightmare Moon, waiting for an opening; she knew Nightmare Moon wouldn't have the patience to wait for her own attack.

Sure enough, Nightmare Moon lunged forward, bringing down her blade on Luna like a toppling tree. Luna saw it coming, moving quickly to the left and thrusting her blade forward to pierce her foe's side. However, Nightmare Moon was prepared, and she raised her shield before the blade could bite her. With all her rage she lifted the claymore again, coating its edge with her dark power. Luna evaded again, but the attack fractured the platform completely, causing one side to fall into the abyss below. Luna jumped off the crumbling piece before it fell, scraping the back of Nightmare Moon's shin as she landed on the stable side. In her agony, Luna charged forward, bashing Luna with her shield. Luna winced for a moment; luckily she had coated her arms in a magic barrier before the attack could do any serious damage. Regardless, the strike still knocked Luna onto her backside, and she had little time to catch her breath before Nightmare Moon took a swing at her once again. Luna rolled to the side, avoiding her strike, then she stabbed at the bare spot between her left gaiter and thigh plate, wounding her severely.

Nightmare Moon wailed as she swung low, nearly cleaving Luna's head clean off. Luna, however, did not relent. She stood back up, pressing forward with what little strength she had left. She got inside her opponent's guard, slashing her left wrist, freeing the shield from her grasp. Then Luna followed up, drawing her blade across Nightmare Moon's left hip. Her wicked foe snarled as she gave Luna a firm kick to the face, and Luna fell back, seeing double. With a harrowing cry Nightmare Moon went in for the killing blow, thrusting her blade forward, aiming right for Luna's left eye.

"Heh, heh..." Nightmare Moon coughed up a thick, black ooze as she looked down at her chest and smiled; Luna had moved her head to the side just in the nick of time, and she plunged a dagger into her heart.

"I will never be bound by your chains again, foul creature," Luna grit her teeth as she twisted her blade further into Nightmare Moon's heart, grabbing the stone shard from her chest piece.

"You... fought well, Night Princess. You didn't hesitate to kill me. I admire your ferocity." Nightmare Moon laughed lightly as she felt the last of her life drain away. "I wonder... shall you be so merciless against your beloved husband?" Nightmare Moon's eyes went blank as she fell off the stone platform, down into the endless chasm below.

"Good riddance..." Luna spat into the abyss below, and with a grunt, she stood back up, clutching the shard in her hand. Finally, she was free, after thousands of years of torture, she was free from her demon's wretched grasp. Victoriously, she thrust the shard into the air, summoning the ancient Eclipse Blade. "Come to me, my friend! Return to mine hand!"

With a burst of holy light, the illusion around her was torn apart, and the realm was wiped away from existence. In her hand, she held the Eclipse Blade, and it was as spotless and radiant as the last time she held it nearly ten thousand years ago. The blade was white, and it emitted a glow like none other. It looked as if the very light around it bent towards it, drawn to its humming song as Luna held it high in the empty chamber. Glimmering blue runes were imprinted on the blade and handle, and the hilt was made of gray steel, along with the spike at the end of the handle. As she held it out in front of her, the shadows lurking within the chamber began to be drawn into the blade, obliterated by its holy, lunar light.

"It has been many moons, old friend..." Luna smiled as she marveled at her weapon. "Let us go forth and finish the deed." Luna took in a mighty breath, then bellowed in her royal tone of voice. "Cadre, I summon thee!"

****

Spike stood at the bow of The Red Koi, waiting patiently for Luna along with Twilight, who sat on a barrel just an arm's length from him. She was the first to speak up after hours of uncertainty. "Don't worry, Spike. Luna will be fine. She can handle herself."

"Yeah, I know... I'm still worried about her..." Spike winced as she rubbed the bruises on his head and chest.

"You should be resting, Spike. We've still got Caven Isle to deal with." Twilight reminded the headstrong dragon, though, she knew it wouldn't sway him.

"I'll be fine, I just burnt out my magic is all," Spike insisted, giving Twilight a confident grin before sighing to himself. "Are you okay...?"

"I'll live. I'm still getting used to-... you know..." Twilight nodded slowly, somewhat unsure of her own words. "Hey, Spike?"

"Yeah?" Spike replied.

"How did we get here? Was it my pompous attitude that brought us here all those months ago?" Twilight asked, still feeling guilty about the way she had treated Spike before their journey.

"No... I don't think so. I think this was all bound to happen at some point," Spike answered with a jolly mug, trying to cheer his good friend up. "Besides... I don't think I was really mad at you. I guess I was a little mad at myself back then." Spike laughed as he placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "I'm glad you unwillingly tagged along."

"Yeah... I suppose I am as well, despite all that's happened over the past few months." Twilight admitted.

"What're you two ramblin' about now?" Gin interrupted the two as she walked up the stairs and joined them on the bow deck.

"Good to see you too, Gin..." Twilight chuckled at the tomboyish mare.

"Has Luna shown up yet?" Gin asked as she stared at the gaping hole in Mystwood's outer wall, hoping she'd see the Night Princess standing there.

"No, not yet. She must be-!" Spike was cut off by a piercing roar that made the ground shake; a blinding light dispelled the darkness in the clouds almost instantly, allowing the starry sky to shine through the purple haze. Though, the red moon in the sky still remained. "What the-...?"

"I have returned!" It was Luna's voice, and it sounded as if she were all around them.

"Luna!" Twilight saw the mare hovering just above their vessel, looking down upon them all like a watchful protector. "You're back!"

"Aye, my dear. But I have not returned alone!" Luna shouted triumphantly as she landed on the bow. "Cadre!"

Out of the shadows of Crosis Swamp came an army of hundreds of stallions and mares dressed in black leather armor, shrouded by dark cowls. They brandished bows, swords, and shields all styled in the shape of the crescent moon, and they stood on the bank of the river to the south, silent and ominous. To the west was a lone, half-changeling Cadre member; she wore no cowl or hood, and her armor seemed to be somewhat scorched.

"Stand down, stallions!" Pisces shouted at his troops as they pointed their muskets at the Cadre members. "Stand down!"

"At ease, my Cadre!" Luna commanded her troops. "These are our allies in this conflict against Alptraum's army of darkness! Much has changed in the millennia since we've last met! And I know how patiently you have waited for my call after all these years! Now, we may finally rid this world of Alptraum forever!" With that, the Cadre roared, cheering with great vigor as they raised their weapons into the air.

"Night Princess!" The half-changeling beckoned to her goddess. "I have scouted Caven Isle! I know what they plan to do!"

"Is that so?" Luna raised a brow at her as she lifted her onto The Red Koi's main deck with her magic. "Converse with my comrades, tell them of the enemy's defenses. What is thy name, child?"

"Bethany! Bethany Rooks!" The halfling named Bethany replied as Luna set her down on the deck below.

"Bethany..." Spike recalled something Rainbow Dash had said to him during their time in Ausrüstung, a retelling of Liazo's story. "Wait... I've heard that before!" Spike ran down to the main deck to meet with the halfling. His mind was going a hundred miles a minute. "Do you know Liazo Catelli?"

"My brother? How do you know him?" Bethany wondered.

"Brother?!" The whole of Draven's crew shouted in amazement.

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Eight: Before The Battle

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Being that there was no room left on The Red Koi, the two-hundred Cadre members boarded the miriad warships, cramming them with warm bodies. Their trek would be arduous, but the extra reinforcements would certainly turn the tide of the upcoming battle in the alliance's favor. The crew of The Red Koi gathered at a round table set up near the center of the main deck, Bethany right in the middle along with Luna, Pisces, Draven, and Marshall Durand. Bethany seemed like a no-nonsense sort of mare; she laid out a map of Caven Isle and got right to the point, directing the crew's attention to the drawing of the north bank of the river which eventually spilled into the Grand Sea.

"Alright, so the changelings are sending out some vampire fodder to defend the edges of the river. Those scrubs'll be wiped away in no time by Pisces." Bethany explained as she moved her finger across the map, stopping right at the harbor. "The city has an unbreakable defense along the north and west wall— our only viable route to the palace where Alptraum is hiding is from the east. You'll have to break through their defenses built up across the harbor."

"You can leave that to me." Pisces chimed in with a bravado to his voice that none could match. "I'll be able to sweep away their defenses with ease."

"I'm sure, but you and Luna have to be careful. These changelings are paying extra close attention to you two, Luna especially. They have no desire to let Luna face Alptraum, and if it comes down to it, they'll be sending the Four Generals to deal you guys." Bethany warned them both as she pointed to the inner wall of the city that surrounded the castle in a second layer of protection. "Defense is tight here, we'll need all our big guns to bust their bunker."

"I'll be crowd control, I can take out mobs with my Brand's power," Rummy said as he opened up his right hand and held it out, sparks of gunpowder igniting in his palm. Though, admittedly, he was still drained from his fight with Thatchet. He was reluctant to show weakness in the presence of his sister.

"Good, Rummy," Pisces nodded as he turned to Draven and Twilight. "I need you two to join Rummy. You both can hold off multiple opponents at once, and you'll be able to reinforce the infantry as they clash with their forces. If it comes down to it, you can help us with the Generals as well." Pisces' eyes wandered for a moment as he looked for Dross in the crowd of ponies. "Twilight is Dross still tending to-?"

"I'm here, Gramps, don't worry," Dross responded as he barged through the crowd to get to the Twilight and the others. "I just had to check on a patient is all." Dross dusted his long coat off as he stood beside Twilight at attention. "What's the plan?"

"We'll be attacking the harbor. You'll join Twilight and Draven as we advance towards the palace," Pisces informed his carpenter. "By the way... how are our wounded faring?"

"Winslow and Cyro are injured badly. They've both lost a lot of blood— Cyro more so than Winslow. They both won't be able to fight. Fluttershy and Jhettei seem alright. Though, Fluttershy is at Winslow's bedside. She's a little shaken up." Dross answered.

"Fluttershy..." Twilight thought to herself as she clutched her tight chest. "I can't imagine what she's going through right now..."

"I'll be needing both of them, Dross. Go fetch them for me. They'll accompany Draven and the rest of the reinforcements." Pisces ordered his changeling rear admiral. "We'll need all the help we can get."

"I'll go with you." Twilight grabbed Dross by the shoulder and followed him as he made his way the door which led to the lower deck. "Fluttershy will be a little uneasy if you try to get her up here. She's too timid..."

"Alright..." Dross agreed as he grabbed Twilight's hand and led her through the crowd.

"Raiel, Spike, and Nick, I want you all to come with me. You'll help Luna scale the inner wall." Pisces commanded the trio.

"And I'll help too!" Daisy sang.

"Though my power has somewhat returned with the Eclipse Blade in my hand, my magic is still severely hampered by the Blood Moon. My flight capabilities are not as adept as they once were. I am not fast enough to dodge grapeshot from their cannons. I'll need help from you, Spike." Luna looked over at the young dragon on the other side of the table.

"Me? What'll I do?" Spike wondered; he was already nervous.

"You'll be a rocket, so to speak. You shall grab onto me and use your flame to help boost me over the wall. I need your speed to help dodge incoming fire." Luna then glanced over at Nick, who seemed to be fiddling with one of his chains. "And you, Nick, you can create portals with those chains of yours, correct?"

"Oh, yeah!" Nick jumped to life, hyperactive and rowdy.

"Good, perhaps I can use them to speed up my advance even more?" Luna proposed to Pisces, who seemed to agree with her plan.

"What'll I do?" Gin piped up, eager to join the fight.

"You stick with Rummy and Draven— you'll be aiding the army," Pisces ordered her.

"Aye, aye." Gin gave him a sloppy, moderately sincere salute and a cocky grin; she was still pirate at heart after all.

"Alright, now that we're all settled into our respective roles, I should give these last two warnings to you all..." Bethany leaned in, directing the other's attention to the north and south sides of the inner wall. "The changelings have got some kind of secret weapon— a 'metal beast' of some sorts. Be wary of that. Also, Alptraum has company in his castle, real nasty company. He's with Basim Bjiora, the King of Kusckamaj."

"Bloody hell... that lunatic?" Draven shook his head uneasily; he dread the thought of facing such a feral beast in battle. "What's he doing here?"

"He's most likely getting a taste of what the changelings have to offer. I have reason to believe they'll be allying with one another." Bethany said in a low and grave tone of voice.

"Who's Basim Bjiora?" Spike asked the ponies gathered around the table.

"He's a sadistic, psychopathic animal with no regard for his subjects. His nation, Kusckamaj, on the south-eastern tip of the Blacklands, is one of the richest in the known world— his wealth surpassed by only Goldblood Gaines'. He has immense power to boot— one of the most experienced Brand-users in the world." Luna had a hard time coming to grips with the reality of the situation. "Damn it all, if Constantine secures a partnership with him this war shall last for five years more at the least. Knowing him, he probably won't hesitate to join the fight and sate his thirst for violence."

"We'll just have to be on our guard then," Pisces reassured Luna. "The day shall be won, Princess, I can promise you that."

"I certainly hope so," Luna shook her head worrisomely. "If Alptraum lives through this assault, we won't have another chance at defeating him."

"What do you mean, Luna?" Spike asked.

"The Blood Moon doesn't just put a damper on my power, it drains me. If we are unsuccessful today, Alptraum's Blood Moon will most assuredly kill me." Luna said with a solemn look on her face.

"We've got you, Luna. Don't worry." Rummy smiled, rubbing the bandage on his forehead. "There's no way we'll let that bastard get away with what he's done."

"Alrighty, I think we can wrap this meeting up in a nice bow. Cadre, to arms!" Bethany called out to the neighboring miriad warships.

"Prepare yourselves!" Pisces shouted at his crew, who all scattered and grabbed their weaponry.

"To arms, stallions!" Field Marshall Durand ordered his battalion on the nearby ships.

As the crew gathered their guns and their courage, Bethany sighed, leaning up against the main mast of The Red Koi. Spike, still curious, shuffled towards her awkwardly, not knowing how to instigate a conversation with such a mare. Although she was serious, she also appeared a little disconnected, distant. Her eyes seemed to slowly move back and forth aimlessly, watching the sky above.

"Hey... um-, so you're Liazo's sister?" Spike figured it would be best to get right to the point— well, as close as 'right to the point' as he could get.

"And you are...?" Bethany raised a brow at the odd purple lizard in front of her.

"Spike," The young dragon gave her a smile as he put out his hand for a shake. "Nice to, err... meet you."

"Bethany Ace," Bethany turned to face him, tossing her auburn hair to the other side of her head to let him see more of her face; she certainly looked a lot like Liazo. "So, Lee mentioned me to you or...?"

"Yeah, my friends and I met him during a little trip to Ausrüstung. He told a friend of mine about you, and... I guess that information kinda trickled down the grapevine?" Spike shrugged his shoulders nervously.

"I'm surprised he still lives in that shit heap after everything it's done for him..." Bethany shook her head, taking pity on her unfortunate brother. "What were you doing in a place like Ausrüstung?"

"Taking down a crazed cult and killing the Sorcerer of Mind. The usual..." Spike joked as he loosened up a bit; Bethany appeared to be a lot calmer in her natural state.

"Heh. Never a dull moment in Ausrüstung, huh?" Bethany smirked, fiddling with a piece of obsidian in her hand. "Yeah... life in the Cadre gets pretty boring sometimes. I'm glad it's starting to get interesting nowadays."

"So... unrelated question, but you can control obsidian, right?" Spike inquired, yearning to see Bethany in action.

"Only if it's a part of my blood. I can't replace the obsidian in my body with other obsidian." Bethany stated as she held the shard firmly between her fingers.

"Huh, weird," Spike said as he thought of another question. "How did you end up with the Cadre?"

Bethany grinned as she reconstructed her old memories. "Well, once my brothers and I went our separate ways, I found my calling in Ccrondil as a hired assassin. I was good, but-."

"You got hired to kill a royal guard by the name of Syrune..." Galaeron stepped into the conversation, a cocky grin on his face.

"That didn't work out to well, did it?" Syrune laughed as she twirled a knife in her hand.

"You know these two?" Spike said, realizing that Galaeron and Syrune knew about her scouting operation the whole time.

"Yeah... I got the shit kicked out of me by these two idiots, and then they asked me to join their club," Bethany scoffed to herself as she thought back to her fight with them almost ten years ago. "Wasn't even a fair matchup... two on one?"

"We spared her, took her under our wing, and taught her our ways." Syrune continued as she placed her knife in the holster around her belt. "You turned out alright I'd say..."

"So you were working for us this whole time?" Spike asked Bethany as he processed the new information.

"Sorry, we had to keep it a secret, that's just Cadre policy." Galaeron apologized.

"Yeah, I stayed behind in the palace after the attack to keep watch until the time was right," Bethany added.

"She is my father's third and most secretive bodyguard, Callicera's Shadow," Raiel chimed in, overhearing their conversation from afar. "Her duty is to perform espionage in the face of an insurrection and relay it to the royal family."

"I'm a ghost." Bethany gave Spike a playful wink as she raised her left hand, making it disappear entirely with her secondary ability. "They never see me coming."

"Invisible?" Spike gawked at the outlandish power. "Whoa..."

"Well, that one dragon did, though... weird." Bethany recounted her experience in the castle the day before when she faced off against the changeling ambassador.

"Dragon? What dragon?" Spike asked.

"Oh, the changeling ambassador, Fang..." Bethany cocked her head to the side as she took a good look at Spike's face. "You know... he sorta looks like you. Maybe that's the case with most fire dragons, who knows."

"Looked like me...?" Spike thought back to the river near Ponyville when he came face to face with his double at the beginning of his journey. That doppelganger was the whole reason he ended up on his journey in the first place. "Is that the same dragon I met at the port a month ago?"

****

Fluttershy sat at Winslow's bedside in the medical deck of The Red Koi, looking down at his broken blade wrapped in cloth at her hooves. "Oh, Winslow... I'm so sorry about your sword."

"It's alright... it was getting dull anyway." Admittedly, he cared dearly for his father's blade. "I can always get a new one."

Winslow and Cyro laid on beds on either side of the medical deck, accompanied my numerous neighboring stallions with gruesome injuries. Cyro had been rendered unconscious from blood loss, and Jhettei stood at his bedside for hours, waiting for him to return to consciousness.

"Poor, Jhettei..." Fluttershy frowned as she saw the anguish in Jhettei's eyes. "This war has been nothing but pain and senseless violence."

"War is an inevitability in life, Fluttershy. Sometimes violence is unavoidable... sometimes loss too..." Winslow placed his hand on her shoulder as she began to cry. "You just have to have the courage to face it."

"But I'm not strong like you or Spike, or-..." Fluttershy trailed off as Winslow held her hand.

"You're stronger than you think, Fluttershy. You've gone through so much already, and yet you are more concerned for Jhettei's well-being than your own. That kind of selflessness takes compassion, and that kind of compassion takes strength." Winslow comforted her as best he could, but she still seemed unconvinced; perhaps she would always be on the fence.

"Fluttershy, Jhettei, we need you two for our final assault. You'll be helping out the troops on the ground as they fend off the changelings." Dross interrupted them as he and Twilight descended the staircase at the other end of the medical deck and marched over to them.

"You want me in the battlefield? Again...?" Fluttershy couldn't get the image of her father out of her head. "I'm no good to you out there, not if Winslow isn't with me. I might-..."

"Fluttershy, you'll be okay. I'll be there with you," Twilight insisted, crouching down beside Fluttershy as she glanced over at Droyuz leaning against Winslow's nightstand. "You'll have you father with you too."

"Fluttershy, don't worry... I'll be alright," Winslow assured her as he let go of her hand. "Go. protect your friends. I shall remain here and wait for your return."

"Okay..." Fluttershy bowed her head, uncovering the spec of courage hidden beneath her self-doubt. She grabbed Droyuz, staring at her reflection for a moment before looking back up at her friends with a determined glare. "I'm okay."

"Jhettei, are you ready?" Dross asked his crewmate, who stared down at his comrade with worrisome eyes. "He'll be fine, Jhettei, he's in stable condition. He'll be conscious by the time you get back."

"Yes... I know," Jhettei didn't seem too keen on leaving his long-time friend behind like this, but as a Northlands monk, he had a duty to uphold; to defend those who cannot protect themselves— the citizens of Ccrondil. He mumbled under his breath as he turned away from Cyro. "I shall return, old friend."

****

Luna stood at the bow, feeling the brisk wind swipe at her face. In the back of her mind, she had hoped the high winds would wipe away the darkness clouding her mind; the pain, the anger, the regret. The Eclipse Blade shuddered at such thoughts, sensing the conflict within her. If she could not commit herself to the horrid deed, then the blade would surely fail her. She had to be rid of Alptraum, of the scourge that plagued Ccrondil. Yet, at the same time, could she kill Lothwick? Just envisioning his face nearly brought her to tears. How could she be so naive all those years ago? Was it youth or love that blinded her to the reality of Lothwick's situation?

"We'll be there within an hour at the most..." Pisces sighed as he felt the cool, misty breeze of the water as they barrelled forward through the river to their final battle. "My crew is ready for the fight of their lives, but... are you, Princess?"

Pisces had known Celestia for thousands of years, and thus, he knew Luna's story well. he knew of Lothwick, of the Sorcerers, of Leere and the fate of the seraphim long ago. He was much closer to Celestia than even her. After the thousand years she spent on the moon, Pisces became her replacement during that time, comforting Celestia and being her shoulder to lean on. He knew of her family's strife, her own struggle. His wisdom was through blood and sweat, and hers through pain and tears. They were one in the same, and yet, he conquered his fears in battle. Luna was still wrapped in her doubts, a victim of her own regret.

"I'm not sure, Pisces... I'm just not sure." Luna closed her eyes as she tried to quell the frustration building up inside of her. "I know what I must do, my goal is clear— right in front of me. Yet... I cannot bring myself to do the deed. I cannot kill him." Luna choked up a bit as she leaned against the ship, staring at the mountains to the south.

Pisces breathed in deeply as he leaned against the outer railing of his ship beside Luna. "When I was a boy, my village was ransacked by pirates. We were driven from our homes, forced into slavery. My mother and father were rulers, not fighters. They were the first to be killed. Ever since that day I've wondered, could I have done anything? Could I have saved my parents? Could I have not cowered and fought instead?" Pisces smirked as his wise eyes met with Luna's. "But I know those questions are nonsense. I cannot change what happened. I harbored that hatred and regret for thousands of years after. It was only until I met your sister that I finally figured it out. We cannot change the direction of the winds that blow us through this life, but we can adjust our sails. The past is the past, what happened shall never change. But we can change the future. Not just for ourselves, but for everypony around us. You have that power, Luna. What you choose to do with it is up to you."

"I'm not as strong as my sister, Pisces. I'm broken, all mismatched and out of place. I'm not warrior ponies believe me to be." Luna dragged herself down into a deeper pit of depression.

"Your sister is strong in mind, a tactician. She has won countless battles, led her kingdom in your absence. But she is weak in heart— it was damaged by years of solitude, years void of her dear sister. You, however, have scorched your heart in the fires of anger and jealousy, and yet it remains beating. While your mind is damaged, your heart still plays its rhythm. You have heart, Luna. Set aside your thoughts for a moment and listen to it. I cannot convince you to kill Alptraum, Luna. Only you can convince yourself. Do what you feel is right, and the rest shall take care of itself." Pisces grunted as he lifted himself off the railing and walked away.

"Pisces, wait..." Luna sighed as she turned to face him. "I'm sorry for the way I've treated you since my return to Equestria. I believed you to be my replacement, but... now I know better. She loves you, so much. I'm regretful that I never bothered to meet you before all this happened. I never realized how well you knew her... how much you love her."

"I'd conquer heaven and hell for that mare." Pisces rubbed the wedding ring on his finger as he gave Luna a salute and a grin as he descended to the main deck.

"Hey, Gramps! We need ya down here!" Rummy shouted to Pisces.

"I'm on my way, son!" Pisces replied as he trudged down the stairs.

"Lothwick..." Luna smiled as she looked to the north, spotting her husband's palace far in the distance. "I'll free you. No matter what it takes."

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter Ninety Nine: The Battle For Caven Isle (Part One)

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At the main deck near the center mast, Spike held his breath; the sky grew darker and malevolent as if plotting some cruel fate for them all. Caven Isle was fast approaching, and the southern walls of the once great city came into view. It was only matter of time before they would be landing on shore. He swallowed nervously, staring up at the Blood Moon in the night sky. Raiel stood beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"This is it, Spike," Raiel smiled at her companion, trying her best to encourage him. "This shall certainly be a fight to remember."

"Yeah..." Spike sighed, his imagination running wild with worried thoughts.

Raiel clutched her chest for a moment, closing her eyes as she mustered up her own courage. "Spike, I-..." Raiel trailed off, bowing her head, her words so nearly free from her lips. "Spike, no matter what happens... I just want you to know that you have all my light in the darkness. Seeing you all, smiling and laughing together at Mystwood, it was one of the happiest moments of my life, and I'm glad I shared it with you." Raiel grabbed Spike's hand and clasped it hard, her lip quivering for but a moment before she redoubled her strength and shook it off. "Let's stick together, okay?"

"Alright..." Spike said softly, the fire in his eyes burning hotter than ever. "Let's do this."

"Brace yourselves, everypony!" Pisces shouted back to his crew from the spearhead of his ship, manipulating the currents of the river to speed up their advance. With his left hand, he whisked great amounts of water onto the left side, washing away the vampires firing at his miriad allies on neighboring ships. "Take cover!"

The cannons along the walls began firing at The Red Koi and its companion ships, but Twilight reacted quickly, placing a magic barrier around The Red Koi. Draven aided the miriads, letting loose a wall of lightning that obliterated the incoming projectiles. With his left hand, Pisces rocked the ship with a jet of water, angling the ship just enough for Rummy to let loose returning fire.

"Gunpowder: Barrage!" Rummy shouted, as the cannons of The Red Koi bellowed, blistering the outer wall defenses. "Right on target, Pisces!"

"Well done, boy! Onward!" Pisces replied as he continued to sweep away vampires with whips made of water. He thrust his right hand forward, rapidly accelerating their advance. "Hold on! As soon as we flow into the sea, I'll turn us around! We'll strike the harbor with a barrage!"

"Aye, aye, Admiral!" Daisy sang as she tossed cannonballs at the wall nonchalantly.

Trees rushed by as they sped up, and the cannons continued to sing their chaotic song of war as the ocean drew nearer. Luna fired a beam of light from her sword to scatter the remaining ranks of vampires, rousing a triumphant cheer amongst her Cadre; their blades hungered for Alptraum's blood. The Red Koi was the first to spill out into the Grand Sea, and the miriad warships followed suit. Using the sea as a bumper, Pisces steered their fleet around twisting his right hand to bend the waves to his will. They turned towards the north rapidly, aiming their cannons at watchtowers and other defenses along the harbor. Slowly, the gunners on each ship selected their targets, taking care not to damage any other buildings in the capital.

"Ready!" Pisces hollered, his voice as loud as a thousand drums and guns. "Aim!" He raised his right hand up as he turned toward the shoreline, then dropped it down to let loose his forces. "Fire!"

The crew plugged their ears as the shoreline defenses returned fire in a cacophony of cannon fire, just narrowly missing their shots; Pisces' constant stirring of the sea hampered their targeting and sucked up the occasional cannonball into the depths. In mere seconds, the outer defenses of Caven Isle had crumbled. With his left hand, Pisces turned the ships to face the west, preparing for a full-scale assault by land. He lifted the sea beneath them, dragging their ships closer and closer to the nearly destroyed harbor. Carefully he steered each ship with the roaring tide, taking care not to crush his allies against the stones along the shallow beach. He created pits in the sand below using the tide, plunging the bows of each ship safely inside so that they could lower the land bridges.

"Forward, stallions! Forward!" Pisces raised his trident and thrust it at the storm of changeling soldiers ahead.

"To battle, Cadre!" Bethany bellowed triumphantly as she led her order, Syrune, and Galaeron behind her.

The changelings shrieked and howled as they ran through alleyways and along piers, meeting the miriads and Equestrian marines head to head at the beach, blasts of sand launched high into the air by the hail of mortar fire. Luna and Pisces were the first to exit The Red Koi, leading the charge. Spike, Raiel, and rest of their backup soon followed. Twilight, Draven, and the others accompanied the troops, carving a pathway for Pisces and Luna. They would fight their way through main street all the way to the town square to attack the inner walls. Fluttershy and Jhettei were the last ones to exit the ship, and they tagged behind Draven.

"Dragon Thane's Thunderous Greatsword!" Draven shouted as he cleaved dozens of changelings in half with a single swipe of his electric claymore; he could barely see his allies amid the sound and fury around him. They were advancing up the beach fast. "Mates, where are you?!"

"I'm here!" Twilight replied back as she repelled a changeling soldier with a blast of magic.

"We're fine!" Fluttershy cowered behind Jhettei, who pounded the changelings swarming them into submission, breaking every single one of their necks as they tried to gut Fluttershy. "I hope..."

"We're alright, Draven!" Gin shouted nearby as she blew a changeling away with a shot from her blunderbuss, backing her brother up as he blasted clusters of changeling troops with gunpowder from his fingertips. "Just keep, fightin'!"

"Hmm... they think they can stop me?" Pisces almost smirked at the changeling soldiers as they charged towards him. "Dragon Shatter!" He thrust his free hand forward, tearing apart scores of oncoming troops, pulverizing a number of buildings, and blowing away the cobblestone sidewalks. He stepped onto the rubble, leading Luna into the city with Spike and the others in tow. "Follow me, Princess! I'll carve us a path!"

"But... the city!" Luna shouted back at him as he used Dragon Wave to wipe away houses.

"We shall rebuild! We'll be sitting ducks if we're boxed into a single street!" Pisces said as he gave a group of three changelings a firm backhand with his massive fist, knocking them all aside with casual ease. "I'll make us a wider path!"

Raiel slashed through droves of changeling soldiers with elegance, spinning and twirling as if she were in some kind of warrior trance. Spike grinned, blowing dozens away with columns of fire from his gaping maw. Daisy ripped sod and rock from the ground, tossing it into the horde of changelings, crushing a few here and there as she backed up her crewmates with her powerful ground stomps that sent the changeling ranks flying.

"Twilight, stay with me!" Dross ordered her as he shuffled closer, tossing a nearby changeling away with a massive gorilla's arm. "We'll do more damage and cover each other's backs if we stick together!"

"Alright!" Twilight nodded as she slew a changeling with a blade made of magic.

On the other side of the beach, Bethany dispatched changeling soldiers quickly with the precision of an assassin, firing obsidian spines from her wrists and landing them right in between the eyes of changeling musketeers before they even had a chance to fire their shot; it was obvious she shared Liazo's prodigious hand-eye-coordination. Syrune and Galaeron went all-out as well; Syrune consistently placed shots from her bow right in a changeling's eye socket, and Galaeron pulled off impressive acrobatics in his heavy armor, rolling and ducking, carving through soldier after soldier. But the changeling assault didn't seem to let up; their offensive grew only more aggressive as the battle raged on. But regardless, the allies held strong, fending off each wave as Pisces and Luna plowed through the city.

From high atop a platform along the inner wall of the castle, Ambassador Fang sat comfortably upon a throne, The Four Generals standing at the ready. He held his hand in his chin, sighing to himself as he watched his army get torn apart like tissue paper. He stood up, shaking his head in an exasperated manner. "My what a horrid sight."

"Ambassador Fang, shall we release them?" General Cain asked the young dragon in his low and groaning voice.

"Go ahead..." Fang nodded with a hint of annoyance in his tone. "I suppose this shall be their test run."

"Release the prototypes!" General Cain ordered a group of changelings near the castle entrance gathered outside the inner wall. They obeyed, running over to six large containers near the central fountain of town square. Quickly, they unlatched the locks of the metal boxes, letting the door to each swing open, revealing the contents within.

What was hidden inside the containers were soldiers. Though, these giant soldiers barely resembled changelings. They were mostly composed of cybernetics powered by magic. Their limbs were replaced with long, mechanical appendages made of interlocking steel plates and carbon fiber tubes, and at the end of each limb was a mechanized hand fitted with razor-sharp claws. Their tails were swapped out with a new, synthetic ones— a robotic scorpion tail with a terrifying blade at the end. Their bodies were stark naked, yet there was nothing to reveal; their whole bodies were just horrifying amalgamations of changeling flesh and complicated cybernetics. What was most alarming of all were their empty, green eyes and their gaping maws, replaced with a grotesque array of metal fangs and cogs.

"Now, let's see if Doctor S isn't completely full of shit. Stalkers... kill." Fang grinned as he pulled out a remote control from his pocket, pressing the center button to activate them. They sprung to life, their eyes glowing green, crawling on all fours as they sniffed the air for their prey. With a snarl, they all split up, bounding across rooftops to reach the other side of the city. Sneering, Fang gestured to his generals. "Obliterate them. I'll stay here and guard Lord Alptraum."

"As you wish, Ambassador Fang." General Cain nodded as he jumped off the wall, slamming onto the cobblestone street with tremendous force.

"Finally..." General Racer's grin grew wide as his body began to bubble and pop with dozens of huge, fiery explosions that launched him high into the air.

"Hmm, this shall be a splendid battle indeed!" General Sky Runner sang in an almost operatic voice, teleporting to the central fountain down below in a flash of white light, then to a nearby rooftop.

"Humph," General Moreau twiddled his mustache as he unsheathed his rapier, levitating rubble from below and organizing it into a makeshift staircase using the power of sustained acoustic blasts, descending it all the way to the bottom in a posh and proper fashion.

On the frontlines, Spike, and his group fought heavy resistance as they climbed the hillside towards the palace. Cannon fire and musket balls whizzed through the air, and as Spike looked back, he saw dozens of dead or dying marines behind him. He had never seen such a sight before; the chaos, the destruction. War was not the glorious adventure everypony thought it would be, it was hell. Spike turned back, pounding some oncoming changelings with his fiery fists. However, he stopped, hearing a terrible crackling noise from above. He looked up, watching a stallion soar through the air with a cluster of explosions behind him.

"Pisces! Look!" Spike called to the admiral, and he quickly assessed the situation.

"The Generals..." Pisces grunted as he cocked his head back to deliver a warning to those on the beachfront. "Prepare yourselves! The Generals are on their way!"

General Racer zoomed through the air as his body continued to explode from the waist down, eventually blasting him all the way to the beach. He snickered to himself as he hovered just above the allies, then he brought his hands down upon them, firing off a maelstrom of explosions that began to blister the ground beneath him. "Boom: Rolling Thunder!"

The attack sent Equestrians and Cadre members flying, broke apart the landscape, leveled houses and wiped away almost a quarter of the Equestrian forces in an instant. On the ground, Twilight heard the attack, lifting a magic shield just in time before any of her friends were harmed. Though General Racer's attack was much stronger than she anticipated, and it nearly destroyed her shield entirely. She only had seconds to regain her composure before the next general arrived, General Skyrunner.

"Twilight, are you-?" Dross saw she was unscathed, but he trailed off as he heard a snapping noise in the distance. Faster than the eye could track, a pegasus was teleporting around the battlefield, blowing holes through the chests of marines with lasers fired from her fingertips. It only took Dross mere moments to realize the mare in general's regalia had turned her attention to Twilight and him. "Ah, shit! Twilight!"

"I see her!" Twilight winced as she got back on her hooves. "That's Captain Skyrunner! She was a member of the Flying Corps once, but she was kicked out!"

"Hmm, so glad you know so much about me, darling!" General Skyrunner smirked as she teleported just a few meters away from them. She gave her a sarcastic bow and a wink. "And you must be the Great Princess Twilight, I imagine? Charmed, I have heard such great things about you, but I never got to meet you in the flesh." General Skyrunner sighed to herself, her hands beginning to turn translucent, prismatic. "It is a shame we didn't get to meet on happier terms, but... c'est la vie." General Skyrunner put her crystalline hand out and made a gun with her thumb and index finger, aiming it right at Twilight's head.

Twilight reacted quickly, dodging to the right. Though the laser blast was beyond her normal scope of speed, and it still managed to graze her left arm, severely burning it. "Aarrghh!"

"Twilight!" Dross screamed as he charged towards General Skyrunner with giant crabs claws for arms. Whilst she was standing still, he thrust his right claw into her chest with all of his rage. To his surprise, her whole body simply shattered like a pane window, breaking apart into a million pieces. He ran over to Twilight, helping her back up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay..." Twilight grunted as she got up once again. However, she soon realized it was not over as she watched the fragments strewn about begin to reform. "And so is she..."

In seconds, General Skyrunner's body took shape once more, and she waited patiently for her foes to recuperate. "Ah, what a fine night, wouldn't you agree?"

"This bitch is just playing with us..." Dross grit his teeth in anger as he and Twilight prepared for the real fight.

"Playing, fighting, loving... to me they are all the same. The only real, discernable action in life is to dance. And so, let us dance!" General Skyrunner summoned a blade made of white hot laser energy in her right hand, and she gave her opponents a salute.

On the other side of the beach, Field Marshal Durand and his battalion of miriads began to advance up the hill, fighting their way through hundreds of changelings alongside the Cadre, who eliminated their foes with finesse and agility. He joined up with Bethany, Syrune, and Galaeron at the front, cleaving his way past dozens upon dozens of changelings. In battle, Marshal Durand's skills with the saber were unmatched by most, and despite his age, he impressed quite few Cadre members with his deft footwork, including Bethany.

"Excellent form. Who taught you with the blade?" Bethany chuckled as she cut the head off a changeling officer, meeting Marshall Durand on his side of the fray.

"It was Blademaster, Madame. I trained under him for two years." Marshal Durand said with pride in his voice.

"The Blademaster?! Damn... I'm jealous." Bethany had heard of The Blademaster's students; strong, almost unbeatable sword-wielders from across the globe. Most of them became either rulers or pirate captains.

"Well, I'm nowhere near the level of some of his pu-..." Marshal Durand was cut off by a faint whirring noise in the distance. His pride soon twisted into panic as he turned to his battalion, wide-eyed and fearful. "Plug your ears!"

"Acoustic: Screaming Falcon!"A voice shouted in the distance. What followed was a wall of sound so strong it nearly parted the sea behind Durand's battalion. The attack was so loud it ruptured the eardrums of many within the center of the blast.

As the dust cleared, Bethany shook her head, her ears ringing loudly. "What the hell was that?!"

"Some sort of sonic attack..." Syrune coughed as she helped Galaeron to his hooves.

"What a coincidence, Julian, that we meet each other after so many years on this very battlefield." General Moreau said as he frilled the feather on his musketeer chapeau. "It seems fate has drawn us together once more."

"It appears so, Pierre," Marshal Durand said as he drew his saber. "All I ask is that we keep this between the both of us. Do not attack my comrades."

"Very well, Julian, I accept your terms," General Moreau agreed, preparing his rapier.

"Is that...?" Galaeron swallowed nervously; he could hardly believe his eyes.

"Lord Moreau... The Roaring Falcon of Montesquieu!" Syrune gawked at the general, who stood on the hillside, just inches away from the beach upon a pile of rubble. "He's in league with Constantine?! Traitor!"

"Stay back, you two. This is between the two of us." Field Marshal Durand ordered his soldiers, who backed off quickly. Durand then turned to face his comrades. "Go and reinforce the southern flank. They'll need your strength."

"Very well, Field Marshal." Bethany nodded, ordering her Cadre brethren to follow. "Do be careful."

"Why have you joined with Constantine, brother?" Marshal Durand's eyes narrowed with hatred as he saw his troops around him.

"Look around you, brother. The Fourth Age has come to a close. This battle shall mark a new beginning for the world! An Age of Empires! And Constantine shall lead that new world through the darkness that is to come!" General Moreau said in a prophetic voice, like an Oracle from long ago.

"You are a fool, Pierre," Marshal Durand scowled as he lifted his saber. "You always were."

"We shall see..." General Moreau muttered as he lunged at his brother with his rapier drawn. "En garde!"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter One Hundred: The Battle For Caven Isle (Part Two)

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Not a scratch. Not one attack from Twilight or Dross managed to even scrape General Skyrunner. Twilight would pulverize her with magical blasts from her horn, but she would only reform milliseconds later, simply walking around them both, as if she were a cat cornering a mouse— never landing a killing blow, biding her time. It was clear to both Dross and Twilight that they were outmatched; General Skyrunner was far too skilled with the intangibility that her Tradendi-type Brand granted.

"Arraaggh! Take this!" Dross shouted in frustration as he threw a heavy gorilla fist at General Skyrunner's chest.

General Skyrunner took the hit dead-on, shattering once again, only this time, she didn't reform as quickly as before. The flying pieces all around Dross took aim at him, each firing a bright laser. "Magic Crystal: Kaleidoscope..." Twelve shots pierced Dross' legs, gut, and arms, causing him to stumble back, completely breathless.

"Dross!" Twilight screamed in horror as Dross fell backward into her arms, General Skyrunner reforming seconds later. Dross grimaced as he felt the tiny holes in his stomach sizzle, and Twilight tried her best to mend them with healing magic, but they were far too severe for her to treat in time.

"You both are so cute! How I adore playing with you both!" General Skyrunner giggled as she circled her battered opponents. "But... I've had my fun." General Skyrunner raised her right hand out towards Dross and Twilight, spreading her fingers wide as magical energy began to manifest within it. "You two shall go first..."

Before Skyrunner could launch her attack, a figure sprang forward from the fray, smashing her right hand to pieces. He wore a Leaping Koi long coat, and his long, spiky black hair was unmistakable. Jhettei turned to face Skyrunner, his fists coated in his metallic ki armor.

"My, my... a Northland monk?" General Skyrunner smirked as her broken hand reconstituted itself. "And what might your name be, colt?"

"Jhettei Shinohara," The monk's eyes narrowed as his fists clenched. "You're harming my comrades, crystal beast. I'll make you regret that."

"Oh? Then prove it, colt." General Skyrunner taunted Jhettei, calmly stretching her neck muscles by bobbing her head side to side. "Give me a little excitement."

"Jhettei, be careful! She's terribly skilled with her powers!" Twilight warned her ally.

"You flatter me, Princess..." General Skyrunner bowed to Twilight as she began to circle Jhettei with a hand on her hip. With a sigh, she teleported behind Jhettei, almost catching him completely off guard. With a crystal hoof coated in magic, she kicked Jhettei in the side, shattering the right side of his ribcage. "You aren't careful..."

"Arraaggh!" Jhettei coughed up blood as he got back on his hooves. "She's fast... if I let her land another shot like that, I'm history-."

"Formulating a plan of action? How cute..." General Skyrunner scoffed as she teleported above Jhettei, her hand outstretched to blast him with a laser. Jhettei was swift enough to evade the strike, and he rolled to the side as the laser shot tore apart the ground where he once sat.

"Jhettei!" Twilight became torn; she had almost mended Dross' wounds, but if she didn't intervene, General Skyrunner would surely pummel Jhettei senseless. With much deliberation, she formed a blade of magic in her right hand and swung at General Skyrunner.

Skyrunner blocked the strike with a laser sword in her left hand, then fired a shot into Twilight's side with her free hand, winding her. Before she got the chance to follow-up, however, Jhettei obliterated her head with a punch to the face, tensing every muscle in his body to fight through the pain. "Hmm... you're all so much more tenacious than I thought! Then again... is it tenacity or desperation that drives you?"

On the other side of the battlefield, Gin, Draven, and Rummy continued to hold off the changeling forces together. Gin fired her blunderbuss into crowds, peppering dozens of changelings with volleys of grapeshot, and Rummy blasted away twenty at a time with a snap of his finger, releasing explosive gunpowder that blew apart the landscape around him. With a jolly grin, Draven electrified the earth beneath him, downing even more changelings.

"We're tearin' em up, fellas!" Rummy shouted to his troops as he blew apart a changeling with a gunpowder shot. "Keep pushin'!"

"Ah, shite! I hear mortar fire!" Gin listened for the distinct whistle and looked up, awestruck at the giant comet headed her way. "Holy shite!"

"That ain't a mortar shot!" Draven shouted as he protected those around him with a dome of electricity. The explosion rocked the ground and shook the ocean, stirring up roaring waves. The fireball from the blast was launched upwards, forming a tall mushroom cloud. And as the dust settled, Draven lowered his shield, panting heavily. "Is everypony alright?!"

"We're fine, Draven!" Rummy coughed, dusting his coat off as he gave Gin a helping hand. "Where the hell did that come from?"

"Up here, Equestrians..." A gruff, harsh voice snarled from atop the beachfront, stepping out of the smoke.

"A General?!" Gin gasped as she saw the tall stallion's aviators glint under the moonlight.

"General Rick Racer, maggots... and I came here for one reason and one reason only! To kill some Equestrian curs..." General Racer grinned as he puffed on his cigar. "Because my country ain't got the stones anymore— signing that damn trade-agreement. It's like my whole damn country forgot what you Equestrian ass-wipes did to us!"

"I see... you're one of those Ausrüstrian radicals opposed to the trade agreement!" Draven scowled at the rowdy stallion. "So you're working for Constantine now, is that it?!"

"Hell yeah, I am. He's got the guns and the balls to stick it to you aristocratic assholes sitting in your little dollhouses!" General Racer tossed his cigar in the sand and spat on it. "I won't rest until every pony with a title of nobility has a bullet in their head!"

"That's awful hypocritical coming from a guy who serves a self-proclaimed emperor!" Rummy snapped back at the fanatical stallion.

"Constantine earned that title, not because some god patted him on the shoulder and said he was special! He started with nothing, then he worked his way up the ladder! He got to the top once he got rid of that stupid Queen of his!" General Racer growled.

"I heard the rumors, but I didn't think it was true..." A scowl grew on Draven's face. "So that bastard killed Chrysalis?"

"I'm through talkin' to this arse!" Gin shouted as she fired her blunderbuss at General Racer, who didn't seem to care at all. "What the-...?"

The shot from Gin's blunderbuss punched a giant hole through Racer's chest. Though, he didn't seem to stagger back or bleed out. Upon closer inspection, he didn't seem to be injured at all. What should have been his internal organs were nothing but bubbling, crackling, miniature explosions that began to pop and sizzle as they merged together, reforming General Racer's body and clothing.

"He's a Tradendi-type... damn." Draven let out a sigh of frustration as he turned to Rummy. "This ain't gonna be easy."

"When is it ever?" Rummy's hand ignited in a fizzling flame of gunpowder.

"C'mon, you yellow-bellied Equestrians! Quit standing around like a bunch of pansies!" General Racer hollered at them as a roaring explosion engulfed the lower portion of his body, rocketing him forward with his arms swollen into puffed up and bloated, orange and black masses of explosive energy. "Boom: FOAB!" General Racer howled as he brought down his booming fist in an all-consuming, explosive punch that battered the ground as if it had been carpet-bombed.

Draven dodged to the left just in time, coating his right hand in Dragon Skin and electricity, then throwing a punch right to General Racer's midsection as he charged at him. "Dragon Thane's Surging Fist!" Draven grit his teeth, preparing for a hefty impact, however, this did not happen. "What the bloody-...?"

At that very moment Draven began to realize just how skilled General Racer was with his Brand. General Racer didn't jump out of the way like expected, he was able to identify the Dragon Skin coating Draven's hand. Knowing that Dragon Skin would bypass his Tradendi intangibility, General Racer actually opened up a hole in his torso to allow the attack to pass through rather than bore through him like Gin's blunderbuss shot. As Draven's hand passed through the giant hole in Racer's midsection, he collapsed the gap just as Draven's unprotected upper arm passed by, his thick scales being ripped apart along his shoulder by the explosive power. Draven then lunged forward with his own momentum, stunned at his scarred arm.

"Draven!" Gin shrieked as she saw the singed flesh along Draven's arm.

"Argh, dammit! I'm fine, Gin! My scales just got a little softened up is all!" Draven winced as he shook his arm to try and gain feeling back in his shoulder. "This isn't a guy we can just pummel! He's quick!"

"You're damn right I am, maggot!" General Racer wasted no time, and he turned his attention to Gin and Rummy, raising both arms for a downward slam. "Boom: Tunguska!"

Gin and Rummy were both tossed on either side of the impact site as they attempted to dodge. The blast carried them at least ten meters. Gin struggled to get back on her hooves; she had become quite burnt on her legs and back. Rummy, to his surprise, was also quite battered by the attack. The fur around his legs and arms were singed, and his long coat was almost torn to shreds.

"Shite..." Rummy grimaced as he lifted himself off the sandy ground. "Gin, are you alright?!"

"I'm okay!" Gin shouted back at her brother as she pulled out two flintlocks holstered to her belt. "This arse hits like a warship!"

"Gin! Rummy!" Draven rushed at General Racer to buy them both recuperation time, coating his right leg in Dragon Skin as he leaped forward. "Dragon Thane's Surging Kick!"

General Racer scoffed as he detached his head from his torso, avoiding Draven's attack, then he thrust his palm into Draven's injured shoulder, releasing another explosive attack that ripped the skin off Draven's already scarred arm. "Boom: V-2!"

Draven cringed as he took the attack head-on, grasping the bleeding wound in his hand as he stumbled forward. "Bastard-!" Draven was cut off as General Racer's hoof connected with his face, sending him reeling backward onto his side.

"Draven!" Rummy charged up an attack in his hand, launching himself at Racer with an explosion of gunpowder near his hooves. "Gunpowder: Blast Fist!" The fireball in Rummy's hand erupted into a column of sparkling explosions that consumed General Racer's body, engulfing him in an inferno of gunpowder. While the attack did hit him directly, Rummy was taken aback by General Racer's speedy recovery; he appeared to be unaffected by Rummy's strike. "What the hell?!"

"You think that'll hurt me, maggot?!" General Racer snickered as he emerged from the blast unscathed. "I'm made of explosions! You can't do a thing to me with that Brand of yours!" General Racer grinned as he lit a cigar, puffing on it briefly before twirling it between his fingers.

Draven growled as he activated his full lord dragon form. "Lord Dragon: Thane's Tartan!" He rode a bolt of lightning forward, smashing the air in front of Racer with a powerful Dragon Shatter. "Grand Dragon Thane's Thunderous Javelin-!" Before the strike could bite General Racer, Draven was cut off by a pair of steel feet impacting his ribs, sending him far away from the bout. "Gahhkk!"

"What the bloody hell was that?! I didn't even see what hit em'!" Gin gawked as she saw Draven fly away, all the way to the other side of the beach.

"Ah, right on schedule..." General Racer smirked as he watched Draven impact the sand in the distance. "Stalkers, deal with the dragon! I'll handle these two fuckers!"

Draven clenched his teeth as he pulled himself out of the crater he created on the ground. He winced as he felt the searing pain his shoulder return."What the hell just hit me...?" Draven's question was soon answered. With a noise that sounded like some kind of jet engine, a figure gradually manifested out of thin air, then another. They were the cybernetic changelings, encircling their prey with soulless eyes and gnashing, metal teeth. "These changelings look like those bloody skeletons we met in The Silence a month ago, but much stronger! What the bloody hell is this?!"

"The Stalkers... a product of a miraculous techno-organic parasite that could turn any creature into a perfect assassin! They were developed by the North District of Ausrüstung sixteen years ago, but they never got the chance to be put in the fray until today! Doctor S has seen to that!" General Racer rambled on, ignoring Gin and Rummy, who were still dumbfounded by the invisible soldier who knocked Draven far away.

"What the hell is this guy on about?" Rummy raised an eyebrow at General Racer, who tossed another spent cigar on the ground.

"No clue... but whatever it is, I don't like it," Gin fired her flintlocks at General Racer, who quickly reacted, letting them pass through his explosive body with ease. "We've got to go help Draven!"

"No, Gin! We can't let this general run amok! He'll destroy our advancing forces if we don't keep fighting!" Rummy insisted, ordering his troops to opposite sides of the beach. "We've gotta hold him back as best as we can!"

"Alright..." Gin stared over at General Racer, who waited patiently for them to make a move.

****

Pisces and Luna continued pressing their assault forward through hundreds of changelings. With mighty swings of his trident, Pisces sent the changeling ranks flying through the air. Even his basic attacks that had not been augmented by magic had so much strength behind them that it seemed to kick up whirlwinds, tearing structures in the immediate vicinity off their wooden foundations. Spike found himself in awe at the raw power that Pisces possessed as he tore through changeling stragglers that dove in with their swords drawn.

"Damn Pisces..." Ambassador Fang scoffed, watching the approaching carnage.

"Oooo... he's a strong one, huh?" Bjiora cackled, sitting on a throne fashioned out of sand beside Fang. "You think I should pop in?"

"Don't underestimate the Fleet Admiral, Laughing Deva. He's leagues above most, even you," Fang warned Bjiora, who sneered at him in response. "Cain is nearby, and I'll call Skyrunner back to the inner wall. General Racer and Moreau can hold off their army without any trouble."

"You're no fun..." Bjiora pouted like a spoiled colt as he crossed his arms, taking a moment to examine his delicately manicured fingernails. "Oh, damn it all, I chipped a nail!"

"Cain, Skyrunner, return to me. Let the stalkers aid the other two Generals. It looks like Pisces is carving through our forces quicker than expected." Fang activated the crystal ball in his pocket, relaying the message to his two generals. "Deal with the problem."

This isn't too bad, huh?" Spike laughed as he kicked a changeling though a building.

"Nope!" Nick grinned, binding a group of changelings in a wall of chains.

"Keep your wits about you, you two," Luna said as she ran her blade through a changeling's chest. "This won't get easier."

"She's right. The changelings are gonna throw everything they've got at us to protect Alptraum!" Daisy nodded, tossing a large piece of debris off a collapsed building at a cluster of changelings as she continued down the cobblestone street alongside Pisces and Luna. "Hey, where is-?!"

It was then that Daisy noticed the looming shadow blanketing the ground nearby; a huge pony was crashing down on top of them. She reacted quickly, grabbing Spike, Nick, and Raiel, shielding them with her massive body. Pisces took his thick, cape-like long coat and wrapped Luna in it, sparing her from the ensuing attack.

"Turn: Earth!" A booming voice bellowed as the whole landscape beneath them began to shift and rumble, spinning in a maelstrom of debris.

Everything within a hundred meter radius had been scooped up and tossed about in a powerful centrifugal force, scattering debris and other objects throughout the battlefield as deadly projectiles, maiming Equestrian marines and Cadre members. Pisces and Daisy were not tossed by the blast, but Daisy suffered severe lacerations on her back from flying wood splinters. As the earth settled, General Cain, a towering three-meter giant, appeared before Pisces and the rest of his assault group, his breath causing the very ground to tremble and shake. He grabbed the spear and shield off his back, readying himself for battle.

With a low grunt, Daisy removed herself from Spike and the others, standing upright to face General Cain, giving Pisces and the others a nod to continue down the street. "I'll handle him."

"But, Daisy, your-." Spike trailed off; realizing the severity of Daisy's injuries, he was reluctant to simply leave her behind to fight a general. Though, the look in Daisy's eyes said she could handle herself, and so he didn't question the decision any further. He ran to Pisces and Luna along with the others.

"Go, run!" Daisy shouted at them all as she saw General Cain's eyes dart towards the young dragon.

Cain thrust his spear at Spike, attempting to prevent his escape. Daisy reacted to this, grabbing the staff of the weapon in her hand. Despite her own gigantic strength, she found it exceedingly difficult to resist General Cain's overwhelming might. She pushed him back with a thrust kick to his breastplate, distancing him so that she had a few seconds to breathe deeply.

"You are strong, halfling giantess," General Cain's voice was followed by a puff of mist from the opening in his helm; his face was barely visible beneath the steel shell. "Do you have the strength to stand against Cain Carmerax?"

"I have enough to stop you at the very least..." Daisy panted as she watched her allies advance down the street. "And that's enough for me."

"You are brave, giantess, I'll give you that," Cain's eyes widened as his spear rushed forward, targeted right between Daisy's eyes. "But even the strongest warrior cannot hope to win if they take their eyes of their opponent!" Daisy evaded the spear just in time with a quick sidestep, but Cain did not let her counter. Like a great tree branch, Cain's left arm came across Daisy's face, slamming her with his shield and sending her flying back into a pile of rubble. "Stand and fight, halfling!"

"Daisy!" Nick cried as he looked back at the giantess in a pinch, running back to help her.

"No, Nick! Stop!" Luna shouted at the foolish colt as he watched him charge at Cain with a fist wrapped in chains.

"We have to keep moving, Princess!" Pisces forced her to turn away; the inner wall was so close now. "Come, now!"

Though separated, Spike, Pisces, Luna, and Raiel entered town square, just a stone's throw from the inner wall. Come to greet them was a battalion of changeling musketeers and dozens of cannons, waiting for Ambassador Fang's order. Pisces stood tall and shielded the others with his massive body, holding his trident firm in his right hand. Beads of sweat rolled down Spike's face. Was this their last stand? He tried to dispel the doubt, but it was far too real for him to ignore. As he looked up at the young dragon atop the wall, his eyes widened. It was him, the doppelganger who had jettisoned his journey less than two months prior.

"Musketeers! Bring down Pisces!" Ambassador Fang ordered his troops.

"Run! Get Luna over that wall!" Pisces screamed as Spike as he shoved them away from the firing line.

"Pisces!" Raiel cried as she glanced back at the fleet admiral, running for her life along with Spike.

"Hold on!" Luna said as she grabbed them both, lifting them off the ground with a single beat of her wings. Alptraum's tower was dead-ahead, only a few hundred meters away. "Spike, latch yourself to my back!"

The changeling battalion began hammering Pisces with all they had, firing their cannons, muskets, flintlocks, every weapon in their arsenal. Pisces blocked the heavier fire from the cannons with Dragon Skin, but some musket balls broke through his defenses, impacting his arms, legs, and chest. Almost one hundred musket balls chipped his scales around his arms, and his chest had suffered a considerable amount of damage by around a dozen stray shots that slipped past his guard. Though he had even taken a cannonball to the shoulder, Pisces still stood firm, blood seeping from his wounds.

"You think... that's enough to stop me?!" Pisces roared as he lifted his trident and pierced the ground, sending cracks along the earth that shot out powerful jets of water, wiping away nearly half the battalion in a massive flow. With his left hand, he released a Dragon Wave that wiped away the gate defenses.

"Damn it all! Stalkers! Take him down!" Fang ordered the four remaining cyborgs, and they appeared in an instant with their claws unfurled, ready to lash out at the injured but raging fleet admiral.

Pisces could feel their presence before they even uncloaked with Dragon Sense, and he swung his trident to the side, cleaving all four in half with one, grand sweep. "Enough!"

"Arrraagh!" Fang snarled as he got up from his throne, Bjiora watching him intently, amused by his frustration.

"Should I start helping now?" Bjiora wondered, flicking his tongue, hungry for a fight.

"No!" Fang scowled at Luna as she flew overhead, then he ordered his remaining troops to focus their fire on her. "Musketeers! Knock them out of the sky!"

"Spike, now!" Luna screamed as she saw the changeling sharpshooters take aim at them. With a single, deep breath, Spike activated Dragon Fury. Powerful jets of flame escaped his feet, rocketing Luna forward as if he were a jetpack. Within a few seconds, they began to close the distance between them and the tower; it was only a hundred meters away. "That's it, keep going!"

"I can't hold it for long!" Spike clenched his teeth as he put everything he had into the flames on his legs.

"You've got to, Spike! Or we won't-!" Luna trailed off as a white light flashed in her peripheral vision. "Spike, look out!"

"Hmm... so close..." General Skyrunner's hoof knocked Spike off Luna's back and into a nearby building, collapsing it completely. And the impact jarred Raiel enough for her to lose her grip. She slipped out of Luna's grasp.

"Luna!" Raiel shrieked as she fell.

"Raiel!" Luna screamed as she began to lose altitude, watching as Raiel descended faster and faster. Luna began to fall down towards the courtyard, the ground fast approaching. Though, before she descended below the inner wall, a chain seemed to manifest in the air, sucking her into a void as it formed a circle. "Nick?!" From nearly six hundred meters away, in the thick of a battle with General Cain, Nick created a warp gate with his chains, teleporting Luna inches away from Alptraum's tower just at the right moment. Quickly, she grabbed onto a ledge, lifting herself through the open window at the base of the tower.

"Damn it!" Couldn't have you arrived sooner?! Once she enters that tower we cannot interfere! Alptraum has set up a magic barrier around it that only she can bypass!" Fang hollered at General Skyrunner as he threw his arms up in frustration.

"Even if I had shown up earlier, there was no way to prevent the warp gate from forming." General Skyrunner replied, landing on the inner wall beside Ambassador Fang and Bjiora. "Also, what the hell is going through Alptraum's head? If we can't interfere then this operation is over. He's jeopardized this whole campaign..."

"He's a colorful character, isn't he?" Bjiora purred as he plopped a date in his mouth from the pouch he kept close at hand.

"No, not yet... Luna still has to beat him to be victorious. We just need to wait..." Fang regained his composure, staring down at the vaporized building that Spike had impacted with a malicious grin on his face.

Pisces outstretched his hand, lifting a column of water from the earth to catch Raiel as he fought off what remained of the battalion with all his strength. "Dragon Conqueror's Tidal Net!" He set Raiel down near the destroyed building where Spike was thrown, away from the ensuing battle.

"Spike? Spike?!" Raiel caught her breath as she wiped the water from her brow, searching desperately for her friend trapped in the rubble. After a few seconds of frantic digging, Spike emerged from the debris, coughing and bloodied. "Spike, are you alright?!"

"I'm okay, I think..." Spike wheezed as he shook his head, lifting the heavy pieces of cobblestone off of his aching body. "I've never been hit that hard before."

"Well, I'm glad you're-..." Raiel trailed off as she saw Spike's attention shift from her to another figure nearby. "Spike, who are you looking-?"

"You-... you've nearly ruined my plans!" Fang shouted at Spike, just a few meters away with his saber drawn, coated in purple flames.

"It is you, that dragon from the river port!" Spike found it mesmerizing how much the dragon looked like him— the only difference being his taller stature and red tail fins. He stood up, stumbling a little as he tried to regain his balance. "Who the hell are you?!"

"I am Prince Fang Drafir, the Changeling Ambassador! The rightful heir to the title of Flame Dragon Emperor!" Fang growled at Spike as wings of purple flame formed at his back. "And I will not rest until every traitor to my cause lies dead in the earth!"

"Drafir...?" Spike felt his heart skip a beat as he heard the name echo in his mind a hundred times. "This fire dragon, he's-... is he my brother?"

Shanghai'd! | Arc Three | Chapter One Hundred One: The Battle For Caven Isle (Part Three)

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General Moreau's rapier twirled about as he skirmished with Field Marshal Durand, deflecting nearly every strike from Durand's saber. Moreau's precise posture was like that of a fencer, yet he moved with the grace and flow of a ballet dancer, pivoting on the spot, deflecting strikes as his back faced his opponent. Whilst Durand's profound blade work was palpable, it was nowhere near as refined as General Moreau's rapier style. Durand tried every strike, swung at every angle and yet, Moreau's defense stood firm, as his relied on accurate flicks of the wrist and simplistic parries; nothing Durand was used to. It was only until the midway point of the fight that Durand truly realized the scope of Moreau's capabilities; he was holding back.

Durand swung high, to which Moreau ducked, piercing Durand's thigh as he left himself open. "You've grown impatient, Julian," Moreau smirked ever so subtly.

"As have you, Pierre. At least I finished my training with Blademaster..." Durand panted as he pulled back, examining his wound for a brief moment before readying his guard once again.

"And look what that has amounted to..." General Moreau scoffed as he charged a magical attack along the blade of his rapier; a brilliant white sheen illuminated the edge as he held his blade in front of his face vertically. "I've grown tired of this game, brother. Be gone!" A secondary power coated the blade as well; it was an emanation, an aura of humming force similar in sound to the reverberations of chimes. "Acoustic: Singing Blade!" Moreau brought down his blade right in front of Durand, who stumbled as soon as he tried dodging from the wound on his leg, falling on his hands and knees.

"Field Marshal!" Galaeron turned, dispatching changeling soldiers at lightning speeds as he made his way over to his endangered officer, Bethany and Syrune following suit. The strike sliced through the beach, the sea, and through a miriad warship on shore. Not only that, but the attack also sliced off a large portion of flesh on Durand's left forearm, and it also cut off his left hoof. "Durand!"

Before they could reach him, however, the last stalker rushed out from the fray, knocking them all back onto their haunches with a wide backhand. Galaeron was the first to get back up, as the blow was mostly absorbed by his thick armor. Bethany and Syrune, however, had their ribs fractured by the savage strike and found it exceedingly difficult to pick themselves up after such a powerful attack. Regardless, with much wheezing and cringing, they lifted themselves up anyways, reading their swords for a bout with the feral machine before them.

"This creature... what in blazes is it?" Syrune grimaced as she stood at the ready beside Bethany. "How do we get past it?"

"They must be the changeling's secret weapon or something. This is Ausrüstung-level tech!" Bethany said as she stared into the soulless eyes of the snarling machine that was hunched down on all fours and drooling from its bear trap maw. "It won't let us pass, but I'm not sure how to attack this thing. I've never seen such a melding of alchemy and cybernetics as intricate as this... but I'll have to try something." Bethany formed two blades of obsidian in her hands, then leaped forward with dizzying speed, catching the creature off guard. Bethany slipped past it, slicing it across its chest with her two blades, reinforced by magic. "Magic Blade Technique: Crossing Paths!" The creature gurgled for a moment before turning around to face Bethany, its wounds fully healed over. "What the-?"

The cyborg picked Bethany up like a rag doll and tossed the half-changeling at Galaeron's face. Galaeron acted quickly, catching Bethany in his arms instead, placing her on the ground. "Are you alright?"

"I'm better than Durand!" Bethany directed her attention back to the struggling officer facing General Moreau. "We have to kill this thing or Durand's history!"

As Durand crawled away from his brother along the beach with his good hand, Moreau flipped him over onto his back, lifting his sword for a downward thrust right through Durand's heart. "Farewell, Julian." Like a bullet, the end of his rapier rocketed forward. Though, it did not bite Marshal Durand like he expected. Somepony else had interfered with the attack; a huge red claymore blocked the tip of his sword. "Who dares...?"

"Me..." Fluttershy grimaced as she deflected the strike, holding Droyuz firmly in her grasp.

General Moreau was taken aback by Fluttershy's appearance. She had sprouted two red horns from her forehead, and her eyes were a mixture of red and orange; the eyes of a demon. Her wings became bat-like, and her teeth became sharper. She wore white leather armor with steel gauntlets and gaiters over top for extra defense. Not only that, but she also wore a makeshift white cloak made from a bed sheet. Fluttershy wanted to run, to hide. Though she appeared determined and brave on the outside, she was trembling on the inside. Nonetheless, she powered through her own fear; she couldn't let Durand be killed so mercilessly.

"Hmm... and who might you be, young demon-knight?" General Moreau smirked at the sight of the jury-rigged cape and hand-me-down armor. Though, despite the ridiculousness of his aggressor's attire, he still remained at the ready. He sensed an overwhelming power seep from the edge of the young demon's blade.

"My name is Fluttershy," She muttered, quietly but confidently. "And I can't sit on the sidelines and watch you cause all this senseless death and destruction..."

"Fluttershy, no!" Durand grimaced as he began to bleed out laying on the sand.

"Ah, a white-knight? Odd for a lowly demon..." General Moreau said as he gestured at her sword. "Tell me, demon. How did you acquire such a blade? I feel a great storm of power emanating from it; both light and dark."

"It's my father's blade," Fluttershy narrowed her vision as she grasped Droyuz tighter. "And I've made a promise... I'm going to honor his memory with it."

"Ah, how noble. But you must realize the hopelessness of the situation, correct?" General Moreau laughed lightly to himself as he readied his rapier. "Based on the look in your eyes, you don't seem to care... en guarde then!" Moreau slashed the air with his blade, releasing a ranged strike made of compressed air.

Fluttershy only then began to realize the sheer weight of Droyuz as she sidestepped out of the way, stumbling forward as her hefty blade plunged itself into the earth; it must have been over sixty pounds. Although she avoided the attack, General Moreau gave her no time to recover, and he sent her flying with a powerful sonic attack from his sword. "Acoustic: Roar!"

Fluttershy weathered the attack, gritting her teeth as she stood back up, preparing her blade for an attack. She lunged at General Moreau, bringing down Droyuz on top of him. Though this proved to be a slow and predictable strike, and the fencing general easily stepped out of the way. And as Moreau did this, he also stabbed Fluttershy in the left shoulder, crippling her ability to wield Droyuz with both hands.

"You are brave, demoness. But you lack discipline! It is clear to me that this is the first time you've fought with a blade. Am I correct?" Moreau was given no verbal response— just a growl as Fluttershy stood back up. "Ah, I am, aren't I?" Moreau nodded to Fluttershy, acknowledging her tenacity and boldness. "You have heart, Madame Fluttershy, but you are outmatched. Surrend- arragghh!" General Moreau cried out in pain as Fluttershy tossed sand in his eyes. "Acoustic: Bellow!" General Moreau let out a cry that blasted her away, giving him time to recuperate. "Smart... perhaps that is my punishment for rambling."

Fluttershy stood in front of Marshal Durand, shielding him from the attack; her ears had begun to bleed from the intense frequencies. "You won't-... hurt my friends... not while I'm still here!"

"Amusing... you have my praise, Madame Fluttershy, but..." General Moreau dashed forward, seeming to fade out of existence as he moved right past Fluttershy with his blade drawn. "You have much to learn..." Fluttershy coughed up blood as she fell to her knees; Moreau had sliced her across the gut, and blood began to pour out of her stomach. Even with the savage strike, Fluttershy still mustered up the strength to stand, watching as Durand began to walk back to the palace. "I'll leave you be, Madame Fluttershy. And you may take my brother too. Though I have my orders, it would be improper of me to cut down such a tenacious warrior like yourself." General Moreau trudged along for a moment before he turned around, sheathing his sword. "Grow, young one! Improve your skills with that blade! Find me once you are ready for a rematch! My name is General Pierre Durand Moreau of the House of Montesquieu! I shall be waiting eagerly for our next meeting! Farewell!"

"Fluttershy!" A grievously injured Bethany cried out to her comrade as she finally destroyed the stalker by piercing its skull with her blades. Frantically, she turned to Galaeron and Syrune. "You two, go and help any wounded you might find on the beach! I'll tend to Fluttershy and the Field Marshal!"

"But what about General Moreau?!" Galaeron shouted back to her.

"Leave him be! He'll slice you to ribbons if you try anything!" Bethany replied as she began to bandage Fluttershy and Durand's wounds. As she tied the knot on the wrap around Fluttershy's waist, she poured disinfectant on her shoulder. "We have to cross the beach. I'll protect us, you carry Durand, okay?"

"Al-..." Fluttershy cringed as the alcohol began to burn at her wound. "Alright..." With a grunt and a heave, she slung Durand over her shoulder. "Let's go..."

Galaeron and Syrune dashed across the beach, avoiding the blades of changeling soldiers and dodging musket fire. Along the way, they came across scores of dead Cadre members scoured across the damp ground, some with half of their body missing, others buried in muck. Syrune tried to ignore the grizzly sight as best she could, but the anguish in the eyes of the dead began to weigh on her. They were losing.

****

Draven continued to fight his cybernetic adversary with great ferocity. Though, every time he'd attack his foe, it would strike back tenfold, slashing at his soft chest and stomach. Luckily Draven was quick enough to dodge before any serious damage could be dealt, but his stamina was failing. He had been fighting nonstop for almost thirty minutes, and his opponent didn't seem to tire at all. Whatever this creature was, it seemed to be adept at one-on-one combat, adapting to whatever he'd throw at it. Its head was a weak point, and Draven did manage to crack the metal dome on its skull. However, the metal beast appeared to think and react with much redundancy, changing strategies whenever its opponent would see through them. At first, it fought with strong single blows, then it switched to rapid jabs and kicks, then it would only kick at a distance. Draven had a hard time keeping up with the creature, even in his full lord dragon form.

"Bloody hell..." Draven wiped the blood from his chin as he caught his breath, watching his foe stand motionless, awaiting his next move. "You don't tire, do ya...?" Draven panted, coating his fists in blue lightning. "I can't slack off anymore. I gotta hit this bastard fast and hard! If I don't take em out now I won't have any strength left to help Gin and Rummy!" Draven took a deep breath in as he raised his right leg, charging a ball of blue lighting in his foot. "Grand Dragon Thane's..." With a single bound, Draven launched himself right into the stalker, his outstretched foot slamming into the creature's chest like a bolt of electricity. "Surging Cannon!" With the combined power of Dragon Shatter and his lighting, Draven's attack pierced the heavy armor of the cyborg, crushing its internals completely and crumpling it like a piece of brittle tinfoil.

Anxious to return to his previous fight with Gin and Rummy, Draven turned around, expecting to see Gin and Rummy close by. However, he was nowhere near them, and he soon realized just how far he was from the bout; the robot was smart enough to lead him away. It was all just a distraction. With panicked breath Draven's eyes danced about, searching for his comrades in the fray. He heard explosions in the distance, though he couldn't tell if they were from Racer or enemy mortars. He did hear a low moan on his right, and it sounded much like Twilight's. He raced over to the sound and deactivated his lord dragon form, stepping over corpses along the way.

"Twilight?!" Draven shouted; no reply. He ran a little further towards The Red Koi. "Twilight?!"

"Draven..." Twilight groaned, lying on the sand next to Jhettei and Dross, who were beaten to the point of unconsciousness. "Draven, is that you?"

"Twilight!" Draven's voice became hoarse— a mixture of relief and regret as he stared down at the shards of crystal in each pony's arms and legs. "Bloody hell... who did this?"

"General Skyrunner..." Twilight coughed, blood trickling down her face as Draven propped her up. "She left before she could finish any of us off, but-..." Twilight choked up as she saw the death around her. "We're losing, Draven. We're outmatched."

"I know, dammit... I know..." Draven shook his head as he picked up Dross and Jhettei with one arm. "I've gotta get you all back on the ship."

"Where's Gin and Rummy? Where's Fluttershy?" Twilight asked, her whole body numb as she tried picking herself back up, stumbling once or twice.

"They're out there somewhere, darlin'. But right now, I've gotta get you all back on The Red Koi. You're in rough shape." Draven lugged the two stallions over his back, grabbing Twilight's arm and balancing her as she limped. "Can you walk?"

"Barely... but I'll manage..." Twilight whimpered under her breath as crystal shards dug into the old wounds from Kaiser in her arms and chest. "I'll be fine..."

"Please be alright, Gin... Rummy..." Draven prayed as he began his march down the empty section of the beach.

****

Blood trickled down Gin's face as she forced herself back on her hooves, straining every muscle, disturbing every wound on her body. Gin was covered in terrible scorch marks, and her vision was blurry from the constant bombardments from General Racer. Rummy was close by, barely able to stand himself. General Racer's attacks had worn them both down to their last drop of energy, and Rummy had sustained numerous injuries on his head and chest; his marine uniform was completely in tatters. Despite this, Rummy pushed himself forward, tiresomely charging General Racer, who would simply blast him back with an explosion launched from his fingertips; he was merely playing with the two at this point.

"You Equestrians... always too proud to admit defeat," General Racer chuckled as Rummy was hurled at Gin by the explosion that impacted his shoulder. "You both make me sick."

"Gahh!" Gin cried as Rummy's body slammed into hers, knocking her back onto the sand. "Rummy...?" Gin's voice became hoarse as she picked herself back up, stumbling a few times. "Rummy, are you-?"

"I'm fine, Ginny..." Rummy nodded as he let out a long exhausted grunt, digging his hooves in the sand for support as he rose once again. "Just a few bruises..." With one deep breath, Rummy lunged at Racer with an explosive attack cooking in the palm of his hand. He thrust it outwards, almost tripping as he released the attack. "Gunpowder: Lion Pillar!" The explosion became a beam of igniting gunpowder, consuming General Racer entirely. But Racer remained unscathed, and he emerged from the blast with an annoyed look on his face.

"Get out of my face..." General Racer gave Rummy a backhand charged with his fiery energy to the face, blowing him far away and stunning him for a few moments as he impacted the loose earth.

"Rummy-! Arrrahh!" Gin grimaced as Racer shot her in the thighs with the revolver he kept in his pocket, and she quickly fell to her knees; her vision was beginning to fade, and she could feel her consciousness slowly slipping away. "Rummy..."

"C'mon, Equestrian! Die with at least some dignity..." General Racer scoffed as he aimed his pistol at her head, priming the firing hammer.

The shot rang out across the battlefield, alerting even Pisces, who was still holding off an entire army by himself. His body slowed as he processed the deafening bang, washing away those around him with a rushing flow of water. With Dragon Sense, he felt a life force weaken, a furious fire withering to the size of a candle flame. With baited breath, Pisces clutched at his chest, choking up as he felt his heart tear itself apart. Rummy's coin had fallen out of his coat pocket and landed only a few inches from his feet.

Gin's eyes opened, realizing she was still living and breathing. Time began to slow, reality began to warp and shift in her eyes as she felt a stallion fall to the ground in front of her, motionless. Rummy had shielded Gin from the bullet with his own body, and the shot nearly tore through his chest completely. The image was too surreal for her, and she crawled towards him, hoping that he was still awake.

"Rummy! Rummy!" Gin dug her hands under his body to scoop him up as she saw a flicker of life in his eyes. "I'm gonna get you out of here!" Gin growled as she attempted to stand, But it was no use, the wounds on her legs were far too severe. Regardless she still groaned and grunted, desperately heaving. "Rrrragghh!"

"Gin... put me down." Rummy wheezed, staring up at the sky as raindrops began to fall gently on his face.

"Rummy, no! I can get you back to the ship! I'll patch you up!" Gin's eyes were filling with tears. "You'll be alright!"

Rummy grinned as he blankly gazed at the clouds overhead, and with what little strength he had left, he clasped Gin's hand, then with his other free arm, he grabbed his bowler hat. "It's... rainin', Ginny. You'll... catch a cold without a hat on..." He placed his cap on Gin's head, his eyes fluttering. And with one last breath, a warm smile stretched across his face as he passed.

Pisces wept softly in the midst of battle, hearing his son's life wither away into nothingness. His mind wandered to their fist moments together, the first time he met the young Private Rummy at the docks.
*

"Hey, I found a bit!" Rummy's young voice echoed within his stacks of memories— all piled up like dusty books. "My dad always told me that was lucky!"

"Then you should keep it close to-..." Pisces trailed off as the young recruit placed the coin in his hand. "Why are you giving this to me?"

"Because you're our fleet admiral! If you aren't lucky, then the crew isn't lucky!" Rummy grinned as Pisces grasped the coin between his claws.

"Rummy..." A tear rolled down Pisces' cheek as he slowly grabbed the coin off the ground. "My son."

Gin's eyes could not shut; she simply watched on in disbelief, her mouth slightly open. Her breathing began to speed up as despair overtook her. She felt her wrist burn, and as she turned her hand to see the back of it, the tears began to stream down her face. Rummy's Brand had latched itself onto her left hand. "Rum-..."Gin clenched her teeth together; General Racer had walked away, leaving Gin to drown in an abyss. She wailed, clawing at her face, trying to wake herself up from the nightmare. But it was all too real. "Rummy... Rummy..." Gin pounded on Rummy's breathless chest, trying to rouse him as if he had been pulling some prank. "Rummy! Rummy! Rum-... RUMMY, WAKE UP!"

Gin sobbed, clutching Rummy in her arms. "Wake up..."