Mutation: Friendship is Starcraft

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“Another day, another six hours of Starcraft 2.” I muttered to myself, tossing my bag on my bed, throwing my coat on a hanger, sitting down at my computer and turning it on. “Time to show people my mastered Zegara.” I muttered, cracking my knuckles as I saw Starcraft 2 boot up. “The world maybe ending tomorrow but that doesn’t mean a woman in her mid twenties should bother with crap like that.” I said to myself honestly as I went to co-op and picked my favorite commander, the new Overqueen of the Zerg, Zegara.

When I checked the Mutation, a weekly challenge that adds buffs to enemies or stage hazards to missions for those that don’t know, seemed awfully...weird. I mean it at least had two normal things, Walking Infested which was whenever a unit died they spawned an Infested Terran to take their place, and Void Rifts which was basically a tower that spawned a bunch of enemy units. But the thing that was curious was the third one, it said ‘Friendship’, and when I looked at what it did it actually gave a bonus to the Commander you’ve played the most, increasing their health, abilities, and helped with their units and production. “Huh...that’s an interesting thing…” I muttered, thinking this was just a change of pace for Blizzard considering this might be the last day so might as well give a buff to the players to have fun.

So after picking Brutal cause I’m a seasoned veteran of this game I found my partner and went to work on...a new map? “Blizzard must really want their players to have fun on the last day…” I muttered, seeing it was in ‘The Badlands’ and the mission was called ‘Friendship Fighters’.

“Alright, show me what you got.” I muttered to myself, brushing a bit of black hair out of my eyes and getting ready to face this new challenge. When I got to the stage it was a massive desert, my partner was playing the Protoss Phase Smith Karax, a commander really good with machines and capable of pumping out some pretty strong units. I’m still surprised at how the Zerg and Protoss went from hated at best to actual comrades and equals after everything. While I was trying to get more Drone’s to mine more currency and Overlords to help me keep supply up for more units, what struck me as odd was when the person came up.

“We need your aid.” A green antlered...bug horse thing said. “My people were suddenly attacked by these strange creatures and we need to evacuate as fast as we can.” He said, my minimap flashing up the first area to protect to get people out.

“Well..okay then.” I muttered while making my spawning pool and sending an Overlord to scout the actual area. Thankfully Overlords were faster due to the Friendship buff and I got to know that this place was big, open, and had plenty of area’s to get both minerals and vespene gas. When Zegara spawned she had some...interesting dialogue.

“So your the one that has been guiding my actions for so long?” Zegara asked me.

“Uh…” I frowned, as I typed into chat ‘Hey, did Karax ask you anything?’.

‘Yeah, he asked me if I was the one helping guide his hand into building bigger and better things.’

“Weird…” I muttered, thinking I’ll take the bait and typing into chat ‘Yes, I am the one that’s been guiding your hand through many a victory Zegara.’

“Yes, I remember clearly all the lives we’ve saved.” Zegara said honestly as she still seemed to obey my commands in game as I sent drones to start making facilities to help make new units.

‘This is getting weird...did Blizz do something?’ My partner asked.

‘I have no idea…’ I typed back, honestly a bit worried about this sudden turn of events.

“Have you seen a place like this in the Koprulu sector?” Zagara asked Karaxlike they were actually people instead of just game things.

“No, we haven’t seen any world like this. What’s curious and worrying is the massive energy spikes I’m detecting, I’ve never seen anything like this.” Karax said honestly. While the conversations were interesting and a bit concerning the actual game was still the same, but even with the Friendship buff giving us plenty of help the Void Rifts were appearing at alarming rates, but thankfully I was playing with a well played individual and we were making good progress.

“Thank you, only two more left.” The king I guessed said thankfully. “Oh, there’s something I remembered, if you can go to these coordinates there’s a special item for the both of you given neither of you look of this world.” The king said, seeming rather calm and collected about aliens protecting them against void beings as a marker flashed on the minimap.

‘Well, if the king is so kind as to give us free stuff.’ I typed, sending Zegara and a few Hydrolisks and Banelings towards the area, my partner bringing in his own commander, with his own Immortal robotic units and Mirage air units to the point. When we both got there it seemed to be a room filled with a bunch of minerals and vespene, but the thing that made us pause was our commanders reaction to what looked like rainbow minerals.

“What is this power?” Zegara asked in shock.

“I’ve...only seen such energy output from the Xel’naga artifacts.” Karax said in shock.

‘Um...do you know what the hell is going on?’ My partner asked, putting up a worried marine emote.

‘I have no idea...this is rather concerning.’ I typed back. The next thing i tried might have been a pretty bad decision, which was moving Zegara up to one of the rainbow materials, a...cutscene played as the Zerg Overqueen screeched in surprise and pain.

“What is happening!?!” Zegara shouted, Karax also having grabbed it and experiencing the same sensation.

“No...idea…” Karax groaned in pain.

‘Uh...I don’t feel so good…’ My partner typed up.

I was about to type what’s wrong before I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my head. “Ah fuck!” I shouted, gripping my head in pain as my screams seemed to mirror Zegara’s as everything went white for me.

“Ugh...the fuck happened?” I groaned, trying to get up but falling over. “Christ...and can whoever is talking please shut up, I have a splitting headache…” I groaned, putting a hand up to my head and trying to ease away the pain...only to feel something that wasn’t skin. “Huh?” I muttered, looking at my hand that...wasn’t a hand. “Uh…”

“What in the world?” I heard someone ask in panic.

“Huh?” I wondered, looking around quickly.

”Who are you and what are you doing with my body!?” That voice…

“Zagara?” I asked, looking over myself and…”UH!?!”

“Christ...can someone get me a painkiller or something?” I heard someone ask, as I snapped over and saw...Karax?

“What in the nine hells is going on?” I asked worriedly.

”Are you alright my Queen?” I heard someone ask.

”Yes, I am alright Izsha, just...in a bit of a predicament.” Zagara mentally told Izsha. ”Now, who are you Terran and how did you get into my head?”

“My names Tanya, and you might know me as…” I sighed out, rubbing ‘my’ temples a little. “DragonLily26.” I groaned, saying it out loud making it sound lame and silly.

“Wait, your DragonLily?” Zargana asked. ”A terran has been leading me and the Swarm on so many missions and winning so many?”

“Shocking I know but still.” I said honestly.

”Our Hive Cluster is under attack!” Izsha warned us.

“Damn it.” I growled, shakily getting up. “Okay Zagara…” I said before I blinked, seeing the same HUD as in Starcraft 2, like I was still playing the game but...not. “Okay…” I muttered while checking my forces, seeing my Spine Crawlers and Mutalisks taking care of the troops that tried to attack. “Christ….this is gonna be a brand new headache.

”If I may.” I heard someone say as I turned around seeing Karax’s machine arm move up.

“Please, go ahead Karax.” My partner said, moving the actual body.

”I believe whatever happened to us must have had something to do with that strange material. While we were unconscious my scanners showed that these minerals have in some sense the same power output as a Xel’naga artifact, if not more because the planet we’re on is radiating the same energies.” Karax explained

“That would explain some things but...it still doesn’t explain literally everything else that happened. Me and my partner here...oh I actually don’t know your name.” I said to the one in Karax.

“John, or SilverKnight.” John said. “But as she was saying, the both of us were at home working together to help...whatever those bug people are, and then suddenly we...fused?” He said nervously, not a hundred percent sure about what’s going on.

“Well whatever’s going on…” I muttered, looking over myself and seeing that the green sacs on my back were...radiating rainbow color? “Well Zegara, I think you mutated to assimilate...whatever the hell you touched.”

”Yes...I feel stronger now, and I sense the energies of this world flowing around us. It’s...different then Psionics…” Zagara said. ”More...natural and alive.”

I felt the same thing to, like everything around us was radiating life and energy even though we were in the middle of a desert. “This is so weird…” I muttered worriedly.

“Just one more group to evacuate.” We all heard the king say to us. “What do you think of the materials?”

“They...certainly did something.” I said honestly as I ordered my defense group to go off to the final group.

”Warning, Void Rift’s converging.”

“Excuse me what?” John panicked.

”Radar indicates rifts are pulling together to summon Ravagers!” Karax said quickly. ”We need to take them out before they can attack the civilians.” The protoss said quickly.

“Shit.” I muttered while sending Ultralisks and Hydralisks towards the four spawning Ravagers. “I just sent my forces towards the Ravegers...damned hybrid.” I muttered bitterly.

“I sent the order with my units to. We need to head towards the civilians while our people are fighting against the ravagers.” John said while I nodded in agreement as we both, with our small group of units, rushed after the point to help the bug people get out of here. We thankfully got there in time but…

“Holy hell in a handbasket those fuckers are huge!” I shouted in shock, having seen a video of the ‘Real size’ mod in Starcraft 2 but damn.

”Our lives are just a game to you!?!” Zagara shouted, apparently being able to see my memories.

“The zerg don’t play games Zagara, you know that.” I stated bluntly as I spawned more Banelings. That felt really weird but the Banelings looked...a bit different. “The hell?” I muttered, taking a Baneling and looking it over.

The Baneling had the same small rainbow coloration in it’s acid sacs, and I could tell there was a bit more energy in this thing than normal. It also seemed a bit more intelligent. “Zagara...is Abathur alive?” I asked.

”He wishes.” Zagara growled. ”But I took his essence and started to make someone better than Abathur, and with less chance of betraying me and destroying all the hard work we all made!” Zagara said in rightful anger.

“Right then.” I said while putting the Baneling down. “Well we’re gonna need to have that checked out…” I muttered while Zegara was taking control of motor functions and firing serrated darts at void terran soldiers and killing them.

“That’s the last of the civilians.” The king said as the void portals seemed to disappear and all the enemies were swiftly routed. “Thank you so much, I’ll be there in a moment.” The king said as he seemed to disappear.

“Um…” I started as the anterled bug thing appeared in a flash. “Wah!” I yelped.

“Thank you so very much.” The king said. “My name is King Thorax of the Changelings, mind if I ask the names of my people’s saviors?” He asked.

”He has a hive mind with his people...interesting.” Zagara said in my head.

“Well...that’s a rather complicated question.” John said nervously.

“You see…” I sighed out. “Here, do you have a place where we can relax? My forces would like to have a break after such an intense fight.”

“True, my forces would also like a moment of reprieve.” Karax said actually. “I would also like to ask you some questions your majesty.”

“Alright.” Thorax nodded. “I better send a letter-”

“Let’s not tell anyone else about us okay? We’re...not exactly from around here.” I said quickly.

“Why? You helped save my entire kingdom from ruin.” Thorax said.

“Trust me...too much too soon wouldn’t be that good.” I said honestly.

”Slow and Steady win’s the race correct?” Zegara asked me mentally.

”Sometimes you can’t just rush through things all the time. Better to stay out of the spotlight and plan for what’s to come next...cause if Amon’s forces, and Hybrid of all things are here on this brand new world...then we’ve got a serious problem.” I mentally told her as me and John were lead into the ‘castle’ that was kind of ruined due to the attacks.

“So...mind if I start with what you two are?” Thorax asked politely, the Protoss warriors and Zerg not attacking each other and seeming more calm around each other at the moment.

“We’ll...we’re not exactly from this world to begin with.” John started nervously.

“Yeah…” I said nervously.

“Let me speak.” Zegara piped up, Thorax noticing that this was the second time he noticed a voice change between me and John. “I am Overqueen Zegara of the Zerg.” Zegara said.

“Are the Zerg insects or…?” Thorax asked nervously.

“No.” Zegara shook her head. “The zerg are filled with many sorts of different creatures from the Koprulu sector, all to push for more strength and survivability.”

“Okay then…” Thorax nodded, not fully understanding but having a good enough idea. “And what about you?” He asked.

“My name is Karax, a Phase Smith for the formerly nomadic race called the Protoss.” Karax said. “My people are highly advanced technologically and very powerful psionically.”

“Psionic? Is that a form of magic?” Thorax asked.

“Excuse me, magic?” I asked.

“Yes, magic.” He said as his antlers glowed and seemed to levitate some things.

“Interesting…” Karax said, looking over the aura. “It’s like normal psionics, but the energy readings are completely different, and the aura…” Karax was heavily intrigued.

“And...is this why the Banelings are multicolored now?” Zegara asked, showing said Baneling that was multicolored. “Careful, they explode when agitated.”

Thorax paled at that. “Um...okay.” He said nervously as he looked over the Baneling like it was a nuke about to go off. “I mean...I can sense magical energy coursing through it, but I just don’t know how that’s even possible when I saw the other...banelings?” Thorax asked, while Zegara nodded. “Well, even though I was helping the best I could with the evacuation, I did notice all of your soldiers…” He said, looking over Zegara and blinking. “Wow...you have tremendous amount of mana.” He said in surprise.

“Excuse me for a moment, but mana?” I asked, starting to put my voice in. “As in...like Sorcerer’s causing fiery explosions, stopping time, and summoning monsters to their aid?”

“Fireball spell, time magic has been exclusively banned due to obvious problems, and yes there are summon monster spells.” Thorax nodded.

“Oh no…” John said worriedly. “Where did you find those rainbow minerals?”

“It’s strange, cause originally I had no idea it was there.” He said honestly. “But I was given this from my messenger explaining somethings to me.” He said while levitating over a letter to the both of us.

When me and John looked at the letter it looked like a blank sheet of paper, until we both felt...something come from it. As we looked deeper it showed us…

“Wait, where are we?” Karax asked, looking around to see that we were somehow teleported into a vast white void.

“Greetings.” A man said while walking up to us. “I see you two have been getting along with our new buddies.” The man said.

“Okay, who are you and where the hell are we?” I asked, Zegara taking control and getting into a fighting stance.

“Yeah, it’s not everyday you just get sent into a white void looking at a piece of paper.” John frowned.

“Every molecule was placed with meaning.” The man said, reminding me and John of when Artanis told Kerrigan about the Xel’Naga. “The paper talked about things to the Changeling King, but to those with powerful Psionics, such as Zegara and Karax, could see beyond it and get you all sent here.” He said.

“He...does have a point.” Karax said nervously, still not understanding the situation at all.

“But to answer your question, I’m God.” The man said, causing the four of us to look at him. “What? I know two of you can actually sense my power, and the other two should be thinking about who put those materials there and set the entire thing in motion.”

“Wait, your the one that did all this?” I asked in shock.

“Bingo.” He said while waving his hand and a cup of soda appeared in his hand.

“But...why us?” I asked curiously.

“Well you two were going to die anyways.” He said while a TV appeared and showed that when the two of us split screen the day of the apocalypse and died either from a bomb or gunshot. “This is what happens when insane people decide to take the end of the world seriously.” He said honestly, tapping on the screen and showing Earth. “And this is Earth a few hundred years later.” He said, the entire place was nothing but a barren hellscape with undead and wraiths moving around.

“What the…” Zegara muttered, knowing Terrans can go off the deep end sometimes but turning an entire planet into little more than a burnt husk was something she didn’t fully expect from them.

“Man can do a lot of horrid things when it has the time and energy.” God said honestly.

“Yeah…” John sighed out. “So...you saved us from certain death...but you put us into the bodies of Karax and Zegara...why?”

“Well originally I bring the people chosen here and tell them what they want and what world they want to be thrown in for a new start, but I thought of changing it up a bit.” He said honestly. “Besides, you two basically gave consent when you started that Mutation Challenge.”

“And...the hybrid and Amon’s forces appearing here?” I asked worriedly.

“That mineral you saw before? Yeah that’s basically mana made physical. I won’t get into the details, that would be spoiling, but you four can figure that out later, but someone’s been doing a bad thing, someone stronger than Amon ever could be and it’s up to you four to make sure Equestria doesn’t fall.” He said honestly.

“And what about us?” Zegara asked. “Me and Karax here never agreed to this.”

“Did you agree to be with your friends?” God asked.

“Well…” Karax tried to think of a rebuttal as when he looked into John’s memories he did find a certain kinship to the guy who damn near exclusively worked with him to solve pretty difficult objectives.

Zegara sighed out. “And what is this…’magic’?” Zegara asked.

“Basically it’s Psionics but more...fluid and alive.” God said honestly, and now that I got a better look at him given my eyes adjusted to the blinding lens flare he looked like...Morpheus from the Matrix? “Not to mention you both have literally basic Psionic abilities, mostly telepathy, minor domination and levitation.” He said honestly. “Psionics can go much further. But you’ll both figure that out. Also, if you ever get the thought of making Hybrid to fight Hybrid, that can actually work, just need to make sure no one else gets their hands on them.”

“We’re not going to make Hybrid.” Zegara hissed. “They are abominations!”

“I agree, the Hybrid maybe powerful but they are unpredictable and ruthless.” Karax said.

“You’ll see soon enough.” God said.

“How far are we from the Koprulu sector?” Karax asked curiously.

“Surprisingly not that far, maybe about 7 light years away.” He said honestly. “But Artanis does know you were sent off on an expedition to find a strange distress signal outside the Koprulu sector.” He said honestly.

Karax thought for a moment, checking something real quick. “Oh, I did make a Psichain to make sure I was able to communicate with Artanis and the others.” Karax said, glad that he could still communicate with his Hierarch.

“Well, have fun you four. Try not to do anything too stupid.” God said while snapping his fingers, us four were back in the changeling castle.

“Okay...that’s a thing…” I grumbled a little. ”Izsha? Can you hear me?” I mentally asked, hoping I can send messages as well as receive through the mental link of the Swarm.

”Yes I can.” Izsha told me. ”What do you command?”

”How big is this planet?” I asked her, not knowing much about this world as John and Karax talked to Thorax about some things.

”It is an Terrestrial class planet, the same size as Korhal.” Izsha said from the Leviathan in Orbit.

”That’s big.” I thought to myself. ”I was told from Zegara that a replacement of Abathur was in the works. When will they be ready?”

”They will be prepared in four days, twenty hours and fifteen minutes ma’am.” Izsha told me.

”Thank you.” I mentally told her. “So, mind if I ask where the hell we are?”

“Oh, your in the Badlands.” Thorax said.

“Okay, what planet are we on?” I asked.

“Your on Equis.” He said. “Home to many races such as ponies, griffons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, us changelings and so many more.” The changeling said honestly.

I took a moment. “Ponies...is for some reason the weirdest one out of all of the ones you just said.” I said honestly.

“I mean, ponies are pretty diverse, between unicorns, Pegasi and Alicorns, heck even the normal Earth ponies are physically strong.” Thorax said honestly.

I wanted to say something about how this is getting weirder...only to remember that I’m now literally sharing the body of a video game character with a guy I have never met and that I’m damn near a stone’s throw away from many other strange things. “You know what...I’m gonna go on a walk.” I said while leaving.

”What’s wrong? Is all that too much for you?” Zegara asked me mentally.

”There’s a phrase we humans have, ‘going from zero to sixty’, and that means going from calm and sensible to bat shit insane in mere moments.” I told her. ”So you can understand why I just need a walk to try and calm down here...not to mention I need to think of how to introduce myself to any other royal’s at the moment, figure out who’s worse than Amon and are using his subordinate’s to aid them, and now realise that I’ll be single forever cause of this shit.” I ranted, Zegara knowing full well that I was on the verge of panicking at just being thrown into god knows what without being prepared at all.

”Take a deep breath.” The zerg overqueen said to me. ”I may not fully know Terran phrases and customs but I think that is the proper phrase.”

”Yes, yes it is Zegara.” I told her honestly. ”Just...so much is happening way too fast. You’d think I would be well prepared for the unexpected...but since you can probably see into my memories you can easily tell that this isn’t the same.” I said honestly, having access to Zagara's memories as well but not wanting to go into that at the moment.

”I thought I would be serving my Queen for the rest of my life...but things change, much is what the Zerg are.” Zegara told me honestly, looking around and even though the desert was really hot the Creep and Zerg seemed to be doing fine. ”This new world is strange. Creep wouldn’t normally be so unaffected by this desert heat, and this strange new power flowing through me…” The zerg said curiously, the zerg around us looking at us as if waiting for instructions or to see if we were doing okay.

”It really is…” I agreed. ”But...something’s not right...the objective was to save all the people, but that wouldn’t have stopped the attacks…”

”When the objectives are complete the enemy forces retreat due to their ranks being so short, their plan failed, or we outlasted them.” Zegara told me. ”Simple battle tactics is all.”

I sighed out, looking over the entire area. “This...is gonna be a long journey.”

To be continued...

Battle(And Party) at Ponyville

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I stood in the command center of mine and Zegara’s Leviathan, looking down on Equis and also seeing the Spear of Adun close by. “Izsha, what do you think of this world?” I asked.

“It is so full of life.” Izsha said. “Like Zerus it is brimming with both life and energy, but I don’t sense any Primal Zerg here.”

“You won’t be sensing any Zerg here Izsha, cause...I have a feeling I know this world.” I sighed out.

”What do you mean?” Zagara asked me.

“Where I come from...it’s a show called ‘My Little Pony Friendship is Magic’. I wasn’t very into it cause I was busy with work and other things.” I said. “It is a land filled with a powerful energy called magic, and it’s capable of doing damn near anything, from levitating to teleporting, to firing off beams of energy and transforming things that shouldn’t be that.” I explained.

”Interesting.” Zegara asked. ”And from what that mineral did to me...you think I’m able to use this ‘Magic’?”

“Most likely...but I’m concerned on what it’ll do to the Swarm, if there will be any...unwanted mutations.” I said nervously. “Where’s the Evolution Pit? Might as well see if Abathur knows something.” I said honestly while Zegara took bodily control and lead me to the Evolution Pit. When I got there I saw Abathur crawl up from his hole and having several scars, most likely from when Zegara beat the shit out of him. “Hello Abathur.”

“Something...different.” Abathur said. “Essence changed, unforseen mutation with foreign energy source.”

“Not on me jackwipe.” I said with a ‘frown’.

“Voice changed, second mind inside Overqueen’s body, unclear.” Abathur said, his eyes seeming to have a small spark of wanting to experiment with such new things.

“It’s complicated. But have you noticed anything different with the Banelings?” I asked curiously.

“Baneling essence changed, unknown energy source changing baneling acid, when exploding near allies, mends wounds.” Abathur told me. “Strange mutation, helpful, but curious.”

“Curious how?” I asked.

“Foreign energy provoked healing mutation in Baneling, energy alive and changing, much like essence.” Abathur explained in his own way.

“Interesting…” I hummed. “What do you think about being...replaced?”

“Essence used, sequences stronger, not evolution.” He said, sounding half proud that he’s making something from himself and able to make something better, but half upset that it isn’t an evolution to make himself better.

“Your not being replaced Abathur, I call it...insurance that you won’t betray the Swarm again.” I tell him.

“Insurance?” Abathur asked.

“Yeah, if you have an equal that shares your devotion to creation and evolution, but still has a sound mind to not betray your superiors for very stupid reasons that doesn’t help the Swarm in anyway, then I call that insurance that the new zerg will help keep you in check so you don’t do something stupid.” I said, given that I was on such a roll I seemed to tap into Zegara’s queen power as my eyes glowed. “Or you’ll learn first hand that the new mind in Zegara can be very unforgiving against traitors.” I growled.

“Noted…” Abathur said slowly, sensing the anger I held for the fact he tried to send everyone back into a blind war and was actually a bit scared.

“So, can you integrate the new energy with any existing mutations?” I asked curiously.

“Energy alive, bonds with Essence, capable of fusing with existing mutations.” Abathur said.

“If I were to get you more energy, could you make new Zerg?” I asked curiously.

“Unsure, Energy in motion, constant. Unable to clearly see without study.” Abathur said, which was a bit of a surprise to me.

“Thank you.” I nodded as I went back to the bridge to see what today’s mission might be.

”I sensed your bloodlust against Abathur...what horrors could you have thought of to make Abathur scared even after what I did to him?” Zegara asked.

“You don’t want to know Zegara.” I told her.

(On the Protoss Ship)

“My god...this is so fascinating!” John said, practically geeking out at all the sciency shit on the Spear of Adun, the Protoss Flag ship that was stunningly pretty and really cool.

Karax meanwhile was chuckling to himself at how eager the Terran was to learn about Protoss engineering. ”Yes it is Friend John.” He said.

“Um...sir?” A Protoss Templar asked.

“Oh, sorry.” John said a little nervously. “Um...oh dear how to explain this…”

”It’s alright, I can still talk to my fellow Protoss.” Karax said.

“Who is the one currently talking sir?” The Templar asked curiously.

”This is John, a new friend of ours.” Karax said to the templar.

“It’s nice to meet you.” John nodded.

The templar looked confused. “How...do you have another mind in you? Your not an Archon…” The templar said, Archon’s being two High Templar Protoss fused together to become a being of pure energy.

”That is...a bit complicated.” Karax said nervously.

“Magic.” John said.

“What?” The templar asked, several other protoss coming closer to the new thing that’s happening.

“Ever heard of Magic?” John asked.

“‘Magic’ is something that Terrans say to explain things that aren’t possible correct?” A protoss asked curiously.

“Pretty much.” The terran inside the phase smith said honestly.

“So...this ‘magic’ put…a Terran’s consciousness inside of you?” A high templar asked.

”Yes.” Karax said. ”The planet we are orbiting at the moment is literally bathing in this magical energy, and from what I learned from one of the worlds leaders, it can do many different things.” Karax explained. ”Its like the Xel'Naga themselves blessed this world with their power, but there isn't a trace of void energy anywhere after the attack yesterday.” Karax said telepathically.

“Yeah...which begs the question, why were Amon’s forces here? Isn’t Amon dead?” John asked curiously.

“Yes, Amon is dead.” A protoss said in acknowledgement. “But his forces outside of the Koprulu sector is concerning.”.

“Alright…” John said slowly. “How soon can we get into contact with the Hierarch? I’m pretty sure he would want to know...what happened.” He said nervously.

“Within the hour.” A protoss said.

“Thank you. Contact the Leviathan, Hierarch Artanis will need to know Overqueen Zegara is also here.” Karax said, taking over as he he headed to the bridge to prepare some things to tell Artanis.

(An hour later)

“You think Artanis will enjoy these new revelations?” John asked me over space age version of Discord.

“He’ll be confused and worried for his friend, but I’m sure he’ll understand.” I said honestly, waiting for Artanis to appear on screen.

“Incoming transmission.” A templar and Izsha both said at the same time as Artanis appeared on the screen.

“Greetings Hierarch.” John nodded.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Hierarch.” I said with a slight bow to show respect to my equal.

“Zegara? What are you doing here?” Artanis asked. “And...why do you both sound so different?” Artanis asked curiously.

“There is a lot to talk about Hierarch.” Karax voiced before explaining what’s going on right now, with Zegara pointing out some extra things.

Atranis’s blinked at what he was just told. “It’s...no, this is the strangest thing I have heard out of my time being Hierarch.” He said honestly.

“I have a feeling it’s the strangest thing you’ve heard period.” I pointed out.

“That to.” Atranis said. “So...what are you two going to do while inside Karax and Zegara?” Atranis asked.

“Right now-” I was about to say before Izsha came down as well as alarms blaring in the Spear of Adun. “What’s going on?”

“Void signatures have been detected.” Izsha said.

“Void Rifts are appearing near a settlement templar!” A protoss said quickly. “If we don’t get there quickly they’ll be overrun.”

“And here I was hoping a nice calm day.” I sighed out as Izsha showed me the area where the void rifts were opening. “Izsha, ready my drop pods and get a Hive cluster going near the settlement, and get my forces that are in the badlands to make some Nydus worms, we’re gonna need some backup.” I told her quickly while I headed off to where the drop pods are.

“Right away.” Izsha nodded.

“We’re going to need a Nexus point readied now!” John said quickly. “Warp down some pylons and try to get a defense going so Tanya can get things readied.” John said. “I’m so sorry Hierarch.”

“No need, we’ll finish this when your done protecting the people. En taro Adun.”

“En Taro Artanis.” John said while running off to the teleporter room to get beamed down to the surface.

“Everybody get behind the barrier!” Twilight ordered as she tried her best to keep up the barrier she made up from the attacks of these strange creatures. The purple alicorn was just enjoying a normal day but then strange portals opened up out of nowhere, spewing forth things that attacked the town and severely injured people. “Please...if anyone can help…” Twilight muttered hopefully.

The drop pod landed as well as John and others being beamed down from the Spear of Adun, myself as well as a drone and a few Hydralisks appeared as my drone got to work on a Hive Cluster, John setting up his Nexus point while having a small group of Stalkers with him as well. “Alright people, protect the barrier! We don’t know how long it’ll hold but make sure it holds long enough! For the Swarm!” I shouted while…”Oh my god that feels weird!” I mentally yelped as spawning Banelings felt really weird.

”Oh suck it up, you’ll get used to it quick.” Zegara sassed me.

”You did not just sass me!” I complained, sending my forces to help protect the barrier.

“Set up a perimeter with Proton Cannons as soon as you can. We need to protect the barrier. En Taro Adun!” John called out as he and the Stalkers moved over to help me fight off the Void enemies.

“Who in the world!?” Twilight yelped worriedly, panicking at the two of us just appearing out of literal nowhere.

“Don’t worry lady, we’ve got this.” I said while Zegara took the reigns for fighting, while Zegara noticed that I was mentally commanding the swarm like a mad woman, telling Larvae to transform into more drones to mine the very convenient minerals and Vespene Geyser, the Overlords to move around so we could get a better view of things, and micromanaging all the Hydrolisks so they always were attacking but backing away just out of range of the melee soldiers and trying to dodge ranged units.

Karax was also surprised at how quickly John was ordering their units psionically, trying to build more Pylons and Proton Cannons to set up a quick parameter to get gateways set up without anything attacking them, Stalkers being told to teleport out of range when their shields were down to recharge them while still being in range. “I’m surprised at how fast your ordering our troops. All of the Effective Actions done is way faster than anything I've seen before.” Karax said honestly.

”That’s what happens when you play Real Time Strategy games, you gotta be fast on your commands and making sure you know full well what you need to do to maximize efficiency.” John said honestly.

”My Queen, Nydus worms are en route to your location.” Izsha mentally told me and Zegara.

”Thanks Izsha.’ I told her while seeing on the HUD that we had about ten minutes before the Nydus worms came here with reinforcements. “Yo! Ten minutes till our Nydus Worms get here with Reinforcements!” I called out to John.

“Got it!” John said while grabbing onto a void Terran with the robot arms Karax had and using them to rip the guys head off and threw it at a Zergling and smacked the thing so hard it’s head snapped and killed it.

Zegara fired serrated darts at our enemies as well as using two long stingers to pierce into enemies quickly and efficiently. ”Where are the Void Rifts?” Zegara asked.

“Two hundred feet that way, behind the trees!” I said, thirty Zerglings with Adrenaline Boost bolting after the void rift, dodging physical and ranged attacks.to get to the Void Rift and destroy it. “Hey! I’ve got Zerglings going after a Void Rift, mind sending some back up!?” I called out to John.

“Good thing I was massing Stalkers.” John muttered as he ordered seven stalkers to help out the Zerglings. “Have the people gotten to safety?” John called out to the purple alicorn.

Twilight couldn’t speak considering she was too dumbfounded at her prayer being answered, two new groups of beings she’s never seen before appearing out of nowhere, and how easily the two of them seemed to change the tide within such a short time. “Uh…”

”Speechless.” Zegara chuckled.

”Was it something we did?” Karax asked worriedly.

”Another void rift has been detected.” Izsha told me, and the Protoss must have told John the same thing as I sent my upgraded Overseer to check on that. I sensed my Overseer being attacked as I quickly pulled it back.

“Not good…” I muttered, the HUD saying the objective was a timed battle, which was until reinforcements arrived. ”Interesting…” I thought, thinking it was kind of convenient that the enemy forces might withdraw when my reinforcements appear. “We need to hold out until my Nydus worms appear...should be simple…” I muttered as I tried to mass Mutalisks and upgrade my units as quick as possible in case these bastards threw an unexpected curveball.

”Sir, we’re picking up a strong energy radiating off in the distance.” A protoss told John and Karax. ”It’s the same signature as the minerals from the Badlands.”

”If we can gather those minerals maybe we can figure out what they are.” Karax said honestly.

”My Queen, the protoss are heading off to the strong energy signature.” Izsha said honestly.

”Must collect. Energy source might bring about evolution.” Abathur told me and Zegara.

“Might as well…” I shrugged while heading off with a small group of Mutalisks, following after John and his group of Immortals. As our group fought through groups of Void enemies and Hybrid, we found two crates full of the materials.

“Wonder why their in crates?” I wondered.

“Says here it’s traded from the Crystal Empire.” John said, seeing the crate had a sender and receiver label on the box. “It was going to this town…” John said while I walked up to my case and checked it.

“Ponyville? Really?” I frowned.

“Well...we both have a crate of the stuff.” John said while beaming up the crate to the Spear of Adun as a few Mutalisks picked up the ropes on the crate and flew it off towards the Leviathan.

“That’s the bonus objective...but I wonder why those minerals were being sent here?” I wondered.

“We’ll figure it out later.” John said as the two of us went back to the fight, seeing Ultralisks and Khederian Towers dealing with any units as my Nydus worms finally appeared.

“Finally, reinforcements.” I sighed out thankfully.

”Go my Swarm! Kill all these Void Creatures!” Zegara mentally commanded all of the Zerg that just got here and out came a ton of different Zerg units.

“Well, that settles that.” I muttered while me and John moved over to the barrier. “Hello?”

“Uh...Hi…” The alicorn said nervously. “Um...who are you two?” She asked worriedly.

“That’s a bit...complicated.” John said nervously.

“My names Tanya.” I said simply.

“I am Overqueen Zegara.” Zegara said, making Twilight look so super confused why two voices came from the same Zerg.

“My names John.” The terran inside the Protoss said honestly.

“And I am Phase Smith Karax.” The protoss said honestly.

Twilight took a moment before putting down the shield. “Well...it’s nice to meet you all. My name is Twilight Sparkle, and I’m the princess of friendship.” She said honestly.

“Um...princess of friendship?” I asked.

“Yes, Friendship.” Twilight nodded.

“Um...and what does Friendship do that’s so special it needs a princess? Also, if your a princess...wouldn’t there be a king and queen?” John asked curiously.

“Oh no, there hasn’t been a King or Queen in a few thousand years.” Twilight said honestly. “It kind of died off.” She said honestly. “And Friendship is a special kind of magic, a magic that can conquer anything.” Twilight said with pride.

“Have you just tried killing the problem?” Zegara asked, causing Twilight’s face to turn green.

“K-kill!?” She yelped. “Oh nonono, we don’t kill.” Twilight said, taking a deep breath to try and calm her stomach.

“Then what were you going to do about all the void beings that were going to murder you?” Zegara asked honestly.

“Well...we could have protected ourselves fine but...the weapons they were using were so strange…” Twilight said nervously.

“Yeah, that’ll happen when you put modern and future ages against medieval ages.” I said honestly.

“Um...what’s going on with the ground?” Twilight asked worriedly, seeing what was once healthy and lush grass...decay into a flesh like cover that seemed to writhe around all the Zerg.

“That is Creep...which I should probably keep in check…” I muttered while Zegara helped me contain the creep so it didn’t hurt the local people or animals.

“Creep…” Twilight looked at John/Karax with worry.

“Creep is a flesh like substance made by the Zerg to keep them alive. It absorbs the life out of plants and any small animals to sustain it and any Zerg standing on top of it.” Karax explained. “But from what I learned from some time studying Creep it could also be used to return life to barren area’s if used correctly.”

“Fascinating.” Twilight said honestly, her eyes sparkling at the thought of all the things she could learn. “But...what are you...four?” She asked, not entirely sure if she said it right.

“Well, me and Tanya are Terran’s.” John said, which confused Twilight. “Here…” He started as Karax helped him bring up a hologram of what a terran male and female looked like.

“Interesting…” She said, looking at the terrans with interest.

“I think it would be best if we explained who we are.” Zegara spoke up. “I am what is known as a Zerg, a race of beings that are of several different races integrated into the Swarm.” She said simply.

“And I am what’s known as a Protoss, or Firstborn, an ancient race of Psions.” Karax said.

“And your also a plant.” I pointed out.

“What?” Twilight asked, both curious and confused on such a thing.

“Protoss aren’t plants per say, but photosynthesis is at least a common occurrence, but on a much wider electromagnetic scale.” Karax corrected, while Twilight seemed fascinated.

“Fascinating!” Twilight said, pulling out a pen and paper while writing down all this stuff. “But wait, why do the Zerg look more bug like and...where’s your mouth, nose and ears on a Protoss?” Twilight asked curiously.

“Because said insects have strong essence, strong DNA to use and evolve with.” Zegara said honestly. “An Ant can lift ten to fifty times it’s weight, and move at fourty eight kilometers an hour. Beetles not only have immense strength, Dung Beetles being able to move over one thousand times their own body weight in mass, but have very durable shells.” Zegara stated while going on about other bug facts.

“But...the Square Cube Law says that shouldn’t be possible.” Twilight pointed out.

“Not when the Zerg specifically mutated and evolved to have such strengths and take out any flaws.” Karax said honestly. “I’ve helped fight the Zerg enough to know that...if there’s a flaw, they will evolve past it, even if the laws say otherwise.”

“And to answer your question about why Karax doesn’t have any facial features...well their skin can do all of that.” John said honestly. “They can smell, and hear through it, while communication is through telepathy for the most part.” John explained.

“Fascinating.” Twilight said while the town’s folk moved out of cover cautiously.

“Is everything alright?” A pony asked worriedly.

“Yes, everything’s alright.” Twilight told the people. “And we have these two commanders to thank.”

“You know, just happy to be helping.” I said, honestly wanting to help the people here but still curious and concerned about the new minerals that were just so infused with energy and why Amon’s forces are here of all places.

“Well, welcome to Ponyville.” Twilight said honestly, before a pink blur appeared in front of us.

“Hi! My names Pinkie Pie!” The pink mare said before going on a rapid fire tirad about...something.

”Um…” Karax started.

”I don’t even know her...and yet I hate her.” Zegara told me bluntly.

“Listen, can you just skip to the part where we know why your rambling like a mad pony?” I asked bluntly.

“Oh, silly me.” Pinkie giggled. “I wanted to know what kind of sweets you four eat.” Pinkie said with a smile.

“We...don’t eat.” John said nervously.

“That’s silly, everyone eats.” Pinkie Pie said honestly.

“No seriously, Protoss literally can’t eat food, they get sustenance from the sun and water.” John said.

“And as long as there’s Creep the Zerg don’t need to eat either.” I said honestly.

“Well….I can still throw you two a ‘Thank you for saving Ponyville’ and ‘Welcome to Ponyville’ party right?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“I mean...we’re pretty busy…” John said nervously, not really wanting to have a party done

“Not to mention the townsfolk don’t entirely think we’re friendly.” I said while pointing to the people that looked a bit worried.

“Oh they’ll get used to you both with a party!” Pinkie said with a giant smile.

”A...party?” Zegara asked, not really knowing what the hell that is.

“You’ve never had a party!?” Pinkie gasped at Zegara as if she could read her mind.

”Oh no…” I thought to myself worriedly.

“One Pinkie Party coming up!” Pinkie Pie said before grabbing me/Zegara and John/Karax and immediately pulling us into the center of town as she ran off a lot faster than any normal pony should and...pulled out a cannon.

”Uh…” Zegara was honestly flabbergasted, only for Pinkie to fire said cannon and...the entire center of town was covered in party decorations and other such things.

”That...shouldn’t work…” John frowned.

”I mean...if the cannon has a warp gate in it…” Karax thought, at least trying to make some sense out of this but fearing he’ll only give himself a headache.

And then a massive town wide party happened...and Zegara was not happy. ”I am not enjoying this.” Zegara told me.

”Well it’s a good way to help the people get used to us.” I mentally told her. ”Better to have a people that won’t run in fear of you or think your a monster after helping them right?” I suggested.

”Well...we have made progress with the people…” Zegara said slowly, thinking having allies that knows this world would be a good idea.

”Exactly.” I told her.

(with John)

”So, this is a party…” Karax told him.

”Yep, surprised it was made so quickly.” John said honestly.

”I still wonder about those minerals. They had so much energy stored into them yet we couldn’t tell what it was for…” Karax thought.

”Sir, there seems to be a name on the crate of materials you sent us.” A protoss told both John and Karax.

”Who does it belong to?” Karax asked.

”A company called ‘Genetech’.” The protoss reported.

”Why would a company literally named Genetics Technology want those materials?” John wondered.

”Well we at least have a lead to who might want these materials.” Karax pointed out.

”Yeah.” John nodded. ”Have you learned anything else?” John mentally asked.

”The minerals are strange, some give off lower energy readings while others are off the charts. It...reminds me of Solarite.” The protoss said honestly.

”The minerals are like Solarite?” Karax asked. ”I’ll have to look into this, cause if it’s just like Solarite then we can use these materials to increase the effectiveness of the Spear of Adun!” Karax said, sounding a bit giddy about the thought of a new mineral he could use to help his work.

“Ma’am, our shipment has been taken.” A stallion reported.

“By who?” A mare asked simply, checking several papers of things the stallion didn’t know.

“By two new creatures ma’am. The two found the cargo while in the middle of fighting against the Void Incursion of Ponyville.” The stallion reported. “One was of that strange grey alien race and the other was those insect like creatures, neither of which radiated any Void energy.” The stallion said.

“Do they have any idea what the material is?” The mare asked honestly.

“No ma’am, but the grey aliens might be able to tell what it could be with their tech.” The stallion said honestly.

“Hmm…” She hummed.

“Ma’am?” He asked.

“Two new races that are just like the Void creatures appearing and fighting against the Void? That is rather interesting.” She said while looking out the window towards the city down below. “Interesting...what about our...attempts?” She asked.

“We are having trouble with it, but we have managed to recreate the power core.” The stallion said. “Just on a much smaller scale.”

“Good…” The grey coated mare said. “If we’re going to survive the oncoming tide...we’re gonna need it…”

To be continued...

Genetech step's in

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So after the party I went back to the Leviathan to see if there was anything Abathur figured out about the new materials. “Abathur, what did you figure out about the materials?” I asked, seeing the weird caterpillar-like thing come out of it’s hole in the Spawning Pit.

“Material strange. Consistency of Terran Obsidian, but density and hardness of unknown origins.” He explained

“Obsidian?” I asked, finding that very odd. “That’s weird, why would this mineral be Obsidian of all things?” I wondered. “Anything else?”

“Minerals of different densities, radiating energy at different frequencies.” Abathur explained.

“Is there a way to integrate this into the Swarm?” Zegara asked the big question.

“Possible, but difficult.” Abathur answered. “Minerals made for organisms of Equis, naturally produce energy signatures.”

“So we need to evolve to be able to use said minerals?” I asked curiously.

“Correct. Must evolve, produce energy, improve swarm.” Abathur said.

“Did you use any on your new partner?” I asked, remembering that the new Abathur was gonna be hatching soon.

“Yes, changes in Essence, Sequences expanding, radiating low amounts of mana.” Abathur explained.

“Interesting.” I said honestly. “Are there any evolutions you came up with while we were busy?” I asked curiously.

“Negative, must research more into energy signature.” Abathur told me.

“Alright.” I nodded. “But just a quick warning, don’t kill any of the locals. We don’t need a war here all because you wanted to.” I growled. “Got it?”

“Understood.” Abathur replied immediately.

“Good.” I nodded. “So, what kind of evolutions can I bring back here?” I asked curiously.

(on the Spear of Adun)

“Fascinating. These minerals are Obsidian, but they range anywhere from ten to ten thousand times denser and stronger than their normal counterparts.” Karax said in fascination at these materials.

”They also radiate Mana at a shocking rate. Some produce mana like an average Unicorn, while others produce an asinine amount of mana.” John said honestly, finding this material so strange and fascinating.

“It’s not the same consistency as Solarite, but just from these readings, this material can outperform Solarite on energy levels alone.” Karax said.

”But we need to remember that this material could have been made recently, to thousands of years ago. Who knows what time and pressure has done to these things.” John said honestly. ”Well...now we know why those guys were after those two places.” John said, now getting a bit worried about what these bastards could have done with such a material.

“Your right Friend John. I fear whoever wants these minerals might know what they are capable of...and I fear they might be able to gain our level of technology, if not even greater.” Karax said worriedly, both excited and fearful for what kind of potential these things have.

”That’s the key question here...the crates said ‘GeneTech’ but what would a Genetics company need this for?” John wondered, thinking the company was about genetics based on the obvious name.

“I do not know, and I fear what might transpire if this ‘Genetech’ gets more of these minerals…” Karax trailed off, worried as to what kind of incredible, or horrifying, things these materials can make.

”By the way...what do you think God meant by saying ‘you’ll figure it out’ when he mentioned Hybrid?” John brought up.

“I do not know...the only time I have seen such an Ancient Being was with the Xel’Naga...but just from the brief moments we were in that white void...that person seemed much stronger than even Amon at the height of his power.” Karax shuddered a little at that horrifying memory.

”I know what you mean...but if Amon was the forcing of Zerg and Protoss genetics together...what would be the natural?” The terran in the Templars head wondered.

“Let us not think of that as it is impossible.” Karax said simply, not wanting to know about any ‘naturally spawned Hybrid’ as he continued to study the ores. “That’s strange…” He muttered as he saw the scanners. “Scanners indicate that there is...ancient writing on some of the stronger materials.” He said while bringing up the almost unnoticeable writing.

”The hell is this?” John wondered, trying to read the writing but both the Phase Smith and his mental hitchhiker both felt a sudden chill as the words seemed to...just pop up in their minds.

We made the first of many...but at what cost to fight these monsters?

“What….what the?” Karax muttered, putting a hand to his forehead as a screen came up showing Zegara. “Zegara?” Karax inquired.

“I can tell you experienced the...same thing.” Zegara said nervously, something that honestly shocked the normally strong willed Zerg.

”Yeah so...whoever this ‘Genetech’ is...they are messing with something very wrong.” I brought up worriedly from inside Zagara's head.

“Incoming transmission.” A Templar called out.

“From who?” Karax inquired.

“Unknown sir, it’s coming from Planet side.” The protoss answered.

”Excuse me what?” Tanya questioned as even they got the same transmission.

“Let’s see who they are first.” Zagara stated simply as both races opened up their comm’s for this unknown transmission.

The screen flashed to life in a clear, if slightly hazy, display. Before them was an Equis Mare. She, like the others of Equestria were terrain in physical structure but with the equine features the planet residents are known for. Her coat was a neon purple with a contrasting sky blue mane and yellow eyes. She wore a rather classy dress suit. "Greetings. I am Helix Protein, this is the Protoss and… Swarm, correct?" She asked.

“Zerg Swarm yes.” Zagara stated. “I am Overqueen Zagara.” She said, wanting to at least try and make a good first impression to whoever had the psychic powers or technology to talk to them from outer orbit.

“And I am Templar Karax.” The phase smith said. “I must inquire, how did you manage to get a signal all the way up to us? From what I gathered from Ponyville, your technology shouldn’t have been past the Terran middle ages.”

Helix Protein smiled softly. "Ponyville is a rural, country town. While it's been slower to adapt to the modern innovations Genetech has produced, it is just one of the few to fully embrace the technological revolution our company has begun. I am Genetech's head representative for the Home/Equestrian branch of the company. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I would like it if you returned the Magicite ores you Acquired from those… undesirables that attacked Ponyville earlier, they are company property and worth a hefty financial sum."

“I’m gonna have to go with ‘no’.” Tanya brought up through Zagara. “Cause this material is…”

"The most powerful and potent substance on Equis." Protein cut in. "Those crates are worth fifteen trillion bits each and we just can't let a loss like that slide my dear. That ore is what begun this company and the technological revolution Equis finds itself in. Just a crumb of it, no bigger than a hair off my coat is currently powering all of Canterlot and will continue to do so safely and cleanly for the next seven thousand years. So I ask again, can you please return the ore to us, or at least, pay their worth back to cover the losses?"

“We’ll deliver the crates.” Karax said. “But did you know there is an ancient, Psionic language embedded into the minerals?” He asked curiously.

"We've known about the language adorning parts of the ores as they were dug up. Some complete, or so they appear. Standard protocol has us recover as much of the lettering as possible for molding, photos and analysis before they are shipped for processing. If you'd kindly return the ore we'd be more than happy to share the findings we have on it with you. Given it sounds like you can understand the language. I'll admit our attempts at Translation have been slow. Sound like a bargain?"

“Well...we would like to know more of your research on this material.” Karax said honestly.

“So where shall we meet to...deliver your crates?” Zagara asked, not liking how she was going to have to be a delivery zerg for this pony but knew she had to make a good first impression with someone of importance.

"You can bring them to Ponyville. I'll send a team over from our headquarters in Canterlot to exchange our research for the ores. Though… might I ask, how does your vessel soar space like that? Our current space flight technically branch is still new but yours looks much similar to the team's beta designs."

“Biological Evolution.” Zagara stated with pride. “Even the vacuum of space can’t stop the Zerg.”

“It’s really fascinating.” Karax started in joy.

(twenty minutes later)

“My head hurts…” Tanya groaned as Karax finally ended his massive explanation on how at least Protoss space ship’s functioned to combat the vacuum of space.

"Fascinating indeed." Helix said. "It definitely would save on resources and time. Now if only the ethical departments would allow such feats… oh well, maybe later on the public will enjoy the ideas of genetic modifications. I'll deploy the team to Ponyville now. I'll arrive personally as well. We could benefit from one another in so many ways." With that the transmission ended.

"Well, she is certainly interesting." John said.

”Yeah...but I don’t like how she was open to immediate genetic modifications when Karax was talking our ears off.” Tanya joked.

“I’m sorry...but I don’t have many people to explain complex space travel with.” Karax stated a little sheepishly.

”Either way, we should get going down to Ponyville, don’t want to upset the super company.” Tanya brought up.

“Correct.” Zagara nodded. “Izsha, ready a drop pod for Ponyville.”

“Yes my queen.” Isha acknowledged.

As the group arrived in Ponyville, the Genetech… ship. A flying device John and Tanya thought looked similar to a cargo plane but missing the engines, landed nearby and opened up. The mare herself walked out accompanied by several other ponies in laboratory gear. "Zagara, Karax." She said to the two with a nod. The laboratory ponies then walked up, carrying many boxes and several armored briefcases. "Our entire research. Copies of course and all un redacted." Helix said.

“Thank you ma’am.” Karax nodded

"Thank you." She said as they traded the data for the ores. "Now then, shall we talk business opportunities?"

“Business?” Tayna asked, causing some of the ponies to look at Zagara. “Uh...okay, just so you know, I’m Tayna, and I’m...sharing a body with Zagara.”

“Same with me.” John said through Karax.

"Fair. Now when I say Business, I mean trading technology and resources." Helix Protein said.

“I’d have to talk to my Hierarch about that part.” Karax brought up.

“And the Zerg have no need for technology, all we need is a sufficient amount of Biomass to evolve for anything and everything.” Zegara brought up.

"Biomass? Hmm. And what pray tell might that be?" Helix asked.

“The total mass of an organism in a given area or volume.” Karax stated.

“Basically Biological Mass.” Tanya stated in layman's terms.

"I see. And does any biomass work or is it specific?"

“It depends, any biomass can work to support the Swarm, but to evolve we’d need either the right conditions, the right biomass from that area, or both.” Zagara explained carefully, not sure if she should be telling this to this pony but thinking there was already enough information being shared to at least share some basic things about her race.

"Hmm… I'll Have to get back to you on that." Helix said with a smile. "And as for you Karax, anything in mind?"

“What is the level of tech you have in this world?” Karax inquired.

"Depends, which field of technology are you interested in?"

“Anything really.” Karax said, the pony seeing a glimmer of intrigue at learning a new world's technology. “I assume that your world fuses technology with mana, am I correct?”

"Why yes. While individually we have advanced both the fields of magic and science, combining the two is where our advancements really kicked off. Both in public and private use. Take the royal guard armor. Before, they were basic gold lines with gemstones that enchanted to add protection. The enchantments sadly only lasted a few years before needing to be recast. Thanks to our magitech the royal guard armor is made not only more cost effectively but the protection enchantments last two hundred times longer while all being powered by a single gem."

“Fascinating.” Karax said, completely intrigued by the work they can do. “But how does the fusion of mana and technology work? Terran history was rather...divided on whether magic worked well with technology or it was at odds with it.”

"Much like how electricity can do wonders depending on what the circuit board is designed to send it to which component, mana works very much the same way. Spell matrixes and runes designed and engraved in just the right way can accomplish the same effect with mana and that is when something special happens."

“Something special?” He inquired, trying to think of what this energy could bring about. “What special things can it do?”

Smiling, Helix brought up her watch. It looked like a simple watch, but once the side button was pressed, a flash of light gave a display of the planet, the Sun and Moon rotating around it. "It's nothing too spectacular, but it's an enjoyable toy."

“Even if holograms in small objects has been done before, it’s always fascinating to see how much small objects can do.” Karax said in pure, engineering joy.

"If you want better examples, you need only look at my cargo cart over here." She said, motioning over to the large engineless cargo plane. "The whole thing weighs ten tons, can carry double its weight in cargo and it is all flown by a single pegasus strapped into an omnidirectional pilot room where they lift and fly it from within."

“So basically a very lighter version of regular Cargo Planes?” Tanya brought up. “It’s effectively the same thing, just with that one being pegasus drawn at that point.”

“It’s still incredible to have such a machine be light enough but strong enough for all of that.” Karax brought up.

After some talk the two groups parted ways for the moment and Karax and Zagara were reviewing the data they had on the mysterious ore, or Magicite as Helix Protein called it.

It was definitely once part of a much larger structure, the estimation of how big though was yet to be seen.

"Whatever this thing is, or, was, it was definitely big." John said, seeing notes of various estimations of the original structure size. All pointing to at least it being several dozen miles in length and height.

“These notes prove our previous readings before, Magicite can be just as strong as Solarite, if not thousands of times stronger.” Karax said in surprise, looking over all the data.

“It says here that there’s Equins in the North that bonded with this material as an evolutionary trait.” Zagara brought up.

“Seems like Magicite is a whole lot more important than we first thought.” Tanya said simply.

"No wonder she didn't want to lose any of it." John sighed. "Odds are we might just have to do business with her and Genetech to get anymore samples or information."

"Which might cause certain problems if we're not careful…" Karax brought up, really not wanting a repeat of the previous war and terrans stealing their tech.

"We might not have too. Didn't that Princess Twilight mention something about other Princesses?" John asked. "If we can get some kind of relationship and contract of agreements to work as mercenaries for the crowns then Genetech can't steal anything and we don't have to give up any tech unless it falls into the agreed terms." All eyes looked at John. "What? My uncle was a lawyer, I picked a few things up."

“Well...best to have someone that knows more about contracts.” Tanya said nervously.

“It would...help in our peace negotiations.” Zagara admitted.

“We should prepare for our talk with the princess’s at least.” Karax brought up. “If memory serves, Twilight said she sent a letter to them, so they should probably be receiving it by now.”

"Well, let's get over to her castle then. Odds are that's where the others will all meet us at." John said.

The group made their way to Twilight's castle. It was a large crystal structure that almost seemed like Magicite as well, but it was… different. Much more… alive than the ores.

“The hell is this place?” Tanya asked in shock.

“Fascinating…” Karax said, studying the structure and gathering some readings on it. “This entire structure radiates the same magical frequency as ancient Magicite, but it has life signs as if it were a normal Oak Tree.”

"Yes. Shame the princess prefers to keep that research private to herself." The group turned, surprised to see Helix there walking up to them. "Greetings." She said with a nod. "I've already written up the contracts." She said, holding up several thick stacks of paper in her arms. "The terms are agreeable, and negotiable if need be." They stared at her. "What? Giving you the data I had was just the incentive you needed to come to the same conclusion, partnership. Come now, Princess Twilight is waiting." With that she walked passed them and into the castle.

"... She's good…" John said.

“How did she…” Zagara started in concern, having been able to sense Terran Ghosts who were designed to be stealth operatives including their cloaking tech but...was unable to even detect she was even there.

“I mean...either through tech or...well, they already did some Genetic experimentations…” Tanya brought up nervously.

The group then walked into the central room, once inside Zagara and Karax were in awe of the living crystal around them. When they reached the throne room, they froze. The table surrounded by seven chairs was like a heart, and brain. It irradiated energy as it displayed a map of the planet's surface.

“This...this psionic energy…” Karax muttered in awe.

“It’s...like my Queen…” Zagara started, remembering only one being that could have either this much power or this feeling of...closeness than with the one that taught her.

“This...is one hell of a board room, that’s for sure.” Tanya muttered.

"Hi." On one of the seats, sat Princess Twilight. The Alicorn was looking over the paperwork Helix Protein bright. "So, Helix Protein here says you wanna make an arrangement?"

“Yes…” Karax nodded carefully. “Now...if I may inquire...do you have any idea where we are right now?”

"My… castle. Why? Do you have questions?" Twilight asked.

“Do you not feel the psionic presence radiating from this room?” Zagara asked bluntly. “All radiating from that?” The Zerg Queen pointed at the table specifically.

She looked at the table. "Well, I know it's powerful magic. It did come from the Tree of Harmony. But all in all… not really?"

“Strange…” Karax muttered, only to shake his head. “But onto more pressing matters, like the negotiations we must talk about.”

"Yes, well so far the terms Helix Protein has laid out state that while working as mercenaries under the Equestrian government, you would be obligated to share technically relating to medicine, space flight travel, colonization, terraforming, and navigations. In return the Equestrian government will decree that Genetech give you an allowance of ten Magitech ores a month for your own research and uses and the Equestrian government will give you an allowance of ten million bits per month for expenses and all public and some private documents on the nature of magic." Twilight read allowed.

“That seems...a little too easy…” Tanya frowned.

“Hold on.” Karax started. “Did you hear that Hierarch?” He inquired as a small screen showed up from one of Karax’s extra robot arms.

“Yes I did Karax.” Artanis, the Hierarch of the Protoss, said from the screen for the entire room to see.. “En Taro Adun young princess, I am Hierarch Artanis of the Protoss.” The leader introduced himself.

"Oh! Uh, Hi, Hello… wasn't expecting to see you." She said.

“Strange, I thought I brought up my Hierarch when talking to Ms. Protein.” Karax hummed.

“That aside, I believe we have some negotiation’s to talk about.” Artanis said in the careful and calculating tone of a leader, but Twilight noticed it also had a kind and friendly tone to it like with Celestia.

"Is there something not to your liking?" Twilight asked.

“It’s nothing like that, I’d like more of an explanation on some of the terms.” Artanis said. “Medicine is one thing, space travel can be a bit tricky but I’m sure we can help you figure out the more difficult aspects, but I’m more curious about the colonization and terraforming aspects of it.”

"Genetech has been looking outwards Mr. Artanis." Helix Protein said. "It's one thing to evolve the way of life on our own planet, but to truly evolve as a species one must learn to move out of the house. There's an untapped resource and scientific gold mine amongst the stars. I imagine when your own race took for them, the science and resources discovered were to your liking?"

“It’s...a bit more complicated than that.” Artanis said carefully. “But I can see where you are coming from Miss. Protein, space always seems so vast and amazing...and to be perfectly honest, we didn’t even know your world existed.”

"Then would we not make a grand entrance to our neighbors amongst the stars with your guidance?"

“Uh…” Tanya started nervously.

“There are many dangers in Space, many of which we still don’t know about.” Karax shook his head.

“And your ‘grand entrance’ might cause...problems for you.” Zagara stated. “Especially with Alarak…” She grumbled.

"Then who better to teach us the ways of the stars than you two experienced individuals. Imagine the public opinions when you launch our race into the heavens! The positive publicity will make your alien, intimidating appearances a mute argument in the eyes of the public."

"Oh she is good!" John repeated.

“Well...I can see your point.” Karax said with some thought.

“Shouldn’t we be focusing more on the Void Rifts that has appeared twice on this planet before we get to helping you leave it?” Zagara pointed out.

"Why not both?" Helix said.

"So…Any other questions?" Twilight asked awkwardly.

“When have the Void Rifts started appearing?” Artanis inquired.

"Just today actually. We've never seen thIs until today." Twilight said. "There was no warning or anything, just poof, it was there and those monsters flooded out."

“Then what about those...Changelings were they?” Tanya brought up. “Did you get any reports about them dealing with Void Rifts?”

"What? No! Is Thorax and everyone okay?" Twilight asked, looking worried. "They just barely started rebuilding after liberating themselves from Queen Chrysalis."

“So you didn’t…” Tanya muttered.

“Don’t worry, all the Changelings are alright.” Karax said with raised hands. “We stopped all the Void Rifts and helped the Evacuation go smoothly.” He explained.

Twilight took a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. They've had it hard enough lately as it is… if only Chrysalis hadn't done that invasion then maybe we could have moved them all here for safety…"

“What is ‘magic’?” Zagara asked simply. “It’s nothing like Psionics that we’re accustomed to, it feels...more alive than most other energies.”

"Well, most scholars on the subject all agree on that actually. Magic itself is a form of living energy, each variation of magic is different in it's own way as plants and animals. Be it simple Unicorn Magic, Chaotic Chaos Magic or even Dark Magic it's all alive in some way. We don't know too much about it's base nature or even if it's intelligent, but after receiving this castle from the Tree of Harmony I am beginning to think it likely is."

“Fascinating.” Karax said in pure amazement. “Have you ever had to handle Psionics before?” He inquired to Twilight.

"I don't believe so. Can you tell me what it is exactly?"

“Psionics are abilities based purely on the mind.” Karax started. “Like how Unicorns can use magic from their horns, races that are psionically capable, like Zerg, Protoss, and even some lucky Terrans, can do many things like minor levitation, mind reading, create electrical storms, even controlling prosthetics.” He explained happily.

"Hmm. It does sound like several spells and such. With luck we can work together on the comparison and differences between Magic and Psionics."

“Thank you princess.” He nodded. “I can’t wait to start working on figuring out the similarities between magic and psionics.”

The meeting went well, though Zagara grew a large Dislike for Helix Protein. Tanya also grew a dislike for the mare. She was clever, too clever.

To Zagara and Tanya's relief Helix did leave and after a while the other Princesses arrived.

John and Tanya's mental jaws dropped.

While Twilight, body wise was fairly above average, the other three were very surprising.

Princess Cadence was well above Twilight's height, possibly six feet and sporting a well curved and healthy body that a model would deem the ideal figure. Her pink coat somehow added to her overall shape.

Princess Luna was even taller, easily six and a half feet tall and her body reflected her height in healthy, slightly larger proportions than Cadences.

Lastly was Celestia. The solar princess was easily seven feet tall and her form made that of the 'amazonian' type put so shame as her figure looked larger than her body type would warrent yet she wore it well in all the right places.

"You are the Protons and Zerg?" Celestia asked.

"Yes." Karax nodded. "I am Phase Smith Karax." He said politely with a slight bow.

"And I am Overqueen Zagara." The broodmother said, giving her own slight bow just for courtesy's sake to the three royals.

"I am Princess Celestia." She motioned to Luna. "My younger sister Princess Luna." She then motioned to Cadence. "And this is my niece Cadence. You two already know my student, Twilight. I hear you two and your armies saved my student and her home."

"And signed these." Twilight added, leveraging the papers to Celestia.

She took a look at them, nodding and smiling as she passed them along to the other two. "This is definitely grand news. I have the utmost faith in my student and her friends capabilities, but hearing about these monsters made me worried for their safety."

"We also saved the Changelings but that doesn't seem that important." Tanya said through Zagara.

"And who might you two be?" Luna inquired after Tanya said that.

"Sorry, but I'm Tanya Blake, I...was a human, before I started sharing a body with Zagara here." The former human said sheepishly.

"Hi, I'm John." John said through Karax. "Same boat as Tanya here."

"I see, how interesting." Celestia said.

"We do thank you for saving the Changelings. They are becoming good friends with us, trade has been well, and politically their integration has been going rather smoothly."

"Glad to hear that." Tanya nodded simply. "So, onto the fact Void Rifts are opening on your planet…"

“Their energy is quite unique, and seems somewhat similar to a threat we have faced before.” Princess Luna said. “From what I was able to analyze, the energies were roughly fifteen percent similar.”

“What have you faced that could have any semblance to Void Energy?” Karax inquired to Luna.

Nodding, Celestia lit her horn up, a semi transparent image of a grey stallion dressed in an armored regalia with a red cape and a bent red horn atop his head floated before them. “His name was Sombra. He was the last living member of the race of dark magical beings known as the Umbrum. Their race was so attuned to darkness that even physical light could harm them in their true forms. A thousand years ago he conquered the Crystal empire, and when my Sister and I went to face him, his defeat was inevitable, so he cast a curse, banishing himself and the entire empire away, lost to time… until several years ago. The empire returned, but Sombra was weak and the locals were scared deeply by the events. Twilight and her friends managed to save the empire and banished Sombra to the Ethereal Plane, a realm of imprisonment where the spirits of pure evil remain until the end of time itself.”

“His color’s seem to denote some similarity.” Karax admitted.

“But he looks like a coward.” Zagara stated bluntly. “If he was truly of the Void, then he wouldn’t...what do you Terran’s say?”

“Look like he’s overcompensating for something?” Tanya asked.

“Exactly.” The queen of swarm nodded. “If he truly was of the Void, there wouldn’t need for the Regalia, or his current form.”

“He was overly confident, and with good reason.” Luna sighed. “His magics rivaled ours, and his magic felt similar to that of the portals, if even slightly.”

“Interesting…” Karax hummed. “What do you know of this Umbrum? Are they native to this world?”

“They were. THey once ruled over half of Equis, but our mother managed to banish their whole race to the Ethereal Plane. Sombra only got out because he was the youngest and his race managed to pull enough magic together to conjure him a physical body and open a rift large enough for him to slip through. He was just a child at the time, and had no knowledge of his heritage until years later.” Celestia said.

“Truth be told we knew him before he turned… he was such a nice stallion.” Luna sighed.

“Did you make sure he was truly dead?” Zagara asked carefully.

“We don’t kill.” Cadence stated rather swiftly. “Death is never the answer, there’s always another route to take.” She said, her voice confident in her statement.

“Oh how naive you are.” Zagara shook her head.

“I mean, they have a point.” John said. “Not every enemy should be killed.”

“War...does many things to skew that philosophy…” Karax admitted bitterly.

“In any case, let’s play by the Equestrians rules.” John said. “We can kill monsters, but nothing sentient.”

“And deal with any Void Rifts that might appear.” Tanya brought up. “Cause if there’s one thing we’re good at, it’s dealing with those pesky bastards.”

“In any case, with the agreements signed, we should start getting to work.” Celestia said. “Where shall we establish a place for you all to reside while on the planet?”

“There’s no need for housing for us Princess.” Karax said with a raised hand. “The Spear of Adun is already housing enough as long as we stay within this planets orbit.”

“And my Zerg can live either within the hives we’ve built, the Nydus Worm tunnels, or the Leviathan in Orbit as well.” Zagara stated simply.

“Landing pads might be nice though.” John said. “Just in case.”

“So just start plopping down Pylons for you guys?” Tanya asked curiously.

“That would indeed help swiftly deploying our troops though…” Karax said, softly rubbing his beard chin with some thought.

“So you want to test us… because?” John asked as He and Tanya were before a large empty field of the badlands. Only themselves and their mental roommates were present. For now.

“Because I want to see what the four of you can do.” A voice came out as the protoss and zerg, yet again, spun around to see another Equestrian, this time a pegasus pony, but unlike the pegasi they’ve seen in Ponyville where they seemed to be more slim and streamlined, this pegasus looked like if Big Macintosh grew wings and was trained in the military. “My names Steel Wing, and I’m the assistant to Genetech’s Armor and Weapons division.”

“This is the second time…” Zagara hissed.

“How are you so sneaky?” Tanya asked incredulously.

“We have to.” Steel stated. “Especially with Dragon’s, no matter what race you are, Dragon’s have the best senses on the planet.” He shrugged. “Now, I’m here to oversee a test on our weapons and armor against you.” He stated as he brought out a tablet and started looking over things. “The opposing commander will be here shortly.”

“So...besides testing out your arms and armor...why are we doing this?” Tanya asked carefully.

“Simply put, we agree with you.” The two war hardened aliens jumped as behind them was Helix Protein. Her formal suit dress now replaced by a laboratory coat and casual clothes underneath. “Equestria needs to evolve. We can handle the technology side, but you two need to help with the philosophical evolutions.” She said, walking over next to Steel Wing. “Sargent.”

“Boss.” The pegasus nodded to her.

“You want us to teach you how to kill?” Zagara asked carefully.

“From my brief conversation with Twilight on the history of this world, it’s said to have been over a thousand years since the world's last war…” Karax started. “Why do you want to bring back the...philosophical aspects of it?”

“Because.” She said, taking out a folder and opening it before us. One side showed slayed beasts on laboratory tables, the other showed a few photos of ponies. “On one side, is our enemy, on the other, Ponyville Casualties. Four in total. Manageable in the grand scheme of a war, but to our people, it’s gotten about half the town on a stand still from grief and loss. It’s time for Equestria to grow up.”

“Death is never pleasant, even when you’re accustomed to war.” Karax shook his head.

“For most races anyways.” Zagara nodded, having learned how...personal death truly was from races that didn’t weren’t the Zerg. “Grief and Loss...I’ve only ever experienced it once, and that was when my Queen left to the Void, even as she granted me control over the Zerg.” She explained carefully, showing the two Genetech agent’s that even after bloodshed, the two still had a heart even through war.

“Better to understand death and be better through it then let it either crush you or turn you into the monsters you're fighting.” Steel Wing stated simply.

“You have experience then?” John asked.

“I typically work the Equestrian border to the badlands here. I’ve seen enough.”

“So this will let us test some of our defence weapons and armors.” Helix said.

“So who’s the enemy commander going to be?” Tanya asked. “And what’s the objective?” She asked.

“The enemy commander should be here in… three… Two… One.” The air began vibrating as above them, flying high above and revealing a large flying metallic fortress revealed from cloaking in the clouds. When it landed the two aliens were surprised that the vessel was rather well armed along it’s form. “That will be our base for this combat simulation. In the spirit of the Princesses wishes, this will be non lethal combat so the guns are set as such.”

“Magnificent!” Karax said as he saw a marvelous feat of enginuity. “How did you manage to get a command center of that size of volume, not only to fly with such speed, but to have it both be quiet enough during transport and invisible the entire time?” Karax inquired with as much enthusiasm as, in Helix’s personal opinion, like Twilight Sparkles when she first caught a glimpse of what Genetech was manufacturing.

Smiling, Helix simply shrugged. “Magic.” She laughed. “Now then, shall we begin?” She asked the two. “Your goals will be either to survive twenty minutes, or capture the flag in the command center in the middle center of the base.”

“Sounds simple enough.” Tanya nodded. “Any handicaps besides non lethal;?”

“Depends. Will it just be the two of you in this exercise or your armies as well?”

“It will be our armies.” Zagara said.

“With a fortress like that, we would need an army, plus whatever forces you throw at us.” Karax brought up.

“Okay. Call what you feel you’ll need then.”

“Sounds fair.” Tanya nodded as the ground rumbled a bit, as a ways away a massive bout of mineral’s and two gas geysers appeared. “And there’s our starting positions.” Tanya said.

“Who’s going to be the referee for this battle?” Karax brought up.

“That would be me.” Steel Wing nodded. “I’ve overseen many mock battles, as Helix can attest.”

“He’s good at what he does.” She stated. “Now then, shall we begin?” She asked.

“One moment, just need to set up our home base first.” Tanya said as she saw a drop pod descending towards her area, as John and Karax already saw a Probe calling in a Nexus Point at their area. “So, get ready at our positions?”

“If you wish.”

“Fair enough.” Tanya nodded as Zagara headed off towards their Hive Cluster and Karax headed to his Nexus Point.

Once the two arrived at their respective starting points Helix and Steel Wing moved out of the way between the two. Helix smiled, reaching into her lab coat and pulling out a small radio. “Send them out.”

From the battleship launched ten large plumes of steam, each traveling between the base and the two aliens. When the steam cleared, ten large, thirty foot clockwork robots turned on, their inner gears white hot as if still under fire and their ‘eyes’ glowed a shilling blue as large hammers constructed themselves along their arms of the machines.

“Uh...huh…” Tanya muttered as she and John saw the Starcraft HUD roll over their minds. ”Alright, John, can you hear me?” Tanya mentally called out to her Co-Op partner as she already started assigning her Drones to get to work.

”Yeah. Those things are not what I was expecting.” John replied, making sure all his probes were mining efficiently and already started making pylons. ”So what’s our strategy going to be? Test the waters to see how things go or immediately try to rush heavy hitters?”

”I think we should start off testing the waters, they have clockwork golems for crying out loud.” Tanya said honestly, as she already has Overlords floating around the battlefield to get a better view on things from the sky. ”Going in blind of a Co-Op mission, when was the last time that happened?” Tanya mentally joked to John.

”It’s been a long time.” John chuckled, having managed to get a Stargate up and was starting to make Stalkers.

“It looks like they’re capable of setting up bases and just spawning in their troops…” Steel muttered to himself as he wrote down what was going on with both aliens and their human hitchhikers, watching carefully how they build their structures and what tactics they might bring up.

After about a minute Tanya and John had made quick headway into getting a solid economy and unit building as both sent out Stalkers and Zerglins to test out the Golems, the 20 Zerglins moving much faster on the ever growing fleshy Creep as they charged at the Golems and trying to circle around one of them to start attacking.

When one Zerglin got close enough, the Golem moved, faster than the four expected as it slammed the hammer into the Zergling, sending it flying back and in front of their feet more or less. The four were surprised, not just as the force but as far as they could tell the Zergling was completely fine, just paralized.

”Sweet god!” Tanya yelped.

”Bastards got one hell of an arm.” John said in shock.

“Uh...huh…” Zagara was...honestly dumbstruck at how that Golem effectively bitch smacked a Zergling over a hundred feet.

“Well…” Karax looked over to see the 6 Stalkers move up and fire energy bolts at one of the Golems.

The golems took the hits. Their HP… it was a noticeable… nice. The hit golem slammed the ground, the earth shaking violently as suddenly the Stalkers were all suddenly… dizzy? Two golems took this opportunity to effectively go golfing, sending them back to their masters, healthy, just paralized.

“Well...they are armored...but still very powerful.” Karax hummed

”Good thing I picked up the Vile Roach strain…” Tanya said nervously as she started to morph a drone into a Roach Warren and a Spire.

”While you do that, I’m going to start going for some big hitters.” John mentally told Tanya as he started to order his probes to build a Forge and Robotics bay

After another minute or two both teams we're set up with more diverse army between Zagara's Vile Roaches, armored units that had the special ability to slow down anything they hit with their attacks, and several Guardians, long range air to ground siege Zerg that hit like a truck, and several Mutalisks, fast all purpose Zerg fliers that shot ricocheting glaives.

While Karax had a steady mix of Immortals, heavily armored and shielded units that can tear through armored units with ease, Sentries, support based units that can deal minor damage or boost allies attack damage and speed, and more Stalkers for consistency as they all researched their abilities for combat and was ready to storm the base.

"Subjects seem to be able to amass strong armies in the matter of minutes if given enough minerals and 'gas'..." Steel muttered to himself as he continued to write this down. "Also, the humans, I speculate, are the real tactical geniuses as they realized that anti armor weapons deal more to the golems as well as immediately compensating for it after only two quick fights…" he muttered as he saw both groups go into a pincer formation against the golems, Zagara's Guardians firing their extremely long range blasts and hitting the golems with accuracy.pinpoint accuracy.

The Golem’s HP went down more noticeably, but they still stood. Four then walked together, almost disassembling themselves as they began to merge and form into a large stationary cannon that aimed itself at Zagara's Guardians, firing several fast shots that all hit the area near her troops, a cornea of energy hitting her army and paralyzing them all.

“What!?” Zagara shrieked in surprise at how the cannon hit all of her units rather quickly and precisely, only for the 4 Protoss Immortal’s to walk close enough and fire their cannons, dealing an insane amount of damage even past the combined four golems defenses.

The combined four returned fire, but soon fell to pieces. Zagara’s smile was short lived as the parts of the defeated four soon traveled to the other remaining six golems and merged into them, making them larger, taller and giving some a long ranged attack and others thicker defense.

“Magnificent!” Karax said in pure awe. “What outstanding engineering.”

”Okay…” John wasn’t sure what to say.

”Uh...okay, so I still have Roaches buried and going underneath the thing…” Tanya said nervously, seeing the roaches going underneath the massive golem carefully to get to the base.

As if some cosmic being was playing with her, the base lit up red then sent out a pulse that uplifted the earth around it, letting it glide safely in the air as her Roaches all were surface side, also paralized.

Zagara groaned, performing a Terran facepalm in response.

”Okay, you know what? Fuck it.” Tanya thought to herself as the ground started to rumble. ”Ultralisk time.” She said as ten Ultralisks, massive Zerg about the size of a five story building, built like a tank, and had four massive razor sharp claws, immediately slammed into the golems and swinging down with their powerful claws.

”And while your Ultra’s deal with that, my Stalkers will go past them.” John mentally told Tanya as he saw his squadron of Stalkers teleport past the fighting and rushing towards the base to at least get inside the damn thing.

As the Golems dealt with the Ultra’s, The Stalkers got up and close to the base… only to be fired upon by multiple high rate of fire paralyzing shots from the base itself. The time limit was reaching near though as the two aliens and two humans had only five minutes left to either survive or capture the flag.

”Alright, fuck this, fuck you, and fuck everything that’s going to be in this badlands.” Tanya said.

“I see what you want.” Zagara said in joy as another set of rumbling came.

”When the hell did you manage that!?” John yelped as his minimap showed an asston of units suddenly rushing out of her base.

“Zerg Rush!” Tanya commanded as a massive swarm of Zergling’s burst forth from the ground and started to rush in, their numbers ranging to about...five hundred, with a supply of two hundred mutalisks as aerial support all bolted towards and around the command center, all the Zerglins moving a hell of a lot faster than before, and this time they had wings on their back.

“Well...when in doubt…” Karax muttered, always remembering how Zerg truly fought, and that was with overwhelming numbers.

”Might as well send in some reinforcements.” John said as he sent in his less sizable, but strong army of ten Void Ray’s, five Carrier’s, and fifteen Tempests, all powerful long range Protoss Aircraft moving swiftly through the sky’s to take down anything the base had to offer if the Zerg Rush didn’t handle it.

As the armies rushed in on the floating base, the floating base moved and evaded with surprising agility and speed as it fired from every angle. Taking a few hits but responded by putting up shields of its own. Soon the clock was reaching a minute but the base was still flying.

To the two aliens and two humans' surprise, the base flew up higher, bringing it’s shield down as it’s lower half opened up. The two aliens froze as they sensed Magicite irradiating from under there… And soon from under the flying base formed a swirling F5 tornado pulsating with energy that paralized all it sucked in… and soon a second followed… then a third…

The four all had one singular thought… Shit.

“Hold up!” Tanya shouted through Zagara. “Nobody said we’d be fighting a god damn Gundam here!”

“The fact that you were able to destroy six of our Golems is already a feat in and of itself!” Steel called out from his position. “And having caused the Command Center to initialize it’s defense mechanisms is even more astonishing than that.”

“That’s at least a plus given we destroyed several fused versions.” Karax said honestly.

”Well...at least some of our fliers have been spared…” John mentally brought up as a Tempest managed to fire off a bolt of energy towards the base.

The time was up, and Tanya and Zagara both proceed to take part in a classic terran tradition when one loses. Kicking and Screaming.

“Does not take defeat well does she?” Helix said as she and Steel Wing entered the alien base. “And this was on stun mode. Imagine how it would have been set to live fire.”

“You expected us to manage to deal with literally any of that!?” Tanya asked bluntly.

“Not even Hybrid could have dealt with half of your forces, and you expected us to do more than just stand there and look pretty!?” Zagara snapped, feeling her pride in the strength of the Swarm slammed into the ground by forces no one even dared mention.

“This was a mock battle, a test run to see how strong you were.” Steel Wing stated. “And to be perfectly honest, you did exceptionally well.”

“Is it because we weren’t meant to win this to begin with?” John asked, causing Tanya and Zagara to stop their fussing a bit.

“To be honest, it was more to prove a point.” Helix said, tossing a Magicite ore shard to Zagara. “Half that size powers the base, and fuels the golems. Had you not broken them they’d be operational for the next seven hundred years. In short, you need an upgrade. Or, would you prefer Evolve?” She asked, looking over at Karax.

“Evolution is for the Zerg, upgrade is for us.” Karax said as Zagara took the ore. “But this truly was an unwinnable match.” Karax started. “I had my suspicions when the first few golems fused together to form that energy cannon before…”

“It’s a simple trick actually. We’ll gladly share it with you.” Helix said. “And that was just one scout ship.”

“And so you need our help how?” Tanya asked bluntly.

“Simply put, both of you have stated you were in a War, and considering you’ve traveled the stars, you’ve been in a Galactic war.” Steel Wing stated. “This was just as much proving a point as it was to show us your own capabilities. Not many can destroy our golems, even less could destroy fused golems, and far fewer have caused our Scout Ship to activate it’s Nexus Tornado defense.” Steel Wing stated. “You have the skills to be a formidable foe to anyone considering you were able to amass strong armies of varying degrees in such a short amount of time, and able to quickly change up tactics on the fly.” He said as he went through his notes again.

“But strategy and army strength can only go so far when you’re up against the unknown.” Helix brought up. “There’s an old Equestrian Saying, While resting in peace, stockpile for war. Not many aside from the oldest of the guards remember it these days, and Equestria has been at peace for a thousand years, but in recent years it’s been desturbed and shaken yet everyone from the citizens to the Princesses don’t see the looming threats on the horizon. In the past eleven years Genetech has operated, we like to think we have prepared for a thousand years of war in the short time we’ve been in operation. Only you Four can prove if that is true.”

“This is beyond what could normally constitute a normal war by Terran Standards…” Karax started nervously.

“What are you really preparing for?” Zagara asked, staring at Helix specifically. “This amount of force could easily take over a planet.”

“Dragon’s first of all.” Steel Wing stated. “Don’t know how or why, but those old bastards still manage to outpace our developments whenever we try and test them out…” Steel Wing grumbled.

“We suspect there is a spy leaking data, and the Dragon Lands are the only other place with Magicite in high volumes aside from the Crystal Empire. The real question is how? For as long as any race can remember the Dragons cared nothing for technology and modern conveniences, yet suddenly in the past six years they caught up and are risking surpassing Equestria in this revolution. Someone or something is helping them and I for one don’t like it.” Helix stated. “This has all the makings of a possible world war.”

“Or it means those Void Rifts are appearing at a faster rate in the Dragon Lands?” John brought up. “Cause both cases where the Void Rifts spawned was where Magicite was, first was with the two crates the Changelings had, and then the dozen crates you were getting shipped from Ponyville.” John suggested.

“All things considered, it would make sense…” Tanya started. “If you said Magicite is that powerful, than whatever thing is sending Void Rifts here must want it, and want it bad.”

“Who knows.” Steel Wing shrugged helplessly. “But...thankfully there is at least an avenue we can take to stop a possible world war.” Steel Wing said honestly.

“And what’s that?” Tanya inquired.

“The dragon’s had their annual ‘Gauntlet of Fire’ a few years back, a test to see who will be the next Dragon Lord, and through it, an Equestrian Dragon named Spike was able to befriend the current Dragon Lord, and was able to start bridging the gap between the Dragon’s and Equestria.” He explained.

“Interesting.” Karax said with some though. “But wouldn’t the Dragon’s have called for Aid during the possible Void Rift’s appearing?”

“Dragon’s are long lived, prideful bastards that would sooner give up their hoard than ask for help ninety percent of the time.” Steel rolled his eyes.

“And even then they prefer death over surrendering a horde.” Helix added. “Thankfully, Dragon Lord Ember is nothing like the previous Dragon Lord. She’s smart and thinks before acting. With any luck Spike can get her to attend a meeting to inform us on our missing information.”

“Why did this have to get so much more complicated?” Tanya groaned.

“Reasons…” John sighed out.

“So, shall we get started?” Steel Wing asked.

“We shall.” Karax nodded.

“Hopefully Abathur finished with his successor…” Zagara grumbled.

“Hey everyone!” Someone called out, while a buzzing noise could be heard from the sky.

“Who the hell?” Steel Wing frowned. “We’re in the middle of the Badlands for Celestia’s sake.”

“That sounds like Zerg wings…” Zagara started, only for something to whizz past the group and skid on top of the creep that’s been spread through the arena.

“Hello everyone!” The new person said, spinning around to show that it was...a cute bee girl in a lab coat, wearing specialty glasses.

“And...you are?” Karax asked.

”Oh my god! She’s adorable!” Tanya squealed in joy.

“My name is Hope!” She cheered, the new being having a majority of their features of a Terran Honey Bee, which splashes of Zerg parts like her legs looking more like a Zergling’s, and her wing’s from a Mutalisks, but more streamlined for faster flapping, yellow and black fur intermittent with Zerg Chitin, but strangely enough to Zagara and Karax, was the fact she was what Terran’s would deem ‘Anthropomorphic’, a more humanoid looking version of an animal or plant, the Lab coat she was wearing looking just a might too big for her even though it looked custom made for her physiology. “And I’m Abathur’s successor, here to help Evolve the Swarm to much greater heights!” She said enthusiastically.

To be continued...

Meeting the family

View Online

"Stop it." Zegara told me.

"No." Tanya answered.

"Stop it." The zerg broodmother repeated.

"You can't stop me." Tanya stated.

"Zerg don't hug damn it!" Zegara told me.

"Shes too cute and thinks otherwise." Tanya said as she was currently hugging and being hugged by the adorable bee zerg.

"Hugs are always nice." The bee said happily.

"You know this creature?" Helix asked.

“No, but she’s absolutely adorable!” Tanya said happily.

“She is going to be an assistant, soon to be replacement, of a certain Bioengineer of ours.” Zegara answered Helix. “We incorporated some of the Magicite to see if it was compatible with Zerg biomass...and here we have Hope, the next stage of Evolution for the Zerg.”

"Hm. Interesting. I wasn't expecting something so… colorful…" Helix said, clearly thinking this information over.

“Fascinating, Hope has the same psionic capacity, if not stronger, than Abathur’s, and she is generating her own Mana at the same time.” Karax explained as he looked over some data screens after he did some scan’s on the huggable bee.

"Akin to a unicorn then." She mused. "Mind if we acquire a sample of the biomass you use?"

“Normally I’d ask for a date first.” Hope answered, but brought out a vial filled with a weird glittering honey. “I think it’s only fair since we used some of your Magicite to create me.”

"Thank you." Helix said as she took the vial and examined it. "Hmm… seems to share consistency with Changeling Goo…" She hummed before placing it within her pocket. "I'll have to compare the two in the lab."

“So what’s next?” John inquired. “Cause while I can agree that Hope is adorable, is there still anything we need to do after our…’exercise’?”

"Next will be a tour of our facilities." Helix informed. "If we will be working together, we might as well share and explore our workplaces." The scout flyer rapidly flew over near the group and landed nearby, opening a ramp to enter. "Come along." She said, walking up the ramp with the rest following.

The inside was a mix of metal and, to the group's surprise, cloud, concrete, and crystals. "Welcome to Scout ship V7798. Model 82-C. Dubbed 'Firebird' by the Equestrian military."

“Damn…” Tanya said in surprise.

“Agreed…” John said in surprise.

"The frame is made entirely of enchanted steel, the hull is reinforced construction grade clouds lined with quartz crystals for distribution of mana and to power the barriers. The concrete lines the floors, walls and roof as it's less of a fire hazard in such an event and all enchantments, weapons and thrusters are powered by three Magicite generators." Helix explained as the group walked along, seeing a crew barracks, mess hall, gym. She soon brought the group to the Armory. There was a mix of a shooting range and a hand to hand combat mat with training dummies. "And, the Armory. Perhaps the room I admire the most of all the vessels built."

Karax was too busy writing and scanning all the bits he could, muttering how amazing this world’s engineering was if it could do this. “Tell me, how did you manage to condense the clouds into a solid mass strong enough to support thing’s like steel and concrete?”

"That is actually an old Pegasi trick. All three of the pony tribes have unique aspects over certain magics. They are as natural to them as breathing. Pegasi can manipulate, controle and tame the weather and making a cloud go from something akin to fog to something as hard as steel is as old as flight itself for them. Many cities made by Pegasi are made of this magically altered cloud."

“Outstanding.” He said in fascination.

“This is quite the armory for...just a simple Scout Ship.” Tanya brought up.

Helix simply kept a neutral face, walking over to one of the weapon racks and picking up what appeared to be an old fashioned Terran flintlock pistol. "When I was a foal, my family stayed in the Minotaur lands for five years. Such a different place from Equestria. Much like we used to be divided into three tribes, the Minotaurs are too divided; into six tribes. We lived amongst the Kivatora. They were always at war with one another. I remember asking one of the soldiers after they won a battle, 'is there peace now?'" she started, pulling the hammer back on the flink lock and taking aim at a training dummy down the range. "He said for now, but we must prepare. I asked why. He said 'While you enjoy the calm of peace, prepare for the bloodshed of war.'" She fired the flintlock. The bullet that exited was suddenly the size of a cannon ball. The two aliens watched as it traveled, it shifted form from a ball to a sharp pointed dart of the same size. It destroyed the target dummy leaving nothing but chunks of plastic and cloth. "Equestria has had a thousand years of peace. While the recent years have shakin things up, it has made our kingdom weak and vulnerable to attack. This fact has been proven time and time again and I am not putting my faith in a young blood princess and her five associates to save us each time with an orbital rainbow cannon. So, to answer your question, yes, this is just a scout ship, but if a single ship is built to enter and explore enemy territory, then prepare it to take on that enemy."

“Well…” Tanya started worriedly.

“Sound knowledge.” Zegara nodded. “Always be prepared for any eventuality.”

"Precisely." Helix nodded, tossing the Flintlock over to Zegara. "Standard issue Griffonia Flintlock pistol. Enchanted to constantly recast a small Explosion spell removing the need for gunpowder. The ammunition as you saw is enchanted to expand upon exiting the barrel to a full size, and morph mid air into a more aerodynamic form with a small homing spell that helps guide the projectile to the aimed target." She informed. "With luck it will be obsolete next week when Genetech releases a line of Bolt action, lever action, semi auto and fully automatic variations capable of firing up to five thousand bullets per minute."

“Impressive.” Karax said honestly. “All these enchantments...I never thought of adding psionic abilities to weapons, it was always more to increase physical or mental abilities based on what area of expertise the Templar chose…”

"If you like this, wait until we land at the R&D labs. All the fun toys are."

“Do you think you can incorporate these enchantments into the swarm?” Zegara asked Hope as she handed the flintlock to the bee, who took it and looked over it very carefully.

“I’d need to learn a whole lot about this world's magic to have a definite answer my Queen.” Hope said carefully. “Cause this is rather intricate craftsmanship, both mechanically and magically.”

"Princess Celestia has a school for gifted unicorn foals that teach these very spells. You should be able to gather texts and a tutor there if Magic is a more fine tuned form of psionic." Helix stated.

“As someone who has both...Magic isn’t so much ‘fine tuned’ and more…’flexible’ than Psionics.” Hope said carefully. “I still need a better grasp on things because...well I was born yesterday.”

That got a chuckle out of Helix. "Fair enough."

The group soon landed at the Genetech facility. The whole of the complex seemed to be underground.

Upon entering the group was met with varying degrees of security. Enough so that a Gnat fly would be detected in an instant.

The first room Helix lead the group into contained a single rifle type weapon. The body made from sturdy aluminum was decorated by several gemstones of varying kinds. "The M.Y.M 4000." Helix said. The three aliens feeling a strong psionic energy pulsate from the weapon.

"Let me guess, Meet Your Maker?" John asked.

"Certainly different than Big Fucking Gun 9000." Tanya shrugged.

"What's with the powerful psionic energy pulsating from it?" Hope inquired.

"We keep that one on level seven." Helix said, lifting the rifle with surprising ease and handing it to John. "Care to do the honors?" She asked, a targeting range opening up behind a defending wall in front of the group.

"Don't mind if I do." John said as he took the gun

"I've never fired a Terran based weapon before…" Karax said nervously.

"I have." John said as he raised the rifle with trained actions. "Clay Pigeon shooting mostly, but same principle."

John took aim at the target at the end of the range, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger. Instantly the rifle's frame and barrel opened thin lines linking all the gems together as pure magic began charging up. To the aliens it was akin to being in front of a psionic bomb. Soon from the barrel shot a pure light of nuclear fission on par with the core of a star. The beam shot out and vaporized the target and the surrounding ten feet. Leaving melted metal and ash.

"Jesus fuck!" Tanya yelped.

"Did you really need a gun that shoots a beam of energy on par with a star?" Hope asked carefully.

"It is called the Meet Your Maker. Anything killed by this baby will be dead and at their gods feet before they even know they're dead." Helix smirked, taking the rifle and placing it back on the table where it seemed to power down. "Powered by a piece of Magicite no bigger than a bit, it can fire an estimated four million shots before the core is drained." She spun around. "Now to the next room." She stated, walking towards the doorway.

"Uh...huh…" John muttered.

"I think that's overcompensating...by a lot." Tanya started nervously.

"Yet given what I imagine to be out there, what you all have faced, perhaps it's the show of force needed show the universe to not fuck with Equis." Helix stated rather calmly. The next room was much like the last. Only rather than a single gun there were various Terran looking weapons here. Even a bow and crossbow. "These are the enchanted armaments. Magically modified to surpass and excel their basic ancestors." She lifted the Flintlock pistol. "You are already familiar with this one."

"Yes...now what excessive amount of enchantments did you put on all of these weapons?" Tanya questioned.

"Observe." She said, putting the Flintlock down and picking up a crossbow. She aimed the weapon down the range, and fired. The bolt suddenly became dozens, and sped by far faster than it should. All the bolts impaired the target and surrounding wall.

She picked up the bow next, firing an arrow that did the same as the crossbow, but once the arrows all hit something, they erupted into a fire hot enough to turn the metal around them red hot.

She picked up a simple looking spear, throwing it and missing the target. She simply whistled and the spear rapidly flew back from where it landed into her hands.

She then picked up what looked like a stick of dynamite. She lit, threw it and once the fuse went out the simple stick didn't explode like normal. It blew up once. Twice. Thrice. Ten in total.

She then picked up the small knife off the table. With a whistle, the knife floated on its own and with another it rapidly flew through the air, through all the heads of the target dummies before she whistled again and the enchanted blade flew back and landed itself in her grasp.

“Pretty cool.” Tanya said honestly. “Kind of feeling more and more like Dungeons and Dragons with all those fancy enchantments.”

“All things considered...these are some pretty massive enchantments.” John added.

"Indeed. It is thanks to the excess mana from the Magicite that these enchantments, once just theory and fantasy, are now reality." Helix said, placing the knife back on the table. "We had to build a whole new kind of enchantment matrix to utilize the energy but it was time and money well spent."

“I...still find it so strange that Magicite is a naturally made material...yet it has the capabilities of ancient artifacts from our Galaxy.” Karax brought up.

"You think this is impressive? Heh, this way." Helix said, leading the group to another room. This was far smaller. A large glass display showed a room far larger than both of the alien's ships in orbit. Helix tapped a few buttons and appearing in a flash of magic on the ground on the far side of the room was what the three could barely make out as… a countdown clock. The numbers rapidly decreased from five minutes.

“What’s with the countdown?” Zegara asked carefully.

"Magicite is a powerful material. Even the smallest flakes can power our cities for thousands of years. It is also a surprisingly stable material." Helix said. "So, we managed to link a small, near microscope piece of it into a special spell that will draw out all the Mana within and expel it in a single spell. The spell in this box is a simple Flame spell, strong enough only to light a candle. But tell me, ever try to light a candle with a flamethrower?"

The timer hit zero, and suddenly the whole room was white as the entire base seemed to shake and vibrate. All three aliens fell back at the force, even behind the protective glass. The glass did not crack, surprisingly. "We call it a Dead Drop. All a pony needs to do is drop this someplace, set the timer, and the next thirty to forty miles are nothing more than smoking ash and charred earth."

“Ri~ght…” Tanya started carefully.

“Alright...we’ve gone past ‘overcompensating’ and into the lands of egregious and unnecessary.” John said bluntly.

“I mean...it’s what Terran’s use...kind of.” Karax said nervously.

"We're still working on implementing this into a projectile." Helix said. "Now then, onto the Lifeblood of this facility." She said, walking along unphased by the explosion the group witnessed.

“What in the world would they need to prepare for?” Zagara mentally asked Tanya.

“Fuck if I know...but it’s probably something a lot worse than the Void Portals…” Tanya answered.

“Have you...found any historical evidence that Magicite has been used before?” Karax asked Helix carefully.

"A few legends here and there. A likely possibility would be the legend of an old Unicorn Magic weapon. Made before the unification of the three tribes. It's said to be made of an, at the time, unknown but extremely powerful magical ore." Helix stated. "If it does exist it's most likely Magicite powered."

“Understandable.” Karax nodded.

“What? No ancient ruins that’s still functioning with even bigger and better tech than what we see here?” Tanya asked half jokingly.

"It's a possibility. The ancient homelands are still lost to time but the tips of some buildings have been discovered. Thank the stars Unicorns always had a fetish for building towers."

“And does that extend past building tower’s in the ‘long and hard pillars’ kind of context?” Tanya asked.

"No, not really."

“Alright.” Tanya nodded. “But there would have needed to be something huge to knock down a magicite powered ancient civilization.”

"I doubt the entire civilization was powered by it. If they were, we'd either still be divided into three tribes or the Earth Ponies and Pegasi races would be extinct."

"Or it means these precursors weren't Unicorns." Tanya pointed out. "Cause it wouldn't have been just the other tribes that would have gone extinct...this entire world would have been dominated by one group solely, only for something of equal might or greater to bring it down."

"Hmm… there is a possible root in that theory." Helix said, looking thoughtful. "If that is the case, it would explain the Ability of all the known races on Equis to crossbreed. Ponies and griffons, dragons and Minotaurs. You name it a crossbreed has been born of two or more races and some even became whole new species, such as the Kirin and Centaur. If there were survivors, scattered and evolution to the environment and diet played a part…"

“And it would explain how there’s a Psionic Imprint on the Magicite, leaving messages for future generations if magic wasn’t fully utilized in this ancient period.” Karax said with some thought.

"Hmm… interesting. Makes me wonder what they were like? How did they look. All the races on Equis now vary often drastically. Such wonders…" Helix ponders, a short lived grin crossed her lips before it faded. "Talk for the labs and the archeologists. For now, we head to the Lifeblood of Genetech. Come along." She stated, leading the way to another massive room filled with workers pushing along large bins filled with ores and wood and barrels of water, crates marked as good and medicine.

“Hopefully these people are getting paid properly…” Tanya muttered, remembering back home work paid jack all half the time.

"Yes. Now come along." Helix said as the group reached a large machine completely irradiating Psionic and Magical energies. To the aliens, it was like feeling… creation. Raw and primal. "Tell me, what do any of you know of Transmutation?" Helix asked.

“Well...it can be either a lot or not much.” Tanya started.

“But Fullmetal Alchemist is probably the best source in this situation.” John mentioned.

“Here here.” Tanya agreed. “But to not get sidetracked by us nerds, Transmutation is a key part of Alchemy, and it can do a whole host of things, legends say it can turn lead into gold, and even create the Philosopher’s Stone, a powerful artifact that can give someone eternal life.” Tanya explained.

“But this feels...primal in it’s energies.” Karax started.

“Almost like Zerus, the Primal Zerg homeworld…” Zegara mentioned carefully.

"Accurate. Now, what do you know about how the universe formed?"

“Would you like the religious answer, or the actual proovable answer?” Tanya asked. “Cause I’ve been bitched at too many times with the former.”

"Please. Even our gods acknowledge their birth in the big bang." Helix stated.

“Thank you.” Tanya sighed out.

“I really wanted to make a reference to the Big Bang Theory song.” John siad. “But yeah, the whole universe started in the Big Bang, a massive fuck off explosion that just happened one day.”

"And in the heat and aftermath, formed galaxies, suns, planets… gods… Now, how magical transmission works is by using Mana to rebuild and reshape existing matter. Now imagine if you combined the two. The raw pure energies that formed our existence and Transmutation magic, working Together and forming… anything. Once upon a time a great wizard tried this. His matrixes were solid and magic strong, yet he alone could not power it. Even with Celestia and Luna's aid, they never made anything bigger than a simple pebble, no bigger than a bread crumb." She then waved to the machine before them. "Meanwhile this device has created… everything around you. From the steel to the drinking waters to the sand and the gravel that was mixed into the concrete foundation… Genetech proudly presents, our All Maker Machine."

“And there’s...magically no draw backs to this?” Tanya asked.

“Is there no ‘Law of Equivalent Exchange’ in this Transmutation stuff?” John asked carefully.

“The...literal power over creation…” Zegara shuddered.

“In just...a simple machine?” Karax asked in absolute wonder.

"It uses the pure Mana from within the Magicite to power the matrix. The matrix simulates the very birth of the big bang and the various other funnels pour that raw primal energy into transmutation matrixes, creating ores by the tones and water by the thousands of gallons a minute. Food unlimited, water for every mouth, and never a shortage on materials. It does take ten pounds of Magicite to power for a year, but a small price for having created what is essentially a mechanical god." Helix smirked.

“Alright...so that’s why all this shit is happening.” Tanya started.

"Correct. Once you have creation itself in the palm of your hands, everything else is foals play."

“Just begs the question...what in the world could have ruined a civilization if it had this at it’s disposal?” John asked carefully.

"Worry of the past later. For now, I wonder, is that when we have creations birth itself here… how in bloody hell are the Dragons catching up?" Helix asked. "There are two possibilities and I like neither of them."

“Dragon’s were a genetic experiment by whatever ancient civilization as some weird thought experiment at making an apex predator on a planet filled with magical ore that can literally give people god-like powers?” Tanya asked. “Or as a guard for...whatever caused them to fall?”

“Dragon’s finally decided to use their ancient knowledge and use it for progress instead of lazing about because they actually see things are progressing a lot faster than their insane lifespan can handle?” John asked.

"No…" Helix said, a look of disappointment at the two. "Either Genetech has a mole leaking knowledge… or there's another All Maker Machine in the Dragonlands."

“Well that’s boring.” Tanya said honestly.

“Weird how either corporate espionage or another All Maker Machine is boring to you.” John said honestly.

“Would you say either of those thing’s are better than Dragon’s being an ancient genetic experiment to be apex predators that get stronger from eating literal god magic in obsidian form?” Tanya asked.

“...Good point.” John frowned. “But either way.” John started. “Let’s not get distracted by the fact that we literally have creation in machine form.”

"I have my concerns and you have yours." Helix said. "This is the Lifeblood of Genetech, the creation that made this company the corporate entity it is today. The only other creatures who know about this device are Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, the Founder and company owner, myself and the workers here at Laboratory Zero."

“This is...certainly a thing.” John said honestly.

“It’s a technological marvel that’s what it is.” Karax said as his awe at having creation itself at someone’s fingertips went away a bit.

"I'm informing you of this machine to make one thing clear. If this base, what it truly is, gets discovered and raided, I expect you to call forth these armies of yours to help defend it."

“It would have been technically better to have this thing not exist but either way.” Tanya stated.

"Even though this machine is what's keeping food on families tables, water for crops and thirst and the medicines healing the sick. You would let countless die when the secrets to saving all of them are standing before you?" Helix asked as she turned to Tanya. "How ignorant of you."

“There’s also an equal opportunity for it to do equally worse things, but right now we’re not here to get into the philosophical parts of building a literal god like machine.” John started. “Both of you would have good points, but we’re not here to argue about this.”

"Helix!" The group turned, seeing a pegasus in green army clothing fly up to them he stopped, giving a fast Salute to the mare. "Sudden activity outside of Appaloosa."

"What, more portals?" Helix asked.

"No ma'am. It's… a Ship."

"A ship?"

"That's what the scans show… powered… by Magicite."

"And it's not ours?"

"No, not Dragons either."

”You got a visual on it Isha?” Tanya asked up to the Leviathan in orbit.

”Yes, but it is not any design I have seen, it is also radiating a strange biomass signature even though it looks to be made of metal.” Isha explained to me and Zegara.

“And worse news, it’s also probably a living being.” Tanya brought up.

“That’s concerning if a pure magicite ship is giving off life signs.” John said carefully.

"Well, let's go greet these unknowns." Helix said.

The trip there was fast. The small pioneer town was rapidly evacuated and the ship itself was like stone in appearance. It shined with a green like color almost akin to amber in texture. Cautiously the group approached, Helix armed and armored. The others were surprised she came along.

Standing at a seemingly balcony like area of the ship was a tall, pitch black being with insectoid like features. His dark golden eyes gazing down at them from above. His 'hair' looked thin, like paper and was semi transparent. Atop his head also sprouted a long jagged horn and two paper thin wings were adorned from his back.

"The hell… that's a Changeling. The same kind Chrysalis is. He some kinda king?" Helix spoke aloud.

“Let’s not talk about that failure at the moment.” The strange changeling called back to Helix. "So, you must be the new hotshots thinking they know their way around Magicite hmm?"

"I'd say we've done well for starting from the ground up." Helix said, her tone matching the uncaring one of the Changeling above.

“A rather disappointing start if you ask me.” They shrugged. “But me telling you you suck at your job isn’t why I’m here, or why I didn’t slaughter this entire town waiting for you all to get here.”

"You insult like a foal." Helix said. "So let me guess… thirty guns are on us right?" That made the changeling raise a brow. "Half or more on your ship, the rest… cloaked. Drones, or something similar."

The changeling looked at Helix...and then started to laugh. “Oh my dear pony, you are hilarious if you think I’d need all that.” He shook his head. “No no, it’s a lot simpler than that,” He started...as he vanished from everyone’s views. “It’s just me and a random ship I grabbed.” He said as he appeared near everyone, which surprised Helix cause he didn’t use magic at all or even machinery that she could tell. “Cause if I wanted to really hurt the people in this town,” He said as he gave everyone a calm, calculating look. “I’d have done it already.”

"How cliche." Helix frowned.

“You are such a treat.” He said simply.

“Who are you?” Tanya asked carefully. “Cause...well Helix said you're a Changeling, but you’re not a changeling I’ve seen before.”

“Oh, where are my manners?” He said in mock shock. “I am Imago, the first born and greatest of my siblings.” He stated simply, which the ‘greatest’ part didn’t sound like any boast, more like a simple, proven fact.

“Alright...and what are you?” John asked.

“Whatever he is, he is exuding a massive quantity of magical and psionic energy.” Karax mentally told John.

"I am made in my God's image." He stated with a smilesmile. "Everything I am came from him."

“That technically didn’t answer my question.” John stated. “Gonna need to be a bit more specific there, rather than this weird ‘holier than thou’ explanation, which is both figuratively...and literally.” He said as he looked at the weird holes in the Changeling’s body.

"Oh, making jokes? Hm, would you like a demonstration?" He asked, the holes along his arm began to fill with a black and blue energy. The crackling raw energy trailed to the palm of his hands, and he raised it to the sky, and let it roar into the sky.

Alert! Critical damage sustained to ship hull! Total shield failure!

“What!?” Karax said in shock. “Get it down to the planet side now!” Karax ordered as they all saw the Spear of Adun, a massive mountain range sized gold and white ship start to descend towards the planet. “How...in the world did you manage to damage the Spear of Adun? It’s comprised of Solarite, something that’s...comparable to Magicite…”

We are helping the Spear of Adun land safely, as well as keep it from falling apart my Queen. Isha mentally told Tanya and Zegara, a massive space fairing beast, something that was only half the size of the Spear of Adun, was helping it land, massive tendrils keeping the entire ship together even as the massive hole in it was growing ever apparent.

"Oh you simple life form, you know the answer." Imago said with a grin. "My Master plans on picking up where he left off, and soon. This time there won't be any peskey traitors to worry about. Just their… heh, descendants."

“Yet...you sound like someone who would find it boring if you didn’t have some challenge.” Tanya started carefully.

"True, it would be boring to fight off such… devolved beings such as the races that inhabit this planet now. Time has not been kind to you, but perhaps time can also be your salvation." He hummed. "I will be back, and when I do we can play a little game. It will be interesting to see you struggle and fight. Til then, I have a sister to find."

“Sister?” John asked. “You mean this...Chrysalis lady Helix mentioned?”

"Yes. An unfortunately crippled member, but family is family." He shrugged.

"How long are you giving us?" Helix asked.

"Hmm… this planet's year."

“And how long is this planet’s year?” Tanya asked. “Cause we...kind of got here last week.”

"On Equis, a thousand days." Helix said. "We don't rotate around the sun anymore like normal planets, you can thank Discord for that. Celestia and Luna rotate the sun and moon around the planet. As a sorta memory of his milenia long rule, the new format for a year is a thousand days, broken up into forty, twenty-five day long months."

“Well...makes sense.” Tanya shrugged.

“A thousand days...that technically should be enough time to at least prepare somewhat…” John muttered.

"Ah, hmm… definitely changed from what it used to be. But I'll allow it." Imago shrugged. "Til then."

In the depths of an unnamed forest far on Equestria's eastern borders, set up in a poorly built camp sat who was once the queen of the Changelings. Chrysalis sighed, her small campfire began to flicker. She tossed in more of the branches, wishing there was one from her brood that stayed loyal to her. She never experienced a full blown rebellion, and such a rapid evolution. It might have even impressed her siblings, had her brood stayed loyal to her.

A snapped tree branch caught her attention. Raising her head up, she looked around, barely catching the shine of something in the bushes before it ran out. The tall, dark blue changeling looked to be the embodiment of a living set of blades.

“B-but...how?” Chrysalis asked in absolute shock. “I...I thought Dane…”

The dark blue changeling then rapidly tackled Chrysalis, who soon found herself in a tight yet gentle hug. "There's my baby sister!" The hugger declared with joy. "It's been too long! My Makers you got tall! And are looking a little thin, haven't you been getting enough energy?" She asked as she looked Chrysalis over.

Chrysalis, after what felt like an eternity, finally let tears fall from her eyes. “It’s...it’s been a trying year for me sister.” Chrysalis sniffled. “You know how it goes...my brood somehow evolved into not needing to absorb energy from other beings, able to produce it in mass quantities by themselves...and I was kicked out...abandoned to be by myself without much help from anyone…” She sighed out. “Even if those damnable ponies offered their ‘friendship’...when was the last time Friendship helped me? It almost got you all killed!” She cried as she hugged her older sister as tight as she could. “So...I’ve been better…” She sniffled softly to her bladed older sister.

"You can't trust the descendents of those traitors for anything." Walking from the trees stood a Changeling in very similar colors to Chrysalis, but towered a whole two feet over the Queen and was far 'healthier' body wise than Chrysalis. "My goodness you must be starving."

“Wouldn’t be the first time older sister.” Chrysalis sighed out. “But those changeling’s that rebelled were of my own Brood, cause even though I couldn’t handle Magicite I can still make a pretty strong army.” She said, then her stomach growled to add the fact she’s starving.

"Oh, come here." Larva said, hugging her younger sister and let raw energy flow into her. Chrysalis drank the energy without resistance. The flavor and power brought her back to simpler, happier times. In an instant the Queen grew out more, gaining a similar, if shorter frame akin to her older sister. "There we go, all full." Larva said with a smile.

“This feels so much better.” Chrysalis sighed out. “So...Pupa, Larva...while seeing you two here is everything I could ask for and more...why are you here?” Chrysalis asked. “I thought the Goliath War...I looked everywhere for you all...even Clutch for our Maker’s sake!” She shivered at the thought of having been so lost without her family that she looked for her most hated of all her brother’s and sisters.

"Our maker managed to pull us with him into the Void when the rebels set off that bomb. Unfortunately, it trapped us there. Only recently was the Veil between thin enough to force a portal back open." Pupa sighed. "But we were able to see through it."

"We watched, wishing we could have been there with you." Larva added.

"It's true!" Turning, the three spotted a smaller, male Changeling. Bright yellow eyes and wings as he flew around the three. "We saw it all! Imago was even impressed with how well you taught your broods stealth and infiltration!"

“I-Imago was impressed by what I’ve done!?” Chrysalis asked in absolute shock. “But...I thought...I thought he still saw me as a failure…”

"I saw you as a failure in your built purpose." Turning, Chrysalis saw her eldest sibling and brother, Imago, standing before her. "You were built to be just like Larva, yet you could not handle Magicite or it's energy. The result was weaker broods and therefore, weaker armies." He said, gazing down at the Queen. He then put a hand to her head. "But you never gave up. You put our natural Ability to shapeshift to work in a way I didn't expect. And when the traitors' descendants populated and ruled this planet, you made them your food source. A means of regaining power." He patted her head. "Your invasion of that city, Canterlot, was smart but definitely needed more refined planning. If you replaced more guards than guests and picked off those pesky mares one at a time, victory would have been yours. For a first attempt, not bad."

“What I should have done was put Twilight in a Cocoon, not right next to Cadence.” Chrysalis frowned. “Cause even with their guards, my Brood outnumbered them a hundred to one...but that’s all down the drain now that my Brood evolved into what they are now, able to produce their own vast source of Mana at a rate I’d place at...maybe a hair of Magicite considering they’ve gone two years without harvesting a single ounce of energy from anyone or anything.”

"An impressive mutation." Chrysalis felt her chitin crawl at the younger voice. Glancing over, she saw the slightly shorter, purple eyes and winged changeling in what appeared to be a lab coat standing with… the head of one of her traitorous brood in hand. The name of that one escaped her, and a small twist of anger and even sorrow hit the Queen. She hated her brood for effectively leaving her for dead, but not even they deserved what twisted torment her younger sister Clutch was capable of. "It would appear you aren't entirely useless after all."

"That is enough Clutch." Imago stated. "This is a reunion, not an evaluation."

“And even with Magicite enhancing you I’m still your physical superior.” Chrysalis growled. “But...did the Veil break when those strange being’s started appearing from those Void Portals? Saying something about ‘reviving Amon’ or the like?”

"Around that time, yes." Imago stated. "They've been scratching and clawing at it for what felt like eons in that damnable dimension. Mindless good for nothing abominations. At least they did manage to break it, letting us return."

“I’m surprised Discord’s even allowed that bit.” Chrysalis snorted. “He’s been out for five years now, and even though he’s not as ancient as us he’s still powerful enough to keep the Veil from breaking like this, even if Magicite had something to do with it.” As she brought that up, a small little pop of confetti and a note appeared in her hands, simply saying in Discord’s own strange handwriting ‘Cause I was bored and owed a favor’. “Yeah cause of course he’d be bored…” She growled.

"This reality warper is concerning…"

"Many interesting life forms have evolved." Clutch purred. "I'd like some samples as soon as possible. Especially, one of these… Alicorns. They interest me greatly."

“Don’t touch my brood again, Clutch.” Chrysalis growled. “I don’t care if they're traitors, and left me to die...they are still my children, and I don’t want your sick twisted hands getting to them again.” She growled, the ground lightly trembling from her fury.

“You’ve grown strong these past millenia, even without magicite.” Chrysalis turned around and saw her last sibling, the physically biggest and bulkiest of the group, a ‘grand sumo wrestler’ Chrysalis would have put it considering ancient martial arts that have been going strong. “I remember when you couldn’t even break one of my simple metals, but now I can tell you can break it with ease.” The greenish black chitin changeling said.

“It’s nice to see you're still as well fed as ever, Maggot.” Chrysalis nodded to her brother. “Sumo wrestling has come a long way since you originally developed it.”

“Gotta keep it up for making all our gear.” He laughed jovially as he hit his large, muscle bound stomach. “And I managed to take a glance when we weren’t watching you, a Rikishi able to use their bare hands to turn coal into diamonds, without the need of magic or Magicite? Amazing!”

"Regardless, these… upstarts, have begun to redevelop the technology their ancestors so arrogantly let their descendants forget." Imago stated. "Weapons wise they're not too far off, but they already have a Creation Generator. Soon enough they'll learn how to build Magicite. We have a year, now a thousand days, to prepare for whatever they make up as defense, counter offence, and attack."

"What are you planning?" Clutch asked.

"Study, for now. We've seen much through the veil but not all. We best study all we can about this planet. Update old notes and catalog any… species of value or interest. Thankfully not every race on this rock devolved from those traitors…"

“And what about the Goliaths?” Chrysalis asked. “From what little intel I’ve managed to gather, they’ve been trying to dig up at least one of the old bases, I don’t know which one it is but it could house any one of them.”

“Let’s not forget the Dragons.” Maggot brought up. “They finally started investing in Magicite...I don’t know how far they’ve gotten, brother, but you know how troublesome those ancient bastards can be.”

"True. I doubt they built it without stumbling upon an old supply cache." Imago brought up.

"They most likely did. Still, for now we study. Wars are won by well armed soldiers and well informed generals. Arms and fodder we have in spades, but intelligence is where we must work on for the time being."

“Not to mention our new...guests.” Chrysalis added. “What are they? I’ve never seen either of those races before, if ever briefly from my quick scouting from Ponyville.”

"Upstarts." Clutch laughed. "One speaks of swarms while the other speaks of biomass and evolution. They are children dabbling with sciences neither have the mental faculties to ever Truly understand."

"Never the less they seem to know the void beasts so… perhaps they are noteworthy at minimum." Imago stated. "Tell me sister, how good have you become at stealth and Infiltration?"

“So much so I was able to create copies of each of the Element Bearer’s and nearly destroy their precious Tree of Harmony, a Magicite Construct that’s the pinnacle of the Equin’s so called ‘Magic of Friendship’.” She stated simply. “Without a single one of them knowing I even existed...sadly that backfired royally because I didn’t think their own negative emotions would have destroyed themselves completely before it shattered the tree.”

“And these Elements?” Maggot asked.

“Six heavily enchanted Artifacts made from the purest Magicite I’ve ever seen in millenia, able to use the six key components of this worlds life, Honesty, Loyalty, Laughter, Generosity, Kindness, and Magic itself.” Chrysalis answered readily. “Sounds cliche as shit I know, but they have managed to take down many foes like Discord, that reality warper, and Tirek, an ancient Centaur that’s able to absorb any form of Magic, even Discord’s.”

"Hmm… six you say? Hmm… Clutch, gather this… Tirek and… examine him. His Ability could prove useful." Imago started.

"Gladly." Clutch smiled with a sadistic glee.

"As for these… Elements… well, tell me brothers, sisters, what six traitors could have built such a construct?"

The siblings all seemed to mull that over, then Larva spoke up. "The old R&D team?"

"Correct. The first six to turn traitors, and the six smartest scientists our species birthed. Save Father."

"They can't be alive after all this time…" Pupa stated.

"Chrysalis is. While not created to live so long, our Father accomplished his godhood through Void. They likely discovered an alternative method."

"Then where are they?" Nat asked.

“There’s...only six I know of.” Chrysalis brought up. “The Six Pillars of Equestria, but they were lost to Limbo from what the legends say trying to bring down a Void Touched Unicorn centuries ago.” She brought up.

“A being here became Void Touched and we didn’t notice?” Maggot asked in surprise.

“I don’t know the hard details, I was still trying to get some spies into the Dragon Lands at the time and it...still never worked cause their senses could even beat our shapeshifting, something that should have been perfect in everyway.”

"Hmm… it appears this planet has grown quite interesting in the time since we were here last. For now, come along Chrysalis." Imago stated as he held out a hand to his sister. "Father has eagerly been awaiting your return as much as us."

"Not me." Clutch said, earling a kick to her shin by Pupa. "Ouch!"

"Quiet you…" Pupa huffed.

“Father...wants to see me?” Chrysalis asked. “This...am I dreaming brother?” Chrysalis asked Imago carefully.

"No, sister. We are the last true Changelings. We are family. Never again will we leave one another behind. Even Clutch."

"Bite me!" Clutch huffed.

Chrysalis’s tears came back in full force, her first genuine, truly happy smile in what feels like an eternity, gracing her face as she nodded. “Thank you…” She said, feeling honest, genuine love after so long it made her heart flutter in glee.

The group, minus Clutch, gave their sister a hug, and went off.

The cavernous chamber where her father resided within the primary ship always filled the siblings with unease. Still, Chrysalis entered the chamber of her creation. Before her, towering just above her was an elderly looking Changeling. His body cracked as a dark energy bled out. The changeling had no wings, and their eyes were sunken in so deep, it was like looking into the face of mummified remains. Chrysalis gulped as she stared at her father.

"Chrysalis…" The old, worn and tired voice spoke. "Come here… let me get a good look at you."

“I...I’m here father.” She said, swiftly moving to her father’s side, knowing he didn’t like to wait. “How...are you feeling father?”

"Old." He laughed. It unnerved Chrysalis. "Even Void has its limits to keep a body alive. The time has come, my daughter." He said, pulling a file onto the table. The text, in a language Chrysalis hasn't read in years, said her name. "You haven't forgotten our language, have you?"

“I have not father.” She answered, having wanted to make a joke but the current situation having made her push it back hard. “I remember our language as fresh as the day I was taught it.” She said as she gently took her file from the table and opened it.

As Chrysalis read over the pages l, most of this was all information she already knew, but as she went on the text began to confuse her. This can't be right… she thought. If this is correct then...

“Um...father, I’m having a little trouble… understanding what you mean here.” She said carefully. “It says I wasn’t created to hold in Magicite like my siblings...but hold in Void?”

"You are correct." He answered. "Tell me, Chrysalis. What do you believe Void energy is?"

“An ancient...corruptive power.” She started. “Even if it’s a power that I have only seen three times, today being the third with the strange liquid coming out of you...it has always felt...off, wrong...in two different ways.” She shook her head. “The first being it wanting to consume me, turning me into something I’m not in some corruptive cascade...but the other...it feels like a cold hand is whispering power unlike any I could ever dream of, total control over a reality outside my comprehension...and both are terrifying…” She shivered. “Like if I’m staring between Clutch and an Angry Imago…”

The analogy gained another laugh from her father. "All true, but, Void is older than creation. It existed long before the big bang and will even outlive creation itself. Now tell me, what is the veil between the realm of creation and The Void?"

“It’s...hard to explain given there’s an explanation for each new race on this world father.” She said carefully. “But it all culminates into either a form of energy that existed along with Void, or some creature made construct that keeps the corruption of Void from touching that of Creation, each planet housing something akin to it in their own special way as the stars between act as a sort of lighthouse system.” She explained, which even though she knew about space travel the minds that brought these theories up weren’t technically incorrect with how it all fell together.

"Wrong." He said. "The Veil was born along with creation. A primal force that eats away at the Void and grows creation within it. But even so, the Veil of creation is no different than the cloth of a wedding veil. There are holes where the void slips through. This void, cut off from it's primal home begins to get battered and beaten by the forces of creation at work. And so like the wolf, bread into submissive dogs this void was reshaped into what we know as Magicite."

That surprised Chrysalis greatly to hear the origin of Magicite. “I thought Magicite was created due to extreme bouts of heat and pressure from Volcano’s combined with the intricate LeyLine system of Equis.” She brought up. “It’s why it’s comparable to Obsidian Glass, the only other substance made by such a reaction?”

"If that was true then our race would have never charted the stars to mine the material. No, Magicite is an incorruptible, stable variation of the primal void. Even watered down so much it's mutated me." Her father said, a finger tracing the cracks along his body. "In the end pure, primal voided will corrupt or kill anything… anything, but you." He looked Chrysalis into the eyes. "I built you to process and digest raw Void into Pure Magicite. What the universe does to void over the eons you can do in mere minutes. It's why you can't use Magicite energy. It's too weak for you."

Chrysalis didn’t know what to say at this sudden, and extremely vast explanation. “I...I can...Father, do you have any idea what this means?” She asked. “It means I can save you from this poison, with the help from everyone else...we can stop this corruption, stop you from dying…” Tears flooded her eyes even though her Father in his current state was something that kept filling her with unknown dread. “Please...I just got my family back…”

"And you will." He said, placing a hand to hers. "With your help, our family can be rebirthed into a stronger, better form. Our species left our Homeworld because we used up all the Magicite, our power and might was dependent on it. Then we came to this blasted rock, and so many craved an end to the traveling. So much so they rebelled. I escaped with your siblings into the void so your true purpose could be fulfilled… but you were left behind. While in the void, your siblings hibernated, but I remained awake and listened to the darkness. One day, this creation all around us will too end, but with you, my daughter, we can survive it's end and become true God's, not even the primal void could harm us."

“So...let me get this straight…” She started carefully. “This whole rebellion...it was because our race...was homesick?”

"Not quite the right word. More like, wanted to settle down roots. By the time we arrived at this planet, this was the thousandth or so generation. Selective mutations allowed us our shapeshifting to adapt to any planet we landed upon, but we never planned on permanent colonization. Our Homeworld has been gone too long and the raw Magicite that made it was unrivalled, it wasn't just our power source it was our food source. Even back then we fed off energy. This planet was our first encounter with Mana. Not as potent as Magicite but powerful still and self sustaining. Many saw it as a sign to finally settle roots. They could create bodies that could consume the Mana but also the extra nutrients from food and water like other organics. Thus, Ponies, Griffons, and many others came into existence. Our rulers at the time, myself included, knew it wouldn't last, and such a radical mass mophs meant that in so few generations, Changelings would be an extinct species. They… we wouldn't allow it. We didn't survive this long just to die quietly to time Chrysalis."

“Then why...all of this?” She asked sadly. “We Changeling’s could have lived for a long time...my own brood even evolved to produce their own Mana...I...I don’t understand…” She said sadly, getting the fully story now making less sense than what she originally had thought, that the rebels were against them on some other bases like Pure Void...not a fear of extinction...

Her father sighed, taking his free hand to the table where a device laid. He tapped it and on a projected screen scrolled by the faces of sommany aliens. None of which Chrysalis knew. "Since our race became star bound, we have encountered and cataloged over sixteen trillion different species of sentient life. Of those sixteen trillion, over fourteen trillion… are now extinct. The only proof left in the universe they existed is the data and relics our species kept on them. Do you know what it's like, my daughter, to watch something with such amazing culture and potential die and time treat it as if they never existed?"

Her eyes widened. “Gods…” She muttered to herself. “But...there has to be a way to bring them back right? Us changeling’s can become genetically identical to any of those races and...with me and Larva…” She started, only just realizing that she could quite literally bring an entire species back from extinction with their shape shifting abilities. “Oh wow...I...that just hit me out of nowhere…”

"Exactly. For too long our species has been surviving and watching so many others die off to the cruelty's of time. With your power and Larva and your Abilities to produce broods in mass, Clutches understanding of genetics, Nat's ability to endlessly clone, Maggot's ability to produce endless construction material, Pupa's self regenerating and enchantments, and Imago's pure Changeling DNA, we can rebirth not just the lost races, but the universe itself. The void is a patent entity, but I won't let it get us in the end in any way, shape or form."

Chrysalis put a hand to her head, the sheer scope of this all bearing down on her mind. “So...why must we fight the other races again? If...all of this is for self preservation and many other things...I know I’m an enemy of Equestria because I tried to take over because my thoughts were...still on how we were wronged by the other’s, how we were fought against because you summoned Pure Void...and other things in my growing madness of loneliness…” She explained. “Why fight again when...I now know the truth?”

"Because to succeed we must have something they possess and treasure." He tapped the device again, this time it displayed the Canterlot glass artistry of the Elements of Harmony. "With this, this Mana, a viable lifeblood of not just this planet but creation itself, we can do exactly that Chrysalis. Bring back all the races that were lost. The Ponies that guard it will fight tooth and nail to protect it. They are naturally untrusting of the unknown. We will fight them but we can not kill them. Distant as they are, they are still descendants of the last generation of true Changelings." He tapped the device again. Images of the Canterlot Wedding invasion and the invasion of Ponyville and other settlements displayed. "Your Cocoons, perfect to protect them. Let them hibernate. When they awake they will find the universe so much more vibrant with life than they could have ever imagined."

“And...what of these new beings? Imago mentioned there’s two leaders of two different races we never saw before and two other’s inhabiting their bodies.” Chrysalis asked curiously.

"An unknown I admit. We must learn about them, if they are like us, the last of their kind, then maybe they can sympathize with us. Until then, we will learn and watch from afar, as we used to, and this 'war' will be finished without a drop of sentient blood spilled."

“Tell that to Clutch.” Chrysalis growled. “I admit her knowledge on Genetic’s is second only to you father...but the only one I think out of our entire family that will try to cause as much bloodshed as possible is her.”

"Every family has one in them that often times seems to… be difficult to understand, or to relate to. Cruel as she might be, Clutch does have her moments."

“Now was that before or after I woke up to her trying to dissect me in my sleep?” Chrysalis asked as she gently put a hand on her large father’s one hand. “Now...how can I help you?”

He took a deep breath, the table next to them opening as a small vial, no larger than a cotton swap, pulsated with primal, vile Void energy. "Take this vial, and Ingest the energy. Let your body do what it was built to. If my calculations are correct, this will let you produce a ten pound Magicite ore and the excess energy will filter out into all you need to take my being, my soul, and rebirth me in a new, stable body. One like yours that can handle both void and other energies. It's how your Brood evolved. This, Harmony, it's almost the exact opposite of Void. It's why they evolved how they did."

“It’s...why they're producing Magicite levels of energy as well.” Chrysalis said in realization. “I...I get it now…” She muttered as she took the vial and opened it. “This is gonna suck...but...for my family.” She said as she downed the vial of Void Energy.

It burned like fire down her throat and down to her stomach. Coughing, Chrysalis felt the heat give way to a chill unlike any she had ever felt.

Suddenly, the heat and cold both hit, like an explosion within a blizzard the two forces clashed for dominance. Soon the holes along her arms swirled with raw Magicite energy, flowing along her arms and to her palms where the energy collected, soon forming a physical mass in her grasp. As the mass of Magicite ore grew the heat and cold began to die down until they were gone and held in her hands was the raw Magicite ore. Still, even after all that, Chrysalis felt her body pulsating with excess energy. Mana, Emotion, Life Force, Necromantic, it was as if her body held within it a miniature Universe in its infancy.

“This...this power…” She muttered as she felt her own power. “This...it’s incredible…”

"Your true purpose, my-" Her father started, interrupted by a hacking cough and left him spitting black bile and blood. "Quickly, before my body gives out." He muttered as his coughing returned.

Chrysalid grabbed onto her father, her jagged horn starting to glow with power as she tried to siphon out the Void that’s been killing her father. “I will not let you die, father, not on my watch.” She growled as she used her new powers to save her father.

She felt the void bile within her father like a parasite. Keeping his aged form alive yet slowly poisoning him. At this state, even with it removed, he'd perish. She then remembered… rebirth.

Pouring all the energies out at once, Chrysalis's father's body began to absorb into her. She put all her father's mass and soul, everything that was him save the vile Void into a new body, and screamed as she laid a single egg. The void from her father made a small pebble of Magicite, but that was an afterthought.

She stared at the egg in her hands for what felt like hours before it shook and cracked. Hatching in an Explosion of slime was a single Changeling grub… a Pure, Changeling Grub. Soon, quicker than any she had ever seen, it cocooned itself, and within a few short minutes, cracked open as a youngling Changeling fell out.

They coughed and took deep breaths. He looked like a young Imago… no, he looked like a young, adolescent version of her Father. "You did it." He laughed. "I'm… surprisingly young." He said, looking his new body over. "Not arguing, but still a surprise…"

Chrysalis picked up and hugged her father tightly. “Your back!” She cheered, jumping up and down in pure joy like a young grub again.

"Getting dizzy…" He yelped.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” The changeling queen said quickly as she put him down. “You okay dad?”

"I'm good, though, I do wonder if this rebirth means I should call you mother?" That made Chrysalis blush a bit. "Heh, come. In time I will regain my adult size and the only thing telling me apart from Imago then will be clothes. Til then I imagine this will be a… humbling, revolution for Clutch?"

“It’ll be amazing.” Chrysalis said happily, ready and willing to rub her new found powers into Clutch’s smug prick face. “I can’t wait to see everyone’s faces when they see you.”

"I imagine Larva and Pupa will have a similar reaction to yours." He laughed.

“It’ll be fantastic.” Chrysalis laughed, even though she learned some stuff that broke down her entire world view...the door opening to the light of her family, with her father by her side...made her feel whole for the first time in generations.

To be continued...

Revelations and Step's Forward

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"So...we've got a massive problem…" Tina said carefully.

"You think?" John asked, seeing the wreckage of the Spear of Adun. While the Leviathan helped keep the behemoth of a Protoss Ship from getting more damaged, it was significant enough to keep it out of the sky for a while.

“It’s quite fascinating design wise.” Helix said as she took some photos of the ship and damage. “How does it get airborne?”

“A mixture of many different technologies and psionics.” Karax answered. “Anti-Gravity field’s that link up in such a way it covers the entirety of the Spear of Adun, Pisonic Propulsion Systems that use Solarite and the power of a Star to keep it constantly going, and many other wondrous things from our Precursors.”

“I see. So is the power of a star harvested from the existing ones in the universe or does it come from a star within a generator?”

“The Spear of Adun creates its own Sun through Solarite and powerful Psionics.” Karax answered. “It’s actually quite fascinating how our ancestors create not one but three of these magnificent ships.”

“Hmm… Interesting. That gives me some ideas…” She said, quickly pulling out a notepad and in a matter of a minute filling out each page from front to back in math and hand drawn diagrams. “Send this to R&D.” She said to a worker who, with a nod, took the notepad and ran back into the HQ.

“So about how some random ass Changeling was able to blow a hole in the Spear of Adun with ease?” Tina asked carefully. “Also…was that supposed to look like a Changeling?”

“It does resemble Changelings, but something was different. He was closer to Chrysalis in looks, and aside from her Drones I’ve never seen a male Changeling before.” Helix said.

“That’s strange.” John said carefully. “So, we have a brand new threat that managed to damage the Spear of Adun a lot…but what I find weird is the…the spot where he hit it, and the lack of casualties.”

“An attack with massive damages and no casualties means he was sending a message.” Helix frowned.

“That we’re not worth the time to kill or that killing is somehow beneath him and his ‘holier than thou’ attitude?” Tina asked.

“I’m willing to bet he just has plans he considers more important than us. After all, he did say Queen Chrysalis was his family. He also called her Crippled… Which is concerning.”

“But one thing that was certain, he isn’t working with the Void.” Zegara pointed out. “I have personally felt the Void, and he didn’t have a single ounce of it in his power or his ship.”

“Hmm… Well, how long will your ship take to repair?”

“It should take…about three days to get it all fixed and get a full diagnostic on if any other systems were damaged.” Karax answered. “It’s not the worst damage the Spear of Adun has taken, but it’s still enough damage to cause concern.”

“Mind if I add a few upgrades?”

“What kind of upgrades?” Karax inquired, intrigued at what possible thing’s Helix had in mind to help the Spear of Adun.

Helix snapped her fingers, a worker ran up with a few blueprints in hand. “Some weapons, shields and a few other ideas I want to try out.”

“We’d have to check to see if you're technology is even compatible first.” Karax said. “And then see how your upgrades are to our normal systems…” Karax thought, bringing up a screen with one of his spare robot arms and looking over the Spear’s systems and thinking over a lot of possibilities with it all.

Karax was surprised how readily adaptable all of Helix’s additions were. A few minor changes or alterations and they can be safely installed without issue.

As the repairs went underway and upgrades began, the group spent most of the following days training technically and even medicine.

"I have to ask, are you just part of your species or are you both the last?" Helix asked.

“What do you mean?” Tina inquired.

"Well, do you two have a homeworld with others of your kind or not?"

“Well…” Tina started. “Me and John do have a home world but…it’s probably destroyed.” Tina said carefully.

“People went absolutely apeshit over a supposed ‘end of the world’ thing and…well personally made it happen.” John added.

"I see… and, the other two?" Helix asked.

“My home world is Aiur, a beautiful planet in the Kaprulu Sector that has survived…many tragedies.” Karax said honestly.

“The Zerg haven’t had a home world in ages, but the Zerg originated on a Planet named Zerus, where the Primal Zerg still live.” Zegara answered.

"Interesting. And where are they located?" Helix questioned.

“Aiur is in the Kaprulu Sector in the Milky Way Galaxy, many many light years away.” Karax answered.

“And Zerus is in the Central Cluster of the Galaxy.” Zegara answered.

“And since we might as well add, our planet is called Earth.” Tina added in, forgetting to give their planet's name. “And where is Earth? It’s in the aptly named ‘Sol System’, because our people were unimaginative and just said ‘it’s a system around the Sun, let’s go with that’.”

"Hm." Helix thought to herself as she began to make herself some coffee. "And tell me, are your species the only intelligent beings from your respective worlds or are/were there others?"

“Well, there are…two other races, one that was just created and the other that are beyond ancient.” Karax started. “The Hybrid, and the Xel’Naga.”

“The Xel’Naga are the perfect culmination of both Purity of Form and Purity of Essence.” Zegara answered.

“And by ‘perfect’, she means a god like people that looks like if Cthulhu had a child with a blob fish.” Tina mentioned.

“He was tortured by Amon, a tratiorous Xel’Naga that slaughtered his kin to stop the cycle.” Zegara hissed.

“Doesn’t stop it from looking like an eldritch horror mixed with a blob fish.” Tina said.

“She sadly has a point.” John sighed out. “Now the Hybrid…those were an abomination, a terrible fusion between Protoss and Zerg that had all the benefits of both, and weirdly none of the draw backs.”

“It should have been impossible, as Protoss are a race that is the Purity of Form, and the Zerg are the Purity of Essence, but Amon, an old and thankfully dead Adversary of ours, managed to use beyond advanced Bioengineering to fuse both together…” Karax shivered. “It was…horrible to say the least.”

“But they were all controlled by someone that wanted to slaughter the entirety of the known Galaxy just because he was tired of the ‘Infinite Cycle’.” Tina mentioned.

"Infinite Cycle?" Helix questioned as she took a sip from her freshly made coffee.

“The Xel’Naga weren’t immortal beings, even though they were born from the Void.” Karax started. “This is only a second hand account due to my Hierarch having personally witnessed it all, but the Infinite Cycle is a way for the Xel’Naga to…have new generations of their race.” Karax said.

“The Xel-Naga show up to a new universe or sector or what have you, sow it with life because they’re reality warpers that way, then look for two specific individuals with the Purity of Form, which is a race with the potential for incredible Psionic Powers, like the Protoss for instance, and Purity of Essence, a race that is capable of great changes in their species, like the Zerg.” Tina explained. “It was a whole thing where the Xel’Naga hand pick two from each special race, fused them together and imbued them with their own Essence to create brand new Xel’Naga.”

“But Amon, a Xel’Naga that was chosen and then grew bitter with becoming a godlike being having lost his family and friends in the process, decided ‘fuck it, let’s just force the fusion of both Purity’s and start my own cycle cause this is corrupt and bullshit’, and then killed all but 1 other Xel’Naga in two different campaign’s to rule the universe and cover it in Void.”

"Hmm. Interesting. The only reality warper I know of is Discord but his magic isn't the same as those creatures that attacked. More like his abilities exist solely to break the laws of reality whatever they may be."

“Fair enough.” John nodded. “So, why do you want to know about this little history lesson? Just to chit chat while the construction is underway or something else?”

"Personal curiosity, and potential rest stops." Helix stated as she took another drink of her coffee.

“Fair enough.” Karax nodded. “So we might as well ask, when did Genetech start?”

"About seven years ago. Though, that's what's on official paper."

“Then how long has Genetech been…officially around messing with Magicite?” John inquired.

"Officially, seven years. Unofficially. Not sure. You'd have to ask the Founder that question."

“Fair enough.” John nodded. “I suppose we’d also have to ask the founder why Genetech has been messing around with Magicite so much to do all of…this?”

"Simple. We need to survive." Helix stated matter of factly as she finished off her drink. "Tell me, how old is your species? Both of yours?"

“We Protoss are the ‘First Born’ of the Xel’Naga’s Cycle.” Karax answered

“And the Primal Zerg were around when the first Protoss were formed, giving the Primal Zerg the Purity of Essence.” Zegara answered.

“So about the start of the Kaprulu Sector, so pretty ancient.” Tina answered simply.

"Care to give a number to that for those who don't know alien history?" Helix asked with a blank look at the two.

"Maybe about...a couple hundred thousand...no, probably millions of years." John said.

"Now tell me, if your species did not chart for the stars, do you believe you'd all still exist as a race? Or would you be extinct?"

"We do." Zegara said. "The Zerg were ripped from our homeworld but the Primal Zerg still live on."

"We would have had an advanced civilization beyond what Terrans would have even without space travel." Karax answered. "Although I would shudder to not know the wonders of space travel...and the horrors there in."

"Humans have lived thousands of years without space travel so...there's that." Tina answered.

"And yet, the forces you can't control are the ones to end the lineage." Helix stated, looking into her empty cup. "Did you know when you two arrived and we detected your ships in orbit, we had all thirty four of our prototype orbital Cannons targeting them? Why, you ask. Simple. We're not dumb enough to believe everything out there is peaceful. I'm happy everything did not end badly, but that Changeling and these monsters confirm my beliefs that to survive, we can't always be peaceful, and we have to be ready to 'abandon ship' as it were."

"Speak softly, and carry a big stick." John said. "A quote from a very important individual back on earth."

"Also the guy that made it illegal to box your political rivals for not liking your decision." Tina chuckled.

"In the end, one day Equis may not be here but it's people will live on. Either cross bred into a new species or as we are scattered throughout the stars. Princess Luna is intrigued but skeptical. Princess Twilight is rather eager to work on these new developments, and Princess Cadence is rather neutral. She won't fight the changes but she believes holding true to the past is also valuable, and to that I can't argue. Princess Celestia on the other hand…"

"Doesn't want to move forward in fear it might ruin what's going on right now?" John asked.

"Not exactly. She will do anything for her subjects, and the other races. She has gone by many names over the span of her seemingly immortal life. The Goddess of the Sun. The Embodiment of Mercy. The Sun's Wrath. And, most common, A Loving Mother. Princess Celestia has a huge mother hen complex. She views all her subjects as her children, hence her nickname for us all being 'her little ponies'. I believe she more fears the idea that what we are doing now means that, as a race, we're ready to leave the nest and have outgrown our 'mother' as it were. She does Truly believe in what we are doing but she's too soft. She ordered all the dead monsters from the battle, after our examinations, cremated and placed to rest in a newly built crypt. She mourns for her own and her enemies."

"Jeez…" Tina said carefully.

"Talk about a heart of gold." John commented.

"Yes. It's why I need to ensure Princess Celestia is pushed into full cooperation. After her, Luna will no longer have her own conflicts. Simply put, help us reach the stars and I can ensure you both will be at the center of our greatest venture in business and expansion yet." Helix said with a small smile as she looked into the empty cup in her hands.

"So why is it your business is called Genetech when we've mostly seen machinery?" Tina inquired. "Cause while the tech side is fantastic for the Protoss, and possibly Terrans if they decide to venture out here, what's in it for the Zerg?"

Helix reached into her pocket, pulling out a small vial of what looked like Biomass, but seemed to give off a far more potent appearance. "It took a few tries, but our Creation Machine was even able to engineer this. Perfectly pure biomass based slightly on the samples we took from your stock. And it's perfectly programmable. It can do anything from rebuild a lost limb, replace a damaged organ by changing into said organ, create or mutate a brand new body. And, if done right, create fresh food, drinks and even terraform a planet." She handed it to the Zerg. "A sample of a promising future."

Zegara gently took it, her mandibles twitching in excitement as she saw this pure, potent biomass in her grasp. “Incredible…”

"Now then, in exchange for all these wonders, I ask you both to help me with a little project that will ensure the corporation of all, or at least three of the Princesses."

“And what’s that?” John asked carefully. “Cause honestly just from helping the Changelings and protecting Ponyville, I think they all trust us enough.”

"They trust you, but Celestia at least doesn't fully trust Genetech. Which is why I need to prove that we can keep the population safe. Ponies, Griffons, Zebra, all the intelligent races she worried over like a panicked mother." Helix said as she placed her cup on the table and looked up at the two. "We are going to revive the dead."

“That’s not how shit works.” Tina answered bluntly. “Right?”

Helix, simply smiled.

Clutch was reasonably annoyed. Her failure of a sister ended up being the diamond in the rough they needed to fully complete their mission. Revive the lost races, and continue onwards into the cosmos.

"Honestly, Clutch. Your anger has always been your worst trait." Her father, maker, his body now about her size, that in a young changeling imp stood before her as she gave him a physical.

"Am I not allowed to be annoyed father?" Clutch asked carefully. "It's not like Chrysalis, we all deemed to be a failure for her purpose, magically finding out her true purpose and showing us all up like that? Bringing you back from the brink when I…" Clutch trailed off with a growl.

"You were all built with a purpose in mind, Clutch. From the moment I pulled out the samples of myself I remolded and mapped to become the bodies you now have, you all had a specific purpose in mind. Imago, the height and peak of Changeling potential and biology. Maggot, able to consume any matter no matter how toxic and convert it into any usable materials. Larva, built to be the ideal brood mother capable of laying and conceiving hundreds of thousands. Mite, able to multiply himself indefinitely and share a single mind with each self he makes. Pupa, the perfect living weapon not only capable of instantaneous evolution as needed but her speed alone makes her nearly invisible to the naked eye. And then, you, Clutch. Your intelligence and skills at all the fields of science, mathematics, engineering, biology; can you not see what I created all of you for?"

"To bring back all life we've seen before." Clutch answered.

"And, to create life new." Her father added. "Tell me, is the universe Finite?"

"No." Clutch shook her head. "It's ever expanding since the big bang."

"And some day the far off stars we see will fade and go away, leaving only clusters of galaxies present inside an endless void, waiting for them too to die and reclaim what the big bang stole. Like I told Chrysalis, the Void is a patient entity. But I refuse to let Life and existence just go quietly into the night." Her father said with almost a growl.

“Why must we protect those that sent us to the Void to begin with?” Clutch asked, still not understanding the sudden shift from dominating their enemies like before and now to protecting the traitors.

"Would you kill a child for the crimes of their parents?"

“I’ve killed and dissected for less.” Clutch rolled their eyes. “But so far, everything about you is in perfect health Father.”

"That is excellent to hear." Her father said, redressing back into his robes, refitted for his size. "Clutch. Tell me, do you remember Trival 9?"

Clutch was caught off guard by question. Trival 9 was a world full or organic life but only plant based life. No beastial or intelligent life existed there. She had released many of her early experiments there to study the effects of their new environment and their adaptability.

“Yes father, I do remember it.” She nodded. “It’s where I let my early experiments run free.”

He nodded, grabbing his tablet and searching through it. "When we re-entered here from the void, all our old scouting and recon satellites resynchronized and submitted their data over the last few million years." He chuckled, turning the tablet to Clutch who looked and was surprised. She recognized these creatures. She called them Kerophina, a mix of nine different races she made into one. They were strong and rather resilient to hot and cold weather. These ones were slightly different. They wore hides from another experiment race she made, and carried primitive tools, mainly clay pots and bone knives. "They evolved into a dominant life form."

“Wow…” She blinked in awe. “I…didn’t think they would last that long…also a million years and only primitive tools?”

"This photo is actually from several thousand years after we were banished." He sighed, swiping to the next photo. "This, is Trival 9 now."

What Clutch saw wasn't Trival 9. It was the ruins of a once primitive empire on the verge of a technological revolution. The buildings of steel stood tall and rusting as the once paved roads were cracked and decaying. Proud monuments now decayed husks of a promising people all caked in long aged scorches and ash.

“The fuck happened!?” Clutch asked in shock.

"Asteroid." Her father said, the next to display was a video of a small moon sized rock shooting right at Trival 9, the impact sending flames, dirt, ash and fire in all directions that soon swallowed the planet in heat and fire. "No life survived." He sighed before he put the tablet down.

Clutch felt something different. She felt… pain. Pain in her chest. She felt… sad?

“What…what is this feeling?” Clutch asked carefully, putting a hand to her chest.

"Loss, my daughter." Father said as he hugged Clutch. "With great intelligence often times comes a lack of sympathy for others, or even emotions. They might have not been birthed by you, but the people who lived and existed on Trival 9 were your children regardless of how their race came to exist." He continued as he looked Clutch in the eyes. "I created you because you alone can take all the life that has occurred naturally in this universe and combine them together into brand new species. Species that can become something far greater than you ever expected."

“I…” Clutch started, trying to find the words to express her feelings. “I…I don’t know what to say Father…”

"This, Clutch, is why you exist. For my plans, our goal to work, all of you, my children, must work together."

“And what about our new visitors?” She asked carefully. “They’re about to throw a massive wrench in all our plans if they figure out how to integrate Magicite with their technology and Biomass…”

"Compared to us, they are children playing with fire. In the end, they are not our true enemy. In time they will be on our side. For now, do not fret about them. I have a bigger assignment for you to handle right now, however." Her father started, picking up his tablet again and going through the files. "Tell me Clutch. Do you know what I was working on before the rebellion?"

“A lot of things.” She answered. “But one always seemed out of reach for me to figure out, something about your Void research.”

"Specifically, how a singularity formed within the Void. The void is primarily energy, so, tell me Clutch. How does a singularity form in a matterless existence with no gravity?"

“It…must mean there was something already there?” She asked carefully. “Cause you can’t make something out of nothing, that’s not how the laws of reality work, even with our ‘God Machines’ as the Ponies call them.” Clutch said carefully.

"And yet, all my research, and all my theories lead to the same conclusion." Father said, looking up into the ceiling. "The Void only houses what falls into it, twisting and corrupting them into monstrosities. To have a singularity that just so happens that as a byproduct of it's expansion of consuming Void space and energy to make mass, life and Magicite… there are Gods. True, all powerful beings capable of creating matter and existence from the emptiness of The Void. Even if you were to theorize that the singularities come from decaying Black Holes that in itself implies am existence and universe before ours and if you state black holes form only in a universe with matter for them to absorb into a new singularity that will explode when it's black hole decays, where did that matter come from originally? How did that first singularity ever form? This realization shook everything I believe and know as a scientist."

Clutch tried to even comprehend the level her father was talking about, going through literally everything in her mind but none of it added up. “H-how? That…that all sounds impossible…”

"I know. Isn't it amazing!" Her father laughed. "As far as we've come, all we can do and accomplish and yet we are still but insects compared to an unknown higher being! Who, what and where they are are questions we may never answer but the point here is, we can take a look at what they made and learn. And I learned that, to beat the void, we must do as these gods did. We must create existence from nothing."

“B-but how father?” Clutch asked in shock. “We’re talking about levels of power that are beyond anyone’s comprehension…”

"Oh my sweet youngest daughter… I already made the next best thing!" He stated with a laugh. "In our species time, we have come across countless reality warping entities and self proclaimed gods. Then, we came here, and this 'Magic', this 'Harmony' energy was just the kick I needed to start! I took the samples of every reality warper, every 'god', our kind has studied and catalogued and compiled them all into a single living entity with all their abilities. Just add in the 'magic' and 'harmony' with a pinch of Void energy. The result has become the most powerful being on the planet they now call Equis!"

“Father, do you have any idea what you’re talking about?” Clutch asked, even though she was eager as all hell to know what he was doing, even she thought this was maybe going a little too far if her father figured out how to create a being that can bend Void to it’s will.

"Oh, I know it sounds crazy but the proof is on that planet." He then sighed. "Unfortunately, much like Chrysalis, he was left behind when we were banished. He hadn't even hatched yet. I can at least take pride in that he did well for himself, even after being turned to stone twice. In fact, his current reformation by those 'Elements of Harmony' as Chrysalis stated, is in the end better for us."

Clutch blinked. “Wait…you mean that reality warper?” Clutch asked. “No, there’s no way that creature is your…” She tried to think of any way that the Draconequus themselves weren’t their long lost sibling, that his madness wasn’t some by product of all their power. “How? Especially in his madness…if he is able to be that powerful…why is he just screwing around calling his powers ‘Chaos Magic’ if he can literally rewrite the fabric of reality to that degree!?”

"Because he had no guidance. No mentorship. He was still incubating when we were banished and unlike you all who were born fully grown and mentally adults, he was born into this world as an infant. Needing to learn and educate himself in our lacking presence. All he knows is what he learned in his years in Equis. He knows not what he truly is. And, given what he is, he is still so much a child. Despite his age."

“But…if he learns his true abilities…his true purpose…” She started carefully. “What’ll that do to a child?”

"If he's smart, he'll become afraid of them. If not, we'll have to teach him."

“This…got a lot more complicated…” Clutch said, pulling out a notebook and pen and already writing down a lot of things at blinding speeds.

"Yes, but, back on topic. My assignment for you is simple. Take unfertilized egg samples from Larva, and prepare some samples of DNA from these Equine descendants of the rebels. If we are to get them to trust us and work with us against the void, including Discord's help, then we best prepare them a gift."

"That's…" She started. "Why must we gist the traitors? They're the ones that hurt us all…"

"And the wounds will forever hurt. But remember, they are not the rebels that imprisoned us. They don't even know they all descend from Changelings. To punish a race that is so far from the ones that harmed us is like to blame the bacteria that would later evolve into the tree you walked into without noticing."

"But they're about to uncover Genesis's forretress…" Clutch said carefully. "Do you think the Goliaths will be kind in their words?"

"Honestly, I do not know." Her father said, shaking their head. "I do know this, these Void tainted abominations will not stop appearing. There is… something, working in or with The Void to speed up the Void's normally long term goal."

"That's...very concerning." She said carefully. "Maybe it has something to do with the new people? They came from the stars and seemed to act like they've fought those creatures before?"

"That is a possibility but for now, let's focus on the gift for these Equines. They are basically our Nieces and Nephews." Her father said with a smile. "We are going to gift them, an… what did they call their royalty? Right, Alicorn! Well will gift them a new Alicorn!"

"Building Alicorns? Hmm, sounds interesting." She said honestly.

"Specifically, a male Alicorn." Father added. "All the other Alicorns on this planet are female, which I find quite strange, but such a unique and powerful sub-species should have more than just four of it's kind."

"Well...it's a good thing Herds are still a thing in this world or else there might be a war because of that." Clutch mentioned.

The two humans and two aliens sharing bodies stared at what was before then in wonder and confusion.

“How in the name of hell…” Tina asked.

“It’s…incredible…” Karax said.

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this…” John said carefully.

“What in the wide galaxy…” Zegara said in shock.

Before then was a pod, monitoring five large eggs each roughly the size of a Terran newborn. Each egg and it's monitor displayed a snake like being with an anthropomorphic upper half and longer snake like lower body.

"Meet the formerly extinct Vipermias." Helix said, looking over the monitors.

“So…how the hell are we supposed to bring these Naga people back to life?” Tina asked.

“Also are there more of these beings? Cause five can’t bring back a species reliably.” John made mention.

"For now there's just these five. More will be brought back after our display of their hatching to Celestia. Once she sees the Vipermias back and alive, she can't ignore the benefits of our future projects anymore."

“Fair enough.” Tina nodded. “So how’s this supposed to work?”

"Simple. Celestia is going to arrive here in just a few hours, just long enough for the little ones here to hatch. I can't wait to see the look on her face." Helix said with a grin.

"She'd be in a cuddle pile with five baby naga?" John asked

"That sounds adorable." Tina giggled.

"Well, yes I suppose it would be if not for the guilt she'll probably feel over it." Helix added.

"Guilt?" Tina inquired. "Why'd she feel guilt?"

"Remember when I said one of the names she goes by, and the only vengeful sounding one was Wrath of The Sun?" Helix asked, pointing a finger at the eggs. "They're extinction is the reason why."

"Yeah...that sounds about right." John said nervously.

"She can produce energies comparable to the sun?" Karax inquired.

"Basically." Helix said with a nod. "Story goes that back in their prime the Vipermias were a rather violent and warfairing race. In an effort to bring some form of peace and alliance to them, Celestia's student at the time, Meadow Flower, was offered as a bride to their prince. The king accepted, but the prince was not so accepting. At the wedding, he preformed an act fairly frowned upon by even the Vipermia. He ate her whole."

"Rude." John said bluntly.

"What an asshole." Tina growled.

"He then killed his parents to usurp the throne and then tried to battle Celestia. In her… anger, at both seeing her student/surrogate daughter eaten alive and then witnessing a son slay his family all in the name of war and power, her rage ended up literally calling forth the sun to Equis." Helix finished.

"Damn." Tanya said in surprise.

"The power to call forth a star like that…" Karax started, trying to think of his strong Celestia would need to be for such an outlandish feat.

"To be honest we were really lucky to even have fossils and tombs left over to gather DNA samples for this. Their empire and race at the time was completely incinerated."

"I'm surprised the planet as a whole didn't burn...or that kingdom turned into glass." John pointed out.

"It was about two thousand years ago so, aside from the story and the Badlands existing there's not much else to go on."

“Excuse me, hold up.” Tina said. “The badlands were their empire?”

“That’s a pretty big empire to just…go up in flames like that.” John said carefully.

“How did it only turn into a Desert then? Karax asked. “Even if this planet is much bigger than most other’s, the amount of energy that would take would be so astronomical that there wouldn’t even be that desert…”

“What power do these Alicorns have?” Zegara asked carefully, wondering what sort of biological nonsense had to happen on this planet to cause that much power to be formed into one single being.

"Honestly, we're not sure." Helix said with a frown. "Princess Twilight has been cooperative in helping study her elevation of powers since becoming an Alicorn. But measuring what the Princesses are or can be capable of has proven difficult. We didn't even bother with Discord given his abilities."

“By the way, who or what is Discord?” Tina asked. “Cause we’ve heard their name a few times but we never actually got an explanation on him.”

"Discord has been around for as long as our world has recorded history." Helix stated. "Some argue if he is as old or older than the Princesses mother but that aside, he is the titled God of Chaos. His magic and abilities defy not only the laws of magic, but also the laws of physics as well."

“I mean…that sounds about right, considering his name is literally ‘Discord’.” Tina said honestly.

“A being that can bend the laws of reality to his whim?” Karax said in awe.

“Only the Xel’Naga have been able to do such a thing…” Zagara said, the two aliens now wondering just what the hell they stumbled across and if it was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Oh he doesn't just bend them. He breaks and rewrites them. Even other gods with the ability to reshape or manipulate matter have laws to follow, but him… none."

“That should be impossible.” Karax said carefully. “Even if we involve the Void and what being’s live there…the Void still has it’s own rules and logic, sure it’s outside our own but even the Xel’Naga had to follow them…” Karax said, scratching his head as he tried to quantify the possibilities that there were thing’s above even their creators.

“Hold up…did you say ‘other gods’?” Tina asked carefully.

“We’re already breaking a law of reality as is, let’s…try not to panic about someone that can do it on a whim.” John said carefully.

"How so? And yes, there are several gods on Equis."

“I mean…reversing death?” John asked.

“I…don’t think this is reversing death.” Karax said, taking a deep breath and shelving the ‘Discord’ thought’s away for a bit. “It looks more like they used similar incubation and cloning methods like what we saw with the Hybrid, using what living DNA from the fossils and other things they managed to find and bring them back to life.”

“So Jurassic Park?” Tina asked.

“A bit yeah…” John said sheepishly.

"I don't know what that is but yes, these current eggs are effectively clones from fossils and samples from tombs. We have managed to create a complete DNA profile of eighty different specimens. So there's still seventy five in storage until after Celestia witnesses this." Helix said.

“Fair enough.” Tina nodded. “So what are we supposed to do? Cause unless it’s us saying ‘we support this’, it looks like you have everything under control.”

"You two would prefer to miss out on the show?" Helix asked. "Er, four?"

“We’d be dumb to say no.” Tina answered simply.

The time went by quickly after that, soon Celestia had arrived and soon she was brought to the incubators.

"Wh-what?" Celestia asked, looking at all the eggs and machines. "What necromancy is this?!"

"Science, Princess." Helix stated. "We are not reviving corpses and bones. It's reviving extinct beings using similar methods to how they came into existence naturally. Once we had the completed DNA sequences, we used some genetically modified snake embryos and a machine specialty built to generate the shell similar to how their kind are used too before being laid."

“It’s a marvelous bit of enginuity.” Karax said, seeing old, long dead life being brought back in such a way.

"And, these… clones… will they age and grow healthy?" Celestia asked

"As healthy as their naturally born sample sources."

"So yes?"

"Yes…"

“To put it simply, they’re going to be brand new baby snake people that won’t be war mongering jackasses.” Tina said. “And they’ll probably see you as their mother since we all can see you grabbing all five into a big hug.”

Celestia stood frozen in place at hearing that for a few minutes.

Helix seemed to grin. "Three, two, one…"

"Fine. You're approved for all future projects." Celestia finally said.

“Cool.” Tina nodded. “So when do the little snake babies hatch?”

As if on cue, one of the eggs began to shake and soon crack.

"We should leave." Helix said, Celestia suddenly in front of said egg as if she was it's biological mother. "Let them imprint on their new mama."

"Yeesh. How long has it been since we were here?" Larva said as she and Chrysalis we're dusting and sweeping the massive chamber of pods, wires and a pool of biomass known as the Brood Chamber. Where their drones and sometimes newly birthed True Changelings were all born.

“Too long.” Chrysalis shook her head. “This is…all so weird, having everything come back and…everything going well after so long.”

"It is strange isn't it? Almost feels like a dream. We were in hibernation for all but the last year of our banishment. Save for father. The rest of us were asleep for it all. Though, I sometimes remember noises. Like an imagless nightmare."

“I’d rather not think of Nightmares right now…” Chrysalis said. “I have my family back, I have my father back, I have my home back…everything’s finally working out for once.”

"Right. Heh, it's gonna be weird using this chamber to birth creatures other than other Changelings or drones."

“Yeah…it will be really weird.” Chrysalis said nervously. “Gonna be…a whole new experience.”

"Well, if this was Father's plan since the beginning it makes sense why you and I have nipples at least." Larva said with a chuckle. "Gotta nurse those baby mammals."

“Would you believe me if I said that I…always had the urge to breastfeed?” Chrysalis asked. “Ever since I figured out what these massive jugs are…” She lightly pushed up her sizable bust. “It’s…always been an urge that I sadly never satisfied…”

"Oh, sister is that a kink I hear you admitting~"

“Call it a ‘motherly instinct’.” She said, blushing brightly at the thought of breastfeeding as a kink. “Although…that did cross my mind once or twice when I was pretending to be Shining Armor’s wife…”

"Ah, yes. That white unicorn and his bride who managed to weaponize emotional energy. Such an unexpected event. Father speculated that it was a reaction with the Harmony magic she as an Alicorn creature produces. Such fascinating if painful reaction. How far did it blast you?"

“Way too far.” Chrysalis shook her head. “It took me three days to get back to my Hive, any further away and I would have ended up in the Dragon Lands and dragon’s are not something I would have wanted to deal with at that moment.”

"Ah, yes. Those were one of the native life forms when we arrived here if I recall? Or am I thinking of those serpent people? Still strange how common serpent based life forms there are."

“You’d think there would be more Insect or other more tough life forms.” She shrugged. “But Dragon’s are native to this world, as well as those Vipermias…even though those rotten bastards deserved Celestia’s wrath…she could have at least not nearly glassed the Badlands.”

"She has such incredible power. Our scanner read she is closer to a True Changeling than the others of her species but still quite the offshoot. She isn't just absorbing energy, she is producing it at incredible numbers."

“Same with her sister Luna, that whole Nightmare Moon incident…that nearly froze half the planet.” Chrysalis said carefully.

"Yes. Normally such links to celestial bodies are not that potent or well controlled, but theirs is… unique." Larva said as she finished dusting off the pumps the biomass pours from. "So, any… romances during your time stuck there?"

“Gods I wish…” Chrysalis sighed out bitterly. “Being an ageless being that hated the world for so long…there was only three that I thought of going after…”

"Oh really? They wouldn't happen to be those ageless Alicorns would they~"

“If I were to include them, it would be six now…maybe seven if I look into Twilight a bit more.” Chrysalis hummed. “But no, two were ages ago, sadly long dead, one of them is…well Shining Armor, cause even though I brainwashed him and used him for my own ends…he’s still such massive dork and he’s so cute.”

"Does that count as Stockholm syndrome? Reverse Stockholm?"

“I mean…kinda?” She asked. “I don't know, but I had to watch over those two for a long time to make sure my plan worked…also Cadence is a bit freaky in bed…”

"Well, Don't they call her the Princess of Love? I guess she covers all its aspects." Larva said with a shrug. "So, what do you think our first mission will be once everything is all set up and ready? Being back I am dying to see how much has changed… even if the majority of the world's and species we knew are all… gone…"

“We’ll be able to bring them all back, dad promised.” Chrysalis said. “But…right now, we need to show the people of this world that we can do better, that we’re not the villains here…”

"That… will definitely be difficult. No wonder father is opening up with a male Alicorn as a gift." Larva said while rubbing her forehead. "Hmm… I wonder what else we could gift them as an apology/sign of… what did that one species call it? Trustworthiness? Good will! That was the word. So hard to remember all the variations given all the languages."

“Yeah…” Chrysalis sighed out. “It’s going to take a miracle for them to…wait, actually, they never actually saw me…like this.” She motioned to herself carefully. “They only saw me while I was half starving…or just straight starving…”

"True, though your face is still the same." Larva pointed out. "Plus, aside from me, you're the only one who is a shade of green."

“True…” Chrysalis sighed out. “What do I do? Thorax is the only one that might want to actually give me a chance, but I don’t think he’d want to listen after I threw away his offer of peace…”

"Hmm… true, very true. Hmm…" Larva began thinking to herself. "Well… I got nothing. Maybe we should talk to Imago, he has the brain for politics and things like this."

“Well…” Chrysalis started. “Technically…we are an endangered species, the ‘True Changelings’ as it were…and I’m the only one that took up Royalty…” Chrysalis hummed with some thought. “Hmm…”

"That is a good point." Both sisters jumped at the sudden Appearance of Imagi behind the two. "Galactic laws would be way more in our favor but these Equestrians would have to join the GUA…"

"How long have you been there?!" Larva yelled.

"Three minutes."

“So that’s why I kept feeling eyes watching me…” Chrysalis frowned. “It’s been a long time since I last felt that way…but what’s up Imago?”

"I was trying out some old abilities I haven't used in a while when I overheard you both talking." He said casually. "But, yes. Given the recent events with the… Equines… luckily I do believe the solution is far simpler."

“Please, cause I am at a loss that doesn’t involve some weird marriage proposal.”

"Well, we've already met a rather opportunistic business mare after landing when we first escaped. While overly paranoid, she is quite different from the rest of her kin. I am more than willing to bet despite our initial meeting, she will be more than willing to start relationships from a business standpoint, and through her and this Genetech she represents, open the doors for more political relationships."

"That… could work." Larva said. "How should we go about it?"

"Easy. She is a business mare and a Bureaucrat. I will make an appointment."

"...It can't be that simple…"

"It worked with the Zerokilops back on Hertrlot."

"...Fair." Larva admitted.

“The wonders of business and greed.” Chrysalis sighed out.

"I will handle the diplomatic stuff. However, I do believe you both may be useful in greeting Chrysalis's former hive." Imago stated. "Despite events they did want you to stay, and perhaps they should be informed on the origins of their race. After all, it's not everyday a hive's worth of drone Changelings undergoes sudden mass evolution like that."

"It was bound to happen…" Chrysalis said. "Thousands of years of breeding can cause wild things to happen."

"True, even so. Tell me, were they all descended from an original clutch you birthed or are they a mix of new and old generations?"

"A mix...I always tried to keep my clutch alive throughout the years anyway I could...some clung on, others wanted their eternal rest...or found new lives as another race believe it or not...very few and far between but it's happened."

"Hm. Interesting. Well, in any case we will have a lot of ground work to do very soon. You two best prepare before arriving at that Hive. Meanwhile I will get the computer to hack into their phone systems and call for that appointment."

"Works for me." Chrysalis nodded. "I...need to prepare for...a long talk...I just hope they won't immediately try to attack us…"

"In the event they try, bring Pupa. She can easily subdue any attackers."

"Well, let's finish up here then head off sister." Larva said as she began to quicken her sweeping.

Chrysalis nodded, sweeping up faster as well, hoping the meeting with her children and her family would go well.

Helix sat in her office. Normally she'd have paperwork at the ready but she pushed it on assistants and interns. She had an important appointment.

It was a sudden and unexpected appointment, but when her secretary got the call, Helix recognized the callers voice. "So, you make a grand show, basically crash my associates starship and now, you schedule an appointment to speak with me?" She asked. Despite the disguise, she knew it was Imago. He was shorter in this form, a greenish yellow coat replaced black chitten and an orange mane sat atop their head. Their eyes were unchanged. "You look ridiculous."

"It's been a while." Imago said. "But my choice on looks isn't what I'm here for." He said simply. "I'm here for business, something you're very interested in."

"Typically. Depends on the offer. After all you are one of Public enemies number one and frankly business with you without reason would be rather bad for business." Helix stated. "Even with reason, I'd rather not mess up the all across pass on projects I finally got out of Celestia. So, what's your offer?"

"My offer is a simple one." Imago said. "I'm offering you the stars." Imago answered simply. "Before the war that caused me and my siblings to be sealed in the Void, to a time where your 'God Engine' was commonplace." He said. "To fight the True Enemy."

Helix raised a brow. "True enemy, you mean those Fuck off monsters?" She asked, reaching into her desk and pulling a bottle of wine and two glasses. "I figured they were bad news the second their corpses entered the lab." She added as she poured herself and Imago a glass. "Hope you don't mind, I find a drink helps in talks like this."

"Classic choice." Imago chuckled. "And also, yes, those beings, replica's of the three groups a sector over from us."

"Do they have a name?" Helix asked, taking a sip of her glass.

Imago did the same. The flavor surprised him. It was not only tasty, fairly strong, but it was saturated in an earthy energy that for his palate, enriched the flavors. An unexpected but very welcome surprise.

"I haven't had wine this enriching in a very long time." Imago sighed. "But the names? Well, you already know. The constructs that have attacked my sister's brood, and Ponyville are replications of your friends, and Terrans." Imago answered simply.

"Yes, well given the… Terrans are sharing bodies with the other two, it's rather strange to see such… mutated forms. So, aside from being ugly and blood thirsty what did these things do to you?"

"What do you know about The Void?" Imago inquired. "I know our visitors have mentioned it sometimes, but what do you personally know about it?"

"Nothing much." Helix admitted. "Aside from concepts and legends, The Void is an unknown. I'm guessing the reason you ask is because you know something I don't?"

"I know a lot of things you don't know, but that's a whole other conversation." Imago commented. "No...the Void is a reality of nothing, an all consuming black abyss that takes everything and gives nothing. It's a patient and hungry beast that waits for the day all the light can no longer protect the masses...and those are the lucky ones."

"How Eldritch." Helix commented as she took another sip. "And what does this have to do with us? Or the monsters?"

“Because those monsters were sent by someone.” Imago said simply. “And they want to consume this world for their own gains, and this planet is rich in materials and energy that can do just that.”

Helix hummed, seeming to think that information over as she swirled the wine in her glass slowly. "And, what of your gains? After all, last we spoke, you gave us an Equis year before you'd challenge? Was that all hot air or are you not a man of your words?"

Imago had to admit, that stung a bit. Their return filled him with excitement and… memories. He may have spoken out of line...

“I knew I liked you.” Imago chuckled. “But I gave you that challenge to see if you were fully prepared for what’s to come next, because you may think you’re ready for war, but you’re not.” Imago stated simply. “Especially this kind of war.”

"Says who? You, or your Father you so proudly proclaimed to be his perfect clone or whatever?"

“I am his son, perfection in True Changeling DNA.” Imago answered. “And yes, I can personally attest that all of this,” He motioned to nothing in particular. “Won’t be enough for what’s to come. Only ones that might have a clue are our visitors, and even they don’t understand the full scope of what’s to come, or what you people are digging up.”

Helix simply kept an indifferent look as she swirled her wine around a few more times before finishing the glass. "Tell me, Imago. How do you believe Genetech got this far in such a short time? Heh, officially."

“Officially you ‘discovered’ Magicite, a rare material that most think comes from Volcano’s near Leylines due to it’s Obsidian characteristics, and then that kickstarted an engineering and magical revolution that this company pioneered.” Imago answered simply. “Then, how you got this far is a lot of people coming together and thinking ‘Welp, here’s this miracle material, let’s see what fantasy item’s we could create for shit’s and giggles’, which then went through it’s known process of going much farther than it normally would.”

"Heh. Now who's lacking information?" Helix asked with a small smile as she sat back in her chair. "When I was a little filly, my parents were deployed to the Minotaur Lands. One of the few in the modern age to still have wars with casualties. One day, barely a month after the last battle, the city we resided in went under attack. One minute I'm with my mother and father enjoying dinner. The next, I'm drenched in their blood." She started, taking a long breath. "In the end, the city was destroyed, and the tower it held the young and females and sick and elderly in for safety was collapsed from powerful explosive potions. I ended up the only survivor of that place."

“And I see you completely missed your own question.” Imago answered. “You asked ‘how did Genetech get this far officially’, not your backstory.” Imago pointed out. “So how does Genetech come into play?”

"It it weren't for that day, I'd have never met The Founder." Helix stated simply. "Despite my injuries, she healed and restored me. Made me better and stronger in ways I never imagined possible. In the end, not only did I owe my life, but I owed her the existence of Equines as a species."

Imago hummed curiously. "And tell me, who was this founder? Cause it sounds to me like she knows more than they let on."

"Well, history called her many things. Equines know her as Faust, bringer of the world. Celestia and Luna know her as Mother. But none of that matters to you until you remember what you knew her by." Helix said, leaning forward in her chair and leaning on her desk.

The door to the room opened and Imago immediately turned to see. Standing in the doorway was a face he never expected to see again. Hoped to never see again. She had not changed. The same pure white chitin and long red hair like strands of semi transparent hair. She was still dressed in the same uniform from the last battle he saw her in. "Long time no see Imago. How's my brother doing?"

Former Commanding Authority of the Changelings intergalactic armies… turned rebel. Tardigrade.

“Yeah…that would do it.” Imago sighed out, not having said that phrase in a very, very long time. “Father is doing exceptionally well, my little sister cured him, and he’s now reborn into a new body.”

"So he's my baby brother twice over." Tardigrade said with a pur as she walked in and sat on the Helix's desk, taking the whole wine bottle and began to swig it like a flask. "I'm glad he survived, I really am. You all survived. That's good at least."

“Yes, thankfully our father pulled us out of that final explosive you all set up for us.” He said. “And I see you’ve been busy, bringing back our ancient technology and trying to dig up the Goliath’s again, is the Void concerning you as much as it is us?”

"Yes, but it's cute you think I'm bringing back our antique tech." She said as she managed to pinch Imago's cheek before he pulled away. "Tell me, do you remember how large Equis is?"

“It’s one of the biggest planets we found on our travels Tardigrade.” He answered. “Also you do know that the Goliath’s are, while antique, one of the few creations that can rival our power well and truly?”

"Please, Imago. Call me Faust. Tardigrade was always such a mouthful. And you are right, but yes. Back on topic, this planet is abnormally large and able to so easily hold life. Remember before the war that we would wonder if it was actually hollow? Well, it is."

“And you owe father now.” Imago brought up. “Yes, I know of that bet, and father will find it hilarious he was right after all these years.”

"He'll owe me once he sees New Enercioa." Imago raised a brow. Enecrioa was the name… of the old Changeling Homeworld. "After the war, there was a split. Some became ponies, some became Griffons, minotaurs, diamond dogs, kirin, ECT. Some, some stuck to the old ways and form. So we made our home in the core of this world we fought so hard for. Changeling are not extinct my little nephew. Just well hidden."

“And…” He started. “You just…abandoned Chrysalis?” Imago asked carefully. “Even after the war ended, even after everything…you just left her to rot, blaming everyone and everything for taking away her family…thinking she was well and truly alone, the last True Changeling?”

Faust's good mood soured instantly. She sighed as she downed the entire remaining bottle and tossed it aside. "By the time we even realized she was still here. She already had her own hive, drones to keep her company and… she was happy for a while. Around that time I noticed something unique about we True Changelings left within the Core of the planet. For example. I got pregnant… as a virgin!" Faust said, falling her back to the table. "Celestia was… a little sun monster. Then it happened again and Luna. Well, the two calmed one another and… yikes…"

“I mean, that’s kind of what Larva and Chrysalis do normally…and that also explains why they’re so powerful, literally blessed by this planet with the power of an ancient Changeling General.” The changeling said honestly. “But all of this…you still could have visited her…” He took a deep breath. “At least given her something…even in her small bits of joy, she was struggling constantly…always half starved…” Imago shook his head. “Brotherly worries aside…” He took a deep breath. “The point is, there are more of our race out here…and Father has a plan to help everyone, not just this planet, but the entire Universe.”

"Sounds like Logma." Faust stated. "Ever the workaholic… had things gone differently, that war wouldn't have happened. Damn politicians… what could I even say to her? Last I saw you, I nearly gutted you. Pupa, poison gassed her. Larva… need I go on? That was brought out the worst of us, and we both know these wounds and nightmares run deeper than we'd want to admit."

“But we can change all of that.” Imago said simply. “Father has kept all the DNA samples of all the world’s we’ve been to…and with my brother’s and sister's help…we can bring them back, stop the Void from claiming more life.”

"This isn't about that!" Faust yelled, Imago standing and readying energy along his arms. "That… is what this is about. After everything we went through… how can we fix damage like this?" Faust asked, Imago looking down at his energy cloaked arms. It had been so long… since he felt terror.

“The fact that Father didn’t immediately send us to cleave this planet in half, the fact that I am here wanting to give support…the fact that Father actually needs your help to finalize all of this…what more do you want to show that thing’s are trying to be fixed?” Imago asked carefully, hating how powerless he felt against his aunt.

"Does Logma want my help? Or Genetech?" She asked with a sigh. "I know you were built to be perfect, Imago… but even you have to see the flaws that will arise if the others know I'm still alive?"

“To the first part, nobody knew you were even alive, or that other True Changelings were still alive.” Imago stated. “And secondly, if you truly thought that problems would arise, why would you be here? Especially showing you’re alive to me of all people?” Imago asked carefully. “Yes, I will agree there are many problems that would arise…but at the moment, I think there’s even greater problems going on at the moment.” Imago pointed out.

"You, are Logma's best creation. Embodying he and the Changelings can be at their peak… but, it also means you embody his flaws. Which is why I know that, when I ask you, you won't tell them about this."

“And what if I do?” Imago asked. “What if I still tell them about all of this, after I have been stuck in that damned abyss for more than a few million years unable to do literally anything besides hibernate and watch my younger sister damn near starve to death on several occasions while thinking our entire race was long since dead?”

"Then I can do this the hard way. Remember, I was there the whole time you and your siblings were made. I know how you all tick and how to remove and replace cogs and gears and not even my brother could tell. Simply, if I have too I'll take you apart, and put you back together again either as you were but modified or as my brain dead pet. Your choice."

Imago rubbed his temple. “Fine, fine…” He said carefully, looking over at Helix. “And I suppose you already knew about…at least half of this?”

"Bits and pieces. I'm her protege because I owe her my life and she admires I'm smart enough to know she doesn't tell me all her secrets. Majority of this is all news to me." Helix said with a shrug.

"Took a week to heal the poor dear." Faust sighed. "Used some of my own DNA to fix her. Technically she's Celestia and Luna's half sister."

“Interesting.” Imago hummed. “So, what events have we missed over these few millions of years?” He asked. “I have been unconscious for a vast majority of the time.”

"Well, as you can see all the factions chose shapes and forms for themselves, natural evolution outbred the need to shapeshift, however it did mutate into some highly flexible genetics allowing them to be genetically compatible with, well, any race living or dead amongst the stars." Faust said.

“One thing you can’t breed out of changelings that’s for certain.” Imago shrugged.

"Fair. That aside, the Changelings living in the core world all mostly isolated. They largely keep to themselves but there are border tunnels we used to travel back and forth to help keep tabs on the surface family… I did… help her. I didn't personally do anything but… it's not hard to make a drone using some of her DNA and calling them every so often to load them with extra energy."

“So that’s how…” He muttered.

"Like you, she'd be more afraid of me than happy. Regardless of circumstances. You'll have Genetechs help, and mine from… behind the scenes. As for the others. They'll all be helping when it's really needed."

“Alright.” Imago sighed out. “And what about the…others? Chrysalis said they’re stuck in Limbo somehow.”

"The old R&D team… they were studying this unique energy the planet possesses. For the vast majority of the time we spent after the war they studied and researched and experimented with this energy and do you know what they found out? They discovered this energy surpassed Any form of Psionics in the universe. And to put the cherry on top… it's sentient."

Imago frowned. “And…what were they calling this newfound energy?” He asked carefully.

"They didn't, the energy named itself. Harmony. It… knew things. Knowledge and sciences that even we could not believe to be true, but with it's help, we gave it a physical body for it to interact with the world. It was around that time the… incident happened. Whatever this energy is, Harmony, it's the opposite of Void. It can purify and restore any poisons be them physical or mental the Void's touch is no different. So the Void… took some action. One of their children somehow became infected, and… he became something unlike anything we've ever seen. They trapped him and each other in Purgatory. A dimension of emptiness where time, space, creation and void do not exist. The perfect prison."

“A Void Touched? Here?” Imago asked in shock. “How many others are there like this?”

"Just him. There was one similar, a race known as the Umbrum, but their species was just tainted. And they all went extinct save for one who was banished to another plane as well."

“The hell happened while we were away?” He asked.

"Too much." Faust sighed. "Now, enough sad talks. I believe you'd like to know Helix's capabilities?"

Imago raised a brow, looking over at Helix who rolled her eyes. "Humor her, or we'll be here all day… ” Helix sighed.

“Well…” He started. “I can already imagine her capabilities, you were always at least one step ahead of father in some regards when it came to bioengineering.” He admitted.

"Come now, showing is always better than telling." Faust said as she stood and began to walk out.

Helix stood with a sigh. "The saddest part is that I now know where Celestia gets it…" Helix muttered as she followed. Imago trailing behind.

“You don’t even know the half of it.” Imago shook his head, having personally experienced all of Faust's nonsense.

The group took a secret elevator to an underground location where they soon arrived inside a large training facility.

Once inside Imago reverted to his natural form, happy to shed the disguise as he waited for Helix to return from the changing room.

When she did, she wore a simple sports bra and skin tight short shorts. Her glasses were also missing and her normal bunned up mane was loose and hung just above her shoulders.

Imago had to admit… she looked very attractive for a non insecticide lifeform.

“Alright, let’s see what my aunt has given you Helix.” Imago said, wanting to see what this hybrid can do.

"We'll start with Physical abilities." Faust said as Helix vanished. Imago blinked, looking around and even adjusting his vision for Light distortion but saw nothing. He did however feel the sudden uppercut to his jaw, sending him ten feet into the air and crashing down onto his rear. He looked up to see Helix there. "Based on how Pupa was constructed I was able to improve her speed without requiring an aerodynamic body frame and she has topped her speed at a fourth that of light."

Imago jumped up. That was WAY faster than Pupa has ever ran...

“Right…” Imago said, lightly rubbing his chin carefully. “It’s been a few million years, I shouldn’t be entirely surprised you’ve made some improvements.” He said carefully.

"That's not all." Faust said, pressing a button. Imago looked up, eyes widening as a two story tall chunk of Olutrite, the densest and heaviest material in the universe fell from above. And he fell back as he watched Helix catch it with seemingly minimal effort. "Her muscles and bones can support weight and stress unlike anything else." Faust added as Helix tossed the material aside, it crushing the floor upon landing. "Her brain is also on par with five quantum computer processors, allowing her to learn and perceive all the data her body can receive and expel."

“Impressive.” Imago said simply, finding her enhancements rather intriguing.

"Now for the fun stuff!" Faust said, Helix suddenly coating her arms in energy Imago recognized as his own. "Just like you, she can weaponize her absorbed energy but also do far more than just that." Imago watched as Helix reshaped her energy, forming a blade, spear, Shield, axe, wings, armor and even replicas of herself. "She is capable of duplication just like Mite, and if need be, can swap out her energy weapons for something far more physical." Helix dispelled the energy and blades pierced her flesh, emerging into two three foot like swords with their base at her palms. "Her internal biology makes any and all known poisons null, and the kicker! She's single!"

Helix's palm blades popped off, clattering to the floor at hearing that. "Founder!" She yelled back at Faust.

"What? You need a social life!" Faust retorted.

“Oh really now?” Imago asked, his curiosity peaked. “Such a smart, talented, and beautiful woman such as yourself is single? Work alone couldn’t do that…believe me, Larva showed us that personally.”

"I know right! She's needs someone who can cuddle and fu-"

"Was this all just an excuse to set me up for some blind date again?!" Helix yelled.

"Hmm… maybe?" Faust said with a sly grin.

Helix face palmed. "Stars above you are insane…" She groaned. "And why him? Isn't he technically my cousin?!"

"Changeling Biology makes such simple issues as that null and void. Even if someone were to arise with the babies it's an easy fix. Why Logma and I experimented sexually with one another first before we got down to fooling around with others-"

"Oh Fuck I do not wanna hear about your perverted sex life!"

Even Imago had to agree. That mental image would… haunt him. While what Faust spoke was true, it was still less of a health taboo and more of a socially upsetting event. It's why many siblings or immediate family never partook, or announced, such things.

“Listen, Aunt…” Imago said carefully, trying to use his brain to think of a way to say things. “No, please for the love of whatever god is still out there, we do not need to know about your weird sex life.”

"What? It's natural and it's not like we went at it like rabbits, it was just some youthful curiosities and a few adulthood flings when work got stressful. And once when the war first broke out but that was more of a mix between farewell and cuddles than-"

"If I go on a date with him will you shut up?" Helix said, almost begging.

Faust quieted instantly, her smile wide as she snapped her fingers.

Imago and Helix suddenly found themselves in a different room, a single table with two chairs sat them and all around them were other tables with a buffet of food. Helix slammed her head to the table. "That woman… is ruthless…"

“Again, you don’t know the half of it.” He grumbled, rubbing his temples in agitation. “To this day…” Imago then whipped his head around. “Was this also a bullshit blind date on me again!” He accused Faust.

“You agreed~.” Faust giggled in sadistic glee.

Imago also slammed his head into the table.

The two sat like that for a long time before they sat upright again. "Well, at least I wasn't her only target for her insane antics." Helix sighed. She then looked down at herself. "She could have at least let me change."

“Same.” Imago frowned. “Also she’s been like this for…a very long time…a ‘Chronic Shipper’ as it were.”

"The fact the concept is universal is upsetting." Helix huffed. "And here I thought such stupidity was unique to Equines and her…"

“Trust me…it’s not.” He shook his head. “Sometimes shipping can work, but other times it’s just complete lunacy.” He glared at Faust.

“It was a one ti-” Faust tried to defend herself.

“You quite literally have a published book series on your shit taste aunt, don’t even.” Imago frowned.

"She published books?" Helix asked with a chuckle. "Well, no account for taste. I personally prefer historical fiction."

“Finally, someone with actual taste in literature.” Imago said simply. “Now, what kind of historical fiction if I may ask?”

"It's hard to find but I love stories that take place from the point of view of someone living through a major historical event. My personal favorite is The Baker. A story of a bread baker keeping his family fed and bussing going while living through the Gold Shortage six hundred years ago. It's simple but it's nice."

“A recounting from a certain point of view? Those are pretty rare even off world.” Imago said. “My preference is more in the ‘what ifs’ kind of historical fiction, showing what would happen if certain possibilities had happened instead of what truly happened.” Imago said. “I’ve read many, and honestly it’s always been difficult to truly pin down ‘favorites’, especially when you're as long lived as me.”

"Fair." Helix said with a shrug.

As the two continued their conversation, Faust took her leave. Those two will hit it off quite well, a foundation built on likes, dislikes and a mutual annoyance of her antics will surely lead to something more.

As she left she sighed. So many regrets. So many missed opportunities. The least she can do is to ensure her family will have a future they will fight for.

To be continued...

Changes and Discoveries

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"The incubation should take just a few more hours and he will be done." Father said as he and Clutch stood before a large tube of biomass, framework meshing in the shape of bones, tissue, organs and nervous systems all ready and placed as the Biomass began attaching and molding into flesh, bones and all the requirements for an organic being. "Hm, what should we name him?"

"Well there are plenty of names we can give him." Clutch shrugged. "Dusk, Equinox, Eclipse, there are a lot."

"Hm, true, but it's not very native. Maybe-" At that moment, alarms in Clutches lab went off. Security doors sealed shut and weapons became armed. Suddenly, above them in the labs ceiling was a fast spinning vortex of multicolored light. "What in the name of?!"

"The hell is going on!?" Clutch yelped in panic at the sudden multicolored light.

The swirling lights lowered down to the ground level, slowing and soon began to take a shape. It was bipedal, but lacked specific details and characteristics of any species. It was as if a crude drawing of a bipedal came to life. It's body made of that multicolored light as two whites appeared in the head region, forming eyes of pure white.

The entity gazed at the two for a moment before 'walking' it's way over towards the tank housing the soon to be built male Alicorn. It placed an appendage to the glass, as if examining what was happening.

Clutch wanted to run, but her Father kept a grip firmly on her wrist. A small smile and wide eyes on his face.

A small, barely noticeable trace of that multicolored lights flowed from the entirety into the tank. Rapidly, faster than what should have allowed, the being inside the tank rapidly developed. A construction that took some days now only taking seconds before Clutch and Father's eyes.

When the building was completed, the tank broke, the male Alicorn Inside, laid unconscious on the ground. His coat is light grey and mane a pale blue.

The being of light then turned back to the two, making Clutch tense up. It walked over to them, giving them both some sort of pat on their heads with it's two arm like appendage before vanishing in a flash of bright white

"What…in god's name was that?" Clutch asked tentatively, afraid of what in space hell that was.

"Exactly… that." Father said, letting go of Clutch's wrist and walking over and down to the male Alicorn. He checked for a pulse, smiling as he found one immediately. "And that, my daughter, was Divine Intervention."

"Divine Intervention? Did…did we just see Harmony give that man a soul?" She asked in shock.

"Maybe. I don't know." Father said, laughing in excitement. "But, this proves something to me. This Harmony is a God, and they approve of our goals."

"Well, if we ever needed the perfect excuse to show our good intentions…" The changeling said carefully.

"Quite." Father said with a nod. "Come now Clutch, help me move him to an empty quarters. We will soon see just what and how Harmony did to our newest addition."

"Yes father." Clutch nodded, helping get the newborn adult alicorn up and to some empty quarter.

Once he was in a bed and resting Clutch and Father went over a bit of DNA they pulled from a feather to analyze. The results were fascinating. "Magnificent." Father said as he looked over the data.

"This…" Clutch muttered in awe. "This is incredible!"

The DNA was the same on the foundation, but there was more. So much more that was unknown. It was as if despite his shape and appearance, he was a different life form altogether.

"This stuff makes Changelings DNA look like mud in comparison." Father commented.

"How is this even possible? This…this is beyond even our best bioengineering…"

"It's as if his DNA follows and breaks and bends the laws of Physics all at once… but it's nothing like Discord… unless…"

"It…couldn't be those 'outside'...can it?" Clutch asked. "The ones you based Discord off of?"

"If it is, then that might explain it. After all, what lifeform other than a tried and true God would have DNA that follows so many laws of physics from possibly countless dimensions, and all function harmoniously… heh."

“This…this is amazing…” She said in awe.

"The things we can learn from this DNA, why… why indeed…"

“Yeah…why would they just…hand us this amazing gift?”

"That is indeed the right question, Clutch. Why would a God gift us this…"

"Okay so that's nine Gravity Cannons, four Mana Howitzers, forty Clockwerk Golems ready to activate upon landing and one Backlash Funnel Generator." Helix said. The repairs and upgrades to the ships finalizing.

“It’s still fascinating how well your tech is synchronizing with the Protoss’s tech.” John said honestly.

Helix shrugged. "Just remember, the Backlash Funnel is strong enough to pick your ship back a few hundred thousand miles in zero gravity space so try not to accidentally recoil yourselves into a planet, asteroid or black hole."

“We’ll make sure.” John said honestly. “By the way, you seem more…chipper than usual.”

"I had some good company. Very rare for me to talk with a like minded pony. In any case, what will you lot be doing now?"

“Well, we were hoping to have peace talks with this planet’s many inhabitants.” Karax said. “As Terran saying’s would permit, ‘Extend an Olive Branch’ as it were.”

"Hm, if that's the case you may want to take one of the Princesses with you. I suggest Twilight Sparkle. She has met several of the other species representatives and I imagine she'd be-"

"Helix!" Up ran one of the Gentech soldiers to the mare. "Reports just in, Griffinstone is under siege."

“What!?” John asked, only to see a holo screen come up.

“Templar, we’re detecting several Void Signature’s forming in the Griffon Lands.” A Protoss reported quickly.

“Shit, we don’t have any Pylon’s in that area and I don’t think Tina’s got any Nydus Worm tunnels to that area.” John frowned.

“Is the Spear of Adun operational?” Karax asked the Templar.

“Yes, the Spear of Adun is fully operational.”

Wasting no time, they group packed and headed off, flying towards the old griffon kingdom.

What they saw upon arrival was a massacre. Those void beasts rampaging, slaughtering the Griffons without remorse or prejudice.

"This…." Karax muttered in horror.

"This is just mindless slaughter!" Zegara snapped in disgust.

"We need to save anyone we can now!" Tina snapped, already trying to get a base set up with John

"Right, we need to set up a perimeter and close those damn Void Portals." John added, already having his base warped in swiftly.

Objective: Close all Void Portals

Bonus Objective: Protect all Five Survivor Camps

"We're setting Up Camps to keep any survivors safe." A Genetech soldier said, a Scout Class Base flying over and sending out dozens of Golems and Soldiers as they all started to set up safe areas for them. "While we can handle ourselves, Director Helix authorized a bonus if you manage to funnel in any and all survivors and protecting our camps while we're still setting up."

Both John and Tina went to work, thankfully having a sizable army from the get go as they rushed hard into trying to work their economy and unit productions, the two commanding their individual armies around and facing off against Amon's hoard, but they weren’t acting like the two other fight’s, they were acting…more like savages, completely ignoring any and all order’s and just mindlessly destroying and fighting thing’s not their own without much of a plan.

"Hey Boss, got some neat things for ya!" The bubbly bee zerg said, as three drop pods were sent down and showed new Swarm Hosts, which were twice the size of normal Swarm Hosts, were tinted red and white around it's normal zergish browns and purples, and was spawning their flying locusts that looked more like battle medics than anything. "I call this strain the Rescuers, took a bit of finagling, but I managed to mix both mutation strains, and with a bit of Genetech biomass and Magicite, I was able to make these things tankier, bigger, and give it's Locusts the ability to carry and heal units."

"Fantastic work." Zegara said with pride at seeing a brand new strain of Zerg as it lumbered around, spawning dozen’s of Locusts that flew around, fighting against Amon’s forces and grabbing any and all survivor’s and injecting them with a special bioneedle that filled the person with what amounted to a healing potion.

”Well, nothing like having giant angry Ambulances on leg’s to perk up your day.’ Tina thought, already moving dozen’s of Mutalisks to take out a pack of Void ground Infantry.

As the fighters rushed towards the battle, the Void Beasts rapidly met them, clashing their teeth and claws with the Zerg armor while Rescuers quickly walked through the carnage, picking up wounded and surviving Griffons.

"Fascinating." Helix said, standing next to the captains aboard the Spear.

“The Zerg do tend to evolve swiftly if given enough time and biomass but…that almost seemed too fast, even for their new Bioengineer…” Karax hummed, looking away as he continued his work, for even though he’s a Templar now, the sounds of machinery and phase smithing always helped him focus even more on the task at hand. “And thankfully, as a seasoned Phase Smith, I can create thing’s just as swiftly.”

”You sure this will work? These haven’t even been tested.” John mentally asked Karax, seeing the next set of brand new magicite and Genetech technology fused with Protoss ingenuity and Psionics.

“I had to recreate Immortal’s Pulse Cannon’s on the fly in the middle of battle, these are simple, effective, and powerful.” Karax said, as Helix saw what could be considered a strange hybrid between a Halberd, and a gun that had a lot of Psionic Crystals growing out of it.

"And what will that do?" Helix asked.

“I’m glad you asked!” Karax said happily, already having the weapon’s sent off to the Zealot’s on the battle field. “So, after we figured out that I can see parts of John’s memories, I decided to upgrade our standard Zealot’s Halberds with a weapon known as a ‘Needler’, and not only can this give our Zealot’s some much needed range, but when connecting against an opponent, the Psi-Crystal’s are able to imbed themselves deep into the enemy's body and grow to the size of a Terran Grapefruit, and then explodes sending shards outwards and hitting nearby enemies.”

“And when you combine that with the Zealot’s Whirlwind ability, the term ‘Spin to Win’ is a lot more applicable when in horde battles like this.” John added happily.

"Interesting." Helix nodded. "So, you two just… stand up here and have the ship and those… Zealots, do all the combat?"

“Not just the Zealot’s.” Karax said. “We have also deployed many Immortal’s, Stalkers, and Phoenix’s into the battles, while many in the Spear of Adun help our Templar’s down on the battlefield with many special abilities.” He explained, one of his robot arms pointing towards a part of the fight as Helix felt a thrum of psychic energy ring through the Ship for a moment as a Void Thrasher was about to crush a group of Stalkers, only for a force field to appear around them and block the attack. “From defensive shields, to increasing the speed of production, to orbital bombardments if the battlefield is prepared for it.”

“And Karax here is first and foremost a Phase Smith, a Psionic Blacksmith if you will.” John added. “Karax is all about Machinery and improving weapon’s, armor, gear, and much much more…at a breakneck speed to be honest.”

“I’m not much of a fighter as John has explained Ms. Helix.” Karax said honestly, forming ten more brand new weapons. “I feel more comfortable building, repairing, and preparing for the next battle with anything new I can invent or upgrade.”

"And what of you?" Helix asked Zegara.

“While I do tend to be on the front lines more often than not,” Zegara started, before gently patting her lower insectoid half. “There are…certain thing’s I’m still trying to process with how the Magicite has affected me when we first appeared on this planet.” The Overqueen stated, Helix seeing a whole lot of color slowly cycling through the many sac’s of the Broodmother. “It is…a strange feeling…”

“I mean, part of it is her feeling Horny for the first time.” Tina said through the Zerg, causing Karax to stumble at the fact he heard such a thing, his robot arm’s thankfully catching his work before it got ruined.

“Zerg do not get ‘The Horny’!” Zegara snapped at Tina in slight embarrassment

“Hey, don’t blame me for being curious how you’re sex life works.” Tina said honestly. “I’m already missing the girls, so why not focus on the dumptruck of a tauric ass you have?”

“I do not have Terran physiology to constitute half of what you're saying!” Zegara countered incredulously, even though Tina’s imagination was…a tad wild with thinking of how a female zerg would look like with mammalian bits, she was not a mammal damn it!

"Neither is Chrysalis yet she does have Mammalian bits of biology." Helix commented. "Not sure if that's because of her shape shifting or how she was made but, it's probably something a constantly evolving race like yourself can easily acquire." She smirked, the Zerg Overqueen blushing at that.

“B-but…” Zegara tried to argue. “Sex appeal is not something we Zerg desire…” Zegara tried to defend herself, even as some new sensations kept budding within her.

“Listen, I know it’s weird, but believe me when I say…H Cup tits.” Tina said simply.

“Stahp!” Zegara pleaded. “I can’t become something outrageously sexy, I am the Overqueen of the Zerg! I need to be strong, dominant, and powerful!”

“Kinky.” Helix answered readily to spite Zegara, who started making more embarrassed insect noises.

“I…don’t think I should be hearing this conversation…” Karax said nervously, trying to get back to work.

“I think it’s more…prevalent to point out that the Magicite has also affected you in a way Karax.” John pointed out.

“My physical strength has increased, yes, but nothing else is of importance.” Karax stated simply.

“Are you referring to something more… mental, John?” Helix asked.

"He's been about as horny as Zegara is apparently." John said honestly.

"John please…" Karax groaned. "My physical and psionic abilities have been improved due to my exposure to Magicite…and that's everything important…"

“So there’s something not important that changed as well?” Helix asked, making Karax red with blush.

"Yes." Karax stated.

"He's getting through a crash course on seeing women in a new light." John stated.

“Ah, I thought Karax was gazing down at Zergara’s ‘dump truck’ a little often.” Helix stated.

“I was not!” Karax countered swiftly, blushing even brighter.

“And…besides, we are completely incapable of being together.” Zegara stated. “Our biology’s literally cannot work together.”

“I mean, we literally just came into contact with a super material that helps create matter from literally nothing.” Tina pointed out. “It’s not going to be some weird genetic abomination like what Amon was forcing into existence.”

“Plus, given our studies of Changeling Biology with Chrysalis’s former hive, much like Ponies and every other species on Equis, they are extremely cross compatible. Be this a result of Magicite affecting our evolution or something else who’s to say the same thing is not happening rapidly to you two. After all, you two seem to rapidly alter your DNA for bettering your races. Is such a useful biological skill as full cross compatibility so bad?”

“It’s not as clear cut as that.” Zegara said. “For the Zerg, we can infect biological life with Zerg biomass and turn them into host’s to help bring more Biomass for the Hive, but Protoss are the one race that can’t be affected.”

“It’s back to the ‘Purity of Form’ and ‘Purity of Essence’.” Karax pointed out. “Our races were hand crafted by the Xel’Naga to help shepherd the Infinite Cycle…”

“And so far, this planet has thrown too many new things that, at this point, throw a big enough wrench into everything you two know that sooner or later we will force you two into a date.” Tina said.

“Exactly.” John agreed. “Plus it’ll be a Double Date if it ever get’s to that point.”

“Speaking of, is there like no way for the two humans to somehow have their own bodies?” Helix asked. “How did they even get into you two in the first place?”

“So…the weird thing is that God himself shoved me and John into Zegara’s and Karax’s bodies.” Tina answered carefully.

“We have no idea if we even can have new bodies considering how…I suppose ‘mentally close’ we are.” John added carefully. “I mean, maybe we can get new bodies, but I doubt we’d be able to right now.”

"Hm, what about Flesh Golems?" Helix offered.

“I thought the same thing, but considering how…unorthodox our situation’s are, including the Magicite that was also infused in our minds, I doubt a normal Flesh Golem could work.” John shook his head.

“Yeah, I tried once with a mindless Ultralisk to try and see if I could body swap…nope, poor thing fell over dead trying to contain my consciousness and whatever nonsense I have added due to a lot of other things I don’t know about.” Tina shook Zegara’s head bitterly.

"Then… why not clone your bodies? If your own bodies are all that's capable of holding them and yourselves, why not make copies?" Helix brought up.

Karax and Zegara thought for a moment on cloning. “While…it could work…” Karax started.

“Would the new bodies be strong enough to handle it?” Zegara asked.

"Hm, well, if they are exact physical replicas of your current ones… I don't see why not. Tell you what, if you give me some samples of your DNA, I'll see if The Founder can do anything."

“Well…hopefully.” Tina said, as John took a small bit of Karax’s beard hair and put it in a vial, and Tina scraped off a bit of Zegara’s carapace into a different vial and handed it to Helix.

"Thank you." Helix said, taking the samples as the four went back to directing the battle with gusto.

In the Void, on a Battlefield once thought to be the final resting place of The Betrayer, a being of immeasurable proportions and power was clinging onto as much life as it could. “So…you can give me the power I need?” Amon, the ancient Xel’Naga betrayer, asked into the pitch blackness of the Void itself.

That, and more. My role in this new existence is new, but my… associates, and I, find that the best way to avoid a terrible history repeating itself, is best to guide it. My role is simple, select my champion, and watch, learn and observe. Providing support is but part of it.

“So…I’m just another pawn to help the Shepherd along on their grand designs?” Amon asked, knowing he didn’t have the power or Essence to really get well and truly upset, or to fight this…being.

Hehe, while there is a design in the works, I can assure you, life and death are not our goal. Simply empowering our selected champions. I personally could care less if this or any reality lives or dies, but that's just me.

The giant mound of Psionics and Essence sighed, too tired and energy starved to really argue. “My soldier’s have already attacked several of their homes…what more can I do?”

He felt a sensation, like a hand pass over their head. They suddenly felt… satiated, full on energy again. The best way to defeat an enemy is to know your enemy. There is one race on that planet that carries with them an ancient hatred for all the others, especially those Equines. It's the oldest of this race that can gain you information, and valuable… resources.

“Tell me…who are these beings?” He inquired.

Once, we were no different than many of the races amongst the Infinite dimensions, but like you, many of us were but playthings to a higher power, kept in a toy box held within a prison. And after a long battle, we faced the one our prison was built to hold. And after that battle, we became what we are now. All powerful, all influencing. All Makers.

The being’s eyes widened. “Wh-what?”

It is quite ironic that we became the same entity we had to slay to escape our prison, and now, to avoid the chaos of history repeating itself, we shall ensure that any entities of power that arise are to our approval. But, this is a competition. You will be against those two, and their mental roommates.

“Yes…them…” Amon growled. “The group’s that dared ruin everything for my new world…”

Yes, they are the only ones who stand in your path, but, like any God, you'll need more than just mindless beasts to call your followers.

“I had many followers…the Hybrid…but they all were purged from the Universe…”

A trivial matter, for if it's armies you need, and an army you lost, The voice spoke, the Void battlefield changing and reversing. Becoming more and more like how it was before the battle, and the armies of the Hybrid were appearing in their numbers back to full. then it's your army I shall return.

Amon was completely floored by such a display, not only reversing time to bring back the thousands of Hybrids that were slain throughout the Campaign against Kerrigan and her pack of blind followers, but to also teleport them all here at the same time was astronomical, to the point he didn’t know if any Xel’Naga was able to do such a thing. “Everything…is back on track…”

Do not make the same mistakes, Amon. I've brought them back just this once. While your goals don't need to change, your plan will.

“My plan will have to change…” He admitted. “But the planet will succumb to the Hybrid’s Psionic domination.” He said, believing that the many races on the planet wouldn’t be mentally strong enough to handle the mind control and powerful psionic’s of the Hybrid.

Pride and Arrogance is what brought your downfall last time. In order to best these races, you will need to… expand your gene pool. And the inhabitants are notoriously cross compatible.

“That will help thing’s be a lot simpler.” Amon said. “Hybridizing Zerg and Protoss took millenia, but if their Essence is that malleable then my army’s will grow swiftly.”

For best results, I recommend that once you capture your first specimens and make them into this.

Amin's head throbbed, the means and measures to mutate a native into a massive, eternal Hybrid breeder flowed into his mind. One for every race on this planet… and, some select targets for the strongest soldiers to be produced by them.

“These…designs…” Amon said in surprise.

A gift, to best use the natives to build your army.

“Excellent.” He said menacingly, lightly moving a tentacle as several Hybrid went off at their master’s command to hunt in the new world.

Now then, shall we begin? That form is hardly suited for you.

“What?” Amon asked. “What do you mean?”

You should look like a God, and strike fear into the hearts of your enemies. I can bestow onto you, a body fitting your dark divinity. One that can let you use the endless void around you. Within the void, you will be unlikable, and within creation, you can spread its taint and corruption with every step.

“Yes.” The Xel’Naga writhed, even though his form was monstrous and covered in Void Energy giving him a ‘dark god’ look from what some of his followers said, he never felt like himself when in this form, missing his old ‘Pure’ form. “Anything to look less…like this mound of flesh and psychic energy.”

Before he could Register, Amon found his body was different. It resembled his Pure Form, but taller, four arms and large leathery wings adorned on his back as a series of horns around his head formed a crown where Void pooled into a sphere above his head. A long barbed tail covered in natural armored chitten moved about and dripped a special Void based Venom. His senses were… sharper. Hearing every noise, seeing for hundreds of miles, smelling and feeling every vibration of the ground or air all on command.

Amon looked himself over, sighing in bliss as he stretched like a normal being would. “You have…honestly no idea how good it feels to be in a normal form again after billions of years.”

Oh, I can relate quite well. Regardless, now, it's time to start remaking that plan of yours.

"... Ugh, my head…" Spoke a voice for the first time. Rising from the odd but comfortable bed of black and green, the entity took in the surroundings around them.

"You woke up, and can speak." They turned, seeing a small, almost child looking creature. Changeling. The name came to them, but they do not know how they know that. "What did that God do to you?"

"His Vitals are stable, mana reserves holding steady." Another Changeling said on the other side of the newborn being, a woman he could tell from the outfit and the voice.

"What .. where?" They asked, looking their body over. "How do… I know things, but not who I am?"

"You were made. You just awoke." The small child Changeling said. "I am Father. And this here is Clutch. We were… building you, and then, divine intervention struck."

"Well…I suppose that makes…some modicum of sense." He said, rubbing his forehead from a minor headache budding from whatever the hell he knows but doesn't. "So…I was built…well, what's my name?"

"We haven't given you one. Given the… unique circumstances of your creation, I felt it best if you were to name yourself. You are unlike anything Clutch or I have ever crafted. One of a kind in all creation, and we have been over a vast, vast portion of it."

"Right…" The Alicorn nodded, looking over themselves carefully. "Well…Adam doesn't sound right…how about Adamah?" The Alicorn suggested.

"Knowledge of languages and religion not native to the planet below. Interesting." Father said. "Now tell me, Adamah, do you know why we made you?"

"Um…" he started. "Peace through…me trying to seduce four wonderful ladies?" He guessed, having heard bit and pieces of their conversations about him while his consciousness was fully developing.

"I mean…that's technically correct…" Clutch said carefully.

"And that's the best kind of correct." Adamah added readily, before blinking at the unknown reference that was uttered. "Um…that kinda slipped out."

"No need to fret, and it's really just two, maybe three. Depends on how that young purple one reacts and the fourth is already married so. Anyway, yes, that is the main reason but given what you… have become, I feel it best to test and see exactly what you can do. After all, a literal God appeared in the lab and took the frame you were being built upon and finished you in a matter of seconds, your DNA is like nothing we have in our records and frankly, what you are might just be what we'll need in the near future." Father stated.

"Uh…yeah, I feel like someone helped me because…someone else is trying to start a lot of bad things." He said slowly and carefully. "I don't know who or what they are…but something's gonna happen soon."

"That is correct. There are entities from a dimension between all dimensions known as The Void, and someone is sending them through rifts into this reality, and onto the planet below… and they won't stop with just this planet."

"Maybe that's it…" The Alicorn shook his head. "So…when do I head out?"

"After we run some tests to determine exactly what you are capable of."

"Fair enough." He nodded. "A simple physical shouldn't be too bad."

"Simple he says…" Clutch said ominously

"I don't like the sound of that…" Adamah muttered nervously.

To be continued...

Bad News and Wishes

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As the Battle of Griffonstone came to a close, all the Void presence was closed off and snuffed out as Genetech was rushing around after the major battle to take stock of everyone that was saved and who was still be carried by the Rescuer Swarm Hosts.

“This…isn’t normally like Amon’s work…” Karax muttered, looking around and seeing the destruction, the mindless killing of those they sadly couldn’t safe, and all the property damage.

"Amon?" Helix asked.

“Amon was a Xel’Naga, killed at the end of the great war by a new Xel’Naga, my queen Kerrigan.” Zegara started. “He was the Great Betrayer to his kind, believing the Infinite Cycle was corrupt and wrong…”

“Little did everyone else know…he was just extremely pissed that he felt lied to about becoming a ‘greater being’, when he specifically wanted it, and soon royally regretted becoming a Xel’Naga, wishing he could go back to his normal life but…well when you technically become a race of godlike beings, it’s hard to turn back.” John explained simply.

"I see." Helix said with a nod. "Hmm… is it me, or are there less bodies than there should be?"

The group looked around. Gore and blood was plentiful… but corpses, less. The bits of gore largely seemed to belong to the monsters when they were slain.

“He…probably kidnapped what Griffon’s he could.” Tina said worriedly. “Probably to do some disgusting experiments on them…”

“Considering he fucked with Protoss and Zerg to make the hybrid…who know’s what’ll happen…” John said in growing disgust.

"If he's kidnapping them then we need to send out an alert. Griffons as a species are naturally lethal predators. If he does something to them to magnify that then Stars know what he'll do with races that can utilize magic." Helix said, pulling out her phone and began making calls.

"We should probably also make some calls…" John said. "Probably get more reinforcements from either Protoss or Zerg…"

"We could call in the Terrans…" Tina suggested. "Cause they were gonna need to be here for diplomacy anyways…plus we'd still need the reinforcements."

The group rushed to their ship. They began sending out signals and requesting messages… and none answered. Not the Zerg. Not the Protoss. Not even the Terrans.

"Oh come on, what the hell…" John growled.

"Is something blocking our signal?" Karax inquired to one of the communication specialists. "We got in contact easily before…"

"How long ago was that?" Helix asked as she walked up to the group.

"It was…after the party when we saved Ponyville." Tina said with some thought.

"Twilight and my Hierarch we're talking about the deal we made." Karax pointed out.

Helix hummed in thought. "That was some weeks ago… and between then and now…" She flinched. "Can you head there? Now." Helix ordered.

“Sure.” Tina nodded as she brought up a Nydus worm tunnel.

”My queen…” Tina and Zegara heard Isha say sadly.

”What is it Isha?” Zegara inquired.

”We have…gotten word from Dehaka…Amon is alive, and has personally destroyed much of the Kaprulu sector…” Isha explained, making Zegara and Tina freeze up.

“Templar Karax! We’re getting a signal!” A protoss templar said. “It’s from Matriarch Vorazun!”

“Patch her in while we head towards Ponyville.” Karax said, as they started heading towards Ponyville the screen popped up…showing the matriarch of the Dark Templar without an arm, injured, with many, many refugees, Primal Zerg, Terran’s and Protoss alike. “What in the world happened!?”

“We were…attacked…” Vorazun said through the pain. “Ambushed by Amon and his forces, that bastard somehow coming back to life with an even stronger army…”

“That’s impossible.” John shook his head. “Kerrigan made sure he died in the final battle…”

“And she’s currently trying her damndest to save any and all lives she can from him, but she’s hard pressed as is against his Hybrid.” Vorazun explained. “We managed to get…a quarter of the Golden Fleet and Nerazim fleet to grab as many refugee’s as we could, and the Terran’s Han and Horner have managed to save as many as they could…but…it wasn’t like what Amon did before…” She shuddered. “This was full blown Genocide on a galactic scale…”

"What of the dead?" Helix asked. "Are his forces collecting the dead?"

“They don’t even need to be dead half the time.” Vorazun sighed. “I’ve heard the captives literally kicking and screaming as they were dragged into the Void…”

“Well that’s not good in the slightest.” Tina frowned. “And that’s…practically a Galaxy worth of Terran’s, Protoss and Zerg that he just grabbed…”

"It might be worse than that…" Helix muttered. "How many species with intelligence, Psionics or unique abilities exist out there? And how many is he taking?"

“From what our records state, the Kaprulu Sector doesn’t have any intelligent life that wasn’t simply the Protoss and Zerg.”

"What about outside it?"

“From what the Terran Rory Swann and Matt Horner have managed to gather, Terran’s were the only ones they could find closest to our Sector, in the Sol Sector of space…but after that, we’ll have to dig through our scout’s reports on if there was any other species outside of the Sector, but so far there hasn’t been any found or recorded.” The Matriarch explained.

"... Your records…" Helix said before rushing off.

“Follow Probius! He’ll lead you to the Archives!” Karax called out.

"Sorry but I'm not looking through your records." Helix said as she ran towards the ship exit.

“Only records that could…exceed ours would be the Changelings…right?” Karax brought up.

“Well…maybe?” Tina asked. “But how would she know where to find them?” She ‘frowned’.

“I have…no idea what you're talking about…” Vorazun sighed out. “But we’ll be reaching the planet in roughly two standard terran weeks.” The matriarch said.

“Stay safe, and we’ll get into talks with the royals and Genetech to help with the refugee effort.” John explained.

"Is there a reason you called me?" Father asked as he met with Imago in the main chamber.

“Father…the entire sector next to us has been completely destroyed.” Imago answered. “And Helix…my new compatriot, is asking for our Records on anyone and anything outside that sector due to someone literally grabbing and dragging all life into the Void for genetic experiments.”

"That….no, that makes complete sense. Seems we were not the only ones locked in that… prison." Father huffed. "Can this Helix be trusted?"

"Maybe. I do." Father tensed up. He knew that voice all too well. He looked behind Imago. Standing in the doorway was a female pony, likely Helix, but the tall changeling next to her. "Wow, now you're really my baby brother."

"T- Tardigrade?! You're alive!?"

"And just as sassy, sexy and stubborn as ever." She chuckled. "You miss me?"

"Like a bad rash…"

“I would have told you sooner, father…but she threatened me to keep my silence.” Imago sighed out. “And…also preoccupied by Helix being the only mare on this planet more done with Aunt’s shenanigans than we are.”

"You have no idea." Helix said while rolling her eyes. "Your bad past aside, this Amon figure is taking people. He took many Griffons. He recently took Zerg, Terrans and Protoss. Most of their damn homeworlds. Any not taken care of being killed or escaped. You know what he is doing, right?"

Frowning, Father nodded, looking down. "Reports on him told us he makes hybrids. All the benefits, none of the weaknesses. If he is doing that to the captured ones, even from corpses in the void. Then the next things to escape those void portals will be new. More dangerous than his normal army."

“From what Helix has brought up from her allies, Amon should be about as lifeless as the surface level of Void…and yet here he is, razing an entire Galaxy and soon to be creating Hybrid with genetic engineering skills almost on par with you and Clutch.” Imago brought up. “Something has changed father…I can almost…feel the growing sense of dread by whoever or whatever brought this madman back.”

"... Divine intervention…" Father muttered.

“Excuse me?” Imago frowned. “What do you mean ‘Divine Intervention’?” He asked. “How in auntie’s incessant need to ship people is that possible?”

“Oi!” Faust huffed.

"Yesterday I told Clutch that, in all the time I had consciousness in The Void, I went over all our calculations for the Universe and its creations. Despite everything, one fault kept coming up. If it was born from an exploding singularity, then where did the singularity come from? How does a singularity form in total nothingness? Simply, it can't. Not following scientific rules. Someone had to make it to place it there."

“That’s…” Imago muttered, trying to think of any possible way to explain this without someone beyond all of them doing something damn near impossible. “Do you have proof that Divine Intervention has happened?”

"Yes. Clutch and I met one." Father said, making Imago and even Tardigrade look in shock. "The bio lab cameras caught the whole thing. Gods… exist."

“Oh…” He started. “Oh no…” Imago shook his head. “And…if this Amon is being backed by one of these Gods…”

"Then it's even worse than I was fearing…" Helix said as she walked in a circle in thought. "If these are the same Gods who created our universe, why now choose to work to destroy it? Is it just one or multiple?"

“It has to be multiple, cause if it was just the one then Father and Clutch would be dead.” Imago said. “So…we just need to take a guess as to who’s benevolent and who’s malevolent…but one thing we need to speed up on, is us joining the world Father.” Imago said. “This is beyond even what we’re capable of if we’re facing against someone backed by the Divine.”

"But we aren't even close to having the Repopulation machines running. Larva and Chrysalis are barely getting the hatching chambers finished." Father said.

"The Hatching Chambers?" Tardigrade asked. "Why would you need those? The Changeling population is still thriving in the core of Equis."

“Ah, yes, another thing that I was threatened to not tell father, besides a grand total of ‘you owe her that bet’.” Imago frowned. “But for the hatching chambers…Chrysalis found her purpose, it’s how Father is like this now, she cured him and gave him a second chance at life.”

"I see… well, in any case, dealing with actual divine beings is definitely new… and Amon already has a lead with his army and soon his… new breeds." Helix spoke. The word was like poison on her tongue that all the Changelings felt. "So tell me, how many intelligent species are there still alive in your records?"

Father sighed, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. "Five hundred and thirty six."

"In the whole universe?"

"Yes. All the others went extinct long ago. According to our scout Satellites only five hundred and thirty six intelligent species exist in the whole universe."

“A lot less than we’d like…and that number might be dwindling fast due to Amon’s actions reaching across not just the sector next to us, but any and all sectors he’s capable of reaching.” Imago said carefully.

"And with a God's help he can easily know where each of their planets and colonies are." Tardigrade huffed. "Talk about an unfair fight."

"Then let's level the playing field." Father said. "Come. The God that visited Clutch and I left a gift." He smirked.

“Ah, yes, Clutch has been very eager to show them off.” He shook his head with a little smile, not remembering the last time Clutch was so excited to show off her latest creation.

Tina and John stared in absolute horror. It was earth, more advanced, but held the same shape in the contents…

The hole where eastern the USA, the whole North Atlantic Ocean, Europe, and a large chunk of Africa once sat left a perfect view all the way to the planets core. Deep horrid cracks of magma from this deadly impact stretched all across the planet. The moon, colonized and once holding life, now chunks of rock floating and crashing into its former planetary host and drifting off into space of crashing into nearby planets.

There was no more Earth.

“What…what the fuck…” Tina muttered in absolute horror.

“Even…even if it’s not our earth…” John muttered. “What…in god’s name happened?”

"Why, Amon of course." The group turned, seeing someone new. He appeared humanoid, wearing an all blue tuxedo, red tie and despite his head being visible, none could actually see or describe his face. The new person sat on a chair, going through a box of masks. "Course, Pain helped."

“Ah, yes, the most apt of names for literally sending a deranged madman to punch a hole in a planet…” Tina frowned.

“So…who are you?” John asked carefully, but even if they wanted to get into a fighting stance…both Karax and Zegara were more so shocked and horrified by what they were seeing.

“What…what are you?” Zegara muttered in awe.

"Oh, names are important. Well, in general reference I am what you call an All Maker. But for my name… ah, perfect!" The man held up a smiling tragedy mask, adorning it over his face as it seemed to meld and become his new head/face. "Call me Genie." He said, tossing the box of masks away and standing up. "A pleasure to meet you all."

“Uh…” Tina started. “Right…so I presume you know who we are considering you…might be above God at this point…”

"No might be about it. I am." Genie said as he began to pace back and forth. "You see, I bet you're wondering why I, Pain and two other associates of mine are taking an active interest in your reality."

“Yes…that would be cool to know.” Tina frowned. “Cause so far…at least two sectors of space have stopped existing at this point.”

"Three." He corrected. "But the reason is actually, you two!" He motioned to Tina and John. "You see, you two come from a place we call a Foundation Reality. Basically, you should not have even ended up here. Nor should these two aliens have been able to contact you. Let alone rip you from your own reality and merge you mind, body and soul to them."

“But…we had God himself literally do this…” Tina brought up.

“Yeah…it was that whole twenty twelve nonsense that people were about to freak out about and…yeah.” John said nervously.

"Yeah. That wasn't God, a god or even a divine. That was… an echo of something we thought was dead. Turns out, it wasn't." Genie sighed. "But, I digress. This newfound event caused quite a bit of commotion among the others, til he decided to control this unexpected chaos and have fun with it. We were against it at first but better to guide the mess than let it spiral out of control."

“So…this was all because some jackass wanted to see people scramble around trying to figure out what the fuck is going on?” Tina frowned.

“Yeah…that sounds like a dick move.” John frowned.

"He is a petty one. Then again, given what he was before, I guess getting knocked down didn't sit well with him. You two are probably just the first in a lot more displaced people he's going to be throwing out from the Foundation Realms." Genie sighed. "But, luckily I'm here. And I am here to grant you all one wish each."

“And…what’s the catch?” John asked carefully. “Just because an Aladdin reference escapes me because of your name, doesn’t mean there isn’t a catch to it.”

"You get the one wish, It's permanent, and you can't undo the wish ever. You also can not wish for Amon to be killed. I can't make it easy for you." Genie chuckled.

All four thought for a bit, considering there was…a lot that they could indeed wish for, and considering this guy is probably a literal Divine Being…”Mind if we take some time to think about this? Cause getting two free wishes that isn’t ‘solve our problems’ is still quite vast.”

"Two? I'm offering four. One for each of you."

The four of them immediately looked at Genie like he was completely insane. “Uh…okay…” Karax said in shock.

“A…wish for all four of us?” Zegara muttered in awe.

"Well, if you all need time to think, I'll be just a call away." Genie said, giving a mock salute before turning on his heel and vanishing into thin air.

"That…that definitely happened…" Tina said, the four of them letting out a breath, both physical and mental, that they didn't know they were holding after…that.

"What the hell did we get ourselves into?" John asked fearfully.

"This Cell, this DNA…" Tardigrade said. "It's…"

"Impossible?" Father finished, laughing. "Yet here it is."

"It's amazing isn't it auntie?" Clutch asked, filled with what could only be described as childish giddiness. "A whole new world to discover in genetics! It's amazing."

"And, what of him?" Tardigrade asked, motioning to the display where the male Alicorn sat on a bed.

"He's a fast learner, the planet's magic, second nature to him."

"We designed him to be able to adjust to civilization, but what Harmony did is well beyond our estimates." Clutch said, showing off the data showing he was leagues above what they were believing his learning speed was.

"Like a fish to water…" Imago hummed at the apt saying.

"Hm. Wonder if that is the same god who knocked me up."Clutch and Father both looked at Tardigrade. "What? I got pregnant twice with no sex and had two daughters. Celestia and Luna."

Father face palmed. "Great. I made my own nieces a husband…"

"And for that I'm grateful. Both are terminally single."

"Yes…we have noticed that." Imago frowned. "Agelessness does tend to do that sadly."

"In any case, what do you plan to use these cells and genetic data for?" Helix asked.

"Evolve." Father said. "With cells and DNA like this, every species lost to the uncaring universe will be revived and be better, stronger and compatible with each other regardless of origins. Even plants could evolve to be more resistant and survive in harsh environments in a generation or even just over time! Extinction itself, will no longer apply."

"But a planet can't sustain immortal species." Tardigrade said.

"Yes. But the people won't be immortal, nor the plants. They can still die, they just won't go extinct from environmental factors."

"But third party factors… illness, war…"

"Regrettably. We are not looking to make immortals. We are just looking for a means of preserving life in an uncaring universe."

"And currently someone beyond the uncaring universe has taken a personal interest in killing all life as we know it by proxy." Imano pointed out.

"Which is why we need to accelerate our work. Clutch, have Imago and Helix help you study the cells so we can use them for our own biology. Tardigrade… you come with me. There's something I feel you will want to help with." Father said.

Once he and Tardigrade left the lab, Tardigrade decided to see what her little brother had been up to and question him. As well as ask why he wanted her help.

“Alright you, the hell do you need my help for?” Tardigrade asked.

"The Generation Engines. They contain an artificial big bang that generates raw elements we filter and form into raw materials, metals, water, ECT."

“Yes, the Generation Engines can in fact do such things.” She nodded. “What insane idea do you have this time that involves it?”

"I plan on weaponizing it."

“Ah, yes, that’s the way.” Tardigrade frowned. “Now, remind me my fine baby brother, what happened the last time you tried to weaponize something of godlike powers?” She deadpanned, trying to bring up the fact that the war they had before was a massive problem.

"Relax. Look, we both know what the Void does. We couldn't enter it without risking lethal levels of it's corruptive poison. It was thanks to Chrysalis that I'm even alive. Still, even she has her limits. So, I'll be turning the Engine into a bomb. Inside Creation, harmless, useless even. In the Void. Big Bang made by mortal life. The force, blast and heat will destroy this army and Amon, and make a new infant universe."

Tardigrade rubbed her temples. “You know that’s…more insane than your usual right?” She asked.

"We're dealing with Gods and the like. If it keeps us alive and kills them, then when this is all over I'll gladly get thrown into a padded cell."

Tardigrade sighed, knowing he had a point. “Even if they're old, we’re going to need the Goliath’s, as well as figuring out how the hell our other council members stuck themselves in Limbo right?” She said, seeing her little brother pause a bit at the talk of those ancient constructs that were practically made for unbelievable wars like this. “They still have their Anti-Void protocol’s, and are at least a buffer to some of the horseshit Amon’s up to.”

"We're the rules normal, then yeah. But they aren't. So, much as I hate to admit it, your knowledge on Rift Gate technology and Spacial Folding, is better than my own. So, I need your help with a side project."

“And what’s this new side project besides literally throwing a big bang at our problem and hoping for the best?” She asked.

The door they approached opened and Tardigrade spotted a Rift Gate Cannon, much larger than normal and had many more power supplies and Reality Distortion Engines. "Plan B."

“So this was one of your passion projects?” She inquired, looking over the Rift Gate Cannon and seeing all the engines around it. “Well, if you wanted to punch a hole in reality while throwing caution to the wind, you’re getting there that’s for sure.”

"When I was in the void, I heard whispers but I also saw cracks. And a lot of those cracks did not lead here. There are other Universes, universes full of life and free from these Void taint. This, will punch a safe, secure hole through our universe, the void, and into the next. In case… we can't win, at least most can escape. If you finish this in your settlement in the core of Equis it will send the whole planet, sun, moon and all into the next reality."

Good plan B.” She nodded. “So the Void would be considered the inbetween…” She hummed, already so many possibilities running through her mind at this knowledge.

“Yes. While it’s not as straight forwards as if it were the empty space between two walls separating two rooms, a hole anywhere in there could lead either to a universe where all our knowledge and technology is useless, or just right back to the reality we’re escaping. Thankfully I managed to capture a few particles of one universe that seems near identical enough to our own here to be a safe fallback. I keep them in the locator I built so it can hopefully home in on the reality of origin for the particles and with your help, should open the tunnel to that reality or origin.”

“Good.” She nodded, looking over everything carefully, even more carefully than her brother who made the damn thing.

It had been four months and the cloned bodies were ready. They appeared far more Zerg and Protoss than expected, but they were stable.

"I'll admit this is new technology for us. Growing organs, Blood and tissue for medical uses is one thing but the whole body was tricky. Had a lot more failures than I'd have liked." Helix admitted as John and Tina looked the bodies over.

The clone bodies while resembling more their current alien bodies were a bit shorter and colorful. The Over queen body a shade of neon blue and pink while the Zerg looked mostly a dark blue with neon red stripes.

"It's fine." Tina said, though her voice sounded tired from basically having to corral the entire Primal Zerg under her and Dehaka's rule. "Ugh…I wish for the day I can have caffeine again…"

"Tell me about it…" John grumbled, having to help Karax and Vorazun deal with the logistics of the Protoss coming in.

"Now comes the hard part…" Helix grumbled. "While admittedly we don't have technology to transfer your mind to the new bodies, we do have magic. Princess Luna thankfully lent us a tomb of now outlawed mental based magic and spells. One in particular links the minds of two together, this normally allows one party to at a whim possess the one at the other end. The goal is to use that to have John and Tina control the empty bodies."

"Which, hopefully, can survive whatever strain we'll put on it." Tina nodded.

"I've looked at the notes you've given us, and everything should work if there isn't any unseen variables." Karax said, going through all the notes and math on this and it should work.

"Operative word being should." Zegarra commented.

"Well, you two, four, go sit over there. Our resident mage will begin the spell."

The aliens/humans took their seats. A unicorn in long robes, a long horn sticking out the hood and a book in their arms began to light their horn up with magic.

It flowed first to the mindless clone bodies, and from them to Tina and John and they felt it. Like a needle striking deep into their shared brains as they could feel a string pulling and stitching something else to them.

Tina, John, Zegarra and Karax could feel the empty bodies. A sensation of touch, the beating of the unfamiliar hearts. They could see through their eyes.

All Zergarra and Karax needed to do was let Tina and John go alone, and have their own bodies now.

The two aliens let go of their friends, knowing that they'll still have them next to them, but in different bodies even after the many months they were together.

Just as Tina and John's minds were falling into the bodies, something happened. Pain screamed across Tina and Tony. Their new bodies suffering strokes, hemorrhaging, heart attacks, nerve damage, and organ failure all at once.

It was agony for the two humans.

They were quickly thrown back into Zergarra and Karax's minds, the clone bodies vitals all flatlining.

"Well, that happened." Helix said as she looked over the now two corpse clones.

"The fuck was that!?!" The both shouted in panic.

"Well, imagine an organ rejection on a transplant but… everywhere." Helix said. "Wonder how that happened?"

"Their souls." The mage said, drawing their attention. "I felt it when casting the spell. Somehow, their souls are merged with those of their alien hosts."

"Hollow Body Syndrome." Helix said. "Damn. Never though I'd see it in person."

"And…that would be?" Tina asked. "Like…what? We're so linked to our 'host' we can't have our own bodies?"

"Not exactly. See, Hollow Body Syndrome is a phrase in Necromancy used to describe how the Undead work. See, an Undead fueled by a soul shoved back into the body will of course decay and rot but without a mind to perceive the pain, just keep on going. You experienced the reverse, putting a mind into a soulless body. Without the soul the body rejected you, immediately did what it can and tried to die because you lacked a soul while in there but are minds, aware and such, felt ALL that pain. Which if you somehow stayed in there would probably have turned you two into minor Liches."

"So…that's why…" Tina frowned.

"So…it's our souls…" John muttered.

"Does Magicite affect the soul?" Karax asked immediately.

"Oddly, we have no idea. Soul magic is very, very taboo. Frankly the few people who have ever dabbled in it don't exactly live long enough to contribute any data. We can't even scan for a soul, it's still such an unknown. All we do know is that yes, it's there, it is unbelievably powerful yet can also be stupidly fragile." Helix explained.

"Well then." Karax said. "We don't know anything about this…but there is someone that might."

"Who?" Helix asked.

"Oh…" John said in realization. "Damn, we don't have a lamp…but hey Genie, you there?"

"You called?" The mask faced being asked as he walked in from thin air.

"Yes, cause we have…two wishes to use." John answered.

"My wish is for a tome about the Soul, to better understand everything I'm allowed to know." Karax started, considering the Soul is now something brand new and not known, his inner knowledge seeker wanting to learn about it.

"And the second?" Genie asked.

"Two bodies for me and Tina that can withstand both our minds and souls, cause we believe that Magicite has effected either one or the other two the point where, if at all possible, our new bodies would be killed through Hollow Body syndrome." John explained. "Cause…as you can see…" he motioned to the two lifeless clones.

"I do." He said, looking over at the corpse bodies Helix was still looking over. "Very well." Genie snapped his fingers.

Two bodies appeared, very much humanoid with features of the Zerg and Protoss...but as a natural hybridization, and it shocked Tina and John how much the faces looked like their old ones. They say on the ground laid against one another unmoving but breathing automatically, as if asleep.

Second, appeared in a thud a shelf of tomes. Sixty volumes written in modern Terran appeared next to the two bodies.

"Sixty tomes…" Karax muttered at how much knowledge there was.

"These…these are Perfect Hybrid…" Zegarra said in awe at looking between the two new bodies. "It's…as if they were naturally born like this…a natural born of Protoss and Zerg…im-impossible…"

"Fun fact there Insect Mamma, nothing is impossible in this or any reality so long as you know how it all works." Genie said. "Speaking of, seems the boys used their wishes. Do the ladies have anything in mind?"

Zegarra looked down at the two…something in her was sparking at the fact that she could tell that these two new beings were natural born, through a union of life and evolution and not some sick bastards genetic experiment…”I…I wish for the Zerg to be…able to breed with other races, any of them…to share what I’m seeing now…” She explained softly.

“But wouldn’t that mean he’d have to rewrite your entire genetic structure to be able to even carry offspring like that?” Tina asked. “Like…to the point your ‘insect’ like bodies would be more mammalian?”

"She can be able to do both if she wishes." Genie said. "Just remember, there is no undoing these wishes."

“I understand.” Zegarra nodded. “If it means that our evolution can break through the barrier of our own species…then I’m willing to wish for it.”

"Alright. And for the human lady?"

“Hmm…” Tina hummed curiously, looking at their new bodies and thinking if she should wish to just put them in their bodies…”Nah, fuck it. Mind if you put me and John in our new bodies?” She asked Genie politely.

"As you wish." Genie said, his grin was as wide as the smile on his mask.

With a gasp, John and Tina woke up in their new bodies. They felt familiar and all too different.

Then Zegarra changed.

Zegarra went from a Zerg Brood Mother, a Tuaric like insectoid creature with a massive ‘egg sac’ that could help breed new zerglings or banelings in an instant, to a much more…humanoid esc form.

“When the hell did you turn into Cell?” Tina muttered in surprise at how…honestly beautiful Zegara looked.

The Overqueen looked over themselves, seeing that they had a more humanoid figure, with two long and powerful looking moth like wings, the fluff around the wing’s made it look like a nice blanket, but it being multi jointed it also looked like she could move them much more than just basic flight, as retractable stinger’s at the end of said joints proved, and the inner wing’s showed the symbol of the Zerg on both wing’s in both a kind, but rather threatening manner. Her body still held it’s chitinous coloring, it’s dark brown shell still looking as durable as the day she fully Evolved from what her Queen knew, but it held a much more…softer tone, like it could feel as smooth as human skin, where her toned and lithe body held much more to it.

“What…what am I?” Zegarra muttered, seeing herself in a full body mirror Genie decided to give her, seeing her toned and lithe body go from a mixture of her Broodmother eyes and black dreadlock hair, to more of a human style face, looking down towards…her massive mammaries that held pulsing colored light as if it was filled with her healing fluids, down her well defined muscled stomach, and to her strong, wide child bearing hips that also held a long, thick whip like tail that also pulsed with the same multicolored energy, ending in a pincer like tip that had a hole in the middle to still spawn Eggs for Zerglings or Banelings, thigh’s that could probably crush a man’s skull rather easily, and toned long legs. “I…I look…”

“Told you, H Cup titties.” Tina giggled. “But yeah, you look absolutely gorgeous Zegarra.”

"Congratulations. You are the first ever Brood Den Mother for the Zerg in this reality." Genie said.

"Den Mother?" Helix asked.

"A special Alpha species of females with unique… breeding abilities. While most often found in mammal based species, any race can have their own Den Mother Alpha species, and for males we just call them True Alphas. Put the two together and they can populate a whole planet in just a few short years."

“Uh…right…” Jon said, looking away from Zegarra and all her beauty and starting at Tina, who was her own beauty even with all the protoss and zerg hybrid bits.

“I…can see why they would be…considered that…” Karax said, hating how the Magicite effected his body in a lot of ways as he looked away from the brand new Den Mother with a bright blush on his mouthless, bearded face.

"Welp, wishes have been granted and for me, that's all I'll offer. But my associates will show up sooner or later to make your acquaintance." And with that, he vanished back into thin air.

The five looked at each other, now concerned about the fact that more of them will show up at this point. “Well…so how about that double date?” Tina asked sheepishly.

To be continued...

Chapter 8

View Online

Amon sat in his laboratory. Pain was an Invaluable source of information. She taught him ways to twist and mutate the building blocks of life in ways he never thought possible before. It was like breaking apart the foundation of nature itself and making his own.

Which, it was.

"How goes the Experiments?" Pain asked, appearing next to Amon in a new form. Her appearance resembled a Terran, a Terran corpse. Pale white skin, fogged lifeless eyes and wet void black hair while dressed in wet, ragged shorts and a pale white shirt covered in grime.

"Beyond my wildest dreams.” Amon said simply. “This is…beyond anything I could have imagined when it comes to Biology.”

"I expected. What you know and what I have shown you are but foot notes in the knowledge you don't know. Still, in the end, everything can be reprogrammed and rebuilt into something new." Pain smirked, looking over at the growing vats. Inside were thrown chunks of the collected dead or prisoners forced Into them.

What will emerge will bring a new generation of Hybrids to Amon's army.

“These new races have been especially helpful in my new research, no matter what other race in the galaxy I have gathered, they always seemed to mix together without any kind of adjustment.” He said, looking at the vat’s that had those ‘Griffons’ in them and was excited to see how well it was working with the other races.

"True, but some genetic factors still can not be… overlooked." Pain said, handing Amon several files. "You'll be wanting to capture these twelve specific individuals. The last two are dead so just dig up their corpses and rebuild their bodies."

Amon nodded, grabbing the files and looking through the many files to see who he had to capture and or grave rob.

"Once you have, set them up to become new… breeding factories."

Amon looked the files over. All twelve, even the two dead, seemed rather… uninteresting.

“These people all look…uninteresting…” He hummed. “But why would I want them to be breeding factories?”

"Tell me Amon." Pain spoke, an almost playful tune in her voice. "When you were making your perfect Hybrids, you took the best of both sets of DNA from the best of the two species available to you, yes?"

“Correct, cause if I didn’t then the entire being would have deteriorated and died within seconds due to how finicky Protoss and Zerg DNA were.” Amon said.

"Now tell me, what is the difference between bioengineered, mass produced entities, and bred and birthed ones?"

“Well, difference being is that one is the ‘natural process’ of creating new life, and the other is taking their very cells, DNA and Genome of a being and creating something completely different, or enhancing such a being.” Amon answered simply.

"Now tell me, what happens when you combine both processes?" Pain asked, earning a look from Amon. "Take the two sources of your prime species, merge into into a new form, one unendingly breeding out your perfectly bioengineered species as if nature made them. Do you know what you have then, Amon?"

Amon’s eyes widened. “I…see where you are going with this…”

"You have Truly, a new species. One I can assure you, will be the best at what they do." Pain said as she talked the files in Amon's hands. "The twelve here are all parents. Mother's, father's, to these Elements of Harmony, these six mare's these parents bred into the world are regarded as heroes. Bio-Locked to an old and powerful set of relics. I want to know if you can make their… new siblings, better at this than them."

“I’m sure I can do just that.” Amon nodded, though for some reason in the back of his mind he thought that this was less about his road to revenge and burning this entire pitiful galaxy to the ground and more…to spread new life around.

"In no time at all, you'll have quite the armies. Of course you'll also need to arm and have the means to feed them."

"With how I work, they won't need food to function properly." He shrugged, finding the biological needs for food and hydration to be a detriment, an extremely exploitable flaw if his enemies know how to exploit it.

Pain eyed him with a side glance for a while, Amon taking notice of this and felt a growing… worry.

"How long?" She asked simply.

“W-well,” Amon gulped. “With the work of Protoss and Zerg DNA, they functionally don’t need to eat or drink ever, due to Protoss being more Plant Like where they absorb the Sun’s rays to get their sustenance, and the Zerg having long since Evolved to ignore such baser needs to continue functioning.” The god explained carefully. “If…if the ponies are just the same flexible template like the Griffon’s, it shouldn’t take long to create such beings.”

Pain was suddenly in front of Amon. The god only still upright because the wall behind him stopped him from falling back. "How long has it been since you tasted?" Pain asked, the worry in Amon mixing with confusion now. "Drank? Held flavor on your tongue?"

“For…many millenia.” Amon said carefully. “But I don’t need food or drink, hell, even before I turned into a Xel-Naga I didn’t truly need it to live.” Amon said carefully, now super confused as to what Pain was going for here.

She stared at Amon. A look of pity in her expression quickly replaced by a chuckle. "I forget you're still so young." She said, raising her hand and forming in it, offered the conjured item to him.

Amon recognized it as a Terran fruit, commonly called an Apple. While several planets had them or variations of them he knew off, he took it gingerly.

“Well…alright…” He said, knowing he really didn’t have to given his biology but he brought it up to his mouth and took a bite of the Apple since Pain seemed insistent on him learning the feeling’s of food.

He felt like a shockwave hit his mouth. Senses so long neglected sending signals of the flavors, texture, consistency. His mind felt almost flooded by the information his tongue was sending as his first bite slid down his throat and his maw demanded more.

Unconsciously, he obliged his maws desire, stopping only when the apple was all gone now.

He looked back over at Pain, confused but felt an odd… satisfaction, in the act.

"We, beings like you, and like me, need not food, drink, air or even a physical body, but my Family and I do anyway. Know why?" She asked, spinning on her heel and taking a few steps away from Amon. "Because when you live as long as we do, with no way to escape living, it's the little satisfactions that make the eternity more bearable. Be it in good company, enjoyable but fleeting moments, or, simply watching and messing with the multiverse and the realms around it for fun."

“I…suppose that’s why I’m here then.” Amon nodded. “To help you mess with the…multiverse…” The ageless being muttered slowly, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that there’s a Multiverse out there.

"Maybe." Pain said with a shrug. "I haven't decided yet."

That…extremely concerned Amon to know that she was still ‘deciding’ his fate outside of his current objective. “Right…” He said carefully.

She walked over to the console, a wave of her hand and a basket of various food and drink items appearing on it before she turned around and vanished.

Amon felt his knees buckle as he slid down the wall behind him and sat on the floor. He hadn't realized how… terrified, he was, until now.

He knew whatever Pain was, far surpassed him and all God-Like beings he knew. Still, she was still an unknown, an enigma that intentionally and knowingly seemed to take delight in causing everything strife, himself included.

When he collected himself, he got up and sat at the console, eyeing the basket of drinks and foods she had left. Some he knew, others were new to him.

For the first time in his entire life, Amon felt and heard the craving of nourishment, despite his body needing none, it wanted to consume and relish in the flavors and experience. It was something his body, once uncaring for the act now seemed to be adamantly craving.

He wondered if Pain had done something to his biology, or if this was something long dormant now awakened.

“This better not cause problems later…” Amon grumbled, grabbing one of these drinks, a ‘Mountain Dew’, opening the cap and taking a swig of it. “Now…onto kidnapping some parents…”

The day had been going slow. Helix sifted through the documents of the Changeling ship for hours, each file producing nothing of interest.

"Find anything of interest?" Imago inquired.

"Lots of data on all kinds of species but mostly nothing of interest."

“That’s fair.” Imago nodded. “So, what do you think about our new friend’s forms?” Imago inquired, having seen the two humans become those natural born hybrid and Zagara’s new…form.

"Knowing Tardigrade she's debating on approaching them to flirt." Helix huffed. "Personally, I don't honestly care."

"Yeah, knowing auntie she would." Imago sighed.

"Mostly just looking for any other mentions of these All Maker beings in the records."

"I don't believe there will be anything on them, considering we haven't heard anything about them through the many centuries of our lives."

"That's because you were in The Void for a long time and also not looking in the right places." Helix said, sifting through more and more files.

"And have you found anything yet?" Imago asked, cause while half of that was true, he did scrounge through a lot of the files they had and there was a lot.

"A few potentials but nothing concrete." She said.

"Considering we're working with beings above Gods…" He frowned, thinking about if there was anything he experienced or learned that could help.

"Exactly. Most of what I found that's plausible is in very old myths and legends about god's or god makers in various planets cultures and religions. It's why I'm specifically searching through the ones with old history, well before you took a void nap and Equestria was still space dust."

“It was the war on this planet that made us take our ‘void nap’...though mostly because the Void was corrupting father and a few others.” Imago shrugged, remembering some ancient texts now that she mentioned it.

"Either way it's easy to overlook something in myth and religion when the proof is either long gone or obscured." She said.

"Fair." He nodded. "Though there was…one race now that I think about it…" he hummed.

"Got a name to go with that?"

Imago looked through some of the files she didn't look through yet, looking through as he sooner came across it. "Ah, here we are. The Chimera, a rather interesting race that naturally evolved with multiple races in them, you'd probably know them with the multiple heads and snake tails." He explained, showing off the race in particular. "Now, if memory serves, they believed in twin gods, Typhon and Echidna, the Gods of Monsters, but there was always…something behind them." He said, bringing up a photograph of said twin gods, but behind the two stood a figure, a simple human form with hair covering most of their face, besides a very terrifying grin.

"Well, that's not creepy and concerning at all." Helix huffed.

"This being, always in the background," he brought out more pictures showing their gods but always the vague figure. "The Creator of All Monsters, the Shadowed Grin…Pain…" He said, the two shuddering in true fear at the spoken word, the air growing cold at the mere mention of this being.

"Well that's one. Now what about the others? We know there are more so they have to appear somewhere."

“Hmm…” He hummed, digging through more Files as he found another…he could of sworn there wasn’t anything with this race? “That’s…that’s not right…” He frowned, looking over the race’s file in specific seeing that there was…more somehow. “So…this is new…” He said, putting down a picture showing six four armed lizard folk at a Poker Table with a very well dressed being, it’s face obscured by the wide brimmed top hat. “This wasn’t in the files before…this race of Lizard Folk had a penchant for games, mostly card and dice based games…but I don’t remember him.”

"Sounds about right… hmm…" Helix said, typing in some data and, to Imago's surprise, pulled up the file for the Changeling Homeworld.

“Man, having a body again feel’s…kinda weird.” Tanya hummed, stretching again to get a better feel over the very strong and…plump body of her’s after a long time of being a voice in Zagara’s head.

"On the bright side we don't have to argue with a co-pilot anymore." John said.

“Oh yeah.” Tanya nodded. “Sure, I also had to deal with a Hive mind stuck in there…but Zagara is extremely busy mentally.” She explained, still getting used to the new hybrid physiology. “So, how you handling our new super bodies?”

"Feels… different." John admitted. "I mean, I feel like me but… stronger. I guess."

“Same…I also feel…bigger…” She said nervously. “So, just waiting for our trainer to see how capable we are…hopefully it won’t be too bad…”

"Capable as in?"

“Well, what we’re physically capable of, or I suppose psychically cause we’re Hybrids.” She shrugged.

"I mean, we should be capable of whatever it is normal ones are and, well, super human stuff."

"Well…we're also in a war so might as well make sure?" Tanya said nervously.

There was a bit of a delay until eventually the two were met by-

"Hello I'm Blake and I'll be your physical fitness instructor."

The guy looked human. Dark brown hair and a small patch of white along the sides, golden yellow eyes and Caucasian skin tone. He wore an all black shirt, pants and shoes.

Immediately John and Tayna's senses went into overdrive upon seeing him. Screaming Danger and Flagging him as something to fear.

"Uh…who are you, why are you here, and should we start running?" Tayna asked worriedly.

"I am Blake and I am here to evaluate your Physical Fitness." He said, pulling a clipboard up from seemingly nowhere. "Now, Tanya Krithtin?" He asked as he looked up at Tanya.

“Uh…y-yes?” Tanya asked nervously. “What are you going to do to us?”

"Uh, Physical Exams. Duh." He then pulled a pen out from behind his ear. "Possible hearing difficulties." He said as he wrote

Tanya frowned. “I’m not hard at hearing, the both of us are just currently scared shitless you’re going to murder the both of us.”

"Now why would I do that?" He asked as he suddenly now held and equipped a Stethoscope, his pen and clipboard vanishing suddenly.

“Our instincts are telling us to run from you?” Tony said carefully.

"Oh that? Yeah I would be setting those off." He said. "Uh, mind?" He asked Tanya, motioning her to sit or kneel. She did and he began using the Stethoscope on her. "You did meet my uncle, well, yeah you did, you got these bodies."

“You’re uncle being…Genie?” Tayna inquired. “But yes, we have met him.”

"Well, that's what he's going by now, yes." Blake shrugged.

"So…are you like him or somehow related to him?" The female hybrid inquired.

"Yes." He said, moving the Stethoscope around her upper chest. "Breath in." He asked and she did.

"We kinda expected someone from Genetexh or the Changelings to be here for a…more rough physical." John brought up. "Why'd you come here for us?"

"Well for starters I probably can better evaluate you both medically and physically than them." Blake said, the Stethoscope was gone and now he held several other medical devices in his grasp. "Plus, I have some experience in this."

“Really?” Tanya inquired. “You’re used to…our brand of situations or just being a doctor for weird hybrid races?”

"Both." He said.

"Really?" Tayna asked. "Well…there's still a lot of things we don't know…"

"That's putting it mildly." Blake said as he strapped an inflating blood pressure reader on Tanya's arm and began letting it inflate.

“So…who brought Amon back?” Tanya inquired. “Cause as far as we knew, Amon was one dead motherfucker.”

"That would be my aunt." Blake said.

“Fucking what!?” John shouted, Blake seeing Tanya’s blood pressure spike at that realization.

“Yeah…just…someone in the same league as Genie helping a Genocidal Maniac…that’s…that’s cool…” Tanya said nervously.

"Considering the stakes at play and such. Don't worry, she's not directly involved. If she was you'd all be having it way worse off by now."

"And that both eases some worries…and only brings up more worries…" John said carefully.

"Well, consider it an ease." Blake said as he swapped the pressure checker for an Arthroscope.

“So, might as well ask, what are we capable of doing?” Tanya inquired.

"Well, everything you can think of. Maybe just shy of twice the normal power levels for the regular base races with the benefit of always being able to get stronger."

“Well…true.” John nodded, remembering that the Hybrid’s could handle Primal Kerrigan so they must have been stupidly strong. “Just gotta figure it all out through trial and error I suppose.”

"You'll want this then." Blake said, handing John a book titled 'So you're now a Protoss-Zerg-Human Hybrid'.

"Uh…right." John said, opening up the book and starting to read it. “Didn’t think there’s just…a book about this…”

"You'd be surprised what exists in the Multiverse of Multiverses."

“Right…” John said slowly. “So, what is this all about? Genie told us that our…being here was because someone was spiteful about current events…so what the hell happened?”

"That's a long, old story. I was a kid when that all went down. Well, kind of a kid, but that's not important. They were once a… well, an important part of the old reality. Think… like a CPU in a computer. Doesn't really work without it, well, after a long war and rebuilding reality itself, they were no longer needed. One of my mother's made sure of that, despite being removed, replaced and destroyed, it left a piece of itself, an echo in Reality. It's always causing issues or problems or sending people like you where they don't belong."

“Well then.” Tayna frowned. “So…this whole weird thing went from full blown The Matrix to Agent Smith just being a douche?”

"I don't get that reference." Blake said.

He finished up his exam on Tanya and began the next on John.

“So…has this happened to others?” Tanya inquired.

"Yes. Lots."

“Think we’ll ever meet any of the others?” John asked, wondering if they would be able to meet any of the other’s tin their current situation.

"Doubtful but not impossible."

“So…your family…” Tayna started. “Considering you said you're related to Genie and this mystery lady that’s helping Amon…how crazy is it?”

"Well, for me, it's normal. It's a big family. Lots of mother's, father's, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. Always growing. Guess it makes sense. After the war nobody who was there wanted to do much of anything aside relax and, well, start/grow the family."

“Well…it was after a war so I can see that.” John nodded. “What’s your home…’realm’ I suppose, like?”

"Big. Always something to do."

“Well…I suppose when we’re in the middle of this…” Tanya motioned. “It would make sense that it would be big.”

"Not just for my family mind you, all kinds of people live there too."

“How many people live there?” Tanya inquired, taking the time to read the book John had while he was getting looked over.

"Roughly…Wanna say… forty Decillion? Give or take."

“Holy damn…” She blinked in surprise.

"That's a rough estimate. There's people who are either off the grid or not part of the Empire so, that's mostly just the rough population of the Empire. My family included."

"How do that many people just… live there?" John asked.

"They just do. My home realm is very different from this one or any other on this end of reality." Blake replied, finishing John's examination.

“Well, how’s the examination so far doc?” John inquired.

"All good. No irregularities or issues. Both of you are in prime health. Now I guess it's just onto the physical tests."

“Which will either be perfectly fine or…terrifying…” Tanya muttered, having gotten to how physically capable they were, and given they’re Protoss and Zerg hybrid…they are very strong.

Gentech mining operations were always labels as Historical Excitations. Most were. Others, used this as a cover story. Mining Magicite and the ancient technologies of the ancient past.

To the ponies digging up and photographing, cataloging, and moving these ancient relics, it was just another Tuesday. Very little at this point surprised or impressed these digging crews.

Until today.

"Hey Boss!" One of the workers yelled. "You might wanna come see this!"

The 'boss' was a large Earth Pony stallion, duLL grey coat with eyes to match, the only color on him was his mane and tail that were both a neon red.

His name was Coal, and he walked over to the source of his employees' concern. A large, toothed silo door. The one tooth, easily was three times his size.

“So uh…I think we found whatever we were looking for.” One of the archaeologists said nervously.

“This is…a lot different than our normal work boss.” Another brought up, finding the size of the silo door, hell even the tooth, to be gigantic compared to the other thing’s they found.

"Guess this must be what Helix was talking about. One of those huge finds she said would pop up sooner or later." Coal shrugged. "Dig the rest of it out and around the rest. Helix is gonna want this as cleaned up as possible when she gets here." At his orders the group got back to work.

It was almost two days by the time the entire silo door was unearthed. It was an impressive and terrifying three miles all around.

"So, this is where one of them is." Helix said as she approached the silo doors.

“Yes ma’am, this is where The First is being held.” One of the old changeling soldiers nodded, currently disguised as a griffon male.

"Don't suppose you know how to open it?"

"It has been many centuries since these have been open…" The griffon sighed, walking over to a small part of the giant door. "Let's hope the chief engineers knew what they were doing…" he muttered, putting a hand on the bone white door.

For a while, nothing happened, until the giant doors began to move, cracking open between the teeth blowing out a wave of dust, cool air and the distinct scent of metal and oil as they slid down and back.

Inside was long metal railings, and darkness the further down it went.

"Well, that's welcoming." Helix huffed.

"Very welcoming." The old man shrugged, heading down the many stairs. "The city should still be running…hopefully the sole occupant won't be too grouchy…"

"A whole city for one person?" Helix asked as she followed.

"Oh no, the whole city was built as a Shelter during the Void War." The changeling answered. "For many races to be safe during those bloody battles…but currently it's the resting place of the or were looking for. For they sleep until needed again…and some of us wish they wouldn't need to be awoken again…"

"Sounds like an old story about sleeping gods and apocalyptic end times." Helix notes as they walked, turning on flashlights as the natural light became less and less.

"Considering what the Void is, even on the Surface…you'd believe it too." The old man sighed

As they two walked they spotted several series of screens built into the wall, relaying data across it's dust covered glass.

Helix and the old changeling wiped the dust away.

"Hm, according to this everything is still operational but is set to minimum power."

"Which is fair, even Magicite has it's limits on elongated power usage." He shrugged, going over to another screen and bringing up a holo keyboard, typing in an access code to start things back up. "Good thing it's all still working…it's been a very long time since I've been here…"

"Hmm… says here the population count is just… a few hundred? I thought you changelings could have like, half a dozen eggs at a time? Population that low seems… off." Helix frowned.

“It should be the maintenance crew in cryo-sleep…” The old changeling hummed. “Though…something about this feels…off yes.”

They walked passed the screens and to the cryo chamber room, where every pod was empty. "Well, that's probably not good." Helix huffed.

“No, that’s not good at all.” He said bluntly. “Minimal power should keep the Cryo-pod’s active until necessary, the town’s systems working to keep it ready for an emergency, and for His needs…” He frowned. “What the hell is going on here?”

The two moved further, entering the town section proper and…

It was an underground village, Changelings with unique, pale grey chitin, bright white eyes and wings walked around the metal roads and such. Above and in the distance looking down at them all, was the behemoth sentient construction known as Genesis. It's almost reptilian like form looking down at them all with curiosity and anticipation.

“Genesis…” The changeling said, dropping his disguise to show his true self. “It’s been many a Century since I last saw you…” He said, looking up to the ancient and powerful construct.

Genesis looked down at them, and frowned. "Oh, it's you…old friend" It sighed.

“I am sorry, but your services are needed once more.” The changeling said. “The Void hunt’s once again, but under a new being that claims they are a God and ruler of the Void.”

"Pass." Genesis said.

The changeling blinked. “What?” He asked, rather confused as to why the being that is pretty much hard wired to answer the call against the Void just said that.

"I said no." They repeated.

“That’s…impossible for you to say that…” He muttered. “The hell happened?”

"Like my makers, I evolved. This," They waved a giant clawed hand over the town. "Is my world. Whatever happens up there, not my problem."

"This isn't the original crew is it?" Helix asked.

Genesis looked over at her and shook their head. "Nope. Twenty years into that sleep you put me in, Fuck you by the way, the whole facility had a sudden power surge. Systems were fried, mass reboots, and the original crew didn't make it. I woke up, reboot everything and activated the Artificial Repopulation Program. Unfortunately rather than do as it was meant to, it was also damaged in the surge. All the people it made had little if any information planted into them and some were not even fully grown. Some were children, grubs even. So, I taught them. Fed them. Watched over them, and have been for the last several thousands of years, generation after generation. They see me as a parent. Some a God but I'm quick to defuse that."

“That’s…that’s not…” The changeling ran over to a extremely high tech computer and started to furiously look through everything. “No…they all said it was fool proof, how the hell did it fail?” He asked, remembering what he was barely a teen that this place was a safe haven for whenever shit went sideways.

He scanned through file after file until…

A leak. A single leak from collected condensation over the years fried a few wires that had not been properly secured in place.

The old changeling slammed his head to the screen.

“I…we didn’t know…” Chitin, the old changeling, said bitterly. “We should have gotten a signal that there was something wrong, it should have been fine even with the surge…”

"We're three miles underground. Not exactly easy to send a signal let along get one."

“We set up a home in the hollow insides of the planet…” Chitin shook his head angrily. “Damn it…for Millenia…I’m so sorry Genesis…”

The Goliath shrugged. "I've had my people here in the village. It hasn't been lonely."

“It still hurts knowing one of the only friend’s I had during the War was in here by themselves without anyway to contact us for this entire time.” He shook his head. “Tardigrade wouldn’t have let it happen if she knew.”

"Probably not, but it's good to know she's still alive. I still don't want to fight."

“The Void is on our doorstep once again and can hurt these people…” Chitin said. “But…what do you want if you could fight again?”

Genesis seemed to mull that over. "I'd like… two things. First, a planet where my villagers and I can live. This planet has bad memories and this new war won't help."

"And the second?" Helix asked.

"I'd like a… wife."

“Well…” He frowned. “The second one will…be a bit rough to figure out, we’ll need to find the old R&D heads…Tardigrade can only do so much by herself…”

"It will take some time but it will be manageable." Helix said.

"I expected such. Until then, I just ask the village be kept safe in my absence." Genesis said.

“We’ll make sure everyone is safe, and we’ll hopefully find the other’s soon Genesis…”

To be continued...

Chapter 9

View Online

John and Tanya stood in a large… space, of sorts. They felt a ground under them, breathed air, but saw nothing but an emptiness around them for .. seemingly everywhere.

Blake, stood between them, going off a checklist on his clipboard.

“So…where the hell are we?” John inquired.

"Pocket dimension." Blake said as he wrote something on his clip board down.

“Very descriptive there my guy.” Tanya said. “Cause all we see is a whole bunch of nothing and not sure what we’re supposed to do.”

"Well now that I've checked your new bodies physical health over and made sure none of your prior bodies illnesses somehow transferred over, we'll begin some basic exercise to get you both better accustomed to your new bodies."

"Alright, what do you want us to do first?" Tanya inquired.

"Start with the basics. Run."

The both of them nodded, and started to run, the both of them thinking they would do about average considering how they weren’t really active in exercise but not really lazy either.

Given the nature and emptiness of the pocket dimension the two were unaware of how fast or far they ran. They only stopped when they suddenly came up to Blake again.

"Good job." He said.

“I…guess?” Tanya said. “How fast were we going? We couldn’t really tell since this is…well, a complete empty void.”

Void

“Wha?” John blinked as to why ‘void’ echoed.

"Well you two were going just shy of the speed of sound." Blake informed.

“Hold up what?” John asked in surprise. “We almost ran at the speed of sound? How?” He asked, not believing they were honestly that fast.

"Your bodies are not fully human, since you're forgetting that. You can run much faster than a human but not as fast as a Zerg or Protos."

“No…that’s faster than a vast majority of both races.” Tanya said nervously. “Unless we’re forgetting something about them…though they did fight a lot of things that are a lot faster and stronger than them so…I guess you might be right.”

"Well, next up is jumps." Blake said.

“Fair enough.” Tanya nodded, the two getting ready for their jumps exercises.

The two crouched down, limbering up a bit before jumping up. This time the two had a better sense of their height. Yet, somehow to their complete and utter confusion, Blake appeared next to them and suddenly their jump of what they felt was an impressive height ended as their feet suddenly touched ground that was not present earlier.

"Good job." Blake said.

“Okay…this is really weird.” John frowned. “Where are we really?”

"A pocket dimension." Blake repeated.

“That…doesn’t explain what the hell is going on with this dimension but whatever.” Tanya rolled her eyes. “What next?”

"Strength tests." Blake said, two large metal walls appearing before John and Tanya. "Punch those."

“Uh…sure.” Tanya nodded, both of them punching the solid metal wall.

The pain exploded up their arms from knuckles to shoulders.

"Huh. That's interesting." Blake said, writing more things down.

“Fucking ow!” Tayna snapped in pain.

“Interesting how!?” John asked, in equal amounts of pain.

"Well your projections and biology suggest you two should have been able to dent and break it."

“We were average people before we became this, why would you think that!?” Tanya rubbed her arm, thinking it was less their strength and more they didn’t actually know how to punch properly.

"You don't have average bodies." He said. "Huh. Odd. Well, we'll come back to this on a later date." Blake said, snapping his fingers and suddenly their arms felt back to normal, no pain and the metal walls were gone. "Guess that just leaves abilities."

“Alright, what abilities do we have?” John asked. “Cause we can kind of guess a general idea, psionic capabilities at the very least.”

"Well, yes, you have all those fancy psionic stuff and Tanya… well…"

“What’s special about me?” Tanya inquired.

"Well, as you know you are a Zerg Overqueen… plus a bit of the Den Mother thrown in for effectiveness so…"

“So…” Tanya thought for a moment. “That’s…good to know…” Tanya blushed, looking down at her assets and now knowing why they felt and looked…bigger.

"But, being a Den Mother also means you can't… produce, asexually."

“I…guess that makes sense.” Tanya said honestly.

"Good news, Den Mother variants of species are naturally compatible with all species, so, you have options."

“Well, good to know I do have options.” Tanya shrugged.

"You're taking this rather well."

“Cause mentally I’m trying to do a lot of thing’s to keep it together so I don’t screech like a banshee.” Tanya said with a strained smile.

"Fair. So, I'll give you two privacy-"

Before John or Tanya could speak up, Blake was gone. Leaving the two alone in the empty odd pocket dimension.

"Uh…so…" Tanya blushed. "About our…predicament…" The new apparent Queen Hybrid tried to talk, a bit shy at the implications that Blake just put these two in here to bang.

Amon sighed as he examined the logs. So far the new breed of Hybrids have been meeting expectations.

"So far things are going swimmingly, but I'd like it less if they would stop asking me about meeting the locals like this is some fucking field trip…" The evolved Xel-Naga grumbled, grabbing another Grape and popping it into his mouth. "I'm building an army for universal conquest damn it." He grumbled.

He did wonder, however, why did Pain want them capable of breeding. They were far more their own species than he had have liked, yet still, they preformed as good as manufactured.

The first generation of bred hybrids was due any day now. They bred fast at least.

"As long as they breed my army, I don't care." He shook his head bitterly.

With a sigh, he popped another grape into his maw-

"Please let my wife be safe in her birth."

Amon stood, hearing a voice in the back of his mind, like someone calling out to them but in his mind.

"What?" The god questioned, looking into why he just heard…a prayer towards him.

"You've been a God how long and never heard a prayer before?" Pain asked, appearing next to Amon.

"Never, no Xel-Naga has ever heard a prayer before." He shook his head. "But why am I hearing this now?"

"Hm." Pain laughed lightly. "This is your species. You are their God. Not just some all power no real title bullshit you were before. When you craft a species that can breed, you Truly become a God."

"But I'm going to send them all to slaughter billions because I hate the lies the other Xel-Naga spouted for eons! And they want me to be their god?" Amon asked, flabbergasted at both the official title he's gotten, and that these bioengineered beings he wanted as bloodthirsty monsters would…think him as a god

"You are their God. You made them. You gave them the ability to breed, be self aware and intelligent. They know you exist, are among them in flesh and blood. The first generation owe you their species existence, like a parent and child. They look at you with wonder and curiosity. They want to know you more, but they are unsure how to approach, so, they pray. It's up to you on how you answer those prayers."

Amon was taken aback by this. The beings he created to cause destruction and death…wanted to know him more? They saw him like that? "I…what?" He asked, completely floored by this realization.

"How little you know about the real divine." Pain said with a smile. "Well, go on then."

Amon shook his head, snapping his fingers as he gave the wish to the person. "Better they believe I'm a benevolent god so they follow my orders better."

Pain chuckled. "Trying to keep distance between them and you?"

“I created them for the sole purpose of burning the entire universe to the ground.” Amon said. “And yet…they ask me to help them seed new life?”

"Tell me Amon. What happens after a fire?"

“Ash covers the land, whether from plant or creature doesn’t really matter.”

"My my." Pain chuckled. "Still such a child. Alright then, tell me this Amon. The void is emptiness. Full of nothing, yes? So, tell me, why is it too full of life?"

"The void is…weird…." Amon said carefully. "It's a place that shouldn't…but the Xel Naga were born in it, empowered by such a vast and hostile place."

"Heh. Life, Death, and the Void. Three quarters of the cycle known as Existence."

"And what's the last quarter?"

"It doesn't really have a name. We call it all kinds of things. The Beginning. The Origin Point. Ground Zero. The Heart of Creation. It's where all things begin, and where they are reborn. Life, death, time space, even the void."

"Interesting." Amon hummed. "So much more to learn about reality…"

"Now tell me, knowing this, what do you think happens when a reality dies?"

"Either it ceases to be all together…or somehow another big bang happens to replace it."

"Both. See, when one universe ends another begins. That is what the Origin Point does."

“So it’s an endless cycle…just my version would be faster than the heat death of the universe.”

"So your goal is to end the universe to prevent the slow death of it as a whole?"

“No, my plan is to kill everything and end this fucking charade the Xel’Naga were propagating for countless millenia!” Amon snapped. “Their ‘Infinite Cycle’ is broken, just to fuel their egos and race, ‘shepherds’ for all the life they sow into the universe only to strip away their lives to be fat bloated sacks of energy to push more races to be just like them!” He growled. “I gave up my life, my family, for falsehoods and I will burn this universe down to the very last atom to spite their ‘Grand Design’!”

"Wouldn't it be better to target the source and kill them directly if revenge is your desire?"

“The only Xel’Naga left is Karrigan, who’s still struggling to keep her refugees alive.” Amon said. “But the Xel’Naga wanted to be ‘Life’s Shepherd’, continuing to guide and spawn in life into this broken existence. So what better way than to finally prove them wrong as I burn everything they worked so hard for to nothing as they watch in whatever afterlife they’re in as I laugh.”

"Flawed beings playing God. A tale as old as time. So, tell me, what about this existence is broken?"

“Everything.” Amon growled.

"That doesn't exactly clarify my question."

The newly created God took a deep breath. “The whole ‘Cycle’ is broken.” He said. “Everything that the Xel’Naga did, it was all corrupt, broken, and just to fuel their ‘need’ to keep it going.” He said, the tendrils on his back writhing in barely contained rage, so many billions of years festering in his rage and changing the Void around him to suit his anger.

"Broken how? The need to produce life? Or the need to extend it?"

“The Xel’Naga were born of the Void, but they went around universe after universe to sow life just so they can set the next generation of Xel’Naga, forcing their own creation’s into a cycle to become them without any choice otherwise.” Amon explained. “I’m one of the many that ‘ascended’...but this is a damned curse, I was forced to give up everything just to cater to their cycle…”

"From the void? Well, in that case they did as they were born to do." Pain said, puzzling Amon. "The Void down to it's core is corruption. Mutation. Chaos. When it makes contact with anything of the three other parts of creation, things like this are bound to happen. Though admirably it usually is much, much worse."

“I have…noticed.” Amon said carefully. “So…their entire ‘Cycle’ was just…what they were meant to do?”

"Corrupt, kill, or consume. Those are the three primary forces that drive the void and it's more basic life forms."

Amon looked down at himself, how…how he was apparently corrupted by these ‘Shepherds’, claiming their Infinite Cycle was not only for their survival but the survival of the universe as a whole…”I’m…I never thought I could experience such white hot rage before…”

"It's their nature. They're oblivious to it. But perhaps we can sate your rage."

“What can we do?” Amon asked, wanting to know whatever they can do to sate his growing rage at the fact that the damned Cycle was less strong being’s playing god’s and more that their just fucking insects fucking with life because they were supposed to!

"If they originated from here in the void, then why don't you test your armies out at their neck of the woods?"

“You…want me to send my armies against Void itself?” Amon asked in surprise. “I…I can do that?” He asked, cause as far as he knew there wasn’t really much in the Void besides what he could have shaped from his growing seething rage after he killed almost all the Xel’Naga

"If you're going to be working with me then you best get familiar with The Void and its nature. I will warn you now, it's nothing like you will expect. Many of the laws of physics and nature you know here will not apply there."

“There’s already a lot of things that shouldn’t be applying here, you being the prime candidate. But what’s the worst that can happen?”

"Would you like that list in alphabetical, chronological, or in a list based on the amount of horror it would be for you?"

“Anything scarier than you?” He asked, which was a fair point all thing’s considered.

"No but unlike me, they will be trying to kill you."

“Fair.” Amon said. “Well…best try this new Void realm out.”

"Hard to believe so little survivors made it." Helix said, she and Imago running through the senses data of the various survivors of Amon's attacks.

“Yeah, so far there’s only five hundred thousand Primal Zerg, a Million Protoss, and Five Million Terrans.” Imago said, looking over all the data and seeing all the more injured having the best medical care Genetech can offer. “We’ll have to talk to the Ambassador’s for each of the Refugee groups to see what truly happened…”

"Assuming they have any. According to these few of the survivors even held positions in any of their planets military. Amon's army was thorough." Helix huffed.

“Yes, and while the Protoss and Zerg are quick to combat, due to the Zerg always being a ‘survival of the fittest’ kind of race and Protoss being who they are…Terran’s will be in need of some help as most of their builders were killed and need to be retrained.” Imago sighed, rubbing his temple. “We wanted to prepare you all for Amon and the Void’s assault…not play damage control for the entire Galaxy getting burnt to ash.”

"My confidence in you all is at an all time high." Helix said sarcastically as she pulled out a cigarette and began to light it, taking a deep breath of the tobacco and sighing.

“Wouldn’t be sassing me if you saw how strong we truly are…” Imago grumbled, more of his perfectionist persona cracking as everything was going so absolutely sideways you’d think life was trying to turn into a 2D Side Scroller.

“Lady Helix, Sir Imago.” A Genetech soldier interrupted their possible lovers quarrel.

"Yes soldier?" Helix asked.

“Five representatives from the Refugee’s would like an audience with you ma’am.” The soldier said. “Lady Vorazun of the Protoss, Dehaka of the Primal Zerg, Swann, Hann and Horner for the Terrans.”

"Bring them in." Helix said, the soldier leaving. "Swear if this is a revenge speech I'm going to knock them into a month long coma."

“They just had their home sector destroyed by an enemy they thought long dead, give them a little slack.” Imago pointed out.

"I give people slack and Equis ends up like them and there aren't exactly many habitable planets left we can escape to."

“Well, with what we have planned, we’re going to have plenty of habitable planets.” Imago said, knowing that they could put some plans into motion to start creating planets, but hopefully they wouldn’t and could just terraform some destroyed planets if Amon wasn’t a prick and core cracked them.

"Isn't that a lengthy process? Besides, Amon nearly killed off thousands of species and that took less than a week."

“Do you have a better idea?” He inquired.

"Well, we can nuke them with spare suns in the area." Imago nearly fell off his chair. Utilizing a sun for energy was common among every advanced species… weaponizing one… less to never heard of.

“Excuse you, weaponizing a sun is very dangerous, which is why no one’s done it before.” Imago said quickly.

"Chicken."

“Ah, yes, calling me a chicken when one wrong move when trying to weaponise a star like that would set off a supernova, cause that makes sense.” Imago rolled his eyes.

“You two love birds done or should we give you two some privacy?” They both jumped a bit at the sudden voice interrupting their argument. They both saw an aging terran man of average height, but a rather stocky build, brown hair leading into a moustache from his sideburns, a stained and patched up orange engineering jumpsuit, and a robot arm ending with a claw that looked like an adjustable wrench.

"Say that again and I'll show you a new use for that arm of yours." Helix said, taking another puff of her cigarette. "And who would you be?"

“I’m Rory Swann, head engineer of the Terran’s.” The man said, the seasoned engineer letting the threat slide off him like it wasn’t said. “The other four are outside, thought we’d want to do some ‘interviews’ with your group that’s been helping us relocate.”

"I believe the employer requests for an interview, not the employee."

“Ah, yeah.” Swann said, scratching the back of his head in nervousness. “Listen, I’m not really…good with this kinda stuff, but one of your higher ups said it’s best to get our stories straight one at a time.” He said, Imago and Helix feeling like their talking to an older generation that was more used to talking with his hands or ‘like the old days’ and honestly he looked tired and run down.

"Hm. Very well." Helix said, taking a final, long puff from her cigarette before crushing the remaining bud in her hand and tossing it into the trash. "So mister Swann, what makes you think you are Gentech material?"

“Give me an engineering bay and some spare hands for my crew, and I can make damn near anything, especially something’s better than your tech I’ve seen so far.” Swann says, his tone not being boastful or demeaning, but that of a seasoned engineer that’s seen and built his fair share of nonsense.

"What you've seen and what we have are not the same thing mister Swann. I'd keep that in mind when addressing your potential employer."

“I sure hope so, cause those flying fortresses and golems? I can show you some improvements I have in mind.” He said, again his tone being that of aged experience.

"Really? You have experience in Magicite powered Automaton Clockwork Mana Golem Engineering?"

“Automaton’s I know.” Swann said honestly. “This Magicite stuff I’ll have to look over cause, again, another fancy energy source that can make my life less of a headache when I have to patch up a Warp Core meltdown with scrap metal, duct tape and dreams.” Swann groaned.

"Hm. Tell you what Mister Swann. I'll give you a job in our Engineering department, if, you can solve this simple problem." Helix said, writing down on a sheet of paper before handing it to Swann. The paper contained detailed, advanced instructions, directions, some formulas and a diagram of the machine all these came together to create. "There is one error in that design, where is it?"

Swann first looked over the paper, and gave a quick sigh, muttering something about ‘universal common language’ as he looked over the sheet and frowned. “Well, your power input’s crap in this…” Swann said as his claw went into his arm before coming out with a pen as he, impressively, wrote down the solution onto the paper with said wrench robot hand. “And there.” He said, handing back the paper with the solution to the power input problem which matched the complexity that Helix tried throwing at him.

She smirked. "This input is doable. Enough for a basic functionality of the device. So, congratulations Mister Swann, you're employed as of now. Go speak to the Sergeant for deployment to the nearest engineering bay."

“Thank you.” Swann nodded. “Won’t let ya down Skippy.” He said as he left the room, Helix blinking at that.

“Skippy?” Helix asked in confusion as Imago snorted and stifled a laugh at the old man nickname.

"I will castrate you." Helix said, shutting Imago up.

“I didn’t laugh, I promise.” He said with raised hands defensively even if he still had a smug grin.

"Well, that was interesting. Have to admit, he surprised me."

“Yes, I am surprised he immediately caught the power problem, I have a feeling he was also thinking there was a secondary problem with it, but he shows promise.”

"So, who or what is next?"

“That would be me.” As from the shadow’s and slight mist out came a female protoss, dressed in sleek, skin tight armor and semi loose robes that seemed to stay still even with her silent steps even to the two, a Hydralisk Skull shoulder pad on her right shoulder, which arm was sporting a brand new Genetech Prosthetic, her skin was a pale purple and her weapon staying closely on her back. “I am Matriarch Vorazun of the Dark Templar, and acting leader of the Protoss until we find our Hierarch Artanis.”

"Right. And what kind of position are you hoping to acquire within Gentech?" Helix asked.

“Information Gathering, Assination…as some Terran’s would say, ‘Spy Work’.” Vorazun said.

"Right. Well, officially Gentech doesn't have any positions for one with your skills." Helix stated. "Off the books, there are programs in place but given current state of things it's been a second priority. Why put resources into an espionage program when the real threat is from the void itself."

“The Void hold’s Shadows, and from the Shadow’s we work best.” She answered, snapping her fingers as two Dark Templar, protoss of the same color as Vorazun with the same theme of armor, came out of the shadow’s holding a box and the other an unconscious terran. “And to prove that our work can be vital, I offer you some gifts from when we were retreating from Amon’s assault.”

“Oh? We have a hostage and information?” Imago questioned, rather surprised that these three got into this room without anyone else detecting them, especially with a hostage and a box.

“This terran was marked by Amon,” Vorazun said, showing their forehead held an insignia of their resurrected foe. “And the box hold’s some valuable information about what Amon’s been truly doing with his new hybrid.”

"Hm. This is definitely useful." Helix nodded. "How would you like to take lead on Gentechs espionage program?"

“Our enemies won’t know what hit them till they feel our blades.” Vorazun said. “Oh, and I must thank you for the new arm.” Vorazun brought up their prosthetic, which was the same clockwork style Genetech was using before with some Protoss tech mixed in.

Vorazun took her leave, taking the prisoner and box with her.

"Well, so far so good." Helix said.

“What did you think of their Stealth abilities?” Imago said.

"They're definitely unique."

“Wonder how their invisibility works? Cause they were rather skilled in their stealth.” Imago said, writing down some notes about the two people they’ve seen so far.

"Well, one left. Come on in!" Helix called out.

They heard stomps, as they saw their first Primal Zerg, but it seemed to have changed it’s size to accommodate it’s surroundings. This Primal Zerg had blue chitinous skin with black shell like plates from it’s back to the pointed tip at the bridge of it’s nose and spread around it’s arms and legs, four glowing predatory eyes looked between the two as it’s body looked well built, strong with four arms ending in clawed hands and a long thick tail. “I am Dehaka.” The Zerg said, it’s voice coming out as a gravely mixture of beastial growls and common tongue if you gargle cement every day.

"Right. Any skills or position in mind within Gentech?" Helix asked.

“I am a Collector,” They answered. “Essence, DNA, Biomass, I know well.” He explained. “Smell alone, forced half breed,” He points one of his smaller arms towards Helix which caused her eyes to widen. “You, shapeshifter, close to perfect…” The Primal Zerg pointed at Imago, though they trailed off as if thinking about that trail of thought on scent alone.

Helix smirked. "Impressive." She said with a small chuckle. "But keep that information to yourself, alright big guy?"

Dehaka nodded, understanding that secrets need to be kept as they might be seen as a weakness. “Primal Zerg strong, Pack’s unified against the Dark one, gain strength through Essence of our foes…help heal through integration with the Pure Corruption.” He said.

“Pure Corruption?” Imago inquired, not knowing what he meant by that.

“Magicite,” Dehaka answer growled. “Part of the Void, part of the Corruption, but Pure like Primal Essence.”

"Makes sense given how it's made." Helix nodded. "I imagine you people need a place to recover and recuperate. More importantly there is someone from Imago's family here I imagine you will want to meet."

“Yes, must rebuild, must strengthen, must consume Essence to Evolve.” Dehaka said. “Amon Evolve, no longer Xel-Naga…Beast Mother support him…” The Primal Zerg shuddered.

"Beast mother?" Helix asked, sharing a look with Imago.

“Older than Primal Zerg, Older than Xel’Naga, send’s Beast’s to fight, but Primal Zerg strong…Beast Mother chose Champion, Champion create Hybrid Beasts…Amon Champion.” He explained. “Primal Zerg need to grow stronger, need to evolve…”

"Hm… well, then I guess Imago and his family are the best to help your people get stronger."

To be continued...

Chapter 10: Lewd Edition

View Online

"Still can't believe he just left us here…" John said as he and Tonya sat back to back in the pocket dimension of void, both crimson red knowing why they were left here.

"Yeah, like come on…you can't just expect us to…do it…" Tanya nodded.

The two sat still in an awkward silence for a while. "You think he'll be back?"

“Maybe?” Tanya said nervously. “He can’t just…leave us here forever…right?”

"Well, if he does… he'd only come back after we…" John sighed. "Come on, this is BS! This can't be karma for teasing the other two… right?"

"It can't be." Tanya agreed. "There's no way our teasing of those two could have caused this…it was just harmless ribbing…"

"This sucks…"

Tanya sighed. “So…might as well talk and get to know each other I suppose.” Tanya said honestly. “Cause…until now, we really didn’t know each other besides having playing Starcraft 2 together for a while.”

"I guess that is true… so… what state or country are you from?"

“America, and I live in New York.” Tanya said honestly. “You?”

“Also America, but up in Alaska."

“Pretty far.” Tanya said. “What do you do for a living?”

"I managed to get a work from home job doing customer support for insurance companies. It's not bad, I get to work my own hours, pay is decent."

“Lucky, I work at Wal-Mart, pays enough for everything but New York prices are just…bad…”

"Heh. Ain't that much better up north but at least I don't have to worry about rent or a mortgage. Parents left me the house. Paid off and everything. I just pay the bills and taxes. Plus I try to improve it. Little renovations here and there."

“And I live in a rinky dink apartment, that while is okay for me as a single lady…it still sucks that I sometimes have to ask my family for a handout here and there.”

"That sucks." John sighed. "But at least your family is alive for you to ask."

“What about your family?” Tanya asked carefully, taking the ‘at least your family is alive’ as something possibly very bad.

"A few months after my highschool graduation, we all went ice fishing. Frozen lakes and rivers can freeze up to two feet thick, so it's pretty safe. Well, some tourist asshole was also fishing, even drove his huge ass truck onto the ice, with the loudest speakers the whole state probably heard him blasting them. We ignored him and managed to still have some fun. I headed back to the car looking for some more bait, even if it's two feet thick, dad never liked driving on the ice so it was parked just at the edge of the lake. I heard a crack, then a loud splash. The water moving under the ice can reach up to five miles an hour… police never found their bodies. Not even the assholes' car."

Tanya gasped. “Oh my god…John…I’m…I’m so sorry…”

"It was four years ago. Some neighbors and people from town checked in on me every so often. Our town was nice, community strong like that. At Christmas that year someone gifted me a gaming PC, plus a Steam gift card for two hundred dollars. I'd played on mobile and an old PS2 I still use, so this was new. After I set it up and installed steam, I redeemed the cards and got some stuff I'd seen on YouTube and whatever else was on sale. Five months later, I downloaded Battle.net and StarCraft 2 on sale. A year later, I met you online."

“Yeah…we became fast friend’s after that.” Tanya chuckled,.

"You actually helped a lot, felt less like my house was suddenly so empty. Especially when you would go on and on and on about lore." John chuckled.

“I’m a nerd, what can I say?” Tanya giggled.

"Well… what's your family like?"

“Eh, pretty average, mom and dad both still working at their Bar, older sister is off trying to get a degree in engineering, and little brother is having fun working at the bar and learning to be social and what many people are like.” Tanya explained. “Might have to go back to working at the Bar…free drink’s, and better pay to be honest.”

"You think we'll actually be sent back when this is all over?"

“Honestly?” Tanya asked. “Well, if your meaning from ‘this pocket dimension’, maybe…but back home? I…don’t think we will.” Tanya admitted.

"I figured as much… don't even have human bodies anymore. They're humanoid but not exact. Can't exactly live a normal life after… what will we do when this is all over?"

“Go on a date?” Tanya asked. “Cause if we’re together…than it’s better than being by ourselves right?”

"I mean, yeah I guess but what if it doesn't work out?"

“Do you think it won't work out?”

"I don't know. It's bad enough some god whatever they are left us here until we Fuck, not exactly a good way to start a relationship."

“Well, depending on how time works back home…we probably have all the time in the world to just talk and get to know each other.”

"I suppose… this still sucks…"

“Yes, this sucks big time.”

"I've never even been with someone, not even sure what to do as a human let alone in this body… any experience on your end?"

“No…” She shook her head. “Never really did any dating…”

Both sighed. "We're gonna be here for a while…"

Helix huffed as she walked through the Changeling ship. It was a rough few weeks but she was at the grindstone as always moving back and forth between Gentech and the Changeling.

"And I don't even get overtime." She huffed as she entered her shared office with Imago.

“Then take a break.” Imago stated, even though he was currently downing a big mug of Coffee and working over three big stacks of paperwork.

"You first." Helix replied as she sat at her desk.

“You actually need rest, I don’t.” Imago pointed out.

"You forget I whooped you in those tests Faust set up right?" Helix reminded, smirking as Imago frowned.

“Yes, yes, I know, you just love to pride yourself on the handicap I gave you.” Imago said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, sure, keep telling yourself that." Helix added as she combed over some files.

“At least I don’t have an over inflated ego…” Imago countered, also looking over more files. “But at least the Dragon’s just found one of our Caches from what the Dark Templar have reported in…though also seeing Dane of the Thousand Blades there and guiding them as well is…mildly concerning…”

"I'm not the one acting butt hurt about the loss."

“And I’m not acting like a pompous show dog for being better than someone that just woke up from a several thousand year sleep in a dimension filled with horror’s beyond our comprehension.”

"At least I didn't wake up preaching about being the 'perfect apex changeling made in my Makers image' seriously, that's how cults and religions are formed. All I did was hammer your ego into the ground for your own good."

“Difference being, I was made to be like that with my father and auntie, you became like this due to legitimate coincidence.”

Helix shrugged. "Still knocked that God Complex out of you. It was not an attractive aspect."

“You being a bitch isn’t an attractive aspect but I have to deal with it.”

"Bitchiness is a personality and unlike you I can make it look good."

“I didn’t know you were suddenly a comedian.” Imago said in mock shock. “If you wanted to tell jokes I should get my brother Maggot here, he loves making puns.”

"Good idea, that way he can eat all your crap and make something useful out of it."

“At least it would be useful instead of whatever crap you keep spouting.” Imago rolled his eyes, handing Helix a file. “Swann and Karax need our co-signed approval on some brand new thing that they promise won’t nuke half the planet.”

"Which half?"

“Their answer was ‘yes’.” Imago sighed, the file showing off what those two lunatics wanted to do. “I keep forgetting, that letting bright mind’s with unlimited resources and man power can lead to some…unhinged shit.” He said, as Helix saw that it was a brand new reactor core…with half the energy output of a God Machine per minute.

"Hm. If it works they get a raise. Approved." She said, signing her half and putting it to outgoing. "And don't be pouty, I'm sure you're good at something I'm not." Imago smiled. "Like failing." He frowned.

“In failure, we can learn things. I see you’ve lost that knowledge ever since Auntie gave you her DNA.” Imago stated simply.

"Even with that half of DNA from her I far surpass your 'perfectly created' and flat ass."

“If my ass is flat then your tits and ass are concave.”

"They're still better to look at than the flat Equis conspiracy theory you're sitting on."

“And yet it gets more support than whatever brand of underwear you use to make them look at all presentable.”

Helix chuckled. "Don't need support. Only thing I'm okay with from Faust is resilient and naturally perky aspects, plus a reinforced spine cause screw back pain. You wish you could see the things I can do in bed."

“Like what? Flop over like a dead fish and smell just as bad?”

"Hehe, well, maybe it's for the best anyway. I'd probably clench so hard I'd tear whatever you got there off. Assuming it's long enough for me to even feel it in there."

“You probably think a toothpick is too big ya virgin.” Imago said, as Helix turned to him with a blush. “You really think I wouldn’t notice the telltale signs of actual virginity right?”

"I'm guessing you're an expert on it then to notice it when you see it? Makes sense, the only females you know all your sisters, two who reproduce asexually and the other would sooner use you as a test dummy. I'm not counting the fast one. She's fast but I imagine if you tried you'd lose the only inch you got."

“Okay, first off, Incest is what my Auntie is into, none of that.” Imago said bluntly.

“I…really…is that why!?” Helix asked in mild horror.

“Yes.” Imago frowned, knowing what she was getting at. “But no, I have had many suitors before.”

"Your hands and fleshlights don't count."

“I have met many different races, like the Tetraman race…oh boy their women…”

"Ah, so you're more the one night stand deadbeat who father's a child and is never seen again. Fair, doubt they would have wanted you around anyway."

“And I see you were just a fucking pitty case for Auntie when everything around you was destroyed and dead.”

"I'm well aware…" Helix growled. "The only reason I lived and no one else did is because I fell into part of their hive. The only reason I'm alive is because she wanted to play mommy."

“Well lucky you, she didn’t treat you like a lab experiment for half your life.” Imago rolled his eyes. “Until it was too late did she decide ‘oh wow, maybe I did want to take care of them like a mother’.” Imago said in a perfect tone of his auntie. “You got to be ‘mommy’s little hybrid’, while I was forced to be perfection down to the genetic level…and no, I never had any children with any of my past suitors for your information.”

"I'd have preferred to die than stay this. Tried, but…" Imago watched as Helix rapidly snapped her own neck, but then snap back into place. "Fucking… regenerating cells… bitch basically made me immortal so I couldn't leave her…"

“Of course she’d take the war that hard…” Imago sighed, rubbing his temple bitterly. “Now she has a fucking bleeding heart…”

"... We both are beyond fucked…" Helix said.

“Yes…yes we are…” Imago agreed bitterly.

"Well, it's at least nice someone gets it. Both our 'parents' fucked us over. Faust more than your old man but… both have faults. I just want to wake up one day and her be gone."

“If her ‘out with the old’ bit comes true…it’ll probably happen sooner or later.” Imago said honestly.

"If that happens I will let you Fuck me."

“And here I thought you were wanting to enjoy some of that early.” Imago teased with a smirk.

"Heh. I'd rather not risk bringing a kid into a world with her still in it."

“That’s fair…I mean, just look at how she’s treated Celestia and Luna.”

"You mean abandoning them and letting them be raised by some crazy wizard on a mountain?"

“And that crazy wizard was one of the original R&D people…but yes, she did literally abandon her children to go hide and hope for the best…” Imago sighed. “God damn it Auntie…you’d think she’d actually learn…”

"I wouldn't be surprised if she's brain damaged but that's not an excuse either. An explanation sure but not an excuse." Helix sighed. "So… you actually had lovers before?"

“Yes…but that was many, many centuries ago.” Imago sighed. “Even if I wanted to show women a good time, I always gave them the proper respect they deserved, and…never had a child…one issue with being a Changeling, our lives can go as long as we choose…while others have finite life spans…and if I were to ever have a child, it wouldn’t be a cross breed…so, for someone as old as I am…I wouldn’t want to see my own children wither away and die on me while I stayed the same…”

"...Unless said person was also basically immortal with cells that regenerate and never decay…" Helix sighed. "That's why she wanted to set us up…"

“I’m not surprised…” He sighed. “She kept trying with longer living races…now she practically made me a girlfriend…”

"Easy there grandpa. I'm a young fertile virgin and you're an ancient bug. How do I know what's down there even still works?"

“I’ll have you know you young whipper snapper, I’m still as virile as the day I reached sexual maturity, if not more so.”

Helix and Imago laughed. "Tell you what, we're both basically immortal, we'll probably be stuck with one another regardless and frankly we will be bitching at one another a lot due to unhealthy mental issues and such, so, here's our plan. You show it to me now, I decide how and where to put it and after Faust is either dead, in prison or lost to the void or other universe, then we can try for a child to be the parents we wish we had."

“That works.” Imago nodded. “Besides, some people already think we’re an old married couple…why not actually make something official?”

"Let's save marriage til after she's gone. I'd rather not have her alive to see the day."

“True.” He nodded.

"Well, you gonna drop them or what?"

“Alright alright.” Imago said, but snapped his fingers and made sure the door was closed and locked. “Don’t want any ‘unwanted guests’ barging in.”

With that, the changeling let their pants fall.

"Huh… it looks different than I was expecting."

“I can change it to look like any other race.” He brought up.

"Huh… well that will definitely be interesting. Hmm… is… the glowing… normal?"

“Yes…and honestly, I don’t know why, I thought it was because of our blood, the kinds of materials we can create for our cocoon…but either of those are the actual answer…”

"Huh… well, guess it's my turn to uphold my end." Helix said, unbuttoning her shirt, tossing it and her bra onto her desk. "We'll save the other hole for after work."

"Favorite Pokemon?" John asked. The two had been in the pocket dimension for about five hours by their count now. They laid down next to each other on the 'floor' and talked.

“Ech, there’s hundreds…” Tanya said, rocking back and forth. “I’ll have to go with Rapidash.”

"Fair." John shrugged. "I'm partial to Miltank. I'm aware that against one it's a bitch but using one, oh man you totally get a power trip."

“True.” Tanya nodded. “So…favorite video game?”

"Aside StarCraft? Gonna go with… any of the Jak and Daxter games. I played those games to death growing up. Almost fully completed the second and third games too."

“Oh god Jak and Daxter takes me back…if we’re talking about old Playstation games, I’d have to go with either Sly Cooper or Ratchet and Clank, both were just so fun.”

"I never played Ratchet and Clank."

“I’m a little surprised, considering Ratchet and Clank was one of the three franchises competing to be the Playstation 2’s Mascot.” Tanya said honestly.

"I know but we didn't get a GameStop in my town until a year ago." John shrugged. "Considered buying them but mail takes forever to be delivered. Amazon doesn't even deliver to my house."

“Okay, that’s understandable and very weird.” Tanya said honestly.

"It's always snowing and roads suck so, understandable. As is mail from out of state is flown in. Heck, mail in the state is flown from place to place more often than not."

“Eh, fair.” Tanya shrugged. “And yeah…I know about road’s sucking, ton’s of snow and a bunch of stupid people on the road or walking around…ugh.”

"So, what should we do when all this is all over?"

“Well…I don’t know.” Tanya said, lightly playing with her wing. “We’re in a brand new world, in brand new bodies…and we’re fighting against All Makers…I think a stiff drink and me getting my ass pounded sounds like a good start to what to do after this is done.”

"Really?"

“We’re literally in a war right now, there’s so much shit going on that neither of us know or understand…I just need something to just completely ignore what the hell is happening…and I’d especially not like to know whatever the fuck Amon did with all the Griffon’s he kidnapped…”

"True… and we ain't getting out of here until we do that so you can produce… sucks our kids are literally going to be born to be soldiers…"

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Tanya huffed. “We’re the strategists of this bunch, I’m not going to let our kids become soldiers.”

"It's literally how you're supposed to breed for your own hive. We were told as such…"

“Ugh…this sucks…” Tanya groaned. “I don’t want our kids to be soldiers…but we’re in a damn war so that has to happen…”

"Well, I guess… like you said we're the strategists. We just gotta make a strategy that keeps them all alive."

“Yep.” Tanya nodded. “Just…wish this place could give us something to work with, can’t really try and strategize with nothing but the two of us and the Void.”

Void

“Okay what the fuck?”

"I'm assuming that's either an intentional feature or a bug… well… either way, before we can even leave here we have to… get that part out of the way…"

“Well…let’s figure out how to…get the bits out I suppose….” Tanya said, blushing a bit as she looked down and tried to think about how to get the chitin out of the way to the fun parts…

To her surprise… it quite literally retracted. Both down there and on her chest.

"... Woah… that's uh… different… now how does…"

John's did the same.

Both were blushing. John for the act to be committed. Tanya because of John's size.

“W-whoa…” Tanya muttered in awe. “That’s…pretty big…”

"Uh… thanks… perks of a new body… I guess…?" John said. "So… who's top and who's bottom?"

“Does it really matter?” Tanya asked. “Now get over here and make sure I can’t walk straight.”

To be continued...

Chapter 11

View Online

"Well… that was… eventful…" John said, tired and barely catching his breath.

“Y-yeah…that was…wow…” Tina panted.

"Sorry about the uh… pulling thing…"

"No no…it was hot."

"Seriously? Huh…" John said. "So… that was… fast." He added, looking at her now enlarged stomach. Tina's body looked as if she was nine months pregnant with either twins or one large baby.

"Uh…yeah…I mean sure, you were more pent up than a dam about to explode but…" Tina frowned, putting a hand on her stomach and feeling a kick. "I…shouldn't be this deep into my pregnancy…"

"Well, he did say you were a… what was it? Den Mother?"

"Yeah…I'm a Den Mother…and I don't know what I expected from it…"

"Maybe it means you… reproduce faster or something?" John offered, looking around the void area. "Surprised he hasn't shown up yet."

"Yeah, you'd think after we did the deed he'd show up finally."

"I just hope he shows up before you a… actually, will you lay eggs or live birth or… what?"

"I…don't know and that concerns me…"

We sat around for a while feeling… awkward but eventually we fell asleep.

When we woke up, there was the sun in our faces, grass under our butts and a few boxes nearby.

We were in a large grass field with some trees, a pond, I heard birds and such…

What in the god damn…

I helped Tina stand up and first we went over to the boxes. On top of them was a note.

Dear Tina and John,
This planet has no other sentient life forms on it, but does possess plenty of natural resources, as does it's moons and belt. Please make use of them all as you see fit. This planet will be the new home of your offspring. Here you two will bring a new species into existence and population the planet over the centuries to melania. You two will not age, know sickness, ECT, but can still die from injuries. Keep that in mind. These boxes contain some basic terraforming and crafting tech and supplies for your use here and will help you two build this planet and your new offspring species to thrive.
Sincerely, Blake.
P.S. don't worry about incest your offspring will all be asexual reproducers with a several century lifespan. Books in boxes.

"Did… he just… Adam and Eve us?" John asked dumbly, he and Tina staring at the note in shock…

"Bu-but why?" Tina asked, super confused as to why this is happening. "Were supposed to be tacticians fighting against Amon…the fuck…"

They flipped the note around.

P.P.S. It will take time for you both to populate the numbers needed to face Amon's Army. Don't worry, time in this world compared to Equis is faster. A year here will be a second there.

"... I don't see how this is gonna help us… but looks like we're stuck here for… a while…" John sighed.

"So…he wants us to…breed an army?" Tina asked weakly. "I know we're half zerg but…I thought my first kids would be adorable and not know any problems not…be used to fight a monster…"

John sighed, rubbing his eyes at the new information. "They are not making this easy… I guess… we make sure they have a good childhood…"

"At…least we'll give em that at least…" I sighed.

"Well, let's see what crap he left us." John said, opening the first box.

"Not bad for an old man." Helix said, she and Imago lay covered by bedsheets alone at her home. A cigarette in her mouth as she and the changeling finished their regular nightly activities.

"Oh please, you were howling with pleasure for this 'old man'." Imago chuckled, sighing happily at the afterglow.

"Fair, but I was worried you'd break your back doing moves like that." Helix chuckled. "Besides, you did take a few minutes to recover from the foreplay~"

"I will concede your mouth is good for something finally." He countered playfully.

"Hmm, well I still say leadership wise you might consider retiring. After all, your true purpose seems right at home here." Helix replied with a smirk, taking a puff before putting the rest out. "Haven't felt this… relaxed in years…"

"You were certainly happy when I took charge." He said, gently wrapping an arm around her. "And…yes, I haven't felt like this in ages…"

"... Was this a mistake?" Helix asked, a somber expression on her face as she seemed to be thinking.

"Only if you think it is…" Imago said carefully. "I…I don't want this to be a mistake, even if we fight like cats and dogs…"

"Then Fuck like rabbits." She sighed. "Not even sure what to call this whole situation?"

"Some people would call it 'hate fucking'." The changeling pointed out. "But…I want this to mean something important for us…"

"Like?"

"An actual relationship? Or at least…something positive between us, so that this wasn't a mistake…"

"What can make it positive?"

"Going on a date after this?" He suggested. "An actual date, not some bullshit set up by Auntie…just the two of us doing…something."

"Like what? I have no social life aside business related stuff, and you probably haven't been on a date since all the continents on this planet were once one big one or underwater."

Imago sighed. "I suppose we can ask…Chrysalis for help." He said, having a small amount of hole shed know what dating really was.

"Didn't she spend the better part of her life stuck here in hiding and the rest until you got here a fugitive?"

Imago sighed. "Fine, then let's talk to Cadence, her whole thing is love so she'd be best."

"I know you're right but the idea of asking her triggers a sense of dread and terror for me for some reason."

"Which is worse? Asking Cadence, or getting Auntie to try and force it when we're not sure how to go about this?" He inquired, considering how his auntie is, he's surprised she hasn't tried to force it more.

"Hmm… Fair point. Still… this whole situation is pretty odd."

“I know…” He sighed. “Just…don’t want this all to be ruined ya know? I’m finally able to feel calm and relaxed after millenia of bullshit…and all we’re doing is second guessing it…”

"Wanna go another round and think about it after?"

“I am perfectly fine with that.”

John and Tina's house was decent. Made from logs harvested and carved by drones left to them by Blake to scout, harvest materials, and construct buildings. It was simple and it was home.

After their first month on this world, they greeted their first borns. Norman, Sophie, and Alex. All three were a perfect mix of their parents in looks, and despite, according to Blake's notes on being asexually reproductive, acted like two brothers and a sister.

"While the regular sex is fun, I do miss TV… heck, even a book would be nice…" John sighed as Tina lay next to him, stomach large again with their next clutch of children.

They could hardly believe it's been a year, and already their kids walked, talked and acted more like ten year olds.

“Yeah…while this place is nice, getting a little bored…” Tina admitted. “But hey, not like I’m really complaining here.” She smiled as she rubbed her large baby bump lovingly.

"The fact you developed a pregnancy fetish is both kinda hot, and a little weird."

“I mean…it is a little weird with how fast I got it…” Tina admitted nervously. “But…it is also really hot…I suppose being a Den Mother has something to do with that?”

"Maybe. I guess it also helps that our kids all seem to grow… scary fast. A year old and they're already preteens."

“Yeah…that is a little sad to be honest.” Tina sighed. “Wanted to take care of them longer…”

"You mean nurse them?" John asked, making Tina blush. "You know that was your favorite part. Poor kids drank so much it's a miracle they didn't pop."

“I mean…yeah, that is a big part of it.” Tina admitted.

John chuckled, wrapping an arm around Tina, gently over her belly and partly pressed against her breasts. "You know, since the kids are basically growing up at accelerated rates, they might be adults in another year… meaning we can try and see how many a Den Mother Zerg can carry, bare and tend to, if you want~" John said, giving Tina a kiss on the cheek.

It had only been a year, yet he felt like Tina was his. And he hers.

“That would be awesome.” Tina said with a warm smile. “Love you John.”

"Love you Tina." John replied, sharing a kiss with his mate.

"Eww! Mom and dad are kissing again!" Alex called out, his room being closest to their own.

The two laughed. They might need to make a special place for the more private moments in the future.

“We really need to find a private spot so our adorable kids don’t see.” Tina chuckled.

"Or hear." John added with a laugh.

“That is also true.” Tina agreed. “Never really thought all this would happen to be perfectly honest.”

"Yeah. Guess we'll have to start planning their future home out of home… meaning we're definitely gonna have to make a town and… things a town needs to function. Guess the bots days of hunting and gathering for us are gonna be over. Gotta work on actual farms now."

“Yeah…this is gonna be really annoying to get everything done.” Tina sighed.

"At least they do the hard part. We just gonna design the stuff. Guess work on it to… unless… I'll check and see if they can also make other bots. Preferably ones with specific purposes in mind."

“That would be a good idea.” Tina nodded. “If they can make other bots for specific purposes then thing’s will be a lot smoother…just hope they don’t do some skynet nonsense.”

"Yeah. So, shall we quietly entertain ourselves before getting to work?"

“Yes please.” Tina purred seductively.

"It's not like I don't want a relationship." Helix started. After the third round of rutting, she and Imago both got to talking again. Another cigarette lit in her hands, and Imago had one as well. "But aside from our shared hatred of Faust and our Immortality, what do we have in common?"

“Well, literature and science for a start, and not just because that’s our jobs.” Imago brought up.

"We talked about that stuff at that dinner thing Faust locked us in. What about personal things? Like music?"

“I have listened to so many different kinds of music from so many different cultures…” Imago hummed. “What’s your favorite? Just to narrow thing’s things?”

"Well… in some of the records I found in Faust's computer there was some Terran music. It's newer but they called it Death Metal and it sounded neat."

“While Death Metal is nice…ugh, half the time it sounds like the singer was gargling gravel.” Imago sighed. “Now, if we’re talking about Terran music, Symphonic Metal is amazing.”

"And that is?"

“It’s honestly rather simple, take the elegance of an Orchestra, and put it together with the power of Metal.” Imago said honestly. “There are some really good songs based in that genre.”

"I can give it a try. Okay… what about dreams? Like… if you could be anything, doing anything else at all… what would you do? Who would you be?"

Imago sighed, looking up at the ceiling and taking a puff of his cigarette. “I…I have thought that so many times…that I could just, turn myself into the local life from the planets we visited centuries ago, and just…try to be normal for a change, meet someone special, fall in love…but I’m a Changeling…and we were slowly making our way to Equis where I became ‘Perfect’...I never once have lied or stroked my ego when I said that I was Perfect, because I was created to be Perfect, and it was a success…I just want to…feel normal again…” He turned to Helix. “And…you’ve helped me feel that way after so long…”

Helix looked at her own slowly burning cigarette, taking a deep puff bring it near the butt and exhaling the mini cloud of smoke. "When I was a filly, I wanted to be a teacher." She started. "With my parents taking me everywhere in their travels with the Guard I wanted more than anything to share my learned knowledge with others. After that day, the day Faust found my broken dying body and rebuilt me, that dream faded into obscurity. Yet the curiosity never faded.

"To this day I read and research the files on all the planets you lot explored from before and documented. So many of them are just gone, some don't even have bones as proof something existed there. It's sad really, in a way I felt I could relate. After all, the filly I was died that day, and Faust rebirthed me as this. Helix. I don't look like I used to, don't sleep or wish or dream, hell I don't even need to eat or drink like I used to. New biology makes it I can go months without food and just as long without water.

"I guess all I want now is to remember who I used to be. The filly who had a mom and dad, who was full of wonder of the world and wanted to share that wonder."

Imago sighed. “Knowing her…” The changeling shook his head. “But…I can help you with that dream if you want?” He asked carefully.

"How?"

“While I…can’t give you back your mother and father…I can help you get back the wonder of the world, and wanting to share it with the people.”

"Doubtful but go on."

“It’ll be a long process, but currently Chrysalis and my family is…reviving other species that were once lost to time…and once this damnable war is over, I can show you so much, not just the wonder of the world, but the wonder of the stars.” He said, waving a hand as magic sprung up and showed the beauty of space like a planetarium/

"Heh. Cheesy, but it does look amazing."

“Cheese it maybe, but it is a very fine cheese.” Imago chuckled.

"Cheesy, dorky and an old man? If I didn't know better I'd say you were a Dilf."

“Only thing that stops me from being a full on Dilf is not being a dad, and as we both agreed…rather not be a parent when Faust is still lurking around at the moment.”

Helix laughed. "Well, since children are not on the table shall the old man like to pretend he's gonna be one." Helix offered. A flash of green and suddenly her stomach looked much more round. "I am still part changeling. My Shapeshifting isn't on par with yours I'll admit but I can alter various parts of my body."

“Why…why are breeding fetishes so universal?” Imago groaned bitterly, rubbing his face with one hand. “Father or Auntie must have done something to me with that…”

"I'll admit I picked it up from the bitch." Helix shrugged. "Now are you gonna see how real it feels or what?"

Imago gently put a hand on her ‘pregnant’ belly to feel how real it was.

He has to admit, it felt authentic. The warmth, the tension and resistance when pressed. The tightness of her skin and-

Thump.

Imago nearly pulled his hand back… he felt the illusion… kick.

“Did…h-how?” Imago asked honestly. “This…is rather impressive for a simple changeling shapeshift…”

"I've had a lot of practice with this one actually." Helix admitted, rubbing her own illusionary pregnant stomach. "It helped me when I was in some dark places. Tricked myself into thinking… I won't be like her. That the little one in here will be mine to love and… one day hold. Can't tell you how many times I almost made it reality with some bar drunks."

“You’re too good for drunks.” Imago stated simply. “I…I would love to make this a reality…” He admitted. “Ugh…that fucking whore of an aunt of mine…” Imago growled, hating how the both of them can’t take the one last step because of her.

"Well, if we're lucky and things work out… it will be reality." Helix said, sliding over to and against Imago, pressing her body against his. "Till then… we can at least dream and pretend."

Imago put the cigarette butt in an ashtray as he held Helix in both his arms. “Dream and Pretend huh…well, I won’t have to pretend that you’re a Dream come true.”

"Oh you are so gonna tease the hell out of whatever children we have with endless dad jokes I know it." Helix chuckled, nuzzling into Imago.

"Oh yes I am." Imago chuckled warmly.

To be continued...

Chapter 12

View Online

It’s been years for both Tanya and John, the both of them experiencing life, love, and the wonder’s of parenthood…seeing their children grow…they were happy that the kids reproduced asexually cause it would have been very awkward for them, but they saw their family flourish and grow bigger and bigger each day…though one thing the both didn’t like but had to was…keep up their tactical skills, as they both learned that in their new Hybrid forms, their minds could process information and think of idea’s at a much faster pace than their normal high level Starcraft tactics could do.

“I…really hate how we’re going to be throwing our kids into war…” Tanya sighed.

"Don't really have a choice." John sighed. "We'll be arriving back in Equis soon, and according to the last letter more time has passed to give the others their prep time."

“Hopefully it’s enough time for us all…” Tanya sighed. “Amon probably has the same kind of time dilation as me and you have for all this to make his army and make them stupidly strong…”

"Yeah…"

“So…what do you think we’re gonna do after all of this is over?”

"No idea…" John sighed. "But one thing I do know is I'll be here with you, and that's all that matters."

"Cheesy as ever." Tanya giggled as she gave a quick peck on John's cheek.

"The best cheese."

[hr[

Time passed, as everyone prepared for War, a War that hasn’t been seen in thousands of years, a War for the right to live in an uncaring reality that lets monsters roam free to cull what isn’t needed anymore.

As Tanya, John, Helix, Imago, Karax, Zegara, Han and Horner, Swan and each diplomat from every country on this planet stood in the same war room…all they did was wait for when Amon and his benefactor would show up for this war.

In a flash of an unnatural pitch blackness, Amon emerged from the strange portal, their armored figure radiating power. But the one with them, sent a rod of fear through all present. She looked terran, almost like a corpse with her milky white eyes and pale skin. She wore a white top with jeans, no shoes and her hair was completely flat, looking almost wet as it clung to her skull, back and arms. It felt to them as if the void itself walked into the room. It did.

“Uh…hi there.” Tanya said. “I…we didn’t expect to…see you…uh…” Tanya motioned to the woman that gave her ‘The Ring’ vibes even as she tried her damndest not to beg for mercy at how horrified she was at the woman.

“I am All Maker Pain.” She addressed. Her voice was calm, showing no signs of hesitation, fear, almost no emotions at all, almost. “I am the one who revived Amon. I have been training him in the ways of being a God. What it means both to himself and his creations.”

“And that would be the complete annihilation of any and all being’s that scorned him before.” John frowned.

“Wrath of God isn’t something to take lightly.” Celestia commented carefully.

“I am no simple god, Celestia.” Pain addressed the solar monarch, making her flinch. “The All Makers, are a family first, and all of my family members work hard to create, to guide life across the multiverse of multiverses and endless timelines. Without us, none of you would exist.”

“And what about us?” John inquired while motioning to him and Tanya. “Are we something that you’re family, most likely Genie, created?” John asked.

“Not the bodies, if we want to get technical.” Tanya added.

“Yes.” She said, making John and Tanya said. “Your home reality, your earth, your bodies even were made by members of my family. You two come from a set of realities we call ‘Anchor Realms’. Think of it like all the endless timelines, all the different realities and multiverses like chains all linked together and hanging from a hook. Your home reality is one of many that make up this important hook that holds them all up. As a result, we can not interfere in what happens on an Anchor Realm reality, but we can take and replace beings on them without causing an issue.”

“So…God is an All Maker or something?” John asked in surprise.

Pain was suddenly in front of John. “Gods and All Makers are two different classes entirely child. A god may create life, maybe even a planet or a universe, but All Makers craft the multiverse, the timelines of chance and probability, the very cells, atoms and DNA we designed protein by protein, all the way down to your building blocks of matter. Comparing a god to an All Maker is like comparing a single celled bacteria to a black hole.”

“She’s not wrong.” Amon said. “There is nothing anyone can do to even scratch her. It would be an exercise in futility.”

“Than who the hell was the guy that brought us here?” Tanya inquired. “Cause they claimed to be capital G god and…from what you make it sound like, normal gods can’t just grab people from the anchor world without some extra nonsense happening.”

“They can’t because there are no gods in your Anchor Reality. Some do have gods, but yours is godless. It was most likely one of the family using an alias. Since you always seem to think of a god as a singular individual, they probably figured you wouldn’t have questioned it that much.”

“I mean…considering we either thought all the other pantheon’s from mythology either died from a lack of belief or fucked off to god know’s where…eh?” Tanya shrugged helplessly at that part.

“That’s not how gods work.” Pain said, suddenly back next to Amon. “But, to the point. As you are all well aware, there are very few planets left in your universe that still house life. A few hundred across your entire universe. Some of which Amon has already attacked and obliterated. So let me ask you all this… what do you believe my roll in my Family is?”

“You are the Mother of Monsters.” Imago answered. “The one that brings Death to any civilization you take an interest in, giving some ‘sporting chance’ considering there have been planets that have seen you and your creations or ‘hired help’,” Imago motioned to Amon. “But…that’s all dependant on how you see fit to destroy, is that correct?”

“More or less. To clarify, let me ask of you a question.” Pain said. “Imagine if infinity is within a jar. Endless eternity and expansion all housed within a sealed jar. Infinity is always expanding, always getting bigger, yet the jar stays the same regardless. Finite space housing infinite creation. To keep the jar from breaking under the pressure, I remove excess… possibilities. Maybe just a planet. Maybe a solar system… a galaxy. Maybe even a whole universe. This is what I do, I keep the jar from breaking by removing excess.”

“I…hate how we can actually understand the sheer scale of it…” John grumbled.

“Yeah…” Tanya said nervously. “Good to know…and right now…we’ve been given a ‘sporting chance’ to stay alive?”

“Currently, I am speaking with four million, three hundred and six thousand, nine hundred and twenty three alternative timelines of you all where this meeting and this war will take place.” Pain said, making everyone present pause. “And I can assure you all, only one of your timeline parallels will be victorious. Whether you or another is irrelevant. Victory means you continue your existence. The rest are removed.”

“Right…” Tanya said. “Well…better make this count I suppose.”

“The path to victory is quite simple. Whoever can take Amon’s head, wins.” Pain said.

“Despite the stakes, it won’t kill me. Pain assured me that with my talents, I will be serving her in her mission within the realities and timelines.” Amon said. “That being said, should any of you make it to my chambers, taking my head will not be a simple task.”

“You weren’t easy to kill before, why wouldn’t you be easy to kill now?” Tanya pointed out.

“But we’ll still defeat you nonetheless.” John said readily.

“Because you two know me from a video game, a simulated replica of the events I personally witnessed and endured and fought in. This time, you fight the real me.” Amon said flatly. “And a ‘Game Over’ won’t spare your lives from me.”

“Good thing we weren’t going to take this lightly.” John said readily.

With that, Amon and Pain went back into the void portal, and once it closed everyone took a breath.

“That was…unpleasant…” Celestia sighed.

“I’ve lived for thousands of years…I have fought against creatures of the Void…” Imago muttered, shuddering in horror. “But Pain…”

“On top of Amon, we will be fighting against time as our parallel timeline selves will be fighting for their own survival as well…” Helix said. “Meaning if one of them claims Amon’s head, we lose regardless…”

“As long as we beat Amon, who gives a shit.” Tanya said honestly. “If one lives…that means a future is still possible for us all.”

“Except it won’t really be us.” Celestia said. “Alterative timelines form from branches splitting off from other timelines, from choices we make to things we can’t even controle. Even if another set of us wins, the us in this timeline are wiped. Like trimming the excess branches off a tree, we only exist so long as our link points from when time split to make our unique timeline split. Once one of them takes Amon’s head, we get snipped and cease to exist at all…”

“In other words, yes, an us will have a future, but it won’t be us in that future…” Helix said. “We won’t even have a past… just nothingness and nonexistence.”

“Are we really going to start fighting ourselves just for the right to live?” John asked.

“I don’t think so. Odds are Amon’s other timeline parallels will be fighting ours. What this means for us could mean we win or lose depending on how strong or weak our parallel selves are and Amon’s are.”

“True…” John sighed.

“Well, best we can do is prepare for the eventuality of him spawning whatever the fuck he has at our front door.” Tanya said. “Which…hopefully things will go smoothly depending on how things will go.”

“We have three days before our ‘original’ war date was going to start…” Imago said. “So we have plenty of time to get everything situated for this upcoming battle.”

“Gives us time to prepare.” Helix nodded.

“Yes, it’ll give us plenty of time to get prepared.” Tanya nodded.

“It’ll also let our kids get some proper equipment for once, cause while they are extremely strong, getting some gear would always help.” John nodded.

“I’ll send the shipments.” Helix said.

“Going somewhere, Faust?” Helix asked as she and Imago stood outside the door to Faust’s ship.

“I’m leaving.” Faust said.

“Running away again I see.” Imago said, nonchalantly filing one of his nails that he didn’t really have to but it was to help prove a point. “Running from responsibilities, running from family, running from your home…when will it end auntie?”

“With luck… when I die…” She said, typing away at the console.

“You know when this ends, if we lose it’s over for everyone.” Helix said.

“I know. I originally built a dimensional jumper to use as an escape means. Imago’s father has a larger one I made for him. Can house many, but not everyone.”

“Oh cut the shit Tardigrade!” Imago snapped, calling Faust her changeling name as he was growing tired of this same crap again. “There is no more running! No more hiding from everything and everyone because you can’t handle your emotions…I don’t know what you went through after the war, but I’ve known for a long time…a long time that you need to stop and take a look at your family, not as test subjects or some fake form of parenthood or being an aunt…we’ve been here for so long…” Imago sighed, wishing he could get through to his stubborn as shit aunt who either cared more for work or some…wrong way of thinking how family should work, and he especially doesn’t know if she has PTSD from the War he fought against her…

Faust stopped, looking down. “Sociopath.” She said. “That’s what I was diagnosed with at a young age. I never showed or got emotions. That all changed when I came to this planet. Equis. The… magic, did something to me. I began to feel things I never felt before. Part of me hated it, part of me wanted more of it. In the end, even with emotions, I still never understood them. I started a civil war all because I refused to actually learn how to process these complex things called emotions. All these years and I still don’t understand them. Even with them, I never saw you as real family. I could feel it, but not… accept it. Heh. I sent my own daughters away because despite I could no feel love, I didn’t love them… I am not a good person, you two know this. Why keep me around?”

“No, you’re not, and…that honestly explains half of what the hell went on.” Imago said honestly. “It was the Void’s fault with my father’s experiments that truly set the civil war on track…but why couldn’t you accept it? You accepted it before you had emotions, and now that you do you’re not sure about anything?”

“I’ve been alive for a long time, much of that was without the ability to feel emotions. Now that I can, every day since has been like a fog. Sometimes I despise it, wishing I could just… Make it go away, other times I want so badly for it to take me whole. Lose myself in it. I’m tired Imago… I don’t know what I want, but I know if I remain and die, I will die never knowing peace again.”

Imago sighed, rubbing his temple. “The one time I…finally get a straight answer from you on this…” He grumbled, feeling his shoulders sag as he just felt…drained, barely any argument or fighting…just given a straight answer as to what was truly wrong after so many thousands of years…

“If you leave, you might also lose the ability to feel emotions too.” Helix said.

“... If that happens, then at least I will have some clarity.” Faust said, going back to typing on the console.

“Did…you ever have anyone next to you to help you understand?” Imago asked. “Did you ever try and seek out help? A second opinion? Anything?” He asked, knowing she was stubborn as hell but still…

“Yes.” She said. “He was born generations later, already in a new form and no longer able to shapeshift. He was like me, but the magic of this world, the fog… I finally met someone with as much misery, confusion and happiness as I… In the end, he asked me to kill him.”

Imago just…sighed. “Is this really it?” He asked.

“The alternative is to die. I don’t want to die, I just want peace, clarity.”

“Just let her go Imago.” Helix huffed. “She’s not worth the effort to convince otherwise.”

“I just…expected more I guess…” Imago shook his head. “After literally everything that’s happened…”

“Listen to Helix Imago.” Faust said, the ship beginning start up as ahead opened a portal, sparking and unlike any Imago had seen before. “You two do look cute together. I hope you survive to have the family you both have wanted for so long.”

With that, the door closed and the ship shot off into the portal, closing immediately after the ship entered.

“Come on, we have prep work to do.” Helix said, taking Imago’s hand.

Imago squeezed Helix’s hand. “I…expected something more…I…I feel tired and…robbed, that Auntie was…that all of this is because she didn’t have emotions or understand it…” The changeling said weakly, having expected a fight, an argument…something, but only getting a tired old woman that doesn’t understand and just wants peace.

“Not always are the people we hate the way they are for the reasons we want… Sometimes, they’re just broken, and tired. No different than us really…” Helix sighed, pulling Imago close. “At least, now, she’s gone… Now, all we gotta do is win…”

“And we are going to win.” Imago said, wrapping his arms around Helix and held her close. “I promise.”

“You ready Amon?” Pain asked. “Gonna be a lot of fighting.” She and Amon sat atop the tallest of his new castles towers. From here, in fractured glass like windows he saw all the timelines before him. All the lives to be slaughtered, ended, and only one would live to continue on after.

“Yes.” Amon nodded. “But a simple matter to kill so many timelines, even with the ‘chosen’ at the helm, I have stronger soldiers and much more tactical experience to deny them victory until only one survives.”

“Hope you enjoy killing the same two or four people at a time. This fight will take a while, and in the end, it is just you fighting all of them. You know, it would be funny, to be the last and survive by being the last to arrive and challenge you. Make sure you’re army doesn’t let any hide out amongst the planets or stars. Harvest and slaughter all you need and collect the ruins for yourself. The spoils are all yours after all.”

“Yes, and currently there are many that are trying to escape…Tardigrade being the one that wants to escape the most out of everyone.”

“Let them. Most will die in their new realities, and those that don’t will live out their days alone or in agony at never achieving their sense of peace.”

“A cruel punishment for cowards…I’ll allow it.” Amon said simply. “Shame though, such a brilliant mind in that one…all hampered by one simple detail.”

“Don’t fret. A few timelines, they remain to fight. Feel free to take her corpse. I’m sure you can remake her into a valued member of your new race Amon.” Pain chuckled. “Or maybe a bride~” She teased.

Amon blushed once it what felt like an eternity ago. “W-well…possibly? But we're not here for me to date someone or to literally create a ‘Build a Bride’ in my home world.”

“Still hear it’s a thriving business.” Pain mentioned.

“Excuse you?” Amon blinked.

“Oh, just something one of my In-Laws does.” Pain chuckled. “Wish I could say I’m surprised but… heh, some things are multiversal.”

“I have a feeling I’m going to be meeting some of your In-Laws randomly…” Amon said nervously.

“Possibly. Though, if you meet a woman with green hair with a white stripe that goes behind her ears… Accept your fate. That woman scares me at times…” Pain said.

“Well…uh…at least I don’t have bones…” The new god said slowly as he crossed his legs in fear.

“Oh she won’t go after you like that… but she will find someone who will. It’s like, her whole thing. Also, don’t be surprised if there’s more than one. She has a harem thing when she helps people.”

Equis, every city and large landmass had weapons, stations, ships in the millions, the planet was ready for war. And war came just as ready. A ring of unnatural darkness appearing in the sky. Rather than darkness, through it was a strange place, where a planet resided inside the abnormal ‘space’ and from that planet, came the armies of Amon from the void.

“Thought he would have made Void portals around the world…” John said.

“Nobody really expects a literal ‘War of the Worlds’.” Tanya frowned.

“We’ll have contact in a few minutes.” Helix said. “Anyone without armor and a gun, get some!”

The ships entered the atmosphere. Some began shooting at the cities, others landed outside them, deploying troops. A strange race that was unlike the hybrids Amon used prior. These were… almost natural in their appearance, resembling a mix of wolves, ponies, wings akin to the griffons, Psionic abilities and capable of absorbing biomass directly from a target while in combat to regenerate.

They were fast. They were durable. They were agile. They were smart. They were Amon’s race. The Void Hybrids.

“Shit these fuckers take a lot to go down!” Helix yelled, their base already infiltrated. To make it worse, they also could utilize magic.

As Amon’s new hybrid tried to breach through the defenses, a thick mist started to appear and turquoise colored blades appeared through their bodies dealing killing blows as the Dark Templar took to the scene to defend their new home. “But they are still vulnerable in the right spots.” One of the experienced Templar said as they moved through the shadow’s for their hunt.

On the ground, all across the planet, each and every race fought and struggled against the new Hybrid, Zegara and her Swarm fighting against them as their Magicite Evolved selves, Karax and his Protoss fighting with Advanced Tech that fuzed their Solarite with Magicite to increase their strength a hundred fold…but it was six pillars that caused the greatest swing.

As the first Goliath, Genesis, a giant Godzilla like Kaiju monster made of pure Magicite, burst forth from his home and fired off a beam of pure energy at the sky, destroying thousands of Amon’s ships and flying Hybrid. “Come and face the First! I am Genesis vile Void Spawn!”

The second was in the Frozen North, near the Crystal Empire and Yakyakistan, as another giant of Magicite started to walk across the frozen plans, as Amon’s Void Hybrid were buffeted by a sudden raging blizzard to the point where they were either slowly, or very quickly freezing to death, as many tried to rush to the eye of the storm to seek whoever caused it, only to start having ice form on their body in a completely clear area, their last sight seeing a humanoid in kingly raiments and a Crown made of Ice so cold that even daring to look at it caused your body to grow cold. “Enter the Winter Court Void Spawn! Pray whatever God made you is worth the time of the Winter King, Glacies!”

In the Badlands, an Alicorn Mare the size of a two story building lightly swung a whip made of a flame so pure and hot that it could burn anything, atomizing Hybrid with such intense heat as she grabbed one by the head. “I am the Burning King, Ignis, and may my Flames give you a quick end as your very soul burns to ash.” She said, igniting the Hybrid in her hand as it was naught but ash in seconds.

In a massive mountain range, a giant Octahedron like structure slowly floated along, it’s magicite body looking more like a mirror as it was attacked by Hybrids and it’s many weapons and technology, all doing nothing as a force field shined across it as it blocked each attack. The being stopped it’s trek as it opened up like a flower and showed a small being, the size of an average terran, the sound of a woman’s scream in reverse was their only response before a powerful beam rocked the area around them just from the firing, as the mountain range and so many Hybrid were not but dust in the massive explosion. Mare, the Dark Delver has arrived, and nothing shall stop it’s rampage against the Void.

In the Dragon Lands, a humanoid figure drew one of his thousand blades and sliced apart Hybrid with such precision and and grace it almost felt like he was cutting the very air itself. “Come my Dragon’s! Let us show these Void spawn what real power is!” He shouted as the dragon’s roared in agreement. “Let all know the name of Dane of a Thousand Blades! And let them know absolute obliteration!”

And the last was in an unknown location, even to many, as Amon’s forces tried to use it as a foot hold, only for a Sphinx like entity the size of a mountain burst forth and rampage against them. “I am Altera, the Mother of Goliath’s and protector against the Void! You shall not desecrate this planet once again!” She roared in anger at this slight against the planet she was built to protect from happening again.

"The Goliath's have risen! Come on!" Imago said to Helix as the two ran out to get prepared.

In the sky ships battled through the space between Equis and the Portal. Ships and frozen corpses littered the vacuum as the battles continued without rest.

In a ship, fighting and dodging the enemy, was John and Tanya. They were aiming for the planet through the portal, for Amon’s head.

“Shit this is worse than I was expecting!” John said, working on keeping the ship moving through the endless battle around them.

“Oh yeah!” Tanya agreed readily as she shoved her fist through one of Amon’s Hybrid’s chest and crushed it’s heart.

“Once we get into the portal it’s gonna get a whole lot worse.” John huffed. “Engine’s stabilized for now.”

“And we’re clear of any stowaways.” Tanya said honestly. “If this is Amon’s Hybrids…fuck if we know how actually fighting Amon is going to be.”

“Not easy. Maybe other timeline us’s weakened him by now.”

“Hopefully, and I especially hope that none of our other timelines selves are trying to gank each other for some dumbass reason.”

“No idea. Right now not too concerned about-” The ship shook. “For fucks sake this is the fifth time they hit the cargo bay!” John yelled as he rushed back down to the cargo bay.

“Seriously, can these bastards take a god damn hint when I patched that!?” Tanya yelled as she rushed along with John to deal with the growing problem.

The ship, damaged and more patchwork than any space fairing ship should be for space flight, the two crash landed upon the surface of Amon’s world.

They crawled out from the wreckage, and found themselves surrounded by the Void Hybrids. Each one holding onto either a rifle, spear or sword.

“Ah shit…” John huffed.

“Cause of fucking course…” Tanya growled, ready to use some psionic powers to get them out of this jam.

The Void Hybrids kept their positions, then a section of them backed up and they began forming a pathway. In the distance was Amon’s castle.

“... don’t know if this makes the situation better or worse when they’re letting us pass to Amon’s castle…” John said.

“Both I guess…” Tanya said, getting up carefully. “So…no fight all of you?” She asked carefully.

“Pass directly to lord Amon’s castle, and die like the rest who came before.” One of the spear wielding ones spoke up.

“... Well shit…” John said.

“We’re not going to lose.” Tanya said, gently taking John’s hand and giving it a little squeeze.

“So said the others.” Another said. Suddenly things were thrown at the two.

Heads. Their own heads. Decapitated or pulled off the necks all in gruesome states.

The two swallowed hard as they felt fear sink its claws into their very souls.

“This is… how many of us has he already…” John breathed.

“We…we can’t give up.” Tanya said, trying to stay strong but this was…horrifying. “I don’t want to know how many…this is awful…”

The two, slowly, began walking towards the castle. As they did they would see bodies. Various versions of their own bodies all beaten, incinerated, torn apart, hacked apart. They were surrounded by nothing but their own corpses.

Eventually, they reached Amon, sitting atop a throne in the castle courtyard, wet and stained with blood all around.

“Another pair. It’s getting boring, you know. I ran out of unique ways to slaughter you two almost two hundred and thirty kills ago.” Amon said.

“That’s…weird.” Tanya said slowly. “And…I suppose you’ve been in perfect health since we started all this bullshit?”

“A few of you got some hits on, but all in all, not many were worth the effort. I have to say, for being ‘experts’ on my world, you two really can’t fight.”

“Doesn’t mean we will stop.” John said.

“So you say-” Amon spoke, then got blasted by a beam of green energy. It slammed him through a wall.

John and Tanya turned to see an armored Helix and Imago. Imago’s hands glowing the same green as the beam. “Nice hit.” Helix said.

“Thank you my love.” Imago said with a smile. “Now, how about we try this again.” Imago said. “Only took this entire time for my body and powers to ‘wake up’ after so much suspended animation in the Void.”

“Uh… why are you two here?” John asked.

“We figured given how many of you two have been killed, we should give this a shot.” Helix said.

“I agree!” Amon said, jumping back out from the hole. His armor was scorched. “I actually felt that! Pain said combat would be the most fun when I felt my opponent’s hits. Now I see what she meant!” Amon yelled, shooting off beans of void.

Helix deflected one and grabbed the other in her hand, the armor absorbing it. “Heh, so glad your old man let me take a look at Chrysalis’s biology. This armor is perfect for dealing with Void attacks.”

“In times of War, we need every advantage.” Imago said readily.

“Really wish we could have mass produced that kind of armor…” Tanya muttered.

“Took forever to make this one.” Helix said.

“Now, you two I like.” Amon said, crafting twin blades form thin air and charging at Helix and Imago.

The two met his clash and began battling.

“... Is it weird I’m okay they basically stole this from us?” John asked.

“We’re tacticians.” Tanya said. “I’m perfectly fine with that.” She admitted, trying to focus on the fight for anything that could help the two get an edge on Amon.

Helix and Imago were matching Amon in speed and hits. With Imago’s void resistance and Helix’s special armor, his attacks were less impactful yet still dealt damage. That being said, they still damaged Amon in return. The god had many dents in their armor and a few holes where blood spilled from.

Eventually the two managed to pin Amon down, then broke his arms and took his blades.

Amon laughed.

“You two, now that… was a fight.” Amon breathed, his climes slowly trying to turn and spin back into place as his body healed.

“Thanks. That was fun.” Helix said, popping her broken nose back into place. “Now die.” She said, hacking Amon’s own blade to his neck and separating it from his head from his body.

As it rolled, Pain stopped it and picked the head up. “Congratulations. Your timeline is the winner.”

“That’s…good to know.” Tanya said honestly. “So…what was different about this Timeline than the others?”

“Us, for one.” They all heard someone say as the four turned around and saw…

“I’m fucking sorry, when did the Kaiju convention roll around with Evangelion?” Tanya asked in mild horror.

“Not important.” Altera, the ‘Mother’ of the Goliaths, a Sphinx like entity made of pure Magicite, answered as she looked at Pain. “Mother of Monsters…the ‘Pure Void’ knows.” She said vaguely, as Pain was the only one that understood the being ‘knew’ who she truly was.

“Congratulations.” Pain said, looking at the four. “You four will be returned to your timeline. The rest…” She snapped her fingers, and the sky above no longer was lit by the explosions of ships fighting. “Are now gone.”

“You can just do this at the snap of your fingers…” Helix said. “Why bother with all this?”

“It’s fun.” Pain smirked.

“Excuse me, what!?” Tanya asked incredulously.

“It’s fun for me.” Pain said, walking over and putting Amon’s head to his neck. It reattached and his body began healing once again.

“I wouldn’t argue with a being that can literally snap her fingers and remove us all from existence.” Helix said.

“She’s done it before.” A reasonably sized Goliath, Dane of a Thousand Blades, made mention.

“And…how do you know that?” John asked worriedly.

“We are constructs made of the purest Magicite this planet has to offer, and while it’s ‘purified’, it’s still a part of the Void…and through the years of studying our nature and fighting the Void, we have learned from it and many histories.” Dane answered.

“Ri~ght…” Tanya said slowly.

“So…what now?” Imago asked Pain carefully.

“Now, you all go home, rebuild your world, do that whole recreate extinct races thing. I genuinely don’t care. You won, so you get to live until your reality expires naturally. As all will eventually.” Pain said, helping Amon back to his feet. “The corpses from the other Timlines are on your planets south territories.”

“Good. The planets?”

“Here and there. Plenty for your people to use and recycle.” Pain then looked back to the four. “Well, off with you then.” Pain snapped her fingers, and the four were returned to Equis.

Time flew by, rebuilding took less time than expected. The world was rebuilt better than it was before.

Tanya and John sat in their new home in New Baltimare, a simple house on a few acres of farmable land the two worked. They no longer needed to fight, so they cultivated crops, and raised their children. It reminded them of their time on that other planet.

“Going from the end of the world and playing video games, to being farmer’s in brand new bodies in magic land…” Tanya chuckled at the absurdity.

“At least it’s peaceful.” John sighed. “Maybe someday we can take to the stars to check on the Changelings and the worlds they’re repopulating. Oh, and Helix and Imago just had their fourth kid.”

“Went from fighting like cats to damn near having a kid every time Helix is ready.” Tanya shook her head at how lovey dovey those two became.

“Well, they both have wanted families, and they basically are immortal so… I guess they’ll be spending all that time doing each other as well as raising kids. Odds are by the time they finish that whole universe repopulation thing those two will still be alive and still having kids.” John chuckled. “Wonder how long we’ll live? These bodies are hybrids so…”

“Protoss are long lived from what I remember, and Zerg don’t age as far as I remember so…unless we take fatal damage, I’m pretty sure we’re ageless at least.” Tanya brought up.

“Oh… Guess that means… do we compete with those two then or…” John asked, earning a playful slap from Tanya. “It’s a suggestion.” He laughed.

“Perv.” Tanya laughed as well. “But…maybe we can…now that we have the time to raise a family without war looming over our heads.”

“Well, the kids are all in town, save James, think they’re sweet on that Dawn Flyer pegasus from the cafe.” John chuckled. “Crops are watered and the barn is locked up. Wann kill time inside then?”

“Of course.” Tanya nodded. “Let’s enjoy the rest of the day…together.”

The End.

Overqueen in Equestria

by Xinrick

Mutation: Friendship is Starcraft

Battle(And Party) at Ponyville

Genetech step's in

Meeting the family

Revelations and Step's Forward

Changes and Discoveries

Bad News and Wishes

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10: Lewd Edition

Chapter 11

Chapter 12