Chapters What It's Like on the Other Side
Location: a mostly deserted island off the coast of Japan
Year: 2035
"This is Echo; I repeat this is Echo with Spetsnaz Specters we are heavily outnumbered, break. No more reinforcements to our assistance. Air raid sirens are going off half a click to the East, break. Can anyone read me, over? Copy my last, send traffic!" yelled the particularly irritated commando as their last working radio received a bullet and started billowing smoke. He looked over his only cover and started firing his lucky AK47 into the Hoards of opposing soldiers. "Dammit!" he yelled as he looked over at me. "Dimitri, the radio was hit! Get PK over-" he was interrupted by said titan crashing backwards through a nearby wall.
As I looked at the titan he was in the midst of standing back up when he suddenly looked up and caught something out of the air and said "Damn tanks."
I then noticed it was a pellet fired by a Type 90 Kyū-maru I looked over at Echo and asked "Why are they using those antiques?" I thought hard about how I could take it out as quickly as possible.
Without warning I yanked two grenades off Echo's belt and went into a full sprint towards the mechanical behemoth, both comrades following close behind. When I got within distance PK moved ahead of me seaming to know what I was thinking and began to lift the front of the tank so the treads were no longer one with the ground (yes he's that big).when this was finished, Echo got between us and crouched facing me while lacing his hands to provide a jumping boost as I pulled the pins out of the grenades. I stepped into his hands and ran up PK's back getting high enough to get the small objects down the tank's barrel with enough time for PK to grab me by the ankles and pull me to earth and take cover behind the behemoth as the blast went off. The now useless tank ballooned and broke in two as the top half landed over us protecting us from the remainder of the metal carcass.
There was only darkness when all the noise stopped. We sat there in the dark until there was a flash of light that lasted but only a second then was gone, replaced with a grunt and then the sound of three bodies hitting ground. "I got this." Said Echo's voice as a green dot appeared in the middle of his forehead "What the hell?" there was silence.
"What is it?" I asked as I then heard the sound of six entities breathing, already knowing three of them were obviously PK, Echo, and I.
"Its three ponies." He paused. "Again, what the hell?" I heard him move and then there was silence once again."They are alive, but I don't think they are from here."
"Well obviously they are not from he-" I started but was cut off by Echo.
"Not like that, I mean they are not from earth." He said pausing waiting for my denial but I had none. "One has wings and one has a horn."
It was PK's turn in an almost unnaturally deep voice he spoke up "We can’t just leave them here to get slaughtered." There was a painfully quiet pause. "I'll lift the dome and once I do you two take them back to our bunker . . . or what is left of it. Alright?" There was a small rustling noise as I lifted two of them on my back (much like a hunter would to a deer) I felt two manes; one was unnervingly curly, the other smooth as silk.
I turned to the direction that my earlier footsteps had originated from and said "I'm ready when you and Echo are." There was another rustling sound as Echo removed his night-vision goggles and picked the third pony off the ground did the same as me undoubtedly in a slightly different form so he could still shoot.
"Affirmative,” Commented Echo. "Ready." he said as his voice got a little bit louder. "LET'S MOVE OUT!" Yelled Echo as PK stood lifting and tossing the dome whilst making sure not to hit any of the moving entities. Meanwhile Echo and I went into a full Sprint towards our latest cover, seconds later we were jumping over the wall and into a five-foot-fall strait down. “Dimitri, status check." he said wile placing his passenger onto the ground and searching for wounds.
"One sec." I said as I did the same noticing the colors of each of them; pink, yellow, and the one in front of Echo was bright purple with a mane of Perry-winkle blue with a strip of dark purple and another of pink. Noticing the yellow one had a long and strait mane of pink while the other had a mane that looked like big cotton candy. I knew something was unnervingly familiar about them but just couldn't put my finger on it. "They got through unscathed, but now that they're alive and safe with us what do we do?" I looked Echo in the eyes and continued "They'd be a hindrance to our mission unless they understood our langua-" I was stopped by the one thing nobody would have ever saw coming.
"Uh, we understand you well enough, but where are we, and what do you mean by mission?" The purple one asked as she stood. Midway through the question Echo had dropped his lucky AK47 and his jaw had almost instantly hit the floor. When I heard her voice everything became very clear to me and I had remembered something I hadn't even thought about in well over fifteen years; My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic, then I remembered the names of the three creatures in front of Echo and I, but I had to make sure.
"Do you have names, and if so what are they?" I asked slowly so as not to look to eager.
"At least you didn't drop your belongings at the sound of my voice, yes we have names; I am Twilight Sparkle, the yellow one is Fluttershy, and the pink one is Pinkie Pie." Echo picked his gun off the ground when he heard the drop your belongings comment and closed his mouth.
"O.K. So they can talk, but how are we going to get them out in one piece?" Echo asked as he shuffled uncomfortably.
"I have no idea, but we have to figure something out." I said sitting on the makeshift table that the dead radio was residing on.
"Great! Just great! First the Jappies are using antiques, and now I have a bunch of useless-in-the-field ponies! GREAT!" Yelled Echo as he jumped the wall that separated us from the opposing soldiers, the sound of him yelling gibberish than reliving his anger on some unfortunate Japs started to get farther away.
"What is his problem? And why is he so angry, and violent?" Twilight asked as she sat and half pouted at me. Both of us jumped as PK showed up out of nowhere and immediately started speaking.
"He does not mean to scare you, he is just extremely concerned about your well-being." He paused as he sat cross-legged next to her, making her flinch a little.
"NO! DASHIE, THOSE ARE MY POTATOES!" Yelled the pink one in her sleep, making everyone jump and waking Fluttershy, who squeaked when she noticed everyone around her.
What It's Like on the Other Side
Time; 2400 Military time
"What is it?" I said after a hoof tapped my shoulder as I searched the landscape outside through the scope of my modified Barrett 50 caliber Sniper rifle (both of my comrades know not to disturb me when i was in a paranoid mood).
"Well... um... it's just that... um... Twilight wanted to know what that... weird metal thing was... if... um... that's o.k. wi-" She stopped, and squeaked when i suddenly fired into the night (head-shot) then turned around facing her, propping my gun against the nearest wall.
"Yes it's o.k. but why not ask me herself? Also there is no need to be nervous around me, o.k.?" I then grabbed my gun and went back into my process of searching the landscape for another Jappie unfortunate enough to get into range of the bunker.
Um... ok." whimpered the timid mare, who as only trying to help her friend. In realizing this I mentally face palmed, then turned around putting the gun across my lap, I then did the one thing my two comrades didn't expect; I asked her for forgiveness, after my rude body language and smart-assed comment. Remembering that I told Twilight not to ask any more questions myself; I took a bullet for her after she asked me what was it like to have fingers (had the sudden question not been asked the one who fired said bullet would have not been able to do so) I answered her question by using a pair of needle-nose pliers, I had used to repair more than one radio, to wrench the bullet out with a horrible grinding and tearing sound, angrily saying through clenched teeth "There's one good use for fingers, so no mor questions, period!" I of course didn't mean to be angry with her it was however the only way to keep my mind off the new hole that I had just received in my uniform. "It's ok... I forgive you."
"Thank you, now you probably don't want to know what this is." I said patting the side of my rifle.
"Actually... um... twilight wanted to know... and Pinkie couldn't come and ask because-" She started as she was cut off mid sentence by the figure of Echo literally phasing out of thin air.
"She's talking with Twilight and PK in the next room." there was a pause as a fourth voice came from the doorway to the next room.
"Dear Celestia, if you can teleport then why don't you get us to your mission and us to saft-" She asked, rather loudly, and was interrupted by me appearing crouching in front of her, an annoyed look on my face.
"He can't teleport, I am the teleporter, he just has a cloaking ability, and if you give me a couple minutes I can explain everything. Ok?" I snapped making her nod quickly with a confused/scared look on her face. "Good, now you do know what an inventor is right?" another nod. "Ok. So, I am one of the greatest minds this world has to offer, but why am I fighting for my life in the middle of a war, I'll tell you why; because Echo, PK, and I, are the only surviving people who know about my Inventions." Half-way through this long winded statement Pinkie and PK had come into the room, Pinkie sitting with her fellow ponies, PK walking up to and standing next to me. "Perfect, PK you are just in time, now everybody look at PK, and see if you can tell any abnormalities aside from the scars."
"There are none." Said twilight as I then pointed out that his Entire right arm, right shoulder, and about fifteen-percent of the top right corner of his torso were (barley) dis-colored from the rest of him.
"You see, his arm was lost long ago, and I replaced it with a perfect mechanical replica; exact dimensions, weight, and strength." I started as I ripped the false skin off his arm. "Now how is it that he can take so much damage, considering on our way to this bunker he has been shot, stabbed, burned, blown up, and gassed, yet he still moves with a purpose, Well I also Developed nanobots that have to bond with the host; otherwise their DNA would reject them and kill both the nano bots and the host." I paused. "I have not created a nano bot that can augment any host, without killing them. However I have created a set for PK; Healing factor, and Endurance. A set for Echo; Cloaking, Agility (supper jumping, and endless sprinting). And a set for me, endless strength, still nowhere near PK, and the acceleration of brain waves, enough for me to temporarily bend space, so as to teleport." As I was about to continue, Twilight interrupted me with a question, that normally would cause me to throw the one who asked said question across the room and into the wall a couple times, but for some reason it only annoyed me so I waited for her to finish her question.
"But why cant you transport us to the target location?" she asked shakily probably still nervous from my static teleportation.
"Well, like I said, I'm going to explain everything." I said with a smile that would have terrified Attila the Hun, and continued. "My warping of space only moves that witch is infused with my nanobots, my uniform is infused, my equipment is infused, and I am infused. And the last time I tried to use it on myself and another person, they were half disintegrated, and alive." I stop to visibly cringe. "It was horrible, screams of agony still haunt my dreams, when i actually sleep." I just stood there and stared into space for a bit, then teleported back to my spot and continued my job of sniping the unfortunates outside. Six shots rung out, all head-shots.
"He has had a long and hard life, war seems to take someone dear to him every time." Said the titan with a now jet black metal arm.
"W-what do you mean 'every time'?" Flutershy asked nervously.
"Every war takes someone close to him." Echo said in a depressed sounding tone.
"How many wars have had a hand in his being like that?" Twilight asked with a hint of anger in her voice. I then suddenly started violently shaking and disappeared in a flash of static.
"Wow, he lasted longer than I thought, he usually goes into a psychotic rage when some one asks that." Echo turned to leave the bunker than was stopped by Twilight asking yet another question.
"If you see him can you apologize for me I... I didn't know it was that personal of a question." Twilight looked as though she was going to go find me to apologize in person.
Echo smiled and simply stated "I'll see what I can do." then he walked out shutting the bunker-door behind him.
What It's Like on the Other Side
I reappeared high in a tower, I watched as Echo appeared outside the bunker a little more than a football field away from the forty-five foot tall tower I had chosen to go to think. He looked at the tower and started sprinting faster than any human should ever be able to, going into cloak, appearing next to me two minutes later and sitting down next to me. "Hay. What's up man?" Echo asked.
I didn't move, "You know what the fuck is up." I stated before loading a fresh clip into my rifle.
"Look man, we didn't get as close to the p.o.w. camp as we should have, but we did find that empty bunker, so cheer the fuck up, it's not healthy to bottle your anger, otherwise you go off on people like you did just a minute ago." he paused. "And I know her question was... beyond personal, but she didn't know anything about us until we met, and now that she knows your one of the smartest people on this planet, she is probably going to ask more questions about humans." He stood, turning around, to return to the bunker.
"What the fuck is that?" I suddenly ask making Echo turn back to see what i was talking about; a fresh hoard, and a large one at that, was advancing accompanied by four tanks.
"sunova bitch!" Echo said in disbelief, as the Battalion marched forward.
"Echo, go warn the others." I said, but he did not move. "NOW!" I yelled, making him flinch as he turned and lunged forward over the edge of the tower. "C'mon you little bastards." I stated almost inaudibly.
Everyone in the bunker was asleep aside from Twilight and PK when Echo burst through the doorway, slamming the door open, waking everyone up. "PK, we have at least four tanks, and an entire army on our hands in thirty minutes." Echo yelled as a shot bigger than my rifle rang out seconds later there was a loud explosion near the bunker, and Echo ran out sayinG "PK, c'mon were gonna need you for this!"
"I will be but a second." The titan called, turning to Pinkie and crouching to be closer to eye level. "Pinkie, I may die today, so I wanted you to know that I kinda started to like you, you were the only who was not intimidated by my size or silent disposition, so no mater what, stay here and keep quiet, please, I will return for you." he kissed her to prove his point, It lasted but a second, however it was evident she wasn't resisting. Then he stood and walked out, closing the door ripping the handle off, and denting the door were the latch slid through to enter the bunker wall, so no one could open it from the inside or out.
"You better come back." the pink mare whispered, almost to herself.
"Pinkie, are you ok?" Twilight asked.
Pinkie flinched and looked at her friends with a smile "Oh, yea, I'm ok. . . and I think, I just found my special somepony!" Saying the last part excitedly.
I looked from my tower to see PK suddenly appear in the middle of the army, devastating one of the tanks, and taking a nasty red chunk from the opposing army. this would have been a third of the job done, but this was an entire army not just the small waves that they usually throw at us. As I jumped into the sea of opponents I brandished my custom gatling while yelling, "Die you little bastards!" as my words stopped I was drenched it blood and medium sized chunks of organs and started to laugh psychotically 'I really should stop enjoying things like getting covered it entrails, but what'l ya' do?'
I soon found myself in an open area and switching to my shotgun, and back to back with Echo, "Just like old times, eh?"
"You know it man, hay your not still pissed, are you?" he asked as we destroyed the enemies that got within our combined range.
"No, that gatling spree got me out of it, and we need to get this hoard outta the way so I can apologize." I yelled over the sound of gunshots and screams of agony, just as the worst Possible thing could have happened, happened.
"Think about it girls, he may be not a pony, but he keeps showing a sort of chivalry, that for some reason nopony can find in any colts back home." Pinkie said in hopes her friends would let up a little.
"Pinkie why are you getting worked up over him, once we are no longer in a place full of these
, I'm teleporting us home, end of conversation!" Twilight said aggressively.
Pinkie's eyes started to water, and she was going to say some thing but was cut off by something that sounded like my rifle but way smaller, accompanied by the words "Shoot all three of them, but start with that yellow one!" she looked at the window to see four soldiers pointing bulkier looking versions of that thing Echo was always carrying, just as they were pulling their triggers a flash of static appeared and Dimitri appeared just in time to shield Fluttershy from death. The flash didn't stop them from unloading clip after clip into the now Slightly shaking form of the Spetsnot that had been keeping them alive since they met, for no reason he was giving his life for someone he just me literally this morning.
All the soldiers chests exploded as Echo showed up in the window, but when his suspicions were confirmed about what the four were wasting their ammo on, he dropped all his equipment and climbed through the window in the bunker, dropping to his knees at Dimitri's side, the other three did the same as PK showed up, funny how you ignore some sounds you recognize when your oldest friend is dying, he immediately took charge. "PK, can you handle the rest? I need to get the bullets that didn't exit his body out, now!"
PK simply nodded and ran out re-closing the door, as Echo started to work, taking Dimitri's pliers out of his left breast pocket, and pulling out as many bullets as he could and started to patch him up, stopping at his right elbow noticing he was missing a quarter of his upper arm, he patched it up as best he could.
What It's Like on the Other Side
Two days later
Half-way point between the mission target, and mission start
I slowly return to the world of the waking, I then hear a sound that sounded like an eep!, I then suddenly remember what happened last. Did I save them? I don't Know. Am I dead? No, if I was I wouldn't be able to feel everything but my lower arm, But where-
"Are you alright? Can you hear me? Dimitri?"
"I thought I told you to let him rest!" a second voice chimed in.
'I know that voice, it is Echo, but who is he arguing with?'
I opened my eyelids then slammed them back shut, noticing I only saw blinding light through one eye. I eased my eyes open slowly this time noting, it was indeed Echo, but Twilight was standing over me as well. I also noticed that all I could see through my right eye was black, aside from a small white blinking underscore in the top left corner, then Echo turned to something and the sound of typing started, just as program scripting started st scroll down my view faster than i could read it,
'What the hell is happening?'
My thoughts were answered with the words, Program Initiated... Pleas stand by..., Then my vision was flooded with light, which was quickly filtered, allowing me to see perfectly. "O.K. what the Fuck is going on?!?" I burst out, quickly standing and quickly snapping my right arm strait (to stabilize myself), smashing the hand through the wall next to me. Pulling I noticed that my right arm had been replaced as well. "What the fuck happened to my arm?!" I asked yanking it and only gaining an inch for my efforts.
"You were missing a rather large chunk of your arm and the nanobots couldn't repair it, so I took one of your replacements and lopped the dead sections off, Sections being your entire arm, and replaced it, and the same goes for your eye." Echo explained without turning to face me. "So tell me, do I need to adjust your eye, and do you want me to program more functions?"
"What do you mean?" I asked slowly.
"Oh, yea. Sorry, I never told you I could wright a program, let alone design a program for every possible function of that replacement, it is a very good thing you like to be prepared."
"O.K. so what the hell can you program it to do?"
"First you do what you were going to do before you noticed those bastards sneaking up to the bunker."
I looked at twilight then back at Echo "Leave the room. Twilight can you stay a minute?" I said. Echo turned and left the room closing the door, leaving Twilight and I alone. "O.K. listen, back when I explained PK, Echo, and I... well... I did not mean to get so angry and talk to you the way I did, and I am truly sorry for injuring your feelings I shouldn't have exploded like that." I then sagged my free arm and hung my head "I'd understand if you were afraid of me, or didn't want my help anymore but-" I was interrupted by something wrapping around my mid section. I slightly looked up to see Twilight hugging me with a look of relief in her face.
"I was actually trying to figure out how to apologize to you when you left, and was scared I would never be able to apologize to you when you appeared in between Flutters and those soldiers... By the way, you might want to go and see her when you get your hand free." she said, making me feel relived and Great full at the same time.
A few hours later I had finished the Tests that I had designed to make sure that the prosthetic did not reject any impulses from the brain, and moved as fluently as the original. I walked out of the testing room (or rather the room we had been testing in) and saw Fluttershy instantly hide her face behind her mane when she saw my arm, a now better fitting one than the temporary that Echo had attached to me. "Don't worry, or blame yourself. I should be the one to blame for not seeing those bastards sooner."
"But if I hadn't looked so afraid they woul-"
For whatever reason I snapped "Would've What?! Gone after the other two?! No matter what happened, unless I hadn't seen them sooner, I would've still been on the receiving end!" I then noticed her eyes, they were red and her face was tear stained and I wasn't helping that and quietly added "Besides, I would never let you put blame on yourself for my ignorance. Too many friends, and comrades alike, have been lost to my being Ignorant." I telleported to her and picked her up in a big 'bear' hug "My only hope is that you forgive me for your having to watch that."
Obviously taken aback by the sudden movement "Oh... um... w-why wouldn't I f-forgive you?" she slowly and timidly said. I put her back down quickly but gently and teleported away.
I suddenly appear in the next room in front of what i thought was an empty room with a single chest (holding all my equipment) but saw something totally different. What it was, was obvious to me. It was PK, un-moving and coated in blood, with a crying Pinkie Pie leaning on him.
What It's Like on the Other Side
"Dimitri whats wrong with him?" the party pony asked looking up at me, sobbing "Please, tell me he is alright, please?" she added between sobs.
"I should have explained PK more thoroughly than I had." I said walking over to her side next to the giant. "You see, what you see as the death of a gentle giant, is actually his body not acquiring the impulses from the central AI" I said while I rolled him off the chest and onto the floor face down. I then opened the chest and removed a pocket sized metal box, wile opening it I brushed the long black hair off the back of his neck, reveling a metal rectangle pertruding half a centimeter from the skin.
W-What's th-that? She asked obviously trying not to cry "and w-what does this AI-thingy have to do with anything" She asked more calmly.
"Well... how do I explain it... PK was never born he-"
"How can you say that about him?!?" she exploded, interrupting me, "He has been carrying you to every stop, after your front exploded, and when he is almost dead you act like he never-"
It was now my turn to explode (been doing that allot lately) "Shut the hell up for a second!" and she did "Now if you will let me explain." I calmly said "PK was never born because I created him... he is an AI 'Artificial Intelligence' meaning he is a copy of someone's brain, but he is not a normal AI, he is the only one that had two brain... 'donors' I guess would be the appropriate term."
"D-does that mean he is two-in-one?" she asked genuinely interested.
"Yes, and no. He is the fusion of two minds and the reason he is able to work perfectly with Echo and I, is because we are the 'donors', however don't think that makes his likes and dislikes the same as ours, he is also the only AI to develop emotions towards certain people, and apparently ponies." I stopped talking so she could ask any questions she had, Meanwhile I had opened the panel and reveled a small screen full keypad and a filled slot for an AI chip, and started typing activating the screen witch told me that he was still salvageable, and began a small routine that would tell me where and what the problem was.
"but if you made him the why is ha all made up of living stuff, and not all metal?" she asked with a sniffle.
"Now that is the question I was waiting for, He is made of flesh because he was the final surviving product of a military project that I was the head of." I answered without looking up. "The goal was to make the perfect soldier, you know him as PK, but his full 'name' is Project S-066, Krider. Now his body is a fully grown form of the combination of DNA. Our MIA comrade RED, Echo, and I are the DNA donors, and no that does not mean that we are his fathers, however technically it does make us brothers by blood." I finished.
*BEEP* . . . *Scan complete, There are, One, vital problems with S-066, One 50 Caliber rifle rounds lodged in the top of the spinal column, remove within, 30, minutes.* the internal speaker stated.
I immediately doped the box on the ground and removed a large combat knife from the chest and looked Pinkie in the eyes "I advise you to leave the room, you my not want to see what I'm about to do." I stated.
"No, I promised I would never leave his side, I-I p-pinkie p-promised" she stuttered with a sniffle.
'Damn, why does life do this to me?' "Fine, just look away at least, please?"
"Ok."
When she looked the opposite direction I lifted the blade high and slammed it point down in the specified area, barley getting to the required depth. Removing the blade I pushed my hand into the wound and grabbed the spine, putting my other hand in, widening the fresh wound, i grabbed the bullet with My metallic limb, twisting an pulling it took me a good ten minutes to get the enemy round out of it's temporary home, feeling his heart beat restart was reassuring to say the least. I then removed my hands and then rolled him onto his back, hearing the pneumatic swish that came from the panel on his neck closing and hissing sounds as the nanobots repaired his latest wounds. *BEEP* . . . *S-066 Will fail in, 10, minutes.* hearing this I then punched him full-force in the chest, restarting the breath cycle with a cough and a large intake of air. *BEEP* . . . *S-066 has stabilized, No other abnormalities detected.*
"- so we are technically brothers by blood. Any questions?" I finished explaining for the second time that day. I looked at the two confused faces starring at me and PK.
"You said RED was a DNA donor?" twilight stated.
"I did, but what does that have to do with anything?"
"Hay, yea, why did you ask Twi?" the Pink one questioned.
"No reason" she quickly answered wile looking around before changing the subject "We should really get moving to that P.O.W. thing so we can get home."
"Oh crap! That's right, how long was I out, and how far have we gotten?" My question was answered with A radio I had forgotten was built into the replacement eye (the sound was transmitted Into my my mind like the visuals) "Come in Spetsnaz Specters, or what's left of you, we recently received intel that the P.O.W. camp was relocated to a village one click to the north of your location we will give you one day to prepare for what is essentially going to be your greatest victory to date. Over, and Out." I looked at Echo and stated "That was easy, and thanks for programming everything."
"What's the word, Dimitri?"
"The Idiots moved the camp to a village one click to the north of here, we have one day to make sure we don't loose anypony, the reason I say that is we are virtually invincible wile they aren't"
"Ok, so we all check our gear, then meet back in this room in one hour, then we all sleep until we are all ready to do this, deal?" said the giant sitting next to a now smiling pink pony.
"PK has the right idea, so lets get prepared and get some rest." Echo stated before we all left the room, aside for PK and Pinkie.
"I told you I would return. But... next time I might not be so lucky." The gentle giant said as he started to do push-ups.
"I know, but will you Pinkie promise to stay with me until I have to go through the portal thingy with the girls?" she asked.
He recited the oath with one hand wile continuing his training (as big as he is it does prepare him sufficiently) "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, ow." he had finished the rhyme wile going down and jabbed himself in the eye. Then he stopped and rolling onto his back, tossed her onto his chest. Putting an arm under his head, he stated "The ground is cold, so you may sleep on my chest."
Blushing she replied "O-ok. Thanks." she then curled into a tight ball and quickly fell asleep.
I swapped my good arm with a temporary model so I could work on the good one.
"What are you doing to your arm?" asked the yellow pegasas, making me jump. "Oh... did I startle you? I'm so sorry. I-"
"It's alright, I just fell out of reality to reflect on the past week." I reassured her with a chuckle at the end. "I am just tweaking the knuckle armoring, making it stronger."
"Oh... ok....... Do you like animals?" she questioned.
"Yes, and no."
"what do you mean?"
"Yes, but if I am attacked by an animal that can handle itself in combat, I will fight back. But if I am attacked by something that can't then I try to teach it some manners, nonviolently if possible."
"Oh... do you like trees?"
"Yes, but you should get some sleep; tomorrow's going to be a long day for us all"
"ok, goodnight."
Echo walked into his designated area, and hung upside down from a poll jutting from the ceiling, and started to do upside-down crunches. Twilight watched him for awhile before he spoke "you know, Dimitri is not the only smart one here. So what's on your mind?"
"Well... what would you do if you had the chance to leave this world and start a new life?" she questioned quickly catching him off guard.
"I think I would choose whatever didn't leave me without my brothers."
"What would you prefer; organized chaos, or a clean work space?"
"Definitely clean work space, I hate when I don't know the location of something."
"So, how fast can you actually run?"
"I honestly don't know. But you are going to need all the rest you can get for tomorrow, what with the portal and all."
"Fine, goodnight." said the purple pony.
What It's Like on the Other Side
"Wake him, now."
"Sir, I don't think that is wise."
"I don't care what you think is wise. Now wake him, then we'll see if he talks, if not we will use her to make him."
At that moment I became very aware of my surroundings. I was off the ground with my arms and legs chained to a wall. When their voices stopped talking my eye, and the shutter covering my right eye, shot open. I saw them already looking at me. Grinning maliciously at me, a third one walked in with Fluttershy in chains, put her on a table, and left. My eye began to glow blood red.
"Lay another finger on her and I swear on my life, that you will regret even looking in my direction." I warned with a reptilian tone sneaking into my voice.
"What will you do, you are bound to a wall, so I could do this if I wanted." he lifted her by the mane and back handed her, making her cry. I disappeared from the wall leaving four half melted chains, and reappeared inches from him.
"The follies which a man regrets most in his life, are those which he did not commit when he had the opportunity, for you this means not running when you had the chance." Before he could start screaming I grabbed him by the face and slammed his head through the brick wall. The other soldier started for the door, but before he reached it I appeared in his path. Grabbing him by the throat with my left arm, I hoisted him off the ground and bashed him in the chest with my replacement arm, sending him flying into the other wall. I walked slowly up to him but before I could get too close, Fluttershy flew in my way (she got her wings free wile I was preoccupied) and stared into my eyes, making me stop completely.
"You don't need to kill everything that posses a threat to us!"
My left eye twitched "Please remove yourself from my path."
Her stare intensified "No. Please, just stop all the violence."
I then noticed her eyes were bloodshot, as though she had been crying for awhile, and her left foreleg was bandaged under the chains. "Dear, lord. What happened to your leg?" my voice went back to normal as the words came out. I grabbed her and got the padlock in my mechanical hand, crushing it so I could get a better look at the wound, I removed my first aid kit and went to work.
"It's broken and you wont be able to walk, so I am going to take a blood sample from you and see how far off the DNA is to mine and if I can augment a batch of nanobots for you. Think of it as a catalyst that will allow you to teleport with me." I produced a syringe and removed some of her blood and put it in a slot, witch had just opened, on my arm, scanning it and re-wrapping her foreleg.
*BEEP* "Species match 100%, DNA match at 85% Slight changes to nanobot makeup required. Do you wish to Make these changes?"
"Affirmative, Procedure time estimate."
"Procedure will take, 5, minutes, including subject augmentation period, at the end of this estimate the subject will be able to accompany you through the transport slip-stream."
"Thank you, alert me when nanobots are ready."
There was a loud crack and searing pain in Echo's arms, and he instantly woke laying flat on his back. he was on a stretching torture table.
"Oh, look our patient is finally awake, too bad though i wanted to see how many times we could break his arms before they stopped fixing themselves, then we were going to start with the mutated horse."
"OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?!" Echo screamed making both the tortures turn in fear, wile they were turned around he went completely invisible. Just as they turned to an empty table, the air vent cover fell off, missing the table operator by an inch, making the perfect cover. Terrified for their jobs they sprinted out the door in hopes to get a guard to catch their escapee before he got too far.When the door clicked shut he was there again but with a knife in his hand, cutting the leather binding keeping his arm bound to the apparatus. when he was free he started to search for Twilight, finding her bound and gagged under the table. He cut her loose "Thanks, those guys have been taunting me and hurting you for almost three hours."
"Wait, they were taunting you? With what?"
"Um, n-nothing." her face went red under the tear stains.
"C'mon you can tell me."
"P-promise you won't get angry." she squeaked her face getting redder.
"I swear on my life, I won't get angry."
"I think I have a crush on you."
His face suddenly went stoic and he darted towards her grabbing her off the ground, lifting a cover to a sewer tunnel and jumping in. As his head cleared the surface world he spread his form wedging himself against the pipe wall, reaching out and pulling the cover back over, with Twilight basically sitting in his lap, he whispered to her "Two things; one, keep quiet I heard them coming down the hallway, two, please don't do this, I fall in love too easily and unless Dimitry has a reason to go to your world I don't think I can, I just don't want to leave my brother alone, ok?"
"Oh, ok-"
A small voice came from Echo's pocket, interrupting Twilight, "Echo, it's Dimitri, If you've Freed yourself, I assume you've went somewhere quiet. So In case you are able to hear me, I am going to their world. We both know PK will say yes, so will you go with us to their world?"
Echo removed the radio and took out an earpiece, popping it into his ear, he asked "Do you know how perfect your timing is? What Is your reason?"
"I have Promised to stay by Fluttershy's side, and keep her safe for the rest of my natural life. I take it you are going?"
"Twilight just told me something that I cannot Disagree with, so I am going. Meet me in the center of town, Echo, out."
Twilight kissed him making him loose his grip, they fell 9 feet before PK caught them, making them both blush.
"YAY! Twi and Echo sitting in a dark creepy tunnel, K. I. S. S. I. N. G!"
"That was random. Uh, PK, how long were you standing there, bro?"
"Long enough, Pinkie said her pinkie sense was acting up and she did this random combination of twitches and movements. Then she said something unexpected was going to happen, then I heard Dimitri's voice and followed it, finding you."
"Wait, why weren't you captured?" Twilight questioned.
"We were, PK went totally crazy, cause they said they were going to do bad things to me, then he broke the wall, the bad guys, and the floor, then we got lost in here, then we found you, then you fell, then-"
"We get it." Echo ant Twilight interrupted simultaneously.
"Let's go find Dimitri." PK stated. Echo took the lead, Twilight walking next to him, Pinkie on PK's back following close behind.
"Nanobots complete, healing augmentation removed, strength augmentation removed, teleportation augmentation enhanced, please remove syringe."
"Good, now we can get out of here."
"But what if it doesn't work?"
I lifted her good foreleg and gave her the injection, then she pulled her hoof back and stared sadly at me"You didn't answer me, what if it doesn't work?"
"It will just trust me."
"But how do I know you aren't lying to me?" she moved to where her mane was covering most of her face.
I brushed her mane out of the way "I swear on my life, no matter what happens, I will never leave your side, and I will always protect you."
She just stared into my eyes, but not like before this time there was something new, something I thought I would never see in anyone other than my brothers; total trust.
"R-really? A-are you sure?"
"No doubt in my mind"
"Than lets go." she replied.
I ripped my shirt off and made a makeshift sling for her to sit in, helped her into it and strapped her onto my back, with only her head poking out. Then I activated my radio "Echo, it's Dimitri, If you've Freed yourself, I assume you've went somewhere quiet. So In case you are able to hear me, I am going to their world. We both know PK will say yes, so will you go with us to their world?"
Echo's voice came to reply "Do you know how perfect your timing is? What Is your reason?"
"I have Promised to stay by Fluttershy's side, and keep her safe for the rest of my natural life. I take it you are going?"
"Twilight just told me something that I cannot Disagree with, so I am going. Meet me in the center of town, Echo, out."
I deactivated the radio "Sounds like Twilight has fallen for Echo, anyway we will meet them in the center of town. We will need a disguise, local civilian wear would be best." I activated my radio again"Come in, this is Dimitri, Specters."
*Yes, what is it?*
"I and my team were captured, I need a satellite scan of this village, if you could be so kind."
*We send you because you are the best and you get captured, what the hell are you guys doing dow-*
"If we didn't escape I wouldn't be talking to you so just send the info, I need to get a disguise and meet my team at a certain location."
*Fine but if you guys get captured again, we will have to mini-nuke that island, we are not allowd to let you get brainwashed so total destruction is the only option. Map sent, command out*
I deactivated my radio, then received the map "If I wasn't leaving I would be worried." We then disappeared and re appeared in a local shop, scarring everyone but the clerk out
"Hello and how my I help you?" he said in a monotone but thick accent
"One, how are you not scared? Two, can we get clothing that's not conspicuous but covers our faces?,"
"working in this village as long as I have, you learn to expect anything, and yes right over in the back corner"
"Cool, thanks." I removed my wallet and pulled out all my money, 50000 US dollars, and slapped it on the counter it on the counter. Then I walked back to the clothing racks and began to try things on. After five minutes I returned to the counter "Am I wearing this correctly?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, have a wonderful day." I then thought Might as well let the locals have thier peace before they are incinerated.
I then walked out. After a while I stopped and sat on a wall, checking the map Well, I am where I'm supposed to be, but where are they?
"Hey, there Echo is, but why is he in the sewer? That is a sewer, right?" whispered the hidden pony, making me look up at the manhole cover.
"yes that is a sewer, and if Echo is there then the rest are there too." Stepped next to the manhole cover and dropped a note, then walked into an alleyway. Once the dark shade cloaked us I teleported us into the sewer system. Noticing PK trying to hide in the shadow, I decided to have some fun, I stepped into the shadow and teleported onto a ladder above him. I poked him on the head twice "Ya know if you were to be trying any harder you would be pushing into the wall." I received the exact reaction I was looking for, PK went limp and fell forward, completely frozen. I jumped off the ladder and landed in front of him, hand outstretched.
"That was not funny, you know I am paranoid of the dark."
"Sorry, It was just to perfect an opportunity to pass up. Anyway, where are Echo and the other two?"
"we're right here, and Echo is further down the tunnel." the sudden answer from behind Fluttershy and I, made us both go stiff and I fell on my face, and Echo uncloaked in front of me offering to help me up, I took the offer and stood up.
"So why is she bound to your back?"
"They broke her left foreleg, and she couldn't walk, so I augmented a batch of nanobots for her so we could teleport."
"I thought you swore you would never do that with anyone?"
"What can I say I couldn't think of anything else, so let's get this portal open."
Twilight then pointed her horn at the wall, glowing,it shot a constant stream at the wall swirling into a light purple circle "Alright, PK and Pinkie you go first then Dimitri and Fluttershy, Echo and I will follow."
"Understood." PK then followed Pinkie through, followed by Fluttershy and I as the world stretched I could feel my physical body changing slightly, then I passed out.
What It's Like on the Other Side
I woke but did not open my eyes, I was waiting for a voice to tell me whether or not I had rights in this new world or not; the second I woke the first time I was in a prison cell with bars apparently made of mythril. Obviously I was deemed dangerous by Celestia, and put in a special holding cell.
"Bro we know you are awake, you, PK and I were changed physically; PK and I turned into some kind of pony Satyrs, but you turned into a Draconic version or yourself, and apparently they don't have adult dragons in your size and humanoid shape."
I opened my eyes "Damn, so, I am a dragon now. . . What has Fluttershy said about it?"
"Nothing, Celestia sent her to a medical facility when she saw her leg, she thought you did it."
I stood and knocked the bars loose, barley "BULLSHIT, I WOULD NEVER DO ANY-"
"Calm yourself, beast." Celestia stated as she walked into the room "Now tell me why you have hurt my subject, and friend."
"I WOULD NEVER HURT HER, LET ME SEE HER!" I howled slamming my fists into the bar. my metal replacement shattering after the third hit "DAMN YOU, LET ME FREE, OR I SWEAR I'LL-"
"Or you'll what?!" she snapped "Your not getting out of that cell, it's mythril, that means it's almost indestructible!"
I slammed my remaining arm into the cell harder; making my comrades back away, and the bars get looser "I'LL END YOU! RAAAGH!" I roared as the bars flew from their housing, bent at 45 degree angles. I sprinted from the cell, Celestia moving back, knocking her thrown over, I grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the wall, making her cough and choke.
"STOP, DIMITRI!!" Fluttershy's voice shattered the noise and everything went silent. After hearing her voice, I put Celestia down, picked her throan off the floor and went back to my cell, pulling the bars back into place.
"I apologize, I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me?"
Fluttershy then flew to the cage "Why were you doing that, and why are you in a cell?"
"She deemed me dangerous when she saw your leg, thinking that I did it."
"And you don't call what you just did dangerous?!? You destroyed the Mythril cell bars, and slammed me into the wall!!" she then looked at Fluttershy "And how did you stop him?!?"
I looked at her "I tried to tell you; I would never do anything to hurt, or upset her." I said as the bars fell out of their housing again.
"So, your saying that you would never disobey her?"
"That is correct. And could I get a good amount of mythril, whatever tool you use to shape it, a couple other things?"
"Why?"
I lifted my arm showing the remaining parts that still hung from my elbow "To repair my replacement."
"Granted, but you must live in Ponyville with Fluttershy, until we can get you a home built."
"Wait, so you are letting me go?"
"Well seeing as you are of no threat to anypony when she is near, and there is apparently no known material that can hold you, yes." she answered
I sprinted up to her and went to one knee, "Thank you, and again I am truly sorry."
She leaned back "It is no problem."
I woke in a strangely familiar location; small bird cages lined the walls, a single reddish rug in the center of the room, it looked like a pet store and a home crammed together. I looked towards my feet, noticing many small creatures on my chest, staring at me, waiting.
"Good morning, how did you sleep?"
Her voice caught me off guard "Um, how did you get me here, the last thing I remember I was thanking the princess."
She obviously was not talking to me, but to a rabbit sitting in on the rug. surprised she squeaked, and turning to look at me, blushing "S-sorry... D-did I wake you?"
I started laughing, and fell onto the floor, and sat up "No, no you didn't, but seriously, what happened to me last knight?"
"Um... Ok... A guard came into the room and saw you next to the princess, and... well... he levitated the bars to your cell and bashed you over the head, a few times."
This made me laugh harder, confusing her "That is hilarious, here I thought that the royal guard would go the more peaceful route." Noticing she wasn't laughing "So, what's the problem of biblical proportions?"
"Well, the dragon's have declared war on Equestria, and Luna is living here as well as you, so no dragons can find her. She teleported us here."
I took on a serous face "Do you know how perfect this is?"
"WHAT?!? DOTH THOU KNOW HOW MANY OF MY GUARDS HAVE BEEN SACRIFICED TO THIS WAR?!?" the regal alicorn yelled, walking into the room
"No, but me and my brothers need jobs that suit us perfectly, and fighting for your country would be an honor."
"And, who are your brothers?"
"The two new satyrs in Ponyville."
"But, you are a Half-Dragon, and they are satyrs. Explain, Now."
When I got about half way through the explanation Echo had dropped by "-then twilight opened the portal, and here we are, does that explain it?"
"Yes, but when you said Fighting for your country would be an honor did you mean that you wished to join the ranks of the royal guard?"
"Affirmative." Echo and I answered in unison, making us look at each other. We began to laugh hysterically, leaving the two pones confused.
"Anyway, why did thou require the mythril, and tools?"
"Oh, that's right! Echo I need your help building an underground workshop!"
"you could use my basement."
I stared at Fluttershy for a second making her shrink behind her mane "Uh... you have a basement?"
"Um... yea... it's bigger than this room, but the hatch has a round door knob, never thought I'd have use for something I couldn't open so I put my rug on the hatch." I turned to look at the medium sized rug. I removed the rug, reveling a wooden door. I looked at the edge, there was an indent a little wider than the knob, making it seem as though there was no door when the rug was there.
"Yo, Echo, lets check this out." I opened the door and jumped in, landing I noticed there was no stairs to serve for more space "Echo, toss down a flashlight."
He dropped a stick into the hole "Dude, try to breath fire."
I picked the stick off the floor, and took in a gulp of air, a second later I felt a heating sensation in my throat, unleashing it as a massive bar of fire I lit the stick and stopped the fire coming from my mouth.
"Woah, It's roomier than I thought. Echo get down here and bring some more torches, we've got some work to do, hay Flutters, do you know anyone that could repair our combat uniforms and make it stronger?"
What It's Like on the Other Side
Three days later
Echo was holding the last piece to my new mythril arm. I had Replaced all the metal parts to my eye as well. "Alright Echo, hold the piece on so I can attach it."
"Ayte." He pressed the part on clicking it into place. Grabbing the drill-like tool I'd been using, I bolted the part to.
"Lets go pay Twi a visit."
"Why, it's finished, tha-"
THUNK
THUNK
THUNK
The knocking on the hatch made Echo jump "Who is it?" I said in a sing song voice.
"It's Twilight, Luna teleported me here."
"She heard you, and got Twi so you couldn't leave and cause a panic." The voice of Fluttershy came through.
"Come in, but teleport to the floor, no stairs."
Just as I finished she appeared in a flash of purple light "What did you need me for? I was kinda in the middle of re-sorting the library."
"That was today?!? Damn, how did I forget that?"
"Less Important things aside."
"Hay, that was important." Echo pouted.
"Shut the hell up, Twilight can you make it to where I can feel what I would If I hadn't lost my arm?"
"Maybe, but it might only go half way, I still haven't-"
"Can you at least make it register good sensations?"
"Yes." She looked around taking careful notice of all the new tech, and machinery.
"Please, and thank you."
She began to prep for the massive magic assertion she was about to preform breathing slow, beep breaths, her horn started to glow bright purple. As my arm began to glow I noticed she was using everything she had to enchant the magically porous metal.
"Luna, could you come help Twi?" Echo called before I could, making her appear in a flash of bright blue. Powering her horn she shot a steady stream of magic into the bright purple unicorn, ending her struggling. A determined, focused look was plastered on Twilight's face.
I noticed my arm had stopped glowing, but it was now on fire, but not burning
"What did thou do to the mythril?"
"I used my breath to cook it, making it stronger. About 50% stronger, to be precise. I stated smiling. Luna was not amused."Look I already know my fire is not normal, so I used it to mold and strengthen the mythril, also I've been testing on it and watch this." I blew a small, steady stream of fire over my arm, putting the fire out. "You see, I had Twi magically attach it to me, so I could turn it on at will, and my fire cancels it out."
She just stared at me for ages then finally she spoke "I thought your world didn't have magic."
Standing I looked her in the eyes "We don't, but being one of the best scientist's my world had to offer, I had to know the properties of every known element, as well as every unknown element, in case I accidentally synthesized it."
She just nodded and disappeared in a flash of light blue, taking Echo and Twilight with her. I called for Fluttershy, and she floated down through the hatch "Um.. you called?"
"Yup."
"And..."
"Leave Luna a note, telling her we went for a walk and we'll be a while."
"O-ok... why?"
"I'm asking you out on a date."
Her cheeks went red instantly "Um...ok...where do you wanna go?"
"Wherever you want to go, it seems as though you don't get to enjoy yourself, what with all the little critters you take care of... So, It's your choice completely." At this, her face lit up, with a big smile. I returned the smile as best as I could with my new draconic form.
"How about Sugar cube corner?"
"Like I said, your choice completely. I can only be happy, if you are."
"YAY!" she squealed, then I picked her up and unfurled my new wings, flying up, into the main room. Putting her down, I flipped the hatch closed and put the rug back over it. "Why do you cover it back up?"She asked smiling at me.
"It makes the room look less cozy." I replied simply. She nodded and wrote the note, leaving it on the table Luna had commandeered for placing her head and sleeping.
We arrived at Sugar Cube Corner, talking and laughing "Well here we are." she said, before she could get to the door I held it open for her, making her blush.
We had only gotten half way to the counter before I felt a thud on my chest, looking at the ceiling I noticed two crimson hooves above my chest, not in a comforting way. Before they could come down, I rolled out and grabbed the attacker by the throat, slamming and pinning him to the ground. "Git off mah brother!"another thud, this time against my head, Standing to full height I lifted both pones off the ground by the throat.
"Listen to me for a damn second!" the reptilian tone was coming in "I'm not a hostile, ironic, considering our current stance. I was hired by Princess Luna, to provide personal protection to this town. Ok, I'm going to put you down now, so don't do anything stup-" I was interrupted by a sharp pain in my groin, making my fall to the ground.
"I don't take kindly to dishonesty." The crimson one stated while standing up.
"He's not lying." Fluttershy said as she trotted up to, then helping me up.
"Flutters, how in tarnation would you know that?" Asked the second attacker.
"I-I'm st-staying with h-her."
"Why are you acting like I kicked you in th-... Dear Celestia, ah'm so sorry, ah had no Idea-"
"No, p-problem, it just hurts like hell." I half walked to a booth seaming to recover fully several seconds later "Dimitri, nice to meet your aquatints, and you are?"
Looking at me as though I was the grim reaper the crimson one answered "Ah'm Big Macintosh, but everypony just call's me Big Mac. And this is my sister, Applejack. We own, and run the apple orchard at Sweet Apple Acres."
Smiling I asked "Do you require any assistance?"
"Wait, What?!?"
"Well I technically don't have a job until the paperwork is finished, and I'd rather I do hard work, instead of just sitting around, wasting time."
"Well we actually don-" Applejack started.
"We'd appreciate the help." Big Mac Interrupted "'Sides you look strong."
"You have now idea." Fluttershy stated loud enough for me to hear, and know one else.
What It's Like on the Other Side
I woke early enough to get to Sweet Apple Acres before anyone in town left their homes, leaving a note for Fluttershy I flew to my destination. I arrived just as Big Mac was coming outside their house, Looking up at me he turned back and entered the house, a second later I landed on the porch and knocked three times. Big mac answered the door "... Ah thought ya were kiddin."
"Nope, I never joke about a job." I stated with a stoic impression on my face "Besides, what would I be if not a Dragon of my word?" I noticed a blur in the background, with the wrong proportions to be equine. "What the hell was that?"
He started to sweat as his pupils dilated "Uh... nuthin." He then tried to slam the door, failing when my hand was in the doorway. I pried the door open just to get launched backwards. Standing I saw an all-too-familiar human looking at me with rage in his eyes. He walked off the porch and half way to me, and started glowing blood bed.
What the hell, I thought he was vaporized! What the hell is RED doing here?!?! I rolled out of the way just in time to dodge a column of blood red fire. Wait a damn second I'm half dragon, doesn't that mean fire won't hurt me? Just as this thought hit, so did a large fire ball. I stood back up, shirt incinerated, scales smoking. He charged at me before I could move, grabbing me by the throat, the air around my neck literally exploded catapulting me high into the air, but I didn't fall; once I got to a good distance, I unfurled my wings.
"C'mon, I just wanna play!" his Russian accent cutting into his speech, I heard a small snap, then the air around me exploded dropping me from the air. I Laid there until he walked up to my side, leaning in "Bʹyusʹ ob zaklad, vy dumali, tolʹko drakony mogli ispolʹzovatʹ ogonʹ!" (I bet you thought only Dragons could use fire!) Just as he finished I Quickly grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into a tree, then getting hold of him I took to the sky. Just as I got high enough I tossed him up catching him by the back of the head, we went into a nose dive, I flapped my wings to fall faster. We smashed the ground in a loud explosion. when the dust finally cleared we were laying in a crater half the size of Fluttershy's living room, I noticed Applejack run up to the edge of the crater, then slide down to where RED was and helped his up. "Thought you could kill us both with that kamikaze." I then stood and walked up to him looking as though everything he hit me with did nothing "What in the hell kind of dragon are you?!?!" I removed a small object from my pocket.
"This should make you remember me, seeing as you finally realize we can't kill each other." I held my hand out, and he just stared at what was in my hand; His lucky zippo lighter, A silver lighter with an upside down spade on the sides, carved into the center of the spades was a circle with three bars through it, making an 'A' in the center of the circle. I flipped the lid making it ignite, a crimson flame dancing on the node.
"Dimitri, who else is here?" he quietly asked.
I shut the zippo and tossed it to him "PK, and Echo. If you want to know anything else, ask her-" I pointed to Applejack, making her move half behind RED "-where Fluttershy lives." Before he could say anything I disappeared in a cloud of neon blue static.
I reappeared in the middle of twilight's library "Yo Twi, you here?" I asked loudly.
"Dimitri?!? ... Yeah I'm here, just a minute!" I heard frantic rustling sounds from up stairs.
I noticed a curtain move, but no windows were open "Echo, front and center, cloak off." he appeared in front of me looking like he was beaten by a cloth bat. I smirked and leaned close "You think your sly? I can smell the shame on you, and in the middle of the day too." I whispered. he went invisible as his face went scarlet.
"What's up Dimitri? What do you need?" She asked.
"Nothing, your friend, Applejack might be coming to ask you about me."
"Why?"
"She'll tell you if she deems it important."
"O-K."
I then teleported out, high above her library and started to glide to flutters' cottage. When I could see it I also noticed a mail carriage moving away, fast.I panicked and teleported to the cottage. The door was kicked in, and Luna was covered in bruises and unconscious. I teleported to Fluttershy's bedroom door, it was destroyed. I then warped to the location in the sky that I hand left from, and followed the carriage, until it stopped in the center of Ponyville. two stallions exited and the two who were pulling and unhooked themselves, and removed a large box, and took it down an alleyway. I shot towards the ground, landing hard at the entrance, to kick up enough dust to cover me, and sprinted into the alley, stopping halfway o assess my situation.I looked around the alleyway and noticed one door, it was made of an old rusty Iron, I then walked up to the door, stopping and resting my mythril arm on it, feeling for vibrations. My arm ignited I'm going to destroy them! I could feel my adrenaline pumping faster and faster as I got angrier.
What It's Like on the Other Side
I moved my arm to be an inch from the doors surface. I forced the door open, knocking it off its hinges. Then I walked into a room lined with cages, either one or two Pegasus per cell. "That's it, I now have two reasons to kill you"
I was surrounded as soon as I spoke, so I teleported to my workshop, and grabbed something I had been working on, two razor sharp mythril katana. The sheath was easy, but the blade was quite irritating. Then I teleported back, and clipped the katana sheaths to my sides. Then one of them walked up to me "Who in th' name of Tartarus are you?"
"Where is Fluttershy?"
"OH, I get it, your th' one who made the custom order; shy, submissive, and petite, in both ways. She is in th' back, we were about to 'break her in' if you catch ma' dr- hrkk" he was interrupted by my hand lifting him off the ground by the throat "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?" he yelled while fighting for air. I had enough of his voice, I squeezed collapsing his windpipe. He went limp with a wheeze and I dropped his body.
Stepping over the new body, I was quickly surrounded again. "Listen, unless you want to end up like him, I strongly suggest retreat." they just closed in, making me draw both katana. "C'mon, don't be stupid, I'm being far more rational than normal." They jumped at me; I spun and crouched, decapitating three, and bifurcating seven. Standing I looked around, all the mares were looking away, the stallions were looking at me as though I was Lucifer himself.
I walked to the door that led to the back and opened it. In front of me was Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy bent over forewords, ropes holding them in the position. Rainbow took one look at me and started to freak out to the best of her ability, and Flutters looked relived to see me. I walked up to them, making Rainbow freak out more, and tears start to flow. I looked around for a large cloth and found one under a sleeping stallion a little bigger than Mac. So I crouched in the pitchers position, and tapped him in the face with my replacement arm, his eye's fluttered open, then he kicked me on the chest, knocking me on my back. He stood and stomped my chest until a couple ribs poked through the scales. Then turned to go and do the job he was supposed to be doing, but he never even got close to Dash; I had grabbed his tail, and he looked back at me, just in time to see me standing up while the last rib went back into place with a sickening slurping sound. I grabbed him by the head and launched him at the wall, connecting with a loud crack I teleported to his side as he was getting back up Too bad I have to do this, he can take one hell of a beating. I grabbed him by the head and lifted him to look me in the eyes. He spat in my face, and I turned him to face the crack his body made in the wall, and used it to cave in his skull. I dropped the body and walked over to the two mares and lifted them up; Flutters still had a bad leg, and I had scared Dash into unconsciousness, and placed them on the sheet. Tying it to my back I walked to the room with all the cages and sliced all the locks off "Go to your homes, tell your loved ones that there is a new guardian of Ponyville!" They all flooded out and took flight when they got through the destroyed doorway. Following suit I walked out and just walked out of the alleyway, and to Fluttershy's cottage.
"I'm sorry it had to go that far, but if I had let them live they would have just moved to another location and restarted. Plus now Ponyville knows I'm here to protect them."
I put them on the ground and removed the gags, waking Rainbow, who started to scream "CELESTIA SAVE ME! PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!!" I covered her mouth with my good arm.
"Listen, it's ok, your safe, I swear on my very existence, I will not harm you. " this seemed to calm her. I then cut the ropes holding like a trapped pig. She kicked me in the throat, knocking me onto my back. I just stood up, then she kicked me in the crotch, making me fall onto the center of the carpet, breaking the trap door, I landed with a thud. She then flew down but kept out of range of me.
"Do you think you can tri- what is all this stuff ?"
"Most of them are for building parts for my arm and eye."
"Why are they in Flutters house!?"
"Because he lives here." Luna interrupted. "And, he's not supposed to allow anypony to see him."
"Yo, Flutters you home? The door was open, so I let myself in."
I stood and flew out of the hole to see red looking at the hole. "Hi, RED. How are you?" I stared angrily at him.
"D, can I explain why I didn't want any body to know where I was living?"
"Sure, go right ahead."
What It's Like on the Other Side
I hovered to the couch and sat "Alright, spill it, now." Rainbow, Luna, and Flutters then sat looking at him.
He looked at the others then back at me "This does not leave this room, for safety reasons." He demanded with a stoic face, we all nodded. "I am the unofficial guardian of Ponyville, the reason this does not leave this room, is I'm currently living with the Apples. When i stayed behind to stop and destroy the mini nuke it went off as I hit it with my hottest fires, and somehow opened a portal to Equestria, thinking I survived the blast and was catapulted to a thriving environment, I began wandering around to find civilization to contact you. I found civilization, but it was being attacked by some dragons, and I thought 'What. The. Fuck. I'm in hell aren't I?' so when I hit myself a few times to make sure I wasn't dead or dreaming, I sprinted to the edge of town, close enough for me to get the attention of the dragons, and blew the wing half off the closest one, it worked. So then they tried to destroy me, it didn't work, and I ended up roasting all of them. There, now you tell me everything that brought you here."
"No. That's not all, don't forget I can read you like a book, and do you know anything about a Pegasus slave trading group?"
"Yes, Celestia told me to find and apprehend them, why?"
"Oops, I really need to think before I act."
"WHAT?! What did you do?!"
"I may have... Sliced up most of them, and caved in the skull of one... And unleash information that wasn't supposed to be known."
"WHAT?! WHAT INFORMATION DID YOU RELEASE?!"
"Just that... I'm the new guardian of Ponyville."
"BASTARD, YOU STOLE MY JOB! I'LL KILL YOU!!" He grabbed me and threw me through the open doorway, making the ponies jump. Landing against a tree I stood just as the air around me exploded, sending me into the air. Just as I stopped rising, it happened again, seven times but I didn't rise or fall, I was grabbed out of the air by something big.
"Why, must you younglings be so impatient for fighting?" A deep reptilian voice asked "Do you realize that creature, whatever he is, has already roasted three of us?"
"Leave this area, or die." I said the reptilian tone coming into my voice.
He moved his arm to have me eye to eye with eye "Insolent youth! You no not the power you insult! What is on your arm and eye?"
"They are replacements, not coverings." I freed my arms from his grip, gripped around his wrist. I then teleported, only his hand came with me.
"Insolent brat." He screamed, stopping in a hover facing me. "How do you use unicorn magic?!"
"It's not magic, it is ingenuity. Now leave this area, or I WILL kill you."
He then flew over me, and out of sight in the distance. I flew to Fluttershy's cottage, and walked in. RED stopped me "So, you are the official guardian?"
"No all four of us are, you, Echo, PK, and I." I walked passed him and jumped into the pit I had been living in, finding Fluttershy inspecting the machine I used to shape the blades for my Katanas. I walked over to her "What'cha thinking about?" She looked at me.
"Why are you protective of me?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, how far would you have gone, if I hadn't said something, when we were in Canterlot?"
I walked over to my chair, and noticed a mirror I hadn't seen before. Walking up to it I saw a black dragon, with an emerald underbelly, one ruby colored eye (the other obviously replaced) looking back at me."I... would guess I'm protective of you, because I like you, but more than just friends." She hovered over to me and sat in between the mirror and I. I noticed a few feelings in her eyes; anger, nervousness, understanding. What are you thinking?
"Wh-what do you mean?"
I sat cross legged in front of her "I mean the last time I felt this way about a female, war took her away from me. So I vowed never to let someone I care for receive harm, sure Echo, RED, and PK get hurt all the time but I allow it because I know they will survive. But you and everyone else aren't like us. And..... I.... I'm scared.... I'm scared something might happen to yo.....
Like always I'm interrupted by something important "Fluttershy! It's Time Turner, please is the half dragon here?!" The voice came from outside the cottage, and sounded panicked. I grabbed her and flew into the living room. She trotted to the door and let him in. "Oh, thank Celestia! Please a one handed dragon just made off with Scootaloo!"
I was furious "How?! What direction did it go?!" I yelled making him jump.
"Follow me I'll tell you on the way!" He ran out the door, I followed close behind. "He went into the Everfree!" I then grabbed him and flew to get a better view. "There in that clearing!" I dropped to the ground, taking care not to go to fast. "What are you doing?! Your wasting time!"
I looked at him "I am Dimitri Anitchka Domovoi, -Doctor- and that name should mean something to you, if you are -who- I think you are." I then disappeared, leaving a worried Doctor Whooves behind.
I reappeared in a clearing with a dragon lifting an unconscious filly over his mouth, and stopping when he saw me "Ahh, you did take the bait. So what importance does this measly morsel of meat mean to you?"
"THAT IS NONE OF YOUR CONCERN!" Full reptilian tone and second deeper voice in with my own "NOW RELEASE HER TO ME OR YOUR BODY, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DISCERN!" I stepped closer, and he flew into the sky and darted towards a mountain with an obvious cave on the side. I teleported to the entrence and changed my sight accordingly for the amount of light in the cave.
"COME OUT, COME OUT, STUPID DRAGON! I ONLY WANT TO HAVE SOME FUN!" Walking in I was grabbed and smashed into the ground and wall until most of my bones were broken, then thrown to the ground, I watched the dragon walk over to a whole in the wall as my bones rapidly fixed themselves.
"Well, well, well, you failed at saving the filly, and didn't stand a fighting chance, lot of talk does nothing for how well you fight, and now I eat." He looked away as he picked Scootaloo up from behind some rocks, I stood as he lifted her over his head again and I flew at him, faster than Pinkie would move to get to a party, and smashed his bottom jaw in half, sideways, against the cave wall, warping my mythril arm, slightly.
Yelping in pain he dropped the filly, waking her up, she started to scream as I caught her "It will all be okey. I will get you home after I make this monstrosity pay."
"O-okey..." She started to shiver.
"Await me at the entrance of this cave. This creature has dug his final grave." I set her down, and she ran to the entrance. I turned to face him, and was thrown against the wall. I teleported next to him and slammed my fist into his side breaking a rib, and warping my arm further. "Threatening the life of a little one?! Now your pain has only just begun!!" I continued to mirthlessly beat and break the worthless creature. When I had finished I walked out of the cave, looking around then finally finding the filly. She started cowering when she noticed me. "Do not fear me. I only wish to be a friend, not an enemy." She stopped cowering and I picked her up, into the crook of my arm (living one) and flew into the sky, towards Flutters cottage.
Landing a short distance away, I set her down, then collapsed. "Are you ok, mister?"
"Yeah, go get Fluttershy... tell her to get PK... I cannot explain why." only the reptilian tone and deep voice present, my voice was nowhere, she galloped into the cottage, returning with PK a minute later.
He lifted me to my feet, then assisted me inside "You seem to find the worst times to overwork your abilities, why is that?"
"We can not reside in the same body anymore. What will happen if he and I are not separated you will truly abhor! How it happened, us getting trapped in the same mind, I have no time to explain. Now help me into the basement; for a remedy we must search Dimitri's brain." PK helped me onto the hole, then turned around.
"No matter what you hear, stay away from this door." PK then jumped into the hole, landing with a dull thud. Luna closed the hatch and covered it, moving over to the couch, she sat and waited with Fluttershy. It wasn't long before a pain filled roar pierced the silence, making both the mares jump.
What It's Like on the Other Side
Luna transported Echo, and RED, in case I went berserk. Another pain filled roar, fourth one in two hours, pierced the silence. The rug was sent flying as the hatch opened violently, a duplicate of me hovered up from the underground room; alabaster primary scale color, ruby underbelly, and emerald eyes (he was not missing the arm and eye. "Hello, I am Anitchka. The ex-embodiment of Dimitri's rage."
"Um... Hello... Anitchka... I'm Fluttershy... And this is Princess Luna... She's living here until the war is over." She hid behind her mane, he landed, then started walking towards Flutters, and Luna. I appeared in between them.
"Touch them and I will kill you, without hesitation." He stopped, then moved around me, kneeling, he lifted Luna's left forehoof, and kissed it. "That was unexpected, anyway, I'd like to run a few tests, and insure that this new body will be able to keep up." I teleported back into the basement.
"I wish to know more of you, Ms. Luna." She blushed deeply "I believe you are trustable." Her blush faded, then he went into the basement.
Two weeks later
Fluttershy was in the kitchen, Luna in the living room with Anitchka, and I was in the basement with Echo. "Dimitri, could you come here a moment?" She called; I taught her to be assertive, and to project her voice, without being harsh, or rude. I teleported into the doorway, to see her struggling with over a dozen bowls of critter chow, I folded my wings together to make a shelf on my back, and turned so she could load them up.
"Where do you need these?"
"Follow me, and thank you Dimitri."
"No problem, it's a pleasure to help you, in any way I can." She led me into a clearing a little distance into the Everfree "So how many times have you made this trip?"
"Too many times to count, and now that your here, my friends don't have to be so worried about me." She started to unload the food, some critters coming into the clearing, but not near me.
"They don't seem to keen on coming near me, is it because I look like a carnivorous predator?" She unloaded the last bowl, smiled at me, then sat down. I found myself doing the same, sitting next to her.
"They just prefer that you not stand, it makes them nervous."
"Oh, like an intimidation factor, that makes perfect sense." She giggled. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, you just analyze everything like its combat." She giggled again.
"Old habits don't break easily." She leaned against me. I looked at her, she hid behind her mane, but didn't move otherwise. "You're not invisible, that's Echo's job."
What little of her face I could see, started to get red.
-crack
I looked in the direction of the sound "Very funny Echo, come out here." She sat up when no one came out.
-CRACK
She looked at me worriedly when all the critters fled. "I don't like this." There was a growling sound, then PK covered in a pack of timberwolves crashed out of the brush. One saw, then attacked Flutters. I went full rage mode. Grabbing the creature, and standing, I flung it through the air, grabbed a bleeding Fluttershy, and disappeared, reappearing ten feet above where i disappeared, with a sonic boom, towards the Ponyville E.R.
PK was asleep, but didn't look the part, he was sitting with his legs crossed, eyes closed, and arms at a meditating position. Little did he know he was about to be victim of a rather entertaining day. Which started with a certain pink pony, sleepwalking into the room, and laying in his lap and staying in that spot. He opened his eyes, looking down he smiled, then pet her mane. She smiled, then started to yawn, eventually waking up. "Morning, my little sleepwalker." Only kindness in his voice, making her blush.
"Guess I couldn't sleep, knowing you we're just sitting down here, by yourself." She leaned up against him.
"You do realize, I'm gonna be gone all day, right?" She cocked her head as if trying to remember "I'm going into the Everfree to clear out some of the timberwolves that have migrated too close to Ponyville, remember?" Kindness still the only tone present.
The giant was now standing at the edge of the Everfree "I've got a bad feeling about today." He walked into the brush and wandered around until he found the right tracks. *why are all these tracks heading towards Fluttershy's home?*
He followed the tracks until he could see a clearing,in the center of the clearing was Dimitri and Fluttershy setting down some critter chow. Then he heard a twig snap behind him.
"Very funny Echo, come out here." He stayed in his place, turning to face the sound, stepping on a branch making another sound. When he was facing the sound he saw a lot of eyes starring at him, then they started growling at him. What happened next took the place of only seconds; a full pack of timberwolves jumped onto him, knocking him backwards through the brush.
He started to get them off without hurting them too much, then there was an explosion of sound above him, making the timberwolves jump off and take a defensive stance a couple feet from him. He stared into their eyes, waiting for them to make a move. Then he noticed a red puddle where Fluttershy was just sitting, in the spot sat several damaged feathers, the sight of this enraged the until now holding back PK.
He looked around at all the creatures starring at him, he noticed that one had a destroyed feather stuck to its snout. He went to tighten a bolt on his arm, said timberwolf pouncing at him, reacting defensively, he swung his arm back, batting the creature across the clearing, hitting the tree with a loud crunch, the unlucky beast instantly went limp.
All timberwolves then jumped at him, in reaction he began to fight back, forgetting his terms of going 'easy so as not to kill them' he went into full berserker mode, ending any attack on him.
He finshed the last one by slamming it into the ground several times, when it agent limp he threw it aside, sprinting towards the small cottage. Slamming through the door, he made everyone jump. "Luna, take Anitchka and gather the girls, meet me at Ponyville E.R."
"Why? What about Echo?"
"He's coming with me, we're getting RED, and Applejack."
The allicorn disappeared along with the alabaster half-dragon in a blue light. The giant sprinted out, Echo trailing behind him. They made their way through the town, past the last home and onto a dirt path.
"PK, what happened? Why are you so pissed?" The giant didn't reply, he just jumped over the wood fence, into the orchards forty feet early, sprinting in the direction of the center of the orchards, instead of the farmhouse. They eventually found Applejack and RED, harvesting the apples.
"Hay Echo, PK, what's up?"
"Applejack, Fluttershy has been injured, follow o me." The giant grabbed red and threw him over his shoulder, turned and sprinted towards town, trailed by a worried Applejack, and confused Echo.
What It's Like on the Other Side
Two months passed, Fluttershy healed nicely, it was lucky Dimitri had been there, she would not have made it if he wasn't there to help. Now nopony had seen Dimitri in that time; he went into the Everfree the day after the incident, but he left a note for Fluttershy.
Flutters, I'm sorry I couldn't wait until you woke up to tell you, but I couldn't control my rage when they said you would've died if I wasn't there, so I'm going into the Everfree until I can control this problem. Don't stop your personal life because I left, and don't blame yourself; I don't. Now I won't be back for awhile, so take care alright?
P.S. Don't worry too much, okey?
-Dimirti
Thunk
Thunk
Thunk
"I got it." Anitchka walked to the door and opened it, reveling a white unicorn, with a purple mane. She jumped when she saw him.
"Uh... Hello.... I'm sorry, I still haven't gotten use to you, by the way, your scales look great! Hmmm.... I'll have to make something that looks good with white, ruby, and emerald."
"Um.... Thank you? Fluttershy is in the back, let me get her."
"Okey..."
Anitchka turned and walked to the room at the back of the little abode. Stopped at a closed door and lightly knocked three times "Rarity is here, I'm letting her in, we'll be in the living room when your ready." He then returned and sat on the couch. Several minutes later Fluttershy and Luna came into the room.
"Oh, hello Rarity, ready for our spa appointment?"
"Absolutely! I just came by to say hi to Luna and Anitchka."
"Okey, we should go before we're late."
"I... Could teleport you there, so you're not late."
BOOM
Thunk
"Sonova Bitch!"
Rarity looked at Anitchka "Did I just hear Echo?"
"Yes." Anitchka facepalmed.
"Hay Anitchka, can you come down here? I'm kinda stuck."
"Yes, give me a second." The white reptile said loudly then stood "I must go pry Echo from the wall... Again."
"What does that mean?!" The unicorn asked as she quickly followed him to the hatch to the basement. He flung open the hatch, jumped down the whole and looked for Echo. She noticed he was pinned to the wall by a large chunk of metal through his chest. "Dear Celestia, how is he still alive?!" She couldn't look away, yet Luna and Fluttershy, just went back to the couch. Anitchka grabbed the shard, and yanked it from the wall and Echo.
"Thanks Anitchka, I owe you one." The wound started reparation.
"What the hay are you?!" She then fainted.
"We'll that was overly dramat-"
THUNK...
THUNK...
THUNK...
Echo jumped into the living room, directly to the right of the front door, pulling out a combat knife from his pocket, he got ready for anything to come through the door. Anitchka flew up into the same room, darting toward, and grabbing Rarity, leading the girls to the basement. He pulled the rug over the hole, while sliding a blast proof door, Dimitri had installed, over the entrance.
THUNK...
THUNK...
THUNK...
There was the sound of a struggle then "Dimitri?"
"Where... is... she?..."
"Dude, are you alright?"
"Where...... Is...... She?"
"Dimitri. Are. You. Stable."
There was a moving sound, then a three large thudding sounds, then a sigh with the sound of a croc's growling mixed in. "Now, where. Is. She?"
"... You... Will.... Never.... Know...."
There was one last loud thud, waking Rarity, "where are we?"
There was a sound of footsteps coming towards the hatch, then a metal fist slammed through the metal plate, blocking the entrance.
"Grab my arm, both of you."
"What can you do? Can you teleport?"
"Yes miss Luna, but not using science like him. Now grab hold and don't let go" there was a blinding red light, then they were gone. The hand grabbed the release latch, and pulled it towards the hole, with a screach the handle was no longer attached., and the panel tired free of its housing.
The enraged half-dragon jumped down the hole, looked around, and found a note on the ground.
Dimitri, you really are smarter than you need, seems as though you have found out. Well, I've met a pony here and am in love; and to appease her I will require of you to come to my new abode, fight me, and if you have any care for her, die against me.
-Anitchka
Dimitri jumped out, and was tackled by Echo. "D, your not stable! Get ahold of yourself before-"
"Anitchka has found an artifact from this world, that will grant him powers to kill anyone he wants. And he has Flutters held hostage. I was trying to get her away from him."
"That means he's got Luna and Rarity too, man Spikes gonna be pissed."
"If cares for Rarity, as much as I do for Fluttershy..."
Dimitri opened hatch in the floor, revealing a scyth, two katana, and two large broadswords. He clipped the katana to his hips, the broadswords to his back in the form of an X, and the scythe in his hand.
"... He's going to be fucking livid!"
What It's Like on the Other Side
THUNK
THUNK
THUNK
"Echo, is Fluttershy still here?!"
"RED? I'll be out in a minute!"
Echo and Dimitri left the basement, after insuring that his swords were clipped on correctly, and wouldn't fall off. The half-dragon opened the door to a surprised RED and PK. "Dimitri, when did you return?"
"Just in time for Anitchka to kidnap Fluttershy, Rarity, and Luna."
"D, he took all the girls, left notes for us saying either we die or they do."
PK slammed his metal fist into a tree, decimating it "I will tear out his spine and stuff it down his throat!"
"He has made this personal, but he also has the power to do what he wishes." Dimitri stated.
"What are you saying D, we give up?" RED looked to Dimitri.
"No, but the Allicorn Amulet being in his position allows him full access to the power of an allicorn, and I don't know if he can influence the nano bots to bend to his will." Dimitri answered.
"So, essentially, we're screwed. Great! Just fucking great!" Echo hit the wall.
"What's got you so 'all is lost' all of the sudden?" RED put his hand on Echo's shoulder.
"Twi's been hinting that she wanted our relationship to go another step farther, and the only point we haven't reached was... I... I was going to p-propose." Echo hung his head.
"You trusted her that much? Then I've got two options. The one I've chosen... Just take care of her for me." Dimitri turned towards the entrance to the Everfree.
RED took a step closer "What are you thinking, D?"
"Get to the ruins in the Everfree, there either him or I shall remain." Before any one was able to speak, Dimitri disappeared in a flash of static. Echo and PK sprinted into the Everfree, PK leading, and smashing everything that stood between him and his party-happy mare.
"Hang on AJ, RED's a'comin!" He looked down and caught fire "This landings gonna hurt like a bitch!" the air around him exploded, sending him shooting into the air, then again sending him towards his destination.
Dimitri reappeared in front of the ruins "Alright! Anitchka, come out here!" The sound of wood rustling could be heard as a giant timberwolf stepped into the clearing "So, that's how you want to play it? Fine!" He spun the scythe to where he had the handle in both hands, then sprinted at the colossal wooden beast. It swatted at him repeatedly, missing every attempt. It went to bite him, missing, Dimitri saw this opening, jumping onto the head of this gargantuan wood wolf. He sunk the scythes blade into the top of its head, it fell to the ground.
Dimitri then teleported into the main room of the ruins, finding the girls, and both Allicorn sisters, chained up in cages. "It seems little Fluttershy was indeed right about you." The elder sister stated weakly.
"What's happened to everyone?" Dimitri took a step closer to the center of the room.
"Oh, nothing, their just unconscious." Anitchka's voice came from everywhere, Dimitri looked around.
"Anitchka, if you don't let them go, you will regret it!" the reptilian tone setting in.
Anitchka appeared in the center of the room, an aura of glowing white magic swirling around him "Oh your no fun." Beside him appeared a light blue unicorn wearing a magician getup.
"Anitchka, can I deal with Twilight?" She pouted at him.
"Of course, but first I have some unfinished business to attend to." He smiled psychotically at me.
"Anitchka, where did you get the amulet from?" Dimitri stepped closer.
"Why, isn't it obvious? Well, when you kicked me out a week before the timberwolf incident to have fun with the shy one, who you'll be happy to know is carrying what I can only assume is your child, I met this devious little number, known as The Great And Powerful Trixie! She then told me about her past experiences with the girls, and told me about this little trinket around my neck. I then did some snooping while the town was asleep, It took me three weeks to figure out it was in Ms. Sparkle's basement." He looked over at Fluttershy, who then began to awaken.
"Then you already know that for kidnapping the love of my life, I'm going to kill you." Dimitri looked to Fluttershy, she looked into his eyes and nodded. He turned to face Anitchka, teleporting behind him. Anitchka acted quickly, spinning to face Dimitri, kicking his knee, snapping it. Dimitri's knee cracked back into place while he punched Anitchka in the chest, breaking a few ribs.
Anitchka disappeared and opened a portal on the floor inches away from Dimitri, who unfurled his wings and launched into the air.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a spear floating off the wall, it shot though the air, aimed not at him but at Twilight, as it was a yard or so from the cage, Echo fell through a hole in the ceiling landing in the path of the spear. It embedded itself into his chest, making him crumple to the ground. He stood and pulled the spear out, dropping it onto the floor. Two more spears shot through the air aimed at Rainbow and Fluttershy's cage, Dimitri appeared in the spear's paths, receiving both in his chest.
He ripped them out, turned to the cage and looked into Fluttershy's eyes "I'm gonna get you out, Echo and RED are going to get you and the girls to safety, okey?"
"I heard him tell you... I... I wanted to be the one to... to tell you." She looked down.
Dimitri grabbed the lock and yanked it off. Using his other hand He lifted her chin, so she was looking at him once more "Listen, I may not see you again, so take care of yourself, I'm going to have PK help you rai-"
Thirteen or so spears interrupted him by embedding into his back, the portal then moved onto the opposite wall.
A fireball landed through the hole in the ceiling, most of the fire died, as RED stood where the fireball landed. Anitchka reappeared in the center of the room "Ah, Dimitri is dead, and your too late to help him. Heh Heh, pathetic."
A wall of fire rose, hitting the ceiling, RED faced The cage containing Pinkie and Applejack. He concentrated on the lock, a second later it melted, releasing the two trapped ponies. They started to walk out but were stopped by the chains, RED then repeated what he did to the lock, freeing them completely. "Stand on my back and use me to jump out of that hole in the ceiling." AJ did as instructed. Pinkie tried but jumped to low, but before she started to fall back to the ground a massive hand caught her.
"PK! Thank Celestia you got here in time!" She was pulled out of the hole, then PK jumped into the hole.
He walked over to the cage containing Twilight and Rarity, lifting it he moved back to the hole and jumped but was grabbed by an invisible force "YOU. ARE NOT. LEAVING!" A blue aura washed over twilight and the cages lock, the lock snapped off, as did the chains, and Twilight was pulled out and past the fire.
"Not on my watch!" Dimitri stood and sprinted through the fire. "RED! Get everyone out, NOW! PK, stay here with me, I will need your help!" Dimitri finally surfaced from the wall of fire. Twilight was just ahead of him, Trixie standing over her with a ceremonial dagger in her magical aura. He disappeared, reappearing he grabbed the dagger, and smashed it against his arm. Then went for Trixie, who was no longer there. Echo came through the fire skidding to a halt at Dimitri's side. Dimitri lifted the purple pony, and placed her over Echo's shoulders, so that he could use her legs to keep her in place. "Echo, get everyone out, now. And if I don't come out... Help Fluttershy raise our child."
"O-Okey, but at least try and return, alright?" Echo walked to the wall of fire, a hole opening for him and his passenger. PK just walked through the firewall, and to Dimitri.
"I can only assume that you know something that we do not, can you at least tell me?" He looked around, preparing for Anitchka's next attempt at victory.
"... No." Dimitri moved to the center of the room.
"Hmmmm... You seem to want to cause me harm, Dimitri. I wonder, why ever would you want to do something so... mean?" Anitchka reappeared as the wall of fire died to reveal an empty space, aside for three remaining cages and a hole in the ceiling.
Before Anitchka could react Dimitri teleported behind him, slamming his foot into Anitchka's back, sending him flying towards a pissed off PK. Who caught him by the head, with his metal arm, and without stopping the motion, slammed his head into the ground. PK then threw him into the air where Dimitri was waiting to grab his head and slam him into the wall. Anitchka transported back to the center, then moved toward PK, and slammed both fists into his chest, launching him across the room.
"I should probably mention, I used this trinket to alter my cellular structure. Now it will take you a lot more to cause me harm, and when I kill you I'm going to go and... Maybe torture the shy one... Until she can't scream anymore. Then I'll slowly kill h-"
CRACK
Dimitri appeared inches away, and punched him at full force in the face. "Say anything like that again, I FUCKING DARE YOU!"
Anitchka laughed, a couple streams of blood trickled from his nose "Say what? I'm going to slowly ki-" Dimitri grabbed his throat, and headbutt him, another crack was heard.
"DID I FUCKING STUTTER?!?! IF YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT CAUSING HER ANY HAR-" Anitchka slammed his knee into Dimitri's gut, then his throat, making him go down.
He laughed again "After I'm done with the shy one, the pink one is second on my lis-" he yelled as a massive black metal fist collided into his face with a crunch, knocking him to the ground.
"Do not think for a second, that you can threaten our loved ones and survive." PK helped Dimitri off the floor "Let us finish this fight and get home."
Anitchka disappeared, a psychotic laughing resonated through the walls. "Let's see here, Trixie? Can you take them until I am healed?"
"Of corse, my dear." She appeared in the center of the room. "Oh, look at them... Wait, where is that big-shot know-it-all, Twilight Sparkle?"
Dimitri stepped froward "On her way to safety, and if you want to get to her," he reached back and grabbed the hilts of the broadswords, sliding them out of their sheaths "You'll have to go through me."
PK stepped in between them "Dimitri, I will take care of this nuisance, you must ready yourself for Anitchka." Dimitri put the swards into the ground.
"I don't think you will be able to fight this battle on your own, Project Krider." Anitchka's voice came from everywhere. Two shapes started to form. The first, the body of the giant timberwolf, alive with the scythe stuck in it forehead. The second, the dragon that attempted to consume Scootaloo, also alive.
A ball of fire slammed into the ground "AJ had a bad gut feeling, so E, and me returned." RED stated as he and Echo walked out of the fire.
"Celestia ordered me to apprehend Trixie Lulamoon, on the grounds of imprisoning her Royal Highness, her Royal sister, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, and my future wife." Echo pointed a smoking finger at the offending mare.
"This is perfect. RED, you take out the timberwolf. Echo, you obviously get to handle Trixie. PK, you and I will-" Dimitri was interrupted by Anitchka appearing next to Trixie.
"Oh Dimitri, you can fight me. But to make this fun, only one battle at a time." As the last few words came out, all but RED and the timberwolf, were encased in a translucent white bubble, and stuck to the walls. "You may begin, now."
RED jumped towards the lumbering creature, only to be smashed into the wall "Hay, not cool!" he ducked under the second paw, witch smashed a statue of an unknown allicorn. The air behind him exploded, propelling him towards the face of the timberwolf.
The wooden beast ducked in time for RED to miss it's head, but not the scythe. Grabbing it, he used the momentum he had to make a nice slash into its back. The beast spun around, slamming RED into the wall. He started to light the massive paw holding him against the wall on fire. The beast moved it's paw back in pain, only to smash the cause through the wall, into a natural underground spring, soaking RED and extinguishing the flaming paw. "When I'm done with you, I'm going after the one who is always kicking my trees... Hmmmm, it seems my masters magic is allowing me to communicate with telepathy, intriguing."
RED looked up, his normally blue irises turning bright orange, like hot iron "You go anywhere near her and I'll end you!" The whites of his eyes turned an empty black, the water around him turning to steam. He grabbed the wooden paw, the water in and on it turned to steam as it started to blacken. The beast yanked it's charred paw away, launching RED to the center of the room.
"Ahhh... I seen to have hit a nerve, well how about this; she becomes my next meal?" The room started to heat up, the water on the ground turning to steam.
"I'm not giving you that opportunity! I'm going straight to my one-use-only move; a burst of fire that lasts 15 minutes, but is hot enough to be considered a mini supernova!" The room went back to normal temperature, then started to get colder. "First, I suck all the heat from the room!" His skin started to look more like a charred corps with life in it. "Second, I supercharge all the heat in my body, creating a hot-spot where I stand!" The wind started to spin around him, creating a mini tornado with him in the eye.
Anitchka looked over to Trixie's shield, noticing that it wouldn't hold up agains the mini supernova without him. He also knew Dimitri's crew and the dragon would survive the coming firestorm, but Trixie couldn't.
"THEN I RELEASE THE FIRE INTO THE MINI TORNADO, DISINTEGRATING EVERYTHING WITHIN THE BLAST!" Just as a wall of red fire poured into the air, spinning as it spread towards the walls, Anitchka teleported into Trixie's bubble just before it burst. The timberwolf was incinerated almost instantly, and once the fire stopped, red was the only thing standing "Who's n-next?" He then fell to the floor, unconscious.
"His fight is over, and for winning he gets to go home, to the orchard, of course." RED was engulfed in a white aura, then he disappeared. "Now, who is next?"
"The Great and Powerful Trixie is next! She shall destroy her opponent!"
"Alright, Echo, you are temporarily free."
Echo, who until this point was sleeping, fell out of his bubble, and to the ground. "Hay! Hay! Hay! I'm awake! I'm awake, damn!" He slowly stood, looking as bored as physically possible.
"Ready yourself, you are no match for my magic." She aimed her horn at Echo, it started to glow"This will be easy, you truly have no chance at beating me!"
"Hold it for a second, I've got a proposition for ya." Trixie's horn stopped glowing and she looked at Echo with a confused look. "Sure, you could throw me into the wall, until I passed out, or you could hit me with miscellaneous items until you get the same result. But that would take hours, trust me on that one. Or you could go with my proposition, and it will only take 5 minutes."
She looked as though she was thinking it through "I shall hear what you have to say."
"Fantastic! Now, you must fire a magic net and catch me, but you must do it in 5 minutes, if you catch me in that time, you can go free. If you don't succeed, I will catch you, and you will be living the rest of your natural life in a cell that you won't be able to escape eas-"
"Ha! No cage can hold the Great and Powerful Trixie! You may as well just let me-"
"No unicorn alive can escape from a mythril cell." Trixie closed her mouth.
"Then lets hear the rules to your proposition." Echo's eyes lit up, but his face stayed in a monotone look.
"Great! One, your nets must go in strait paths. Two you can't stop me with levitation. Three, you must stay in the center of this room. Four, keep all focus on catching me."
Trixie trotted to her standing place, then looked at Echo "I have one rule for you, only your best is allowed!"
Echo smiled a sly smile that seemed too malicious for its own good "I was hopeing you'd say that."Echo's brown irises turned a glowing pale blue, the whites turning an empty black. His body and combat uniform turned translucent, but the same colors. "Before we begin, do you have any questions to ask?"
"One, what is with the eye-and-body change about?" She scratched her head.
"Me and the other three members of our group have what you would call, a turbo-mode, witch enhances our specialties. It causes a physical change as well."
"Okey, let's begin!" She fired a net at Echo, missing as he seemed to move faster than the air could fill the space he occupied while moving. "Hay! That's not fair!"
"Twilight could do it." This made Trixie furious. She fired net, after net at him as he moved in a big circle around her, two minutes passed, this being the routine. "You have three minutes left, try concentrating on where I'm going to be, not where I am." She started to get closer to hitting him for another two and a half minutes this kept reoccurring.
"Stop moving!" Twenty five seconds passed, then she shot one massive final net, barreling directly at Echo. He forced himself to move as fast as physically possible, he would fail, a cone of energy formed in front of him. 'Just a bit faster, and I will break the sound barrier!' He dug his hooves into the stone floor, producing the extra boost needed. The sonic boom destroyed the magic net, and forced Echo halfway up the wall, creating an Echo-sized ring of blur to form along the walls of the room.
"Times up!" Echo's voice came from every point on the ring.
"You are not taking her!" Anitchka yelled as the hole in the ceiling was covered by a wall of his magic.
"You think covering the only exit with your magic, is going to stop me? Wrong!" Echo yelled as a rod of the ring slid down the wall, removing Trixie from her standing place, and back up the wall, smashing through the wall of magic.
A beam of energy maneuvered through the Everfree Forest, up the side of the mountain, into Canterlot, through the palace, through the prison area, where Trixie appeared in a mythril cell as the door slid shut locking into place, and into the throne room, where Echo stopped. "Where is Twilight?"
Said unicorn walked up behind him "I'm right here." Echo turned and walked over to her, all her friends arriving through the throne room doors. "We thought we were going to get here before you, but we saw a blur go through the door."
"Well, I've got an important question for you."
"Sure, ask away." Echo got down on one knee.
"I don't exactly know how it works here in Equestria, but, will you marry me?" Twilight's eyes went wide, instead of words she tackled him to the ground, and repeatedly kissed him. "I take that as a yes."
Back in the ruins Anitchka was furious. He released a draconic roar "No matter. I'll just free her after PK loses this fight, and I kill you. Then I will kill Echo, RED, the princess's, and the Elements." The dragons bubble opened, and the dragon jumped out.
"So, PK is the bigger one, I take it? This will be easy." It licked its lips.
PK fell, landing on his hooves "We will see, I am much more powerful than I look, and I assume you believe you could even defeat me in my 'turbo-mode'."
The dragon laughed "You are much wiser than I had thought. Yes, it wouldn't feel right knowing I killed an opponent, knowing they weren't at their full potential." He took a step forward, and licked his lips again "Plus the more you work meat, the better it tastes, in my opinion anyway."
"Alright, allow me but a moment."
"Take all the time you need, I'm not going anywhere."
PK nodded then his pale grey irises turned a glowing neon green, a neon green electricity started arching along his metal arm. Six three inch long, one inch wide, cylinders slid out of both shoulder blades. Each knuckle in his living hand, and his elbow sprouted a metal covering, which the green electricity started arching across. "I am ready." His voice was more electronic.
The dragon looked ecstatic "This may actually be a challenge, but I will still win." It took a step closer, causing PK to charge, moving as fast as a bull. The dragon jumped into the air, causing PK to smash into the wall.
"Well it seems I am part bull, not pony." He dislodged his arm from the wall. Turning around he was hit by the dragons fire. He started to walk toward the origin of the continuos flame, when he reached the point of origin, he grabbed the dragons top and bottom jaws, slamming them shut, he launched the dragon at the wall. It connected with the wall with a loud crunch, cracking the wall.
PK charged, this time grabbing a wing, with a forceful, yet fluid movement, he tore the wing from its place. The scaly beast roared in pain "Forget eating you, now I'm gonna make a feast of your loved ones!"It shouted as it grabbed PK, slamming him into the wall repeatedly, until he got loose, climes to the dragons back. He pulled his arm back and punched the shoulder blade, until it cracked, causing another pain roar.
"Enough, this is just sad." PK climbed up the neck until he was at the midpoint, reaching around he started to electrocute the dragon, the only effect being the dragon getting weakened. "I will end this quickly and painfully." PK dropped from the neck of the beast, which was to weak to lift its head, and walk to the side of its head.
It looked at him "If you don't kill me here, then I will kill you, your friends, your loved ones, and destroy the entire town in which you reside."
"Then you except your fate?"
"Indeed, I realize that it must be you who kills me."
"I will grant your final desire." PK slammed his fingers into the dragons skull, around the eye, and ripped open a hole to the brain. He held his metal fist an inch away from the dragons cerebral material, a large ball of neon electricity arching across the shoulder, until it was the size of his fist. He touched the delicate material, and released all of the electricity into the dragons brain, but the electricity continued deeper into the body, frying the dragon from the inside out. PK looked up at a shocked Anitchka "My fight is over, but I willstay."
"Fine." The corpse of the dragon disappeared.
"Enough conversation, Anitchka, you have delayed me long enough! We fight, now!" Dimitri bubble disappeared dropping him to the floor, PK moved to his side.
"Are you sure there is no other way to win?" PK gave him a look that stated 'I figured it out'.
"I'm positive, there is no other way." PK turned and looked at Anitchka, who was floating to the center of the room.
"Sorry, but this reunion is over, there's a fight to be won and Specters to kill." Anitchka conjured two iron katana. "Your katana, versus mine. Lets see who is better once and for all." He dashed to Dimitri, who had his own ready to block the assault. Dimitri and Anitchka traded the tittle of offense and defense, back and forth, Dimitri constantly pushing Anitchka back to the center of the room, where they just stayed equal in their constant back and forth.
They got caught in a clash, where neither could move their blades, otherwise loose. "Hay, you wanna know why mythril is better than iron?"
"Sure, tell me your lie." Dimitri slightly angled his blades, sliding them, slicing through Anitchka's own blades. Once the blades finished their cut, Dimitri used them to pin Anitchka to him. The blades penetrated Anitchka's back, exited his chest, entered Dimitri's chest, exiting through his back.
"PK, throw us through the p-portal, now!"
"S-so, that i-is your p-plan? H-ha! you m-make me laugh!" Anitchka moved his one free arm, grabbing Dimitri's mythril arm, he tore all the mechanical parts off Dimitri's shoulder. Causing a pained roar, this caused Anitchka to start laughing psychotically. PK charged, ramming them into the air, into the portal.
"We will miss you... What is this?" PK lifted Dimitri's arm, noticing the forearm was cracked open, he removed the pannel, finding a rolled up parchment. He removed the parchment, finding it was a final note from Dimitri, he read it.
'Hello PK, if your reading this, we were victorious. Don't worry, the portal goes to earth. This past month, I've been trying to develop a transmitter that will allow Echo to communicate with me, to find it have the girls take you to a zebra named Zecora, she knows where the cave I've been using as a makeshift lab is. There will be a syringe, inject it into Echo, it is a nanobot upgrade. Have him state my name, it will activate the radio connection, calling me. When you do, I will explain further.'
PK looked up at the ceiling "Dimitri, you are a genius."
"W-where is Dimitri? I never got to thank him, or apologize." Celestia moved to PK's side.
"He is gone, can you teleport us to the location of the girls?" PK looked at her, she nodded, her horn flared up. They appeared in the palace throne room, PK walked over to Echo and Twilight. "Echo, Dimitri has a final order for you."
"... Wait what? He's dead? That's impossi-"
"Silence yourself for a moment!" The sudden loud outburst made everypony and Echo, jump. "He left a note, saying to have the girls take us to a zebra named Zecora, that she will take us to a cave, containing a nanobot upgrade for you. To give it to you, activating a stronger transmitter, allowing you to contact him. He is back on earth."
Echo scratched his head "Sorry for jumping to conclusions, lets go get that upgrade."
What It's Like on the Other Side
"He is gone, can you teleport us to the location of the girls?" PK looked at her, she nodded, her horn flared up. They appeared in the palace throne room, PK walked over to Echo and Twilight. "Echo, Dimitri has a final order for you."
"... Wait what? He's dead? That's impossi-"
"Silence yourself for a moment!" The sudden loud outburst made everypony and Echo, jump. "He left a note, saying to have the girls take us to a zebra named Zecora, that she will take us to a cave, containing a nanobot upgrade for you. To give it to you, activating a stronger transmitter, allowing you to contact him. He is back on earth."
Echo scratched his head "Sorry for jumping to conclusions, lets go get that upgrade." He stood, twilight hopping off of him.
The arrived to the cave with very little trouble, rarity tripped over a root and got mud in her mane. They entered, walking deep into the cave for several minutes "I found a room cut into the cave wall, the syringe is next to another note!" Echo grabbed the note off the counter.
"Hello again PK, the note you recovered from my arm is much older than this one. After I wrote that one I found out that it would be at least a week before Anitchka attacked, so I made three other batches of the upgrade. One for you, RED, and Fluttershy. They are in a safe inside of this counter, you are the only one who can open it, there is nothing strong enough to pull the countertop off, so go ahead. There is one last note for you inside the safe." Echo read aloud, then looked to PK.
"Move, I have a countertop to remove." PK grabbed the countertop, and started to pull. It slowly detached, revealing it was connected by mythril bolts. "He was not joking, this is one tough nut." He stated in a strained voice. The slab of iron was detached shortly after, revealing a medium sized safe inside, which PK removed. "Are there any codes on the note?"
Echo looked up to PK "No, but what it does say is 'tell Echo to keep still, and keep the syringe.' Why does he choose now to become the Riddler?"
Echo looked at the syringe, then uncapped the needle, slamming it into his arm, pushing the plunger he injected the upgrade.
Location: South American Rainforest
A portal opened, a grey, scaly creature shot out, smashing into a tree. It stood, looking around, it looked at its right arm, a white arm, embedded in the bicep, a dull grey metal Alicorn on a triangle, with a ruby in the center, the eyes and top half of the wings were also ruby. "Thanks for the gift..." He muttered as it unfurled its wings, flying into the sky. "I'm back on earth, but where?"
He looked around, noticing a light he flew towards it. He stopped in a thick area with a metal hatch in the ground. Landing, he grabbed the hatch, and ripped it from its housing. He jumped into the hatch, falling for several seconds, before landing in a hallway. He made his way through what he was now guessing, an abandoned underground military base. "This place is too familiar..." He reached a hallway that looked like a walking claw creature had had some fun with the walls, ceiling, and floors. "This is the location where I first created Anitchka... I need to find the emergency power breaker." After minutes of searching, he found and threw the breaker, turning the lights on, and revealing a humanoid mechanical casualty of Anitchka's rampage, so many years in the past. He slung it over his shoulder, and started towards a mech lab, to repair the machine. After about an hour, he located the mech lab, finding several more, still active, one still mo0bile, the rest too damaged to move themselves.
"Halt, state your identification number and name."
"S-066, Dimitri A. Domovoi."
The mech moved closer "Although I can no longer see, I know this information is false, your true identification number and name, please."
Dimitri held his hand out "Take a DNA scan, and cross reference the genetic material with your data bank."
The mech reached forward, making contact, then grabbing Dimitri's arm. It's other arm removed a scale"If you are Dimitri, then how is it possible for you to have scales?"
"Test the DNA, if I'm who I say I am, then I will answere all questions."
A panel on the mechs arm slid open, the scale was inserted, and the panel sealed. "DNA match, 100%. Gene match, 100%. Unknown material detected in the cellular structure." The Mech ejected the scale "This is impossible, explain."
Dimitri turned around, walking away "All in due time, now I will be back, I've got a call to wait for, and this base blocks any wireless signals." He disappeared, reappearing several feet above the entrance.
Location: Canterlot, Royal Palace
"Alright, I'll initiate the call, then if I get contact, you mealy join in as you please."
Red jumped from his sitting position to his feet "Alright, make the call, E."
Echo look strait ahead "Dimitri, come in Dimitri."
-"Echo? Perfect!"-
"What's perfect?" Fluttershy cut in.
-"I emerged from the portal near the facility that Anitchka was created in, in other words, I have a deserted facility to recreate a portal to get me back. And the upgrade worked!"-
RED looked to Echo "How long until you return, D?"
-"I have no clue, but SC-7 is still active, along with several damaged mechs."-
PK stood "We will all help Fluttershy with your child, in your absence."
-"That's good, hopefully I won't be gone very long, many a year or two."-
Fluttershy started to hover "As long as you return, everything will be fine."
-"I'm just glad your not mad at me."-
"Why would I be mad at you? You saved both princesses, my friends, and me!"
-"When you put it that way, it makes it hard to come up with an arguement. But I will talk later, but rember this, you only have to say my name to call me, goodbye for now."-