"Alright, take takes care of that problem."

Vaati wiped his hands walking to an illuminated computer with three monitors, one showing a bird's eye view of his Palace of Millennium, another showed the bearers from Equestria waiting in a ruined subway station that slightly ticked him off. And in the last one the ruined Canterlot City as a whole. It's a good thing for him the other countries in this world didn't come yet here, a tad hard to do considering what he unleashed. Thinking of what he did to make the other countries busy made him smile a bit.

A few quick types the monitor on his fortress changed into a view of this planet with more dulled colors, the computer didn't pick any traces of magic or anything coming to this world. Much less the dying Equestria. No one had stepped into here yet, not the 'merchants' from his grandpa's former job, nor any transformed people like himself. This was good, last thing he needed was an idiot acting heroic, already lots of those in this world, or grandpa's old co-workers wanting to take his power from him.

A tinge of frustration came to him seeing the second monitor again. He understood and let them get equipped enough to face him with his servants, it would be very boring to kill them first knowing full well it would be the most efficient way, but he was growing impatient and wanted to end this soon. Maybe sinking half of their country in their world would make them go faster...

Huh, those were footsteps. Turning away from the computer he faced one of his servants once more, her face cold and emotionless just like Sombra's was. Jacket, shirt, skirt and boots all matched her mirror self of this world to the last detail. His perfect stealth and combat agent.

"Sweetie Belle, good to have you back. Did you had fun?" He asked with a sarcastic tone and a smile turning back to the monitors. Her version in this world with her friends too were still around of course, can't have enough agents and spies after all. Their mission kept them busy in the various countries of this world and were just as dangerous as his other servants.

"The tunnels have successfully collapsed, the survivors can't get away." Emotionless and to the point, just how he likes it. The mage couldn't help but smile with everything falling into place.

"You did well as usual, but the decisive time is growing near. Go to your position, soon you will meet your dear sister again."

Only reaction he got after telling her that was a nod and walking off the room. Trixie and Sombra should be in position by now, chuckling to himself remembering what happened before his agent came to report as he checked on the monitors again what was going on inside the subway hideout.

"How much you have grown in just days, Blueblood." Vaati curled up his right hand into a fist leaning his cheek onto it "Least you weren't as dumb as that jackass who went directly to me, thankfully that has net me a new servant. Oh the surprises I have in store for you lot, can you really prevail against my Elite Four?"

The atmosphere of the city's 'refuge' was undeniably depressing, debris was all around and the train had almost completely derailed turned to scrap. The people around huddled around barrels lit with fire inside them while wearing blankets, a few teenagers were around shivering out out of fear. Some were people Twilight and Spiked recognized.

Like poor human Lyra, she just sat still arms hugging her knees and staring at the fire. Her bloodshot eyes and wet cheeks was a tell that she had been crying a lot, some had whispered about being unable to find others like Flash Sentry. One green haired girl looked like she was about to snap while holding some kind of necklace on her hands, seems the others curled up and hugged up to her apparently kept her from doing that.

Looking at this made Twilight depressed, they were at the subway stairs leaning on a wall looking over at the makeshift refuge. Rarity came up besides her putting a hand on the young princess' shoulder who looked between her and the camp, Spike too seem down seeing this situation.

"Something in your mind?" Rarity started knowing well the mood her friend was in.

"I... knew them before, when I first got here." Twilight continued as recalled those times that felt like long ago "I helped them to win the formal against Sunset, we had so much fun before I went ba-"

A loud bang and a bright orange light coming from the dark train tunnel stopped her from saying more. The remaining students started to panic while her other friends snapped to attention looking at the smoke coming from the tunnel, people in military gear came from the side of the crashed train towards the smoke. With one silver haired girl in similar gear carrying two suitcases in her hands towards Twilight.

"Commander Blueblood has gone missing, take these quick!" Silver Spoon shoved the suitcases in Twilight's hands, turning back on her drawing a knife from her belt "We got separated and the commander entrusted me to give you those, they will protect you from whatever nightmare that madman has in store for you."

"But we can't just leave you!" Spike interjected as the panicked students rushed past the soldiers running to the smoking tunnel. The group flinching hearing an echoing growl from said tunnel.

"We'll be in more danger if you keep staying here. Go, now!" The girl pushed Twilight up the subway stairs before she ran disappearing in the crowd. More soldiers came to push the group upstairs with three of the four girls there raising objections as they closed off their access to the subway.

"Hol' on, wait!" Applejack yelled reached out over the wall of soldiers she and Dash were struggling against. A struggle cut short hearing a booming voice making the group stop on their tracks.

"Oh! I see that you just LOVE wasting time now." Vaati's voice ringed to them again from other of nowhere, leaving Rainbow Dash and Spike fuming seeing that he was watching them "I told you, this is the Endgame now. Either you come to me at this moment or I'll start sinking any country I please of this world!"

"You want your butt kicked so bad?!" Dash lashed out glaring at the ceiling "Don't mind if we do, got a lot for you to pay for!"

"Enough!" Twilight yelled next taking both suitcases on her hands putting a foot up the subway stairs, no one noticing the young princess frowning struggling to keep it together "Let's go, seems we're not the only ones in a hurry."

Rarity was the last to come out of the barely illuminated bathrooms as her friends stared at her dressed in similar gear. Everyone wore a thick-like vest similar to the bulletproof ones, combining with gloves and knee-pads connected to the vest from a rope going between the limbs. Twilight was kneeling to one of the empty suitcases reading a file in her hand picked up from the suitcase.

'Project Hercules (Prototype Version)

Inspired by the bulletproof vests and the strong of unusual incidents of lasers flying into the sky mysteriously, as well reports of people able to manipulate others fast into turning against eachother. The vest is designed to absorb much damage than usual and inflict as much, currently untested and six vests produced. Strength and durability increased fivefold in hopes to combat the unknown dangers behind our back, too many coincidences to be disregarded.'

"Usually I would tear designs like this blight we have on." Rarity looked down at her suit wincing and shaking her head "But a mass murderer has my sister captive, I'll let it slide for this vest helping me so."

"Oh mama, feel like ah' could pull a house easily with this thing!" Applejack grinned while stretching her arms and giving some test kicks.

"Is everyone ready?" Twilight closed the suitcase receiving nods as she stood back up, her friends looked determined like before in previous adventures. It gave her the courage she needed in this situation that weighed much on them "Then there's no more time to waste, let's save both worlds!"

Pumping a fist in the air the group walked back up the subway stairs back into the ruined, ashen world of Canterlot City. A second of confusion ran through them seeing a purple colored bus parked right outside the subway entrance, the mechanical pyramid still shining in the distance like when they first saw it. Dash, as brash as always, waltzed into the the open door of the vehicle.

Twilight and Spike wanted to be careful given what cunning their enemy has done before, but both Rarity and Applejack walked inside the bus too. Seems there was no other way to arrive at their destination quickly, resigning to get into the bus jumping up looking at the door close behind them. The vehicle started the engine with no driver and the bus moved as Twilight fell over to a seat while Spike held to a nearby pole feeling the bus shake.

"You okay Twilight?" Spike called out concerned looking at her rolling into a sitting position quickly grabbing to the seat before her.

"Y-Yeah, I'm okay." She replied with a nod shortly before the bus picked up on speed and hitting a bump.

"Twi, ah won't lie to ya." Applejack called her attention behind her sitting with Rarity and on the seats besides her being Rainbow Dash occupying the spaces for two persons by herself "We can't go in blind with this crazy guy, what's the plan ya got?"

"I'm also scared, no one we've faced has gone this far before." The princess grimly stared at the window passing by the ruined city and forward to the approaching iron fortress "But I think I might have something..."

Soon the sights of the destroyed Canterlot City were left behind over a city more advanced than it should, buildings made out of machinery and roads unnaturally clean. They could hear in the distance various jackhammers being in use and sizzling sounds as well, coming from two half-finished domes where large machines worked on them.

The lights from the helicopters passed by with the lights from the advanced buildings mixing with those light, Rainbow's sight never left from the amazement towards the city as the bus was driving past their surroundings. The rest were left either surprised or speechless with the pyramid drawing very close leaving the domes behind.

"Rainbow was right, this does look like something out of a comic book." Spike stated with his jaw hanging open staring outside "Why did he of all guys had to make it look so cool?!"

"Oh good, I was about ta' give yours teeth in for complimenting that guy." Applejack gave him a playful hit that the young former dragon didn't seem to mind.

The automatic driving bus screeched into a halt stopping in front of large metal doors, staring upwards the building belonged to the pyramid that seem to stretch all the way into the heavens. Static noise booming around them again making the five friends group up in a circle before a screen of light appeared above the metal door and blinking once reflecting the mage in purple sitting in some chair in the dark smirking carelessly.

"You!!" Rarity yelled out pointing at the screen with shrunk pupils "Give me my sister back right now or I'll use you as my pincushion for the rest of your miserable life!"

"You're in no position of demanding anything, Prudy McSlut." He wiggled his index finger ignoring the half screech and grunt from the fashionista "Took you all long enough, now here is what you will do for the final game."

With a snap of Vaati's fingers the doors to the pyramid slid open into a dark hallways whose only illumination was coming from the lights from the city seeping only a bit inside it "Inside are my four and best servants waiting to battle you, and I mean real last one standing battle. Not hitting your enemy with a newspaper until they behave like you have done before."

The condescending tone he took with them only made Spike and Dash angrier, rolling their hands tightly as they glared daggers at their uncaring enemy before he kept talking "For example, that time you beat Sombra? THAT is what you have to do." They didn't like this condition, though Rainbow Dash nor Rarity didn't show concern about it. But it was either play by his rules or lose for real "I do hope you can pull that miracle again on your own, specially now that Sombra is back and serving me now."

"But why?!" Twilight separated herself from her friends yelling desperately "We haven't done anything to you! You just came and did all of this, why?!"

"A good question." Vaati replied half hearted with his only visible eye halfway shut and stroking his chin "One you will get the answer to, should you be worthy enough to reach me." He ended giving out a malicious wide smile and cutting the transmission off. The screen had disappeared with only the entrance to the fortress left before them, the young princess was left confused for a moment before feeling one of her friends shake her shoulder.

"C'mon, sugarcube. We gotta go." Applejack cocked her head pointing to the entrance that Spike was the first to enter in, after him was Rainbow Dash as the princess nodded walking in along her remaining friends. Once stepping into the darkness of the hallway she clenched her hand at a memory resurfacing.

'Only more people will suffer and die if you keep approaching him the same way you did everything before, there’s no redeeming him. There’s no way to seal him, he has to be stopped!'

Author's Note

I have no excuse for the lateness this time, I just hope you enjoy the chapter. Only four fights and the final battle are left for the end of this story.