Black Arms Return

Twilight had just received a letter from the Princesses, after they had returned she knew that she had to tell the Princesses about these hostile creatures. Twilight unfurled the scroll and began to read the letter aloud.

"Dear Twilight, I am glad that you warned us of these creatures and provided a few sketches of them as well, if we see any of these monsters will we approach carefully and if necessary take one into custody for questioning. I hope that Fluttershy recovers, and we will send a team to investigate the comet soon. Yours truly, Princess Celestia."

"Now that's fine and dandy, but what if those critters decide to attack Ponyville? Who knows how many more there are!" Applejack said, which was a good point.

"Then they'll get a taste of me! I'll send them into next week!" Rainbow Dash shouted, with arrogance that none in Equestria could match.

"Perhaps they were just defending their territory. We don't know that may have been simple animal instinct..." Fluttershy suggested, but the others weren't so sure.

"If they were defending their territory, then wouldn't they have attacked us as well?" Rarity asked, which made perfect sense to Fluttershy.

"For now, all we can do is wait for the investigation team... We'll go with them, and then maybe we can get to the bottom of this." Twilight said, but she noticed that it was strangely quiet, which prompted her to ask a question "Where's Pinkie?"

In the middle of the Everfree, a bright blue flash filled broke through the gloom for a moment, before a black hedgehog stood where it had been, with seven jewels rapidly spinning above his head. Then much to the hedgehog's surprise one fell at his feet and the others shot off in all different directions.

"Great... I'll have to track down the Chaos Emeralds now... At least one is still here..." He muttered bending over to pick up the green jewel. He looked around, and took note that he was in some form of forest, although exactly where he was uncertain. Shadow began to move forward and heard the rustling of bushes to his right. He looked as a doe stepped out and approached him. It showed not even the slightest amount of fear, which made him curious.

"Strange... Normally deer don't approach other creatures like this... Why is it so brave?" Shadow asked himself. The deer turned before running off, stopping a few feet away. "You want me to follow you?" Shadow asked, but the deer said nothing and waited for the black hedgehog to follow. Shadow sighed before walking behind the animal and it began to increase speed. So Shadow did as well, his shoes eventually activated, allowing him to float over the ground, he stayed behind the deer and eventually was led to a large comet.

Hearing voices Shadow knew it would most likely be best to hide, rather than face the dominant species of this planet. So he quickly jumped straight up and grabbed onto a tree branch, before swinging himself upwards, and leaping from branch to branch, until he was high enough to see clearly. Ten horse like creatures moved forward, and approached the comet, while four wore some kind of armor, the other six wore nothing. Shadow took note that four had horns, four had wings, and two had nothing, he also noticed they each had a marking along their flanks, just on the hip.

One was a large collection of sparkles, with a large pink one in the middle, another was three red apples, three pink butterflies, three balloons, three crystals, and a cloud with a rainbow colored lightning bolt. Whatever they were, these creatures were definitely interesting. Shadow's eyes widened as he was on the opposite side of the comet, where about fifteen Black Arms soldiers, not their giants, not their winged creatures, the basic foot soldier. They each held a weapon and were preparing to attack the horses, which would end in a slaughter. Shadow had to wait until the right moment to strike and he held the green Chaos Emerald tightly in his right hand. The Black Arms began to move around the round comet and surprised the horses, and Shadow knew now was the time. Without a word Shadow disappeared in a flash of blue light, and reappeared before one of the Black Arms soldiers, startling both it and the horses. Shadow quickly kicked the side of its head, knocking it onto the ground. Shadow landed and looked at the other soldiers.

Shadow smiled before shouting "Come and get me!"

Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and the four guards were shocked to see the monsters approaching with strange weapons, meaning that they were sentient and not simply animals. Twilight let out a gasp as one rose the weapon and pointed it at her, so she closed her eyes and expected to feel pain, but instead she heard a loud grunt and a heavy groan of pain. She opened her eyes to see another strange creature with its back to her. It stood over the dead body of the monster, and held a green jewel in its hand. She could hear it shout something.

"Come and get me!" The monsters rushed forward, many with large purple blades, and some with what Twilight assumed were ranged weapons. The newcomer disappeared in blue light a appeared behind one of the monsters before kicking it in the back. Twilight could hear bones snap, which sickened her. The monster dropped its blade and the creature grabbed it out of midair and with a spin, decapitated another monster, causing a green sludge to pour from the neck and head. Twilight heard Rarity gag, and felt her own breakfast attempting to rise up her throat.

"IS that really all you've got? You were so much stronger back on Earth." The creature said, before stabbing the blade through one monster's chest, then pushing another one into the blade that stuck through the first's body. The light green sludge poured from their wounds. The creature quickly eliminated the eleven remaining monsters and turned to face them. Twilight felt her heart stop, the creature began to move towards them, filling them each with fear, even the royal guards who had never seen such acts of violence before. The creature stopped when its nose was a few inches from Twilight's own.

"Are you all right?" The creature asked, but Twilight didn't respond, she was too scared to register what it had said, for she was afraid that it would attack her too. "Hello? Are you all right? You're not injured are you?" It asked again, this time Twilight was able to register it, she could tell the voice was male, and it sounded gentle and rough at the same time. Twilight slowly nodded and the creature smiled, its red eyes disturbed her and for a second she swore that she could see flames.

"What did you do...?" Fluttershy asked, on the verge of tears, while these creatures had attacked her, she didn't want them to die.

"I saved you. If I hadn't killed them, they would have killed you. That's how the Black Arms are. Knowing nothing but hate and destruction for anything that isn't one of them." The creature answered, but he walked over to one and pried a blade out of its dead hand. His shoes made a wet smacking sound every time he took a step, and the ponies were just now becoming aware of the green goo pooling around their hooves.

"Who are you?! What are you!? How do you know what those things are!?" Rainbow Dash asked, now feeling angry, after all this thing could prove to be a real threat to all of Equestria.

"I am Shadow the Hedgehog. I come from another planet to wipe out these alien creatures known as the Black Arms..." Shadow said, but if anything this only rose more questions.

"You're a hedgehog?" Rarity asked, backing away from the green slime. She then had another question. "What is this strange goo?"

"It's their blood." Shadow answered, and Twilight heard Rarity gag again, but this time it was followed by her vomiting.

"You never answered my question! How do you know what they are!?" Rainbow Dash asked again.

"They attacked Earth the planet I'm from. They sought to wipe out every form of life on the planet, and they will attempt to do the same with your planet as well." Shadow replied, but Rainbow Dash gasped.

"I knew it! I called it! Evil aliens! I was right and you were wrong!" Rainbow Dash shouted, flying in front of Twilight's face.

"We need to get away from here, they'll just keep sending more soldiers if we stay by the comet." Shadow said, before walking towards Ponyville, but the guards stopped him, pointing their weapons at his face.

"We cannot allow a dangerous being such as you into our towns and cities! For all we know you may be one of them! Your coloration matches theirs. Why should we trust you?" One of the guards asked. Shadow however grabbed onto one of the spears, before he slammed the handle into the guards stomach, making him groan in pain. Shadow avoided attacks made by the other three guards and within a matter of seconds had them all lying on the ground in pain.

"If I was one of them, I would have killed you, not the aliens." Shadow said, leaning down to the guard's ear. Shadow kicked the guard in the stomach and began to walk towards Ponyville once again, but this time with the Mane Six following.

"Shadow! Wait!" Twilight shouted, and the hedgehog stopped. "We need to lay down some rules. Unless it is absolutely necessary do not attack anypony, you cannot bring that weapon into town, and you have to answer a few questions for us. Understood?" Twilight asked, and the hedgehog nodded before allowing himself to be led into town. Twilight just knew that this would be trouble.