Equestrian Psycho

Chapters

Chapter 2- Redefining Reality
Chapter 3- New Friends and Old Enemies
Chapter 4- Puzzle Pieces
Chapter 5- Insane Space [CO]
Chapter 6- My Own Worst Enemy
Chapter 7- Out of Shadows
Chapter 8- Taking Strides
Chapter 9- The Cost of War pt. 1
Chapter 9- The Cost of War pt. 2
Chapter 10- Video Games and Shadow Clones [CO]
Chapter 11- The Tunnel's Light
Chapter 12- Trial By Fire
Chapter 13- A House Divided
Chapter 14- Fear Is In Your Eyes [CO]
Chapter 15- A Nation In Despair [CO]
Chapter 16- Everfree United pt. 1
Chapter 17- Bullet Hell [CO]
Chapter 18- Tests and Procedures [CO]
Chapter 19- Little White Lies
Chapter 20- Behind Closed Doors [CO]
Chapter 21- Center Stage [CO]
Chapter 22- Ground Zero
Chapter 23- Perspective
Chapter 24- Calm Before The Storm pt. 1 [CO]
Chapter 24- Calm Before the Strom pt. 2 [CO]
Chapter 25- Shattered
Chapter 26- Patchwork
Chapter 27- Reboot
Chapter 28- Restructure
Chapter 1- Paint Me Red and Call me Psycho
Chapter 16- Everfree United pt. 2

Chapter 2- Redefining Reality

Chris only felt a sense of weightlessness. He couldn’t tell how much time had passed, whether it had only been a few moments or several hours. Then, suddenly, feeling started to return to his limbs, and the first thing he noticed was that he hurt all over. “Ohhh,” he groaned out, bringing his left hand to rub at his splitting headache. “Did anyone get the number of the bus that hit me?” he whispered.

“Well, Ah don’t know ‘bout a bus, but the name o’ the Machine Captain ya fought was Staroid.”

Chris snapped his eyes wide open. He knew that voice! He slowly looked to his left to find Apple Bloom in a pair of scrubs and a lab coat with a picture of an Erlenmeyer flask and pill bottle on the pocket, a stethoscope wrapped around her neck. She was checking some medical equipment next to his bed and occasionally marking on a clipboard in her hand. He was lying in a hospital bed, his previous clothes replaced by a johnny gown. Chris continued to stare wide-eyed at Apple Bloom. “You’re real,” he said dumbly.

“Last Ah checked, yeah, Ah am,” Bloom replied a bit sarcastically and never taking her eyes off the equipment or clipboard.

Chris continued to stare for a moment before letting out a sigh and putting his hand over his eyes and rubbing his face. “Ohhh, and this isn’t a dream.”

Bloom snorted and rolled her eyes. “More like a nightmare.” She finally turned to look at Chris, her eyes hard. “Look, I appreciate what you did for my friends. But if you hurt anyone here….” The pen in her hand suddenly snapped in half with a loud crack.

Chris stared at Apple Bloom, a bit shocked by her fury. Before his mind could completely catch up, he heard footsteps -hoofsteps?- coming from behind the curtain around his bed. “That’s enough, Apple Bloom.” The curtains opened up and Sunset Shimmer walked through, using her magic to pull the curtain all the way around to reveal the rest of the medical hall. At this point, it didn’t surprise Chris that he was looking at the yellow and red pony in her signature outfit. However, the pair of wings sprouting from her back were definitely an eye opener. So much so that it took Sunset snapping her fingers in Chris’ face to break him out of his mind-blown state.

He shook his head to clear the confusion. “I’m sorry, but… you have wings.” He stated, pointing to the feathered appendages.

Sunset slightly tilted her head in confusion, her wings slightly stretching in response. “I… yes?”

Sunset and Chris stared at each for a long while before someone cleared their throat. Chris blinked and finally looked around. Alongside Sunset were Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Sweetie Belle, and Big Macintosh. Dash sported a pair of blue athletic shorts, blue and white running shoes, a black tank top, and an aviator jacket adorned with two patches, one of her cutie mark and the other of the Wonderbolts logo. Fluttershy wore a pair of pink flats, a long white skirt, and a long-sleeved pink shirt that hung off one shoulder. Pinkie was dressed in denim converse, a dark pink skirt with light pink and white striped leggings, and a light blue shirt with puffed shoulders and her cutie mark on the front. Sweetie was in dressed in a baby blue skirted leotard, a pale yellow half jacket, and a pair of wedges that matched her leotard. Finally, Big Mac was dressed in blue jeans, a green flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and a pair of work boots.

“Uh, I know how weird this is for everyone,” Dash said, trying to get everything back on track, “but isn’t there something we need to do?”

“Sorry, Dash, you’re right,” Sunset apologized. She turned back to Apple Bloom, the look on her face all business now. “How does he check out?”

“He was really dehydrated when the girls brought’im in,” Apple Bloom replied, looking at her clipboard and turning through a few pages, “but every examination points to him passing out from sheer exhaustion like his body didn’t even realize he needed water.”

“That kinda makes sense,” Chris said, sitting up as all eyes turned to him, Dash and Mac going so far as to tense up. “I mean,” he continued, keeping a wary eye on the pair, “I woke up in the middle of the forest with no idea of where I was, how I got there, or how long I had been there.”

“Really?” Dash asked skeptically, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. “And we’re supposed to believe that?”

“Please, Rainbow,” Sunset soothed, trying to keep the multicolored pegasus calm before turning towards Chris. “Although, I have to agree your story is a bit hard to swallow, mister….”

“Chris,” he replied after realizing what she was asking. “Chris Scott. And what I told you was the truth. One minute I’m having a great time at Power Morphicon, and the next thing I know, I’m waking up in the middle of the woods. I would have been completely lost had I not heard one of the girls scream.”

“Bull,” Rainbow Dash grumbled.

Sunset rolled her eyes at her friend's brashness. “That doesn’t explain how you could take on an entire battalion of cogs and then run off their captain without so much as a scratch.”

Chris grinned at the memory of the event. “That would be all thanks to this bad boy,” he said holding up his wrist and smiling.

Everypony present just stared at the appendage. Suddenly Pinkie perked up. “Oh! So you showed them a really cool watch trick and it blew their minds!” Pinkie said excitedly.

“What? No,” Chris replied in confusion. “I used my morph-” He looked down at his wrist only to find a black and red cuff watch, the watch face replaced with something that looked like the communicator from the Mighty Morphin’ series. “What happened to my morpher!?!”

Here Sweetie Belle stepped up. “Actually, that’s it,” Sweetie said. When Chris only stared she continued. “After you fainted, it kinda turned into that.”

Chris looked back to the watch on his rest, staring for a moment. I wonder, he thought. He moved his left hand to his wrist, using his thumb to press the crown on the side. Red electricity appeared around the accessory before turning into a grid, the morpher materializing. Chris looked at it with a grin of satisfaction. “Nice.”

He looked back up at the ponies with a smile on his face only for it to drop from his face as he threw his hands over his head. Sunset’s hands glowed in a teal aura, and Dash had drawn a dagger, everyone else backed behind Big Mac who had dropped into a defensive stance. The only one that didn’t seem ready to tear him apart was Pinkie, who was jumping up and down while clapping her hands, an enormous grin plastered to her face. “Ooo, that was a fun trick,” She said, her excitement growing. “Do it again, do it again!”

“Uh, I think I’d rather not be blasted and stabbed,” Chris replied, eyeing the very sharp weapon in Dash’s hand.

“Explain,” Sunset growled, raising her fists slightly. “Quickly.”

“It’s a morpher. It gives me access to a set of super-powered armor,” Chris explained quickly, sweat beginning to form on his brow. “That’s how I was able to fend off the cogs and Staroid.”

“Bloom,” Sunset barked, “what’s his heart rate say?”

Apple Bloom poked her head out from around the equipment she had hidden behind and took a look at it. “It’s stable. He doesn’t appear to be lying.”

“Those machines don’t always tell all,” Rainbow growled out, stepping closer to Chris. “Give us one good reason not to throw you in a cell.”

“I’m highly allergic to death.”

The random statement made everyone pause for a moment.

“W-what?” was all Rainbow could think to say, standing up and slightly relaxing alongside everyone else.

Chris let out a nervous breath and let his hands fall. “Look,” he began, holding up a hand. “I don’t know what’s going on here, but something tells me it’s not good. What, did King Mondo come to Equestria and suddenly decide he wanted to set up a timeshare or something?”

“For someone who doesn’t know where he is, you certainly know a lot,” Sunset said skeptically.

Chris let out a sigh. “Where I’m from both the Machine Empire and Equestria are fictional places,” he explained. “But the thing is, in my world, they occur completely separately.”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie asked coming out from behind Big Mac.

“They’re part of different TV shows,” Chris replied. “My Little Pony Friendship is Magic for Equestria, and Power Rangers Zeo for King Mondo and the Machine Empire.”

“Are you sayin’ what Ah think yer sayin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Yes, I knew who all of you were before you even walked into the room,” Chris said and began to give descriptions of each of them. “Sunset, you were one of Celestia’s students. Dash, you aspired to be a Wonderbolt. Fluttershy lives in a cottage and takes care animals. Big Mac and Apple Bloom are siblings. Sweetie Belle has an amazing singing voice. And Pinkie,” The mare’s face lit up like a beacon. “There is literally no other way to describe you other than ‘you’re Pinkie’.”

Everypony's eyes were wide, staring at him in disbelief.

“Alright,” Rainbow said, breaking out of her stupor first and putting away her dagger. “This is kinda weird.”

“You’re telling me,” Chris replied, seemingly ignoring the shock on everypony's face. “Two children’s TV shows mashed together and made about a hundred times more violent. Almost feels like I’ve been thrown into some kind of bad fanfiction.” At this, the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees.

“O~kay,” Sunset said, rubbing her arm at the sudden chill. “But that doesn’t really tell us anything about you.”

“Well,” Chris started while shrugging his shoulders, “what do you want to know?”

“There are some questions we’d like to ask, but this isn’t exactly the best place to ask them,” Sunset explained.

“Alrighty then, take me to the interrogation room and I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”

Sunset threw a glance towards Big Mac, who nodded. Sunset turned back to Chris. “I don’t know about an interrogation room, but you will need to meet the mare in charge.”

“Let’s do it, then.” Chris swung his legs over the side of the bed only to pause. “Uh, guys, a few quick questions… where are my clothes and who took them off?”

Both Apple Bloom’s and Sweetie Belle’s faces lit up in a blush.

Chris walked down a brightly lit hallway with the six ponies gathered around him. They had left Bloom in the medical hall as they had ventured further into the structure. The halls seemed new, like a fresh coat of paint had been applied to the walls, leading him to believe that the building he was in was recently renovated. That rules out Canterlot, he thought to himself.

“So,” Chris began, the silence starting to get to him. “What can you guys tell me about what’s happened?”

Nopony jumped to explain anything to him. In fact, Fluttershy, who was walking behind him and to the left, let out a quiet, “eep,” and Rainbow let out a huff to his right. Pinkie looked like she was about to speak up, but a quick look from Rainbow Dash made her close her lips and put her head down, bringing silence back to his left side.

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle stepped up from his rear right, falling into step beside him. “It all started about ten years ago.”

“Sweetie,” Rainbow grumbled in warning.

“Nightmare Moon showed up during the Summer Sun Celebration, and Sunset led us into the Everfree to find the Elements of Harmony.”

“Time out,” Chris interrupted while making a ‘T’ with his hands. “You guys,” he pointed to Sweetie, Big Mac, and Sunset, “are Elements of Harmony?”

“Surprised?” Rainbow asked sarcastically. “I thought you knew everything there was to know about us.”

“I know everything according to the show,” Chris elaborated, throwing a look towards the obnoxious mare. “According to the show, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, and Applejack became Elements of Harmony instead of Sunset, Sweetie, and Big Mac.”

Dash let out a snort. “Yeah sure. I bet you don’t even know the different elements.”

“Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, Laughter, and Magic,” Chris deadpanned.

As Rainbow promptly closed her mouth and turned around with a huff, chuckles could be heard emanating from some of the other bearers.

“Anyway,” Sweetie said, stifling her giggles and getting the conversation back on track. “While we were busy fighting Nightmare Moon, King Mondo attacked Canterlot…. The locals didn’t stand a chance.” The mood of the group got very sullen as Sweetie recalled this part of the story. “The guards fought off the machines the best they could so the citizens could evacuate, but it was a hopeless battle. King Mondo’s forces were simply too advanced for them to handle.”

“Canterlot was overrun by the time we got back to Ponyville,” Sunset stepped in. “We didn’t stand much better of a chance.”

“All we could do was move everypony to the castle in the Everfree,” Big Mac suddenly spoke up, his deep voice startling Chris somewhat.

“And we’ve been here ever since,” Pinkie finished up, her normally upbeat voice saddened by the memories.

“Wow,” was all Chris could think to say for a moment. “What happened to everypony in Canterlot?”

“Most were killed,” Sunset replied darkly, “but some were taken by Mondo for different reasons. The worst part is, we really don’t know.”

“Um, the only ponies that might know about that are Shining Armor and Cadance,” Fluttershy finally spoke up.

However, Chris didn’t really hear what she had said. His face was downcast and it seemed like the area around him got darker. Eventually, he stopped. Everypony noticed this and came to a stop. Most of them didn’t react to heavily, but Chris’ aura made Fluttershy ‘eep’ and dart behind Big Mac.

“He killed them.”

The statement was simple, but it seemed to hammer at the others, and it only got worse. Chris began to shake in his rage, and his morpher, back in its communicator form, started sparking off red energy.

“They were innocent, and he murdered them.” Chris lifted his eyes to meet Sunset’s, his gaze causing her to flinch slightly. “How do I find him?”

Sunset looked at Big Mac, who looked back wide eyed. She turned back to Chris. “This way.”

Chris started marching forward, leaving the others behind to hurry after him. He went through the hallway, only glancing back at the others when he came to a turn, Sunset providing directions by nodding her head in one direction or the other. The further we went the faster he got, making the others speed up along with him. Slowly, the halls started getting more crowded, the ponies jumping out of the way and throwing strange looks at the sprinting young man. Of course, he didn’t notice or care. He only had one thing on his mind; making Mondo pay. If he was still just Chris, he wouldn’t be able to do anything, but now, he had power. He could make a difference, no matter how small.

This is good, purred the dark voice in his head.

Shut up, Chris responded, taking a sharp left at Sunset’s direction.

You’re starting to think like I do, the voice continued, feeding on Chris’ rage and anger. Soon we will be one in the same.

I’m nothing like you, Chris retorted almost missing the next turn. I want to help people, er, ponies, and you just want to destroy.

Once you start killing, you won’t be able to stop.

They’re not alive, they’re machines.

LIVING machines, and once they’re all gone, what happens then? By then you’ll be a fighter. A killer. A killer with no one to kill. What will you do then?

Chris’ face grew dark as he ran. He was so absorbed in his own head that he almost missed Sunset’s instructions.

“Next right, Chris, then through the double doors!” She called out to him, out of breath.

Chris rounded the corner and saw the doors coming up and sped up. He slammed through the doors and came to a complete stop. He was standing in a room that had ponies sitting at different kinds of equipment. Everypony turned at the loud disturbance and stared wide eyed at what had caused it.

“‘Ello, everypony,” Chris started, slightly out of breath as the mane six finally caught up to him, most of them panting heavily. “I’d like to see your boss. I’ve got an application to turn in.”

“I heard you were something,” said a silky female voice from behind him. “Although I have to admit that I didn’t expect you to outrun our very own Elements of Harmony.”

Chris turned around and immediately jumped back, dropping into a stance to draw out the Psycho Sword. In front of him stood Nightmare Moon wearing a dark blue crop top with a black leather jacket, a denim miniskirt, and black lace-up boots with heels, her arms crossed and a frown on her face, however, there was something about her eyes that betrayed her apparent aggravation.

“Nightmare Moon,” Chris said calmly, not dropping out of his stance.

“Human,” she replied, dropping her arms to her sides. There was a long stretch of silence, tension growing between the two as they stared one another down. The mane six began to back away, and some ponies even moved to put the equipment they were working with between them and the tensed figures.

“You seem quite confident,” Nightmare said stepping forward, causing Chris to tense up even more. “We could use someone like you.” She stretched out her hand towards Chris, surprising him. “I’d like to personally welcome you to the Equestrian Resistance Force.”

Chris looked at her suspiciously, relaxing his stance nonetheless. “That’s it?” he questioned, taking Nightmare’s hand in his own and shaking it. “No initiation, no background check, no test?”

“Well, we certainly can’t have that,” she replied, chuckling. “You will be given a physical test, and then you will be interviewed. I wouldn’t worry too much, after all,” a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. “I will be the examiner in charge of your physical trial.”

Chris froze up. “I’m not sure how to feel about that.”

Nightmare Moon chuckled. “Meet me at the training grounds in thirty minutes. Until then,” Nightmare looked the mane six. “Sweetie, be a dear and show him the way.”

Sweetie snapped to attention. “Yes, ma’am,” she replied before relaxing and giving Chris a smile. “Come on, I’ll show you the way.”

“Thanks, Sweetie Belle,” Chris said following Sweetie out of the doors.

Nightmare looked to the rest of the Elements. “You five are dismissed as well.” They all nodded and left the room, each one with something different in mind. “The rest of you,” she continued, “back to your stations. Battle Cry,” a navy blue unicorn in khakis and a military jacket turned his head at the sound of his name being called, “I’d like you to send a message out around the castle; Nightmare Moon is to test a new recruit in thirty minutes.”

Battle Cry nodded his head in compliance and turned back to his keyboard and began typing in the commands that would send the message throughout the castle.

While he was busy with that, Nightmare looked to a large screen at the front of the room that showed a map of the Everfree. Groups of red blips moved back and forth along the edge of the forest. “Do you have anything to report,” she called to seemingly nopony. “Chrysalis.”

Chrysalis appeared behind Nightmare’s right shoulder. She wore a sleeveless ankle length green dress with the belly and back cut out and a slit running up the left leg, black stilettos and darker green sleeves that ran from above her thumb up to above her elbow finishing the outfit. “The human, Chris, seems to be willing,” she explained. “His reaction to finding out what King Mondo did to Canterlot was… surprising to say the least. He ran about three-fourths of the here.”

“That also says something about his overall fitness,” Nightmare added, stroking her chin.

“Yes, he should make a fine member of the Resistance,” Chrysalis continued. “However, I do have some concerns.”

“Hm?” Nightmare hummed, raising an eyebrow.

“I sensed something strange within him,” Chrysalis explained, beginning to pace. “Almost like his emotions were fighting one another.”

“That is concerning,” Nightmare said, finally turning to face Chrysalis and leaning against a console. “I’d like you to keep an eye on him for me.”

“Of course,” Chrysalis said, disappearing again.

Nightmare Moon let out a sigh. “Could this get any more complicated.”

Somewhere in the multiverse, Murphy laughed wickedly.

Author's Note

What could Murphy possibly be planning? And what exactly happened to Equestria? The answer to these questions and more in the next episode! ...I mean chapter.

Thank you, everybody, that supported the first chapter. I have to admit, I've never been so motivated to work on a project before. Your comments, likes, and favourites all made this feel worthwhile. As usual, if you see any mistakes or have any thoughts you'd like to share, leave them in the comments below, and remember to treat each other with respect. Thank you all, again, and I'll talk to you guys in the next one!

Chapter 3- New Friends and Old Enemies

Chris sat on a bench in the castle’s locker room. He was hunched over, struggling to get on a shin guard. Sweetie had been helping him with the other one. In fact, she had helped him with a lot. She’d not only shown him the way to the locker room for the training ground, she had also showed him to an empty locker he could use to store his jacket in, then found him a set of training armor he could use. It was while he was strapping the leather armor on that they had found out that his morpher phased through and settled on top of any armor or tight fitting clothing he wore. She’d helped him through getting on all the armor pieces except the final shin guard when she suddenly shot up straight and took off saying she’d forgotten something. That had been a few minutes ago and Chris was starting to wonder if she was ever going to come back.

“Stupid strap,” he muttered as said strap slipped out of his hand again. He let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. “I never had to deal with this with my velcro gear.”

“Do you need some help?” A soft voice asked to his left with the hint of a chuckle.

Chris shot his head up to look at who was talking, only to startle an ‘eep’ out of Fluttershy as she darted behind Big Mac, who stood back with his hands in his pockets.

“Oh, sorry, Fluttershy,” Chris apologized, standing up and giving an apologetic smile. “You just surprised me is all.” He wasn’t lying. While he could accept that Fluttershy had gone without him noticing her presence, it disturbed him that Mac had been able to do the same, no matter how quiet and stoic the big guy was.

“That’s alright,” She replied, poking her head out from behind Big Mac. “But the question still stands, if you’re okay with that.”

“Actually,” Chris said slowly, eyeing the armor still in his hand, “yeah, I could….”

“Here,” Big Mac said, his voice reverberating around the room, “let me.”

“Er, okay?” Chris replied, slightly confused. Big Mac moved to the other side of the bench and signaled for Chris to rest his foot there. He did so and when Mac held out his hand, Chris handed over the shin guard. He made short work of it, wrapping the armor’s straps expertly around Chris’ leg until it held snuggly. “Wow,” Chris said in awe, amazed at how fast the big pony had worked. “Thanks, Big Mac.”

“Don’t mention it,” Big Mac replied kindly.

“So,” Chris began awkwardly as Big Mac moved to stand next to Fluttershy once again. “You guys here to watch Nightmare Moon beat the snot out of me.”

“Actually,” Fluttershy replied meekly, “there’s something else I’d like to talk to you about.”

“Uh, sure,” Chris said, resting his hands on his hips. “Whaddya got for me?”

“You mentioned a name earlier,” Fluttershy started weakly. “Twilight Sparkle?”

Chris raised an eyebrow. “Yeah, Twilight. What about her?”

“W-who is she?”

The question shocked Chris. “What do you mean, ‘who is she’?”

Fluttershy flinched slightly. Macintosh noticed and took the lead. “We’ve never met anyone named ‘Twilight Sparkle’.”

“Seriously?” Chris questioned, completely flabbergasted. “Man, this universe is more different than I thought.” Chris straightened up and crossed his arms bringing a hand up to his chin. “Well, firstly, where I’m from, Twilight is the Element of Magic and the Princess of Friendship.” Chris let out a sigh and shook his head. “I can’t really explain anything else without going into specifics, and I’m pretty sure Nightmare Moon wants to kick my butt in five minutes. Why do you ask?”

Fluttershy shared a look with Big Mac before answering. “I heard one of our friends mention her name once before,” she explained, looking back at Chris, “but he spoke in whispers like he didn’t want anyone to overhear him.”

“Who’s ‘he’?” Chris asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Shining Armor.”

The response threw Chris for a loop, but before he could ask any questions, a voice rang out from a speaker in the corner. “Would Chris Scott please report to the training area. Chris Scott to the training area.”

Chris let out a puff of air. “Well, times up,” he said, grabbing a leather helmet off the bench and putting it on his head. “Thank you, guys, for everything, and if you see Sweetie Belle give her my thanks.” He started towards the doors that led to the training field. “Oh, and if I see Shining, I’ll talk to him. See ya, guys.”

“Good luck,” Fluttershy said quietly as he left, “you’ll need it.”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac added in agreement.

Chris walked out into the dirt arena, blinking the light out of his eyes. When his eyes had adjusted, the first thing he noticed was all the ponies in the stands off to the sides of the arena. The moment they saw him, they started cheering. The noise was deafening, and Chris had to cover his ears as he walked forward towards the center of the field. Nightmare stood there, garbed in armor that resembled the set from the show, only covering a lot more of her body.

As Chris finally made his way to the center, he raised his voice above the crowd. “Is it safe for them to be so close?”

“Yes, they’re perfectly safe,” She replied with a nod. “There’s a magical sphere around the arena that prevents anything inside to get to those outside. It also makes sure we can’t hurt one another to terribly,” she explained.

“Great,” Chris said, “looks like I put all this on for nothing.”

“No,” Nightmare countered. “You will most certainly need it.”

Suddenly, all the noise from the crowd became muffled, and when Chris turned his head to the right, he saw Lyra in a ref’s uniform and walking towards them. She kept eyeing Chris in a way that served only to unnerve him. Chris turned to face Nightmare again before tilting his head and thumb towards the approaching unicorn and raising an eyebrow.

“She wouldn’t stop asking until I agreed,” Nightmare explained, answering Chris’ silent question.

“Aw,” Chris said in understanding.

“Alright, you two,” Lyra said, reaching the center and eyeing both combatants. “I want a nice, clean fight. The match ends when one of you concedes to the other, or one or both of you are unable to continue.” She paused to look at Nightmare. “Fighter one, are you ready?” Nightmare nodded, moving into a sideways stance. Lyra nodded back before turning her eyes to Chris. “Fighter two, are you ready?” Chris nodded as well, gulping and dropping into a back stance. Lyra nodded back and began looking back and forth between each opponent. “Both Fighters ready. Fight!” Lyra teleported away and reappeared outside of the protective shield.

As soon as the sound left Lyra’s lips, both fighters leaped and slid backward, creating enough empty space between them. As she came to a stop, Nightmare waved her hand in front of herself, generating an ornately decorated scythe.

What is with these people and scythes? Chris questioned, sizing up his adversary. There’s no way I can take her one-on-one, and definitely not in hand-to-hand. As he thought this, Nightmare started to charge towards him, closing the distance quickly.

Scheisse, Chris thought, beginning to sprint to his left to keep some distance between himself and the mare. What do I do know?

Summon your weapon, the voice in his head said.

Shut up, you, Chris retorted. I’m busy.

Just do it, the voice replied irritably.

Chris stopped and turned towards his opponent, swinging his arms into position to summon the Psycho Sword. Chris kept his eyes locked on Nightmare as energy built up over his left wrist. He grabbed the handle and swung it out in front of him. “Psycho Swor-,” Chris stopped in mid-sentence and took a second look to see that the Psycho Sling was sitting in his hand instead of the Sword. “What the-?”

Forget about it and shoot! The voice commanded urgently.

Chris snapped his focus back to Nightmare Moon to see the gap between them almost gone. He whipped the Sling back into position, pulling the false string and firing off several bolts of yellow energy. Nightmare’s eyes widened in surprise, swinging her scythe to block the first few before dodging out of the way. Chris started running counter to Nightmare, continuing to fire off energy blasts at his foe. Nightmare began fading in and out of sight as she dodged the lasers, slowly but surely closing the distance.

This isn’t working, Chris thought, firing off a few more shots. New strategy. Chris came to a stop, dismissing the Sling, and faced Nightmare as she closed the distance. She swung her scythe level with Chris’ neck. He leaned backward in response, letting the blade sweep by overhead. He jumped back onto his hands and bent his arms, lifting his legs and throwing his feet into Nightmare’s chest while she was vulnerable. Nightmare went sliding backward, giving Chris time to catch his breath. She righted herself just in time to see Chris take up a new stance.

“No more games,” Chris muttered bringing his arms back and resting his left index and middle fingers on his morpher. “Go, Psycho!” He shouted, throwing his right arm forward. He was enveloped in dark red light and energy before it dispersed revealing Chris in his Psycho Red form, Psycho Sword already in hand.

Nightmare Moon paused to take in the sight. “Impressive,” she said, dropping into a runner’s stance and darting forward, “but not impressive enough!”

“We’ll see about that!” Chris cried, dashing forward to meet Nightmare head on. Their weapons clashed with a bang, sending up sparks as metal met metal. Both fighters knew this was where the real battle began. They danced around one another, their blades meeting over and over again in a deadly whirlwind of movement.

Chris dropped to the left, angling his sword up and thrusting upwards at Nightmare’s abdomen. Nightmare knocked the blow away with the staff of her weapon and swung the blade down in a counter strike. Chris rolled out of the way, spinning as he got back to his feet, swinging his sword in a left-to-right slash. Nightmare caught the blow with the blade of her scythe before twisting the handle so the cutting edge faced him and dashed forward. Chris gasped in shock, falling and rolling backward to avoid the devastating blow. He twisted back to his feet to face his opponent, only to find her swinging her scythe down in an overhead arc. Chris lifted his sword to intercept the blade, just barely making the block and falling to one knee from the force of the blow.

Verdammt, he thought. I can’t take much more of this.

One last trick, the voice responded.

Chris nodded as the information was fed into him. Suddenly, he pushed as hard as could on his blade, letting out a shout as he did. The Psycho Sword lit up in flames, throwing Nightmare’s scythe away. Her eyes widened once again in surprise, but it didn’t last long. She sprung backward as Chris took another swing with his now burning blade, before launching herself into the air.

“Hey, no fair!” Chris shouted indignantly.

“All’s fair in love and war,” Nightmare replied simply, raising her scythe over her head. Magic began to build up around it as she held it there, the blade starting to glow a dark blue. Chris took notice of this and dropped into a light horse stance, lowering his sword to point down and behind him as he began to charge his own weapon. After a few moments, Nightmare swept her scythe down and to the side in one fluid motion, the blade shining bluish-black. “Let’s end this,” she called, plunging into a dive.

“Yes,” Chris replied, fire igniting around his feet as he began to run towards her. “Let’s.”

As they drew nearer each other, Chris jumped into the air, propelling himself forward through the flames on his feet. Nightmare was surprised once again, but it was too late. Both combatants swung their weapons before coming to a stop on either side of the field facing away from each other. Everything was still for a moment as everypony waited for something to happen. Suddenly, Chris’ chest exploded in sparks. He arched his back and fell forwards, dropping his sword. When he hit the ground, his armor and weapon dispersed themselves, leaving him in his original form.

Several ponies ran to check on him, including Sweetie Belle. When they reached him, he was only lying there, eyes staring off into the distance. Nopony dared move him for fear of what they would find despite the protective spell over the grounds. Finally, Nightmare pushed her way through the crowd to kneel down beside him.

“Chris?” She asked softly, “Chris, are you alright?”

Chris remained silent for a few more moments before blinking. “Ow.”

Nightmare chuckled as everypony else let out a sigh of relief. “Come on, let’s get you up.” She grabbed him by one arm, helping him to lift himself up. Sweetie rushed forward to help support him, throwing his right arm over her shoulder. “Thanks,” he muttered to both of them.

“Now that your physical test is over,” Nightmare began after making sure Chris wouldn’t fall out. “Chris Scott, I, Nightmare Moon, welcome you to the Equestrian Resistance Force.” She let a smile light up her features. “Welcome to the family.”

Everypony in the stands and around them broke into cheers. Chris winced at the volume before he allowed their joy to infect him and grinned ear-to-ear. He looked at Sweetie, who gave him a smile of her own.

Nightmare let the crowd scream, holler, and whoop a little longer before raising her hand. The ponies immediately dropped into silence. She lowered her hand and nodded in thanks before turning back Chris. “Chris, from this day forward, you will be a part of the special operations team. This team is only made up of the best and most talented. Don’t disappoint me.”

Chris and Sweetie glanced at each other and nodded. Sweetie let go of Chris’ arm as he raised himself up to hold his own body weight. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied, determination ringing through his voice.

Nightmare nodded to him before turning to Sweetie Belle. “And, Miss Belle.”

Sweetie whipped her eyes from Chris to Nightmare, snapping to attention. “Yes, ma’am?”

“You will be his partner.”

Both Chris and Sweetie started at the news. “B-b-but, what about Pinkie?” Sweetie stuttered.

Nightmare chuckled. “I have been watching you and Miss Pie during training, and you two seem to lack a certain chemistry that all fighting pairs should have. Pinkie can do fine on her own, but it was you I was worried about. It is my hope that the two of you will find that chemistry.”

The pair looked at each other. After a while, Chris flashed a nervous grin at Sweetie. Sweetie was surprised for a moment before she too formed her lips into a small smile. They both turned back to their leader and nodded.

“Good,” said Nightmare, a strange glint in her eye. “Now, Chris you are probably tired. Sweetie will show you to your quarters.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they said in unison before turning and walking away like old friends.

“Oh, yeah,” Sweetie Belle piped up. She dug around in a small purse that hung down at her hip before pulling out a wrapped bar and holding it out to Chris. “Here, I thought you might be hungry. Sorry I couldn’t get it to you before the fight.”

“Oh, thanks, Sweetie,” he said, accepting the bar. “I appreciate that.” He unwrapped the bar and took a bite. As he chewed, a huge growl could be heard. They both stopped and looked at each other. Chris broke into an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Sweetie,” he apologized, moving a hand to his stomach, “but I think I’m going to need something more than a protein bar.”

Sweetie responded with a giggle. “I’m sure you do,” she replied, walking forward again. “I would too if I hadn’t eaten in a few days.”

Chris stopped in shock, staring after the small gray mare. He finally shook his head. “Wait, Sweetie Belle, hold up!” he called, running after his partner. “What’s this about a few days?”

Nightmare Moon watched the two’s antics as ponies made their way back to whatever it was they were doing beforehand, and smiled. “You certainly won’t,” she whispered, thinking about his promise to not disappoint while moving a hand to the burn mark in her armor.

Midnight walked down the redecorated halls of Canterlot Castle. She could remember when the corridors were painted bright white and lavished with light pinks and purples, servants and guards crawling through them, always so upbeat and happy. The thought sickened her. She’d always had a certain disdain for the smiling maids, the noble guards. She even held some resentment towards her older brother. Now, the passages were dull and dark, covered in gears and other mechanical contraptions, the grimy air of the Machine Empire staining the once pristine environment.

Midnight focused her eyes forward as she approached a large set of double doors that led to the throne room. On either side of the door stood a cog, weapon in hand.

She came to a stop in front of them, leaning and placing a hand on her hip as the machines crossed their weapons in front of the door.

“Mondo is expecting me,” she told them, impatience clear in her voice.

The minions looked at one another, one giving a shrug before turning back and refusing to budge.

“Grr,” Midnight growled, raising her right hand across her chest to her left shoulder. “I do NOT have time for this. MOVE!” She threw her hand out to the side, sweeping the automatons away in a flash of teal magic.

As they crashed into the wall, she walked forwards to the doors, pushing them open effortlessly and entering the chamber. King Mondo wasn't on his throne as Midnight had expected. Instead, he was out on the balcony, looking in the direction of Ponyville.

“You should really be more careful with our forces, Midnight,” he said without turning as Midnight approached. “What news do you bring?”

“For a weekly report, it is rather concerning,” she replied coming to a stop, once again leaning to one side and crossing her arms across her chest.

“How so?” Mondo asked, finally turning to face her.

“One of my Machine Captains came back from the Everfree minus a battalion of cogs.”

“How did he manage that?” the king asked, irritation growing in his voice.

“He says that while he had a group of Resistance fighters cornered, an armored warrior appeared out of nowhere and destroyed the cogs. He even put a nice dent in Staroid,” she explained in a bored manner.

“An armored warrior?” King Mondo parroted, beginning to pace. “Did the warrior present a name or title of any sort?”

“He called himself something rather strange,” Midnight replied. “‘Psycho Ranger Red’, I believe.”

Mondo stopped short in his pacing and turned slowly towards Midnight. “Did you just say that Staroid was defeated by a ranger?”

“That is what Staroid said,” she responded, not paying attention to the monarch’s growing shadow. Midnight was suddenly yanked off her feet and into the air, held there by the power King Mondo was focusing through his staff. She struggled in the powerful grip before her limbs were pulled tight, restricting her movement.

“Do not toy with me, pony,” Mondo hissed, bringing Midnight’s face close to his own. “Know tell me again, what happened to Staroid’s battalion?”

“I told you the truth!” Midnight gasped out. “He was attacked by a fighter in red armor who declared himself as Psycho Ranger Red.”

Mondo released his power allowing Midnight to hit the ground with a painful thud. His mind was filled with memories of another red-garbed warrior, one with a star shape on his helmet. “Blast,” he muttered, turning away from the struggling Midnight. “Even here Zordan and his Power Punks follow behind me.” He looked out over his balcony, staring at the Everfree that concealed a foe he’d hoped to never meet again. He spun to face Midnight once again just as she managed to get back to her feet.

“Midnight,” he addressed her, urgency lacing his voice. “Send that dragon of your’s to get Sombra. Tell him I wanted him here yesterday. Go!”

Midnight stood up straight, nodded and left the room quickly. Once he was alone again, King Mondo walked out to the edge of the throne room’s balcony, gripping the railing with an iron fist and cracking it. He glared out towards the Everfree Forest. “I will NOT be beaten a second time!”

“And, voila!” Sweetie Belle said as she flicked the lights to the room on.

Chris had to blink his eyes a few times in order to adjust. When he finally looked around at the room, he was impressed. The room was well furnished, consisting of a closet that took up the left wall, a desk and chair pushed into the corner to the right of the door, and a nice full-sized bed was centered against the back wall. A doorway in the right wall led into a nicely made up bathroom. Chris let out a whistle at the sight. “Snazzy,” he said, walking in giving the room another look.

“Is it okay?” Sweetie asked, giving him a worried look.

“It’s more than okay,” Chris answered, giving her a reassuring smile. “It’s better than just about anything I’ve ever had.”

“Really?” She asked, tilting her head.

“Yeah,” Chris replied, shrugging his shoulders. “My childhood wasn’t exactly the best.”

“I’m sorry,” Sweetie apologized, holding her hands behind her back. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not much to talk about,” Chris said, putting his hands in his pockets. “I was a foster kid, and I got moved around a lot.”

“Oh,” Sweetie muttered. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he responded, waving his hand reassuringly. “It wasn’t all bad. That part of my life was over anyway.” He looked around and grabbed the chair to sit down. “You might want to sit down.” Sweetie moved to sit on the edge of the bed. “I lived with three different foster parents over the years. By the time I graduated, I was tired of being moved around. Luckily, I got offered a scholarship to go to college. I was actually in my third year when I got sent here.”

“Sounds like things were starting to look up for you,” Sweetie said, turning her foot on her toes.

“They were,” Chris agreed with a smile, before he leaned forward, lacing his fingers together and frowning. “But let’s be honest. Who’s going to hire a foster kid with Multiple Personality Disorder straight out of college?” He gave a sarcastic chuckle. “I’d be lucky to get a job at a drive-through.” He looked up at Sweetie Belle, a distant look in his eye. “Maybe my being sent here was for the best.”

He finally came back into focus and stretched. “Sorry about that,” he apologized. “It’s getting late and you probably have things to do tomorrow.”

“I don’t mind,” Sweetie assured, standing up with him. “But you’re probably tired, so I should let you get some rest.”

“Yeah,” he said, giving her a smile and walking her to the door. “Goodnight, Sweetie.”

“Goodnight,” she answered, leaving the room.

Chris closed the door softly behind her and let out a sigh. It had been a long day and all he wanted was to go to sleep. He hung his jacket in the closet where he found some pajamas that had been provided for him. He went to the bathroom and got changed, using the given supplies to brush his teeth and face. When he finished, he looked himself over in the mirror. His once buzzcut had grown out to midlength, sweeping to the left and covering some of his face. He looked into the gray eyes of his reflection, looking to see if anything had changed in them. Of course they have, he thought to himself, look at where you are.

Alone on an alien world, stuck in the middle of a war.

Chris looked around the bathroom before peeking his head out the door to make sure no one was there. When he was sure, he faced the mirror again and stared at himself hard. Who are you? He asked in his thoughts. You’re not Samson, and he’s the only up there.

Quite perceptive of you, the voice purred, but not overly intelligent despite everyone calling you a genius.

Who. Are. You? He thought, gritting his teeth at the word “genius.”

Nobody special, the voice replied, just the one whose powers you’ve been using.

Chris froze for a moment. Psycho Red.

ERT, wrong! The voice cried mimicking a buzzer. Good guess, though. No, I am not simple “Psycho Red.” I’m more of an amalgamation of all the Psychos combined.

So, what? Chris questioned, his eye twitching. You’re like THE Psycho?

Ooo, I like that name, Psycho answered. I think I’ll keep it.

Yeah, yeah, just get out of my head.

Can’t do that, friend. I’m directly linked to the Psycho Morpher. There’s getting rid of me unless the power runs out or you chop off your own arm!

Chris looked down at the watch on his wrist. He examined it closely before looking back up. Fine, whatever, but I won’t be giving you what you want.

That’s fine. I much prefer a game of takeaway, anyway.

And what, exactly, will you be taking away?

Why, your body, of course.

Chris hesitated again. I don’t think so, buddy. I got too many things to worry about to give in to you.

That’s alright, Psycho assured him. I’ll just until this war is over, wait for your mind to be weak, then you’ll be all mi-. What was that?

Chris looked around the room again to find no one anywhere. But that didn’t stop Psycho for whatever reason.

Who are you? What are you doing? Let go of me-

All at once Psycho’s presence was gone from Chris’ mind. He felt better than he had when he first got here like a burden had been lifted off him. Whatever had happened, Psycho wasn’t bothering him anymore. He sighed in a relaxed manner and walked to his bed. He got into bed and flipped the switch that was conveniently placed near the bed. As the lights went, Chris curled up under the sheets and closed his eyes. It didn’t take him long to go fast asleep.

Hearing his first snores, a shifting shadow stepped away from the corner of his room and made it’s way out into the corridor, leaving Chris none the wiser.

Author's Note

What does King Mondo have planned? When did Sombra get involved in all this? How will Chris adapt to life in the Resistance? And what exactly is he capable of? Find out in the next one thousand, seven hundred, and eighty-two chapters of Equestrian Psycho!

Just kidding, guys. As far as I know, this story should stop long before then I just like a good stab at DBZ. Anywho, Chris seems to be getting the hang of things, and the next chapter promises to build on that, along with a little more of the world. Yay, world-building! :ajbemused: Also, I probably won't be uploading chapters as often as these three from here on out, classes are just stretching me too much to be able to keep up this pace. I hope you understand.

As always, if you guys see any mistakes or just have a thought you'd like to share, feel free to leave it in the comments below. And please be kind to one another. Until next time, have a great day!

Chapter 4- Puzzle Pieces

Chris woke with a start. He looked around his new room as the events of the day before caught up with him. Meeting Bloom and the Elements, his battle with Nightmare and subsequent initiation into the Resistance. Even when Sweetie showed him to the mess hall for dinner after the match…. Chris shook his head and got out of bed. He didn’t have a clock in his room, so he hoped he had gotten up at the right time. He walked over to his closet and opened the door before pulling out one of the drawers below the hanging space. In it were his red shirt, dark pants, and a single pair of socks. Chris let out a sigh.

I’m going to have to find some new clothes, he thought to himself, taking out the outfit and walking towards the bathroom. He got changed quickly and groomed himself. He left the bathroom and sat on the edge of his bed, putting his boots on. He finished, standing up and walking over to the closet again to grab his jacket. As he approached the door to make his way to the mess hall, someone knocked from the outside.

He had a puzzled look on his face as he opened the door to reveal Rainbow Dash in a pair gray of sweatpants, a blue tank top, and some white running shoes. “Nice to see you wake up early,” Dash quipped, giving him a bit of a sour look. “Here.” She held out a stack of papers for him to take. “These are your training regiment, a basic day-to-day schedule for the castle, and request forms for anything you might need or want. Within reason, of course.”

“Thanks, Dash,” he thanked her, taking the papers from her and flipping through them. He stopped at the last packet, concern crossing his face. “Hey, Dash?”

“Hm?” She asked, turning to face him after trying to walk away.

“What’s this one for?” He asked, holding up the bundle in question.

“Oh, that,” Rainbow responded in a bored manner. “That’s for your interview later.”

“What interview?”

“You know, that interview Nightmare mentioned before when she talked about your ‘tests.’”

“Oh, that,” Chris said, suddenly remembering the whole conversation. “Any idea who’s going to conduct my interview?”

“No idea,” Rainbow replied, shrugging her shoulders. “All I know is that it’ll be one of the Councilors.”

This gave Chris reason to pause. “Man, I really should have asked Sweetie Belle more questions during dinner,” Chris stated, rubbing his neck. He walked out of his room and closed the door before he began picking Dash’s brain. “Who’re the Councilors?”

“Geez, you really don’t know anything, do you?” Dash scoffed, turning to walk down the hallway. “There’s one Councilor for each race in the Resistance. Earth ponies, pegasi, unicorns, a few minotaurs and griffons, some diamond dogs, the changelings, even a couple of dragons are all a part of the Resistance.”

“Wow, you guys really came together when Mondo attacked, didn’t you?”

“Psh, I wish,” Dash replied, crossing her arms. “Maybe if we had, Equestria, heck, all of Equis, would be a lot better off. Instead, we all tried to fight it out ourselves.” Rainbow moved her arms from a crossed position to holding herself. “King Mondo tore us all apart, one at a time. It wasn’t until a few years after he arrived that the different races finally got organized.”

Chris frowned morously. “I’m sorry to hear all that.” They walked along the corridor in silence, Dash keeping herself withdrawn.

“Hey, Dash?”

Rainbow looked up at Chris to see his face set in stone. The look would have frightened her, but instead, it put a warm feeling in her chest.

“I know we didn’t get off on the right foot, but,” he lifted his fist and stared at his morpher, “I promise I’ll do all I can to put your world back on track. I was given this power for a reason, and I’ll be verdammt before I squander it.”

Dash just stared at him for a while. She didn’t know why, but she believed him. After so long, she felt the one thing that had been covered by all her anger and contempt; hope. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as they continued down the hall. “Yeah, yeah,” Dash said, smiling and dispersing the blush on her cheeks. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself.”

Chris chuckled in response, oblivious to Rainbow Dash’s reaction to his words. “Yeah, can’t do much of anything on an empty stomach.” They walked for a few more minutes until they entered the mess hall and walked towards the line, grabbing a metal tray and silverware off a nearby cart. They walked through the line, grabbing a few items before they got to the main course consisting of pancakes, hash and hay browns, and sausage for the carnivores of the Resistance. Rainbow went before Chris, holding her tray out to the server, Heavy Ladle, a cream-colored pegasus with a lightish blue mane in a basic server’s uniform. Ladle took the plate and piled it high with pancakes, handing Dash back the tray with a smile. When Chris slid in after Rainbow, the smile on Ladle’s face disappeared and was instead replaced with a stern look.

“You.”

“Me?” Chris blanched, staring wide-eyed at the mare.

“Yes, you,” she replied, pointing a metal spatula at him. “One serving. And ONLY one!”

He gulped in response. “Y-yes, ma’am.”

Ladle gave a small nod. “Good,” she said, taking the tray from his outstretched hands. “Now, what would you like?”

“Um,” Chris hummed, getting over the shock. “Just a little of everything?”

“Even the hay browns?” she asked, raising an eyebrow as she put pancakes on his tray. “Most carnivores don’t like them.”

“Well, if I don’t try’em, I’ll never know,” he replied with a shrug.

“That’s a good answer,” Ladle said, placing the hay browns on the tray and passing it back to him. “Have a nice day.”

“You, too,” he replied before turning and walking away. Dash had waited patiently for Chris to end his encounter with the intimidating lunch mare.

“Given ya trouble?” She asked with a chuckle as Chris approached.

“Not a whole lot,” Chris replied, shaking his head as they walked towards an empty table. “She is kinda scary, though. But that’s my fault, really.”

“How so?” Rainbow asked as they made it to the table and sat down across from each other.

“Let’s just say I went a little overboard at dinner last night,” Chris said simply, covering his pancakes with the syrup provided on the table.

“What did you do?” Rainbow pressed, taking the syrup as Chris passed it to her.

“I, uh, ate several trays of food.”

Dash paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. “How did you even manage that?” She asked, giving him a puzzled look.

“Apparently, I was just as starved as I was dehydrated when Sweetie Belle and the others brought me in. According to Sweetie, Apple Bloom estimates that I was out for at least a few days.”

“Huh, weird,” was the colorful pegasus said in response before going back to her pancakes.

“I know,” Chris said, getting ready to take a bite of the hay browns, “and it felt almost instantaneous to me.”

“Not that,” Dash said, waving her hand. “The fact that, despite all that, you were able to hold your own against Nightmare Moon as long as you did.”

“Ah,” Chris responded, the fork with hay browns frozen in midair. “I’ve always had amazing endurance. Just ask my track-and-field coach.” He finally took the bite of hay browns he’d been holding and munched them for a bit. His face turned into one of silent dislike as he swallowed. “Note to self,” he said, taking a drink of water. “No more hay browns. Want’em?” He asked Rainbow, pointing his fork at the dish.

“No thanks,” Dash replied, digging into her fourth pancake.

“I’ll take them if you want.”

Chris looked up to find Sunset and the other Elements approaching.

“Yeah, sure,” he replied, waiting for everyone to sit down before passing Sunset his tray. She scrapped the hay browns on top of her own and gave his plate back. Sunset and Sweetie sat on either side of Chris, Pinkie taking the seat between Sunset and Rainbow while Mac and Fluttershy filled in the last two chairs between Sweetie and Rainbow.

“So, Chris,” Sunset began, digging into her double portion of browned food. “How’re you liking it here?”

“It’s actually kind of… I don’t know, calming?” He replied, scrunching his brow to think of the right word. “Like, I feel more complete here than I’ve ever felt…. I feel at home.” He looked up to see everypony staring at him with different expressions on their faces, some of surprise or shock, others of respect.

Finally, Sunset let out a small chuckle. “I can only hope you can stay that optimistic.” Her face darkened. “War has a way of changing everyone.”

The faces around the table darkened as heads bowed. Chris looked around at the downcast faces surrounding him, slowly chewing through a bite of sausage. He continued like this for a while before he finally reached Sweetie’s face directly to his left. She looked the worst of everypony at the table, tears forming in her eyes. Chris swallowed hard, letting out a sigh afterward.

“Nope.”

This simple statement shocked everypony out of the stupor. However, it seemed to have the most profound effect on Sunset. She whipped her head around to stare at Chris. “What did you say?”

“I said ‘Nope,’” Chris replied, shrugging and going in for a bite of his pancakes.

Sunset only continued to stare him, dumbfounded. “Wh-What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” Chris began, swallowing his pancakes and washing them down with water. “That it doesn’t change everyone.”

“How can you say that?” Sunset demanded, gritting her teeth. “Everyone here has lost something. A home, a lifestyle, a loved one. Tell me, how can that not change someone?”

“That’s not war.” Chris’s usually relaxed face warped into something much more severe. He moved his arms to rest his elbows on the table and folded his hands in front of his chin. “That’s life. Life changes you. Life will take everything you love, everything you believe, and throw it away. It will knock you over and kick you while you’re down. Life is what causes loss. War is simply a tool life uses to continue its cruel regime of taking without giving back.” He looked up to stare Sunset in her eyes. “War… is just an excuse.”

Sunset visibly flinched under his gaze. “Chris….”

Everypony stared at the scene before them, none of them daring to break the silence that formed. Suddenly, Chris smiled and went back to eating. “Besides, you can’t change if you don’t want to.” Everypony blinked at this sudden change in demeanor. It was almost like he had never acted that way.

“Could someone pass the salt?” He asked, pointing to the shaker. Everypony shared a look before Pinkie passed Chris the seasoning.

Chris and Sweetie Belle walked down the hallways of the Castle of Two Sisters, Chris completely relaxed while Sweetie was somewhat tense. Chris’s strange outburst at breakfast had left her stunned, making her rethink what she thought she knew about the man. He carried himself in such a carefree way, and yet, she could feel something else. She kept stealing glances at him, observing the content clear on his face.

“Hey, Sweetie?” He suddenly asked, turning his head to look at her.

Sweetie was caught off guard by the sudden action and turned away quickly with a blush. “I’m sorry,” Sweetie apologized.

“Hm? Oh. Don’t worry about it. I’m used to people staring,” he replied, giving a nonchalant shrug. “But, can I ask you a question?”

“Oh. Yeah, sure,” Sweetie Belle said, her blush deepening from her mistake.

Chris looked forward again and sighed before asking his question. “What exactly is the situation when it comes to the war? How is the Resistance doing against Mondo?” He looked back at her, concern written all over his face.

Sweetie looked surprised at the unexpected question before frowning at the floor. “Honestly,” she sighed, “we’re not doing very well. King Mondo and his compatriots have control over most of Equestria, and even some territories and countries outside our borders. The only place that’s really safe is here in the Everfree. Thanks to Nightmare Moon’s magic, the forest works in our favor and keeps the machines from getting too close while the Mage. Ops. keeps up a cloak around the castle. We barely get by using quick scouting missions. Over the years, we’ve been able to accumulate some of Mondo’s tech and reverse engineer it. We owe our existence to the research and engineering department. Without them and their ability to repurpose Mondo’s tech, we would have been beaten a long time ago.”

Silence fell between them as they walked along, Sweetie downcast while Chris took in and processed all the information he’d been given. Neither of them said anything, and after a while, Sweetie started to get worried that he had gone back to the way he was in the mess hall. She looked up at him to find his face formed into one of determination rather than the dark experience from earlier. She furrowed her brow at this, wondering what was going on in his head. It didn’t take long for her to get her answer.

They stopped in front of the door leading to the interrogation room where he was to conduct his interview. “This is it,” Sweetie said, motioning towards the door. She hesitated for a moment. “I guess I’ll get going.” She turned and began to walk away.

“Sweetie Belle.” She stopped and turned to face him. His face was one of calm, soft compassion. “I will make this world better, even if it kills me to do so. King Mondo will fall. I promise.”

The determination and assurity in his voice caused her to pause and stare as he made his way into the room. Even after he’d gone in, she stared after him with a dumbfounded expression that melted into a smile as she walked away.

Chris sat in one of the two chairs in the interrogation room, waiting for his interviewer to make an appearance. As the minutes stretched on, he started to tap his fingers on the table in front of him in a familiar beat.

He only got through about half of the song before the door behind him opened up with a creak. He craned his neck back and was surprised to find Shining Armor in his captain’s attire closing the door behind him.

“Sorry for making you wait,” Shining apologized while moving to take the other seat across from Chris. “I had to wait for my wife to get back so she could look after our daughter. My name is-”

“Shining Armor, I know,” Chris said, waving his hand. “And before you ask how I know that, I’m pretty sure we’re going to get to that.”

Shining gave him a puzzled look. “O~kay,” he said slowly before clearing his throat. “You have the paperwork from Dash, correct?”

“Affirmative,” Chris said, passing the packet to the white unicorn. “Seems pretty extensive.”

“Well, we want to weed out any possible moles.”

“Understandable,” Chris replied with a shrug.

“So, since you’ve read the packet, do you need me to repeat the questions?”

“That won’t be necessary. I have a photographic memory and perfect recall.”

“Alright. Begin when you're ready.”

Chris inhaled extensively before letting loose with quickfire responses to the questions he had memorized. “Name, Chris Andrew Scott. Age, Twenty-one. Gender, Male. Hair, Blonde. Eyes, Grey. Height, six one. Weight, two-o-seven. Citizenry, not applicable. Race, Human. Magical ability, not applicable. Country/Area of origin, Earth. Combat training, Taekwondo, and Jiu-Jitsu. Talents, computer science, and engineering. Experience in the field, little to none. Preferred equipment, Psycho Morpher. Sub-category, Psycho Ranger armor, Psycho Sword, and Sling. Known family, not applicable. Background, college student.” Chris let out a long sigh, catching his breath after exhaling so much information at once. “Is that it?” He asked, focusing back in on Shining.

Shining blinked his eyes a few times, trying to catch up to the verbal regurgitation mentally. “Um, yes,” he answered, looking down at the form and thanking Celestia that he had enchanted his pen to write along with Chris’ words. Then he spotted something strange. “Hold on. Under ‘known family,’ you put ‘not applicable.’ Are you an orphan?” He looked up at Chris to see a frown stretching across his face.

“I’m not,” Chris replied, discontent in his voice. “However, I only know my father, and I don’t associate myself with him.”

“Okay,” Shining said, feeling uncomfortable under the gaze. “Do you mind if I ask you to be a bit clearer on that?”

Chris let his head fall and sighed heavily before looking back up. “My father took care of me until I was about six. He was… not a good parent. Child services took me away and put me in foster care, where I got bounced around a lot.”

“I’m sorry to hear all that,” Shining apologized, somewhat guilty in making Chris relive those moments. “Well, it seems everything is in order.” He stood and nodded to the recruit. “Enjoy your day.”

“Actually, Shining,” Chris said, getting the stallion’s attention before he could make it to the door, “there was something else I’d like to talk to you about.”

Slightly confused by this turn of events, Shining turned to the man. “It’ll need to be quick. My wife is expecting me home for lunch soon.”

“I need to learn more about this world beyond what I already know,” Chris started, showing a slight nervousness. “And the best place to start is… Twilight Sparkle.”

Shining Armor took a step back at the mention of the name, but it didn’t take long for his shock to turn to anger. “How do you know that name?” He demanded, balling his free hand into a fist.

“In my world,” he motioned to himself, “Equestria is involved in a TV series made for the entertainment of others.” Chris paused for a moment. “Twilight was the lead character. I need to know what happened to her if I’m going to make any sense of what happened to this world.”

Shining hesitated, his face going through several different expressions. He finally stopped and put a hand over his eyes and sighed. He looked up at Chris with a hard look in his eyes. “Maybe you should join us for lunch.”

Chris sat at an elaborately decorated table surrounded by the royal family. Shining had led him to his family’s apartment where they had walked into excited cries of “daddy” and a pink and blue blur that turned out to be Flurry Heart in a pale blue sundress running into her father’s arms. Cadence had walked out of the kitchen in jeans, a pink t-shirt, and an apron, and Shining had introduced Chris. Before he knew it, he was sitting at the table having lunch with the equine family.

“I was wondering when I’d get to meet our ‘mysterious’ recruit,” Cadence said in a sweet voice as she passed out fresh veggie sandwiches. “Although, I didn’t exactly think it would be this soon.”

Chris let out a nervous chuckle. “Actually, that’s kind of my fault. I might have blindsided Shining Armor with a question.”

“Oh?” Cadence questioned, raising an eyebrow. “What question?”

“Uh,” Chris sputtered, throwing a nervous glance in Shining’s direction.

Shining returned the look with one of understanding before turning his attention to his wife. “Maybe we should wait until after we’re finished with lunch.”

“Alright,” she replied, throwing a glance at Chris as he took a bite of his sandwich and tried to look inconspicuous. “So, Chris, we all saw your fight yesterday. Those powers of yours are quite something.”

Chris swallowed and smiled, glad for the change in topic. “Yeah, they’re pretty cool. Haven’t gotten the hang of them yet, though.”

“Don’t worry,” Shining told him, pouring more lemonade into his glass. “We’ll remedy that soon.”

“What do you mean by ‘we’?” Chris asked with a confused look.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t looked at your training regiment yet,” Shining said with a deadpan expression.

“I haven’t had time,” Chris replied, reaching into the pocket on the inside of his jacket and pulling out the stack of papers. He scanned over it quickly while Shining watched and waited, and Cadance attended to little Flurry Heart.

Suddenly, Chris’ eyes opened wide. “No way,” he looked up at Shining and pointed to the page. “You’re my combat trainer?”

“That’s right,” Shining affirmed smugly, taking a drink from his glass.

Chris only stared at him for a moment before leaning back in his chair, a blank expression on his face. “I’m dead.”

The small family let out laughs around him.

Cadence poured hot tea into the cups sitting in front of everyone. After lunch, they had moved into the living room. Cadance and Shining sat on a plush couch in front of Chris, who sat in a wooden chair with cushions, a wooden coffee table set between him and the couple. Shining and Cadance had sent Heart to her room to play so they could talk without having to censor anything to young ears.

“Alright, you two,” Cadence said as she set the teapot down, grabbed her cup, and straightened up. “What’s this all about?”

There was an awkward silence in the room as Chris threw a questioning glance at Shining, who shrugged and nodded. Shining grabbed his tea and took a drink before he started. “He wants to know about… Twily.”

Cadence dropped her cup and started coughing at the sudden shock of the statement. Chris shot his hand out in a static-covered blur and caught the cup, hissing in pain as some of the still-hot tea splashed onto his bare hand.

Cadence finally stopped coughing and looked towards Chris with wide eyes, her expression somewhere between confusion, pain, and anger. “Why do you want to know about her?” She demanded, skipping over every other question in her mind.

Chris let out a sigh as he put the cup down gently. “I don’t know if you guys have noticed, but… this world is not what it should be. Differences and parallels have been drawn where they shouldn’t have. Something went wrong with something at some point, and the most logical point to start at is Twilight Sparkle. If I can find out what happened to her, I might be able to find the deviation, and we can fix it.”

Cadence only stared at him for a moment. “You’re insane,” she finally stated. “How are we supposed to believe any of this?”

“Because it’s true,” Chris argued, getting to his feet and starting to pace. “In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t belong here. This,” he pointed to the disguised morpher on his wrist, “does not belong here. Things are not what they should be. Mondo shouldn’t be here. These powers weren’t made for humans or any other being with a good heart. They were made for evil. To destroy and conquer! What does that say about me!?!” Chris had slowly started devolving into a state of panic as he spoke, and now both ponies could see that he was in the middle of a panic attack as he began to hyperventilate.

Shining got up from the coach almost instinctively and moved to put a firm hand on Chris’ shoulder. “Chris, you need to calm down.” Chris looked up to the stallion, his eyes desperate. “Just breathe, okay? Just in,” Shining took in a deep breath, “and out,” and let it out slowly. He repeated it a few times, Chris starting to mimic his actions. After a while, Chris calmed down and sat down, Shining, removing his hand as he did so.

“Sorry about that,” Chris apologized, rubbing his hands together slowly as Shining went back to his seat. “I haven’t done anything like that in forever.” He let out a sigh. “But, I think you two get the point.”

Shining and Cadence shared a look before looking back to him. “Yeah,” Shining sighed, “We do.” He paused and shared one more look with Cadence before he continued. “Twilight has always been extremely magically talented. She developed her magic almost twice as fast as other foals around her. However, she had a bit of an… attitude problem. She felt superior to those around her, and it didn’t help when our parents set her up to take the entrance exam to Celestia’s School of Magic. She passed the exam after a few tries and hatched a dragon egg. Celestia took her on as her student. This only fueled Twily’s arrogance, and she only got more so over time. She just got so… prideful in her abilities. By Twilight’s fourteenth birthday, Celestia took notice of her attitude, and when she started demanding to learn more and more powerful spells, Celestia refused. Celestia tried so hard to tone down her pride, but it only served to make Twily angry.” Shining breathed in heavily, tears in his eyes.

Cadence put a comforting hand on her husband’s arm, getting a reassuring nod from him in return. She turned to Chris and picked up where Shining Armor left off. “Twilight rebelled against Celestia and tried to steal several dangerous spell books and artifacts, some of which pertained to extremely dark magic. Celestia had no choice but to….”

“To banish her,” Chris finished for her when she couldn’t. Both ponies nodded sadly and got themselves under control. When they had, Chris continued. “At some point, she came back,” he pressed.

“Yes,” Shining answered, “but she wasn’t the same. She was… so much darker. She joined Mondo and took over Ponyville, even creating that twisted castle of hers. She even went by a new name. Midnight Sparkle.”

Chris's face contorted into one of concentration, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin against his interlaced fingers. “So that’s what’s different. Instead of Sunset Shimmer acting out and getting banished, and Twilight becoming the Element of Magic, it happened vice versa.” He paused for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought. “Did she come back before or after King Mondo arrived?”

“After,” Cadence answered without pause.

Chris nodded at the information, running all this new information through his mind to find when or how things had gone wrong in this world’s timeline. After a while, he straightened up and sighed, finally taking his cup of tea and sipping at it to lessen his growing headache. “I’m sorry, guys,” he told them, putting the cup down. “This was helpful, but I can’t see where everything went wrong. Maybe you should go through everything that happened after Midnight joined Mondo?”

“Uh, sure,” Shining said, taking a sip of his tea. “After Midnight joined King Mondo, we were pretty much stuck in our current position. It took a while, but Nightmare came up with a plan and sent an infiltration team to steal a statue in the Canterlot Castle gardens. When they brought it back, Nightmare combined her magic with the Elements of Harmony and released Discord. We tried to explain the situation to him, but he wouldn’t listen. He tried to take them on by himself, but….”

“What happened?” Chris asked, looking from one spouse to another.

“They… did a pretty big number on him. He came back to us in dire need, but his injuries were too extensive for us to handle. He’s currently in stasis.”

Chris was shocked at the news and let out a long breath. He looked up as Cadence continued the tale.

“Not long after that, the changelings joined the resistance.”

“Let me guess. It was right around the time you and Shining got married.”

“Yes, actually,” she confirmed. “Then, almost a year later, the Crystal Empire appeared, and Sombra joined King Mondo. Nothing really happened for a while until Sunset ascended into an alicorn. We thought we were ready to take them on then.” She let out a rhetorical chuckle. “We were wrong.”

“It took a long time for us to get ready for an assault on Ponyville,” Shining chimed in. “And by the time we were, something new arrived. A demon known as Tirek broke out of Tartarus and attacked King Mondo. They… tore him apart. Just like Discord, they decimated him, but this time, he didn’t get away. Sombra hung his head above the doors to Midnight’s castle as a warning.” Shining let out a sigh. “We’ve barely survived since then by scavenging off of the Empire. And recruits come slowly. Honestly, the last recruit to come in that was worth noting was Starlight Glimmer, and that was several years ago.”

Everyone fell silent after this. Chris ran his hands through his hair and let out some air. “I’m sorry, you guys, I just can’t see where the kink in the timeline is.” He laid his head back against his chair. “All we can do is go after Mondo.”

“But how are we supposed to do that?” Cadence questioned in concern.

“With this,” Chris once again held up his morpher. “Its counterparts were made to specifically go up against enemies like Mondo. The only difference is that this will be a little more like fighting fire with fire.” Chris paused before slapping his knees and standing up. “You guys have been really helpful. Thank you for your hospitality. Before I go, is there anything I can help you guys get cleaned up?”

“No, no,” Cadence said with a smile while she stood up. “You were more than helpful, getting lunch cleaned up.” She stretched her hand out for a handshake. “It was nice to meet you, Chris.”

“Nice to meet you, too, Cadence,” Chris replied, taking and shaking Cadence’s hand. They released each other, and Chris turned to Shining.

“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked, stretching his hand towards the stallion.

“Yep,” Shining said, taking Chris’s hand and smiling. “Bright and early.”

They released their hands, and Shining walked Chris to the door. Chris exited, and they exchanged “goodbyes” before Chris turned, and Shining closed the door. Chris walked down the corridors alone, making his way towards his room and thinking about what he would do with the rest of his day.

“Hm….” He hummed to himself as he walked down the hall. He put his hand inside his jacket and pulled out his bundle of paper, flipping through them. “Maybe I’ll make a request for a computer,” he thought out loud to himself.

Author's Note

How will Chris' training go? How exactly is he going to affect this world? And will he succeed in his mission? One can only hope.

This was a huge chapter, guys, and it's only uphill from here. Expect a surprise in the next chapter. We might actually get into the "displaced" part of things. Hint, hint. Anyways, if you see a mistake or just have a thought or question you'd like to share, leave it in the comments below. As always, please be respectful of one another. Until the next chapter, have a good one!

Chapter 5- Insane Space [CO]

Chapter 5- Insane Space

The computer program booted, and Chris was looking at himself. “Awesome, it works,” he exclaimed with a huge smile on his face. “Now to just….” He typed in a few commands, and a ‘record’ icon appeared in the top left corner of the screen. “Alright then, let’s get started.” Chris cleared his throat. “So journal one of Chris Scott. Don’t know exactly why I’m doing this, but Trixie said it would be cathartic, so here I am. It’s been about a week since I woke up in the med hall. Since then, Nightmare and the personal teachers she picked out have been running me ragged to get me ready.

Sure enough, Shining has been my combat trainer, teaching me as much as he can about combat and tactics. He’s had my lessons split into three different sections, teaming with Sweetie, against Sweetie, and completely solo. Two days apiece for teaming and solo, and one for versus. Starlight is teaching me to control my magic. No idea how I managed to get magic, but apparently I’m a fire mage. She’s been kind and patient, giving me plenty of time to get my head around each technique before moving. And lastly, there’s Trixie. I don’t know why, but Nightmare decided I needed to be a little more zen. Trixie’s perfect for the role, seeing as she’s learned to actually control the Alicorn Amulet. Pretty cool stuff if you ask me.

“But now for the fun part. In my free time, I’ve been helping out in the engineering department. I’ve upgraded the computer systems, designed new communicators for field ops. We’ve pretty much jumped technology forward at least a few years. Speaking of tech, the Psycho Morpher has been… interesting to study. During training, I managed to summon the Psycho Rod and Bow. I got curious, so I started poking around in the Morpher’s code. What I found was a series of blocked data streams. Of course, my first reaction was to hack in and find out exactly what was behind all the locks. I only managed to get through one before the morpher gave me a nice zap. I ended up with a nice long nap and the Psycho Axe for my troubles, but I think I’ll hold off on trying to hack through the security for now.

“And one more thing before I go. The morpher’s primary is a wave of static energy that increases the speed, strength, and defensive capabilities of the user by at least double. I discovered that the suit itself is covered in a condensed field of the stuff, doubling the suit's body modifications as well. Overall, I believe that wearing the suit with the field increases my natural abilities by at least ten. I even figured out that I can transfer some of this energy to others. Me and Sweetie have been experimenting with it, and she seems to be getting the hang of handling the Psycho Rod and channeling her magic. I can only transfer through a one-person link for now. We tried with Shining, and it only managed to cover his arm. I’ve gone to calling this stuff Static, seeing as it manifests itself in an electrical form.

“That’s all for now. Me and Sweetie are scheduled for patrol this afternoon, so I better not keep her waiting. Until next time, Chris Scott, signing out!” He typed in a command, and the recording stopped. He typed another command, and the computer turned off with a blink.

Chris and Sweetie traipsed as silently as they could through the foliage of the Everfree. Nightmare had sent them out on their first patrol together, saying it would be little more than a routine vigil. That didn’t stop the two from being cautious, though. They’d been out there for almost two hours with no signs of activity or disturbance save for the lone timber wolf that had given them their space. All was pretty calm, and both fighters had started to unwind a little.

“Well, this is boring,” Chris said, finally standing out of the semi-crouching position he’d been in for most of the time.

“I agree,” Sweetie replied, following suit. “Usually, with my luck, something would have happened by now.”

“Same,” Chris concurred, putting his hands to hips and taking a good look around.

Suddenly, a loud blaring startled both pony and human, who immediately took up fighting stances, back-to-back with one another. It took Chris a few seconds to figure that the noise was coming from his communicator.

“Verdammt,” he said with a bit of a sigh. “I gotta change that ringtone.” He lifted the device on his wrist to his face pressing the crown down with his left hand before speaking. “Chris and Sweetie here. What’s up?”

Sunset’s voice came through from the other side. “What’s up is that we got a major disturbance in dimensional magic near your location. We need you guys to check it out.”

“Right,” Chris replied slowly. “Didn’t the last time you guys picked up a signal like that I came running out of the woodwork like a man on fire?”

“Yes!” Came the irritated reply. “Now, get over there!”

“Roger!” Chris answered, ending the connection quickly. He looked to Sweetie, who nodded nervously. He nodded back with confidence, clicking the knobs on his communicator to move it to morpher mode. He flipped it open to reveal the screen inside, and a radar appeared on it. It showed a yellow blip in the middle, him, a green dot to his side, Sweetie, and a blue dot Northwest of their position. He dropped his arm again and turned to Sweetie. “Let’s go.”

“Right,” she replied.

They started sprinting towards the location, making good time. It took them a little while to find the exact location, but soon they arrived in clearing that seemed undisturbed.

“Okay,” Chris started, “I don’t see anything.”

“Me neither,” Sweetie answered, surveying the clearing. “Let’s just do a sweep of the place and get outta here. This is giving me the creeps.”

“Yeah,” Chris agreed as they moved to check their surroundings. They spent a few minutes looking around but didn’t find anything.

“This is weird,” Sweetie told Chris as they met back in the middle. “There’s nothing here.”

“Hm,” Chris hummed, “Let me check something.” He lifted his morpher once more and opened the radar again. He put both his middle finger and thumb on the screen and pulled them apart, zooming in the screen until it showed a more realistic diagram. The blue dot appeared to be to their rear left. Chris turned and followed the radar until he was right on top of whatever was giving off the signal. He put the morpher away and kneeled. He rubbed his hand around in the grass until he felt his fingers brush something metallic. “I found something,” he called over his shoulder.

“Don’t touch it,” Sweetie warned, coming closer.

“Okay.” Chris pulled his hand back and what he saw he almost couldn’t believe.

“What is it?” Sweetie asked over his shoulder, looking at the strange object.

“It’s a Power Rangers S.P.D. badge.” Chris moved to pick it up. Sweetie grabbed his arm and pulled it back.

“What are you doing?” She demanded in surprise, fearing this weird badge.

“Relax,” Chris said, gently pulling his arm back. “It’s just a piece of memorabilia.” He reached out and grabbed the badge, holding it up so he could get a better look. Suddenly, a voice went through his head: “I am Anubis Cruger, the Shadow Ranger. If you require my aid, or merely my counsel, call on me. But be warned, you, as well as your foes, shall face my Judgment.”

“What the hölle does that mean?” Chris asked out loud.

“What does what mean?” Sweetie asked, not having heard the voice.

“I think,” Chris paused, staring at the badge, “I think I can call on the Shadow Ranger for help.”

“Uh,” Sweetie mumbled, concern in her eyes. “Maybe we shouldn’t mess with that until Scootaloo, and her team can get a look at it.”

Chris shook his head. “I’d rather test it here than around a whole bunch of others just in case it is dangerous,” he explained. He looked around until he found what he wanted and pointed to a large tree on the opposite side of the clearing. “Go stand over there just in case you need to get away.”

Sweetie frowned, but nodded and began jogging to the tree in question.

“And put up a force field, just in case,” he called after her. She waved him off and kept up her pace. Once she was safely behind both the tree and a magic field, Chris dropped his eyes back down to the token. He closed his eyes and breathed in and out slowly. Here goes nothing, he thought. He concentrated on the badge in his hand and sent out a simple message. Uh, hello? Anybody out there?

In response, a blue circle appeared on the front of the badge, before being replaced by a red X, and switching back and forth for a few seconds before stopping on the circle, which then floated off and enlarged. Once it became about as large as he was, a lighter blue energy field appeared within it, out of which stepped a figure Chris had only seen on TV.

“Holy scheisse,” he said in shock because in front of him stood the great Anubis Cruger in the flesh.

“Morning,” Cruger said, “unless it’s the afternoon, kinda hard to tell when you just arrive in another Verse.”

Chris just stared dumbly for a time before babbling like an idiot. “You-how-why-just-and the-judgement-WHAT!?!” He finally got a hold of himself and began to step forward. “You’re Anubis Cruger, and you’re here…. How?”

“Take a breath, I can explain everything, but I’d rather we get indoors first,” Cruger said before turning to Sweetie, “speaking of which, mind leading the way Sweetie? I think fanboy here’s brain still needs to reset.”

“Um, uh,” Sweetie started, dropping her magic field. “I guess we shou-”

Suddenly, Chris’ morpher started blaring a warning, catching everyone’s attention.

“Scheisse,” Chris muttered under his breath as he static-stepped next to Sweetie. “Cruger, incoming!”

“Well, I don’t mind a bit of exercise,” Cruger said, cracking his knuckles.

Chris summoned the Psycho Sling as cogs began to pour into the clearing on all sides. “Sorry, Sweetie, I should have been paying attention.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, charging magic in her hands.

As the cogs made their way out of the tree line, Chris and Sweetie let loose with their respective weapons, felling quite a few in the first wave.

“Have to say, not bad,” Cruger said, standing in front of a large pile of Cog parts.

Now, that’s just no fair, Chris thought, glancing over to SPD commander. The cogs were starting to get in too close, pressing the pair closer together. “Now or never,” Chris mumbled, “Sweetie, I need some breathing room!”

“On it!” She answered, raising her hands over her head before smashing a wave of magic through the ground sending the bots backward.

Chris grinned. “Alright. It’s morphin’ time!” Chris slid into his stance and performed the actions he had grown accustomed to. “Go, Psycho!” His body was surrounded by black energy that erupted into the basic under armor of the suit. Red energy from his limbs and chest brought forth the white and red armor for his arms, legs, and torso. He rotated his arms over his face, a red grid of energy staying behind and forming the helmet as his arms moved back into place. The black visor slid into place over his eyes, completing the transformation.

“I’ll ask why you’re an evil Ranger later, for now, though,” Cruger pulled out his Morpher, “it’d be bad manners if I didn’t join in. SPD, Emergency!” A holographic field of a neon SPD sign appeared as he pulled off his trench coat, revealing a glowing bodysuit, before jumping down a tunnel. When he landed, the glow subsided, revealing his armor as his helmet shot towards him, covering his head. “Shadow Ranger!”

“Oh, that was cool,” Chris said, before turning back to the cogs that were getting their second wind. “Shall we?”

“You say that like you think I wouldn’t,” Cruger said, drawing his sword and energizing it.

Chris let out a chuckle, before getting serious. “Ready, Sweetie?” He asked, putting his left hand on her shoulder and summoning the Psycho Rod in the other.

“Ready,” She stated, standing firm and taking the Rod when Chris handed it to her.

“Static!” Chris cried, electricity moving from his hand and covering them both, red on Chris and green on Sweetie.

“Let’s go!” They shouted together, charging forward in tandem and building off one another as they fought.

Cruger slashed left and right almost without looking, every swing slicing entirely through whatever got in its path, usually a cog. Meanwhile, Sweetie and Chris worked like a living tornado, Chris slashing and stabbing with the Psycho Sword and Sweetie using the Rod as either a club or to focus magical blasts through. Eventually, Sweetie’s Static wore off, and she was forced to teleport out of the fray, firing off bolts from the Rod at any cogs that either ranger passed over.

“Well, that was quite bracing,” Cruger said as the last cog fell, “oh dang it.”

“What’s ‘oh dang it’?” Chris asked, turning to the veteran ranger.

“Nothing really, I took down 76 cogs, hoping for a hundred, still haven’t managed to relive that scene.”

“Ah,” Chris said in understanding. “That’s a bummer.”

“Guys,” Sweetie called from behind them to get their attention. “Can we go home now?”

Chris looked to Cruger, who shrugged, “Didn’t I already suggest it before we were interrupted?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Chris replied shyly, rubbing the back of his head as he demorphed. The Psycho Rod disappeared from Sweetie’s hands as well, and she started to topple forwards. “Wow, there,” Chris said, rushing to support her with a burst of static. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she answered, sweat coming off her brow. “I guess actual combat is a lot harder than training.”

Chris chuckled, turning around and offering his back for a piggyback that she didn’t bother refusing. Once she was secure, Chris looked to Cruger and motioned further into the forest with his head. “Right this way. Commander.”

“If it’s all the same to you,” Cruger said as he opened a portal and pulled out his ATV, “I’ll drive. Room for you two if you don’t mind getting close.”

Chris threw a questioning glance to Sweetie, who nodded vigorously. “No offense, Chris, but you’re not exactly the most comfortable stead.”

Chris shrugged in agreement and let her down so they could walk to the ATV. They piled on the vehicle, Cruger driving as Chris sat between Sweetie and Cruger.

“Alrighty,” Chris said once they were situated. “To the Castle of the Two Sisters.”

“Hang on,” Cruger said as he gunned the throttle. Despite his speed, he was able to avoid crashing into anything easily. Within a few minutes, they arrived at the bridge, “Everybody off, I’m pretty sure the bridge isn’t rated for vehicles.”

“Sorry about that,” Sweetie said, snapping her fingers to dispel the illusion around the bridge. “We’re kind of careful around here.” A solid cobblestone one replaced the once rickety bridge.

“Definitely gonna have to remember that trick,” Cruger said as he crossed the bridge. It didn’t them long to get to the castle, guards rushing out to meet them as they dismounted the ATV, Sunset not far behind them.

“Uh, oh,” Chris muttered quietly, “think we’re in trouble?”

“I seriously hope not,” Sweetie whispered back with a shudder.

The guards lined up on either side of the trio as Sunset stomped forward. “What happened out there?!” She shouted in front of Sweetie and Chris. “And who the hay is that!?!” She screamed again, pointing at Cruger.

“Commander Anubis Cruger, Space Patrol Delta,” Cruger said, “a pleasure to make your acquaintance ma’am.”

Sunset’s eye twitched. She turned hauntingly back to Sweetie and Chris. “We’re going to talk about this later,” she warned, “but until then….” She let out a long, heated breath and stood up straight. “Can we trust him?”

“Not even a question,” Chris stated without hesitation.

Sunset sighed and rubbed her face. “In that case,” She turned to Cruger, a polite smile on her face and her hand outstretched. “Sunset Shimmer, leader of the Special Operations in the Equestrian Resistance Force. Welcome.”

As Cruger shook her hand, he leaned towards Chris, “We need to have a bit of a talk later.”

Chris let out a nervous chuckle. Great, he thought, I get to have TWO little chats.

Sunset released Cruger’s hand and stepped back a little. “Well, make yourself at home. Chris will be your guide if you need anything. In the meantime,” she turned her gaze on Sweetie, “me and Sweetie Belle are going to have a long conversation about this.” She turned and walked away hotly, Sweetie trotting after her, mouthing, “help me,” as she passed by Chris. Chris’ only response was a nervous smile and wave before turning to Cruger.

“So, about that talk,” he started, rubbing his hands together. “The most private place I can think of is my workspace in the engineering lab.”

“Lead the way, and don’t worry, you’re not in trouble,” Cruger said as he demorphed.

Chris let out a sigh. “That’s at least one worry off my back,” he nodded his head towards the castle. “Right this way.”

Chris gave one last glance around the engineering department as he closed the doors and flipped the switch that would kick in the soundproofing. “Alright, make yourself as comfortable as possible,” he said, offering the only chair in the cluttered space to Cruger as he leaned against his work table.

“Alright then,” Cruger said, “I noticed that a certain unicorn was in the wrong dimension, anything else I should know about?”

“Sunset and Twilight. The best I can tell they swapped that one part in their personalities that got Sunset banished and made Twilight the Element of Magic. Instead, they flip-flopped. Now Twilight is Midnight Sparkle. Other fun details of this world include, but are not limited to; Luna not getting transformed back from Nightmare Moon despite being on our side, Big Mac and Sweetie switching places with their sisters as the Elements of Honesty and Generosity, the changeling population being reduced to three, Tirek and Discord out of the picture, one dead, the other in stasis with serious injuries, Sombra joining forces with King Mondo and Midnight, and all with Celestia MIA.” Chris let out a sigh and crossed his arms. “Honestly, the Resistance is pretty gefickt.”

“Alright then, doesn’t explain the cannon fodder we dismantled 10 minutes ago.”

“King Mondo showed up almost nine years ago,” Chris explained. “Took Canterlot like that.” He snapped his fingers. “Happened right in the middle of the fight between the new Elements and Nightmare Moon.”

“Yeesh. By the way, which one was Mondo again? I didn’t really watch too many of the seasons.”

“Zeo,” Chris answered simply.

“Got it. Anyway, your turn for the questions, I think, only fair.”

“Okay,” Chris said, shrugging. “How about, ‘how in the world are you here and not surprised by any of this’?”

“Ah, a first-timer, glad to meet them in their home Verse for once. Anyway, I assume that the last thing you did before arriving in Equestria was making a purchase, probably at a convention?”

“You assume correctly,” Chris replied. “Got a Psycho Yellow helmet from a guy that looked like the bounty hunter from Lost Galaxy that gave Deviot the Psycho Data Cards.”

“Um… then why are you Red, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“Asides from the, ‘why wouldn’t I be,’ there’s something weird about the code for my morpher. Come take a look.” He moved over to his computer and turned the screen on, plugging a cable into his Morpher as it went through its boot sequence. He typed in a few keys, and multi-colored lines of code started running across the screen. He stared for a while, occasionally typing in commands until he found what he wanted. “Look here,” he said, moving over for Cruger to take a look.

“Looks like a series of control locks, preventing certain functions from being accessed unless certain criteria are met. Can’t tell what said criteria are, though, need to decompile the entire thing to hunt ‘em down.”

“Precisely,” Chris said, getting fired up over the topic. “See, I got a good look at the code on about the fourth day of my training. When I looked through it, a huge portion was locked. But as the days went on, I made a connection. Every time I used a new weapon, be it the Rod or Bow, a little bit more of the code unlocked. My theory is that the Morpher has access to all the Psycho’s powers, not just Red’s. I actually ended up hacking through it to unlock the Psycho Axe. I got a huge shock that had me passed out for several hours, but I did it.”

“That’s what happens when you don’t ground yourself. Anyway, back on topic. That guy was who we call the Merchant, and he turned you into what we call a Displaced. As you can guess, it means a person who gained the abilities of a fictional character and got sent to Equestria.”

“So, there are others like us?” Chris asked, unplugging his morpher and turning off his computer. “Like other rangers?”

“Power Rangers, Kamen Riders, Pokemon Trainers, DBZ, Yugioh, you name it, odds are there’s a Displaced of it.”

“That’s really cool,” Chris said in awe before his face screwed up into puzzlement. “Wait… something doesn’t feel right. That means that I’m probably not the only villain Displaced, and I’m going to assume they’re not all as friendly as I am.”

“You got that right,” Cruger said as he pulled out a wanted poster, “Basco here was Displaced as one of the main villains of Gokaiger, handed his Equestria to an alien invasion, and is currently enjoying his hobby of traveling to other Equestrias and killing their Displaced to absorb their power. You see him, you call me, then you run.”

Chris balled his hand into a fist. “I’ll call,” he growled out, “but I sure as hölle won’t run. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a gott verdammt bully.” Static started shifting out of his Morpher in response to his emotion.

“Alright, but don’t blame me if I save you from otherwise certain death. By the way, you might want to cool off unless you like doing the electric two-step.”

Chris looked at his Morpher in surprise. “Sorry, about that,” he apologized, shaking his wrist, “Trixie keeps telling me that I need to keep my temper in check. Anyways,” he said, focusing back on Cruger. “Anything else I should, or you want to know?”

“Trixie being level headed, that I’ve gotta see. Anyway, one last piece of vital information before we wrap up, I assume you’d like to know exactly how I entered your Verse.”

“That has been a burning question,” Chris admitted.

“One with a simple answer. All Displaced are able to create a Token. It’s basically a calling card for us, and we can be summoned to other Verses with them.”

“Useful,” Chris commented. “Though a bit troublesome if your Token lands in the wrong hands or you get summoned at the wrong time.” Chris paused for a moment before his eyes widened in realization. “Oh, gott, I didn’t interrupt anything important, did I!?!”

“Just a buttload of paperwork, thanks, by the way. Anyway, there are ways to safeguard yourself. For example, I assume you noticed the Judgment that happened prior to my arrival?”

“Oh, yeah,” Chris said with a frown. “Thanks for the heart attack. Thought I was a goner there for a second. So,” Chris raised an eyebrow, dismissing his frown, “how do I create a Token?”

“Rather easy, all things considered. Step one, select an item that represents you, preferably something that can be easily held in your hand.”

“Hm,” Chris said, folding his arms. “I don’t have anything on me, but….” He walked over to what looked somewhat like an old projector. He plugged in his Morpher, opening its displays and making a few swipes. He looked at the table in front of him and typed a command into a console at the side. The arm of the “projector” started moving back and forth, shooting forth a light that solidified into a medallion in the shape of the upside-down M on his Morpher, surrounded by a circle. He turned back to Cruger, the medal in his right hand. “Okay, now what?”

“3D printer, nice. Anyway, step 2 is to put in a bit of your energy and add a message. It doesn’t have to be as fancy as mine, but it should say something about you.”

Chris thought for a moment. “I got it,” he said, snapping his left fingers. He cleared his throat and let out a breath, static form around his Morpher and hand. “I am the shadow the darkness fears, the malice that quails evil. Call my name if you fight for justice, but beware the wrath of darkness if you chose wrong, for it is you who will face the dark clone. I am Psycho Ranger.” The static died down, as Chris blinked his eyes open. “Did it work?”

“Looks good to me,” Cruger said before opening a portal, “just toss it into the void to propagate, and we’re done.”

“You know,” Chris started, tossing the medallion into the portal, “I never asked how you could do that. Pretty sure normal Cruger couldn’t open portals.”

“Oh yeah, probably should have mentioned. Sometimes Displaced can pick up additional abilities; for example, I happen to be a master of Dimensional Magic and am quite skilled in spell design. Probably has something to do with Equestrian magic interacting with our natural abilities.”

“So that’s how I can do this,” Chris stated curiously, setting his hand on fire. “Wonder what else will happen?”

“My guess, unlocking other colors might grant additional elemental abilities, based on your morpher’s penchant for shorting, electricity seems like a safe bet,” said Cruger.

“Oh, that,” Chris started, waving his hand and extinguishing the flames, “it’s just Static. It’s the most basic functions of the morpher, but the most versatile. It increases speed and strength while also acting as a light shield. The Psycho Armor is actually surrounded in a field of condensed Static. It also helps Sweetie keep up since I can transfer some of it to others.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m wrong, electrical powers are always badass.”

“True,” Chris agreed, shrugging. “It’ll make fighting basic cogs easier if I can just short circuit the little buggers.” Chris looked at a digital clock and was surprised to see the time. “Oh, crap, where’s my head been? It’s almost dinner time, and I haven’t even asked if you’re hungry. Would you like to grab something?”

“Might as well,” Cruger said as he stood up, “by the way, your Equestria omnivorous?”

“Eh, the ponies aren’t,” Chris admitted. “Luckily, the Resistance is filled with other races that do enjoy a good steak.”

“Good enough,” Cruger replied.

“Right this way, sir,” Chris said jokingly, swinging the door open and pointing out of the room overdramatically.

“Not gonna say you’re evil, but you’re definitely at least a bit Psycho,” Cruger chuckled.

Chris led Cruger to the mess hall. It didn’t take long, and Chris felt more chipper than usual. They got their trays and got into line.

“Good morrow, Miss Ladle,” Chris said light-heartedly to the cream-colored mare. “What’s on your spectacular menu today?”

“That’s ‘Miss Heavy Ladle’ to you, Mr. Scott,” she jokingly chastised. “And today is chicken fried steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, and oats and barley salad for our vegetarians.” She shifted her gaze to Cruger. “Who’s your friend?”

“Anubis Cruger, and I’ll take the omnivore meal, thank you.”

“Heavy Ladle, Mr. Cruger, it’s a pleasure,” she replied, taking both trays a filling them with food. “Have a good one, you two,” she said with a smile, handing the food back to them. “And you stay out of trouble, Chris.”

“Will do, Heavy Ladle,” Chris replied with a smile as they walked away to find a seat. As he turned around to face forward, he noticed how many of the ponies and other natives kept glancing his way.

He let out a sigh. “It’s gonna be one of those days,” he muttered.

“You’re a Displaced, it’s always one of those days,” Cruger said as they took a seat.

“I know,” Chris replied, “but I still think we should have waited for one of the Elements. That way this wouldn’t be happening.” He pointed to a dark blue earth pony that was getting out his seat, his eyes glued on the pair in what appeared to be anger or disgust. Chris let out one more sigh as the stallion approached.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got a few coping mechanisms,” Cruger said as he arrived.

“So, you finally come out of that lab of yours,” the stallion began hotly, crossing his arms. “Finally, want to join us ‘normal’ folk at lunch? Suddenly not so high and mighty.”

“First off,” Chris said, taking a bite of his fried steak with gravy, chewing, and swallowing in deliberate slowness. “I spend so much time in my lab trying to make this place better. That communicator on your wrist,” Chris pointed to the device, “you’re welcome.”

The stallion only glared and growled, snatching the gizmo off his wrist and throwing it to the floor. He slammed his hands down on the table, sending Chris and Cruger’s dinner into the air. “Look here, you son of-”

“If I may,” Cruger said, a plate of food in each hand, “there are a few things you seem to be unaware of.”

The stallion turned his head to the SPD Commander. “Butt out, Diamond Do-”

“First off, I’m a Sirian, not a Diamond Dog. Second, Chris here has the trust of no less than the Elements of Harmony and Nightmare Moon. Third, he’s also one of the few things standing between you and a battalion of cogs ready to turn you into a smear on the floor. Last, and certainly not least, I could take you down in less than a 10th of the time it would take you to blink,” Cruger glared at the stallion, “savvy?”

The stallion only got angrier. “Oh, whooptie-FUCKIN’-do! He’s got the approval of a country bumpkin, a pegasus who can barely lift herself off the ground, another that’s too full of herself, a mare who should be in the dungeons for pure insanity, a little girl that can’t control her power, a legend that wasn’t true until a few years ago, and the student of the ‘oh-so-powerful’ Princess Celestia. And where is she? I’ll tell you where! She’s DEA-!”

Before anyone could even blink, Cruger had the stallion in a submission hold, “Oh yeah, two little things I forgot to mention. Where I come from, I helped raise the Diarchs, and I’m not one to exaggerate.” Cruger released him and sat back down, “Now, why don’t you let us eat in peace before you find out what getting punched on every square millimeter of your body simultaneously feels like.”

The stallion gulped but still didn’t back off. “Whatever,” he said, turning back to Chris, who had his head down, hair hiding his face. “You’re still nothing more than a worthless piece of shit!”

In a burst of static, Chris moved behind the stallion, grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt, and slammed his head into the table, breaking his nose. Chris threw the stallion away. He skidded across the floor and came to a stop, blood gushing from his nostrils. He wiped his nose and looked wide-eyed between his hand and Chris. “I knew it. You are a monster.”

“Don’t ever call Chris ‘worthless’.” It was an extremely quiet statement, but it still sent shivers down the spines of most present. “Chris” looked up at the earth pony with dark eyes. “If you ever say something like that to him again,” he cracked his knuckles by rolling his hand into a fist. “I will break you.”

The stallion gasped, got to his feet, and took off as fast as he could. “Chris” took a deep breath to steady himself and sat back down, head in his hands. What have I do-

It started slow, but eventually, the cafeteria was in an uproar of applause and whistling. “Chris” looked around the room in shock before turning back to Cruger with a questioning look.

“It looks like we stood up to the local jerk,” Cruger said as he took a bite of his potatoes, “by the way, pleasure to make your acquaintance, Chris’ alternate personality. Um, you do have multiple personalities, right?”

“Chris” let out a mirthless chuckle. “You catch on quick. Name’s Samson Jaeger,” Samson answered, putting his hand forth in greeting. His tone was darker than Chris’, not by much, but enough to be noticed, and his movements and attitude were overall more severe.

“Cruger, unless you already knew that,” Cruger said as he shook it.

Samson let out another chuckle. “I did. I share Chris’s memories, although he doesn’t share mine for whatever reason. He’ll probably come back to and wonder why everyone’s congratulating him.” Samson’s face got a little more serious. “Hey, Cruger, can I ask a favor of you?”

“Depends on the favor, but sure.”

Samson turned his gaze down for a moment before raising his head again, a look of pleading in his eyes. “Help Chris, wherever you can. Please. I can’t be there for him like I used to back in our world. I have to use all of my focus to keep Psycho at bay, to keep him away from Chris.”

“So, you picked up an extra passenger in Chris’ head when you got Displaced, huh?”

Samson nodded in agreement. “He came with the morpher, and the more Chris used it, the more control it had. It took me a while to find a solution. The only way to keep Psycho back is if I keep my entire focus on him. I can’t do anything like that. The only reason I’m here is because Psycho seems to be afraid of you.”

“Looks like he’s completely sane then despite being Psycho. I can help, but since this isn’t my home Verse, I can’t be here all the time. That said, I do have a plan.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “What sort of plan?”

“Nothing personal, but I’d rather explain it once, so I should explain it to Chris. By the way, he know about you?”

“Oh, yeah, he knows. Thinks I’m the devil, but he knows. And as for explaining things once, I have an idea.”

“Which is?”

Sam grinned. “Chris installed a camera on his personal computer. It’ll be a good way for both of us to say what we need to say.”

“Sounds good, bring it out.”

“It’s in his room, so let’s finish dinner before I blow Chris’s mind with the whole, ‘I’m not actually trying to kill you’ speech.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Cruger said as he dug in, “mmm, good gravy.”

Sam opened the door to their room and moved out of the way to let Cruger in. “Make yourself at home,” he said, gesturing to the rooms meager furnishings.

“A little spartan, but you haven’t been here for long, so it’s understandable,” Cruger said as Sam booted up the computer, “so, you wanna start it, or should I?”

“I’ll give Chris the run down, and then you can take over and explain your plan. Sound good?”

“Yup.”

“Alright then,” Sam typed in a few commands and opened the video program. “And here we go.” He hit a few keys on the keyboard and started the recording. “Yo, Chris, how’s it going? As you can see, you aren’t here right now. Let’s just say that we had a bit of a hard time at lunch today, and I stepped in. But enough about that for now, Cruger has something he needs to share with you.” He moved away from the cam and gave Cruger the floor.

“Hey Chris, if people start patting you on the back, trust me, it’s well earned. Anyway, Sam told me about the extra voice in your head, and how he’s been keeping it at bay. While cases like these aren’t my specialty, Luna/Nightmare Moon has the ability to enter the dreams of others. If you talk to her about it, I’m reasonably sure she can help you lock it down, that goes double if Sam can help. And don’t worry, you can trust him, I’m a master judge of character.” After pressing stop, he turned to Sam, “Pretty good plan, don’t ya think?”

“Sounds great,” Sam replied. “Chris is just afraid of what others will think if they found out. He’s kept me a secret for just about our entire life. This will be good for him.” Sam leaned against the closet. “Is there anything we’re forgetting to cover for him?”

“I don’t think so, can’t think of anything else I can do without a Wizard Driver.”

“What’s a Wizard Driver?”

“Thing from Kamen Rider Wizard has a function that allows the user to enter the mind of another. You can see why I suggested it.”

“Yeah, definitely.” Their conversation was interrupted by the blaring sound of Sam’s morpher going off. Both parties winced, and Sam quickly answered the call. “We gotta change that,” he muttered quietly before responding. “This is Sa- er, Chris, what’s going on?”

Nightmare answered this time. “Chris, I heard you have a new friend. I hope he’s strong because we’ve got an incoming Machine Captain on the way.”

Sam shared a look with Cruger. “That’s not good. We’ll be right there.” He let go of the communicator and turned to Cruger. “Ready to have some more fun?”

“You heard the music,” Cruger said as he pulled out his morpher, “time to dance.”

Sam grinned. “I completely agree.” He shifted his communicator to morpher mode. “It’s cliche, but it’s morphin’ time!”

“SPD, Emergency!”

“Go, Psycho!”

Both Rangers were surrounded by light and appeared in their respective armor. Sam flexed. “Oh, wow, this does feel good. Ready to go?”

“After you,” Cruger said, opening a portal.

“Why thank you,” Sam said, darting through the portal.

He appeared on the other side of the bridge, the illusion back in place. He waited for Cruger to come through. “This is weird,” Sam began, “most machines refuse to come this far into the Everfree. Wonder what makes this guy different.”

“Possibly standard escalation tactics,” Cruger said as he stretched his arms, “or this could be a dedicated scouting mission.”

“Sounds probable,” Sam agreed, opening his morpher and looking at his radar. “But we won’t have to wait long.” As he put his morpher away, a large machine that looked like a sentient missile silo landed in front of them. “Oh, goodie,” Sam said sarcastically, “the walking pop quiz.”

“Rangers,” the automaton cried out dramatically. “I have a message from the great King Mondo for your miserable Resistance.”

Sam threw a look at Cruger and turned back to Silo. “Alright, I’ll bite. What’s the message?”

“Surrender.”

Cruger started laughing, “That’s… ha. Sorry, it’s just, with the timing and, it just got me giggling.”

Silo took a step forward. “You dare mock me and my king?”

“That’s based on the assumption that you’re worth mocking,” Cruger said before turning to Sam, “mind if I take this? Got a new move I want to field test.”

“Go for it,” Sam said, stepping back and summoning the Psycho Bow. “I’ll cover you in case he tries anything dirty.”

“Thanks,” Cruger said as he drew his sword, “but this’ll be over before he gets a chance.” With that, he started walking towards Silo while humming.

“Fool.” Silo launched the missiles from his wrist towards the Shadow Ranger.

Just before they hit him, he suddenly appeared behind Silo, “This fight’s over.”

“Wha-”

“I already cut you,” Cruger said as he returned his sword to its scabbard, “Silver Fang Style, Kagegiri!”

Sparks flew out from around Silo’s torso as the robot slid in two, ending its life with an explosion. Sam stared wide-eyed at the display, dispersing the energy arrow he had drawn. “Geez, Cruger, that’s just… wow.” He walked over to the robot's remains. “Did you hit the Successor Core directly?”

“The what?”

Suddenly, Silo’s remains began to glow bright green as they formed back together and grew larger.

“Oh, shit,” Sam said quietly, dodging out of the way of a giant foot.

Silo leaned over and let out a laugh. “Now what, Power Rejects?”

Sam Static Stepped next to Cruger. “Got a plan?”

“This is rather standard, just bring out the Megazord, you do have a Megazord right?”

“The Psycho Rangers were monsters under their armor, so, unfortunately, not….”

“Well, what about the Astro Megaship? Think you might be able to use that?”

“It’d take too long to figure out how to pilot it,” Sam said, dodging another stomp. “The Delta Megaship would be a better choice, but we don’t have it.”

“Say that again in 10 seconds,” Cruger said as he pulled out a silver cylinder the size of a can of Red Bull with a keyhole in one end and a small figurine of the Red Space Ranger.

“Uh, okay,” Sam said, puzzled. “We don’t-”

“Still got another 7 seconds,” Cruger said as he turned the figurine into a key with a flick of his wrist, “Delta Megaship, come on down.” Cruger inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it, causing it to glow. After a few seconds, the glow faded.

Sam looked around, expecting something to explode. When it didn’t, he turned to Cruger. “Well, that was a bit of a-”

“Wait for it.”

Suddenly, out of the cloud cover flew a black, slightly star-shaped ship, gatling guns blazing. The salvo hit Silo in the chest, sending him stumbling backward.

“Is that what I think it is?” Sam asked in awe-struck wonder.

“Consider it a ‘Welcome to the Displaced’ present,” said Cruger.

Even under the helmet, Sam’s grin was unmistakable. “Oh, I’m going to enjoy this.” He leaped into the air, using Static to propel him into the cockpit. When he landed, he took the controls. “Oh, I am definitely going to get him a thank you present. You okay down there, Cruger?”

“Just missing some popcorn, show that oversized firework why Power Rangers are the masters of giant robot combat.”

Sam’s grin widened. “Gladly.” He flew the Delta around for another pass, firing the guns at the warheads on Silo’s shoulders. The explosives detonated, making Silo stumble and shout. “Now for the finale,” Sam said. “Delta Megaship, fighter mode!” The zord rolled in midair, folding out it’s and coming in to land in front of Silo, a panel on the lowering to reveal the Megazord's face. “Delta Gyro Blasters, fire!” Shots of blue lasers sped from the Delta’s gatling hands and found their mark on Silo’s chest.

The robot sparked and stumbled for a bit before letting its arms fall. “King Mondo’ll get you for this, Rangers,” he threatened as he fell forwards. “I will be avenged!” The giant robot hit the ground and detonated.

“Hmph, not in this lifetime, scrap heap,” Sam replied to his fallen opponent. He had a sudden idea and hit a few keys on the zord's console before a disk popped out. Sam grabbed it and leaped out of the cockpit in front of Cruger. “Now, that was something.”

“Yeah, I remember my first time piloting a Megazord.”

“We can’t thank you enough,” Sam stated, stepping a bit closer. “You’ve done us a great service. We may not ever be able to repay you, but maybe this will help.” He held the disk out to Cruger.

“Thanks, what is it?”

“A copy of the data for the Delta Battlizer. Something tells me you’re going to need it sooner than we will. Besides, we don’t even know if it’s compatible with the Psycho Armor.”

“I’ll keep it on file,” Cruger said as he scanned it with his morpher, “could come in handy.”

“I hope so,” Sam replied. “Last we checked, old Cruger couldn’t fly.”

“Anyway, I’d better get going. Which leads us to my last bit of advice, to send a Displaced you’ve summoned home, simply say, ‘Our contract is complete,’ or some variation thereof.”

Sam chuckled and demorphed. “Well, if that’s the case.” Sam held out his hand one last time to the veteran Ranger. “Anubis Cruger, our contract is complete. It’s been a pleasure.”

“Likewise,” Cruger said as he shook it, a portal opening behind him, “keep in touch?”

“Definitely,” Sam affirmed, releasing Cruger’s hand. “Until next time.”

“Take care, and make sure Chris sees Moony,” Cruger said before stepping through the portal.

“I will and you, too,” Sam said as the portal closed behind Cruger. Sam stood there for a moment, then let out a contented sigh. “That was fun,” he muttered to himself and turned to the still-standing Delta Megaship. “Now, what do we do about you?” Sam’s communicator went off, and he answered it. “Hullo?”

“Hey, Chris,” came Sunset’s deceptively sweet voice. “Can I see in my office for a minute. It’s time for that chat.”

Sam gulped. “Y-yes, ma’am.” She hung up, and Sam looked up to the giant robot. “Hey, Delta, do me a solid and step on me.”

Author's Note

Chris' first encounter with another Displaced is sure to be one to remember. Meanwhile, Samson finally makes an appearance, but his he really to be trusted? Whatever the case, the universe just got a whole lot bigger.

This is the first crossover in this story, and overall. I have to thank cyberlord4444 for his help in this chapter, and in the story overall. Just like Chris and Sam, I will never be able to thank him enough for how much he has helped out. Cruger is from his story SPD Emergency, check it out if you haven't. As is the usual, if you have a thought, criticism, or see a mistake, leave it in the comments below, and remember to be respectful to one another. Until next time, have a good one.

Chapter 6- My Own Worst Enemy

Chris lay in bed, curled beneath the covers. He rested peacefully, all things around him silent and still.

“Get away from me, you cur!”

“No, come here!”

Chris’ face scrunched up in annoyance, and he shifted beneath the blankets. The commotion continued, sounding like someone running around in his room.

“I said,” there was a crash like two bodies had collided and fallen to the ground, “come here!”

“No, I won’t let you take me back! I refu-!”

Chris jerked awake, throwing away the covers and looking around his room. There was no one around. For a moment he only sat there, blinking in confusion before he rubbed his face to clear away his tiredness. “Oh, what happened? Last thing I remember was….” His eyes shot wide open, and he flipped the face open on his morpher. The display showed it was about three in the morning… Thursday morning. “Gottverdammt,” he muttered in realization. “Of all the times, he had to take control in front of Cruger.”

He let out a final sigh and got out of bed. He got ready in his usual way. When he was finished, he walked out of the bathroom to his computer. Might as well do my journal, he thought as he sat and turned on the computer's power. When it finally booted up, something appeared on the screen that he wasn’t expecting. Two files he had never seen before were present, one labeled “Seek Advice,” the other “What You Need To Know.” Confused, he opened “Seek Advice,” as it was the older of the two files. What he saw shocked him.

In it, Samson made his introductions, seemingly taunting him before letting Cruger take control of the video. Cruger explained how Samson had told him about Psycho, and that he should seek the help of Nightmare Moon and her dream walking ability. When it ended, he didn’t quite know what to make of it, especially the fact that Cruger told him he could trust Samson. That was certainly not something he was expecting. He shook his head, and closed the file turning to the next one. “What little surprise do you have for me?”

He opened the file and Samson’s face appeared on screen yet again, a cheerfully smug look on his face. “Howdy, Chris, how’d you sleep? Probably like a baby, but that’s besides the point. First of all, be happy I took that lecture from Sunset for you. I could have been a huge douche and given you control again for that part. Dodged a huge bullet on that one. Anyway, I’m not here to taunt and jeer.” Samson’s face suddenly got serious. “Chris there are some things that you need to understand. First off, I’ve never been out to get you. I know you don’t believe me, but it is the truth. Ever since we were kids, I’ve looked out for you. It wasn’t in your nature to fight back. You ran whenever you could, and took the beating when you couldn’t. I- you needed that to stop. We finally had enough. Whenever you got into a bad situation that you couldn’t escape from, I took over. That’s why whenever you had an episode you’d have bruises and scrapes. I never once raised a hand against you. I only wanted what’s best for you.”

Samson’s face grew solemn. “But I can’t do that anymore. I’m sure you’ve noticed, but since we’ve come into possession of the Psycho Morpher, we’ve had a new roommate. Psycho comes from the morpher, he is directly linked to it. As long as we use it, we can’t get rid of him. And to add to that problem, every time we morph, use Static, or even just talk on the communicator he gets a little bit stronger. He was trying to take over. When I figured out what was going on, I tried to stop him, and we’ve been struggling ever since. I can keep him at bay, but in order to do so, I have to dedicate all of my focus. That means I can’t take the hits for you anymore.” The image turned so that it looked like Samson was staring him in the eyes. “You have to get stronger. We got lucky today. If Cruger hadn’t been here, the story would be very different. We most likely would have been killed and the Resistance would be next. We can’t rely on the strength of others anymore.”

Samson leaned back in the chair, his look of stern worry relaxing a little. “So, let’s go over your to-do list. First, do like Cruger suggested and talk to Nightmare Moon about our uninvited guest. See what she can do to help. Second, double your efforts in your training. No, make it triple, there’s no telling what could be coming for us next. And lastly,” Samson paused, a grin appearing on his face, “ask Scootaloo about the hanger.” No more was said as Samson reached forward and terminated the recording.

Chris sat back, millions of questions swarming through his head. But above them all, there was one that was more prominent than the rest. “Since when do we have a hanger?”

Nightmare Moon sat in central command drinking a cup of coffee, the first of many to come. Despite her tight schedule, she enjoyed getting up early in the morning. It gave her some quiet time to simply relax and enjoy the silence before her busy day began. She took another sip of her warm beverage and let out a contented sigh. Yep, nothing was better than this.

There was a knock on the metallic door causing Nightmare to close her eyes in slight annoyance. “Who could possibly be awake at this time of day?” She mumbled to herself. “Come in.” The mechanical doors slid open and Chris entered the room, a look of apprehension on his face. “Oh, it’s you, Chris. What can I do for you?”

Chris flinched slightly at her words. “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Obviously,” she chuckled, “or else you wouldn’t be here right now.” She took another sip of her coffee. “So, what is it you want to talk about?”

Chris fidgeted a little before speaking. “I have a… problem that I’m pretty sure only you can help me with.” Chris let a sigh to release his tension. “Since I was a kid, I’ve had a disorder. Back on my world we called it Multiple Personality Disorder. It causes people to develop a completely different set of traits than what they usually have, usually due to extremely stressful situations.” Chris breathed in slowly, getting back on track. “Point is, I’ve almost always had Samson tagging along in my head. He would take over at weird times leaving me with weird blank spots in my memory, but… I realize now, it was never that bad. Then I came here and got my morpher. It’s probably the best thing that ever happened to me, except I got more than I bargained for. I picked up a hitchhiker. He calls himself Psycho, and… he tried to take me over. Luckily, the ‘not-as-evil-as-I-thought’ Samson caught on to him and has been keeping him at bay, but not without sacrifice. Samson can’t help out like he used to while Psycho is a problem.” He paused. “I need your help Nightmare. I don’t know what else to do.”

Nightmare stared at him for a while, processing everything Chris had just told her. She finally let out a sigh, muttering something under her breath. “Why didn’t you tell me about this before?” She asked.

“I’ve always been terrified of people finding out,” he explained leaning against one of the consoles. “I didn’t want people looking at me like some sort of freak.”

Nightmare gave him a look of sympathy. “Chris.” She stood up and walked over in front of him and leaned against the opposite console. They simply stood in each other’s company for a while, each drawing a little comfort from the other’s presence. Finally, Nightmare spoke.

“I will help you where I can, Chris, but you need to understand that what you ask is no easy feat. I’ll admit, I had an inkling of what was going on. That’s why I have Trixie teaching you control. Now, though, the problem is much more difficult than we believed, and it will only be through your efforts that you’ll be able to keep a lid on this ‘Psycho.’ And it will not be easy.”

Chris let out a small smile. “Thank you, Nightmare.”

Nightmare returned his smile. “You’re welcome, Chris.” She stood up and walked back over to her station overlooking the rest of the room. “Until tonight then, when you sleep.” She turned and gave him one last grin as he made his way out of the room.

As the doors closed behind Chris, his smile faded and his shoulders sagged. And that makes two, he thought to himself making his way to his workshop in search of a distraction.

Scheiße, scheiße, scheiße! Chris thought running down the halls to get to the locker room. He’d found his distraction in the form of the Delta Battlizer sitting on his desk. The implications of the Battlizer being there combined with the subtle hint to check the hanger had him filled with excitement. But, seeing as he didn’t know where the hanger was, he reserved himself to studying the code for the battlizer. It was amazing. So amazing that he didn’t realize he was going to be late for his combat training with Shining Armor.

I can NOT be late again! He screamed at himself internally as he rounded another corner and dodged between a pair of ponies as he sprinted all the faster. He slammed the doors to the lockers open, startling several fellow Resistance members as he slid to a stop in front of his locker. In a whirlwind of Static, he ripped open his locker, stored his jacket, and strapped on all of his leather gear before dashing out of the room leaving behind the bang of his locker slamming shut.

Shining stood at the center of the training ground, staring at a pocket watch and counting the minutes until Chris arrived, other groups working out around him. “That’s twenty-three,” he murmured quietly. Suddenly, a cloud of dust came rocketing out of the tunnel leading to the lockers. Chris ground to a halt in front of Shining, the dust cloud sweeping past them as Chris threw up a salute to his teacher.

“Chris Scott, reporting for training, sir!” He called out in a monotone voice.

“Private Scott,” Shining said dryly, closing his watch and sliding it into his pocket. “You’re late.”

“I’m so sorry, Shining,” Chris started, relaxing his salute, “I got to studying some new tech and I lost track of ti-”

“Twelve laps, Private Scott.”

Chris stopped and stared. “Are you trying to kill me, Shining?”

“You’re right, that’s kinda harsh,” Shining said with a chuckle, before becoming serious. “How about twenty-four laps, private.”

“But, Shining-”

“Do I hear thirty-six?”

Chris stopped and let out a defeated sigh. “Yes, sir,” he muttered, beginning his twenty-four lap jog around the two square mile training ground. He went at a steady pace, his years of running cross-country paying off. However, after his fifth lap, he was panting and sweating, thinking thoughts like, why me, and, I am GOING to die. After his sixteenth lap, he couldn’t feel his legs anymore, let alone think rational thoughts. When he walked over to the patiently waiting Captain after his final lap, he fell flat on his face, drenched in sweat and wishing someone would set a fire extinguisher to his burning muscles.

Shining walked over to the fallen human and bent his knees to get closer to the young man. “So, how do you feel?”

“Like scheiße,” came the muffled reply.

“Are you going to be late anymore?”

“No, sir.”

“And are you going to argue next time I tell you to run?”

“No, sir.”

“Good,” Shining finished, putting a bottle of water next to Chris’ head. “Come on, we’ve still got a training session to complete.”

Chris groaned and used his arms to roll over and grab the bottle. He removed the cap and made to take a drink before capsizing the bottle, pouring its contents over his face and head. The icy shock jerked Chris back to full consciousness, shooting to his feet. “BRRR, that’s cold! Okay, okay, I’m ready.”

Shining raised an eyebrow and tossed another bottle to Chris. “Uh-huh,” he said skeptically as Chris chugged down the refreshing liquid. “Today, we’ll be sparring.”

Chris raised an eyebrow, still trying to catch some of his breath. “Really? That’s new.”

“Yes, it is,” Shining replied crossing his arms. “I want to see you use everything I’ve taught you. See how well you implement your training in real combat. How well you do today will determine what happens during the rest of your training. Do you understand?”

“Sparring, do my best, determines my training, got it,” Chris said finally feeling somewhat better.

Shining nodded. “Alright, let’s get started.” Shining turned away and started to walk away. Chris started to turn as well only to have his gaze ripped back towards Shining at a blur of motion in his peripherals. He barely had time to spin around and activate Static around his arm as he brought it up to block the short sword swinging towards his head.

“What the hölle, Shining!?!”

Shining said nothing, a steely look in his eyes. He kicked out at Chris’ stomach, causing him to catch the blow with his other hand. The force of the kick sent Chris sliding backwards, putting his hand to the ground to come to a stop. Chris looked up at Shining as the white stallion settled into a fighting stance. “Alright then,” Chris muttered, straightening up, “if that’s how you want it.” Chris’ eyes hardened and he flexed his muscles out. “Static!” He called, the red energy flowing over his body as he drew out the Psycho Sword. “Let’s go, Captain!” He shouted as he charged the veteran fighter.

Shining Armor held his ground as Chris made his approach, only moving to guard against Chris’ attack at the last second. As the two blades ground against one another, Shining raised his eyes to stare into Chris’ own. “Is that it?” He taunted without humor.

“You wish!” Chris grunted, pushing harder on his blade. The two shoved as hard as they could, sliding slightly apart. This time, both fighters charged forwards. They moved around one another, their swords clashing and limbs colliding as each combatant did all they could to gain the advantage. Chris swung his blade in an underhand movement. Shining caught the blow with his own blade. They struggled for a moment before sitting there, locked in an even match of strength.

“Guess, we’re even then,” Chris said, panting slightly.

“You idiot.”

Chris was taken aback by the sudden comment. He looked at Shining with a questioning look. Shining’s gaze was one of deathly seriousness.

“Haven’t you noticed?” Shining questioned, pushing harder on his sword. “I’ve been holding back.” Suddenly, Chris’ Static gave out and he had to struggle not to let Shining overpower him. “This is over.” Shining forced the Psycho Sword away and swung once more at Chris’ head. Chris was forced to roll away from the attack. He came to a landing, rolling to his feet and dismissing his sword.

New plan, he thought, summoning the Psycho Bow. He started firing off shots at the unicorn. Shining knocked away each shot with deft strokes of his sword. Verdammt, he thought, firing off more arrows, how is he doing this?

Shining detected a lull in Chris’ attack. He took advantage of the extra time and thrust his arm forward, his hand and horn glowing in a magenta aura. Instinct told Chris to get out of the way and he jumped away, magenta blades erupting from the ground in front of him. His evasion was sluggish, allowing one of the blades to slice through the leg of his pants. He nocked three energy arrows to the Bow and let them fly. The two angled arrows sped away in either direction before beginning to swerve mid-flight back towards their target. When it seemed the glowing bolts would hit Shining, there was a magenta flash and the arrows were thrown away. Chris was forced to cover his eyes, and when he looked back, he was met by a terrifying sight.

Shining Armor stood where he started at the beginning of their fight except now he was covered head to toe in magical magenta armor. His short sword was in his left hand now, and in his right, he held a large great sword that matched his armor.

“Wow,” Chris said in awe of the spectacle.

Shining narrowed his eyes. “Keep your head in the fight!” He shouted, swinging his great sword in a horizontal slash, sending an arc of energy at Chris.

Oh, scheiße. Chris leaned backward, bending as far as he could. The magenta slash flew over his face, barely missing him. As it passed, he lost his balance and fell on his back.

“Tch,” Shining muttered. “You don’t get it do you?”

“What is that supposed to- WHOA!” Chris yelled, rolling out of the way of a vertical slash. Chris flipped onto his feet, turning to stare angrily at Shining. “What’s your problem!?!”

“My problem?” Shining asked with a snort. “I don’t have one… but you do.” Shining swiped his sword in three directions, forming a three-way cross of energy that he threw at Chris. Despite its larger size, the attack flew at Chris at a much faster pace. Chris tried to jump out of the way, but it was to quick. The magic attack slammed into his chest, exploding in a concussive wave that launched him backward. Chris landed hard on his back, knocking the wind from his lungs. He struggled into a kneeling position, gasping to fill his lungs.

Shining started walking forward, his scowl growing on his features. He came to a stop, still a good ways away from Chris. “You fell, Chris.”

Chris stared hotly up at his teacher, still recovering his breath. “Yeah, so what?”

Shining’s face grew darker. “If you fall on the battlefield, you die.”

“And?” Chris said, slowly getting to his feet. “I’m nothing more than a lost human fighting a war that isn’t his. Who cares if I fall?”

Shining growled at the statement. “‘Who cares?’ Is that what you just said?” Shining anger was flaring. “I don’t know what it was like where you came from, but here you can’t just throw yourself at your enemies.”

“It’s worked so far,” Chris argued, standing wobbly on his feet.

“No, it hasn’t!” Shining yelled. “Every time you’ve gone against King Mondo’s forces, you got lucky. You had the element of the unknown in your first fight, and you didn’t even fight Silo yourself. Cruger did!”

“And?” Chris said indignantly. “It doesn’t mean I can’t.”

Shining stared darkly at the young man. “You can’t.” The statement slammed into Chris’ chest, sending him back to his knee. “King Mondo knows about you, you aren’t a mystery anymore. And you can’t rely on stronger fighters to be there to back you up.” Shining closed his eyes. “If you keep going like this, you will die.”

Chris stared for a moment at the echoing of Samson’s words, before frowning again. “Which leads me back to my first question. Who verdammt cares?” Shining’s eyes snapped open, but Chris wasn’t done yet. “I’m nothing more than a stupid, lonely, hack with no family, with nowhere to go, and no future to look forward to.” Chris had been steadily dragging himself back to his feet. “So, I’ll ask one more time.” Chris looked up with fire in his eyes. “Who verdammt gives a Scheiß!”

“We do!!!”

Chris’ eyes widened at the shout. “W-what?” He stammered.

“Who brings you lunch when you forget to eat? Who walks with you to make sure nopony gets any bright ideas? Who helps you with your projects? Who patches you up when you get hurt? Who has watched over you since you got here?” Images flashed through Chris’ mind as each question was thrown at him. Cadence, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Nightmare Moon, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie. Their faces slid through his mind as the message finally started to sink in.

“Who’s been right beside you this whole time?”

Sweetie Belle leaped into his mind. Her soft smile, her quiet laugh.

“You have ponies that care about you, Chris.” Chris looked up at his teacher to find a single tear start sliding down his cheek. “And we can’t just sit back and watch as you throw your life away.” Shining’s face hardened and he wiped the tear away angrily, raising the greatsword over his head in an underhand grip. “So, don’t you dare fall!” He swung the blade down and impaled the ground, magenta blades shooting from the earth in a line.

Chris barely had time to react. He lifted the Psycho Bow and fired a single continuous stream of bright blue energy at the glowing stream of swords. The attacks collided and struggled against one another, the blades building up behind the blue beam. Chris struggled to hold the power as a million thoughts ran through his head. They cared. He had friends now that cared for his well-being. They watched over him. Took care of him. They cared. He felt something in his chest, something he’d never before. He felt needed. Wanted. He belonged here.

We belong here, a familiar voice said in his head.

Chris’ worried eyes hardened and he started to struggle to his feet. “You don’t want me to fall?” He called out to Shining. “I don’t care. I never have!” Pink Static started buzzing from his morpher. “But this time, for all of you,” his eyes flashed and Pink Static erupted across his body, “I’ll stand!” The beam from the Bow expanded and shattered Shining’s spell, forcing the armored stallion to throw up a force field. When he looked back, he was met with a surprise.

Chris stood across the field in his armor, Static sparking around him. The sight of Chris in his ranger form didn’t surprise Shining Armor. Except the armor was pink. Inside the helmet, Chris was getting his second wind. A heads-up-display appeared on his visor for the first time, surprising him. The display was colored in pink and text made it’s way across his screen. Psycho Ranger Pink, unlocked. Pink Static, unlocked, raises defense and shield stats by multiple of six. Red Static, unlocked, raises attack and speed stat by multiple of six. Combination Fifteen: Psycho Shot, unlocked. Nature Magic, unlocked. The new abilities scrolled past his eyes, leaving him with a clear look at Shining. With a mental command, the mouthpiece and visors of his helmet retracted, exposing Chris’ face.

“Well, Shining, you wanted me to stand,” he called out to his teacher raising his arms up. “Here I am.”

Shining stared for a moment then his face split into a grin. “Finally, you understand,” he muttered to himself. He dropped into a stance that betrayed his intention to get close. “Here I come!” He darted forward, raising his sword to the side for a horizontal swing.

Chris smirked. “Have it your way.” The visors and mouth guard swept back into place. He pulled his arms back, charging his hands with pink Static before thrusting forward and slamming his hands into the ground. Plant roots and vines shot from the ground towards the charging unicorn. Shining looked on in shock and started using both his swords to cut through the obtrusive trailers, but it wasn’t enough. One vine, thicker than the rest, wrapped itself around his right wrist, and more vines quickly followed suit, binding his limbs and holding him spread eagle. Gotcha this time, Chris thought summoning both the Psycho Sword and Bow. “Combination fifteen: Psycho Shot!” He called out, nocking the Sword like an arrow, a weapon displaying itself on his HUD. The weapons lit up in a bright light and shifted onto his right wrist. When the light faded, the Bow and Sword sat on his wrist like a crossbow, the Sword’s blade split down the middle, revealing a gun barrel. That’s new. He pointed the weapon at the constrained Shining Armor.

“Real sorry about this, Captain Armor,” Chris called, a smile in his voice.

Shining only chuckled. “Just give it your best shot, kid.”

Chris grinned wider. “You asked for it!” An orb of pink and red light began to build up around the end of the barrel as a meter grew on his visor. “Combo Special 15: Supreme Arrow!!!” He shouted, unleashing his attack. A blinding spiral of red, white, and pink shot from Chris’ wrist, big enough to cover most of the body. The beam rushed towards Shining and slammed into him, shattering his armor. The attack lasted another few seconds before it slowly died down. Before it got far, Chris felt something was wrong. When the light finally faded, there was nothing left in the grasp of the vines. Chris was taken aback. I know that attack wasn’t that powerful, he thought to himself.

The was a large explosion and Chris arched his back in pain and fell to one knee. He tried to stand only to have a magenta covered short sword stuck underneath his chin. He looked up to find Shining smiling down at him with pride. “Concede,” he said, his smile widening.

Chris smiled inside his helmet. “I concede.”

Shining sheathed his sword and held his hand out to Chris. Chris dispersed the Psycho Shot and grabbed Shining’s hand, letting him haul him to his feet. “Thanks,” Chris said, demorphing. “How did you dodge that?”

“Simple,” Shining replied cheekily. “I teleported.”

Chris let his head hang down. “I cannot believe I forgot about that.”

“We all make mistakes, Chris,” Shining counseled, putting his hand on Chris’ shoulder. “What I want to know is, do you understand what I was trying to tell you?”

Chris was silent for a moment, his face solemn. He finally gave a small smile. “Yeah. Yeah, I do. And I promise I won’t ever fall down again.”

Shining grinned at the human’s determination. “I believe you.” Shining dropped his hand, turned and motioned for Chris to follow as he headed towards the lockers. “Let’s get cleaned up. Then, lunch. You earned it.”

Chris grinned as his stomach growled at the thought of food. “Good,” Chris replied. “I forgot breakfast this morning.”

Shining stopped in his tracks allowing the youth to walk past and ahead of him. He stared after Chris in shock before shaking his head and letting an amused smile cover his face.

“Thanks for the company, Sweetie Belle,” Chris said, opening the door to his room. “See you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Chris,” she responded from further down the hall. “Sleep well.”

“Will do,” Chris called closing his door. He turned to face the room and slightly deflated. “Will do,” he said again, under his breath. He sighed and walked over to the drawers in his closet and pulled out his pajamas. He hesitated and put the night clothes back and pulled out a simple pair of shorts. Yep, I should feel as comfortable as possible. He shook his head and walked to the bathroom to get ready for bed. After his sparring match with Shining, the day had gone pretty normal. They’d gotten lunch, he’d had his sessions with Starlight and Trixie, he’d gone and worked on the battlizer a little more, gotten a tour of the Hanger and the Delta Megaship from Scootaloo, and met up with Sweetie Belle and the others for dinner. The only “new” thing that happened was that he was invited to movie night with the Elements and their families. Afterwards, Sweetie had walked him back to his room.

He left the bathroom and flopped onto the bed, throwing the light switch as he did so. He turned over onto his back, leaving the covers off as he closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. It didn’t take long for his tired body and mind to slip into sleep. It also didn’t take long for Nightmare to find his drifting consciousness.

Chris found himself standing in the middle of a bleak landscape. The ground beneath his feet was black, and the sky above was a constant swirl of blacks, blues, and purples. “Huh,” Chris said to himself. “Cliche much?” The wind picked up and blew against him, getting stronger until he was thrown off his feet and onto his back. “Ow.”

“That is what happens when you tempt fate,” a voice said above him.

Chris opened his eyes to find Nightmare Moon standing over him. “Haha, funny,” Chris deadpanned, getting to his feet and brushing himself off. It was then that he noticed his clothes. It looked like the rangers’ outfits from Mystic Force, minus the cape and short sleeves, and the vest was blue with white lines instead of black with red, the titan sign replaced by the symbol of his morpher. “Okay, definitely wasn’t wearing this when I went to sleep.”

Nightmare chuckled, drawing his attention. “This,” Nightmare explained, “is how you see yourself in your mind. And might I add, it looks nice on you.”

“Aw, stop it, you’ll make me blush,” Chris joked before getting to the point. “So, how are we supposed to do this? We gonna dance around and mutter strange things until all things are right and good again, or what?”

Nightmare looked at him for a moment. “How was your day, Chris?” She finally asked.

“It was kind of rough,” Chris admitted with a shrug. “Sorry. But seriously, how does this work?”

“First,” she began, a glow forming over her horn, “I need to get changed.” A teal glow surrounded the mare and shone bright, causing Chris to cover his eyes. When he looked back, Nightmare was gone. In her place stood an alicorn that looked like a combination of both Luna and Nightmare Moon. She was shorter, about 5’8”, and her fur was more like Luna’s although her cutie mark kept the coloring of Nightmare’s. Her hair was in a semi-tangible state, as if it couldn’t make up it’s mind, taking on the appearance of a black and purple night sky. Her clothes were different as well. She now wore a dark blue cropped skirt with a slit down the side, showing off her thigh, and a black strapped bodice with a black and white full/crescent moon symbol on the stomach. She opened her eyes to reveal their teal coloring and round pupils.

“Whoa,” Chris breathed, looking over Nightmare/Luna’s new appearance. “You look… wow.” Chris shook his head. “Wait, are you Luna or are you Nightmare Moon?”

A soft smile played on her features. “Both and neither,” she replied cryptically. When Chris only stared blankly, she continued. “When we came to Equestria, we were still full of hate and bitterness. We could feel Celestia in Canterlot, just waiting. We grew even more angry when the Elements of Harmony came against us, slowing our revenge. However, in the midst of our fight, Celestia vanished and another darker being took her place. We forgot the Elements and turned our rage to the one that stole vengeance from us only to find refugees flooding into Ponyville. Upon hearing of Mondo’s invasion, we ordered their evacuation to the Castle deep in the Everfree.” Nightmare/Luna closed her eyes and let out a sigh. “At first, we were only angry that King Mondo had taken Equestria before we could. However, we started to care for our subjects again as they came to trust us. We came to an agreement.We would share our body and our aspects, and we would defeat Mondo together. No more revenge, no more anger.”

Nightmare/Luna’s story came to a close and Chris could only stare in wonder. “But wait. If you’re the perfect unity of Luna and Nightmare Moon, why do you look and sound like Nightmare on the outside?”

“That is a simple question to answer,” Nightmare/Luna replied, a small twinkle in her eye. “The Resistance needs a strong leader, someone they can look up to, who can protect them. Now tell me, would you feel better having a reformed Nightmare Moon leading you, or a stunted Luna?”

“Okay, I can understand that,” Chris said rubbing his neck. “So what do I call you?”

Nightmare/Luna smiled again. “We have come to like the name Artemus.” Artemus’ eyes grew serious. “But we are here to help you, not give a history lesson.” She turned her eyes to the horizon. “Do you know where in your consciousness your other personalities may lie?”

“Uh, no,” Chris said sheepishly. “To be honest, until this morning, I thought the further I was from Samson the better.”

Artemus let out a tired sigh. “It is no big deal, however, it would have been easier. We must only follow the commotion.”

Chris looked around the field of his mindscape. “Uh, what commotion?” Immediately after finishing the question, yelling could be heard in the distance. Chris turned towards the sound in confusion. “How?”

Artemus chuckled. “Often times we are not aware of things that happen in our own head until someone else points it out.”

“That’s a scary thought,” Chris muttered beginning to sprint towards what now sounded like a fight. They didn’t run far before they came across the scene. A Psycho Ranger fought against another young man with short reddish brown hair and hazel eyes. He was dressed in an adapted version of the Operation Overdrive uniform, white accents covering more of the jacket, green lining around it and the Overdrive emblem replaced by that of the Psycho Morpher, and the pants were more baggy and stuffed inside black combat boots. When the human attempted to land a spinning heel kick to the ranger’s head, he turned, revealing that his jacket hung half open, revealing a green shirt.

Chris stopped in his tracks. He didn’t need anyone to tell him who the stranger was. “Samson….” Artemus came to a stop beside him as the two fighters raged on. Chris shook his head. “I can’t just sit here,” he told her, “I’ve got to help.” Chris made to jump to his other personality's rescue, but Artemus stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t rush in,” she warned. “There is something we need you to understand before you step into the fray. First, once you enter this fight, you will not be able to back out until it is over, no matter who the winner is. Second, I cannot help you. This is you and your brother’s fight and your fight alone. And finally, when this fight is over, you must make a decision. Are you prepared to do such?”

Chris stared for a moment, looking at his leader. An increase in volume from the direction of the fight drew his attention. Psycho was throwing a rapid barrage of punches and Sam was doing a good job of blocking each jab, until Psycho threw a feint, landing a gut-wrenching blow to Sam’s chest. Chris winced but felt relieved when his other self recovered quickly and started throwing his own combination. But it was obvious that Sam was getting tired. Worry once again crossed over Chris’ face before hardening into determination and turned to Artemus. “I’ll do it.”

Artemus smiled. “Good, now there is only one last thing you must know.” She motioned with her finger to whisper in his ear. He leaned his ear to her and let her murmur to him. When she finished, he pulled back and threw a questioning look to which she nodded and grinned. Chris let out a final sigh and turned to make his way to the battle.

As he made his way over, he noticed something was off about Psycho. Different colors kept shifting across his armor, and his form kept fluctuating. One such fluctuation caused Sam to miss a punch giving Psycho the opening to kick him in the chest. Sam was sent backward, landing hard on his back as Chris finally made his way over. “Giving you the wet works?” Chris asked as he crouched down next his fallen personality.

At first, Sam was surprised to see his counterpart but then grinned as he accepted the hand Chris offered to him. “Nah, I had him right where I wanted him.”

“Oh, good, both of the broken pieces are here,” Psycho exclaimed drawing both their attentions. “Now I don’t have to come look for you when I finish off mister guard dog here.” He let out a chuckle and started stalking towards them.

Chris and Sam looked at one another and nodded. Chris stepped in front of Sam, giving the personality a chance to recover. “Let’s go, Psycho,” Chris called threateningly.

“Let’s.”

Both fighters charged each other, colliding in a swarm of punches and kicks. Psycho threw a jab that raced passed Chris’ chin as he moved out of the way. He grabbed Psycho’s wrist and started spinning in place. Psycho lost his balance but refused to be thrown. But he forgot one important detail. Samson slammed his fist into Psycho’s torso as he rushed forward, throwing the malicious presence away from the pair. Psycho stood up and stared at the pair with pure hatred.

“So, you both want to be friends now,” Psycho taunted. “After all those years of hating him, you suddenly want to work with him? How stupid can you be?”

Chris scowled. “I don’t know much about Samson.” He closed his eyes and let out a breath before opening them again. “But I know that while you’ve been trying to take over, he’s kept you away. And that’s more than enough reason to trust him.”

Dark laughter echoed from Psycho. “You’re nothing more than a fool. I’ll enjoy tearing your control away!” He raced forward ready to slam into Chris.

Chris and Sam looked and nodded to one another and ran forward together. The three combatants clashed. Chris threw a punch at Psycho’s face mask while Sam aimed a kick to his midsection. Psycho reacted quickly, sliding underneath both attacks and performed a leg sweep. Chris and Sam jumped out the way of the takedown and when Sam landed, Psycho rushed him. He threw a barrage of jabs, hooks, and uppercuts, none of which found their mark. Psycho tried for another feint, but Sam knew his tricks. He dodged around the dastardly ploy, and dashed behind Psycho. Sam wrapped his arms around the shade’s midriff and lifted him off his feet, falling backwards as he did. It was only midway through the suplex that Psycho realized how much trouble he was in. Just as Psycho’s head met the ground, Chris dashed from across the field and started slamming punches into his torso. As Psycho’s body followed through with the rest of the suplex, Sam rolled out of the way, and Chris delivered a haymaker that sent the apparition skidding across the landscape.

Psycho finally came to a stop, and spun to his feet to face his opponents. “Enough of this idiocy,” he hissed. There was a shine on Psycho’s visor as a dark aura poured out around him. “Now,” he called across the field, “I’ll kill you both!” He sprinted forward, his aura like black flames. Chris and Sam simply stared straight ahead and nodded, both fighters flaring their own auras, Chris’ orange and Samson’s green. Chris threw one more look at Sam who nodded. They suddenly appeared on either side of Psycho each delivering a devastating downward kick before spinning and kicking him forward. Psycho skidded across the ground for a moment before throwing his hand forward and flipping himself right-side-up. He saw Chris and Sam standing across from him, deadly intent in their eyes. For once in his existence the evil ranger was terrified.

“It’s time to end this, Psycho,” Chris called.

“Surrender now, or,” Sam added as both he and Chris closed their eyes and shifted stances.

“We’ll end you!” They shouted together eyes flying open and glowing weapons appearing in their hands. Chris held an orange short sword in his right hand and a matching buckler in his left while Sam wielded a large green naginata.

Psycho stepped back in fear. “How could you two possibly be able to summon those? You’re not strong enough!” He demanded.

“You’re right,” Chris replied, taking a step forward, “I’m not.”

“And neither am I,” Sam admitted, following suit.

“But we are!!!” They shouted together, rushing at the shade.

“No, this isn’t possible!” Psycho yelled, bringing his hands up. “It’s not possi-!!!” The short sword and naginata slammed into the shadow’s torso, leaving behind smoking slashes of black mist. Chris and Sam straightened up and turned to face Psycho as he fell forward, defeated. The pair dismissed their weapons and walked over to their fallen opponent. As they did, Artemus appeared over a hill and made her way over to the pair of personalities.

“Well fought, you two,” she praised giving them each a smile before turning her eyes to Psycho. “Are you ready for the next step?”

Chris and Sam looked at each other, nodded, and turned back to the alicorn. “We are,” Chris answered for them.

“Then both of you, hold your hands over Psycho.” They obeyed, stretching out their arms and hands, palm outward. Artemus’ horn and hands started glowing blue, her eyes shining white as she performed her magic. She finally released her magic into Psycho, heavy bars shooting out of the ground around him to contain him. Both he and the cage glowed white and condensed into a ball of light that split into two. A different ball shot towards each human, absorbing into their bodies through their hands. When it was over, both of them withdrew their hands and looked them over, flexing their fingers.

“Well, that was different,” Sam stated, turning his eyes back to Artemus. “Now what?”

“Now,” Artemus replied as she stepped forward and placed a hand on each of their shoulders, “you two make amends.”

Chris and Sam were taken aback. They stared for a moment at the mare before turning to each other. Then, twin smiles appeared on their faces. “Brothers?” Sam asked, stretching out his hand.

Chris nodded as he took Sam’s hand. “Brothers,” he confirmed. There was a bright flash and both parties released. They looked at one another in confusion and turned to Artemus.

“What happened?” They asked together.

Artemus smiled. “You two are no longer just Chris and Sam,” She answered holding out a hand to each side. “Now you are Chris and Sam.” She clasped her hands together. “Not just two parts to a whole, but two wholes together.”

Chris and Sam tilted their heads in confusion. “But we’re still separate,” they said in sync.

“You appear to yourselves as two,” she explained, “but to anyone who can see inside your mind, you are one.” Chris and Sam only stared, earning a chuckle from the mare. “It will take some time to get used to, but for now you both need sleep.”

Chris and Sam looked at each other and shrugged. “You’re right,” they conceded. “Thanks for your help Artemus.”

“What happened here is your doing,” she replied, shaking her head with a small smile. “I only sealed away Psycho’s influence. The rest came from you.”

The young men shrugged. “Thanks anyway,” they said in answer. “Goodnight, Artemus.” With that said, they closed their eyes and fell backward, snoring.

Artemus let out a chuckle. “Goodnight, my little humans.” She turned and faded out of the dreamscape while Chris and Sam enjoyed the best sleep of their life.

Author's Note

What will the effects be of Chris and Sam coming together? What will happen with Psycho locked away? And what is King Mondo's next move? Things are definitely starting to get heated up.

Thank you guys for reading. No special messages today, unless I'm forgetting something like the goof I am. If you guys catch a mistake, have a question or thought, or just want to say something silly leave it in the comments below. Please remember to be kind to each other. Until next chapter, have a good one.

Chapter 7- Out of Shadows

Chapter 7

Out of Shadows

The computer screen turned on with a flash and Chris once again sat in front of his desk. He typed in a command and a red dot and “REC” appeared in the top left corner. “Alright,” Chris said kicking off the video. “So, it’s been a little while since I made the last video journal. Almost three weeks, actually. Since Shining gave me that beat down, I’ve taken this whole thing a lot more seriously. He made me realize that what I do doesn’t just affect me anymore, which is an odd feeling. Even when I was staying with Ms. Monroe back on Earth, I didn’t feel that.” Chris’ face got solemn. “It’s made me work harder than ever, and to be completely honest, it’s also given me a healthy dose of fear.” Chris chuckled. “Never thought I’d say that.” Chris looked up at the camera, a grin on his face. “It’s not all bad, though. Sam’s been a big help. I imagine it’s how Spiderman feels when his spidey sense goes off. My reaction times are faster, focussing magic is easier, and we no longer have to worry so much about losing control of our powers. With him tagging along all the time, I’ve been able to increase my training, just like he suggested, and asides from the odd disagreement, we’ve gotten along pretty well. We even managed to expand our arsenal.

“As for the Resistance,” Chris leaned back in his chair and let out some air, “things aren’t looking too good. We haven’t seen hide nor hair of any Machine Captains since Cruger and Sam sent Silo to the scrap heap, and it’s starting to wear on everyone’s nerves. The Councilors are starting to think that something big is coming, and I have to agree. In Zeo, Mondo sent a new monster at the rangers almost every other day.” Chris was silent for a moment, his hand on his chin as he thought. He finally sat back forward and sighed. “I just can’t see his game, and it has me worried. I’ve watched every season of Power Rangers at least twice, and this guy has me stumped.” Chris was silent for another moment before letting out another breath. “Guess there’s no use in worrying about it until we get a better idea of what’s going on. Me and Sweetie Belle have patrol again today and knowing our luck, we’ll probably find out exactly what King Mondo and his allies are planning. Until the next journal, Chris Scott and Samson Jaeger signing out.” Chris hit a few keys and terminated the recording.

King Mondo paced around the throne room of Canterlot castle. Nearby, Midnight and Sombra stood off to the side, keeping a certain distance between them. They had been assembled all morning and the only thing to come from the meeting was a new divot in the ground.

“I don’t see what has you so worked up,” Sombra finally spoke up, tired of waiting. “One more fighter amongst the ranks of what could barely be called a Resistance is no worse than saying another blade of grass has grown.” Sombra was adorned in his ruby-studded silver armor, his red, fur-lined cape draping off his shoulder and held together by a ruby on his chest.

Mondo stopped his pacing and looked to his compatriot. “You’re right. Another freedom fighter is of no concern to us.” Mondo’s expression soured into frustration. “Except this fighter is no ‘blade of grass’! He is a weed! A weed that must be pulled before it has the chance to dig its roots in too deep. He has already defeated two Machine Captains in little over a month, a feat the Resistance hasn’t been able to achieve in almost a decade. Do you know what this could do to them?”

“They will become more confident,” Midnight finally spoke up. “They might adapt their tactics from basic scavenging to outright raids.” She stopped and tapped her chin. “We must make a move before they gain this confidence.”

“But how!?!” Mondo raged, swinging his staff in an arc. “We can’t keep sending Machine Captains into that blasted forest to just be obliterated, we need a strategy.” All present were silent as each thought different thoughts.

Finally, Midnight’s eyes lit up. “Of course,” she said out loud.

“If you don’t mind sharing,” Sombra prompted irritably.

Midnight threw him a look. “The castle the Resistance uses as its base stands on top of a sacred artifact; the Tree of Harmony. It powers the Elements and protects the castle from outside forces.” An evil grin spread across her face. “If we could destroy the Tree, both the Element Bearers and the castle will be totally defenseless.”

“And how,” Sombra interjected, “do you suppose we get to the Tree?”

“The Tree’s roots grow throughout Equestria,” she explained. “If we find one of the roots, we can follow it back to the source and destroy it.”

“That sounds like a reasonable plan,” King Mondo said after listening to the two. “And I have the perfect Captain for the job. I’ll prepare him while you find a root.” He let out a menacing chuckle. “The Resistance will never know what hit them!”

Chris walked towards Central Command on his way to meet up with Sweetie and get the briefing on their patrol. After his night with Artemus in his mindscape, he had requested some new attire, and Rarity had gladly accepted the request. He was currently dressed in his pseudo-mystic force outfit, thinking that it would be a better idea than his other smothering clothes. As he approached the twin doors, he scanned his communicator over a newly installed scanner that lit up from red to green. The doors slid open and he walked inside to find Nightmare, Sweetie, and his various teachers waiting for him. The presence of his trainers caught Chris off guard.

“Uh, hey, guys,” Chris started, catching everypony’s attention. “What’s going on.”

“Oh, Chris,” said Nightmare, turning to face him. “Just the one we were talking about.”

Chris looked skeptical at the statement. “You know how I feel about those kinds of sentences,” he replied simply.

Nightmare chuckled. “Yes, but it’s always fun to heckle the new Councillors.”

“Ah,” Chris said in understanding and took his place next to Sweetie. Everyone stared at him in silence. After a while, Chris started to feel uncomfortable. “Okay, guys, kinda starting to creep me-” And it suddenly hit him. “Wait, did you just say I was a Councillor!?!”

Everyone around shared a collective laugh. When they started to calm down, Shining Armor stepped forwards to explain. “The Council has come to a decision. There is a Councillor for each race. In addition to that, Nightmare is head of the Council as acting Commander, and Sunset acts as Councillor for the Elements. The Council also reserves seating for Zecora and Ember while they’re absent. That brings the number of Councillors up to thirteen.”

“Bet you guys don’t get much done,” Chris stated.

“That we don’t,” Shining agreed. “That is until another race joined our ranks.” Shining suddenly stood at attention. “Atten-hut!” Chris sprang to quickly, almost tripping over himself in the process. When he finally settled, Shining continued. “Chris Scott, you are hereby promoted by the Council of the Equestria Resistance Force, the current standing military force of Equestria, to the position of Councillor. Do you accept this position?”

“Yes, sir,” Chris replied, never relaxing.

“Then I, Unicorn Councillor Shining Armor, entitle you Human Councillor Chris Scott.” Shining relaxed and smiled. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you, sir,” Chris replied as he relaxed as well, a grin plastered to his face.

Shining chuckled. “No need to call me that anymore,” he said putting a hand on Chris’ shoulder. “Now, we meet as equals.” He let go of the young man’s shoulder and began walking back towards Starlight and Trixie.”First order of business is to get you fitted for a new uniform, then get you acquainted with your new quarters and office.”

“Cool,” Chris said walking over to Sweetie Belle, “We’ll get to it after me and Sweetie get back from patrol-”

“Actually,” Trixie interrupted, “That won’t be necessary.”

Chris looked at her with a puzzled expression. “What do you mean?”

Starlight spoke up. “You won’t be going on patrol today, or any other day really. Now that you’re a Counsellor, you’re too important a figure to risk losing.”

Chris was taken aback by this news. “So, wait,” Chris began, raising his hand with a confused look, “what you’re saying is that all the training I did over the past month was for nothing?”

“No, of course not,” Shining answered, shaking his head. “One of the requirements we decided on for all Councillors is that they must have gone through some sort or military training.”

“That doesn’t tell me why you’re taking me off the battlefield.”

Trixie once again took the stage. “It’s simple, Chris. We need someone who can inspire. Everypony enjoys your company, Chris, they like you. And on top of that, you’ve shown just how capable you are, against both Nightmare and Shining Armor. You are someone the races of the Resistance can follow.”

Chris was silent. He looked to the floor and leaned against the console behind him. For a while, no one said a word. Finally, Chris looked up at the faces surrounding him. The hope radiating from Starlight and Trixie and pride from Shining, but when he looked to Sweetie, something was off. On the outside, she wore a smile that said everything was okay, but her eyes betrayed a certain unease. He finally turned to Nightmare, who kept herself expressionless. Chris looked back to the floor and let out a sigh before raising his gaze to Sweetie again. On a whim, he moved his hand to hers. She pulled back at first, but then opened her hand and held his. He looked into her eyes and flashed a reassuring smile and giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

“This is an honor, Shining,” Chris said looking back to the white stallion. Shining’s smile widened. “But I have to resign.”

Shining’s face fell. He looked to Chris with shock. “W-what?”

Chris straightened up and looked at his teacher. “If I’m going to be a symbol for the Resistance, I’m not going to sit behind a title and let everyone else fight for me. I’ll stand up and be a soldier others can follow. And besides,” He looked back to Sweetie, “I’ve already made too many promises to back down now.” He looked to Nightmare Moon with an honest smile and stood at attention. “Private Scott, reporting for patrol, ma’am.”

Nightmare returned his smile and turned to Chris. “Private Scott, you and Sweetie Belle will be on the Lottery patrol. Dismissed.”

Chris threw a salute and looked back to Sweetie. She smiled and shook her head as she walked past him and grabbed his arm. Chris allowed himself to be led away by the mare.

As the pair walked through the doors everypony present wore a look of disbelief. Everypony, that is, except Nightmare Moon, who threw a glance to a darkened corner of the room and nodded towards the young freedom fighters. The shadow wobbled and disappeared. As the doors closed Nightmare turned to face the three ponies in front of her, chuckling. “I tried to tell you,” Nightmare looked to the door that Chris had disappeared through, “Chris isn’t the kind to back down.”

Chris and Sweetie walked through the Everfree in silence. Chris simply walked around as quietly as possible while following their route. Sweetie, however, was even more cautious than normal. After several long minutes, Chris became curious.

What’s wrong with her, Chris asked internally. I thought we got over this last time.

Don’t ask me, you doof, Sam replied. Ask her!

What if there’s a really important reason for her caution?

Then check the morpher before you ask!

Okay, okay, no need to shout. Chris raised the Psycho Morpher up and opened the face revealing the screen. The radar showed nothing except the familiar yellow and green blips that represented himself and Sweetie. Well, it seems safe, Chris thought to himself as he put the morpher down. “Hey, Sweetie?”

The young mare jumped at the sudden sound. When she relaxed, she threw an irritated look at Chris. “Yes?” she whispered.

“What exactly are you so jumpy?” Chris asked, lowering his voice as well.

Sweetie looked surprised. “Nopony told you? The Lottery patrol is the single most dangerous patrol to get assigned to.”

“O~kay,” Chris said slowly, “why is it the most dangerous?”

“Because, it’s the patrol that comes closest to Ponyville, or what’s left of it.”

“That makes sens-”

Chris, incoming!

“Get down,” Chris whispered urgently, taking a light hold of Sweetie and moving them into cover. As they turned to watch their previous positions, a battalion of cogs marched past them, a Machine Captain bringing up the rear. He resembled a fire hydrant made of an amalgamation of construction parts, an oversized jackhammer in place of his right arm.

“Come on, you bumbling bots,” the large machine called to his underlings, “we need to find that root before the Resistance catches on.” The machines continued to march past and Chris and Sweetie stayed hidden until the sounds of the group’s footsteps faded away. As the last clang fell, Chris stood up.

“Digster,” he said quietly staring after the troop.

“We should call this in,” Sweetie whispered as she stood up.

“Right.” Chris lifted his morpher to his face. “Chris to Command, come in Command.”

“This is Command, we read you, Chris,” Sunset’s voice answered from the other side. “What’s going on out there? Over.”

“Me and Sweetie just spotted a battalion of cogs and a Captain making their way Southwest, towards the castle. Over.”

“Follow at a distance and find out what they’re up to. If there are any signs of trouble, get out of there. Over.”

“Roger that. Chris and Sweetie, over and out.” Chris put the morpher down and looked to Sweetie. “Let’s go.” Sweetie simply stared at him with an amused look. “What?”

“‘Over and out?’ Really?”

“What? That’s how soldiers are supposed to communicate.”

“Uh-huh,” she said before beginning to go after the machines. “Come on, soldier boy, we’ve got a plan to dig up.” Chris grinned and followed after her. They followed the trail of mechanical footprints for a while before finally coming to a point where the terrain became rockier and the ground hollowed out. The pair caught sight of the automatons below them and ducked behind a pile of boulders. The cogs worked to break up and move the earth with Digster in the middle of everything, breaking up the rock at a much faster pace.

“What are they doing down there?” Chris whispered.

“Hang on,” Sweetie answered. Her horn began to glow green and soon her eyes and ears shone in a magical light. She watched and listened intently to the commotion below, trying to discern anything the machines might say. Suddenly, a cog near the Southern edge of the hollow stood up straight and made motions with it’s hands to where it had been digging. Digster immediately stopped what he was doing and made his way over to the cog, the others following behind. He inspected the area in which the cog had been digging, then took a device out of a hidden compartment and scanned the area. He stopped and made some exaggerated movements with his arms, his muffled words reaching the pair. Sweetie’s eyes widened and she ducked behind the boulder as Digster and the cogs made their way out of the opposite side of the quarry. Chris ducked down beside her.

“What’s wrong, Sweetie?” He asked quietly.

Sweetie took some deep breaths to calm her nerves and turned to Chris, a slightly panicked look still in her eyes. “We need to call this in. Now. They’re going after the Tree of Harmony.”

Chris’ eyes widened and he wasted no time bringing his morpher up. “Sunset, this is Chris. Target is tracking the Tree of Harmony. Repeat, Digster is tracking the Tree. Over.”

Sunset’s voice came through the other side. “The Tree? This could be bad. You and Sweetie get back to base and we’ll prepare to launch an assault team. I just hope we’re not too late. Command, over and out.” The transmission ended and Chris dropped his morpher.

Sweetie got to her feet and started to make her way back to the castle but stopped when Chris didn’t follow.

“What are you waiting for, Chris?” Sweetie asked the frozen figure. “You heard Sunset, we need to get back to the castle and prepare for an assault.”

“They won’t make it in time.”

Sweetie was surprised by his words. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, by the time we got back to the castle and got a team together it’d be too late. The cogs are already only a sixteen-minute march away from the Tree as it is. By the time we got to them, the Tree would already be gone.” He turned away from the white unicorn in the direction the machines had marched off. “If someone doesn’t do something, they’ll leave us defenseless.” Chris looked back to her, an expression of pure determination on his features. “I’m going to distract them, Sweetie. I won’t ask you to come with me, but the Tree can’t wait. Head back to base and give Sunset the details. I’ll meet you there.” Chris took off after the machines leaving Sweetie behind. Sweetie stared after him for a while… then turned and ran back towards the castle.

Chris ran faster and faster into the forest trying to catch up with Digster and his battalion. Are you sure we’re ready for this, Chris? Samson asked from the depths of his mind.

Chris didn’t answer right away, only continued running. We have to be.

Samson’s grin could be felt as he brought his consciousness up to fully bond with Chris’. Now that’s a good answer.

Chris’ felt his brother’s confidence and a grin split his features. Alright then.

Chris ran for about another minute then came to an abrupt stop and dodged behind a tree as the robots came into view. We glanced around the tree to get a better look at his opponents. The cogs ranged between forty and fifty, and Digster appeared far too relaxed considering how deep into enemy territory he was. Chris turned away and thought. Great, we found them. Now we just need a plan.

We need to surprise them, Sam answered, thinking around the details and formulating a plan. Something big that’ll leave a good sized dent in their numbers.

But with what? Chris questioned. The most damage we could do is with ice magic, and we haven’t mastered that yet. And, not only that but the moment we attack they’ll know exactly where we are.

Damn, you’re right. What can we do then? Both parties were silent for a while as they tried to come up with a solution. After a while, Chris threw another look around the trunk to get another look. The machines were quickly moving away, ever closer to their goal.

Better move up, Chris remarked internally. He moved to the other side of the tree and hurried to catch up, dodging behind the foliage to stay hidden. When he was less than a few yards behind the regiment, he stopped behind yet another tree. He thought hard, knowing that every moment he spent thinking was another wasted. Finally, he let out a sigh when both him and Sam came up blank. He looked back towards the mechanical force he faced. “What have I gotten myself into?” He muttered to himself.

“Need some help?”

Chris jerked around and brought his fist to the ready, Black Static dancing across his knuckles. He stopped when he saw Sweetie Belle with her hands raised to her shoulders, a mischievous grin on her face. “Sweetie?” Chris said in surprise, lowering his fist and cancelling the Static. “I thought you went back to the castle.”

Sweetie’s grin faded slightly. “I started to, but I thought about what you said.” She closed her eyes and sighed then looked back up at Chris with steel in her eyes. “It’s about time somepony faced these blaggards head on.”

Chris’ face lit up in pride. “I’m glad you came back. Although, I do have one question.” Chris furrowed his brow in puzzlement. “How did you catch up so quickly?”

“That’s easy,” Sweetie answered. There was a flash of green and she appeared on the other side of Chris. “I used a teleportation spell.”

Chris stared in wonder for a moment before a cunning smile spread across his face. “We can work with that.”

Digster and his cogs marched through the Everfree, en route to the Tree of Harmony. Digster held a device with a green screen in his hand. On the screen, a yellow line made its way from top to bottom, representing the magical signature coming off the root. The device made a beeping noise, indicating that the signal was getting stronger. “Come on, you buckets of bolts, we’re almost there,” he called out to the cogs in his command. “Just a little while longer and the Resistance will be ours!”

“Not on our watch!” A male voice shouted from his right. He turned to face the disturbance only to quickly dodge out of the way as a wave of icy spikes raced through their formation, bringing down more than a few cogs as it passed.

“What the-!” Digster shouted before he was interrupted by another voice, this one obviously feminine.

“This is our forest!” A bright green wave of energy crashed through the crowd from the opposite direction. The wave dismantled even more cogs, leaving the battalion stumbling.

“And we won’t give it up without a fight!” One more shout from the male voice, this time from near their rear, echoed, followed by an enormous ball of fire that scorched the backs of several cogs. Attacks continued to launch themselves from different angles, utilizing an element or in the form of bright green magic. The cogs started to panic and began scrambling for whatever cover they could find. Digster, for his part, stood unmoving, blocking the different attacks with his jackhammer appendage as they came.

“You idiots!” He yelled to his troops. “They’re trying to disorganize us! Full cover formation!” The cogs recognized the order and jumped into action. The machines formed a circle around Digster, who continued to shout orders. “Discharge!” The Machine Captain yelled. The cogs slid their face masks up and fired lasers in every direction, bolts of plasma shooting off through the trees and causing a few small explosions. When no return fire came, Digster gained confidence. “Ha, guess these ‘freedom fighters’ aren’t as tough as Mondo thinks.”

“Think again, metal head!” A blue and black blur jumped from one of the trees surrounding the automatons and landed in the middle of a large portion of cogs. It started dancing around the group, cutting down cog after cog before jumping out of the way before they could regroup. It came to a stop to Digster’s left and he turned to face the threat. He was met by the sight of a human male with dark blonde hair and gray eyes wielding a blue and silver dual sided axe and wearing a blue and yellow vest and grieves, a white undershirt, and black pants and shoes.

“Psycho Ranger Red,” Digster said in recognition.

“The one and only,” Chris replied with a smirk. “And I suggest,” his smirk dropped and his eyes filled with killing intent, “that you leave. Now.”

Digster let out a laugh. “You’re joking!” The Captain returned. He stopped and pointed his weaponized limb at the human. “If I kill you and the Tree, I’ll be rewarded for sure. Cogs, attack!” The machines scattered in a pincer movement, trying to surround him.

Chris grinned. Way too easy. As the cannon fodder closed in around him, he faced the crowd surging towards his right and pointed the head of his axe in their direction. A blur of off-white, purple and pink fell out of the tree and landed beside him, standing into the form of a unicorn mare, magic charged in her hands. “Let’em have it!!!” Chris yelled, unleashing a blizzard from his axe at the approaching mooks.

“Roger!” Sweetie yelled as she unleashed her spells on the force coming from the left. Both blizzard and magic wave cut through their respective targets, reducing the cogs to scrap.

“Hölle yeah!” Chris exclaimed. He turned to face Digster once more smiling smugly. “Sorry, bub, but you're going to have to try a lot harder than that.”

“Tch,” Digster huffed, lifting his jackhammer into a striking position. “Why don’t you try this on for size!?!” He slammed his arm into the ground, creating a shockwave. The earth rolled towards the pair quickly, small explosions sparking out from behind it.

“Nice try, bucket face,” Chris called back, raising his left fist past his shoulder, Black Static dancing around his hand. He slammed it into the ground sending his own wave of rock towards the oncoming attack. The attacks met and erupted out of the ground in a spire of rock. Chris straightened up again, his smile unchanged. “Try again.” The Machine Captain only chuckled in response, causing Chris to pause and his grin to fade. “What’s so-”

Chris, behind us!

Chris spun around and spotted a cog swinging its mechanical spear towards Sweetie and himself. He moved to block the attack but knew he wouldn’t be able to catch the blow in time. Verdammt! He cried internally as the blow arced towards Sweetie. Suddenly, the cog was grabbed by some sort of green substance and yanked backward. The substance retracted up into a tree, lifting the cog as it struggled before a hole erupted from its chest. It went limp then jerked one last time before hanging still.

“What in the…,” Chris whispered in disbelief, trying to wrap his head around what he had just witnessed.

“You looked like you could use some help,” a silky voice said behind him. He spun around and searched for the source of the voice only to be surprised as Chrysalis materialized in front of him. Chris could only stare at the changeling queen as she appeared in all her glory. When she was fully visible, she crossed her arms in front of her and gave a mischievous smirk. “Guess it’s a good thing Nightmare asked me to follow you in case you did something stupid.”

Chris stayed shocked for a moment then grinned. “I thought Councilors weren’t supposed to engage in combat,” he replied with a glint in his eyes.

Chrysalis chuckled. “I was supposed to just to keep an eye on you, but let’s just say you and your little marefriend have convinced me otherwise.” Chris and Sweetie Belle both blushed.

“O-okay,” Chris said, his blush fading as he turned back to face Digster, determination replacing his embarrassment. “Mind sticking around to take this guy down?”

“You did that on purpose,” Chrysalis purred with a small chuckle as she too faced the Machine Captain. “Besides, after what you said this morning, I think it’s time for a change.”

Chris glanced back at the monarch then looked back, a smile crossing his face. I think we’re making progress, Chris thought to Sam.

Progress says you, a change in the wind says I, Sam replied in his best pirate impersonation.

Chris grinned more widely and stepped towards his opponent. “We told you, Digster. We’re not giving up without a fight.” He took another step forward and squared his shoulders. “This is our home, and we won’t let you or King Mondo have it. So,” he dispersed the Psycho Axe and materialized his morpher, “you can run back to Mondo and tell him to give up, or I can send you back to him in pieces. Either way, I think he’ll get the point.”

Digster growled and raised his weapon, before throwing it out to the side. “The Machine Empire will never be defeated by the likes of you!”

Chris snorted. “In pieces then.” He raised his morpher up so that his right arm crossed his chest. Think we can finally do it? He asked. His morpher sparked yellow in response.

I think it’s now or never, Sam responded.

Chris let out a breath of laughter. Yeah. “It’s morphin’ time!” He shouted before throwing his right arm and leg back and placing the middle and index fingers of his left hand on the face of the Psycho Morpher. “Go, Psycho!” He yelled, launching his right arm forward and stepping with the action. The face of the morpher flipped open and Chris was surrounded in dark yellow light. The light shattered, leaving Chris in the Psycho Yellow armor. The update to his armor’s abilities scrolled across his HUD. Psycho Ranger Yellow, unlocked. Yellow Static, unlocked, raises speed and precision stats by multiple of six. Combinations Fourteen through Forty-Five, unlocked. Ultimates 12-4 through 34-5, unlocked. Finales 23-45 and 12-34-5, unlocked. Lightning Magic, unlocked. All this happened in only a moment. Oh, this is gonna be fun, Chris and Sam thought together. “The Resistance is done hiding, Digster. Now we rise.”

“And you’ll fall!” Digster yelled as he ran forward, his right arm raised.

Time to test the new weaponry, Chris/Sam thought as Digster closed the distance. “Chrysalis, ranged or close quarters?”

“Support,” she replied, taking up a stance and charging her magic.

“That’s new,” Chris said, beginning to run forward. “Cover me!” He threw his right hand over his left wrist. “Finale 12-34-5: Cyber Slash!” Multi-colored grid lines began to form under his hand and shaped into a combination of the Psycho weapons. First, the Psycho Rod shortened and formed the handle, the Sling materializing below the horns while the Bow formed a guard over his hand. The Psycho Axe sprouted from the space between the horns forming a base while the Sword materialized from the head, finishing the blade. Chris hefted the sword with both hands as he prepared to go head to head with Digster.

Ranger and Machine Captain clashed with a bang, each struggling to gain the upper hand. Digster began to push harder, driving Chris back slowly. Oh, scheisse/shit, Chris and Sam thought together, their knees beginning to buckle.

Digster let out a chuckle. “Looks like you will fall-” Digster yelled out in pain as an explosion lit up his shoulder causing him to back away from Chris quickly. Chris looked back to see Sweetie standing with her hands outstretched and smoking.

“I’ve got you,” she called to him.

Chris smiled inside his helmet. “Thanks, Sweetie,” he replied, turning back to his opponent. “Alright, let’s see what Yellow can do.” He threw out his arms and was surrounded by Yellow Static. “Here we go,” he muttered, disappearing from view.

“You can’t hide from me,” said Digster as he recovered. His eyes shifted color briefly as he switched to thermal. “Where’d you go?” He asked as he swept his gaze over the area.

“Might wanna check behind you.”

Digster swung his jackhammer to his right and behind him, trying to hit the offending ranger. He was surprised when he was met by thin air. “What?”

“I’m not invisible, blödmann,” Chris growled from behind the robot, “I’m just too fast for you now.” Sparks erupted from Digster’s back as Chris slashed with his weapon.

“ARGH!” Digster yelled out as he stumbled forward and turned to face the ranger.

Chris jumped back after his last strike. “You guys ready to end this?” He asked as he came to a stop in front of Sweetie and Chrysalis.

“Ready when you are,” Sweetie replied, charging her magic to its maximum.

“It’s time we proved our point,” Chrysalis responded, magic circles appearing around her.

“Then let’s do this,” Chris said, “Configuration Two!” The Cyber Slash glowed yellow and morphed into a rifle resembling the Quadro Blaster made using the Psycho weapons, the biggest changes being that the Bow and Sword sat at the front of the weapon in the same formation as the Psycho Shot. “Finale 12345: Cyber Blaster!” A crosshair appeared on his HUD and locked onto Digster. “Fire!!!” All at once Sweetie, Chrysalis, and Chris let loose with their respective attacks, Sweetie’s and Chrysalis’s beams each their respective green while the Cyber Blaster shot an orb of silver and blue lightning. The attacks slammed into Digster, exploding on contact and reducing the Machine Captain to scrap.

“Was that it?” Sweetie asked after a few moments.

“Doubt it,” Chris and Chrysalis said at the same time just as the robots remains began to glow. The pieces began to reassemble themselves, forming a single mass that grew into a giant version of Digster.

“Muhahaha,” Digster laughed. “If you won’t fall,” Digster bellowed as he raised his foot, “then I’ll bury you!” The giant brought his foot down aiming to crush them.

Chris grabbed a hold of both mares and sped out of the way. He came to a stop close to a mile away. “You guys wait here,” he told the pair as he released them and faced the oversized robot once more. “I’ve got this. Delta Megaship!” He called out, summoning the zord. Within a few seconds, the air was full of the sound of screaming jet engines as the Delta flew out of the cloud cover. “Let’s go,” Chris called as he jumped into the Delta’s cockpit. As he landed and took in the cockpit, only one thought crossed his mind. “This. Is. So. AWESOME!” He yelled, taking the controls. “Delta Megaship, fighter mode.” The zord’s limbs unfolded and it landed, the plate underneath the cockpit folding down to reveal the face.

“And I thought I killed you with that stomp,” Digster stated. “Now I get to crush you and your worthless zord.”

The zord was motionless for a moment. “What did you just call Delta?” Chris’ voice echoed from the zord. Digster suddenly felt uneasy and took a step back. “We… are not worthless!” The zord surged forward and slammed into Digster’s torso. Before the Machine Captain could stagger, Chris jerked the controls and raised Digster over Delta’s head. The thrusters in Delta’s feet ignited and launched the two robots into the sky. In no time, the pair had left Equus’ atmosphere. Delta slowed to a stop launching Digster away. “I hope you can hear this, Mondo,” Chris' voice rang out from Delta once more. “We’ll never stop until Equestria and all of Equus is free from you. I hope you’re ready, ‘cause,” Delta lifted its arms and aimed its hands/cannons at the drifting automaton, “we’re coming for you. Gyro Blasters, fire!” Blue laser fire raced from Delta’s fingertips and slammed into Digster, exploding and destroying the machine as he gave out one last cry.

Chris let out a sigh. “It’s over,” he breathed piloting the zord back down to where Sweetie and Chrysalis were waiting. “Let’s go home, ladies,” Chris called out, lowering Delta’s hand so that the mares could enter the cockpit.

“What were you thinking!?!” Sunset yelled at Chris and Sweetie who stood on the other side of her desk in her office. Upon returning to base, the pair had been called into the Spec. Ops. control room for debriefing. What they got was so much worse. “You both could have been killed or, worse, captured!” Sunset raved angrily. She turned and slammed her hands on the desk. “What about this was a good idea!?!”

Sweetie started to say something, but Chris put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to him with a questioning gaze, to which he responded with a small smile and a shake of his head. When she turned back to face Sunset, Chris took a step forward. “It was the only solution I could see,” Chris explained keeping a calm expression. “If we had returned to base and waited to get a team ready, we’d be too late. Digster and his cogs would have found the Tree of Harmony, and who knows what they would have done.” Chris stopped and let out a breath. “I made the decision to distract them until backup arrived.”

“You should have followed protocol,” Sunset replied straightening up again.

Chris began to frown. “And then what?” He asked, anger beginning to creep into his voice. “Let the machines have the Tree?”

“The Tree has handled worse-”

“No, it hasn’t!” Both Sunset and Sweetie were taken aback by Chris’ sudden and violent interruption. “King Mondo is unlike anything this world has ever seen,” Chris continued angrily. “He took this world in a matter of hours and has held onto it for over nine years. Tell me, how many Machine Captains has the Resistance destroyed? How many cogs? What kind of progress have you made?” Chris paused, his chest rising and falling in frustration. “It’s about time a change was made. If this war is going to go anywhere, things have to change.”

Everyone was silent for a while, each thinking different thoughts. Finally, Sunset spoke up. “You’re right, Chris, if the Resistance is going to survive, a change needs to be made.” She paused and took a slow breath before steeling her features and looking Chris in the eyes. “Chris Scott, you are suspended from active duty until further notice.”

Both Sweetie and Chris’ eyes widened in shock, Chris’ jaw dropping. He just looked in surprise at the red and yellow alicorn, before closing his mouth and frowning. “So be it,” he muttered quietly before turning and leaving the room. Sweetie stayed behind for a moment, looking back and forth between Sunset and the door. She finally stopped on Sunset, her features hardening into displeasure before she ran after Chris.

Sunset stared after the pair for a while before slumping down into her chair and letting out a heavy sigh. She leaned her head back, closing her eyes and lifting a hand to cover them. She was silent for a while before she spoke in a whisper. “I’m sorry, Chris…,” she muttered as a silent tear slid out from under her fingers.

Author's Note

Chris has been pulled from active duty. How will this affect the outcome of the war? How long will Chris really stay off the battlefield, and will the Resistance finally make a change? Only one thing is for certain. The war is headed for trouble, and it will not knock lightly.

This took a lot longer than I wanted it to, but here it is. If anyone is confused over the combination number system, it's very simple. Each weapon is numbered one through five. The combinations are identified by what numbers are used, and they are said in pairs. For example, Combination 12-34-5 is said twelve, thirty-four, five. That's about it for now so if you have a question, spot a mistake, or simply have a random thought, post it in the comments below. Remember to treat each other well. Until the next one, have a good one!

Chapter 8- Taking Strides

Chapter 8

Taking Strides

Chris lay in bed with only his pajama bottoms on and stared at the ceiling. Come on, Chris, Sam urged from inside his head, it’s been three days, and the only thing you’ve done is sit here. You would have starved by now if weren’t for Sweetie Belle and Cadence. You need to get up and do something.

“What’s the point?” Chris asked out loud without moving. “There’s nothing I can do that’ll make a change now.”

For a while, all was silent again. You’re wrong.

Chris gave an amused huff. “Oh, yeah?” He questioned. “How’s that?”

You need to show everyone that you’re not going to just roll over and give up. Samson explained. Show them that just because you got benched doesn’t mean you’re done fighting.

“And how am I supposed to do that?” Chris asked finally shifting to sit on the edge of the bed.

Train, Sam said simply. Train like we’ve never trained before. Show them that you're not only going to be ready for another fight, you’re going to be better than ever.

Chris sat for a moment and collected his thoughts. “You’re right,” he finally said, letting a small smile reach his lips. “And besides, we’ve got some new moves to perfect.”

Chris could feel Sam’s pride growing. That’s the Chris I know.

Chris gave a short laugh and grabbed his shirt off the nightstand and started pulling it over his head. He had been so busy with the conversation with Samson that he had failed to hear his door open and close.

Sweetie Belle walked down the corridors of the Castle of Two Sisters in her favorite outfit with a tray of food in her hands. Chris hadn’t shown up for breakfast, again, and it had her and the rest of the Elements worried. Her relationship with Sunset had been cold over the last few days, but the rest of the Elements seemed sympathetic to Chris’ plight. Cadence had even come by several times to check on him with her, concerned over the young man’s overall health.

Although, it would be a lie to say she was checking on him only for his sake. In fact, her reason for doing so was somewhat selfish. Chris had brought a certain light to her life. The way he stayed upbeat and almost always smiled, it warmed her heart in an otherwise cold world. But seeing him in his current state… it was almost painful. His playfulness was gone, replaced by a state of morose being. He just laid in his room and stared at the ceiling.

She sighed and looked down at the tray in her, hoping he’d be feeling a little better today. She approached the door to his room and took the tray in her magic to free her hands. She raised her fist to knock but stopped when she heard Chris talking from within.

“How’s that?” She heard him ask. There were no sounds in the room for a few moments before Chris spoke again. “And how am I supposed to do that?” The sound of the mattress shifting reached her ears.

Curious, Sweetie moved her hand to the handle and slowly pushed the door open. She peeked inside and stopped when she spotted Chris. He was facing away from her, head lowered as he conversed with an empty room, but that’s not what got her. As her eyes fell on Chris’ uncovered back, she moved a hand to her mouth to muffle the gasp that tried to escape her lips. A long, knotted scar ran down the right side of Chris’ back, running parallel to his spine.

As Chris stood, Sweetie closed the door as quickly and quietly as she could. When the door finally closed with a click, she turned and put her back against the wall. Thoughts and fears ran through her head before she finally decided on a solution. She straightened up and took a few calming breaths before knocking on the door.

“Who is it?” Chris called from inside his room.

“It’s Sweetie,” she replied, raising her voice slightly to be heard through the door.

“Come on in, Sweetie.”

She opened the door completely and walked through, levitating the tray of food back into her hands. Chris was coming out of the bathroom, his hair freshly combed and wearing his black cargo pants and an orange sleeveless shirt. “What’s up, Sweetie?” He asked as he moved towards his open closet.

She paused for a moment as she made her way over to his desk. “Just bringing you breakfast,” she answered simply as she continued on to set the tray down. “You missed out again today.” She hesitated again with her back to him as he grabbed a pair of socks and his boots. “Everypony's getting worried about you. Even Heavy Ladle asked about you this morning.” She could hear Chris working with his laces, but as she finished she heard the scratch of nylon against nylon stop.

All was quiet for a while until she heard the bed shift again and footsteps as Chris made his way to her. “Sweetie,” he said softly and quietly. She turned slowly to face him and looked up into his eyes that were filled with worry. He was silent for a while as they looked at each other before he lifted his hands to hold her shoulders comfortingly. “I already promised I was going to make this world better,” he practically whispered, “and nothing is going to stop me from doing that.”

She stared up into his eyes for a while, and her eyes began to water. She threw her arms around him, surprising the human as she cried into his chest. “But what if you can’t?” She cried, holding on tighter. “What if they keep you off the battlefield permanently? What if they put you back out there and you get hurt? I don’t want to lose anypony else to this….”

Chris sat in shock for a while, then looked down at the mare wrapped around his torso. His features softened and he lowered his arms and held onto her comfortingly. “Then I guess I need to make one more promise, don’t I?” Sweetie squeezed tighter, making him smile a little. “Sweetie Belle, I promise I won’t let anything bad happen.” Sweetie Belle sniffled a little and pulled away, once again looking into his eyes. Chris kept his hands on her shoulders. “You okay?” He asked, as he lifted his hand and wiped away a tear with his thumb.

Sweetie sniffed one more time before nodding. She let out a humourless laugh. “And I promised I wasn’t going to let anypony see me cry,” she said quietly, wiping away her own tears.

Chris gave his own chuckle. “Guess it’s a good thing I’m not a pony then.”

This time, Sweetie let out a true laugh. “Yeah,” she replied, “I guess it is.” She paused for a moment and soaked in the moment. “Do you mind if get cleaned up?” She finally asked jerking a thumb towards the bathroom.

Chris gave another chuckle. “Of course not,” he replied. “Besides,” he continued, “I still need to finish putting on my boots.” Sweetie looked down and laughed at the comical sight of Chris standing with one boot on, half laced, and only a sock on the other.

Sunset walked through a hallway she very rarely visited. Like the rest of the castle, it had been restored, but that didn’t keep it from having a lonely feeling to it. The hallway ended in an archway that led to a spiral staircase. Without skipping a beat, Sunset started taking the stairs more than one at a time, using controlled flaps of her wings to jump up a good four steps at a time. Using this method, she reached the top of the stairwell that held ornate double doors inscribed with symbols of the moon. She approached hesitantly and knocked on the wood.

“Come in,” a voice rang out from the other side. Sunset opened the doors and passed through them, closing the heavy doors behind her. She turned back to the room and observed Nightmare Moon’s private study. Silken veils hung from the ceiling, appearing like the starry night sky and two bookshelves lined the rounded wall on either side of the door. A dark wood desk sat below the only window, open scrolls, books, and an inkwell occupying its surface, and a small matching table sat near the back of the room with two chairs and a tea set. A solitary perch sat just inside the arch leading to the balcony, where Nightmare stood looking out over the Everfree.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t?” Nightmare asked without turning around. “The Everfree, I mean.”

Sunset was silent for a moment. “Um, yes, yes it is,” she finally replied with a bit of uncertainty.

Nightmare let out a short laugh. “That’s funny,” she stated, turning and walking into the tower towards the table. “It wasn’t long ago that ponies coward in fear of the Everfree Forest and all the ‘horrible’ beasties within.” She paused and poured tea into two cups. “Have a seat,” she offered, gesturing to the other chair as she sat. Sunset made her way over and sat, taking the teacup in front of her just as Nightmare did. They were silent for a few moments as each individual prepared their tea to their liking and took silent sips from their cups. Finally, Nightmare placed her cup and saucer down on the table and placed her hands on her lap.

“Why did you pull Chris from active duty, Sunset?” She asked, raising her teal eyes to stare into Sunset’s.

Sunset was slightly unnerved. “He was a loose cannon in the field. He ignored a direct order.”

“Did he tell you why he ignored the order?” Nightmare pressed.

Sunset was silent for a moment. “He wanted to play the distraction, said we wouldn’t be able to make it to the Tree.”

“And did you check his theory?”

A pattern was beginning to form as Sunset was once more silent for a moment. “I did….”

“And?”

Sunset sighed. “And he was right. We would have arrived close to ten minutes after Digster and his cogs.”

“So he made a call that benefited the entire Resistance,” Nightmare summarized, taking another sip of her tea. “So, why exactly did you pull Chris?” She asked looking up at the younger alicorn.

Sunset let out a breath. “I’m afraid he’s going to get hurt, or worse, get someone else hurt.”

Nightmare let out a sigh. “Sunset, do you ever think that your worrying might be holding you and your team back?”

“I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt,” Sunset explained quietly.

“None of us do, Sunset,” Nightmare sympathized, “but this is war. Unfortunately, casualties will be a part of it. I’m not condoning any of our little ponies getting hurt, but it is a sad reality.” She let out a sigh. “I’m not going to condemn your actions. However, I am going to ask that you reconsider your decision. Chris has only been here a little while, and I can already see changes being made. Good changes. Just give him a chance.”

Sunset stared into her tea for a while. “Alright,” she conceded. “I’ll watch him, and if I can see his potential, I’ll put him back on.”

“Thank you, Sunset,” Nightmare Moon said gratefully. “Now,” she picked up the teapot, “would you like another cup to take the stress out of your shoulders?”

Sunset took in a breath and let her shoulders relax. “That would be nice,” she replied with a smile as she held her cup out.

Gloved fists thumped against the canvas of a punching bag. Right, left, right, right, left, uppercut, left hook, right elbow. The blows continued to rain down on the bag until a spinning heel kick finished the combination.

“Nice improv, Sweetie,” Chris said, poking his head out from around the punching bag.

“Thanks,” Sweetie replied, straightening up one of the strings of her hoodie. “All those new moves you’ve been showing me are great.”

“Yeah,” Chris agreed with a smile, handing her a water bottle and a sweat rag. “You’re getting better, too. I could actually feel those last couple of punches.”

“Oh, hush,” Sweetie replied jokingly before taking a drink of water. “I heard you huffing and puffing back there every time I landed a good hit.”

Chris laughed. “And you’re gaining confidence,” he added, taking the rag and bottle as she handed it back to him. “Before long, you’ll be one of the best fighters in the Resistance.”

Sweetie looked hesitant for a moment. “You think they’ll actually put me out in the field without you?” She finally asked.

“Sure, I’m sure,” Chris replied with a smile. “I’m the only one that got benched. As fast as you’re advancing, they’ll probably put you back with Pinkie to take care of each other.”

“But Nightmare said we weren’t good together,” Sweetie argued, returning to her combinations.

“At the time, yes,” Chris grunted as a powerful blow landed in the stomach area of the bag. “But that was a month ago. Now, you’ve not only gotten stronger, both in body and magical ability, but you’re becoming more adaptable.” Chris jerked his head out of the way of a roundhouse kick. “With every new technique you learn, the more you’ll be able to work around Pinkie’s… Pinkieness.”

“Well,” Sweetie replied, throwing a strong uppercut that rammed into the solar plexus region, “I owe it to you.”

“Naw,” Chris answered, “all I can do is teach you the moves, you’re the one that puts the effort into perfecting them.”

Sweetie was silent as she finished another combo, this time ending it with a double fist strike. She dropped her hands, relaxed her stance, and backed away from the bag. They had had to go to her room before going to the training room so she could change. She now wore a pair of pink athletic shorts, and a dark purple tank top finished off with a gray hoodie and white tennis shoes.

“Do you want to work the bag for a while?” She asked as Chris once again passed her the water bottle and rag.

“You getting tired or something?” He replied jokingly while leaning against the punching bag.

“You wish,” she bluffed in humor, a small smile playing on her lips. “I just didn’t want to take up all your gym time.”

Chris chuckled at that as he and Sweetie traded places. “If I wanted,” he said, tightening the straps that kept his gloves on, “all my time could be gym time.” He took up a fighting stance then remembered something. “Uh, Sweetie, are you sure you’re going to be okay holding the bag for me? I do hit a bit harder than you do.”

“I’ll be fine,” Sweetie assured. “Besides this way I can get used to absorbing an impact.”

“If you say so,” Chris replied bringing his fists up. He started throwing his punches slowly and softly at first but began to pick up speed. Soon, he was hitting the bag much faster and harder than Sweetie could. Right hook, left hook, left elbow, right, right, left, right straight kick, right roundhouse, right, left, right, right elbow. He continued on for several more combinations, practically letting his body work from memory and instinct. He finally let loose with a right haymaker that hit the bag with a loud bang. He sat there for a moment, not moving and breathing heavily.

After a few moments, Sweetie looked out from behind the bag. “Are you okay, Chris?” She asked with concern.

Chris looked up at her like she had broke him out of a trance. “Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine, Sweetie. Just got a lot on my mind.”

“I understand,” Sweetie sympathized while she handed him a fresh bottle of water and sweat rag. Sweetie was silent as Chris wiped his face and took a drink of water before asking her next question. “So,” she began as he removed the bottle from his lips, “what are you going to do after this?”

“Well, after the punching bag I was thinking about taking a shot at the bench press,” he replied not completely understanding the question.

“Not after the punching bag, silly,” she said, giving his shoulder a playful hit. “I meant after the gym.”

“Oh, sorry,” Chris apologized. “Um, probably going to get some lunch after this, then go down to the lab and see if I can get any work done.”

“Well, at least you have something to keep yourself busy,” Sweetie said as he went back to hitting the bag, albeit with less force.

“Yeah,” Chris agreed, “it could always be worse.” They were silent again as Chris finished his combinations. When he finally stopped he took the water bottle and looked around the gym while he quenched his thirst. He spotted the bench press just as a griffon and earth pony finished their reps and moved on. “Come on, Sweetie,” he said, throwing his rag over his shoulder as she came out from behind the punching bag. “I have something I want to test out.”

They made their way over to the bench press and put their stuff down. Chris stood for a moment, looking between the bar and the weight rack. “Hm,” he hummed in thought. “Do you know how much the bar weighs?” He asked.

“Um, I think I heard somepony say it was forty-five pounds,” Sweetie answered.

“Okay,” Chris replied, rubbing his chin. “Back on earth,” he began as he took the hundred pound weights off each side of the bar, “I was known for my endurance, not my strength. In fact, I only benched about eighty percent of what I should have been able to.” He walked over to the weight rack and began picking up different weights. “My coach used to joke and say I was like a sports car with a huge fuel tank and no horsepower.” When he finished, each side of the bar held a twenty and ten-pound weight. He laid down on the bench as Sweetie moved to stand behind the bar, just in case.

He grabbed the bar and started bringing the bar up and down. “Now, though,” he continued, finishing his fifth rep, “I feel a lot stronger.” He finished his twelfth rep and sat the bar back in its rest position and sat up.

“You don’t even look like you broke a sweat,” Sweetie said in amazement as she walked over to him.

“I don’t think I did,” Chris replied, “and that was my old max.”

“You have been training really hard since you got here,” Sweetie pointed out.

“Yeah, but still.” Chris moved to the weight rack and did some mental calculations. He picked up the hundred pound weights he had taken off earlier and sat them on the bench while he took off the other plates. When he had finished rearranging the plates, each side sported 120 pounds a piece.

“Uh, Chris,” Sweetie said hesitantly as she looked at the large weights. “Don’t you think this might be too much? Those other guys were only doing 245, and they looked a lot bulkier than you.”

“Only one way to find out,” he replied taking his position on the bench again.

Sweetie let out a breath as she went back to her previous position. “If you say so.”

Chris started doing his set, pulling and pushing the barbell. He did this twelve times before he set the weight back down, and stood up, shaking his head. “It’s still too easy,” he muttered to himself. He again rearranged the weighted plates, not stopping until each side equaled out to 180 pounds.

As Sweetie watched, she started getting nervous. “Chris, I don’t think this is a good idea,” she warned. “This is three times as much as what you started out with.”

“Yes, it is,” Chris agreed as he settled back down and put his hands on the bar. “But I have a feeling that this will be the one.” He lifted the barbell out of rest and started his rep. He moved the weight up and down, sweat beginning to form as he pushed and pulled. He made it to his twelfth rep, but where he usually stopped, he continued, bringing the barbell up and down three more times before pushing it back up onto the rest. He sat up and grabbed for his rag and water bottle.

“That was amazing!” Sweetie exclaimed coming around to sit on the bench next to him. “How did you do that?”

Chris shrugged as he caught his breath and brought the water to his lips. When he’d finished gulping down the life-giving liquid he looked back to Sweetie. “I don’t know. That’s something that I shouldn’t have been able to do without help.” He looked back to the loaded barbell. “My maximum has more than tripled in the time I’ve been here. I’ve never even heard of something like that.”

Sweetie was silent for a while as she sat next to him, different thoughts going through her head. “What do you think it could be?” She finally asked.

“It could be any number of things,” Chris answered honestly as he got up and stretched out his aching muscles. “It could be anything from Equus having a different gravitational pull, to Equestrian magic, or even over-exposure to Static.” He turned and held a hand out to Sweetie to help her up. “So many things have changed, I don’t even know where to start.”

Sweetie took his hand and let him help her up. “Whatever the reason,” she said as she finally stood straight, “it’s a good thing for us.”

“Agreed,” Chris said as he started taking some of the weights off the bar. “You want to give this a go, or are you ready for lunch?” He asked, glancing over at her as he worked.

“Actually, I think it’s time to get cleaned up and head to the mess hall,” she replied. “Just watching you work like that made me sweat.”

Chris smiled. “O~kay,” he said jokingly as he slung his sweat rag over his shoulder and turned to the door. “Wonder what they’re serving,” he asked aloud as he and Sweetie began their walk to their respective rooms.

“I don’t know, but I bet Heavy Ladle will have a few words for you,” Sweetie said with a giggle as Chris’ face paled.

Both friends continued on their way, neither of them noticing the dark blue figure that watched them as they left.

Midnight made her way down the dark hallways of Canterlot Castle towards the throne room. In her hand she held a holographic projector, which held some rather disturbing news. She walked in silence, absorbed in her thoughts. That is until another set of footsteps drew her attention.

She looked up from her thoughts and saw the last being she had hoped to see during her stay at the castle. “Queen Machina,” she said with light venom as she came to a stop in front of the machine monarch.

“Oh, hello, Midnight, dear,” Machina responded patronizingly. “I thought you had gone back to that run down encampment you call a castle.”

Midnight fumed inwardly. “You’re husband has yet to release Sombra and I,” she replied with clenched teeth.

“I don’t see why not,” Machina pondered, “it’s not as if the two of you being here is helping anything.”

Midnight could feel her anger rising and fought to control the flare of magic that was building up around her. “He acknowledges our tactics and strategies. There isn’t exactly very many beings around that compare to his intellect,” Midnight gave a wicked grin. “It must be a nice change.”

Queen Machina bristled. “Now you listen here,” she growled, stepping closer. “You are nothing more than a blood-sucking tick that latched onto a predator. Without us, you and your miserable servants would have been thrown back to that ruined world of filth.” Machina’s face morphed into an evil sneer. “You are nothing without us.” She flicked her fan open between their faces and straightened up. “Ta, ta, dear,” she said, sweeping past her and further down the hall.

Midnight stood in place, her fists clenched and trembling. She would not allow Queen Machina the satisfaction of knowing that she got to her. Instead, she made a mental note to incinerate a few more cogs when she made her way back to Ponyville and continued on her way to the throne room.

As she approached the double doors, she could hear yelling from inside. Two new cogs stood guard over the doors and once again crossed their weapons as Midnight closed the distance.

She let out a sigh. “You two can either move or,” her hands burst into teal flames, “you can end up like the last two.”

The cogs shared a look and started to move their weapons. Suddenly, the shouting grew in volume and loud stomping could be heard before the left door was slammed open, crushing the unfortunate cog. Sombra stormed out, either oblivious to the cogs demise or uncaring.

“Sombra?” Midnight said in surprise as the crystal monarch walked past. “Where are you going?”

“Back to my empire,” he shouted over his shoulder, “and away from this madness!” He quickly disappeared down the corridor.

Midnight turned back to the doors and made to enter but stopped. The surviving cog had moved to the other side and was currently trying to pull its comrade out of the wall. Midnight stared for a moment then grinned wickedly. Her hands and horn lit up with teal magic, the doors quickly following suit. She moved her hands close together and ripped them apart with as much force as she could muster. The doors were forced open, slamming into the walls again and smashing the second cog into the body of the other and crushing it. With a wicked smirk, she entered the throne room.

King Mondo was pacing back and forth in front of his throne and grumbling to himself. He continued on like this as Midnight walked in, and didn’t take notice of her presence, even after she stopped in the middle of the room. She waited for impatiently for Mondo to give her his attention. When he didn’t, she did the only thing she could think to do.

“Hm-mm,” she cleared her throat as loud as she could. King Mondo stopped in his pacing and finally turned to face Midnight.

“Ah, Midnight,” he said, waving his staff in the air. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

Midnight thought back to how she had thrown the doors open with enough force to flatten one cog against another. “I shall make my entrance more obvious next time,” she said, making a mental note of that little line. She hefted the holographic projector in her hand. “We finally managed to salvage some of the data from Digster’s memory core.”

“Oh, yes, Digster,” Mondo said with excitement. “Did you manage to salvage his personality core?”

“Unfortunately not,” Midnight answered while flipping the projector in her hands in a bored manner. “It was extremely difficult to get back Digster’s last few moments.”

“Hm, pity,” King Mondo responded, more over the low amount of memory they had recovered than about the permanent loss of one of his Captains. “Well, let’s see it then.”

Midnight hesitated. “It’s… it’s not exactly something you’re going to be happy about,” she told him in forewarning, before tossing the device into the air where it floated and let out beams of light that played a video from Digster’s point of view.

There was a bright flash and Digster was standing over the Everfree. He looked down and spotted three beings; an off-white and purple unicorn, the changeling queen, and a yellow Psycho Ranger. Digster let out a laugh at the sight of their tiny figures.

“If you won’t fall, then I’ll bury you!” Digster cried as he stomped on the figures. A faint, yellow blur could be seen racing away from his foot. A few moments later, the air was full of the sound of jet engines and a black, star-shaped ship flew out of the cloud cover. The yellow blur could be seen entering the cockpit again, and the zord transformed into a humanoid shape. “And I thought I killed you with that stomp,” Digster declared to the machine. “Now I get to crush you and your worthless zord!”

There was a moment of tenseness before a voice echoed from the zord. “What did you just call Delta?” Digster took a step back. “We… are not worthless!” The voice yelled. The zord rushed forwards and slammed into Digster’s midsection. The camera panned so that Digster was looking down the zord’s back as flames erupted from its feet. The ground got further and further away until the image was filled with a globe of Equus. The opposing robot came back into view and got smaller as Digster drifted away. The voice boomed out again. “I hope you can hear this, Mondo. We’ll never stop until Equestria and all of Equus is free from you.” The cannons that served as the zord's fingers began to glow. “I hope you’re ready, ‘cause we’re coming for you! Gyro Blasters, fire!!!” Arcs of plasma lanced out of the zord’s rotating fingers, hitting Digster several times as he cried out and finally exploded, leaving the video as nothing more than static.

King Mondo was silent for a moment as he stared at the black and white static. Slowly, Midnight started hearing a low growling and backed away a few feet. Suddenly, steam exploded from Mondo’s ears, and he thrust his staff forward, wrapping the projector in electrical energy and threw it into the wall, letting out a yell of frustration. The projector crashed into the wall and shattered in a shower of sparks.

Midnight flinched away from the monarch’s rage. Mondo continued to spew steam and kept a continuous stream of electricity flowing from his staff as sparks leapt from the walls. Midnight lifted a shield in front of herself as the beam made its way over her. This continued for a few more moments before Mondo finally calmed down. He turned and stared at Midnight as she brought down her shield. “How many?” He asked shortly.

Midnight gave him a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

“How many rangers!?!” Mondo roared slamming the butt of his staff the ground.

Midnight flinched. “Just the one, King Mondo,” she replied as she tried to regain her composure.

“How can there be only one?” Mondo asked, his anger slightly dispersing. “If there is both a red and yellow ranger, how can there just be one?”

“We looked over the readings we got from the area,” Midnight explained. “The ranger’s signature is… unique.”

“How so?”

“When we looked at the readings that we got from the areas during Silo and Digster’s fights, the energy signals seemed completely different at first. However, when we looked closer, there was a single strand of information that remained the same. To add to that, the biological signal of the ranger is the same, albeit it is growing in strength.”

King Mondo remained silent as he processed the information. “So, there is only one ranger,” he muttered before looking back to Midnight. “How much stronger has he gotten?” He questioned.

“Since his first appearance, we estimate that his signature has grown a little over three times as strong as it once was.” Midnight paused for a moment before continuing. “My theory is that something is causing him to grow in strength to the point where it is proportional to that of races native to Equus.”

“What you’re saying is that some force is making him stronger,” Mondo summarized. “But why?”

“I may have an answer to that,” Midnight proposed. “When I found out that the ranger was human, I did some research, especially over,” Midnight grimaced and rolled her shoulders in annoyance, “the mirror portal. The portal changes the physical form of anyone that enters it. The reason for this is because ponies can’t survive long in a human world, and the same is true for humans in a pony world. By all rights, the ranger should be dead by now.”

“But instead he keeps getting stronger,” Mondo finished.

Midnight nodded. “Something- or someone- wants him here.”

“But who and how?” King Mondo asked. “It can’t be Zordon. He died in the explosion that brought us here. Hmph, he was the explosion that sent us here. Besides, he was never into the augmentation of living beings. So, it is only logical to assume that a force of this world is to blame.”

“That would be a logical conclusion,” Midnight agreed as she turned and started to make her way out.

“Where are you going?” Mondo questioned the mare.

“Back to Ponyville,” she answered simply, “I’ve been gone too long, and my equipment at the castle is better suited to analyzing the Psycho Ranger’s abilities. I’ll send whatever I find and any news through a messenger. Until the next summoning, King Mondo.” She walked out of the doors and closed them behind her.

King Mondo stared after her for a few seconds and moved to his balcony. He looked out towards the Everfree. “I'm getting closer, ranger,” he murmured. “Soon, you and this world will bow to my rule!”

Chris and Sweetie were walking down the halls of the castle, laughing and enjoying each other's company after lunch. Suddenly, a beeping jingle played out. Chris looked down at his communicator. “Really glad, I changed that,” he told Sweetie as he lifted the device and pressed the response button. “This is Chris Scott.”

“Private Scott.” It was Nightmare Moon. “Would you please come down to the Council room. And if you see Ms. Belle, tell her we’d like to see her as well.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered. “We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Thank you,” she replied canceling the call.

Chris and Sweetie shared a look. “Wonder what this could be about,” Chris said as they changed directions to head back towards the Council room.

“I don’t have a very good feeling about this,” Sweetie responded.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Chris reassured. They were absorbed by their own thoughts as they walked and a few minutes later they arrived at the door to the Council room. Chris looked to Sweetie Belle. “You ready?” He asked.

“As ready as I can be,” she responded.

Chris nodded and moved his communicator over the security panel. There was a beeping noise and a gruff voice sounded out. “Names,” it said shortly.

“Chris Scott.”

“Sweetie Belle.”

Everything was silent for a second before the door slid open revealing a griffon in full armor. “The Council is waiting for you,” he told them, shifting sideways to allow them entrance.

“Thank you,” Chris said as he followed Sweetie into the room. Upon entering, he looked around to get a feel for the room. It was low-lit, with a large oval table set in the middle. The Councillors sat around it, one for each race plus the Elements and Head Councillor. All the seats were occupied except the seats for the Dragon and Zebra Councilors. As they walked into the room, all eyes turned to them.

“Private Scott, Ms. Belle,” Nightmare addressed them from the front of the room. “Thank you for coming on such short notice. Please have a seat.” She motioned towards a pair of seats that had been prepared for them at the end of the table. They made their way over to the seats and sat down.

Nightmare waited for them to be seated. “Do either of you know why you’re here?” She questioned, folding her hands in front of her.

Chris and Sweetie shared a look with one another. “No,” Chris answered turning back to face the Council. “I can’t say we do.”

“You are here,” an older griffon explained, “to discuss the actions of Changeling Councillor Chrysalis three days ago.” The griffon was obviously older, and wore an old military uniform, the nameplate in front of him reading “GUNTRAM.” “Reports say that Queen Chrysalis was on the battlefield when you were fighting the Machine Captain Digster. Green silk also puts her at the scene of battle. Now, I’ll only ask once,” he gave both pony and human a cold stare. “Was she there or was she not?”

Sweetie flinched under the harsh gaze and Chris frowned. He put a hand on Sweetie’s arm to reassure her and thought quickly. He looked around the room and spotted Shining Armor and Cadence giving him sideways looks as if in warning. Chrysalis and Nightmare both sat stone-faced as if neither was bothered by the issue. The only other pony he knew personally was Sunset Shimmer, and she was making a point of not looking at him, for what reason wasn’t clear. Finally, he turned back to Guntram with a response. “Neither me nor Sweetie saw Chrysalis on the battlefield,” he said sternly, forcing a convincing tone into his voice.

Guntram raised an eyebrow and glanced towards the Diamond Dog Councillor, Winston, according to his nameplate. He shared the look with the griffon and turned back to the pair. “Then how do you explain the green silk?” He asked.

Chris moved his eyes back and forth between the two Councillors before he took another look around the table. Some of the other Councillors began looking away. He looked back to the other two Councillors, his frown growing. “Me and Sweetie set an experimental trap that combines different elements of our magic.”

“Would you mind demonstrating this ‘new spell’ for us,” Guntram asked, an almost unnoticeable smirk on his beak.

“Of course not,” Chris replied, keeping his eyes locked with the griffon. He stood from his chair and backed away from the table. Sweetie kept a calm face as she too got up and followed him. After they were about five feet from the table they turned to face each other.

“What are we doing!?!” Sweetie hissed low enough that only Chris heard.

“We need to make webbing,” Chris explained as low as he could as he brought his hands up and started channeling magic through his hands. Black Static flowed over his hands and a sphere of magic energy formed over his upturned palms. Sweetie glanced between him and the magic before adding her magic to the sphere. Chris could feel the consistency of his magic change as if he had been holding a stone that suddenly turned to putty. “There it is,” he whispered. He and Sweetie moved their hands over the spell, trying to mold the earth energy into a web.

Sweetie shook her head. “It’s not going to stay together,” she murmured.

Sweat started to form on Chris’ brow. Think, think, think! He shouted at himself.

Stop thinking, just do, Sam told him, bringing his consciousness to bind with Chris’. Do what’s natural. Chrysalis’ title might depend on this. You saw the griffon and diamond dog, they’re up to something.

Yeah, Chris agreed. I’m going to try something. He stopped focusing so hard on the earth magic he was molding, just enough for his left hand to lose its Static. He felt the magical weight shift to his right hand and adjusted the flow of magic accordingly. Okay, Chris thought. Hold that for me. He felt Sam put all of his focus on keeping the earth magic as it was, and moved his focus to his left hand again. He focused and summoned his basic Static, its orange glow spreading over his hand. He concentrated harder, his brow furrowing, and slowly the Static turned from orange to blue. Got it, Chris thought as he moved his hand back to the mixture.

Got wha- HOLY SHIT, THAT’S COLD! Sam cried as the ice magic was suddenly added.

Sweetie too let out a little gasp at the cold shock.

“Sorry,” Chris apologized as much to her as to Sam. “Can you bind this together?”

She nodded and worked her magic through the amalgamation. Chris added his focus back to holding everything together and felt as the ball of magic condensed a little and became a little more rigid. Too rigid.

Scheisse, so close, Chris thought.

If we’re mixing magic like paint, why don’t we add a little pink? Sam suggested.

Chris grinned. That’s a good idea. Can you hold on to all this?

Not without help, Sam replied.

Chris looked up at Sweetie. “We need you to hold this together for a second,” he told her.

Her eyes widened for a second, but then she nodded. Chris felt the weight in his hands lighten. With that taken care of, he removed his right hand, hoping that using the hand wearing the Psycho Morpher would help him focus his magic. He started up his Static, the light orange flashing around his hand. He focused a little more and the orange turned to pink. He made eye contact with Sweetie who nodded. Here it comes, Sam, he thought as he moved his hand to the sphere of magic. The pink energy merged with the rest, and the texture changed once more. It’s ready, Chris thought.

Just one last detail, Sam reminded him.

I can’t change the color, Chris responded.

But Sweetie might be able to, Sam told him.

Chris looked to Sweetie. “Can you make it green?” He whispered.

She nodded and the sphere changed from a multicolor sphere into a pure green. “It’s done,” she said quietly then looked to Chris. “How do we deploy it?”

“Compress it like a spring,” Chris explained, “then direct it.”

“Where to?”

“I’ll handle it.” Chris and Sweetie began to compress the orb of energy. When it was as small as possible, Chris gave a nod. He turned to the Council, and he and Sweetie threw their arms forward. Web-like strands shot from the orb, spreading harmlessly over the heads of the Council members… except for Winston and Guntram, who felt the breeze of the webbing go past their ears.

“It was a bit easier in the forest,” Chris admitted. “The heat of battle led us to rely more on instinct rather than pure intellect, but it worked.”

Guntram raised his head and gave the pair a cold stare. “How dare you-”

“Private Scott, Ms. Belle,” Nightmare interrupted. “Thank you for your help in clearing up this issue. You are dismissed.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Chris replied. He turned to leave, but as he did so he couldn’t help but catch the small, appreciative smile that Chrysalis threw his way. He and Sweetie walked out of the room and started down the hallway, the griffon guard closing the door behind them.

“Well, that was fun,” Chris said as he stretched his arms behind his head.

“Fun?” Sweetie questioned. “You lied to the Council, we barely pulled off that spell, and you almost clipped two of the Councillors with it. How was any of that ‘fun’?”

“Guess it’s all in how you look at it,” Chris replied with a smirk.

Sweetie shook her head and went silent. They walked that way for a little while before she finally picked back up. “Chris, I want to ask you something.”

“Ask away,” he responded, his goofy grin still plastered to his face.

“In the council chamber, you said ‘we’ need you to hold this together. Who’s ‘we’?”

Chris’ grin fell away and he looked down at her. He stared for a while and let out a sigh. “Let’s go to my lab,” he said, “we’ll talk there.”

Chris opened the door to his workspace in the engineering department and stepped to one side to let Sweetie in first. After she walked through the door, he followed after, closing the door and flicking the switch that controlled the soundproofing to the “on” position. He turned back to see Sweetie staring at him with concern. Chris frowned. I knew this would happen, he thought.

Do you hate me? Sam asked.

Chris was silent as he walked over to his computer. No, he finally replied as he picked up the cord that would connect his morpher to the computer.

Do you hate yourself?

Chris stopped, the sudden question taking him by surprise. He frowned but didn’t say anything as he finished plugging in his morpher and turned to face Sweetie Belle. “Okay, Sweetie,” he started, “we’re alone and there’s almost no way anyone can hear us outside these doors.” He let out a nervous sigh. “What do you want to know?”

Sweetie was quiet for a few moments before she spoke up. “Who is ‘we’?” She asked.

Not pulling any punches is she, Chris thought. Chris let out a breath of air then looked up at Sweetie. “Have you ever heard of Multiple Personality Disorder?” When Sweetie shook her head he continued. “Here in Equestria, it’s an extremely rare disorder, almost non-existent, but where I come from, it’s more common. It causes someone to develop a second set of personality traits. It’s like two people have been shoved together into one body.” Chris took another nervous breath. “My second personality is Samson Jaeger. Since I’ve come to Equestria we’ve grown closer, more like... brothers.” Chris stopped and waited for Sweetie to say something.

When she did, it wasn’t what he was expecting. “You said this is a disorder,” she began. “How does this disorder develop?”

Chris was once again caught off guard and had to take the time to think. He came to the conclusion that he didn’t like where this was going. “Multiple Personality Disorder is usually developed when a person is exposed to multiple highly… stressful situations.”

Sweetie bit her lip and looked away, taking a shaky breath. She finally looked back with concern in her eyes. “Chris, how did you get that scar on your back?”

Chris froze and his eyes widened. Eventually, his face dropped into an ashamed look as he stared at the ground. “When did you see that?” He asked, his voice low.

Sweetie was quiet for a few seconds. “This morning, when I brought you breakfast,” she began to explain. “I was going to knock, but I heard you talking to somepony, so I waited. But when nopony answered and you kept talking, I got curious. I… opened the door to see if you were okay. You were sitting on the edge of your bed with your shirt off….” She trailed off, not knowing whether she should continue or not.

They were both silent for a while. The silence was becoming deafening when Chris finally spoke up. “My father… was a good man. We went to work, paid the bills, and gave me all the love he could. If he had to bring his work home he’d let me help. That’s how I first got into programming and computers. It was the perfect environment for a growing kid.” He let out a short, sour laugh. “Except it wasn’t. My father was completely in love with my mother. He adored her… but she didn’t love him back. When I was about eight months old, she ran away, and to fill the void, my father turned to the bottle. For every ‘welcome home’ hug, there was a ‘get out of my face’ slap. For every ‘good job’ high five, there was a ‘you’re annoying’ kick. For six years, I faced that abuse. Every day, from the time I could remember until I was in the first grade, I took that beating. One night, he came home from the bar, a bottle in his hand. To this day, that is the only memory that I can’t fully recall. My dad got upset and started swinging the bottle around. It hit me in the arm first, and I ducked the next swing and started running for the door. There was a crash and my dad started chasing after me. I got the door open, but it was too late. Despite all the things I don’t remember about that night, I will never forget the pain of that bottle leaving the scar on my back. I somehow managed to get to my neighbors’ house. The next thing I remember is being put into an ambulance and driven to the hospital.”

Chris stopped and took a shaky breath. “I was put into the foster care system. I got bounced around three different times before someone actually took me in at fifteen.” Chris looked up at Sweetie Belle with tears in his eyes. “I never felt like I belonged anywhere until then. The man who adopted me was Andrew Scott. He was my caseworker, and he was the only constant in my life. He would check on me, see how I was adjusting, and every time a foster parent dropped me, he was always the one to pick me up.” Chris got quiet and lowered his head again. “But like all good things, it didn’t last. My senior year of high school, he got sick… and he didn’t make it. Just like that, I was alone again.” A few tears escaped his eyes and he wiped angrily at his face. “I had nowhere to go, and no one to go to, so I made an executive decision. I hacked into one of the most prestigious universities in the state of North Carolina, and bought a one-way ticket.”

Chris’ face grew angry and he started clenching his hands on the desk behind him. “But just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, life had to hit me with one last curve ball. On the first day of my new life, I just had to go down to the store and buy one last notebook. On the way to the store, I was stopped by a guy asking for money for booze. He was so… dirty and unkept. I looked him up and down and saw the sign he was holding. It said his name was Joseph Jaeger… my father.” Chris stopped for a moment and took a breath. “That was the last time I saw him.” Chris stopped and kept his eyes on Sweetie.

Throughout the story, her expression had changed multiple times, usually within the sad or shocked category. Right now, though, she was staring simply in shock. She blinked her eyes and turned her eyes away, bringing a hand up to brush away the few tears that had escaped. She turned back and looked at the young man with sorrow on her features. “Chris, I-”

Chris raised a hand to stop her. “I never wanted anyone’s sympathy. To tell the truth, I never wanted anyone to know the whole truth about me. I didn’t want to be looked at like a freak, or an outsider. I just wanted to be normal.”

Sweetie stared for a few seconds, a few more tears rolling down her cheeks. Finally, she stood up straight and did her best to put on a brave face. “If you don’t want anypony’s sympathy, then,” she blinked her eyes and something new filled them, “will you at least allow them to care?”

Chris stared at her for a moment before he looked down then off to the side. So many thoughts ran through his head. So many memories. Finally, he came to a conclusion. He looked back at Sweetie… and smiled. “Yeah,” he said slowly, “I think I can do that.”

Sweetie’s entire body seemed to relax and she let a smile light up her face. She walked towards him and opened her arms. Chris let his smile widened slightly and he raised his arms to accept the embrace. As they wrapped their arms around one another and their faces became hidden from each other, Chris’ smile faded.

As they stayed there in each other's arms, Chris thought back to Sam’s question. I used to hate myself completely, Sam, he thought to his brother. I used to hate so many things, but nothing more than myself.

And what about now? Sam questioned.

Chris was silent for a moment. Now, I don’t want any of that, he answered quietly.

Then what do you want?

Chris looked at the mare he held in his arms and thought about all the time they had spent together. How much happier he felt. As these thoughts passed through his mind, he knew.

This, he answered, pulling Sweetie in just a little tighter and letting a small, earnest smile appear on his lips. I want this.

Author's Note

Will Sunset put Chris back on Special Operations? Who is keeping Chris alive, and how much stronger will he get? What are Guntram's plans? What will the data from the Psycho Morpher reveal? Only time will tell.

Different kind of chapter this week. I needed to take the time to do a little more character development and backstory. Also rather long, sorry about that. Anywho, if you guys spot any mistakes, have a thought, or just want to have some fun, leave a comment. In the last chapter, thanks to The Corset, a new "game" was born. Just leave a comment with four to five predictions for the next chapter and, depending on how many you get right, you will receive a different image, kind of like a point system. Not sure if I'll ever actually do anything with this, but if I do, any prediction comments that are posted after the following chapter is added will not be counted. Thank you anyone who plays, and as always, keep your comments respectful to everyone. Thank all again, and have a good one!

Chapter 9- The Cost of War pt. 1

Chapter 9

The Cost of War

A white flash illuminated the computer screen and Chris’ face once more appeared on the screen. He wasted no time in typing in the command that started the recording. “Okay, video log number…” he trailed off and blew air through his lips, “four, five? I don’t know. Anyway, it’s been about a week since my last log, so let’s recap. About a week ago, a Machine Captain tried to find the Tree of Harmony. Why? Who knows, but it couldn’t have been good. Me and Sweetie, with a little help, managed to take him out. We got back to base and Sunset chewed us out for not following orders. I tried to make a counter argument and got pulled from combat until further notice.” Chris made an annoyed face at the camera before taking a breath and continuing. “So, in my best stroke of genius yet, I laid in bed for three days and mourned my hopeless existence. Luckily, Sweetie and Sam managed to break me out of my funk.

Since then, I’ve been working with Sweetie and helping her to perfect her own fighting style. She’s gotten a lot better, and has started integrating magic into her fighting.” He winced at a painful memory. “She packs quite a punch that way.” He shook his head to get back on track. “She’s also officially mastered her magic, which is great. Masters are given staffs to help channel their magic, and her’s is surprisingly weaponized. It almost looks like someone mashed Rita and Zedd’s scepters into one, with a crescent moon on top and a point at the bottom. The biggest difference I’ve seen though is that the crescent sits a lot more off-center to the actual staff and the jewel, a briolette emerald, floats in the center. It’s actually quite pretty,” he winced again, “and painful.”

“But, that’s not the best thing that’s come of my little vacation,” he said with a grin. “It’s given me a lot more time to study the Psycho Morpher, or rather its programming. Turns out there’s another safeguard that’s keeping one last set of abilities locked, though that’s not what has me excited. I navigated around it, carefully so that I didn’t end up shocking the scheisse out of myself again, and found what look like empty slots. I have no idea what they could be for, but here’s hoping it’s awesome.” He lifted his right hand, his index and middle fingers crossed. “Asides from that, everything is actually really boring, so until the next log.” Chris finished up with a false salute before shutting down the recording.

Cogs moved through the Everfree as silently as possible, a Machine Captain leading them. He looked like an old computer system, or maybe an arcade game, with arms and legs, it’s sinister face appearing through the static on his screen. They came to a stop and the Captain turned to the smaller robots in his command. “Alright, you lot,” he began, drawing every cog’s attention to him. “Our objective is the Delta Megaship. According to our intelligence, it is being housed in a hangar-like structure not far from the blackout area. Thanks to some sort of malfunction in the enemy’s cloaking, we got a good look at it.” He paused here to make sure the cogs were following. “Our mission is to infiltrate the hanger and put a virus into the zord so the next time the Psycho Ranger pilots it, not only will it disobey every command, it will also initiate the self-destruction protocol, taking that blasted ranger with it.” He let out a sinister chuckle before he jerked his hand over his shoulder. He stood, turned and marched off into the trees, his battalion of cogs following close behind.

All was silent in the space the machines had vacated. After a few moments, a pair of heads poked out of the foliage, staring in the direction the automatons had gone. A pegasus stallion and unicorn mare stepped out of the bushes. The stallion was dark green with dark blue eyes and a buzz-cut dark gray and black mane, a streak of yellow standing out. He wore army green cargo pants with brown boots and shirt, black, fingerless gloves adorning his hands, and a sword swinging from his side. The unicorn was pale red with amber eyes and a snow white mane and was wearing tight fitting black pants and ankle-high boots, a gray tank top, and an old aviator jacket.

“What should we do Heavy Weather?” The mare asked as she looked up worriedly at her partner.

“We get out of here,” Heavy Weather answered, not taking his eyes off the trees the machines had disappeared behind. He finally broke his gaze and looked down at the mare. “But first we need to call this in.” The mare nodded in understanding. He nodded back and lifted his wrist.

Before he could fully lift his arm, a metallic hand grabbed Heavy’s wrist over the communicator. There was a crunch as the cog crushed both the communicator and the pegasus’ wrist. Heavy Weather howled in pain and the mare, acting quickly, ignited a blade of amber magic around her hand and spun, decapitating the robot. As the bot fell and Heavy held his wounded arm, many more cogs rushed out of the undergrowth and surrounded the pair. The mare held on to Heavy for support, both his and her own. As the cogs moved around them, Heavy drew his sword with his left hand and formulated a desperate plan.

“Scratch,” he breathed softly to the terrified mare, “We’re going to open a hole, and you’re going to make a run for base.”

“What about you?” Scratch asked while removing herself from him and igniting her magic again.

“I’ll be fine,” he answered, taking up a fighting stance. “Just get back to the castle and warn everypony.”

Scratch looked up at the pegasus for a moment before swallowing her fear and turning to face the cogs. All at once the machines rushed forwards trying to overwhelm the pair through sheer numbers. Scratch and Heavy fought back valiantly, slowly whittling down their numbers. Eventually, the onslaught slowed enough to allow an opening.

“Now, Scratch!” Heavy shouted as he cut down yet another cog with a downward stroke.

Without skipping a beat, the unicorn cast a teleportation spell, flashing out of existence. She reappeared a few yards away from the fight and started sprinting as fast as she could away from the conflict. She ran and ran, never stopping to look back even as her legs started burning. She kept up her pace for a long while, clearing the better part of a mile before she started to slow down to catch her breath. She came to a stop, putting her hand against a tree to steady herself as she bent over to catch her breath.

“I’ve got to keep going,” she finally murmured to herself as her breath finally came back. She straightened up to start running again but stopped when something didn’t feel right. She gasped and turned around. The last thing she saw was a metallic fist swinging towards her.

A gloved fist slammed into the punching bag. Chris rested in that position, catching his breath. “Are you okay, Chris?” Sweetie asked from behind the bag.

“Yeah,” he replied, straightening up. “But I think I’m done with combinations for today. You?”

“Definitely,” she agreed, coming out from behind the bag. “What do you want to do now?” She asked as she picked up her towel and water bottle.

“No idea,” Chris replied as he too retrieved his water bottle and towel. “Any suggestions?”

Sweetie thought for a moment before replying. “Mind if we give the bench press another shot? I’d really like to see how far I’ve come.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Chris replied as they made their way over to the equipment.

When they reached the equipment, Sweetie paused. “Um, how much weight should I put on there?” She asked, pointing to the bar.

“I’ve always been taught that a healthy person should be able to bench their own body weight,” Chris answered with a shrug.

“Ohhhh…,” Sweetie trailed off, looking to the metal plates.

Chris let out an understanding chuckle. “No one’s going to judge, Sweetie,” he comforted. “Besides, knowing you, most of that weight is going to be muscle.”

“What do you mean ‘most’?” Sweetie questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Chris shrugged, never letting his small grin falter. “All I’m saying,” Chris explained as he picked a lightweight, “is that you don’t have to be embarrassed.” He handed the weight off to Sweetie, who looked down at the weight in her hands.

Finally, she let out a sigh. “Alright,” she conceded before pointing a finger at Chris. “But you promise not to mention this to anypony!”

Chris held his hands up in surrender. “Promise.”

Sweetie began putting weights on either side of the bar. She finished and sat down on the bench. As she laid back, Chris moved to stand behind the bar.

“You ready?” He asked, looking down at her while he moved his hands underneath the bar.

Sweetie nodded and grabbed hold of the barbel, lifting it from rest. She held the bar above her and took a deep breath. She bent her arms and began her first rep.

“Oy!”

Sweetie dropped the weight in surprise, a gasp escaping her lips. Chris reacted quickly, catching the bar and lifting it away from her. As he put the barbell down on its rest, he looked around to see who had shouted. It didn’t take him long to spot the culprit. A dark blue earth pony with a dark gray, slicked back mane and yellow eyes was approaching, his griffon partner not far behind. The stallion wore white tennis shoes and athletic pants, while a dark, zipped up canvas jacket hid most of his black undershirt. The griffon wore army green cargo pants tucked into black boots and a white t-shirt. Chris couldn’t shake the feeling there was something familiar about the pair.

“What’s the yelling about?” Chris asked as they approached. Sweetie sat up and got off the opposite side of the bench, standing up and facing the pair with the bench between them.

The stallion and griffon came to a stop in front of the equipment, both wearing a frown. “We’re using the bench,” the stallion said, jerking his chin to indicate the machine in question.

Chris looked around the bench press. “I don’t see anything around here saying you were here,” he replied, looking up into the eyes of the blue stallion. “Besides, I think that’s your water and towel you’re holding right there.”

The stallion let out a growl and clenched his fist, while the griffon’s frown deepened. “I don’t think you understand,” the pony replied through clenched teeth. “We always use the bench at this time, every day,” he took a step forward, “no exceptions.”

Chris frowned at the sign of aggression. “Well, I guess you should’ve been a little quicker on the draw then, buddy.”

The stallion let out a growl and took another step forward. “Why you-”

“Chris.” Chris had made to mirror the stallion’s movement but stopped at Sweetie’s warning. He looked to his partner and she flicked her eyes away from the group. Chris scanned the room and saw that quite a few of those present had turned to watch. Chris took everything in quickly and came up with a solution.

“Okay, buddy,” he started, looking back to the still glowering stallion. “I’ll make you a deal. Me and you, one on one on the training grounds, no holds barred. We go until one of us gives or gets knocked out. The winner gets dibs on the bench press when we’re both around, no exceptions. Deal?” Chris stretched out a hand towards the stallion.

The dark blue pony eyed the appendage for a few moments before taking it with his own and shook hands roughly. He looked Chris dead in the eye. “Deal.”

As Scratch started coming around, something didn’t feel right. Her head throbbed and her arms were held over her head, something holding her wrists together. She opened her eyes a little at a time to adjust to the light, and when she finally opened, she wished she hadn’t. Cogs surrounded her, some dancing around as they all stared in her direction. Her breath caught in her throat and she began to struggle. This only caused the machines in front of her to become even more active, which, in turn, made her struggle even more.

“Now, now, my dear,” a mechanical voice spoke up from behind her. She turned her head and found herself staring at a computer screen with a wicked face on it. “We wouldn’t want you to end up like your friend, now would we?” He brought up a hand and made to stroke her cheek. She jerked her head away from the appendage. As she did so, she got a glimpse of something in the corner of her eye. She turned away from her captor to get a better look and widened her eyes at what she saw.

Heavy Weather was tied up next to her, his face and clothing bloody and breathing ragged. “Heavy… Weather…?” She murmured slowly before panic overwhelmed her. “Heavy Weather!” She screamed out, struggling against her bonds to get to the injured stallion. “What did you do to him!!!” She yelled, turning her gaze to the Machine Captain, her panic twisting into rage.

“Oh, we only hurt him a little,” Mean Screen replied nonchalantly as he walked around Rose Scratch to stand in front of Heavy Weather. “And only because he didn’t tell us what we wanted to know.” He grabbed the pegasus under the chin and lifted his face so he could look into Heavy’s eyes. “Isn’t that right?”

Heavy Weather opened his left eye, the only one not swollen shut, and stared up at the machine, stone-faced. He didn’t say anything for a long moment before spitting a wad of bloody saliva into Mean Screen’s face.

“Hm-mm,” Mean Screen hummed as he let go of the stallion’s chin and wiped his screen clean. “Like I said, not very helpful.” The Captain made to turn back to Rose Scratch and suddenly slammed a gut wrenching right hook into Heavy’s left side. There was a loud snap and Heavy screamed out in pain. “Oops, silly me,” Mean Screen said sadistically, as he twisted his fist back and forth. “It seems I broke another rib.” Heavy continued to scream in agony as Mean Screen dug his mechanical knuckles deeper into his side.

Scratch stared in horror at the display of cruelty. Mean Screen removed his fist and Heavy’s screaming died down… until the automaton threw another punch into his stomach. The stallion arched forward, his mouth wide in a silent scream, his eye bulging a little. The machine continued to pound on the stallion as Scratch was forced to watch.

“No…,” she whispered as she watched. “Stop it. Don’t….” Then she started screaming and thrashing around with all her might. “Stop it! Stop hurting him! Stop it!!!”

Mean Screen stopped and spun around to face her. “Are you going to tell me what I want to know?” The machine growled.

Tears rolled down Scratch’s face. “No, I can’t, but, please, stop hurting him.” She slumped forwards, her bonds keeping her upright. “Please.”

A low growl emanated from Mean Screen as he raised his left arm across his chest and threw his arm out at a downward angle. A blade slipped out over his hand and he turned back to Heavy Weather. “Sorry, pal,” the robot spat out as he grabbed hold of the stallion’s mane with his right hand and yanked his head up. “Looks like she doesn’t care as much as you thought.”

The pegasus stared up defiantly as the machine brought his blade back. “Buck… you…,” Heavy Weather gasped out.

“That’s the spirit,” Mean Screen rumbled and thrust his blade forward towards the stallion’s exposed throat.

“STOOOP!!!”

The blade jerked to a stop mere millimeters from Heavy Weather’s jugular. Mean Screen turned to the mare. She slumped against her bonds tears streaming down her face, her eyes wide in terror. “Stop,” she said again, desperately. “I-I’ll tell you… just don’t hurt him….”

Mean Screen turned towards her once more, keeping the blade poised over Heavy Weather. “How many will they send to oppose us if we attack the hanger?” He asked, beginning his interrogation.

Rose Scratch breathed heavily and shifted her eyes between the robot and the stallion. Heavy Weather noticed her look and shook his head. Scratch stared at him for a moment then closed her eyes and took a breath to calm herself. “They’ll send ten squads of two,” she said slowly, opening her eyes and staring up at the Machine Captain.

“How long will it take them to reach the hangar once the alarm is triggered?”

“Eight minutes.”

The interrogation continued like this, with Mean Screen asking one question after another as Rose Scratch answered them. The questions came to an end and Mean Screen stared at the mare as he lowered his blade to his side. “Thank you for your cooperation,” the machine said. “Maybe next time it will come sooner.” He jerked his blade up in a blur and drove it deep into Heavy Weather’s chest. The stallion’s eyes widened in shocked agony without making a sound.

Scratch’s eyes also widened in horror as she watched everything unfold. She stared on in shocked silence as Mean Screen drew his bloodied blade out of the pegasus’ chest. “You…,” Scratch murmured quietly as she stared at Heavy as he hung unmoving and Mean Screen walked away. Her horrified face melted away into the face of pure rage. “YOU MONSTER! I’LL KILL YOU! DO YOU HEAR ME!?! I’LL KILL YOU, YOU BAST-” Scratch’s voice stopped and her body jerked as a buzzing sound filled the air. She looked down at her stomach and saw two clean holes burned into her aviator jacket just as the feeling of something warm started to spread out over her midsection.

Scratch let out a gasp of air, squeezing her eyes shut and groaning in agony. Mean Screen moved to stand beside her, bringing his face past her’s. “Have fun bleeding out,” he whispered before he stood up straight and turned to the cogs in his command. “You,” he pointed to a silver cog with black shoulder pads, its face sliding back down. “Stay here and make sure the prisoners die. The rest of you, let’s go!” With that, the Machine Captain turned away and marched deeper into the Everfree, his minions following close behind.

With the clearing empty except for those left behind, all was quiet for several minutes. The cog stared at the prisoners as they bled, never looking away and never moving. There was a sudden snap, and the cog lurched its head towards Rose Scratch just in time to see the rope that kept her restrained falling away from the tree branch above.

“You bots should really pay closer attention,” Scratch said quietly as she raised her head to stare at the robot with glowing eyes. The cog reared back in shock before regaining its composure and sliding its mask back up. Before it could get a shot off, however, there was a whistling sound as several amber glowing spears of energy embedded themselves in the machine’s frame, two smaller spears finding their way into the cog’s eyes. The cog sparked and electricity flowed over its body as it fell forward.

Scratch stood breathing heavily before igniting her hands and shredding her bonds. She turned and ran to Heavy Weather and cut him out of his own restraints, taking his weight on her shoulder to help him stand. The stallion looked up at the young mare, blood streaming from several cuts on his face and from between his lips. “I’m sorry, Scratch,” he said quietly.

“Shh, save your strength,” Scratch told him. “I’ll get you to help, I promise.” With that she looked up with determination, her horn lighting up as they disappeared in a flash. They reappeared a long distance away before disappearing again. Scratch kept this up, her mind focused on one task alone. Getting to the Resistance before Mean Screen.

Chris stood opposite the dark blue pony, his back turned as he strapped on his leather training gear. Sweetie stood in front of him, her eyes switching back and forth between Chris’ face and the back of the dark blue stallion.

“Are you sure about this?” Sweetie questioned worriedly.

“About as sure as the time I took on Nightmare,” Chris replied as he finished tying down the wrist guard on his left arm. He looked up at Sweetie. “But something tells me it’s this or something worse.” When Sweetie continued to stare at him in worry, he placed his hands on her arms. “I’m going to be fine, Sweetie.”

Sweetie looked at him for a few more moments then relaxed. “Yeah,” she finally replied. “Besides, I’m more worried about what you’re going to do to the other pony.”

Chris chuckled at the small joke. “That’s the spirit,” he said quietly before he turned around and started walking towards the stallion that was now waiting.

Chris, Sam spoke up for the first time that day.

Yeah? Chris replied as he approached his opponent.

This is the same pony from when Cruger visited.

Chris’ mind flew back to that day in the cafeteria. Oh my gott, you’re right!

Wonder what his name is.

Why don’t I ask him?

Bet it’s Pansy Ass.

Chris held back his eye-roll as he stopped in front of the pony. He looked the stallion over but stopped at one confusing point. “You going to take your jacket off?” He inquired, motioning to the heavy covering.

“Won’t take that long,” the stallion replied shortly.

Chris nodded, a questioning look still on his features. “One more question before we start. What’s your name?”

“Figures you wouldn’t remember me,” the stallion huffed arrogantly.

“I remember you just fine,” Chris replied with a frown. “I never caught your name, though.”

The stallion stared at him for a moment. “Cobalt,” he finally replied. “Cobalt Steel.”

Chris “hmm’d” as he took in the information. “Chris Scott,” he said, stretching out his closed fist. Cobalt looked between the fist and Chris, a puzzled look on his face. Hesitantly he reached out his own fist and bumped Chris’. Retracting his hand. Chris looked back to Sweetie and nodded. As she stepped forward, both fighters took up their own fighting stances. Sweetie raised her hand, which lit up in a light green aura and shot an orb of light over the two combatants. As the light cast a soft green glow, both opponents tensed. The orb exploded like a firework and the fight began.

Cobalt kicked out with a roundhouse towards Chris’ head. Chris caught the blow with his right arm, and rotated the limb and ducked his head so the attack flew harmlessly over his head. With Cobalt off balance, Chris rushed in, aiming a left hook at the stallion’s midsection. The pony took notice and moved his hand to catch Chris’ fist. Cobalt regained his balance and swung out with his right fist. Chris met the blow with his left arm, and swung out, only to be blocked again. Both opponents continued like this, trading blows and blocking, neither taking any more than a grazing blow. Cobalt swung a haymaker towards the side of Chris’ head. Chris reacted by dropping down, the fist sailing over his head. Chris swung his leg out and around in a sweep, aiming for the dark pony’s ankles. Cobalt leaped into the air and hung there a moment. He extended his legs and came down as hard as he could. Chris rolled away from the stomp and jumped back to his feet.

This guy’s pretty quick for an earth pony, Chris commented inwardly.

Head in the game, Sam reminded him as Cobalt came charging in.

Chris jerked his head up just in time to see Cobalt’s fist flying towards his face. He caught the stallion’s fist and responded by aiming a kick at the pony’s exposed side. The kick landed and Cobalt winced, but recovered quickly. He wrapped his arm around Chris’ leg to prevent him from retracting the limb, and used his other hand to get a better hold and started spinning. Chris lost all balance and control as he was thrown bodily across the training field. He landed with a thud and the air rushed from his lungs.

Incoming! Sam warned.

Chris immediately rolled to his feet, still gasping for air. Cobalt arrived a few seconds later, launching a right hook. Chris caught the incoming blow with his left hand and rushed a jab with his right. The stallion caught the blow, stopping it dead. Both combatants pushed against one another, each trying to overwhelm the other.

Need some help, Sam asked as he began to bring his consciousness forward.

Nah, Chris strained out, I got this. Chris let go of his mental limiters, feeling his full strength flood into his body. He slowly started to overwhelm the large stallion, pushing his arms back. Cobalt’s eyes widened in surprise and doubled his efforts, managing to slow down Chris’ progress, if only momentarily. Chris continued to push until Cobalt was almost down on one knee. This is it, Chris thought to himself. Just a little more-

Chris let out a roar of agony as searing pain slashed across the back of his legs. Cobalt’s eyes widened in surprise, but he took the chance to get back to his feet and shove himself away. He leaped back to gain some ground and watched as Chris slumped to one knee and clutched the back of his leg. After a few moments of staring, Cobalt noticed the gleaming red of blood on Chris’ hand.

“What in Tartarus?” He asked out loud.

“Thank me later.”

Cobalt jerked his head to the side to see his griffon partner, Garion, settle beside him. Upon closer inspection, Cobalt noticed a small bit of blood on his friends left talons. “Garion,” he murmured, looking back to his partner’s face. “What did you do?”

“Just providing a little insurance,” the dark colored griffon replied. “Besides, he tried to make a fool of my father.”

Cobalt stared at the griffon before looking back to his opponent. Sweetie Bell was at his side, treating the wounds.

“That was a dirty trick,” Sweetie said, looking away from the slowly closing gash to throw a glare at the pair. “Don’t worry,” she continued, looking back down at her work, “we’ll show them.”

“No.”

Sweetie looked up at Chris' face. “But-” She stopped when she noticed the look on Chris' face. It was a look of pure fury.

“If they want to fight dirty, then let’em,” Chris growled out. “Me and Sam will show them why it’s a bad idea to cross a ranger. Besides,” Chris looked over to the griffon. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but that griffon looks an awful lot like Guntram.”

Sweetie looked to the griffon as well, taking in every detail she could. While the griffon across from them more closely resembled a magpie than a raven, the similarities between the two griffons were uncanny. “I think you may be right,” she finally replied as Chris’ wound sealed shut, a slight scar all that remained.

“In that case,” Chris rose to his feet with Sweetie quickly following suit, “this just got a lot more personal.” Chris put a hand on Sweetie’s shoulder. “I want you to stay out of this one. If they have a problem they can take it up with me, and,” he looked her in the eyes, “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Sweetie looked up at Chris for a moment, before putting her hand over his and nodding. They released each other and Sweetie moved away, leaving Chris to turn back to his opponents. As he watched, the two argued with one another, about what he didn’t know. “Are you two done yet?” He called irritably across the field.

The pair stopped and looked towards him. “There’s no reason to continue,” Cobalt answered.

“There’s every reason to continue,” Chris called back. “Your friend has a vendetta and we didn’t get to finish our fight.” Chris dropped into a fighting stance. “So, let’s finish this!”

Seeing that the young man couldn’t be swayed, Cobalt frowned and took a step back. “This is wrong-” Garion rushed forward, using his wings to add to his speed.

Chris saw the griffon coming and dashed forward to meet him. As they approached one another, the griffon brought his talons back, preparing to cut into Chris again. But Chris was ready for it. When they were mere feet apart, Garion swung his clawed hand forward, aiming towards Chris’ face and shoulder. Chris ducked below the strike and twisted his body, bringing his fist up. You ready for this? He asked his brother.

Let’s light’em up! Sam responded, melding his consciousness with Chris’. Chris locked his eyes on the griffon’s back and swung with all his might. The hit landed just underneath the joint that connected the wing to the rest of the body. Feeling his punch make purchase, Chris twisted his arm to dig the punch in deeper. Garion let out a cry of pain as his body was forced downward into the ground. Chris felt Garion’s body stop against the ground and pushed harder with his fist, driving the griffon deeper into the ground and using him to push himself away.

He came to a stop a few yards away from the griffon and kept his eyes on his unmoving body. Think we overdid it? He asked.

Not that he didn’t deserve it, Sam answered in a tone that signified a sneer.

Right, Chris responded, scrunching his nose up as well. Now where’s the other one?

Three o’clock! Sam shouted quickly.

Chris leaped out of the way just as Cobalt came zooming in, driving his fist downward with such force that bits of earth flew into the air. Chris’ eyes widened in shock. What the hölle!?! Chris exclaimed internally as he landed. Where did that come from?

No idea, but here he comes again! Sam replied in warning.

Cobalt was straightening up and Chris got a good look at the powerful pony. His jacket bulged upwards just behind his shoulders and his hands seemed to be smoking, however, Chris couldn’t be sure from his current distance. Before Chris could make any more observations, Cobalt dashed forward, closing the distance in the blink of an eye. The dark stallion launched a powerful right jab at Chris. Rather than take the attack head on, Chris moved out of the way and dodged the blow, and danced backward as Cobalt continued to throw punches at a rapid pace.

Verdammt, I can’t keep this up! Chris cried internally as he continued to dodge backward.

Then we’ll match him, Sam replied.

Chris nodded in understanding and activated his Static. Orange and green energy danced across his limbs as he came to a stop and finally blocked one of Cobalt’s punches. Although, now that he could get a better look, he almost wished he had stayed mobile. The stallion’s amber eyes had a darkened look to them, and when he looked he found that Cobalt’s fists were indeed giving off some kind of shadowy aura.

“What is-” Chris’ inquiry was cut short as the angry pony sent an uppercut into his stomach, sending Chris skidding back a few feet. The blow hurt, a lot more than anything Chris had been hit with before.

This even puts Sweetie’s magi-punch to shame, Sam noted, his tone wincing alongside Chris.

Yeah, this is getting out of hand, Chris responded as he jumped away to gain a little more distance. It’s time this came to an end. Chris focused all of his Static into his right hand, the condensed energy shimmering.

Didn’t know we could do that, Sam stated.

Me neither, but I’m glad it worked, Chris replied. Now for a little ‘umph’. Chris channeled earth magic into the mix, and the Static changed to a bright black color.

Better make extra sure. Sam funneled Red Static into their fist, the color changing again, this time to a slightly off white color.

“Alright,” Chris murmured as he looked back to his opponent and charged forward. “Let’s end this!”

“With pleasure!” Cobalt yelled back as he too rushed forward. They ran towards one another and once they reached a certain distance from each other, both fighters cocked back their right fists for a final haymaker. They came into range and both launched their attacks, one a misty black, the other an electric silver. In their haste neither opponent worked to put up a defense against the other and fists collided with chins with a resounding crack. Both fighters stayed as they were before both let their arms drop to their sides. Each stared at the other for a long moment.

“That was a good hit,” Cobalt finally said.

“Yeah,” Chris replied, “you too.” Both combatants stood unmoving as they caught their breath. Suddenly, both Chris and Cobalt slumped forwards. Chris caught the large pony and helped him steady himself.

“Guess we know how this turned out, huh?” Cobalt said as he got his feet back underneath him.

“Yeah, that was one hölle of a draw,” Chris replied, a grin spreading across his features.

Cobalt looked up in surprise at the young man’s smiling face. After a time, a corner of his lips lifted in a small smirk. “Okay, mister iron fist,” Cobalt joked quietly.

Chris let out a small laugh and looked over to the fallen griffon, his smile fading. “Is he going to be okay?” Chris asked roughly.

Cobalt’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah, he’ll be fine,” he replied, looking to his downed partner. “His pride is more wounded than he is.” Cobalt was silent for a moment, then stood up straight, taking his weight off Chris. “I’m sorry about how this fight went. I didn’t want this to happen.”

“Don’t worry,” Chris told him. “We’re not responsible for the actions of others.” He looked over and saw Sweetie coming over, a look of concern on her face.

“Are you okay-” Suddenly, the announcement system rang out.

“All patrols report to the briefing room immediately. This is not a drill.” Shining Armor’s voice rang out from the speakers.

“Something’s wrong,” Chris immediately said and looked to Cobalt. “You and your partner better get going.” Cobalt simply nodded and ran over to Garion, who was quickly getting to his feet. Cobalt helped him to his feet and the two sprinted away towards the castle.

Sweetie took a step closer to Chris as they looked on. “What do you think is going on?” She asked, worry clear in her voice.

“I don’t know,” Chris answered before turning and starting to walk in a different direction, a look of determination on his face. “But I know where we can find out.”

Ponies scurried about the control room or typed hurriedly on their computers, all intent on their tasks. Nightmare stood at her elevated position, directing everypony’s task. There was a small beep and the sound of the metal door opening behind her. She paid it no mind, assuming it was another pony coming back after running some errand or another.

“Nightmare.” She turned to see Chris and Sweetie walking towards her. “What’s going on?”

“Chris,” she answered, moving her body to completely face him. “This is an emergency situation. Now is really not a good time.”

“Then I won’t ask any questions,” Chris said as he came up beside her, his eyes sweeping across the room. “Just give us the short version.”

Nightmare stared at him for a moment, her eyes searching for something before she let out a sad sigh. “I don’t think I can do that, Chris,” she replied, a frown on her face. “But I won’t keep you in the dark.” She looked around the room and finally came to a stop as she found who she was looking for. “Sunset.” The younger alicorn perked her head up and looked towards her superior. “Come here, please.”

She made her way over quickly, taking the few steps up to the group’s position in stride. “Yes, Nightmare?” She asked as she came to a stop in front of the dark alicorn.

“Take Chris and Sweetie Belle to the medical hall,” she said slowly, a certain melancholy in her voice. “Explain the situation to them.”

Sunset let a worried frown cross her face. “Yes, ma’am,” she answered slowly. “Follow me,” she told the pair as she made her way out of the door.

Chris and Sweetie shared a look and followed quickly after.

Nightmare watched as the door shut behind the trio. When it had closed she turned back towards the rest of the room and rested her hands on the console in front of her. She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath, letting a single tear roll down her cheek.

The trio walked in silence towards the med hall. Sunset seemed deflated and neither Chris nor Sweetie wanted to interrupt whatever thoughts were running through her head. As they approached their destination, however, Sunset spoke up. “We lost contact with one of our patrols earlier today,” she began, never looking away from the floor. “We figured it was a glitch, something that’s been happening during the last few days. We did our best to reconnect, but as time wore on, it became obvious that something was wrong. We sent out a few search and rescue squads but never heard back. Then, a little while ago, the patrol showed up at the castle doors. They…,” Sunset blinked back a tear. “They’re not in good condition.”

They came to a stop in front of a drawn curtain and Sunset cleared her throat and put a smile on her face. “Rose Scratch?” She called out. “It’s Sunset. I have some friends here that would like to see you.”

“Sure,” a weak voice called out from behind the curtain. “It’s always nice to see new faces.”

Sunset looked up at the pair beside her before looking back to the curtain and drawing it away. Rose Scratch lay in a hospital bed in a johnny gown, an IV in her arm and a heart rate monitor on her finger. There were bags under her eyes and she looked tired. The monitor next to the bed beeped slowly. Her hand stretched out next to her and held on to the hand of a green stallion, whose bed was pulled close to her’s. A heart rate monitor was placed on his finger as well, the machine beeping even more slowly than the mare’s.

“Hey, Scratch,” Sunset said softly, moving to stand beside the mare and putting a comforting hand on her arm. “How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been worse,” Scratch joked tiredly. “I just feel really worn out.” Her gaze shifted from Sunset to the pair standing by. “And if it isn’t an Element of Harmony and the elusive Psycho Ranger,” she said slowly, a mischievous smile on her lips. “What brings you to my humble presence?”

“They... would like to know what happened in the Everfree,” Sunset said hesitantly. The small spark in the mare’s eye died down, something Chris immediately took notice of.

“But we can get Sunset to fill us in on that,” Chris said quickly as he came to stand beside Sunset. “Maybe there’s something else you’d like to talk about instead?”

A look of relief spread over her eyes as she looked up at the young man. Chris allowed a small, soft smile of reassurance. “Well,” Scratch began, shifting in her bed. “I was wondering what it was like in that armor of your’s.”

Chris didn’t let his smile drop, but his eyebrow twitched, almost unnoticeably. “It feels like any other armor,” Chris started. “I put it on and I can feel all that power running through me. It’s amazing. I feel invincible,” Chris’ smile finally faded. “But when I take it off, I feel so small, so defenseless. It’s like the armor is the only reason I can do what I do. What’s worse is that the suit doesn’t feel like it belongs to me. It’s like borrowing someone’s shoe. It fits just fine, but deep down you know it’s not yours….” Chris looked over to the mare and saw a small smile on her face and she let out a short laugh as she saw his look of puzzlement. Chris let out his own breath of laughter. “What’s so funny?” He asked lightheartedly.

The mare let out another laugh before looking towards him, a smile still on her face. “I just wanted to see how you saw yourself. Whether you count yourself among the rest of us or saw yourself higher….” She took a ragged breath and started coughing harshly. As the coughs raked across her body, she lifted her hand and grabbed hold of Chris’ shirt. Chris took it in his own and held her hand, trying to convey as much comfort as he could to the mare.

The coughing stopped and the mare relaxed. “Thanks,” she murmured quietly.

“No problem,” Chris answered, lowering her hand back to the bed. He tried to let go, but she held on, so he simply wrapped his fingers around her own again. Just then, two pairs of footsteps could be heard walking towards the group. Chris looked up to see Apple Bloom and, to his surprise, Heavy Ladle walking towards them.

The pair came to a stop in front of Rose Scratch’s bed and Heavy Ladle’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Scratch….”

Scratch gave another small smile. “Don’t worry, mom. The doctors say me and Heavy are going to be okay.” Chris furrowed his eyebrows at her words and shot a glance at Bloom, who avoided his gaze. “They said that we’ll be going through a few procedures to patch us up,” Scratch continued and she looked to Apple Bloom. “Isn’t that right, doc?”

Bloom looked to the mare and cleared her throat. “Yeah, Scratch, that’s what we said. But you need to get your strength back first.”

Scratch smiled and nodded, knocking loose another horrendous cough. She squeezed Chris’ hand once more until the fit passed, before looking up at Heavy Ladle. “Sorry, mom,” she apologized. “I’m just really tired…,” the mare’s eyes began to droop.

A few tears rolled down Ladle’s face. “It’s alright, dear,” she said reassuringly. “You need your rest… but before you fall asleep, can I tell you something?”

“Of course, mom,” the young unicorn replied.

Ladle choked back her tears before going on. “I just want to say I love you. I love you both… so much.”

Scratch gave a weak chuckle. “We know, mom. We love you, too….” Her eyes drooped down and closed. Her breathing slowed, and her body started relaxing. Chris held on to her hand for several long minutes until it to relaxed. The mare let out a final breath, and the heart rate monitor next to bed let out a continuous beep. Just like that, Rose Scratch the unicorn left the world of the living.

For a moment, everyone present was silent. Slowly, Heavy Ladle broke down into tears, sobs escaping unbridled. Sweetie moved to comfort the older mare, bringing her into a comforting hug even as tears started to fall from her own eyes. Bloom stood still for a few more moments, allowing her own tears to flow silently before moving to turn off the monitor by the mare’s side. She then moved to the other side of curtained-off space and turned off the false monitor next to the stallion.

Chris watched all this in silence, letting his own tears fall without a word. He looked to Sunset to find that she too had tears streaming down her face. Chris looked back to the unicorn in front of him, and let out a ragged sigh. “Sunset,” he said slowly, getting the alicorn’s attention. “We need to talk.” He didn’t wait for an answer as he started walking towards the door. He pushed the door open and held it for Sunset as she followed him.

He turned to face her as the door closed. He took a few breaths to steady himself and wiped away the moisture on his face. “Who were they?” He finally asked.

Sunset took a shaky breath. “Their names were Rose Scratch and Heavy Weather. They were engaged,” Sunset sniffed a bit before continuing. “Scratch’s father was one of the first casualties the Resistance suffered. Heavy Weather was Ladle’s son… he was the only family she had left.”

Chris stayed silent for a few moments as he processed what he had been told. He eventually raised his hand to his face and rubbed his mouth letting out another breath. “What happened?”

“According to what Rose Scratch told us, they were following a group of cogs when they got ambushed,” Sunset paused. “They tortured Heavy in front of her until she gave up what they wanted to know. Luckily she kept her head about her and fed them false information. But when they got what they wanted they...,” she took another breath, “the Machine Captain stabbed Heavy Weather through the chest and had Scratch shot, and left them to die. Scratch managed to cut them loose and get back to HQ. Heavy Weather was dead before she got here but she didn’t know that….” Tears started rolling down her face again. “We couldn’t save her,” she choked out. “She overexerted herself and her magic trying to get back. Any procedure we would have done, even with magic, would have only killed her sooner.”

Chris listened intently to every word, absorbing every syllable. “How did she describe the Machine Captain?” He asked quietly

Sunset swallowed her sobs and continued. “She said he looked like a giant monitor with arms and legs. His face only appeared on the screen.”

“Mean Screen,” Chris said in recognition, his face screwing up in anger. He lifted his morpher and typed a message on the screen that he sent to Sweetie’s communicator to be read out to her later. He turned and started stalking away from the med hall.

“W-where are you going?” Sunset called out behind him as she ran to catch up.

“To give Nightmare the low down on this creep,” Chris replied without looking back. “Then I’m going to find him and beat his face in.”

~To Be Continued~

Author's Note

... I'm going to go... yeah....

If you have a comment of any sort leave it in the comments below. And if you see a phrase in the text that doesn't belong, let me know so I can find and delete it. I DO NOT appreciate when people try to troll my work, ESPECIALLY in chapters like this. So please help me out. Until the next chapter, have a good one.

edit: ...I'M A HORRIBLE PERSON!!!

Chapter 9- The Cost of War pt. 2

Chapter 9-

The Cost of War pt 2

Nightmare stood at her station in central command. “Do we have a lock on our ponies’ locations?” She called out across the room.

“Coming up on screen now, ma’am,” a mare replied from her station below. The viewing screen blinked and when it came back, a map of the area surrounding the hanger appeared. Green dots littered the screen, signifying every Resistance fighter in the area. They stood unmoving, waiting to ambush their opponents

“Do we have a visual on the enemy?” Nightmare questioned.

“Locating enemy signature now,” reported a male thestal from another part of the room. A large group of red dots appeared on screen, constantly moving towards the hanger. Nightmare’s eyes widened in surprise at the number.

“Battle Cry, send out a message to our support teams,” she called to the unicorn, who turned his attention to her. “I want them deployed now.” The unicorn nodded and typed out a message on his console. Confident that the stallion would get his job done correctly, Nightmare turned her attention back to the large screen at the front of the room. There was a beep and the door to the room slid open once more. This time Nightmare turned to find Chris walking into the room. He made his way toward her, the look on his face telling her all she needed to know. As he stopped and opened his mouth to speak, she stopped him. “It’s not my decision to make,” she told him flatly.

Chris closed his mouth and stared in surprise for a moment before his anger came back to his face. “But I need to be out there!” He argued.

“Then take it up with Sunset,” she replied, turning back to the screen. Chris just stared in anger.

Chris, you need to cool it, Sam told him. I’m angry too, but now is not the time to let it cloud our judgment. Chris thought about ignoring his brother’s advice, then he remembered all his lessons with Trixie. He took a few deep breaths and got himself under control. Once his anger was simply boiling rather than the full inferno from earlier, he turned and looked at the screen.

“What’s the plan?” He asked.

“Despite their position when they… captured… Heavy and Scratch’s patrol, the machines are moving rather slow. Either they’re trying to avoid being caught or they’re arrogant. Whichever it is, they’ve given us enough time to set some of our own forces up for an ambush.” She finished and looked at the young man. “What can you tell us about our mystery Machine Captain?”

“His name is Mean Screen,” he answered, “and if he’s heading to the hanger, there’s only one thing he could be after. He’s going to try and apply a virus to the Delta Megaship.” He looked away from the screen to Nightmare. “How did they even get the location of the hanger?”

“We don’t know… yet.” Chris blinked at Nightmare’s ferocity. He looked down and saw that Nightmare was clenching her fists until her knuckles showed white through her fur.

“Nightmare…,” Chris murmured, worried for the mare.

She trembled in her anger for a moment before letting out a breath of air. “They killed two of my ponies, Chris,” she stated in a voice barely above a whisper. “Worse. That bastard tortured them!” She smashed her fist against the console.

Chris just stared for a while before placing a hesitant hand on her shoulder and leaning in so only she could hear him. “Don’t worry, Artemus. We’ll make sure he gets his.” Nightmare looked up into Chris’ eyes and saw a fire burning behind them. “I promise.”

Nightmare looked over Chris’ features. She finally let his words reach her and she released her fists. “You’re right. Thank you.” She straightened up just in time for Sunset to walk into the control room.

“What’s the situation?” She asked as she joined Nightmare and Chris.

“Our ponies are in position and are getting ready to attack,” Nightmare replied, giving the alicorn a nod as she approached. As the group of machines made their way slowly towards the target area of the ambush, Chris became uneasy.

“Something’s not right,” he muttered.

Sunset threw a look at him. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Something’s just… off.” He leaned forward and stared hard at the screen. Suddenly, his eyes shot open. “Scheisse!” He exclaimed, vaulting over the console to the floor below. “Who’s locked on to the enemies signature!?!” He asked quickly, panic filling his voice.

“Th-that’s me,” answered the surprised thestral. Chris rushed over and took a single look at his console before beginning to type furiously. “What are you doing!?!” The thestral exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

“Widening the search parameters,” Chris replied simply, his hands flying over the keyboard. “There!” He lurched his head back up to look at the screen just in time to see several red dots appear behind most of the green, slowly closing in. Everyone’s eyes widened in realization and Nightmare jumped into action.

“Get them a warning, NOW!!!” She ordered. Everyone sped to work, doing all they could to get the message out to their fighters.

“It’s done, ma’am,” a female griffon called out after a few seconds. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to the screen, holding their breath. For a few moments, it almost looked like nothing happened. Then all hell broke out.

Cobalt Steel crouched behind an overgrown bush in his armor, his eyes glued to the battalion in front of him, the Machine Captain in front in particular. “Come on,” he muttered under his breath. “Just a little further….” Suddenly, his communicator vibrated and a message played out in his ear piece.

“It’s a trap! Enemies to the rear and closing in!” A female voice rang out.

Cobalt turned wide-eyed to Garion. They both knew what this meant. “We’ve been made!” Cobalt called out, drawing his greatsword and standing to face the new enemies. Garion extended the claws on his weaponized gauntlets and put his back to his partner just as machines rushed in from both sides.

“Alright,” Cobalt muttered as the first wave reached him. “Let’s get crackin’!” He let out a battle cry and rushed towards his opponents, swinging his sword towards their necks.

For a moment, it looked like the Resistance fighters stood a chance. Everyone in the control room began to let out breaths they had been holding in. Chris was especially relieved and began to make his way back up to Sunset and Nightmare. He was halfway up the steps when the operation went south.

“No!” He heard Sunset cry out. Chris whipped around to look at the screen, his hands clutching the railing. Green and red dots clashed on screen, the red dots blinking out at a rapid rate. However, the Resistance combatants were outnumbered, three to one, and the flow of cogs didn’t seem to be slowing down. But something else was wrong. Chris looked again, and his fists tightened on the railing. The number of green allies was beginning to drop. Chris cursed under his breath and quickly made his way up the rest of the steps.

“We need to deploy reinforcements, now,” Chris stated as he came to a stop next to the two alicorns.

“We deployed them before you got here,” Nightmare replied, her eyes scanning frantically over the screen. “I thought the main force was going to be too much to handle. Now though….”

“Even with reinforcements, they may not be able to handle this,” Sunset finished.

“Tch,” Chris said his jaw clenching in anger. “They played us for fools.”

Nightmare and Sunset turned to look in his direction. “W-what do you mean?” Sunset asked.

“All of this,” Chris growled out as his head dropped and fists clenched. “Was just a setup!” Sunset still looked confused, but Nightmare’s eyes widened in horrid understanding.

“They weren’t getting information…,” she said slowly.

“They were feeding us false info,” Chris finished, his voice full of rage.

Sunset gasped and raised her hand in realization. “You mean they….”

“They tortured and killed Heavy Weather and Rose Scratch,” Nightmare murmured, beginning to tremble. “Just to make us.”

Chris slammed his hand on the console and turned to the door, a dark look on his features.

“Where are going?” Sunset asked turning to follow his movements.

“Where do you think?” He replied snidely.

“You’re not cleared for combat,” Sunset called after him. “And, like it or not, you’re still a part of Special Operations!”

Chris stopped dead in his tracks, and his head fell. His fists had been clenched as he was walking away, but now the knuckles practically glowed white. He turned around slowly and walked back towards Sunset, his head still lowered. He stopped in front of her and raised his eyes. Sunset flinched away from the pure rage contained in them. “Then I quit.” With that final message, he turned and made his way back towards the door.

“Chris.” He stopped just before exiting the room, the door open in front of him. He turned his head to look back at Nightmare. “When you get back,” she continued, “we need to have a talk.” Chris simply nodded and continued on his way, the door sliding shut behind him.

Sunset stared after him. “He just… walked out on me.”

“You should have made your decision sooner.” Sunset looked up to the older alicorn and found no sympathy in her eyes. “Now he’s made his own choice.” She looked back up to the screen where red and green blips continued to fade in and out of existence. “I just hope he made it in time.”

Cobalt swung his sword in a horizontal slash, causing sparks to explode from the chests of two cogs. Sweat dripped down his face, and his breathing was heavy. His ears swiveled behind him and he swung his sword to block the blow coming towards his back. He spun around and hefted his blade with both hands and brought it down. The cog stood no chance as it was split in two.

Not sensing any immediate danger, Cobalt slumped down, stabbing his blade into the ground to steady himself. “Damn it…,” he breathed out. He and Garion had gotten separated early on in the fight. Cobalt had cut down machine after machine, watching his comrades fall around him. When the reinforcements had shown up, his hopes had come back, but it proved to be too little too late. Even with fresh fighters they had continued to be pushed back. Cobalt looked up and saw another group of cogs rushing towards him.

He took another deep breath and hefted his blade. “And back to the grind….” As the automatons reached him, he fainted another neck sweep. The cogs fell for the bluff, bringing their spears up to block the attack. Cobalt smirked as he immediately dropped down, sweeping the legs out from underneath them, literally. He spun with the swing, straightening up and bringing the blade down on top of the middle cog, splitting its head in two. He twisted the blade and shadows shot down the blade and out, decapitating the other two. “I hate doing that,” he grumbled as he pulled his blade from the ground.

There was a shout behind him and he turned quickly to find Garion and two other fighters, a diamond dog and pegasus, going toe-to-toe with the Machine Captain just in front of the hangar doors. Cobalt grit his teeth. “Damn it, Garion, you fool.” He rushed forward to help his comrades, who were slowly running out of steam.

The diamond dog was the first to go down. He overstepped his spear thrust and missed his mark. Mean Screen darted in and slashed his blade across the overextended limb. Blood shot from the dog’s leg, and he let out a howl before the Machine Captain drove the blade up into his throat.

The pegasus let out a yell of rage and rushed forward, his twin hatchets raised. Mean Screen blocked the assault with his wrist blades, blocking strike after strike. The pegasus got hasty and slipped up. The pegasus brought one of his hatchets further back than most of his strikes and brought it down. Mean Screen took advantage of the extra swing time and dodged out of the way, causing the pegasus to lose his balance. Mean Screen took his opportunity and swung his blade in a back swing. The pegasus roared in pain as his arm was severed from his body which changed into a gurgle as Mean Screen brought his other blade up into his stomach.

As the pegasus slumped to the ground, Garion hesitated. The sudden death of his comrades shook him and gave Mean Screen the time he needed to turn to him and charge.

“Garion, MOVE!”

The griffon leaped into the air, just in time for Cobalt and the Machine Captain to clash. The ringing of blade against blade rang through the area as the combatants swung their blades to find purchase. Garion, meanwhile, flew into the air, performed a loop and rocketed back towards the ground, the claws of his gauntlets fully extended. Cobalt swung his sword in an overhead strike, a blow that Mean Screen caught easily on his shorter blades. The pony struggled against the machine for a while before suddenly jumping backward. Mean Screen was jerked off balance by the sudden absence of opposing force and his blades fell forward, exposing his chest. Garion swept in and slashed his claws across the exposed area, causing sparks to explode from the automaton.

Mean Screen stumbled back as the griffon came to a landing next to his partner. The Machine Captain looked up at his opponents and let out a growl. “You’re fast little bugs, aren’t you?” He snarled. He lifted his arms. “Let’s change that,” he called out as electricity danced around his blades before he thrust them into the ground. Seeing this Cobalt and Garion dodged to either side. They came to a stop a few yards apart and looked to where they had been standing a moment ago, waiting for… something.

That’s when they felt it. It started as a tingling, then every muscle in their body contracted, making their bodies stiff. “D-damn it!” Cobalt growled out as he lost control of his body.

Mean Screen let out a wicked chuckle. “Not so fast anymore, eh, little bugs?” He taunted leaning forward. He dashed forward, his left arm drawn past his chest in preparation for a swing. Cobalt tried to move but his body wouldn’t respond.

“GAR!!!” He yelled out in fear. The Machine Captain swung his blade out, cackling maliciously.

Blood erupted from Garion’s side as the automaton passed him. Garion’s eyes widened in shock and pain as he fell forwards. The griffon hit the ground with a thud and lay still as blood poured from his wound. Cobalt stared at his fallen comrade, his face twisting into rage as he looked towards the Machine Captain. “I’ll make you pay for that,” he growled out, still unable to move.

“I’d like to see you try.” Mean Screen appeared in front of him, and he felt a huge force slam into his chest. The Captain’s kick sent the pony flying backward where he slammed into a tree with enough force to crack it. Mean Screen began to walk forward as Cobalt slid down the trunk and came to a sitting position. His eyes were closed in a grimace, and when he finally opened them, he watched as the large robot stalked towards him.

The machine stopped in front of him, looming over him. “Say goodbye, little bug!” He said with an evil cackle as he raised a blade for the final strike. Cobalt could only stare in horror, unable to move and without his weapon. He was completely at the mercy of this monster. Mean Screen let out another short laugh as the blade reached its peak. “Die!” He shouted as he brought the blade down.

A blade shot from the side, swung in an upward arc, and caught Mean Screen’s. The automaton’s blade was knocked away and the strange blade was twisted in its wielder's hand before being brought down across the machine’s chest. Sparks exploded and Mean Screen staggered backward with a cry of pain.

A hand was held out to Cobalt, who found feeling returning to his body. He took the hand and was hauled to his feet by Chris who was already morphed in red with the helmet off. “Thought you were pulled?” Cobalt asked with a smile.

“I’ve recently found myself without a superior officer,” Chris replied, a small smirk on his face.

Cobalt’s eyes widened at the implications of such a statement but turned at the sound of a groan. Mean Screen was getting his feet back under him as his chest smoked. Cobalt’s eyes narrowed at the machine. “We’ll finish this later,” he stated, taking up a stance beside Chris.

“Yeah,” Chris agreed, holding out Cobalt’s sword to him. “Let’s make this quick,” Chris said as he turned to face Mean Screen. “We’ve got a lot of injured fighters here. Which means,” he threw a look at the pony, “no holding back.”

“I never hold-”

“Cobalt.” He looked into the human’s eyes and was taken aback by the ferocity of his gaze. “I don’t know what you can do, but now is not the time to hide it.”

Cobalt stared then let out a breath and started undoing the buckles on his chest piece. The armor fell to the ground with a clank, the heavy canvas jacket following soon after. Cobalt looked towards his opponent, smoke curling from his eyes as he unfurled his bat-like wings. “Let’s end him,” he growled out, his voice darker than usual.

“Let’s,” Chris replied before stepping out towards Mean Screen. “Go, Silver,” he spoke calmly. A silver glow surrounded him and dispersed, leaving Chris in shining silver armor.

“Impressive,” Cobalt said, getting into a runner’s stance.

“Got it from our fight,” Chris replied, mimicking the thestral’s movements. They dashed forward together, Cobalt with his greatsword engulfed in shadows and Chris with the Psycho Silverizer. Chris brought the weapon up and fired three rounds at Mean Screen. The Machine Captain raised his blades to block the bolts, but only partially succeeded as one bolt hit him in the shoulder, throwing up sparks. Mean Screen cried out in pain, his defense dropping. Cobalt rushed in with his blade and swept the blade across the machine’s midsection, causing sparks to fly. Mean Screen gave a cry and stumbled backward even further.

Chris took his chance and leaped into the air, bringing the blade of the Silverizer up. Mean Screen caught the action and crossed his blades to block the blow. Not this time, clanker, Chris and Sam thought together as they activated their Silver Static and the magic it harnessed. Chris brought down the blade as hard as he could as his arm solidified with a metallic sheen. The three blades connected, and for a moment it looked like the ranger’s attack had been blocked. Then Chris’ feet hit the ground. Strength flowed through his body and with a roar Chris pushed down with all the force he could muster. Mean Screen’s blades shattered and the Silverizer slashed down the length of his body.

Before the machine could recover, though, Cobalt used Chris’ flattened back and shoulders as a springboard and rushed over the Captain, using an upward swing to severe his left arm. Cobalt came to a landing a few yards away and turned to face his opponent. Mean Screen took several steps back as he clutched his missing limb. He knew he was defeated. He’d far outmatched any of the other freedom fighters, but the Psycho Ranger and the sudden power boost of the thought-to-be earth pony had him outclassed in speed and strength. In the end, he only had one more tactic to work with.

“Y-you scum,” he hissed out. “You’ve stopped me, but you will never stop the House of Gadgetry. We’ll just keep killing more and more of you pathetic whelps.” A sinister look spread across the machine’s face. “Just like what I did to those other two ponies earlier today.” Cobalt’s eyes widened slightly and he raised his sword higher. The machine sensed Cobalt’s reaction and he turned so that he could keep an eye on each opponent. “Did they not tell you? Two ponies had to die to get you your intelligence.”

Cobalt’s expression became that of shock, his sword dropping slightly. Mean Screen saw this and chuckled wickedly, turning to completely face the upset thestral. “Oh, yes, they died getting your leaders that information. Information that led you straight into a trap. And all I had to do was say a few fancy words and torture those worthless-”

An explosion ripped through the Machine Captain’s right shoulder, tearing the limb from his body. Mean Screen was launched forward in a diagonal and came to rough, grinding stop several yards away from his starting position. He rolled over and looked up to see Chris pointing the Silverizer at him, the barrel smoking. The human didn’t say anything, just began stalking forward, the weapon leveled at the machine.

Mean Screen let out a fake smirk. “It seems like I got to-” Another explosion ripped away the Captain’s left foot. The robot wasn’t even given time to yell in agony as another detonation tore away his right leg at the knee. Now, Mean Screen’s eyes widened in fear. “No, don’t-” His cry was cut short once again as a bolt of energy took off a corner of his head, flying into the treeline before it erupted into a ball of flame. Chris continued to stalk forward, his twisted helmet more sinister than ever. He came to a stop only a few feet from the automaton, his weapon still smoking.

“Do you feel fear, machine?” Chris growled out.

“No! No! Please!” The machine screamed as wires sprouted from his body like tentacles and tried to escape. “Get away! Leave me alone!”

Chris’ head tilted forward. “All I needed to hear,” he stated flatly as he aimed the Psycho Silverizer at the mauled Machine Captain. Energy began building up at the end of the barrel, forming a golden ball of energy. “Psycho Silverizer!” He called out, unleashing the blast into Mean Screen’s wrecked body. The blast lifted the robot off the ground and into the sky, carrying him a fair distance away before exploding. Chris lowered his weapon as Cobalt made his way over.

“Chris-”

“It’s not over,” he said coldly, cutting off the bat-pony as he turned to the hangar. “Let’s go, Delta!” He shouted, Static Jumping towards the hangar as green energy filled the sky.

Mean Screen grew above the treeline and looked to the hangar. “Here I come, ranger,” he called out as wires appeared from his wrists and lanced into the ground. The earth was displaced as the mechanical vines rushed towards the building and the zord hidden within. Just as the displaced dirt hit the edge of the building, the roof of the hangar opened. The Delta Megaship shot straight up into the air, the malicious wires not far behind. The metal arms were forced to stop, and Mean Screen retracted them as the Delta came back down to the ground in fighter mode.

“Bad move, ranger,” the machine snarled as it lashed out with his robotic tentacles. The rockets on Delta’s feet ignited and launched the zord into the sky, but not before several of the feelers found their mark on the Megaship. “You’re not going anywhere,” Mean Screen stated, retracting his wires.

“That’s what you think,” Chris’ voice rang out from the zord. Without warning, the fingers of the zord spread out and began spinning, firing off their lasers. The beams quickly cut through the wires and the Delta flew ever higher into the sky. Then, red alarms started going off in the cockpit. “Scheisse,” Chris said as he worked at the control console wildly, trying to quarantine the virus that was invading Delta’s systems. The zord continued upward until it was almost out of the atmosphere before it came to a stop. “That was close,” Chris breathed. “But now Delta’s out cold.”

I have an idea, Sam stated, sending the idea directly to him.

Chris blinked inside his helmet. “That’s insane,” he replied shortly.

We are the Psycho Ranger, Sam pointed out. Besides, do you have a better idea?

Chris let out a sigh. “I guess not,” he said. Chris Staticed out of the cockpit and stood on the zord’s shoulder. Tentatively, he looked down and used the zoom function to lock onto the Machine Captain below. “Now or never,” he murmured with a shake of his head. He summoned the Psycho Silverizer and jumped.

He straightened his body out like an arrow, both hands in front of his face clutching onto the weapon. This better work, he thought to himself as he activated the Silver Static. His entire body solidified into metal, and he could feel gravity drag at him much harder than before.

And now for the “oomph,” Sam said. Red Static ran across the bottoms of Chris’ boots and flames erupted from them, shooting Chris even faster. You might want to start charging that thing, Sam suggested as they sped along.

Ya think? Chris thought back sarcastically. He pulled down the trigger and gold energy formed around the barrel. The energy flared out into a cone, making the falling ranger appear like a gold and silver comet. Chris’ HUD cut through the energy, giving him a clear view of what was going on below. Mean Screen was stomping towards the hangar.

He’s going after the Resistance fighters, Sam said quickly.

He wants to make sure he finishes them, Chris finished. We need to go faster.

On it. Yellow Static suddenly arced over Chris’ armor, and he felt the makeshift boosters on his feet intensify and could feel his speed pick up.

“That’s what we needed,” Chris muttered. Then his display lit up in red, warnings flashing.

The armor can’t keep this up, Sam stated. It’s too much!

How long can it last? Chris asked his heart beginning to race. A red timer lit up on screen, quickly falling from sixty. “Scheisse,” Chris growled as he continued to fall. The timer hit twenty-seven just as the human missile set off Mean Screen’s proximity alarms.

“What?” He questioned as he looked up to see the speeding comet.

“Eat this, you hurensohn!” Chris shouted as he came within yards of the Machine Captain’s head. He pulled the trigger completely and unleashed the gathered energy, boring a hole in the giant’s armor. The timer was down to eighteen, and on a whim, Chris spun his body. The armored human entered the machine’s body like a corkscrew.

Mean Screen cried out in agony as Chris drilled through his body, the seconds ticking by. Chris finally crashed through Mean Screen’s midsection and came to a landing in the clearing where the fight had begun. Chris straightened up as Mean Screen began to fall backward with a groan of pain. Chris looked down at the timer just as it reached zero. “Time's up,” he stated as his armor glowed and Mean Screen’s body exploded.

As the glow faded and the fireball died down, Chris stood in front of a dumbstruck Cobalt. The thestral finally shook his head and cleared his thoughts. “Chris, your-” He began as he stepped forward, only to be interrupted by Chris’ communicator go off.

Chris threw a curious look in Cobalt’s direction as he lifted his wrist. The pony just responded by throwing his arms in defeat. Chris shrugged and opened the channel. “This is Chris.”

Nightmare’s voice rang over the device. “Now that you’ve taken care of our problem, I’d like to have that chat now. Meet me in my private study.”

“What about the injured here?” He asked as he looked around him.

“We’ve already dispatched a medical unit to your location,” she explained. “There’s nothing else you can do there.”

Chris took another look at the wounded around him and sighed. “Alright,” he relented, “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Good,” Nightmare said simply before cutting the communication.

Chris looked up in the direction of the Delta, which was still somewhere in the upper atmosphere. “Delta, continue quarantine of the virus and find a place to hide,” he spoke into his communicator. “I’ll be back to take care of it soon.” There was no confirmation, but a black dot began to grow in the distance, growing closer. Chris nodded his head in appreciation before turning back to Cobalt. “Duty calls,” he said with a shrug. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

Cobalt nodded and began walking towards his dropped jacket and armor. “Yeah,” he replied. “You’d better get going. I’ll stay here and see what I can do.” Chris nodded and ran off in the direction of the castle. Cobalt watched him go, a frown adorning his features. He was concerned that he had not been able to tell Chris about the dark aura surrounding him.

Chris came up the stairs and came to a stop in front of the doors to Nightmare’s study. He knocked on the doors with force and waited impatiently. “Come in,” Nightmare’s voice said from within. He opened the doors and entered quickly.

Nightmare was standing at her desk shuffling through papers. She rearranged a few more pages before slipping them into a manilla folder and turned to face Chris. “Thank you for coming so quickly,” she began.

“Why did you call me?” Chris asked in irritation. “I could still be out there helping.”

“There was nothing more you could have done in the field,” Nightmare insisted. “If anything you might have just gotten in the way.”

“So, what?” Chris argued. “When you don’t need me you just put me back in my room like some garden tool?” Chris’ face contorted into a sneer. “News flash. I’m no one’s tool.”

Nightmare stared in shock for a moment then her eyes narrowed as if she had noticed something. “Chris,” she said slowly, “I want you to take a deep breath.”

Chris let out a breath of laughter. “You ain’t the boss of-” Chris stopped as his gaze met Nightmare’s. Her eyes were filled with a fierceness that caught the breath in his throat. He found himself involuntarily taking very slow, deliberate breaths. Slowly he felt a rage he was unaware of begin to fade.

-STEN TO ME!!!

Chris winced at the sudden yell from his brother. Ow! What was that for?

Oh, now you listen, Sam replied, sarcasm woven into his voice. I’ve been trying to get your attention since you left the hangar!

Sorry, Chris apologized before looking back to Nightmare. “I guess I owe you an apology as well,” Chris told.

“No, apology needed,” she replied, waving a hand through the air. “However, I do need the attention of both you and your brother.”

Chris shared an internal twitch with his brother, signaling a puzzled look. “We’re all ears,” he replied.

“Good,” Nightmare said with as she walked over to Philomena and began to stroke her plumage. “You’ve proven to be a very valuable addition to our forces, Chris.” She stopped petting the phoenix and turned to face the young man. “But you have a tendency of wanting to do things your way. That makes you hard to place within our ranks.” She began walking back to her desk. “I put you in Special Operations in hopes that your… ‘unique’ problem-solving skills would be appreciated. Instead, you spooked Sunset and caused her to pull you from combat.” She stopped in front of her desk and started ruffling around. “Today made it painfully obvious that we need you out in the field, but because you quit the Spec. Ops., we can’t deploy you.”

“Then put me in Field Ops.,” Chris stated, taking a step closer.

“I would, if Shining Armor didn’t demand that all of his men do everything by the book,” she turned with several packets in her hand.

“So, what do you suggest?” Chris asked, eyeing the papers in her hand nervously.

“I suggest that you sign these,” she replied holding the pages out.

“What are they?” Chris asked as he took the papers from her.

“The first will restore your position on the Council.”

Chris’ eyes widened and he looked up at Nightmare. “But the Council won’t let me out on the field,” Chris argued.

“That,” Nightmare responded “is not entirely true. You see, the Council requires that each race is active in its sessions. Technically speaking,” she crossed her arms, “the Council has been disobeying one of its most basic rules. Your case is just so different than anything we’ve encountered. Not only are you a different race, you are also the only one of your race. Not even the Changelings presented this problem. So, the Council has come to the conclusion that they can’t keep you off the Council, no matter what you do.”

Chris looked down at the document in his hand. “That doesn’t solve the fact that I can’t participate in the field without an operation,” Chris said.

“True,” Nightmare said, nodding her head to the side. “Which is what the second signature is for.” When Chris only looked up with a questioning brow, she continued. “That will instate you as the first and only captain of a new operation. Ranger Operations.”

Chris’ eyes widened in surprise and Sam somehow choked. “R-ranger Ops.?” He questioned. When Nightmare only nodded with a small smile, he let out a breath of laughter. “There’s no way the Council is going to approve this, especially Guntram.”

“That’s why we aren’t giving them a choice,” Nightmare replied. “Guntram only has one true supporter and that’s Winston. Ember and Zecora oppose him without question, no matter the issue, and every Councillor knows it. The only votes we’d really have to worry about are that of the Minotaurs, Earth ponies, Pegasi, and Donkeys. We need a three-fourths vote in order to instate a new operation.” She stopped as Chris could no longer contain an outrageous laugh.

“Rainbow never mentioned any Donkeys in the Resistance,” Chris gasped out between guffaws. It took him a few moments to calm down. “I’m sorry, I just can’t see Cranky Doodle as a Councillor.”

A small smile crossed Nightmare’s face. “Yes, I imagine Marty would have a similar reaction to the thought of his uncle as a Councillor.” Nightmare’s smile faded. “Thank you for your help out there today, Chris. If you hadn’t gone out there, our casualties would have been much worse.”

Chris’ face darkened. “Yeah, but you can’t save everyone.”

Nightmare let out a sigh. “Just as I told Sunset, casualties are an unfortunate fact of war, Chris. There was nothing you could have done for them.” When Chris’ face still didn’t change, Nightmare looked away. “You may go now if you wish.”

Chris nodded and turned to leave, and Nightmare returned to looking at her desk. She heard the door open, but after a few moments they didn’t close.

“Nightmare… Artemus, I need to ask a favor.” She turned to face the door to find Chris standing in the doorway. “I’d like to see the files of Rose Scratch and Heavy Weather.”

Nightmare tilted her head at the request. “According to protocol, I must ask you what you plan to do with the files.” Chris stared for a moment before taking a step forward.

The door to Chris’ room opened and he walked through the door. After leaving Nightmare’s office, he’d located Delta in a nearby quarry. He went through the zord’s system and analyzed the virus. It was almost primitive compared to anything he had encountered on Earth and it didn’t take him long to eliminate it. After clearing out the virus, Chris did a full systems check to make sure Delta was in top condition. This had led to several hours worth of maintenance, and afterward, Chris was tired and sweaty.

He walked through the room, kicking his boots off as he went. He walked to the closet and picked up a pair of night clothes and turned to the bathroom. He took a shower, letting the water wash away the day’s worries. He got out and got ready for bed. He left the bathroom, his hair still slightly damp and the taste of mint still in his mouth. He looked at his bed, then to his desk. Without another thought, he walked over to his computer and slumped down into his chair.

For a long time, all he did was stare at the screen, thoughts racing around in his head. Finally, he reached over and turned the machine on. It booted up like usual and Chris began typing in commands. Soon, a new folder appeared next to the other two already on screen. He labeled the folder then paused. He was still for a long moment before he took a long, deep breath. He typed in a command, and the recording program kicked in

“Memorial log, number one,” he began. “Name, Rose Scratch. Age, twenty-three. Gender, female….” He continued on like that, reading out the file he had memorized, and then read out Heavy Weather’s. It took him only a few moments, but when he was done, he was more tired than he had ever been. He stayed silent for a long moment, the recording still on. He took another breath before continuing. “When this is over, I will request a memorial be created for these two and others like them. I want the world to remember the sacrifice they all made to defeat the Machine Empire. And before I end this recording, I have one more thing to say.” His face hardened. “I will end the House of Gadgetry, no matter what.” He stared into the camera for a moment before reaching up and ending the recording.

He leaned back in his chair, not moving to go to bed. He simply sat in silence until he could stand it no longer. He got up, turned off the light, and slumped onto the mattress.

Sweetie Belle walked down the darkened corridors, her horn casting a soft glow as she went along. She held on to herself, trying to get her worries out of her head. After Chris had left the Medical Hall, she had stayed behind to take care of Heavy Ladle. She had stayed by the mare’s side until she had told Sweetie that she would be fine and that some quiet time was what she needed. Sweetie had gone and spent the rest of her day with her sister if only to be with her loved one. When she’d heard Chris was back, she had tried to find him but to no avail.

As the sun began to set, Sweetie went back to her room and got ready for bed. However, she had only laid in bed awake for hours, tossing and turning as her mind raced with the day’s events. She’d had enough and gotten out of bed, thrown on something more decent, and made her way down the castle halls. She walked for another few moments and came to a stop. She turned and faced the door she had stopped in front of, and raised her fist, knocking lightly.

There was a shuffle inside before a voice said, “Come in.” She opened the door slowly and peered inside, finding the bed. “Chris?” She called softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t disturb you did I?”

A lamp lit up to her right, and she turned to find Chris sitting in the chair at his desk. “Don’t worry, you didn’t,” he replied. “Come on in.”

Sweetie lowered her eyes and walked into the room, closing the door by leaning back. “I’m sorry, it’s late, but… oh, this sounds so foalish.”

“It’s fine,” Chris assured her. “Just say what’s on your mind.”

Sweetie was silent for a moment, a blush lighting up on her face. “I-I couldn’t sleep,” she finally admitted.

Chris looked at her for a moment. “Well, you can sleep here if you want. I haven’t been able to sleep either, so I’m not using the bed.”

Sweetie’s blush deepened as she made her way to the bed. On her way over she noticed that Chris’ shirt was wet around the collar and his eyes were misty. She decided not to comment on this as she crawled into the bed and threw the covers over herself just as Chris turned the light off. She laid in bed, sleep coming no sooner than when she had left her own bed. Finally, she turned to face his direction. “Chris, is it going to be like this forever?”

The room was silent for a moment. “No,” his voice rang out. “I’ll make sure of it.”

She didn’t know what it was about what he said, his tone of voice, or the words themselves, but she could feel her nerves leave her mind. She let out a breath and gave a reassured smile. “I know,” she said quietly before rolling over and falling into peaceful slumber.

Chris continued to sit in the dark, Sweetie’s soft breaths piercing the silence. She cares about you a lot, you know, Sam stated.

I know, Chris replied simply, his own worries melting away. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back, his body finally giving in to sleep as a soft smile spread over his face.

Somewhere deep in Chris’ mindscape, a metal box floated in nothingness. The box was wrapped completely in chains, the links covering every inch of the box. Locks covered the chains, securing the metallic links. Some of the links looked extremely worn, almost like a file had been run across them. A dark mist flowed slowly from the box.

Suddenly, one of the links snapped, and a layer of chains fell away, allowing the shadowy aura to spill out all the faster. The chains fell away in a loud rattling. Once the final link fell away, the chains shattered with a sharp ring. Every layer of metal shifted a little, the sudden loss of support making them slouch. All was quiet for a moment. Slowly, a sinister chuckle picked up, growing in volume until maniacal and insane laughter filled the empty space.

Author's Note

How will the Council react to the proposal of the Ranger Ops.? And what exactly does this entail? And what is happening in Chris' mindscape? Only time will tell.

The second part of chapter nine and it is a doozy. I don't really have a whole lot to say about any of this, so if you have a thought, question, silly comment, or criticism leave it in the comments below. Keep everything respectful, and, until next time, have a good one.

Chapter 10- Video Games and Shadow Clones [CO]

Chapter 10-
Video Games and Shadow Clones

Chris stood in his lab, Blue Static across his arms as he held a sphere of ice magic between his hands. Come on, Chris, Sam said in his mind.

“You’re really bossy today, you know that?” Chris said through gritted teeth. It had been a few days since his battle with Mean Screen, and the Resistance had ground to a halt as the wounded were seen to and the dead paid respect. Chris had gone to every funeral to pay his respects, memorizing every detail to be recorded in his memorial.

Today was the first to have no ceremonies scheduled, so he’d decided to work in his lab and explore his magic a little more. Starlight had told him that his elemental magic was missing two elements before he could use the full spectrum of his powers. Those elements happened to be water and wind, and he’d cooked up a plan to gain their abilities. Now if Sam could calm down.

Come on, come on, Sam urged, pull harder.

“How hard are you pulling!?!” Chris growled in his stress. The ball off magic was slowly beginning to separate, the colors beginning to change as the ball started looking like pulled clay.

Just a little more, pull harder!

“Would… you… shut UP!!!” Chris yelled, tearing the magic apart. The two spheres, one of sparkling clear water, the other a vortex of air, floated in each of his hands. “Hey, it worked-” An explosion of force knocked Chris across the small work space. He landed on the floor and slid a few feet before coming to a stop. He stared wide-eyed at the ceiling. “Ow.”

What the hell, Chris!?! Sam shouted. You could have killed us. Starlight told us how dangerous this is!

Chris sat up, rubbing the back of his head. “Sorry,” he apologized, “just got tired of your yelling. Why are you so uppity today anyway?”

I just feel kind of antsy, that’s all, Sam answered his voice a little more solemn. Thanks for wearing my clothes by the way.

"You’re welcome,” Chris replied shortly. “Did it work?”

Don’t know, check the- Hey, what’s that?

Chris looked over in the direction Sam had directed and saw something shining on the floor. He flipped over and crawled on his hands and knees to get to it. He reached the object and took a long look. It was a pendant of two crossed swords, one green, one black, both with intricate designs. “What the…?” He reached out his hand and picked it up. A message immediately played in his head: My name is Kirito, The Twin Blade Swordsman or the Black Swordsman. If you ever need a warrior willing to lay his life down for the innocent just say my name and I will come to your aid.

Awesome, a new token! Sam exclaimed. Wonder who it belongs to- A black void suddenly appeared in the floor in front of them, just barely removing the floor from under Chris’ hand. He lost his balance and tumbled face-first into the portal. The portal closed just as Starlight walked through the door.

“Hey, Chris, how’s it going in- Oh,” Starlight stopped when she saw nopony present. She simply shrugged and turned to go. “Guess he went to get some lunch.”

-Unknown Universe-

Meanwhile in another reality, there were four creatures standing across from each other in teams of two.

The first two where both humans the first being a woman who had long flowing blue hair and eyes along with a large blue and white coat, along with that she held a large silver sword with a bright blue handle. The second was a young boy who was wearing a long black trench coat with white accents, he had jet black hair and had a long black sword that was bigger than the length of his body on his back.

The second group was more a familiar team of Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash. However unlike how you’d normally expect Scootaloo to look she appeared to have no wings and instead had only two bandaged stubs where her wings should have been.

They were in what looked to be a coliseum like structure that seemed to go up a distance almost like a large group had worked tirelessly for months to build it.

“You sure you're ready to do this squirt… you just got out of the hospital a week ago.” Rainbow Dash asked Scootaloo clearly worried about the injured foal.

“I’ll be fine… besides I can’t sit back after what happened, Craig’s gonna need all the help he can get.”

“Scootaloo maybe you shouldn’t push yourself… remember what the doctors said if you injure your wing joints anymore they may be unable to create any working prosthetic limbs for them.” The women said calmly with a smile.

“Mom, if she wants to risk it, we can’t stop her… besides she’s just as stubborn as her father,” the boy replied with a smirk.

“Kirito… don’t encourage her… if she gets hurt she may never recover fully,”

“Oh you worry too much Aunty Asuna,” Scootaloo chuckled.

“I often think I don’t worry enough with you,” Asuna muttered back in annoyance.

“Mom we’re just sparing what’s the worst that could happen?” Kirito asked.

“You just had to say that,” Rainbow Dash groaned.

“Now everythings going to go wrong,” Scootaloo muttered as bright green flames surrounded her as her form changed from that of a pony into a more bipedal body although she still retained her normal looks apart from some wings that actually looked like they could support her body in flight. She also held what looked to be a bright silver sword with a plain black handle.

Out of nowhere, a black hole opened up in the coliseum floor, a body seeming to jump out, only to have gravity take hold and drag it back down with a thud. It was a young man with reddish brown hair, wearing what looked like a racer’s jacket and cargo pants, green lining and white accents covering the jacket. The jacket hung slightly open revealing a green shirt and an odd symbol.

“Umm… did one of you activate a Token?” Kirito asked.

“Nope,” They all replied in confusion.

“Just great... Who are you?” Kirito asked as he drew his swords from his back

The young man groaned and rolled over onto his hands and knees. He sat back to rest on his knees, rubbing his face and head. He suddenly stopped and his hazel eyes flew open. “What the hell!?!” He shouted jumping to his feet and looking around him in panic.

“Who are you,” Kirito asked as he pointed his swords towards the man.

The young man narrowed his eyes. “Name’s Samson Jaeger, and I suggest you put those down before someone get’s hurt.”

“I wouldn’t threaten three of the captains of the Canterlot guard if I were you,” Rainbow said standing behind them trying to get Scootaloo away from the oncoming fight.

Sam flicked his gaze towards the pegasus. “Rainbow Dash?” He questioned. “Whatever,” he said with a huff, turning his body sideways. “You’d better tell your ‘captains’ to lay off before I lay them out.”

“Oh I have no control of them… in terms of these guys i’m just a civilian.” Rainbow pointed out.

“Dad… you should get to the training grounds… something's up,” Scootaloo whispered to seemingly nobody.

“Tch, just give me the answers I need, and no one gets hurt,” Sam replied, struggling to find any trace of his brother in his head.

“Listen Kid… you're in no position to make threats, maybe you need some snickers?” Kirito chuckled.

Sam lowered his stance with a growl. “You won’t be laughing long, trench coat.” Red and silver electricity danced over his hands, and two weapons appeared, a strange silver gun, and a red twisted sword.

“Rainbow get Scootaloo out of here, find Craig and bring him here!” Asuna ordered.

“On it,” She replied grabbing Scootaloo as she uncharacteristically retreated.

“Should I be worried?” Kirito chuckled as his form changed as his hair grew and he began to look more feminine, “you don’t look to tough.”

“You’re not the first to think that,” Sam growled before charging. “But they’ve all been wrong before!” The silver gun folded out, becoming much more sword like as yellow electricity danced over his body.

“Okay… maybe I should humour you here… what makes you think you're better than that pathetic wimp we fought one-thousand years ago?” Kirito asked still smirking as he drew his photon sword.

Sam disappeared from view and reappeared a second later in front of Kirito, his blades crossed for a twin slash. “I don’t know… you tell me!”

Kirito quickly brought his sword up blocking the blow before he said “I don’t know… you tell me, at the moment the only difference is we were in a throne room… not much else.” he then quickly brought his knee up before thrusting it into Sam’s chest knocking the wind out of him in the process.

Sam’s body hesitated in the air, green lightning dancing around his form. He looked up into Kirito’s eyes, before Red Static replaced the Green. It gathered around his jaw and he unleashed a ball of flame at the swordsman.

“Oh look we have a Skyrim cosplayer here… nice light show,” he mocked as he just cut fireball with his sword, “You know I was wrong… you're weaker than a woman who wouldn’t even fight me by herself.”

“Kirito… stop tormenting the poor boy.” Asuna said back kindly, “I’m sure he’s doing the best he can.”

“I’ll do him one better,” Sam replied to Asuna as he appeared behind Kirito. “I’m not even using half my natural strength.” He threw up his red sword, cloaked in black energy, and swung it towards the swordsman's head.

“Well… maybe we shouldn’t be babysitting you,” Kirito replied clearly unimpressed by the display as he simply brought a second sword up, a plasma sword from Halo, and caught the blade in between the two sections of it.

Sam’s eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly jumped back. He paused for a moment before thrusting his silver blade into the ground. Plant vines wrapped around Kirito’s ankles.

“Seriously… i’m just scratching the surface of my powers… Sombra… if you would.” Kirito sighed before his shadow shot spikes out the ground that hardened and cut through the vine effortlessly. “Honestly… I think you’re not trying right now.”

“Fine,” Sam replied, stabbing his swords into the ground. “You want a light show? I’ll give you a light show!” He stepped back, bringing his right arm back and resting two fingers on a device on his wrist. “Go, Psycho!” he shouted, throwing his arm forward and stepping. Dark red and silver energy surrounded his form and shattered, leaving him standing in the Psycho Ranger Silver form. However, the rectangles on his arm and leg guards were red instead of silver. “Let’s go!” The ranger yelled, racing forward, grabbing his swords as he went by.

“Oh… you're a power ranger… great.” Kirito said unamused.

“Wrong,” Sam said, clashing swords with him. “I’m the Psycho Ranger.” He suddenly disappeared from view.

“And why should that make a difference, it’s just people with swords and guns creating unrealistic sparks from enemies' bodies.”

“Psychos aren’t known for playing fair.”

“What do you even....” He asked as he turned around to see that Asuna had two swords crossed over her throat from behind. He then stopped before he said “Kid… let's not do something we regret.”

“I just want my goddamn answers,” Sam growled from behind the women. “And I don’t care how I get them.”

“You never asked any questions,” Asuna pointed out somehow staying calm.

Sam let out a growl and shifted the blades. “Where. The. HELL. Am I?” He asked slowly and deliberately.

“Where do you think?” Another voice said from behind him sounding very calm and controlling almost regal.

Sam whipped around, taking his silver blade away from Asuna’s throat to point it at the newcomer in surprise.

“Mom, Kirito… get out of here, I’ll handle this,” the person replied as it became clear he was not like the other two. He was releasing some sort of pressure that was making it almost impossible for Sam to stand from how close he was to him. He was wearing only a black hoodie and tracksuit bottoms that didn't seem to match up to the voice Sam had heard only seconds before.

Sam’s eyes widened in his helmet. He immediately jumped away, feeling something very… off about the figure. “What’s wrong with me?” He mumbled to himself. “Why does he feel like this?”

“You can feel the overwhelming physical and spiritual pressures i’m giving off can’t you…? For weaker opponents it can completely drain them of all energy and willpower within seconds as they try to stand against it,” the man said still completely calm as both Kirito and Asuna ran towards the door and out of the room.

“What are you trying to say?” Sam questioned, bringing up his swords despite his body’s protest.

“What do you think I’m saying?” The figure asked back, “If you want to try and strike me go ahead… but you may regret your choice,” as he said this a small black shield appeared on his arm. “In fact… for each strike you get on me, I’ll answer one of your questions and the same applies to me… and I can only use my hands and shield to fight with.”

Sam hesitated a moment. But, as he thought, he came up no other solution. “Sounds fair,” Sam replied. He spun the red sword so he was holding it in an underhand grip, held it up and dropped it towards the ground. As it fell, grid lines etched through the air and solidified into an amalgamation of other weapons that roughly resembled a sword. “But no more holding back.” He rushed forward, light green Static flashing around him.

The figure just sighed before he said “Shīrudo Bankai,” before his shield just disappeared in a flash of light as he just continued to say ““Fumetsu no tate,” before lowering into a fighting stance.

“Enough with the moon-speak!” Sam yelled as he swung his silver blade in a horizontal slash, only for it to stop dead in mid air not even making contact with the figure’s body. Sam growled and swung his other sword in an upward swing, still getting the same result as the figure just stood there unmoving as the pressure he was releasing just kept increasing.

“You sure you don’t just want to stop before you hurt yourself?” The figure said.

“I need those answers,” Sam gritted out as he struggled to press his swords through the defense.

The figure simply sighed before he just punched forwards and buried his fist in Sam’s chest causing him to buckle, dropping his sword in the process, before the figure picked it up and unceremoniously kicked Sam away from him, resting the sword he had taken on his shoulders.

Sam got to his feet with a stagger. “Guess I owe you a question,” he said. “But I’m going to need that back.” The sword was covered in grid lines and disappeared.

“Okay, simple question first, kid, what were you doing before you got here?”

“My brother and I were working on our magic,” Sam responded as the sword rematerialized in his hand.

“Well then...do you really want to keep going and should I use my sword?”

“I still need my answers, so unless you’re willing to answer,” Sam raised his swords again. “The answer is yes.”

“Well then… I guess I can be nice and give you one question without the strike… so ask it?” the figure asked as a one handed katana appeared in his hand.

“Where’s my brother?” Sam asked simply.

“Simple answer… from what my daughter told me you appeared alone… so can’t help you there kid.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I need another question.” Sam started to go into another stance.

“Being I hadn’t helped with the last one fire away,” the figure said holding his sword blade away from Sam.

Sam hesitated a moment. “Where am I?”

“Well assuming you're not in your reality, I can tell you that you’re in my universe… my guess you got called here by mistake.”

-AAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!!!!

Sam slammed his hands to his head at the sudden internal scream. “OW!!!!”

“You okay there, kid?” the man asked walking towards Sam.

Sam didn’t hear him as he removed his hands from the sides of his helmet. “Chris, is that you?”

Yes, I’ve been trying to reach you since I woke up!

“Oh, you have another personality in there do you, kid?” the man said calmly.

Sam’s eyes widened. “How does he know that?” He questioned.

You’re talking out loud, genius, Chris replied. Sam’s hand met the front of his helmet.

“No… I can hear you both… you’re not the only ones with multiple… well in my case being in my head.”

...Oh, scheisse, Chris said in awe. Sam just shook his head.

“While I’m still a little confused as to how I’m out here and Chris is in here,” he pointed to his head, “I think I owe you an apology.”

“Not me… I think you owe that to my younger brother and mother,” the figure chuckled.

“Right…,” Sam said slowly, before his armor disappeared along with his weapons. “And you guys are…?”

“Well me, my name's Craig, King of the Everfree Changeling hive and Captain of the Canterlot guard, the people you were fighting before were my younger brother Kirito and mother Asuna.” the figure now identified as Craig explained.

“That’s a mouth full,” Sam replied, blinking his eyes.

“That’s just one of my titles… I’m also the leader of a pack of Diamond Dogs and a hoard of Dragon’s… also…. I’m able to achieve the power of a Super Saiyan god.” Craig admitted almost as if it was second nature to him.

“Huh,” Sam replied impressed. “The hell’s a ‘Super Saiyan’?”

“This,” Craig said with a smirk as his hair instantly lifted from his head glowing bright red as an overwhelming force of Physical pressure washed over Sam and Chris, “It’s basically an increased state of power… what you were facing was little less then about five percent of my actual power threshold.”

And you still couldn’t hit him, Chris said with a snicker. Sam’s eye just twitched in irritation.

“Hey, if it helps I’m used to fighting extremely powerful beings… this was actually me just training you… did you not notice that you were able to withstand the pressure I released just then… before you would have collapsed from just the release of that.”

Sam lifted his hand and flexed, noticing that he did feel much different than before. “Oh, wow, that’s going to take some getting used to.”

“Not really… you think that’s crazy you should see what would happen if I released about twenty percent of what I have… right now you would be stuck in a wall just from a tap at that level… you also seem to have a weak grip on your weapon and your stance was sloppy from the get go… even when you faced Kirito.”

Sam frowned a little. “I’m not used to being in the pilot seat when it comes to pushing out that much power,” he answered.

“Nobody is at first. To attain what I have it took a lot of training and… almost dying about ten times.” Craig admitted as an orange AI appeared on his right shoulder and a Draconequus appeared on his left as his the shield he had appeared before both the shield and sword disappeared and his hair fell back to normal.

Seconds later Scootaloo ran up to Craig before she said “Dad, you finished with the thing that attacked Aunty Asuna and Uncle Kirito?”

“Yeah Scoots it’s not an issue anymore.”

“Thing?” Sam murmured to himself.

“Opps sorry… Displaced that attacked them,” Scootaloo backtracked looking at Sam.

“Scoot’s,” Craig scolded as Scootaloo looked to the ground down ashamed at what she had said.

“Sorry dad and sorry umm?” she asked looking to Sam.

“Samson,” Sam answered simply.

And Chris! Sam’s eye twitched again.

“She can’t hear you, Chris,” Craig admitted.

“Oh… I’m sorry Samson and… whoever this Chris is.” Scootaloo said apologetically

Aw, man….

Sucks, doesn’t it, Sam asked internally causing Chris to blow a figurative raspberry. “So, uh… now what?” He asked hesitantly.

“Maybe apologize to my idiot brother and my mother,” Craig suggested.

“That’s… a good plan,” Sam answered.

Lead the way, magic-man, Chris said enthusiastically.

Seconds later they were cut off as Asuna ran back in and shouted “Craig, we have a problem!”

“Whats happened?”

“Some bug like creatures are attacking but their not Changelings,” Asuna admitted.

Craig then looked to Samson before he said “Okay what bug like creatures exist in your guys' cannon?”

Sam quirked an eyebrow. “Nothing bug like appeared in 'In Space'.”

But they did in Lost Galaxy, Chris added, fear in his tone.

Craig’s eyes then went wide “Oh… god dammit… looks like they are part of my world now… I’d had enough on my plate with Hollows… now I have to deal with frickin Stingwingers.”

“We’d better hurry,” Sam said. “These things can do a lot more damage than you’d think.”

“I bet they can… Scoots I want you transformed and armoured up.”

“You got it dad,” Scootaloo replied as she was once again surround in green flames as she turned back into a bipedal pony as a sword rested against her side.

“That’s new,” Sam said in surprise. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. “Don’t we have a pest problem?”

“Yeah, Kirito’s fighting them as we speak,” Asuna said as she ran back outside.

“Ugh… I really wish I could have just one month when things don’t go to hell,” Craig said as his shield and a sword that held similarities to the Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda appeared in his hands. “Let's get this dealt with,” Craig muttered as he made his way outside.

“Right behind you,” Sam replied, summoning the Psycho Silverizer in sword mode as he followed.

As the group got outside they looked around to see that there were indeed some bug like creatures flying around above them. They looked to be almost gray in colour and had what looked to be blades sticking out where their hands should be.

Craig then looked to Sam before he said “So… you want to help with this or just run home?”

Sam threw him a look before stepping forward and looking into the sky. “I never run.” He raised his blade and it shifted back to blaster mode. Green and Yellow Static raced along his body, and his arm began to move in a blur, golden bolts racing into the sky to collide with the creepy crawlies.

“Okay then… this shouldn’t take long,” Craig said with a smirk as hundreds of clones appeared around them and on the roofs before they flew off and began to tear through the Stingwingers they encountered.

“I’ll go assist Kirito, you just keep them away from civilians.” Asuna said calmly as she flew off.

Craig then looked to Sam before he said “Want to see my other release?”

“As long as it doesn’t knock me off my feet,” Sam half joked as he switched to the Bow to take out a group of Stingwingers that was getting to close to a building.

Craig then smiled as he sheathed his sword before a katana appeared in the same hand before he said “Raitoningu Denki ka jūden” before a bright blue light crackled off the blade as a dragon made of electricity spiraled around the blade before it charged into the air spearing any Stingwinger’s it hit as they disappeared into ashes on contact moving on to it’s next victim.

Holy… Chris started in awe.

“Did you even leave any for me?” Sam joked as he turned back to the masses with the Silverizer.

“I left you plenty, don’t worry… I wonder who is leading them?”

“With our luck, it’ll be Deviot or Trakina herself,” Sam replied with a snort.

“Not like anyone worse could appear,” Scootaloo said.

“Why Scoots… Murphy’s gonna get us now,” Craig groaned.

“Murphy hasn’t been that bad for us,” Sam added.

“...Who would you least want to appear from the series.”

“Anything that could take control of me, or use my powers,” Sam answered readily. “Why?”

“And what could do that… because i’m getting a bad feeling.”

“Well, there is-” Sam was cut off as an explosion was heard coming from near the Everfree. “Goddamn it.”

“Maybe we should find out what did that.” Craig said calmly.

“Agreed,” Sam replied as he turned towards the commotion.

“This will be either really fun or really annoying,” Craig admitted as began to walk towards the commotion as the attack he had launched before returned to his sword.

Probably both, Chris responded as they made their way towards the Everfree.

As they arrived at the edge of the Everfree they looked in front of them to see a sight that neither Sam nor Chris were prepared to see. Holy…

“Shit,” Sam finished as they looked at the black, twisted armor of Psycho Ranger Black who was standing over Kirito’s body, his foot against his head forcing him to the ground. His black, spiky armor and helmet looked all the more sinister under the shadows of the trees, the horns of his Psycho Rod shining dangerously.

Craig eyes then suddenly sharpened as the energy he was giving off tripled within an instant before his hair levitated from his head, spiking up and glowing blue before he charged forwards leaving dust in his wake as he charged into Psycho Black at full speed as he knocked him off Kirito.

“Craig!” Sam shouted as he followed after, his other sword materializing in his left hand as the Silverizer extended into sword mode. He stopped as he watched the two clash and turned instead to Kirito, rushing over. “You okay?”

All he got was a muffled groan as a health bar appeared over his head that was only had a speck of red flashing on it.

Verdammte, what do we do? Chris asked in worry.

Sam was silent for a moment. “Maybe,” he lifted his hands, Pink Nature Static dancing around them and slowly moving them towards Kirito. He focused his magic on the same aspect that made plants grow. “Hope this works.” His hands finally touched down on Kirito as his health bar began to slowly restore.

“What happened to Asuna?” he muttered almost unable to be heard.

“Last I heard, she was coming to help you,” Sam responded.

“She was… she was batted away instantly… her health bar… it’s almost dead…. where has she gone… and who’s fighting that thing that attacked us?”

“Craig’s going against Psycho Black now. And don’t worry about Asuna, I’ll find her,” Sam reassured, lifting his morpher up and opening it to the radar.

“Ugh… I need to help him… but I couldn’t even land a blow on him, I was blocked constantly.” Kirito groaned as he looked towards the fight to see Craig blocking every strike that was sent his way with his sword.

Sam looked between the fight and his radar that showed a downed ally not far away. We’ve got a choice to make, Chris stated.

“I know,” Sam answered, still switching his gaze back and forth. Finally, he stood and began running in the direction his radar showed. “Women and children first.”

“I’ll go with you,” Kirito stuttered as he tried to stand only to collapse instantly.

“You just stay here and get your wind back, I’ll take care of things,” Sam called behind him as he continued towards Asuna.

Sam ran up to a stone structure to find that Asuna had crashed into it and had rubble from the stone scattered around her body that had multiple cuts and open wounds. “Damn,” Sam muttered as he kneeled down, holding his hands over her body and focused his nature magic. Slowly, her health bar began refilling just as Kirito’s had.

Asuna’s eyes then slowly flickered open before she muttered “What… what the,” as she tried to sit up before she screamed in agony.

Scheisse! Chris exclaimed. What’s wrong?

I-I don’t know, Sam replied. “Asuna,” he tried to get through to her. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“I… remember arriving when that… thing just dropped in on us before it just focused on Kirito… then when I tried to heal him he just backhanded me and I got sent flying here… then… nothing till now,” Asuna groaned as a new wound opened on her back that began bleeding

“Son of a…,” Sam murmured as he turned his full attention to the ugly wound.

We need to get back to Craig, Chris stated. I’m getting a bad feeling.

Not without making sure Asuna’s okay first, Sam responded as he continued to pour out his magic.

The three of them were then startled as a loud voice shouted “StrunTuzVokun!” which was heard through the forest.

Sam looked up from his work and looked towards the sound. “What was that?”

“If that's what I think it was… Craig’s being overwhelmed… he’s calling for help from one of his subjects… A dragon called Stormbreaker.” Asuna said “But he won’t get there in time and he sounded desperate.”

Sam, we need to go, Chris urged.

Yeah, Sam replied. “Will you be okay, Asuna?”

“I should be,” She added before looking up before she said “What are those things?” gesturing to some swords stuck into the stone behind her.

Oh my god…. Chris muttered.

“The Quasar Sabers,” Sam breathed as he finally looked at the stone and its five swords.

“The what now?” Asuna asked as her hand rested against one of the blades as she tried to stand up.

“Legendary blades that grant the ability to wield the power of one of five Galactabeasts,” Sam explained as he examined the swords more closely. “Anyone deemed worthy will become a Power Ranger.”

“...You can’t be serious about that,” she said as her hand gripped on of the blades before it suddenly came loose and slid from the stone in Asuna’s grasp and landed on the ground.

Sam’s eyes widened in surprise before a smug smirk spread over his features. “Maybe you should give it a try,” he said, a gleam in his eye as he nodded at the blade.

“Maybe when I can stand… give me a second,” Asuna replied before runic symbols surround her body as she said “Þú fylla heilagr austr, brott svalr bani” before water droplets began to surround her before he health bar rapidly restored and her wounds healed.

“Nice,” Sam replied impressed before turning towards the where Craig’s shout had come from. “You take your time and rest up, I’ll go help Craig.”

“...No… I’m coming with you… I need to bring Kirito and Craig here.” Asuna said calmly.

“Alright,” Sam replied turning. “Just keep up, and, no matter what….” He then stopped abruptly as where Asuna had been standing a figure that was covered in a yellow suit was instead, it had black markings on a white background on her chest, shoes and gloves and her helmet looked to resemble that of a bird of some kind but she still had her fairy wings visible on her back.

“What the… what is this?” the figure asked before Sam realised it was Asuna.

Sam’s face changed from shocked to his smug grin again. “That,” he replied pointedly, “is the Yellow Lost Galaxy Armor. How's it feel?”

“Different… but right now we should get to Craig… I’m worried what state he’ll be in by now.”

“Right,” Sam replied with a nod of his head. He turned and Red and Yellow static sparked across his body. “Let’s go.” And with that he took off into the forest as Asuna flew next to him.

As they reached where Craig had been fighting they looked around as they saw that Craig was not only being pinned by the Black Psycho ranger but a second Ranger that held similarities to that of Sam’s suit but had his sword held against Craig’s throat his head lowered and eyes barely open.

Sam’s eyes narrowed and he blinked out of existence only to reappear next to Craig and knocked away the Psycho’s blade. He came to a stop and put himself between the evil rangers and Craig. “You okay?” He asked never taking his eyes from his foes.

Sam got no reply as Craig’s body just collapsed to the ground unmoving. Sam let out a growl and stepped forward, letting go of his swords so they spun in the air lazily. “You’ll pay for this.”

Asuna then stepped forwards towards Sam her sword raised before she shouted anger dripping from her voice “You will pay for this, I will kill you myself!”

Seconds later a black shadow covered the group before a loud roar was heard as two claws grabbed hold of both Psycho Rangers as they were tossed into two nearby trees. Sam then looked up to the creature that had just assisted him to see that a large black dragon was above both him and Asuna white flames filling up his mouth as it glared at both Psycho Rangers as he saw Craig’s body.

Asuna then looked to the Dragon before she said “Stormbreaker… they have just killed him.”

The dragon then roared in pure anger before white flames travelled towards the rangers freezing them solid in ice except from their heads.

“Good,” Sam said, his voice dangerously low. “Keep’em still so I can execute them.”

Asuna then quickly turned around kneeling over Craig’s body as her helmet opened before she said “Þeír fylla heilagr austr brott svalr bani” as white light surrounded Craig’s body before his eyes slowly flickered open as he began to cough up blood.

Sam flicked his eyes back to check on them and his anger grew. “No one,” he started as he turned his head to look at the Psychos. “Hurts my friends.” He raised his right arm diagonally across his chest. “It’s morphin’ time!” He threw his arms back and stepped with the action. “Go!” He threw his right fist forward. “Psycho!” Black energy surrounded Sam’s body and shattered, leaving behind dark under armor. Dark blue lightning shot from his limbs and torso, drawing in the white arm and leg armor and the dark blue chest piece. Sam rotated his arms over his face, leaving navy grid lines. The helmet materialized as his arms moved back to rest, and when they stopped, the visors slid into place over his eyes.

A sudden cracking sound was heard as the ice surrounding them began to suddenly fracture before the two Psycho rangers began to laugh as it shattered the shards striking Stormbreaker causing him to fall to the ground as they impaled his wings before both rangers walked forwards staring at Sam.

“What are you?” Psycho Black asked in a gravelly growl.

“We’ve seen this before, blockhead,” Psycho Red responded, his tone fierce and sharp. “Just another imposter.” He slammed his fists together.

“Sam… I’ll get them ready to help you… think you can handle them till we get back?” Asuna asked as she supported Craig and Stormbreaker grabbed Kirito, who had collapsed where Sam had left him before.

“Don’t worry about me,” Sam answered, his eyes glued to his opponents. “You take care of them, I’ll be fine.”

“Just leave a bit for me when we get back.” Asuna said angrily as the group disappeared back into the forest.

Sam waited until the group’s footsteps faded away before he stepped forward. “You were wrong, Red,” he stated as Blue Static tinted in orange and light green sparked over his body. “I’m not like anything you’ve ever seen.” A twisted trident materialized in his hand and he charged forward.

As they group reached where the Quasar Sabers had been before Craig stuttered out “So… someone found the Quasar Sabers.”

“It won’t just be me who finds them I can assure you of that. So what happened to you, I can’t imagine how they managed to actually kill you?” Asuna asked.

“Red got me with a sneak attack and Black kept me from blocking his attacks I couldn’t keep track of them both while keeping them away from Kirito.”

“So they outnumbered you and used dirty tactics.”

“Yeah they did… and I couldn’t help him… Black took me down easily… I couldn’t even get a strike in,” Kirito muttered.

“That won’t happen again,” Asuna said as they reached their destination before they saw that only three swords were in the stone and a pink figure that was in similar armour to that of Asuna’s was standing near them.

“Looks like you two got beaten hard,” The figure said as Craig instantly recognized the voice.

“Scootaloo… you’re the pink Ranger!”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Scoots… I know your voice,” Craig said calmly as he managed to support himself as he stepped towards the rock that housed the Quasar Sabers and reached for the central one as it easily was pulled from the stone before glowing red as Craig stepped away from the platform.

Kirito was next to be able to stand as he and Stormbreaker reached the sabers before placing their hands and claws respectively against the blades as they both came free just as easily as it had for Craig and Asuna, their blades glowing Blue and Green respectively.

Seconds later three bright lights surrounded Craig, Kirito and Stormbreaker before they were covered in three costumes that each held the same similarities to the other two, there's being red, blue and green respectively.

“So… we’re the Galaxy Rangers,” Craig said before smiling and said “I think it's time for round two.”

Everyone nodded to Craig before they all ran back towards where Sam was fighting the Psycho Rangers.

-Meanwhile-

Sparks exploded off of Psycho Red as the Psycho Trident slashed across his chest. Sam spun and twisted the harpoon to catch the Rod that Psycho Black was swinging towards his head. “You guys are going to have to do better than that,” Sam taunted before bringing his left leg up and around to kick away the staff. Black’s defenses opened up and Sam brought the Trident across his chest twice, running past with the second strike.

The Psycho stumbled backward a few steps then turned to face Sam, his chest still smoking. “We’re not done yet,” he called out defiantly.

“Don’t be so sure,” Sam replied. He swept the trident in an upward swing, a slash of navy energy flying towards the doppelganger. Black crossed his arms in front of him, bracing for the worst. A blur of red raced around him and knocked the attack away, materializing into Red.

“What are you doing, idiot!?!” Red chastised. “That attack is nothing.” He turned to Sam and stalked forwards a few paces. “Enough of these games.” Black stepped up next to him and sickly green Static flowed over their bodies.

Sam took a step back in his surprise. “Oh, crap,” Sam murmured. “I don’t remember them doing that!”

New reality, new rules, Chris replied. But we can take’em! Flames erupted from the red parts of Red’s armor and bits and pieces of earth and stone started floating around Black.

Sam hesitated then tensed up. “You were saying?” He deadpanned.

Oh, shut up, and hit them! Chris exclaimed. Sam rushed forward to oblige. He swung the Trident horizontally only to have the blow stopped by Black’s weapon. Before Sam could react, Red sped out from behind Black and slashed his sword across Sam’s chest. Sparks exploded and Sam was sent backward with a shout of pain. He came to a staggering stop and supported himself with the Trident as the Psychos made their way towards him.

Now what? Sam asked as he straightened up and readied his spear.

I don’t- In a blur of motion, Red appeared in front of him. Sam’s eyes widened in his helmet as Red swept his blade across Sam’s midsection. Sam was sent backwards again in a shower of sparks and slammed into a tree. He slid down the trunk, his eyes screwed closed. He tried to stand only to be kicked back down and held there. He opened his eyes to see Black standing over him, the Psycho Rod poised for a death blow.

“Say goodbye,” Black rumbled wickedly. “Imposter!” He thrust the horns of his weapon down, aiming for Sam’s heart.

Sam flinched in fear waiting for the blow to come… but nothing happened until a familiar voice then said “Sorry I think you misunderstood who dies today.”

Sam opened his eyes to see a red suited figure standing in front of him his sword blocking the blow as he said “I thought you said you could handle this alone.”

Sam stared in surprise for a moment, before he gave a chuckle as he recognized the voice. “They had a few extra tricks that I didn’t know about.”

“Well so do we,” A second figure said in a blue suit… “Craig would you mind?”

“Of course not bro,” Craig replied as he kneed Psycho Black in the groin before tossing Kirito his Quasar Saber before the Katana and shield he had used before appeared in his hand as he kicked Black away from the group.

Sam staggered to his feet, using his Trident to help himself up. “So, you guys pulled the other Sabers?” He asked as he fell in next to Craig and who he believed to be Kirito.

“Yeah… all five of us,” Scootaloo voice said as she appeared next to Kirito.

“Maybe I should go all out on these bastards.” Craig said before he shouted “Shīrudo Bankai!” As his shield disappeared just like before “Fumetsu no tate!”

He then continued to say “Raitoningu Bankai” before lightning crackled over his sword falling down the blade before it began to crackle as Lightning began to move along the blade before a two dragons spiraled from the hilt of the sword and circled his body at high speed creating a storm outside the shield that he had created before raising him towards the top of the storm before both Dragons rose above him before charging down towards his first Sword as an almost identical copy appeared in the other but this one was composed almost completely of lighting that seemed to be shifting constantly. He then looked up before shouting “Tsuinsōdo denki shōmetsu!”

Sam stared up in awe. “Damn….” He then dropped his focus back on the two Psychos. “What say we put these bastards to bed?” He asked, brandishing his spear.

“Lets do it!” they all shouted brandishing their weapons as Craig disappeared in a flash as he appeared in front of Psycho Red and said “Your first… any last words?”

Red stepped back then let out a growl. “Die!!!” He shouted, swinging his blade at Craig. It just bounced off the shield in front of him doing nothing.

“My turn,” Craig replied as he brought both his swords down as they cut directly through Psycho reds arms removing them instantly as they fell to the ground.

Red staggered back. “T-this is impossible!” He shouted looking back and forth between his missing limbs.

“Not impossible,” Sam hissed as he raced passed with Kirito towards Black followed by the others. “And not even improbable.”

“You know I’ve heard the worst insult to a warrier is to be killed by his own sword.” Craig said picking up the Psycho Sword from the ground as his second sword floated in the air before Craig decapitated Psycho Red with his own sword as his body turned into a small red and black figurine of himself.

As this all happened, the group reached Psycho Black. “What was that you told me earlier?” Sam asked rhetorically as he swept by slashing the Trident across the shade’s midsection.

Asuna, Scootaloo and Stormbreaker then each grabbed ahold of him leaving him immobile as Kirito walked up to him and said “Any last words?”

Black only tilted his visor foraward. “We’ll be back,” he growled out. “We always come back.”

“No you won’t,” Kirito replied as he brought both saber’s down removing both of Black's arms before doing the same to his legs, “Hey Sam… target practice!” as the group threw Black's body into the air.

“Don’t mind if I do!” Sam shouted as light flowed over the Trident. It shrank down and the light faded, leaving an amalgamation of the Silverizer, Trident, and green kamas that looked like a crossbow. “Say goodbye!” He shouted, firing a stream of blue, gold and green into Black’s body causing sparks to appear from Black’s body as he too turned into a key that resembled himself which Kirito picked up.

“Well they're both done… and we get some souvenirs for our trouble,” Kirito mocked.

“What are those things anyway?” Sam asked as he approached him, the weird crossbow hefted over his shoulder.

“I don’t know?” Kirito replied.

“Ranger keys,” Craig said as he approached them holding Psycho Red’s key in one hand and his sword in the other.

“What are they used for?” Sam asked as navy grid lines criss-crossed his armor that then dissolved away as his belt transformed into electricity and replaced itself on his right wrist as his morpher.

“In the right hands you can turn into them… but I don’t have the equiptment to do that right now,” Craig explained.

They won’t do us any good either, Chris said. Sam just nodded in agreement.

“Sam… thank you for your help,” Craig said as his suit dissolved before everyone else did the same.

“It was no problem,” Sam replied. “However,” He turned to Kirito and Asuna. “I believe I owe you guys an apology.” He walked forward a little and looked each of them in the eye. “I’m sorry for my behavior earlier today. There was no excuse for it.”

Asuna then smiled and said “It’s not a problem, Sam.”

“Yeah we hold no grudge towards you,” Kirito agreed.

“Thank you,” Sam replied with a nod of his head. “You guys going to be okay?” He asked as he turned to face Craig again.

“We’ll be fine, it’ll just take a bit of time to repair this mess again.” Craig admitted.

Asuna then looked to Sam before she said “Do you have a family in your universe?”

Sam looked her way and was silent for a moment as his features danced between saddened and thoughtful. “I’ve spent most of my life looking for a family,” he finally admitted.

“Well… what about you join our family,” Asuna offered with a smile.

Sam blinked at the sudden offer. Thoughts raced around in his head. Finally, a small smile danced on his lips. “You know, if I could stay, I’d accept in a heartbeat, but there are a lot of ponies counting on me back home.”

“You don’t need to stay here, we have family members all over the multiverse, you could still stay where you are but we would be here if ever you needed us.” Asuna explained.

Sam’s smile widened. “Then I'd be happy to accept.”

“And we’ll be happy to have you… brother,” Craig said with a smile.

That's going to take some getting used to, Chris said.

Yeah, Sam agreed. But in a good way.

“Don’t worry bout it both of you, just remember if you are ever overwhelmed just call and you’ll have the Galactic Rangers come to your aid.” Craig chuckled.

Sam let out a laugh. “King Mondo will never know what hit him.”

“Well then uncle Sam I guess you need to get back to your world,” Scootaloo said sadly.

Sam let out a chuckle. “Don’t worry, Scoots,” he replied. “You’ll be seeing me around.” He turned to Craig. “Ready when you are.”

“Well then before you go I think you’ll want these,” Craig said as he threw Sam his token and Asuna did the same.

Asuna then walked up to him and gave him a hug then said “One for the road.”

Sam hesitated a moment then returned the hug. “Thanks… mom.”

“No worries Sam, you both stay safe,” Asuna said with a smile

“We will,” Sam and Chris answered together. Sam suddenly dug around in his pocket and pulled out three pins with the same symbol as his morpher. “I almost forgot my calling card,” Sam joked as he handed Asuna hers and tossed the others to Kirito and Craig. “Call if you guys ever need us. We'll be right there.”

“We will,” Craig said before he added “Sam, Chris our contract is complete we wish you both the best of luck.”

“We wish you the same,” Sam replied as a portal opened up. He started to walk through but stopped and looked back to Scootaloo. “Oh, hey, Scoots,” he started with a grin, “When you find the Wildcat Galactabeast, give it a scratch behind the ears.” He winked and stepped through the portal and it closed behind him.

“The what now?” She asked in confusion.

“You’ll know sooner or later,” Craig chuckled before he nodded to Storm before he said “We need to get back to the hive and hoard we’ll catch up later, okay.”

“Of course, see you later,” they all replied as Craig and Stormbreaker flew off.

Starlight turned to walk out the door only for a large amount of wind to pick up and start blowing around in the small space. She turned with her eyes wide as a dark portal opened up near the back wall. After a few seconds, Chris tumbled out onto the floor.

"Owww...," he groaned as he got up rubbing his head.

I seriously hope that gets easier, Sam muttered, before he too let out a groan of pain.

It won't, Chris replied pesimistically.

"Chris?" He whipped his head around to look at Starlight. "What was that?"

"Oh, hey, Starlight," he said nervously. "That was just... a portal to another Displaced universe...." He let out a nervous grin.

"O~kay," Starlight replied slowly. "Did you finish your experiment?"

Chris let a real smile replace his nervous one. "Finished and field tested," he replied enthusiastically.

"I'm glad to hear that," Starlight answered before she turned to go. "I've got to go. Good luck with your other tests."

"Thanks," Chris called after her. "Have a good one." When the door closed, his face fell and he looked down at the Tokens still in his hand.

It's weird having a family, isn't it, Sam said.

Yeah, Chris replied. He moved the Tokens around with his finger. Suddenly, thoughts of the ponies in his world came to his mind. Artemus, Cadance, Shining, and Flurry Heart, the Elements, Heavy Ladle, Cobalt... Sweetie Belle. A small smile played on his face. But I think we might have already started. Sam was silent, but Chris feel a warm glow imanate from that part of his mind.

Author's Note

Why did Sam panic as much as he did? How much did their strength increase? When will they see their new family again? Don't change the channel and you'll find out next time!

I had an absolute blast writing this chapter. This was a crossover with the amazing The Dark Brony and his stories, A Gamer in Equestria and Sword Art Equestria. Go give him and his stories a look-see, you won't be disappointed. Anyhowdy, guys, if you have a thought, saw a mistake, or just want to say something silly, leave it in the comments. Until next time, have a good one.

Chapter 11- The Tunnel's Light

Chapter 11-

The Tunnel’s Light

A white flash signified the computer booting up. Chris’ face appeared on screen, but unlike the usual upbeat look he wore, he instead looked very tired. His eyelids drooped and bags had formed under his eyes and his hair was a mess. He lifted a mug in his hand and took a quick sip. A bit of color returned to his features and he let out a contented sigh. He put the mug down and typed in the command to start the recording.

“Howdy, everyone,” he began. “I’ve finally given up on trying to keep track of all these journals, so that’s great. It’s been about… two weeks? Yeah, two weeks since Mean Screen reared his ugly face, and things have been so slow.” He wiped his face with his hands as he said the last words. “During that time I’ve discovered some pretty amazing things. First off, I’ve completely unlocked every core element in the ‘spectrum,’ as Starlight calls it. Well, almost every element. The chart that Starlight gave me shows three other elements that I don’t have access to; light, shadow, and darkness. How those are elements, I have no idea, but Starlight insists that they are important, so I guess I’ll just keep looking.” He started yawning with the last word and reached for his coffee and took a quick drink.

“Anyway,” he said as he put down the glass. “I, or rather, we, being Sam and I, have found out through a very sudden world jump that, when we travel to other Displaced realities, we switch places. It was actually kind of strange…. Anyhow, while we were there, we met three Displaced; Kirito, Asuna, and Craig. Albeit, our first meeting was a bit… heated.” He rubbed the back of his head at the memory. “Luckily, they didn’t hold it against us very long, and Craig even gave us a bit of a boost.” Chris paused, his eyes bright before his features fell into boredom.

“Then I get home and everything is an absolute pain. Turns out, the Council spent the first week in session. Nightmare finally got the Council’s approval for Ranger Operations and put me in charge. I was then reinstated as a Councillor.” Chris stopped, rubbed his face, and blew air out from between his lips. “And I have spent the last several days in meetings. I’ve barely been able to keep up my fitness with Sweetie, and forget any chance of looking into those three elements.” He let out a long sigh.

“On top of everything else, we haven’t been able to sleep.” He stopped and rubbed his hands together nervously. “Sam’s been having nightmares. He’ll wake up in the middle of the night screaming and it takes a while for him to calm down…. But that’s not all. I’ve been… angry. I’ll go into states where I’m just so upset that I shouldn't even be around anyone, but I can’t help but walk around the castle like I’m looking for a fight. Sam usually snaps me out of it, but it takes a lot and I can’t always hear him.” He stopped and just stared at the camera. Finally, he took in a breath and continued. “Something is messing with our connection and the only one I know that can help is Nightmare. I’ll talk to her after we make the announcement tomorrow, but right now it’s late and we need some rest. Until the next one,” he gave a short salute and turned off the recording and computer before standing up.

He made his way over to his bed and unceremoniously flopped down onto it without turning out the lights. He was instantly asleep, despite the caffeine flowing through his system.

Artemus kneeled on one knee in a bright landscape. A soft, authoritative, and melodious voice rang out. “Rise, my child.” Artemus stood to her full height. She raised her eyes to meet a figure cloaked in bright white light. “Why do you come, Artemus?” The being asked, a hint of worry in its voice.

“It is the human,” Artemus began. “Chris’ brother, Samson, is being afflicted by terrible nightmares. Night after night I sense them and yet there is nothing I can do about them. And Chris seems so… agitated, and I don’t know why. I’m not sure even he knows.” Her eyes had been drifting away but she focused back on the figure. “I don’t know what to do.” She admitted in desperation.

The white being was silent for a long moment. “What of the demon?” It finally asked.

“I cannot sense him,” Artemus answered. “He is still sealed away within Chris and Sam.” She stopped and looked down at the ground in thought. “You don’t think he has anything to do with this, do you?”

“There is only one way to truly tell,” it answered. “Bring him to me tomorrow, as soon as you can. I fear the longer we wait, the worse his condition may become.” The figure stopped and was silent as if in thought. “Yes, we must hurry,” she finally concluded. The being seemed to look directly at Artemus and shined a bit brighter. “It is always good to speak with you, Artemus, no matter how short these conversations must be.”

The mare smiled at this. “I enjoy them as well,” she admitted. “But it seems our time comes to a close.” She said sadly.

“Until tomorrow, my child,” the bright figure said as it began to fade.

“Until tomorrow,” Artemus agreed as the landscape around her began to brighten. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again her surroundings were dark and she was back in the form of Nightmare Moon. She unfolded her legs from under her and stood. She lifted her teal eyes and looked to the seemingly withered, yet beautiful tree in front of her. A worried frown formed over her features, and she turned and left the cave, leaving the Tree of Harmony to itself.

Chris let out a yawn as he took another step sideways, tray in hand. He waited another moment and the diamond dog in front of him moved away. He took another step and looked up at Heavy Ladle. “Good morning, Miss Ladle,” he started with a smile as he held out his tray.

“Good morning, Chris,” she replied tiredly, a half smile on her face all the same. “The usual?”

“Yes, please,” he replied before his smile faded. “How are you doing?” He asked, concern clear in his voice.

Ladle frowned a little as she portioned food out onto his tray. “Some days are better,” she admitted. “It just feels so different without him.”

Chris nodded in understanding as he took his tray back. “Do you still need help this afternoon?”

“I’m fully capable of doing the task alone,” Heavy Ladle said stubbornly before she let her smile come back to her face. “But thank you.”

“I’m always happy to help,” he told her with a smile. “I’ll see later, Miss Ladle,” he said as he began to walk away.

“Miss Heavy Ladle!” She called after him, a bit of laughter in her voice.

Chris simply let out a small chuckle as he crossed the cafeteria towards his usual table. The table in question was already occupied by the Elements. “Well, look who finally came in to eat,” Rainbow teased as he approached. “What, are you getting butterflies?”

Chris let out a laugh as he sat down. “I may be a little nervous, but that wouldn’t be enough to keep me from a good meal.”

“Oh,” Sunset chimed in. “So what would?”

Chris’ attitude fell a little and he threw a look at Sweetie. “I’ve, uh, been having nightmares for the last few nights. That with all the meetings we’ve been having has worn me down pretty good. I just needed a chance to catch up on sleep.”

“You’re having nightmares?” Fluttershy asked. “Doesn’t Nightmare regulate everypony’s dreams.”

“Maybe it’s different for humans,” Pinkie spoke up. “I mean humans probably don’t dream about cupcake mountains and bubblegum trees.”

“Pretty sure that’s just you, Pinkie,” Chris said with a smile. “But you make a good point. Maybe it does have something to do with me being human.”

“Equestria’s magic is making you physically stronger,” Sweetie pointed out. “Maybe its adverse effects are finally emerging.”

“You could be right, Sweetie,” Sunset added before looking at Chris. “If that’s the case, maybe we just need to stabilize your own magical field.”

“Are you sure?” Chris questioned. “I mean, I didn’t even have magic before I came to Equestria.”

“It’s worth a shot,” Sunset said with a shrug.

Chris let out a short sigh. “You’re right. But it’ll have to be later. I’ve got the announcement for Ranger Ops. after this, then I’m going to go help Heavy Ladle move some things.”

“If that’s the case, you may want to get going,” Rainbow pointed out.

“I don’t have to be anywhere until eleven, I’ll be fine,” Chris replied, waving his hand as he took a bite of his food.

Rainbow cleared her throat and pointed at a nearby clock. It read ten forty-five. Chris chewed slowly and swallowed. He suddenly began shovelling food into his mouth as fast as he could before jumping out of his chair. “Gottagoguysseeyalaterbye!” He screamed as he ran out of the room.

Everyone in the room stared at him in silence. Cobalt walked next to the Element’s table with a tray in his hand and stopped. “What’s wrong with him?” He asked before he looked at Sweetie.

“He’s late,” she replied simply before taking a drink of water.

“Ah.”

“Scheisse, scheisse, scheisse!” Chris raved as he sprinted down the hallways.

Run, Forrest, Sam teased with a snicker.

“Halt deine Fresse,” Chris growled out as he took a sharp right.

Ooo, full german, Sam pressed laughter still in his voice. But you may want to take the next left.

The quickest way to the auditorium is through the side door, Chris argued.

Not if we’re the ones speaking, Sam replied matter-of-factly.

Chris let out another low growl and took the sharp turn, never slowing down. He ran for a little bit longer, took another right and stopped in front of a set of heavy double doors. He bent over and put his hands on his knees as he panted to regain his breath. A plate in the door slid open to reveal a set of yellow green eyes.

“Name,” a voice rumbled out.

“Chris Scott,” Chris answered, still trying to catch his breath.

“Scan,” the voice growled again.

Chris lifted his arm and scanned his communicator on a panel beside the door.

The eyes looked away from him for a moment then looked back. The plate slid back into place and, after a few loud clicks, the door opened revealing a large diamond dog. “Welcome, sir.”

“Thank you,” Chris replied with a nod as he walked through the now open doorway.

They sure are heavy on security, Sam commented.

A lot of them are absolutely terrified, Chris pointed out. The security makes them feel safe.

Too bad it’s false. Chris didn’t respond. He walked through the backstage area and finally found Nightmare.

“So, what’s the plan?” He asked as he came to a stop beside her.

“I will introduce you, then it’s all up to you,” she replied before looking towards him. Her features lifted up in a smile and she gave a small laugh.

“What?” Chris asked giving her a questioning look.

“Is this really how you want your new recruits to see you for the first time?” She asked, a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Chris looked down at his black combat boots, dark jeans, white t-shirt, and leather jacket. He looked up slightly with an arched eyebrow. “I’m not wearing a tux.”

Nightmare let out a laugh. “Alright,” she said after she finished. She started moving towards the stage. “Wait for me to look at you then come on stage.”

“Got it,” he said. She nodded and walked towards a podium.

“Mares and gentlecolts,” she began as she looked out over the crowd. “The past few months have been unlike anything we have seen in years. King Mondo is sending more forces into the Everfree than ever before, and they are getting closer. However, we are not without a counter measure. At the same time as Mondo began to escalate his assault, a new warrior appeared with weapons and abilities unlike any we have ever seen. Time and again, he has fended off the Machine Captains that threaten to take away our freedom. But he cannot continue on alone. The Council has instituted a new division of our forces for the sole purpose of aiding this man in his fight against the Machine Empire. Without further ado, I present to you, Captain of Ranger Operations, Human Councillor Chris Scott.” Nightmare finished and looked towards Chris as those present gave a low applause.

Chris took a breath and stepped out onto the stage, making his way towards the podium. Nightmare stepped back out of the way and Chris gave her a quick nod before he faced the assembly.The crowd was made of every race in the Resistance, and they were all locked on to him.

Chris took another breath and steeled his features. “As Head Councillor Nightmare said, Ranger Ops. is a new division of of the Resistance. As its leader, I am wholly devoted to ending this war, but I will not sugarcoat it. If you join the Ranger Ops., I can’t guarantee your safety. The Council has given me complete freedom over how we operate, and I will be taking the fight to Mondo. You may not agree with this, and, if you don’t, this is not the place for you. I am looking for five members to join me in my fight. You may all apply for a position on my team, but you will all be tested mentally, physically, and morally. A Ranger must be able to think on their feet, keep a good conscience, and, above all else, keep up with the group. This will be a dangerous mission, and I will not have unnecessary loss.” He looked out over the silent crowd. “I need a team that will follow me to Tartarus and back. I want this war to end, and I’ve been here for less than two months. Most of you have been fighting for close to ten years. Help me end this. Help me defeat Mondo once and for all. Thank you.”

Chris finished and stepped away from the podium, wondering if his words had reached any in the audience. Then it started. It was slow, a single, solitary noise, but it gradually grew into a roaring applause. He looked out over the crowd and recognized several figures. Sweetie and the Elements stood near the back, each of them clapping, some more vigorously than others. He found Cobalt nearer the center of the crowd, clapping along with everyone else, his face unreadable.

Oh, we’re going to have fun with him, Sam commented. Chris let a small smile touch his lips in response and continued to scope out the room. His eyes finally settled on a shadowed corner of the room. A single dark figure leaned against the wall, clapping her hands slowly as her usual half smile showed off her fangs. He finally looked away from Chrysalis and looked off to the side of the stage to see Shining, Starlight, and Trixie all clapping for him. He let his grin complete itself at this sight.

Nightmare also clapped as she walked up to the podium to speak once again. She let the assembly clap a little longer before she raised her hand for silence. “The tests Councillor Scott referred to will be held in a week's time. You have until then to register, fill out the required paperwork, and prepare yourself however you need. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you, you are dismissed.” Nightmare turned and began to walk off stage, Chris following behind as those present filed out or stopped at a table to pick up the required packets.

The moment Chris stepped off stage, he was clapped roughly on the back. “Heh, thanks, Shining,” he said, recognizing the stallion’s signature greeting.

“Wow, you are getting tough,” the unicorn stated with a grin as Chris turned to face him. “I remember you falling over the first few times I did that.”

“You mean the whole first week?” Chris asked in a joking manner, a smile on his face.

“Yeah,” Shining agreed. “But you hardly flinched that time.”

“What can I say?” Chris replied as Trixie and Starlight walked up. “I had some great teachers.”

Trixie and Starlight both gave him proud grins, but before they could say anything, Nightmare approached the group. “Chris, there is something I need to speak to you about.”

Chris throw a curious look towards his former mentors and turned to face his leader. “O~kay, what’s up?”

Nightmare seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Have you been having nightmares recently?”

Chris hid his shock. What do I tell her?

Sam was silent a moment. The truth.

Chris took a breath and looked at the alicorn. “I have for the last little while now,” he admitted.

Nightmare was silent, her eyes searching before she straightened up. “I need you to follow me. There’s someone who would like to speak with you.”

“Um, that’s… okay,” Chris answered. “But I promised Heavy Ladle that I would help her after this.”

“I understand,” Nightmare replied. “However, this is not something that can wait. If it makes you feel any better, I will escort you and personally seek out Miss Heavy Ladle and explain the situation to her. I know she’ll understand.”

Chris was hesitant a moment, but the way she said the last part convinced him. “Alright,” he finally said. “Who is it that wants to see me?”

“...It’s better if you see for yourself,” she replied cryptically as she turned to go, Chris following behind.

Chris followed behind Nightmare down a staircase cut into the side of a deep gully. Looking familiar yet? Sam asked as they continued their trek down.

Yes, it is, Chris answered. You don’t think all the fan theories are true, do you?

That Celestia and Luna’s mother became the Tree of Harmony and is now housed within, watching over the world and giving aid when needed? Sam asked rhetorically. Dude, we’ve fallen out of how many portals and you’re still questioning things?

Chris rolled his eyes. I just never expected stuff solely from the fandom to show up, that’s all. Chris was silent for a moment. What do you think she’s like?

We won’t have to wait long before we find out, Sam replied. Chris lifted his eyes and spotted a cave entrance bored into the earthy walls, Nightmare waiting patiently beside it.

Chris made his way down to where she stood, and she turned and entered the cave, Chris not far behind. It wasn’t long before their eyes fell upon a silvery tree. “Chris, Sam, welcome to the-”

“Tree of Harmony,” Chris and Sam gasped out together.

Nightmare stared in surprise before she let out a small laugh and smiled. “Should’ve known this wouldn’t be a surprise to you.” She looked up and took a few more steps towards the Tree. “I guess the story of how the Tree and Elements came to be is not unknown to you then?”

“Eh, I know a little, but most of it was just speculation by the fans back on Earth,” Chris admitted with a shrug.

Nightmare gave a small smile. “Then allow me to give a bit of history. Four thousand years ago, a great evil attacked our world. Many heroes rose up and tried to defeat the evil, but to no avail. Our mother was forced to take action. She and this being clashed time and again, but neither could be called a victor. Then, the villain did the unthinkable. He permeated the entire world in poisonous gas. Many of our little ponies feel sick, and some died. Our mother was furious, and made it known. They fought once and this time it did not end until only one stood. My mother sealed him away, threw his tomb through the Pit of Tartarus, a place of torture, and finally banished him from this world.”

Nightmare’s tone turned sad. “However, the poison still persisted. To save us and the populous, she took in all the poison herself. It killed her slowly, and she shrivelled away. When my sister and I finally got up the courage to go to the battle field, we found a small, withered sapling sprouting from the ground. We wept there before we ran and hid away in fear of the evil returning.” Tears had carved dark trails into her cheeks, and she wiped her eyes. “What happened after is a story for another day.”

Chris stared for a moment, before he looked to the ground with a sad look. “I know all too well the pain of losing a loved one.” Luna turned just in time to see a droplet fall to the ground. Chris sniffed loudly and wiped his nose before looking up with a smile on his face. “On the bright side, you can still see her.”

Nightmare stared for a moment, then slowly approached the young man, wrapping him in her arms. “I’m sorry, Chris.”

Chris hesitated a moment then returned the embrace. “Yeah,” he replied, his voice shaky. “Me, too.”

They stayed like that for a moment longer before they released one another and Nightmare turned back to the Tree, wiping away a final tear. “We can wait no longer. The nightmares Sam has been having are not natural, and we believe that your… outbursts are similar in nature.” She turned and looked Chris in the eye. “I am powerless to stop them.” She turned back to the Tree. “But she is not. She will help you rid yourself of whatever it is that plagues you and your brother. Although, I doubt it will be simple.”

Chris stepped forward. “How do we do this?” He asked, clearly eager to rid them of their afflictions.

“You will sit before the Tree and open your mind to it. She will take care of the rest.”

Chris looked at the Tree of Harmony and took in a breath. “Alright,” he said stepping closer to the Tree. “Let’s do this.” He got within a few yards of the Tree and sat down, crossing his legs in front of him. He began to slow his breathing and closed his eyes. Nightmare watched silently for a moment before she felt a surge of magic fill the air. Recognizing this sign, Nightmare turned and took her leave. She had a mare to see, after all.

Chris felt his mind relax, then a surge of energy pass through him. When it passed, he felt different, like he was completely weightless. He opened his eyes and found himself standing in a landscape of white. His jaw dropped in amazement.

“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

Chris turned around to see Samson standing behind him in his usual outfit, a grin spread across his face. However, Chris frowned when he spotted the tell-tale signs of exhaustion written all over Sam’s face. “What’s happened to you?” He asked in concern as he stepped towards his brother.

Sam’s grin slowly faded and he let out a heavy sigh. “The nightmares are… a lot worse than I’ve admitted,” he explained.

Chris continued to look on in concern before his features hardened into something more akin to determination. “We won’t have to worry about that much longer.”

“No, you won’t,” a feminine voice said from behind him. Chris turned once more to see a figure shrouded in light approach them. Chris and Sam were forced to bring their hands in front of their faces to block out some of the light as the being approached. “I’m sorry,” the voice said as the light began to dim. “I’m used to my daughters being able to see through the Shine.” The light continued to fade until Chris and Sam could see clearly. When they moved their hands, they stared in awe at the figure before them.

She had the appearance of a unicorn with purple tinted white fur and a messy lavender mane that was pulled up, white flowers decorating it. However, near the end of her horn, it split into two and branched out slightly and the fur on her wrists grew out longer, looking like natural sleeves that somehow managed to look elegant. She wore a light blue sleeveless dress that darkened into a deep purple near the bottom. Around her neck she wore a silver necklace that looked like a combination of Luna and Celestia’s cutie marks, but there were five little stars within the moon and a larger one in the sun. But what stood out the most was the golden crown she wore. It had five empty slots across the base and a final one in the shape of a six pointed star at the top.

“Hello, Chris, Sam,” She said in a regal voice, a smile in her crystal blue eyes. “I am Eternal Harmony, but I’m sure you both already knew that.” She flashed a soft smile that warmed them. “No doubt you have questions regardless.”

“Um,” Chris stuttered looking to Sam who only shrugged and shook his head. “Maybe we should just cut to the quick,” Chris finally said, turning to face Harmony. “What exactly is causing me and Sam to have these episodes?”

Harmony let out a small frown. “I have a theory, however I hope I am wrong. But to be sure, I need you both to step forward.” The brothers threw each other a look before stepping closer. Harmony raised her hands and placed them on each of their foreheads, closing her eyes. They felt a tingling sensation run through them, their eyes widening in surprise. As they stood their, Harmony’s frown deepened. She released them and took a step back, her eyes opening to reveal the worry within.

The brothers exchanged worried looks. “Give it to us straight, doc,” Sam said, chuckling nervously as he tried to defuse the situation.

“Unfortunately, it is just as I feared,” she responded. “My daughter’s attempt to seal away the monster within you did not work as she intended.”

Chris and Sam were visibly shocked at the news. “What exactly does that mean?” Chris asked, fear beginning to creep into his voice.

“Psycho, as you call him, was locked away within your consciousness. Artemus even split his power into two and sealed the halves separately within each of you. However, she made a miscalculation. Psycho is growing in power far faster than the two of you. With every weapon, spell, and form you unlock, he grows stronger. Artemus had hopped that the rate at which your strength increased would be enough to keep him locked away, but you are not progressing fast enough.”

Chris and Sam shared a glance as they processed the information. “So what you’re saying is that we need to get stronger faster?” Chris concluded only to have the goddess shake her head.

“That is not the case anymore,” she answered sadly. “He has grown strong enough to begin breaking the chains of his prison and has found a way to begin influencing the two of you.” She looked in Sam’s direction. “He has been pressing nightmares upon you, strengthening your fear and panic until you come to the point where you will no longer be able to function.” She turned to Chris. “And he is igniting your anger, stoking the flames so that when he breaks out you will be that much easier to control and, eventually, possess.”

The brothers shared a scared look before turning back to Harmony. “What do we do?” They asked together.

“There is only one thing you can do,” she replied with a dark undertone. “You must release Psycho from his prison and face him once again.” Chris and Sam jerked in surprise but before they could say anything, Harmony continued. “In doing so, you will be able to access all of your latent Ranger abilities.”

“Time out,” Sam said suddenly, making a “T” with his hands. “You said ‘Ranger abilities’. Does that mean there are powers we have that don’t involve the Psycho Morpher?”

“That it does, however,” she replied, holding up a hand, “that is something that will need to wait. Right now, stopping Psycho is our number one priority.”

“O~kay,” Chris said slowly. “So how much stronger has Psycho become?”

“You and Sam have increased by a little more than ten times that of what you were.” Chris and Sam looked at each other with proud grins. “His has grown by a factor of three.” Their smiles instantly dropped away.

“How are we supposed to compete with that?” Sam asked worriedly.

To this, Harmony smiled. “Because this time….” Bright light surrounded her and the pair were forced to cover their eyes for a second time. When the light faded and they lowered their hands, they stared in wonder. Harmony stood before them in golden armor, her mane undone and flowing behind her, a long golden scepter in her hand. “You will not be alone.” She declared.

Chris and Sam stared dumbly before Sam spoke up. “Well, I feel better,” he said lifting his hands and rubbing them together. “So, how do we do this?”

“That is…,” Harmony began, wincing slightly. “Going to be painful.”

“Heh, you’re kidding, right?” Sam asked a nervous smile on his face. When Harmony only shook her head, he slumped forward. “Oh, f-”

Chris clapped his hand over his brother’s mouth, earning him a cold look from Sam. He removed his hand and looked up to Harmony. “We can take it,” he stated matter-of-factly.

Harmony gave him a worried look. “I hope so, but, before we begin, we need to make a change in our scenery.” She lifted her scepter and the crest on top, a golden disk with five empty slots for jewels protruding from it with a star indent in the middle, began to glow. The white of landscape began to roll back like mist and finally disappeared, revealing the world for what it really was. The ground was completely flat and reflected the light blues, pinks, and pale yellows of the sky.

“Well, that’s just disorienting,” Sam said as he glanced down at the ground, saw his reflection and quickly looked up, blinking his eyes rapidly.

Chris threw a look to his brother. “So…,” Chris began to ask as he turned back to Harmony. “On a scale of one to ten, how bad is this going to hurt?” He started when he found her right next to him.

“You don’t want to know,” she said softly. Chris gasped as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. His eyes widened and he looked down to see Harmony’s hand thrust into his chest. He looked up, his gaze questioning as he looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. The pain intensified as Harmony dug her fingers in deeper, and Chris began to scream in pain.

Sam’s eyes widened in shock. “What the hell are you doing!?!” He shouted as a glowing green naginata appeared in his hands and he tried rushed forward, only to stop dead. He looked down in surprise to find that his feet had sunk down into the ground. He looked up to see Harmony’s scepter pointed at his feet. His eyes narrowed in a glare. “Why?” He growled out as Chris continued to scream.

Harmony glanced at him, sadness filling her eyes. “Because it’s the only way,” she answered and began to drag her hand out of Chris’ chest. Chris only screamed louder as she drew a large, smoking orb of purple energy from his torso. The orb came loose and Chris slumped to the ground in a lifeless heap. Harmony straightened up and lifted the orb to the top of her scepter where it floated.

Sam only stared as Harmony turned towards him. As she looked at him, his frown deepened. “Don’t even think-” Harmony appeared in front of him, and the last thing he saw before the pain shattered his world was her hand rushing towards his chest.

Chris groaned as he began to stir. He started to move but stopped when his chest started burning and his head throbbed. He let out another groan of pain.

“You should lay still.”

Chris completely froze at the sound of Harmony’s voice. He stopped moving and stayed as still as he could. He kept his eyes closed but used his other senses to gather whatever info he could get. He heard a crackling and a few metallic clinks, and could feel faint vibrations in the ground not far away.

“I said lay still not play dead.” Chris heard the clank of armor then footsteps growing closer. His eyes flew open and he flipped onto his back, ignoring the pain in his chest. Harmony was making her way towards him, and he began to backpedal away before he doubled up as the pain flared, engulfing his body in an intense burning. “I gave that advice for a reason,” Harmony murmured as she kneeled down next to Chris, putting something on the ground beside her. She reached over and moved one of his arms away from his torso and moved her other hand to hover over it. A white glow filled the space between his body and her hand, and a cool feeling washed over him, extinguishing the burning pain he was in.

He relaxed and rolled onto his back. At first, he only looked up at the sky, catching his breath, but eventually his eyes moved to look at being beside him. “What did you do to me?” He asked.

“A simple soothing spell,” she answered simply, moving to pick up whatever it was she had set down.

“That’s not what I meant and you know it,” Chris said his eyes narrowing suspiciously. “Why did you attack me?”

“It was not an attack,” she replied, moving a small, steaming cup into view. “It was the only way to remove the demon from you. Here, drink this.” She held the cup out to him.

He eyed it for a moment before he slowly sat up, reached his hand out and took the drink. He lifted the cup to his lips and took a slow drink. As he took in the liquid within, the throbbing in his head faded away and the pain drained away as a comforting warmth spread over him. He finished the small glass, throwing his head back to get every drop. “Ah,” he said , both in contentment and to get back his breath. “What was that?” He asked as he handed the cup back to Harmony.

“Some would call it a health potion, or a healing draught,” she said as she stood up, Chris following suit before she gave a mischievous smile. “I just call it cherry tea.”

“You have cherries in here?” Chris asked in surprise as they began to walk towards a nearby fire with a teapot hung over it.

“I’ve had four thousand years to myself,” she said, her smile never fading. “You could say I’ve learned a lot about gardening in that time.”

“I guess you need something to occupy your time,” Chris replied as they took seats that seemed to grow out of the ground itself. He looked over to his right and saw Sam lying on the ground near where he had been earlier. “I’m guessing he got the same treatment?” He asked with a small frown.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Harmony answered. “Although, I believe his pain was made worse by which of his emotions was being twisted around.”

“His fear,” Chris stated before he turned away from his brother and looked to the guardian. “But I’ve never thought of Sam as the type to be afraid of anything. What could Psycho have used against him?”

Harmony was silent for a moment, appearing to be deep in thought. “It is not my place to say what fears afflict your brother. That is for him to tell in his own time. However, I will say that what started it was when he thought he’d lost you.”

“Lost me?” Chris parroted questioningly. “When did he think that?”

“When you went through the portal and met Craig, Kirito, and Asuna, you woke up after he did. When he woke up and couldn’t hear you, he panicked and Psycho latched onto that fear and has used it against him ever since.”

Chris looked over to his brother once again. “I knew he cared, I guess I just didn’t know how much….”

Sam suddenly let out a moan of discomfort. “Ah, he’s coming around,” Harmony said standing up and pouring another cup of tea. As Sam began to squirm, Harmony moved over to his side. Her hand lit up in a glow again as Sam tried to sit up. She placed her hand on his back and lifted the cup to his lips. He reflexively reached his hand up and took the cup, drinking deeply.

“Oh… what happened?” He asked as he handed the cup back to Harmony.

“Nothing much,” Chris answered as he came to kneel beside his brother. “Harmony just ripped a very malevolent being out of us in the only way she knew how.”

“That all?” Sam replied, rubbing his face. “We must be having a good day.”

Chris smiled at the joke. “Well, it’s not over yet,” he stated as he stood up. “We still have to defeat him.” He held his hand out to his brother.

“Let’s not waste any more time then,” Sam said as he grabbed hold of his brother’s hand and got to his feet. “Where is old doom and gloom, anyway?”

“His prison,” Harmony answered, gaining both their attention, “is over there.” She pointed a little ways away towards a dark, metal coffin, several chains hanging off of it as purple mist poured out of it.

“Huh,” Sam huffed as he stared at the seal. “Always imagined it’d be bigger. You know more…,” he made a cage with his hands and motioned them together, “secure.”

“At one point,” Harmony began, “it was much more formidable. However, it seems he’s been absorbing its power to increase his own.”

“Um, what exactly does that mean?” Chris asked.

“It means that he may be much stronger than I originally thought,” she answered.

Chris and Sam shared a look. “Great,” Sam said throwing his arms and letting them fall. “No point worrying about it now. We’ve come this far, might as well get it over with.”

“He’s right,” Chris stated in agreement. “It's either move forward or make things worse. Let’s get it done.”

Harmony searched their faces and smiled when she found only conviction. “Alright then, you might want to stand back.” She turned back to the metal box and raised her scepter over her head. The crest began to glow white and she made a sharp slashing motion. The remaining chains shattered and the lid began to open with an eerie creak.

The tomb opened and shadowy clouds poured out. The group stared into the shadows of the coffin, waiting. Suddenly some of the shadows raced back to the coffin and a pair of boots came into being. The right boot stepped down and out of its prison, the leg materializing more and more with each second. It hit the floor and the left followed, the body visible up to the waist. A hand appeared and gripped the sides as the arm began to form. The boot finally hit the ground and the hand let go of the confinement, and Psycho straightened up.

“Hello, boys,” he began in a sinister tone. “Did you miss me?”

“Not even a little,” Sam replied as he and Chris stepped forward, Harmony standing to their rear right.

Psycho let out a wicked chuckle. “I have to thank you both,” he said. “If I hadn’t been sealed in that stupid prison, I would have been stopped long before I could gather this much power.” The twisted Ranger lifted his hand and clenched his fist in front of him. “For that I am grateful.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Chris called, “‘cause we’re going to send you right back after we beat you down a peg or two.” The brothers looked to one another and nodded before facing Psycho once again. They raised their fists up and tensed their bodies, making their auras flare out around them, orange for Chris and light green for Sam.

“Let’s end this!” They shouted together, stepping back into a stance and summoning their respective weapons.

“Oh, but I thought we were having a nice chat,” Psycho falsely whined, lifting his hands up to his shoulders, palms up. “Oh, well.” He dropped his arms back to his sides and stared at the brothers. “Let’s get this show on the road!” The casket suddenly shattered behind him, shifting into white energy that flowed into his body. When the last of the light vanished, shadows covered the evil Ranger’s body until he was nothing more than a shifting mass. Clumps of shadow slid away from the main body, moving across the ground and settling in “V” behind it. When there were ten black circles on the ground, new masses began to grow up out of them. When they grew to a certain height, they began to solidify.

The trio stared wide-eyed as eleven Psycho Rangers formed before their eyes, each with a different color armor. “Oh scheisse/shit.” Chris and Sam said together. The Psychos let out a collective laugh that sent shivers down their spines and charged.

None of the trio flinched, only ran forward, their weapons raised. The eleven shown with electricity and split into three groups. Each group bounced into the air and came down, engulfing each of the three and separating them out.

Chris was thrown backward and slid across the ground before he threw out his left hand and dug his buckler into floor and ground to a halt. The group that attacked him split up and surrounded him, casting five different colors over him. Chris got to his feet and squared his shoulders as the electricity faded from the figures around him.

“Never thought I’d end up fighting you five,” he said, switching his gaze from one to another. “But two of you are going to be really boring to fight.” He suddenly dropped his weapons and threw his hands out towards Psycho Red and Black, his aura flowing into the palms of his hands before exploding outward in beams of energy that engulfed the Psychos. They let out unearthly wails as they shifted into shadows and dissipated. The light faded and his aura returned to flowing around him, his weapons reappearing as the remaining three started in shock.

They turned and let out growls, their weapons appearing in their hands. Chris only nodded his head to the side and dropped into a fighting stance. “Let’s dance then.” With that, Chris charged forward his buckler raised as Pink and Yellow readied their weapons and Blue ran towards him.

Sam whirled his naginata around and blocked the trident aimed for his side. The weapons slid and Sam came eye to eye with Psycho Aqua. Sam allowed a grin to spread over his face. “You know, that Trident of yours is really fun to use.”

Agua let out a growl and shoved Samson away. Sam continued to grin as he slid backward. He threw his weight behind him and flipped as the Silverizer swept by over him. He completed his flip and landed on his feet, a smug grin on his face before a force slammed into his chest and he was thrown onto his back. He looked up to see Psycho Green lowering his hand.

“Oh, I am going to enjoy kicking your ass,” Sam growled as he jumped back onto his feet. His aura flared around him and he rushed forward.

Harmony slid backward, a field of lavender magic thrown up in front of her. White energy built up around her scepter and she dropped her shield and threw the ball of energy at her opponents. The ball flew forward and split into three, flying at each of her opponents. The two on the sides split away, one emitting a shadowy aura, the other showing misty light. The energy balls bent their paths and homed in on the figure in the middle. The figure hefted a large lance and swept the attack away, black ash billowing from the weapon’s blade as it moved.

The two that sped away stopped a short distance away on either side of Harmony. To her left was a golden figure wielding a fan axe, and to her right, a dark gray figure with a scythe. “You three are persistent, aren’t you?” She asked rhetorically, her eyes shifting from one target to another.

The pitch black figure in front of her let out an evil laugh. “We have to be if we’re going to snuff out the light of this world,” he replied darkly.

Harmony let out a huff of laughter. “Ironic, seeing as two of you need light to exist,” she stated, her eye flicking to the figures to each side of her.

The front figure lifted its axe. “Once I end you,” the figure muttered in a dangerous tone. “I will have no use for the two of them.” With that, all three converged on Harmony.

Chris brought his shield up and deflected Blue’s Axe as it came down. He quickly thrust forward with his short sword, spearing the clone. The Psycho gave a ghastly wail and burst into black mist, dissolving away. Chris didn’t stay put, instead following through his thrust and rolling forward as a pink arrow flew past where he was standing before. Chris came to a stop in kneeling position and he brought his buckler in front of him, its edges quickly spreading out as several bolts of yellow slammed into to the shield.

I can’t keep this up, Chris thought as he took a short breath before he spun back to his feet and slashed an arrow out of the air in front of him. Need a new plan. Suddenly he looked down at his buckler that had shrunk back to normal, and let out a smile. “That could work.”

He turned moved his buckler around quickly to block the rain of steady bolts being fired by Yellow. He let his senses expand and could feel Pink maneuver behind him and draw her Bow. Now or never, he thought, still blocking projectiles. He heard a twang and whistle and leaped into the air. He twisted his body until he was horizontal and spinning. As he spun he locked onto Pink and just before he landed, threw his buckler. The small disk flew through the air and slammed into Pink’s helmet, knocking her head back.

She brought her head forward just in time to see Chris falling through the air. She brought her Bow up to block the incoming blow. Seeing this, Chris twisted his body and flooded his aura into his arm and sword. The orange energy swam over his body and condensed around his arm. Pink took a step backward to brace herself, as Chris swung his blade. The Bow stood no chance and neither did Pink’s armor as the sword passed clean through the weapon and her neck. He bent his knees as he landed, ending in a kneeling position as the Psycho’s body fell backward and disappeared in shadowy smoke.

Chris jumped to the side, and rolled to his feet, sprinting in a single direction as yellow energy slammed into the ground behind him. Small explosions detonated behind him as he ran, the bolts never ceasing. He looked towards Psycho Yellow and corrected his path and began closing in. He thrust his sword into the ground as he ran, throwing up a cloud of dust. The cloud grew as he got closer to his target, and soon he was engulfed in it, hiding him from his opponent’s sight.

Yellow stopped firing as the cloud closed in and took a step back, throwing her head back and forth, trying to catch sight of the human. “Looking for me?” His voice said from behind her. She turned her head in surprise before her body suddenly lurched. She looked down to see Chris’ blade protruding from her midsection. She let out a hiss as she disintegrated.

Once she was gone, Chris stood tall and swiped his sword through the air, blowing the dust away. He held his left hand out and his buckler flew back onto his arm. He turned and saw Harmony battling three new Psychos and rushed forward to help her. This ends now, he thought as he raced toward the group.

Sam swung his blade down only to have it caught by Psycho Green’s kamas. Sam pushed down on his weapon, gritting his teeth. “Would. You. Just. Die!” Sam shouted.

In response, Green stepped to the side and pulled away his weapons. Sam’s eyes widened in surprise as he stumbled forward. A blur of motion caught his attention to his left. He took his left hand off the staff of his weapon, twisting around and throwing up his hand and arm to create a barrier with his aura.

Aqua’s trident slammed into the barrier, causing cracks to spiderweb out across the green field. Alarms went off in his head and he threw up his naginata just in time to catch the blades of Green’s weapons. The Psychos continued to force their attacks and cracks continued to spread out over his barrier and staff. Sam switched his gaze between each of his opponents until a golden glow shown over the area.

He threw his focus forward to see Psycho Silver charging the Silverizer. His eyes shot open in shock and his mind began to race to find a solution. Finally, he came up with one. Oh, this is going to hurt, he groaned inwardly. Without warning he jumped into the air and drew his limbs in, crossing his arms over his chest as his shield and staff disappeared. He felt the Trident tear through the front of his jacket and shirt while Green’s kamas scraped lightly against his shoulder and side. Silver fired just as a light green bubble began to form around him.

The blast slammed into the force field and blew Sam backward. The beam died down and Sam landed hard on his back, sliding a few yards before throwing his legs over his head, flipping backward and planting his feet. He ground to a stop before straightening up. Blood dripped down his arm from the scratch in his shoulder. He huffed for breath, staring defiantly as the Psychos grouped up together again.

He lifted his chin towards them, his glare never dying. “You guys wanna play rough?” He called out. The Psychos took a step forward in response. Sam stopped huffing and lowered his head. “Fine then,” he growled, “let’s play rough!” He threw his arms down with his fists raised as he stood to his full height. His aura poured out around him, rushing out with a roar. The Psychos started in surprise and Sam rushed forward.

Silver raised the Silverizer only to be surprised as Sam blurred into life in front of him, his fist reared back. Sam threw his fist forward, slamming his knuckles into Psycho Silver’s helmet. Cracks appeared in his visors, and Sam followed through with his punch. The helmet shattered into black shards that dissipated. Aqua and Green reacted quickly, both slashing with their weapons, Green downward and Aqua up.

Sam disappeared from view and their weapons got caught against one another. They attempted to pull them apart when Sam reappeared in the air between them. He spun and kicked out, launching both Rangers in opposite directions, their weapons staying behind. Sam disappeared from sight again and appeared beside Green as he flew through the air.

Sam twisted around and delivered an axe kick to the Psycho’s torso that slammed him into ground, forming a small crater lined with cracks. The armor on Green’s chest was cracked and dark vapor flowed from the cracks. Green raised itself up onto his elbows only to look up and see Sam standing in front of him. Without hesitation, Sam lifted his and launched a beam of light green energy at the Ranger, disintegrating him. He lowered his hand and looked over his shoulder at where Aqua was picking herself up off the ground. His eyes narrowed and he disappeared again.

He appeared next to the weapons the pair had left behind when he’d kicked them and picked up the Trident. He hefted the weapon before spinning it into an underhanded hold. He looked towards Aqua, who was still dazed, and his aura flared. He pulled his arm back and focused all of his aura into the projectile itself. He launched the weapon, throwing it forward with incredible speed. It ripped through the evil Ranger and impaled her into the ground. The Psycho’s body slowly turned to ash and blew away.

Sam huffed and looked around, finally spotting Harmony fighting three Psycho Rangers. He quickly ran forward, once again summoning his naginata to his hand.

Harmony dodged out of the way as the dark gray figure swung his scythe down. The blade dug into ground and Harmony took the chance to swing the sharpened crest of her scepter down at the spectre. Just before she made contact, a pole came into view and caught her weapon. Her eyes widened in surprise and she flipped backward as the blade of the fan axe swung over her body. She performed a few more flips to gain some distance and slid to a stop in kneeling position, trying to regain her breath.

However, she didn’t get much of a chance as the pair raced towards her, their weapons poised to strike. She quickly raised herself up and launched backwards. The golden Ranger reached her first and swung the blade of his axe towards her. She intercepted the blow with her scepter and deflected the attack only to block the swing of the scythe. Harmony continued to be pushed back as their weapons blurred through the air. Harmony came to a sudden stop and swung her scepter in a horizontal slash. The Psychos jumped away to either side and a ball of black energy slammed into Harmony’s chest and detonated.

She grit her teeth as the force of the explosion forced her backward, right into the waiting arms of the gold and gray figures. They each grabbed an arm and pried it back, holding her at the wrists and shoulders. Harmony’s eyes widened and she struggled a while only to have the pair jerk her arms back roughly. Her head jerked up and she let out a gasp of pain. Her head lowered and she looked forward, spotting the figure in black as he stalked forward, his lance held down at an angle.

“I’ve always wanted to kill a god,” he taunted as he approached. Once he was within a few feet he hefted his lance and pointed it at her chest. “Any last words?” He hissed.

Harmony only stared defiantly at the dark being, who gave a laugh. “So be it,” he said and began to draw back his weapon. He thrust his lance forward but before his attack could make contact, two beams of energy slammed into his chest, exploding and throwing him backward. The gold and gray figures looked down at their chests to find smoking holes. They both collapsed and began to vanish in black smoke.

Chris and Sam took the place of the two Psychos, Chris to Harmony’s right, in place of the golden figure, and Sam to her left in place of the gray. “We can’t let you do that,” Chris said in a low voice.

“So, you can either pack up,” Sam added, “or die.”

The Psycho clutched his chest and rose to his full height, supporting himself on his lance. “I’m going to make you pay for that,” the figure growled out. “And you’ve made a mistake.”

“And what would that be?” Chris asked as he and Sam stepped forward, putting themselves between Harmony and the evil force.

“You killed all my clones before me.” The figure lifted his hand and lance and multicolored shadows began to build up around him. The mists vanished into the figure. Chris and Sam tensed up as the air grew heavy. The last of the shadows vanished back into the dark Psycho Ranger. An ominous light glowed behind the visors on his helmet as wisps of multicolored light drifted around him.

Chris and Sam stared in horror before their faces hardened and they stepped forward again. They looked to one another and nodded before looking back at the Ranger. “You’re not the only one with cool parlor tricks,” they said together as they raised their arms, Chris his left and Sam his right. They slammed their fists together and their auras erupted around them like wildfire. The burning colors traveled down their owners’ arms and mixed together. Each brother was surrounded in dual auras, orange stacked on green for Chris and vice versa for Sam. “Now that we’re all powered up,” they said simultaneously, "let’s end this!” Their eyes flashed and they dashed forward, their respective weapons appearing in their hands.

“Fools!” Psycho yelled as he ran to meet them, his lance drawn back. Sam disappeared from view and reappeared in front of the shade. Psycho launched his lance forward, intent on skewering the human, only to have Sam catch the weapon with his own. Sam knocked the attack away and sidestepped, revealing Chris as he slashed with his short sword. The Ranger reacted quickly, and jumped up and over the pair and landed behind them. He aimed a strike at Chris’ back and lunged forward with his weapon. A field of green veined with orange slid in front of the attack and Psycho’s lance collided with it. Sam stepped in before Psycho could recover and slashed with his naginata. Psycho jumped back to avoid the blow, but Sam left his grip loose so that the blade slid forward. The weapon caught on the spectre’s knee, and Sam strengthened his grip and forced his aura through the weapon. He followed through the attack and cut a gash into the front of Psycho’s knee.

Psycho let out a cry of pain before audibly snarling and rushing forward. Sam’s eyes widened in surprise and blocked the thrust that the Ranger sent his way. Before he could counter, Psycho attacked again and again, faster and faster until he was forcing Sam back. Then he caught movement in his peripherals and swung his hand up to knock away the attack Chris had aimed at him. Psycho spun quickly and jabbed with his pike. Chris attempted to twist out of the way but felt a sharp pain in his side as the blade scraped past him.

“Chris!” Sam yelped in surprise before he snarled in anger and rushed the Psycho Ranger. Psycho simply turned and began to block each of Sam’s attacks. Eventually, Sam’s naginata caught on Psycho’s partisan, causing Sam’s eyes to widen in shock. Psycho brought his right fist back and launched it forward. Sam blurred out of sight just as the fist reached him. Psycho paused and lowered his stance. Suddenly, he spun around his right hand outstretched as black energy flooded into it. He spotted Sam helping Chris to his feet and unleashed a beam of black and purple light. Sam’s eyes widened as the beam hit them. After a few seconds, the beam died down, showing nothing more than a smoking trench carved into the ground.

Sam reappeared next Harmony, supporting Chris. She raced forward and waved her scepter over Chris’ wound, closing it quickly. Chris got his feet back under him and Sam removed his support. Both humans were trying to regain their breath as they looked towards the dark Ranger. “We can’t beat him,” Sam stated.

“Yes, you can,” Harmony argued following their gaze.

“How?” Chris questioned. “Everything we throw at him he throws back.”

“Then do the same.”

Chris and Sam looked back at Harmony with confusion on their faces. “Huh?” They asked together.

“You forget that the same power he uses is a part of you as well,” she answered. “The Psycho Ranger powers are just as much yours as they are his. You need only apply them.”

The pair stared for a moment before looking at one another. After a while, smiles spread over their faces. “Ready for round two?” Sam asked.

“You know it,” Chris answered. The pair slapped each other’s hands together and their auras flared again. They straightened up and faced Psycho once again.

“Finish this, you two,” Harmony told them as she patted both of them on the back.

“Right!” They shouted as they rushed forward, their eyes briefly flashing a myriad of colors.

Psycho settled into a stance as the pair approached. Chris unexpectedly disappeared, causing Psycho to start. The human appeared in front of him, his fist reared back. The Ranger brought the staff of his weapon up to block the blow. Chris smirked and threw his fist forward. His knuckles collided with the solid weapon and cracks spider-webbed through it before it shattered. Psycho didn’t have time to react as Sam raced in to his left and threw his own punch. The shade reacted quickly and used his arm to divert the blow only to have to immediately block another attack by Chris. The brothers continued to throw punches at breakneck speeds, Psycho blocking, catching, or deflecting each blow. The specter began to retreat and the fighters pressed their advantage. They continued to throw combinations until Psycho managed to catch their fists in each hand.

The brothers smirked and grabbed hold of Psycho’s arms before forcing their knees into the Ranger’s midriff. He doubled forward and the pair twisted their bodies, slamming twin spinning roundhouse kicks to his torso. Psycho slid back from the force of the attack. When he stopped, he fell to one knee before slowly standing back up, clutching his chest. When he was standing again he moved his hand to see cracks in his armor. He let out a growl and clenched his fists. “You’ll pay for this-” He was cut off as he looked up to see Chris and Sam already on top of him. They swung their arms, their knuckles busting through the damaged armor on Psycho’s chest.

“You made a mistake,” Chris mocked.

“You claimed that all this power was yours alone,” Sam added.

“But it’s ours, too!!!” They shouted as their auras raced down their arms and into Psycho’s body. Psycho let out a wail as cracks spread out over his body as light shown through them. His scream increased in volume until it was almost deafening, before Psycho’s body finally shattered. Eleven different wisps of light flooded out and began to flow towards the brothers. The lights flowed into their bodies, their eyes closing in response to the power flowing into them. Finally, only one wisp remained made up of shifting black and purple colors. It drifted closer to the pair but was snatched out of the air.

“That was impressive, you two,” Harmony said with a smile. “And you deserve every reward you received. However,” her eyes shifted to the dark mass in her hand, “I believe we should take extra precautions with this one."

“What is that?” Chris asked as he looked more closely at the shifting substance.

“The element of darkness,” Harmony replied. “The one element that holds Psycho’s true nature and the final piece to the puzzle.”

“If that’s ‘essence of Psycho,’ how are we supposed to keep him contained?” Sam asked leaning back and eyeing the element.

“I will put a new, stronger sealing spell on the element,” Harmony explained. “You won’t be able to access these powers, but you will be able to harness all of your other abilities as if you could. So long as you do not use the powers of darkness, Psycho cannot escape.”

“If that’s the case,” Chris said glancing briefly at his brother, “let’s do this.”

Harmony nodded her head and brought the crest of her scepter over the mass. Harmony’s horn and hands lit up in a light blue color as the scepter shone white. There was a bright flash and when it faded Harmony held the element up again. It had turned almost solid black, with purple chain-like patterns moving across it as it shifted. Harmony released it and the element lifted into the air and floated towards the pair. As it approached, it split into two and a piece glided into each of their chests.

Chris and Sam felt a surge of power flow through them and tensed up in surprise, their eyes widening. They looked towards one another and stared before grins broke out on their faces. There was another flash and they looked back at Harmony to see that she was once again garbed in her dress and crown. “You have both shown great courage here,” she began. “Not many can face down their demons without horrible after effects. You two are very strong and it makes me happy to know that you are the ones protecting my little ponies. I thank you both.” She gave a short bow that both humans quickly mirrored.

“We should be the ones thanking you, Harmony,” Chris stated.

“Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t stepped in to help,” Sam continued.

Harmony let out a soft chuckle. “You are both such good people,” she said. “I would like to spend more time in your company, but you must return. I believe there are some things you need to address on the outside."

“What kind of things?” Chris asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harmony let out another chuckle. “You shall see,” she replied with a mischievous gleam in her eye. “Until next time, my friends.” She bowed again and spread her hands out to her sides as her horn began to glow.

“Until next time, Eternal Harmony,” Chris answered as the area began to shimmer white.

“We’ll see you again,” Sam promised with a smile.

Harmony let a smile touch her lips. “I know you will.” White light blinded the brothers and they raised their arms to protect their eyes. When Chris blinked and lowered his arm he was back in the cave with the Tree of Harmony behind him. He turned and gazed at the tree for a moment. He let out a breath. “That was fun-”

He was cut off by the sound of his communicator going off. He quickly lifted the device up and opened the call. “Chris here, what’s up?”

“Chris? Oh, thank Celestia,” Sunset’s voice said. “I know you’ve been gone a while but we’ve got a group of cogs headed our way. Do you think you can handle them?”

“I’m on it,” Chris answered shutting off the call. He shook his head and started to make his way out of the cave quickly.

Just another day on the job, Sam muttered.

Chris cracked a smile. “Yeah, no rest for the wicked,” he joked. Neither of them notice the brief flash of orange and green that passed over them as they raced towards their next battle.

Author's Note

Who will make it into Ranger Ops.? What kind of powers has Chris and Sam been unlocked and will the seal hold? And exactly how long were they gone?

It's really late... I'm tired. If you guys have a thought, see a mistake, or just want to say something silly, leave it in the comments below. Until the next one, have a good one.

EDIT: I can't find where the bolding begins so unfortunately, this may be how it stays. Sorry, guys.

Chapter 12- Trial By Fire

Chapter 12-

Trial By Fire

Chris input a few more codes into the configuration system before closing the access panel. He stood up and took a look at his finished project. To the untrained eye, it appeared to be nothing more than an MMA fighting cage, but if someone looked closely, they would see small shifts occur here or there. He looked on at his masterpiece, and let in and out a slow contented sigh. “I am definitely going to get that Sirian the biggestbirthday present,” Chris said with a smile.

After returning from his mission, he’d been told that he’d been gone for two days and had kicked his workload into overdrive, after spending some time with Sweetie and Heavy Ladle, of course. He’d gone to work refurbishing the new section of the castle that had been set aside for Ranger Operations, the new training facility especially. However, he’d hit a wall, literally. After a wall had come crumbling down, he’d called for a little advice.

Cruger had been extremely helpful when Chris had given him a call and had gone far beyond anything he had asked. Cruger had sent over some new equipment including some very fancy microbots that had made remodeling far easier than Chris could have imagined. Then he’d been hit by a lightning bolt. He’d taken the tech from the gravity weights and modified it into a gravity generator and built up an arena around it. Of course he’d been dumb enough to switch the dumb thing on while standing on it and almost been crushed, along with most of the cage. He’d morphed and got out of the field to switch it off. Needless to say, the repair rate of the Architectural Microbots had come in handy.

Now if we could just stop getting flung into the wall by that treadmill,Sam stated.

Chris let out a huff of laughter. “Yeah, that’s getting kind of annoying,” he agreed. The sound of hydraulics drew his attention to the door to the room as Shining Armor walked in.

Shining let out a whistle as he walked up to Chris. “Quite the impressive set up you’ve made here,” the stallion said. “But you know the first trial is going to be starting soon, right?”

Chris started and activated his morpher to check the time. His eyes widened in shock when it read eight thirty. Yellow Static lit up his body and he began to race around. “I’mlateShininggottagobye!” A rush of wind whipped past the unicorn and he turned just in time to see a blur rush out the door.

He gave a little chuckle. “So much for his team keeping up with him.”

A number of recruits sat in a college style classroom, waiting for… something. Then there was a commotion outside the room, the sound of heated voices, and the door finally opened. They all looked to the door to find Starlight Glimmer and Chris walking into the room.

“Sorry, I’m late, folks,” Chris said as he made his way up to a desk and podium. “I was getting a few things ready for your final test,” He explained as he stopped in front of the podium and looked out at the recruits in the room. “As you all know, one of the traits I listed out for a good Ranger is their intellect. A ranger must be able to think on their feet and solve problems that, if not solved, could be very dangerous.” He swept his gaze across the room. “Half of you will not make it past this stage of the trials,” he stated firmly. “As such you must answer all questions to the best of your ability. Archmage Starlight will by overseeing the rest of the test. Good luck to all of you.”

Chris moved out of the way so Starlight could take the podium. “As Captain Scott said, this test is designed to push the limits of your mind,” she began as a stack of papers was enveloped in a light blue aura, levitated off the desk, and distributed to each recruit. “There are one hundred questions and scenarios. You will have four hours to complete the test. After four hours, your test will be taken and scored, regardless of whether or not it is complete. Time starts now. Good luck.”

With that, the recruitment for Ranger Ops. began.

A pink pegasus with a blue mane stared down at her test, chewing on her pencil in concentration. “An assassin is hiding in a tree ten feet from the team’s current location,” the mare muttered in a low voice. “He shoots an arrow at one hundred and fifty feet per second at a thirty-six degree angle down. How much time do you have to react, and how?”

The mare stared down at the question for several moments before slumping her head down onto the desk with a moan. “How is anyone supposed to know this?”

A gravelly ‘shh,’ came from her left and she turned her head to see a Diamond Dog. “Be quiet,” he hissed lowly, “Rover is trying to think.” The Dog turned back to his test as the mare’s eye gave a twitch.

Four hours later, an alarm went off and all the pencils in the room disappeared in a blink of magic. “Alright, everypony,” Starlight called. “Line up and hand in your tests. They will be evaluated and if you pass, you will be called to the interrogation room. Please be ready to be called down. A final announcement will be made to let you all know when no more recruits will be called. Thank you, and try to relax in the meantime.”

There were several groans around the room as the draftees got up and walked to the front of the room to hand in their tests. Many of them stretched their limbs as they gave their test to either Chris or Starlight. As they filed out, Chris started flipping through the tests. “We have a spell for grading these right?” He asked, looking at Starlight with a raised eyebrow. Starlight simply rolled her eyes with an amused smile.

A few hours later, the pink pegasus was walking through the cafeteria with a tray full of food. She spotted a group of her friends and made her way over to them. “Hey, girls,” she said as she set her tray down, receiving a round of greetings in return. She made to sit down when the intercom went off.

“Attention, all Ranger recruits. The tests of the first trial have been evaluated and you will now be called one by one for your second test. Firefly, please report to interrogations. Firefly, please report to interrogations.”

Firefly turned her head to stare up at a speaker, half in her seat and half out. She let out a sigh. “Could the timing be any worse?” She asked rhetorically before looking up at a pegasus mare with a celeste coat and green mane. “Medley, do you mind packing this up for me and taking it back to our fridge?”

“Of course not, Fly,” she assured her roommate.

“Thanks, Medley,” the pink mare said. “See you girls later.” She turned and started making her way towards her next challenge.

Chris let out a sigh as a Unicorn walked out of the interrogation room. “How many more we got, Shining?” He asked as he slumped back in his chair.

Shining gave a chuckle. “Just one more, Chris,” he replied, taking the final applicant sheet from the top. He looked down at it and his smile disappeared. “You’re not going to like this one.”

“Why?” Chris asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he took the page Shining handed him. He looked at the name and frowned as well. It read Garion Stelwyng. “We might as well not even conduct this interview,” Chris said in a low voice as he set the page down between them.

“Have a little faith,” Shining replied. “Nopony chooses their father. Maybe he’ll surprise us.”

He already surprised us once,Sam growled within Chris’ mind. Chris’ frown deepened but before he could respond to his brother the door opened. Garion stepped through the door as Chris and Shining stood up.

“Garion Stelwyng?” Shining asked in practice. “I’m Captain Armor and this is Captain Scott, we will be conducting you’re interview. Captain Scott will explain further.”

The dark griffon turned to Chris as he started speaking. “This interview is to judge your strength of character. Rangers are known for their moral compasses, and it is a quality I would like to see continued in my team. We ask that you answer every question truthfully and completely. Do you understand what we are asking of you?”

“I understand… sir,” Garion spoke the last word with barely concealed malice.

Little punk, Sam growled. Chris kept a straight face as they all sat down, but he’d be lying if he said the griffon wasn’t grating on his patience. He threw a look to Shining who took the cue and started the interview.

“Alright, Garion,” he began, “what exactly led you to want to pursue a position as a Ranger?”

“Rangers are supposed to be the best,” the griffon replied. “And the operation’s going to need someone with some skill.”

“I see,” Shining said, struggling to keep a frown off his face. “So, what do you think of the Rangers’ mission?”

Here Garion gave a huff of laughter. “Taking the fight to Mondo? Garbage. The plan would only work to get the team killed.”

“Then we go back to our first question,” Chris finally spoke up. “Why are you here if you don’t agree with the mission?”

Garion turned his head to put a hard stare on him. “I’m the best,” he stated. “I’m here to make sure the Rangers work for the Resistance, not get us all killed. I can make sure that doesn’t happen."

Chris sat back in his seat and Shining took the reins again. “So, you care about the wellbeing of everypony in the Resistance.”

Garion gave a snort. “Sure, as long as we take back Griffonstone when this is over.”

Shining didn’t say anything, but matched Chris’ posture by sitting back. “Thank you, Garion, for your honesty.” Shining and Chris stood and Garion followed. “Captain Scott and I will think over what you’ve told us and you’ll be notified with the rest of those moving on to the final trial before nightfall. You are dismissed.”

Garion gave a nod before turning and exiting the room. When the door closed, both Captains let out heated breaths. “You see what he’s trying to do, right?” Chris asked, turning to the stallion and leaning one hand against the table.

“It’s a power play,” Shining answered simply. “Ranger Ops. is something Guntram can have absolutely no power over, unless he has somepony on the inside.”

“And who better than his own son?” Chris finished.

“Too bad Garion isn’t much of a politic,” Shining said, picking up a stack of papers and knocking them on the table. “We saw through him and can stop his approach.”

“No.”

Shining turned his head to Chris quickly, a question on his face. “What do you mean ‘no’?”

“Guntram’s smart,” Chris started. “This is a two pronged attack. If we refuse Garion, he can turn this around as some kind of grudge holding. But Guntram has forgotten about the final test.”

“The test of strength,” Shining said. “So, you’re going to let him through?”

“Yes,” Chris said matter of factly. “And he’ll get the same treatment as everyone else.”

Firefly opened the door to her and Medley’s room and walked through the door. Medley looked up from her reading chair in the corner. “Oh, hey Fly,” she greeted happily as she put a bookmark in her book before setting it down on the table beside the chair. “How did your interview go?”

Firefly let out a groan as she made her way to the bed before flopping into it. “It was terrible, Medley,” she muttered. “That test earlier had my head on the fritz, and all the questions they asked were really… different.”

“How so?” Medley asked, sitting forward a little so as not to miss anything.

“They were just so…,” Firefly trailed off, moving her hand in a circular motion as she tried to come up with the right word. “I don’t know, unexpected? Like they were trying to analyze everything about me through everything I said.”

“That is what an interview is for,” Medley pointed out.

“I know,” the pink pegasus replied. “This was just so much more… well, more.”

“You’re just nervous about the results,” her friend assured her. “As soon as the results are announced you’ll be fine.”

As if on cue, the small speaker in the corner of their room sounded out. “Attention all Ranger Operations recruits,” Captain Scott’s voice rang out, “your interviews have been thought over and the forty draftees moving on to tomorrow's final test have been chosen. In alphabetical order they are; Applejack, Straight Arrow, Pearl Aurora, Sweetie Belle, Urza Bloodknuckle, Thunder Bolt, Ice Breeze, River Breeze, Onyx Bristle, Lila Charm, Lucky Clovertail, Ivory Fire, Firefly,” the pink and blue pegasus gulped, “Crimson Flash, Gaia Forresttail, Eleta Ghostwing, Toonbur Gloryhunter, Amber Glow, Apollo Greentalon, Horris Irontail, Loolo Jaggedhorns, Shogun Jewelpaw, Scarlet Light, Silver Mane, Starry Night, Hemera Phantombeak, Wild Road, Thunder Rock, Asteria Roseclaw, Honey Song, Comet Star, Adlar Starclaw, Cobalt Steel, Garion Stelwyng, Roxanne Stonepaw, Dynamo Thundermane, Jaron Thunderroar, Spud Truehoof, Dew Twirl, and Ruby Wings. Congratulations to all of you. Tomorrow’s test will be a series of tournament style fights against your fellow recruits. Five of you will make it into the ring with me. How you conduct yourselves throughout your fights will be taken into account as well, so simply winning a fight is not enough to make it onto the team. That goes for making it to the final round as well. The trial will begin at exactly twelve o’clock. Be there and be ready. Good luck to you all.”

The signal cut out and the two mares slowly turned to one another, each with different expressions. “You did it!” Medley screamed in excitement as she jumped forward and wrapped Firefly in a crushing hug.

Firefly’s face was one of horror. “What have I gotten myself into?”

Chris sat at his desk, looking through each of the profiles for the eightieth time. Seems we’ve got some admirable picks, Sam stated as Chris looked over the profile of a pink mare.

“Yeah, but I’m worried about some of them,” Chris replied out loud, as there was no chance of anyone hearing him through the office door. “This mare for instance. She did great on the test and nailed the interview, but she’s got some pretty rough competition.”

Don’t write her off so soon, Sam told him. She may surprise us.

“Yeah,” Sam replied quietly. He put the pages away and picked up another. He frowned when he saw Garion’s picture. “Of all the fighters to make it to the finals, I hope he’s one of them.”

You want to knock him down a peg, don’t you? Sam asked with a grin in his voice.

“Him and his father,” Chris agreed. He put the papers aside just as there was a knock on his door. “Come in,” he called.

Sunset opened the door and entered the room. “It’s almost time, Chris,” she told him. He looked at the clock on his desk and saw that it read eleven fifty-seven.

“On my way,” he said, standing to his feet and collecting the profiles. Sunset gave a nod and exited the room. Chris finished getting the papers together and slipped them into a portfolio. He tucked the case under his arm and exited the room, grabbing his jacket on the way out.

He closed the door and let go off the brief case, letting it float in a vortex of wind magic as he put his jacket on and input a code to “lock” the door to his office. He grabbed the case out of the air and made his way around the ring. When he came around it, he found Sunset Shimmer, Shining Armor, Starlight Glimmer, Chrysalis, Nightmare Moon, and Lyra standing behind a wooden podium. The recruits stood on the other side of the podium, waiting patiently. Chris approached the stand and put the case down on it.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” Chris began just as his morpher turned to twelve. “I’m glad to see that you could all make it. As you all know-” Before he could continue, the door to the training room burst open and Firefly ran in, wearing a gray track jacket with the sleeves rolled up, a dark pink tank top visible underneath, a pair of black athletic shorts and black tennis shoes. The pegasus stopped as every eye in the room turned to her. “Ah, welcome, Miss Firefly,” Chris said. “Right on time for you to join us.” Firefly seemed to shrink down and merged with the crowd.

“Now that we’re all here,” Chris began again. “You all know that this is going to be a tournament style test. You will each fight at least one round, and the winners will move on to the next round. Five of you will make it to the final round and face off against me. Remember, just because you make it to the final round does not mean you make it onto the team. All of your actions will be taken into account, not just your fighting skills. All the in-field operation Captains are here to evaluate you, and Lyra will be our acting referee. With that said, let’s begin.” Chris turned from the draftees and opened the face on his morpher. He tapped the display a few times and a holographic tournament map appeared over the octagon. “First fight, Applejack versus Straight Arrow. Please enter the ring and prepare yourselves.”

Applejack and a green stallion with a blonde mane walked forward and into the cage, Lyra following after them. The combatants each took an opposite corner of the ring and turned to face each other. Lyra stepped into the middle of the ring. “Alright you, two, and everypony else,” Lyra threw a look out to the recruits outside the ring. “I’m only going to say this once, so listen and listen good. I want nice, clean fights. Keep everything above the belt and protect yourselves at all times. Come to the center, shake hands, and go back to your corners.” AJ and Straight Arrow did as they were told and returned to their respective positions. Lyra looked to AJ. “Are you ready?” Applejack nodded. Lyra turned to look at Straight Arrow. “Are you ready?” The stallion nodded his head as well. Lyra nodded back and raised her hand in the air. “Both fighters ready. Fight!” She dropped her hand and jumped backward just as both ponies lunged at one another. The Ranger Tournament had begun.

Midnight Sparkle waited beside a pedestal holding dark crystal, waiting impatiently. Finally, a red shimmer ran across the crystal and black fog began to seep out of it. A dark cloud formed above the jewel, before a pair of green and red eyes peered from the darkness, purple mist flowing from them. “What do you want, witch?” Sombra’s voice boomed.

“I need a focusing gem,” Midnight replied bluntly.

Sombra gave a snort. “And you can’t make one of your own?” He growled out.

“My skill in generating large crystals is not as fine tuned as your own,” Midnight said rolling her eyes. “Only you can create a gem that is both large and precise enough for my needs.”

Sombra was silent for a moment. “This will cost you,” he stated lowly.

“It always does,” Midnight said, impatience in her voice. “Do we have an agreement or not?” She asked, holding her hand up, the palm facing upward.

Sombra was silent again. “Yes,” he hissed out as black fog shifted forward and engulfed the alicorn’s hand. The dark cloud built up slowly, swirling around ominously. It slowly began to fade away leaving behind a perfectly formed toxic green crystal about the size of her fist.

Midnight’s face lit up in a disturbing grin. “Perfect,” she purred before she began to turn away.

“Do not forget our deal, Sparkle,” Sombra called after her. “Because I will not.”

There was a hissing sound and Midnight turned to see the black cloud flow back into the crystal it had been summoned from. Midnight stared for a moment. “No, you will not,” she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned and threw open a curtain, unveiling the rest of her lab. She walked through the maze of tables containing various glassware and foreign contraptions. She continued walking until she came to a white sheet. She looked it up and down and a wicked grin slid into life across her face. “But by the time you call on it, there’ll be no need for you in the Empire.” She pulled away the sheet with a quick tug of her magic revealing the beginnings of large robot.

Midnight’s grin widened as she held the focusing gem up and moved it towards the machine. A panel in the back of the automaton glowed in Midnight’s teal aura and opened up. She pressed the crystal into the chamber and the circuitry began to glow the same green. “And with your contribution,” she pulled her hand away from the crystal, a misty duplicate splitting from the main gem, “I’m one step closer to making you obsolete.” She turned with the copy in her hand and walked over to another table as the main body of the robot powered up.

On the table sat a box shaped chamber. She lifted the crystal and placed it in the box, and glass panels closed around it. The equipment lit up around the gadget, and white energy began to flow from the case into small tubes and finally into several chambers. The energy dripped into the molds like a liquid and slowly, new crystals began to form within them. As the gems solidified, they took on the same poisonous green glow that cast a wicked light on the room. Midnight’s eyes gleamed with teal light and her features twisted into a twisted and evil smile.

Chris and the other judges looked on as Garion and Jaron Thunderroar battled it out for the final spot. Still want him to make it to that final round? Sam asked as the Griffon slammed a few punches into the Minotaur’s torso.

Chris rubbed his chin in thought as the large bovine slammed into the cage wall. Yeah, Chris finally replied as Lyra ran over to Jaron and began counting down. Yeah, I do.

Lyra stood up and motioned toward Garion. “Winner by knockout, Garion Stelwyng!” Garion raised his chin in response and exited the ring. Lyra cast a rejuvenation spell on the knocked out Minotaur, and his eyes fluttered open. Chris and Shining climbed into the ring to help the massive fighter to his feet. Everyone exited the cage and Jaron took a seat on a nearby bench while Shining and Lyra lined up with the other judges and Chris once again took his place at the podium.

“With the conclusion of this round,” Chris began, facing the fighters who had both won and lost. “We have our five finalists; Applejack, Sweetie Belle, Firefly, Cobalt Steel, and Garion Stelwyng. You will all continue on to the final round. The fight will consist of a single five minute round, and I will be judging your abilities directly. Your results will be handed out as soon as the fight ends. And please,” here he looked towards Cobalt, “no holding back. Without further ado, Applejack, would you please join me in the arena.”

The farmpony, dressed in a black shirt with white sleeves, denim skirt and vest, the skirt held up by a black belt with a small gold buckle and her cutie mark sewed into the lower right, black leggings and boots finishing her look, nodded in response and followed Chris as he made his way to the entrance of the arena. They stepped in and took up opposite corners. Chris turned to face AJ as Lyra started to enter the ring. “Hey, Lyra,” Chris said, catching the unicorn’s attention. “Maybe you should teleport out of the ring when we get started.

“If that’s what you think, Chris,” her face turned a little more serious. “Are you ready?” He gave a nod. She turned to Applejack. “Are you ready?” The blonde pony also gave a nod. “Alright,” Lyra looked forward and raised her hand. “Both fighters ready.” Chris threw a grin towards Applejack, which she returned and raised her fists. “Fight!” Lyra shouted. She blinked out of existence and both fighters rushed forward.

AJ struck out first with a right haymaker as they met in the middle. Chris dodged his head down and to the right, feeling a rush of air go past him. He launched an uppercut with his right fist. Applejack reacted quickly and caught the attack with her left hand. A gleam went through her green eyes as she jumped into the air, using Chris’ fist to lift herself up. She raised her left leg up and around before swinging it down in an axe kick. Chris’ eyes widened in surprise and was barely able to bring up his left hand to catch her heel. He pushed her away, and she twisted through the air and landed perfectly on her feet.

“Jeez, AJ,” Chris commented, as he rushed forward, his left fist reared back “I didn’t know you were pulling punches earlier.”

“Ah didn’t want ta disappoint,” Applejack replied with a smirk, as she prepared for the oncoming strike. Chris made to throw his fist forward before launching his leg forward in a kick. AJ’s eyes widened in surprise at the faint, but managed to bring her right arm up to block the attack. She jabbed with her left and Chris jumped back to avoid the punch. Applejack dashed forward and pressed her advantage, throwing punches in quick succession. Chris did his best to block and dodge the farm pony's onslaught but finally ran out of room as his back hit the opposite side of the cage.

Chris’ eyes widened as Applejack’s fist sailed towards his face. Chris buzzed out of existence and the earth pony’s fist slammed into the cage, sending out a shockwave. AJ tuned quickly to see the human buzz back into being in the middle of the ring, facing her.

“Heh,” AJ breathed. “Guess Ah shouldn’t expect ya ta hold back either.”

“We can’t afford to hold back on the battlefield,” Chris responded, dropping down into a fighting stance as light orange Static began to play around his body.

Applejack gave a short laugh. “Ah guess not.” Suddenly, the air around the pony began to shimmer and grow heavy. She lunged forward, rushing forward as the air was forced out of her way. Chris readied himself, and when the mare reached him, he threw his fist out for a right hook. Applejack planted herself right in front of him and dodged the hook, throwing her right fist forward. Chris moved his head out of the way and threw out his left fist as he retracted his right. Their arms and fists became blurs to the onlookers as each tried to find purchase.

Finally, their fists met, AJ’s right and Chris’ left, and a shock wave radiated out. Both fighters paused, sweat rolling down their faces as they panted for air. Their eyes suddenly hardened and they leaped backward, each now standing in the opposite corner they started in.

“You know, AJ,” Chris began as he still tried to regain his breath. “I never asked what made you want to try for the Ranger Ops.. You had every opportunity to join Spec. or Field Ops., but you chose to stay in the agriculture department. Why now?”

Applejack took a few more heavy breaths before closing and opening her eyes slowly. “This war is changin’,” she began. “Ah took this as an opportunity ta see where Ah stood, if Ah still wanted ta sit on the sidelines or join somethin’ bigger.”

“Have you made up your mind?” Chris asked as his breath finally leveled out and his body tensed up.

The Earth pony took a few more breaths before she too tensed up. “Yes.” Both fighters lunged forward, their fists reared back. They met in the middle and swung their arms forward, the wind whistling off their knuckles. AJ’s fist collided with Chris’ jaw, and his fist met her midriff. And the buzzer sounded. Both combatants stood unmoving for a moment. Slowly, they moved away from one another, uncurling their fists as they did. Chris stepped back and a smile lit up his features.

“Applejack,” he began, “welcome to Ranger-”

“Ah decline.”

Chris stopped and his eyes widened in shock before his features relaxed and a soft smile touched his lips. “Fair enough. Mind if I ask why?”

“When this whole thing started,” AJ began, “Big Mac was put into Special Operations because he was the Element of Honesty. Me an’ Bloom worried about ‘im constantly, but Bloom was far worse than Ah was. She pushed herself in everything she did, but it wasn’t enough for her. She learned medicine from Zecora, and never stopped until she was head of the Med. team, and still she worries. Ah don’t need to give her another reason ta worry, but I had ta make sure Ah could protect her if Ah needed ta.”

Chris stood silently for a moment, not saying anything as his hand met his chin. Finally, his face cracked into a grin. “Well,” he began, moving his arms down and putting his hands in his pockets. “You certainly proved yourself today.” He took a step forward and removed his right hand from his pocket to hold it out to her. “If you ever change your mind, give me shout.”

Applejack let a smile light up her features. “Ah’ll keep that in mind,” she replied, reaching out and grasping his hand in a firm handshake. They released one another and made their way out of the ring. Chris walked back to the microphone while the Earth pony made her way to sit on a bench.

“Alright next in the ring, Firefly,” the pink pegasus tensed up, “but first, a ten minute break.” Firefly let out a relieved breath as Chris walked away from the stand.

He walked over to a refrigerator that seemed slightly out of place among the workout equipment until he opened it to reveal that it held nothing but water bottles. He took out three bottles and closed the door before turning around. “If anyone needs a drink, feel free,” he called before moving behind the ring and out of sight.

Firefly stood still, trying to stay out of the way of the other competitors. Eventually though, her curiosity got the better of her and she snuck around the arena. She stopped just before turning the final corner and peeked around it. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

Chris sat in meditation as seven globes of water floated in front of him. Static began to play around his body, and lanced into each of the orbs. The spheres began to glow with different colors; red, blue, green, yellow, black, gray, and white. As she watched in amazement, a single tendril of water began to trail from each orb. The tendrils made their way slowly towards the center, making the whole formation look like a spiral. Before the tendrils connected, they made a swift turn and collided with one another, forming a circle. As time went on and the orbs continued to rotate in front of Chris, the circle began to crackle with energy and a glowing symbol began to form within it. Just as the glow reached its apex, the water holding the magic began to crackle with Static and Chris grimaced as if he were straining against something. The symbol in the middle flooded out and filled the circle that contained it before a shockwave burst outwards, knocking Chris backward and out of his meditation.

“Verdammt,” Chris said out loud as he recovered from the concussive blast. Suddenly, a buzzer went off. Firefly jerked and her eyes widened. She turned and darted towards the front of the ring but ran into a solid mass. She would have fallen backward had somepony not caught her. She looked up at the one that had helped her, and her eyes widened. It was the dark Earth pony, Cobalt Steel.

“Are you unharmed, my lady,” he seemed to ask.

“W-what?” She asked in shock.

“I said, could you stop staring at me?” He said again. “It’s creepy.”

“O-oh,” she said, a blush lighting up her face. Cobalt, wearing his usual attire, helped her get her balance back.

“You should probably get going,” he told her as she finally got back to her feet. “You’re up next after all.”

“Y-yeah, right,” she stuttered as she hurried passed lowering her face so he wouldn’t see the red that was starting to show through her fur. She made it to the front of the arena and blended into the crowd just as Chris came around the other corner.

“It seems it’s time for the second match,” Chris said into the microphone. “Firefly, if you would please join me in the ring.” The mare swallowed nervously and followed Chris as he made his way into the octagon. They took their positions on each side of the arena. Lyra teleported in just as Chris began to turn towards them.

Lyra looked towards Firefly. “Are you ready?” The pink pegasus gave a nervous nod. The unicorn turned her head to Chris. “Are you ready?” Chris gave a smile and nodded as well. Lyra gave a nod and faced forward, lifting her hand. “Both fighters ready. Fight!” She dropped her hand and teleported out of the ring.

Chris made to lunge forward, only to stop when Firefly disappeared. “What the?” he asked, blinking in surprise. He suddenly felt something slam into his left arm and side. It was enough to unbalance him, but little else. Though he did rush to his right and make a sharp turn to face the direction of the assault. Firefly’s eyes shot open and she quickly darted out of view again. Chris jumped back and put his back as close to the cage as possible. How’s she doing that? Chris asked internally.

I don’t- MOVE! Sam yelled.

Chris rolled to his right just as the pink mare reappeared in front of where he was standing and slammed a number punches into the cage wall. The resounding shockwaves rocked the arena. Chris’ eyes widened in shock. Where was she hiding that!?! Chris asked wildly.

Just don’t get caught by any of those, Sam warned. Chris nodded and lunged forward, his arm cocked backward. Firefly took notice and jumped away. He was forced to stop and looked around quickly, searching for the pink mare. He then felt a force slam into his back. He toppled forward, but felt a dozen or so more attacks slam into him. The punches finally stopped raining down on him and he quickly dashed away and turned to face his opponent. Firefly stood in a front stance, her right fist forward and her left at her waist, her knuckles smoking as she tried to catch her breath.

That’s not smoke, Sam informed. Chris took a closer look.

That’s vapor, Chris said in realization. Are you telling me-

She’s using her using her weather magic to make herself faster, Sam confirmed.

Chris thought for a moment before a slight grin appeared on his face. Then let’s give her something more of a challenge. Green Static danced around his body and suddenly flung himself into the air, a vortex of wind supporting him. Firefly jerked her gaze upward in surprise and quickly followed, her wings powering her through the air.

As soon as Firefly gained enough altitude, Chris rushed forward and threw a left jab. Rather than dodge the attack, Firefly diverted the attack with her arm before kicking out with her left leg. Chris dropped several feet to allow the limb to sail over his head. He then rushed upward, throwing his right fist up in a powerful uppercut. Firefly’s eyes widened in surprise, and she threw her head and body backward. Chris rushed passed her and flipped around until he was facing her from above. As Firefly recovered from her sudden maneuver, Chris began to press Firefly back towards the ring. Firefly dodged or diverted Chris’ punches, but she couldn’t help but be pushed down towards the ground. Eventually, she felt her feet touch back down on the arena floor. Chris smirked at her from above and phased out of existence.

Firefly quickly threw her focus to the area in front of her and saw Chris rushing forward, right fist reared back. Firefly rushed her own right jab, but Chris leaned his head out of the way. Her eyes widened as his fist drew nearer. But the blow never came. The punch flew passed her head, and a shock wave followed it, almost disturbing her balance with its force. She stared doe-eyed in shock until the bell rang moments later.

Chris straightened up, a smile on his face. “Miss Firefly,” he said gently, bringing her back to her senses. “You’ve done extraordinarily well during this test and the others. I would say that you’ve passed without a doubt.” He stretched his hand towards her. “Welcome to Ranger Ops..”

Firefly looked between Chris’ smiling face and his outstretched hand. Finally, her shoulders relaxed and a smile touched her face. She reached out her hand and they shook. “Thank you,” she said in relief.

Chris let out a small chuckle. “The pleasure is mine. Welcome to the family.” They released one another and exited the ring. Chris once again took the mic. “The next match will be in ten minutes. Sweetie Belle, that’s you.”

The off-white unicorn, dressed in her mage outfit which looked like a blue greek dress with black accents, loose sleeves and the hood pulled down with lace sandals that came up just below her knee, nodded and walked away from the group. She stopped a short distance away and waved her hand over a charm on her left wrist. In a flash of light, her staff appeared in front of her. She caught the staff in her telekinesis before settling on the floor. She folded her legs underneath her and closed her eyes in meditation.

A small half smile played on Chris’ face as he watched her before going back to the fridge, grabbing three more water bottles and disappearing behind the arena once more.

Firefly watched each of them and began to wonder how this fight would go.

“This should be interesting.”

Firefly jumped at the sudden voice and turned quickly to find Cobalt standing behind her. “Are you going to make a habit of that,” she asked in frightened irritation.

The tall pony gave a small amused grin. “I’ll try not to,” he said with mischievous look in his eye before he looked back towards the cage. “What are your thoughts on the next match?” He asked.

Firefly was silent for a moment as she looked towards Sweetie Belle then to where Chris had disappeared behind the ring. “I don’t know,” Firefly finally answered. “But I hope the ring has some sort of barrier around it.”

“It does look like it’s going to be a battle of magic,” Cobalt agreed. “I haven’t gotten to see much of either of their magic, so I’m sure whatever happens we’ll at least get a good show.” The timer above the octagon counted to zero and the buzzer went off. There was a bright green flash and a blur of Yellow Static as both combatants appeared in the ring, both ready for the fight.

Chris and Sweetie stared hard at one another as Lyra walked into the ring and took her position. She turned to Chris without hesitation. “Are you ready?” Chris nodded and she looked towards Sweetie. “Are you ready?” The unicorn nodded and her staff transformed back into a charm and attached itself to her bracelet. Lyra faced forward and raised her hand. “Both fighters ready. Fight!” She teleported out and the match began.

Sweetie’s green aura glowed around her hands and horn before she launched a blast of energy out of her right hand. Chris dodged to the side and activated his Red Static. Red danced around his body and he moved his right arm over to his other shoulder before sweeping it back, launching three balls of fire at Sweetie. The unicorn didn’t even flinch as she swept her hand in front of her, creating a green wall of magic that absorbed the attack. She twisted her hand around so that the energy from the wall built up in her hand and threw the energy at Chris. He crossed his arms in front of him, metal washing over them before the attack slammed into him, splitting into three separate blasts that curved around him. Chris lowered his arms to reveal his face, a huge grin on his face.

“Just like old times,” Chris said as he took up a back stance, the grin still on his face.

“If that’s what you call them,” Sweetie answered, a small smile reaching her lips too as she stepped into her own back stance. The two stared one another for a moment before a signal that only they could sense. Yellow Static rushed into Chris’ left hand and Green rushed to his right, Sweetie’s own green aura rushed into her hands and she unleashed a spiral of energy at Chris, the twin beams twisting around each other. Chris by bringing his hands back and together, merging the Static together until a ball of lavender energy flared and he launched it forward to meet with the oncoming spell.

The two energies collided and generated a swirling ball of differing colors began to build up between the two beams. Neither combatant gave an inch, pouring as much power into this single attack as they could. A whirlwind picked and started to cause havoc around the room. Most of those present began to back away from the arena, in fear of what would come next. Firefly Put an arm in front of her eyes, both to get a better look at what was happening and to protect her head if it came to that. Eventually though, the wind became to much and she was forced to close her eyes. Suddenly, the wind wasn’t as powerful and she looked up to see Cobalt Steel in front of her, his back partially blocking most of the force.

“Come on,” he said loudly so he could be heard. “We need to get to the back of the room where it’s safer.” Firefly only nodded before turning and making her towards where everypony else had gathered. Once she and the stallion joined them, the unicorns and Chrysalis began to form a shield of magic that quickly nullified the winds.

Inside the ring, sweat began to form on Chris’ brow. Come on, bro, Sam grunted as he combined his focus with Chris’. We can’t keep this up!

Just a little longer, Chris insisted, unaware that Sweetie was also reaching the end of her rope. Chris brought his arms back, closer to his chest and shoved them forward, sending one last burst through his wave of energy. The build-up in the center started to inch towards Sweetie Belle, who took notice and pushed her own energy through, ceasing the orb’s movement, but it was enough. The ball of energy began to brighten until it was pure white before detonating outward. The shock wave made the entire room quake, and the magic users felt an enormous pressure on their shield as the force passed over them.

Chris and Sweetie stood panting in the ring, sweat dripping from both of them. Neither of them moved for a long moment until Chris got a strange look in his eye. He took in a final breath and stood to his full height and began to stalk towards Sweetie. He came to a stop in front of her and she only looked up into his eyes. As he stared down at her he lifted his hand and stretched it towards her slowly just to stop and poke her lightly on the shoulder. He let a smile spread over his face. “Tag,” he said, “you’re it.”

Sweetie gave a short laugh. “Shut up,” she said smiling. The buzzer sounded and Sweetie stood to her full height. “Come on,” she told him. “You’ve still got two more fights.”

“Don’t remind me,” Chris replied with a grin as they made their way out of the cage. Chris approached the stand once more to announce the next match. “Alright,” he breathed slowly as the rest of the rooms occupants returned to their previous positions. “After the break, Cobalt Steel you’re-” A rumbling growl interrupted him. Everyone in the room looked around in surprise, searching for the source of the noise.

Firefly swept her head around the room the same as everypony else until a thought struck her. She slowly raised her gaze up to look at Cobalt’s face. He stood stoically and without expression, as if nothing had happened. Realizing what had happened, Firefly covered her mouth and gave a quiet laugh. Cobalt looked down at her with a raised eyebrow, still refusing to admit to the stomach growl.

“Well,” Chris continued after giving up on locating the culprit. “I guess that’s the signal for a bit of a longer break.” He looked down at his Morpher’s display and read the time. “And no wonder,” he said out loud before putting the device away and looking up. “Cobalt, Garion, I hope you two don’t mind waiting because I think some of us would appreciate a little dinner before we continue. We’ll resume the test in an hour. Dismissed.”

Several very relieved parties left the room quickly without a second thought, among them a tall, dark blue pony among them.

Chris made his way through the line, tray in hand. He slid into place in front of Heavy Ladle. “Hey, Miss Heavy Ladle,” he said to the mare as he handed her his tray.

“Miss Hea-” she began automatically before stopping and looking up at Chris’ smiling face. She held his gaze for a moment before letting a small smile light up her face. “Afternoon, Chris. How are the trials going?” She asked as she portioned put his meal.

“Slow,” he admitted. “But they’re really exciting. I’m seeing skills and magic I’ve never even imagined.”

Heavy Ladle gave a quiet laugh. “No shortage of capable individuals then?” She questioned as she handed him his food.

“Definitely not,” Chris answered as he took the tray. “I better be careful or I might be out of a job.”

The mare gave another short laugh. “I doubt that,” she replied.

Chris grinned. “Yeah, me too,” he said as he began to turn away. “See you later, Miss Ladle.”

“I’ll see you later, Chr-” She stopped as she took the tray from the next in line and threw a look at Chris’ back as he walked away, trying not to smile as she did so.

Chris and Cobalt stood on each side of the arena, waiting for Lyra to start the match. “I guess we finally get to figure it out, huh?” Chris asked his opponent, his ever present grin on his face.

Cobalt nodded. “I guess we will,” he answered, his face stoic.

Chris’ smile wavered for a moment. “But like i said before, no more holding back.” He looked at the “Earth pony” with a deadly serious gaze.

Cobalt returned his gaze before looking back towards the crowd outside the cage. He stared for a moment, his eyes searching them. He finally turned his eyes back to Chris. Chris stared back, waiting for the dark stallion’s decision.

Before he could make a move though, Lyra teleported in. “Sorry for the wait, everypony.” She looked towards Chris. “Are you ready?” Chris threw a look towards Cobalt before nodding his head. Lyra nodded back and looked towards Cobalt. “Are you ready?” The stallion didn’t say anything for a while, only stared at Chris. “Mr. Steel?” Lyra asked, concern forming on her face.

“No,” Cobalt finally answered. He lifted his hands and unzipped his heavy canvas jacket. He slid the jacket into his right hand and he slowly unfurled the bat-like wings on his back. He finally broke his gaze away from Chris and looked down at the jacket in his hand. He changed his gaze to Lyra and threw his jacket over the cage where it hung. “Now I’m ready.”

Lyra nodded at him and turned towards the crowd and raised her arm. “Both fighters ready. Fight!” She dropped her hand and teleported away. The two fighters rushed each other, cloaking themselves in their energies. Shadows flowed from Cobalt’s fists, eyes, and the membranes of his wings as orange Static danced around Chris’ body. Cobalt swung out with his right fist and Chris mirrored with his left. Their fists met and the air rippled out. Their eyes met, gray versus yellow, and they began to throw punches at an extraordinary rate, their knuckles cracking against one another as their hands met in midair time and again.

Chris’ right fist finally met Cobalt’s left with a resounding boom and the two combatants rushed back and away from one another. “Not bad,” Chris said, “but let’s see how you handle magic!” Without warning, he swept his hands forward as Blue Static rushed over his arms and launched several spikes of ice at the Thestral. Cobalt responded by stepping back with his right foot as he moved his left arm and wing in front of his body. Shadows engulfed his wing and the ice shards shattered against the misty wall. Cobalt wasted no time moving his arm and wing out of the way before stepping forward with his right foot and thrusting his right fist forward, shadows covering his hand. Tendrils of dark mist shot from the globe of shadows and wrapped themselves around Chris’ limbs and torso.

Chris looked down in surprise before looking back up quickly. “Uh-oh,” he muttered. Cobalt jerked his arm backward and Chris was dragged forward at tremendous speeds. Chris saw the stallion draw his left arm over his chest again. Oh, this is going to hurt, he said internally.

Bracing for impact! [Sam shouted and the sound of a seat belt being buckled played in Chris’ head. He ignored it and focused his magic, metal beginning to cover his upper torso and throat. He reached Cobalt and the stallion swung his arm out, catching Chris just under his chin causing him to flip backward and slam into the mat. Chris grimaced as his metallic skin just barely managed to catch the blow. He opened his eyes and rolled out of the way as Cobalt stomped on the floor, sending out a shadowy shock wave. Chris rolled back to his feet and faced Cobalt. Red and Green Static rushed towards his throat and jaw. He opened mouth and intense flames rushed out with a roar. Cobalt’s eyes widened in surprise and jumped into the air, using the sudden rising heat to boost gain altitude faster. The rest of the fireball left Chris’ lips and he jerked his focus upward to Cobalt before leaping into the air after him.

The Thestral didn’t wait for Chris to approach him, instead Cobalt dove towards him, his wings covered in shadow. Chris’ eyes widened and he quickly activated his Yellow Static, charging his body with lightning and stretched his right arm out, condensing the electricity into his right palm. The fighters raced towards one another and rushed past each other, light flashing briefly. They came to a stop and landed on either side of the ring. The buzzer went off and the two faced one another before walking to the middle of the ring. They looked ready to tear eachother apart and Lyra prepared to jump into the ring until the a huge grin split Chris’ face as a half smile appeared on Cobalt’s. They reached their arms out and shook hands.

“Welcome to the team, Cobalt,” Chris said. Cobalt nodded in return and the two made their way out of the cage. They parted ways at the door, Chris going towards the mic and Cobalt towards the crowd. Before he could rejoin them, a dark figure stepped in front of him. He looked up and met Garion’s amber eyes.

“You lied to me,” Garion stated coldly.

Cobalt stared into his eyes. “I never lied,” he responded. “I just never told you.”

Garion narrowed his eyes. “You know what my opinions are.” Garion looked the dark pony up and down. “You’re nothing more than a freak-”

There was a loud smack and the Griffon’s head lurched to the side as everything went quiet. Garion . Garion didn’t move for a moment until he finally turned his head back to its original position and looked down.

Firefly stood between him and Cobalt, her arm and hand still moving back from her slap. She stared up defiantly at the big Griffon and a growl started to leave his throat. He suddenly drew his fist back and swung only to be stopped as Chris grabbed a hold of his wrist.

Garion turned his head to look the young man in the eyes, his gaze full of fury. Chris returned the stare with his own steely gaze, never letting go of his wrist. “Get in the ring,” Chris growled dangerously.

Garion stared at him a moment longer before yanking his arm from Chris’ grasp and made his way to the octagon. Chris turned and followed after him, but was stopped by Sweetie before he could enter the arena.

“What about your cool down?” She asked worriedly, her hand on his shoulder.

Chris looked down at her and his expression softened. He looked at her hand on his shoulder and moved to cover it with his own. “Somethings,” he began, looking back into her eyes, “are more important than our personal needs.” He took her hand in his, lifting it off his shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze before he continued his way into the ring.

He walked to his side of the ring and turned to face the dark Griffon, his face hardening again as their eyes met. Lyra teleported into the middle and looked back and forth between the two fighters. After a few times, she let out a breath and steeled herself before turning to look at Chris. “Are you ready?” The young man nodded and she turned to the Griffon. “Are you-”

“Get on with it!” Garion said sharply, cutting off the Unicorn. Chris’ eye twitched and Lyra frowned as she turned away and lifted her hand.

“Both fighters ready. Fight!” There was a second loud smack as Lyra teleported out of the ring. Everyone in the room blinked as Chris moved his hand back from slapping Garion a second time, his body flashing with Green and White Static. For a moment, everything was still and extremely quiet. Then, a low growl could be heard as Garion curled up his fist. The Griffon launched his fist forward with a roar, only to have it pass through thin air. He looked up in surprise to find Chris standing in the middle of the arena, White and Green Static still dancing around his form.

“You enjoy making others feel small,” Chris growled out. “Worthless. Weak.” Chris eyes darkened. “Why don’t I put you on the receiving end of such punishment.” The Static arced across his body and into the air, separating and forming two orbs, one green, one white. The air around Chris began to shimmer like a mirage as other forms of Static started to do the same. Soon the first two spheres were joined by four others; red, blue, yellow, and black. They formed a circle in front of him and began spinning clockwise.

Cobalt and Firefly’s eyes widened and they exchanged a look of realization, before they started to step back from the arena. Tendrils began to trail from the orbs and made their way towards the center where they collided and formed a circle, a glowing symbol beginning to form within. The symbol, an eight pointed star, finished forming and a flash of light blinded everyone in the room. Garion opened his eyes and looked towards the human, only to step back in shock. Static that shone silvery red and blue arced over his body, and his hair stood on end, as if blown upward by a strong wind. But what caught the Griffon’s attention were his eyes. Chris’ eyes were the same gray as before, but now the whites glowed with the same light as his Static. And they were staring right at him.

Garion took a step back. “You’re a monster,” the Griffon stuttered out, fear clear in his voice. Suddenly, Chris was mere inches from him, his features stone cold.

“No,” he said lowly. “I’m actually a real nice guy. That’s why I’m going to give you the last punch.” The young man took a few steps back, his expression never changing. “Make it-” There was a loud boom as Garion rushed forward and slammed his fist into Chris’ face. “Count,” Chris finished.

Garion’s eyes widened and he lowered his fist to find the human’s face unchanged. The dark Griffon began to back away, trying to put as much distance between himself and Chris. “My turn.” The simple words sent chills up Garion’s back as he watched Chris drop back in preparation for an attack. His eyes widened in realization before the human rushed forward. The Griffon screwed his eyes shut and through his arms up, cowering before the attack. But it never came.

After a few moments, Garion opened his eyes to see Chris standing in front of him, a frown on his face. “Get out,” Chris growled before the energy around him began to die down and he slowly returned to normal. “You will never be a Ranger,” he stated before he turned and began to walk out of the cage only to stop and look over his shoulder. “And tell your father if he wants to settle something, he can do it himself.” He turned around and continued on his way out.

The moment he exited the ring, the crowd exploded in cheers. Chris looked up in surprise, only for his astonsihment to turn into a smile. He walked forward and Firefly stopped in front of him. “Thank you,” she said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear above the crowd.

Chris smile widened a little. “It was no-”

CHRIS, LOOK OUT!!!

Time seemed to slow down as Chris turned around to see Garion rushing towards him, a dagger in his hand and a wild look in his eyes. Chris activated his Static, silver and yellow electricity flooding over his body. A flash of green suddenly flashed between the two, and Sweetie Belle materialized out of thin air. Chris’ eyes widened and he pushed his Static faster. I’m not going to make it! He thought desperately, focusing solely on the only thing the could save her. Time returned to normal and nobody dared breath for several moments. Firefly stood behind Chris, recovering from the shock of the situation. When she did, she built up the courage to peak around the taller being.

Sweetie stood in front of Chris, her arms outstretched, and Garion was stuck in front of her, his arm shaking as he struggled to push the knife forward. The blade in question was surround in dark gray and yellow Static, frozen in midair. When the pink mare looked up at Chris, she found the same colors dancing around his body, especially his eyes. Cobalt and Shining came out of nowhere and tackled the Griffon to the ground, the dagger staying in the air.

With the danger passed, Sweetie stumbled backward, her eyes wide in shock. Chris quickly reached his arms out and caught her by the shoulders, the knife falling out of the air as his Static died down. Chris moved until he was facing her and quickly started checking her. “Are you okay?” He asked frantically. “Are you hurt?”

“N-no,” Sweetie muttered, her eyes wide after the close call.

Chris let out a breath of relief and wrapped her in a hug. “Please,” he started, a slight shutter in his voice, “don’t do that again.”

Sweetie didn’t respond only wrapped her own arms around him, grabbing on to him as she buried her head in his shoulder. Chris put a comforting hand on the back of the mare’s head before he looked up to see Cobalt and Shining Armor escort Garion out of the training room. A frown crossed his features and his eyes narrowed. You will pay for this, Chris promised silently.

Guntram.

Author's Note

What exactly is the new power Chris displayed? How will the new Rangers take to their new roles? What is Midnight planning? But, above all else, what will Chris do with Guntram? Find out next time on DRAGON BALL- I mean, Equestrian Psycho.

Sorry this one took so long to get out, for some reason it gave me trouble. The next chapter probably won't come out any sooner, and the reason being is that I am going to start another Displaced story. I can hear the groans now. I'm going to get the new story up and going, which may take a few chapters, then I'll alternate between stories. But until that happens if you guys have any questions, see a mistake, or have something wacky to share, leave it in the comments below. As always, until next time, have a good one.

Chapter 13- A House Divided

Chapter 13-
A House Divided

A loud banging echoed around the council room as Nightmare banged her gavel against her podium. “All rise,” the Alicorn said, rising to her feet. Every councilor followed her lead, including Ember and Zecora, who had been called from their respective outposts for the event. That event being the trial against both Guntram and Garion for atrocities committed during the Ranger trials. “The trial begins now,” Nightmare said, all of the councilors sitting back down at her nod before she turned to the other side of the room where both accused griffons stood at the end of the councilors’ table.

“Garion Stelwyng,” Nightmare began, the younger griffon straightening up, his face unreadable. “You are charged with assault of an officer, assault of a comrade, and misconduct during an official event. The evidence is as follows. Several credible eyewitness accounts, including those of several officers, and a dagger with your claw prints. How do you plead?”

The young griffon said nothing, did not move, nor did his face change as everyone in the room asides from his father watched him. When it became apparent that he wasn’t going to answer, Nightmare sighed, closing her eyes and giving her head a small shake. “Councillors, take your votes now.”

Winston stood up, one seat over from Chris’ right, instantly, his ears standing straight up. “Not guilty,” he said clearly, remaining on his feet to show his vote had been cast.

Should’ve known that mutt was in on it, Samson growled, anger clear in his voice. Chris made no move or sound to acknowledge him but agreed wholeheartedly with the statement.

Across the table and to Chris’ right, Ember stood to her feet, her gold armor clinking as she did so. “Guilty,” she said, her face a bit angry or annoyed.

Chris looked at her for a moment, trying to pinpoint her motivation for the decision. She probably despises the Stelwyngs as much as the rest of us, Sam commented in his mind, this time Chris sending out a mental head nod in acknowledgment.

At the other end of the table, near Nightmare and between Sunset and Spitfire on Chris’ side, the minotaur, Steel Horn, stood to his feet. “Not guilty,” he said, his deep voice reverberating around the room.

As if on cue, Braeburn, across from Steel Horn, and Marty the donkey, across from Chris and to his left, stood to their feet. “Not guilty,” they both said, their voices slightly nervous.

Chris narrowed his eyes. Even while on trial, he is still influencing them, he growled inwardly. Sam remained quiet this time, but it was easy to tell that his patience was running thin. With that, Chris stood to his feet. “Guilty,” he said, the force in his voice leaving no room for denial.

“Objection!” Winston cried immediately afterward. “Councillor Scott is too emotionally invested in this case.”

Nightmare looked towards Winston for a moment before looking towards Chris. “Do you have a counter argument, Councillor Scott?”

Chris was quiet for a long moment before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “The results of my trials were tampered with, causing what could have been a dangerous result for both Ranger Operations and the Resistance itself,” he began, opening his eyes and looking around at the other councilors. “Not just my life, but the life of one of my recruits, partner, and friend was put in jeopardy. Am I too emotionally invested in this case… yes, I’d say that I am. Therefore, I retract my vote.” With that, Chris sat down in his seat.

Looks were exchanged around the room before any other actions were taken. Shining Armor and Cadance looked towards one another, Cadance across from Chris and Shining across from Winston. “Guilty,” they said, one after another.

“Objection!” Winston said again, this time hitting his palm on the tabletop. “Councillors Armor and Cadenza are collaborating due to personal relationship.”

Nightmare sighed and looked towards Cadance and Shining. “Any arguments against the objection?” She asked.

Shining and Cadance each tried to look at anyone in the room but each other, but, in the end, they looked towards one another. Shining sighed and looked towards Nightmare. “No counter argument, Head Councillor,” he said, his voice and demeanor discontented. “I retract my vote.” With that, he sat down.

Cadance looked dejected as well. “I, too, retract my vote,” she said, sitting back down.

Guntram, who had remained poker-faced, cracked a quick half-smile before shifting back to his blank expression. Only Chris seemed to notice. He wanted this, he stated mentally, a frown coming to his face.

Of course he did, Sam replied. The vote is split down the middle with ten councilors, and we need a majority vote to get convictions. There’s already four ‘not guilties’, one more and they walk.

Chris closed his eyes and took a quiet breath. Let’s just hope that doesn’t happen, Chris replied, propping his elbows on the table and folding his fingers together as he refocused on the proceedings.

Chrysalis stood to her feet and, rather than look at Nightmare who was directly to her left, she turned to the Stelwyngs and looked between them. “Guilty,” she said with an edge to her voice as she locked on to Guntram’s gaze.

“Object-”

“Objection!” Before Winston could get the word out, Chris was back on his feet, his face stone and eyes fire. “Councillor Winston is being influenced by the accused.”

Nightmare looked towards Chris, her expression neutral before facing Winston. “Councillor Winston, do you have an argument against the objection?”

“There is no evidence for the objection to be made,” the diamond dog stated simply, turning to Chris, daring him to counteract him.

“My evidence,” Chris replied, reaching under the table and pulling up his briefcase. “Speaks for itself.” Chris opened his case and took out a large stack of documents. “This is a record of every council meeting where a vote was taken with Councillors Winston and Guntram present. If read through, you will see that there is not a single case where the two did not vote against one another.”

“That proves nothing,” Winston stated, resting his palms on the table. “Unless the fact that we share similar interests is something to be objected to.”

Chris ground his teeth together, the same as his nerves. He reached into his case and pulled out a silver cube with a blue lens on each side. “We are all aware of the new technology the engineering department has come up with correct?” There were several nods around the room before Chris continued. “This holocube has on it security footage from the last three days of a hallway that is very rarely used by any member of the Resistance… until recently.” Chris placed the cube on the table and a projection showing Winston and Guntram standing at a T-section hallway, a hallway that led to the newly established Ranger Ops.

Winston’s facial expression never changed. “Again, this proves nothing,” he said, his voice level. “No conclusion can be drawn from a single image.”

“This isn’t a single image,” Chris retorted. “It’s a series of images, also known as a video. And, before you even say it, the security cameras across the entire Castle have been upgraded to capture audio as well as video. Let’s take a look.” Without another second of hesitation, Chris tapped on one of the lenses and the video began to play.

“Good day, Winston,” Guntram greeted, his tone business-like. “The weather today is clear.”

“Yes,” the diamond dog replied. “But clouds will soon appear.”

“You know what must be done,” Guntram said simply, his voice no longer having a tone of business. It was instead heavier and held an air of threat.

“Of course,” Winston replied with a nod. “If the votes don’t go our way, objections are to be thrown around like confetti, and Scott’s vote is to be challenged immediately.”

Guntram nodded at this. “Good,” he said. “And I trust that Councillors Braeburn and Marty have both been properly… informed.”

“They have,” Winston replied, nodding his head and blinking his eyes again. “Steel Horn is on board as well.”

“Then all is according to plan,” Guntram stated, putting his claws behind his back. “I look forward to having my seat back in the council.”

“As do I,” Winston replied, before turning and walking back the way he came. The video ended at that point, and the room was silent.

After a few moments, Nightmare looked to Chris. “Why was this evidence withheld?”

“Because I did not come across it until this morning,” Chris replied. “Along with that, it was my hope that this meeting could be conducted with honor and truth, despite what I heard. I see now that I was mistaken.”

Nightmare was quiet for a moment before turning to the diamond dog, whose face was one of shock. “Councillor Winston,” she started, her voice slightly dangerous. “Are there any more arguments in your favor?”

Winston simply shook his head. “I… retract my vote,” he said slowly before sitting back down. Chris followed suit after he retrieved the holocube and placed it back in his briefcase, which he placed back down on the floor.

Nightmare moved her eyes from one side to the other. “Those who remain, cast your votes.”

Spitfire stood to her feet across from Guntram’s empty seat, which sat between Braeburn and Shining. “Guilty,” she said, her voice ringing out.

Next to stand was Sunset, who sat across from Chrysalis with Nightmare on her right. “Guilty,” she said, her eyes a bit angry.

Zecora was the last to stand to her feet. “The methods of these griffons is shifty, therefore my vote is guilty.”

“Then the vote stands as such,” Nightmare stated, turning to face Garion. “Garion Stelwyng, you have been found guilty in the eyes of this council. You are hereby dishonorably discharged from the Equestrian Resistance Force, effective immediately. Your status has been stripped down to that of a refugee, and you will be treated as such. Dismissed.” Nightmare slammed her gavel down and two guards came to escort the young griffon out. As he walked out, Garion threw one last look over his shoulder, his gaze piercing into Chris… only to wish he hadn’t as Chris turned the fires of his rage on him. He picked up his step and left the room in haste.

Once the sound of a door closing sounded out, the councilors sat back down and Nightmare stood. “Guntram Stelwyng, you are accused of misconduct in the council, and conspiring against one of its members. The evidence is as follows. A verbal confession from one under you, and video evidence of trying to rig your current trial. How do you plead?”

Guntram ground his beak together and stayed silent, just as Garion had before him. Nightmare looked him over before she simply hung her head and sat down. “Councillors, take your votes now.”

Cadance was the first to stand to her feet. “Guilty,” she said, her voice and tone daring someone to object.

Sunset stood up next. “Guilty.”

Zecora was next. “This griffon's actions are filthy, so my vote is once again guilty.”

Marty stood to his feet, his eyes still nervous. “Not guilty.”

“Not guilty,” Steel Horn said, towering to his hooves.

Shining came next. “Guilty.”

“Guilty,” Chris said before standing to his feet as he looked between Steel and Winston, waiting for them to make a move. They stayed silent.

Guess they learned the first time around, Sam growled within him, Chris agreeing with the statement.

Chrysalis stood next. “Guilty,” she said, her voice buzzing in obvious irritation.

“Guilty.” Spitfire.

“Guilty.” Ember.

Braeburn stood to his feet but stayed silent for a moment. After a while, he clenched his eyes closed and, when he opened them again, rage swam within them. “Guilty.”

Chris looked a bit surprised at this. Guess he’s had enough, he stated inwardly.

No kidding, Sam replied. I wonder what nerves Guntram touched on him.

Winston stood next, his eyes hesitant. “Not Guilty,” he said just loud enough to be heard.

Nightmare looked between each of the councilors before settling on Guntram. “The vote has been cast. Guntram, you have been found guilty in the eyes of this council. You will be stripped of your title as councilor and a vote will be taken to fill your seat at the nearest available time. You will be placed under refugee status and will be treated as such. You are dismissed.” Nightmare banged her gavel and the guards came back. Guntram, however, didn’t move.

“Sir, you need to-” one of the guards, an earth pony, tried to take the griffon’s arm.

“Don’t touch me!” Guntram said angrily, jerking his arm away before turning his fierce and angry eyes on the council. “You’ve made your last mistake in underestimating me,” he growled. “I may not be a councilor, but the griffons are still under my lead, and if you think for a moment that I will give that up, you are all sorely mistaken!”

Chris sighed and watched with a bored expression as Guntram ended his tantrum. The young man turned to look at Nightmare, an eyebrow raised. He almost wished he hadn’t.

Nightmare’s face was twisted up in rage as she stood to her feet. Her mane flowed about in a more erratic manner while her face contorted into a snarl, showing off her fangs. “You would do well to remember that you do not hold power over this Resistance or its populace. Leave now, or your sentence will be worsened.”

Guntram brought his head back and tsk’d. “And how would you do that?” He asked with a hiss, daring someone to answer.

“Banishment.” Guntram turned his gaze to Chris, who was standing to his feet. “You put others in danger for your own pride and personal gain. If I had not been quick enough, or if my powers had not developed so quickly, a pony would be dead.” Chris started to come around the table and walked towards the dark griffon. “Sweetie Belle, Element of Generosity, second in command of Ranger Ops., and someone I care very deeply for, would be dead. Not just by your son’s claws, but by your own ill intentions. If one were to ask me, and I was asked before these proceedings began, you would have been forced out of the Resistance and made to face the Machine Empire alone.” Chris stopped in front of Guntram so the griffon could take a good look at his cold face and the fiery rage in his eyes. “Now, get out.”

The griffon stayed stone-faced, but his eyes, which only Chris could see, teemed with fear. He gave a huff to keep up appearances before turning and leaving with measured steps, the guards following behind him.

Chris stayed where he was and followed the ex-councillor with his eyes, making sure Guntram felt the gaze all the way out the door.

Nightmare let out a stressed sigh and sat back in her seat. “This council’s purpose has been met and completed. You may go now.” Several councilors get out of their chairs and left the room. Chris went back over to his chair and leaned over to get his case.

I expected that to be a lot worse, Samson admitted.

You and me both, Chris replied as he grabbed his briefcase. But… I still wish we had dished out the full punishment rather than this scheiße.

“So, this is the one they call Chris.”

Chris jumped a bit in surprise at the sudden voice, cracking his head against the table with a loud bang. “...Ow…,” he muttered, bringing his right hand up to rub the back of his head before he stood up, avoiding the table this time. In front of him stood Ember and Zecora, the latter wearing a simple cloth top which displayed her stomach, while around her shoulders was a fur hanging off, much like a miniature cape. Her lower half was dressed in a skirt that, much like the cape, was made out of fur, coming down to around knee length as a sash of cloth was tied and knotted over her left hip and draped down to around her right knee. A pair of brown lace up sandals and her usual gold accessories completed her look as both of them stood with their respective staffs.

“Oh,” Chris said, blinking as he recognized the two. “Councillor Ember, Councillor Zecora, how can I help you?”

“First off,” Ember replied, removing the snicker from her face from the human’s incident. “You could not use our titles as councilors when nothing is in session.”

“And for our second demand,” Zecora added. “We’d like to shake your hand.”

Chris blinked at this. “Well… alright then,” he said, stepping forward and reaching his hand forward.

Ember rolled her her eyes and looked towards the ceiling for a moment. “We don’t literally want to shake your hand,” she said in an exasperated tone. “That’s just Z’s way of saying we want to meet you.”

“Oh,” Chris said for the second, becoming a bit awkward as he retracted his hand. He then gave a goofy grin and scratched behind his ear. “I guess as far as first impressions go, I’m looking like kind of a dunce, huh?”

Zecora gave a small, amused smile while Ember just rolled her eyes again. “Yeah, a bit,” she replied, a bit of a snark to her voice before she looked at him again. “So, what exactly can you do?”

“We are together in this endeavor,” Zecora added, applying her voice to Ember’s question. “How can you beat an enemy that seemed to hold us forever?”

Chris stopped for a moment before he grinned again. “Well, I could tell you,” Chris replied, a spark coming to his eyes. “Or I could show you.”

Zecora and Ember looked surprised at this and turned the look at one another. For a few moments, it seemed like they were having some kind of silent conversation before they both looked back towards him. Ember then flashed a toothy smile at him. “I think we’ll go with option two.”

Chris smiled back at this and nodded his head to the door. “Then follow me,” he said before he started to leave the room, the dragoness and zebra mare following close behind him.

“HAH!” Firefly shouted, throwing another gloved jab at the punching bag in front of her, slamming it full force as her entire body twisted with the punch. The bag shuttered as it was held forward by Cobalt.

“Nice hit, ‘Fly,” Cobalt complemented, looking out from behind the bag and taking a once over at her form. “You’re still over rotating your heel, though. Fix that and you’ll be hitting just as hard as a lot of the stallions around here.”

Firefly breathed heavily as she caught her breath. She lowered her fist and relaxed her stance, giving the stallion a smile. “Thanks, Cobalt,” she breathed, her heart rate falling back to normal. “I really appreciate you helping me with all this.”

Cobalt shrugged his shoulders. “It’s no problem,” he replied, coming out from behind the punching bag. “We’re a team now, and part of that is making sure none of us gets hurt.”

Firefly continued to smile a bit. “Well, thanks anyway,” she said again, just as the sound of hydraulics caught their attention. Firefly turned to look at the door while Cobalt looked up. Chris walked through the entrance way, followed by two figures that the pair recognized immediately. “Is that…?”

“Yep,” Cobalt finished, leaning against the support that held up the punching bag and crossing his arms. “My question is, what are they doing here with Chris?”

The young man started to make his way over to them, a smile on his face. “Hey, guys,” he greeted. “What are you up to?”

“Cobalt’s been helping me with my form,” Firefly replied, glancing at the dragon and zebra behind him. “How’d the trials go.”

“Well, the Stelwyngs won’t be able to do massive damage to the Resistance anymore,” Chris replied. “But I can’t really say much else as a council member. Speaking of council members, I’m sure you both recognized our guests,” Chris turned sideways between the two parties and gestured to Ember and Zecora with his right hand, palm face up. “I’m sure you both know who Dragon Lord Ember and Shaman Zecora. Ember, Zecora, these are my teammates, Cobalt Steel and Firefly.”

A round of greetings was exchanged before Zecora moved her gaze to Chris once more. “With introductions out of the way,” she began. “Perhaps you’d like to show how you deal with machines like child’s play.”

Chris grinned and nodded his head before he looked towards Cobalt and Firefly. “So which one of you wants to spare?”

Firefly let out a groan. “Not me, cap,” she answered in a tired tone. “I’m barely still standing after the runaround Cobalt gave me.”

The thestral beside her chuckled. “You did ask for help,” he stated, looking at her with a small smile. He then turned to Chris. “You know I’m always up for finding out which of us is more improved.”

Chris grinned. “Then let’s not keep our guests waiting,” he said before heading towards the ring. Cobalt grinned as well, a spark in his eyes as he followed Chris into the cage. They each took up one side of the arena as the others gathered outside to watch.

This is becoming a regular occurrence, Sam observed as Chris dropped into a ready stance.

Would you have it any other way? Chris asked, his eyes never leaving Cobalt as the stallion dropped into his own stance.

Sam was silent for a moment before Chris felt a smile grow on his brother’s face. Not in this life, he replied.

Chris gave a short laugh before he refocused on Cobalt. “Let’s do this!” He cried with a grin as he dashed forward, his orange Static dancing over his body as Silver Static dance over his right fist.

“Thought you’d never ask!” Cobalt replied, charging towards the young man just as shadows began to flow from his fists and wings. He raised his right fist back just as Chris did the same. The two made to meet in the middle and began to swing their fists forward only for a flash of green to shine between them.

“Chris!” Sweetie Belle shouted as she materialized.

“Holy scheisse!” Chris exclaimed, swerving his cast fist away from Sweetie.

“Damn it!” Cobalt shouted, throwing his swing to the other side of the mare to avoid her as well. The two built up energies were unleashed, Cobalt’s in a rush of shadows while Chris’ spiraled away in a metallic twister that sounded almost like a blender.

“Sweetie!” Chris said in a raised yet worried voice. “We could have seriously hurt you, or worse! What could be so important that you risk life and limb?”

“Maybe the fact that Guntram is holding some sort of rally!” Sweetie replied, turning to him with wide eyes.

Chris stopped in his tracks. “...Where?” He asked in a low tone.

“He’s in the courtyard-”

There was a flash of yellow and a rush of wind followed by the sound of buckling metal. Everyone in the room turned to look at the entrance to the room, the heavy metal doors having been torn from the walls and now lying crumpled against the adjacent wall. For a long moment, no one dared to speak.

“Well,” Ember said, breaking the silence. “We did come to see a demonstration of his power….”

Cobalt shook his head as if a fog was being cleared. “Sweetie Belle,” he said in a calm yet worried voice. “What is going on?”

Sweetie turned her head to look at him, a look of fear in her eyes. “Guntram’s threatening to leave the Resistance and take the griffons with him.”

~Two Weeks Later~

There was a soft flash as the computer screen came on, revealing Chris’ tired face. He gave a yawn and ran his hand through his messy hair. He then typed in the ‘record’ command and the red ‘rec’ symbol appeared in the corner. Chris simply stared at the screen for a moment before he rubbed his face with his hand and sighed. “I’m just going to say it,” he started, his tone tired and slightly annoyed. “Guntram gefickt us. He took most of us his griffons and left. Just gone.” He looked up and to the side, his hand over his mouth and chin as he shook his head. After a moment he flipped his hand up and open in an ‘I don’t know,’ motion. “That’s not even the worst of it,” he continued. “A lot of diamond dogs and minotaurs followed him. Even a few donkeys and ponies left with them…. The Resistance has lost a good thirty percent of its population…. The United Rebellion of Equis, as they’re calling themselves, have set up a base outside the Everfree Forest… close to Ponyville. Too close.”

Chris stopped and let out another heavy sigh, bringing his hands up to either side of his head and scratching his scalp back and forth, messing his hair up further. “It’s been far too long since the Empire has sent any kind of attack our way. That can only mean that they’re planning something big, and with our forces divided… I hate to think what could happen….” Chris fell silent once more. He brought his hand back up to his chin and mouth, a worriedly thoughtful look on his face. After a moment he shook his head once more. “...The only thing we can do now… is wait….” He paused again before looking at the screen. “Doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.” With that, he reached to the keyboard and turned off his recording.

Miles away, in the treeline bordering the United Rebellion of Equis, Staroid looked through the scope of his modified arm, which was now equipped with a sniper rifle. He swept over the shoddily set up base. “They haven’t even set up a proper defense yet,” Staroid snickered quietly as he watched workers putting up a wall made simply of pointed logs. Staroid took his head away from his rifle and gave a sinister grin. “Oh, mistress is going to have a field day with this!” He said to himself before he transformed into his star form and shot into the air, towards Midnight’s castle in Ponyville.

Almost an hour later, Midnight Sparkle stood in front of her communication crystal, garbed in her battle armor. After a few moments, white smoke began to pour out of it. It flowed out behind the crystal and a mirage of King Mondo appeared. “Midnight,” He said in greeting. “I do hope this is important.”

Midnight gave a wicked smile. “Oh, I think you’ll find what I have to say very important,” she purred.

“Well, spit it out,” Mondo said, growing impatient and slamming the butt of his staff on the ground.

“The Resistance has split,” she replied, her grin widening even further. “A good portion of their populous has moved outside of the Everfree’s borders.”

Mondo looked surprised at this, or at least as surprised as his metallic face could be. “And what of their defenses?” He asked quickly.

“Practically nonexistent,” she informed, her voice almost giddy. “I would suggest attacking while they are still weak and ill-prepared.”

“I agree,” Mondo stated. “Send in your strongest captain with three battalions. I want them wiped out before the end of the day!”

Midnight gave a short bow. “It shall be done, King Mondo,” she answered, looking up with a sparkle in her eye.

“Report to me when it is finished,” Mondo said before his mirage began to fade, the smoke going back into the black crystal.

Midnight straightened up, a malicious smirk on her face before she turned about and opened the curtain, moving through her lab with practiced and excited ease. She made her way over to the white sheet that covered her newest and most powerful machine captain. She began moving around the robot, removing power cables and other similar lines. After only a moment, the automaton was being held up only by support lines. Midnight moved to the back of her creation, flipping open its control and turning it on before circling again to stand before it.

The machine’s systems began to hum to life, its eyes beginning to glow a sickly green. Midnight moved around to the front of the machine to watch its activation. The monstrosity’s legs began to function and it lifted itself up to its full height, the support cables snapping off as it did so.

Midnight’s eyes were wide with excitement as she watched, barely containing her need to celebrate her newest creation. A few moments more and the machine’s vision came into focus, looking towards the mare as it did. “What is your task for me, mistress?” He asked, moving his arms over his torso and giving a bow.

Midnight gave a grin. “A group of resistance fighters has decided to split away from the herd,” she explained. “You are to take three battalions and show them why they began to fear us in the first place.”

The automaton bowed once more. “It shall be done, my queen.”

Midnight’s grin grew sinister and full of pride at the title. “Then go,” she ordered. “And show no mercy, Mechanizer!”

Chris stood in his private lab, hunched over some kind of board with wiring and other mechanisms over it. He made a few more passes with the tool in his right hand, causing a few buzzing sounds and bright flashes. “And that should do it,” he said, leaning back and putting his tool down in its holder to the side while bringing up his other hand to lift the face shield out of his way.

Ten bits says it blows up in your face, Samson said in a sing-song tone. Again.

“Oh, be a bit optimistic,” Chris replied before he reached out to the wall behind the board to where a switch sat. He flipped it and the machinery on the board hummed to life. Chris let out a smile and reached towards a dial on the wall adjacent the switch. He began to turn it slowly from zero, the humming growing as he did so. Slowly, the board began to rise off the work table. Chris’ grin became more and more prominent as it rose higher and higher until it was a good foot off the work surface. “See,” he said, excitement in his voice. “Told you it would-”

“Captain Scott, come in!”

The sudden shout from his lab’s speakers surprised him, making him jump just enough to turn the dial from ten to twenty-five in an instant. The humming became a dangerous buzz before the entire system glowed orange and exploded, knocking Chris onto the floor and his face shield off. “...Ow….”

See, Sam mocked, imitating Chris a bit. Told you it would happen.

“Oh, shut up,” Chris grumbled as he got to his feet before he reached for a button on his console. “This is Captain Scott,” he replied into a nearby mic. “What’s going on?” He released the button and waited.

“We’ve got a problem up here,” Sunset’s voice stated. “We need you and your team quickly.”

Chris pressed the button down again. “We’ll be there as soon as we can,” he replied. “Scott over and out.” He released the button and turned to face the rest of his lab. His eyes fell on a metallic briefcase, causing him to pause.

Chris, Sam said, getting his brother out of his mind. We can’t protect them forever. It’s time.

Chris was silent for a moment before he walked across the lab and grabbed the case before making his way toward the door. He threw it open and hurried out, not bothering to take his lab coat off as he lifted his communicator to his face. “Calling all Rangers,” he said as he walked. “Report to the control room immediately. Chris, over and out.” With that, he lowered his arm and focused on his task.

Not long after, he entered the control room, Nightmare, Sunset, and Shining all turning to face him. “What’s going on?” He asked as he approached.

“A little impatient, are we?” Shining asked, a joking tone to his otherwise strained voice.

“More like anxious,” Chris replied, joining them.

“With good reason,” Nightmare said, drawing his attention to her before she looked towards the large viewing screen, the others following her gaze. “A little while ago, we received a distress signal from the URE.”

“Timeout,” Chris said, bringing his hands up in a ‘T’. “These guys have been out there for two weeks and now the turncoats want our help?”

Nightmare gave him a bit of an annoyed look. “Yes and no,” she replied before looking back at the screen. “The message we received was from a single individual, however, they were clearly terrified of something. Play transmission.”

A unicorn near the front of the room nodded his head before turning back to his screen and typing in a command. The viewing screen blinked and on it appeared a face Chris already knew.

The camera shuttered a bit as Gilda adjusted it before her eyes widened. “Holy shit, it worked!” She exclaimed in surprise before clearing her throat. “This is Gilda of the United Rebellion of Equis requesting aid from the Equestrian Resistance Force. We’ve got a huge group of machines headed our way and Guntram has lost his mind. Three battalions and a captain are coming and the old feather bag thinks we can take’em. The sad truth is that we can’t. Our defenses are only half complete, our weapons and armor are lacking, and not everyone in the camp is a fighter. We’ve got females and kids here, and there’s no way we can protect them from such a large force. Please, hurry.” The transmission stopped there, giving Chris plenty of time to look at the griffon’s terrified face.

“We’re going in,” Chris said before anyone else could get a word in. “Gilda’s right, they can’t handle an attack that big.”

Nightmare was silent for a moment before she gave a smile, almost as if she expected Chris’ answer. “I’m glad you’re on board,” she replied before her expression became serious. “However, I’m not sure you and your team can handle something like this alone. That is why I have asked Sunset and Shining here as well.”

Chris fell silent for a moment as he thought this over. He then turned to Sunset and Shining. “If members of your operations come with us, I need them to follow the orders I give them, no matter what.”

The two ponies nodded. “Of course,” Shining said. “What I’m more worried about is the size of the team you’ll be leading.”

“Two special ops, five field ops,” Chris stated simply. “No more, no less.” He then put his hand to his face. “I’m sorry, I’m being an arsch.”

Sunset came over and put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry,” she said, her voice soft. “This is your first time leading a team like this.”

Chris looked up at her for a moment before his expression hardened and he nodded. Sunset nodded back and moved back just in time for Cobalt, Firefly, and Sweetie Belle to enter the room. “What’s the situation, boss man?” Cobalt asked as he walked up the steps and stopped, putting his hands behind his back, the others lining up to either side of him and imitating his stance.

“At ease,” Chris said quickly, lifting a hand up as he turned to face them. “We’re all friends here. As for the situation, it’s going to be a bumpy ride. We’ve received a distress signal from the URE requesting back up.”

Cobalt scoffed. “Those traitors can take care of them-”

“They’re facing a force of three battalions and a captain.” Chris’ statement immediately shut Cobalt down as the thestral’s eyes widened.

“That many?” Sweetie asked, her voice worried as she stepped forward. “They’ve never attacked like this before.”

“It’s basic strategy,” Shining replied, stepping forward. “A house divided cannot stand, after all. Mondo and his compatriots probably think they can weaken our resistance by attacking a smaller group that has split from the pack, and they’re right.”

“We’re being sent in with another group to provide reinforcements,” Chris explained before he brought his case forward. “I won’t lie, this isn’t going to be easy, but, hopefully, we can get in and minimize casualties.”

“Sooo, what’s with the box?” Firefly questioned, eyeing the silver briefcase.

“These,” Chris said, hefting the case. “Are your new standard issue.” With that, he snapped open the clasps and lifted the case. Two levels lifted up, revealing three white guns with red chambers in the back and black grips over the barrel, and what looked like three blue sword hilts with gold cross guards, a small laser barrel sticking out. “These are the zeo laser blades and pistols.” He explained. “They’ll make it easier to cut through cogs and even the machine captains.”

“Cool,” Cobalt said, stepping forward and picking up one of the laser blades. He inspected it for a moment before a confused look crossed his face. “So, how do they work?”

Chris chuckled before moving the case to a single hand and lifted one of the pistols out. “The laser pistols are rather easy to use,” he explained. “Just point the barrel at the target and pull the trigger, the pistol does the rest.” He then let go of the pistol and let it float in the air beside him in a sphere of wind before he took out a laser blade. “The blades are a little more unique. They require a mental command in order to activate.” Suddenly, the laser barrel shot up as the blade extended, looking more like a long baton rather than a blade. He gave the blade a few experimental swings before stopping and having the blade retract again. “Another feature of these weapons is that they combine to create an even more powerful blaster called the advanced zeo laser pistol.”

“Bit of a mouth full, isn’t it?” Sunset questioned as she picked the pistol out of the air and examined it.

Chris chuckled at that. “I didn’t name them myself,” he admitted before tossing the laser blade in his hand to Sweetie.

The young mare gave a little yelp as she reached out to catch it, juggling it a bit before wrapping both hands around the handle and letting out a sigh. “A little warning next time would be nice,” she said, giving Chris an annoyed look.

“Sorry, Sweetie,” Chris apologized as he passed the last blade to Firefly before giving them each a pistol and belt. “Now, I believe we have somewhere to be.” He turned towards Nightmare.

“Yes,” She said before turning to Sunset and Shining. “Captains, go choose who you’d like to accompany our rangers. Chris, you and your team prepare yourselves. You will leave through the front.”

“Right,” Chris before turning to face his team. “Come on, guys.” He nodded his head to the door and made his way out at a fast pace, the others following behind him with their new gear.

“Damn it!” Gilda shouted as she ducked back behind her makeshift cover, a stack of wooden logs that were supposed to be used for fortifying their camp. Gilda scoffed. “So much for that!” She said before bringing up her twin repeating crossbows. She checked the magazines and reloaded each of them while she had the chance before smacking them back into place. She lifted the crossbows up in either hand, bringing them up to the sides of her face as she took a steadying breath.

She jumped to her feet and spun, extending her arms and crossbows. All at once, several events took place. As Gilda turned, a blur of motion in the corner of her eye caught her attention… right before the group of cogs little more than ten feet away turned their attention on her. A torrent of laser bolts raced towards her in a wall of red as she continued to twist and brought her crossbows back, ducking back behind the logs. “Shit!” She exclaimed as she could feel the logs behind her lurch from the force of the bolts, small explosions sending up shards of wood.

Gilda took in several deep breaths, her chest heaving. That’s when she heard a soft thud beside her. Slowly, she looked to her right… and immediately wished she hadn’t. Just visible on the other side of the log pile, Gilda could see the head of another griffon, her feathers a pale green around her eyes and crown, a scarf hanging loosely around her neck as a line of blood ran out of her beak. Gilda made the mistake of looking towards the griffoness’ eyes. She turned away quickly as the cold blue eyes met hers, doing what any sane being would do. She turned her head to the side, her body shuddering as she took in a shaky breath. “We’re not going to make it,” she muttered to herself, the sounds of war crashing around her.

We’re too slow! Sam growled as Chris and his team ran through the forest.

That’s what I’m working on in the lab! Chris replied silently. We just have to hope that they can hold out until we get there.

“How much further?”

Chris turned his head as he ran, looking towards Rainbow Dash in her lightweight leather armor, before taking a glance at his morpher in radar mode. “We’ve got two more minutes before we reach them,” he replied before looking forward again.

Dash let out a groan. “This is taking too long,” she complained. “If I were flying, I would have been there in-”

“Ten seconds flat, yes, Dash, I know,” Chris interrupted. “But not all of us can fly, and we can’t afford to be splitting up.”

The mare fell silent as they continued to run. A sudden beep caught their attention and Chris looked back down at his radar. Two red dots had appeared just out of their line of sight, approaching fast. “We got company,” he called over his shoulder. “Heavy Hitter, Onyx Bristle, slam’em!”

The two earth ponies raced forward, brandishing their weapons just as the cogs came into view. They didn’t last long as Onyx brought his mace down onto the head of the one on the left while Heavy cut his opponent in two as he ran past. “Any more surprises, Captain?” Heavy asked as the two started to fall back.

“Not that I’m seeing,” Chris replied as he searched his radar, before lowering it again. “But that’s a pretty good sign that we’re getting close, so keep your guards up.” The sound of weapons being drawn echoed behind him and Chris reached over his left and summoned his Psycho Sword to his hand. After what seemed like only a few more moments, Chris saw light start bleeding through the trees. “Here we go, guys!” he called over his shoulder, his sword arm tensing as they burst from the cover. Chris suddenly stopped as he looked out at the scene before him, not believing what he was seeing.

All around the field, bodies littered the ground, making things look grim… until he realized that there were far more cogs littering the ground than rebels. “How-” Chris suddenly cut off as he caught sight of something even more surprising… and horrifying. A small group of rebels, led by none other than Garion, were attacking the machine captain that had been sent to destroy them. The captain was large and black, having no distinguishable head as its body looked like a huge engine with exhaust pipes coming off of it, a silver face on the front with sharp teeth and glowing green eyes. Arms that looked almost too small came from either side of its torso, ending in small hands while the whole thing was supported by two legs that ended in three flat toes.

“Mechanizer…,” Chris breathed before turning to his team. “Get down there and start helping the rebels clean up the rest of those cogs.” He turned and went to run towards the group fighting the machine captain before a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned his head to see Sweetie looking up at him.

“What about you?” She asked, worry clear in her voice.

“I’m going to destroy Mechanizer,” the young man replied bluntly.

“Then we’ll help,” Cobalt said, stepping forward and hefting his great sword.

“No!” Chris replied looking at him. “Mechanizer is one of the most dangerous captains Mondo could have sent here. He loves destruction more than anything, even disobeying orders to cause as much damage as he possibly can. I’m sorry, but he’s too dangerous right now.” He then looked towards Sweetie before putting a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll be fine, I promise,” he said in a softer tone.

Sweetie hesitated a moment before reluctantly nodding her head and removing her hand. The moment the hand left him, Chris ran towards the captain, Yellow Static covering his form as he raced across the battlefield. For a moment, Sweetie and the group just stood there… all except Rainbow Dash.

“Come on, slow pokes!” She said loudly, knocking everyone out of their stupor. “We’ve got rebels to save!” With that, she launched herself into the sky, rocketing towards the main camp of the rebellion, brandishing her daggers as she went.

The group all exchanged glances before running after the prismatic mare, those with wings taking off into the air. Sweetie turned and made to follow them, but hesitated and looked over her shoulder at the yellow blur that she knew was Chris. With a downcast face, she turned and started to follow the others.

Chris ran across the field, dodging bodies and scrap metal as he went. The hilly terrain made it difficult to move, and he almost tripped several times before he crested a final hill. He stopped and took a quick look around to gain his bearings. As he did so, he caught sight of the group fighting with Mechanizer, smoke rising from the automaton as gashes in its armor littered its body. The machine also seemed to be slowing down as it kept trying to sweep its blasters in the direction of the opposing combatants, only to be slammed from another direction by a different fighter. Garion could be heard pushing the fighters on. “Verdammt,” Chris muttered before he started running towards them.

“Stop!” He shouted as he raced forward… but it was too late. One of the griffons landed a devastating blow to Mechanizer’s face plate with their ax, gouging out a huge chunk of metal and staggering the robot. Garion rushed forward with his clawed gauntlets and plunged his hand into the gouge before tensing up and tearing out a large chunk of metal and wiring. “NO!!!” Chris shouted as he stopped right next to the group, Mechanizer’s body falling over and eyes going dark.

Garion turned around slowly, the chunk of twisted metal still in his hand, black liquid dripping off it. “What are you doing here?” He asked, a snarl on his face.

“We retrieved a distress signal, you idiot,” Chris replied, taking a few steps forward. “Now what did you do!?!”

Garion smirked snidely, as he raised the chunk of metal in his hand. “I killed it, obviously,” he replied.

Chris’ face twisted in anger. “Obviously,” he replied in a growl. “You don’t know what you’re doing! When you kill a captain, you have to take out its successor core!” Just as he said that Mechanizer’s body began to glow green.

“Oh, no,” Chris muttered as he started to step back as a shadow grew over them. “Everybody, scatter!” He shouted before sprinting away and bringing his morpher up. “Delta, I need you here now!”

The green energy flashed away, revealing Mechanizer in all his enormous glory. “Now, to spread wonderful destruction!” He shouted as the team of griffons continued to spread out and get away… all except one.

Garion froze in place, his eyes widening in fear as he looked up the monster he had “killed”. However, he didn’t go unnoticed.

“Looks like the little birdie wants to stay and play,” Mechanizer said as his sweeping gaze found the terrified griffon. “How about whack-a-pest?” With that, he lifted his foot and moved it over Garion.

Chris turned as he heard this, his eyes widening as he saw the threatening shadow poised over the griffon. “Gar, run!” He shouted before he started to run back towards him, Yellow Static jumping over him as he dashed forward… only to trip on a cog’s severed arm halfway there. Chris’ eyes widened further as he fell, bringing his arm back and activating his Green Static, throwing a ball of condensed air at Garion to push him out of the way. But his efforts came too late.

The mass of green wind slammed into the giant metallic foot as it came crashing down, the earth shaking as it landed. Chris watched in horror as the young griffon disappeared beneath the limb, only for said limb to come back up as Delta came screaming through the air, cannons blazing. Chris got to his feet hurriedly and ran to the edge of the footprint, and looked in only to turn away quickly and hold back the bile rising in his throat.

Chris squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before several more explosions and a cry of pain drew his attention up. He locked his gaze on Mechanizer and his eyes grew angry. Very angry. “Delta, I need a pick up,” he said into his morpher, his tone low and dangerous. Delta obeyed and could be seen turning in the sky. Chris tensed his body and jumped into the air, Yellow and Green Static dancing over him as he yelled, “Go, Psycho!” Delta swooped by and caught him, the young man entering the cockpit in his Psycho Red armor.

“Mechanizer wants to play a game, Delta,” Chris muttered as he grabbed the controls. “So, why don’t we give him a game?” With that, Chris initiated the transformation sequence. Delta turned over mid-flight before its limbs folded out and it landed on its feet. A plate under the cockpit folded down to reveal the Megazord's face.

“You think you’re little toy can defeat m- GAH!” Mechanizer exclaimed as his left optic was blown from his face, causing him to stumble backward.

Delta’s gatling gun started to slow its spin, the barrels smoking. “That was for Garion,” Chris’ voice echoed out, the tone carrying anger with it. “What comes next is for everything else.” Delta raised its other arm up, the fingers coming together to form a gatling gun and beginning to spin as the other hand started back up as well. “Delta Gyro Blasters!” Chris shouted out as he slammed the controls forward. A barrage of blue laser fire slowly and systematically tore through Mechanizer, the machine screaming in pain as bits and pieces of its body were blown away.

After several moments, the firing stopped and Mechanizer fell to one knee before letting out a sinister chuckle. “And I thought I was destructive...,” the automation muttered before it leaned to the side and fell, detonating into a huge fireball.

Delta lowered its arms as Chris leaned back in the cockpit, his breaths coming in heated slowness. For a few moments, Chris did nothing but sit there and stare at the burning wreckage of what was once Mechanizer before slowly bringing his morpher up to his helmet. “Sweetie Belle,” Chris said into the device as red grid lines formed over his helmet and it dissipated. “Gather up the rebels. We’re all going home.”

“You have failed again, Midnight,” Mondo growled through his mirage.

Midnight stood on the other side of the dark chamber, her hands behind her back. “I know, your highness,” she replied. “Mechanizer failed to complete his mission… however, it was not a total loss.”

“And how pray tell, is the destruction of three cog battalions and a machine captain not a ‘total loss’?” King Mondo questioned, his anger clearly rising.

“Before Mechanizer was destroyed,” the dark mare started as she stepped forward a bit. “He sent over what he had recorded from the battle. He and his force managed to take a chunk out these so-called rebels, and we discovered how long it takes for the ranger’s Megazord to reach the edge of the Everfree.”

“And how do you plan to apply this knowledge?” Mondo asked, his anger dwindling into mild irritation.

“I shall attack again,” Midnight replied, her conviction strong. “With a force that is five fold stronger than todays. And this time, I shall destroy the one thing that has kept them from our clutches.” The dark alicorn paused to let a sneer cross her face.

“Their home.”

Author's Note

The Stelwyngs have been punished, but did they deserve all they got? What new equipment is Chris working on in his lab? And what does Midnight Sparkle planning? Things are beginning to escalate quickly for our heroes.

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out to you guys. As a lot of you know, I've been working on my new story When The Bass Drops. I'm still working on it heavily, so another big update to this story may still be slow. However, eventually, chapter updates will begin to alternate between the two. All the mumbo-jumbo aside, if you have something to say, see a mistake, or just want to be funny, leave it in the comments below. Remember to stay respectful to one another and, with that, I hope you guys have a good one.

Chapter 14- Fear Is In Your Eyes [CO]

Chapter 14-
Fear Is In Your Eyes

Chris sat in his lab waiting for the 3D printer to finish as he typed up the last of his report from what the Resistance was calling the Battle of Scarlet Hill, after the name given to the area by the survivors. The report had taken nearly a week to complete due to the number of burials he had gone to and the amount of time he had spent on his memorial project.

A small ding sounded out and he pushed away from his computer, spinning around in his chair and coming to a stop in front of the printer. On it lay a red and light gray panel in the shape of a squared-off arrowhead. At the back end was hollow ‘U’ that rose up to form a sort of protective covering.

“The last piece of our puzzle,” Chris breathed, taking the sheet of metal off the table as he stood to his feet.

Eeyup, Sam replied with a chuckle. We’ll never be late again.

Chris gave a grim nod and turned to another table in the shop. On it lay a much more advanced version of the board he had been working before the battle within another red plate that seemed to match the one that had just finished printing. A set of thrusters fit on the tail end, one large one with two smaller ones to its sides, slightly lower than the first. The young man gave one last satisfied grin as he laid the part in his hands on top, fitting it into place just right, the big engine housed within the raised ‘U’. “Think the team will like it?” Chris asked as he reached for his welding tool.

After they figure out how to fly the thing without falling off, Sam replied as Chris got to work fusing the two halves together.

“Yeah, that would definitely make them reluctant to the idea,” Chris said with a short chuckle. The table slowly began to turn, allowing Chris to stand in place and continue the seal seamlessly. After a few minutes, he was finished and straightened up, a proud smile on his face. “Let’s switch’er on,” he said before doing just that.

The red craft floated off the table, and after several weeks of hard work, the first galaxy glider was completed. Chris put his hands on top of the hovercraft and pushed down on the board with all of his strength. The board gave slightly, no more than an inch, but pushed back against him after that and refused to budge. The ranger stopped his test and straightened up, his smile even wider than before.”Let’s take it to the team,” he stated before Gold Static danced over his form. With a little effort, the light bent around the glider, hiding it from the naked eye.

He switched to Green and used the air to start pushing the glider. He felt it come off the edge of the table and could hear the inner workings of the machine work to compensate for a lack of surface to push off of. The board didn’t lose any altitude and Chris had to put a hand on the board and give it a mental command to lower itself down to hover a few inches off the ground. He pushed it towards the door with his Static. He opened the door quickly and walked out into the training area to see Sweetie and Cobalt sparring in the cage while Firefly watched the match.

Chris came to a stop beside her, stopping the galaxy glider at his side. “Who’s winning?” He asked as Sweetie Belle swung an arc of energy from her staff at the bigger stallion.

“Not sure yet,” Fly replied as shadows surrounded Cobalt’s fists. He swung them together, large fists of shadows forming and slamming into the magical arc from either side, stopping it dead. The two energies detonated, blowing both fighters back. They both paused and took deep, even breaths.

Chris shot a look at Firefly, an eyebrow raised. She simply returned the gesture with a shrug. “They’ve been going at it like this for a while now,” the pegasus commented. “They started off with a normal sparring match, then it just turned into one big attack followed by a short break, then another attack.”

“Sounds like they’re running out of steam to me,” Chris stated before looking back at his two teammates. “Alright, you two, that’s enough. I’ve got something to show you.”

Both fighters looked up from their positions, still breathing heavily. They then shared a look and nodded to one another. “We could use the break,” Sweetie said with a shrug. Cobalt simply nodded again and they made their way to the gate in the arena. Chris flashed yellow and dashed to the refrigerator while the ponies exited the cage. By the time they were actually outside the fighting ring, the speedster had returned with two bottles of water.

“Thanks, cap,” Cobalt said, taking one of the offered bottles, a smirk coming to his face as Chris gave a false frown.

“You’re never going to stop addressing me like that, are you?” Chris questioned as he gave the second water to Sweetie, who took the cap off quickly and downed a good third of the life-giving liquid.

“So,” the off-white unicorn gasped as she brought the bottle down. “What did you have to show us?”

Chris let his faux-frown disappear and allowed a large smile to cover his face. “Ohhh, you’re going to like this one!” He said excitedly as he backed up and maneuvered around the hovercraft, looking like some kind of awkward dance to the others. Firefly joined the other two, all of them giving Chris an odd look.

”Uh, Chris?” Fly questioned. “You okay?”

“Wha?” Chris asked, a confused look coming to him before he looked down and around at his feet. “Oh… well, don’t I look stupid?” The young man asked rhetorically as he gave an embarrassed chuckle before he clapped his hands together. “Anyway, what I’ve got today is something I think you guys are going to have fun with. Now, feast your eyes on-” Chris’ arm buzzed with Gold Static as he waved his arm through the air over the craft, slowly revealing it. “The galaxy glider!”

Cobalt raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Fly before looking back at Chris. “The whos-a-whats-it?” He asked, gesturing to the craft with his open hand, palm up.

“The galaxy glider,” Chris said again, his smile taking only a small hit. “This puppy is going to get us from point A to point B in no time flat. There is literally no way we’re ever going to be late to a situation again!”

“Uh, Chris,” Fly spoke up, holding up a finger. “You do realize that two of us can fly-”

“-and I can teleport-” Sweetie added.

“-and you have super speed,” Cobalt finished.

“So, why do we need these ‘galaxy gliders’?” Fly questioned, glad that her logic was being followed by the other two.

“Because, my dear fellows,” Chris replied, his smile coming back in full force. “Can any of you travel from space to any location on Equis in a matter of minutes?”

This elicited silence and looks of surprise and shock from the team. “Are they seriously that fast?” The pink pegasus questioned, glancing at the board with hungry eyes.

“Well, they haven’t been field tested yet, but theoretically-” Chris was cut off as someone spoke within his mind.

Stranger, we know not who you are, but we are in dire need of assistance. A fiend who threatened our world long ago has returned, and we need all the allies we can muster. We call you to our side!

Chris paused for a moment as he processed the summons. He paused for such a long moment that Sweetie started to look at him with some concern. “Chris, are you alright?” She asked, coming over to put a hand on the young man’s arm.

Chris jumped slightly, surprising the young mare, and his eyes refocused on her. He let out a slow breath and gave the off-white unicorn a soft smile. “Sorry, Sweetie,” he said, reaching over with his free hand and covering her’s gently before looking up at the rest of his team. “Sorry guys, it seems I’m being summoned by another displaced.” As he said this, a portal opened up a little over to the side of the group. The young man glanced at the portal before looking at the others. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he promised before turning to Sweetie… and giving her quick peck on the cheek. “Hold the fort down ‘til I get back.” With that and a cheeky grin, he walked into the portal, leaving Cobalt and Firefly to pick their jaws off the floor and Sweetie completely surprised.

Present Day
Equus

Celestia's visage was of the sternest stone, so clear was her displeasure. And why, was she displeased? Because just the day before, the greatest foe she, nay, the world, had faced, had been released from his stone prison. She could imagine him watching her at this very moment, and it sent chills down her spine. Even today, she had no idea how he worked. Indeed, the only certainty was that he wished for dominion over the world. And he had nearly achieved such a lofty goal, if it hadn't been stopped by her and her dear sister, Luna.

But now, he was back, and most certainly plotting and scheming against them. And who knows what he had planned this time. It gave her shivers just thinking about it. So, in response to his return, she had summoned the leaders of the various nations to discuss and figure out what to do.

So it was that she walked towards the meeting hall specially reserved for just such events. Her younger sister was right by her side, and they, in turn, were surrounded by a ring of guards. They couldn't be too careful with him on the loose. After a short walk, they made it to the doors of the meeting hall, where the sounds of loud voices shouting and arguing were emanating from. With a nod to the two guards, they opened the doors and the sisters walked in, the doors closing behind them.

"How many times must I say it!? This concerns all of us! If you're going to just sit it out again and abandon us once more then we will cease all trade with you!" bellowed King Iron Hoof, monarch of the Minotaurs.

“Indeed, he was no slouch. He was cunning, more so than any I have known,” King Blade Feather commented.

"He was defeated once without our intervention, he can be defeated again without our intervention," said the stoic King Thorax of the Changelings.

"Come now, let us not argue. This meeting is meant to be one of cooperation, not infighting," said the ever polite Queen Dryad of the Deer.

"This coming from the one who also didn't lend a hand when the rest of us were being slaughtered," said King Stone Maw of the Diamond Dogs.

"QUIET!" Luna yelled in the Royal Canterlot voice. And they did just that.

"Thank you, sister," Celestia said gratefully. Luna simply nodded. The two sisters walked over to their seats before Celestia spoke once more. "Now, it is my understanding that Herobrine brutally murdered our kin all those years ago, and I doubt he will not do the same again if given the chance. King Thorax, Queen Dryad, I know you all suffered as much as any of us during those troubling times. So, I ask, why do you not fight with us?"

"'As much?' We were decimated! It took us decades to reassemble a sizeable response team, but by that time the war was over!" King Thorax yelled.

"Indeed. And, famed as my people our for our unique magic, we still stood no chance. We also have had no reason to place more funds into the military thanks to this lasting peace. His unexpected return further hampers us," Queen Dryad noted.

"So you're going to simply sit back and let him take us by storm?" King Stone Maw asked.

"I seem to recall your people also not lending a hand when everything lay in ruins," King Thorax pointed out.

"We were fighting for our lives beneath your feet, bug," Stone Maw retorted.

"What did you just call me!?" King Thorax roared.

"Order!" Celestia called, stamping a hoof. The rulers slowly settled down.

"King Thorax, Queen Dryad, we need all the help we can get. We all know how inexhaustible His armies are, the more allies we have, the better the chances," Celestia pleaded. The two remained silent for a time. Thoughts raced through their heads; the lives that would be lost, the destruction that would be wrought, all were weighed in their minds. Finally, with a collective sigh, the two nodded.

"Very well. You have our support," King Thorax relented.

"As well as ours," Queen Dryad added.

"Wonderful!" Celestia smiled, before turning to the largest guest in the room.

"Lord Torch, you've been unusually quiet. Why do you not discuss your thoughts with us?" Celestia queried. The large, blue scaled and rough looking dragon was deep in thought, smoke pouring out of his nostrils. Finally, he opened his eyes and glanced down at the assembled leaders.

"You called me here, a dragon, for the first time since I was crowned Dragon Lord. You called me here for war against the Scale Splitter, the Weaver of Destruction, and I can say but one thing," he took a deep breath, before breaking out a sharp-toothed smile. "Count. Me. In."

"Wonderful. Now we can discuss our plan," Celestia said before her face turned serious. "We have no idea where He is hiding, but knowing Him, it is most likely someplace unexplored and remote."

"Indeed. But He also has a flair for the arts. He likes to flaunt his power," King Iron Hoof added.

"Which means His base of operations will be easily recognizable," Queen Dryad continued

"Yes, but He could also be in His own domain. And none of us know how to create one of those accursed portals," King Thorax noted.

"Hmm... This is troublesome indeed..." Luna mused.

"Sister, mayhaps it is time we resorted to The Vault," Celestia suggested to her sister.

"What was that?" Stone Maw queried, shooting a glance at the sisters.

"We... may have an idea. Though it is not guaranteed to work," Celestia began.

"Sister..." Luna warned.

"No, Luna. This time we must reveal our secret," Celestia said, before continuing. "During His imprisonment, many a strange object appeared at the foot of his prison. We don't know where they came from, and we haven't been able to find out anything about them, despite our many years of study. However, nearly every single object held a message. Most were those that offered help."

"And what, pray tell, does this have to do with anything?" Queen Dryad asked.

"We all know that it would take too much time to track Him down before he launched an assault. So, why not see what these objects' owners can offer?" Celestia proposed.

"You would have us place our hopes on some unknown variable?" King Stone Maw questioned, eyes narrowed

"It's better than sitting around, waiting for Him to strike us," King Thorax pointed out. "I say we go along with Celestia's plan."

"Feh, if that's what you want to do, then fine. But I want to be on the front lines when the action starts," Lord Torch conceded.

"Wait a moment, where is the Queen of the Zebras?" Queen Dryad queried. The others glanced around at this, finally noticing an empty seat where the Zebra Queen would have been.

"From what we’re told, she has been preoccupied with a sudden string of civil unrest," Celestia explained.

"Truly? That is most rare for the Zebras..." King Thorax noted.

"Indeed. The last time this happened was..." Blade Feather began before his eyes widened. "Oh, no..." The others quickly realized this as well.

"He has made his move. Now we must make ours, quickly," Luna urged. The other rulers glanced at each other before they all let out sighs.

"Very well. Let us begin this plan of yours, Celestia," King Iron Hoof conceded, the other rulers nodding in agreement. "If we are to stop his advance, we must respond quickly."

"Good. Me and my sister shall head to the Vault immediately. In the meantime, I ask that you all send word to your commanders. This war has only just begun," Celestia advised before her and her sister trotted out of the room. They quickly navigated their way through the castle, and in good time made it to the Vault. It was a deceptively simple looking door, made of solid steel mixed with other trace metals and heavily enchanted. A simple hole sat in the center of the solid slab, and Celestia inserted her horn into it. With a click and the sound of arcane lightning, the door slid open, the sound of metal on tile echoing throughout the hall. Then, the sisters walked into the dimly lit room, piled high with artifact after artifact, some from their conquests over the years, and others from the many that appeared in front of Herobrine’s statue. They searched through many of the artifacts, glancing at them and listening to the messages displayed, before placing them back. Finally, they came across one they favored.

It was a simple medallion, a bronze oval with an upside down ‘M’ with sharp points and twisted angles. The message sounded out as such; I am the shadow the darkness fears, the malice that quails evil. Call my name if you fight for justice, but beware the wrath of darkness if you chose wrong, for it is you who will face the dark clone. I am Psycho Ranger.

They stared at it hard for a little while, before saying, “Stranger, we know not who you are, but we are in dire need of assistance. A fiend who threatened our world long ago has returned, and we need all the allies we can muster. We call you to our side!” Celestia chanted.

A portal opened up and a young man with reddish brown hair and hazel eyes stepped out, wearing a black leather jacket, baggy black cargo pants, combat boots and a green t-shirt with the medallion symbol imprinted on it. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the princesses. “This is unusual,” he stated. “Unless one of you is actually a displaced.”

“We knoweth not what a ‘displaced’ is, nor why thou wouldst find this unusual. But time is of the essence. We must make haste to our fellows if we wish to concoct a plan before He finds us,” Luna urged. Celestia nodded.

“Indeed. You can ask us what you will while we walk. For now, follow us, please,” Celestia said before the two began to walk out of the cluttered room.

The young man nodded his head to the side for a second with a strange grin before he followed them. “Things really must be crazy if you two aren’t even going to ask my name,” he said as he followed. “I’m surprised at you, especially you, Luna."

“Apologies, what is your name? And how do you know my sister’s?” Celestia queried as they turned a corner.

“Samson Jaeger, at your service,” Sam replied with a smile and small, flashy bow. “But you can call me Sam. My Luna does, or rather my Nightmare Moon, which is how I know both your names.”

“Nightmare Moon!? Thou know’st of her!?” Luna cried.

“How do you know about her? To our knowledge, she was defeated by the Elements a few years ago,” Celestia asked, a hint of worry in her tone.

“I do know her,” Sam answered with a nod. “It’d be kind of hard to fight a war without a commanding officer after all. In my world, Equis was attacked by an even worse foe than Nightmare Moon before the Elements could defeat her. Drove every race to come together and fight for their world… until recently, anyway….” He trailed off at the last part, a saddened look coming to his face.

“That sounds…rather close to what Starswirl told us of the many universes. Along with Smurfy, of course, who perfected the theory,” Celestia noted. ‘Still… To think that that monster is actually helping instead of destroying...It’s a mind-boggling thought.”

“Art thou certain tis not just a version of Ourself?” Luna queried as they drew nearer to the meeting room.

“In a way, she is,” Sam replied, rubbing the side of his chin with his knuckles. “You and Nightmare finally came to the conclusion that neither of you was strong enough to beat our enemies, so you fused your consciousnesses, creating who you are now, Artemus.”

“Us? Fuse with her? We can scarcely believe that,” Luna said, seeming disgusted with the idea.

“We have arrived,” Celestia announced, the three now standing in front of the double doors leading to the meeting hall. “Let us not keep them waiting.” With that, she opened the doors, and they walked in to see the many rulers conversing with their generals and advisers via crystals.

Sam’s eyes went wide. “This is what I imagine it would have looked like if my world got a forewarning…,” he breathed before he looked at Luna, eyes still wide. “What kind of shit have you guys stepped into?”

“Ah, is this the help you spoke of, Celestia?” asked King Thorax, his emerald robes looking like they were made for a Chinese emperor, and made of some kind of fiber.

“He looks a lot like Him. Can we really trust this one?” King Blade Feather queried, his fur cape and regal ceremonial armor showing his status well.

“Well, it’s good to see griffons don’t change from one dimension to another,” Sam said, a disgruntled look on his face before he waved it away. “But that’s neither here nor there. The answer is yes, you can trust me.” The conviction in his voice was hard to argue with as he leaned back a bit and crossed his arms. “Who is this ‘Him’ you all keep talking about, anyway?”

“He calls himself the King of the Void, Ravager of Lands, and holds many feared titles among the people of this world. His true name is not spoken, for fear it will draw his attention and presence,” Lord Torch explained, the colossal dragon barely fitting in the hall.

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Oookay,” he said slowly. “So he’s officially gotten under everyone’s skin. That makes me a bit worried, to be honest… especially seeing as I’m starting to think that I’m the secret weapon….”

“Peace, noble warrior. He was defeated once, He can be defeated again,” Queen Dryad assured, her long, flowing floral dress and exotic makeup adding considerably to her beauty.

“At the cost of nearly a fifth of the world’s populous,” Stone Maw pointed out, his spiky armor and chiseled jaw living up to his status and namesake.

Sam suddenly went very still and quiet, his head lowering and fists clenching. “...That many?” He questioned, his voice more a growl than an actual voice as a shadowy aura started to come off of him.

“Yes, unfortunately. It took us decades to regain our ground, but we were victorious. The problem now is that He is now aware of the Elements, and will be likely trying to dispose of them,” King Iron Hoof affirmed, his gilded harness showing all of his muscled glory.

“Then that’s where I’m going,” Sam said, looking up to show that black mist was starting to come out of the corners of his eyes. “Just point me in the right direction and I’ll wipe this bastard out.”

“Not so fast! We understand that you are angry, but running off to fight an army alone would be useless. And, we still haven’t any idea where He is residing,” Celestia said, grabbing hold of the man’s shoulder.

“Verily. He is as much an enigma as He hath always been. That is why thou’rt here. Allow us to show thee a sketch of the being we speak of,” Luna affirmed, before motioning to one of the guards, who produced a wanted poster of the being in question and handed it to Samson.

Sam inspected it whole-heartedly, wanting to know every detail of his enemy before a realization came to him. “Oh my god…,” he breathed. “So He’s the ‘Him’ you’re talking about….”

“So you know of him?” Blade Feather queried. “Do you by chance know of any of his weaknesses?”

Sam shrugged. “In my world, my first world,” he began to explain. “This guy was basically a campfire story from a game…. He could cheat the laws of the game, proclaiming himself a god. To my knowledge, a player could do nothing against him… but we aren’t in a game and I’m no ordinary player.”

“So, you can help us then? You know how to beat him?” Stone Maw queried. “I would very much like to see that smug grin of his cut off, for the pain he caused my predecessors.”

“Verily. Our weapons did naught but make him stronger, and, from what We recall, generate some kind of spiritual backlash,” Luna added.

Sam winced at that. “Yeah…,” he replied slowly. “That’s going to make things slightly difficult. Luckily, I’ve got a trump card for spiritual attacks.”

“Wonderful! Can you tell us anything else? Is there some kind of ‘achilles heel?’” Queen Dryad questioned.

Sam shook his head. “Like I said before,” the human replied. “He broke the laws of the game, the laws of nature. Besides that, he was a ghost story. The only weaknesses were fan created and likely do not exist in your world.”

“Curses! So our only hope is to send a team of our best with you and see what happens, then?” King Thorax said.

“A battalion would be better. But yes, it seems we must place all our faith on this lone… I’m sorry, we’ve been talking for so long and we didn’t even ask your name or what you even are,” Queen Dryad apologized. She smiled benevolently at the man, causing him to blush slightly. “I am Dryad, Queen of the Deer.”

Sam bowed a bit in her direction. “Samson Jaeger, human,” he stated, keeping his head down to hide his blush. “Psycho Ranger.”

Aw, never seen you get flustered, bro, a voice suddenly sounded out in the room.

“Who was that!?” Stone Maw cried, reaching for his ax.

“It didn’t sound like Him…” Celestia noted but stood at the ready nonetheless. The other monarchs and rulers, along with the guards, tensed as well, prepared to fight for their lives.

Sam looked up blinking in confusion. “Wait, you heard that?” He questioned.

They did what now? The voice asked, seemingly echoing from Sam.

“Show yourself! If you’re going to slay us, then at least do it like a bull!” King Iron Hoof challenged.

Slay you? The voice questioned. The only thing I’m interested in slaying is this self-proclaimed king.

Sam let out a sigh. “Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Scott,” he said in a dull tone. “My brother.”

“Your brother? He’s a spirit?” Queen Dryad queried, her antlers ceasing their green glow.

“Second personality,” Sam clarified, only to roll his eyes as Chris cleared his throat.

Actually, he’s the second personality, Chris explained. We just do a weird body switch when we go to different dimensions.

“Ah, I have heard of that disorder. Rare though it is nowadays,” Queen Dryad commented. “I wonder… Do you change appearances as well? Your brother has a certain...exotic handsomeness to him.” The doe giggled at this as the man blushed again.

Dawww, she likes yo-

“Yes,” Sam interrupted. “Chris is blond with gray eyes, unlike me…. Can we get back to the ass kicking?”

“Yes, please. This banter is making me bored,” Lord Torch commented.

“Right, we’ll have our men assembled here in a matter of days. Meanwhile, I would suggest you take a glance around. It’s not every day one visits a city as vibrant as Canterlot,” King Thorax suggested.

Sam looked slightly distraught at this and Chris fell silent. “I, uh,” he stuttered, looking away and scratching behind his right ear. “I think I’d be more comfortable in the woods….”

“Why don’t you join me in the Royal Acres, then? I hear they’re lovely this time of year, and it has been a while since I last visited them,” Queen Dryad offered.

Sam looked up at her, his eyes looking into the distance for a moment before he let out a breath. “...Yeah,” he said quietly. “I think I’ll join you.”

“Wonderful!” Queen Dryad said happily, clapping her hands together. “We will see you all later, have a good day.” With that, the queen began to walk out of the room, Samson in tow.

A surprised look spread itself over his face as his feet scurried to catch up with the rest of his body. “S-so,” he started. “There has to be more than me being ‘exotic’ that caught your attention…?”

“Hmm? Oh, well, I found your sense of righteousness admirable, as well as quite attractive,” Queen Dryad admitted without batting an eye.

Sam went silent at this before he cracked a small smile and let out a short breath of laughter. “Never thought I’d hear someone describe me as ‘righteous’,” the man said, glancing at her for a moment. “I’m the embodiment of all Chris’ rage and violence, after all.”

“Really? So you’re a bad boy then? Even more alluring,” Queen Dryad said with a playful giggle after seeing the man blush bright red for the third time.

Sam let a bit of a nervous smile touch his features as he touched lightly at the part of his face that was heating up. “I have to admit,” he said. “You’re the first to ever make me blush… then again I’ve only ever had my own body once before.”

“Oh? All the more fun for us, then,” Queen Dryad said with another giggle. They turned a corner and came upon an entrance to the Royal Gardens, a forest beyond it in the distance. “There it is, Royal Acres,” she said, pointing to the wood.

“Wow…,” he breathed, looking out over the trees. “It’s….”

“Amazing, right? It’s almost like Everglade City, where I live. The only thing it’s missing is the majesty of the Treeco,” Queen Dryad said with a wistful smile.

Sam gave her an odd look. “What’s a Treeco?” He asked.

“Oh, right, you’re from another world. Well, the Treeco are sentient trees, titanic creatures of bark, leaves, and moss. We’ve been coexisting with them since before the Ancient Era. They are our steadfast companions and allies, and it was their progenitor that granted us our unique magic,” Dryad explained.

“Hm,” Sam hummed. “They sound very… tranquil. By the way, what did you mean when you said ‘all the more fun for us’?” His face looked a little confused at this.

“Oh, you’ll see,” Dryad said with a smile. “Now, let’s continue, shall we?” She said, offering him her arm.

Sam hesitated a moment before he decided to enjoy his time in the driver’s seat. “We shall,” the human replied with a small smile, taking her arm. Dryad smiled brightly as the two maneuvered through the gardens, passing many an exotic plant and a number of gardeners doing their work. In time, they reached the entrance to the woods.

“Well, here we are. My, how these beauties have grown! It really has been too long since I’ve been here,” Dryad sighed in content and looked around blissfully.

Sam looked around at the trees for a moment before a thought occurred to him. “I wonder…,” he murmured before he reached out and touched one of the trees, Pink Static going over his hand as he closed his eyes. After a few seconds, his eyes snapped open and he let out a gasp.

“What? What is it?” Dryad asked, curious.

Sam was silent for a moment as he looked at his hand before smiling. “I saw his history,” he breathed. “All of it….”

“‘His?’ You mean Dolly?” Dryad asked. “I’m surprised you have nature magic at your disposal. And Dolly isn’t the most open-minded of the trees here.”

Sam continued to grin before looking up at the tree. “Guess I just got lucky,” he said, before putting his hand back on the tree, no Static present this time. “Thanks, big guy.” Dryad smiled as well, before grabbing ahold of Samson’s hand.

“Follow me, I know a place,” she said cryptically. Samson blushed again as he felt her soft chest against his arm.

“I-I’ll follow you,” Sam said, giving a nervous smile as he looked at her. She smiled wide and dragged the man along, the two going past paths and landmarks with a brisk pace. The doe was smiling still as she led the man forward.

“I’m guessing I’m not going to get any hints if I ask for them am I?” Sam asked jokingly as he followed along.

“Nope!” Dryad chirped. In time, the two came upon a mass glade filled with flowers that emitted minuscule wisps of light, almost like fireflies, only it was day out. “Here we are, my favorite place in the Acres. What do you think?”

Sam was silent for a long moment. “...It’s gorgeous,” he said softly, looking around and drinking in every detail. “I never thought I'd get to see something like this with my own eyes.”

“Come, let’s sit. We can watch the sunset. The flower’s do something quite… interesting when dusk comes,” Dryad offered, sitting down herself and patting the spot next to her.

Sam did as she bid, sitting down beside her with a smile on his face. “Were these gardens always here?” He asked, leaning back on his hands to get a better look around. “Or did somebody plant them?”

“Oh yes, ever since my people first made contact with the ponies, this has been here,” Dryad explained. She sighed in content. “I’ve always loved coming here after a long conference. It soothes me.” The ruler smiled as she leaned against Samson.

“Yeah, I can see how it has that effect,” he replied as, for reasons unknown to him, he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “...Y’know, I've never felt this way… not physically anyway. The peace… the sounds of nature… the good company.” At this, he looked at her with a smile.

“Well, I’m glad to have been the first to show it to you,” Dryad replied back cheerily. She sighed again. “It’s sad to think that that monster is bent on burning all this to the ground.”

Sam gave a sad frown at this and looked around them. “...I'm not going to let that happen,” he said, his voice strong. “I came too late to save my world, and now it's in shambles… I won't let that happen here.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Dryad said. She then gained a mischievous smile as she placed a hand on Samson’s chest. “By the way…”

Sam looked at her with a questioning gaze, his eyes going back and forth between her hand and her eyes. “Yes?” He asked, his voice slightly nervous.

She smiled and leaned into his face, before quickly kissing his cheek and retreating. “You’re really cute when you’re flustered,” she said with a giggle as she saw the man’s dumbfounded look and heavy blush.

“O-oh,” he stuttered, his face bright red. “Th-thanks…. You're beautiful, too.”

“Well, thank you!” She said with another giggle and a flirtatious wink, before going back to leaning against the man. “So...What’re your hobbies?”

“I dunno, honestly,” the young man replied. “This is only my second time being in control of our body like this, and when I'm playing passenger it's a lot of quiet time to practice magic manipulation.”

“Oh? What kind of magic?” Dryad queried, interested.

“Elemental,” Sam replied simply. “You know, fire, water, ice, things like that. Thanks to all my free time, I think I've almost got everything down pat, even a new power up that Chris can't even hit without an extreme amount of stress.”

“I see. That sounds quite handy,” Dryad commented. The two sat in silence for a long while after that, just enjoying one another’s company. And, in time, the hour they were waiting for arrived. And when it did, a low, almost melodious humming emanated from the flowers, which were emitting even more wisps and their petals were vibrating and glowing. “Beautiful, isn’t it? They call this Melody Wisp’s Glade for this very reason.”

Sam couldn't believe his ears at what he heard. The melody, along with the setting helped to relax some unseen tension in his body, his eyes closing as he listened, a peaceful look crossing his face. The doe giggled quietly and laid her head down on his lap.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she answered.

Sam didn't speak or move for a few long moments. “...Hey, Dryad?” His voice was soft, almost unheard.

“Hmm?” she hummed in question, smiling up at him.

Sam opened his eyes and looked down at her. “Thank you,” he said, a smile on his face.

“Of course. I’m always happy to help,” she said happily. The two stayed like that in peace for a while, simply taking in the other’s presence. Then, it ended as they both heard the sound of a creature that they knew all too well. The sound of an Enderman.

“Dryad, stick close to me,” he said in an urgent tone. “Do not let it separate us. We'll be easier to grab that way.”

“Right,” she said with a nod as they both stood up, glancing around for wherever the Enderman was.

Then, suddenly, a pure black fist slammed into Sam’s face, knocking him back and drawing blood from the force. Dryad reacted quickly, raising her hands and summoning roots from the ground to trap the Enderman, only for it teleport away again.

Sam looked back after recovering from the punch, letting out an almost inhuman growl. “I’m going to make it pay for that,” he muttered before Navy Static started to dance around him. A ring of water surrounded the two. “Let’s see it get past that!”

The sound of it groaning in its tongue was their answer before it ripped a tree from the ground and tossed it at them.

“Not today, bitch!” Sam shouted, his Static changing from Navy to Black seamlessly, allowing him to catch the tree with no problem, Sam quickly putting it back to the ground, roots down as he flashed in Pink Static. “Do me a favor, big guy,” he said. The roots sank back into the ground and raced towards the Enderman, flying from the ground to skewer the monster.

The Enderman growled and teleported away before the sound of its teleportations simply disappeared. Dryad looked around, trying to find it, but with no luck. It had gone.

“Something’s not right… They don’t normally just leave their prey alone,” Dryad noted.

“That means two things could be happening right now,” Sam stated his eyes shifting constantly as he had Chris give him a constant feed of their surroundings. “One, it went to tell Him about me. Two… it’s going for reinforcements.”

“Either one of those would be bad enough. But I get the feeling it’s something more…” Dryad pondered for a moment before her eyes widened. “Oh no… It’s going to the castle!” she surmised before rushing out of the glade. “Come on!”

Sam suddenly scooped the doe up bridesmaid style and started running, Yellow Static sparking off him. “Forgive the suddenness of my actions, but we need to go fast!” Sam shouted over the rushing wind as he ran towards the castle. The doe blushed lightly but made no protest.

They arrived to see a significant chunk of the wall missing, most likely from an explosion. Guards were all over the place, fighting off black skeletons that Sam recognized as Wither Skeletons. The sound of further explosions echoed from within the castle.

“I’m going to set you down here, Dryad,” the young man said, setting her down gently. “Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to go to work.” With that, he turned to face the Wither Skeletons and took a few steps forward. “It’s morphin’ time,” he said, stepping back and bringing his right arm back, the index and middle fingers of his left hand pressed against a device on his wrist that had the same symbol as his shirt. “Go, Psycho!” He shouted, stepping forward and throwing his right fist forward.

Black energy surrounded Sam’s body, except his head, the energy shattering and leaving behind black body armor. Gray lightning shot from his wrists, feet, and torso and dragged white armor to his forearms and lower legs while gray armor fell over his chest and back. Gray energy lept from his hands as he rotated his arms over his face, gray grid lines covering his head before his gray helmet materialized. Black visors slid into place over his eyes, the entire transformation happening in the blink of an eye.

The skeletons took notice of him and shot their arrows, while the rest finished off their own opponents, the guard’s armor withering away to naught but dust.

Sam growled at this, the Psycho Scythe forming in his hand as he swung it to deflect the arrows away from himself and Dryad. “As much as I’d like to see you all suffer,” he said in a low tone, before crouching down and rushing forward, slashing the first skeleton in his path before he stopped on the other side of the group. “This needs to end quickly.” Shadows of himself suddenly rushed from his previous position, slashing all the others before disappearing.

The skeletons fell to the ground in a heap, and the remaining guards pressed their advantage, rushing into the castle to try and stop the onslaught. Dryad watched all this from a distance, worry clearly etched on her face.

Sam came back to her side. “You okay?” He asked, the visors and mouth piece sliding out of the way to reveal his face.

“Yes, but those inside won’t be. If this is anything like all those years ago, He will try to cause as much damage as possible before reaching His goal,” Dryad said, sadness painting her expression.

Sam put his free hand on her shoulder. “I’ll do everything I can to stop this guy,” he stated. “Will you be safe if I leave you here?”

“For now, yes. He’s not likely to come after me, not unless I get in His way,” Dryad assured. “But I think I’ll lay low anyway, just in case.”

“Good,” Sam said, his worry relaxing a small bit. “I’m going to sweep the castle. ...Stay safe.” He gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before the gray squares on his gauntlets and leg armor turned yellow and he ran into the castle to take care of any monsters he found.

“I will,” she promised. With that, two guards came up and escorted her to a safer location, while Sam turned to face the gaping hole in the castle walls. The sounds of screaming and the smell of smoke and dust filled his senses and fueled his rage.

Shadowy mist joined the yellow lightning flashing around him as he ran, bent on tearing down any monsters he came across. His progress was halted when a number of familiar green creatures greeted him in the hallway, and his heart sank as he saw the charred bodies of many a guard on the ground, most likely from previous Creepers.

The shadowy presence around him grew as he saw this, anger flaring as he banged the butt of his scythe on the ground to get their attention. When they turned, he lifted his scythe and brought it back before slashing it through the air. A wave of energy slashed through the air, decapitating every zombie in the hallway.

“Hmhmhmhm… Seems I’ve riled you up, young Ranger…” said a deep, reverberating and gravelly voice.

“So I finally get to meet the famous ‘Him’,” Sam said, seeming to relax his guard and rest his Scythe on his shoulder. “Why don’t you come out and fight me like a man, Herobrine?”

“Why waste my time on such a pest when I have armies to do that for me?” Herobrine chuckled darkly. “Speaking of which…” Sam was thrown across the hall by an explosion, and he swore he could feel his armor starting to shrivel up and wither away. Getting back up, he saw something he had hoped to never see in real life. A Wither. It’s three heads glared at him, while its ribs moved inwards and outwards, like it was breathing, but without lungs.

“I’d say ‘ow’, but I’m starting to get used to being thrown around,” Sam replied, demorphing as he faced his new opponent. “And this? Well, you’ve just given me a great sparring partner.” Black energy suddenly exploded from him as dark red and yellow Static jumped over him along with his usual green. Black, silvery energy swan in the whites of his eyes as his hair started to blow upwards. A new weapon materialized in his hand, looking like a trident except the two outer prongs curved out to either side while the middle prong extended out like a blade. The Wither shot three skulls from all its mouths, all three heading straight towards Samson.

Sam flashed out of sight, the heads detonating harmlessly. There was a sound of metal whistling through the air and the enraged Ranger appeared down the hallway, holding one of the Wither heads in his hand. “One down,” he said in an echoey voice before dropping the head and turning back to the boss monster. The monster screeched in pain, and Samson heard the sound of many a zombie groaning as they filed into the hallway, wearing familiar blue armor and wielding similar weapons and shields.

Samson let out a sigh before he shoved his hand forward, palm out. Air rushed to the zombies, and more importantly, inside them before expanding and tearing the monsters apart from the inside. When the last rotten body fell, he turned his attention back to the Wither. “Strike two,” he said before disappearing again and reappearing on the side of the skeletal being… in three different places. The three men swung their weapons and chopped off the second head before the one in front lifted a hand and detonated a ball of fire directly into the Wither’s chest, pushing them both back in opposite directions.

“Hm, so you have some skill after all…” came Herobrine’s voice as the Wither frantically fired off shots.

Sam dodged each shot and caught the ones he couldn’t with the curved prongs of his weapon, deflecting the shots back at the monster. “Or maybe your monsters just aren’t as terrifying as you think they are,” he replied in a growl before he stopped and unleashed a wave of wind that blew away the explosives, his eyes looking up into the Wither’s sockets. “Strike three.” He rushed forward, swinging his weapon blade down and splitting the monster in two. He landed on the other side, putting the weapon on his shoulder.

The sound of clapping greeted his success, and he turned to see the man himself walking casually towards him, no weapons, nothing but his signature shirt and pants. “Very good. I can feel your anger in the air. It’s intoxicating.”

“I haven’t even gotten started,” Sam said, his eyes narrowing as his aura faded, but the physical changes stayed behind. “Leave them be.” Herobrine quirked an eyebrow.

“Hmm? Now, why would I do that? These poor saps are the most entertaining bunch I’ve had yet! I can almost taste their fear. It’s quite nice, really,” Herobrine mused.

“Because now you’ve got to deal with me,” Sam replied, his voice becoming heavier. “And unlike them, I do not fear you.”

“Is that so? Well…” Herobrine snapped his fingers and a greatsword of diamond appeared in his off hand, while countless more created a circle around them, all ready to strike if Sam got close. “Why don’t you show me, Ranger?”

“Gladly,” Sam said, raising his morpher once up to the side of his face. “Go, Psycho.” In a flash, dark, steel colored armor that was iridescent in red and blue covered his body, his gauntlets and leg armor black instead of white while dark blue and red energy swam within the squares of his armors. The weapon changed as well, a longer scythe blade sprung from one of the prongs while two much smaller curved blades sprung from the other side. Sam settled into a fighting stance. “Let’s dance, phantom.”

Herobrine disappeared with amazing speed, coming up behind the Ranger and slashing at his back, causing sparks to fly as well as Samson himself, who barely stopped himself from being impaled by the ring of blades.

“That all you got?” Sam taunted as he sped back towards Herobrine, his scythe raised. He slashed down at his opponent, three more swings following his from every other direction. Herobrine suddenly grabbed the Rangers head, squeezing hard and even cracking the armor, before throwing him to the other side of the circle, where Samson stopped himself again. But he had no time to recover as Herobrine cut into the man’s arm, drawing blood.

“I believe that’s my question,” he responded smugly, licking the blood off the blade before raising his blade for another strike.

Sam was still for several moments… until he started laughing. The laughter racked his body until he threw his head back and was forced the lean on his weapon for support. “Really!?!” He suddenly asked, dropping his gaze down as all the damage done to him was reversed. Sam was suddenly beside him, gripping his face as green electricity flowed from his hand to Herobrine and back again, sending enormous pain through Herobrine’s skull.

But there was no screaming, no utterings of pain, only the sound of thousands of voices in Sam’s head, all crying out for his blood, for his heart, his flesh. Sam actually staggered back from the sheer intensity of it all, dropping Herobrine, who laughed as he stood back up, watching the man try to futilely shut out the voices.

“Well… I think I’ve played with you enough. My goal here has been achieved, anyway. But here’s a little gift before I go,” Herobrine snapped his fingers, dismissing the greatsword and summoning a spiked dagger, before brutally shoving it into Sam’s stomach. “There! Something to remember me by.” With that, Herobrine and all the blades disappeared, save for the one in Sam’s stomach.

Sam gasped as the blade pierced him, quickly reaching to it and yanking it out, his Obsidian form working overtime to seal the wound while Chris fought off the voices. After a few moments, it was done and Sam straightened up. “Well… that was a good field test,” he said, demorphing and beginning to walk back the way he'd come.

Hey, Sam? Chris questioned as they walked.

“Yeah?”

...Did you just do what I think you did?

Sam grinned widely as he lifted his hand, blue, brown, and white colored Static danced over it. A diamond sword appeared a second later. “Yeah,” the young man replied. “I did.” He dismissed the sword and continued walking.

Sam came upon a gruesome sight when he reached the end of the hallway. Many guards had arms or legs that were slowly withering away, while medics tried their best to tend to the wounds. The walls were crumbling as well, and the guards remaining were working on trying to stabilize the walls. Then, he saw something that made his heart sink. There, in the far corner, was a maid’s body, covering a filly who was still crying into the dead mare’s bosom, every now and again saying, “Wake up mommy, please!”

Sam stopped and his mind raced. He then raised his hand and it flashed with the Static again before a round bottle with purplish pink liquid in it appeared in his hand. He walked up to the first medic and got his attention. “Give them this,” he said, handing the medic the potion before moving on to the next and repeating the process. He did this until he had given each medic a potion, each guard receiving one. He then looked to the foal, his face falling to grief as he didn’t know what to do.

“Mommy...please...don’t leave me…” the filly sobbed. Sam’s heart fell even further into his stomach.

With a little hesitance, Sam made his way over to the foal before lowering himself down next to her. “Hey, kiddo,” he said in a soft voice to get her attention. The filly eeped and tried to hide in her dead mother’s skirt.

“Hey, it’s okay,” the young man said, softening his tone even more. “I’m not going to hurt you.” He held his hand out gingerly.

“Y-you’re not…?” she said between sniffles, slowly poking her head out from under the dead mare’s skirt.

Sam gave a kind smile. “Of course not,” he replied, keeping his tone.

“Wh-who are you?” she asked, finally coming out from under the skirt.

“My name is Sam Jaeger,” he replied. “What’s your name?”

“S-Silver Fray…” she said timidly, her mane living up to her name with its silvery color.

“That’s a pretty name,” Sam complimented, his smile still on his face before his face became concerned. “You’re not hurt, are you?” The filly shook her head.

“That’s good,” he replied, holding his hand out again. “Would you… come with me?”

“But… What about mommy?” Silver queried, looking back at the dead, cold gaze of her mother.

Sam’s face turned sad as he looked at the mare. “I’m sorry, Silver,” he said, his voice choking in his throat, tears building in his eyes. “But… I can’t help her….” The filly’s eyes welled with tears again and she rushed forward, burrowing her head into Sam’s stomach and crying her eyes out.

The young man wrapped his arms around Silver, rubbing her back a little. He stayed silent for several moments, letting the little filly cry a bit before he continued. “Where’s your father, Silver?” he asked.

“M-mommy said…” she began, before choking back a sob. “She said he didn’t want to...to see us a-again…” the filly said before she started to cry even harder.

Sam’s eyes fell, and he hugged the filly a little more, letting her cry a bit more. “Would you… come with me?” He asked, continuing to rub her back. The filly, after she started to recover, slowly nodded as she wiped her tears away.

“Alright, here we go,” Sam said, picking the filly up in his arms and standing up before turning them back to the medics and looking around for… something.

Dryad came down the hall, and when she saw Sam, she smiled wide and rushed over to him. “Samson! Oh, thank goodness you’re okay!” she cried, before noticing the filly in his arms. “Oh, who’s this little one?”

“Dryad, this is Silver Fray,” He said. “She, um….” The young man trailed off before motioning his hand behind him, out of the filly’s sight. Dryad gasped and tears brimmed in her eyes.

“Oh, you poor thing…” Dryad said sympathetically.

“Who are you?” the filly asked. Dryad forced a smile.

“I’m Dryad, it’s nice to meet you,” she said politely. Dryad glanced up at Sam, seeming to ask him for an idea.

“Is...Is mommy gonna be okay?” Dryad and Sam tried to look anywhere but the filly at those words.

Sam looked toward Dryad, trying to ask for advice with his eyes. She glanced back sadly.

“Your mother is…” she stopped for a moment as she saw the foal's eyes, before trying to quell her own tears. “...She’s gone, Silver.” Dryad finished morosely. The filly’s eyes welled with tears again, and she burrowed her muzzle into Sam’s chest once more. Dryad came up and wrapped both of them in her arms, and Sam and Dryad stood and waited for the filly’s wails to end. They were scarcely able to hold back their own tears.

Sam finally stopped trying and let a few tears fall from his eyes. “...I’m so sorry, Silver,” he said softly, leaning his head down a little towards the filly. Dryad gave up as well, and the three let out their sorrows to the world.

Sam and Dryad had just dropped Silver off with a maid, the little filly having fallen asleep after tiring herself out from crying so hard. The two adults were standing in front of the door to her room, both unsure what to say. After a little bit of time, Dryad spoke up.

“What should we do?” she asked softly.

Sam was silent for a moment before he looked at her with a sad look. “I honestly don’t know,” he answered, his voice almost empty. “Eventually I’m going to have to leave this world and go back to my own… and what can I do from a literal world away?” If Dryad had an answer, she didn’t speak it.

Sam sighed before glancing at the door. “...Don’t leave her alone,” he said suddenly. “It’s the biggest thing that could break her.”

“Right,” she said simply with a nod. She glanced back at the door, then to Samson. “What will you do? Are you going after Him?”

Sam thought for a moment. “I’m not sure I have a choice,” the young man replied. “He won’t stop until he’s brought down… or convinced otherwise.”

“Him? Convinced? You do realize who we’re talking about, right?” Dryad asked in surprise.

“I do,” Sam replied with a nod. “I also know what’s going on inside his head, and I’m not sure how he’s made it this far.”

“What do you mean?” Dryad asked, tilting her head to the side in an inquiry. “To my knowledge, he only thinks about destruction.”

“When we were fighting,” Sam began to explain, turning to face further down the hallway as his eyes went out of focus. “I used a technique that copied his skills, abilities and even memories. It put me in his mind for a few moments and in that time I was assaulted by voices yelling at me to murder, kill and destroy….”

“Are you sure that wasn’t just Him? It could have been his regular thoughts,” Dryad pointed out.

“It could have been,” he admitted with a shrug, looking back to her. “But I can’t afford to rule out any possibilities… especially not with you and Silver here.” Dryad went silent. Then, a guard came up to the two.

“Queen Dryad, Mister Samson, the Princesses wish to see you,” the guard announced.

Samson nodded before glancing at Dryad and offered her an arm. “Shall we?” He asked.She nodded as well and took his offered arm.

“Right this way,” the guard said as he led the two to the Princesses.

Sam followed the guard, his mind slipping into itself as he started to think over his next course of action. His face actually contorted to a point of looking like he was worried.

“Are you alright?” Dryad asked him, noticing his facial expression.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he replied turning to look at her. “Just thinking over what comes next.”

“What comes next is we fight that creep,” Dryad asserted.

“No offense, but I don’t want you anywhere near him,” Sam said, looking at her. “I know it sounds cliche, but he’s on a level far beyond what I’ve fought before.”

“But those families-!” she tried to say.

“Have lost many loved ones,” he finished. “It’s horrible and sad and they deserve revenge… but you have a people that care about you and look up to you. Neither they nor I can afford to lose you….”

“...Alright, fine. But I want you to promise to be careful, okay? You’re the first to treat me as a regular doe than a stuffy old Queen,” Dryad pleaded.

Sam smiled at her, a little sparkle coming to his eyes. “I promise,” he said, reaching over and giving her arm a soft, reassuring squeeze. With that, the two arrived in the same room from earlier in the day. Inside were the royals of the many nations, as well one new one that Sam hadn’t seen before. It was a zebra, with simple fur wrappings made of leopard hide. She bore a spear along with a number of other javelins strapped to her back. Gold rings, with exotic engravings on them, covered her neck.

“Ah, Samson, Dryad, good, you’re here. I’m afraid we have grave news,” Celestia began.

Samson frowned. “What would that be?” He asked.

“The Vault has been raided. Nearly every artifact is gone,” Celestia said sadly.

“All but this, that is,” Luna said, placing a shimmering, greenish yellowish star-shaped crystal on the table in the middle of the room.

Sam walked forward and gave it a closer look. “That’s got to be His,” he said, not really wanting to pick it up.

“How do you know?” King Iron Hoof asked.

“Because that’s a Nether Star,” Sam said, looking up at the Minotaur. “Nothing screams Him more than that.”

“What’s a ‘Nether Star?’” Blade Feather queried.

“The Nether Star is a drop that one gets from killing a Wither, the second biggest, baddest thing in the Nether,” Sam began to explain. “It can be used to craft beacons, basically monuments that boost a player’s abilities.”

“That’s...interesting. Even more so when you consider how it was found,” Celestia mused.

“Indeed. Lock Stone was a hero through and through,” King Thorax agreed.

“I’m almost afraid to ask what happened to him,” Sam said, looking between the alicorn and changeling.

“He was a half-breed of Changeling and Pony, among the first. But he was the first to actually get a cutie mark. At a late age, but still. How he gained it is what makes it all the more remarkable,” King Thorax began.

“He created a device that effectively shut off the flow of energy created by the portals to His realm. Sadly, Lock Stone was the only one who knew how to make them, and His armies quickly disposed of any remains of the device. He was killed in the assault, but he bought us valuable time,” Celestia finished.

Sam raised a hand to his chin. “Do you remember what the device looked like?” He finally asked. The rulers shook their heads. “Well, crap,” he muttered. “I was thinking it might have been a beacon, but I can’t be sure.”

“Regardless, we have another matter to attend to,” King Stone Maw announced. “Namely, our late guest.” All eyes turned to the zebra at this.

Sam turned to look at the zebra, staying respectively silent.

“My home is torn asunder by an ancient blunder, and the days we have are few in number,” the zebra explained.

“From what you said in your letters, the Cult of The Ravager has surfaced again?” Stone Maw queried. The zebra nodded.

“They have regained their former strength. And their arm reaches an untold length. Last time, they wiped the Saddle Arabians off the maps, we will be the next poor saps,” the zebra expressed. “I, Nora of the Zebras, request your aid, please, do not let your hands be stayed.”

Sam clapped his hands together and rubbed them. “Well, guess I’ve got a target now,” he said. “When can we leave?”

“We have arranged a carriage already. The teams we promised are also ready. One hundred of each of our finest troops,” Celestia informed.

“If I may,” Sam said, stepping forward. “I’d like to add a new mandatory item for each fighter.” He lifted his hand and summoned a potion. “At least one potion of regeneration for each of them.”

“‘Potion of regeneration?’” Stone Maw queried.

“You summoned something almost exactly like Him…” Blade Feather noted, narrowing his eyes.

“That I did,” Sam replied tossing the potion from one hand to the other. “During the fight, I managed to gain his powers… before he stabbed me in the gut and took off.”

“That...is most remarkable. How did you manage that?” Celestia queried.

“I have yet to name it yet, but I can copy the abilities, skills, and strategies of others,” Sam explained. “All I got to do is get a hold of their head.”

“That is most impressive,” Stone Maw commended.

“Right, well, we haven’t much time. Samson, I suggest you get ready to leave. You have quite the journey ahead of you,” Celestia urged.

Sam gave a shrug. “I’ve got no gear except my morpher that never comes off,” he stated. “As far as I’m concerned, I’m ready to go.”

“I meant provisions and the like,” Celestia deadpanned. The rulers chuckled at the man’s silliness.

“Riiight,” Sam said, putting a hand to the back of his head. “Still not used to the whole… ‘body’ thing.”

“Hehehe, indeed,” Dryad giggled.

“A warrior must have sufficient food to keep up his strength,” Lord Torch affirmed.

“Any suggestions?” Sam asked. “I’ve never actually packed a lunch before.”

“Well, that would depend on your diet. Though the pastries the chef’s serve here are quite divine,” Dryad said.

“Guess I’m going to go to the kitchens then,” he answered, before looking around the room once more. “Is there anything else I should know, or that you want to know?”

“Well, now that thou’st mentioned it, We hath not heard how thou can travel betwixt planes, nor why thou’rt summoned with a trinket,” Luna noted.

Sam gave a smile. “That is an interesting question,” he replied. “I’m what’s known as a displaced, which means that I was taken from my home, given powers, and placed in my own version of Equis. That trinket, or Token, is infused with my energy and put into the void where it multiplies and goes to other displaced… He just so happens to be your displaced.”

“That is most interesting… How many more of these, ‘displaced,’ are there?” Stone Maw queried.

“There could be an infinite number of us,” Sam answered. “Some are good, some bad… some are just in between.”

“Hmm… So He could gain allies, then,” Iron Hoof wagered.

“Though He is likely to double-cross them,” Luna pointed out.

“Indeed. Samson, why don’t you head to the kitchen? We have urgent matters to discuss alone,” Celestia said.

“So that’s what that feels like,” Sam noted, before giving a short bow. “I’ll leave you to it then.” He turned to Dryad. “Guess I’ll see you later?” She nodded and gave a smile.

“That you will,” she said as she gave him a brief, but no less warm hug. The rulers chuckled at this but made no comment.

Sam smiled as he returned the hug before pulling back. “If you guys need me, you know where I am,” he said, flashing one last grin before turning to the door and starting to walk out of the room.

“And done and done,” Sam said, a smile on his face as he finished packing his provisions. “You’re being very quiet, brother.”

Just taking a page from your book and getting some training in, Chris replied. And thinking… lots of thinking.

“Yeah, that’s about all you can do,” Sam replied, before putting the pack on and walking back out to the hallway.

It’s boring as Hölle…. Do you think that filly, Silver, will be okay?

“No idea, but I plan to find ou-”

“Mister!” cried a familiar, young voice as Sam felt something collide with his legs. Sam let out a huff of breath and struggled to keep his footing before looking down. What he saw was the adorable emerald eyes of the filly he had found earlier. Silver Fray. “Where are you going?” she asked innocently.

Sam stared wide-eyed for a moment before he lowered himself down to one knee, a soft smile replacing his shocked features. “There are some zebras that need help in their homeland, and that’s just what I’m going to do,” he explained.

“But… Who will take care of me? I’m all alone now…” Silver said, started to cry.

Sam’s face turned sad and he reached up and drew her into a hug. “Oh, Silver-”

“I’ll take care of her while you’re gone.” Sam looked up to see a sphere of silver light, wisps of red and blue coming off of it. Sam stared for a moment. “Hey… bro.”

“Chris?” Sam questioned, his arms loosening a bit from around the filly.

“Who’s th-that?” the filly asked, noticing the sphere.

Sam looked between the filly and the floating sphere. “Um, Silver, this is my brother, Chris,” he introduced.

“Hello,” Chris greeted, the sphere dropping down a bit more and coming forward.

“H-H-Hello…” she greeted timidly.

Chris gave a little chuckle. “It’s okay, you don’t have to be afraid,” the glowing sphere assured. “Besides, I’m nicer than Sam.”

“Hey, I resemble that remark.”

“You said ‘resemble, not ‘resent’.”

“I know what I said.”

“Umm… I-I just came here to see Mister Sam off. Queen Dryad is taking me in, she’s really nice,” Silver told them.

Sam smiled at that. “That she is,” he said softly. “You sure you’re gonna be okay, kiddo?” The filly nodded before giving Sam a tight hug.

“Thank you for everything, Mister Sam,” she whispered quietly.

Sam’s face looked a bit surprised for a moment, still not used to this sort of attention, before he smiled again and wrapped his arms around the filly as well. “No problem, Silver,” he said quietly. “And if you ever need me, I’ll just be a call away….”

“Right,” the filly replied, before releasing the man and running back down the hall.

Sam stared after Silver Fray until she disappeared out of sight, staying silent the entire time. Chris slowly floated closer to his shoulder. “...You’ll miss her a lot, won’t you?”

“More than I’ve ever missed anyone before,” Sam replied before standing to his feet. “Now come on. We have a job to do, and we can’t mess up this time.”

“Rodger,” Chris replied before he dissipated. Let’s go kick some arsch. Sam nodded and started to walk down the hall towards his destination. They arrived at a sea of armored beings, from Griffons, Minotaurs, and Diamond Dogs, to Changelings and Ponies. There were few dragons, however, and those that were present looked to be adolescents. All along the runway were countless carriages, and as Sam took in all the sights, he was approached by one member of each race.

One was a Diamond Dog that wore heavy plate armor of some kind of brass alloy, face and body covered entirely. Silver engravings decorated the armor. A large hammer was strapped to the dog’s back.

The Changeling wore simple studded leather armor and had eyes not unlike King Thorax in that they were not just orbs of bluish green, but had actual pupils and such. Her eyes were a captivating and electric blue. A number of daggers were strapped to numerous places on her armor, most of which looked like throwing knives, but were still of good enough size to function as standard daggers.

The Griffon was carrying a stylized bow with swans as the riser, their heads situated around the nocking point. The griffon himself was wearing chainmail and bore the head of a crow. His eyes were a striking golden.

The Minotaur wore splint mail, a large great ax strapped to her back. Her ruby red eyes sized Samson up quickly before she snorted. She was a big female, and Samson’s head only came up to her chest, which, to his embarrassment, was quite bountiful despite the splint mail.

The pony was none other than Shining Armor, who had his signature decorated purple armor and longsword. He gave Samson a once over as well, before smiling lightly.

The Dragon was a tall lad with brown scales and cerise eyes, and he wielded nothing but a greatsword and wore scale mail that was a bright red. The six of them eyed up their new officer.

“So… You’re Samson Jaeger?” the cow asked.

“Thought he would be taller,” the diamond dog commented.

“I am Samson and forgive me if I disappoint,” Sam said with a short bow of his head. “I suppose you’re all my new team for this little outing?”

“That we are. Pleasure to meet you. Name’s Shining Armor,” Shining greeted.

“Mag Pie,” the griffon introduced himself.

“Final Will,” the cow said curtly.

”Plessius,” the changeling said with a bow.

“Basker,” the Diamond Dog said as he clapped his armored chest.

“Tiny Winy,” the dragon rumbled.

Sam gave a grin as he looked over them all. “It is good to meet you all,” he stated. “I look forward to this more and more. Also, I have one rule… please try not to be formal. Makes me feel kinda awkward.”

“As you wish,” Plessius conceded.

“Fine with me,” Final Will grunted.

“Alright then,” Shining said.

Sam let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you. Now, what exactly are your specialties, if you have any?”

“Assassination and stealth,” Plessius answered readily.

“Long range support, and tracking” Mag Pie replied.

“Front-line offense,” Final Will, and Basker said simultaneously.

“Defense,” said Tiny Winy and Shining Armor.

“Guess that leaves me as the all arounder,” Sam said nodding his head. “Last order of business, when do we leave?”

“Whenever you’re ready. We’re fully prepared,” Shining Armor answered.

“Then let’s not waste any time,” Sam said, his seriousness coming to its apex. “The longer we wait, the more time His army has to cause damage.”

“Right!” the six chorused. They lead Samson over to a larger carriage, and they all piled in. To Samson’s imminent embarrassment, he was squished between the two females.

“Any idea how long this trip is supposed to last?” the young man asked, his trigger finger itching a bit as he kept his eyes on his feet until someone spoke.

“About...say, eight hours,” Shining informed Sam.

“Huh,” the young man said before leaning back and rubbing under his chin with the back of his hand. “I was actually expecting it to be longer. Wake me when we get between one and two hours away from our destination or there’s an emergency.” With that, he closed his eyes and fell into his inner world.

After training with his brother in his mind, Sam woke back up. He immediately noticed that the two females were slumped over him, Plessius’ head on his shoulder, and Final Will was nearly smothering him in her bountiful chest.

Sam tried to remain still so as to not disturb them, mostly afraid of what the cow might do to him if she found him pressed against her like he was. Instead, he settled for looking around at the carriage’s other occupants.

Shining Armor was drooling and mumbling in his sleep, Tiny Winy was awake, if the sight of him sharpening his blade wasn’t obvious enough. Basker...well, Sam couldn’t tell if he was asleep or not with the helmet on. Glancing outside the window, Sam noted it was night. He continued to look out the window before everything came crashing down on him. “Oh, what the hell am I doing?” The young man whispered.

Here he was, fighting another world’s war when his own waged back home. He thought of all his friends and colleagues he had basically abandoned. Sam closed his eyes again with an angry frown at himself before lightly bumping the back of his head against the back of the carriage.

“‘A pint of sweat saves a gallon of blood,’” came the voice of Tiny as he slid a whetstone across his blade.

“Um, I’m sorry,” Sam replied, still keeping his voice low. “That just kinda went over my head.”

“Work hard to save more innocents,” Tiny Winy amended.

“Ah,” the Ranger said in understanding before leaning back his head again. “That makes it sound so simple….”

“Nothing is simple,” Tiny responded easily, dragging his whetstone across his blade again as Final hugged Sam tighter.

Sam winced ever so slightly before relaxing again. “You can say that again,” he sighed. “It always feels like when you have everything figured out, it all goes straight into a nosedive.”

“That is the nature of leadership,” Tiny replied, scrutinizing his blade.

The young man went silent for a moment. “...Then I guess it’s time to get off my ass and do what I’ve always done,” he muttered. “Adapt.”

“Indeed. Many need you. Some more than you may think,” Tiny said, sparing a quick glance at the Ranger before returning to looking at his greatsword.

Sam’s mind immediately went to Dryad and Silver. The moments in the glade with the doe, the hug shared between him and the filly in the hallway. If there had been any cracks in his wall before, they were quickly sealed up by the strength of his determination. “Thanks, Tiny,” he said. “I needed that.”

“Don’t mention it,” the dragon said as he started to clean his blade, taking a cloth out.

Sam started to think on the things to come, going through all of the strategies he had tugged out of Herobrine’s head so that he could try to formulate a plan. But he just couldn’t figure it all out. The strategies were, for lack of a better word, incomplete. Like Herobrine had noticed right away and set a trap...or some kind of ward was protecting his mind a bit. Whichever it was, none of them would be nice to see coming to fruition.

Damn, we’re in a bind, Sam muttered mentally.

That we are, Chris agreed. But at least having something is better than nothing. We just have to start filling in the gaps.

Sam nodded to himself. If nothing else, we can try to surprise him with a few of our own twists. The mental brother ‘nodded’ and fell silent as the two waited out the rest of the ride, trying to puzzle some of the better parts of their opponent’s strategies to form one of their own. That night, the wind blew coldly over the desert land of Zebafrica. And not just because it was night.

Author's Note

Samson has been issued a challenge. Herobrine has gathered is armies. How will our heroes handle this new threat? The only certainty is that the nightmare has only just begun....

Part one of a crossover with Timeless Celestia and their story You Know My Name. I had a great time with this, even if it was rather long, and his story is adding up to be something worth looking out for. Also, some of you may notice that I have started putting [CO] next to certain chapters. This will be used to signify a crossover chapter from here on out.

One more thing. The scheduling for the two stories is being changed again. *Crowd groaning* OI! None of that! I'm going to start writing double time on When The Bass Drops so that I can get it caught up, then I will begin alternating between the two. Crossovers will be handled differently. If I have a crossover planned with somebody after the chapter I post, that will come first so as to not make the other author wait. Now that all of that is done, thank you all for reading and if you see a mistake, have a joke and/or critique, or simply want to be silly, leave it in the comments below. Until next time, have a good one.

Chapter 15- A Nation In Despair [CO]

Chapter 15-

A Nation In Despair

“There it is! Zebafrica!” cried one the pegasi flying the carriage that Sam and his new team were in. Sam had managed to escape the cow’s grasp after she woke up. Thankfully, she didn’t pound him, but she gave a rather solid punch to the arm that left a nice bruise. Regardless, they all glanced out the window to see a sight that made them all pity the zebras. There was nothing but a rundown village, right in the middle of the desert. The sun shone harshly on the world below, seeming to not care that zebras were struggling to survive on the earth.

“Damn,” Sam muttered. “This doesn’t look good at all. We’ve got to get down there.” “Yeah. You remember what we told you on the way here about the situation?” Basker asked.

“Em…,” Sam muttered while he thought back to the conversation.

“So here’s the situation. The Cultists are ransacking every village and town they find, plundering food, water, and any material they can get their hands on. In particular, they are taking ancient treasures from the major villages, and there are only five or six left untouched. Furthermore, the war is costing a lot of resources, and both sides are hungry. Which is both good and bad for us,” Shining Armor told Sam.

“So our objectives lie in protecting the villages and taking out the Cultists?” Sam asked for clarification.

“Basically, yes. But there’s more. His armies are spilling out of portals all over, made by the Cultists. If we can figure out how they made them, then we can learn how to take them down,” Basker added.

“If it’s anything like the games, obsidian portals are built before they set the center on fire and poof,” Sam clapped his hands together for emphasis. “Portal to hell.”

“Alright, but where did they get obsidian? There aren’t any volcanoes around for miles,” Final Will noted.

“Probably transported from somewhere with lava,” Sam said with a shrug. “They probably hardened the lava, cut it into blocks and moved it to Zebafrica. Although, this is just me spitballing. It could be something completely different.”

“Hmm… Alright, let’s get some more rest then. We can discuss our game plan when we get there,” Plessius said.

“Right,” Sam confirmed. With that, he had leaned back and gone back to his training with Chris.

“You didn’t forget already, did you?” Final Will teased.

“No,” Sam replied, giving a small grin at the tease. “Chris just hit me a bit too hard in the head, that’s all.”

“Good, we need you in tip-top shape for what lays ahead,” Basker said. It was then that Sam noticed Plessius and Tiny, as well as Mag Pie, had not spoken up.

“What’s worrying you three?” He asked, looking at them curiously while his voice grew a bit concerned for the three.

“Hm? Oh, apologies, I was absorbed in thought,” Plessius said apologetically.

“What about?” Basker asked.

“Well, I just find it weird that the Queen of the Zebras still came to the meeting despite her nation being in turmoil…” Plessius pointed out.

“Yeah, it is rather strange,” Mag Pie agreed.

“Indeed. Suspicious, even,” Tiny concurred.

Sam thought this over and found little gap in their logic. “This could mean two things,” he said. “Either she was really desperate for our help…, or she’s playing us.”

“What should we do? Send a letter?” Final asked.

Sam thought for a moment before he nodded slowly. “That would be a smart move,” he stated before a second thought occurred. “But… it might be best to encrypt it. Do any of you have a special code you share with your leader?”

“No, but Plessius is an assassin and a spy, she should know some codes,” Basker noted, before turning to the changeling in question. “Do you?”

“I do, not much, but it should be enough,” Plessius said with a nod.

“Alright, then what do we do if she intercepts it and she figures out the code? Or if she suspects the letter has something hidden in it?” Final wondered.

“We could booby trap it,” Sam suggested with a shrug. “I’ve been working on generating sealed spells. We could rig it to… discourage her from opening it. We could also send decoys, scramble them around so she can’t tell which is which.”

“Hmm...alright, I’ll get started on that letter as soon as possible, but for now, we must turn our attention to the fight ahead,” Plessius pointed out, as the Pegasi called that they were about to land.

“Agreed,” Sam said leaning forward. “Any suggestions on how we handle this?” He looked around at the faces before him.

“Carefully. The locals are likely afraid, and I imagine having a battalion of soldiers around only reminds them that they are in danger,” Mag Pie pointed out.

“Our presence may make the locals uneasy, noted,” Sam said, nodding to the Griffon for his input. “Anyone else?”

“We should be discreet. He might have spies around,” Plessius said.

“That I’m going to say is a given,” the young man replied. “I’d expect nothing less from Him. Alright, last call, anyone else?” The group looked around at each other, before shaking their heads. Sam nodded before clapping his hands together. “Alright, get ready to go. When we set down, we need to secure the town and assure it’s populous. Our priority is keeping civilians safe.” “Got it, boss man,” Final said with a thumbs up.

“Understood, sir,” Plessius concurred.

“Alright then,” Basker said, and they could all sense he was grinning maniacally. “Let’s get to business!”

Sam grinned as well, not as maniacally but grinned all the same. “Have I told you guys how much I love this team?” He asked.

“Not yet, but thanks, boss man,” Final said as she clapped him on the shoulder. Tiny simply grunted while Shining Armor smiled.

Sam’s grin graduated to a smile before he took a look at his morpher in radar mood to start getting a feel for the area. He found no red dots yet, quenching his lust for battle. They landed, the other carriages landing as well until the full battalion assembled in front of the group of officers. The village was only a few dozen yards away.

Sam took a look around him for a moment at the battalion in front of him. “We need to begin setting up a perimeter,” he began. “I want two companies working on setting up this perimeter while two more watch their backs. The last company will begin to make a presence in the village. Remember that the locals are sure to be nervous, so try to be friendly and be a calming presence. Everyone stay on alert, we have no idea when He will attack. If you see any sign of His presence, call it in immediately. Let’s get to work.”

With that, the forces moved out, two companies doing as instructed and securing a perimeter, with two more watching their backs. These four were the Minotaurs, Griffons, Changelings, and Diamond Dogs. The last company, the Ponies, set about making themselves known in the village. Meanwhile, Sam and his team decided on their next course of action.

Sam let out a long breath as he turned to face them. “...That was terrifying,” he murmured before looking up. “What’s our next move?”

“Now? All we can do is wait,” Tiny said.

“Not true. We could lead an incursion into the enemy territory, weaken them and free any captives from surrounding villages. Maybe even recover those artifacts,” Plessius pointed out.

“Too risky. They outnumber us ten to one, and you never know what the Pack Destroyer will do next,” Basker told the changeling.

Sam took a moment to think things through. “I think Tiny’s right,” he finally said. “He is going to be unpredictable and the fact that I only have fragments of His strategies doesn’t help.”

“Well, then what do you know?” Final asked.

Sam looked towards her for a moment before looking down and closing his eyes, searching Herobrine’s memories for any useful information. There were several images that flashed by, almost giving him a headache before he gasped for air and opened his eyes wide. “Oh… that’s heavy…,” he muttered before looking up at his team. “I saw rituals… lots of them. And… kidnappings. So many kidnappings. The Tree of Harmony… burning… melting away…. Then-” He cut off and looked towards Mag Pie.

“What?” Mag Pie queried, quirking an eyebrow. A hint of concern laced his voice.

Sam looked at him for a moment before he took a breath. “I… watched the Griffon Empire fall….”

“Oh… Well… Shit,” Mag Pie said, dumbfounded.

“Shit indeed,” Basker concurred.

“Sounds like something he’d do,” Tiny commented.

“The Tree of Harmony? Burning? Melting? That… Is actually quite terrifying,” Shining added.

“Did you see how, sir?” Plessius asked.

Sam shook his head sadly. “I don’t know how, but he somehow managed to scramble the information I got from him,” he explained. “That seems to be part of them.”

“Probably his insane resistance to attacks on the mind. It’s honestly a miracle you got anything at all. He’s gonna be after you for that,” Final Will noted.

Sam frowned at that. “That means our chances of getting attacked just skyrocketed,” he said. “...But maybe we can make it work to our advantage….”

“How so, sir?” Plessius pressed.

“Yeah, how? You got some amazing plan, boss man?” Final said with a grin.

“I play the bait.”

“That...would be the riskiest thing we could do,” Shining said lamely.

“That’s a gross understatement,” Plessius said.

“You do know how important you are to this operation and war, right?” Basker asked.

“Yeah, that’s a bit out of left field...but I like that plan,” Final said with a grin.

Sam raised his hands. “Just hear me out,” he said. “Of course I know how important a role I play, and I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. I also know I’m one of very few that can cause almost as much destruction as the princesses. All I’m saying is that we get a feel for his strategies before setting a trap, and I won’t put anyone’s life on the line before my own.”

“Hmm…” Shining hummed in thought, thinking deeply. The others looked deep in thought as well, before sighing, aside from Final Will.

“Alright, let’s do it,” Basker conceded.

“I’m in. Anything to stop that monster,” Mag Pie agreed.

“Here here,” Plessius concurred.

“You got my vote,” Shining said with a smile.

“I’m in,” Tiny added.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Final said with a large grin.

Sam smiled. “I’m going to enjoy putting Him in his place as well,” he replied before he became serious. “But, when I do this, I need you guys to keep the troops back until I come back and join back up. I don’t want to hurt any of our people by accident.”

“If you’re sure, boss,” Final said. Then, a pony soldier approached the group, saluting the officers.

“At ease,” Sam said to the soldier. “What do you have to report?”

“Sir, the perimeter is secured and there is no sign of the enemy as of yet. Furthermore, we have managed to get the locals out of their homes and establish connections,” the soldier reported.

“Well done,” the ranger said, nodding. “We’ll start rotating watches from here on out. Ponies and Minotaurs will take the first watch, followed by Changelings and Griffons, and finally Dragons and Diamond Dogs. Rinse and repeat.”

“Yes sir!” the soldier said with a salute, before running off to inform the other companies.

“So, what should we do first, boss?” Final asked.

“Meet the locals?” Shining suggested.

“That would be a good idea,” Sam said. “Get to know who we’ll be around.”

“Then let’s find the village chief, get some information,” Basker said as the group walked through the streets, searching for the chief.

Sam looked around as they walked, taking in every detail he could find, both from the town and populous. The zebras seemed scared, but not overly so. Children hid behind their mothers, whom, Sam noticed to his embarrassment, most of the women did not wear tops, much like the tribes in Africa back home. The officers around him noticed this and grinned.

“Yeah, only the higher class wear tops. Neat, huh?” Final teased as she saw the man’s erratic blush.

“...Eeyup…,” Sam replied, trying to keep his gaze away from the zebra mares’ bare chests.

“Sir, should we provide them with tops?” Plessius queried.

“Nah, that’d be like an insult to them,” Mag Pie replied with a grin on his beak.

Sam nodded. “I agree with Mag on this one,” he said. “We’re here to protect them, not change their culture.”

“By the way, Mag Pie, I’ve been meaning to ask, are you related to Pinkie Pie?” Shining asked the griffon.

“Pinkie Pie? Yeah, she’s my cousin-in-law,” Mag Pie responded. “Why you ask?”

“Just wondering,” Shining said simply.

“How are the Elements anyway, Shining?” Sam asked, curious.

“Not good. That bastard has been plaguing them with night terrors for a while now. Twily’s had it the worst. She doesn’t even respond to my letters,” Shining said with a frown and a sad look.

Sam frowned. “Is that so?” He questioned, a dangerous undertone in his voice. “Note to self, make payback a bitch.” Finally, the group arrived at a hut with supports made from the bones of some gigantic creature, and if the ridges and ribs were anything to go by, it was long and serpentine. The rest of the hut was covered in scaly pelts and hides, no furs whatsoever. An oddity that did not go unnoticed by the group.

“So… there are only serpentine monsters around here?” Sam assumed, pointing at the skins for a second. “Those are Golenian worms, they’ve always harassed the people of these deserts. You should see the zebra hunters fight them, it’s amazing,” Basker informed Sam.

Sam thought this over before he nodded his head side to side. “Maybe I would like to see that,” he said. “Who knows, I might pick up some new moves.” It was as the group was talking that they heard what sounded like a scuffle going on in the hut.

Sam threw a look at his group before running towards the hut. They arrived to see a Nether Portal in the hut, with what must’ve been the chief on the floor, bloody and battered and covered in sand. The young man rushed to the chief’s side, checking their pulse. None. Slowly, Sam got back to his feet and walked up to the front of the portal, visibly trembling as he did so. The portal swirled and made vorping sounds, aloof to the man’s condition.

With a roar of rage, Sam threw his fist forward, shattering the obsidian side with no assistance from his Static, causing the vile work to collapse.

“Oh ho! Is the little warrior angry?” taunted a familiar, dark voice. The officers tensed considerably at the sound of the voice. Sam, though, was anything but cowed. He slowly turned his head to where he thought he had heard the voice come from, his face blank for the moment. “Oh? No rage filled retort? My my, seems I struck a nerve!”

“Coward.”

“Hmhmhm, so I’m a coward, am I?” He chuckled. “Well, why I don’t I show you how cowardly I can be?” With that, Sam felt something bite deep into his leg, forcing him to the ground. “Oh come now, I’ve barely begun!”

Sam silently reached to his leg and tore whatever had hit him out, Pink Static rushing over the wound, healing it. “That’s good,” he whispered, only just loud enough to hear. “Means you’ll put up a fight when I find you….” The only reply was a cut to the cheek, a diamond dagger embedding itself in the sand across the hut.

“Show yourself!” Final demanded.

“Oh I think not, cow. I’m having far too much fun with you all,” with that, the group was forced to dodge a barrage of daggers coming at them from a portal.

Sam dodged back to the chief’s body, planting himself there and using Black Static around his hands to divert the daggers away. That was when they heard the screams.

“Oh, I forgot to mention, I invited this tribe to the game as well,” Herobrine said, voice sickeningly sweet.

“If I walk outside and see any of my men or the zebras hurt, I will show you what I can do with your powers,” Sam threatened quietly, his voice unnaturally neutral. The only response was laughter.

Sam turned and walked outside, expecting the worse and hoping against hope that he was wrong. He was. The huts were aflame, and the bodies of many of the zebra, no matter if they were children, men, or women, were piled high and burning in piles, where zombie pigman were tossing them with throaty laughs while yet more chased screaming, crying villagers down. The soldiers were fighting and protecting to the best of their abilities, but the portals were all around, the armies of Herobrine pouring out of them by the score.

Sam watched all of this before he let his newly acquired Herobrine Static burst forth violently. He raised his hand, fingers splayed before clenching it into a fist. Every pigman was suddenly stabbed through the head with a diamond sword. They all let out squeals, before falling to the ground with a wet splat, the blades still sticking out.

“Well, you’re just a mood killer, aren’t you?” Herobrine said disdainfully.

Sam changed his Static to Green before turning his gaze to the fires. Winds picked up around them, sucking away the oxygen until not a single flicker of flame was left. “When I find you, Herobrine,” the ranger said. “You’re going to wish I was only a mood killer.”

“Oooh, feisty! But I’m afraid…” Herobrine began before a portal opened in front of Sam. “You won’t be getting the chance.” With that, he felt a crushing blow hit him in the back and heard a resounding crack as he fell into the portal. All he could think of at that moment before he passed out was how much he hated Herobrine.

Sweetie Belle felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped. “Sweetie,” Firefly began slowly, bringing her hand back while a worried look covered her face. “You okay?”

“Oh, y-yeah,” the unicorn stuttered in response. “He just kind of… caught me by surprise….”

“I’m not all that surprised, honestly,” Cobalt said from where he had been standing, fiddling with his grappling gloves. “What I can’t believe is that he didn’t make a move sooner.”

“You can’t tell me that you saw this coming,” Firefly countered, giving the bigger stallion a deadpan look over her shoulder.

“Oh, come on,” the thestral exasperated. “Have you seen the look on his face when he’s with her?”

“‘Her’ is standing right here,” Sweetie said, a bit more irritably than the mare’s usual attitude. “And if he was really that into me, how come I didn’t notice?”

“Probably because you’ve been looking at him the same way,” Fly pointed out, lifting a finger.

“How could you notice her but not him!?!” Cobalt questioned in disbelief.

“How do we know he wasn’t just, you know… teasing?” Sweetie asked, concern creeping into her voice.

Firefly went to make a response only to be interrupted as the portal Chris had gone through suddenly reopened. Although, instead of calmly walking out, the young man came shooting from the gateway, his body landing with a hard thump. “Chris!” Sweetie shouted in worry, running over to his side and going to her knees. The young mare rolled the human onto his side, checking his breathing. After a moment, she let out a relieved sigh. “It’s okay,” she assured her teammates, Cobalt having come to stand close by while Firefly was already halfway out of the room to get someone. “His breathing is-”

The man’s eyes shot open and he lurched up into a sitting position, tearing himself from Sweetie’s hold. He looked around rapidly before his gaze settled on Sweetie, a wild look in his hazel eyes. His eyes widened as he saw the mare and he quickly looked away and towards the closing portal he had been shoved through. “No…,” he said lowly as the portal continued to shrink. “NO!” He yelled, rushing to his feet and trying to jump back through the portal, only to fall to his knees as he was just too late.

Sweetie and the others stayed back as they watched human in his frantic state. After several moments of no moving from the human, the off-white unicorn got to her feet and started to move towards the kneeling ranger. “...Chris?” Sweetie said tentatively, reaching down her hand towards him.

“...It’s not fair,” he suddenly murmured, causing Sweetie to stay her hand.

The young unicorn looked back at her winged companions, Cobalt and Firefly both returning very confused looks. “Whaaat’s not fair, Chris?” Sweetie questioned slowly.

“It’s not fair,” the young man said again, his tone becoming… irritated.

The tone was so off that Sweetie took a nervous step back. “Chris-”

“IT’S NOT FAIR!!!” He suddenly shouted, effectively interrupting Sweetie Belle as he slammed his fist into the floor. A wave of cracks spider-webbed out over the ground, the unicorn mare jumping back at his fit of rage. “TAKE ME BACK!!!” He slammed his fist into the ground as he let out another yell. “TAKEMEBACKTAKEMEBACKTAKEMEBACK!!!” With every new shout, he slammed his fist back into the ground, a bloody crater starting to form as his knuckles began to crack alongside the stone floor. “TAKE. ME. BACK!!!” A black aura suddenly burst around his arm, dark red and blue Static arcing as he slammed his fist into the ground.

A new voice suddenly screamed out in pain as several splits suddenly spread out of the young man’s aura covered arm, blood spurting from the wounds. A ball of silvery, iridescent light shot from him and towards Sweetie, hitting her in the chest. Sweetie let out a breath as she wrapped her arms around the sphere, catching it.

“St-stop him,” a pained, yet familiar, voice said.

The unicorn’s eyes suddenly widened and she looked down at the sphere in her arms. “Chris!?!” She questioned, her face and tone shocked.

“Y-yeah,” Chris replied, his tone strained as black lines curved over his spherical form. “Sam’s… out of control… he’s hurting my-”

Sam and Chris suddenly both let out yells, one of rage, the other of pain, as Sam once again activated his Obsidian aura and slammed Chris’ fist into the ground, causing even more damage to the floor and limb.

Sam reached his arm back to slam it back into the ground, his face contorted in rage as the sound of heavy, pained breathing emanated from the silvery orb. Sam swung his brother’s arm down again, only to be suddenly stopped as Cobalt grabbed his arm.

“Sorry, bub,” the stallion said before raising his shadow covered fist and slammed it down into Sam/Chris’ temple, knocking him out. The human’s body slumped down, the thestral holding him up and preventing him from hitting his head on the hard stone floor.

“Th-thank you,” Chris gasped, the black lines fading from his form. “Don’t know… what I’d… do without you… Co….” Chris trailed off as the sphere he was inhabiting began to fade away.

“Chris…?” Sweetie questioned as the silver orb finally disappeared completely, her eyes widening in fear. “CHRIS!”

“SWEETIE!” Cobalt’s shout rocked the panicking mare out of her shock. Sweetie looked up to see the thestral supporting Chris’ body as blood dripped down the injured man’s arm. “We need to get him to the med hall,” he added calmly.

Sweetie stared for a moment before she shook her head to clear it and rushed over to help support Chris. Together, they began to quickly make their way to get the young man the aid he needed.

Author's Note

Chris and Sam return home, but at what cost? Why did the Obsidian aura do what it did? Abd will our heroes return to the other world to finish what they started? Only time will tell.

So, this was a bit of a short chapter but a pretty important one nonetheless. We got to delve deeper into what makes Sam different from Chris, at least slightly and also got to see oh each of them handles a similar situation. But anywho, this is the final part of the cross with Timeless Celestial and their story You Know My Name. I have thoroughly enjoyed this crossover and hope to maybe do another in the future. Until that time comes, though, there are other matters that need attending to. Without further ado, if you see a mistake, have thought or criticism, or simply wish to be silly, leave it in the comments below. Thank you all and have a great one!

Chapter 16- Everfree United pt. 1

Chapter 16-

Everfree United, Part 1

Sweetie Belle sat on a sofa in the medical hall next to Chris’ bed just like she had been for the last several days, her only company being the constant beep of the machines that kept up with the young man’s vitals. The rustle of the curtains announced the presence of Apple Bloom as the young earth pony entered the closed off space. She paused when she saw her friend still next to the bed before giving a sigh.

“Sweetie, you’ve been here for three days,” the yellow mare said, walking over to the displays as she made notes on her clipboard. “Ya need ta get some rest.”

The unicorn raised her head from where it had been resting on her folded arms, blinking her eyes sleepily. “Bloom?” She questioned, looking at the earth mare. “What time is it?”

Apple Bloom looked away from her clipboard and looked at her friend with eyes wide with surprise. The expression persisted for several moments before she sighed. “It’s almost eight in the morning, Sweetie Belle,” she answered. “How long did you stay up last night?”

Sweetie blinked for a moment as she looked at her friend. “Last I checked, it was six thirty,” she said. “Soo… all night?”

This only proved to draw another sigh from the other mare. “Sweetie, ya can’t keep this up,” Bloom said. “Yer goin’ ta wear yerself out, and you’re still on active duty. What happens if the Rangers are called out for some reason?”

The off-white unicorn was silent for a moment as her friend’s words reached her, her gaze falling when she finally processed it all. “I don’t know, Apple Bloom,” she admitted. “I just….”

Bloom watched her friend’s downcast face, her own features shifting from its concerned irritation to a more melancholy look. “He’s goin’ ta be okay, Sweetie,” the earth mare stated in a much softer tone as she rounded the bed holding up the unconscious young man to sit down next to Sweetie and rest a hand on her shoulder. “He’s already past the worst of it. All we’re waitin’ for now is for’im to wake up.”

Sweetie Belle nodded her head a bit, looking up at the young mare beside her. “Yeah, he can pull through this… can’t he?”

The slight fear in the unicorn’s voice halted Bloom in her tracks, hesitating for a moment before a thought came to her alongside a confident smile. “‘Course he can,” the nurse stated. “After all, there ain’t many that can take on my sis and walk away unscathed.”

The unicorn’s worried eyes searched Bloom’s smiling face. After a moment she looked away with closed eyes, a small smile forming on her face as well, a breath of laughter slipping passed her lips. “He is pretty tough, isn’t he?” She asked.

Apple Bloom nodded and shifted her gaze to the human before them, his chest going up and down slowly, Sweetie’s hand resting softly his bandage covered right arm. The two were quiet for a while and Bloom’s confident demeanor began to drop again.

“You never did tell me how all of this happened,” the red-maned mare said in a low tone.

Sweetie’s smile faded away as her thumb moved back and forth over Chris’ arm. “...It… no matter what I tell you,” she began. “You have to promise that you won’t see Chris any different than you do now.”

The earth pony hesitated a moment, her friend not moving her gaze from the injured human. Eventually, Bloom nodded her head. “O’ course Ah promise, Sweetie Belle.”

The unicorn took a breath at her words, closing her eyes before looking back to Apple Bloom. “It starts with his brother, Sam….”

“HAH!” Sam yelled as his punch slammed through another cog, his fist coming through to the machine’s back where it opened up and blasted the approaching robot behind it with a burst of green energy. As the shot cog fell to its back, Sam swung his arm and flung the dead weight on his arm off, sending it careening into two others that were approaching him from behind.

With another shout and a forward stomp of his foot, the hazel eyed young man sent a wave of Red Static towards the three falling automatons. The Static stopped just underneath the robots and a pillar of fire shot up, engulfing the machines and frying them with ease. As the flames died down and left behind the charred remains of the cogs, Sam slumped a bit, breathing heavily as sweat dripped down his face from his drenched hair. His tired eyes surveyed the bright white and reflective landscape, his gaze sweeping over the multitude of mechanical bodies he had brought down.

“That… has got… to be enough…,” the young man said breathlessly. Before he could even finish the sentence, several more dark pools swirled open over the ground, dark humanoid figures emerging from them before solidifying into even more cogs.

“Apparently not,” a soft, warm voice said behind him and drawing his gaze to the form of Eternal Harmony standing behind him in her blue and purple dress.

Sam’s tired expression became one of irritation as he looked at the ancient alicorn. “Why?” He questioned, beginning to straighten up. “All I’ve been doing is killing off these stupid cogs for….” The irritated took a moment to count on his fingers before clenching his fist and grimacing. “How the hell do you tell time in here?”

“Three days,” Harmony said with a sigh. “And it would be easy for you to figure that out if you would stop being stubborn and take control of your personal aura.”

Samson let out a growl before he heard the sound of clanking boots approaching rapidly. He turned quickly to see the handful of automatons rushing at him. He let out another growl as light blue and black static jumped over his body. “And how?” the angry man said through gritted teeth as he swept one hand, spikes of ice forming along the path it traveled in his sight, successfully skewering three of the machines. “Am I?” his other hand came up in a fist, two slabs of stone sprouting on either side of a few more cogs before he violently swung the fist from one side to the other, the slabs following his limb and crushing the unfortunate machines. “Supposed to do that!?!” He finished his question with a roar, thrusting his open jaws forward as his Obsidian aura burst over him, a cone of ice, dust, and shadow spewing out into the final few cogs and shredding them to pieces.

The young man panted as he straightened again, his Obsidian aura corrupted by an even darker black and purple power pulsing throughout it. Harmony looked at the young man with concern. “Sam,” she said slowly. “You need to let go of that power.”

The human turned slowly towards her, toxic green mist flowing from his anger filled eyes. The unicorn’s eyes widened a bit in surprise and she stepped back, preparing to summon her armor and scepter. For several long moments, the two just stared at each other, energy sparking off Sam as Harmony waited for him to make a move. Slowly, Sam took a deep breath, his Obsidian aura faded, the darker power leaving him as well. “I’m sorry, Harmony,” the young man said in a disheartened tone, sitting down in a cross legged position with a heavy sigh. “I just… I don’t know how to get control back….”

The goddess looked at him with a sad look and walked over to his side before lowering herself to the ground, folding her legs out to the side as she sat beside the young man. “There may not be a way for you to do so,” she said softly. “I am unsure whether you will ever be able to put your dark element back into the prison we put it in.”

Sam grimaced at the unicorn’s words, his eyes concerned as he turned his head away in shame. “...How will this affect Chris?” He asked finally, not looking back at his mentor.

Harmony let a little smile appear on her lips for a moment at the brother’s concern for the other. “If you can master your own power, there will be no need to fear,” she explained. “I have faith that the power you harness will be far more than enough to compensate for the dark element.”

“So, I’m just going to leave Chris in the dust?” Sam questioned, looking up at the mare beside him and receiving a shaking head.

“No,” Harmony answered. “You may for a little while, but if you wish to keep your brother safe, you’ll have to teach him when you can. The Resistance cannot stand to not have you both at the ready.”

Sam was silent at this, his mind going over words again and again. “Alright,” he finally said, standing back to his feet. “If that’s the case then I can’t just keep sitting here.” As his body straightened up, he held out a hand to Harmony as more of the dark pools began to open up on the ground around them.

Harmony took the offered hand and got to her feet as the young man helped her. “Just remember what I told you,” she said before stepping back.

The young man nodded and activated his power. At first, only green Static danced over him. He closed his eyes as the cogs rushed towards him, taking a few moments to concentrate. The Static faded away as the cogs ran at him… only to be blasted back as a wave of green aura flared around him. The young man opened his hazel eyes with a smirk and rushed forward.

A gavel sounded out throughout the room, its loud bang bringing all conversation to a halt. The members of the council all took their seats and looked to Nightmare Moon as she set aside her mallet. “Thank you all for coming,” the dark alicorn said to her audience. “You are all aware of the Resistance’s current position. While our enemies have not made a known move in the past ten days, our situation hasn’t exactly improved despite our best efforts.”

“Chris’ absence doesn’t exactly help matters,” Sunset suddenly muttered out, drawing the introduction to a halt as all focus turned to her.

“Councilor Shimmer, I would ask that you refrain from making offhand comments,” Nightmare said with a sigh.

“Forgive me, Head Councilor,” Sunset replied giving a nod of her head before bringing her arms up to the table with one of her hands up and palm facing up. “But you have to admit that things are pretty grim without Chris. At least he could make sense of what’s happening.”

“And with that, you have bridged us over to today’s topic,” Nightmare replied before looking out at the rest of the council. “What is the status of the recent changing conditions?” Her gaze shifted from each councilor to another, all of them attempting to shrink back from her gaze. The alicorn’s eyes stopped on the Pegasi Councilor. “Councilor Spitfire?”

The yellow mare flinched a bit at the inquisition but cleared her throat and sat forward all the same, folding her hands on top of the table. “The weather continues to worsen,” she reported. “The local clouds become fewer and weaker all the time. This wouldn’t be much of a problem asides from the fact that it’s beginning to get so hot that our pegasi can’t stay in the air long enough to gather enough clouds to form a proper cover.”

“Which certainly doesn’t help our food supply,” Braeburn piped up, bringing his own hands up. “The crops are starting to just wilt away and die. We’ve lost almost thirty-five percent of what we’ve planted in the last few months.”

Nightmare and several other councilors drew back and allowed their eyes to widen at the number. “That much?” The black mare questioned, receiving a hesitant nod from the country stallion. She bowed her head a bit and sighed, shaking her head a bit. “This is not good.”

“It gets worse,” Shining Armor said, bringing the gazes of the council to him next. “While the machines haven’t attempted any sort of assault, the monsters of the Everfree are growing more and more restless.”

“He is right,” Steel Horn spoke up, hitting his fist on the table just hard enough to make it shake. “They draw in closer every day, almost as if they do not fear our presence anymore. Our fighters simply cannot keep up under these conditions.”

Nightmare took in all of this, going through their words with great care. Eventually, she gave another sigh and leaned forward on her arms, head bowed. “So if Midnight were to suddenly attack us-”

“We would be very hard pressed to survive the attack, Head Councilor Moon.” Many of the councilors started in surprise as the usually quiet voice of Queen Chrysalis filled the room. Whereas the queen would usually take up a careless air, she was now fully engaged in the conversation, her eyes full of thought.

“What can you tell us, Councilor Chrysalis?” Nightmare asked, leaning back into her chair with only her fingers resting on the edge of the table.

“Not much, unfortunately,” the changeling answered, glancing at the tabletop with her eyes only before looking back up at the dark mare. “My spies have yet to return, but what they’ve managed to inform me of is that a large portion of Midnight’s forces have been called back to Canterlot while the rest have retreated inside the castle-”

“Then now is the time to strike!” Steel horn cried out, standing to his hooves and once again hitting the table, this time with his knuckles.

“That would be foolish,” Zecora spoke up, looking towards the minotaur. “The machines are still capable of things quite ghoulish.”

“Councilor Zecora is right,” Ember added, supporting her friend. “Attacking the enemy at their home would require them to have far fewer troops and for us to have close to double. Even if we could get dragons and zebras here to bolster our forces, the heat and lack of sustenance is still a very big issue.”

Steel Horn looked between the dragoness and zebra mare before giving a sigh and sitting back down in his seat. “Then what do we do?” He questioned, looking at each of them in turn with his fingers weaved together in front of him.

“We must consider the option to relocate.” All eyes turned to Winston, the older Diamond Dog looking at the table with his ears down. “Even I don’t like the answer, but a retreat might be the only thing that saves lives.”

“Not to undermine your suggestion, Councilor Winston,” Cadence said, gesturing towards him with a face-up palm and giving a worried look. “But where would we go? The Machine Empire has spread out its hold far and wide across Equis. It's only by a miracle that we’ve survived this long.”

A scoff was heard and all eyes turned to the new Griffon Councilor, her claws curled together and holding up her head just under her beak. “Is there something you’d like to add?” Nightmare asked the griffoness, an eyebrow raising towards the council’s newest member. “Councilor Gilda?”

Gilda opened her eyes and turned to look at Nightmare Moon, her expression bored but eyes full of thought. “I simply find it humorous how Cadence says it was a miracle that saved us,” she said. “We all know why we haven’t been crushed by the Empire yet, and he’s been stuck in the med bay for going on three days now.” Her eyes left the Head Councilor and began to make their rounds to the faces around her. “As for leaving, forget it. You all saw what happened to the Rebellion, there’s nowhere left to go. We’ve been backed into a corner and there’s only one way out….”

“And what would you suggest we do, Councilor Gilda?” Nightmare asked, the question genuine in her voice. “If we are so few on options, what do we do?”

Gilda let her voice die for several moments, her eyes drifting down to the table. “...The same thing we’ve done for almost a decade now,” she finally muttered. “Wait… wait and hope and pray that we get another miracle….”

Sweetie sat at Chris’ bedside, her tired, worried eyes cast on the bed sheets as her hand held his, thumb rubbing back and forth over the bandages on his knuckles. The only sounds to keep her company were the beeping of machines connected to the young man as they monitored his vitals. The unicorn sat alone there, waiting for him to wake up, waiting for any sign that he might stir.

The sudden clicks and scrap of the curtain around the hospital bed caused Sweetie Belle to jump and turn her gaze to the newcomer, finding Cadence with Flurry Heart in tow while Heavy Ladle trailed behind them. “Hey, Sweetie,” Cadence greeted in a soft, calming tone as the younger mare relaxed.

“Hello, Princess Cadence,” the off-white unicorn replied, forcing a welcoming smile onto her face and moving over on the couch to make room.

Cadence chuckled softly before coming to sit beside the Element of Generosity, picking up her daughter and placing her on her lap, Ladle coming to sit beside them as well. “Please, Sweetie,” Cadence said in her still soft voice. “Just Cadence.”

“Oh,” Sweetie said with a little blush. “Sorry.”

The pink alicorn chuckled again… before her face turned somber as she looked towards Chris’ still form. “...How’s he doing?” She asked, her voice turning itself down to match the mood of the little space.

Sweetie Belle let her false smile fade away and looked away from towards the comatose man on the bed before them. “He hasn’t changed,” she answered in a small voice before giving a huff of dark laughter. “Apple Bloom says that’s a good thing. Says that so long as his arm is healing, he’s fine, but… that doesn’t help ease my fear….”

The two older mares stayed quiet as they listened to the younger, each of them taking up a look of melancholy that almost matched the unicorn’s. Flurry Heart looked up from her mother’s lap, glancing at each of the faces around her before her gaze landed on Chris. The filly stared at the man for a moment she reached up and patted his hand. She waited a while, but when she received no response, she craned her neck to look up at Cadence and pulled on the sleeve of her mother’s jacket.

“Hm?” Cadence hummed curiously, looking down at her daughter. “What is it, Flurry?”

“Why is Chrisie sleeping?” The filly asked, causing the older alicorn to blink in surprise while the other two winced.

Cadence was silent for several moments before she gave a little sigh and repositioned Flurry on her lap so that the filly could focus on her without straining her little neck. “Chris… got hurt, Flurry,” she said as simply as she could, her voice starting to tighten. “And he has to stay asleep in order to heal….”

The little alicorn went quiet and lowered her gaze from the light purple eyes of her mother to the body of Chris as he lay on the hospital bed. Her eyes went over his frame, stopping as she spotted the bandages wrapped around his right arm, jerking back a little as if seeing them for the first time. The little filly stared at the wrapped up arm for several moments. Then, for whatever reason, she began to close the gap between herself and the bed. Within the span of a few seconds, Flurry Heart was already halfway onto the bed.

Sweetie’s eyes darted to the filly and her body tensed up, the unspoken fear radiating from her gaze as the child continued to try and climb up. Cadence’s eyes also widened in surprise, her body moving in maternal instinct. “Flurry, come off of that,” she said, wrapping her arms and hands gently but firmly around her filly and pulling her back a little ways.

The little alicorn squirmed in her mother’s grasp, trying to get back to the medical bed and its occupant. “But, momma-”

“But nothing, Flurry,” Cadence interrupted softly, still pulling gently on the child, though it was becoming clear that her daughter wasn’t going to give in without a fight. “We don’t want to hurt Chris anymore than he already is.” The minor tug of war between filly and mare continued, Cadence trying to do so without harming the young alicorn while Flurry, in turn, did her best to keep her position on the bed.

Softly, a hand landed on the pink mare’s shoulder, causing Cadence to start a bit and look towards the cream-colored mare at her side. “Heavy-”

“Let her go, Cadence,” Heavy Ladle said gently, a soft, reassuring smile on her face. “Put a little faith in your daughter. You’d be surprised what younger ponies can do.”

For a moment, the princess of love stared at the older pony beside her until she finally sighed and released her daughter. “If you think so…,” she relented as Flurry continued her way up the bed, Sweetie Belle’s worried gaze following the filly.

The little alicorn made her way up the bed, avoiding Chris’ wrapped arm as she crawled up beside him, pressing into his side as she curled her legs underneath her and sat quietly next to him. Flurry’s opal eyes stared down at the young man’s resting face, the only sound in the air being the constant beep of the medical equipment. After a few moments, the little filly lifted herself up on her knees, her hands coming to rest on Chris’ chest as she looked down at him. Her horn ignited in her yellow aura, her hands lighting up next as she leaned over him. The magical aura spread from her hands over the man’s body, slowly wrapping him in a cocoon of energy, the area around his arm receiving a bigger concentration of magic. Flurry kept up her spell, her magic surging over her horn and hands, the comatose ranger’s body following suit as the young alicorn squeezed her eyes together, a slight grimace forming. The filly kept her magic flowing for several moments until sparks of strain began to dance from Flurry Heart’s horn, causing the little filly to grimace further. A few more seconds passed and the alicorn’s magic sputtered and died, the yellow aura fading away from her and the young man resting under her hands.

For a while, none of them moved and nothing changed. Flurry’s eyes rested on Chris’ face, a silent plea in them as Sweetie, Cadence and Heavy held their breath as they waited. Then it happened. A high-pitched, constant beep sounded out from the equipment on the other side of the bed. Every eye in the curtained area widened and while Cadence and Heavy jerked their heads to the machine, Sweetie’s eyes locked onto the blankets just short of Chris. Flurry was much the same, only her terrified gaze was stuck on the young man’s still face.

“...There’s got to be a mistake,” Cadence suddenly muttered, a bright flash lighting up the space as she teleported to the machines on the other side of the bed. The alicorn started to look frantically about the machinery, searching for a loose cord or undone connection while Heavy Ladle jumped quickly to her feet.

“I’ll find Doctor Bloom,” she said hurriedly as she threw the curtains out of her way and started to sprint down the hall.

Sweetie and Flurry still sat motionlessly, the constant flatline filling their ears. Slowly, the off-white unicorn lifted herself from the couch and began to lean over the bed. Her hands reached towards Chris’ face but fell back, her face growing nervous alongside her fear and sorrow, the tears in her eyes suddenly spilling over and running down her cheeks. “...Please,” she murmured quietly, her hands coming to rest on his uninjured upper arm as she leaned forward further. “Don’t leave me…. Chris, don’t leave me!” She quietly cried out and buried her face into the young man’s shoulder, her sobs shaking her shoulder.

Flurry Heart had still yet to move, though the crying beside her shook her from her shock and her face contorted as she began to cry as well. She threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around Chris’ neck, trying to nuzzle in under his chin. “...Chrisie…,” was all the small alicorn could murmur as her tears and sadness shook her frame.

Cadence still searched around hectically, her breathing quick and eyes wide before she looked to her left to see the scene left on the bed, the two girls clinging desperately to the ranger’s limp form. Slowly, Cadence’s breath calmed and her eyes turned sad. She tore her gaze away and brought her hand across her body to hold her other arm.

The room was still. No sounds were made except those of crying mares and the constant high pitched squeal of the equipment. Sweetie kept her eyes closed as a pain swelled up in her chest. First her parents, now the man she had grown to love….

Flurry Heart’s sobs continued to echo out as she clutched onto the gown Chris wore. She didn’t want him to leave. He was the only one asides from her father and mother that didn’t look at her like some sort of unnatural side-show….

Something wrapped itself around the little alicorn while a small weight landed on Sweetie’s shoulder, making her freeze in place as her eyes widened. “Hey… why are my two favorite girls crying?”

Everypony in the room stopped and three sets of eyes shot up to see the worried expression of Chris as he held onto Flurry with his left arm and rested his right hand on Sweetie’s arm from an awkward angle. The room was once again filled with nothing more than the sound of the machines as the young man’s gaze went from one to another, only becoming more worried as time went on. “...Seriously, what’s wron- ERK!” The Ranger was cut off as the three ponies lunged at and hugged him, Cadence’s glomp being especially forceful due to her distance. It took a moment to get over the initial shock of the heartwarming attack, but Chris soon maneuvered his arms so that he was holding the three of them, his eyes becoming soft. “...I don’t know what happened,” he started softly, tightening his hold a bit. “But… I’m sorry to have worried you all.”

The young man fell silent and closed his eyes as he held Cadence, Flurry Heart, and Sweetie Belle, none of them wanting to let go even when the sound of the curtains scraping across the tracks announced the arrival of Heavy Ladle and Apple Bloom. Both mares stared at the scene, Ladle’s face slowly forming into a soft smile while Bloom’s turned into a sort of irritation. “If y’all smother’im like that, he’ll never fully recover,” the yellow mare said, stepping forward and tapping the bottom of Sweetie’s foot. “Off,” she ordered once the white unicorn and the two alicorns beside her looked up. They moved out of the way, Cadence scooping up Flurry Heart on her way up and giving Apple Bloom the room she needed to work with Chris, who smiled weakly at the doctor.

“What’s the news, doc?” He asked, sitting up a little as Bloom approached only to be pushed back down by the earth pony’s strength.

“Yer hurt,” Bloom answered as she started to check over him, taking special care to take a look at his arm. Her ear twitched a bit at the constant squeal of the machines before she reared her foot back and kicked them violently. The resulting crash had the machines sliding several feet and cutting off the blare that echoed from them.

The others blinked in surprise and slight fear. “Uh… Bloom?” Sweetie muttered, raising a finger. “Don’t you need those for other patients?”

“They’re busted,” the red-head answered as she unwrapped Chris’ arm and inspected it. “An overcharge in the cables fried them. Same thing happened when Nightmare got hurt a couple years back. It’s a shame.”

Chris blinked at all that was being said around him. He shook his head a crunched his eyes shut. “Guys, hold up,” he said, his eyes still closed tightly as he raised a hand. “What’s going on?”

Everypony in the room froze in place. Sweetie and Bloom shared a look with one another before the unicorn let out a loud sigh and went over to the other side of Chris’ bed, sitting down gently beside him. “It’s… it’s a long story….”

As Sweetie Belle began to recount the last few days to the ranger, two figures in the doorway to the medical hall stepped out, letting the doors swing quietly closed as a faint green glow faded from underneath the human’s bed. “That was closer than I wanted it to be,” Chrysalis admitted as she sighed in relief and leaned her back against the wall.

“Agreed,” Nightmare replied, placing her shoulder against the wall as she looked at the Changeling queen. “Good thing little Flurry Heart gave your magic the boost it needed.”

The queen chuckled a bit at that. “Indeed,” she answered before looking over at the mare beside her. “Alicorn magic never ceases to amaze me.”

Nightmare chuckled at that as well, giving a soft smile to the slightly shorter Changeling before straightening up again. She took a step forward, placing her hands on Chrysalis’ arms just below her shoulders before leaning forward and planting a soft kiss on her brow. “I have to go get Samson,” she said softly, pulling back a bit from her lover. “I’ll be back soon so we can discuss what to do next.”

Chrysalis smiled a bit as she looked into the cyan eyes of her mare. “Don’t keep me waiting too long,” she replied quietly, receiving a nod from Nightmare before the alicorn made her leave.

Snap. Crack. “Ow!” Firefly exclaimed as she tripped over a branch and hit her knee against a jutting tree stump.

“You okay?” Cobalt asked, coming up behind her and putting a hand on her shoulder.

The pink pegasus looked up at her thestral companion as she rubbed her knee cap to make the pain pass more quickly. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she answered, eyes softening a bit. “Surprised me more than hurt.” She started to stand, taking the stallion’s hand when he offered it. “How much more do we have to patrol?”

Cobalt chuckled at the question and looked up and about them at the surrounding forest. “Not much,” he promised as his gaze made a slow round about the trees before stopping on her own violet stare. “Just the last little bit and then we can go home.”

The mare nodded her head and turned her eyes away before starting forward once more, making sure she paid closer attention to where she stepped. Cobalt followed close behind her as they fell into a comfortable silence. They walked for a while before the comforting silence slowly sank down into discomfort. It took a few more moments for Firefly’s frown to form into the question she was dying to ask. “Do you think Chris will pull through this?” She asked quietly, her voice almost betraying the tears forming in her eyes.

Cobalt was quiet for a short moment before responding. “I saw that man fall from the sky and drill through a machine hundreds of times his size,” he said, glancing sideways at the pink mare. “There’s no way he could not make it through-” He suddenly allowed his shadowy aura to cover his form, the mists shifting and lunging towards Firefly, guiding her behind a dense pile of brush as the sounds of metallic boots and thudding paws met their ears. The shadows dissipated, leaving the stallion to reform beside her as they watched a pack of timberwolves run by into the clearing next to them, a group of cogs not far behind.

The timberwolves came to a stop in front of a large stone wall that stuck up out of the ground, cutting off the monsters’ escape as the machines surrounded them. Firefly counted seven wolves and at least twenty cogs as the wooden creatures faced the robots, snarling and flashing their fangs in a fierce warning. The automatons danced from their positions, some running back and forth in front of the beasts in front of them, causing some of the wolves to lunge forward and snap their jaws.

Firefly shook her head as she watched the scene unfold. “What’re they doing to those timberwolves?” She whispered, her eyes locked on the crowd as a wolf made a lunge at one of the cogs only to be knocked back by swift back swing of said cog’s scepter.

Cobalt winced as the timberwolf landed with a thud and a yelp. “Who knows,” he replied before shifting a little and putting a hand on her shoulder. “Come on. Let's get out of here while they're distrac-”

“What do we have here?” Cobalt pulled Firefly back as he was interrupted and a pointed black and red boot stomped passed. The ponies’ eyes widened as they looked up at the new arrival, finding a large black and red machine captain, the ornamentation on its head resembling a scorpion, the tail arching up over the head with the stinger replaced by a blaster of sorts, its left hand replaced by a pincer and two tendrils ending in conductive spikes hung from its back. “Another group of wood rot? I was hoping for a challenge. Perhaps a hydra or one of them cragadiles.”

The cogs separated to allow the machine captain through as he walked over towards the timberwolves. He neared much closer than the cogs had, prompting one of the wolves to once more lunge forward. The last mistake the beast ever made. Defoliator shot out its clawed left hand and caught the wolf by the throat, the pincer digging into the animal’s wooden neck. “Aren’t you the aggressive one?” The machine taunted the timberwolf as it struggled to free itself from his grasp. “We’ll have to fix that….” For a moment, nothing seemed to change until the timberwolf began to howl, bark, whimper, and thrash in the machine captain’s grip, the leaves adorning its head beginning to wilt and wither.

Cobalt and Firefly’s eyes widened as the wood making up the timberwolf rotted, turning a sickly color as the beast wilted before them, the green energy of its life force slowly fading to black as its movements slowed down to a crawl and eventually to nothing at all. Defoliator tossed the rotten corpse away, letting it crumble to pieces as it landed hard on the ground. The remaining timberwolves took several steps back until they were touching the stone wall behind them, the machine captain giving an evil chuckle. “It seems they’ve finally learned to fear,” Defoliator said, letting out a low, evil chuckle as he watched the animals. The large automaton turned quickly and started to walk away from the scene, throwing a hand up over his shoulder. “Finish them.”

Pegasus and thestral widened their eyes as the cogs stopped shuffling about and lined up facing the timberwolves, the top halves of their faces sliding up to unveil the laser lenses that made up their eyes. The area shown with a red light as the cogs built up energy, the wolves beginning to flail about each other, jumping at the wall to find any route of escape. Firefly closed her eyes and lurched to the side, burying her face in Cobalt’s chest as another of the timberwolves lunged forward. Buzzing filled the air before shots rang out, howls of pain following soon after.

Sweetie helped Chris through the castle as they made their way to the ranger training room. He was still a bit weak thanks to the laws of muscle degradation, though luckily it wasn’t as bad as what would usually be expected. Guess we have our powers to thank for that, Chris commented internally, only to be met with silence. Chris’ expression fell to that of sadness at the reminder that his brother was nowhere to be found within his mind.

The ever perceptive unicorn at his side took notice. “Are you alright?” She asked worried, her hold on him switching up a little. “You’re not hurting, are you?”

“No, nothing like that,” Chris murmured, lifting a hand and waving her worry away. “It just that…,” he trailed off as he gave a sigh. “This is the first time I’ve ever not had Sam with me. Makes me feel kind of… alone.” All fell silent at this statement and the young man looked up at Sweetie as they stopped in front of the door to Ranger Ops. The saddened expression he spotted there was almost more than he could bear. “Sweetie,” he said softly, turning to face her so he could see the soft look on his face. “That’s not what I meant. Without Sam, I feel a bit empty… but how I feel about you is still the same.”

The mare looked up at him for a moment, her eyes searching before her gaze fell away. “...And how do you feel about me, Chris?”

The sudden question shocked the human for a moment. The young man stared down at the young mare before him as his mind shot back through his memories. Their first meeting, those first few days together, the day the met Cruger, the fight against Digster… the kiss he had left her with before he came back a mess. “...Sweetie Belle,” he finally said softly, putting a finger under her chin and gently lifting her gaze to meet the genuine look in his own. “I lov-”

A familiar tone interrupted the young man as his communicator started to sound off. Chris choked on his words and looked down at his wrist, eyes going a bit wide as Sweetie just looked annoyed. He looked back and forth between the device and the mare before him, his mouth trying desperately to form the words that had been shoved back down his throat. “Sweetie-I-it-I-the-it-”

Chris was cut off once more and his eyes widened beyond what one would think was natural as the unicorn grabbed onto his shirt and pulled him towards her, locking her lips to his. The young man was frozen for a moment before he felt the tenseness melt away from the contact, his frantic hands slowly drifting to land on her shoulders to gently hold her. The kiss lasted no longer than a few seconds, but to him, it was eternity cut short as they separated.

There was barely a space between them as Sweetie looked up into his eyes, a soft look in her gaze. “I love you, too, Chris,” she said softly, her hands letting go of his shirt to rest lightly on his chest. For a moment, he didn’t respond until his mind finally figured out that words were never going to be enough for him to describe how he felt about her. He took in a little breath and a gentle smile spread over his features before he closed his eyes and leaned forward, planting a kiss on her head issuing a giggle from the unicorn.

“...Now,” Sweetie said suddenly in a quiet tone as she patted his chest, drawing his eyes open to look at her once more. “It seems you’ve been called?”

Chris took in a breath before letting it out through his nose again, his smile still in place. “Eeyup,” he replied as he raised the still sounding morpher up to his face. With a quick action, he answered it. “Chris her-”

“GET YOUR FLANK DOWN HERE NOW!” Nightmare’s voice shouted, cutting him off and actually tossing up some of his hair.

“On our way!” The young man replied quickly, his heart hammering in his chest for more than just the shock of the sudden shout. He looked down at Sweetie only to find that the mare had already taken the liberty of getting a head start.

“HURRY!” Nightmare’s voice echoed as Chris took off down the hall, easily catching up with the unicorn as they ran. But something kept nagging at Chris’ mind. Nightmare never yells….

The whirring of mechanical gears sounded out as Chris and Sweetie entered into the command room, the young man quickly spotting Nightmare, Cobalt, and Firefly standing at the raised platform overlooking the rest of the room. The alicorn looked as if she was about to lose it with the nail of her thumb between her teeth, her eyes wide as Cobalt looked exhausted as he leaned back with both hands on the console, Firefly standing beside him also leaning back on the console, eyes wide and terrified as she held tightly to herself.

Chris took one look at his friends and knew the situation was worse than he feared. Without a word, he focused his gaze and made his way up the steps and stopped in front of the three. “Guys…,” he said quietly, jerking their attention towards him as he stood by calmly.

Cobalt’s eyes widened when he spotted the young man. “Chris…?” The thestral asked quietly, straightening up from the console behind him and stepping forward. “When did you…?”

“Not all that long ago,” Chris answered with a small, soft smile, stepping forward and holding his fist out which Cobalt bumped with his own. Chris’ smile melted from his face before he looked to the mares on either side of the stallion. “What’s going on?”

Cobalt’s own slight smile faded and he looked towards the ground for a moment before turning and bringing his gaze up to Nightmare Moon. The alicorn was silent for a moment before she sighed and closed her eyes. She turned to face the ranger, squaring her shoulders and opening her eyes slowly. “Cobalt and Firefly have just come back from patrol,” the dark mare began to explain in a low voice. “They came back to report the appearance of a new Machine Captain… and his powers are….” Nightmare was forced to stop as she gave a shudder.

“The thing turned a pack of timberwolves into mulch right in front of us,” Cobalt finished, drawing the man’s attention back to him. “He literally picked one up and made it rot away until there was nothing….”

“Then he made his cogs execute the rest,” Firefly finally spoke up, though her voice was tight and, as Chris turned to look at her, he could see her hands tighten on her arms.

Chris fell silent in surprise and shock, trying to process the information as Sweetie came up next to Fly and put a hand on her shoulder only to be wrapped in a sudden hug, the pink pegasus finally breaking down into sobs.

“...It was the most horrible thing we’ve ever seen…,” Cobalt said quietly, his eyes staying on Firefly’s back. After a moment, he sighed and looked back at Chris. “At least it sheds some light on what’s been going on lately.”

Chris’ expression became confused at this, his head tilting slightly. “What do you mean?” He questioned, a bit of worry coming to his voice before he looked to his commanding officer.

Nightmare shared his look for a moment before she gave a sigh. “The weather is getting hotter,” she said in a low voice. “The crops we grow here have been dying more and more. Not only that, but monster attacks are growing more frequent. Can’t say I’m surprised anymore, though. If they are being hunted as Cobalt and Firefly report, it’s no wonder they’re moving further inwards towards us.”

Chris kept his eyes locked with the alicorn’s, taking in every word she said. He finally let his gaze start to fall to the floor as his thoughts clicked together. “The machine captain,” he started slowly, looking up towards Cobalt. “What did he look like?”

Cobalt stopped and stayed quiet as he gathered his thoughts. “...He was almost all black,” he started. “His head and upper body looked like a scorpion…. He was… horrible.”

Chris’ eyes went wide at the description. He brought his gaze back and stared between Nightmare and Cobalt. “...Defoliator,” he said in a low tone, actual fear growing in his voice.

Nightmare and Cobalt shared a wide eyed look before looking back at the young man. “...What… is this guy?” The thestral asked the young man, worry growing heavy in his tone.

Chris’ gaze shot towards him. “Defoliator is the worst thing that could possibly happen to us,” he started slowly. “He generates an intense greenhouse effect around him, causing plants to wilt and the weather to grow far hotter. Not only that but he’s cruel and destructive. That’s why the monsters are moving inward and the crops won’t grow…. Because he’s getting closer.”

Everyone present fell silent at this, their eyes locked on Chris as they processed what was being told to them. One in particular, though, was not as cowed as the others. Cobalt’s eyes drifted from one of them to the other, coming back to settle on Chris. “...Then what are we waiting for?” He questioned, shrugging his shoulders and wings, pushing himself away from the console he was leaning on. “Let’s go scrap this bastard.”

Chris was quiet for a moment. “...May be easier said than done,” he muttered… before he, too, rolled his shoulders and steeled his gaze. “But let’s do-”

“Commander!” Chris was interrupted and turned sharply at the shout as a pony ran through the door to the command center, papers flying from her arms as she raced up the steps towards them. She stopped just short of them and took a few deep breaths. “Commander…,” she breathed out, clearly exhausted from her run.

“Take a moment to catch your breath,” Nightmare said softly, stepping to the mare’s side and putting a hand on her shoulder. The mare nodded her head and took a few seconds to compose herself before saluting.

“Ma’am, Councilor Chrysalis wanted me to inform you that her scouts have returned from Ponyville,” the pony reported, keeping up a professional stance as she delivered her message. “They have urgent news they wish to share with you and,” she turned her gaze on Chris, “Captain Scott.”

Chris looked to Nightmare as she nodded. “We’ll be off immediately,” the alicorn said. “Thank you, miss Lavender.” The mare gave a nod before turning and rushing back down the steps to the door to continue on whatever tasks had been given to her. Nightmare relaxed a bit and turned to Chris and his team. “If Chrysalis is calling for us, it is no small matter,” she stated, looking to each of them one at a time.

Chris turned to look at his team as well, searching each of their expressions. Cobalt stood behind him, the fires of anger stirred up in his eyes. Sweetie stood beside Fly, her expression that of unmoving determination. Even Firefly, who looked scared out of her wits, looked at him in the eyes and gave a ready nod. Chris let his gaze wash over each of them one more time before turning to look at Nightmare. He was still for a moment before he gave a solid nod. “Let’s not keep her waiting then.”

Midnight looked out over what was once Ponyville, admiring her handiwork. The metallic clanks of approaching footsteps from behind drew her attention. She turned to find her ever faithful servant, Staroid, making his way towards her. He stopped a few feet away from her and dropped to one knee, putting his arm across his chest. “Mistress,” he said in an automatic tone. “The forces are ready for the march to the Everfree.”

The dark purple alicorn gave a sinister chuckle at this, a smirk widening on her face. “Excellent,” she purred, eye glinting. “What of Defoliator, has he returned and given his report?”

“Yes, Mistress,” the machine answered, nodding his head. “The monsters have begun to condense so closely to the resistance that their fighters have almost no room to relax. And the forest is also beginning to rot away from the edge. At the current rate, the forest should be cleared enough for our march in three-”

“That’s too long to wait,” Midnight interrupted, swiping her hand through the air and turning her back on the robot, walking back to the railing of the balcony. For a moment, she leaned on the railing, putting her hands on the rails as she looked out. Her finger tapped impatiently as she thought. “...Staroid,” she suddenly snapped sharply.

“Yes, Mistress?” Staroid answered, standing to his feet.

“Pull the revived machine captains to the frontline and put Defoliator on the third,” the mare ordered, straightening back up and putting her hands behind her back. “We march as soon as possible.”

“Yes, Mistress Midnight,” the automaton replied, once again placing his arm across his chest and giving a little bow. With that, he transformed into his star form and took off into the air, shooting away to act out his orders. Midnight stood alone on the balcony for a few moments after he had left, letting the wind blow through her mane.

Over the sound of the breeze came the sound of beating wings and Spike landed behind her in his smallest form, though he still stood slightly taller than she did. His well-toned torso was bare, showing off more than a few scars while his lower half was clothed in dark red trousers, a thick black belt holding them and two plates of black steel armor that rested on his hips up. Leather bracers with more black steel plates decorated his forearms completed his appearance. Neither of them spoke for a moment, not even seeming to acknowledge each other's presence.

“...You had another nightmare, Midnight,” the young drake spoke up, his voice not seeming to convey any sort of emotion.

The alicorn’s ear twitched at this but there was no other signal from her asides from the small reflex. “...I did,” she answered tersely as if she was already tired of having the conversation.

Spike let out an exasperated sigh. “Mom, you can’t keep ignoring them,” he insisted, taking a step forward and raising a claw palm up. “The last time you started having nightmares like this you-”

“The last time I had these nightmares,” Midnight snapped sharply, spinning around to face him. “I was a young, blind fool! I am not the same stupid filly I was all those years ago!”

Spike froze in his tracks, a stupefied look on his face as he stared into the look of rage the mare that had raised him was leveling at him. But behind the facade, she could not hide what the dragon’s green, slitted eyes found in her own burning magenta orbs. After a moment, he just gave another sigh and pulled back to his original position. “Alright,” he relented before he began to spread his wings once more. “I’ll go make sure everything is prepared for the march.”

“You do that,” Midnight answered hotly as he took off and flew over her head, her gaze following him. She turned back to face the outside as she did this, but her eyes soon fell away from her draconic son and rested instead on the army that spread out before her. Countless cogs filled the streets of the decrepit town, their silver and copper body shifting about as robotic sounds filled the air. Midnight’s look of irritation took a moment to fade away before it was replaced by a sickening smile. “Soon,” she muttered to herself, once again grabbing onto the rail. “Soon that cursed forest and the rebellion will be dead! And with them out of the way, no one, not even Mondo, will stop me from making this world mine!”

“An army?” Sweetie Belle asked in shock as she looked at the changelings before her and the others. Chris looked over the two changelings, still trying to wrap around why they looked so different from Chrysalis. The two had much brighter colors, the shorter of the two having a deep purple color to her that shifted into a cool green while the other, a much taller male, was leaf green that faded into a burnt orange. The female wore a black bodysuit that hugged her body but looked plenty sturdy enough to take a hit or two and had a horn that split at the end to form several points, giving the extremity a weaponized look. The male wore dark brown pants, held up by a thick belt, a dark hunter’s vest, and a heavy long coat. The only thing that still confused Chris was why the male seemed to have a pair of antlers.

“That is correct. Miss Belle,” Thorax answered, nodding his head. “Tarsi and I both saw it. Hundreds of cogs and, worse, revived machine captains. They aren’t what they once were, but dangerous all the same.”

Chris looked towards the ground with a frown. “...All of them?” He asked, looking up at the changeling.

“I’m afraid so,” Thorax replied before the female, Tarsi, stepped in.

“If anything we saw is accurate.” she began. “They’ll be marching towards us today, and probably sooner than we’d like.”

“That gives us no time to waste,” Nightmare said, stepping up and turning her gaze on Chris. “Warn the other captains to get their troops prepared to defend the castle. We’ll use mage ops to create portals to the jungles of Zebrica and get all noncombatants through before pulling our soldiers back and getting them through as well.”

Chris didn’t take his eyes off the changeling before him, giving no sign that he’d even heard his commanding officer. “...We can’t run from this,” he said, his tone carrying to Thorax rather than Nightmare.

The insectoid was silent for a moment before he sadly shook his head. “They’d overwhelm us in an instant,” he said quietly. “And those of us that could escape would be followed. We’ve seen the magic Midnight is capable of. It would be a small thing for her to reopen the portals and send her army through.”

Chris closed his eyes at the confirmation, taking in a long, slow breath before releasing it. “There’s no use, then,” he said softly, opening his eyes and looking towards Nightmare Moon. “We can’t run and we can’t hide.”

Nightmare’s eyes widened at what he was implying. “What are you saying, Chris?” She asked, her tone small, portraying her fear of the coming answer.

“I’m saying it’s time we fight,” the young man answered bluntly. “No more hiding in holes, cowering behind flimsy brick walls. I’ve seen what happens when fear corrupts a world and its leaders. ...We can’t afford to let that happen to us.”

The mare was silent for several drawn out moments. “...I suppose that means you have a plan?” Nightmare questioned, leaning back a bit and crossing her arms.

The ranger nodded. “All it’s going to take is a little help,” he said, his eyes beginning to shine as Nightmare looked a bit confused.

“Who would you need?” She asked. “What can somepony else do that your team can’t?”

Chris continued to let his eyes shine. “I’m going to need Fluttershy.”

Author's Note

Midnight's army prepares for an assault on the Everfree. Will Chris be able to pull off his plan? Or has the Resistance seen it's last days?

Thank you guys for being patient. I know it's been a while and that this is only one part, but part two is almost done and will be out as soon as possible. Thank you for understanding. As always, if you have something on your mind, see a mistake, or just have a random funny to share, leave it in the comments below. Stay respectful of one another and keep the peace. Until the next one, take care everyone!

P.S.- HAPPY ANIVERSARY, EQUESTRIAN PSYCHO!!!

Chapter 17- Bullet Hell [CO]

Chapter 17-

Bullet Hell

A flash of white followed by the image of Chris announced the waking of the computer as Chris turned it on for the first time in several weeks. His eyes were tired and his expression was enough to show that he had no more tears left to cry. Slowly, he typed in the start command with one hand as he rubbed his eyes with the other. When the red dot appeared in the corner, the young man began to speak. “Since my last recording,” he began, voice restricted. “Many things have happened. The Battle of Scarlet Hill, a jump to another universe where Herobrine exists, and… the Everfree Battle.” The young man’s eyes turned sad at the mention of the battle.

“...Delta’s still beat up pretty badly,” he muttered quietly, gaze turning to the floor. “A lot of the Everfree monsters came back with all kinds of wounds, the Resistance fighters got really roughed up, and….” The ranger stopped and took a deep, shaky breath. “And it doesn’t look like Chrysalis is ever going to walk again….” Chris put his elbows up on the desk and covered his face with his hands.

“Every night since the battle, I have the same nightmare…” he whispered quietly. “Every night, I’m back on that battlefield. Every night I watch everyone go down around me… and then everything goes dark…. By the time the light comes back, they’re all dead. Cobalt, Firefly, Shining, Cadence, Sweetie, Artemus, Chrysalis, every night their bodies surround me each night… and at the end of the field is one Machine Captain or another is holding up one of them as they bleed out, eyes watching as they try to call for help-”

A sharp knock on the door shocked the young man out of his chair, Chris jerking to his feet and turning in the same movement, bright orange Static bursting out around him as his eyes widened. His chest heaved as his heart beat heavily in his chest. He stayed in place, fists clenched and ready before he said anything. “Who… Who is it?”

“Chris, it’s me,” Sweetie’s voice called through the door. Slowly, the man lowered his arms and took a deep breath, canceling out his Static as he made his way to the door and opened it.

“Sorry, Sweetie Bell,” Chris apologized when he caught sight of the off-white unicorn. “I was just-”

“Brooding,” the mare cut off, strutting into his room and flicking his door closed behind her with her magic, much to the human’s surprise. She walked to his bed and sat down, looking up at him with a stern gaze that almost hid the worry in her eyes. Almost…. “Chris, I know you well enough by now to know that you’re sitting in here beating yourself up.”

The young man stared at her for a moment before giving a sigh and coming to sit next to her, arms on his knees as he hung his head. “Why shouldn’t I?” He asked, his voice tensing up again. “It was my idea to fight back. It was my idea to get the monsters involved. How is any of this not my fault?”

The unicorn gave him a look full of sympathy before putting a hand on his back. “Chris, you couldn’t have seen how this was going to end,” she told him quietly. “You of all people are not to blame. You woke up out of a coma and came out to be the only person that could come up with a plan of action. Chris… you saved us. Again.”

“Yeah, but at what cost?” The young man asked, looking up at her desperately as if she were his last chance at a lifeline. “How many did we lose just to buy a little more time?”

Sweetie stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before she pursed her lips. “Do you remember what you told us when you first got here?” She asked, standing to her feet and turning to face him with crossed arms.

“Um-”

“You told us that war was just an excuse,” she interrupted. “You told us that war can’t change us if we don’t let it. You said that life was cruel and hard but that if we didn’t want it to change us, we had it in us to not change. So why change now?”

The blonde man stared up at Sweetie’s green eyes, the emerald orbs piercing into him to find the root of his problem. After several long moments, he looked towards the ground and gave a humorous chuckle. “I guess I was a bit more optimistic then,” he muttered.

“And you are,” Sweetie said, coming back to sit next to him. “I’ve seen it. Everyone has. Cobalt, Firefly, Night- I’m sorry, Artemus, all of us have seen that little bit of light that you carry around with you, but after every battle, every little loss, you’re lighting gets dimmer and dimmer. You’re just… not letting yourself see the victories.”

Chris looked at her like he was about to ask a question only for her to beat him to it. “The crops are starting to come back, our fighters have never been more willing or rested, and we don’t have to worry about the monsters anymore. You’ve brought us to a point where the Resistance is doing better than it has been since we all joined together, and you’ve done it almost singlehandedly.”

The ranger looked Sweetie over for several moments before he slowly let a small smile take over his face. “I guess you’re right,” he said after a moment. “I think it is high time I start looking at our victories rather than our losses.” At this, his face sank a little. “How is…”

“She’s doing just fine, Chris,” the unicorn answered, not needing to hear his question. “The doctor’s say she’s going to be paralyzed from the waist down… but asides from that she’s going to make a full recovery.” The purple maned mare gave a little giggle before continuing. “When I went to see her this morning, she was arguing with Apple Bloom about how much longer she’d have to stay in bed.”

Chris gave a breath of laughter at that and shook his head. “Chrysalis is a tough one,” he said quietly before looking back up. “How’re the pups doing?”

“Rose is with Cobalt and Firefly in the training room,” Sweetie answered, giving a little smile. “Apparently she’s been keeping them busy by taking Cobalt’s towel.”

The young man gave a chuckle at that before looking up again. “And Veral?”

“Fluttershy and a few others are doing his operation today,” Starlight said before letting out a breath and looking towards the floor. “They’re hoping they can save his leg, but if they can’t….”

“Don’t worry if they can’t,” Chris said softly, putting a hand on her knee to comfort her. “I’ve already thought of that and have something ready just in case.” The mare looked up at him with a raised brow, releasing a chuckle from him. “What? You know how I am when I’m stressed.”

“Oh, right, how could I forget?” Sweetie answered, rolling her eyes before looking back at him with a mischievous smile. “All work and no play….” Slowly, she leaned towards him and kissed him sweetly. The man returned the kiss in kind, bringing a hand up to the back of her neck. The unicorn pushed forwards into him and he yielded, laying back on the bed. Chris wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her closer as they kissed. His hand started to slowly trail down her back… before a familiar jingle broke the enchantment.

Both parties pulled their heads back and lifted their wrists. “Was that mine or yours?” Chris questioned as the mare got to her feet.

“Mine,” Sweetie answered irritably before she opened the channel on her communicator. “What?”

“Hey, Sweetie,” Firefly’s voice came through the device, a nervous ring to it. “Um, We may have a problem. I’m not sure how but Rose found her way into Chris’ lab and-”

A loud crash interrupted her followed by muffled shouting. Sweetie and Chris shared a look before Chris jumped to his feet. “We’re on our way,” Sweetie said, turning and meeting Chris at the door as they rushed out. “We’d better hurry.”

“Yeah,” the man agreed, quickly pulling the door shut behind them. “Before Rose figures out how to use the laser cutter.”

“That’s the last of 'em,” Cobalt muttered, adding the flyers in his hand to the stack that sat on the desk as Chris finished hanging his tools on the wrack.

“Thanks, Co,” the young man replied, turning back and dusting his hands off. The large thestral picked up one of the sheets and examined it.

“Why do you need so many of these, anyway?” The stallion asked, reading over the flyer's text. “I mean, you’ve already posted this on every bulletin we have, why do you need more?”

“Well, I didn’t make them for us,” the man replied, coming to stand next to his friend as they looked at the wanted poster for Basco. “I made them to keep in my pocket for whenever I get summoned by another Displaced. That way I can spread the word as quickly and efficiently as possible and save as many lives as I can in the process.”

Cobalt nodded his head at this before putting the page back down. “Just like you,” the stallion said, turning sideways to lean his hip against the counter as he crossed his arms. “Always worrying about others. ...How are you holding up?”

Chris looked at him and gave a sigh. “I’ve definitely seen better days,” he muttered before shaking his head and giving a small smile. “But Sweetie Belle really helps to keep my head on straight.”

“I”ll bet that’s for sure,” the thestral said with a chuckle, looking over his shoulder and out the one-way window into the gym where Sweetie and Firefly were entertaining Rose, the pup yipping and jumping happily as she tried to snatch Cobalt’s towel out of the air. Chris followed his gaze and they both smiled a little before the stallion’s face dropped into a small frown and he looked back with a sigh. “Is this war ever going to end?”

Chris looked at him and gave a little frown. Slowly, he reached out and picked up one of the Basco flyers and idly began folding it. “It will,” he eventually answered. “One way or another it’ll end with us as either the victors or the losers. But until that day comes, I’m going to keep fighting… and I hope you’ll stay by me the whole way through.”

The stallion looked at him for several moments before giving a little half-smile. “Of course I will,” he said. “Brothers in arms gotta stick together, don’t they?” The stallion lifted his hand up to eye level and held it open.

Chris grinned a bit and clasped his hand to Cobalt’s. “Always,” he answered. The two pulled away from each other just in time for Chris to flinch as a voice entered his head. What…? Psycho Ranger…?

A portal opened up and swirled in the empty space of the laboratory, both of them looking up to stare into its depths.

“Whelp, looks like it’s time for action,” Sam said as he formed over Chris’ shoulder, drawing Cobalt’s gaze.

“...I’m never going to get used to that,” the stallion muttered.

“Eh, never’s a long time,” the orb replied before floating a little closer to Chris. “...Are you ready for this?”

Chris looked at the portal for several moments before he sighed and slipped the poster into his pocket. “As I’ll ever be,” he muttered before looking to Cobalt. “I’ll be back.” With that, he turned and ran into the portal, the thestral watching him go with worry in his eyes.

“Stay safe,” the stallion muttered. “Brother….”

Paradise Lost: Daughter of Gensokyo

Perspective: Alexandria Kijin.

On my way through the forest, the morning sun shines off something partially hidden in the underbrush. I land next to it and pick it up. “What in Hakugyokurou…?” I mutter to myself in confusion. The object is something I don't recognize, but the memories that belong to ‘John’ tell me that the object is called a ‘pin’.

A sudden message enters my mind, playing out like a recorded message; I am the shadow the darkness fears, the malice that quails evil. Call my name if you fight for justice, but beware the wrath of darkness if you chose wrong, for it is you who will face the dark clone. I am Psycho Ranger.

“What…?” I say in response to the message, somewhat confused. “Psycho Ranger…?” A portal opens up next to me and out steps a young man with reddish-brown hair and hazel eyes. He’s wearing a black jacket with green and white accents, baggy black pants, shoes to match, and a green shirt with the same symbol as the pin on it.

“You called?” The young man says in a seemingly relaxed fashion, though his voice sounds a bit tense as the portal closes behind him.

Putting together the information I know from the message, and the events that happened afterward, I manage to get a grasp on the situation, if only a little bit. “Are you… Psycho Ranger?” I ask, still a bit confused. “Also… what happened just now? What was that portal? And, why did a message play through my mind after picking up the pin?” I ask the man, hoping to get some clarity in my mind.

The man blinks a bit at the onslaught of questions and opens his mouth only to be interrupted as another voice speaks up. Oh, we actually get to teach someone about Displaced!

The man sighs and throws his hand into the air. “Thanks, Chris,” he mutters before looking back to me. “Ignore him, he has a habit of making off-topic remarks. Name’s Sam Jaeger, and yes, I am the Psycho Ranger. As for your other questions, maybe we should get to somewhere that’s not crawling with monsters?”

I blush slightly when I realize that we're still standing in the middle of the Everfree Forest. “Right. I know a safe place nearby, on the edge of the forest. We can talk there.” I lead him through the forest until we reach Fluttershy's house.

Sam is quiet as we approach the little cottage, a sad look starting to cross his face the closer we get. “So… you picked Fluttershy’s house? Got to say, it’s nice to see this place in one piece.”

I stop outside on the lawn. I give him a look as I ask, “what do you mean ‘in one piece’?”

Sam looks up and gives me a small frown. “Be happy you don’t know the feeling of an all-out war,” he says cryptically.

“War?” I say to myself. “I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that, but… my intuition tells me I'll understand better after you answer my questions.”

“Right,” Sam says taking his hands out of his pockets and rubbing them together for a moment. “Let’s start from the beginning. The reason I came through the portal after you got a hold of that pin is because I am what’s called a ‘Displaced’.” He pauses for a second to let that sink in.

“Okay…” I say slowly. “Next, what's a ‘Displaced’?”

“Easy enough,” Sam answers giving a shrug. “You and I are Displaced. People who were taken from our world, given powers, and sent to different universes.”

“‘Our world’?” I ask in confusion.

Sam’s face screws up in confusion as well. “You… don’t remember your old world? You don’t remember Earth?” He asks.

‘That’s a new one,’ Chris once more comments, drawing an irritated shake of Sam’s head.

I become very confused. “I… do remember my old world. But my old world is Gensokyo, not ‘Earth’.”

Suddenly, a different voice pushes to the front of my mind. ‘Earth is where I'm from! I was turned into you by that Magic Man guy! You're not actually you, you're me.’

I suddenly find myself unable to speak out loud. ‘Huh? But, I was born in Gensokyo! I wasn't the product of magic.’ I respond mentally.

The voice, who is without a doubt John Grant, retorts, ‘those are your memories. But you’ve seen my memories, you know that what I'm saying is true.’

I consider this. John is right: there's no way to deny that I was originally him, created through magic by this Magic Man. But I consider the situation further. ‘You're right, I was originally you.’

‘Yes, exactly-’ John begins.

‘BUT-’ I interrupt. ‘That doesn't change the fact that I'm now Alexandria. I'm not you anymore.’

There is silence for a few moments. Then John responds. ‘You know, that's true. And… to be honest, I probably don't have the mental strength to handle your memories in addition to mine anyway.’

John goes silent. ‘John?’ No answer. ‘John? What do you mean by that?’

John finally answers. ‘I'm giving you control, as well as my memories. As long as you understand that you were me originally, then I'll be alright.’

This time when John goes silent, I snap back into focus. I remember the whole conversation. I'm still Alexandria, but originally, I was John Grant. All his memories are in the back of my mind, and I can access any of them whenever I need them. I finally notice that Sam is still standing there, looking at me. “Um…” I begin awkwardly. “I had an epiphany just now. I'm still Alexandria Kijin of Gensokyo, but as it turns out, I was originally John Grant of Earth. I'm pretty sure I understand what a ‘Displaced’ is now.”

Sam is silent for a moment as he looks me over a bit, a worried expression on his face. “Okay…,” he states, taking a few steps forward. “Now that that’s out of the way, I think we should talk about Tokens.”

“‘Tokens’…” I mutter to myself, now completely transitioned into a ‘learning’ mindset.

“Yep, Tokens,” the young man says, nodding his head. “Tokens are basically the calling cards of Displaced. They can be anything from badges to medallions to actual calling cards. Each Displaced’s Token is unique and will usually come with some form of message telling you who or what they are.” He pauses to give me a chance to get everything straight.

“Alright…” I say as I process this information. Suddenly, I have a thought. “Do I have a Token?”

Sam chuckles. “Probably not,” he replies in good humor. “See, a Token is made when a Displaced takes an item, again anything that they think represents them, and transfers a little of their power or essence into it. We then throw it into the void to multiply and be spread across the multiverse to be picked up by other Displaced. That’s why most Tokens are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.”

I nod slowly, beginning to understand everything better. “Okay, I think I'm starting to get a grasp on all this… But, what's ‘the void’?”

At this, Sam stops and gives a nervous laugh, reaching a hand up and scratching behind his ear. “That… I actually have no answer for,” he says slowly. “A place between places is the best description I can give.”

Why can’t you just say you don’t know? Chris asks, a small silver orb finally appearing over Sam’s shoulder, the young man’s eyebrow twitching a bit.

“Actually,” I begin, “the way you put it, I think I can sort of understand what the void is.” I think it over a little more. “But, just in case, is there anything else related to the void you can tell me about?”

Sam shakes his head. “I don’t think there’s very many that do know a lot about the void,” he explains, giving a little sigh before muttering to himself. “Another one of my many shortcomings.”

I think about this. “Well… Maybe you don't know much about the void itself, but is there anything related to the void I should know about?”

Again, he shakes his head. “All I know is that we and our Tokens travel through the void to get from one universe to another,” he elaborates in an almost frustrated tone. “We don’t stay there and probably couldn’t survive there if we could.”

Sam, Chris says soothingly, the little orb coming a bit closer to him. Keep your cool. She’s just curious.

Sam lets out a little sigh, his eyes going to the ground before looking to the orb and nodding. “Sorry, uh… wow, I don’t even know your name,” he apologizes before trailing off a bit.

“Oh,” I say lamely, before blushing a little in embarrassment. “I should be the one apologizing for not introducing myself in the first place. My name is Alexandria-” I cut off, reluctant to give my troublesome family name. I close my eyes and breath in. “Sorry, my last name usually causes me trouble, but that's with people from Gensokyo. You're not from Gensokyo, so I don't have any reason to be worried, but… old habits die hard, I guess.” I take a deep breath and let it out before I continue. “Anyway, my name is Alexandria Kijin.”

“Alexandria, huh?” Sam repeats as he brings a hand up to his jaw bone with his knuckles. “Always kinda liked that name. Anyway,” he waved his hand away, “anything else you want to know?”

I think for a few moments. “I'm not sure. Is there anything else related to the topic of Displaced I'd want to know?”

“Um…,” the man hums before the ball of light suddenly backs up and rams his shoulder, drawing his attention. The orb seems to nod towards me, Sam giving it a confused look, prompting more nodding from the light until Sam makes an ‘oh’ face. “Definitely, definitely be careful when meeting new Displaced. Not all of them are friendly. In fact, some of them are very, very evil.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper, coming forward and holding out the page to me. “This guy, for instance, takes great pleasure in hunting Displaced.”

I take the page and look at what's written on it: it seems to be some kind of wanted poster. There's a picture of some sort of alien with a second of a young man beside it, the text underneath reading, “WANTED: Basco”.

“Basco…” I say, reading off the poster. “I guess I'm glad I didn't get someone like him from my first Token.”

Sam nods his head. “This guy is serious bad news bears,” he says, his eyes full of worry. “If you see him, don’t try to fight, just run as far and as fast as you can then call me. I’ll be here with some help before you can even get the words out.”

“Alright, I understand,” I say seriously. “Is there anything else?”

Sam hesitates a moment, a sad look entering his eye. “...Yeah,” he says slowly, looking up at me, his expression looking almost desperate. “If you go to a world that’s at war with Herobrine… could you find Queen Dryad and check up on her and a filly named Silver Fray?”

I can tell that Sam sees this as very important. “Alright, I'll be sure to do that if I find myself there. So, that's everything?”

Sam lets out a small, relieved breath before nodding. “That’s everything I can think of off the top of my head,” he says, seeming like a weight lifted off of him.

Suddenly, a familiar voice comes from the direction of the Everfree Forest. “All you humans are the same: brainless idiots. You’ve forgotten one thing.”

I turn quickly. Medicine is standing nearby, her hair looking a bit damp. I answer cautiously. “And what exactly did he forget?”

Medicine grins sadistically as she responds. “That dangerous people aren't exclusive to other worlds.” I realize that for Medicine to know what Sam said, she must have been eavesdropping for quite a while. I snap back to attention as she continues. “Why would you need to summon someone to kill you, when I'm about to get my revenge?” Medicine's glassy eyes sparkle ominously. “This time, I'll finally kill you.”

Sam steps past me, putting himself between me and Medicine. I barely catch the stern, cold look on his face as he passes by. “No one’s killing anyone today,” he says with a tone of authority that leaves no room for argument as the air itself grows heavier around him.

Medicine frowns in dismissive disappointment. She sighs before speaking up. “You want to play ‘prince in shining armor’? Just step aside. There's nothing you can do anyway: I'm a Yokai, you're a human. Do the math.”

I decide to give Sam a warning. “Be careful before you decide to fight her. That's Medicine Melancholy. She has the ability to manipulate poison. She'll use clouds of neurotoxins to sap your strength and dull your senses, then kill you while you're disoriented.”

Sam seems to hesitate a moment before glancing back at me. “Poison?” He asks before a mirthless chuckle escapes his lips and he turns back. “She’s going to have to try really hard to kill me then. And…” He suddenly thrusts his hand up, index finger pointing up and what looks like yellow lightning dancing over him. Three circles of the electricity flow through the earth and stop in front and to the sides of her before huge bolts of lightning explode from the ground. “She may want to watch herself…”

Medicine takes to the air, rising a couple feet off the ground, then expertly weaves between the bolts. She then pretends to yawn. “Really? That kind of dodging is child's play.”

I remember that Sam doesn't know about Gensokyo. “She's right, unfortunately. She's from Gensokyo, and in Gensokyo, there's a system in place used to resolve conflicts. With that system, you have to have very good reflexes to be able to go up against even the weakest of Fairies.”

Sam lets out a little ‘hm’ before green electricity joins the yellow and he starts to float into the air after Medicine. “Well, then I’ll get to have a little fun…” His voice sounds… empty.

Medicine seems somewhat surprised. “Huh. You can fly too. Who knew? That's rare among humans, but if you don't have the dodging skills, then it doesn't matter.” With that, Medicine fires off a highly complex bullet pattern with poison clouds mixed in.

I make sure to explain everything that's necessary to Sam to give him the best chance possible. “Sam! The poison clouds are easy to identify, but those other objects she released are known in Gensokyo as bullets! Usually, due to the rules attached to the system, they're not supposed to be lethal, but Medicine is using lethal bullets because we're not in Gensokyo!”

Sam nods his head as he hears this before putting his right hand over his left wrist and pulled out sharply, a lethal blue and silver ax forming seemingly out of thin air. He waits for the bullets to reach him before he becomes little more than a blur of electricity, easily avoiding the bullets as lances of ice shoot from the end of the ax, going through the poison clouds and freezing them solid. All the while, the man moved closer and closer to Medicine.

Medicine looks annoyed as the frozen clouds drop heavily to the ground. “First the damn Ice Fairy, and now some random human.” Having noticed Sam’s approach, Medicine backs away as she continues to shoot more bullets.

Sam continues forward, having to dodge faster and faster until he eventually has to back out of the bullets’ path and stop, breathing heavily. All the electricity around him dies down except the green, his eyes narrowed dangerously. “This is just annoying,” he growls out before gray lightning sparks out around him, shadowy mist flowing from his eyes. With that, he starts towards Medicine once more.

Medicine's expression tells me that she knows that Sam is up to something, but she doesn't know what. As she watches, some of her bullets pass straight through Sam, and her eyes widen. Not sure what exactly she's thinking, I watch as she glances around. Suddenly she seems to realize something. Then, she rushes toward me at a surprisingly fast speed.

Sam’s eyes widen and he changes paths, flying to intercept Medicine, but he’s not nearly as fast as he was before.

Medicine reaches me before I can react, and she grabs my arm and puts her other palm against the bottom of my lower jaw, almost like a criminal would put a gun to a hostage. She turns to look at Sam with a sadistic smile. “Game over.”

“No! Stop!”

Medicine turns to look at Shanghai with a surprised expression. Her expression quickly changes to annoyance. “Ugh, this brainwashing sickens me…”

Shanghai grabs onto Medicine's wrist and tries to pull her hand from my jaw. “You can't kill her!”

Medicine squeezes her eyes shut and, in a strained voice, says, “what's with you? I'm setting you free!”

Tears start to run down Shanghai's cheeks. “But killing her won't free me!”

This catches Medicine by surprise. “And why not?”

“I-” Shanghai struggles a little to choke out her words. “I can't survive without Alexandria. I really am a Fairy. A very rare one. My essence of life comes straight from Alexandria. Without Alexandria, I'd die too! So, you can't kill her! Please understand!”

This shocks Medicine to such a degree that she lets go. She stares in silence for several seconds, then looks at the small doll-like creature she's always with. Then, she whispers under her breath, so quietly I barely hear it, “there's another Fairy like Ms. Su…?”

“‘Another Fairy’…?” I say in confusion.

“Back away,” Sam’s voice says behind Medicine. There’s absolutely no play left in his voice, the tone sounding like a death sentence.

Medicine just stands there in silence. Just when I think that Sam might do something, Medicine finally speaks. “The Fairy’s right. I can't kill her.”

There is silence for several tense moments before several mechanical clicks sound out and Sam walks out from behind Medicine and around until he stops, facing me. “...You okay?” He asks, his voice softer than it had been since meeting him.

“…Yeah,” I say to him. “But… to be honest, I want to know if Medicine is okay.” I look at Medicine.

Medicine looks a bit apologetic as she speaks to me. “I could never kill another doll. Even if yours is a Fairy now, it's obvious that it was a doll once. If killing you kills her, then I can't possibly kill you in good conscience. And…” She pauses for a moment. She turns away slightly before continuing. “I can't kill a member of such a rare species, doll or not. For the longest time, I thought Ms. Su was the only Fairy like that.”

My eyes widen at the implications. “You mean, Ms. Su is a Fairy? And she's tied to your life force?” Medicine nods. “If she's a Fairy, why doesn't she speak?”

Medicine hesitates. “Because she's a mute.” I feel like I understand Medicine better than I could before. Medicine then frowns, most of the softness leaving her expression as she looks at me. “Enough of the sappy crap. I'll let you off this time, but I'll still beat you.” Medicine grins. It's different than the ones from earlier… friendlier. “But I'll do it fairly. No killing.” She then turns and leaves.

A huge sigh escapes Sam as a buzzing fills the space. The heaviness of the air starts to lighten as well.

I look at Sam for a few moments, then look in the direction Medicine went as I speak to him. “I don't think she'll be as much of a problem anymore. She may be rude, but… it seems like she's just misunderstood.”

Sam nods and looks up towards where she walked off, a distant look in his eyes. “...Good,” he says before straightening up and smoothing out his jacket with a quick jerk of the edges. “I always prefer a change of heart to… the alternative.”

I glance towards Sam. I feel like I understand him better, if only a little bit. “I'm hoping that I can eventually make a friend out of her,” I say to him as I look away again.

A small chuckle echoes from him and I feel a short pat on my shoulder. “I think with a little time, you’ll do just that,” he says, a level of reassurance in his tone.

Or she’ll just keep being prickly.

“Chris!”

What?

I can't help but smile as I answer Chris. “To be honest, I feel like if I do become friends with Medicine, she'll be the type who just can't help but be a bit of an ass. But, I think that makes for a somewhat charming, unique trait, you know?”

Kinda like you, bro!

A soft growl of irritation escapes Sam as he crosses his arms with a huff. “I’m not an ass…,” he mutters in a quiet voice, almost like a pouting child.

I can't help it as I try to stifle my laughter.

A small smile forms on Sam’s face as he uncrosses his arms and puts his hands back down to his waist. His stern demeanor changes to a very relaxed one in a matter of moments. “You know, this is just what I needed,” he muttered, giving me a strange look.

I manage to stop laughing. I speak to him, a smile still on my face. “Well, in that case, I'm glad I could help.” I look up into the sky and see the setting sun. My smile drops away. “It's already that late?”

“Hm?” Sam replies looking up into the sky himself. “Oh, yeah, it is pretty late. Well in that case,” he looks back down at me, “you should probably send me home.”

I give Sam a confused look. “…How would I do that?”

“Real easy,” Sam said, lifting and flipping his hand back and forth for a second. “Just say, ‘Sam Jaeger, our contract is complete’ or something like that. A portal opens and I skidaddle back on home.” He makes finger puppet do walking motions through the air as he says the last bit.

“So, it's as easy as telling you that you can go back?” Sam nods. With a shrug, I say, “alright. Maybe I'll see you again.” I then clear my throat. “Sam Jaeger, you may return home.”

A portal opens up a small ways behind Sam and he turns his head to look over his shoulder. “Yep, that’ll do’er,” he says before looking back at me. “Remember, if you ever need anything, just use my Token and give me a shout.” With that, he gives me another friendly pat on the back before turning and walking towards the swirling gateway. “Take care of yourself, Alex,” he calls, waving goodbye behind him.

“You too,” I say, waving back. He drops his hand just before he enters the portal, the doorway closing immediately after he’s clear. I put Sam’s Token into my pocket and return home.

Chris stepped back out of the portal in what felt like to Cobalt to be only a few moments later. “How’d it go?” The stallion asked as the portal closed behind the man.

“Well, Sam got into a fight with a doll,” the blonde answered as he dusted off his jacket only to have his shoulder shoved as Sam appeared in orb form.

“Hey, she played dirty,” Sam exclaimed, hovering behind his brother as the man chuckled.

“Yeah, but you dropped your speed boost,” Chris countered before closing his eyes and shaking his head towards the floor. “Such a rookie mistake.”

OI!” Sam shouted, drawing a laugh from Chris as his head was yanked to the side and his blonde hair ruffled by some unseen force. Cobalt just watched the pair with a smile on his face before he shook his head.

“You two are quite the pair, aren’t you?” He muttered, drawing the attention of both man and orb.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Both of them asked before the door of the lab sliding open caught the attention of all of them. Sunset stuck her head and shoulders through the door, looking about frantically until her gaze fell on Chris.

“Chris, it’s Veral,” she said in a hurried tone. “His surgery, there’s… there’s been a complication.”

The man’s eyes widened and his hand shot out, Titanium Static jumping over his arm and pulling a large metallic briefcase into his hand. “Lead the way,” he said in an urgent voice, already walking towards the door with hurried steps. The alicorn merely nodded her head and turned her head and shoulders out of the door, Chris following soon after.

Sweetie Belle and Firefly stopped in their playing with the sister wolf as the mare and man ran across the training room, the exit opening and closing with neither of them saying anything. They looked at each other before their eyes were drawn to the lab door as Cobalt stepped out, a worried look on the thestral’s face. The mares’ faces changed to match his own and the looked back towards one another, all the while Rose sat on her haunches between the two, staring up at them and hesitantly wagging her tail.

Author's Note

Time moves on as Chris contemplates the good he's doing. Along the way, he teaches another and helps them on their way. But what new tragedy lies in wait for the young man?

It almost seems like I've run out of time. Who knew life after high school would be so hard? coughliterallyeveryonecough Anyway, I'm trying hard to get all my stories back on track. I appreciate all you guys staying patient with me, and I appreciate it even more that you guys stick to my stories. Thank you all. If you guys see a mistake, have a suggestion, or just want to say something funny, leave it in the comments. Keep each other up, and everyone have a great one until I get back.

Chapter 18- Tests and Procedures [CO]

Chapter 18-

Tests and Procedures

The medical room buzzed with the activity of the doctors, vets, and even the few mages that had been assigned to the very unique task of saving Veral’s leg. The timber wolf cub lay on an operating table, a breathing mask over his snout as an IV ran from a bag filled with amber liquid to his good leg, keeping a small, diluted magic tranquilizer flowing into the young pup to keep him asleep.

“Somepony get me some more sponges!” Apple Bloom called over her shoulder, never taking her eyes off the incision she'd made in Veral’s shriveled leg, a steady stream of sappy blood flowing from the cut as she tried to stem the flow with overused sponges. She turned quickly at a sharp tap on her shoulder, her only response being to reach her hand up and snatch the medical sponges retrieved for her before continuing her fruitless task.

The mare’s ear flicked as she heard the door to the medical room slide open and close shortly after. “What’s the situation?” Chris asked as the young man walked in, setting his case on a table behind Apple Bloom before coming to stand beside her.

“Things were goin good,” Bloom answered, taking a precious second to wipe the sweat from her from her brow. “Until we found a bunch of veins an’ arteries all bunched up!” The man glanced towards the mare to see her teeth gritting as she continued to try and stop the bleeding. “That damned captain did more damage than we all coulda thought….”

Chris stared at her for several seconds before he took a deep breath and looked around the room until he spotted the mare he was looking for. “Dr. Cureall,” he called out to the cerulean maned Earth pony and gaining her attention. “What’s the possibility of us saving Veral’s leg now?”

“That’s, um… hard to say…” the veterinarian answered nervously as she stepped forward. “But… his chances aren’t good….”

Chris sighed at that and rubbed his eyes. “That’s what I thought…” he muttered before turning back towards the case. “Bloom, I need you guys to start getting this room changed around.”

“What for?” The country mare questioned.

“An amputation.” Half the room froze at that, a lot of the staff glancing at one another. “We have to take that leg before it kills him.”

“And what do you plan to do afterward?” Dr. Cureall asked in alarm, her eyes watching the young man with suspicious eyes. “Leave a timber wolf to die slowly with three legs?”

“Nope,” Chris answered, turning back around and bringing the contents of the briefcase over to the table. “I plan for Veral to live a long, happy life with four legs.” And with that, he laid a high tech prosthetic on the operating table.

“H-how-”

“Don’t worry about the how,” Chris said tirelessly, cutting off Dr. Cureall. “That was my job. I just need you guys to get that bad leg off of him before it kills him.” The pale maned mare stared at him for several moments before looking towards Apple Bloom, the redhead glancing towards her and nodding in response.

The vet continued to stare for several more moments before she gave a little sigh and turned to her staff. “You heard him,” she said sternly, resolving her features. “Get this room prepped for an amputation and get it done yesterday.” The medical personnel jumped a bit at the mare’s change in demeanor but only for a moment before they started busying themselves.

Chris picked up the prosthetic, starting to move it and himself out of the way, only to be stopped by Bloom’s voice. “Chris… you might want to get washed up and sterilize that synthetic.”

“‘Course, Bloom,” the Ranger answered… before promptly flashing Red Static over his arms and the leg and setting them ablaze.

It was several hours before Chris stepped away from the table, sweat dripping down from his brow as he did so, even his arms covered in the same sappy blood as Cureall’s and Apple Bloom’s. He was tired, magically exhausted, and his mind was firing on its last cylinder… but he’d done it. He looked down at Veral as he lay passed out on the operating table, the metallic leg fused almost seamlessly to the remainder of timber wolf’s leg, not a single scorch mark on it from where he’d cleaned it via burning.

Verdammt, that was rough, Chris thought as he let out a small, sigh.

You going to be okay? Sam questioned, the brother’s worry washing over the other like a blanket, Chris only nodding in response.

Yeah, I’ll be fine, the blonde answered before giving a soft frown. Is his breathing too soft to you?

Chris.

He shouldn’t be twitching under anesthesia, should he?

Chri-

Seriously, I think he’s trembling-

CHRIS! The young man flinched at Sam’s sudden shout. He’s fine, Chris. I can feel it, you can feel it. Hell, if you want to, ask Cureall or Bloom about his vitals.

Chris was silent for a second before he let out a small sigh and nodded. Okay… he answered before turning to the pair of yellow mares as they leaned against a wall, catching their breaths. “Hey, um, girls?” He said, drawing their attention. “What’s his… what do his vitals look like?”

The pair blinked at him for a second before glancing at each other. Slowly, Apple Bloom took a breath and walked over to him. “Veral’s doing just fine, Chris,” she said simply, putting a comforting hand on his arm. “We monitored the machines through the entire operation an’ even checked’em when you were done. He’s going ta be jus’ fine.”

The ranger stared into her eyes for a long moment, searching for any signs of mistruth. When he found none, he gave a final, relieved sigh and finally let his body relax. “Okay,” he said softly, giving a small smile. “Thank you, Apple Bloom.” The mare nodded and gave a little nod before turning to look towards the timber wolf they had worked so hard to save.

“Don’t worry about it,” she answered, quietly. “It was the least we could-” Bloom stopped as a familiar sound began to hum behind Chris. The young man sighed and turned to face the newly opened portal as a similarly familiar voice echoed in his mind.

“...I’m really not sure I want to do this right now,” he muttered quietly, squaring his shoulders with a little effort. He went to step forward only to be held in place, Sam’s dark-colored orb appearing in front of him.

“Maybe you don’t have to,” Sam said, hovering up to just in front of Chris’ face. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to try anyway.” The blonde stared at the glowing sphere for several moments before he gave an exhausted breath and leaned back, giving his brother a nod.

“Okay,” he said, the weight in his voice betraying how truly tired he was. “Thanks, Sam.”

A small chuckle sounded from the orb. “No problem, Chris,” he answered, bobbing up and down a bit. “Wish me luck!” With that, Samson shot towards the portal, the softball-sized orb disappearing into its swirling depths.

The young man left behind held his breath for several moments before he let it out. “I guess it work-” The blonde was completely cut off as he transformed into his own orb form and shot into the portal, leaving behind a room full of confused and surprised medical personnel.

Paradise Lost: Daughter of Gensokyo

Perspective: Alexandria Kijin.

It's been two weeks since Yuuka showed up: a full month since I first got displaced here. The Gensokians call Yuuka's field of sunflowers the Garden of the Sun, but the ponies have simply been calling it the Sunflower Field. I've been going out to Marisa's house to practice with Marisa and Cirno fairly regularly, and I'd say I'm not nearly as rusty as I had been. I've also been going to the Lily-of-the-Valley Field often to talk with Medicine as well, though most times she challenges me to a rematch before she lets me talk with her. Despite that, we've gotten to know each other much better. She won't admit it, but I think she's starting to see me as a real friend. Recently, it's been starting to get just a little bit colder out, signifying the approach of Autumn. I'm currently on the outskirts of Ponyville, a particular pin in hand. The past two weeks, I've been thinking about making my own Token, and what I want it to be, something I think represents me. Yesterday, I finally made my decision. Unfortunately, I haven't the slightest clue where to begin, so I thought I would ask for some help.

I hold the pin in my hands in front of me and - in a clear voice - I say, “Psycho Ranger.”

A portal opens up not too far away and Sam steps out, looking no different than the first time he was called. “That was quick,” he comments as he walks forward and the portal closes. “Whatcha need?”

“Well,” I begin, “in the two weeks since you explained Displaced and Tokens to me, I've been putting a lot of thought into what I want my Token to be. I've finally decided what it'll be, but I realized that I don't actually know the exact process of making a Token.”

Sam lets out a surprised whistle as he comes to sit beside me. “Okay, maybe it wasn't quick,” he mutters before clearing his throat. “Anyway, it's really easy. Do you have your item?”

“Well, not quite yet,” I answer, a little embarrassed. “I only just decided yesterday, so I haven't really had a chance to get it yet.”

Sam nods his head before looking at me. “Okay,” he says. “So, where do we need to go?”

“We'll have to go to the Carousel Boutique to get it from a friend of mine,” I answer.

“Oh…,” he replies, keeping up a small half-smile as he looks away, but the usual calm in his eyes shifts to something sad before he can turn away in time. “Uh, lead on, then.”

After a quick moment of hesitation as I look at him, I turn and make my way into town, leading him toward the Carousel Boutique. Sam walks along behind me, staying silent as he trudges along.

“...Is that the Golden Oaks?” He suddenly speaks up.

I turn to look. I see him looking at the Library of Knowledge. “Oh,” I begin. “Yeah, it is. Patchouli rebuilt it. Because of that, everyone's taken to calling this one the Library of Knowledge.”

Sam nods his head before turning to look towards Twilight's castle. “You wouldn't happen to know what season you got dropped in, would you?”

“Seeing as it's been starting to get colder recently, probably Summer,” I answer.

Sam lets out a chuckle. “Not that kind of season,” he says. “What season of the show did you land in?”

“Show?” I ask, confused. “I don't understand.”

Sam stares for a moment with a weird look before just smiling and waving his hand. “Nevermind,” he says, lowering his hand. “It's not important. C'mon, I'm wasting daylight.”

I shrug before continuing to the Carousel Boutique. I head inside and find Alice. She looks up as we approach.

“Who's that?” she asks, confused, looking at Sam.

“It's a long story for another time,” I tell her. “But his name is Sam.” After a quick wave from Sam, I decide to continue. “Anyway, I'm actually here to make a purchase.”

This surprises Alice. “Really? That's new. So, what are you looking to buy?”

I smile as I answer. “I want to buy two Mini-Shanghais.”

Alice sighs when she hears this. “Those became really popular really fast, huh? There's a display over here.” She then leads me to the display. I pick out two of the miniature Shanghai Dolls and then pay Alice for them right from my pocket.

After that, I head back outside. I turn to Sam. “This is what I decided my Token would be.”

“Alright,” he says with a nod. “Now it's as simple as taking one of those dolls and transferring some of your energy to it while speaking the message you want other Displaced to hear.”

I nod and hold one of the dolls in both hands. I will my energy into it, and as I feel it channeling to the doll, I begin speaking. “if you are in need of help, don't hesitate to call for me. However, understand that under no circumstances will I ever kill anything. If I can be of assistance, just speak the words 'Daughter of Gensokyo' and I will be there to help in any way I can.” With that, I stop channeling my power into the doll.

Sam simply nods his head. “And bodda boom, you have a Token,” he says as he puts his right hand over his left wrist, silver electricity leaping from his fingers as gridlines of the same color form a shape. He pulls his hand away as a silver saber forms. “Now to just send it out.” With that, a shadowy aura bursts out from him, joined by dark red and yellow electricity, his hair standing on end as the whites of his eyes fill with the same energy that surrounds him. A quick slice through the air, and a portal to the void opens.

After staring at the portal for a couple moments, I toss the Token inside. The portal closes around the mini doll before a second, smaller portal appears near Sam's shoulder. He holds his hand out and catches the mini doll. “And with that, you're good to go,” he says, putting the doll in his jacket pocket.

“That… was quick,” I say, looking at the second portal as it closes.

“Told ya it was easy,” Sam says with a little smile before nodding towards my hand and the other doll. “So, what's with the other doll?”

I hold up the other doll with a slight grin. “Rainbow Dash asked me to get her one. I asked her why she didn't just get it herself, and she said it's because she 'has a reputation of being cool' to keep.”

Sam is silent and stone-faced for a moment… right before a strained smile makes its way to his face. “Rainbow… wanted you,” he says, obviously struggling to keep in his laughter. “To get her… a doll? All so she… could preserve her rep?”

“Yep,” I say simply with a big smile on my face.

Sam seems to almost spew forth with laughter, but holds it back, holding his hand over his mouth for a few seconds until he finally removes it and takes a few deep breaths. He turns to speak, though a large smile still stretched his features. “Okay, so anything else you needed?” He asks.

I think for a few moments. “Maybe you'd want to just hang around this world for the rest of the day? Walk and talk a bit maybe?”

Sam shrugs his shoulders. “Sure,” he answers simply. “What do you want to talk about?”

As we start walking towards Rainbow Dash's house, there are a lot of things I want to ask him. “Last time you were here, you mentioned something about a war. What exactly is happening in your world?”

The smile Sam had been holding fades away at the question. “It's, um… it's a long story,” he admits with a sigh. “To shorten the story, an evil machine empire came to my Equis close to ten years ago and attacked Canterlot while their defenses were low…. Almost the entire world is under their control and the few resistance fighters are making a valiant effort, but still… our odds still don't look good.”

I think about this for a few moments. I remember that Sam already has one of my Tokens. I turn to him. “Well, since you've already got one of my Tokens, I want you to know that you shouldn't be afraid to call me. I'll be willing to help anytime.”

Sam takes a few moments before he looks towards me with a little smile. “Thanks, Alex,” he says before turning his gaze forward once more. “Though… what’s your stance on destroying robots?”

“Depends on whether they have souls or not,” I answer easily. “If a non-organic object with a soul is destroyed, then the soul is still sent to Hakugyokurou. This means that destroying something with a soul is no different than killing. As long as none of the robots have souls, I won't have any problems with destroying them.”

Sam nods. “Then all's clear in your morals,” he says. “These things definitely don't have a soul, not when they can be copied and pasted like some kind of demented computer document.”

I nod in understanding. “Yeah, in my experience, it's impossible to clone a soul. I'd have no reason to spare soulless machines designed for the express purpose of conquest.”

After I say that, the Garden of the Sun comes into view further ahead. “You know, never did ask why you had horns,” Sam suddenly asks, turning backward as he walks so he is facing me.

I think about how to go about my explanation. I decide to figure out the extent of his knowledge first. “Have you ever heard of 'Yokai'?”

“Aren't those like Japanese monsters or something?” He answers, bringing a finger up to scratch at his jaw.

“Yeah, pretty much,” I say with a nod, somewhat impressed. “The place I came from, Gensokyo, is home to all sorts of different Yokai. As it happens, I'm half human and half Yokai.”

Sam nods his head as he processes this. “Okay, so does that mean you have special powers?” He asks, his eyes curious.

“In Gensokyo we say 'abilities,' but yes, I do have a couple,” I answer. “Because of my mixed lineage, I was able to have more abilities than most Gensokians. From my mother, I inherited 'the ability to turn over absolutely anything'. Everyone just shortens it to 'the ability to flip anything'. From my father, I inherited 'the ability to use lightning and magnetism magic,'” I explain.

Sam lets out a low, impressed whistle as he continues to walk backward. “Nice,” he says simply. “So, you can 'turn over anything'? Meaning you can reverse… anything?”

“With simple versions of the ability, yes,” I say. “But due to being half human, there are size limits on what I can use more complicated varieties on. The more complex, the smaller the limit.”

“Okay…,” he says slowly, his face fading deep into thought. “That's… rather impressive.”

“I guess so,” I say. “But it's rare to get any kind of offensive use out of it. I usually have to rely on my lightning magic when it comes to offense. My flip ability and magnetism magic are better suited for defensive and supportive use.”

“Sounds to me like you've really gotten the handle on what you can do,” Sam states before lifting his own hand. “That probably gives you a leg up on me.”

I put my hand on my chin and look down in thought. “Maybe,” I say absently. “But we don't know that for sure…”

Sam nods distractedly before giving a little shrug. “I mean, there's always the choice of having a friendly-” he cuts off as he stumbles slightly and a low ‘snap’ sounds through the air.

I freeze instantly, the snap resounding in my head like a gong signaling the end of a life. Yuuka almost seems to materialize behind Sam, her eyes nearly shooting daggers into the back of his head with her deadly glare.

“You idiot human,” she says with an icy growl. “You should have been watching where you were going.”

Sam turns quickly, a panicked look on his face as he raises his hands passively. “I'm so sorry, miss,” he apologizes quickly. “I wasn't looking where I was going, but maybe I can fix it.”

Yuuka looks extremely irritated as she squeezes her eyes shut and answers. “You don't 'fix' a destroyed plant. You grow a new one from a seed, and it's just as painstaking as it was for the old one. You will have to pay the price for all the hard work you've undone.”

Sam is still for a moment before he drops his hands and lets out a sigh. “There's no talking this out, is there?” He questions, his tone a little tired.

“Of course not,” Yuuka answers, her voice overflowing with malice. “You've destroyed one of my precious flowers. I simply cannot let that go unpunished.” Yuuka then opens her eyes. I can easily picture the fires of rage burning in them as she continues. “You had better pray to whatever Gods you can that there will be enough of your essence left to be sent to Hakugyokurou once I am finished with you!”

Sam says nothing for a moment before he brings his hand up to hold the bridge of his nose and lets out another, much heavier, sigh. “Right,” he says, taking his hand from his nose. “Let's get this over with.”

Yuuka takes action just as Sam finishes his sentence. She lunges forward, colliding with Sam and shoving him away from the Garden of the Sun with surprisingly incredible force. Immediately after that, she sets up a dome-shaped Danmaku border enclosing the entire field of sunflowers.

The human's eyes widen quite a bit as he is pushed back, hand going to his chest momentarily. “Guess there's no holding back, either,” he mutters before standing straight and strong. “Fine then.” He steps forward with his left leg aggressively, his right arm held at a ninety-degree angle back as his left fore and middle fingers rest on a device. “Go,” he growls before he steps forward with his right foot, throwing his right fist forward and out, left hand coming to rest against his right shoulder. “Psycho!” A flash of black energy surrounds Sam's body, the energy shattering and leaving behind black under armor. Green lightning shoots away from his wrists, lower legs, and torso, twisted armor plates being drawn in to settle on those areas. Sam jerks his hands and lets more green energy erupt from them before moving them up and around, passing them over his face as a green grid pattern forms over his head. Once his arms come to rest, a green, finned helmet forms, black lenses sliding into place over his eyes to finish the transformation, leaving Sam far different than before.

My eyes widen in surprise as I notice that Sam looks very similar to one of the pictures of Basco on the wanted poster he showed me. Not sure what to think of this, I cautiously put some space between me and the battle.

“Hmph,” Yuuka says, unamused. “If you are trying to intimidate me, it isn't working. Appearances mean nothing. Power is everything!” With that, Yuuka then attacks with a large number of bullets that seem to be nothing more than sparkling light. They're all concentrated towards Sam.

Sam's reaction is a very similar one to the one he had with Medicine. In a flash of green lightning, kamas with decorated green handles and blades in the shape of extended bat wings form in his hands before the same green energy dances around him. The young man takes off dodging to the side, becoming little more than an electrical blur as he tries to close the distance between them.

Yuuka's expression seems to change for a split second, almost as if she was reminded of something unpleasant. She then changes tactics. She turns and patiently tracks the moving blur for a few moments, before pulling out a Spellcard.

Power Sign [Master Spark]

With almost no warning whatsoever, an immense beam identical to Marisa's Master Spark is fired from Yuuka's hands. Yuuka had led her shot, and she scores a direct hit on Sam, who was moving too quickly to react.

The strike slams into the ranger, leaving him to get zapped with the enormous amounts of energy… before it starts to flow into the now gold squares on his arm and leg guards. “Oh, yeah!” He shouts, his body arching back a bit as he absorbs the power. “Power. Me. UP!” As the last of the power sinks into him, he throws his hands forward, a beam twice as big leaping forth to charge at Yuuka.

Yuuka's eyes widen in surprise before she dives to the side, barely avoiding the attack. As she stands up, she worriedly takes stock of the situation. Sam is already charging at her, green and gold electricity dancing over his form as he runs.

Yuuka very quickly realizes what Sam is doing, but instead of making a move to dodge, she stays put and braces herself. At the last possible moment, Yuuka grabs Sam by the waist, and using his momentum to her advantage… she suplexes him.

The sound of cracking glass rips through the air as a field around Sam flashes into existence, the rest of his body going limp.

Yuuka stands up and dusts herself off. “Have a nice day,” she says icily with a forced smile before she turns and walks back into the Garden of the Sun.

I rush over to Sam. “Sam!” I shout. “Sam, are you alright!?”

A low groan meets my question as the armored human starts to sit up. “...Ow,” he says, reaching a hand back to rub his neck.

I sigh in relief. “Well, if you can speak, then you'll live.” I then punch Sam's shoulder in frustration, not hard, but not lightly as I speak to him. “You idiot! What were you thinking, trying to fight Yuuka like that!? She's one of the strongest Yokai in all of Gensokyo! You could have just as easily been killed!”

Sam raises a finger. “One, I doubt she could kill me,” he says. “It seems to me like most of you guys' abilities are elemental, thus I can absorb them. Two… she didn't look all that powerful at first….”

I sigh before I answer. “Looks can be deceiving,” I tell him.

“You'd think I'd learn that by now,” the man mutters before standing to his feet and walking towards the field of flowers again.

I quickly step in front of him. “I'd think that you'd have learned something just now. I won't let you pick another fight with Yuuka.”

Sam stops and looks at me through the black lenses of his helmet. “I don't plan on starting a fight,” he says before moving past me and going to the edge of the field and kneeling down in front of the flower he had stepped on. “Just repairing my mistake.” He puts his hand down on the ground in front of the flower, the squares on his wrist and leg armor changing to pink as electricity of the same color dances over his hand. The energy travels through the ground and over the flower, the damage starting to repair itself as the flower begins to stand back up.

I stare in awe at the sunflower, completely speechless. Sam stands back to his feet muttering something along the lines of, “sorry, little guy,” before he turns and walks back towards me, green grid lines going over his armor before it dissipates, the belt turning to electricity and traveling up his body and back down his right arm to settle on his wrist and become the strange device again.

As he walks back towards me, something behind him catches my eye. I notice the top of a pale violet parasol just peeking over the tops of the sunflowers. After a couple moments, it twists around and moves away deeper into the field. I decide not to comment on it as I turn back to Sam as he comes to a stop in front of me. “That was incredible,” I tell him, the awe in my voice genuine.

The man lets out a little chuckle before responding. “I've come to see all life as precious,” he says. “The last battle with King Mondo's forces taught me that. It's probably the only reason I've got a pair of timberwolf pups sleeping in my room.”

“Timberwolves…” I say quietly, remembering the image of that one timberwolf burning to ash after getting struck by my lightning.

Sam just nods his head. “Midnight had a machine captain march through the Everfree and systematically kill any flora and fauna it came across,” he explains. “Rose and Veral got orphaned as a result. Chris took them in to heal Veral's leg, and they haven't left yet.”

I frown in anger at this. “That's just not right,” I say. “I want you to call me to your world so I can scrap some of those robots sometime before you end the war there.”

A little chuckle echoes from Sam again before he looks up at me again. “I don't think we'll have a problem with that,” he replies with a small smile.

“Alexandria,” Shanghai suddenly speaks up from my shoulder. “It's getting late. Maybe we should be getting home soon.”

I look up to see that Shanghai is right: the sun is setting. “Ah, time always seems to go by so quickly whenever I get on a topic that interests me.” I turn to Sam. “Shanghai's right. I should probably be getting home now. Maybe next time we meet, you'll be the one to call me.”

“Probably,” he says, his smile growing a little. “At least I got to confirm a theory of mine.”

I nod my head. “Alright, I'll see you again sometime. You're free to return to your world.”

A portal opens up nearby and the ranger glances over his shoulder at the doorway before turning back. “Thanks for the callback, Alex,” he says. “Coming here is actually really relaxing. Until next time.” With that, he starts towards the portal… but before he can step through, someone else shows up.

“Psst, Alex,” a voice whispers in my ear.

“Who-!?” I say in surprise as I jerk away and turn quickly, my arm raised, ready to use a Spellcard at a moment's notice.

A small silver ball of light floats in the air beside me. “Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you,” Chris says, a grin in his voice. “Could you do me a favor and not tell Sam I was here?”

I turn to look at Sam, who miraculously hadn't heard my shout. I turn back to Chris. “Um, sure. But do you mind me asking why?”

“Sam really wants a way to separate from me,” the orb replies, his tone becoming sad. “I just… I don't want his spirits getting crushed.”

“Ah. Alright, I understand,” I say nodding in understanding.

“But, it'd be better if you could just get along,” Shanghai adds. “If you two are tied together like me and Alexandria, then that's the best thing to do.”

“We do, for the most part,” Chris answers. “But twenty-one years being a passenger in someone else's body, wouldn't you want a way out, too?”

“In my opinion,” I begin, “the best option is to just come to terms with it and try to reach a state of harmony. I managed to do it with John, the human that got displaced from his Earth and transformed into me.”

The little ball is quiet for a while before Chris replies. “Thanks, Alex,” he says before the silver sphere starts to float towards Sam as his foot was the last thing to enter the portal. “We'll see you later!” With that, the orb disappears into the portal just before it closes.

Apple Bloom and Mane Cureall stared at the spot the portal had disappeared, their staff having already made their way out after the cleanup had finished. “...Do you… he is coming back, right?” Cureall questioned, glancing at her younger colleague. The younger mare simply shrugged in response.

“Either he won’t or he will,” the Apple answered, staring at the spot as she lifted her hand and scratched her cheek. “Though, Ah certainly wouldn’t put it against’im. Afterall,” she paused and looked towards the center of the room where Veral lay, transferred from the hard metallic operating table to a much softer resting bed. “The ones he cares about are still here.”

No sooner had the mare finished than the portal swirled back into existence, Chris stepping back out a moment later. He looked up at them for a few moments before he stepped out of the way of the portal, just in time for Sam’s orb to come forth from the doorway. “Whew!” The orb exclaimed, coming to a stop as the swirling gateway closed behind him. “Now that was something! Chris, ya should’ve seen it!” The orb floated closer to his brother, energy buzzing off of him. “I took care of the body and moved without struggle. I don’t think my speed even dwindled for a second.”

Chris chuckled a bit and, even though the mare’s behind Sam could he the strain in it, the orb only seemed to bob up and down in joy. “You’ll have to tell me about, bro,” he answered, giving his brother a small smile, only receiving a yawn in response.

“I will,” Sam answered softly, his tone tired. “But right now, I feel really… really tired.”

The young man gave a small breath of laughter. “Get some sleep,” he said softly. “We can talk more when you’re rested.” The orb seemed to nod at that before slowly fading from sight. The moment Sam was gone, Chris let out a long breath before looking back up to the mare’s in the room.

“...Yer jus’ going to lie to him?” Apple Bloom questioned, stepping forward and crossing her arms.

Chris looked her in the eyes for several moments before giving a quiet sigh and nodding his head. “Yes,” he said in a low, almost inaudible voice. “If it makes him happier and he can get stronger because of it….” The young man trailed off and let his gaze shift over to the sleeping timber wolf. “...We should get him moved to somewhere more comfortable.”

The red maned mare followed his gaze and let out a small sigh, letting her arms dropped. “Yeah,” she said quietly. “He’ll be waking up soon, and he probably wouldn’t want the room he was cut open in to be the first thing he sees.” Chris nodded at that and moved to help roll the bed out of the room, leaving behind Mane Cureall as she watched them go, her lips pursed together after the small exchange.

Author's Note

Will Chris be able to keep the truth from Sam? And what of the young Veral? And how long will the enemy stay complacent after their most recent defeat?

Sorry for the long wait, guys. College is way more of a dozie than I than I care to admit. BUT the holidays are coming up soon so hopefully, that will mean even more chapters in one or two of my stories or even a new one, and a few, much more... somber announcements that may or may not come to pass. The road ahead is paved in oil slick and no one can prepare for it, so thank you all for sticking with me and being patient. I know it must be infuriatingly hard sometimes. Anyway, thank you guys again and if have anything to say, see a mistake, or even just want to leave something silly, throw it at the comments below. Please remember to respect your fellow readers and authors, and I will talk to you guys again in the next one. Until then, take care!

Chapter 19- Little White Lies

Chapter 19-

Little White Lies

Chris walked through the halls of the Castle of Two Sisters, the particular passage he traveled becoming far too familiar to him for his liking. Before long, he found himself in front of a pair of double doors and pushed them open into the medical hall. “Hey, Bloom,” he greeted the yellow mare as he walked up to her.

“Councillor Scott,” she answered coldly, her eyes still on the clipboard as she wrote over it.

The man winced a bit at that. “Ah, come on, Apple Bloom,” he pleaded, trying to get into her line of sight. “You can’t still be mad at me.”

“Ah can an’ Ah am,” the mare answered, setting her clipboard down and turning to face him with an angry look. “A lie is a lie, Chris, an’ you lied straight to yer own brother’s face.”

Chris was silent for a second before he let out a sigh. “You saw, too, didn’t you?” He questioned quietly. “He was happy, Bloom. He was so happy to be by himself. Even now he’s not here. I don’t even know where he is.”

“Is that really any reason for ya to lie to him?” Apple Bloom asked. “Even if he is happy when ya tell’im the truth, it’s going to hurt him more than if ya’d just told him outright.” Chris was quiet before he let out a breath and looked at the floor.

“...How’s she doing?” He asked, diverting the conversation completely.

The mare looked him over with a critical stare before she let out an annoyed sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “She’s ornery as always,” Bloom muttered before shaking her head and giving a little chuckle. “But she’s getting better. It won’t be too long now before we can get’er out of bed.”

Chris let out a small breath before he let a small, reassured smile slide over his face. “That’s good news,” he said, starting to turn further into the medical hall. “Thank you for taking care of her, Apple Bloom.”

“It’s my job to take care of all my patients,” the earth pony answered, taking up her clipboard once more. “Just like it’s yer job ta make the right decision fer all our sakes….” Chris only lowered his gaze again before walking away. He passed curtain after curtain, walking almost to the complete end of the medical hall before he stopped in front of the space he’d been looking for.

“...Chrysalis?” The young man called quietly, putting a hand on the curtain but avoiding pulling it away. He’d made that mistake only once….

“Chris?” The changeling’s voice answered tiredly before she cleared her throat and he heard the rustle and creak of her bed. “Yes, come in please.”

The ranger let out a small breath of relief before pushing the veil out of his way and stepping into the small space. He looked towards the bed and its occupant, Chrysalis giving him a soft, tired smile. He gave his own little smile before coming in and sitting in the only chair in the sectioned off area, getting a good look at the fresh flowers left on the bedside table. “I see Artemus was here earlier,” he said before looking at her as she chuckled.

“She comes by every chance she gets,” the queen replied, cutting off her amusement after a moment. “If I didn’t like all of the attention I’d say she was suffocating me.”

Chris let out a chuckle at that before he quieted. “How are you feeling?” He asked, his voice lowering a bit as concern flashed over his eyes.

The changeling queen gave a small sigh at that before leaning her head back against the raised pillows of her bed. “Today’s a good day,” she answered, turning her head to look at him. “The pain in my back is at a low throb, I didn’t panic this morning when I couldn’t move, and I’m finally clear to eat solid foods. All in all, not bad.”

The man’s saddened look swept over the mare before he let out a heavy breath. “Chrysalis, I’m so sor-”

“Chris.” Chrysalis’ sudden interruption drew the man’s gaze to her own, the stern look she gave him more than enough to make his words wither away. “If you apologize to me for any reason, I will reach over the bed and knock you upside the head.”

The human swallowed hard. “Y-Yes, ma’am,” he said quickly, straightening up as she continued to look at him.

After a moment, she let out a breath and let her hard look fade away. “That is something both you and Artemus need to understand,” she said softly. “What happened to me, what happened during the battle, none of that was your fault.”

Chris searched her eyes for a moment before he let his hair hang down in front of his eyes. “That’s just about what Sweetie Belle told me yesterday,” he said. “Said I was 'single-handedly' saving the Resistance.”

“And she’s right, Chris,” Chrysalis insisted. “Well, mostly. No one can do everything alone, but I think you already knew that.”

“That is why I have my team,” Chris admitted with a nod of his head. “Who knows where I’d be if I didn’t have them.”

The changeling gave a little chuckle at that. “Especially that sweet mare you’ve grown so close to,” she said with a minor purr before she let out a little hum. “Mmm, the love you share with one another is so tantalizing.”

“Is it really that obvious?” Chris questioned in a bit of a fluster as his cheeks lit up and released a laugh from the insectoid.

“Darling, I am a Changeling,” she said, lifting a hand flippantly. “We can sense every little emotion anyone produces… but yes, it’s extremely obvious that you and Ms. Belle are deeply in love.”

Chris stared at her for a moment before he let out a breath and put a hand to his face to hide his embarrassment. “Oooh, Rainbow’s going to have a field day with this…,” he muttered, receiving another laugh from the queen.

“That she will,” Chrysalis said before a small frown washed over her features. “But that’s not what’s bothering you, is it?” The young man fell silent, keeping his eyes on the ground as he felt the turmoil grow inside him, wondering just how much to tell the changeling queen.

“Is it Samson?” Even if Chris didn’t wince or show any outward sign of the mare striking the right chord, he still knew that she’d sense the spike in panic that ran through him.

“Yes,” he answered, looking up with a sigh, still not meeting her eyes.

“Chris,” she said gently, putting a hand on his knee. “Everyone has to leave eventually. Even though the two of you are still connected, it’s only natural for Sam to use his new abilities to garner some sort of independence from-”

“It’s not that…,” Chris interrupted quietly, finally letting his troubled gaze meet hers. “I… I lied to him about… about when we get summoned to another displaced.”

Chrysalis looked over him with a careful eye, concern filling her gaze before she spoke up. “What happened exactly and what brought you to lie to your brother?” She asked, her tone more worried than the condescending one that Apple Bloom had provided.

The ranger stayed quiet for several moments before he took a breath. “Yesterday, after we finished Veral’s surgery… we got called by another displaced. I was honestly too tired to go and Sam… Sam offered to go alone as a sort of experiment. He went through the portal and for a second I thought it worked. Then I got dragged along behind him. When I came out the other side, I was separate from Sam and couldn’t find the energy to move. By the time I did finally get up enough to move and found Samson he… he looked so happy, Chrysalis and I just couldn’t take that from him….”

Chrysalis blinked a bit at the information overload. “...You never told him,” she said simply, receiving a nod from him. The changeling fell silent again before she took a breath. “Does anyone else know?”

“Just Apple Bloom and Dr. Cureall,” Chris answered truthfully, shrugging his shoulders. “And Bloom has already told me that I should come clean with Sam.”

“Then it seems you already know what you should do,” the mare said with a small shrug before letting out a breath. “But that’s not what you’re going to do, is it?”

“I just don’t see the point in upsetting him,” the young man replied, straightening up slightly and putting a hand on his knee. “As long as I keep my distance when we travel and don’t fuse our minds, he won’t know the difference and he can be happy.”

“But you know it’s not that simple, Chris,” Chrysalis said in an exasperated tone before shaking her head and bringing a hand to her face. She was quiet for several seconds before she looked up again. “Where is Sam right now?”

“He’s with Rainbow Dash,” Chris replied. “They really seemed to hit it off when word about him finally got out.”

Chrysalis let out a little chuckle at that. “They do seem the right type for one another,” she said with humor still ringing in her voice. “Any idea what they’re doing?”

“I honestly have no clue,” Chris answered before rubbing the back of his neck. “I just really hope that whatever it is, they don’t burn the castle down in the process.”

Rainbow Dash let out a monster yawn, a tear threatening to roll out of her eye before she rubbed it away and blinked her eyes, returning her gaze to the pages in front of her. “Seriously, Sam, why’re we spending so much time in this dingy old library anyway?” The mare asked, looking up over her shoulder towards the black, red, and orange sphere floating behind her.

“I’m just trying to do some studying, Dash,” Samson answered, his orb bobbing up and down a bit. “Learn some history and law and all that junk.”

“But why would you ask me?” The pegasus questioned, turning to the next page for the both of them. “I mean, you know I don’t like this kinda stuff, right?”

“I know, Dash, it’s just…,” the orb trailed off before the sound of a sigh issued from it. “It’s just that being around Chris all the time is kinda… old. And you’re the only pony I can think of that would actually take the time to do this for me.”

“Well, you know, someone has to do it,” Rainbow said with a small smirk.

“Ah, you just like hanging out with somebody as awesome as me,” Sam joked smugly, earning a quiet laugh from the mare in front of him.

“In your dreams, glow ball!”

“I shiver at the thought,” Chrysalis agreed, cringing slightly at the worst case scenario that ran through her mind. “But all the same, you need to tell him, Chris. The longer you wait to do so, the more it’s going to hurt him when he finds out.”

Chris was quiet for several moments before he let his head fall forward, hands drooping from his knees. “I know...,” he said softly before lifting his head and shaking it clear. “I wanted to ask you about something else.”

“And what would that be?” The changeling asked, head tilting to the side.

Chris hesitated a moment before he spoke up. “What are you going to do?” He asked, looking up with pain in his eyes. “I mean… there’s been a lot of talk on the council about… about….”

“About replacing me,” Chrysalis finished for him, taking a small breath after and falling quiet for a few moments. “...I won’t be thrown out of my position as the leader of Stealth Operations though….” The queen paused and bit her lip softly. “My position as Changeling Councilor may be at stake….”

The young man looked at her worriedly. “...Who would take your place on the Council?” He asked, the anxiety riding underneath his voice.

“I suppose it would have to be Tarsi or Thorax,” Chrysalis answered before a small, sad smile reached her. “I’m not sure how they’d fair, though, to be honest. After his metamorphosis, Thorax would be the obvious choice, however his temperament, while effective in the field, may not be suited to leadership. As for Tarsi, her temper would be her downfall in a Council meeting and I fear she might end up turning our allies against us. Not that she’d want the position anyway….”

Chris was quiet for a while before he shook his head and blew his breath between tensed lips. “Then… there’s nothing to do but wait,” he finally muttered, Chrysalis nodding her head in response.

“Patience is what we’ll need,” she said with a shake of her head. “Now more than ever.” The pair grew quiet for several moments before Chris let out a sigh.

“Artemus is coming,” he said before standing up and giving a little smile. “You weren’t kidding when you said she spent all the time she could with you.”

The changeling queen gave a little chuckle at that before she stopped and returned his smile. “I’d never joke about my love’s intent to care,” she answered. “Thank you for coming to visit and keep me company, Chris. And… remember our advice.”

Chris hesitated at the curtain for a moment before he looked over his shoulder and nodded. “I will,” he said before turning and opening the curtain to reveal Artemus. “Hey, Artemus,” he greeted before walking past her, the mare stopping short and blinking as her plan to surprise him died in her throat. A little chuckle ran through him before he gave a little bow of his head, looking up with a smile. “Good to see you.”

“Good to… see you, too… Chris,” the alicorn answered with her shocked expression still on her face as he passed by her, the mare turning a confused look to her bedridden lover as she let out an amused chuckle.

Chris continued to smile as he walked down the medical hall… at least until a voice he certainly didn’t want to hear reached out to him. “It’s a shame when those you care about are put on their last legs.”

The young man’s happy expression morphed into an angry frown before he swiftly turned and entered a new cubby, throwing the curtain closed around himself and Guntram. “What happened to you and your son are all you’re own fault,” the ranger hissed, gripping the edge of the griffon’s bed. “Your own arrogant pride and hunger for power are what drove you to split from the Resistance. And it was those same self-centered values that you imprinted on your son that got him killed. You seem to forget that I was there when he was killed. And you know what I saw? I saw a scared kid too frightened to move because his father was too busy teaching him to be sneaky and corrupt to teach him what true courage was. And where were you? At the very back of the camp, hiding in your tent like the coward you are.”

The elder griffon only stared at the young man as he wrapped up his rant, the old bird simply ‘hmph’ing deep in his chest before replying. “And yet it’s funny to me how something as petty as my pride was able to break this alliance like a twig,” he said, grunting as he used his arms to push himself further back on his raised bed. “It only further proves my point. We may all have one foe, but we are not united. Each of the races has their own goals and motives. All it takes is a little bit of strain and everything falls apart and the only ones we’ll have to rely on is our own kingdoms.”

“Get to the point,” Chris growled, grip hardening on the footboard as his knuckles turned white.

“My point, Councilor,” the griffon answered, his gaze hardening, “is that this Resistance, this alliance will be broken and when that happens, you’re going to try everything you can to save it just because that is how foolish you are. When that time comes, I will be there at the forefront to watch as everything you care about is ripped from your hands. Just. Like. Me.”

Chris was silent for several moments, his glare still competing with Guntram’s as he grit his teeth. “...We’ll just see about that, Guntram,” he finally said, straightening up and starting to turn away. “But I’ll tell you one thing. When that day comes, I’ll go down fighting unlike then and maybe I won’t lose my legs!” With that final stab, Chris turned and threw the curtain out of his way and marched out of the medical hall, leaving the legless griffon to stew in his hatred and misery.

Sweetie Belle walked the halls with her sister, the two mares smiling and laughing with one another. “Oh, and then it was even better,” Rarity said with a giggle, continuing her narrative. “When I walked into the classroom the next day, the poor colt crushed his drink into his face!”

Sweetie let out a laugh at that, giggling until tears fell from her eyes. “So that’s how you got into fashion?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “All to get at a stupid colt that thought you’re top was plain?”

“Well, we all had to start from somewhere,” the older pony answered with a grin and wink. “The fact that I got show up a snooty colt in high school and amuse myself at the same time is just icing on the cake!”

Sweetie chuckled a bit more before turning a mischievous look on her sibling. “You totally made him a new top and jacket to make up for the stain, didn’t you?” She asked, receiving a dramatic sigh from the other unicorn as she put a hand to her eyes, though the older mare’s smile was still obvious.

“Oh, caught red-handed,” she exclaimed, before looking towards Sweetie with her hand on her temple, eyes seeming to pout in the ever-feared puppy-dog eyes. “It’s almost as if you’ve known me all your life!”

“Oh, hush!” Sweetie laughed, pushing the taller mare’s shoulder. The pair laughed together at their own antics, Sweetie Belle pausing only momentarily to take in her sister’s natural beauty again. Rarity wore a tight-fitting, black, sleeveless top that ran long onto her hips, the high collar hanging a little loose while her cutie mark adorned the lower left corner. A pair of white jeans and black, buckle boots finished off her look alongside the baby-blue beads she wore around her wrist.

Rarity laughed a bit more before they both grew quiet. “This is nice,” the older mare said with a small, comfortable sigh.

“Huh?” Sweetie questioned, eyes blinking before she shook her head and smiled. “Oh, yeah, this is really great. Just having a chance to relax, take a breath, and, of course, spend some time with the best big sister ever.”

Rarity blinked for a moment before she chuckled slightly. “Ah, yes, best big sister ever!” She said, throwing her hair back over her shoulder teasingly before she let her eyes fall forward. “It’s… it’s a bit of a shame we never got a chance to go to the Apple’s Sisterhooves Social.”

The younger mare blinked for a few seconds before she gave a little deadpan look. “Rarity… you hate mud… And chickens… and farms in general….”

The older unicorn gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle at that. “You’re not wrong dear,” she said before she smiled over at Sweetie and hugged her shoulders. “But I can’t help but think of the happy memories we’d have to look back on if we had.”

“Yeah,” Sweetie said cheerfully before she fell silent, ears falling back as her eyes met the floor. “Especially a-after… after… m-mom and dad-”

“Shh, Sweetie,” Rarity comforted softly, shifting her embrace to a full-on hug, holding the shorter mare to her as Sweetie cried openly into her chest. “It’s… it’s okay. A-at least w-we know… we know they didn’t suffer….” The elder unicorn stopped, tears building up heavily in her eyes as she held Sweetie Belle tighter. For several minutes, the unicorn held her the shorter mare as she wept, her own tears slowly and silently drawing down her cheeks as she brushed her hand over the mage’s mane.

Sweetie finally stopped shivering and shaking, her sobs dying away as she leaned back from her older sister. “I’m s-sorry, Rarity,” she said softly, sniffing loudly as she used the heel of her palm to wipe away the tears in her eyes.

“Oh, Sweetie…,” the older unicorn replied softly, reaching up to brush a stray tear from the young mare's cheek with her thumb. “There's nothing to be sorry for. We are all entitled to our own sorrows and we are no different. Just because situations like ours are more the norm now than the exception doesn't mean it's any less disheartening. But, there is one thing we have to remember….” Here, Rarity gently lifted the younger mare's eyes to look into her own. “No matter where they are, with us or no, alive or dead, they still love us… and they would be so proud of you.”

The younger unicorn sniffed again, looking up at Rarity with glistening green orbs. “But… how can you be sure?” Sweetie asked, emerald eyes begging for an answer.

Rarity only smiled sweetly down at her, moving a stray lock of hair behind Sweetie’s ear before laying the hand on the shorter mare’s shoulder. “Because I’m proud of you, Sweetie,” she answered softly, a warm smile spreading over her face.

The younger pony stared up at her sister, blinking a moment before her face turned into a tearful smile. “Thank you, Rarity,” she said quietly, once more hugging her sibling.

The older unicorn continued to smile happily, wrapping her arms around Sweetie and squeezing gently. The pair stood there for several moments, simply content. However as the seconds ticked past, Rarity’s smile began to fade into a small, worried frown. “...Sweetie Belle,” she said suddenly, her voice barely audible.

“Yeah, sis?”

Rarity bit her lip at the young mare’s voice, a bit of the sweet innocence of the unicorn’s youth seeping through her answer. She blinked a few times before she leaned back out of the hug, putting her hands on Sweetie’s shoulders and holding them there so she could clearly see the shorter pony. “I-” Rarity started only to hesitate and cut herself off, looking away from Sweetie as she gave the older pony a confused look. After a moment, the elder took a breath and looked back to the younger, determination in her eyes. “There’s something I need to tell you. I’m-”

“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity stopped short as the call echoed down the hall, both mares looking down the corridor to see Apple Bloom walking towards them.

“Yay, Bloom,” Sweetie greeted, momentarily letting her older sibling’s announcement drop as she turned to face her longtime friend. “What’s up?”

“Not much,” the yellow earth pony answered earnestly, shrugging a bit as she came to a stop in front of the pair. “Just about to go grab some grub while Ah’m on mah break. What’re y’all up to?”

“Just taking some sister time,” Sweetie said, giving a small smile before continuing. “How is everything in the medical hall?”

“Thankfully everythin's startin’ to feel a bit more empty,” Apple Bloom answered before a frown crossed her face. “But if anyone else comes in after a garden tool incident, Ah’m gonna throw a first aid box at their head.”

The unicorn giggled a bit at her friend’s brashness. “I’m not sure that would get the point across,” she said, still drawing in her laughter. “Though I doubt you’d leave it at just a physical threat to their wellbeing.”

“Ye’re darn right about that,” the earth pony agreed with a small huff, stomping a foot and folding her arms, earning another small laugh from the young unicorn in front of her.

Sweetie brought herself to a stop, taking a breath to steady herself. “Hey, Bloom, have you seen Chris today?” The off-white unicorn asked. “He told me at breakfast he was going to go see Chrysalis.”

Apple Bloom frowned a bit at the mention of the young man, letting out a small sigh. “Yeah, Ah saw’im,” she answered with a shrug. “He stopped ta chat an’ see Chrysalis like you said, but Ah left before he did.”

Sweetie blinked a few times at the more aggressive tone the other mare took on. “Is… is everything okay, Apple Bloom?” She asked, head tilting a bit.

Bloom hesitated for a moment, turning her eyes away for a second before she let out a little sigh. “Sweetie…,” she started, biting her lip before shaking her head and focusing on the unicorn again. “Chris is keeping something from Sam.”

Sweetie blinked again, seeming even more confused than before. “How can Chris be keeping anything from Sam?” She asked. “Aren’t they connected mentally?”

“Ah don’t know,” the earth pony answered in exasperation, letting her arms fall to her sides and resting her hands on her hips. “All Ah know is that the last time he went through one of those portals, he lied ta Sam about goin’ with him.”

“But why would he do that?” The unicorn questioned desperately, something starting to dull in her eyes.

Bloom frowned a bit sadly as she watched the mare’s eyes. “He said he didn’t want to ruin things fer Sam,” she started quietly, putting a sympathetic hand to her friend’s arm. “But you and Ah know just what this could do to them.”

Sweetie nodded quietly, eyes going to the floor. “Yeah…,” she said quietly, letting a long stretch of silence fill the air. After a while, though, Sweetie frowned and her eyes hardened, the dull look going up in angry flames as she looked up. “I’m going to talk to him.”

“Wow!” Bloom exclaimed, stepping in front of frustration charged mare with her hands raised calmingly. “Are ya sure ya want ta do that? He’s already taken that talkin’ to from me an’ Chrysalis.”

Sweetie paused, eyes still more than a little miffed. “How do you know that?” She asked, her voice conveying her frustrations.

“Ah know everythin’ that happens in mah ward,” Bloom replied with a small bit of pride before her look of concern returned. “Ah overheard them when Ah was makin’ mah rounds. Just… there’s no tellin’ how calm he’s gonna stay if everyone stays on’im.”

Sweetie stopped for a moment, looking her friend over before taking a breath. “You’re right,” she admitted before she planted her hands on her hips and looked towards the wall in thought. “But if both you and Chrysalis had to tell him off… it’s not sinking in. If anyone can get through to him, I know I can.”

The earth mare has hesitant for a moment before she let out a sigh and nodded her head. “If ye’re sure you can take care of him,” she said slowly, a smile starting to spread over her face. “Ah’m not going to stop ya. But still… be careful.”

Sweetie smiled softly. “I will, Bloom,” she assured, putting her hand to the other mare’s arm before turning back to Rarity who had simply taken a step back to give the two space. “Sorry, Rarity, I didn’t let you finish. What were you going to tell me?”

Rarity jumped slightly, blinking as she was suddenly yanked from her thoughts. “O-oh, um…,” she started before taking a soft breath and smiling. “I was just going to tell you that I’m going to try and get on to the command operations staff. Find a way to help other than just providing clothing.”

“Oh,” Sweetie muttered, blinking a few times before a huge smile spread over her features. “That’s great, Rarity! I’m sure Artemus’ crew would be happy to have you!”

Rarity gave a little chuckle at that. “I’m sure they would,” she agreed. “You’d better get going, though. If what you say is true, Chris is probably halfway between three different projects by now.”

“I’m sure he is,” the younger unicorn answered with a little sigh before glancing back towards Apple Bloom. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“No problem, Sweetie Belle,” Bloom answered before flashing a small smile. “And good luck.” The unicorn nodded in acknowledgment before turning and running off to find her boyfriend and share a few words with him.

“WOOO-HOOO!!!” Firefly yelled into the approaching sky, the hum of the pink galaxy glider under her feet fuelling her adrenaline as she raced upwards. Feeling the small tug of gravity on her back, she hunched her legs, putting the tips of her fingers on the base of the board, leaning the rest of her body back and throwing the nose of the craft over her head. The quick flip ended with the mare staring towards the hastily approaching ground. The pegasus let a wide grin split her face as she narrowed her eyes. The engine screamed to life as she leaned forwards to accelerate her descent, heart pounding in her ears. She mentally counted down as the earth beneath her grew closer and closer.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1!!! At the last second, the mare threw herself back, the galaxy glider roaring as it turned in midair, the booster flame scorching the grass as she ascended back into the sky. “Yeah!” The pink mare shouted as she leveled out, a joyous laugh echoing out of her.

“Could you be a little more careful?” Cobalt questioned, coming up beside her on his own black glider.

The mare only giggled in response. “I could be,” she answered, a mischievous smirk on her face. The mare leaned far forward and left, her board descending and moving in the direction she leaned, putting her underneath the confused thestral before he could react. A few more deft movements and the pegasus performed half of a barrel-roll, ending up above Cobalt in an upside-down position. “But where would the fun be in that?” Firefly let out a little giggle at the stallion’s dumbfounded look before giving him a small peck at the end of his snout before speeding off.

Chris watched the pair chase each other across the sky with a grin on his face before a soft swat to his leg brought him back to reality. “Hey, daydreamer,” Scootaloo said, getting his attention from where she knelt on the ground next to a series of six sled-like launch pads, the red, blue, yellow, and silver galaxy gliders set into four of them. “I need the wrench.”

“Right,” the young man replied quickly, looking around his feet. “Sorry, Scoots. Now, where…. Ah!” Dull silver and gold electricity danced over his hand as he activated his Titanium Static, the desired tool levitating to the orange pegasus’ hand as the same energy sparked over it.

“Thank you,” the purple-maned mare replied tersely, blowing a stray strand of mane out of her way before starting to work again. “You know, I don’t know how long you expect these things to last. Most of the materials on them are scrap metal we salvaged. We used all the good stuff fixing up Delta.”

Chris gave a tired sigh and went back to wiring up the control remote for the platform. “I’m hoping it’ll last a little while,” he answered, a small worried frown forming on his face. “At least long enough for us to get some proper materials to fix it.”

“That could take a- DAMN IT!” Scootaloo shouted, yanking her hand back as a metallic crash filled the hangar.

“Scoots!” The ranger exclaimed in alarm, dropping to his knees next to her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good,” the mare muttered with a small growl as she checked her hand. “One of the pieces gave way before I could get the damn thing secured.” After a moment, she just grunted and wiped her greasy hand on her white tank top, leaving a streak over it that was just as black as her denim shorts, held up by a tool belt.

“Here, let me take a look,” Chris said, scooting over before laying on his side to see under the launch pad.

“Sure, have at it,” the pegasus replied gruffly, handing over the wrench. Chris took the tool and returned his attention back to the undercarriage of the equipment, finding the problem area Scootaloo had mentioned.

The young man worked in silence for several moments, finding the bolt and getting it secured properly before moving onto the next area. “...You know,” he started to say, eyes and hands focused on his task at hand. “I never did ask how you got into stuff like this. I know Bloom was influenced by Zecora and Sweetie told me she tried out for Mage Ops because of Trixie and Starlight, but I never did ask you. What exactly drove you to lead the engineering crew?”

Scoots let out a little snort at that, looking out of the open bay doors to watch Firefly and Cobalt come into land, the mare performing her own fancy twists and turns before coming to a stop, Rose and Veral running forward to meet them with tails wagging. “You getting sentimental on me, tough guy?” She questioned, her voice a little tight, drawing Chris’ attention for a split second. The orange pegasus glanced back at him, the mare quickly looking away. She stayed silent for a minute or two longer, listening to the young man work. “...Time Turner.”

“I’m sorry?” Chris questioned, eyes coming up in confusion.

“I said, ‘Time Turner’,” she said again, bringing a knee up to wrap her arms around it. “When we first had to move here, there was nowhere for me to go… No one to stay with…. I usually spent whatever time I could just wandering around until I stumbled into a section of the castle where he and a few others were starting to take apart a few cogs Field Ops managed to take down. A lot of the ponies started making a big stink over it all…. Heck, all of them did. All except Time Turner. Even though Rainbow Dash will always be my role model and taught me everything I know about fighting and flying… he was the first to take me under his wing. He taught me all about machines and tech….”

The mare trailed off and Chris frowned at her silence. “...He’s not around anymore… is he…?” The young man questioned, tightening one last bolt before sitting up and looking at her downcast face properly as she shook her head.

“No…,” she answered, voice barely above a whisper. “He… he was killed in a gathering run like we were on when you found us only… there was no magic hero to save his team….”

Scootaloo kept her eyes towards the ground, but still, the ranger could see the teardrops flowing from her eyes to hit the concrete floor. Chris could only watch for a few seconds before he hesitantly raised a hand and put it on her arm. She sniffed and pulled a new rag from one of her pouches and wiped her eyes. “Truth is…,” she started again, her voice strained at this point. “Even though I still love Rainbow Dash and she’s always going to be like my big sister… Time Turner felt like a real dad.”

Chris stopped at that, feeling his own throat constrict in an instant as memories flashed through his mind. Memories of a man who was always there when he needed him most, always with a gentle smile. A man who’d take him by the shoulder and take him away from whatever horror was behind them. He thought of the man that took him from the dirt and dusted him off to be something greater. For the first time in years, Chris Scott let his tears fall for Andrew Scott, the man that had saved his life and put him on the right track. The man’s hand tightened a bit on the pegasus’ arm, Scootaloo looking up a bit in confusion.

“Chris, you-” The mare started only to be cut off by the young man as he raised a hand for her to wait. She complied and he took a few seconds to gather himself, finally clearing his throat and taking a deep breath before looking up at her, flashing a small, sorrow-filled smile.

“Don’t worry, Scootaloo,” he said in a strained voice, pulling his hand back to wipe his own eyes. “To be honest, I never thought I’d find anyone else that would know how I feel… but now we know we’re not alone.”

The pegasus took in a sharp breath and her eyes widened. “You mean…?” She started, only to stop as he nodded his head.

“I was an orphan, too,” he admitted, struggling to keep himself together. “And my Time Turner’s name was Andrew Scott. It’s been… a long time since I’ve thought about him so much but… you made me remember…. Thank you.”

The mare stared at him for a few moments before a shaky smile formed on her face, a soft, fake scoff escaping her lips as she wiped her tears again. “For what?” She half-laughed. “Turning you into a sobbing mess on the floor of the hangar?”

Chris sniffed with his own laugh, letting a full chuckle escape as he looked away towards the Delta Megaship. “That,” he admitted before he looked towards the mare. “And for reminding me why I have to work harder to improve myself.” With that, the ranger got to his feet, the moisture in his eyes slowly drying as he extended a hand to the engineer. “We still have people to make proud, after all.”

Scootaloo gave her own chuckle at that. “Right,” she said, taking the hand and letting the man help her to her feet. “And sitting on the floor in a puddle isn’t gonna do that.”

“That it surely won’t-”

“Chris!” The young man would be lying if he said he didn’t jump a little at the shout, the cry pulling the attention of everyone in attendance, including the ponies and pups outside, towards Sweetie Belle as she made her way into the hangar.

“Hey, Sweetie Belle,” the young man greeted as he took a step forward and Scootaloo eyed her friend with a raised brow. “What’s up?”

The mare didn’t answer as she came to a stop in front of him, lips pressed together. “We need to talk.”

“HA!” Scootaloo’s sudden, shouting laugh made Chris wince and glance at the pegasus as she smirked and shook her head.”Oh, boy, you done did it this time,” she said, looking up with a grin and a spark in her eye. “Whatever ‘it’ is. You have fun with that.” The mare threw her hand back, hanging the rag on her shoulder before patting his shoulder and walking behind him towards the others outside.

The young man could feel every fiber of his being tense up at that, eyes going wide before he slowly looked back towards the off-white mare in front of him. She stared up at him, arms crossed over her chest, further increasing his unease. “Um… should we go somewhere else…?” He questioned hesitantly, wincing a bit as the mare put her hands on her hips.

“Here is fine,” she answered tersely, the young man swallowing hard as he realized she was saving her words for what she really wanted to say.

“...So…. What is it you wanted to-”

“Where’s Samson?” The question caught the man by surprise, making him stop for a moment before realization struck him.

“...Who told you?” He asked quietly, letting his eyes drift to the floor.

“Apple Bloom,” the unicorn answered simply, her tone not changing in the slightest. “My question is… why?”

The young man let out a soft sigh before looking back up. “Because…,” he started before he trailed off and had to look away from the mare’s stern look. “...Because I thought it was the best thing to do. I thought that if… I thought that if I kept it from him that it could somehow make him happy. And now everybody keeps telling me that I’m doing is wrong.”

“Because it is wrong, Chris!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her eyes searching his face. “You lied to your own brother, and for what? To save him a little disappointment? Chris, when he finds out, you and I both know it’s going to tear him apart inside!”

“Don’t I get the chance to protect him for once!?” The young man’s sudden shout made the mare take a step back, her’s and Chris’ eyes widening at the same moment. Sweetie stared at him for several seconds before her look of shock melted into anger. Without another word, Sweetie let out a huff and turned on her heel. Before the ranger could even react, the unicorn had crossed the hangar and the door was already sliding open. “Sweetie, wai-”

“Take a break, Chris.” The young man stopped as he felt a hand touch down on his arm. The man looked back to see Firefly beside him, a small, worried frown on her face. Chris looked at her for a moment before he turned his fear-filled gaze back to where Scootaloo was chasing after Sweetie Belle. “...I’m not sure what all that was about… but I think you need to just let her go right now.”

The ranger stared at her for several long moments before he looked down dejectedly with a small sigh. “...Rose, Veral,” he said in a quiet voice, turning with his eyes still glued to the ground. “Let’s go get Vee his medicine….” The pair of timberwolves tilted their heads in confusion from beside Cobalt before they obediently got up and started to follow the man towards the door that would lead them back inside, the younger brother limping slightly on his new metallic leg. Firefly watched the group go, worry filling her eyes even as Cobalt Steel came to stand at her shoulder. Without a word, the stallion lifted a hand and put it on her shoulder, the pegasus taking the sign and leaning her head on his arm.

“Thanks for letting me tag along today, RD,” Samson said as he and the prismatic mare walked down the hall leading towards his and Chris’ room.

“It’s no problem,” Rainbow Dash replied with a little shrug though she let out a yawn afterward. “Even if the whole research project was kinda boring, you did help me improve some of the flaws in my fighting style.”

The dark orb let out a little chuckle, bobbing in the air as he did so. “That was actually fairly easy,” he said, the mare throwing him a confused and slightly irritated look before he continued. “There weren’t many flaws I could see at first, and those I did see were small but glaring. If you keep applying the suggestions I made today, your technique will be almost flawless.”

“Almost?” The pegasus questioned, raising an eyebrow and putting her fists on her hips.

“You know what I mean,” Sam answered in a humorous tone before they stopped outside the door that would lead the brother to his other half. “No form is without its own faults, but we can always train to make those faults into our strengths.”

Rainbow let out a short chuckle at that. “Ain’t that the truth,” she murmured before she relaxed. “I gotta go, still have to go in and check out what kind of patrols I’ve been assigned for the next week. I’ll see you later.”

“See ya, RD,” Sam replied, the mare walking passed him and further into the castle. The sphere hovered where he was for a second or two before he let out a tired sigh. With that, he hovered towards the door and began to phase through the door. He was about to announce himself before he froze at what he saw in the room.

Chris sat on the edge of the bed, back to the door and head bowed. The young man’s eyes stared emotionlessly towards the ground as Veral and Rose stared at him from their shared bed beside the desk. Veral’s ear twitched and he looked towards the door and Sam, letting out a soft, worried whine before the timberwolf looked back towards Chris. Tentatively, Sam floated a little closer, finding that Chris was still wearing a boot on one foot while the other was sported a sock.

“...Chris?” Samson questioned, floating a bit closer. The man on the bed gave a small, shuddering jolt as if someone had shaken him awake.

Slowly, the blonde turned his eyes to look at the pulsating black orb. ‘...Hey, Sam,” Chris greeted tiredly, a smile lighting up on his face that didn’t reach his eyes in the slightest. “How was your day, man?”

If the orb had possessed eyes, he would have blinked in confusion. “It was… alright,” he relented, drifting a bit closer. “Rainbow Dash helped me with some research, I taught her a few new moves. “...What about you?”

Chris’ fake smile faded slightly at that and he went back to looking towards the ground. After a moment, the man began to take off the rest of his boots and socks, eventually scooting back to lie down on the bed. “...Sweetie Belle and I got into fight today…,” he finally muttered, not bothering to look away from the ceiling.

“Oh, man…,” Samson muttered as he drifted closer. “What… what did you guys argue about?”

At this, the young man only shrugged his shoulders before turning over to lay on his side. “...It was nothing,” he finally said, reaching over and turning out the lights. “Or at least… I want to do this by myself….”

Sam floated quietly in the dark room for a while before a sigh escaped him and he began to descend back into his brother’s mind. “Okay… I understand….”

Spike made his way through the dark crystal castle that made up the Ponyville fortress. Even after almost a week, he could still feel multiple bruises and other various injuries still broiling under his scales. The drake grit his teeth at the memory of his fight with the Psycho Ranger. Every detail flashed through his mind, his first face-to-face meeting with the warrior, dominating the entire battle even if he did have to rely on Defoliator for a distraction… and then the damned ranger changed. Anger boiled up inside the dragon, green embers lighting up behind his fangs. “How…?” He growled, licks of flame jumping from his lips as the thought of losing a battle he’d been dominating roared through his mind.

“RRRRRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”

Spike put his hand on the wall beside him, eyes going wide as the castle shook from the roar, a rage-filled cry that was all too familiar to the dragon. “Midnight…,” he breathed before he set his features and began to race forward towards a bend in the hall. Without slowing down for a moment, the drake launched himself through the open window, corkscrewing as he met empty air before he threw his wings out and pumped his wings. Spike soared into the sky, flying straight up until he reached the upper-most part of the castle, deftly twisting his body and diving through the terrace into the throne room where Midnight stood facing her throne, wings falling to the floor as her shoulders heaved.

The dragon eyed the alicorn for a moment before he started forward, the claws of his feet clicking on the crystal floor. “...We will have a new commander, Spike,” Midnight informed in a low tone, squaring her shoulders and straightening up as he approached. “Because of my failure, King Mondo has seen it necessary to remove me as commanding officer of the Everfree front. King Sombra has been put in charge of all of our forces until such a time as the Resistance is destroyed or King Mondo sees fit to reestablish me as the leader of this front.”

Spike stared up at the mare’s back for several moments, a sinking feeling growing in his chest and dropping down into the pit of his stomach. “...All of our forces…?” The dragon questioned in disbelief, the dark pony in front of him nodding slowly.

“All of them except Staroid,” Midnight answered verbally, Spike’s face contorting in confusion as the mare turned and took her seat, propping her chin up on her knuckles and looking off to the side to avoid his gaze. “His report was filed today to the capital. Unfortunately, Staroid was destroyed in the last battle.”

The warrior drake stared at his parent figure for a moment, confusion still clearly on his features before it clicked in his mind. “I see,” he said, straightening up a bit. “And… what am I to do?”

“You are still free from that idi- I mean Sombra’s command,” the alicorn replied, her unoccupied fingers tapping against the arm of her throne. “That will never change. Not so long as I live…. Now, if you would, please leave me.”

Spike hesitated before nodding his head and coming to attention. “As you wish, Midnight,” the purple dragon said, giving a small bow before turning on his heel and walking back towards the balcony.

The flap of wings signaled the dragon taking his leave, Midnight Sparkle letting out a long, tired sigh, her hand falling to the side. Her face contorted in dismay, knowing that there was no one around to actually see her defeated expression. No one except…. “Sirens.”

There was a shuffling from behind the throne and the dark alicorn watched as the only prize she had brought back with her from her accursed time in the human world stepped out to stand in front of her. Midnight looked over the three females standing in front of her, each closely resembling an earth pony except for the small fins that adorned their wrists and each in a different style of a human bedlah. The first and tallest was palish gold color, a curly orange mane with yellow streaks falling over her shoulders and back, her outfit consisting of a purple top that only just covered her bust, sheer ribbons of fabric running from the top corners over her upper arms and gold belt that clashed with the purple bottoms that left nothing to the imagination while a sheer veil that fell to her ankles didn’t help at all. Her pink eyes looked up towards Midnight, stopping just at the other mare’s boots.

The second, light violet in color with a purple mane with aquamarine stripes, wore a top that had an off-white bottom and dark purple top that left the center open to see the flesh underneath, silver bangles matching the belt that held up hot pink, loose pants that faded to sheer to just keep her modest. Her own deep purple eyes averted themselves to the sides, her arms crossed over her chest.

The last and clearly youngest was a light cerulean, her mane being a bit darker with an arctic blue with darker blue streaks running through it, her demeanor showing clearly as she did her best to hide behind the tallest, arms wrapped tightly around her body. Her own outfit seemed to be the most shameful, the top and bottom a matching burgundy color that drew attention to just how little they covered, the top having two straps that wrapped around her upper arms to extend into sheer sleeves while matching sheer pants did nothing to hide her legs. She kept her dull pink eyes trained on the floor as she trembled, whether from cold or unease was impossible to tell.

“What can we do for you, mistress?” Adagio asked as she kept her eyes slightly down, trying to seem undaunted by her and her fellow sirens’ humiliation.

“What do you always do for me?” Midnight answered hotly, irritation growing in her voice once more which caused Sonata to flinch from behind her older companion.

“Understood, mistress,” the orange siren murmured quietly. The eldest siren squared her shoulders, the other two falling into position beside her, albeit with some hesitance from them. Altogether, the trio began to sing a wordless song that gently rippled through the air to cast a spell over Midnight. A spell, of course, that held no magic in it at all as the sirens’ broken gems sparked at the base of their necks. Slowly, they began to dance alongside their song, their movements just as exotic and beautiful as their melody. All the while, Midnight Sparkle watched them, letting her anger seep away from her mind only to replaced by something else. Ideas, schemes, and tricks found their way into her thoughts, and slowly, as the mare watched her prisoners dance and sing, a plan began to form….

Author's Note

Things in the Resistance seem to be going in two directions. For Chris, even as Ranger Ops. grows, his relationship with both the mare he loves and his own brother seems to be shifting in the wrong direction. Sam, meanwhile, takes advantage of his newfound sense of freedom to... read? And past the Everfree in the nearby enemy-occupied Ponyville, Midnight has been removed from power. Will the new commander of the Everfree front be easier to handle than its previous villain, or will King Sombra prove to be the force that breaks the ERF?

Bit of an exposition chapter rather than any actual plot progression, but all the same, I hope you enjoy. Next chapter has already been written and only requires some editing to get it ready. If all goes well it should be out sometime this week... hopefully. Anyway, thank you guys for reading and if you have a comment, joke, or criticism, leave it in the comment section below. All that said, hope you all have a great one and take care until the next one!

Chapter 20- Behind Closed Doors [CO]

Chapter 20-

Behind Closed Doors

A white flash signaled the start of another recording as Chris’ face appeared on the computer screen. “Guess these are getting more and more spread out aren’t they?” The blonde asked with a small, awkward laugh before he let out a breath. A small whine drew the ranger’s attention. He gave a small little smile before he reached down and picked Veral up to set the timberwolf pup on his lap. For a few moments, he simply pet the top of the young monster’s head, letting a small smile warm his face as Veral looked up at him. The man let out a chuckle as the timberwolf threw his head back and attempted to lick his face, Chris letting out a little smile before he looked back to the camera.

“Luckily,” the young man started again, his expression a little more light than when he’d started. “Veral is adapting well to his new leg, and Chrysalis is finally out of bed. She doesn’t really appreciate being wheeled around, but Artemus seems to be more than able to get away with it. Sam's really taking to having his own form. He usually spends most of his time away from me, actually. He even got up before I was awake and took off, which seems to be really good for him….”

The ranger went silent for a moment and let his eyes fall towards the desk. Veral looked up as the petting slowed, his ears falling back as he put one of his large, wooden paws onto Chris’ arm like a small hug. Still, it didn't do much to lighten the ranger’s mood. “...Sweetie’s still mad at me,” he finally muttered. “We haven't really spoken in the better half of a week. We don't see each other outside of Ranger Operations and we haven't really had any missions-”

The familiar jingle of his communicator interrupted anything he was about to say. Without a moment to spare, he flicked his wrist up to his face. “What’s up?” He questioned, eyes narrowing as he answered the call.

“We’ve got a problem on the outskirts of the Everfree,” Artemus replied from the other side. “I need you and your team out there immediately.”

“We’re on it,” the man answered quickly, dropping the call before setting Veral on the ground. As he got to his feet, he once more lifted his communicator and opened a new line. “All rangers to the launch bay, asap. We got trouble and we need to go now!”

He didn’t wait for the answers to come in as he raced across the room, throwing open the door and running out, the two timberwolves quickly following after him before the door closed behind him.

“Gottverdammt!” Chris shouted as he and his team flew back into the hangar on the galaxy gliders, the ranger stepping off the hovercraft the moment it was docked. Chris stalked forward, his face contorted into a frown as Cobalt, Firefly, and Sweetie all docked their own gliders and stepped off. “Another ficken strike….” The young man stopped next to the Delta and put his hand on the hull, looking to the ground as Rose and Veral popped up from their resting spots and ran over to meet him.

“You think Midnight was injured in that last fight or something?” Cobalt questioned as he and Firefly walked up behind him. “She may be trying to recupe while still trying to keep us on our toes.”

“Who knows…,” Chris muttered before letting out a tired sigh, turning so that he was leaning back first against the megaship. “But what I do know is that if she keeps this up, our cloak is going to become practically non-existent. After every one of these skirmishes, more monsters get hurt, and, seeing as the monsters still aren’t cooperative enough to let vets anywhere near them, we have to ask Mage Ops to come in and help.”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Cobalt muttered in agreement with his leader before shaking his head. “We’ll just have to hold on and hope for the best. But until then, Firefly and I are going to be in the training room. Right, Fly?”

The pegasus mare groaned in response. “Are you really going to make me train after the battle we just fought?” Firefly asked only to be met by a sideways grin from the stallion.

“We hardly broke a sweat out there,” Cobalt answered, turning to face her. “But don’t worry. I’m no cog, so you should have no problem breaking one in the ring.” Another groan drew a chuckle from the thestral before he put a hand on Fly’s shoulder and started to lead her away. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”

Chris watched them go before a small whine and patting at his ankle drew his attention to Rose as she pawed at him. The young she-wolf looked up at him with wide eyes, turning in a circle and letting out another low whine as she did so. A small smile played out on the young man’s face as he pushed himself off the Delta’s hull. “You want outside?” He asked the timberwolf pup in an excited tone, Rose letting out a happy yip and standing on her rear paws before running off towards the door of the hangar. Chris continued to smile as he followed, Veral running to catch up with his sister scraped at the door. The young man opened the door and followed the two pups outside into the clearing surrounding the forest and hangar.

The ranger watched them run off, his smile still on his face even as he felt someone stop behind him. “You were slow out there today,” Sweetie Belle said, the man not turning around to look at her.

“Sam wasn’t with me,” he said in a tired voice.

“And why is that?” The mare asked, drawing a small sigh from the blonde.

“I’m sorry, Sweetie,” he finally said, turning to face her. “I lost my cool the other day and I yelled at you even though you don’t deserve that. Ever. But…,” he stopped for a second. “I just can’t-”

“Chris!” The sudden shout cut the man off as a black orb with red and yellow patterns shifting in it flew out of the hangar doors.“Chris, are you guys okay?”

The young man gave a small breath before throwing a reassuring smile to his brother. “We’re all fine, Sam,” Chris answered, hiding his relief of being free from Sweetie’s predatory lecture. “It was just like the last few, nothing but cogs.”

Samson let out the sound of a breath at that, floating a little lower before coming closer to them. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there,” he apologized. “I should’ve been there instead of talking to Trixie.”

“It’s really no problem,” Chris said before a pair of barks drew the trio’s attention to Rose and Veral as they ran back, a spot in the air behind them shimmering before a portal open up, a voice speaking in Chris and Sam’s mind. Come, Psycho Ranger, and let us speak. I may have an offer for you. They were all quiet for a moment before Chris cleared his throat. “I guess… duty calls.”

“Yep,” Sam answered, a small, excited spark in his voice as he and his brother moved towards the swirling doorway. “Another world to visit and another chance to stretch my legs!”

Chris let out a little chuckle at that as they stopped. “Stay safe, bro,” he said simply, flashing another smile.

“Always!” The orb answered before flying into the portal alone. Chris looked over his shoulder and gave her a weak, apologetic smile before he turned into a sphere himself and got dragged into the portal.

Ash Seeketh Embers…
Perspective: Octavius

It had been many weeks since we left the town of Zebril. The moon was rising, and we still hadn’t found a place to lay our heads. No shelter could be seen for miles, and I did not fancy becoming the evening snack of a pack of coyotes. Meanwhile, Miss Mia was staring at the moon like it had grown a face.

“Why is it red?” She asked. I looked up at the blood red moon, glowing an eerie crimson.

“I’d imagine tis part of the curse as well. Much like the sun,” I told her as we continued walking through the now chilled sands. “Anyway, do you see any form of shelter we could use yet?”

“Not really,” Mia said. I hummed in thought. This did not bode well. I may not know much about this dessert, but I know that staying in the open at night is never a good thing.

We walked for about ten minutes until something impacted the top of my helmet and dropped to the sand below. Curious, I bent over and picked it up.

It appeared to be a medallion with bronze plating, the emblem of a twisted upside down “M” encircled in an oval, and as soon as I touched it, I heard a voice in my head.

“I am the shadow the darkness fears, the malice that quails evil. Call my name if you fight for justice, but beware the wrath of darkness if you chose wrong, for it is you who will face the dark clone. I am Psycho Ranger.”

The shadow the darkness fears… I’m not certain how I feel about that. Then again, another ally would still be welcome in this dead world. So, with a deep breath, I called out, “Come, Psycho Ranger, and let us speak. I may have an offer for you.”

A swirling portal opened up nearby, a figure stepping out soon after. He had a well-muscled build, messy reddish-brown hair falling into his hazel eyes. He was dressed in what one might imagine a mage would wear; loose black pants with numerous pockets and pouches, simple black shoes, a white, sleeveless shirt, and blue vest with white lines, matching bracers on his wrists. A black oval device sat on his right bracer, the emblem from the medallion sitting on top. “Someone ring for a psycho?” he asked as the portal closed behind him, a cocky little grin splitting his features. I nodded.

“That would be correct, yes,” I affirmed.

The young man looked me up and down, his grin giving a little twitch. “...You’re not one of the bad ones, are you?” He questioned, his body language becoming a little tenser. I tilted my head in question.

“Bad ones? No, I would not consider myself bad. I am a Knight-Scholar of Equestria, after all,” I answered. Mia tilted her head, simply watching this from the side.

The young man’s body let go of its tension and his grin ceased to waiver. “Right, sorry,” he said, taking a few steps forward. “You can never be too careful about these things. So, what kind of offer did you have in mind?”

“Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I have been reduced to a wanderer. Thus, I might come across fantastical ruins with treasure of all sorts. My companion can attest that it has happened before. So, my offer is this, travel with us, and you may have as much of the treasure you wish for,” I offered.

The young man gave a little chuckle. “I’d love to,” he answered before he dropped his gaze and shook his head. “But unfortunately, I’ve got a war going on back home with a lot of ponies looking to me for hope. I can stay for a little while, sure, but I will have to go back eventually.”

“A war, you say?” I crossed my arms and hummed in thought. This man was far too young to be fighting a war, much less leading it like his choice of words implied. True, if he was leading it, he would most certainly be a capable fighter, but…

I hummed again in thought, before looking up at the moon. I sighed. “Well, to be quite honest, while I may make it seem like my quest is on a time limit, it truly isn’t. So, mayhaps I and my companion can come and help you? I know a great many miracles as well as spells that I could teach your soldiers, and Miss Mia here knows a very unique form of magic as well that I’m sure she’d love to teach.”

The youth blinked a bit in surprise. “You guys would really just drop what you’re doing…,” he started, trying to form a bigger picture. “To help in a war you have no part in after summoning me to your home world?” He gave a little huff of laughter and a look of disbelief as he looked at the two of us. “...I don’t even know your names,” he muttered as if mystified.

“Mia,” Miss Mia greeted, tail waving slowly behind her as she held a hand out. I bowed, one arm crossed under my chest.

“Octavius,” I informed the youth, standing back up. “And yes. Tis a knight’s duty to help those in need, even if it be those from another world.”

The young man bowed towards me before straightening back up and stepping forward to shake Mia’s hand. “Samson Jaeger,” he answered, his grin seeming to grow. “Thank you for your offer… it is really appreciated.” I smiled beneath my helm.

“Tis no trouble, my friend. Now, let us make haste, yes? There is a war for us to win, after all!” I urged, smile growing.

“Probably be more amusing than here’s been lately,” Miss Mia commented, hands in her pockets.

Sam gave a nod of his head… before his smile once again faded a bit. “...How do we get back?” He asked. “I know, you guys can send me back, and maybe you could follow me through, but how would you guys get back here?”

“I will find a way, do not worry. After all, I am a Knight-Scholar. I know plenty about magic, so I’m certain I will figure it out,” I assured. “Speaking of which, I believe I know a spell that could send us there quickly. Though tis experimental and I shall need a catalyst.”

Sam stared for a moment before melting the doubt from his features with a nod. “Okay, so what kind of catalyst are we talking about?” He questioned, the gears turning visibly behind his eyes.

“A staff would be preferable. Although a crystal laced chime or talisman would work as well,” I informed.

“I can handle that,” Sam said, taking a few steps back. He put his right hand over his left wrist, black electricity dancing over the appendage and device on his wrist. Black grid lines formed under his hand and shaped themselves before he grabbed them and yanked. A black staff, topped with devilish silver horns formed, crackling with energy for a moment. “Will this do?” More than a little bewildered by all this, I simply stared. After a few seconds, I shook my head to clear my surprise.

“Uh, yes, yes, that should do nicely,” I said, taking the staff. I then started channeling my energy, my soul, into it, feeling the soul magic do its work. “Grab onto me, and imagine your home. Miss Mia, grab onto me as well, but keep your mind clear.”

Samson did as he was bid and took a hold of my shoulder, closing his eyes tightly as his features formed into concentration. Miss Mia grabbed my other shoulder, closing her eyes. An image appeared in my head at this. Seeing it, I then raised my staff and swept it in an arc above my head. And then, the crackling of fire sounded around us.

“Do not move, and keep focusing on your home. Miss Mia, continue to keep your mind clear,” I ordered. The flames continued to roar, and I felt them lick at my form, but it was not unpleasant or painful in the least. And then, they rose up and swallowed us, and the next I knew, we were blazing through a deep, black void. The next thing to form was a darkened forest, the sounds of twilight echoing through the darkening landscape as a large castle illuminated the area in the background. We arrived with a blaze of blue, magical fire that quickly disappeared.

Chris opened his eyes and took in a breath before shaking the blonde mess from his face. “Well that was something,” he said, his tone less dense than Samson’s.

“Are we there yet?” Mia asked, eyes still shut. I chuckled.

“Yes, we are,” Octavius told her. He turned back to the ranger. “Your voice seems to have changed, my friend.”

“I didn’t think it was that bad,” a voice suddenly spoke, though it was more mental than verbal. A small, black sphere with dark yellow and orange energy flowing through and off it formed next to the blonde’s head. “Though, I suppose I should have warned you about the body switch.”

The blonde tsk’d. “How so very inconsiderate of you, Sam,” he said in a teasing manner, drawing a huff from the sphere.

Mia opened her eyes, tilting her head in confusion.

“I… I’m sorry, but what is going on?” The Unkindled queried, staring at the two in befuddlement.

“I would like to know that, too, Chris,” an off-white unicorn mare said, stepping out from behind him as two timberwolf pups sat nearby, staring at the scene in confusion.

The blonde gave a nervous chuckle before leaning towards the sphere. “You take Octavius and Mia and I take Sweetie Belle?” He questioned, the sphere bobbing much like a nod before Chris gently took Sweetie by the shoulders and led her a little ways away.

“Chris and I had split personality disorder before we got displaced,” Sam began to explain once they were gone. “When we got here, our condition advanced itself. Now, whenever we get called to new worlds, our body turns into my form and I get control of the wheel.”

“I see… That sounds intriguing. Do you by chance know why or how?” Octavius queried, curious now.

Sam moved up and down as if to shrug. “We don’t really know. Harmony might know something, but if she does she didn’t tell me- er, us.” Shouting could be heard from behind Sam as Sweetie appeared to begin getting more than a little heated at Chris who held his hands up defensively. I glanced over.

“I assume that mare is young Chris’ lover?” The knight guessed.

A chuckle emanated from the sphere. “They’re kinda cute together,” he said, though his tone betrayed a sense of… sadness. I frowned at this.

“Are you alright, Samson?” The undead queried.

Sam’s sphere was still. “...Let’s just say that this isn’t the only war we got dragged into,” he said tensely. Octavius’ frown deepened, but he nodded, respecting the brother’s wish to not speak of it. He glanced back at the young mare and Chris.

“-o big deal my foot, Chris!” Sweetie yelled. “Who knows who could have seen that light show! You know that our mages aren’t holding up the mirage right now, it’s too straining right now with all the injured monsters we’re still treating!”

“I know, Sweetie, I know,” Chris answered nervously. “I’m sorry. I don’t think Sam knew what would happen, and I couldn’t stop him from here.”

The mare eyed him for a long moment, her eyes shifting for just a moment towards Sam before shooting back to the blonde. She let out a long breath and pinched the bridge of her snout. “We’ll talk about this more later,” she said before bending down and picking up one of the pups, the one with a metallic front leg. “Veral needs his medicine soon.” With that, she turned and left the scene, leaving Chris and a confused timberwolf pup in her wake as it followed. I approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I apologize for not thinking more on how my actions would affect you, young Chris,” Octavius said sincerely.

Chris gave a small shrug. “If what you told Sam was true,” he began, turning to face me. “It’ll be worth it this time.” The knight-scholar simply nodded, letting go of his shoulder.

“Well, if you would kindly show us the way to your home than I can begin teaching your soldiers what I know,” he said, scanning the environment before turning my gaze back to the ranger. Chris nodded his head before a yawn echoed from Sam’s form.

“Chris, I need to crash,” he said. “You know how these forms affect us.”

“Sure thing, bro,” Chris answered before the sphere faded away. Chris looked back towards me and nodded towards the castle. “Right this way.” With that, he turned and started on his way.

As they walked, Miss Mia simply following in silence, and Octavius took in their surroundings. The forest was certainly a good place to hide a base, but improvements could still be made. After all, a forest is full of opportunities for ambush or traps. And, being a Knight-Scholar, he knew a few concoctions commonly used in his home. Regardless, I continued to follow my guide.

“The Everfree keeps us covered for the most part,” Chris started. “Especially now that the monsters are on our side. The castle’s been renovated with all the high tech gear we can reverse engineer from the cogs and machine captains that attack. Everyone here is a refugee, seeing as the rest of Equis basically belongs to the Machine Empire except select territories in Zebrica and the Dragon Lands.”

“Do you mean Zebran and Divala?” The undead queried, unfamiliar with the names.

Chris shot him a confused look. “I guess, maybe?” He answered. “Different worlds have different names. But anyway, I’ll have to get Artemus’ permission for a proper training session with our fighters, but my team is in the training room if you’re looking for immediate results and more… durable trainees.” Octavius smirked.

“Durability is not necessarily needed for miracles or the magic I know of, but it is still a welcome trait,” he commented.

Chris let out a relieved breath. “Thank goodness because this request will probably take a few hours to process, thanks to the council. That and we don’t train at night to avoid flashing lights that are more easily seen.”

“A smart move. Though I may not remember any wars in my world, I do know plenty about tactics. I had to, as it was yet another job of a Knight-Scholar,” the Unkindled noted.

Chris gave a little chuckle. “Well that’s a relief,” he said. “We need all the help we can get for the time being. Who knows what Midnight is planning next.”

“I’m glad to help,” Octavius said with a smile. Chris gave a little smile and entered the castle, traveling down the intricately decorated walls.

As they walked, Octavius admired the decor, not having seen anything with this kind of splendor in many long years. Sadly, this came at the cost of me not paying more attention to where he was going and bumped into someone, which knocked the helmet off of his head and the pony who impacted him to the ground. The undead looked down at the light gold mare dress as a secretary, now fearing he might be thrown out.

“Ms. Leaflet,” Chris said in surprise, drawing her attention away from Octavius’ face and flashing her a grin as he helped her up. “You okay?”

“Y-yeah, I guess,” she murmured, her eyes starting to go back towards the Unkindled before a flash of green drew her attention back to Chris as green electricity danced over his arms. The winds on the floor picked up and blew the stack of paper that she had dropped into his hands.

“There you go,” Chris said, keeping up his smile. “You should probably get going. Don’t want to be late now.”

“O-oh, right,” she muttered before turning and rushing away, giving the knight a last sideways glance as she went.

Chris let out a breath. “That could’ve been a problem,” he admitted as he used the wind to pick the helmet off the floor and hand it to Octavius. The undead looked at him, surprise managing to make it to his features.

“You… Aren’t afraid?” The knight-scholar queried. “Or disgusted?”

Chris shrugged. “Why bother?” He said. “The horrors of war are bad enough. Some images I still can’t get out of my head….”

“Told you you were too hard on yourself,” Mia commented. Octavius smiled lightly and placed the helmet back on his head.

“Tis good to know there are some people who do not shun or scorn my kind,” he said. “Thank you both. You’ve given this old Hollow hope. You do not know what that means to me.” The knight adjusted his helm for a second before looking back Chris. “Well, let us not dally further, yes?”

“Agreed,” Chris answered, turning briskly and starting along again. Mia started humming some kinda tune. It didn’t take them much longer to reach a pair of heavy steel doors. He waved the device on his wrist in front of a pad next to the door and the sound of hydraulics could be heard as the doors drew back. Chris gave a bit of a proud smile as he stepped through the threshold. “Welcome to Ranger Operations,” he said as two ponies, a thestral and a pegasus, went around a fenced-in arena, sparring more fiercely than what most would consider reasonable.

“Hmm, they look promising,” Octavius noted as he followed Chris inside.

“Eh,” Mia said. She seemed unimpressed.

Chris gave Mia a little look, his confident smile not leaving before he cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted towards the arena. “Co, Fly, we got company!” The thestral immediately stopped mid punch, his eyes going to the man… right before the pegasus’s thunderpunch connected with his jaw. The thestral rocketed across the arena, his body aiming to slam into the fencing only for it to melt into shadows and pass through before solidifying on the other side to have him crash to the ground with a thud and a roll.

A loud gasp echoed from the mare before she took to the air, quickly moving to Cobalt’s side as he groaned and started getting to his feet. Chris just winced and shot a slightly embarrassed look at us before walking over to the two.

Octavius watched on, observing the event before me. “Flashy,” Mia commented beside me.

Chris and the pegasus helped the thestral to his feet, the stallion shaking his head to clear the stars. The thestral raised his amber eyes towards me and gave a quiet huff, straightening up to take his own weight. “Who’re these guys?” He asked, his tone a bit suspicious.

Chris looked between the pair and the Displaced before clearing his throat. “Cobalt, Firefly, this is Octavius and Mia, Displaced that called me not too long ago. They’ve generously offered to help us in our fight.”

Cobalt and Firefly looked towards the other two, the thestral still not convinced. The pink pegasus noticed this and, hesitantly, walked towards them, extending a hand. “Hi, I’m Firefly,” she greeted a bit shyly.

“Mia,” the flame-tailed human said, holding a hand out. The knight bowed, arm tucked under his chest.

“Sir Octavius, Knight-Scholar of Equestria,” he greeted politely.

Firefly gave a gentle smile before nodding towards Cobalt. “Don’t mind him,” she said, a mischievous light in her eyes. “He’s always prickly.”

“Oi, I am not prickly!” Cobalt exclaimed, folding his arms and giving a small huff.

Chris just chuckled a bit before looking towards me. “I’m going to make the call to Artemus real quick,” he said before heading towards a door on the back wall. He stopped mid-stride and turned on his heel. “This might take some time. You should probably get started instead of waiting.”

“We fighting soon?” Mia asked.

“I suppose we are,” Octavius turned to the two in front of us. “Tell me, how familiar are you two with souls?”

Chris gave a little nod before turning and going back towards the door while the ponies exchanged confused looks. “I’m sorry,” Cobalt said, turning back to look at me. “Did you just say souls?” The knight-scholar nodded.

“Indeed I did. Is there something wrong?” He queried.

“Just a little… confused, I guess,” the thestral answered truthfully with a shrug.

“Well, it shall make sense soon. But first, we require some catalysts. Do any of you by chance have any staves, chimes, or talismans?” The undead inquired.

Cobalt and Firefly once again exchanged looks. “Not really,” Firefly answered, looking back. “Chris and Sweetie usually handle the magic stuff. We just use shadows and weather.”

“I see…” the armored man hummed in thought. An idea formed in his head then. “Well, maybe we can make our own.” ?He glanced around, trying to find something suitable for the two, before laying his eyes on a barbell. The unkindled smiled and walked over to it, picking it up and examining it. “Hmm, this should do nicely, just need to…” He took hold of it and, with a swift snap, broke it in two. The knight then walked over to Cobalt and Firefly, handing them both a piece of the rod.

The ponies stared in shock between the rods in their hands and me. Cobalt looked up with a newfound respect. “I, uh… what’s next?” He asked. Octavius smiled.

“Simple. Try to imagine your center, your very essence, and channel it into the staff. We’ll go from there,” the knight-scholar explained, standing back and watching with interest.

Firefly closed her eyes almost immediately, seeming to concentrate hard. Cobalt, though, gave a questioning look to his partner, then to Octavius, then the staff, then Octavius again. He finally let out a breath and closed his eyes, starting to concentrate as well. After a short few moments of pure concentration, their staves glowed a soft blue. The undead grinned, clapping his hands in applause.

“Wonderful! You two are naturals at this!” He said, quite pleased.

“Say what now?” Cobalt questioned, opening his eyes suddenly. He blinked when he noticed the glowing object in his hand. “...How…?”

“It’s actually quite simple. You just used soul magic,” the knight-scholar explained, before turning to Miss Firefly. “You can open your eyes now too, Miss Firefly.”

Firefly opened her eyes slowly, locking on to her catalyst instantly. A small look of wonder grew on her face. “Wow…,” she murmured. “I know they say all ponies have magic but… I didn’t think it was true…”

“Well, it is not just ponies, but every living thing. Soul magic is simply one bit of evidence for that. Now, keep focusing on your staves,” Octavius instructed, pointing to the now lifeless rods in their hands.

Both nodded and returned to concentrating, Cobalt attempting to keep his eyes open this time around. The Unkindled smiled as the glow returned.

“Good, now, picture your essence flowing through the staff, and then out of it. Just make sure to point it away from us,” he told them. Cobalt and Firefly complied, each pointing their staves in different directions as they did what was instructed of them. At the command of their souls, a blue, ethereal bolt shot from each of their staves, impacting the wall to the right of us.

“Wonderful job! This is going swimmingly!” The scholar praised.

Cobalt just stared in shock for a long while. “...What was that?” He asked in surprise, suddenly much more wary of where he pointed his catalyst.

“A magic thing,” Mia said sarcastically. Octavius chuckled and shook my head at Mia.

“She is right, but there is more to it than that. You see, that was a Soul Dart, one of the most basic spells there is in the school of soul magic,” The Unkindled explained. “But there is much, much more soul magic can do. It can use light to rewind time, block magical attacks, and even muffle your footsteps entirely.”

Cobalt’s ear flicked as he gave a questioning look. “You mean that everyone in the Resistance could have the potential to be a full blown mage?” He asked, slight disbelief in his voice.

“Yes, although the more advanced spells normally require great study, I happen to know enough to teach you all efficiently,” he confirmed.

Mia, while the knight was explaining things, seemed to just be messing around with her own magic, flames and ice both wrapping around her arm at the same time, doing a kind of dance.

While Firefly seemed mesmerized by Mia’s display, Cobalt kept his eyes on me. “This could give us just the edge we needed,” he said, glancing at his staff for a moment. “The machines will never see it coming.”

“Yeah, whatever. When can we fight some stuff?” Mia asked.

“In time, Miss Mia, in time. Right now, it is time I taught you all about Miracles,” Octavius said, taking out my bundle of white silk.

Firefly was shocked from her stupor at the statement. “Miracles? As in acts of deities?”

“Technically, yes. Miracles, at least, from my world, are tales told by the Gods since the time of the First Flame. Reciting them allows the user to tap into the divine power hidden within the phrases. Sadly, Miracles are limited only to the faithful. Although it does not truly matter if it is faith in the gods or something else,” the knight told them.

Cobalt raised an eyebrow at this, though Firefly shot a quick, unnoticed glance at the stallion beside her before averting it again. “...Our faith in anything will let us perform these… miracles?” She asked, seemingly nervous. Octavius nodded.

“Indeed. Miracles can do a great many things as well. Heal even the greatest wounds, create a nigh-impervious magical barrier around yourself, summon lightning, emit a blast of holy force, and much more,” he continued before he idly noted Mia adding electricity to her display, humming as she did.

Firefly looked towards the floor for a moment before looking back up, far more resolute than before. “How do we perform them?” She asked, drawing a look of surprise from Cobalt in her sudden change in tone.

“Well, thankfully, I have a few scrolls in my pouches detailing a number of the Miracles know, but there are some not in there that I’ve known by heart for many years. I can teach you all of them if you so wish, but whether they work or not depends on the strength of your faith,” the knight-scholar answered truthfully, patting one of the pouches on his belt. “Just keep in mind that these are tales told by the gods themselves, and thus some are quite lengthy.”

Firefly nodded determinedly. “Whatever it takes,” she said softly. The Unkindled smiled, glad to see she had such strong determination.

“Good. And you, sir?” Octavius said, turning to Cobalt.

“I’ve always been up for anything,” he said with a shrug. “And if I can shoot little magic bolts, I don’t see why I couldn’t do this, too.” My smile grew.

“Excellent! Now, let me just….” The knight scrounged around in his pouch for a moment, before pulling out two scrolls. “Ah, there we are!” He turned back to the two ponies. “Now, would you two prefer to learn the Heal Miracle first, or Lightning Spear?”

“Lightning Spear,” Cobalt answered, cutting off Firefly as she opened her mouth. She closed her lips and went back to her more passive behavior, giving a little nod.

“Very well,” the undead handed the scroll to them. “Now, you shall need to share, since that is the only copy I have, but I’m sure you can figure it out. All you need do is recite the Miracle and memorize it until you know it by heart, so you can more easily recite the words in battle.”

Cobalt took the scroll and opened it, leaning towards Firefly as they began to read the text. After a few moments, they seemed to get more and more confused, but in time they seemed to understand it and finished reading, looking back up to Octavius.

“Finished?” He queried. “Are you certain you both have it down?”

“I do,” Firefly answered with confidence, looking up at the undead while Cobalt still squinted at the scroll, seemingly confused. The knight-scholar nodded and looked towards Cobalt.

“Having trouble?” Octavius queried.

“Nothing I can’t handle,” Cobalt mumbled back, bringing the page closer and straightening up now that Firefly was done. After a few more moments he looked up. “Okay, I’m ready.”

“Good, now, we need either a talisman or a chime…” Octavius hummed in thought and started to scrounge through his pouches. After a short while, he succeeded in my search and found two canvas talismans, looted from the Hollow Zebra’s of Zebril. They had the mark of the Zebra High Priest, namely a crown dripping with green liquid. “Yes, this should do well enough.” The undead handed them to the two. “Now, take your talismans and recite the Miracle, pouring as much of your faith as you can into your words.”

Firefly took the offered talisman and looked at it as if she were trying to burn a hole through it. Cobalt meanwhile… didn’t look quite so optimistic. After a moment both ponies looked up and began reciting the Miracle towards the same spot they’d shot their last magical bolts. When they came to the end of the Miracle, a crackling bolt of lightning appeared in the hand Firefly held the talisman, whilst Cobalt still held only the talisman.

“Good job, Miss Firefly! Very good!” Octavius applauded. “You successfully performed a Miracle!” The knight turned to Cobalt. “As for you, Sir Cobalt, I’m afraid your faith just isn’t that strong. My apologies.”

Cobalt stared between his empty hand and Firefly’s. “...Lightning probably is easier for pegasi,” he muttered before handing back the talisman. “That, and I don’t put much faith in anything besides my abilities and the person that directs them.” The knight-scholar nodded.

“Tis fine. I can respect a warrior no matter where their faith lies,” he said truthfully, before turning back to Firefly, the lightning in her hand now gone. “Either way, it is good that at least one of you has the ability to perform Miracles.”

Mia wasn’t even paying attention to us anymore, seeming lost in her own amusement, directing the elements around her arms. Octavius turned to her, deciding it was time she do some teaching of her own.

“Miss Mia? Do you think you could teach these two what you know as well?” He queried. “I must create more copies of the scrolls I have if I am to continue teaching, so I shall be over there if anyone shall have need of me.” The undead said, pointing to a bench on the other side of the room.

“What?” Mia asked, breaking concentration, the streams vanishing as she looked up.

“Can you teach these two what you know while I work on making more copies of these Miracles?” Octavius repeated.

“Oh, sure, whatever,” she said. The Unkindled smiled.

“Wonderful. I shall be on that bench, in the meantime,” he said, before walking over to said bench and pulling out some writing utensils and blank scrolls procured from the library of Zebril.

This is going to be a while.

Chris rounded his desk and sat down before picking up the receiver on his desk phone, turning it over and setting it back down before dialing for Artemus’ private communicator and setting the device to speaker. The phone rang for several moments before it stopped.

“Artemus here,” the alicorn’s voice answered through the phone.

“Artemus, it’s Chris,” the human replied. “Listen, I got called off earlier by another Displaced. He’s offered to teach our fighters some magic and a few other things.”

There was silence for several moments before she answered. “Chris, you understand that only unicorns can use magic,” she said, her voice tired. “How would that benefit us?”

“Not the way he describes it,” the Ranger answered. “From what he’s said, everyone in the Resistance will be able to use magic. We just need a chance to get them to learn.”

There was silence for a little while before there was an answer. “I’ll get a message out to the other captains and we’ll get started tomorrow.”

“That’s great-”

“But something else has come up,” The sudden statement cut him off and his expression turned to confusion. “Early this evening we ran into strange readings coming from the atmosphere. We tracked it for as long as we could until it landed just outside the boundaries of the Everfree. We don’t know what it is, but whatever it is it sparked activity in Ponyville. Midnight is gathering up a force and they began to march towards the last place the signal had been received from.”

Chris was quiet for a moment, putting the puzzle pieces together in his head. “So.. you want me and the rangers to investigate?” He questioned, shifting his feet a little.

“That is correct,” she answered.

“We’ll get right on it,” he said, straightening up. “I’ll call Sweetie Belle and we’ll be on our way. I’ll report the moment we get back.”

“I pray you do,” Artemus answered. “Good luck out there, and come back to us safely.”

“Will do,” Chris promised before he heard the sound of the mare cutting the line. He replaced the phone and rubbed his face a bit before lifting his communicator. “Scoots, get the galaxy gliders ready for lift off. We’re going out.” With that, he marched around his desk and back out the door.

Once he made it back to the training room, he saw random bits of ice and charred bits of land, some fires still burning around the arena. The ranger’s eyes widened at the sight, his jaw dropping. He stared at the scene for so long, one might have thought that he had stopped breathing. Eventually, he just gave an exasperated sigh and slammed his balled up hand into the red button next to his door. Hidden doors in the walls slid up and miniscule machines flew out, beginning to repair the training room. Chris took a deep breath and straightened up, starting to walk towards where he had left the group. “....What. Happened. To my. Training room!?” He half shouted as he came to a stop.

“Miss Mia was making an endeavor to teach these two how to use her moves. It did not work out well,” Octavius explained, not having looked up from his piece of paper of which he was still writing on. A stack of scrolls lay next to him.

Chris’ eye twitched for a moment before he sighed again. “Okay, where’s Cobalt and Firefly?” He asked, rubbing his eyes. Octavius pointed to the wall beside him, where the two lay in a heap on top of one another, groaning with minor cuts, bruises, and burns as well as frost all over their bodies.

Chris’ hand promptly met his face before he walked over to them and knelt down. “Cobalt…,” he said softly, poking the thestral stallion a bit… before shouting directly into his ear. “GET UP!”

The dark pony jumped up, Firefly tumbling off of him with a shout of surprise. “WHAT!?” The taller stallion shouted back angrily once he was properly oriented.

“We have a mission.”

“...Oh.”

Chris turned back and made his way to Octavius where he stood and waited for Firefly and Cobalt to follow him over as well. “Okay,” he said clapping his hands together. “We’re going to have to talk on the way because we’ve got a group of machines headed straight for our objective. Besides that, Sweetie isn’t-”

“Sweetie isn’t what?” The mare asked as she appeared in a flash behind him.

“...Here,” the young man finished before coughing. “Anyway, we need to go.” He turned towards Octavius. “You coming with?” Octavius looked up at him, then down to his paper, and slowly rolled it up and placed it in the pile. He stood up.

“I would not miss it for the world,” he said with a grin hidden behind his helmet. He glanced towards Mia. “What about you, Miss Mia? You have been wanting a fight, after all, yes?”

“Yes, finally!” Mia said, smirking.

Chris nodded and turned so that he could face his team and the two Displaced. “We’ll be leaving and heading south on the galaxy gliders. We’re on a clock, so let’s get moving while the moving’s still good.” Octavius seemed confused at the terminology but nodded nonetheless.

“Yes, well, let us be on our way!” he urged, picking up his sword and shield from the side of the bench.

Mia was bouncing from one foot to the other, excited.

“Then let’s get moving,” Chris stated, moving towards the double doors once more, his team following closely behind. Octavius was right behind them, Mia following him as well.

“What we’re tracking is a signal that was picked up by our sensors earlier,” he began to explain as the group made their way down the halls. “It landed on the outskirts of the Everfree where the signal went dead. Reports came in that Midnight picked up the signal as well and immediately mobilized her own forces. With the galaxy gliders, we should be able to beat them there without a problem, but they’ll show up sooner or later. ...They always do….”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but it sounds bad. I just hope these, ‘galaxy gliders’ are as fast a mode of transportation as you make them out to be,” Octavius hoped.

“Better be,” Mia commented. She had no patience apparently.

Chris let out a little chuckle. “Are they fast?” He questioned rhetorically before they came to a set of double doors that opened up as he swiped his morpher over the reader panel. The doors opened up to reveal the hanger. The Delta megaship took up the center of the large building in all of its black, star-shaped glory. Scootaloo stood off to the side, doing a few last minute adjustments to a set of six ramps, each with a different colored, high tech rocket board on it. “We ready to go?” He asked as he closed the gap between himself and the pegasus.

“Ready as can be with these jury-rigged things,” the orange mare answered. “Seriously, you really need a proper launching point for these things.” Octavius seemed very confused, but also amazed at the size of the, what was to him, a giant metal beast.

“Extraordinary…” he breathed, gazing in wonder at the machines before him.

“Let’s go!” Mia said.

Chris nodded his head as his team went past him and stepped up onto the boards; Sweetie on silver, Cobalt an black, and Firefly on the pink. “Let’s,” the young man answered as he stepped up onto the red board, leaving the yellow and blue galaxy gliders open. “Crash course, the boards mostly guide themselves. Leaning forward slightly makes it go faster while heavy leaning descends. Lean back to ascend and lean from one side or the other to go left and right.” Octavius snapped out of it quick enough to hear what Chris said, though he was still quite confused.

“I see…” he said, slowly approaching the blue glider and stepping on it. He tried to balance on it and managed to do so well enough. “So… Now what?”

Mia closed her eyes for a second, concentrating. She mumbled something under her breath, and two glowing wings appeared from her back, seemingly made of energy. She flapped a bit, sending a wind that buffeted everyone a little, floating with a thumbs up.

“Well… I’m at a loss for words,” Octavius said, gazing at Mia in bewilderment.

Chris blinked for a second before shaking his head and chuckling, looking towards Scootaloo. “Scoots, launch door please.”

Scoots threw him a remote connected to a heavy cord and the base for the gliders before walking over to a panel on the wall. She grabbed and yanked a lever, the hangar roof starting to slide back.

A bit of a wild grin lit up on the ranger’s face. “Hang onto your butts!” He shouted before pressing the button on the remote. The galaxy gliders shot forward and up the ramps, rushing like bullets into the twilight sky.

Mia yawned, before flying after them. Octavius was, for lack of a better word, hanging on for dear life, and he most certainly was not screaming. Mia was definitely not laughing at his not screaming. Chris was definitely laughing at his screaming. They rushed through the air, becoming little more than streaks of multicolored lights in the darkening sky as they headed south. Within minutes they reached the site… and Chris’ expression wasn’t something that could be easily explained at the sight of the disk-shaped ship ahead of them, the front cabin extending out opposite the silver fins that extend from the rest of the black ship. Chris and the others brought their galaxy gliders to a stop in front of the ship, Chris stumbling off of his vehicle, and Octavius falling off of his own.

Mia snickered, hovering next to him. “Great job there.”

“Yes, yes, let’s laugh at the doddery old warrior,” Octavius groused, pulling himself up off the ground.

“Okay,” Mia said, laughing teasingly. Chris, meanwhile, paid no mind as he stared up at the ship. Cobalt watched him as the young man stepped towards the machine, Sweetie just walking after Chris while Firefly checked on Octavius.

“I am fine, nothing I can’t handle,” he assured her, waving off her concerns. He looked towards the ship in front of them. “So, that is the vessel you spoke of… It certainly looks powerful.”

Firefly followed his gaze towards the ship. “It sure does,” she said nervously.

“So now what?” Mia asked, wings flapping.

Firefly gulped nervously as she stared at the ship the others were approaching without hesitation. “I guess… now we follow,” she answered before forcing herself to walk forward after the other three. Octavius followed after, still gazing at the massive ship in wonder, Mia shrugging and went in with him.

They caught up with the others just in time to hear Sweetie Belle’s question. “What is this thing, Chris?”

The young man just shook his head dumbly. “It’s another zord…,” he muttered in response, lifting a hand to put it on the metal plating of one of the landing skits, hesitating a bit before he touched it.

“I do not know what that means,” Octavius said, before adding, “But I’m assuming it is another mode of transport?”

“In a way,” Cobalt spoke up, his eyes going over the black and silver exterior. “The Delta, that ship you saw in the hangar, is also a zord. They’re basically giant fighting machines… I just didn’t think another one existed.” The sudden sound of hydraulics firing up had the Rangers’ gazes shoot towards Chris as he jumped back and a door in the skit opened.

For a few moments, he was completely still… up until he turned to face them with the look of a kid who just found the candy store. Mia snickered at this, shaking her head, whilst Octavius simply smiled. Sweetie swatted him with a bit of a cross expression. “You couldn’t give us a warning?” She questioned, sending him back into the panicked verbal flustering he’d been in earlier that evening. Sweetie just sighed and put a hand to her eyes. “Just… lead us inside, Chris.”

Chris froze where he was before nodding his head stiffly. “Right,” he answered before turning on his heel and walking into the gigantic ship, his team following behind him, Cobalt drawing out his laser blade in anticipation. Octavius tightened his grip on his weapons as he walked in with the others.

The interior was nothing but gray hallways with supports every ten feet or so, doors occasionally found between two of the supports. The Rangers kept quiet as they walked, tensing up as lights suddenly lit up the hallway. Octavius tried to keep his eyes on the surroundings for enemies and not the marvel of science he had not seen before, and for the most part, he was managing.

Mia started humming a tune to herself, looking around.

Chris took a deep. “Come on, guys,” he muttered before moving forward once more, his team following behind him. It didn’t take long before the group entered a room with computers and other technology lining the walls, five consoles taking up the center of the room, three in front of the other two. A large window at the opposite end of the room from the entrance showed off the scenery outside.

“This is far more advanced than anything I’ve seen before…” Octavius breathed, completely in awe.

“Eh,” Mia said boredly.

“Not sure you’d be thinking that if you saw this thing in-”

“Greetings, ranger.” The sudden feminine voice startled Chris quiet, as his and the ponies’ gazes locked onto a small orb with a red dot sitting on a black stalk, hanging from the corner of the room. “I am DECA. It is nice to meet you after so many years. Would you like me to initiate orientation protocols?”

“Um…?” Chris responded, taking a look at the others, receiving shrugs from the majority of his team.

“Neat,” Mia commented.

“I shall take that as a yes,” DECA said, drawing attention back to the camera. “If you would follow the black line on the floor, it will take you to the vault.”

“I am very confused, as well as curious,” Octavius commented.

“I’m sure it’ll be clear once we see the vault,” Chris answered, turning towards the doorway. “And who knows, maybe it’ll have something that will help us with what’s coming.” He started on his way, the rest of the team following along behind as he went.

“I hope so,” Octavius said, walking after them. The black line on the floor led them further into the ship, past even more closed doors except for one space that led into a sort of mess hall.

Cobalt’s eyes swept over the walls and occasional doors. “This is nothing like the Delta,” he muttered after a while.

“That’s because the Delta is just a zord,” Chris answered. “The Astro Megaship is anything but. This puppy can travel at light speed, house and provide for a crew of at least six for a prolonged amount of time, and transform into fighter mode to do even more damage than Delta.”

“I am still thoroughly confused,” Octavius informed the group as he followed, looking around in bewilderment.

“Think of it like a giant golem you can live in,” Mia told him.

“Mostly,” Firefly added softly. “Zords are like golems that are mostly piloted by somepony of our stature but still be autonomous. But when it comes to golems, they don’t get sick or decay. They just add to themselves over time. Zords can get viruses, suffer from wear and tear and require a heck of a lot of maintenance.” She explained this all expertly… before suddenly shrinking back a bit. “Sorry, I, uh….”

“Tis fine, I appreciate the explanation,” Octavius assured. Mia giggled a little in bemusement.

Firefly smiled a bit at the two before promptly walking into Cobalt’s back. The pink pegasus stumbled as if to fall only to end up in front of the thestral with his wings wrapped around her. “...You really need to be more careful,” he chided softly, drawing out a nervous chuckle from the mare before she looked in front of her.

They’d arrived at a large door that filled the hallway, a wheel taking up its center while a keypad sat on its right edge. “Welcome to the vault,” DECA’s voice spoke up once more, emanating from yet another small camera in the corner of the hall. “The pin pad can be reset once the door has been opened with your morpher.”

Chris hesitated a moment before lifting his morpher, a panel on the wall opening up to reveal a pad similar to the ones found in the castle. There was a buzzing sound followed by clinking as the vault’s wheel half-rotated counterclockwise. “Proceed to turn the wheel clockwise for three rotations.” The young man lowered his morpher before doing just that. The door let out a hydraulic hiss before sliding back and into the left wall. What the room revealed within… was mostly blocked by Chris.

“...Sweetie. Could you take Cobalt and Firefly to find the engine room?” He asked in a low tone, not turning to face them. “I’d like to get her up and running as soon as possible.”

The off-white mare looked a bit confused for a moment before nodding. “Alright,” she said, half turning before looking at the others. “C’mon guys.” She turned and walked off, Firefly following without hesitation. Cobalt turned but threw one last look at his leader before following after the mares.

Octavius seemed curious but proceeded with the others out of the room. Mia shrugged, following him.

The group moved along in silence for a long while before someone finally spoke up. “...What’s he trying to hide?” Cobalt questioned. Not out of suspicion or mistrust, but simple curiosity.

“I know not,” Octavius said truthfully.

“Stuff,” Mia said sarcastically.

Cobalt huffed at Mia’s answer before his attention was drawn away by Sweetie Belle. “Keep it cool, Co,” she said before continuing. “As for Chris, he’s never led us astray, so we’re just going to have-” An explosion suddenly rocked the ship and cut off the unicorn, knocking the ponies off their balance, Sweetie and Cobalt grabbing for the wall supports while the thestral put an arm around Firefly’s shoulders.

“What the hell?!” Mia cried, looking around.

“Hurry, outside!” Octavius ordered, rushing past them all.

“Warning! Warning!” DECA’s voice rang out through the halls, red alarm lights flashing. “Attempted breach on the starboard side! Forty enemy signatures detected and a single large signa-” Another explosion rocked the ship as Deka’s voice decayed into wordless static. “D-D-D-Day-ay-ay-anger! Ener-ner-ner-nergy drai-ai-ai-aining! Imm-me-me-mediate action requi-i-i-ired!”

“Well, that’s not good,” Mia commented. Octavius popped his head back in the hall.

“Make haste! We have enemies on the horizon!” he called, before turning back down the hall and rushing off. Mia rolled her eyes, following him. The three ponies rushed after them, Sweetie summoning her mage staff while Cobalt drew his laser pistol and tossed it to Firefly who caught it and held it in her left as she assembled her advanced laser pistol in her right. The group found themselves exiting the same door they had entered from only to be met by the flashing lights of laser fire.

Sweetie’s eyes widened and she slammed her staff into the ground, a green field of energy forming a partial dome shield in front of them. The bolts slammed into the barrier, throwing up explosions and smoke. Sweetie clenched her eyes shut and gritted her teeth to keep the barrier up, though it was certainly taking its toll as sweat started to form on her brow and cracks started to form in her shield.

“Allow me,” Mia said, standing next to Sweetie. Putting her arms up, she smirked. “Protect.” She said, a barrier of energy forming over Sweetie’s.

Then, all of a sudden, Octavius yelled, “Hold on to anything you can, and hold on tight!” he said, before taking out his white silk talisman walking out of the barrier for a moment and seemingly hugging himself, doing so tighter and tighter, until, with a blast of concussive force, all the lasers that shot his way were blown away, a few landing on the shield behind him but most harmlessly flying into the rest of the environment or into the enemy lines.

Then, with another motion of his talisman, he slammed a large bolt of lightning into the ground, and the sound of roaring thunder could be heard for miles around, until a wave, nay, a storm of lightning bolts decimated the enemy ranks.

Many of the cogs fell to pieces while others just managed to get out of the way. However, in the midst of the crowd, a large white robot was not only hit by the bolts but seemed to be drawing in some of the others. When the bolts died down, the robot still stood, completely unharmed. Sweetie let her barrier fall and got a good look at the machine captain.

It seemed rather ramshackle, its metallic frame visible underneath its white exoskeleton, red wires running to and fro around the silver frame. A dome-like head with two red eyes topped its skeletal appearance, staring at them as if it was completely unfazed.

“Damn…” Octavius cursed, gripping his blade tighter in his other hand.

Sweetie huffed for breath as Cobalt and Firefly stepped in front of her. “This… is not something that we’ve come across,” she breathed as she leaned on her staff.

“Blizzaga!” Mia shouted, sending a blizzard at the robot. The robot didn’t move at all until a cog came flying out of nowhere and took the hit for the machine captain, drawing a little cackle from the white automaton.

Octavius growled, taking his talisman and reeling it back, a white, glowing disc of holy magic appearing in his palm before he launched it at the captain. When a cog tried to take the hit for the captain, it was split in half and it continued on, slicing through one of the captain’s hands, then coming back to Octavius and dissipating after sitting behind the white captain for a few seconds.

The white machine let out a roar of pain and stumbled back a few steps before stopping. It lifted its arms to stare at its sparking wrists. Wires leaped from the wounds and began to reform into hands that flexed a few times. Once it was satisfied, it clenched its fists and stared directly at Octavius as electricity started to pour from its body. “...You die first,” its deep voice declared before black armor began to form over the gaps in its frame. Suddenly, the cogs that had somehow survived the first blast surrounded them, the ranger team tensing up and staring them down.

“We’ll take these clowns,” Cobalt declared, putting away his laser blade as he waved his hand over the charm on his hip, his greatsword forming before he drew it. “Think you guys can handle that thing?”

“Sure,” Mia said, making her hands go in a claw shape, a dark purple energy forming.

“A fight to the death… What more could an old Hollow ask for?” Octavius joked, before getting into a battle-ready stance, taking his shield from his back.

“Kill them all!” The machine captain commanded, the cogs rushing to follow the order. Cobalt and Firefly ran towards the left while Sweetie ran right, all of them raising their weapons. Firefly let loose with her twin pistols as Cobalt followed behind her, downing quite a few of her foes as shadows from Cobalt’s eyes and wings flooded to his blade. Sweetie flashed out of sight before reappearing in the midst of her opponents, whirling through the crowd like a green whirlwind.

The captain didn’t wait for the other two to move, slamming its reformed hands and a cable from its back into the ground, launching three waves of electricity at the pair. Octavius grit his teeth from the pain but forced himself to charge through it and towards the machine captain, sword poised to slash and shield raised to block.

Mia blocked it with another Protect, before charging with her claws, coming at him from his side. The captain straightened up and turned to face the oncoming threat. It rushed to meet Mia, raising a fist and swinging, its bulk throwing off its accuracy, letting her dodge and cut into its side with her claws.

Octavius took this opportunity to get closer as well and thrust his shield into the abdomen of the captain, then sliced into its the arm, but it did not do anything to the dark metal covering it. He followed up with a number of swift slashes to the white-plated chest area, leaving sparks in his blade’s wake.

Mia, deciding to take advantage of the open wounds, breathed a jet of hot flames into them, flames warm enough to cut through stone like butter.

The machine captain gave out another cry of pain as the flames licked at its side, stumbling back as the static buzzed, rushing to patch the area as quickly as it could. Mia didn’t let up, sending another, stronger, jet of flame into the wounds. The automaton let out another roar of pain, but this time, rather than retreat, it rushed forward, aiming a punch at Mia’s head.

She moved to dodge the punch, charging another flame burst. Except the blow never came, the captain dropping the punch and instead wrapping its cable around her throat tightly and lifting her up from the ground before zapping her for all it was worth.

Mia snarled, annoyance building as she kept building flame. The captain reared its appendage back and threw Mia away, launching a few bolts of electricity after her just for good measure.

Mia, angered, fired a beam of fire so hot it had more business being a plasma than a fire beam. Octavius, at the same time, took advantage of Mia’s distraction and pulled out the staff that Samson had given him, and raised it, and then thrust it forwards, summoning a barrage of blue, nearly crystalline looking, bolts of soul magic, which tore into the captain’s back, ignoring it’s armor and penetrating it.

Two more barrages followed, leaving the captain with strange scars that wouldn’t heal, thanks to a number of blue, glowing crystals left in the wounds, seeming to be residue from the bolts.

The machine yelled in pain as it was ping-ponged around the battlefield. When it finally came to a stop, it laid where it had landed, smoke rising from its sparking body. Octavius approached the body, stomping a boot on a twitching arm and keeping his sword at the ready for any surprise attacks.

“And stay down monster,” he growled, crushing the arm further. The machine lie still, not making a single peep as its body was mangled further… but then again, it didn’t have to. A scream and shout sounded out across the battlefield.

“Cobalt! Fly!” Sweetie’s yell pierced the sounds of battle, the commotion caused by her magically enhanced attacks growing tenfold. Octavius’ head snapped towards the sound, seeing Cobalt hold his own against a growing crowd of cogs, Firefly lying on her back as she clutched at her side, her armor beginning to stain red in the same region. Sweetie was doing all she could to join them, but the weak opponents just kept coming.

Octavius, angered at his companion and new students being driven back and harmed so much, let loose a feral growl and raised his staff one, final time. An eerie purple glow emanated from it for but a moment, before a terrifying, large, ethereal orb of dark magic shot towards the cogs, two wide, glowing white eyes in the center of the orb granting an eerie sense of humanity to it, before it barreled into the cogs around Cobalt and Firefly, smashing them with its darkness and leaving naught but piles of bodies, all crumpled and sparking.

Octavius panted as he fell to his knees, eyes wide in shock as he stared at his staff like it had just betrayed him. He was trembling, almost as if he were cold.

That’s when the machine below him struck. The sound of rending metal split the air as it drove the spike of its cable into the Unkindled’s back before unleashing just as much electricity as had been dealt to it by the knight. Octavius could not help the blackish blood that spewed from his mouth and splattered the inside of his helm, nor could he help the cold in his chest growing colder. He fell limp quickly, his blackish blood dripping down the cable as he did, while his body was smoking from the electricity. The only remnants of him being remotely alive were the twitches of his limbs.

The machine stood to its feet, electricity sparking as the wounds that could be healed sealed themselves off. It yanked the cable from Octavius’ back and gave a wicked chuckle as it aimed the next thrust at the metallic helm. The strike never came.

A rushing sound filled the air, followed by the sound of shredding metal and a thud. Not long after, an explosion shook the ground. Footsteps rushed towards Octavius before Chris knelt beside him in his Psycho Chrome armor. “Oh, gott, what did Main Drain do to you?” He muttered before putting his hands on the Unkindled, Pink Static charging Octavius as he tried to get the wounds healed.

But it did not work. The wounds continued weeping blood, and Octavius was still badly burnt and occasionally sparking.

“Verdammt…,” the ranger muttered, trying to push more healing magic into the fallen warrior.

Mia seemed to come out of a trance, looking at Octavius. “Curaga,” She said. But that didn’t work either.

A growl emanated from the helmet on Chris’ head. “Why isn’t this working?” He questioned angrily, undertones of fear weeding through his voice.

“He’s probably dead if healing doesn’t work,” Mia said, huffing.

Chris completely stopped at that, even his Static dying away. “...Dead?” He questioned, his voice hollow.

“Don’t worry. He’s a Hollow, they come back. He just needs to catch up to us,” Mia told him.

The brakes slamming could almost be heard from Chris’ head. “Wait, what?” He asked, looking up at Mia.

“I said, he’s a Hollow, he’ll come back,” Mia said.

Chris let this sink in as the black lenses stared at Mia. Eventually, he stood to his feet, stature resolute in its entirety. “How does he come back?” He questioned, the forming plan clear in his voice.

“Bonfires,” Mia said.

“...A Bonfire, huh?” The ranger muttered before he looked off slightly to their left. Pink Static arced through him and into the ground, roots suddenly bursting from the ground and forming the usual form of a bonfire. With a quick flick of his wrist, Chris threw a fireball into the wood, the pile bursting into flames. Chris lowered his hand and waited… and waited… and waited….

But nothing emerged from the flames.

“Oh, come on!”

“They usually need a soul,” Mia commented.

“How do we get one of those?” Chris asked before pausing. “...We’re not actually going to have to kill something are we?”

“Well, that was a big fight. See if anything’s dying around here,” Mia said with a shrug.

The ranger stayed where he was for several moments before a sigh emanated from him. “Sorry, Flutters…,” he muttered before Pink Static burst through the ground in a wave. A few moments passed before the wave came back and entered Chris, telling him all he needed to know. “....There’s a dying squirrel about thirty feet behind us…,” he reported morosely.

“That should work,” Mia said.

The squares in his gauntlets turned gray, Gray Static lighting up around him before shadows formed on the ground and shot away from them. Chris turned his eyes away as the shadows returned with the body of the squirrel, simply tossing it into the flames. The ranger let out a long breath and lowered his head as the Gray Static died away and the squares returned to the shifting colors they had been before.

Then, Octavius’ body dissolved into ashes, flew over to the Bonfire, and then he reformed in the flames, stepping out as if he wasn’t even bothered by them. His armor was back to its pristine condition, and he looked the same as ever.

“Aaaand he’s back,” Mia said, smirking.

Chris looked up the moment Octavius came through. “Thank goodness,” he said in a low tone… before a ball of electricity slammed into his back. The resulting explosion rocked him forward but did little more as the lightning was absorbed into his armor, the young man letting out a sigh. “...Ready to finish this guy?” Octavius simply nodded, getting into a battle ready stance.

Mia was ahead of them, breathing purple energy at the thing. Main Drain seemed to be learning though as it dodged to the side, jumping out of the way and launching lightning at the one assaulting it. However, the bolts never reached her as Chris appeared at her side, arms crossed over his chest as he absorbed the electricity. Octavius simply cracked his neck, before whipping out his staff again.

“My first mistake was aiming for your back. This time, I shall aim for your heart,” he growled, before raising his staff, rearing it back as blue magic collected in it, and as soon as Main Drain turned around, a solid beam of pure soul magic, larger than any bolt, slammed into him, blowing a humongous hole in his chest that would not heal thanks to the crystals starting to eat away at his form.

“No, wait-” Chris started dropping his arms and reaching forward, but it was too late as Main Drain fell back and laid still. Octavius approached Chris.

“The beast lies dead, so why do you look concerned, young Chris?” Octavius queried, stomping on Main Drain’s head for emphasis.

“Run,” was the Ranger's only response as all the cogs in the area started to retreat. “Get to the Astro now.” Octavius blinked, before looking at the machine captain’s corpse.

“I’m not sure I understand-,” Octavius began to say only to be cut off as the corpse began to glow a dark green and black. The energy flared as the robot began to grow in size. “Oh.” He said, before following the group inside the Astro as quick as he could.

The ponies limped into the ship first, Cobalt and Sweetie supporting Firefly even as healing magic pulsed into her from the unicorn mage. Chris followed after them followed by Octavius and Mia, the door slamming as Main Drain’s growth reached the halfway point. “Get to the main deck!” Chris shouted worriedly as they rounded the several bends of the ship’s interior.

“So, what the hell’s going on? I keep zoning out,” Mia commented.

“The machine we were fighting is getting big now,” Chris answered as they ran. “The only chance we have of surviving is to get Astro on its feet.”

“Pft, maybe for you, I got summons,” Mia said.

“I believe we should be focusing on the matter at hand, Miss Mia!” Octavius admonished as they ran.

“Nevah!” Mia exclaimed.

They reached the main control room just as a flash of light filled the windows. A low, loud chuckle shook the ship slightly as Main Drain could be seen outside. “Everybody take a console!”

“What in the world is a ‘console’?” Octavius wondered to himself as he walked to what he assumed was one. “So, now what do we do, young Chris?”

“We do stuff,” Mia said, going to one as well.

Chris and the others took up the rest of the consoles, Chris taking the foremost as Cobalt and Sweetie took the seats nearest, Firefly falling into the last nearest Mia and Octavius. “We hold on,” Chris answered as he took the controls. “DECA, get this bird in the air!”

“If your intent is to fight, there is a problem,” the A.I. replied. “The Astro requires the combined efforts of two or more rangers to operate correctly.”

“What does that mean, spirit?” Octavius queried the A.I.

“It means one of you would need to take up the form of a ranger,” DECA answered. “Perhaps if one of you took up the power in the-”

“DECA!” Chris interrupted sharply. “Give me manual flight control.”

“Manual flight controls activated.” Chris jerked the controls and the Astro shuddered into the air, the main windows giving them a perfect view of the giant machine in front of them.

“Well…” Octavius began, staring ahead at the monstrous machine captain. “That’s certainly not good.”

“I’m tempted to summon something but I wanna see the fight,” Mia said.

Chris jerked the controls again, forcing everyone in the cabin to jerk to one side as a blur went passed the windows. A loud boom sounded out as the machine captain’s fist barely missed them and slammed into the ground. “Hang on!” The ranger shouted, moving the joysticks more fluidly before pushing them forward. The Astro shot forward and around Main Drain until the crew could look up through the viewing window and see Main Drain far below, straightening up to glare at them after its attack.

“We can’t take that thing as we are,” Cobalt pointed out as they circled their opponent.

Chris nodded his helmeted head. “DECA, we need fighter mode,” he said, not letting his eyes come off the machine captain.

“Sir, fighter mode will not function properly without two ranger pilots,” the computer answered, once again iterating its point.

Chris was silent for a moment before he answered. “DECA, Astro has an AI, correct?”

“Correct,” DECA answered. “It was her decision to follow Delta’s signal to this planet after he exited the wormhole.”

“Put her in control alongside me,” Chris said, looking towards his console as different readouts lit up. “Now, initiate fighter mode.” The reaction was immediate. The cabin doors sealed themselves as the orientation of the cockpit changed. Lights surrounded the cabin’s occupants before they disappeared and reappeared in a new cockpit, much smaller than before.

“What in the-?!” Octavius cried in surprise.

“Well, this is a thing,” Mia comments.

“Hold on folks!” Chris warned as he pushed the controllers forward, bringing Astro into her dive position as she began to descend. “We’re going in rough!” The Astro fell towards the machine captain as he stared at them, her shield held in front of her and sword raised, body leaned forward with one knee hiked forward.

Main Drain launched his cable towards the Astro, only to have the machine’s only weapon ricochet off the shield with a bang and a spark. Astro slammed into the captain with her shield, showers of sparks exploding from the collision. Main Drain staggered back as the Astro finally got her feet under her with a shudder.

“I AM BOTH THOROUGHLY CONFUSED AND EXCITED AT THE SAME TIME!” Octavius yelled, holding onto the console for dear life whilst also watching the fight. Mia was just laughing.

Chris’ head tilted forward. “Now, the real fight begins,” he muttered as Main Drain righted itself, staring at them with its one bright red eye.

“...You’re all going to die,” the machine captain declared before rushing towards them, its cable poised over its shoulder for an attack. Chris thrust the controls forward and Astro responded accordingly, rushing towards Main Drain with her shield held out front and sword raised high. The titans clashed in a shower of sparks and loud booms as the machine captain launched its main weapon forward, the spike barely bouncing off the edge of the shield as Astro swung her sword, the blade meeting the black armor on the automaton’s forearm as it raised the limb to defend itself. The captain raised its other fist and slammed it into Astro’s shield, once again shooting up an array of sparks as the Megazord staggered back. Within the cabin, Firefly gripped the console before her and grit her teeth while Cobalt and Sweetie both held on tightly, eyes locked on Main Drain.

Octavius, starting to calm down from the miraculous things going on around him, finally started to analyze the fight. As he did, he noted Chris was not using his shield to its full potential.

“Young Chris! That shield is more than protection, tis a weapon as good as any blade!” Octavius instructed the ranger.

Chris cocked his head back towards Octavius before nodding. “Astra,” he said, turning back to his controls. “Magnetize the left forearm, get the shield in a side grip rather than frontal.” There was no response as the Astro’s feet ground into the earth below them, stopping them before raising its yellow eyes towards Main Drain. With a buzz and a hollow, metal boom, the shield shifted its position and stuck to the side of the zord’s arm rather than sitting in her hand. Chris jerked the joysticks forward once more.

They ran forward once more, Main Drain ready for their assault… or so it thought. The machine raised its arm, electricity bounding off of the knuckles before it swung down, aiming towards Astro’s head. The shield shot up, deflecting the blow with little effort. The black zord swung upward diagonally with its sword, slashing the captain across the chest and sending up a shower of sparks. Even as Main Drain staggered back, Astro spun with her momentum, extending her left arm and slamming the edge of her shield into the side of the robot’s head. Main Drain lost it's balanced as the blow lifted it off its feet and tossed it away from them.

“Well done, young Chris! Now finish it off!” Octavius encouraged.

“With pleasure,” two voices responded, the first being Chris’ and the other feminine, but different from DECA. Main Drain started to rise, Astro running to meet it. The robot took notice and launched its spike cable forward, only for the zord to sidestep and slash down, severing the captain’s one weapon in an explosion of sparks.

“AGGGHHH!” Main Drain cried out in pain, attempting to stand to its feet only to cry out once more as the astro saber buried itself in its leg and the ground beneath, pinning the automaton. Chris spun the controls in a quick wide circle, Astro responding by spinning counterclockwise and backhanding Main Drain’s head once more with the shield as the zord stepped passed it, bringing an arm back and over her shoulder. The machine captain’s head slammed into the ground, dazing it before it started to raise itself back up, its head raising… only to find itself staring into a black hole.

“Night night, arschhut,” Chris muttered before he pulled the trigger of his joystick. Light filled the captain’s vision as the astro blaster whirred to life. With a loud boom, a hole bored itself through Main Drain’s head, its red eye flickering before going dark. The machine slumped to the ground and lie still.

“Ha ha ha ha! Marvelous, the cretin lies dead!” Octavius cheered.

“Well, that was a good show,” Mia commented.

Chris slumped back in his chair. Sweetie looked at him with concern before putting a hand to his armored shoulder, drawing his attention. “We should get home,” the mare said quietly, receiving only a nod from the young man. He lifted himself back up in his seat and took the controls once more.

“Astro, return to megaship mode,” he said tiredly. They were returned to the main cockpit as Astro rose into the air and transformed into its ship mode. Chris demorphed and leaned back once more, sweat-drenched hair sticking to his head. “...Take us home,” he muttered before resting his morpher on the console, the ship rushing forward and back towards the Everfree castle.

“Are you alright, young Chris?” Octavius asked as he approached.

“Y-yeah,” the young man answered, rubbing a hand over his face to clear the sweat from his eyes. “But I see why the Astro needs more than one pilot….”

“A bit too hard on ya?” Mia asked.

Chris nodded. “Controlling the Megazord is just as much mental as it is physical,” he murmured, closing his eyes. “And… there are a lot of moving parts….” Octavius rested a hand on the young man’s shoulder.

“Will you be alright once we return? I do not wish to see a friend push themselves too far, after all,” Octavius asked worriedly.

Chris nodded his head. “I’ll be fine,” he muttered before starting to push himself off his chair. “But there’s something I want to discuss with you and Mia if you don’t mind.” Octavius simply nodded.

“What’s up?” Mia asked.

“Um, something… very important,” he said before nodding his head towards the door in a signal to follow him. Octavius did so, following him through the door.

Mia nodded, following. The young man walked through the halls of the megaship, leading them down a path they had already walked that day. “...After what you’ve seen today, you guys understand what we face… right?” He asked as they walked. Octavius nodded.

“Automatons of a sort, and a very unique kind of which I have not seen the likes of before. A tough enemy to be sure,” Octavius surmised.

“Robots,” Mia said simply.

Chris nodded. “These machines are incredibly powerful, but I’ve been able to take them down one at a time… until recently.” He came to a stop in front of the vault doors. “They’re getting stronger, and I can’t keep beating them.” He lifted his arm and scanned his morpher on the security pad. “The inhabitants of Equis are who I’m afraid for. They keep standing up and getting knocked down and each time is worse… they’re not like us. So, I have to make a decision….” He reached for the wheel and turned it, the door opening up to reveal what was inside the vault. “Do I stand alone and keep protecting them… or do I put them in harm’s way?”

In the back of the vault hung two suits, one primarily silver and the other primarily black, each with a stand in front of it holding some sort of device. The silver was simple and streamlined with gold accents wrapping around it here and there, the band across the chest containing five green squares, the helmet following the same design pattern with a black dome that decorated the top.

The black suit was much bigger and looked to be more like a suit of armor, complete with shoulder pads, a cape, and a horned helmet. A green hexagon occupied the middle of the chest and matched a jewel that sat in the crown of the helmet above the black visor, gold bands with zig-zag designs running through them adorned its middle and shoulders.

Octavius examined them for a moment, taking in the designs of each one, before turning to Chris. He placed both hands on each of Chris’ shoulders and stared straight into his eyes, and into his soul.

“Ask yourself this instead. Do you wish for them to be obliterated for not having the means to protect themselves, or be a true hero of the ages and give them what they require for retaliation instead of being a lone wolf?” Octavius asked his tone even.

Chris stared back at him, fear clear as day in his eyes. “What if they get hurt?” He asked. “Putting on these suits, taking this power… it could be a death sentence….”

“Not if you teach them well. Death is not a certainty. Harm is, but that is life at its simplest. We are all beaten down, time and time again, by Life. What really matters is standing back up, and how you do so,” Octavius informed him. Chris was about to retaliate, but Octavius stopped him short. “Keep your worries with you, but do not let them rule you.’ That is a lesson I have taken from my lord, and one you should take to heart as well.”

Chris looked at the knight for a moment before glancing back at the suits on the wall. After a moment, he let out a breath, his body relaxing. “I’ll get them up to snuff then,” he said. “Thank you.” Octavius simply smiled, clapping the young man on the back.

“Anytime, young Chris. Anytime. An old man has to pass on wisdom every now and then, after all, or he’s useless,” Octavius joked.

“Well, who’s gonna help ya?” Mia questioned.

“Sweetie will volunteer,” Chris answered without hesitance. “The only question is up to Cobalt and Firefly, but I’m pretty sure which one of them is going to step up.”

“Good, seems you know your team well. That is always a good thing,” Octavius praised.

“Well, do you need us for anything else?” Mia asked.

“I believe we still need to teach the soldiers our techniques, Miss Mia,” Octavius reminded.

“Oh, right,” Mia said.

Chris gave a little smile. “Thank you both for all the help you’ve been giving us,” he said, looking to each of them.

“Of course! Though I believe I should thank you as well. You’ve given not just hope, but a solid purpose. That is more than most Hollows can say,” Octavius said gratefully.

Chris nodded his head. “I’m glad I could repay you somehow,” he said, reaching a hand out. Octavius took the hand and shook it firmly, but not too firmly.

“Well, my turn to teach, right?” Mia asked with a smirk.

“Ehhh, maybe wait until after-”

“Captain, we have reached our destination,” DECA spoke up, cutting off the ranger. “Where would you like us to put down?”

“Set us down outside the hangar,” Chris answered the AI, looking up at the ceiling-mounted camera. “I’ll make a spot for the Astro as soon as I can.” He looked down at the others. “Guess that invalidates what I was going to say next.” Octavius chuckled.

“Indeed,” he turned to the door, making his way to it before stopping short. “...Might I inquire as to where the exit is?” he asked, turning around and rubbing the back of his helm sheepishly.

“The way we came silly,” Mia said.

Chris chuckled. “She’s right,” he said, nodding towards Mia for a moment. “But it’s the blue line on the floor that leads to the exit.”

“Ah, thank you,” he said as followed the blue line out of the room. Giggling, Mia followed.

Chris closed the vault doors and followed them. After a bit of walking, they met the rest of his team and a very shocked looking Scootaloo at the doors. “...Where the heck did you guys find this thing!?” The pegasus shouted, holding her arms out with a grease rag in one hand towards the enormous ship.

“A place,” Mia said with a small grin.

Scootaloo looked towards her with an annoyed look. “Thanks, I gathered that much,” the mare said, rolling her eyes to look at Chris, who chuckled.

“Turns out that the Astro was the mysterious signal you guys picked up,” Chris answered before Firefly tugged on his sleeve to draw his attention. “Hm? What is it, Fly?”

“Um, I think we left the galaxy gliders back at the landing site,” she answered. A soft tapping followed by a feeling of dread had Chris hunching his shoulders and turning to face a very irritated looking Scootaloo.

“You lost… the galaxy gliders?” She questioned, her eyes narrowed.

“Is that bad?” Octavius asked in a whisper to Mia.

“Matter of perspective, really,” Mia whispered back.

“And my perspective is that some numbskull left five very advanced, very difficult to manufacture pieces of equipment out in the field!” Scootaloo shouted, having stomped right up to Chris’ understandably frightened face.

“S-Scoots just calm down,” Chris said, holding up his hands defensively. “I-I’m sure we can just y’know, j-just jump back over there and grab them real quick-”

“If I may,” DECA suddenly spoke up. “The galaxy gliders have been stored in the launch bay.”

The ponies and Chris blinked at that, Scootaloo bringing a hand up to point at the ship as they all stared at the Astro. “...Did… the ship just talk?” She questioned.

“Yeah, it does that,” Chris answered before shaking his head. “DECA, when did you manage that?”

“Right before our take off to escape Main Drain,” the AI answered. “Astra feared they would be crushed underfoot or worse.” Octavius leaned towards Scootaloo.

“Trust me, I do not understand it any more than you do, Miss,” he whispered in her ear.

Scootaloo’s eye twitched for a second before just face-palming and shaking her head. “I”m just going to prep the hangar and get the Astro ready for a systems diagnostic.” With that, she turned and walked away.

Chris was quiet for a second before Cobalt stepped up behind him. “Not going to thank her?” The taller stallion asked.

“I think it’s best we just let her go,” Chris said, a slight twinge in his voice. “Seems safer that way…. Also, remind me to thank her later….”

“Well…that was…something,” Octavius noted lamely.

“Meh,” Mia said, shrugging.

Chris and the others watched as Scootaloo disappeared around a corner and winced as loud banging and cursing ensued. “I, uh…,” Chris started, slowly lifting a finger before letting it fall. “...I think it’s time to show you guys to your bunks….”

“Okay,” Mia said.

“Very well,” Octavius agreed.

“Right!” Chris said, jumping a bit as a much louder crash sounded out from Scootaloo’s direction. “This way.” He turned quickly on his heel and started to walk back towards the castle, the others outpacing him as they walked. Mia followed, humming.

Octavius looked around for a good long while, observing the cobblestone walls before they entered through a wooden door. The walls were intricately decorated with different paintings that had been rescued from the empire and other furnishings like small stands and tables with pottery or vases on them to give what was basically a refugee camp a more homey feeling.

“It’s not much, but it’s home,” Chris said after a while when he noticed Octavius taking in the castle. Octavius, however, wasn’t paying attention to him. In fact, he had actually stopped walking as a memory flooded his mind….

“-ey, Octavius?” Chris said, his hand on the knight's shoulder as he looked at him worriedly. “You okay?”

“Oct?” Mia asked, looking worried. Octavius shook his head to clear his thoughts.

“Wh-What? Huh?” he looked around in bewilderment for a moment before noticing the group looking at him worriedly. “Oh, apologies, I must have not been paying attention.”

The young man’s eyes drifted over his helmet as if he could see past it and to the knight's face. After a moment, he simply nodded his head. “Your rooms aren't much farther,” he said as he turned around and started walking again.

“Cool,” Mia said, hands in her pockets. Octavius seemed to be deep in thought as he walked with the group through the castle, staying silent the whole way.

Chris eventually led the group to a pair of doors that sat beside each other in the wall. “Alright, this is your stop,” the ranger announced as he turned back to the pair. “A room for the each of you, complete with full-sized beds, closets, bathrooms, and a desk.” He turned and pointed to the next door further down. “I'm right down there. If you guys need anything, just come knock on the door.”

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Octavius thanked as he approached the door to his room. “I shall be in here, should you have further need of me. Have a good evening, my friends.” And with that, he walked in and closed the door behind him.

Chris looked at the door for a while before turning towards Sweetie Belle and the others. “You guys go on ahead, I’ll catch up,” he said, the ponies exchanging glances before turning and walking away, Sweetie hesitating only a moment. The ranger turned back to Mia once they were out of earshot. “Is Octavius okay?” He asked, true worry coming to his voice and face.

“Yeah, why?” Mia asked.

“Just making sure,” he answered with a shrug. “He seemed kinda… distant back there….”

“He does that sometimes,” Mia said simply.

Chris nodded slowly before turning around. “Alright, you have a good night!” He said over his shoulder, giving a little wave before looking forward. The young man eventually made it to his room and closed the door behind him, slumping back to rest his back.

“Man, what a day…” he muttered before a loud yawn echoed through his mind, eliciting a chuckle from the young man. “Mornin’, sleepy head.”

Mmm, mornin’, Sam mumbled sleepily from within Chris’ head. ...Wait, how long was I out?!

“Couple of hours,” Chris answered, walking towards the bed and sitting down to take off his shoes.

Ahh, man! The second personality whined. What’d I miss?

Author's Note

The brothers have found themselves new allies along with the promise of new firepower for the Resistance. But what is the point of the many small attacks on the Everfree, and who truly ordered the attacks? More importantly, where did this black and silver Astro Megaship come from and what does it mean for our heroes?

It is really freaking late right now. I am very sleepy. Part one of a crossover between myself, Timeless and Rezas and their story, Ash Seeketh Embers.... Anyway, I'm off to bed. If you have anything to say, a joke to tell, or a criticism to give, leave it in the comments below and I will see you guys later. Take care!

Chapter 21- Center Stage [CO]

Chapter 21-

Center Stage

The sun rose on the court yard used as the training grounds, every able-bodied resistance fighter lined up in rows as they waited for someone to appear on the hastily built wooden stand at the head of the arena. They’d all been briefed early this morning by their captains, telling them that a “special” training course would be held today and that it was mandatory for all field operatives to attend.

And then, two figures stepped up to the stand, one a man wearing intricate black armor with a somewhat worn red cape, and the other being a woman in a sports bra and sports shorts. The man cleared his throat.

“Good morning, everyone. I am Octavius, Knight-Scholar of Equestria and head of the Order of The Thornclad Truth. I am here to instruct you all on two forms of magic from my homeland. Miracles,” he raised his right hand which held his talisman, a bolt of crackling lightning appearing in it before fading as he let it fall. “And Soul Magic.” He raised his staff and it glowed an ethereal blue before dissipating as he let his arm fall into a more relaxed pose.

“I’m Mia,” Mia said simply. “I’ll be teaching ya some more elemental crap.”

“Quite. Now, before we get started, are there any questions?” Octavius queried.

At least a fourth of the hands in the audience went up immediately, mostly from griffons and minotaurs.

“I figured as much. You’re all probably wondering why I am teaching magic when some of you are not unicorns, correct?” Octavius queried.

The hands in the crowd went back down as murmurs of agreement ran through the crowd. Octavius smiled.

“The reason you are here, and why I am teaching magic, is because this magic is not for unicorns alone. Soul magic is known for being personal, and only requires that you study each spell intensively. Miracles simply require memorization of a tale of the Gods, and, should you have a strong faith, you can perform them. Tis as simple as that,” Octavius explained.

Most of the crowd silenced itself, but some of them were still obviously hesitant.

“Good. Now, a few staff members shall begin passing out scrolls detailing spells and staves for Soul Magic as well as tales and talismans for Miracles. When you receive them, try to recite them as quickly and thoroughly as you can. Study them, and you will most certainly be able to perform them,” Octavius explained as a number of faculty members did just that. “I will give you all some time to look them over. When you are done, come meet me in the field just over there to practice.” He pointed to a small field that had been arranged for the practice before he left the stand.

As the beings in the crowd began to take the offered materials from the service members, it seemed as though a majority of them were still hesitant on the idea of learning the new magic. Some gathered in groups to try and help each other decipher the incantations, some sat alone and read earnestly, and still others made blatant jokes about the whole ordeal. But the most reclusive of the crowd were those that straight up refused the materials, not wanting anything to do with the “witchcraft”. Most of these gathered in the back of the crowd, looking at the others with scorn.

Before long, a lone griffon made her way out of the mass and towards the practice ground. She looked a bit younger than most of the training field’s occupants, and as she nervously approached the field with her staff clutched in her talons those at the front of the crowd fell silent to watch, some reaching over to tap their buddies and point in her direction. Within moments, the front portion of the crowd had fallen silent to watch the stone gray griffoness.

Octavius quickly noted the change in the volume of the chatter and turned his gaze from the front of the crowd towards her.

“You there! Young griffoness!” he called to her.

The young griffon flinched as she looked up at the armored figure. “Y-yes?” She said shakily, her nerves growing as he and, unknown to her, the crowd behind her watched.

“Come here! You shall be my assistant!” He informed her, beckoning her with a gauntleted hand. The griffoness didn’t answer, only stepped over to him, keeping her eyes on him.

“Good! Now, first, what is your name?” he asked her.

The griffoness gulped and opened her mouth, choking out her name. “G-G-Gabby…,” the young griffon answered, her voice betraying her. Octavius smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder.

“Calm, young one. Be calm. There is nothing to fear here,” he assured her, before turning to the crowd. “Now! We shall start with the first spell, Soul Arrow. Raise your staves and focus on drawing your will, your very essence, into the staff and outwards from it. If you cannot do this, look over your scrolls again or come to me for further guidance!” He turned away from the crowd, raising his staff as it glowed a light blue before a medium sized bolt of blue magic rocketed out of it, hitting a tree and leaving it covered in blue crystals. He turned back to the now surprised crowd. He turned to Gabby. “Miss Gabby, would you care to repeat what I just did for the class?”

“U-um, okay,” Gabby answered nervously before stepping forward, taking a deep breath. “J-just raise your staff,” she started, raising her staff to aim at a target. “Draw on your will.” Her staff lit up. “And throw it out.” A bolt of magic, slightly larger than what should’ve been possible for the griffoness, shot from her staff and slammed into the target she had been aiming for, crystals spread over it. Octavius clapped at this.

“Splendid, Miss Gabby, splendid!” he congratulated before turning to the rest of the crowd. “Now, I want you all to line up side to side and do the same!”

A lot of the crowd stared at the griffon in surprise or awe, each of them taking a moment to process what they had seen. Soon, confident individuals began to line up and take their turns firing off their spells. As more and more individuals walked away successful, more followed suit. Octavius couldn’t help but smile at this, and as he watched, a new memory rushed to his mind.

Octavius came back to reality when a student from the crowd had poked him in the head. He turned to them and stopped their next poke with a hand.

“Apologies, class. This old Hollow tends to daydream. Let us continue!” he said as he brought out his talisman instead.

“Now, this may not work for all of you, but those with a strong faith, whether it be in religion or otherwise, will find this to be most rewarding. Now,” he clapped his hands. “Miss Gabby, why don’t you recite the tale of the Dragon Slayer for us? Oh, and apologies to those of you who are dragons, this tale is from my world, where we had a number of different dragons, so please withhold your comments until the end.”

“O-okay,” Gabby answered, stepping forward with a little more confidence. She readied her materials and took a quick peek back at her scroll before taking a deep breath and recited the tale. “-And lo and behold, the monstrous drake lay dead at the Knight’s feet!”

All at once, a bolt of lightning crackled in her hand, slightly startling the griffoness as she flinched a bit from the yellow electricity dancing in her palm. At her surprised flinch, it disappeared, but the effect remained. She had done it.

“Astounding, Miss Gabby! Very well done!” Octavius praised. He turned to the rest of the now amazed crowd.

“Now, all that is required for Miracles is channeling your faith into your talisman as you recite the tale! Whether tis done in your mind or verbally, it matters not as long as you recite it at the same time you are channeling your faith! Now, line up once more and try it for yourselves!” Octavius instructed.

The members of the crowd gave each other a few looks before stepping forward and attempting the Miracle themselves. As before, not all of them could perform the task, but what was different was that those that couldn't started to outweigh those that could. Octavius hummed in thought as he watched this, and as the few bolts of lightning struck tree after tree, he resolved to speak with Chris about arranging something to give the people of the resistance faith.

“Alright, that’s enough for now! Practice each Miracle and spell among yourselves until I return with Miss Mia!” Octavius announced as he walked away from the field and towards where Mia was waiting.

She was napping, leaning against a wall. Octavius sighed at this, walking over and shaking her awake. He got a face full of fire for his troubles.

“Gah!” He cried, immediately trying to pat out the flames.

“Where’s the fire?” Mia asked jokingly, sending a smirk at him. He finally stopped the fire and shot a glare to Mia.

“That was not funny, Miss Mia,” he said sternly. She simply rolled her eyes at him, before water dumped on him from above.

“Cool off,” She said through snickering. He simply stared at her.

“Just… Go teach everyone how to use your abilities,” he said in exasperation. She stuck a tongue out playfully, before walking over to the group. As she approached, the chattering halted and the gathered rebel fighters watched her walk towards them.

She strutted a bit towards them, her tail slowly waving behind her as she did so. Someone, one of those that had been sitting far in the back and refusing the lessons, suddenly let out a whistle, letting everyone on the field know his thoughts.

“Oh good, a volunteer!” Mia said with an evil smirk, motioning that one forwards. The unfortunate pony, the green and blonde pegasus known as Straight Arrow, blanched at her signal while some of his cohorts smirked and pushed him forward.

The stallion stumbled for a second before looking back with a frown. He straightened up and fixed his green and black leather jacket and the strap holding his bow and quiver, looking towards Mia with an unwavering gaze as he approached her.

“Alright there, whistler, tell me this. Would you rather attack or defend?” Mia asked.

Arrow gave a little snort. “Attack,” he said simply before he pointed at his stored arrows with his thumb. “Kinda don’t have a choice there.”

“Of course you did,” Mia said with an eye roll. “But, if you're sure… ”

“Get ready for a world of pain, little colt,” Octavius finished for her.

“Could everyone stand back a bit? I like to teach by doing, and just for you all, I’m going to go into a form I don’t need too often to give you the best… experience,” Mia said with a menacing smirk.

The entire crowd took several collective steps back, shattering Arrow’s confident facade. He looked to either side at the crowd nervously, eyes wide as he turned them back to Mia. She also took a couple steps back, more like a couple yards, before jumping high into the air. She glowed and curled into a ball, a blinding light going over the area.

“By the gods…” Octavius breathed.

Arrow’s eyes shrank to pinpricks as his ears, and wings drooped down, knees starting to knock together. What was in front of them was, to those who’d know, what looked like a Charizard the size of a castle, with arms that actually fit it’s longer body, and essentially made them all look like ants, an inferno at the tip of it’s tail, because that could not be called a mere ‘fire’.

The crowd took several more steps back, some letting out gasps and shouts of surprise or fear. For his part, Arrow didn’t move, but whether that was from fear or from the awe in his eyes was yet to be determined.

“Alright, now since you seemed so keen on attack, I’ll be teaching you some ‘area of effect’ skills. Luckily for you, there’s a whole section of the abilities I’ll be teaching just for archers.” The giant dragon that Mia now was rumbled, looking down at the pegasus. “I want you to take an arrow, notch it, and point so it would normally land somewhere on my back. Before firing, I want you to focus whatever magic your most used to into the arrow, and imagine it splitting into many more, however many you feel you can manage, at the apex of it’s climb. If you do it right, a storm of arrows will fall on me, instead of one.” The dragon instructed.

Arrow gulped before he scrambled to take out his bow and string it, whipping one of his signature green pointed arrows out and putting it to the string. He raised it up to aim at the sky before grabbing on the magic he had used for years to channel the wind and direct his arrows. In his head he pictured a scene from years ago. A single arrow going into the sky alone… only to be followed by hundreds more. With that picture in mind and his innate pegasus magic focused to his arrow, he let it fly.

At first, he thought it wouldn’t work… before a couple dozen arrows fell down with the one, impacting Mias hide… and bouncing off. “Congratulations.” The dragon rumbled as she chuckled.

Arrow took in several breaths before a wide grin split his features. “Wow…,” he muttered, putting a leg back to steady himself.

Mia glowed, before returning back to her normal size and form, clothes miraculously still on her. “Not bad. Though, really, it shoulda looked like this,” Mia said. She mimed notching an arrow, and an ethereal bow and arrow formed in her hands. She shot it up, and when it came down, there were thousands of arrows falling with it, which bounced harmlessly off a Protect barrier Mia threw up.

Arrow flinched and threw his arms up as the projectiles rained down, but his ear twitched as he heard the arrows pinging away. He slowly straightened back up again and looked in wonder at the arrows around them. “Uh…,” he muttered, giving a nervous chuckle. “Yeah… I don’t think I can do that….”

“Just gotta build your magic up,” Mia assured with a smirk. She turned to the crowd then. “Now, who wants some Elemental attacks?”

Some of the more efficient mages nodded and a murmur slowly ran through the gathered participants as they agreed. “All right, everyone who wants elemental attacks, come forwards,” Mia said, sending the pegasus back. Many a volunteer stepped forward, eager to learn, Gabby joining them once more as Arrow walked back towards his group.

They waved him over whilst throwing whispered negatives towards the lesson as a whole, but before he could reach them, Arrow stopped and looked over his shoulder at the gathering mass. He looked towards the gang he had been so quick to join and back to the lineup, several moments passing before he gave a determined smirk and turned to join the lesson once more.

“Back for more, eh?” Mia asked with a smirk. “Alright. Now, all of you, I need you to, using whatever magic you're most familiar with, gather it in your hands, pointed at me. Imagine fire, burning and bright, forming in your hands feeding off the magic. Once you have that image in your mind, shout ‘Fire!’, and a fireball should shoot at me.” The flaming tailed teacher instructed.

Some of the crowd shared looks with one another before they each lifted their hands and began to focus, Gabby and Arrow included. For a few moments, not much happened before all at once, the crowd shouted “Fire!” Only about two-thirds of the crowd managed to pull off the attack, Gabby not among them whilst Arrow’s sped on fast and true.

Mia closed her eyes, letting the fire wash over her. “Great job!” She said with a smirk, clapping. She didn’t notice her clothes were now ash.

“Miss Mia!” Octavius cried, rushing over with a blanket and throwing it on her. “Be more aware!”

Most of the crowd looked away to give her the privacy she deserved, Arrow included, having learned his lesson from before. Though, there were still the few off-center remarks and dirty jokes rolling around the training field, most of them coming from the group in the back.

“Welp, while I go get more clothes, you all do the same thing on that gracious group in the back that just volunteered, except now focus on wetness for water, shouting that, and then electric tingling before shouting ‘thunder’. I’m sure you all know what happens then,” Mia said, a bit of a blush on her face as she wrapped the blanket around herself.

Arrow was one of the first to turn towards the group and glare, hand already starting to rise up and flare with magic. The group took notice as lights started to shine on them and their eyes widened at just how many of the crowd were aiming different versions of the elemental strike at them. A shout of “SCATTER!” had the group disbanded and scrambling away at record speeds, a singular ball of lightning following after them just for good measure. Arrow smirked as he lowered his smoking hand.

Back with Mia and Octavius, Octavius was leading her to Chris so he could help them find clothes for her. She couldn't help but notice that he was grumbling to himself about her indecency. Mia looked away a bit, feeling ashamed.

Finally, Octavius found Chris and walked up to him.

“Young Chris, do you happen to have any spare clothes? Miss Mia went and let her old ones get burned off,” Octavius asked.

Chris turned and looked up at Octavius, glancing for half a moment at Mia before giving a kind smile. “Don’t think I have anything that’d be comfortable for you,” he answered. “But Rarity’s always happy to make up a quick get up.”

“Thank you,” he said, nodding his head in appreciation before heading off to find Rarity. Mia stayed close at his heels, using him partially as cover in addition to the blanket.

As they walked away, Chris went back to looking through the data sheets he had gotten from the overnight he had pulled studying the differences in Delta and Astra’s AIs. And honestly, he was more than a little surprised. Both showed signs of much higher intelligence than most of the people, or beings as the case may be, that he’d ever met. But not only that, but there was an obvious difference in their thought patterns when they were further or closer together. He just had to figure out what that was all about….

“Hey, Chris.” The young man was suddenly shaken from his thoughts as Cobalt and Firefly stopped at his table, the thestral being the one to have snapped him out of his trance. “What’cha working on?”

The young man blinked for a moment before he shook his head and glanced at the papers on the table. “Uh… oh, these are the readouts from Astra and Delta last night,” he answered as the two ponies took seats across from him.

“Sounds like fun…,” the stallion said slowly, sharing a look with Firefly who only shrugged as they sat.

“Yeah, for me it is,” Chris said with a small chuckle before giving the pair his full attention. “So, what are you guys up to today? More training?”

“Actually,” Firefly spoke up, twirling her fork in her hand as she did so. “We were going to just kick back today and relax.”

“Really?” Chris questioned with a quirk in his eyebrow and a mischievous grin. “And how’d you get the ol’ pain train to let you off the hook?”

Cobalt scoffed a bit at that and rolled his eyes. “Just because I want us all to be at the top of our game does not mean I don’t know when to take it easy,” he said in his defense, before taking a bite of the mashed potatoes on his tray. “Besides, we have two zords now. What do we have to-”

“Don’t finish that!” Firefly and Chris cried at the same time, the ranger scooting his seat back and starting to reach across the table as if to hold it over the thestral’s face. Cobalt’s eyes widened and he looked between his teammates before clearing his throat.

“Oookay…,” he muttered, poking at his potatoes again. The trio fell into an awkward silence for a minute or two, Chris sinking back into his seat as the ponies ate. Eventually, the young man cleared his throat and drew the pair’s attention.

“So,” he began, tapping the end of his pen against the table before looking up. “You guys aren’t going to be up to anything that’ll keep you from suiting up if we get called out, are you?”

The ponies looked at him for a second before sharing a glance at one another, quickly looking away as a blush formed on Firefly’s cheeks. “Nothing’ too strenuous,” Cobalt answered with a hasty chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was probably just going to get some chores done around my room. Place is starting to feel like a pigsty.”

“Uh, yeah,” Firefly added, banishing the heat in her face. “I’m probably just going to hang out and find something to read. Been a while since I just sat.”

“Now that you say something, it really has been…,” Chris muttered, eyes glazing over for a second before he shook his head. “Anyway, sounds like you guys are going to have a good time.”

Cobalt gave a snort of laughter. “Oh, yeah, cleaning up dirty socks for several hours,” he said before spinning his spoon in the air. “Woo-hoo.”

Chris let out a chuckle as the two started to get up from their seats. “You guys enjoy yourselves the best you can,” he said as they turned to leave.

“We will,” Firefly replied, flashing a smile at the man. “Try not to work too hard, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Chris replied in a low tone as the winged ponies turned and made their way out of the cafeteria. The ranger watched them go, his gaze going off into the distance as he did so. “Yeah…” After a while, he dropped his eyes back to the papers on the table before him, thoughts racing between three different subjects that all tangled themselves together….

In time, Octavius and Mia returned, Mia wearing clothes instead of a blanket this time. Octavius approached Chris.

“Young Chris, do you think it would be possible to have a celebration, of sorts? To lift the spirits of the Rebellion?” Octavius queried.

“Hm?” Chris questioned, looking up from his notes. “Oh, um, yeah, I think that would be okay. We’d have to take it up with Artemus, but it should be more than doable… but if you don’t mind my asking, why?”

“If soldiers have no faith in their cause, they are no longer soldiers,” Octavius began. “They are the civilians.”

“Armed civilians, but still civilians,” Mia commented.

Chris nodded his head at that. “I see your point,” he said, getting to his feet. “I’ll go talk to Artemus and see what we can do.”

“Wonderful! We shall remain here to await your return,” Octavius said. Chris smiled and gave a nod before heading off to go see Artemus.

A few hours later, in the auditorium usually reserved for speeches and gatherings, music played and different colored lights flashed while the people of Equis enjoyed themselves for the first time in a very long time.

Octavius was in a corner by a large keg, a tankard of a glowing, golden liquid in his hand while he watched the people of the Rebellion with a genuine smile. He had kept his armor on, and would occasionally lift the faceplate to take a swig of his drink.

“Having fun there?” A familiar voice asked him. Octavius turned his head to see Mia in a beautiful red dress that hugged her curves, with just the right amount of makeup on her face to make her seem even more beautiful. If Octavius could blush, he would have.

“O-Oh, hello there, Miss Mia!” He greeted. “Yes, I’m just fine.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You’re kinda chugging that stuff,” She said, gesturing to the drink he had.

“What, this? This is just Estus. Undead, Unkindled, and Hollows alike treasure it. It heals our wounds and is normally in a Flask, but every now and again we make soup from it. It doesn't really do anything for us, just gives us a slice of normalcy,” Octavius explained.

Mia nodded a little. “Okay,” She said, taking his explanation.

The party continued for a few more minutes before Chris walked up to them. “Y’know,” he said as he came to a stop. “This was actually a great idea.” Octavius grinned beneath his helm, raising his tankard.

“To a brighter tomorrow,” he toasted.

Chris smiled and raised the plastic cup he was holding. “To hope,” he answered.

Mia just toasted, not having anything to say.

Chris took a drink from his cup before speaking up again. “I should really thank you guys for all the help you’ve given us,” he said, looking to each of them. “God knows we needed it.” Octavius took a drink from his own, lifting the faceplate before lowering it again after he was done.

“Like I’ve said, a knight’s duty is to help others. I am simply glad to be able to do so,” Octavius answered.

“It’s no problem,” Mia said with a casual shrug.

Chris gave a little chuckle. “If there’s ever anything you need, call me,” he said. “We’ll be there faster than you can say ‘Displaced’.” Octavius chuckled.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Just be aware you’ll be dealing with horrors no machine could ever concoct,” Octavius said.

“I wonder how my dragon form would do there…” Mia hummed.

“I think I’ll be able to handle myself,” Chris answered with a small, confused glance at Mia before looking back at Octavius. “Besides, thanks to the Astro Megaship, I’ve started on something that gives us the extra firepower we need.”

“True,” Octavius agreed, taking another swig before standing up. “Well, unless there is a speech for us to make, I believe it is time I returned. My quest must continue, after all.”

“It’s been fun though,” Mia said with a stretch.

Chris nodded. “It really has,” he answered, extending a hand to Mia. She extended hers back with a tilt of her head. They shook for a moment before Chris turned to Octavius and did the same. Octavius smiled and shook firmly.

“Well, I suppose it’s time to go back,” he said, taking his staff from the side of his chair. “It was wonderful to meet you, Chris. Feel free to have your scholars, or what have you, study the Estus in that keg. You might find the contents useful.” With that, he grabbed Mia and slammed the bottom of the staff on the ground, and they erupted in blue, magical flames, before disappearing, the flames dispersing soon after.

Chris blinked as the flames died down, wondering what the knight-scholar had been talking about before a small bit of pressure on his arm got his attention. “Everything alright, Chris?” Sweetie asked, looking at him with mild concern.

The ranger just gave a smile in response. “Yeah, Sweetie, everything’s just fine,” he answered before turning and starting to walk her back towards the rest of the party. “Our friends just went home is all.”

“Oh,” Sweetie said before an awkward silence fell over them.

Chris let his gaze meet the floor for a few moments before he looked back up. “Sweetie?”

“Hm?” The unicorn hummed, looking up at him and getting caught off guard by the sincerity in his eyes.

“You know I love you, right?” He asked softly, the mare’s gaze looking over his features.

After a moment, she gave a little breath and smiled sweetly at him. “Of course I do,” she answered, before sharing a kiss with him. The two held the moment for several seconds before they parted. Wordlessly, they smiled at one another before turning and rejoining the party. The man didn’t even give himself enough time to register the unicorn’s unease.

The pair danced together for several minutes, the unicorn and human moving to the songs that came on until the off-white mare took a step back and shook her head. “What’s wrong?” Chris asked, concern permeating his voice and expression.

“I’m sorry, Chris,” she said quietly, backing up again. “It’s just… I can’t get the other day out of my head. Every time I see you, I think about how angry you looked… the sound of your voice. I… I don’t know if I can stand it. I’m sorry.” Sweetie Belle turned and started to walk off quickly, leaving the young man to process what he’d been told.

But the only thing that registered in his mind was Sweetie walking away. Shaking his head, the young man dismissed his thoughts and shot forward. “Sweetie, wait!” He cried out, just managing to catch her arm softly. The mare stopped in her tracks, shoulders hunching and ears falling back as she tensed. Chris stood there for a moment, eyes glued to the back of her head before he let go and gave a little sigh. “Just… stay for a little while longer.” He let his gaze fall as he waited for Sweetie Belle’s answer, waiting for her body to ease.

After what felt like an eternity, the mare let out a breath and her shoulders relaxed. Without turning to look at him, her head nodded. The man’s eyes raised up once more, a determined look crossing over his face before he turned and started to make his way across the room. What he was planning was extremely experimental, and he wasn’t even sure it would work, but, as he made his way to the mix-table, he knew that Sweetie was worth the risk.

“Excuse me,” he said as he came to stop next to the white mare that manned the turntable, the unicorn looking up with her purple-tinted shades. Chris stopped in his tracks as he felt the intense stare coming from the other side of the glasses, the young man feeling himself involuntarily gulp. “Uh, sorry, Vinyl, I, um, I just wanted to make a request.”

The spiky maned pony looked him over for several seconds more before turning back to her station and flicking a few switches. “First off,” the unicorn started, turning her full attention to the man before her, removing the single side of her headphones from her right ear while simultaneously removing her shades to look at him with piercing red eyes. “Nobody calls me Vinyl unless I say so. Second, what makes your request more important than the last fifty I got?” Chris let another gulp roll down his throat as the mare seemed to stab at him with her scratchy voice. The man weighed his options and, taking his life into account, took a moment to reevaluate the unicorn. She wore a sleeveless, maroon button-up, the top few buttons undone to show off a bit, black and orange striped sleeves running from the base of her thumbs to just under her elbows. Her thigh-length, cut-off shorts were held up by a black belt with a belt-buckle resembling a mixtape, showing off her stockings that ran up to stop a few inches from her jeans and matched the sleeves on her arms, all while the toes of her black hightop converse glinted with the same metallic light as the charm on her necklace that resembled a speaker jack.

“I, um,” the ranger stuttered after taking in the mare’s unexpectedly intimidating appearance. “I just....” He stopped and let out a breath, looking towards the floor. “This may be my last chance to make amends….”

The unicorn quirked an eyebrow before twirling her shades in her fingers and replacing them on her face, looking out across the hall. “...Tallish, white unicorn,” she started, turning back to him and sliding her glasses off her face again. “Purple and pink mane?”

“How di-”

“Because she looks like a kicked puppy, jackass,” the mare growled, stepping towards him and forcing him to step back. She stared up at his face for a moment or two before she let out a huff and straightened up, crossing her arms. “You’ve got one shot to make this worth my time.”

Chris blinked a few times before he let a small, relieved smile spread across his face. “Thank you so much, Vi-”

“What’d I just tell you about that!?” The pony questioned hotly, turning her fiery gaze on him again and freezing him in place. “If you’re going to call me anything, then ‘DJ Pon3’ or just ‘DJ’ will work just fine. Now, hurry up and do what you’re gonna do!”

“R-right!” Chris responded, skirting around the mare before he lifted his wrist and morpher, looking for a jack-in cord. Picking one up, he went to plug it in, hesitating a moment and letting out a breath. “I’m honestly not sure this is going to work.”

“Whatever, just get on with it!” DJ muttered irritably. “And don’t break any of my equipment, ‘cause if you do, I swear to Celestia I will stomp you! If doubt that… just ask Dash how it feels….”

A cold sweat actually broke out on the man’s brow as the color drained from his face. He looked back to the jack in his hand, and, with a steadying breath, pushed it into the plug-in on his morpher. There was a soft squeal that went unnoticed to everyone in the room except himself and the unicorn beside him. Standing up, he threw a quizzical glance over the setup. “Did it work?”

“We won’t know unless you get to what you’re doing,” the blue-maned pony muttered in response, her shades pushing up as she pinched the bridge of her snout.

“Right,” Chris said before he let out a breath and lifted his morpher, swiping at the screen for a few moments. “Do you have a mic-” A microphone promptly bounced off the side of his head, which he caught with one hand as he rubbed the spot with the other. “I deserved that….” He took another breath and waited for the current song to start to die down before he tapped the screen on his morpher and loaded his song. Thank gott the morpher transformed from my phone.

As the first notes began to play, Chris Scott opened his mouth and began to project his voice into the mic, carrying the words on a soft, warm tone. As he sang, he closed his eyes, letting everything else go except the image of the mare he loved as his voice reached a crescendo. He opened his eyes as he sang the chorus, gaze only focused on the off-white unicorn at the back of the room, her eyes going wide in surprise. He watched her as he sang through the chorus, the mare reaching up towards her chest.

He closed his eyes again and took another breath before starting the second verse. He felt the lyrics play through him, his heart reaching out to Sweetie Belle as tears started to form at the corner of his eye. His mind changed some of the lyrics involuntarily, changing ‘children’ to ‘hope’ as he went. He fought against his constricting throat as he started the chorus over again. This time he sang louder, held onto the notes longer and his voice grow sweeter.

He didn’t open his eyes again, only squeezed them closed tighter as he threw himself into the third and final verse, laying all of himself out for the mare, his Sweetie Belle to see. He let his tone emphasize his words, letting the music do the work as the lyrics ended. As the final tune faded out, he let out a heavy breath and opened his eyes. His hand fell to his side as the entire room stared up at him, but his gaze only stayed on Sweetie as he took a shaky breath, tears falling from the purple-maned pony as he watched. A pat on his arm drew his attention back to DJ as Sweetie had been reaching for a handkerchief. “You can give me my booth back now,” she said gruffly, avoiding eye contact as she held out her hand even as her tight voice betrayed her.

Chris blinked for a moment before he cleared his throat and lifted his wrist to unplug his morpher. “Y-yeah, sure thing,” he answered, handing the jack and mic back to the unicorn. “Thanks, DJ.” The mare mumbled something as he left, going back to throwing out energetic party beats as Chris made his way around the room to Sweetie Belle. The unicorn sniffed and moved the cloth from her eyes as he approached, hands stuffed deep into his pockets as he came to a stop.

For several moments, he simply stood there waiting for her to say something. And eventually, she did. “I… I didn’t know you could sing,” she said softly, finally looking towards him.

The ranger let out a soft, nervous chuckle at that, rubbing his head. “To be honest, I didn’t either,” he confessed, looking back towards her, his small smile fading a little. “But it was worth trying.”

“Why?”

The question stumped the young man, making him stop for a second. “Why, what?” He asked in confusion.

“Why was it worth trying?” The mare elaborated, stepping towards him with her eyes wide and searching.

Chris took a moment to process the question before he gave a little sigh and stepped forward to stand in front of her. “Because,” he started quietly, bringing his hands up to rest on her arms. “You’re everything I love and care about in this world. And nothing is ever going to change that.”

Sweetie Belle stared up at him for several seconds before she gave a soft, genuine smile as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. “I love you, too, Chris,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around him as she buried her head in his chest. Chris returned the hug gently, pulling the mare closer even as he felt her tears start to stain through his shirt, a happy smile growing on his face.

On the other side of the base, Sam floated in a dimly lit room, the light of the capsule in front of him doing more to illuminate his surroundings than the actual dim bulbs in the ceiling. The orb said and did nothing as he hovered in the one spot, taking in every detail of the tube’s occupant as he done many times over the past several days. Long brown body, red-scaled serpent tail, a goat’s hoof and a dragon’s talon, a lion’s paw and the claw of an eagle, wings of a blue bird and a bat, an antler and a spiral horn topping the gray, snaggle-toothed head.

Discord had clearly seen better days. The draconequus’ body was pockmarked with burns and scars, an especially nasty and knotted scar running from his shoulder to the opposite hip. His lion paw was missing a few fingers and the end of his tail had either been cut off or blasted, if not both. A large burn ran over his eagle arm, the flesh looking inflamed and melted while one of his ears stood torn and mangled in comparison to the other, the snaggle-tooth chipped at the end.

“He really hasn’t healed all that much, has he?” Sam suddenly spoke up, not bothering to turn around as the same silver-maned, and blue-coated mare that always came to get him stepped out of the shadows.

“No, he hasn’t,” Trixie agreed, stepping up next to him. “Then again, that is the point of the stasis chamber.” The mare’s origins as a stage-magician showed in her outfit, the white-collared, purple sleeveless shirt providing a sense of class and style while black, tight-fitting shorts and sheer pantyhose covered her legs. White gloves and heels stood out drastically to the purple and star-spangled cape that draped over her shoulders. The black and red Alicorn Amulet glinted from where it rested, adding a soft, red glow to her predominantly violet eyes.

“And if he were to be taken out to be healed,” Sam continued, the sound of a sigh escaping him. “His wounds would kill him before the mages could heal him.”

“That is the sad truth,” Trixie murmured as she let out her own breath.The pair sat in silence for several moments before the mare spoke up again. “Trixie never asked but… why do you come here on your spare time?”

The ball of energy didn’t answer right away, only began to slowly bob in the air slightly. “...I use him as a reminder,” the orb finally answered, coming to a stop. “A reminder of the enemies we face and what they’re capable of. What could happen to all of us if Chris and I fail? And… I also wonder… why?”

The blue unicorn tilted her head in confusion at that. “What do you mean?” She questioned, looking at him quizzically.

“I mean…,” Sam began again, trailing off for a moment. “Why did he go after King Mondo and his forces? He must have known he was outmatched, Discord’s smarter than that. Not only that but back home he was always portrayed as selfish and self-centered. So, why? Why would he rush into a fight like that?”

“Maybe it was that selfishness that drove him to act as he did,” Trixie suggested with a shrug. “But in the end, who could possibly know what was going through the head of the Lord of Chaos?”

The sound of another sigh echoed from Samson’s orb. “I guess you got me there,” he murmured quietly before he seemed to twist in the air and started to float away. “Who knew what he was thinking….”

Author's Note

Octavius and Mia return to their quest, leaving the rangers to their own as Chris makes amends with Sweetie. But what does Sam have going on in his head during his visits to Discord? And what the heck is with all these background characters!?

What's this? Another chapter so soon? WHO AM I AND WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH THE REAL ME!? In all seriousness, this chapter was finished alongside the last, it just needed a bit of editing on my end. With that said, the next chapter may be a while as I have no more buffer chapters to go through and write the next one from the ground up. But don't worry! Unlike the last few chapters I've written solo, I actually have a plan! *Groans echo from the background* HEY! I HEARD THAT! *cough* Anyway, this is the second part of the crossover I did with Timeless Celestial and Rezas and their story Ash Seeketh Embers.... Go check them out if you haven't yet or if you want to read the alternate take of this chapter and the last. With all that said, hope you guys all have a great one until I see you in the next one!

Chapter 22- Ground Zero

Chapter 22-

Ground Zero

“Careful with the door, Chris!”

“I got it, I got it!” The blonde man replied, trying to gingerly switch up his hold on the couch he and Sweetie Belle were trying to fit through the door she was so worried about. “Okay, keep going.” The unicorn nodded from her side before starting to back up again slowly, Chris taking his own few steps forward until he was in the room.

“Okay, just a little further,” Sweetie grunted as she pulled the load and her boyfriend further inside before she began to lower the furniture with a grunt. Chris followed suit, though he seemed to fair far better than the mare. The pony looked up at the human as she took in several deep breaths. “How are you not winded?”

Chris raised an eyebrow at that, hands resting on the arm of the couch. “We do nothing but fight machines on a regular basis,” he answered. “My question is, why are you winded?”

“I’m still a mage, Chris,” she answered irritably, pushing herself up and yanking a handkerchief that wished it had seen better days out of the back pocket of her jeans and wiped at her forehead. “I’m still not used to physical labor.” She threw the rag at the young man who chuckled as the cloth hit his chest and fell onto the couch.

“Coulda fooled me,” he said before he glanced around their new room, the room he would’ve been in already if he hadn’t stupidly denied it after he was reinstated as a Councilor. “All that time you’re putting into the machines in the training room is starting to show.” And he was right. The yellow-green tank top she wore left her now toned arms bare to the world, holding on tight to her torso where the young man could see the muscle that was beginning to form on her abdomen.

Sweetie puffed out her cheeks a bit and turned her head away, pretending to be looking for a place to push the furniture. “...Over there,” she finally said with a nod of her head towards an empty space against the far left wall. She leaned down and started to put her hands back under the couch. “Come on, help me move it.”

Chris watched her for a few moments before he chuckled and walked around to the back of the sofa until he was in the dead center. “Hey, Sweetie,” he said, catching the mare’s attention as he popped his knuckles. “You may want to take a few steps back.” The unicorn blinked for a moment before doing as the ranger bid and stepped away several paces. The gray-eyed man smirked a bit before he reached down and put his hands under the furniture. Slowly, he began to lift, the couch groaning slightly as he hefted it into his arms.

Seemingly with no effort at all, Chris picked the piece up and walked forward, turning around as he reached the area Sweetie wanted the furniture. He looked over his shoulder and took a few more steps back before setting the couch down. “Done and done,” he said proudly as he stepped around the couch, pushing one side of the couch against the wall as he went.

Sweetie only blinked for several moments as the man walked over to the front and pushed it back as well before collapsing into the seat, still wearing his victorious grin. The mare let out a breath of laughter as she looked at him, shaking her head as she started to walk forward. “I’d say I’m surprised,” she said before she sat in the center, turning and laying back so that her head rested on his lap as she looked up at him. “But I think we’ve seen you do more. Still don’t know how though.”

The man fell silent at that, a small frown forming on his face as his eyes no longer seemed to be looking down at his marefriend. “...Honestly, I’m not sure either,” he finally muttered. “Harmony did tell us that she was using some of her harmony magic to keep me and Sam from biting it, but… she also admitted that I shouldn’t have grown so strong physically.”

“...How much was your last max out?”

The question was quiet and straight to the point, yet it struck like a hammer against his thoughts. “...My last max at a deadlift was 2,800 pounds,” he finally answered, watching her green eyes widen in surprise.

“Harmony magic doesn’t even begin to explain that,” Sweetie breathed, sitting up and twisting until she was looking at him in the eye. “This could actually be a huge problem, Chris.”

“An increase in physical power of over 2,500 percent in a little over three months,” the man added with a small nod of agreement, his eyes focused on the floor. “An increase in strength by such an enormous margin is unheard of….” He finally turned his gaze on the mare, eyes wide and scared. “I don’t know what’s happening.”

The pair fell silent, neither of them speaking as they looked into each other’s eyes. Eventually, Sweetie Belle let out a soft sigh and moved closer to his side, resting her head on his shoulder. “It’ll be okay,” she said quietly, her hand sliding down his arm to rest over his own. “I know that whatever’s going on, you’ll be able to figure it out and make the most of it.”

The ranger stayed quiet for a moment before a small smile spread over his face. “Thanks, Sweetie,” he said gently, planting a kiss on her forehead. The couple fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s company for several moments before Sweetie spoke up.

“We should probably go get the puppies from Rarity,” she said suddenly.

“That would be a good idea,” Chris agreed, both of them swiftly getting up and leaving their new living quarters.

“And when should I expect your arrival?” Midnight questioned the hologram before her, the strain of anger in her voice barely hidden away.

“I could be there within a day or two if you’d send your dragon to fetch me,” Sombra replied, a sneer on his face as he looked over his newly sharpened and polished blade, the black sword glinting.

The dark alicorn finally stopped trying to hide her fury as a snarl grew over her face and a very unpony-like growl emanated from her throat. “Spike is no dog to be called at your command,” she murmured ferally. “Get here under your own power or don’t. I don’t care which!” The mare swiped her hand angrily through the air, cutting off the communication channel between Ponyville and the Crystal Empire. For several moments, Midnight Sparkle didn’t move nor did she speak, but, when those moments ended, her rage-filled growl turned into a cry of rage that shook the castle.

Slowly, the roar came to an end with the pony trembling where she stood. Only another second passed before the curtain surrounding the communication crystal was moved to the side. “Midnight?” Spike questioned as he poked his head into the small chamber. “Are you alright?”

The mare’s trembling ended abruptly, the alicorn straightening up tall and squaring her shoulders. “King Sombra has decided he’s going to pay us a visit,” she answered shortly, her hands moving to fix her ruffled clothing. “If my estimations are the same as his, we have about four or five days before he gets here. We need to set up what defenses we can, as weak as they may be right now. Sombra is temporarily pulling his support, so make sure what cogs we have are all active.” Midnight turned on her heel and began to walk out of the chamber and into her mostly decommissioned lab.

She walked down the center lane, hand trailing over one long table that still held many a decommissioned experiment. Spike watched her go, a sad look breaking his emotionless mask for a fraction of a second before he replaced it. The drake squared his shoulders and began to follow his queen. Midnight let her hand continue to trail behind her on the countertop until her fingers touched over something that still held its warmth. The mare stopped short while her draconic companion continued forward until he stood directly behind her.

“...We aren’t beaten yet,” the dragon said with a low rumble. The armored alicorn before him didn’t reply, simply lifted her hand and let the tips of her fingers touch the glass case behind which sat a still pulsating replica of the green focusing crystal that Sombra had provided her.

“...No,” Midnight finally muttered, her hand slipping from the glass as she stood taller than she had in days. “Not yet we aren’t. Prepare the troops,” she added as she began to walk away. “And make sure our star boys are ready.” With that, Midnight Sparkle exited the laboratory, leaving Spike alone in the dust hall.

For several moments, the dragon stared at where his queen had disappeared before a quiet breath escaped his lips. “As you wish, my queen,” he said under his breath before looking towards the duplication device and taking one of the gems from its container. With his goal in mind and the only tool he needed in claw, the drake left the room in search of his wards.

However, unbeknownst to either alicorn or dragon was the shifting shadows that followed suit soon after….

Chris and Sweetie slowed to a stop outside the royal purple door decorated with three blue diamonds that represented the studio-like room of Rarity. The younger Belle sister raised a hand to knock on the door only for both her and the man beside her to jump as a loud bang echoed from the other side of the door followed by the sound of barking, yowling and a very upset unicorn.

“No, NO! VERAL! Stop chasing Opalescence, she is not a chew toy!” Human and pony cringed as another crash sounded out from the small abode within the Castle of Two Sisters.

Chris and Sweetie quickly shared a look before Pink Static jumped out around the human and the pair rushed forward. The ranger threw the door open and ran into the room, immediately wishing he hadn’t. Cloth and fabric had been strewn about the room, and furniture, including the fashionista's famous fainting couch, lay turned over on its head. The couple quickly spotted the source of the ruckus as the pure white mare ran out from her room, eyes seemingly glued to the floor. She raced towards her disturbed furniture, reaching it just in time for two blurs, one light gray and the other brown and green, to dart around the couch and charge towards the pair. Chris’ eyes narrowed and he took a step forward, stomping a boot and throwing out his arm as a pulse of Pink Static followed his commanding tone. “Stop!”

One could practically hear tires screeching as Opal and Veral slid to a stop in front of him. The cat looked like she had seen better days, her pupils shrunken to mere slits as her fur stood on end even as Veral looked up at the man with his tongue lolling and tail thumping against the floor. Rarity soon followed behind the two animals, panting heavily as she doubled over and put her hands to her knees. “Oh, Rarity,” Sweetie fussed as she hurried to her sister’s side, putting a hand to the older mare’s shoulder. “We’re so sorry. Veral doesn’t usually act like this.”

“I-it’s no problem, dear,” Rarity replied, taking in a few more breaths before exhaling one last time and straightening up. “To be fair, though, I think Opal may have spurred the chase.”

Chris looked up from the two animals in front of him, his eyebrow quirking. “What do you mean?” He questioned, drawing the unicorns’ attention to him.

“Well,” Rarity answered with a short shrug. “She may or may not have surprised Rose.”

The man’s eyebrow dropped and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the revelation. “...Right,” he said after a few moments of pure quiet before he looked down at the cat and timberwolf at his feet, the cat somehow looking smug until she caught sight of the face the ranger was making. “Veral, go get your sister.” A flash of pink electricity had the young monster scampering away with the click of his metal paw as the cat made a run for it and jumped into Rarity’s arms.

“I apologize sincerely, dear,” the stark white unicorn said as she pet Opal’s fur. “She got out of my sight while I was in the kitchen. I should’ve known something like this would happen the way she was eyeing them.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Rarity,” Chris answered as he waved his hand and stepped closer to the two mares. “I understand more than anybody what it’s like to try and keep your eyes on so many animals at once.”

“If anything, we should be the ones saying sorry,” Sweetie Belle added. “We could have asked anyone to watch the puppies while we were moving.”

“Yes, but I offered, dear,” the older pony replied with a small smile as she put a hand to Sweetie’s arm. “I’d like to be of some use to you whenever I can.”

“You’re already the best big sister ever,” Sweetie said, hugging her older sister close. Something flashed over the older mare’s face before she returned the embrace, a strange expression that only Chris seemed to catch.

Before he could understand it, though, the metallic clicking that identified Veral returned, the young timberwolf and his sister returning soon after. The man turned his eyes on the pair and a smile flashed onto his face as he knelt down to greet them. “There’s my little girl,” he said gently reaching out to scratch each of them behind the ears. Pink Static once more crawled over his frame as his hands kept contact with the pups as he pet and scratched them. The little she-wolf yipped at him, closing her eyes and pushing into his hand before wrapping one of her large paws around his wrist and playfully putting her jaws around the base of his thumb.

Chris only chuckled a bit as Rarity and Sweetie Belle watched. “You know she could take that thumb off, right?” The younger unicorn questioned as Rose adjusted her grip and shook her head lightly with an unintimidating growl.

“Of course,” the ranger answered as he continued to play with the timberwolf. “But you wouldn’t do that, now would you, girl?” Rose paused for a moment and looked up at him before giving a pair of barks as her tail thumped against the floor. After a few more seconds, the young man pushed himself back up, patting the dust off his pants. “Alright, let’s get on back to-”

The jingle of his and Sweetie’s communicators cut him off, Chris throwing a look towards his marefriend before lifting the device to his face. “Chris and Sweetie Belle here,” he said, answering the call.

“You’ve got Cobalt and Firefly, too,” the pink pegasus’ voice came through after his.

“Rangers,” Artemus replied, catching their attention with the introduction. “I need you to come to central command immediately. We’ve just received intel that you need to hear.”

“You got it, Artemus,” the man answered, sharing a look with Sweetie Belle as the off-white unicorn gave a nod and steeled her features. “We’ll be there a-sap.”

“Be sure that you are,” the mare answered curtly before dropping the line.

“Meet you guys there,” Cobalt said before he and Firefly hung up as well. Chris dropped his hand before looking at Sweetie.

“You ready?” He asked only to receive an affirmative nod from the unicorn.

“Always,” she answered, lifting her arm so that the charms surrounding her wrist tinked against one another before she turned to Rarity. “I’m so sorry, Rarity, but this sounds urgent.”

The older mare flashed a smile at the younger before placing a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, dear,” she replied before she began to shoo them out the door. “I can handle the twins for a little while longer. You two just go out there and be heroes.”

Sweetie blushed a bit as she was ushered out by her older sister. “Alright, alright, we’re going,” she said with a short giggle before she met Chris at the door. “We’ll be back to pick up the pups later.” With that, she and her boyfriend slipped out of the door, the sound of their hasty footsteps echoing after them.

Rarity found herself waving at the door with a smile that was far too wide. Letting out a sigh, she dropped her hand and grabbed her opposite wrist as her eyes met the ground with a frown. A sharp yip caught her attention and she turned to see the timberwolf twins facing off against Opalescence, the animals’ hackles already raised towards each other. The unicorn let out a much heavier sigh as she put a hand over her eyes, horn glowing blue as she reached her magic out to the kitchen to finish pouring the glass of wine she’d been interrupted in making.

The sound of hydraulics signaled Chris and Sweetie’s arrival as they strode into the command center, walking straight into the middle of a whirlwind of rushing staff members. “Sweetie, Chris!” The shout drew the couple’s attention to the raised platform where Cobalt was at the railing, calling them over as Artemus, Firefly, and the Changelings waited behind him.

The pair hurried up the steps, coming to a stop in front of the group as Cobalt turned back from the rail. “What’s going on?” The man questioned as he pulled his head out of the way of papers flying by in somepony’s aura.

“We’ve got some big news,” Artemus replied as she leaned against the console behind her, fingers tapping against the metallic surface. “Something that could completely change this war.” With that, she turned her eyes to Chrysalis, the others following suit.

“Thorax and Tarsi seem to have come across a conversation they were never supposed to be privy to,” the queen began, knitting her fingers together in front of her chin as she rested her elbows on the arms of her wheelchair. “In doing so, they have discovered that Ponyville, and more importantly Midnight’s castle, will be under minimal defense for a short time.”

The group’s eyes widened at the news, Chris and his team each exchanging stunned looks before turning back. “How long do we have?” Chris questioned hurriedly, taking a step forward only to pause as Chrysalis held up a hand for patience. In the same motion, she swept her hand towards Thorax who stepped forward.

“Midnight said that they’d have four to five days before King Sombra made his appearance in Ponyville-”

“Sombra’s coming to Ponyville!?” Every eye turned in surprise to Cobalt, the usually stoic stallion seeming to tremble at the name.

“Eeeyes…” the changeling prince answered slowly, throwing a strange look to the thestral before continuing. “He plans to remove his forces from Ponyville so that he can analyze Midnight’s own standings. This leaves her stronghold weaker than ever before, now that she no longer has any support from either of her compatriots.”

“However,” Tarsi spoke up, stepping up to say her piece. “Midnight has ordered her dragon, Spike, to rearrange her troops so they are as efficient as possible. Not only that, but she told him to get their star boys ready, whatever that means.”

“I’ve already relayed this information to every major operation in the Resistance,” Artemus said, turning back to the four rangers. “I haven’t gotten a reply yet, but no doubt they’re trying to form plans as quickly as we are. We want to be ready to go as soon as the Council approves.”

“The Council?” Chris questioned, seeming to snap suddenly back into reality before shaking his head. “No, no, no! If we wait, there’s no way we’ll be able to hit them as hard as we could. The sooner we hit that castle, the better!”

“As much as I agree with that sentiment, Chris, there are regulations in pla-”

“Screw regulations!” The young man suddenly snapped. All activity seemed to grind to a halt, everyone in the room staring at the young man as a hush fell. The ranger took a few breaths before he continued. “Don’t pretend you haven’t seen it, too, Artemus. All these rules and regulations have kept the Resistance back for way too long. Some of your strongest combatants just sit on the Council and do nothing because the rules forbid it. When we get attacked, it takes us twice as long to respond because the operation leaders are too busy chasing each other because the protocol is broken! The best progress we’ve made is when we throw all that out the window and head in with a single, fully functional plan!”

The young man’s outburst came to an end as he tried to catch his breath, everyone still staring at him with wide eyes. Everyone, that is, except Artemus. The alicorn had an unreadable expression as she watched the human before she spoke. “Then what would you do?” She questioned, the tone of her voice commanding.

Chris continued to simply breathe for a few more seconds to steady himself. “We need to send in a small team first,” he replied, the gears in his head already moving faster than most thought possible. “Get in and assess the situation before reporting back to the other combat ops. Once they have the go-ahead, the scouting party should play the distraction, causing as much damage as they can while they make their escape. By the time Midnight realizes what’s happening, the main force will already be at her gate.”

The silver alicorn stared at him for several moments before she spoke again. “Who do you propose make up this small strike force?” She questioned, teal eyes burning into him.

“My team and the Changelings,” the man answered immediately, his gray eyes meeting his leader’s. “With the knowledge Scout Ops possesses and Ranger Ops special weapons and training, we’ve got the best chance of succeeding.”

Everyone present was quiet for several moments before someone spoke up. “Even by your standards, Chris,” Chrysalis began, hands resting against the end of her nose as she looked at the floor. “This plan is very forward and risky.” The Changeling Queen looked from the floor up to the man. “...Can you handle it?”

Chris watched her for several moments, eyes scanning over her, looking into her eyes before the full weight of the question hit him. He looked to his team, his gaze washing over them as so many thoughts ran through his head. After a second, he looked to the other Changelings, searching for the information he needed to answer the question. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his expression answered the question. “Yes.”

Chrysalis’ eyes didn’t seem to change as she saw the determination and assuredness on his face, but Chris thought he spotted the corner of a smile as her hands hid her lips. “Then go to work,” she said before flicking a hand towards Thorax. “From now until you return from your mission, my little ‘lings will be under your command and care. Be sure they return to me in pristine condition.”

The ranger’s face lit up in a grin and he immediately stepped into a salute. “Yes, ma’am,” he answered before he relaxed and looked to Thorax and Tarsi. “You guys need any prep before we head out?” He asked, getting a pair of shaking heads.

“We’re always ready to go,” Tarsi replied. “Just point us where you need us.”

“I can do that,” the man answered before turning so that he could face his team and the scouts. “Meet me in the hangar. I’m going to run to the lab and grab some new weapons for our guests.”

“Right,” the three ponies answered before they turned and started on their way, Sweetie glancing at the insectoids and nodding her head for them to follow. Chris turned to run to his lab, Yellow Static already dancing around him before a voice stopped him.

“Chris.” The man looked over his shoulder to Artemus, her look of worry catching him off guard for a moment. “Keep the others safe, but don’t forget that we want you to come back, too.” The blonde was quiet for a second before he simply nodded and took off in a blur of electricity and color.

It took Chris a little more than a few seconds to come to a stop in his laboratory, quickly looking around to find the pieces of equipment he’d been working on, not bothering to move the tarp that draped over a large corner he had pushed slightly off to the side. A few moments of searching later and he found his silver case hidden under the leg space of his computer desk. Moving quickly, he picked the case up and placed it on the document laden desktop, clicking the clasps open and lifting the case to inspect its contents.

Giving a satisfied smirk, he dropped the lid on the case and secured it before he turned to race away again. And he would have gotten away with it, too, if a familiar black orb hadn’t shot out of the door. “Chris!” Samson called as he stopped in mid-air in front of his brother. “What’s going on? Cobalt told me the rangers are mobilizing.”

“We are,” Chris answered, blinking a few times before he shook his head and flashed a quick grin. “Midnight’s defenses are being reduced big time and we’re going to hit while we have the chance.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” The orb questioned, floating a bit closer.

Chris’ eyes widened at that. “To be perfectly honest, I’d forgotten,” he said before he sensed more than saw the deadpan look he was getting from Sam. “Besides,” he added, clearing his throat. “I didn’t want to interrupt… whatever it is you were doing.”

“Studying,” Sam answered before he zoomed in front of the young man as Chris tried to leave. But still! I’m just as much a ranger as anyone else here, and besides that, I’m your brother! Someone’s got to watch your back, ya big doof.”

Gray eyes seemed to look past the constantly shifting red and orange patterns of the dark orb, looking towards his brother within before he let out a breath. “You’re right,” he said, flashing an apologetic smile. “Let’s go kick some robot arsch.”

“We’re going to work on that,” Sam said in a slightly annoyed tone as he floated towards Chris and fused with him.

“What’s wrong with my German?” Chris questioned with false indignity as he prepared to run again.

Nothing at all, came the reply from inside his mind. Just a habit I’m going to have to break you of. Cursing in German isn’t as intimidating you think.

“Would you prefer Russian?”

God, no! A laugh ripped itself from Chris’ chest before he cannoned his legs and began to once more race through the castle. Seconds later, he came skidding to a stop in front of his team as they and the Changelings waited next to the doors into the Astro Megaship in their combat gear.

“Annnd, we're ready to go,” the young man said, walking towards the Changelings as he balanced the case in one arm as he opened it. “Take these. They’ll be more effective than your usual weapons.”

Thorax and Tarsi took a step towards the case before glancing in. Tarsi reached in first and drew out a new blaster in a white holster. The majority of the weapon was blue with silver and red accents running over it, the body being relatively triangular with a conical barrel while a curved, silver blade arced from a second barrel that sat above and behind the main to a black, slanted pillar that extruded from the back of the gun.

“A, more or less, perfect recreation of the astro blasters used by the In Space Rangers,” Chris began to explain, closing the case and locking it before letting it drop down to his waist. “They’re not as advanced as the laser pistols or swords, but they have their own advantages. They’re two blasters in one, just detach the bladed part from the blue and you have yourself a second gun plus a melee weapon.”

Thorax inspected the weapon for a moment before looking up at Chris. “You would just give these to us?” He questioned, an eyebrow arching up.

“I was going to try and put them into mass production anyway,” the man replied with a shrug as he started to turn towards the door before them. “Figured it wouldn’t hurt to give you guys the edge a little bit earlier.” With that he put his hand on the wall of the Astro, the door sliding open in response.

Thorax watched Ranger Ops enter the massive ship before glancing towards his partner, Tarsi only shrugging in response as she followed after the others. Thorax stayed put for a moment before he finally followed, attaching the blaster to his belt. The two Changelings walked past Chris as he waited just inside the door, reaching a hand out back towards the hanger, Titanium Static jumping out over his hand as the lever that would open the hangar doors. With a flick of the wrist, the man pulled the handle down, the sound of machinery filling the air as he turned around and entered the Astro Megaship proper and led them towards the Jump Tubes in the rec room.

“So, why are we in here and not the bridge?” Tarsi questioned, eyeing the six circular openings in the wall, handles over each of them.

“That’s because we’re not taking the Astro,” Chris answered as he went to a panel in the wall and began to type in a few commands.

The purple changeling raised an eyebrow at that as the tunnels lit up in their respective colors behind her. “Why not?” She questioned as the man walked past her and stopped at the red tunnel that sat third away from the left wall.

“DECA?” Chris called out to the digital assistant in response, looking towards the camera at the top corner of the room.

“The Astro is not equipped with a cloaking device,” the electronic voice spoke up. “While the ship could get you to your destination faster, the enemy would see you approaching before you could get within a reasonable range.”

“And using the galaxy gliders, while not as fast,” Chris picked up as he put a hand to the bar above the red port. “Will definitely get us closer and let us fly under any radar they have.”

“If that’s the case,” Thorax spoke up as the ponies around him went to their own shutes; Sweetie at the silver to Chris’ right and Firefly at the pink to the man’s left while Cobalt went to the black tunnel against the right wall. “We should approach the castle from the Northwest. There’s a small group of trees that back up next to it from that direction. We can get in close and never be detected.”

“Then it should be perfect,” the ranger said with a nod. “You guys need a crash course on how to fly a glider?”

“We should be fine,” Tarsi answered as she walked towards the blue tunnel next to Firefly, leaving the yellow shute that sat between Sweetie and Cobalt for Thorax. “Couldn’t be too much harder than surfing.”

“You surf?” Firefly questioned as Thorax made his way to the last tunnel.

A light smile fluttered onto the Changeling’s lips before she glanced towards the pegasus. “I was an infiltrator, sweetheart,” she said in a suddenly silky tone, eyes half-lidded. “And nothing catches more attention than a fit pony on a surfboard.” Firefly’s eyes went wide as a fiery blush suddenly lit up her face, getting a laugh from Tarsi before the Changeling jumped up and swung into the chute, disappearing into the blue light.

A few more chuckles filled the room before the others began to swing into their own slides. Firefly blinked a few more times before the mare patted her cheeks to rid herself of the blush, shaking her head and jumping into her chute to leave Cobalt alone in the room. A breath of laughter left him as he closed his eyes and shook his head before following the others. Moments later, six different colored streaks of light launched from the Astro Megaship, racing towards the sky before angling off on their pilots’ course.

On the parapets of the dark castle of Midnight Sparkle, a single cog stood watch, its arms moving up or down at right angles every now and again as it’s head jerked from one side or another. Not a single living or mechanical soul inside the castle walls saw the flash of black and gold that suddenly punched a hole through the machine’s head. A pair of shadows raced from the treeline, climbing the vertical wall with ease and setting down on the other side of the parapet, Chris and Cobalt solidifying on either side of the downed cog.

The thestral turned his back to the wall as Chris canceled his Gray Static, the pink and teal colors of Crystal Static taking its place as he placed his hands on the wall in front of him. Static ran down the outside of the fortress’ walls, hand and footholds forming in moments. The second the colorful energy died down, four more figures rushed out of the protective shade of the trees, the mares and Changelings quickly scaling the wall before the man closed the handholds.

“Cobalt, take point with me,” Chris whispered out as he and the others stayed crouched next to the low built barrier. “Fly, you, Thorax, and Tarsi stay behind us. Thorax, I’m going to need you and Tarsi to feed me directions as we go. Sweetie, I need you to cover our backs and tail from the rear. Everyone good on that?”

Several nods of approval followed his question. The man added his own before he began to move, the others moving around until they were in the formation he had suggested. “One question,” Thorax murmured quietly in his ear. “Where are we going?”

“Where can we cause the most damage?” The ranger asked in response, this time Tarsi speaking up.

“Midnight’s lab,” she replied, a verbal buzz in her words as negative emotions charged her voice. “That’s where she makes all her abominations. It’s easily the most volatile location in the entire place. The worst part is going to be getting through the throne room.”

“We’ll face that problem when we get there,” Chris said before he threw a look over his shoulder. After a moment of thought, he put his hand on Cobalt’s shoulder, drawing the stallion’s confused attention. “Everybody, link up.” The group threw puzzled looks towards one another until Sweetie reached out and put a hand to each of the Changelings’ shoulders. They and Firefly looked back at her before they shrugged, the insectoids putting a hand each on the mare between them. Firefly looked to each of them before following their lead and putting her hands on Chris and Cobalt’s shoulders.

Before anyone could ask a question, green and orange Static jumped up around Chris, flowing through him and down his arm towards Cobalt as a trail of the same energy crawled up the hand Firefly had laid on Chris. Cobalt and Firefly’s eyes went wide as yellow and deep purple Static began to arc from each of them respectively, the energy trailing over them and onto the others until Thorax, Tarsi, and Sweetie Belle were covered in rose, turquoise, and pale green respectively.

“I promised I’d bring you all back safely,” the ranger said as he removed his hand, the Static dying down in brightness and activity as he did so. “And that’s what I plan to do. Now, let’s go kick some arsch.” Nods acknowledged his words and together the group began to move, each keeping an eye out as they headed towards the nearest entrance into the tree-like castle.

The team stopped at a door cut into the dark crystal. Chris looked towards Sweetie at the back of the group, the unicorn giving a nod as her horn lit up in her pale green aura. After a moment, she looked up and nodded to him. Without wasting another second, the blonde swung the door open and went inside, muscles tensed despite Sweetie’s clear signal. His eyes scanned the hall they’d entered, noting how the dark crystal did little to dampen the shadows that lurked around every corner and the sparse decor. The man lifted a hand and waved the others inside.

When everyone had made it inside, Chris glanced back towards the Changelings. Thorax nodded right and with that, the team made their way, taking the first right and every turn after that just as carefully as they had entered the door. It wasn’t long before they came across their first patrol of cogs, two machines walking back and forth opposite each other. Chris frowned as he analyzed the situation before ducking his back around the corner. He looked to Cobalt, nodding back towards the pair of robots. The thestral nodded back before the man turned back to watch the cogs. Yellow Static flashed over his hands as he knelt down and put them to the floor. As the cogs were just about to pass each other again, Chris sent out a trail of energy, letting loose the moment the Static was underneath the cogs.

The machines jerked and spasmed as the lightning ran through their systems, frying them from the inside and leaving them as nothing more than smoking husks as the power died away. The bodies began to tilt to the floor, Cobalt shifting into shadow form before darting towards the machines and catching them before they could clatter to the ground. Chris and the others rushed from the perpendicular hallway, coming to a stop just as the big stallion laid the automatons down. He straightened up and nodded, the group taking off once more through the castle.

They only encountered a few more patrols and the occasional lone cog as they made their way towards the throne room. Chris once more poked his head out around a corner only to jerk it back quickly to avoid detection as two more cogs stood guard over a large set of double doors. He took a breath to calm his racing nerves before glancing up towards Cobalt Steel, lifting up a hand with two fingers held up. He put his middle finger down and raised his other index finger so that it was next to the other before he pulled them apart until they a shoulder-width apart. The stallion nodded before he closed his eyes and once more allowed the shadows to overtake his form. Chris put his hand to the wall, his lightning element once more racing away, this time going up toward the ceiling before rounding the corner. Neither cog saw the Yellow Static snake towards them, meeting the wall behind them silently before sliding down towards them. Lightning burst from the wall, arching through the automatons just as it had before, Cobalt rushing out to catch them before they fell.

The team hurried next to him, coming to a stop before Chris looked back towards Sweetie Belle, the mare nodding again before her horn lit up. Seconds ticked by, a worried frown forming on Chris’ face as the mare’s expression shifted to strained. Another moment and Sweetie looked up, a bead of sweat coming from her brow as she took in several breaths, an apologetic look flashing over her face as she shook her head.

The man’s frown deepened and he looked towards each of his party, brows furrowed and nodding. Each took his signal and drew their weapons; Sweetie summoned her staff from her charms, Firefly pulling out her laser blade and pistol and forming the advanced configuration before catching the extra pistol Cobalt tossed to her as he waved his hand over his charm and drew his great sword. The Changelings each took out their astro blasters, Tarsi separating the black blaster from the main body as Thorax pulled out a dirk to accompany his own blaster. Chris nodded his head as the others finished and looked up at him, turning around to face the door. He took another deep breath before crossing his arms over his chest in an ‘X’, red grid lines forming from his right hand as silver lines did the same in his left. He drew his arms down slowly as the Psycho Sword and Silverizer formed, the latter in gun mode.

Without waiting another moment, he braced himself, his and the others’ Static flaring up before he rushed forward, slamming his shoulder into the wooden door, denting it as he heard wood splinter on the other side. He rushed in and quickly moved to the left to let the others in, Silverizer raised up as he held his blade in an underhand grip and used his right arm to support his left at a ninety-degree angle. Chris scanned the empty room as the others fanned out, his frown remaining as no opposition leaped to stop them. Very slowly he began to move to his right and stopped next to Thorax.

“I don’t like this, either,” Thorax admitted softly to the man’s silent question, both still keeping their eyes moving around the room. “Spike spends almost fifty-two percent of his time here, Midnight spending closer to seventy.”

Chris nodded silently as he took note of the deviation before he shook his head. “We can’t abort now,” he said quietly. “If everything’s going right, they should be sending a strike force as we speak. ...Let’s go, but keep alert.” The Changeling nodded in response as the ranger stepped back to his previous position. With a nod of his head, the group began to move through the room, the sinister throne sitting before them as the black and green torches cast warped and distorted shadows on the floor before them. Tarsi and Thorax came to a stop, the others following suit before the blonde man looked towards them. Thorax tilted his head to the right, Chris nodding forward in response. The Changelings began to walk forward, changing the party’s course towards the right wall of the throne room. Soon, the light of the torches left them as the walked into the shadows of the throne. The Changelings led them further into the shadows and eventually down a darkened hallway. Thorax and Tarsi split apart, the insectoids each lining themselves up on a different side of a door that could only barely be seen.

The blonde man once more found himself looking back towards the group’s unicorn, finding her horn already glowing only to stop as she shook her head. Chris let out a breath and turned his gaze back to the door. He let go of his sword, leaving it to float in the air as Green Static formed over his empty hand. He held up five fingers, dropping his thumb after only a second. The other fingers followed soon after and when his index finger dropped he took a single step forward and hiked his other leg before kicking the door for all he was worth. Crunching and shredding metal followed the kick, the door folding in around the impact point as it crashed into the lab behind it. The ranger yanked his blade from the air and ran forward, stopping short and letting his gaze sweep the room… only to find nothing.

Even as the rest of his team rushed in behind him with weapons at the ready, Chris was beginning to relax ever so slightly as he looked around the dimly lit laboratory. ...Sam?

I don’t sense anything, the mental brother replied which only caused the hairs on the back of Chris’ neck to stand even more on end.

“This isn’t right,” Cobalt muttered, verbalizing everyone’s thought even as they began to move cautiously through the space, circling tables, eyeing strange contraptions, and occasionally jumping at shadows.

“You don’t know the half of it…,” Tarsi’s voice replied, the strange multitone returning to her voice as she pulled her twin blasters closer to her chest. Chris didn’t seem to hear the Changeling as he grew closer to a tall white sheet. What lay underneath was completely unknown to him, and yet, against his better judgment, he once more loosed his sword from his grasp and reached out towards the draping cover.

“Like rats in a trap.” Chris yanked his blade out of the air and spun just before the sudden flash of fluorescent lighting blinded him and the others. The man blinked his eyes rapidly, tensing up and dropping back into a fighting stance even before Midnight, Spike, and Staroid came into view. The alicorn wore a sinister smirk as her subordinates stood behind her, machine to her left and dragon to her right. “Did you really think I didn’t know you were here? Many of my Machine Captains may be incompetent, but I am not.”

The ranger grit his teeth together as thoughts rushed his mind. “And here I thought we’d be playing a nice game of cat and mou-”

MOVE YOUR ASS!

Chris jumped forward, tucking into himself as he felt the rushing air and rumbling shudder as whatever was behind him slammed into the floor and missed him by fractions. He twisted as he swung his legs over his head, planting them before straightening into a fighting stance as his opponent came into view. Chris stared up at the humanoid machine, a rust color dominating its seemingly chiseled musculature while blue metal plating covered it in the shapes of boxing gloves, shoes, trunks, and what looked like headgear. Light glinted off the gold of the fake title belt that wrapped around the machine’s waist and, much more importantly, the spiked knuckle plates on his gloves.

“Light on your feet,” the machine said as it straightened up. “Coulda got ya with that OHKO.”

“Punch-A-Bunch,” the ranger muttered as he tensed up even more, his team all starting to back together in a group. “Should’ve known you’d be rearing your ugly face.”

“Oi-”

“Punch-A-Bunch.” Midnight’s stern tone cut the Machine Captain off cold. She turned her attention on the team before her. “You’ll all surrender now, or you will die. Make your choice.”

“Made it the moment I hit the floor,” Chris muttered as his wrist flashed. “RUN!” The Static around everyone present suddenly flared out, the light flooding the room and blinding the villains. But their ears worked fine.

“OUT OF THE WAY!!!” Cobalt’s roar filled the air, a streak of black being the only thing to suddenly appear in the burning white of their blindness. The thestral charged through Midnight and her minions, knocking them aside and making room for the others to run through.

“Grr, get them!” The dark alicorn cried out in rage, eyes slammed shut as she rubbed them back to normalcy. Spike was the first to recover from the blinding flare, his face forming up into a snarl as he rushed out the door, yanking the dark blade of his broadsword out of its sheath. Midnight swiped her hand over her eyes before she turned her eyes to the doorway, sclera turning to teal as her pupils shrank to slits. She ran through the door, teeth grinding together as she went.

Staroid shook his head, his optics finally coming back online. With a mechanical growl, the machine got to his feet and made to run out of the door. He stopped just in time to dodge out of the way as the metal door suddenly slammed into the frame, embedding itself sideways into the crystal wall. The automaton jerked around to see Chris standing where he had been before, garbed fully in his Psycho Chrome armor while Punch-A-Bunch sat embedded in the opposite wall. “Where do you think you’re going?” The ranger questioned in a strange dual-tone as green and orange Static danced over him.

Cobalt ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Shadows streamed from his eyes and the sails of his wings as he ran, straight out of the hallway and darting to the side before he turned to make sure the others got out safely. The next to come was the Changelings, then Firefly, and, finally, Sweetie Belle.

The unicorn practically dove out of the dark passage, spinning around as the light of her magic jumped to her horn, eyes, and the crest of her staff. The mare swept her staff in front of her, magic streaming from it before a barrier of pure pale green light blocked the hallway. The wall shuddered as Spike came into view, the tall drake slamming into the barrier and glancing off. The dragon shook his head before he turned his eyes on the mage, smoke curling from his nostrils.

“Come on, Sweetie,” Cobalt urged, rushing to her side and taking her free arm. “We have to get out of here.”

“Not without Chris!” She replied, trying to yank free from the stallion’s grasp. “He’s still back there!”

“He’s trying to buy us some time!” Cobalt argued, pulling on her a bit harder. “We can’t waste his efforts!”

“Guys, shut up!” Firefly’s shout made the two stop as the pegasus stood stock still behind them, her head tilted back as her ears swiveled back and forth. And that’s when they all heard it.

“Get us the hell out of here!” The voice was heavily muffled but what followed certainly wasn’t. A loud bang sounded through the throne room before even further muffled words followed, though they were unintelligible.

“Does that sound like them to you!?” The first voice yelled out before the banging picked up again. “Hey! Can anyone hear me out there! Open this damn door!” Each of them traded looks before Cobalt took a breath and slowly approached the back of the throne. He put his hand out and touched the hard stone, feeling nothing unusual at all until a thump reverberated through it at the sound of another bang. His hand slipped in surprise, scraping nearer the edge of the throne’s stage. His ears perked up as he picked up a different texture of the stone, and, upon further inspection, found a slight gap in the stone.

The stallion followed it with his eyes, a frown forming on his face as he traced a door with his gaze. He looked back towards the center of the stone, noting that the banging had stopped and had been replaced by light thuds. “...Please,” the voice said softly, weak and scared. “Please don’t leave us here….”

Cobalt froze in place, hand on the cold surface, but before he could get himself back together, another voice spoke up. “C’mon, Ari… no one’s coming for us….”

The stallion’s eyes narrowed at that. “Sweetie!” He shouted over his shoulder, looking towards the unicorn as she gave him her attention. “Keep that barrier up!”

“Yeah, I’ve been working on that!” She answered, wincing as the purple drake slammed his shoulder into the shield once more and forcing the mare to turn her attention back to him and her magic.

Cobalt let out a breath before he turned back to the hidden door in front of him. “We’re getting you out of here,” he called out, hoping his voice carried through the stone. “Just stand back.” A moment passed in silence before quick shuffling sounded from the other side of the door. The stallion nodded to himself before he stepped back with one foot, planting himself as his shadows began to grow.

“Whatever you’re doing!” Sweetie suddenly yelled out. “Do it quick!” But the thestral hardly heard her or the resounding boom of magic meeting magic. Instead, he drew in a deep breath, filling his entire being with air as he drew his arms back, fingers spread out and tensed up like claws. With a shout, he exhaled all the air in his belly and lungs and launched his arms forward. His shadow-cloaked hands slammed into the stone, fingers digging in as the shadows from his wings slammed into the edges of the door. He grunted as he started to pull, veins already bulging from his arms as the yellow Static around his body intensified. A growl issued from his throat as the door began to crack under the pressure, slowly giving in to the thestral’s strength. With a final cry of effort, Cobalt Steel ripped away the stone door and raised it over his head, maintaining his balance only by stepping back.

He was forced to blink as a figure ran out and stopped mere inches before colliding with him. Sharp purple eyes blinked at bright yellow ones before slowly backing up. “Um…” Aria Blaze muttered before a pair of shouts drew each of their attention away.

“Aria!”

“Cobalt!”

The siren’s attention snapped to Adagio behind her as she tried to support Sonata, the youngest siren looking worse for wear while Cobalt’s attention was yanked towards Sweetie and her, now failing, barrier. “A little help, please!” The stallion’s eyes widened as the cracks in the barrier reached the edge, the magic shattering like glass and kicking up a dust cloud with its shockwave. A shadow formed in the debris cloud before Midnight walked out, a look of fury etched into her face as her horn and hand glowed with her magic.

“Where do you think you’re taking my si-” The enchantress was cut off as she jumped out of the way of the stone slab that was suddenly thrown her way. The stone slammed into the ground behind her and shattered on impact, leaving a crater behind. The sound of boots and rushing wind drew her attention back to the throne room proper, eyes widening as Cobalt’s warcry pierced the air and his sword sliced through it.

A shadow fell over her as the sound of metal on metal reverberated through the room. “How dare you!” Spike shouted as he and the thestral struggled against each other.

“Oh, screw you!” Cobalt answered, shadows coming up to cover his blade before he deflected the dragon’s sword off his own, drawing back to one side before slashing horizontally. The drake back stepped and countered, blades ringing and bouncing off one another before the pony brought his sword down. Spike retaliated with another parry only for his eyes to go wide and the breath to rush from his lungs as the stallion spun and drove a heel into his stomach.

The spinning mule kick sent the dragon flying, giving Cobalt just enough time to look behind him to the rest of his team. “What are you still doing here!?” He shouted, turning just in time to catch Spike’s diagonal slash. “Go while you still can!” He grunted and pushed his opponent’s blade away from him before rushing in with another shout of battle.

Midnight watched the combatants for a second more before her face contorted in a snarl and she whipped her head back towards the escapees only for her to have to tilt her head out of the way. A cry of shock and pain ripped from her lungs as the slash of green magic flew past her head, crashing into the wall and gouging a sharp gash into the crystal. The alicorn gasped and let out a groan of pain as she reached a hand up to her cheek, pulling it away as she felt something warm, wet, and sticky. Her eyes locked on her own bloodstained hand for several seconds before she clenched her fist and a feral growl rumbled out of her throat. “You. Little. Bitch!” She shouted, eyes, horn, and hands glowing with the full intensity of her magic as Sweetie stood opposite of her, Thorax’s tail slipping through the door behind her.

“Problem?” The younger mare questioned, eyes filled with anger before she flashed out of existence. Midnight let out a roar of rage before she teleported after the upstart, leaving thestral and dragon in their sword fight.

Author's Note

Seeing their chance, the Resistance infiltrates Midnight's castle. What they find within may be more than what they ever bargained for, though. How will our heroes fair in the heart of enemy territory?

This... took way longer than I wanted it to. So long in fact, that I had to split it into two chapters. So, between three and four months later and after about forty-five pages, we have progress! ...Please be kind to my soul.... Anyway, as always, if you have a thought, spot a mistake, or simply want to have a little fun, leave it in the comments below. Please remember to respect your fellow readers and until next time, I hope you all have a great one!

Chapter 23- Perspective

Chapter 23-

Perspective

The wind whistled at the top of the dark castle’s east tower, the howling only temporarily interrupted by a flash of light. Sweetie jumped back and skid to a halt as another flash filled the air. Midnight appeared, her fury practically palpable as she glowed with power. “I’m going to kill you slowly,” the alicorn promised as she floated forward, her magic holding her up over the crystal surface. “And hang your body from a flagpole!”

“Give it your best shot!” Sweetie yelled in response, rushing forward as she spun her staff around in her hand. Her opponent let out an angry cry as she ripped her saber from its sheath, slashing through the air and knocking away the blade-like point at the end of Sweetie’s staff. The younger mare spun as the end was knocked away, the crescent of her staff glowing on the end. Midnight was forced to glide back as pale green energy slashed through the air, slamming into the floor where she’d been. Sweetie dropped down into a fighting stance as she spun and twirled her staff expertly before letting it lay in the crook of her right arm, the bladed ended pointing over her shoulder as the crescent glowed dangerously while the mare extended her left hand in front of her.

Midnight raised an eyebrow as she finally let her boots touch the ground, putting one foot behind the other as she squared her shoulders and held her blade in front of her. “You couldn’t possibly-” The alicorn cut off her sentence as the off-white unicorn suddenly spun, the arc of her scepter launching another slash of magic towards her and forcing her to bring up the glowing blade of her saber to cut through the magic. However, she soon found herself working overtime to block and cut through wave after wave of magic as the mare in front of her seemed to dance towards her, a silent deadly melody in her form as she pushed her assault.

Sweat formed on Sweetie’s brow as she pushed forward, the pale green Static around her burning brighter and brighter alongside her own magic as she pushed out more of her power. She stomped down with her foot, cracking the crystal as she twirled one more time, the blade at the end of her staff swinging towards Midnight’s head. Metal met metal as the alicorn’s saber came up to block the blow only for the opposing weight to disappear as Sweetie swung her weapon behind her and slashed towards the other side of her opponent’s head and forcing her to once again block the attack. Sweetie drew her weapon back once more, twirling the staff horizontally so that the glowing crescent was flung upwards.

Midnight’s eyes widened as the glowing arc passed only a hair from her snout, but what truly alarmed her was how the arc of energy didn’t dissipate as its metallic focus point left the air it occupied. An explosion rumbled the floor, a dust cloud filling the air in front of Sweetie Belle. The off-white unicorn stayed where she was, her eyes wide and pupils pinpricks as her ears swiveled back and forth. Both ears suddenly shot up as she pulled her staff down, pushing her torso forward as her ankles twisted. In a single fluid movement, Sweetie turned her front stance around into a back step that faced the opposite direction, her staff arcing up and stopping the three crossed blades of teal magic that had been launched at her. The younger pony didn’t even seem phased as the smoke cloud rushed around her to reveal her opponent in much the same place where she’d been standing at the beginning of the fight.

The dark alicorn glared daggers at the blue robbed mare, her face twisting into a snarl. “How!?” She yelled out, stomping her boot on the floor as she kept her saber poised in front of her. “How could you possibly move like that while casting!?”

The unicorn’s response was to twirl her staff and bring her front foot back, the polearm resting between her shoulder blades with the crescent peeking over her left shoulder while the spearhead pointed to the ground in front of her. “When your sister is a master at multitasking,” she replied before she pulled her scepter out from behind her and stepped into a fighting stance as she put her other hand on the weapon. “You pick up a few things.” Midnight Sparkle’s eyes widened further as the younger mare once again charged her.

The clash of metal on metal rang through the air, sparks flying from the blades of both Cobalt and Spike as they pushed forward, trying to gain more ground than their opponent. The dragon drew his lips back in a snarl, a low growl filling the air as a green glow began to shine behind his fangs. Cobalt grit his teeth, digging in his boots as the crystal beneath them began to give way. Spike opened his jaws and the thestral jumped out of the way, the spear of green flame that had been spit at him flying over his shoulder. The pony hit the ground and rolled, coming up in a kneeling position, pulling his fist back as shadows flowed over his body to cover it before he slammed it into the floor.

The wall of shadows that sprang forward and rushed the drake made his eyes widen in shock. Spike leaped into the air, spreading his wings and taking to the air in the huge chamber. Cobalt raised his eyes towards his foe, a frown crossing his features before he rushed up to meet his opponent, shadows and yellow Static trailing behind him. The dragon turned mid-flight and returned the charge, a pair of roars filling the empty space of the throne room before the fighters clashed once more. A shockwave rushed through the air, sparks jumping into the air as metal ground against metal, the two warriors growling into each other's faces.

“You’re a fool,” Spike hissed, green embers flaring from his lips with each breath. “Your resistance will crumble and die.”

“A fool has nothing to fight for,” Cobalt answered, pushing back with a flap of his wings. “I have everything to fight for.” He shoved the swords apart, drawing his back as shadows covered the blade. He slashed forward, a slash of dark mist hurtling towards Spike, the drake’s eyes widening in shock.

The purple reptilian dropped out of the way just in time for the attack to sail past his fin-like ear to smash into the wall behind him. His surprised look jerked over his shoulder to look at the slit-shaped crater in the wall before the rush of wind drew his gaze forward just in time to bring up his guard. He drew his blade back as the metal reverberated, moving his wrists to the opposite side to block his opponent’s next strike only to have to twist his wrists and spin in midair to parry Cobalt’s charging thrust.

The stallion came to a harsh stop with a forward flap of his bat-like wings, whirling in place and letting out another battlecry as he slashed the air again, sending another shadowy slash to rush towards his draconic adversary. An explosion rocked the chamber, a cloud of dispersed shadows clouding the air around his target. He stared for several seconds before his eyes narrowed as a green flicker caught his attention from within the thinning cover.

The green flame surrounding the dragon’s broadsword served to illuminate the drake in a sinister light. Especially the deathly calm expression he wore as flames ebbed and flowed from his nostrils with each controlled breath. “...I’ve had as much of this as I can stand,” Spike murmured, opening his eyes slowly as he lifted his gaze towards the stallion, pulling his blade away from his forearm where he’d braced the flat of it. Without warning, a slash of blinding emerald green engulfed Cobalt’s vision.

Caught off guard, the thestral stopped flapping and fell, letting gravity drag him out of harm’s way. He let himself drop several feet before his wings flared, twisting him so that he was belly-down before he surged forward with a flap of his wings. He flapped upwards, flexing his body to help with the sudden ascension, barely dodging another slash of green flame as it sailed under him. He took off again, racing forward as he gained altitude and circled the throne room, more flames following him.

The stallion began to sweat as he felt the heat of the green embers growing closer, gritting his teeth as he tilted his body to avoid another projectile and swerved behind the throne in the middle of the room. His hand shot out, grabbing the edge of the chair’s back to bring himself to a sudden halt. The stallion grunted and grit his teeth as his shoulder jerked with the sudden halt of momentum, the thestral tucking himself behind his cover before flames slammed into the other side. He clenched his eyes shut as he waited for the burning tongues to die down, not opening them until several seconds passed by. He opened his mouth and let his chest heave as he pressed his back to the stone, feeling the heat that had seeped through from the opposite face as he waited. And waited… and waited….

Seconds ticked by and Cobalt’s gaping lips frowned at the corners as he moved his gaze to the border of his safe-haven. Another few moments ticked by and still nothing. The stallion closed his jaws and slowly turned around, putting a hand to the edge as he looked out from behind the throne. And immediately froze as his gaze met that of the dragon that now filled the chamber, flames licking at his jaws. And death was in his eyes.

“You area fool.”

“GRRRAAAWWW!” Staroid roared as he brought his arm up and knocked away yet another metal table as it was launched his way only to be forced to bring up his long, slender sword to block Chris’ own blades. “Stop throwing shit at me!”

“Stop not dying!” Chris replied, rotating his body and launching a kick towards the Machine Captain’s head. The automaton raised his hand and caught the boot sailing towards his face only for a loud bang to ring through the air as the Ranger twisted his body in the grip to bring an ax kick down with his other leg. The machine lost his grip as his head and upper body were forced down, his opponent’s body starting to roll through the air. Just as a glint of gold rushed the ranger’s face.

Punch-A-Bunch’s knuckle-duster slammed into Chris’ helmet, launching him through the air to slam into the wall across from the two robots. A cloud of dust erupted as debris crumbled to the ground, obscuring the pair’s vision as Staroid pulled himself back up.

“...That sucked.” Staroid jerked his optics towards the dispersing cloud to see a slight pink and teal glow began to emerge. “Seriously, for a machine built specifically to punch the scheisse out of its opponents,” Chris continued, stepping into the open as the glow died from his metallic armor, a pink, glass-like substance flaking off the black suit. “You punch like a schlampe.”

The pink and turquoise glow in his gauntlets and leg armor began to fade back to the normal red and blue of his Chrome form before the colors began to shift into dull silver and gold tones. “Now,” the ranger said before slamming his arms down to either side and into the solid metal tables that wrapped around his arms at the impact sights. “Who’s ready for round two?” The man raised the improvised metal gloves, tapping the sides together with a sharp ‘clang’ before he rushed towards the dumbfounded machines. Punch-A-Bunch was the first to react, taking a step back and cocking his fist before throwing the power-jab towards the oncoming ranger.

Chris smirked inside his helmet as the only squares left visible, those on his legs, changed from the metallic colors of his Magnet powers to the striking yellows and oranges of the rising sun. The fighter turned into little more than a blur as he sidestepped the rushed jab, knees bending as he lowered his body and reared back, slamming his armored fist into the robot's midsection. The of rushing air sounded out alongside the gong-like boom echoed through the room, forcing the boxing automaton to skid back across the floor. Chris straightened his legs and quickly threw his other arm up to block the horizontal slash of Staroid’s blade. The man glanced towards the Machine Captain before he seemed to blur out of existence only to slam a fist into his surprised opponent’s back.

The blow sent up a shower of sparks from the robot as he was thrown forward to crash into the ground, rolling several feet before slamming into the same wall that Chris had earlier. The already structurally unsettled barrier toppled down on top of him, making him disappear from view. The Ranger didn’t get time to confirm his opponent's condition though as he moved his head out of the way of the spiked punch that whizzed by his face. “How do you keep doing that!?” Punch-A-Bunch demanded.

“Fick you, that’s how!” Chris replied angrily as he raised his arms and wrapped them around the boxer’s own. With a twist of his hips, a shift in his shoulders, and a yank on the Machine Captain’s arm, the Ranger threw the automaton over his shoulder and slammed Punch-A-Bunch into the floor. The man reared his fist back, his Chrome Aura and Swift Static leaping forth to cover it before he brought his hardened fist down into his adversary. Anyone watching would have described the flurry of blows that followed as a man-made meteor shower, the metal heating up from sheer friction from the air as the punches rained down with unimaginable speed. When he finally stopped his arms, the man was panting inside his helmet as his raised arm shuddered.

Punch-A-Bunch lay unmoving at his feet, dents, and cracks covering his body as smoke and steam rose off of him in a similar fashion to the Ranger’s improvised glove. The sinister glare of the helmet stared down at the fallen machine as he started to drop his fist only to jerk his other hand up to catch the sudden punch thrown by his adversary, now minus the golden spikes. “Damn…” the robot said, a slight smirk in his voice. “Thought I had you… with that… OHKO….”

The machine groaned with pain as his metal fist crunched, looking to his hand to find the underside of the Ranger’s metal boxing glove torn open from the inside to reveal the hand that was current crushing his glove. “You should have stayed down.” The machine focused upwards once more to find himself staring down the barrel of the Chrome Blaster, the only difference from the Cyber Blaster being the third ax blade that sprouted from the middle of the Psycho Sword’s barrel, forming a triangle with the already split blades of the Psycho Axe on the underside. The Psycho Ranger squeezed the trigger and orange and yellow energy began to form inside the weapon, the barrel sparking with red and blue electricity. Punch-A-Bunch’s optics widened and his mouth opened as if to say something only to be interrupted by the beam of pure energy that engulfed him. Several seconds passed as the Chrome Blaster roared before the discharge started to die down.

When Chris finally lifted the laser rifle up to rest it on his shoulder, he found himself looking down a series of holes that had both been punched and burned into the floors below. As smoke leaked away from the melted edges of the beam’s path, the man sighed and let his body relax. “Let’s go find the other’s,” he muttered, turning towards the collapsed wall and walking forward as he lifted his weapon off his shoulder and brought it across his chest so that he could support the weight with both hands.

Let’s hope Midnight likes her present, Sam added as the Ranger stepped over what was left of the wall. Behind them, the pair of oversized, makeshift gloves laid on the ground, both glowing with an unsettling burnt orange color as energy of dull yellow sparked off them.

“Gah!” Midnight cried out as her opponent landed a solid kick to her midriff, forcing the dark alicorn to skid across the tower. She raised her eyes just in time to throw herself backward, another wave of pale green sailing over her body as she flipped through the air. She put one hand to the crystal floor to guide her body down as the wave of magic destroyed the parapet behind her, the mare rushing forward and slashing her saber horizontally through the air to meet the crescent of the green-eyed unicorn’s staff.

Sweetie didn’t miss a beat as she thrust the pointed end of her staff up into the blade to knock it away, quickly reversing directions to once again bring down the glowing crescent. The mare in front of her leaned back nimbly to let the attack pass by her only to be forced to jump back as the younger pony spun with her momentum, letting go with one hand to extend the distance of the strike. The magic staff came down with a boom, the built up energy in the focal point detonating to form another small crater in the ground.

The dark purple alicorn landed on the ground roughly, her stance wide as she held the end of her blade up with both hands. She breathed heavily, her mane disheveled as sweat dripped down her face. “What does the Resistance do to its ponies?” She muttered, the cyan in her eyes threatening to flicker away and die.

“It gives us a reason to fight.” The alicorn jerked her gaze back to the dust cloud as Sweetie Belle walked out, the crescent of her staff already glowing with her magic as the Static around her burned an almost blindingly white. “You wouldn’t know anything about that, though, would you?”

Midnight’s eyes narrowed at that, the pony taking in one last breath and straightened up to show some form of decorum. “I fight for power,” she said, taking up her stance. “Something I was forced to strive for alone when the one pony I thought understood me did just what all the others did and abandoned me to my own devices.”

Sweetie let out a huff at that. “That almost sounds sad,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “You’re fighting for the one thing that’s pushing everyone away from you.”

“Don’t speak as if you know anything!” Sweetie’s eyes widened as her opponent disappeared and reappeared in front of her in a flash. She hardly had time to swing her staff up to block the slash rushing towards her throat. She took a step back as the alicorn’s strength surged against her weapon only to be forced back again as she blocked another attack. Back and back and back again. Soon, the unicorn found herself dancing backward just as much as she had been going forward when she had first pressed her attack earlier. Her eyes grew wide as her mind and body worked overtime to keep the deadly blade from biting into her flesh. If only it had been a little more a little earlier.

“AH!” The mare gasped in pain as the glowing blade slashed through her fur and skin, opening a shallow gash in her right shoulder. She winced as pain exploded in her opposite thigh only to have to dodge her head out of the way of another piercing thrust. She hissed as the blade raked just over her eyebrow before it was drawn back. Sweetie dropped her gaze and lit up her horn, a layer of green magic covering her body as the green Static flickered over. The younger mare could only cross her arms and staff in front of herself as the enraged Alicorn pressed her assault.

The pupils of Sweetie’s eyes shrank to pinpricks as she observed the mare in front of her that was effortlessly pushing her back despite her planted stance and magical barrier. At first, it seemed that Midnight’s eyes had completely glossed over with the cyan of her magic, but on closer inspection, she found pinpricks of the brilliant mulberry that represented the mare’s pupils. “What would you know about me!?” She screamed as her mane and tail flared and whipped about like flames of various shades of purple. “What would you know of how I felt!? What would anyone know!? They all just abandoned me!?” Sweetie braced her hand against the shaft of her scepter as the Alicorn gave a last, two-handed thrust of her burning blade. Magic met magic in a blinding clash, shockwaves rippling through the air as mage struggled against mage, one snarling in anger and the other gritting her teeth as she refused to give in.

The tip of Midnight’s saber dug in deeper, the burning magic around it carving its way through her opponent’s own. The smallest of openings was made and soon the pinnacle pressed against the handle of the younger mare’s weapon. An insane smirk morphed from the dark pony’s snarl and she pushed forward with everything she had. Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened as cracks splintered through the meeting point and an explosion shook the tower.

Cobalt could do nothing as he once more jumped out of harms away, rolling over his shoulder and back onto his feet to continue running as rubble bounced around him. He twisted and drew back his fist, throwing it forward and launching a spear of shadows that slammed into Spike’s enormous jaw. And just like the last few attempts, the dragon tilted his head with the impact, emerald eyes tracking down the thestral instantly. The stallion huffed as he turned back only to have to dive up and over the drake’s tail as it came hurtling towards him. The wall of scales slammed into the wall behind him, throwing up another cloud of dust as it crumpled.

And still, the pony kept running, around and around hoping to confuse the huge dragon. “Would you just give it up!?” Cobalt slammed on the brakes, jumping back with a flap of his wings as the wrecking ball that was his adversary’s fist cannoned into his path to form a crater. He quickly turned to the side and rushed towards the space between Spike’s four large claws, throwing a leg forward and sliding under the swipe of the dragon’s other hand. Cobalt hurried back onto his feet and continued forward, ducking as the tail swept by overhead with the dragon’s efforts to turn in the limited space.

The thestral flared his wings, shadows pouring out of them and down his arms as he threw them out to his sides, the charm of his longsword long forgotten on his hip. Mist began to drift from his eyes as the yellow Static condensed around his forearms. Cobalt hardened his eyes before he did a one-eighty, his boots grinding against the floor as he came to a stop facing his opponent. Spike’s eyes narrowed as green flames began to flicker within his large maw. Pony and Dragon stared one another down before each let out a roar and unleashed their respective elements.

Fire met shadow in a blaze of light, one part of the chamber bathed in darkness while the other burned in brilliance. Sweat poured down from Cobalt’s brow as he kept his fists pointed straight out towards his powerful foe, though he knew before his boots started scraping against the floor beneath him that it wouldn’t be enough. A claw stepped forward, cracking the crystal underfoot as Spike pressed his attack, the flames of his Dragonfire pushing the shadows back down towards the small pony. The thestral continued to force the blast back, as helpless as it seemed as he grit his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.

Reptilian eyes suddenly narrowed and Spike stepped forward again, a fresh wave of his breath weapon rushing out as he strained forward. The clash of magic between the two attacks built exponentially and pressed towards Cobalt even faster than before. The stallion opened his eyes and his pupils shrank at what was in front of him before the sphere of built-up energy exploded in blinding light….

“...That’s enough of that.” Cobalt groaned as the deep, rumbling voice beat against his hearing, the ringing having barely faded at all. The stallion started to pull his limbs back towards his chest, finding himself draped over some rough surface as he tried to push himself up. “Slow,” the voice warned, Cobalt immediately taking the advice as his body tightened up in protest to his movements. He took a moment to catch his breath before he tried again, eyes slowly blinking open. His vision was blurry and shifting, the ringing in his ears growing slightly louder as he managed to stand with some help.

...Help?

The stallion turned his eyes towards his hand that was still pressed against the rough surface he’d been supporting himself on and slowly his sight swam into focus to reveal a wall of purple scales. Cobalt’s eyes widened and he made to step away only to feel his leg give way painfully. He hissed as he collapsed only to hear the scraping of scale on crystal as the tail wrapped around to his other side and caught him again. “What part of ‘slow’ did you not understand?” Spike rumbled as he lowered his head to the thestral’s level, smoke trailing from his nostrils.

Cobalt only stared up into the huge emerald eyes looking down on him, his eyebrows cinched in mistrust. “The hell are you playing at?” The thestral growled, pushing himself off the drake’s tail to stand on his own. “You do your damnedest to kill me and my team and suddenly you’re concerned about my wellbeing? I call bullshit.”

Spike looked down at the stallion before him before he snorted and shook his head. “Had to make it a good show,” the dragon said before looking over to the far wall and pointing. “We never know who might be watching.” Cobalt’s brow twitched and, while he was hesitant to do so, he slowly turned to follow the direction of the claw. In the corner of the room, a camera hung from a single wire, the others sparking from the singed base. “There were more than a dozen of those things in here. It took a while to finally root them out, but I’m glad to be rid of them.”

The pony turned back to look back at Spike as the dragon did the same for him. They stared at one another for several long moments before the thestral crossed his arms and huffed. “What’s your deal?” He questioned, still unconvinced. “What’s your story?”

The dragon averted his eyes at that, a frown crossing his features. “That’s… a long story,” he muttered quietly, eyes falling to the floor. “Twi- ...Midnight wasn’t always the monster you see her as. When she was a filly, all she wanted was for someone to notice her. In that vein, she thought that if she improved her magic and became powerful… she’d get the attention she wanted. ...She scared Celestia and the princess thought it would be best to pause her studies… but all Midnight saw was her parents sending her to Celestia’s school in the first place.” Spike paused as he let out a tired sigh and suddenly the tiredness in his features was clear as he began to shrink back down. “She tried to run and I went with her, but when we jumped through the portal… we really were alone. I think… I think it drove her mad….” The drake finished shrinking back to his normal size, standing before the thestral and looking towards him with something akin to desperation. “We tore that world apart like monsters… but she never took a single life. I made sure of that.”

Cobalt looked over the being in front of him as he paused, taking in every nasty scar, every burn, every blemish that was now abundantly obvious on his smaller frame. “...You killed them,” the stallion finally muttered, bringing his gaze up to match the dragon’s. “You killed so she didn’t have to.” The drake only nodded in response, something that annoyed the pony more than it calmed him. Here was his opponent, a beast, a monster that had helped to take everything from him and his comrades, a being at least partially responsible for the war they now fought. And yet… he was nothing more than a guard dog, a loyal one at that, doing everything he could to protect his master.

“I don’t think she’s out of reach.” The sudden statement drew the stallion back to reality, looking up to find the drake stepping towards him and making him put his body on the defensive. “She has… nightmares. I see her over and over again in her lab, muttering to herself and constantly hesitating to make decisions.”

“Maybe she’s just crazy,” Cobalt countered, eyes narrow and muscles tensed.

“Maybe,” Spike conceited with a small shrug and a sad nod before he looked up with determination in his eyes. “But I can’t take that chance. Now, we need to finish this.” The drake held his arms out to his sides to expose as much of his torso as he could. “I’m going to need you to hit me as hard as you possibly c-”

No sooner had the words left his lips did a huge fist made up of shadows slam into him, bright yellow Static buzzing and cracking around and through it as Cobalt Steel let out a feral roar. The blow carried the dragon back, dragging him off his claws and throwing him against the wall. The crystal cracked under the pressure as the shadows kept up the onslaught before the sound of the stallion’s warcry grew in volume. Spike’s eyes widened in shock as the thestral raced forward and slammed his real fist into his scaley chest. The wall behind the dragon exploded and the drake was sent flying into empty air. Cobalt stepped up to the edge, breath heaving as he watched his opponent fall… before a loud boom caught his attention and his world was filled with light.

Sparks flew from the chest of a cog as it turned a corner, Firefly sprinting around it not a moment later, quickly followed by Tarsi, Thorax, and the Sirens. The pegasus’ pupils had dilated and her heart beat loudly in her ears, her breath coming and going rapidly. She knew she was scared. Her team was scattered about the castle, leaving her, the scouts, and the prisoners to their own devices and she knew that all of them together weren’t even close to one of the others. She was the weak link, the scared damsel amongst warriors. And the thought angered her.

“Firefly!” The shout made the pink mare dig in her heels and come skidding to a halt. Looking behind her, she found the rest of the group several yards behind her. The blue siren sat slumped against the wall while Aria leaned against it behind her, both taking haggard breaths. Meanwhile, Thorax, Tarsi, and the last golden seapony stood next to them, the two Changelings trying to get their breath back while the other tried to look as if none of this was affecting her, though the slight tremble that trailed through her body every now and again betrayed her. “We can’t keep going like this,” Thorax added as the pegasus hurried to their side. “Especially not those three.”

“‘Those three’,” the biggest siren interrupted through gritted teeth, throwing a slight glare at the Changeling. “Can handle this just fine.” Firefly’s eyes traveled her, practiced eyes catching all the details she could.

“I hate to say this,” the mare said letting out a breath to steady her stampeding heart. “But Thorax is right. I don’t know what you’ve had to endure here, but you’re not in any shape to keep this up for much longer.”

“So, what?” Aria spoke up, pulling the group’s attention to her as she straightened up off the wall. “You’re just going to leave us here?”

“Absolutely not,” the blue-maned mare answered, swiping a hand through the air and cutting off the female Changeling behind her as she started to open her mouth. “Everyone’s getting out of here. We just need to figure out how.”

“If I may,” Thorax said, stepping forward. “The main entrance to the castle is closer to us than our original exit point.”

Firefly’s eyebrows furrowed as she studied the prince. “What are you suggesting?”

“That we take that exit instead of our previously planned one,” the male replied. “We find ourselves facing a race of endurance, something that our escorts are currently lacking in. For that reason, I think it would be wise to take the shorter route despite the increased obstacles we’ll meet along the way. The strike force will be attacking the castle from that direction, which is even better for us if we can get out and get to them before the real fighting breaks out.”

The pony thought about what was being told to her even as the eldest siren traded aggravated looks with Tarsi. Soon, she closed her eyes and took in a long, shuddering breath. “Okay,” she said, looking up and steeling her features. “We’ll make a break for the main entrance, but we’ll have to move fast. If we meet any opposition, I’ll take them out and if I get stalled you guys need to keep going without me. Our priority is the prisoners and we need to do everything in our power to get them out of here. Everyone clear on that?” Tarsi and Thorax each nodded in response before the mare’s pink eyes shifted to look at the sirens, receiving a slightly cold look from their leader. At least, until Aria put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her gaze to her. They looked into each other’s eyes before the gold seapony deflated and let out a heavy breath, nodding as she bowed her head.

The purple siren turned to look at Firefly, eyes hard. “Let’s go,” was all she said before she went to her younger companion, the smaller siren reaching up and letting herself be pulled up tiredly. The blue siren made to take a step forward only to stumble and force the other to catch her.

“Here, let me,” Thorax offered, stepping around Firefly and going to the sirens’ side. He held his hand out and the tired seapony took it without a second thought, the Changeling lowering his neck a bit as she wrapped her arm around it and her purple compatriot helped her position herself next to the taller insectoid.

“No funny business,” Aria warned, pointing a finger towards Thorax’s snout, which only drew a breath of laughter from him.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” the Changeling promised, flashing a grin before looking towards Firefly. “We should be able to take the next left and take that corridor to the entrance.” The mare nodded and together the group began to run down the hall, those unencumbered slowing down for Thorax and the blue siren before they took their only turn.

Firefly soon found her thoughts from before starting to surge forward in her mind again, the pegasus feeling the blood begin to pound in her ears again. She shook her head, opening her eyes wide as she tried to keep her current pace even as her every instinct screamed at her to pick it up. Her arm shot out and the barrel of her pistol flashed, sparks shooting into the air from another cog’s chest. The group passed by before it even had a chance to hit the floor and the blue-maned pony found herself assaulted by her next thought.

What was the point of her joining Ranger Operations? She was nothing special. Intelligent? Sure. Athletic? Definitely. But was she really Ranger material? Was she even worthy to call herself a warrior?

“On our left!” The shout of alarm had Firefly jerking her eyes up, her blasters following suit before she laid waste to the cog that had appeared, though not before it managed to get a shot of its own off. The mare’s eyes widened in surprise, her head dodging out of the way just enough for the bolts to race past her ear and carry on towards the golden siren behind her.

“Shit!” The seapony shouted, throwing herself forward to let the projectiles fly overhead. She tucked her shoulder forward and rolled back to her feet, continuing her mad dash with the others. “What the hell!? I thought you were our sentry!”

“I-” The mare started to reply only to stop and bite her lip, turning her head forward and eyes down.

“No time for criticism,” Tarsi warned, the pony’s ears twitching in response. “You’ve got a job to do.” The words rang through the pink mare’s mind, Firefly glancing up and behind her right shoulder at the female Changeling before she hardened her features and looked forward. She felt the terror that had been building start to ebb away as her thoughts of doubt began to fade, each one replaced with something else.

“Here it comes!” Thorax shouted, the hall ending ahead of them to be replaced by a banister. Unlike before though, Firefly didn’t shrink from the challenge. Instead, she surged forward to meet it.

The mare put on a burst of speed and soon outpaced the others before she slammed her foot down and turned sideways. She slid into sight of the grand doors that led to the outside, her twin blasters lighting up in a deadly show to lay waste to the pair of machines that guarded the doors. Dozens of small explosions detonated from the cogs’ bodies before the slumped to the ground with the occasional buzz of electricity and mechanical twitch. Firefly raised her smoking guns to her shoulders just before the others slowed to a stop beside her. “...Damn,” Aria said with a whistle. “What’d they do to you?”

“Took my home,” Firefly answered before she holstered one of her pistols and began to break down the other. “Let’s get out of here.” With that, she swept passed and started towards the closest staircase with the others following behind her. Together, they rushed towards the door, the pink mare putting her hand to the huge handle before glancing behind her. Thorax and Tarsi had relief written all over their faces, but the sirens wore something else entirely. The purple siren stared at the door, eyes searching it as her hands clenched and unclenched, her younger counterpart looking up from her slouched position against the male Changeling, eyes shining with hope. Finally, the eldest didn’t even seem to see the door. Instead, she seemed to look through it, tears starting to form as she saw freedom. The pegasus gave a small smile at their looks before turning back to the door. “Let’s go home,” she said before she pushed as hard as she could, the door swinging open to let the light shine in before they ran out into the sun.

Firefly barely made it a few yards before she dug her heels in and came to a halt, eyes widening at the sight and sound of dozens of cogs readying to fire on them. The group behind her clamored to a halt and she could almost feel the hope and sense of victory leave them. “...It’s not fair,” she heard one of the sirens say, glancing back to see the blue seapony let loose several tears that splattered to the ground. The pegasus slammed her eyes closed and grit her teeth together. It wasn’t fair… not one bit. She’d been given one job, to get them out safely and she’d failed. Not even a miracle could get them out now.

The mare’s eyes snapped back open as the thought struck her. “Tarsi, Thorax, shields!” She shouted, throwing her empty hand into a pouch on her belt. The Changelings threw their hands out, colored bands of magic symbols, Tarsi’s being purple while Thorax’s was green, appearing and spinning around their wrists before large spell circles of matching colors sprung to life in front of them with enough area to cover them all. Firefly took a position behind them alongside the sirens as she pulled a scroll and roll of canvas from her pouch.

“Whatever you’re going to do!” Tarsi shouted, gritting her teeth as more laser bolts slammed into her barrier. “Do it now, Firefly!”

“I’m working on it!” The mare replied, eyes quickly scanning the scroll before stuffing it back in her pocket and closed her eyes. With hushed whispers she began to chant the Tale of The Dragon Slayer, feeling her pegasus magic start to grow within her. “-And, lo and behold!” She began to shout, wrenching her eyes open and locking them on the forces in front of them. “The monstrous drake lay dead at the knight’s feet!” With the final cry, she drew her arm back and threw it forward… only for nothing to happen. The mare’s eyes widened in shock before the ground rumbled under their feet and another wave of lasers slammed into the shields, cracks beginning to spiderweb through them.

“The hell was that, Fly!?” The female Changeling shouted, her other hand glowing with another purple ring as she added more magic to her shield as her partner mirrored her actions.

“I-I-” The pink mare stuttered, staring at the talisman in her hand as thoughts rushed through her head. The miracle had failed, her magic had failed… her faith had failed. But why? All the faith she had in her team had been more than enough the first time and even during training, and yet it had failed her when she needed it most. So why had she failed!?

Like the flip of a switch, everything slowed down. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, the sensation of the steady and slow filling and emptying of her lungs reaching through her. She watched the burning red bullets of light fly through the air towards them only to splash against the purple and green magic of the Changelings’ shields like rain on a window. She felt her breath roll up and out of her chest as she turned and looked towards the sirens behind her. The two older sirens stared unblinkingly at the army of cogs in front of them, the gold seapony clutching the youngest to her as the blue-haired siren sobbed. They needed a hero… but she was all they had. No one was coming for them. The others were all busy fighting their own battles and facing down their own demons. And she was here, failing at her only job….

“No.” Firefly clenched her teeth and looked back towards the cogs facing her, lightning flashing through her eyes. She had to- no, she needed to do this. To protect those behind her. To protect those in front of her. To protect those yet to come. And she had the strength to do it. With hardened eyes, she lifted her scroll and once more began to say her miracle, but this time she began channeling her pegasus magic. “-And, lo and behold, the monstrous drake lay dead at the knight’s feet!” Lightning jumped into her hand and she looked to the sky and launched the spear of electricity into the sky. A second ticked by as the streak of yellow disappeared only for the skies to turn black as the mix of Mia and Octavius’ lessons coalesced into a storm of unnatural proportions. Thousands of bolts of lightning lanced from the sky, and a single, almighty boom ripped through the air and earth as the flash of light blinded the entire party.

The Changelings flinched as their shields shattered like glass, bringing their arms up to cover their eyes. All the while, Firefly stared hard as the results of her spell played out in front of her, the sirens behind her holding each other close as the held their eyes closed. The thunderous storm only lasted a moment or two longer before it faded away just as quickly as it had appeared. Tarsi and Thorax slowly brought down their arms as the sirens behind them blinked their eyes open again as the pegasus between them finally started panting after the effort she’d thrown forth.

“...Jeez, Firefly,” Thorax muttered, eyes wide as his gaze swept over the smoking scrap yard that had once been an army. “Where were you hiding all of that?”

“Oh, you know,” the mare panted, throwing up a terse smile as she got her breath back. “Back pocket.”

This drew a short breath of laughter from the male Changeling before he made his way over to the sirens. “Everyone alright?” He asked as he stopped next to them and offered a hand.

“Little shaken,” the eldest answered as she moved so the blue sea pony could take the insectoid’s hand and stand up. “But we’ll be fine.”

“Speak for yourself, Adagio,” Aria muttered, still blinking her eyes to clear them from the blinding light.

“Adagio?” Thorax repeated as he helped the blue siren lean against him before giving a small smile. “That’s a pretty name.”

The gold siren looked up and eyed him for a moment. “Yes, it is,” Adagio answered as she got to her feet, hands going to her hips. “Beautiful and alluring, just as it was designed.” She almost seemed to have a predatory tone as she said this, though even Firefly could feel how thin the veil was between the siren’s strength and weakness. However, this did little to encourage the Changeling’s tact.

Thorax gave a short chuckle before he looked to the shorter sea pony at his side. “And what about you?” He asked, a small smile still playing on his features. “What’s your name?”

The blue-haired siren looked up at him, her cheeks brightening up slightly. “Um…” she started, looking down to hide the grin growing on her features before looking up again. “I’m Sona-”

“Fly!” The blue siren stopped short as the entire group looked up in the direction of the shout to find Cobalt flying down to meet them, scorch marks and slashes in his canvas jacket and armor underneath telling the story of his battle. “What are you guys doing out here?”

“We were forced to change course,” the pink mare answered as the thestral landed next to them. As the stallion curled up his wings, Firefly looked around, a frown forming at what she didn’t find. “Where are the others?”

The dark pony’s brows furrowed as he grew a frown of his own. “They’re not with you?” He questioned, the mare only shaking her head in response. Cobalt started to say something else only to stop as a soft hissing met their ears. They turned back towards the walls of the crystal castle to see Chris step out of the wall, shadowy gray energy in the pools of his arm and leg armor.

“Finally found you guys,” the armored man said, stepping down to the ground before jogging over. He stopped and looked up around the group, stopping on the sirens who drew back cautiously. “...Where’d you guys pick up the Dazzlings from?” He asked as gridlines drew themselves over his helmet before it dematerialized to show off his look of confusion.

The sirens’ eyes widened at that, Adagio’s mouth falling agape. “How did you-”

“Sorry, that’s a long answer that will have to wait,” Chris interrupted, lifting a hand and casting a short, reassuring smile before he looked to the others. “...Where’s Sweetie?”

“Last we saw her,” Tarsi spoke up, her eyes starting to dart around the battlefield. “She was throwing down with Midnight.”

“WHAT!?”

The Ranger’s roar was cut off by the rumbling of the ground, the group lurching their gazes up towards the corner of the castle. The group stepped back as they watched a purple claw curl around the crystal, cracking it as the beast’s head came out from around the corner. “You don’t know how to leave well enough alone, do you?” Spike’s voice boomed over the ruins of Ponyville, the drake growing even larger as it spoke.

“Guys…” the young man breathed before his helmet rematerialized. “Run!” The entire group turned-tail and put their boots to the ground, Chris raising his hand to the side of his helmet. “Sunset!? Sunset, come in!”

“Chris?” The fiery mare’s voice buzzed through the coms. “What’s going on? You went dark after your report.”

“Get the strike force out of here!” Chris replied, looking back over his shoulder as the bipedal dragon’s wings loomed over them.

“What do you- What the hell is that!?” Chris winced as Sunset’s voice ripped through the earpiece.

“The reason you need to get the strike force out!” The ranger shouted in response as the rumbling of their enemy grew louder in his ears. He moved his hand back down as Sunset’s voice began to frantically shout orders. “Cobalt! Where was Sweetie Belle when you last saw her!?”

“She was in the throne room!” The stallion shouted in return, glancing back towards the man only for his eyes to widen at what he saw behind them and quickly turn back around. “She and Midnight teleported away!”

“Scheisse,” Chris muttered before he lifted his right hand. Suddenly, the Static surrounding his unit shot from them to his hand, coalescing in a cascade of colorful energy. It took a few seconds before a line of pale green Static joined the mass from behind them and instantly the Ranger’s eyes widened inside his helmet. “Gott verdammt alles!” The man spun with his next step, sliding to a stop as the rest of his party ran by. All except Cobalt.

“What are you doing?” The thestral questioned as he skidded to a halt next to him. “Do you see that!” He threw his hand out in front of him as if to display the enormous purple and green dragon in front of them. Spike’s head-fins had hardened to point forward in a pseudo-mohawk, the scales having hardened into sharp peaks. His ear fins had solidified as well to be more like spines, the green scales on his upper chest hardening into a three-pointed crest while four large spines had grown out of his back, two out of his shoulder-blades with a smaller one below each. The drake’s tail had also grown longer in comparison to his smaller form, pairs of green spikes forming at the base of his tail and halfway down it. Spike straightened up on his digitigrade legs, his humanoid form completing itself with spikes sprouting from his elbows to compliment his elongated talons and the lance-like ornament at the end of his tail. Emerald green eyes stared down at the pair, a loud rumbling growl echoing out of his chest as his wings spread to cast a shadow on them.

Man and stallion stared up at their nemesis, the pony’s eyes wide in fear as Chris’ expression was hidden under his helm. “...Get out of here, Co,” the man spoke up, taking a step forward and raised a hand to the side of his helmet again. “I’ll cover you guys.”

Cobalt Steel jerked his gaze to his friend, a look of concern taking over his features. “What do you mean you’ll cover us?” The pony questioned, turning towards him. “This isn’t a machine captain, Chris. You’ll be crushed!”

“Not with the Megazord,” Chris said before his glove pressed against his helmet’s fin. “Astro, Delta, I need you. Send the galaxy gliders to pick up the others.” As he put his hand down, a flash of light and color lit up behind the castle before six different colored streaks of light shot into the sky. Five changed course and sped towards them, while the sixth, the silver stream, made its way towards the tallest tower of the crystal castle, only to ricochet off of a teal barrier that suddenly flashed into life.

The man frowned as the other five galaxy gliders raced by, the black glider coming to a stop next to Cobalt. “Get the others to safety, Cobalt,” the ranger said, voice stern. “That’s an order.” The dark thestral looked up at the ranger, eyes roaming his squared shoulders, straightened back, and planted feet.

Finally, he nodded. “Yes, sir,” he replied before stepping onto his board and racing off just as the loud roar of engines filled the air. Chris looked up to the sky just as the Astro and Delta Megaships screamed onto the scene, a barrage of laser fire rushing forward to meet Spike the dragon. The behemoth of a drake crossed his arms in front of his chest, wings snapping closed around his body as the bolts slammed into the diamond-like purple scales. The pair of ships never let up until they buzzed passed him and the castle, shooting off just passed his shoulders.

“Coming your way, Astro!” Chris warned as he tensed his body. He leaped into the air, a burst of Static carrying him up into the air as the disk-shaped ship flew by and caught him. The ranger settled into his seat on the bridge, taking the controls. “Astro, Delta, fighter mode.”

“Sir,” DECA’s electronic voice spoke up even as the Delta could be seen taking off into the atmosphere outside. “Transforming the Astro Megaship into fighter mode with only one pilot is ill-advised. Doing so could cause serious mental and physical backlash-”

“Just put Astra on deck like last time,” Chris interrupted, checking some of the gauges and meters on the console. “I’ve got an idea.”

“As you command,” DECA replied before the Astro tilted up towards the atmosphere and shot upwards. Chris was teleported into the Megazord cockpit where he sat forward and grabbed the controls.

“I’m going to need you big time on this one, Sam,” he said as the Astro began to transform next to the nearly complete Delta.

Whatever you need, bro, Samson replied, bringing himself up in their collective consciousness. What’s the plan?

“Something reckless,” the physical brother muttered in response before he took a breath. “Astro, Delta, begin link up!” The Delta suddenly glowed with blue energy outside, its body splitting apart into four parts; the ship’s lower legs, main body, and head. The Astro responded by folding its arms back, the ship-like helm folding up. The parts of the Delta converged on the Astro before attaching like armor to the huge machine. The lower legs of the Delta formed boot-like armor on the legs of its sister-zord, the main body wrapping and twisting to form a chest piece and arms with shoulder-mounted gatling guns before the nose of the Delta split horizontally into two pieces, most of the cockpit coming to dock on the Astro’s back while a smaller portion formed a black, triangular visor for the Megazord, twin cannons on either side of the robot’s head.

“Docking sequence successful,” DECA announced, the Megazord’s sword and shield coming to rest in its hands. “Astro Delta transformation complete.”

Chris grit his teeth as he felt the weight of the controls slam down on him and his brother, Sam letting out a strained growl. “Delta,” Chris muttered, grip tight on the controls. “Use your AI to help us pilot.” The weight alleviated slightly on the pair and the Ranger began to pant heavily. A grin broke out on his face. “Let’s get to work.” Thrusters suddenly blasted into life as the Megazord rushed back down to the ground below. Spike’s head lurched up from he’d been stomping towards the Everfree, following the Megazord’s dissent with his eyes before it landed on the battlefield in front of him with a solid boom.

“Hmph,” the dragon grunted, green jets of flame leaving his nostrils. “And here I thought you ran away.”

“Rangers never run,” Chris replied, his voice booming from the mecha.

The dragon grunted as he took a battle-stance, the enormous machine in front of him mirroring him. “Big words,” he growled, flames licking his lips and fangs as he spoke. “Hope you can back them up!” With that, Spike rushed forward with his claws splayed. The Astro Delta raised its shield, sparks flying off of the surface as green talons slashed across it. The mech threw its shield out to the side, deflecting the dragon's limb before it slashed down with its sword. Spike reacted by lifting his other arm, wing following suit to intercept the blade.

The saber slid from the hardened scales, opening the Megazord’s defenses. The dragon twisted his body, launching his tail forward towards the mecha’s face and cockpit. The Gyro Blaster congruent to the lance-like tail turned and fired, the laser bolts slamming into the appendage and knocking it away as the Astro Delta stepped back. Spike righted himself just in time to slam his palm down on the flat of the Astro Saber, knocking it into the ground with the power of its thrust. The drake hiked up one leg and cannoned it into the Astro Delta’s chest, sending up a shower of sparks as the Megazord stumbled back.

Chris gritted his teeth as the mech got its feet back under itself. “Gr… alright then,” he muttered, the dark visors of his helmet gleaming as he leveled his gaze on the dragon outside. Green and orange Static surged through him before he reached across the console in front of him and pushed the button that opened the battlizer port. He put his hand over it and the energy surrounding him trailed down his arm and into the port. On the outside, the Megazord straightened up emotionlessly, Spike tensing up as his eyes narrowed. Slowly, the Astro Delta raised its arm up to its sides and dropped the Astro Saber and Shield. Both weapons boomed to the ground before red and black Static burst out around it. The Gyro Blasters on its shoulders folded up before rotating to store themselves behind the Megazord’s shoulders as the machine took a step back and raised its fists like a boxer.

Spike stared at the Megazord in confusion before he hardened his gaze. His tail thrashed and slammed into the ground before the huge drake rocketed forward, fists clenched and held out to his sides. With a roar that streamed green flames from the corners of his jaws, he threw a monstrous right hook that could have crumbled a mountain only to have it met with the Megazord’s arm as it blocked the blow.

The dragon’s eyes widened before he brought his hand up to catch the robot’s counterpunch. His eyes bugged out, though, as the Astro Delta drove its knee up into his soft belly. He loosed his grip on the machine’s fist as he stumbled back only for the limb that had blocked his haymaker slammed into his torso, staggering him further. He was forced to step back as another blow from the other limb slammed down into his shoulder only for his chin to be knocked up as an uppercut followed it. That blow was followed by another and another and another and soon the Megazord was all but running forward, arms swinging back and forth as its fists separated from the wrists and flew around the machine under their own boosters.

Spike was lifted off his feet by the force and could do little else but absorb the pain of the rocket-propelled knuckles slamming into his body over and over again until his back slammed into something solid. The dragon let out a deafening roar of pain, his limbs slumping against the structure he’d crashed into before coming to a limp rest. “SPIKE!” The dragon’s emerald eye shot open and he looked to his left where he saw Midnight Sparkle at the edge of the tallest tower’s parapets with an off-white unicorn behind her. And in the dark Alicorn’s quivering eyes he saw fear.

His pupils narrowed to slits and with a roar, he thrust his tail out towards the Megazord towering over him. The Astro Delta’s left hand shot out, having returned to the wrist, and caught the attack just behind the enlarged tail spike. With that, time slowed to a crawl as the machine drew its right arm back, its other hand reattaching with the Astro Saber in tow before it swung down. The slash cleaved through scale and flesh, splitting the huge crest on the dragon’s chest in twain as blood gushed from the wound. Spike’s eyes quivered before they turned empty, a gasp escaping his lips as his head fell back against the crystal castle.

“NOOO!!!”

With the roar of pain and grief ripping through the air, time resumed. “Sweetie Belle!” Chris’ voice boomed out before the Astro Delta’s empty hand shot across its body and rushed towards the top of the tower. Midnight slammed her eyes shut as she grit her teeth against the hoarse pain of her throat, flinching as the air rushed past her ears. She only opened them when the end didn’t come and a whistling howl filled the air. Her eyes widened at the hunched figure of the Astro Delta before she threw her gaze skyward just in time to see a silver streak race towards her. All at once, her entire world was consumed by fire from above and below.

As the twin explosions of the silver galaxy glider self-destructing and the Explosion Static soaked boxing gloves detonating faded, the Astro Delta slowly moved its hand out away from its chest and uncurled its fingers. In the middle of the machine’s palm sat Sweetie Belle, Static of red, black, green, and orange shining almost blindingly all around her. “You okay?” Chris’ voice asked as the Static died down around the mare.

Sweetie stared up dumbfoundedly at the machine before she nodded hesitantly. A tired, worried sigh sounded out before light surrounded the unicorn. In a flash of light, the mare found herself in the cockpit next to Chris, his helmet off as sweat poured down his face. “I should be asking you that,” she said, putting a hand to his shoulder as she leaned forward with a frown.

The man nodded tiredly before he raised a hand up to meet hers. “I’ll be fine,” he answered before he moved his hand back to the controls, maneuvering them until the mecha started to rise from the ground back towards the atmosphere. As the Megazords began to deconstruct themselves and transform, Chris and Sweetie were teleported into the Astro’s cockpit. As they settled back, Chris glanced back towards his marefriend. “What happened up there?”

Sweetie went quiet for a second as she lowered her eyes and brought her other hand up, opening it up to show off the two silver pieces of her staff’s shattered charm. “Nothing good….”

“Gah!” Sweetie cried out as her back slammed into the tower’s parapet, though her voice was no match for the deafening boom of thunder that shook the air. Midnight was thrown back, opposite from her as the lightning exploded through the air. The two mares slammed their hands over their ears as they waited for the light to fade, eyes clamped shut. A few moments later and the off-white unicorn gasped for air, her back and shoulders throbbing with pain. Her eyes fell open as she leaned forward, trying to take some of the pressure off her back only to stop as a glint caught her gaze. She looked over and her breath caught in her throat as she saw the remains of her staff, the polished, carved wood splintered and shattered almost perfectly in the middle.

“No… no, please…” she murmured, waving her hand towards the kindling. The staff glowed in pale green light before shrinking down and jumping into her hand. Upturning her palm, Sweetie stared down at the shattered remains of her staff’s charm… her symbol of power and accomplishment shattered to pieces. The mare cried out as something slammed into her shoulder, slamming and pinning her back against the crystal.

“Aww, something the matter?” Midnight questioned in a sour-sweet tone before snarling and forcing her boot deeper into the younger mare’s shoulder. She smirked as the unicorn let out another cry of pain. “Am I being too rough?” The dark alicorn bent over her pray, Sweetie looking up at her captor with wide eyes. “I’m going to show you true pain. The pain of losing everything before you lose yourself. I’m going to make you watch as I kill every single piece of trash you call an ally. Only then, when I’ve torn down your petty resistance and slaughtered your friends, I’ll break you. I will torture and torment you until you’re on the brink of death, but I won’t let you die. You’re going to come back again, and again, and again until you are nothing more than a broken down pile of shit! ...And then you will have my permission to di-”

Shaking and rumbling cut the older pony off as the quake unbalanced her. Taking her chance, Sweetie’s horn ignited and she thrust her hand up, magic energy forming a rushing wall that slammed into the alicorn and threw her away. Gritting her teeth, the off-white mare put her feet under her and jumped to the side before a blast of turquoise magic obliterated the wall behind her. She rolled to her feet, yanking her zeo laser blade from its sheath as Midnight turned her enraged snarl on her again, hands, horn, and saber burning with her magic. Before either of them could move, though, the tower under their feet shook violently once more as a shadow started to fall on them.

Both mare’s jerked their eyes up towards the source, and both widened them. But only Midnight grew a chilling grin. She let out a mad chuckle that quickly devolved into manic laughter before she shifted her gaze to Sweetie’s petrified figure. “Problem!?” She yelled over the roar of shifting scales and collapsing crystal walls. When the pale unicorn turned her frightened stare on her, her grin widened before she pointed up towards Spike’s massive form. “That is why you cannot win. You cannot possibly fathom the power we possess… and how badly we’ve been dying to use every ounce of it to crush you.”

Sweetie Belle’s pupils turned to pinpricks as the alicorn turned fully to face her only to stop as the screaming of engines filled the air alongside a flash of polychromatic light. She shot her eyes to the sky where she saw the galaxy gliders rocket into the air, most of which changed course and screamed away from the castle. However, the pale unicorn’s terrified gaze broke into a triumphant smirk as she saw her silver glider rush towards the tower. “Sorry, Midnight!” She yelled over the roar of jets as she started to step backward. “We’ll have to reschedule our play date!”

The dark alicorn ripped her eyes from the silver board and turned them on the mare behind her, eyes widening as she realized what was about to happen. “No,” she growled, once again shooting her gaze towards the galaxy glider. “You will not escape!” She thrust the blade of her saber into the air, teal magic exploding out to form a dome that met the glider mid-air and deflected it. The board flipped backward several times before it stabilized and hovered in place as if waiting for the barrier to drop. This only made Midnight smirk. “Quite loyal, isn’t it?” She questioned, throwing her look back towards her opponent. “I know a thing or two about that.”

The unicorn’s face contorted into confusion at that before the air rumbled with the much louder screaming of much larger engines. The mages looked up past the giant mass of purple dragon in front of them to watch as twin black ships, one disk-shaped and the other more of a star, raced into view, letting hell rain down in the form of laser fire on the enormous drake. Sweetie Belle raised her hands as the ships raced back, fully expecting the ships’ cannons to obliterate the tower with them on top. Except, they didn’t. Instead, any burning bolts racing towards them either detonated on impact with Midnight’s shields or bounced off. Pale green eyes looked back towards the dark mare at the center of the tower, and, for the first time, her eyes were neither filled with fear or rage but with… awe.

Midnight’s smirk morphed into a snarl, a ‘tsk’ escaping her as she watched the twin ships race up into the sky, a streak of silver, red, and blue racing up to meet the disk-shaped ship. “Persistent, isn’t he?” The dark alicorn growled before she ripped her eyes from the sky. “Spike! Go! Tear the resistance apart! End this now!”

The great dragon turned his head, emerald eye landing on the mare before he blinked and nodded. The ground rumbled as the dragon started forward and the purple mare let out a heinous chuckle. “This is it,” she murmured. “This is the day it ends.” She strode forward, an almost giddy energy in her steps. She stopped as she reached the edge of the tower, leaning and putting her hands on the parapets. “The day it all ends….”

Sweetie stared at the older pony. Had she been forgotten? Or was the evil warlord simply biding her time, allowing her prey a chance to relax before snatching away hope at the last second? Her thoughts were interrupted as the thunder of jets once more filled the air. She looked to the sky to find a Megazord unlike any she’d seen race down to the earth. Her eyes widened as she saw it land between the Everfree and colossal dragon, only just realizing that in a few moments Spike had made his way out of Ponyville and halfway across the planes to the trees.

The dragon huffed. “And here I thought you ran away,” he boomed over the battlefield.

“Rangers never run,” the machine answered with Chris’ voice.

“Big words… hope you can back them up!” Spike roared, rushing forward and the fight began.

Sweetie’s eyes widened and her ears twitched as the titans fought against one another. She flinched when another bout of manic laughter reached her ears and drew her attention to Midnight. “Yes, Spike,” the mare hissed, her expression hidden from Sweetie’s gaze. “Tear him down to dust. Show them our power!” The off-white unicorn gaped at the mare before a loud boom drew her back to the fight. The dragon let his leg fall back to the ground as the black Megazord backpedaled to regain its balance. It stopped and straightened up, Sweetie letting out a gasp as it dropped both its shield and sword.

“No, Chris,” she murmured, rushing to the short wall. “What are you doing?” Red and black energy suddenly buzzed out around the machine, both mares leaning back with confused looks. “What…?” Mech and dragon lunged towards each other and after a short exchange of blows, it was clear which had the upper hand.

“No…” Midnight whispered before her snarl returned. “Fight back, Spike! You have to win!” Sweetie Belle glanced towards the older pony, a strange feeling creeping into her heart as she looked into the mulberry eyes blazing with teal energy. Hatred, power, rage, all these filled the fiery orbs… but so did fear. “No!” The alicorn clenched her hands only for both of them to lift their hands over their faces and brace themselves as the huge purple drake was pummeled into the side of the castle. “SPIKE!” The young unicorn looked up, gawking as all remnants of anger and resolve were torn away from her opponent’s expression. In its place, horror and panic ruled….

“And then you…” Sweetie Belle stopped, biting her lip as her hands clenched her robes. She let out a shutter that steadied as the man beside her wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Chris didn’t say anything, simply held her as she calmed down, leaning against his chest as they sat on their couch. “...I didn’t want to do it,” he finally muttered, eyes locked on the floor. The mare in his arms looked up at him, worry filling her eyes. She didn’t need to speak to prompt him forward. “I… I know what Spike is supposed to be. He’s supposed to be friendly, childish… the kind that you’re glad to have at your back…. And the entire time we were fighting, all I could see was that happy, optimistic baby dragon he was supposed to be.” The man stopped and lifted a shaky hand, looking at it like it was a deadly serpent. “And I killed him.”

He fell silent, lowering his hand back down. All the while, Sweetie Belle continued to look up into his eyes, searching for… something. After a few more moments, she simply let out a breath and laid her head against his chest again. “...We can’t save everybody,” she murmured, shifting slightly as the only response she got was her boyfriend holding a little tighter. The couple stayed curled up together on the couch, letting the time begin to fade away. It wasn’t until Chris’ eyes began to feel heavy that anything disturbed them.

The jingle of Sweetie’s communicator jostled both of them awake, the man blinking tiredly as the mare yawned and lifted her wrist. “Sweetie he-”

“SWEETIE DIANA BELLE!!!”

Man and mare flinched as the yell filled their tiny apartment, the sounds of barking, hissing, and yowling churning up the background. “If you don’t come down here and get the twins, I’ll- I’ll- I’ll go nuts damn it!!!” Without another word, the call cut out, leaving the pair to stare in fear at the tiny device on Sweetie’s wrist.

“...I’m just gonna-”

“Yep.”

Sweetie all but teleported from the young man’s lap, rushing out the door as fast as she could. Chris was left in his stupor, mind still frazzled. After a moment, he shook his head and blinked. “Rarity never curses.”

Across the planes, passed the decrepit remains of Ponyville, the crystal castle stood. Its walls, that had never been affected by the elements or any other outside force, appeared haggard and ruined. The entirety of the tallest tower’s crown was gone, the melted and cracked crater the only evidence it had ever existed. A large portion of the stronghold’s southwestern wall had been carved in and the front of the castle was pockmarked with holes and craters, both big and small. But, to top it all, was the pile of scorched and wrecked remains of the cog army.

Inside, the scene wasn't much different. Bodies of the androids lay strewn about the halls, their corpses left to be forgotten. No sound could be heard within the corridors, the death of silence reigning over all… except in the furthest corner of the structure.

Deep beneath the ground of the once menacing fortress, a black smear trailed down a curved out tunnel. The stain trailed down the crystal, following the slow, painful sound of a long screech followed by a clanging thump. Staroid, hand pressed against the wall as he limped along, seemed to be the only living thing still within the four walls. The machine captain had seen better days.

His armor was filled with hole and gouges, wires poking out and mechanical fluid leaking into the floor. His right arm was completely absent, the foot on the same side hanging on by a bundle of wires as it was dragged along. His remaining eye shone dully in the dark, flickering constantly as he strived forward toward his goal.

Finally, he reached it, resting his shoulder against the wall as he reached his hand out to the lonely wooden door before him. The hinges swung open with a soft squeal, letting the sinister light within fall into the hall. Slowly, carefully, the machine made his way inside, eye flickering as he tried to take everything in. An alchemic circle filled the center of the floor, pulsing with a strange purple light while six thick white candles dripped wax onto the floor around it and cast a sickly green light. From the ceiling hung beaded lines and veils, unidentifiable and archaic ingredients hanging from them, casting distorted and monstrous shadows on the walls.

Staroid let his gaze sweep back over the room, optics buzzing critically until he stopped. With a shudder, he began to limp into the room, a few drops of his internal fluids splattering onto the circle. He stopped once he reached the edge of the shadows, in which a single cot could be made out. On it rested Spike the dragon, blood-stained bandages wrapped around his torso tightly. His breath came in shallow, painful gurgles, his mouth gaping as dark, sickly smoke drifted from his nostrils. And over him hunched the solitary figure of Midnight Sparkle, armor and clothing ripped, dented, and scorched. Wounds seemed to cover her body, left unattended and bare to the world.

The room was void of any sound for several long minutes, only the flicker of flame and spark of electronics breaking the silence. “...When Sombra arrives,” the mare suddenly spoke up, not looking up at her most loyal machine. “Bring him to me. Until then, do not disturb us….”

The machine stood quietly for a moment before he bowed to the best of his ability. “Yes, mistress,” he answered quietly before turning and thumping his way out the door, closing it as he went.

Midnight was left in the crippling half-light, shadows engulfing her face. Her body shuddered and a hoarse gasp escaped her as she reached a hand out and rested it on the dragon’s forearm. “I promise you, Spike…” she mumbled hoarsely, using her other hand to wipe the tears from her cheeks before opening her eyes and bathing the corner in burning teal light. “I’ll make them pay… I’ll make them pay with their lives….”

Author's Note

The battle wages and the team shows their true strength. But what has been revealed in combat? And what decisions will leave a scar on the war?

And after twenty-five more pages of editing, the next chapter is done. Now, I want to talk about a few things. One, my plan for uploads. The next chapter is a crossover that is mostly complete. I need to add in the EP-only scenes and some light editing and it'll be up. After that, it's a brand new, all EP chapter. It shouldn't be long but that's what I said about this one so.... Anyway, after all of that, I've got three crossovers planned, but after those, I'm going to seriously cut back on crosses so that I can continue to move the story along.
Second, alongside the next chapter, I'm going to be posting blogs, or at least a blog, on characters and their powers/abilities. I feel like this important for both the story and for crossovers. I have a set of rules that are set in stone for character powers and I feel very uncomfortable in being forced to bend or break those rules. That will absolutely not happen anymore.
Lastly, something that I have seen a lot of authors on this site bring up. The comments. An author's lifeblood is feedback, and it fuels us to work faster and better. That is part of the reason these last two chapters took so long. I did not feel very motivated to write because I have had very little feedback on the last few chapters I posted. I would like some sort of reaction even if it is as little as leaving a text box with the letter "A" in it. At least then I know somebody has read the chapter and would like to see more.

Thank you all for being patient with my ramblings. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If you saw a mistake, have a criticism, or just want to have a little fun, leave it in the comments below. As always, I hope everyone has a great one and I'll see you guys in the next one!

Chapter 24- Calm Before The Storm pt. 1 [CO]

Chapter 24-

Calm Before the Storm pt. 1

Chris stood in his lab, standing over his most advanced project yet. He chuckled as he thought it might possibly be his life’s work. He shook his head and focused on his task, beginning to hum a happy little tune. Three weeks had come and gone since the rescue of the sirens and the death of Spike, bookmarking the first time the Resistance had actually gained members instead of losing them during a battle. Chris’ grin grew at that thought. Things really are starting to look up, he thought to himself before a sharp, electrical pop drew his attention back to his project.

So enthralled with his work that the engineer didn’t hear the door behind him open up behind him. Sweetie Belle stuck her head inside, taking a quick look around before she spotted her boyfriend. A mischievous smirk spread over the mare’s features as she watched his back. She opened the door slowly, quietly entering the lab space and closing the door behind her. With practiced grace, the unicorn crept up behind the young man, stopping just short of her target and waiting.

After a few moments, Chris let out a sigh that visibly moved him, putting down the tool in his hand before resting both against his hips. Then the pony struck. “...CHRIS!”

“SCHEISSE!” The man yelled out, jumping so high his head slammed into the ceiling with a bang.

Sweetie winced, jumping back as the blond crashed back to the floor. Letting out a sympathetic hiss of pain, the mare stepped forward to help him as he sat up, rubbing his head. “Sorry,” she apologized as he took the hand she offered him. “I didn’t think you’d react that badly.”

“Yes, because sneaking up on and scaring the Scheiße out of a soldier is a good idea,” Chris replied in sarcastic pain as he got to his feet. This only drew a frown from his marefriend.

“Hey,” she chastised, pointing a finger at him. “I said I was sorry, no need to get nasty.” She huffed a bit as Chris’ annoyed face morphed into confusion. She looked away from him, eyes landing briefly on the jumble of parts behind the man. “What are you working on in here, anyway?”

“Huh?” He questioned still rubbing the back of his head before he followed his gaze with his own. His eyes widened and body stiffened before he tried to put himself between the table and the mare. “I-It’s nothing! Just a side project, that’s all!”

Sweetie raised an eyebrow at that as she stepped back. “Oookay…” she muttered before cocked a hip and put her knuckles to her side. “You know I don’t believe you, right?” Sweat visibly appeared on the man’s forehead as he gave a strained smile. The mare just grinned and rolled her eyes. With the speed of a serpent, her hand shot out and grabbed the front of his red shirt. In a flash, the couple appeared on the other side of the lab.

“Wha- Wait! Sweetie, don’t-” The youth was too late as his marefriend released him and disappeared with a cocky grin. Chris whipped around where he stood just in time to see the pony’s body stiffen in front of the table.

“...Chris….”

The man winced before he took several steps forward. “Sweetie, I swear I can explain-”

“What in Tartarus!” The mare began to yell as she whirled around to face him and shoved the faceplate of a cog up into his face. “Could possibly explain this!” Gray eyes searched the metallic mask before shifting to the angry expression on the unicorn’s face and the terror in her eyes.

Chris hesitated for several moments before he gave a deep, shuddering sigh, reaching up to take the faceplate. “I’ve been working on it for a little while now,” he finally murmured, stepping forward to stand beside her as he looked down at the complete inner workings of what looked like a massively over-complicated cog minus the head. “It’s supposed to be a sort of… prosthetic….”

The mare’s expression shifted into confusion at that, glancing briefly at the partially assembled machine before returning her gaze to Chris’ frown. “What kind of injury could warrant a prosthetic like this?” She questioned, her voice terse.

“Not an injury,” Chris replied, bringing a hand up to rest on the skeleton’s arm. “A complete lack of an operational body….” The mare’s uncertainty only grew for a moment before her eyes widened in realization.

“You mean,” she began, turning away from him to look over the body again. “All of this… is for Sam?”

The only reply the man gave her at first was a nod. “Sam needs to feel free,” Chris started, letting out a breath. “But I can’t keep lying to him the way I have been. You guys were right about that much.” He lifted his hand and gestured over the machine. “With this… I won’t have to lie, and Sam… Sam can have all the freedom he could ever want. ...I wanted to surprise him with it for Hearth’s Warming.”

The mare once again turned her eyes on the man, her gaze softening as a small smile snuck its way onto her face. “You’re a big old softy, you know that?” The mare joked, pushing against his side and hugging his arm. Her smile widened as she got the desired effect from her actions when the blond let his frown change to a small smile and a chuckle escaped him. He looked away from his work and put his unoccupied hand on her shoulder as one of her hands found his other and their fingers intertwined. Both of them gave soft sighs, Sweetie moving her head to lay against his arm, a comfortable silence falling between them for several moments. “...Speaking of Samson, where is he?”

“And under Article Three, Paragraph Thirteen,” Trixie droned on, her expression as bored as any normal mare would be reading Written Law’s Review of the Iron Wing Accords, Ninth Edition. “Any being, regardless of species, gender, or diplomatic status who maims, tortures, and/or torments any other sentient being during a time of war with the express purpose of killing thorough cruel or unusual means shall be presented to a court of law. Upon being found guilty, the individual may be sentenced to public execu- Come on, Sam. This is the single most boring thing Trixie has ever read in her life.”

“How could you think this is boring?” Samson questioned as he hovered over her shoulder, excitement clear in his voice. “You get history and law all in one!”

The blue mare let out a sigh as she sat back in her chair, turning to look at the floating black orb. “Trixie swears you are the only one she knows that takes pleasure in this,” she said as she held a finger between the book’s pages and closed it. “It’s also a bit unnerving. Just sitting down here, reading law, and being so close to… him.” The unicorn pursed her lips and nodded towards the stasis chamber in which Discord slept.

“It’s not that bad,” the orb argued, floating back a bit. “And besides, I heard it was good to read to comatose patients while they slept. Supposed to help them recover or something.”

“Can you even be sure he can hear us?” Trixie asked, a look of uncertainty crossing her face as she looked past Sam and towards the tank. Samson fell silent at that, remaining that way for a long moment before he seemed to turn and hover towards the front of the chamber.

“...I’d like to think so,” he finally murmured. “I’d like to think we can help everybody….” The magician behind him watched the orb with sad eyes before she let out a morose sigh.

“Oh, Sam…” she whispered under her breath as she looked down at the floor. The mare didn’t look up again until a flash of light caught the corner of her eye. Her head shot back up and her eyes narrowed, searching the room as she began to pull on her magic and that of the Alicorn Amulet around her neck. “Did you see that?”

“See what?” Sam asked, the sphere of spiritual energy turning towards her before another spark of energy arced between him and the stasis chamber.

“Sam!” Trixie’s warning came all too late as a portal opened up between the ball of spiritual being and the spirit of chaos. The dark mass swallowed the former whole, closing just as quickly as it had as it had opened. The blue mare jumped to her feet, eyes jerking from one side to the other.

“Sam?” She called quietly, hand clenching up as she drew it towards the cold feeling in her chest. “Samson?” The blood pounded in the mare’s ears, pupils shrinking before she turned tail and sprinted out of the room. “Artemus!”

“Not really sure,” Chris answered, his smile still warming his face. “But I’m sure he couldn’t be getting up to too much trouble.” With no further warning, a portal swirled into life behind the pair, each flinching and widening their eyes in response before light glowed around the young man. He stole one last look at his mare friend before he condensed into a ball and shot into the doorway.

The swirling breach blinked out of existence, leaving the off-white mare to herself as equipment rattled to a halt and papers fluttered down towards the ground. After a few moments, the mare frowned in annoyance and sighed as she crossed her arms. “Damn it.”

The True Me

Perspective: Lightningman

“Dude, don't be a (Beep), this'll be fun. Whos going first?”

“Who went first in the show, they should probably go first.”

“Good idea Karen.”

"I believe Applejack went first." I try to remember when suddenly there's a loud noise from outside that obviously wasn't the storm.

"That definitely wasn't the storm. Karen?"

"On it sir. There appears to be a human outside." Said, Karen, as the Warmachine armor flew to & formed around Thomas. Outside, the rain poured down on a young man that seemed to be in his early twenties. His reddish-brown hair clung to his head and fell into his eyes as he began to stand to his feet, a portal closing behind him. His blue and white vest covered a red t-shirt, matching bracers adorning his forearms. His lower half was covered in slightly baggy, black cargo pants and combat boots.

"(Beep) it no more- Did I just (Beep)ing beep?" He questioned, hazel eyes widening as he put a hand on his head.

I walked outside. "Seriously? I'm still dealing with Thomas. Why are you here?" I help him up. "Nevermind. Are you ok? Need healing or anything like that? Twilight's inside, she can help you out."

"Thanks, but I'm not hurt... this time," the redhead answered before his brow furrowed. "Wait, what do you mean, 'why am I here'? Didn't you activate my Token?"

"I'm not a displaced." I deadpan. "And Thomas never got any token. So you must have fallen through the weak barrier that is my world." I hold out my hand. "My name is Lightningman. Human Ambassador to Equestria, and as of defeating Blueblood tomorrow, Prince of Equestria." I smile. I then point at Thomas over my shoulder. "And that's Thomas Quill, he got here the same way you did, he just decided to stick around to see me kick the (Beep) out of Blueblood."

"You know our names-" Thomas was saying.

"Ahem."

"And that's Karen, now as I was saying, you know our names, what's yours?"

The young man straightened up. "Samson Jaeger, Psycho Ranger." Immediately I put up my arms and charged them full of electricity when I heard the word "Psycho."

"You better explain that name before he electrocutes you," Thomas said through his armor with the slightest hint of a smile heard in his voice somehow.

"Yeah, I'm the more reasonable than my other half." I narrow my eyes. "He's more likely to kill you before hearing you out with that name."

Samson dropped into a fighting stance, blue-green and yellow electricity dancing over his body in kind. "Chill," he answered in a stern voice. "It's just the name of my powers. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Your powers are named psycho? What do they do?" I lowered the voltage on my arms.

"Psycho powers, your a Power Ranger Displaced aren't you? Only you got the powers of an evil ranger instead of a good one."

"You're right on the money," Samson replied, pointing towards Thomas for a moment as he straightened up and canceled out the multi-colored electricity. "Only Chris was actually dressed as Psycho Yellow when we got displaced. As for what they do, there's a myriad of things. Elemental manipulation and magic, physical enhancements, weapon creation, flight, and all that's even before I have a chance to morph properly."

"Chris?" I asked. "Who's that?"

"That is an excellent question Lightningman, who is Chris?" Asked Karen.

"Chris suffered from multiple personality disorder back on Earth,” Samson began to explain. “I was the second personality. When he was sent to Equestria, the disorder evolved until..." He lifted his arms a bit. "Here I am...."

"So your a personality separate from the physical body you originated from?" I smiled. "Darkning's gonna like you."

"Wanna come inside Samson?" Said Thomas pointing over his shoulder at the TreeBrary.

"Um, yeah, sure," he answered, a confused look flashing over his face at the name "Darkning". "It has to beat standing out here in the rain."

I opened the door for you two to come inside. "We're on the 'Look Before You Sleep' episode."

"Did you like this episode Samson? ‘Cause I didn't."

The Ranger shook his head. "Not in particular," he answered. "Then again the whole 'brony' thing was Chris' gig. I just have a penchant for hitting stuff."

"Yeah, Dark is definitely gonna like you." I smiled as I took my mask off.

"This is gonna be fun to explain," said Thomas as we walked into the TreeBrary and stepped out of his suit.

"I kinda wish you guys would," Sam said as he entered behind them, a flash of red lightning traveling over his body and drying him of rain. "You guys keep mentioning this 'Darkning' guy and how much I'm gonna like him but I've got no idea what you mean."

"He's all of my anger and sadness manifested into a corporeal being. He's like you."

"Implying Samson is an emotion or emotions manifested into a physical being," Thomas said getting Twilight's attention during the pillow fight.

Samson stopped in the middle of the room. "He's... he's an emotional construct...?" He breathed hesitantly, his voice quieting at the information.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I'm surprised there's more like him."

"Well, since no one else is gonna do it... Samson, Twilight, Twilight, Samson."

The young man hesitated for a few seconds as he looked at the purple unicorn. "...Sorry," he finally muttered, taking his gaze off her and looking at the floor. "Just...."

"Whats wrong?" I asked a bit concerned. "You're my guest here. You can tell."

"It's just...," the redhead rubbed the back of his neck nervously before he let out a breath. "I never met my Twilight. The closest I've ever come is... well when she was trying to kill me and my friends...."

"Ah, so your an alt universe." I nodded. "Let me guess, the myasma or whatever its called is somehow involved?"

"The myasma?" Asked Thomas.

"You know, that thing Luna created to be Nightmare Moon. It’s either miasma or myasma. One of those."

"Oh, that thing... I always just called it Nightmare."

"Actually, Nightmare Moon is my commanding officer," the ranger explained, with a small shrug. "In a roundabout sort of way, anyway. My Twilight went bad of her own free will."

"Oh? Huh." I stay silent for a second. "That's... kinda weird. But, you don't question alts." I shrugged. I then pull out Sam in wand form and say. "Sam, could you make three beds for us?"

"I'd hold off on that, remember what the storm does later in the episode," Thomas suggested.

"That's why I'm making it downstairs."

"Fair enough." He shrugged.

"So," Samson said, setting himself down on the ground. "You mentioned something about becoming a prince of Equestria. What exactly did you mean by that?"

"I mean once I defeat BlueBlood I take his place," Lightningman explained.

"Speaking of that,” Thomas spoke up. “I know this guy named Nathan & he'd love to see you beat Blueblood. Is it OK if I summon him here?"

"Fine." I roll my eyes. "Might as well since we already have three."

"I'll summon him tomorrow... mainly because he won't fit in the TreeBrary."

"Ok." I look outside. "It's getting late." I put down my wand and there were three beds. "Go ahead and pick one."

"Wow," Sam said, raising an eyebrow. "You guys are really on about beating Blueblood...."

"You were in Chris's head when he watched the show and read fanfictions... you must know why we hate Blueblood."

"Yeah. He's one of the biggest (Beep)holes in the show,” Lightningman added. “And, considering his involvement in it is minimal, I'm free to hurt him."

"He only had an important role in the season 1 finale if my memory is right."

"Sooo, because you don't like him," Samson started, his eyebrow dropping back down. "You're going to hurt him?"

"And because he treats Rarity like crap” Lightning added. “He's spoiled, and he doesn't deserve the title of prince. I'm not much better, but I would be better than him."

"Anyone would be better than him," Thomas agreed.

Samson was quiet for a few moments before he gave a little sigh. "I guess... I guess you're not wrong...," he said slowly and quietly, closing his eyes and leaning back a little. "Just... don't hurt him too badly, yeah?"

"No promises." I shrug. "I haven't gone full out ever in my life since I got these powers. This is my chance."

"Let me rephrase what Samson said; just don't kill him, ‘cause then you'd be worse than him."

"Honestly, it doesn't look good either way," Samson iterated, keeping his eyes closed. "Is Blueblood a douchebag that needs to be taken down a peg? Probably. But at the same time, you're superhuman with extremely powerful abilities and he's... well, just an average unicorn."

"Fine." I rolled my eyes. "Blue probably will want a deathmatch anyway."

"He probably will, but I don't think Celestia will be ok with that," Thomas said as Samson only frowned at what he heard and fell silent.

"Anyway." I suddenly got an idea. "Thomas, tomorrow you want to fight?"

"My super advanced tech versus your lightning... sounds like fun."

"Lightning, aura, and my cards," I corrected.

"Right... those too."

"Now that sounds like something to watch," Sam said in a low, calm voice as he cracked an eye open.

"Yeah. Maybe I can face you after I face him. It would be a good test of my abilities." I smiled and hopped on the balls of my feet a bit excitedly.

"Your gonna be fighting 3 people tomorrow if you challenge him to... isn't that gonna be exhausting?"

I gave him a deadpan look. "I've stayed conscious through at least 3 or 4 days of no food. And I was only beginning to feel the hunger when I ate those s'mores. So give me some credit for my stamina."

"That's... a very fair point."

The redhead gave a little chuckle. "Reminds me of Chris," he said. "But yeah sure, why not? It's actually been a while since I got my own hands dirty in a fight."

"Alright. Then rest and get ready for tomorrow." I jumped onto one of the beds and instantly fell asleep.

"One does not simply fall asleep on demand," Thomas said as he looked at me.

Samson looked hesitantly at one of the beds before he got to his feet. "That's... discouraging...," he muttered at Thomas' comment as he crawled into the bed. He spent several moments staring up at the ceiling.

"So your really gonna fight him, even though you're a Psycho Ranger... I hope you realize your gonna kick his ass. ‘Cause if your anything like the Power Rangers Displaced fics I've read, you have the powers of all five Power Rangers, Psycho Rangers in this case, not just the one you were Displaced as."

Sam shrugged in his bed. "We won't know that until we fight," he said. "Who wins comes down to more than just powers. You have to consider armor, equipment, experience, hundreds of tiny variables that could change the flow of battle."

"I guess that's true," said Thomas getting into the final bed. "We should at least try to get to bed, night Samson."

"G'night," Samson muttered in response, still staring at the ceiling for a few more minutes before finally closing his eyes.

The next morning, I woke up. I grabbed my cards and checked what multiplier I would get. "Hmm... 254x attack. and 198x defense. Will probably hurt though." I shrugged. "Ehh, it'll be fine." I got them prepared for deployment"The (Beep) are you doing up so early?" Asked Thomas getting out of bed. "Better question; how the (Beep) did we sleep through what happened last night?"

“You guys? No clue. Me? Heavy sleeper. And I'm getting ready for our fight."

"How do you guys sleep at all?" Sam questioned as he caught out of bed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well; when your a teenage superhero trying to balance life, school & superheroing, you get tired... a lot."

"I have no life, so its easier for me." I shrugged. "When and where are we meeting Blueblood so you can kick his ass?" Asked Thomas.

"At the castle in...," I look outside, "2 or 3 hours."

"Got it. Anyway, I'm gonna go summon that friend I mentioned, feel free to join me," said Thomas heading outside.

Samson glanced towards Lightningman before giving a little shrug. "Might as well," he said before leaving the library to follow Thomas outside.

"OK Karen, summon Nathan." Said Thomas, now in his suit, as a portal opened in front of him and a blue Mustang Saleen came charging out of it hitting Thomas, sending him back into the TreeBrary.

"Thomas, that you? Sorry, Bro" said the car as it turned into a cop car then a giant robot.

"That was totally wicked! Let's do it again!" Said Thomas coming back outside.

"Dude, are you trying to make Twilight mad?" I walked out with my mask on. "Hey, Nathan. " I waved.

"So Thomas told you about me,” the transformer said. “Speaking of, Thomas, why am I here?"

"Lightningman challenged Blueblood for the title of prince of Equestria, he gets to kick the (Beep) out of him."

"You summoned me to watch this man beat up Blueblood... good, I hope it teaches him a lesson & did you beep?"

"Yes, yes I did."

"What the actual (beep)?" Samson questioned, glaring up at the sky for a moment at the censorship.

"Don't question the beeps. It was like that for me as well," said a voice issuing from the walls. I barely flinched.

"Sweet baby Jesus, what is that?" Asked Nathan.

"The Author."

Samson's eye twitched for a moment before he pinched the bridge of his nose. "You'd think I'd be used to things like this...."

"Not really." I shook my head. "The author is the future version of myself."

"I'm sorry, how the (Beep) does- oh great I beep as well." Said Nathan.

"We all beep." Said Thomas.

"Well scrap... haha, my transformer alternative swears still work!" Said Nathan.

"That's actually not the weirdest thing I've ever heard," Samson said, pointing towards Nathan for a split second.

"Yo, author?" I call-up."Yeah?" He asked.

"Canterlot castle please." Suddenly we appear right in the middle of a busy ongoing day court.

"Well, that's useful." Said Nathan.

"I know right." Said Thomas.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," Sam muttered in a strained voice as he doubled over and put his hands on his knees.

"Not here dude." I rolled my eyes and looked at Celestia, who, to say the very least, was shocked. "Hi, Celest. I'm here for the test."

"And we brought some friends, this is Samson and Nathan," said Thomas, pointing to each Displaced.

Samson looked up from his bent over position and, seeing Celestia, turned his eyes away as an unreadable expression passed over his face. "Hey...," he muttered quietly.

"Don't mind him, princess. He's from an alternate universe where Twilight is evil and Nightmare Moon is good." This shocked a lot of ponies but Celestia regained her composure first.

"Very well. we just have to wait for Blueblood and the Element Bearers and we can begin."

"I like this world, they aren't freaking out too badly about the giant alien robot," said Nathan.

"Yeah, this world’s weird like that," said, Thomas, as the doors opened and the Mane Six and Spike walked in."Hey, girls." I waved.

"I don't believe we've been introduced, my names Barricade but you can call me Nathan."

"Now all we're missing is Blueblood," said Thomas, as the doors opened again.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Thomas and Nathan said at the same time.

"Don't insult the devil by comparing him to BlueBlood." I joked.

"You right," said Nathan.

"OK, we ready to start this?"

"Yeah," I recall what I remembered about equestrian history.

"OK, then let's get this test over with," said Thomas.

"Test? I thought you said he got to kick the (Beep) out of Blueblood," said Nathan.

"He does, he has to take a test first," said Thomas.

"Oh... OK, that... makes sense," said Nathan. I summoned some paper and Celestia started to write down the questions. "How many questions are there?" Asked Nathan.

"Probably a lot," said Thomas.

"Aye, poke me when they're done," Samson mumbled, folding his legs under himself as a darkish aura flared around him, lifting him into the air slightly. I blinked a few times and then shrugged.

"Well, let’s get this over with," said Nathan as him and Thomas sat down. Celestia brought us into a room and closed the door behind us.

Once I was done, I left the room and handed the paper to Celestia. I smiled and poked Samson to get him to pay attention.

"Well that was faster then I thought it would be." Said Nathan.

"Agreed." Said Thomas.

"Must've not been that hard of a test, huh?" Samson added, his aura flaring to lift him up and place him on his feet.

"Not really for me." I shrugged. "Blueblood probably doesn't know at least 2 of the questions."

"At least we can finally get to your fight." Said Thomas.

"I'm gonna love this." Said Nathan.

"Just remember to not go too hard on him," Sam said, patting Lightningman on the shoulder. "Other than that, good luck." I nod and head for the battlefield. Once there, I make sure my dark stone armor is secured beneath my costume.

"Shall we begin?" Asked Nathan.

"That joke is extremely overused." Said Thomas getting a rude gesture in return. "(Beep) you to."

"Anybody got some popcorn?" Samson questioned as he followed along. "Learned from a friend that these things are always best enjoyed with some nice, buttery snacks."

I then got an idea. "Thomas? Send Karen down here will ya?"

"OK..." said Thomas as he got out of his suit and gave Karen control. "Here she comes."

"What do you need Lightningman?" Asked Karen.

"I'm gonna work on some of your wirings quickly." I open up the armor and begin to add some things. "Tell me when you gain internet access. My lightning somehow works as memory banks for the internet when I left. So, when I give you a bit of my power, you should have permanent Internet access." I finally figured out a way to give her my electricity without frying her. I slowly charged up the circuits.

"You're turning her into a computer?" Asked Thomas.

"A SUPER computer." Corrected Karen.

"Dude your A.I.'s got some serious sass." Said Nathan.

"No. Computers need access to the internet from external sources. She won't." I close up the armor. " I put in a music preset. “I’ll speak the passphrase when the battle starts."

"So what, she is the internet now?" Asked Nathan.

"OK, that's (Beep)ing awesome!" Exclaimed Thomas.

"Technically yes, but technically no. She's basically a highly advanced internet server. She works the internet, but she is not the actual internet."

"Still awesome dude." Said both Thomas and Nathan.

"True." I shrugged. "Karen, you still working fine or did my utter disregard for normal physics with my imprinted lightning break you?"

"All systems operating at full compacity." Said Karen."Well, that's good to hear." Said Thomas."Can we just start this fight already?" Asked Nathan.

"Oh, yeah. Blueblood should be here soon." I sighed. "Usually my standalone adventures are longer than this."

"Finally," muttered Thomas.

"Let's get this show on the road." Said Nathan.

"You guys can create an internet link in a foreign dimension and we still don't have any popcorn?" Samson questioned jokingly. "Man, really gonna have to tell Chris to get on that portable snack machine."

I laughed. "Maybe I should get one as well for trips." I face the opponent's side and sighed. I then thought, "Sam?"

"Yeah, dad?" Sam asked in my mind.

"It's time for a new transformation for you." I took out the wand and held it in my hands like I was about to pull a sword out of a sheath. The wand started to glow and grow until I felt a firm leather grip in my hand. I slowly pulled the sword out, the Magical Steel forming as it left my hand. Once fully formed, I began to practice with it a bit. I wasn't that good. But I could hold my own in a fight. I started to practice some counter moves and such.

"Why the (Beep) is Blueblood so late? He can teleport for (Beep)s sake," said Thomas annoyed that the fight still hadn't started yet.

"Dude, you need to chill," said Nathan.

"Yeah. His test is probably too hard for him." At that moment Blueblood walked in with a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Why the (Beep) are you smirking?" Asked Thomas.

"Yeah, you're about to get your (Beep) kicked... why would you be looking forward to that?" Asked Nathan.

"He could be a masochist," said Karen.

I narrowed my eyes. "Or he has something planned. How long it took wasn't because of the test, was it? KAREN! THERMALS! CHECK FOR UNKNOWN PONIES!"

"Scanning... scanning... not counting the crowd there are 4 unknown ponies in the area," said Karen.

"Tase them," said Thomas.

"Little (Beep) boy was about to cheat," said Nathan as Karen tased the hidden ponies.

Samson narrowed his eyes. "Hey, Lightningman? Remember what I said about not going to hard on him?" The man said, a frown forming on his face. "(Beep) that, go as far as you can without killing him."

"I thought going hard on him was killing him?" I put my head to one side and smiled. Suddenly there was a loud charging up sound as Blueblood sent a powerful burst of magic my way. I merely smiled and didn’t move.

"Why isn't he moving?" Asked Nathan.

"’Cause he's got a plan," said Thomas.

"This is gonna be fun," Samson said, crossing his legs and using his aura to float. The magic spell hit me and I slipped back a few meters, but it dissipated instantly. Almost everybody widened their eyes and their jaws dropped. I smiled and rolled up my sleeve showing a black glint of metal."You recognize this Blueblood?" I smiled. "No? Well, maybe Celestia and Twilight can tell you?" I looked at them and they were horrified and surprised. "Technically you can't punish me for wearing this since I'm the human ambassador. Diplomatic Immunity and all that." I smiled even wider.

"Told ya." Said Thomas.

"You knew?" Asked Nathan.

"Watched him make it dude." Said Thomas.

"What I don't get is why he'd be punished for wearing it...," Samson muttered as he watched the match closely.

"Because it negates all magic, but it pushes you back. I don't know why, but its illegal."

"Dude, armor that negates all magic would come so in handy in my universe." Said Thomas.

"That does sound useful." Said Nathan.

"Yeah, think I'll pass this time around," Samson said, casting a careful eye over the armor. I smiled and disappeared, appearing behind Blueblood. I swung my sword and managed to cut a bit off his hoof.

"Finally some action!" Exclaimed Thomas.

"Now we're getting to the good stuff." Said Nathan.

Samson winced. "Ooo, that's going to sting."

Blueblood jumped back and looked at the cut on his hoof. He frowned and then his horn started to glow again. It looked like he was going to heal his hoof so I rushed forward, then I noticed that the injury wasn't healing. I looked around and spotted some debris flying towards me. "Uh oh." I got slammed by it and it sent me flying about 5 or 6 feet. I shook my head and got back up. "So you're smarter than I gave you credit for? You used your hoof as a distraction." I smiled. "This is fun. Karen! I think it's time for some music!" This phrase activated Karen and got her to play some music.

"Good choice of music." Said Thomas.

"The originals better." Said Nathan. I smiled as the music started. I began to run forward, trying to dodge any and all debris that was sent flying at me. A few things got me, though. There was even one that managed to cut through an unprotected place on my suit. It actually cut me. I winced and continued to run at him. Once close enough I slide as if going to get into cover and kicked his legs out from under him. I did a forward dodge roll to avoid another unaimed piece of debris and jumped backward and pinned him down. I stuck the point of the sword at the base of Blueblood's horn. If I applied a bit more pressure, it would start to carve a small hole into it. Thus every time he used magic, some of it would seep out and affect others nearby. But if I cut it off entirely, he wouldn't be able to use magic at all without pain.

"Yield," I said loudly.

"Well, that was fast." Said Thomas.

"You're surprised?" Asked Nathan.

"Statistically, the only way Blueblood was going to win is if he killed Lightningman. But he wouldn't do that because he's too scared of his auntie, and I don't mean Celestia." Said Karen, as Nathan and Thomas started laughing.

"Definitely impressive," Samson said, hand rubbing his chin. "And I do mean both of them. Never expected Blueblood to have those kinds of moves. Makes me wish he'd actually made it out of Canterlot...." Samson trailed off.

I got off Blueblood and he glared at me while walking away. I then turned to Thomas. "Your turn now."

"Oh, this is gonna be fun." Said Thomas.

"Good luck guys." Said Nathan.

"Thank you, Sir Nathan." Said Karen, as Thomas jumped into the ring.

Samson put his legs under him, taking a proper seat in the stands. "Now this I can't miss a beat on," he muttered to himself as his eyes glued to the combatants.

I get ready and raise 3 fingers. "Fight in 3...2...1... NOW!!" I turned and disappeared with a crack.

"Can you still see him on the scanners, Karen?" Asked Thomas.

"That I can not Sir," said Karen.

"Great... fighting blind," said Thomas.

"There are things that technology will never be able to do." Said my voice as I hid. I did my best to make sure that my voice echoed off the walls so that Karen would have a hard time pinpointing where I was. "And one of those things is beating people. People created machines. And we can destroy machines. Become to reliant on them. You will become one yourself."

"OK, you want to stay in the shadows?" Asked Thomas sarcastically as he popped up laser shooters on his wrist and hand spun in a 360 before landing on his knee. I managed to dodge the lasers, but the light that the lasers made revealed my location. I knew that this would be a good match. A supercomputer with high knowledge and a human with intuition versus a teenager with superpowers and almost little to no regard for his own life. I smiled. I ran forwards and pull out my cards. Suddenly it sounded like a lot of voices were issuing from my mouth saying different things as the entire pack glowed and shot into my body. I groaned and yelled as hundreds of voices issued into my head. I struggled to get my mind back as suddenly I heard Sam yell in my mind for silence.

Everyone shut up."Listen, everyone. My Dad is out there. He was the one who created all of you. If you want to continue to live, you will let him use you. Or else I will personally make sure that you are burned. Do you understand?" I was just kneeling there in wide open range. I looked inside my mind and saw hundreds of creatures in it. At last, they all nodded and the console opened up around them. They all put their hands on it. I opened my eyes. And smiled. I got up and stretched. This was a major strain on my body. Too much power in something that was barely able to contain it. I would be able to do this for an hour at most every week. "Now." Hundreds of voices were in unison. Some coming in late, some coming in early. But it was all obvious that they wanted to help and save their own bodies and souls. I point my finger at Thomas and Karen. "Give me all you got."

"Alright," said Thomas as his shoulder gun popped up and he fired it. I smiled and put my arm in front of my face. The bullets began to hit me. But... 'clink clink clink' went the bullets as they were stopped by both my armor and the aura that surrounded me, slowing them down considerably. "Bulletproof too, huh?" Asked Thomas sarcastically again. "I think I got a remedy for that." He said as he charged up his repulsor cannons. "Block this." He said firing his repulsors.

“Repulsors use electricity." I deadpan as I absorb it. "I am electricity."

"Shit... You got any ideas, Karen?" Asked Thomas.

"That I do, sir," said Karen as the Warmachine suit turned invisible.

"The suit can do that?" Asked Thomas surprised.

"Its a new function." Said Karen. "I recommend this function as well."

"OK, now I'm just stealing tech." Said, Thomas, as he activated this surprise function and seemingly nothing happened.

I raise an eyebrow. "Its a trap." I instantly said. I raise my arms and send a short burst of electricity at him to see what would happen.

"First of all; nice Star Wars reference, even if it's overused." Said Thomas, Nathan nodding in agreement. "Second of all; I'm down here," he said as I looked over my shoulder in time to see an ant-sized Warmachine punching me in the face. "And last of all; I love Ant-Man's tech." I winced as I felt the punch connect. I remember the Ant-man movie and his weaknesses. I surrounded myself with high voltage electricity and sat down. I began to vibrate my electricity at such a frequency it made sound waves. It was a shock and a sonic wave. It was emanating from me. "OK, do you just have a counter for everything?" Asked Thomas as he became normal size.

"He said to the dude who corrected his supercomputer." I point out with a smirk on my face.

"Oh, it’s on." Said, Thomas, as he became visible and grew in size and went to step on me.

"Oh, you have the Giant-Man setting too." Said Nathan.

"You have seen Civil War, yes?" I jumped out of the way and make my sword into a length of rope. I grabbed onto the ankle and tied it around the feet. I got off and used the attack multiplier of x254 to convert it to strength and pull.

"OK, no we've made a reference to a reference." Said, Thomas, as he fell to the ground and shrunk back to normal size. "Scrap, that (Beep)ing hurt."

"I told you. I'm a nerd. Hell, I'm a super nerd. Try beating me at brawn? You lose. Brains? That's my challenge." I smiled as the rope returned to a wand that I put in my pocket.

"Brains huh... Karen, take over." Said Thomas as he stepped out of his armour and had Nathan pull him back into the stands.

"It appears to be just me and you now." Said Karen. I then began to explain the intricacies of time travel and multiple universe theory as well as slipping in random tidbits of information about the Earth as fast as I could talk so I could overclock her processors.

"Well... shit." Said Thomas as Karen fell forward. "Guess you win." I burst out laughing as the cards left my body. I go and pick Karen up.

I looked at Celestia. "Announce my title as the prince at the grand galloping gala. Let blueblood stay until then." I then shouted. "Author! Ponyville."

Author's Note

...I have a lot to say about this chapter as a whole... but I believe it would be best to save those comments for the next chapter's "Author's Notes". That said, I'll talk to all of you more in the next one.

Chapter 24- Calm Before the Strom pt. 2 [CO]

Chapter 24-

Calm Before the Storm pt. 2

Everyone was suddenly at my home with Karen still hanging over my back."Your gonna fight Samson in Ponyville?" Asked Thomas."As soon as Karen is back online, we’ll fight." I nodded.

"What about you, Nathan, you wanna fight Lightningman?" Asked Thomas.

"Hell no! He's a (Beep)ing Jerry sue." Said Nathan.

"Great, even the characters are complaining now." Grumbled the real author. "The intelligence is real. The powers are supposed to be fake. Don't complain about him being too smart. His powers are understandable about being complained about."

"Just said he was op." Said Nathan defensively.

"Well, you beat the man in a can," Samson said, stretching his muscles and cracking his joints and knuckles. "But out of curiosity, just how overpowered do you think you are?"

"Out of 1 to 10? About a 7."

"Sounds about right." Said Thomas.

"More accurately, 7.333333333." Said Karen waking up.

"Her speech is still screwed up." I pointed out.

"But she's repairing." Said Nathan."Go ahead and power down Karen, take your time to fix yourself." Said Thomas as Karen powered down.

"You do know how to do maintenance on her and the armor, right?" Samson asked Thomas, a worried tone carrying over in his voice and expression.

"Don’t have to, she can do everything." Said Thomas.

"What if she's damaged beyond her own self-repair?" I asked. "You need to know these things."

"I have to agree," Samson said, wincing slightly. "AIs are awesome and can do a lot of amazing things, but at the same time, they still need our help."

"I personally know Tony Stark... he can take care of it and teach me." Said Thomas.

"Fine. Just make sure you do it when you leave. Until then, I'll fix your armor." I sighed. I then turned to Samson. "Ready?"

Samson grinned widely, a spark jumping into his eye. "More than ever," he answered, his body already tensing. "You want to start slow or go full throttle?"

"Slow at first, get used to each other's fighting styles. My body is still getting used to the power of my cards." I stretched and a few bones popped. I looked up and said, "Author? Stand proud please." I jumped back and got ready.

“Fighter one ready." Said Thomas pointing at me. "Fighter two ready." He said pointing to Samson. "Both fighters ready, fight!"

"Sounds good to me!" Samson shouted, tensing his arms and throwing them out, bluish-green electricity dancing over him. And with that, he ran forward, fist reared back as he accelerated to max speed. I saw him rushing in as I ducked down to avoid the punch. Once I did that I went behind him and grabbed his shoulder to steady myself and then elbowed the back of his neck. The ranger stumbled at the blow, looking like he was about to fall on his face only to reach his hand out and catch himself. The man lifted himself up on his hands and spun around, sending the heel of his boot towards my head. My increased heart rate started to send lightning through my veins. Which lessened the damage I took from the heel quite a bit. I smiled and pulled out my wand.

"Minuo." I pointed the wand at Samson. Samson's eyes went wide and dark orange and yellow electricity replaced the bluish-green. An explosion rocked the ground as he disappeared from sight.

"Hadouken!" The ranger shouted, his fist igniting in menacingly dark flames as the air around it shimmered from pure heat, swinging towards the hero in a blur of motion.

"(Beep.)" I jump out of the way and see where it was headed. "PROTEGO!" I yell to protect the house. The wake that left Sam's hand traveled into the shield before detonating into an explosion.

The man jumped back to make some space. "Well... that could've been a problem," he muttered, his Static canceling out. "Guess we should kick things up to the next level." He lifted his arm over his chest, sparks going over his watch before it turned into an oval-shaped device with a menacing looking, upside-down ‘M’. "It's morphin’ time," he said, taking a step back and putting his arm with his morpher at a ninety-degree angle, the index and middle fingers of his opposite hand on the face. "Go, Psycho!" He shouted, taking a step forward and throwing his morpher forward. Dark gray light covered him entirely before shattering outward, leaving Samson in the Psycho Shadow armor, scythe already in hand.

I blink a few times before smiling. "Sam? Distress call to Darkning. I need my other half." He was soon there and he transferred himself to me. I felt myself become whole again. I put my cards in front of me and activated them, multiplying my power. I smiled brightly, yet a bit madly, before a loud crack was heard and I vanished, reappearing behind the shadow ranger and punching him in the gut. The punch goes through Sam's stomach and out his back. I widened my eyes. "Huh." I pull my fist out but don't let my guard down.

"Funny thing about shadows," the Ranger said with a small shrug. "Ya can't touch'em... but they can touch you." Samson reared his unoccupied fist back and swung full force towards my chest. I widened my eyes and smiled. I got hit though.

"Another thing about shadows?" I wheezed. "Show them the light and they disappear." I began to hasten my body’s circulatory system, causing the electricity to heat my body up and create light. Sam put an arm up to the visor of his helmet like he was trying block out the light only for the squares in his gauntlets to turn gold, the light getting drawn into them.

"And sometimes the shadows devour the light!" The ranger answered before the golden squares glowed and an explosion of energy threw us both back.

"Oof." I slammed into the wall. I shook my head. "Ok. Can't hit him, but if I get those gauntlets, he won't be able to absorb the light." I said to myself. Samson hit the ground and rolled several feet before he twisted up into a kneeling position, visors glued to me.

"Note to self," he muttered quietly. "Absorption can be overcharged by distance." With that he got to his feet, his scythe reforming in his hand. He hefted the blade, squares on his gauntlets and leg armor turning black before he slammed it into the ground, sending a trail of rocky spires towards my position. I got up and began to overcharge my body with electricity, slowly creating fire with my lightning. It hurt a lot, but It would be worth it for what I had in mind. I ran towards him and began to heat him up with as much fire as I could. Taking his own lightning to fuel me. The Ranger tensed as he felt the elements of the Static shield go haywire, trying to manipulate the one element that was being fed into him, fire, to regenerate those being weakened. I smiled as I see him panic. I turned off my lightning and started to punch as hard as I could at the gauntlet. The magic of the cards really helping there as I started to see cracking coming from the gauntlets immediately. Sam gritted his teeth as he felt the ports of his gauntlets give way. In a last-ditch effort, he dropped his guard and leaned just out of reach of the punches, throwing up a leg and kicking me away from him as he jumped back. "Gotta admit," he called out as gridlines formed over his armor, the suit dissipating and leaving him demorphed. "That's actually pretty impressive. I'm gonna have to tell Chris about that when I get home."

"Hmm... Maybe I can tell him myself." I smiled a bit and point my wand at his head. "MENTIS INFRACTIO!!" With that my consciousness was sent into his mind. I shook my mental head and looked around. I saw the body controls. But they were more complicated than I had anticipated. I shrug as I begin to associate certain parts with his body. I finally found the mouth and vocal cords. I activated them and said, "Testing testing. Is anybody listening? If you are, then I'm currently in your mind. Come get me." I turned off all motor functions before running towards the mental functions.

Sam's eyes widened and he fell forwards onto the ground. His pupils shrank and he began to hyperventilate in panic. No, nonono! He screamed internally before an orb of light shot out from behind a building, rushing into him as a familiar weight entered his mind.

"GET OF HIS HEAD!!!" A voice of rage shouted as a man with blonde hair and gray eyes appeared next to my avatar, punching me with the force of a freight train and launching me out of Samson's mental scape. I smiled as I felt this.

"So you have a mental guardian?" I smiled brightly. "This is fun." I let Darkning have control of my physical body as I sent myself back in. I reactivated the physical functions since my real body had someone to control it. I looked around for the guardian. I began to whistle. "Yo! Where are you? I came here so I could leave a mental suggestion. I didn't mean harm him in here. I was literally just gonna leave a message like a voicemail." I heard some air being pushed and dodged to the left as a fist was sent flying at my head to get me out again. I grabbed the arm and forced him to the ground, preventing him from moving. "Listen... Wait. Are you Chris?"

"Verdammt richtig!" The blonde answered, anger in his voice. "Why the Hölle would you invade someone's mind just to leave a message!?"

"Chris...?" Samson muttered groggily as he stood to his feet shakily. "What are you... doing here...?"

"Focus out there, Sam!" Chris interrupted, seeming to throw a look to the outside before focusing on me again.

"Because most people forget about details when they get back home." I got off him and extended a hand to help him up. "Like me. Whenever I get home, I immediately forget most of the schooling that I had gotten that day, I figured this would be the same for Samson and whatnot." I shrugged. "Oh also..." I turn on the vocal cords. "Darkning. DO NOT ATTACK! I REPEAT! DO NOT ATTACK. I'm fine in here. I'm talking to Chris. Besides, Samson isn't used to other people in his mind. So it wouldn't be that much of a victory." I gave the vocal cords back to Samson as I helped Chris up. "There you go." I smiled.

Chris took the hand and stood. "Our situation is a bit more serious than a day at school," he muttered before giving a sigh. "But I guess the concern is warranted. Oh, and there's no need for Darkning to go easy on Samson. He's completely fine with us in here. Right, Sam?"

"We're talking about this when we get home," Sam answered darkly, lowering into a fighting stance and motioning for his opponent to come at him. "Now let's do this."

"Hold on. You currently have an advantage with both your halves, Darkning needs me." I smiled as I sent myself back into my body. I sighed as I stretched. I then started to think. "Alright. I know how to beat Shadow Ranger. But Samson should have more up his sleeve than that." I chuckled. "This is fun. Darkning? You think you can take care of this? You're the anger. Use that." I gave control to Darkning and my body changed as well as my costume.

"Now then," Darkning said. "Get ready." He looks up at the sky. "DUALITY!"

"Ah, (Beep)," Sam muttered, tightening his stance. "Chris, hold on."

Hanging on! Came the reply as Chris melded his consciousness with Sam's. A dark aura burst out around Sam, sweeping his hair up and filling the whites of his eyes with power as dark red and orange electricity danced over him.

"Go, Psycho!" He shouted again, bringing up his morpher and letting the aura rush towards him and condense over his body. The light shattered and he was once more garbed in his armor, the color having changed to an iridescent steel color as dark gray, red, and orange energy swam in the ports of his reformed gauntlets and leg armor. "Let's rock!" Darkning immediately went on the offensive instead of making a plan like Lightning did when he faced him. He began to punch as fast as he could. The cards and his other half powering him up to almost breaking point. Sam became little more than a blur of electricity as he dodged most of the blows, catching those he couldn't with his palms."Back off!" He roared, taking a step back and rearing his palm back to slam it into Darkning's torso in a full-force palm strike that let out a resounding crack of the air pressure alone. Darkning keeled over. He shook his head and looked at the blur of lightning. He smiled and started to little by little take it away as he started to aim for the hand joints. Sam winced as he felt the shielding around his hands start to give out to the assault. With a growl, the energy in the ports of his armor glowed with orange and gold light before he disappeared from sight with a crack of the sound barrier."You guys don't let up, do you?" The Ranger called from the top of one of the buildings, the Obsidian Warscythe in his hand.

"Giving up is not our strongest suit," Darkning replied. He then chuckled. "We don't even have a giving up suit. Just this." He then pulled out Sam and turned her into a sword again. He disappeared and reappeared right next to Samson. He swung his sword to hit the warscythe. Blade met blade in a clash of metal and sparks.

"Good on you, then!" Samson cheered, the grin clear in his voice. "Let's make this fun!" With that, he forced the sword away, spinning the warscythe before swinging the blade towards his opponent's legs. Darkning jumped and landed on the blade of the warscythe. Taking his opportunity, Darkning punched Samson in the throat. "GAK!" The ranger gagged, stumbling back as his hand shot to his throat. His helmet raised to look at Darkning, a feral growl ripping through the air before the visor over his left eye cracked, black smoke leaking out.

Sam, what are-

"SHUT UP, CHRIS!" Samson roared, yanking the blade out from under his opponent's feet. He twisted the weapon until the butt of the staff faced Darkning, morphing into a lance head as the white of his armor turned pitch black, pools of energy shining in black and purple before he thrust the weapon forward. Darkning dodged to the right and grabbed his weapon.

"Did we make the ranger mad?" Darkning laughed. He heated himself up and started to melt the metal of the weapon.

"SHUT UP!" The ranger shouted, using his free hand to punch Darkning away from him. Without waiting, Samson rushed forward and knocked his opponent to his back, raising the blade of his warscythe up for the final blow. The edge sliced through the air before the ranger's arm jerked to a halt, a silvery orb hovering above Darkning.

"Hit him now!" Chris' voice shouted as an orange outline of the man holding back Sam's arm flashed around the orb. "All of you!" Darkning looked at the blade with mild interest. He then looked at Samson. He smiled and vanished, reappearing behind Samson and punching him in the back. Samson staggered forward onto his knees, the orb disappearing and reappearing behind the ranger before he was wrenched backward as if he was stuck in a hold."Hör auf herum zu ficken!" Chris shouted again, panic obvious in his voice. "Demorph him, NOW!!!"

"What the?" Darkning was concerned here. He went up and looked for the problem. He finally decided to demorph him and figure out if he needed medical attention.

"He's stuck in a rage!" Chris yelled as his projection struggled to hold back the Psycho Ranger. "You have to get him out of the armor!"

"I'm coming in!" I jumped into Samson's mind while Darkning tried to get the armor off.

Within Samson's mind, the young man's avatar struggled against a shadowy figure. "L-Lightning?" The man questioned before he shook his head. "Hit my armor with everything you've got! I can't power down while I'm fighting this thing!"

"Got it," I called out of the body. "CODE RED! HIT THE BODY WITH EVERYTHING!" Darkning nodded and held out Sam.

"Full power!" There was a crash from the library as the elements surrounded the wand. "EXPULSO!" There was a massive explosion as the spell hit Samson. The ranger was launched backward, grid lines forming over his armor before it dispersed. Samson hit the ground hard, rolling several feet before he stopped, vapor rising from where he'd been hit in the chest. As the vapor came off Samson's body, it started to swirl into two separate portal like things and out fell... two more humans.

"OH COME ON!" I yelled exasperatedly once I was back in my body

Both had spiky dark red hair, one short and the other stopping just past the shoulders. The former was dressed in a black undershirt, grey jacket, grey jeans, and black skate shoes with black and grey headset, two necklaces, one with claws and another with a drill-like key, a black handkerchief around his neck, black fingerless gloves, and a four inch long red and amber wristband. He also bore what seemed to be two katanas on his back with a red-bladed disk holstered between the handles. The other wore a black training tank-top with dirty yellow trim and pockets, an off-white robe lined on the inside with black material that covered most of his legs and all of his arms, a black headband with two horns and what looked like Japanese kanji between them on a metal plate, two gloves that also had metal plates, one having a circled carved out and the other a crescent moon, black pants, and shoes made of a strange material that went halfway up his leg and left his heel and toes exposed. He also had two huge swords on his back, one wrapped in bandages, two swords at his sides in scabbards, and a strangely familiar red and black metal brick hanging off the back of his belt, which kept his robes from flapping around in the wind. They were both out cold and on their chests and there was a strange weapon that looked to be a combination of a battleax and a double-edged scythe next to the latter.

"Holy description, Batman," said the author as I sighed and picked Samson up.

"Nathan, Thomas? You grab the new guys." I brought everybody to my home. I set Samson down on my couch. "Thomas, those guys might be threatening. When they wake up, aim your guns at them."

"Way the (Beep) ahead of you there." Said Thomas.

"Cool your jets, trigger finger, there's no indication their evil." Said Nathan.

"They have weapons as their symbols." I groaned. "Who knows what their names are. I had a violent reaction to the word psycho." I sat down. "Just... make sure their good people before you introduce me to them. I'm gonna tell Twi what happened." I left to go to the library.

From the couch, Sam let out a groan. "...Ow....," he murmured, bringing a hand up to his eyes.

The redhead with long hair was first to awaken. He groaned as he lifted himself off the floor."The (Beep) happ- did I just beep?" He asked.

"Sounds like it," said the other redhead, who was startled by the sudden beep. "Name?"

"Alexander, but I prefer Alex. You?"

"Masaru, but I prefer Sage. Keeps the ponies from flipping out, ya know?" Sage said.

"Yep, totally understand. I almost leveled Equestria when I showed up." Said Alex.

"What do you mean leveled?" Asked Thomas.

"My true form is a giant lava dragon with extreme anger issues, what do you expect from something that's angrier than the Hulk on a bad day and the size of a mountain? Also, hello. Who are you?" Alex said.

"Warmachine, but you can call me Thomas." Said Thomas.

“And I'm Barricade, also known as Nathan." Said Nathan.

"And I’m the author," said a voice from the walls.

"A man in a suit and a Cybertronian... Sounds like a bar joke in the making." Sage said. "Alright scales, let's get you up." He helped Alex up before looking around, seemingly in search of something. "Yo Rip, where are ya!?" He called.

"Out here! I was forgotten like last week's trash!" A deep voice replied. Sage left the house as Alex walked over to the rest of us.

"The lump on the couch is Samson, nice to meet you," the redhead muttered irritably at being ignored, rubbing his head as he sat up.

"For some reason, my gut’s telling me that bar joke is gonna get bigger." Said Nathan.

"I had that same feeling, weird." Said Thomas.

"Nice to meet you, Samson. Also, unless something happens to make it bigger, then it likely won't." Alex said.

"’Sup, Samson? Also, I agree with Alex on that." Sage said, walking back in with the strange weapon resting on his shoulder, scythe pointed down. "I'd like to introduce you all to Ripper. Say hi, Rip."

"Hey," Ripper said, causing the skull's mouth to glow, said skull somehow going unnoticed till now.

"Is a talking weapon new for anyone else?" Samson questioned before a silver sphere formed next to him.

"Pretty cool if you ask me," Chris said as he bobbed up and down in the air.

"No one asked you." Samson's hot retort brought the sphere to silence, Chris lowering to float a few inches lower.

"YOUR (BEEP)ING KIDDING ME! I’M HOUSING A SKULL WITH LASERS NOW!" I groaned as I walked inside. "Ju.... just..." I groaned. "I’m going to Fluttershy's. I haven't talked to her since we got together." I muttered as I left.

"Bye have a wonderful time!" Said Thomas.

"So, I guess that means we're hijacking this story... At least until he gets back." Said Nathan.

"I’m still watching you," deadpanned the author. "Also nice American dad reference."

"Well, that happened. Also no, my katanas have powerful dragons sealed inside them. It was done with consent, mainly because they would've died otherwise." Alex said, unsheathing his katanas. "Say hi you two."

"Oi, names Ragnarok. Nice to meet all of you." The left katana, Ragnarok, said.

"Same here. Names Yolkendov, I'm Ragnarok's twin brother." Said the right katana, Yolkendov.

"For the record, I don't shoot lasers, that's Sage's thing. Rather, the glow is my... well, the best way to explain it would be to call it 'reaper energy' since my blades are covered in a fire of the same colour when reaping souls, which is a baby blue, in case you were wondering what the exact colour was," Ripper said. His eye sockets lit up with blue embers acting as eyes to prove his point.

"Don't tell Lightning this. He reacted violently to psycho." the author sighed

"So no telling Lightningman about the dragons got it. I'm guessing we should also avoid mentioning how I'm the Incarnation of War and Destruction as well as a Demon King?" Sage said. "I'm also a Saiyan and infected with Blacklight, which is a sentient shapeshifting virus that's entirely under my control, in case any of you aren't aware of the game Prototype"

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Alex said, staring at Sage in shock.

"Do I even want to ask how you managed to get all of those?" Samson questioned, Chris floating up a bit only for the man to raise a finger angrily to stop his brother.

"Now I want to have a violent reaction." There were a few seconds of some clicks from a mouse when the author said. "There. Your powers are locked until I trust you both more."

"I got the king status from killing the last one and the incarnation status was earned over time as my power grew. I started out as an Ageless of War and Destruction, which is weaker than a god, and worked my way up from there. Then again, I run on a system called the Tiers of Divinity, with Ageless being the weakest and Incarnation being the strongest. I'd assume there are other systems out there which could leave me weaker than anticipated." Sage replied appearing to not have heard the author.

"And I thought my powers were complicated," Samson said, starting to stand up only to wobble a bit. "Ow... (Beep), that spell hurt a lot more than I thought at first...." It took a moment for the author's words to settle into the two new human’s minds. Once it finally did, there was an instant change in both's demeanor.

Alex began to have a panic attack, muttering things like "I need to hide." and "I need to avoid anything deadly." While Sage just placed his hands on the swords at his side and visibly put his guard up.

"Guys. I’m the author. I want to do something, I do it. I’ll give you back your powers tomorrow. For now Lightning should be back." A few clicks and the table was full of food. "As the celebration for his winning the title as Prince of Equestria." The voice cut out as I walked back inside and saw the food. I smiled and began to eat, not questioning it.

"Seriously, you really don't think that's too far?" Samson questioned, going over to Alex and attempting to calm him down.

"What happened?" I look at them. "Alternate universe breakdown?"

"Author you took their powers," Sam answered darkly, eyes narrowing. "Which, by the way, uncool."

"I don't know what the deal with Alex is, but the only reasons I'm not flipping out is Blacklight and my confidence in my physical capabilities," Sage said. "Also, Ripper and my robes should be disappearing soon." Just as he said that his robe dissipated like mist and Ripper shattered like items from SAO. This left the items attached to his belt on the floor, having fallen when his robe disappeared.

"Ok. I understand, but seriously?” Lightningman questioned. “You can't live a day without your powers?"

"Doesn't seem like it," Sage said.

"Not exactly. I have a factory and a cave that's cut off from magic, but I've never spent more than ten hours in there. I should be good so long as I treat the situation like I'm in my factory." Alex said, starting to calm down.

"As long as you stop freaking out." Said Nathan.

"Yep, done having a panic attack. Honestly, the same thing happened when I first put the anti-magic barriers in my cave and factory. Had to have someone slap me silly to recover from it." Alex said.

"Well, since that's settled, time to eat!" Sage said, digging into the food. "Mh! Gulp Might wanna make the food respawn, author. The lack of ki is making me extremely hungry."

"Ya know," Samson started, taking a seat at the table. "Despite the number of worlds I've been called to, I've still yet to actually eat anything."

"Then go ahead and eat. My last meal was those s'mores that we had yesterday night. So the author should have provided us with lots of food as recompense." I continue to eat.

"I'm not sure if you forgot, but I happen to be a Saiyan. I have Goku's appetite," Sage said. "Actually, I usually keep a pouch of infinite jerky on me." He pulled a pouch out of his right pocket, checked it, and placed it on his lap before continuing to eat.

"That's actually an ingenious solution," Chris said, coming to float at the table next to Samson as the man began to eat."Maybe when we get home we can implement it with the resistance's basic gear." The only reply he got from his brother was a sharp grunt as he rolled his eyes and kept his focus on chewing.

"But if we run out of food. Just ask the author." I shrugged. "My universe is probably already used to all of the constant 4th wall breakings. So a bit more food shouldn't do us in. I'm surprised I didn't think about it before." I suddenly groaned.

“An endless supply of food does sound useful." Said Thomas sitting down at the table.

"I guess me & Karen are the really lucky ones, we don't need to eat." Said Nathan.

"Doesn't that make you feel a bit..." Samson trailed off as he tried to think of the word he was looking for. "...Inhuman?"

“Not really no, I can still eat... I just don't have to," said Nathan

."Technically, I don't need to eat either since viruses aren't known to do so. I just eat because I can," Sage said. "Also, Samson, you sounded like you were in pain earlier. While I can't throw a healing spell or technique at you like I usually do, I do have something else." Sage pulled a small green bean from his right breast pocket and offered it to Samson.

"What is it?" Samson questioned, his grudge against his brother seeming to fade as he took the bean and held it up for both he and the silvery orb to inspect.

"Senzu bean. I've seen it heal fatal injuries like it was nothing. I don't use them much since I can easily stimulate my Blacklight to regenerate, but they're still useful to have on me," Sage replied. "They also fully restore your stamina."

"They’re also one of the Dragonball franchise’s biggest Deus ex machinas, as far as I'm aware," said Nathan. "Given I only watched DBZ Abridged."

"Same," said Thomas.

"Anyway," I said once I finished eating. "Its time for your tour. I haven't given Samson one yet."

"Sounds like a plan, man," Samson said, standing to his feet. "Just lead the way."

I got up and groaned. "We'll begin at Twi's and make our way around town until we hit Fluttershy's"

"That's cool with me. I need to move my stuff anyway," Sage said. He went over to his swords and metal block and rested them against a wall. While he did this, Alex nodded in agreement.

"I'm okay with that as well. What about you two? Will you be joining us?" Alex asked, looking at Nathan and Thomas.

"I will be, I haven't gotten the tour yet," said Nathan."Might as well join ya," said Thomas. Sam fell silent after hearing what their tour would consist of, Chris' orb coming up to hover next to his shoulder.

"You okay, bro-"

"Shut up, Chris," Sam interrupted in a small voice, falling in behind the others.

"Anyway, gather around. I'm gonna apparate us there."

"Daijōbu. Come, friends! Adventure awaits!" Sage exclaimed. He walked over and put his hand on me.

"Hai!" Alex shouted in reply, doing the same. I smiled and turned on the spot, dragging all of the other humans along with me. Eventually, there was a loud crack as we appeared right outside of Twilight's home.

"Everyone. This is Twilight’s home. Although since you are all displaced, I assume at least, then you should know this already. Come on, she's probably studying or something." I opened the door.

"Does that pony ever not study?" Asked Nathan.

"I don't think so," said Thomas.

Samson went up to the tree and put his hand to it. "You know, no matter how many times I see this place," he said before looking at the entire town around them. "I still can't quite connect it to Midnight's castle...."

"I see books... A lot of books." Sage said, looking around.

"Probably shouldn't smoke in here then, what with the lack of fire alarms and the countless flammable objects," Alex said. Sage and Alex shared a look before grinning.

"Guess who!?" They shouted at the same time.

"Guess who?" I looked in confusion. I shook my head. "But Twilight put a flame retardant spell on everything here. You'll be fine."

"Is Twi even back? Didn't we leave her at Canterlot?" Asked Thomas.

"I'm Pretty sure we did," said Nathan. "But keep in mind she can teleport."

"Hold on." I disapparated and apparated with all the girls a few seconds later.

"I feel like that's cheating the system." Said Thomas.

"Keep in mind Thomas that we are currently in a universe that treats the fourth wall like scrap," said Nathan.

"Whether it's cheating the system or not, it's obvious this isn't a Displaced universe so the fourth wall was (Beep)ed before we even got here as far as I'm concerned. The only good thing about the current situation is that Alex and I can't access our powers. I firebend when I'm startled and I'm guessing he breathes fire or spits lava when he's startled as well," Sage said.

"It depends on what form I'm in. I'm more likely to torch your face then melt it," Alex replied.

"I told you, you would get them back tomorrow," said the author.

"Why do we always ignore the ponies in the room?" Asked Thomas.

"Probably because they let us," Samson answered with a shrug. "That or we're more entertaining to watch."

"That's a fair point." Said Nathan.

"Actually I'm thinking that it's because they never interrupt us. They want to, but know we would just continue talking." I smiled.

"So are we gonna keep ignoring them or will we address them?" Sage asked.

"Honestly, I'm fine either way," Alex replied.

"Whatever the case," Samson said with a little shrug. "At least they're here."

"True." I shrugged as I turned to them. ¨Girls, we have new guests and some people that you might have seen but weren't introduced to. This is Thomas and Nathan." I pointed to them.

"Howdy, y'all," said Nathan.

"I'm pretty sure we've met actually," said Thomas.

"My name is Masaru Ametsuchi, but I prefer Sage," Sage said.

"And I'm Alexander, but I prefer Alex. I believe I speak for both of us when I say that it's a pleasure to meet all of you," Alex said, looking at Sage, who nodded.

"Samson Jaeger," the ranger greeted with a bow of his head as he ignored the silver orb floating behind him. "At your service."

"My apologies, my name's Barricade, but you can call me Nathan." Said Nathan.

"Now that we have introduced ourselves, I believe it is only customary for you to return the gesture," Sage said.

"Geez, you really are a ninja aren't you? You've been giving off that vibe, but to pull such a clean change of feel like that is certainly something expected of one," Alex said, looking at Sage from the corner of his eyes.

"You're just realizing that? I thought the headband and face mask would've been a clear indication. Then again, I'm not exactly wearing my mask right now... eh," Sage replied, crossing his arms.

"Anyway," I said to them. "I'm taking all of them for a tour. Next stop? Sweet Apple Acres."

"Another place I've never been," Samson muttered before he hit the heel of his fist to his other palm. "Actually, I could use this to get an accurate feel for enemy territory! Why didn't I think of that before?"

"Yeah, and it's also not like you haven't known about them before you got here anyway," I said.

"Actually, I haven't officially met them because I live in the Everfree and sneak around Ponyville whenever I do visit back in my Equestria," Sage said.

"Me and Nathan where Displaced to Equestria Girls universes," said Thomas.

"And my Equestria is stuck in a war that has forced every free being into the Castle of Two Sisters," Samson said, putting his hands in his pockets. "The only time I’ve been in Ponyville was an infiltration mission."

"Yeah. I guess," I rubbed the back of my neck. I then waved it off. "Pinkie will give you a party when we're the done the tour." At that moment I vanished to avoid a shot from the party cannon. I reappeared. "PINKIE!" I said short and loud. "Why'd you aim it at me?"

"Because I knew you'd avoid it!" She smiled innocently. She then frowned and began to bang the cannon. "This always jams." It then fired again and I ducked to avoid a punch bowl. The punch bowl soared towards Sage, who quickly vanished in a blur, reappearing next to Lightningman, revealing Alex who had been standing behind him.

"Genki-ippai." Alex deadpanned, getting covered in punch and receiving a new hat immediately after. "You suck, Sage."

"PFFFT! HA! Reflex?"

"Hahaha... That's a classic," said Nathan.

"It's not that funny," said Thomas.

"It kinda funny," said Nathan.

Samson let a little smile cross his face. "Glad to see that some things never change," he said with a lighter tone.

"Anyway..." I rolled my eyes. "SWEET APPLE ACRES! HO!" I grabbed them all and apparated us to the farm.

"You know... I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing all those apples," Sage said.

"Two things. One. I agree, and if they're anything like the ones from my Equestria, they're heavenly. Two, what the (Beep) keeps letting you speak before me most of the time?" Alex asked.

"(Beep) if I know. Fate? Heard she can be a (Beep) sometimes."

"Eh..."

"Knowing this universe's lack of a fourth wall, I'd say the reason Sage almost always talks first is because of your Author," said Thomas.

"That sounds creepily accurate," said Nathan.

"Can we please not talk about some higher power using us as puppets?" Samson grumbled, a small tick in his eyebrow as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Because to quote a certain chilly individual, ain't no strings on me." The silver orb behind him sank a little and drifted away from him a bit.

"If you're like me. It's not a higher power. It's just you from the future," I stated.

"I actually highly doubt that," Samson muttered, throwing a look over his shoulder at the silver orb and forcing his brother to sink a bit lower.

"Well, it makes some form of sense," said Nathan.

"Yeah, I'd rather believe me from the future is in charge of all of this bull(Beep) then some higher being," said Thomas.

"I like to think that one's imagination is the window to parallel universes and alternate realities that only you can access unless you write or type it somewhere. Also, Samson, why so harsh on the silver, wingless Zelda fairy?" Sage asked, turning to Samson. Alex followed suit, also curious.

"I think it's best we didn't pull the pin on that grenade...," Chris answered hesitantly, floating a little higher.

"Yeah," Samson agreed before his teeth grit together. "Let's not explode in front of a bunch of people were still getting to know."

"The fairy is Samson's other personality. Chris. I don't see a difference appearance wise." I smirk underneath my mask.

"Hahaha... That was both offensive and funny," said Nathan.

"I have to agree with him on that one," said Thomas.

"Enough of that. We're here on a tour, not a roasting parade." Sage said.

"So says the firebender."

"I haven't had a roasted dragon in a while." Alex shuffled slightly away from Sage, who only smirked evilly.

"Riiight...," Samson said slowly before he rolled his shoulders and cleared his throat. "But Sage is right about the tour."

"Yeah." I nodded. I then smelled something. I looked around and smelled my clothes. "WHOA!" I backed up. "Guys. You continue on the tour. Ask the author for the next location. I need to get myself clean. I haven't had a shower in a few days." I turned and disappeared.

"Well... Now what? Explore the orchard or next location?" Alex asked.

"I have a pretty good idea since I, admittedly, tend to steal apples from here now and then, so my vote would have to go to next location," Sage replied."I'm down for a change of scenery," said Nathan.

"As am I," said Thomas.

"Oh. Thomas? Nathan? I think I figured out a way back for you. Basically, all of our universes have a specific target code that needs to be shown for you to get into your world. Thomas? I Think I'm close to yours. It's EQG-WM2001," said the Author.

"Cool, at least I'll be able to get back home. Think I'll stick around till the end of the tour first tho," said Thomas.

"Does that mean I can stay even after he leaves?" Asked Nathan.

"If you want to, yeah." They could almost hear the author nod. "I haven't figured out your universe coordinates yet. But I'm close. It's something like Blank-TF1876. Which universe are you from? MLP or EQG?"

"EQG, like Thomas." Said Nathan.

"Ok. Then yours is EQG-TF1876."

"Cool, I'll be sticking around awhile then," said Nathan.

"Well, I'm still leaving after the tour," said Thomas.

"Alright. Next location then." There was a snapping sound and everyone was at Sugarcube Corner.

"Now this place I've really wanted to see," Samson said with a wide grin before his brow twitched and he looked over his shoulder at Chris. "...What? I've got a sweet tooth." The orb said nothing, only bobbed in the air a bit as if to shrug.

"I've got a sweet tooth also," said Nathan. "Where do I order?" He asked.

"I'd assume over there at the register," said Thomas.

"Five says Pinkie shows up when the bell rings," Alex said, gently elbowing Sage.

"Deal. Anyone else want in on this?" Sage asked, walking up to the counter.

"I'd get in on that action, but there's a cop right here," said Thomas, Nathan holding up a rude gesture in response.

"I'd go for that," Sam replied before something suddenly struck him. "But I don't have any bits... which also means I can't buy anything... (Beep)."

"No problem," said the author. A faint jingling was heard and grew louder. Suddenly a bag crashed through a window that took minimal damage and the bag landed in front of Samson.

"Um...," Samson hummed as he picked up the bag and checked inside. "Thanks?"

"I don't know if that's legal or not," said Nathan.

"(Beep) if I know, but I haven't gotten arrested for it yet. Then again, my existence isn't a well-known thing," Sage said.

"I just summon bits from my vault when I need them, so I haven't had a reason to find out," Alex said.

"It's not illegal," the author said. "And even if it was, I have diplomatic immunity."

"Fair enough," Said Nathan.

"OK, let's eat," said Thomas, as he walked up to the counter. Samson followed, trying to hide the giddiness he felt.

"Anyway..." the author's voice faltered. "(Beep). Guys? Get Silent. Tell him the manticores are here. I'll get your food."

"I'll go get my stuff. Let's meet up at town hall. Yo Author, you willing to unlock my Spirit Energy? The swords I left behind have a slashing ability that's fueled by it," Sage said, barging out the door.

"If you do that for him then how about my Equestrian magic?" Alex asked. "I'd like to whip out some fire damage and I need magic to activate the runes.”

The Author hesitated before saying this."Fine. But this is Silent’s fight. He was the one who provoked them." The author unlocked their powers.

Samson let out a sigh as he sat the bag on the counter. "This job is never done, is it?" He muttered before starting towards the door. "If Silent doesn't handle this quick, I'm getting my hands dirty."

"Yo, Author, bring in some popcorn, I wanna watch this fight." Said Thomas.

"Who the (Beep) is Silent?" Asked Nathan.

"Hold on." There was a crack and a young pegasus colt in a white coat covering his face appeared before them. "This is Silent Power."

"Nice to meet you, Silent," Said Nathan holding out his fist for Silent to fist bump.

"Sup, Tick-Tack?" Asked Thomas.

"Call me that again and I'll give you worse than a damaged shoulder plate," Silent said in his unusually deep-voice as he hoof bumped Nathan.

"He damaged your shoulder plate?" Asked Nathan.

"He had a great audition, but it'll never happen again," said Thomas.

Silent smirked before running behind Thomas and jamming his sword into a thigh plate, prying it off and leaving the wiring completely open and giving Silent the choice to make the leg useless or not. "Try me, you tin can."

"Is it wrong to want to hurt a child?" Asked Thomas.

"Yes, yes it is," said Nathan.

"Don't care," said Thomas as he kicked Silent over to the Manticores. "(Beep)ing worth it." He said

.Silent shook his head and looked at the manticores. "You want to settle your fight with me? I’m busy with him." He pointed at Thomas. "Deal with him first and I’ll fight you." The manticores roared and charged at Thomas.

"You little (Beep)," said Thomas as he pressed the button that let him grow. "You really wanna take me on you pussy cat's?" He asked as he stepped on one, crushing it. "You know, I just realized Fluttershy is going to hate me for that."

"Well, then it's a good thing you're leaving after this," said Nathan.

"I knew they wouldn't be a challenge. I just didn't want to fight them. BYE." With that Silent left.

“Probably best he jumped ship," Samson muttered with a tick in his brow, turning away from the carnage left behind. "Fluttershy wouldn't be the only thing he'd be dealing with. Now, if you'd all excuse me, I'm going to go try and settle this before any more lives have to be taken." With that, he started towards where the other manticores had run off to.

"Might as well come with you," said Nathan

"Doesn't seem like I have anything better to do right now," Alex said, following them.

Just then there was a crack as Lightningman appeared in a fresh suit and smelled much better. "There we go. What did I miss?"

"A lot," said Nathan. "First off, Manticore's started looking for a colt named Silent, who then tricked them into fighting Thomas, who killed two of them making them go back to chasing Silent. Then Thomas left fearing the wrath of Fluttershy, can't blame him there. Now we're all going to fight a bunch of Manticore's with Silent." He said.

"Also, Sage is getting his stuff. Although, he might already be helping Silent if his speed back at the library is anything to go by," Alex added.

I frowned at the news. "Ok. but I wanted to give him a card so he can call me when he needs me. Ehh. I’ll give it to him later."

"Not to be a stick in the mud," Chris said, the silver orb floating up next to them."Buuut, we may want to catch up before Samson can screw something up in his temper."

"Right. I also had an idea about that psycho dude in his head." I nod.

Chris jerked back for a moment before zooming to catch up with the superhero. "How did you know about that!?" The orb half demanded, hysteria already forming in his voice.

I gave him a deadpan look. "I was in your head. There's clearly another person in there. I just took to calling him psycho because of your powers." The orb shimmered in what seemed to be a shiver before replying.

"He's sealed," Chris murmured. "There's no way he can get to us...." The voice didn't sound very sure as it shook, the orb's light dimming slightly.

"Well, if worse comes to worst, the Author can completely unlock my power and I can seal him up tighter than Fort Knox in a black hole," Sage said, suddenly appearing with his swords in his hands.

"First of all, holy (Beep)!" Alex shouted. "Second, are those swords Sandalphon and Nehema from Date A Live?"

"Someone knows their anime weapons." In Sage's left had was Sandalphon and in his right was Nehema.

"Lightningman; when I leave, give Thomas's card to me. I've got a gut feeling I'll see him again soon," said Nathan. "Now, let's go fight some Manticores."

I nod. "Alright." I put my hands on their shoulders and apparate us all to the manticores. I quickly form a megaphone with my aura and yell, "STOP!!"

"You guys certainly took your time," Samson greeted, kneeling on the ground as Pink Static sparked over him and was starting to pulse through the ground toward the manticores.

"Hey. I needed a shower." I shrugged as I walk towards the manticores. I frown at them and speak. "παιδιά. Αφήστε. Δεν θέλεις να μας πολεμήσεις. Ένας από μας θα μπορούσε να σε σκοτώσει χωρίς δεύτερη σκέψη. Τι θα συμβεί όταν είμαστε τρεις;"

"Three? Counting Silent, there are six of us here." Sage said.

"How did you...?"

"Spent a few centuries in a Greek dominant world. Had to learn the language quickly or I would've been picked out like a large black dot against a white background." Sage replied. "Also, who do you refer to when you say 'One of us could kill you without a second thought'? And where did Thomas go? He would make our numbers seven instead of six."

"I said Three? I thought I said 5." I shrugged. "I'm not very good at Greek."

"We don't need seven people though, the five of us is overkill for this amount of Manticore's," said Nathan.

"(Beep) that. Even with just Spirit Energy, I, myself, am overkill for just 5 manticores. I could beat their (Beep)es in a heartbeat. Literally," Sage said.

"I'm kinda the same. While I can't beat them solo, Yolkendov and Ragnarok certainly can, even with their powers sealed," Alex said.

"I can seriously just put bullets in all their heads," said Nathan. "Me, the weakest one here, can kill all of them easily."

"Or we could take the pacifist route and wait for me to finish my nature spell so we don't have to do any more killing today!" Sam said through gritted teeth, the pink-colored electricity reaching one of the manticores and establishing a mental link with the monster.

"Exactly," Sage said.

"Heh. I can only imagine what you'd tell the girls. 'Hey, girls! I just got back from kicking some Greek mythological butt with a God, a Demon King, a guy in a WarMachine suit, a Power Ranger, a colt with the deepest voice I've ever heard, and a guy that's biologically half lightning!'. Sounds like another bar joke, except with more (Beep) kicking." Alex joked, looking at Nathan.

"Our lives are probably gonna be filled with bar jokes like that," said Nathan.

"A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt. He says to the bartender 'A beer please, and one for the road,’" Sage joked. "There's your bar joke. Would you like another?"

"No, I think I've had enough today, it's not even 5 PM yet," said Nathan.

"It's 5 o'clock somewhere~" Alex sang.

"True enough." Said Nathan.

"One down," Samson muttered as the manticore he'd been communicating with made its way back towards the Everfree. "And now for the others." Another burst of Pink Static sent a shockwave of the colorful electricity dancing over the ground towards the remaining monsters.

"The peaceful approach, I am both pleased and annoyed with that solution," said Nathan.

"Peaceful approach, huh... Gabriel: Solo!" Sage declared. A huge church organ rose from the ground behind Sage, with the keyboard rising in front of him. "Y'all might wanna cover your ears. Solo is a hypnotizing ability that uses sound waves."

"Well (beep), better hop to it," Alex said, summoning a pair of earplugs and putting them in his ears.

"Huh." I covered my ears."This is gonna be interesting," said Nathan as he turned off his audio receptors.

"Fire at will," Sam muttered, Green Static dancing over him alongside the pink before a wall of air surrounded and condensed around his head. The silver orb that was Chris hesitated a moment before flying towards the young man, fusing with his body with only a small jerk from the ranger.

Sage disappeared from his spot, reappearing a moment later. "Silent's good now."

"Hold on a sec," Alex said, throwing up a sound deflecting barrier with a net-like dome of fire on the outside to keep on looking ponies out. "Alright, hit it!" Sage nodded before lifting his hands to rest just above the keys.

"Sing, Gabriel, sing." With those words, he slammed his hands upon the spectral keyboard. When he finished, he lifted his head and revealed his eyes, which were closed and previously hiding in the shadow of his hair. Alex took that as the cue to lower the barriers. "Leave, and never return," Sage said, eyes open and glaring at the remaining manticores, all of whom turned away and strode back to the Everfree, disappearing into the dark forest. Alex removed his earplugs as Gabriel sunk back into the ground.

"Well that's over," said Nathan as he turned his audio receptors back on.

"D... Did you just do a Naruto song?" I blinked a few times. "Never liked it, but I will admit it was a good instrumental."

Sam groaned as he got to his feet, wiping the sweat from his forward. "You can get out now," he murmured tiredly, Chris' orb leaving his body quickly as the Green and Pink Static died down around him. "Whew... that was exhausting...."

"Funny story there. This body of mine is descended from Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Chouji, Shikamaru, Ino, Kiba, Hinata, and all of the other academy students that made a reappearance in later episodes. I was actually born with the name Masaru Uzumaki Uchiha. My grandmother on my dad, Keiichirou Uzumaki's side was a Hyuuga and my grandmother on my mom, Minami Uchiha's, side was a Yamanaka. My grandma was part of the Ino-Shika-Cho trio. So, yeah, my sis and I had some serious stuff to live up to, and boy did we do so. We became so powerful individually that the Hokage was forced to have us leave. Four years, one war, the death of a goddess, and two new Rikudo Sennins later, I was wearing a custom made Hokage robe, the hat, and sitting in my new office for the first time." Sage said.

"You off your soapbox?" Alex asked.

"Yep, sorry."

"You lost me as soon as you started saying the names. Like I said. Never liked it."

"Eh, to each their own," Sage said.

"So, now that that's done, what next? To be honest, I'm a little disappointed by the lack of fighting, but getting to see not only Sandalphon and Nehema in person, but Gabriel too, was a nice experience," Alex said, crossing his arms.

"Now you get these," said the author as a bag of baked goods dropped in front of them.

"Sweet, sweets!" Sage said before he was stopped by Alex's magic.

"Share," Alex said, staring at Sage with a deadpan expression.

"Oh, fine. Killjoy. Not like I wasn't planning to in the first place," Sage said, picking up the bag and taking a baked good before passing the bag to Alex, who also took a baked good before handing it to Nathan.

"Hold on," said Nathan as he threw the bag into the air then turned into his cop car mode and his holoform stepped out of the car and caught the bag then took a sweet out of the bag. "Not bad," He said after he took a bite.

"You gonna pass the bag or lay claim to the whole thing?" Samson questioned jokingly, quirking an eyebrow as he grinned.

"Here ya go." Said Nathan passing the bag to Samson.

"Thank you, sir," the ranger said, taking the bag before reaching into it. He pulled out a pastry with a spark in his eye, biting into it before holding the bag out to Lightningman. "Et Tu, Lightning?"

"Ehh. What the hell. It's not a peanut butter or sugar cookie. So I'm fine." I began to eat. "Also, not allergic, I just don't like them." There as a distinctive gasp from somewhere and some wind rushing as I said that.

"Aaand cue that one episode from season 7, but with far less RD and pie, and a lot more Lightningman and cookies. Possibly," Sage said.

"Season 7?" Alex asked.

"Well, yeah. Haven't you heard of season 7 yet? The finale was recent."

"Nope. Got displaced sometime after season 4 ended. 'Woke up', per se, a few days before EQG."

"Then you're in for a treat. If your Equestria is anything like the source verse, you'll meet Starswirl at some point. Also, Pinkie's possibly related to the Apples." Sage said.

"Well (Beep)."

"Oh... Um... I also haven't fully watched season 7 yet. I'll need to catch up when I get back home in the Equestria Girls Universe."

"Wait, what?" Asked Nathan. "You're from the EqG world? And the show still exists there?" He continued.

"Well, I believe so. I'm from the future relative to this time. So the first Equestria Girls could either still be the past, or it's the correct time. Either way, it should be home."

"And here I thought things were complicated in my world," Samson said, scratching at his temple for a moment before he let his eyes fall and crossed his arms. "Speaking of, I should probably be getting back. There's... something I- WE need to take care of...."

"Ok. Here." I handed him an Unknown Shores card. "Simply say where you want to go and you’ll be there. But to go across dimensions you need to know the coordinates. I believe yours are MLP-PR1352. And if you need my help, simply say 'request MLP-D901'"

"Thanks," Samson said, taking the card and holding it up for a second. "Hope you enjoy trashing bots as much as you enjoy kicking the (Beep) outta would-be princes. Anyway, I'll see you guys around." He stopped and cleared his throat. "MLP-PR1352." A portal opened up behind him and, with a small wave of his hand, he turned and walked through it, the doorway closing behind him.

Equestrian Psycho

“Trixie doesn’t understand,” the blue mare fretted, her horn glowing with red light as she used the power of the Alicorn Amulet to help her search. Artemus only frowned in response as she stared at the comatose face of the Spirit of Chaos.

“From what little I understand,” the older mare began, turning her eyes on the worried unicorn. “Samson, and, subsequently, Chris as well, were simply called by another displaced. There should be no need to worry.”

Trixie stopped and looked at her leader, staring at her for several moments before a small breath escaped her. “You’re probably right,” she relented, letting her magic die as her shoulders relaxed. “But it didn’t seem… right.”

The alicorn’s frown deepened. “It does sound much more aggressive than it was described to me,” she admitted, turning to look at the mare properly. “Tell me again what happened. From the beginning and spare no details.”

“We came down here to-” The magician began on to be cut off as a portal burst open in the air behind Artemus. The silver mare flashed in light, appearing in front of Trixie as she brandished her twin blades and dropped into a battle stance. Out of the portal stepped Sam, his form a glowing black avatar of his human form, dark red and orange energy swimming through him. And he was angry.

“CHRIS!” The man shouted before rushing the door, condensing into a sphere as he ran. The spirit ball slammed into the door as the portal closed, the door flying open and slamming into the wall. Both mares flinched as they watched Samson fly away, Trixie wearing a confused look.

“What do you think that was about?” The blue unicorn asked, looking up at Artemus before stopped at the wide-eyed look the powerful mare held on her face.

“...We have to get to them,” was all she said before she sprinted after the sphere of spiritual energy. Trixie stared after her, a look of confusion and fear taking over her features.

“Oof!” Chris let out a groan as he pushed himself up off the floor. “Gotta figure out a softer landing,” he muttered as he stood, taking a look around his empty lab. “...Sweetie?” He called out, a puzzled look coming over his features before he felt something tick in his mind. “Sweetie!” He ran to the door and yanked it open to reveal his and his marefriend’s room, making the unicorn jump a bit as she sat on the couch with her legs folded under her as she read.

“Chris?” She questioned as she closed her book and swung her legs to the floor. “Chris, what’s wrong?”

“Sweetie, you need to get out of here,” the young man stated, walking to her as she stood at the urgency in his voice.

“Why?” She asked, fear filling her eyes as the man put an arm around her and started to herd her towards the door.

“Because it’s about to get really, really ugly in here,” the man replied before he stopped short as the door was slammed open, the angry avatar of Samson standing in the way.

“CHRIS!”

Author's Note

Building from yesterday's Notes, and severe frustrations, doing this chapter and crossover has taught me a few things. Things I no longer feel inclined to be polite about. Every gentleman has their breaking point and I have reached mine.

1) Always be aware of who you are working with. If you don't believe you are compatible with someone's style/story/personality, do not work with them

2) Always be firm in what is and isn't possible with your character. This is not the first time I have let someone take the powers/abilities/strengths/weaknesses I spent weeks researching and developing only to have all of that thrown out a window to make someone else happy

3) Always read the material you will be working to get a feel for what you are going into before agreeing to work within those parameters

4) No is always an option. You are never forced to work with someone if you do not want to

All of this said and my rant nearly complete, this was a most unpleasant experience that left a bad aftertaste in my mouth, both during and after its production and release. I do not regret nor will I back down from anything I state and that is that. This will never happen again. EVER. The next three crossovers have been planned, the following five chapters have been mostly plotted out and will be posted as soon as they are finished. With that said, I bid you all good day.

P.S.- If you want to come after me, do so in a private message. Trying to pull me into a confrontation in view of the public is immature when the matter can be handled behind closed doors. Thank you.

Chapter 25- Shattered

Chapter 25-

Shattered

“CHRIS!”

The ghost-like figure in the doorway seemed to shake with rage before stomping into the room. Samson’s form shimmered and wavered as if fighting to stay in its avatar form rather than revert to just a ball of energy. “Sam,” Chris breathed, stepping forward to put himself between his marefriend and angry sibling. “Please let’s just talk-”

“TALK!” The spirit yelled, the snarl on his face transferring to his voice. “Yeah let’s talk about you lying to me! I thought you said we would never keep things from each other! That we were in this together!”

“Look, Sam, I’m sorry-”

“Sorry doesn’t fucking cut it!”

“Samson,” Sweetie spoke up, stepping out from behind the blonde man. “Chris only had the best of intentions-”

“Butt the fuck out, Sweetie,” the avatar growled, throwing the mare an angry look that made her take a step back and Chris put an arm in front of her. “How long have you known, huh? You're just as guilty as he is.” He turned his gaze back on his brother. “Is that what all this is? You trying to get rid of me?”

“Excuse me?” Chris questioned, a confused look passing over his face as his heart pounded in his chest.

A scoff echoed from the enraged brother. “Should’ve seen that coming,” he murmured, a dark and angry smirk flashing over his form. “Pretty little mare strolls in and takes your heart. Suddenly, you’re keeping secrets and hiding shit.”

A deep frown cut into the gray-eyed man’s face, his brows falling. “You might want to watch what you say next,” he warned, embers beginning to ignite within his eyes. “Sweetie warned me about this. She wanted me to tell you. She was on your side.”

“Was she now?” Samson replied, arching an eyebrow. “Then where was she? She could’ve easily told me what was going on. But no… her loyalties stayed with the perfect brother.” Chris’ brow twitched at that, but his sibling was far from done. “The man who can’t make a single mistake. And where would you be without me? That’s right. A ditch. Crying and balling your fucking eyes out because the whole world is against you and nobody would be there to help you! I. Saved. You!”

“YOU MADE MY LIFE A LIVING HELL!”

Avatar and mare alike flinched at the roar of rage that shook the room. Sweetie stepped back from Chris, the heat of his anger practically palpable as he stepped closer to his brother. “My entire life,” he seethed. “People were afraid of me. Called me a freak. You think I wanted your help? I only wanted to feel like I belonged! And over and over again, you would rear your ugly head and throw that all away! And you want me to thank you for that?”

Sam stared in shock at his brother as he stepped forward again. “You took everything from me. If it hadn’t been for Andrew, I would be in that ditch, dying, alone and scared. And it would be all. Your. Fault!”

The avatar stared at Chris for a long while before his shock turned to anger. “All my fault, huh?” He growled, taking a step towards the physical man. “Who is it that fought off the bullies? Who was it that helped you develop your powers?”

“You put me in a gottverdammtes coma with those powers!” The blonde yelled in response.

“Who kept Psycho off your goddamn back!”

“You want to talk about Psycho?” A dangerous look crossed Chris’ eyes. “Why don’t we talk about the fact that you’re using his powers? You want to talk about keeping secrets and lying when you’re hiding the most dangerous thing from me! We agreed to lock away those powers because they were too dangerous! But what do you care? The all-powerful Samson can handle anything, can’t he?”

“I can take a whole lot more than your pansy ass!” Sam shouted in response, the pair less than an inch apart.

“Du Huren-”

“ENOUGH!!!”

Everyone in the room slammed their hands over their ears, Sam’s form imploding into a sphere in an instant as the voice boomed through the room with enough force to move some of the furniture. Chris shook his head as his ears stopped ringing, looking up at the door to find Artemus stalking into the room, fists clenched at her sides. “You are both acting like children,” the Alicorn stated as she stopped in front of the boys. “We have bigger concerns than a few hidden truths between brothers.”

Chris looked at the mare with a hand still held to his head. “What kind of problems?” He muttered, fighting back a forming headache.

“We have a team on the ground fighting back a group of cogs,” Artemus explained, the mood of the room beginning to simmer down. “We sent a group out earlier and they’ve been doing well, but, after receiving no word from them, we wanted our best fighters ready to go. Of course, that was three hours ago.”

Chris blinked his eyes. “We were gone for three hours?” He questioned only to look towards Sweetie as she spoke up.

“Actually,” she chimed in sheepishly. “You were gone for six.”

Both brothers stopped at that. “...We’ve never been gone that long,” Chris eventually breathed. “We’ve always returned from our calls within a few moments, even if we’ve been gone for days on the other side.”

The silver mare frowned at this. “Then what changed?” She wondered out loud before the jingle of their communicators interrupted the conversation. “Finally,” the mare muttered as she lifted the small device. “You have Artemus.”

“Artemus!” Came the frantic voice of Rushed Leaflet. “Oh, they’re back! It’s-it’s- Oh, sweet Celestia.”

“Leaflet?” The Alicorn questioned, concern rising in her voice. “Ms. Leaflet, calm down, please. What is happening? Who’s back?”

“The assault team!” The mare cried hysterically. “They’re back and- and- it’s horrible!”

Every eye in the room widened in shock. “Leaflet,” Chris started, practically jumping next to Artemus. “Where is the assault team now?”

“The- The infirmary,” the mare quivered. Chris simply nodded his head and turned tail towards the door.

“Chris….” The young man jerked to a halt and glanced over his shoulder to find Sweetie’s eyes filling with tears and Artemus’ overshadowed as she looked to the ground. “The other rangers….” The young man’s eyes widened and without a second thought rushed the door, slamming through it as Swift Static exploded around him.

The man became little more than a blur of orange and gold, the air behind him cracking every time he took a corner. Only seconds passed before he came to a screeching halt inside the medical hall. He widened his eyes as medical personnel bustled about, running from patient to patient trying to help as many as they could. The man’s eyes surfed the room, shock and horror freezing him in place.

“Let me go, damn it!” The shout drew the blonde’s attention further down the hall to see a hoard of doctors trying hold back a battered and bloodied Cobalt Steel.

“Sir, you need to calm down!” One of the nurses cautioned, attempting to pull him back without disturbing the stallion’s limp left arm.

“I’m fine!” The Thestral insisted, flaring his wing and throwing off two more nurses while showing off a bleeding hole in the sail. “I have to find Firefly!” Chris’ eyes widened and he rushed forward, dodging around the hustling professionals.

“Co!” He shouted, getting in front of the stallion and putting his hands on his shoulders. “Co, look at me!” Cobalt strained against him, eyes void of acknowledgment as he struggled to get through. The man grit his teeth and, using the extensive strength he’d been gifted, began to push the pony back towards the bed behind him. With some effort, he forced the struggling stallion to sit on the edge of the bed, holding down his uninjured arm before bringing a hand up to the side of his neck. “Cobalt Steel, listen to my voice! Stop! Right now!”

The stallion thrashed for a moment longer before his eyes began to clarify. “...Chris?” He questioned as he calmed down. “Chris… where were you?”

“I got pulled into another dimension,” the man answered, slowly relaxing his grip. “It wasn’t like anything we’ve ever encountered before. But we can worry about that later. Cobalt… what happened?”

The Thestral stared up at him for a moment before he dropped his gaze. “It was all a setup…” he muttered darkly. “And we walked right into it.”

Cobalt Steel gasped as his hands fell to the edge of the sink, water dripping off his chin as he listened to the running water. He looked up into the mirror in front of him. He stared into his own yellow eyes, eyes combing over his still messy mane, searching the dark blue fur of his face. And the entire time he couldn’t help but ask himself that same stupid question. He sighed and turned the water off before turning himself towards the door. He took a few steps and opened the door only to stop at the sight before him.

He looked over the figure still lying in his bed. His eyes gently went over her figure, the sheets draped over and accentuating her curves. Her colorful mane splayed out on the bed behind her as she slept, her gentle breaths causing her torso to rise and fall in a perfect rhythm. A soft groan reached his ears before she curled up a little on herself, drawing in even more of the thin sheets. He continued to watch over her for a moment before that same stupid question burned through his mind.

A familiar jingle made his ears stand at attention, his eyes going wide. He lifted his hand and hastily unleashed a hand of shadow, grabbing his communicator from his nightstand and drawing it to himself. “Cobalt here,” he answered in a hushed whisper as he turned back into the bathroom and closed the door.

“We’ve got a problem,” came Firefly’s voice. “One of the patrols spotted a group of cogs making their way into the forest. Artemus wants us to provide backup for the others.”

“I’ll be right there,” he muttered, straightening up a bit.

“Right,” the Pegasus replied before a shift in her tone came up. “So, uh, after we get done with this little mission, are we still on for that picnic?”

The stallion blinked for a moment before he closed his eyes and grit his teeth for his own stupidity and forgetfulness. “Of course we are,” he answered into the communicator. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

“Great!” The mare chirped. “I’ll see you at the front gate.”

“...Yeah,” the Thestral murmured, the line cutting out. He let his hand drop and let out another sigh as he looked to the ceiling. After a moment he looked to the mirror again, his reflection glaring back at him. “...Idiot.” He looked away and left the bathroom, gliding across the room quietly to his small wardrobe and getting dressed in his usual tan combat pants and boots, long sleeved muscle shirt, and his ever-present canvas jacket. He slid his communicator onto his wrist and clamped it on before he looked over his shoulder at another quiet groan.

His eyes once more drifted over Aria Blaze’s sleeping form, noticing not for the first time that she slept with a scared grimace on her face. The stallion allowed a second tick by before he looked away and walked toward the door to his room. “What am I doing?” He finally asked aloud as he left the room and closed the door behind him.

Cobalt stalked through the forest, his light armor put on over his normal combat attire. His metallic shin guards tinked against each other every now and again, his chest piece muffled by the jacket covering it. He shook his wrist as an itch developed underneath his left bracer. He stopped alongside the rest of the troop he and Firefly had been assigned too as Shining Armor lifted his raised fist. The pink Pegasus stopped next to him, her laser blade already out of its sheath. The Thestral glanced at the mare for a moment, Firefly flashing him a quick smile before they looked forward as Shining signaled eyes forward.

With a signal to hold steady, the sounds of metallic marching reached the group’s ears. Cobalt waved a hand over the charm hanging from his belt, his great sword forming before he took the handle. The large Thestral tensed up, the mare beside him doing much the same, simply waiting for their commanding officer to give them the signal. The squad waited until finally, the head of a cog peaked into view. Shining Armor dropped his hand and, with a mighty war cry, pushed himself up and rushed the cog as his magical, magenta armor flashed around him. The rest of the group followed suit and surged forward with a roar.

Cobalt Steel saved his breath as his wings flared and flapped, launching him from the ground and over his compatriots. He landed well within the enemy forces, eyes beginning to burn with light as shadows poured from the sails of his wings. The Thestral gave a feral snarl and became a whirlwind of destruction, slashing to and fro with his greatsword, launching out waves of deadly shadows, and quickly drawing his laser pistol to fire bolts into any opponent that dared rush him. So wild was his attack that he didn’t notice that the cogs he damaged were simply getting back up.

“GRAH!” The stallion roared in pain, the sound of metal on metal grinding against his ears before he turned and swept his shadow-wrapped blade upwards to slash the cog that had gotten behind him. The machine staggered back, smoke rising from the new wound that formed a large ‘X’ before the sparks stopped flying. The robot lifted its head as Cobalt’s eyes widened and rushed forward, raising its spear. The stallion drove his sword up, blocking the downward strike, and as the two weapons locked together, the pony finally got a good look at their new opponents.

These cogs were far different from the others they had faced, octagonal patterns running over their entire form. The metal plating covering their fists, boots, and faces gleamed in silverish blue and looked more like glass than steel. Pointed spires jutted at a backward angle from the disk-like objects on the side of their heads and belts, which now shimmered in gold. “Oh,” the stallion grumbled as he grit his teeth. “Shit.”

Movement caught his eye and with lightning reflexes, he drew his laser blade and parried another incoming blow from a separate cog. Feeling the pressure building, Cobalt forced his shadows around himself, dissipating into smoke and flying away from the aggressive automatons as five combined strikes passed through him. His shadow form snaked to the edge of the battle and the stallion reformed, panting as sweat poured down his face and blood ran down his arm. His eyes widened him as all around him the Resistance fighters were being brought down one at a time. Panic rising, the Thestral searched the battlefield, intent on finding any flash of pink or light blue he could. In a blink, the colors he was looking for caught his attention and with all the rage of an angry bull, Cobalt threw himself back into battle, fighting like a pony possessed.

He forced himself through cog after cog, not bothering to try and finish them as he simply created a path towards his target. Shadows and sparks flew until the Thestral spun with one last attack and warcry, finding pressure meet his back. “These things aren’t going down!” He shouted, blocking another thrust before blasting three holes into an onrushing machine.

“I’ve noticed!” The stallion let out a surprised breath as Shining Armor answered him, the white stallion grunting as he used his short sword to parry a cog’s spear. “We need to get some back up here, ASAP!”

The dark pony blinked a moment before he tsk’d, raising his greatsword just in time to stop another blow. “I’m going to need some cover!” He shouted, slashing the robot and kicking it away.

“I can do that!” The captain answered, lifting his glowing fist before bringing it down into the ground. A shockwave of magenta magic threw every opposing cog away from them before a bubble of the same color surrounded them.

Cobalt immediately stabbed his sword into the ground and lifted his communicator. “Artemus!” He yelled. “It’s a tra-” The stallion clamped his eyes shut and grit his teeth as the small device suddenly let out an extremely high-pitched screech. Both stallions were brought to their knees, ears pinned to their heads as the magic shield around them wavered. The Thestral opened one eye and brought his other hand up, removing the screaming device before throwing it to the ground and stomping on it.

Both stallions panted as the sound died and the pain subsided only for the shield to burst. Shining and Cobalt raised their heads, each yanking their respective weapons from rest to avoid being overtaken. “We need a new plan!” The dark pony cried, pushing back against yet another adversary.

“I noticed!” The Unicorn answered again, his voice turning to anger. “We need to get everyone out of here!” He slashed through the cog in front of him with both blades crossed before tilting his head back, horn glowing. “EVERYPONY, RETREAT! FIND A MAGE AND TELEPORT TO THE CASTLE!” The white stallion barely had time to dive out of the way as several beams of light raced passed his head.

A slash of shadows quickly downed the lineup of cogs that had fired their eye lasers on the captain. “Thanks,” Shining grunted, straightening up and swinging his magical greatsword through another cog. It was only a split second, but Cobalt noticed that the machine didn’t get back up.

“Don’t mention it,” the Thestral replied as lights flashed all around the battlefield, fewer and fewer Resistance fighters on site to fall. All the while, Cobalt continued to fight, hacking, slashing, and blasting his way through the ocean of opponents, still looking for that hint of blue or pink.

“C’mon!” A sharp yank on his arm staggered the dark stallion, drawing his gaze behind him to the captain as the older pony kicked away another machine. “Everyone else that’s getting out is out! We need to go!”

“Not without Firefly!” The darker stallion answered, yanking his arm from Shining’s grasp before slashing down on a rushing cog. Cobalt reared back his blade with a snarl, ready for his next… only to stop as the machines stopped running forward. Instead, they had formed a ring around the two ponies, some occasionally running back and forth along the frontline. The Thestral eased back, bumping once more into Shining Armor’s back as even the seasoned captain drew back in unease.

“What in Tartarus are they doing…?” Cobalt questioned, watching the machines around them fidget.

“I…” the older pony started, eyes shooting to a cog that danced a bit too close. “Have no idea.”

“C… Co… balt….” The weak voice and the sound of heavier footsteps drew the stallions’ eyes to the edge of the crowd, the Thestral’s eyes widening as his mouth gaped open. Midnight Sparkle stepped forward, saber in hand as a Machine Captain marched beside, towing a beaten and battered Firefly behind him by her wing. The machine itself was covered in blue armored plating, stud-like crystals jutting in pairs out of each plate. Gold plating circled each joint, leading to the stubby silver head that stuck out of the torso, the four, glistening white claws that formed each hand and the three that formed each foot shining in the Everfree’s dim lighting.

Cobalt stared in horror at the state that Firefly was in before his stare contorted into a feral snarl. “Let her go!” He growled, starting to rush forward only to stop short as the monstrosity jerked Firefly up. The mare yelped in pain as she was hauled off the ground, Midnight’s blade resting just under the pink mare’s chin.

“Now, let’s not be hasty,” the dark Alicorn purred, shifting the tip of her blade to scratch at Firefly’s chin. The Pegasus yelped as a swift jerk nicked her chin, the small cut oozing out a drop of blood. “We wouldn’t want this pretty little thing to come to harm… would we?”

Cobalt grit his teeth, taking a step back only to start as the stallion beside him stepped forward. “Twily?” Shining breathed, his armor dissipating away from him as he drew the dark mare’s attention. “Twilight, it’s me, Shi-”

“I know exactly who you are,” Midnight spat, interrupting the stark white Unicorn. “And trust me when I say I have special plans for you.” The mare steadied herself and gave a sinister smirk. “Now, let’s talk about sparring your lives. You will follow these instructions to the letter. If you don’t… well,” the mare paused and nodded towards her machine who responded by roughly shaking Firefly.

Cobalt’s teeth ground together as the mare gave another gasp of pain, her body tensing up for a moment. “...What do you want from us?” The Thestral growled, Midnight’s smirk growing a bit.

“It’s very simple,” Midnight answered. “You will return to the castle, tell Artemus that the problem has been neutralized, and make it so not a single soul sees my forces approaching. You do that and we don’t tear your little friend here limb from limb.”

Cobalt looked between Midnight and the injured Firefly. “We-”

“We can’t do that.” The Thestral froze as Shining Armor put a hand to his shoulder and stepped up. “There must be something else. What about me?”

The dark Alicorn raised a brow at that. “What about you?” She questioned, a sneer forming on her face.

“Just take me,” Shining answered, taking another step forward. “Take me prisoner and do what you will. You’ll remove a leader from the Resistance’s hierarchy and….”

“I’ll get to thank you for everything you, mom, and dad put me through?” Midnight finished, a growl starting to radiate from her throat. “I fully intend to give you what you deserve. Mom and dad already got theirs… I’m just disappointed I didn’t get to do it my- WILL YOU STOP THAT GODDAMN MUTTERING!” The Alicorn jerked her rage-filled eyes to the pink Pegasus only to widen her eyes as a ball of lightning leaped into her hand.

Firefly smirked weakly. “Should’ve paid attention,” she muttered before she reared her hand back and tossed it into the air. The ball of magic only made it to the center of the clearing, hovering just a few feet above both stallions. Spears of lightning shot out in a circle, striking cog after cog down with a bolt of lightning until over half the force was obliterated.

The machine behind her gave a shout of pain, dropping her now broken and mangled wing. The Pegasus hit the ground and tried to launch forward. “You little bitch!” Firefly screamed in pain as the armored robot raised its gleaming claws and slashed down with them.

“Fly!” Cobalt shouted, his wings flaring as shadows poured out. The Thestral rushed forward, greatsword flaring with the smokey haze of his powers as he sent a wave of shadows slamming into the Machine Captain as it towered over Firefly. An explosion of sparks drew another cry of pain from the robot as it stumbled back, Cobalt sliding next to the ground next to the pink Pegasus. “Fly!” He cried, wrapping her in his arms as her blood stained his brown coat.

“Move your ass, kid!” Shadows flared around the ponies, wrapping around them before dragging them back as a burst of vicious flame scorched the earth where they’d been sitting.

“I’m going to take great joy in tearing you apart,” Midnight growled as Cobalt reformed next to Shining with Firefly in his arms. The Alicorn’s mane and tail flared like pillars of fire, magical flames licking at her fingertips.

“Not today, Twi,” Shining Armor replied, putting his hand to Cobalt’s shoulder as his magic began to flare around his horn.

The corrupted pony’s eyes flared in angry, teal magic. “I. Am. Midnight!” She roared, thrusting both hands forward and launching a spear of flame at the group. Shining’s eyes widened as the magic raced towards him, his head jerking out of the way. He let out a cry just as his rose-colored aura enveloped his horn fully, the trio disappearing in a flash.

Another flash and a rough landing found Cobalt on his back, clutching Firefly to him as Shining lay on the ground beside him with a hand held to the side of his face. The staff rushing around them stopped at their sudden appearance as other Resistance fighters were being hurried away, either limping or on stretchers. “We need stretchers over here, ASAP!” Cobalt vaguely recognized Apple Bloom’s voice, his eyes locked on the mare in his arms. There was so much blood staining the both of them and the cobblestones below and now he could see why. Firefly’s once glorious and beautiful wings had been reduced to one….

Chris grit his teeth as he stood at the foot of Firefly’s bed, Cobalt sitting next to her as the beep of the heart rate monitor broke the silence of the small space. An oxygen mask had been placed over the mare’s muzzle, an IV stuck into her arm that led to a hanging blood bag. Bandages wrapped all around the Pegasus’ seemingly frail frame, especially around her left shoulder and the stump that had once been a wing. “...I should’ve been here…” the man muttered through his teeth.

This only drew a sigh from the Thestral across from him. “You couldn’t help it,” he replied quietly, his eyes never leaving Firefly’s unconscious face. “You said you weren’t pulled away like you normally are. If you had you would have been back a moment later. Instead, you were yanked away without your permission and gone for several hours.”

The man only lowered his eyes to the floor, fist clenching until his knuckles paled. “All the same…” he said quietly. “You guys are my team, my responsibility….”

Cobalt’s ear twitched and for the first time since they’d entered the curtained-off area, he looked up to the Ranger. “What are you going to do?”

Chris looked up and leveled a look filled with fire at the stallion. “I’m going to tear them apart,” he answered before reaching into his pocket and withdrawing the small green bean he'd been given.

“Feed this to her when you get the chance,” he murmured, passing the Sensu to the Thestral. “I was told it would heal any wound. Not sure if that applies to limbs but… it's worth a try.” With that, he turned on his heel and made his way out. He didn’t make it very far through the overflowing medical hall before Sweetie Belle came running up to meet him, worry etched on her face.

“I heard what happened,” she breathed as she stopped in front of him and got her breath back. After a moment, she stopped panting and a sad look took over her features. “How is she?”

Chris looked down at the mare before he looked away with a sad frown. “She’s… not good,” he answered in a low voice. “The Machine Captain did a real number on her…. It-” He stopped as his voice threatened to betray him. “...She lost a wing in the fight.” The man winced as his marefriend let out a small gasp of surprise, his lips still down-turned as his eyes opened again. “You should… you should probably go see her… just in case.”

Sweetie stared up at him, tears already threatening to spill out over her cheeks. “What about you?” She asked, worry deepening in her eyes.

The blond turned his eyes back on the mare, gaze softening as he reached out and took her hand, rubbing over her knuckles with his thumb. “I’m going to go talk to Artemus,” he finally answered. “Midnight and the rest of her forces are probably marching this way as we speak and whatever she did to her cogs has made them practically immune to the Resistance’s weapons.”

“You’re going out there alone?” The mare asked, her eyes turning to pinpricks. “Chris, you’ll be slaughtered! Look around you!” She raised her free hand and gestured to every closed curtain around them. “If this is what happened to all of them, what do you think she’ll do to you?”

“She’ll try to kill me,” the man replied simply, eyes already tired. “She can try, but we both know that I’m stronger than almost everyone here combined. If anyone has a single chance against them… it’s me.” His argument didn’t seem to assure the mare, her green eyes still staring at him with fear. Without warning, the mare surged forward, grabbing the sides of his head and kissed him deeply. Chris closed his eyes and brought one hand up to hers as his other fell to her waist.

A second or two passed and Sweetie pulled back, looking him in the eye. “You had better come back to me, you hear me?” She ordered, the corner of her lips moving up slightly as the man gave her the first grin he’d had since coming back.

“I promise,” he answered, the mare dropping her hands once she had her answer.

“Then go,” she stated, a flash of rage crossing through her eyes. “And show that bitch what happens when you mess with our friends.”

Chris gave a chuckle before he hardened his gaze. “Yes, ma’am,” he said before they stepped around each other, one racing to a closed curtain and the other towards the end of the hall. The man’s small smile faded away into a look of contained anger as he sprinted down the aisle, intent on only one thing.

“Artemus!” He called out as he reached the end, the Alicorn turning to face him alongside Chrysalis.

“Chris,” the mare replied evenly. “How are your Rangers?”

“Cobalt’s fine,” the man answered his frown deepening a bit before he continued. “Firefly has been patched up but she’s pretty bad.”

“I see,” Artemus muttered, sighing as her eyes met the ground. “I’m sorry, Chris. I should’ve been more careful.”

“None of this is your fault,” the man said, stopping her thoughts dead in their tracks. “All we can do now is make sure that no one else gets hurt.”

The mare looked at him for a moment before movement drew her to Chrysalis. “What do you plan to do?” The Changeling questioned, raising her brow at him.

Chris looked at the queen, his eyes hardening ever so slightly. “I’m going out there,” he answered, his tone dark. “Midnight and her machines are headed this way, that much we know. I also know from what Cobalt said that normal weapons aren’t going to do jack to these things.”

“And your weapons will?” Chrysalis asked, shifting her head to the side a bit as she scrutinized him.

“They’ve been able to get through everything else we’ve faced before,” the Ranger replied. “Even when I had to finish the giant Mean Screen, the Psycho Silverizer was enough to pierce his armor. The Chrome weapons should be more than enough.”

The Changeling looked him up and down before her eyes narrowed. “And if they’re not?” She pressed.

The man fell silent for a moment, looking away from the insectoid and towards the ground. “...Cobalt said that Firefly’s spell was able to take down quite a few of the new cogs,” he finally murmured, his thoughts pulling themselves together. “And it was even enough to injure the Machine Captain. If my weapons can’t make it through, then my magic should be enough to do so.”

The Changeling queen finally nodded, leaning back in her wheelchair. “Good,” she stated in finality. “It sounds like you’ve got enough of a plan to not get yourself killed in anger. Now,” her pupils turned to slits and an eldritch green flashed through them, “go out there and rip them apart.”

Artemus looked between her lover and the young man as he nodded, a lost look taking over her expression. “Wait wait wait,” she interrupted waving her hands in front of her as her eyes scrunched closed. “That’s it? You’re just going to go out there with a half-cocked plan and a pocket full of rage and you think that’s going to be enough?”

“Well,” the man started, looking to the mare. “You’ve seen me in battle, even faced me before. You tell me,” a look crossed his face as if hell itself had come to imprison his eyes, “whether that’ll be enough.”

The Alicorn couldn’t help it. She stepped back. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the look in the man’s eyes disappeared as he took a breath. It all happened so quickly that the mare was still trying to determine whether or not what she had seen was real when the castle’s emergency alarm system went off for the very first time since their installation.

“Chris!” Artemus shouted only to feel a rush of wind ruffle her mane and clothing. The young man ran, rage bubbling in his veins as Static raced and crackled all around him.

“Go,” he growled, bringing his arm up as his morpher flashed into existence. “Psycho.” Chrome Aura burst around him, his form flashing in light before it shattered, leaving him as Psycho Chrome as he approached the front doors. Countless fighters lined the entry hall, firing whatever projectile or magical attack they could to keep the new cogs at bay, the machines attempting to rush in and claim more ground.

The Ranger only snarled. Light flashed in his hand, grid lines of silver, red, and blue forming the shape of the Chrome Blaster as he rushed by the Resistance fighters. With a roar of pure, feral rage, Chris ripped into the oncoming automatons like tin foil. Blaster bolts ripped straight through the machines, leaving clean holes in the foremost cogs only to explode into the chests of those behind them. The Ranger only stopped firing to sweep his weapon over his head and slash with it, cleaving through several automatons as a new type of Static jumped out around him, the reddish-purple color quickly joined by flames of the same colors. As Fiend Fire surged around him, strength flooded through his veins and pushed him forward.

It wasn’t long before the man became a burning blur on the battlefield, hacking, slashing, thrusting, or blasting through large groups of cogs at a time. For those within the castle, the only thing that could be used to follow the Ranger’s progress was several small explosions of mechanical and devilish flame and brief glances of the Ranger himself. “What are you all doing!” The sudden shout made a lot of the soldiers suddenly wince, turning their heads to find Starlight and Trixie standing at the top of the steps of the main hall, full battle attire adorned. “Get those doors sealed,” Trixie continued, her eyes glowing with red light as the Alicorn Amulet shone at her throat. “NOW!”

The warriors jumped to action, those with magic preparing to fire off whatever spell they had learned as those without rushed to close off the entrance. As the reinforced doors started to swing closed, several of the machines outside the castle turned to face the defending forces. Several of the resistance fighters widened their eyes, freezing in place as the cogs rushed forward, masks sliding up to reveal glowing laser lenses. Bolts of blazing red light lanced out towards the forces only to find themselves splash against a rose-colored shield.

“You heard the mare.” Almost every fighter in the room including Trixie and Starlight turned around to see Shining Armor standing a little way down the hallway. “Get those doors shut. Mages! Support your comrades! Keep them safe and hold back those cogs!” A wild cheer ran through the crowd before a barrage of elemental and magical lances raced through the gap in the doors. Cogs slamming their fists and weapons into the rose-colored magic were launched backward as the attacks slammed into them, laying them out for good even as more magic poured out of the castle. The doors creaked and groaned as they were pushed closed, the opening growing narrower as the barrage flowing out of it only grew denser.

Just as the doors were about to close a single lance of red magic sped out, taking a final cog’s head and scattering it on the ground behind it. “Nice shot, Trix.” The blue mare smirked as the huge metallic drawbars used to reinforce the doors slid into place.

“I know,” she replied, glancing at Starlight before giving her marefriend a soft bump with her hip. The two shared a small smile before the red-eyed mare’s smile faded. “Now,” she added looking towards the barricaded doors, “it’s all up to him.”

Outside, the cog that had lost its head continued to twitch and spasm, electricity arcing over its body before a black boot crushed its chest, forcing it to lay still. Slow clapping made Chris look up towards the forest, the already manic visage of his helmet made even more sinister by the sheer force of his rage. Out of the treeline stepped Midnight and her newest Machine Captain, claws glistening in the light… except where red stained silver.

“You’ve certainly managed to surprise us,” Midnight called, drawing the ranger’s attention from the blood on the robot’s hands. “Sombra and I thought for sure that the new crystal cogs would offer up much more resistance than what they put forth. I suppose it’ll be back to the lab for a little more reinforcement.” There was a pause as the darkened mare stared at the armored man, a cruel grin spreading across her face. “...What? No witty retorts? No threats? No heroic promises to end the war and save everyone? That’s almost disappointing.”

Midnight’s grin twitched as the Psycho Ranger jerked his foot out of the crater he’d left in the machine beneath him. “No more,” he growled, starting to stalk forward. “No more wit, no more threats. Just soldiers fighting battles and getting revenge.”

The mare’s grin grew into a sneer at that, a hiss sheering through the air as she drew her saber. “Sounds good to me.” Before she could even raise her blade, hellish flame burst from the ranger before he rushed forward. Midnight stepped back, her grin disappearing as the point of the Chrome Halberd filled her vision. A loud crack rent the air before an explosion of sparks and a scream of pain threw the ranger backward. Chris his the ground with a thud, the field of Static smoking at his chest directly over his heart.

The man groaned as another thump reached his ears. Chris looked up as he got into a kneeling position, watching as a new and improved Staroid stepped out of the shadows on the other side of Midnight. The black plating covering the majority of the machine’s body had been replaced by semi-translucent dark blue, a pair of crystals jutting from the pauldrons on his shoulders. His right arm had been completely replaced, the sniper rifle configuration folding back into the now seemingly oversized limb that ended in a glass cone with three circular tubes protruding from the sides, an orange bulb glowing within.

“You’re going to have to do better than that, ranger,” Staroid growled, the bulb glowing even brighter before a beam shot from it. The light scattered upon hitting the glass cone only to contract back in on itself and form a menacing scythe blade.

Chris took several deep breaths as he pushed himself back to his feet, halberd still in hand. “Noted,” the man muttered before Gray Static surged around him. A pair of clones appeared to either side of him, his clones lowering into a ready stance before blurring out of existence. Smears of chrome, orange, and yellow flashed in front of the villainous trio, each one struggling to keep their eyes on even one of the dashing figures.

Midnight grit her teeth, her mane and tail beginning to flare out in anger. “Enough of this!” She shouted, eyes shining as she stomped on the ground. A dome of magic expanded from the impact point, painting the area in a disturbing purple color. The three Psycho Rangers froze in midair, one aiming a kick at Staroid’s head, another ready to slam its fist into Mace Face’s face, and the last striving to drive the point of his halberd into the mare’s sternum. The Alicorn’s eyes flashed with magic again as she snarled, raising her saber and slashing down. The purple color rushed back to her blade, launching a triplet of energy waves into the trio of rangers.

Chris shouted in pain as he shot back away from Mace Face, his clones disintegrating in clouds of smoke. He grit his teeth and began to pull his core up over his head only to stop as a pair of lights flashed around him. A spikey blue ball flew above him as a red star flew under him. The man barely had time to widen his eyes before Staroid and Mace Face converged on him, each one striking opposite points of his body and showering sparks across the ground. The pair of machines made several passes on the young man, hitting several times to drag him further into the air. Finally, they collided with his chest and back, launching him dozens of feet in the air and leaving him for gravity to drag back down. The ranger’s clamped eyes finally opened in relief as the pain of continuous collisions was finally allowed to dull only to widen as teal magic engulfed his vision.

Midnight unleashed the full force of her magical attack, the swirling purple and teal beam slamming into her target and sending him rushing back into the ground. The earth shook with the impact, the force creating a crater with Chris forced snuggly into the center. The Alicorn flapped her wings and descended back to the forest floor just as the man managed to turn over and grab the edge of the hole, slowly dragging his smoking visage out of the bottom.

Chris raised his eyes as he panted, sweat dripping inside his helmet as his vision wavered. No, not his vision. His gray eyes squinted and he looked down at his hand to find the field of Static shimmering and waving, a constant torrent of vapor rising from it as it struggled to repair itself. “Shi-GAHK!” The man felt his body fold back as a force slammed into the small of his back. The Ranger went limp, Mace Face lifting his foot from his back before viciously kicking his side. The kick punted the young man several feet away, landing him directly into the center of the triangle his opponents had formed. The armadillo-like automaton stomped forward as Chris dragged his limps back in, putting them under him as he tried to get back to his feet.

The Ranger slumped as he stood, panting heavily as he eyed each of his opponents. None made a move as he summoned his weapon, the Chrome Blaster materializing without so much as a twitch from his enemies. Several more heavy breaths entered and left the young man’s body before he steadied and straightened up, machines and dark Alicorn tensing into differing fighting stances as he did so. Though, still, no one made a move, giving Chris enough time to get his gears turning. Slowly, a plan formed in his head and his features hardened in his helmet. Crystal and Explosion Static burst out around him, his foot stomping towards the ground as he raised his blaster with one hand and thrust the other forward. Crystal started to form over his body as he fired his weapon in Midnight’s direction, spires of pink crystal racing towards Staroid as an orange ball of condensed explosive energy launched towards Mace Face. Each of the villains responded in kind, Mace Face unleashing blue lightning from his eyes, Staroid firing his own blue lasers from his new arm cannon as Midnight flashed out of existence. Before any attack could even make it halfway over the battlefield, Chris felt a very wrong tug in his chest.

The crystal crawling over his body suddenly crumbled away, his spires reaching a max height of three feet and stopping several feet from their target as his sphere of Explosion Static began to fade, dissipating in a puff as Mace Face’s lightning passed through it unabated. Chris’ eyes widened as he realized all too late his mistake. He was fighting solo. There was no one with him to pick up the slack of casting multiple Static attacks at once. Fear turned his blood cold as he realized that, at the moment he truly needed him, Samson wasn’t with him. And it was his fault.

The Psycho Ranger roared in agony as lightning coursed through his body, forcing every limp to go rigid just in time for Staroid’s laser fire to slam into his, explosions of force rocketing him back before a blink of light found Midnight turning to drive the heel of her armored boot down into the side of his helmet. The sound of shattering glass filled the air as Chris’ head was forced into the ground. The man reflexively closed his eyes as part of his visor shattered, letting unfiltered light shine into his eyes for the first time since he’d donned the Psycho Ranger powers.

The man grit his teeth in pain as electricity continued to arc around his body, the invasive energy pulsing through every muscle as he watched Midnight crouch down in front of him. “Well, would you look at that,” he heard the mare purr before she grabbed the side of his helmet and roughly yanked his head up and to the side to get a better look at his shattered visor. “Looks like that armor of yours isn’t impenetrable after all.” As if to emphasize this point, Chris felt a small tug at his chest before the dark mare lifted a piece of chrome colored armor that had begun to crumble from the impact site of Staroid’s attack. The pony grinned maliciously as she watched his eye narrow before she reared his head back further and slammed it back down into the ground.

Stars burst into the man’s vision as his helmet connected, the sound of cracking eggshells filling his ears before he felt something slam into his stomach. The air rushed from his lungs and his eyes bulged as he was tossed over the crater by Midnight’s kick. He slammed into the ground and rolled, finally coming to a stop less than a dozen feet from the door to the castle. Chris lay for a moment on his side, his armor cracked and flaking in several places before gridlines crisscrossed over his body before the Chrome Armor shattered in a flash of light. All at once, pain rushed through the demorphed Ranger’s body and he let out a groan of pain, curling up slightly as his fingers strained to dig furrows in the ground.

With a gasp, the rest of his nervous system caught up with the immense pain, allowing him to look up and prop himself up on one arm. He panted as each of the three monsters stomped to a stop at the opposite edge of the crater from where he lay, a manic grin on Midnight’s face as she stared at his bruised and battered form. “Finally,” she hissed, leveling insane eyes at him as she started to raise her hand. “You’ll die and victory will be mine at last.” Chris’ eyes widened as magic surged into her palm, swirling like a ball of razors even as Staroid’s scythe reappeared and Mace Face began to glow and form a ball. Three attacks launched towards the man, a slash of blue energy, a beam of burning black, purple, and teal magic, and a large ball of solid, spiky metal.

Images flashed in his mind’s eye. Helping his father write a program, rebuilding his first computer and learning about the difference between a stepper and a servo. He saw his time studying a pack of wolves in Yellowstone Park. He and Andrew in front of the courthouse holding up his adoption certificate. Then came memories of Equestria. Waking up to Apple Bloom’s temper. His special training with Starlight Glimmer, Trixie, and Shining Armor and the meals that followed with the stallion and his budding family. The Elements of Harmony taking him under their wing and making him feel welcome. The feeling of comfort and confidence he drew from Artemus and Chrysalis’ counseling. The first time he’d clashed with Cobalt Steel and the brotherhood that had bloomed from it. Firefly smiling and cracking a joke. The twins running around his ankles as he tried to work his lab, the clunk of wooden paws hitting the floor interrupted by a metallic clink. Finally, he saw Sweetie’s beautiful face in a flash of light, urgency, and fear engulfing her green eyes.

Wait.

The Unicorn wrapped her arms under his own, horn starting to glow in her magic as she tried to heave him away from the oncoming carnage. Blood splattered against his face as a scream of agony pierced his ears, finding his body falling through the air as the mare tossed him away. He hit the ground and rolled over his shoulder just in time to watch the magic beam meant for him shred through her leg in a shower of blood. The young mare’s eyes widened in pain and fear as she looked up at him just before half her body disappeared against the mass of steel and crystal. A sickening crunch sounded before the off-white pony was thrown away, thudding against the large metal doors of the castle. Chris watched helplessly as she wilted to the ground in a disfigured pile, mouth gaping as his pupils shrank.

Not a word left him as he struggled to get to his feet, only managing an awkward, dysfunctional crawl as he scrambled to the mare’s side. He stopped next to the mare, hands hesitating just over her body as he looked over her. Her right arm and leg bent at unnatural angles, puncture marks covering the same side of her body as her eyes were clamped shut, blood pouring from the stump in the middle of her forehead. “Sw… Sweetie Belle?” The mare turned her one good eye towards him, blood dripping from her lip with every heavy stuttering breath she took. “Oh, god…” he whispered, putting a hand under her head to comfort her as he gently put his other around her body. “God, Sweetie… please, just hang on. We- We’ll get you help. This is nothing we can’t heal. You just have to hang on. Sweetie, plea-” His desperate ramblings were quieted as a soft touch lighted on his face.

Tears trailed down the man’s face as he lifted his hand to press her’s against his cheek. He looked down on her as she drew in another haggard breath, moisture gathering in her own eye as she gave a weak smile. “...I love you,” she gasped before her smile faded and her head lolled to the side, eye closing as her hand went limp in his grip.

The man’s eyes widened and he clutched her hand in his own, leaning over her as he brought his other hand up to cup her face. “Sweetie?” He breathed, his heart pounding as he began to panic. “Sweetie, stay with me!” The man squeezed his eyes shut and clawed at his magic, trying to draw out his Pink Static only to find nothing there. His tank was empty, and as he opened his eyes to stare down at the dying mare in his arms he knew there was nothing he could do.

“What a shame.” The words reached his ears and drew his attention to Midnight as she landed gently on the other side of the crater, Staroid at her side as Mace Face hovered over to her side before returning to his robot form. “I wanted to save her for my own personal enjoyment.” Chris stared at her before he snarled, his agonized tears turning to pure rage as his gray eyes tried to burn into the Alicorn’s smirking face.

“I’m going to kill you,” he growled, trying and failing to get to his feet, his body resisting his attempts. “ I swear I’ll… I’ll rip you all apart!” His eyes clamped shut as he grit his teeth and dug deeper, trying desperately to find some modicum of power. All he needed was some way to keep fighting. But, no matter how much he scraped the bottom of the barrel, he was spent.

“I thought you said there wouldn’t be any more threats.” The man opened his eyes to once more find Midnight Sparkle charging a final magical beam, her mane and tail pillars of flame as a small, sick smirk turned the corner of her lips. “Glad we could make a liar out of you before you died.” Light flashed and Chris’ eyes widened as the blast engulfed his vision. He stopped trying to find the power within, letting time slow as he closed his eyes and decided to spend his last moments in peace.

Not yet! Gray eyes shot open as he felt something grab onto his withdrawing reach and power surged through him. With a mighty shout, he crossed his arm over his chest and swung, backhanding the ray of burning magic. The beam arched away from the man and the mare below him, detonating harmlessly several feet away.

Midnight's eyes widened as she looked at the man in front of her, black, blue, and purple aura burning around him as he panted heavily. The blond drew his arm back, the back of his hand smoking slightly while burn marks charred the skin. The Ranger slowly rose to his feet, a small wobble in his balance as he did so, but that didn't stop him from looking up with burning white eyes. The man opened his hands and held them out to his sides.

Orbs began to form in the air in front of him, Purple Static coursing over his form. One by one, the orbs gained color, archaic symbols forming in their center. Red for fire, black for earth, pink for nature, silver for metal, yellow lightning, navy water, light blue ice, and green wind. Eight orbs formed a circle in front of him, a final, sinister purple orb with no symbol formed in the center. The elemental orbs began to spin as they were drawn into the center. The center grew and brightened, changing colors swirling within ranging from black to blue to purple. Finally, the other orbs were gone and light exploded out.

The trio of villains threw their arms up to cover their eyes, looking back to find only to the body of Sweetie lying on the ground. “Where'd h-” Staroid was cut off as the sound of crumpling and sheering metal ripped through the air. Midnight and the star-themed robot turned just in time to see Mace Face her dragged away by a dark figure. The armored automaton was slammed into the wall of the crater, his attacker blurring up the side to stop on the other side of the hole in the ground. When it came to a stop, Midnight and Staroid got a clear look at what had become of the downed Ranger.

A dark blue and black aura still burned around the armored figure, trailing up the dark blue undersuit, the shin guards, knee pads, waistband, bracers, and collar now pitch black. The metal studs all about the armor now stood out like stars in the night, any chrome color that normally adorned the Ranger was now a dull purple, finishing off the Psycho’s frightening new appearance. The aura died slowly, leaving the new and improved Psycho Ranger standing tall. His head turned deliberately, finally showing off the blood red visor that spread across the front of the helmet.

“You son of a bitch!” Midnight flinched as Staroid jolted his arm cannon up, the bulb within glowing brightly. An ungodly blast fired from the upgrade, slamming into the Ranger’s position and detonating in a cloud of dust and fire. A rush of air blew between the Alicorn and machine, the automaton letting out a cry of pain. Midnight spun around to find their opponent just in time to watch him crush Staroid’s new arm as it leaked oil from the torn end before tossing it away like an uninteresting morsel of prey.

The mare’s eyes widened and she knew. She had made a mistake declaring war on the monster in front of her. “Retre-” She unleashed another pulse from her horn, cutting herself off as she let off another time dilation spell, watching as the black, studded fist still inched towards her face. She glanced behind the Ranger to where he had been, finding a solid image still left behind as the real one charged her. She took one last look into the dead, red visor, her horn lighting before she flashed away. Time returned to normal and a sonic boom cracked the sound barrier as the avenger’s fist met thin air. Staroid took the hint, jumping into the air away from his adversary only to crumple almost in twain as a kick met his mangled arm and side. The Machine Captain was thrown at high speeds by the Psycho’s spin kick, disappearing into the foliage several yards away. The Ranger landed and made to rush after his prey only to stop halfway across the clearing as a red streak shot into the sky. The red glare followed the machine’s progress, watching it disappear before a groan gained his attention.

Mace Face had crawled to the edge of the crater, a hole in its torso leaking numerous different fluids. A loud crunch and the shredding of metal combined with his scream of agony as something slammed into its back. The blue machine’s lower half rolled back down into the crater as a dark blue boot snagged under the Machine Captain’s arm before forcing him over on his back. Mace Face knew true fear as he looked up at the visage on the overshadowed helmet. A small whimper echoed from the machine as it watched the Ranger lift his arm, pointing a finger gun down at him.

“Nebula Pistol.” Dark aura roared to life around the Ranger, racing to the end of his finger as he dropped his thumb. A dark blast roared forward, reducing the machine to nothing but molten slag, the glove still smoking alongside the new sideways crater as it fell to the man’s side. Several seconds ticked by without movement in the now mangled clearing. Gridlines formed over the armor before the armor faded and shattered, leaving Chris standing in its place, a blank look on his bloodstained face. “...SWEETIE!” The man blinked, turning tail and running as fast as he could back across the crater. Sliding to a stop, the young man scooped the broken body of the young mare into his arms, tears already streaming down his face. “HELP!” He roared desperately, looking up at the imposing metal doors. “SOMEBODY, PLEASE, HELP!!!” His shouts were met by the sound of grinding steel, muffled urgent cries and shouts meeting his ears before he buried his head in Sweetie Belle’s neck.

“Please…” he begged hoarsely as he sobbed into her matted, red fur. “Please just hang on….”

Author's Note

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Chapter 26- Patchwork

Chapter 26-

Patchwork

Rumbling. That was the only sound. Not the rumbling of thunder or a waterfall. No. This was a lower, muffled rumbling like those of an earthquake, completely stuffing the ear canal until it was all that he could hear. This sensation filled Chris’s existence as he stood, blood-soaked and dirty, at the end of the medical hall. Blurry shapes and colors filled his vision, some of the figures rushing about and causing the occasional crash of sound against the low rumble in his ears. His only focus was a door at the other end of the hall. The last place he’d seen Sweetie Belle before she’d been rushed through by a pack of colorful shapes. He’d been stopped at the front of the room, he didn’t remember by what, left to watch and wait in silence.

It was in this state that another shape approached him, thunder suddenly interrupting his earthquake of silence. The man didn’t respond, only continued to stare at the door, waiting for something, anything. He didn’t even utter a sound as light tingling made its way up to his brain, the details of the doorway suddenly moving around on their own.

You may want to pay attention, young man.

Like a shot, everything seemed to rush back at him, the medical hall returning to sharp focus as he sucked in air, having not realized he had exhaled but never inhaled. He looked up in confusion into the teal eyes of Artemus, her worried gaze finally registering in his mind as he finally felt the hand she had placed on his arm. They locked eyes, searching one another for several quiet moments. “...I’m sorry, what?”

The Alicorn let out a breath she had been holding, straightening up before repeating her question. “How are you holding up?”

Her words were barely above a whisper, but for some reason, they boomed like thunder in his ears. They bounced around in his head, ideas following behind the statement until, finally, he had only one answer. Gray eyes shimmered as Chris’s stoic, blank expression seemed to melt into true agony. He lunged forward, all but tackling the Alicorn as he clung to her for dear life. “It’s all my fault,” he sobbed, shoulders shaking as tears stained the front of the mare’s gambeson. “I shouldn’t have rushed in! I should have made a plan! If I had then- then-!” His throat choked up until no sound escaped him except for wordless cries.

Artemus stared down in shock at the young man, but her expression quickly melted away, brows furrowing and a small, quaking frown forming on her face as she brought her arms up to rest her hands on his shivering back. Her hands rested against him, one hand rubbing up and down mechanically. The silver mare’s teeth suddenly flashed as she wrapped her arms around the young man, drawing him in close as her features scrunched up in sadness. Tears snuck out from under her eyelids, trailing down her cheeks to fall from her chin onto Chris’ shoulders.

“I’m so sorry…” she whispered sorrowfully. “We shouldn’t have left you out there alone…. We knew what was coming. So listen to me when I tell you,” she paused to pull away slightly and raised a hand to tilt his chin up to look into her eyes, “what happened to Sweetie was not. Your. Fault.”

Drowned gray eyes looked up at the mare, his drooping features twitching now and again. The young man hid his eyes behind his wrist with a last sniffle as he rubbed away the tears. He paused and took a deep breath, seeming to calm himself a bit. He lowered his arm, his sad gaze cast on the ground to his side. He gave a slight nod, and Artemus let her shoulders relax a bit. Before either could continue, though, the doors leading to the rest of the castle burst open, Chris barely sidestepping to avoid being implanted into the wall as the heavy metal door crashed into it.

“WHERE IS SHE!?” Chris cringed as Rarity’s shrill cry tore through the air of the medical hall, the white mare’s expression nothing more than worry and terror. “Where is my Sweetie Belle!?” The unicorn looked around the room, eyes narrow as she searched, some of the staff and patients looking back in shock or curiosity, though most of the room gave her as little mind as she gave them. At least until her eyes landed on the young man standing next to the door. “You.” The mare’s eyes flashed with flames, his own shrinking in fright as she stomped toward him.

The ranger couldn’t help but step back as the heat of the mare’s fury grew closer. He was hardly aware of Artemus stepping forward, holding her arms out down next to her waist in a non-threatening display. “Please, Miss Rarity-”

“Get out of my way!” The alicorn’s eyes widened as a loud screech filled the room, her metallic boots scraping against the smooth cobblestone as a light blue aura surrounded and moved her aside.

Chris’s gray eyes were filled with azure as the tall, white mare grabbed the front of his vest and yanked him closer to her. “How could you!?” She shouted, lips curled back in a snarl. “How could you let anything happen to her!?” Chris didn’t, or couldn’t, answer as the older unicorn shook him roughly. His mind froze as the words rattled around in his mind, reaching into his soul and yanking at the strings. It wasn’t until he felt something cold and wet fall on his collar that he came back to reality, finding the mare’s fiery eyes replaced by blue orbs drowning in tears. “You promised her.”

The air grew silent as the words rang out. Not one of them moved. Not one of them dared to. Chris stared at Rarity as she stared back at him, his mouth open, but the words froze in his throat. Slowly, his lips closed, and moisture began to well up in his eyes once more. An orange hand gently took the white mare by the shoulder, turning her to face Applejack’s green eyes. “Just breathe, sugarcube,” the farm pony said gently, moving a stray hair of the unicorn’s frazzled mane out of her face. “Ya know he ain’t ta blame fer what happened….”

“Yes, I am.” The simple words boomed like a gong, drawing the three mares’ attention back to the blond man. His eyes were glued to the ground, hair and shadow overcasting most of his face. “I went out there without a plan. I didn’t take full stock of the situation. I’m the reason they attacked in the first place.” He paused, his hands curling up into tight fists until his nails dug into flesh and a drop of blood hit the floor. “Maybe it would be better if I had never-”

“Don’t ya dare finish that.” Chris flinched, still looking at his feet before raising his gaze slightly to watch Applejack march towards him. “We might be dead if it wasn’t fer yer help. Everythin' you’ve done ta better the Resistance has been beneficial, and ya haven’t failed us yet. But, if’n you start thinkin’ like that, ya will.” The blonde mare huffed through her nose and turned to look between Rarity and the young man. “No one in this room is to blame fer what happened. So, instead of wallerin’ in pity, why don’t we put our thoughts on somethin’ positive like Sweetie gettin’ better?” No one spoke a word after the earth pony’s telling off, but, after a moment’s hesitation, the man looked past the green-eyed mare to Rarity, the purple-maned unicorn returning his gaze. They both looked away shamefully, giving similar nods.

The sound of a door opening caught all of their attention, bringing their eyes to the end of the hall where they could see Apple Bloom walking towards them, her usually pristine scrubs wrinkled and stained. She stopped a few feet away from them, eyes on the floor as she left her hands in her pockets. The silence stretched on until the redheaded mare let out a sigh. “Sweetie Belle…” she started, her voice strained as she kept her emotions in check. “...There’s nothing else we can do. We took care of every puncture wound, patched up internal injuries, set bones… but there’s still so much worse. Part-” The mare had to stop and catch her breath as her words caught. “...Part of her skull collapsed, resulting in serious brain trauma. Pieces of her ribs went into her lungs. There’s nothing we could do about her horn.” Apple Bloom stopped again, but this time she couldn’t hold off the tears that streamed down her face. “I’m sorry… we can’t save her.”

Silence permeated the air for several seconds before a world-ending scream shattered it. Rarity Diana Belle hit her knees as she felt her heart ripped from her chest, screaming as tears rained from her eyes. But none of this was heard by Chris Scott. Once more, everything was reduced to the low rumbling in his ears, his sight blurring until there was nothing more than blurry shapes and colors once more. She wasn’t going to make it. Sweetie Belle was going to die. And, despite the insistence of those around him, he knew who was to blame.

Not the greatest thoughts to have at a time like this.

Chris jerked visibly as the voice from earlier spoke to him again. Who are you? He questioned mentally, slowly beginning to put up whatever mental barrier he had.

You already know, but that’s unimportant, the presence answered, the young man feeling a hand being waved dismissively. Right now, what is important is keeping that little mare of yours alive, is it not?

Chris’s shoulders slumped at that. If you’re actually in my head, the blond argued, then you already know that there’s nothing that we can do.

There’s nothing they can do, the voice corrected. You, on the other hand, have been working on the solution long before this morning.

The young man’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion for a moment before images and plans suddenly appeared in his mind. In an instant, every single one of his defenses were up, the sensation of having information “uploaded” to his mind all too familiar. “Psycho!” Chris exclaimed as he entered his mindscape, stepping into a fighting stance. In front of him stood just who he expected to see. The Psycho Ranger stood not ten feet away from him, arms held behind his back as he did nothing to hide his presence. However, unlike the last time he had seen the evil ranger, his armor had changed colors, the black under armor now an off white, just darker than his shin guards and gauntlets that still swam with pitch-black energy, the colored accents of the suit a dark blue.

“Hello, Christian,” Psycho answered, his demeanor calm.

The young man waited for the figure in front of him to make a move, but, after what felt like an eternity, nothing happened. “...What the hell are you up to?” Chris questioned, never once letting his muscles loosen.

The ranger simply shrugged and turned to look off into the distance. “Not much of anything, really,” it answered, voice even. “After you awakened me, I’ve simply been trying to help you. I can’t very well continue to exist if you die, after all.”

“So that’s it then?” Chris accused, tensing even further as his lips curled back. “You’re just looking out for yourself.”

The armored being in front of him scoffed at that. “If I was only looking out for myself, what reason would I have for trying to help you help your… what was the term you use? ...Ah, yes, marefriend.” It turned its head to look at the man from behind its black visor. When Chris didn’t respond, its armored shoulders slumped. “You did look at the plans I injected, didn’t you?”

Chris didn’t answer, his eyes still glued to the figure. After a moment, he closed his eyes and focused. Images of his workshop appeared in his mind, a table in the middle on which sat the metallic frame of the body he’d been building for Samson. And then another image. Of a robotic filly. Gray eyes snapped back open. “Hell no,” the man said forcibly, snarling a bit.

“Why not?” The ranger asked, turning to face him again, arms finally coming out from behind his back to cross over its chest. “You want to save her, don’t you? This is your best chance of doing so.”

“There are so many holes in that, I don’t even know where to start,” Chris replied, putting a hand to the bridge of his nose. “First off, the android isn’t even near ready. It’d take me another month or two just to get it finished. Second, all my designs are to put a soul with no body into it. I’d have to find a way to pull not only her soul but her mind out and replace it in the android. I don’t have the time to do all of that if she’s already sitting at death’s door.”

“What if you made the time?”

Chris blinked at that. “...What are you talking about?”

The specter in front of him let out a sigh and grabbed the front of its helmet. “I swear, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say your memory is waning,” it muttered before looking back up at him. “A time dilation spell, like the one the purple one used on us.”

The blond allowed the words to roll around in his head for a moment before he answered. “The theory is solid…” he consented before shaking his head. “But still, we can’t perform a spell like that. Time isn’t exactly an element.”

“No,” Psycho agreed, drawing a bit closer. “But maybe we don’t have to cast the spell. What if we got someone else to cast it?”

“But who do we know that can-”

“Do not finish that sentence!”

Chris promptly snapped his mouth shut as the figure chastised him, the white armored figure rubbing the black glass of its visor. “We are in a world of talking, upright ponies,” the specter finally said, looking up again. “A world that you have much more knowledge than I do. So how is it I can figure out who you need for this job?”

The man thought for a moment on this before his eyes widened. “Starlight Glimmer.”

“Yes!” Psycho exclaimed, throwing its hands in the air. “However, we’ll need more than just her.” With a swipe of his hand, the ranger sent images through the air, each one unfolding before Chris’ eyes. From left to right, he saw Sunset Shimmer, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Heavy Ladle. “We’ll need the expertise of the first three. Magic, engineering, and medical science.”

“And Heavy Ladle?” Chris questioned, quirking an eyebrow as he looked up from the image towards his hitchhiker.

“We’ll need someone who can prepare sufficient nutrition for you and the others while under the effects of the time dilation,” Psycho pointed out before the images faded. “So… what do you think?”

The man paused as he thought over the specter’s plan. On the one hand, all the pieces fit together, and there was sound logic to it. But something still bothered him. “What’s in it for you?”

A breath of laughter escaped the ranger across from him, the figure once more turning away. “Absolutely, nothing,” it answered as it looked off into the distance. “In my current state, I could never overtake your mind. Even given time to stockpile power, I alone could not beat you.” The figure glanced towards the young man, eyeing him for a moment. “After so much time and effort, I am at your mercy.”

Chris stared at the avatar inside his head, mulling over every word he’d just heard, calculating every risk in actually believing any of them. “...Fine,” he murmured, relaxing from his fighting stance. “We’ll do it your way.”

“Excellent-”

“But!” Chris’s sharp bark cut the ranger off completely, Psycho even taking a step back from the force of the single word. “If this comes back to bite me or hurt anyone,” gray eyes looked up with the intensity of a cornered beast, “I’ll kill you first.”

Psycho didn’t say a word for a moment, its confidence diminished by the stare it was receiving. “I… I understand,” it answered with a bow of its head.

Gray eyes burrowed into the armor of the phantom in his mind, still untrusting of the evil persona. Slowly, he let his mind ease and let his focus return to the outside world, which immediately assaulted him with ear-piercing wails. Chris winced, opening his eyes to find Rarity still on the floor, crying into Applejack’s shoulder as the blonde earth pony tried to comfort her. Apparently, not much, if any, time had passed while he was dealing with the voice in his head. Speaking of, a quick search revealed that Psycho was sitting deep in his mind, his presence barely noticeable. Good, the ranger thought, focusing on the situation at hand.

With a slight frown on his face, he moved forward until he could lower himself down beside the distraught mare, sharing a glance with Applejack before placing a hand on Rarity’s open shoulder. “I’m so sorry…” he whispered, his eyes tearing up a little before he wiped his eyes and cleared his tightening voice. “...But… I might have an idea.”

Rarity curled closer to Applejack at the words, the farm pony in question glaring daggers at the man. A clearing throat caught his attention before he heard the sound of metallic boots coming towards him. “Chris…” Artemus spoke up in a soft but stern tone. “I don’t think this is the time for heroics.”

Chris closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling before he straightened up to his full height. “I agree,” he muttered as he opened his eyes and looked back at her and Apple Bloom. “But this isn’t about heroics. This isn’t about pulling some crazy shit out of my ass just to prove what I can do. This isn’t about war or soldiers. This is about Rarity’s little sister. Apple Bloom’s friend. The mare I love.” He didn’t realize his knuckles had turned white as he was speaking, reopening the holes he’d already dug into his hands. “I have something that can save her. All I need is a little more time.”

The two mares stared at him dumbly, the young man even realizing the loud crying had devolved into low sobs. It took a moment before Apple Bloom spoke up in a tight voice. “Chris… she’s out of time.”

“Then we’ll make time,” he insisted, his gaze moving to her. “How much does she have?”

Bloom stared back at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. “Th-thirty minutes at the most,” she stuttered out. “What could you possibly do with thirty minutes?”

“I’ve done more with less,” the ranger muttered before he shook his head. “But still, that might not be enough….” He stopped, putting a knuckle to his chin as he tried to think. An image of Discord in his stasis chamber popped into his head, and, begrudgingly, he had to thank Psycho for his input. “What if we put her in one of the spare stasis pods?”

“Um,” the red-maned mare answered, her face scrunching up before she visibly started doing the calculations in her head. “With her rate of decay… it could give us… six hours? Eight at the most.”

“We’ll have to make do with five, then,” Chris stated, his heart already starting to pound out of his chest. He turned, and he looked at Artemus. “How quickly can you gather Sunset, Starlight, Scootaloo, and Heavy Ladle?”

The alicorn’s eyebrow lifted at that, her expression changing to bewilderment. “I can give a call to everypony except Miss Heavy Ladle,” she answered, her expression not changing. “What are you planning to do?”

“Better I explain it once, so we don’t waste time,” the man answered, already doing mental math in his head and counting on his fingers. “Have them all meet me at my lab.” He paused and turned to Apple Bloom. “Bloom, I need you to get Sweetie into one of those pods yesterday and then meet the rest of us at my lab.”

“On it,” the young mare answered, quickly turning tail and racing back down the hall, barking orders into her communicator.

Chris looked to the others. “We have no time to waste,” he explained, turning and starting to leave the medical hall. “I need to go get my lab ready while we wait for the others. After that, no rest until we succeed or our timer runs out.” With no other words, the man slipped out of the large hall and raced off in a blur of orange and yellow, leaving Artemus, Applejack, and Rarity to stare after him.

Beep… Beep… Beep…. It was the only sound to fill the small area. The sound of a heart rate monitor doing its job. That and the quiet breathing of a sleeping pink pegasus. There were no longer any bandages wrapped around her body, Chris’ miracle bean having worked its magic, but still, the pegasus slept on, rolled over on her side to keep pressure off her back where her wing was still missing.

Next to her sat a deathly quiet Cobalt, his yellow eyes glued to her sleeping form as he leaned back in his chair, one hand covering his lips as the other hung limp over the side. He had done as his leader had suggested and had given the bean to Firefly the moment she was awake. Almost instantly, her wounds had mended themselves, but it appeared that the magic could not restore what wasn’t there. And so he had sat, and they swapped a few sentences before she grew tired again and had drifted off to sleep. It had not been a very… uplifting conversation to have.

Only the stallion’s ear twitched as some of the curtains were moved out of the way, a silent Aria Blaze stepping into view before the curtains moved back into place. Just like the other sirens, she had been given clothes that would be much less revealing, the violet sister now sporting a black crop jacket, jade green tank top, dark blue jeans, and black high-rise sneakers. She didn’t speak as she stood next to the curtain, her mulberry eyes watching the dark Thestral closely.

He didn’t say a word, simply continued to watch Firefly as her chest rose and fell to the rhythm of her breathing. “...Y’know,” he suddenly murmured in a strained whisper, the siren perking up to listen. “I never even asked why she wanted to be a ranger….” He sighed and finally leaned back. “For me, it was an easy decision. I wanted to push myself further beyond the pony I was, and I couldn’t do that where I was. Chris was so accepting of my secret, of my unnatural powers, that he established himself as the de facto leader I’d gladly follow. But Firefly,” he paused and blew air from between his lips, almost as if he were frustrated, “I have no idea why she joined….”

Aria shuffled a bit from where she was, her arms behind her back before she let out a sigh and let her hands rest on her thighs. “Cobalt…” she started quietly, her eyes on the floor before lifting to look at him. “We’re leaving.”

The dark blue pony let out a tired sigh at that. “So you and your sisters decided, then?” He asked, not looking up.

The seapony nodded in response, still not looking up. “Adagio thinks we’re in more danger here than if we struck out on our own,” she began to explain dryly. “And after what I’ve seen today… I think I’m starting to agree.”

Cobalt Steel was quiet for a moment, watching Firefly’s breathing for a moment more before he leaned forward in his chair. “So,” he started, voice even quieter as he rested his arms on his knees and clasped his hands together. “Everything we talked about last night… what was that?”

It was Aria’s turn to sigh, looking off towards the side. “I don’t know, good sex?” She suggested, a slight shrug moving her shoulders. She was quiet for a moment before she grimaced and finally looked towards him. “We’re scared, Cobalt,” she declared, voice desperate. “We’ve literally lived under the ass of an evil sorceress for over a decade. She took everything from us. She made us watch as she burned an entire world to ashes. We thought maybe, just maybe, you guys would be able to keep us safe. It was you guys that took her on, on her own turf and even managed to kill that goddamn dragon,” Cobalt winced at that but didn’t interrupt, “and we thought we could trust you guys to take care of us. And… you did….” Her voice shrank to an echo, her eyes moving away from his face. “We’ve been free for almost a month, and you’ve shown us more kindness than we’ve seen in our entire lives….” She paused and bit her bottom lip before she continued. “You’ve shown me so much kindness….”

The stallion finally looked up as the siren began to move towards him, stopping next to his chair. He looked up into her eyes, yellow searching mulberry, and vice versa. Finally, they stopped and looked into each other, the answers they were both looking for found within the other’s eyes. Aria closed her misty eyes and leaned forward. Cobalt didn’t resist as he leaned forward, too, the pair sharing a tender kiss. It lasted only seconds before they each moved back, separating and opening their eyes. She lifted a hand to his cheek, and he brought his over it, taking in a deep breath, taking in her scent before letting it out again. “I’m sorry…” he muttered quietly, looking up into her eyes again as they separated.

She blinked the building tears out of her eyes, giving a shuttering smile. “Me, too,” she replied before she took her hand back, turning and walking back towards the curtain. She stopped as she drew it open, her eyes on the floor. “...Goodbye, Cobalt.” She slipped away, the curtain falling back into place and leaving the Thestral alone with the still unconscious Firefly.

The Thestral watched her go, the curtain shifting back and forth for a moment before it stilled. After another moment, he sat back in his chair, his eyes once again on the sleeping mare beside him. He let out a tired sigh and closed his eyes, wondering how he had let things grow out of control.

Wheels rattled across the ground before the cart came to a stop next to a large metal table, the contents of which were covered by a large cloth tarp. Chris let out a breath as he straightened up from pushing the small metal rover to the center of his lab. His heart was pounding in his chest as he turned and looked around the workspace, making sure he had moved anything nonessential out of the way. To be fair, though, it wasn’t exertion that had his heart beating away. “What’s taking everyone so long?” He mumbled, his foot tapping nervously on the floor as he leaned back against the table. He’d taken his vest and bracers off, replacing them with a stark white lab coat that did nothing to lessen his nerves.

Not all of them are capable of the same speeds you are, Christian, Psycho’s voice reminded, having come forward after the young man had reached the laboratory.

“Maybe not,” the man consented, letting out a small breath. “But they can still teleport and things like that. Where are they?”

The entire castle is in chaos after that attack, the voice in his head chided. They are going as fast as they can, I’m sure, but that’s not what you need to focus on. Right now, you need to focus on calming yourself down. You’ll never accomplish your goal if your mind continues to be as disturbed as it is. Now, take a breath and relax.

Chris did as he was told, closing his eyes and beginning to take in slow, deliberate breaths. Slowly, his heart stopped racing, and his mind became clear, the tapping of his foot coming to a close. After a few more moments, he opened his eyes, taking one last, deep breath. “Thanks-”

The moment he opened his mouth, the sound of knuckles rapping against the wooden door, which led to his and Sweetie’s room, drew his attention away from his internal roommate. That’s strange, he thought, moving towards the door. Why didn’t they come through the training room? Without conscious thought, he found his defenses coming up, the faint crackle of Static reaching his ears as he put his hand to the knob. Slowly, he opened the door, just enough for him to peek through. He let his eyes widen a bit in surprise when he found himself staring into piercing green eyes.”Applejack?” The man questioned as he opened the door, seeing the farm mare standing in the doorway, Rarity behind her with her eyes on the floor. “What’s…” he continued, looking between the two mares, “going on?”

“We needed ta talk to ya before you ’n the others got started,” the blonde pony answered firmly, stepping back away from the door. “In private.”

Chris’s brows furrowed in confusion, once again looking between the ponies before he stepped into his room, closing the door behind him. “Is there something wrong?” He asked, glancing down as he felt a slight bump against his leg, Rose staring up at him with her front paws on his leg.

“Nothing wrong… per se.” The man’s eyes were brought back to ponies in front of him, Rarity sitting on the edge of the bed, mindlessly petting Veral’s head as he nuzzled against her leg. Chris frowned, and he glanced at Applejack, who had stepped off to the side. The only response he got from the farm pony was a slight nod towards the fashionista. Gray eyes turned to the purple maned mare, analyzing every inch of body language.

“...Rarity.” The older mare winced at the sound of her name, slowly looking up with powder blue eyes. Chris slowly walked forward until he turned and sat on the bed next to her. “What’s going on?”

The unicorn stared at the man beside her, her lips starting to tremble as her shoulders shivered. She looked away from him and stared at the floor, her hands gripping the front of her skirt tightly. She let out a hiccup as she took a breath, shuddering as she closed her eyes and wiped away the tears that were starting to fall again. She shut her lips again as she tried to regain her composure, only managing to look older than she seemed, shoulders slumping as she bowed her head. “...I was a good little filly…” she finally spoke up, though not much more above a whisper. “I was so much like Sweetie… smiling, laughing, carefree,” she let out a little scoff, “as carefree as a Belle can be, anyway. As time went on, though… I grew tired of it. Being so prim and proper all the time, just as every lady should be.”

Chris raised an eyebrow at the sudden venom that appeared in the mare’s voice, pushing his question aside as she continued. “I suppose everypony goes through a rebellious streak,” Rarity muttered before she let out a hateful laugh, standing up and pacing towards the door that led to the rest of the castle. “Mine simply didn’t hit until I went off to higher schooling. I met some ponies, ponies that talked me into ‘loosening up.’ And, Celestia, did I.” At this point, the mare had started pacing in front of him, eyes still glued to the ground, lips pursed into a tight line. “Parties every other night, neglecting my studies, hating my parents just to hate them. I turned into the very thing I was so against… and, eventually, I paid for it….”

The mare stopped pacing and slumped into the couch across the room, eyes staring straight ahead. “I was in the second semester of my second year,” she mumbled quietly, her voice coming out like a ghost of itself. “Another party, more drinking… too much drinking… there was a colt there, a handsome young stallion.” She paused to sniff and wipe at her eyes. “I couldn’t have remembered his name that night if I had even bothered to try… I still can’t. We started talking, and one thing led to another. An innocent drunk kiss… making out… we found an empty room and-” The mare choked and stopped, closing her eyes and letting a few of her tears hit the floor, her shoulders shaking.

Chris started to get up only to stop as Applejack walked past him, sitting on the couch next to the white mare, wrapping an arm around her quaking shoulders and bringing her into a soft embrace. The room was quiet except for the silent sobs of the stark unicorn. The young man watched the two of them, his mind still processing everything he’d been told. And he was beginning to come to the most logical conclusion.

However, his train of thought was derailed as the blonde mare spoke up. “Rare an’ ‘er parents didn’t want the family name pulled through the mud,” she continued for the still crying mare. “So… they decided they would raise the baby an’ Rarity would continue her learnin’, but... .” Applejack pursed her lips and glanced at the unicorn in her arms before letting out a sigh. “Rarity couldn’t keep the filly until she could prove that she could take care of herself and the baby….”

All was silent for several moments. Chris looked between the two mares, waiting for one of them to speak up again. Neither of them did.

The man let all the breath out of his body with a long, tense blow, rubbing his hand over his eyes and forehead. “I assume Sweetie doesn't know any of this?” He asked, letting his hand drop as he looked back at them. At a nod from the fashionista, Chris only nodded his head a couple of times. “Right…” the ranger murmured, turning away from them for a moment to stare at the opposite wall. “...Right.” He turned to face the two mares, eyes hardened as blue and green eyes turned up to look at him. “Would you tell her…? If you could…?”

“In a second,” Rarity answered without hesitation, hand holding tight to Applejack’s.

Chris nodded at that. “I’ll make sure you get that chance,” he promised, expression never changing. “I don’t want to lose her, either.” He pushed himself up off the bed and started walking back towards his lab. “I’m sorry I can’t speak any longer. Time is not on our side.”

He heard a tired sigh behind him. “It never is….” The young man paused in the doorway at the sound of Applejack’s quiet voice. He didn’t reply as he slipped back into the lab and closed the door.

“Chris!” Gray eyes shot up as the shout pierced Chris’ ears and head. The black orb of his brother shot forward, the blond man taking a step back before Samson stopped a few inches short of his face. “I heard about what happened. I-I’m so sorry, Chri-”

“Shut up, Sam.” The simple statement came out low and soft, striking with the weight of a freight train as the orb stared at the steely eyes and angry frown of his brother. “We both made our mistakes. We both let our tempers get the better of us, and it is. Both. Our. Faults.” Chris paused and stared at his brother with his cold gaze, letting his words linger in the air. “Now, are you going to help us or not?”

A stressful breath seemed to escape from the black orb before Sam bobbed up and down in a nod. “Okay,” he answered slowly. “Let’s do this.”

With a nod of his own, Chris took a step back, opening his arms as if to embrace his ethereal brother. The orb across from him said nothing as the red and orange lights within began to glow a bit brighter before rushing forward.

“Wait!”

Dark aura exploded out from Chris before Sam could make contact with him, the bluish energy forcing the black sphere away from the young man. Sam shook as if clearing his head before leveling out with his brother’s eyes. “What the hell was that, Chris!?” He questioned before the shifting colors within his form slowed almost to a halt. “Oh, hell no….” Chris’s blood ran cold at that, the blond man taking the hand from his head as he looked up at his brother. Samson drifted closer, stopping only a few feet away from the young man as he scrutinized the gray-eyed man. “After all the shit you gave me, you went and unlocked your dark element, too? You fu-”

“It was not his doing.” Sam was silenced as the voice of Psycho spoke up again, a new orb of dark blue with transparent, almost clear electricity dancing around it forming behind Chris’ left shoulder, looking at its angry counterpart. “I took it upon myself to break my bonds using Chris’ anger as a catalyst because I didn’t particularly feel like dying.”

Samson was silent for several moments, seeming to contemplate this new information before he began to close the distance between himself and the manifestation of Psycho. “You’ve got thirty seconds to explain before I start ripping you apart.”

“It would seem,” Psycho immediately picked up, drifting back slightly to gain some space. “That when Harmony split the dark element into two, whether intentionally or not, she put more positive energy into one side and more negative into the other. This resulted in the imbalance that causes your dark powers to run rampant, whereas mine are much more… stable.”

“You’ve only got ten seconds left,” Sam growled, a spark of red electricity arcing over his form. “Nine. Eight. Seven-”

“I have a solution!”

The exclamation caught both brothers by surprise, Chris turning his full attention on Psycho. “What do you mean?” He asked, intrigue dripping from him.

“We can tame Samson’s dark element,” the orb answered, hovering up and down slightly. “However, it will require some… external assistance.”

“What kind of ‘external assistance’?” Samson interrogated, suspicion equal to his brother’s intrigue in his tone.

Psycho was silent for several moments before the sound of a sigh escaped him. “We will need the help of Harmony,” the spirit replied, a nervous twinge in its voice. “She is the one that split the dark element, to begin with, and we will need the help.”

A scoff drew the phantom’s attention to Chris just as his eyes stopped rolling. “I think the three of us against half of you is more than enough,” the man countered, crossing his arms impatiently. “After all, it only took me and Sam to finish you off the last time.”

“Except you won’t be with us.”

Chris stopped, turning his head to blink at the dark blue orb. “...I’m sorry, what?”

“You can’t fight with us,” Psycho reiterated, floating a little closer to the man. “When Samson and I engage my other half, whatever host entity we are within will be paralyzed during the duration of the battle, which could take several hours.” The orb fell silent as it watched Chris’s gaze fall in thought. “Besides that, you have a life to save.”

Gray eyes looked up in surprise, meeting the unflinching surface of Psycho’s form. After a moment, Chris’s expression became stoic, the man giving the orb a nod. “I’ll leave you guys to it, then,” he affirmed before looking towards Samson. “What do you think?”

The black orb was quiet for a moment before it sank a bit and let out a small sigh. “I think this is most likely a huge trap… but,” Sam floated back upwards, “I think it’s about time we took full control of our powers.”

“Then let’s do this,” Chris replied with a slight smirk. Each orb gave a small bob as the door sliding open drew their attention across the lab where the six mares he’d asked to meet him walked in. Starlight, Sunset, and Heavy Ladle each looked around, taking in every inch of the impressive lab space, Scootaloo cocking a hip with her arms crossed and face angry, Apple Bloom beside her with her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, Artemus hanging near the back.

“We’re all here,” Scootaloo grunted through her teeth. “You had better have a damn good plan.”

“If I called it anything, I’d call it desperate,” Chris admitted, drawing the attention of the others to him, several worried looks crossing their faces.

“What is the plan, Chris,” Bloom urged, taking a hand from her coat pocket.

Chris looked to the red-head before scanning the rest of the group he’d gathered, taking a deep breath before he began to explain. “My plan is this,” he murmured, his hand reaching out to the table beside him, grabbing the white blanket on top before he yanked it off. Underneath, a mish-mash of mechanical parts was revealed, elaborately and meticulously molded together to form the rough shape of a humanoid body minus a head, most of which had seemingly been assembled next to the machine. Bloom, Scootaloo, and Artemus all stared at the automaton with wide eyes, Heavy Ladle and Sunset flinching at the almost ghastly sight while Starlight wore a look of shock.

“Chris…” Artemus breathed, teal eyes tearing themselves from the amalgamation to look at the man. “What… what is this?”

“This,” the blond said, placing a hand on the arm of his work. “Is the secret project I’ve been working on recently. I call it ‘the puppet.’”

“What possible use could you have for that thing?” Sunset questioned, her muzzle scrunched up as she stared at it.

“And how does it help Sweetie Belle?” Scootaloo added heatedly, her ear twitching as she began to fume.

Chris looked over each of them for a moment before he began to explain. “Originally, this was meant to be a vessel for Samson.” The orb of his brother jolted a bit, shocked by what the man had said. “An empty, mechanical shell that he could use to stay independent from me.” Gray eyes looked down towards the unfinished machine, a sad look passing over them as his hand swept over the arm. “A body that could accept and house a soul.”

Everyone fell silent as Chris trailed off. The silence didn’t last long, though, as a certain purple-maned pegasus spoke up. “You plan to shove Sweetie into that!?” She practically screeched, taking a step forward as she brought her fists to her sides. “Are you bucking insane!?”

“I know it’s a long shot!” Scootaloo’s eyes widened with everyone else’s at the man’s yell. His fists held tensed at his sides, trembling as his head remained bowed. He looked up slowly, tears in his eyes. “But it’s the only plan we’ve got….”

True silence fell over the group. Scootaloo stared at him for a moment before her eyes went to the floor, holding her arm with the opposite hand. The rest of the group exchanged secretive glances with one another, each with conflicting thoughts… all but one. A hand fell on Scootaloo’s shoulder, and the pegasus looked up into warm, orange eyes. Apple Bloom gave a slight nod, her lips pursed together before she straightened up and looked to Chris. “What do you need from us?”

A small smile broke on the young man’s face at that, widening his stance and crossing his arms. “I’m going to need you, Scootaloo, and Sunset to help me finish the puppet,” He began to explain, pointing with two fingers to each of them as he named them. “With the four of us working together, we should have all the skills needed to finish it in…” he paused and did some mental calculations, “a little over a month.”

Faces paled at the estimate. “B-but, Sweetie Belle doesn’t have that kind of time!” Starlight exclaimed, taking a step forward with wide eyes.

“Which is exactly where you come in, Starlight,” Chris replied, looking at her directly. “You're the single most well-versed pony when it comes to time magic.” His face turned serious. “What I’m asking is nothing short of the single most taxing thing you’ll probably ever do, but… I need you to slow down the time in the lab and turn what time we have into the time we need.” He stopped and let his words sink in, searching her expression.

The mare was quiet for several moments, her eyes first searching him before they started to dart around the lab as if taking measurements. After another moment, she let her eyes fall to the ground at her feet. “...I can do it,” she answered, looking up at him as she dropped her hand from her chin. “I can turn every hour we have into another week, but that’s the most I can give you.”

“We can work with that,” Chris replied before turning his gaze. “Finally, and most importantly, if we shift time for us in here, that means we’re-”

“Going to need provisions,” Heavy Ladle interrupted, crossing her arms as she eyed the young man. “And I don’t see any form of food storage in this lab of yours. ...You’ll be needing my kitchens.”

The blond gave a nervous chuckle at that, rubbing the back of his neck. “That obvious, huh…” he murmured to himself, clearing his throat and looking back up. “That is the assistance I was going to ask you for, Miss Ladle. Are-”

“Are we up for it?” The pegasus interrupted again, looking at the young man sternly, a brow quirked up. She stared at him as he sputtered and looked to the ground again in embarrassment, her severe look fading as a small smile drew up on her lips. “Of course we are.”

The mare’s confirmation drew Chris’ attention back to her, his eyes finding her smile that caused his lips to widen in a grin. “Thank you, Miss Ladle,” he replied, the tension melting from his shoulders.

Heavy Ladle’s deep blue eyes met the young man’s, a sparkle in her sapphire orbs. "That's 'Heavy Ladle' to you, Christian," the mare teased gently as she turned towards the door and made her way out.

The young man stared after the older pegasus, a smile slowly spreading across his face. A moment passed, and a light push of his shoulder brought his attention behind him. Sam bobbed behind him, nodding towards their audience. “Right,” he murmured to himself before straightening up again as he let his sense of urgency replace the warm feeling in his chest. “The last thing we need is going to require your help, Artemus.”

“Anything you need,” she replied, the alicorn taking a step forward.

“We need to get Sam and Psycho to Harmony.” Every mare in the room tensed up, Starlight and Artemus igniting their horns and hands. The dark blue orb floated backward, taking a bit more cover behind the brothers he’d already been hiding behind. Chris glanced back at the globe, taking a step to the side to better cover the spirit. “I know what you might be thinking, but-”

“That thing has tried to kill you, Chris,” Artemus growled, raising her fists even higher. “It’s tried to kill both of you multiple times. Why on Equis would you let him roam free?”

“Because he saved my life, Artemus,” Chris answered, the mare’s anger quickly turning to confusion. “He’s the only reason I’m still alive and the only one that kept his head on long enough to come up with this plan.”

The room fell quiet at that, looks of unease going from one mare to another. “...You’re sayin’ the thing that tried to kill you,” Apple Bloom finally spoke up, looking back to the man. “Is the one that came up with a plan to save Sweetie Belle…?”

The young man nodded his head slowly at that, even more slowly starting to relax. “While I was brain dead after the news, he came up with the plan to save her,” he clarified, stepping aside to reveal the dark orb fully. “If it wasn’t for him, we’d be planning a funeral.”

The mood grew somber at that, everypony present slowly relaxing. Even Artemus let her hands fall, her horn starting to dim while her eyes stayed glued to the dark blue orb. “...If you say he is to be trusted,” she muttered, giving a sigh and looking down for a moment. “Then I will do what I can.”

Chris sighed and bowed his head at that. “Thank you,” he replied, looking back up. “Obviously, they’re not on the same time limit as us, but the sooner we nip this in the bud, the better.”

“I’ll see to it that it’s done,” the older alicorn answered with a small bow, turning a more brutal gaze on the two orbs. “Let’s go, you two.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Sam replied, shooting after the mare as she turned and left the room. Psycho seemed to glance at Chris before rushing to catch up to the others.

The blond let out a small breath and turned to look back at the remaining four mares. “You guys ready for this?” He asked, looking at each of them. The ponies exchanged looks amongst themselves before Starlight gave a little sigh.

“Let’s do it,” the unicorn replied, her features hardening. “I’ll be right outside the door, and it’ll take me a few minutes to get the spell going. I’ll flash a green light when things are going.”

“Roger that,” Chris replied, each giving a nod before the lavender mare turned and made her way out of the lab. “Once we get started,” he warned, looking to the others in the room, “we won’t have time to stop. I’ve got a cot set up in the corner with some pillows and a blanket, but it’s very small, so we’ll have to take turns. There’s a coffee pot and some mugs set up on the counter in the back. Help yourselves if coffee’s your thing. Last, I set up the chemical shower for anyone who needs to clean up, which, something tells me things are going to get messy from time to time, and the cabinet can lead to a toilet if you use the pin pad now.”

“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?” Scootaloo questioned, already making a beeline for the coffee pot.

“No, unfortunately, I can’t take the credit,” the man admitted, leaning against the table behind him, the incomplete android rattling as he did so. “If Psycho hadn’t kept my head on straight, who knows where I’d be right now.”

“Do you really trust him?” Apple Bloom asked, going past him and beginning to inspect the robot on the table.

Chris was silent for a moment, letting out a breath and giving a small frown. “Honestly?” He finally spoke up, not looking up from the floor. “I don’t know. Maybe it is all a trick to try and get control of my body. But,” he shook his head and looked back at her, “I can’t think about it right now. Sam and Harmony should be more than capable of handling him if he is up to something, but… my main focus has to be Sweetie Belle.”

The yellow pony frowned at him before looking away and giving a little sigh. Sunset simply watched them, standing where she’d been when she’d walked in. A green light got her attention, and she looked to the glass wall, Starlight firing off a green light from the other side, the flash of colored light flaring up in extremely slow motion. “It’s time,” she stated matter-of-factly, taking her jacket off and hanging it up on a coat rack by the door, taking a lab coat down, and putting it on. “Let’s get started.”

“You sure this is a good idea?”

“No, but the only other option is for Chris to kill himself and hope my dark side can’t use him as a rotting puppet.”

Even without a body, Samson turned to look at the floating orb next to him, taking his vision off of the Tree of Harmony. “...You are just the epitome of sunshine, aren’t you?”

“I speak concisely and logically,” Psycho replied, not looking away from the Tree. “To do otherwise in this situation would only waste time that we do not have. Speaking of,” it paused and turned its observation to the cave entrance, “was it truly wise for the moon goddess to leave us alone?”

“Maybe not, but she has other things to deal with right now,” Sam answered, turning his attention back to the Tree.

“If this goes bad-”

“If this goes bad,” the human spirit interrupted, his sight falling to the dirt at the Tree’s roots. “We’re all fucked anyway.”

Psycho looked to the dark orb, observing him for a few moments before it seemed to bob up and down as if sighing. “Let us begin, then,” it muttered finally, focusing on the Tree. “Once we enter into Harmony’s realm, my dark side will manifest from you. The borders between mind, body, and spirit are nonexistent in her world, and, with all the power you’ve been siphoning back into him, he will have the power to create a body upon entry. Be prepared to fight immediately.”

“Understood,” Samson stated. The two tensed themselves before levitating slowly towards the Tree, sinking seamlessly into the trunk and out of sight.

Most of the havoc in the med hall had reduced to a low hustle over the last hour or two. No more injured had come in since the first forty minutes of the first incident, though that still left the hall stuffed full. The staff had been forced to help those with lesser injuries as quickly as possible, dismissing those who didn’t need emergency bedrest immediately in favor of keeping beds open for those who needed them. They were glad they had, too, considering that patients had filled every empty bed, the medical team still hard at work keeping an eye on their wards.

Soft steps made their way through the hall, another set of quicker footsteps following along. A long and short shadow fell on one of the stark white curtains, a hand reaching out to gently pull the cloak back. Behind it lie a single hospital bed, a pure white stallion lying on the bed, the blanket pulled down to his waist as a suspended sheet covered the right side of his body.

Shining Armor winced as someone rustled behind the sheet, still working to clean the wound his little sister had inflicted on him. “Careful,” warned a male voice, the unicorn immediately ceasing his minuscule movements.

“Sorry, doc,” the counselor apologized through a raspy voice, slowly opening his eyes. Movement caught his attention, turning his cerulean eyes to take in the newcomers. His features lit up when he spotted his wife and daughter standing at the edge of his little area.

“Hey,” he croaked, giving a little smirk with the left side of his mouth. “There's my girls."

"Daddy!" Flurry Heart cried, letting go of her mother's hand and running towards her bedridden father.

"Careful, sweetheart," Shining warned, holding his left arm out and bracing himself. His daughter slowed at the side of his bed, hesitating for a second before gently laying her head and arms on his torso, giving a faltering smile as the stallion wrapped his arm around her. He smiled a bit wider, rubbing the filly’s back as he looked up to meet his wife’s worried gaze.

Cadance kept glancing towards the curtain, behind which she could see ever so slight movement of the doctor as he continued to work on the blue maned stallion. Shining followed her eyes for a brief moment, closing his eye and giving a strained chuckle. “It’s not nearly as bad as it looks,” he tried to reassure her, forcing his smile a little bit wider.

“Watch the muscle movement,” the doctor warned from the other side of the sheet.

“Sorry, doc,” Shining apologized before looking back to his wife. “Okay, it’s a bit worse than I let on, but I’ll be fine.” Cadance moved her gaze back to him, her lips pursed as if she didn’t quite believe him. They fell silent as she gave him that look, Shining’s confident smile slowly fading until his features were almost apologetic. “...I’m sorry, Cadie.”

The mare gave a quiet sigh, looking away for a moment and wiping at her eye. “I thought we’d lost you, Shining,” she admitted softly, looking back to him, tears still welled up in her eyes. “When they came to the door and told us you’d been hurt….” She stopped and bit back the choking of her voice. She stayed silent for a moment before she took a deep, steadying breath before she continued. “I didn’t know if you were going to come back to us or not….”

The unicorn frowned as he stared at his wife, closing his eye as he gave a very long sigh. “...I’ll always come back, Cadance,” he murmured, opening his eyes again. “I promise you that much.” He paused and looked to his daughter, Flurry staring at him with big opal eyes. “I promise both of you,” he added, putting a hand on her head. She smiled and closed her eyes, pressing her head further into his warm touch.

He let his smile return slowly, glancing up for a second to see his wife giving a mild smile. A few moments passed, and his smile slowly started to fade away again, his gaze turning distant. “...Cadance.”

“Hm?” The mare answered, her wings fluffing slightly as she took her gaze off her daughter. She stopped as she spotted the frown on her husband’s face. “What’s wrong, Shiny?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he seemed to mull over his next words very carefully. “...It was Twilight, Cadance,” he finally answered, looking up at her with mourning in his eyes. “Twilight led the attack.”

Cadance could only gasp at the revelation, eyes going wide as she lifted a hand to her face. “Was… Was she the one…?” The mare couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence. However, the slight nod and blink from her husband was all the confirmation she needed.

“I’m… I’m going to go to Artemus,” he murmured, eyes not meeting hers. “It’s time I made her aware of just who we’re dealing with….”

In…. Out…. Ten seconds in…. Ten seconds out…. In through the nose…. Out through the mouth.... Down the diaphragm, filling the belly…. And out the trachea, emptying the lungs….

This was Starlight’s mantra. The only thing keeping her going as sweat poured down her brow. She kept her eyes open, no matter how strained or irritated they became. Magic constantly flowed from her horn and hands, never more or less than the amount she had started the spell with. She heard a gasp of air that turned into a yawn. She glanced behind her, evaluating the dark, rustic gold mare behind her, watching as her subordinate started to fade into unconsciousness.

“Amber.” The sharp bark jerked the mare awake, green eyes blinking against the mane that gave her her name. “Go rest. You’ve earned it, and you’re exhausted.”

The junior mage blinked for a moment, her eyes tired. “....But Arch-Mage-”

“No buts from you, Adept,” Starlight cut off, looking further behind herself at the older mare. “Go get some rest.” Green eyes stared into blue for several seconds before Amber gave a tired sigh.

“Yes, Arch-Mage,” she relented, giving a tired smile before removing her hand from the purple mare’s shoulder and starting to leave the Rangers’ training room. Starlight immediately felt the weight of her spell slam back down on top of her. She grit her teeth for a moment before letting out a heavy breath and looking over her other shoulder where a male unicorn held to her.

“You, too, Silver Mane,” she told the aptly named stallion. “Go get some rest.”

“Yes, Arch-Mage Starlight,” he replied, taking his hand from his shoulder, the result of which was a grunt from the stronger mage.

“When you go,” the strained mare began to add, all of her focus back on the bubble in front of her. “Find Honey and Pearl and send them here to assist us.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered before turning and making his way out, quickly catching up with his cohort and helping the exhausted mage along her way.

Meanwhile, Starlight continued to pour out her magic, sweat pouring down just as quickly. She couldn’t help but admit that she, too, was reaching the end of her rope, her eyelids far too heavy to keep open, the muscles in her arms weak, and her horn sore. The only anchors she had left were the loyalty she held to her friends, colleagues, and student… and the pair of hands resting on her back. The gentle, powerful hands that had stayed with her throughout the spell.

“Are you alright, Starlight?” Trixie asked her horn, hands, and eyes all glowing red in unison with the black pendant around her neck. “Trixie can feel how low you’re running.”

“I’m fine, Trix,” Starlight assured, not taking her eyes off the turquoise magic in front of her. “I can’t break the spell. Breaking it for even a second to take a breather could cost them hours of time they could be using to save Sweetie Belle.” She took a deep, shuttering breath and rolled her shoulders, completely unblinking. “I owe my student that much.”

She couldn’t see the blue unicorn behind her, but she could feel the worried expression coming off the mare. “...You’re burning yourself out,” Trixie murmured, her hands tensing against Starlight’s back. “We can transfer the spell’s source to Trixie, and she can finish the spell with a few more members. You need to rest. A spell like this isn’t something you should continuously cast for more than three minutes, let alone three hours.”

“We’re over two and a half hours in, Trixie,” the lavender unicorn grumbled, shifting her footing slightly. “And besides, I can’t transfer the bearing of the spell. You know that. The matrix is too complicated, and trying to move it now would shatter it like glass.” A frown crossed the mare’s face, and a tremor ran through her body.

Trixie’s frown deepened. She knew that Starlight was too hardheaded to be convinced otherwise. They’d been together too long for Trixie to think differently. However, the pink mare had a point. The spell was too complicated to be transferred between mages. It was simply a waiting game. She sighed and bowed her head, feeling helpless despite the extra magic she’d been generating.

The sound of hydraulics drew her gaze to the door, the familiar squeaking of a cart meeting her ears as Heavy Ladle made her way back into the room for the seventeenth time in the last several hours. “You girls look like hell,” the pegasus noted bluntly, her lips pursing the moment she laid eyes on them.

Trixie blinked a moment before a soft chuckle escaped her. “Trixie won’t lie,” she answered, opening her scarlet eyes with a grin. “She and Starlight are beginning to run very low on stamina.”

“And all of your fledglings?” The older mare questioned, stopping her cart next to them, a slight look of concern crossing her face as she caught sight of Starlight’s features.

“More are on their way,” Starlight grunted, rolling her shoulders again as the cream mare stared at her.

Heavy only narrowed her eyes. “Uh-huh,” she murmured, slowly turning back to her cart. “I’ll be back.” With no other word, the pegasus marched forward into the bubble, her form quickly becoming nothing more than a blur of color.

Starlight let out a huff, her form slumping forward slightly before she forced herself back up. “Don’t, Trix.”

The blue unicorn immediately closed her mouth, a tight-lipped frown forming on her face. It wasn’t much longer before the doors opened up again, and twin footfalls ran to them, Pearl Aurora and Honey Song coming to a stop beside their elder mages. “You two already know what to do,” Trixie barked a bit too harshly, her growing irritation more than evident by the way her eyes and the amulet burned a brighter shade of red.

“Yes, Master,” both mares replied, Honey shooting a fearful glance at her fellow mage before they each looked to the barrier. Their eyes lit up in yellow and pink auras, spell circles spinning in their irises for several seconds before they blinked, took deep breaths, and put their hands on their Arch-Mage’s shoulders.

Magic instantly surged through the wizened unicorn, a soft gasp escaping her as her back straightened. Her magical aura brightened where it had dulled. “Thanks, girls,” the tired mare croaked, the boost in magic doing little for her physical state.

A soft pop drew her attention back to the bubble where Heavy Ladle was making her way out of the time distortion. She stopped her cart, eyes locked on Starlight’s and, without breaking eye contact, picked up a bowl and began to fill it with a ladle from her pot. Wordlessly, she stepped forward and lifted the spoon out of the bowl. “Eat.”

Starlight glanced down at the filled spoon, flicking her eyes back up to the older mare. “What is it?” She asked cautiously, never lowering her output.

“Chicken noodle soup,” she deadpanned, raising the spoon higher. “Eat it.”

Starlight scoffed quietly, her shoulders slumping momentarily as she shifted her gaze back to the bubble. “We don’t have time for this,” she muttered, her voice fading.

“We’ll have even less time if you don’t get your energy back up!” The bark made every other mare jump slightly, the slight snarl in the cream-colored mare’s frown giving no room for argument. “Now stop being stubborn and eat the damn soup!”

Blue eyes stared at blue, the younger mare’s full of surprise and, admittedly, a small amount of fear. With a small nod, she opened her mouth and leaned forward. Heavy gently placed the spoon in her mouth, pulling it back out as Starlight swallowed. The pink unicorn let out a breath, feeling warmth return to her cheeks as it spread from her belly. The chef watched her, her features softening slowly. “...Better?”

Starlight nodded her head, letting out another breath before a small smile spread over her face. “Much better,” she answered, glancing at the other mare. “Thanks, Miss La-”

Loud, rapid knocking ripped their attention to the bubble, watching as Chris waved his arm wildly over his head, his other fist banging against the glass behind him. A page taped to the glass next to him read, in big, bold letters, “IT’S DONE!!!”

Author's Note

Well.... First and foremost, I would like to apologize for my absence. Some of you may know and some of you may not care but the last few years have been... stressful to say the least. I know most of you have had it rough over the last year same as me so I will try to keep my complaints to a minimum.

However, I am back, better than ever. And this time, I am not going anywhere. I have not been sitting idle at all during this time. In fact, I have a full year's worth of chapters ready and waiting. One chapter for every month. Not only that, but art as well, two illustrations for each chapter to be precise. However, this is where things turn.

I am in dire straights at the moment. Due to the virus that is plagueing our planet, I have been left without a job. Moreso, no jobs are hiring near me so getting a new one has been difficult. Unfortunately, drawing unemployment is also not an option considering the underhanded way the company I was working for let me go. That has left me with only one other option. I have opened a Patreon to try and help ease some of the load. If you wish to support, please do. If you wish to know more about joining me on Patreon, I will be making a blog post explaining everything.

With all that said, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I will see you all in the next one!

Chapter 27- Reboot

Chapter 27-

Reboot

Wheels rattled as footsteps thundered beside them. The sounds were muffled behind the closed doors leading to the medical bay, though those closest perked their ears as the sounds drew closer. Alongside the sound of loud voices.

The doors slammed open, Apple Bloom, Sunset Shimmer, Scootaloo, and Chris all working to push the stretcher upon which laid their creation, covered in a thick tarp that flapped in the breeze that they generated. “I need operating room one ready NOW!” Bloom shouted, throwing her med bay back into action where it had quieted down. “You!” She yelled and pointed, stopping a powder blue nurse mare in her tracks, the earth pony’s seafoam eyes wide in fear. “Find Redheart, Horse, and Roseclaw and get them down here now!”

The mare, Nurse River Breeze, nodded and shot off like a rocket to fulfill the task she’d been given. “Scootaloo.” The orange pegasus looked to the side to Chris, who kept his eyes straight ahead. “I need you to get ahold of somebody. I don’t care how you do it, but do it quick.” He paused only long enough to catch her nod. “Contact Zecora. We’ll need all hands on deck, and she trained the best doctors we’ve got.”

“Roger that,” Scootaloo answered, flaring her wings to stop her momentum before turning tail and running back towards the doors they’d entered from as she lifted her communicator. “Get me an overseas line to the outpost in Zebrica and connect me to Zecora ASAP!”

The others continued without the pegasus, rushing through the hall in record time as Bloom gave one more call, this time over her communicator. “Fauna, I need you, Cureall, and your nurses to get Sweetie Belle to O.R. one in her stasis pod, and we need it done in a hurry!”

“On our way,” came the response. “Let’s go, girls!”

It went without saying that the group stirred up quite a bit of curiosity, especially from those that had been woken from their slumber as they raced by. Flurry Heart was one of these, yawning and blinking as she lifted her head from her mother’s shoulder. “What’s the noise?” She asked, rubbing her eyes as she looked to where Chris and the others raced by.

“It’s alright, sweetheart,” Cadance replied, gently brushing a hand over her daughter’s mane. “Just Chris going to do what he does best.”

The young alicorn yawned again, eyes still on the man. “He’s helping somebody,” she murmured before laying her head back down. “He does that good.” The princess blinked down at her daughter, surprised by her understanding. A slight chuckle drew her attention to her husband, a good portion of his face and torso covered in bandages. He was smiling up at his daughter, a glance shooting for a moment to his wife and giving her a knowing wink. Cadance remained silent for a moment before she gave a little sigh and let her own smile ignite.

Meanwhile, a pink pegasus grumbled further down the hall as Chris and his team ran by. “Nn, was that Chris?” Firefly questioned groggily, pushing herself further up on her pillows only to wince as said pillows made contact with the stump that used to connect to her wing.

“Yeah, it was,” Cobalt Steel answered, leaning over to fix the pillows so they wouldn’t bother the mare’s back. “Looks like he actually did figure out a hair-brained fix.”

The pegasus looked confused for a moment. “A fix for what?” She asked, looking up to the dark stallion, giving him pause.

“That’s right,” he muttered quietly, sinking back into his seat, eyes not meeting hers. “You haven’t heard….”

“Haven’t heard what, Co,” Firefly questioned, eyes on the thestral as her ear gave an irritable tick.

Cobalt Steel seemed to hesitate for a moment before he gave a heavy sigh. “Sweetie Belle…” he started only to stop short for a second. “...Sweetie got really hurt trying to help Chris. The doctors didn’t think she was going to make it. They only gave her about half an hour to live.”

A gasp shot escaped the mare, her hands shooting up to her muzzle as tears immediately started to form in her eyes. “You mean Sweetie’s…?”

“No,” the stallion replied with a shake of his head. “That was close to three hours ago. Last I heard from anyone, Chris had some sort of plan to keep her alive.”

The blue-maned pegasus was quiet for a moment as she allowed her brain the time to catch up. “So… you think he actually found a way to cheat death?”

The stallion looked up at her at that, his yellow gaze meeting her deep purple. He thought about her words for a second, pondering the exact meaning of them before he answered. “...Well,” he began, reaching out and putting a hand to hers with a pang in his heart. “He did give me a magic bean that healed all of your wounds.”

The pink mare looked at him for a moment before her eyes hardened a bit, and she nodded firmly. She turned her gaze from the stallion, his shoulders slumping as his gaze went to the floor in shame. Her’s, however, stayed glued to the backs of the three rushing beings as they crashed through the next set of doors on their way to the O.R.

“Shit!” Sam shouted, barely managing to catch the tip of the lance that had been shoved at his face with the staff of his naginata. He grit his teeth as he put his other hand to the weapon, pushing back against the dark figure before him. They’d been more than surprised when the evil part of Psycho, which he’d dubbed Nega-Psycho, had manifested the moment they stepped foot in Harmony’s world and attacked them. Of course, Psycho had been more than ready for the onslaught, summoning his lance and blocking his other half’s own. Samson, however, had not been so lucky, taking the full brunt of a boot to his ribs before he could react.

His side still ached as he snarled and brought his face eye to eye with the red visor of Nega-Psycho’s helmet. The Ranger’s colors were inverted to Psycho’s, its under armor a dark blue, gauntlets, and shin guards all appearing pitch black while its armor and helmet were a dull white as if the color had been drained out. “Someone going to do something!?”

“On your left!” The young man dodged out of the way, jumping and rolling to his right as Psycho jumped past him, slamming a spinning heel into his clone’s head. The dark Ranger stumbled back with a surprised grunt, a growl ripping from its throat as it tilted its head back forward. A crack in its visor spilled dark vapor, showing off the wound only briefly before it was sealed shut once more.

“Of all the powers!” Sam started to shout, now on his feet as Psycho landed next to him. “He just had to have regeneration!”

“It is unfortunate,” Psycho replied, readying his lance for another pass. “I may have miscalculated his abilities-” He was stopped short as they were both forced to dodge to either side of a blast wave of dark energy.

Nega-Psycho growled as it yanked its weapon out of the ground, only to be blown forward into a roll as its shoulder exploded on impact with a bolt of white and lavender magic. “Keep your focus, you two,” Harmony chastised, her golden armor shining as she withdrew her smoking scepter.

“Noted,” Samson muttered as he landed at her side, Psycho stopping on her other. “Anyone got a plan.”

“Not a good one,” Psycho answered, tensing up as his counterpart stood to its feet and turned to face them.

“Better than nothing,” Harmony huffed, her empty hand stretching in out in front of her as a lavender wall appeared in front of her. “What do you have in mind.”

“Build up your biggest attack,” the lighter Ranger answered, visor glued to his opponent. “Samson and I will rush him and keep him busy until you can blow him to bits.”

“Well, I’ve got one spell that should do it,” Harmony muttered, grimacing as the ranger started to stalk towards them, lance dragging the ground. “There’s just one downside.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “I’m sure it’s not too bad-”

“You’ll have to distract him for five minutes.” The young man stopped and turned his hazel eyes to the ancient unicorn in disbelief. “And considering he beat you two to a pulp in under one it- ah, never mind, I’m sure you can handle it.”

Samson continued to stare at her for a moment before sighing and looking at his enemy with a frown. “I swear you are sentient beyond the fourth wall,” he muttered before he tensed up and lunged forward, missing the little smirk the goddess flashed. He and Psycho raced ahead, each one of them drawing their weapons back to strike.

Nega-Psycho met them head-on with a snarl, another lancehead materializing at the end of its weapon as it spun the polearm with enough expertise to block both attacks. Sam tried to get around the dark specter, slashing with the blade of his naginata in every possible direction as quickly as he could. Meanwhile, Psycho planted himself and began using a combination of thrusts and slashes to try and keep the evil side’s attention. The dark Ranger wouldn’t have any of it, though, spinning its staff and body with all the precision of a master, making the two look like absolute fools.

Samson growled as blow after blow was blocked, parried, or dodged, his frustration becoming more apparent. “Would. You. Just. Go down!” He pulled one hand back, hazel eyes burning as lightning and flame lit up in his now empty hand. He slashed with his blade, the glint of the blade alerting Nega-Psycho, who spun and caught the blow only to find the explosive combination of magic thrust into its face. It yanked its head out of the way, revealing Psycho on the other side. The man’s eyes widened as his jab continued forward, slamming into the lighter counterpart’s shoulder and exploding with the force of several sticks of TNT.

“AAAAGH!” Psycho wailed out as several pieces of his armor flew in the opposite direction of his body, the force of the strike throwing him several yards away. He slammed into the ground, rolling away several more feet before coming to a stop with a groan.

“Psycho!” Sam rushed over to his fallen comrade, sinking to his knee as the Ranger pushed himself up on his hands. “Are you okay?”

“Asides from the compromise to the structural integrity to my body?” He replied with a grunt, a hand coming to his still smoking shoulder. “Peachy.”

The young man grimaced at that. He reached out to help the light half to his feet only to have his attention drawn away by a low, throaty growl. He turned his gaze to Nega-Psycho, watching as the dark Ranger stood to its feet. Another growl echoed from the being as it reached a hand up, Samson’s eyes widening as the appendage landed on a smoking and burnt shoulder, the armor jagged and broken. The redhead stared for a moment before his eyes sank, shifting and searching the floor as he went through thought after thought. Eventually, he turned his gaze on Psycho, the counterpart still trying to shake off the blow.

His thoughts still brewing, he turned to face the Ranger, watching for several moments. Finally, he reared his arm back and punched the side of his ally’s head with everything he had. Psycho’s head shot back to the ground, helmet cracking against the reflective surface.

“OW!” He shouted, almost immediately coming back up and grabbing the young man by the front of his jacket. “WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!?”

Samson didn’t answer. He simply nodded his head towards Nega-Psycho. Psycho snarled before looking towards his dark twin, body recoiling in surprise as he watched the shadow being stumble, holding the side of its head as vapor poured from the renewed crack in its red visor.

“...Well now,” the lighter Ranger murmured, releasing Sam as they both stood to their feet. “That is interesting.”

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Sam asked without looking to his partner, resummoning his naginata.

“I believe I am,” Psycho answered, hand reaching out as his lance flew back into it.

The man rolled his neck and shoulders, hardening his features once more. “Then let’s do this.” Together, the pair rushed towards their enemy, weapons reared back with malicious intent.

Creatures of all shapes and sizes rushed around the strategically lit room, each with their own task to complete. In the middle of this storm of bodies stood Chris, his eyes locked on a small, hurriedly made laptop that flashed with line after line of code. Beside him lay the puppet, still covered by a sheet while a cable ran from it to the computer.

The man frowned as he went through the machine’s diagnostics, checking every single program, routine, and sub-routine he’d painstakingly programmed into the robot. He let out a heavy breath as he finished, his fingers tapping away on the unmarked keys as he began the startup sequence. Any second now, they wouldn’t have any chance to stop.

“Chris.” The blond looked up from his work, turning to find Zecora walking into the room, the zebra looking odd wearing scrubs instead of her usual attire. “While I am not complaining, I am not sure why you would call me here for this.”

“I need all hands on deck,” the man replied without skipping a beat, the mare raising an eyebrow at the dark bags under his eyes. “We cannot mess this up. Not with Sweetie’s life on the line.”

The Councillor continued to stare at him for a few minutes, her eyebrow still raised. “...How much sleep have you been getting?” She asked, concern in her voice.

“Two to three hours for every twenty-four for two to three weeks.” Zecora blanched at that, eyes wide.

“That is not enough sleep!” The mare rhymed worriedly, taking a step towards him. “You’ve gotten yourself in too deep.”

“We don’t have time to worry about that,” Chris interrupted, waving her off as he turned back to his computer screen. “After we save Sweetie Belle, I can rest, but not a second before.”

The shaman frowned at him and made to argue only for the double doors to burst open behind her, two nurses holding the doors open. “Patient incoming,” one called, everyone pausing a moment before getting in position.

“Alright, everybody, showtime,” Chris announced, pushing the small cart that held his laptop so that it was behind the puppet’s head.

“Everybody, listen up!” Bloom called, coming around his side to stand between the automaton and the pod that was rolled into the room. “We’re going to drain the stasis pod and open it up. Once that happens, we will be on a time limit, so we have to move quickly. We hook the patient up, step back, and follow Councillor Scott’s instructions to the letter! Understood?”

“Yes, Doctor!”

“Good!” The redhead let out a little huff and let her shoulders slump slightly. “Let’s do this.” She rolled her shoulders and straightened up, steeling her features. She stepped up next to the vat, looking down to find her friend’s peaceful face floating amongst the liquid that was the only thing keeping her alive. She took a deep breath and put a hand to one of three levers on the left side of the tank, two more practitioners taking their place on either side of her and taking the other levers in their hands. Three others mirrored them on the other side while one last doctor took his place at the head of the capsule.

She looked around at each of them, then the room at large, her focus momentarily lost as worry settled back in. A lump formed in her throat as she caught sight of Chris, his fist clenched over his heart as he stared with moist eyes into the chamber that contained his love. A gentle hand touched down on her shoulder, and she looked back to find the hard, kind eyes of her teacher.

“Remember what I taught you,” the zebra whispered, one of the rare occasions she fell out of her rhyme.

The mare nodded her head and turned back, taking a deep breath to steady her heart. “On three,” she said, herself and the others tensing up. “One. Two. Three!” As one unit, the doctors and nurses turned the levers down, a hiss escaping the tank as air rushed back in. Three valves opened in the bottom of the capsule, greenish-yellow liquid pouring out onto the floor, swirling around at their feet for a moment before starting to wash down a large drain. Sweetie’s limp form lowered as the liquid rushed out, leaving her laying the pads in the back of the tank, her suspension in time now over.

“Lift!” Bloom barked, the seven creatures all hefting at the same time. The lid came off with another hiss, the team moving it off to the side and onto another stretcher.

“Hook her up!” Dr.Cureall ordered, her team of nurses jumping forward and beginning to attach the mare to various machines that would monitor her health and an IV. Screens blinked to life as each one was connected to her, showing low, barely visible vitals.

Bloom and the others set the lid down on another stretcher, stepping back as two more nurses rushed it out of the room as the yellow earth pony turned back to the room. “Sunset, are you ready?”

“Ready,” the alicorn answered, stepping forward as her hands and horn lit up in with her cyan aura. She placed her hands to either side of the unconscious unicorn’s head. Sunset tilted her head back and closed her eyes, her horn glowing brighter. Her aura began to spread over Sweetie’s head, soon coming to her broken horn. Upon meeting the jagged spur, sap green aura seeped out, swirling around and mixing with the alicorn’s magic before spreading to the rest of the off-white mare’s body.

A few seconds ticked by as Sunset’s features hardened in focus. “...Clear,” she announced, Chris and Bloom both letting out tense breaths.

“Okay,” Apple Bloom murmured, her heart racing before she turned to face the gray-eyed man. “Chris, are you ready?”

“Very,” he muttered in response, coming out from behind his computer to the puppet’s side. He took the top corners of the sheet in his hands and folded it down. What was revealed looked like a completely normal, bald pony head, complete with short off-white fur. However, if one were to look closely enough, they would see dark lines running up the automaton’s cheeks, over its closed eyes, and up and over its maneless head. Similar lines ran up the spiral of the horn, these lines a dark green compared to the black on its face. The same dark patches seemed to appear in the middle of the machine’s throat and the inside of its ears, giving it a look that just wasn’t entirely natural.

The young man frowned as he saw them, shaking his head as he went back to the head of the stretcher. “I wished we’d had time to make the coat a little thicker,” he murmured to himself as he bent down and grabbed a meticulously rolled bundle of sensors and wire.

“Eyes on target, Chris,” Bloom replied, her eyes on her own worries as she double-checked their patient’s IV and oxygen tube.

The man “mmm’d” in response as he stood, taking the end of a cable and jacking it into a port at the base of the puppet’s neck, gently laying the head back down as he moved over to Sweetie Belle. He stared down at her for several moments, a lump catching in his throat as he looked down at her battered and beaten form. “...I’m sorry,” he murmured before wiping away a tear and starting to lay out the network of cable over her body.

The network ran over her form in an easily recognizable highway leading to some of the most prominent points in her body. Nodes sat at these important cross-sections, starting at the base of her horn, running down to above and below her eyes, trailing and connecting at the top of her sternum. Next, the cable split into five paths, two nodes stopping on her breasts, over her lungs, two more running out to her shoulders, running down her arms to her just above her elbows, and finally ending at the center of her hands. The last length ran down the center of her chest, two paths diverging at the end of her ribs to end in more sensors, the middle path continuing to a large circle that sat around her naval, a node at each corner of the ring. From there, the network continued down her legs, sensors in the middle of her thighs, below her knees, and finally coming to an end at the centers of her feet.

“Help me get these stuck on,” the man said, starting to peel a bit of film off the bottom of the first node at the base of her horn. Bloom nodded her head and made her way to the other side of the open pod. Together it took no more than a handful of seconds to get the network adequately connected. The pair stepped back when they finished, staring at their work before looking up at each other. Finally, they nodded, and Chris went back around to his computer.

He hesitated a moment, his fingers on the keys but applying no pressure. He pursed his lips, staring at the black screen, a little green square blinking at him. Then, quietly, he looked up at the doctors and nurses gathered around him, each of them waiting with bated breath. “...Say a little prayer,” he said quietly before he looked down and entered a simple command; Begin Transfer.

“RAAAH!” Samson swung down with his naginata, the pole slamming down into his opponent’s. The man lifted his weapon and swung again without pausing, the horizontal slash sparking off another block. Sam continued his relentless assault, pushing Nega-Psycho further and further back as he spun, twisted, and stepped in his deadly dance.

One blow was too many, though. He made another overhead slash, the dark Ranger seeing the blow coming from a mile away. It spun its dual-ended lance in a circle, parrying the blade back into the air. The man’s defenses opened up, the evil avatar quickly turning its lance.

Sam’s eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he felt a hand on his shoulder. The young warrior smirked as he was shoved backward, Psycho jumping in front of him. The lance scored a devastating hit on the paler counterpart, a pained grunt escaping him as sparks exploded from his chest.

Good and evil both lurched back, twin gashes appearing in their chests as they stumbled. Samson caught his partner by the shoulders, holding him up as he kept his hazel eyes on their opponent as it hit its knee. The man analyzed their opponent, eyes lingering on the damage they’d managed to inflict. Missing leg armor, multiple open wounds on the right arm, glass flaking out of the broken visor, missing shoulder armor, the fresh gash in its chest seeming to lead to where part of the belt was cracked and chipped.

They’d put in work, causing injury after smoking injury to the phantom. However, these small victories hadn’t come without cost. The redhead glanced at Psycho, heavy breathing coming from the battered Ranger, a large patch of missing armor leaking colorless vapor from his back, the result of one of Nega-Psycho’s more vicious thrusts. The pale ghost was having a harder time catching his breath, each new wound causing him to wait longer and longer between countering his other half’s attacks.

“How you holding up?” Samson questioned, the Ranger glancing up at him with his own broken visor.

“Not well,” Psycho answered, turning his gaze back on their enemy. “I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be able to keep this up. I may have reached my limits already, another miscalculation on my part.”

Sam winced at that, glancing back towards Harmony, now a speck in the distance. Had they really been pushed this far away? He looked back to their dark opponent, watching as it began to push itself back up, not looking much worse for wear despite all of the black smoke ejecting from its body. The man narrowed his eyes. “You think you got one more in you?”

Psycho glanced at him one more time before looking back towards their opponent. He took in a deep breath, shuddering a moment before straightening up and squaring his shoulders. “If not, I’ll push on anyway,” he replied, picking the head of his lance up from the ground.

Sam gave a slight nod at that, turning to face Nega-Psycho. The young man snarled. “You’re going down,” he growled before he charged back in, green aura pouring out around him. He cleared the distance between them in no time, his naginata swinging for the fences as it slammed into the dark Ranger’s staff. Its boots slid across the ground for several feet before grinding to a halt.

The was no pause as Samson took his blade and spun it again, slamming it once, twice, three times more into Nega-Psycho’s defenses. The man pulled back only long enough to roll his body back before swinging up with his polearm, catching his adversary by surprise. The blade caught hold and bit into the Ranger, slashing upward viciously and throwing the dark specter into the air. Sam jumped after him, flipping as his aura collected in his foot. He swung his leg out, locking glowing eyes with the red visor as he snarled. He slammed the ax kick down with all the force he could muster, a warcry ripping from his lungs as he connected.

The counterpart slammed into the ground with a crash, with reflective surface cracking and caving in under the pressure. Samson landed with a soft tap on the other side of the crater, roaring as he took his weapon in both hands, turning as he brought both arms over his head. With a mighty cry, he swung the weapon down, the blade slicing through the air. The downed Ranger brought its weapon up, holding it out from its chest to stop the attack. What it didn’t realize was just how cracked the weapon was now, how fragile it had become. With a sound not unlike shattering glass, the staff shattered on impact. The blade continued, cleaving into Nega-Psycho’s compromised chest.

Sam felt the blade click against the ground underneath his opponent. He dug the blade in deeper with a low growl, sinking the steel down to the base. Nega-Psycho jerked as he did so, the Ranger reaching up to grab the staff of the weapon, trying to pull the blade out of its chest. The man above him only snarled in response, sliding one hand up the handle before hefting with all his strength. Nega-Psycho was dragged into the air, impaled on its opponent’s polearm. It struggled a few moments more before it went limp.

The young man stared at the motionless form for several moments, his chest heaving as he panted. It was over. They’d done it-

Dark hands shot out, grabbing the staff as the red visor looked up, gleaming dangerously down at the man. With a feral growl, it pulled, sinking the naginata deeper into itself, the pole entering its wound. Sam’s eyes widened in horror, his heart skipping a beat as he watched in horror as the wraith crawled towards him. Before he could react, Nega-Psycho was on him, rearing a fist back as dark energy erupted around it and slamming it into The warrior’s face.

Samson was thrown back, clearing several yards before his back slammed into the ground, knocking the breath from his lungs. He rolled to a stop, lungs burning as he struggled to breathe. He pushed himself up on one hand, gasping as he looked back towards his opponent.

Nega-Psycho growled ferally as it stalked towards him, using one arm to snap the handle of his naginata and using the other to pull it out of its back. The two pieces of the weapon clattered to the ground as the wound began to seal itself shut. Pure dread filled Samson’s entire form, his limbs not following his commands to get up and fight back. His head swam as he tried to get up, only managing to turn himself over on his backside. He tried to crawl backward as the dark juggernaut stomped towards him, its hand forming into a claw as more dark aura began to build and pour out around it.

It reared back as it stood over the young man, letting out a demonic roar as it drove its claw down. Sam closed his eyes but felt no pain as a crushing sound filled the air. He opened his eyes to find the dark hand stopped a few inches from his face. He looked past the limb to see Psycho standing above him, the hand protruding from his back.

Psycho wheezed as he held onto his counterpart’s shoulders, a painful hiss emanating from the specter as the rest of its wound failed to regenerate. The pale Ranger jerked forward, drawing closer to his evil half’s face. “This time,” he grunted in pain, reaffirming his grip on the other Ranger’s shoulders. “Let’s make it permanent. NOW!!!”

Samson didn’t have time to blink as a flash went off next to him, Harmony leveling her scepter at the entangled Rangers. The mare steeled her gaze as a purple spell circle appeared at the tip of her scepter, five more rings appearing behind her back, each one further from her body and bigger than the last, the final circle taking up much of the sky.

The man’s eyes widened as he watched the biggest circle turn into a vortex, swirling around like the beginnings of a tornado. He looked back to the Rangers to see Psycho looking back at him. “See you on the other side, Samson,” the ghost murmured before looking back at his darker half.

Sam’s eyes widened in realization. “NO!” He shouted, trying to leap forward. But it was far too late. He was thrown backward as the vortex launched a beam down, each circle turning into its own disk of magic. The beam funneled into Harmony, her eyes glowing white before the ring at the end of her scepter shone like the sun. The blast wave threw Samson away like a doll, the beam of pure energy completely engulfing both Psychos.

Everyone in the operating room stood back a little, most of them gathered behind Chris and his computer. Few, if any, of them actually knew what the lines of code that appeared on the screen meant, but most of them figured that the young man not freaking out at the green text was a good thing. Apple Bloom stood at his side, watching the lines of code almost as diligently as he was, casting a glance over her friend’s body now and again. The highway of cable and nodes glowed with soft green light, the unicorn’s aura still shifting over her body as Sunset continued to monitor her magical vitality while the machines beside the alicorn kept up with her biological vitals.

As the minutes passed, everyone held their breath, with seemingly no change in either the unicorn or the puppet, the tension in the air palpable. The only one that didn’t seem to notice it was Chris himself. His focus was entirely on the screen in front of him, every single line telling him something new. Some updated him on the data flow between the puppet and Sweetie Belle, some helped him keep tabs on the machine’s systems, and yet others monitored progress. The transfer was a little over seventy percent complete, and, asides from a little snag at the beginning of the process, which he had quickly corrected, everything had gone without a hitch. It wouldn’t even be another fifteen minutes, and the process would be complete.

Line after line continued to appear, Chris’ vision a mass of green numbers, letters, and symbols. Green. Green. Green. Green. Green. Not Green. Green. Green. Green.

“Wait.” The man jerked a little as Bloom spoke up next to him. “What’s that?”

The young man refocused his vision on a line of code that the mare pointed to. Everything seemed fine with it until he got to the final word. A barely noticeable, yellow-green error message at the end of the line of code that was monitoring the upload of the brain to CPU. His heart froze. “Shit,” he gasped, his hands jumping from the edge of the table to the keyboard. Before his hands could even touch the keys, the screen all but lit up in red messages, an alarm blaring alongside it. The frantic sound of clicking keys joined the siren in the next instant, and not long after, the thrashing of Sweetie’s body jumped into the racket.

“Bloom!” Sunset gasped, jumping away as there was a hiss, Sweetie’s aura starting to flare and spit chaotically, the unicorn’s head tilting back as her eyelids opened to show her eyes rolling up into the back of her head.

“Anti-magic gloves!” Apple Bloom shouted, rushing over to her friend and throwing her body over her to keep her still. The doctor grit her teeth as hisses sounded out, smoke rising from her flesh, fur, and scrubs.

“Get the straps!” Zecora ordered, rushing over and holding the mare’s legs with her own wince.

Practitioners rushed about seemingly sporadically, grabbing the large, forearm-covering gloves and throwing them on before the team swiped up leather bindings and ran to the still thrashing unicorn. Quickly, they got the straps around the pod and bound the unicorn down, limiting her movement while allowing Bloom and Zecora to move back, minor burns on the hands, arms, necks, and torsos.

With the threat of the mare hurting herself remedied for the moment, Apple Bloom rushed over to Chris’ side, Sunset already on his other side as he typed as fast as his fingers could. “What the hell!?”

“I don’t know!” The man yelled back over the sound of every blaring device in the room. “Everything was fine! It was going perfectly, and I don’t know what happened!” Sweat began to appear on his brow as panic started to set in fully. “I’m in the program and trying to fix it on the fly, but I can’t find the issue! The only explanation I can think of is that this piece of shit computer shit itself and deleted some of the program! I KNEW this fucking thing wouldn’t survive! Why the FUCK did I think this would work!?” He slammed his fingers around the keys, randomly to the two mares but with complete purpose to him. He found the sub-routine he was looking for and, as he suspected, found that junks of the monitoring protocols were missing. “FUCK!”

He tapped faster, all the while Sweetie continued to thrash. Cureall watched all of this from the other side of the room, fear filling her chest as she watched their patient spasm and jerk, the one in charge devolve into hysterics and the others do absolutely nothing at all. A single thought crossed her frantic mind, and she grabbed hold of it like she was drowning. The vet-turned-doctor rushed across the room, all but slamming into the medicine cabinet. Throwing the door open, she began quickly sifting through bottles, checking each label as she went.

“Yes!” She hissed, snatching up the vial she’d been looking for and quickly yanking one of the drawers open to pull out a syringe. She turned and quickly made her way over to the IV drip. As she lifted the vial to eye level and brought up the needle, someone caught her arm.

“What are you doing!?” Redheart questioned frantically, eyes wide as she stared at the doctor.

“Administering a hundred milliliters of phenobarbital to the patient,” the cerulean maned mare answered, taking her arm back with a jerk and refocusing on the vial and needle as she began to draw in the liquid drug. “This should sedate the patient and stop her seizing, which will pull her out of physical harm, thereby making Scott’s job easier when he doesn’t have to worry about her possibly spasming to death.” She paused and looked back at the nurse. “Any more questions?”

“U-um, no-”

“Then shut up and stand back,” Mane Cureall barked curtly as she turned to the patient. She paused long enough to grind her teeth and take a breath before stepping closer to Sweetie Belle. The moment she got less than a foot away, the unicorn’s aura began to strike out, the green magic striking the earth pony like hornet stings. Cureall hissed in pain but pushed on, taking the IV tube in her hand. She lifted it and moved forward a bit more, grinding her teeth as more of the sporadic aura zapped her painfully. Sliding her hand along the tubing, she found the port, expertly maneuvering it and inserting the needle into it before injecting the barbiturate.

As soon as the syringe emptied, the doctor jumped away, her face snarled up in pain. Her clothes sizzled and smoked, a cut in her cheek letting out a drop of blood. Several footfalls ran to her, but a quick hand into the air stopped her rushing colleagues in their tracks. “I’m fine,” she breathed, getting to her feet as her eyes stayed on their patient, the seconds ticked by unabated. After close to thirty seconds, the spasming mare’s violent jerks began to slow and calm until Sweetie Belle finally laid still, her vitals returning to normal alongside her aura as the machines beside her stopped blaring their alarms.

The dark yellow mare let out a breath of relief, her shoulders falling even as Chris’ laptop continued to scream. A hand on her shoulder made her look up to find Zecora’s smiling face. “You have done well,” she congratulated with a nod. “Let’s get you looked at while the others save miss Sweetie Belle.” Cureall nodded numbly, feeling her energy drain as she was led away by two other practitioners, Zecora following behind them. The shaman threw a frown over her shoulder as she went, sad eyes looking to the trio that stood behind their creation, desperate looks in their eyes.

Chris didn’t even hear the door open and close as he clenched his teeth, ignoring the aching in his jaws as he frantically typed out commands. Putting the code back together piece by piece was proving difficult, especially when the computer was constantly erasing more code as he went. “Damn it,” he cursed again, feeling his Yellow Static begin to fade out. His lack of sleep and practice over the past few weeks had left him physically, mentally, and magically weakened, and it was starting to show. The speed boost of his lightning element had only just allowed him to stay ahead, but now, with it fading away alongside his compromised stamina, he was slowly losing ground.

“No, no, no, no!” He growled, focusing what was left of his Static into his hands. “Not like this! Please! Not like this!” He continued to growl as his static continued to fade and grow slow. His eyes widened, and his frown loosened his jaws as the last of his powers’ light began to fade.

...This is it… He thought, his world starting to fade out with the last of his light. I’m going to lose her. After everything…. She’s going to die here… and there’s nothing I can do. And… it’s all my faul-

“Chris!” The young man blinked as someone shouted over the sound of his computer, letting out a breath as something slammed into him. He blinked to find an avatar of his brother flash before disappearing, the dark orb floating back into view in front of him. “Sorry it took so long.”

Chris let out a breath and relaxed slightly, a hint of a smile appearing. “I’m just glad you showed up when you did,” he replied, looking to the computer screen where error messages were starting to pile up. “Something went wrong in the code, and I can’t keep up with the repairs. I could use all the help I can get.” He turned to the orb and his brows furrowed. “Where’s Psycho?”

Sam fell silent at that, the mood seeming to shift quickly. “He, um…” the brother began to mutter, turning to look back towards the door. Several seconds passed before a new orb, dark blue in color with purple and silver energy crackling around it, floated in, much slower than Samson had.

“Sorry about the wait,” Psycho apologized, flying over to them. “Not used to maneuvering this much mass.”

Chris simply let out a relieved sigh. “Just glad to see you guys in one piece,” he answered before the alarm on his computer went up another octave. “Shit.” He turned back to his scraped-together computer and once again began furiously tapping away. “I could really use some Flash power right about now.”

A chuckle escaped Psycho. We can do you one better, Christian,” the spirit replied. Before the young man could fully process what he’d heard, the two orbs disappeared inside him. Instantly, he felt energized, his mind clear and body feeling as if he could run hundreds of marathons one after the other. He felt the power of the Psycho Morpher flow through him like a river of electricity before light blue, almost transparent Static encased his body.

“Holy sh-”

Don’t waste it, Chris! Sam interrupted, his voice plenty loud in his mind.

The young man only nodded before he went back to his work. His brow furrowed in focus as his hands flew over the keyboard, easily catching up to the red error messages. Green line, green line, green line, green line. One input after another, and in less than a minute, the blond had the entire program rewritten, every line of code immaculately put back together. Slowly, the alarm began to quiet until not a single tone escaped the hodge-podge laptop.

Soon, progress began once more on the transfer, allowing the young man to relax, panting as he gave a confident smile. “We did it,” he gasped, looking as the program continued running with even more efficiency than it had before. He looked to the side as a hand clapped him on the shoulder, Apple Bloom giving him a small smile.

”You okay?” She asked, searching his eyes.

He nodded in response, his breathing still a bit heavy. “Yeah, I’m good,” he replied, looking back to the screen. “Everything’s going to be okay.” Five minutes passed without so much as a single peep from any of the monitors in the room. It wasn’t until a little beep sounded out from the laptop that Chris focused back in. He brought his hands back up and read the final line of text, which only read “Transfer Complete.”

A little breath of laughter escaped him, and he began to type again with calm, purposeful movements. Finally, he started the finalization process, hitting the enter button and watching as the last set of code wrote itself out on the screen. The last line ended in a set of blinking ellipsis, four dots blinking into life one after another before starting over again. Everyone waited with bated breath as the process began to finish, and it finally did, the screen blinking clean before a green circle spiraled into life in the middle of the screen.

Chris tore his eyes away from the screen to the puppet that still laid on the table. Accent lines below the off-white fur along its face and body glowed with an archaic green, the chest rising and falling slightly, not nearly as much as an organic being’s, but still noticeable. Along the scalp of the android, pink and purple hairs were beginning to sprout and grow in. Upon closer inspection, movement could even be spotted beneath the eyelids, almost as if to simulate deep sleep.

The young man let out a sigh of relief. “It-it worked,” he breathed, slumping backward. “It actually worked….” Chris Scott fell backward, not a single creature in the room acting fast enough to catch the unconscious human before he hit the floor.

Author's Note

Chris collapses as his work becomes complete, but it remains to be seen if his efforts were all for naught. Even so, what happens next? The Resistance has been hit on its own turf and not without heavy casualties. Will our heroes make a full recovery? Or will this be a fatal blow?

I have to apologize for the late upload once again, but unfortunately, it could not be helped. If you haven't yet, read the blog post I made here, and it should help to shed some light on what's been going on. With that said, I hope you guys have a great one, and I'll see you in the next one.

Chapter 28- Restructure

Chapter 28-

Restructure

Things had mostly calmed down in the medical hall. Only the most minor injuries were being seen to, patients and medics alike exhausted beyond words. It was to this the doors to the operating room opened up, a train of gurneys entering the space.

The first was less a gurney and more a pod on wheels, the cover replaced to hide what lay inside. This was pushed by several doctors and nurses, Apple Bloom not far behind them. "Take her-," the mare winced as she bit her tongue and corrected herself, "it to the stasis room an' refill it with cyro serum."

The group nodded their heads and walked off at a swift pace. The tired Earth Pony watched them go before sighing and turning to the others that trailed behind her. "Redheart, Fauna, if you'd follow me to get our patients settled in." The two mares nodded before she continued. "The rest of you are dismissed. Thank you for your service." Most of the group deflated at that, the stress in their shoulders leaving as they trudged on. Bloom glanced their way before she simply waved her fingers for the others to follow her deeper into the medical hall.

Sunset followed behind them quietly, hands folded in front of her. Now and again, she'd look up to the faces on the rolling beds, one sleeping soundlessly while the other remained unmoving, the only sign of life being a faint green glow that pulsed under white fur. The Alicorn let out a breath as she dropped her gaze. Eventually, they rolled up to a set of curtains, Apple Bloom reaching a hand up to slide them out of the way, revealing a mildly surprised Cobalt and Firefly.

The pair looked from the doctor to the patients on the gurneys, Cobalt quickly jumping up only to stop as Bloom raised a hand. “Set them up here,” the yellow mare ordered, stepping out of the way as her compatriots pushed Sweetie Belle and Chris next to Firefly. They left enough space between each bed for even the largest of their physicians to access each patient. Redheart and Fauna moved away from their patients, taking their own breaths before looking back to their leader.

“Thank you,” Bloom said, giving a slight bow. “I just have one last thing to ask of each of you. Red, would you please go prepare a hydrating IV for Captain Scott?”

“Yes, Doctor,” the nurse-turned-doctor answered, flashing a smile despite the tiredness in her eyes before walking away.

“And Fauna?”

“Yes, Bloom?” The older mare turned away from looking at the still features of Sweetie Belle to her superior.

“Would you go find Scootaloo and tell her to find us? You can go once she starts our way.”

The older pony gave a little smile and a nod. “I’ll see to it,” she replied, pausing next to Apple Bloom to put a gentle hand to her shoulder.

Bloom gave a soft smile at that. “Thank you,” she murmured, sinking a little at the other mare’s touch. Fauna only smiled brighter at that before leaving them. The red-head gave a little breath before she looked to Sunset. “Will you help me expand this?”

“Of course,” the bearer answered, reaching up and extending the metal rails along which the curtains hung while Apple Bloom moved to the bedside tables next to Sweetie and Chris and pulled out the extra curtains within. She handed one to the Alicorn as she returned, the pair hanging each of the curtains with practiced ease until they were once again in their own private section of the hall. The younger mare let out a sigh and stepped back, a small stumble in her step before Sunset put a hand on her back to steady her.

“Easy there,” the amber mare cautioned, her horn lighting up before a futon that resembled Cobalt’s chair appeared next to said chair. The younger mare simply nodded in response before allowing Sunset to lead her to the couch, sitting down slowly as the Alicorn sat beside her.

Cobalt looked between the two mares for several moments before glancing at Firefly, the pair sharing a concerned look. After a moment, the stallion looked back to the doctor and Councillor, slowly making his way back to his seat. “Um…” he started quietly, the mares turning their attention to him, Bloom’s coming from where her head reclined on the back of the futon. “What… what happened…?”

Sunset and Apple Bloom blinked at the question, the younger mare glancing back to her elder. They locked eyes for a moment before the Alicorn let out a breath. "Chris's plan was a success," she said, looking up to Cobalt. "We used a time dilation to finish one of his projects and used it to save Sweetie Belle."

Cobalt leaned back a little at that, looking to Firefly to find the pink mare starring at her off-white friend. "...is she…?"

"Alive?" The pegasus winced at Apple Bloom's voice, letting her gaze sink a little before nodding.

Bloom watched her a moment before she gave a heavy sigh. "Alive is… a matter of opinion, really," the doctor explained, leaning forward and weaving her fingers together. "Sweetie's mind and spirit are in there, but… that body… it's completely artificial. In theory, Sweetie should wake up as if nothing ever happened, but…." The yellow pony trailed off as her gaze went to the android lying between Firefly and Chris.

Firefly and Cobalt waited for her to continue, several moments passing before Sunset spoke up in her stead. "There's no real way of knowing if all of her memories and self are actually in there with her," she finished solemnly.

Cobalt and Firefly both turned to cold silence at that, neither of them knowing quite how to process the information they’d been given. Then, before either of them could come up with an inkling of what to say or ask next, the curtains opened once more, Scootaloo walking in alongside Redheart, who held on to the stand of the IV she’d been instructed to assemble.

“Thank you, Doctor,” Bloom grunted as she pushed herself off the couch and made her way over, Scootaloo passing her as the pegasus made her way to Sweetie Belle’s side. “I’ve got it from here. Go get some rest.”

Redheart only nodded in response as the IV changed hands, turning and making her way with droopy eyes. Apple Bloom turned as she went, dragging the stand over to Chris’s bedside, where she began to prep his arm to receive the hydrating drip.

“It actually worked….” Only Bloom’s ear twitched as she heard Scottaloo’s words, only turning after she’d secured the needle now embedded in the man’s arm with some medical tape. The orange mare stood over their friend, gently rubbing a thumb over the off-white fur of Sweetie’s cheek. “I almost can’t believe it….”

“It’s a miracle,” Apple Bloom agreed, giving a tired sigh as she stepped up to Sweetie’s other side. Everyone stayed quiet for a while after that, no one saying a word.

However, after several long moments, Scootaloo cleared her throat and shook some of her mane out of her face. “So,” she started, rolling her shoulders, “what now?”

“Now?” Bloom replied, looking up before giving a light snort. “Now, we wait. It’s all we can do.”

Scootaloo nodded at that, letting out a little sigh. “I’ll take the first shift,” she murmured before shooting a finger up to stop her red-headed friend as she made to protest. “I got some rest while you and Sunset were in surgery with these two. You guys get some sleep, and I’ll watch them.”

The Doctor pursed her lips before letting out a deep sigh, shoulders slumping in exhaustion. “Fine,” she relented, looking back up and tightening her shoulders a second later. “But I’m taking second shift.”

“Not happening.” Orange eyes shot up to look at Sunset Shimmer as she stood and stretched, her wings spreading behind her. “I’ll take the second shift. As an Alicorn, I don’t need nearly as much rest to recharge as you guys. And besides that, you’ve barely slept any more than Chris has, Bloom. I’m surprised you’re still on your feet after all this.”

The younger mare looked as if she was ready to bite back but couldn’t find the words. After a moment, she simply ‘tsk’d’ and looked away, a frown on her face. A light touch on her shoulder made her look up, finding Scootaloo at her side with a soft smile. “You’ve already done so much, Bloom,” she said softly, rough hand rubbing the shorter mare’s back. “Go get some rest, so you stay on top.”

The mare stared into her friend’s eyes before she gave a sigh and let her shoulders relax. “Okay,” she murmured with a nod. “But I’m just going to be down the hall. If you need anything, wake me.”

The pegasus smiled at that and nodded. “Will do,” she agreed. The pair shared a quick hug before Apple Bloom made her way out, the curtains barely moving as she walked past. Scootaloo and Sunset watched her go, the orange mare giving a sigh when she’d left.

Without a word, she turned back to look down at her unconscious friend, pale green pulsing under off-white fur. She stared for several seconds before reaching out and taking her cold hand in her own, rubbing her thumb over unmoving knuckles. Her smile faded slightly, her shoulders slumped. “A miracle….”

Doors creaked open as Midnight entered her throne room. She stepped quickly, eyes wide as she made her way across the room. “How?” She murmured, eyes wide. “How did he do that!? How did he become so much stronger so suddenly!?”

“Something the matter, Midnight?” The Alicorn nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden interruption, ripping around to find Sombra lazily reclined in her throne.

Midnight stared at him with wide, scared eyes before she shook her head. Yes,” she answered, nodding her head. “The Ranger, he… he tore through us like paper!”

The dark emperor frowned at that. Not only was the mare below him not enraged by his attempts to jab her, but she was genuinely terrified, something he would never miss. “That’s impossible,” he answered, standing and coming down the steps to face her properly. “I designed the new crystalline magi-tech to be nearly unstoppable in the face of physical combat.”

“And yet the Ranger ate through it,” Midnight reiterated, turning wild eyes on him. “His weapons are clearly beyond what we originally thought. But that hardly matters now.”

Sombra’s frown deepened at that. “What do you mean?” He hissed, lip twitching.

“We thought we had him,” the mare muttered, eyes going to the ground. “Him and his little bitch. He should’ve been dead, but… he just got back up.” She looked up at him with wide eyes. “He’s got a new form! Something we weren’t prepared for! He brought MaceFace down like it was nothing and was even able to continue moving through my time dilation! Sombra, he is moving as fast as light now!”

The stallion’s eyes widened at that. He knew she wasn’t lying. After all the years of working with the mare, he’d never heard such truth and fear come out of her throat, and at that moment, his confidence shattered. “We need to warn Mondo,” he stated, turning away and beginning to pace. “We must prepare for this new development.”

“Agreed,” Midnight replied, standing in her place. “We need to remodel the crystalline magi-tech, find a way to strengthen it further.”

“We’ll need better crystals,” Sombra added, finger shaking in the air. “I’ll need my slaves to dig deeper to find them. Double their hours, if not more.”

“The cogs’ design might be in need of a full overhaul as well,” Midnight continued, beginning to pace opposite the evil ruler. “That’s something I can do from here.”

“I’ll send reinforcements,” Sombra continued. “If you’re here, this castle will be the first barrier between the Ranger and the rest of us. The forces you have here will not be enough.”

“We need to hurry,” the Alicorn stated finally, stopping in her tracks to draw his attention. “Go. Now. I’ll get in touch with Mondo and let him know our findings. I hate to say this, but we’re all going to need to be on the same page.”

“Absolutely,” Sombra agreed, turning to look at her. “I’ll get back to the Empire and begin renewed excavation. When I find a gem worth exploiting, I’ll be in touch.”

“Good,” Midnight replied, the pair turning from each other, the Alicorn towards her lab and the King towards the door. “I’ll see what I can do for the cogs and captains.” With that, the pair split away, each feeling the shadow of the Ranger’s new powers hang over them.

~2 weeks later~

“Come on, you got it.” Teeth clenched at the encouragement, arms wobbling against guide rails. “You’re almost there. Just three more steps.”

“Bloom! Please!” The yellow mare flinched at the sharp bark, keeping her arms out in front of and behind her patient. Said patient took several quick, deep breaths before taking their next step, struggling to get their leg and foot to do exactly what they wanted. A groan of frustration escaped them as they planted their foot. “Sh-shit.”

Bloom could only frown as she watched, her patient taking another step and barely catching themselves on the guide bars. “C’mon, c’mon,” she muttered to herself, teeth clenched.

Despite trying to keep the muttering to herself, off-white ears still twitched at the words. Pale green eyes glanced at the Earth Pony before a heavy breath steamed from her nose. Bare feet gently slid across the floor, finding purchase before she took another deep breath. She straightened her back and tensed, bringing her leg up one more time. The large step was all she had left as she lurched forward, turning as she lost her balance and fell into a waiting wheelchair.

“Damn it!” Sweetie exclaimed, slamming a hand down on the armrest of her chair. She let out a sigh and brought the same hand up to her forehead. Her eyes clenched shut as she tried to drown out the sound of mechanical whirring every time she moved, the cold feeling of her hand pressing against her head, no blood flowing beneath fake flesh.

A sudden, warm touch drew her attention up, finding Chris above her where he’d been waiting behind her chair. “It’s okay, baby,” he said softly, rubbing her shoulder. “You did great today.”

Sweetie stared up at him for several moments before she sighed and sank into his touch. “It’s not enough,” she muttered, looking towards the floor.

“Not enough?” Apple Bloom scoffed, drawing their attention. “Sweets, that was ninety-nine steps! Do you know how many patients I have that can do that during their first week of therapy?” The mare paused as she waited for an answer, Sweetie seemingly taking time to find an answer. “Zero, Sweetie Belle. Not one.”

Green eyes shied away at that. “It’s still not enough,” she murmured. “I need to get back on my feet so I can get back into Ranger Ops.”

Chris and Apple Bloom both frowned at that, the two sharing a look. “Sweetie,” the man spoke up with a sigh, coming to her side and squatting down. “Ranger Ops is pretty much done for. It’s not just you that’s down right now, remember? Firefly goes into surgery today, and who knows how long it’ll be before she’s ready for duty again. That leaves just me and Cobalt for active duty, and we’re not enough if something happens.”

“Which is exactly why I’m here.” All three turned their heads to see Sunset Shimmer and Rarity approaching through the crowd of other therapy patients and their physicians. “Chris, I need to steal you for a minute,” the Alicorn continued as both mares stopped. “Everyone on the Council has voted.”

The young man let out a sigh at that, letting his head hang for a moment before he stood up. “They want more Rangers trained and ready, don’t they?” He asked as he stood, tired eyes dreading the answer.

Sunset could only nod her head. “They want a whole new team trained,” she replied, taking the file out from under her arm and handing it to him. “Not just you and Cobalt plus four others, an entirely new team.”

Gray eyes narrowed as he opened the file and began flipping through it. “Hmph,” he huffed, flipping through several pages of personnel files. “They even have a nice set of suggestions here for me to consider, huh?”

The older mare gave a slight frown at that, nodding. “They do,” she answered, watching the young man. “They’re still willing to let you go through your process, but they’d like their candidates to be considered.”

“Do they now?” Chris huffed, drawing Sunset’s eyes narrower.

“Yes. We do.”

The response caught the blond by surprise, causing him to pause in his readings. He looked up to find the Alicorn staring stoically at him, her stance solid and unwavering. He looked at her for a moment or two before letting out a sigh. “I’ll get started immediately,” he murmured, drawing the file closed. “Sam, Psy?”

“Wassup?” Samson questioned as he and Psycho appeared in their orb forms at either side of him.

“Could you guys help Sweetie get around?” He asked, turning a defeated look on his brother. “Make sure she gets where she needs to go?”

“Of course,” the obsidian orb answered.

“Actually,” the boys looked up as Rarity stepped forward. “I was wondering if I could take care of Sweetie for a little while.” The white mare paused and looked towards Sweetie Belle with a bit of a smile. “If that’s alright, of course.”

Sweetie returned the smile and gave a relaxing sigh. “I’d like that,” the younger mare answered before looking at her boyfriend. “You go take care of what you need to.”

Chris looked unsure for a moment before giving a tense nod. “Okay,” he relented before leaning down and kissing her cheek. “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” the unicorn replied before he turned around and let Sunset lead him away. She watched him go, her smile fading slightly before she suddenly straightened up.

“Looks like that exercise took more out of me than I thought,” she sighed, looking up to Rarity.

The older mare nodded, stepping up behind the younger unicorn. “Where to?”

“Our room, please,” Sweetie answered, shifting in her seat to look towards Apple Bloom. “Same time tomorrow?”

“You know it,” the redhead answered with a smile. “Tomorrow, we’ll get you through two hundred steps.”

Sweetie chuckled nervously at that. “You bet, Bloom,” she replied before looking up at Rarity and nodding. The older mare took the cue and began to push the wheelchair, the pair leaving the Doctor.

Apple Bloom watched them go for a few moments before letting out a sigh. “One day at a time,” she murmured to herself, turning away to leave the room. “One day at a time….”

“Here we go,” Rarity grunted, helping Sweetie Belle into bed.

“Thanks, Rare,” Sweetie grunted as she adjusted herself on the mattress. She turned her head to a velcro wristband with a cable running to an outlet in the wall on her bedside table, reaching towards it only to find it a little out of reach.

“Here, I’ve got it,” the older unicorn offered, moving to grab the band.

“No, no, let me,” the younger said hurriedly, waving Rarity away. The older blue-eyed mare blinked in confusion at that, stepping back in response. Sweetie nodded her head before focusing on the band again. She held her hand up and drew in a deep breath before closing her eyes. Slowly, the patterns under her fur began to glow, the stream of color climbing up the grooves of her horn. Once it reached the tip, her horn ignited in the mare’s aura, her outstretched hand following soon after. The younger mare blew stiff air through her nostrils, the wristband remaining unmoved for several seconds. The device gradually became surrounded by a green aura, shuddering as the magic took hold of it.

Sweetie grunted and grimaced as she felt her magic take hold, arm trembling as she kept the stream of magic up. The band began to lift off the table painfully slowly, wobbling in the air as the aura surrounding it gave out now and again. It crawled through the air towards the younger unicorn, the mare shuddering with effort. Then, all at once, the aura died, the color fading from the channels under Sweetie’s coat and allowing the device to plummet towards the floor.

“Gotcha,” Rarity exclaimed, snatching it from the air before it could hit the floor. She straightened up with a bright grin on her face. “Sweetie!” She cried, coming to sit next to the younger mare. “That was amazing!”

Sweetie stared dully at the device in Rarity’s hand. “...Yeah,” she murmured, taking the band offered to her and using one hand to wrap it around her wrist.

Rarity frowned at the tone in her voice. “...Sweetie,” she muttered gently, pulling one leg up onto the bed to better face her. “You really are doing fantastic in your recovery.”

The younger pony scoffed at that. “Yeah, right,” she grunted. “I can’t walk on my own, I can barely lift a tiny gadget less than two feet, and I have no fine motor control in my arms and hands. Not to mention-” She cut herself off, biting her lower lip with a bit of a shudder as she closed her eyes and turned her head.

The fashionista’s frown only deepened. “Oh, Sweetie Belle...” she murmured, using a finger to move a few strands of pink out of the younger mare’s face. “...I think you need to listen to Chris and Bloom when they talk about your progress. Up-bup!” She interrupted, lifting a finger to cut off Sweetie Belle’s retort. “You are getting used to the most complicated prosthetic in Equestrian history. You are having to relearn everything from scratch. Walking, talking, magic, writing, everything! According to what Chris said, you even had to learn to think differently! Now, if that wasn’t enough, you are progressing faster than normal amputees, blowing past everyone’s expectations at an exceptional rate. Do you remember how long Apple Bloom said it would take before you would be able to take ten steps without help?”

Sweetie was silent at that, remembering clearly the day that Apple Bloom had discussed her therapy’s long and short-term goals. “She said it’d probably be three weeks of constant practice,” she murmured, not meeting Rarity’s eyes.

“Exactly,” the older mare snorted, nodding her head stiffly. She let out a long breath before leaning forward and putting a hand on Sweetie’s neck and shoulder. “You’re doing brilliantly, Sweetie. Just brilliant.”

The younger mare leaned into the touch, a soft smile touching her lips as she closed her eyes. Rarity smiled at that, using her thumb to brush at her cheek. As the moments passed, her smile faded, a sad, worried frown taking its place. Thoughts pushed themselves to the forefront of her mind, forcing her to close her eyes. After a moment, she took a deep, shaky breath and retracted her hand.

“Sweetie….” The younger mare blinked her eyes open, her brows furrowing at the sight of Rarity staring into her lap, fingers weaved together. “There’s… there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, and… and I’m not sure how well you’re going to take it.” Rarity sniffed and ran her wrist under her nose, something very unlike the tidy mare to do. “U-um, Y-you see… I haven’t been telling you the truth. The truth that you… you should’ve known a long, long time ago. Sweetie, I-” The mare’s voice broke as she looked up, tears running down her cheeks.

She was surprised to find Sweetie staring back at her, lips quivering as if she were also trying to cry. Gently, she reached forward and wiped the tears from her mother’s eyes. “I know,” she murmured, voice catching in her throat. “I’ve known for a while.”

Rarity’s mouth fell open as she stared into pale green eyes. “H-how…?” She breathed, unable to articulate further.

Sweetie Belle simply smiled in response. “I found the certificate in mom… in grandma's office,” she answered tightly, never moving her hand. “I was doing a project for school, and I needed some glue.”

The older mare let out a huff of laughter and disbelief. “You-” she started only to smile and laugh a little. “You nosey little thing.” Both mares smiled at that, sharing a short chuckle as Rarity moved forward and wrapped her daughter in her arms.

Sweetie reciprocated tightly, holding onto Rarity as if she could disappear. They held onto each other for several moments, sniffling and, in Rarity’s case, crying before they pulled back, Rarity putting her forehead to Sweetie’s, their horns crossing.

“I failed you,” she muttered quietly, her back shaking. “I failed to protect you and take care of you.”

“Don’t say that,” Sweetie immediately reprimanded, leaning back and holding her mother’s shoulders. “You did everything you could. You made sure we were safe here, made sure I was still educated and well-fed. You tried to keep me from the fight, but you let me anyway because you knew you couldn’t keep me from it. You were there every single step of the way, even when the world turned upside down.” She paused and put her hands to either side of Rarity’s face, gently guiding her to look into her eyes. “Nopony could ever ask for a better mom.”

Rarity’s lower lip shivered before she devolved into sobs again. She shot forward, wrapping Sweetie Belle tightly in her arms. “Oh, Sweetie!” She cried, sobs racking her body. “I love you. I love you so much!”

The younger mare only smiled in response, wrapping the older pony in a hug and resting her chin on her shoulder. The only thing she missed at that moment was the ability to cry alongside the mother that had protected her for so long.

~A week later~

The sound of boots on cobblestone filled the air of Ranger Ops as the final six recruits stood in line. Before them stood a line of veterans, all in military attire. Separating the old from the new was a table and single podium, a podium behind which Captain Scott stopped, Samson and Psycho stopping on his left, each starring out at those he’d selected to take on the mantle of Ranger.

Gray eyes stared at the recruits as he felt the presence of each and every colleague behind him. To his rear left stood Artemus, Chrysalis in her wheelchair, Shining Armor with his bad eye barely open from the scars that disappeared under his collar, Starlight Glimmer, and Trixie Lulamoon. Behind his right stood Cobalt Steel, Firefly with her wing and prosthetic flared behind her, and Sunset Shimmer. One other joined them, limping to a stop to his right, her head held high and eyes gleaming. The young man glanced back at Sweetie Belle for only the briefest moment before looking back at those he’d be inducting.

“It is with a great amount of pride that I stand here today,” Chris opened, looking down the line before him. “During this past week, each and every one of you has shown an aptitude that many are not capable of. You have shown that not only are you willing but ready to take on the trials ahead of you. Those who have come before you know better than any what is to come for you, every one of which is prepared to train you for which you are not yet prepared. It is with that, and only that, that I welcome you into this fold as Rangers. So, if you’d please, as I call each of you forward, receive your new uniform and equipment.”

With that, Chris ended his opening speech and rounded the table, standing in the middle of it. He turned and took the first uniform, pink accents on a black and gray gi, and astro blaster. “Gabriella Gumz,” he announced, turning back around. “Step forward.”

The gray griffon, easily the youngest amongst the group, stepped forward, trying to keep her smile from spreading too rampantly.

Chris could only let the corner of his lip slip up in a small smile in response. “For flexibility, light-heartedness, and exceptional intuition, I welcome you to Ranger Ops.” He handed the uniform and weapon to the young griffoness before stepping into a salute that she copied, if not a little poorly, as she tried to balance her new gear. The man broke the salute, and they each bowed before Gabby turned and marched back to her place in line.

As she did so, the captain turned and picked up the next uniform, this one yellow. “Roxanne Stonepaw. Step forward” The tall, lean, Akita-like diamond dog did as she was told, bright blue eyes shining as she stopped. “For steadfastness, level-headedness, and sheer strength, I welcome you to Ranger Ops.” Once more, he handed over the bundle and saluted, breaking it as soon as the diamond dog returned it and giving a bow.

Next, he grabbed the green uniform. “Gaia Forresttail.” Another griffoness stepped forward, her markings reminiscent of a Quetzal. “For strategy, logic, and cleverness, I welcome you to Ranger Ops.” They saluted and bowed.

“Straight Arrow.” The green and blond pegasus stepped forward, his grin impossible to miss as Chris brought out the blue uniform. “For cleverness, critical-thinking, and bravery, I welcome you to Ranger Ops.” The stallion took the gear and saluted and bowed with much enthusiasm.

“Now, for your second in command,” Chris spoke up, taking the uniform with gold accents. The final two straightened up, ready for the result. “Jaron Thunderroar. Step Forward.” The athletically built minotaur only briefly let a disappointed look cross his face before wiping it clean and steeling his features as he walked up. “For consideration, sacrifice, and duty to others, I welcome you to Ranger Ops.” The bull took the bundle gratefully, bowing deep before walking back.

“Finally, your leader,” Chris spoke up, locking his gray eyes with burning red. “Vinyl Scratch, please step forward.” The white mare didn’t so much as march as stomp heatedly towards the young man as he held out the red uniform. “For passion, power, and an inability to surrender, welcome to Ranger Ops.”

Chris saluted and bowed, the mare following suit only to be surprised as he held a hand out to her. “Do right by your team,” he said lowly, the wisdom in his tone surprising her once more. “They are yours to protect and take care of. Make us proud.”

Vinyl Scratch looked back at him with her fiery eyes. She pursed her lips and nodded with a hardened expression. “Yes, sir,” she replied, her voice carrying with it every promise that came with her new position.

The man nodded and released her hand with one last shake. “Starting tomorrow,” he spoke up once more, walking to the front of the podium, “your new training will begin. From this day forward, you will be the frontline between the Resistance and Mondo. I cannot guarantee that all of us will make it to the other side, but I will promise this. I will be looking out for you. All of you. Until the day I am put to rest. I can only hope this spreads to the rest of you. For your teammates. For your superiors. For those that fight beside you. For those that take refuge behind you.” Everyone in the room stood straighter as Chris snapped to attention. “What are we!”

“Rangers!”

The thunderous boom of the voices in the room making their declaration was nearly deafening, making Chris’ chest tighten. He looked along the line of his new Rangers and nodded. “May the Power protect you.”

Author's Note

As the dust of the most recent battle settles, each side takes a moment to step back and recupe. For some, that means getting used to a new way of life. For others, it means returning to the drawing board. But for everyone, it means new forces are in play. A turning point has arrived and no one knows where it leads....

Whelp, my vacation comes to an end and... it didn't help at all. Thanks full time job that only barely pays the bills.... Anyway, enough of my salt. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 1- Paint Me Red and Call me Psycho

Equestrian Psycho

Chapter 1- Paint Me Red and Call Me Psycho

Chris Scott walked through the convention center without a care in the world. Power Morphicon had been just as fun as he had imagined, especially with all the other cosplays around him. However, it did remind him of the one shortcoming of his own cosplay. Despite all his many months of work, he simply hadn't had the time to complete the helmet to his Psycho Ranger Yellow costume.

Maybe I shouldn’t have spent so much time on the gauntlet, he thought, glancing down at the aforementioned accessory. He had paid special attention to that part of the suit, modifying the specifications in order to hold his smartphone snugly in the center rectangle to be accessed from his wrist. Chris let out a sigh as he walked between the sales booths. If I hadn’t, maybe I could have finished the helmet. He shook his head to clear the thoughts. He lifted his head to look over the crowd, trying to find one face in particular.

He’d heard through the grapevine that Jason Frank would be making a surprise appearance from one of the booths, but he had yet to find it. He finally stopped to get a better look around. However, after a few moments of no luck, Chris began to feel a little letdown. “Ugh! Curse you, James, and your mind games,” he grumbled quietly to himself.

“Excuse me, sir.”Chris turned towards the voice to find that the vendor whose booth he had stopped in front of was the one to call on him. The vendor seemed to be dressed up as the bounty hunter who found the Psycho data cards for Deviot in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy.

“Oh, sorry. I was just trying to get a better look around,” Chris said, an apologetic smile spreading across his face.

“No need for apologies,” the vendor said, waving his hand reassuringly. “However, maybe there’s something here you’d be interested in.”

Chris looked down at all the “novelty” items spread out across the table, although nothing really caught his eye. “Nah, sorry, sir,” Chris said, shaking his head, “but I don’t think you got anything for me.”

“Hold on a moment,” the vendor said, stopping Chris before he could move away. “I think I might have something for you.” The vendor bent down behind his booth and rummaged around underneath. Chris stood by patiently, not wanting to be rude, but wanting to get back to his search as soon as possible. “Here we are,” Chris heard from beneath the table, the vendor standing back up again, a cloth bundle in his hands. “This should interest you,” he said, handing the bundle to Chris.

Chris rolled the bundle around in his hands for a moment before unwrapping it. What he uncovered simply amazed him. “No way,” he exclaimed, because, in his hands, he held a perfect replica of Psycho Yellow’s helmet. “How’d you get this?” he asked, still staring at the helmet.

“Oh, I have my ways,” was the only response.

Chris was too busy admiring the helmet to notice the creepy change in the vendor’s tone. “It’s so cool. How mu-” Chris was cut off as he looked up at the vendor to find him holding his hand up. “Have fun,” he said, snapping his fingers. Before Chris could comprehend what was happening, he blacked out.

Light filtered through the leaves of the dark forest trees, the slight breeze causing them to rustle. Chris was laid out in the middle of a clearing, the trees growing towards the center to block out the sun. Slowly, Chris began to moan groggily as he came back his senses. “Oh… what happened?” he asked out loud, sitting up and bringing his hand to his head. When he did he felt a foreign weight on his wrist. What? He thought, finally opening his eyes to look at the uncomfortable restriction. On his wrist sat a strange device, a black brace with an oval contraption, a strange gold symbol imprinted on top. The symbol looked like an upside down M with exaggerated angles and points. “Huh,” was all he could think to say, “weird.”

He took his eyes off the device and finally took a look at his surroundings. “Aw, man, not again,” he said, figuring he had had another episode when he found himself in the middle of a forest. He stood up and looked himself over. Even though he was wearing clothes he wasn’t familiar with, a red t-shirt, black leather jacket, dark blue jeans, and dark combat boots, he didn’t find any new wounds that had come to be a tell-tale sign of his second personality taking over. “Well, that’s new,” He said to himself, wondering if Samson had broken the habit of hurting them to spite him.

“Either way, he’s gotten me into a real mess,” Chris stated, looking around to figure out which direction would be best. “Maybe I should go-,”

A scream cut off whatever Chris was about to say, and he took off in the direction of the scream without a second thought, two goals in mind. First, the voice might belong to someone who knew the area better than he did, and second, whoever it was, they were in trouble. He ran between the trees, dodging low-hanging branches and jumping over roots that grew out of the ground. He didn’t run very far before coming across the scene and stopping. What he saw he couldn’t believe.

A dozen or so of what looked to be cogs from Power Rangers Zeo crowded around in a circle, but that wasn’t what threw Chris off. In the middle of all the chaos stood an anthropomorphic Starlight Glimmer and Sweetie Belle standing over an injured Scootaloo, magic charged up and ready to fire. Even brandishing spells, Starlight and Sweetie were in a bad way, sweat dripping from both of them, and blood running down Sweetie’s face from a cut above her eye. The cogs were slowly closing in, forcing the mages closer together.

Chris reeled from all the new information before shaking his head, a look of determination hardening on his face. Whatever the case, he thought, they still need help… but how?

Use the sword, came a strange voice from inside his head, catching him off guard. A voice in his head was nothing new, but this wasn’t Samson.

What? He replied mentally, asking more from the confusion of a new voice in his head than the reference to a weapon he did not have.

Use the sword, it said again. Suddenly, instructions were “transferred” directly to Chris, telling him what to do. Chris hesitated a moment, looking down at the device on his arm, and heard a soft thud. Sweetie had fallen to one knee, breathing heavily as sweat and blood dripped off her chin. That was all it took. Chris threw one last glance at the device and ran full force towards the crowd of cogs. As he ran, he lifted his left arm in a ninety-degree angle and brought his right hand over the opposite wrist, the center of the device flipping open to reveal a screen with the image of a sword appearing. Some of the cogs noticed the disturbance and began turning.

Chris took this as a sign to pick up the pace. He leaped into the air, drawing both arms back to the left. “Deploy, Psycho Sword!” He shouted in midair, clenching his hand around the now-forming handle. As his momentum carried him forwards and down, he swung his arm out, the sword forming from bright red grid lines. The blade sliced across the chests of three cogs -sparks flying from their mechanical bodies- before his feet hit the ground, tucking his body forward and rolling through the crowd, and coming to a stop in front of the trio of ponies. He stood and turned, shifting sideways so that his left side was towards the mass of robots, one foot in front of the other, bringing his arm to his side so the blade rested at an angle to his body, raising his head to stare at the enemy. “So,” he began, settling into a back stance and bringing the sword parallel to his chest, a wild grin crossing his face to match the fire in his eyes. “Who’s next?”

A few cogs in the front ran forward, crossing each other’s paths and moving to flank him. Chris stood his ground as the bots charged him. The one to his left got to him first, and swung out with its fist, aiming for his head. Chris caught the attack with his left hand and held the machine in place until its comrade came into range. As it did, Chris flipped the blade in his hand, bringing it into an underhand grip before slashing both opponents across the chest. Sparks flew as the attack connected, dropping both cogs at his feet. The remaining cogs hesitated a moment before lining up. The masks on their faces slid upwards, revealing laser lenses in the place of their eyes.

Oh, crap, Chris thought, eyes widening in realization. He moved into a guard stance, crossing his arms, and righting the sword in his hand, bringing it above and parallel to his left arm. The cogs let loose their laser bolts, sending a barrage straight towards him. It took a fraction of a second for the bolts to reach Chris, who reacted by catching the energized bundles on the flat of his blade and threw them to each side, causing twin explosions to go off harmlessly behind Chris and the worn out ponies.

That was close, Chris thought, taking in slow controlled breaths to get his heart back under control. I need to get in closer. He dropped into a crouch, the sword held out horizontally in front in front of him, and charged forwards, closing the distance in no time. He slashed through three or four cogs before entering the crowd. He used all of his experience in martial arts to keep the group at bay while he dismantled them a few at a time. He flew around in a blur of motion and color, almost like a red and black hurricane, cutting down the machines relentlessly. He finally came to a stop facing away from Starlight’s group, only one cog remaining. The unlucky robot had somehow managed to get between Chris and the ponies and watched Chris’ back for any signs of movement. As the tension grew, the cog broke first. It turned towards the now defenseless equines, its face sliding up to reveal its blasters.

The blast never came. Suddenly, Chris was facing away from the cog again, standing like a runner at the start, arm and sword held up at an angle over his shoulder. All at once, sparks flew in a perfect diagonal all around the cog’s body as it slid in two. Chris stood up and relaxed his sword arm just in time for the two halves of the automaton to hit the ground. The body sparked and spasmed a few times before it finally lay still. Chris glanced over his shoulder at his handiwork before bringing the blade to rest on his other shoulder, turning his head back, and letting out a long breath.

He finally raised his sweat drenched head to throw a wide grin in the direction of the trio. “Well, that was somethin’, wasn’t it?”

“Indeed it was,” came the reply from behind him.

The ponies stiffened, terrified looks in their eyes as they saw what Chris couldn’t. His eyes widened in confusion. As he turned to face the newcomer, a small, “hm” escaped his lips, and when he saw what it was, he too stared in horror. He was staring at Staroid from Zeo, but he was different. His body was overall slimmer with only his gauntlets remaining the same size, the star on his back only covering his upper back instead of down to his legs, and he now sported a long sword with a star-shaped guard on his hip.

“Now,” Staroid began, starting to walk forward and moving his hand towards the sword at his hip, “if you and your comrades could surrender, you might make it out of this alive.”

“Heh,” Chris chuckled, moving into a sideways horse stance, bringing the sword horizontal to his chest once more, and finally adding his left hand to the sword. “Sorry, bud, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen.”

“Pity, King Mondo wanted some new subjects for Prince Sprocket’s torture lessons,” Staroid replied, advancing and drawing his sword, which transformed in a flash of light into a large scythe. The weapon’s staff was nothing special except that it ended in a large star, the menacing blade sprouting from one of the five points.

A single drop of sweat rolled down Chris’ face as he thought of a plan of attack. Holy VERDAMMTE SCHEISSE!!! I can’t take this guy!

Not as you are now, came the voice from earlier.

What does THAT mean!?! Chris exclaimed inwardly, stepping back to keep distance between himself and the slowly approaching menace.

Simple, was all the voice said before disappearing.

What’s sim-, his thought was interrupted as more instructions appeared in his mind. It took a moment for Chris to process it all, but, when he did, the look of frightened determination melted into a seemingly insane grin. He relaxed his stance and stood up, taking his left hand away from the sword, which he stabbed into the ground so it stood on its own.

Staroid stopped his approach, some of his confidence melting away in the heat of Chris’ own. “W-what game are you playing?” He asked, voice slightly trembling.

“No game,” Chris stated, shaking his smiling face as he raised his wrist to show off the device on his wrist. “But this is going to be REALLY fun.”

The grin disappeared from his face and his features morphed into a look of complete seriousness. He turned to the side, bringing his right arm back to a perfect right angle and placing the index and middle fingers of his left over the middle of the device. “Go,” he said calmly, his body tensing before throwing his fist forward with all his strength, “PSYCHO!”

Chris’ body was enveloped in a shining black energy that shattered, leaving behind black armor. Red energy shot from Chris’ wrists, shins, and torso drawing armor to those areas, white on his limbs and red on his torso. He rotated his arms at the elbow inwards, leaving energy behind around his head. As his arms rotated back to rest, the energy solidified into a red helmet, leaving his eyes exposed. Finally, a black visor extended towards the center of the helmet, hiding his eyes. All this happening in under a second.

Staroid brought the hand he had used to shield his eyes down, gawking at the sight of the ranger’s sudden transformation. “Who… WHAT are you?” He exclaimed, taking a step back.

“What am I?” parroted Chris, his voice somewhat digitally distorted. “The dark firestorm,” he intoned, waving his right hand in front of his face before throwing his left hand out and stepping with the motion. “Psycho Ranger Red.”

Chris crouched down as Staroid stumbled backward a few steps. “Oh, this is gonna be fun,” he mumbled under his breath before launching himself forwards, pulling his sword from the ground as he ran towards his opponent. He closed the distance in a flash, moving far faster than he did pre-morph. Staroid swung his scythe down towards the coming red blur. Chris dodged to the left, seeming to phase into an electrical state and flowing in that direction. Chris came to a stop on Staroid’s left, swinging the Psycho Sword towards the robot’s side. Staroid caught the motion and swung the staff of his weapon to intercept Chris’ blade. Chris jumped away from Staroid to avoid the upward slash of his opponent’s weapon. He danced back into the fray, this time going for an overhead slash. Staroid parried the strike and launched his own counterattack. Chris deflected the blow and moved to engage at a different angle. Chris and Staroid continued this, dancing around each other, their weapons clashing over and over again.

After a while, the two clashed once again, more viciously than any other encounter before. They each pushed against each other as hard as they could. They finally pushed away from one another, sliding a few yards apart. It’s time to end this, Chris thought, bringing his left hand over the Psycho Sword’s blade and charging it with red energy. Let’s go. He charged forward while Staroid was still regaining his balance, jumping into the air before he had completely closed the distance between them. Staroid saw the oncoming assault and lifted the staff of his scythe to intercept the blow. Unfortunately, this would be the straw that broke the camel’s back. The Psycho Sword cut clean through the scythe, sparks exploding from Staroid’s torso as the blade slashed across it.

Finish him, the voice in his head told him.

With pleasure, Chris thought back, preparing a final attack that would cleave the machine in two.

Then we can go after the others.

An image of the three ponies, huddled together behind him, leaped into his mind, the voice’s dark intention bleeding the image red.

“What!?!” he said aloud, pausing mid-swing. The outburst didn’t go unnoticed. Staroid suddenly righted himself and swung the blade of his scythe downwards. The weapon slashed across Chris’ exposed chest, sending up a shower of sparks as it met the ranger’s shields. Chris was launched backward by the combined force of the attack and the repulsion of the shields. He landed on his back, rolling to a kneeling position not far from Starlight’s group. Both combatants smoked from the previous attacks, Staroid’s damaged circuits sparking as Chris’ shields threw out vapor as they repaired themselves.

Finally, Staroid stood tall, pointing the star of his scythe at Chris. “This isn’t over yet, Psycho Red,” Staroid stated, spitting out the name like venom. “Next time we meet, you won’t be so lucky.” With that, he turned away, shifted into a star and sped off through the treetops.

Chris stayed where he was for a moment, breathing heavily and supporting himself with his sword. He finally pushed himself back to his feet and turned to face the mares he had protected. “Power down,” he said, walking forward as bright red grid lines appeared across his figure, the armor seeming to evaporate away from his body. Finally, the belt shifted into energy, traveled up to his shoulder, down his arm, and solidified into his Morpher.

Starlight and Sweetie both tensed up as Chris drew near. He noticed this and stopped a little distance away. “Is everyone alright?” He asked, genuine concern in his voice.

The pair reeled at his sudden kindness. “Um,” started Sweetie, looking to Starlight who simply shrugged. “We’re a little beat up, but we’ll be okay.”

“That’s good,” he said. “That’s real good….” He lurched forward and fell to the ground, unconscious.

Dark light shone from the green and black flames of the torches that lined the cobblestone walls. Staroid walked further into the chamber, fear building up inside him. He approached the only real light in the large room, light that illuminated a dark, twisted throne. Behind it lay a giant purple and green dragon, its body scarred by many battles, and above it all, on the menacing throne itself, sat an alicorn with dark purple fur, her mane and tail an even darker shade with lighter shades of purple and pink mixed in and flaring around her like fire. From her back sprouted a pair of dark wings that matched the color of her mane and tail, and she dressed in a sinister but beautiful dress that matched the lighter colors of her mane, black armor covering her chest and forearms.

When Staroid finally stood at the foot of the terrible throne, he kneeled down and bowed his head. “Mistress,” he said, opening the air to conversation.

“Staroid,” the dark alicorn said slowly, letting the tension in the room grow. “Did you succeed in your mission?”

Staroid squirmed. “I’m sorry, mistress, I did not.”

The alicorn’s glowing eyes narrowed. “And why, pray tell, is THAT?”

“We ran into a… complication.”

“What kind of ‘complication’?” she asked, leaning forward and digging her nails into the arms of her throne.

At this, Staroid looked up to his mistress. “A warrior in red armor, wielding a twisted sword. He called himself ‘Psycho Ranger Red’.”

“Psycho Ranger?” the alicorn intoned, sitting back in her throne. “Curious. How strong do you believe him to be?”

“He destroyed my entire battalion,” Staroid began, “but when we clashed, he fought as though he had never done so before. It is my belief that he only managed to defeat me through superior speed.”

“And to think I used my magic to remedy that for you,” the enchantress speculated, bringing up a hand to her chin. “Thank you for bringing this to me, Staroid. You are dismissed.”

Staroid stood and began to walk away. “Oh, and Staroid.” He stopped and turned back to his mistress. “Remember that you answer to me. And the next time you meet this ‘Psycho Ranger’... kill him.”

“Yes, mistress,” he said and bowed, before turning to continue his exit.

When he had finally left the room and the doors closed behind him, the great drake lifted his head to the one he called “mother”. “What will you do about this, Twilight?”

“Simple, my dear Spike,” she purred, bringing a hand up to stroke his great head. “I will report this to King Mondo, then we will plan our next move. And, Spike, you forget.”

“Sorry, mom,” Spike apologized, closing his eyes.

“It’s alright, Spike. Just remember, Twilight died years ago. I am Midnight.”

Author's Note

Hel-lo, Internet! Welcome to the first chapter of my Displaced story! I hope you all enjoy it, and if you have any thoughts or criticisms, leave them in the comments below! However, please be aware of everyone around you and play nice! Until next time, have a good one!

Chapter 16- Everfree United pt. 2

Chapter 16-

Everfree United, Part 2

“I-I’m not sure about this…,” Fluttershy said quietly, staying behind Big Mac as they and the Rangers moved through the Everfree, Cobalt and Firefly leading the way.

“Don’t worry Fluttershy,” Sweetie said gently, putting her hand on her fellow element’s shoulder gently. “We’re all here for you.”

The yellow pegasus looked back at Sweetie Belle, searching her eyes for a few moments. She let out a breath and allowed the rigidity in her body drain away as she nodded. Sweetie nodded back and pulled her hand back, the party falling back into for silence for a few moments.

“What is the point of this?” Mac’s gruff voice questioned, seeming to vibrate the very air.

Chris quickened his pace a bit, keeping up just behind the large stallion’s left shoulder. “A battle is coming,” he said bluntly. “The resistance won’t survive.”

“Then why are we out here?” the earth pony asked, his voice a bit skeptical.

“The resistance alone cannot survive what’s coming,” Chris reiterated. “Midnight has an army waiting to demolish us. We’re out here to recruit an army of our own.”

“We’re here,” Cobalt announced, unwittingly cutting off Big Mac’s next question as he and Firefly stopped in the middle of a clearing… a clearing with multiple husks of timberwolves laying about.

Fluttershy came out from behind her partner, her eyes going wide as she saw the bodies lying about. “Oh my…,” she said in a small voice, tears forming in her eyes. “Who would…?”

Chris stepped up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder to comfort and calm her. “A soulless machine,” he answered softly. He let his hand fall away and he walked forward into the middle of the glade. “...Which way did the wolves come from?”

“They came in from the Northeast,” Cobalt answered dutifully, his eyes going over the area as he recalled the events. “No idea exactly how far they traveled, though, seeing as timberwolves and cogs don’t get tired.”

“They would have been leading the machines away from their den,” Fluttershy muttered, walking further into the clearing, taking a knee as her hand hovered the remains of one of the wooden creatures.

Chris fell to silence as he processed what was being told to him. He took a knee as well, putting his fingers into a wolf print in the soil. He was quiet for several minutes before he stood back to his feet. “Let’s go,” he said, his tone having an air of authority that he rarely used. “We’re going to find the den and search out the rest of the timberwolf packs-”

“Are you insane!?” Fluttershy suddenly interrupted, quickly covering her mouth with her hand after realizing her outburst. “I-I mean that’s an extremely dangerous decision. The females will still be in the den with their young and the other packs will be even more aggressive if they smell a rival pack on their territory.”

Chris nodded his head. “I know,” he said calmly. “I stayed with a woman that did a study on gray wolves, and normally I wouldn’t suggest such a thing. ...But circumstances have changed… a lot.” With that, he turned and started on his way, backtracking the trail of the wolves. “I need your help, Fluttershy, but I’d never force you to do something you didn’t want to.”

Fluttershy and the others stared after him for a long moment, all except Sweetie who ran after the young man to catch up. Eventually, Cobalt followed after his teammates and friends, Firefly not far behind. Fluttershy and Big Mac hung back for several more moments, the mare looking back at her companion with a look of worry, her eyes asking the silent question. The big red stallion only gave a shrug and small smile. He walked over and wrapped his arms over her shoulders, leaning his head forward and leaving a small kiss on the top of her head. “I already told you, Fluttershy,” he said, his deep voice surprisingly soft. “I'll take care of you no matter where we go.”

The soft-spoken pegasus looked up at the stallion holding her comfortingly in his arms, her eyes lingering on his smile and the tenderness in his eyes. A soft smile came to her to match his before she leaned forward and buried her face in his torso. “Thank you, Big Mac,” she said softly before leaning back again. She turned, Big Mac taking his arms away from her shoulders as he stepped up next to her and they followed after the rangers together. Unbeknownst to the two elements, though, Chris gave a little smile as he felt them fall in alongside them.

The group traveled in silence, most of the group staying tense while Chris and, surprisingly, Fluttershy remained mostly relaxed… until they started making it into the middle of the territory. Both individuals let their eyes wander the foliage, frowns forming on their faces. “What’s wrong, Chris?” Cobalt asked, shadows beginning to drift off of his knuckles.

“There’s no sign of the females,” the man grumbled in response, eyes flicking over a bush to his left before jerking towards the foliage on his right.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Firefly all but whispered in response, her wide eyes shooting about sporadically.

“It’s very bad,” Fluttershy confirmed, her eyes narrowing uncharacteristically. “The female wolves wouldn’t stay holed up at the den. That would put any cubs in harm’s way if a fight broke out. They’d spread out and patrol, taking on anything that got too close-”

“Guys.” Sweetie Belle’s simple statement had everyone stop and turn to where the unicorn had moved low hanging creepers out of her way. “We found the den….”

Everyone fell silent as Chris stepped up next to the off white unicorn. He closed his eyes and let out a sad sigh at the sight before him. “We’re too late….”

The words sounded through the air like the axe of an executioner. None of them dared move except Fluttershy, the gentle mare giving a soft gasp as she hastened to Chris and Sweetie’s side. Her eyes widened and she put a hand over her mouth as tears formed. Passed the creepers lay a rocky clearing littered with the shriveled and decaying bodies of what remained of the timberwolf pack. The corpses laid about in a ramshackle manner, some having scorch marks, holes, or slashes, evidence that Defoliator hadn’t been the only culprit. Quietly, she and Chris both made their way further into the den. The others followed more hesitantly, but the faces formed into expressions of sadness. Not even monsters that had once been dangerous to ponies deserved a fate like the one before them….

Yip!

Everyone’s heads jerked up like a gunshot and Cobalt and Sweetie brought up their weapons, Cobalt his laser blade and Sweetie her staff. Chris held up his life to the two to keep them calm while he surveyed the area.

Yip!

Chris and Fluttershy’s eyes shot towards an area at the back of the area where the pile of decayed wolf remains grew denser. The two threw each other a look before Chris started forward. He stepped gingerly around the bodies as he made his way towards the sound. What he came to was a rocky outcropping with creepers and other forms of foliage hanging off and over it. Hearing a soft crunch behind him, he turned his head to find the yellow pegasus behind him while the others crowded together and kept their space. He looked towards the timid mare and she gave him a nod, prompting him to look back towards the outcropping.

Slowly he lifted his hand and started to push the plant life away from the stone. A shuffling noise once again caught his attention as the foliage moved away to reveal a shallow cave formed into the outcropping. Crouching down, Chris peered inside and waited for his eyes to adjust. Inside the cave was a mostly empty space… except for the large body of a timberwolf laying in the center of the inner chamber. Several moments passed before Chris let out a sigh and started to turn away… only to stop as shuffling caught his attention.

“Chris…,” Fluttershy said softly, bringing her hand to his shoulder and pointing back towards the timberwolf corpse, the young man’s gaze following the direction. They remained still for several seconds before the shuffling returned, the body moving ever so slightly before settling again, a soft yip joining the disturbance. Chris’ brow furrowed before he started to move forward. Both human and pony held their breath as Chris stepped towards the corpse, coming to a stop next to it. Slowly and carefully, he moved his hands underneath the body, only to jerk them back as a soft growl sounded out and a sharp prick nipped his fingers.

“Ah!” He gasped in surprise, shaking his hand as more shuffling disturbed the timberwolf. Still giving the body a curious look, he let Black Static jump over his hands and put them back under the timberwolf. Feeling another dull impact against his protective aura, he lifted the dead weight up and away gently, rolling the timberwolf out of his way. He stopped in surprise at what he found underneath.

Two pups stared back at him, one letting out a growl as it stood before the other, the second lying on the ground, its shriveled up foreleg hugged tightly to its chest. For a long moment, neither human nor timberwolf looked away from one another, but that changed when Chris noticed something.

Fear. The eyes of both pups were filled to the brim with the emotion, the closest of the two putting on its bravest face for the sake of its injured companion. Chris ’ surprised features melted into that of sympathy as he started to reach his hand forward. A hand which the two young timberwolves shied away from, the aggressive one’s growling growing louder as its mossy hackles rose. But Chris didn’t stop. He pushed his hand forward until the one up front lunged forward, ripping into his hand and arm.

The cry of pain it expected never came as Black Static once again flashes around his arm, creating a defensive barrier the puppy had no chance against. But still, it tried, gnashing and tearing at the limb as viciously as it could… until a soft pressure pressed against its chin. Glowing green eyes widened as the timberwolf cub felt its head and, subsequently, its gaze, move away from the protected limb and towards Chris’ soft gaze and reassuring smile. Pink Static danced gently over his hand as the two sat in silence, the nature magic providing the only form of communication they were likely to achieve. Chris moved his hand from the pup’s lower jaw and moved it around until it hovered over her head, the small she-wolf pressing her crown into his hand and letting a small, scared whimper. “It’s okay, little one,” he said softly, his eyes darting away from and towards the other as it got up onto its good legs and stared up at him.

The ranger removed his hand from the little she-wolf’s head and held both hands out to the other in a welcoming manner. The timberwolf limped towards him on unsteady paws until it could press its head into his hand, reopening the communication line that revealed so much to the both of them. Gently, Chris moved his hands from the pup’s head to around his barrel, picking him up cradling him to his chest, making sure to avoid his injured leg. He stood to his feet that way, starting on his way out only to stumble slightly as the sister pushed her head into his leg. Chris stopped and looked down at the she-wolf, giving a soft smile as he continued on his way.

Fluttershy still stood at the entrance of the small cave and gave a little gasp as she saw Chris return with the two pups. The sudden exclamation made the siblings flinch, no matter how soft it was and Chris had to use another quick burst of Pink Static to reassure them.

“Oh, you poor dears,” the yellow mare said softly, her hand lifting almost hesitantly before coming down softly on the wolf’s head in Chris’ arms. “What do you think happened?” She asked, looking up at Chris with concern lacing her voice.

The young man could do nothing but shrug. “The best I can guess is that the mother tried to cover them when Defoliator attacked,” he said in a sad tone. “She sacrificed herself for her cubs-”

“Guys, we have a problem!” The sudden shout cutting Chris off and carrying with it a sense of fear. The ranger’s eyes shot up and he passed Fluttershy the pup in his arms.

“Stay here,” he whispered, being careful to avoid the injured leg as he let go. “Try to keep them quiet.” Receiving a nod from the pegasus, he knelt down and put his hand to the top of the she-wolf’s head, a flicker of Static communicating his thoughts to her. She sat down on her haunches as he stood back up, watching him with a scarred look as he left the cave.

Chris walked back into the sunlight and immediately froze as he got a look at the scene before him. Cobalt, Firefly, Sweetie, and Big Mac had been herded into the center of the clearing, their backs together as they brandished their weapons at the pack of timberwolves that had surrounded them. Chris let his body relax and calmed his heart rate, straightening up before he let his base Static burst forth. Several timberwolves spun around quickly to face him, including the largest among them. The large male stared at him for a long moment, a low growl emanating from its throat as it stalked towards the man that dared interrupt.

The man in question, luckily, knew how wolves on Earth worked. He stayed still, not letting his Static fade or flicker, keeping his eyes off the alpha while still making sure it didn’t leave his sight. The timberwolf started to circle towards his right, never taking its piercing gaze from his face, slowly growing closer to the young man... who immediately caught the creature by surprise as he started to lower himself to the ground.

From within the circle of the remaining beasts, Cobalt’s eyes flew wide. “Chris! What’re you-” Cobalt tried to take a step forward with his exclamation, only to stop short and bring up his blade as several of the wolves spun back around to growl and savagely bark their warning at him.

“...It’s okay, Co.” The sudden statement had the thestral’s eyes focusing once more on his leader, the man’s hand held out slightly in his direction in a calming manner. “I’ve got this one….”

Cobalt stared at the man for a long moment before he hardened his look and nodded, moving his foot back to where it had been before, strengthening his defensive stance once again.

Chris, sensing his friend’s actions more than actually seeing them, continued on his path downward, the alpha still closing the distance between them. By the time the ranger had made it into a full crouch, the timberwolf was little more than a few feet away from his. Everyone present in the clearing held their breath, waiting for the moment everything would come crashing down… only to have their minds come to a stop as Chris started to reach his hand towards the still growling beast. The timberwolf never flinched, simply kept its gaze glued to the human’s face, its lips drawing back and increasing the intensity and volume of its snarl as flesh met wood. Chris rested his hand on the wolf’s chest, keeping his gaze off the animal for a few more seconds before he began to lift his eyes. The two leaders’ gazes met one another, the air itself seeming to go still and turn stagnant. Moments passed into minutes, those minutes stretching on and on… until the sound of growling faded until it was gone. Both Chris and the wolf shared their gazes for a little while longer before Chris took his Static covered hand back and the timberwolf turned away, issuing a sharp bark to which the other wolves reacted immediately. They stopped their growling and turned with their leader walking off into surrounding forest as the Rangers and Big Mac stared dumbly after them. Chris straightened up, dusting his pants off and drawing the attention of his teammates.

“Chris…,” Sweetie breathed, fear still shaking her voice slightly. “What just happened.”

“What just happened,” Chris answered, looking up and giving the group a victorious smirk. “Is we just got our reinforcements.” He turned as the others just looked to one another in confusion, his focus returning to the cave. “Fluttershy, it’s clear now, you can bring out Rose and Veral.”

It took a few seconds but the mare appeared quickly, the male pup, Veral, still in her arms while Rose, the little she-wolf, rushed passed her and nuzzled into the young man’s leg, giving a soft, relieved yip as she did so. This only managed to further the puzzlement of the others present, Firefly going so far as to let her eye twitch a little.

“...What the actual hell is going on!?” The usually mellow pegasus exclaimed, drawing the attention of every intelligent being present.

Chris looked at her worriedly for a second before he let out a little chuckle. “I’ll explain everything later,” he promised, keeping up his confident smile. “Right now, we need to move. The alpha, Thresh, said he would gather the other timberwolf packs, but it would be up to us to handle the other species. He told me that there was a hydra not far from here that might listen to reason, but Fluttershy,” he paused a moment to look at the timid mare with a tired expression. “I need you to take charge of the next one. Channeling Static through the ground is really, really difficult.”

The pegasus stared up at him for a tense second before giving a soft, nervous chuckle, Veral’s tail wagging all the while to thumb against her arm naively.

Chris took a deep breath, tilting his head from one side to the other as he shook out his hands. To say he was on edge would've been a complete understatement. He could feel every scenario running through his head, all the ways he could possibly mess up. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that the sudden hand on his shoulder made him just about jump out of his skin. He turned quickly, taking deep measured breaths to get himself back under control. His gray eyes looked up to meet the cyan eyes of Nightmare Moon as she looked down at him with a calm smile.

“Are you ready?” She asked softly, her hand giving his shoulder a little squeeze.

Chris stared up at her for a few seconds before he let out a little breath and looked back up with his determined look. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” he answered, his voice still a little shaky despite his resolution.

The dark mare gave a little chuckle. “We can always be more ready, Chris,” she said, patting his shoulder before releasing it. “I will go introduce you.” She turned and started to walk away only to lift a finger over her shoulder and turned a bit. The mischievous glint in her eye couldn’t escape the young man’s notice, but her grin told him she wasn’t trying to hide it “Before I go, there is someone here that might be able to help you with your nerves.”

“Who-” Chris started only to stop as little black sphere of energy swam out of her mane, dark red and yellow light and mist flowing from it.

“...Hey, Chris…,” Sam said as he faced his brother for the first time in several days.

The blonde didn’t say anything as he stared at the orb, Nightmare’s eyes going from one brother to the other. “...I’ll leave you to it, then,” she said before turning back. “Be ready to go when I introduce you.” With that, she left and walked onto the stage, the sounds of the crowd on the other side of the curtain dying away.

The pair were completely silent as they stared at one another. Ever so slowly and even more slightly, the black orb drifted closer to the young man. “Chris, I’m-”

“Sam.” The voice was soft but carried with it enough stopping power to cut off the second personality. Slowly, and even though Chris couldn’t see it, Sam looked up to see his brother giving him a look he didn’t expect. He expected hate, anger, disappointment, but what he got… was worry. “...I know.”

The orb was silent for a long moment before it rushed forward and Chris was suddenly held tight by something that felt like a hug. When the blonde’s eyes widened in surprise, he could make out the the faint, flickering green outline of his brother. Just as soon as it had happened, the hug ended, the orb floating back. “Thanks, bro,” Sam said softly, drawing out a grin from Chris.

“No problem,” the brother answered before raising an eyebrow. “You know what’s going on?”

The orb bobbed up and down slightly in a nod. “Nightmare gave me the rundown on the way up from the tree.”

“So, that’s where you’ve been,” Chris said, looking like something just clicked into place.

“Eeyup,” Sam confirmed. “Harmony thought it’d be a good idea for me to get my head together before we put ourselves back together.”

Chris chuckled. “Sounds like she had the right idea,” he said before he lifted his gaze and looked past Sam towards the curtain where they could hear Nightmare giving Chris his intro. “Guess that’s us.” He looked back towards the sphere in front of him. “You ready, bro?”

The orb glowed a little brighter for a moment. “More than ever,” he answered. On instinct, Chris extended his fist and felt the same sensation as before as Sam’s form once again flickered in the air, his fist bumping Chris’ own before the aura faded and the blonde could once again feel the weight of his brother in his head.

Let’s do this, they thought together as they began to walk forward and through the curtains. They walked out onto the stage facing every fighter the resistance had to offer. Chris lifted his hand and gave a little wave as he approached the podium that Nightmare now stood beside. He stopped in front of the provided microphone and looked out over the crowd of rebels that had been gathered. Every fighter they had stood before him in silence, looking up at him expectantly.

The young man stared for a second more before he took a deep breath and steeled his expression. “Ladies and Gentleman,” he began, using the closest thing to a universal pronoun he could think of. “I have been informed that for the past several days, the wildlife of the Everfree has been far more aggressive than it has been in years. Not only that, but the weather team has lost control of our airspace and the agriculture team has been fighting a losing battle. I would like to shed some light on these events. Two of my team reported seeing a new Machine Captain in the Everfree today… a Machine Captain that slaughtered an entire pack of Timberwolves. Not only that, but Chrysalis’ scouts have returned from Ponyville. They report that Midnight Sparkle has built an army of cogs and reconstructed Machine Captains. It is my belief that this is her endgame. She plans to throw this force at us while our teams are overworked, hot, and hungry. She has planned it so that the Everfree is no longer a barrier between her and us, but a thicket she can press in on us to trap and destroy us.”

Murmurs ran through the crowd as the scared populace looked to each, each asking questions and looking for some sort of solace. The chatter quickly grew in volume until Chris raised his hand, grabbing their attention once more. “I understand that this is grave news and that you are all scared, but, thanks to the help of Fluttershy, Element of Kindness, we have begun our counter measures in a way that our enemy will not expect.” With that, the young man raised his gaze from those before him to the edge of the forest behind them, glad that Nightmare had agreed to set this up outside. “Fluttershy, if you would please.”

A moment passed before the soft yellow pegasus stepped out of the shadows of the forest, her right hand crossed over her body and clutching her left arm as her lowered head allowed her mane to fall into her face. The shy mare slowly lifted her eyes from the ground before bringing up her left hand and waving timidly. What happened next shocked the crowd so much so that many of them tried to back up and flee. A large, copper head emerged from the Everfree, its slitted green eyes searching the crowd as its serpentine tongue flickered through the air. Slowly, the rest of the hydra stepped out of the darkness, revealing two more heads as other beasts began to crawl, slither, and stomp out of the forest. Timberwolves, manticores, several cockatrices, even a cragadile showed themselves from the forest, lining up in front of the rebel fighters.

Then the earth began to quake as thundering booms sounded out. Slowly, the enormous blue head of the Ursa Minor loomed out over the Element of Harmony, stepping out soon after to show off the rest of its body. The primordial bear raised up on its hind legs before letting out a mighty roar that shook the heavens themselves. The roar lasted for what seemed to be an eternity before fading out, the bear quaking the earth as it slammed back down, bringing its head down beside the unwavering yellow mare, who simply smiled and lifted her hand to rest it on the side of the Ursa’s head.

Chris smiled at the display before speaking out, catching the crowd by surprise as many of them jumped. “In our time of struggle, we have forgotten a crucial point. King Mondo’s war is not with us! It is with the very planet! Everything that lives, breathes, consumes, and bears offspring is his enemy, and he wishes to crush it all! Why, then, should we do his work for him? Why should we attack the beasts of this world while they try to survive as we are? Why not embrace them and turn them into the allies we so desperately need?” A bright flash drew the ranger’s attention to his side where Sweetie Belle had appeared, holding Veral in her arms as Rose once more rushed up to jump at his leg and yip up at him. The young man smiled down at the pup, bringing his arm down to pet her head before turning back to the crowd. “Tomorrow, my team and I, alongside the captains, Elements of Harmony, Councillors Chrysalis, Ember, Zecora, Cadence, and Gilda, and Commander Nightmare Moon, will stand on the edge of the Everfree side by side with its inhabitants and we are going to face our enemy head-on. Our only question is, who’s going to follow us? Who’s going to stop cowering in the dark and face the light? Who is going to fight with us for their home!?”

Chris had admittedly sunk into his own words, scared of the crowd's reaction only to be jerked back violently as the crowd exploded into cheers. The young man looked out over the crowd as cries of support filled the air, fists pumping into the air. The ranger’s gaze surfed the cheering fighters before it drifted back towards the edge of the forest where he could see Cobalt, Firefly, and Big Mac step out of the forest next to Fluttershy. Cobalt had his arm around Firefly, both of them smiling while Big Mac put his hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder.

Chris gave his own smile as he watched this unfold, looking to his side as Sweetie put a hand on his arm. The young man brought his hand up to cover hers before a voice cut through everything else.

Hey, Chris?

Yeah, Sam?

Why is there a timberwolf rubbing against our leg?

Uhhh….

Light shown down on a new day… and Midnight glared out at the sunrise shining over the Everfree. Her army marched towards the forest, the machines stomping forward, ready to end the battle that had plagued her for years. Finally, it shall end, she thought to herself, eyes narrowing on the horizon. Finally, I shall have my chance.

“Midnight!” The alicorn’s head jerked up as Spike flew in to land in the chariot beside her. The wide-eyed look on his face told her everything she needed to know. “There’s something at the edge of the forest!”

Midnight jerked her gaze away from the dragon and towards the frontline where her automatons were beginning to come to a halt. Her horn lit up in turquoise and black magic, her eyes lighting up next as they zoomed into what her son was pointing out to her. Her face curled up into a snarl when she saw the figure. Pale skinned with a mop of blonde on his head, black jeans and boots, a red shirt and pitch leather jacket. Under the influence of her spell, she could even see his eyes staring at her. The mare cut her magic off as her anger soared to new heights. “HALT!”

The entire army came to a stop around her as her angry glare stared at the man that had made her life a living hell. “At last,” she muttered to herself. “Spike, kill-”

“There’s more movement,” the dragon interrupted, taking another step forward as shadows began to emerge from the forest around the man. First, a white unicorn mare, garbed in the blue robes of what she recognized as the high order of mages, a staff carried in her hands. This mare was skilled…. After her came a thestral, truly a rare breed, wearing heavy armor as his hand rested on a large greatsword, followed by a pink pegasus wearing light armor, a belt strapped around her waist holding some sort of gun and baton. And then the mare froze in her spot because the next to step out was Nightmare Moon, clad in her steel blue armor, cyan eyes staring towards her with fire in them.

Midnight stopped paying attention after that as more and more ponies and those of the other races began to pool out of the trees, her rage blinding her. “Spike,” she hissed, never taking her eyes off of the alicorn that had resisted her for so many long years. “Make sure none of them leave alive.”

The purple drake looked towards his mother figure before nodding dangerously. “It shall be done,” he answered before looking back towards the growing opposition. “Just like in the Dragonlands.” With that, the warrior jumped into the air and flew towards the resistance forces, letting out a roar. “CHARGE! KILL THEM ALL!!!” With that, both sides surged forward and the battle began.

Chris watched as Midnight’s army approached his position, his glare growing. He let his gaze rest on the dark purple mare near the middle of the force, his frown growing. Finally I get to put a face to all our suffering, he thought even as he felt her eyes on him. He stared back defiantly until he felt Sweetie Belle come up behind him, followed by Cobalt, Firefly, and Nightmare.

And then they all felt it. A pulse of angry magic filled the air, Nightmare’s eyes narrowing. “Here it comes,” she warned as Chrysalis stopped beside her and more and more of the resistance lined up beside them.

No sooner had the words left her mouth than a monstrous roar ripped through the sky and they could see a purple streak launch into the sky. “CHARGE!” A deep, rumbling voice shouted. “KILL THEM ALL!!!”

Chris smirked. “You heard him,” he said bracing himself before throwing one last look at his comrades. “TAKE 'EM DOWN!” With that he rushed forward, the Equestrian Resistance Force surging up behind him. The Ranger raised up his morpher across his chest and proclaimed the age old words. “It’s morphin’ time! GO, PSYCHO!” Golden light flashed through the air around him before the light dissipated, revealing Psycho Ranger Gold rushing towards the opposing army, the Psycho Fan Axe held in his hand.

Chris’ visor lit up as a golden crosshair zoomed over the crowd of advancing machines, looking for one signature in particular. Before he could lock on, though, the ranger was forced to spin his weapon over his head before doing a complete three-sixty sweep. Any machine in range of his weapon lit up in an explosion of sparks as the man plunged into the depths of the opposing forces followed soon by his comrades. Three more icons lit up on his screen signifying Cobalt, Sweetie, and Firefly as the life report systems in their belts kicked in, allowing him to keep an eye on them in the midst of battle.

But at that moment, the young man’s attention was needed elsewhere as he swung his fan ax to and fro, spinning and twisting with each strike as he built up momentum. A red flash on his screen alerted him and he slammed the blade of his weapon down like a sledgehammer, splitting a cog in two before using the staff of his weapon as a vaulting pole, jerking himself as he lifted his feet over his body. An explosion lit up the spot where he’d been just seconds before, a cog with its face plate slid up jerking its gaze to stare at him in surprise.

Chris, the Sling! The golden ranger reacted instantly to his brother’s instruction, jerking his free hand out to the side where grid lines and the Psycho Sling quickly formed. Chris readjusted his grip on the ax handle before his body spun as he pulled the trigger on the sling. Bolts of yellow energy shot out and slammed into the ring of automatons rushing at him, halting them in place as their chests exploded. The man’s feet hit the ground and he let his momentum carry on as he hefted the axe out of the ground and around him, an arc of light rushing out and slashing through several more of the cogs. He came to a stop, hefting the fan ax to rest on his shoulder while he let the sling fall to his side.

“Quite a few down, way more to go,” Chris muttered before his HUD flashed. He flicked his head in the direction his compass was indicating and found a silhouette of red shown on his visor. Chris smirked as he felt Sam start to surge forward.

Let’s go get the big one! Sam said, his brother giving a nod and rushing forward towards his target.

Nightmare streaked through the battlefield like an angel of war. Her scythe drove the air, tearing through the machines as the blade glowed with the same energy as her horn. The mare twisted as yet another cog got in her way, slashing horizontally and cleaving the automaton in two before rushing forward once more. Her eyes narrowed as a bulky machine captain stepped in front of her to halt her progress, an agitated ‘tch’ escaping her lips.

The machine lifted an arm and launched a pair of missiles at the alicorn, the scream of rockets sounding through the air. Nightmare only tightened her lips before cocking back her weapon and spinning quickly and sent forth a twisting blade of magic that cut through the explosives and detonated, leaving the mare to plunge into a cloud of black smoke.

The resurrected Silo let its arm drop, its eyes flashing as it tried to locate its target. A split second twinkle caught its attention, its head swinging around as the rocket pods on its shoulders moved into firing position. This didn’t last long though as a blast of deep cyan magic tore through the air, ground, and machine, blasting a hole straight through it. The recoil of the blast blew back the smoke, the black cloud dissipating to reveal Nightmare Moon with her hand outstretched, the glow of her horn fading after the magical burst.

The alicorn took a deep breath and lowered her arm only to jerk her scythe up and brace for impact before a ray of cyan magic, much paler than her own, sparked off the blade of her weapon. The alicorn lowered her scythe and peered over the blade to watch as another, far younger alicorn took her place across from her.

“I was wondering when I’d get to meet the great Nightmare Moon,” the dark purple mare purred out before a frown took over her features. “Now I can finally crush this rebellion at its source.”

Nightmare narrowed her gaze. “You must be Midnight,” she said, her tone almost casual as she began to move to her right. “I’ve heard many things about you from the mages that escaped Canterlot.”

Midnight smirked through her glare. “And what did they tell you?” She asked, beginning to counter step as the two began to circle one another.

“That you were pretentious, arrogant, and autocratic,” Nightmare answered, the glow of her scythe starting to brighten. “And you always had a way of doing exactly what you were told not to.”

Midnight laughed at the accusations, narrowing the older mare’s eyes further. “Those old fools were just afraid,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Scared they’d be replaced by someone like me. Even as a filly I had more power in my little finger than the entirety of Celestia’s inner circle. The fact that most of them are dead is proof enough of that.” The sound of leather on metal ripped through the air followed by a metallic crash as the purple alicorn drew her saber to stop Nightmare’s sudden rush, the thin blade holding back the magical scythe with seemingly no effort at all. “Ooo, looks like I struck a nerve.”

Nightmare let a growl issue from her throat before she twisted her scythe and spun, bringing the scythe up and down from the opposite direction, only to be stopped once more by Midnight’s quicker blade. The dark mare pulled her strike back and renewed her assault, striking quickly and ferociously as Midnight Sparkle retreated backward and parried every attack with deft movements. The younger mare wore a smirk as she moved, her movements not seeming to falter her resolve or even tire her. Nightmare hefted her scythe above her head, the blade shining with magic as she drove it down. This time though, Midnight didn’t block. Instead, she jumped back, the blade slicing the air in front of her harmlessly before it embedded itself into the ground. The corrupt mare danced back into close combat, spinning like a dancer and kicking her armored heel into the older mare’s chin.

Nightmare stacked back, her scythe pulling free of the ground as Midnight jumped back to put distance between them. The black-furred mare reached up and wiped the blood from her lip. She looked up to find the younger alicorn smirking at her. “Seems you’re not as scary as all those legends made you out to be,” Midnight said casually, lifting her blade to rest it on her shoulder.

The dark alicorn grit her teeth against each other before pulling her hand back and thrust her palm towards her, a sphere of volatile magic launching at the cocky mare. Midnight’s smirk only grew as her blade glowed with the light of her magic before it swiped through the air. The magic blast split in two and sailed past her on either side, twin explosions sending up debris and shaking the ground.

“Ohhoho!” The purple mare chortled, bringing her saber back up. “Now that’s more like it… too bad it’s not enough, though.” The mare’s eyes suddenly narrowed and she drew her weapon back before rushing towards the leader of the Resistance.

Chris surged through the crowd, using his fan ax to cut down any machines that got in his way. The crowd began to thin as the silhouette of his target grew near. He leaped into the air, dodging the swing from the cog that lashed out at him. He soared over the battlefield, Defoliator finally coming into view after his mad dash through the conflict. The ranger’s eyes narrowed as he saw the machine captain towering over one the ponies from the Resistance, their eyes wide and full of fear as they cowered on the ground. Chris growled.

Let’s crush this bastard, Sam said, his presence melding with Chris’.

Right! The brother answered, twisting through the air and dropping towards the robot with his blade aimed at the machine’s back. He dropped like a stone only to feel the air rush from his lungs as a sharp pain filled his side. He hit the ground hard, skidding as his shield of Static flashed around him. He ground and started to get back only to get slammed once more. “GAK!” He spat as any breath that remained in his body rushed out, his body folding in on itself. His head hit the ground with a thud as his body fell limply back into place.

“Hmph, you don’t seem all that tough,” a rough voice growled before the pressure on his abdomen increasing painfully. Chris opened his eyes, gritting his teeth as he looked up at his attacker. He reached a hand up and grabbed the purple dragon’s ankle, trying to pull it off of his torso to get some air. Spike just smirked wickedly. “Pathetic. Defoliator.”

Loud mechanical thumps shook the ground enough to draw the ranger’s pain filled gaze to the side to see the Machine Captain stalking towards them, blood dripping from his pincer as the pony laid limp behind him. An evil chuckle emanated from the machine as it came to a stop over him. For a split second, the young man was filled with terror, and he knew that’s how the pony had felt in their last few moments.

And it filled him with rage. The ranger lifted his hand as yellow and pink grid lines formed in the air, solidifying into a new a weapon before he pulled the trigger. Blazing pink bolts slammed into the machine throwing out sparks and ripping a cry of pain from Defoliator before the young man turned his attention to Spike. Orange and green Static burst out around him as he used the palm of his free hand to slam into the dragon’s ankle, knocking it off his body and toppling the drake’s balance at the same time. He proceeded to twist his body, his lower body coming off the ground as he manipulated his shoulders and pushed the ground with his still open hand. The result was his legs spinning out from under Spike and rotating to kick the purple drake in the chest, sending him backward. Chris pulled his legs back underneath him as he came to a stop. The malicious visor of his helmet leveled at his opponents as he held out his hand, the fan ax he’d dropped earlier dematerializing before seeming to jump back to his hand and reform.

“Pathetic?” He said, a questioning and dangerous tone arcing through his voice. “Why don’t I just show you what pathetic can do?” The ranger lunged forward, red, blue, and black grid lines shooting from his combined weapon and forming the Cyber Slash. He let the Psycho Fan Axe’s handle slip in his grasp until he held the very end of it. He swung it over his head, swinging it towards Defoliator as he slashed at Spike. The machine jumped out of the way, barely avoiding the blade of the weapon as it sunk into the ground where it had been standing moments before. Spike reacted differently, his arm quickly going across his body and coming back up to block the Ranger’s blade with his own black broadsword.

The young man and dragon pushed against one another, their faces coming close. Spike snarled. “You can’t win,” he growled, smoke rising from his nostrils.

Chris pressed forward, Red Static joining the orange and green. “Watch me,” he answered through grit teeth before the Psycho Fan Axe lit up in gold light. The young man jerked the weapon from the dirt and swung the butt of the staff at the drake’s head as the main blade of the weapon shrank down, a twin blade forming to rush towards Spike’s eyes.

The dragon shoved his blade against Chris’ own, staggering him before kicking the Ranger in the torso, sending both of them back. Spike slid back, throwing his wings out to slow down as he stared at the Ranger across from him as the man recovered. Spike growled as he realized just what he was dealing with, smoke curling from his nostrils and mouth as a faint green glow lit up behind his teeth. “It’s a shame you’re not going to live long enough to regret your arrogance!” The dragon roared, charging the ranger once more.

Chrysalis cut through the battlefield like heated steel, green magical circles appearing in the air and launching spears of fiery magic as she waved her hand through the air. She’d swapped her usual garb for something a bit more practical, the robes of the changeling mages, the heavy black and green cloth flowing with her swirling, dancing movements.

She smirked as she felt the ground shake, a concussive blast rippling through the enemy forces as they set off one of her many traps. It almost felt too easy for her as she dodged out of the way of a cog’s strike before spinning and kicking it away, a wave of her hand sending another lance of magic through its torso. Her confident smirk didn’t stay long though as she was forced to jump away as something set off her proximity circle. She spun and launched a lance of energy, her eyes widening as a familiar jackhammer caught the magical attack and deflected it.

She slid to a stop facing the machine only to jump back into the air and buzz her wings as it slammed the weaponized limb into the ground and sent a wave of explosive energy through the ground towards her. A thought struck her only too late and she turned her head in midair to watch helplessly as the attack slammed into the Resistance forces, throwing up an explosion as a chorus of pained shouts and cries ripped through the air. The changeling queen stared in horror before her features twisted into rage and she threw her gaze back to the revived Digster.

“I’m going to make sure you burn for that!” She hissed, her horn igniting in green flames as three spell circles formed behind her in a triangle formation. She charged the automaton, flames trailing of her splayed fingers as she held it out to her side, preparing to cast once more. Digster raised his dead, glowing eyes to meet her gaze before rushing towards her, jackhammer raised and prepared to strike.

Unbenounced to them, a dark shadow lurked through the battlefield, cutting down its enemies without mercy, but always leaving one eye on the changeling’s back.

Scythe and saber once more met in the air, throwing up sparks as Nightmare and Midnight once again came face to face with one another, each glaring at the other. The alicorn’s pushed against each other, forcing them to slide back. Nightmare took a hand from her weapon and swiped it through the air, sending forth a wave of cyan magic. The younger alicorn’s gaze jumped up and she swung her blade up, slashing the attack in half before leveling the blade at the older mare.

“It would seem we’re evenly matched,” Nightmare said softly, her eyes narrowing towards her opponent. Her eyes widened back as she noticed the younger alicorn’s smirk.

“You really are an old fool,” Midnight said, a little purr running through her voice as she took a step forward.

Nightmare repositioned her stance, spinning her magically charge scythe. “And what makes you say that?” The alicorn growled, preparing to launch back at her enemy.

The purple mare only snickered. “Do you honestly think that you’re my only target?” She questioned, her smirk widening at Nightmare’s confused look. “My goal is to kill the entire Resistance. That only begins with you, but… well, just take a look around.” Nightmare’s eyes narrowed dangerously, hesitant to do anything the dark mare before her said. However, ever so slowly, her eyes drifted across the battlefield and what she saw made her eyes go wide.

Ponies, her little ponies were being rundown all around her. Even the other species she had grown to care for as her own were being overrun by the machines. “And that’s not even the best part….” Nightmare’s eyes shot back to find Midnight grinning wickedly. “You’re not the only one with spies all about, and, oh, all the juicy things they’ve told me about you… and that little love bug of yours.”

The black mare’s eyes shoot open and her pupils shrink to pinpricks. “Chryssi!” She yells turning and rushing towards where she can feel the changeling queen fighting to her fullest.

Chrysalis jumped back, crossing her arms and forming a shielding spell circle as Digster launched forward and slammed his jack hammer into the shield. The spell held, Chrysalis sliding across the ground with no harm down to her. The same couldn't be said for her opponent.

Digster was scorched and dented, wires sticking out here and there where the changeling’s magic had managed to break through it’s armor. It smoked and stumbled across the battlefield, clearly losing its ability to continue.

Chrysalis, on the other hand, seemed to only be a bit winded, though she had had to dissolve her proximity alarm in favor of the more energy consuming combat spells. As the machine raised itself up for another charge, the queen raised her hand, the three spell circles from her back coming around her to spiral in front of her hand.

“This has been fun,” the changeling said in a low voice. “But I've got better things to do.” A fiery green orb burst into existence in the center of her spell circles, the archaic disks beginning to spin ever faster as more magic energy built up. And that's when it happened.

The queen heard it before her other senses caught it. The sound of a blade being swung sliced through the air before pain tore through her every fiber. A silent scream leaped to her face, causing her focus to leave her and the built up magic to unleash itself, tearing through the air and ground. The queen hit the ground just as her beam tore through Digster and kept going, detonating in the crowd behind him. The pained yells were lost on Chrysalis as her wide eyed gaze stared across the ground, a pool of green ichor starting to pool out of the deep slash in her back.

The pain became too much and as Chrysalis eyes rolled up and closed, Staroid stepped around her body, his bloody scythe poised for another strike. The machine let out a dark chuckle as he stopped next to her head. “Love hurts,” he murmured before swinging his weapon down.

Nightmare’s eyes widen as she felt the burst of Chrysalis’ magic suddenly fade to almost nothing in a split second. She jerked when Midnight began to laugh wickedly. “Don't you see?” The dark alicorn sneered. “We're going to tear down everything you’ve built. And we'll start with the things you love most….”

Midnight's blade slipped past her shoulder, a metallic ringing sounding out as magic ran through it. But the elder alicorn didn't move even when her rival began to pull the blade back in preparation.

Nightmare stared at the ground with tears building in her eyes, the droplets beginning to overflow and trail down her cheeks. They were going to take everything from her. Her forest. Her home. Her hope. Her resistance. Her will. But worst of all, they were going to take what she cherished most.

Her love.

Nightmare’s thoughts froze on that before images flashed through her mind. Chrysalis sleeping in her bed. Shining and Cadence enjoying a day out with a newborn Flurry Heart. The Elements of Harmony sitting around a table, eating, talking, and laughing. She could see Heavy Ladle’s gentle smile. Battle Cry bringing her a cup of coffee in the morning. Chris and Sweetie embracing after the young man woke up. The alicorn’s eyes began to narrow and her teeth clenched. She refused.

Midnight’s blade swung down towards the alicorn’s exposed neck with a manic grin before a blast of pure magic threw her away, the mare landing solidly on her back. “What in Tartarus!?” The dark alicorn shouted, getting up on her elbows to see what had hit her. Her eyes widened at what she saw before a flash of light blinded her.

Staroid’s blade sailed down before an explosion rocked him off his balance and his swing went wide, carving a furrow into the ground. He got his balance back and shook his head before glancing behind him. Seeing nothing he shook his head and turned back to his target and lifted his scythe once more. “Let’s try this again, shall we?” He muttered before swinging once more.

His blade fell through the air only to stopped as a pair of curved blades caught his with a sharp CLANG! His gaze rose up only to meet a pair of burning teal eyes. He jerked in surprise as the scrape of metal sounded out. The curved blades had turned and their owner pulled upward with them, throwing the automaton’s scythe into the air before spinning around and slashing Staroid across the middle.

“AAARRGH!” The machine yelled in pain, stumbling back and clutching at the smoking gashes in his armor. He looked up to get a good look at his attacker only take another defensive back. In front of him stood a mare in full platinum battle armor, her silvery coat glowing with an inner light as her black and purple mane burned with the same flames as her eyes. Her hoplite armor gleamed with light, even the added pauldrons that protected her shoulders and upper arms, a himation that started violet and darkened to a deep blue hung from her right shoulder by a light blue diamond shaped clasp. Armor covered most of her upper leg and thigh, extending from the metallic stiletto boots that rose to meet at the armor knee joints. A teal sash hung around her waist with the diamond shaped end hanging down from the center, held up by a crescent moon clasp while a long black skirt hung down from her left hip, accented by deep purple wave patterns along the edge. The weapons she held out to her side looked like someone had taken scythe blades, turned them up ninety degrees, and attached them to sword handles, crescent moons added to the back of the hilts at the base of the blades.

Staroid stared at the alicorn, her phase shift more than apparent in her glowing eyes, flared man, and levitating form. “Wha-What the hell are you!?” He questioned, stepping back in horror.

The alicorn’s rage-filled face stared at him. “I am Artemus!” She growled before rushing him, her war scythes flashing across her body in preparation for another strike. Staroid started and barely had time to bring his weapon in front of him before the blades banged together. The robot looked between the sparking weapons and the mare in front of him. In a split second, he made his choice. A glow filled his staff before it shrank back into sword form and he sheathed it quickly as Artemus’ blades slid past each other. He jumped into the air and transformed into his star form before flashing off into the air, deciding his life was more important and that the changeling queen wouldn’t make it off the battlefield, anyway. Not with the wound he’d inflicted.

The phase shifted alicorn watched him go before she suddenly gasped. “Chrysalis!” She shouted out, turning and racing to the side of her lover.

Chris slid back with his sword and fan ax crossed as Spike dropped his clawed foot back to the ground. The ranger’s HUD lit up in warning, giving him barely enough time to swing the Psycho Fan to his left and catch Defoliator’s pincer. Not good, Chris! Not good! Sam shouted from inside Chris’ head.

I can see that! Chris replied, jumping to the side and rolling out of the way as another stream of green flame torched the ground he’d been standing on.

If we take any more hits, we are fucked, Chris! The young man jerked his eyes to the bottom left of his display, seeing that the Static shield around his armor was taking a lot longer to recharge after the last hit he’d taken. Chris looked up from the screen just in time to lift the Cyber Slash and block the downward swing of the dragon’s blade.

The ranger grit his teeth as the dragon pushed down on him. “ I told you,” Spike growled, pushing his blade down with his full body weight. “We are going to crush you to dust!” the man could only grunt as he felt his arm start to give. He lifted his fan ax to support his own blade, only to see an alert light up on his visor. His eyes widened and he looked to the side only to find Defoliator leveling his tail at him as an orb of energy began to grow at the end.

We can’t dodge and hold this up at the same time! Sam shouted, Chris’ eyes going wide. He was out of options. He had overplayed his hand, even with Psycho Gold, even with all of his Static abilities and weapons… he’d lost.

A loud boom shook the battleground, knocking Spike off his balance just enough for Chris to push with all he had left and stumble the dragon before jumping out of the way as Defoliator fired off his wayward blast. The man rolled to his feet, his breath labored as his opponents regained their balance. “What the hölle was that?” He muttered, his eyes switching between Spike and Defoliator. “Gah!” He suddenly exclaimed as his head suddenly felt heavy, dropping the Cyber Slash as his hand came up to his helmet.

The pressure disappeared just as quickly as it had invaded and Chris was left blinking under his visor before Sam spoke. Dude… that was Artemus.

The young man lifted his head at that, turning to look in the direction the pillar of magic had shot into the air. “Artemus is… she finally fused?” He felt Sam’s nod from inside his head before the second brother said anything.

There’s more magic in the air now than there has been in close to a decade, Samson said before he seemed to rush forward. Especially Harmony Magic… Chris, you have to take this chance now!

What chance? Chris questioned, his eyes darting back to his opponents that had gotten back under control. I don’t know what you want from me!

Just focus, Chris! Sam’s shout shocked him. You’ve got a hell of a lot more power inside you. You have to use the Chrome booster with the Psycho Armor. That’s our only chance, Chris….

As his brother’s voice faded out, Chris felt himself freezing up. What was Sam talking about? He wasn’t as skilled with his magic as his brother was, and even if he did manage it, there was no way he could hold it for any length of time. His eyes jerked up as the sound of footsteps reached him. He looked up just in time to see both his adversaries rushing at him… and he couldn’t make himself move. He watched helplessly as the dragon and machine closed in on him only to feel some sort of pressure on his shoulder

Chris… I’m right here with you, Sam said, seeming to whisper in his ear. Just try and I’ll be right there with you. Time seemed to slow down as Chris suddenly relaxed and sank into his inner space. He found himself staring across the black field, an orb of shining light burning against the background. He started to walk towards the light, watching as rainbow colored tendrils started to flow towards him and the orb. He stopped just in front of the sphere, its size just as wide as he was tall, and looked up at it.

...I don’t know what to do… He said quietly, a sad frown forming on his face. Green light came forwards in small specks before coalescing into Sam, his hand resting on Chris’ shoulder.

Just… accept it. Was his brother’s only response before melting away, leaving Chris alone. The young man let his gaze fall for a moment.

...Accept it? He questioned, stepping forward a little more until he could feel an ever so slight warmth crawling off of it. His head tilted a little as he gave the orb a funny look. This is the Chrome booster…? He slowly lifted a hand and the light brightened as his hand drew closer only for a spark to pop and make him draw back his hand. There’s no way… it just won’t listen…. Suddenly, a new warmth touched his back and he looked back to find one of the multi colored tendrils swirling around his back, other tendrils trailing following it down before starting to circle around himself and the energy before him.

He looked about him as the harmonic force swirled around him and the orb, filling him with a different sort of warmth. Something more comfortable. Something like… When we’re with Harmony…. He watched as the magic swirled and climbed towards the shifting sky, covering him with a myriad of colored lights before all the magic started to rush by from below, the rushing air blowing his hair skyward. He looked around in awe before his eyes fell on the Chrome booster. He couldn’t tell, but for some reason the orb felt… calmer….

On a whim, he reached his hand back up and, receiving no retaliation, pressed his palm against it. Light blinded him as he felt power suddenly rush through him. On the surface, Spike roared out as he swung his blade, Defoliator swinging his pincer forward as it sparked with electricity as a wave of red and blue Static ran over Chris’ body.

Suddenly, the young man opened his eyes inside his helmet and, with a shout, threw out his arms as silver power poured out of him, sparking with red and blue energy as the dragon and machine were blown backward. Defoliator landed hard on his side, lett out a loud thump while Spike hit his back and rolled backward into a kneeling position. “What the hell?” He questioned as his emerald eyes rose to take in the ranger. The wave of power died down and Chris’ body relaxed, the armor he wore having changed. The gold color had been replaced with an iridescent silver sheen, red and blue shining off of it at the right angles. The squares on his forearms and shins glowed as well as red and blue energy swam around within them, constantly shifting.

The ranger brought his weapon horizontal, the head of the axe glowing with grid lines before it began to shift and change. By the time the glow faded, the fan ax head had shifted ninety degrees and the Cyber Slash had formed at the end of the shaft, forming a sort of spear head. Chris spun the halberd around before bringing the weapon down onto his shoulder. “...Shall we begin again?” The ranger asked.

Spike let out a growl at that before rushing the young man. “Fancy new suit or not, you’re still trash!” The dragon roared, bringing his weapon down only to stop as the blade banged against the halberd’s shaft.

The sinister helmet tilted forward. “Then what does that make you?” Chris questioned before he slammed his knee into the drake’s stomach before swinging his leg out and behind him to slam into Defoliator as he tried to get behind him. Machine and dragon alike stumbled back, Spike raising his eyes just in time to bring his sword up to parry the vicious thrust of Chris’ polearm. The dragon flipped his blade around and swung it towards the ranger only to fill the air rush from his lungs as Chris slammed the butt of his staff into the drake’s solar plexus before sending a spinning heel kick into the side of his face.

As Spike slid across the ground and lost his sword, Chris turned and spun his halberd in front of him, deflecting the chords Defoliator launched at him before he rushed the machine. His weapon arced through air before he swung it up and slashed through the robot’s pincer as he tried to thrust it towards him.

“ARRRGH!” The machine cried out in pain as a shower of sparks exploded into the air. Defoliator stumbled back, his other hand gripping his split limb. “Gr, you’ll pay for that!” The automaton shouted, looking up to find Chris already in his face.

“That so?” The man questioned before he stabbed the butt of the Chrome Halberd into the ground and used it as a pole to vault into the machine with his boot extended. The kick landed solidly in the machine’s torso, staggering him, but not enough for the ranger to end his assault. Chris dashed forward, rearing his fist back before slamming it into the machine’s face. A metallic bang sounded out as Defoliator’s head was thrown to the side before the automaton rebounded, bringing up his fist. The ranger blocked the blow with his arm, using his other fist to slam into the machine’s midriff, sending Defoliator sliding back to crash into his back.

Chris shot his open hand behind him, his halberd dematerializing into grid lines before the energy dashed into his hand, the weapon reforming just in time for the ranger to catch Spike’s blade on his own. The two stared at one another as their weapons sparked against one another. “...Still think you can crush me?” Chris taunted, Spike grabbing the hilt of his sword with his other hand to press harder down on the young man. The ranger didn’t even seem phased.

“Gh… how?” The dragon questioned, his jaws gritting together as a green glow seeped out from between his fangs. “How could you possibly get this much stronger in a single burst?”

The chromatic helmet tilted forward. “How? That’s easy.” The visors cover the man’s eyes suddenly lit up in different colors, orange on the left and green on the right. “Fuck you, that’s how!” The ranger’s head shot to the side, his body leaning out of the way as a spear of green flame suddenly shot from the drake’s maw… and straight through Defoliator’s chest as the machine tried to drive his spikes into the man’s back.

The dragon’s eyes widened before bulging as Chris slammed his leg into the drake’s midsection, tossing him away. The dragon slammed into the ground an tumbled away, lying still several yards away from the ranger. Slowly, Spike pushed himself up, only to stop as a shadow fell over him. The drake lifted his head to see the point of the Chrome Halberd gleaming in front of his eye. The purple dragon’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped in shock as he looked passed the tip of the weapon and towards Chris’ wicked helmet. “...Game over,” the ranger murmured, the tip starting to rise like an executioner’s ax before the ground rumbled.

Chris stumbled back, his helmet turning to watch as Defoliator grew in a mass of green energy. “Ah… scheisse…” the young man muttered before the sound of beating wings caught his attention. He spun on his heel, looking to the sky just in time to see Spike fly away at high speed.

That’s not comforting, Sam commented as Chris turned his head back up to watch as the green energy shattered to reveal the giant and fully repaired Defoliator.

“No, it most certainly is not!” Chris answered verbally, the Chrome Halberd disappearing as he spun around and started running towards the Everfree, his hand going to the side of his helmet as he opened a broadcast channel. “Everyone, back into the forest now!”

“Chris!” A voice that the man quickly recognized as Artemus’ called out in response. “Chrysalis is hurt. Badly! We can’t move her!” The panic and fear in her voice was more than enough to get him to stop in his tracks and look across the battlefield to find Artemus and three other mages hunched over a crumpled figure.

A frown formed under the ranger’s helmet before he turned to look up at Defoliator as the machine turned towards the Everfree Forest. “...Don’t worry, Artemus,” he answered, a gleam flashing across his visor. “I’ll figure something out.” He reached up and turned off his communicator before he started to run towards the automaton. “Delta, I need Megazord power!” Chrome aura suddenly poured out around him before he tensed his legs and rocketed into the air. He rushed at Defoliator, the aura condensing in his arm before he slammed it into Defoliator’s chest. The machine gave a shout of pain as it stumbled back, Chris sliding down his metallic surface before curled his legs up under his chest before pushing off, just in time for Delta to fly by and catch him.

“Delta, fighter mode!” Chris ordered, his hands grabbing onto the controls as Delta transformed and Defoliator got his feet back under him. Chris leaned forward on the controls, muscles tensed. “This isn’t going to be fun, Delta. This one’s tough. His armor is a whole lot thick- GAH!” An electrical shock ran through his body as an explosion shook Delta, a large gash carving through the zord’s chest as Defoliator withdraw one of his barbed tendrils.

“Gh, sorry, dropped my focus, buddy,” Chris murmured, putting his eyes back on the battle. “Won’t happen again.” He thrust the joysticks forward, Delta getting its feet underneath it before rushing forward. Delta lifted its fist only to stop short and lift its other arm as Defoliator wrapped its spike around the zord’s arm. Delta pulled against the restraint, only for its joints creaked under the strain. “Gotta break free, Delta!” Chris cried, raising Delta’s right arm in cannon mode before another explosion lit up the right side of his vision and an electrical shock erupted through his body, the ranger yelling out in pain as Defoliator pierced Delta’s shoulder.

Chris gritted his teeth together and jerked the controls, Delta’s cannon straining to turn to the left and fire, sending another wave of pain through the ranger even as Defoliator’s tendril fell away from Delta’s restrained arm. Both machines stumbled back, the Delta Megazord smoking and sparking from its injuries as Chris breathed heavily in the cockpit. “Nn… Delta… we can finish this. Open… the battlizer port.” A slot to his right slid open and he lifted his hand, chrome aura pooling out of it before he placed it over the battlizer port, the energy flowing into the chamber. On the outside, Delta’s undamaged canon began to glow in the chrome aura as Defoliator started to rush them.

“Delta, now!” The Megazord jerked its arm up and the hand spun, charging up energy. “Chrome Gyro Cannon, fire!” Chris shouted, shoving the controls forward just as Defoliator filled his viewing window. Silver, blue, and red energy exploded from the cannon, slamming into automaton’s chest in the exact same place that Chris had punched it earlier. The spiral of energy pushed back on the machine, grinding it across the ground until it was half way back to Ponyville. Defoliator finally lost his balance and fell back, the cannon’s beam fading away and letting the Machine Captain hit the ground and explode.

Chris slumped forward in his seat, his visors and mouthpiece sliding back to reveal his sweat drenched face as he panted. He lifted his hand away from the battlizer port and used it to turn Delta back towards the Everfree, wincing with every shuddering step as electricity ripped through him. He stopped when Artemus and her mages came into view. Chris stared at them for a long moment before he sighed as he realized that between them lay Chrysalis, a pool of green blood surrounding her. “...Let’s… let’s just go home….”

Author's Note

The war explodes in a battle between the residents of the Everfree and Twilight's forces. Will the battle prove to be the turning point the Resistance needs? Or will the battle prove to be too much too soon?

I... am very tired.... And very sorry this took so long. Luckily, I do already have chapters ready to be uploaded as soon as they're edited... buuut I'm going to spread out these updates so I have time to write some other stories. Please don't be mad at me.... Anyway, I'mma go to sleep now. Good night, all. If you have any sort of comment, leave it in the section below and remember to respect one another. Until the next one, take care.