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The Vengeful Guardians: The Mercs of Justice
Issue #2: Silent Rose The Changeling of Steel
"Well well well." Red horn said chuckling to himself as all six mares stared at him cautiously. "I'm truly flattered for the welcome but I'm afraid I'll be leaving soon."
He looked towards Radiance and saw her harsh glare and smiled at the sight. "Ah Radiance, haven't learned your lesson I see."
Her glare intensified at his words.
"If you think I'll let a barbarian like you scare me away from my duty, you’re truly mad." He just laughed at her for, in his opinion, a cute act.
"Fine then, this time I'll pull the trigg-" he stopped short to dodge a lightning bolt sent for his hooves.
"That's enough out you." Zap said harshly as she held her now smoking medallion. Marvelous walked towards the merc her hopes high for preposition. She had dealt with mercenaries before and had found ways of dealing with them without having to use violence leading to endangering others. This Red horn should be no different.
"Listen here fella you're outnumbered and, from what Radiance told us, you don't have powers but we do so were willing to compromise here. Just tell us who hired ya and why?" Red horn just shrugged as he pulled the still bleeding two hooves closer to him.
"Sorry lady professional etiquette and all, besides you make it sound like you can beat me." Marevelous just glared at him for his attitude that was quickly getting on her nerves.
"How could one stallion be so arrogant, can't ya see you can't win it's six against one." He put his hoof to the side of his helmet as he chuckled lowly.
"Wow you are a country bumpkin like everypony says. You can't even count, it’s two against five."
*BANG*
A loud gunshot was was heard and a nearby window broke and before any of the six mares react a dart sank into the neck of Saddle Rager.
"Saddle!" Zap screamed in rage and surprise as she rushed and caught Saddle as she fell over her breathing becoming slower and eyes hazy. From the building next door Silent smiled as her shot made its mark.
"What did you do!?" Zap screamed aiming her glowing pendant at the mercenary in rage with the rest of the team glaring alongside her.
"I've done my homework on you all, no raging out for her if she can't get mad from being hopped up on sedatives and happy pills." He replied back mockingly as he took a fighting stance on his hind legs.
"Now with your trump card gone, I'll enjoy breaking you all!" Zap growled as he boasted.
"Why don't you say that to my face!"
"Glady!" Red horn disappeared in a red flash and quickly appeared in front Zapp holding his guns right at her eyes.
"Gah!" Zap shrieked as all she could see was the barrel of the guns starring down her eyes. She closed them as the gun flash went off as a purple shield appeared stopping the bullets as both Zap and Red horn dashed away from each other
"Don't worry i got you" Matterhorn assured psychically as they both nodded to each other. Marvelous wasted no time as she rushed Red horn with her lasso glowing and ready to hog tie the merc
Red Horn charged forward as Matterhorn attempted to blast the merc but each try was futile as he teleported and dodged each time a blast was shot. The next time Red Horn teleported she didn’t see him, instead she felt a hoof grip her shoulder and spin her around till she was looking in the mercenary’s eye.
“Boo.” He said as he thrust his hoof into the mares chest causing her to fall to her knees.
Red Horn extended his gauntlet blades and thrust it at the mare only for his blade to suddenly make contact with concrete. Looking over his shoulder he saw Matterhorn by Radiance and Filly Second who was catching her breath. The next instant Fili-Second was gone in a pink blur.
"Oh crap" He said before being knocked down by a pink blur. He continued to be knocked around a few more times making his head spin.
"~take that you mean-" Another large bang went off and a bullet came through the window making Fili-Second dodge the bullet laughing as she jumped into air.
"Missed me!" She cheerfully said before her face paled as Red horn teleported behind her grabbing her hind leg and rammed his blades into her left hind legs thigh making her scream.
"Get off her ya varmint!" Marvelous screamed as she telekinetically tied her lasso around his neck and pulled him away with a mighty tug she ripped him away from Fili-Second and to her hooves stomping on his chest, his chest piece taking most of the force but still knocking the wind out of him.
"Let me go hayseed!" Red Horn choked out as he pulled out and aimed his guns at her and pulled the triggers only for the shots to bounce off her.
"Crap i forgot about the iron skin thing" Another shot came from the windows again making Marvelous stagger off him from the impact and for Red horn to teleport out of her lasso to the now limping Filli second.
"Bolt take care of that sniper, he didn't come alone!" Matterhorn shouted over the mental link as she started firing off several beams at the their apparent shooters location.
"I'll distract them." Before Zapp could go any further the spectrum maned mare gaped as Red horn kicked down a limping Fili-Second and pressed a gun against her head. Red horn's breathing was slightly ragged as he grinded his teeth in anger “You bored me anyway."
"Not so fast!" Radiance conjured several garnished chains around Red horns forelegs pulling his weapons away from Fili-Second.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me." Red Horn groaned as he looked toward Radiance. "Can't a guy just do his job?"
"Not when that job is hurting ponies. Now you're coming with us one way or another." Matterhorn said with ease making the mercenaries eyes roll.
As the Power Ponies approached him Zapp flew back to the group.
"The sniper's gone." Twilight was confused
"What do you mean gone? Where did he go?" Twilight asked before Radiance screamed as Zapp stabbed her in her side making her drop the chains releasing Red horn.
"She actually." The mare said as pink and red flames consumed her and left a petite mare in assassin's garb. "And I'm right here."
"And this is payback for Saddle!" Zapp screamed as she crashed through the window and launched a lightning bolt at the mare making her dodge with her wings silently buzzing as she flew back to stand next to Red horn.
"Who is that?" Radiance asked as she used a construct needle and lace to close her wound.
"Power ponies" Red horn called out as he reloaded his pistols.
"Say hello to my friend with benefits, Silent Rose" She glared at him while taking a fighting stance toward the power ponies.
"Did you really have to phrase it that way?” Silent Rose deadpanned.
"I can't read her mind either" Matterhorn said over her teams link.
Radiance glared at the petite changeling.
"Silent Rose you say, makes sense. A gaudy name with a gaudy costume."
"Pfftt, you're just saying that because I stabbed you." Silent Rose said dismissively using her amber magic to reload her rifle. Zapp stepped forward glaring at assassin alongside her friends.
"No she's saying that because your a gaudy short love sucker!" Zapp shouted making the changeling eyes widened under her mask. Not noticing the subtle glow from Radiance bands.
"What did you call me you speciest pig-" Red horn place a leg in front of his partner making her stop short.
"That's enough I'm already tired of you five." Red horn said sternly his voice echoing off the walls. He raised to his hindlegs as a red glow came to his horn.
"Now I fight-"
"Now!" Radiance shouted her bands glowing brightly causing the a pink square to shine underneath the two mercenaries, before they could react several pink chains shot up and wrapped the two before the square threw up walls and a ceiling forming a perfect cube prison silencing their screams of surprise.
"Phew." Radiance wiped away beads of sweat as she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thanks for the intel Rares." Zapp said sarcastically making Rarity roll her eyes.
"First off darling count yourself lucky it's soundproof otherwise I'd have to forcefully shut your mouth for shouting my name!" Radiance took a deep breath calming herself from the short rant.
"And secondly it's been nearly two years since I faced that filthy mercenary." Fili-Second hopped over partially healed from her accelerated everything as she always put it.
"So no idea who the love bug was?" Fili-Second asked.
Radiance just shrugged.
"No idea-" they all stopped short as a screeching was heard from the construct box with a glowing red blade piercing through it.
With practiced ease a perfect circle was cut from it showing Red horn and Blood Steel glaring at the power ponies Red horn himself welding a thin katana made of glowing red magic before with a quick turn sliced through the box making it split and crack away to nothing.
"As i was saying power bimbos." He pointed his katana straight at them with his horn aglow
"Now we fight for real!" The small blade shifted into a claymore before their eyes while Silent Rose walked up beside him.
"We have tricks as well." Three slits slid open on her gloves and out came out three silver blades out of her hooves. "And I'm not referring to my claws!"
With a amber flash of her horn she threw a grenade from Red horn's jacket. With adrenaline racing through her Fili-Second jumped to and knocked it away to the wall rocking the foundations as another wall was blown away.
"Fool" Red horn said quietly before opening fire with Roses rifle on the mare, his bullets ripping through her stretched out foreleg
"PINKIE!" the power ponies screamed over the mental link.
"Pay attention!" Silent Rose taking flight her wings silently buzzing and kicking Radiance across the face her light dimming even more.
"Yes, it's no fun fighting weak opponent's." Red horn jumped and swung his sword at Matterhorn who barely dodged in time as the blade cut her goggles free. "So please try a little harder."
He kicked her hard in the stomach knocking her back and the air out her lungs.
"You varmint-" Marvelous was silenced as something strong grabbed her tail. "What?"
"Hi." Silent Rose greeted before flinging Marvelous like rag doll through several of the buildings iron support beams. "You're my opponent now bumpkin"
"How about this?" Silent Rose flipped over but Marevelous instinctively kicked back and found her aim was true as Silent Rose was sent into a wall.
"That suits me just fine." Marevelous smirked as Silent Rose got up.
Marevelous threw one of her hoofarangs at Silent Rose but it bounced off Rose with an audible clang.
"Think you're the only one with Metal skin?" Blood Steel teased before running at her.
Zapp raised her pendant as Red Horn dodged a construct from Radiance. "Steer clear guys, I'm gonna make a tornado and try and take him out. If it doesn't pull him in it'll suck the air out of his lungs."
"Don't do it Rainbow, you'll risk collapsing the building on top of us, and Fluttershy can't cover us since she's knocked out." Matterhorn said to Zapp over their telepathic link as she shot a ice beam barely missing Red Horn's head.
"You have a better idea?" Zapp responded.
"Yes!" Matterhorn's glowed white before firing an ice bolt at Red horn. "I'll freeze him that will-
Red horn's sword changed again this time a broad short sword that he used to quickly slice the ice bolt in half.
"-Not even slow him down." Matterhorn focused and her horn glowed brighter firing ice bolt after ice bolt at Red Horn who just sliced them away as he laughed out. "Where's the challenge!"
Matterhorn gritted her teeth as she charged a new beam. "Here's your challenge!"
She shot a beam of concentrated heat at Red Horn, it barely missed going through a support beam and melting it easily, as well as burn the side of Red Horn's costume smolting part of his coat and armor.
"Arrgghh" Red horn grunted in pain but kept charging on smiling under helmet. "Finally living up to the hype!?"
Radiance created a pink shield while jumping between Red horn and Matterhorn struggling against the mercenary’s strength.
"How is a unicorn this strong!" Radiance eyes widened as his sword started to slice through her shield. "Oh no"
"I'll save you Rarity" Zapp raised her pendant and fired lightning. Red horn smile widened as he kicked through Radiance's cracking shield and into her stomach. With a pulse from his horn he grabbed Radiance by her throat throwing her in front of the lightning as a shield.
"Thanks Zapp!" Red horn roared out until a pink blur pushed Radiance away. Red horn panicking quickly raised his sword taking the bolt full on trying block it with his sword even when dropping to his knees.
"Your welcome" Zapp said bitterly before looking over to the limping Fili-Second and a motion sick Radiance.
Zapp looked over to Marevelous who was hoof locked with Silent Rose and looked back to Red Horn seeing an unstable support beam behind him.
“Applejack throw her into Red Horn now!” Marevelous complied and threw Silent Rose into Red Horn to which Zapp kicked them both into the support beam breaking it.
“What now?” Marevelous asked over the link.
”We keep it up until we collapse that part of the ceiling on them.”
“Did Rainbow Dash just have an idea?, Never thought I'd see the day.” Radiance managed to say over their link.
”Oh ha ha.” Zapp responded sarcastically.
"Watch out!" Marvelous screamed as she was thrown over Zapp. "Get off him!"
Zapp was kicked to the the ground by something that felt like a 15 pound hammer. She looked up to see Silent Rose whose hind hoof was morphed into a hammer. "You gaudy little bit-gggrrraaahhh"
Zapp was crushed under Rose’s hammer hoof with enough force to make her cough blood. "Shut it thunder pri-"
In a blur Fili-Second tried to tackle her but was swatted away by the blunt end of Steels sniper rifle before she pointed the elongated barrel point blank at Fili’s head.
"Not so fast with two bad legs are you Fili?" Rose taunted retracting her claws and holding the gun steadily. "Too bad, your face is a bright pink target"
"Get off of her!" Matterhorn yelled before firing an ice beam at Blood Steel, who used Zapp as a shield freezing her instead.
"Nice shot." Silent Rose joked.
Marevelous wrapped her rope around Silent Rose’s leg when she wasn't looking and threw her into a support beam, breaking it and slamming her into another one. "No, that's a nice shot."
A scream from zapp resounded as two throwing knives slashed across of her side. As Marvelous turned to try and help she was met by a sudden hoof to the face as Red Horn punched her hard enough to crack his gauntlet and making her stagger
"Now!” Rose grabbed Marvelous and swung her into Zapp with enough force to knock them through a wall.
“Mind playing outside?” Red horn asked brandishing a scimitar and she only nodded before jumping out the hole herself. “Have fun!”
Silent Rose landed in front of the steaming duo before growing her claws out.
“So what's your story, mommy didn't hug you enough.” Zapp joked cracking her neck and wielding her pendant like a dagger.
“Never had one” Rose shot back making the claws on her left hoof curved and serrated.
”Twi take some notes, she's a trans-what’s it with metal covered skin.” Marvelous said over the link levitating several lassos ready to snatch the metal changeling. “So what is your story then?”
“Simple, made to kill ponies way stronger than you.” Rose made her hind hooves grow sickles that glistened in the moonlight.
“Really you don't act like it!” Zapp gripped her pendant like a dagger in her hoof.
“No you!” Silent rose retorted making Marevelous raise her brow. “You’re not good at banter, are ya”
Silent Rose scrunched up her nose embarrassed. “Shut up, it was the first thing to pop up”
“I see why Red Horn does all the-” Zapp immediately shut her mouth as several shurikens were flung by the assassins magic. With a wave of her pendant sent heavy winds blowing all her shurikens back at her.
“Let me show you why they call me, the changeling of steel” Rose said mockingly as the shurikens bounced of her harmlessly.
“You mean why Red-” with a buzz of her wings Rose dashed with a roundhouse kick slicing part of the dodging Zapps mane.
Marvelous tried to tackle her only to receive a clawed slap and sparks flying off her face before the metal changeling grabbed her face and headbutting her hard enough to send her to the ground with a bloody nose.
“So you can bleee-aaaaahhhhh!” the changeling screamed in pain as lightning struck her in the back. As she fell to her knees Marvelous stood up and bucked her in the face with both her back hooves. Rose glared back at them as she wiped a bit of her own blood from her nose and mouth.
“Looks like you can too.” Marvelous said with a smirk. To her surprise Rose started to laugh a little.
“Well you know every pony can bleed. You just have to find the best way to do it. Whether it’s by blade.” She said as Zapp was stabbed in her side one of Red Horns blades before he turned and started fighting Matterhorn again. As Marvelous turned to see what happened she was sent flying backward when Rose morphed her hoof into a hammer head and slammed her in the chest. “Or by brawn.” Rose finished with a smile.
Meanwhile Red Horn fought back Matterhorn and Radiance. Red Horn blocked a swipe from purple chains that Radiance created before his hooves were frozen by an ice beam from matterhorn.
“You really need to cool off.” Matterhorn mocked as she froze his other hoof.
“Really, a pun? And furthermore was that the best pun you could come up with?” Red Horn disappeared in a flash of red. Matterhorn quickly turned and fired a heat blast only to realize Red Horn wasn’t there.
“What the…” Matterhorn was silenced by Radiance’s screams as Red Horn shattered the ice on his left hoof with a punch to her chest.
Matterhorn fired another ice blast at Red Horn but he blocked it with his still frozen right hoof, causing the block of ice to grow. In an instant Red horn teleported to the left of Matter horn and punched her in the face with his frozen hoof hard enough to shatter the ice and break her jaw.
“I’d make a joke about ‘breaking the ice’ but I have more important things to do. Like getting paid”
“Good luck with that.” Someone called drawing Red Horn’s attention. Marvelous stood with Two Hooves tied up with her lasso.
“You need this Varmit to cash in. So without him you ain’t going nowhere.” The Power Ponies started to gather around Marvelous as they all watched Red Horn intently.
“Where’s the other one?” Matterhorn asked over their link. However Marevelous didn’t respond.
“Give it up merc. You ain’t gonna win this one. Just sit down and come with us so we can all head home.”
“Don’t listen to her ya’ll!” Everyone turned to see Marvelous leaned up against a wall. Her face slightly bloody from the fight.
“She’s the changeling.” The fake Marvelous smiled as she wiped Two Hooves around and threw him over to Red Horn. Before anyone could catch her she returned to her normal form and flew off as Red Horn retreated with Two Hooves in tow.
“Thanks for being so gullible ladies.” Rose said with a wink as she took off after Red Horn. Zapp quickly jumped into their air after the merc only to fall back to the ground in pain. Looking at her wing she realized when Red Horn stabber he damaged her wing so she couldn’t fly. Desperate and not thinking straight Matterhorn fired a random spell at Red horn.
“Nice try!” he lifted Two hooves and used him as a shield smirking triumphantly under his helmet.
“GGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!” Two hooves screamed and wriggled like a snake set aflame before sending telekinetic punches everywhere knocking Red horn and Silent rose to the ground and Matterhorn to shield her team as as the psychotic stallion's attacks made the building foundations rock.
“Cut it out!” Red horn shielded Rose before aiming a throwing knive at Two hooves.
“No!” Matterhorn her rage at her peak released a shock wave from her horn while firing a purple energy beam straight at them, the two mercenaries nodded before Red horn pulled a magic sword and Silent rose grew her hoof into a long single blade. Summoning all their strength they delivered a chop and split the beam in half.
“HA!” before the two could celebrate the splitted beam took out the last two supporting wall making the building collapse on top of them all.
“Me and my hooves are piss-” Two hooves was knocked out again by a large pipe falling on his head. Before she could react Silent Rose was pushed out the nearest hole by Red horn using all his strength in magic. She rolled out into the street and before getting to her hooves in a flurry her eyes widening in fear.
“CRESCENT!”
The building collapsed with an explosion of dust and debris knocking the assassin off her feet
The Vengeful Guardians: The Mercs of Justice
Issue #3: The Asylum of Revelations
The police sirens rang loudly in her ears but she didn't care. Silent Rose ran to the rubble and started to madly throw parts of the rubble everywhere in her search.
“Hey!” A purple pulse blew the rubble off Matterhorn's shield which had protected all six members including the still unconscious Saddle Rager. Zapp raised her hoof at the metal changeling and shouted again. “Hey criminal mare, I'm talking to you.”
Rose didn't pay attention and just kept searching. She heard a moan and dashed for it pulling up a large ventilation shaft.
“T~~~wo h~oov~es” Two hooves moaned out his spiral eyes facing two other directions and a large swelling bump on his head.
“Dammit!” She threw him away only to be caught by Matterhorn's grip.
"R-uby." Her ears flicked at the faint moan and morphed her hoof into a hammer smashing her way through until she saw tattered coat sleeve covered forearm. She grabbed it and pulled Red horn free holding him close.
”You're...okay...that's..great.” Red horn said with a painful chuckle that turned into cough that leaked a little blood from the cracks in his helmet before he went limp in her grip.
“listen.” Matterhorn demanded the knocked out two hooves on her back. “I can help him and you but, only if-”
“I'll do whatever you want, just heal him please!” Silent Rose yelled frantically gripping him close. Matterhorn lifted her head and raised her wings with a calming breath.
“I want you two to surrender to us and proper authorities, and answer any questions-”
“He's bleeding out I'll do what you say!” The changeling screamed frantically metal spikes growing randomly from her body. Twilight hesitantly allowed her horn to take green glow before showering the two and green sparks.
Red horn groaned and moaned as his eyes opened to hazy vision of gray.
“Wh..what happened?” He tried to move his legs but thry were chained to the bench he sat on.
“You idiot” He looked up seeing his partner chained up by thrice the chains he had and what looked like a shock collar around her neck. Her mask and hood had been pulled away revealing her beautiful completely amber eyes that glared at him. “Why did you do that?”
“I just didn't... want you to...get hurt.” He said hesitantly. To avoid her gaze he looked at himself his jacket was gone his guns were gone but his armor was gone aside from the under suit he wore under it and he guessed from his darkened cracked vision his damaged helmet was still on. ”Guess the idiots couldn't get it off.”
“I have a metal body, I could have shielded you” Red horn sighed as looked away from her.
“I just forgot okay.” Silent Rose narrowed her eye at him in a glare.
‘That's an excuse and you know it Crescent, your not an idiot.” Red horn looked back at her shushing her.
“You know not to say our real-” Crescent stopped short as the changeling sniffed and held back. “I'm sorry okay, i just worry about you Ruby.”
“And you don't think I worry about you.” Runy clenched her eyes shut letting a few tears slip down her cheeks. “What you did back there was nearly suicidal!”
Crescent cringed and looked away from her again not be able to look at her in the eye.
“I'm...so..sorry” Crescent stuttered out but when he heard her sniff again his head snapped back to her looking her straight in the eye.
“Ruby please don't cry because of me.” He tried to reach for her but only pulled the chain. He tried to reach out for her with his magic but was given a shock by his own electric coller.
“C..cr..crescent!” Ruby shouted seeing him fall back as the shocking stopped.
“Your wrong about me i am an idiot, so let this idiot make it up to you.” Hearing his words Ruby tried her best to dry her eyes with the her mane before trying to reach for him her chains constricting her.
“I'm gonna figure out how to get us out of here, then no jobs for a month just you and me.” Crescent said leaning as close to her as possible.
“But you know Arkmane will cover his ass and not pay us.” Ruby said matter factly with a final sniff.
“So what I'll dig into our savings.” Crescent said smiling under his damaged helmet.
“But Crescent, our plan.” Ruby said with concern but Crescent just laughed a gentle laugh.
“Yeah but if it gets you to smile again, I'd say it's worth the setback.” Ruby gave a small laugh at that.
“Your right, you are an idiot.” They both laughed together smiling until the the truck came to a stop and the doors open. Several armed guards came in with shock sticks and attached metal bindings to them both and dragging them both out.
“Resist and will shock you.” one guard shoved his shock baton into Crescent's chest making him roar in pain.
“Hey stop!” Ruby shouted before getting baton broken across her head.
“Hit her and die!” Crescent roared before he was dragged into a special wheelchair that had hydraulic locks keeping each of his limbs in place.
“Yeah yeah!” Another guard laughed out before shocking him again.
Ruby sat chained to a chair in the middle of the white hospital room. Two guards were next to her and two more were standing by the door. After a few minutes of sitting in silence the door opened and Matterhorn stepped inside with a doctor.
“What are we doing here?” Ruby asked. One of the guard moved to hit her but he was stopped when Matterhorn used her magic to pull the shock baton from his grip.
“She is allowed to speak.” Matterhorn said before tapping the guard on the head giving him a small shock. “Anyway, we thought it best to let a few of the doctors take a look at you and your associate to make sure that both of you are mentally healthy.”
“Your psychoanalyzing us?” Ruby asked blowing her mane out of her eyes.
“Yes we are. If you cooperate then we can have this done quickly.” The changeling just rolled her eyes at the hack doctor.
“Now Then, is Silent Rose your real name or an ailas?” Ruby just kept her flat stare at the doctor not moving an inch.
“Ummm...is this Silent Rose you or do see that name as another persona?” Ruby still remained silent.
“Okay new question were you born that way, or did something happen not to be rude but you don't look like a normal changeling?” Ruby lazily looked out the barred window staring out into space. The doctor grumbled before putting his clipboard down smiling and faking a laugh hoping to lighten her mood.
“Okay um, does the carpet match the drapes?” for his joke he received a shot of changeling spit right in the eye.
“Pervert!” She yelled her voice breaking and cheeks turning pink.
“Ok fuck it send her to the meta pony prison for all i care.”
“Um shouldn't you do a proper psychoanalysis of her?” Matterhorn asked worried receiving a neigh from the doctor.
“Hey she doesn't want to answer the questions, it's not my problem if she gets eaten in prison.”
Matterhorn walked down the hall a bit to Crescent’s room outside she saw the doctor that was supposed to be analyzing him.
“Doctor is something wrong? Shouldn’t you be giving your evaluation to the patient.”
“I would miss but I can’t properly give the evaluation if I can’t see his face, however we can’t seem to remove his helmet and is refusing to tell anyone how.” Arkmane walked out and stood next to the doctor his mane slicked and eyes full of confidence.
“Normally we call someone with Spark labs over but it seem their busy with something miss Matterhorn.” Matterhorn gave an awkward grin.
“Wow that sure is weird.” Ignoring her awkward laughter Arkmane smiled confidently.
“But I called a local company and you won't believe who volunteered to help us!” Just as he excitedly shouted a door was slammed open as a grey unicorn stallion of average height with medium length messy black mane and tail wearing a bright orange scarf that matched his eyes wrapped around his mouth and neck
“Are you...Ocean Stardust?” Matterhorn asked. ”What’s the C.E.O of Stardust industries doing here?”
“Yes, now please I don’t have a lot of time to spare, may I enter the room please?” Matterhorn nodded to the guards at the door and watched as Ocean entered the room through the pane of one way glass.
“Good luck techie.” A guard inside said to Ocean. “We’ve been trying to get that thing off for almost fifteen minutes. Nothing will make it budge.”
Ocean looked over the helmet. Meanwhile Crescent turned his head slightly and spoke.
“Who's this asshole?” Ocean glared at the mercenary before his horn glowed and pulled a laptop from his saddle bags and connected a usb cord to the helmet before magically typing.
“I heard about what happened between you and the Power Ponies, i admit standing against them like you did is quite impressive, And this helmet of yours is quite complex since the last time i saw.” Then with a his the back of the helmet segmented and folded upwards separating from the suit from the and Ocean lifted it off Crescent’s head. “I’ll have to take a look at it after the authorities confiscate it.”
As the helmet left his head a long mangy spiked red and blue mane spilled forth and a red slitted glared down at Ocean with a sneer revealing a lair of small fangs.
”Girls girls!” Twilight screamed frantically over her team's psychic link.
”Darling what's happening?”
”Sugarcube calm down and explain”
”Somepony call Moon knight we've found him, we found New moon!”
Ten years ago
“Eep!” The still freshly dubbed Masked Matterhorn jumped back from the sword of strike of a hooded black assassin with a purple and green hood.
“Get away from her!” Someone shouted. She looked to see a stallion in the guise of a knight wearing purple and gold armor marked on the chest with the Equestrian flag his face concealed by a spartan helm shadowing his face only leaving only two glowing orbs of blue visible. He tossed his kite shield with the symbol of Equestria forward, his horn aglow making several magic copies bash away the ninjas before returning the shield to his leg.
“Thanks Shin-, I mean Captain Equestria” Twilight adjusted her little indigo mask before smiling at her big brother. From behind her came an alicorn mare at least twice as tall as her came forth. Her wings wrapped in a flowing green blue and pink cape and wearing a simple red costume with gold stripes crawling up her legs and body meeting the Sun over a purple shield on her chest the only part of her pure white coat showing being her face with her floating mane the same colors of her mane.
“Don’t worry just take baby steps, Matterhorn” She winked at the little filly making her nod.
“I'll make you proud Solar Mare!” She shouted as beams of intense heat shot from Solar Mare's eyes flying over the little Matterhorn melting the sword of a ninja behind her. “What?”
“Solar Mare, I'm sorry she isn't-” The good Captain stopped short as his little sister froze the ninja solid.
“I said I'm gonna make her proud and I will, so don't worry about me.” She puffed out her cheeks firing a barrage of magic missiles at several ninjas.
“Still there's a lot of them!” Captain yelled bashing one into a wall.
“Do not worry.” Solar mare said simply. “I called for backup.”
Moon shaped rings rained from the sky at the hooves of the ninjas exploding into rubber cement trapping them place.
“Do you really require my assistance?” Matterhorn jumped at the sudden Appearance of another alicorn mare slightly shorter than Solar Mare. She wore black cape connected to her hood that glittered as if it were made from the night sky, over a suit of black armor and dark blue spandex with a silver crescent emblem on her chest.
“Maybe, and maybe I just don't get to you see you enough.” Solar Mare said coyly making Moon Knight glare at her, her void white eye slits the only thing visible from the hood besides her dark blue covered horn and muzzle guard. Her eyes then went to Matterhorn making the little filly flinch.
“New sidekick?” Moon Knight asked.
“As a matter of fact, yes. I have seen what she can do I think she can go far with the right guidance.”
“Hmm.” Moon Knight said as she looked Matterhorn over. “Young but you can certainly see the spark in her eyes, she’s a determined one that’s for sure.”
“You speak as though you’ve seen the same thing in somepony else.” Solar Mare said.
“Perhaps I have. What of it?” Moon Knight asked with a smile that Solar Mare returned.
“Well you’ve seen mine, now it’s only fair you show me yours.” Moon Knight voice filled with pride as several Shadow League assassins started to drop from the sky like flies. “But unlike yours sister, he has more than just determination.”
An assassin landed in front of Matterhorn making her jump.
“Don’t scream little filly.” A young cocky voice said before a blur of white landed on the assassin dropping him face first into the asphalt. A young colt said standing up from the fallen assassin he wore a similar costume to his mentor only white armor with gold accents over black spandex the only thing obscuring his black coated face was a white indigo mask with gold eyes. ”New Moon is here.”
His slightly curved horn glowed red before in flash of red appeared in front of a shadow league assassin delivering a roundhouse across to their jaw knocking them out. New moon grabbed the short katana from the knocked out assassin and clashed it with the blade of another.
“Just because I'm new, don't underestimate me.” New Moon laughed out before kicking the much larger shadow league stallion in the chest before grabbing the assassin's longsword dual wielding the two blades before giving the large stallion a hollow “x” slash across the chest making the assassin howl in pain. Smirking New moon smashed the handles of the swords against the assassin's head making his eyes roll back falling limp.
New Moon turned to face the other assassins as he continued to smile under his mask.
“Anyone else? Come on I’m just a kid.” New Moon said.
As he stood there the assassins looked around at each other, some of the backing up a bit while other just ran away.
“Cowards.” The head assassin said under his breath which caused New Moon to chuckle.
“I couldn’t agree more.” New Moon chuckled until Moon Knight walked up next to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder.
“Calm down New Moon, there is no need for them all to fall, they may join their fleeing comrades if they wish.”
“True.” New Moon magic flared red flinging the swords into the leader's shoulders making him scream until receiving a strong punch from Moon Knight knocking him out.
“Excellent work New Moon.” Moon Knight said as New moon bowed to her.
“Yes ma'm.” He said smiling confidently as he kneeled down in front of her as a knight would to his queen.
“So he's the newest New Moon, which one is he the two hundred and eighth or ninth?” Captain Equestria asked looking at the colts slightly curved horn cautiously.
“Two hundred and seventh!” New Moon proclaimed standing tall. He pulled down his hood revealing his tide back red mane with a navy pony tail and his ears with fluffy tufts on his ears smiling revealing the little cute fangs he had.
Matterhorn gasped when she saw his face. "A Vesper I'd never thought I'd see one of those.” She said under her breath making New Moon’s ears flicker hardening his expression slightly and snort before smiling again and turning to the purple filly making her jump.
“Hey pretty filly, just because you're only the second to hold that name don't underestimate me.” Captain Equestria placed a protective hoof in front of his sister.
“Hey what's your problem?” New Moon laughed again at him. He peeled his mask off revealing a pair of gold and red slitted eyes making Matterhorn stare right into them out of curiosity. He winked at Matterhorn whose eyes widened as she looked away.
“Let me just say this to start Captain, I'm fairly strong.” Moon Knight slapped the back of his head as she sighed.
“Put your mask back on now Crescent.” She said with a strict authoritarian voice making him bow again his confidence disappearing for obedience.
“Yes ma'm, sorry ma'm!” He placed his mask back on and kneeled to her again.
“I thought he was dead.” Twilight whispered under her breath as Crescent formerly known to her as glared at every pony
“Please everyone let's settle down.” The psychiatrist said sitting in front of the stallion as the guards worked to get off his suit handling him more like a wild animal then a pony as they took it off and chained him to the floor.
“So Red horn tell us is that your real name?” The psychiatrist asked taking a peek at the mark on his flank golden crescent moon overlaid two crossed red swords.
“No it's off, first name fuck.” The psychiatrist laughed at him.
“Oh good you have sense of humor, tell me are you mutant or were those deformities a cosmetic choice?”
“Are you calling me deformed?” Crescent asked with a growl his long mane spilling over his face.
“Well you are aren't you, we know your unicorn with that functional horn and last time i check bat ponies have wings not a horn, so either you're a mutation or a pretender.” The psychiatric pony then laughed again as he finished his sentence. “But then the latter raises the question, why would a unicorn pretend to be one of those mongrels.”
Crescent and Ocean gave the stallion a death glare before the former threw his head back and released a loud screech that made all the ponies in the room except Ocean who rolled his eyes as everypony fell to ground.
“How's he doing that!?” A guard tried to smack Crescent but he dodged and bit down on the un-barded side of his sleeve the fangs biting through easily staining the pearly whites with the guards blood.
“Argg, the bastards got me!” Crescent bite down further causing the guard to drop his baton. As Crescent growled around the guards blood an orange aura of magic clenched around his nose.
“Let him go, Crescent Wilson Blade” Crescent glared up at Ocean when he whispered into the vesper’s ear. He let go of the guards leg and spit out his blood
“How the hell do you know my name” Crescent questioned as the injured guard made his way out the door to get help with his profusely bleeding leg.
“As soon as your cutie mark was revealed i my laptop recorded it.” He lifted up the device revealing picture of his cutie mark next to a picture of a much younger Crescent.
“And thanks to a simple program of mine it looked up for the owner of said mark, i admit your good at covering your tracks, but no one starts out that good.” Ocean held no pride in his voice and took no gloating gesture with his speech. He merely looked down at the chained vesper with a flat stare. “So I wasn't surprised when I found several mug shots and a missing child report from here in Goth'thorn about an orphan born from criminals.”
“Don’t you dare lecture me.” Crescent said with a low growl.
“May I please be alone with him?” Ocean said as he packed up his laptop and cables. His scarf making it difficult for Crescent to get a read on him.
“Mister Stardust I ensure you that's very dangerous.” Arkmane said over the rooms intercom.
“I'll donate your asylum a blank check.” Ocean said with an eye roll.
“You heard him men leave the room.” Arkmane said the guards exiting the room in a speedy fashion.
“That's incredibly stupid and dangerous Arkmane he-” Arkmane shushed Matterhorn with a wave of his hoof.
“Don’t worry, were all outside and we have perfect view through this two way glass.” Arkmane slicked his mane back as he stared at the two unicorns staring each other down.
“Well?” Crescent sneered at him his long mane falling over eyes only revealing the red one. Ocean only reached under his scarf with a hoof.
“Sir we lost audio.” a guard said monitoring the equipment of the room.
“Don’t worry he's a non-meta and fully chained.” Arkmane sat back relaxing.
“Actually Red horn displayed a power to make sword constructs.” Matterhorn looked over at him.
“I read your report Matterhorn, the power is connected to his magic which is restrained and those chains have held the Mane-iac, so me and my boys are going to sit back and enjoy our easy payday.” Arkmane smiled at Matterhorn's annoyed look.
“Good they can't hear us.” Ocean sighed putting his hoof down.
“What do you want?” Crescent got as comfortable as the chains allowed closing his eyes.
“I want answers.” Ocean answered glaring at him.
“Really, i would've never guessed.” Crescent spat out sarcastically blowing his mane out of his face absentmindedly. Ocean took a calming breath before speaking.
“My father was thestral.” Ocean pulled out a small little device from his scarf with his telekinesis.
“And your jealous that you're not a vesper like me.” Crescent gave a throaty chuckle at him cracking his red eye open at him.
“No it means I'm not as ignorant as that “Doctor” about thestrals.”
“What you think that earns you my respect?” Crescent said aggressively as he pulled at his chains.
“No.” Ocean said flatly. “I just wanted you to know that I get you, at least to an biological extent.”
Crescent raised a brow to Ocean’s for that. “And that tells you what about myself?”
“I know more then anyone in this asylum with the possible exception of your compatriot.”
“What are you talking about?” Crescent asked.
“Did you ever stop to think about your actions and the results they have.” Crescent opened both eyes to stare at him.
“What do you think you know?” He glared at Ocean with his golden eye.
“For starters I know that other eye was red, i can tell it was changed by a spell with the sclera damage.” Ocean adjusted his scarf huffing.
“Most likely to avoid identification after Crescent Blade age eight committed assault on several foals and ran from the law.” Ocean showed an old newspaper clipping that he kept in a scarf showing a picture of a mugshot of Crescent much younger bandages wrapped around his eye and head.
Local colt hospitalizes five others in school fight and has escaped custody please call police if spotted.
“How nostalgic, you're close but wrong my eye is a result of that fight.” Crescent said with pride laughing proudly. “That bastard blasted my eye, so i crushed his windpipe.”
“Not surprised, you seem the power hungry type.”
“Says the man who once had a monopoly.” Crescent shot back.
“This is not about the actions of my company, this is about us!” Ocean snapped making Crescent smile.
“I don’t see how the origin of my eye involves you.” Crescent said before a his eye's widened feeling his eardrums ring with a stinging sound.
“Don’t interrupt me, I know the weaknesses of thestrals even of your living weapon subspecies.” Ocean held a pen like object in his magic glaring at Crescent who wreathed in pain. He flicked it off causing the ringing in Crescent's head to stop. “After your assault, Crescent Blade disappeared, with only a few sightings of a pony resembling around Goth’thorn over three years mostly around acts of young gang violence before disappearing entirely.”
“To be honest, I'd rather you kill me with your toy then bore me to-rah!” Crescent reeled back in pain as the ringing started again silencing him before stopping.
“That colt disappeared off the face of the map for eight years until the war against Yakyakastan happened with a massive draft for every able bodied stallion in equestria and companies like my families were asked to help.” Ocean glared at Crescent who breath raggedly. “So imagine for a certain project connected to my family's company, a stallion under the name Blade Wilson was registered, and a black unicorn with a navy mane at that.”
“If you're asking if i fought in that war, the answer is yes nearly every stallion my age did.”
“That’s not what i asked.”
“Well then enlighten me, what are you asking, because that scarf crap is getting annoying.”
“I’m asking you to tell me the truth about who you are, I’m almost certain my assumptions are correct but I can’t be sure unless you prove me right, I want you to tell me that you are who I think you are.”
“Why do you give a damn about who I am or what I do, you’re the top dog of a big fancy company that makes more money than anyone could ever hope to hear about in their entire lives, what do I have to do with you, why do you care so damn much about me?”
Ocean raised the pen again but he didn’t emit the the tone. Instead he breathed a heavy sigh before turning so he was facing completely away from the window before he pulled down his scarf allowing Crescent to see his whole face.
“The serum was made to create a squad of suto-super soldiers with special armor and helmets, but it was considered a disappointment by most the serum barely affected most of them.” Ocean started to shake in place while Cresent stared at him oddly. “All except for one, one who killed all the other soldiers and the scientists all of them had blade wounds, except the lead sci..scientist who...was killed executioner style!”
“So?” Crescent rolled his eyes not taking a stuttering stallions shout seriously.
“You killed an innocent mare like a mons-”
“Ha!” Crescent clenched his eyes close as he laughed. “That mare was not innocent.”
“Bastard.” He clicked the pen making Crescent ears ring. But the vesper continued to smile his eyes becoming dilated and bloodshot. “Admit you killed that mare so you'd be the only one, tell me you power hungering bastard tell me why you killed her!”
“Ven...ven...ven..” Crescent rasped out his fanged smile remaining strong.
“Tell me!” Ocean shouted getting in Crescent's face.
“Vengeance!” Crescent roared before going for Ocean's neck his fangs gleaming.
“Stop!” Matterhorn shouted her amplified voice shattering the two way window a purple glow grabbing Crescent by his jaws stopping him.
Ocean quickly pulled his scarf back over his muzzle as he and Crescent glared at each other. Matterhorn pushed Crescent down to the floor as Ocean stepped toward the door.
“I think it’s time I take my leave.” He said as he returned his pen to his scarf and picked up his laptop across his back before leaving the room without another word.
All was silent as the guards surrounded Crescent and Matterhorn pondered what just unfolded.
“Well that was exciting.” Arkmane said as he stepped into the room himself a little shaken his ego wavering a bit. “Certainly less boring the most of my hospital trips.” Matterhorn turned to look at Crescent who had lost his smirk.
“What happened?” She asked. Crescent was silent.
“Tell me what happened!” She asked again. Crescent looked at her before speaking.
“I want to see ru- Silent Rose.”
“You're in no position to be making demands.”
“Nether are you” Crescent said his smirk returning ever so slightly. “I know you won't torture me, it's not in your nature.”
“it's no use he's simply a crazy beast who needs to be lock-” Arkmane immediately shuted up and backed away in fear as Crescent snapped his fanged maw right at Arkmane nose.
“Oh shut the hell up you coward!” Crescent yelled getting restrained by several guards and the magic of Matterhorn.
“Hey fifty shades of purple I'll tell you this much.” Crescent pointed his hoof at Arkmane who gestured to his guards for something.
“That coward hi- rgghhrmmm!” Crescent yelled as a muzzle was forced on him muffling his speech.
“Such a foul mouth was probably about to call me a homophobic slur.” Arkmane regained his composure as he faced Matterhorn. “Wouldn't you agree?”
“Yes most likely.” Matterhorn said dismissively before moving away toward Crescent who only growled at them both.
“Don’t worry about your friend, she's being transferred to Moon rock.” He jumped at that glaring at her. “Don’t worry i have friend who will make sure she's safe and out of general population.”
He calmed down but his glare remained.
“I'll keep her safe, and all i ask is that you'll answer my questions.” He huffed at her before turning away.
“ithwitllkilhyou” he mumbled through his muzzle.
“Transfer him to general population, no buts Matterhorn” Arkmane ordered his guards dragging Crescent away.
“So sugarcube.” Marvelous said sounding concerned. “What were you freaking out about.”
“New moon is here!” Matterhorn said frantically.
“Yeah we got that dear.” Radiance dryly replied.
“Who's that by the way?” Zapp asked digging her hoof into her ear. Everypony stared at her as she layed back lazy and flicked some wax from her ear.
“You still haven't read the history book i wrote?” Matterhorn narrowed her eyes at Zapp who avoided her gaze.
“Maybe, what of it?” Twilight rolled her eyes and sighed.
“New Moon was Moon Knight’s sidekick, New moon was the first sidekick a legacy stretching back to near equestrian colonial times!.”
“Wait you mean?”
“Yes Rainbow he used to be Luna’s sidekick, he used to be a hero.” Twilight said as she looked down the hall that Crescent had been rolled down.
“So what you're saying is he dropped of the edge of the planet and shows back up as a criminal? Some hero.” Twilight awkwardly scratched the back of her head from Rainbow’s small rant.
“More like he died.” Her team looked at her with wide eye's.
“Ah sure sugarcube, i mean the feller seems tough he could have-”
“I was there, i saw him die.” Twilight sighed shaking her head. “By the hooves of Nightmare moon.”
Arkmane smiled a slimy grin as the guards dragged Crescent through the halls his chains now replaced with a straight jacket toward the door pulling a remote from his suit Arkmane clicked it deactivating the locks on said door.
“Remember Red horn try to behave.”
“I will after i break one these guards hooves up your ass.” For his comment the fanged stallion received a punch to his face.
“Aww you poor animal, don’t worry we'll help with those anger issues.” Arkmane petted Crescent’s head making him snarl. “Along with those illusions of me hiring you.”
“I will rip out your kidney’s with a sword.” Arkmane removed his hoof before the vesper could bite into it.
“I’d like to see you try, after lock up in general population” with a click of the remote the door opened and the guards loosened the straight jacket releasing Crescent’s arm’s before tossing him into the atrium.
“Fresh meat!” Arkmane yelled before the door slammed and the hydraulic locks re-engaged.
The Vengeful Guardians: The Mercs of Justice
Issue #4: Discussions and Escapes
Several inmates were talking or working out with others spotting them as the hydraulic door opened and Arkmane yelled "Fresh meat!" throwing Crescent through the door, a few inmates still curious as to who the fresh meat was and walked over seeing Crescent get up.
A grey coated stallion spotting his cellmate looked up and got a good look at Crescent before looking back to his friend who paid no mind to it. "Hey Brine check out the fresh meat, look familiar to you?"
"Don't *huff* give a *huff* fuck." Brine said between reps. "Busy with *huff* my set."
"Well he's looks kinda like what your brother said Red Horn looked like. You know, before..."
The weights stopped moving up as Brine put the bar back. "See how he acts then get back to me." Brine simply said.
"Well look at the pretty boy." A completely bald mare with peach skin covered in white scars walked up to the tied up Crescent, she pulled out a shiv from her...unmentionable.
"It's been so long since I had a cutie to play-" Crescent cut her short as he kicked the shiv from her hooves with his still cuffed hooves.
"Sorry, I'm taken." He grabbed her neck with his hind hooves in a scissorhold and smashed her head to the ground.
"And to make sure you learn the lesson of don't fuck with me." He tightened the hold on her neck making the mare gasp and cough for air.
Two guards ran in separating the two before Crescent could finish it. Some of the other inmates helped her up as she breathed heavily getting in as much air as she could. "I'm killing that son of a bitch tonight."
"No." Brine simply said before he downed some water in the shadows, finishing up his work out. "That two irised freak is mine to kill Harpy."
"I call dibs first Brine, you can have the scraps if you stay out of my way." Harpy threatened to which a clawed hand reached out of the shadows and pulled Harpy in front of the two red angry eyes. "This isn’t a debate, or would you like me to finish what he started?"
"I called dibs to soften him up for you Brine, I mispronounced what I said." Harpy replied sweating in fear.
"Good, when he's alone someone give him the hint of the offer, It goes down tonight.”
Crescent was roughly thrown into a solitary confinement cell by the guards who shut the door without saying a word to him. Crescent sat up growling to himself, his eyes allowing him to naturally see in the dark. “Trying to hide in the dark from someone who can see in the dark, wow you must be dumber than I remember.”
“I’m not hiding from you.” A blue glow shined faintly in the cell, revealing the black and blue garbed alicorn. Her face hidden by both a black mask and a blue hood. “Is it really you, you're not some shapeshifter paid to mess with my mind are you?”
“Heh heh heh.” He laughed as he fell back. “I’m sorry you seem to have me confused for someone else.”
“No I know who you-”
“You seem to think I’m not a pony you tried to murder!” From his mane Crescent pulled Harpy’s shiv and stabbed at the alicorn. She dodged in time for the knife to embed itself in the padded wall instead of her.
“That wasn’t me that was-”
“The Nightmare, I know and I don’t care!” He left the knife in the wall as he sat back down. “I’ve read it all and heard it all, but I remember it was your laughter I heard when you threw me off that building!”
“....New moon.” She said sadly reaching out for him.
“You lost the right to call me that, just like how you lost the right to call yourself Moon Knight.” He slapped her hoof away. “If you're here to kill me I welcome the challenge, otherwise leave me alone.”
“Twi- Matterhorn told me she found you, I had to be sure she was right.”
“So what, to make sure you the sidekick you murdered was actually dead?”
“I came to say sorry and to help you.”
“I think everything that happened to me after that night was help enough, If you don’t mind I’m in solitary confinement, I’m not supposed to have any visitors.”
Moon Knight sighed before turning around. “You know I’m not gonna stop.”
“I know, that’s why this time’s your only warning.” Crescent said turning around seeing she had vanished then heard a knock on the door.
“Hey fresh meat, back to your cell.” A guard ordered opening the door.
“Awfully quick.”
“Someone wants to talk to you about an offer, I could just tell him you were asleep.” The guard replied.
“I’ll listen.”
“You didn’t really have a choice.”
Crescent went back into his cell finding Harpy there waiting for him.
“What you want some more?”
“No, a friend of mine has a proposition for you, you want out right?”
“No shit I want out skinhead”
“Well he finds you...special. There’s a little something going down tonight, he wants to know if you’re with him or not.”
“A breakout?” Crescent thought about this then looked at Harpy. “One condition, they took my gear I want your help getting it back.”
“Oh you're the sentimental type.” Harpy replied walking away to her cell looking at her cellmate who was reading a book, the only light in the room being his glowing red eyes.
“His answer, now.”
“He’s in, he wants us to pick up his shit on the way out though, I thought you wanted to kill him.”
“Hmmm alright, we’ll get his stuff, but only so I can kill him with his own weapons, let Phil know, we got two hours I want no fuck ups or surprise factors.”
Ruby had been staring down at the prison vans floor for the last few blocks. The collar they had put on her gave her shock for every little move she did, her metal chitin making the tiniest shock spread throughout her body and making it feel like needles were puncturing every inch of her body. She tried her best to stay still but it seemed like the drivers were trying their best to hit every pothole in the Goth’horn streets.
“Rrrhhh!” Ruby gritted her teeth as they hit another. They hadn’t cuffed her to the bars or had anybody restrain her in the van. She was starting to breathe erratically as she started to feel a panic attack coming onto her. “It’s okay, it's not them just some jerk cops, calm down Ruby.”
“Oh shut-” The driver suddenly stopped halfway through his command. A few seconds later the van came to stop.
“...My mouth?” Ruby asked awkwardly but got no response. The doors into the van clicked and opened, but no one was on the other side to open them. A minute after that her collar clicked and deactivated, signaling it was no longer sealed around her neck. Ruby ripped it off and jumped out of the van looking around it and inside, finding no pony there.
Ruby was thinking what could’ve happened for a moment before something else came to her mind.
‘I gotta get Crescent!’ She thought before she flew over in the direction of Arkhoof.
It was getting close to lights out and Harpy turned to Brine who was submerged in the shadows save for his eyes, but they were the only thing she needed to see as he gave her a nod before he closed them and he blended in with the shadows completely. It was time to get out of this mass grave.
Harpy shook the bars but didn’t say anything, most of their crew knew it meant it was time to leave and began rioting, the other inmates not in the crew got involved because it was a riot.
One of Harpy’s crew members opened Crescent’s cell door and pulled him out. “Follow the boss.” He said to Crescent pointing to Harpy.
“Where’s the place they keep all the confiscated gear.” Much like her shiv Harpy pulled out a key card from her unmentionable.
“Follow me, can you believe those idiots keep that shit here?”
“Heard they sell the stuff sometimes, to both criminals who want to use it and weirdo’s who want serial killer, and super villain memorabilia.” Crescent cringed as she held the key card in her mouth.
“To be fair a famous killer’s knife probably gets you laid more than a rock collection.” She laughed through mouth full of stained key card. “Wonder how much my knife sold for?”
“Thirty bits.” He answered pulling something hidden from his long tail.
“Huh?” She asked before a stiletto knife went right into her jugular.
“A lot of ponies say a long tail is unusual for a stallion, but they just can’t see the advantages, like say tying knots in it to hold small weapons.” He looked down at her as she fell to floor clutching her neck. “Like say the knife of Goth’horn’s newest serial killer.”
“Whhyyyaaagggg...?” She choked on her blood as she stared up at with eyes full of fear.
“Well it’s not because you were a dick to me.” He grabbed the knife and twisted it. The entire asylum started to go nuts as they saw her squirm from it. “A year ago I met a little colt in Maretropolis, I saved him from dying of dehydration, he was dehydrated because he had spent weeks getting to Maretropolis to run away from Goth’horn’s shitty foal services and he was in that system because of you, his mother who worked hard to raise him all on her own was one of thirty victims of Harpy the Masochist.”
“Boss shouldn't we help her?” Crescent spabbed one of Harpy’s thirty scars.
“No we'll get our vengeance later, let's use this distraction and escape this place, bring him too.” Brine gave Harpy one last look. She stared right into his eyes and he turned away, leaving her to Crescent.
“I made that kid a promise, that if I ever saw you I’d kill you so you’d never take any ponies mother ever again.” He grabbed the shive he stole from her and cut one of her scars until a new wound lay atop it. “But than you got captured and your location was kept secret, but now here with the luck that avoided me as a kid I found you, I figured keeping that promise was worth delaying my escape.”
Without another word he ripped the knife out of her neck creating a horrible cash were her juggarl was. Blood splattered on the nearby inmates making them scream in horror. The guards ran out to tackle Crescent who smiled at one of them slipping in the growing pool of Harpy's blood.
“By my mother's mane.” Moon knight pulled her mask down as she stared down at the sight from the roof. Her blue lips quivered and her teal eyes held shame, sadness and anger within them. “What did I turn you into?”
The Vengeful Guardians: The Mercs of Justice
Issue #5: Betrayals and Reunions
One of Brine’s goons ran to Crescent and grabbed him pulling him away from the unconscious guards before Crescent could do worse.
“Leave him! Boss says either we leave with you or not at all.” She told Crescent.
Crescent sighed and held onto the keycard as he followed the henchmare to a sealed door. Crescent opened it with the card to find all types of gear from all the villains who had been sent to Maretropolis, understandably saying the collection of The Mane-iac’s belongings and gear was large would be an understatement. Crescent walked past it and picked up his dual pistols and equipment, sighing contently as he put his helmet on. “Much better.”
“Ready?” The Henchmare asked.
“Just have one more thing to take care of.” Crescent ran past her in the direction they were going, but turned and opened the door to find Arkmane looking over the riot before seeing Crescent walk into his office.
“H-how did you get out?! You’re supposed to be in solitary still.” He asked startled by his sudden appearance.
“Your guards were corrupt, one of the gangs had the one who let me out tied around his hoof.” Crescent replied closing the door as he cracked his hooves walking to Arkmane.
“Then why are you here?” Arkmane asked backing into a corner terrified.
“Simple. I’m a stallion of my word.”
The henchmare walked to the door and knocked on it. “Yo, ya done, guards are fighting back now, most escapes during riots fail when that happens, either you get out or we leave you.”
As if her words moved him, Crescent walked out of the room whistling with a small smile on his face. “Let’s get going.” he replied.
The Henchmare ran after him, some blood leaking from the bottom of the door as the riot went on.
Ruby flew into Arkhoof through a window broken by the ongoing riot, some prisoners already running out to freedom.
“Crescent!” She shouted before realizing he wouldn’t be able to hear her through all the noise, however she did hear someone panicking and flew over finding Two Hooves on the ground panicking, his straightjacket torn.
"Help me! Someone! P-Please!" He begged lying on the ground, seeming to be terrified at the sight of his own front hooves.
Ruby saw how damage the accident really did to him and flew back off to find a new straight jacket. Two Hooves continued hyperventilating before Ruby came over and switched them out despite his struggles. Two Hooves started calming down when he saw his front hooves were tied back into a new straitjacket. He looked up to Ruby who kicked away a prisoner attempting to take advantage before flying off.
"Wait!!" He tried saying before a guard tackled him. "That was very rude. I was trying to STOP HER!!" He yelled at the guard before unleashing a barrage of telekinetic hooves sending him and anyone around the guard off the railing getting dogpiled by the inmates below.
Meanwhile, Ruby ran for Arkmane's room thinking Crescent would be there and opened the for tripping on the blood on the floor.
She got up with a groan before gasping at the sight of what Crescent had done to Arkmane. He had two knives in his wrists that from the position of their embedment seemed to be viscously rammed in, leaving him pinned to his desk along with two fountain pens stabbed into his kidney's leaving him in agony, especially with the saber sword piercing his right side.
Arkmane managed to look up, allowing Ruby to see his pleading eyes. "Help. Me." He begged, coughing up blood unable to move.
Ruby simply trotted over and twisted the Saber, making him scream out in agony before she dug the pens in his kidney's deeper. She walked out and in the direction opposite that she came in before she was caught in two giant see through hooves.
"Hold it!" A Voice said prompting Ruby to turn around seeing Two Hooves was doing it. the hooves then moved her towards him and helped him hug her confusing Ruby greatly. "Why?" Was all she could think.
"You helped me, I am not worthy to have a goddess like you to protect me in my time of need but I can't just let you wander around here all alone. I mean look around! Whatever you're looking for, you need my help."
Ruby contemplated the moment before looking back to Two Hooves. "Fine. We need to find Red Horn."
"Red Horn? We gotta help him now!"
"You saw where they took him?"
"He's rolling with Brine's gang, I saw them leave before my jacket got torn, Brine's obsessed with killing him, Red horn has no idea."
"What're you waiting for lead the way!"
Two Hooves saluted with a telekinetic hoof and did so, leaden Ruby down the hall using his hooves to bulldoze everyone in the way, out of it naturally. "Move losers! Goddess and disciple coming through!"
Crescent and the goons of ran through to the room where the Laundry is brought into and taken out of Arkhoof before they suddenly stopped.
"What's the hold up?" Crescent asked before they rushed him. Crescent was unable to pull out his guns in time as he was pummeled then brought up and held back by his front hooves, and ripped his helmet off of his head.
"You know, most of the others may not know or care who you really are." A Voice said before two piercing red eyes appeared in the shadows. "I do. I know who your latest killed target was. I know because he was my brother."
Crescent merely blinked glaring at the eyes. "You have no idea how little that narrows it down."
"C'mon Brine, just kill him, I call seconds." The Mare holding his right hoof said, her mouth watering a little.
"Give me a minute Cannibal Lector, I've wanted to savor this moment for a long time." Brine replied before making a creepy slurping sound with his mouth.
"Stop calling me that, and making that noise it's really creepy!"
"Skin Sampler, that means keep your mouth shut, I want it to be just him and me talking."
"Even if I remebered your brother he probably an asshole that deserved to die anyway."
"Really? Does the name Gerald Tangler sound familiar Crescent Blade!?" Brine yelled before someone tackled him. Crescent was shocked at the question Brine asked, but became even more shocked seeing in the moonlight it was revealed to be Ruby before he spotted Brine for what he was.
He was a 6 ft tall mechanical light blue werewolf, with 3 fingers on each clawed hand carrying claws that were each as big as a medium sized can of soup connected to his hands by coiled wires, wearing a green and grey sleeveless jacket. his legs were long and he had boot like feet with paw treads on the bottom of them. His back had two razor fins going down to his skinny tail with a claw on it's end. Inside his muzzle he had teeth like a regular wolf hidden by his heads curves giving the implication his teeth were the three spikes on each of his sides. He bore two thick eyebrows that helped him express the emotions in his blood red eyes.
Crescent blood seemed to freeze entirely looking at Brine as memories came flashing back. He was in a cave with three of his friends and the sergeant, then everything seemed to turn into a blur. Shots of plasma, A 'wirewolf' pinning him to the ground trying to stab him, one of his friend's horn shattering, the mutilated bodies, and a wirewolf claw converting into a blaster pointed Crescent.
Crescent roared with fury breaking out of the full nelson he was in before construct swords appeared out of the air and slashed at the inmates while he shot his pistols, taking out Skin Samplers right leg with a gunshot to the ankle and cutting her left hoof clean off. Two stallions behind her were bisected, the later getting hit by a random headshot granting him a quicker death.
Brine kicked Ruby off of him and ran out of Arkhoof, deciding that preservation was better in this case then revenge could be. Crescent focused his rage and attempted to kill Brine before Ruby tackled him and held him down.
"Red Horn it's me, Silent Rose! Calm down, You're losing your mind!" She shouted attempting to calm him down before settling on slapping him, giving him a moment to regain his senses.
Crescent got up and saw most of Brine's gang was injured while only a few were dead. "Where's Brine?"
"The Wirewolf? He left during your little episode. What happened? You see the Mighty Machines and that never happens."
"I'm fine." Crescent said picking up his helmet. He looked at it for a second before putting it back on. "He just looked so much like what I saw."
"Let's get out of here, I think I heard a prisoner yelling about the Power Ponies coming through."
"I'd rather not deal with them again." Crescent replied.
"I like your different colored eyes." A voice said prompting Crescent to turn and see Two Hooves standing there with a goofy smile.
"You want some too?"
"Red Horn calm down. I helped him and know he's helping us, wether we like it or not."
Crescent growled before a roar echoed through the Asylum.
"I guess it really is no time for argument." Crescent said knowing exactly who that roar belonged to. "Yo Two Hooves, come on, I gotta pay a visit to a certain someone with a scarf."
"Hurray! Can we sing a traveling song to raise our spirits up?"
"One lyric leaves your mouth I put a bullet in it."
"No promises." Two Hooves said with a same tone as when he asked his question before a rumbling shook the room.
"We better go." Ruby reminded them to which they ran into the Laundry Van, Ruby hot-wiring it to drive out and far away from Arkhoof, the Stardust Industries building in mind for Crescent, along with words he was given in that cave in Yakyakistan Brine had unknowingly unearthed.
"Consider everyday from this moment a gift Crescent Blade, yesss~, because if we ever meet next time, you will not have the same mercy given to you now."
Author's Note
Finally, Chapter 5 is done. next up is the confrontation at Stardust Industries then what Crescent exactly saw. If Gerald Tangler sounds familiar to you, it's best to read Beginning's of an Immortal Wirewolf to understand the linkage between these two stories.
The Vengeful Guardians: The Mercs of Justice
Issue #6: Showdown at Stardust Industries
The Laundry Van drove down the streets of Maretropolis with caution, Two Hooves in the back moving back and forth in his seat like an impatient child.
"Are we there yet?" He whined.
"That's the 15th time you asked." Red Horn replied with a growl. "One more time and Silent Rose's pulling over to dump your corpse after I put a bullet in it."
"Red Horn take it easy on him." Silent Rose told Red Horn.
"You're the one that brought him along."
"He asked to help after I helped him, what was I supposed to do?"
"Say no maybe?"
"I think we're there yet." Two Hooves said looking out the window.
Red Horn was about to make true on his threat looking up when he saw it was indeed where they were going: The Stardust Industries Building. "Don't touch anything and bullets stay out of your body." Was all he said getting out.
Two Hooves got out from the back when Silent Rose stopped him. "Two Hooves, could you help me move this?" she asked.
Two Hooves was happy to comply using his Telekinetic Hooves to turn the van around before helping Silent Rose push it down the hill they drove up.
"That should throw them off our trail for at least a little bit." She said.
"How exactly?" Two Hooves asked.
"They'll think we went in that direction and crashed wherever it does, it won't fool them for long but it'll buy us some time." She replied before running to catch up to Red Horn with Two Hooves trailing behind her.
As Red Horn walked through the halls, but as they continued walking down the halls, a eerie sense of familiarity crept up on him looking around, causing a memory to keep coming back in his mind, something he wish that stayed buried were it not for Ocean Stardust.
Red Horn stuttered a little as he came out of his daydream of a life gone by with Silent Rose shaking him. "You were just wandering. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, just had a bit of a nostalgia trip." He replied. "Let's just get back to looking for Stardust, this is his main building, no reason he shouldn't be here just to be close to the guy he interrogated." As he spoke, the cameras in the hallways tracking their movement through them.
Ocean Stardust sat quietly in his office, watching Red Horn walk through his halls with his cohorts as the call finally picked up.
"Hello Mr. Stardust." The Voice said.
"Hello Amadeus. I bet you're wondering why I called you at this untimely hour."
"As a matter of fact I am, anyone else I would've ignored, but when I saw it was you I was intrigued."
"I know you've been hunting the mercenary Red Horn for quite some time. Infact he's in my building right now."
"Oh why thank you for the tip, I will enjoy watching them drag his corpse to my hooves."
"Oh no, I'm sending my Bodyguard after him, I don't want any interference from you."
"Then why did you call me?"
"Because I'd knew you be happy that this ones a freebie."
"And how right you are. Goodnight Stardust." Amadeus replied hanging up leaving Ocean to stare at the suit of armor that hummed to life across the room.
Back at Arkhoof, one of the bullet casings from Red Horn's episode found itself incased in a magenta aura as the Masked Matterhorn examined it closer.
"He came through here, from what we got from the security cameras, that Wirewolf, 'Brine', made some kind of deal with Red Horn to get out, he killed Harpy the Masochist before leaving and before the camera went out Brine looked about ready to betray him." Matterhorn deducted from the evidence they began gathering.
"Some of the other inmates reported seeing Silent Rose and Two Hooves making their way to him. Skin Sampler said he saw Brine in the light and from how it sounded it triggered some kind of episode and Red Horn ended up killing two other inmates and cut off her left hoof. She's having a delusion she's in any position to press charges against him for that." Radiance added walking in.
"What about Arkmane, where's he, I think it's time we had a little chat." Matterhorn asked before she noticed something. "About time you showed up Moon Knight."
Moon Knight stepped out of the shadow over the corpse of an inmate. "Arkmane's dead."
"What?"
"He was pinned to his desk with two pens stabbed into his kidney's with a saber embedded more towards his right kidney. A guard came to help and stopped the bleeding from the saber before going to get help. Arkmane must've got impatient because the arteries on his wrists were cut, the way they looked signifying that he did it himself. The amount of blood in the hallway around him puts his death roughly several minutes after we calmed down the riot."
"I presume Cre- Red Horn wanted to pay back Arkmane for showing how much of a coward he really was?"
"I would say a correct presumption with the precision of the stabs, much like with Harpy he wanted him to suffer . There's no word on where He nor the other two would be."
"And Brine dropped off the map period so anything he might've told him is just as lost as he is." Radiance included.
"We'll check his cell again before moving out to Maretropolis, I have a bit of a feeling about where Red Horn might go next." Matterhorn told Radiance before they both walked away.
Moon Knight sighed before looked back to the skyline of Maretropolis. "I'm sorry Crescent, just let me help you." She whispered.
Red Horn, Silent Rose, and Two Hooves walked into the room and looked around at some of the technology in works.
"Ok I wasn't wrong to follow you guys, this place is awesome." Two Hooves said walking closer to examine some of the equipment.
"We're here for Ocean Stardust, not to mess with his toys." Red Horn told him as Two Hooves reached for the advanced looking screwdriver in the box labeled 'Borrowing from friends.' Crescent thought about his sentence for a quick minute. "Okay breaking one thing is sure to get him here."
"You won't have to look far." A voice said before Red Horn was forced to dodge a plasma blast. he drew his pistols and looked up at the direction it came from.
Floating above him was a suit of futuristic armor, It's colors a shining silver with red bits all across it's body. There also were some little orange lights on it's body, with glowing orbs of the same color on it's and joints and a large one on his chest, the helmet seeming to mimic Red Horn's in terms of resembling a permanent sneer, the eyes instead being glowing orange slits.
'Steel Avenger?' Silent Rose thought to herself.
"You are currently trespassing on private property." Steel Avenger said staring down the trio. "I'm going to ask you once to turn yourselves in and save yourselves a trip to the infirmary."
"Hold that thought." Red Horn replied firing at Steel Avenger, to which the bullets bounced off harmlessly.
Steel Avenger didn't say anything, he merely aimed his front hooves forward and fired his arms forward and fired lasers to which Red Horn deflected with his energy sword.
Red Horn ran around the room avoiding blasts with more deflections, while Silent Rose did the same, morphing her front hooves into blades to deflect the lasers as well. Red Horn began making his way to Steel deflecting the shots before tackling Steel, bringing him down to the ground then slashed as his left foreleg, disabling the laser cannon on that arm.
A blade extended from Steel Avenger's front hooves and he then charged at Red Horn engaging him up close, blade to blade. Silent Rose stood away from him and Red Horn looking for an opening as Steel Avenger, defended himself from every one of Red Horns strikes. Before he could prepare a counterattack, the two of them were forced to jump out of the way as a large fridge looking device nearly crushed them.
"Feel the wrath of the future Robot Stallion!" Two Hooves yelled throwing a oven sized centrifuge at Steel along with a few telekinetic hooves before Steel retorted with a few small rockets that hit the new computer server Two Hooves picked up, the hooves he was using shielding him as the mini explosion buried him in the floor.
Before Red Horn could get back to the fight at hand, Steel lunged at him, managing to slice a piece of his helmet, the mark letting out stray sparks. Before Steel made one more step towards him, he felt an open spot on himself and looked to see his shoulder armor was scratched as well, letting it's own sparks hit the floor.
"Nice shot, was that all you had?" He asked Red Horn.
"Me, nope. But you should be asking her that."
Steel looked confused before two blades stabbed into his back jets, keeping him on the ground before he was kicked towards Red Horn who sliced at his Helmet. When Steel got his bearings, he turned around to see Silent Rose standing where he was, her arm blades coated in oil before they morphed back into Regular Hooves.
As Ruby was about to lunge for another hit, the windows all over the lab broke as multiple beings came into the room surrounding the four.
Red Horn looked around the room and recognized their attire right away. The League of Shadows, The one's that Ruby used to belong to, and the ones behind him coming back.
"This is really a bad time for a revenge attack." Ruby said with a groan as the ones from her League moved towards her.
"You have committed the ultimate felony and betrayed the League, of which the penalty, is death. " The Leader of the other assassins decreed.
Red Horn proceeded to give his retort by firing at the leader putting a bullet in the leader's skull. "Get a new line."
The Leagues charged at them and each other, turning the lab into a battleground of two orders attempting to rectify pimples on their infamy as well as destroy their pretenders.
Steel Avenger blasted an changeling assassin out a window, but the assassin shot out a chain that wrapped around his neck, Steel tried to pull back from the force only for Blood Steel to kick him in the face sending him out the window. Steel plummeted down to the street, his fall being cushioned by the changeling that was turned into a green and black mush beneath him. Steel struggled to get up, a few more of the ninja's falling out the window as well, their fall cushioning the landings of Red Horn, Two Hooves, and Blood Steel respectively.
"Wow, that worked better then I thought." Blood Steel noted before the changeling assassin's flew down at a steady pace then drawing their weapons. "Oh right, we can fly."
The remaining assassin's charged to attack, those that attacked Steel being sliced by his lasers, one unicorn ninja getting in from behind preparing a throwing star.
"Steel Avenger, behind you!" Blood Steel yelled out finishing off the last changeling.
Steel turned around to get kicked away by the ninja, the force of the kick knocking off his helmet as the star was thrown. Red Horn used his magic to intercept it and throw it back, embedding it under the base of his horn, creating a small trickle of blood before the ninja fell over, creating a pool of blood beneath him.
Steel got up with a groan, shocking the trio at who was beneath the mask. A grey unicorn stallion with a messy black mane and bright orange eyes.
"Hey I know that guy!" Two Hooves said pointing a telekinetic hoof recognizing the stallion from a magazine cover.
"I knew there was something more to you Ocean. But I never figured you petty enough to go after me for that little talk we had."
"I want you to admit to what you did, admit to who you murdered, leaving behind a corpse discovered by her own son." Ocean growled.
Red Horn was about to raise his pistols, but then those words struck him. "How do you know she was a mother?"
"Answer me."
Red Horn was hesitant but sighed, taking off his helmet to look Ocean in the eye. "If it'll shut you up about it fine, it was around the conclusion to the Yakyakistan War."
Roughly 1 and a half year ago
Crescent kicked the Security Guard through the door into a wall in the next room before embedding him in with two Construct swords. The Mare Scientist pulled out a pistol with her aura in fear before He knocked the gun out her magical grasp and grabbed it in his own magic aura, the mare quickly grew more panic "Stop right there aggh!" She tried saying before his grip tightened stopping her causing her to cough a little.
Another guard charged in and was quickly embedded in a wall by Crescent's sword construct "Please it's just the serum we can-"
"Shut up" He knocked the mare down with single punch to the face she began to sob a little as he moved closer and she backed away. "Please don't... I have a family."
"Terra Stardust." He began. "You are the mare who framed Moon Tear and Starsabre Blade of a crime they didn't commit. And because of that, they were both killed for it!"
"T-t-that was a lifetime ago!" He got even closer.
"Yes, it was. My lifetime . You made relation to that bloodline a curse to bear, you left a child crying and suffering alone in a small pool of his parents blood because of your actions."
"How could you possibly know that?" Terra asked terrified as the helmet he wore hissed with air escaping inside it.
"Because I lived through it all. I saw it all!" He took off the experimental helmet revealing his face. "Because I am the son of the ponies you murdered. I AM CRESCENT BLADE!!!" He closed the distance and put the gun right between her eyes, tears streaming from her eyes like a leaky faucet as she closed them knowing there was no way out.
"Please." She pleaded one last time, almost blubbering incoherently in fear. "I'm sorry. Just think of my children, don't to this."
"Then why didn't you care that they had a child?"
"Please I tried to-"
*BANG*
Terra Stadust's body fell to the floor lifeless as Crescent tossed the gun to the side, spotting a red helmet on a table. "She died terrified. A small justice." He said to himself grabbing the helmet then firing a magic blast at the chemicals, causing a large fire that began to spread, Crescent simply following the path of bodies he had made placing the helmet over his head, symbolizing his new life's beginning.
Present Day
"She caused so much pain to me and other ponies, it was time to return the favor. What makes her so special to you?"
"She was my mother. I found her corpse with a bullet in it's head, courtesy of the stallion in the red helmet that walked away from all the death he caused. You. And you're trying to pin some cliché motive to make it seem like you can justify how many you've killed." Ocean replied with a hoof cannon charging aimed at Crescent.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to kill your mother, I wanted the pony behind my pain to suffer, regardless if you believe me or not, and choose to forgive me or not, I'm done with you, and I'm taking my leave." Crescent walked away with giving him another look.
Ocean flared at him ready to fire but found himself unable to go through with it, then sighed.
"Okay." Ocean shot a few darts at them along with firing a gas as the dart bounced off of Blood Steel's skin and hit Two Hooves, the latter collapsing in a face fault before Blood Steel even came close to affected, the latter then collapsing as Crescent attempted to aim his gun to Ocean before falling to the ground. "But you'll have to trust me then."
Author's Note
Sorry if the chapter kinda went... Pfffht toward the end, it's been a few months since I've tackled this chapter and I've reaaaallllly been slacking off. Rest assured the next chapter might go better since some of it was already written out,
The Vengeful Guardians: The Mercs of Justice
Issue #1: Red Horn the Outlaw
It was a dark calm night on the outskirts of Goth'thorn city, where asylum of Arkmane stood. Even the inmates seemed calmer than usual, with no threats of murder, suicide or other such things were being screamed from there usual sources. This unusual calmness did not seem to soothe the nerves of John Arkmane, the head administrator and owner of Arkmane asylum. As he paced back and forth in his office as he constantly muttered. "Where is he?"
His usually pristine white coat was slightly matted from sweat and his grey mane was in a mess. He stopped in his tracks as the lights in his office flickered off.
*Creak*
The Window in his office was now swinging back and forth as if it was just opened quickly and with no visible intruder insight. He quickly backed away in fear until he bumped into something that was obviously not a piece of furniture. "You called?"
A snide but calm and threatening voice called from behind him causing him to jump and quickly turn around to face the owner of the voice. He saw a stallion that was two feet taller than him. He wore a light grey greatcoat, the edges of the coat tails were given a sharp torn look. The coat was worn over black body armor with red lining on the padding with a red crescent moon adorned in the center of his chest. Red hoof guards on his forelegs and red boots on his hind legs his entire body was covered up to his neck. Leaving only his long managy spiky red and navy tail exposed. His face was concealed by a red helmet that was almost featureless, aside from a blade like extension where his horn is. Clear white lenses tinted with black lining concealed the stallion's eyes. The helmet had sharp streaks traveling down its cheeks giving it a permanent glare. Arkmane had recognized the stallion from his helmet alone "R-R-Red Horn I see you got my um, invite to come see me."
Red Horn passed him as he walked by Arkmane. On his walk to the chair he gave the scared stallion a clear view of the hand guns strapped to his thighs, right below where his cutie mark should be. He quickly sat in Arkmane's chair, he sat back getting into a relaxed posture. "I had heard through the grape vine that you were looking for me, for a very high paying job."
He leaned forward taking a more sinister posture and glaring down at Arkmane. "And it better be high paying job i don't like coming out to this city."
Arkmane laughed nervously "Yeah I guess avoiding Moon Knight and Mare-Do Well is pretty hard" Red horn seemed to be unimpressed by his joke
"Are you implying that I'm afraid of those two?" A slightly more aggressive tone appeared in Red Horn's voice.
"No no no Red Horn I'm not! I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
A knife embedded itself in the wall right next to his head, immediately making the stallion quiet out of fear. A red glow surrounded the hilt and freed it from the wall it floated over to Red horn who had similar glow around his horn the knife slipped into his jacket. "Shut the hell up calm down and tell me the job or I'm leaving"
Arkmane straighten his posture and opened a drawer in his desk and put it on the desk. "Recently An inmate of my asylum as escaped! I need you to..."
"Oh shocker there..."
Slightly confused from the mercenaries interruption he stared at him with pure confusion. "Um excuse me?"
"Oh come on man, megalomaniac super villains have broken out of here thousands of times. Your security here is a joke." Red horn stated sounding slightly annoyed at Arkmane's blunder.
"Well this inmate is not a megalomaniac, he's just to be honest an insane super powered homeless drifter, the file explains it. Also you did not let me finish the inmate escaped mid transfer to here. The guards were distracted..."
Arkmane slid the folder forward and it was quickly picked up by Red Horn's magic. Red Horn brought the folder to his eye's. "Ok lets see" He opened it and quickly skimmed through it. "Ah I've heard of this guy, Two Hooves a colt who attempted to commit suicide and gained powers and lost his mind in the process telekinetic punches or some shit." Red Horn lowered the folder and looked back at Arkmane "Why do you want me to take care of this why don't you just wait for a some idiot in a costume to recapture him or something?"
"Well you see... I may have kinda covered up his escape from the media and said he would be a inmate in here by next week... To improve the public view of my asylum." Arkmane smiled awkwardly he could tell that Red horn had a cold stare behind his helmet. "So will you take the job?"
"That depends what will i get paid to clean up your mess?"
Arkmane placed a check on the table "i can guarantee 30,000 bits for his capture and i will pay for any used or damaged equipment in the use of Two Hooves capture"
The Mercenary seemed pleased by Arkmane's offer "ok colored me interested, so tell me where i can find your escapee"
"Maretroplis"
"I'm raising the price to 45,000 plus the cost for repairs and replacement." Arkmane was taken surprised by the mercenaries second interruption. "What? you want me to add 15,000 bits to the deal just because he's in maretroplis, why?"
"Because you maretroplis is power pimbo territory those six bitch's well more than likely get in my way with their dumb luck."
"But thats outrageous-"
"Fine then im leaving and you can get some other hired gun one that may not be so open to your demands" Arkmane's anger quickly subsided from Red horn's calm statement he sighed heavily "Ok fine I'll agree to your demands but if i had to lay off some guards because of this i blaming you"
"Heh i think I'll be able to live with myself besides isn't it better that five guards get layoff then everypony here losing their job because of this place being shut it down" Arkmane thought over what he said "How do i know you can accomplish the task?"
"I'm assuming since you looked for me specifically you've heard of my reputation" Arkmane tone became quizzical "yes but how do i know it's true some of the stuff I've heard sounds a little unbelievable"
"Fine then say it and I'll tell you if it's true"
"Ok breaking shadow blots jaw"
"That's true i broke his jaw in a fight when he tried to stop one of my theft jops"
a bead of sweat dropped down Arkmane's face "Ok getting into a fight with Radiance and sticking a gun in her mouth winning the fight"
"Oh yes im specifically proud of that im made one bravest super heroines currently alive nearly pass out of fear" he laughed lowly to himself
"By faust he is nuts" Arkmane thought to himself in fear "Ok then I think I'm done asking for truth I want to be able to sleep tonight"
"Well then I guess we have deal I capture Two hooves and bring him back here where you're going to give me my cash for a job well done" he put the folder in his jacket and got up from his seat. "Yes that is the deal if he's dead you get no pay"
"Got it"
"When can I expect a ummmm a mission complete I guess or whatever you call it"
Red horn walked over to the still open window "Give me a week for traveling, planning and tracking him down in the meantime get my money ready or I'll drop off his ass at gpd and sell this story to the press I'm sure any reporter will pay a pretty price for this if I don't get my money"
He smirked under his helmet while Arkmane grew a nervous grin "don't worry you'll well get paid I promise you"
"Good" he jumped out the window with a red glow surrounding his horn before he hit the ground he teleported away with a red flash "Dear lord he was scary" exclaimed Arkmane as he sat back in his chair exhausted
(In a storm drain near Arkmane asylum)
In a red flash Red Horn appeared in storm drain he looked up to see pale slightly glowing amber lenses staring back at him "you got all that through the communicator?"
"Yeah" responded a female slightly tomboyish voice "this job sounds like it could be fun fighting a psychotic meta pony and a chance to fight the power ponies and you know im open to challenges"
"Yeah and that's just one of the many things I love about you." he couldn't see it but he knew she was blushing. The unknown mare walked out of the shadows revealing a petite mare the a foot below an average mare height, wearing a black assassins garb with a red hood, and crescent symbol on her chest and scarf like cape with red gloves with small blades on her forelegs her face was concealed by a full silver face mask with amber lenses the only parts of her exposed were her light red sharp gossamer wings and her red and pink tail. She walked over and nuzzled him. "So what's the attack plan brute force him to unconscious or actual strategy?"
He nuzzled back "i was thinking of using an actual strategy" he pulled out the envelope from his jacket and handed it to her "with this taking him should be quite the experience"
They pulled away "now then let's get to maretroplis I'll form a plan on the way of tracking him down so come on loyal sidekick" he said jokingly
"Im not your sidekick I'm your partner"
"Only in bed Silent Rose in crime your my sidekick" he grew a smile under his helmet as Rose glared at him under her mask "you know you're an ass sometimes right?"
"Yet you stay with me anyway so what's that say about you?"
"Shut up and lets go already."
"As you wish my lady." he replied back as they walked off
(Maretroplis 3 days later)
<"I really don't like this plan"> Rose stated over the communicator. It had taken them a day to get too maretroplis and two more days to track down Two Hooves to a warehouse they we're currently standing near <"Your just saying that because it involves you staying out with a sniper that may or may not come into play.">
Red Horn said as he looked up from the entrance of the warehouse to the building Rose was atop with her sniper rifle.
<"Of course i'm mad you gave me the job of backup again you know I can handle a fight right">
<"*sigh* I know it just that-"> Red horn suddenly stopped talking
<"Just what?">
<"Hey, how about I make it up to you this is a very high paying job so how about we take a little vacation to anywhere you want two months of just you and me relaxing and sightseeing"> he stated in an unusual sweet tone
<"I'd like that, I'd really like that thanks Crescent">
<"Don't thank me yet we still have job to complete"> he entered the warehouse through an open window he didn't want to teleport and alert His prey of his arrival. He kept to the shadows sticking out of sight. Trash of food wrappers was littered over the nearly empty building "ok food wrappers that's a good sign"
He and Silent Rose had tracked two hooves from reports of nearby convenience store robberies saying the assailant had erratic behavior and displayed some form of Psychokinesis with a little detective work they had narrowed it down to this warehouse and it seemed they were right he activated the communicator in helmet and spoke quietly to avoid detection <"I think this might be the place the place is covered food trash">
Silent Rose responded back as she set up her rifle for a shot thru the windows if need be while keeping low to avoid detection from any other guests that might arrive "good this can begin quickly"
The eyes of Red horn's helmet turned red as his vision switched to heat. He searched throughout the building until he picked up a large heat signature on the one of the walkways above "I found you, let the game begin"
He quickly climbed to the rafters using the supports and boxes as leverage. There he saw him Two Hooves he matched his description from file perfectly with his long messy brown mane and tail his coat was same dark blue the file said he stood perfectly on his hind legs with his forelegs constricted by a straight jacket without any sign of imbalance. He could see the shadow of a horn from where he stood "Who goes there?"
Two hooves suddenly said causing Red Horn's to widened out of shock "How did the bastard notice me" he grumbled before stepping out into the shadows "alright fine you caught me."
"Ahhhhh!" Two hooves jumped in fright before he turned around to face the mercenary "you scared me you ass!"
"What? But I thought you noticed me and told me to reveal myself?" Red horn shouted back the insane unicorn who just shrugged and said
"nah I just say that sometimes too see if i'm being stalked and I can't believe it actually worked".
Red Horn's eye started twitching. "How what...why.........you are either the dumbest or craziest pony I have ever met in my life and I've met Mane-iac so thats saying alot." Two hooves took a more proud stance and proclaimed.
"I am TWO HOOVES, me and my two hooves dare to be stupid!"
Red horn stared into Two hooves swirling turquoise eye the other one covered by his hair. Quicker then Two Hooves could blink he drew his gun's a pair of 40mm handguns in his magic pointed at him ready to fire. "I’m going to start hurting you now, and I'm not sure when I'm gonna stop".
Two Hooves seemed unfazed by the merc's threats. "Then bring it on big redhead jerk my two hooves can take you on-" he never finished his sentence as Red horn opened fire on him. His horn was surrounded by an aurora as two turquoise hooves formed and in shocking speed blocked each one of his bullets.
"Is that all you got?" Two hooves said in a boastful tone from his feet while not know by his Red horn was smirking under his helmet "This is going to be a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be".
"Oh please you moron I’m just getting started." with that he backflipped and teleported in a red flash.
"What where did he g-ack!" Two Hooves was choked by a scissor hold and taken off by Red horn and his momentum. Before they contacted the platform Red horn grabbed his guns with his hooves pulling the triggers with his magic he fired at the walkways supports releasing the segment under them making fall another 10 feet until Two Hooves landed jaw first on the pavement
"Had enough yet?" Red horn said confidently as he tighten his hold on Two Hooves causing him to cough blood. "Not yet, me and my hooves won't give up."
He released a telekinetic uppercut causing Red horn to lose his grip on on Two Hooves neck who proceeded to grab and throw the merc with all his telekinetic strength "Take that you big red ass hat me and m-"
Two hooves was rendered speechless as his fellow unicorn did a mid air roll and landed perfectly on his hooves "I call hax!" Two hooves proclaimed.
Red Horn lifted his head back, a wicked smile and a gleaming eye hidden behind his helmet. Unable to control this feeling he let out his laugh. ”Ahhahahahahahahaha!” The echo the laugh made from the helmet only added to the growing sense of fear and uncomfort Two Hooves felt. His sweat bled from his pours, his legs shivered slightly, one leg taking a small step back.
"What’s with that laugh?!" Two Hooves shouted in confusion. "I don’t like the noise, that laugh’s noise is scary. STOP THE LAUGHING!!!"
Two hooves backed away slightly creeped out by the masked stallion's booming laugh "Stop it." he said
"Who do you think I am im-"
"I know who are" Red Horn interrupted "I've read your file and I have to say your pretty pathetic."
Two hooves was quickly becoming angrier by the second "How dare you I’m gonna smash you to pieces I'm not pathetic."
The merc laughed again "Really a few criminals make fun of your name and you overdosed yourself on a bunch of pills only to gain superpowers, faust's way of compensating i suppose"
Red horn smirked at the blue unicorns quickly deteriorating confidence "I didn't get powers you big red ass my near death showed me that if put all my strength and determination into something I can accomplish anything if use my two hooves!" This time Red horn was able to hold back his laugh. "And what have you accomplished with those two hooves of yours, oh right random acts that either saved or doomed lifes still pathetic if you ask me."
Two hooves was steaming he screamed as he was still bleeding from his mouth causing small red dots to appear on his straight jacket "Who do think you are insulting me and my two hooves you-"hero's don't have the gall to solve"
With flick of his hoof two short pearly white blades extended from each of his hoof guards "I've been kicking the asses of meta-ponies since I was 12 and I can assure I've gotten really good at it"
Another chuckle escaped his lips as Two Hooves grinded his teeth in frustration "you see I'm the mercenary Red Horn that stallion who's gonna kick your dumbass and drag it back to Arkmane"
"Like hell!" Two hooves shouted before sending a massive telekinetic punch towards Red Horn. The stallion flipped over it as it destroyed the wall behind him
"Pathetic." Red horn said as he dodged the attack. In mid air he ducked his hooves into his jacket and flinged several knifes toward the mad stallion
"I'm not pathetic!" Two hooves shouted before sending several telekinetic hooves to Intercepting all the knifes destroying all of them.
"how's that for path-" Two Hooves stopped mid sentence when he noticed a red flash behind him.
"you still fell for it"
"Arrrrgggghhhh!" Two Hooves screamed in pain as he felt two blades cut through his back in a downward slash ripping through the fabric of his straight jacket. Keeping his momentum Red Horn landed on his blood covered hood and spun around and delivered a roundhouse kick to the back of Two Hooves head sending him flying face first into a support beam and causing the now loose straight jacket to fall off him Red Horn just stared at him with pity "Too easy."
Two Hooves flipped himself over groaning in pain with a new purple bump under his horn "I......I...won't give up you hear me, me and my....my...my" Two hooves stared at his now free appendages his breathing becoming panicked "I don't understand my hooves are....are....are...what am I looking-"
His mad ramblings were put to a halt as Red Horn shoved a needle filled with green fluid into his neck Two Hooves eye's grew hazy as he nodded off to unconscious "That should shut you up for a couple hours"
Red horn proceeded to pull out several zip ties to tie up his capture while his partner chimed over the communicator <"Great another job completed and I again did nothing">
<"Oh hush."> Red hood responded as he finished tying up Two Hooves.
<"You didn't miss much this guy's a.d.d made him way too easy to take down"> Red Horn replied as he retracted his blades re-holstered his guns
<"Dear Faust all your jobs recently have been too easy I wish we got......Red we got movement outside its the Power-">
Red horn shielded his eye's from the purple blast destroying the nearby wall.
"Stop right there you criminal you are under arrest by Power ponies!" Exclaimed Masked Matterhorn, leader of the power ponies as she stood alongside her team mates from the new entrance they created. Red Horn smirked under his helmet.
<"Well Ruby your wish got granted">
View Online
The Vengeful Guardians: The Mercs of Justice
Vengeful Guardians: The Gathering #1: Flashbacks and Flashfreezes
As Crescent drifted through unconsciousness, he began to dream, remembering past events from the past few days. But thinking back about Brine, it brought up memories, memories from before Ocean's mother, but terrible memories regardless.
2 Years Ago
Crescent looked around cautiously, the bodies... it never got any better any time he had to walk around them, the ones he or someone else made in the war, and the ones he was forced to make that he didn't want to. But these ones... Yak and Pony alike, the only difference being the fact most of them were missing multiple limbs. As if there was a massive pack of animals that were starved for Faust knows how long, then were released on these innocents. He looked to his sides to see his friends, Peach Cobbler and Obsidian Stone sharing the same sentiment, Cobbler was trying his best not to throw up, while Obsidian looked as though the first enemy she saw was gonna meet with every bullet in her current magazine.
Crescent looked all the way back at the mare who was lingering a little looking at some of the bodies. She had the same expression as Obsidian, but Fizzlepop Berrytwist also had another emotion in her face: Determination, and a hint of curiosity.
"Corporal Wilson!" The Staff Sergeant, a lean built stallion, yelled earning back his attention, and as a reminder of his false identity he was using.
"Yes sir!" Crescent shouted surprised.
"Something interesting about the bodies for you and the others to hang around instead of moving?"
"No sir, it's just, this feels different from usual. The bodies we usually see are in one piece, even the rebels don't go this far. But this , sir I think we should call it in, there wouldn't be this much death over a missing group. At least not so many civilians." Crescent explained, noting the enemy bodies that were outnumbered by the civilians, whatever bodies there were that weren't just nearly indistinguishable chunks of meat.
"That doesn't matter. We'll call it in after we find them."
"Uh~, Sergeant Hawk Shot?" Fizzlepop asked. Both of them looked to find she was ahead of them, hesitantly using her magic to lift a leg drenched in blood. The only difference between this one and the others was the fact it had the remains of an Equestrian uniform clinging to it. "I think I found at least a quarter of one of them."
Cobbler proceeded to lose his lunch all over the floor before Obsidian helped him recover. They then began to enter the cave to follow the trail of growing Equestrian Solider bodies leading to a weird complex inside. It reminded Crescent of the Moon Cave, but somehow better, more technologically advanced, more superior, cleaner... were it not for the bodies that littered the inside as well, the only plus side being there that the bodies came closer to being in one piece, albeit with horrible wounds. Everyone step that he took into the complex, the feeling of being watched grew, every time he looked, he thought he saw something escape into the shadows.
"Sir, any clue what this place might be?" Obsidian asked Hawk Shot, returning Crescent to reality.
"Whatever it is, it was most likely found before, and whoever killed everyone wanted it to stay secret." As Hawk Shot came to the end of his sentence, everyone could hear groans around the corner and moved to find a Yak body embedded head first in a Computer Server, the horns embedded deeper, connected to the large computer screen, to the right they saw a Pegasus Mare with a yellow coat, her mane was orange and resembled a campfire, and she currently had a metal blade in her chest and was keeping pressure on it.
"You shouldn't have come here..." She groaned glaring at them.
"Wilson, Check out the computer, see what they might have, Obsidian, Cobbler, check for anyone else, Fizzlepop, go check on her." Hawk Shot ordered, Fizzlepop moving to the mare with a first aid kit in her magic aura.
Crescent brought out a flash drive and trotted to the terminal, finding some kind of burnt mark across the screen. It still managed to work and he found it in a language he couldn't even begin to understand. He found himself lucky to find a USB port on it and plugged it in, finding a button he pressed to which the computer seemed to load all it's data into the drive. As he waited he listened in on Fizzlepop's conversation.
"Name and Rank."
"Captain Spitfire."
"What's someone your rank doing out here, and on top of that what happened?"
"Rebels reported of some soldiers leaving this place in a hurry and trying to evacuate the town. We figured they must've given up halfway through, so Command sent another group to investigate, they never came back. So rather then just send in more of them at a time before something different happened, they sent us to investigate, but I was the first to realize what happened when we entered the village. Everyone accounted for the population was there, the evacuation was almost complete." Spitfire explained before gritting her teeth as Fizzlepop took out the shard, then disinfected the wound beginning to close it. "There were still soldiers among them, whatever scared the Yaks, it was waiting for them to get close then killed them when they least expected it, like some sick killer in Goth'horn, just chasing the thrill of surprising them. We went inside and found three survivors: A rebel native to the village, her daughter, and a scientist that first investigated the cave. They said whatever came here was more powerful then Equestria and Yakyakistan together. They were trying to evacuate back to the capital to stop the war. They were going to warn us about whatever's here."
"What happened to them?"
"The same thing that's gonna happen to you guys. And the Platoon before us."
"Found someone!" Obsidian shouted pulling out a young yak by her arm, who was shouting something in her native tongue.
"What's she saying?" Crescent asked pulling the Drive out when it was done.
"We're all dead, we were dead the moment we stepped in this cave." Spitefire replied.
"I'm serious, this kid saw something and I want to find it." Obsidian yelled.
"That's what she's saying. Those exact words."
"Just calm down, we're here to help. We checked the village, whatever did this is gone." Cobbler tried assuring her.
"Nej. De är fortfarande här." She said in utter dread in her voice, the sealed door behind her and Obsidian opening ominously.
"Meaning?" Crescent asked looking to Spitfire.
"They're still here."
Before anyone could even react, several things happened at once: a being jumped down from the door, a rough 2 feet from behind Obsidian, wearing some kind of futuristic samurai armor wielding a handle of some sort. It then seemed do some kind of activation, growing a plasma blade that revealed it as a energy Scimitar, then the being swung the blade down as the Yak ran away, pulling Obsidian far enough to where she received a non lethal slash across her back. It then looked to the group and growled in a demonic tone as more beings fell down behind it, the lights flickering erratically hiding their forms, but not their own plasma swords.
"It's Night Glider on the comm what was that? Over." A voice came through their walkie talkies.
"We've been engaged!!" Hawk Shot yelled before the others shot at the being in the armor, the bullets bouncing harmlessly off him as he ran and sliced at the computer terminal. He looked to his right and saw Crescent running to charge while firing to which he slid to the side than rammed Crescent into the screen then ran out the way they came.
"Night Glider contact escaping, clip him on sight!!" Hawk Shot ordered into his comm before going back to shooting hostiles.
Crescent attempted to get up only to get pinned down by one of the beings by his neck. The one on top of him pulled out a plasma dagger and swung down attempting to stab Crescent, but he managed to dodge then punched the assailant in the face releasing the grip on his neck. The assailant proceeded to retort by roaring in his face, the lights flickering revealing a mechanical wolf head. Before he could try again, Obsidian tackled him off of Crescent then shoved the barrel of her gun into his neck and fired, spraying brownish black bloodily over the floor before she went to help Crescent up. Crescent got up to see Fizzlepop be carried off by one of the creatures through the door they jumped out from and held another held Spitfire, submerged in enough shadow to where they only saw her struggling as he kept his claws at her throat. None of the soldiers dared to fire as her screams of protest disappeared with her into the shadows.
"I landed a some good shots in him before he ran back into the cave, we're trailing after you guys now." Night Glider said over the radio.
"Negative, contact command, have them send reinforcements ASAP! Watch your surroundings. Wilson you're with me, Cobbler help Obsidian find the girl!" Hawk Shot ordered running into the shadow followed shortly by Crescent who followed through only stopping to close the door behind them.
Present Day
Crescent awoke in a cold sweat and looked around as the events of last night came back to him. He found himself in some kind of bedroom. He walked out and found Two Hooves eating waffles while Ruby simply looked outside.
"No clue where we are." Ruby replied not even turning around.
"Well we're not dead so that's a start."
"More then that." A voice said to which everyone turned around to see Ocean talking over taking a seat next to Two hooves, who instinctively moved over, using some hooves to move all the waffles over as well.
"Okay spit out, what do you want?" Crescent asked jumping right to the point.
"I'm a long way from forgiving you, but I will admit. I need your help."
"And drugging us then bringing us to your little house on the beach for the girls was the best way to ask?" Ruby asked.
"It was since he would've definitely said no."
"You're not wrong."
"Well here's the deal. Sparkle Labs has some of my armor, I refuse to let any of them have a hold of that. The suit is my life's work, we're one and the same, to turn over the Steel Avenger suit would be to turn over myself, which is tantamount to indentured servitude or prostitution, depending on which part of the country you're in. They can't have it."
"So we just broke into your labs to break stuff, and now you want us to help you break into someone else's lab to break their stuff?" Two Hooves asked putting it all together.
'Wow, he made a actually intelligent observation.' Crescent thought.
"I'm down!" Two Hooves yelled swallowing the last waffle.
' There it is.'
"Two Hooves won't shut up if I don't go, so I guess I was stuck anyway." Ruby replied before looking to Crescent.
Crescent looked back at her before back to Ocean. "What do we get out of this?"
"Footage of your break in erased, double of whatever Arkmane paid you for Two Hooves, Two Hooves gets a clean bill of health saying he's not cuckoo, and a burner phone to call me if you get into any shit again."
"Leave out the phone and throw in an experimental weapon from your labs."
"Deal."
The scene of the battle of Stardust Industries was blocked off by police, looking over the crime scene was Detective Pepper. His coat was a tangerine red, wearing a fancy blue uniform, with a big white mustache and mane, his hat slightly back more for his horn. He used some magic to lift up a mask one of the ninja's bodies.
"I'd be careful with that Fred," A voice said behind him to which he turned around to find Moon Knight standing behind him. "It wouldn't be far off for the League to equip explosive masks for some of their agents."
"How do you do that?"
"What happened here?"
"Reports of a skirmish between what seemed to be, and I quote, 'two rival ninja clans versus some crazy guy that could shoot out hooves, a changeling, and a stallion with a red helmet.' As well as fighting Steel Avenger, apparently even damaging him a little bit."
"Anything on where they went after taking care of this?"
"Nothing, the only things we found belonging to any of them were bullet casings, some tranquilizer darts, and... well look around."
"But you said Steel Avenger took damage, you didn't find anything from him?"
"We did," Pepper replied examining a throwing star from one of the assassins a little more. "But Sparkle Labs came in and confiscated the stuff that may have belonged to him, seemed very uppity about it's importance, everything else looks to be self explanatory, we were mainly doing a 2 block search for anything that could point us in the-" When Pepper turned around, Moon Knight was nowhere to be found.
"Next time I'm setting up fly paper under her." He mumbled under his breath trotting back to his fellow officers.
Moon Knight stood on a rooftop overlooking the crime scene glaring in the direction that the Sparkle Labs building would be deeper into the city.
"After I settle this mess, you and I are going to have a long talk about that armor Matterhorn." She said to herself before she teleported away.
The Sparkle Labs building stood nearly as tall as the Stardust Industries building, 4 blocks away from the Power Ponies HQ. approaching from a building next door that was half the height, Red Horn and his makeshift crew approached the window. Red Horn formed a construct sword and slowly cut a hole into the glass and jumped in followed by the others.
"So what's the plan? Smash everything like at Ocean's place?" Two Hooves asked giddy.
"I'm going to ignore that last part along with the fact you used my name." Ocean replied as his suit interfaced with the software of the building, putting the cameras on a loop. "We're here to smash my stuff here, and nothing more, I want to keep the originality of my suit, not cause an all out business war."
The 4 moved through the halls as they went to the higher floors, avoiding the night shift security, until they finally found themselves in front of a large metal door, looking strong enough to endure an angry Saddle Rager. Steel Avenger approached the terminal and hacked into it with a key that let him access the passcode: FLASH4EVER.
The Door took a full two minutes to finish unlocking before the door opened, revealing to the four a massive array of different inventions, and some types of weapons none of them ever bore witness to.
"Okay, maybe we break more then just that armor." Steel noted with shocked eyes before Two Hooves pushed over a large computer with one hoof, breaking it with a childish smirk. "Red Horn, help me find the armor, Ruby, help Two Hooves."
Ruby nodded picking up a claw looking weapon and firing it at a rack of guns, releasing a swirling stream of plasma that incinerated the rack.
Ruby looked at the spot with wide eyes before tucking the gun away in her bag with a grin. "You can keep your prototype, this thing can serve as payment."
Red Horn and Ocean searched in some of the labs to see if the armor was being tested, coming up with nothing only for Red Horn to spot something gleaming in the corner of his eye. He walked over to it and found a box that looked like it came from the police evidence locker, with Steel Avenger's armor pieces inside. "Found it."
Steel nodded and walked to it, firing a very weak but constant wave of energy at it, heating up the metal and beginning to melt it. Red Horn merely looked on feeling his feet were a little cold. He looked behind him and found a wall with some mist escaping the cracks near the floor. Red Horn began looking around trying to find the source, and found a terminal that didn't belong to anything in the wall.
"Steel."
"What?" He asked, finished with the piece of molten metal he created.
"Could you hack this terminal, I think I found something." Red Horn asked as Steel approached it, after looking for a port for a quick minute, Steel Avenger hacked into it and the sound of a lock clicking came forth wall and a portion of it flipped around, revealing a large cryogenic tube, the mist emanating from it.
Red Horn trotted close than used a hoof to wipe the window a little and see who was inside.
It was a wirewolf, 6'9" in height, his colors all mismatched, a red torso, with a small bullet hole scar in the center of it's chest, yellow arms, a green right foot, and a yellow left foot, his head and neck grey while his eyes were black since he was deactivated. Upon seeing him, Red Horn jumped back as the surprise of that secret brought back more memories.
2 Years Ago
Crescent switched on his night vision and followed Hawk Shot through the corridors, flinching slightly and the tiniest noise.
"Permission to speak freely." Crescent asked.
"Granted."
"What the hell do you think we're exactly dealing with?"
"Based on the architecture, it may sound crazy but aliens. Probably came to observe us for some bull shit excuse and want to stay hidden so they kill any witnesses."
"That sounds insane anywhere else, but here that actually makes the most sense."
Before Crescent could speak further, Hawk Shot raised his hoof up and looked around the corner before quickly turning back. He looked to Crescent made the hoof gestures for them to start moving more quietly. When they rounded the corner, they were met with a sight that shocked both of them.
First they saw the body of a mare that was part of Spitfire's team, then looking up, they saw her chest cavity was open, a puddle of blood around her, and standing over her, actively consuming her organs with it's snout deep in the cavity, was a large wolf like robot... something, almost like a heavy armor of sort, but at the same time it looked like that was it's actual body, his arms stained with the mare's blood, the same went with his head when he lifted his head up before he reached in and pulled out the dead mare's liver, then took a large bite out of it chewing, before deciding to toss the rest into his mouth then swallowed it, then bending his neck down to drink from the puddle of blood.
Crescent dumbfounded at the sight, it looked so familiar yet it was still completely alien, but when he looked at Hawk Shot he was utterly terrified at the sight.
Crescent used a hoof to lower his sergeant's weapon, taking a step forward onto some broken glass creating a small crushing sound beneath him.
The creatures eyes shot up and at the two of them. He growled standing up facing them, revealing his height at 7' 2". He then let out a howl to the sky and charged towards them. Hawk Shot panicked and fired all over trying to kill him, but the bullets bounced harmlessly off his shell. Crescent on the other hand aimed and fired a shot into his left shoulder and right knee. He roared out in pain sprawling onto the floor clutching his knee in agony before Crescent knocked him out with the butt of his gun. Something cracked from the hit and Crescent looked closely and used his magic to lift off what looked like a weird bandage before seeing the blinking lights, and the tiny bag of power.
'Some weird Suicide patch?' Crescent thought before something else occurred to him looking at it. He then opened his jaw, discovering gate thing must've have some kind of large inner mouth that looked more wolf like, to look and find one tooth that looked out of place. He pulled it out and showed it to Hawk Shot.
"A suicide tooth, coupled with the patch I guess these things really don't like having conversations. On the plus side your alien theory checks out."
Hawk Shot shook his head a little before looking to Crescent. "This thing... that whole wolf motif reminds me a little of Corporal Tangler. You think he knows anything about this?"
"Definitely not, I'm his partner on patrols through the city, other then the Yak soldiers I'm pretty sure he wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone... this. I suggest we ask our little friend here some questions."
"Obsidian, do you copy? Over." Hawk Shot asked speaking into his radio.
"Loud and clear, Cobbler found the yak and is comforting her now, treated my back slash, I'm watching him now. Need some backup? Over."
"No we found someone we might get answers from, follow the corridor and grab the assailant tied up. Over." Hawk Shot ordered and Crescent made sure the bonds were tight.
"Acknowledged Sir, on my way now. Over."
Hawk Shot and Crescent moved farther and deeper into the complex, finding the occasional half eaten body and surprisingly, a few alien corpses as well.
"So Spitfire's crew didn't go down without a fight." Hawk Shot said aloud with a sense of respect for the late fire-team.
'Would've made a Hell of a Moon Knight.' Crescent thought looking at the body of the Mare who was merely slumped against the wall, uneaten, yet with at least 7 of the corpses surrounding her.
Crescent and Hawk Shot found a large door with a hand scanner for the aliens. Crescent took out his knife and cut the hand off of a corpse and placed it on the scanner, the door beeping before it opened, allowing them to see the room that was locked.
The rest of Spitfire's crew among the Equestrian Solider bodies that were piled up around the central part of the room, a large elevator door. Crescent heard screaming from a pile and ran to it to find Spitfire was apparently tied and gagged then shoved into one of the piles, the wide look in her eyes showing how horrified she was drenched in her dead friend's blood.
"Where's Fizzlepop?" Crescent whispered in the event of a trap.
"T-t-t-they took her down the elevator, but you're going in with no clue. This is the farthest my team got before those mutts came out and killed everyone while chasing us out. I locked that door behind me and had to drift into unconsciousness listening to them scream for help through the door and the comm links."
Hawk Shot went to the elevator and opened it rifle ready to fire, and was appropriately met with a 7' 5" Wolf Bot that tackled him to the ground. The room was then filled with Hawk Shot's screams as the alien then bit into his arm, biting the hoof clean off, spraying blood everywhere before going back to mauling Hawk Shot. This was soon interrupted by a bullet through the neck by Spitfire, who managed to pull out her pistol. She then ran over to the beast and continued to fire, spraying more oily blood on the floor.
Crescent ran to his C.O. with a med kit and treated the wound as best as he could.
"I'll radio for Night Glider to bring back-"
"No." Hawk Shot imply said.
"Sir?"
"Captain Spitfire's at least fit enough to help, all I'll do is slow you down, leave me in the elevator, any of them try following you down I'll have a nice surprise."
Crescent growled at what he had to do but simply saluted. "It's been an honor sir."
Spitfire helped him drag Hawk Shot into the elevator and looked at the buttons, there were only 3 of them, but due to his total lack of knowledge in alien dialect had no idea which of the two floors Fizzlepop could be taken to, one could be it while the other could be where these things might have feeding frenzies. But then he looked at the third button and saw rather then a letter, it was a symbol, the symbol for Omega. Crescent pressed it and the elevator went down to that level. Crescent opened up found it was only a single corridor, no doors, but he was surprised to find several Yak bodies all over hall, several of them missing body parts, but with a majority of alien corpses around them to even it out.
Crescent and Spitfire walked out, Crescent only lingering to give a final nod to Hawk Shot before walking to the door and found what the Yaks had found.
It was a large portal looking device, with a computer on the side that seemed to have data on Equestria in it's databanks from the pictures of it's landmarks he could see. He pulled Spitfire back as he saw Fizzlepop was thrown into the middle of the room, dozens of pairs of red eyes looked at her circling like a group of sharks, but stopped when someone enter the room.
It was two 7' 6" Aliens, but the only difference between them was that one was wearing the samurai armor with only his helmet off, revealing it as such, and the other one was unique in terms of his right hand being what caught Crescent's attention. It was completely different from his left, a simple hand and three digit claw, but rather then metal, it was made of pure stone, with small cracks in it, revealing a blue glow beneath, his claws seemed to float in place, sparks of electricity occasionally forming between them.
"How much about this place does your weak government know?" The Armored one asked.
"Suck my horn." Fizzlepop answered spitting on his chest.
"Do not tempt me, because as much as I want to kill you and see exactly what flavor it is, I'm afraid I can't do it until you tell me what I want to know. And you can finally drop the whole Tempest Shadow Lone Wolf Schtick, you and I both know how terrified you are."
"You'll just kill me afterwards and feed me to your pets." She replied unwavering.
"Madam I find it rude for you to call our fellow species pets. They are very much our equals, yesss~, they may act like our ancestors and the dogs of your planet, but they are much more then meets the eye." The Stone handed One replied.
"Direwolf the good cop bad cop routine was always terrible. From how long she's prolonging to answer it's clear they don't know anything about our little organization. I'll just kill her now and the rest can be labeled as unfit to serve. I'll tell the others it's time to go." The Armored One replied before howling to the ceiling, the sound echoing through the halls and vents. Crescent and Spitfire held their breaths as multiple Wolf Bot's flooded into the room coming out from seemingly everywhere, from Crescent's count about 165 of them of all shapes and sizes, the Armored one pressing a button on his gauntlet, opening the portal to which all of them save for the two ran in and disappeared.
"All the packs? Why not the troops?" 'Direwolf' asked with interest.
"We don't need the packs, and just leave here without causing one last little disruption for the road? Where's the fun in that?" A bullet bounced off one of his shoulder spikes chipping it.
"Here's your fun asshole." Spitfire replied walking out of the shadows.
"Oh Captain Spitfire I was wondering when you'd join us down here." Direwolf said with a oddly pleasant tone. From around the room, multiple Wolf Bots walked out of the shadows, averaging out a 7' 5" each, their arms transforming into blasters.
"Unfortunately this is where your universal discoveries end." The Armored one added.
Before either party could do something Fizzlepop reached for the Armored one's sword and activated it, then stabbed it into his side earning a scream of pain from him.
"Brother!" Direwolf shouted in concern running to him as Fizzlepop ran back to Crescent and Spitfire, who managed to respond first laying down covering fire and taking out multiple targets before they began firing back. Fizzlepop fired several magic blasts at them, dispersing many of them, Crescent silencing one with a construct sword through the chest into his throat.
"For... Wire..wolf-" He gurgled out before dying.
'So bullets are too weak but Magic works fine. Awesome to know.' Crescent thought before deciding to jump down, taking precision neck and joint shots, killing/taking out multiple troops as he swung his gun, it's scope falling upon Direwolf, who set his brother down to stare down Crescent, to which he then fired at Direwolf's throat, aiming at firing enough bullets to sever his head. When the clip was empty he looked and was stunned as Direwolf still stood there with a smirk on his face, all the bullets glowing blue like his hand before he clenched it and al the bullets clumped together like a ball.
"I really do love this hand. Yesss~" Direwolf mused chucking the ball in the air a few times before dropping it. "Now Mister Crescent Blade, I suggest that you turn around and do not return, we will have a close eye on you, but I wish to stop this right here and now."
"I'll do it for you." 'Wirewolf' said getting up and running at Crescent, covering his face from Crescent's fire and when he got in range, he grabbed one of Crescent's sword constructs and managed to cut Crescent in his side before a magic blast from Fizzlepop sent him into the wall. Wirewolf chuckled maniacally from the hit still gripping the sword. "Oh I like magic! So explosive."
Fizzlepop charged repeatedly blasting only for Wirewolf to deflect every shot, deflecting the last one back at her horn, cracking it horribly. She yelped in pain holding her horn before Wirewolf lunged and slashed at it, causing a small explosion sending them both back, Wirewolf inches from the portal and Fizzlepop on the stairs. Crescent coughed running to her through the smoke and tried helping her up. "Fizzlepop are you okay?"
"My horn, my horn, Blade I can't feel my horn. " Fizzlepop replied lowly in a terrified voice, tears pouring from her eyes as her horn was now just a broken stub, her right eye bearing a light cut over it, but not blinding her in that eye.
Crescent looked around and saw Wirewolf had gotten up and was wielding her other horn end, then his helmet bent in a malicious smile as he then crushed it into pieces beneath him.
"Such a shame, self access to a near infinite power source, cut off like the wrong wire of a bomb. Brother, do take care of them for me, I feel like having a nice little nap, and don't worry about the self destruct sequence, I'm one step ahead of you." Wirewolf ordered pressing a button on his gauntlet causing the complex to sound with an alarm. He waved a mocking goodbye to the ponies before walking through the portal.
Direwolf looked at Fizzlepop and Crescent, the latter glaring while eat other looked in fear. Direwolf's left hand converted into a blaster and aimed at them both.
Present Day
"Red Horn!" Silent Rose shouted bringing Crescent back to reality. "What happened, you looked inside and then you froze up."
"It's... it's nothing." Red Horn replied.
"Okay then, I get to open it!" Two Hooves shouted trying to open the tube without a passcode, but met a fruitless endeavor before he got an idea. He grabbed Steel and placed his hoof on the console to interface with it, unlocking the cryotube. More mist escaped out of the tube as the wirewolf's claws began to twitch.
"What did that idiot do?" Red Horn asked.
"Why what's the problem? Besides him grabbing me like that." Steel asked.
"Because the guy inside and I have a history together."
"History how?"
"History of I shot him in the chest which led to him being in there."
Before anyone could react, a clawed hand reached out of the tube and slammed onto the console, breaking it as the wires inside it wrapping around as wirewolf rose out. His eyes turning on, glowing a menacing green along with his mouth as he spotted Red Horn to which they turned to a sinister red.
"You... " He growled.
"Steel Avenger, meet Devastator." Red Horn noted before Devastator lunged for him, ripping the console out as the metal was warped become a laser cannon. Devastator swung around firing a blast that narrowly missed Red Horn.
"You tried to hurt my friends and you hurt me for protecting them. Now I'm going to hurt you. " Devastator growled as the wiring beneath him was ripped up taking some systems with it as the weapons close to him piled onto him, distributing between his arms becoming a larger cannon on his right arm and a plasma shield on his left.
"Scatter!" Red Horn shouted to which everyone did so as Devastator fired around the room mainly going to Red Horn, destroying much of the machinery and setting off the alarm. Steel Avenger remote hacked the door and sealed it shut before Devastator shot him in a thruster crippling his flight as Red Horn dove for Devastator and hung on by the neck, trying to weigh him down only for Devastator to throw him off. As Devastator prepared to finish him off, but when he fired Silent Rose jumped in and her hooves morphed into blade that bounced the laser to a window.
"You would defend this mercenary after all he's done?"
"I helped him with all he did. I love him, and I will be there to fight with him to my last breath."
Devastator prepared to fire again, but something in him clicked, and he slowly lowered it as his eyes turned back to green, the enhancements on him falling off. "I'm... I'm so sorry, something woke up in me seeing him, and I just couldn't stop myself from trying to... how long have I been in there?"
"Roughly a month." Steel replied looking at the log. "You were patched up halfway through but they still kept you on ice for some reason, maybe your little gift you just showed us was it."
"Why... why would she do this, she told Shadow Blot she would let me out as soon as possible." Devastator said to himself.
"Okay we'll leave you to figuring who you can trust or not, we're done here." Red Horn noted before the steel door was being banged on, followed shortly after by the clicks of the locks unlocking and the door opening.
"Freeze!" A voice shouted from the other side, revealing the Power Ponies.
"Oh there you two are." Zapp joked cracking her neck. "Guess we get to have round two."
"Steel Avenger, what do you think you're doing in my..." Matterhorn started before seeing Devastator, her eyes widening in surprise at the sight of him, and the glare on his face he gave her.
"Gears?" Saddle Rager asked in shock of seeing him. "You're ok."
"Sparkle Labs was keeping him here on ice even after he healed, they were trying to figure out how he could do what he can."
Saddle Rager's gaze went over to Matterhorn turning into a scowl of betrayal and anger. Matterhorn's gaze went back to the current burglar's. "Don't try and change the subject you're trespassing-"
"You trespassed my property trying to seeing what made me tick." Devastator said with growl before Red Horn got between them.
"As much as I'd enjoying seeing you fight them, I have a counterproposal." Red horn suggested before throwing out a flash bang. "Hit the deck!"
The Power Ponies were not so lucky to follow the instructions quicker and found themselves temporally blinded as the four ran to the emergency exit going down the stairs. As Devastator followed them, he turned to see Saddle Rager recovered quicker then the other and looked at him. Her face had many emotions on it, rage against Matterhorn, betrayal from her friend, but love for him, and sadness, her look begging for him to stay. Devastator looked sad at her as she realized she needed to help her friends.
"I'm sorry." Gears said then running off closing the door behind him. As the Power ponies recovered, many of them groaning feeling their ears still ringing.
"Oh great, I was seeing only white in everything and now it's all black." Zapp groaned.
"WHAT?" Filli-Second yelled her hearing apparently taking longer to return.
"Pinkie! Be quiet! You can't hear!" Humdrum yelled.
"CAN OF BEER! I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YOU DRANK! YOU'RE TOO YOUNG!"
"SHE DOESN'T." Matterhorn yelled back before feeling a presence in the room and turning around to see Saddle Rager glaring at her, her eyes glowing a faint pink as Moon Knight stood behind her not making a single sound.
"You have a lot to explain for Matterhorn, to both of us." Moon Knight spoke, startling Saddle Rager making her keel over in panic.
The 5 that just escaped Sparkle Labs were all sitting around the table at Ocean's Beach Lab, the latter out of his armor while Crescent had his helmet off and Ruby had her mask off. Two Hooves had found some ice cream and decided to treat himself for the success of the mission while Gears simply stared out at the beach watching some dolphins swimming.
"Gears." A voice behind him said to which he turned around to find Crescent there. "Are you okay?"
"Why do you care?"
"Because nobody told you to follow us here, why did you?"
Gears sighed looking back outside. "I don't know, I feel... conflicted. Matterhorn, she betrayed my trust not letting me out when I was all better, I should've just went back to find the Mighty Machines, we could've helped you get out of Maretropolis then Shadow Blot and Rodan would be reading her the riot act."
"I have a feeling Saddle Rager's got that covered. Ocean would've taken care of getting us out."
"No, it's not about who'd take care of it. You guys found me and saved me from behind on ice still for who knows how long, I feel I need to return the favor. Why don't you trust me?"
"I've had a bad history with wirewolves, most recently, one that used to be locked up in Arkmane."
"It's not just Brine is it?" Ruby asked walking up to him. "Not even just the Mighty Machines. Ever since you saw Brine, you've been acting weird seeing him, what did he do to you?"
"It's not what he did, it's what he unearthed."
"Please Crescent, tell me, I'm your partner. One of the only ponies you've trusted since you started this business."
Crescent was hesitant then groaned sitting on the couch. "Ok. but you can't tell anyone else outside this house."
"Ok." Ruby said with a smile.
"Good." Crescent began. "I told you how they ordered us to kill innocents to pin on the rebels, but I never told you about what really opened my eyes to the world. It was a village just like the others, but everyone was dead, an evacuation from something that had them terrified, something I found out the hard way. I probably wouldn't even be here if I wasn't held at gunpoint where I was."
2 Years ago
"Do it Lord Direwolf, kill them both, for our dead brothers! For Omega!" A surviving solider encouraged followed by a silent nod from his fellow survivor.
"No~, for me. " Direwolf replied before turning to blast the solider then shot his hand at the other one crushing his skull against the wall like a watermelon. "I suggest that you follow my advice and escape while you can with you friends Crescent, yesss~, to try and pursue my brother now would be certain suicide."
"Since when were you all 'Let's try not to kill each other'!?" Spitfire yelled.
"If you knew who I really was you would truly understand." He replied.
"Your asshole brother broke my friend's horn." Crescent replied getting up.
"One moment please it's a little hard to breathe wearing this." Direwolf replied poking a side in his neck, which caused his head to hiss as air escaped, He then put both his hands on his head and pulled up, revealing his head underneath as a wirewolf, Crescent oddly thought of Shadow Blot looking at his face, but it was different, more malign, wiser.
"I regret every bit of that moment, to harm the only mare I find quite beautiful for no good reason then because he could is simply evil." Direwolf explained earning a brief blush from Fizzlepop as he collected her horn remains and tucked them away in a pouch. "But know that he could've done worse things given more time. Yesss~, he's far twisted then you think. You have about 6 minutes to get you and your friends out of here now. Don't worry about the data on your home we've gathered, it's being sent directly towards someone I think you'll know." Direwolf then began going to the portal before Crescent spoke up.
"Wait!"
"Now is really not the time to for questions and answers."
"Why didn't you kill us? How do you know my name?" He asked as Spitfire began to drag him away.
"Because I'm not my brother, and I know many secrets of yours, so I would suggest you simply take my advice and leave now before I inform your two friends of your old nighttime activities." Direwolf warned with a smirk earning a look of shock than a glare from Crescent. "Consider everyday from this moment a gift Crescent Blade, yesss~, because if we ever meet next time, you will not have the same mercy given to you now. "
Direwolf then stepped through the portal before it shut off, faint booms echoing in the distance. Crescent and Spitfire carried Fizzlepop to the elevator, the latter being very shocked when it opened and they found Hawk Shot's body slumped against the wall, multiple bodies surrounding him. They rode the elevator up and ran as fast as they could towards where they started, Obsidian being the only one they spotted, her whole suit coated in alien blood with a crazy look of determination in her eyes. When she turned she looked shocked upon seeing Crescent carrying Hawk Shot's body with his magic while Fizzlepop lacked a full horn.
"What happened down there?" She asked.
"Shut up and run!" Crescent barked to which she helped in carrying Fizzlepop out of the cave. All of them ran to the village, never looking back, and thankful to spot Night Glider talking with Cobbler and the Yak.
"What happened in there? What the hell happened to the Sarge!?" Night Glider asked in horror seeing them before the cave exploded in a fiery inferno.
"Evil." Obsidian simply said.
Crescent looked down at the sarge and closed his eyes silently saying a prayer.
"Woah was that an explosion?" Someone asked before walking from behind a house was a yellow wirewolf with a red eye and a blue eye with a green pupil in combat gear.
Crescent's slits narrowed as he reached for his gun before Obsidian stopped him.
"Wilson calm down! It's Gerald, he's your friend! He's not with them."
"With who?! I agree with Obsidian, please put the gun down, and follow up question, why does Fizzlepop have no horn?"
Crescent breathed in and out before putting his gun back. "We need a medic." Was all he said before Cobbler ran over to look at Fizzlepop in shock.
"What did happen down there? Unicorn horns break, but not like this, it's shattered , I'm sorry to tell you this Fizzlepop but I don't think your horn's going to heal from this, the damage being so close to your skull I'm not sure how we can-"
"Don't call me that." She replied in a cold dark tone. "Fizzlepop Berrytwist died in that cave with her other horn half."
"Come on we're your friends, granted we give you that over the top edgy name but it's in good fun. Fizzlepop Whatever happened in that cave we can help you with it." Gerald said trying assure her.
"You want to see what happened?! Go look in those flames yourself , maybe you can find my horn ashes. And my name, is Tempest Shadow , and you won't understand the horror I saw in there. Wilson only saw the outside, those freaks showed me what they were really doing." She retorted beginning to walk away before whispering into Crescent's ear. "Your secrets safe with me Crescent, we both saw things we shouldn't have, what happens here stays between you, me, Spitfire, and Obsidian. See to it Hawk gets delivered back home. I at least want him buried as far from this spot as possible."
"What's going on with the yak?" Crescent asked Cobbler as Tempest walked away.
"Her name's Yona Yak, she's bilingual but forgot during what happened down there. The dead yak in the server was her mother, she died making sure those freaks couldn't do anymore harm with the data on both our nations that server had. I'm going to have her transferred over to Equestria, that was the last of her family, she'll stay with me." Cobbler replied sadly.
"I think that server destruction at least saved us until whenever they're coming back. Tomorrow, years from now, I don't think we'll ever be ready." Spitfire replied.
"Luckily we got a little someone who can explain." Obsidian retorted with a grin before stepping back to reveal the Wolf Bot still tied up, who simply chuckled, the pitch of it identifying her as female.
"Talon's the name if you didn't get it from me in the hallway. Either way You're in for a treat from me. Like the treats your friends turned out to be, never knew pony could taste so good. Better then Yak that's for sure." She said, flashing them her blood soaked teeth beneath her mask.
Crescent fought every urge not to shove that cyanide tooth he took from her back down her throat for that comment on those innocents. "We see you as a high value asset." He replied keeping his cool. "I think they'll enjoy whatever answers you may have."
"Oh sure, I have nothing better to do then wait for them to come back and finish the job." Talon retorted to which Gerald placed a gag around her mouth.
"Ok time for talkings over crazy lady." He said before turning to Crescent who began to walk away. "Dude what really happened in there? You guys look horrible and Hawk's dead, what did this isn't normal."
"I will but I want to ask you something. What do you think of other's of your kind?"
"Must be pretty awesome to hang around here, well in Equestria but you know what I mean."
"Well let's just say what happened down there has to do is very complicated." Crescent replied quietly before heading back into the jeep. After all that, the only thing Crescent wanted now, was to rest.
Author's Note
I LIVE~~~~!!!!!!! Yes! Another chapter had appeared, filling holes and setting up dominos. If you want the backstory behind the guys Crescent met, follow the link to my Prequel(and non MLP related story,Wirewolves: Their Past Revealed ) and for those who don't recognize 'Gerald Tangler', see the prequel story of this. Beginning's of an Immortal Wirewolf: Prequel To AACMA