United we Stand

by Chemtest

Rating: teen
Tags: Other, Adventure, Fallout, Spitfire, Crystal Ponies, Profanity, Violence, Crossover, Death, Alternate Universe, Human, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Team Fortress, Soarin, Science Fiction, Comedy
Length: 19011

Hero, Villain, Civilian, Warrior. Pointless terms that mean nothing when faced with something so evil.

Two months ago, that is when the Elements were reunited, when the Combine invaded. Last is missing, Survivor is presumed dead, and the Union loses hope every day. Only three free cities still stand.

The Doctor, Kendrick, Jack, Twilight Sparkle, Clyde and Clive, Solare of Astora, The Lone Wanderer, Heavy, Reznov, Mason, Wolfram, Ceaser, and Blue Leader. Hero, Villain, Warrior, Civilian, we don’t care what they were.

The Combine establish themselves, and hunt us down. The Emperor of them a being of unknowable power, their technology greater than anything Equestria was ready for.

We will make our stand against any odds. We can only hope people will hold themselves together long enough so we do not fall.

Cover art made by user SkyeDragon, and I am very greatful for them to allow me to have something actually good looking for this finale!

Published 2018-08-02 05:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2018-08-25 04:59:55 UTC

Beginning of the unknown

—(Commander)—

I kneel down before the Emperor, fist over heart, “So, Commander, can you guess why you’re here?”

I don’t make any movement outside of my mask, “It is not my job to assume what you command, it is my job to do as you command.”

The Emperor laughs, a disgusting sound that would make any Private pass out, “You’ve done so much with the experts in Red squad, and I seek to reward your good actions. You managed to sneak in and secure the children of Skyrim, and you don’t even command a sneaking squad.”

I shudder as I remember it.

———

The children we are looking for are apparently kept in an old cabin far off from town. That very same cabin is the one my squad and I all rush up on. I take out my side arm for the breech, and nod to my squad, “Breach and clear, secure the children. You know the drill.”

With a nod, I move in front of the door to kick it open.

*bang!*

The squad all move in before anypony inside can react. Guns pointed towards the middle of the room. Their wasn’t even a single adult pony in there. What there was was a collection of children, more than twenty of them. I point my revolver at the one that was the leader. Every other child hid behind him, “Surrender yourselves or you will be killed!”

The child gets into an aggressive stance. But a bright orange filly behind him calms him down, “Sorin, we have to surrender. Don’t worry, the Faceless Protecter will save us.”

With that, he returns to a normal stance. I smile under my mask, “Follow us outside, the aircraft will carry you out of here.”

I can hear said aircraft hovering outside, and I move the children outside. They start to climb aboard.

All get aboard before me and half of the squad climb on. The aircraft starts to take off, leaving the other half of the squad behind to clear the area.

“No!”

The aircraft starts to fly off, but I can still see what happens through my magnified lenses.

The six men down there are nearly instantly killed. Three are pierced by black tendrils, connected to the Resistance leader named Slender Man. The other three are all taken out by a grey flurry of motion. Their bodies both filled with bullets, and broken everywhere by a unbreakable bottle. The handiwork of the Resistance Leader Chem.

I yell at the aircraft pilot to fly as fast as possible, and we managed to get back to Canterlot without drawing their ire.

———

“We lost half of the squad.”

The Emperors smile can almost be felt, making me want to be sick, “You ran into two of the Leaders, losing only half shows that you are capable of quick thinking to save the other half, and the children. Successfully grown into adults, and they ran away to Stalliongrad, wich we should have seen coming.”

I grimace just being in his presence, “About me being here, sir?”

“You are now to be in charge of a new Red squad, made up of ponies. I want you also to prepare for a grand assault tomorrow, we will make a decisive blow against our enemies.”

“Yes sir.”

—(Slender Man)—

We five leaders all sit in our safe house. Spirits are the lowest ever.

*Smash!*

After the kids were taken a month ago, and returned fully grown up.

*Smash!*

They experienced all the years the aged through. Gained a lot of resentment from it, specificly Spitfire.

”You failed everyone. You are no protecter, all you are is a false prophet of fake hope.”

*Smash!*

We are below bad in morale. We count every day we stay here another curse and a blessing.

“Why am I here?”

I turn over to Avatar to see him break down in tears.

“I am only fourteen fucking years old! Why am I litterly leading a revolution?! I was supposed to be a scientist, I was the top of my class! Yet here I am in a world surrounded by colorful little fucking ponies and those who were also unfortunate enough to wind up where I am! I met myself from a differnt universe, and he’s dead! And now I’m fighting the villains from a fucking video game! What is this, motherfucking Half Life 3!?”

No words need to be spread to know that we all share his thoughts.

*Smash!*

He collapses onto the floor, and curls up, “I want to go back. I don’t want to be Avatar, I wanna be Austin again. I want to rewind time just so I can have another conversation with Victor, another game of Four Square with the FQCA. Hell, even going back to Tempest and the Storm Kingdom. I don’t want to be here anymore. It’s not fair! Why was I chosen, what did I do wrong!? I’ve made a few jokes about the Holocaust, 9/11, and such, and I’m sorry! Is that what I need to say?! I am sorry! I want to go back... I want to go back.”

*Smash!*

Chem raises another bottle to throw at the wall, but puts it down in defeat, “Join the club, kid. I want to go back and continue what I was doing. Death would even be better then seeing the disappointment every time I look one of the children in the eye. I can’t bare seeing that every day.”

I look over at Courier, “What about you, are you also like them?”

Courier doesn’t even look up at me, “I’ve failed so much in my life. I am failing my revolution, I failed myself by setting free the Sprit. I failed my family and my town when they all died. This is my punishment, my life and knowing that I will keep failing. I want it to end. My punishment has gone on for years, and I see no end in it. I question every day if I shall keep going, even if it is a failure that it will end in. So yes, I am like them.”

I look over at Raven with desperation, “Raven?”

Raven looks up at me, the sadness present in his eyes, “Two hundred and one years, one month, two weeks, five days, ten hours. That’s how long I’ve waited for my happiest moment. I could be back in my world right now, stopping that timer and finnaly getting married. I could free my sense of revenge on Blueblood. Slendy, you have to realise what situation I’m in. I have waited over two hundred years for my marriage to happen again! We were in the middle of the ceremony when I was brought here by Last! I’m sorry if it offends you, but I have waited to godsdamned long for that moment!”

I look around at everyone, all resting back sad.

”You failed everyone. You are no protecter, all you are is a false prophet of fake hope.”

I take a deep breath to clear my mind of that memory, “I’ll go see if the Rooks have found anything.”

I walk towards the door, and Raven stops me on the way, “Slendy, you know I didn’t mean to explode on you. Tensions are just high...”

I nod, “Don’t worry, Raven, I get it, you’re still cool.”

“Don’t you feel the same, though?”

I stop with that question, and memories flow through my mind.

”But you are the Element of Selflessness.”

“Yes.” With that, I walk out into the Rook’s room.

Operation: Preemptive Intervention

—(The previous day)—

A few days ago, the Combine set up a forward base of operations smack dab in between Skyrim and Hollow Shades. It is patrolled by the elite of the Combine army, the best they have. It’s obvious that this is an important place, and that they plan of useing it, presumably to attack a city. So, the Rooks were sent in.

———

“This is Jack, time to set the plan in action. Reznov, Mason, Wolfram, Ceaser, have you eyes over the base?”

“Da.”

“Ja.”

“Si.”

“Yes.”

“Heavy, are you prepared to fire?”

“Little babies will not know what hit them.”

“I’ll take that as a yes. Wanderer, are you and Clyde in close to sneak?”

“They don’t see us, we wait for their patrols to have a gap.”

“Clive can distract them sufficiently.”

“Good, execute when ready. Lord and Solare, are you ready to cause a distraction?”

“This warrior of the sun will have a shocking surprise in store for them.”

”They stand no chance against my mace.”

“Twilight and Doctor, are you ready with the evac?”

“I am ready to fend off any Combine who get to close.”

“The TARDIS is ready to go as soon as needed.”

“Good, with everyone in position, Operation Preemptive Intervention is a go. Remember the goals of the mission. We are to search for any information, and disrupt the base as much as possible. Remember: only open fire and destroy when the sneakers are either caught, or escape. Alright, let’s go.”

—(Wanderer)—

I sit behind an abandoned piece of plywood with Clyde when I see a guard stop in front of us. I look over at Clyde, “Be prepared to drag him back here.”

I pull out my silenced 10MM pistol and aim it at the guard.

*bang.*

The guard falls over dead, and I move forward. Clyde drags him under the piece of plywood to hide him, and we move our way into the base.

We move our way into some gaps behind the buildings to hide us. I peek my head out to see if their are any patrols. I see none, so I move on.

We sneak our way just like that all the way to the middle.

I’m sneaking by the center-most building when I hear my radio crackle, “Hide now!”

We instantly duck into the building, “Reznov, what’s wrong?”

“The entire base seems like it’s mobilizing quickly. A great number of units are nearing your current position. Search and find what you can before they find you.”

Clyde hears what I hear, so we insisted start to search all types of fileing cabinets. Clyde eventually pulls out a file, and reads it, “I found some important intel, we need to go now.”

I hear the door open, and I duck into a hidden corner of a room, “Sniper teams, we found the intel, open fire and draw them away from us. We can’t allow them to know we have intel.”

“Just like Stalingrad.”

*Bang!*

“Reminds me of Berlin.”

*Bang!*

“Never did much marksmanship in Japan.”

*Bang!*

“North African Italian snipers were the best.”

*Bang!*

The sniper shots all take out some Combine, and the alarm is shortly tripped.

I see a window, and no Combine are paying attention to it. I nod at Clyde, and we make our escape.

———

“Assault team, you have free reign.”

—(Heavy)—

Weak Combine babies all take cover from the snipers. Heh, cover means nothing to Sasha.

I move my way out of the forest I was hidden in, and open fire.

*Ratatat!*

Their puny Combine buildings and cover all fall before my Russian might, “Fear me, cowards!”

*Pew! Pew! Pew!*

Heh, little babies try and fire back with puny laser guns, they hold nothing compared to the might of Sasha, “I am invincible!”

—(Kendrick)—

I flick out my mace, growing three feet in an instant. Solare rushes up beside me, and starts to throw lightning bolts at the enemies.

I rush in, causing quite a bit of fear in the enemies I move towards to. They quickly rally, and start to fire at me.

I have to admit, their lasers are quite powerful, and they do hurt me. But I can easily shake off most pain these days.

I get to them quickly, and I go to town with my mace. I raise it and swing at a building someone is hidden behind.

*SSSSSSWWWWWWWW- CRACK!*

With a blast sent out from my mace, the building collapses upon itself, crushing all inside useing it as cover.

I reacive a ton of fire into my back, and turn around to see an airship there.

Good thing about these airships, they are not very resistant against fire.

”Yol Toor Shul”

With a huge blast of fire, the airship spins out of control. It explodes in a burst of fire, causing a deadly fire.

I turn around again only to see myself surrounded.

—(Twilight)—

I send a blast of magic at a Combine soldier, “Jack, get them back here, we need to go!”

I hear Jack over the radio, “All Rooks, flee back to the TARDIS now!”

I hide behind a tree, and return fire at another soldier, “Doctor, get ready!”

I can hear a buzzing sound, and the soldiers gun jams, “Come on, Twilight, take cover inside!”

I rush to the TARDIS, and hide inside of it. I see the Doctor pointing his Sonic Screwdriver out at more advancing soldiers, “Twilight, dear, I have created targets for you, take the shot!”

I peek my head, and we many soldiers trying to unjam their guns, wich I take out with a blast from my horn.

I can also hear many heavy footsteps coming my direction, and some other Rooks come rushing out of the forest. Doctor looks out at them, “Reznov, Mason, Wolfram, Ceaser, Heavy, come on!”

All of them rush over to the TARDIS, and are covered by a rock flying it’s way between soldiers, leaving behind unconscious corpses. The Lone Wander and Clyde come rushing out of the forest.

Clyde rushes in, and holds his hand out, “Clive.” Clive the rock flies into his hand, and he joins the others with the whole rushing in thing.

Finnaly, a flurry of motions brings the enternce of Solare, who is almost dancing between the soldiers, and Kendrick right behind him.

With those two rushing in, the Doctor flips a switch, and we get out of there.

—(Slendy, present)—

I walk into the Rook’s room, and see all of them resting up, “Was any intel found.”

Clyde hands me a file, and I open it. I immediately feel my stomach drop when I read it, “Oh shit.”

I burst into the previous room, “Raven, Chem, I need you two to set out to Hollow Shades! Courier, Avatar, get to Skyrim as quick as possible! Tell Stalliongrad to send half it’s garrison with you!”

Without waiting for a response, I move back into the Rook’s room, “Reznov, Heavy, Kendrick, and Solare, you are too stay here with me in Stalliongrad. The rest of you split yourselves evenly and prepare to move out to Hollow Shades and Skyrim!”

The Doctor looks up at me in worry, “What was in that file?”

I place it in front of him, “Operation Final Charge. They plan to fully attack Skyrim and Hollow Shades tomorrow.”

—(Commander)—

I look to the battalion commander, “Operation Burned Snow is ready?”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Then we rest up today before we attack.”

Operation: Burned Snow; begin.

—(Commander)—

I push my way into the temporary command tent, “Have the enemy fallen for it?”

A battalion commander salutes me, “Exactly as hoped for sir! The garrisons elite are gone! Only very few Rooks have stayed behind, and only one Leader!”

I nod, “Any intel on who said Rooks and Leader are?”

They nod back, quickly and sharply, “The Soviet Shadow, The Russian Bear, The Destructive Lord, The Sunlight Warrior, and The Faceless Darkness.”

I nod, and look down at a map, “Well, they are quite powerful. Russian Bear can hold down entire sectors of the city by himself, so we need to out-flank him and try and surround him. Soviet Shadow is a problem because of how efficient he is, and he can’t be caught, hmm. We need to take out everyone else as quick as possible, and rush his position, his rifle only fires so quickly. The Lord is easily the most dangerous, we need to avoid him if at all possible and surround him when he is alone. Don’t get people bunched up near him, or he can take out entire squads with a single swing. Sunlight Warrior is not as destructive as the others, but he is still very dangerous. We need to get him to over extend with a spell if at all possible, so that he will be defenseless as he uses it. We don’t know how to beat the Darkness, so we shall see what to do with him after everything else. Okay, let’s go.”

—(Slendy)—

*BOOM!*

“Combine advancing from the west! All forces deploy now!” A messenger runs over to us, shouting a warning only to have his head explode.

The garrison troops all grab their Fetlock muskets, but I know we stand no chance.

All of us commanders rush out into the city, only to see Combine already here and pushing. I look back at Heavy, “Heavy, hold as long as possible! Everyone hold as long as possible! We need to hold until the others get here! Someone get Jack over the radio!”

All of us rush to optimal positions. Solare and Kendrick (in Lord form) rushing into a crowd of enemies. Heavy rushes up to a tall roof, and rains down fire upon all Combine. Reznov blends into the shadows, and starts picking them off. I stand outside the base of operations, the one thing we can’t let fall.

—(Solare)—

I lunge at an enemy soldier with a stab, and impale him. I flip the body around to use as a shield against some fire, and I throw a lightning bolt at the soldiers fireing. I mange to take out most of them, and I play bowling with the remaining by throwing the body at them.

I roll into the middle of a clump of Combine, rasing up and slashing three of them. I then ring the chimes I have Benitez my shield in order to use Wrath of the Gods, and blast the rest of the clump away, killing most. One group in particular flies towards Kendrick, and he bats them out of the air.

I know that behind me is a large group, and behind Kendrick is a tiny amount of them. We immediately communicate with each other, ad instinctively know what to do. We run at each other, and at the last second, I slide under his legs. With the momentum from my slide, I impale one and roll out of the way of fire the others are giving me.

I roll up on my feet, and hold up my shield to block the lasers. But they continue to blast me, so I cannot move. I manage to parry a laser back, and it hits the rest of the the soldiers.

—(Kendrick)—

I swing my mace at the huge mob of Combine. They are almost all knocked dead, and I can mop up the other easily.

*Thrw-Thrw-Thrw!*

I’m blasted in the back by heavy lasers, “Ahhhhhhh!!”

I’m knocked to my knees in pain and injurey, and can only muster enough energy to roll out of the way of more shots.

Of course, my main weakness, Striders. These things have guns so heavy that they can knock me out the fight in one blast.

I look behind me to see the Strider stride it’s way over towards me, and it moves it’s cannon to me.

I look up at the Strider, and at the last moment it is hit by a huge blast of lightning, destroying it. I look to my side to see Solare rushing over to me, “Don’t worry, this humble warrior knows many healing miracles.”

*Thunk!*

“Hunters!” I shout as I see a Hunter land right behind him. We barely manage to move into a building before it opens fire on us.

Solare pulls me into an office room, and barricades the door, “We did good, now we need to heal.”

—(Raven)—

I hear my radio crackle to life, “Operation Final Charge was a trick, Stalliongrad is under attack and is losing bad!”

I can hear Chem scampering up, “We gotta go!”

I hold up a hoof, “You go, bring the people with you. I... I have a plan I hope will work.”

I move my way into a communications building, and I find the omniuniversal radio.

I set everything up, and turn on the mic, “To any in the universes that might hear this: we need help. My name is Ravens Breath, we were tricked by our enemies, the Combine. One of the last three free cities, Stalliongrad, is being attacked. We stand no chance alone, and we cannot get there on time. Anyone out there, please help. Universe 001. I will repeat this message.”

I hear a voice crackle from the other side, “Ravens Breath of Universe 001, this is Emperor Eric McBad of Universe 015. I will say one message as of now. I am coming now to assist your side in Stalliongrad. Don’t worry, I got this.”

I laugh out a joyous laugh, “Yes, yes, yes! Hahha, that’s what we needed right there!” I pick up the mic, “Emperor Eric McBad of Universe 015, I will be glad to shake what ever appendages you have after the battle is over!”

The Battle for Stalliongrad

—(Slendy)—

I piece another body with a tendril, and throw him into another group of them. Then, I see them all impaled under the spiked leg of a Strider.

The Striders head and machine gun point towards me, and I prepare my tentacles to block the lasers. Then, I see a device falling from the sky.

*Bang, Crash!*

The device crushes the Strider beneath itself, and I see it is a teleportation device. A purple portal appears within it, and someone steps out. A fancy dressed man wearing a pony corpse cape, top hat, monocle, and with a wand in his hand.

I move my tentacles to attack him, but he holds up a hand, “Okay, who are the Combine?”

I point at a group of them, “The things dressed in grey suits.”

—(McBad)—

I nod my thanks to the tall, faceless man who seemingly also understands high fashion. I pull a microphone out from a suit pocket, “Alright boys, do your thing!”

I see hundreds of walls burst open as guards come bursting through them, taking the Combine by surprise. I see a guard pull himself out a mailbox, then reach back and pull an entire mech through there. One guard takes out a confetti popper, and a zepllen flies out of it in place of confetti. A cannon is pushed through a manhole cover by a team of two.

I point my wand at a giant group of Combine, “Infernos Maximus!” And the fire melts them all. I can see my soldiers drowning the eniemies with the Creamthrowers. Mechs move through enemy crowds, swinging all of them out of the way. Steam cannons blast and melt the enemy ranks.

I smile, and turn back around to look at the fellow who awnserd my question, “Hello there gentleman, my name is Emperor McBad, and it seems I’ve just saved your life!”

I can feel confusion radiating off of him, even without a face, “Slender Man.”

I look around as my units decimate the surprised Combine, “Well, Slender, make sure to thank whoever Ravens Breath is later. Come now, their is still a battle going on!”

I can hear a nod, “Then we shall charge into the frey.”

“That’s the spirit!”

—(Commander)—

My group of rookie Equestrian Combine move with me as I shoot down a pony rushing towards me. I get no time to breath as another group rushes me, “Shit!”

We manage to take them down, before one of my squad shout out, “We are outnumbered, we have to flee!”

I look back at my squad, and enter a state of thinking.

Then I hear what sounds like a whisper- no, a shout, but from deep inside my mind.

Compassion.

I look at my squad again, “Flee, I’ll cover you!”

My squad start to run away, and a pony jumps in their way after crawling out of a mailbox.

*Boom!*

The pony falls over with a new earhole in the front of the head, “Run!”

I flip around with my revolver back in its holster, only to see someone standing a few yards away from me. A fancy suit, tophat, monocle, and a moustach complementing his angry grimace, “You killed my guard, you motherfucker!”

He whips out his wand and points it at me, and I raise my hands to prepare to use my emotional magic. I drop into a magical fishing stance, “You are killing my army!”

His eyes harden, and he points his wand with new purpose, “Infernos Maximus!”

I summon my panic from the blast of fire heading towards me, and I send out my most powerful magical beam. We hold each other’s magic at the same stength, and I increase my own.

It starts to slowly head towards him, but I can see him smile, “Sheildus Reflectus!”

His beam of fire dissapears, and my beam connects with him... only to be sent flinging back at me. I smile, and resist the blast with my coat. With my spin for it to hit the coat, I prepare another ball of magic, wich I send flinging at him.

He rasises his wand like a bat, and swings at the ball, bouncing it back at me. I move to dodge the same way, and he yells out, “Pieus Throwis!”

I complete my turn, and prepare to absorb whatever hits me. Then I get a facefull of pie. I am blinded, and wipe of my masks lenses enough to barely see. I start to choke on whipped cream, and use magic to remove it from my mask. I look up to continue the fight, only to see soldiers approaching.

I do as anyone would have done... I ran. I hope the Emperor will understand.

—(Solare)—

I hear the Hunter breaking down the door, trying to get us. I don’t think I can defeat them. I think there are more of them outside!

I ring my chimes out loud and put another healing spell into Kendrick, “Oh, Sun, incandescent in your image, grant this warrior your warmth.”

*Crack!*

I cringe as the Hunters start to kick open the door. Kendrick grabs my arm, “Go, leave!”

I place his arm back down, “Jolly cooperation, my friend. One suffers both the ups and downs. It would besmirch my name as a Warrior of the Sun if I were to leave you here, Hunters or not. I already lost one friend, I won’t lose another.”

I can see him shakely reach into a bag he carries. He pulls out a ring, “Please, put this on. It’s a Ring of Power, I made an extra, I should give you a chance against them.”

He puts it on his finger, and continues to ring his chimes, “With my faith in the Sun, heal this fallen Warrior! Patch wounds, grow back the burns, being life!”

*Chime!*

“Glorious incandescence, bless thou who hast fallen beside me! Bless thine warrior, bless him with thine gentle glow!”

*Chime!*

I hear the Hunters finnaly break down the door. They advance into the room, and I turn around to glare at them. They all aim at us two, “This Sunlight Warrior shall not fall! Take your best shots, and prepare to exprence the rage of the Suns heat!”

*Crash!*

“Take ‘em out boys!”

Suddenly, a swarm of guards break through the wall, and quickly destroy the Hunters. Among them is Slender himself, who impales many of them himself.

He walks up to me, “Come on, we need to get Kendrick to a hospital.”

He offers me a hand, and I take it in my hand. He pulls me up, and we fireman carry Kendrick.

We walk out onto the streets, and we look right into the sunset.

“They’re fleeing!”

I can see the remaining Combine army running away, out of the town. I can see pegasus support from Hollow Shades pair up with these crystal guards and rain hell on them as they run away.

I see Skyrim’s unicorn mages burn them as they run away. A flurry of motion, a moving explosion, skeletal weapons with balefire, and the earth itself tear into the enemies as they run.

“We won!”

“They are running away!”

“Viva La Equestria!”

I look over at Slender and can almost feel his smile, “We won.”

Friends in high places

—(McBad)—

I take a seat in a fancy room a nice pony showed me to. I take out a bubble pipe from my coat pocket, and start to blow it. It was only about a minute in that I realized I was putting the wrong side in my mouth, “Eh, whatever, don’t even know why I have this.”

I toss it over my shoulder, and hear it break. Then I see the whiskey laying on the table, and pour myself a glass, “Now here’s something I know how to do.” I pull out a few ice cubes (don’t ask where they were) and put them in the glass.

I take a sip and admire the room. Nice wooden table, mahogany I believe, gold highlights, and a very nice cabinet. Maybe I should get some mahogany tables in my throne room, I like the look of it. Bit rich looking for a Resistance headquarters, but hey, people love to live in luxury. Although the broken glass and whiskey stains on that one wall doesn’t appeal as much. Hammer and sickle as well, on the walls, and on the door.

Speaking of that door, it opens. In walk five people, including Slender. The others include a grey alicorn stallion wearing sadness on his face, a man in a duster and a hat that’s face spoke of a long and hard life, a boy whose face betrays a strained metal state. The final who walks in would be a foal wearing a cloak, and is missing his eyes. But as soon as he sees me, his face gains a huge smile, “Emperor Eric McBad of Universe 015, I presume?”

I stand up, and hold out my hand, “Ravens Breath of Universe 001?”

He takes my hand with a skeletal one, and shakes, “I truely didn’t believe that you would be able to defeat them. I am glad that I was surprised.”

I smile back at him, “It is my pleasure to help. Let the name of the Bananaramma Corporation and it’s Leader be known across universes!”

He goes ahead and takes a seat, “As you already know, I am Ravens Breath. These are my friends, Slendy, Avatar, Courier, Chem, and... and... no one, nobody anymore.”

I can sense everyone in the room become much more sad, “Who was it?”

Raven looks at the ground, “Survivor. We six were brought here by a man named Last, and were to defeat the tyrant Dawnbreaker. We reunited the Elements, causing universal disturbances, wich attracted the Combine. He couldn’t teleport with us... he took as many down as he could. We fight on only to not fail his sacrifice. But we were going to fall, before You stepped in. You saved Stalliongrad.”

I nod, “And, I can help you live up to your friends sacrifice, and help you save more cities, if you catch my drift.”

Raven looks up at me, “You would help us more?”

I nod at his question, “I would fail the Bananaramma Corporation if I were not to fight for your freedom. I would besmirch the good McBad name if I were to pass up this opportunity.”

Raven narrows his eyes a bit, “Opportunity?”

I smile, “The opportunity to make new friends and allies, in other worlds! I mean, that was the majority of the enemy army from what I’ve been told, and we slaughtered them! Therefore, the enemy will be weak, and outmanned easily, add on our almost equal tech, and the fact that we have access to magic when they don’t, then we shall crush them easily. And from what I can feel radiating off of all you, then I know you are all more powerful then I am, and that is rare, so I would rather you be friends then enemies.”

I can feel Chem’s stare boring into me, “What do you really fight for? I refuse to believe that is all! I know people, people are selfish! Why would you help us in a hopeless battle?!”

I meet his glare, “Do you have a problem, mate? Something you wanna say to me? Cuz it’s awful rude to not believe I’m a good enough guy to help here.”

He marches straight up to me, “Yes, I have a problem! I believe you are a liar and a British cunt!”

I stand up and look down upon him, “Did you just call me a liar? Becuase, I will admit I can be a British cunt, but I am not a liar. I hear an Irish accent on your tone. So why don’t you just keep your mind out of matters that don’t involve potato farming and getting drunk? Because I believe the potato your mind is made out of might not be able to comprehend the complexity of what I say.”

He stands on his hind legs to look me in the eye, “At least I can handle actual alcohol, not your ‘tonics and gins’ that are weaker than a babies first piss! Aren’t you the people who lost to a bunch of farmers who didn’t even know how to wield muskets?!”

I smile, “At least America gained its independence. Ireland, on the other hand, had its independence given to it! At least Americans can walk straight!”

He smiles back, “Need I remind you that you would have lost the African front without our Irish snipers?”

I get this guy now, “And who was it that took France all by itself?”

And he gets me. He nods, and extends a hoof, “King Chem, of the Clan Patton.”

I take his hoof, “Emperor Eric, of the McBad Family.”

I can hear Ravens jaw drop, “Wasn’t he deeply depressed yesterday?!”

I nod back at Raven, “All that one needs to do sometimes is to let lose their anger and sadness on another. The most important part is that you return it, thus curing him. He wouldn’t shout at you guys like that becuase your friends, but I am a stranger. Well, now I’m a friend.”

I take a seat again, and look around once more. Courier actually shows a smile, maybe seeing Chem back at normal returned him. And Avatar’s expressions seem much more calm and relaxed, obviously fixed by the atmosphere returning to being happy. I smile at Raven, “Sign this contract here, and our alliance is sealed.”

He seems a lot brighter now, and signs it, “Actually, now that I think for a bit about something...” He takes out a flare gun, “He can pop up randomly back home, what about here?”

I look around at everyone, and see smiling faces on all. The calm and happiness having a domino effect on all of them. Even Raven and Slender, who were both more normal, seem happier and more at peace. I smile at all of them, “Well, we need to give them no time to recover. Let’s march.”

Can a monster work with another?

One thing that no one ever questions is the myth of Nightmare Moon. Those around back then know that she is a measly propaganda piece character made by Dawnbreaker. Those who knew Luna herself also know that she had voices in her head, dark, evil voices of the darkness. Nightmare Moon, or at least, the entity it was inspired by.

Luna was still Luna when she was banished by Dawnbreaker, not Nightmare Moon. But, centuries alone with nothing to speak to but the voices in your head... things change. It has never been observed by Thaumisists that spirits, and voices in heads, could posses ponies. They made theory’s and laws all about it, but never issued a definitive statement or gotten a pony willing to test it. But they never disproved it. In fact, all the laws and theories are built as if it does happen. But nopony ever truely figured it out.

Except one pony, who was so far away that nopony could record it. So far away that the only way to share was to wait for the banishment to pass. If one were to find Luna on her moon, she wouldn’t look the same. She would look like she just hopped off a propaganda poster.

Because that’s what happened. The entity, the voice in her head, took over. With a mana reserve of its own, and powers entirely separate from Luna. It was Nightmare Moon.

—(Nightmare Moon)—

I laugh in thought of the revenge that was to be bestowed upon my sister. She has gone unpunished for far to long, it’s time for that to change. Then, I will find Discord, and we will see what draconequus-pony children look like.

Oh, poor little Luna. She was so powerful, but she lacks my willingness. After our sister falls, we will see if she is willing to take over again.

I spread my wings, and blast up the mountain so I may confront my sister in her own throne room.

I can see the door up ahead, and I fire a blast into it. I then fly through the remains of the door, and land smoothly on a black marble floor that reflects the moonlight, “Oh, sister!”

I hear a clicking on the marble from behind me, “I’m afraid your sister is dead... my dear.”

I almost shudder upon hearing that voice, but I turn around to face it. What stands there almost makes me vomit just looking at it, but I steel myself, “What manner of unsightly creature are you who would know the fate of our sister?”

I can see it grimace for a second, before it returns its face to normal, “The type of creature who owns an Empire, and... personality ensured her death.”

I try to see some deception in its voice, but I can’t pick up on it. I stand up out of my fighting stance, “So I suppose I owe you something. Even though I would have loved to slit that bitchs neck myself, I guess you did it good enough. What do you wish for me to do in repayment, nothing ridiculous or I will refuse.”

The thing moves it’s mouth to what might be seen as a smile by blind ponies, “Very simple... I want to have you join my Empire... my dear.”

I nod, “Alright, doesn’t seem that bad.”

It extends out a hand, “Just shake my hand... please.”

I hesitate a bit when I hear it’s voice again. I look at it’s hand, and shudder. I reach out my hoof anyway, and join it in its hand.

I can see it gain a twisted smile, “Perfect.”

Then, it feels like I’m being torn apart from the inside, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! What are you doing to me?!”

It continues to hold my hoof in an iron grip, “I am draining the... essence, spirit... magic from within you. And I shall... absorb your power.”

I try and move my hoof, but he continues to hold on, “I thought I would join you!?”

It puts on a sickening smirk, and leans close to me, “I’m a liar... my dear.”

With that, my power completely escapes me, and goes into him.

But, with my last breath, I charge up my horn.

With all that remains within me, I blast him. Enough power to go through him, and blast him back.

He let’s go of me, and is sent flying.

I breath in, and out.

In, and out.

In... out.

Out...

I close my eyes, and subcome to the end.

We’re going to find Discord.

We will live together happily.

This is not my end, only the pause button.

Even if he gets back up from that.

Sister, I’m coming...

A heart of nothingness, against a heart that’s full

—(Chem)—

I sit down with my whiskey, and enjoy a sip of it. Ah, why’d I ever smash you against a wall? I hold up my whiskey bottle, “Don’t worry, them’s days are over now, papa’s okay now.”

I’m in the middle of hugging my bottle when the door to my room opens. I look up to see McBad standing there. We lock eyes for a few seconds, “Are you-“

I hold the bottle away from me, “You saw nothing.”

McBad grins, “I’ve heard of tree-huggers before, never knew the Irish’s kind were bottle-huggers.”

I grin back, “Ah, whatever, what are ya even here for ya crazy cunt?”

McBad loses his grin, “There’s a pony outside who was attacking me and Slender on sight. Screaming at us that we are ‘monsters’ and the like. We think we need your help, maybe you could calm her down?”

I stretch, and stand up, “Get Discord on standby just in case we need to restrain them. Lead the way.”

———

I walk outside the town with McBad, “What were you two even doing out here anyway?”

He shrugs, “Patrol.”

I look over at him, “By yourselves?”

He nods, “We aren’t exactly incapable of handling any theats.”

I shrug as well, “Right, fair enough.”

Then I see a huge blast in the distance.

*Boom!*

“Stay away from me, you monster!”

I can hear Slender’s witty reply from here, “Excuse me, I didn’t move anywhere close to you!”

Another blue explosion.

*Boom!*

“Stay back, you beast!”

Slender’s reply is only slightly below quality from his last one, “Scuse me, mothafucker, I have not moved a single inch except to block your unasked for attacks! If ya wanna attack a man, then ya ask first, come on, everyone knows that!” Maybe it outclasses his last one by a bit.

I rush over to him with my sanic wing speed. I see another beam of blue magic heading at him. I charge a reflection spell in my wing, and slap it whenever I reach it, “Swing, batta, batta, swing! Repeat three times for comedy’s effect.” I land with myself curled a bit, and I stretch myself out again, “Heh, seems I still got those skills from Boston.”

I can hear a gasp, “Another pony? Run, before the monsters get you!”

I complete a turn to look at Slendy, “Hmm, I dont know, Slendy my pal. Calles ya a monster, I think she means you are monstrously handsome, eh?”

I can hear the smirk in his voice, “Well, I do make this suit look good, if I may say so myself.”

I smile, “Yeah, see, it’s a wonderusful comment!”

Then Slendy is hit by a bright blue beam, and is sent flying, “Do not trust them! They will try and deceive you!”

I turn around to face the pony, “What in the seven blazing hells do you think you’re doing!? You just attack me friend!”

I finally look at the pony. It’s Luna, but her mane is bedraggled, and her eyes are bloodshot. I think her mental state is deteriorated, “You’re friends with those monsters?” She starts to slowly back up, until she is up against a wall of a shack, bloodshot eyes locked onto me, “Stay away!”

I think of what to do. For one, she shot my friend, and seems a bit off. But, her looks and words speak of some sort of tragedy that got her this way. I can’t allow someone to just suffer like that, but she is obviously dangerous to approach.

Bravery.

I start to slowly move towards her, making each of my hoofsteps be obviously seen by her. She tries to back up more, but I continue approaching. I get right up to her, before taking her into a hug with my wings, “What happend?”

She takes a few seconds, before breaking down in my embrace. She starts to cry hysterically, “Oh Faust, it was so horrible! He tricked us- oh, Nightmare, that shouldn’t happen to anypony ever! He got up... she’s gone... it’s so quiet now...”

I pat her head, “Let it all out. You’re safe now.” I look up at McBad as he approaches, “Get Discord, please. She needs him.”

Luna collapses into me, and continues her crying, “She gone forever! Not even dead, just gone now! Her body was right next to me when I woke up.”

*Snap.*

I hear the iconic snap of Discord’s teleportation right behind me, “Now, Chem, I presume there’s a reason you’re hugging my marefriend?”

Luna hears his voice, “Discord?” I let go of her, and she rushes over to him, “Oh, Discord!”

Discord smiles, “Hello Lulu.” Then he sniffs the air, “Say, I cannot for the life of me sense Moonie anywhere on you.”

Luna takes him into an embrace, “He... he absorbed her! Didn’t even kill her, just absorbed!”

Discord looks Luna directly in the eyes, and his own eyes flash. He then looks down at her, and embraces her deeper, “Oh, Luna, no...”

I continue holding my awkward position, “What is it?”

Discord looks up, towards Canterlot, “The Emperor is something greater then anything seen before...”

Storming Marelin

—(Reznov)—

I lay on my hillside vantage point, and scope out the town to Marelin. Reminds me of Berlin, as I suppose it should. I take out my radio, and check in, “Mason, Wolfram, Ceaser, all in position to take the town hall?”

I hear another voice check in, “Standing outside the door with an 1897, ready to breach.”

The Italian calls in, “Explosive charges planted, ready to blow.”

Then the German reports in, “Right outside a window, ready to blaze them down with the MP.”

I start to walk towards the front doors, “Ready to start breach, execute when you hear gunshots. Wolfram, have you gotten all the civies out?”

I hear the radio crackle to life again, “Rodger on both there, Russian. They easily trusted my accent. Waiting for signal.”

Italian, “Waiting for signal.”

American, “Waiting for signal.”

“Ready to execute.” I secure my radio into my pocket, and march forth with PPSH in hand. Ponies on the streets obviously see me, but all are just watch. Some cheer, and a few move into their homes, only to come out with weapons and follow behind me.

By the time I’ve gotten to the knockoff Riechstag, a sizealble crowd armed with every weapon imaginable. Swords, spears, Fetlocks, broom handles, even some carry Combine plasma rifles.

I walk up the steps, and knock on the door. I hear steps getting closer to the door, and I smoothly draw my pistol. Someone opens the door, “Hello?”

He looks down the barrel of a pistol, and I look right at him, “Goodbye.”

*Bang!*

His brains splatter out the back of his head, and I hear the rest of the plan occur. Mason useing that shotgun, the unmistakable sound of MP40 fire, and the Italian should do his part right about... now.

*Boom!*

Walls are blown open on all sides of the building, and the mob behind me back up a bit from fear. I turn around to face them, “Comrads! Freedom!”

Those two simple words inspire the mob, and they start to charge into the building, “Uuuuuuuurrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaa!”

I kick open the door in front of me, and spray fire at all of the soldiers. I manage to take all of them down before they even realize what’s happend.

I can hear footsteps from all around me, and find myself surrounded. The soldiers all point their weapons at me, but don’t fire. I smirk as I turn to face all of them. Time to show them why they call me the Shadow.

This world is special in one way. It gave all of us without access to magic, mastery over certain types of magic. Mason had greater reflexes, Ceaser speed, Wolfram speech, I got illusions. Now, illusions might not help in most situations, but paired with the Doctors perception filters, it becomes deadly.

I flick on my perception filter, and drop to the floor, spawning in an illusion of myself fireing at them.

They all open fire on the illusion. Of course, the projectiles just pass through it, and hit the soldires on the other side.

All but one end up dead, and I quickly shoot the final one.

I look around me, only to see ponies stream into the room. Combine follow, heads above their heads. The other three walk out, pushing the Combine forward.

Mason walks up to me, and hands me something, “We found this. Seems like it’s some sort of holy artifact.”

I take what he hand me, and see a crossbow with a heated rebar rod inside of it, topped off with a scope. I look up at him, “Then I’ll make sure they die by this.”

The Combine kneel before me, seeing what I have. One of them laughs out loud, “You may think you’re winning, but you are wrong! Even with all of Freeman’s artifacts, you will lose against our Emperor!”

I check out the crossbow, and look at the one who said that, “So, these belonged to a Freeman character did they? I imagine he’s the messiah and your Emperor would be the Devil.” I end up pointing the crossbow right at his head, “Not like it matters anyway, I have no time for made up religion.”

I fire the crossbow, and execute the soldier. His head ends up pinned against the wall, and I look at the ponies, “We don’t accept evil anymore! These bastards have done too much evil!”

I look back at the soldiers as they kneel there, “Open fire.”

Gravity, how that work?

—(Doctor)—

I rush around the TARDIS and flip all the switches, bits, and bobs. Want me to be more specific, learn how to fly one of these and you’ll know I would spend a day explaining that one sentence. As much as I would love to explain all the technical terms of a TARDIS, I have no time.

I am aiming to arrive at Manehatten, and Twilight and I shall take it. Having two of the biggest cities flanking the enemies and taking more out as they run, is a wonderful option. We have kept the Combine in a constant state of retreat, constantly pushing all forces to Canterlot. A four front war is something that even the Combine cannot easily deafeat. And, when four armies all encircle and converge on one city, they will soon capitulate. I’ve seen our leaders, and if Kendrick can’t defeat them, I have heavy doubts that this Emperor could.

Now, I could beat each of our leaders, and I do have plans just in case. But I am clever, I am the Doctor, and I’m clever. Add on Kendrick with his high strength, and still respectable strength, and we could defeat any enemy. Now if all five of them came at us at once, we would be gone, but if one at a time... I have plans.

But this Emperor doesn’t seem clever, and he doesn’t have face to face conversations with the people he looks to defeat. He lacks intel, and I’m pretty sure he lacks sense, so I believe in our total victory against him. Although we don’t have any intel on him either, other than the fact that he has Nightmares power, rest her in peace. But even with that power, I don’t think he will even be able to say the word ‘chance’ before he no longer stands.

With a few more twists and turns, we land in the middle of the Provisional governments offices. I smile, “Twilight, we are here!”

Twilight looks at the door, and her horn lights up, “I am ready to free the ponies.”

I walk past her, and tap the screwdriver against her horn, knocking out her magic, “Bad Twilight, we go for prisoners, not corpses. I’m not Reznov!”

Twilight looks over towards me, “You’re still angry about that?”

I shake my head, “I’m not mad at him specifically, but what he did. I know who he is, the Soviet who is used to showing no mercy. And I cannot hold it against him because that’s simply how he was trained, how his brothers acted, how he was brought up. Executeing prisoners is something nothing should ever fall to doing, but I can understand why. I’ve even wanted to kill a few Combine at moments, because they have done much worse to us. But I’d prefer to stick to my own ideals, and spare them. After all, an alive prisoner is more useful then a dead corpse.”

Twilight smiles, “Well, it’s nice to see someone not affected by the violence.”

I look over towards her, “I’ve seen worse than this, much worse. I’ve already become accustomed to violence in my lifetime, I’ve gone through so much of it. Ever since War, I try to be a pacifist.”

Twilight nods, “Well, Doctor, we do have things to do.”

I nod, “Alright then.” I see the doors start to shake, “Oh, what’s this?”

I walk up to the door, and kick it open. It flings open, and I can hear a body go flying. I walk out and find a Combine unconscious on the floor, and something lies next to him. Twilight walks out as well, “What’s that?”

I pick it up, and look around it, “A Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator! Or, more commonly known as a Gravity Gun. I’ve always wanted one of these!”

Twilight walks up, “Then why not get one?”

I look over at her, “Does this look like it could easily fit into a suit without being seen? No, that’s why I chose the Sonic.”

She looks it over, “What does it do?”

I point it at a box, “You use this button here to pick something up.” I pick up the box.

Another soldier rushes in, “Hold it!”

I casually point it at the soldier, “And fire it like this.” I fire at the soldier, and knock them out. I smile at Twilight, “Quite an effective weapon, for lethality or more riot control situations where it should be non lethal. Based on the object you throw. Unless if you get the blue version, wich disintegraties a lot of things when the objects touch. Those are luckily rare, and this would be the yellow version.”

Twilight puts down some notes she was reading, “It says here that they have a blue version on the other side of the building.”

I pick up another box, “Then follow me my dear.” I pose with the Gravity Gun, “We have something to retrieve. And you can bet I’m going to have fun getting there.”

Operation: Mousetrap

—(Commander)—

I bow in front of the Emperor again, “Commander... we are retreating.”

I don’t move at all, “Yes Emperor.”

I can hear footsteps until I see his abominable feet, “Even with... McBad... we still should be able to push them back.”

I don’t flinch at the tone of his voice, “They outnumber us now five to one, and that number is only increasing as they free more towns.”

I can hear the Emperor growl, “Free? Commander... poor choice of words... I assume that’s what that is?”

I shudder at the growl, but I try not to show it, “Of course Emperor. I mearly say it how a revolutionary would.”

The Emperor walks back, “Not revolutionaries... terrorists. But... you are correct when you say they outnumber us.”

I nod slightly, “Emperor McBad brings advanced technology on the level of our own. He fights with airships and cannons, primitive weapons, but he put a twist on them. And an advanced strategic genius, exploiting out tactics and useing some Defeat in Deatil. He’s got us on constant retreat, and we are slowly being encircled here at Canterlot. Their leaders have recovered, and make this all the worse.”

The Emperor walks up onto a balcony, probably looking out of a window, “Then call all of our forces into a full retreat. We need to recover and replenish our troops before pushing out. Their... leaders are powerful but rely on one thing. Go ahead with Operation Mousetrap.”

I nod, “I shall prepare to drop in with the Striders.”

He looks back at me, “No... you stay here. I need you to... protect me from any assassinations. Send the Striders in by themselves, they should preform good enough. The leaders shall have no idea what hit them until it happens. But... you stay here... Commander.”

I nod, “Then I shall inform the Striders of the new protocol.”

The Emperor laughs dryly, “If this works as it should... the leaders shall have no chance.”

I let lose some words by accident, “Oh yeah, the last Operation that was supposed to stop the revolution so perfectly.”

The Emperor loses his laugh, “Do you want to say that again, Commander?”

I snap up my mind, “No Emperor!”

“That’s what I thought.”

—(Spitfire)—

I sit in an isolated building with the other ‘children’. How can anyone be so evil to do this to us? I was going to grow up and have fun, eventually protecting Dawnguard. Now I’m forced into having an adult mind and I have to protect Equestria.

I... I feel bad for Slender. He tried his best, but it just wasn’t enough. He literally couldn’t have moved faster, but he was still too slow. I want to apologize for what I said to him but... I can’t face him now. He must think so badly of me, or be torn up by what I said. It can wait until all of this is done... but I will tell him the truth. He saved my life from the Rake, and I can’t look over that.

I wish I had time to think about those first words I said to him. I was an ass, a cunt, the empitimy of a bitch. Well, one good thing about being adult is the expanded vocabulary. I haven’t seen Slender since them, but I’m sure he’s torn up by my words.

And I know Sorin feels the same about Chem. Sorin said nothing, he didn’t have to. That made it all the worse for Chem. I heard from someone that Chem went into deep depression because of it, but recovered. I just hope the same didn’t happen to Slender, but it probably did.

*Boom!*

I hear Sorin come flying in after an explosion, “Striders! Armed with some strange weapons!”

I quickly fly over to him, “What type of weapons?!”

He looks up at me, “Much more powerful weapons, that’s all that matters. We need to get out of here!”

*Boom!*

A wall in the roof is blown open, and a Strider peaks its head in. I quickly spring for a salvaged plasma rifle, and fire a ball of energy at it. It staggers back, and I throw the gun to Sorin, “Fuck that! Everyone, take cover and open fire!”

Sorin looks over at me in surprise, “Spitfire?! We have to retreat, we cannot kill one of these things with what’s here!”

The Strider comes back, but is held off by another plasma ball. I drag Sorin into cover, “You said Striders didn’t you? Meaning many, correct? We definitely cannot run if we are surrounded. So pick up your balls whereever you left them, and start fireing!”

He looks around, “Are you crazy! There’s no way we could have any hope!”

Sorin, Sorin, Sorin. He’s been my best friend ever since we met. Me and him have gone through high and low in the entirety of this. And I do admit, he is nowhere near bad in looks. I need to give him some hope... why not reveal something then?

I quickly kiss him on the lips, before pulling back, “There’s your hope.”

His face is stunned, “Spitfire...”

I hear someone yell at us, “Hey lovebirds, get a room when we don’t need you!”

I slightly blush at the comment, but recover, “Now come on, we fight!”

—(Slendy)—

I shudder as I feel something pass through the air... danger, over near Spitfire.

I look around to present company, Courier and Avatar, “Guys, grab onto me.”

They know what this means, and so they grab me.

I blink with them attached to me right outside the building. Striders, at least six of them.

The building is demolished, and only specs of cover remain, wich the ‘children’ hide behind. Luckily there are no casualties yet.

Then, a Strider fires on a specific point, right near Spitfire and Sorin’s cover. I see the ground shake, and Spitfires gun flies out of her hooves.

I can only just process Spitfire leaving cover after her rifle, and Sorin right behind her. Then... a Striders gun fires right at them.

Selflessness.

I instantly teleport in front of them, covering both with my body. The Striders shots connect with me.

Pain. On the level of Jeff’s knife. A burning pain throughout my entire torso.

Pain... so much pain. I collapse to the ground.

I want this pain to end.

Operation: Mousetrap (part 2)

—(Courier)—

I see Slendy protect the kids. Then...

There is a huge hole in his chest. He is leaking darkness. He’s collapsed on the ground.

What the fuck kind of weapons do these Stalkers have if it can do that to him?! He is even more unkillable than me!

Would those weapons take me down as well!? What the fuck!? I don’t want to die!

Avatar is frozen, everybody is! Spitfire and Sorin aren’t even moving! The Strider is going to kill them! I have to help them!

But those weapons could kill me... I’ve never faced anything that could kill me. Can I risk myself?

Resolve.

Yes, I can. It’s my job to not fail again. I won’t fail Slender, I won’t fail the children! I will not allow another village to die because I was incompetent and selfish!

I pull out my revolver, and fire at a Strider, killing it, “Over here you cunts!”

The Striders all look over at me. Even within the soulless machinery I can see anger.

I fire a shot at another and kill it, “Yeah, you heard me! Come on, you faggots! I’m over here!!!”

The Striders all lumber over in my direction.

I fire twice more, making there only be two more, “Face me!”

One of them gets the wonderful idea to fire at me.

I take a hit of Turbo in an instant, and use the few spare seconds. I reach down to the rating bar, and hold it by the red part.

I take a batting position and hit the blast with the green part, sending it flying towards the one that didn’t fire. It collapses and dies, and the Turbo wears off.

I throw down the rating bar, and take out my rocket sledgehammer. I quickly hop on it, and activate the rocket. I take out my grenade chainsaw, and go on a straight corse for the Strider’s head.

I reach the head, and thrust forward the chainsaw. The explosions combined with the cutting demolishes the thing in seconds, and I use its falling head as a safe way to get down.

I land surrounded by the parts of the Stalkers I just destroyed. I’m about to laugh about my victory and success, but then I look over at Slender.

—(Avatar)—

I quickly study the wound in Slender, and try and remember how to do something. I look up at the ponies collapsing upon my position, “Back away everybody! Someone get me some water! And I mean a whole lot of it!”

Courier rushes to my side, and hands me five bottles of pure water, “Here you go.”

I take them, and open all the caps. I look at the Courier as I do this, “You have any Stimpacks?”

He nods, and pulls out a few, “Feel free to use them.”

I take apart the packs, and pour the insides into the water, “Slendy was hit, bad. It’s obvious these weapons were specifically designed to take us down. He will live and should be fine by tomorrow. Because the Emperor didn’t know what I could do, and he didn’t study the miraculous things to be done with water.”

I am about to start, when I feel, a hand grip my arm. I look down to see Slender grasping me, “Please... pain too much. Kill me... end this pain...”

I set his arm back down, “Don’t worry, the pain will be over soon.”

I float the water out of the bottles, and use some bending magic to make it heal. The stimpacks inside will only help the healing caused by this. I start to apply it to the hole in him, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

I close my eyes, breath in deeply, and focus on the water.

I move it into the hole more, “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

I falter at the sound. It’s... wrong in every way. This is Slender, he doesn’t scream. This is my friend, one who has never showed pain. His yells reach inside me, something so primordialy wrong, something that tears at the instincts. He is my friend, and I’m hurting him. He doesn’t ever scream, but his screams reach deep inside me to something ancient. This is the Slender Man’s body, his screams of pain are something no mortal should ever hear. This is my friend, and his screams brings an even worse pain then being forced to never see the FQCA again. His screams pierce me more than the emptiness of death, his screams hurt more than dieing.

Steadfastness.

I focus on the water again, and continue to heal him, “Ahhhhhhhhhhh!”

I try to block out the screams, “Dont worry, it’ll all be over soon.”

I pour more into the water, and his skin and suit heal on touch. All the darkness that is his blood flows back into him, “Please! Ahhhhhhhh! No!”

I push on through his pleas, and finnaly fix the injury, “Done. The pain is gone now, you’re back to health.”

Slendy slowly sits up, and pats the part where the hole was, “The pain is gone. Thank you Avatar.”

I give all the bottles and empty syringes to Courier and I sit back, “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

A flash of orange encompasses my vision, and she starts to hug Slendy, “Oh, Slendy, I’m so sorry! I forgive you! Oh, I’m so glad you’re okay!”

Slender looks surprised, before returning the hug, “I am sorry as well, and I forgive you.”

The two sit there for a while, and the rest of us laze around. Sorin kinda stands near them awkwardly.

Then Slendy decides to speak up, “So, when’s the wedding you two?”

I already saved his life once. I’ll allow him to figure out how to not be killed by those two. Not my mess, so he has to get creative. I look over at him before anyone else can say anything, “Do you like getting injured? Because I’m going to leave you to solve this one.”

Spitfire recovers first, “Slendy, it’s not... well... maybe it is. But still!”

I chuckle a bit, and relax as I see the two going back and fourth. Almost like Slendy is an uncle or something like that. I see Sorin approach me, “So, Sorin, what about Chem?”

He looks down, before looking back at me, “I want to go to him again. I need to apologize.”

I nod, “After what he’s been through, it’s good to know you will help. He sees you almost like a son, all of the children are like his in his emotional investment. I’ll take you to him later. For now, I need to be rid of those screams.”

Operation: Shaking Ground

—(Raven)—

I look out into the distance and see Canterlot. Combine rush and retreat into it like ants to their hive. Armies of ponies march from every direction. Fillydelphia, Baltimare, Manehatten, the technological powerhouse. Cloudsdale, Las Pegasus, Vanhoover, the Air Support. Trottingham, Marelin, Marelich, Ponyville, Appleloosa, Applewood, the Peasent Mob.

Stalliongrad from the east, the Constant Revolution. Skyrim from the north, the Frozen Death. Hollow Shades from the south, the Shadows in the Skies. Bananaramma from the west, the Spearhead of Steam.

All cities, villages, and towns joined in the revolution. Marching towards Canterlot, making the ground shake underneath them. Each of their respective leaders carrying a Freeman artifact, from orange suits to grenades and rocket launchers. I carry the crowbar in my pocket dimension, the most important artifact. I’ve heard whispers that they believe this crowbar is the symbol of the end times. They believe that it is the thing that will finally take out the Emperor. I will make sure that is true, and I shall take him out personally with this crowbar.

Canterlot is only approachable on one side, so all armies meet up there.

I do start to worry when I hear shouting comeing from them.

———

“We have sacrificed the most, so we say that we should get our wishes! A Communist Republic is the best course for our nation!” Ah, Lenin, always defending his beliefs.

“What we need is a return of the diarchy! Discord and Luna can lead our country correctly underneath their years of experience!” And Hollow Shades, always loyal to their princess.

“What we should have is a democracy! Everyone has sacrified for this war, so everyone gets an equal vote!” Notepad, the unofficial leader of Skyrim.

“Our leaders have led us nowhere but good, eh? They have led us through this, why not through the peace, eh? We can look to the ones who have already led us, right, eh?” Oh, Vanhoover. How flattering.

“Nein, dummkoph! Ze leaders have zere own universes zey have to return to! Ve should zake ze Rooks who have no place to go! Make an Oligarchy of zorts!” Marelin, always brutally honest.

I walk forward, “Ponies, please, shut up!” They all stop and look towards me, “We can compromise. Marelin is right, we cannot stay here, Notepad is right, everyone has sacrificed. Lenin is right, an equal society is the best, Hollow Shades is right, the experience of those two is important! Vanhoover is right, we need to look to those we know can lead us. What we do is make a democracy, under communist equality! A King and Queen to execute the law, and a representative senate to make sure they aren’t too powerful! Give the Rooks who stay high positions of power to check the others, establish a fair system of checks and balances!”

The crowd is silent, but a pony deep inside the crowd shouts, “That’s impossible!”

Unity

I stop my hoof down, “Nothing is impossible! Now when ponies put their minds and souls towards it! I myself believed victory impossible when we were tricked in the Battle for Stalliongrad! But look where we are now! We have achieved the impossible, because we are about to win! I know you ponies, I know that there’s nothing that could stop a group of ponies if they’re determined! When we put our minds to things, we can do whatever we want! We stand at the gates of Canterlot because of our Resolve, Bravery, Standfastness, Selflessness, Unity, and Compassion!”

The crowd goes silent, and I think I can see a few cameras recording me.

I look past the crowd towards Canterlot, “But we talk as if we have won already! Why do we stand here and talk about what we will do after when we have yet to win!? This revolution is not over until I see the spirit leave the Combine’s eyes, and their Emperors death! We have a job to do ponies! We have a war to begin, we have a city to take, we have rights and freedoms to take back! March ponies, move forward! Make the ground shake underneath our hooves and make the tyrant know that we are coming!”

I can hear all around me, the war cries of ponies. Pegasus, Earth, Unicorn, Germane, Neighdic, everypony.

I raise up skeletons all around me, and their war cries join in. I yell over the noise, “Pegasi, take out those gunships and dropships! Earth ponies, combine a stomp into one and blow down the gates! Unicorns, fire at Hunters and Striders! Rooks, keep them busy! Friends, we charge the Emperor!”

My orders take place almost instantly. The gate falls in on itself with the power of the Stomp, the pegasi fly off, and the unicorns fire off spells.

We all rush into the city, with my friends and the Rooks at the back. McBad’s Mechs wrestle Hunters, Lenin and Notepad stand back-to-back killing all in their way, Spitfire and Sorin RKO the flying machines. McBad trips up entire squads with banana peels and fire, Wanderer fires a mini nuke at a squad, Heavy mows down ‘little babies’, and Combine fall from unknown sniper fire.

It’s not the best. For every squad of theirs killed, two of ours are. And they will only get better the deeper in we go. We need to take out the Emperor.

I look at my friends, and we all share one collective nod, running off to face the Emperor.

The Time

—(Emperor)—

I bow down towards the only original wall left in the throne room, “My lord, they come now. I can defeat them, yes, but a swift massacre would surely make their people lose their will.”

”Y͎̪̤̘̖o̖̥͙̤̞͖̦u̹̩͎ ̭̱̹͚̙d̶̳̩̠͔ar̼͈̲̪̯̖̼͠e̷͖͕̯͓͚ ̝ț͚͉̖͔̘͟o̗͔̝͕ ͎̖͈̟͚̙͓͡c̟͉͘a̩̘̝̞l͍̘̼̜l̠͓̺͔̱̞̯ ̢̞̳̭̭̯̭u͓̫͕̠͓po̖ͅn̥̫ ̛̩̼̪͙ͅm̸̳̦̲͈̣ͅe̠̩̞͙ ͟ͅf̱̬̹̲̗͡ͅo̲̼r ̵̮̥̦ͅmò̩̥̖̙̥̞r҉e̻̤ ̵͕̪̮̩̩p͈̺̯͈̝o͓̣w̦̲̥̰̱ȩ̫̳̘̬ͅrͅ!̘̮̞͙̩?͇͉͓̺̯ ̩̰͖̟͙̼̱I̪͕̯̙̥̟ ̰̲m̀i̱̩̯͕͘g̱̞͔͔͖͟h͚͓̳̹̭̫̮͡t̢̯ͅ ̡̯͔̻͈̣̗͈j͇u̱̦s̝͍͉͖̺͔̼t ̶̪̬͎̲̝̩s̗̟͞t͖̩͉̟ͅa͕̼rț͠ ̴̠͎̪̯̹t̥̰͙̬͓̺̭ơ̤̦͎ ̭͔̥̩t̩̯̦͇̮h͍͝ḭ͉̞̦͎ͅn̹̯͉͔̦k̤̫̹̥̠͈ ͓ỳ̦o̵̥͓̪͙͇ư ̸̝̩͇͍̝̪̙h͔̜̩a̞͍̩̬͡ͅv͔̩e̺̥̼̻͔̺̩ ̝͓̰̦̠́l̪̫̗͟e͘s̜̫͔̣͇̣ͅs̕ ̭͜t̡̙͈̺̰̖̯̻h̷͙̘͍̤a͚̳̼n̯͙͖̪̝͔ ͟n̟̖͖̟o̥̳̻̰̖͍͕b̲̟͓̼͖̩̝͡l̻̦͕̪e̸͖ ̷ị̸̦̦̟̙̬n̼̲͙͖̤t̲̭͙̖̬e̤͍̻̗̞͕ͅn̞̯ͅt̨͈͈̮̤i͚̼͡o̖͎̦͎̪̫n̯s̪̖ ̖͎̖̠́f͓o̟ͅr̙̭̩ ͔̹͍̘̣̤ͅf̢̪r̷̘e̤̮̦ḙ̞͕̫̰̻in̼̬͇͝g̱͕̭̠ ̫͎̻̟̣̪m̰̙̫e̺̪̰̻̺̫̬!͎̥͎̝̗͔̖”

I quickly shake my head, “No my lord! I have nothing but the best for you in mind! You would be allowed entry faster if I can defeat this revolution!”

”M̡̠ȩ͕̜̺̜͙̠́i̯̝̠ ̺̮̩͝n̤͓̙i͚̰͎ḑ̺̥̣͈͈d͎͓͖̺̠̯e̯̯͝ͅr̨͉̹e͖̣̰̰̝g͓͙̕ ͖͇g̶̯͔̣̱ͅë̡͇t̙͚̮̀t̯,̱̳̝͈͚̦͙̀ d̛̦̮̺͉̘̰̭o̗̗̬̱ͅ ̢͔͖̟̗͈͙͕n̨̳ọ͚͡t̴̘̩ ͙͇͍̭̮͕̰͘t̖̥͎̦̥h҉̤i̫̰nk ̞̖̞̦̞y̥̙̩̱͍̙o̡u͏͎͎ ̱̱̩̠c͔̳͖a̠̤̼͎̠n̦̠ ̶̝̘̤̗̬g̴̩̲e̗͎t̖͍͔̼̩͜ ͔̺̤́a̭̥͇͞wa̧y͏̭̻̮ ͇̗̗̹̳̥w̶i͙̬̤̰͈͚ͅt͏͈̞̬̗ḥ͡ ̬̳͝l̯͚̞̦̞͔y̟̱i͜n̤̪̰͠ģ̣͖ ͓̗̜t͏͚̬̺̺o̳̜̬̫̟͈ͅ ͉̱m̴e͓̟̻̰͢!̞͍̺̼ ̘̹͚̱͝I̵̯͔̟̯ ̞͎̮͕̪̯̼͟k̝̲̀n̥̤͍̙̦̖o̵̱̦̻w̵̗ ̪͘y̧̘̲̦͎͉o̺̗̼̦̩̗̼͢u̙̳͚̜̫̥ p̘̰͎̫͠ͅl̖͕a̡̰̳n̟͈̜ ͕͢t͈̩̖̪͉͖͕͢o̩ ̙͈̩̖̺̼̯t̨r̦̬̬͙̠͈y҉͖̦̹̘̮̰ ͙͎̘̺̰a͚̩̱̰̯̕n҉͓̖̳̤͉d̨̦̦ ͎̻̣̩͟m̺̕a̱̱̟̭̘͓ͅk̷̠̬e̗̟̮ͅ ̭̩̬̠m̯͔̫̤̗̲̹e͍̳̻̜̭̼ ̹͙̜̺͝a̷ͅ ̬͡s̗͈͖̯͇ͅl͖̙̳̯̼͖̪a̸̼̰̪̜̲̰v͉͉̼̻e͙̣̱.̨̩̪̺̭̱ Y҉̭̠o̗̬̳̝̥͘u̢͖̞̗ ̡͙͈͚͕͚w̘͈̻̦̠͔ͅi̹̯̖̙̣̕ĺ̤̫̹̪̜̰̪l̞̺̞̟̤̪̞ ̩̭̖̼͇́ḻ̷̮̜͚e҉͔͍͈ͅa̫̝r͎̥͍̲n ̝̣̼̳͚̺͔y̼̫̝o̹̱̭͎̤̯̪u̬͚͝r̭̫̳̞͍̯̕ ̛̜̬̲mi̵s͇t̢̮̪̘̬̳̻a͓k̠̗͓͚̙e̸̫̜͍̙̱̠̰ ̨̺w̖̭̰h͏̮͉̟͚̖̮͕e̦͟n͈͔̯̼̰̩͜ ̦͔̣̼̟y̞̺͓̮̣̻͞o̞u’̠̫̩̲̟͖̮͢v̵͈͈̦ę ̺f̨̠̝r̹͈̤̞ͅee̙̖d̺͉̮͈̙͍ ̣͖̟̯ͅme͙̗̞̞̜͚.̬͕ ̷H̹͢e̗̰͝r̭̪̦e̶̜͈̝͙̟̭,̝͙͇̕ ̙̺͔̠͖̟̕k͈̭͍̙ͅi͎̬l͉̝͈l̟͖̺ ̭̙̠̟͘t͚h̲̼̝̦̻ḙ̸̞͈̹̖m̸̠͚,̵̟͖̤ ͔a͙̫͎̩̭͕͉n̟̺̠d̢͉͎ a̶̰͇͉̻c̤̫̦̣͇̹c̷̰̲̬̞̤͓e̫̭̙̰̕l͔̰e̗̯̩̞̗̥̹r̨̹á̫̪͉̠͙t̶͙͇e̮͇̗͖͕̰̗ ̗̯̣̱ṕ̦̼ͅŗ̞̲̯͕͕͕e͈̱̠͢p͉͙̩̹͝a̱̣͎͈̙͢r̸̪̮ͅa͎t͉̩i̘̙̼̪̤͢o̡͓̥̦̪n͉̫̙͕̯̱s!͏͖ ̱͔͟I͙̯̕ ͎̻̫͔̜̹n͔̱̺ͅe̗̗͍̰̭̝̹͢e̞̹͇̗̭͍d̟̠͚͇̝̣̠̕ ̬̖̻̞͔͙͘t̴̯̖͎̹o̥̩ ̯͝g̼̝̰͕o̶̟ ̰̰̥b̩̲̥͓͕ȩ̜̰̟f̗͠o͍̯͔̭̗r̸͍e̹̝̻ ̦̮̲̘̩t̙̹̺̜͙̲̬ḩ͖̦̗̬̞̰̹o͉̼̥̼s͙̞̞̲̲̹͘e̷̘͖̪̣ C̼̰r̨͉̻̤e̠͙͇̗̦͠ͅa̤͚͖̖̲͠ͅt̢o̜̱r̪̤͔͙̖͚s ̧̥̻̯̺̹̗̥f͉̤̘̝̬͙̺̕i̧͖̮̘͉g̭͜u̞͇̞̠͈̙͘ͅre̖̟͕͎͖͜ ̭͔o҉̯͙̼̬̘u̲͉ṱ̦͍̳͖̣ͅ!҉̲͍”

I feel his power flow into me, at least two time that from Nightmare, “Thank you my lord! They shall fall in their charge, and you shall be freed!”

—(Raven)—

We run through the palace, right towards the throne room. Combine try and get in our way, their mistake. All who dare to try and stop us are cut down before they can take a single breath.

We cut down the pace as we stop in front of the throne room’s dark doors, “Are you all ready, friends?”

“I will not fail in this.”

“I got a bottle with his name on it, and I’d like to introduce his head to it.”

“I’ll make sure the soul has left his eyes.”

“Even if I fall, I shall take him with me.”

I smile, and take one last look at my friends, “For Survivor.”

“For Survivor.”

“For Survivor.”

“For Survivor, and the name of Palmer.”

“For Survivor, and for the name of his Earth.”

With one collective movement, we all kick the door open. We all rush in, and see the Emperor standing there on a balcony. I stop, and smile up at him, “Might as well surrender and accept your execution in peace, monster!”

The Emperor smiles back, and speaks in the most disgusting voice I’ve ever heard, “Oh yes, the ‘heroes’ of the hour. Do you feel proud of yourself? Do you think you bugs are anything to me?! Do you think you are worthy of my time? Because you are not.”

I don’t let my smile falter, “You don’t stand a chance. I am death itself, I do not believe you can kill me, you aren’t powerful enough.”

Slender steps up next to me, “The last person who went up against me calling themselves ‘invincible’ is dead in the ground. And I respected Jeff The Killer far more than you.”

Courier joins in, “I am incapable of failure any more, and I doubt you will break that. I have the world set to ‘very easy’ and you stand no chance.”

Avatar covers himself with stone, “If this is anything like the fight against Aaron, then I should be good. And he was young, strong, equal to me. I highly doubt you could be as tough as even him, and I defeated him in one push.”

Chem smashes a bottle on the ground, “You know what we do in Ireland to Emperors, Queens, Kings, or any other royal cunt? Storm the castle, then take them out to the fields. Draw and quarter, all the while peeling their skin off piece by piece with rusty potato peelers. I think I will follow the example of my ancestors.”

The Emperor mearly smirks, “Oh, I will enjoy wiping those smiles off of your face.”

Faster than any of us can comprehend, the Emperor makes a shield of magic and crushes us with it. Like, he broke our legs in two, we aren’t moving for a while, at least an hour, “Hng!”

We... we were just defeated, in one blow, we are out of the fight. The Emperor holds the victory on his face, “Do you want a cookie? Do you want a cookie for doing the ‘right thing’? You aren’t even worth the effor for me to kill. Commander, come out.”

———

I take a drag of a cigar as I look out over Tartarus, “You know Celestia, you feel that in the air? That feeling, one that can be put to nothing else? You feel it, I know that.” I look over towards Celestia, “You know what is happening, we all do.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t had much time to listen to the news. Explain, Satan.”

———

I walk out into the throne room, and see the Emperor smileing at me, “Execute these fools, Commander. I might just decide to make you my Prince.”

I walk down the stairs, wondering who I am executing.

———

“Really, Celestia? You don’t know this? The one moment that is the most important of all?”

“As I said, Satan, I haven’t concerned myself with foreign politics. Now if you could actually tell me what the hell your going on about, that would be wonderful.”

———

“Survivor!”

I look at the five lying there. Survivor? Who is-

Survivor, Earth, Humanity, nukes, Palmer.

———

“Oh, fine then, if you really want to be snappy about it.”

“I wouldn’t be so snappy if you were to actually get to the point.”

———

America, China, Russia, Scotland, Ireland, Rome, Berlin, apocalypse.

No, no, that doesn’t make sense.

Combine, Commander, Emperor, Freeman, G-Man.

———

“We’ve all heard the stories. Spread around stories ever since we were born, Celestia, all the way back then. Tales of the Time Lords, the first made by the Creators, the travelers of universes and times, the ones formed to be the most like them. They made a pact with the Creators, for as long as a single Time Lord was around.”

“I slightly remember the tale. Nothing more than a story made by ponies.”

———

I collapse to my knees right there.

Twilight Sparkle, Solare, Rainbow Dash, Celestia, Luna, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, Discord.

Oppression, slaves, Empire, Hunters, Striders.

———

“Oh, Celestia, no. They were the first ponies in existence, they didn’t know how to make up stories. The Time Lords are real, the pact was real. It all happend far beyond anything you could comprehend in your mind.”

“And you think your mind is better?”

“It is our specialty to comprehend things some cannot.”

———

I hold my head as thoughts battle inside of it, a constant clash.

Canterlot, Black Death, Plauge Doctors, Cure, Mask, Chaos, Plauge, Lord, New Vegas.

Killing, Fire, Death.

———

“‘Our’ specialty? What is that supposed to mean? What are you anyways? You are Pony Satan, but what are you?

“Me and my good Doctor share a lot, Celestia. I am a being that can travel through the universes the Creators have made.”

“What are you? What Doctor?”

“Celestia, I thought you more perceptive then this. I’m a Time Lord.”

———

I am... I am... Commander? Survivor? I don’t know!

New Vegas, Fallout, Courier, Raven, Avatar, Chem, Slendy, Rake, Dawnbreaker, Invasion.

———

“No, that’s impossible! The stories said the Time Lords we’re wiped out by the Daleks!”

“Oh yes, the race is gone. Two males left, how could we repopulate? The species of Time Lord is extinct. Only me and the Doctor remain. We are all that’s left making sure the pact stays true. It has my signature on it, it will happen.”

“What will happen?”

———

I know now... I know who I am. I am the-

“Survivor.”

———

“The pact made in thing clear. As long as Time Lords exist, the event will happen. What we made sure would happen to advance our favorite Creator.”

“What event?”

———

I look up from my position on the floor to see who said that. Green glow, same look, “Plauge. What, you’ve come to rub something in my face?” I try and get up, but fail.

Plauge shakes his head, “I’ve been thinking Survivor. Both of us claim we are the last human. We are both wrong. Neither of us are human.”

———

“An event that makes me shake in my skin knowing what could happen. I am the Lord of fear, I control it! I am the force that makes others feel fear! And... I’m scared. I fear, and I want to scream like a little girl. I want to run away and hide until that feeling has passed.”

“What the hell is this event?!”

———

“You want to run that by me again, Plauge?”

He nods, “Neither of us are human. We haven’t been human for a long time. Us saying we’re human is like saying a triangle is a diamond. Cut in half, we are not what we claim we are. We are not human, we are two half’s of humanity. And I’ve made a choice.”

———

“The blast of Harmonic energy, Chem himself, laws of our universe! All of those are cause by this. As long as a single Time Lord still breathes, it will happen. A moment that determines the fate of an entire universe.”

“What?”

———

“What choice is that, huh? Kill everybody but you so that only half of humanity can exist?”

“I want us to be human again, Survivor. We are brothers, we are the same person. I want us to unite, brother! Not merge so that you can push me down, I mean unite. Combine our violence and kindness, order and chaos, our humanity into one equal mind.”

———

“The Time.”

———

He... isn’t wrong, “How can I know this will work.”

He looks down towards me, and provides a hand, “I am willing to change for the better, brother. Are you?”

———

“A single decision that I fear. One that can go wrong in so many ways I cannot say them all. The Time when it is decided what happens. The Time when Humanity unites, or dies off.”

———

His land lays there in front of my face, offering to help me up. Time is frozen all around us, and his hand is right there.

———

“We can only hope that good comes of it.”

———

I put my hand in his, and he pulls me up.

We embrace each other closely, and start to glow a bright blue, “Welcome back to humanity, brother.”

I pat Plauge’s back, “Glad to be back... brother.”

———

“That taste on the air, oh it’s almost intoxicating. It turned out good.”

———

I stand up in a burst of blue. My entire body glows the same blue. I feel energy coursing in me, like my magic, only much, much stronger then before. I sprout arms of magic, and use the six of them to grab my weapons. I hold my sword in my two regular arms, my gun and revolver in two, the MP40 and knife in the other two.

I twist around to glare at the Emperor, and my glow lights up the entire room, “I am the Survivor, Spirit of Humanity!”

Rise

—(Survivor)—

I take an agreesive stance and glare at the Emperor, shaded in my bright blue glow, “Any smart ass remarks you wanna say now, because I have an entire bank full of them.”

The Emperors smile fades from his face, “That’s a surprise.” He looks at my friends still incapacitated, “Ready to watch your hero of this hour fail?”

I fire a shot from my repeater right near his feet, “You wanna scare people scare me, motherfucker!”

He looks at the gun shot in boredom before looking up at me, “Alright then. Prepare yourself to die.”

“Son of a bitch.”

He gets an angry expression on his face, “Commander, I always thought you glowed so bright.”

I glare right on back into his eyes, “I am no longer the Commander, I am Survivor.”

He waves his hand, “Bah, whatever. No matter what name you claim, there is one simple fact.” The room suddenly turns pitch black, “The darkness will blot it out.”

I return all my arms closer to my body, and slowly I create an aura of light, “Light shall always chase away shadow.”

I hear footsteps behind me, then a growl, “Die!”

I duck underneath a sword that pieces the darkness, and chop off one of the arms holding it. The sword escapes back into the darkness. I spin my sword around, “Come on, try again, you’ll lose another limb.”

I can hear shuffles from all around me, “You annoy me now, pest.”

I hear his voice from beside me, and parry the blade comeing at me. Two arms holding onto it, must have regeneration. I see the direction the blade retreats to, and flick out my knife in that direction. I can feel it strike something soft, the neck, “What’s the problem Emperor, knife got your neck?”

I can hear a few stumbles, before nothing, “It would seem I have to play unfair now. How sad, I wanted an honorable fight.”

I have barely any time to react before blades pop out from every direction. I mange to parry or block all of them, but more and more keep comeing faster and faster. My sword and knife are a flurry of motion as I move it in front of every blade. I can’t win like this. I point my guns in all differnt directions, “Well then, I have no qualms to fighting unfair. Let the dark be lit by gunfire.”

I spin my body around in every direction, fireing all three guns in differnt directions. My magical arms are a flurry of movement as they revolve the revolver and repeat the repeater at speeds the same as the MP40. A maelstrom of lead shells surround me, and the tornado of bullets tears through the darkness.

Blades still come at me, but slower and slower as I continue to fire and block. I wait for a lull in the attacks as I build up my magic. As soon as they stop, I pull an Iron Man 2 move. I send out beams of pure concentrated magic from my hands, and twist around on my knees so nowhere around me isn’t hit. The swords finnaly stop.

*Tink.*

And the first casing hits the floor. Followed up by even more as all the bullets I fired get rid of their refuse. I make two more arms to hold my sword and build up even more magic. I reach into the darkness, and tear it apart. The light finally comes through as I stand there.

The Emperor is kneeling on the ground, bleeding and clutching his chest as his sword lies beside him, “Good try, Survivor, you actually got me down! This hasn’t happend in a century at least!”

I point all of my weapons at him, “Surrender, and I’ll execute you humanly.”

He stands up, all the blood vanishing from him, and the holes filling, “No, no, we still fight.”

He has his sword, and is attacking within a second. I parry his sword to the side, and fire my revolver right into his face. He doesn’t even feel the pain. I stab him through the arm with my sword, and take it off.

He takes advantage of my sword being used, and chops off one of my hands. I pull the blade out, and look at my arm. My hand, was just cut off... and I cannot feel anything. I look up at him and smile, “Oh, Emperor, did you think that would stop me?” My hand grows back in an instant, and I grab my sword with it again, “You are going to learn that was a mistake.”

My mind works quickly as I think on my enemy in the temperarly lull. Raven has the crowbar, and it is said that only the crowbar can kill him...

I look over at Raven, “Raven, crowbar!”

Raven is able to summon it, and I instantly grab it. I barely block an attack with it. I look up to see the Emperor having hat looks almost like fear on his face, “So what, oh boy, a crowbar. Why should I care, not like I do.”

I take advantage of his talking, and smack him with the blunt side of it. He is flung to the side by the blow, and doesn’t instantly get up, “I believe I found your weakness.”

But then he gets up, “You made one mistake. That crowbar is useless unless the people truely believe. Nobody believes in you, fool!”

I hit out his knee with it, “I doubt that.”

—(Reznov)—

I take cover in a building with my three other comrads. We all collapse there, and stare at the entrances, “Comrads, I think this is the end.”

I see Wolfram tear a part of his uniform off to cover a wound, “Hate to admit it, but I aggre.”

Mason pumps his shotgun one more time, “Then I’ll take them out with me.”

Ceaser tosses a grenade up and down, “I will take down at least one more squad with this ‘nade.”

I take out my PPSH, and sigh, “We push out one more time then.” I look directly behind me at Wolfram, “Wolfram, this entire time I’ve blamed you German troops for Stalingrad. I realize I’m wrong. I hated the Italians and Mousilini because they helped you. But now? We are comrades through and through.”

He shakily nods, “I remember hearing my friends talking about the Russians executeing us. I thought they were evil, soulless communists. I think I would be honored to fight with you now. Same with you, American.”

Mason lights a cigar, “All of here believe the same thing. Freedom is the best, and those around us are enemies. We just show that in different forms. But, as far as I’m concerned, any freedom loving person is a friend. Russian, German, Or Italian. So we go out in the name of freedom, as friends.”

Ceaser plays with the grenade some more, “I think we all have learned one simple lesson. Soldiers are soldiers, it’s the leaders who are idiots that believe that war is the best option. I hate your countries leaders, Hitler, Roosevelt, Stalin, hell I hate Il Duce as well. But we are soldiers, and we shall go out as we always do, fighting other innocent soldiers.”

“Uraa.”

“Hail.”

“Hugah.”

“Arguere.”

Unity

—(Kendrick)—

I sweep the streets of soldiers, and make sure no Strider can see me. And I see the worst sight one can see during a battle... a child. A Combine child, but a child all the same. And a Strider seems to have an error in its programming, and aims at them.

Selflessness

I rush towards the child, hoping to get them away in time.

—(Clyde)—

I throw Clive at another squad, and he takes them all out. I fight with the Wanderer again, and he takes out another squad.
Problem about us is that we cannot take out Hunters.

And guess what comes around the corner. A Hunter, taking out a squad of our ponies. The it’s eyes lock on us.

Me and the Wanderer exchange looks, and silenty aggre to take it out before it can kill more.

Bravery

—(Doctor)—

I rush into a building, a school to be exact, in order to get out any innocents. Twilight and Heavy follow behind me.

I walk into a classroom, and see an entire class of Combine children, and a teacher pointing a gun at us. I hear Heavy rev up his minigun, “Heavy, stop. You came with me, and I will not ruin my pacifism.” I look at the teacher, “We need to evacuate you.”

They shakily point the gun at me, “I have a gun, you cannot harm me!”

She looks ready to shoot any second.

Standfastness

I continue anyway, “We need to get you out before you die!”

—(Jack)—

I hear hundreds of screams over the radios. Ponies are being killed, and I’m just sitting back here?!

I see my armored up suit lying by the door, next to a weaponised cane.

”Dear Raven, Slender Man, Avatar, Survivor, Chem, Courier, Leaders hear my pleas. Help me against the Combine comeing. Don’t allow me the same fate as my daughter. Stop them before they can knock down those doors.

*bang!*

“No, please! I surrender, please! No!”

“The Emperor doesn’t allow surrender.”

“No!”

The radio crackles out, and I sit there starring at it for a while.

Resolve

I grab my equipment and run out of the door towards Canterlot.

—(McBad)—

I see mechs surrounding me fighting their way through, and I fling spells at the enemy. Cannons fire, Zepplens crash, walls are broken by guards, and no mercy is shown from any side. Solare fights right next to me, throwing lightning with my fire.

Then, a group of Combine come out of a building with their hands up. Solare looks at them, “They surrendered.”

They didn’t show our people mercy, should we?

Compassion

I hold up my hand, “Take them prisoner, don’t kill them. We’re better than them.”

—(Survivor)—

All of our Elements start to glow brightly, as energy flows into them. I look around to all of my friends, before looking back at the crowbar, “Friends, it’s time we end this!”

All of us divert the flow of energy into the crowbar, and it starts to glow brightly. I look down to see the Emperor shielding his eyes from the light, “No, that’s impossible!”

The crowbar is fully charged up, and I look down at him, “Nothing is impossible when we put our mind to it.”

I bring it down, “Noooo!”

*Wha-BANG!*

I stagger backwards as blasts of energy start to blow out of him. I see one take form... Nightmare Moon, asleep on the ground. So, this must be the beings he’s absorbed. And the ones outside our universe have nowhere to go, so they just explode out. This energy does heal my friends however.

Eventually, I can see again through the light. And what I see there is an old frail bag of bones man where the Emperor once was. He crawls over to me, “Oh, thank you lord! You finally freed me from that evil entity!”

I stare into his eyes... treachery and deception. Lies. I pick him up by his neck, “Become a better liar, Emperor. Friends, follow me, it’s time we end this bloodshed.”

I walk out into the balcony with them right behind me. I push the Emperor against the balcony so he looks out. I amplify my voice so everyone can hear it, “This war is over! Look to the sky, look to the castle! Look at what has become of the evil man behind it all! It’s time this bloodshed ends and this monster pays for his crimes!”

I can barely hear the Emperor whisper to me, “You can’t do this, I’m your Emperor. Your below me!”

I take my sword out, and impale him in the middle of the chest with it. I whisper into his ear, “Then consider this a coup, Emperor.”

I pull my sword back out of him, and raise up my leg. I kick him right in the shoulders, and he staggers to where he is almost off the edge.

I hold him up by his neck, carefully not getting his blood on me. I take out my revolver and point it at his head.

*Bang!*

I take his lifeless body and throw it down into the crowd, “This war is over! As decreed by Survivor, Spirit of Humanity!”

I see Combine all around surrender. Hands held up, and weapons dropped. Striders and Hunters collapse in the streets, and the ponies round up all the prisoners.

I smile, and turn back to my friends, “Hello guys.”

They all rush to embrace me, and I enjoy the moment.

—(Last)—

“Joy, they won. What was the point of this? Why did this happen?”

My scathing remarks cut through the mood of happiness as the differnt champions parents cheer. Chem looks over at me, “Me, the Time Lords, and G-Man all made a pact. The Time Lords wanted to survive forever, and that’s what this would’ve done. If their weren’t only two remaining. The Combine were the opposite of Harmony so you see why I signed it. And G-Man wanted them dead.”

“Then why all of this? Why the Champions?”

He looks at me before saying, “I’m testing them.”

Author's Note

Man, that’s the biggest chapter yet. And rightfully so. This is the huge climax of Season 1! All that’s left now is to wrap things up, and then Season 2 begins!

Finale

—(Survivor)—

I sit in a room with all the other leaders, having gone back to normal. Now I am the Emperor of the Combine, so I must represent them, “I want my Combine to live in this land. They are innocent, the Emperor was the bad one. You may annex them, take the technology, make them a puppet, I don’t care. As long as they are treated no different than a pony would.”

Lenin looks over at me, “That’s a risky proposition, Survivor. But I can see the use we could have with the Combine becomeing a part of the Equestrian Republic.”

Notepad looks between us, “I’m in agreement.”

McBad looks around, “As long as a few can come live in Bananaramma, I am good with it.”

The other representatives around the table, including my friends all ring out their approval.

I nod, “Then I am ready to scede my crown as Emperor and my Combine between the Equestrian Republic and the Bananaramma Corporation.”

Everyone nods, and Notepad writes on the treaty, “Alright then. Good we got that out of the way.”

Lenin then speaks up, “I do have to say, we would have lost without McBad. Now, in the future we will grow stronger, but we need to learn from the present. I propose an alliance into a single International.”

Ha, just like Lenin in real life. I nod my aggrement, “In my power as Lord of New Vegas, and a noble of Equestria, I agree to join.”

McBad smiles, “The Bananaramma Corporation could always use friends. I’ll join.”

Slender looks around, “I may not be a King or Lord, but I will offer my help.”

Courier joins in, “And I’m with him. I’m a one man army.”

Avatar leans back, “The Fourth Storm Riech would be glad to join.”

Raven adjusts the height of his bone chair, “I would be glad to come in, with my power as King of the Confederation of Harmony.”

Chem places down his whiskey glass, “As King of the Equestrian Empire, I would find it wonderful to join.”

Notepad nods along with us, “Then we shall make it so. The Revolutionaries Concordat is herby in effect to wield together the Fourth Storm Riech, Confederation of Harmony, Equestrian Empire, Bananaramma Corporation, Equestria, and Equestian Republic.” She looks around, “Is that all?”

Everyone nods, “I believe this meeting is over then.”

“Then we are all to sign this, and we shall see what comes after.”

I hold up my hand, “I could tap into my power, open dimensional portals for everyone to go home.”

“Then we shall do that right after we are done.”

———

I tear open the last portal, “There we are.”

My friends all come up to me, “We need to aggre on something. If one of us are ever in trouble to great, we should be able to call upon each other.”

I nod, “It would be best to do that. Weather it’s for a fight, emotional or physical or social.”

We all toss something together, and we all receive five tokens for each other.

I look up, “Then I believe we are good. I do hate to cut this short, but I hate to say goodbye, and I do have to go.” I walk around and hug all of my friends, “Good luck back home, and don’t be afraid to call upon me.”

I hug Chem, “Continue being you, make them equal buddy, I know you’ll succeed. I remember pointing a gun right at you... seems so long ago.”

He hugs back, “Oi mate, I’ll make sure to do a cheers with Satan in your name. We’ve been through thick and thin, and don’t forget that.”

Then I go on to Avatar, “I know you the best of all. We are the same person, after all. Well, we were, I’m not so sure about that now. Continue to bring glory to the Palmer name.”

He pats me on the back, “I’ll do that, you just be sure to do the same. Oh, and remember, I won’t be there for the next Mexican stand-off.”

I laugh, and move on to Slendy. I take him in embrace, “You know, out of all the people here, I think we’re the most serious. I remember us calmly talking before the stand-off, and at how we were the only ones with good reasons.”

Slendy take me in, not having to bend over because of the fact I’m so tall now, “You didn’t see the Courier or Chem during the war. They were so serious... I was scared. I only fought on because of you. And, our colors match, we both blend into the dark. Always keep that in mind, no matter how insignificant now, it may save your life later.”

I move onto Raven, and he has to add some bone, “Remember that stand-off we had? I was trying to protect you, and you pointed your gun at my head. Now that I know you... I think the gun would’ve shot blanks. You are a person who is cruel, but on,y to those who deserve it. I look up to that.”

Raven smiles, “Well dang, you figured me out. Yeah, the gun was blanks. I wasn’t about to shoot someone for trying to help, I just thought it was a big joke, a reference to Sparrow. Now that I think about it, Chem has blanks, his barrel didn’t have a bullet down it, and I think the Courier was in the same boat as me. But we’ve come over that.”

I pat his back, “Forgiveness, Raven, always remember that. Compassion towards those who deserve it, and forgiveness to those you hate. Some don’t deserve forgiveness for they fight of purely selfish reasons. But anyone who has good reason deserves a chance. Remember that.”

I walk over to Courier, and falter for a moment. I’m about to just offer a hand, but I decide to hug fully instead, “Courier, you were my hero the entirety of my life. You are the reason New Vegas exists, it’s you I learned from. And here you are, standing before me. My hero from the screen to the flesh. And I will never see you as anything other than a hero. I’ll always be there to help you where you falter. I will help you learn from the past. After all, ‘Who are you who do not know your history?’”

The Courier returns it full force, “And I view you as a hero, Survivor. You are so powerful, and yet kind, more than I’ve ever been able to achieve. The NCR, the Legion, House, all dead by my hands because I could. Because I didn’t learn from the past. I’ll take that to heart. Funny you should quote Ulysses, I’m sure you two would make great friends in the end. Both teaching each other lessons that can only come from experience. And I’m going to make sure I learn now.”

I back off, and stand near the portal, “It’s an honor to call you all my best friends. Until we meet again.”

I look back, and walk through my portal.

—(Courier)—

I walk up to my portal, only to stop and look at who’s next to it, “Hey, cousin.”

I smile, “Wanderer, your coming with?”

He nods, “Oh yeah, if the Mojave can survive without you, the Capital can survive without me. I’ve done my work, I did my job too many times. I think I deserve to retire early.”

I walk up to him, “Then I would be happy to welcome you. Let’s go.”

And we both stepped through at the same time.

—(Raven)—

I land back home, and find myself on the middle of the ship, wedding decorations being taken down. I look around until I spot Captain Jack, “Sparrow, you better set these back up immediately! I will not wait any longer for you to sit around, start working!”

—(Slendy)—

I land back home, and immediately shudder. Dark forces, that much I know. Multiple overlapping so I cannot tell them, but two stand out.

Ah, I know those two. 096, 049. Well, here I go again.

—(Chem)—

I land back in my universe, in the middle of Celestia and Satan. I hold up my bottle, and Satan taps his glass, “For Survivor!”

Celestia looks between the two of us, “What?”

—(Avatar)—

I land back within my palace.

Damn, I need to make a speech about this.

—(Survivor)—

I land in my office in the Lucky 38. I look out of the windows just like I did before I left. Criminals caught in seconds, bits exchange hands, nobles argue about pointless things.

I’m whole again... now I can enjoy this so much more.

I’m home.

Author's Note

This story was so different then I originally planned! The only people I was going to bring in were to be the LFD2 team and RD John Marston. And neither of them appeared!

Instead, I wrote McBad and had to bring him in along with everyone else. The changes are all positive in my opinion except for a few things.

Some I am really glad included the fact that Solare was supposed to take Chems place, and who could imagine this without Chem? Raven wasn’t even supposed to be part of this, and only came in when I made the idea at the end of the Survivor. There was supposed to be a Dalek instead of Avatar, Kendrick instead of Courier! And I’m so glad I changed that.

This entire idea has been changed and changed. And along the way I’ve made sure to drop hints for a future villain (point them out in spoiler bars if you want) so it doesn’t come out of left field.

Basically, thank you all for reading Season One of these characters. Next up is Season Two following the events of this and the Harmonic Blasts. Can’t wait to get to it... tomorrow!

Fallout Friends Fire-Fight in Fillydelphia

—(Lone Wanderer)—

I slap hands with Courier, “Finally working together again, eh? You still remember Kansas City?”

He shakes my hand gladly, a smile in his face, “Those slavers didn’t know who they took prisoner. It’ll be great to work together, friend, like we did for the entirety of Kansas.”

I nod as I reminece on those days, “Ah, those Legion nutcases never thought we would’ve rounded up all the brahim and use them. If we could take out an entire state full of Roman wannabes, then we should surely be able to take Fillydelphia. Especially considering the army is running away, and pulled everyone from there.”

He nods, “How’d you kn- you looked on the Wiki didn’t you?”

I nod back, “Yep.”

He shrugs, “Well, let’s go.”

———

I sercure the Combine mask to my head, and look over at the Courier as he does the same. Thus making everyone not friendly see us as Combine soldiers. I nod as I see the message in the corner confirming I am disguised, “Say, Courier, we have so many of the same powers. Are you sure we aren’t related?”

He shrugs, “I’ve heard of this fellow called ‘the Vault Dweller’ and he might be a shared grandfather, since he also had these powers. My father was called ‘the Chosen One’ and he showed the same powers, he said he was the son of some Vault guy, but he was never around.”

I nod at his words, “My father showed the powers as well, though I didn’t see him use many of them. Said he was a great hero, but wasn’t faithful to my grandmother. Well shit, I believe we are cousins!”

He smiles, “Well, hot damn, I knew I saw resemblance to you when we were trapped together!” He slide out a grenade, “Why don’t we go do the old family bonding experience of shooting everyone we don’t like?”

I slide a tesla cannon into my hands, “Oh, now that sounds like fun!”

And we went down the streets of Fillydelphia to the Combines government office.

———

So, we came up with a plan. No, I’m not telling you, that would spoil the fun. There’s a person to ask questions to, I am not that person, the NPCs are those people.

I carry a box in my arms, and knock on a side door, “Pizza delivery!”

I can hear someone on the other side shout, “Oh fuck yes, I’m so hungry!”

They open the door, and I hand them the box. The box almost as big as me, I should add, “Here you go, an extra large pizza!”

They look at the box, “Isn’t that a bit tall to eat?”

I smile, “It’s a very extra large pizza.”

They smile, and hand me some bits, “Thank you!”

I nod, “Thanks for shopping with the Lone Pepperoni, come again.”

They close the door, and I step back, with a smile.

—(Courier)—

I wait in my hiding spot. I can hear the Combine outside open the box, “What the hell? This isn’t a pizza, this is a cake!”

I smile from inside the cake, and burst out, grenade in hand, “Alluh Ackbar!”

*Boom!*

The blast from my grenade kills most of them. Then the door is kicked in by Lone, and they are quickly dispatched.

I look around for more to come rushing in, only to see none, “Huh, that must’ve been all.”

—(Wanderer)—

I look around as the Courier crawls out of the cake, “Courier, go ahead and replace the flag with our own. I’ll stay back here and check out these computers.”

He nods, “Just don’t play any Half Life, the parodox would be horrid.”

I nod back, and start to read some of a computer terminals entries.

———

Entry 1:

We are going to abandon Earth. Freeman destroyed the Citidel, and we can’t take anymore risks. Higher ups said they found a new world, a huge universal disturbance was put out of it. As always, this leaves us an open door to invade. Shame, that Seven Hours war was so much fun.

End entry.

Entry 2:

We found Freeman’s body, having suffocated under rubble from the Citidel. I admit, I admire Freeman, at how he alone was able to destroy the Citidel and make City 17 rise up. With all he did, he deserved a more fitting end at the end of our guns, not under this rubble. The very idea that a Doctor could do all that inspires something within me. Not that I’m sympathizeing, I’m just impressed and inspired to step up because of him.

Now that we found his body, some start to question if we still need to leave. The Scientists said that this world was a lot more peaceful, and easy to take over. The leader, Dawnbreaker, can apparently be taken out, even if not easily. But, unlike Doctor Freeman, this time we have the surprise on our side, so she would be much easier to take out then him.

End entry.

Entry 3:

I am assigned to a town called Fillydelphia. I wonder why that name is a pun of the Earth city Philadelphia, maybe a coincidence? Our squad has been given a great honor.

I saw Doctor Freeman’s legendary crowbar today. We are to protect both it and the town, but mainly it. I only wish I could feel it’s cold metal...

End entry.

Entry 4:

Operation Burned Snow was a magnificent failure. But I’m not worried, we should be fine, right? At least I’m a lot more relaxed now then before. But to know that that crowbar is right out of reach is torture. It’s so close, yes so far...

Oh, the pizza is here!

End entry.

I look up as Courier enters the room, “We have something we need to get.”