"Over here girls!" Scootaloo calls for her friends.

The pegasus pushed the thick bushes of the Everfree Forest away, the rest of the crusaders quickly follows Scootaloo with their wagon filled with digging tools deeper into the forest, though it was dangerous to traverse the Everfree, that didn't stop the young mares from going in without supervision, they are old enough to take care of themselves.

Now you may all be wondering why these fillies would go inside something their species consider strange, well, young Scootaloo had spent the night stargazing from the window of her own room, that was the time she had witnessed a stranger event, just for a second, the sky was lit up with purple lights, when they disappeared, the pegasus saw something come crashing down in fiery blaze from the heavens. At first, she thought it was just a meteor event that happens around in space, but then her wild imagination has brought her to the conclusion that whatever this thing was, it was alien.

So she had gathered her friends the next morning to seek it out, luckily, Scootaloo had pinpointed the exact location of where the strange object have landed.

They all soon reached the place Scootaloo had correctly predicted, a crater that was as big as their clubhouse. "See? I told you that something fell from space!" Said Scootaloo.

"What do you think is in there?" Asked the adorable Sweetie Belle.

"Well, let's go find out!" Scootaloo leads her friends over to the mouth of the crater, once they have a clear vision inside, the three discovers a strange oval shaped chest buried half way into the ground, covered in soot. "Woah!" The pegasus excitedly hurried down towards the box.

"Scootaloo, be careful!" Applebloom said, worried that there could be something sinister.

"Oh come on!" Scootaloo looks back at the two with a smirk. "There's nothing to be worried about!" As she reaches the box, she gives it a swift kick. "See? Now come on and help me with this!"

Sweetie looked at her earth pony friend, Applebloom looked back at her before they both nodded and heads down the crater towards Scootaloo. Once they reached the pegasus, they began to start digging with the tools Applebloom brought, the three doesn't know what the thing contains, whatever it is, it could probably dangerous.

Hours have passed in the Crystal Empire, but it seems the wave of bandits were endless, Wilhelm didn't really mind, he still have ammo to spare. The cyborg looks back at the quiet mare he was escorting around the city looking for someone, though he was ordered to look for what the bandits wanted, he first wanted to help the mare.

"So," He tries to start up a conversation. "any clue on where we can find this pony?"

"Mhmm."

"You talk?" When he heard nothing he just let out a sigh, so Wilhelm decided to go with a different topic. "Just curious, I was kinda wondering what you were doing here, you don't look like you're from around here."

The mare was silent, she stops walking to rummage through her saddle bag and took out a pamphlet, she held it in her mouth before shyly moving over to the cyborg and gestures it to him, she flinches when she saw him move his robotic hand to take it, what she had witnessed still disturbed her. The enforcer took a closer look at the pamphlet which was about a prospector convention being held in the Crystal Empire, it was scheduled for tomorrow. After she was done showing him, she returns to walking.

"You uh...a miner or something?" The mare nodded, her family occupation is kinda like a miner's. "Oh, that's nice."

Once again, they were both silent as they continued through the city, surprisingly, it seems that the bandit activity in the area is small, he hasn't seen one again.

He was getting bored very quickly.

Luna stood on the balcony, observing the strange griffon below, though she was not liking her methods, she at least did the job, and the way she moves was oddly familiar to her, as if she had seen a different creature act like the griffon before. But her train of thought was derailed when her sister came to her side, she shared the stoic face that Luna had right now, it is seems that something was troubling her.

"Did you ever feel helpless before?" Celestia suddenly spoke, Luna did not expect Celestia to ask her a question out of the blue.

"I...yes sister, I have once felt helpless, but why did ask me so sudden."

"Luna... I feel as if this is my punishment for allowing that beast to live."

Luna's eyes widen. "Sister! How could you say that? It wasn't your fault, like you have said, Krieg would have returned no matter what!"

Celestia shook her head. "Even so, this whole attack is obviously a message from him, he will come for me." A hint of determination was in the alicorn of the sun's eyes. "When he does, there will be no hesitation."

Luna could only stare, her kind and caring sister was different ever since the psycho returned, the change was too obvious, but Celestia was still her sister and she could only hope that Celestia could vanquish Krieg once more, especially when there are four alicorns.

The sisters soon heard engines of the bandit trucks coming directly towards the castle, on the ground level, Nisha quickly calls out to the nearby Crystal BUL Loaders, the six machines sets themselves at front and prepared for the next wave of bandits. Right at the distance from around the corner came the truck, it was equipped with what seems to be light weight armor so it would not slow down, on the hood was a long pillar of metal with the heads of their victims tied onto it.

Once the truck position itself right, it accelerated towards the castle, the BUL Loaders transformed to it's second form to drive against the truck, but the bandits on the back quickly sat up and used corrosive weapons to take down some of the machines, Nisha couldn't pick them off due to the truck's armor serving as a cover, luckily Luna was not just a spectator for the event, the alicorn charged up a long range spell and casted it at the bandits in the back, a simple paralysis to keep them from attacking the Loaders. The Loaders closes in on the truck in seconds and completely flips it over making the truck spill the paralyzed bandits on the streets where the remaining BUL Loaders quickly executed them after they reverted back to their original form.

Having enough of the bandits and their chaos, the princess of the night had come to a decision to deal with them herself, without telling her sister her plans, she spreads her wings and took flight. Celestia did not question the sudden act by Luna, she could tell what ran in her sister's mind because she also wanted to help the city, but for some odd reason, she couldn't muster the courage to do so, the anger in Krieg's eye would always return to her mind to remind her why the city was being invaded by bandits.

"Baron!"

Flynt let out a long sigh, he just couldn't catch a break. "What is it No Toes?"

"Uh, that moon goddess pony is in the city."

"Great! Just f*cking great! First Hyperion and Wilhelm, then someone shot the Goliath's helmet off, now the pony who could move the moon at will is here!? If this keeps up, then we'll have to pull back without completing our dang mission!" He turns around and glared at the psycho. "I want you to remind those bandits why we're here, right now!"

"Yes Baron!" No Toes saluted but before he could move, his Echo began buzzing, he picks it up and answered, after he was done, he hesitated to look back at the Baron. "Um, Baron?"

"Let me guess, the sun pony is here too?"

Shining was breathing heavily, fatigue was starting to catch up with the stallion after he went on a one pony massacre, thanks to Jack, he had manage to fight long enough without any help from the living. He was continuously been fighting the endless horde of faceless bad guys, the idea of blood on his hooves were thankfully suppressed by the fact that he had saved countless lives in the process, he went back and forth to the castle just to escort them, and now that they were safe, Shining returns to looking for the artifact that the bandits are looking for.

Seconds passes by, more bandit corpses grow on the streets, the sound of battle in the distance echoes as time moves forward.

"Hey Shining, talk to me buddy. Something is definitely bothering you, so what is it?" His ghost floats by his side.

"Its just," He sighed. "why? Why is all of this happening?"

Jack looks away and stared at the ground. "I know what you're feeling right now, you want to know why these bandits just suddenly pop out of nowhere and attack the city looking for something old. That's sometimes how life works in Pandora, one second you're having a nice drink at the bar, the next you find out you were poisoned, all because some twisted freak thought it was a funny prank." He looks back at Shining. "You see what I was fighting on Pandora? The reason why these bandits prey on the weak? Because they can, that's why we need someone to stand up to these people, and that someone is you Shining. Do you want to add up the orphan counts?"

"No." Shining stared at the sky, slightly recovering some energy to keep going, another reason to keep fighting, not only for his family, but for the people, those who can't defend themselves.

"Good, I'd hate to see this place become just like that sh*thole."

The captain smiled, though he knows that Jack was evil, the ghost was still trying to help the planet he was on, maybe in some alternate universe Jack got help from those that wanted him dead and brought peace to Pandora, one can only hope that this Jack has the right mindset for Equestria.

Soon, Shining comes across a group of bandits standing in front of an antique shop, an old stallion sat against the wall with a Bruiser looming over him, the pony was obviously the owner who chooses to stay in his shop and thought he would be safe inside, if only the bandits weren't looking for something ancient. Shining started approaching slowly, going cover to cover to be hidden so he could get a jump at them, after he rolls undetected behind a wagon, he was given a good line of view inside and sees a hippogriff Psycho overseeing the grunts rummaging through the old stuff.

Shining props the rifle on the wheel to keep it in place, he looks through the scope and aimed it right at the bandit near the old stallion, hostages are a priority, and he took the shot but Shining didn't stop there and took down the rest of the lookouts, those inside were distracted at first but went back to looking for the artifact. The captain ran straight over to the old stallion, the pony was shooked but glad to be saved from the bandits.

"By Celestia, thank you prince Shining!"

"Shh!" The captain quickly shushed him. "Listen, head to the castle quickly before-"

"Shining!" Shining reacted fast enough thanks to Jack and pulled the old stallion away from a hail of bullets.

Ivan chuckled deeply. "What do we have here? Some knight in shining armor?"

Shining looks back at the old pony. "Go!" He said before facing the psycho.

The old pony did not waste any more time and ran for his life, a bandit behind Ivan was about to take a shot at the old pony, but the psycho stops him. "Let him live, little old man gave Ivan cookies." Though the reason was ridiculous, Shining was actually glad for the choice.

Ivan then looks over to the unicorn, he motions a claw asking for an introduction, the captain narrows his eyes but he decided to play along. "I am prince Shining Armor of the Crystal Empire, you are all guilty of the crimes you have committed against the city, if you surrender now, then you would be spared and be sentenced to prison for fifty years! How do you plead?"

"Wait, this sounds like Judge Dredd! I love that movie!" Ivan said to his fellow bandits. "When can we go home? I wanna see that movie..."

"Are you listening!"

"Sorry to say this Shining, but psychos are kinda special." Jack spoke from above them.

Ivan began walking closer to Shining. "Well, Ivan is very sorry, but Ivan was told that purple armor ponies are good guys, so Ivan must kill you."

"Ivan?" Asked the ghost. "Wait, I know him, he's that ex-Vladof guy, I had to deal with him because they kept attacking my outposts back at Pandora, but he isn't always alone, the guy is always being followed by his electric friend..."

Just as Jack finishes talking, a shadow was casted over Shining, he looks back to find a Shock-Nomadic standing there, it was obviously a storm creature under the coat. The Nomad pulls back his fist to strike at the pony but Shining ran behind the giant, the Nomad couldn't turn quick enough as Shining took a hold on the Nomad and threw him right at Ivan, the hippogriff only steps aside to dodge his friend, when the rest were about to open fire at Shining, Ivan raised his claws to stop them.

Ivan wanted to deal with Shining only with his fellow Vladof.

The psycho pulls out his Vladof pistols and sprays a number of bullets at Shining, the captain quickly casts a shield to keep himself safe, the Nomad storm creature recovers, and with his combat rifle, he took Ivan's place so the psycho could reload.

"Come on Shining, they're keeping you pinned, think of something!" Jack spoke as he watches the Nomad switch back to Ivan.

"I am open for suggestions!"

Before Jack could say a word, two bundles of dynamites landed in front of the shield, Shining could hear Ivan laughing through the sound of gunfire, an idea came to mind, the captain puts down the shield and rolled to the side dodging the bullets, Shining shoots the Nomad on the face, the storm creature held his free arm to protect his eyes which gave Shining the chance to throw the bombs back, Ivan being the only one able to see shoots his own explosives out of the air but made himself open for attacks, the captain had closed the gap and swung his rifle's blade at the hippogriff, Ivan took a step back but couldn't escape the blade as it gave him a nasty gash on his chest.

The Nomad heard the cry of pain from Ivan, so he drops his arm down and quickly struck Shining with his massive fist, sending him right into the antique shop. Shining landed on a bandit who was trying to open a chest, Jack repeatedly tells the stallion to get back up, the Nomad quickly came to Ivan's side with a healing injector. Shining stood back up and took the chance to blast the Nomad with a magic spell causing the storm creature to drop the heal and fell onto his back, Shining then charges over to the down Nomad, but as he reaches the Nomad, Ivan suddenly grabs Shining by his horn and flung him out to the streets.

Shining groans loudly as he stood up, a strange ticking noise coming from his back, when he looked behind himself and he saw one of Ivan's bomb sticking on him, he looks back up to find the hippogriff using the syringe on himself, the captain could tell that the psycho held a smug look under the mask.

"No more games white pony, you are dead!" Ivan lifts his claw holding a detonator. "Time is set for one hour, but Ivan make you go boom right now!"

Before Shining could speak, a bandit rushed out holding a purple ring that was almost bigger than his head, it glowed brightly as the bandit presented it to everyone.

Jack froze in the air, he stared intently at the artifact. "That's- that's an Eridian tech! How- what!?"

Ivan swipes it away from the bandit and inspected it, then he returns the vault artifact to the bandit and motions him to leave, while everyone was distracted, Shining had ripped off his armor since the bomb was not easy to take off.

"Shining!" He looks up to see Jack with a worried look. "Don't let them have that vault tech!"

Shining quickly went into action and threw his armor toward bandits, Ivan instinctively triggered the detonator without even looking, the bomb created a thick cloud when it exploded, and through the smoke came Shining with his rifle aimed right a the Nomad, he shoots the storm creature down before swiping the vault tech from the bandits with his magic.

"Mikhail!" Ivan cried out.

"Alright Shining, get out of there!"

But the captain could not run as the bandits quickly tackled him to the ground, Ivan went over to his friend's side, and thanks to the heavy coat his friend was wearing the bullets didn't put his life in danger, the Nomad was only winded but he'll live. Shining struggled under the bandits, one of them, a midget, swipes the artifact from Shining and ran away, definitely to who ever was leading the bandits.

Ivan who was now free of worry, walks in front of the captain, he pulls out his pistol and pointed it at Shining. "Ivan, is surprised how white pony is determined, Ivan is impressed, but you have made the mistake of attacking Ivan's friend."

Ivan notices Shining's horn beginning to glow, so he aims his gun slightly off and pulls the trigger, the bullet grazes the captain's cheek before hitting the cobblestone next to his face, both Shining and Jack reacted to the pain.

"Ivan won't let you use your magic."

"Is this gonna be the part where you tell me what your big plan is?" Shining said as he glared at the hippogriff.

"Ivan has no plan, but new boss has. You see white pony, Ivan was killed by Hyperion pig, but Mint pony has brought Ivan and his friend back."

Jack was now curious, it is seems that whatever the vault tech was, it could bring back the dead. "Wait...was I supposed to be alive?" Now everything was making a bit of sense.

"Mint pony then tell Ivan, that world is peaceful, Ivan hates peaceful world!" The psycho looks down at the prince. "And starting today, this world will no longer be at peace, for Mint shall use the vault tech to-"

The psycho couldn't finish what he was saying as a buzz axe buried itself into his skull, the bandits immediately scrambles onto their feet to attack the killer of Ivan, but they themselves froze, Jack who had already traced the axe to it's owner had began seething in anger, but that dissipate when he hears Shining groaning as he was getting back onto his own hooves as well.

"Shining," The captain looks over to him, Jack's usual mischievous look was replaced for genuine concern, it was directed towards the captain. "whatever you do, do not provoke him."

A warning that the captain should follow, for what comes next is far worst than a regular psycho, this one is the apex predator of it's class, this one is the psycho, and everyone have better prayed for mercy, for Krieg's axe is thirsty.

"Mahahaha! My mind is on fire!"

Author's Note

Anyone a fan of Zebrahead? Listen at this very fitting song!