the Six Heroes

London was in a state of hysteria, as police cars were driving through city streets, or walking along the curbs, all of them on the search for one man. A man who’s notoriety was growing at a rapid pace. And this man has been running amok throughout the city, reciting terror, and fear into the populace…and like the mass murderer of old, this new devilish man has taken up a name. And that name is…Ripper the 2nd. And for the past four months, Ripper the 2nd has been leaving dreaded, horrifying displays of what he calls…art, for the populace to see and bare witness to. And he show’s no signs of stopping his macabre artwork.

In an old abandon church building, Enigma and his two henchmen were sitting on a few chairs, as they watch their ‘host’ work on his latest form of, art. They listen has flesh was being smoothly cut, or ripped and teared. Blood dripping down to the wooden floor, and the squelching of organs being moved around. A foul odor has started to permeate the air as the body decomposes, but the smell doesn’t seem to be a hindrance to the old man’s host, in fact…he seems to be revealing in the foul stench. The group have been in the church for about an hour, or so, and during that time Enigma has been explaining to the Un-Natural his plans for him. But the young man seems to be willfully ignoring the old man’s words.

“…well?” Enigma says to the younger Un-Natural, sounding slightly irritated.

“Do we have an agreement?” the old man says as he taps the bottom of his cane on the wooden floor, trying to get the Un-Naturals attention. But the young man just continues to ignore him, as he seemed to just be thoroughly engrossed into his work.

“—Now to really bring out the lustrous glow of your face, to really show the filthy sacks of commonalty what TRUE beauty is, and how they can only dream to be like you. We add a dash of blood red by making careful incisions!” Ripper says as he continues with his work on the body of the middle-age man.

“Are you even listening to me you raving psychopathic…freak!” Enigma shouted at Ripper with barely contained anger. “I didn’t travel half-way around the fucking world to recruit Un-Naturals to help me with my plans, just to be ignored as a mentally challenged freak of nature turns a corpse into a piece of garbage art!”

The young Un-Natural remains un-responsive to Enigma’s ranting, seemingly un-fazed by the old man’s attempts to garner his attention, and continues to just ramble on as he worked his craft. A frustrated animalistic growl came from the unruly haired henchman to Enigma’s right, as he bolted to his feet, as his eyes and teeth change to become more, bestial. Taking in a deep breath, the unruly haired man roared at the young man as he spoke in a very enraged voice.

“Unless you want me to turn you into my newest chew toy, and leave your corpse to rot in a gutter, you will answer when our boss talks to you meat bag!” Rabid snarled his fingers become more hairier, and his nails turn into thick black claws.

Ripper ceased his mumbling and ranting, his clawed hands stopping in mid-laceration as they’re coated in blood with the entrails entangled along his fingers. The younger Un-Natural turned to face the three men, showing his front to be blood-soaked, his demented eyes showing great interest and even a little mirth, as his mouth slowly turned into a grin. A very unsettling grin. The simple act of seeing the young man looking so hopefully gleeful of Rabid’s threat, and the slow movement he was making towards the three men, caused them to take a step back as they feel a shiver run down their spines.

“You would truly do that?” Ripper asked, his voice still sounding hollow, and yet it has a touch playfulness to it.

“Will you be able to elevate me to the height of immaculate beauty that I strive for?! Strive to make all in this rotten sad world to?!” Ripper says as he raises his clawed hands, the blood soaked blades shimmering in the afternoon light. “Then come to me. Come and let us both become grand works of, ART!”

Ripper screams as he slams his hands onto the ground, sending him vaulting towards the three men, his screaming evolving into manic bouts of laughter. Rabid was about to engage the crazed young man and make good on his promise, but his colleague prevented the clash as he ran to the front of the group. Guardna stood in front of Enigma and Rabid with a serious expression on his face, while his eyes glowed yellow with power, before a 10ft high and wide dome of pale yellow energy surrounds the trio. Ripper collided with the dome of energy with a sudden ‘smack’, causing the dome to ripple from the impact. But the sudden mid-air collision didn’t stop Ripper, as he begun to violently slash at the dome of energy, his sharp claws causing it to ripple with each strike, and the force of each blow causing strain on the middle-aged man as he tries to maintain his shield.

“What do you think you are doing you degenerate?!” Enigma demanded as the crazed Un-Natural raises both hands, and attacks in an X formation. Causing a powerful shockwave to ripple across the domes surface. “We had an agreement!”

“I signed no contract old man; I made no such dealing. I only agreed to see what you can offer me…” Ripper says with a crooked smile as he raises his right claw, the fingers flexing, and the claws seem to be getting sharper.

“And you three will go well with my latest masterpiece!”

The pulled back limb snapped forward like a spring loaded gun, the arm swinging forward with great momentum, so much so that the 2ft long black claws pierced through the dome of energy. Guardna buckled and cried out as his concentration on the dome broke, causing him to fall to the ground and allowing the manic young man ready to strike with his left arm. Already pulled back like a cocked gun, ready to tear the three men to minced meat. But before the manic man’s left arm sprang loose, Enigma’s glowed purple and then in a split second, Ripper disappeared in the blink of an eye. Once Ripper was gone the three men gave out sighs of relief, while their bodies loosed up after being tense during the whole event.

“It seems I just have the worst of luck when it comes to recruiting new Un-Naturals.” The old man said as he walks over to a chair, and sits down to regain his strength. “First those un-reasonable youngsters, then that mutated ratman Samson brought…and now this.”

“Where did you even send that lunatic anyway boss?” Rabid asked as his features revert back to normal.

“I’m not sure actually.” Enigma says as he runs a hand through his short hair. “I wasn’t actually thinking of where to send him, I just used my power to get him away from me.”

“So in other words sir, for all we know, you just sent him to core of a volcano or outer space.” Guardna summarized.

“Precisely.” Enigma says as he stands up from the chair. “Let’s leave this wretched place, the stench is starting to make me nauseous.”

The two men agreed with their boss, and left the church without delay. But as they left and entered a nearby alleyway, the three men stopped as they saw several cop cars stop in front of the church, and began to inspect it. the three men hasten their retreat to leave the city, if not the whole country. As while Enigma is feared in the US, his reign of influence and power is limited everywhere else.

~~Equestria~~

Trottingham was always known as a humble city, where ponies were probably the most hospitable than anywhere else in Equestria’s boarders.

In one of the quaint neighborhoods, a little earth pony filly was playing by herself in her backyard. The foal was a light brown colored earth pony, with fuzzy a mane and tail of a darker brown with some golden highlights. As the filly was playing with her toys, having a model of Daring Doo tackle a dragon, which collapsed on a bunch of diamond dog soldiers, the fillies ears perked up as she heard something on the other side of the fence. It sounded like a small popping sound, that was followed up by a loud ‘thud’ and kicked up gravel.

Trotting up to the fence, the filly pressed her ear against it and heard…painful moaning. Looking around the fence the filly found a small hole and peeked through it, seeing a large creature laying on the floor, dirt covering its body, and blood on its small claws.

“Mommy!” the filly cried out as she ran to the house.

“Mommy!” as the foal entered the house, the little pony saw her mother galloping into the backroom. Her mother was an earth pony as well, but her coat was burgundy while her mane & tail were lavender in color. The mare was also wearing a small pair of red reading glasses as she looked down at her daughter who lept into her forelegs.

“Hazel, honey? What’s wrong?” the older mare said in a panic as she held her daughter. “Why are you screaming dear?” the filly looked up to her mother with a worried look, making the older pony even more confused and anxious about what’s going on.

“There’s a creature outside, on the other side of the fence.” Hazel said as she gestured in the general direction of the fence. “And…I think its h-hurt!”

The older mare placed Hazel on the floor and walked over to the fence, her little filly following behind her. approaching the part of the fence that had a door, the mare un-hitched the latch keeping it closed, and opened the door just enough to allow her head to slip through. but as she leaned her head out and looked down the back alley path, the mare saw the injured creature her daughter said was there, and quickly opened the door and made her way over to the creature. Which looked at her with small brown eyes, showing fear as it weakly backed away from the mare.

“P-please…” it’s voice was so fearful, and looked so timid, that it made the mare’s heart ache. “D-don’t hurt me! I beg y-you!” the mare eased her way over the creature, who kept scooting away from the mare. Till it’s back knocked over a few garbage cans, causing it to jump and fall to its side.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” The mare said sweetly and calmly as she inched closer to the terrified creature. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to help.”

“Help?” the creature said confusedly. “You would…h-help me?” the mare gives a warm comforting smile as she nods.

“Do you think you can stand up? I don’t think I can carry you inside the house.” The creature tried to stand, but fell on his stomach and gave a ‘oof’ as he toppled over. “Alright I’ll take that as a no.” the mare tapped her chin for a second before an idea came to her.

“Wait here, I’ll see if I can borrow a wagon from one of the neighbors.”

As the mare trots off to see if she can get a wagon, the creature behind her slowly rose to his feet, his eyes solely trained on the poor pony. A manic smile growing on his face, as his arms twist and change into monstrous forms, with bladed nails as the creature loomed over the mare, like an ever growing shadow…

~~Ponyville~~

The Everfree Forest was certainly a bustle with activity today, as deep within the woods, a pack of timberwolves were chasing down their latest prey. A prey that’s been able to escape its fate for about five minutes now.

One of the wolves attempted to pounce on the prey, but it looked over its shoulder and with a quick blow from its mouth, the wolf was knocked back by a blast of air. The prey then leaped over a fallen log taking in a deep inhale as it did so, and when the wolves jumped the log to continue the chase, the creature let out the breath it just took…and created a powerful vortex of wind that sent the arbor wolves flying back a good half-yard. After letting out all of the held in breath it had, the being the wolves have been chasing dropped to its hands and knees, gasping for air as it tries to catch its breath properly.

After a minute, give or take, the figure shakenly rose to its feet. Wobbling around as the adrenalin was leaving it, causing its body to loose its tensed up state, putting it in a drained state as it tries to walk. Luckily, there were plenty of trees around for the being to lean on for support.

Walking for another twenty or so minutes, the being finally manages to walk out of the Everfree forest, revealing his disheveled and haggard form. All of his clothes were torn or ripped to the point of being rags, barely hanging on to each other. Cuts, bruises, and other injures could be seen through the gaps, and holes of his torn up clothes. The worst of which was his left eye that looked really swollen, and was a not to pleasing purple color, almost boarding on black. When the figure emerged from the forest and saw the outline of Ponyville in the distance, tears started to form in his one good eye, as he hobbles his way down the dirt road, and hoping that someone would help him.

But after only taking a few steps, the figure dropped to the floor. Dirt and dust being kicked up as he laid limp on the road, the fatigue of the past few days, and everything that has happened to him finally catching up. leaving the figure to weakly try and move, but ultimately being unable to and just remain limp on the road.

However…it would seem lady luck has not left him. Not yet at least.

“Whoa!” a raspy voice said as s blue hoof pokes the unconscious figure. “Looks like we got ourselves another one.”