Beatrix Belladonna in B.A.B.S. : A Cyberpunk Adventure

Using his connections, President Spike found no challenge in securing quick transport to where this all started. The President had selected a few to come on the trip, as they needed all the workforce they could find to help take back the city from the mechanical demon. “It shouldn’t be too much farther,” he stated over the communicator. “Stay on course and do not engage with the Dragon Lord's body directly. Leave that to the heavy-hitters!” His military was out in full force, aware that they were sent as distractions. More to be sacrificed due to his selfish decisions.

The jet sped across the sky, adjusted its thrusters to hover in place once it pulled to a stop, then lowered itself to the overgrown earth. An overgrowth of flora layered the now nearly forgotten Everfree Forest. Plantlife and forestry had wildly grown out of control.

A ramp slid out with a thud. Spike strolled out and stretched. “Feels like we were here yesterday.” His smile fell at the memories.

Rarity trailed after him, Coco and Sassy close behind. “I do hope this works. To reactivate the Elements of Harmony, we'll need someone suitable to embody each one. Unfortunately, we have no idea where to find Twilight, Applejack, or Pinkie Pie...” They stepped out into the forestry area. She sighed and muttered to herself, “Our stand-ins should work...in theory.”

“We hurry in, grab the Elements, and head back. Easy.” He shot her a toothy grin.

A short walk later and they reached the buried entrance. The plasma saber flared to life, solid stone melting under the fashion trio's precise strokes. The smelted pool bubbled and hissed before them, as they carefully hopped over the mess and proceeded into the dark, descending cave, flared under the illumination of their blades. Their footsteps echoed on the way down.

Compared to the messy chaos of the civilization, it was eerily calm. Almost like it was their first step in their descent to hell.

“There's nothing to worry about,” assured Spike, who placed a hand on her arm.

“Of course,” answered Rarity, who nevertheless stayed close and kept Sassy and Coco by them. The slope continued downward and wound about a little, but it wasn't long before they touched down where the Elements of Harmony were preserved.

Moss started to grow about the caves at the bottom and surrounded an impressive tree that had sprouted up. “The Tree of Harmony,” murmured Rarity, who sucked in a heavy breath, its leaves decorated by the gems that represented the Elements.

Spike strode forward and plucked the purple one. “Yours, I believe?”

The gemstone shimmered as Rarity pressed it to her warm bosom. “Yes. The Element of Generosity.” She cast a melancholy look at the tree, wishing that all her friends were here. “What if this doesn't work?”

“It has too! And if not, we’ll figure something else out, just like we always do! So let's take these back,” Spike said as they helped him remove the rest of the gemstones. “But first...”

Coco and Sassy were directed to approach the Tree of Harmony. Using one of Beatrix’s potions, Rarity uncorked the tube and emptied the contents on the ground. The liquids seeped into the cracks, and she prayed the ritual would work.

A tiny fractured opened in the stone, a fissure that hummed and buzzed, similar to Beatrix's power to tear a hole in reality, as she had infused a sliver of her power into her latest creation. Too much, and they risked a permanent hole in the universe.

“Coco Pommel, Sassy Saddles, it's me, Rarity! Please, come back to us!” Her eyes watered as she repeatedly called to them.

She was soon joined by Spike, determined to make up for what he'd done. They chanted to them like a mantra, the dolls beside them neutral, whereupon a glow from the crack radiated across the entire area.

Finally, a pair of orbs rose from the tiny slit.

They directed the souls into their rightful, artificial bodies, Coco and Sassy suddenly huffing and blinking. Breaking into screams as memories of their final moments crashed down on them, Rarity assured, “It's okay, dears.” She wept and threw her arms around them, held her friends close, stroked their manes. “You're safe now. Trust me.”

A short time and explanation later, they headed back to the transport. There was much Rarity told them about the new world, and President Spike apologized profusely for his role in all this, but assured them he would help set things right.

However, from the reports inside the transport, the battle underway in the city had yet to pan out in their favor.

“We need to head back,” President Spike demanded. “We gotta help take out that false Dragon Lord. Maybe I can reclaim its power!”

“Spike, hold on,” Rarity said, looking around their environment to realize that a lot more parts had been removed from the spaceship than before. Examining closely, it looked like parts had been sawed off with lasers.

“Something’s not right…”

*****

Gunshots, lasers, and explosions lanced throughout the capital. The casualties continued to mount unabated. Just as President Spike feared and had tried to take action against, Varys could remotely seize control of various machines under his corporation, turning the president’s creations into his own armada.

He'd prepared top-of-the-line protection in case of such a scenario, but their enemy was nevertheless able to hack a number of them. Worse still was the further havoc and division it caused, a momentarily united front again unable to trust each other.

Beatrix was relieved to discover this intrusion didn't apply to magic, as she and Trixie worked their spells in tandem, disabling the forces that were marshaled their way, raising barriers that deflected the brunt of the assault. They were part of the vanguard to the mobile platform that Vinyl Scratch rolled through the ruined cityscape, its cannons unloading in loud, fiery pops.

B.A.B.S. were at the forefront, headed by their namesake, who laid down a ceaseless staccato of cover fire. The Werewolf chopper hovered nearby, as the mercenaries attempted to help restore some form of order and lead the civilians could to safety.

But it remained a losing battle; the team left to try and buy time until their trump card could be played on the President's return.

“Damn it,” muttered Babs, her rifle threatening to overheat as it spat spent shells. “Can't trust anything these days!”

“Stay within the field, and Varys won't be able to override the systems! I think,” added Beatrix quietly, uncertain how powerful the enchantments she and her mother wove really were. Already, the two were pushed to their limits under strain, doused in sweat.

They had drank down potions to increase their potency and stamina, felt their bellies churn, afraid they would overdose. But it was a risk they had to take, for she feared the moment they dropped their guard, the platform and chopper too would fall under his control. She wondered if the Vice Lord was laughing at them from elsewhere, watching them scurry around like ants.

“Forgive me,” said Lady Ewe, who stumbled up to meet them, staff in hand to support her hobble. “This is all my fault.”

“Nuh-uh! None of that,” Beatrix told her sternly. “You need to go back and rest.”

“No, Beatrix. I can’t just lay down while this mess spirals into decay. You need me.” Despite what Oona had suffered at the robotic doctor's hands, the azure sheep pushed herself to work her protective enchantments, determined to take some of the constant pressure off her allies.

“Thank you,” replied Beatrix, who breathed a sigh of relief and let her teacher lean on her for support. “Are you sure you can fight?”

“I'm still shaky,” admitted the dream shaman, eyes narrowed in determination. “But the Vice Lords must be stopped, whatever the personal cost. Varys cannot succeed in bringing his biomechanical plague!”

Above them, Rainbow Dash swooped about and fired off the magic bullets. They ripped straight through the thickest armor like it was nonexistent, curved through the air to seek out their targets, pulled through machinery in blossoms of smoke and fire.

Below a hiss sounded as Sunset's beam saber carved into a Redcap, splattered in blood and oil as a shimmer was cast over her. The ruined cyborg collapsed at her feet.

The rebellious version of Spike came to their aid with what remained of the Werewolves, forced to stay back as his wounds had yet to mend. Bullets spat from spray-painted uzis.

Were it not for what was at stake, the mercenaries could almost call this mission ‘fun.’ Behind them, the DJ loaded up another volley of ammo and loosed it. The area quaked, smacked by more shells that erupted on contact, charred wreckage left in their wake. She punched the sky and smiled.

But in the distance, the real threat, the mechanized dragon, continued its brutal attack. Even the heavy artillery proved no match for it, thousands already dead as it continued to torch entire districts.

President Spike had warned them not to face it until he returned, aware that they would have no chance against the doomsday weapon as it rampaged throughout.

“C’mon Spike,” whispered Beatrix shakily, her lips pursed. To think this had began with everyone hopeful to exploit her abilities. And now she was their best hope. “Please hurry!”

*****

Large hangar doors slowly opened as a drone carrying more scraps from the UFO stumbled through. Outdoor light poured into the large room highlighted an oversized, mechanical body’s steel silhouette. Robotic soldiers were at work, fusing metal material with the remains of a prehistoric creature. Bones and flesh were exposed behind armored plates; large teeth fastened under beak-shaped parts.

A computer screen flickered as Varys’ red and sickly yellow visage flashed.

“TRANSFER OF CONSCIOUS CORE: 45%. ESTIMATED TIME OF COMPLETION: 10 MINUTES AND 38 SECONDS.” An automized voice declared.

“Excellent. That should give me enough time for all my weapons to come online,” the digitalized demon noted. “Those fools should still believe I remain within that reptilian husk. Yet, as always, I stay ten steps ahead of them. Global annihilation of all living things will commence shortly.”

For little did anyone know, the mechanized dragon was a decoy itself. While the President was focused on restoring his concubines, Varys had secretly researched the Dragon Lord’s power, more specifically, how he could harness the power himself.

The major drawback was that only draconian descendants could challenge each other for prowess—a primitive duel to the death, where the victor would be uncontested. Typically, Varys would have never considered such an ancient method to achieve his plan, knowing full well he stood no chance against a dragon in combat. But that soon changed upon coming across the fossils of an old wyvern, buried deep in the earth, not far from where the UFO had crashed.

And to his good fortune, President Spike never discovered his findings, leaving Varys free to migrate each bone and tissue into this abandoned airplane hanger.

Now he had the perfect vessel to carry his insidious plans over. From his telepathic command, the mechanized dragon would plant itself onto the highest structure and act as a bomb to release gas into the atmosphere. Smog would cloak the city, leaving Beatrix, Oona, and B.A.B.S with little air or time to fend for his impending assault.

But Varys was counting on Spike to foil that plan. If his calculations were correct, whatever magic they’d recover from the UFO would drain him of all their resources, leaving the feeble President vulnerable for the Vice Lord to murder and claim the crown of Dragon Lord. And the demon had double-checked, scanning Spike’s DNA alongside the old fossils to make sure the creature was of draconic origins.

From there, all infected organisms would obey his command. And should Beatrix or Trixie stand against him, Varys would activate his other backup plan to ensure that compliance was their only salvation.

All he had to do was wait as the loading bar slowly filled towards completion.