Author's Note

Hey Guys, sorry about the delay on chapters, as usual life is a dick and things fell apart but hey i'm still here so here is a new chapter. enjoy please and i pray i can get another chapter out soon

Chapter 3 - Swamp Friends

Equestra.
Location - 2 Miles North of Sanctuary.
Time - 5:48am

The normally quiet swamp, which was normally home to the sounds of swarming insects, bubbling sludge the occasional redneck version of a pony hollering was flooded with the sound of guttural groan, moans and the sound of loud crashes. In a dry clearing several hundred feet from the base of a mountain, a 10 foot wide toxic green transparent bubble sat in the middle of the clearing, illuminating it. Within the bubble was a dark green Changeling queen with a crooked yet sharp horn, several large holes on her limbs, mane and tail. Her horn burned with fire similarly colored to the barrier as a gargantuan plant brutally slammed vines into the barrier.

The plant had half a dozen large yellow flowers atop a mess of vines and pony corpses. The plant stood tall on a trio vines easily 2 feet thick each, surrounding it were several shambling solar guard zombies that seemed to be infested with vines and small flowers. There were a good half a dozen of them meekly wielding their weapons at the barrier.

The Changeling Queen did her best to stay standing and concentrating on her barrier as every few moments the Corpse Flower before her slammed three of its veins down onto the bubble with tremendous power. Each strike left faint cracks, which vanished quickly, and slowly pushed the barrier down into the muddy ground.

The Queen had several lacerations and cracks along her chitinous body as she begged for something to save her from the monstrous plant before her. After several long minutes she could feel her legs slowly sinking into the mud as her barrier was now pressing down against her body while spear and swords deflected off it’s surface. She watched the Corpse Flower prepare for another strike, making the Changeling grit her teeth as she would feel this next one due to the barrier being pressed against her body. As she watched the vines come down and strike the barrier with the force she expected, she felt the force of the blow rippled through her body causing her to cry out and collapse to her knees. With her concentration broken, her barrier quickly shattered like glass as the Changeling Queen laid in the mud helpless.

The first thing that hit the now exposed Changeling monarch was the putrefying smell of rotting corpses assaulted her nostrils, making her eyes water and causing her empty stomach to seize. Chrysalis felt her body shudder at the smell of the abominable hulking flower before her as the ground quaked under it’s vines unrooting themselves and reburying themselves closer to her. She blinked away the tears in her eyes as she meekly pushed herself up onto her hooves once more before attempting to retreat.

This didn’t go well as the moment she attempted to run, the infested Solar Guards charged in, launching crippling strikes with sword and spear, slashing shallowly at her legs, hindquarters and wings, sending her face first into the thick mud. She lay in the mud for a few brief moments waiting for the inevitable sharp pain to come, but it never came as she felt hooved legs wrap around her back legs. She gasped in pain as she was roughly handed and dragged backwards towards the rotting flower. She looked over her shoulder to see a pair of guards dragging her towards the Corpse Flower, which appeared to be waiting patiently for her. She began to cry once more as she begged whatever higher power would listen to save her from such a cruel fate.

On this day, one listened as a sharp deafening crack was heard from the tree line as one of the Flower zombie’s head detonated in a wave of viscera, blood, bone and plant material while the second one’s head was taken off of it’s neck as the bottom part of it’s head was turned into a cloud of matter. A tree on the far side of the clearing detonated as well, sending splinters flying in all directions as a trail of white smoke hung in the air for a second. The world seemed to be without sound as the crack vanished while the pair of zombies released Chrysalis’ legs before crumbling to the ground. Chrysalis looked to where the smoke trail came from as a second crack was heard as one of the Corpse Flower’s legs detonated in a section, causing it to collapse on top of a trio of it’s zombie minions and crushing them. Chrysalis was in shock at what powerful unicorn or magic user could create such powerful magic.

She soon discovered to source as a third beam slammed into the Corpse Flower, ruining a pair of it’s bulbs and making writhe in pain. The Changeling saw a tall black armored creature wielding a long weapon which it was propping up on an exposed root. Smoke raised from the long barreled weapon it wielded as it shifted it’s weapon and fired once more with yet another crack of noise which resulted in a confused zombie to be split in half as the round hit just behind it’s shoulders. Once the shot had been fired, the creature reloaded it’s weapon before slinging it over its shoulder before sprinting straight towards the Monarch.

Her eyes widened as she suddenly realized that she might be in more danger as she quickly got to her hooves once more, pushing through the pain and began to run away. Tony gave her a confused look as he tried to catch up to her but the moment he passed the fallen Corpse Flower, it shot out vines that wrapped around the ODST’s right arm and burrowed beneath the armor of his arm. “Hey! let go of me you overgrown salad bar!” Tony growled as he drew his combat knife and began hacking away at the vines as a larger one launched forward and slammed into his helmet, cracking the visor and stunning him. The force of the strike sent him down onto the mud and sent his firearms and knife away.

Chrysalis glanced back at the scene to see the unknown creature on the ground being attacked by the Corpse Flower as it was being pulled in slowly. She was about to keep running when she thought about the fact that the creature had saved her so the least she could do was return the favor.

Tony managed to compose himself as he blinked a few times as his helmet seemed to be stuck in it’s night vision mode as he started to pull against the vines, causing his right arm’s armor and under suit to begin split and peel away. Tony could see his top’s long sleeve as he suddenly got an idea before drawing a frag grenade from his belt and putting it in his right hand. Tony pressed the trigger tightly as he continued to pull away from the flower, causing his armor to continuously be peeled off. Tony was finding it more and more difficult to pull as his boots slipped in the mud until he felt a strange sensation wrap around his torso which pulled him backwards sharply. Tony gritted his teeth, hit shoulder feeling it was about to be ripped out of his torso as his shirt showed incredible durability.

He quickly looked around and saw his knife in the ground near him so he knelt down, took the blade and slashed at his arm, tearing the fabric and allowing the rest of the sleeve to tear as it was peeled away into the Flower with the rest of his arm’s equipment and the now smoking grenade.

Chrysalis pulled with all her magical might, flinging the armored being about 40 feet away from the Flower, making it land hard in the mud seconds before the Flower detonated in a way of floral gore, chunks of meat, shrapnel and pollen. The creature raised it’s oddly shaped right arm in front of it’s visor while curling up as shrapnel splattered the area he resided.

His armor held up against the high velocity metal pieces along with his arm though Tony felt several pieces pierce shallowly into his left arm, belly and legs. A few seconds passed before Tony lowered his arm and sat up, looking towards the ruined husk of the Corpse Flower before he pulled his helmet off. The man looked around, letting his eyes adjust to the light difference while he wrinkled his nose at the smell of the swamp.

Tony looked around and noticed the Changeling Queen he had just rescued watching him cautiously from the tree line. He gave her a 2 finger salute before pushing himself to his feet and inspecting himself, noticing several pieces of shrapnel sticking out of his armor and several more sticking out of his body shallowly. “Could have been worse.” Tony muttered as he picked up his helmet and attached it magnetically to his hip before he went to collect his weapons.

As the Trooper collected his weapons, he heard soft steps approaching him from behind. “Are you doing alright?” He asked as he turned to look at The Changeling Queen, who stopped in her tracks the moment they locked eyes.

“A...Ah yes i am, a bit sore but nothing serious.” She said as her eyes moved from his to inspect him until they moved to his right arm. “How can you move your arm if it stripped the flesh off?” She asked confused as Tony looked to his right arm and inspected the Prosthetic limb, noticing the scratches he had put into its surface with his knife.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a real arm, it's a prosthetic.” He said as he showed her the limb and wiggled it’s fingers.

“I haven’t seen any prosthetics that advanced, they are mostly wooden limbs.” She said approaching closer to Tony and reached out a hoof to poke his right arm.

“Well lets just say I come from a culture that is quite advanced.” Tony said as he wrapped his metallic fingers around her hoof and shook it. “Anthony by the way.”

She blinked at him confused for a few moments before smiling meekly and shaking his hand in return. “Chrysalis and Thank you for saving me.” She said as Tony let go of her hoof and smiled at her.

“No worries.” He said as he noticed the Corpse Flower slowly pulling itself back together. “We should probably have this conversation somewhere safer.” He added.

“Follow me, i have shelter.” Chrysalis stated.

“Alright just let me grab by bag first.” Tony said as he moved to the tree line and collected his rucksack. He quickly checked his equipment before returning to the Changeling, the adrenaline from the fight fading and the pain of his injuries beginning to set in made him hesitate slightly before he reached her. “Let’s go.” He said with a warm smile as he gestured for her to lead the way.

Crystal Empire
Location - Crystal Palace Dining Hall
Time - 7am

The dining hall was silent as the near dozen individuals sat in silence after the Princess ofLove had finished explaining what had transpired the day before. The shock of a creature falling from the sky and not only saving the kingdom and defeating Sombra was shocking but also the fact that it had left shortly after into the frozen tundra. The Alabaster and Midnight Blue Princesses listen with a mixture of curiosity and doubt as the recount was told, of the creature’s compassion and aggression.

The Alabaster Alicorn was most perplexed about the idea that the creature had crashed to the planet in a metal coffin which her student had mentioned that it originated from high atmosphere due to the heat damage on it. She had heard stories of creatures coming from the heavens to smite evil when they were desperately needed before they settled beyond Equestria’s borders. Their kind were the forefathers to Elves, Earthans and Gnomes which rarely traveled into Equestria.

“And you say it seemed sad?” Celestia asked, looking at Rainbow Dash with a curious look.

The Rainbow maned Pegasus suddenly blushed and shrank under the Alicorn’s gaze, unprepared for the sudden attention. “Well kinda, it had blood on it and when i asked if it was hurt and he said it was his friend’s and got down.” She explained as she rubbed her neck. “Oh and it’s name is Tony!” She added getting a raised eyebrow from Celestia and her Sister.

“Tony? That wasn't what i expected” Luna asked curious.