1. Marksaline the Necromorph Queen

The Ishimura, save Sunset Shimmer 5/?

As soon as the herd walked into the maintenance room was clear that the lights worked in the wide room, but that this would be a ugly confrontation non the less. It was very open and there are more ventilation shafts as actually needed, since there was a huge part of the room exposed to open air. It was frankly a redicules design.

At least they noticed that the larger open air doors which allowed the transportation platform to be taken from the tracks and be later fixed, if this all wasn't a huge dream construct that would dissappear in a few hours when Sunset Shimmer woke up...

While to their surprise a new one was put in place, ready to be exchanged already.
Discord was apperently rather viligant in making Sunset Shimmer mind accessible for them to fix it together.

It was clear once they opened the area to make large changes it would produce enough sound and trembling to send a few waves of Necromorphs their way.
They entered the area and take a hard long look before they even thought as to approached the main console.

After a short discussion did they started to literally drag everything they managed and that was not bolted to the room to be collected towards the middle of the walkway on their right side. It looked the most defensive position to hold.

Fluffelpuff spotted a box on the wall and opened it. Discord remarked it to be a 'upgrade node'.
Everypony pet Fluffelpuff for her great contribution to the team on her head.
With exception of Luna who was only a head.
Fluffelpuff pet Luna instead.

While Fluffelpuff keep herself busy by petting Lunas head despite her admittedly rather damaged helmet, did everypony else constructed a rather solid construct of metal cases and boxed, tools and spare parts with unknown purpose.
How many Necromorphs would be coming for them? The barricade would hopefully stop them long enough to deal with them one by one.

Once they are reasonably ready, did they ask Fluffelpuff to use the consoles on the middle of the room and than to book it back to their position.

Fluffelpuff had no idea what a book had to do with anything, but she used both consoles before wall walking toward her herd.

The left grappling arm connected, but the right one refused to connect.
No Necromorphs so far.

They ask Fluffelpuff to try the right consoles in the middle of the room again.
Same result.

This time did two Necromorphs showed up on their right side and they were rather easily dealt with, one by Marksaline ripping it apart and one cut apart by Sunset.
After Sunset reload her magic cutter, did Fluffelpuff turned the Slashers to crimson cookies and they collected the bone blades.

Than they tried to use stasis on the right grappling arm. It worked like a charm.
When Fluffelpuff used the middle console, did a mechanical voice sounding like
'Eris - The old goddess of Chaos and change'
Told them to please waiting for personaly fixing the problem in a moment.

That was when all Tarterus broke lose.
6 Slasher in short succession come out of the vents of their right side and Sunset as Cadance were rather hard pressed to keep them busy by shooting them to pieces.

At least Nightmare Moon managed to counter all the vile bile projectiles coming from them by deflecting them with metal plates collected before hoove further did she interfere in their enemys attack by throwing tools at them that staggered the attackers long enough for Sunset and Cadance to finish the last of the six to be neutralized.

Sunset had used up all her ammo and Cadance was down to 25 in her currently used magazine.

But before Nightmare could direct them to loot the corpses of the not really dead enemys, did their reinforcements arrived. There was simply no time to do it at their currently used configuration.

Nightmare take over Cadance nail gun and take her spare reloading unit, than she let the Necromorph come closer while pelting them with spare tools and what ever they had collected before hoove as improvised throwing weapons.

Cadance and Sunset had still not looted everybody by the time the first Necromorph reached the barricade. Fortunately was it more solid than expected and Luna managed to shot two of the 8 attacking Slashers the arms of before the barricade started to give in.
By the time Nightmare Moon had two other relieved of their bladed arms, did the barricade finally collapsed.

To the bad luck of the Necromorphs did Luna pinned one unharmed Necromorph to the wall near the ground once Nightmare *yeeted* Luna through its chest to the ramp wall.
That one would not come lose in time to help the others.

Which had to struggle with Sunset having finally reloaded her magic cutter. While Nightmare sniped the heads off the previous dis-armed enemies, did Sunset focused to remove one leg and one arm eatch of the other Slashers.

Unfortunately did Sunset run out if ammunition, while Nightmare reloaded, did Cadance told them that they only had small medical gel packs salvaged from the bodys left.

That was when Marksaline started to rip and tear them one by one apart.
By the end of the confrontation was Marksaline hissing in pain, down to one life bar.
But fortunately had they exactly enough small healing gel packs to get her back to full.

Their currently relatively good health that has everypony topped of, was greatly upset by Sunset being totally out of anything.
The other are the same with only Nightmare having now 40/50 shots left in her nail rifle after a reload.

Marksaline gestured to the two glowing screens that were to their right and left, both being inactive and the middle one waited for confirmation to release the platform.

After they salvaged the torn apart Necromorphs ammunition did they had one full load for Sunset and one completely reloaded nail rifle.
The rest was just stuff that the inventory space called to be expensive components in yellow and gold and ruby red.

If they had one more big confrontation they be very hard pressed to make ends meet...

They than bludgeon the last activ Necromorph that Lunas head was holding pinned through the chest valiantly near the ramps top, until it was roughly consistent as thick soup.

The royal Necromorph Sisters had a very well deserved crimson cookie feast, while everypony take a 5 minute break to relax.
A well earned victory.

Once they collected all bone blades, they had in total: 47 bone blades.

They really hoped Discords promised use for the bone blades come very soon...

"Alright herd, that was the easy part."
Did Discord informed the ponies.

Luna meanwhile was very grumpy about missing out on all the fun, further pissed because her helmet just disintegrated from overuse and knowing her usefulness had reached a end as a stabbing or blunt weapon replied:

"Unfortunately i doubt i can last any longer...
One attacker at most and i am out completely.
When do i get my respawning ?!"

Discord told them they are supposed to do one more major task, but could delay it for the respawning objective.

Everypony agree on Luna coming back to action.
Discord let's them know they have to return to the Kellion to respawning Luna as a active player.
Following by everypony cursing foal friendly and Sunset wanting to go home already...

Celestia almost asleep got woken into alert when something was teleported into her bed room.
A impossible feat unless someone not making sence did so regularly...

Celestia gently levitated the fillys to bed and moved to see what was important enough to disturb her peace.

Celestia got very intrigued by the description of the memory crystal ball containing memory.

Celestia got a second memory crystal popped into existance in her bedroom.
Celestia watching the containing memory uncensored and without context.
See her future daughter to be put through a horrible traumatic experience.
Than see her sisters accidentally cursing a Fillys looking exactly like the Cult filly soon to be daughter...
Being decapitated by a 'undead monster'. . . . . . .

Internal panic sets in and after the fillys still all breathing confirmed, are surrounded by sound and protective spells not in use for a few centuries.

Following by High Princess Celestia Solaris Stellar calling all guard and defenses to full alert.

Solar Nova/-Celestia Solaris Stellar:
Best Alchemy expert to exist currently.
Current leader of Equestria.
Guardian of the Day.
Shepard of the Sun.
Just declared 'MARSHALL LAW' and to arrest all Necromancer of Light members temporarily until the rogue faction members are determined and apprehended to be put in magical interrogation and be punished as needed.

One Diamond Dog with description about doing... unforgettable, unforgivable crimes.

The hunt was finally on.

Nightmare Moon was in thought. Deep down she was pleased to hear that this was going to be an easy task and not something that was complicated to restore her sister, but her herd survival was in doubt. Since they get through a area most violently evacuated, and had to stay alive doing so.

But because she had no sort of training like her sister studying the 'Mura' layout and functions was it imperative to restore Luna fully and keep her besides the Fillys second highest priority.

Luna was not a engineering prodigy, but had a lot of time spend and knowledge collected walking inside the Mura on the moons surface.
If anyone could fix the Ishimura, than it was Luna.
While she herself unfortunately was pretty much useless in that respective field.

In this scenario Luna was a engineer and she was the security guard keeping the area safe-ish as long she was fixing stuff up...

"We can go and find that data board Discord told us about later-" did Nightmare explained.
"- we need Luna restored to get through this all alive, no arguments?"
Nightmare ask with a stern expression.
Cadance and the fillys fully agreed.

Discord was fixing Sunset magic pathways when the dancing Discord finished rearrange Sunset locked memory to be solved and teleported into parts unknown, because chaos levels near the Canterlot Castle in the waking world was unexpectedly raising.

Something just gone unexpectedly wrong...

As the herd regroup they started to organize their inventory and separate items to one another. They had one medium healing left. That was given to Nightmares inventory store, while all valuable components are stored with Sunset Shimmer for safe keeping. By the time they lost anything do to Sunset dying, anything was lost anyway.

Marksaline get the one stasis recharge unit, she had a way easyer time in close combat if the meaty target was affected by stasis speed debuff.

Nightmare Moon now permanently keeping the nail rifle on her as her precision was the highest, since it was originally from Cadance, did she had to give a short nodded acceptance before it permanently switched ownership from Cadance to Nightmare Moons weapon slot.

While Cadance keep Luna in her telekinesis ready to strike for one last use if no alternative was given.

The Fillys give each other a short hug before returning to Filly doom formation.

• Fluffelpuff the fluffy transportation platform and legs of the team.
  
• Sunset Shimmer the fixed long range weapon and utility user.
  
• Marksaline as the living weapon and shield of their formation, as long she had not leave her place to attack.

However before they moved together into the still darkness swallowed corridor, did Nightmare suggested with Marksaline on her back once to walked though the hole corridor. They had better cleared it out before the hole herd committed.

Nightmare heard the sound of Marksaline telekinesis keeping a bone blade ready to try parry a surprise attack.

So the two brave warriors moved on alone for the safety of the herd.

Both ready for action, yet wary of packs rushing them if they got unlucky. But better them than the others...

When ever they hear something crawling or bumping outside the corridor, did they pretty mutch expect a attack. But apperently was the enemy playing on time or on mental warfare because noone actually started a attack.
As they retrace their steps back to the area just past the first split in the path.

In a unclear to view cable shaft that was above their heads was a enemy, but that thing was not interested in fighting it seems. Not yet at least...

Following downwards the shaft along, did it decided leaving for the moment once it was spotted.
Best case it was scouting, worst case it was going to calling its ugly bretheren to rally for a attack.
Marksaline and Nightmare with a determination filled expression nodded to each other, it was time to kick some ass.

As they were sure that they hadn't seen the last of that type of creature after only a few packs of Slashers having chased them so far.

Something that had stand out even in the badly lightened area where they just had meet it, that this was a slightly different form than the others attackers.
Its build that had a beak for example.
Probably what could happen to a Griffon being turned Necromorph.
Due to Griffons being already dangerous Predators, did the fact that it was now undead and probably making their survivel odds drop by attacking in packs.

If it was using additional body morphed weapons or armor using its talons to crawl lower on the floor for lower attack angles and most likely going for the legs to immobilized the target before killing it by gutting it with beak and talons.

Before they managed to headed back to get the herd, did the herd already come their way with the warning that Necromorphs started to come through the vents.

Once more it seemed to end in a retreat towards enemy lines!
So they rushed galloping down the ramp that brought them to the malfunctioning door.
After Cadance loosed a stasis charge at the door, did everypony run through.

Good they recharged as common knowledge demanded missing charges back in the maintenance room with its charging space...
Yet did Nightmare noticed that they forget to use it in its last encounter.
All the better that the enemy probably didn't expected a stasis lock on mass.
This surprise would ruine their charges on their prey.

The Herd as a hole come running back into the area that was below the tracks.
As expected by Marksaline and Nightmare already with the enemy waiting.
Only this time the Ponies would dictate the speed of battle.

Lucky for the ponies and very inconvenient for the Necromorphs, did every feral Necromorph around got stopped in their tracks before they could charge.

They were attacked in total by six of the new creatures. Not a singel slashing type that they first encountered.
Would make sence not to mix types to keep tactics back for later encounters.
As they keep the six later named 'Leapers' stasis locked, did Nightmaremoon spotted them quickly to use their arms to move around as if someone already removed their legs.

So as to keep the enemy in low initiative she focused to cut eatch of the six one arm off.
All had one right arm missing when Nightmare rifle stopped working.

At least they had the initiative on their side to move faster around, than the crippeld enemy who could only move by dragging their sorry carcass around.

Unfortunately did everypony stasis run out.
Marksaline started bravely to attack teeth and bladed bone hooved? That one was new...
While two of the crawling type they had before them seem to focus on Sunset and Fluffelpuff.

Sunset used the recharge station and screaming demanded a full retreat.
A indeed surprisingly sound plan.
While the enemy was screaming their protests against them running away could they do nothing to stop Sunset to stasis with 1of 3 her charges the damaged door.

Cadance Fluffelpuff with Sunset on her back moved first through.
A few seconds later did a half to death beaten Marksaline run right behind Nightmare into the stasis door with Sunset having used up 2 of her 3 charges that the charging station had allowed her.

The enemy had sence enough not to get slaughtered by the door after one tried to time his attack without stasis to keep the door open.
At least 1 of 6 'Leapers' was disposed off.

More lucky and convenient was it, when it drop a 5 shot capacity shot for Sunset magic cutter.

They galloped as fast they could ignoring all possible dangers in the dark corridors to the Maintenance room.

There to their luck did no enemy waited for them.
Probably having left to join the slaughter with the Leapers.

They managed all to recharge their stasis modules before a singel Necromorph Slasher pulled a 'Geronimo' and charged them sprinting.
This things really could move when they wanted...

Only to be slowed down by stasis using Sunset before Marksaline dismembered it as it was nearly helpless in its slowed down state.

It dropped another 5 capacity charge for Sunset Shimmer. It could currently hold 7 charges.
But Sunset would add the 5, when her currently 5 loaded shots are used up.

They let Sunset refill her one shot on the charging station and galloped to the door, opend it and than to the malfunctioning door.
Nightmare Moon had used the group recharge time to recommend not to use the retreat to recharge tactic in that maintenance room again.
She doubted it would work twice in a row.

Once they reached the door, did Sunset ask Nightmaremoon to stasis the door. Sunset with Fluffelpuff and Marksaline formed the spear of the head of the herd.

Thanks to the combat adrenaline was little Shimmers combat high overriding her fear responses and sharping her combat performance.

As they rushed towards the open area did Cadance got jumped by a Leaper, that got pinned to a section on the ground through its chest by Lunas last attack.

Another unfortunately managed to get Nightmare pinned and they struggled in a one versus one, while Sunset with two shots managed to damage another one Leaper remaining left arm enough for Marksaline to rip it off in one go and stay unharmed from her attack.

2 of 6 Leapers defeated with 1 pinned to the ground.

While Nightmare keep the teeth of her attacker laying on her body in check with her rifle casing, did she had to manage to move her head out of the way of some kind of stinger attack.
Apperently did 'Leapers' didn't lose their legs. They morphed it into some kind of tail blade.

Nightmare got saved when Cadance grabbed the beastly monstrositys tail and pulled it off.

Cadance and Nightmare keep harshly pulling on its bladed tail that in its current form made very slight damage to Cadance, while Nightmare Moon really was going to town on its head until it finally lost its ugly as horseapples skull.
Cadance and Nightmare played tug of war with its body, Cadance holding its tail and Nightmare tugging on its last arm until its arm got ripped out of its socket.

3 of 6 Leapers defeated with 1 pinned to the ground by Luna struggeling to keep it there.

Meanwhile was Sunset on Fluffelpuff rear fluff trying to aim while the two remaining Leapers played catch that fluffball. Using her stasis if they come to close.

Nightmare and Cadance give themselves a moment to catch their breath, while using their stasis to help buy time for the fillys.
Marksaline focused on dismembering the pinned Leaper.

4 of 6 Leapers defeated. When Cadance pulled Luna of the ground, did her horn come off. Now Luna really had become useless as a weapon.
Nightmare, Cadance and the battle fatigue and battle wounded Marksaline focused on salvageable loot.

They found 2 times 25 shots for the nail rifle that was promptly given to Nightmare who loaded the 2 times 25 shots in her 50 shot magazine of her weapon.

The other two bodys unfortunately only dropped two small medical gel packs.
Both consumed by Marksaline to return to 3/4 RIG life indication.

In the meantime did Sunset roughly started to predict Fluffelpuff moving patterns and with three shots remaining in her cutter, removed one of the attacker remaining left arm before she loaded her last 5 shots into her magic cutter.

As if suddenly aware of it being alone, did the Leaper looked around itself and see 2 Alicorn coming its way. Since they unlike the fillys didn't evade it, did it crawled towards them.

Only to be blindsided by a certain furious Necromorph filly that was healed back to 3/4 blue RIG lifebar and not longer being hindered by battle wounds Iike the yellow state enforcing it on them. Further did the use of stasis made sure they get almost injuries free of this scuffle.

Marksaline had a go at it as Nightmare hold down its arm, while Cadance again take the tail captive and was taking some damage.

They learned that slowing a Necromorph was not taking any force out of it's movement out.
Also how redicules strong they are in general.
Or maybe this dream realm had them a lot weaker?

With their 6 enemies defeated, did they made a fast assessment of their situation:

• Nightmare Moon with 3/4 RIG life brackets displayed.
  50/50 nail rifle shots loaded, but no reload.

• Cadance with 3/4 RIG life brackets displayed.
  Basically defenseless and has to improvise offense and defense.

• Luna is deceased in game currently.
  As mutch worth in her current state as a fleshy Basketball.

• Marksaline with 3/4 RIG life brackets displayed.
  Has a massive collection of bone blades, but can only use them like very sharp knifes to hold on to enemys until she chew through their limbs.

• Sunset with 4/4 RIG life brackets displayed. 5 shots loaded into her Magic Cutter, no reloads available.

• Fluffelpuff being fluffy as ever.
  Always pink, never anything but pink...

They all had used stasis as needed, when they actually hit. Aiming with the module was something that wasn't so simple as they expected.

Watching in every direction, did it seem that they had earned themself some breathing time.
Unfortunately did this enemies only dropped credits as loot.

They could really need a shop to spend all their earned credits on and spend the one upgrade nodes on a Workbench.

Discord remarked that he added a shop and a workbench inside the Kellion for their convenience, since they are really fighting redicules odds they earned their herd two game balances waiting for them in the Kellion.
It would also be a safe zone that Necromorphs could not enter or damage.

They deciding to play it safe at the moment and risk staying to recharge their Stasis.
They backed up to the stasis recharge station and powered their module back up to full charge.

Apperently did the Necromorph commander told the Slashers to stay away with two recharge stations in reasonable reach.

This beasties sure are not to bright, but something was guiding them as this ambush clearly showed.
Once they are safe inside the room of the transportation control room they had to clear up with Discord what in Tarterus was going on here!

Nightmare give everypony praise for pulling of a impossible well improvised combat performance.
Never had she been more impressed to see fillys
fighting like full grown mares.

The praise was very welcome for the sisters who enjoyed the words almost as mutch as cheap candy.
Sunset Shimmer in opposition was taking this words like the biggest archivment anyone of her age ever earned.

She was shaking from all the adrenaline and stress overall. At least she had been unharmed so far what helped her cope with this bad dream come true...

They decided to in general slowed down the attacking forces until they run out. Marksaline was their most valuable offensiv option with combination of stasis use.
The crawling enemy might be redicules strong, but just being strong didn't help if one could only move in a snails pace.

They would opened fire on their limbs only if more than one enemy appeared. They should be able to conserve ammunition with Marksaline using her close combat prowess and everyponys stasis support.

Discord was smiling in relief, when the herd finally managed to come back to the transportation control room.

While everypony relaxed for a few minutes, did Discord out of pity granted Luna one last attack that would make her skull a one enemy destroying bomb. Without chance on friendly fire.
That made Luna happy since she would be one last time be useful to the herd, before she needed to wait for her full body respawning.

She figured that if they get ambushed they could needed a tie breaker in their herds favor.
She could easily be toss across a room at an enemy.
It was on the herd to continue to battle their opponent in any manner until they managed to reunite once more.

Further did Discord showed them how they might spend their hard earned credits in case they wanted to buy upgrade nodes.
They costed 10.000 credits what was a huge sum as a big healing cost the same, but at least a upgrade node would stay permanently.

But long before they could gathered the spoils of their victory, they had to make it to the Kellion to spend their credits on ammunition and some medical gel packs. They could only buy small ones at the moment, but with only 4 RIG life brackets they started well enough with them.
After all 3 small gel units would restore currently 75% of their total life indication.

After having rested their dream bodys and minds, did Discord added a estimated time until Sunset was going to wake up.
It didn't look to good.
With only estimated 12 hours left to complete everything and noone knowing how long they would run around the Ishimura, was their time table rather tight.

Discord seem to check something in a crystal ball and told them that the time should be more than enough with 3 hours to spare, but with someone playing against them that estimation was highly suspiciously to be accurate.

To everyone surprise did Discord confess that the system he used was to be only under his influence, but something infuriating happend.
Something or someone had somehow managed to effect this dream construct.
They where no longer alone in Sunset Shimmer mind.

While it could do nothing to harm Sunset outside the dream realm, did it try to harm Sunset within the dream realm by taking control of the enemy and guiding them.
Discord had managed to have enough influence to make sure the 'escape from the lobby incident' would not happening again, since it could only use Discord prepared problems that needed solving BUT:

• Up to 8 enemys can be summoned by the entity to attack the herd.

• It could reduce it influence at any time from guiding up to 8 enemys in exchange of actually taking full control of a simple enemy and use it within limitations in unexpected ways.

• It could change the intended spawn of enemies listed that needed to be handled.
  (Example: Instead of 6 Slashers as intended, it take 4 Leapers and 2 not yet encountered enemy types out of other areas and exchanges them with the intended 6 Slashers and add until 8 enemys are reached.

At least Discord made sure that this didn't get overboard as they are not ready to face a high end enemy with bearly any tools for their defense.
The entity seem surprisingly forthcoming to not cut its 'fun short'. Sooo... Silver lining and all that.

Also it could only control common enemy types and not what one could call boss monsters.

But it might play dirty with what it has at its disposal, so they needed to be careful at all times.

As they walked sober minded out of the transportation control room they noticed something strange.
There was a pony infront of them.
Another creature that wasn't any of the Necromorphs.
It was a Kirin if the royal Alicorn sisters remember correctly.
It was apperently a stallion. The Kirin stallion introduced itself as 'Challus Mercer'.

He was unarmed and could there for not help them defend themself, but he could give them Blueprints for a tool as improvised weapon and guide them throughout the ship via video chat.

He would stay in this relatively safe area and make himself... Useful.

Author's Note

Who is the mysterious enemy in this dream environment?
The Dead Space singel-player campaign had just become a Muli-player campaign with both sides playing for keeps...

Stay snuggly

Last edited: 03.04.2023