Author's Note
This story is more than just a simple crossover between Hypno's Lullaby and MLP.
To have Hypno transition cleanly into Equestria while demonstrating his power can be used for some measure of good, this crossover is also including Friendship is Tragic, but with a what-if scenario regarding Celestia's survival of the attack done by the Horses of Diomedes.
Friendship is Tragic was produced by Scribbler Productions. You can find the first episode here.
https://youtu.be/w8t0rSpAwIs
Enjoy the story!
Hypno's Moveset
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Hypnosis: Hypnotizes the target, often putting them to sleep.
Psybeam: A peculiar ray is shot at the foe. It may leave them confused.
Fire Punch: A foe is punched with a fiery fist. It may leave the foe with a burn.
Psychic: Strong telekinetic manipulation of animate and inanimate objects.
Lesser Evil
How long has it been?
This questions rings in the mind of one as it lay before a wall of stone, its gaze cast upon the latest victim to fall under its spell. Swaying and drooling with a mindless lull, a small child, barely a teen, watches a pendant swing back and forth before her. She hums a familiar tune, a lullaby only few will hear before it is too late.
The one who holds the pendant before this child let in a large intake of air, exhaling loudly as it stands. A hulking yellow body looms in the caves of Berry Forest, keeping the silver ring swinging as it stepped around the young morsel. This figure watched with empty, black eyes, teetering the girl to the sway of the melody, its hypnosis having a full grasp on her conscious.
Rustling the tufts of fur on its neck, the creature let out yet another sigh, clutching the pendant to a stop. As soon as it ceased its sway, the girl blinked her dreary eyes, her humming quieting as her eyes regained their light.
"W-Wha...?"
The creature placed a hand on her head, clasping it entirely as the girl perked up at the touch.
"Daddy--"
*C-C-CRIIICK--!!!*
With a simple twist of her neck, the little one's nearing cries were silenced, her death coming painlessly and swift. Dropping the body where it lay, the monster strode to the mouth of the cave, leaving the corpse to fester with whatever comes to feast upon the dead. Stepping out into rainfall, the little slivers of moonlight that cast through the storm clouds illuminated the yellow thing.
It stood, hunched over with knees bent, measuring up to about six feet in height as it was. Its arms and legs teemed with muscle, holding its toned frame with ease. In its left hand, the very same pendant it used to control the child dangled from by a string, the other end tied to its index finger.
Its fur was golden yellow with the aforementioned tuft around its neck contrasting the the yellow with a stark white. Its nose and ears were pointed, the former coming forth like a goblin's trunk and its ears turned upwards like a feline.
This creature was infamous among its species, a rare breed of psychics that grew hostile and prey upon the neighboring humankind. Aptly dubbed the "Hypno" by these humans, the creatures that came before and will come after adopted this name, as it seemed fitting for their behavior and practices. Luring their prey away using the pendant and their adept nature and proficiency in psychic power is what Hypno do. It's their nature to do so. It's how they survive. By feeding on the telepathic energy of their victims, they grow, becoming stronger and more powerful than ever, leveling their status ten fold with every year that passes.
It is said by the human elders that Hypno dine on humans, especially. In fact, the Hypno have a certain ire for their intelligent brethren. Truth be told, this is quite false. No Hypno has any reason to bare grudges against the human populace, no matter what their opinions may be. Nothing they do against humans, children or adults, is personal. They need their sustenance, and it just so happens that the people of Kanto and Johto provide the greatest amount of telekinetic wavelengths to feast upon and assimilate into their own. It's just nature.
This Hypno is no different. It has lived within the Kanto Region for centuries, living even before humans populated the region with their technology and Pokemon research. It may very well be the oldest of its kind, and while certainly not the first, it is currently the most intelligent and dangerous Hypno that walks the grounds of Berry Forest. To this day, it has watched these humans discover new regions, new Pokemon, and new ways to progress in their natural society. Despite preying upon them, Hypno would lie to itself if it claimed it was not interested in seeing how they adapted to their surroundings, how they would build their infrastructure and begin learning in various ways. There were even a few Pokemon Trainers, young men and women sent out on adventures, who have caught other Hypno and raised them into powerhousing behemoths like itself.
How it'd gone this long without being caught like the others was a mystery to Hypno, but so long as it was left to its peace, it saw no reason to openly attack Trainers and passerbys. Only when children were left alone, and would certainly not be missed, would Hypno strike.
Speaking of which, it's time for it to head out once more. There is a Pokemon Center nearby, and it will need yet another child to satiate its natural desire and hunger for mental power. Trudging through the forest, the evil Pokemon leered at everything that strayed in its way, kicking away Weedles and Caterpies as it marched onward through the regular path to civilization. Once or twice, a Spearow or Pidgey would try to challenge it, but would meet a brutal and bloody end at the backhand of a Fire Punch. Having leveled past anything in this forest, Hypno had always stood unopposed. No living creature, Pokemon or otherwise, had a chance to tear it away from its throne as the Scourge of Berry Forest, and thus, the smarter, higher leveled Pokemon did their best to stay away, fearful of what might happen if they crossed paths with such a beast.
As Hypno wandered, its mind was unfocused, uncaring of what it would come across aside from the aforementioned foolish Pokemon. While steadfast and purposeful on the outside, on the inside, Hypno was meditating, keeping itself level-headed as it has always been. As it neared its desired hunting grounds, something... stopped it.
*CRUNCH-!!!*
"OOOOUUUAAAHHH!!! AAAAAHHH!!!"
Hypno stopped dead in its tracks, its ear flicking to its left as its head spun around over its shoulder. For the first time in eons, the Pokemon was surprised. Such a horrid sound had broken the peaceful rustling of Berry Forest's trees. The nature around the Psychic-Type seemed just as startled as it was, Bug and Grass-Types fleeing while it remained.
Was that... screaming? Wails of agony and pain? In its forest?
Hypno were known to be intelligent. Some even believe they retain the wisdom of a thousand years ago, but one thing was never quite specified about the species. Something not well known.
Hypno were territorial.
Turning itself on its heel, Hypno stomped off the path, brushing past bushes and trees with slight haste as it used its sense of hearing to trace the sounds of wails and... biting?
*CRRR-RRUUNNK--*
"AAAHH!!! HAAAHHH!!!"
Hypno turned once more when hearing the screams come to his right, his large legs squishing and pummeling other Pokemon that were in its way. As he came closer and closer to those sounds, a strange presence made itself known, almost as if Hypno was approaching some sort of threshold, a barrier. Slowing some as the presence was in front of him, Hypno tilted its head.
*CRRRRAAACK--!!!*
"AEEEEYYYYYHHH!!! OOOOOWWWW!!!!"
Those more shrill screams pushed Hypno back into gear, passing through whatever was in front of him without care. Something was being harmed within its territory, and from the sounds of it, horrifically. Judging by the voice, it seemed that a Trainer may have lost a battle, and was being attacked by other Pokemon that lurk within these woods. If it was so, then Hypno will abstain itself and leave the human to their fate. They were stupid enough to enter here without proper precaution. Consequence are a given for such actions.
Finding the treeline as another bout of screaming came, Hypno shoved two shrubs aside, stepping out beside the trees that bridged the forest from the plains.
What he found... confused him. A slew of odd-looking Rapidashes and Ponytas were in the midst of a burning field. All of which bristled with different colors and odd appendages. One was levitated, held in the air by another. Her fur was purple, her mane straight and shaded with various shades of the same color. Her forehead donned a small horn, giving her the appearance of some kind of Unicorn. Yes, Hypno was aware of folk and fairy tales, what sort of legends stem from Pokemon. He even had his own.
Anyways, the other colored Pokemon in the clearing, a Rapidash with white fur and a pink mane and tail gently burning in the air, had wings and a horn. Hypno would be raising an eyebrow if it weren't for the horrendous actions of the other Ponytas and Rapidashes in the clearing. With rotted skin and only just enough flesh to expose their skeletal frame, these feral Pokemon were feasting upon their fellow Pokemon, gorging themselves on her inners. Hypno was at a loss for words. Pokemon don't eat each other. Most Pokemon don't even eat MEAT. They eat a vast variety of berries and apricots! What was this... this... horror that befell Hypno's eyes?!
"Die, Celestia!~ Die!~"
"T-Twilight, please! I can't use my magic on them if I'm fighting you on this spell!"
They... They spoke! Are they also Psychic-Types? It surely seems that way. The Rapidash being eaten alive knew the move: Psychic, but... that didn't seem right. Their lips were moving. What is this absurdity?
"Time to gloat.~ You've shown your throat!~"
Hypno's eyes widened as the other Rapidash bit down on the white one's neck, the ancient Pokemon shifting backwards as flesh was torn from the creature. The evil hypnotic terror had not seen this level of cruelty and distortion in all of its days existing in Kanto, or even on this planet! The only known tragedy that involved Pokemon was the equally-infamous Mewtwo, who was created by humans instead of being birthed by nature's course. With one last bite sending some sort of psychic shock to the purple Ponyta, Hypno saw all it needed to before it deemed it necessary to finally step in.
*S-SNAP*
"G-GAAAHH!!!"
Twilight Sparkle fell to the ground as Princess Celestia's second wave of magic pushed against her own. A ripple in space pulsated into the student's horn, shaking it with vast amounts of solar energy. With one collective attempt at getting her as far away as possible, Princess Celestia had inadvertently broken Twilight's horn from the inside, detonating it and sending its bone-like shards everywhere. Blood pooled from the broken horn as Twilight's tearful eyes stared up at it in horror.
"M-My horn!"
"Feast on her flesh, my Horses! Rip out her organs and gorge yourselves! Pull off her legs and fill your bellies with her chewed-up bones!~"
Zanthos, one of the Six Sister Queens of Diomedes, stood over Princess Celestia, a mouthful of the latter's flesh strewn to the sharp maw of the royal cannibal. Her children surrounded the Princess, ready to dine once more on the Princess of Equestria.
Only, they didn't. Several inches from Celestia's supple flesh, the Horses all stopped, their hunger forgotten as their ears picked up on something. A light beeping in their ears. A tune drawn into their heads, ringing a slow lavender chant.
Zanthos swallowed the bite of flesh she ripped from Celestia's flank, leering down to take another, but she stopped, too, when she realized she was the only one eating.
"My children, why do you hesitate? Come! Enjoy your meal!"
None of the Horses responded to Zanthos, backing away and turning ever so slowly to the forests off to the east of the ransacked camp. Celestia, deep in pain, was able to muster enough strength to lift her head, watching as the Horses walked past her towards the woods, all in a marching unison as if in a trance. Zanthos was more unamused than confused.
"What trickery is this? What have you done to my precious Horses, Celestia?!"
Zanthos bit another chunk out of Celestia, getting her to yell once more in agony while Twilight watched from a distance, unable to do anything without her horn. As the Horses entered the forest, several flashes cast an eerie glow from within, either a pinkish-purple or a blazing red. Zanthos, swallowing the chunk, watched the forest as her subjects were lured in and presumably killed off. Had reinforcements arrived already? Impossible! They feasted upon all the guards on duty! Nopony was alive to relay any SOS back to Equestria!
"Come out and face me, you sniveling coward! Come, so I may feast upon your flesh as well!"
No reply came. No... auditory one, anyway.
Instead, that low ringing began to play within Zanthos' head as well, and with her distracted by that tune, Celestia had finally gotten the chance to warp Twilight out of there. Using her remaining power, the Princess cast a spell upon Twilight, launching her away in teleportation. Watching her flash away, then glancing back at Zanthos, she froze when she spotted something in front of the forest, standing in a pool of blood.
A large yellow beast stood before Zanthos, holding one of her horses in its large right hand while a pendant swung back and forth in front of her face. Celestia recognized this primitive use of magic. It was simple manipulation of the mind.
Hypnosis.
Zanthos remained where she was as the beast crushed the lesser Horse's head with a firm squeeze of its grip. Releasing the corpse onto the burnt grass, this... thing strode to Zanthos, grabbing her by her throat and hoisting her into the air. With the hypnosis gone, she regained her mind and hissed at the creature.
"What devilish creation dares to manhandle me!? Release me at once so I may eat you!"
The yellow monster narrowed its eyes, reeling back the monarch and throwing her across the camp, tumbling her through most of the tents and outposts set up. Wincing at the violent crashes of wood, Celestia attempted to move, but could only twitch her hind leg before pain and numbness came at the same time. Zanthos had done more harm to her than expected. Many of Celestia's nerves were eaten out of her hind legs. She couldn't walk.
"̵.̶.̵.̶"̴
Celestia felt a presence above her. Slowly turning her head, she found the beast staring down at her, a less hostile expression on its face. Bringing itself to a knee, the yellow being's black eyes seemed to scan her before its face scrunched up in disgust. Turning and facing Zanthos upon sensing her rise, the creature rose up its hand to her.
{Hypno Used Psybeam}
A steady stream of telepathic magic cast from the being's hand, a wave-like beam slamming Zanthos into the ground. Getting back up immediately and charging the two of them, the Horse revved up her own magic, firing it at the muscular monster. Grunting as it hit its arm, it stared down at the char mark in its yellow fur. A soft growl rose from its throat as it turned to the Horse, clenching its fist.
{Hypno Used Fire Punch}
Squaring Zanthos in the jaw, the heated properties of Fire Punch lit the left side of her face ablaze, her voice consumed with the screams and wails of the very pain she inflicted upon the Ponies that died here.
{Hypno Used Psychic}
Levitating Zanthos into the air, the yellow monster tossed her into the inferno that surrounded the three, forcing her to remain within the wildfire as it licked, chewed, and ate away at her. Flailing in the creature's telepathic grasp, it was a long, long minute before Zanthos' cries faded, and all that was heard was the crackling flames that roared through the camp.
Turning back to her, Celestia looked up at this unidentified protector, the evil-looking abomination eyeing her injuries. Looking around at the camp, it faced her again and held up the pendant.
"W-Wha...?"
{Hypno Used Hypnosis}
Celestia felt a wave of warmth wash over her as her will to fight left her. Her eyelids fluttered as they began to close, and her bloodied mouth coughed out some more bits of blood before pulling closed in a thin line. Falling fast asleep in her own fluids, the creature gently scooped her up into its arms, holding her gingerly as it began to stride back the way it came. As it walked from the campsite, many explosions erupted behind it, leaving little to no traces of anypony having made it out alive. Keeping Princess Celestia comfortable as it moved along into the forest, the two disappeared within.
All that was left was a single crown that lay resting where Princess Celestia was scooped up from, left behind by the Pokemon as it carried her away to safety, deep inside its cave.
