Years Earlier

Black Skull Island

Kong reared forward with the bloody rib bone in his grip, driving it down on the Skullcrawler.

Ramarak the Skull Devil responded by biting low, ramming its jaws around Kong’s left thigh and tackling him to the earth.

The vie for dominance between the two was ferocious. They wrestled all across the forsaken graveyard, ramming each other through mounds of desolate wastes and bones of fallen beasts. As the Skull Devil ripped and tore at Kong’s thigh, the ape Titan responded with a painful battle cry, lifting the rib above his head once more.

However, like a serpent with a mind of its own, Ramarak’s tail slithered skyward and wrapped around Kong’s bicep, preventing his arm from moving another inch. Grunting in shock, Kong shot his startled gaze up to the tail constricting his appendage. With the teeth digging deeper into his flesh, Kong howled and slammed his left fist onto the Skullcrawler’s head.

Ramarak shrieked in response, pouncing on top of Kong and slashing him across the face and his right hand. The impact sent the rib bone flying out of Kong’s palm, spinning in mid-air before crashing and imbedding itself into the dirt. Ramarak did not cease. It coiled its tail tighter around Kong’s body, planting its claws fiercely into the ground and then flinging him fiercely across the battlefield.

He flew directly over the heads of Shining Armor, Cadance, Snap Shutter, Mane Allgood, and what was left of their band of survivors. Kong hit a mound of rock with a thundering smash, raining fragments all across the earth and onto the survivors. They shielded themselves with their forelegs, wings, and magic, taking cover to avoid the coming charge of the Skull Devil.

And it came with fearsome, wrathful intent, stampeding right through the retreating survivors and crushing a couple ponies in its charge.

All to reach Kong. All to satisfy its bloodlust and put an end to the last line of the great apes.

The luckiest few made it to cover, sliding and ducking beneath the skull of a three-horned creature. Crowding together, they watched on as the massive Skullcrawler proceeded to bite and tear at the dazed and confused ape.

“Alrighty, now’s our chance to book it!” Snap whispered sharply, already grabbing his wife and intending to flee the scene. If it hadn’t been for Cadance’s hoof pressing against his chest, he and the others would have very well made their escape.

“Wait!” Cadance hissed, turning her stare back to Kong. Watching him struggle. Watching as the jaws of the Skull Devil snapped around his throat. While she couldn’t deny that Snap was inherently right and their means of escape was granted to them, those haunting words of warning from the Iwi resonated heavily in the back of her mind.

That Kong, the protector of Black Skull Island, could very well fall this day if they did nothing. And then, there was nothing to stop the Skullcrawlers and their alpha from conquering the island.

Words of warning… and of pleading. Her heart ached, and then it began to race rapidly once she had set her intentions in stone. “We can’t leave him like this,” she declared, and everypony had turned to stare at her.

“Your Highne… Cadance, what are you saying?” Mane breathlessly asked, her terrified gaze darting from the princess and back to Kong, over and over again.

Shining Armor didn’t even try to hide his voice when he shouted, “If we leave Kong, this alpha and the swarm that follows it will finish him off, and then nothing’s gonna stop them from slaughtering every last living thing on this island!”

“I’m sorry, ‘Kong’?! Did you just name that monkey?!” Snap Shutter questioned, his own voice rising.

Mane turned back to Cadance, eyes full of worry. “Is that true?” The zoologist in Allgood made her lower her guard, the care and love she had for the animals she studied taking the forefront of her worries. Because now it wasn’t just their lives on the line, but potentially the lives of every last creature in such an untapped wilderness.

And seeing the nod from Cadance only cemented her fears. Hers as well as her husband’s.

Their heads were torn back to the battle unfolding, everypony watching as Kong grabbed each jaw and slowly peeled them apart, slamming Ramarak’s head against the small mountain. He drove his elbow into the rock where its head remained dazed, but the Skull Devil was quick, and slid underneath his strike. Pouncing forward, it bit down on Kong’s forearm and earned a howl of pain from the Titan.

Snap gulped, beads of sweat rolling down his face. “Right then… any suggestions, anypony?” he asked aloud, looking around to the group and frowning at their silence. Or lack of breath currently witnessing the battle of the giants unfolding before them.

Shining looked everywhere, staring at shattered bones and cracked skulls filling the sun-filled graveyard. “There!” he pointed his hoof over to the bloody rib bone jutting out of the earth, several yards away from them, keenly remembering Kong using it earlier against the Skullcrawlers. “Maybe he can use that against it! We just need to get it to him!”

“It’ll be a gamble running out into the open…” Mane shuddered, eyes locking on the rib Shining pointed to. “You sure about this?”

Both Shining and Cadance looked to one another, their eyes settling in each other’s stare and finding comfort. Just knowing they could find comfort in that silent agreement. Both husband and wife turned to Mane Allgood, and nodded. Then, Mane and Snap turned to each other, both knowing the risks, knowing the slim chance of survival well. Then, both husband and wife grew small smirks with burning looks of determinism.

This was, after all, what they lived for.

“Then stay hot on our tail, Your Majesties! Rest of you, let’s get ‘em to that bone, now!” Snap boldly declared, tightening his hat and rushing out right into danger. With Mane trailing close behind him, until the two were neck and neck and leading the charge straight for the bleeding rib.

And it wasn’t long before Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and all the rest followed.

As they galloped and flew in unison, the survivors managed to form a defensive perimeter around the royalty. Though it mattered little when monstrous forces of nature raged, and their battle was brought directly to their path. For Kong managed to break the Skull Devil’s grip around his forearm by ramming his fist into its gut. Shrieking, Ramarak landed harshly on the ground, moments before spinning and slamming its tail across Kong’s chest.

The impact sent him flying, directly over the survivors and once more back into the graveyard. Loosing their footing from the trembling of the earth, Shining and Cadance looked back to see Kong rising once more from the dirt, and then shot their eyes over to see the Skullcrawler cry out, already charging right for the ape, and those who stood in-between their inevitable clash.

Many ponies took defensive positions in front of Shining and Cadance, igniting magical shields while Shining’s own horn burned bright. He was fully prepared to teleport not only himself, not only his wife, but all of them to safety should the Skull Devil reach them. But, much to his shock, he realized that he didn’t have to act. None of them did.

Because behind them, they didn’t witness Kong stand. They didn’t see him spot a pile of bones beside him. They especially didn’t see Kong proceed to rip out the spine of a fallen creature from the bones it once belonged to, gripping the sharp bones with both hands. And then, just as the Skull Devil was about to crush the crowd of ponies, Kong rushed forward with a bellowing cry and swung.

The spine acted as a whip, Kong slashing it viciously across the face of the charging Skull Devil. The spine shattered, bone fragments flying from the impact. Fresh lacerations painted Ramarak’s face, the creature hitting the ground hard and fast. Leaving Kong standing and pounding his chest with that same roar echoing across the graveyard.

Leaving Shining, Cadance, and all the rest utterly stunned.

But it didn’t last. The alpha Skullcrawler didn’t fall so easily. It just as quickly got back up, roaring in agitation and leaping back onto Kong. The two thrashed against one another, the Skull Devil in its serpentine fashion wrapping its tail around Kong’s throat, tearing its claws across his chest and face and momentarily disorienting his vision.

It was enough, and Kong lost his footing, tripping over the bones of his fallen family, losing his breath on impact, as Ramarak dove for the throat. His hands, once gripped around the beast’s tail, shot out to grasp its jaws from coming down, but in turn left the tail to tighten quickly around his windpipe. Cutting off his supply of precious oxygen. Earning a gasp from the ape that attained little to no air.

His vision, once disoriented, was now darkening. His strength, once unmatched, was now beginning to falter. And Ramarak, tasting victory by the blood on Kong’s hands, was nearing his throat inch by inch.

Which meant they had no choice but to act now.

Breaking out of their stupor, Shining and Cadance heard the roaring voices of both Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood calling to them. To their continued surprise, they saw the two ponies having successfully reached the rib, already trying to break it free from the ground. Knowing their time was short, both prince and princess rushed over to join them, the whole band joining, in their unified effort to pull out the bone.

They were managing to do it, gaining inches and inches more of the rib out of the earth. With sweat pouring from their foreheads, Shining and Cadance looked back. The Skull Devil’s teeth were practically already hovering over Kong’s jugular, the ape’s trunk-like arms trembling and falling. It was only a matter of time, and time they were quickly running out of.

There was no way they could carry it over to Kong in time.

Shining realized they didn’t have to.

“Cadance, follow me! Everypony, keep pushing!” Shining ordered, he and his wife standing side by side in front of the large bone. “We pull together, and we throw it together, okay?!”

Cadance quickly formulated his plan in her mind, and she nodded rapidly. Turning back to Snap and Mane, Shining bellowed, “Shout when you break it free!”

“Understood!” Shutter groaned, hooves pressed firmly against the bone. He looked around to the crew, nodding to them all. “Everypony, on three! One! Two! Three!”

The whole band of survivors pushed and pulled all at once, and the rib tipped over. “Now!” Snap and Mane roared.

In one fluid motion, with both of their magical auras wrapped fully around the rib bone, Shining Armor and Princess Cadance flung their heads forward and successfully managed to launch the rib into the air and clear across the earth. Like a spiraling rocket, sharpened end leading the impact as it finally found its target.

It pierced the hide of the Skull Devil, and Ramarak shrieked in pain.

Breaking through its ribs, puncturing a lung, and washing a wave of agony across the Skullcrawler’s body, the rib managed to make Ramarak lose its focus, and it howled at the source of the attack. Its tail flinched awkwardly and slashed and slammed against the earth. Kong’s eyes bulged open as he took in a precious breath, as his vision returned and he saw the familiar bone sticking out of his enemy.

He acted with the only opportunity that was given to him, grasping that bone, ripping it out, and then ramming it into the beast’s eye socket.

If its cries were horrid before, they were absolutely hellish now. But Kong did not give it even a second to process the pain, as he ripped out the bone and kicked the devil off of him. It flew high, then came back down so very quickly, thundering the earth with its body and wails of pain. The Skull Devil did not stop, however. It rolled and thrashed about like the wounded animal it was, clawing at the gushing wound in its left eye.

In its blind rampage, Ramarak shambled its way to the survivors. Its stampeding body crashing through skeletons, rocks, but unceasing in every ravaged step it took. Once more, everypony formed a defensive shield around the royalty, and just before it could reach them, just before Shining and Cadance could safely teleport them all away, they saw the sun darken.

As Kong’s shadow leaped high in the air, bloody rib held above his head, gripped in both palms, and he came down to drive the bone into the top of the Skullcrawler’s scalp.

All movement and consciousness from the Skull Devil came to an abrupt end. Its body fell limp, and it crashed and slid across the dirt, gravel, and bones of the forsaken battlegrounds. Eventually, coming to a rest mere feet away from Shining, Cadance, and all the others.

The dust cloud washed over them, but as it finally settled there was silence returned to the graveyard once more. Peace and rest to settle over the fallen as the living rose up. They rose together, washing away the dust and staring up into the blinding sunlight, where the shadow of one so might stood higher over them.

With his adrenaline dying down, Kong let the weight of all the pain, suffering, and trauma that had plagued him for countless years finally be relinquished. He let it out all free in a heavy sigh and low, trembling groan. For it was the ash-scaled Skullcrawler that laid dead and defeated before him, the same devil that had taken from his family.

But he had done it. With the bone of his own kin, Kong had avenged his family. His parents. What remained of the Skullcrawlers that followed their alpha would assuredly retreat to the depths from whence they came, for there was a new alpha of Black Skull Island. He stood as king unrivaled and would bring order back to this chaotic land, as it once was when the great apes ruled.

At the very least, Kong could find peace in that.

And then… there were the equines.

The King of Black Skull Island looked to them, the wearied and bloodied monarch watching them rise slowly and steadily. The invaders. Those who brought fire to his home. A short silence followed, with Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, Snap Shutter, Mane Allgood, and all the other survivors peering up at Kong with a sort of subtle intensity, but it was only Cadance’s stare that was softened.

In her eyes, he did not see intensity. He did not see a raised temper or any retaliatory act. No malice and no hatred. All he saw and felt was a calm in the heart of the storm. A grace among fear. Peace and love and hopeful intent that the pony also seemed to exemplify.

And, thankfully, for all of them… that was enough. Enough for Kong to snort softly before turning to walk away. They watched him leave as long as they could, before he climbed the distant mountains and vanished with a leap behind the peaks.

A collective breath of relief filled the many ponies of the small band of survivors, and they turned to one another to finally embrace. In the midst of such high hopes and rejuvenated spirits, Shining and Cadance never stopped staring at the mountains. Almost wondering, by some slim chance, if Kong might return to them. They sat and stared in the dull sounds of Black Skull and the ponies around them, leaning on one another, staring somewhat somberly in the distance.

Just then, the radio in Mane Allgood’s backpack came to life, and a voice tried to come through. She scrambled to pull it free, with every eye on her, and just managed to do so. Shining and Cadance rose up, joining the group and listening intently as Mane adjusted the radio’s frequency.

Then, they heard a voice they recognized, and fell silent when it spoke. “… broke the storm and are currently entering Black Skull Island’s airspace. I repeat, Outpost Beacon, do you copy? Reinforcements from Canterlot are here; please respond. Signal a flare to your location if you can, and we’ll come to you.”

They made it. Arriving two days earlier than expected even. After all the trials, all the suffering, all the lives lost, it was almost over. Stunned expressions were shared with smiles among every last pony, but it was Snap Shutter who managed to find his voice first.

Grabbing the radio’s smaller, hoofheld microphone, Snap released a relieved breath and smiled widely into the mic. Unable to stop his eyes from rising and staring off onto the horizon, to the west, where help was coming.

“Well… it’s about bloody time.”

They made it to island’s shoreline just in time to see the fleet resting in the bay. Even then, Cadance came to a sliding halt, spread her wings wide and high, and fired off a blinding red magical flare up into the clouds. It burst with a bright intensity, Cadance taking no chances in their efforts to signal to the fleet that they were there, they were alive.

And it was enough. The naval vessels turned to the island, the airships following suit, coming together to follow that signal flare, and meeting the survivors of the Black Skull Island expedition.

Landing on the sands of the beach and leading the T.I.T.A.N. fleet, the Radiance airship settled while kicking up storms of dust and sand from its mighty engines. Those barely died down, as T.I.T.A.N. prepared for a quick escape if the moment called for it. In the meantime, the ramp of the airship fell to the ground, and an armed escort of Royal Guards led the way with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna following tightly, almost pushing past their own guards.

Especially when they saw Shining Armor, Cadance, and the remaining survivors rushing up to meet them.

As the naval vessels sat in the water with cannons trained on the island, the airships hung in the sky and the ponies of both parties galloped forward and embraced. Cadance, with her aunt first and for most, and Shining Armor—almost hesitant to embrace any princess other than his wife—surprised by the hug that came from Luna. It took a second or two to process, before he eventually succumbed to it and melted into the hug.

After all, he was still trying to process that the nightmare was over, and help had come from home to rescue them.

“Thank the stars thou art all alive!” Luna cried, grasping Shining’s face and then turning to Cadance, hugging the young Alicorn. It was Celestia’s turn with Shining, and she met with him a hug with no hesitation. Shining was a bit more hesitant with Celestia, however, and he broke the hug quicker than the princess would have expected.

“We are so sorry, Prince Shining Armor… Princess Cadance… for everything that’s happened,” Celestia managed to say, the tears in her eyes building quickly and threatening to fall. If anything, the fear of losing them weighed heavy most of all on her heart, but the joy of seeing them alive and well—along with many others—was what made those tears arise.

As Snap and Mane reunited with some old T.I.T.A.N. friends—the medics tending to their wounded—the princesses continued to apologize profusely to the newlywed. “Yours was meant to be a reconnaissance mission. Study and retrieval… If we had known what this island truly held, we would have never let you embark on this journey,” Celestia said through the tears.

“We would have gladly taken your place,” Luna added, gasping for breath to hold back her own tears. “Do not feel any obligation to remain with T.I.T.A.N. When we return home, we—”

Shining cut them off with a raised hoof. Seeing the airships, the prospects of going home and resting in a real bed was almost too much for his mind to compute in his current stare. He was beginning to feel waves of weariness slowly starting to overcome his senses, but he held strong. Just enough to tell them, “I think… we can discuss the future of our involvement in this little T.I.T.A.N. project… after we get back home… and after you answer some of our questions about this island.”

The look Shining and Cadance gave them was unsettling, as if they had discovered an ancient secret of their own. And one the princesses felt they would both be keen in sharing the details to, to the best of their ability.

“Of course,” Celestia replied with a nod, holding out her wing to the Radiance. “Now then, shall we—?”

The jungle canopy on the outskirts of the beach shook to life, earning every last pony’s attention as their heads and eyes all darted back to the island. The Royal Guards reacted instantly, moving as a single unit to form a shrouding line of shields and spears in front of all the royalty and survivors.

“Defensive positions!” the Royal Guard commander barked, his unicorn magic unsheathing his blade as he pointed the tip at the rustling jungle.

They came in droves, emerging and marching out of the island’s hold with no sense of speed or urgency. But they were numerous in numbers, vast in their assortment of creatures. From equines and zebras, deer and donkeys, to primates of almost every species, they walked together and approached the large T.I.T.A.N. force on the beach.

Shining and Cadance instantly recognized them, by the paint on their bodies and the large, diverse number of creatures that were among their tribe. Plus, the arrival of the massive orangutan was a clear indication that these creatures were not to be feared.

Osarus and the tribe of the Iwi were decreed, by word of the Iwi’s great leader, as allies to Shining Armor and Princess Cadance when last their paths crossed. Even now, more than ever, that word held strong, as the Iwi came to them with no intent of harm. They came to them, much to the surprise of Celestia, Luna, and all the others of T.I.T.A.N., with prospects of peace.

Especially when they saw Cadance approach the massive ape, and the two bowed their heads to one another. Shining then followed his wife, and he and the orangutan bowed. The Royal Guards slowly proceeded to lower their spears, by order from Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.

Osarus lifted his head and settled his gaze upon them. His smile was the first thing that calmed Celestia and Luna’s hearts. “We cannot thank you enough for everything you have done,” he told Shining and Cadance telepathically, eyes shimmering a gentle blue. “It appears you have found your people, and you will be returning home.”

“That’s right,” Cadance replied with that same telepathic magic, offering a smile up to the ape. “Thank you… for accepting our friendship.” She even went as far as to offer her hoof.

Osarus grasped her hoof with his large, lengthy fingers, his touch surprisingly gentle compared to his massive proportions. The action surprised many within T.I.T.A.N., surprised to see that first contact made with a tribe from the outside world.

“As we are thankful you have accepted ours,” Osarus responded, lowering his hand from her hoof and holding it out beside him. “And, as a token of our new friendship, and for aiding Kong in his most desperate hour, we leave with you a gift.”

One by one, a line of gorillas stomped forward carrying large packs of cloth upon their backs. They settled them upon the sand, breaking the cloth to unveil slabs upon slabs of stone in piles beside Cadance and Shining. Investigating further, the newlywed realized the stones held white markings on them. Paintings they remembered that held images of the Iwi, of the Skullcrawlers, and of Kong.

“The rocks from your home…” Shining Armor mused to himself, but was heard by all within the Iwi.

“The story of our home,” Osarus corrected with a smile. “Of our people. Of our king. Share it with your tribe, your people, and perhaps one day you can return… and we can unite to build a home, a world… for every creature.”

Shining and Cadance found themselves staring onto the stone slabs longer than they had anticipated, really breathing in all of Osarus’ words. The stories they were told, the ones they could tell from their own experience, could that story even be shared with the outside world?

A story telling of Kong’s power, his rule, and his justice upon Black Skull Island, so all could know of the order Kong brought to this chaotic land. Cadance didn’t know if the ponies of Equestria would be ready for Kong, or any of the Titans. One day, maybe, but today…

“Thank you… and we will,” she replied, a little more reserved with her true feelings on the subject, but thankful for the gift nonetheless. She and Shining lifted the slabs almost effortlessly with their magic, the pair holding their gazes with the Iwi one last time. “Goodbye, Osarus of the Iwi.”

He closed his shimmering eyes, bowing his head once again. “May peace and safety guide your travels, Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance.”

The unicorn and Alicorn turned to leave, carrying with them the story of the Iwi and of the protector of the island painted on massive stone slabs. It earned quite the attention, Royal Guards stepping aside to let them through, but still unsure about the whole silent interaction that just transpired. The two princesses, especially, stood wide eyed and slack jawed.

“We may have some questions of our own…” Celestia mumbled.

“Indeed,” Luna added, holding her furrowed brow with the orangutan that towered over even her and her sister.

But if they were to let them leave in peace, the princesses of Equestria took that to heart and left with grateful smiles nonetheless. Osarus and his people returned to the jungle’s maw, to the land of monsters and terror, where their home was waiting for them. As for the Equestrians, their home was waiting for them all the same.

The survivors were taken into the Radiance, where they were given the best medical care Canterlot could offer. Fresh meals, clean water, and comfy beds awaited them on the long journey back home, but Shining Armor and Princess Cadance spent the first few hours of the flight nestled close together in the bridge of the airship.

With Cadance leaning on the glass windshield, her husband beside her, the two rested against one another as Black Skull Island slowly but surely disappeared in the clouds. Though all they could physically decipher from their wearied bodies were each other’s own heartbeats, a deep and dreaded weight began to fill their souls.

A regret that soaked Shining and Cadance’s hearts, as if they felt there were some members of their crew that managed to survive, managed to endure, and were still out there. Trapped still. Waiting… for somepony to rescue them. The Iwi were still there… they could find them. Or, they wouldn’t find them, and their fates were yet unwritten.

The falling sun shone heavy in the bridge of the Radiance, and despite Celestia’s warmth filling them, that coldness was all the more prevalent. The regret, the dread, nearly losing everything, and for what? Shining Armor and Cadance felt they would be asking that question more and more, now that they had entered this vast and dangerous world of monsters.

Despite the sun’s glare in their eyes, the saw a large shadow looming below. Hanging from a mountain. Watching them leave.

And then they slept. For the first time in what felt like forever, in peace.

Author's Note

Hope you all enjoyed the pseudo-Kong: Skull Island crossover y'all have been asking for Now back to your regularly-scheduled Godzilla vs Kong action...

Artwork by Shrekzilla