Hello, everyone! I am so sorry that this took me so long, but as I stated in the notice, which has been taken down, finals are coming up, and my teachers are cramming as much down our throats as possible. Now, this will be the last chapter for a while, but I promise, this story will not die. I will get it going again as soon as I can. Thank you, and enjoy the chapter!
Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you love it!
pikachucat: I'll be as fast as I can.
Diamondcrusher: That sucks about your account. Anyways, it's not the Doctor, he appeared around the end of seven or eight. I can't remember. But the eyeless figure will be revealed in this chapter!
[Tanzia Port, 3:01 Tanzian Central Time]
[Five minutes to special hunt]
[Special hunt sanctioned and permitted by Guildmaster]
Bark stood in the middle of Tanzia Port's Tavern, armored up and ready to go. Behind him, Cha-cha and Kayamba scurried around, bothering the other hunters and the Felyne workers. Sighing, Bark shifted his weight, growing impatient of waiting for his team. Finally, they entered the Port's Tavern.
[File Access: Hunting Team "Nova"]
Grant, aka "Tank". In his Uragaan X Armor set, the burly man lived up to his name, soaking up damage while dealing massive amounts of pain with his Gigas Hammer. Rare was the hunt that most of the broken parts of a monster weren't caused by him. The others swore he was an Uragaan in human form.
Lyla, aka "Snipe". The sharpshooter of the team, Lyla never missed a target. Her Nargacuga Z Armor set granted near-invisibility from most monsters. While the others would get up close and personal, Lyla preferred distances. Often times, the killing blow was dealt by her Blossomayhem when the monster tried to flee.
Jack, aka "Joker". Jack's sanity was often questioned by the others on the team, but when it mattered most, the Dual Swordsmaster pulled through. With his Jaggi X Armor set, Jack was easily described as the survivor of the group. His Grimmest Noxwings seemed to move of their own accord, and when he demonized the blades, the other three, including Grant, pulled back, letting him dance with the monster they were hunting.
[End File Access]
"Cha-cha! Kayamba! The others are here, so leave that poor Felyne alone and show some form of civilized manners!" Kayamba, who had his Pitfall Mask, saluted and hurried over to Bark's side. Cha-cha, wearing the Rathalos Mask, grumbled something in the Wyvern language, but went over to Bark anyways. "Alright, everyone. Listen up. The Guildmaster found a Brachydios where it doesn't belong, and wants us to take care of it."
"Another Brach, Chief? Why doesn't someone else take care of this?" Inside his helmet, Bark frowned. He had expected this.
"Because three years ago, I was part of a team whose task was to retrieve a Brachydios egg. The mother Brach sent the egg flying off the cliff, and we failed. It turns out, however, that the egg survived, and has grown and matured." He looked at his team. "We're hunting the Brachy that came out of that egg." Jack started laughing.
"Ah, man! Now ain't that something? I gotta give the author credit for coming up with that!"
Shut up, Jack. The others think you're crazy as it is.
Ignoring Jack, Grant cleared his throat, and then spoke.
"So, Chief. Where is the Brach? The Volcano?" Bark shook his head.
"No. We'll be going somewhere that no hunter has ever been to." Bark looked over at the Guild Sweetheart that managed the gong. He signaled her, and she smashed the gong twice. All the other hunters cleared out, grumbling about the private room that they weren't invited to. "Lady, gentlemen, and Shakalaka, be prepared for anything. We have no idea what awaits us." The others looked at each other, confused. When Smithy walked into the Tavern carrying a sack, their confusion grew.
"'Ere ya go, Bark. Mind you ya don't waste them." Bark nodded, and Smithy left. He reached into the sack, and pulled out a Dragon Phial.
"Everyone take one, and then crush them when I say to." Lyla panicked.
"Bark, you can't be serious! Do you know what'll happen?"
"Lyla…you need to trust me. Please." Accepting their fate, the three hunters and two Shakalaka grabbed a Dragon Phial. "On three. Ready?" Nods of confirmation all around. "One…two…three!" The six crushed the phials, and all the energy rushed together with an Elder Dragon's roar. A portal formed, and Bark motioned for them to jump through. As one, the hunting team leapt through the portal into the unknown.
~~~~Line Break~~~~
When the roar of an ancient beast resounded through Ponyville, the citizens panicked, looking for the creature that was surely attacking. It wasn't until Rumble noticed the tear in space above the town and pointed it out to the others that everypony calmed down. The Mane Six plus Discord had appeared on the scene, and were staring up at the portal with everypony else. Fluttershy was visibly quaking, knowing that whatever came through that portal was coming for Nuke. Twilight's face was unreadable, and Discord's mirrored hers. Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie did not see this, as they were preparing themselves for anything. Eventually, Rumble called down to the crowd.
"Six somethings came through the portal! They're falling!" He, Rainbow Dash, and four other pegasi raced towards the somethings, praying to Celestia that they wouldn't be too late.
~~~~Line Break~~~~
Grant cursed to himself as he and the team fell through the sky. To be fair, Bark had said to be prepared, but to emerge a good fifty feet in the air? That was unexpected. Somewhere to his right, he could hear Cha-cha and Kayamba screaming their little lungs out, and to his left, Jack was laughing his head off. Bark and Lyla were below him, which, to him, was ironic, since he was wearing the heaviest armor. Bark's voice floated up to him.
"We have incoming!" Looking past his leader and second-in-command, Grant saw the six dots racing towards them. Horses…with wings? Grant mentally shrugged. They had seen weirder. He just hoped they were strong enough to support the humans of the group.
~~~~Line Break~~~~
As the pegasi flew as fast as they could towards the fallers, Twilight's mind was traveling at warp speed. Finally, she settled on a plan.
"Discord, find Nuke and take him to Zecora's. She can hide him for now." The draconequus gave Twilight a sideways glance.
"He may not want to."
"Then bribe him until he does. I'm going to throw them as far off of Nuke's trail as I can." At her words, Discord smirked.
"That's my princess! Spreading chaos wherever it's needed. Which is, to say, everywhere!" He cackled, and then snapped off towards Nuke. Twilight shook her head. She needed to focus. Her horn lit up, enveloped in a magenta light, and Twilight reached out for the hunters. Their freefall slowed to a gentle descent until the six otherworlders were about a foot off the ground. It was then Twilight promptly dropped them on their faces. She smiled. Spreading chaos indeed.
~~~~Line Break~~~~
Nuke and Applebloom were only a few yards from Ponyville when a draconequus appeared in front of them.
"Stop right there, young stallion! You are not setting a hoof in Ponyville!" Applebloom, for the life of her, couldn't figure out why Discord called her a young stallion. Nuke was equally confused.
"Uh, Discord? I'm over here."
"Oh, right. Whatever."
"Now whaddya mean I'm not entering Ponyville? Mom's in there!"
"And mah sister!" The two stared at Discord expectantly, both dreading and hoping for news.
"They're both fine. Nuke, however, will not be if he goes inside Ponyville." The faux-pony tilted his head.
"Why?"
"The hunters, Nuke." Nuke's eyes widened. His breathing became short and hurried, and an emotion sprang up in his chest. Fear. "The hunters have come to Equestria."
"The hunters?" Discord nodded.
"Yes, Applebloom, the hunters. More specifically, the hunters from Nuke's world. Monster hunters." Nuke began hyperventilating, and Applebloom wrapped him in a hug to attempt to calm him down. It worked, and Nuke's breathing steadied. "Now then, you are coming with me to Zecora's hut. She can hide you, and it's unlikely the hunters will venture into the Everfree until they've established a base to operate from." The spirit snickered. "Trust me; I'll have fun wrecking that."
"Ah'm goin' with Nuke. No offense to Zecora, but her rhymin' gits on yer nerves after a while. Ah can help calm Nuke again if Ah need to." Discord began to object, but upon seeing Applebloom's determined face, decided against it.
'After all, neither the unstoppable force nor the immovable object can win against each other.' He nodded. "Fine. Now then, let's-" A gasp from Applebloom cut him off. She was now staring past him, her face now showing fear. The hug that was meant to comfort Nuke was now meant to offer protection to her and Nuke. Confused, Discord turned around. The draconequus did a double take when he saw the impossible being standing there. This being was far too dangerous for even him to mess with, despite all Discord's power. Lore had described him as a pale shadow in the woods, ready to take your soul. Rumors stated that he snatched colts and fillies without Cutie Marks. Discord knew both these to be false, but that did nothing to quell the dread rising in his chaotic stomach. Behind him, Applebloom whispered the pale pony's name.
"Slendermane."
For those of you that hate me...I had to. My mind would not let me not do it. Now, you have no need to fear for our trio. Slendy has no evil intentions. But of course, they don't know that...
jsun25