The war continues...
"This... is... barbaric," Kurai managed, barely reeling in her shock. Less than ten minutes ago, Red Team was called by Central Command to respond to a distress signal sent from a village within the Earth Kingdom. Phantom Squad was also supposed to meet them there, but they were delayed so they hadn't shown up yet. And now, Red Team could only look around with horror and shock at the sight of the village burned to the ground, the bodies of men, women, and children sprawled out everywhere. Most were humans, as they were native to this universe, but a selected few were from Equestria, Mobius, and even Ninjago. Crystal shivered, closing her eyes, feeling herself start to hyperventilate.
"Everything's fine, you're going to be okay." She said to herself, speaking under her breath as she tried to get her emotions under control. "Stop freaking out Crystal, stop freaking out Crystal, stop freaking out Crystal."
T-bone was silent at first, although his grim expression told them that he felt the same way. When he noticed Crystal's state, however, he knelt down and placed his hand on her shoulder gently.
"Easy, Crystal. It's gonna be alright," he spoke to her. "Pull it together; there's still a chance that survivors are in the area. The beacon hasn't deactivated yet, and Screech's sensors detect that there are survivors nearby."
"Movement on your three o' clock," Pug warned. "Who goes there? Identify!"
"Phantom Squad moving in! Don't shoot!" a voice called, as several Mobian figures appeared.
"Hold your fire," T-bone ordered as the friendlies approached. Crystal felt herself relax, and she gave T-bone a warm smile, before she ignited her horn, her white magic enveloping it as she began a spell to sweep the area for any possible survivors of the massacre, as well as any enemies that might be approaching. Phantom Squad moved up with them as they swept the area. The all-Mobian Phantom Squad had been assembled before their worlds had been brought together by TD, and were hand-picked by Red specifically, as he only chose the best of the best to join their ranks. He was allowing non-Mobians to join them now for obvious reasons, but the recruitment process was slow and the hedgehog was a bit picky in whom he chose. Phantom Squad moved ahead sweeping one building.
"Clear left."
"Clear right."
"Square, clear! Move up," the leader of Phantom Squad ordered. As they moved, Crystal detected movement on her right that seemed non-hostile. Turning, she barely caught a glimpse of a child's head disappearing into the rubble again. Crystal glanced at T-bone, making a signal that she had seen something, before she slowly trotted towards where she had seen the child, her horn alight with magic in case she needed to defend herself should the need arise. T-bone signaled to the others and they all approached, keeping alert in case of trouble. As they approached, they saw that it was not one, but three children who were hiding. T-bone removed his helmet to the kids so they could see his face.
"It's alright, we're not gonna hurt you," he said gently. "We're getting you out of here."
"Talking pony!" the youngest cried, a girl that was probably no older than five. She rushed over to Crystal and hugged her tightly, shivering all over with fear.
"This Phantom Squad," the leader of Phantom Squad spoke on the coms. "We have at least three confirmed survivors, but no sign of the attackers. Requesting pickup on our coordinates."
Crystal returned the girl's hug, smiling reassuringly at her. She looked at T-bone, a visible look of relief on her face that they had found some survivors.
"Yes, I am a talking pony," the unicorn said to the girl. "But instead of that, call me Crystal please."
"Pickup will be here in fifteen at most," the leader of Phantom Squad stated. He was a black wolf with grey tipped ears. He held out his hand to T-bone. "Name's Scar."
"TB-043, but you can call me T-bone," the Clone answered, shaking the Mobain's hand. He then put his helmet back on. "I suggest we stay alert. I've got a bad feeling that we're not alone."
No sooner had he said that than one of the Phantom Squad members, a Mobian cat, shouted, "T-bone! On your six!" while firing her version of a blaster at someone behind the Trooper. T-bone turned just in time to barely miss getting hit by a large column of... red fire? Crystal whirled, her horn flaring as a large shield of her white magic appeared around them, and she narrowed her eyes in determination, ready to stand firm against whoever their foe was.
"That fire... I hope I'm wrong, but that looked like TD's fire!" Kurai exclaimed in fear.
"What?!" Bruce looked scared too. Then they heard a slow mechanical set of footprints heading their way.
"And he's not alone," Scar muttered. Crystal took a shaky breath as she charged up her magic for one of the combat spells she knew. She cast a quick glance at T-bone, a small look of fear on her face.
"No way can we take TD on, and now we have this Grievous to deal with!" Screech exclaimed.
"We don't need to beat them; we just need to hold out until evac and get these survivors to safety," Scar said grimly. Two of Phantom Squad's members, another wolf and a dog, looked to each other and seemed to send each other a silent message.
"Sir," the dog said to Scar, "We'll take on Grievous; you guys get out of these ruins while we buy you time."
Scar looked to them as if to protest, but instead he just sighed sadly and nodded.
"Go Daniel," he whispered. Daniel nodded, then turned to those in his squad and to Red Team, and gave them a salute along with the wolf.
"It was an honor fighting with you all," they said, then they charged out of their cover. Almost immeadietly, the sound of four- yes, FOUR lightsabers igniting was heard, followed by a quick and deadly skirmish. While many were saddened by this selfless sacrifice, the leaders managed to keep it together.
"Crystal, take the younger one!" Scar ordered, then to his own members, "Two of you take the others! Let's move out and make sure our comrades' sacrifice is not in vain!"
Crystal nodded, extinguishing her combat spell and using her magic to lift the youngest onto her back. The unicorn then started charging another combat spell, ready to protect herself, her companions, and the girl on her others stayed close to their respective child and moved out towards the town square where it was more open and they'd be more easily seen. As they approached the square, an explosion suddenly appeared in front of them and from the mushroom cloud it created a painfully familiar face appeared in front of them.
"Leaving so soon?" TD taunted with an evil grin. "The party has just begun and I haven't even cut the cake yet."
T-bone stepped to the front, his rifle aimed at the entity's chest.
"Keep the kids safe," he ordered to the others. Behind his helmet, no one could see his expression, but his voice held no note of fear in it; only defiance towards the tyrant before them. Crystal narrowed her eyes at TD, charging her magic up even more.
"How could you do this TD!?" She cried, her blue eyes slightly tearing up. "Why would you betray us like this?!"
TD smirked. "Betrayal? I'd hardly call it betrayal more than it is me fulfilling what I started upon entering your world."
The kid on Crystal's back whimpered and hid her face in Crystal's mane.
"That's the mean man who took mommy and daddy away," she cried. "He also burned our home."
Hearing this, the squads faltered a bit.
"No... that can't be right..." Scar stammered.
"You did this?!" T-bone's disbelief was as plain as day in his tone. Crystal took a few steps backwards, her expression shocked.
"Why would you do this TD?!" She yelled, tears running down her face. "You'd never do this sort of thing!"
TD suddenly took an abrupt change when she said that; for one brief moment, his face was etched with pain and he seemed to be trying to force his gaze away from them. Then his face unnaturally twisted back into his evil smile and the pain faded. Everyone was surprised and a bit confused about this, but TD didn't give them much time to ponder this.
"I see I left a few stragglers," he said as he gazed at the children, speaking as if nothing had happened. "I'll be taking them from your custody if you don't mind."
T-bone raised his weapon again. "You'll have to pry them out from under our cold dead bodies."
"Challenge accepted... trooper," TD snarled, then lifted his hands as red lightning started to shock the Clone.
T-bone screamed in pain as his muscles twitched violently from what TD was doing to him. Thankfully, the torture was interrupted by several blasts from Scar's blaster, which actually hit TD and made him scream in pain as well, stopping his attack. Crystal screamed at TD, firing the spell she had been charging up, which shot towards TD, causing the air around it to drop to freezing as it flew. She grinned; the spell she had just used was one of her favorite, because it was particularly useful whenever she wanted to skate and there was no ice, because the spell was ice-based. Surprisingly, unlike Scar's blaster which only seemed to do minor damage to the entity, TD seemed to be considerably hurt by Crystal's ice spell. He lay on the ground, clutching his side where the spell had struck him.
"Phantom Squad, Cat and Mouse!" Scar shouted as his squad charged towards TD. "Let's keep this guy on his toes!"
The Mobians rushed back and forth around TD, striking him even as he tried to recover. The hit and run tactics were so precise, TD was getting hit by an attack only a second after a previous blow was dealt. Meanwhile, T-bone was struggling to his feet, helped along by Screech.
"Come on, T-bone!" Screech scolded lightly. "You've survived an explosion that almost killed you, and you're complaining about an electric shock?"
The Clone managed to stand on his own upon hearing that and looked to Crystal.
"Don't... try what I did," he managed. Crystal cast the Clone a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry T-bone, I won't," She said, before she cast a shield spell to protect them. "Now, how about we get ready for that extract?"
The unicorn charged up another combat spell, keeping her eyes towards TD in case he managed to recover. And recover he did, in the form of a shockwave that kept the Phantom Squad from retaliating again. Ignoring them, TD headed for the survivors, who were hiding behind Crystal and her squad for the most part. Kurai, desperate to keep him from advancing, used her Firebending to take the fire already existing in the area combined with her own flames, and hurled them at TD. However, while the flames connected, he was unharmed much to the Firebender's surprise.
"Fire is unable to harm me," TD stated. "I don't believe you're immune to it too."
He lifted his hands and all the fire in the area engulfed Kurai, who screamed in pain.
"KURAI! NO!" Screech yelled in rage and sorrow, rushing at TD with a sword drawn. TD simply sighed and an invisible force tossed him back to his friends as Kurai was reduced to ashes. It was then that Drobot seemed to become enraged too, and he unleashed an insanely fast barrage of lasers at TD, who was finding it surprisingly difficult to counter. Crystal released a howl of fury at what TD had done, before the unicorn fired another one of her ice spells at him, followed up by multiple other spells that were based around ice or low temperatures. Combined with the cyborg dragon's lasers, TD soon found himself becoming overwhelmed. By this time, Phantom Squad had rose to their feet again and now all squads were unleashing their all upon TD. Judging from the pain he was going through, it seemed at first that TD would be beaten. That hope soon faded when TD released another burst of energy that threw them back. He then walked casually over to the children.
"General Infinite will get you! Then you'll be sorry!" the little girl yelled at TD, making Crystal marvel at the small burst of courage the human girl possessed.
"Give it up already, child," TD scornfully stated. "You're done for! Your heroes have failed!"
"Failed?" a voice suddenly said from nearby. TD turned just too late as a black figure outlined with a red beam of power rammed into him, sending him flying far away from the children. Looking up, they now saw an intimidating figure in front of them dressed in black with white on the tips of his quills and a silver mask around his face that only showed off one yellow eye. Despite the intimidating figure, they all knew it was Red in his Infinite form, having unleashed the power of the Phantom Ruby he possessed. The children looked to him not with fear, but admiration.
"I told you he'd come," the youngest stated. Crystal struggled upwards, her horn blazing with her magic as she readied another spell, her glare focused on TD.
"And I didn't come alone," Infinite stated. As he did, two figures appeared that they recognized as Generals Diego and Yang. Above them, an Elite dropship appeared and a beam was on the ground to pick people up.
"Go! Diego shouted at Phantom Squad and Red Team. "We'll take it from here!"
T-bone was the first to recover.
"You heard him!" he shouted. "Let's get aboard, now!"
"No! We must stop-!" Screech started, but T-bone stopped him.
"Screech, we can't. The survivors come first. We have to move!"
The Mobian bird reluctantly nodded and then started to escort the kids to the beam that would bring them up into the Elite ship. Crystal followed near the rear of the group, her horn chargers up with her most powerful ice combat spell, just in case it was last they saw of the three that had saved them was the sight of TD roaring like a madman, before they were taken up into the ship.
"Typical. Never could let me have my fun, could you?" TD snarled at the group that faced him. Diego and Yang stared at him without fear, while Infinite eyed TD with as neutral an expression he could give behind the mask.
"This wasn't part of my schedule, but I'm always eager to take down a villain that threatens my friends," the mercenary stated. "Keeps the enemy back, shows them whom they should really fear."
"Are you the only one who's delusional enough to think that?" TD scoffed, firing off several blasts of energy at Infinite, only to have him teleport behind the chaotic entity and land a successful blow to the back of his head, throwing him to the ground.
"Seeing is believing," he remarked. But before he could follow up with his attack, a familiar sound was heard nearby and General Grievous stepped out into the square, dragging the limp body of Daniel. The burn mark through his chest was more than enough of an indicator of how he had died. Diego and Yang both activated their gauntlets as the General approached.
"This is all you had to offer me?" Grievous taunted. "This pitiful excuse of resistance wasn't even worth my time!" He threw the body towards the Rogue and Huntress, cackling. Yang felt her anger rise and her eyes turned red, but Diego held her back.
"Don't do it," he warned softly, extinguishing her rage as she listened to him. "He wants you to charge like that so you'll be unbalanced when he strikes. Besides, we don't have the means to counter his lightsabers."
Looking to TD (who was only now picking himself up) then to Grievous, Red/Infinite started calculating the odds of survival for both sides. Eventually, he settled on a decision that would benefit them the most, as well as allow him to avenge the deaths of the ones Grievous had taken.
"Diego, Yang! You take on TD; I'll deal with Grievous," he ordered as he floated down in front of the General. He hadn't used the Phantom Ruby for any illusion-based attacks yet, for he knew TD would simply cancel them out as fast as he made them appear, focusing instead on having the Ruby's power enhance his own physical abilities. Knowing Grievous, he'd need them to combat the cyborg. As Diego and Yang moved in to attack TD, Infinite stared at the cyborg with a fire in his only visible eye behind the mask.
"You're going to pay for the lives of my men, General," he remarked. "When I'm done with you, you'll be begging for mercy."
"Me?! HA!" Grievous laughed as his four arms, each armed with a lightsaber, spun around rapidly in front of the hedgehog. "I believe it is you who should beg for mercy!"
"Fine then, have it your way," Infinite scoffed. "But before this fight is over, you will know the true meaning of fear and pain."
The Phantom Ruby charged up with power on Infinite's chest and he rushed at the General, engaging him in an insanely fast and dangerous melee. Infinite had no melee weapons, but the Ruby's power prevented his limbs from being sliced apart by the lightsabers, allowing him to parry the attacks rather easily. Plus, the hedgehog's brain was wired for combat since his creation more than 100 years ago, allowing him to adapt in combat within minutes. The only true advantage Grievous had against this opponent was his weapon's reach and his extra limbs, and Infinite knew this too well. All he had to do was wait for the right moment to strike, and the fight would be over...
Meanwhile, TD had managed to rise as Diego and Yang stared him down, their gauntlets activated and ready for combat.
"You're kidding. You're kidding, right?" TD asked them. The response was two gloved punches to the face. He growled and fired several bursts of fire at the two, but the managed to dodge. Diego then rushed in at TD and started laying a series of rapid blows to the entity, while Yang did the same from a different end. TD groaned, then unleashed a shockwave of power that threw them both backwards. TD then went for Yang, but the Huntress had recovered and was prepared for him. Deflecting his attacks with precision, she laid several hard punches to TD's gut and face, staggering him greatly.
While TD tried to recover, Diego activated his Semblance to bring up a power from one of his teammates. In a flurry of red rose petals, he warped quickly behind the entity and landed another blow to his head, knocking TD to the ground. However, to their surprise, TD's image disappeared like an illusion or mirage and laughter was heard all around them. As they tried to pinpoint his location, a blast of fire suddenly struck Yang and flung her back into a wall, then TD himself appeared and hit Diego in the face with a glowing fist. With his aura still disabled from using his Semblance, Diego fell to the ground, presumably unconscious. TD then turned to Yang, who tried to land another blow on him. This time, the entity threw her away with ease and smiled.
"Say your prayers, Yang Xiao Long," he taunted as he prepared to strike her down.
"NO!" Diego's voice roared and TD felt himself get hit in the back by a surge of power. But it wasn't the blow that surprised him and made him turn around. No, it was because that energy he had felt... it was HIS energy. And he soon saw why.
Diego's form was now made up of pure darkness, with only two red glowing eyes to be seen. But it wasn't just his eyes; they were someone else's as well... Yang looked to her boyfriend with utter shock, but TD simply smiled.
"So it is true," he managed. Diego snarled at him.
"You stay away from her, or I will tear you apart!" he threatened. TD weighed his options, then sighed.
"Very well then. It seems to me this battle is becoming one-sided anyways," he stated; as soon as he did, Grievous's body was flung near to him as Infinite emerged victorious from their scuffle. Upon seeing Diego, the hedgehog also was surprised. But before anyone could recover from their shock, TD took the opportunity to leave in a cloud of smoke. As soon as it cleared, Infinite powered down back into Red while Diego remained in his form, although his eyes now looked like his own again.
"Diego... you're-?" Red began, but stopped as he was at a loss for words.
"What... happened?" Yang asked. Diego looked towards her and sighed as he too returned to normal.
"Yang, we need to talk," he said softly. Red decided to take his moment and leave, but not before calling in a clean-up crew to help out in extinguishing the fires of the village so it wouldn't spread any farther.
"No... tell me you're lying!" Twilight yelled in a voice of anger, though tears had started to form. She had just been given the report by Red Team and Phantom Squad, as well as the rest of the Supreme Leaders whether through personal conversation or by holographic messages. Of them all, Twilight had taken it the hardest. Crystal spoke up, keeping her voice respectful.
"Princess Twilight, we're telling the truth, I promise you," The unicorn mare said, keeping her eyes down. Twilight shut her eyes as the tears poured faster. It was understandable that she'd take hit badly; before the war, TD had been her coltfriend, the only one she would've trusted with her life and even her very soul. To hear that he had committed such an act...
"You performed well in the circumstances you were placed under," Bill Prower stated to the unicorn and her squad. "Though it pains us all to learn that Kurai was lost to him." He gave them a determined expression. "But rest assured my friends, her sacrifice will not be in vain."
"This can't be right..." Twilight started muttering to herself. "This isn't right! William would never do this!"
Crystal rubbed her front legs together, before she spoke up.
"Actually Princess Twilight, before TD started attacking us, I yelled at him that he'd never do something like that, and for the briefest second his face changed, before he went back to the way he had been, acting like nothing had happened." The unicorn said, recalling the events that had occurred. Twilight looked up, a small hopeful gleam in her eye.
"What?"
"It could be a lure," Bill dismissed it. "It's possible that he's trying to trick us."
"Trick us!?" Twilight flared up in anger at the Mobian fox. "Next to Applejack, he's the most honest creature I've ever met! He's never lied to us once in his life, and you accuse him of trickery?!"
Anyone who had seen Twilight enraged usually felt scared at the mere sight of her. Bill, however, showed no such fear and instead got into her face as he countered her argument.
"You may have known him at an intimate level, but I've known him far longer than you have!" he shouted. "I was part of his very being when he first became the Terror of Dimensions! I watched as he burned kingdoms, massacred millions, and even destroyed entire galaxies with no remorse! And after hearing what he did today, I'm all the more convinced that he hasn't changed a bit!" He growled his last words out like a wolf's snarl. "I don't know what he is to you, but to me he is and always will be a monster."
Bill turned and left the room without another word. Twilight waited until he was gone, then burst into tears, falling into a sobbing heap on the floor. Crystal seemed to hesitate, before the unicorn mare trotted over to Twilight.
"Princess Twilight, are you okay?" She asked, before mentally facehoofing; she realized how dumb a question that was now. Twilight didn't answer and continued to sob, her tears actually creating large puddles on the floor like in a cartoon. Which wasn't too surprising, considering that TD had told them that's what they were in his world. Crystal sighed before she sat down beside Twilight, putting a reassuring hoof on her shoulder to let her know she was there. Twilight eventually leaned against Crystal for support as she let out her grief. Bill's word had hurt her deeply, as well as TD's actions earlier that day.
"It's okay Princess Twilight," Crystal said, trying to help comfort the alicorn.
"What if I'm wrong?" she sobbed. "I don't know what to think anymore... Everything I've known about him..."
"Princess Twilight, if you let doubt creep into your mind and steal away the beliefs you have, then you've already lost," Crystal said softly. "You always find the good in others. Don't doubt yourself."
This seemed to comfort the alicorn slightly and her sobs slowly started to fade.
"I don't care what he says or what the reports say; I know he's not like this," Twilight insisted softly. "i just wish there was some proof..."
Crystal nodded.
"I know what I saw Princess Twilight, but I'm sure that my word isn't proof enough, is it?" the unicorn asked. Twilight's response was a small nod, then she stood to her feet.
"I'm going to my chambers," she said bluntly. "I do not wish to be disturbed, no matter what it is."
She left the room without another word, visibly still saddened inside. Crystal stood, looking after the alicorn with a sad look in her eyes, before she trotted over to stand beside T-bone.
"I don't like seeing Princess Twilight so upset," the unicorn said.
"Neither do I," he admitted. "But there's not much I can do about it." He then looked down to Crystal. "Personally, I think something's off about him too. Something... unnatural."
Crystal nodded, thinking.
"Something did seem off about him," She said. "But it seemed like my ice-based combat spells were extremely effective on him."
"Ice-based magic has always been his weakness," T-bone pointed out. "You just managed to land some good hits on him."
Crystal blushed.
"Thanks. I did get a bit worked up near the end though," She said sheepishly.
"Nevertheless, you performed beautifully," he complimented. "I've never had a finer partner. Or friend."
"I think you're beyond friends at this point," Bruce pointed out, standing in the doorway to the Command Center.
"Quiet Bruce, the adults are talking," Pug joked, but was also glaring slightly at the Huntsman. Crystal blushed even more, ducking her head.
"Thanks T-bone, I did my best," She replied. Just then, an alarm went off and someone spoke into their coms.
"All teams, listen up! We've got possible readings of another world being pulled in. Prepare to greet them, but be cautious; we don't know if they're friendlies."
Crystal glanced at T-bone, a small smile on her face.
"Ready for some more action?" The unicorn asked. The Clone grinned as he placed his helmet back on.
"Let's do it," he answered.
Let's see who these latecomers are... in the next chapter! Yeah, I'm cheeky.
Cya next time!
