Fae 14
Sorry for the extremely long wait guys. I've been busy. School can be crazy, and I've been involved with theatre as of late, plus, which takes up a lot of my free time. Then, when you add that I can't have my laptop over the summer, because it's school-issued, and you'll see that my hands have been tied. Anyway, I'm back. For this chapter, we first see what our villains are doing, then, we'll see the action pick up. Now, let's get on with the show.
The city once known as Robotropolis was now little more than a gigantic dump. Some buildings remained standing, but only a few. The sun never shined on this scrap-metal city. The once great home of Ivo Robotnic itself had been torn to pieces by the bare hands of those who had been his most feared creations, his bodyguards, his horsemen. It was a quiet evening, save for the occasional collapse of a weakened structure. No one remained in the once overcrowded city. Even Uncle Chuck had left the shack on the city's outskirts, seeing no reason to continue doing recon for the freedom fighters. Buildings lay in waste, decaying corpses still littered the street, and rubble was everywhere. The title 'Ghost Town' came to mind.
Of course, there can't be a ghost town without its fair share of restless souls.
Snively walked down one of the many deserted streets. He couldn't help but feel some sympathy for the dead. The civilians had taken most of a rage that they hadn't deserved to suffer for. But, then again, they weren't entirely human, so maybe the horsemen had held some grudge against them. But Snively couldn't help but feel horrified the first time he saw the horsemen's handiwork. The old, fat fool Julian had played with forces he couldn't handle. He had turned his greatest enemies into his personal bodyguards. But when those bodyguards broke free…Julian had paid for it dearly. He'd turned the horsemen into killers, ones he'd let loose on thousands, no matter who the target was. Whether it was a full-blown rebel or simply a disgruntled civilian, it didn't matter. They all met the same fate. And they'd relished using their creator as a test subject. They'd been trained well. A bit too well. Snively himself wouldn't describe the abandoned city as a ghost town. More like a War Zone.
A memory of Sonic's training surfaced in Snively's mind. Robotnic would have his generals torture Sonic for a full day, before having them bring Sonic into the command center. He would then order the generals to let Sonic stand on his own power, before telling one of the swatbots to punch him or kick him as hard as humanly possible. For the first few months, Sonic fell every time from exhaustion and pain. But, as time went on, Sonic fell less often, until, soon enough, he stopped falling altogether. He eventually got to the point where he could stand completely still while getting punched in the face and not seem to notice. Sonic's pain tolerance had been built up to unbelievable levels. Soon, his will was broken, his mind under control, and he obeyed Robotnics every order. That is until he'd broken free. Then, the city had hell to pay.
Snively shook his head. He stopped in front of the remains of a specific building: the building the late Ivo Robotnic had once called home. He had business to attend to. If all went well, the horsemen would soon be dealt with.
"You're late."
Snively turned around. Waiting for him were the rest of Robotnic's generals: Scourge, Monkey Khan, and Metal Sonic.
"It's not easy to stay hidden in a city where the horsemen's eyes are everywhere. Especially for someone who they're very focused on finding. Like me."
"I won't ever understand why they made finding you top priority. It's not like anyone was afraid of you." Scourge remarked, leaning back and chewing on a toothpick.
"Simple: I helped make them, so I know more about them than any of you do," Snively said. "Power doesn't just account for what you can or can't do with your body."
Scourge closed his eyes and chuckled. "Keep telling yourself that. I don't expect my mind to get me out of a knife fight."
"No, but thinking would. Then again, the fact that you would get into multiple knife fights at once just for fun proves to me that you have no common sense." Snively mumbled.
"Repeat that and see what happens. I need a new punching bag." Scourge popped his knuckles before putting on newly made fingerless gloves. When he flexed his fingers, spikes came out of the knuckles. Scourged smiled sadistically as he punched a large piece of rubble, causing it to crumble.
"Why did you summon us?" Mecha Sonic asked. Before Julian had died, but after the Horsemen had broken loose, the Doctor had decided to give his creation something he would have refused under any other circumstances; he'd given the mecha complete free will and personality with it. Mecha now had complete control over his actions and had a sadistic edge to him that he enjoyed very much.
"Chrysalis and Tirek have recently agreed to negotiate an alliance with us. With her troops and his power, we may finally have an advantage."
"Believe what you want. But we all know that the only way Tirek will agree to help us is if he's given control of the council. Knowing your family, that won't happen easily." Ken replied as he swung off a ledge he'd been sitting on and landed without so much a sound. A rustling was heard nearby. Without a word, Ken blasted the rubble with a beam from his staff. The rubble exploded, along with what had been a mouse.
"I'm willing to make a deal. If I didn't think this would be helpful to our cause, I wouldn't be doing this. Everything I do is done with the intent of survival."
"We are both willing to negotiate."
The generals looked in the direction of the voice. Standing there were Chrysalis and Tirek. Tirek seemed to have an assortment of new scars on his torso and neck, and a very noticeable scar across his face. Some of the wounds looked like they were still fresh. Others looked like they had been there for years.
"So, this is what was once the great city of Robotropolis. I have to say; your former bodyguards' handiwork is admirable." Tirek said, taking in his surroundings and smiling. "So much death. It makes me feel giddy."
"They weren't my bodyguards. If they had been, I'd be dead, like the man whom they'd been… persuaded to protect. Anyway, I didn't invite you here just for you to give your opinion on this trash heap of a cemetery. I invited you here to negotiate." Snively said.
"I'm willing to listen. I can't speak for Tirek, but I have many reasons for hating the horsemen and their allies. They killed my children." Chrysalis said.
"I asked both of you to meet us here for several reasons. We've all been affected by the horsemen in one way or another. Chrysalis, as she mentioned, lost a number of her children when one of their allies attacked her kingdom. Tirek also was attacked by the recently reformed King Sombra, nearly dying in the process."
Tirek growled, then winced. He obviously hadn't healed fully from the assault. King Sombra may have had a change of heart and appearance, but he still fought like a demon. That was something Tirek could vouch for personally.
"And, of course, the council lost two members, one who betrayed us and therefore was allowed to leave before the attack began, the other slaughtered by his own creations."
Scourge's eyes narrowed. Fiona Fox was a very touchy subject for him. Robotnic, on the other hand, was not missed.
"Seeing as how we could both benefit from an alliance, I saw no reason for me to not ask you to come."
"This council has failed multiple times in the past. Why would that change now?" Tirek asked.
"We were under flawed leadership. Julian may have been a brilliant scientist, but he was too focused on humiliating his enemy, Sonic. We've since had a change in objectives." Snively replied.
"Really," Chrysalis said, looking around. "All I see are four men who can't seem to achieve their goals, and can't seem to kill one stupid mortal."
"Sonic isn't stupid anymore, and he never was a normal person," Scourge muttered, as he and the other generals glared at the queen. "Don't make uneducated comments, sister."
"Don't refer to me as sister." Chrysalis hissed.
"Chrysalis, enough," Tirek said. He looked at what remained of Robotnic's council. "I'll join your cabal. But, if you want even a small piece of the power that you know I have, you'll have to give me control of it." Tirek said, smirking.
"What power?" Monkey Khan asked, his curiosity having been piqued.
Tirek turned and looked at him, an evil smirk on his face. "The power of Hell."
The Generals all looked at each other. If he hadn't had it before, Tirek now had their full attention.
"When I first came to this world, the ancients knew what I could do, something they respected and feared me for. I was the most powerful being in Equestria. The people worshipped me like I was a god. I was a god. That is until they came."
Tirek's eyes darkened as he recalled what had happened.
"Celestia, Luna, Discord, and Sombra. Those four, seeing a common enemy, banded together in an uneasy alliance. The power of the four combined was enough to dissipate me for a long time. But my power remains. Men will tremble when they see you come. Women will throw themselves at your feet and beg for mercy. The armies of Tartarus will be at your disposal. You, too, would be a God. What you do with that power is up to you. You could take back what is rightfully yours."
A smile tugged at Khan's mouth, a certain princess coming to mind. He also had a few rebellious countrymen that needed to be put in place. The ninjas would pay dearly.
"You could make your enemies and the world they love burn."
Scourge threw the toothpick aside and smirked. He could think of a few people that he'd like to remind of where they stood on the totem pole. Moebius would bow to him again, and he would enjoy using that to ensure his enemies here would suffer.
"You could exert your dominance over those you saw as lesser beings."
Metal Sonic remained silent, but his internal computer was moving at top speed. Flesh was an obstacle. Why have that when you could coat your body with steel?
"You could do whatever you wanted. I can give you that power. All you have to do is give me control of this council."
Snively and the other generals looked at each other. "All in favor?" Snively asked.
The vote was unanimous. Tirek smiled. "Then let's begin."
Tirek then closed his eyes. A pentagram suddenly appeared around the generals. However, the generals remained quiet. They didn't want to disrupt this. Tirek suddenly slammed his hands on the ground, palms open, fingers bent. Glowing red lines appeared on the ground and raced towards the generals, covering them with red, glowing tattoo's
For the first time in 10 years, a natural light shone in Robotropolis. It turned the sky blood red, as the air was filled with Tirek's crazed laughter.
Crystal Empire.
It was a beautiful night in the Crystal Empire. Luna's moon shone brightly, lighting up the darkness. Most of the civilians were in bed, waiting for the return of Celestia's sun.
Of course, not everyone sleeps. In a rundown, abandoned section of the city, 3 figures quietly slipped in between the buildings.
"Any idea where they are yet?" Sally asked, speaking through an earpiece. She placed her back against a corner and looked out cautiously. In her hand was a silenced Glock 9. She looked at Sonia and Antoine, her squad mates, and nodded before the three quickly made their way to a new position. Antione held his sword. Sonia held two combat knives.
"Nothing yet. Gamma and Omega squads are still scouring through their sections of the city. So far, I haven't heard from them." Twilight said, standing on a rooftop a few blocks away, binoculars in hand as she surveyed the city. Rotor and Rarity stood off to the side. Rotor was busy trying to hack into the city's camera's, while Rarity was doing an inspection on a new weapon: a Barrett .416 Model 99. (Look it up.)
"I can't see them from up here." Rainbow Dash's voice suddenly came up on the intercom. Twilight looked up at the sky and saw her, along with Fluttershy and Rouge, flying around, trying to get an aerial view of where the horsemen could be. Rouge's fingers had gauntlet claws on the tips. Fluttershy held a bow staff. Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, had a baseball bat.
"Gamma squad, what's your status?" Twilight asked.
"So far, nuthin," AJ replied as she trudged through an underground tunnel, with Bunnie and Pinkie close behind. Bunnie herself wasn't carrying any weaponry. She didn't need to. AJ was carrying a Mossberg shotgun. Pinkie was…well, no one really could be sure what she had with her.
"Is Everyone accounted for?" Twilight asked.
"Uh…Pinkie ain't here." Bunnie said.
"Wait, what?" Twilight said.
Before Bunnie could answer, the ground began to rumble. "Hold that thought, sugar." She smirked as her robotic arm morphed into a laser cannon.
Before she could shoot, however, Pinkie Pie suddenly appeared. "HII, BUNNIE!"
Bunnie Yelped. "Pinkie!"
"I assume that she's come back," Twilight asked. Despite the circumstances, she couldn't help but giggle a bit at her friend's antics. No matter what happened, you could always trust Pinkie to be…well, Pinkie.
"Ah'd agree with ya there, Twily," AJ said as she pulled Bunnie to her feet before the group continued walking through the tunnel. "All clear so far."
Unbeknownst to them, a figure watched from the shadows. Once they were out of earshot, he tapped on his own earpiece before saying, "They're headed your way, Famine."
"Copy that, War." Silver replied before looking turning towards a tall building, slightly uncurled three fingers, raised them into the air, and quickly brought them down in a slashing movement, and put his binoculars to his eyes.
From the building, Tails, rifle on a tattered bed next to him, put down his own binoculars, nodded, and did the same gesture. He then finished loading his rifle and awaited further orders. He had a clear shot of Alpha squadron. But he wasn't quite ready yet. He needed to finish getting into position.
Knuckles climbed about halfway out of a manhole in an alley. He looked up to one of the roofs above him, where Manic and Shadow were waiting. The Echidna nodded before climbing back down into the tunnel. Manic and Shadow both nodded back at him before returning their attention to the three figures who were attempting to be discreet as they snuck through the alleys of the city.
"Report." Sonic's voice came over the horsemen's headsets.
"Fury and Strife, ready to pounce," Manic said as he and Shadow prepared their weapons.
"War, in position." Knuckles replied, as he popped his knuckles and then his neck.
"Famine, standing by." Silver reported as he began walking down the street, making sure to stay in the shadows.
"Plague, ready." Tails answered as he finished assembling his rifle before loading it.
Sonic looked out over the area. "Now."
Suddenly, Rotor was hit in the head by a paintball.
"Shit. Alpha squad, taking fire!" Twilight exclaimed as she and Rarity ducked for cover.
From across the city, Tails, hanging upside down from the ceiling, reloaded his rifle's chamber.
"On our way!" Rainbow Dash said as she sped towards the location where the shot had come from.
"Dash wait- "
Before Twilight could finish the warning, Shadow appeared over RD, and kicked her in the back, sending her towards the closest building. Dash, however, landed on her feet and turned around just in time to kick the horseman in the jaw. Rouge and Fluttershy flew down towards Twilight, and she nodded, before running towards the ledge and jumping off the roof, grabbing the hands of the two fliers.
Meanwhile, Sally, Sonia, and Antoine entered the building where the shot had come from. They soon approached the room. Sally nodded, and Antoine kicked down the door. The three rushed in, only to find the room empty.
"What- "
Before Sally could finish her sentence, Twilight burst through the window, accidentally kneeing Sally and Sonia in the jaw, sending the two girls stumbling back into Antoine, who accidentally slammed his head against the wall while trying to catch them. The three slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Twilight looked at the scene she'd just created. "Ah, c'mon. Not again!"
From out of the Darkness, Tails dropped onto Twilights back, knocking her out cold.
Meanwhile, back outside, Fluttershy and Rouge were trying to figure out where Dash and Shadow had gone.
"Do you see them?" Rouge asked.
From her peripheral vision, Fluttershy saw two figures, trading punches on one of the rooftops. "Over there!"
Just when the two changed their direction, however, a green aura appeared around them. The two looked at a nearby rooftop, where Silver watched them. He smirked and shook his head.
Meanwhile, Dash and Shadow were still duking it out on the roof. Dash went in for a Spartan kick, but Shadow stepped to the side and clotheslined her, knocking Dash to the ground. Before Dash had time to get up, however, Rarity seemingly dropped from the sky and landed on Dash, causing the two to fall through the roof. Manic and Shadow looked down at the two girls from the roof, then lept down into the room below.
Under the city, AJ, Pinkie, and Bunnie had stopped and were trying to reestablish contact with the others.
"Ah think th' thing broke," AJ said.
"Let me take a look," Bunnie replied. AJ took out the earpiece and handed it to Bunnie, who inspected it closely. "Naw, sugah, it's workin' fine."
"Then how come ah can't make contact with th' others?" AJ asked as she took back the earpiece.
"Ah don't know what to tell you," Bunnie replied, shrugging.
Pinkie looked down the tunnel. "Uh, guys…"
"Not now, Pinkie," AJ said, as the two cowgirls continued inspecting the earpiece.
"Guys…"
"Have ya tried turning it off and turning it back on?"
"That was th' first thing ah did, Bunnie. There's not much ya can do with somethin' this small."
"Guys…"
"WHAT?!" The two girls asked, turning to look at Pinkie, who simply pointed down the tunnel. Bunnie and AJ had just enough time to turn and see Knuckle's fist flying towards them.
The other horsemen watched as Bunnie, Pinkie, and AJ flew up through the road, landing a few feet away. Knuckles rose from the new hole, and they all stood in the middle of the road.
"Time."
The freedom fighters and the mane six began to stir, as Sonic walked down the street towards the group.
"You're getting better," Sonic said as he and the Horsemen helped the others to their feet. "Lasted three minutes longer this time. Impressive, considering most of our opponents don't last that long.
"Thanks. Still hurts though." Twilight said as she rubbed her head.
"That's to be expected. You've only been training with us for a few months. Don't worry. You'll get used to it eventually." Tails said as he slung his rifle over his shoulder. He patted Twilight on the shoulder, and she blushed profusely.
"Go get cleaned up then meet us in the throne room. Sombra wants to talk to all of you." Sonic said. The groups nodded and headed towards the castle.
A few hours later, the group all stood in the throne room, waiting for the king and his horsemen to arrive.
"Where do you think they are?" Sally asked, looking around the massive throne room.
"I wouldn't know. They act on their own schedule, not ours." Twilight replied.
"We don't have schedules, Twilight," Dash muttered, as she stretched her back.
The conversation was cut short when Sombra walked into the throne room, followed by his horsemen.
"Ah. Twilight. Sally. I trust you and your friends are enjoying your stay?"
"We are very much, your Highness. Thank you for your hospitality." Sally replied, bowing slightly.
"No need to be so formal, Sally. You're all guests in my house, and should be treated as such." Sombra said, sitting down on his throne.
Sonic looked at his father. "Sir, If I may, why do the horsemen and I need to be here? We have other business to attend to."
"I'm well aware, Sonic. But Cadence brought something to my attention that may interest you. Cadence, if you please."
Cadence stepped forward. The floor then transformed into a sort of holographic map.
"A few hours ago, some of my spies were doing recon in some ghost towns of long-dead countries, hoping to expand the Empire's borders. They soon came across a rather…disturbing fact."
The map zoomed into a very specific city. Sally gasped. "That's Robotropolis."
Cadence nodded. "Right. That wasn't what caught their attention. It was the surge of power, as well as the blood-red light emanating from the center. We have reason to believe that Tirek has finally broken free and that Robotnic's generals have joined him."
Cliffhanger, y'all. See ya next time!