MLP:FIM is property of Hasbro and Lauren Faust. Not AedanRyche. Because I'm poor :P
"You're sure it's Discord?" Mat asked as he helped Leoj into a suit of armor he had made. Eric nodded, helping Sapphire with her new arm. It was designed to work with the suit mat had made for her. the blade and claws worked, but it was altered to add the effect of in flight stabilization. The socket sunk into the joint, the nerves connecting and causing her to grunt in pain. "What did he look like?"
"Alice," Eric said in the basement of his house. "Render an image of Discord at around fifty feet tall in a thirty foot tall room." The hologram projected was perfect, even the stance he had taken. "Add a render of Nightmare Moon by his left foot and halfway through the bulk head to their containment room." The hologram fuzzed, becoming clear again with the image of the black Alicorn. "It looked like that before I pulled Weatherson out of the room and fired on them." Eric said, inputting the code to set the reactor alive.
"Have I ever said you are a magnet for trouble?" Sapphire asked as he set the access panel to be opened only by her. Eric shook his head as he helped Dash with a revamped suit wing. "Well, you are." Sapphire said with a hint of amusement before she attached the new leg. "Ow… Any time we aren't with you, bad shit flocks around you two like flies on a cow pie." Eric chuckled and shook his head as he began re wiring the connector to Dash's suit.
"Ow!" Dash exclaimed as a spark landed on her skin. "Could you be a little more careful?" she said rhetorically. Eric apologized and attached the wires, clasping the wing on and letting her test it. she flapped the limb a few times, knowing she didn't need to fly in the suit, but maneuverability was key in close quarters. "Alright, I'm off to gather the Night Hawks." She said before jetting out the tunnel, the flames from her thrusters glowing on the dark walls.
Eric stood on the platform, Letting the computer outfit him with weapons. It attached several daggers and knives, a tomahawk with a breaching point, two assault-rifles with collapsible stocks and around twenty grenades of varying designs. "We need the Elements," Eric said to Keith over his shoulder as the boom arms attached a shoulder mounted rocket pod. "Make it happen. Discord is apparently a god and I don't want to risk dying like I did with the last one." The red pony nodded and ran upstairs.
Eric took the moment to observe the armor suits that the Hunters wore. Sapphire's was deep blue, nearly black with iridescent and realistic lightning through it. Leoj's suit was all white, as expected, but this time it lacked the clockwork motif he favored so much. His rapier rested at his hip along with a twin on the other one. He had two Webley .357 revolvers on his upper thighs and a rack of grenades he refused to tell the details of. Mat's suit was very custom, his gauntlets were fingerless, the helmet had a visor that changed color and it let his hair hang out the back, which had became lower back length. It was a deep crimson.
They all had helmets, but all but Eric's, Dash's and Mat's were featureless. Dash had asked Eric to make her one in the old Greek Spartan commander style, which he did, replacing the frill with sharpened spikes. Leoj had just taken his and painted his cog and lock symbol on the front before the optics were installed by Mat and Sapphire was fine with a blank blue one. "Are we all ready?" Eric asked as the boom arms receded, having bolted a pair of blades to his right shoulder, both fitting snugly into the metal scabbard. Everyone gave him a thumbs up, Eric signaling them to move out.
They all landed on the run, sprinting into the castle and toward Celestia's throne. The guards flashed indecision through their faces before letting them pass, barely having the time to open the mahogany doors. The quartet of knights slowed as they entered the throne room, compressing their helmets or taking them off. "Permission to go kick some evil ass, Celestia," Eric asked. Getting a startled look from her. "Nightmare Moon and Discord have broke loose of their bonds on the Northstar," he explained, getting an even further confused look. "Just say yes so we can save some lives, your majesty." She nodded, numbly, still lost as to what he was talking about. Three unicorns moved the stained glass window away from the frame, allowing the four to rocket out of it and bank left, heading north to the frozen wastes.
Eric and Dash flew at mach six the entire way there, followed by Mat, Sapphire, and Leoj. They had met at Canterlot castle, forgoing the teleportation grid for the suits Mat had put out for the Hunters. They were over the frozen wastes beyond Northpony, the ship ahead in the water. "Here's the plan," Eric said over the radio to the squad. "Talon breaks a hole in the hull and takes Blue into the works. Take down the engines so they can't go anywhere." He got affirmatives. "Hawk, when the rest of the elements get here with Magician I want you to keep them safe until we clear and contain Discord. Send him in as soon as he arrives to fight back Nightmare." Dash nodded beside him, checking their position in relation to the chariot that had fallen behind. "Clockwork and I will clear the bridge and deck. We work our way to the hold and find the guards, then we can look for Discord." Leoj confirmed with Eric's choice.
Upon arrival, they found ponies blanketed the deck, opening fire with the onboard weapons. Cannonballs and flaming javelins zoomed by them, nearly missing them at every turn. "Break, now!" Eric ordered. Mat and Sapphire banked low, coming up slightly above the ice. Mat slammed into the side, grabbing a plate of steel with his hands and pulling it away. He continued to tear into the hull until a hole was present, which Sapphire rocketed into, firing bullets from her gauntlets into the hallway. Dash had already looped back and taken position around the Pegasus drawn chariot.
"They think these weapons can take us down?" Eric said over the radio, rolling right to avoid a javelin. "I laugh at their ef-FUCK!" Eric took a cannonball to the chest, getting knocked out of the sky. The ball exploded, throwing him through the five foot thick ice and into the water. Leoj looked down, halting in the sky as the prisoners onboard stopped their barrage to cheer and pat a pony on the back that had made the shot. The skip lurched to the side, causing Leoj to cross his arms and smirk. Eric burst through the deck under the prisoner that had shot him down, throwing five others aside as the deck was rent under them.
"That was a good shot," Eric said over the speakers, causing his helmet to scale back. "But this is much more fun!" he yelled, as he pulled the pony by his forelegs. The Prisoner ripped in half, his body falling a hundred feet to the deck below. The prisoners looked up at him, horror on their faces. Eric smiled at them and closed his helmet. "Who's next?" He said over the speakers, amplifying his voice as he signaled the rocket launcher to rise to his shoulder. "Leoj," Eric said, looking at the immortal beside him."Lets do some gratuitous violence."
"Yes, lets." Leoj replied, dropping to the deck and drawing his swords. The white clad man walked through the prisoners, slashing and hacking anything that charged him. "Eric," he said over the radio. "They don't seem to be in their right minds, I'm going to knock them out instead. Check the bridge, I have this." Eric nodded as Leoj looked up, turning back and landing on the platform beside the top door. He tried the handle, finding it locked.
"Dammit," Eric muttered to himself, raising his boot and kicking the handle. The door broke inward, revealing a stunned trio. There was Chekov, the ship captain, Nightmare Moon and one of the island ponies he had brawled with yesterday. "Hi boys and girls," Eric said, jumping into the room and knocking the bandaged pony aside and into a wall, knocking him out. "Did you miss me, Moony?" he teased.
The black Alicorn dropped the aging Russian from her hold, turning her focus on Eric. "I shall have some form of vengeance for what that non-pony did to me," she said, slowly walking toward him. Eric stood there until the Alicorn was face to face with him, not moving an inch. "You seem to be sufficient, primate," she said. Eric flicked her on the horn, causing her to recoil and grow enraged.
"I have to say, Non-Pony would make and excellent rock band name," Eric joked, trying to get her to follow his next move. "And while I am not Keith, I do know where you can find him," Eric turned to his left, blasting the window with plasma. "Race you there," he said, rocketing out and waiting for her to take the bait. "Hawk, is Magician in position with that spell?" he asked over the radio, flying away from the ship to the north as Nightmare Moon left the bridge to follow him.
"Not yet," Dash replied over the radio. Eric led the Alicorn around the area, reaching the pole and turning west. "We need about three more minutes," Dash said as Eric began to pack on the speed, playing with the evil spirit. "I'm sending you where you need to be in two minutes now." Dash said, cutting the line. A map came up, pointing toward the area with a yellow arrow.
"Wow," Eric called back. " You sure can fly fast. But my mare is faster," The Alicorn fired a bolt of lightning at Eric, striking him dead on. Eric shook his hands and pushed harder on the suit, breaking the second sound barrier. "Quit that, it tickles!" Nightmare Moon snorted in anger, beginning to gain on Eric. The message flashed that he turn towards the area now. "That's my cue!" he exclaimed into his helmet. Eric banked to the left sharply, the Alicorn clipping his foot before being able to right herself. "Watch the paint job!" Eric yelled back at her as she began to catch up. They neared the area, the timer clicking away the seconds.
Keith watched the sky, seeing Eric fly over head. "Now!" one of the ponies yelled, Keith channeling the energy to pull the spirit into the gem. The large diamond levitated off the ground, resting in front of his eyes. He timed the attack to perfection, a red beam launching at Nightmare Moon as she entered his line of sight. The beam stopped her in her tracks, pulling her towards the gem. The Alicorn screamed in rage at her capture, fighting to be free. Keith began to sweat from the exertion the spell was placing on him.
"Sorry I have to cut our play date so short," Eric sniped from the air. "But you see, I have a certain Draconiquis to visit. And you know how stingy those guards are about visiting hours." The Alicorn screamed at him, launching bolts of electricity until she was trapped in the gem. Eric shook his head. "What a sore loser," he joked. Eric felt something grasp him around the waist, looking into the face of Discord. "Oh hell…" he said before the two disappeared.
Discord threw Eric into the corner of a room as they materialized again. Eric struck the wall with his back, falling to his hands and knees for balance. "What a touching reunion we have here," Discord cooed as Eric noticed the red glow that filled the room. "The hero of Equestria and his long lost friend." The Draconiquis picked up the glowing pillar of quartz, turning it around in his claw and holding it to his ear. "What's that? You say you miss your buddy?" Eric looked up, watching Discord's gaze fall on him. "Isn't that just sweet," he said, ending the sentence with an insane smile. "I must say, Eric. To reject this much power is such a pity you could rule the world with this. Although once it gained control it would light it on fire, but none the less a pity."
Discord grasped Eric's helmet, ripping it from its fittings. The coils of the neck plates hung loose on Eric's neck, a few falling off after they stopped spinning. "You know what I think?" Eric said, getting Discord to raise an eyebrow. "Since I don't want it, why don't you take it?" Discord laughed, shaking his claw at him.
"Oh Nay, nay." He said. "You see, I wouldn't mind having all of that pure rage," Discord turned the crystal over in his paw, poking Eric on the head with a talon. "But it doesn't want me. It want's you," he said, sounding somewhat disappointed. "Now if I can gain an ally out of this, I will gladly give it what it wants," Discord removed his claw, dangling the stone over Eric's head. "And I think that is want I'll do." He finished on an excited tone, dropping the crystal against Eric's head.
Eric leaned up on his knees, looking at the ceiling. He opened his mouth to scream, but all that came out was an audible breath. Give in, the voice of madness said. Eric blacked out, falling into a dream.
Eric watched his mind play, strange visions flowing free. He stood in the center of Canterlot, the roads empty and blackened. The city lay in ashen ruin around him, buildings crumbling inward at the slightest breeze. 'What the hell?' he thought as he began to walk down the burnt road, ash rising as his feet struck the ground. "Hello?" Eric called out as he walked down the street, hoping something would hear him. "Is anypony here? Is anything alive?" Eric saw a large white building ahead, untouched by the fire. There was a large crimson cross on the wall, and ponies milling in and out of the hospital. It was obviously the last bastion in Canterlot.
Eric ran up to a pony, trying to turn it around. His hands and arms passed through the pony without stopping. "Woah…" He mumbled as he regained his footing. The pony looked up and screamed, running back into the hospital. Eric watched the pony go, turning around to find what scared him so badly after. In the sky was Eric's suit of armor, its arms raised as firing plasma and rockets at the building. The projectiles bounced off of a ward, Shining Armor on the other side wincing with each impact. The barrier broke a few minutes later, the suit flying down and tackling Shining Armor to the ground. The helmet scaled back, revealing Eric inside. He had a malicious smile and cold, lifeless eyes as he drove his fist into the pony's chest, pulling out Shining Armor's Heart. The pony screamed, falling silent as Eric crushed the organ in his gauntlet.
Eric looked at the door, firing a rocket at it and blowing a large hole. He walked in, gunfire and sizzling flesh emanating from the building shortly afterward. The flashes in the windows moved up the building to the top floor before ceasing, only to reveal all the survivors having gathered on the roof and backing toward the edge as Eric approached. He smiled at them, holding his arms out in a welcoming gesture. "What's wrong my friends," he said with the voice of the madness. "Do you no longer love your valiant knight? Don't you remember all of the times I protected you from harm? Remember Talon? How I killed him when he tried to harm your daughter?" he pointed to a yellow unicorn. "Or Bolts? She tried to kill you with her robotic arm." He pointed to a pegasus of a brown coat. "And Clockwork," this time he pointed to a pegasus Eric recognized as Soarin. "He tried to take you to a black hole, intent on throwing you in. I had to do it to save you all. They were traitors, just like the fallen princesses." The monster on the roof pointed back to the square.
Eric turned around, finding a gallows and guillotine. In the rope was Luna, her body being eaten from by ravens, and a dog carrying Celestia's head back to its hide. Eric had to fight back his stomach at the murdered monarchs, turning away with rage in his belly. "They would have killed you all if I hadn't stepped in." A unicorn that Eric knew as Little Strife walked up to the monster, driving his hoof into the Eric puppet's face before holding a blade to his neck. the monster fell down, smirking and punching the unicorn over the edge. Strife landed on the fence, impaling on the spikes with his head and chest. "Is that any way to treat your savior?" the monster asked as it rose into the sky, pulling a long spear from his back and sweeping over the first row of ponies, laughing with joy. The ponies were pushed off the edge, meeting Strife and Shining Armor at the bottom.
The monster flew down, pulling a rear leg off of a pony and spitting on its body. "Filthy peasant, I should have cooked you alive with that blasted Rainbow Dash." The madman walked by Eric, looking him in the eyes with murderous delight. "Don't worry," it said to him. "Discord has no idea this will happen. What a grand surprise it will be." The monster's voice sounded like warm honey to Eric's ears, smooth and comforting if a little disconcerting. "And I'm going to relish every moment of his death. Don't you worry about revenge." The madman walked down the street, giggling the whole time as he stopped to cook the haunch of pony flesh on a burning building. "A horse? A Horse for my Kingdom!" the madman joked, lifting the haunch to his lips and biting into it, blood trailing down his neck. "Welcome to your new home my friend. Make your self comfortable, you'll be here a while." The monster laughed. "Can I get you a pony steak while you're waiting?" the insanity laughed, walking away into the smoke.
"Eric!" Dash screamed as her and the elements ran through the halls of the ship, beating down prisoners as they encountered them. "Eric! Where are you!" She yelled, striking a prisoner in the brow with her hooves before running into the detention block. She looked around, raising the barrels in her armor as she searched around the room for movement. "Eric, please be ok…" Dash ran to the door, remembering Keith had told them it was where they had left Eric's crystal. She stopped outside the room, hearing the sound of flesh hitting a fist. "Thank gods," she said before opening the door and looking in.
"did you think you could control me Discord?" Eric screamed, bringing his fist down full force on the lifeless body of the Draconiquis. "Fool. Nothing can control me!" Eric slammed his elbow into Discord's nose, breaking the bones and pushing them back into the skull with the suit's added strength. "It's too bad you couldn't meet the monster you made!" Eric pulled on Discords head until he heard the bones separate and the cord snap. He stood over the dead god, laughing to himself at how easy it had become to kill immortals. He kicked the body, breaking bone with each impact. The door opened behind him, causing him to turn and look. Rainbow Dash stood in the cell block, waving someone over. "Dashie," he exclaimed, running over and hugging her. "Thank god your ok!" Dash hugged him back, lifting a glob of blood off his shoulder.
"whose blood is this?" She asked, letting him go and walking in. In the center of the room was the crystal, still glowing red. Next to it was Discord, unmoving and barely recognizable. "Shit…" She exclaimed, trailing off as she walked over to the dead being. "I guess harmony isn't the only thing that can stop him," she muttered, poking the corpse with a hoof. Twilight and the others ran into the room, gasping at the grizzly sight. Fluttershy fainted, Rarity running out to puke while Applejack, Twilight and Pinky Pie stood there in shock.
"Oh dear…" Twilight muttered before walking back and staring at Eric. He was covered in blood, his black armor now bright red. "H-how did you do it?" she asked, disbelieving he was able to actually kill him. Eric shrugged, smiling at the ponies.
"I got lucky I guess," he said, running a gloved hand through his hair. "Discord tried to put the madness back in me, but didn't count on my resolve being that strong. When he put the crystal on me, I fought back the insanity, breaking free." Eric shook his head, motioning back to the room as Dash came out, trying not to vomit. "I blacked out, battle rage and all. When I came to, Discord was in shambles and Dash was standing in the door way." Eric smiled at them again, looking tired. 'Nice lie,' he thought to himself as the ponies nodded.
"Nothing for it now," Dash said, walking toward the door out. "We have to round up the rest of the prisoners and take the ship. The other's are clearing off the deck and herding them down here now. We have to get out to where it's safe, now." She said, ending the monologue with emphasis. They all nodded, following her out. Eric hung back, falling in behind the rest.
'Not yet,' he thought to himself, scoffing in amusement. 'First you need something convincing…' Eric chuckled to himself, his eyes turning yellow as they climbed the stairs out.
Oh…noes…
Well, that seems bad. The madness in control of the most politically powerful human in Equestria? I bet that will make for a rousing good sequel, don't you?
That's right. This is the end of MLZR, and the beginning of something new, yet old. I am writing Prophesy, the prologue to MLZR and the story of Keith Wolfheart and his play in the scriptures. I also have the sequel to this story storyboarded already. But you all have to wait for that :P
Credits! Read 'em and weep!
Black Dragon, Leoj Clocktum and Little Strife are property of Timefather64.
Mat and Sapphire are property of Bahamut Crisis Core.
Night Forge and all things to do with the Nightmare Unicorns are property of Najee.