Thread 53: Stories 1-15

Thread 53 archive: https://archive.moe/mlp/thread/20948915
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THREAD RECAP, HAPPENING EDITION!
>AJ is still losing to the infection
>42 tries to get a magically drained Cadence to safety, but just one bad meetup ends up with her blowing up a hoverbike in her own face. In desperation, she finally uses fireflight!... And ends up even further away than before. Whoops.
>Cadence prods at the badly wounded changeling, and eventually forces her to come clean about her feelings for Shiny. Tearfully, 42 confesses she does have them, but tried to stop them so Cadence would have one friend who wasn't like that.
>Monsters coming there way, 42 throws her towards the portal and sacrifices herself(note, apparently she used her bomb and teleported to safety, but thought it was a suicide bomb)
>Cadence reaches the portal, but it's totally drained, and she can't go home. She breaks down.
>Rarity runs from Spike and meets up with Vekir as she does so. When she gets cornered, she tries to reach him by reminding him who he used to be. Sadly, this doesn't work, and he has to be shot away by Pinkie. Her, Dash and Flutters meet up, and they vow to try to help out.
>High Roller meets up with SL, and tries to get her to join him. Eventually, he watches out for her and tell 12 to try to convince her as well. He does so to keep her awake.
>Coco and Lucky Strikes are cornered and the former is crying her little heart out. She reveals she's not really a guard, and is about to be eaten, but 55 arrives on the scene... it takes him a bit to put together zombies are around.
>SA and Celestia meet up with the WBs, and after its revealed Spitfire and SA have a past history and are very hostile to each other the others are sent off while Spitfire helps him and Celestia fight.
>Fleetfoot and Soarin' wonder if they used to bone.
>Blueblood, Haymaker and FF brothers reveal their frankenstien robot and save some guards
>Apparently Pommel/Daw is over with Idris(the gryphon)'s brother
>Luna put an enchantment on 56 to protect him

>13 fails horribly trying to fulfill her Queen's mission
32 meets up with 88 in the air, and thinks she's a fake until she reveals she knew about the river, then leaves. Afterwards, 77 shows up.... 32 is a bit mad.
>32 knocks him into a dining room, and initially looks like he's going to kill the shellshocked changeling. However, his words snap 77 out of his funk, and the two decide to settle things.
>They battle, with 77 breaking down 32's hatred of Chrysalis and revealing he was never really trapped at all, save his own demons. 77 wins, and leaves 32 pinned to the wall as he goes to confront 88.
>32 has a breakdown when the voice in his head stops talking to him, and eventually asks for the power to save 88 this time. He is granted it, and is off to go help.
>29, MM and Zecora go meta, realize they're completely useless in stopping this, and decide to get high until this all blows over.
>Breaburn arrives at SAA, and joins Granny, Big mac and AB in fighting off the zombies.
>41 disobeys Chrysalis's orders to use her teleport bomb and save the EOH, and instead saves Suckerpunch
>Silver Spoon and Filthy Rich grab Tabblehabble from SS's room, and while looking for DT they get caught by Spike. They nearly lose and get infected between him and a horde of zombies, but DT shows up in power armor and kicks some ass.
>The Cordy finally figures out how Spike's biology works, and makes him grow.
>DT detonates her armor to try and stop him. Doesn't work, Spike goes full Spikezilla
>The guards decide fighting Spikezilla is bullshit and resolve to resign when this all ends
>AJ is almost broken when the Cordy shows her family with the promise they'll never be hurt again, and even says it can bring back her parents, but Spikezilla's roar snaps her out of it, and she gets her ass back in gear to fight.

>She collides with 88, and accidentally reveals where the changelings are. After a brief talk, 88 dudces a better way to spread, and also directs Spikezilla to go after them. AJ runs off ahead to warn them.
>In an effort to stop Spikezilla, Fluttershy uses her chaos powers. During this, she realizes it can absorb her magic, and that discord didn't abandon her. Then she gets backhanded and infected, and is now after Rarity and crew.
>Arana finds the newspaper when Chitty saved PL, and rushes off to tell Applejack something.
>AJ goes to ballroom, tells them to leave. They say no, says Chrysalis told them to stay put. She gets mad and calls Chrysalis an idiot and says Queenie didn't plan for shit. They're about to leave but don't when JJ says not to.
>Spikezilla shows up and tries to grab them, but AJ magic shoves them out the back. Sadly it turns out, there was a plan in place, and a super-huge teleport goes off but nobody is in it. Changelings are about to become crispy flavored with extra spice.
>Shiny and Celly show up, save the day, and lure him off. Changelings run
>AJ, while depressed at her failure, is confronted by Arana, who tells her she's the one who called Chitania back to PL. In desperation, she asks AJ for the magic boost so she can call her again. Reluctantly, she does so.
>Chitty's still with the gryphons, and gets the call. After a back and forth with Arana where she says she won't leave to save her, she talks to AJ. AJ makes her an offer she can't refuse.
>Chitty offers to protect the gryphons, if they give her full amnesty and a pardon. Zephyrious wants to accept, but Gwen backhands him and tells Chitania to go fuck herself, essentially.
>Chitty shrugs and leaves, and the gryphons now have to fight off their entire populance alone.
>18 finds Cadence and tries to get her out of there, but almost gets crushed when Spikezilla show up. Both are saved by SA and Celestia, but the portal is buried in rubble, and they run.

>Luna gets infected by Spikezilla, and he backhands Shiny and Celly into a tower.
>After a heart to heart where they both destroy their teleport stones, 88 shows up.
>Long story short, there's a giant mushroom over Canterlot now, and Shiny and Celestia got caught up in its stalk.
>Throughout all of this, Twilight and Chrysalis are trying to find a cure, with Chrysalis sure all of her plans to save only those she cares about is going off without a hitch.
>She finds out its not, has a fit.
>Then she watches Shiny get consumed by one of the musrooms roots, and she doesn't just lose her cookies. She loses those cookies, goes to the store to buy more and loses them, bakes two dozen more and loses them, sets out on an epic journey to the land of cookies just to lose the whole damn continent, and then she turns reality into a cookie and promptly loses time and space.
>...She freaks out, to put it shortly.
>AJ and Arana are about to be turned by Spikezilla, but Chitania shows up just in time!
>Talk reveals she gets a full pardon if she can stop spike without killing him. She easily beats him down without any effort, and prepares to walk off, much to AJ's horror.
>But as it turns out, he's fine. Worse, the Cordy decides it needs more information, and finds out about fighting from everyone else.
>Spike now knows kung fu.
>... and he beats the black right off of Chitania

>After the beatdown of her life, she tries to attack him from the air. He grows wings and beats her down to earth.
>Annoyed she won't stay down, the Cordy decides to take the fight out of her by making her relive her worst memory, just like 88. AJ and Arana try to stop him, and get to watch.
>Chitty's backstory when her daughter 'died' is revealed... it's sad. So very, very sad...
>But apparently she figured out something about this event later, because Chitty gets very, very, very mad.
>How mad?
>She breaths fire to suffocate Spike.
>It works, and the Cordy feels it all over, just like when PD shot off their shoulder. It's forced to brick Spike just to keep from dying.
>Turns out, though, breathing fire is bad. As in, Chitania's larynx is now charred and burned bad, and she is dying.
>Aj tells her off for a bit, then tells her if she wants to be saved she's going to have to help stop this thing.
>Needless to say, Chitania agrees.
>...And now AJ is riding atop Chitania as they both charge headlong at the base of the giant mushroom, zero fucks given.
>It's too damn metal.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Guard
"Guard 2"
~???~
~~~~

>...I... I quit.

"Yeah, no. No. nooooooo... not messing with that. No happening. No. No. Noperino. Noperama season 2. Nien, non, niet, NEISTRANSTA! NAHP!"

>Think they'll be okay?

*THOOMTHOOMTHOOMTHOOMTHOOMTHOOMTHOOM*

~YEEEEHAWWWW!~

>...

"I think they've got this one."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Mrs Cake
"Mr Cake"
'???'
[???]
{???}
~~~~

>OH DEAR! OH DEAR! LOOTERS!

"...Looters who strangely overpay on ingredients..."

'SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY!'

[She isn't looting, she just... she's a bit daffy right now is all.]

{No, she's Coco, Daffy is a guy.}

'SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY'

>What is she doing?

[Lass thinks she needs to make a cake to appease Faust.]

"...What?"



{I like baking cakes, so I am all for this plan!}

'IT'S FOR HER!'

>But dearie, why are you making it at all?

'BECAUSE SHE SAVED ME AND I PROMISED!'

"Wow, really? How'd she do tha-"

*SCREEEEE!*

A flaming chain whipped out, striking an entire row of the infect right across the face in perfect line and sending them all soaring.

>...

'THAT!'

{Do not worry, citizens! I've got it!}

"So, she sent down that guy to save you..."

'UH HUH!'

>...But he can't have any cake.

'RIGHTO!'

"..."
>...

'SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY!'

"You don't have to say sorry while placing what looks to be a months pay on the counter..."

'SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY!'

>...

[Don't question it.]

>I actually kind of want to adopt her.

'SORRYSORRYSORRY!'

{Can the cake be-}
*SCREEEE*
*SMACK*
{-blueberry? I like blueberry!}

>...Or maybe him.

'SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY'
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>007
"Jetset"
'??'
[??]
{??}
~~~~~

Being alone in a dank, dim cave was not how her Majesty's greatest(active) infiltrator expected to ride out the end of the world.

Well, 'alone' was technically inaccurate, but considering the interaction he was currently putting up with it may as well be fact.

>Well, this sucks. Did you know I was going to use this event to get moved up to third in command, at last? I was finally going to be favored over 18 with this.

"..."

>I know, it's a bit much to dream, but I did. I really thought I was finally going to have prestige here. The honor of being unofficial third in command...

"..."

>She doesn't ever officially do stuff, in case you were questioning that. Like, 42's second in command, we all know that, but she never outright says it because that would imply there needs to be a chain of command besides her and her wishes that we all follow. It's very complex in the hierarchy, but we mostly go off favor. As such, you know? It's a little fluid. I could replace 18, and she wouldn't even know. But I'd still get all the benefits, you know? Hive cowtoeing to me when neither her Majesty or 42 were present, the ability to order others to carry out my plans...

"..."

>But now? I'll be lucky if she doesn't rip off my hoof for this. Here I am, in what I thought would be my shining moment... chock full of bullets and draining you to paralysis just to keep myself alive, because I'm pretty sure I'd die if I let go from bloodloss... sweet caraprace that dragon has issues. Shooting me? Really? It's not like I'm a freaking flake over here!

"..."

>Flakes are-

"Ssshhhh....shhhhuuu..."

>Shut up?

"..."

>I need this to stay awake. Looootta blood loss.

"..."

>Though it might just be better than what her Majesty is going to do to me...

There was a FWOOSH of green fire, followed by the sound of two bodies landing off to the side.

>Oh, thank the hivemind! Thank you thank you thank...

[...Huh...]

>...41?

{...}

>Who the fuck is that?

{H-he's... h-he's...}

Her words were cut off by the stallion suddenly throwing his hooves around her in the tightest, most love-filled hug she had ever felt.

[OH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! WOO! WOOOHOO! I thought I was a goner! Boom! Check cashed and out the door, you know!? I thought I was gonna be screeching like the others in no time, but you did it! I told them, I TOLD them you would help out, but they were like NOOOOOO! You're crazy, they said! You're obsessed, they said! She's a bug monster who doesn't care about you, they said! WELL WHO'S A FREAKIN' MONSTER NOW!? HUH!? HUH!? YEAH! YEEEAHH! I... I uh... oh wow, all of my friends are monsters... this, uh... this is just hitting me... oh, wow... oh wow... I... I need to sit down for a minute.]

The stallion fell hard on his hind quarters, the burning rush of adrenaline that had been constantly coursing through his veins started to slow, ever so slightly.

But the guard's words were as meaningful as a puff of air next to the two changelings who locked eyes during his rant, one wilting away like a dried leaf underneath the burning, fiery gaze of the other.

>...Her majesty is going to be very, very upset.

She flinched hard, her entire face wracked with emotion as it all sank in.

>So upset... she'll most likely decide you're not worth keeping around.

A shudder rocked her entire body, tingling from her hooftips to her spine.

>See, at least with 10? We got that, 10 was useful to her, she gathered information openly without cause, and she has nice public relations. On top of that, she did have her Majesty in mind when she made her little... mistake. But you? Well... don't quite see how this is helpful to her Higheness, could you enlighten me?

She kept shaking, hooves mashing up against each other the whole time, mouth suddenly very dry and unable to speak.

>Didn't think so.

At last, the stallion abruptly snapped out of his stupor, looking around in confusion.

[Where are we anyway... OH FUCK! Are you okay!? Sweet Celestia! Uh... 41! Could you get some gauze and-]

{N-NO!}

She stopped him, pulling him away from the downed agent.

{No... no, just leave him.}

[Leave him!? He's full of bulletholes, and I don't even know what's wrong with that guy! He's bleeding all over the place, we can't just-]

{We have to.}

He reeled back, out of her grasp and looking at her with stunned eyes.

[WHAT!? Why?!]

{B-because if he gets better... he'll probably try to kill me.}

A horrified gaze traveled away from her, over to the still bleeding changeling on the ground who remained locked in place, a heated glare unmoving from the other.

>No comment.

[...W-why?]

She didn't answer, head swinging off to the side and looking away in shame.

[41? Why would he try to kill you?]

She kept her lips firmly closed, her entire face straining with the effort.

He could take no more, grabbing her by the sides of the head and turning her to face him.

[Why would he try to kill you!?]

{BECAUSE I WASN'T SUPPOSED TO SAVE *YOU*, ALRIGHT!}

He fell back at her outburst, falling back on his hind legs once more as he stumbled away.

{I... my mission was to save... someone else. A lot of someone else. I j-just... I was going after them when I heard you, a-and then I couldn't just... I couldn't just leave you, but there were too many! And if I went down and tried to leave neither of us would make it out, and... do you get it? You're... you're not supposed to be here. I was supposed to let you die.}

His hoof shot to his head in time with his jaw dropping to the floor, eyes wide and terrified.

{B-but I... I...}

>She Flaked out. See? Was that so hard to spit out?

She let out a screeching growl, stomping over to him and kicking him in the stomach.

{D-DON'T YOU USE THAT WORD!}

>What, Flake? You're a Flake, time to accept-OOF!

{STOP IT!}

>Screw you, Pure-Hive privileges-ACK!

{SHUT UP!}

>H-heh... in case you were wondering, I have no intention of killing you. No, I'll leave that joy to her Majesty. She'll be angry enough with me as it is, but I think she'll blow off a little steam... when she's tearing your heart right out of your-HNG!

{SHUT UUUUP!}

>You don't know what her mother was like, do you? No, you got found later, picked up off the ground like the Flake you are! But oh, I remember the Queen long past, in the hivemind may she reign. I remember how she used to deal with Flakes who even considered disobeying her! Why, on her worst days... I remember her tossing them to Sciderella-HRK!

{STOP IT STOP IT STOP IT!}

>This is what you deserve! So go on, try to kill me right now, it won't matter! You think her Majesty doesn't know!? You think she didn't see it all!? She knows, oh, she, knows. And be it by me, or my brothers and sister, you will be brought before her! Just wait till-

There was another flash of emerald fire. In the next second, a wet sound plopped some distance away, hitting the ground hard.

>Oh, shit.

Through the charred burns and green blood, they just barely made out a scorched helmet of helmets upon her head.

'...S-so this is hell? Huh... it wasn't as bad as Spike said.'

>OH SHIT! FORTY TWO!? WHAT TH-hhhnnnggg... ow.

'S-seven!? What happeuggg....'

>...Spike shot me. You?

'...Exploded a hoverbike in my own face.'

>...Well, thank goodness the Flakes okay-OW!

Surprisingly, this blow had come from a rock chucked clear from the prone changeling.

'I told you to stop fucking using that word. It's offensive.'

>A-accurate this time, actually! She totally Flaked out!

'What in the name of the hivemind are you...'

{...}
[...Hi, 42...]

'...You didn't.'

She looked away in shame again.

'Oh, that was just st-... stu-... gonna... have ta... f-fight..........'

>...42? 42!?

'...'

>OH SHIT!... Well, save her!

Again, 41 hesitated.

>Oh, right... she'd probably kill you too... whelp, fuck. Probably gonna bleed out here, but... you know what? Not tempting fate there. Nope, not gonna say-

"A-at least... it couldn't... g-get worse..."

>...
{...}
[...You did not just-]

There was another flash of fire.

And following that... a shriek.

From an infected pony who had just fallen into the room.

[OH SHIT!]

>WHY!?

"...Hate... you..."

And then, there was chaos.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This was unexpected, to put it mildly.

When he stepped out into the light, he did not expect it to be taken from him so abruptly. He too had watched as the sky suddenly darkened, just like all others in Canterlot. He had watched the spores gather, form together, become one in the sky. He had watched it all in awe, and a touch of fear.

And then he watched her. Her. Her her her, ringing in his brain. Her. His comrade. His friend. His sister. Her.

He watched her carried as if on the whim of a deity, floating up into the cap of the mushroom as lightly as a feather. She had summoned this, he knew. She was a part of this, he knew. To the very roots of this, he knew she was deeply, deeply entrenched.

But what this meant he would have to do... he was unsure. Both of the implications, and the very idea he could ever go through with it, if it came down to that.

As such, he almost felt blessed when another trotted up behind him, a sound so quiet it nearly fell to the wayside.

"Are you here to continue the fight, brother? I have no time for this now."

Those hoofsteps trailed beside him, coming to an easy rest at his side.

"Is she up there, Seventy Seven?"

He nodded regretfully, never turning away his gaze.

"Well then... tell me, you've become a soldier recently have you not?"

He didn't answer. He knew full well, he didn't need to.

"Then tell me... you recall how to properly infiltrate a fortress, yes? I do not wish to be held back by rusty skills."

Finally, his gaze flickered over to his former comrade, former friend... former-

"Are you ready for this, brother?"

Were it not for the dire situation, the changeling would have truly smiled.

"Well then... one last time into the unknown?"

"...Thank you, for being there with me again."

"Oh, Seventy Seven..."

Thirty Two smiled, all fangs showing as his wings flared out.

"I wouldn't miss this for the end of the world."
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>???
"???"
~~~

Darkness.

All encompassing, all consuming, suffocating darkness. It surrounded them on all sides, pressing so tightly, shoving them in, and in, and in, like a twisted mockery of a hug, making it hard to breathe.

But somehow, one of them managed to speak.

"I do not know how you keep ending up on my back, but I am starting to question it."

The stallion above her chuckled, his horn flickering ever so slightly as he did so. It blazed with power, fueling into the shield that kept the beating, disgusting red sinew looking plant flesh from reaching them. They could see quite clearly that the spores flowed atop his magic like water, searching for any weakness to flow into.

With this amount of pressure, it would not be searching long.

>As always, it's your fault.

"My fault? Typical stallion, can't accept his own urges. I thought better of you, Shiny, for shame."

>Hey, you're the one who didn't dodge.

"I'm slightly out of shape in battle, sue me."

>My lawyer sucks, they're still using my likeness in the comics.

"You have my sympathy."

>...So, just to double check, this banter is to keep me calm while you figure out a way to get us out of here before my shield breaks, right?

"Spoiling the surprise? Now whatever will I get you for Hearths Warming Eve?"

>Gift cards for that nice lingerie shop down on Whinnypeg.

"You think you can pull off lingerie? I don't know, but I'd love to see the attempts."

>Well, there goes my Hearths Warming Eve surprise.

"Drat. Still, I don't think Cadence is the type."

>Ha! I just need to get a frilly one with a bunch of sparkles, and she'll wear it.

"Lingerie is not the fun part of the equation, though."

>When a stallion walks through the desert, even a mirage is better than dying of thirst.

"Touché. Though I suppose you could always buy some for a certain... other mare?"

>I doubt they carry anything in your size. You're a bit too much mare for them to handle.

"Flattering! But I meant Eighteen."

>...Ah...

"How's that going by the way?"

>Well, it all happened yesterday, and then me and Cadence were going to talk about it after I saw Applejack... and then something else took all of my attention! Can't remember what it was...

"Point. I take it Chrysalis does not know yet?"

>...Oh, wow, that's going to be a fun conversation.

"The assurance that this is a conversation you will have is quite the refreshing bit of optimism."

>You know me, always looking on the shining side of life.

"..."

>Please tell me that silence is due to your discovery of a way out, and not the terrible nature of my pun.

"Well, I have, but I don't know if you'll like it."

>You know what I don't like? Being crushed by red plant stuff and turned into a mindless, screeching monster. That right there? That's terrible. I don't like that. You, on the other hand, I like, so you know what? Regardless, you win by default.

"Well, it's going to require a bit of endurance on your part."

>My good mare, I will have you know alicorn immortality also means alicorn stamina, and I do not disappoint my wife.

"I meant in the... burning regard."

>I dare you to do worse than a volcano. I just dare you.

"...Point. Well, in this case, I need you to alter your shield."

>And so I shall! But I'm going to need a bit more direction.

"A point at the top, sharp as you can make it, and if you can ridges going down along the side."

>...Ahhhh.

"Catching on?"

>This is going to be fun.

"No, it won't..."

Her eyes began to ignite as he fulfilled her request, the shield around them just barely pushing out the required room.

"...but hopefully it'll be worth it."

Her magic shot out, clean through the shield.

And slowly, they began to spin.

The spinning became a blur when her flames rocketed out through the hole she had made, their protection now changed to a drill. It shredded the plant that tried to hold them in place, tearing into it like a sawblade along flesh.

It was only after five long minutes that they breached out into a gap of air, finally free from the crushing weight upon all of their sides. They flung into the air, hanging there for the briefest of moments before being pulled back down to earth.

A second shield formed around the pair before the first one vanished, providing them a safe landing as they fell to the soft, squishy ground below, still protected from the red.

Celestia gave no regard to her surrounding at first, her attention focused entirely on the stallion, and his current state. As she had expected, he had burns on his legs and side. However... they weren't nearly as bad as she expected them to be. To her surprise, he was even able to stand up, and shrug them off.

>H-hey, you don't live with someone like you long enough without learning a few tricks on how not to get charred.

She nodded sadly, still flinching as she looked upon the damage she had caused him. It was quite a bit before she could tear her eyes away, and regard her surroundings.

The pair found themselves in what looked to be a gap of air within a living fungus. The walls positively beat with every second as if some massive heart pumped lifeblood through veins that could not be seen. Spores all along the walls too shape, forming mushroom heads and walls of slime and sludge around every inch as cavernous holes filled its walls, a crimson substance oozing from several of the gaping holes as if it was wounded. It was no simple plant, they realized. It was alive, it had life.

This was no stagnant creation. This thing they now inhabited was every bit as alive as the ponies it controlled. A massive creature, no mere fungus... and it now was within Canterlot.

>Well, my battle strategy is a little rusty, but above would be the best means of attack, right?

Wearily, she shrugged, attention still focused somewhat on his burns.

>Whelp... for Equestria?

After a beat had passed, she nodded, and they both set off.

"For Equestria..."


_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Possibly Future Canon
>Chitania
"41"

>No.

"Aw come on!"

>No, you are not coming with me, you insolent grub.

"I'll die if I stay here!"

>I'll squash you if you try to follow me.

"At least with you it'd be over quick!"

>I walk a path far too dangerous for a mere warrior, my goal alone would send you running.

"Really? Whatsit?"

>I wish...to defeat gods.

"...how in the hell is the chance to see that very very very awesome thing supposed to put me off?"
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>18
"Cadence"
~~~~~

She may as well have been a ragdoll for as much as she moved while Eighteen carried her, but the changeling wasn't going to let Cadence's listlessness keep her down.

>We're just going to have to... right! We'll just have to make it to the train station and commandeer a train. This is royal business, who's going to tell us no?

"..."

>Right, and we'll stick... armor to it! Right! We'll stick armor to it and just BOOM! Right through these things! It'll be amazing!

"..."

>And then we'll just keep going and get all the way to the Empire! I don't know what's wrong with you, but I'm betting a couple minutes with the Crystal Heart will fix that right up! Yep, right fixed and back to swinging!

"..."

>And then we're getting the whole army! All of it! And BOOM! Have you seen our armory!? We've got-

"No."

She froze mid-step, nearly bouncing with joy that Cadence was speaking again. Or at least she would be, if it hadn't hit her what Cadence just said.

>No what?

"I don't know what our armory is like."

>Oh... well, there's six thousand fragmenting crystal rockets, five thousand high impact ones, about ten thousand beanbag ones but those never really see any use and are mostly just for training, and... whole lot of stuff for hoof to hoof, actually. You know? We should invest in spears. Spears are pretty useful, but I don't know how good our guys are at using them.

"I don't either."

>Well.. whatever! We can just ask them! That'll work! We'll ask them and then we'll know, right? Because we'll be there, in the Empire, where we can talk to them!

"..."

>Yep, and then we're coming right back and helping Shiny explode everything! And then we'll win, and after we're done helping clean up, who know? You know what? I think we need a vacation. Wouldn't that be nice? Go somewhere sunny and shining and... not a party place, like, a beach or something! Yeah! You and me can try out swimsuits! Won't that be nice? Swimsuit shopping? You going through the racks and no that one's the wrong color and that one's too big and that one doesn't match the eye color of the lifeguard who's probably on duty and... it'll be fun. You, me, Shiny, it'll be so much fun!

"..."

>And it'll all work out, because-

She finally tore her eyes away from the long winding hallway, just enough to notice something.

>....Where'd the sun go?

With great trepidation, she looked out the window, and saw 'it'.

>...C-caddy?

"..."

>Am I crazy?

"..."

>...Okay, well... that just means that... that there's more to shoot! Right! We'll shoot that, and... drop it on Canterlot...

"..."

>...You know what? Lets put the trip to Neightly on hold for a second, shall we?... Or at least dial it back to... I don't know, Whinnypeg? I hear that's nice this time of year, and way less crowded.

"..."

>Yep. Definitely feeling Whinnypeg.

"... I hate the food there."

>We'll pack a lunch.

"That's not much of a vacation."

>The lunch is for Shiny, I sap the magic out of abstract emotional concepts, and you're an alicorn.

"I still have to eat."

>With your weight? Please, how much do you really?

"I keep in shape with jogging."

>Ehhhh... Yeah, I buy that.

"...Do you really think Shiny can stop that thing?"

>Pfft, puhleeease, Caddy! It's Shiny! You should know him better than me.

"...Y-yeah... I guess I should."

Neither said anything after that, too enraptured by the giant structure that hung before them.

"...I want to go home..."

>Me too, Cadence... Me too...

Sternly, she reached back, and patted her on the shoulder.

>And we're gonna do it, together.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Actarius
"JJ"
'Changelings'
~~~~

'FUUUUUUCKKKK!'

'GREAT! JUST FUCKING GREAT!'

'THIS JUST GETS BETTER, YOU KNOW!? BETWEEN FUCKING ZOMBIES, OUR STUFF GETTING BURNED TO A CRISP BY A GIANT ZOMBIE DRAGON, AND NOW MUSHROOMS! GIANT MUSHROOMS!'

'I JUST GOT THAT DARTBOARDWHYYYYYYYYY!?'

>...

"Lotta talk about stabbing you."

>What!? Why!? I wanted to stay! I was on your side!

"I don't want to stab you, they do."

>Question not answered!

"I dunno, think it's just you are a pony, and therefore representative of the species that just put us all in danger."

>Her heart was in the right place!

"When she pushed us out of the right place, you mean."

>She was trying to help!

"And wow, you know what? Not helpful! You know what would've been helpful? If she had just broken her leg mid run and stayed on the ground!"

>...Ouch. I uh... take it you're still mad?

"SHE SAID MY QUEEN WAS DUMB AND THEN MESSED UP HER PLAN! THAT BIG DUMB... I DON'T EVEN KNOW!"

>Whoa whoa! She was just worried about you guys!

"SCREW HER!"

'Yeah, screw her!'

'All our stuff is gone!'

'I bet she just did that because she was mad we got it at all!'

'Yeah! She was just mad someone else gave us stuff, and she hated it!'

'FUCK HER!'

>...I feel like this situation is spiraling out control... and the threat of getting stabbed is becoming a fast reality.

'We aren't going to stab you!'

>Oh... phew.

'Burn you, maybe. But come on, if we just stab you you'll just come back as an undead and try to kill us.'

>...

"They're not gonna kill you."

>Not feeling assured here.

'Hey, anyone who trusts the queen over the dumbdum is not too stupid!'

>...thanks?

'It's the best I can do, I'm still grieving for my pot.'

>Sooo... form a circle and start with the lasers while we move away from the mushroom?

'BRILLIANT! Glad you thought of it, 24. You, and not the pony who deserves no credit because they're mostly, but not totally, dicks.'

'I am pretty smart.'

>...

'Just roll with it."

>Rolling with it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

...It was mad.

In all the things she had felt since she had died, in all the time she had spent with this thing within her, with all she had experienced through her many travels and its spread, this was a truly, truly new experience.

It was mad.

She did not know if the thing that beat within her even understood what it now felt. She had not the slightest clue if it could even comprehend emotions, truly, more than just the cursory ideals it had gleaned from her memories. Regardless of if it understood it, it experienced it.

Something had stopped the S͜͡p̴ŗ́͞è͘a̷ḑ͝

It was angry.

"...It doesn't matter."

Whether she spoke to the thing, or herself, she wasn't fully sure.

"It won't stop for long."

When she had spoken to the princess she did not recognized, after the location of the hive had been revealed, it had all become clear.

She did not know whether it was the thing putting the pieces together at last... or her own mind which assembled them in ways such a basic thing could never understand. If this idea was borne of a need to spread, or her own mind, she would never know.

Regardless... the fruits of that idea, that flash of inspiration now lie before her.

At the very top of the structure it had formed, at the crown of the greatest accomplishments of the spores, was a room. A simple, vast, empty room. A hollow pocket within the fungus that hung over the great city.

And within the very center of this fungus, atop a pile of red and living spores, something was forming. Slowly, painfully slowly, but it was forming.

An orb of red.

It's greatest idea.

It's greatest accomplishment.

With it, in time, they would understand. They would understand as she did now.

Nothing could stop the inevitable.

All she had to do was wait, and they would all see.

"Nothing can stop the S̸͘p͟҉r͠ea̴d̨̡͠"
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Spitfire
"???"
~~~

>Stay back, they said. It's better if WE fight the dragon, they said. We know you guys lost the last fight and don't want you to get hurt, they said... jerks.

To think, she wondered to herself, once she had been at the top of it all. The highest prestige any pegasus could want.

>I don't even want to help them anyway. Probably are just going to have little miss super princess fix everything. Probably just wanna... wanna go hang out at their super special awesome club house or something. Probably has a Foosball table and everything.

But now? She'd be lucky if she got served promptly at a resteraunt.

>I just want another chance, you know? One more shot to prove I'm not terrible? I could have done a great job! I just needed, you know, a chance! Unlike Dash, noo, she just gets to swoop in and take everything, because she's got a magic necklace! That's great leadership qualification! NECKLACE POWER!

She didn't want to admit it, but some bitter, petty, tiny part of her was happy this happened.

>Wonderbolt HQ is a wreck, we got pantsed in front of all of Canterlot, and where's Dash? Running away! Who took charge? ME! Is this going to get me my job back? OF COURSE NOT! But it should! It so should!

...Okay, a bigger part of her than she was open about.

>Just... go back, you know? If I could make a wish, everything would go back to before the Nightmare Night times. Just go back...

But, alas, it wouldn't. No matter how much she wished, it wouldn't...

>...This job sucks.

"CRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPHEEELLLLLPPPPP!"

They weren't hard to find, running away from the infected as they were. Just another group, more who had laughed at her while she flailed around and was made a laughing stock.

>...But I guess someone's got to do it.

She hated her life right now, to put it bluntly.

But she was still a wonderbolt.

Always was... always will be.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

???
{???}
~~~~

This was not right.

Nothing about this was right.

He had traveled very far, covered many miles, and seen many things on his way here. Those were not right, just like this was not right.

He had witnessed the red spores flow towards the city, watched like so many others as they took new form, even seen as what it recognized as a changeling float up into it.

But none of that registered.

All of this, all of it, were secondary, processes tha had not yet reached recognition stage. As his mind whirrled away, all he did was scan the ground, looking under every shadow, in every corner, in every...

!!!!

Like sirens blaring off in his head, he spotted her. Down, tucked away in the corner, her back pressed up against a wall... no, something else. Some rubble. She was holding it there, curled up against it, hard.

He landed swiftly, dispelling any of the unrecognized things nearby, and trotted up to her as fast as his stiff legs would let him.

>H-heyyyyy! Hey... y-you made it back.

She was trying to sound happy, optimistic even, but her hoof curled up against her chest said something else entirely.

>S-so, you have fun out there on your trip? Get any good....any good shots?

He scanned it quickly, and it wasn't long before he processed just why she held it so tightly, tried her best to hide it from him.

The particles had landed upon her... and were spreading.

>D-d-d-did you get... get it all... out? I don't think we could afford another trip... n-not that anyone would care in all this, right? H-heh, j-just my luck!

He walked up to her smoothly, putting his face closer to hers.

Without a hint of fear, her infected hoof reached up, and softly trailed around the side of his face.

His cold, steel face.

>H-heh... g-got scooped, that's what happened. I thought my expose on Partyland would be the talk of Equestria, but isn't my face red! I feel bad for sending you out there to distribute papers, BBB, All anyone's going to be talking about for weeks now is this. Maybe months...

His optics widened as tears started to stream from her eyes, open and without shame.

>D-did I ever tell you that you're the best camerapony ever?... You are, BBB, you are. Cause you don't let the fact ponies found you scary hold you down, no sir! You just got right back up and you said "I want to know about you", and you followed me right into all that crazy stuff, just like best camerapony would!

She choked, sniffling as she continued to hold his face level with her own.

>A-a-and you never asked for n-nothing, you never complained, no matter how much danger we got in or how many tried to kill us, you just got right back up and you started going again. Because you're just... you're the best c-... now, you know what? You're the best pony who ever lived, camera or no! You just... you stuck with me through thick and thin, big and small, no matter what came my way you were always right there...

She hacked again, a sudden burning in her chest taking over.

>T-that's why I had to... oh, come on! You knew I wouldn't send you away unless it was real important. I-I thought my Queen was gonna...b-boy! What was I thinking, right!? She was so nice... If I hadn't been such a dummy, you'd probably... you'd probably have done a better job than me.

Slowly, his vision trailed over, to the door the rubble she layed upon was pressed so tightly up against. Sensors on his 'ears' and optics flared, allowing him to detect several within.

All living.

...No trace of the spores detected.

At least a dozen ponies and two gryphons were in there, he sensed. Or, at least, that's what he could approximate, his processor was sometimes less than accurate in these things.

>Y-you know I actually tried to get an interview when they were attacked?... Yeah... dumb old me tried to get an interview during the end of the world. You know I couldn't help myself.

She looked back into him, looking into the glowing orbs upon his face with a sad, yet warm smile.

>I don't... I don't think I'm gonna get out of this one. I think it's the end for me... b-but that's okay! You're here! K-keep on for me, okay? You keep finding the truth, you keep telling it like it is, and not how they wanted it to be. I know, you like to leave the talking to me, but I think... you're gonna have ta' handle this one from here on out, okay? You can do it, you're the best camerapony there ever was, you've got the power in you to find some... amazing things... literally!

She laughed at her own joke, playfully tapping him on the nose.

>Just a joke, you know I love you.

She suddenly paused, another smile creeping on her.

>Yeah... you're my best buddy, Bluebloodbot. You're something special, and if I hadn't met you I'd never have been a tenth the reporter I am today. You're... you're the best, I want you to know that. If nothing else... know that.

She frowned, and her eyes turned sad.

>But... I've gotta order you now, BBB, don't get mad. Okay... here goes.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself.

>BBB, I order you not to hurt anyone. Don't use your guns, don't use your saws, nothing. Cause... cause they're gonna need to see this, if I don't get better. Someone has to show it like it is. That's an order, BBB... t-that's...

His scanners went into overdrive, detecting several external forces on the spores atop her. There was more than just what was on her, he knew. For certain, he knew.

>...B-bye, BBB.... t-thanks... for being my very... best... f-friend... I... l-lo...

He watched as she changed, face devolving from the kind, serene look into... something else.

Something horrible.

His memory cache flashed, even as she started screeching and flailing at him. His rockets took him away, out of her reach into the sky.

Over an over, the images played.

Her smiling face.
A twisted version.
Her words.
Her screeches.
The data he collected.
Her face.
Her face.
Her face.
....That changeling.

His neck craned like the machine it was, looking right to the top of the structure, to where he had seen the changeling travel.

Again, her words played.

"No weapons."

And again.

And again.

...

{Override.}

They played no more.

All he saw now... was her face.

Her smiling, happy, full of life face.

All he heard were her true words.

"You're my best buddy, BBB."

Over...

And over...

And over..

{....EXTERMINATE! EX-TER-MIN-ATE!}

His voice screeched, his voicebox crackling as new words flashed across his optics, warnings, threats of explosions.

But he didn't care.

He had a job to do.

{EX-TER-MIN-ATE!}

For the greatest reporter in the world.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>Dash
"Rarity"
'Pinkie'
[Vekir]
~~~~~

Thank goodness Canterlot Castle had a couple dozen really, really long hallways, or they'd be screwed.

>SHOOT HER WITH YOUR LASERS ALREADY!

"I'm trying! It just bounces right off!"

>Then use bigger lasers!

"That's as big as they go!"

>THIS DAY SUCKS!

'Yeah, between the zombies, giant dragon and mushroom, this is getting pretty crazy.'

>...Mushroom?

"What mushroom?"

'Have... have neither of you looked out a window?'

>Been too focused on the ZOMBIE VERSION OF MY BEST FRIEND!

"Hey! She's my best friend!"

>Are you kidding!? Pegasisters over here!

"But we go to spas and have much more in common!"

>Baloney, we're way closer!

'Are you two really having this conversation right now!?'

"Well, yes darling. We'll want to settle this before Fluttershy snaps back to reality."

>Yeah, she hates it when we argue.

'I MEANT WITH THE MUSHROOM THING!'

>Why? Is it, like, building sized or something?

"I've passed by four windows, and I haven't seen it, it can't be that big."

>...Though, now that you mention it, where'd the sun go-HOLY FUCK!

"Dash! Language! Vekir's very sensitive ears are-OH SHIT!"

[Vekir knows those ones already! She is not pup, she is just short! SHORT VEKIR SAYS!]

>ITS THE SIZE OF CANTERLOT!

[No she isn't.]

"G-good gracious! HOW!?"

'That's what I've been TRYING to tell you!'

Dash skidded to a halt, dramatically pointing towards it.

>Well, then we're just going to have to go kick its keister! We need to get up there, and smash that thing! First, the armory, and-

"DID YOU JUST STOP RUNNING!?"

>Well, yeah? Why wouldn't I-... Oh, crud.

She just barely dodged another attack, wonderbolt-like speed just barely enough to stay ahead of the alicorn.

>Okay! So! Plans are not going to happen while she's chasing us! IDEAS!?

'Ideas are just plans.'

>PINKIE!

[Vekir has one, but you will not like it.]

>Worse than that!?

[Maybe?]

>... Let's do it.

"DASH!"

>Shut up, someone's finally speaking my language.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>DT
"SS"
'Filthy Rich'
~~~~
Celestia would probably be mad when she saw what they had done to her kitchen.

Assuming they all made it out alive, that is.

>Pipe.

"Pipe."

>Filament from lightbulb.

"Filament."

>Hook this up to the gasline.

"Hooked."

'Sweetiekins, I don't think that makeshift blowtorch looks very safe-'

BOOM!

'...'
>And now I know not to turn it all the way up. Hook this one up to the other gasline.

"Your hair is on fire."

>Now's not the times to compliment my looks, but I thank you.

'She means it's actually on fire. With flames.'

>Put it out.

"Putting it out."

'Shouldn't you at least wear some safety goggles?'

>I'm fine.

'I would be happier if you wore safety goggles.'

>I'm fine, daddkins.

'...I'm going to go get you a pair.'

>UGGGHH! He always does this!

"He's just worried."

>NO TAKING HIS SIDE!

"...Alright."

>See what I have to put up with, Sexy? Every day with this.

"...Sorry."

>Don't start the pity party thing. You are the best friend of DIAMOND TIARA, your life is not that bad.

"Glad to see some things don't change, even during the end of the world."

>Hey, it's not the end till I go down. So long as I'm still kicking, we can win this.

"And if you do?"

>Then you're screwed, kiss Sexy goodbye for me.

"...Horrible."

>Telling it like it is!

'I found mittens!'

>How am I supposed to electroplate the oven's interior metal with mittens on!?

'I'll help you.'

>You'll just get in my way!

'Not if you sit on my lap!'

>DADDY!

'Come on, it'll be just like when I taught you to read 'the purple duckling' when you were having trouble.'

>DADDY OH MY GOSH! SHHHHH!

'Oh, your little friend doesn't care you couldn't sound out 'lavender'.'

>UUUUGGGHHH! YOU ALWAYS DO THIS! Sexy! Make him stop!

Twin taser strings suddenly shot out, just barely missing the elder earth pony's head.

'...'
"...That was probably a malfunction."

>R-right...

'...Lap time!'

Without missing a beat, he lifted her up and placed her right in his waiting lap, ignoring her struggles for freedom.

>DADDY!... Ugh, FINE! You keep his barrel stable while I weld.

'Be careful with those!'

>DON'T TELL ME HOW TO DO IT!

'Awww, your cheeks always puff out so adorably when you concentrate!

>DADDDYYYYYYYY! You're breaking my concentration! I need to be extra careful! One wrong bend to his shaft and this is going to blow up in my face!

'Well, if you want, I can do it.'

>I know how to do this, Daddy! Done it more times than you have, lots more!

"I should hope so. He's a banker."

>YOU STAY OUT OF THIS! You not knowing how to properly work a barrel is not my fault! I offered to show you with him, but you thought it was weird!

"...Little bit."

>Now everyone just SHUT UP! If I'm going to get him in working shape, I need CONCENTRATION! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!?

"..."
'..."

>...GOOD! Now-

*SCREEEEEE!*

"..."
'...'
>...This is all your fault, Daddy.

"Sorry, Sweetiekins."

>You should be.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"It's almost time."

The orb before her throbbed, pulsating with power. Atop it's podium in the center of the barren room, the insides of the clear orb swirled with the spores, a red mist ever moving, ever living within it.

But something wasn't right.

"It needs more power."

The spores on her head throbbed in unison with that of the orb before her, and it suddenly struck her that this was the very first time she had ever spoken to.. 'it'. The first time she had ever really regarded it with little more than submissive acceptance of whatever whim it directed her towards.

Completely subconsciously, she gestured at the the orb, regarding something that was both not there, and yet all around her.

"It needs more time."

The thing within her effortlessly pried into her mind, leafing through it like a picturebook. It wished to understand what she meant, and her own wishes meant nothing. It was not painful, it never hurt her when it did this, unlike the others, but there was always a cold feeling when she felt invisible fingers running along the inside of her skull.

At last, it seemed to comprehend what she said to it, and satisfied it pulled away. The invisible strings she had felt tugging her released, and she was free to move about as she pleased once again.

With nothing to hold her in place, she trotted up to a seemingly random wall. Knowing what she wished without even needing her to think of it, the wall reshaped, waving like magic until it became less opaque, a red sheen of a glass like substance all that remained.

The city down below was massive, crawling from edge to edge with its infected, so very few pockets of living still remaining, its once white splendor now splashed in red. The city she had dreamed of conquering, of fulfilling the desires of her Queen and standing tall with the others above a broken, destroyed Canterlot. This was to be her shining moment.

And yet, as she stared at it, the fulfillment of a dream long past, she felt nothing.

There was nothing in her as she looked upon the devastation, of the guard brought low, of even the princess of the night herself now on their side and spreading havoc. It had all the power in the world, and yet she felt nothing.

Until she looked upon... them.

The two making their way to her position right now at a breakneck speed. One riding atop the other.

"So... that is what made you angry."

It did not take her long to deduce why, when she could no longer see the beast at Its command. The great dragon had vanished, and in its place was...

"...Is... is that... Chitania?"

She had heard the stories, of course. Seen the devastation. Been told to the tales in her many travels hidden as Canary Gem. But never had she seen the Titan in the chitin before. She remembered many a night sleeping with the others, dreaming of holding that legendary power. The power to stand above all, to be an invincible might in a world made of glass. To be the Titan was a dream so many held.

But from up here, she seemed so... small.

Again, she gestured, pointing her hoof right at the approaching pair as they neared the stalk, as they made their last charge against the spread. The gesture was pointless, of course. It knew. She merely needed to say it, and the thing knew.

But all the same, something... some dead part of her resurrected, if only for a moment, when she got to speak the words she wished.

"...Destroy her."

It responded in kind, and she felt as it suddenly turned its many thousand eyes upon the pair, and as one sounded a silent call to charge.

A flicker of movement just barely tore her attention from the chaos that was about to unfold, the final battle of Queen Chitania, the Titan.

Two small shapes were approaching her.

Without so much as a hint from It, she knew full well whom they were.

"It's all pointless."

Again, she gestured, towards the two tiny dots of black chitin in the sky.

"I will show you."

The end was near.

Nothing could stop it.

Nothing.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________