Thread 40: Stories 106-120

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 >Actarius
"JJ"
'Various'
~~~~~~

>Everyone please, remain calm!

'WE'RE ALL GONNA DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEE!'

'AHHHHHH!'

'IDON'TWANNADIEAVIRGIN!'

'IT STILL COUNTS! HOOFJOBS STILL COOOOUNTS!'

'AHHHHHHH!'

'I HAVE A WIFE AND THREE KIDS! AND ANOTHER WIFE WITH ANOTHER KID, BUT DON'T TELL THE FIRST ONE!'

'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'

"...Don't think they're listening."

>They never do but it's our job to ensure they don't scatter and get hit by falling rubble. We have to keep them in line and protect them as best we can!

"Well, you do. I just juggle stuff. That's my thing.'

>JJ I NEED SOME HELP HERE!

"They called me bug monster."

>JJ!

"...Fiiiine. I'll help the totally racist ponies who wish me dead and in no way will every see me as anything other than a really big insect."

>THANK YOU!

"...Hammers coming back around."

*CRASH!*

>WHY IS NOBODY STOPPING THIS THING!? We have, like, EVERY freaking super pony in the world here, SOMEONE STOP IT!

"Maybe they can't."

>...JJ, no.

'WHAT DID HE SAY!?'

'THAT WE'RE ALL GONNNA DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!'

"Whoops."

'AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'
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 http://pastebin.com/mKtDFfNy

This should have the Shiny rap plus lyrics. I didn't want to put it as an mp3 because hassle but this was the quickest way I saw besides MF. Lemme know if it doesn't work, sorry for the inconvenience.
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 >Pinkie
"Twilight"
'Dash'
[AJ]
{Rarity}
~Spike~
~~~

>N-noooo...

She was horrified beyond measure, shaking to her very core atop Rainbow Dash.

>We... we gotta do something!

Her friend nodded, flying up next to her.

"Maybe if we take out it's legs first, we can disable it."

'Or maybe I can just go in from the top and blow it apart like that!'

"We don't know what's in the tent, it could be a trap.'

'But if I don't go in from above I won't have enough speed to take it out! Besides, coming in from the sides puts us at the mercy of those guns!'

"Better the known than the unknown!"

>Maybe-

[Let them handle it.]

They all froze.

>...W-what do you mean? We can't just leave that thing! It's gonna wreck partyland!

[Ah' know, it probably is... but we can't go at it.]

"What!? What're you talking about!?"

[Look, Ah' didn't want ta' be the one ta' say it, but if looks like Ah' gotta. Iffin' we try ta' take that thing on, we're gonna get stalled. It may be an hour, it may be five minutes, but every minute we do, it's gonna get worse. And here's the kicker, the worst part o' it, even iffin' we win, it may not stay down, or somethin' worse may take it's place. It ain't the problem here, and ya'll know it. We gotta get the source, guys.We gotta figure out a way ta' stop Discord, not his things he's makin'.]

They all hovered there, unable to speak.

>B-but... but my Partyland...

A white, comforting hoof touched her shoulder.

{I'm sorry, darling, but... we have to see the big picture.}

She looked away, tears sprinkling in her eyes.

~...Come on, magics still coming from somewhere in the park, right Twi?~

She wordlessly nodded, unable to look at her friend any longer.

'No chance it's in that thing?'

She looked up for a bit, horn flickering... and then shook her head, and looked away.

[Come on... let's keep lookin'.]

They all followed in her unsteady flight, trying to drown out the sounds of destruction.

They could handle it, surely...

They could handle it...
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Screwloose
“AJ12”
________

Coming back from his break saw 12 carrying something- or more accurately, smuggling something- into the room.

He paused quite suddenly upon noticing that Screwloose was hanging from the ceiling. Not from her neck, but by the loose straps of her straightjacket, and upside-down at that.

How she’d gotten up there was anyone’s damn guess but she looked utterly bored.

“…Do I even want to know how you… how you did that? Got up there?”

>No. And if you didn’t bring me a new set of scalpels then you might as well keep the receipt, pervert.

“Uh-huh, give the mentally unstable mare implements of torture. Sure, I’ll get right on that.”

>Tch, shows how much you know, limiting those wonderful tools to the amateur act of bisecting flesh. They can do oh so much more, pervert. So. Much. More~.

“Hivemind above, can you please not drool like that?”

>Too much for you to handle?

“Ignoring that. Anyway, I found this while I was rummaging through your storage bin.”

>Ooooh, going through my unmentionables now, perv? You sure know how to get a girls beaker bubbling, don’t you?

“…Okay, I’ll admit it, that analogy was kind of clever.”

>Thanks.

“But so, yeah… found this here. Seems you weren’t lying, huh?”

>What? You mean you thought I was talking about my hooves just because? Pervert, I have medals about these puppies. Just because I adore the tantalizing coppery-stench of a used operating table doesn’t mean I don’t dabble in more feminine ventures.

“Huh. Well I’ll be da-”

>Why, you weren’t going to ask me to step on your face or something now that you have undeniable proof of their sexiness… were you?

“You sure you don’t have an award for outstanding projection, too?”

>Yeah, it’s right next to your congressional medal of denial.

“Ha, touché.”
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 >IR
"CQ"
'???'
~~~~

>Hrm.

"Hrm."

>Mmmm..

"....Mnnn..."

>Unfortunate.

"Indeed, it seems our poor daughter has had a stroke of terrible luck."

>It is never easy to see such a fate befall one with so little time to prepare.

"We cannot choose when disaster will strike for our children. For the best, or we would likely never let a drop of rain fall on their head."

>Aye... but it will always make my heart weak to see them out in the storm.

"Mmm... mine as well. Watch out."

They both smoothly sidestepped, allowing... something to crash land right between them, landing hard in the wall.

'Ow...'

>...You

A poofy, crumbly mane shot up, accompanied by a fake smile.

'HEEYYYYY! Hi, Mister Rock, Misses Quartz... how are yoooou? You not... under attack?

>Sandwhich. What were you doing up there?

'Uh... well, that thing up there? Used to be a tiny, tiiiiny robot, comparatively not overall as he was still pretty big, and well, I may have uh...'

"..."

'...Got my fanny kicked left and right, that's what I did!'

>I see. You could not stop it?

'Ahhh... nope. Not... not even close. Guess he had too much POP for me to handle!'

"..."

'...Did I mention it was a popcorn maker? Whoops! Missed the whole joke there.'

>...

'...Welllll, if you will both excuse me, I may be full of splinters, but I've still gotta go help get my party patrons to safety! You both stay here, he's not smashing over this way yet, but if he does you high tail it out like you got your flanks on fire, you hear?'

>...
"..."

'...Can probably handle yourselves. Be safe and have fu-... er, let's just stick with safe, okay? Bye!'

With that, he tore off, muttering to himself when he was far enough away.

'Shoot, that probably didn't look very good... need to work on some better jokes for next time, I am REALLY off my game!'

Back with them, however...

"It's a start."

>No it isn't. He still won't take this seriously.

"...Point."

>...I will punch him.

"Honey, no."

>It worked for the other fellow.
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 >42
"SA"
'???'
[???]
{???}
~~~~

>Damn damn damn!

Normally, she would be aghast at saying such things when there was a chance 2 could possibly hear them, but just this once she felt like the threat of 'giant robot' facilitated an exception.

"GAH!"

The hammer went hard into his shield once again, causing it to flicker rapidly. He may be the most talented shield maker in the world, but he was still sadly just on unicorn.

And she, worse, was just a changeling.

>What... I've got to do SOMETHING.

All of their scared faces... 2, Poindexter, 18, Maney... Cadence...

>SOMETHING-ACK!

Something smacked her right in the back of her head, and she felt metal claws sink over every cheek.

"42!"

She was pulled back at a lightning rate, hefted up high, high above those down below, and onto the roof of the hotel.

And she was not alone.

'About time you got here, Punchbug! Really, I sent a rocket into the air, why did you not assemble?'

The cocky, almost bored look of Diamond Tiara was almost a relief.

[Poppet, really, you shouldn't have grabbed her like that. We can fly.]

'TOO SLOW! Here!'

Something popped out of a compartment in TBDRLIATU, a pair of...

>Brass knuckles?

'Brass TASER knuckles, I paid extra for the zapping here, come on.'

Silver Spoon just sighed at her look.

{Just thank her and be done with it.}

Wearily, 42 put them on her hooves.

>You seem confident.

'Well, duuuuuh, I have a plan, obviously! I've already had a run in with these things, so I know that in order to beat it, you have to get to the center, and BOOOOM!'

>You've... dealt with this?

[Long story. Which she should have shared with all of you-]

'BITE ME PATCHY!'

[-but we will have to deal with.]

'Now, where's Spike...'

{He was with the other Elements.}

'...that DICK! We need him on the team!... You know what? Screw him. Screw him right in the dragon hole. Because you know what else?'

She hefted TBDRLIATU on her shoulders, and popped out her jump jets.

'I'M taking command of the A-Team for this mission, and you can just deal with it!'

>EXCUSE ME!?

'I have the most experience fighting these things, I'm the best armed, and oh yeah, I'm DIAMOND TIARA! You got an issue with this?'

>Yeah! A lot of issues!

'TOO BAD!'

Two more of those grabbing cables shot out, latching onto their chests. Before they could react, she took off into the air.

>Standard Airship Assault plan, but revised for robot, let's go!'

{What, I'm not coming?}

'Sorry, SS! This is A-tam stuff, not gunclub stuff!'

[Those aren't the same?]

'What? No. What gave you that idea. A-team means you get a keychain. I don't see no keychain for them.'

>I didn't get a keychain...

'IT'S IN THE MAIL!'

[You are being really pushy today.]

{TODAY!?}

[...Point.]

'ENOUGH TALK! Fall in, team, we're heading right into the-'

>DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!

'...I said we're going right into the-'

>I WILL END YOU!

'...Robot.'

>...Oh. Sorry.

'Which is a very dangerous zone-'

>ARRGHHHHH!

[...Equestria's elite, everyone.]
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 >29
"MM"
'Trixie'
[Zecora]
{JJ}
~Actarius~
~~~~~~

>I had better get a refund.

"Right? This is some buffaloshit right here."

'THINE LANGUAGE SO FOUL! My ears, as if they had been RENT asunder by the very pieces of the words thou speaks, each syllable as unto a blade that carves mine mind!'

[Don't steal his schtick, it's all he has.]

>HEY! I STOOD UP FOR YOU!

{Hey, having a thing isn't so bad. I only have one thing, but I'm good with it!}

~It's true, he is. Impresses me every time.~

"Well, normally Niney is pretty impressive, but he's been lacking here recently."

>HEY!

[She's just being honest, you've been phoning it in.]

'Laziness of the body as well as the SOUL from which it burns! Apathy so thick, so palpable! Foulness on the tongue!'

>YOU WOULD KNOW!

{She would know what it's like to have foulness on the tongue? I don't know what that's like.}

~HAH! Liar!~

{HEY! Don't tell them that!}

~Hey man, you scream out about 'FUCKING HOLES' every time, don't knock on me for pointing it out.~

"Niney never uses harsh language like that. He does the sexy talk."

>See!?

"Even if he does phone it in."

>WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!?

"...What does phoning it in mean?"

'...'
[...]
{...}
~...Huh...~

{So are we worried about the giant robot or what?}

[Nah, we never handle stuff like this, and the last time something like this happened me and Marey blew 29.]

"He couldn't see straight for a week."

~...Uh... huh...~

{DODGE!}

*CRASH!*

'ACCURSED THING-'

*WHAM!*

"..."

>...I do NOT phone it in, whatever that means.
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 >???
~~

A hero.

What that means is different to most. It can mean someone who defeats a great foe, or someone who saves a life, or even just someone who is there in a time of strife to stop the hurt. A hero means a lot of things.

But to one, it meant standing up when others went down, it meant saving every life you could, it meant showing the world that they could rise to new heights. It meant getting back up when you got knocked down.

But sadly...

>AHHHHHHH!

It did not mean you would win, no matter how hard you tried.

That's the only thing that went through her head as she flew through the air. Her charge had been ultimately worthless, she had not even managed to close the gap before that damned hammer had hit her square in the jaw and sent her through the air. Even at her full size, it was like she was nothing to him.

And so, she could do little but brace herself as she collided with some stand, crushing it and it's contents flat, lying on her back in a daze.

She was a hero, she knew. But being a hero only prepared you for so much.

For instance, being a hero did not prepare you for the moment you opened your eyes, world shaking around you..

And came face to face with a tiny version of yourself.

It did not prepare you when, in your confusion, you picked it up, noticing the toys look was eerily familiar.

It didn't prepare you when a chunk of your lip fell off...

And you suddenly didn't know if it had come from you, or the toy.

Being a hero prepares you to face any odds.

It does not prepare you for the day you learn... you might not be a hero at all.
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 >DT
"42"
'77'
~~~~~~

>AHAHAHAHAH! COME ON!

"ARE YOU INSANE!?"

Later psychiatric evaluations would strongly indicate yes.

'The fact you're asking this now worries me, 42. You would think you would have brought it up sometime before the guns popped out.'

"I DID!"

>Well, you should have screamed louder.

"IF I GET SHOT BECAUSE OF YOU, I WILL RISE FROM THE GRAVE, WALK OVER TO YOUR GRAVE, DIG YOU UP, SUMMON YOUR SOUL FROM THE FOUL HELL FROM WHICH IT BELONGS, AND THEN PUNCH YOU RIGHT BACK DOWN INTO IT!"

>HAH! I like that you think that just because you died, *I* somehow died in this scenario. That's funny, you're funny.

'Poppet, that's kind of sick.'

>Oh will you hush, we're almost there!... Which is good, he's running out of jumpjet fuel. Hrm, need to find something better than those magic cores Twilight designed. It's normally pretty easy to charge them, twenty bits at a unicorn and I'm good, but it's pain when there are no unicorns around.... need to get another one of those on the gun club. Sweetie Belle? I want someone inferior to me, but that's pretty much everyone, do I really have to set my sights so low-

"DIAMOND TIARA!"

>Hm? Oh, right... DIIIIIIVVVVVEEEEEAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!

With that, they banked hard, pointed straight downward at what could charitably be called the 'shoulder blade' of the machine. A rain of missiles went loose, hammering into it directly in front of them.

"YOU IDIOT! WAIT FOR THE EXPLOSIONS TO DIE DOWN!"

>Can't, it'll reseal! Just gonna have to take it!

'...You realize you aren't fireproof, right?'

>Oh, aren't I?

A disk popped out of the sides of TBDRILATU, covering the tiny filly like a shroud.

And then popping loose immediately, and flying away.

>...Shoot, uh, I did not fasten that on right. Probably... used the wrong bolts there and 77 YOU ARE TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM!

'Wait wh-'

His line suddenly closed in, and he found himself dragged before the filly and her rocket launcher, just in time to pass through the wall of fire, and into the robots innards.They landed hard. Well, 'they' meaning 42 and 77. Not so much the filly, or her beloved weapon.

'...Ow.'

>It was for a good cause.

'You know, I probably would have done that anyway you just had to ask.'

>If you would have done it anyway, I didn't need to ask. Good? Good. Now, I say we split up, find the core, and do the appropriate stabbing bombing or what have you. Team? BREA-...

And that's when everything came alive.

>...New plan, KILL EVERYTHING!... Because I will in fact do just that if I fire a rocket in here, and everything is not excluding me.

The two changelings groaned, and slipped into a fighting stance.

That's when the whole world decided it wanted them dead.
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 >55
"???"
~~~

>AHHHHHH!

*CRASH!*

"...55."

Shaking off the rubble of the sign, he gasped at her.

>13! YOU'RE NEVER GONNA BELIEVE IT!

"..."

>...IT'S NOT STOPPING WHEN I SET IT ON FIRE!

"You don't say."

>YES I DID!

"...Did you try using more fire?"

>GOOD THINKING!

*SHOOOM!*

"..."

*CRASH!*

>IT DIDN'T WORK!

"Imagine that."

>I'VE GOT IT! MORE FIRE!

"..."

*CRASH!*

>...I'VE GOT IT!

"This could go on for a long time..."
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 >SA
“Cadence”
‘2’
[PD]
{Mane-Iac}
-18-
~???~
~~~~~
>AHHH!

Another blow against his shield sent shimmers through his brain. The shield held, but just barely.

Worried, his wife brought her own horn closer to his, nearly touching their noses together. She could fuel his shield, make it more powerful, but she could not do it herself. Perhaps if the thing could be repelled by love magic, as Sombra once was, she would instead be the one to have her might tested. But all she could do… was be there.

Be there as blow after blow went up against the strongest shield he had ever made.

>I don’t know if I can hold it much longer.

“You have to! It’s the only think keeping it from wiping us all out!”

>I know!

‘C’mon Shiny! You can do it!’

He did his best to smile at her, to reassure her.

>Sure… sure, I can…

Suddenly, the blows stopped.

-…What are the odds he just got bored of this because chaos?-

And then the guns came out.

[Not good.]

A hundred shots fired against the shield, and against it all Shining Armor screamed in defiance. Soon… the smoke began to clear.

>…HAH! STILL UP-

And then came the hammer.

>AHHHHHH!

A billion magical shards went out in every direction, and the hammer at last could swing downward into the gathered group. Shining Armor dazed from the feedback of a broken spell, had to be dragged free by his wife before he could be reduced to paste, and was at her mercy as he was pulled this way and that as she dodged nimbly by flying.


-SCATTER!-

They did, running in every direction, scurrying about as the massive thing tried to play whack-a-mole with their bodies. Thankfully, most were nimble enough to dodge. And for those that weren’t.

[THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!]

{EVEN I’M NOT LAUGHING AT THIS!}

They found help. Tendrilly, very fast help.

But it could not last forever.

‘OH NO!’

The tiny little bundle next to the stunned Shining Armor suddenly shot forward, towards the only one who had not moved yet.

‘LADY YA’ GOTTA MOVE!’

The mare who had been watching all of this with severe disinterest just stared at the filly pushing against her, not managing to make her budge.

>T-two…

“TWO SWEETIE GET AWAY FROM HER-“

-LOOK OUT!-

The words of warning were the only indicator, before the hammer began its descent.

He was moving before he even realized what he was doing.

“SHINY NO!”

Instinctively, he simply grabbed the screaming child, covered her as best he could with his body, shutting his eyes tight and forming the tightest, strongest shield he possibly could around himself and her, knowing deep down… it wouldn’t be enough.

“NOOOOOOOOO!”

She fired, and fired, and fired again, pouring every ounce of love she could muster, every drop. Every blast did nothing, moved nothing, slowed nothing. No matter how much power she put into it, she could not stop it as it descended upon the two she cared most about in this world.

Even as the world went silent around her, she could hear the distinct, reverberating sound as it finally landed, and covered them all.

CLLLLAAAAAANNNNNNNNNGGGGGG!

The ripples of the shockwave that overtook her could not hope to shake her as much as the sight before her. The sight of a hammer laid down

…But not flush with the ground.

The vice like grip of two white forelegs on the tiny bundle crushed against his chest slipped just a bit, just the tiniest amount, as eyes clenched shut opened ever so slightly. Above him, the sun remained blacked out. But beneath him, the very ground itself had been caved in, cratered.

Like a creaking machine, he slowly looked upward. To straining muscles and a grunting, growling figure that reared back, taut shoulders pressed against the metal disk that threatened to crush them all.

Impossibly, she held it back.

>No…

And shoved it up.

The machine stumbled, so taken off guard that even its chaos driven mind could not comprehend what it saw. It examined the hammer, as if to look for some sort of spring or other trick. But there was none. Only a single mare standing amidst caved in earth, a frown on her face.

No one was that strong, Shining Armor knew. Nobody in the whole world could ever be that strong.

…Except…

~Damn.~

And she just smiled, an annoyed, almost patronizing smile.

~Was pretty sure I would go this whole event without doing this. Eh…~

The smile just grew wider as the flames started to consume her.

~I suppose it is for the best. For what good is a war…~

And then those flames rose to the sky.

~If the gods themselves do not show up for a little fun.~

Cadence’s jaw dropped wide in a stunned, stupefied gape. It was impossible, she reasoned. No chance at all could that monster have been so close to her, spent so much time with her, spoken with her on such a level, all the while she was totally unaware. No way could that creature even pretend to be a real pony, no way…

No way could she fail so much, and not see the rage in her heart.

Tears sprang from Two’s eyes as she buried her face in his chest, shaking with fear at the memory of the monster before her. The monster that roared, as if in challenge, to the machine that had dared attack her.

>You..

She spared only a glance back to him, scoffing dismissively.

~So, your strength back then was just a fluke.~

His eyes burned with rage, his horn starting to spark of its own volition.

~Heh. Thought you would be over that little event by now. I suppose that one day you mentioned has not yet come?~

That mocking, sarcastic tone made him nearly break his teeth clenching them.

~Oh well… another day.~

With a feral, angry snarl, she turned her attention back to the machine poised and ready to face her. She stomped forward, shaking the ground with every step, a powerful, massive stride with every movement.

~You may have knocked away those fakes…~

He swung away…

~But I am no false Queen… I, am QUEEN CHITANIA!~

…And was stopped dead in his tracks.

By the side of her head.

With a maddened, beastly roar she hurled herself forward, horn renting right into his metallic ‘flesh’. Her massive hooves swung like twin giant clubs, shaking the very floating island itself. She bit, she stabbed, she punched, she tore into it like an enraged beast.

And yet, it would not fall.

Every time she tore loose one of its rides, it simply pulled another from an attraction it had not yet used. No matter how she twisted and broke the coverings, more just snapped back into place.

~Fine, I can do this all day!~

It reared forward, pressing back against the Titans might. A thousand compartments all across its frame opened up, and out from them came enough weapons to arm a large militia.

And then they all fired. All at the same time.

A hundred thousand explosions erupted across her frame, covering every inch of her in multicolored blasts of heat, cold, peppermint and the occasional flour bomb. In seconds, she was consumed in flame, and as the shockwaves died down all was silent.

Until the hooves resumed their assault, of course, completely unphased by what had happened.

~You’ll have to do a LOT better than that.~

And so they grappled, a machine forged of insanity, and a Titan powered by rage. A force designed only to destroy, against something that could heal all wounds as soon as they were made.

And she was having the time of her life.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >???
~~

>She's here...

She knew she should be feeling terrified.

She knew she should be feeling even more afraid than she had been a second ago, which was really saying something.

She should be worried she was going to die.

She should be worried that 'monster' was going to crush her without a care.

She should be terrified.

...But she wasn't, because...

>She's here...

Fear, at last, could hold her no longer.

>...BEAT HIS ROBOT FLANK RIGHT IN, AUNT CHITTY!

She realized if anyone, anywhere, had ever heard her, they would probably think her mad. They would think she was inviting death itself.

Good thing she was here, in this protective shield miss Twilight had thrown up instead, totally hidden from any monster, or pony.

Which meant she could scream her little heart out.

>GIVE HIM A HNNN! AND A BOOOOM! AND A WHAM WHAM WHAM!

It felt so much like old times, in her mothers grip, watching the Titan do her work against a dragon or mutant manticore or Titania or whoever. For a moment, she could again feel he mother holding onto her, telling her everything was going to be just fine.

Because the Titan was here.

And nothing could stop her.

Nothing.

>YEAAAHHHHHH!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >DT
"77"
'42'
~~

>So does anyone else feel like we're being hit by a giant monster?

77 blanched, spittle coming out of his mouth as a living candy cane suckerpunched him in the gut with a giant sparkly wand.

"IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY!?"

>No, I mean really, feels like something came alive out there and started hitting us. Those giant toys got back up, maybe?

Behind her, a giant three legged pirate was cut off from is sneak attack on her by a pair of flailing hooves.

'DOES IT REALLY MATTER!?'

>Well, yeah. Don't want them to beat us to the-

'NO MORE!'

>...Punch.

'WHY!?'

>Because I'm the leader, and what I say goes. In this case, tormenting you.

'WE NEVER AGREED TO THAT!'

>You agreed when you latched onto my rising star.

'YOU GRABBED US!'

>Details, details.

'Why couldn't you bring Silver Spoon...'

>HEY! Don't even joke about that! She's not some badass like me, and she sure as sugar doesn't need to be around all these explosives I'm placing.

"WHAT!?"

>On your left.

On cue, he leapt back, impaling the thing that had been trying to attack him on his horn.

>You should really use your knife, it's way better than that.

"WOULD LOVE TO POPPET, BUT NO KNIFE!"

>...Oh! Right!

With a POP! His trusty bone knife shot out of TBDRLIATU, and into is grasp.

"..."

>Forgot I grabbed that thing when I got back TBDRLIATU, sorry.

"Why."

>Well, I was there, and the knife was there, and-

"I mean... you didn't grab Charity or 42's weapons, why mine?"

>Hm? Oh... just never know if you're going to need it.

"...Thanks, Poppet."

>For what? No idea what you mean.

'WILL YOU TWO STOP! WE NEED TO KEEP MOVING!'

"...Moment ruiner."

'EAT ME!'
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >Twilight
"Pinkie"
'Dash'
[Rarity]
{AJ}
~Spike~
~~~~~

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?"

>...Pinkie-

"OF ALL THE THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN, CHITANIA!? CHITANIA SHOWS UP!? CHI-FREAKING-TANIA!? WHAT'S NEXT!? ARE WE JUST GOING TO BOMB THE PLACE!? DO I JUST HAVE TO SET IT ON FIRE!? WHAT!?"

[Pinkie Darling please, calm down!]

'Guys, we might have to hold off the search-'

{No.}

~WHAT!? AJ, this is our one chance to take her out! She's totally distracted now, we might have the edge if-~

{If what, Spike? We shoot her in the back o' the head?}

~Maybe, yeah!~

{And what do we do when that don't work fer the SECOND time?}

~...~

{That's right, then we get ta' runnin' cause the dang supermonster's pissed off and after our hides, and guess what we ain't doin'? Stoppin' the world from goin' crazy. It's gonna get worse and worse, and then we gotta fight BOTH of them. Ya' get what Ah'm sayin'?}

~...~

>Applejack is right, we have to let her be for now. Most likely, after she beats that thing she'll run off. This isn't her fight, she has no stake in it, she won't keep going when it's not personal.

~So that's the solution? Just... let her get away, again?~

>...Yes, Spike, that's the solution. She's going to win, stomp off, and we are going to ignore her because right now, there's bigger things to worry about. Okay?

~...~

'I'm with you, Spike. But I know they're right.'

~I know... I just...~

[We all know, darling. Trust me, we all know.]

>Let's just hope... that thing is enough, and nobody tries anything stupid.

Morosely, they turned their backs on the battling titan, and flew away.

{...It sucks bein' a princess.}

>Tell me about it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 >SA
“Cadence”
‘2’
[PD]
{Mane-Iac}
~18~
~~~~

There were hugs, tears, hooves on shoulders and all sorts of declarations as to the joy of how glad they were the pair was alright.

But there were no smiles.

>I can't believe it.

It came out harsh, still glaring at the back of the monsters head as she tore apart the place in her extended battle.

>This whole time... she was right there... she was right there in front of me.

Cadence looked away, in shame.

"I...I'm sorry."

He was all too quick to grab her.

>It's not your fault. I... I'd be pretty hypocritical here if I blamed you, wouldn't I?

Still, his voice was less reassuring... more bitter.

'I'm sorry Shiny...'

She was still crying, still grabbing him.

'I jus' wanted to push her outta the way...'

>I know, sweetie. If it had been anyone else... anyone.

His voice went low, into a deep growl.

>Just leave the heroics to me next time, okay?

Sadly, she nodded.

[So... that's the real thing, huh?]

{Heh... I never dreeeamed I'd see her this close.}

[You worried?]

{Meeeeee? HAHA! Never! I face creatures like her all the time! Why, I've faced swamp monsters bigger than her, literally!}

[...Huh. Guess you have.]

But sitting away from all of them, just a bit further back, was another. One who had been sitting there, stewing in her own thoughts this whole time.

~...Right in front of me...~

She was a top class infiltrator, she said. She was a spy unlike any other, she said. She was one of the very best, she said...

~...I'm...~

She had protected that... thing. That thing that hurt her Shiny, that hurt little Two, and Caddy, and 42, and Chrysalis, and... and she had protected her.

Because she didn't know.

~...I'm full of shit...~

She didn't know what stung worse. That... Or the fact that when Shiny needed someone most of all, it was that monster who saved him.

So they all watched, their own thoughts consuming them, knowing that regardless of how this fight went...

It was not over.
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